Raphael, said he, thou hear’st what stir on earth Satan, from hell scap’d through the darksome gulf Hath rais’d in Paradise, and how disturb’d This night the human pair; how he designs In them at once to ruin all mankind. (V, 224–228)
Therefore what he gives (Whose praise be ever sung;) to man in part Spiritual, may of purest spirits be found No ingrateful food: and food alike those pure Intelligential substances require, As doth your rational; and both contain Within them every lower faculty Of sense, whereby they hear, see, smell, touch, taste. Tasting concoct, digest assimilate, And corporeal to incorporeal turn. For know, whatever was created, needs To be sustain’d and fed; of elements, The grosser feeds the purer, the earth the sea, Earth and the sea feed air, the air those fires Ethereal[.] (V, 404–418)
That thou art happy, owe to God; That thou continues such, owe to thyself, That is, to thy obedience; therein stand. This was the caution given thee; be advis’d. God made thee perfect, not immutable; And good he made thee, but to persevere He left it in thy power; ordain’d thy will By nature free, not overrul’d by fate Inextricable, or strict necessity: (V, 520–528)
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