University of Virginia Library

THE Love of David, &c

Of Deities, that Stock bright Heav'n above,
Or reign below, there's none so great as Love.
Love through the gilded Firmament does fly,
Commands the Gods, and Lords it in the Sky.
Love does on Earth his beaut'ous Empires keep,
And makes his Voyage through the boundless Deep.
With sweet Contagion he corrupts the Mind,
Harmfully fair, and dangerously kind.
As through the Nations of the World he flew,
And smiling Ills in ev'ry Kingdom blew:
At last to Judah's Sacred Tow'rs he came,
Judah! Immortal as its glorious Name.
There great Jessides he with Envy view'd,
Whom nor his Darts had pierc'd, nor Charms subdu'd.
And well he knew, that from his Loyns should flow
A sure Destruction to the Pow'rs below,
In whom Hell suffer'd harder than before,
And doubled Pains th' Infernal Tyrants bore,
Greater than those, when impiously bold
They fell from the resisted Sky of old.
Remembring this, Am I, (said he,) whom none
Tho' thousands) could subdue, subdu'd by One?
The growing World I, like a Conqu'rour, sway'd,
Me Adam, Father of Mankind, obey'd.
These Darts (my only praise) did once ingage,
Fierce Men, with these I tam'd a barb'rous Age.
[illeg.] drew the Deluge from the wond'ring Sea,
The Watry Battle was ingag'd by Me.
The well-built, lofty Babylonian Tower,
And Murder'd Ninus testify my Pow'r.
By Me, in flames Incestuous Sodom fry'd,
When Burnings hotter than her own she try'd.
By Me, to Troy the Grecian Navy sail'd,
And Perjur'd Priam's Sacred Palace scal'd.
Hector untimely to the Shades did go,
[illeg.]glorious Armies follow'd him below.
With Heathen Beauty I fond Sampson flew,
(For Me, what will not beaut'ous Woman do?)
Isr'el's vast Champion a full Harvest reap'd,
And Piles on Piles, Trophies on Trophies heap'd.
For many Miles torn Heroes choak'd the Way,
Like Hills on Hills dismembred Gathites lay.
Him I subdu'd; nor stop'd I there, till He
Bent at my Virtue, and was blind like Me.
Nor shall you scape, Jessides; tho' you shine
In Judah's Palace, all the World is mine.
Arrows and Darts instead of Stones I'll throw,
Command thy Sling, and I'll command my Bow.
Thus spoke the God. At this inrag'd he grew,
And from the Top of Judah's Temple flew.
A Golden Bow he on his Shoulders wore,
A Quiver full of pointed Deaths he bore.
Then spreading round his Eye, unseen, at last
He view'd the fair Bersaba, as he past.
Tho' Sacred Judah's Beauties were Divine,
The fair Bersaba, like the Moon, did shine
Among th' inferiour Stars: So beauteous she;
But, ripe for Man, now might a Mother be.
Ev'n Love himself admir'd her won'drous shape,
And she might well fear an Immortal Rape.
With Gods and Goddesses she might compare,
For Gods and Goddesses were not so fair,
No spot, no blemish in her Face was seen,
Clear as the Morn, and as the Sky, Serene.
So bright, so goodly her Complexion shone,
As if some Angel drew it by his own.
And in her Eyes did thousand Graces play,
Like sparkling Stars that gild the Milky Way.
Here pointed Flames with cheerful Light did strive,
Able to Murder Mortals and revive.
But ah! What Pencil can describe, or show
The radiant Honours of her spacious Brow?
Here on her Neck in Curls soft Tresses rol'd,
Her Neck, like Iv'ry, and her Hair, like Gold.
Smooth, but more warm than Ice, her Breasts did show,
Whiter than Marble, but more soft than Snow.
The God admir'd the Virtues of her Face,
Beauty contending with Majestick Grace.
I'll cast, said he, my useless Bow away,
There will I sit, there I delight to play.
My Arms no more shall wound unguarded Hearts,
Far hence my Quiver and my idle Darts.
Under the shadow of her bending Brow
I'll place my self, and use it for my Bow,
Whilst ev'ry glance proceeding from her Eye,
My want of pointed Arrows shall supply.
Thence will I shoot, some Martial Hero tame,
I'll use my Skill, and they shall use their Flame.
He spake; and cloth'd himself with subtle Air,
No Bow, no Darts, no Quiver did he bear.
