Not what they would? what praise could they rece
What pleasure I from fuch obedience parch
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 accuse
Their maker, or their making, or their fate.
As if predestination over-rul'd

Their will, difpos'd by abfolute decree,
Or high foreknowledge; they themfelves decreed
Their own revolt, not I; if I foreknew,
Foreknowledge had no influence on their å le
Which had no lefs prov'd certain unforeknown.
So without leaft impulfe or fhadow of fate.
Or ought by me immutably foreseen,
They trefpafs: authors to themselves in all

Both what they judge and what they choofe; fu: E. I form'd them free: and free they muft remain. Till they inthrall themselves; I elfe muft change 1:5 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-deprat d: Man falls, deceiv'd 130 By th`other Eri Man therefore shall find

grace,

The other nonet in merry and juftice both,
Through Heav 1 and Ler to fall my glory excel;

1:

But

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
Senfe of new joy ineffable diffus'd:

Beyond compare the Son of God was feen
Moft glorious; in him all his Father shone
Substantially express'd; and in his face
Divine compaffion visibly appear'd,
Love without end, and without measure grace;
Which uttering thus, he to his Father spake.

140

O Father, gracious was that word which clos'd
Thy fovran sentence, that Man fhould find grace; 145
For which both Heav'n and Earth fhall high extol
Thy praises, with th’innumerable found
Of hymns and sacred fongs, wherewith thy throne
Incompass'd shall 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 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.
Or fhall the Adverfary 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
Draw after him the whole race of mankind,

150

155

160

By

By him corrupted? or wilt thou thyself.
Abolish thy creation, and unmake
For him, what for thy glory thou hast made?
So fhould thy goodness and thy greatness both
Be question'd and blasphem'd without defense.
To whom the great Creator thus 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,
All haft thou spoken as my thoughts are, all
my eternal purpose hath decreed:

As

Man fhall 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

165

170

175

His lapsed pow'rs, though forfeit and inthrall'd
By fin to foul exorbitant desires;

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 deliverance, and to none but me.
Some I have chosen of peculiar grace,
Elect above the reft; fo is my will:

The reft fhall hear me call, and oft be warn'd
Their finful state, and to appease betimes
Th'incenfed Deity, while offer'd grace
Invites; for I will clear their fenfes dark,
What may suffice, and soften flony hearts

180.

185

Το

190

To pray, repent, and bring obedience due.
To pray'r, repentance, and obedience due,
Though but endevor'd with fincere intent,
Mine ear shall not be flow, mine eye not shut.
And I will place within them as a guide

My umpire Conscience; whom if they will hear, 195
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 fuch from mercy I exclude.
But yet all is not done; Man difobeying,

Difloyal, breaks his feälty, and fins

Against the high fupremacy of Heaven,
Affecting God-head; and so losing all,
To expiate his treason hath nought left,
But,to destruction facred and devote,
He,with his whole posterity, must die;
Die he,or justice muft; unless for him
Some other,able, and as willing, pay
The rigid fatisfaction, death for death.

200

205

210

Say heav'nly Pow'rs, where fhall we find fuch love? Which of ye will be mortal to redeem

Man's mortal crime, and juft th'unjust to save? 215 Dwells in all Heaven charity fo dear?

He ask'd, but all the heav'nly quire flood mute,

Anc

And filence was in Heav'n: on Mans behalf
Patron or interceffor none appear'd;

Much less that durft upon his own head draw
The deadly forfeiture, and ransome set.
And now, without redemption, all mankind
Must have been loft, adjudg'd to Death and Hell
By doom severe; had not the Son of God,
In whom the fulness dwells of love divine,
His deareft mediation thus renew'd.

grace;

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225

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

To visit all thy creatures, and to all

230

Comes unprevented, unimplor'd, unsought?

Happy for Man, fo coming; he her aid

Can never seek, once dead in fins and loft;
Atonement for himself or offering meet,
Indebted and undone, hath none to bring:
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

235

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 vanquifh'd; thou haft giv'n me to possess
Life in myself for ev'r; by thee I live,

Though now to Death I yield, and am his due, 245

All