One's praife,

775

The pliant voice on her feven fteps they raife,
Whilt all th' enliven'd inftruments around
To the juft feet with various concord found;
Such things were Mules then, contemn'd low
earth;

Decently proud, and mindful of their birth. 780
'Twas God himself that here tun'd every tongue;
And gratefully of him alone they fung:
They fung how God fpoke-out the world's vaft ball;
From nothing, and from no-where, call'd forth all.
No Nature yet, or place for 't to poffefs,
But an unbottom'd gulph of emptiness:
Full of Himfelf, th' Almighty fate, his own
Palace, and without folitude alone.

785

But he was goodness whole, and all things will'd; Which, ere they were, his active word fulfill'd; And their aftonifh'd heads o' th' fudden rear'd; An unfhap'd kind of something first appear'd, Confeffing its new heing, and undret, As if it ftepp'd in hafte before the reft. Yet, buried in this Matter's darkfome womb, 795 Lay the rich feeds of every thing to come: From hence the cheerful Flame leap'd up so high; Clofe at his heels the nimble Air did fly;

Dull carth with his own weight did downwards pierce

To the fix'd navel of the universe,

8co

And was quite loft in waters; till God faid
To the proud Sea," Shrink-in your infolent head,
"See how the gaping Earth has made you place!"
That durit not murmur, but shrunk in apace:
Since when, his bounds are fet; at which in vain
He foams, and rages, and turns back again. 806
With richer ftuff he bade Heaven's fabric shine,
And from him a quick fpring of light divine
Swell'd up the Sun, from whence his cherishing
flame

Fills the whole world, like Him from whom it came. He smooth'd the rough-caft Moon's imperfect mould,

And comb'd her beamy locks with facred gold; Be thou," faid he, " queen of the mournful night,"

And as he spoke, fhe 'rofe clad o'er in light,
With thousand stars attending on her train; 815
With her they rife, with her they fet again.
Then Herbs peep'd forth, new Trees admiring
ftood,

And fmelling Flowers painted the infant wood.
Then flocks of Birds thro' the glad air did flee,
Joyful, and fafe before man's luxury.
820
Singing their maker in their untaught lays:
Nay, the mute Fish witnefs no lefs his praife;
For these he made, and cloath'd with filver scales,
Froin minnows, to thofe living iflands, whales.
Beafts too were his command: what could he
more?
825

Yes, Man he could, the bond of all before; la him he all things with ftrange order hurl'd; In him, that full abridgement of the world. This, and much more of God's great works they told;

His mercies, and fome judgments too, of old: 830 VOL. II,

ing in: Where birds erewhile dwel: and fecurely fung, There fish (an unknown net) entangled hung: The face of fhipwreck'd Nature naked lay; 835 The fun peep'd fort!., and beheld nought but fea. This men forgot, and burnt in luft again; Till fhowers, ftrange as their fin, of fiery rain And fcalding brimfione, dropp'd on Sodom's head; Alive, they felt thofe flames they fry-in dead. 840 No better end rafh Pharaoh's pride befel, When wind and fea wag'd war for Ifrael: In his gilt chariots amaz'd fishes fat, And grew with corpfe of wretched princes fat; The waves and rocks half-eaten bodies ftain; 845 Nor was it fince call'd the Red-fea in vain. Much too they told of faithful Abram's fame, To whose bleft paffage they owe ftill their name: Of Mofes much, and the great feed of Nun, What wonders they perform'd, what lands they

wear,

870

And Tyrian dye appear'd but fordid there.
Honour, which fince the price of fouls became,
Seem'd to thefe great-ones a low idle name.
Inflead of down, hard beds they chose to have, 865
Such as might bid them not forget their grave.
Their board difpeopled no full element,
Free Nature's bounty thriftily they spent,
And spar'd the stock: nor could their bodies fay
We owe this crudeness t' excefs yesterday,
Thus fouls live cleanly, and no foiling fear,
But entertain their welcome Maker there :
The fenfes perform nimbly what they're bid,
And honeftly, nor are by Reafon chid;
And, when the down of fleep does foftly fall, 875
Their dreams are heavenly then, and myftical;
With hafty wings timc prefent they outfly,
And tread the doubtful maze of deftiny;
There walk, and fpert among the years to come,
And with quick eye pierce every caufe's womb.
Thus thefe wife faints enjoy'd their little all, 881
Free from the fpite of much-miftaken Saul:
For, if man's life we in juft balance weigh,
David deferv'd his envy lefs than they.
Of this retreat the hunted Prince makes choice,
Adds to their choir his nobler lyre and voice. 886
But long unknown ev'n here he could not lie;
So bright his luftre, fo quick Envy's eye!
Th' offended troop, whom he efcap'd before,
Purfue him here, and fear mistakes no more: 890