To bright Bersaba bodied thus he flies,
And shoots himself by stealth into her Eyes.
The bright Bersaba felt him as he came,
Her rolling Eyes dart forth an am'rous flame.
Her Heart straight blushes with a secret Fire,
Her wanton Breast glows with a new Desire.
She tries all Arts that Woman's Wit can find,
And only Love fills now her lab'ring mind.
Sometimes her Curls on her soft Forehead play,
And here and there in various rollings stray.
Sometimes she seems her rising Breasts to chide,
And all the Riches of her Bosom hide.
Sometimes her Neck she openly displays.
And a fair Goddess by her Form betrays.
But in her Garden when to bath she goes,
And all around her naked Beauty shows,
Undrest so lovely, and so beauteous she,
Looks like a Venus rising from the Sea.
There stood a Tow'r, where Kings did oft repair,
To slacken and unbend Imperial Care.
From whence Jessides saw Bersaba's Charms,
Jessides, fam'd for Valour and for Arms.
Oft, like some God-like Hero, would he fight,
And his own Conquests in high Verses write.
Scarce could one know in which he did excell,
So bravely would he Fight, and Sing so well.
But Love impartial and as bold as Fate,
Love always dangerous to the Good and Great.
With subtle strength Heroick Souls does pierce,
No Brazen Castles can resist his force.
Jessides saw, (caught in an am'rous Chain,)
The naked Beauty: (could the Gods refrain?)
Through ev'ry part his rolling Eye-balls rove,
And pry into the Labyrinths of Love.
His Looks the Passion of his Heart betray,
The Royal Lover melts insensibly away:
At last o'erwhelm'd with a vast tide of flame,
Which from her Eyes, like darted Lightning, came.
So when we gaze on the Sun's glorious Light,
Our Eyes streight faint and sicken at the sight.
Now David yields, he lays his Scepter down,
Forgets himself, and does his God disown.
His Songs now heathen and rebellious prove,
No more he vies with Seraphims above;
No more of Wonders and of Heav'n he sings,
Love tunes his Heart, to Love he tunes his Strings:
He Courts with Passion; (what can Woman do
When Kings turn Lovers, and when Monarchs sue?)
Within his Breast he feeds immodest fires,
Till the kind She consents to his desires;
She thinks it brave t'enjoy an am'rous King,
And the Great Author licenses the Sin.
But now her teeming Womb to swell began,
And God's bright Image lengthens into Man.
When Judah's Monarch fears impartial Fame,
For tho' he loves the Crime, he hates the Name.
Remark'd Adult'ry seems an odious thing,
And Whoredom's more apparent in a King.
Now Israel's Sons, whom Ammon had oppos'd
Laid Siege on Rabbah, and her Walls enclos'd;
Where Just Urias, for his Valour known,
Fought for his Country's Honour, and his own;
Defended Judah's Right, and Judah's Lord,
And wrote his Monarch's Title with his Sword;
Abroad he roam'd; him Camps and Arms did please,
Whilst David wanton'd in Domestick ease.
But now he's sent for, and must haste away,
Leave all his Armies, and his Warlike play:
He comes; and David with a feign'd embrace,
A seeming Kindness, and dissembled Face,
Salutes the General, and to know desires
Much of his Troops, of Joab much inquires.
Th' unhappy innocent Man begins to show
Th' Events of War, th' Advantage of the Foe.
Tells what their Forces, what their Numbers were,
The Deaths of all; nor thought his own so near.
At the King's Table royally he Dines,
And drinks of Noble Arnon's costly Wines:
But David, fearing that all Isr'el knew
Those Crimes, which he alone was privy to,
Resolves the Good, the Right'ous, and the Just,
Shall fall a Victim to his royal Lust;
No fear of Judgment can his Mind reclaim,
He dreams of Thunder as an idle Name.
'Twas now the time when Night's prevailing shade,
And grateful Darkness did the World invade;
All Nature sleeps; Birds to their Nests repair,
Nor longer Murmur through the dusky Air.
Beasts lie extended on their hollow Beds,
And drowsy Cedars nod their leafy Heads.
Ev'n Storms are silent, and loud Tempests sleep,
Whales slumber in the Chambers of the Deep.
Yet wakeful David can enjoy no rest,
Whilst various Thoughts disturb his anxious Breast.
All Night his Mind's imploy'd the Just to kill,
Who fear'd no danger, for he knew no ill.
At last th' Inhumane bloody King designs
His Fall, and writes his Death in fatal Lines.
