Shall fatisfy for Man, be judg'd and die, And dying rife, and rising, with him raise, His brethren, ranfom'd with his own dear life. So heav'nly love shall outdo hellish hate, Giving to death, and dying to redeem, So dearly to redeem what hellish hate So easily destroy'd, and still destroys
In thofe who, when they may, accept not grace. Nor fhalt thou, by defcending to affume Man's nature, leffen or degrade thine own. Because thou haft, though thron'd in higheft blifs Equal to God, and equally enjoying God-like fruition, quitted all to fave
A world from utter lofs, and haft been found By merit more than birthright, Son of God, Found worthieft to be fo by being good, Far more than great or high; because in thee Love hath abounded more than glory abounds, 'Therefore thy humiliation fhall exalt With thee thy manhood alfo to this throne; Here fhalt thou fit incarnate, here fhalt reign Both God and Man, Son both of God and Man, Anointed univerfal king; all power I give thee; reign for ever, and affume Thy merits; under thee as head fupreme Thrones, Princedoms, Pow'rs, Dominions I reduce; All knees to thee fhall bow, of them that bide In Heav'n, or Earth, or under Earth in Hell. When thou attended gloriously from Heaven Shalt in the sky appear, and from thee fend The fummoning Arch-Angels to proclaim Thy dread tribunal; forthwith from all winds The living, and forthwith the cited dead Of all paft ages, to the general doom Shall haften, fuch a peal fhall roufe their fleep. Then all thy faints affembled, thou shalt judge Bad men and angels; they arraign'd fhall fink Beneath thy fentence; Hell, her numbers full, Thenceforth fhall be for ever fhut. Mean while The world fhall burn, and from her ashes spring New Heav'n and Earth, wherein the juft fhall dwell, And after all their tribulations long See golden days, fruitful of golden deeds, With joy and love triumphing and fair truth. Then thou thy regal fceptre fhall lay by, For regal fceptre then no more shall need; God fhall be all in all. But all ye Gods, Adore him, who to compafs all this dies; Adore the Son, and honour him as me.
No fooner had the Almighty ceas'd, but all The multitude of Angels, with a fhout Loud as from numbers without number, fweet As from bleft voices, uttering joy, Heav'n rung With jubilee, and loud Hofannas fill'd 'Th' eternal regions: lowly reverend
Rolls o'er Elyfian flow'rs her amber stream: With these that never fade the Spirits elect Bind their refplendent locks inwreath'd with beams,
Now in loose garlands thick thrown off, the bright Pavement, that like a sea of jasper shone, Empurpled with celeftial rofes fmil'd.
Then crown'd again, their golden harps they took, Harps ever tun'd, that glittering by their side Like quivers hung, and with preamble sweet Of charming fymphony, they introduce Their facred fong, and waken raptures high; No voice exempt, no voice but well could join Melodious part, fuch concord is in Heaven.
Thee, Father, firft they fung Omnipotent, Immutable, Immortal, Infinite,
Eternal King; the Author of all being, Fountain of light, thyfelf invifible Amidft the glorious brightnefs where thou fit'ft Thron'd inacceffible, but when thou shad'st The full blaze of thy beams, and through a cloud Drawn round about thee like a radiant fhrine, Dark with exceffive bright thy fkirts appear, Yet dazzle Heav'n, that brightest Seraphim Approach not, but with both wings veil their eyes. Thee next they fang of all creation first, Begotten Son, Divine Similitude,
In whose confpicuous count'nance, without cloud Made visible, th' Almighty Father fhines, Whom elfe no creature can behold; on thee Imprefs'd th' effulgence of his glory' abides, Transfus'd on thee his ample Spirit refts. He Heav'n of Heav'ns, and all the Pow'rs therein By thee created, and by thee drew down Th' afpiring Dominations: thou that day Thy Father's dreadful thunder didft not spare, Nor ftop thy flaming chariot wheels that shook Heav'n's everlafting frame, while o'er the necks Thou drov'ft of warring Angels difarray'd. Back from purfuit thy Pow'rs with loud acclaim Thee only extoll d, Son of thy Father's might, To execute fierce vengeance on his foes, Notifo on Man: Him through their malice fall'n, Father of mercy' and grace, thou didst not doom So ftrictly, but much more to pity incline: No fooner did thy dear and only Son Perceive thee purpos'd not to doom frail Man So ftrictly, but much more to pity' inclin'd, He to appeafe thy wrath, and end the ftrife Of mercy and juftice in thy face difcern'd, Regardless of the blefs wherein he fal Second to thee, offer d himself to die For Man's offence. O unexampled love, Love no where to be found lefs than Divine Hail Son of God, Saviour of Men, thy name
Towards either throne they bow, and to the ground Shall be the copious matter of my fong
With folemn adoration down they caft Their crowns inwove with amarant and gold; Immortal amarant, a flow'r which once In Paradife, faft by the tree of life, Began to bloom; but foon for man's offence To Heav'n remov'd,where first it grew, there grows, And flow'rs aloft, fhading the fount of life, And where the river of blifs through midft of Heaven
Henceforth; and never fhall my harp thy praife Forget, nor from thy Father's praise disjoin.
