Where he fell flat, and shamd his Worshipers:
Dagon his Name, Sea Monster, upward Man
And downward Fish: yet had his Temple high
Reard in Azotus, dreaded through the Coast
Of Palestine, in Gath and As [ 465 ]
And Ac and Gazas frontier bounds.
Him followd 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: [ 470 ]
A Leper once he lost and gaind a King,
Ahaz his sottish querour, whom he drew
Gods Altar to disparage and displace
For one of Syrian mode, whereon to burn
His odious s, and adore the Gods [ 475 ]
Whom he had vanquisht. After these appeard
A crew who under Names of old Renown,
Osiris, Isis, Orus and their Train
With monstrous shapes and sorceries abusd
Fanatic Egypt and her Priests, to seek [ 480 ]
Thir wandring Gods disguisd in brutish forms
Rather then human. Nor did Israel scape
Th iiohir borrowd Gold posd
The Calf in Oreb: and the Rebel King
Doubld that sin ihel and in Dan, [ 485 ]
Likning his Maker to the Grazed Ox,
Jehovah, who in one Night when he passd
From Egypt marg, equald with oroke
Both her first born and all her bleating Gods.
Belial came last, then whom a Spirit more lewd [ 490 ]
Fell not from Heaven, or mross to love
Vice for it self: To him no Temple stood
Or Altar smoakd; yet who more oft then hee
In Temples and at Altars, when the Priest
Turns Atheist, as did Elys Sons, who filld [ 495 ]
With lust and violehe house of God.
In Courts and Palaces he alsns
And in luxurious Cities, where the noyse
Of riot asds above thir loftiest Towrs,
And injury and e: And when Night [ 500 ]
Darkens the Streets, then wander forth the Sons
Of Belial, flown with insolend wine.