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Day made the Eyes of ADAM dim: That was not more glorious, when the Angels met JACOB in MaHANAIM, (i) where he faw the Field cover'd with bright Angels: Nor was that more glorious, which appear'd on the flaming Mountain DOTHAN, (k) Cover'd with Chariots and Horfes of Fire, against BENHADAD, the King of SYRIA; who, to furprize the Prophet ELISHA, (1) like an Affaffin had levied War unproclaim'd. MICHAEL, the princely Arch

(i) Mahanaim; Heb. i. e. Two Hofts or Camps. So Jacob called the Place, where he faw Armies of Holy Angels protecting him from the Fear of Efau, Gen. 32. 1. 2. A City was built there in Memory of this glorious Vifion, in the Tribe of Gad in the Land of Gilead beyond Jordan for the Priests, near Ramath, Joh. 21. 38. It is 41 Miles from Jerufalem to the Eaft. David fled to it, as a facred Place of Refuge, in his Exile under Abfalom's Ufurpation. Abinidab a Prieft was the Governor of it, under King Solomon; and so it was always efteemed a facred Place from that Occafion.

(k) Dothan; Heb. i. e. Commandment. A City about two Miles from Sichem, fix from Tiberias, twelve to the North of Samaria, forty-four Miles from Jerufalem towards the North. A Place of good Pafture; for there Jofeph found his Brethren with their Flocks, and was caft into a Pit, Gen. 37. 17. There Elifba the Prophet liv'd, and ftruck the Syrian Army with Blindness; having a glorious Guard of Angels, with Chariots and flaming Fire about him, 2 Kings, 6. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.

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Arch-Angel, left his Powers there in their bright Stand, to take Poffeffion of the Garden; and he alone took his Way, to find where ADAM had fhelter'd himfelf; who perceiving him at a Distance, as he made his Approach towards him, fpoke to EvE in

this Manner:

EVE! Now is the Time to expect to know fome great Matter, which perhaps will very foon determine what relates to us; or, perhaps, for us to receive new Laws to obferve: For I difcover, from yonder blazing Cloud that covers the Top of the Hill, one of the Hoft of Heaven; and, by his Port, none of the meaneft; fome great Potentate, one of those who fit upon Thrones above, fuch Majefty appears about him as he comes along! yet not terrible, that I fhould fear him; nor fociably mild as RAPHAEL was, that I fhould venture to ufe much Freedom with him; but he feems folemn and fublime; whom not to offend I must meet with Reverence, and do thou retire.

HE faid thus; and the Arch-Angel foon drew. near; not in his heavenly Shape, but clad like a MAN to meet with MAN: He wore a military Vest of Purple, (m) of a brighter Colour and richer Dye, than ever was known in MELIBEA, (n) or Bb 2 TYRE,

(m) Purple; Sax. Fr. Ital. Span. Lat. from the Gr. A Colour between Red and Violet, taken from a Sea-Fish, which is call'd Purpura, i. e. The Colour of Fire. The Purple Colour was first found out at Tyre, by an Accident; for an hungry Dog broke one of thofe Sheils upon the Sea-Side, and eat the Fish, which colour'd his Mouth and Chaps, to the Admiration of all

Beholders. Hence the Tyrians became the most famous Mafters of that Art, in all Antiquity. Purple became as valuable as Gold, and was the diftinguishing Mark of Emperors, Kings, Confuls, Senators, Dictators, and Triumphers; fo that a Pound of it was fold at Rome for 1000 Denarii, i. e. about 411. 135. 4 d. English Money.

(n) Melibaa; Lat. from the

Gr..

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TYRE, (o) though that was worn by Kings and Heroes of old, in Time of Truce; the Rainbow (p) had given its Colours before it was wove: His Helmet, that was unbuckled and fhone like a Star, fhew'd him juft at that Degree of Manhood, where Youth ended: His Sword, the Dread of SATAN, hung by his Side, faften'd to a fhining Belt; and in his Hand he bore a Spear. ADAM bow'd down low: MICHAEL, who was to keep up his Royalty and State, did not bow in Return, but thus declar'd the Reafon of his coming:

Gr. i. e. Having the Care of Oxen. A City of Theffaly upon the Sea Shore, famous of old for the Art of dying the nobleft Purple, by the Help of a ShellFish called Purpura and Oftrum, which they caught in the Sea thereabout.

