As from the mine. Meanwhile at table Eve Then had the sons of God excuse to have been Thus when with meats and drinks they had suffic'd, Not burden'd nature, sudden mind arose In Adam not to let the occasion pass, Giv'n him by this great conference, to know "As that more willingly thou couldst not seem 66 "O Adam! one Almighty is, from whom 470"All things proceed, and up to him return, "If not depraved from good, created all "Such to perfection, one first matter all, "Endued with various forms, various degrees "Of substance, and, in things that live, of life; 475 "But more refin'd, more spirituous and pure, "As nearer to him plac'd, or nearer tending, "Each in their several active spheres assign'd; "Till body up to spirit work, in bounds 66 Proportion'd to each kind. So, from the root 480"Springs lighter the green stalk; from thence the leaves, "More aery; last, the bright consummate flower 485 "To intellectual-give both life and sense, "Is oftest yours, the latter most is ours; 66 To proper substance. Time may come, when men "With angels may participate, and find 495"No inconvenient diet, nor too light fare; "And from these corporal nutriments, perhaps, 500 "Here, or in heavenly Paradises, dwell; 66 Unalterably firm, his love entire, "Whose progeny you are. Meanwhile, enjoy "Your fill what happiness this happy state 505 "Can comprehend, incapable of more." 510 To whom the patriarch of mankind replied: "Well hast thou taught the way that might direct "By steps we may ascend to God. But say, 515 "To him? or possibly his love desert, "Who form'd us from the dust, and plac'd us here, "Full to the utmost measure of what bliss "Human desires can seek, or apprehend?" To whom the angel: "Son of heaven and earth! 520"Attend. That thou art happy, owe to God; "That thou continuest such, owe to thyself, "That is, to thy obedience; therein stand. "This was that caution given thee: be advis'd. "God made thee perfect, not immutable; "And good he made thee; but to persevere "He left it in thy power; ordain'd thy will "By nature free, not overrul'd by fate "Inextricable, or strict necessity. "Our voluntary service he requires, "Not our necessitated; such with him 525 530 535 540 66 Finds no acceptance, nor can find; for how "Can hearts not free be tried, whether they serve, 66 Myself, and all the angelic host, that stand "In sight of God enthron'd, our happy state "Because we freely love, as in our will "To love or not; in this we stand or fall, 545" Attentive, and with more delighted ear, 550 "Divine instructor! I have heard, than when "To be both will and deed created free; 66 Yet, that we never shall forget to love "Our Maker, and obey him whose command "Assur'd me, and still assure: though what thou tell'st "Hath pass'd in heaven, some doubt within me move, 555" But more desire, to hear, if thou consent, "The full relation, which must needs be strange, 560 565 570 "And we have yet large day, for scarce the sun "High matter thou enjoin'st me, O prime of men! "And perfect, while they stood? how, last, unfold "Not lawful to reveal? Yet, for thy good "This is dispens'd: and what surmounts the reach 66 'By lik'ning spiritual to corporal forms, "As may express them best: though what if earth 575 "Be but the shadow of heaven, and things therein "Each to other like, more than on earth is thought? 66 As yet this world was not, and Chaos wild 66 66 Reign'd where these heavens now roll, where earth now 66 rests Upon her centre pois'd; when on a day, 580"(For time, though in eternity, applied "To motion, measures all things durable "By present, past, and future,) on such day "As heaven's great year brings forth, the empyreal host 585 "Innumerable before the Almighty's throne 590 "Ten thousand thousand ensigns high advanc'd, "Recorded eminent. Thus when in orbs 595 "Of circuit inexpressible they stood, "Orb within orb, the Father Infinite, "By whom in bliss imbosom'd sat the Son, Amidst, as from a flaming mount whose top "Brightness had made invisible, thus spake: "Hear, all ye angels, progeny of light, 600 66 "Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers! 666 My only Son, and on this holy hill 605"Him have anointed, whom ye now behold "At my right hand: your head I him appoint; "And by myself have sworn, to him shall bow "All knees in heaven, and shall confess him Lord: "Under his great vicegerent reign abide 610" United, as one individual soul, "For ever happy: him who disobeys, "Me disobeys, breaks union, and that day, "Cast out from God and blessed vision, falls "Into utter darkness, deep ingulf'd, his place 615 "Ordain'd without redemption, without end.' "So spake th' Omnipotent, and with his words "All seem'd well pleas'd-all seem'd, but were not all. "That day, as other solemn days, they spent "In song and dance about the sacred hill; 620" Mystical dance! which yonder starry sphere "Of planets, and of fix'd, in all her wheels, "Resembles nearest; mazes intricate, "Eccentric, intervolv'd, yet regular "Then most, when most irregular they seem; 625" And in their motions harmony divine "So smooths her charming tones, that God's own ear "Listens delighted. Ev'ning now approach'd; "(For we have also ev'ning and our morn, "We ours for change delectable, not need :) 630 "Forthwith from dance to sweet repast they turn "Desirous; all in circles as they stood, |