No evil durft attempt thee; but I rue 1180 Lets her will rule: reftraint fhe will not brook; 1185 She first his weak indulgence will accufe. Thus they in mutual accufation spent The fruitless hours, but neither felf condemning, END of the NINTH BOOK.. Man's tranfgreffion known, the guardian angels forfake Paradife, and return up to heaven to approve their vigilance; and are approved, God declaring that the entrance of Satan could not be by them prevented. He fends his Son to judge the tranfgreffors; who defcends, and gives fentence accordingly; then in pity clothes them both, and reafcends. Sin and Death, fitting till then at the gates of hell, by wondrous fympathy feeling the fuccefs of Satan in this new world, and the fin by man there committed, refolve to fit no longer confined in hell, but to follow Satan their fire up to the place of man : to make the way eafier from hell to this world to and fro, they pave a broad high-way or bridge over Chaos, ac• cording to the track that Satan firft made; then preparing for earth, they meet him, proud of his fuccefs, returning to hell; their mutual gratulation. Satan arrives at Pandemonium, in full assembly relates with boafting his fuccefs against man; instead of applaufe, is enter-tained with a general hifs by all his audience, transformed with himself alfo fuddenly into ferpents, according to his doom given in Paradife; then deluded with a show of the forbidden tree springing up before them, they greedily reaching to take of the fruit, chew duft and bitter afhes. The proceedings of Sin and Death: God foretells the final victory of his Son over them, and the renewing of all things; but for the present commands his angels to make several alterations in the heavens. and elements. Adam more and more perceiving his fallen condition, heavily bewails; rejects the condolement of Eve; fhe perfifts, and at length appeafes him: then, to evade the curfe likely to fall on their offspring, propofes to Adam violent ways, which he approves not; but conceiving better hope, puts her in mind of the late promife made them, that her feed fhould be revenged on the ferpent, and exhorts her with him to feek peace of the offended Deity, by repentance and fupplication. PARADISE LOST. BOOK X. Με EANWHILE the heinous and difpiteful act Of Satan done in Paradise, and how He in the ferpent had perverted Eve, Her husband fhe, to tafte the fatal fruit, Was known in heaven; for what can 'scape the eye 5 Of God all-feeing, or deceive his heart Omnifcient? who in all things wife and juft, Hinder'd not Satan to attempt the mind Of man, with ftrength entire, and free-will arm'd, Complete to have difcover'd and repuls'd Whatever wiles of foe or feeming friend. 10 For ftill they knew, and ought to' have ftill remember'd Up into heaven from Paradife in haste 15 20 With pity, violated not their bliss. About the new-arriv'd, in multitudes Th' ethereal people ran, to hear and know Affembled angels, and ye powers return'd : Or touch with lighteft moment of impulfe 23 30 35 40 45 50 But whom fend 1 to judge them? whom but thee 55 Vicegerent Son? to thee I have transferr'd All judgement, whether in heaven, or earth, or hell." Eafy it may be feep that I intend Mercy collegue with juftice, fen ling thee, 60 65 Man's friend, his Mediator, his defign'd 70 Before thee'; and not repenting, this obtain 75 Attendance none fhall need, nor train, where none Are to behold the judgement, but the judge'd, Thofe two; the third beft-abfent is condemn'd, Thus faying, from his radiant feat he rofe Of high collateral glory' him thrones and powers, Princedoms, and dominations ministrant Accompanied to heaven-gate, from whence Eden and all the coaft in profpect lay. Down he defcended ftrait; the speed of Gods Time counts not, tho' with swifteft minutes wing'd. Now was the fun in western cadence low From noon, and gentle airs due at their hour Ee 85 90 |