Nigh Thunder-struck, th' exalted man, to whom Such high attest was giv'n, a while survey'd With wonder, then with envy fraught, and rage, Flies to his place, nor rests, but in mid air To Council fummons all his mighty Peers, Within thick Clouds and dark ten-fold involv'd, A gloomy Confiftory; and them amidst With looks agast and sad he thus bespake.
O ancient Pow'rs 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 How many Ages, as the years of men, This Universe we have possest, and rul'd In manner at our will th' affairs of Earth, Since Adam and his facil confort Eve Loft Paradise deceiv'd by me, though since 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 have compast, wherein we
Must bide the stroak of that long threaten'd wound, At least if so 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 Destin'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, displaying All virtue, grace, and wisdom to atchieve 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 Testimony of Heav'n, that who he is Thenceforth the Nations may not doubt; I faw The Prophet do him reverence, on him rifing Out of the Water, Heav'n above the Clouds
Unfold her Chrystal Doors, thence on his head A perfect Dove descend, 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 see 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 snares,
E'er in the head of Nations he appear
Their King, their Leader, and Supream on Earth. I, when no other durst, sole 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
PARADISE Regain'd. Book I.
Induces best to hope of like fuccess.
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 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 easie 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 fubvert 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 fixt
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 Message 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 toldst her, doubting how these things could be To her a Virgin, that on her should come The Holy Ghost, and the Power of the Highest O'er-shadow her: this Man born and now up-grown, To shew him worthy of his Birth Divine And high Prediction, henceforth I expose To Satan; let him tempt and now afssay
His utmost subtilty, because he boasts And vaunts of his great cunning to the throng
Of his Apostasie; he might have learnt Less overweening, since he fail'd in Job, Whose constant perseverance overcame What e'er his cruel malice could invent. He now shall know I can produce a Man
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