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BOOK V.-824-859]

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The supple knee? Ye will not, if I trust To know ye right, or if ye know yourselves Natives and sons of heaven, possessed before By none: and if not equal all, yet free, Equally free; for orders and degrees Jar not with liberty, but well consist. Who can in reason, then, or right, assume Monarchy over such as live by right His equals? If in power and splendour less In freedom equal? Or can introduce Law and edict on us, who without law Err not? much less for this to be our Lord, And look for adoration, to the abuse Of those imperial titles, which assert Our being ordained to govern, not to serve.

Thus far his bold discourse without control Had audience: when from among the seraphim Abdiel, than whom none with more zeal adored The Deity, and divine commands obeyed, Stood up, and in a flame of zeal severe The current of his fury thus opposed:

Oh, argument blasphemous, false, and proud! Words which no ear ever to hear in Heaven Expected, least of all from thee, ingrate, In place thyself so high above thy peers. Canst thou with impious obloquy condemn The just decree of God, pronounced and sworn That to his only Son, by right endued With regal sceptre, every soul in heaven Shall bend the knee, and in that honour due Confess him rightful king? Unjust, thou say'st, Flatly unjust, to bind with laws the free, And equal over equals to let reign, One over all with unsucceeded power. Shalt thou give law to God? Shalt thou dispute With Him the points of liberty, who made

Thee what thou art, and formed the Powers of heaven Such as he pleased, and circumscribed their being? Yet by experience taught, we know how good, And of our good and of our dignity How provident he is; how far from thought To make us less, bent rather to exalt Our happy state, under one head more near United. But to grant it thee unjust, That equal over equals monarch reign: Thyself, though great and glorious, dost thou count, Or all angelic nature joined in one, Equal to Him begotten Son, by whom As by his word, the mighty Father made All things, even thee; and all the Spirits of heaven By him created in their bright degrees, Crowned them with glory, and to their glory named Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers, Essential Powers; nor by his reign obscured, But more illustrious made, since He the head, One of our number thus reduced becomes, His laws our laws, all honour to him done Returns our own. Cease, then, this impious rage, And tempt not these: but hasten to appease The incensed Father and the incensed Son, While pardon may be found in time besought.

So spake the fervent Angel; but his zeal None seconded, as out of season judged, Or singular and rash; whereat rejoiced The Apostate, and, more haughty, thus replied:

That we were formed then say'st thou, and the work Of secondary hands, by task transferred From Father to his Son? strange point and new! Doctrine which we would know whence learned. Who saw When this creation was? Rememberest thou Thy making, while the Maker gave thee being? We know no time when we were not as now;