ARON'S ROD: OR A Scourge for the Malicious Slanderers of the TRIBE of LEVI.
AT first Man was Created free from Vice,
And sway'd his Scepter over Paradice.
Enjoy'd all Pleasures, till unhappy
Eve,
[...]id his
unthinking Soul with sin deceive:
[...]hich made him eat, and by his Tast he fell
[...]nder the sentence of an endless Hell.
[...]ur Great Creator in process of time
[...]gan to pity fallen
Adam's crime,
[...]nd to that end to Mortals he made known
[...]is Sacred Sanctions which they all should own.
[...]nd more to keep Rebellious man in awe,
[...]is Lusts were bounded by his Sacred Law:
[...]hat fallen man did he observe but this,
[...]ho he had
Failings might not lose his Bliss.
[...]hus Heaven resolv'd to make him truly blest,
[...]ent him
the best of Guides a Picus Priest,
To guide him to his Home his place of Rest.)
[...]ometime frail man embrac'd the
Priest and
Law.
[...]nd then his
Spirit kept his
Flesh in awe.
The name of Schism for long time was hid
Man watch'd his Paths and minded what he did.
[...]chism! the name was strange, dissenting too,
[...] thing the ancient Levites never knew:
One God they only serv'd, to one did pray,
All men obey'd in a conforming way,
Each
Israelite his Love to God exprest
They honour'd God in Reverencing
his Priest.
Thus 'twas till wicked man indulg'd each sin,
Revolted from his
God and
Priests agen,
Then
Schism like a Thief came creeping in.
O Heav'nly Powers who view the hearts of men,
Inspire my Muse, and guide my injur'd Pen,
Kindle an Holy Passion in my Brest
Let my incensed Quill enjoy no rest (Pious Priest.)
Till I have sham'd your Foes and clear'd your
Let my inraged Pen in strokes of blood
Lash all Schismaticks, and defend the Good.
Ah Blessed
Albion, happy fertile Isle,
Thou second
Canaan, thou most blessed Soil,
Thou art well manur'd and most heavenly dres
[...]
And well instructed by thy painful Priest,
Who like a careful Shepherd will not sleep
When Wolves are ne're to captivate his sheep.
Endeavours still to increase his Heavenly bree
[...].
And often fasts himself whilst others feed,
They're not well pleas'd to see the Wolves devo
[...]
Their little Lambs by
Arbitray Power,
But like the Gods they always strive to move
Th'Impious world to Peace with Songs of Love
They still detect
Impostures which deceive:
Their Heavenly Lives would make a Jew believe.
Nor is the King, his Throne or Kingdom blest
Without that good that Godlike man a Priest.
Without them all things vanish as a smoke,
And all Affairs with evil aspects look.
With Raptures fill'd, their hearts with heavenly flame
Defie great Titles, and a specious Name.
The Barthen'd Axles of the world would break
If once the Levites should but cease to speak,
The solid Orb would to a Chaos turn,
The Elements would sigh, the Rocks would mourn.
Near to the
Thames a stately Fabrick stands
Whose lofty Turrets look around the sands,
Whose Cedar studs no Fate can e're molest,
Where lives a
Levite, whom the world calls
Priest
(Ah happy place enjoying such a Guest)
His Soul's adorn'd with Grace, his Head with years,
His life's a glory to his hoary hairs.
This Holy Levite did King
James Enthrone
Not (as suppos'd) by inventions of his own,
But only as a Levite ought to have done.
For
James was Heir Presumptive to the Crown,
[...]nd 'twas K.
James not he that did K.
J. pull down
[...]e as he ought his Soveraigns will declar'd,
And yet how soon he in affliction shar'd!
Poor
Levy's Tribe was almost brought to shame
Scarce daring once to own old
Levy's name;
Him the Nonconforming Crew disgrac'd,
With them his Conscience for his Interest past.
Old
Levy's Soul abhor'd a
Romish Shroud,
And all the Clamors of the senseless crowd.
Unhappy
James, unhappy restless fate!
That brought on thee a Nonconforming hate.
[...]st thou abridg'd us of our Common-Prayer,
[...]kt out a Bishop, put a Cobler there;
Rent off the Surplice, tore the Holland-sleeves,
And made the House of God a Den of Thieves.
Had you in season publish'd a Decree,
That every man should pray
Ex tempore.
Had you but pull'd off every Levite's Gown,
Took the Mitre from each Bishop's Crown,
And so have tumbled all Religion down.
Had you commanded
Levy to revoke,
And order'd every man to preach in's Cloak,
'Twould but have been a Nonconforming Joke.
You might have now been some where
[...]
It might have bin a closer place than
Fran
[...]
