THE TENTH ВООК OF PARADISE LOST. M The ARGUMENT. 'AN's Tranfgreffion known, the guardian Angels forfake Paradife, and returning up to Heaven are approved of, GOD declared that the Entrance of Satan could not be by them prevented. He fends bis Son to judge the Tranfgreffors; who defcends, and gives Sentence accordingly; in Pity cloaths them both, and re-afcends. Sin and Death fitting till then at the Gates of Hell, by wondrous Sympathy, feeling the Succefs of Satan in this new World, and the Sin by Man there committed, refolved to fit no longer in Hell, but to follow Satan their Father up to the Place of Man: To make the Way eafy from Hell to this World to and fro, they pave Pp pave a broad Highway or Bridge over Chaos, according to the Track that Satan first made; then preparing for Earth, they met him, proud of Succefs returning to Hell: Their mutual Gratulation: Satan arrives at Pandæmonium; in full Affembly relates with boafting his Succefs against Man; inftead of Applaufe is entertained with a general Hifs by his Audience, transformed, with him alfo, fuddenly into Serpents, according to his Doom given in Paradife: Then deluded with a Show of the Forbidden Tree fpringing up before them, they greedily reaching to tafte of the Fruit, chew Duft and bitter Afbes. The Proceedings of Sin and Death; GOD foretells the final Victory of his Son over them, and the renewing of all things; but, for the prefent commands his Angels to make ferveral Alterations in the Heavens and Elements. Adam more and more perceiving his fallen Condition heavily bewails; rejects the Condolement of Eve; fhe perfifts, and at length appeafes him; then to evade the Curfe likely to fall on their Offspring propofes to Adam violent Ways, which he approves not; but conceiving better Hope, puts her in Mind of the late Promife, that her Seed fhould be reveng'd on the Serpent; and exhorts her with him to Jeek Peace of the offended Deity, by Repentance and Supplication. С НА Р. CHA P. I. The Guardian Angels leave Paradife on Man's Tranfgreffion: GOD thereupon fends his Son to judge the Tranfgreffors. M EAN while the defpiteful and heinous Actions of SATAN, which he had done in PARADISE, was known in Heaven, and how he having poffeffed the Serpent had perverted Eve, and fhe her Hufband, to tafte of the fatal forbidden Fruit: For what can efcape the Eye of GoD, who fees every Thing, or deceive him who knows all Things: Who juft and wife in all his Ways, did not hinder SATAN from attempting to corrupt the Mind of MAN, who was armed with Free-will and Strength, compleatly fufficient to have difcovered and repulfed all Stratagems whatever, either of Foe or pretended Friend: For ftill they knew, and ought ever to have remembered the high Injunction, not to tafte of that Fruit whoever tempted them; which they not obeying, incurred (and what could they do lefs ?) the Penalty; and having in that one Sin committed Rebellion, Difobedience, Pride, Senfuality, and Ingratitude, and deserved to fall. THE Angels, whofe Charge it was to guard PARADISE, afcended from thence in Hafe up into Heaven, filent and forrowful for MAN; for by this Time they knew his fallen State, much wondering how the fubtle Fiend had found Entrance into PARADISE unfeen. As foon as the unwelcome News arrived from Earth to the Gates of Heaven, all were difpleased who heard it: That Time, dim Sadnefs did not |