Simple Gifts

PARADISE LOST

Book 7, The Creation

Lines 216 - 448

The angel Raphael, completing his narration of the war in heaven and the fall of Satan and his host, is asked by Adam for more information

Whence Adam soon repealed/The doubts that in his heart arose: and now/Led on, yet sinless, with desire to know ... /What within Eden, or without, was done/Before his memory; as one whose drought/Yet scarce allayed still eyes the current stream,/Whose liquid murmur heard new thirst excites.

Doubt, curiosity and rational exploration are then encouraged and met by divine Providence/revelation, while at the same time Raphael warns that improper desire for knowledge can lead to foolishness. 

to recount almighty works/What words or tongue of Seraph can suffice,/Or heart of man suffice to comprehend?/Yet what thou canst attain ... shall not be withheld/Thy hearing; such commission from above/I have received, to answer thy desire/Of knowledge within bounds; beyond, abstain/To ask; nor let thine own inventions hope/Things not revealed, which the invisible King ... Only Omniscient, hath suppressed in night;/To none communicable in Earth or Heaven:/Enough is left besides to search and know./But knowledge is as food, and needs no less/Her temperance over appetite, to know/In measure what the mind may well contain,/Oppresses else with surfeit, and soon turns/Wisdom to folly.

Raphael recounts the Creation story to Adam and Eve, filled to overflowing with the brilliant speculations of Milton in connection to the biblical narrative, he ends by again encouraging human curiosity and investigation:

And thy request think now fulfilled, that asked/How first this world and face of things began,/And what before thy memory was done/From the beginning; that posterity,/Informed by thee, might know: If else thou seekest/Aught, not surpassing human measure, say.

Paradise Lost Book 7 Summary & Analysis | LitCharts

This is an excellent summary and commentary on each of the books in PARADISE LOST. I strongly recommend reading these commentaries over as you listen to our readings of this great poem!

Find our content helpful? Why not buy us a cup of coffee! Go to:

https://ko-fi.com/thechristianatheist

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheChristianAtheist/featured

https://www.facebook.com/JnJWiseWords

https://wisewordsforyouroccasion.wordpress.com

#paradiselost #paradise #johnmilton #milton #poetry #poem #epic #epicpoem #classicpoetry #classicpoem #classics #westernliterature #satan #hell #earth #christianity #religion #thechristianatheist #drjohndwise #drjohnwise #johnwise #christian #atheist #christianity #atheism #jesus #jesuschrist #god #bible #oldtestament #newtestament #nocompromise #rationality #faith #philosophy #philosopher #culture #society #hegelism #hegel #reason #incarnation #history#psychology #theology #literature #humanities #hardquestions #postmodernism #woke #wisdom #ethics #science #poetry

C. S. Lewis said this in MERE CHRISTIANITY, "anyone who is honestly trying to be a Christian will soon find his intelligence being sharpened: one of the reasons why it needs no special education to be a Christian is that Christianity is an education itself. That is why an uneducated believer like Bunyan was able to write a book that has astonished the whole world."

By all counts PILGRIM'S PROGRESS is one of the most influential and well-read books in all history. Lewis himself did it homage as a new Christian when he penned his own PILGRIM'S REGRESS soon after his conversion from theism to Christianity.

If you enjoy our content, buy us a coffee through PayPal via https://ko-fi.com/thechristianatheist

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheChristianAtheist/featured

https://www.facebook.com/JnJWiseWords

https://wisewordsforyouroccasion.wordpress.com

For more great content, check out our other podcasts:

The Christian Atheist: where faith and reason fuse in the incarnation …https://pod.link/1553077203

and

No Compromise: where faith and reason fuse in conversation …

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9AH1236qO-xEEfBcBP39ip0UJtCpP9R

#thepilgrimprogress #christianallegory #bunyan #johnbunyan #theologicalfiction #bedfordshireprison #evangelist #obstinate #pliable #help #worldlywiseman #goodwill #beelzebub #interpreter #apollyon #faithful #cityofdestruction #poem #poetry #verse #literature #aestheticliterature #aesthetic #history #historical #philosophy #religion #christianity #bible #god #jesus #science #culture #society #humanities #wisdomofthepast #wisdom #classics #faith

Chapter 17, Section 197 - Chapter 18, Section 206

John Locke's Second Treatise of Government was thought by Thomas Jefferson one of the most important influences on his own political thinking, and one of the most important philosophical voices in the formation of the United States and its founding documents.

