Th'ethereal people ran, to hear and know
How all befefl: they towards the throne fupream Accountable made hafte to make appear With righteous plea, their utmost vigilance, And easily approv'd; when the most high Eternal Father from his fecret cloud, Amidft in thunder utter'd thus his voice.
Affembl'd angels, and ye powers return'd From unsuccessful charge, be not dismaid, Nor troubl'd at these tidings from the earth, Which your fincereft care could not sprevent, Foretold fo lately what would come to pass, When firft this tempter crofs'd the gulph from hell. I told ye then he should prevail and speed On his bad errand, man fhould be feduc't And flatter'd out of all, believing lies Against his Maker ; no decree of mine Concurring to neceffitate his fall,
Or touch with lighteft moment of impulfe His free will, to her own inclining left In eevn fcale. But fall'n he is, and now What refts, but that the mortal fentence pass On his transgression, death denounc't that day, Which he prefumes already vain and void, Because not yet inflicted, as he fear'd, By some immediate stroke; but soon shall find Forbearance no acquitance ere day end. Juftice fhall not return as bountie fcorn'd. But whom fend I to judge them? whom but thee Vicegerent fon, to thee I have transferrid
All judgment, whether in heav'n, or earth, or hell.
Eafie it might be seen that I intend Mercie collegue with justice, fending thee Man's friend, his mediator, his design'd Both ranfom and redeemer voluntarie, And deftin'd man himself to judge man fall'n. So fpake the Father, and unfolding bright Toward the right hand his glorie, on the Son Blaz'd forth unclouded Deitie; he full Refplendent all his Father manifest Express'd, and thus divinely answer'd mild. 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. I go to judge On earth these thy tranfgreffors, but thou knowst, 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
Justice with mercie, as may illuftrate most Them fully fatisfied, and thee appease.
Attendance none shall need, nor traine, where none Are to behold the judgment, but the judg'd, Those two; the third beft abfent is condemn'd, Convict by flight, and rebell to all law:
Conviction to the serpent none belongs.
Thus faying, from his radiant feat he rofe Of high collateral glorie: him thrones and powers, Princedoms, and dominations ministrant Accompanied to heaven gate, from whence
Eden and all the coaft in profpect lay.
Down he defcended strait; the speed of Gods
Time counts not, though with swiftest minutes wing'd. Now was the fun 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 coole when he from wrauth more coole Came the mild judge and interceffor both To sentence man: the voice of God they heard Now walking in the garden, by foft windes 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 dutie erewhile appear'd unfaught: Or come I lefs confpicuous, or what change Abfents thee, or what chance detains? come forth. He came, and with him Eve, more loth, though firft To offend, discount'nanc't 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 obftinacie, and hate, and guile. Whence Adam faultring long, thus anfwer'd brief. I heard thee in the garden, and of thy voice Afraid, being naked, hid myself. To whom The gracious judge without revile repli'd.
My voice thou oft haft heard, and haft not fear'd, M
But ftill rejoyc't, 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 repli'd,
O heav'n! in evil ftrait this day I stand Before my judge, either to undergoe Myself the total crime, or to accuse My other felf, the partner of my life ; Whofe failing, while her faith to me remains, I should conceal, and not expose to blame By my complaint; but strict neceffitie Subdues me, and calamitous constraint, Least on my head both fin and punishment,
However infupportable, be all
Devolv'd; though should I hold my peace, yet thou
Would easily detect what I conceal.
This woman whom thou mad'ft to be my help,
And gav'st me as thy perfect gift, so good,
So fit, fo acceptable, fo divine,
That from her hand I could suspect no ill, And what she did, whatever in itself, Her doing feem'd to justifie the deed; She gave me of the tree, and I did eat,
To whom the fovran prefence thus repli'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, whofe perfection far excell'd
Her's in all real dignitie: 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,' Unfeemly to bear rule, which was thy part And perfon, hadft thou known thyself aright. So having faid, he thus to Eve in few:
Say woman, what is this which thou hast done? To whom fad Eve with shame nigh overwhelm'd, Confeffing foon, yet not before her judge Bold or loquacious, thus abafht repli'd. The ferpent 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; juftly then accurst, As vitiated in nature: more to know Concern'd not man (fince he no further knew). Nor alter'd his offence; yet God at last To Satan first in fin his doom apply'd, Though in mysterious terms, judg'd as then beft: And on the serpent thus his curse let fall.
Because thou haft done this, thou art accurst Above all cattel, each beaft of the field; Upon thy belly groveling thou shalt goe, And duft fhalt eat all the days of thy life. Between thee and the woman I will put Enmitie, and between thine and her feed; Her feed shall bruise thy head, thou bruise his heel.
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