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What we receive, would either not accept Life offer'd, or soon beg to lay it down, Glad to be so dismist in peace. Can thus Th' Image of God in man created once So goodly and erect, though faultie since, To such unsightly sufferings be debas't Under inhuman pains? Why should not Man, Retaining still Divine similitude In part, from such deformities be free, 510 And for his Makers Image sake exempt? Thir Makers Image, answerd Michael, then Forsook them, when themselves they villifi'd To serve ungovern'd appetite, and took His Image whom they serv'd, a brutish vice, Inductive mainly to the sin of Eve. Therefore so abject is thir punishment, Disfiguring not Gods likeness, but thir own, Or if his likeness, by themselves defac't While they pervert pure Natures healthful rules 520 To loathsom sickness, worthily, since they Gods Image did not reverence in themselves. I yeild it just, said Adam, and submit. But is there yet no other way, besides These painful passages, how we may come To Death, and mix with our connatural dust? There is, said Michael, if thou well observe The rule of not too much, by temperance taught In what thou eatst and drinkst, seeking from thence Due nourishment, not gluttonous delight, 530 Till many years over thy head return: So maist thou live, till like ripe Fruit thou drop Into thy Mothers lap, or be with ease Gatherd, not harshly pluckt, for death mature: This is old age; but then thou must outlive Thy youth, thy strength, thy beauty, which will change To witherd weak & gray; thy Senses then Obtuse, all taste of pleasure must forgoe, To what thou hast, and for the Aire of youth Hopeful and cheerful, in thy blood will reigne 540 A melancholly damp of cold and dry To waigh thy spirits down, and last consume The Balme of Life. To whom our Ancestor. Henceforth I flie not Death, nor would prolong Life much, bent rather how I may be quit Fairest and easiest of this combrous charge, Which I must keep till my appointed day
Of rendring up, Michael to him repli'd. Nor love thy Life, nor hate; but what thou livst Live well, how long or short permit to Heav'n: 550 And now prepare thee for another sight. He lookd and saw a spacious Plaine, whereon Were Tents of various hue; by some were herds Of Cattel grazing: others, whence the sound Of Instruments that made melodious chime Was heard, of Harp and Organ; and who moovd Thir stops and chords was seen: his volant touch Instinct through all proportions low and high Fled and pursu'd transverse the resonant fugue. In other part stood one who at the Forge 560 Labouring, two massie clods of Iron and Brass Had melted (whether found where casual fire Had wasted woods on Mountain or in Vale, Down to the veins of Earth, thence gliding hot To som Caves mouth, or whether washt by stream >From underground) the liquid Ore he dreind Into fit moulds prepar'd; from which he formd First his own Tooles; then, what might else be wrought Fulfil or grav'n in mettle. After these, But on the hether side a different sort 570 >From the high neighbouring Hills, which was thir Seat, Down to the Plain descended: by thir guise Just men they seemd, and all thir study bent To worship God aright, and know his works Not hid, nor those things lost which might preserve Freedom and Peace to men: they on the Plain Long had not walkt, when from the Tents behold A Beavie of fair Women, richly gay In Gems and wanton dress; to the Harp they sung Soft amorous Ditties, and in dance came on: 580 The Men though grave, ey'd them, and let thir eyes Rove without rein, till in the amorous Net Fast caught, they lik'd, and each his liking chose; And now of love they treat till th' Eevning Star Loves Harbinger appeerd; then all in heat They light the Nuptial Torch, and bid invoke Hymen, then first to marriage Rites invok't; With Feast and Musick all the Tents resound. Such happy interview and fair event Of love & youth not lost, Songs, Garlands, Flours, 590 And charming Symphonies attach'd the heart Of Adam, soon enclin'd to admit delight, The bent of Nature; which he thus express'd.
