thy Nature joyne And be thy self Man among men on Earth Made flesh when time shall be of Virgin seed By wondrous birth Be thou in Adams room The Head of all mankind though Adams Son As in him perish all men so in thee As from a second root shall be restor'd As many as are restor'd without thee none His crime makes guiltie all his Sons thy merit Imputed shall absolve them who renounce Thir own both righteous and uâ—…righteous deeds And live in thee transplanted and fâ—…om thee Receive new life So Man as iâ—…â—…ost â—…st Shall satisfie for Man be judg'd and die And dying rise and rising with him raise His Brethren ransomd with his own dear life So Heav'nly love shal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hellisâ—… hate Giving to death and dying to redâ—… So dearly to redeem what Hellish hate So easily destroy'd and still destroyes In those who when they may accept not grace Nor shalt thou by descending to assâ—…me Mans Nature less'n or degrade thine owne Because thou hast though Thron'd in highest bliss Equal to God and equally enjoying God-like fruition quitted all to save A World from utter loss and hast been found By Merit more then Birthright Son of God Found worthiest to be so by being Good Farr more then Great or High because in thee Love hath abounded more then Glory abounds Therefore thy Humiliation shall exalt With thee thy Manhood also to this Throne Here shalt thou sit incarnate here shalt Reigne Both God and Man Son both of God and Man Anointed universal King all Power I give thee reign for ever and assume Thy Merits under thee as Head Supream Thrones Princedoms Powers Dominions I reduce All knees to thee shall bow of them that bide In Heaven or Earth or under Earth in Hell When thou attended gloriously from Heav'n Shalt in the Skie appeer and from thee send The summoning Arch-Angels to proclaime Thy dread Tribunal forthwith from all Windes The living and forthwith the cited dead Of all past Ages to the general Doom Shall hast'n such a peal shall rouse thir sleep Then all thy Saints assembl'd thou shalt judge Bad men and Angels they arraignd shall sink Beneath thy Sentence Hell her numbers full Thenceforth shall be for ever shut Mean while The World shall burn and from her ashes spring New Heav'n and Earth wherein the just shall dwell And after all thir tribulations long See golden days fruitful of golden deeds With Joy and Love triumphing and fair Truth Then thou thy regal Scepter shalt lay by For regal Scepter then no more shall need God shall be All in All. But all ye Gods Adore him who to compass all this dies Adore the Son and honour him as mee No sooner had th' Almighty ceas't but all The multitude of Angels with a shout Loud as from numbers without number sweet As from blest voices uttering joy Heav'n rung With Jubilee and loud-Hosanna's fill'd Th' eternal Regions lowly reverent Towards either Throne they bow to the ground With solemn adoration down they cast Thir Crowns inwove with Amarant and Gold Immortal Amarant a Flour which once In Paradise fast by the Tree of Life Began to bloom but soon for mans offence To Heav'n remov'd where first it grew there grows And flours aloft shading the Fount of Life And where the river of Bliss through midst of Heavn Rowls o're Elisian Flours her Amber stream With these that never fade the Spirits Elect Bind thir resplendent locks inwreath'd with beams Now in loose Garlands thick thrown off the bright Pavement that like a Sea of Jasper shon Impurpl'd with Celestial Roses smil'd Then Crown'd again thir gold'n Harps they took Harps ever tun'd that glittering by their side Like Quivers hung and with Praeamble sweet Of charming symphonie they introduce Thir sacred Song and waken raptures high No voice exempt no voice but well could joine Melodious part such concord is in Heav'n Thee Father first they sung Omnipotent Immutable Immortal Infinite Eternal King thee Author of all being Fountain of Light thy self invisible Amidst the glorious brightness where thou sit'st Thron'd inaccessible but when thou shad'st The full blaze of thy beams and through a cloud Drawn round about thee like a radiant Shrine Dark with excessive bright thy skirts appeer Yet dazle Heav'n that brightest Seraphim Approach not but with both wings veil thir eyes Thee next they sang of all Creation first Begotten Son Divine Similitude In whose conspicuous count'nance without cloud Made visible th' Almighty Father shines Whom else no Creature can behold on thee Impresst the effulgence of his Glorie abides Transfus'd on thee his ample Spirit