435

In fin for ever loft from life; this act
Shall bruife the head of Satan, crush his ftrength,
Defeating fin and death, his two main arms 431
And fix far deeper in his head their stings
Than temp'ral death fhall bruise the victor's heel,
Or theirs whom he redeems, a death like fleep,
A gentle wafting to immortal life.
Nor after refurrection fhall he ftay
Longer on earth than certain times to' appear
To his difciples, men who in his life
Still follow'd him; to them fhall leave in charge
To teach all nations what of him they learn'd 440
And his falvation, them who shall believe
Baptizing in the profluent ftream, the fign
Of washing them from guilt of fin to life
Pure, and in mind prepar'd, if fo befall,

For death, like that which the Redeemer dy'd. 445
All nations they fhall teach; for from that day
Not only to the fons of Abraham's loins
Salvation fhall be preach'd, but to the fons

450

Of Abraham's faith wherever through the world;
So in his feed all nations fhall be bleft.
Then to the Heav'n of Heav'ns he fhall afcend
With victory, triumphing through the air
Over his foes and thine; there shall surprise
The Serpent, prince of air, and drag in chains
Through all his realm, and there confounded leave;
Then enter into glory, and refume

456

His feat at God's right hand, exalted high
Above all names in Heav'n; and thence fhall conie,
When this world's diffolution shall be ripe,
With glory' and pow'r to judge both quick and
dead,

460

To judge th' unfaithful dead, but to reward
His faithful, and receive them into blifs,
Whether in Heav'n or Earth, for then the Earth
Shall all be Paradife, far happier place
Than this of Eden, and far happier days.

465

490

495

To guide them all in truth, and also arm
With fpiritual armour, able to refift
Satan's affaults, and quench his fiery darts,
What man can do against them, not afraid,
Though to the death, against such cruelties
With inward confolations recompens'd,
And oft fupported fo as fhall amaze
Their proudeft perfecutors: for the Spirit
Pour'd firft on his Apoftles, whom he fends
To evangelize the nations, then on all
Baptiz'd, fhall them with wondrous gifts indue
To fpeak all tongues, and do all miracles,
As did their Lord before them. Thus they win
Great numbers of each nation to receive
With joy the tidings brought from Heav'n: at
length

ΤΟΙ

510

516

Their miniftry perform'd, and race well run, 505
Their doctrin and their story written left,
They die; but in their room, as they forewarn,
Wolves fhall fucceed for teachers, grievous wolves,
Who all the facred myfteries of Heaven
To their own vile advantages fhall turn
Of lucre and ambition, and the truth
With fuperftitions and traditions taint,
Left only in those written records pure,
Though not but by the Spirit understood.
Then fhall they feck to' avail themfelves of names,
Places, and titles, and with these to join
Secular pow'r; though feigning ftill to act
By fpiritual, to themfelves appropriating
The Spirit of God, promis'd alike and given
To all believers; and from that pretence,
Spiritual laws by carnal pow'r shall force
On every confcience; laws which none fhall find
Left them inroll'd, or what the Spirit within
Shall on the heart ingrave. What will they then
But force the Spi'rit of grace itself, and bind 525
His confort liberty? what, but unbuild
His living temples, built by faith to stand,
Their own faith, not another's? for on earth
Who against faith and confcience can be heard
Infallible? yet many will prefume:
Whence heavy perfecution fhall arife
On all who in the worship perfevere

520

530

Of fpi'rit and truth; the rett, far greater part, Will deem in outward rites and fpecious forms Religion fatisfied; truth fhall retire

47.༢

fpring,

To God more glory, more good-will to men
From God, and over wrath grace fhall abound.
But fay, if our Deliverer up to Heaven
Mult realcend, what will betide the few

535 Befuck with fland'rous darts, and works of faith Rarely be found: fo fhall the world go on, To good malignant, to bad men benign,

Under her own weight groaning, till the day

48c

His faithful, left among th' unfaithful herd,
The enemies of truth? who then fhall guide
His people, who defend? will they not deal
Worfe with his followers than with him they
dealt?

The Woman's Seed, obfcurely then foretold,

Now amplier known thy Saviour and thy Lord,
Laft in the clouds from Heav'n to be reveal'd
In glory of the Father, to diffolve
Satan with his perverted world, then raife
From the conflagrant mafs, purg'd and refin'd,
New Heav'ns, new Earth, ages of endless date
Founded in righteoufnefs and peace and love, 559
To bring forth fruits, joy and eternal blifs.

