Difcurfive, or intuitive; difcourfe Is ofteft yours, the latter most is ours, Differing but in degree, of kind the fame. If I refuse not, but convert, as you, To proper substance: time may come, when men 490 No inconvenient di'et, nor too light fare; 495 And from thefe corporal nutriments perhaps If ye be found obedient, and retain Here or in heav'nly paradifes dwell; Unalterably firm his love entire, Whofe progeny you are. Mean while enjoy Your fill what happiness this happy state Can comprehend, incapable of more. 505 To whom the Patriarch of Mankind reply'd. O favourable Spi'rit, propitious Guest, Well haft thou taught the way that might direct Our knowledge, and the scale of Nature fet By steps we may afcend to God. But fay, What meant that caution join'd, If ye be found To him, or poffibly his love desert, 510 535 Who form'd us from the dust, and plac'd us here 520 To whom the angel. Son of Heav'n and Earth, 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 giv'n thee; be advis'd. God made thee perfect, not immutable; And good he made thee, but to persevere 525 He left it in thy power; ordain'd thy will By nature free, not over-rul'd by fate Finds no acceptance, nor can find; for how 530 Can hearts, not free, be try'd whether they serve Myself and all th' angelic host, that stand Because we freely love, as in our will 535 540 To whom our great Progenitor. Thy words Attentive, and with more delighted ear, Divine Instructor, I have heard, that when Cherubic fongs by night from neighb'ring hills Our Maker, and obey him whofe command 545 550 Affur'd me', and still affure: though what thou tell'st Hath pafs'd in Heav'n, fome doubt within me move, But more defire to hear, if thou confent, The full relation, which must needs be strange, Worthy of facred Silence to be heard; 555 560 After short pause affenting, thus began. High matter thou injoin'st me', O Prime of Men, Sad task and hard; for how fhall I relate To human fense th' invifible exploits 565 Of warring fpirits? how without remorfe The ruin of fo many glorious once And perfect while they ftood? how laft unfold Not lawful to reveal? yet for thy good 570 This is difpens'd; and what furmounts the reach Of human fenfe, I shall delineate so, By likening fpiritual to corporal forms, As may express them best; though what if Earth As yet this world was not, and Chaos wild By prefent, past, and future) on fuch day [now rests 580 As Heav'n's great year brings forth, th' empyreal host Of angels by imperial fummons call'd, Innumerable before th' Almighty's throne Forthwith from all the ends of Heav'n appear'd Ten thousand thousand enfigns high advanc'd, U 585 590 595 Hear all ye angels, progeny of Light, 6c0 Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers, My only Son, and on this holy hill Him have anointed, whom ye now behold All knees in Heav'n, and fhall confefs him Lord: Under his great vice-gerent reign abide United as one individual foul For ever happy: him who difobeys, Me difobeys, breaks union, and that day 610 615 So fpake th' Omnipotent, and with his words In fong and dance about the Sacred Hill; Of planets and of fix'd in all her wheels 620 Then moft, when most irregular they seem; And in their motions Harmony divine 625 So smooths her charming tones, that God's own ear Liftens delighted. Evening now approach'd |