Faire Angel, thy defire which tends to know The works of God, thereby to glorifie
The great Work-Maister, leads to no excess That reaches blame, but rather merits praise The more it seems excefs, that led thee hither From thy Empyreal Manfion thus alone, To witness with thine eyes what fome perhaps Contented with report heare onely in heav'n: 701 For wonderful indeed are all his works, Pleasant to know, and worthiest to be all Had in remembrance alwayes with delight; But what created mind can comprehend Thir number, or the wifdom infinite
That brought them forth, but hid thir caufes deep. I faw when at his Word the formless Mafs, This worlds material mould, came to a heap: Confufion heard his voice, and wilde uproar Stood rul'd, ftood vaft infinitude confin'd; Till at his fecond bidding darkness fled, Light shon, and order from diforder sprung: Swift to thir several Quarters hafted then
The cumbrous Elements, Earth, Flood, Aire, Fire, And this Ethereal quinteffence of Heav'n Flew upward, fpirited with various forms, That rowld orbicular, and turnd to Starrs Numberless, as thou feeft, and how they move; Each had his place appointed, each his course, The rest in circuit walles this Universe. Look downward on that Globe whofe hither fide With light from hence, though but reflected, shines; That place is Earth the feat of Man, that light His day, which elfe as th' other Hemisphere
Night would invade, but there the neighbouring (So call that oppofite fair Starr) her aide [Moon Timely interposes, and her monthly round
Still ending, still renewing through mid Heav'n, With borrowd light her countenance triform Hence fills and empties to enlighten the Earth, And in her pale dominion checks the night. 731 That spot to which I point is Paradife,
Adams abode, thofe loftie fhades his Bowre. Thy way thou canst not mifs, me mine requires. Thus faid, he turnd, and Satan bowing low, As to fuperior Spirits is wont in Heav'n, Where honour due and reverence none neglects, Took leave, and toward the coast of Earth beneath, Down from th' Ecliptic, sped with hop'd success, Throws his steep flight in many an Aerie wheele, Nor staid, till on Niphates top he lights.
The End of the Third Book.
FOR that warning voice, which he who faw
Th' Apocalyps, heard cry in Heaven aloud,
Then when the Dragon, put to second rout, Came furious down to be reveng'd on men, Wo to the inhabitants on Earth! that now, While time was, our first Parents had bin warnd The coming of thir secret foe, and scap'd Haply fo fcap'd his mortal fnare; for now Satan, now first inflam'd with rage, came down, The Tempter ere th' Accufer of man-kind, To wreck on innocent frail man his lofs Of that first Battel, and his flight to Hell: Yet not rejoycing in his speed, though bold, Far off and fearless, nor with cause to boast, Begins his dire attempt, which nigh the birth Now rowling, boiles in his tumultuous breft, And like a devillish Engine back recoiles Upon himself; horror and doubt distract His troubl❜d thoughts, and from the bottom stirr The Hell within him, for within him Hell He brings, and round about him, nor from Hell
One step no more then from himself can fly
By change of place: Now conscience wakes despair That flumberd, wakes the bitter memorie
Of what he was, what is, and what must be Worfe; of worse deeds worse sufferings must enfue. Sometimes towards Eden which now in his view Lay pleasant, his grievd look he fixes fad, Sometimes towards Heav'n and the full-blazing Sun, Which now fat high in his Meridian Towre : 30 Then much revolving, thus in fighs began.
O thou that with furpaffing Glory crownd, Look'st from thy fole Dominion like the God Of this new World; at whofe fight all the Starrs Hide thir diminifht heads; to thee I call, But with no friendly voice, and add thy name O Sun, to tell thee how I hate thy beams That bring to my remembrance from what state I fell, how glorious once above thy Spheare; 39 Till Pride and worfe Ambition threw me down Warring in Heav'n against Heav'ns matchless King: Ah wherefore! he defervd no fuch return
From me, whom he created what I was
In that bright eminence, and with his good Upbraided none; nor was his fervice hard. What could be lefs then to afford him praise, The easiest recompence, and pay him thanks, How due! yet all his good prov'd ill in me, And wrought but malice; lifted up so high I fdeind fubjection, and thought one step higher Would fet me highest, and in a moment quit 51 The debt immenfe of endless gratitude,
So burthenfome, ftill paying, ftill to ow;
Forgetful what from him I still receivd, And understood not that a grateful mind By owing owes not, but ftill pays, at once Indebted and dischargd; what burden then? O had his powerful Destiny ordaind
Me fome inferiour Angel, I had stood Then happie; no unbounded hope had rais'd Ambition. Yet why not? fom other Power As great might have aspir'd, and me though mean Drawn to his part; but other Powers as great Fell not, but stand unshak'n, from within Or from without, to all temptations arm'd.
Hadft thou the fame free Will and Power to ftand? Thou hadft: whom haft thou then or what to accufe, But Heav'ns free Love dealt equally to all? Be then his Love accurft, fince love or hate, To me alike, it deals eternal woe.
Nay curs'd be thou; fince against his thy will Chose freely what it now so justly rues. Me miferable! which way fhall I flie Infinite wrauth, and infinite despaire? Which way I flie is Hell; my felf am Hell; And in the lowest deep a lower deep Still threatning to devour me opens wide, To which the Hell I fuffer feems a Heav'n. O then at last relent: is there no place Left for Repentance, none for Pardon left? None left but by fubmiffion; and that word Difdain forbids me, and my dread of shame Among the Spirits beneath, whom I feduc'd With other promises and other vaunts Then to fubmit, boasting I could fubdue
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