Sloth, not true Peace; and after him thus fpoke ΜΑΜΜΟΝ.

IF War be beft, we war, either to difinthrone the King of Heaven, or to recover our own loft Right: We may hope to unthrone him, then, when everlafting Fate fhall yield to Chance, and Chaos judge the Strife between him and us; to hope the former is vain, and that argues as vain, the latter, for what Place can there be for us in Heaven, unless we overpower him, who is the fupreme Lord there? Suppofe he should relent, extend his Mercy, and publish Grace and Pardon to us all, upon Promife made of new Subjection; with what Eyes could we ftand humble in his Presence, and receive strict and severe Laws impofed, to celebrate his Throne with Hymns, and fing to his Godhead forced Hallelujahs (d)? while he our envied Sovereign fits lordly, and his Altar breaths fweet Odours and ambrofial Flowers, which were our fervile Offerings: This must be our Task in Heaven, nay, this must be our Delight. How wearifome would be an Eternity to spend, in paying Worship to one we hate! Let us not then pursue that which to do by Force is impoffible, and if by Leave obtained, difpleafing; for though it were in Heaven it would be but a State of fplendid Vassalage: Let us feek our own Good from ourselves, and live to ourselves, though it be in this Distance from Bliss, yet we may be free, and accountable to none, preferring hard Liberty before the eafy Yoke of fer

(d) Hallelujahs, from Hallelujah, Heb. i. e. Praife ye the Lord. Songs of Praise to God; rather an Invitation to do so. This Word is much used in the Pfalms, and other Books of the Old and New Testament, in the

vile

Jewish, Grecian, and other Liturgies. It is the inceffant Exercile of Angels of the Prefence, and will be that of all the Redeemed for ever and ever in Heaven. See Rev. xix. 1. The Greeks write it Allelujah.

vile Pomp our Greatnefs will appear the most confpicuous, when we can produce great Things from fmall, useful from hurtful, and profperous from what is adverfe; and in what Place foever we are, thrive under Evil, and out of Pain work Eafe, through Labour and Patience. Do we dread this deep World of Darkness? How often does GoD chufe to refide amongst thick Clouds and Darkness, (which by no Means obfcures his Glory) and with its Majefty covers his Throne, from whence, loud Thunders proceed, raging and roaring fo that Heaven resembles Hell? As he imitates our Darkness, cannot we too when we please imitate his Light? This defart Soil is not without hidden Luftre, precious Stones, and Gold; neither do we want Skill from whence to raise Magnificence; and what more is to be feen in Heaven? In Length of Time alfo our Torments may become our Elements, and thefe piercing Fires be as foft as they are now fharp and fevere; our Temper may be changed into their Temper, which muft needs remove the Senfibility of Pain. All Things invite to peaceable Counsel, and the fettled State of Order, how we may best in Safety compofe our prefent Evils, having Regard to what we are, and where we are, at the fame Time difmiffing all Thoughts of War.Which is the Sum of what I have to ad

vife.

He had fcarcely ended, when a Murmur filled the Affembly, fuch as when hollow Rocks enclofe the Sound of Winds, which all Night long had blown upon the Sea, and now lulled to fleep feafaring Men, whofe Bark by Chance anchors in a rocky Bay, after the Tempeft: Such an Applaufe was heard when MAMMON finished, and his Sentence that advised Peace pleased: For they dreaded fuch another Fight worfe than Hell; the Fear of Thunder, and the

Sword of MICHAEL (e), had ftill fuch Power over them, and they had no lefs Defire to establish the Government of Hell, which might rife by Policy, Prudence, and a long continued Courfe of Time, to have an Emulation, and be fet in Opposition to Heaven; which when BEELZEBUB perceived, (than whom none fat higher except SATAN) he rose with a compofed Afpect, and in his Rifing feemed a Pillar of State: Deliberation was marked deep upon his Forehead, and Princely Counfel, and Care for the Publick yet fhone in his Face, fhewing him majestick, though in Ruin; he flood like ATLAS (f), fit to bear the Weight of mightieft Monarchies; his Looks drew Audience and commanded Attention, as still as Night, or as the Summer's Air at Noon, while he expreffed himself thus:

THRONES (g)! Imperial Powers! Ethereal Virtues (b)! the Offspring of Heaven! or must we re

(e) Michael, Lat. Gr. from the Heb. i. e. Who is like God. One of the Arch-Angels frequently mentioned in holy Scripture, for his good Services to the Church; the Guardian Angel of the Jewish, Dan. x. 13. and Chriftian Church, Jud. ix. Rev. xii. 7. He is fuppofed here to be chief Captain of the Celeftial Army, against the Fallen Angels. OBs. The Names of the good Angels are derived from the Hebrew Names of God; because they are his Atfendants, they wear his Name and Livery, i. e. Holinefs.

