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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 battle, funk before the spear
Of despicable foes. With these in troop
Came Aftoreth, whom the Phoenicians call'd
Aftarte, queen of heav'n, with crefcent horns;
To whose bright image nightly by the moon
Sidonian virgins paid their vows and fongs,
In Sion also not unfung, where stood

Her temple on th'offenfive mountain, built
By that uxorious king, whose heart though large,
Beguil'd by fair idolatresses, fell

To idols foul. Thammuz came next behind,
Whose annual wound in Lebanon allur'd

The Syrian damfels to lament his fate
In amorous ditties all a summers day,
While smooth Adonis from his native rock
Ran purple to the fea, fuppos'd with blood
Of Thammuz yearly wounded: the love tale
Infected Sion's daughters with like heat,
Whose wanton passions in the sacred porch.
Ezekiel faw, when by the vifion led
His eye furvey'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 grunsel edge,

Where he fell flat, and sham'd his worshippers.

Dagon his name, fea monfter, upward man
And downward fish: yet had his temple high
Rear'd in Azotus, dreaded through the coaft
Of Palestine, in Gath and Afcalon,

And Accaron and Gaza's frontier bounds.
Him follow'd Rimmon, whofe delightful feat
Was fair Damafcus, on the fertile banks
Of Abbana and Pharphar, lucid ftreams.
He also against the houfe of God was bold:
A leper once he lost and gain'd a king,
Ahaz his fottish conquerour, whom he drew
God's altar to difparage and difplace

For one of Syrian mode, whereon to burn
His odious offerings, and adore the gods
Whom he had vanquisht. After thefe appear'd
A crew who under names of old renown,
Ofiris, Ifis, Orus, and their train

With monftrous shapes and forceries abus'd
Fanatic Ægypt and her priefts, to seek
Their wandring gods difguis'd in brutifh forms
Rather than human. Nor did Ifrael fcape
The 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 pafs'd
From Ægypt marching, equal'd with one stroke
Both her first born and all her bleating gods.
Belial came laft, than whom a fpirit more lewd
Fell not from heaven, or more grofs to love
Vice for itfelf: to him no temple stood

Or altar smoak'd; yet who more oft than he
In temples and at altars,, when the priest
Turns atheist, as did Ely's fons, who fill'd
With luft and violence the house of God.
In courts and palaces he also reigns
And in luxurious cities, where the noise
Of riot afcends above their loftiest towers,
And injury and outrage and when night
Darkens the freets, then wander forth the sons
Of Belial, flown with infolence and wine.
Witness the streets of Sodom, and that night
In Gibeah, when the hospitable door
Expos'd a matron to avoid worse rape.
These were the prime in order and in might;
The rest were long to tell, though far renown'd,
Th'Ionian gods, of Javan's iffue held

Gods, yet confeft later than heav'n and earth
Their boasted parents; Titan heav'ns first-born
With his enormous brood, and birth-right seiz'd
By younger Saturn, he from mightier Jove
His own and Rhea's fon like measure found;
So Jove ufurping reign'd: these first in Creet
And Ida known, thence on the fnowy top
Of cold Olympus rul'd the middle air
Their 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 o'er the Celtic roam'd the utmost ifles.

All these and more came flocking; but with looks
Down caft and damp, yet fuch wherein appear'd

Obfcure fome glimps of joy, to have found their chie

Not in despair, to have found themfelves not loft
In lofs itself; 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 fainting courage, and difpell'd their fears.
Then ftrait commands that at the warlike found
Of trumpets loud and clarions be up-rear'd
His mighty standard; that proud honour claim'd
Azazel as his right, a cherub tall :

Who forthwith from the glittering staff unfurl'd
Th'imperial enfign, which full high advanc't
Shone like a meteor ftreaming to the wind
With gems and golden luftre rich imblaz'd,
Seraphick arms and trophies: all the while
Sonorous metal blowing martial sounds :
At which the universal hoft upfent

A fhout that tore hell's concave, and beyond
Frighted the reign of chaos and old night.
All in a moment through the gloom were feen
Ten thoufand banners rife into the air

With orient colours waving with them rofe
A forreft huge of fpears 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 hero's old
Arming to battle, and inftead 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 swage
With folemn touches, troubl'd thoughts and chafe
Anguish and doubt and fear and forrow and pain
From mortal or immortal minds. Thus they
Breathing united force with fixed thought
Mov'd on in filence to foft pipes that charm'd
Their painful steps o'er the burnt foil; and now
Advanc't in view, they stand, a horrid front
Of dreadful length and dazling arms, in guife
Of warriors old with order'd spear and shield,
Awaiting what command their mighty chief
Had to impose: he through the armed files
Darts his experienc't eye, and foon traverse
The whole battalion views, their order due,
Their visages and stature as of gods,

Their number last he summs. And now his heart
Diftends with pride, and hardning in his strength
Glories: for never fince created man,

Met fuch embodied force, as nam'd with these
Could merit more than that small infantry
Warr'd on by cranes: though all the giant brood
Of Phlegra with th'heroic race were join'd
That fought at Thebes and Ilium, on each fide
Mixt with auxiliar gods; and what resounds
In fable or romance of Uther's fon
Begirt with British and Armoric knights;
And all who fince, baptiz'd or infidel
Joufted in Afpramount or Montalban,
Damafco, or Marocco, or Trebisond,
Or whom Biferta fent from Afric fhore

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