Thus they in Heav'n, above the starry sphere, Their happy hours in joy and hymning spent. Mean while, upon the firm opacious globe Of this round world, whofe firft convex divides The luminous inferior orbs inclos'd From Chaos and th' inroad of darkness old, Satan alighted walks: a globe far off
It leem'd, now feems a boundless continent Dark, wafte, and wild, under the frown of Night Searless expos'd, and ever-threat ning storms Of Chaos bluft'ring round, inclement sky; Save on that fide which from the wall of Heaven, The' diftant far, fome small reflection gains Of glimmering air, lefs vex'd with tempeft loud: Here walk'd the Fiend at large in spacious field. As when a vulture, on Imaus bred, Whofe fnowy ridge the roving Tartar bounds, Dilodging from a region scarce of prey, To gorge the flesh of lambs or yeaning kids On hills where flocks are fed, flies tow'rds the fprings
Of Ganges or Hydafpes, Indian streams; But in his way lights on the barren plains Of Sericana, where Chineses drive
With fails and wind their cany waggons light: So on this windy fea of land, the Fiend Walk d up and down alone, bent on his prey; Alone, for other creature in this place Living or lifeless to be found was none; None yet, but store hercafter from the earth Up hither like aereal vapours flew
Of all things tranfitory' and vain, when fin With vanity had fill'd the works of men; Both all things vain, and all who in vain things Built their fond hopes of glory, or lafting fame, Or happiness in this or th' other life; Ail who have their reward on earth, the fruits Of painful fuperstition and blind zeal, Nought feeking but the praise of men, here find Fit retribution, empty as their deeds; All th' unaccomplish d works of Nature's hand, - Abortive, monstrous, or unkindly mix'd, Diffolv'd on earth, fleet hither, and in vain, Till final diffolution, wander here,
Not in the neighbouring moon, as fome have dream'd; Thofe argent fields more likely habitants, Tranflated Saints, or middle Spirits hold Betwixt th' angelical and human kind. Hither of ill-join'd fons and daughters born Firit from the ancient world those giants came With many a vain exploit, tho' then renown'd: The builders next of Babel on the plain Of Sennaar, and still with vain defign
New Babels, had they wherewithal, would build : Others came fingle; he who, to be decm'd A god, leapt fondly into Ætna flames, Empedocles; and he who to enjoy Plato's Elyfium, leapt into the fea, Cleombrotus; and many more too long, Embryos and idiots, eremites and friers White, black, and grey, with all their trumpery. Here pilgrims roam, that stray'd so far to seek In Golgotha him dead, who lives in Heaven; And they who, to be fure of Paradife, Dying put on the weeds of Dominic, Or in Franciscan think to pass difguis'd; They país the planets sev'n, and pass the fix'd, And that crystalline sphere whofe balance weighs The trepidation talk'd, and that first mov'd; And now Saint Peter at Heav'n's wicket seems To wait them with his keys, and now at foot Of Heav'n's afcent they lift their feet, when lo
A violent cross wind from either coaft Blows them transverse ten thousand leagues awry Into the devious air; then might ye fee Cowls, hoods, and habits, with their wearers toft, And flutter'd into rags, then reliques, beads, Indulgences, difpenfes, pardons, bulls, The sport of winds: all these upwhirl'd aloft Fly o'er the backside of the world far off Into a Limbo large and broad, fince call'd The Paradife of Fools, to few unknown Long after, now unpeopled and untrod. All this dark globe the Fiend found as he pafs'd, And long he wander'd, till at last a gleam Of dawning light turn'd thither-ward in hafte His travel'd fteps: far diftant he defcries Afcending by degrees magnificent Up to the wall of Heav'n a structure high ; At top whereof, but far more rich, appear'd The work as of a kingly palace gate, With frontispiece of diamond and gold Embellish'd; thick with fparkling orient gems The portal fhone, inimitable on earth By model, or by fhading pencil drawn. The stairs were fuch as whereon Jacob faw Angels afcending and defcending, bands Of guardians bright when he from Efau fled To Padan-Aram, in the field of Luz Dreaming by night under the open sky, And waking cry'd, This is the gate of Heaven. Each stair myfteriously was meant, nor stood There always, but drawn up to heav'n fometimes Viewless, and underneath a bright fea flow'd Of jafper, or of liquid pearl, whereon Who after came from earth, failing arriv'd, Wafted by angels, or flew o'er the lake Rapt in a chariot drawn by fiery steeds. The stairs were then let down, whether to dare The Fiend by eafy' afcent, or aggravate His fad exclufion from the doors of blifs : Direct against which open'd from beneath, Juft o'er the blissful feat of Paradise,
