this Day: The Mafter-piece was yet wanting, the very End for which all the reft was done; a Creature, who was not to look downward to the Earth like the other Creatures, but being endued with Reafon fhining in the human Soul, might know himself; erect his Stature, and with a ferene and upright Face govern the reft, and thence confcious of his own Dignity exalt his Mind, and have his Conversation in Heaven; but yet be grateful to acknowledge from whence his Good defcends, and thither, with Heart, Voice and Eyes, directed in Devotion, to adore and worship the fupreme God of all, who made him the chief of all his Works: Therefore the Almighty and Eternal FATHER (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 Fish 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, ADAM, he formed thee, a MAN, out of the Duft of the Ground, and breathed into thy Noftrils the Breath of Life: He created thee in his own Image, expreffing it in thee; and thou becameit a living Soul: He created thee Male, and thy Confort Eve Female, that from you both might proceed the Race of MAN; then bleffed you, and faid, be' fruitful and multiply, and replenish the Earth, and fubdue it; and have Dominion over the Fish 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 diftinguifhed by Name. From thence, as thou already knoweft, he brought thee into this delicious and pleafant Garden, where are Trees, delightful both to behold and tafte, of his own planting, and freely gave thee all their plea

fant

fant 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 mayest not eat; for in the Day that thou' eateft, thou dieft; it is DEATH is the Punishment decreed: Beware! and govern thy Appetite well, left Śin, and her fure Attendant DEATH, furprize thee.

HERE GOD finished Creation, and viewed all that he had made, and behold! all was entirely good; and the Evening and the Morning were the fixth Day. GOD, the Creator, defifting from his Work, though not wearied, returned 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 fhewed in Profpect from his Throne, anfwering his great Idea; he rode up, followed with Acclamations, the fymphonious Sounds of ten thousand Harps, that tuhed Angelical Harmony (thou mayeft remember for thou heardeft) The Earth and the Air refounded, and Heaven and all the Conftellations echoed to them, the Planets as it were ftood liftening, while GoD and the Angels afcended with Joy and great Pomp. They fung aloud, " Open "ye everlasting Gates! open ye Heavens your living "Doors! let in the great Creator, magnificently re"turned from his Work of fix Days, and that Work " is a World: Open, and henceforth open often! for "GOD will vouchfafe (being pleafed 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 EDEN, for the Sun was fet, and Twilight fore-running the Night came on from the Earth; when he arfived

arrived at the holy Mount of Heaven, the Imperial Throne of GOD, which is fixed firm for ever and fure, where he fat him down with his great FATHER: For he also went invifible, though he stayed, (fuch Privilege hath Omniprefence) for he ordained the Work, being the Author and End of all Things: and now refting from his Work, he bleffed and hallowed the seventh Day: But it was not kept in Silence; the Harp did not reft, the folemn Pipe and Dulcimer, all Sorts of Organs, and all stringed Inftruments played foft Tunes, intermixed with joyful Chorus, or Voice of fingle Song: Clouds of Incense, 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 rebel ing Angels: That Day thy Thunders made Thee great; but to create is greater than to destroy that which is already created. Who can leffen Thee, Thou mighty King! or fet Limits to thy Power? Thou haft eafily repelled the proud Attempt of the Apoftate Spirits; while they impiously thought to diminish thy Glory, and draw from Thee the Number of thy Worfhippers! 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 mere 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 deftined to be a habitable World; but Thou knowest their Seafons: Among these Earth circumfufed with the Ocean, the Seat of MEN, and their pleasant Dwelling-place. Thrice happy MEN,

Gg

and

and happy the Sons of MEN, whom God hath advanced 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 jult: Thrice happy they, if they will but perfevere in Uprightnefs, and know their own Happi

nefs!

THUS they fung, and all Heaven was full of HALLELUJAHS: Thus was that great Sabbath (m) kept. And now I have fulfilled thy Requeft, that afked how this World and the Appearance of Things began, and what was done from the Beginning before thy Remembrance; that Pofterity being informed 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.

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

The End of the SEVENTH BOOK.

THE