Were construed youth that purged by boiling o'er; And Amnon's murder, by a specious name, Was called a just revenge for injured fame.[227] Thus praised and loved, the noble youth remained, While David undisturbed in Sion reigned. But life can never be sincerely blest; Heaven punishes the bad, and proves the best. The Jews, a headstrong, moody, murmuring race, As ever tried the extent and stretch of grace; God's pampered people, whom, debauched with ease, No king could govern, nor no God could please; Gods they had tried of every shape and size, That godsmiths could produce, or priests devise; These Adam-wits, too fortunately free, Began to dream they wanted liberty; And when no rule, no precedent was found, Of men, by laws less circumscribed and bound; They led their wild desires to woods and caves, And thought that all but savages were slaves. They who, when Saul[228] was dead, without a blow, Made foolish Ishbosheth[229] the crown forego; Who banished David[230] did from Hebron[231] bring, And with a general shout proclaimed him king; Those very Jews, who at their very best, Their humour more than loyalty exprest, Now wondered why so long they had obeyed An idol monarch, which their hands had made; Thought they might ruin him they could create, Or melt him to that golden calf,--a state. But these were random bolts; no formed design, Nor interest made the factious crowd to join: The sober part of Israel, free from stain, Well knew the value of a peaceful reign; And, looking backward with a wise affright, Saw seams of wounds dishonest to the sight; In contemplation of whose ugly scars, They curst the memory of civil wars. The moderate sort of men, thus qualified, Inclined the balance to the better side; And David's mildness managed it so well, The bad found no occasion to rebel. But when to sin our biassed nature leans, The careful devil is still at hand with means, And providently pimps for ill desires; The good old cause, revived, a plot requires. Plots, true or false, are necessary things, To raise up commonwealths, and ruin kings. The inhabitants of old Jerusalem[232] Were Jebusites[233]; the town so called from them; And theirs the native right.---- But when the chosen people grew more strong, The rightful cause at length became the wrong; And every loss the men of Jebus bore, They still were thought God's enemies the more. Thus worn or[234] weakened, well or ill content, Submit they must to David's government; Impoverished and deprived of all command, Their taxes doubled as they lost their land; And, what was harder yet to flesh and blood, Their gods disgraced, and burnt like common wood. This set the heathen priesthood in a flame; For priests of all religions are the same.