Unchangeable, eternal, which ordain'd
Their freedom, they themselves ordain'd their fall.
The first fort by their own fuggeftion fell,
Self-tempted, felf-deprav'd: man falls, deceiv'd 130
By th' other firft: man therefore shall find grace,
The other none; in mercy and justice both,
Through Heav'n and earth, fo fhall my glory excel;
But mercy first and last shall brightest shine.
Thus while GoD fpake, ambrofial fragrance fill'd
All Heav'n, and in the bleffed fpirit elect
Senfe of new joy ineffable diffus'd.
Beyond compare the Son of GOD was feen
Moft glorious; in him all his FATHER fhone
Subftantially exprefs'd; and in his face.
Divine compaffion vifibly 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 fov'reign fentence, that man fhould find grace; For which both Heav'n and earth shall high extol 146 Thy praises, with th' innumerable found
Of hymns and facred fongs, wherewith thy throne
Encompass'd fhall refound thee ever bleft.
For fhould man finally be loft, should man
Thy creature late fo lov'd, thy youngest fon,
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 judgeft only right.
Or fhall the adverfary thus obtain
His end, and fruftrate thine, fhall he fulfil
His malice, and thy goodnefs 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 thy felf
Abolish thy creation, and unmake
For him, what for thy glory thou haft made?
So fhould thy goodness and thy greatness both 165
Be queftion'd, and blafphem'd without defence.
To whom the great Creator thus reply'd.
O SON, in whom my foul hath chief delight,
SON of my bosom, Son who art alone
My word, my wisdom, and effectual might,
All haft thou spoken as my thoughts are, all
As my eternal purpose hath decreed.
Man fhall not quite be loft, but fav'd who will,
Yet not of will in him, but grace in me
Freely vouchfaf'd: once more I will renew
His lapfed pow'rs, though forfeit, and inthrall'd
By fin to foul exorbitant defires:
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 owe
All his deliv'rance, and to none but me.
Some I have chofen of peculiar grace
Elect above the reft: fo is my will:
The reft fhall hear me call, and oft be warn'd
Their finful ftate, and to appease betimes
Th'incenfed Deity, while offer'd grace
Invites: for I will clear their fenfes dark,
What may fuffice, and foften ftony hearts
To pray, repent, and bring obedience due.
To pray'r, repentance, and obedience due,
Though but endeavour'd with fincere intent,
Mine ear fhall not be flow, mine eye not fhut.
And I will place within them as a guide
My umpire CONSCIENCE; whom if they will hear,
Light after light well us'd they fhall attain,
And to the end perfifting, fafe arrive.
This my long fufferance, and my day of grace,
They who neglect and scorn, shall never tafte;
But hard be harden'd, blind be blinded more;
That they may ftumble on, and deeper fall:
And none but fuch from mercy I exclude.
But yet all is not done: Man difobeying,
Difloyal breaks his fealty, and fins
Against the high fupremacy of Heav'n,
Affecting God-head, and fo lofing all,
To expiate his treafon hath nought left;
But to deftruction facred and devote,
He with his whole pofterity muft die,
Die he or Juftice muft; unless for him
Some other able, and as willing, pay
The rigid fatisfaction, death for death.
Say heav'nly Pow'rs, where fhall we find fuch love?
Which of ye will be mortal to redeem
Man's mortal crime: and juft, th' unjust to fave? 215 Dwells in all Heaven charity fo dear?
He ask'd, but all the heav'nly quire ftood mute, And filence was in Heav'n: on man's behalf Patron or interceffor none appear'd, Much less that durft upon his own head draw The deadly forfeiture, and ransom fet. And now without redemption all mankind Must have been loft, adjudg'd to death and Hell By doom severe, had not the SON of GOD, In whom the fulness dwells of love divine, His deareft mediation thus renew'd.
FATHER, thy word is paft, man hall find grace:
And fhall grace not find means, that finds her way,
The speedieft of thy winged meffengers,
To vifit all thy creatures, and to all
Comes unprevented, unimplor'd, unfought?
Happy for man, fo coming! he her aid
Can never feek, (once dead in fins, and loft)
Attonement for himself, or offering meet,
Indebted, and undone, hath none to bring.
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