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the ALEIAN (d) Field, there to wander erroneous and forfaken: There yet remains Half unfung; but now I may fing more fafely of narrower Bounds within the vifible diurnal Sphere, ftanding upon the Earth, and not being carried away beyond this World; and though with mortal Voice, yet unchang'd to hoarfe or mute; though fallen upon evil Days and among evil Tongues, in Darkness, and encompafs'd round with Dangers and Solitude, yet am I not alone, while Thou vifits my Slumbers nightly, or at earliest Break of Day. Do Thou great Spirit ftill direct and govern my Thoughts and Words, and though but a few, find for me a fit Audience. But drive far off the Revellers of BACCHUS, the Race of that wild Rout, that tore ORPHEUS (e) to Pieces, in Woods where they and Rocks (it was faid) had Ears, and were charm'd, 'till the favage Clamour drown'd both Harp and Voice; nor could his Harmony defend him: So fail not Thou who now implores Thee, for Thou art heavenly, and his feign'd Mufe only an empty Dream. Teach me to relate what follow'd, when RAPHAEL, the fociable Arch-Angel, had forewarn'd ADAM to beware of Apoftacy, or Falling away from GOD into Sin, by a fad Example of what had befell in Heaven to thofe apoftate Angels, left the like fhould befall in PARADISE to him or to his Race, if they tranfgrefs'd and flighted that only Command, which was fo eafily obey'd; being only charg'd not to touch the forbidden Tree, amidft the Choice of all other Fruits to please their Appetite with all Variety,

(d) Aleian, of Aleia; bat. Gr. i. e. Wandering. A Field in Cilicia, where it is faid, that Perfeus wandered after his Fall from Heaven.

ADAM

(e) Orpheus, was torn in Pieces by the Ciconian or Thracian Women, when they celebrated the Feasts of Bacchus.

ADAM and EVE heard the Story of RAPHAEL with great Attention, and were fill'd with the highest Admiration, to hear of Things fo high and fo ftrange, Things as had never enter'd into their Thought or Imagination, that there fhould be Hate in Heaven, and War with fuch Confufion fo near the Peace of GOD in Happiness; but the Evil being foon driven back, fell upon those from whom it fprung, it being impoffible for it to mix with Bleffednets: So that ADAM foon recall'd the Doubts that rofe in his Heart, and was led on, though without Sin, with a Defire to know Things that nearer might concern him, how this World, Heaven, and the vifible Earth firft began, when and of what it was created, and for what Caufe; what was done within or without EDEN, before his Memory, about which he proceeded to ask his heavenly Gueft:

GREAT Things, faid he to the Angel, and full of Wonder, far differing from this World, thou haft reveal'd to us, thou divine Interpreter! by Favour fent down from Heaven, to forewarn us in Time of what, if it had been unknown, might have prov'd our Lofs; it being what human Knowledge could not reach; for which we owe immortal Thanks to GOD, and receive his admonishing, with a folemn Purpose to obferve his fovereign Will unchangeably, to which End it is that we are. But fince thou haft condefcended, gently to impart to us the Knowledge of Things above earthly Thoughts, which yet were fuch Things as feem'd to GOD to concern our knowing, vouchfafe now to defcend lower, and relate to us (what perhaps may no lefs avail us to know) how this Heaven, which we behold fo high diftant, first began, adorn'd with innumerable moving Stars and the ambient Air flowing and floating between all Bodies, yielding to them or filling up all Space, and embracing the Earth round:

round: What Caufe mov'd the CREATOR, who exifted in his holy Reft through all Eternity, to begin fo late to create the World, and yet once begun, to finish it so foon; unfold this to us, if it is not forbidden thee, which we enquire after, not to pry into the Secrets of his eternal Power, but that the more we know, the more we may magnify his Works; and the Sun yet wants a confiderable Time of his Setting, though he be declining, and could he hear thy powerful Voice, he would stand still to hear thee tell of his Creation, and the rifing Birth of Nature, from Darknefs and Confufion; or if the Moon and the Stars rife upon thy Difcourfe, Night will bring Silence, and we can gladly keep waking all the Night 'till thy Story be finish'd, and thou may'ft depart yet beforeMorning.

