To whom thus Michael, with regard benign: “Adam, thou know’st Heaven his, and all the Earth, Not this rock only; his omnipresence fills Land, sea, and air, and every kind that lives, Fomented by his virtual power and warmed. All the Earth he gave thee to possess and rule, No despicable gift; surmise not, then, His presence to these narrow bounds confined Of Paradise or Eden. This had been Perhaps thy capital seat, from whence had spread All generations, and had hither come From all the ends of the Earth, to celebrate And reverence thee their great progenitor. But this pre-eminence thou hast lost, brought down To dwell on even ground now with thy sons. Yet doubt not but in valley and in plain God is, as here, and will be found alike Present, and of his presence many a sign, Still following thee, still compassing thee round With goodness and paternal love, his face Express, and of his steps the track divine. Which that thou may’st believe, and be confirmed, Ere thou from hence depart, know I am sent To show thee what shall come in future days