IONNErma. Boo& I. PARADISE REGAIN'D For this ill news I bring, the woman's feed Deftin'd to this, is late of woman born : 65 His birth to our juft fear gave no (mall caufe, But his growth now to youth's full flow'r, difplaying All virtue, grace, and wifdom to atchieve Things higheft, greaten, multiplies my fear. Before him a great prophet, to proclaim 70 His coming, his fent harbinger, who all Invites, and in the confecrated ftream Pretends to wafh off fin, and fit them fo Purified to receive him pure, or rather To do him honour as their king ; all come, 75 And he himfelf among them was baptiz'd, Not thence to be more pure, but to receive The tetlimony' of Heav'n, that who he is Thenceforth the nations may not doubt ; I taw Tile prophet do him reverence, on him rifing 8o Out of the water, Heav'n above the clouds Unfold her cryftal doors, thence on his head A perfea dove defcend, whate'er it meant, And out of Heav'n the fovran voice I heard, This is my Son belov'd, in him am pleas'd. His mother then is mortal, but his fire He who obtains the monarchy of Heaven, And what will he not do to' advance his Son ? His firtt-begot we know, and fore have felt, When his fierce thunder drove us to the deep Who this is we mutt learn, for man he feems In all his lineaments, though in his face The glimpfes of his Father's glory thine. Ye fee our danger on the utmon edge Ot hazard, which admits no long debate, 95 But mutt with fomething fudden be oppos'd, Not force, but well couch'd fraud, well woven fnares, Ere in the head of nations he appear 479 Their
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