In all the liveries deck'd of summer's pride of future; in small room large heart enclosed; Hereafter, joined in her popular tribes 480 485 Of commonalty: swarming next appear'd The female bee, that feeds her husband drone 490 With honey stored: the rest are numberless, And thou their natures know'st, and gavest them names, Needless to thee repeated; nor unknown The serpent, subtlest beast of all the field, 495 Of huge extent sometimes, with brazen eyes And hairy mane terrific, though to thee Not noxious, but obedient at thy call. 500 Now Heaven in all her glory shone, and roll'd Her motions, as the great first Mover's hand First wheel'd their course: Earth in her rich attire Consummate lovely smiled; air, water, earth, By fowl, fish, beast, was flown, was swum, was walk'd, Frequent; and of the sixth day yet remain'd: There wanted yet the master-work, the end Of all yet done; a creature, who, not prone And brute as other creatures, but endued With sanctity of reason, might erect His stature, and upright with front serene 505 Govern the rest, self-knowing; and from thence 510 But grateful to acknowledge whence his good And worship God Supreme, who made him chief 515 Of all his works: therefore the Omnipotent Eternal Father (for where is not he Present?) thus to his Son audibly spake : Let us make now Man in our image, Man In our similitude, and let them rule Over the fish and fowl of sea and air, 520 Beast of the field, and over all the Earth, And every creeping thing that creeps the ground. This said, he form'd thee, Adam, thee, O Man, Dust of the ground, and in thy nostrils breathed 525 The breath of life; in his own image he Created thee, in the image of God Express; and thou becamest a living soul. Male he created thee; but thy consórt Female, for race; then bless'd mankind, and said, 530 And every living thing that moves on the Earth. 535 Is yet distinct by name, thence, as thou know'st, He brought thee into this delicious grove, This garden, planted with the trees of God, And freely all their pleasant fruit for food 540 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 mayst 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. View'd, and behold all was entirely good; 545 So even and morn accomplish'd the sixth day; 550 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 555 In prospect from his throne, how good, how fair, Follow'd with acclamation, and the sound Symphonious of ten thousand harps, that tuned 560 Resounded (thou remember'st, for thou heard'st,) On errands of supernal grace. So sung 565 570 575 The glorious train ascending: He through Heaven, Which nightly, as a circling zone, thou seest 580 Powder'd with stars. And now on Earth the seventh 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 585 The Filial Power arrived, and sat him down Hath Omnipresence,) and the work ordain'd, 590 Now resting, blessed and hallow'd the seventh day, 595 600 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 605 Thy thunders magnified; but to create Is greater than created to destroy. Who can impair thee, Mighty King, or bound 610 Thee to diminish, and from thee withdraw : The number of thy worshippers. Who secks 615 620 Their pleasant dwelling place. Thrice happy Men, 625 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 63 So sung they, and the empyréan rung With hallelujahs: thus was sabbath kept. And thy request think now fulfill'd, that ask'd 634 Inform'd by thee, might know: if else thou seek'st Aught, not surpassing human measure, say 640 |