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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.

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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

440

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:

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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,

460

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470

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

495

Long after: now unpeopl'd, and untrod.

All this dark globe the Fiend found as he pass'd,

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