Soon as the Morning did her Beams display,
And blushing, gave the Signals of the Day:
With joyful haste the brave Urias went,
Bearing his Sentence to great Joab's Tent;
He goes, but streight lies mingled with the slain
Of val'ant Thousands stretch'd upon the Plain;
The cloud of Death o'ercasts his glimm'ring Eyes,
His bleeding Ghost sinks downward to the Skies.
This did the Father of the Gods behold,
And (far as an Immortal Being could)
Did blush. Red Thunder in his Hand he bore,
The Thunder too look'd redder than before;
Whilst David scorn'd his mighty Friend above,
And barter'd Judah for unkingly Love,
Chaffer'd his Empire for a soft Embrace,
Yielding his Glories to a Female Face.
Whilst in the Front too Just Urias stood,
And dy'd Philistian Arrows with his Blood,
God laid aside his pity and his love.
Almighty Grief with doubtful Anger strove.
The wide Expansion trembled all around,
And distant Stars did horribly resound.
The dreadful Eccho through Heav'n's Court did fly,
And frighten'd the wing'd People of the Sky.
Here trembling Angels gather'd to inquire
The grounds and causes of this sudden fire;
From whence the stir and heav'nly Tumult rose,
Or whom the Father for his Rage had chose;
Whether some haughty, head-strong Seraphs dare
To storm the Sky, and cope the Thunderer:
Whether on Earth his Light'ning will be hurl'd,
And ravel the fine Clock-work of the World.
Or if th' Immortal Citizens of Heav'n
Should from their ancient, native Seats be driv'n;
For they remembred well, what God of old,
When first he built the mighty Globe, foretold
How Earth to Nothing should at last retire,
And Heav'n's high Fabrick in the Flames expire.
He said, The Spirits stood silent as he spake,
Whilst the whole Firmament around did shake.
Heav'n's immeasur'd space made loud reply,
Like Thunder ecch'oing from the distant Sky.
The mighty Shilo felt his Father's care,
(For Son and Father of like passions are.)
Their heav'nly minds in equal order run,
And what does move the Father, moves the Son.
The Son was Mercy, Love he only knew,
Wrath from his breast, as from an En'my, flew.
The melting God with pit'ing look surveys,
The world below, and man's unhaypy Race.
He rose, and nodding his illustrious head,
These words to his Almighty Father said:
Immortal Parent of the world and Me,
Author of all that is, or is to be;
Hear me implore: Thee let no Passions move,
Nor heavy Justice so out-weigh thy love.
Let no ungodlike Rage begin to rise,
Unworthy the Commander of the Skies.
If we should shoot as oft as Man shall sin,
How soon (alas!) our Quivers would be thin!
Soon would our Lightning and our Shafts be spent,
No Thunder rowling in the Firmament.
Unbottom'd Hell; tho' large and unconfin'd,
Would scarce contain a part of Humankind.
Myriads and Myriads would unburied go,
And crouded Ghosts lament for room below.
Diminish'd Nature would begin to dye,
And Earth, unpeopled like a Desart lye.
Are then thy Prophets false? thy Promise vain?
Didst thou for this the Race of man ordain?
Have we not fix'd a stated time, when All
Shall in one universal Ruin fall?
When the disorder'd Elements shall burn,
Wither in Flames, and to their Nothing turn.
Till then, Great Father, let thy Thunder sleep,
Till then the Terrour of thy Lightning keep
He ended here. Cherubs and Seraphs sung,
Whilst with applause the starry Palace rung.
They tun'd their golden Harps: Heav'n's Monarch smil'd,
And streight became more merciful and mild.
His Rage departs: He feels his thoughtful Mind
Melt into Softness, and to Love inclin'd.
Then calls forth Gabri'l, Minister of Heav'n,
And Gen'ral of the fair selected Sev'n,
Who walk the Circuit of the World, to know
(Laborious Angels!) what we do below:
No Sign of Anger now his looks betray'd,
But, smilingly, these pleasing words he said.
I'll try once More my stretching Grace, and know
How far the Mercy of a God will go.
Thrice among Monsters Jesse's Ofspring fell,
Thrice we the salvage Monsters did repell:
Himself a Monster now! but we forgive,
His bloody Crimes, and suffer him to live.
Hast then to Naioth's Town, our Prophets seat,
Who there enjoy Ease, and a learn'd retreat,
Bid Nathan go to David, and relate
Bersaba's wrongs, and just Uriah's fate,
Whose injur'd Ghost does still for Blood complain,
Unless his Sorrow washes out the stain.
