All thy dominion, Adam, is no more Than what this garden is to all the earth, And all the sea, from one entire globose Stretch'd into longitude; which having pass'd, At length into the limits of the north They came; and Satan to his royal seat High on a hill, far blazing, as a mount Rais'd on a mount, with pyramids and towers From diamond quarries hewn, and rocks of gold; The palace of great Lucifer, (so call That structure in the dialect of men Interpreted), which not long after, he Affecting all equality with God,
In imitation of that mount whereon Messiah was declared in sight of Heaven, The Mountain of the Congregation1 call'd; For thither he assembled all his train, Pretending so commanded, to consult About the great reception of their King, Thither to come, and with calumnious art Of counterfeited truth thus held their ears.
Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers; If these magnifick titles yet remain
Not merely titular, since by decree
Another now hath to himself engross'd
All power, and us eclips'd, under the name Of King anointed, for whom all this haste Of midnight-march, and hurried meeting here, This only to consult how we may best, With what may be devised of honours new, Receive him coming to receive from us Knee-tribute yet unpaid, prostration vile!
1 Mountain of Congregation:' see Isaiah xiv. 13.
Too much to one! but double how endur'd, To one, and to his image now proclaim'd? But what if better counsels might erect
Our minds, and teach us to cast off this yoke? Will ye submit your necks, and choose to bend The supple knee? Ye will not, if I trust To know ye right, or if ye know yourselves Natives and sons of Heaven possess'd before By none; and if not equal all, yet free, Equally free; for orders and degrees Jar not with liberty, but well consist. Who can in reason then, or right, assume Monarchy over such as live by right His equals, if in power and splendour less, In freedom equal? or can introduce Law and edíct on us, who without law Err not? much less for this to be our Lord, And look for adoration, to the abuse
Of those imperial titles, which assert Our being ordain'd to govern, not to serve.
Thus far his bold discourse without controul Had audience; when among the Seraphim Abdiel, than whom none with more zeal ador'd The Deity, and divine commands obey'd, Stood up, and in a flame of zeal severe The current of his fury thus oppos'd.
O argument blasphemous, false, and proud! Words which no ear ever to hear in Heaven Expected, least of all from thee, Ingrate, In place thyself so high above thy peers. Canst thou with impious obloquy condemn The just decree of God, pronounc'd and sworn, That to his only Son, by right endued With regal scepter, every soul in Heaven
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, One over all with unsucceeded power.
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 Powers of Heaven Such as he pleas'd, and circumscrib'd their being?
Yet, by experience taught, we know how good,
And of our good and of our dignity
How provident he is; how far from thought To make us less, bent rather to exalt Our happy state, under one head more near United. But to grant it thee unjust, That equal over equals monarch reign: Thyself though great and glorious, dost thou count, Or all angelick nature join'd in one,
Equal to him, begotten Son? by whom,
As by his Word, the mighty Father made
All things, even thee; and all the Spirits of Heaven By him created in their bright degrees,
Crown'd them with glory, and to their glory named Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers, Essential Powers; nor by his reign obscur'd, But more illustrious made; since he the Head, One of our number thus reduc'd becomes; His laws our laws; all honour to him done Returns our own. Cease then this impious rage, And tempt not these; but hasten to appease The incensed Father and the incensed Son, While pardon may be found in time besought.
So spake the fervent Angel; but his zeal None seconded, as out of season judg'd,
Or singular and rash: Whereat rejoiced The 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! Doctrine which we would know whence learn'd: who saw Whence 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-rais'd By our own quick'ning power, when fatal course Had circled his full orb, the birth mature Of this our native Heaven, ethereal sons. Our puissance is our own; our own right hand Shall teach us highest deeds, by proof to try Who is our equal: Then thou shalt behold Whether by supplication we intend
Address, and to begirt the almighty throne Beseeching or besieging. This report, These tidings carry to the anointed King; And fly, ere evil intercept thy flight.
He said; and, as the sound of waters deep, Hoarse murmur echoed to his words applause Through the infinite host: nor less for that The flaming Seraph, fearless though alone Encompass'd round with foes, thus answer'd bold. O alienate from God, O Spirit accurs'd, Forsaken of all good! I see thy fall Determin'd, and thy hapless crew involved In this perfidious fraud, contagion spread Both of thy crime and punishment: Henceforth No more be troubled how to quit the yoke Of God's Messiah; those indulgent laws Will not be now vouchsaf'd; other decrees
Against thee are gone forth without recall; That golden scepter, which thou didst reject, Is now an iron rod to bruise and break Thy disobedience. Well thou didst advise; Yet not for thy advice or threats I fly These wicked tents devoted, lest the wrath Impendent, raging into sudden flame, Distinguish not: For soon expect to feel His thunder on thy head, devouring fire. Then who created thee lamenting learn, When who can uncreate thee thou shalt know. So spake the Seraph Abdiel, faithful found Among the faithless, faithful only he; Among innumerable false, unmov'd, Unshaken, unseduc'd, unterrified.
His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal; Nor number, nor example, with him wrought To swerve from truth, or change his constant mind, Though single. From amidst them forth he pass'd, Long way through hostile scorn, which he sustain'd Superiour, nor of violence fear'd aught;
And, with retorted scorn, his back he turn'd On those proud towers to swift destruction doom'd.
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