Innumerable! As when the potent Rod 340 345 350 355 The Head and Leaders thither hafte where stood Their great Commander; God-like shapes and forms Excelling human, Princely Dignities, And Pow'rs! that earft in heaven fat on thrones; 360 Tho' of their names in heav'nly records now Be no memorial; blotted out and raz'd, By their rebellion, from the books of life. Nor had they yet among the fons of EVE 364 Got them new names; till wand'ring o'er the earth, Thro' God's high sufferance for the tryal of man, By falfities and lies the greatest part Of mankind they corrupted, to forfake GOD their Creator, and th' invisible Glory of Him that made them, to transform 370 Oft to the image of a brute, adorn'd With gay religions full of pomp and gold, And Devils to adore for Deities: Then were they known to men by various names, 375 Say 3 + 380 Say, Mufe, their names then known; who firft, who laft, Rouz'd from the flumber on that fiery couch, At their great Emp'ror's call, as next in worth Came fingly where he stood, on the bare ftrand, While the promifcuous crowd flood yet aloof? The chief were thofe who, from the pit of hell Roaming to feek their prey on earth, durft fix Their feats long after next the feat of GOD, Their altars by His altar, Gods ador'd Among the nations round, and durft abide JEHOVAH thund'ring out of SION, thron'd Between the Cherubim; yea, often plac'd Within His fanctuary itfelf their shrines, Abominations! and with curfed things His holy rites and folemn feafts profan'd, 385 390 And with their darknefs durft affront his light. First MOLOCH, horrid King, befmear'd with blood Of human facrifice, and parents tears; Tho', for the noise of drums and timbrels loud, 395 Their childrens cries unheard, that paft thro' fire 400 His temple right against the temple of GOD,. The pleasant valley of HINNOM, TOPHET thence 4.05 Next CHEMOS, th' obfcene dread of MOAB's fons, Of fouthmoft ABARIM; in HESEBON And HORONAIM, SEON's realm, beyond The flow'ry dale of SIBMA, clad with vines; 410 And ELEALE, to th' ASPHALTICK pool: ISRAEL in SITTIM, on their march from NILE, To do him wanton rites, which coft them woe. Yet Yet thence his luftful Orgies he inlarg'd 420 425 Nor founded on the brittle ftrength of bones, Like cumbrous flesh; but in what shape they chufe, Can execute their airy purposes, 430 And works of love or enmity fulfil.) For those the race of ISRAEL oft forfook Their living ftrength, and unfrequented left His righteous altar, bowing lowly down To beftial Gods; for which their heads as low 435 Bow'd down in battle, funk before the spear Of defpicable Foes. With these in troop Came ASTORETH, whom the PHOENICIANS call'd ASTARTE, Queen of heaven, with crefcent horns: 440 Her temple on th' offenfive mountain, built By that uxorious King, whofe heart, tho' large, 445 To idols foul. THAMMUZ came next behind, While fmooth ADONIS from his native rock 450 Ran purple to the fea, fuppos'd with blood 2 Of THAMMUZ yearly wounded: the love tale FZE 455 EZEKIEL faw, when by the vifion led, His eyes furvey'd the dark idolatries Of alienated JUDAH. Next came one Who mourn'd in earnest, when the captive Ark Where he fell flat, and fham'd his worshippers, renown, OSIRIS, ISIS, ORUS, and their train, With monftrous fhapes and forceries abus'd 460 465 470 475 Their wandring Gods difguis'd in brutifh forms, 480 Th' infection, when their borrow'd gold compos'd 485 491 Turns Turns atheists, as did ELI's fons, who fill'd 495 500 ·505 Their highest heav'n; or on the DELPHIAN cliff, These were the prime, in order and in might; 511 515 520 525 All these and more came flocking, but with looks Down-cast and damp; yet fuch wherein appear'd Obfcure fome glimpfe of Joy, to have found their Chief Not in despair, to have found themselves 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 fubftance, gently rais'd Their fainting courage, and difpell'd their fears. Then ftraight commands that at the warlike found Oftrumpets loud, and clarions, be uprear'd D 2 530 His |