IN pious times ere priestcraft did begin,
Before polygamy was made a fin;
When man on many multiply'd his kind,
Ere one to one was curfedly confin'd;
When nature prompted, and no law deny'd
Promifcuous ufe of concubine and bride;
Then Ifrael's monarch after heaven's own heart,
His vigorous warmth did variously impart
To wives and flaves; and wide as his command, Scatter'd his Maker's image through the land. Michal, of royal blood, the crown did wear; A foil ungrateful to the tiller's care: Not fo the reft; for feveral mothers bore To god-like David several fons before. But fince like flaves his bed they did afcend, No true fucceffion could their feed attend. Of all the numerous progeny was none So beautiful, fo brave, as Abfalom: Whether infpir'd by fome diviner luft, His father got him with a greater gust: Or that his conscious destiny made way, By manly beauty to imperial fway. Early in foreign fields he won renown, With kings and states ally'd to Ifrael's crown: In peace the thoughts of war he could remove, And feem'd as he were only born for love. Whate'er he did, was done with fo much ease, In him alone 'twas natural to please: His motions all accompany'd with grace; And paradife was open'd in his face. With fecret joy indulgent David view'd His youthful image in his fon renew'd: To all his wishes nothing he deny'd; And made the charming Annabel his bride.
What faults he had, for who from faults is free?
His father could not, or he would not fee.
Some warm exceffes which the law forbore,
Were conftru'd youth that purg'd by boiling o'er
And Amnon's murder by a fpecious name,
Was call'd a juft revenge for injur'd fame.
Thus prais'd and lov'd, the noble youth remain'd,
While David undisturb'd in Sion reign'd.
But life can never be fincerely bleft:
Heaven punishes the bad, and proves the best.
The Jews, a headstrong, moody, murmuring race,
As ever try'd th' extent and stretch of grace;
God's pamper'd people, whom debauch'd with
ease,
No king could govern, nor no God could please;
Gods they had try'd of every shape and fize,
That godfmiths could produce, or priests devise :
Thefe Adam-wits too fortunately free,
Began to dream they wanted liberty;
And when no rule, no precedent was found,
Of men, by laws lefs circumfcrib'd and bound
They led their wild defires to woods and caves,
And thought that all but favages were slaves.
They who, when Saul was dead, without a blow,
Made foolish Ishbofheth the crown forego;
Who banish'd David did from Hebron bring,
And with a general fhout proclaim'd him king:
Those very Jews, who at their very best,
Their humor more than loyalty exprest,
Now wonder'd why fo long they had obey'd
An idol monarch, which their hands had made;
Thought they might ruin him they could create,
Or melt him to that golden calf a state.
But these were random bolts: no form'd defign,
Nor intereft made the factious crowd to join:
The fober part of Ifrael, free from stain,
Well knew the value of a peaceful reign;
And looking backward with a wife affright,
Saw feams of wounds dishonest to the fight:
In contemplation of whofe ugly fcars,
They curft the memory of civil wars.
The moderate fort of men thus qualify'd,
Inclin'd the balance to the better fide;
And David's mildnefs manag'd it fo well,
The bad found no occafion to rebel.
But when to fin our bias'd nature leans,
The careful devil is ftill at hand with means;
And providently pimps for ill defires :
The good old cause reviv'd a plot requires.
Plots true or falfe are neceffary things,
To raise up commonwealths, and ruin kings..
Th'inhabitants of old Jerufalem
Were Jebufites; the town fo call'd from them; And theirs the native right -----
But when the chofen people grew more strong,
The rightful caufe at length became the wrong;
And every
lofs the men of Jebus bore,
They still were thought God's enemies the more.
Thus worn or weaken'd, well or ill content,
Submit they must to David's government :
Impoverish'd and depriv'd of all command,
Their taxes doubled as they loft their land;
And what was harder yet to flesh and blood,
Their gods difgrac'd, and burnt like common
wood.
This fet the heathen priesthood in a flame;
For priests of all religions are the fame.
Of whatsoe'er descent their godhead be,
Stock, stone, or other homely pedigree,
In his defence his fervants are as bold,
As if he had been born of beaten gold.
The Jewish rabbins, though their enemies,
In this conclude them honeft men and wife:
For 'twas their duty all the learned think,
T'espouse his cause, by whom they eat and drink.
From hence began that plot, the nation's curse,
Bad in itself, but represented worse ;
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