A paffage down to th' Earth, a paffage wide, Wider by far than that of after times Over mount Sion, and, tho' that were large, Over the Promis'd Land, to God fo dear, By which, to visit oft those happy tribes, On high behefts his angels to and fro Pafs'd frequent, and his eye with choice regard From Paneos, the fount of Jordan's flood To Beerfaba, where the Holy Land Borders on Egypt and th' Arabian fhore; So wide the opening feem'd, where bounds were To darkness fuch as bound the ocean wave. Satan frem hence, now on the lower stair That scal'd by steps of gold to Heaven gate Looks down with wonder at the fudden view Of all this world at once. As when a scout Through dark and defert ways with peril gone All night, at last by break of cheerful dawn Obtains the brow of fome high-climbing hill, Which to his eye discovers unaware The goodly profpect of some foreign land First feen, or fome renown'd metropolis With glift'ring spires and pinnacles adorn'd, Which now the rising sun gilds with his beams
Such wonder feiz'd, tho' after Heaven feen, The Sp'rit malign, but much more envy feiz'd, At fight of all this world beheld fo fair. Round he furveys (and well might, where he stood So high above the circling canopy
Of Night's extended shade) from eastern point Of Libra to the fleecy ftar that bears Andromeda far off Atlantic feas
Beyond th horizon; then from pole to pole He views in breadth, and without longer paufe Downright into the world's first region throws His flight precipitant, and winds with ease Through the pure marble air his oblique way Amongst innumerable stars, that fhone Stars diftant, but nigh hand seem'd other worlds: Or other worlds they feem'd, or happy ifles, Like those Hefperian gardens fam'd of old, Fortunate fields, and groves, and flow'ry vales, Thrice happy ifles, but who dwelt happy there He ftay'd not to inquire: above them all The golden fun in fplendor likeft Heaven Allur'd his eye: thither his course he bends Through the calm firmament, (but up or down, By centre, or eccentric, hard to tell, Or longitude,) where the great luminary Aloof the vulgar conftellations thick, That from his lordly eye keep distance due, Difpenfes light from far; they, as they move Their ftarry dance in numbers that compute Days, months, and years, tow`rds his all-cheering, lamp
Turn fwift their various motions, or are turn'd By his magnetic beam, that gently warms The univerfe, and to each inward part With gentle penetration, though unfeen, Shoots invifible virtue ev'n to the deep; So wondrously was fet his ftation bright. There lands the Fiend, a fpot like which perhaps Aftronomer in the fun's lucent orb
Through his glaz'd optic tube yet never faw. The place he found beyond expreffion bright, Compar'd with ought on earth, metal or tone, Not all parts like, but all alike inform'd With radiant light, as glowing ir'n with fire; If metal, part feem'd gold, part filver clear; If tone, carbuncle moft or cryfolite, Ruby or topaz, to the twelve that shone In Aaron's breaft-plate, and a stone befides Imagin'd rather oft than elsewhere feen, That ftone, or like to that, which here below Philofophers in vain fo long have fought, In vain, though by their powerful art they bind Volatile Hermes, and call up unbound, In various fhapes old Proteus from the sea, Drain'd through a limbec to his naked form. What wonder then if fields, and regions, here Breathe forth elixir pure, and rivers run Potable gold, when with one virtuous touch Th' arch-chimic fun, fo far from us remote, Produces, with terreftrial humour mix'd, Here in the dark fo many precious things Of colour glorious, and effect fo rare ? Here matter new to gaze the devil met Undazzled far and wide his eye commands, For fight no obftacle found here, or shade,
But all fun-fhine; as when his beams at noon Culminate from th' Æquator; as they now Shot upward ftill direct, whence no way round Shadow from body opaque can fall, and th' air (No where fo clear) sharpen'd his visual ray To objects diftant far, whereby he foon Saw within ken a glorious angel ftand, The fame whom John faw alfo in the fun : His back was turn'd, but not his brightnefs hid: Of beaming funny rays a golden tiar Circl'd his head, nor lefs his locks behind Illuftrious on his fhoulders, fledge with wings, Lay waving round: on fome great charge em- ploy'd
He feen'd, or fixt in cogitation deep.
