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Ifaac dies and is buryed by Elau and Jacob

Gen. Chap 35.ver. 29.

(63)

THE

SECOND BOOK

O F

PARADISE LOST.

T

The ARGUMENT.

HE Confultation began, Satan debates whether another Battle be to be hazarded for the Recovery of Heaven: Some advife it, others diffuade. A third Propofal is preferr'd, mention'd before by Satan, to fearch the Truth of that Prophecy or Tradition in Heaven, concerning another World, and another Kind of Creature, equal or not much inferior to themfelves, about this Time to be created. Their Doubt who fhall be fent on this difficult Search. Satan, their Chief undertakes the Voyage alone; is bonoured and applauded. The Council thus ended, the reft betake them feveral Ways, and to feveral Employments, as their Inclinations lead them, to entertain the Time 'till Satan return. He paffes on his Journey to Hell Gates, finds them shut, and

wha

who fat there to guard them; by whom at length they are opened, and difcover to him the great Gulf between Hell and Heaven: With what Difficulty he paffes through, directed by Chaos, the Power of that Place, to the Sight of this new world which he fought.

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The Confultation begun, Satan debates concerning another Battle, in order to recover Heaven: Propofes to fearch the Truth of that Prophecy in Heaven, concerning another World and new Creature. Their Doubt who shall be sent on this difficult Search. Satan, their Chief, undertakes alone the difficult Tafk, is honoured and applauded.

S

ATAN fat high exalted on a Throne of Royal State, which by far outshone the Wealth of ORMUS (a), or of INDIA (b), or where the fumptuous East yields to her Kings rich Pearls and Gold: He was by Merit raised to that bad Dignity; and from Defpair thus high lifted up beyond Hope, afpires higher ftill, ambitious to carry

(a) Ormus, Ormuz, or Hormus; from Armuza, a Town of Carmanica in Perfia near it, Perf. i. e. Crafty. It was first called Orgis then Geru. A rocky Ifland in the Mouth of the Perfian Gulph, 12 Miles from the nearest Shore of Perfia, 15 Miles round, producing nothing

on

but fome Wood and Salt, and hath not a Drop of fresh Water in it. It was formerly a Kingdom, and had a large Territory in Kirman. The Portuguefe took it, A. D. 1501, built a trong City and Castle upon it: Then it became the Glory of Islands, and one of the richest

upon

on a vain War against GOD, and not yet enough taught by Events, in this Manner expreffed his proud Thoughts and Imaginations.

Yɛ Powers, and other Inhabitants of Heaven! for fuch you still by Right are call'd, fince no Deep can hold within its Gulph immortal Vigour, tho' it may be opprefs'd and fallen: Therefore I give not Heaven for loft; celeftial Virtues rifing from this Defcent, will appear more glorious and more terrible, than from no Fall, and have a Certainty in themselves to prevent their fearing any fecond. Though my

upon Earth, from their vaft Traffick with India, Perfia, Arabia, &c. But through their Avarice and Pride, Shah, Abbas, King of Perfia, i. e. King and Father, affitted with the English, took it from them, with the Lofs of feven Millions of Money and much Blood, April 25, A. D. 1622. They razed it, and tranf ferr'd all the Trade of it to Gomron, and four Cantons were carried from thence to Ipahan; now it is a very poor Place.

(b) India; from the great Rivet Indus, called Scind by the Natives, Tartars, and others, which divides it from Perfic on the Weft; or from Hadoran the fifth Son of Joktan, who first peopled it, Gen. x. 27. There. fore in Scripture it is called Hodu, Havilah, and Chus, i. e. Beautiful and worthy of Praife; because it is an exceeding fine, rich Country By the Arabs, Hind; by the Natives, Perfians, &c. Hindoftan, i. e. The Country of the Blacks, or swarthy People; but by us, the Empire

just

of the Great Mogul, and the Eaft Indies. It is the largest (except China) and the richest Empire upon Earth, about one thoufand fix-hundred and eighty Miles in Length, and one thousand fix-hundred and ninety Miles in Breadth. It lies between Chira on the Eaft, and Perfia to the Weft, and upon the Indian Ocean, and contains thirty-feven Kingdoms befides innumerable Iflands. Obs. India was always eftemeed the richeft Part of the World, in Gold, Silver, Jewels, Spices, &c. and we have a fignal Proof of it lately, in thofe immense Treafures, which Thamas Kouli Kan took from the Emperor and others, when he invaded that Empire, A.D. 1741. Nadir Shah collected to the Value of 87,500,000!. while he continued there; He carried away 25,000,000 /. He took from his Officers and Soldiers 12,500,000, from the Omras or Princes 3,750,000 /. The Jewels were worth about 2,000,000 /. The Imperial Throne fet with Diamonds, G

&c.

juft Right, the fix'd Laws of Heaven, and next your free Choice did firft create me your Leader, with whatever hath been atchiev'd of Merit, either in Council or in Battle; yet this Lofs (fo far at least recover'd) hath establish'd me much more, in a fafe and unenvy'd Throne, yielded me with full Confent. The happier State, which in Heaven follows Dignity, might draw Envy from thofe of inferior Rank; but who will envy here him, who being in the highest Place, is expos'd to ftand foremost against the Thunder of God, and to be to you as a Bulwark; condemn'd at the fame Time to bear the greatest Share of Mifery without End? Where then there is no Good to strive for, there is no Strife arise from Fraction; for none fure will claim Precedence in Hell, nor is there any whofe Share of present Pain is fo fmall, that he with ambitious Mind will covet more! With thefe Advantages then, thus leagu'd in firm Faith and Accord, more than there can be in Heaven, we now return, to claim our ancient and juft Inheritance, being more fure to profper, than paft Pofterity could have affur'd us: But which may be the best Way to obtain our End, whether open War or conceal'd Stratagem, is the Subject of our prefent Debate; whoever can advise, let him fpeak.

HENCE SATAN remain'd filent; and next him MoLOCH, who affum'd a Name of Royalty, ftood up; he was the strongest and fierceft Spirit that fought in Heaven, and was now grown fiercer thro' Despair; his Aim was to have been deemed equal in Strength with the ALMIGHTY, and rather than be lefs than

&c. 2,250,000,000 /. In Contributions from the People 25.000,000 /. Befides vaft Sums from petty Kings and Cities, with the Lives of 200,000 Inhabitants. See Mr. Frafer's Hiftory of Kouli Kan, who gives a more exa&t Account of all:

But that from Afracan mentioned in the publick Papers, Sept. 23, 1740, furmounts all Credibility. Eaft India was first difcover'd to the Europeans by the Portuguefe, when Vafques de Gania arrived at Calicut, May 4, d. D. 1498.

that,

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