- Page 279 and 280: But as in gaze admiring: Oft he bow
- Page 281 and 282: The vertue of that Fruit, in thee f
- Page 283 and 284: Op'nd and cleerd, and ye shall be a
- Page 285 and 286: Not without Song, each Morning, and
- Page 287 and 288: From his slack hand the Garland wre
- Page 289 and 290: Farr otherwise th' event, not Death
- Page 291 and 292: Our wonted Ornaments now soild and
- Page 293 and 294: And am I now upbraided, as the caus
- Page 295 and 296: All were who heard, dim sadness did
- Page 297 and 298: Whence Adam faultring long, thus an
- Page 299 and 300: Out of the ground wast taken, know
- Page 301 and 302: Deep to the Roots of Hell the gathe
- Page 303 and 304: Mine with this glorious Work, & mad
- Page 305 and 306: Of absolute perfection, therein Man
- Page 307 and 308: Yearly enjoynd, some say, to underg
- Page 309 and 310: With terror through the dark Aereal
- Page 311 and 312: Then cavil the conditions? and thou
- Page 313 and 314: Outstretcht he lay, on the cold gro
- Page 315 and 316: Creature so faire his reconcilement
- Page 317 and 318: Against us this deceit: to crush hi
- Page 319 and 320: approach, goes out to meet him: the
- Page 321 and 322: Happier, had it suffic'd him to hav
- Page 323 and 324: Here let us live, though in fall'n
- Page 325 and 326: Quiet though sad, the respit of tha
- Page 327 and 328: Prosperous or adverse: so shalt tho
- Page 329: For envie that his Brothers Offerin
- Page 333 and 334: Single or in Array of Battel rang'd
- Page 335 and 336: Thir order; last the Sire, and his
- Page 337 and 338: Beyond all bounds, till inundation
- Page 339 and 340: THE ARGUMENT. The Angel Michael con
- Page 341 and 342: To whom thus Michael. Justly thou a
- Page 343 and 344: His people from enthralment, they r
- Page 345 and 346: A day entire, and Nights due course
- Page 347 and 348: Upon the Temple it self: at last th
- Page 349 and 350: Salvation shall be Preacht, but to
- Page 351 and 352: Appeer of respiration to the just,
- Page 353 and 354: Homeward returning. High in Front a
- Page 355 and 356: His witness unconfirm'd: on him bap
- Page 357 and 358: Where he might likeliest find this
- Page 359 and 360: What might improve my knowledge or
- Page 361 and 362: Under the covert of some ancient Oa
- Page 363 and 364: Envy they say excites me, thus to g
- Page 365 and 366: About his Altar, handling holy thin
- Page 367 and 368: Of other women, by the birth I bore
- Page 369 and 370: Such object hath the power to soft'
- Page 371 and 372: Though hunger still remain: so it r
- Page 373 and 374: Pontus and Lucrine Bay, and Afric C
- Page 375 and 376: Gideon and Jephtha, and the Shepher
- Page 377 and 378: The Carthaginian pride, young Pompe
- Page 379 and 380: Then glory and benediction, that is
What we receive, would either not accept<br />
Life offer'd, or soon beg to lay it down,<br />
Glad to be so dismist in peace. Can thus<br />
Th' Image of God in man created once<br />
So goodly and erect, though faultie since,<br />
To such unsightly sufferings be debas't<br />
Under inhuman pains? Why should not Man,<br />
Retaining still Divine similitude<br />
In part, from such deformities be free, 510<br />
And for his Makers Image sake exempt?<br />
Thir Makers Image, answerd Michael, then<br />
Forsook them, when themselves they villifi'd<br />
To serve ungovern'd appetite, and took<br />
His Image whom they serv'd, a brutish vice,<br />
Inductive mainly to the sin of Eve.<br />
Therefore so abject is thir punishment,<br />
Disfiguring not Gods likeness, but thir own,<br />
Or if his likeness, by themselves defac't<br />
While they pervert pure Natures healthful rules 520<br />
To loathsom sickness, worthily, since they<br />
Gods Image did not reverence in themselves.<br />
I yeild it just, said Adam, and submit.<br />
But is there yet no other way, besides<br />
These painful passages, how we may come<br />
To Death, and mix with our connatural dust?<br />
There is, said Michael, if thou well observe<br />
The rule of not too much, by temperance taught<br />
In what thou eatst and drinkst, seeking from thence<br />
Due nourishment, not gluttonous delight, 530<br />
Till many years over thy head return:<br />
So maist thou live, till like ripe Fruit thou drop<br />
Into thy Mothers lap, or be with ease<br />
Gatherd, not harshly pluckt, for death mature:<br />
This is old age; but then thou must outlive<br />
Thy youth, thy strength, thy beauty, which will change<br />
To witherd weak & gray; thy Senses then<br />
Obtuse, all taste of pleasure must forgoe,<br />
To what thou hast, and for the Aire of youth<br />
Hopeful and cheerful, in thy blood will reigne 540<br />
A melancholly damp of cold and dry<br />
To waigh thy spirits down, and last consume<br />
The Balme of Life. To whom our Ancestor.<br />
Henceforth I flie not Death, nor would prolong<br />
Life much, bent rather how I may be quit<br />
Fairest and easiest of this combrous charge,<br />
Which I must keep till my appointed day