There all old Abram's story you might fee; And still fome angel bore him company. His painful, but well-guided, travels show The fate of all his fons, the Church below. Here beauteous Sarah to great Pharaoh came, He blush'd with fudden paffion, she with shame; Troubled the feem'd, and labouring in the strife 'Twixt her own honour and her husband's life, Here on a conquering hoft, that careless lay, Drewn'd in the joys of their new-gotten prey, The Patriarch falls; well-mingled might you fee The confus'd marks of death and luxury. 281 In the next piece, bleft Salem's mystic king Does facred prefents to the victor bring; Like him whofe type he bears, his rights receives; Strictly requires his due, yet freely gives; 285 Ev'n in his port, his habit, and his face, The mild and great, the priest and prince, had place.
Here all their starry hoft the heavens display; And lo! an heavenly youth, more fair than they, Leads Abram forth; points upwards: "Such," faid he, 290
"So bright and numberlefs, thy feed fhall be."
Here he with God a new alliance makes,
And in his flesh the marks of homage takes:
And here he three myfterious perfons feasts,
Well paid with joyful tidings by his guefts: 295
Here for the wicked town he prays, and near
Scarce did the wicked town through flames ap-
pcar;
And all his fate, and all his deeds, were wrought, Since he from Ur to Ephron's cave was brought. But none 'mongst all the forms drew then their eyes 300
Like faithful Abram's righteous facrifice: The fad old man mounts flowly to the place, With Nature's power triumphant in his face O'er the Mind's courage; for, in fpite of all, From his fwoln eyes refifilefs waters fall. The innocent boy his cruel burthen bore With fmiling looks, and fometimes walk'd before, And fometimes turn'd to talk above was made The altar's fatal pile, and on it laid The Hope of mankind; patiently he lay, And did his fire, as he his God, obey. The mournful fire lifts up at laft the knife, And on one moment's firing depends his life, In whofe young loins fuch brooding wonders lie. A thoufand Spirits peep'd from the' affrighted íky,
Near this hall's end a fhittim-table stood; 339 Yet well-wrought plate ftrove to conceal the wood;
For from the foot a golden vine did fprout,
And caft his fruitful riches all about.
Well might that beauteous ore the grape exprefs,
Which does weak man intoxicate no lefs.
Of the fame wood the gilded beds were made,
And on them large embroider'd carpets laid,
From Egypt, the rich fhop of follies, brought;
But arts of pride all nations foon are taught.
Behold feven comely blooming youths appear, 340
And in their hands feven filver wafh-pots bear,
Curl'd, and gay clad; the choiceft fons that be
Of Gibeon's race, and flaves of high degree!
Seven beauteous maids march'd foftly in behind;
Bright fcarfs their cloaths, their hair fresh gar-
lands, bind;
345
And, whilst the princes wash, they on them shed
Rich ointments, which their coftly odours fpread
O'er the whole room; from their fmall prifons free,
With fuch glad hafte thro' the wide air they flee.
The king was plac'd alone, and o'er his head 350
A well-wrought heaven of filk and gold-was
fpread,
Azure the ground, the fun in gold fhone bright, But pierc'd the wandering clouds with filver light. The right-hand bed the king's three fons did grace,
The third was Abner's, Adriel's, David's, place;
And twelve large tables more were fill'd below,
With the prime men Saul's court and camp could
fhow;
The palace did with mirth and music found,
And the crown'd goblets nimbly mov'd around;
But, though bright joy in every guest did fhine,
The plenty, ftate, mufic, and fpriteful wine, 361
Were loft on Saul; an angry care did dwell
In his dark breaft, and all gay forms expel,
David's unufual abfence from the feaft
To his fick fpirit did jealous thoughts fuggeft:
Long lay he ftill, nor drank, nor cat, nor fpoke,
And thus at last his troubled filence broke:
"Where can he be?" faid he; "it must be fo.” 310 With that he paus'd a while. "Too well we
Amaz'd at this strange scene; and almost fear'd For all thofe joyful prophecies they'd heard; Till one leap'd nimbly forth, by God's command, Like lightning from a cloud, and ftopp'd his hand. The gentle Spirit fmil'd kindly as he spoke, 320 New beams of joy thro' Abram's wonder broke; The Angel points t'a tuft of bushes near. Where an entangled ram does half appear, And struggles vainly with that fatal het, Which, though but flightly wrought, was firmly For, lo! anon, to this fad glory doom'd, The useful beaft on Ifaac's pile confum'd; Whilft on his horns the ranfom'd couple play'd, And the glad boy danc'd to the tunes he made.
