Simplicity gives up the Charge: So Hypocrify now for once beguil'd URIEL, though he was Regent of the Sun, and efteem'd to be the fharpeft fighted Spirit in all Heaven; who to the foul and fraudulent Impoftor, according to the Uprightnefs of his own Heart, thus return'd Answer:

FAIR Angel! thy Defire, which tends to the Knowledge of the Works of GOD, thereby to glorify the great Work-Mafter, does not lead to any Excefs that deferves Blame, but the more it feems Excefs, rather merits Praife, that led thee hither from thy heavenly Manfion thus alone, to witness with thine own Eyes, what many perhaps have only heard in Heaven, contented with a Report; for full of Wonder indeed all his Works are, pleasant to know, and always worthieft to be all had in Remembrance with Delight. But what created Mind can comprehend their Number, or the infinite Wisdom that brought them forth, but hid their Causes in a Depth not to be fathom'd? I faw when the formlefs Mais, the material Mold of this World, came to a Heap at his Word; CONFUSION heard his Voice, and wILD UPROAR stood rul'd, and what had been thought vaft in Finitude became confin'd; after which at his fecond Bidding the Darkness fled, Light fhone, and Order sprung from Disorder; the Elements hafted swift to their feveral Quarters; Fire, Water, Earth, and Air, and the pureft Æther flew upward, fpirited with various Forms, which in their Motion became orbicular, and turn'd to numberlefs Stars, as thou feeft, and how they move; each had its Courfe and Place appointed, and the reft furround and encompass this Universe. Look downward upon that Globe, whofe hither Side fhines from hence, though but with reflected Light; that Place is the Earth, and the Seat of MAN; that Light is his Day, which were it not for that, NIGHT (as fhe does the other Hemifpheres) would cover; but there

K 4

there the neighbouring Moon (call that oppofite fair Star fo) timely interpofes her Aid, her monthly Round ftill ending and still renewing, thro' the Midst of Heaven; with borrow'd Light the fills her increafing and decreafing Face to enlighten the Earth, and checks the Night in her pale Dominion. That Spot to which I point now is PARADISE, the Abode of ADAM; thofe lofty Shades are his Bower; the Way thither thou canst not mifs, that which requires me lies quite contrary.

WHEN he had faid this, he turn'd; and SATAN bowing low, (as is ufual to fuperior Spirits in Heaven, where none neglects due Honour and Reverence) took Leave, and toward the Coaft of Earth, down from the ECLIPTICK, (b) haften'd with the Hopes of Succefs, throws himself down in fteep Flight, wheeling fwiftly through the Air; nor did he make the leaft Stop, 'till he lighted upon the Mountain NIPHATES. (f)

(b) Ecliptic, of Eclipfe; Lat. Gr. A Defect of Light. An Aftron. T. A great wide Circle in the Heavens, extending between the two Tropics, cross the Equator; wherein the Sun moves thro' the 12 Signs of the Zodiac in his yearly Courfe; and there the Eclipfes do happen.

(c) Niphates; Lat. Gr. i. e. Snowy; because it is generally covered with Snow. It is a very high Mountain, part of Mount Taurus, between Armenia and Mefopotamia, not far from Paradife, and the Source of Ephrates and Tygris.

The End of the THIRD BOOK.

THE

கு

THE

FOURTH BOOK

O F

PARADISE LOST.

S

The ARGUMENT.

ATAN, now in Profpect of Eden, and nigh the Place he must now attempt the bold Enterprize which he undertook alone against GOD and Man, falls into many Doubts with himself, and many Paffions, Fear, Envy, and Defpair; but at length confirms himSelf in Evil, journies on to Paradife, whofe outward Profpect and Situation is defcrib'd, Satan overleaps the Bounds, fits in the Shape of a Cormorant on the Tree of Life, as the highest in the Garden, to look about him. The Garden defcrib'd; Satan's first Sight of Adam and Eve; bis Wonder at their excellent Form and happy State, but with Refolution to work their Fall; overhears their Dif courfe; from thence gathers that the Tree of Knowledge was forbidden them to eat of, under Penalty of Death; and thereon intends to found

bis

his Temptation, by feducing them to tranfgrefs; then leaves them for fome Time to know further of their State by fome other Means. In the Interim Uriel defcending on a Sun-beam warns Gabriel, (who had in Charge the Gate of Paradife) that fome evil Spirit had escaped the Deep, and past at Noon by his Sphere in the Shape of a good Angel down to Paradife, difcover'd afterwards by his furious Geftures in the Mount: Gabriel promifes to find him out e're Morning. Night coming on, Adam and Eve difcourfe of going to their Reft: Their Bower defcrib'd; their Evening-worship. Gabriel drawing forth his Bands of Night-watch to walk the Round of Paradife, appoints two firing Angels to Adam's Bower, left the evil Spirit fhould be there doing fome Harm to Adam and Eve, sleeping; there they find him at the Ear of Eve, tempting ber in a Dream, and bring him, tho' unwil ling to Gabriel; by whom question'd, be fcornfully anfwers, prepares Refiftance, but binder'd by a Sign from Heaven, flies out of Paradise,

CHAP. I.

Doubts

Satan, in Profpect of Eden, falls into many with bimfelf, yet journies on to Paradise, which is defcrib'd.

EVER was there more Need than now for that warning Voice, which Saint JOHN heard cry aloud in Heaven, when the Dragon, put a fecond Time to Rout, came furiously down to be reveng'd on Men, WOE TO THE INHABITANTS ON EARTH! that now while Time was, our firft Parents

had

had been given Notice of the Coming of their fecret Enemy, and fo perchance have efcap'd his mortal Snare: For SATAN now enflam'd with Rage came, (the Tempter before he was the Accufer of Mankind) to revenge on frail innocent MAN his Lofs of that firft Battel, and his Flight to Hell. His Courage now began a little to fail him, though afar off he was bold and fearless; nor had he Cause to boaft the fatal Attempt, the Execution of which being near its Birth, raifes dark Thoughts in him, rowls and boils in his tumultuous Breaft, and like a devilish Engine recoils back upon himfelf: Horror and Doubt diftract his troubled Mind, and from the Bottom ftir the Hell within him; for within him he brings Hell, and round about him; nor can fly one Step from Hell by Change of Place, no more than he can fly from himself: Now Confcience wakes Despair that flumber'd, wakes the bitter Remembrance of what he was, Confideration of what he is, and what must be, worse; for of worse Deeds worfe Sufferings must be the Confequence. Sometimes he fixes his griev'd Look towards EDEN, which now lay pleasant in his View, and fometimes towards Heaven and the full blazing Sun, which was just now arriv'd to its Meridian Height; then revolving much within himself, he thus began fighing:

OH Thou! that crown'd with furpaffing Glory, look'ft from thy fole Dominion, like the God of this new World; at the Sight of whom all the Stars hide their diminish'd Heads; to Thee! I call, but with no friendly Voice, and add thy Name, O Sun! to tell Thee how much I hate thy Beams, that bring to my Remembrance from what State I fell: How glorious once did I fit, far above thy Sphere! 'till Pride and worfe Ambition was the Caufe of my being thrown down, for waging War in Heaven against its matchlefs King. Ah wherefore did I fo! he deferv'd from me no fuch Return, whom he created what I was in

that