Man's Friend, his Mediator, his design'd
Both Ransom and Redeemer voluntary,
And deftin'd Man himself to judge Man fall'n.
So fpake the Father, and unfoulding bright
Toward the right hand his Glory, on the Son
Blaz'd forth unclouded Deity; he full
Refplendent all his Father manifeft
Exprefs'd, and thus divinely answer'd milde.
Father Eternal, thine is to decree,
Mine both in Heav'n and Earth to do thy will
Supream, that thou in me thy Son belov'd
Mayft ever reft well pleas'd. 1 go to judge
On Earth these thy tranfgreffors, but thou knowft,
Whoever judg'd, the worst on me must light,
When time fhall be, for fo I undertook
Before thee; and not repenting, this obtain
Of right, that I may mitigate their doom
On me deriv'd, yet I fhall temper fo
Juftice with Mercy, as may illuftrate most
Them fully fatisfy'd, and thee appeafe.
Attendance none fhall need, nor Train, where none
Are to behold the Judgment, but the judg'd,
Thofe two; the third beft absent is condemn'd,
Convict by flight, and Rebel to all Law
Conviction to the Serpent none belongs.
Thus faying, from his radiant Seat he rofe
Of high collateral glory: him Thrones and Powers, Princedoms, and Dominations miniftrant,
Accompany'd to Heaven Gate, from whence
Eden, and all the Coast in prospect lay,
Down he defcended ftrait; the fpeed of Gods 90
Time counts not, tho' with fwifteft minutes wing'd.
Now was the Sun in Western cadence low
From Noon, and gentle Aires due at their hour
To fan the Earth now wak'd, and usher in
The Eevning cool, when he from wrath more cool
Came the mild Judge and Interceffor both 96
To fentence Man: the voice of God they heard,
Now walking in the Garden, by foft winds
Brought to their Ears, while day declin’d, they heard.
And from his prefence hid themselves among
The thickest Trees, both Man and Wife, till God
Approaching, thus to Adam call'd aloud.
Where art thou Adam, wont with joy to meet My coming feen far off? I mifs thee here, Not pleas'd, thus entertain'd with folitude, Where obvious duty e'er while appear'd unsaught : Or come I lefs confpicuous, or what change Absents thee, or what chance detains? Come forth. He came, and with him Eve, more loth, tho' first To offend, discount'nanc'd both, and difcompos'd; Love was not in their looks, either to God Or to each other, but apparent guilt, And fhame, and perturbation, and despair, Anger, and obftinacy, and hate, and guile. Whence Adam faultring long, thus answer'd brief. I heard thee in the Garden, and of thy voice Afraid, being naked, hid my self. To whom The gracious Judge without revile reply'd.
My voice thou oft haft heard, and haft not fear'd,
But ftill rejoyc'd, how is it now become.
So dreadful to thee? that thou art naked, who
Hath told thee? haft thou eaten of the Tree
Whereof I gave thee charge thou shouldst not eat?
To whom thus Adam fore befet reply'd.
O Heav'n! in evil ftrait this day I ftand
Before my Judge, either to undergo !
My felf the total Crime, or to accufe
My other felf, the partner of my life;
Whofe failing, while her Faith to me remains,
I fhould conceal, and not expose to blame
By my complaint; but strict neceffity
Subdues me, and calamitous constraint,
Left on my head both fin and punishment,
However insupportable, be all
Devolv'd; though should I hold my peace, yet thos
Wouldft easily detect what I conceal.
This Woman whom thou mad'ft to be my help, And gav'ft me as thy perfect gift, fo good,
So fit, fo acceptable, so Divine,
That from her hand I could fufpect no ill,
And what he did, whatever in it felf,
Her doing feem'd to justifie the deed;
She gave me of the Tree, and I did eat.
To whom the fov'reign Prefence thus reply'd.
Was the thy God, that her thou didst obey
Before his voice, or was the made thy guide,
Superior, or but equal, that to her
Thou didst resign thy Manhood, and the Place
Wherein God fet thee above her made of thee,
And for thee, whose perfection far excell'd
Hers in all real dignity? Adorn'd
She was indeed, and lovely to attract
Thy Love, not thy Subjection, and her Gifts
Were fuch as under Government well feem'd,
Unseemly to bear rule, which was thy part
And perfon, hadst thou known thy felf aright.
So having faid, he thus to Eve in few :
Say Woman, what is this that thou haft done?
To whom fad Eve with fhame nigh overwhelm'd,
Confeffing foon, yet not before her Judge
Bold or loquacious, thus abaht reply'd.
The Serpent me beguil'd and I did eat.
Which when the Lord God heard, without delay
To Judgement he proceeded on th'accus'd
Serpent though brute, unable to transfer
The Guilt on him who made him inftrument
Of mischief, and polluted from the end
Of his Creation; justly then accurft,
As vitiated in Nature: more to know
Concern'd not Man (fince he no farther knew) 170
Nor alter'd his offence; yet God at laft
To Satan first in fin his doom apply'd,
Though in myfterious terms, judg'd as then best:
And on the Serpent thus his curfe let fall.
Because thou haft done this, thou art accurft 175 Above all Cattle, each Beaft of the Field; Upon thy Belly groveling thou shalt go, And duft fhalt eat all the days of thy Life, Between thee and the Woman I will put
Enmity; and between thine and her Seed;
Her Seed fhall bruife thy head, thou bruife his heel.
So fpake this Oracle, then verify'd
When Jefus fon of Mary fecond Eve,
Saw Satan fall like Lightning down from Heav'n,
Prince of the Aire; then rifing from his Grave 185
Spoil'd Principalities and Powers, triumpht
In open fhew, and with afcention bright
Captivity led captive through the Aire,
The Realm it felf of Satan long ufurpt,
Whom he fhall tread at laft under our feet;
Even he who now foretold his fatal bruife,
And to the Woman thus his Sentence turn'd.
Thy Sorrow I will-greatly multiply
By thy Conception; Children thou shalt bring
In forrow forth, and to thy Husband's will
Thine fhall fubmit, he over thee fhall rule.
On Adam laft thus judgement he pronounc'd. Because thou haft hearken'd to the voice of thy Wife, And eaten of the Tree, concerning which
I charg'd thee, faying, Thou shalt not eat thereof; 200 Curs'd is the ground for thy fake, thou in forrow Shalt eat thereof all the days of thy Life;
Thorns alfo and Thistles it shall bring thee forth
Unbid, and thou shalt eat th' Herb of th' Field.
In the fweat of thy face fhalt thou eat Bread, 205
Till thou return unto the ground, for thou
Out of the ground waft taken, know thy Birth,
For duft thou art, and fhalt to duft return.
So judg'd he Man, both Judge and Saviour fent
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