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Heapt on him there, nor yet the main Abyss

       Wide interrupt can hold; so bent he seems

       On desperat revenge, that shall redound

       Upon his own rebellious head. And now

       Through all restraint broke loose he wings his way

       Not farr off Heav’n, in the Precincts of light,

       Directly towards the new created World,

       And Man there plac’t, with purpose to assay

       If him by force he can destroy, or worse,

       By som false guile pervert; and shall pervert;

       For man will heark’n to his glozing lyes,

       And easily transgress the sole Command,

       Sole pledge of his obedience: So will fall

       Hee and his faithless Progenie: whose fault?

       Whose but his own? ingrate, he had of mee

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

       Sufficient to have stood, though free to fall.

       Such I created all th’ Ethereal Powers

       And Spirits, both them who stood & them who faild;

       Freely they stood who stood, and fell who fell.

       Not free, what proof could they have givn sincere

       Of true allegiance, constant Faith or Love,

       Where onely what they needs must do, appeard,

       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 despoild,

       Made passive both, had servd necessitie,

       Not mee. They therefore as to right belongd,

       So were created, nor can justly accuse

       Thir maker, or thir making, or thir Fate;

       As if Predestination over-rul’d

       Thir will, dispos’d by absolute Decree

       Or high foreknowledge; they themselves decreed

       Thir own revolt, not I: if I foreknew,

       Foreknowledge had no influence on their fault,

       Which had no less prov’d certain unforeknown.

       So without least impulse or shadow of Fate,

       Or aught by me immutablie foreseen,

       They trespass, Authors to themselves in all

       Both what they judge and what they choose; for so

       I formd them free, and free they must remain,

       Till they enthrall themselves: I else must change

       Thir nature, and revoke the high Decree

       Unchangeable, Eternal, which ordain’d

       Thir freedom, they themselves ordain’d thir fall.

       The first sort by thir 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 Heav’n and Earth, so shall my glorie excel,

       But Mercy first and last shall brightest shine.

      Thus while God spake, ambrosial fragrance fill’d

       All Heav’n, 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 shon

       Substantially express’d, and in his face

       Divine compassion visibly appeerd,

       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 sentence, that Man should find grace;

       For which both Heav’n and Earth shall high extoll

       Thy praises, with th’ 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 joynd

       With his own folly? that be from thee farr,

       That farr be from thee, Father, who art Judge

       Of all things made, and judgest onely right.

       Or shall the Adversarie thus obtain

       His end, and frustrate thine, shall he fulfill

       His malice, and thy goodness bring to naught,

       Or proud return though to his heavier doom,

       Yet with revenge accomplish’t and to Hell

       Draw after him the whole Race of mankind,

       By him corrupted? or wilt thou thy self

       Abolish thy Creation, and unmake,

       For him, what for thy glorie thou hast made?

       So should thy goodness and thy greatness both

       Be questiond and blaspheam’d without defence.

      To whom the great Creatour thus reply’d.

       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 spok’n 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 voutsaft; 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 fall’n condition is, and to me ow

       All his deliv’rance, 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 warnd

       Thir sinful state, and to appease betimes

       Th’ incensed Deitie, while offerd grace

       Invites; for I will cleer thir senses dark,

       What may suffice, and soft’n stonie hearts

       To pray, repent, and bring obedience due.

       To prayer, repentance, and obedience due,

       Though but endevord with sincere intent,

       Mine eare shall not be slow, mine eye not shut.

       And I will place within them as a guide

       My Umpire Conscience, whom if they will hear, Light after light well us’d they shall attain, And to the end persisting, safe arrive. This my long sufferance and

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