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And all th' idolatries of Heathen round,

Befides their other worse than heath'nish

crimes;

Nor in the land of their captivity

420

Humbled themselves, or penitent befought
The God of their forefathers; but fo dy'd
Impenitent, and left a race behind
Like to themselves, diftinguishable scarce
From Gentiles, but by circumcifion vain, 425
And God with idols in their worship join'd.
Should I of these the liberty regard,
Who freed, as tho their ancient patrimony,
Unhumbled, unrepentant, unreform'd,
Headlong would follow'; and to their Gods

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Of Bethel and-of Dan? no, let them ferve Their enemies, who ferve idols with God. Yet he at length, time to himself best known, Remembring Abraham, by fome wondrous call,

May bring them back repentant and fin435

cere,

And at their paffing cleave th' Affyrian flood, While to their native land with joy they haste,

As the Red Sea and Jordan once he cleft, When to the promis'd land their fathers pafs'd;

To his due time and providence I leave them. 440

So fpake Ifrael's true king, and to the
Fiend

Made answer meet, that made void all his

wiles.

So fares it when with truth falfhood con

tends.

The End of the Third Book.

ΒΟΟΚ IV.

Perplex'd and troubled at his bad success

The Tempter ftood, nor had what to reply, Discover'd in his fraud, thrown from his hope

So oft, and the persuasive rhetoric

That fleek'd his tongue, and won so much

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So little here, nay loft; but Eve was Eve, This far his over-match, who felf-deceiv'd And rafh, beforehand had no better weigh'd The strength he was to cope with, or his

own:

But as a man, who had been matchless held 10 In cunning, over reach'd where leaft he thought,

To falve his credit, and for very spite,

Still will be tempting him who foils him ftill, Anp never ceafe, though to his fhame the

more;

Or as a fwarm of flies in vintage time,

15

About the wine-prefs, where sweet must is pour'd,

Beat off, retnrns as oft with humming found; Or furging waves against a folid rock,

Though all to shivers dafh'd, th' affault renew, Vain batt'ry, and in froth or bubbles end; 20 So Satan, whom repulfe upon repulfe

Met ever, and to shameful filence brought, Yet gives not o'er though defp'rate of fuccefs, And his vain importunity pursues.

He brought our Saviour to the western

fide

25

Of that high mountain, whence he might

behold

Another plain, long but in breadth not wide, Wash'd by the fouthern fea, and on the north

To equal length back'd with a ridge of

hills,

That fcreen'd the fruits of th' earth and feats of men

30

From cold Septentrion blasts, thence in the

midft

Divided by a river, of whose banks
On each fide an imperial city stood,

with tow'rs and temples proudly elevate
On fev'n small hills, with palaces adorn'd, 35
Porches and theatres, baths, aqueducts,"
Statues and trophies, and triumphal arcs,
Gardens and groves prefented to his eyes,
Above the highth of mountains interpos'd

By what strange parallax or opic skill
Of vifion multiply'd through air, or glass
Of telescope, were curious to inquire:
And nou the tempter thus his filence broke.

40

The city which thou seest no other deem Than ́ great and glorious Rome, queen of the

earth

45 So far renown'd, and with the spoils enrich'd

50

Of nations; there the capitol thou seest
Above the reft lifting his stately head
On the Tarpeian rock, her citadel
Impregnable, and there mount Palatine,
Th' imperial palace, compass huge, and high
The ftructure, skill of nobleft architects,
With gilded battlements, confpicuous far,
Turrets and terrafes, and glitt'ring spires.
Many a fair edifice befides, more like
Houses of Gods, (fo well I have difpos'd
My aery microscope) thou may'ft behold
Outfide and infide both, pillars and roofs,
Carv'd work, the hand of fam'd artificers
In cedar, marble, ivory or gold.

55

Thence to the gates 'caft round thine eye and fee,

What conflux issuing forth, or entring in,
Pretors, proconfuls to their provinces
Hafting, or on return, in robes of state

60

Lictors and rods, the enfigns of their pow'r, 65

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