us advise and to this hazard draw With speed what force is left and all imploy In our defence lest unawares we lose This our high place our Sanctuarie our Hill To whom the Son with calm aspect and cleer Light'ning Divine ineffable serene Made answer Mightie Father thou thy foes Justly hast in derision and secure Laugh'st at thir vain designes and tumults vain Matter to mee of Glory whom thir hate Illustrates when they see all Regal Power Giv'n me to quell thir pride and in event Know whether I be dextrous to subdue Thy Rebels or be found the worst in Heav'n So spake the Son but Satan with his Powers Far was advanc't on winged speed an Host Innumerable as the Starrs of Night Or Starrs of Morning Dew-drops which the Sun Impearls on every leaf and every flouer Regions they pass'd the mightie Regencies Of Seraphim and Potentates and Thrones In thir triple Degrees Regions to which All thy Dominion Adam is no more Then what this Garden is to all the Earth And all the Sea from one entire globose Stretcht into Longitude which having pass'd At length into the limits of the North They came and Satan to his Royal seat High on a Hill far blazing as a Mount Rais'd on a Mount with Pyramids and Towrs From Diamond Quarries hew'n and Rocks of Gold The Palace of great Lucifer so call That Structure in the Dialect of men Interpreted which not long after he Affecting all equality with God In imitation of that Mount whereon Messiah was declar'd in sight of Heav'n The Mountain of the Congregation call'd For thither he assembl'd all his Train Pretending so commanded to consult About the great reception of thir King Thither to come and with calumnious Art Of counterfeted truth thus held thir ears Thrones Dominations Princedomes Venues Powers If these magnific Titles yet remain Not meerly titular since by Decree Another now hath to himself ingross't All Power and us eclipst under the name Of King anointed for whom all this haste Of midnight march and hurried meeting here This onely to consult how we may best With what may be devis'd of honours new Receive him coming to receive from us Knee-tribute yet unpaid prostration vile Too much to one but double how endur'd To one and to his image now proclaim'd But what if better counsels might erect Our minds and teach us to cast off this Yoke Will ye submit your necks and chuse to bend The supple knee ye will not if I trust To know ye right or if ye know your selves Natives and Sons of Heav'n possest before By none and if not equal all yet free Equally free for Orders and Degrees Jarr not with liberty but well consist Who can in reason then or right assume Monarchie over such as live by right His equals if in power and splendor less In freedome equal or can introduce Law and Edict on us who without law Erre not much less for this to be our Lord And look for adoration to th' abuse Of those Imperial Titles which assert Our being ordain'd to govern not to serve Thus farr his bold discourse without controule Had audience when among the Seraphim Abdiel then whom none with more zeale ador'd The Deitie and divine commands obeid Stood up and in a flame of zeale severe The current of his fury thus oppos'd O argument blasphemous false and proud Words which no eare ever to hear in Heav'n Expected least of all from thee ingrate In place thy self so high above thy Peeres Canst thou with impious obloquie condemne The just Decree of God pronounc't and sworn That to his only Son by right endu'd With Regal Scepter every Soule in Heav'n Shall bend the knee and in that honour due Confess him rightful King unjust thou saist Flatly unjust to binde with Laws the free And equal over equals to let Reigne One over all with unsucceeded power Shalt thou give Law to God shalt thou dispute With him the points of libertie who made Thee what thou art and formd the Pow'rs of Heav'n Such as he pleasd and circumscrib'd thir being Yet by experience taught we know how good And of our good and of our dignitie How provident he is how farr from thought To make us less bent rather to exalt Our happie state under one Head more neer United But to grant it thee unjust That equal over equals Monarch Reigne Thy self though great and glorious dost thou count Or all Angelic Nature joind in one Equal to him begotten Son by whom As by his Word the mighty Father made All things ev'n thee and all the Spirits of Heav'n By him created in thir bright degrees Crownd them with Glory and to thir Glory nam'd Thrones Dominations Princedoms Vertues Powers Essential Powers nor by his Reign obscur'd But more illustrious made since he the Head One of our number thus reduc't becomes His Laws our Laws all honour to him done Returns our own Cease then this impious rage And tempt not these but hast'n to appease Th' incensed Father and th' incensed Son While Pardon may be found in time besought So spake the fervent Angel but his zeale None seconded as out of season judg'd Or singular and rash whereat rejoic'd Th' Apostat and more haughty thus repli'd That we were formd then saist thou and the work Of secondarie hands by task transferd From Father to his Son strange point and new Doctrin which we would know whence learnt who saw When this creation was rememberst 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 power when