How first began this Heav'n which we behold
Distant so high, with moving Fires adornd
Innumerable, and this which yeelds or fills
All space, the ambient Aire wide interfus'd
Imbracing round this florid Earth, what cause
Mov'd the Creator in his holy Rest
Through all Eternitie fo late to build
In Chaos, and the work begun, how soon
Abfolv'd, if unforbid thou maist unfould
What wee, not to explore the fecrets aske
Of his Eternal Empire, but the more
To magnifie his works, the more we know.
And the great Light of Day yet wants to run
Much of his Race though steep, suspens in Heav'n
Held by thy voice, thy potent voice he heares, 100
And longer will delay to heare thee tell
His Generation, and the rifing Birth
Of Nature from the unapparent Deep:
Or if the Starr of Eevning and the Moon
Haste to thy audience, Night with her will bring
Silence, and Sleep liftning to thee will watch,
Or we can bid his abfence, till thy Song
End, and dismiss thee ere the Morning shine.
Thus Adam his illuftrious Guest befought:
And thus the Godlike Angel answerd milde.
This alfo thy request with caution afkt
Obtaine: though to recount Almightie works
What words or tongue of Seraph can suffice,
Or heart of man fuffice to comprehend?
Yet what thou canst attain, which best may serve
To glorifie the Maker, and inferr
Thee alfo happier, fhall not be withheld
Thy hearing, fuch Commiffion from above
I have receav'd, to answer thy defire
Of knowledge within bounds; beyond abstain 120
To afk, nor let thine own inventions hope
Things not reveal'd, which th' invisible King,
Onely Omniscient, hath supprest in Night,
To none communicable in Earth or Heaven:
Anough is left befides to fearch and know.
But Knowledge is as food, and needs no less
Her Temperance over Appetite, to know
In measure what the mind may well contain,
Oppreffes elfe with Surfet, and foon turns
Wisdom to Folly, as Nourishment to Winde. 130
Know then, that after Lucifer from Heav'n
(So call him, brighter once amidst the Hoft
Of Angels, then that Starr the Starrs among)
Fell with his flaming Legions through the Deep
Into his place, and the great Son returnd
Victorious with his Saints, th' Omnipotent
Eternal Father from his Throne beheld
Thir multitude, and to his Son thus spake.
At least our envious Foe hath fail'd, who thought All like himself rebellious, by whose aid This inacceffible high strength, the seat Of Deitie fupream, us difpoffeft,
He trusted to have feis'd, and into fraud
Drew many, whom thir place knows here no more;
Yet farr the greater part have kept, I see,
Thir station, Heav'n yet populous retaines
Number fufficient to poffefs her Realmes
Though wide, and this high Temple to frequent
With Minifteries due and folemn Rites:
But leaft his heart exalt him in the harme
Already done, to have difpeopl'd Heav'n,
My damage fondly deem'd, I can repaire
That detriment, if fuch it be to lose
Self-loft, and in a moment will create
Another World, out of one man a Race
Of men innumerable, there to dwell,
Not here, till by degrees of merit rais'd
They open to themselves at length the way
Up hither, under long obedience tri'd,
And Earth be chang'd to Heavn, & Heav'n to Earth,
One Kingdom, Joy and Union without end.
Mean while inhabit laxe, ye Powers of Heav'n,
And thou my Word, begotten Son, by thee
This I perform, fpeak thou, and be it don:
My overshadowing Spirit and might with thee
I send along, ride forth, and bid the Deep
Within appointed bounds be Heav'n and Earth,
Boundless the Deep, because I am who fill
Infinitude, nor vacuous the space.
Though I uncircumfcrib'd my self retire,
And put not forth my goodness, which is free
To act or not, Neceffitie and Chance
Approach not mee, and what I will is Fate.
So fpake th' Almightie, and to what he spake His Word, the Filial Godhead, gave effect. Immediate are the Acts of God, more fwift Then time or motion, but to human ears Cannot without process of speech be told, So told as earthly notion can receave. Great triumph and rejoycing was in Heav'n When fuch was heard declar'd the Almightie's will;
Glorie they fung to the moft High, good will
To future men, and in thir dwellings peace:
Glorie to him whofe juft avenging ire
Had driven out th' ungodly from his fight
And th' habitations of the juft; to him
Glorie and praise, whose wisdom had ordain'd
Good out of evil to create, in stead
Of Spirits maligne a better Race to bring
Into thir vacant room, and thence diffufe
His good to Worlds and Ages infinite.
So fang the Hierarchies: Mean while the Son
On his great Expedition now appeer'd,
Girt with Omnipotence, with Radiance crown'd
Of Majestie Divine, Sapience and Love
Immense, and all his Father in him fhon.
About his Chariot numberlefs were pour'd
Cherub and Seraph, Potentates and Thrones,
And Vertues, winged Spirits, and Chariots wing'd,
From the Armoury of God, where ftand of old 200
Myriads between two brazen Mountains lodg'd
Against a folemn day, harnest at hand,
Celestial Equipage; and now came forth
Spontaneous, for within them Spirit livd,
Attendant on thir Lord: Heav'n op'nd wide
Her ever during Gates, Harmonious found
On golden Hinges moving, to let forth
The King of Glorie in his powerful Word
And Spirit coming to create new Worlds.
On heav'nly ground they stood, and from the shore
They view'd the vast immeasurable Abyss
Outrageous as a Sea, dark, wasteful, wilde,
Up from the bottom turn'd by furious windes
And furging waves, as Mountains to affault Heav'ns highth, and with the Center mix the Pole. Silence, ye troubl'd waves, and thou Deep, peace, Said then th' Omnific Word, your discord end: Nor ftaid, but on the Wings of Cherubim Uplifted, in Paternal Glorie rode
Farr into Chaos, and the World unborn;
For Chaos heard his voice: him all his Traine
Follow'd in bright proceffion to behold
Creation, and the wonders of his might.
Then ftaid the fervid Wheeles, and in his hand
He took the golden Compaffes, prepar'd
In Gods Eternal store, to circumfcribe
This Universe, and all created things:
One foot he center'd, and the other turn'd
Round through the vast profunditie obscure,
And said, thus farr extend, thus farr thy bounds,
This be thy just Circumference, O World.
Thus God the Heav'n created, thus the Earth,
Matter unform'd and void: Darkness profound
Cover'd th' Abyss: but on the watrie calme
His brooding wings the Spirit of God outspred,
And vital vertue infus'd, and vital warmth
Throughout the fluid Mass, but downward purg'd
The black tartareous cold infernal dregs
Adverse to life; then founded, then conglob'd
Like things to like, the rest to several place 240
Difparted, and between spun out the Air,
And Earth felf-ballanc't on her Center hung.
Let ther be Light, faid God, and forthwith Light
Ethereal, first of things, quinteffence pure
Sprung from the Deep, and from her Native East
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