This Universe we have poffeft, and rul'd
In manner at our will th' affairs of Earth, Since Adam and his facil Confort Eve Loft Paradife deceiv'd by me, though fince With dread attending when that fatal wound Shall be inflicted by the Seed of Eve
Upon my head; long the decrees of Heav'n Delay, for longest time to him is short;
And now too foon for us the circling hours This dreaded time kave compast, wherein we
Muft bide the ftroak of that long threatn'd wound, At least if fo we can, and by the Head
Broken be not intended all our power
To be infring'd, our freedom and our being In this fair Empire won of Earth and Air; For this ill news I bring, the Woman's Seed Deftin'd to this, is late of Woman born. His Birth to our juft fear gave no small caufe, But his growth now to’youth's full flower displaying All virtue, grace, and wisdom to achieve Things highest, greatest, multiplies my fear. Before him a great Prophet, to proclaim His coming, is fent Harbinger, who all Invites, and in the confecrated stream Pretends to wash off fin, and fit them fo Purifi'd to receive him pure, or rather
To do him honour as their King: all come, And he himself among them was baptiz'd, Not thence to be more pure, but to receive The Teftimony of Heaven, that who he is Thenceforth the Nations may not doubt; I faw B 2
The Prophet do him reverence, on him rifing Out of the Water, Heav'n above the Clouds Unfold her Crystal Doors, thence on his head A perfect Dove defcend, whate'er it meant, And out of Heav'n the Sovereign voice I heard, This is my Son belov'd, in him am pleas'd. His Mother then is mortal, but his Sire He who obtains the Monarchy of Heaven; And what will he not do t' advance his Son ? His firft-begot we know, and fore have felt, When his fierce thunder drove us to the deep; 90 Who this is we must learn, for Man he feems In all his lineaments, though in his face The glimpses of his Father's glory fhine. Ye fee our danger on the utmost edge Of hazard, which admits no long debate,
But muft with fomething fudden be oppos'd,
Not force, but well couch'd fraud, well woven snares,
Ere in the head of Nations he appear
Their King, their Leader, and Supream on Earth.
I, when no other durft, fole undertook
The dismal expedition, to find out
And ruin Adam, and th'exploit perform'd
Successfully; a calmer Voyage now
Will waft me; and the way found profp'rous once, Induces beft to hope of like fuccefs.
He ended, and his words impreffion left Of much amazement to th' infernal Crew, Diftracted and furpriz'd with deep dismay At these fad tidings; but no time was then For long indulgence to their fears or grief;
Unanimous they all commit the care
And management of this main Enterprize To him their great Dictator, whose attempt At first against mankind fo well had thriv'd In Adam's overthrow, and led their march From Hell's deep-vaulted Den to dwell in light, Regents and Potentates, and Kings, yea Gods Of many a pleasant Realm and Province wide. So to the Coast of Jordan he directs His easy steps, girded with snaky wiles, Where he might likelieft find this new declar'd, This Man of men, attefted Son of God, Temptation and all guile on him to try; So to fubvert whom he suspected rais'd
To end his Reign on Earth so long enjoy'd: 125 But contrary, unweeting he fulfill'd
The purpos'd Counsel pre-ordain'd and fixt
Of the most High, who in full frequence bright Of Angels, thus to Gabriel fmiling fpake.
Gabriel, this day by proof thou shalt behold, 130 Thou and all Angels converfant on Earth With man or mens affairs, how I begin To verify that folemn Message late, On which I fent thee to the Virgin pure In Galilee, that she should bear a Son
Great in Renown and call'd the Son of God;
Then toldft her, doubting how these things could be To her a Virgin, that on her should come The Holy Ghoft, and the Power of the Highest O'er-fhadow her: this Man born and now up grown, To fhew him worthy of his Birth Divine
And high Prediction, henceforth I expofe
To Satan; let him tempt and now affay His utmost fubtilty, because he boasts
And vaunts of his great cunning to the throng 145 Of his Apoftafie; he might have learnt Lefs overweening, fince he fail'd in Job, Whose constant perfeverance overcame Whate'er his cruel malice could invent. He now fhall know I can produce a Man Of female Seed, far abler to resist All his follicitations, and at length
All his vaft force, and drive him back to Hell, Winning by conqueft what the first man loft, By fallacy furpriz❜d. But first I mean To exercife him in the Wilderness,
There he fhall first lay down the rudiments Of his great warfare, ere I fend him forth
To conquer Sin and Death the two grand focs, By Humiliation and ftrcng Sufferance His weakness shall o'ercome Satanic strength And all the world, and mafs of finful flesh; That all the Angels and Ethereal Powers, They now, and men hereafter may difcern, From what confummate virtue I have chofe This perfect Man, by merit call'd my Son, To earn Salvation for the Sons of men.
So fpake th' Eternal Father, and all Heav'n Admiring flood a space, then into Hymns Burft forth, and in Celestial measures mov'd Circling the Throne and finging, while the hand Sung with the voice, and this the argument.
Victory and Triumph to the Son of God Now entering his great duel, not of Arms, But to vanquish by wisdom hellish wiles. The Father knows the Son; therefore fecure Ventures his filial Virtue, though untry'd, Against whate'er may tempt, whate'er seduce, Allure, or terrifie, or undermine.
Be fruftrate all ye ftratagems of Hell, And devilish machinations come to nought.
So they in Heav'n their Odes and Vigils tun'd: Mean while the Son of God, who yet fome days Lodg'd in Bethabara where John baptiz'd,
Mufing and much revolving in his breast, How beft the mighty work he might begin Of Saviour to mankind, and which way first Publish his God-like Office now mature,
One day forth walk'd alone, the Spirit leading, And his deep thoughts, the better to converfe 190 With folitude, till far from track of Men, Thought following thought, and step by step led on, He entred now the bordering defart wild, And with dark fhades and rocks environ'd round, His holy meditation thus purfu'd.
O what a multitude of thoughts at once Awaken'd in me fwarm, while I confider What from within I feel my felf, and hear What from without comes often to my ears, Ill forting with my present state compar'd. When I was yet a Child no childish play To me was pleasing, all my mind was fet Serious to learn and know, and thence to do
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