P

Belov'd revenge fresh rage to them affords;
Some part of him all promife to their fwords.
They came, but a new fp 'rit their hearts poffeft,
Scattering a facred calm through every breaft:
The furrows of their brow, fo rough erewhile,
Sink down into the dimples of a smile; 896
Their cooler veins fwell with a peaceful tide,
And the chafte ftreams with even current glide;
A fudden day breaks gently through their eyes,
And morning-blushes in their checks arife:
900
The thoughts of war, of blood, and murder, cease;
In peaceful tunes they' adore the God of peace!
New meffengers twice more the tyrant fent,
And was twice more mock'd with the fame event:

the former goes thither, to inform himself of Saul's refolution. The feaft of the New-Moon: the manner of the celebration of it; and therein a digreffion of the biflory of Abraham. Saul's Speech upon David's abfence from the feaft, and bis anger againf Jonathan. David's refolution to fly arvay; be parts with Jonathan, and falls afleep under a tree. A defeription of Phanfy; an angel makes up a vifion in David's bead; the vifion itself, which is, a proplefy of all the fucceffion of bis race till Cbrif's time, with their most remarkable actions. At Lis awaking Gabriel affumes an human fapt, and comfirms to him the truth of his wifion.

UT now the early birds began to call

It fends him there himfelf: but on the way His foolish anger a wife fury grew, And bleffings from his mouth unbidden flew: His kingly robes he laid at Naioth down, Began to understand, and fcorn, his crown; 910 Employ'd his mounting thoughts on nobler things, And felt more folid joys than empire brings: Embrac'd his wondering fon, and on his head, The balm of all paft wounds, kind tears, he fhed. So covetous Balaam, with a fond intent] 915 Of curfing the bleft feed, to Moab went: But as he went, his fatal tongue to fell, His afs taught him to speak, God to speak well, "How comely are thy tents, oh lfracl!" (Thus he began)" what conquefts they foretel! "Lefs fair are orchards in their autumn pride, 921 "Adorn'd with trees on fome fair river's fide; "Lefs fair are vallics, their green mantles fpread!

"Or mountains with tall cedars on their head! "Twas God himfelf (thy God who must not fear?)

925

"Brought thee from bondage to be mafter here. Slaughter fhall wear out thefe, new weapons 66 get,

"And death in triumph on thy darts fhall fit. "When Judah's lion starts up to his prey, "The beafts fhall hang their ears, and creep "away; 930

"When he lies down, the woods fhall filence

"keep,

"And dreadful tigers tremble at his fleep.

Thy curfers, Jacob! fhall twice curfed be; "And he fhall blefs himself that bleffes thee!"

Saul;

5

But both, alas! front reflefs labours rofe:
Had all that night active and tyrannous been:
For in Saul's breaft, envy, the toilfome fin,
She expell'd all forms of kindness, virtue, grace;
Of the paft day no footstep left or trace;
The new-blown fparks of his old rage appear,
Nor could his love dwell longer with his fear. 10
So near a storm wife David would not stay,
Nor truft the glittering of a faithless day;
He faw the fun call in his beams apace,
And angry clouds march up into their place;
Flattering the greedy merchant with a smile;
The fea itself smooths his rough brow awhile, 15
But he, whose shipwreck'd bark it drank before,
Sees the deceit and knows it would have more.
Such is the fea, and fuch was Saul.
But Jonathan, his fon, and only good,
Was gentle as fair Jordan's useful flood;
Whofe innocent ftream, as it in filence goes,
Fresh honours and a fudden spring bestows,
On both his banks, to, every flower and tree;
The manner how lies hid, th' effect we see.
But more than all, more than himself, he lov'd
The man whofe worth his father's hatred mov'd;
For, when the noble youth at Dammiin stood,
Adorn'd with fweat, and painted gay with blood,
Jonathan pierc'd him thro' with greedy eye, 30
And understood the future majefty

