Drink fhe fqueezes Grapes, and many Sorts of Berries, and makes new Wine; though new, yet not of fenfive: And preffing of fweet Kernels, prepares Creams of an agreeable Tafte; nor did fhe want pure and fit Veffels to hold fuch Liquors : She then strews the Ground with Rofes, and fweet Odours from the Shrubs: Mean while our first great Father walks forth to meet his Godlike Guest, accompanied by no other Train than his own compleat Perfections; all his State was in himself, much more folemn than the tedious Pomp that waits on Princes, when their rich and long Retinue of led Horfes, and Grooms whofe Habits fhine with Gold, dazles and sets all the Crowd a gazing. ADAM Coming nearer to the Angel, though he was not aw'd, yet approaching with Submiflion and meek Reverence, and bowing low, as to a fuperior Nature, fpoke thus: NATIVE of Heaven, (for no other Place can contain fo glorious a Shape) fince by defcending down from the Thrones above, thou haft been pleas'd to leave thofe Places, and honour these with thy Prefence, vouchfafe to remain a while with us in yonder thady Bower, as being as yet but two, who by the Gift of GoD poffefs this fpacious Ground; please there to reft and tafte the choiceft Fruit the Garden bears, 'till this Noon Heat be over, and the Sun in his Decline grow more cool. To whom the Angel RAPHAEL gave this mild Anfwer: ADAM! therefore I came; nor art thou created fuch, or dwell'ft in fuch a Place, as may not often invite even the Spirits of Heaven to vifit thee: Lead on, where thy Bower overfhades, for all the Hours, 'till the Evening arife, I have Liberty to stay with thee.So they came to the fylvan Lodge, that look'd like the Arbour of POMONA, ornamented with Flowers, and fill'd with Variety of Fragrance; but EVE, without Ornameut, except what was in herself, ftood to entertain her Guest from Heaven; (more lovely than any Wood-Nymph, or the faireft of the three feign'd Goddeffes, (0) that contended for the golden Prize upon Mount ID A) the needed no Veil, for fhe was Virtue proof; no impure Thought alter'd her Cheek. On whom the Angel beftow'd the holy Salutation, us'd long after to the bleffed Virgin MARY, (0) who was the fecond Ev E. "Hail! Mother of Mankind! whofe fruitful Womb fhall hereafter fill the World, more numerous with Sons than the Trees of GOD have heap'd this Table with thefe various Fruits."----Their Table was rais'd with Turfs of Grafs, and had round it Seats of Mofs; and on the Top of it, from Side to Side, was pil'd all the Fruits of Autumn, though Spring and Autumn were here at the fame Time. They held Difcourse a While before they eat, when thus ADAM began to speak: HEAVENLY Stranger! be pleas'd to taste thefe Bounties, which he who nourishes us (and from whom all perfect Good comes without Meafure to us, for Delight (o) Three Goddesses; Juno, Pallas, and Venus, who itrove for the Golden Apple, with this Motto, Let it be given to the Faireft. They chole Paris for their Umpire, and promised him great Rewards to bring him over to their Intereft. Venus promifed him Helena the fairest Woman in the World, &c. He, gave it and the Preeminence of Beauty to her, which was the original Cause of the Deftruction of Troy, himself and his Family. (p) Mari, or Mary; Heb. Mirjam, Lat. and Gr. Maria, i. e. Bitter, or very fad. Mi- 64 Delight and Food) hath caus'd the Earth to yield, perhaps it may not be proper Food for fpiritual Natures; however, this I know, that it is only one celeftial Father that gives to all. To whom the Angel replied: Therefore what he (whofe Praise be for ever fung!) gives to MAN in Part fpiritual, may not be found difagreeable Food for pureft Spirits; and thefe pure intelligential Subftances require fome Sort of Food, as well as doth your rational; and both contain within them every lower Faculty of Senfe, by which they hear, fee, smell, touch and tafte; and tafting, concoct, digeft, and turn corporeal to incorporeal: For know thou, that whatever was created, wants to be fuftain'd and fed; of the Elements, the groffer feeds the purer, the Earth feeds the Sea, the Earth and Sea feed the Air, the Air feeds thofe etherial Fires, and as lowest, first the Moon, whence are in her round Visage thofe Spots; being unpurg'd Vapours, not yet turn'd into her Subftance: Nor is it fo, that the Moon exhales no Nourishment from her moist Continent