fatal course Had circl'd his full Orbe the birth mature Of this our native Heav'n Ethereal Sons Our puissance is our own our own right hand Shall 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 carrie to th' anointed King And fly ere evil intercept thy flight He said and as the sound of waters deep Hoarce 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 answerd bold O alienate from God O spirit accurst Forsak'n of all good I see thy fall Determind and thy hapless crew involv'd In this perfidious fraud contagion spred Both of thy crime and punishment henceforth No more be troubl'd how to quit the yoke Of Gods Messiah those indulgent Laws Will not be now voutsaf't other Decrees Against thee are gon forth without recall That Golden Scepter which thou didst reject Is now an Iron Rod to bruise and breake Thy disobedience Well thou didst advise Yet not for thy advise or threats I fly These wicked Tents devoted least the wrauth Impendent raging into sudden flame Distinguish not for soon expect to feel His Thunder on thy head devouring fire
invisible exploits Of warring Spirits how without remorse The ruin of so many glorious once And perfet while they stood how last unfould The secrets of another world perhaps Not lawful to reveal yet for thy good This is dispenc't and what surmounts the reach Of human sense I shall delineate so By lik'ning spiritual to corporal forms As may express them best though what if Earth Be but the shaddow of Heav'n and things therein Each to other like more then on earth is thought As yet this world was not and Chaos wilde Reignd where these Heav'ns now rowl where Earth now rests Upon her Center pois'd when on a day For time though in Eternitie appli'd To motion measures all things durable By present past and future on such day As Heav'ns great Year brings forth th' Empyreal Host Of Angels by Imperial summons call'd Innumerable before th' Almighties Throne Forthwith from all the ends of Heav'n appeerd Under thir Hierarchs in orders bright Ten thousand thousand Ensignes high advanc'd Standards and Gonfalons twixt Van and Reare Streame in the Aire and for distinction serve Of Hierarchies of Orders and Degrees Or in thir glittering Tissues bear imblaz'd Holy Memorials acts of Zeale and Love Recorded eminent Thus when in Orbes 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 Progenie of Light Thrones Dominations Princedoms Vertues Powers Hear my Decree which unrevok't shall stand This day I have begot whom I declare My onely Son and on this holy Hill Him have anointed whom ye now behold At my right hand your Head I him appoint And by my Self have sworn to him shall bow All knees in Heav'n and shall confess him Lord Under his great Vice-gerent Reign abide United as one individual Soule For ever happie him who disobeyes Mee disobeyes breaks union and that day Cast out from God and blessed vision falls Into utter darkness deep ingulft his place Ordaind without redemption without end So spake th' Omnipotent and with his words All seemd well pleas'd all seem'd but were not all That day as other solemn dayes they spent In song and dance about the sacred Hill Mystical dance which yonder starrie Spheare Of Planets and of fixt in all her Wheeles Resembles nearest mazes intricate Eccentric intervolv'd yet regular Then most when most irregular they seem And in thir motions harmonic Divine So smooths her charming tones that Gods own ear Listens delighted Eevning now approach'd For wee have also our Eevning and our Morn Wee ours for change delectable not need Forthwith from dance to sweet repast they turn Desirous all in Circles as they stood Tables are set and on a sudden pil'd With Angels Food and rubied Nectar flows In Pearl in Diamond and massie Gold Fruit of delicious Vines the growth of Heav'n On flours repos'd and with fresh flourets crownd They eate they drink and in communion sweet Quaff immortalitie and joy secure Of surfet where full measure onely bounds Excess before th' all bounteous King who showrd With copious hand rejoycing in thir joy Now when ambrosial Night with Clouds exhal'd From that high mount of God whence light shade Spring both the face of brightest Heav'n had changd To grateful Twilight for Night comes not there In darker veile and roseat Dews dispos'd All but the unsleeping eyes of God to rest Wide over all the Plain and wider farr Then all this globous Earth in Plain out spred Such are the Courts of God Th' Angelic throng Disperst in Bands and Files thir Camp extend By living Streams among the Trees of Life Pavilions numberless and sudden reard Celestial Tabernacles where they slept Fannd with coole Winds save those who in thir course Melodious Hymns about the sovran Throne Alternate all night long but not so wak'd Satan so call him now his former name Is heard no more in Heav'n he of the first If not the first Arch-Angel great in Power In favour and praeeminence yet fraught With envie against the Son of God that day Honourd by his great Father and proclaimd Messiah King anointed could not beare Through pride that sight thought himself impaird Deep malice thence conceiving and disdain Soon as midnight brought on the duskie houre Friendliest to sleep and silence he resolv'd With all his Legions to dislodge and leave Unworshipt