The Spirit descended, while the Father's voice From heaven pronounc'd him his beloved Son.. That heard the adversary, who roving still About the world, at that assembly fam'd.. Would not be last, and with the voice divine Nigh thunder-struck, the exalted man, to whom Such high attest was given, a while survey'd With wonder, then, with envy fraught and rage Flies to his place, nor rests, but in mid air To council summons all his mighty peers, Within thick clouds, and dark, tenfold involv'd, A gloomy consistory; and themiamidst,... With looks aghast and sad, he thus bespake
"O ancient powers of air, and this wide world,
(For much more willingly I mention air, This our old conquest, than remember hell.. Our hated habitation,) well ye know 8.1
How many ages, as the years of menja
This universe we have possessid, and rul'd, In manner at our will, the affairs of earth, A Since Adam and his facile consort Eve
Lost Paradise, deceiv'd by me, though since With dread attending when that fatal wound côn Shall be inflicted by the seed of Eversail aird Upon my head. Long the decrees of heaven.T Delay, for longest time to him is shortit to tra And now, too soon for us, the circling hours... This dreaded time have compass'd, wherein we '1 Must bide the stroke of that long-threaten'd wound, (At least if so we can, and by the head Broken be not intended all our power guid tiss To be infring'd, our freedom and our being In this fair empire won of earth and airs) For this ill news I bring, the woman's seeds in A Destin'd to this, is late of woman boravimee His birth to our just fear gave no small cause: But his growth now to youth's full flower, die
Il virtue, grace, and wisdom to achior
Things highest, greatest, multiplies my fear. Before him a great prophet, to proclaim His coming, is sent harbinger, who all Invites, and in the consecrated stream Pretends to wash off sin, and fit them, so Purified, to receive him pure, or rather To do hịm honour as their King: all come, And he himself among them was baptiz'd; Not thence to be more pure, but to receive The testimony of Heaven, that who he is Thenceforth the nations may not doubt. I saw The prophet do him reverence; on him, rising Out of the water, heaven above the clouds Unfold her crystal doors; thence on his head A perfect dove descend, (whate'er it meant,). 1) And out of heaven the sovran voice I heard, *This is my Son belov'd, in him am pleas'd. His mother then is mortal, but his Sirewol He who obtains the monarchy of heaven : And what will he not do to advance his Son His first-begot, we know, and sore have felt When his fierce thunder drove us to the deep I Who this is we must learn, for man he seems i fl In all his lineaments, though in his face it ifeld The glimpses of his Father's glory shine.qu Ye see our danger on the utmost odgela Of hazard, which admits no long debate,, But must with something sudden be oppos'd, (Not force, but well-couch'd fraud, well-woven Ere in the head of nations he appear,[snares,) Their king, their leader, and supreme on earth. I, when no other durst, sole undertookad uT The dismal expedition to find out And ruin Adam; and the exploit perform'd Successfully a calmer voyage now... Will waft me; and the way, found prosperous once, Induces best to hope of like success."
He ended, and his words impression left Of much amazement to the infernalcrew
Distracted and surpris'd with deep dismay At these sad tidings; but no time was then For long indulgence to their fears or grief t Unanimous they all commit the care And management of this main enterprise To him, their great dictator, whose attempt At first against mankind so 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 likeliest find this new-declar'd, This man of men, attested Son of God, Temptation and all guile on him to try; So to subvert whom he suspected rais'd 'To end his reign on earth, so long enjoy'd But contrary, unweeting, he fulfill'd The purpos'd counsel, pre-ordain'd and fix'd, Of the Most High; who, in full frequence bright Of angels, thus to Gabriel smiling spake:
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"Gabriel, this day by proof thou shalt behold, Thou and all angels conversant on earth With man or men's affairs, how I begin To verify that solemn message, lateft riw On which I sent thee to the virgin pu In Galilee, that she should bear a son Great in renown, and call'd the Son of God: Then told'st her, doubting how these things could To her a virgin, that on her should come [ve The Holy Ghost, and the power of the Highest O'ershadow her. This man, born and now, upTo show him worthy of his birth divine [grown And high prediction, henceforth I exposer:A To Satan; let him tempt, and now assay of His utmost subtlety, because he boasts And vaunts of his great cunning to the thro Of his apostasy; he might have learnt 14
Less overweening, since he fail'd in Job, Whose constant perseverance overcame Whate'er his cruel malice could invent.*" He now shal know I can produce a man Of female seed, far abler to resist All his solicitations, and at length All his vast force, and drive him back to hell Winning, by conquest, what the first man lost, By fallacy surpris'd. But first I rabatillad To exercise him in the wilderness; but 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, fo By humiliation and strong sufferancer; 9 His weakness shall o'ercome Satanic strength, And all the world, and mass of sinful thesh: That all the angels and ethereal powers 'They now, and men hereafter, may discern From what consummate virtue I have chose This perfect man, by merit call'd my Son," To earn salvation for the sons of mem
So spake the Eternal Father, and all heaven Admiring stood a space, then into hymns" Burst forth, and in celestial measures mov'd, Circling the throne and singing, 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 secure Ventures his filial virtue, though untried, Against whate'er may tempt, whate'er seduce," Allure, or terrify, or undermine. Be frustrate, all ye stratagems of hell, And. devilish machinations, come to naught"
So they in heaven their odes and vigils tun'd Meanwhile the Son of God, who yet some daya Lodg'd in Bethabara, where John baptisidy br. Musing, and much revolving in his breasti.
How best the mighty work he might begin, Of Saviour to mankind, and which way first Publish his godlike office now mature, One day forth walk'd alone, the Spirit leading, And his deep thoughts, the better to converse With solitude, till, far from track of men, Thought following thought, and step by step led on, He enter'd now the bordering desert wild, And, with dark shades and rocks environ'd round, His holy meditations thus pursued
"O, what a multitude of thoughts at once Awaken'd in me swarm, while I consider What from within I feel myself, and hear What from without comes often to my ears, Ill sorting with my present state compar'd! When I was yet a child, no childish play To me was pleasing; all my mind was set 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, All righteous things: therefore, above my years, The law of God I read, and found it sweet, Made it my whole delight, and in it grew To such perfection, that, ere yet my age Had measur'd twice six years, at our great feast went into the temple, there to hear The teachers of our law, and to propose What might improve my knowledge or their owa And was admir'd by all: yet this not all To which my spirit aspir'd: victorious deeds Flam'd in my heart, heroic acts; one while To rescue Israel from the Roman yoke; Then to subdue and que!l, o'er all the earth, Brute violence and proud tyrannic power, Till truth were freed, and equity restor'd : Yet held it more humane, more heavenly, first By winning words to conquer willing hearts, And make persuasion do the work of fear; At least to try, and teach the erting sou
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