THE TWELFTH BOOK OF PARADISE LOST. T The ARGUMENT. HE Angel Michael continues from the Flood to relate what fhall fuccced: then, in the Mention of Abraham, comes by Degrees to explain, who that Sced of the Woman shall be, which was promised Adam and Eve in the Fall: His Incarnation, Death, Refurrection, and Afcenfion: The State of the Church 'till his fecond Coming. Adam, greatly fatisfied and recomforted by thofe Relations and Promises, defcends the Hill with Michael; wakens Eve, who all this while had slept, but with gentle Dreams compofed to Quietnefs of Mind and Submiffion. Michael in either Hand leads them out of Paradife, the fiery Sword waving behind them, and the Cherubim taking their Stations to guard the Place. СНАР. I. The Angel relates what fall happen after the Flood, and foretels the Coming of Christ. A Sa Traveller upon a Journey takes fome Reft at Noon, though he be intent on Expedition; fo here the Archangel MICHAEL made a Paufe, betwixt the World deftroyed and the World reftored, to fee whether or no ADAM might not have fome Questions to interpofe; then going forward in his Narration, he began again to fpeak. THUS, ADAM, thou haft feen the Beginning and End of one World, and MAN proceeding as from a fecond Stock: There yet remains a great deal more for thee to fee; but I perceive that thy mortal Sight begins to fail thee; nor can it be otherwife, for divine Objects must needs impair and weary the human Senses: So that what is to come henceforward, I fhall only relate to thee; do thou therefore be attentive, and give proper Audience to what I fhall fay! THIS new Race of MEN, before they arrive to large Numbers, and while the Dread of paft Judgments remains fresh in their Minds, fhall lead their Lives in the Fear of GOD, with fome Regard to Juftice and what is right: and they fhall multiply apace, manuring and sowing the Earth; and reaping plentiful Crops of Corn, Wine and Oil; and often from the Herds or Flocks making Sacrifices of Bullocks, Lambs, or Kids, with large Offerings of Wine poured out, shall spend their Days in Joy and facred Feftival, unblamed; and dwell for a long Time in Peace, by Families and Tribes, under paternal Rule; till one called called NIMROD (a) fhall arife, of proud and ambitious Heart; who, not content with a fair and equal Share, will affume an undeferved Dominion over the reft of his Brethren, and quite difpoffefs Concord and the Law of Nature from the Earth; hunting wild Beasts, and not only Beafts, but MEN alfo; fubduing with War, and laying hoftile Snares for fuch as refuse Subjection to his tyrannical Ufurpation: For that Reason he shall be called a mighty Hunter before the LORD; meaning either in defpite of Heaven, or elfe claiming from Heaven the fecond Sovereignty; and though he shall accuse others of Rebellion, yet from Rebellion he shall derive his Name, for fuch is the Meaning of the Word NIMROD. He, with a Crew, joined to him by like Ambition, or Design of tyrannizing under him, marching from EDEN towards the Weft, fhall find the Plains, in which a black bituminous Slime boils out from under the Ground, as if it were the Mouth of Hell. Of that Stuff, and Bricks, they contrive to build a City, and a Tower whofe Top may reach to Heaven; thinking thereby to get themselves a Name; left, being difperfed far away in foreign Lands, the Memory of them fhould be loft; not regarding, whether the Fame they acquired was good or evil. But Go D, who oftentimes defcends unfeen to vifit MEN, and paffes among their Habitations to take Notice of their Actions, foon (a) Nimrod or Belus; Noah's Great-Grandfon, the Father of Ninus, who first ufurped over the Patriarchs, and firft took up Arms against the wild Beafts which were then very numerous, powerful, and mischievous; then he made himself Head of his Companions; then the King over all the reft, about A. M. 1720. Nim rod; Heb. i. e. A Rebel: For he rebelled against God, in building the Tower of Babel; and againft Men, in ufurping Monarchical Government, and overturning the Patriarchal. He is Belus among the Heathens, the Founder of the Affyrian Monarchy, the first Inftance of Idolatry; and was the Bel or Baal (Heb. i. e. Lord) of the Affyrians, Babylonians, and all the World. beholding beholding them, comes down to fee their City, long before the Tower reached up to Heaven; and, in Derifion, confounded their native Language, the HEBREW (b), and inftead thereof, gave them only Power to make a jangling Noife of Words, not underftood by one another. Forthwith a loud and confufed Talking rifes among the Builders, each calls to the other, and no Body understands; till hoarfe and all in a Rage, they ftorm, thinking themfelves mocked by each other: The Angels in Heaven looking down, held them in great Derifion, to fee the ftrange Hubbub, and hear the Din. Thus this ridiculous Building, which they foolishly thought might reach Heaven, was left; and the Work called BABEL; which being interpreted fignifies Confufion. WHERETO ADAM, difpleafed at what he faw his Offspring do, exclaimed thus: O execrable Son! to afpire fo above his Brethren; affuming to himself a ufurped Authority not given him from GoD: He only gave us an abfolute Dominion over Beast, Fish, and Fowl; that Right we hold by his Donation: But he never made MAN Lord over MEN; that Title he hath referved to himself only; for God left human Race free from human Dominion. But, this Tyrant and Uiurper stops not his ambitious Ufurpation upon MAN only; he also intended his new Tower, to be a Siege again't the GoD of Heaven. Wretched and mistaken MAN! What Food will he convey up thither, to fuftain himself and his rafh Army? Where the thin Air above the Clouds will confume his grofs (b) Hebrew, the natural Speech of Mankind, from the Creation for 1757 Years; fee ing all Languages derive many Words from that, but it from none of them; the Names of Men and Things plainly confirm it, and the Learned agree in it. After the Confufion of Tongues it remained in Heber's Family, and fo defcended to the Jeaus, among whom it continued pure to the Babylonifh Captivity; in all about 3400 Years. Entrails; |