THER (for he was here, as he is every where, prefent) thus diftinctly spoke to his SoN:

Now let us make MANKIND, in our own Image, and after our Likeness; and let them have Dominion over the Fifh of the Sea, and over the Fowl of the Air, and over the Cattle, and over every Beast of the Field, and all the Earth, and every creeping Thing that creeps upon the Earth!

HAVING faid this, ADA M, he form'd thee, a MAN, out of the Duft of the Ground, and breath'd into thy Noftrils the Breath of Life: He created thee in his own Image, expreffing it in thee; and thou becameft a living Soul: He created thee Male, and thy Confort EVE Female, that from you both might proceed the Race of MAN; then blefs'd you, and faid, be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the Earth, and fubdue it; and have Dominion over the Fifh of the Sea, and over the Fowl of the Air, and over every living Thing that moveth upon the Earth, wherefoever created; for no Place is yet diftinguish'd by Name. From thence, as thou already knoweft, he brought thee into this delicious and pleasant Garden, where are Trees, delightful both to behold and tafte, of his own planting, and freely gave thee all their pleafant Fruits for Food; (for here is a Variety without End, all Sorts that the Earth yields) but of the Tree, which being tafted gives the Knowledge of Good and Evil, thou may'ft not eat; for in the Day that thou eateft, thou dieft; 'tis DEATH is the Punishment decreed: Beware! and govern thy Appetite well, left SIN, and her fure Attendant DEATH, furprize thee.

HERE GOD finish'd Creation, and view'd all that he had made, and behold! all was entirely good; and the Evening and the Morning were the fixth Day.

GOD,

Gop, the Creator, defifting from his Work, though not wearied, return'd up to his high Abode the Heaven of Heavens, to behold from thence this new created World, being a new Addition to his Empire, how good and how fair it fhew'd in Profpect from his Throne, anfwering his great Idea; he rode up, follow'd with Acclamations, the fymphonious Sounds of ten thousand Harps, that tun'd Angelical Harmony: (thou may'ft remember for thou heard'ft) The Earth and the Air refounded, and Heaven and all the Conftellations echoed to them; the Planets as it were ftood lift'ning, while GoD and the Angels afcended with Joy and great Pomp. They fung aloud, " Open σε ye everlasting Gates! open ye Heavens your living "Doors! let in the great Creator, magnificently re"turn'd from his Work of fix Days, and that Work "is a World: Open, and henceforth open often! for "GOD will youchfafe (being pleas'd with the Acti"ons of juft MEN) often to vifit their Dwellings, "and with frequent Intercourfe will fend thither his "Angels, upon Meffages of Grace."

THUS the glorious Angels fung, as they afcended with the CREATOR into Heaven: The Son of GOD led directly the Way through Heaven to the eternal Manfion of GoD. Now the feventh Evening arofe in EpEN, for the Sun was fer, and Twilight forerunning the Night came on from the Earth; when he arriv'd at the holy Mount of Heaven, the Imperial Throne of GOD, which is fix'd firm for ever and fure, where he fat him down with his great FATHER: For he also went invifible, though he ftay'd, (fuch Privilege hath Omniprefence) for he ordain'd the Work, being the Author and End of all Things; and now refting from his Work, he blefs'd and hallow'd the feventh Day: But it was not kept in Silence; the Harp did not reft, the folemn Pipe and Dulcimer,

Dulcimer, all Sorts of Organs, and all string'd Inftruments play'd foft Tunes, intermix'd with joyful Chorus, or Voice of fingle Song: Clouds of Incenfe, fmoaking Cenfers of Gold hid the Mountain; and the Song which they fung was of the Creation, the Work of fix Days.

Great are thy Works! they cried, O infinite JEHOVAH! and very great thy Power! what Thought can comprehend Thee, or what Tongue relate Thee! greater now in thy Return, than from the Expulfion of the rebelling Angels: That Day thy Thunders made Thee great; but to create is greater than to deftroy that which is already created. Who can leffen Thee, Thou mighty King! or fet Limits to thy Power? Thou haft eafily repell'd the proud Attempt of the Apoftate Spirits; while they impiously thought to diminish thy Glory, and draw from Thee the Number of thy Worshippers! Who endeavours to weaken Thee, ferves against his own Purpose, the more to manifeft thy Might: Thou makeft Ufe of his Evil, from whence to create more Good, of which this new made World, which is like another Heaven, is Proof; not far from the Gates of Heaven, founded in the great Space, with numerous Stars, and every Star perhaps deftin'd to be a habitable World; but Thou knoweft their Seafons: Among thefe Earth circumfus'd with the Ocean, the Seat of MEN, and their pleafant Dwelling-place. Thrice happy MEN, and happy the Sons of MEN, whom GOD hath advanc'd thus! created in his Image to dwell there, and worship him, and given him as a Reward to rule over his Works on Earth, in Sea, or the Air, and to multiply a Race of Worshippers, that may be holy and juft: Thrice happy they, if they will but perfevere in Uprightnefs, and know their own Happinefs!

THUS

THUS they fung, and all Heaven was full of HALLELUJAHS: Thus was that great Sabbath (m) kept. And now I have fulfill'd thy Requeft, that afk'd how this World and the Appearance of Things began, and what was done from the Beginning before thy Remembrance; that Pofterity being inform'd by thee might also know. If thou defireft to know any Thing further, furpaffing thy prefent Knowledge as a MAN, fpeak, and if it be permitted I fhall inform

thee.

A instituted by God.

(m) Sabbath; Heb. i. e. A Reft. This was the first Sabbath

The End of the SEVENTH BOOK.

THE