King Arthur An Heroick Poem. In Twelve Books. By Richard Blackmore. To which is Annexed, An Index, Explaining the Names of Countrys, Citys, and Rivers, &c |
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 | King Arthur |  |
The famous Priest th'attentive Audience taught,
And from the Sacred Oracles he brought
What in their minds Conceptions Just and Right
Of the first Glorious Being might excite.
What might Create Dependance on his Power,
And by engaging Heav'n make Conquest sure.
And thus his Wise Instructions did Commence
With Zeal Divine, and rapid Eloquence.
The Pagan World ev'n in its darkest Night,
Receiv'd from glimm'ring Nature so much Light,
That by that Candle of the Lord they found
They were by Duty, and by Int'rest bound,
The World's high Moderator to atone,
And their Dependance on his Care to own.
With solemn Worship they invok'd his Aid
Before their War-like Ensigns they display'd.
To take the Field they from the Altar rose,
And from their Temples march'd to meet their Foes.
To render Heav'n Propitious to their Arms,
Christians are more oblig'd to use the Charms
Of pure Devotion, who more clearly know
What Blessings from Divine Assistance flow.
The Lord of Armys in the Battel stands,
And Vict'ry always watches his Commands.
Without his Favour and propitious Aid,
Armies in vain defend, in vain invade.
The Turns of Empire, and th'Events of War,
Result from his Supream, directing Care.
Those who the Self-existent Cause conceive,
And all his Glorious Attributes believe,
Who own his Greatness, and unbounded Power
To crush his Foes, and Vot'ries to secure;
His Justice, that with Threats the Bad deters,
And great Rewards on Upright Men confers,
His unchang'd Love and Truth that never errs:
His Faithfulness, that ne'er forsakes his own,
But stands as fix'd as his Eternal Throne,
That to his Servants still he Succour brings,
Gather'd beneath his kind protecting Wings.
Those Saints who such a Deity conceive,
With strong Devotion arm'd, will ever strive
With Heav'n, and first begin their Conquests there,
Before on Earth they undertake a War.
Success and Triumph, never to the side
That Heav'n engages on, can be deny'd.
And from the Sacred Oracles he brought
What in their minds Conceptions Just and Right
Of the first Glorious Being might excite.
What might Create Dependance on his Power,
And by engaging Heav'n make Conquest sure.
And thus his Wise Instructions did Commence
With Zeal Divine, and rapid Eloquence.
241
Receiv'd from glimm'ring Nature so much Light,
That by that Candle of the Lord they found
They were by Duty, and by Int'rest bound,
The World's high Moderator to atone,
And their Dependance on his Care to own.
With solemn Worship they invok'd his Aid
Before their War-like Ensigns they display'd.
To take the Field they from the Altar rose,
And from their Temples march'd to meet their Foes.
To render Heav'n Propitious to their Arms,
Christians are more oblig'd to use the Charms
Of pure Devotion, who more clearly know
What Blessings from Divine Assistance flow.
The Lord of Armys in the Battel stands,
And Vict'ry always watches his Commands.
Without his Favour and propitious Aid,
Armies in vain defend, in vain invade.
The Turns of Empire, and th'Events of War,
Result from his Supream, directing Care.
Those who the Self-existent Cause conceive,
And all his Glorious Attributes believe,
Who own his Greatness, and unbounded Power
To crush his Foes, and Vot'ries to secure;
His Justice, that with Threats the Bad deters,
And great Rewards on Upright Men confers,
His unchang'd Love and Truth that never errs:
His Faithfulness, that ne'er forsakes his own,
But stands as fix'd as his Eternal Throne,
242
Gather'd beneath his kind protecting Wings.
Those Saints who such a Deity conceive,
With strong Devotion arm'd, will ever strive
With Heav'n, and first begin their Conquests there,
Before on Earth they undertake a War.
Success and Triumph, never to the side
That Heav'n engages on, can be deny'd.
| King Arthur | |