How firft began this heav'n, which we behold
Diftant fo 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'st 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 fteep, fufpence 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 un-apparent Deep:
Or if the star of ev'ning, and the moon
Hafte to thy audience, night with her will bring
Silence; and Sleep, lift'ning to thee, will watch;
Or, we can bid his absence, 'till thy song
End, and difmifs thee ere the morning fhine.
Thus ADAM his illuftrious gueft befought;
And thus the God-like Angel answer'd mild.
This alfo thy request, with caution afk'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 canst attain, (which best
To glorify the Maker, and infer
Thee alfo happier) fhall not be with-held
Thy hearing: fuch commiffion from above
I have receiv'd, to answer thy defire
Of knowledge within bounds: beyon1, abstain
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 less
Her temperance over appetite, to know
In meafure what the mind may well contain:
Oppreffes elfe with furfeit and foon turns
Wisdom to folly, as nourishment to wind.
Know then, that after LUCIFER from heav'n
(So call him, brighter once amidst the host
Of Angels, than that star the stars among)
Fell with his flaming legions through the Deep
Into his place, and the Great Son return'd
Victorious with his Saints, th' Omnipotent
Eternal FATHER from His throne beheld
Their multitude, and to His Son this spake.
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 difpoffeft,
He trufted to have feiz'd, and into fraud
Drew many, whom their place knows here no more;
Yet far the greater part have kept, I fee,
Their station; 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 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 themfelves 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.
Mean while inhabit lax, ye Pow'rs of heav'n!
And Thou My WORD, begotten SoN! by Thee
This I perform: fpeak Thou, and be it done.
My over-fhadowing 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 My felf, 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 rejoycing 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! Whofe juft avenging ire
Had driven out th' ungodly from His fight,
And th'habitations of the juft: to Him
Glory and praise! Whofe Wisdom had ordain'd
Girt with Omnipotence, with radiance crown'd
Of Majefty Divine: fapience and love
Immense, and all His FATHER in him fhon.
About His chariot numberless were pour'd
Cherub, and Seraph, Potentates and Thrones,
And Virtues winged spirits, and chariots wing'd,
From th' armory of GoD; where stand of old
Myriads, between two brazen mountains lodg'd
Against a folemn day, harnefs'd at hand,
Coeleftial equipage! and now came forth
Spontaneous (for within them fpirit liv'd
Attendant on their Lord: heav'n open'd wide
Her ever-during gates, harmonious found!
On golden hinges moving, to let forth
The King of Glory, in His pow'rful WORD,
And SPIRIT, coming to create new Worlds.
On heav'nly ground they ftood, and from the fhore
They view'd the vaft immeasurable 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 Discord end-
Nor ftaid; 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 ftaid the fervid Wheels, and in His hand
He took the golden compaffes, prepar'd
In God's eternal flore to circumfcribe
This Universe, and all created things.
One foot He center'd, and the other turn'd
Round through the vaft profundity obfcure;
And faid, Thus far extend, thus far thy bounds,
This be thy juft circumference, O world!
Thus GOD the heav'n created, thus the earth;
Matter unform'd and void! Darkness profound
Cover'd th' abyfs; but on the watry calm
His brooding wings the SPIRIT of GoD out-fpread,
And vital virtue infus'd, and vital warmth
Throughout the fluid mass: but downward purg'd
The black, tartareous, cold, infernal dregs,
Adverfe to life: then founded, then conglob'd
Like things to like; the reft to feveral place
Difparted; and between, fpun out the air:
And earth felf-balanc'd on her centre hung.
Let there be light! faid GoD: and forthwith light
Ethereal, firit of things, quinteffence pure,
Sprung from the Deep: and from her native caft,
To journey through the aery gloom began,
Sphear'd in a radiant cloud; (for yet the Sun
Was not) fhe in a cloudy tabernacle
Sojourn'd the while. Gop faw the light was good;
And light from darkness by the hemifphere
Divided light the day, and darkness night
He nam'd. Thus was the First Day ev'n and morn:
Nor paft uncelebrated, nor unfung
By the cœleftial choirs, when orient light
Exhaling firft from darkness they beheld:
Birth-day of heav'n and earth! with joy, and shout,
The hollow universal orb they fill'd;
And touch'd their golden harps, and hymning prais'd
GOD, and His works; Creator Him they fung,
Both when Fisft Ev'ning was, and when First Morn.
Again, GOD faid, Let there be firmament
Amid the waters, and let it divide
The waters from the waters! Ard God made
The firmament expanfe of liquid, pure,
Tranfparent, elemental air, diffus'd
In circuit to the uttermoft convex
Cf this great Round: partition firm and fure,
'The waters underneath from those above
Dividing for as earth, fo He the world
Built on circumfluous waters calm, in wide
Crystalline ocean, and the loud mif-rule
Of CHAOS far remov'd; lest fierce extremes
Contiguous might diflemper the whole frame;
And heav'n He nam'd the firmament: fo ev'n
And morning chorus fung the Second Day.
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