aged this publicatiori, and by whose favor it now sces the light. I trust in their friendship and candor to excuse

any defects they may see in the execution, as I have never copied it off from the first draught, and have made but a very few alterations since it was first written. Neither has it had the friendly assistance of any other hand ; so that I only an answerabie for all its faults. The luhjeet is indeed the grandest and most extensive that can be imagined ; and the delight I have had in the labur' has been great : but I must confe's the execution is far beneath the desigo.

But such as it is, with all its defects, I venture it into the world, and commit it to the blessing and protection of Provi. dence, the candor of my friends, and the generosity of the Public, and subscribe my self, a well wishor to all the human race.

ELHANAN WINCHESTER. London, January 12, 1793.

AND

EMPIRE OF CHRIST,

AN

HEROIC POEM.

BOOK I.

Containing the Plan of the whole, and the History of

bis Birth, Baptism, Fasting, and Temptations ; with some account of his Daetrine and Miracles. Comprehending the time from his birth till the close of his miniAry.

WHILE others fing the monarciis of the glube,
Their feats in war, their courage, strength, and fk il,.
I fing the rising Empire of my Lord,
The Kingdom of the Babe in Bethlehem born :
Whofe birth was sung by angels, and foretold 5
By prophets, who partook of heav’nly fire.
Tremendous theme indeed! august ! immense !
But God can teach the humbleít mind to soar ;
Can send prosperity to one like me,
Unkill'd in epic muse, and teach my pen

IO

2®

To paint Mefliah's triumphs o'er his foes ;
The glories of his peaceful reign describe.
Can lead my thoughts his Process to pursue,
From heav'n's bright court down to this lower world,
And through the various labors of his life, 15
And the dire scene of suff'rings which he bore,
The scriptures 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 spoiling principalities and pow'rs.
Then crown’d with wreaths of vict'ry fairly won,
Immortal garland ; laurels richly earn'd!
He rose triumphant over death and hell,

25
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 descended first to worlds beneath.
Enthron'd above he fits at God's right hand,

30.
And makes perpetual interceffion there,
Till that great day, long waited for, shall come,
When he with glory crown'd, and cloath'd with zeal,
Shall to the earth defcend, destroy his foes.
Then Jacob's tribes' returned to their land, 35
Shall own him Lord, and King on David's throne.
Then Satan bound in the abyss confin’d,
Shall vex the saints no more, no more deceive
The nations of the earth, until fulfill'd
Shall be the period of a thousand years.

$

Then the sey'nth angel shall his trumpet found,
And ev'ry kingdom shall become the Lord's :
The nations that refuse shall be destroy'd.
Jesus shall judge all people, and shall rule
All nations by the laws of righteousness;

45
Shall take the curse from earth, and bless mankind
With greater blessings than their Father loft.
That age (surpassing far the golden age
Which ancient poets feign'd in days of yore)
Approaches fast, and shall ere long arrive, 50
When the Messiah for a thousand years,
Shall wield in peace the sceptre of the world ;
And his beloved saints with him shall reign,
Upon his throne, as royal priests and kings.
Throughout those halcyon days no wars shall rise, 55
No earthquakes roar, nor famine, plague, or storm,
Shall defolate the earth ; no child shall die
In the first stage of life. All deadly hate
Shall cease among the globe's inhabitants :

. Man shall not vex his neighbor, nor the beasts 60 Make war upon each other, less on man : All shall be love, and peace, and harmony ; Man to longevity again restor’d, Shall see his feed for ages unimpair’d ; And shall enjoy the labor of his hands :

65 And all shall know and worship God the LORD. But farther : God can so direct my mind, That I shall fing, what never poet fang ; The prince of darkness loos’d once more set free A little season to deceive mankind.

70

a

O dreadful change! but in the wond'rous plan
Of our Creator infinitely wise,
Its use most evidently will appear.
Behold the foe of God and man comes forth,
And leaves his dreary prison for a time; 75
That pit where full a thousand painful years
He spent, yet unreform’d, still 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 hoft, where ever found,

8.
The Gog and Magog to the dreadful fight ;.
Where, once for all, it shall determin'd be
(And that by force of arms and conquest fure)
To whom the kingdom doth of right belong.
Then Satan with his mighty host o'erthrown, : 85
And justly fentenc'd to the burning lake,
The last resort of evil, woe and pain ;
Shall never hope to gain the vi&t'ry more.

From that amazing scene, I'll pass to tell Those greater themes, unsung in epic strains, 96 The renovation of the heav'n and earth, After the conflagration of the world, And the last judgment pass’d on finful men. The globe how chang'd! the sea exists no more ! In earth renew'd pure righteousness thail dwell ; 95 The King of righteousness, with all his saints. The heav'nly city shall descend from God, Fuilt, and adorn'd, by his almighty hand ; A cube ; in length and breadth and height the same z. Twelve thousand furlongs; fifteen hundred miles: 1a..