He ended; and thus Adam laft reply'd.
How foon hath thy prediction, Seer bleft,

And vengeance to the wicked, at return Of him fo lately promis'd to thy aid

546

591

Of all the reft: then wilt thou not be loath 585
To leave this Paradife, but fhalt poffefs
A Paradife within thee, happier far.
Let us defcend now therefore from this top
Of fpeculation; for the hour precife
Exacts our parting hence; and fee the guards,
By me incamp'd on yonder hill, expect
Their motion, at whofe front a flaming fword,
In fignal of remove, waves fiercely round;
We may no longer ftay: go, waken Eve;
Her alfo I with gentle dreams have calm'd
Portending good, and all her fpi'rits compos'd
To meek fubmiflion: thou at fcafon fit
Let her with thee partake what thou hast heard,
Chiefly what may concern her faith to know,
The great deliverance by her feed to come
(For by the Woman's feed) on all mankind:

595

600

That ye may live, which will be many days,
Both in one faith unanimous, though fad
With caufe for evils paft, yet much more chear'd
With meditation on the happy end.
605

He ended, and they both defcend the hill;
Defcended, Adam to the bow'r where Eve
Lay fleeping ran before, but found her wak'd;
And thus with words not fad fhe him receiv'd.
Whence thou return't, and whither went'ft,
I know;
610

For God is alfo' in fleep, and dreams advife, Which he hath fent propitious, fome great good Prefaging, fince with forrow' and heart's diftrefs Wearied I fell afleep: but now lead on,

In me is no delay; with thee to go,

Is to ftay here; without thee here to stay,
Is to go hence unwilling; thou to me
Art all things under Heav'n, all places thou,
Who for my wilful crime art banish'd hence.
This further confolation yet fecure

carry hence; though all by me is loft, Such favor I unworthy am vouchfald, By me the promis'd Seed fhall all restore.

615

620

635

So fpake our mother Eve, and Adam heard 624 Well pleas'd, but answer'd not; for now too nigh Th' Arch-Angel stood, and from the other hill To their fix'd itation, all in bright array The Cherubim defcended; on the ground Gliding meteorous, as evening mist Ris'n from a river o'er the marifh glides, And gathers ground faft at the lab'rer's heel Homeward returning. High in front advanc'd The brandifh'd fword of God before them blaz'd Fierce as a comet; which with torrid heat, And vapor as the Libyan air adust, Began to parch that temp'rate clime; whereat In either hand the haft'ning Angel caught Our ling'ring parents, and to the eastern gate Led them direct, and down the cliff as faft To the fubjected plain; then difappear'd. They looking back, all th' eaftern fide beheld Of Paradife, fo late their happy feat, Wav'd over by that flaming brand, the gate With dreadful faces throng'd and fiery arms: Some natural tears they dropt, but wip'd them 645

foon;

640

The world was all before them, where to choofe Their place of rest, and Providence their guide: They hand in hand, with wand'ring fteps and flow, Through Eden took their folitary way.

15

21

With profp'rous wing full fumm'd, to tell of deeds
Above heroic, though in fecret done,
And unrecorded left through many an age,
Worthy t' have not remain'd so long unfung.
Now had the great Proclamer, with a voice
More awful than the found of trumpet, cry'd
Repentance, and Heav'n's kingdom nigh at hand
To all baptis'd: to his great baptifm flock'd
With awe the regions round, and with them came
From Nazareth the son of Jofeph deem'd
To the flood Jordan, came as then obfcure,
Unmark'd, unknown; but him the Baptift foon
Defcry'd, divinely warn'd, and witnefs bore 26
As to his worthier, and would have refign'd
To him his heav'nly office, nor was long
His witnefs unconfirm'd: on him baptis'd
Heav'n open'd, and in likenefs of a dove
The Spirit defcended, while the Father's voice
From Heav'n pronounced him his beloved Son.
That heard the Adversary, who, roving still
About the world, at that affembly fam'd
Would not be last, and with the voice divine 35
Nigh thunder-ftruck, th' exalted man, to whom
Such high atteft was giv'n, a while furvey'd
With wonder, then with envy fraught and
Flies to his place, nor refte, but in mid air

rage

30

45

50

O ancient Pow'rs of air and this wide world, For much more willingly I mention air, This our old conqueft, than remember Hell, Our hated habitation; well ye know How many ages, as the years of men, This univerfe we have poffefs'd, 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 feed of Eve Upon my head: long the decrees of Heaven 55 Delay, for longest time to him is short; And now too foon for us the circling hours This dreaded time have compafs'd, wherein we Muit bide the stroke of that long threaten'd

wound,

60

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 feed
Deftin'd to this, is late of woman born:
His birth to our just fear gave no small cause,
But his growth now to youth's full flow'r, dif
playing