Glad was the fpirit impure, as now in hope To find who might direct his wand'ring flight To paradife, the happy feat of man, His journey's end, and our beginning woe. But first he cafts to change his proper fhape, Which elfe might work him danger, or delay: And now a ftrippling Cherub he appears, Not of the prime, yet fuch as in his face Youth fmil'd celeftial, and to every limb Suitable grace diffuf'd, fo well he feign'd. Under a coronet his flowing hair
In curls on either cheek play'd; wings he wore Of many a colour'd plume, fprinkl'd with gold: His habit fit for speed fuccinct, and held Before his decent steps a filver wand. He drew not nigh unheard, the angel bright, E'er he drew nigh, his radiant vifage turn'd, Admonifh'd by his car; and ftrait was known Th' arch-angel Uriel, one of the fev'n Who in God's prefence nearest to his throne, Stand ready at command, and are his eyes That run through all the heav'ns, or down to the
Bear his swift errands, over moist and dry, O'er fea and land: him Satan thus accofts,
Uriel! for thou of thofe fev'n fpirits that stand In fight of God's high throne, gloriously bright, The firft art wont His great authentic will Interpreter through highest heav'n to bring, Where all his fons thy embaffy attend:
And here art likelieft by fupreme decree Like honour to obtain; and as his eye, To vifit oft this new creation round, Unfpeakable defire to fee, and know
All these his wondrous works, but chiefly Man, His chief delight and favour; him, for whom All these his works fo wondrous he ordain'd, Hath brought me from the choirs of Cherubin Alone this wand'ring: brightest Seraph! tell, In which of all thefe fhining orbs hath man His fixed feat, or fixed feat hath none, But all thefe fhining orbs his choice to dwell; That I may find him, and with fecret gaze, Or open admiration, him behold
On whom the great Creator hath bestow'd World, and on whom hath all thefe graces pour'd; That both in him, and all things, as is meet, The univerfal maker we may praife; Who justly hath driven out his rebel foes To deepeft Hell; and, to repair that lofs,
Created this new happy race of men, To ferve him better: wife are all his ways! So ipake the falfe diffembler unperceiv'd; For Deither Man nor Angel can difcern Hypocrify, the only evil that walks Invisible, except to God alone,
By his permiffive will, through heaven and earth: And oft though wisdom wake, fufpicion fleeps At wifdom's gate, and to fimplicity
Reigns her charge, while goodness thinks no l Where no ill feems) which now for once beguil'd Uriel, though regent of the fun, and held The harpelt fighted spirit of all in heav'n : Who to the fraudulent impoftor foul, In his uprightness answer thus return'd. Fair Angel! thy defire which tends to know The works of God, thereby to glorify The great work-mafter, leads to no excess That reaches blame, but rather merits praise The more it feems excefs, that led thee hither From thy impyreal mansion thus alone, To witnefs with thine eyes what fome perhaps, Contented with report, hear only in Heav'n: For wonderful indeed are all His works! Plafant to know, and worthieft to be all Had in remembrance always with delight. But, what created mind can comprehend Their number, or the wisdom infinite That brought them forth, but hid their caufes deep? I faw when at His word the formless mass, This world's material mould, came to a heap ; Confufion heard His voice, and wild uproar Stood rul'd, stood vast infinitude confin'd:
Till at His fecond bidding darkness fled, Light fhone, and order from diforder fprung. Swift to their feveral quarters hafted then The cumbrous elements, earth, flood, air, fire, And this ethereal quinteffence of Heav'n Flew upward, fpirited with various forms, That roll'd orbicular, and turn'd to stars, Numberless, as thou feeft, and how they move; Each had his place appointed, each his course; The reft in circuit walls this univerfe. Look downward on that globe whofe hither fide With light from hence, tho' but reflected, fhines: That place is earth, the feat of Man; that light His day, which elfe, as th' other hemifphere, Night would invade; but there the neighbouring
