Whose progeny you are. Your fill what happiness this happy state Can comprehend, incapable of more. Mean while enjoy 505 By steps we may afcend to God. But say, What meant that caution join'd, If ye be found To him, or poffibly his love defert, 515 Who form'd us from the duft, and plac'd us here To whom the Angel. Son of Heav'n and Earth, : That thou continueft fuch, owe to thyself, That is, to thy obedience; therein stand. 520 This was that caution giv'n thee; be advis'd. And good he made thee, but to perfevere 525 He left it in thy pow'r; ordain'd thy will By nature free, not over-rul'd by fate Inextricable, or strict necessity : Finds no acceptance, nor can find; for how Can hearts, not free, be try'd whether they serve 530 Willing Willing or no, who will but what they must Myself and all th' angelic hoft, that stand In fight of God enthron'd, our happy state- To love or not; in this we ftand or fall : To whom our great progenitor. Thy words Cherubic fongs by night from neighb'ring hills Aereal mufic fend: nor knew I not To be both will and deed created free; 157 535 540 545 Yet that we never fhall forget to love Our Maker, and obey him whofe command 550 Single is yet fo juft, my conftant thoughts 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, 555 The full relation, which must needs be ftrange, Worthy of facred filence to be heard; And we have yet large day, for scarce the fun 560 High matter thou injoin'ft me', O prime of men, And perfect while they stood? how last unfold 565 570 This is difpens'd; and what furmounts the reach By likening fpiritual to corporal forms, As may exprefs them beft; though what if Earth As yet this world was not, and Chaos wild [refts 580 By prefent, past, and future) on fuch day As Heav'n's great year brings forth, th' empyreal hoft Of Angels by imperial fummons call'd, Innumerable before th' Almighty's throne Forthwith from all the ends of Heav'n appear'd 585 599 Holy Holy memorials, acts of zeal and love By whom in blifs imbofom'd fat the Son, My only Son, and on this holy hill 595 600 Powers, All knees in Heav'n, and fhall confess him Lord: For ever happy: Him who difobeys, 605 610 615 So fpake th' Omnipotent, and with his words All feem'd well pleas'd; all feem'd, but were not all. That day, as other folemn days, they spent In fong and dance about the facred hill; Mystical dance, which yonder ftarry sphere Of planets and of fix'd in all her wheels Resembles nearest, mazes intricate, 620 Eccentric, Eccentric, intervolv'd, yet regular Then moft, when moft irregular they feem; And in their motions harmony divine 625 630 So fmooths her charming tones, that God's own ear Fruit of delicious vines, the growth of Heaven. 635 On flow'rs repos'd, and with fresh flow'rets crown'd, They eat, they drink, and in communion sweet Quaff immortality and joy, fecure Of furfeit where full measure only bounds Excefs, before th' all-bounteous King, who showr'd 645 From that high mount of God, whence light and fhade Than all this globous earth in plain outspread, (Such are the courts of God) th' angelic throng, 650 Difpers'd in bands and files, their camp extend By living ftreams among the trees of life, Pavilions |