is reduc'd to the lowest ebb, nay is at
last forc'd to suffer Death it self. Yet after all, he emerges from his
Misfortunes, conquers all his Enemies, fixes Laws, establishes Religion,
Peace, and his own Empire, and is advanced higher than any Conquerer ever
was before him.

The other Persons are Heroical enough, Angels, Kings, High Priests,
Governours, Councellors, nay even the Apostles themselves were more than
Kings, for they were thought and call'd Gods by the People. The Moral I
find not make it, in a true Example, which others are forced to Form in
Fable; "That we ought to do Good, to suffer evil, submit to the Divine
Will; to venture or lose a Life for a Friend; to forgive our Enemies."

Yet further I desire to recommend the whole of the Christian Religion; all
the Articles of Faith; all that System of Divinity and Morality contain'd
in the Gospel of the Blessed Jesus, to the Study and Practice of Persons
of Ingenuity and Reason; to make his Divine Person, which is already
infinitely Amiable, if possible, actually more Ador'd and Lov'd; and to
Vindicate his Mission, his Satisfaction, and his Divinity, against all
Jews, Turks, Infidels, and Heretics; which sure are the most proper Ends
that can be propos'd in a Work of this Nature: Which may be agreeably and
admirably done, if 'tis not the Poets fault; for here's all the marvellous
that cou'd be wished for, already done to my Hand, and all sacredly True,
Angels and Demons, and Miracles, with Voices from Heaven.

Now the Subject being so fit for a good Heroic Poem, I shall have the less
excuse, if this be a bad one. And here I must ingenuously confess, I had
seen none of these Rules given by the Masters of Epic, when I laid the
Scheme of this Poem, tho I wish I had, for I might probably then have done
it better, or not at all. I knew not the hazard of the undertaking, but
greedily embrac'd it, when first propos'd by some Friends, who were
ignorant of what they put me upon. Being full of the Design wherein, the
earnest desire I had to see it accomplish'd, and either a lucky Chance, or
the Happiness of my Subject, may perhaps in some Instances, have supply'd
the want both of Rules and Genius. All I will say of my own performance
is, that I now know the Faults on't, tho I am not oblig'd to point 'em out
to my Reader, who will but too soon find 'em. That I wou'd have mended
much that's now amiss, had I lived in an Age where a man might afford to
be Nine or Ten Years a