Of those imperial titles, which assert
Our being ordain'd to govern, not to serve.
Thus far his bold discourse without control
Had audience, when among the seraphim,
Abdiel, than whom none with more zeal ador'd
The Deity, and divine commands obey'd,
Stood up, and in a flame of zeal severe
The current of his fury thus oppos'd:

O argument blasphemous, false and proud!
Words which no ear ever to hear in heav'n
Expected, least of all from thee, ingrate,
In place thyself so high above thy peers.
Canst thou with impious obloquy condemn
The just decree of God, pronounc'd and sworn,
That to his only Son by right endued
With regal sceptre, every soul in Heaven
Shall bend the knee, and in that honour due
Confess him rightful King? unjust, thou say'st,
Flatly unjust, to bind with laws the free,
And equal over equals to let reign,

One over all with unsucceeded power.
Shalt thou give law to God, shalt thou dispute
With him the points of liberty, who made

Thee what thou art, and form'd the powers of heav'n

Such as he pleas'd, and circumscrib'd their being?

Yet by experience taught we know how good,
And of our good and of our dignity

How provident he is, how far from thought

To make us less, bent rather to exalt

Our happy state under one head more near
United. But to grant it thee unjust,
That equal over equals monarch reign:
Thyself though great and glorious dost thou count,
Or all angelic nature join'd in one,

Equal to him begotten Son? by whom
As by his word the mighty Father made

All things, e'en thee; and all the spirits of heav'n
By him created in their bright degrees,

Crown'd them with glory, and to their glory nam'd

Thrones, dominations, princedoms, virtues, powers,
Essential pow'rs; nor by his reign obscur'd,
But more illustrious made; since he the head
One of our number thus reduc'd becomes;
His laws our laws; all honour to him done
Returns our own. Cease then this impious rage,
And tempt not these; but hasten to appease
Th' incensed Father, and th' incensed Son,
While pardon may be found in time besought.
So spake the fervent angel; but his zeal
None seconded, as out of season judg'd;
Or singular and rash, whereat rejoic'd,
Th' apostate, and more haughty thus reply'd:

That we were form'd then say'st thou ? and the work Of secondary hands, by task transferr'd

From Father to his Son? strange point and new! Doctrine which we would know whence learn'd: who

saw

When this creation was ? remember'st thou

Thy making, while the Maker gave thee being?
We know no time when we were not as now;
Know none before us, self-begot, self-rais'd
By our own quick'ning pow'r, when fatal course
Had circled his full orb, the birth mature
Of this our native heav'n, ethereal sons.
Our puissance is our own our own right hand
Shalf teach us highest deeds, by proof to try
Who is our equal: then thou shalt behold
Whether by supplication we intend
Address, and to begirt th' almighty throne
Beseeching or besieging. This report,
These tidings carry to th' anointed King;
And fly, ere evil intercept thy flight.

He said, and as the sound of waters deep,
Hoarse murmur echo'd to his words applause
Through the infinite host; nor less for that
The flaming seraph fearless, though alone,
Encompass'd round with foes, thus answer'd bold:

Differing but in degree, of kind the same.
Wonder not then, what God for you saw good
If I refuse not, but convert, as you

Το

proper substance; time may come, when men With angels may participate and find

No inconvenient diet, nor too light fare;
And from these corporeal nutriments perhaps
Your bodies may at last turn all to spirit,
Improv'd by tract of time, and wing'd ascend
Ethereal, as we, or may at choice

Here, or in heav'nly Paradise dwell;
If ye be found obedient, and retain
Unalterably firm his love entire,
Whose progeny you are.
Your fill what happiness this happy state
Can comprehend, incapable of more.

Meanwhile enjoy

To whom the patriarch of mankind reply'd :
O favourable spirit, propitious guest,

Well hast thou taught the way that might direct
Our knowledge, and the scale of nature set
From centre to circumference, whereon
In contemplation of created things

By steps we may ascend to God. But say,
What meant that caution join'd, If ye be found
Obedient? can we want obedience then
To him, or possibly his love desert,

Who form'd us from the dust, and plac'd us here
Full to the utmost measure of what bliss
Human desires can seek or apprehend?

To whom the angel: Son of heav'n and earth,
Attend: that thou art happy, owe to God;
That thou continuest such, owe to thyself,
That is to thy obedience; therein stand.
This was that caution given thee; be advised.
God made thee perfect not immutable;
And good he made thee, but to persevere
He left it in thy pow'r; ordain'd thy will
By nature free, not over-rul'd by fate
Inextricable, or strict necessity:

Our voluntary service he requires,
Not our necessitated; such with him

Finds no acceptance, nor can find; for how
Can hearts, not free, be try'd whether they serve
Willing or no, who will but what they must
By destiny, and can no other choose?
Myself and all th' angelic host, that stand
In sight of God enthron'd, our happy state
Hold as you yours, while our obedience holds :
On other surety none; freely we serve,
Because we freely love, as in our will
To love or not; in this we stand or fall;
And some are fall'n, to disobedience fall'n,
And so from heav'n to deepest hell: O fall
From what high state of bliss into what wo!

To whom our great progenitor: Thy words
Attentive, and with more delighted ear,
Divine instructor, I have heard, than when
Cherubic songs by night from neighb'ring hill
Aereal music send; nor know I not

To be both will and deed created free;
Yet that we never shall forget to love
Our Maker, and obey him whose command
Single is yet so just, my constant thoughts

Assur'd me, and still assure: though what thou tell'st
Hath pass'd in heav'n, some doubt within me move,
But more desire to hear, if thou consent,
The full relation, which must needs be strange,
Worthy of sacred silence to be heard;

And we have yet large day, for scarce the sun
Hath finish'd half his journey, and scarce begins
His other half in the great zone of heav'n.
Thus Adam made request; and Raphael
After short pause assenting, thus began:
High matter thou enjoin'st me, O prime of men,
Sad task and hard; for how shall I relate
To human sense th' invisible exploits
Of warring spirits? how without remorse
The ruin of so many glorious once,

And perfect while they stood? how last unfold
The secrets of another world, perhaps
Not lawful to reveal? yet for thy good

This is dispens'd: and what surmounts the reach
Of human sense, I shall delineate so,

By likening spiritual to corporeal forms,

As may express them best; though what if earth Be but the shadow of heav'n, and things therein Each to other like, more than on earth is thought? As yet this world was not, and Chaos wild Reign'd where these heav'ns, now roll, where earth

now rests

Upon her centre pois'd; when on a day
(For time, though in eternity, apply'd
To motion, measures all things durable
By present, past, and future,) on such day

As heav'n's great year brings forth, th' empyreal host
Of angels by imperial summons call'd
Innumerable before th' Almighty's throne
Forthwith from all the ends of heav'n appear'd
Under their hierarchies in orders bright:
Ten thousand thousand ensigns high advanc'd,
Standards and gonfalons 'twixt van and rear
Stream in the air, and for distinction serve
Of hierarchies, of orders, and degrees;
Or in their glittering tissues bear emblaz'd
Holy memorials, acts of zeal and love
Recorded eminent. Thus when in orbs
Of circuit inexpressible they stood,
Orb within orb, the Father infinite,
By whom in bliss imbosom'd sat the Son,
Amidst as from a flaming mount, whose top
Brightness had made invisible, thus spake:
Hear all ye angels, progeny of light,
Thrones, dominations, princedoms, virtues, powers,
Hear my decree, which unrevok'd shall stand.
This day I have begot whom I declare

My only Son, and on this holy hill

Him have anointed, whom ye now behold