[AZARIA]

AND

HUSHAI,

A POEM.

In Impious Times, when Priest-craft was at height,
And all the Deadly Sins esteemed light;
When that Religion only was a Stale,
And some bow’d down to God, and some to Baal;
When Perjury was scarce esteem’d a Sin,
And Vice, like flowing Tides, came rowling in;
When Luxury, Debauch, and Concubine,
The sad Effects of Women and of Wine,
Rag’d in Judea and Jerusalem,
Good Amazia of great David’s Stem,
God-like and great in Peace did rule that Land,
And all the Jews stoop’d to his just Command.
Long now in Sion had he Peace enjoy’d,
After that Civil Broils the Land destroy’d:
Plenty and Peace attended on his Reign,
And Solomon’s Golden days return’d again;
When the Old Canaanites, who there did lurk,
Began to find both God and King new Work:
For Amazia, tho’ he God did love,
Had not cast out Baal’s Priests, and cut down every Grove.
Too oft Religion’s made pretence for Sin,
About it in all Ages Strife has been;
76 But Int’rest, which at bottom doth remain,
Which still converts all Godliness to Gain,
What e’er Pretence is made, is the true Cause,
That moves the Priest, and like the Load-stone draws.
The Canaanites of Old that Land possess’d,
And long therein Idolatry profess’d;
Till Sins of Priests, and of the Common Rout,
Caus’d God and his good Kings to cast them out.
Their Idols were pull’d down, their Groves destroy’d,
Strict Laws against them, and their Worship made.
The Heathen Priests were banish’d from the Land
Of Baal, no Temple suffer’d was to stand;
And all Succeeding Kings made it their Care,
They should no more rear up their Altars there.
If some mild Kings did wink at their Abode,
They to the Jews still prov’d a Pricking-goad:
Growing more bold, they penal Laws defy’d,
And like tormenting Thorns, stuck in their Side.
The busy Priests had lost their gainful Trade,
Revenge and Malice do then Hearts invade;
And since by Force they can’t themselves restore,
Nor gain the Sway they in Judea bore,
With Hell they Joyn their secret Plots to bring
Destruction to Judea and its King.