unobey'd the Throne supream Contemptuous and his next subordinate Awak'ning thus to him in secret spake Sleepst thou Companion dear what sleep can close Thy eye lids and remembrest what Decree Of yesterday so late hath past the lips Of Heav'ns Almightie Thou to me thy thoughts Wast wont I mine to thee was wont to impart Both waking we were one how then can now Thy sleep dissent new Laws thou seest impos'd New Laws from him who reigns new minds may raise In us who serve new Counsels to debate What doubtful may ensue more in this place To utter is not safe Assemble thou Of all those Myriads which we lead the chief Tell them that by command ere yet dim Night Her shadowie Cloud withdraws I am to haste And all who under me thir Banners wave Homeward with flying march where we possess The Quarters of the North there to prepare Fit entertainment to receive our King The great Messiah and his new commands Who speedily through all the Hierarchies Intends to pass triumphant and give Laws So spake the false Arch-Angel and infus'd Bad influence into th' unwarie brest Of his Associate hee together calls Or several one by one the Regent Powers Under him Regent tells as he was taught That the most High commanding now ere Night Now ere dim Night had disincumberd Heav'n The great Hierarchal Standard was to move Tells the suggested cause and casts between Ambiguous words and jealousies to sound Or taint integritie but all obey'd The wonted signal and superior voice Of thir great Potentate for great indeed His name and high was his degree in Heav'n His count'nance as the Morning Starr that guides The starrie flock allur'd them and with lyes Drew after him the third part of Heav'ns Host Mean while th' Eternal eye whose sight discernes Abstrusest thoughts from forth his holy Mount And from within the golden Lamps that burne Nightly before him saw without thir light Rebellion rising saw in whom how spred Among the sons of Morn what multitudes Were banded to oppose his high Decree And smiling to his onely Son thus said Son thou in whom my glory I behold In full resplendence Heir of all my might Neerly it now concernes us to be sure Of our Omnipotence and with what Arms We mean to hold what anciently we claim Of Deitie or Empire such a foe Is rising who intends to erect his Throne Equal to ours throughout the spacious North Nor so content hath in his thought to try In battel what our Power is or our right Let
Earth arriv'd at Heaven Gate displeas'd All were who heard dim sadness did not spare That time Celestial visages yet mixt With pitie violated not thir bliss About the new-arriv'd in multitudes Th' ethereal People ran to hear and know How all befell they towards the Throne Supream Accountable made haste to make appear With righteous plea thir utmost vigilance And easily approv'd when the most High Eternal Father from his secret Cloud Amidst in Thunder utter'd thus his voice Assembl'd Angels and ye Powers return'd From unsuccessful charge be not dismaid Nor troubl'd at these tidings from the Earth Which your sincerest care could not prevent Foretold so lately what would come to pass When first this Tempter cross'd the Gulf from Hell I told ye then he should prevail and speed On his bad Errand Man should be seduc't And flatter'd out of all believing lies Against his Maker no Decree of mine Concurring to necessitate his Fall Or touch with lightest moment of impulse His free Will to her own inclining left In eevn scale But fall'n he is and now What rests but that the mortal Sentence pass On his transgression Death denounc't that day Which he presumes already vain and void Because not yet inflicted as he fear'd By some immediate stroak but soon shall find Forbearance no acquittance ere day end Justice shall not return as bountie scorn'd But whom send I to judge them whom but thee Vicegerent Son to thee I have transferr'd All Judgement whether in Heav'n or Earth or Hell Easie it might be seen that I intend Mercie collegue with Justice sending thee Mans Friend his Mediator his design'd Both Ransom and Redeemer voluntarie And destin'd Man himself to judge Man fall'n So spake the Father and unfoulding bright Toward the right hand his Glorie on the Son Blaz'd forth unclouded Deitie he full Resplendent all his Father manifest Express'd and thus divinely answer'd milde Father Eternal thine is to decree Mine both in Heav'n and Earth to do thy will Supream that thou in mee thy Son belov'd Mayst ever rest well pleas'd I go to judge On Earth these thy transgressors but thou knowst Whoever judg'd the worst on mee must light When time shall be for so I undertook Before thee and not repenting this obtaine Of right that I may mitigate thir doom On me deriv'd yet I shall temper so Justice with Mercie as may illustrate most Them fully satisfied and thee appease Attendance none shall need nor Train where none Are to behold the Judgment but the judg'd Those two the third best absent is condemn'd Convict by flight and Rebel to all Law Conviction to the Serpent none belongs Thus saying from his radiant Seat he rose Of high collateral glorie him Thrones and Powers Princedoms and Dominations ministrant Accompanied to Heaven Gate from whence Eden and all the Coast in prospect lay Down he descended strait the speed of Gods Time