In various style, for neither various style

Nor holy rapture wanted they to praise

Thir Maker, in fit strains pronounc't or sung

Unmeditated, such prompt eloquence

Flowd from thir lips, in Prose or numerous Verse,

More tuneable then needed Lute or Harp

To add more sweetness, and they thus began.

These are thy glorious works, Parent of good,

Almightie, thine this universal Frame,

Thus wondrous fair; thy self how wondrous then!

Unspeakable, who sitst above these Heavens

To us invisible or dimly seen

In these thy lowest works, yet these declare

Thy goodness beyond thought, and Power Divine:

Speak yee who best can tell, ye Sons of light,

Angels, for yee behold him, and with songs

And choral symphonies, Day without Night,

Circle his Throne rejoycing, yee in Heav'n,

On Earth joyn all yee Creatures to extoll

Him first, him last, him midst, and without end.

Fairest of Starrs, last in the train of Night,

If better thou belong not to the dawn,

Sure pledge of day, that crownst the smiling Morn

With thy bright Circlet, praise him in thy Spheare

While day arises, that sweet hour of Prime.

Thou Sun, of this great World both Eye and Soule,

Acknowledge him thy Greater, sound his praise

In thy eternal course, both when thou climb'st,

And when high Noon hast gaind, & when thou fallst.

Moon, that now meetst the orient Sun, now fli'st

With the fixt Starrs, fixt in thir Orb that flies,

And yee five other wandring Fires that move

In mystic Dance not without Song, resound

His praise, who out of Darkness call'd up Light.

Aire, and ye Elements the eldest birth

Of Natures Womb, that in quaternion run

Perpetual Circle, multiform; and mix

And nourish all things, let your ceasless change

Varie to our great Maker still new praise.

Ye Mists and Exhalations that now rise

From Hill or steaming Lake, duskie or grey,

Till the Sun paint your fleecie skirts with Gold,

In honour to the Worlds great Author rise,

Whether to deck with Clouds the uncolourd skie,

Or wet the thirstie Earth with falling showers,

Rising or falling still advance his praise.

His praise ye Winds, that from four Quarters blow,

Breath soft or loud; and wave your tops, ye Pines,

With every Plant, in sign of Worship wave.

Fountains and yee, that warble, as ye flow,

Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praise.

Joyn voices all ye living Souls, ye Birds,

That singing up to Heaven Gate ascend,

Bear on your wings and in your notes his praise;

Yee that in Waters glide, and yee that walk

The Earth, and stately tread, or lowly creep;

Witness if I be silent, Morn or Eeven,

To Hill, or Valley, Fountain, or fresh shade

Made vocal by my Song, and taught his praise.

Hail universal Lord, be bounteous still

To give us onely good; and if the night

Have gathered aught of evil or conceald,

Disperse it, as now light dispels the dark.

So pray'd they innocent, and to thir thoughts

Firm peace recoverd soon and wonted calm.

On to thir mornings rural work they haste

Among sweet dewes and flours; where any row

Of Fruit-trees overwoodie reachd too farr

Thir pamperd boughes, and needed hands to check

Fruitless imbraces: or they led the Vine

To wed her Elm; she spous'd about him twines

Her mariageable arms, and with her brings

Her dowr th' adopted Clusters, to adorn

His barren leaves. Them thus imploid beheld

With pittie Heav'ns high King, and to him call'd

RAPHAEL, the sociable Spirit, that deign'd

To travel with TOBIAS, and secur'd

His marriage with the seaventimes-wedded Maid.

RAPHAEL, said hee, thou hear'st what stir on Earth

SATAN from Hell scap't through the darksom Gulf

Hath raisd in Paradise, and how disturbd

This night the human pair, how he designes

In them at once to ruin all mankind.

Go therefore, half this day as friend with friend

Converse with ADAM, in what Bowre or shade

Thou find'st him from the heat of Noon retir'd,

To respit his day-labour with repast,

Or with repose; and such discourse bring on,

As may advise him of his happie state,

Happiness in his power left free to will,

Left to his own free Will, his Will though free,

Yet mutable; whence warne him to beware

He swerve not too secure: tell him withall

His danger, and from whom, what enemie

Late falln himself from Heav'n, is plotting now

The fall of others from like state of bliss;

By violence, no, for that shall be withstood,

But by deceit and lies; this let him know,

Least wilfully transgressing he pretend

Surprisal, unadmonisht, unforewarnd.

So spake th' Eternal Father, and fulfilld

All Justice: nor delaid the winged Saint

After his charge receivd, but from among

Thousand Celestial Ardors, where he stood

Vaild with his gorgeous wings, up springing light

Flew through the midst of Heav'n; th' angelic Quires

On each hand parting, to his speed gave way

Through all th' Empyreal road; till at the Gate

Of Heav'n arriv'd, the gate self-opend wide

On golden Hinges turning, as by work

Divine the sov'ran Architect had fram'd.

From hence, no cloud, or, to obstruct his sight,

Starr interpos'd, however small he sees,

Not unconform to other shining Globes,

Earth and the Gard'n of God, with Cedars crownd

Above all Hills. As when by night the Glass

Of GALILEO, less assur'd, observes

Imagind Lands and Regions in the Moon:

Or Pilot from amidst the CYCLADES

DELOS or SAMOS first appeering kenns

A cloudy spot. Down thither prone in flight

He speeds, and through the vast Ethereal Skie

Sailes between worlds & worlds, with steddie wing

Now on the polar windes, then with quick Fann

Winnows the buxom Air; till within soare

Of Towring Eagles, to all the Fowles he seems

A PHOENIX, gaz'd by all, as that sole Bird

When to enshrine his reliques in the Sun's

Bright Temple, to AEGYPTIAN THEB'S he flies.

At once on th' Eastern cliff of Paradise

He lights, and to his proper shape returns

A Seraph wingd; six wings he wore, to shade

His lineaments Divine; the pair that clad

Each shoulder broad, came mantling o're his brest

With regal Ornament; the middle pair

Girt like a Starrie Zone his waste, and round

Skirted his loines and thighes with downie Gold

And colours dipt in Heav'n; the third his feet

Shaddowd from either heele with featherd maile

Skie-tinctur'd grain. Like MAIA'S son he stood,

And shook his Plumes, that Heav'nly fragrance filld

The circuit wide. Strait knew him all the bands

Of Angels under watch; and to his state,

And to his message high in honour rise;

For on som message high they guessd him bound.

Thir glittering Tents he passd, and now is come

Into the blissful field, through Groves of Myrrhe,

And flouring Odours, Cassia, Nard, and Balme;

A Wilderness of sweets; for Nature here

Wantond as in her prime, and plaid at will

Her Virgin Fancies, pouring forth more sweet,

Wilde above rule or art; enormous bliss.

Him through the spicie Forrest onward com

ADAM discernd, as in the dore he sat

Of his coole Bowre, while now the mounted Sun

Shot down direct his fervid Raies, to warme

Earths inmost womb, more warmth then ADAM need;

And EVE within, due at her hour prepar'd

For dinner savourie fruits, of taste to please

True appetite, and not disrelish thirst