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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 Ascalon [ 465 ]

And Accaron 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 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 [ 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 infection when thir borrowd Gold composd

The Calf in Oreb: and the Rebel King

Doubld that sin in Bethel and in Dan, [ 485 ]

Likning his Maker to the Grazed Ox,

Jehovah, who in one Night when he passd

From Egypt marching, equald with one stroke

Both her first born and all her bleating Gods.

Belial came last, then whom a Spirit more lewd [ 490 ]

Fell not from Heaven, or more gross 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 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 [ 500 ]

Darkens the Streets, then wander forth the Sons

Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine.