CHA P. IV.

Eve brings of the Fruit to Adam, he eats alfo; the Effects thereof on them both.

AYING this, EvE turn'd from the Tree, having first bow'd low to it, as in Reverence to the Power that dwelt within; who had infus'd into the Plant, what could communicate Knowledge, and fit to be partook of by Gods. Mean Time ADAM, waiting for and defiring her Return, had wove a Garland of the choiceft Flowers to adorn her Hair, and crown her, after her rural Labour, as Reapers are accuftom'd to do their Harvest Queen: He promis❜d great Joy to himself, and new Delight at her Return, which was fo long delay'd; yet his Heart foreboding fomething ill, often misgave him, and he felt it fail him; fo that he went forth to meet her in the Way that fhe took that Morning, when they first parted. He could not pafs any other Way, but by the Tree of Knowledge, and there he met her juft returning from it; in her Hand she had a Bough of faireft Fruit with the Down on it, juft gathered, of beautiful Appearance and delicious Fragrancy. She hafted to him, and in her Face feem'd to carry an Excufe, and an Apology for what was done; which with pleafing Words, that to her were never wanting, fhe thus addrefs'd to ADAM:

HAST thou not wonder'd at my Stay? I have mifs'd thee, and thought it long, depriv'd of thy Prefence; I have had fuch Anxiety of Mind, fuch Agony of Love, which I never knew 'till now, nor ever will again; for I never more intend to try (what I now rafhly have) what Pain there is in being abfent from thee. But ftrange and wonderful to hear hath been the Caufe: This Tree is not, as we have been told

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told, dangerous to tafte of, nor opening the Way to any unknown Evil; but of divine Effect to open their Eyes, and make them Gods, who tafte of it, and fuch it has been tafted. The wife Serpent, (either not forbid like us, or elfe not obeying) he hath eaten of the Fruit; and is not become dead, as we were threaten'd; but instead of that, indued with human Voice and Senfe, reafoning to Admiration! and with fuch Perfwafion hath fo wrought and prevail'd with me, that I have tafted too, and have found the Effects to correfpond too with me; my Eyes that were before dim, grown opener; my Spirits dilated, my Heart enlarg'd, and I growing up to Godhead: Which I chiefly fought for tice, and can defpife without thee; for Happiness is only fo to me, while thou haft Part; it would foon grow tedious and odious, if thou didst not fhare it with me: Therefore do thou taste too, that the fame Lot may join us, equal Joy, and equal Love; left, if thou talte not, Difference of Degree fhould feparate us, and I too late fhould defire to renounce Deity for thy Sake, when Fate will not per

mit it.

THUS EVE told her Story with a chearful Countenance; but there was fomething like Diffimulation and Shame, flushing on her Cheek. ADAM, on the other Side, as foon as he heard of the fatal Trefpafs committed by EVE, ftood aftonifh'd and confounded, while a cold Horror ran through all his Veins, and relax'd his Joints. The Garland he had wreath'd for EVE he let fall out of his Hand, and fhed all the faded Rofes; he remain'd fpeechlefs and pale, 'till at Length he first to himfelf broke inward Silence:

O FAIREST Part of Creation! the laft and beft of all GOD's Works! a Creature who excell'd whatever can be form'd either to Sight or Thought, of holy, divine, good, amiable, or fweet! how art thou loft,

how

how on a fudden defac'd and robb'd of Innocence, now devoted to DEATH! or rather, how haft thou yielded to tranfgrefs the ftrict Command, and to violate the facred forbidden Fruit! Some curs'd Fraud yet unknown, of our Enemy hath beguil'd thee, and with thee hath ruin'd me: For certain my Refolution is to die with thee! How can I live without thee! how can I forego thy Converfation, fweeten'd and endear'd by Love, to live again forlorn and alone in thefe wild Woods! Should GOD create another EVE, and I for that End part with another Rib, yet the Lofs of thee would ever remain at my Heart! No, no! I feel the Ties of Nature bind me; thou art Bone of my Bone, and Flesh of my Flefh, and from thy State mine fhall never be parted, be it Happiness or Mifery!

