"Their nature, and revoke their high decree, 66 Unchangeable, eternal, which ordained "Their freedom: they themselves ordained their fall. "The first sort by their own suggestion fell, 66 66 Self-tempted, self-depraved: man falls, deceived "Through Heaven and Earth, so shall my glory excel; Beyond compare the Son of God was seen Love without end, and without measure grace; "O Father! gracious was that word which closed "Thy sovran sentence, that man should find grace; "For which both Heaven and Earth shall high extol 66 66 Thy praises, with the innumerable sound "Of hymns and sacred songs, wherewith thy throne "His end, and frustrate thine? shall he fulfil 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 130 140 150 160 "Be questioned, and blasphemed, 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 saved who will; 66 Upheld by me, yet once more he shall stand "On even ground against his mortal foe; 66 By me upheld, that he may know how frail "The rest shall hear me call, and oft be warned 66 They who neglect and scorn, shall never taste; "But hard be hardened, blind be blinded more, "That they may stumble on, and deeper fall; "And none but such from mercy I exclude. "But yet all is not done: man disobeying, "Disloyal, breaks his feälty, and sins "Against the high supremacy of Heaven, 170 180 190 200 "Affecting Godhead, and so losing all, 66 Say, heavenly Powers! where shall we find such love? "Which of ye will be mortal, to redeem "Man's mortal crime; and just, the unjust to save? "Dwells in all Heaven charity so dear?" He asked, but all the heavenly quire stood mute, Much less, that durst upon his own head draw Must have been lost, adjudged to Death and Hell In whom the fulness dwells of love divine, His dearest mediation thus renewed: "Father! thy word is past; man shall find grace; "And shall grace not find means?—that finds her way “The speediest of thy wingèd messengers "To visit all thy creatures, and to all "Comes unprevented, unimplored, unsought; 66 'Happy for man, so coming! he her aid "Can never seek, once dead in sins and lost; 210 220 230 240 "Well pleased: on me let Death wreak all his rage; "Under his gloomy power I shall not long "Lie vanquished: thou hast given me to possess "Life in myself for ever; by thee I live, 66 Though now to death I yield, and am his due, "All that of me can die : yet, that debt paid, "Thou wilt not leave me in the loathsome grave "His prey, nor suffer my unspotted soul "For ever with corruption there to dwell; "But I shall rise victorious, and subdue 66 My vanquisher, spoiled of his vaunted spoil; "Death his death's wound shall then receive, and stoop, "Inglorious, of his mortal sting disarmed. "I, through the ample air, in triumph high "Shall lead Hell captive, maugre Hell, and show "The powers of darkness bound. Thou, at the sight His words here ended, but his meek aspéct Glad to be offered, he attends the will Of his great Father. Admiration seized All Heaven, what this might mean, and whither tend "O thou, in Heaven and earth the only peace "Found out for mankind under wrath! O thou, 66 'My sole complacence! well thou knowest how dear "To me are all my works; nor man the least, "Though last created; that for him I spare "Thee from my bosom and right hand, to save, "By losing thee a while, the whole race lost. "Thou therefore, whom thou only canst redeem, "Their nature also to thy nature join; "And be thyself man among men on earth, "Made flesh, when time shall be, of virgin seed, 66 By wondrous birth: be thou, in Adam's room, 250 260 270 280 "The head of all mankind, though Adam's son. "As from a second root, shall be restored, Imputed, shall absolve them, who renounce "Their own both righteous and unrighteous deeds, "And live in thee transplanted, and from thee "Receive new life. So man, as is most just, "Shall satisfy for man, be judged and die; "And dying rise, and rising with him raise "His brethren, ransomed with his own dear life. "So heavenly love shall outdo hellish hate, 66 Giving to death, and dying to redeem "So dearly to redeem what hellish hate "So easily destroyed; and still destroys "In those who, when they may, accept not grace. 66 66 Equal to God, and equally enjoying God-like fruition, quitted all, to save "A world from utter loss; and hast been found, 66 By merit more than birthright-Son of God, "Found worthiest to be so by being good, "Far more than great or high;-because in thee "Love hath abounded more than glory abounds; "Therefore thy humiliation shall exalt "With thee thy manhood also to this throne; "Here shalt thou sit incarnate-here shalt reign "Both God and Man, Son both of God and Man, "Anointed universal King: all power "I give thee: reign for ever, and assume 66 'Thy merits: under thee, as head supreme, 290 300 310 "Thrones, Princedoms, Powers, Dominions, I reduce; 320 "All knees to thee shall bow, of them that bide |