In Foreign Wars, his Courage he had shown, Had Lawrels won, and brought home fair Renown: Happy, most happy, till with wondrous Art, His Foes had wrought him from his Father's Heart; And so much Power on _Amazia_ won, He by Degrees, grew jealous of his Son. And who for this can _Amazia_ blame, If that the King the Father overcame? For Crowns by Kings esteemed are more near, Than Children, or than Sons, belov'd more dear. His Foes, _Baal_'s Friends, had laid their artful Snairs, Hight'ned his Father's Jealousies and Fears, And made each innocent Action of the Prince, To give his Jealous Father an Offence. If with wise _Hushai_ they the Prince did see, They call'd their Meeting a Conspiracy, And cry, that he was going to rebell: Him _Absalom_ they name, _Hushai_ _Achitophel_. With Slander thus the Prince they did pursue, Aiming at's Life, and the wise _Hushai_'s too. When they much pleased, and triumphing saw, The King his Royal Favors to withdraw, Which like a Spring on him before did flow, And from him, all on others to bestow: Defenceless left, naked, almost forlorn, Subject to every trifling Rhimers Scorn, And beyond _Jordan_ by their malice drove, No Succor left him but the People's Love; (For he was still their Darling and Delight, Because they saw he was no _Baalite_,) Their Hopes now almost at their Height did seem, To place the Crown upon _Eliakim_. The _Jews_, God's People and peculiar Care, For their true Worship still most zealous were; That Jewel seem'd most pretious in their Eyes, And it above all Humane things they prize. No Torments could make them their Faith deny, They willingly for their Religion die: Their Liberties were also dear to them, Sprung from a free, and not a slavish Stem, Th' _Egyptian_ Bondage for their Souls unfit, They never in _Judea_ would permit; Their own known Laws, they willingly obey, Hate Tyranny and Arbitrary Sway: Nor did they many Priviledges want, Kept from the Time they first the Land did plant; For which to Death they lawfully would strive, If injur'd by their King's Prerogative: For some of them have try'd to break the Bound, And did like _Ethnick_ Kings, their People's Freedom wound, So _Rehoboam_ caus'd them to rebell, And lost at once ten Tribes of _Israel_. No people were more ready to obey Their Kings, who rul'd them by a gentle Sway, Who never sought their Consciences to curb, Their Freedom or Religion to disturb. To such they always open-hearted were, For them, they neither Coin, nor Blood would spare. Such Kings might their Prerogatives improve, And rule the _Jews_, ev'n as they pleas'd with Love; But stiff indeed they were, and moody grew, } When Tyrants did with cruel Stripes pursue } Them sore oppress'd, and sometimes murmur'd too. } Kings they had try'd of ev'ry sort and size. Best govern'd by the Warlike and the wise. Tho' Kings they lov'd, and for them Reverence had, They never would adore them as a God. God's Worship, and their Laws they did prefer,