supposed to be the Ophir from whence Solomon brought gold. Of Congo, to the realm A kingdom in the Lower Ethiopia, on the western shore of Africa, it is fruitful and well watered, and abounds with serpents of an immense size. 401 And Angola, A kingdom south of Congo. 402 Or thence from Niger flood The river Niger divides Negro-land into two parts. to Atlas Mount A chain of mountains in the western part of Africa. 403 The kingdom of Almansor, 403 Joseph Almansor 1st. was emperor of Morocco, he invaded Spain with sixty thousand horse and ten hundred thousand foot, A. D. 1158, and usurped the territories of the Spanish Moors who invited him. He was beaten by the Christians and slain with an arrow, at the siege of Santarem, in Portugal. Fez and Sus, Morocco, and Algiers, and Tremisen; Fez, Sus, Morocco, and Tremisen, are all kingdoms in Barbary. 405 On Europe thence, and where Rome was to sway Europe is the smallest of the four quarters of the world, but its inhabitants are considered as the most active and intelligent race of mankind. Rome was founded about 752 years B. C. by Romulus this city, the fame of which extended through the known world, was, at first, only a mile in circumference, and inhabited by those who sought a refuge from other places. 407 Rich Mexico, the seat of Montezume, A considerable country in North America. Montezume was subdued by the Spanish general, Cortes. 408 And Cusco in Peru, 409 409. 410 Cusco the capital of Peru, in South America. the richer seat Of Atabalipa, The last and one of the most magnificent and peaceable emperors of Peru, subdued by the Spanish general, Pizarro. · Guiana, and yet unspoil'd A country in South America. whose great city Geryon's sons Call El Dorado: Geryon's sons, Geryon a king of Catalonia in Spain, by which Milton means the Spaniards. They called the city (Manhoa) El Dorado, or the golden city, on account of its richness and extent. 429 His eyes he open'd and beheld a field, As the sons of Adam and Eve came to maturity a strong diversity appeared in their tempers. Cain the eldest was morose, selfish, and envious; Abel the younger was gentle, yielding and pious. Adam endeavoured to plant in them every good sentiment of piety, in Cain he fail❜d, Cain was rude and unthankful, but the soul of Abel his brother glowed with religious ardour. The Almighty Being who sees the recesses of the heart, gave a visible sign of his approbation by accepting the sacrifice of Abel. But the offering of Cain, being unaccompanied by the heart was rejected; this inflamed his passions into hatred, and instigated by the evil one, he imbrued his hands in his brothers blood. Thus death obtained, by murder, the first conquest over man. but the bloody fact Will be avenged, and the others faith approv'd It was by faith that Abel offered to God a greater and more acceptable sacrifice than Cain; by means of which he obtained a testimony that he was righteous; God by the visible tokens of his favour, bearing witness to his gifts, which he presented on the altar; and by it he, being dead, yet speaketh. 479 A lazar house it seem'd, 524 540 A house for leprous and other diseased persons. since they God's image did not reverence in themselves. Because knowing God as the great former of all, and a being of supreme and incomparable perfection, they have not adored and glorified him as God their Maker, neither were duly thankful to him as their great and constant Benefactor, but acted as if they had neither opportunity nor capacity of acquainting themselves with him. thy senses then Obtuse, all taste of pleasure must forego, Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them. My dissolution. Eccl. xii. 1. and patiently attend Did we accustom ourselves, when distressed in mind, or suffering in body, to seek our chief comfort in religion, and the perusal of the scriptures, we should find, that under no circumstances whatever man is destined to live without hope, and that all the ways of religion" are pleasantness as well as peace." May we say with holy Job, "All the days of my appointed time I will wait, till my change come.' وو 556 He look'd, and saw a spacious plain, whereon Were tents of various hue; Jabal was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle. Gen. iv. 20. 561 whence the sound Of instruments that made melodious chime And his brothers name was Jubal; he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ, Gen. iv. 21. his volant touch Instinct through all proportions low and high Fugue, a flight of sounds where the notes chase one another like an echo; Jubal is said to be the inventor of musical instruments, he is styled Apollo by the heathens. 564 In other part stood one who at the forge Lab'ring, Tubal Cain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron. Gen. iv. 22. But on the hither side, a different sort See the 5th Chapter of Genesis, the genealogy, age, and death of the patriarchs. 576 Down to the plain descended: 576 The place where dwelt the descendants of Cain. by their guise Just men they seem'd, The scripture speaks of them as the worshippers of the true God, and Josephus informs us, that they were addicted to the study of philophy and astronomy. 606 Created as thou art, to nobler end Holy and pure, conformity divine. We have this confidence, I say, because God in his eternal counsels designed this and appointed a proper series of subordinate causes to make way for that blessed event in which all is to terminate; establishing a certain connection between the one and the other; a connection which in the greatest distress is our confidence and our joy; He predestinated them to be conformed to the image of his Son. Rom. viii. 29. 607 Those tents thou saw'st so pleasant, were the tents Of wickedness, I had rather be a door keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. Ps. lxxxiv. 10. 610 Unmindful of their Maker, though his Spirit Taught them; See, Jehovah hath called Bezaleel, and hath |