They trespass, authors to themselves in alk,

Both what they judge and what they choose;

I form'd them free, and free they must remain, 'Till they inthrall themfelves; I else 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 fuggestion fell,
Self-tempted, felf-deprav'd: Man falls, de-
ceiv'd

130

By th' other first: Man therefore shall find

grace,

The other none: in mercy and justice both, Through Heav'n and Earth, fo fhall my glory excel,

But mercy first and last shall brightest shine. Thus while God fpake, ambrofial fragrance fill'd

135 All Heav'n, and in the blessed Spirits elect Senfe of new joy ineffable diffus'd: Beyond compare the Son of God was seen Moft glorious; in him all his Father fhone Substantially express'd; and in his face Divine compaffion visibly appear'd

140

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

O Father, gracious was that word which

clos'd

Thy fov'reign fentence, that man should find

grace:

145

For which both Heav'n and earth shall high extoll

Thy praifes, with th' innumerable found
Of hymns and facred fongs, wherewith thy
throne

Encompass'd, fhall refound thee ever bleft.
For fhould Man finally be loft, fhould Man 150
Thy creature late fo 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 judgest only right. 155
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 160 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 haft made? So fhould thy goodness and thy greatnefs both

165 Be queftion'd, and blafphem'd without defence.

To whom the great Creator thut 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, 170
All haft thou fpoken, as my thoughts are, all
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 pow'rs, though forfeit and in-
thrall'd

By fin to foul exorbitant defires;

Upheld by me, yet once more he shall stand
On even ground againft his mortal foe,
By me upheld, that he may know, how frail 1801
His fall'n condition is, and to me owe
All his deliverance, and to none but me.
Some I have chofen of peculiar grace
Elect above the reft: fo is my will:

The rest shall hear me call, and oft be

warn'd

Their finful state, and to appease betimes
Th' incensed Deity, while offer'd grace
Invites: for I will clear their fenfes dark,

185

What may fuffice, and foften stony hearts
To pray, repent, and bring obedience due. 190
To pray'r, repentance, and obedience due,
Though but endeavour'd with fincere intent,
Mine ear fhall not be flow, mine eye not shut.

And I will place within them as a guide
My umpire confcience: whom if they will

hear,

195

Light after light well us'd they fhall attain,
And to the end perfifting, fafe arrive.
This my long sufferance, and my day of
grace,

They who neglect and fcorn, fhall never tafte
But hard be harden'd, blind be blinded

205

That they may stumble on, and deeper fall;
And none but fuch from mercy I exclude.
But yet all is not done: Man disobeying,
Difloyal breaks his fealty, and fins.
Against the high fupremacy of Heav'n,
Affecting God-head, and so loling all,
To expiate his treafon hath nought left,
But to deftruction facred and devote,”
He with his whole pofterity muft die,
Die he or justice muft; unless for him
Some other able, and as willing, pay
The rigid fatisfaction, death for death.
Say heav'nly Pow'rs, where shall we find
fuch love?

Which of ye will be mortal to redeem

210

Man's mortal crime, and juft, th' unjust to

fave?

Dwells in all Heaven charity so dear?

215

He afk'd, but all the heav'nly quire stood

mute,

And filence was in Heav'n; on man's behalf Patron or intercessor none appear'd,

Much less that durft upon his own head

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, 225
His deareft mediation thus renew'd,

Father, thy word is past.

grace;

Man fhall find

And fhall grace not find means, that finds her

way,

239

The fpeedieft of thy winged messengers,
To visit all thy creatures, and to all
Comes unprevented, unimplor'd, unfought?
Happy for Man, fo coming; he her aid
Can never feek, once dead in fins and loft;
Atonement for himself or offering meet,
Indebted, and undone, hath none to bring: 235
Behold me then; me for him, life for life
I offer, on me let thine anger fall;
Account me Man: I for his fake will leave
Thy bofom, and this glory next to thee
Freely put off, and for him laftly die

240