to higher Orbs. The Sun, that imparts Light to all, receives in Recompence his Nourishment from all, in moift Exhalations; and at Evening drinks of the Ocean. Though the Trees of Life in Heaven bear ambrofial Fruit, and the Vines yield Nectar, and though we brush Manna each Morning from off the Boughs, and find the Ground cover'd with finest Grain; yet God hath varied his Bounty here with fuch new Delight as may be compar'd with Heaven, and think not I fhall be backward to taste. ----So down they fat, and began to eat; the Angel not feemingly, nor in a Mift, (the common Glofs of Theologifts) but with keen Difpatch of real Hunger, and concocting Heat, to digeft Food: What redounds tranfpires with Eafe through Spirits; nor is it a Wonder, if it be true, that by Fire the Alchymift can turn, or holds it poffible to turn, the bafeft and droffieft of Metals to Gold, perfect as from the Mine. Mean Mean while EVE ferv'd naked at the Table, and fill'd their flowing Cups with pleasant Liquors. Oh Innocence, truly deferving of PARADISE! then, if ever, had the Sons of GOD (q) an Excufe to have been enamour'd at that Sight; but in thofe Hearts reign'd pureft and chastest Love, nor was Jealousy (the Hell of the injur'd Lover) understood. THUS when they had fuffic'd, not burthen'd Nature, with Meats and Drinks, a fudden Thought arofe in the Mind of ADAM, not to let the Opportunity flip given him by this great Conference, to know fomething of Things that were above the World he was plac'd in, and of their Being who dwell in Heawhofe Excellence he faw fo far to tranfcend his own; the divine Effulgence of whofe radiant Forms, and whofe high Power fo far exceeded human Nature; and thus he address'd his wary Speech to the Meffenger from Heaven: ven; INHABITANT with GOD! now I perceive thy great Favour, in this Honour done to MAN, under whose lowly Roof thou haft not difdain'd to enter, nor to tafte these earthly Fruits, which though not the Food of Angels, thou haft accepted in such a Manner, as that thou could'st not feem to have eat more willingly at the Feafts of Heaven; yet what Comparifon can be made? To whom the Angel made this Reply: Oh ADAM! there is but one ALMIGHTY, from whom all Things proceed, and to whom all Things return, if not deprav'd (a) The Sons of God; i. e. The boly Angels, whom fome thought to have Conversation with Women, from a falfe Senfe put upon, Gen. vi. "And it came to "pass when Men began to Mul"tiply on the Face of the Earth, "and Daughters were born un- prav'd from good, all created fuch to Perfection, one firft Matter cloath'd all with various Forms, various Degrees of Substance, and Life in Things that live; but as nearer plac'd to GoD, or nearer tending to him, more refin'd, fpirituous, and pure, each affign'd in their feveral active Spheres; 'till Body work up to Spirit, in the Bounds proportion'd to each Kind: So from the Root the green Stalk fprings lighter, and from thence the Leaves more airy, laft the bright and full-blown Flower breaths fweetest Perfumes; Man's Nourishment, Flowers and their Fruit, fublim'd by Degrees afpire to vital Spirits, and fo to animal and intellectual; giving both Life, Senfe, Fancy, and Understanding, whence the Soul receives Reafon, and Reafon difcourfive or intuitive is her Being; Difcourfe is ofteneft yours, and Intuition moftly ours; differing but in Degree, and being of the fame Kind. Make no Wonder then, that I don't refufe to eat what GOD faw good for you, but convert it as you do to proper Subftance. The Time may come, when MEN may partake with Angels, and find no Inconvenience in the Diet, nor the Fare too light; and from thefe corporal Nutriments, improv'd by Length of Time, perhaps your Bodies at laft may turn all to Spirit, and you may afcend with Wings to Heaven, like us, or dwell at your Choice here, or in heavenly PARADISES; if ye be found obedient, and unalterably keep his Love firm and intire, whofe Progeny you are. Mean while enjoy your Fill of what Happiness this happy State can afford, and know that you are incapable of more. To whom the Father of MANKIND made Anfwer: Favourable Spirit! my gentle and kind Gueft! thou haft well taught the Way that might direct our Knowledge, and fet before us the Compafs of the whole Creation; whereby we may, in Contemplation of Things created, afcend to GOD. But tell me, I pray |