When thou attended gloriously from Heaven
Shalt in the sky appear, and from thee send
The fummoning Arch-Angels to proclame
Thy dread tribunal; forthwith from all winds.
The living, and forthwith the cited dead
Of all past ages, to the general doom
Shall haften, fuch a peal shall rouse their sleep.
Then all thy faints affembled, thou shalt judge
Bad men and Angels; they arraign'd fhall fink
Beneath thy fentence; Hell, her numbers full,
Thenceforth fhall be for ever fhut. Mean while
The world fhall burn, and from her afhes fpring
New Heav'n and Earth, wherein the just shall dwell,
And after all their tribulations long
See golden days, fruitful of golden deeds,
With joy and love triumphing, and fair truth.
Then thou thy regal fcepter fhalt lay by,
For regal scepter then no more fall need,
God fhall be all in all. But all Gods,
ye
Adore him, who to compafs all this dies;
Adore the Son, and honor him as me.
No fooner had th' Almighty ceas'd, but all The multitude of Angels, with a fhout
Loud as from numbers without number, fweet
As from bleft voices, uttering joy, Heav'n rung
With jubilee, and loud Hofanna's fill'd
Th' eternal regions: lowly reverent
Tow'ards either throne they bow, and to the ground With folemn adoration down they caft
Their crowns inwove with amarant and gold-;
Immortal amarant, a flow'r which once
In Paradise, fast by the tree of life,
Began to bloom; but foon for man's offenfe
To Heav'n remov'd, where first it
And flow'rs aloft shading the fount of life,
And where the riv'er of blifs through midst of Heaven
Rolls o'er Elyfian flow'rs her amber stream;
With these that never fade the Spirits elect
Bind their refplendent locks inwreath'd with beams,
Now in loose garlands thick thrown off, the bright
Pavement, that like a sea of jasper shone,
Impurpled with celeftial roses fmil'd.
Then crown'd again, their golden harps they took,
Harps ever tun'd, that glittering by their fide
Like quivers hung, and with preamble sweet
Of charming fymphony they introduce
Their facred fong, and waken raptures high;
No voice exempt, no voice but well could join
Melodious part, fuch concord is in Heaven.
Thee, Father, firft they fung Omnipotent,
Immutable, Immortal, Infinite,
Eternal King; thee Author of all being,
Fountain of light, thyself invisible
Amidst the glorious brightness where thou sit'st
Thron'd inacceffible, but when thou fhad'st
The full blaze of thy beams, and through a cloud
Drawn round about thee like a radiant shrine,
Dark with exceffive bright thy fkirts appear,
Yet dazle Heav'n, that brightest Seraphim
Approach not, but with both wings veil their eyes.
Thee next they fang of all creation first,
Begotten Son, Divine Similitude,
In whofe confpicuous count'nance, without cloud
Made vifible, th' almighty Father fhines,
Whomselfe no creature can behold; on thee
Imprefs'd th' effulgence of his glory' abides,
Transfus'd on thee his ample Spirit refts.
He Heav'n of Heav'ns and all the Pow'rs therein
By thee created, and by thee drew down
Th' afpiring Dominations: thou that day
Thy Father's dreadful thunder didst not spare,
Nor stop thy flaming chariot wheels, that fhook
Heav'n's everlafting frame, while o'er the necks
Thou drov'ft of warring Angels difarray'd.
Back from purfuit thy Pow'rs with loud acclame
Thee only' extoll'd, Son of thy Father's might,
To execute fierce vengeance on his foes,
Not fo on Man: Him through their malice fall'n
Father of mercy' and grace, thou didst not doom
So ftrictly, but much more to pity' incline :
No fooner did thy dear and only Son
Perceive thee purpos'd not to doom frail Man
So ftrictly, but much more to pity' inclin'd,
He to appease thy wrath, and end the ftrife
Of mercy' and justice in thy face difcern'd,
Regardless of the blifs wherein he fat
Second to thee, offer'd himfelf to die
For Man's offenfe. O unexampled love,
Love no where to be found lefs than Divine!
Hail Son of God, Sayiour of Men, thy name'
Shall be the copious matter of my fong
Henceforth, and never fhall my harp thy praife
Forget, nor from thy Father's praise disjoin.
Thus they in Heav'n, above the starry sphere,
Their happy hours in joy and hymning fpent.
Mean while upon the firm opacous globe
Of this round world, whose first convex divides
The luminous inferior orbs inclos'd
From Chaos and th' inroad of Darkness old,
Satan alighted walks : a globe far off
It feem'd, now feems a boundless continent
Dark, waste, and wild, under the frown of Night
Starlefs expos'd, and ever-threatning storms
Of Chaos bluft'ring round, inclement sky;
Save on that fide which from the wall of Heaven,
Though distant far, fome small reflection gains
Of glimmering air lefs vex'd with tempeft loud:
Here walk'd the Fiend at large in fpacious field.
As when a vultur on Imaus bred,
Whofe fnowy ridge the roving Tartar bounds,
Diflodging from a region fcarce of prey
To gorge the flesh of lambs or yeanling kids
On hills where flocks are fed, flies toward the fprings
Of Ganges or Hydafpes Indian streams;
But in his way lights on the barren plains
Of Sericana, where Chinefes drive
With fails and wind their cany waggons light:
So on this windy fea of land, the Fiend
Walk'd up and down alone, bent on his prey;
Alone, for other creature in this place
G4
Living or lifeless to be found was none;
None yet, but store hereafter from the earth
Up hither like aereal vapors flew
Of all things transitory' and vain, when fin
With vanity had fill'd the works of men;
Both all things vain, and all who in vain things
Built their fond hopes of glory' or lasting fame,
Or happiness in this or th' other life;
All who have their reward on earth, the fruits
Of painful fuperftition and blind zeal,
Nought feeking but the praise of men, here find
Fit retribution, empty as their deeds ;
All th' unaccomplish'd works of Nature's hand,
Abortive, monftrous, or unkindly mix'd,
Diffolv'd on earth, fleet hither, and in vain,
Till final diffolution, wander here,
Not in the neighb'ring moon, as fome have drean
Thofe argent fields more likely habitants,
Translated Saints, or middle Spirits hold
Betwixt th' angelical and human kind.
Hither of ill-join'd fons and daughters born
First from the ancient world those giants came
With many a vain exploit, though then renown`
The builders next of Babel on the plain
Of Sennaar, and still with vain defign
New Babels, had they wherewithal, would build
Others came fingle; he who to be deem'd
A God, leap'd fondly into Ætna flames,
Empedocles; and he who to enjoy
Plato's Elyfium, leap'd into the sea,
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