counts not though with swiftest minutes wing'd Now was the Sun in Western cadence low From Noon and gentle Aires due at thir hour To fan the Earth now wak'd and usher in The Eevning coole when he from wrauth more coole Came the mild Judge and Intercessor both To sentence Man the voice of God they heard Now walking in the Garden by soft windes Brought to thir Ears while day declin'd they heard And from his presence hid themselves among The thickest Trees both Man and Wife till God Approaching thus to Adam call'd aloud Where art thou Adam wont with joy to meet My coming seen far off I miss thee here Not pleas'd thus entertaind with solitude Where obvious dutie erewhile appear'd unsaught Or come I less conspicuous or what change Absents thee or what chance detains Come forth He came and with him Eve more loth though first To offend discount'nanc't both and discompos'd Love was not in thir looks either to God Or to each other but apparent guilt And shame and perturbation and despaire Anger and obstinacie and hate and guile Whence Adam faultring long thus answer'd brief I heard thee in the Garden and of thy voice Affraid being naked hid my self To whom The gracious Judge without revile repli'd My voice thou oft hast heard and hast not fear'd But still rejoyc't how is it now become So dreadful to thee that thou art naked who Hath told thee hast thou eaten of the Tree Whereof I gave thee charge thou shouldst not eat To whom thus Adam sore beset repli'd O Heav'n in evil strait this day I stand Before my Judge either to undergoe My self the total Crime or to accuse My other self the partner of my life Whose failing while her Faith to me remaines I should conceal and not expose to blame By my complaint but strict necessitie Subdues me and calamitous constraint Least on my head both sin and punishment However insupportable be all Devolv'd though should I hold my peace yet thou Wouldst easily detect what I conccale This Woman whom thou mad'st to be my help And gav'st me as thy perfet gift so good So fit so acceptable so Divine That from her hand I could suspect no ill And what she did whatever in it self Her doing seem'd to justifie the deed Shee gave me of the Tree and I did eate To whom the sovran Presence thus repli'd Was shee thy God that her thou didst obey Before his voice or was shee made thy guide Superior or but equal that to her Thou did'st resigne thy Manhood and the Place Wherein God set thee above her made of thee And for thee whose perfection farr excell'd Hers in all real dignitie Adornd Shee was indeed and lovely to attract Thy Love not thy Subjection and her Gifts Were such as under Government well seem'd Unseemly to beare rule which was thy part And person had'st thou known thy self aright So having said he thus to Eve in few Say Woman what is this which thou hast done To whom sad Eve with shame nigh overwhelm'd Confessing soon yet not before her Judge Bold or loquacious thus abasht repli'd The Serpent me beguil'd and I did eate Which when the Lord God heard without delay To Judgement he proceeded on th' accus'd Serpent though brute unable to transferre The Guilt on him who made him instrument Of mischief and polluted from the end Of his Creation justly then accurst As vitiated in Nature more to know Concern'd not Man since he no further knew Nor alter'd his offence yet God at last To Satan first in sin his doom apply'd Though in mysterious terms judg'd as then best And on the Serpent thus his curse let fall Because thou hast done this thou art accurst Above all Cattle each Beast of the Field Upon thy Belly groveling thou shalt goe And dust shalt eat all the dayes of thy Life Between Thee and the Woman I will put Enmitie and between thine and her Seed Her Seed shall bruse thy head thou bruise his heel So spake this Oracle then verifi'd When Jesus son of Mary second Eve Saw Satan fall
nor so is overcome Satan whose fall from Heav'n a deadlier bruise Disabl'd not to give thee thy deaths wound Which hee who comes thy Saviour shall recure Not by destroying Satan but his works In thee and in thy Seed nor can this be But by fulfilling that which thou didst want Obedience to the Law of God impos'd On penaltie of death and suffering death The penaltie to thy transgression due And due to theirs which out of thine will grow So onely can high Justice rest appaid The Law of God exact he shall fulfill Both by obedience and by love though love Alone fulfill the Law thy punishment He shall endure by coming in the Flesh To a reproachful life and cursed death Proclaiming Life to all who shall believe In his redemption and that his obedience Imputed becomes theirs by Faith his merits To save them not thir own though legal works For this he shall live hated be blasphem'd Seis'd on by force judg'd and to death condemnd A shameful and accurst naild to the Cross By his own Nation slaine for bringing Life Bur to the Cross he nailes thy Enemies The Law that is against thee and the sins Of all mankinde with him there crucifi'd Never to hurt them more who rightly trust In this his satisfaction so he dies But soon revives Death over him no power Shall long usurp ere the third dawning light Returne the Starres of Morn shall see him rise Out of his grave fresh as the dawning light Thy ransom paid