15

See with what heat these Dogs of Hell advance

To waste and havoc yonder World, which I

So fair and good created, and had still

Kept in that State, had not the folly of Man

Let in these wastful Furies, who impute [ 620 ]

Folly to mee, so doth the Prince of Hell

And his Adherents, that with so much ease

I suffer them to enter and possess

A place so heavnly, and conniving seem

To gratifie my scornful Enemies, [ 625 ]

That laugh, as if transported with some fit

Of Passion, I to them had quitted all,

At random yielded up to their misrule;

And know not that I calld and drew them thither

My Hell-hounds, to lick up the draff and filth [ 630 ]

Which mans polluting Sin with taint hath shed

On what was pure, till crammd and gorgd, nigh burst

With suckt and glutted offal, at one sling

Of thy victorious Arm, well-pleasing Son,

Both Sin, and Death, and yawning Grave at last [ 635 ]

Through Chaos hurld, obstruct the mouth of Hell

For ever, and seal up his ravenous Jawes.

Then Heavn and Earth renewd shall be made pure

To sanctitie that shall receive no staine:

Till then the Curse pronounct on both precedes. [ 640 ]

He ended, and the Heavnly Audience loud

Sung Halleluia, as the sound of Seas,

Through multitude that sung: Just are thy ways,

Righteous are thy Decrees on all thy Works;

Who can extenuate thee? Next, to the Son, [ 645 ]

Destind restorer of Mankind, by whom

New Heavn and Earth shall to the Ages rise,

Or down from Heavn descend. Such was thir song,

While the Creator calling forth by name

His mightie Angels gave them several charge, [ 650 ]

As sorted best with present things. The Sun

Had first his precept so to move, so shine,

As might affect the Earth with cold and heat

Scarce tollerable, and from the North to call

Decrepit Winter, from the South to bring [ 655 ]

Solstitial summers heat. To the blanc Moone

Her office they prescribd, to th other five

Thir planetarie motions and aspects

In Sextile, Square, and Trine, and Opposite,

Of noxious efficacie, and when to joyne [ 660 ]

In Synod unbenigne, and taught the fixt

Thir influence malignant when to showre,

Which of them rising with the Sun, or falling,

Should prove tempestuous: To the Winds they set

Thir corners, when with bluster to confound [ 665 ]

Sea, Aire, and Shoar, the Thunder when to rowle

With terror through the dark Aereal Hall.