30

With pity, violated not their bliss.

25 About the new arriv’d, in multitudes Th'ethereal people ran, to hear and know How all befel; they towards the throne supreme Accountable made halte, to make appear With righteous plea their utmost vigilance, And easily approv'd: when the Most High Eternal Father, from his secret cloud, Amidst in thunder utter'd thus his voice.

Assembled angels, and ye powers return'd From unsuccessful charge, be not disınay'd, 35 Nor troubled at these tidings from the earth, Which

your

Gincereit care could not prevent, Foretold so lately what would come to pass, When first this tempter crois'd the gulf from hell. I told ye then he should prevail and speed

40 On his bad errand; man thould be seduc'd And flatter'd out of all, believing lies Again't his Maker; no decree of mine Concurring to necelitate his fall, Or touch with lighteit moment of impulse 45 His free will, to her own inclining left In even scale. But fall’n he is; and now What relts, but that the mortal sentence pass On his transgression, death denounc'd that day? Which he prefumes already vain and void, Because not yet inficted, as he fear'd, By some immediate roke ; but foon shall find Forbearance no acquittance ere day end. Jultice Thall not return as bounty scorn'd. But whom send I to judge them ? whom but thee 55 Vicegerent Son!' to thee I have transferr'd All judgment, whether in heav'n, or earth, or hell. Easy it may be seen that I intend Mercy collegue with juilice, sending thee,

Man's

50

65

Man's friend, his Mediator, his design'd

60 Both ransom and Redeemer voluntary, And destin'd man himself to judge man fall’n.

So fpake the Father, and unfolding bright
Toward the right hand his glory, on the Son
Blaz'd forth unclouded Deity: he full
Resplendent all his Father manifest
Express’d, and thus divinely answer'd mild.

Father eternal, thine is to decree;
Mine both in heaven an earth to do thy will
Supreme, that thou in me thy Son belov'd

70
Mayst ever reft well pleas'd. I go to judge
On earth these thy tranfgreffors; but thou know'st,
Whoever judg'd, the worst on me must light,
When time shall be ; for so I undertook
Before thee'; and not repenting, this obtain 75
Of right, that I may mitigate their doom,
On me derivd: yet I shall temper so
Justice with mercy', as may illustrate most
Them fully satisfy'd, and thee appease.
Attenance none shall need, nor train, where none
Are to behold the judgment but the judg’d, 81
Those two ; the third best absent is condem'd,
Convict by fight, and rebel to all law :
Conviction to the serpent none belongs.
Thus saying, from his radiant seat he rose

85 Of high collateral glory': him thrones and powers, Princedoms and dominations, ministrant Accompanied to heaven-gate, from whence Eden and all the coast in prospect lay. Down he descended Itrait; the speed of Gods Time counts not, tho’with swiftest minutes wing'd. Now was the sun in western cadence low From noon, and gentle airs due at their hour To fan the earth now wak’d, and user in

The

90

The ev'ning cool; when he, from wrath more cool, 95
Came, the mild Judge and Interceffor both,
To sentence man. The voice of God they heard
Now walking in the garden, by soft winds
Brought to their ears, while day declin'd; they heard:
And from his presence hid themselves among
The thickelt 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 inifs thee here,
Not pleas'd, thus entertain'd with solitude, 105
Where obvious duty' ere while appear'd unsought:
Or come I less conspicuous, or what change
Absents thee, or wliat chance detains ? Come furth.

He came, and with him Eve, more loath, tho' first:
To'offend; discount’nanc'd both, and discompos’d:.
Love was not in their looks, either to God
Or to each other, but apparent guilt,
And shame, and perturbation, and despair;
Anger, and oblinacy'; and hate, and guile.
Whence Adam, falt'ring long, thusanswer'd brief. 115
I heard thee in the gard'n, and of thy voice
Afraid, being naked, hid myself. To whom
The gracious judge without revile reply'di
My voice thou oft lialt heard, and bait not fear'd,
But still rejoic’d; how is it now become
So dreadful to thee ?' that thou art naked, who
Hath told thee? halt thou eaten of the tree,
Whereof I gave thee charge thou shouldst not eat ??

To whom thus Adam fore befet reply'd.
O heaven! in evil ftrait this day I stand

125;
Before my Judge, either to undergo
Myself the total crime, or to accule
My other self, the partner of my life;.
Whole failing, while her faith to me remains,

1202

I should conceal, and not expose to blame

130 By my complaint; but strict neceflity Subdues me, and calamitous constraint, Lest on my head both in and punishment, However insupportable, be all Devolv'd; tho' should I hold my peace, yet

thou Would easily detect what I conceal.

136 This woman, whom thou mad'st to be

my help, And gav'st me as thy perfect gift, so good, So fit, so acceptable, so divine, That from her hand I could suspect no ill;. 140 And what she did, whatever in it felf, Her doing seem'd to justify the deed; She gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

To whom the Sov'reign Presence thus reply'd. Was she thy God, that her thou didst obey

145 Before his voice? or was she made thy guide, Superior, or but equal, that to her Thou didit refign thy manhood, and the place Wherein God set thee' above her, made of thee, And for thee, whose perfe&tion far excell'd

150 Hers in all real dignity ? Adorn'd She was indeed, and lovely to attract Thy love, not thy subjection; and her gifts Were such as under government well feem'd, Unseemly to bear rule; which was thy part

155 And person, had thou known thyself aright.

So having said, he thus to Eve in few.
Say, woman, what is this which thou hat done?

To whom sad Eve, with Thame nigh overwhelm’d,
Confefling foon, yet not before her Judge 160
Bold or loquacious, thus abalh'd reply d.
The serpent me beguild, and I did eat.

Which when the Lord God heard, without delay To judgment he proceeded on th' accus'd

Serpent

Serpent, though brute, unable to transfer 165
The guilt on him who made him instrument
Of mischief, and polluted from the end
Of his creation; justly then accurs'd,
As vitiated in nature: more to know
Concern’d not man, (since he no further knew), 170
Nor alter'd his offence; yet God at last
To Satan first in sin his doom apply'd,
Tho' in mysterious terms, judg'd as then belt :
And on the serpent thus his curse let fall.
Because thou hast done this, thou art accus'd 175
Above all cattle, each beast of the field;
Upou thy belly grovelling thou shalt go,
And dust shalt eat all the days of thy life.
Between thee and the woman I will put
Enmity, and between thine and her feed; 180
Her feed shall bruise thy liead, thoù bruise his heel..

So fpake this oracle, then verify'd
When Jesus son of Mary, second Eve;
Saw Satan fall like light’ning down from heaven,
Prince of the air; then rising from his grave 185
Spoil'd principalities and pow'rs, triumph'd
In open show, and with ascension bright
Captivity led captive through the air,
The realm itself of Satan long usurp'd ;
Whom he shall tread at last under our feet; 190
Ev'n he who now foretold his fatal bruise,
And to the woman thus his fentence turn'di.
Thy forrow I will greatly multiply
By thy conception; children thou flialt bring
In sorrow forth ; and to thy husband's will 195
Thine shall subuit; he over thee shall rule.

On Adam last thus judgment he pronounc'd.
Because thou' haft hearken'd to the voice of thy wife,
And eaten of the tree, concerning which