(0) Tyre, now Sour, was a very antient and rich Sea-Port, and Capital City of Phoenicia, built by Agenor the Father of Cadmus, Ifa. 23, 12. about A. M. 2499. or about the Time of Gideon, a Judge of Ifrael, fixtyfive Years before the Deltruction of Troy, and 240 before the Building of Solomon's Temple. It was a fortified City in the Days of Foua, c. 19. 29. When Sidon was taken by the Philistines of Alcalon, many of the Citizens efcaped in Ships, and founded Tyre upon a Rock in an Island, half a Mile from the Land. But Jofephus fays later, in 2733. A flourishing City in the Days of King David and Solomon; famous of old for the vaft Trade, Exek. 26. 27. which made her to proud and

ADAM!

wicked, that the divine Judgments were denounc'd against, and executed upon her, Ezek. 28. and for the Tyrian Purple, made from the Blood of a Fish caught in that Sea- This City refifted Nebuchadnezzar thirteen Years; but Alexander the Great took it in feven Months, with incredible Pains and Lofs of Men; and Antigonus after a Siege of fifteen Months, A. M. 3691. before Chrift, 313. Now it is a miferable Place, inhabited with a few poor Fishermen without any Houfes.

(p) The Rainbow. It is a natural Meteor in the Clouds, caused by the Reflection of the Rays of the Sun upon them; therefore it appears only in rainy Weather. If there was any Rain before the Deluge, there must have been a Rainbow: But after that, God made it a Sign of his Covenant with Noah, that the Earth fhould never be drowned again, Gen. 9, 12, 13, Eccl. 43. 11, 12. The Purple, Blue, and Saffron Colours appear most lively in it.

ADAM! there is no Need to make any Preamble to the Command of Heaven, let it be fufficient that thy Prayers are heard, and DEATH (which was due by Sentence, at the Time of thy Tranfgreffion) not permitted to make the Seizure for yet many Days; which are given thee through Grace, wherein thou may'ft repent, and with many Deeds well done, cover and blot out one bad Act: It is poffible GOD, up on thy Repentance, (being appeas'd) may not only defer but quite remit the mortal Sentence, and redeem thee from the rapacious Claim of DEATH. But he does not permit thee to dwell longer in this PARADISE: I am come to remove thee, and fend thee out of the Garden to till the Ground, whence thou wast taken, which is a Soil much fitter for thee.

THE Arch-Angel faid no more; for ADAM was ftruck to the very Heart with fuch Sorrow, as fufpended all his Senfes; and Ev E, who though unfeen, had overheard all, with loud Lamentation foon difcover'd the Place where fhe had conceal'd herself:

O UNEXPECTED Stroke, much worfe than DEATH! PARADISE! muft I leave thee thus? Thus leave. thee, dear native Soil! these pleafant Shades and happy Walks, worthy to be vifited by Gods? Where I had Hope to spend quiet, though fad, the Time that Heaven had granted us, 'till the Day come that must be mortal to us both! O Flowers! that never will grow in any other Climate; that were my early Vifitation in the Morning, and my laft in the Evening; which I bred up with tender Hand, from the very first opening Bud, and gave ye all Names! Who now fhall raife ye up to the Sun, or range in your feveral Claffes, and water ye from the living Springs? And laftly, O nuptial Bower! adorn'd by me with every Thing that was fweet, either to the Smell or Sight!. How

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How shall I part with thee, and whither wander down into a lower World; wild, darkfome, and defolate, in Comparison of this? How fhall we breath in other Air lefs pure than this, or feed on groffer Food, being accuítom'd to immortal Fruits?

WHOм the Angel thus mildly interrupted: EvE! don't lament, but refign with Patience that, which with the greateft Juftice is taken from thee: Nor thus over-fondly fet thy Heart upon that, which is noɛ thine. Thou doft not leave PARADISE alone; thy Hufband goes along with thee, and thou art bound to follow him: Wherever he abides, do thou look the fame upon that Place, as if it were thy native Soil.

ADAM, by this Time recovering from the fudden cold Damp which had feiz'd him, and his featter'd Spirits being return'd; thus, with great Humility, addrefs'd himfelf to MICHAEL:

CELESTIAL Being! whether among the THRONES of Heaven, or perhaps of them one of the highest Names; for a Prince of Princes may have fuch an Appearance! thou haft gently deliver'd thy Meffage, which might elfe, in telling, have wounded us, and in performing have ended us: But, bating the Mildnefs with which thou haft temper'd them, thy Tidings bring as much of Sorrow, Dejection, and Detpair, as the Frailty of our Nature can fuftain: We must depart from this happy Place, our fweet Recefs, and the only Confolation left us; which is familiar to our Eyes! and all other Places appear inhofpitable and defolate; not knowing us, nor being known to us: And if by inceffant Prayer I could hope to alter the Will of him who can do all Things, I would not ceafe to weary him with my continual Cries: But, Prayers avail no more against his abfolute Decree, than Breath does against the Wind; blown sti

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