All fecrets of the deep, all Nature's works,
Or works of God in Heav'n, air, earth, or fea,
And all the riches of this world enjoy'dit,
And all the rule, one empire; only add
Deeds to thy knowledge answerable, add faith,
Add virtue, patience, temperance, add love,
By name to come call'd charity, the foul

Of all the reft: then wilt thou not be loath 585
To leave this Paradife, but fhalt poffefs
A Paradife within thee, happier far.

591

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 fubmiffion: thou at feafon 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

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

In me is no delay; with thee to go,

Is to stay 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

I carry hence; though all by me is loft,
Such favor 1 unworthy am vouchfaf'd,
By me the promis'd Seed fhall all restore.

615.

620

630

635

So fpake our mother Eve, and Adam heard 624 Well pleas'd, but answer'd not; for now too nigh Th' Arch-Angel ftood, 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 aduft, 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 disappear'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 foon; 645 The world was all before them, where to choose Their place of reit, and Providence their guide: They hand in hand, with wand'ring fteps and flow, Through Eden took their folitary way.

640

I

WHO ere while the happy garden fung,
By one man's disobedience lost, now fing
Recover'd Paradife to all mankind,

By one man's firm obedience fully try'd
Through all temptation, and the tempter foil'd 5
In all his wiles, defeated and repuls'd,
And Eden rais'd in the waste wilderness.

Thou Spirit who ledft this glorious eremite
Into the defert, his victorious field,

Against the fpiritual foe, and brought'ft him thence

ΙΟ

21

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 fon 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 witness unconfirm'd: on him baptis'd Heav'n open'd, and in likenefs of a dove The Spi'rit defcended, while the Father's voice From Heav'n pronounced him his beloved Son. That heard the Adverfary, who, roving still About the world, at that affembly fam'd Would not be laft, 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 rage Flies to his place, nor refts, but in mid air

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 Muft bide the ftroke of that long threaten'd

Who this is we must learn, for man he seems

In all his lineaments, though in his face

Ye fee our danger on the utmost edge

95

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

The glimpses of his Father's glory fhine.

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

115

He ended, and his words impreffion left Of much amazement to th' infernal crew, Distracted and furpris'd with deep dismay At thefe 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 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 coaft of Jordan he directs His eafy steps, 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 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 fhait behold, Thou and all Angels converfant on earth With man or mens affairs, how I begin

To verify that folemn message late,

131

135

On which I fent thee to the Virgin pure
In Galilee, that the fhould bear a fon
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 should come
The Holy Ghoft, and the pow'r of the Highest
O'er-shadow her: this man born and now up-
140

grown,

To fhow him worthy of his birth divine VOL. II.

There he shall firft lay down the rudiments
Of his great warfare, ere I fend him forth
To conquer Sin and Death, the two grand foes,
By humiliation and strong sufferance:
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 stood a space, then into hymns Burft forth, and in celeftial mcafures 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.

Be fruftrate all ye ftratagems of Hell,
And devilish machinations come to nought.

175

180

185

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

195

O what a multitude of thoughts at once Awaken'd in me fwarm, while I confider What from within I feel myself, and hear What from without comes often to my ears, Ill forting with my present ftate compar'd! 200 When I was yet a child, no childish play To me was pleasing; 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]

211

220

The law of God 1 read, and found it fweet,
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 propose
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 rescue Ifrael from the Romau yoke,
Then to fubdue and quell o'er all the carth
Brute violence and proud tyrannic power,
Till truth were freed, and equity reflor'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 mif-doing, but unware
Miled; the tubborn only to fubdur.
These growing thoughts my mother foon perceiving
By words at tinies cast 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 raife them, though above example high;
By matchlefs deeds exprefs thy matchless Sire.
For know, thou art no fon of mortal man;
Though men esteem thee low of parentage, 235
Thy father is th' eternal King who rules

225

230

All Heav'n and Earth, Angels and Sons of men; A meffenger from God forctold thy birth Conceiv'd in me a virgin, he foretold

Thou fhouldft be great, and fit on David's throne, And of thy kingdom there should 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 Meffiah now was born
Where they might see him, and to thee they came,
Directed to the manger where thou lay'st,
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 east, 250
To honor thee with incense, myrrh, and gold,
By whole 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.
Jutt 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 scribes
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 transferr'd upon my head.
Yet neither thus difhearten'd or dismay'd,
The time prefix'd I waited, when behold
The Baptift (of whose birth I oft had heard, 270
Not knew by fight) now come, who was to come

261

265

274

Before Meffiah and his way prepare.
I as all others to his baptism came,
Which I believ'd was from above; but he
Strait knew me, and with loudeft 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 sum of all, my Father's voice,
Audibly heard from Heav'n, pronounc'd me his,
Me his beloved Son, in whom alone
He was well pleas'd; by which I knew the time
Now full, that I no more should live obscure,
But openly begin, as beft becomes

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

285

290

295

300

ཕྱག་རྒྱ་

I learn not yet, perhaps I need not know;
For what concerns my knowledge God reveals.
So fpake our Morning ftar then in his rife,
And looking round on every fide beheld
A pathlefs defert, dusk with horrid fhades;
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 breast, as well might recommend
Such folitude before choiceft fociety.
Full forty days he pafs'd, whether on hill
Sometimes, anon in fhady vale, each night
Under the covert of some 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 last
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 feem'd, the queft of fome firav
315
Or wither'd sticks to gather, which might ferve
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 eye 319
Perus'd him, then with words thus utter'd fpake.
Sir, what ill chance hath brought thee to this

ewe,

place

So far from path or road of men, who pafs
In troop or caravan? for fingle none
Durst 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 350
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,