OR,
ACHITOPHEL
TRANSPROS’D.
In Gloomy Times, when Priestcraft bore the sway,
And made Heav’ns Gate a Lock to their own Key:
When ignorant Devotes did blindly bow,
And groaping to be sav’d they knew not now:
Whilst this Egyptian darkness did orewhelm,
The Priest sate Pilot even at Empires Helm.
Then Royal Necks were yok’d, and Monarchs still
Hold but their Crowns at his Almighty Will.
And to defend this high Prerogative,
Falsely from Heaven he did that powr derive:
By a Commission forg’d i’th’ hand of God,
Turn’d Aarons blooming wand, to Moses snaky Rod.
Whilst Princes little Scepters overpowr’d,
Made but that prey his wider Gorge devour’d.
Now to find Wealth might his vast pomp supply,
(For costly Roofs befit a Lord so high)
No Arts were spar’d his Luster to support,
But all Mines searcht t’enrich his shining Court.
Then Heav’n was bought, Religion but a Trade;
And Temples Murder’s Sanctuary made.
By Phineas Spear no bleeding Cozbies groan’d,
If Cozbies Gold for Cozbies Crimes aton’d.
With these wise Arts, (for Humane Policy
As well as Heav’nly Truth, mounts Priests so high)
’Twixt gentle Penance, lazy Penitence,
A Faith that gratifies both Soul and Sense;
With easie steps to everlasting Bliss,
He paves the rugged way to Paradice.
16 Thus almost all the Proselyte-World he drives,
Whilst th’universal Drones buz to his Hives.
Implicite Faith Religion thus convey’d
Through little pipes to his great Channel laid,
Till Piety through such dark Conduits led,
Was poyson’d by the Spring 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.
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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;
17
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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.