"His boundlefs pride: he grieves, and hates to fee "The folemn triumphs of my court and me. 371 "Believe me, friends, and truft what I can fhow "From thousand proofs; th' ambitious David now "Does thofe vaft things in his proud foul defign "That too much bufinefs give for mirth or wine. "He's kindling now, perhaps, rebellious fire
Among the tribes, and does ev'n now confpire "Against my crown, and all our lives; whilft we "Are loth ev'n to fufpect, what we might fee. "By the Great Name, 'tis true."
"Who fears, left her chafte bed fhould doubted be, "And her white fame ftain'd by black deeds of "thee!
"Canft thou be mine? a crown fometimes does "hire
A fea rolls on with harmlefs fury here;
Strait 'tis a field, and trees and herbs appear:
Here in a moment are vaft armies made,
And a quick scene of war and blood display'd:
Here fparkling wines, and brighter maids, come in,
"Ev'n fons against their parents to confpire; 390 The bawds for Senfe, and lying baits of Sin: 450 "But ne'er did ftory yet, or fable, tell "Of one fo wild, who merely to rebel,
"To thy falfe friend, and fervile mafter, fly; "He's ere this time in arms expecting thee; "Hafte, for thofe arms are rais'd to ruin me! 410 Thy fin that way will nobler much appear, "Than to remain his fpy and agent here. "When I think this, Nature, by thee forfook, "Forfakes me too.' With that his fpear he took To ftrike at him; the mirth and mufic ceafe ; 415 The guests all rife, this fudden storm t' appcafe: The Prince his danger, and his duty, knew; And low he bow'd, and filently withdrew.
To David ftrait, who in a feeft nigh Waits his advice, the royal friend does fly. The fole advice now, like the danger, clear, Was, in fome foreign land this form t' outwear. All marks of comely grief in both are feen; And mournful kind difcourfes pais'd between. Now generous tears their hafty tongues reftrain, Now they begin, and talk all o'er again: A reverent oath of conftant love they take, And God's high name their dreaded witness make;
Not that at all their faiths could doubtful prove;
But 'twas the tedious zeal of endlefs love.
Thus, ere they part, they the fhort time beftow
In all the pomp friendship and grief could fhow:
And David now, with doubtful cares opprefs'd,
Beneath a fhade borrows fome little reft;
When, by command divine, thick mifts arife, 435
And ftop the fenfe, and clofe the conquer'd eyes.
There is a place which man most high doth rear,
The Small World's heaven, where Reafon moves
the fphere:
Here, in a robe which does all colours fhow
(Th' envy of birds, and the clouds' gardy how)
Phanfy, wild dame, with much lafcivious pride,
Fy twin-camelions drawn, docs gaily ride;
Her coach there follows, and throngs round about
Of fapes :nd airy forms an endless rout:
Some things arife of strange and quarrelling kind,
The forepart lion, and a snake behind:
Here golden mountains fwell the covetous place,
And centaurs ride themfelves, a painted race.
Of thefe flight wonders Nature fees the ftore, 455
And only then accounts herself but poor.
Hither an Angel comes, in David's trance, And finds them mingled in an antique dance; Of all the numerous forms fit choice he takes, And joins them wifely, and this vision makes:First David there appears in kingly ftate, 46 Whilft the twelve tribes his dread command await:
Strait to the wars with his join'd ftrength he got
Settles new friends, and frights his ancient foes.
To Solima, Canaan's old head, they came
(Since high in note, then not unknown to fame
The blind and lame th' undoubted wall defend,
And no new wounds or dangers apprehend:
The bufy image of great Joab there
Difdains the mock, and teaches them to fear: 4
He climbs the airy walls, leaps raging down,
New-minted fhapes of flaughter fill the town:
They curfe the guards their mirth and brave
chofe;
All of them now are flain, or made like those.
