AN ARGUMENT FOR DAVID'S BELIEF OF A FUTURE STATE, INFERRED FROM BATHSHEBA'S LAST WORDS TO HIM UPON HIS DEATH-BED. [See 1st Kings, i. 28-32: "Then King David answered and said, Call me Bath-sheba. And she came into the King's presence, and stood before the King. And the King sware and said, As the Lord liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress, even as I sware unto thee By the Lord God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day. Then Bath-sheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the King, and said, Let my lord King David live for ever. And King David said," &c. I think it unnecessary to comment upon Byrom's "inference" further than by quoting Daniel, ii. 4: "Then spake the Chaldæans to the King" [Nebuchadnezzar] "in Syriac, O King, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation."] I. F David knew not of a future Life, IF How understood he Bathsheba his Wife; II. What real Wish was Bathsheba's Intent, IO III. If she had pray'd for David's mild Release, Or, “Let my Lord the King depart in Peace,” Tho' even then 'twere difficult to stint Her utmost Thought to so minute a Hint,— The short-liv'd Comment might have some Pretence; IV. Unless we grant her Meaning to extend V. No poor Salvation to be quickly past, To which when David was so near, what Share VI. Tho' num'rous Proofs might readily be brought 20 30 AN EXPOSTULATION WITH A ZEALOUS SECTARIST, WHO INVEIGHED IN BITTER TERMS AGAINST THE CLERGY AND CHURCH INSTITUTIONS. [The following lines are interesting, and not only or chiefly as exhibiting their author's personal loyalty towards the Establishment. The charges which he puts into the mouth of the "Zealous Sectarist," or which he had actually copied from the spoken or written words of some violent non-conformist of his day, are quite familiar to our own. Indeed, there might here and there seem rather more point in them at the close of the nineteenth century than in the middle of the eighteenth century, when ecclesiastical discipline had decayed, when the Church set to the Sects an example of torpor which on the whole they readily followed, and when such prospects of "comprehension" as remained were dimmed quite as much by the languor which prevailed in the Dissenting bodies as by that which beset the church. Thus the fighting spirit displayed by Byrom's "Sectarist" was doubly futile, and well deserved our poet's rebuke.] NO, Sir; I cannot see to what good End Such bitter Words against the Clergy tend, Its own relentless Thought while it pursues, As "Man's Inventions, Spirit-quenching Forms;" ΙΟ All previous Order, with regard to Time, Of "Pharisaic Pride" it culls the Marks, "The Devil's Ministers," both He and They; "Blind Guides," "false Prophets," and a lengthen'd Train Of all hard Words that chosen Texts contain. These are the Forms which, when it would object To those in Use, it pleases to select, Repeated by its Devotees at once As like to Rote as any Church Response. To this or that Society confin'd, Sect, or Profession,-no, no Matter which, Prophets of old, who spake against th' Abuse The Things prescrib'd; but what the People did, 30. "Leaders," or "led," all "fall into the Ditch." "And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." (St. Matthew, xv. 14.) 20 309 40 38. But what the People did. An inverted sentence. The Prophets all exclaimed at the negligence of what the people did. The World's Redeemer, coming to fulfil As those blind Leaders which the Jews then had ;- 50 Any good Priest, or Man or Woman, blind To offer Incense, or to bear a Part In Temple Service with an upright Heart? Can then the Faults of Clergymen or Lay Our Lord's Apostles, with an inward View To keep, whatever Forms should rise or cease, 51. Was ZACHARIAS', SIMEON'S, ANNA's Mind. Zacharias, the father of St. John (see St. Luke, i. 5 seqq.); Simeon (ib., iii. 25 seqq.); Anna, "a prophetess," the mother of the Blessed Virgin (ib., 36 seqq.). 60 70 all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." (1st Corinthians, ix. 22.) 70. Union of Spirit in the Bond of Peace. "Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." 68. "Ev'rything to All." "I am made (Ephesians, iv. 3.) |