Unfold her Chrystal Doors, thence on his head
A perfect Dove defcend, what e'er it meant,
And out of Heav'n the Soveraign voice I hear
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 Heav'n,
And what will he not do to advance his Son?
His firft-begot we know, and fore have felt,
When his fierce thunder drove us to the deep;
Who this is we must learn, for Man he seems
In all his lineaments, though in his face
The glimpses of his Father's glory shine;
Ye fee our danger on the utmost edge
Of hazard, which admits no long debate,
But must with something fudden be oppos'd,

Not force, but well couch'd fraud, well woven fnares,
E'er 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 best to hope of like fuccefs.
He ended, and his words impression left
Of much amazement to th' infernal Crew,
Distracted and furpriz'd with deep dismay
At these sad tidings; but no time was then
For long indulgence to their fears or grief:
Unanimous they all commit the care
And management of this vain 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 eafie fteps; girded with fnaky wiles,
Where he might likelieft find this new-declar'd,
This Man of men, attested 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 so long enjoy'd:
But contrary unweeting he fulfill'd

The purpos'd Counsel pre-ordain'd and fixt

Of

Of the most High, who in full frequence bright
Of Angels, thus to Gabriel smiling spake.
Gabriel this day by proof thou shalt behold,
Thou and all Angels converfant on Earth
With man or mens affairs, how I begin
To verifie that folemn Meffage late,
On which I sent 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 fhould come

The Holy Ghost, and the Power of the Highest
O'er-shadow her: this Man born and now up-grown,
To fhew him worthy of his Birth Divine
And high Prediction, henceforth I expose
To Satan; let him tempt and now affay
His utmost fubtilty, because he boasts
And vaunts of his great cunning to the throng
Of his Apoftafie, he might have learnt
Lefs overweening, fince he fail'd in Job,
Whose conftant perfeverance overcame
What e'er his cruel malice could invent.
He now shall know I can produce a Man
B 4

Of

Of female Seed, far abler to refift

All his follicitations, and at length.

All his vaft force, and drive him back to Hell,
Winning by Conqueft what the first man lost
By fallacy furpriz'd. But first I mean
To exercise him in the Wilderness,

There he shall first lay down the rudiments
Of his great warfare, e'er I send him forth
To conquer Sin and Death the two grand foes,
By Humiliation and strong Sufferance:

His weakness shall o'ercome Satanick ftrength
And all the world, and mass of finful flesh;
That all the Angels and Ætherial 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 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.) 7
Victory and Triumph to the Son of God!!

Now

Now entring 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 untry'd,
Against what e'er may tempt, what e'er seduce,
Allure, or terrifie, or undermine.

Be fruftrate all ye ftratagems of Hell,

And devillish 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 reyolving in his breast, How beft the mighty work he might begin Of Saviour to mankind, and which way Publish his God-like Office now mature,

first

One day forth walk'd alone, the Spirit leading;
And his deep thoughts, the better to converse
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