Far through an inward fcene an army lay, 4
Which with full banners a fair Fith difplay:
From Sidon plains to happy Egypt's coaft
They feem all met; a vaft and warlike hoft!
Thither haftes David, to his deftin'd prey,
Honcur and noble danger lead the way; 4
The confcious trees fhook with a reverent fear
Their unblown tops; God walk'd bef re him the
Slaughter the weary'd Riphaims' bofom fills;
Dead corpfe embofs the vale with little hills.
On th' other fide, Sophenes' mighty king
Numberlefs troops of the bleft Eafl does bring:
Twice are his men cut off, and chariots ta'en;
Damafcus and rich Adad help in vain.
Here Nabathæan troops in battle stand,
With all the lufty youth of Syrian land; 4
Undaunted Joab rufhes on with speed,
Gallantly mounted on his fiery steed;
He hews down all, and deals his deaths around
The Syrians leave, or poffefs dead, the ground.
On th' other wing does brave Abishai ride, 4
Reeking in blood and duft; on every fide
The perjur'd fons of Ammon quit the field;
Some bafely die, and fome more bafely yield.
Through a thick wood the wretched Hanun fi
And far more juftly then fears Hebrew fpies. 50
Moloch, their bloody god, thrufts out his head
Grinning through a black cloud: him they
long fed
In his feven chambers; and he still did eat
New-roasted babes, his dear delicious meat.
Again they' arife, more anger'd than difmay'd
Euphrates and fwift Tygris fends them aid: 5
In vain they fend it, for again they're flain,
And feaft the greedy birds on Helay plain.
Here Rabba with proud towers affronts the fky,
And round about great Joab's trenches lie: 510
They force the walls, and fack the helpless town;
On David's head fhines Ammon's mafy crown.
Midit various torments the curs'd race expires;
David himself his fevere wrath admires.
Next upon Ifrael's throne docs bravely fit 515
A comely youth endow'd with wond'rous wit.
Far from the parched Line a royal dame,
To hear his tongue and boundlefs wifdom, came:
She carried back in her triumphant womb
The glorious ftock of thousand kings to come. 520
Here brightest forms his pomp and wealth dif-
play,
Here they a temple's vaft foundations lay;
A mighty work! and with fit glorics fill'd
For God t' inhabit, and that king to build.
Some from the quarries hew out maffy ftone, 525
Some draw it up with cranes; fome breathe and
In order o'er the anvil; fome cut down
Tall cedars, the proud mountain's ancient crown;
Some carve the trunk, and breathing fhapes
Giving the trees more life than when they grow;
But ch, alas! what fudden cloud is spread 531
About this glorious king's eclipfed head?
all his fame benights, and all his store,
Wrapping him round; and now he's feen no more!
When ftrait his fon appears, at Sichem crown'd,
With young and heediefs council circled round;
Unfenly object! but a falling ftate
Has always its own errors join'd with Fate.
Ten tribes at once forfake the Jeflian throne,
And bold Adoram at his meflage ftone;
540
Brethren of Ifrael!"-more he fain would say,
But a fint ftopp'd his mouth, and fpeech i' th'
So huge an hoft of Zerah's men he flew,
As made ev'n that Arabia Defert too.
Why fear'd he then the perjur'd Baafha's fight?
Or bought the dangerous aid of Syrians' might?
Conqueft, Heaven's gift, cannot by man be fold,
Alas! what weakness trufts he? Man and gold.
Next Jofaphat poffefs'd the royal ftate
(An happy prince, well worthy of his fate);
His oft oblations, on God's altar made,
With thoufand flocks and thoufand herds are paid,
Arabian tribute! What mad troops are thofe,
Those mighty troops that dare to be his foes!
