y profess'd;
Till Sins of Priests, and of the Common Rout,
Caus'd God and his good Kings to cast them out.
Their Idols were pull'd down, their Groves destroy'd,
Strict Laws against them, and their Worship made.
The Heathen Priests were banish'd from the Land
Of _Baal_, no Temple suffer'd was to stand;
And all Succeeding Kings made it their Care,
They should no more rear up their Altars there.
If some mild Kings did wink at their Abode,
They to the _Jews_ still prov'd a Pricking-goad:
Growing more bold, they penal Laws defy'd,
And like tormenting Thorns, stuck in their Side.
The busy Priests had lost their gainful Trade,
Revenge and Malice do then Hearts invade;
And since by Force they can't themselves restore,
Nor gain the Sway they in _Judea_ bore,
With Hell they Joyn their secret Plots to bring
Destruction to _Judea_ and its King.

The _Chemerarims_, the learnedst Priests, of all
The numerous Swarms which did belong to _Baal_,
Bred up in subtil Arts, to _Jews_ well known,
And fear'd for Bloody Morals of their own;
Who in the Cause of _Baal_ no one would spare,
But for his sake on all Mankind make War,
Counting it lawful Sacred Kings to smite,
Who favor'd not their God, or was no _Baalite_,
These were the Idol's known, and great Support,
Who in Disguise creep into every Court,
Where they soon Faction raise, and by their Arts,
Insinuate into the Princes Hearts:
Wriggle themselves into Intreagues of State,
Sweet Peace destroy, and Bloody Wars create.
Unwearied still, they deep Designs pursue;
What can't a _Chemarim_, and _Belzeebub_ do?
For cunning Plot, Trepan, for Oaths and Sham,
The Devil must give place to _Chemarim_.
These subtil Priests, in Habit black and grave;
Each man a Saint in shew, in Heart a Knave,
Did in _Judea_ swarm, grew great withall,
And like th' _Egyptian Frogs_ to Court they crawl:
Where, like them too, they never are at rest;
But Bed and Board of Kings, with Filth infest.
To every Shape they could themselves transform,
Angels could seem, but still their Aim was Harm.
They all the Sects among the _Jews_ could ape,
And went about disguiss'd in every Shape.
One imitates the _Zealous Pharisee,_
The _Essens_ this, the dammee _Sadduce_ he;
And such their ready, and their subtil Wit,
For every Trade, and every Science fit:
They Credit got, and stole into the Heart,
And from their God, did many Souls pervert,
Who seeming _Jews_, or what they were before,
In Secret did the Idol _Baal_ ad