HAVING faid this to himself, as one after fome fad Dismay a little comforted, and fubmitting, after difturb'd Thoughts, to what feem'd without Remedy, in a calm, confiderate, and melancholy Manner he turn'd himself to Ev E.

ADVENTUROUS EVE! (faid he) thou haft prefumed to do a very bold Deed, and provok'd great Peril, who haft thus dar'd, had it been only coveting to look upon that Fruit, facred to Abftinence; much more to tafte it, or touch it without incurring the Penalty of a Curfe. But who can recall what is paft, or undo what is done? Not GoD Almighty, nor Fate! Yet fo it is, that perhaps thou fhalt not die; for perhaps the Fact is not fo heinous now, the Fruit being tafted by the Serpent before, by him profan'd, made common, and unhallow'd; it is not found deadly yet on him, he yet lives, and as thou faid'ft has gain'd a higher Degree of Life, to live as MAN; a strong Inducement to us, as being likely on our tafting it, to find a proportionable Effect; which cannot be, except

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we

we become Gods, Angels, or Demi-Gods. Nor can I think that GOD, though he has threaten'd it, will in Earnest deftroy us in fuch a Manner, who are the prime of all his Creatures, dignified fo high, and fet over all his Works; which as they were created for us, and made dependant on us, muft needs fail in our Fall: So GOD fhall uncreate his Creation, be frustrated in his Design, do and undo, and lofe his Labour, which is not well conceiv'd of GOD; who (though he had Power to make a new Creation) yet he would be loth to abolish us, left the Enemy fhould triumph and fay, "Their State is very fickle that GoD favours moft! Who can please him long? Me he ru"in'd firft, now MANKIND; whom will he ruin "next." which is a Matter of Scorn not to be given to the Foe. However, I have fix'd my Lot, and refolve to undergo the fame Fate as thee: If DEATH is to be thy Portion, then DEATH is to me as Life: I feel the Bond of Nature within my Heart, fo forcibly draw me to my own Part in thee; for what thou art is mine, our State cannot be divided, we are one, one Flesh, and to lofe thee were to lose myself

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THUS spoke ADAM; and EVE made him this Reply: O exceeding great and glorious Tryal of Love, high Example and illuftrious Evidence, engaging me to emulate! but how fhall I, ADAM, being inferior in Nature, attain to thy Perfection? From whofe dear Side I boaft that I am fprung, and gladly hear thee fpeak of our Union, that we both have but one Heart and one Soul, of which this Day affords good Proof; declaring thee refolv'd, rather than DEATH, or any Thing more dreadful than DEATH fhall feparate us, (who are link'd together in fuch dear Love) to undergo with me one Guilt and one Crime (if it be any Crime) of tafting this fair Fruit, whofe Virtue (which at leaft is fome Good) hath prefented this happy Trial of thy Love; which elfe had

never been known fo eminently. If I thought DEATH Would be the Confequence of this my Attempt, I would fuffer the worst alone, and rather die forfaken of thee, than tie thee to me with an Action, that might afterward give thee Sorrow; chiefly having fo remarkable and late an Affurance of thy true faithful, and unequall'd Love. But I feel the Event far otherwife; not DEATH, but additional Life, new Hopes, new Joys, and new Knowledge: So divine a Taste has touch'd my Senfe, that every Thing that was sweet before, feems flat and harsh to this. Tafte freely, ADAM, on my Experience, and deliver all Fear of DEATH to the Winds!

So faying, fhe embrac'd him, and wept tenderly for Joy; much mov'd that he had rais'd his Love to fuch a noble Height, as to incur divine Displeasure or DEATH for her Sake. In Recompence (for fuch a bad Compliance as his merited no better) fhe gave him with a plentiful Hand, from the Bough of that fair enticing Tree: He eat without Scruple against his better Knowledge; not deceiv'd in the leaft, but fondly overcome with Female-Charms and Enticements. The Earth trembled, as it had done before when EVE eat, and Nature gave a fecond Groan; the Sky lower'd, it thunder'd, and fome Drops fell at the compleating of the mortal original Sin; (a) X 3 while