day fends Meffiah his Son, for whom he had referv'd the glory of that Victory: Hee in the Power of his Father coming to the place, and caufing all his Legions to stand still on either fide, with his Chariot and Thunder driving into the midst of his Enemies, pursues them unable to refift 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. BOOK VII. THE ARGUMENT. RAPHAEL 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, declar'd his pleasure to create another World and other Creatures to dwell therein; fends his Son with Glory and attendance of Angels to perform the work of Creation in fix dayes: the Angels celebrate with Hymns the performance thereof, and his reafcention into Heaven. A BOOK VIII. THE ARGUMENT. DAM inquires concerning celestial Motions, is doubtfully anfwer'd, and exhorted to search rather things more worthy of knowledg: Adam assents, and still defirous to detain Raphael, relates to him what he remember'd fince his own Creation, his placing in Paradife, 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. BOOK IX. THE ARGUMENT. SATAN turns as a mift by Night into Paradife, enters into the Serpent fleeping. Adam and Eve in the Morning go forth to thir labours, which Eve propofes to divide in feveral places, each labouring apart: Adam confents not, alledging the danger, left that Enemy, of whom they were forewarn'd, fhould attempt her found alone: Eve loath to be thought not circumspect or firm enough, urges her going apart, the rather defirous to make tryal of her strength; Adam at last yields: The Serpent finds her alone; his fubtle approach, first gazing, then speaking, with much flattery extolling Eve above all other Creatures. Eve wondring to hear the Serpent speak, asks how he attain'd to human speech and such understanding not till now; the Serpent anfwers, 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 ; fhe pleas'd with the tafte deliberates awhile whether to impart thereof to Adam or not, at last brings him of the Fruit, relates what perfwaded her to eat thereof: Adam at first amaz'd, but perceiving her loft, refolves through vehemence of love to perish with her; and extenuating the trefpafs, eats alfo of the Fruit: The Effects thereof in them both; they feek to cover thir nakedness; then fall to variance and accufation of one another. BOOK X. THE ARGUMENT. ANS tranfgreffion known, the Guardian Angels forfake Paradife, and return up to Heaven to approve thir vigilance, and are approv'd, God declaring that The entrance of Satan could not be by them prevented. He fends his Son to judge the Tranf greffors, who defcends and gives Sentence accordingly; then in pity cloaths them both, and reafcends. Sin and Death fitting till then at the Gates of Hell, by wondrous fympathie feeling the fuccefs of Satan in this new World, and the fin by Man there committed, refolve to fit no longer confin'd in Hell, but to follow Satan thir Sire up to the place of Man: To make the way easier 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 fuccefs returning to Hell; thir mutual gratulation. Satan arrives at Pandemo nium, in full of assembly relates with boasting his fuccefs against Man; intead of applause is entertained with a general hifs by all his audience, transform'd with himself also fuddenly into Serpents, according to his doom giv'n in Paradife; then deluded with a fhew of the forbidden Tree fpringing up before them, they greedily reaching to take of the Fruit, chew duft and bitter afhes. The proceedings of Sin and Death; God foretels the final Victory of his Son over them, and the renewing of all things; but for the prefent commands his Angels to make several alterations in the Heavens and Elements. Adam more and more perceiving his fall'n condition heavily bewailes, rejects the condolement of Eve; fhe perfifts and at length appeases him: then to evade the Curfe likely to fall on thir Ofspring, proposes to Adam violent wayes, which he approves not, but conceiving better hope, puts her in mind of the late Promife made them, that her Seed should be reveng'd on the Serpent, and exhorts her with him to feek Peace of the offended Deity, by repentance and fupplication. T BOOK XI. THE ARGUMENT. HE Son of God prefents to his Father the Prayers of our firft Parents now repenting, and intercedes for them: God accepts them, but declares that they must no longer abide in Paradife; fends Michael with a Band of Cherubim to difpoffefs them; but first to reveal to Adam future things: Michaels coming down. Adam fhews to Eve certain ominous figns; he difcerns Michaels approach, goes out to meet him: the Angel denounces thir departure. Eve's Lamentation. Adam pleads, but fubmits: The Angel leads him up to a high Hill, fets before him in vision what fhall happ'n till the Flood. THE BOOK XII. THE ARGUMENT. HE Angel Michael continues from the Flood to relate what fball fucceed; then, in the mention of Abraham, comes by degrees to explain, who that Seed of the Woman shall be, which was promised Adam and Eve in the Fall; his Incarnation, Death, Refurrection, and Afcention; the state of the Church till his fecond Coming. Adam greatly fatisfied and recomforted by thefe Relations and Promifes defcends the Hill with Michael; wakens Eve, who all this while had flept, but with gentle dreams compos'd to quietnefs of mind and fubmiffion. Michael in either hand leads them out of Paradife, the fiery Sword waving behind them, and the Cherubim taking thir Stations to guard the Place. |