The planets in their station list`ning stood, The glorious train ascending: He through Heaven, 565 570 575 To God's eternal houfe direct the way, A broad and ample road, whofe duft is gold And pavement stars, as stars to thee appear, Which nightly as a circling zone thou seest 580 Powder'd with ftars. And now on earth the feventh Evening arofe in Eden, for the fun Was fet, and twilight from the east came on, Of Heav'n's high feated top, th' imperial throne 585 Of Godhead, fix'd for ever firm and fure, The filial Pow'r arriv'd, and fat him down With his great Father, for he also went Invifible, yet ftay'd, (fuch privilege Hath Omniprefence) and the work ordain'd, 590 Author and end of all things, and from work As As refting on that day from all his work, 595 600 Fuming from golden cenfers hid the mount. Great are thy works, Jehovah, infinite Thy pow'r; 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 magnify'd; but to create Is greater than created to destroy. Who can impair thee, mighty King, or bound Of Spirits apoftate and their counfels vain 610 Thou haft repell'd, while impiously they thought Thee to diminish, and from thee withdraw The number of thy worshipers. Who feeks To leffen thee, against his purpose serves 615 620 Their feafons: among these the seat of Men, Their pleafant dwelling-place. Thrice happy Men, And worship him, and in reward to rule Over his works, on earth, in fea, or air, : 630 So fung they, and the empyréan rung 635 And what before thy memory was done From the beginning, that pofterity Inform'd by thee might know; if elfe thou feek'st THE END OF THE SEVENTH BOOK. 640 THE ARGUMENT. Adam inquires concerning celeftial motions, is doubtfully anfwer'd, and exhorted to fearch rather things more worthy of knowledge: Adam affents; and, ftill defirous to detain Raphael, relates to him what he remember'd fince his own creation, his placing in Paradife, his talk with God concerning folitude and fit fociety, his firft meeting and nuptials with Eve, his difcourfe with the Angel thereupon; who after admonitions repeated departs. |