Eternal Father (for where is not he Present?) thus to his Son audibly spake: Let us make now man 33 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,
And every creeping thing that creeps the ground.
This said, he form'd thee, Adam, thee, O
Dust of the ground, and in thy nostrils breathed The breath of life; in his own image he Created thee, in the image of God
Express; and thou becamest 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, He brought thee into this delicious grove, This garden, planted with the trees of God, Delectable both to behold and taste;
And freely all their pleasant fruit for food
Gave thee all sorts are here that all the earth
Variety without end; but of the tree,
Which, tasted, works knowledge of good and
Thou mayst not; in the day thou eat'st, thou
Death is the penalty imposed; beware, And govern well thy appetite; lest sin Surprise 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 even and morn accomplish'd the sixth day : 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, The 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 tuned 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 listening stood, While the bright pomp ascended jubilant. Open, ye everlasting gates!" they sung; Open, ye heavens! your living doors; let in 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 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 po. tals, 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,
Which nightly, as a circling zone, thou seest 580 Powder'd with stars. And now on earth the
Evening 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, the imperial throne Of Godhead, fix'd for ever firm and sure, The Filial Power arrived, 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, 590 Authour 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
Had work, and rested not; the solemn pipe, 595 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,
Fuming from golden censers, hid the mount. 600 Creation and the six days' acts they sung.
Great are thy works, Jehovah ! infinite
Thy power! what thought can measure thee, or tongue
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 To lessen thee, against his purpose serves To manifest the more thy might: his evil Thou usest, and from thence createst 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 destined habitation; but thou know'st Their seasons among these the seat of men, Earth with her nether ocean circumfused, Their pleasant dwelling-place.
And sons of men, whom God hath thus advanced! 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!
So sung they, and the empyrean rung With halleluiahs: thus was sabbath kept.-
And thy request think now fulfill'd, that ask'd 635 How first this world and face of things began, And what before thy memory was done From the beginning; that posterity,
Inform'd by thee, might know if else thou seek'st
Aught, not surpassing human measure, say. 640
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