All virtue, grace, and wisdom to achieve
Things highest, greatest, multiplies my fear.
Before him a great prophet, to proclame
His coming, is fent harbinger, who all
Invites, and in the confecrated stream
Pretends to wash off fin, and fit them fo
Purified to receive him pure, or rather
To do him honor as their king; all come,
And he himself among them was baptis'd,
Not thence to be more pure, but to receive
The teftimony' of Heav'n, that who he is

65

76

75

85

Thenceforth the nations may not doubt; I faw
The prophet do him reverence, on him rifing 80
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 fov'ran voice I heard,
This is my Son belov'd, in him am pleas'd.
His mother then is mortal, but his fire
He who obtains the monarchy of Heaven,
And what will he not do to' advance his Son?
His first-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 utmoft edge

95

Not force, but well-couch'd fraud, well-woven

Of hazard, which admits no long debate,

But muft with fomething fudden be oppos'd,

Will waft me; and the way found profp'rous once Induces beft to hope of like fuccefs.

105

He ended, and his words impreffion left Of much amazement to th' infernal crew, Distracted and furpris'd with deep difmay 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, whofe 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 coaft of Jordan he directs His eafy steps, girded with fiaky 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 fufpected rais'd To end his reign on earth fo long enjoy'd: But contrary unweeting he fulfill'd The purpos'd counfel pre-ordain'd and fix'd Of the most High, who in full frequence bright Of Angels, thus to Gabriel fmiling fpake.

120

125

Gabriel, this day by proof thou shalt behold, Thou and all Angels converfant on carth With man or mens affairs, how I begin

To verify that folemn meffage late,

131

135

On which I fent thee to the Virgin pure
In Galilee, that she should bear a fon
Great in renown, and call'd the Son of God;
Then toldit her doubting how these things could be
To her a virgin, that on her should come
The Holy Ghoft, and the pow'r of the Highest
O'er-fhadow her: this man born and now up-
140

grown,

To how him worthy of his birth divine

VOL. II.

And high prediction, henceforth I expose
To Satan; let him tempt and now assay
His utmost fubtlety, because he boasts
And vaunts of his great cunning to the throng
Of his apoftafy; he might have learnt
Lefs overweening, fince he fail'd in Job,
Whofe conftant perfeverance overcame
Whate'er his cruel malice could invent.
He now fhall know I can produce a man
Of female feed, far abler to refift
All his folicitations, and at length.
All his vaft force, and drive him back to Hell,
Winning by conquest what the first man lost
By fallacy furpris'd. But first I mean
To exercife him in the wilderness,

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150

155

160

There he shall first lay down the rudiments
Of his great warfare, ere I send him forth
To conquer Sin and Death, the two grand foes,
By humiliation and ftrong fufferance:
His weaknefs fhall 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 falvation for the fons of men.

165

So fpake th' eternal Father; and all Heaven
Admiring food a space, then into hymns
Burft forth, and in celeftial measures mov'd, 170
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 entring his great duel, not of arms,
But to vanquish by wifdom hellish wiles.
The Father knows the Son; therefore fecure
Ventures his filial virtue, though untry'd,
Against whate'er may tempt, whate'er feduce,
Allure, or terrify, or undermine.

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, Muling and much revolving in his breaft, How beft the mighty work he might begin Of Saviour to mankind, and which way firft Publifh his God-like office now mature, One day walk'd forth alone, the Spirit leading, And his deep thoughts, the better to converse 190 With folitude, till far from track of men, Thought following thought, and step by step led on, He enter'd now the bord'ring defert wild, And with dark fhades and rocks environ'd round, His holy meditations thus purfu'd.

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200

O what a multitude of thoughts at once Awaken'd in me fwarm, while I confider What from within 1 feel myself, and hear What from without comes often to my ears, Ill forting with my prefent ftate compar'd! When I was yet a child, no childish play To me was pleafing; all my mind was fet Serious to learn and know, and thence to do What might be public good; myself I thought Born to that end, born to promote all truth, 205 All righteous things: therefore above my years,

2 [0]

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220

The law of God 1 read, and found it sweet,
Made it my whole delight, and in it grew
To fuch perfection, that ere yet my age
Had meafur'd twice fix years, at our great feaft
I went into the temple, there to hear
The teachers of our law, and to propofe
What might improve my knowledge, or their own;
And was admir'd by all: yet this not all
To which my fpi'rit afpir'd; victorious deeds 215
Flam'd in my heart, heroic acts, one while
To refcue Ifrael from the Roman yoke,
Then to fuodue and quell o'er all the earth
Brute violence and proud tyrannic power,
Till truth were freed, and equity reftor'd:
Yet held it more humane, more heav'nly first
By winning words to conquer willing hearts,
And make perfuafion do the work of fear;
As leaft to try, and teach the erring foul
Not wilfully mis-doing, but unware
Miled; the ftubborn only to fubdue.
Thefe growing thoughts my motherfoon perceiving
By words at times caft forth inly rejoic'd,
And faid to me apart, High are thy thoughts
O Son, but nourish them and let them foar
To what highth facred virtue and true worth
Can raise them, though above example high;
By matchlefs deeds exprefs thy matchlefs Sire.
For know, thou art no fon of mortal man;
Though men efteem thee low of parentage, 235
Thy father is th' eternal King who rules
All Heav'n and Earth, Angels and Sons of men;
A meffenger from God foretold thy birth
Conceiv'd in me a virgin, he foretold