THUS ADAM requested his Angelical Gueft, and thus mildly the Angel anfwered: This Requeft of thine, which thou haft cautiously afk'd, obtain alfo; though what Words or Tongue of Seraph is capable of speaking, or what Heart of Man of comprehending the Works of the ALMIGHTY? Yet what thou canft attain to, and which may best serve to glorify thy MAKER, and make thee happier, fhall not be withheld from thy hearing: Such Commiffion I have receiv'd from above, to answer all thy Defires of Knowledge, that are within Bounds; beyond those forbear to afk, nor hope that thy Inventions or Conjectures will difcover Things which are not reveal'd, and which GOD, who alone knoweth all Things, hath hid, fo that they may not be communicated either in Earth or Heaven; there is enough befides to fearch after and to learn: But Knowledge is like Food, and needs no lefs Temperance to govern the Appetite, to know in what Meafure the Mind can well contain and digeft, which intemperately taken oppreffes with Surfeit; and Wisdom turns Folly, as too much Nourishment turns to Wind.

KNOW

KNow then, that after LUCIFER (call him by that Name, for he was once brighter amidst the Hoft of Angels, than that bright Star is among the Stars) fell from Heaven with his flaming Legions through the Deep, into the Place prepar'd for him, and the great SON of GOD return'd victorious with his Saints, the Almighty and Eternal FATHER beheld their Multitude from his Throne, and thus fpake to his So N.

At least our envious Foe hath fail'd of his Purpofe, who thought all rebellious like himfelf, by whofe Aid he trufted to have difpoffefs'd us, and to have feiz'd this inacceffible high Strength, the Seat of fupreme Deity, and into the fame bad State drew many, who have no more Place in Heaven; yet I fee the far greater Part have kept their Stations, and Heaven yet retains a fufficient Number to poffefs her Realms, and frequent this high Temple with due Services and folemn Rites; but left he fhould be lifted up in his Heart for the Mischief he has already done in difpeopling Heaven, (which he vainly imagin'd a Da mage done to me) I can repair that, and in a Moment will create another World, and out of one MAN an innumerable Race of MEN, to dwell there and not here; 'till at length rais'd by Degrees of Merit, they open to themselves the Way up hither, try'd under long Obedience; and Earth be chang'd to Heaven, and Heaven to Earth, becoming one Kingdom in Joy and Union without End. Mean while ye Powers of Heaven! poffefs the whole, and Thou my Word and my begotten SoN! this I perform by Thee; do Thou speak and let it be done. I fend along with Thee my overshadowing Spirit and my Power; ride forth, and bid the Deep within its appointed Bounds be Heaven and Earth: The Deep be boundlefs, becaufe I myself fill Infinity, nor is the Space empty any where; and though I cannot be circumfcrib'd, yet I can retire,

and

and do not put forth my Goodness by Constraint, which is free to act or not; I am not compell'd by Neceffity or Chance, for what I will that is Fate.

THUS the ALMIGHTY fpoke, and what he said, his Word, the filial Godhead, inftantly perform'd. The Actions of GoD are immediate, fwifter than Time or Motion, but cannot be told to human Ears, fo as earthly Motion may receive any Idea without Procefs of Speech. When the Almighty Will was heard in fuch a Declaration, there was great Triumph and Rejoicing in Heaven: They fung Glory to the moft HIGH! Good-will to future MEN! and Peace in their Dwellings! Glory to him, whofe juft avenging Wrath had driven out the Wicked from before his Sight, and from the Habitations of the Juft: Glory be to him and Praife! whofe Wifdom had ordain'd to create Good out of Evil; inftead of malignant Spirits, to bring a better Race into their Room, and thence diffufe his Goodnefs to infinite Worlds and infinite Ages. Such Songs as these the bleffed Angels fung to the Glory of Go D.

С Н А Р. II.

GOD fends his Son to perform the Work of Creation, which the Angels celebrate: His Re-afcenfion into Heaven.

M

EAN while the Son of GoD appear'd on

his great Expedition, having Almighty Power, and being crown'd with divine Majefty, Wisdom, and infinite Love, and all his FATHER fhone in him: About his Chariot there throng'd innumerable Cherubim and Seraphim, Potentates, and Thrones, and Virtues; wing'd Spirits,

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