He prays them dead: with mutual wounds they
fall;
One fury brought, one fury flays, them all. 580
Thus fits he ftill, and fees himself to win;
Never o'ercome but by's friend Ahab's fin;
On whofe difguife Fates then did only look;
And had almoft their God's command mistook:
Him from whofe danger Heaven fecurely brings,
And for his fake two ripely wicked kings. 586
Their armies languifh, burnt with thirst at Seir;
Sighs all their cold, tears all their moisture, there;
They fix their greedy eyes on th' empty fky,
And fancy clouds, and fo become more dry: 590
Elifha calls for waters from afar
To come; Elifha calls, and here they are:
In helmets they quaff round the welcome flood;
And the decrease repair with Moab's blood.
Jehoram next, and Ochoziah, throng
595
For Judah's fceptre; both fhort-liv'd too long.
A Woman too from murther title claims;
Both with her fins and fex the crown fhe fhames:
Proud, curfed woman! but her fall, at laft,
To doubting men clears Heaven for what was
paft.
600
Joas at firft does bright and glorious fhow;
In life's fresh morn his fame did early crow:
Fair was the promife of his dawning ray,
But Prophets' angry blood o'ercaft his day;
From thence his clouds, from thence his storms,
begin;
605
Here this fond king's disasters but begin,
He's defined to more fhame by' his father's fin:
Sufack came up, and under his command
A dreadful army from fcorch'd Afric's fand,
As numberlefs as that: all is his prey,
The temple's facred wealth they bear away:
Adrizar's fhields and guiden lofs they take:
Ey'n David in his dream does fweat and fhake. 550
Thus fails this wretched prince; his loins appear
Of lefs weight now than Solomon's fingers were.
Abijah next fecks Ifrael to regain,
And wash in feas of blood his father's ftain:
Me'er faw the aged fun fo cruel fight;
Scarce faw he this, but hid his bafhful light.
555
Nebat's curs'd fon fled with not half his men;
Where were his gods of Dan and Bethel then?
Yet could not this the fatal ftrife decide:
God punish'd one, but blefs'd not th' other fide.
Afan, a juft and virtuous prince, fucceeds, 561
High-rais'd by fame for great and godly deeds:
He cut the folemn groves where idols ftood.
And facrific'd the gods with their own wood:
He vanquish'd thus the proud weak powers of To make his worft forefathers innocent:
It cries aloud, and twice lets Aram in.
So Amaziah lives, fo ends his reign:
Both by their traiterous fervants juftly flain.
Edom at first dreads his victorious hand,
Before him thoufand captives trembling ftand; 610
Down a deep precipice, down he cafts them all,
The mimic fhapes in feveral poftures fall:
But then (mad fool!) he does thofe gods adore
Which, when pluck'd down, had worship'd him
before!
Before him next their doing fervants fell:
Thus all his life to come is lofs and fhame; 615
No help from gods, who themselves help'd not,
All this Uzziah's ftrength and wit repairs,
Leaving a well-built greatnefs to his heirs;
Till leprous fcurf, o'er his whole body caft,
Takes him at firft from men, from earth at last.
As virtuous was his fon, and happier far; 641
Buildings his peace, and trophies grac'd his war.
But Achaz heaps up fins, as if he meant
He burns his fon at Hinnom, whilft around
The roaring child drums and joud trumpets found:
This to the boy a barbarous mercy grew,
And fnatch'd him from all miferies to enfue.
Here Peca comes, and hundred thoufands fall;
Here Refin marches up, and fweeps up all;
Till, like a fea, the great Belochus' fon
Breaks upon both, and both does over-run;
The laft of Adad's ancient stock is flain,
Ifrael captiv'd, and rich Damafcus ta'en:
All this wild rage to revenge Judah's wrong; 635
But woe to kingdoms that have friends too ftrong!
Thus Hezekiah the torn empire took,
And Affur's king, with his worse gods, forfook;
Who to poor Judah worlds of nations brings,
There rages, utters vain and mighty things; 640
Some dream of triumphs, and exalted names,
Some of dear gold, and fome of beauteous dames:
Whilft, in the midst of their huge fleepy boast,
An angel fcatters death through all the host.
Th' affrighted tyrant back to Babel hies,
There meets an end far worse than that he flies.
Here Hezekiah's life is almost done!
