With what may be devis'd of honours new
Receive him coming to receive from us
Knee-tribute yet unpaid, proftration vile,
Too much to one, but double how endur'd,
To one and to his image now proclaim'd?
But what if better counfels might erect
Our minds, and teach us to caft off this Yoke?
Will ye fubmit your necks, and chufe to bend
The supple knee? ye will not, if I trust
To know ye right, or if ye know your felves
Natives and Sons of Heav'n poffeft before
By none, and if not equal all, yet free,
Equally free; for Orders and Degrees
Jar not with liberty, but well confist.
Who can in reason then or right affume
Monarchy over fuch as live by right
His equals, if in power and splendor less,
In freedom equal; or can introduce
Law and Edict on us, who without law
Err not, much lefs for this to be our Lord,
And look for adoration to th' abuse
Of those Imperial Titles which affert
Our being ordain'd to govern, not to ferve?
Thus far this bold difcourfe 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 fevere
The current of his fury thus oppos'd.
O argument blafphemous, falfe and proud!
Words which no ear ever to hear in Heav'n
Expected, least of all from thee, ingrate
In place thy felf fo high above thy Peers.
Cantt thou with impious Obloquy condemn
The juft Decree of God, pronounc'd and fworn,
That to his only Son by right endu'd
With regal Scepter, every Soul in Heav'n
Shall bend the knee, and in that honour due
Confefs him rightful King? unjust thou faift
Flatly unjuft, to bind with Laws the free,
And equal over equals to let Reign,
One over all with unfucceeded power.
Shalt thou give Law to God, fhalt thou difpute
With him the points of liberty, who made
Thee what thou art, and form'd the Pow'rs of Heav'n
Such as he pleas'd, and circumfcrib'd 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
To make us lefs, bent rather to exalt
Our happy ftate under one Head more near
United. But to grant it thee unjust,
That equal over equals Monarch Reign:
Thy felf though great and glorious doft thou count, Or all Angelic Nature join'd in one,
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 nam'd
Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers,
Essential Powers, nor by his Reign obscur'd,
But more illuftrious made, fince he the Head
One of our number thus reduc'd becomes,
His Laws our Laws, all honour to him done
Returns our own. Ceafe then this impious rage 845
And tempt not these; but haft'n to appease
Th'incensed Father, and th' incensed Son,
While Pardon may be found in time befought.
So fpake the fervent Angel, but his zeal
None feconded, as out of feafon judg'd,
Or fingular and rash, whereat rejoic'd
Th' Apoftat, and more haughty thus reply'd.
That we were form'd then faift thou? and the work
Of fecondary hands, by task transferr'd
From Father to his Son? ftrange point and new? 855
Doctrine which we would know whence learnt: who
When this creation was? rememberft thou
Thy making, while the Maker gave thee being?
We know no time when we were not as now;
Know none before us, felf-begot, felf-rais'd
By our own quick'ning power, when fatal courfe
Had circl'd his full Orb, the birth mature
Of this our native Heav'n, Ethereal Sons.
Our puffance is our own, our own right hand
Shall teach us highest deeds, by proof to try 865
Who is our equal: then thou shalt behold
Whether by fupplication we intend
Addrefs, and to begint th'Almighty Throne
Befeeching or befieging. This report,
These tidings carry to th' anointed King;
And fly, e'er evil intercept thy flight.
He faid, and as the found of waters deep Hoarfe murmur echo'd to his words applause Through the infinite Hoft, nor less for that The flaming Seraph fearless, though alone Encompafs'd round with foes, thus answer'd bold. O alienate from God, O Spirit accurft, Forfak'n of all good; I fee thy fall. Determin'd, and thy haplefs crew involv'd In this perfidious fraud, contagion fpred Both of thy crime and punishment: henceforth No more be troubl'd how to quit the yoke Of God's Meffiah; thofe indulgent Laws Will not be now vouchfaft, other Decrees Against thee are gone forth without recal; That Golden Scepter which thou didst reject Is now an Iron Rod to bruife and break Thy difobedience. Well thou didst advise, Yet not for thy advice or threats 1 fly These wicked Tents devoted, leaft the wrath Impendent, raging into fudden flame Diftinguish not: for foon expect to feel His Thunder on thy head, devouring fire, Then who created thee lamenting learn,
When who can uncreate thee thou shalt know. 895 So fpake the Seraph Abdiel faithful found,
Among the faithlefs, faithful only he;
Among innumerable falfe, unmov'd,
Unfhak'n, unfeduc'd, unterrify'd
His Loyalty he kept, his Love, his Zeal;
Nor number, nor example with him wrought
To fwerve from truth, or change his conftant mind
Though fingle. From amidst them forth he pass'd,
Long way through fcorn, which he fuftain'd
Superior, nor of violence fear'd ought;
And with retorted fcorn his back he turn'd
On those proud Towrs to swift destruction doom'd.
The End of the Fifth Book.
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