Weakning the scepter of old Night: first Hell, He ceas'd; and Satan stay'd not to reply, Into the wild expanse, and through the shock ΙΟΙΟ 1015 And more indanger'd, than when Argo pass'd Mov'd on; with difficulty and labor he; But he once past, soon after, when man fell, Strange alteration! Sin and Death amain Following his track, fuch was the will of Heaven, 1025 Of this frail world; by which the Spirits perverfe,1030 To tempt or punish mortals, except whom Of light appears; and from the walls of Heaven 1035 1040 A glimmering dawn; here Nature firft begins Thither, full fraught with mischievous revenge, The end of the Second Book. 1045 1050 1055 God fitting on his throne fees Satan flying towards this world, then newly created; fhows him to the Son who fat at his right hand; foretels the fuccefs of Satan in perverting mankind; clears his own juftice and wisdom from all imputation, having created Man free and able enough to have withstood his tempter; yet declares his purpose of grace towards him, in regard he fell not of his own malice, as did Satan, but by him feduc'd. The Son of God renders praises to his Father for the manifeftation of his gracious purpose towards Man; but God again declares, that Grace cannot be extended towards Man without the fatisfaction of divine juftice; Man hath offended the majesty of God by afpiring to God-head, and therefore with all his progeny devoted to death must die, unless fome one can be found fufficient to anfwer for his offence, and undergo his punishment. The Son of God freely offers himself a ranfome for Man: the Father accepts him, ordains his incarnation, pronounces his exaltation above all names in Heaven and Earth; commands all the Angels to adore him; they obey, and hymning to their harps in full quire, celebrate the Father and the Son. Mean while Satan alights upon the bare convex of this world's outermoft orb; where wand'ring he first finds a place, fince call'd The Limbo of Vanity; what perfons and things fly up thither; thence comes to the gate of Heaven, defcrib'd afcending by stairs, and the waters above the firmament that flow about it: His paffage thence to the orb of the fun; he finds there Uriel the regent of that orb, but first changes himself into the shape of a meaner Angel; and pretending a zealous defire to behold the new creation, and Man whom God had plac'd here, inquires of him the place of his habitation, and is directed; alights first on mount Niphates. BOOK III. H AI L,holy Light, ofspring of Heav'n,first-born, May I exprefs thee unblam'd? since God is light, Escap'd the Stygian pool; though long detain'd 5 10 15. Through utter, and through middle darkness borne, With other notes than to th' Orphéan lyre, I fung of Chaos and eternal Night, Taught, by the heav'nly Muse, to venture down 20 And |