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our Adversary? whom no bounds

      Prescrib’d no bars of Hell, nor all the chains

      Heap’d on him there, nor yet the main abyss

      Wide interrupt, can hold; so bent he seems

      On desperate revenge, that shall redound

      Upon his own rebellious head. And now,

      Through all restraint broke loose, he wings his way

      Not far off Heaven, in the precincts of light,

      Directly towards the new created world,

      And man there plac’d, with purpose to assay

      If him by force he can destroy, or, worse,

      By some false guile pervert; and shall pervert;

      For man will hearken to his glozing lies,

      And easily transgress the sole command,

      Sole pledge of his obedience: So will fall

      He and his faithless progeny: Whose fault?

      Whose but his own? ingrate, he had of me

      All he could have; I made him just and right,

      Sufficient to have stood, though free to fall.

      Such I created all the ethereal Powers

      And Spirits, both them who stood, and them who fail’d;

      Freely they stood who stood, and fell who fell.

      Not free, what proof could they have given sincere

      Of true allegiance, constant faith or love,

      Where only what they needs must do appear’d,

      Not what they would? what praise could they receive?

      What pleasure I from such obedience paid,

      When will and reason (reason also is choice)

      Useless and vain, of freedom both despoil’d,

      Made passive both, had serv’d necessity,

      Not me. They therefore, as to right belong’d,

      So were created, nor can justly accuse

      Their Maker, or their making, or their fate,

      As if predestination over-rul’d

      Their will dispos’d by absolute decree

      Or high foreknowledge they themselves decreed

      Their own revolt, not I; if I foreknew,

      Foreknowledge had no influence on their fault,

      Which had no less proved certain unforeknown.

      So without least impulse or shadow of fate,

      Or aught by me immutably foreseen,

      They trespass, authors to themselves in all

      Both what they judge, and what they choose; for so

      I form’d them free: and free they must remain,

      Till they enthrall themselves; I else must change

      Their nature, and revoke the high decree

      Unchangeable, eternal, which ordain’d

      Their freedom: they themselves ordain’d their fall.

      The first sort by their own suggestion fell,

      Self-tempted, self-deprav’d: Man falls, deceiv’d

      By the other first: Man therefore shall find grace,

      The other none: In mercy and justice both,

      Through Heaven and Earth, so shall my glory excel;

      But Mercy, first and last, shall brightest shine.”

      Thus while God spake, ambrosial fragrance fill’d

      All Heaven, and in the blessed Spirits elect

      Sense of new joy ineffable diffus’d.

      Beyond compare the Son of God was seen

      Most glorious; in him all his Father shone

      Substantially express’d; and in his face

      Divine compassion visibly appear’d,

      Love without end, and without measure grace,

      Which uttering, thus he to his Father spake.

      “O Father, gracious was that word which clos’d

      Thy sovran command, that Man should find grace;

      For which both Heaven and earth shall high extol

      Thy praises, with the innumerable sound

      Of hymns and sacred songs, wherewith thy throne

      Encompass’d shall resound thee ever blest.

      For should Man finally be lost, should Man,

      Thy creature late so 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 shall the Adversary thus obtain

      His end, and frustrate thine? shall he fulfill

      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,

      By him corrupted? or wilt thou thyself

      Abolish thy creation, and unmake

      For him, what for thy glory thou hast made?

      So should thy goodness and thy greatness both

      Be question’d and blasphem’d without defence.”

      To whom the great Creator thus replied.

      “O son, in whom my soul hath chief delight,

      Son of my bosom, Son who art alone.

      My word, my wisdom, and effectual might,

      All hast thou spoken as my thoughts are, all

      As my eternal purpose hath decreed;

      Man shall 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

      His lapsed powers, though forfeit; and enthrall’d

      By sin 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 fallen condition is, and to me owe

      All his deliverance, and to none but me.

      Some I have chosen of peculiar grace,

      Elect above the rest; so is my will:

      The rest shall hear me call, and oft be warn’d

      Their sinful state, and to appease betimes

      The incensed Deity, while offer’d grace

      Invites; for I will clear their senses dark,

      What may suffice, and soften stony hearts

      To

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