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Mr. William Stanger, Fleet.

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THE PROCESS

AND

EMPIRE OF CHRIST,

AN

HEROIC POEM.

BOOK I..

Containing the Plan of the whole; and the Hiftory of his Birth, Baptifm, Fafting, and Temptations; with fome Account of his Doctrine and Miracles. Comprehending the Time from his Birth till the clofe of his Minif

try.

WHILE others fing the Monarchs of the globe,

W Their feats in war, their courage, ftrength,

and skill,

I fing the rifing Empire of my Lord,

The Kingdom of the Babe in Bethlehem born:
Whose birth was fung by angels, and foretold
By prophets, who partook of heav'nly fire.
Tremendous theme indeed! auguft! immenfe!
But God can teach the humbleft mind to foar;
Can fend profperity to one like me,

Unfkill'd in epic mufe, and teach my pen
To paint Meffiah's triumphs o'er his foes;
B

5

10

The

The glories of his peaceful reign describe.

Can lead my thoughts his Process to pursue,

15

From heav'n's bright court down to this lower world,
And through the various labours of his life,
And the dire scene of fuff'rings which he bore,
The scriptures to fulfil, and men to fave:
Then to thy gloomy regions, tyrant death,
And through the gates and bars of hell's domain,
To preach the gospel to the pris'ners there,
Taking the mighty's captives for his spoil :
Thus fpoiling principalities and pow'rs.
Then crown'd with wreaths of vict'ry fairly won,
Immortal garland; laurels richly earn'd!

He rose triumphant over death and hell,

And lives for ever, holds the keys of both :
And was declar'd the Son of God with pow'r.
From earth he did afcend to highest heav'ns,
Having defcended first to worlds beneath.
Enthron'd above he fits at God's right hand,

20

25

3བ

And makes perpetual interceffion there,

Till that great day, long waited for, fhall come,

When he with glory crown'd, and cloath'd with zeal,., Shall to the earth descend, destroy his foes.

Then Jacob's tribes returned to their land,

35

Shall own him Lord, and King on David's throne.

Then Satan bound, in the abyfs confin'd,

Shall vex the faints no more, no more deceive

The nations of the earth, until fulfill'd

Shall be the period of a thousand years.

40

Then

Then the fev'nth angel fhall his trumpet found,

And ev'ry kingdom fhall become the Lord's:
The nations that refuse shall be destroy'd.

Jefus fhall judge all people, and fhall rule

All nations by the laws of righteousness;

45

50

Shall take the curfe from earth, and bless mankind
With greater bleffings than their father lost.
That age (furpaffing far the golden age
Which ancient poets feign'd in days of yore)
Approaches fast, and shall ere long arrive,
When the Meffiah, for a thousand years,
Shall wield in peace the fceptre of the world;
And his beloved faints with him fhall reign,
Upon his throne, as royal priests and kings.
Throughout those halcyon days no wars shall rife, 55
No earthquakes roar, nor famine, plague, or storm
Shall defolate the earth; no child shall die
In the first stage of life. All deadly hate

Shall cease among the globe's inhabitants:

Man shall not vex his neighbour, nor the beafts 60
Make war upon each other, lefs on man:
All shall be love, and peace, and harmony;
Man to longevity again reftor'd,

Shall fee his feed for ages unimpair'd;

And shall enjoy the labour of his hands:

65

And all shall know and worship God the LORD.
But farther: God can fo direct my mind,
That I fhall fing, what never poet fang;

The prince of darknefs loos'd, once more fet free