When Satan Saw His Rebel Host

When Satan saw his re­bel host

His cause

and Heav’n for ev­er lost

Malice and wrath his mind pos­sessed

And fu­ry burned with­in his breast.

He knew how vain th’ at­tempts to rise

With im­pi­ous rage against the skies;

But bent on ill

an­oth­er way

He turns his arms

and wins the day.

‘Twas in a dark un­guard­ed hour

That our first par­ents felt his pow­er;

Soft in­no­cence and vir­tue fell

An ea­sy prey to death and hell.

Ye sons of God

the tempt­er fly

Nor the un­eq­ual con­test try;

By prom­ised bliss the fiend de­coys—

First he al­lures

and then de­stroys.