But not to give them all, was to depose
Ex tempore Champions, and inthrone y
[...]
But now you see the effects of it at last.
With
Con's and
Non's, and Negatives you
[...]
They who betray'd your Father heretofo
[...]
With Reforms, Nonforms, and a thousan
[...]
Taught you a form you never knew bef
[...]
They made the form in which you lost
[...]
But Gods knows in what form you went away.
By Nonconforming to the Levites then,
And by conforming to Nonforming men,
You lost your Scepter and your Diadem
Good
Levy seeing how the cause declin'd,
How Nonconforms with other Forms were
Wisely retir'd to his silent Clel.
To wait the Issue of what soon befell.
The Great
Nassau invited o're the Mayn,
Rome and
Geneva's Cause grew to a wain.
Then pious
Levy (as he ought) came down
To bid our
David welcome to the Town.
How happy is that Crown, how bless'd the
[...]
Guarded by Levites, fears no sudden fate?
Tyranny never can create a King,
The People chose him, he deserves the t
[...]
But
Levy Anoints him, brings the Offering
'Tis
Levy 'noints his Sacred Head with Oy
[...]
'Tis
Levy Prays, and Crowns, has all the
[...]
Tho it was not for this
Nassau came o're,
But only ancient Freedoms to restore.
To Thump and kick the Babilonish Whore.
Had
Nassau fail'd, the world's designs were
The name of
Levy in oblivion lost.
But
William prospers (as Heaven averte his
[...]
His Foes may frown, but he's defended sti
[...]
His preservation too we must ascribe
Next under God to pious
Levy's Tribe:
Guarded by juster Heaven and them, bears
[...]
Scorns the hate of each dissenting tool,
Who turn God's Servants unto Ridicule.
The Church pretents to keep no Civil Rig
[...]
Levy's Divine;
but who are Gib
[...]onites?
Levy has all the Civil Claims forsook.
And to his God, his Church, and King b
[...]
[...]er than have's Religion left i'th lurch,
[...]ld chose to die a Martyr for his Church.
Will to Heaven's, wholly he resign'd
—no, 'tis below, good
Levy's Godlike mind;
Heavenly spirit is too well refin'd.
[...] at Court thy absence many mourn,
[...] eager eyes, expect thy blest Return.
[...]e from thy Cell, come to thy Princess Court,
[...]ther the chief of thy blest Tribe resort.
[...]y Retirement be not so extream,
[...] the Enemies of thy God Blaspheme.
[...]here was a time when every Blockhead rul'd,
[...]n Loyal Wits by senseless Knaves were gull'd,
[...]n Treason was become a common trade,
Love and Nature seemed retrograde.
[...]n all the Land was in a senceless maze;
'twas esteem'd a vertue to be base.
[...]n each
Achitophel's curs'd Counsel stood,
[...] none were punish'd, but the Just and Good.
[...]t
Charles was murther'd at his Palace-gate,
[...] base Mechanicks rul'd the Church and State.
[...]es were banish'd, all was oversway'd,
[...]ers and Weavers preach'd, and were obey'd,
[...]ll was Law, (not Gospel that they said)
Heir apparent to the Crown was fled,
[...]other exil'd, and his Father dead,
[...]e compel'd (poor Prince!) to seek for bread.
Land was delug'd o're with guilt and blood,
'twas no wonder—All did what they wou'd;
[...]ing, no Common-Prayer, was all their cry,
[...]ormers all, must Nonconform or die.
[...] was then so full of guilt and sin,
[...]od given o're, and Sects in shoals came in,
[...] Rump uncertain, who was in the right,
[...]v'd for all
(excepte the true) to fight.
[...]ous of Sects, they dare not trust their own;
[...] as they made no sport, they'd hinder none.
Layick had a Religion of his own:
[...] all the Land was even Pagans grown.
[...]tablish no Religion was their care.
[...]
[...]eath to name the King or Common-Prayer.
[...]
[...]ame of
Levy was extinguisht quite.
Nonconforms made the Peoples light,
Levy's Tribe went mourning up and down,
[...]on'd by every Scribler in the Town;
Wandring in deserts, cloath'd in Camels hair,
(As in old time, the good Disciples were)
Had nothing to support their souls but prayer.
Their Pulpits were usurp'd, their Lands must be
Preys for
Quack-salvers in Divinity.
If they'd not conform, to Nonconformity.
This Reverend
Laud did feel; this his offence
He lost his head for being true to's Prince.
A Man so just, so loyal, and so good,
Deserves Incomiums to be wrote in Blood.
If there be Charmes in verse, that can awake
Cold Ashes from their silent Urns, and make,
Heroick Dust, that sleeps in Sheets of Lead,
Throw off their marble Blankets from their Best.
