LITMIR.BIZ

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      Of despicable foes. With these in troop

      Came ASTORETH, whom the PHOENICIANS call’d

      ASTARTE, Queen of Heav’n, with crescent Horns;

      To whose bright Image nightly by the Moon

      SIDONIAN Virgins paid their Vows and Songs,

      In SION also not unsung, where stood

      Her Temple on th’ offensive 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 Damsels to lament his fate

      In amorous dittyes all a Summers day,

      While smooth ADONIS from his native Rock

      Ran purple to the Sea, suppos’d with blood

      Of THAMMUZ yearly wounded: the Love-tale

      Infected SIONS daughters with like heat,

      Whose wanton passions in the sacred Porch

      EZEKIEL saw, when by the Vision led

      His eye survay’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 Worshipers:

      DAGON his Name, Sea Monster, upward Man

      And downward Fish: yet had his Temple high

      Rear’d in AZOTUS, dreaded through the Coast

      Of PALESTINE, in GATH and ASCALON,

      And ACCARON and GAZA’s frontier bounds.

      Him follow’d RIMMON, whose delightful Seat

      Was fair DAMASCUS, 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 sottish Conquerour, whom he drew

      Gods Altar to disparage 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,

      OSIRIS, ISIS, ORUS and their Train

      With monstrous shapes and sorceries abus’d

      Fanatic EGYPT and her Priests, to seek

      Thir wandring Gods disguis’d in brutish forms

      Rather then human. Nor did ISRAEL scape

      Th’ infection when their borrow’d Gold compos’d

      The Calf in OREB: and the Rebel King

      Doubl’d that sin 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 gross to love

      Vice for it self: To him no Temple stood

      Or Altar smoak’d; yet who more oft then hee

      In Temples and at Altars, when the Priest

      Turns Atheist, as did ELY’S Sons, who fill’d

      With lust and violence the house of God.

      In Courts and Palaces he also Reigns

      And in luxurious Cities, where the noyse

      Of riot ascends above thir loftiest Towrs,

      And injury and outrage: And when Night

      Darkens the Streets, then wander forth the Sons

      Of BELIAL, flown with insolence 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 rest were long to tell, though far renown’d,

      Th’ IONIAN Gods, of JAVANS Issue held

      Gods, yet confest later then Heav’n and Earth

      Thir boasted Parents; TITAN Heav’ns first born

      With his enormous brood, and birthright seis’d

      By younger SATURN, he from mightier JOVE

      His own and RHEA’S Son like measure found;

      So JOVE usurping 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’ HESPERIAN Fields,

      And ore the CELTIC roam’d the utmost Isles.

      All these and more came flocking; but with looks

      Down cast and damp, yet such wherein appear’d

      Obscure som glimps of joy, to have found thir chief

      Not in despair, to have found themselves not lost

      In loss it self; which on his count’nance cast

      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.

      Then strait commands that at the warlike sound

      Of Trumpets loud and Clarions be upreard

      His mighty Standard; that proud honour claim’d

      AZAZEL as his right, a Cherube tall:

      Who forthwith from the glittering Staff unfurld

      Th’ Imperial Ensign, which full high advanc’t

      Shon like a Meteor streaming to the Wind

      With Gemms and Golden lustre rich imblaz’d,

      Seraphic arms and Trophies: all the while

      Sonorous mettal blowing Martial sounds:

      At which the universal Host upsent

      A shout 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

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