第11章 10

Hee Heavn of Heavens and all the Powers therein [ 390 ] By thee created, and by thee threw down Th Aspiring Dominations: thou that day Thy Fathers dreadful Thunder didst not spare, Nor stop thy flaming Chariot wheels, that shook Heavns everlasting Frame, while ore the necks [ 395 ] Thou drovst of warring Angels disarraid.

Back from pursuit thy Powers with loud acclaime Thee only extolld, Son of thy Fathers might, To execute fierce vengeance on his foes, Not so on Man; him through their malice falln, [ 400 ] Father of Mercie and Grace, thou didst not doome So strictly, but much more to pitie encline: No sooner did thy dear and onely Son

Perceive thee purposd not to doom frail Man So strictly, but much more to pitie enclind, [ 405 ] He to appease thy wrauth, and end the strife Of Mercy and Justice in thy face discernd, Regardless of the Bliss wherein hee sat Second to thee, offerd himself to die For mans offence. O unexampld love, [ 410 ]

Love no where to be found less then Divine! Hail Son of God, Saviour of Men, thy Name Shall be the copious matter of my Song Henceforth, and never shall my Harp thy praise Forget, nor from thy Fathers praise disjoine. [ 415 ] Thus they in Heavn, above the starry Sphear, Thir happie 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, enclosd [ 420 ] From Chaos and th inroad of Darkness old, Satan alighted walks: a Globe farr off It seemd, now seems a boundless Continent Dark, waste, and wild, under the frown of Night

Starless exposd, and ever-threatning storms [ 425 ] Of Chaos blustring round, inclement skie; Save on that side which from the wall of Heavn Though distant farr some small reflection gaines Of glimmering air less vext with tempest loud: Here walkd the Fiend at large in spacious field. [ 430 ]