20

25

Then deftin'd in the glories of his look;
He faw, and ftrait was with amazement strook,
To fee the ftrength, the feature, and the grace
Of his young limbs: he faw his comely face, 35
Where love and reverence fo well mingled were;
And head, already crown'd with golden hair:
He faw what mildness his bold fpirit did tame,
Gentler than light, yet powerful as a fiame:
He faw his valour, by their fafety prov'd;
He faw all this, and as he faw he lov'd.
What art thou, Love! thou great mysterious
thing!

40

From what hid ftock does thy strange nature

"Tis

fpring?

thou that mov'ft the world thro' every

part,

And hold'st the vaft frame close, that nothing Start,

45

From the due place and office firft ordain'd;
By thee were all things made, and are fuftain'd.
Sometimes we fee thee fully, and can fay

From thence thou took'ft thy rife, and went'st that way

50

55

But oftener the fhort beams of Reafon's eye See only There thou art, not How, nor Why. How is the leadftone, Nature's fubtle pride, By the rude iren woo'd, and made a bride? How was the weapon wounded? what hid flame The firong and conquering metal overcame? Love (this world's grace) exalts his natural state; He feels thee, Love! and feels no more his weight. Ye learned heads, whom ivy garlands grace, Why does that twining plant the oak embrace? The oak, for courtship moft of all unfit, And rough as are the winds that fight with it? How does the abfent pole the needle move? How does his cold and ice beget hot love? Which are the wings of lightnefs to afcend? Or why does weight to th' centre downwards bend? 65

60

70

Thus creatures void of life obey thy laws,
And feldom we, they never, know the caufe.
In thy large flate, Life gives the next degree,
Where Senfe, and Good Apparent, places thee;
But thy chief palace is man's heart alone,
Here are thy triumphs and full glories shown;
Handfome Dekres, and Reft, about thee fice,
Union, Inheritance, Zeal, and Extafy,
With thoufand joys clufter around thine head,
O'er which a gall-lefs dove her wings does fpread;
A gentle lamb, purer and whiter far
76

Than confciences of thine own martyrs are,
Lies at thy feet; and thy right-hand does hold
The myftic fceptre of a crofs of gold.

Thus doft thou fit (like men ere fin had fram'd 80
A guilty blufh) naked, but not afham'd.

What caufe then did the fabulous ancients find,
When first their fuperftition made thee blind?
'Twas they, alas! 'twas they who could not fee,
When they mistook that monfter Luft for thee. 85
Thou art a bright, but not confuming flame;
Such in th' amazed bufh to Mofes came;
When that fecure its new-crown'd head did rear,
And chid the trembling branches' needlefs fear.
Thy darts are healthful gold, and downwards
fall,

90

Soft as the feathers that they're fletch'd withal.
Such, and no other, were thofe fecret darts,
Which fweetly touch'd this nobleft pair of hearts;
Still to one end they both fo juftly drew,
As courteous doves together yok'd would do: 95
No weight of birth did on one fide prevail,
Two twins lefs even lie in Nature's fcale;
They mingled fates, and both in cach did share,
They both were fervants, they both princes were.
any joy to one of them was fent,

If

100

It was most his, to whom it leaft was meant;
And Fortune's malice betwixt both was croft,
For, ftriking one, it wounded th' other moft.
Never did marriage fuch true union find,
Or men's defires with fo glad violence bind; 105
For, there is still fome tinture left of fin,
And still the fex will needs be ftealing-in.

120

Ah, wondrous Prince! who a true friend could'st be, When a crown flatter'd, and Saul threaten'd thee! Who held'ft him dear, whofe ftars thy birth did crofs'

And bought'ft him nobly at a kingdom's lofs! Ifrael's bright fceptre far lefs glory brings; There have been fewer friends on earth than kings.

