Raphael tells Adam how and why the World was firft created.

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ESCEND from Heaven, Thou holy Spirit, by fome called URANIA (a)] following whofe divine Voice, I foar above the Flights feigned of PEGASus (b), above the Top of OLYMPUS. I call upon the Meaning, and not the Name; for Thou art not one of the nine Muses, nor doeft Thou dwell on Mountains, but born in Heaven before either the Hills appeared, or Fountains flowed; Thou didst converfe with eternal Wisdom thy Sifter, and with her didft rejoice in the Prefence of the Almighty FATHER, who was pleased with thy heavenly Song. Led up by Thee, I have prefumed to vifit the Heaven of Heavens, though but an Earthly Guest, and breathed celestial Air, tempered by Thee to my Nature: Do Thou, guiding me down with like Safety, return me to my natural Element, left I fall, (as once BELLEROPHON (c) did) difmounted on

(a) Urania; Lat. Gr. i. e. Heavenly; one of the nine Mufes, the Goddess of Aftronomy, and of all heavenly Things. She is reprefented crowned with Stars, and a great Globe in her Hands; to fhew, that fhe teaches the Way to Heaven.

(b) Pegafus, Gr. i. e. A Foun tain; the winged Horfe of the Poets: Because it is faid, He opened the Fountain, Hippocrene, i. e. The Fountain of the Horfe, by a Kick of his Heels, and flew up to Heaven. This was a Well of Boetia, near He

licon, dedicated to Apollo and the Mujes

(c) Bellerophon; Lat. Gr. i. e. A Murderer of Beller, his Brother. Perfeus the Son of Glaucus King of Corinth is fo called. He was a noble Youth, and af ter many Exploits, being defirous of flying up to Heaven by the Help of his Horfe, was caft down headlong by Jupiter; and by the Fall he was made blind. Then he lived a wandering_Vagabond Life; like another Cain, and died with Hunger, about A. M. 2693.

the

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 unchanged to hoarfe or mute; though fallen upon evil Days and among evil Tongues, in Darknefs, and encompaffed 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 charmed, 'till the favage Clamour drowned both Harp and Voice; nor could his Harmony defend him: So fail not Thou who now implores Thee, for Thou art heavenly, and his feigned Mufe only an empty Dream. Teach me to relate what followed, when RAPHAEL, the fociable Arch-Angel, had forewarned 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 tranfgreffed and flighted that only Command, which was fo eafily obeyed; being only charged not to touch the forbidden Tree, amidft the Choice of all other Fruits to please their Appetite with all Variety.

ADAM and EVE heard the Story of RAPHAEL with great Attention, and were filled with the highest

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

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

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Admiration,

Admiration, to hear of Things fo high and fo ftrange, Things as had never entered into their Thought or imagination, that there fhould be Hate in Heaven, and War with fuch Confufion fo near the Peace of GOD in Happinefs; but the Evil being foon driven back, fell upon thofe from whom it fprung, it being impoffible for it to mix with Blefiednefs: So that ADAM foon recalled 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 visible Earth first began, when and of what it was created, and for what Cause; what was done within or without EDEN, before his Memory, about which he proceeded to afk his heavenly Gueft:

GREAT Things, faid he to the Angel, and full of Wonder, far differing from this World, thou haft revealed 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 proved 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 observe his fovereign Will unchangeably, to which End it is that we are. But fince thou haft condescended, gently to impart to us the Knowledge of Things above earthly Thoughts, which yet were fuch Things as feemed to GOD to concern our knowing, vouchsafe now to descend lower, and relate to us (what perhaps may no less avail us to know) how this Heaven, which we behold fo high distant, first began, adorned 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: What Caufe moved 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 fo foon; unfold this to us, if it is not forbid

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den 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 ftand ftill 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, Right will bring Silence, and we can gladly keep waking all the Night 'till thy Story be finifhed, and thou mayeft depart yet before Morning.

THUS ADAM requested his Angelical Gueft, and thus mildly the Angel anfwered: This Requeft of thine, which thou haft cautiously asked, obtain also ; though what Words or Tongue of Seraph is capable of fpeaking, or what Heart of Man of comprehending the Works of the ALMIGHTY? Yet what thou canst attain to, and which may beft ferve to glorify thy MAKER, and make thee happier, fhall not be withheld from thy hearing: Such Commiffion I have received from above, to anfwer all thy Defires of Knowledge, that are without Bounds; beyond thofe forbear to afk, nor hope that thy Inventions or Conjectures will difcover Things which are not revealed, 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 Measure the Mind can well contain and digeft, which intemperately taken oppreffes with Surfeit; and Wisdom turns to Folly, as too much Nourishment turns to Wind,

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

E e 2

Deep,

Book VII. Deep, into the Place prepared for him, and the great SON of GOD returned victorious with his Saints, the Almighty and Eternal FATHER beheld their Multitude from his Throne, and thus fpake to his SoN.

AT leaft our envious Foe hath failed of his Purpofe, who thought all rebellious like himself, by whofe Aid he trufted to have difpoffeffed us, and to have feized 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 Mifchief he has already done in difpeopling Heaven, (which he vainly imagined a Damage 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 raifed by Degrees of Merit, they open to themselves the Way up hither, tried under long Obedience; and Earth be changed 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 rny Word and my begotten SoN! this I perform by Thee: do Thou fpeak and let it be done. I send along with Thee my overfhadowing Spirit and my Power; ride forth, and bid the Deep within its appointed Bounds be Heaven and Earth: The Deep be boundlefs, because I myself fill Infinity, nor is the Space empty any where; and though I cannot be circumfcribed, yet I can retire, and do not put forth my Goodnefs by Constraint, which is free to act or not; I am not compelled by Neceffity or Chance, for what I will that is Fate.

THUS the ALMIGHTY fpoke, and what he faid, his Word, the filial Godhead, inftantly performed. The Actions of GoD are immediate, fwifter than Time or

Motion,