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By destiny, and can no other chuse?
My self and all th' Angelic Host, that stand
In fight of GOD inthron'd, our happy state
Hold, as you yours, while our obedience holds;
On other furety none: freely we serve,
Because we freely love; as in our will
To love, or not, in this we stand or fall.
And fome are fall'n, to disobedience fall'n,
And fo from Heaven to deepest Hell; O fall
From what high state of bliss, into what woe!

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To whom our great progenitor. Thy words Attentive, and with more delighted ear, Divine instructor! I have heard, than when Cherubic fongs by night from neighb'ring hills Aereal music send. Nor knew 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 Affur'd me, and still assure; though what thou tell'st Hath past in Heav'n, fome doubt within me move, But more defire to hear (if thou confent) The full relation; which must needs be strange, Worthy of facred filence 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.

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High matter thou injoin'st me, O prime of men!

Sad task and hard! For how shall I relate

To human fense th' invisible exploits

Of warring spirits? How, without remorse,

The ruin of fo many, glorious once,

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And perfect, while they stood? how, last, unfold

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The secrets of another world, perhaps
Not lawful to reveal? Yet for thy thy good,
This is difpens'd: and what surmounts the reach
Of human sense, I thall delineate so,
By lik ning spiritual to corporeal forms,
As may express them best: though, what if earth
Be but the shadow of heav'n, and things therein 575
Each the other like, more than on earth is thought?

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As yet this world was not, and CHAOS wild Reign'd where these heav'ns now rowl, where earth Upon her centre pois'd; when on a day (now refts (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 hoft 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 Hierarchs in orders bright: Ten thousand thousand ensigns high advanced, (Standards, and gonfalons 'twixt van and rear) Stream in the air, and for diflinction serve Of Hierarchies, of Orders, and Degrees: Or in their glittering tissues bear imblaz'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 imbofom'd fat the SON, Amidft (as from a flaming mount, whole top Brightness had made invisible) thus spake.

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Hear all ye Angels, progeny of light, Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Pow'rs! Hear my decree, which unrevok'd shall stand.

This day I have begot whom I declare

My only SON, and on this holy hill

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