In book iii. l. 3. Since God is light, And never but in unapproached light For which see 1 Tim. vi. 16. "Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach." Also, Wisdom of Solomon, where wisdom is said to be "a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty, she is the brightness of the everlasting light." Of God, as with a mantle, didst invest The rising world of waters dark and deep. Perhaps the original of these beautiful lines is in Job xxxviii. 9., where God says of the sea, "I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it." [7. 153.] That be from thee far (Gen. xviii. 25.)--" That be far from thee [1. 247.] Thou wilt not leave me in the loathsome grave His prey, nor suffer my unspotted soul For ever with corruption there to dwell. (See Psalm xvi. 10.)-" Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, nor suffer thy Holy One to see corruption." [l. 254.] I through the ample air in triumph high Shall lead hell captive, maugre hell, and show "Thou hast ascended on high; thou hast led captivity captive."-Psalm lxviii. 18. "And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly."-Col. ii. 15. In book iv. l. 500. When he impregns the clouds That shed May flowers. is perhaps taken from the fine expression in the Psalms of the clouds dropping fatness. [1.972.] Though heav'n's King Ride on thy wings, and thou, with thy compeers, Used to the yoke, draw'st his triumphant wheels. "And the cherubim did lift up their wings, and the wheels beside them, and the glory of the Lord God of Israel was over them above." -Ezek. i. 10. 22. [1.996.] The Eternal Hung forth in Heav'n his golden scales. (Daniel v. 27.)-" Thou art weighed in the balances:" and Isaiah, "Who weighed the mountains in scales." [7. 1011.] For proof look up And read thy lot in yon celestial sign Where thou art weigh'd, and shewn how light, how weak Here Milton, with that admirable propriety which never forsakes him, does not make the ascending scale the sign of victory, as in Homer, Virgil, &c.; but of weakness, and lightness, as in Daniel,-"thou art weighed, &c., and found wanting:" preferring, upon a scriptural subject, the authority of Scripture to that of the heathen writers. by Dryden and Cowley. his "Hind and Panther," He is followed The former has, in Till when, your weight will in the balance fail; In book v. l. 129. So cheer'd he his fair spouse, and she was cheer'd. Which is evidently an Hebraism: see Jer. xx. 7., where we find an analogous phrase. "Thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived." In this book the whole hymn of Adam and of Eve is full of scriptural allusions and language. All but the unsleeping eyes of God to rest. (Psalm cxxi. 4.)" He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." [7. 715.] Among the sons of Morn.. "How art thou fallen, O Lucifer, son of the morning!"-Isaiah. [l. 711.] The Eternal Eye; i. e. the Eternal Being. This putting of the eye for the whole person occurs in Psalm liv. 7., and Matth. xx. 15. [1.872.] And, as the sound of waters deep, " And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of mighty waters, saying."-Rev. xix. 6. In book vi. l. 18. When all the plain, Cover'd with thick embattled squadrons bright, (See 1 Macc. vi. 39.)—" Now when the sun shone upon the shields of gold and brass, the Gird on, and sword upon thy puissant thigh. (See Psalms.)" Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty." [l. 739.] Hurl the rebelled to chains of darkness. "God cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness."-2 Pet. ii. 4. [7.751.] Wheel within wheel undrawn, Itself instinct with spirit but convey'd By fair cherubic shapes. (See Ezek. i. 16, 19, 20.)—“And there appearance was as a wheel in the midst of a wheel the spirit of the living creature was in (See Ezek. i. 27.28.)-"And I saw as the colour |