As such, it is vital to Americans in these days to understand and know Locke's ideas. History is being rewritten at a level approaching the Doublethink of George Orwell, and we must know and proclaim the Truth, the ultimate safeguard of our liberties against the forces of tyranny.

If you enjoy our content, consider donating through PayPal via https://ko-fi.com/thechristianatheist

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheChristianAtheist/featured

https://www.facebook.com/JnJWiseWords

https://wisewordsforyouroccasion.wordpress.com

#johnlocke #locke #secondtreatise #secondtreatiseongovernment #government #politicalthought #politicaltheory #politicalphilosophy #philosophy #philosophical #philosopher #philosophicalvoice #unitedstates #unitedstateshistory #thomasjefferson #america #americans #foundingfathers #liberty #safeguardofliberty #tyranny #safeguardsagainsttyranny

Federalist papers #'s 10, 39, 51, 68, and 78 are considered the five most important, so we give them pride of place in publication here on Simple Gifts. The remainder will follow in numerical order.

Authored by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay to appear anonymously in New York papers under the pseudonym "Publius" in 1787 and 1788, the Federalist Papers aimed to rally public support for the proposed Constitution of the United States. As such, it is one of the most important sources for understanding the original intent of the US Constitution by those who participated in its construction.

In Federalist number one Alexander Hamilton sets forth the ambition of arguing the following positions in favor of the adoption of the Constitution:

"I propose, in a series of papers, to discuss the following interesting particulars:

THE UTILITY OF THE UNION TO YOUR POLITICAL PROSPERITY

THE INSUFFICIENCY OF THE PRESENT CONFEDERATION TO PRESERVE THAT UNION

THE NECESSITY OF A GOVERNMENT AT LEAST EQUALLY ENERGETIC WITH THE ONE PROPOSED, TO THE ATTAINMENT OF THIS OBJECT

THE CONFORMITY OF THE PROPOSED CONSTITUTION TO THE TRUE PRINCIPLES OF REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT

ITS ANALOGY TO YOUR OWN STATE CONSTITUTION and lastly,

THE ADDITIONAL SECURITY WHICH ITS ADOPTION WILL AFFORD TO THE PRESERVATION OF THAT SPECIES OF GOVERNMENT, TO LIBERTY, AND TO PROPERTY."

Articles and essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay under the collective pseudonym "Publius" to promote the ratification of the Constitution of the United States. If you enjoy our content, consider donating through PayPal via https://ko-fi.com/thechristianatheist

and

No Compromise: where faith and reason fuse in conversation …

PARADISE LOST

Book 7, The Creation

Lines 1-215

The angel Raphael, completing his narration of the war in heaven and the fall of Satan and his host, is asked by Adam for more information

Whence Adam soon repealed/The doubts that in his heart arose: and now/Led on, yet sinless, with desire to know ... /What within Eden, or without, was done/Before his memory; as one whose drought/Yet scarce allayed still eyes the current stream,/Whose liquid murmur heard new thirst excites.

Doubt, curiosity and rational exploration are then encouraged and met by divine Providence/revelation, while at the same time Raphael warns that improper desire for knowledge can lead to foolishness. 

to recount almighty works/What words or tongue of Seraph can suffice,/Or heart of man suffice to comprehend?/Yet what thou canst attain ... shall not be withheld/Thy hearing; such commission from above/I have received, to answer thy desire/Of knowledge within bounds; beyond, abstain/To ask; nor let thine own inventions hope/Things not revealed, which the invisible King ... Only Omniscient, hath suppressed in night;/To none communicable in Earth or Heaven:/Enough is left besides to search and know./But knowledge is as food, and needs no less/Her temperance over appetite, to know/In measure what the mind may well contain,/Oppresses else with surfeit, and soon turns/Wisdom to folly.

Raphael recounts the Creation story to Adam and Eve, filled to overflowing with the brilliant speculations of Milton in connection to the biblical narrative, he ends by again encouraging human curiosity and investigation:

And thy request think now fulfilled, that asked/How first this world and face of things began,/And what before thy memory was done/From the beginning; that posterity,/Informed by thee, might know: If else thou seekest/Aught, not surpassing human measure, say.

Paradise Lost Book 7 Summary & Analysis | LitCharts

This is an excellent summary and commentary on each of the books in PARADISE LOST. I strongly recommend reading these commentaries over as you listen to our readings of this great poem!