rests Hee Heav'n of Heavens and all the Powers therein By thee created and by thee threw down Th' aspiring Dominations thou that day Thy Fathers dreadful Thunder didst not spare Nor stop thy flâ—…ming Chariot wheels that shook Heav'ns ever lasting Frame while o're the necks Thou drov'st of warring Angels disarraid Back from pursuit thy Powers with loud acclaime Thee only exâ—…old Son of thy Fathers might To execute fierce vengeance on his foes Not so on Man him through their malice fall'n Father of Mercie and Grace thou didst not doome So strictly but much more to pitie encline No sooner did thy dear and onely Son Perceive thee purpos'd not to doom frail Man So strictly but much more to pitie â—…clin'd He to appease thy wrauth and end the strife Of Mercy and Justice in thy face discern'd Regardless of the Bliss wherein hee fat Second to thee offerd himself to die For mans offence O unexampl'd love Love no where to be found less then Divine Hail Son of God Saviour of Men thy Name Shall be the copious matter of my Song Henceforth and never shall my Harp thy praise Forget nor from thy Fathers praise disjoine Thus they in Heav'n above the starry Spâ—…ear Thir happie hours in joy and 〈◊〉 spent Mean while upon the â—…irm opacous Globe Of this round World whose first convex divides The luminous inferior Orbs enclos'd From Chaos and th' inroad of Darkness old Satan alighted walks a Globe farâ—… 〈◊〉 It seem'd now seems a boundless Continent Dark waste and wild under the frown of Night Starless expos'd and ever-threatning storms Of Chaos blustring round inclement skie Save on that fide which from the wall of Heav'n Though distant farr som small reflection gaines Of glimmering air less vext with tempest loud Here walk'd the Fiend at large in spacious field As when a Vultur on Imaus bred Whose snowie ridge the roving Tartar bounds Dislodging from a Region scarce of prey To gorge the â—…he of Lambs or yeanling Kids On Hills where Flocks are fed flies toward the Springs Of Ganges or Hydaspes Indian streams But in his way lights on the barren plaines Of Sericana where Câ—…ineses drive With Sails and Wind thir canie Waggons light So on this windie Sea of Land the Fiend Walk'd up and down alone bent on his prey Alone for other Creature in this place Living
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 streame 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 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 dissolution shall be ripe With glory and power to judge both quick 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 But 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 Will 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 and refin'd New Heav'ns new Earth Ages of endless date Founded in righteousness and peace and love To bring forth fruits Joy and eternal Bliss He ended and thus Adam last reply'd How soon hath thy prediction Seer blest Measur'd this transient World the Race of time Till time stand fixt beyond is all abyss Eternitie whose end no eye can reach Greatly instructed I shall hence depart Greatly in peace of thought and have my fill Of knowledge what this vessel can containe Beyond which was my folly to aspire Henceforth I learne that to obey is best And love with feare the onely God to walk As in his presence ever to observe His providence and on him sole depend Merciful over all his works with good Still overcoming evil and by small Accomplishing great things by things deemd weak Subverting worldly strong and worldly wise By simply meek that suffering for Truths sake Is fortitude to highest victorie And to the faithful Death the Gate of Life Taught this by his example whom I now Acknowledge my Redeemer ever blest To whom thus also th' Angel last repli'd This having learnt thou hast attaind the summe Of wisdom hope no higher though all the Starrs Thou knewst by name and all th' ethereal Powers All secrets of the deep all Natures works Or works of God in Heav'n Air Earth or Sea And all the riches of this World enjoydst And all the rule one Empire onely add Deeds to thy knowledge answerable add Faith Add Vertue Patience Temperance add Love By name to come call'd Charitie the soul Of all the rest then wilt thou not be loath To leave this Paradise but shalt possess A Paradise within thee happier farr Let us descend now therefore from this top Of Speculation for the hour precise Exacts our parting hence and see the Guards By mee encampt on yonder Hill expect Thir motion at whose Front a flaming Sword In signal of remove waves fiercely round We