But He found one part of human history, where this truth shines out in its utmost strength—namely, where the Obedience and Disobedience are those of two individuals, and, at the same time, of all Mankind;—and where the illustration of the truth is beyond all comparison convincing, since the conjunction of the Happiness and the Obedience is _here_ promulgated—since the Happiness and the Obedience are _here_ formally bound together—the Disobedience and the Misery—by the promising and the menacing voice of the Almighty.—The _Disobedience takes effect_;—and first creates human misery. SEWARD. Milton took then this instance, _preferable_ to all others, because above all others it emblazons, as if in characters written by the finger of Heaven, the Truth which he would teach;—notwithstanding the stupendous difficulties of the attempt into which he plunged;—committing himself, as He thus did, to unfolding before mortal gaze the Courts of Heaven;—to divulging for mortal ears colloquies held upon the celestial everlasting Throne;—to delineating the War of Creatures (_i. e._ the Angels) against the Creator, &c. &c. NORTH. Observe, moreover, that, although Man’s Obedience and Fall from Obedience is the _theme_ undertaken, yet the _Truth_ undertaken has other illustration, in the Poem, and reaches into higher Orders of Being. For instance, in the Order of Angels, there occurs _twofold_ illustration—namely, 1. By the Opposition presented of unfallen and fallen Angels. 2. And, amongst the rebellious Angels themselves, by the unspeakable contrast exhibited of their first happy and their second unhappy state;—their sinless glory and their horrible punishment. Far higher yet,—immeasurably higher,—in the divine Messiah, the _Obedience_ is the grace, the glory, and the happiness of his Being! TALBOYS. _God_ is the Creator and Upholder—_Satan_, the Destroyer. _God_ is the rightful Monarch of the Universe, unassailably seated on his everlasting Throne. _Satan_ ever attempts Usurpation, and is ever baffled. _Pride_ is the inward Self-exaltation of a Creature. Observe that _Exaltation_ is proper _raising from_ a lower degree held to a higher degree, not before held. God is eternally the Highest;—a state which precludes the idea, strictly spoken, of Exaltation. NORTH. Therefore, to Satan, as proud, is opposed the _Self-humiliation_ of the Son—whom God thereupon exalts. Pride, in Satan, considered as _undue_ Self-_exaltation_, stands (when we follow out the opposition in which he stands to God) opposed to _due_, legitimate, rightful height, or Supremacy, Sovereignty. _Satanic Pride_ is undue self-exaltation, at the height, in the Creature. But this, in the Creature, is a self-enthroning, a self-idolising, a self-deifying. SEWARD.