The speediest of thy winged messengers, Can never seek, once dead in fins and loft; Freely put off, and for him lastly die 230 235 240 Well pleas'd; on me let Death wreck all his rage; Under his gloomy power I fhall not long Lie vanquish'd; thou haft giv'n me to possess Though now to Death I yield, and am his due 245 All that of me can die; yet that debt paid, For ever with Corruption there to dwell; But I fhall rife victorious, and fubdue My vanquisher, fpoil'd of his vaunted spoil; 250 Death his death's wound fhall then receive, and stoop Inglorious, of his mortal sting disarm'd. 255 I through the ample air in triumph high Pleas'd, out of Heaven shalt look down and smile, Death last, and with his carcafs glut the grave: His words here ended, but his meek aspéct Glad to be offer'd, he attends the will Of his great Father. Admiration feis'd 260 265 270 All Heav'n what this might mean, and whether tend Wond'ring; but foon th' Almighty thus reply'd. 275 O thou in Heav'n and Earth the only peace Found out for Mankind under wrath, O thou My fole complacence! well thou know'ft how dear To me are all my works, nor Man the least, Though last created; that for him I spare Thee from my bofom and right hand, to fave, By lofing thee a while, the whole race lost. Thou therefore, whom thou only canft redeem, Their nature also to thy nature join; And be thyfelf Man among men on earth, Made flesh, when time shall be, of Virgin feed, 280 By wondrous birth: be thou in Adam's room The head of all Mankind, though Adam's fon. As from a fecond root, shall be restor'd As many' as are restor'd, without thee none. 285 His crime makes guilty all his fons; thy mer it 290 And dying rise, and rising with him raise In those who, when they may, accept not grace. Man's nature, leffen or degrade thine own. 295 300 Because thou haft, though thron'd in highest bliss 306 God-like fruition, quitted all to fave A world from utter lofs, and haft been found 310 Therefore thy humiliation shall exalt With thee thy manhood also to this throne; Both God and Man, Son both of God and Man, I give thee; reign for ever, and affume Thy merits; under thee as head fupreme 315 Thrones, Princedoms, Pow'rs, Dominions, I reduce; 325 Shall haften, fuch a peal shall rouse their sleep. See golden days, fruitful of golden deeds, With joy and love triumphing, and fair truth. 336 Then thou thy regal scepter fhall lay by, For regal scepter then no more shall need, 340 God fhall be all in all. But all ye gods, Adore him, who to compass all this dies; No fooner had th' Almighty ceas'd, but all Th' eternal regions: lowly reverent 345 Tow'ards either throne they bow, and to the ground With folemn adoration down they cast 351 Their crowns inwove with amarant and gold; Immortal amarant, a flow'r which once In Paradise, fast by the tree of Life, Began to bloom; but foon for man's offence 355 To Heav'n remov'd, where first it grew, there grows, And flow'rs aloft fhading the fount of Life, And where the riv'er of Bliss through midst of Heav'n Rolls o'er Elyfian flow'rs her amber stream; With these that never fade the spi'rits elect 360 Bind their resplendent locks inwreath'd with beams, Now in loose garlands thick thrown off, the bright Pavement, that like a fea of jafper shone, Impurpled with celeftial roses fmil'd. 366 Then crown'd again, their golden harps they took, |