may no longer stay go waken Eve Her also I with gentle Dreams have calm'd Portending good and all her spirits compos'd To meek submission thou at season fit Let her with thee partake what thou hast heard Chiefly what may concern her Faith to know The great deliverance by her Seed to come For by the Womans Seed on all Mankind That ye may live which will be many dayes Both in one Faith unanimous though sad With cause for evils past yet much more cheer'd With meditation on the happie end He ended and they both descend the Hill Descended Adam to the Bowre where Eve Lay sleeping ran before but found her wak't And thus with words not sad she him receav'd Whence thou returnst whither wentst I know For God is also in sleep and Dreams advise Which he hath sent propitious some great good Presaging since with sorrow and hearts distress VVearied I fell asleep but now lead on In mee is no delay with thee to goe Is to stay here without thee here to stay Is to go hence unwilling thou to mee Art all things under Heav'n all places thou VVho for my wilful crime art banisht hence This further consolation yet secure I carry hence though all by mee is lost Such favour I unworthie am voutsaft By mee the Promis'd Seed shall all restore So spake our Mother Eve and Adam heard VVell pleas'd but answer'd not for now too nigh Th' Archangel stood and from the other Hill To thir fixt Station all in bright array The Cherubim descended on the ground Gliding meteorous as Ev'ning Mist Ris'n from a River o're the marish glides And gathers ground fast at the Labourers heel Homeward returning High in Front advanc't The brandisht Sword of God before them blaz'd Fierce as a Comet which with torrid heat And vapour as the Libyan Air adust Began to parch that temperate Clime whereat In either hand the hastning Angel caught Our lingring Parents and to th' Eastern Gate Led them direct and down the Cliff as fast To the subjected Plaine then disappeer'd They looking back all th' Eastern side beheld Of Paradise so late thir happie seat Wav'd over by that flaming Brand the â—…ate With dreadful Faces throng'd and fierie Armes Som natural tears they drop'd but wip'd them soon The World was all before them where to choose Thir place of rest and Providence thir guide They hand in hand with wandring steps and slow Through Eden took thir solitarie way THE END
Death ready stands to interpose his dart Fearless to be o'rematcht by living might But what ow I to his commands above Who hates me and hath hither thrust me down Into this gloom of Tartarus profound To sit in hateful Office here confin'd Inhabitant of Heav'n and heav'nlie-born Here in perpetual agonie and pain With terrors and with clamors compasst round Of mine own brood that on my bowels feed Thou art my Father thou my Author thou My being gav'st me whom should I obey But thee whom follow thou wilt bring me soon To that new world of light and bliss among The Gods who live at ease where I shall Reign At thy right hand voluptuous as beseems Thy daughter and thy darling without end Thus saying from her side the fatal Key Sad instrument of all our woe she took And towards the Gate rouling her bestial train Forthwith the huge Porcullis high up drew Which but her self not all the 〈◊〉 powers Could once have mov'd thâ—… in the key-hole turns Th' intricate wards and every Bolt and Bar Of massie Iron or sollid Rock with ease Unfast'ns on a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Th' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and on 〈◊〉 great Harsh Thunder that the lowest bottom shook Of Erebus She op'nd but to shut Excel'd her power the Gates wide op'n stood That with extended wings a Bannerd Host Under spread Ensigns marching might pass through With Horse and Chariots rankt in loose array So wide they stood and like a Furnace mouth Cast forth redounding smoak and ruddy flame Before thir eyes in sudden view appear The secrets of the hoarie deep a dark Illimitable Ocean without bound Without dimension where length breadth and highth And time and place are lost where eldest Night And Chaos Ancestors of Nature hold Eternal Anarchie amidst the noise Of endless warrs and by confusion stand For hot cold moist and dry four Champions sierce Strive here for Maistrie and to Battel 〈◊〉 Thir embryon Atoms they around the flag Of each his faction in thir several Clanâ—…s Light-arm'd or heavy sharp smooth swift or slow Swarm populous unnumber'd as the Sands Of Barca or Cyrene's torrid soil Levied to side with warring Winds and poise Thir lighter wings To whom these