Directly tow'ards the new created world,
And man there plac'd, with purpose to affay
If him by force he can destroy, or worse,
By fame false guile pervert; and fall pervert,
For Man will hearken to his glozing lies,
And easily tranfgrefs the fole command,
Sole pledge of his obedience: fo will fall,
He and his faithless progeny: Whose fault?
Whose but his own? Ingrate, he had of me
All he could have; I made him just and right,
Sufficient to have stood, though free to fall.
Such I created all th' ethereal powers

And fpi'rits, both them who ffood and them who Freely they stood who stood, and fell who fell. [fail'd: Not free, what proof could they have giv'n fincere Öf true allegiance, constant faith or love,

Where only what they needs must do appear'd, 105
Not what they would? what praise could they receive?
What pleasure I from fuch obedience paid,

When will and reafon (reason alfo' is choice)
Useless and vain, of freedom both despoil'd,
Made paffive both, had ferv'd Neceffity,
Not me? They therefore as to right belong'd,
So were created, nor can justly' accufe
Their Maker, or their making, or their fate,
As if predestination over-rul'd

Their will, difpos'd by abfolute decree

Or high foreknowledge; they themselves decreed

IIO

Their own revolt, not I; if I foreknew,
Foreknowledge had no influence on their fault,
Which had no lefs prov'd certain unforeknown.
So without leaft impulse or shadow' of fate,
Or ought by me immutably foreseen,

129

They trefpafs, authors to themselves in all
Both what they judge and what they chufe; for fo
I form'd them free, and free they must remain
Till they inthral themselves; I elfe must change 125
Their nature, and revoke the high decree
Unchangeable, eternal, which ordain'd

Their freedom, they themselves ordain'd their fall.
The first fort by their own suggestion fell,

Self-tempted, felf-deprav'd: Man falls, deceiv'd 130
By th' other first: Man therefore shall find grace,
The other none in mercy' and justice both,
Thro' Heav'n and Earth, fo fhall my glory' excel,
But mercy first and last shall brightest shine.

136

Thus while God spake, ambrosial fragrance fill'd
All Heav'n, and in the bleffed fpi'rits elect
Senfe of new joy ineffable diffus'd:
Beyond compare the Son of God was feen
Moft glorious; in him all his Father shone
Substantially express'd; and in his face
Divine compaffion visibly appear'd,

Love without end, and without measure grace,
Which utt'ring thus he to his Father spake.
O Father, gracious was that word which clos'₫

140

Thy fovran sentence, that Man should find grace; 145
For which both Heav'n and Earth shall high extol
Thy praises, with th' innumerable found
Of hymns and facred fongs, wherewith thy throne
Incompafs'd fhall refound thee ever bleft.

For fhould Man finally be loft, fhould Man,
Thy creature late so lov'd, thy youngest son,
Fall circumvented thus by fraud, though join'd
With his own folly? that be from thee far,
That far be from thee, Father, who art judge
Of all things made, and judgeft only right.
Or fhall the Adversary thus obtain

His end, and fruftrate thine? fhall he fulfil
His malice, and thy goodness bring to nought,
Or proud return, though to his heavier doom,
Yet with revenge accomplish'd, and to Hell
Draw after him the whole race of Mankind,
By him corrupted? or wilt thou thyself
Abolish thy creation, and unmake

150

355

160

For him, what for thy glory thou haft made?
So fhould thy goodness and thy greatness both 165
Be queftion'd and blafphem'd without defense.

To whom the great Creator thus reply'd.
O Son, in whom my foul hath chief delight,
Son of my bofom, Son who art alone

My word, my wisdom, and effectual might,
All haft thou spoken as my thoughts are, all

170

As my eternal purpose hath decreed:

Man fhall not quite be loft, but fav'd who will,
Yet not of will in him, but grace in me

Freely vouchfaf'd; once more I will renew

175

His lapfed powers, though forfeit and inthrall'd
By fin to foul exorbitant desires;

Upheld by me, yet once more he shall stand

On even ground against his mortal foe,

By me upheld, that he may know how frail

180

His fall'n condition is, and to me owe

All his deliverance, and to none but mẹ,
Some I have chofen of peculiar grace

Elect above the reft; so is my will;

The rest shall hear me call, and oft be warn'd 185
Their finful state, and to appease betimes

Th' incenfed Deity, while offer'd grace
Invites; for I will clear their senses dark,
What may fuffice, and soften stony hearts
To pray, repent, and bring obedience due.
To pray'r, repentance, and obedience due,
Though but endevor'd with sincere intent,
Mine ear shall not be flow, mine eye not shut.
And I will place within them as a guide

199

My umpire Conscience, whom if they will hear, 195
Light after light well us'd they shall attain,
And to the end persisting, safe arrive.

This my long fuff'rance and my day of grace
They who neglect and scorn shall never taste;
But hard be harden'd, blind be blinded more,

200

That they may stumble on, and deeper fall;
And none but fuch from mercy I exclude.
But yet all is not done; Man difobeying,
Difloyal breaks his feälty and fins
Against the high supremacy of Heav'n,
Affecting Godhead, and fo losing all,
To expiate his treason hath nought left,`
But to deftruction facred and devote,
He with his whole pofterity must die,
Die he or Justice must; unless for him
Some other able, and as willing, pay
The rigid fatisfaction, death for death.

205

210

Say heav'nly Powers, where fhall we find fuch love? Which of ye will be mortal to redeem

Man's mortal crime, and just th' unjust to fave? 235 Dwells in all Heaven charity so dear?

He afk'd, but all the heav'nly quire stood mute, And filence was in Heav'n: on Man's behalf Patron or interceffor none appear'd,

Much less that durft upon his own head draw
The deadly forfeiture, and ransome set.
And now without redemption all mankind
Must have been loft, adjudg'd to Death and Hell
By doom fevere, had not the Son of God,
In whom the fulness dwells of love divine,
His dearest mediation thus renew'd.

220

225

Father, thy word is past, Man fhall find grace; And shall Grace not find means, that finds her way,