Great triumph and rejoyg was in Heavn [ 180 ]
When such was heard declard the Almighties will;
Glorie they sung to the most High, good will
To future men, and in thir dwellings peace:
Glorie to him whose just avenging ire
Had driven out th ungodly from his sight [ 185 ]
And th habitations of the just; to him
Glorie and praise, whose wisdom had ordaind
Good out of evil to create, in stead
Of Spirits maligne a better Race t
Into thir vat room, and thence diffuse [ 190 ]
His good to Worlds and Ages infinite.
So sang the Hierarchies: Mean while the Son
On his great Expedition noeerd,
Girt with Omnipotence, with Radiance d
Of Majestie Divine, Sapiend Love [ 195 ]
Immense, and all his Father in him shon.
About his Chariot numberless were pourd
Cherub and Seraph, Potentates and Thrones,
Aues, winged Spirits, and Chariots wingd,
From the Armoury of God, where stand of old [ 200 ]
Myriads between two brazen Mountains lodgd
Against a solemn day, har at hand,
Celestial Equipage; and now came forth
Spontaneous, for within them Spirit livd,
Attendant on thir Lord: Heavn opnd wide [ 205 ]
Her ever during Gates, Harmonious sound
On golden Hinges moving, to let forth
The King of Glorie in his powerful Word
And Spirit ing to create new Worlds.
On heavnly ground they stood, and from the shore [ 210 ]
They viewd the vast immeasurable Abyss
eous as a Sea, dark, wasteful, wilde,
Up from the bottom turnd by furious windes
And surging waves, as Mountains to assault
Heavns highth, and with the ter mix the Pole. [ 215 ]
Silence, ye troubld waves, and thou Deep, peace,
Said then th Omnific Word, your discord end:
Nor staid, but on the Wings of Cherubim
Uplifted, in Paternal Glorie rode
Farr into Chaos, and the World unborn; [ 220 ]
For Chaos heard his voice: him all his Traine
Followd in bright procession to behold
Creation, and the wonders of his might.