Descending, disrob'd indeed of all his more dazling and insupportable
Glories, as our Divine Herbert; but yet clothed with what has more of true
Divinity, with Humility, and Charity, and Patience, and Meekness, and
Innocence. Here's War, here's Love indeed; such as never was besides, or
will be more. He lov'd our Dust and Clay, and even for us, single
encounter'd all the Powers of Darkness, and yet more, his Almighty
Father's anger. But I'll go no farther, lest the Reader should think I
forget where I am. I must return to Boileau, whose strongest Objection is
yet behind; Et de vos Fictions, &c.

And mingling Falshood with those Mysteries
Wou'd make our sacred Truths appear like Lies.

But I hope the Critic knew, that there is a fair difference between a mere
Fiction, or Falshood, and an Instructive Parable or Fable, on one side, or
a few more lively Poetical Colours on the other. To mingle Falshoods, or
dull Legendary Fictions, without either Life or Soul in 'em, with our
Saviour's Blessed Gospel, may make 'em, in some Sence, superiour to it:
This wou'd indeed incline an Italian to be of the same Faith with his
Countryman, that 'twas all Fabula Christi, in the worst Sence of the Word:
But certainly expressing the Truth in Parables, and mingling these with
the Mysteries of the Gospel, can't be thought to give it an Air of
Fiction: nor dare any affirm it does so, without Blasphemy, since our
Saviour has so often done it. Nor only these but deeper Allegories are
thought to be made use of in the Christian Religion; for Example, the
Throne and Temple of God in the Revelations, and the Description of the
New Jerusalem, with all its Gates and Foundations of Sapphires and
Emeralds, and that lovely Scheme of Trees and Rivers, worthy a Paradise:
All this, I say, will scarcely be granted literal, and consequently must
be all an Allegory; alluding partly to the Old Jewish Church and Temple,