Magnanimous to correspond with heaven;
But grateful to acknowledge whence his good
Descends, thither with heart, and voice, and eyes
Directed in devotion, to adore

516

And worship GOD supreme, who made him chief
Of all his works: therefore the omnipotent
Eternal Father, for where is not he
Present? thus to his Son audibly spake.

Let us make now man in our image, man
In our similitude, and let them rule
Over the fish and fowl of sea and air,
Beast of the field, and over all the earth,

520

And every creeping thing that creeps the ground. This said, he form'd thee, Adam, thee, O man, Dust of the ground, and in thy nostrils breath'd 525 The breath of life: in his own image he

Created thee, in the image of GOD

Express, and thou becam'st a living soul.

Male he created thee, but thy consort

Female for race; then bless'd mankind, and said,

Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth,
Subdue it, and throughout dominion hold
Over fish of the sea, and fowl of the air,
And every living thing that moves on the earth.
Wherever thus created, for no place

Is yet distinct by name, thence, as thou know'st,

531

535

He brought thee into this delicious grove,
This garden, planted with the trees of GOD,
Delectable both to behold and taste;

540

And freely all their pleasant fruit for food
Gave thee; all sorts are here that all th' earth yields,
Variety without end; but of the tree,

545

Which tasted, works knowledge of good and evil,
Thou may'st not: in the day thou eat'st thou dy'st;
Death is the penalty impos'd, beware,
And govern well thy appetite, lest sin
Surprize thee, and her black attendant death.

Here finish'd he, and all that he had made
View'd, and behold all was entirely good;
So ev'n and morn accomplish'd the sixth day: 550
Yet not, till the Creator from his work

Desisting, though unwearied, up return'd,
Up to the heaven of heavens his high abode,
Thence to behold this new-created world,
Th' addition of his empire, how it show'd
In prospect from his throne, how good, how fair,
Answering his great idea. Up he rode,
Follow'd with acclamation and the sound
Symphonious of ten thousand harps, that tun'd
Angelic harmonies: the earth, the air
Resounded, thou remember'st, for thou heard'st;
The heavens and all the constellations rung,
The planets in their station list'ning stood,
While the bright pomp ascended jubilant.
Open, ye everlasting gates, they sung,
Open, ye heavens, your living doors; let in

555

560

565

The great Creator, from his work return'd
Magnificent, his six days' work, a world!
Open, and henceforth oft; for GOD will deign

To visit oft the dwellings of just men
Delighted, and with frequent intercourse

570

Thither will send his winged messengers

On errands of supernal grace. So sung
The glorious train ascending: He through heaven,

That open'd wide her blazing portals, led
To GOD's eternal house direct the way,
A broad and ample road, whose dust is gold,
And pavement stars, as stars to thee appear
Seen in the galaxy, that milky way

575

580

Which nightly as a circling zone thou seest Powder'd with stars. And now on earth the seventh

Ev'ning arose in Eden, for the sun

Was set, and twilight from the east came on,

Forerunning night; when at the holy mount
Of heaven's high seated top, th' imperial throne 585
Of Godhead, fix'd for ever firm and sure,

The Filial Power arriv'd, and sat him down

With his great Father; for he also went

Invisible, yet stay'd, such privilege

Hath Omnipresence, and the work ordain'd,
Author and end of all things, and from work
Now resting, bless'd and hallow'd the seventh day,
As resting on that day from all his work,
But not in silence holy kept; the harp

590

Had work, and rested not; the solemn pipe
And dulcimer, all organs of sweet stop,
All sounds on fret by string or golden wire,
Temper'd soft tunings, intermix'd with voice
Choral or unison: of incense clouds

595

Fuming from golden censers hid the mount. 600 Creation and the six days acts they sung;

[tongue

Great are thy works, Jehovah, infinite
Thy power; what thought can measure thee, or
Relate thee! greater now in thy return

Than from the giant angels; thee that day 605

Thy thunders magnified; but to create

Is greater than created to destroy.

Who can impair thee, mighty King, or bound

Thy empire! easily the proud attempt

Of spirits apostate and their counsels vain
Thou hast repell'd, while impiously they thought
Thee to diminish, and from thee withdraw
The number of thy worshippers. Who seeks

610

To lessen thee, against his purpose serves

To manifest the more thy might: his evil
Thou usest, and from thence creat'st more good.
Witness this new-made world, another heaven
From heaven gate not far, founded in view
On the clear hyaline, the glassy sea;
Of amplitude almost immense, with stars
Numerous, and every star perhaps a world
Of destin'd habitation; but thou know'st
Their seasons: among these the seat of men,
Earth, with her nether ocean circumfus'd,

615

620

Their pleasant dwelling place. Thrice happy men, And sons of men, whom God hath thus advanc'd,

Created in his image, there to dwell
And worship him; and in reward to rule
Over his works, on earth, in sea, or air,

And multiply a race of worshippers
Holy and just: thrice happy, if they know
Their happiness, and persevere upright.

630

So sung they, and the empyrean rung
With Hallelujahs: thus was Sabbath kept.
And thy request think now fulfill'd, that ask'd
How first this world and face of things began,
And what before thy memory was done
From the beginning, that posterity

635

Inform'd by thee might know. If else thou seek'st Aught, not surpassing human measure, say.

640