THE ARGUMENT OF. THE THIRD BOOK. SA 1' AN now in profpea of Eden, and nigh the Place, where ho muff now attempt the bold enterprife which, he undertook alone againft God and Man, falls into many doubts withiiimfelf, and many paffions, fear, envy, and defpair ; but at length confirms himfelf in evil journeys on to Paradife whofe outward profpe& and fituation is de- fcribed, overleaps the bounds, fits in the (hope of a cormorant on the tree of life, as higheft in the garden, to look about him. The garden defcrib'd ; Satan's &if fight of Adam and Eve; his wonder at their excellent form and happy Efate, but with refolution to work their fall ; overhears their difcourfe, thence gathers that the tree of knowledge was forbidden them to eat of, under penalty of death ; and thereon Intends to found his temptation by feducing them to tranfgrefs : then leaves them a while, to know further of their Rate by fome other means. Mean while Uriel defcending on a fun-beam warns Gabriel, who had in charge the gate of Paradife, that fome evil Spirit had efcap'd the deep, and pafs'd at noon by his fphere in the fhape of a gOod Angel down to Paradife, difcovered after by his furious geftures in the mount. Gabriel promifes to find him ere morning. Night coming on, Adam and Eve difcourfe of going to their reit : their bower defcrib'd ; their evening worfhip. Gabriel drawing forth his bands of night-watch to walk the round of Paradife, appoints two thong Angels to Adam's bower, left the evil Spirit fhould be there doing fome harm to Adam or Eve fleeping ; there they find him at the ear of Eve, tempting her in a dream, and bring him, though unwilling, to Gabriel ; by whom queftion'd, he fcornfully anfwers, prepares refinance, but hinder'd by a fign from Heaven, flies out of Paradife. THE
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