In circling rows, all overjoy'd to see
The reft in that society

With fmiling countenances, which declare
The inward joys they felt;

That peaceful innocence was there,

Not as a stranger guest,

But as poffeffor of that breast

Where perfect love and real friendship dwelt.

Here all with free and open heart

Each other entertains:

In sweet discourse their joys impart,

'Till facred love breaks forth in holy flames. Of mysteries divine their converfe was, How great I AM, before all time and place, Did of himself and in himself subsist ; Himself enjoy'd, his own eternal blifs : How he, before the world began, Determin'd by immutable decree, Whatever fhould be done,

Thro' all the ages of futurity.

Next, how the great ideas of his will,

According to the scheme his wifdom laid,
His pow'r exactly did fulfil,

When heaven, and earth, and fea, were all of

nothing made.

When

When morning stars, in sweetest lays,
Sung the Creator's praise;

How haughty Lucifer, fwell'd up with pride,
Drew multitudes o'th' heavenly host aside;
And aiming at the throne,

Refus'd obedience to th' eternal Son,
And rais'd rebellion 'gainst the Holy One.
When valiant Michael, taking the alarm,
Call'd forth celestial pow'rs to arm.
No fooner was the fummons heard,
But all with winged speed appear'd,
Under the standard royal, now display'd;
Cherubs and feraphs, whom he led

As captain-general, marching at their head, A furious onset on the rebels made.

The battle now began,

With fierceft rage

Both armies did engage;

And thick battalions coming on,
On ev'ry fide the fight tempeftuous grows :
Nought could be heard and feen,

But warlike deeds and noisy din,

Clashing of arms, and blow exchang'd for blows.

Th' arch traitor, in the front o'th' rebel host,
Already did the conqueft boast;

With bold presumption, and angelic strength
Exerting, forward preft;

Till Michael, with fuperior powers at length,

And force invincible, the foe distrest ; Who now, no longer able to fuftain Such dreadful fhocks, or bear the pain, With creft-fall'n hopes, and feeble courage, fought, Soon fell into disorder'd rout:

While peals of loudest thunder from the throne, And showers of flaming darts, purfu'd their

flight

Unto the verge of Heav'n, from thence caft down

Precipitant, condemn'd to everlasting night.

Here paufing, all the company arise,

And with uplifted hands and eyes,

And full transports of joy, their voices raise,
And fing an hymn of victory to Jehovah's praife.

Then fitting down, they next began Discourse about the happiness of man, When first by his creator form'd:

Whose stamp divine upon his foul he bore,
With noble faculties adorn'd;

An heavenly light his understanding fill'd
From facred wisdom's store :

His will conform to what his Maker will'd;
His pure affections kept within their bound,
And no tumultuous paffions found,

To

To interrupt the quiet of his breast,
Or break his peaceful reft;

All was ferene within, with innocence poffeft.

In Eden's fruitful garden plac'd,

A happy feat, made for Heav'n's favourite,
Whofe pleasures yielded him a full repast,
And labour was delight.

Here objects new, new meditations raise,
Whereon his noble mind was still employ'd,
Receiving bleffings, and returning praise,

A fweet communion with his God enjoy'd.

This Satan seeing, and himself forlorn,
Condemn'd to Hell's abyfs,

Despairing ever to return.

Into the realms of blifs,

Revolving deep his lofs, from Heav'n expell'd,
Unable to affail th' Omnipotent;

As once with pride, fo now with envy fwell'd,
His restless mind on mischief wholly bent,
Thirsting revenge, contrives the curft defign;
Man's happiness to undermine,

Under a fair pretence,

And fhew of love, refolves to try

To rob him of his innocence;

What strength cannot perform, to do by fubtilty.

His plot projected, forthwith he pursues
A proper inftrument to find

Among the beafts, and doth the serpent choose,
To make his agent, fubt'left of his kind;
In him he enters, and the season waits

To work his end; and finding Eve alone,
In foft addresses and a flatt'ring tone,
With her he cunningly expoftulates
About the virtues o'th' forbidden tree,

Whofe fruit but tafted, tells her, she shall be
Equal to God himself, and wife as he.

And this the Maker knew, and therefore did,
Says he, as envious of your happiness,

Left you fhould rival him in bliss,

The fovereign tree forbid ;

And bound his arbitrary law,

With a fevere, but empty threat

}

Of death; but 'twas to keep you under awe; He knows you shall not die; come, freely pluck, and eat.

Thus the original of truth

Was charg'd with falfities;
While Satan, with blafpheming mouth,

Gain'd credit to his lies.

By easy steps of falfhood he beguiles
Her flatt'ring fancy, under fhew of good:
At length prevails upon her by his wiles,
First to defire, then eat the fatal food;

And