THE ARGUMENT.
The Angel Michael continues from the flood to relate what fhall fucceed; then, in the mention of Abraham, comes by degrees to explain who that Seed of the Woman shall be, which was promifed Adam and Eve in the fall; his incarnation, death, refurrection, and afcenfion; the ftate 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 quietness of mind, and fubmiffion. Michael in either hand leads them out of Paradife, the fiery fword waving behind them, and the Cherubim taking their stations to guard the place.
S one who in his journey bates at noon,
Though bent on speed; fo here th' Arch-Angel
paus'd
Betwixt the world destroy'd and world restor'd,
If Adam ought perhaps might interpofe;
Then with transition sweet new speech resumes.
Thus thou haft feen one world begin and end;
And man as from a second stock proceed.
Much thou hast yet to fee, but I perceive
Thy mortal fight to fail; objects divine
Muft needs impair and weary human fense:
Henceforth what is to come I will relate,
Thou therefore give due audience, and attend.
This fecond fource of men, while
yet but few,
And while the dread of judgment paft remains
Fresh in their minds, fearing the Deity,
With fome regard to what is juft and right
Shall lead their lives, and multiply apace,
Lab'ring the foil, and reaping plenteous crop,
Corn, wine, and oil; and from the herd or flock,
Oft facrificing bullock, lamb, or kid,
With large wine-offerings pour'd, and facred feaft,
Shall spend their days in joy unblam'd, and dwell
Long time in peace by families and tribes
Under paternal rule: till one shall rise
Of proud ambitious heart, who not content
With fair equality, fraternal state,
Will arrogate dominion undeferv'd
Over his brethren, and quite difpoffefs
Concord and law of nature from the earth,
Hunting (and men not beasts fhall be his game)
With war and hoftile fnare fuch as refuse
Subjection to his empire tyrannous :
A mighty hunter thence he shall be stil'd
Before the Lord, as in defpite of Heaven,
Or from Heav'n claming second sovranty;
And from rebellion fhall derive his name,
Though of rebellion others he accufe.
He with a crew, whom like ambition joins
With him or under him to tyrannize,
Marching from Eden tow'ards the weft, fhall find 40
The plain, wherein a black bituminous gurge
Boils out from under ground, the mouth of Hell;
Of brick, and of that stuff they caft to build
A city' and tow'r, whose top may reach to Heaven;
And get themselves a name, left far difpers'd
In foreign lands their memory be lost,
Regardless whether good or evil fame.
But God, who oft descends to visit men
Unfeen, and through their habitations walks
To mark their doings, them beholding foon,
Comes down to fee their city, ere the tower
Obftru& Heav'n-tow'rs, and in derision fets
Upon their tongues a various fpi'rit to rase
Quite out their native language, and instead
To fow a jangling noise of words unknown :
Forthwith a hideous gabble rifes loud
Among the builders; each to other calls
Not understood, till hoarse, and all in rage,
As mock'd they ftorm; great laughter was in Heaven
And looking down, to see the hubbub strange
And hear the din; thus was the building left
Ridiculous, and the work Confufion nam'd.
Whereto thus Adam fatherly displeas'd.
O execrable fon fo to aspire
Above his brethren, to himself afsuming
Authority ufurp'd, from God not given:
He gave us only over beaft, fish, fowl,
Dominion abfolute; that right we hold
By his donation; but man over men
He made not lord; fuch title to himself
Referving, human left from human free.
But this ufurper his encroachment proud
Stays not on man; to God his tow'r intends
Siege and defiance: Wretched man! what food
Will he convey up thither to fuftain
Himself and his rafh army, where thin air
Above the clouds will pine his entrails grofs,
And famish him of breath, if not of bread?
To whom thus Michael. Juftly thou abhorr'st
That fon, who on the quiet ftate of men
Such trouble brought, affecting to subdue
Rational liberty; yet know withal,
Since thy original lapfe, true liberty
Is loft, which always with right reason dwells
Twinn'd, and from her hath no dividual being:
Reason in man obscur'd, or not obey'd,
Immediately inordinate defires
And upftart paffions catch the government
From reason, and to fervitude reduce
Man till then free. Therefore fince he permits
Within himself unworthy pow'rs to reign
Over free reason, God in judgment just
Subjects him from without to violent lords;
Who oft as undeservedly inthrall
His outward freedom: tyranny must be,
Though to the tyrant thereby no excuse.
Yet fometimes nations will decline fo low
From virtue, which is reafon, that no wrong,
But juftice, and fome fatal curfe annex'd,
Deprives them of their outward liberty,
Their inward loft: Witness th' irreverent fon
Of him who built the ark, who for the fhame
Done to his father, heard this heavy curse,
Servant of fervants, on his vicious race.
Thus will this latter, as the former world,
Still tend from bad to worse, till God at laft
Wearied with their iniquities, withdraw
His prefence from among them, and avert
His holy eyes; refolving from thenceforth
To leave them to their own polluted ways;
And one peculiar nation to felect
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