He said, And this Advice above the rest,
Suited with Azaria’s Vertue best.
He was not stain’d with Cruelty or Pride;
A thousand Graces he possest beside.
To Vertue he was naturally inclin’d,
And Goodness clothed his heroick Mind.
His Kingly Vertues made him fit to reign,
Yet scorn’d by evil Arts the Crown to gain.
And tho he Empire to desire did seem,
His Loyalty was still more dear to him:
Therefore he did not court the Peoples Love,
Nor us’d their Pow’r his Rival to remove.
From’s Father he fought not their Hearts to steal,
Nor head a Faction mov’d by blinding Zeal;
But like a vertuous and a pious Son,
Sought all occasions of Offence to shun.
In private like a common man sat down,
His Peace his Rule, his Loyalty his Crown.
Thus humble, vertuous, loyal, void of Pride,
Most of the Jews he gained to his side.
Not factious Sects, the Rabble, or the rude
Erring, unthinking, vulgar Multitude:
But the chief Tribes and Princes of the Land,
Who durst for Moses’s ancient Statutes stand.
The pious, just, religious, and the good,
Men of great Riches, and of greater Bloud,
Did, as one man, themselves together joyn
To stop the Baalites, and Hell’s curst design.
Not wicked, or seduc’d by impious Arts,
But Loyal all, and Patriots in their Hearts.
For they beheld the Baalites foul intent,
Religion to o’rethrow and Government.
97 These at the Monarch’s Power did not grutch,
Since bound by Laws, he could not have too much.
What Laws prescribe, they thought he well might have,
How could he else his Realm in danger save?
But Baal’s or Egypt’s Yoke they would refuse,
Not fitting for the Necks of free-born Jews.
They all resolve the King not to oppose,
Yet to defend the Nation from its Foes.
And were it not for those great Worthy men,
The Jews distress’d and wretched soon had been.
Among the Rout perhaps there some might blend,
Whose int’rest made them Publick Good pretend;
Weary of Peace, new Troubles would create,
And for their private Gain, embroyl the State.
And some perhaps there were, who thought a King
To be of Charge, and but an useless thing.
Some idle Fops, who publickly debate
To shew their Parts, the deep Intrigues of State;
These and some others, for a Commonwealth,
Among the Herd, unseen, might hide by stealth:
But it would strange to common Justice seem,
For some few bad, the sound Flock to condemn.
Like Goats among the Sheep, well known these bleat,
And are like Darnel ’mong the purest Wheat.
These not as Friends, but Enemies to the Throne,
Good Patriots and good Subjects did disown.
And Azaria, tho they us’d his name,
Disdain’d their Friendship with a loyal shame.
But he beheld appearing on his side,
Princes, whose Faith and Loyalty were try’d;
Such as no base or sordid ends could move,
Who did his Father and their Country love.
In the first rank of these did Nashon stand,
None nobler or more loyal in the Land.
Under the King he once did Edom sway,
And taught that Land the Jews good Laws t’obey.
True to his Word, and of unspotted Fame;
Great both in Parts, in Vertue, and in Name.
98 His Faith ne’r touch’d, his Loyalty well known,
A Friend both to his Country and the Throne.
Base ends his great and noble Soul did scorn,
Of loyal, high, and noble Parents born.
His Father with renown and great Applause,
For Joash di’d, and suffer’d for his Cause.
Of great Aminadab who would not sing,
Whose glory shin’d next to the martyr’d King?
From him his Son true Loyalty understood,
Imprest on’s Soul, seal’d with his Father’s Bloud.
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The grave, religious, wife, rich Helon too, Much honoured by every zealous Jew, Appear’d a Patriot, to his Country true. | } |
In the Jews Laws, and strict Religion bred,
And Baal’s curst Rites did much abhor and dread.
His Son Eliab, in the Sanhedrim,
With courage had oppos’d Eliakim:
A man whose many Vertues, and his Parts,
Had won upon the sober Peoples Hearts.
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From every Faction, and from Envy free; Lov’d well the King, but hated Flatterie; Kept Moses’s Laws, yet was no Pharisee. | } |
He went not to their Synagogues to pray,
But to the Holy Temple every day.
With piercing Judgment saw the Lands Disease,
And labour’d onely for the Kingdoms Peace:
Loyal and honest was esteem’d by all,
Excepting those who strove to set up Baal.
For an ill Action he ne’r stood reprov’d;
But’s King, his Country, and Religion lov’d.
No Taint ere fell upon Eliab’s name,
Nor Hell it self found cause to spot his Fame.
Pagiel with honour loaded, and with years,
Among this Loyal Princely Train appears.
None Pagiel tax’d, for no one ever knew
That he to Amazia was untrue.
A Fame unspotted he might truly boast;
Yet he had Foes, and his gain’d Favours lost.
Zuar, a sober and a vertuous Prince,
Who never gave least cause of an offence.
99
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Elishama, at once both sage and young, From noble and from loyal Fathers sprung, Shone bright among this sober Princely throng. | } |
Enan, a Prince of very worthie Fame;
Great in deserved Title, Bloud, and Name.
Elizur too, who number’d with the best
In Vertue, scorn’d to lag behind the rest.
Abidon and Gamaliel had some sway;
Both loyal, and both zealous in their way.
And now once more I will invoke my Muse,
To sing brave Ashur’s praise who can refuse?
Sprung from an ancient and a noble Race,
With Courage stampt upon his manly face;
Young, active, loyal; had through Dangers run,
And with his Sword abroad had Honours won:
Well-spoken, bold, free, generous, and kind,
And of a noble and discerning mind.
Great ones he scorn’d to court, nor fools would please,
But thought it better for to trust the Seas.
He thought himself far safer in a Storm,
And should receive from raging Seas less harm,
Than from those dangerous men, who could create
A Storm at Land, with Envie and with Hate.