which Man from death redeems His death for Man as many as offerd Life Neglect not and the benefit imbrace By Faith not void of workes this God-like act Annuls thy doom the death thou shouldst have dy'd In sin for ever lost from life this act Shall bruise the head of Satan crush his strength Defeating Sin and Death his two maine armes And fix farr deeper in his head thir stings Then temporal death shall bruise the Victors heel Or theirs whom he redeems a death like sleep A gentle wafting to immortal Life Nor after resurrection shall he stay Longer on Earth then certaine times to appeer To his Disciples Men who in his Life Still follow'd him to them shall leave in charge To teach all nations what of him they learn'd And his Salvation them who shall beleeve Baptizing in the profluent stream the signe Of washing them from guilt of sin to Life Pure and in mind prepar'd if so befall For death like that which the redeemer dy'd All Nations they shall teach for from that day Not onely to the Sons of Abrahams Loines Salvation shall be Preacht but to the Sons Of Abrahams Faith wherever through the world So in his seed all Nations shall be blest Then to the Heav'n of Heav'ns he shall ascend With victory triumphing through the aire Over his foes and thine there shall surprise The Serpent Prince of aire and drag in Chaines Through all his Realme and there confounded leave Then enter into glory and resume His Seat at Gods right hand exalted high Above all names in Heav'n and thence shall come When this worlds disolution shall be ripe With glory and power to judge both quick and dead To judge th' unfaithful dead but to reward His faithful and receave them into bliss Whether in Heav'n or Earth for then the Earth Shall all be Paradise far happier place Then this of Eden and far happier daies So spake th' Archangel Michael then paus'd As at the Worlds great period and our Sire Replete with joy and wonder thus repli'd O goodness infinite goodness immense That all this good of evil shall produce And evil turn to good more wonderful Then that which by creation first brought forth Light out of darkness full of doubt I stand Whether I should repent me now of sin By mee done and occasiond or rejoyce Much more that much more good thereof shall spring To God more glory more good will to Men From God and over wrauth grace shall abound Buâ— say if our deliverer up to Heav'n Must reascend what will betide the few His faithful left among th' unfaithful herd The enemies of truth who then shall guide His people who defend will they not deale Wors with his followers then with him they dealt Be sure they will said th' Angel but from Heav'n Hee to his own a Comforter will send The promise of the Father who shall dwell His Spirit within them and the Law of Faith Working through love upon thir hearts shall write To guide them in all truth and also arme With spiritual Armour able to resist Satans assaults and quench his fierie darts What man can do against them not affraid Though to the death against such cruelties With inward consolations recompenc't And oft supported so as shall amaze Thir proudest persecuters for the Spirit Powrd first on his Apostles whom he sends To evangelize the Nations then on all Baptiz'd shall them with wondrous gifts endue To speak all Tongues and do all Miracles As did thir Lord before them Thus they win Great numbers of each Nation to receave With joy the tidings brought from Heav'n at length Thir Ministry perform'd and race well run Thir doctrine and thir story written left They die but in thir room as they forewarne Wolves shall succeed for teachers grievous Wolves Who all the sacred mysteries of Heav'n To thir own vile advantages shall turne Of lucre and ambition and the truth With superstitions and traditions taint Left onely in those written Records pure Though not but by the Spirit understood Then shall they seek to avail themselves of names Places and titles and with these to joine Secular power though feigning still to act By spiritual to themselves appropriating The Spirit of God promisd alike and giv'n To all Beleevers and from that pretense Spiritual Lawes by carnal power shall force On every conscience Laws which none shall finde Left them inrould or what the Spirit within Shall on the heart engrave What will they then But force the Spirit of Grace it self and binde His consort Libertie what but unbuild His living Temples built by Faith to stand Thir own Faith not anothers for on Earth Who against Faith and Conscience can be heard Infallible yet many will presume Whence heavie persecution shall arise On all who in the worship persevere Of Spirit and Truth the rest farr greater part Well deem in outward Rites and specious formes Religion satisfi'd Truth shall retire Bestuck with slandrous darts and works of Faith Rarely be found so shall the World goe on To good malignant to bad men benigne Under her own waight groaning till the day Appeer of respiration to the just And vengeance to the wicked at return Of him so lately promiss'd to thy aid The Womans seed obscurely then foretold Now amplier known thy Saviour and thy Lord Last in the Clouds from Heav'n to be reveald In glory of the Father to dissolve Satan with his perverted World then raise From the conflagrant mass purg'd