I nam'd them as they pafs'd, and GOD endued my fudden Apprehenfion with fuch Knowledge, that I understood all their Natures; but in all these, methought, I did not find what I wanted; and thus I prefum'd to speak to the divine Prefence:

By what Name, or how may I adore Thee; for Thou being above all these, above MANKIND, or any Thing higher than MANKIND, art far above any Name that I can give Thee, Great Author of this Universe, and all this Good to MAN? For whose well Being fo fully and fo liberally thou haft provided all Things. But I fee none who partakes thefe Bleffings with me: What Happiness is there in Solitude? Or what Enjoyment can there be alone? Or enjoying all Things what Contentment can be found?

THUS much I ventur'd to fay; and GOD made me this Reply: What is it thou calleft Solitude? Are not the Earth and Air full of various living Creatures, and all thefe ready at thy Command, to come and play before thee? Doft not thou understand their Language and their Ways? For they alfo know, and reafon in a Manner not to be contemn'd. Thy Dominion is large, do thou be contented to govern, and pafs thy Time away with Pleasure among the Crea

tures.

THUS fpake the univerfal LORD of all, and feemed in fuch Manner to give out his Order: When I, emploring Leave to fpeak, and humbly begging that I might not offend, made this Reply:

HEAVENLY Power! let not my Words make thee angry, let my MAKER be propitious while I fpeak! Haft Thou not created me here, and made me thy Subftitute, and fet thefe inferior Creatures far beneath me? What Harmony, what Society, or

true

true Delight, can fubfift between Unequals? For all Happiness must be mutual, given and receiv'd in due Proportion; but where there is a Difparity, one affectionate and the other indifferent, the Society agrees not well with either, but foon grows tedious to both: I fpeak of Fellowship fit to partake in all rational Delights, which is that I feek, in which Brutes cannot be conforted with MAN; they can rejoice with each other, the Lion with the Lioness, as being fitted to that End: But it is not fo with Bird and Beast, nor Fish and Fowl with one another, as being of quite different Species; neither can the Bull fo well converfe with the Ape; (e) much worse then, and leaft of all, can MAN converfe with Beast.

To which the ALMIGHTY, not difpleas'd with my Words, answer'd: ADAM! I fee thou propofeft to thyself a nice and refin'd Happiness, in the Choice of thy Affociates, and though furrounded with Pleasure, wilt tafte no Pleasure, as being without Companion. What then doft thou think of me, and of this my State? Do I feem to thee fufficiently poffeft of Happiness, or not, who am alone from all Eternity? For I know none, either fecond to me or like me; much lefs equal to me. How then have I any to hold Converfation with, except with the Creatures which I have made, and all thofe are infinite Degrees inferior to me, more than what the loweft of the other Creatures are to thee?

HERE he left off speaking, and I lowly and fubmiffively reply'd: Supreme LORD of all! human Thoughts

(e) Ape; Sax. A Monkey; there are feveral Sorts of them; Baboons and Monkeys have Tails which the Ape wants. It is the Mimic of Mankind: The Antients believed this Creature came

nearest to the human Species of all other Animals: But the

Chimpanze found lately in Africa, comes nearer by far to the Refemblance of Man and Wo

man.

Thoughts fall fhort to attain the Heighth and Depth of thy eternal Ways: In Thee is found no Deficiency, for Thou in thyfelf art perfect: But MAN is not fo, only in Degree; which is the Caufe that he defires by Converfation with his Like, to help his Defects, or give Comfort. There is no Need that Thou fhould'ft propagate, who art already infinite; and though but ONE, art through all Numbers: But MAN is to beget Like of his Like, and multiply his Image, which requires collateral Love, and strictest Amity. Thou although alone, art beft accompanied with Thyfelf in thy own Secrecy, and doft not feek focial Communication, yet at thy own good Pleasure canft highly dignify thy Creatures, and raise them up to what Degree of Union or Communion Thou wilt. I by converfing with the Brutes, cannot elevate their Natures, nor find any Complacence in their Ways.

