As to his worthier, and would have refign'd not that he cry'd to all baptiz'd repentance &c. but Heav'n's kingdom nigh at hand to all baptiz'd. Heaven's kingdom was nigh at hand to all fuch as were baptiz'd with John's baptifm; they were thereby difpofed and prepared for the reception of the Gospel. 24. To the flood Jordan, came as then obfcure,] In Mr. Fenton's and moft other editions it is pointed thus, To the flood Jordan came, as then obfcure, but we have followed the punctuation of Milton's own edition; for there is very little force in the repetition, and with them came, to the flood Fordan came; but to fay that he came with them to the flood Jordan, and came as then obfcure, is very good fenfe, and worthy of the repetition. 25. but him the Baptift foon Defcry'd, divinely warn'd,] John 30 35 Nigh the Baptift had notice given him before, that he might certainly know the Meffiah by the Holy Ghoft defcending and abiding upon him. And I knew him not, but he that fent me to baptize with water, the fame faid unto me, Upon whom thou shalt fee the Spirit defcending and remaining on him, the fame is be which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. John I. 33. But it appears from St. Matthew, that the Baptist knew him and acknowledged him before he was baptized, and before the Holy Ghost defcended upon him. Mat. III. 14. I have need to be baptix'd of thee, and comeft thou to me? To account for which we must admit with Milton, that another divine revelation was made to him at this very time, fignifying that this was the perfon, of whom he had had fuch notice before. Nigh thunder-ftruck, th' exalted man, to whom O ancient Pow'rs of air and this wide world, his eye upon the Latin divinitus, from Heaven, fince the word divinely in our language scarce ever comes up to this meaning. Milton ufes it in much the fame fenfe in Paradife Loft. VII. 500. She heard me thus, and though divinely brought. Thyer. 41. Within thick clouds &c.] Milton in making Satan's refidence to be in mid air, within thick clouds and dark, seems to have St. Auftin in his eye, who speaking of the region of clouds, ftorms, thunder, &c. fays-ad ifta caliginofa, id eft, ad hunc aerem, tanquam ad carcerem, damnatus eft diabolus &c. Enarr. in Pf. 148. S. 9. Tom. 5. p. 1677. Edit. Bened. Thyer. ye know 40 45 How 42. A gloomy confiftory;] This in imitation of Virgil Æn. ÍII. 677. Cernimus aftantes nequicquam lumine torvo Etneos fratres, cœlo capita alta ferentes, Concilium horrendum. By the word confiftory, I fuppofe Milton intends to glance at the meeting of the Pope and Cardinals fo nam'd, or perhaps at the epifcopal tribunal, to all which forts of courts or affemblies he was an avow'd enemy. The phrafe concilium horrendum Vida makes ufe of upon a like occafion of affembling the infernal Powers. Chrift. Lib. I. Protinus How many ages, as the years of men, 50 This universe we have poffefs'd, and rul'd 55 At least if so we can, and by the head 60 Broken be not intended all our power ; To be infring'd, our freedom and our being, 65 His birth to our juft fear gave no small cause, fpeeches in his former council, and therefore has affign'd the best reafon he could for not making any in this. 74. Purified to receive him pure,] alluding to the Scripture expreffion 1 John III. 3. And every man that bath this hope in him, purifieth himJelf even as he is pure. 83. A perfect dove dejcend,] He had expreffed it before ver. 30. in likeness of a dove, agreeably to 75 And And he himself among them was baptis'd, those writers, Ignatius and others among the Ancients, and Beza and others among the Moderns, who believed that the Devil, tho' he might know Jefus to be fome extraordinary perfon, yet knew him not to be the Meffiah, the Son of God: and the words of the Devil If thou be the Son of God feem to exprefs his uncertainty concerning that matter. The Devils indeed afterwards knew him and pro 80 85 90 In claimed him to be the Son of God, but they might not know him to be fo at this time, before this temptation, or before he had enter'd upon his public miniftry, and manifefted himself by his miracles. And our author, who makes the Devil to hear the voice from Heaven This is my beloved Son, ftill makes him doubt in what sense Jesus was fo called. See IV. 514. Thence |