Thus when with meats and drinks they had sufficd [ 450 ]
Not burdnd Nature, sudden mind arose
In Adam, not to let th occasion pass
Given him by this great fereo know
Of things above his World, and of thir being [ 455 ]
Who dwell in Heavn, whose excellence he saw
Transd his own so farr, whose radiant forms
Divine effulgence, whose high Power so far
Exceeded human, and his wary speech
Thus to th Empyreal Minister he framd. [ 460 ]
Inhabitant with God, now know I well
Thy favour, in this honour doo man,
Under whose lowly roof thou hast voutsaft
To enter, and these earthly fruits to taste,
Food not of Angels, yet accepted so, [ 465 ]
As that more willingly thou couldst not seem
At Heavns high feasts to have fed: yet what pare?
To whom the winged Hierarch replid.
O Adam, one Almightie is, from whom
All things proceed, and up to him return, [ 470 ]
If not depravd from good, created all
Such to perfe, one first matter all,
Indud with various forms, various degrees
Of substance, and in things that live, of life;
But more refind, more spiritous, and pure, [ 475 ]
As o him plact or ending
Ea thir several active Sphears assignd,
Till body up to spirit work, in bounds
Proportiond to each kind. So from the root
Springs lighter the green stalk, from thehe leaves [ 480 ]
More aerie, last the bright mate floure
Spirits odorous breathes: flours and thir fruit
Mans nourishment, by gradual scale sublimd
To vital Spirits aspire, to animal,
To intellectual, give both life and sense, [ 485 ]
Fansie and uanding, whehe Soule
Reason receives, and reason is her being,
Discursive, or Intuitive; discourse
Is oftest yours, the latter most is ours,
Differing but in degree, of kind the same. [ 490 ]
Wonder not then, what God for you saw good
If I refuse not, but vert, as you,
To proper substaime may e when men
With Angels may participate, and find
No inve Diet, nor too light Fare: [ 495 ]
And from these corporal nutriments perhaps
Your bodies may at last turn all to Spirit,
Improvd by tract of time, and wingd asd
Ethereal, as wee, or may at choice
Here or in Heavnly Paradises dwell; [ 500 ]
If ye be found obedient, aain
Unalterably firm his love entire
Whose progenie you are. Mean while enjoy
Your fill what happihis happie state
prehend, incapable of more. [ 505 ]
To whom the Patriarankind replid,
O favourable spirit, propitious guest,
Well hast thou taught the way that might direct
Our knowledge, and the scale of Nature set
From ter to circumference, whereon [ 510 ]
In plation of created things
By steps we may asd to God. But say,
What meant that caution joind, if ye be found
Obedient? we want obediehen
To him, or possibly his love desert [ 515 ]
Who formd us from the dust, and placd us here
Full to the utmost measure of what bliss
Human desires seek or apprehend?