THUS Ifpoke, being by Permiffion embolden'd to ufe fuch Freedom, and found Acceptance; which from the gracious divine Voice obtain'd this Answer: ADAM! thus far I was pleas'd to try thee, and find thee knowing not only of Beafts, (to which thou haft given right Names according to their Natures) but of thyfelf; expreffing well the free Spirit within thee, which is my Image, and not imparted to the Brutes; whofe Fellowship therefore being improper for thee, there was good Reason that thou fhould'ft freely diflike it, keep ftill in the fame Mind: I, before thou fpakeft, knew well that it was not meet for MAN to be alone; and no fuch Company as thou then faweft, was intended for thy Converfation, but only brought for Trial, to fee how thou could'ft judge of what was meet and fit. What I bring thee next be affur'd fhall please thee; for it shall be thy Likenefs, thy fit Help, thy other Self, and exactly according to the Wish and Defire of thy Heart.

CHAP

CHA P. III.

Adam relates his first Meeting and Nuptials with Eve; his Difcourfe with the Angel.

H

Tho'

E ended here, or elfe I heard him no longer; for now my earthly Being overpower'd by his heavenly Nature, which it had long flood under, ftrain'd to the Heighth in celeftial and fublime Conference, funk down, as dazled and spent with an Object too bright for human Senfe; and I fought Relief from Sleep, which inftantly fell upon me. my Eyes were clos'd, yet my Fancy kept waking, by which (being abftracted as in a Trance) methought though I was fleeping where I lay, I ftill faw the glorious Shape before whom I ftcod when I was awake, who stooping down, open'd my Left Side, and took out from thence a Rib, warm with cordial Spirits, and the Life-Blood fresh ftreaming: The Wound though it was wide, he fuddenly fill'd up with Flesh and heal'd. He form'd and fafhion'd the Rib with his Hands, and under his forming Hands there grew a Creature like MAN, but of different Sex; fo lovely fair, that what feem'd fair in all the World now feemed mean, or fumm'd up and contain'd in her and her Looks; which from that Time infus'd Sweetness into my Heart never felt before, and into all Things infpir'd the Spirit and Delight of Love. She difappear'd, and left me! I wak'd to find her, or for ever to lament her Lofs, and abjure all other Pleafures: When out of Hope to fee her more, behold fhe appear'd not far off! juft fuch as I had feen her in my Dream; adorn'd with every Thing that Heaven or Earth could beftow upon her, to make her amiable: On fhe came, led (though he was not vifible) by her heavenly MAKER, and guided by his Voice, not uninform'd of nuptial Sanctity, and the Rites of Mar

riage':

riage: Grace was in all her Steps, Beauty like the Stars of Heaven in her Eyes, and in every Gesture, Love and Dignity. I overjoy'd, could not help crying out aloud; "Bounteous and good Creator! Thou "haft fulfill'd thy Words! Thou Giver of all Things "fair, but this is the faireft of all thy Gifts! nor " doft Thou envy the Happiness of thy Creatures. I "now see myself before me, the Bone of my Bone, "and the Flesh of my Flefh: Her Name is Wo66 MAN, (f) extracted from MAN: For this Cause "MAN fhall leave his Father and Mother, and they "fhall be one Flesh, and one Heart, and one Soul."

SHE heard me speak thus; and though led on by GOD himself, yet her Virtue, Innocence, VirginModefty, and the Consciousness of her own Worth, (that would be courted, and not be won unfought; not forward, but retiring back the more defirable) or, to fay all, Nature herself (though fhe was quite free from Thought of Sin) wrought in her fo, that seeing me fhe turn'd away: I follow'd her; fhe knew what was Honour, and with yielding Majefty approv'd the Pleading of my Reason. -----I led her blushing to the nuptial Bower: On that Hour all fortunate Stars fhed their kindeft Influence; the very Earth, and every Hill gave Signs of Joy; the Birds, the freth Gales, and the gentle Winds carried it through the Woods, and as they flew fcatter'd Odours from aromatic Shrubs, 'till the Nightingale begun to fing our Ef poufals, and the Evening Star appear'd for the Bridal Lamp.

THUS I have told thee all concerning my State, and continued my Story to the Sum of earthly Happiness

(f) Woman; Sax. q. The Womb of Man, or the Woe of Man: becaule of the Sin and

4

Mifery he has brought upon
Man.