ot what they would? What praise could they

receive?

What pleasure I from such obedience paid,
When will and reason (reason also is choice),
seless and vain, of freedom both despoiled,
[ade passive both, had served necessity,
ot me?

They therefore, as to right belonged,
o were created, nor can justly accuse
Their Maker, or their making, or their fate;
■s if predestination overruled

Their will, disposed by absolute decree

Or high foreknowledge. They themselves decreed
Their own revolt, not I: if I foreknew,
Foreknowledge had no influence on their fault,
Which had no less proved certain unforeknown.
So without least impúlse or shadow of fate,
Or aught by me immutably foreseen,
They trespass, authors to themselves in all,

110

115

120

Both what they judge and what they choose; for so
I formed them free, and free they must remain,
Till they enthrall themselves; I else must change 125
Their nature, and revoke the high decree
Unchangeable, eternal, which ordained

Their freedom; they themselves ordained their fall.
The first sort by their own suggestion fell,

Self-tempted, self-depraved: Man falls, deceived 180
By the other first; Man therefore shall find grace,
The other none. In mercy and justice both,
Through Heaven and Earth, so shall my glory excel:
But mercy first and last shall brightest shine."

Thus while God spake, ambrosial fragrance filled All Heaven, and in the blessed spirits elect

110. had, would have.

111. as to right belonged, as was consistent with right.

117. if, though.

136

129. The first sort, the rebel angels.

Sense of new joy ineffable diffused.

Beyond compare the Son of God was seen
Most glorious; in him all his Father shone
Substantially expressed, and in his face
Divine compassion visibly appeared,

Love without end, and without measure grace,
Which uttering, thus he to his Father spake :

"O Father, gracious was that word which cl
Thy sovran sentence, that man should find grad
For which both Heaven and Earth shall high e
Thy praises, with the innumerable sound
Of hymns and sacred songs, wherewith thy thro
Encompassed shall resound thee ever blest.
For should Man finally be lost, should Man,
Thy creature late so loved, thy youngest son,
Fall circumvented thus by fraud, though joined
With his own folly? that be from thee far,
That far be from thee, Father, who art judge
Of all things made, and judgest only right.
Or shall the Adversary thus obtain
His end, and frustrate thine? shall he fulfil
His malice, and thy goodness bring to naught;
Or proud return, though to his heavier doom,
Yet with revenge accomplished, and to Hell
Draw after him the whole race of mankind,
By him corrupted? or wilt thou thyself
Abolish thy creation, and unmake,

For him, what for thy glory thou hast made?
So should thy goodness and thy greatness both
Be questioned and blasphemed without defence."

To whom the great Creator thus replied: "O Son, in whom my soul hath chief delight,

140. See Heb. i. 3, where Milton reads"substance" for "person."

149. resound, praise; celeb 153-155. See Genesis xvii

n of my bosom, Son who art alone

y word, my wisdom, and effectual might,
I hast thou spoken as my thoughts are, all
my eternal purpose hath decreed.

an shall not quite be lost, but saved who will;
et not of will in him, but grace in me
reely vouchsafed; once more I will renew
is lapsed powers, though forfeit and enthralled
y sin to foul exorbitant desires;

pheld by me yet once more he shall stand
n even ground against his mortal foe;
y me upheld, that he may know how frail
is fallen condition is, and to me owe
ll his deliverance, and to none but me.
ome I have chosen of peculiar grace
lect above the rest - so is my will;

The rest shall hear me call, and oft be warned
Their sinful state, and to appease betimes
The incensed Deity, while offered grace
nvites; for I will clear their senses dark
What may suffice, and soften stony hearts
To pray, repent, and bring obedience due.
To prayer, repentance, and obedience due,
Though but endeavored with sincere intent,
Mine ear shall not be slow, mine eye not shut;
And I will place within them as a guide

My umpire Conscience, whom if they will hear,
Light after light well used they shall attain,
And to the end persisting safe arrive.
This my long sufferance and my day of grace
They who neglect and scorn shall never taste;

176. lapsed, fallen from a state
of innocence or perfection.
185. warned, warned of; re-
minded of.

189. What may suffice, so far as needs or may be sufficient.-soften stony hearts. See Ezek. xxxvi. 26.

192. Though but endeavored, though only attempted.

29.

195. hear, obey. See Luke xvi.

197. to the end persisting. "He that endureth to the end shall be saved." Matthew x. 22.

But hard be hardened, blind be blinded more,
That they may stumble on and deeper fall;
And none but such from mercy I exclude.
But yet all is not done; Man disobeying,
Disloyal breaks his fealty, and sins
Against the high supremacy of Heaven,
Affecting Godhead, and so, losing all,
To expiate his treason hath nought left,
But to destruction sacred and devote
He with his whole posterity must die,
Die he or Justice must; unless for him
Some other able, and as willing, pay
The rigid satisfaction, death for death.
Say, heavenly Powers, where shall we find such
Which of ye will be mortal to redeem
Man's mortal crime, and just the unjust to save
Dwells in all Heaven charity so dear?"

He asked, but all the heavenly choir stood m And silence was in Heaven: on Man's behalf Patron or intercessor none appeared; Much less that durst upon his own head draw The deadly forfeiture, and ransom set. And now without redemption all mankind Must have been lost, adjudged to death and He By doom severe, had not the Son of God, In whom the fulness dwells of love divine, His dearest mediation thus renewed:

66

'Father, thy word is passed, Man shall find And shall grace not find means, that finds her w The speediest of thy wingèd messengers, To visit all thy creatures, and to all

206. Affecting, aiming at; aspiring to. See Gen. iii. 5.

208. sacred, dedicated.. -de

vote, devoted.

218. silence. "There w lence in Heaven." Rev. vi 225. fulness. "In him eth all the fulness of the Go

215. just. "The just for the bodily." Colossians ii. 9. unjust." 1 Peter iii. 18.

omes unprevented, unimplored, unsought?
Happy for Man, so coming! he her aid
an never seek, once dead in sins and lost;
tonement for himself or offering meet,
ndebted and undone, hath none to bring.
Sehold me then; me for him, life for life
offer; on me let thine anger fall;
ccount me Man: I for his sake will leave
Thy bosom, and this glory next to thee
Freely put off, and for him lastly die
Vell pleased; on me let Death wreak all his
Under his gloomy power I shall not long
Lie vanquished; thou hast given me to possess
Life in myself forever; by thee I live,

rage.

235

240

245

Though now to Death I yield, and am his due,
All that of me can die; yet that debt paid,
Thou wilt not leave me in the loathsome grave
His prey, nor suffer my unspotted soul
Forever with corruption there to dwell;
But I shall rise victorious, and subdue
My vanquisher, spoiled of his vaunted spoil :
Death his death's wound shall then receive, and stoop
Inglorious, of his mortal sting disarmed.

I through the ample air in triumph high
Shall lead Hell captive maugre Hell, and show

250

255

The powers of darkness bound. Thou, at the sight
Pleased, out of Heaven shalt look down and smile,
While by thee raised I ruin all my foes,

Death last, and with his carcass glut the grave:
Then with the multitude of my redeemed

231. unprevented, without previous supplication or entreaty, as a free gift.

233. dead in sins. See Ephesians, ii. 1, 5.

244. Life in myself. "For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself" John v. 26.

247-249. See Psalm xvi. 10.

260

255. captive. "He led captivity captive." Ephes. iv. 8. See also Psalm Ixviii. 18. -maugre, notwithstanding; in spite of.

258. ruin, overthrow.

259. Death last. "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." 1 Corinthians xv. 26.