Raised on a mount, with pyramids and tow'rs From diamond quarries hewn, and rocks of gold; In imitation of that mount whereon 760 765 Thither to come, and with calumnious art 770 Of counterfeited truth, thus held their ears: Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Pow'rs, 780 With what may be devised of honours new, 785 790 Monarchy over such as live by right Err not? much less for this to be our Lord, Thus far his bold discourse without control 795 800 805 The Deity, and divine commands obey'd, Stood up, and in a flame of zeal severe, The current of his fury thus opposed: O argument, blasphemous, false, and proud! 810 The just decree of God, pronounced and sworn, 815 With regal sceptre, ev'ry soul in Heav'n Shall bend the knee, and in that honour due Confess him rightful King? Unjust, thou say'st, Flatly unjust, to bind with laws the free, And equal over equals to let reign, 820 One over all with unsucceeded pow'r. Shalt thou give law to God? Shalt thou dispute With him the points of liberty, who made Thee what thou art, and form'd the pow'rs of Heav'n Such as he pleased, and circumscribed their being? 825 Yet, by experience taught, we know how good, And of our good and of our dignity How provident he is, how far from thought 830 That equal over equals monarch reign: Thyself, though great and glorious, dost thou count, Equal to him begotten Son? by whom As by his Word the mighty Father made All things, ev'n thee; and all the Spirits of Heav'n By him created in their bright degrees, Crown'd them with glory, and to their glory named 835 Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Pow'rs, 840 Essential Pow'rs; nor by his reign obscured, But more illustrious made; since he the Head Returns our own. Cease then this impious rage, 845 And tempt not these; but hasten to appease 850 Th' Apostate, and more haughty thus replied: That we were form'd then, say'st thou? and the work Of secondary hands, by task transferr'd From Father to his Son? Strange point, and new! 855 Doctrine which we would know whence learn'd: who saw When this creation was? Remember'st thou Thy making, while the Maker gave thee being; We know no time when we were not as now; Know none before us, self-begot, self-raised 860 865 Beseeching or besieging. This report, He said, and as the sound of waters deep 870 875 88.0 885 890 When who can uncreate thee thou shalt know. 895 Among the faithless, faithful only he; Among innumerable false, unmoved, On those proud tow'rs to swift destruction doom'd. 900 905 907 BOOK VI. THE ARGUMENT. Raphael continues to relate how Michael and Gabriel were sent forth to battle against Satan and his Angels. The first fight described: Satan and his Powers retire under night: He calls a council, invents devilish engines, which in the second day's fight put Michael and his Angels to some disorder; but they at length pulling up mountains, overwhelmed both the force and machines of Satan: Yet the tumult not so ending, God on the third day sends Messiah his Son, for whom he had reserved the glory of that victory: He, in the power of his Father, coming to the place, and causing his legions to stand still on either side, with his chariot and thunder driving into the midst of his enemies, pursues them, unable to resist, towards the wall of Heaven; which opening, they leap down with horror and confusion into the place of punishment prepared for them in the deep: Messiah returns with triumph to his Father. way, ALL night the dreadless Angel, unpursued, Through Heav'n's wide champain held his Waked by the circling hours, with rosy hand Unbarr'd the gates of light. There is a cave Within the mount of God, fast by his throne, Where light and darkness in perpetual round till morn, Lodge and dislodge by turns, which makes through Heav'n Grateful vicissitude, like day and night; Light issues forth, and at the other door Obsequious darkness enters, till her hour 10 To veil the Heav'n, though darkness there might well Seem twilight here: and now went forth the morn Empyreal; from before her vanish'd night, Shot through with orient beams; when all the plain, 15 |