most adhere Hee rules a moment Chaos Umpire sits And by decision more imbroiles the fray By which he Reigns next him high Arbiter Chance governs all Into this wilde Abyss The Womb of nature and perhaps her Grave Of neither Sea nor Shore nor Air nor Fire But all these in thir pregnant causes mixt Confus'dly and which thus must ever sight Unless th' Almighty Maker them ordain His dark materials to create more Worlds Into this wilde Abyss the warie fiend Stood on the brink of Hell and look'd a while Pondering his Voyage for no narrow frith He had to cross Nor was his eareless peal'd With noises loud and ruinous to compare Great things with small then when Bellona storms With all her battering Engines bent to rase Som Capital City or less then if this frame Of Heav'n were falling and these Elements In mutinie had from her Axle torn The stedfast Earth At last his Sail-broad Vannes He spreads for flight and in the surging smoak Uplisted spurns the ground thence many a League As in a cloudy Chair ascending rides Audacious but that seat soon failing meets A vast vacuitie all unawares Fluttring his pennons vain plumb down he drops Ten thousand fadom deep and to this hour Down had been falling had not by ill chance The strong rebuff of som tumultuous cloud Instinct with Fire and Nitre hurried him As many miles aloft that furie stay'd Quencht in a Boggie Syrtis neither Sea Nor good dry Land nigh founderd on he fares Treading the crude consistence half on foot Half flying behoves him now both Oare and Saile As when a Gryfon through the Wilderness With winged course ore Hill or moarie Dale Pursues the Arimaspian who by stelth Had from his wakeful custody purloind The guarded Gold So eagerly the fiend Ore bog or steep through strait rough dense or rare With head hands wings or feet pursues his way And swims or sinks or wades or creeps or flyes At length a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wilde Of stunning sounds and voices all confus'd Born through the hollow dark assaults his eare With loudest vehemence thither he plyes Undaunted to meet there what ever power Or Spirit of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Might in that noise reside of whom to ask Which way the neerest coast of darkness lyes Bordering on light when strait behold the Throne Of Chaos and his 〈◊〉 Pavilion â—…pread Wide on the wasteful Deep with him Enthron'd Sat Sable-vested Night eldest of things The consort of his Reign and by them stood Orcus and Ades and the dreaded name Of Demogorgon 〈◊〉 Rumor next and Chance And Tumult and Confusion all 〈◊〉 And Discord with a thousand various mouths T' whom Satan turning boldly thus Ye Powers And Spirits of this nethermost Abyss Chaos and ancient Night I comeno Spie With purpose to explore or to disturb The secrets of your Realm but by constraint Wandring this darksome desart as my way Lies through your spacious Empire up to light Alone and without guide half lost I seek What readiest path leads where your gloomie bounds Confine with Heav'n or if â—…om other place From your Dominion won th' Ethereal King Possesses lately thither to arrive I travel this profound direct my course Directed no mean recompence it brings To your behoof if I that Region lost All usurpation thence expell'd reduce To her original darkness and your sway Which is my present journey and once more Erect the Standerd there of ancient Night Yours be th' advantage all mine the revenge Thus Satan and him thus the Anarch old With faultring speech and visage incompos'd Answer'd I know thee stranger who thou art That mighty leading Angel who of late Made head against Heav'ns King though overthrown I saw and heard for such a numerous host Fled not in silence through the frighted deep With ruin upon ruin rout on rout Confusion worse confounded and Heav'n Gates Pourd out by millions her victorious Bands Pursuing I upon my Frontieres herd Keep residence if all I can will serve That little which is left so to defend Encroacht on still through our intestine broiles Weakning the Scepter of old Night first Hell Your dungeon stretching far and wide beneath Now lately Heaven and Earth another World Hung ore my Realm link'd in a golden Chain To that side Heav'n from whence your Legions fell If that way be your walk you have not farr So much the neerer danger goe and speed Havock and spoil and ruin are my gain He ceas'd and Satan staid not to reply But glad that now his Sea should find a shore With fresh alacritie and force renew'd Springs upward like a Pyramid of fire Into the wilde expanse and through the shock Of fighting Elements on all sides round Environ'd wins his way harder beset And
