Will flack'n, if his breath ftir not thir flames.
Our purer effence then will overcome
Thir noxious vapour, or enur'd not feel,
Or chang'd at length, and to the place conformd
In temper and in nature, will receive
Familiar the fierce heat, and void of pain;
This horror will grow milde, this darkness light,
Befides what hope the never-ending flight
Of future days may bring, what chance, what change
Worth waiting, since our present lot appeers
For happy though but ill, for ill not worst,
If we procure not to our felves more woe.
Thus Belial with words cloath'd in reasons garb
Counsel'd ignoble eafe, and peaceful floath,
Not peace :
and after him thus Mammon spake. Either to disinthrone the King of Heav'n We warr, if warr be beft, or to regain Our own right loft: him to unthrone we then May hope, when everlasting Fate shall yeild To fickle Chance, and Chaos judge the ftrife: The former vain to hope argues as vain The latter for what place can be for us Within Heav'ns bound, unless Heav'ns Lord fupream We overpower? Suppose he should relent And publish Grace to all, on promise made Of new Subjection; with what eyes could we Stand in his presence humble, and receive Strict Laws impos'd, to celebrate his Throne With warbl'd Hymns, and to his Godhead fing Forc't Halleluiahs; while he Lordly fits Our envied Sovran, and his Altar breathes Ambrofial Odours and Ambrofial Flowers,
Our fervile offerings. This must be our task
In Heav'n, this our delight; how wearisom
Eternity so spent in worship paid
To whom we hate. Let us not then pursue
By force impoffible, by leave obtain❜d
Unacceptable, though in Heav'n, our state
Of splendid vaffalage, but rather seek
Our own good from our felves, and from our own
Live to our felves, though in this vast recess,
Free, and to none accountable, preferring
Hard liberty before the easie yoke
Of fervile Pomp. Our greatness will appear
Then most confpicuous, when great things of small,
Useful of hurtful, profperous of adverse
We can create, and in what place fo e're
Thrive under evil, and work ease out of pain
Through labour and endurance. This deep world
Of darkness do we dread? how oft amidst
Thick clouds and dark doth Heav'ns all-ruling Sire
Choose to refide, his Glory unobscur'd,
And with the Majesty of darkness round
Covers his Throne; from whence deep thunders roar
Muft'ring thir rage, and Heav'n resembles Hell?
As he our Darkness, cannot we his Light
Imitate when we please? This Defart foile
Wants not her hidden luftre, Gemms and Gold;
Nor want we skill or art, from whence to raise
Magnificence; and what can Heav'n fhew more?
Our torments alfo may in length of time
Become our Elements, these piercing Fires
As foft as now fevere, our temper chang'd
Into their temper; which muft needs remove
The fenfible of pain. All things invite
To peaceful Counfels, and the settl'd State
Of order, how in fafety best we may
Compose our present evils, with regard
Of what we are and where, dismiffing quite
All thoughts of Warr: ye have what I advise.
He scarce had finifht, when fuch murmur fill'd Th' Affembly, as when hollow Rocks retain The found of bluftring winds, which all night long Had rous'd the Sea, now with hoarfe cadence lull Sea-faring men orewatcht, whofe Bark by chance Or Pinnace anchors in a craggy Bay
After the Tempeft: Such applause was heard 290
As Mammon ended, and his Sentence pleas'd,
Advising peace for such another Field
They dreaded worse then Hell: fo much the fear
Of Thunder and the Sword of Michael
Wrought still within them; and no lefs defire
To found this nether Empire, which might rise
By pollicy, and long process of time,
In emulation oppofite to Heav'n.
Which when Beelzebub perceiv'd, then whom,
Satan except, none higher fat, with grave
Aspect he rose, and in his rising seem'd
A Pillar of State; deep on his Front engraven
Deliberation fat and publick care;
And Princely counsel in his face yet fhon,
Majestick though in ruin: fage he stood
With Atlantean fhoulders fit to bear
The weight of mightiest Monarchies; his look
Drew audience and attention still as Night
Or Summers Noon-tide air, while thus he spake.
Thrones and imperial Powers, off-spring of
Ethereal Vertues; or thefe Titles now [heav'n,
Must we renounce, and changing stile be call'd
Princes of Hell? for fo the popular vote
Inclines, here to continue, and build up here
A growing Empire; doubtless; while we dream,
And know not that the King of Heav'n hath doom'd
This place our dungeon, not our safe retreat
Beyond his Potent arm, to live exempt
From Heav'ns high jurisdiction, in new League
Banded against his Throne, but to remaine
In ftrictest bondage, though thus far remov'd,
Under th' inevitable curb, referv'd
His captive multitude: For he, be sure,
In highth or depth, still first and last will Reign
Sole King, and of his Kingdom loose no part
By our revolt, but over Hell extend
His Empire, and with Iron Scepter rule
Us here, as with his Golden thofe in Heav'n.
What fit we then projecting Peace and Warr?
Warr hath determin'd us, and foild with lofs 330
Irreparable; tearms of peace yet none
Voutfaft or fought; for what peace will be giv'n
To us enflav'd, but cuftody fevere,
And stripes, and arbitrary punishment
Inflicted? and what peace can we return,
But to our power hoftility and hate,
Untam'd reluctance, and revenge though slow,
Yet ever plotting how the Conquerour least
May reap his conqueft, and may least rejoyce
In doing what we most in suffering feel?
Nor will occafion want, nor shall we need
With dangerous expedition to invade
Heav'n, whose high walls fear no affault or Siege,
Or ambush from the Deep. What if we find
Some eafier enterprize? There is a place
(If ancient and prophetic fame in Heav'n
Err not) another World, the happy seat
Of fom new Race call'd Man, about this time
To be created like to us, though less
and excellence, but favour'd more 350 Of him who rules above; fo was his will Pronounc'd among the Gods, and by an Oath, That shook Heav'ns whol circumference, confirm'd. Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn What creatures there inhabit, of what mould, Or fubftance, how endu'd, and what thir Power, And where thir weakness, how attempted beft, By force or futtlety: Though Heav'n be shut, And Heav'ns high Arbitrator fit secure
In his own strength, this place may lye expos'd
The utmost border of his Kingdom, left
To their defence who hold it: here perhaps
Som advantagious act may be achiev'd
By fudden onfet, either with Hell fire
To waste his whole Creation, or poffefs
All as our own, and drive as we were driven,
The punie habitants, or if not drive,
Seduce them to our Party, that thir God
May prove thir foe, and with repenting hand
Abolish his own works. This would furpafs 370
Common revenge, and interrupt his joy
In our Confufion, and our Joy upraise
In his disturbance; when his darling Sons
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