So good, and yet, alas! fo fhort, 'tis fpun:
Th' end of the line was ravel'd, weak, and old;
Time muft go back, and afford better hold
To tie a new thread to' it, of fifteen years:
'Tis done; th' all-mighty power of prayer and
tears!
Backward the fun, an unknown motion, went;
The stars gaz'd on, and wonder'd what he meant.
Manaffes next (forgetful man!) begins;
Enflav'd and fold to Afhur by his fins;
Till, by the rod of learned mifery taught,
Home to his God and country both he's brought:
It taught not Ammon, nor his hardness brake;
He's made th' example he refus'd to take. 660
Yet from this root a goodly cyon springs;
Jofiah, beft of men, as well as kings.
Down went the calves, with all their gold and
coft;
The priest then truly griev'd Ofiris loft;
Thefe mad Egyptian rites till now remain'd; 665
Fools! they their worfer thraldom still retain'd!
In his own fires Moloch to afhes fell,
And no more flames must have befides his hell;
Like end Astarte's horned image found,
And Baal's fpired ftone to duft was ground: 670
No more were men in female habit fcen,
Nor they in men's, by the lewd Syrian qucen:
No luftful maids at Benos' temple fit,
And, with their bodies' fhame, their marriage get:
The double Dagon neither nature faves,
Nor flies fhe back to th' Erythraan waves.
The travelling fun fees gladly from on high
His chariots burn, and Nergal quenched lie;
The king's impartial anger lights on all,
From fly-blown Accaron to the thundering Baâl.
Here David's joy unruly grows, and bold,
Nor could fleep's filken chain its violence hold,
Had not the Angel, to feal faft his eyes,
'The humours ftirr'd, and bade more mifts arife:
When ftrait a chariot hurries swift away,
And in it good Jofiah bleeding lay;
One hand's held up, one ftops the wound; in vain
They both are us'd: alas! he's flain, he's flain.
He in Egyptian fetters captive dies,
This by more courteous anger murder'd lies.
His fon and brother next do bonds sustain,
Ifrael's now folemn and imperial chain.
Here's the laft fcene of this proud city's ftate;
All ills are met ty'd in one knot of Fate. 69
Their endless flavery in this trial lay;
Great God had heap'd-up ages in one day:
Strong works around the wall the Chaldees buil
The town with grief and dreadful business fill'd:
To their carv'd gods the frantic women pray,
Gods, which as near their ruin were as they.
At laft in rushes the prevailing foe,
Does all the mischief of proud conqueft fhow
The wondring babes from mothers' breafts a
And fuffer ills they neither fear'd nor meant; No filver reverence guards the ftooping age, No rule or method ties their boundless rage: The glorious temple fhines in flame all o'er, Yet not fo bright as in its gold before: Nothing but fire or flaughter meets the eyes; Nothing the ear but groans and dismal cries. The walls and towers are level'd with the groun And scarce aught now of that vast city's found But fhards and rubbish, which weak figns mig keep
Of forepast glory, and bid travellers weep.
Thus did triumphant Affur homewards pass,
And thus Jerufalem left, Jerufalem that was!
This Zedechiah faw, and this not all;
Before his face his friends and children fall, 7
The sport of infolent victors; this he views,
A king and father once! ill Fate could use
His eyes no more to do their master spite;
All to be feen fhe took, and next his fight.
Thus a long death in prifon he outwears;
Bereft of grief's last folace, ev'n his tears,
Then Jeconiah's fon did foremost come, And he who brought the captiv'd nation hom A row of worthies' in long order pass'd O'er the short stage; of all old Jofeph laft. 7 Fair angels pafs'd by next in feemly bands, All gilt, with gilded baskets in their hands, Some, as they went, the blue-ey'd violets threw Some, fpotlefs lilies in loofe order threw; Some did the way with full-blown rofes fpread. Their fmell divine, and colour strangely red; Not fuch as our dull gardens proudly wear, Whom weathers taint, and winds' rude kifles te Such, I believe, was the first rofe's hue, Which at God's word in beauteous Eden grew Queen of the flowers which made that orcha gay!