Then let my Muse, tho she has little Art,
Attempt to act the Witch of
Endor's part.
Nay greater things than ere her Charms could do,
To raise both
Samuel and
Ely too.
Rife reverend
Laud, and tell the World thy Story,
In thee wee lost our Priest, in
Charles our Gleey.
Methinks I see how this blest Martyr di'd,
Like Vertue, with a Vice on either side.
Oh! what a cursed Power did
Albion awe;
That murther'd Men for keeping
Moses's Law.
Thus, for a time, things in Confusion stood;
The Land was gluted with new Sects, and Blood.
Thus Slaves and Subject Ruled with great Pride,
Inrich'd themselves, and beggar'd all beside.
And thus it was, till Fortune fac'd about,
And he who made this damn'd rebellious Rout▪
Just like a Candle, in a stink went out.
One of their Gang, more damn'd than all the r
[...],
Usurp'd
(a cursed Wretch!) the name of Priest.
A Priest he was, but such as
Baal Imploys,
To broach new Sects, and belch out Perjuries;
To preach up Schisme, and to publish lies.
Unworthy of the Reverend Title
Man,
No more of
Levi's Tribe than
Gad or
Dan:
No Parts, no Learning; never did commence,
Yet much admir'd —
(Not for his Wit, but for his want of Sence.)
A sotish Blockhead, void of all that's good.
Expert, at nothing, but at Lies and Blood,
Yet him the Crowd ador'd, and him they lov'
[...]
Him the Innocent ignorant Mob aprov'd.
H
[...] who so much blasphem'd the Name of King,
D
[...] make his
Exit in a hempen String.
And he, who Justice had so long defy'd,
Was nab'd at last, and then unpitty'd dy'd.
The Prince return'd (with him the
Levites too.)
Each Nonconforming Traitor had his due;
Who made their
Exits as did canting
Hugh.
The Prince came in; the People all obey.
With Joy they Bless, and celebrate the Day.
The Good divide the Trophies; share the Spoil:
(A just Reward for all their Care and Toyl.
And then the Loyal Cause did soon prevail,
And the dissenting Crew as soon turn tail.
The Thread of their tyrannick Reign was spun,
And he was happiest who could swittest run.
Those painted Sepulchres, are black within,
Like wainscot Walls they all are lin'd, (with Sin).
Long Prayers they make, but on a meer pretence,
As void of holy Zeale, as of common Sence.
Ere many Years they fall to plot again,
And seek to breviate pious
Charles's Reign;
And in a grand and Nonconforme Cabal;
Ungrateful they! again to ploting fall:
Engag'd poor
Monmouth in this grievious Crime
(As afterwards again they did all
Lime,)
To make him King before's appointed time.
But Heaven, who the black Intreague had seen,
Vnmask'd the Ploters, and stept in between.
It was not long ere
Charles his Life laid down,
And
James succeded—
As Heir presumptive to the
Albion Crown;
And then again the
Ammonitish Crew,
Afresh Rebel, again they Plot anew:
Monmouth in all hast must now come,
[...]
To thump the Sides o'th
Babilonish W
[...]
But for want of Amunition lost the da
[...]
Thanks to his trusty Trout, the Vallia
[...]
Who like a lusty Fellow run away.
James knowing well the weakness of hi
[...]
[...]
Being ti'd by his Oaths, and
Albin's La
[...]
Liberty of Conscience did ordain;
Not out of Conscience, but of meer De
[...]
And who more busy, who did more re
[...]
To pay their Homage at his Catholick
[...]
Who fawn'd upon him more, Ye
Nons t
[...]
Who still advis'd him, what you'd have
[...]
Was it not you that did the Bishops Job
[...]
Was it not by the Advice of
P—and
[...]
In Shoals you flock'd about him—
And tho he granted what you ere could
[...]
You were not pleas'd;
you knew not what
[...]
And tho 'twas you help'd raise him to the
[...]
You was the first that help'd to pull him
[...]
(Altho in that your Wisdom more was
[...]
And then the
Levites call'd the great
Na
[...]
To regulate and justify the Law;
And keep bad Men, as you may be, in
[...]
May he with Victory his Foes pursue:
[...]
The adverse side, where ere he comes,
[...]
That as by a Power Divine he gain'd the
[...]
His Sword may cut each Graft of Scism
[...]
May
Levies Tribe increase, and greater
[...]
May
William live, be great, and prospe
[...]
To be a Plague to
France, and
Rome, an
[...]
May Fortune still attend that mighty P
[...]
And give you Freedom in the Future T
[...]
FINIS.