vile Pomp; our Greatnefs will appear the moft confpicuous, when we can produce great Things from fmall, useful from hurtful, and profperous from what is adverfe; and in what Place foever we are, thrive under Evil, and out of Pain work Eafe, thro' Labour and Patience. Do we dread this deep World of Darkness? How often does GoD chufe to refide amongst thick Clouds and Darkness, (which by no Means obfcures his Glory) and with its Majefty covers his Throne, from whence loud Thunders proceed, raging and roaring fo that Heaven resembles Hell? As he imitates our Darknefs, cannot we too when we please imitate his Light? This defart Soil is not without hidden Luftre, precious Stones, and Gold; neither do we want Skill from whence to raise Magnificence; and what more is to be feen in Heaven? In Length of Time alfo our Torments may become our Elements, and thefe piercing Fires be as soft as they are now fharp and fevere; our Temper may be chang'd into their Temper, which muft needs remove the Senfibility of Pain. All Things invite to peaceable Counfel, and the fettled State of Order, how we may best in Safety compose our prefent Evils, having Regard to what we are, and where we are, at the fame Time difmiffing all Thoughts of War. Which is the Sum of what I have to advife. He had scarcely ended, when a Murmur fill'd the Affembly, fuch as when hollow Rocks enclose the Sound of Winds, which all Night long had blown upon the Sea, and now lull'd to fleep feafaring Men, whofe Bark by Chance anchors in a rocky Bay, after the Tempeft: Such an Applaufe was heard when MAMMON finifh'd, and his Sentence that advis'd Peace pleas'd: For they dreaded fuch another Fight worse than Hell; the Fear of Thunder, and the Sword F 4 Sword of MICHAEL, (e) had ftill fuch Power over them, and they had no less Defire to establish the Government of Hell, which might rife by Policy, Prudence, and a long continu'd Course of Time, to have an Emulation, and be fet in Oppofition to Heaven; which when BEELZEBUB perceiv'd, (than whom none fat higher except SATAN) he rofe with a compos'd Afpect, and in his Rifing feem'd a Pillar of State : Deliberation was mark'd deep upon his Forehead, and Princely Counfel, and Care for the Publick yet fhone in his Face, fhewing him majeftick, though in Ruin; he ftood like ATLAS, (f) fit to bear the Weight of mightiest Monarchies; his Looks drew Audience and commanded Attention, as ftill as Night, or as the Summer's Air at Noon, while he express'd himfelf thus: THRONES! (g) Imperial Powers! Ethereal Virtues! (b) the Offfpring of Heaven! or must we re nounce (e) Michael, Lat. Gr. from the Heb. i. e. Who is like God. One of the Arch-Angels frequently mention'd in holy Scripture, for his good Services to the Church; the Guardian Angel of the Jewish, Dan. 10. 13. and Christian Church, Jud. 9. Rev. 12. 7. He is fuppofed here to be chief Captain of the Celeftial Army, againft the Fallen Angels. OBS. The Names of the good Angels are derived from the Hebrew Names of God ; because they are his At tendants, they wear his Name and Livery, i. e. Holiness. (f) Atlas; Lat. Gr. i. e. A Supporter. A Mountain of Mauritania in Africa, fo high that. It the Top of it reach'd the (g) Thrones; Fr. Ital. Span. Teut. Lat. Gr. i. e. To fit. The third Order of Holy Angels, fuch as have Royal Seats and Dignities above others; they are also called Chief Princes, Dan. 10. 13. (b) Virtues; Fr. Lat. The feventh Order of the Holy An gels nounce thefe Titles now, and changing our Stile, be call'd Princes of Hell? For fo the popular Voice feems to incline; to continue here, and here to build up a growing Empire, about which we only dream," not knowing that the King of Heaven hath ordain'd this Place to be our Dungeon, and not a fecure Retreat, out of the Reach of his powerful Arm, to live exempt from Heaven's high Authority, and make new Leagues against his Throne: But here we are to remain in ftricteft Bondage, though thus far remov'd from him; under his invincible Power, referv'd his captivated Multitude: For be affur'd, that he in Heighth or Depth will always reign fole King, and lofe no Part of his Kingdom by our Revolt; but extend his Empire over Hell, and rule us here with an Iron Scepter, as with his Golden one he does thofe in Heaven. What do we then fit here for, projecting War and Peace? War hath already determin'd us, and we are overcome with irrecoverable Lofs; Peace has not been offer'd us, nor have we fought it: For what Peace will be given to us, who are already enflav'd; what but fevere Imprisonment, and Stripes, and arbitrary Punishment inflicted