His chief delight and favour, him for whom 665 670 Or open admiration him behold, On whom the great Creator hath bestow'd Worlds, and on whom hath all thefe graces powr'd: 675 The Univerfal Maker we may praise ; Who juftly hath driv'n out his Rebel Foes So fpake the falfe diffembler unperceiv'd; For neither Man nor Angel can difcern Hypocrifie, the only evil that walks Invifible, except to God alone, 680 By his permiffive will, through Heav'n and Earth : And oft though Wisdom wake, Sufpicion fleeps 686 Refign's her charge, while Goodness thinks no ill Where no ill feems: Which now for once beguil'd 690 695 ΤΟ To witness with thine eyes what some perhaps That brought them forth, but hid their causes deep? The cumbrous Elements, Earth, Flood, Air, Fire, 715 Each had his place appointed, each his course, Look downward on that Globe whofe hither fide 720 735 Still ending, ftill renewing, through mid Heav'n, 730 That Spot to which I point is Paradise, Adam's abode, those loftie fhades his Bowre. Thy way thou canst not miss, me mine requires. 735 Thus Thus faid, he turn'd; and Satan bowing low, As to fuperior Spirits is wont in Heav'n, Where honour due and reverence none neglects, 740 Took leave, and towards the coaft of Earth beneath, The End of the Third Book. Para The ARGUMENT.. Satan, now in profpect of Eden, and nigh the place where he must now attempt the bold enterprize which he undertook alone against God and Man, falls into many doubts with himself, and many paffions, fear, envy, and defpair; but at length confirms himself in evil, journeys on to Paradife, whose outward profpect and fituation is described, over-leaps the bounds, fits in the shape of a Cormorant on the Tree of life, as highest in the Garden to look about him. The Garden defcrib'd; Satan's first sight of Adam and Eve; his wonder at their excellent form and happy state, but with refolution to work their fall; overhears their discourse, thence gathers that the Tree of knowledge was was forbidden them to eat of, under penalty of death; and thereon intends to found his Temptation, by feducing them to tranfgrefs ? 'then leaves them a while, to know further of their state by fome other means. Mean while Uriel defcending on a Sun-beam warns Gabriel, who had in charge the Gate of Paradife, that some evil Spirit had eScaped the Deep, and paft at Noon by his Sphere, in the shape of a good Angel down to Paradife, difcover'd' afterwards by his furious geftures in the Mount. Gabriel promifes to find him ere morning. Night coming on, Adam and Eve difcourse of going to their reft: their Bower defcribid. their Evening worship. Gabriel drawing forth his Bands of Night-watch to walk the round of Paradife, appoints two firong Angels to Adam's Bower, left the evil Spirit fhould be their doing fome harm to Adam or Eye fleeping; there they find him at the ear of Eve, tempting her in a dream, and bring him, tho' unwilling, to Gabriel; by whom question'd, he scornfully answers, prepares to refiftance, but binder'd by a Sign from Heaven, flies out of Paradife. |