Made visible, th' Almighty FATHER Thines, Whom else no creature can behold: on thee Impress'd, th' effulgence of his glory abides; Transfus'd on thee his ample SPIRIT rests. He Heav'n of Heav'ns, and all the pow'rs therein, By thee created; and by thee threw down Th' afpiring Dominations. Thou that day Thy FATHER'S dreadful thunder didst not spare; Nor stop thy flaming chariot wheels, that thook Heav'n's everlasting frame, while o'er the necks 395 Thou drov'st of warring Angels disarraid. Back from perfuit thy Pow'rs with loud acclaim Thee only extoll'd, SON of thy FATHER'S might, To execute fierce vengeance on his foes. Not so on man: him thro' their malice fall'n, FATHER of mercy and grace! thou didst not doom So strictly; but much more to pity incline. No fooner did thy dear and only SON, Perceive thee purpos'd not to doom frail man So strictly, but much more to pity inclin'd, He to appease thy wrath, and end the ftrife Of mercy and justice in thy face difcern'd, Regardless of the bliss wherein he fat Second to thee, offer'd himself to die For man's offence. O unexampled love! Love no where to be found less than Divine!. Hail SON OF GOD, Saviour of men! thy name Shall be the copious matter of my fong Henceforth, and never shall my harp thy praise Forget, nor from thy FATHER's praise disjoin. 415
Thus they in Heav'n, above the starry sphear, Their happy hours in joy and hymning spent. Mean while upon the firm opacous globe Of this round world, whose first convex divides The luminous inferior orbs, inclos'd From CHAOS, and th' inroad of darkness old, SATAN alighted walks. A globe far off.
It seem'd, now seems a boundless continent Dark, waste, and wild, under the frown of night Starless expos'd, and ever-threat'ning storms Of CHAOS blustring round, inclement sky! Save on that fide which from the wall of Heav'n (Tho' distant far) fome small reflection gains Of glimmering air, less vex'd with tempest loud. Here walk'd the Fiend at large in spacious field. 430 As when a Vultur on IMAUS bred,
(Whose snowy ridge the roving TARTAR bounds) Dislodging from a region scarce of prey
To gorge the flesh of lambs, or yeanling kids, 434 On hills where flocks are fed, flies tow'rd the springs OF GANGES or HYDASPES, (INDIAN streams) But in his way lights on the barren plains Of SERICANA, where CHINESES drive With fails and wind their cany waggons light: So on this windy sea of land, the Fiend Walk'd up and down alone, bent on his prey; Alone, for other creature in this place Living or liveless to be found was none; None yet, but store hereafter from the earth Up hither like aereal vapors flew, Of all things transitory and vain, when fin With vanity had fill'd the works of men: Both all things vain, and all who in vain things Built their fond hopes of glory or lasting fame, Or happiness in this or the other life: All who have their reward on earth, the fruits Of painful fuperftition, and blind zeal, Nought feeking but the praise of men, here find Fit retribution, empty as their deeds:
All th' unaccomplish'd works of Nature's hand, 455 Abortive, monftrous, or unkindly mix'd, Diffolv'd on earth, fleet hither, and in vain,
Till final dissolution, wander here:
Not in the neighb'ring moon, as fome have dream'd;
(Those argent fields more likely habitants,
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Translated saints, or middle spirits hold Betwixt th' angelical and human kind) Hither, of ill-join'd fons and daughters born, First from the ancient world those giants came, With many a vain exploit, tho' then renown'd: 465 The builders next of BABEL on the plain Of SENNAAR, and still with vain design New BABELS, had they wherewithal, would build: Others came fingle; he who to be deem'd A God, leap'd fondly into ÆINA flames, EMPEDOCLES; and he who to enjoy PLATO'S ELYSIUM, leap'd into the Sea, CLEOMBROTUS: and many more too long, Embryoes and idiots, Eremits, and Friars White, Back, and Grey, with all their trumpery: 475 Here Pilgrims roam, that stray'd fo far to feek In GOLGOTHA him dead, who lives in Heav'n: And they who to be fure of Paradise, Dying put on the weeds of DOMINIC, Or in FRANCISCAN think to pass disguis'd: 480 They pass the Planets seven, and pass the fix'd, And that chrystalline sphere whose ballance weighs The trepidation talk'd, and that first-mov'd: And now Saint PETER at Heav'n's wicket seems To wait them with his keys, and now at foot 485 Of Heav'n's afcent they lift their feet, when lo! A violent cross-wind from either coaft Blows them transverse, ten thousand leagues awry Into the devious air: then might ye fee Cowls, hoods, and habits, with their wearers tost 490 And flutter'd into rags; then reliques, beads, Indulgences, Difpenfes, Pardons, Bulls, The sport of winds. All these upwhirl'd aloft Fly o'er the backside of the world far off, Into a Limbo large and broad, fince call'd The PARADISE OF FOOLS, to few unknown
Long after: now unpeopl'd, and untrod.
All this dark globe the Fiend found as he pass'd,
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