(So call that opposite fair star) her aid Timely interpofes, and her monthly round Still ending, ftill renewing through mid heav'n, With borrow'd light her countenance triform Hence fills, and empties, to enlighten th' earth, And in her pale dominion checks the night. That spot to which I point is Paradise, Adam's abode, those lofty fhades his bow'r; Thy way thou can'st not mifs, me mine requires. Thus faid, he turn'd; and Satan bowing low (As to fuperior fpirits is wont in heav'n, Where honour due, and reverence none neglects) Took leave, and tow'rd the coaft of earth beneath Down from th' ecliptic, fped with hop'd fuccefs, Throws his fteep flight in many an airy wheel; Nor ftaid, till on Niphates' top he lights.
Satan, now in profpect of Eden, and nigh the place where he must now attempt the bold enterprife which he undertook alone against God and Man, falls into many doubts with himself, and many paffions, fear, envy, and despair: but at length confirms himself in evil, journeys on to Paradife, whofe outward profpect and fituation is described, overleaps the bounds, fits in the fhape of a cormorant on the tree of Life, as highest in the garden, to look about him. The garden defcribed; Satan's first fight of Adam and Eve; his wonder at their excellent form and happy state, 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 farther of their state by some other means. Meanwhile Uriel defcending on a fun beam warns Gabriel (who had in charge the gate of Paradise) that fome evil spirit had escaped the Deep, and past at noon by his sphere in the shape of a good Angel down to Paradise, discovered afterwards by his furious geftures in the mount: Gabriel promifes to find him e'er morning. Night coming on, Adam and Eve difcourfe of going to their reft: their bower defcribed; their evening worship. Gabriel drawing forth his hands of night watch to walk the round of Paradise, appoints two strong Angels to Adam's bower, left the evil spirit should 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 whomiquestion'd, he fcornfully answers, prepares resistance, but, hinder'd by a fign from heav'n, flies out of Paradise.
FOR that warning voice, which he who saw Th' Apocalyps heard cry in Heav'n aloud, Then when the Dragon, put to fecond rout, Came furious down to be reveng'd on men, Wo to th' inhabitants on earth! that now, While time was, our first parents had been warn'd The coming of their fecret foe, and 'fcap'd, Happily, fo 'fcap'd his mortal snare: for now Satan, now first inflam'd with rage, came down, The tempter e'er th accufer of mankind, To wreck on innocent frail man his lofs Of that first battle, and his flight to Hell: Yet not rejoicing in his speed, tho' bold, Far off and fearlefs, nor with cause to boast, Begins his dire attempt, which nigh the birth Now rolling boils in his tumultuous breast, And like a devilish engine back recoils Upon himself; horror and doubt distract His troubled thoughts, and from the bottom stir The Hell within him; for within him Hell
That flumber'd, wakes the bittter memory Of what he was, what is, and what must be, Worfe; of worse deeds, worse suffering must enfue. Sometimes tow'rds Eden, which now in his view Lay pleasant, his griev'd look he fixes fad; Sometime tow'rds Heaven and the full-blazing Which now fat high in his meridian tower: [fun, Then much revolving, thus in fighs began:
O thou that with furpaffing glory crown'd, Look'it from thy fole dominion like the God Of this new world; at whofe fight all the stars Hide their diminish'd heads; to thee I call, But with no friendly voice, and add thy name, O Sun, to tell thee how I hate thy beams, That bring to my remembrance from what ftate I fell, how glorious once above thy sphere ;
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