Anti-Achitophel | Page 6

on which it fed.?Here blind Obedience to a blinder Guide,?Nurst that Blind Zeal that rais'd the Priestly pride;?Whilst to make Kings the Sovereign Prelate own,?Their Reason he enslav'd, and then their Throne.?The Mitre thus above the Diadem soar'd,?Gods humble servant He, but Mans proud Lord.?It was in such Church-light blind-zeal was bred,?By Faiths infatuating Meteor led;?Blind Zeal, that can even Contradictions joyn;?A Saint in Faith, in Life a Libertine;?Makes Greatness though in Luxury worn down,?Bigotted even to th' Hazard of a Crown;?Ty'd to the Girdle of a Priest so fast,?And yet Religious only to the wast.?But Constancy atoning Constancy,?Where that once raigns, Devotion may lye by.?T'espouse the Churches Cause lyes in Heav'ns road,?More than obeying of the Churches God.?And he dares fight, for Faith is more renown'd?A Zealot Militant, than Martyr crown'd.?Here the Arch-Priest to that Ambition blown,?Pull'd down Gods Altars, to erect his own:?For not content to publish Heav'ns command,?The Sacred Law penn'd by th'Almighty Hand,?And _Moses_-like 'twixt God and _Israel_ go,?Thought _Sinai_'s Mount a Pinacle too low.?So charming sweet were Incense fragrant Fumes, }?So pleas'd his Nostrils, till th'Aspirer comes }?From offering, to receiving Hecatombs; }?And ceasing to adore, to be ador'd.?So fell Faiths guide: so loftily he towr'd,?Till like th'Ambitious _Lucifer_ accurst,?Swell'd to a God, into a Fiend he burst.
But as great _Lucifer_ by falling gain'd?Dominion, and ever in Damnation reign'd;?And though from Lights blest Orb for ever driven, }?Yet Prince o'th'Air, h'had that vast Scepter giv'n, }?T'have Subjects far more numerous than Heav'n. }?And thus enthron'd, with an infernal spight,?The genuine Malice of the Realms of night,?The Paradise he lost blasphemes, abhors,?And against Heav'n proclaims Eternal Wars;?No Arts untry'd, no hostile steps untrod,?Both against Truths Adorers, and Truths God.
So Faiths faln Guide, now _Baals_ great Champion raign'd; Wide was his Sway, and Mighty his Command:?Whilst with implacable revenge he burn'd,?And all his Rage against Gods _Israel_ turn'd.?Here his invenom'd Souls black gall he flings,?Spots all his Snakes, and points his Scorpions stings:?Omits no Force, or Treacherous Designe,?Blest _Israel_ to assault, or undermine.?But the first Sword did his keen Malice draw,?Was aim'd against the God-like _Deborah.?Deborah_, the matchless pride of _Judah_'s Crown,?Whose Female hand _Baal's_ impious Groves cut down,?His banisht Wizards from her _Israel_ thrust,?And pounded all their Idols into dust.?Her Life with indefatigable pain,?By Daggers long, and poysons fought in vain:?At length they angry _Jabins_ Rage enflam'd,?_Hazors_ proud King, for Iron Chariots fam'd;?A Warriour powerful, whose most dreadful Hoast?Proclaim'd Invincible, (were humane Boast?Infallible) by haughty _Sisera_ led,?'Gainst _Deborah_ their bloody Banners spread.?Here _Deborah_ her _Barak_ calls to War;?_Barak_, the Suns fam'd fellow-traveller,?Who wandring o're the Earths surrounded Frame,?Had travelled far as his great Mistress Fame.?Here _Barak_ did with _Deborah's_ vengeance fly,?And to that swift prodigious Victory,?So much by Humane Praises undefin'd,?That Fame wants Breath, and Wonder lags behind.?To Heav'ns high Arch her sounding Glories rung,?Whilst thus great _Deborah_ and _Barak_ sung.
_Hear, oh ye Princes, oh ye Kings give Ear,?And _Israels_ great Avengers honour hear.?When God of Hosts, thou _Israels_ Spear and Shield,?Wentst out of _Seir_, and marched'st from _Edoms_ field,?Earth trembled, the Heaven's drop'd, the Clouds all pour'd; The Mountains melted from before the Lord;?Even thy own _Sinai_ melted into streams,?At _Israels_ dazling Gods refulgent Beams.?In _Shamgar_ and in _Jael's_ former days,?The wandring Traveller walked through by-ways.?They chose new Gods. No Spear nor Sword was found,?To have Idolatry depos'd, Truth Crown'd,?Till I alone, against _Jehovahs_ Foes;?I _Deborah_, I _Israels_ Mother rose.?Wake _Deborah_, wake, raise thy exalted Head;?Rise _Barak_, and Captivity Captive lead.?For to blest _Deborah_, belov'd of Heav'n,?Over the Mighty is Dominion given.?Great _Barak_ leads, and _Israels_ Courage warms;?_Ephraim_ and _Benjamin_ march down in Arms:?_Zebulon_ and _Nepthali_ my Thunder bore,?_Dan_ from her Ship, and _Asher_ on the Shore.?Behold _Megiddoes_ waves, and from afar,?See the fierce _Jabins_ threatning storm of War.?But Heav'n 'gainst _Sisera_ fought, and the kind Stars?Kindl'd their embattel'd Fires for _Deborah's_ Wars,?Shot down their Vengeance that miraculous day,?When _Kishons_ Torrants swept their Hosts away.?But curse ye _Meroz_, curse 'em from on high.?Did the denouncing voice of Angels cry;?Accurst be they that went not out t'oppose?The Mighty _Deborah's_, God's, and _Israel's_ Foes.?Victorious _Judah!_ Oh my Soul, th'hast trod,?Trod down their strengths. So fall the Foes of God.?But they who in his Sacred Laws delight,?Be as the Sun when he sets out in might._
Thus sung, they conquer'd _Deborah_; thus fell?Hers, and Heav'ns Foes. But no Defeat tames Hell.?By Conquest overthrown, but not dismay'd,?'Gainst _Israel_ still their private Engines play'd.?And their dire Machinations to fulfil,?Their stings torn out, they kept their poyson still.?And now too weak in open force to joyn,?In close Cabals they hatcht a damn'd Design,?To light that Mine as should the world amaze,?And set the ruin'd _Israel_ in a blaze.
When _Judahs_ Monarch with his Princes round,?Amidst his glorious Sanedrim sate Crown'd,?Beneath his Throne a Cavern low, and dark?As their black Souls, for the great