90 95 ICO And Man there plac'd, with purpose to affay If him by force he can deftroy, or worse, By fome falfe guile pervert; and shall pervert, For Man will heark'n to his glozing lyes, And easily tranfgrefs the fole Command, Sole pledge of his obedience: So will fall, He and his faithlefs Progeny: Whofe fault? Whofe but his own? Ingrate, he had of me All he could have; I made him juft and right, Sufficient to have flood, though free to fall. Such I created all th' Ethereal Powers And Spirits, both them who stood and them who Freely they stood who stood, and fell who fell. [fail'd; Not free, what proof could they have gain'd fincere Of true allegiance, conftant 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 Reason (Reason also is choice) Useless and vain, of freedom both defpoil'd, Made paffive both, had ferv'd neceffity, Not me. They therefore as to right belong'd, So were created, nor can juftly accufe Their maker, or their making, or their Fate, As if Predeftination over-rul'd Their will, difpos'd by abfolute Decree 115 Or high foreknowledge; they themselves decreed So without leaft impulfe or fhadow of Fate, 120 Or aught by me immutably forefeen, They trefspafs, Authors to themselves in all Both what they judge and what they choose; forso 125 Their freedom, they themselves ordain'd their fall. Thus while God fpake, ambrofial fragrance fill'd Beyond compare the Son of God was feen Love without end, and without measure Grace, 136 140 O Father, gracious was that word which clos'd 144 Thy fov'reign sentence, that Man fhould find grace; For which both Heav'n and Earth shall high extoll Thy praises, with th' innumerable found Of Hymns and facred Songs, wherewith thy Throne Encompafs'd fall refound thee ever bleft. For fhould Man finally be loft, should Man Thy creature late fo lov'd, thy youngest Son Fall circumvented thus by fraud, though joyn'd With his own folly that be from thee far, *hat far be from thee, Father, who art Judge If all things made, and judgest only right. Or fhall the Adverfary thus obtain lis end, and fruftrate thine, shall he fulfill lis malice, and thy goodness bring to naught, Or proud return though to his heavier doom, (et with revenge accomplisht, and to Hell Draw after him the whole Race of mankind, y him corrupted or wilt thou thy felf bolish thy Creation, and unmake, 75 150 155 160 or him, what for thy glory thou haft made? o should thy goodness and thy greatness both 165 e queftion'd and blafphem'd without defence. To whom the great Creatour thus reply'd. Son, in whom my foul hath chief delight, on of my bofom, Son who art alone y word, my wisdom, and effectual might, Il haft thou spoken as my thoughts are, all s my Eternal purpose hath decreed: lan fhall not quite be loft, but fav'd who will, pheld by me, yet once more he fhall ftand 170 175 180 By me upheld, that he may know how frail Elect above the reft: fo is my will: 190 The reft fhall hear me call, and oft be warn'd · 185 205 Die he or Juftice muft; unless for him 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' unjuft to fave, 215 Dwells in all Heav'n charity so dear? He ask'd, but all the Heav'nly Quire stood mute, Much less that durft upon his own head draw 220 And now without redemption all mankind 225 Father, thy word is past, man shall find grace; And shall grace not find means, that finds her way, The speediest of the winged meffengers, To vifit all thy creatures, and to all 230 235 |