He brought thee into this delicious grove, This garden planted with the trees of God, Delectable both to behold and taste;
And freely all their pleasant fruit for food
Gave thee: all sorts are here that all the earth yields,
Variety without end; but of the tree,
Which, tasted, works knowledge of good and evil, Thou may'st not; in the day thou eat'st, thou diest: Death is the penalty imposed: beware,
And govern well thy appetite; lest Sin Surprise thee, and her black attendant, Death. "Here finish'd he, and all that he had made View'd, and behold all was entirely good; So even and morn accomplish'd the sixth day: Yet not till the Creator, from his work Desisting, though unwearied, up return'd, Up to the heaven of heavens, his high abode, Thence to behold this new-created world, The addition of his empire, how it show'd In prospect from his throne, how good, how fair, Answering his great idea. Up he rode, Follow'd with acclamation, and the sound Symphonious of ten thousand harps, that tuned Angelic harmonies: the earth, the air
Resounded (thou remember'st, for thou heardst,) The heavens and all the constellations rung, The planets in their station listening stood, While the bright pomp ascended jubilant. Open, ye everlasting gates!' they sung; 'Open, ye heavens! your living doors; let in
The great Creator, from his work return'd Magnificent, his six days' work, a world: Open, and henceforth oft; for God will deign To visit oft the dwellings of just men, Delighted; and with frequent intercourse Thither will send his winged messengers On errands of supernal grace.' So sung The glorious train ascending: he, through heaven, That open'd wide her blazing portals, led To God's eternal house direct the way; A broad and ample road, whose dust is gold, And pavement stars, as stars to thee appear, Seen in the galaxy, that milky way Which nightly, as a circling zone, thou seest Powder'd with stars. And now on earth the
Evening arose in Eden, for the sun
Was set, and twilight from the east came on, Forerunning night; when at the holy mount Of heaven's high-seated top, the imperial throne Of Godhead fix'd for ever firm and sure, The Filial Power arrived, and sat him down With his great Father: for he also went Invisible, yet stay'd (such privilege
Hath Omnipresence,) and the work ordain'd, Author and end of all things: and, from work Now resting, bless'd and hallow'd the seventh day, As resting on that day from all his works; But not in silence holy kept: the harp
Had work, and rested not; the solemn pipe, And dulcimer, all organs of sweet stop,
All sounds on fret by string or golden wire, Temper'd soft tunings, intermix'd with voice Choral or unison: of incense clouds, Fuming from golden censers, hid the mount. Creation and the six days' acts they sung: 'Great are thy works, Jehovah! infinite
Thy power! what thought can measure thee, or tongue
Relate thee? Greater now in thy return Than from the giant angels: thee that day Thy thunders magnified; but to create Is greater than, created, to destroy.
Who can impair thee, Mighty King, or bound Thy empire? Easily the proud attempt Of spirits apostate, and their counsels vain, Thou hast repell'd; while impiously they thought Thee to diminish, and from thee withdraw The number of thy worshippers. Who seeks To lessen thee, against his purpose serves To manifest the more thy might: his evil Thou usest, and from thence createst more good. Witness this new-made world, another heaven, From heaven-gate not far, founded, in view, On the clear hyaline, the glassy sea; Of amplitude almost immense, with stars Numerous, and every star, perhaps, a world Of destined habitation; but thou know'st Their seasons: among these the seat of men, Earth with her nether ocean circumfused, Their pleasant dwelling-place. Thrice happy men And sons of men, whom God hath thus advanced!
Created in his image there to dwell And worship him; and in reward to rule Over his works, on earth, in sea, or air, And multiply a race of worshippers Holy and just thrice happy, if they know Their happiness, and persevere upright!'
"So sung they, and the empyrean rung With hallelujahs: thus was sabbath kept. And thy request think now fulfill'd, that ask'd How first this world and face of things began, And what before thy memory was done From the beginning: that posterity,
Inform'd by thee, might know: if else thou seek'st Aught not surpassing human measure, say."
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