And gav'ft me as thy perfect gift, so good, That from her hand I could fufpect no ill; 140 Her doing feem'd to justify the deed; She gave me of the tree, and I did eat. To whom the Sov'reign Prefence thus re ply'd. Was fhe thy God, that her thou didst obey 145 Before his voice? Or was fhe made thy guide, Superior, or but equal; that to her Thou didft refign thy manhood, and the place Wherein God fet thee above her, made of thee; And for thee; whose perfection far excell'd 150 Her in all real dignity? Adorn'd She whas indeed and lovely, to attract Thy love; not thy fubjection: and her gifts Were fuch, as under government wellfeem'd; Unfeemly to bear rule, which was thy part, 155 And perfon, hadft thou known thyfelf aright. So having faid, he thus to Eve in few:" Say, woman, what is this, which thou haft done? To whom fad Eve, with fhame nigh overwhelm'd, Confeffing foon; yet not before her Judge 160 Bold, or loquacious, thus abafh'd reply'd. The ferpent me beguil'd, and I did eat! Which when the Lord God heard, without delay 165 To judgment He proceeded on th' accus'd As vitiated in nature. More to know Concern'd not man, fince he no further knew, Nor alter'd his offence: yet God at laft 170 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 ac curft Above all cattle, each beaft of the field; 175 Upon thy belly groveling thou shalt go; Her feed fhall bruife thy head, thou bruise his heel. So fpake this oracle, then verify'd, When Jefus fon of Mary, fecond Eve, Saw Satan fall, like lightning, down from Prince of the air: then rifing from his grave 185 Ev'n He who now foretold his fatal bruife; And to the woman thus his fentence turn'd. 馨 On Adam laft thus judgment he pronounc'd: Because thou haft hearken'd to the voice of thy wife, And eaten of the tree, concerning which 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 fhalt eat th' herb of the field, In the sweat of thy face fhalt thou eat bread, 205 Till thou return unto the ground; for thou Out of the ground wast taken, know thy birth, For duft thou art, and shalt to dust return. So judg'd he Man, both Judge and Saviour fent; And th' inftant ftroke of Death, denounc'd that Remov'd far off: then, pitying how they stood As father of his family he clad In glory as of old; to him appeas'd 225 All, tho' allknowing, what had past with man Recounted, mixing interceffion sweet. Mean while, ere thus was finn'd and judg'd on earth, し Within the gates of Hell fat Sin and Death, 230 For Death from Sin no pow'r can separate. But left the difficulty of paffing back Stay his return perhaps over this gulf Impallable, impervious; let us try 250 Advent'rous work, yet to thy pow'r and mine 1 Not unagreeable, to found a path 255 |