505 By fowl, fish, beast, was flown, was swum, was walk'd His ftature, and upright with front ferene But grateful to acknowledge whence his good. And worship God fupreme, who made him chief 515 Eternal Father (for where is not he Prefent?) thus to his Son audibly fpake. Let us make now Man in our image, Man In our fimilitude, and let them rule Over the fish and fowl of fea and air, Beast of the field, and over all the earth, Exprefs, and thou becam'ft a living foul. 520 525 Female for race; then blefs'd mankind, and said, 530 Be fruitful, multiply, and the earth, Subdue it, and throughout dominion hold Over fish of the fea, and fowl of th' air, 535 Is yet diftinct by name, thence, as thou know'st, This garden, planted with the trees of God, And freely all their pleasant fruit for food 540 Gave thee; all forts are here that all th' earth yields Variety without end; but of the tree, Which tafted works knowledge of good and evil, Thou may'st not; in the day thou eat'st, thou dy'st; Death is the penalty impos'd, beware, 545 And govern well thy appetite, left Sin Surprise thee, and her black attendent Death. 559 Th' addition of his empire, how it show'd In profpect from his throne, how good, how fair, Follow'd with acclamation and the found Refounded, (thou remember'ft, for thou heardst) VOL. I. 555 5.60 The The planets in their station list`ning stood, The glorious train ascending: He through Heaven, 565 579 575 To God's eternal houfe direct the way, A broad and ample road, whofe duft is gold And pavement stars, as stars to thee appear, Which nightly as a circling zone thou feest 580 Powder'd with ftars. And now on earth the feventh Evening arofe in Eden, for the fun Was fet, and twilight from the east came on, Of Heav'n's high seated top, th' imperial throne 585 Of Godhead, fix'd for ever firm and fure, The filial Pow'r arriv'd, and fat him down Hath Omniprefence) and the work ordain'd, 590 Author and end of all things, and from work As As refting on that day from all his work, Great are thy works, Jehovah, infinite 595 600 Thy pow'r; what thought can meafure thee, or tongue Relate thee? greater now in thy return Than from the giant Angels; thee that day 605 Thy thunders magnify'd; but to create Is greater than created to destroy. Who can impair thee, mighty King, or bound Of Spirits apoftate and their counfels vain στο Thou haft repell'd, while impiously they thought Thee to diminish, and from thee withdraw The number of thy worshipers. Who feeks 615 620 Their Their feafons among these the feat of Men, Their pleasant dwelling-place. Thrice happy Men, And worship him, and in reward to rule 630 So fung they, and the empyréan rung With halleluiahs: Thus was fabbath kept. And thy request think now fulfill'd, that afk'd 635 And what before thy memory was done From the beginning, that pofterity Inform'd by thee might know; if else thou seek'st THE END OF THE SEVENTH BOOK. 640 |