ing worship. Gabriel drawing forth his bands of nightwatch to walk the round of Paradise, appoints two strong angels to Adam's bower, least the evil spirit should be there doing some harm to Adam or Eve fleeping; there they find him at the ear of Eve, tempting her in a dream, and bring him, though unwilling, to Gabriel; by whom questioned, he scornfully answers, prepares resistance, but hindered by a sign from heaven, flies out of Paradise.

THE ARGUMENT OF THE FIFTH BOOK.

M

ORNING approach't, Eve relates to Adam her troublesome dream; he likes it not, yet comforts her; they come forth to their day labours: their morning hymn at the Door of their bower. God to render man inexcusable fends Raphael to admonish him of his obedience, of his free estate, of his enemy near at hand; who he is, and why his enemy, and whatever else may avail Adam to know. Raphael comes down to Paradise, his appearance defcrib'd, his coming difcern'd by Adam afar off fitting at the door of his bower; he goes out to meet him, brings him to his lodge, entertains him with the choicest fruits of Paradise got together by Eve; their discourse at table: Raphael performs his message, minds Adam of his state and of his enemy; relates at Adam's request who that enemy is, and how he came to be so, beginning from his first revolt in heaven, and the occafion thereof; how he drew his legions after him to the parts of the north, and there incited them to rebel with him, perswading all but only Abdiel a seraph, who in argument disswades and opposes him, then forsakes him.

THE ARGUMENT OF THE SIXTH BOOK.

R

APHAEL Continues to relate how Michael and

Gabriel were fent forth to battel against Satan and his angels. The first fight describ'd: Satan and his powers retire under night: he calls a council, invents devilish engines, which in the second day's fight put Michael and his angels to some disorder; but they at length pulling up mountains overwhelm'd both the force and machines of Satan: yet the tumult not so ending, God on the third day sends Messiah his fon, for whom he had referv'd the glory of that victory: he in the power of his father coming to the place, and causing all LAS legions to stand still on either fide, with his chariot and thunder driving into the midst of his enemies, pursues them unable to resist towards the wall of heaven; which opening, they leap down with horrour and confufion into the place of punishment prepar'd for them in the deep: Meffiah returns with triumph to his father.

THE ARGUMENT OF THE SEAVENTH BOOK.

R

APHAEL at the request of Adam relates how and wherefore this world was first created; that God, after the expelling of Satan and his angels out of heaven, declared his pleasure to create another world and other creatures to dwell therein; sends his fon with glory and attendance of angels to perform the work of creation in fix days: the angels celebrate with hymns the performance thereof, and his reascension into hea

ven.

THE ARGUMENT OF THE EIGHT BOOK.

DAM inquires concerning celestial motions, is

A doubfully answer'd, and exhorted to search ra

ther things more worthy of knowledge: Adam afsents, and still defirous to detain Raphael, relates to him what he remember'd since his own creation, his placing in Paradise, his talk with God concerning folitude and fit fociety, his first meeting and nuptials with Eve, his discourse with the angel thereupon; who after admonitions repeated departs.

S

THE ARGUMENT OF THE NINTH BOOK.

ATAN having compast the earth, with meditated

guile returns as a mist by night into Paradise, enters into the ferpent sleeping. Adam and Eve in the morning go forth to their labours, which Eve proposes to divide in several places, each labouring apart : Adam consents not, alledging the danger, left that enemy, of whom they were forewarn'd, should attempt her found alone: Eve loath to be thought not circumspect or firm enough, urges her going apart, the rather defirous to make trial of her strength; Adam at last yields: the serpent finds her alone; his subtle approach, first gazing, then speaking, with much flattery extolling Eve above all other creatures. Eve wondring to hear the ferpent speak, asks how he attain'd to human speech and such understanding not till now; the ferpent answers, that by tasting of a certain tree in the garden he attain'd both to speech and reason, till then void of both: Eve requires him to bring her to that tree, and finds it to be the tree of knowledge forbidden: the serpent now grown bolder, with many wiles and arguments induces her at length to eat; she pleas'd with the taste deliberates a while whether to impart thereof to Adam or not, at last brings him of the fruit, relates what perswaded her to eat thereof: Adam at first amaz'd, but perceiving her loft, resolves through vehemence of love to perish with her; and extenuating the trespass, eats also of the fruit: the effects thereof th them both; they feek to cover their nakedness; then fall to variance and accusation of one another.

THE ARGUMENT OF THE TENTH BOOK.

M

AN's tranfgreffion known, the guardian angels forsake Paradise, and return up to heaven to approve their vigilance, and are approv'd, God declaring that the entrance of Satan could not be by them prevented. He sends his Son to judge the transgressors, who defcends and gives fentence accordingly; then in pity cloaths them both, and reascends. Sin and Death fitting till then at the gates of hell, by wondrous sympathie feeling the fuccess of Satan in this new world, and the fin by man there committed, refolv'd to fit no longer confin'd in hell, but to follow Satan their fire up to the place of man: to make the way eafier from hell to this world to and fro, they pave a broad highway or bridge over Chaos, according to the track that Satan first made; then preparing for earth, they meet him proud of his success returning to hell; their mutual gratulation. Satan arrives at Pandaemonium, in full assembly relates with boasting his success against man; instead of applause is entertain'd with a general hiss by all his audience, transform'd with himself also fuddenly into ferpents, according to his doom given in Paradise; then deluded with a shew of the forbidden ed tree springing up before them, they greedily reaching to take of the fruit, chew dust and bitter ashes. The proceedings of Sin and Death; God foretells the final victory of his Son over them, and the renewing of all the things; but for the present commands his angels to make several alterations in the heavens and elements. Adam more and more perceiving his fallen condition ⚫ heavily bewailes, rejects the condolement of Eve; the persists and at length appeases him: then to evade the curse likely to fall on their ofspring, proposes to Adam violent ways which he approves not, but conceiving better hope, puts her in mind of the late promise made them, that her feed should be reveng'd on the serpent, and exhorts her with him to seek peace of the offended Deity, by repentance and fupplication.

THE ARGUMENT OF THE ELEVENTH BOOK.

T

HE Son of God presents to his Father the prayers of our first parents now repenting, and intercedes for them: God accepts them, but declares that they is must no longer abide in Paradise; sends Michael with da band of cherubim to dispossess them; but first to reveal to Adam future things: Michael's coming down. Adam shews to Eve certain ominous signs; he difcerns The Michael's approach, goes out to meet him: the angel me denounces their departure, Eve's lamentation. Adam