To this ftrange pitch their high affections flew, Till Nature's felf fearce look'd on them as two. Hither flies David for advice and aid, As fwift as love and danger could perfuade: As fafe in Jonathan's truft his thoughts remain As when himfelf but dreams them o'er again. 131 My dearest lord, farewell!" said he, “fare"well!

"Heaven blefs the king! may no misfortune tell "Th' injuftice of his hate when I am dead! "They're coming now, perhaps; my guiltless "head

135 "Here in your fight, perhaps, muft bleeding lie, "And fearce your own ftand fafe for being "nigh.

"Think me not fear'd with death, howe'er 't 66 appear;

"I know thou canst not think fo: 'tis "a fear "From which thy love and Dammin speaks me

"free;

"I've met him face to face, and ne'er could fee "One terror in his looks to make me fly "When Virtue bids me ftand; but I would die "So as becomes my life, fo as may prove "Saul's malice, and at least excufe your love." 145 He ftopt, and spoke fome paflion with his eyes; "Excellent friend!" the gallant Prince replies, "Thou haft fo prov'd thy virtues that they're "known

"To all good men, more than to each his own. "Who lives in Ifrael, that can doubtful be 150 "Of thy great actions? for he lives by thee. "Such is thy valour, and thy vast success, "That all things but thy loyalty are lefs, "And fhould my father at thy ruin aia, " "Twould wound as much his fafety as his fame: "Think them not coming, then, to flay thee

«here,

156

"But doubt mishaps, as little as you fear; "For, by thy loving God, whoe'er defign "Against thy life, muft ftrike at it thro' mine, "But I my royal father must acquit 160 "From fuch bafe guilt, or the low thought of it

"Till blood become a principle of state: "Secur'd nor by their guards, nor by their right, "But still they fear ev'n more than they affright. "Pardon me, Sir! your father's rough and ftern; "His will too strong to bend, too proud to learn: "Remember, Sir! the honey's deadly fting; "Think on that favage justice of the king; "When the fame day that faw you do before 200 "Things above man, fhould fee you man no 66 more.

"'Tis true th' accurfed Agag mov'd his ruth, "He pitied his tall limbs and comely youth. "Had seen, alas! the proof of Heaven's fierce "hate,

"And fear'd no mischief from his powerlefs 205

"fate:

And scatter'd deaths by trumpets' found awake.
Or that the Law be kept in memory ftill,
Given with like noife on Sinai's fhining hill; 23.
Or that (as fome men teach) it did arife
From faithful Abram's righteous facrifice,
Who, whilft the Ram on Ifaac's fire did fry,
His horn with joyful tunes frood founding by.
Obfcure the caufe; but God his will declar'd, 24
And all nice knowledge then with eafe is fpar'd
At the third hour Saul to the hallow'd tent,
'Midst a large train of priests and courtiers, went
The facred herd march'd proud and softly by;
Too fat and gay to think their deaths fo nigh.
Hard fate of beasts, more innocent than we!
Prey to our luxury, and our piety!
Whofe guiltlefs blood, on boards and altars fpilt.
Serves both to make, and expiate too, our guilt
Three bullocks of free neck, two gilded rams, 25
Two well-wafh'd goats, and fourteen fpotle
lambs,

With the three vital fruits, wine, oil, and bread
(Small fees to Heaven of all by which we're fed
Are offer'd up; the hallow'd flames arife,
And faithful prayers mount with them to th

fkies.

25

From hence the king to th' outmost court i brought,

Where heavenly things an infpir'd prophet taught And from the facred tent to his palace-gates, With glad kind fhouts th' affembly on him waits The cheerful horns before him loudly play, 26 And fresh-ftrew'd flow'rs paint his triumphau

way.

Thus in flow ftate to th' palace-hall they go,
Rich dreft for folemn luxury and show:
Ten pieces of bright tap'ftry hung the room,
The nobleft work e'er stretch'd on Syrian loom,
For wealthy Adriel in proud Sidon wrought, 26
And given to Saul when Saul's best gift he fough
The bright-ey'd Merab; for that mindful day
No ornament fo proper feem'd as they.