And every creeping thing that creeps the ground.
This said, He form'd thee, Adam, thee, O man!
Dust of the ground, and in thy nostrils breath'd
The breath of life: in His own image He
Created thee, in the image of GOD
Express, and thou becam'st a living soul.
Male He created thee, but thy consort
Female for race; then bless'd mankind, and said,
Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth,
Subdue it, and throughout dominion hold
Over the fish of sea, and fowl of th' air,
And every living thing that moves on th' earth,
Wherever thus created; for no place
Is yet distinct by name: thence, as thou know'st,
He brought thee into this delicious grove,
This garden, planted with the trees of God,
Delectable both to behold and taste;
And freely all their pleasant fruits for food
Gave thee; all sorts are here that all th' earth yields,
Variety without end; but of the tree,
Which tasted, 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,
And govern well thy appetite, lest Sin
Surprise thee, and her black attendant Death.
Here finish'd He, and all that He had made View'd, and behold all was entirely good; So ev❜n and morn accomplish'd the sixth day:
Yet not till the Creator, from His work
Desisting though unwearied, up return'd,
Up to the heaven of heavens, His high abode;
Thence to behold this new-created world,
Th' addition of His empire, how it show'd
In prospect from His throne, how good, how fair,
Answ'ring His great idea. Up He rode,
Follow'd with acclamation and the sound
Symphonious of ten thousand harps that tun'd
Angelic harmonies: the earth, the air
Resounded, (thou remember'st, for thou heard'st)
The heavens and all the constellations rung,
The planets in their stations list'ning stood,
While the bright pomp ascended jubilant.
Open, ye everlasting gates, they sung,
Open, ye heavens, your living doors; let in
The Great Creator, from His work return'd
Magnificent, His six days work, a World!
Open, and henceforth oft, for GOD will deign
To visit oft the dwellings of just men,
Delighted, and with frequent intercourse
Thither will send his winged messengers
On errands of supernal grace. So sung
The glorious train ascending: He through heaven,
That open'd wide her blazing portals, led
To GoD's eternal house direct the way,
A broad and ample road, whose dust is gold
And pavement stars, as stars to thee appear,
Seen in the galaxy, that milky way,
Which nightly as a circling zone thou seest
Powder'd with stars. And now on earth the seventh
Evening arose in Eden, for the sun
Was set, and twilight from the east came on,
Forerunning night; when at the holy mount
Of heaven's high-seated top, th' imperial throne
Of Godhead, fix'd for ever firm and sure,
The Filial Power arriv'd, and sat him down
With his Great Father, for He also went
Invisible, yet stay'd, (such privilege
Hath Omnipresence,) and the work ordain'd,
Author and end of all things, and from work
Now resting, bless'd and hallow'd the seventh day,
As resting on that day from all His work;
But not in silence holy kept; the harp
Had work and rested not, the solemn pipe,
And dulcimer, all organs of sweet stop,
All sounds on fret by string or golden wire
Temper'd soft tunings, intermix'd with voice
Choral or unison; of incense clouds
Fuming from golden censers, hid the mount.
Creation and the six days acts they sung:
Great are Thy works, JEHOVAH, infinite
Thy power! what thought can measure Thee, or
Relate Thee? greater now in Thy return
Than from the giant angels; Thee that day
Thy thunders magnify'd; but to create
Is greater than created to destroy.
Who can impair Thee, Mighty King, or bound
Thy empire? easily the proud attempts
Of spirits apostate, and their counsels vain,
Thou hast repell'd, while impiously they thought
Thee to diminish, and from Thee withdraw
The number of Thy worshippers. Who seeks
To lessen Thee, against his purpose serves
To manifest the more Thy might: his evil
Thou usest, and from thence creat'st more good.
Witness this new-made world, another heaven
From heaven-gate not far, founded in view
On the clear hyaline, the glassy sea,
Of amplitude almost immense, with stars
Num'rous, and every star perhaps a world
Of destin'd habitation; but Thou know'st
Their seasons: among these the seat of men,
Earth with her nether ocean circumfus'd,
Their pleasant dwelling place. Thrice happy men,
And sons of men, whom God hath thus advanc'd,
Created in His image, there to dwell
And worship Him, and in reward to rule
Over His works, on earth, in sea, or air,
And multiply a race of worshippers
Holy and just: thrice happy if they know
Their happiness, and persevere upright.
So sung they, and the empyréan rung
With hallelujahs: thus was sabbath kept.
THESE are thy glorious works, Parent of good,
Ala ighty! Thine this universal frame,
Thus wondrous fair; Thyself how wondrous then!
Unspeakable, who sit'st above these heavens
To us invisible, or dimly seen
In these Thy lowest works; yet these declare
Thy goodness beyond thought, and power divine.
Speak ye who best can tell, ye sons of light,
Angels; for ye behold Him, and with songs
And choral symphonies, day without night
Circle His throne rejoicing; ye in heaven,
On earth join all ye creatures to extol
Him first, Him last, Him midst, and without end.
Fairest of stars, last in the train of night,
If better thou belong not to the dawn,
Sure pledge of day, that crown'st the smiling morn
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