His Temple right against the Temple of God
On that opprobrious Hill, and made his Grove
The pleasant Vally of Hinnom, Tophet thence
And black Gehenna call'd, the Type of Hell.
Next Chemos, th' obfcene dread of Moabs Sons,
From Aroer to Nebo, and the wild
Of Southmost Abarim; in Hefebon
And Horonaim, Seons Realm, beyond
The flowry Dale of Sibma clad with Vines,
And Eleale to th' Afphaltick Pool.
Peor his other Name, when he entic'd
Ifrael in Sittim on their march from Nile
To do him wanton rites, which coft them woe.
Yet thence his luftful Orgies he enlarg'd
Even to that Hill of scandal, by the Grove
Of Moloch homicide, luft hard by hate
Till good Jofiah drove them thence to Hell.
With these came they, who from the bordring flood
Of old Euphrates to the Brook that
parts
Egypt from Syrian ground, had general Names
Of Baalim and Afhtaroth, thofe male,
These Feminine. For Spirits when they please
Can either Sex affume, or both; so soft
And uncompounded is their Effence pure,
Not ti'd or manacl'd with joynt or limb,
Nor founded on the brittle strength of bones,
Like cumbrous flesh; but in what shape they choose
Dilated or condens't, bright or obfcure,
Can execute their aerie purposes,
And works of love or enmity fulfill.
For those the Race of Ifrael oft forfook
Their living strength, and unfrequented left
His righteous Altar, bowing lowly down
To beftial Gods; for which their heads as low
Bow'd down in Battel, funk before the Spear
Of despicable foes. With these in troop
Came Aftoreth, whom the Phenicians call'd
Aftarte, Queen of Heav'n, with crefcent Horns;
To whose bright Image nightly by the Moon 440
Sidonian Virgins paid their Vows and Songs,
In Sion also not unfung, where stood
Her Temple on th' offenfive Mountain, built
By that uxorious King, whofe heart though large,
Beguil'd by fair Idolatreffes, fell
To Idols foul. Thammuz came next behind,
Whose annual wound in Lebanon allur'd
The Syrian Damfels to lament his fate
In amorous dittyes all a Summers day,
While smooth Adonis from his native Rock
Ran purple to the Sea, fuppos'd with blood
Of Thammuz yearly wounded: the Love-tale
Infected Sions daughters with like heat,
Whose wanton paffions in the sacred Porch
Ezekiel faw, when by the Vision led
His eye furvay'd the dark Idolatries
Of alienated Judah. Next came one
Who mourn'd in earnest, when the Captive Ark
Maim'd his brute Image, head and hands lopt off
In his own Temple, on the grunfel edge,
Where he fell flat, and sham'd his Worshipers:
Dagon his Name, Sea Monster, upward Man
451 Ran purple] "Occafioned doubtless by a fort of minium or red earth washed into the river by the violence of the rain." See Maundrell's Travels, p. 34.
And downward Fish: yet had his Temple high
Rear'd in Azotus, dreaded through the Coast
Of Palestine, in Gath and Afcalon,
And Accaron and Gazas frontier bounds.
Him follow'd Rimmon, whofe delightful Seat
Was fair Damafcus, on the fertil Banks
Of Abbana and Pharphar, lucid streams.
He also against the house of God was bold:
A Leper once he lost and gain'd a King,
Ahaz his fottish Conquerour, whom he drew
Gods Altar to difparage and displace
For one of Syrian mode, whereon to burn
His odious offrings, and adore the Gods
Whom he had vanquisht. After these appear'd
A crew who under Names of old Renown,
Ofiris, Ifis, Orus and their Train
With monstrous fhapes and forceries abus'd
Fanatic Egypt and her Priests, to seek
Thir wandring Gods disguis'd in brutish forms
Rather then human. Nor did Ifrael scape
Th' infection when their borrow'd Gold compos'd
The Calf in Oreb: and the Rebel King
Doubl'd that fin in Bethel and in Dan,
Lik'ning his Maker to the Grazed Ox,
Jehovah, who in one Night when he pass'd
From Egypt marching, equal'd with one stroke
Both her first born and all her bleating Gods.
Belial came last, then whom a Spirit more lewd
Fell not from Heaven, or more grofs to love
Vice for it self: To him no Temple stood
Or Altar fmoak'd; yet who more oft then hee
In Temples and at Altars, when the Priest
Turns Atheist, as did Elys Sons, who fill'd
With luft and violence the house of God.
In Courts and Palaces he alfo Reigns
And in luxurious Cities, where the noyse
Of riot afcends above thir loftiest Towrs,
And injury and outrage: And when Night
Darkens the Streets, then wander forth the Sons
Of Belial, flown with infolence and wine.
Witness the Streets of Sodom, and that night
In Gibeah, when hospitable Dores
Yielded thir Matrons to prevent worse rape. These were the prime in order and in might; The reft were long to tell, though far renown'd, Th' Ionian Gods, of Javans Iffue held
Gods, yet confest later then Heav'n and Earth Thir boasted Parents; Titan Heav'ns first born 510 With his enormous brood, and birthright seis'd By younger Saturn, he from mightier Jove His own and Rheas Son like measure found; So Jove ufurping reign'd: these first in Creet And Ida known, thence on the Snowy top Of cold Olympus rul'd the middle Air Thir highest Heav'n; or on the Delphian Cliff, Or in Dodona, and through all the bounds Of Doric Land; or who with Saturn old Fled over Adria to th' Hefperian Fields, And ore the Celtic roam'd the utmost Isles. All these and more came flocking; but with looks Down caft and damp, yet such wherein appear'd Obfcure fom glimps of joy, to have found thir chief Not in despair, to have found themselves not loft In lofs it felf; which on his count'nance caft
Like doubtful hue: but he his wonted pride
Soon recollecting, with high words, that bore
Semblance of worth not substance, gently rais'd
Their fainted courage, and dispel'd their fears. 530
Then ftrait commands that at the warlike found
Of Trumpets loud and Clarions be uprear'd
His mighty Standard; that proud honour claim'd
Azazel as his right, a Cherube tall:
Who forthwith from the glittering Staff unfurld
Th' Imperial Enfign, which full high advanc't
Shon like a Meteor ftreaming to the Wind
With Gemms and Golden luftre rich imblaz'd,
Seraphic arms and Trophies: all the while
Sonorous mettal blowing Martial sounds:
At which the univerfal Hoft upfent
A fhout that tore Hells Concave, and beyond
Frighted the Reign of Chaos and old Night.
All in a moment through the gloom were seen
Ten thousand Banners rife into the Air
With Orient Colours waving: with them rose
A Forrest huge of Spears: and thronging Helms
Appear'd, and ferried Shields in thick array
Of depth immeasurable: Anon they move
In perfect Phalanx to the Dorian mood
Of Flutes and foft Recorders; fuch as rais'd
To highth of nobleft temper Heros old
Arming to Battel, and in ftead of rage
Deliberate valour breath'd, firm and unmov'd
With dread of death to flight or foul retreat,
Nor wanting power to mitigate and fwage
With folemn touches, troubl'd thoughts, and chase
Anguish and doubt and fear and forrow and pain
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