The morning blushes of the spring's new day With fober pace an heavenly maid walks Her looks all fair; no fign of native fin Through her whole body writ; immoder
With that, his feeming form to heaven he rear'd;
She low obeifance made, and disappear'd. 760
Lo! a new star three eastern fages fee
(For why fhould only earth a gainer be?)
They faw this Phofphor's infant-light, and knew
It bravely usher'd in a Sun as new:
They hafted all this Rising Sun t' adore;
With them rich myrrh and early spices bore:
Wife men! no fitter gift your zeal could bring;
You'll in a noifome ftable find your King.
Anon a thousand devils run roaring in;
Some with a dreadful smile deform'dly grin; 770
Some stamp their cloven paws, fome frown, and
The gaping fnakes from their black-knotted hair;
As if all grief, and all the rage of hell,
Were doubled now, or that just now they fell:
But, when the dreaded maid they entering faw,
All fled with trembling fear and filent awe.
In her chafte arms theternal infant lies,
Th' Almighty voice chang'd into feeble cries.
Heaven contain'd virgins oft, and will do more;
Never did virgin contain Heaven before.
Angels peep round to view this myftic thing,
And Halleluiah round, all Halleluiah fing.
No longer could good David quiet bear
Th' unwieldy pleasure which o'erflow'd him
It broke the fetters, and burst epe his eye:
Away the timorous forms together fly:
Fix'd with amaze he flood; and time must take,
To learn if yet he were at last awake.
Sometimes he thinks that Heaven this vifion fent,
And order'd all the pageants as they went; 790
Sometimes, that only 'twas wild Phanfy's play,
The loose and scatter'd relics of the day.
When Gabriel (no bleft spirit more kind or fair)
Bodies and clothes himself with thicken'd air;
All like a comely youth in life's freth bloom; 795 Rare workmanship, and wrought by heavenly loom!
He took for skin a cloud moft foft and bright,
That ere the mid-day fun pierc'd thro' with light;
Upon his cheeks a lively blush he fpread,
Wash'd from the morning beauties' deepeit red;
An harmleis flaming meteor fhone for hair,
And fell adown his fhoulders with loose care;
He cuts out a filk mantle from the skies,
Where the moft fpritely azure pleas'd the eyes;
VOL. II.
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This he with ftarry vapours fpangles all,
Took in their prime, ere they grow ripe and fall;
Of a new rainbow, ere it fret or fade,
The choiceft piece took out, a scarf is made:
Small ftreaming clouds he does for wings difplay,
Not virtuous lovers' fighs more foft than they; 810
Thefe he gilds o'er with the iun's richest rays,
Caught gliding o'er pure ftreams on which he
plays.
Thus dreft, the joyful Gabriel pofts away.
And carries with him his own glorious day,
Through the thick woods: the gloomy fhades
awhile
Put on fresh looks, and wonder why they fmile;
The trembling ferpents clofe and filent lie;
The birds obfcene far from his paffage fly;
A fudden fpring waits on him as he goes,
Sudden as that which by creation rose:
Thus he appears to David; at first fight
All earth-bred fears and forrows take their flight.
In rushes joy divine, and hope, and reft;
A facred calm fhines through his peaceful breast.
"Hail, man belov'd! from highest heaven,"
faid he;
825 "My mighty master sends thee health by me. "The things thou faw'ft are full of truth and "light,
Shap'd in the glass of the divine forefight : "Ev'n now old Time is harneffing the years "To go in order thus. Hence, empty fears! 830 Thy fate's all white; from thy bleft feed shall
"The promis'd Shilo, the great mystic King: "Round the whole earth his dreaded name fhall "found,
"And reach to worlds that must not yet he found: "The Southern clime him her fole lord thali
THE ARGUMENT.
David's flight to Nob, and entertainment there by the High Prieft; from thence to Gath in difguife, where be is difcevered and brought to Acbis: be counterfeits bimfelf mad, and escapes to Adullam. A fourt enumeration of the forces which come thither to him. A defeription of the Kingdom of Moab, whither David flies; bis entertainment at Moub's court: a cigreffion of the biftory of Lot, father of the Moabites, reprefented in picture. Melchor's fong at the feat. Moab defires foob to relate the flory of David; which be does: bis extra&ion; his excellency in е
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