Scarce had he spoke, when Gabr'iel left the Sky;
From Heav'ns high Top did the Wing'd Envoy fly.
An azure Mantle does around him play,
And softned Clouds fring'd with the Sun's pure Ray
Serve him for wings; whose flying Sails do bear,
The nimble Angel through the liquid Air.
O'er Ramah's Hills he takes his Winding Flight,
And does at last, unseen, in Naioth light.
On David's lofty Palace top there stood
A pleasant Garden and delightful Wood.
Here nodding Trees their fruitful Branches shook
And bending Boughs with lovely Apples broke.
Here various Fruits in artful order grew,
That Babylonian Lux'ry ever knew.
Here in a Grove retiring David walk'd;
Here with the Monarch the rough Prophet talk'd.
I from the Almighty come, who from above,
Beheld thy Murder, and thy hated Love;
From hence thou viewd'st the treach'rous charming She
Witness this consc'ious Grove: Witness each blushing Tree
And then in words he paints his bloody Crimes.
Jessides heard, and wept.—
On Earth he threw the Sceptre which he bore,
And felt a passion greater than before.
No more Bersaba can his mind delight,
No more her charming Graces can invite.
A Kingly Grief his mournful Breast reclaims,
And streaming Tears quench the forbidden flames.
This pious sorrow Nathan did behold,
And streight the Prophet things to come foretold.
No more indulge thy Grief, but hear, said he,
What gracious Heav'n has pre-ordain'd for Thee.
A royal Race shall from thy Loyns descend,
And flying Conquests through the world extend.
Tigris shall wildly swell with hostile Gore,
Whilst Syrian Blood stains swift Euphrates shore.
Judean Arms through all shall cut their way,
Africk and Egypt shall become their prey.
But of thy num'rous Progeny, shall none
Be wiser, or more fair than Solomon.
Heav'n shall to him unbounded knowledge give,
All that a Mortal nature can receive.
Sabæan Kings shall leave the parched Line,
And bring, like Vot'ries, Off'rings to his Shrine.
The Southern Queen her Kingdom shall forsake,
And learned rules from his example take.
Then bount'ous Heav'n shall all it's riches throw,
That fruitful Sun's can breed, or Show'rs bestow.
Then precious Ophir's wealth shall bless the Land,
And silver Jordan flow with golden Sand.
Continual Corn shall the low Vallies fill,
And verdant Oks sweet yellow Dew distill.
Far from the painted East shall Monarchs stray,
And uncompell'd their glorious Tributes pay.
From ev'ry part great Emperours shall come,
Some shall bring Pearls, Arabian Spices some.
Sacred to God shall a bright Temple rise;
The wondrous work shall make the vaulted Skies.
His boundless sway shall stretch o're Babel's Tower,
And sandy Libya shall obey his power.
Him the vast Earth undoubted Lord shall style,
From wide Euphrates to the secret Nile.
A Row of glorious Worthies then shall reign,
Defend Judea, and her Right maintain.
Tho' wicked Kings shall harm thy race and Thee,
Thy Seed shall rise, like Rocks above the Sea.
To root thee out, tho' a whole World combine,
No human Forces can resist Divine.
Commanding Judah shall her Sceptre bear,
And rule till Promis'd Shilo, shall appear.
The Promis'd Shilo, the Mysterious King
Who gave thee Birth, from thy bright Loyns shall spring:
The bending Clouds he shall unseen divide,
And, without grief, leave his great Father's side.
Whilst Angels gaze, whilst all the Spirits above,
And God himself shall wonder at his Love.
No Heav'nly Sings the Deity proclaims,
No Arms, no Lightning, no avenging Flames.
So good he comes, so humble and so mild,
Not like a Thunderer, but like a Child.
Then Eden's Garden shall again Display
It's Beaut'ous Beams, and make Eternal day.
Then happy Man immortal Fruit shall see,
And, without danger, tast the Second Tree.
He spake. Vast Joy did David's heart invade;
He took his Lyre, and Wondrously he plaid
Of wondrous Mercy: No unchast Desire
Did the great Poet's Heav'nly Thoughts inspire.
He Sung; nor could Bersaba now Beguile,
His Lute or Hearts-Strings; with an Am'rous smile.
To God his Lute resourds, to God alike
His Lute and Heart in equal Numbers strike.