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aged this publication, and by whofe favor it now fees
the light. I truft in their friendship and candor to
excuse any defects they may fee in the execution, as I
have never copied it off from the first draught, and
have made but a very few alterations fince it was first
written. Neither has it had the friendly affiftance of
any other hand; fo that I only lam anfwerable for all
its faults. The fubje&t is indeed the grandest and most
extensive that can be imagined; and the delight I have ́
had in the labor has been great but I must confe's
the execution is far beneath the defign. But fuch as
it is, with all its defects, I venture it into the world,
and commit it to the bieffing and protection of Provi-
dence, the candor of my friends, and the generofity of
the Public, and subscribe myself, a well wifher to all
the human race.

ELHANAN WINCHESTER.

London, January 12, 1793.

སྒྱུ

AND

EMPIRE OF CHRIST,

AN

HEROIC POEM.

BOOK I.

Containing the Plan of the whole, and the History of his Birth, Baptifm, Fasting, and Temptations ; with fome account of his Doctrine and Miracles. Comprehending the time from his birth till the clofe of his miniftry.

WHILE others fing the monarchs of the globe,
Their feats in war, their courage, ftrength, and sk ́ll,
I fing the rifing Empire of my Lord,

The Kingdom of the Babe in Bethlehem born:
Whose birth was fung by angels, and foretold
By prophets, who partook of heav'nly fire.
Tremendous theme indeed! auguft! immenfe !
But God can teach the humbleft mind to foar
Can fend profperity to one like me,
Ukill'd in epic mufe, and teach my pen

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To paint Meffiah's triumphs o'er his foes;
The glories of his peaceful reign describe.
Can lead my thoughts his Procefs to purfue,

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From heav'n's bright court down to this lower world,
And through the various labors of his life,
And the dire scene of fuff'rings which he bore,
The fcriptures to fulfil, and men to save :
Then to thy gloomy regions, tyrant death,
And through the gates and bars of hell's domain,
To preach the gospel to the pris'ners there,
Taking the mighty's captives for his spoil:
Thus fpoiling principalities and pow'rs.
Then crown'd with wreaths of vict❜ry fairly won,
Immortal garland; laurels richly earn'd!

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He rofe triumphant over death and hell,
And lives for ever, holds the keys of both :
And was declared the Son of God with pow'r.
From earth he did afcend to highest heaven's,
Having defcended first to worlds beneath.
Enthron'd above he fits at God's right hand,
And makes perpetual interceffion there,
Till that great day, long waited for, fhall come,
When he with glory crown'd, and cloath'd with zeal,
Shall to the earth defcend, deftroy his foes.
Then Jacob's tribes returned to their land,

Shall own him Lord, and King on David's throne.
Then Satan bound in the abyfs confin'd,

Shall vex the faints no more, no more deceive
The nations of the earth, until fulfill'd

Shall be the period of a thousand years.

30.

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Then the fev'nth angel fhall his trumpet found,
And ev'ry kingdom fhall become the Lord's :
The nations that refufe fhall be destroy'd.

Jefus fhall judge all people, and shall rule
All nations by the laws of righteousness;

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Shall take the curfe from earth, and bless mankind
With greater bleffings than their Father loft.
That age (furpassing far the golden age
Which ancient poets feign'd in days of yore)
Approaches fast, and shall ere long arrive,
When the Meffiah for a thousand years,
Shall wield in peace the fceptre of the world;
And his beloved faints with him shall reign,
Upon his throne, as royal priests and kings.
Throughout thofe halcyon days no wars fhall rife, 55
No earthquakes roar, nor famine, plague, or ftorm,
Shall defolate the earth; no child fhall die
In the first stage of life. All deadly hate
Shall ceafe among the globe's inhabitants. :
Man fhall not vex his neighbor, nor the beasts
Make war upon each other, lefs on man :
All shall be love, and peace, and harmony ;
Man to longevity again restor❜d,

Shall fee his feed for ages unimpair'd;

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And shall enjoy the labor of his hands :

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And all fhall know and worship God the LORD.

But farther: God can fo direct my mind,
That I fhall fing, what never poet sang;

The prince of darknefs loos'd once more fet free
A little season to deceive mankind.

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◇ dreadful change! but in the wond'rous plan Of our Creator infinitely wife,

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Its use most evidently will appear.
Behold the foe of God and man comes forth,
And leaves his dreary prifon for a time;
That pit where full a thousand painful years
He spent, yet unreform'd, ftill full of rage:
More fierce than ever, he comes forth to war
Against the Prince of Peace; who gives him leave
To gather all his host, where ever found,
8.
The Gog and Magog to the dreadful fight ;.
Where, once for all, it fhall determin'd be.
(And that by force of arms and conqueft fure)
To whom the kingdom doth of right belong.
Then Satan with his mighty host o'erthrown,
And justly fentenc'd to the burning lake,
The last refort of evil, woe and pain;
Shall never hope to gain the vict❜ry more.
From that amazing scene, I'll pass to tell
Thofe greater themes, unfung in epic strains,
The renovation of the heav'n and earth,
After the conflagration of the world,

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And the last judgment pass'd on finful men.
The globe how chang'd! the fea exists no more!
In earth renew'd pure righteousness fhail dwell; 95.
The King of righteoufnefs, with all his faints.
The heav'nly city fhall defcend from God,
Fuilt, and adorn'd, by his almighty hand;

A cube; in length and breadth and height the fame ;
Twelvethousand furlongs; fifteen hundred miles: 10.

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