conviction first and last On mee mee onely as the sourse and spring Of all corruption all the blame lights due So might the wrauth Fond wish 〈◊〉 thou support That burden heavier then the Earth to 〈◊〉 Then all the World much heavier though divided With that bad Woman Thus what thou 〈◊〉 And what thou fearst alike destroyes all hope Of refuge and concludes thee miserable Beyond all past 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 To 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like both 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 O Conscience into what Abyss of fears And horrors 〈◊〉 thou 〈◊〉 me out of which I find no way from 〈◊〉 to deeper plung'd Thus Adam to himself lamented loud 〈◊〉 the still Night not now as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wholsom and cool and mild but with 〈◊〉 Air Accompanied with damps and dreadful gloom Which to his evil Conscience represented All things with double terror On the ground Outstretcht he lay on the cold ground and oft Curs'd his Creation Death as 〈◊〉 accus'd Of tardie execution since denounc't The day of his offence Why comes not Death Said hee with one thrice acceptable stroke To end me Shall Truth fail to keep her word Justice Divine not hast'n to be just But Death comes not at call Justice Divine Mends not her slowest pace for prayers or cries O Woods O Fountains Hillocks Dales and Bowrs VVith other echo late I taught your Shades To answer and resound farr other Song VVhom thus afflicted when sad Eve beheld Desolate where she sate approaching nigh Soft words to his fierce passion she assay'd But her with â—…tern regard he thus repell'd Out of my sight thou Serpent that name bâ—…st Befits thee with him leagu'd thy self as false And hateful nothing wants but that thy shape Like his and colour Serpentine may shew Thy inward fraud to warn all Creatures from thee Henceforth least that too heav'nly form pretended To hellish falshood 〈◊〉 them But for thee I had persisted happie had not thy pride And wandring vanitie when lest was safe Rejected my fore warning and disdain'd Not to be trusted longing to be seen Though by the Devil himself him overweening To over-reach but with the Serpent meeting Fool'd and beguil'd by him thou I by thee To trust thee from my side imagin'd wise Constant mature proof against all assaults And understood not all was but a shew Rather then solid vertu all but a Rib Crooked by nature bent as now appears More to the part sinister from me drawn Well if thrown out as supernumerarie To my just number found O why did God Creator wise that peopl'd highest Heav'n With Spirits Masculine create at last This noveltie on Earth this fair defect Of Nature and not fill the World at once With Men as Angels without Feminine Or find some other way to generate Mankind this mischief had not then befall'n And more that shall befall innumerable Disturbances on Earth through Femal snares And straight conjunction with this Sex for either He never shall find out fit Mate but such As some misfortune brings him or mistake Or whom he wishes most shall seldom gain Through her perverseness but shall see her gaind By a farr worse or if she love withheld By Parents or his happiest choice too late Shall meet alreadie linkt and Wedlock-bound To a fell Adversarie his hate or shame Which infinite calamitie shall cause To Humane life and houshold peace confound He added not and from her turn'd but Eve Not so repulst with Tears that 〈◊〉 not flowing And tresses all disorderd at his feet Fell humble and imbracing them be saught His peace and thus proceeded in her plaint Forsake me not thus Adam witness Heav'n What love sincere and reverence in my heart I beare thee and unweeting have offended Unhappilie deceav'd thy suppliant I beg and clasp thy knees bereave me not Whereon I live thy gentle looks thy aid Thy counsel in this uttermost distress My onely strength and stay forlorn of thee Whither shall I betake me where subsist While yet we live scarse one short hour perhaps Between us two let there be peace both joyning As joyn'd in injuries one enmitie Against a Foe by doom express assign'd us That cruel Serpent On me exercise not Thy hatred for this miserie befall'n On me already lost mee then thy self More miserable both have sin'd but thou Against God onely I against God and thee And to the place of judgement will return There with my cries importune Heaven that all The sentence from thy head