On the Three Holy Children

When conqu'ring Babel's Foes were subjugate, And fair Jerusalem depopulate, King Nebuchadnezzar triumph'd in Pride, And his Concerns of War seem'd laid aside; Who glorying in his Strength, not in the Lord, Formed a Golden God to be ador'd. Now this great Image, made by mortal Hand, Must worship'd be (such was the King's Command) Tho' senseless, helpless, tho' he ne'r could bless Their warlike Enterprizes with Success: But 'tis the King's Decree, and then who dare Resist, but such as do a Greater fear? The Sentence is, The Fiery Furnace must Consume the Rebel's Body unto Dust. Yet there were captive Jews of Royal Blood, Who, in their Zeal for Israel's God, withstood That cursed Edict, that vain Law reject, That strict Decrce with them had small Effect: Then the Informers, that observ'd the Jews, And fought for an Occasion to accuse The Innocent, (as some do now) drew near; And first, to gain acceptance in his Ear, Said, Live, O King, for ever! Thou hast made A firm Decree, which some have not obey'd; Even Three conceited Jews, who neither thee Regard, nor to thy Gods do how their Knee. O how his Fury doth at this arise! That any should his Golden God despise: His Visage doth its native Features change; His Eyes, with sparkling Rage, proclaim Revenge: Therefore, at his Command, they all in Haste The Persons of the innocent arrest; Call'd Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego, And they before the wrathful King must go To prove the Matter; and, it seems to try It they would bow: Which, when they still deny, As knowing, He alone that did create The Fire, and all things else, could soon abate Its Violence; and from the threatning Hand Of Babel's King, deliver them that stand In Awe to none but him, and fear not Man; But dread the living God, who only can Kill and destroy, or save and keep alive; For He to Man doth Life and Being give. This they believing, did not study how To answer; but resolved not to bow To any, but the Lord: Altho' the King Seem'd in his Wrath, to count it as a thing Impossible, that any God could be So potent, to withstand his fierce Decree. But Great JEHOVAH did that Law confound; For when all Three were in their Vestments bound, And cast into the furious fiery Flame, Th' Eternal Word did pow'rfully restrain Its proper Quality, and so surround Them with Defence, no Harm on them was found: Yet did the Fire retain its former Vigor, And manifest it with resistless Rigor, Against those Men, who bold to execute The King's Command, the Just did persecute: Which, when Nebuchadnezzar saw, dismay'd, He rose in haste, and to his Nobles said, Were not three Men cast bound into the Flame? They answer'd, True: The King reply'd again, Now, in the midst thereof, behold, I see Four Men walk loose, and from their Fetters free; Whereof the Fourth seems cloath'd in Majesty, As Son of the Immortal Deity. Thus was the Lofty forced to confess, There was a Pow'r above him, and to bless The God of Israel; set his Servants free, That, trusting in him, would not bow the Knee Unto, or serve another, than the Lord, Their only God; but, as with one accord, Did yield their Bodies to his Will, that they Might magnify him in their Trial-Day. Consider now, had they not faithful been, The Captive Seed of Israel had not seen That great Deliverance, so signally Wrought for them, that, in true Simplicity, Resign'd themselves, their all, unto the Lord, Who is alone worthy to be ador'd: Nor Babel's Monarch been constrain'd to bless His holy Name, who reigns in Righteousness; Deposing Kingdoms unto whom he sees Most fic, and changing Man's perverse Decrees. Lord, may thy Wisdom, in these latter Days, Limit, or turn Man's Wrath unto thy Praise! Put thou an Hook into the Jaws of those, That study politickly to oppose Thy Works of Love and Wonder, in the Land, And with their Subtilty seek to withstand The Progress of despised Israel, In their Return towards thy Holy Hill, Sion, the sacred Mount of thy Renown, Which Babylon hath sought to batter down, But never shall prevail; altho' she seem To sit in Pomp, like to a stately Queen, That sees no Sorrow; all her Pride is vain; For fall she must, and never rise again; The Times's appointed. Then shall Sion rise, And triumph over all her Enemies.