on us? And what Peace can we return, but Enmity and Hate to the utmost of our Power, an untam'd Oppofition and Revenge; ever plotting (though we may move but flowly) how the Conqueror may reap the leaft Benefit of his Conqueft, and leaft rejoice in doing what we moft feel in Suffering; nor will there want Opportunities, nor fhall we need with hazardous Attempt to invade Heaven, whofe high Walls are out of Danger of all Siege, or Affault, or Ambuscade (i) from Hell: What gels, fuch as have an excellent Valour and Might, to execute the Decrees and Orders of God upon Earth, and in the other Worlds. Here, fuch Chiefs a mong the Devils, who had that Royal Dignity conferr'd upon them at their Creation, but loft it by Sin. (i) Ambufcade; Fr. Ital. Sp.. from, What if we should find out fome Enterprize that is eafier? There is a Place, another World, (if ancient Prophecy and Report in Heaven be true) the happy Habitation of fome new Race, call'd MAN; (k) a Being much like us, though less in Power and Excellence, to be created about this Time, and to be more favour'd than the Angels by him who rules above; fo he pronounc'd his Will among the Powers of Heaven, and confirm'd it by an Oath, that shook its Circumference. Let us bend all our Thoughts thither, to learn what Creatures inhabit there, of what Make and Substance, what Qualities they are endu'd with, what their Power is, and where their Weakness; and whether their Ruin may be beft attempted by Force, or Subtilty. Though Heaven is fhut, and the great Arbitrator of it fits fecure in his own Strength, this Place, perhaps, being the utmost Border of his Kingdom, may lie expos'd, and be left to their Defence who hold it: Here, poffibly, fome advantagious Act may be perform'd, either by fudden Onfet with Hell-Fire to waste his whole Creation; or elfe poffefs it all as from the Gr. i. e. Lying about the Bush or Wood. A Military Term. A Body of Men hid in a Wood, ready to rufh out upon an Enemy unawares. This Stratagem in War was first directed by God himself. See Job. 8. 2. (k) Man; Teut. Dut. Sax. from Man, or Manno, the Son of Tuifton, who was the Founder, antient King, and God of the old Germans and Gauls; the fame as Noah: For they came from Gomer, the eldeft Son of Japhet, Gen. 10. 2. Man denotes that Creature, which in the Hebrew is called Adam, from his Formation out of the Earth; Our in the Greek, Anthropos, from his erect Countenance: And in the Latin, Vir, from his great Strength, and other Perfections of Body and Mind; being endued with Understanding, Will, Reason, Memory, and other fpiritual Faculties: The Lord of the Creation, the King of Animals, and Supreme in the Animal World, next in Perfection to the Holy Angels, fo far as we know. Plato calls Man the Miracle of God, being the most perfect of the whole inferior Creation, an Epitome of the World, and the Image of God, Gen. 1. 26. our own, and drive out the puny (1) Inhabitants, as we are driven; or if not drive them out, feduce them to our Party, that their GoD may prove their Enemy, and with a repenting Hand deftroy his own Works: This would be an Action furpaffing common Revenge, and interrupt the Joy he has in our Confufion, as well as raife up our Joy in his Disturbance; when his Favourite Creatures hurl'd headlong to partake with us our Damnation, fhall curfe their frail Original, and faded Blifs; faded fo foon. Think well, if this be worth atteinpting, or whether it be better to fit here in Darkness, contriving vain Empires. THUS BEELZEBUB fpoke his devilish Counsel, which was first devis'd, and had been in Part propofed by SATAN; for from whence, but from the Author of all Evil, could fpring fo deadly a Malice; to confound the Race of Mankind in the firft Root, and mingle and involve Earth with Hell; done all to spite the great Creator? But their Spite ftill ferves to advance his Honour and Glory. THE bold Defign highly pleas'd those Infernal States, and Joy fhone vifible in all their Eyes: They voted with free Affent to what he had propos'd; whereupon he renew'd his Speech. SYNOD of Gods! well have ye judg'd, and like to what ye are have refolv'd great Things, and ended long Debate: This from the lowest Deep (in Spite of Fate) will lift us up once more, nearer our antient Seat, perhaps in View of the bright Confines of Heaven, from whence by fome advantagious Excurfion we may chance to re-enter Heaven; or elfe in fome mild (1) Puny; Fr. Lat. i. e. Born after others; little, mean, infirm, younger. Here Man is fo called by Beelzebub, in Con tempt and Derifion, because Man was created after the Angels. |