And temples, and proud palaces, in floods
Of roaring fires and waters, from the day
Defcending dreadful to the dark abyfs.
O, let me seek the city's facred height,
Whofe walls eternal, on foundations firm,
No gulphs e'er threaten, and no ftorms can fhake!
Whofe gates are glory, and falvation strong
Her tow'ring Bulwark. Where forever shines
The light himself, ador'd, and on the just
Pours an unfading beam, completing all
The prophets' promife, and the patriarchs' hope.
Ye feats celestial; to your bright domains
Wing'd with new fire my spirit seems to rife
In holy vision, as, by faith renew'd,
I draw high raptures from the facred leaves
Of infpiration. Thro' th' Hefperian groves"
Of blooming EDEN now I seem to range,
And catch warm transports, as th' immortal choirs,
Or tune the harp, or animate the song.
Now, higher rapt, with ardent faith I fee
The river pouring, from the throne of God
It's tide of bleffings, and the tree of life,
Whofe leaves shall heal the nations, off'ring fair
Her fruits myfterious. Now to deferts drear
I'm borne, and booths of palm, and mountains wild,
Where priests and prophets, and the chofen flock
Fellow'd their godlike leader, like young bulls
Hefperian.] From Hesh Peri, Gen. 1. 11. Tranflated fruit-tree.
And horned rams, exulting on the hills,
And glorying in their God. But ah! how oft
To change their living glory, and his wrath
Inflicted feel beneath the wafting sword
Of heathen lords, for purer rites profan'd
With foul idolatry, and darkness deep
Prefer'd to God's clear light! Now, fix'd I hear
The harbinger of him, the Lamb of God,
Who frees the world from fin, in rough attire,
'Midst favage deserts, to his audience fierce
Preaching repentance, and the fruits of faith;
Or later confeffors, to tyrants ftern,
And unbelieving Ifrael, e'en in flames
Singing falvation, and the crofs of Christ.
For the fierce nations that refuse thy laws,
Nor pay obedience to thy regal throne,
Kingdoms and potentates fhall perish all, P
And faith in thee alone confirm the tribes
In fure establishment and facred peace.
• For the fierce nations, &c.] The Shepherd in this ftrong apostrophe, as in rapture, * affumes the character of a fuffering confeffor; which he suftains to the end of this canto, deducing his doctrine in an indirect manner from the scene of distress and mifery represented above.
P Shall perish all. ] If. 60. 12. For the nation and kingdom that will not ferve thee fhall perish; yea those nations shall be utterly wafted. And faith in thee alone, &c.] If. 7. 9. If ye will not believe, furely ye fhall not be establish'd.
Feed then, ye fhepherds, feed the church of God,
Which his own blood had purchas'd! O, ye kings,
Ye royal fhepherds, fhield the beauteous plant,
And all her maiden flow 'rets from the ftorms,
From birds and beasts obfcene! guard her from all
Th' abominations of the scarlet whore,
From the foul harpy's claw, and all the brood
Of many-headed monfters, who difgrace
The God of Order, with confufion wild,
And anarchy profane; or dare attempt
Heav'n's adamantine walls, their guardian God
Unworship'd uninvok'd thy faving name,
Fair light of heaven, and glory of the earth,
The leading day-star, and the living way!
BELIEVE and live. Th' imperial edict faid:
And all was peace, and harmony, and love.
Search the bright volume; trace th' eternal truth,
Infcrib'd with adamant on leaves of gold.
High heav'n ordain'd it, and the fanction gave;
And angels bore the facred charge to earth.
Then fair Perfection fmil'd; immortal youth Led with the rofe-lip'd hours the circling dance,
Adamant-gold.] Emblems of light, purity, and perfection.
And God faw all was good. But faithless man
From the strong glory turn'd his eye afide,
Nor fear'd to violate the fatal tree
Of knowledge, interdi&ted: Yet by heav'n
Planted, full fair of femblance, in the reach
Of Liberty's free arm, to dignify
Her purer gold with the imperial stamp
Of facred merit. Tell it not, ye winds!
He quits th' immortal fruits, the feasts divine,
Ambrofial joys, and tables of the gods,
To gorge with ferpents foul, and dev'ls impure;
Already dying. Then Perfection fair,
And her bright fifter Beauty, fwift withdrew
To heav'n's high courts; and, rav'ning their vile prey, Horror and Death, and ev'ry ghaftly shape
Of defolation, from their dreadful den,
Rufh'd hideous o'er the earth: Thro'. Nature's tribes An univerfal groan, portentous, dire,
Loaded with woe was heard, and long to laft.
Search the bright volume; trace th' eternal truth,
Infcrib'd with adamant on leaves of gold.
What high benevolence, what facred hand,
Propitious now, fhall pour the healing balm,
Raise languid nature as fhe bleeding lies
Beneath the ferpent-fting, and greatly fix
The ftar unfpher'd in its own heav'n again?
Hail, filial Godhead, hail! who first and laft,
Filling the circle of eternity,
With God art God ador'd! Whofe quick'ning voice
Call'd light and beauty from the barren void
Of uncreated night! 'Tis thou fhalt give
The groves of paradise to bloom anew,
Thine own creation blefs, and, gracious, footh
Her agonizing pangs, till man again
Shall feaft with angels, and converfe with God.
'Twas he, bright image of the Father! then
In interceffion strong ftood forth, with words
Unutterable, charg'd with mercy all.
The father pleas'd affented; high Jehovah
Was mindful of his covenant, 'midst wrath
Rememb'ring mercy; and the Holy Spirit
Already his diviner gifts infpir'd.
That inftant Grace celeftial, from the throne,
Sweet with the smiles of heav'n, and glowing bright
With charms ineffable, diffufing round
Ten thousand bleffings, took her flight to earth,
Virtues and Charities attend her down
And, as the pass'd, ambrofial fragrance breath'd
Thro' heav'n's bright day, and fill'd the earth with sweets Unknown to Eden in her lovelieft bloom.
"Ye flinty rocks relent!" And sudden see, The flinty rocks fhe foftens! " Flow, ye And Nature melts in penitence! Her voice
Unutterable,] By man; for want of proper powers and symbols,
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