Page images
PDF
EPUB

Of true allegiance, constant faith or love,

Where only what they needs must do appear'd,

Not what they would? what praise could they receive?
What pleasure I from such obedience paid,
When will and reason (reason also' is choice)
Useless and vain, of freedom both despoil'd,
Made passive both, had serv'd necessity,

Not me? They therefore as to right belong'd,
So were created, nor can justly' accuse
Their Maker, or their making, or their fate,
As if predestination over-rul'd

Their will, dispos'd 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 prov'd certain unforeknown.
So without least impulse or shadow' of fate,
Or ought by me immutably foreseen,
They trespass, authors to themselves in all

105

210

115

120

Both what they judge and what they choose; for so

I form'd them free, and free they must remain,

Till they inthrall themselves; I else must change
Their nature, and revoke the high decree

125

Unchangeable, eternal, which ordain'd

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

Self-tempted, self deprav'd: Man falls, deceiv'd

130

By th' other first; Man therefore shall find grace,
The other none. In mercy' and justice both,
Through Heav'n and Earth, so shall my glory' excel,

But mercy first and last shall brightest shine."

Thus, while God spake, ambrosial fragrance fill'd

135

All Heav'n, and in the blessed Spi'rits elect

Sense of new joy ineffable diffus'd:
Beyond compare the Son of God was seen
Most glorious; in him all his Father shone
Substantially express'd; and in his face

140

Divine compassion visibly appear'd,

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 sov'reign sentence, that Man should find grace;
For which both Heav'n and Earth shall high extol
Thy praises, with th' innumerable sound

145

Of hymns and sacred songs, wherewith thy throne a quel

Encompass'd shall resound thee ever blest:

For should man finally be lost, should 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,

[ocr errors]

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 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,

For him, what for thy glory thou hast made?
So should thy goodness and thy greatness both
Be question'd and blasphem'd without defence."
To whom the great Creator thus reply'd.
"O Son, in whom my soul hath chief delight,
Son of my bosom, Son who art alone
My word, my wisdom, and effectual might,

155

160

165

170

All hast thou spoken as my thoughts are, all

As my eternal purpose hath decreed:

Man shall not quite be lost, but sav'd who will,
Yet not of will in him, but grace in me

Freely vouchsaf'd; once more I will renew
His lapsed pow'rs, though forfeit and inthrall'd
By sin to foul exorbitant desires;

175

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
His fall'n condition is, and to me owe
All his deliv'rance, and to none but me.
Some I have chosen of peculiar grace

Elect above the rest; so is my will:

The rest shall hear me call, and oft be warn'd
Their sinful state, and to appease betimes
Th' incensed Deity, while offer'd grace
Invites; for I will clear their senses dark,
What may suffice, and soften stony hearts
To pray, repent, and bring obedience due.
To pray'r, repentance, and obedience due,

Though but endeavour'd with sincere intent,

Mine ear shall not be slow, mine eye not shut;

And I will place within them as a guide

180

185

190

My umpire conscience, whom if they will hear, b
Light after light well us'd 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;
But hard be harden'd, 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, heav'nly Powers! where shall we find such love?
Which of ye will be mortal to redeem

195

200

205

210

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

He ask'd, but all the heav'nly quire stood mute,
And silence was in Heav'n: on Man's behalf
Patron or intercessor none appear'd;

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, adjudg'd to Death and Hell
By doom severe, had not the Son of God,

In whom the fulness dwells of love divine,
His dearest mediation thus renew'd.

215

сваило

220

225

"Father, thy word is past; Man shall find grace; And shall grace not find means, that finds her way, The speediest of thy winged messengers,

To visit all thy creatures, and to all

230

Comes unprevented, unimplor'd, unsought?

Happy for Man, so coming; he her aid

Can never seek, once dead in sins and lost;

Atonement for himself or offering meet,
Indebted and undone, hath none to bring.
Behold me then; me for him life for life

235

I offer; on me let thine anger fall;

Account me Man; I for his sake will leave

Thy bosom, and this glory next to thee

Freely put off, and for him lastly die

240

Well pleas'd: on me let Death wreck all his rage;

Under his gloomy pow'r I shall not long

Lie vanquish'd; thou hast given me to possess

Life in myself for ever; by thee I live,

Though now to Death I yield, and am his due

245

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
For ever with corruption there to dwell;

But I shall rise victorious, and subdue

250

My vanquisher, spoil'd of his vaunted spoil;

Death his death's wound shall then receive, and stoop
Inglorious, of his mortal sting disarm'd.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

I through the, ample air in triumph high
Shall lead Hell captive maugre Hell, and show*@f›
The Pow'rs of darkness bound. Thou at the sight
Pleas'd, out of Heav'n shalt look down and smile,
While by thee rais'd I ruin all my foes,
Death last, and with his carcass glut the grave:
Then with the multitude of my redeem'd
Shall enter Heav'n, long absent, and return,
Father, to see thy face, wherein no cloud
Of anger shall remain, but peace assur'd
And reconcilement; wrath shall be no more
Thenceforth, but in thy presence joy entire."
His words here ended, but his meek aspect
Silent yet spake, and breath'd immortal love
To mortal men, above which only shone
Filial obedience: as a sacrifice,

260

265

Glad to be offer'd, he attends the will

270

Of his great Father. Admiration seiz'd

All Heav'n what this might mean, and whither tend,

Wond'ring; but soon th' Almighty thus reply'd.

"O thou, in Heav'n and Earth the only peace

Found out for mankind under wrath! O thou,
My sole complacence! well thou know'st how dear
To me are all my works, nor man the least,
Though last created; that for him I spare
Thee from my bosom and right hand, to save,
By losing thee a while, the whole race lost.
Thou, therefore, whom thou only canst redeem,
Their nature also to thy nature join,,
And be thyself Man among men on earth,
Made flesh, when time shall be, of virgin seed,
By wond'rous birth: be thou, in Adam's room,
The head of all mankind, though Adam's son.
As in him perish all men, so in thee,
As from a second root, shall be restor❜d

275

280

285

« PreviousContinue »