---

Скачать книгу

---

Hosannas fill’d

      Th’ eternal Regions: lowly reverent

      Towards either Throne they bow, & to the ground

      With solemn adoration down they cast

      Thir Crowns inwove with Amarant and Gold,

      Immortal Amarant, a Flour which once

      In Paradise, fast by the Tree of Life

      Began to bloom, but soon for mans offence

      To Heav’n remov’d where first it grew, there grows,

      And flours aloft shading the Fount of Life,

      And where the river of Bliss through midst of Heavn

      Rowls o’re Elisian Flours her Amber stream;

      With these that never fade the Spirits Elect

      Bind thir resplendent locks inwreath’d with beams,

      Now in loose Garlands thick thrown off, the bright

      Pavement that like a Sea of Jasper shon

      Impurpl’d with Celestial Roses smil’d.

      Then Crown’d again thir gold’n Harps they took,

      Harps ever tun’d, that glittering by thir side

      Like Quivers hung, and with Praeamble sweet

      Of charming symphonie they introduce

      Thir sacred Song, and waken raptures high;

      No voice exempt, no voice but well could joine

      Melodious part, such concord is in Heav’n.

       Heav’n rung With Jubilee, and loud Hosannas fill’d Th’ eternal Regions

      Thee Father first they sung Omnipotent,

      Immutable, Immortal, Infinite,

      Eternal King; thee Author of all being,

      Fountain of Light, thy self invisible

      Amidst the glorious brightness where thou sit’st

      Thron’d inaccessible, but when thou shad’st

      The full blaze of thy beams, and through a cloud

      Drawn round about thee like a radiant Shrine,

      Dark with excessive bright thy skirts appeer,

      Yet dazle Heav’n, that brightest Seraphim

      Approach not, but with both wings veil thir eyes.

      Thee next they sang of all Creation first,

      Begotten Son, Divine Similitude,

      In whose conspicuous count’nance, without cloud

      Made visible, th’ Almighty Father shines,

      Whom else no Creature can behold; on thee

      Impresst the effulgence of his Glorie abides,

      Transfus’d on thee his ample Spirit rests.

      Hee Heav’n of Heavens and all the Powers therein

      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

      Heav’ns everlasting Frame, while o’re the necks

      Thou drov’st of warring Angels disarraid.

      Back from pursuit thy Powers with loud acclaime

      Thee only extold, Son of thy Fathers might,

      To execute fierce vengeance on his foes,

      Not so on Man; him through their malice fall’n,

      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 purpos’d not to doom frail Man

      So strictly, but much to pitie enclin’d,

      He to appease thy wrauth, and end the strife

      Of Mercy and Justice in thy face discern’d,

      Regardless of the Bliss wherein hee sat

      Second to thee, offerd himself to die

      For mans offence. O unexampl’d love,

      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.

       and many more too long, Embryos, and Idiots, Eremits and Friers

      Thus they in Heav’n, 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, enclos’d

      From Chaos and th’ inroad of Darkness old,

      Satan alighted walks: a Globe farr off

      It seem’d, now seems a boundless Continent

      Dark, waste, and wild, under the frown of Night

      Starless expos’d, and ever-threatning storms

      Of Chaos blustring round, inclement skie;

      Save on that side which from the wall of Heav’n

      Though distant farr som small reflection gaines

      Of glimmering air less vext with tempest loud:

      Here walk’d the Fiend at large in spacious field.

      As when a Vultur on Imaus bred,

      Whose snowie ridge the roving Tartar bounds,

      Dislodging from a Region scarce of prey

      To gorge the flesh of Lambs or yeanling Kids

      On Hills where Flocks are fed, flies toward the Springs

      Of Ganges or Hydaspes, Indian streams;

      But in his way lights on the barren plaines

      Of Sericana, where Chineses drive

      With Sails and Wind thir canie Waggons light:

      So on this windie Sea of Land, the Fiend

      Walk’d up and down alone bent on his prey,

      Alone, for other Creature in this place

      Living or liveless to be found was none,

      None yet, but store hereafter from the earth

      Up hither like Aereal vapours flew

      Of all things transitorie and vain, when Sin

      With vanity had filld the works of men:

      Both all things vain, and all who in vain things

      Built their fond hopes of Glorie or lasting fame,

      Or happiness in this or th’ other life;

      All who have thir reward on Earth, the fruits

      Of

---

Скачать книгу