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 embosom'd sat the Son,
Amidst as from a flaming mount whose top
Brightness had made invisible, thus spake :
"Hear, all ye angels, progeny of light, Thrones, dominations, princedoms, virtues, powers. Hear my decree, which unrevok'd shall stand. This day I have begot whom I declare My only Son, and on this holy hill Him have anointed, whom ye now behold At my right hand; your head I him appoint And by myself have sworn, to him shall how All knees in heaven, and shall confess him Lord. Under his great vicegerent reign abide United, as one individual soul, For ever happy: him who disobeys, Me disobeys, breaks union, and that day, Cast out from God and blessed vision, falls Into utter darkness, deep ingulf'd, his place Ordain'd without redemption, without end."
"So spake the Omnipotent, and with his words All seem'd well pleas'd; all seem'd, but were not That day, as other solemn days, they spent [all.. In song and dance about the sacred hill; Mystical dance, which yonder starry sphere Of planets, and of fix'd, in all her wheels Resembles nearest, mazes intricate, Eccentric, intervolv'd, yet regular Then most, when most irregular they seem; And in their motions harmony divine So smooths her charming tones, that God's own Listens delighted. Evening now approach'd, (For we have also evening and our morn, We ours for change delectable, not need ;)
Forthwith from dance to sweet repast they turn
Desirous; all in circles as they stood,
Tables are set, and on a sudden pil'd
With angels' food, and rubied nectar flows
In pearl, in diamond, and massy gold,
Fruit of delicious vines, the growth of heaven.
On flowers repos'd, and with fresh flowerets
They eat, they drink; and in communion sweet Quaff immortality and joy, secure Of surfeit, where full measure only bounds Excess, before the all-bounteous King, who shower'd With copious hand, rejoicing in their joy. Now when ambrosial night with clouds exhal'd From that high mount of God, whence light and [chang'd Spring forth, the face of brightest heaven had To grateful twilight, (for night comes not there In darker veil,) and roseat dews dispos'd All but the unsleeping eyes of God to rest; Wide over all the plain, and wider far Than a! this globous earth in plain outspread, (Such are the courts of God,) the angelic throng Dispers'd in bands and files, their camp extend By living streams among the trees of life, Pavilions numberless, and sudden rear'd, Celestial tabernacles, where they slept (course, • Fann'd with cool winds; save those, who, in thei Melodious hymns about the sovran throne Alternate all night long: but not so wake Satan; so call him now, his former name Is heard no more in heaven; he of the first, If not the first archangel, great in power, In favour and pre-eminence, yet fraught With envy against the Son of God, that day Honour'd by his great Father, and proclaim'd Messiah King anointed, could not bear [pair'd. Through pride that sight, and thought himself inDeen malive then conceiving and disdain,
Soon as midnight brought on the dusky hour
Friendliest to sleep and silence, he resolv'd
With all his legions to dislodge, and leave
Unworshipp'd, unobey'd, the throne supreme,
Contemptuous; and his next subordinate
Awakening, thus to him in secret spake :
"Sleep'st thou, companion dear? What sleep can close
Thy eye-lids? and remember'st what decree
Of yesterday, so late hath pass'd the lips
Of heaven's Almighty. Thou to me thy thoughts
Wast wont, I mine to thee was wont, to impart;
Both waking we were one; how then can now
Thy sleep dissent? New laws thou seest impos'd;
New laws from him who reigns, new minds may
In us who serve, new counsels to debate,
raise
What doubtful may ensue: more in this place
To utter is not safe. Assemble thou,
Of all those myriads which we lead, the chief;
Tell them that by command, ere yet dim night
Her shadowy cloud withdraws, I am to haste,
And all who under me their banner wave,
Homeward, with flying march, where we possess
The quarters of the north; there to prepare
Fit entertainment to receive our King,
The Great Messiah, and his new commands,
Who speedily through all the hierarchies
Intends to pass triumphant, and give laws."
So spake the false archangel, and infus'd
Bad influence into the unwary breast
Of his associate: he together calls,
On several one by one, the repent powers,
Under him regent; tells, as he was taught,
That the Most High commanding, now ere nigh
Now ere dim night had disencamber'd heaven,
The great hierarchal standard was to move;
Tells the suggested cause, and casts between
Ambiguous words and jealousies, to sound
Or taint integrity: but all obey'd
The wonved signal, and superior voice
Of their great potentate; for great indeed
His name, and high was his degree in heaven
His countenance, as the morning-star that guides
The starry flock, allur'd them, and with lies
Drew after him the third part of heaven's host.
Meanwhile the Eternal eye, whose sight discerns
Abstrusest thoughts, from forth his holy mount,
And from within the golden lamps that burn
Nightly before him, saw without their light
Rebellion rising; saw in whom, how spread
Among the sons of morn, what multitudes
Were banded to oppose his high decree;
And, smiling, to his only Son thus said:
"Son, thou in whom my glory I behold
In full resplendence, heir of all my might,
Nearly it now concerns us to be sure
Of our omnipotence, and with what arms
We mean to hold what anciently we claim
Of deicy or empire: such a foe
Is rising, who intends to erect his throne
Equal to ours throughout the spacious north,
Nor so content, hath in his thought to try
In battle, what our power is, or our right.
Let us advise, and to this hazard draw
With speed what force is left, and all employ
In our defence; lest unawares we lose
This our high place, our sanctuary, our hill.
"To whom the Son with calm aspect and clear,
Lightning divine, ineffable, serene,
Made answer: 'My Father, thou thy foes
Justly hast in derision, and, secure,
Laugh'st at their vain designs and tumults vain,
Matter to me of glory, whom their hate
Illustrates, when they see all regal power
Given me to quell their pride, and in event
Know whether I be dextrous to subdue
Thy rebels, or be found the worst in heaven."
"So spake the Son: but Satan, with his powers
Far was advanc'd on winged speed ; an host
Innumerable as the stars of night,
Or stars of morning, dew-drops, which the sun
Impearls on every leaf and every flower.
Regions they pass'd, the mighty regencies
Of seraphim, and potentates, and thrones,
In their triple degrees; regions to which
All thy dominion, Adam, is no more
Than what this garden is to all the earth,
And all the sea, from one entire globose
Stretch'd into longitude; which having pass'd,
At length into the limits of the north
They came; and Satan to his royal seat
High on a hill, far blazing, as a mount
Rais'd on a mount, with pyramids and towers
From diamond quarries hewn, and rocks of gold
The palace of great Lucifer, (so call
That structure in the dialect of men
Interpreted,) which not long after, he,
Affecting all equality with God,
In imitation of that mount whereon
Messiah was declar'd in sight of heaven,
The Mountain of the Congregation call'd;
For thither he assembled all his train,
Pretending, so commanded, to consult
About the great reception of their King,
Thither to come; and with calumnious art
Of counterfeited truth thus held their ears :
"Thrones, dominations, princedoms, virtues,
If these magnific titles yet remain
[powers:
Not merely titular, since by decree
Another now hath to himself engross'd
All power, and us eclips'd under the name
Of King anointed, from all this haste
Of midnight-march, and hurried meeting here,
This only to consult how we may best,
With what may be devis'd of honours new,
Receive him coming to receive from us
Knee-tribute yet anpaid, prostration vile f
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