Find our content helpful? Why not buy us a cup of coffee! Go to:

https://ko-fi.com/thechristianatheist

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheChristianAtheist/featured

https://www.facebook.com/JnJWiseWords

https://wisewordsforyouroccasion.wordpress.com

#paradiselost #paradise #johnmilton #milton #poetry #poem #epic #epicpoem #classicpoetry #classicpoem #classics #westernliterature #satan #hell #earth #christianity #religion #thechristianatheist #drjohndwise #drjohnwise #johnwise #christian #atheist #christianity #atheism #jesus #jesuschrist #god #bible #oldtestament #newtestament #nocompromise #rationality #faith #philosophy #philosopher #culture #society #hegelism #hegel #reason #incarnation #history#psychology #theology #literature #humanities #hardquestions #postmodernism #woke #wisdom #ethics #science #poetry

C. S. Lewis said this in MERE CHRISTIANITY, "anyone who is honestly trying to be a Christian will soon find his intelligence being sharpened: one of the reasons why it needs no special education to be a Christian is that Christianity is an education itself. That is why an uneducated believer like Bunyan was able to write a book that has astonished the whole world."

By all counts PARADISE LOST is one of the most influential and well-read books in all history. Lewis himself did it homage as a new Christian when he penned his own PILGRIM'S REGRESS soon after his conversion from theism to Christianity.

If you enjoy our content, buy us a coffee through PayPal via https://ko-fi.com/thechristianatheist

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheChristianAtheist/featured

https://www.facebook.com/JnJWiseWords

https://wisewordsforyouroccasion.wordpress.com

For more great content, check out our other podcasts:

The Christian Atheist: where faith and reason fuse in the incarnation …https://pod.link/1553077203

and

No Compromise: where faith and reason fuse in conversation …

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9AH1236qO-xEEfBcBP39ip0UJtCpP9R

#thepilgrimprogress #christianallegory #bunyan #johnbunyan #theologicalfiction #bedfordshireprison #evangelist #obstinate #pliable #help #worldlywiseman #goodwill #beelzebub #interpreter #apollyon #faithful #cityofdestruction #poem #poetry #verse #literature #aestheticliterature #aesthetic #history #historical #philosophy #religion #christianity #bible #god #jesus #science #culture #society #humanities #wisdomofthepast #wisdom #classics #faith

Chapter 16, Sections 184 - 196

John Locke's Second Treatise of Government was thought by Thomas Jefferson one of the most important influences on his own political thinking, and one of the most important philosophical voices in the formation of the United States and its founding documents.

As such, it is vital to Americans in these days to understand and know Locke's ideas. History is being rewritten at a level approaching the Doublethink of George Orwell, and we must know and proclaim the Truth, the ultimate safeguard of our liberties against the forces of tyranny.

If you enjoy our content, consider donating through PayPal via https://ko-fi.com/thechristianatheist

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheChristianAtheist/featured

https://www.facebook.com/JnJWiseWords

https://wisewordsforyouroccasion.wordpress.com

#johnlocke #locke #secondtreatise #secondtreatiseongovernment #government #politicalthought #politicaltheory #politicalphilosophy #philosophy #philosophical #philosopher #philosophicalvoice #unitedstates #unitedstateshistory #thomasjefferson #america #americans #foundingfathers #liberty #safeguardofliberty #tyranny #safeguardsagainsttyranny

Authored by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay to appear anonymously in New York papers under the pseudonym "Publius" in 1787 and 1788, the Federalist Papers aimed to rally public support for the proposed Constitution of the United States. As such, it is one of the most important sources for understanding the original intent of the US Constitution by those who participated in its construction.

In Federalist number one Alexander Hamilton sets forth the ambition of arguing the following positions in favor of the adoption of the Constitution:

"I propose, in a series of papers, to discuss the following interesting particulars:

THE UTILITY OF THE UNION TO YOUR POLITICAL PROSPERITY

THE INSUFFICIENCY OF THE PRESENT CONFEDERATION TO PRESERVE THAT UNION

THE NECESSITY OF A GOVERNMENT AT LEAST EQUALLY ENERGETIC WITH THE ONE PROPOSED, TO THE ATTAINMENT OF THIS OBJECT

THE CONFORMITY OF THE PROPOSED CONSTITUTION TO THE TRUE PRINCIPLES OF REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT

ITS ANALOGY TO YOUR OWN STATE CONSTITUTION and lastly,

THE ADDITIONAL SECURITY WHICH ITS ADOPTION WILL AFFORD TO THE PRESERVATION OF THAT SPECIES OF GOVERNMENT, TO LIBERTY, AND TO PROPERTY."

Articles and essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay under the collective pseudonym "Publius" to promote the ratification of the Constitution of the United States. If you enjoy our content, consider donating through PayPal via https://ko-fi.com/thechristianatheist