225

230

Thou shouldft be great, and fit on David's throne, And of thy kingdom there fhould be no end. 241 At thy nativity a glorious quire

245

255

Of Angels in the fields of Bethlehem fung
To fhepherds watching at their folds by night,
And told them the Meilah now was born
Where they might see him, and to thee they came,
Directed to the manger where thou lay'ft,
For in the inn was left no better room:
A ftar, not feen before, in Heav'n appearing
Guided the wife men thither from the eaft, 250
To honor thee with incenfe, myrrh, and gold,
By whofe bright courfe led on they found the place,
Affirming it thy ftar new grav'n in Heaven,
by which they knew the king of Ifrael born.
Just Simeon and prophetic Anna, warn'd
By vifion, found thee in the temple', and fpake
Before the altar and the vefted priest,
Like things of thee to all that prefent flood.
This having heard, ftrait I again revolv'd
The law and prophets, fearching what was writ
Concerning the Meffiah, to our feribes
Known partly, and foon found of whom they fpake
I am; this chiefly, that my way muft lie
Through many a hard affay ev'n to the death,
Ere I the promis'd kingdom can attain,
Or work redemption for mankind, whofe fins
Full weight must be transferred upon my head.
Yet neither thus difhearten'd or difmay'd,
The time prefix'd I waited, when behold
The Baptift (of whole birth I oft had heard, 270
Net knew by fight) now come, who was to come

261

265

Before Meffiah and his way prepare.
I as all others to his baptifm came,
Which I believ'd was from above; but he 274
Strait knew me, and with loudest voice proclam'd
Me him (for it was fhown him fo from Heaven)
Me him whofe harbinger he was; and first
Refus'd on me his baptifm to confer,
As much his greater, and was hardly won :
But as I rofe out of the laving ftream,
280
Heav'n open'd her eternal doors, from whence
The Spi'rit defcended on me like a dove,
And last, the fum of all, my Father's voice,
Audibly heard from Heav'n, pronounc'd me his,
Me his beloved Son, in whom alone
285
He was well pleas'd; by which I knew the time
Now full, that I no more fhould live obfcure,"
But openly begin, as best becomes

Th' authority which I deriv'd from Heaven.
And now by feme ftrong motion I am led
Into this wildernefs, to what intent

298

295

300

I learn not yet, perhaps I need not know;
For what concerns my knowledge God reveals.
So fpake our Morning star then in his rife,
And looking round on every fide beheld
A pathlefs defert, dufk with horrid sharles;
The way he came not having mark'd, return
Was difficult, by human steps untrod;
And he still on was led, but with fuch thoughts
Accompanied of things paft and to come
Lodg'd in his breaft, as well might recommend
Such folitude before choicest fociety.
Full forty days he pafs'd, whether on hill
Sometimes, anon in fhady vale, each night
Under the covert of fome ancient oak,
Or cedar, to defend him from the dew,
Or harbour'd in lone cave, is not reveal'd;
Nor tafted human food, nor hunger felt
Till thofe days ended, hunger'd then at laft
Among wild beafts: they at his fight grew mild,
Nor fleeping him nor waking harm'd, his walk 311
The fiery ferpent fled, and noxious worm,
The lion and fierce tiger glar'd aloof.
But now an aged man in rural weeds,
Following, as fecm'd, the quest of fome fray
315

ewe,

305

Or wither'd fticks to gather, which might serve
Against a winter's day when winds blow keen,
To warm him wet return'd from field at eve,
He faw approach, who first with curious cyc 319
Perus'd him, then with words thus utter'd fpake.
Sir, what ill chance hath brought thee to this

place

So far from path or road of men, who pass
In troop or caravan? for fingle none

Durft ever, who return'd, and dropt not here
His carcafs, pin'd with hunger and with drouth.
I ask the rather, and the more admire,
326
For that to me thou feem'ft the man, whom late
Our new baptizing Prophet at the ford
Of Jordan honor'd fo, and call'd thee Son
Of God; I faw and heard, for we fometimes 330
Who dwell this wild, conftrain'd by want, come
forth

To town or village nigh (nighest is far)
Where ought we hear, and curious are to hear,