remov'd may light On me fole cause to thee of all this woe Mee mee onely just object of his ire She ended weeping and her lowlie plight Immoveable till peace obtain'd from fault Acknowledg'd and deplor'd in Adam 〈◊〉 Commiseration â—…oon his heart relented Towards her his life so late and sole delight Now at his feet submissive in distress Creature so faire his reconcilement â—…eeking His counsel whom she had displeas'd his aide As one disarm'd his anger all he lost And thus with peaceful wprds uprais'd her soon Unwarie and too desirous as before So now of what thou knowst not who desir'st The punishment all on thy self alas Beare thine own first ill able to sustaine His full wrauth whose thou feelst as yet lest part And my displeasure bearst so ill If Prayers Could alter high Decrees I to that place Would speed before thee and be louder heard That on my head all might be visited Thy frailtie and infirmer Sex forgiv'n To me committed and by me expos'd But rise let us no more contend nor blame Each other blam'd enough elsewhere but strive In offices of Love how we may light'n Each others burden in our share of woe Since this days Death denounc't if ought I see Will prove no sudden but a slow-pac't evill A long days dying to augment our paine And to our Seed O hapless Seed deriv'd To whom thus Eve recovering heart repli'd Adam by sad experiment I know How little weight my words with thee can finde Found so erroneous thence by just event Found so unfortunate nevertheless Restor'd by thee vile as I am to place Of new acceptance hopeful to regaine Thy Love the sole contentment of my heart Living or dying from thee I will not hide What thoughts in my unquiet brest are ris'n Tending to 〈◊〉 relief of our extremes Or end though sharp and sad yet tolerable As in our evils and of easier choice If care of our descent perplex us most Which must be born to certain woe devourd By Death at last and miserable it is To be to others cause of misery Our own begotten and of our Loines to bring Into this cursed World a woful Race That after wretched Liâ—…e must be at last Food for so soule a Monster in thy power It lies yet ere Conception to prevent The Race unblest to being yet unbegot Childless thou art Childless râ—…maine So Death shall be deceav'd his glut and with us two Be forc'd to satissie his Rav'nous Maw But if thou judge it hard and difficult Conversing looking loving
as the Heav'n his windows shut The Ark no more now flotes but seems on ground Fast on the top of som high mountain fixt And now the tops of Hills as Rocks appeer With clamor thence the rapid Currents drive Towards the retreating Sea thir furious tyde Forthwith from out the Arke a Raven flies And after him the surer messenger A Dove sent forth once and agen to spie Green Tree or ground whereon his foot may light The second time returning in his Bill An Olive leafe he brings pacific signe Anon drie ground appeers and from his Arke The ancient Sire descends with all his Train Then with uplifted hands and eyes devout Grateful to Heav'n over his head beholds A dewie Cloud and in the Cloud a Bow Conspicuous with three listed colours gay Betok'ning peace from God and Cov'nant new Whereat the heart of Adam erst so sad Greatly rejoyc'd and thus his joy broke forth O thou that future things canst represent As present Heav'nly instructer I revive At this last sight assur'd that Man shall live With all the Creatures and thir seed preserve Farr less I now lament for one whole World Of wicked Sons destroyd then I rejoyce For one Man found so perfet and so just That God voutsafes to raise another World From him and all his anger to forget But say what mean those colourd streaks in Heavn Distended as the Brow of God appeas'd Or serve they as a flourie verge to binde The fluid skirts of that same watrie Cloud Least it again dissolve and showr the Earth To whom th' Archangel Dextrously thou aim'st So willingly doth God remit his Ire Though late repenting him of Man deprav'd Griev'd at his heart when looking down he saw The whole Earth â—…ill'd with violence and all flesh Corrupting each thirway yet those remoov'd Such grace shall one just Man find in his sight That he relents not to blot out mankind And makes a Covenant never to destroy The Earth again by flood nor let the Sea Surpass his bounds nor Rain to drown the World With Man therein or Beast but when he brings Over the Earth a Cloud will therein set His triple-colour'd Bow whereon to look And call to mind his Cov'nant Day and Night Seed time and Harvest Heat and hoary Frost Shall