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, Tempered soft tunings, intermixed 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 tongue Relate thee? greater now in thy return Than from the Giant-angels: thee that day Thy thunders magnified; but to create Is greater than created to destroy. Who can impair thee, mighty King, or bound Thy empire? Easily the proud attempt Of Spirits apostate and their counsels vain Thou hast repelled, 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 Numerous, and every star perhaps a world Of destined habitation; but thou know’st Their seasons; among these the seat of Men, Earth, with her nether ocean circumfused, Their pleasant dwelling-place. Thrice happy Men, And sons of Men! whom God hath thus advanced, 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 Empyrean rung With hallelujahs. Thus was Sabbath kept. And thy request think now fulfilled, that asked How first this World and face of things began, And what before thy memory was done From the beginning, that posterity, Informed by thee, might know. If else thou seek’st Aught, not surpassing human measure, say.”