(f) Atlas; Lat. Gr. i. e. A Supporter. A Mountain of Mau

nounce these Titles now, and changing our Stile, be called Princes of Hell? For fo the popular Voice feems to incline; to continue here, and here to build up a growing Empire, about which we only dream, not knowing that the King of Heaven hath ordained this Place to be our Dungeon, and not a fecure Retreat, out of the Reach of his powerful Arm, to live exempt from Heaven's high Authority, and make new Leagues against his Throne: But here we are to remain in ftricteft Bondage, though thus far removed from him; under his invincible Power, referved his captivated Multitude: For be affured, that he in Heighth or Depth will always reign fole King, and lofe no Part of his Kingdom by our Revolt; but extend his Empire over Hell, and rule us here with an Iron Scepter, as with his Golden one he does thofe in Heaven. What do we then fit here for, projecting War and Peace? War hath already determined us, and we are overcome with irrecoverable Lofs; Peace has not been offered us, nor have we fought it: For what Peace will be given to us, who are already enflaved; what but fevere Imprisonment, and Stripes, and arbitrary Punishment inflicted on us? And what Peace can we return, but Enmity and Hate to the utmost of our Power, an untamed Oppofition and Revenge; ever plotting (though we may move but flowly) how the Conqueror may reap the least Benefit of his Conqueft, and leaft rejoice in doing what we moft feel in Suffering; nor will there want Opportunities, nor fhall we need with hazardous Attempt to invade Heaven, whofe high Walls are out of Danger of all Siege, or Affault, or Ambufcade (i) from Hell: What

gels, fuch as have an excellent Valour and Might, to execute the Decrees and Orders of God upon Earth, and in the other Worlds. Here, fuch Chiefs a

mong the Devils, who had that Royal Dignity conferred upon them at their Creation, but lost it by Sin.

(1) Ambufcade; Fr. Ital. Sp.

H 2

from

Book II, What if we should find out fome Enterprize that is eafier? There is a Place, another World, (if ancient Prophecy and Report in Heaven be true) the happy Habitation of fome new Race, called MAN (k); a Being much like us, though lefs in Power and Excellence, to be created about this Time, and to be more favoured than the Angels by him who rules above; fo he pronounced his Will among the Powers of Heaven, and confirmed it by an Oath, that shook its Circumference. Let us bend all our Thoughts thither, to learn what Creatures inhabit there, of what Make and Substance, what Qualities they are endued with, what their Power is, and where their Weakness; and whether their Ruin may be beft attempted by Force, or Subtilty. Though Heaven is fhut, and the great Arbitrator of it fits fecure in his own Strength, this Place, perhaps, being the utmoft Border of his Kingdom, may lie expofed, and be left to their Defence who hold it: Here, poffibly, fome advantageous Act may be performed, either by fudden Onfet with Hell-Fire to waste his whole Creation; or elfe poffefs it all as

from the Gr. i. e. Lying about the Bufb or Wood. A Military Term. A Body of Men hid in a Wood, ready to rush out upon an Enemy unawares. This Stratagem in War was first directed by God himself. See Job. viii. 2.

(4) Man; Teut. Dut. Sax. from Man, or Manno, the Son of Tuifton, who was the Founder, antient King, and God of the old Germans and Gauls; the fame as Noah: For they came from Gomer, the eldest Son of Japhet, Gen. x. 2. Man denotes that Creature, which in the Hebrews is called Adam, from his Formation out of the Earth;

in the Greek, Anthropos, from his erect Countenance: And in the Latin, Vir, from his great Strength, and other Perfections of Body and Mind; being endued with Understanding, Will, Reafon, Memory, and other fpiritual Faculties: The Lord of the Creation, the King of Animals, and Supreme in the Animal World, next in Perfection to the Holy Angels, fo far as we know. Plato calls Man the Miracle of God, being the most perfect of the whole inferior Creation, an Epitome of the World, and the Image of God, Gen. i. 26.

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