hold thir course till fire purge all things new Both Heav'n and Earth wherein the just shall dwell Thus thou hast seen one World begin and end And Man as from a second stock proceed Much thou hast yet to see but I perceave Thy mortal sight to faile objects divine Must needs impaire and wearie human sense Henceforth what is to com I will relate Thou therefore give due audience and attend This second sours of Men while yet but few And while the dread of judgement past remains Fresh in thir mindes fearing the Deitie With some regard to what is just and right Shall lead thir lives and multiplie apace Labouring the soile and reaping plenteous crop Corn wine and oyle and from the herd or flock Oft sacrificing Bullock Lamb or Kid With large Winé-offerings pour'd and sacred Feast Shal spend thir dayes in joy unblam'd and dwell Long time in peace by Families and Tribes Under paternal rule till one shall rise Of proud ambitious heart who not content With fair equalitie fraternal state Will arrogate Dominion undeserv'd Over his brethren and quite dispossess Concord and law of Nature from the Earth Hunting and Men not Beasts shall be his game With Warr and hostile snare such as refuse Subjection to his Empire tyrannous A mightie Hunter thence he shall be styl'd Before the Lord as in despite of Heav'n Or from Heav'n claming second Sovrantie And from Rebellion shall derive his name Though of Rebellion others he accuse Hee with a crew whom like Ambition joyns With him or under him to tyrannize Marching from Eden towards the West shall finde The Plain wherein a black bituminous gurge Boiles out from under ground the mouth of Hell Of Brick and of that stuff they cast to build A Citie Towre whose top may reach to Heav'n And get themselves a name least far disperst In foraign Lands thir memorie be lost Regardless whether good or evil fame But God who oft descends to visit men Unseen and through thir habitations walks To mark thir doings them beholding soon Comes down to see thir Citie ere the Tower Obstruct Heav'n Towrs and in derision sets Upon thir Tongues a various Spirit to rase Quite out thir Native Language and instead To sow a jangling noise of words unknown Forthwith a hideous gabble rises loud Among the Builders each to other calls Not understood till hoarse and all in rage As mockt they storm great laughter was in Heav'n And looking down to see the hubbub strange And hear the din thus was the building left Ridiculous and the work Confusion nam'd Whereto thus Adam fatherly displeas'd O execrable Son so to aspire Above his Brethren to himself assuming Authoritie usurpt from God not giv'n He gave us onely over Beast Fish Fowl Dominion absolute that right we hold By his donation but Man over men He made not Lord such title to himself Reserving human left from human free But this Usurper his encroachment proud Stayes not on Man to God his Tower intends Siege and defiance Wretched man what food Will he convey up thither to sustain Himself and his rash Armie where thin Aire Above the Clouds will pine his entrails gross And famish him of Breath if not of Bread To whom thus Michael Justly thou abhorr'st That Son who on the quiet state of men Such trouble brought affecting to subdue Rational Libertie yet know withall Since thy original lapse true Libertie Is lost which alwayes with right Reason dwells Twinn'd and from her hath no dividual being Reason in man obscur'd or not obeyd Immediately inordinate desires And upstart Passions caâ—…ch the Government From Reason and to fervitude reduce Man till then free Therefore since hee permits Within himself unworthie Powers to reign Over free Reason God in Judgement just Subjects him from without to violent Lords Who oft as undeservedly enthrall His outward freedom Tyrannie must be Though to the Tyrant thereby no excuse Yet somtimes Nations will decline so low From vertue which is reason that no wrong But Justice and some fatal curse annext Deprives them of thir outward libertie Thir inward lost Witness th' irreverent Son Of him who built the Ark who for the shame Don to his Father heard this heavie curse Servant of Servants on his vitious Race Thus will this latter as the former World Still tend from bad to worse till God at last Wearied with their iniquities withdraw His presence from among them and avert His holy Eyes resolving from thenceforth To leave them to thir own polluted wayes And one peculiar Nation to select From all the rest of whom to be invok'd A Nation from one faithful man to spring Him on this side Euphrates yet residing Bred