The doubts that in his heart arofe: and now
Ìed on, yet finless, with defire to know
What nearer might concern him, how this world
Of heav'n and earth confpicuous firft began,
When, and whereof created, for what cause,
What within Eden or without was done
Before his memory, as one whose drought
Yet fcarce allay'd ftill eyes the current stream,
Whofe liquid murmur heard new thirst excites,
Proceeded thus to ask his heav'nly guest.
Great things, and full of wonder in our ears, 70: Far diff'ring from this world, thou haft reveal'd, Divine interpreter, by favour fent
Down from the empyréan to forewarnt
Us timely' of what might elfe have been our lofs,
Unknown, which human knowledge could not reach:
For which to th' infinitely Good we owe
Immortal thanks, and his admonishment:
Receive with folemn purpose to obferve.
Immutably his fov'reign will, the end
Of what we are. But fince thou haft vouchfaf'd 80
Gently for our inftruction to impart
Things above earthly thought, which yet concern'd
Our knowing, as to higheft Wifdom feem'd,
Deign to defcend now lower, and relate
What may no lefs perhaps avail us known,
How first began this heav'n, which we behold
Distant so high, with moving fires adorn'd
Innumerable; and this which yields or fills
All space, the ambient air wide interfus'd,
Embracing round this florid earth; what cause
Mov'd the Creator, in his holy rest
Through all eternity, fo.late to build
In Chaos; and the work begun, how foon
Abfolv'd; if unforbid thou may'ft unfold
What we, not to explore the fecrets, afk
Of his eternal empire, but the more
To magnify his works, the more we know.
And the great light of day yet wants to run
Much of his race though fleep; fufpenfe in heav'n,
Held by thy voice, thy potent voice, he hears,
And longer will delay to hear thee tell
His generation, and the rifing birth
Of nature from the unapparent deep:
Or if the ftar of ev'ning and the moon
Hafte to thy audience, night with her will bring 105
Silence, and Sleep lift'ning to thee will watch;
Or we can bid his absence, till thy fong
End, and difmifs thee ere the morning fhine.
Thus Adam his illuftrious gueft befought:
And thus the godlike angel anfwer'd mild.
This alfo thy request with caution ask'd
Obtain; though to recount almighty works
What words or tongue of seraph can fuffice,
Or heart of man fuffice to comprehend?
Yet what thou canft attain, which beft may ferve 115 To glorify the Maker, and infer
Thee alfo happier, fhall not be withheld
Thy hearing; fuch commiffion from above
I have receiv'd, to answer thy defire
Of knowledge within bounds; beyond abftain
To afk, nor let thine own inventions hope
Things not reveal'd, which th' invifible King,
Only omniscient, hath fupprefs'd in night,
To none communicable in earth or heav'n :
Enough is left befides to fearch and know.
But knowledge is as food, and needs no lefs
Her temp'rance over appetite, to know
In measure what the mind may well contain;
Oppreffes elfe with furfeit, and foen-turns
Wisdom to folly', as nourishment to wind.
Know then, that after Lucifer from heav'n
(So call him, brighter once amidst the hoft
Of angels, than that ftar the ftars among.)
Fell with his flaming legions through the deep
Into his place, a the great Son return'd
Victorious with his faints, the omnipotent.
Eternal Father from his throne beheld.
Their multitude, and to his Son thus fpake.
At least our envious foe hath fail'd, who thought
All like himself rebellious, by whose aid
This inacceffible high ftrength, the feat
Of Deity fupreme, us difpoffefs'd,
He trusted to have feiz'd, and into fraud
Drew many, whom their place here knows no more :
Yet far the greater part have kept, I fee,
Their ftation; heav'n yet populous retains
Number fufficient to poffefs her realms
Though wide, and this high temple to frequent:
With minifteries due and folemn rites :
But left his heart exalt him in the harm
Already done, to have difpeopled heav'n,-
My damage fondly deem'd, I can repair
That detriment, if fuch it be, to lofe
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 try'd;
And earth be chang'd to heav'n, and heav'n to earth,
One kingdom, joy and union without end.
Meanwhile inhabit lax, ye powers of heav'n;
And thou my Word, begotten Son, by thee
This 1-perform; fpeak thou, and be it done:
L. 6.
My overshadowing Spirit and might with thee
I fend 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 myfelf retire,
And put not forth my goodness, which is free
To act or not, neceffity and chance
Approach not me, and what I will is fate.
So fpake th' Almighty, and to what he spake
His Word, the Filial Godhead, gave effect.
Immediate are the acts of God, more swift
Than time or motion; but to human ears
Cannot without process of speech be told,
So told as earthly notion can receive.
Great triumph and rejoicing was in heav'n,
When fuch was heard declar'd th' Almighty's will:
Glory they fung to the Moft High, good will
To future men, and in their dwellings peace!
Glory to him, whose just avenging ire
Had driv'n out th' ungodly from his fight,
And th' habitations of the juft; to him
Glory and praite, whofe wifdom had ordain'd
Good out of evil to create, instead
Girt with omnipotence, with radiance crown'd
Of majesty divine; fapience and love
Immenfe, and all his Father in him fhone.
About his chariot numberlefs were pour'd
Cherub and feraph, potentates and thrones,
And virtues, winged fpirits, and chariots wing'd
From the armoury of God; where stand of old 200:
Myriads between two brazen mountains lodg'd
Against a folemn day, harnefs'd at hand,
Celestial equipage; and now came forth
Spontaneous, for within them fpirit liv'd,
Attendant on their Lord: heav'n open'd wide, 205
Her ever-during gates, harmonious found
On golden hinges moving, to let forth
The King of Glory in his powerful Word
And Spirit coming to create new worlds.
On heavenly ground they stood, and from the shore
They view'd the vaft immeafurable abyss,
Outrageous as a fea, dark, wafteful, wild,
Up from the bottom turn'd by furious winds,
And furging waves, as mountains, to affault
Heav'n's height, and with the centre mix the pole.
Silence, ye troubled waves! and thou deep, peace !
Said then th' omnific Word, your difcord end:
Nor ftay'd; but on the wings of cherubim.
Uplifted, in paternal glory rode
Far into Chaos, and the world unborn;
For Chaos heard his voice: him all his train
Follow'd in bright proceffion, to behold
Creation, and the wonders of his might.
Then ftay'd the fervid wheels, and in his hand
He took the golden compaffes, prepar'd
In God's eternal ftore, to circumfcribe
This universe, and all created things:
One foot he center'd, and the other turn'd
Round thro' the vast profundity obfcure,
And faid, Thus far extend, thus far thy bounds, 230 This be thy just circumference, O world.
Thus God the heaven created, thus the earth, Matter unform'd and void: darkness profound Cover'd th' abyfs; but on the wat'ry calm
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