Such I created all th' ethereal Powers

100

And Spirits, both them who stood and them who fail'd;
Freely they stood who ftood, and fell who fell.
Not free, what proof could they have giv❜n fincere
Of true allegiance, conftant faith or love,

Where only what they needs must do appear'd, 105
Not what they would? what praise could they receive?
What pleasure I from fuch obedience paid,
When will and reafon (reafon alfo' is choice)
Useless and vain, of freedom both despoil'd,
Made paffive both, had ferv'd neceffity,
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, difpos'd by absolute decree

Or high foreknowledge; they themselves decreed

Their own revolt, not I; if I foreknew,

"Providence for fuffering Adam "to tranfgrefs. Foolish tongues! "when God gave him reafon, he "gave him freedom to choose, for "reason is but choofing: he had "been else a mere artificial Adam, &c. See his Speech for the liberty of unlicenc'd printing, p. 149, and 150. Edit. 1738.

110.

115

Fore

117. if I foreknew,] If here does not imply the leaft doubt or uncertainty; but is ufed, as it is fometimes in the best authors, in the fenfe of Though. Though I foreknew, that foreknowledge had no influence.

121. Or

120

Foreknowledge had no influence on their fault,
Which had no lefs prov'd certain unforeknown.
So without least impulfe or fhadow' of fate,
Or ought by me immutably forefeen,
They trefpafs, authors to themselves in all
Both what they judge and what they choose; for fo
I form'd them free, and free they must remain,
Till they inthrall themselves; I else must change 125
Their nature, and revoke the high decree
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 fhall find grace,

The

foreseen as to be immutable. If Milton had dictated immutable, he would probably have faid,

Or ought immutable by me forefeen.

135. Thus while God pake, &c.] The effects of this fpeech in the bleffed Spirits, and in the divine Perfon to whom it was addrefs'd, cannot but fill the mind of the reader with a fecret pleasure and complacency. Addifon. Our Milton here fhows, that he was no fervile imitator of the Ancients. It is very well known that

The other none: in mercy' and justice both, Through Heav'n and Earth, so shall my glory' excel, But mercy first and last shall brightest shine.

136

Thus while God fpake, ambrofial fragrance fill'd
All Heav'n, and in the bleffed Spirits elect
Senfe of new joy ineffable diffus'd:
Beyond compare the Son of God was feen
Moft glorious; in him all his Father shone
Subftantially exprefs'd; and in his face
Divine compaffion vifibly appear'd,

Love without end, and without meafure grace,
Which uttering thus he to his Father spake.

140

O Father, gracious was that word which clos'd Thy sovran sentence, that Man should find grace; 145

his master Homer, and all who followed him, where they are reprefenting the Deity fpeaking, defcribe a scene of terror and awful confternation. The Heavens, Seas and Earth tremble &c, and this, to be fure, was confiftent enough with their natural notions of the fupreme Being: but it would not have been fo agreeable to the mild, merciful, and benevolent idea of the Deity upon the Chriftian fcheme, and therefore our author has very judiciously made the words of the Almighty diffufing fragrance and delight to all around

For which both Heav'n and Earth shall high extol
Thy praises, with th' innumerable found

Of hymns and facred fongs, wherewith thy throne
Incompass'd shall refound thee ever bleft.

For should Man finally be lost, should Man, 150
Thy creature late fo 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 judgeft only right.
Or shall the Adversary thus obtain

His end, and frustrate thine? fhall he fulfil
His malice, and thy goodness bring to nought,
Or proud return, though to his heavier doom,

bis Father's glory, and the express image of his perfon; xaeaning The υποςάσεως αυτε, the character of his fubftance, as the original expreffeth it. Hume.

147.—with th' innumerable found Of hymns and facred fongs, ] Dr. Bentley reads with innumerable ftrains &c. He thinks it ftrange to find innumerable join'd to a fingular number, unless the fubftantive implies multitude in the very name: But is not innumerable found of fongs here the fame with innumerable force of Spirits in I. 101.? In both places the word innumerable, tho'

155

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?

160

So fhould thy goodness and thy greatness both 165 Be question'd and blafphem'd without defense.

To whom the great Creator thus reply'd.
O Son, in whom my foul hath chief delight,
Son of my bofom, Son who art alone

My word, my wisdom, and effectual might,
All haft thou spoken as my thoughts are, all
my eternal purpose hath decreed:
Man fhall not quite be loft, but fav'd who will,

As

170

Yet

Angelic harmonies: the earth, the may be juftify'd as well from the Saxon.

air Refounded.

Pearce. 153-that be from thee far, &c.] An imitation of Genefis, XVIII. 25. That be far from thee to do af ter this manner, to flay the righteous with the wicked; and that the righteous fhould be as the wicked, that be far from thee: shall not the judge of all the earth do right?

158. nought,] This word and ought our author moft ufually spells naught and aught, and they may be ipelt either way; but this is grown obfolete, and the other

168. O Son, &c.] The Son is here addrefs'd by feveral titles and appellations borrow'd from Scripture. O Son, in whom my foul bath chief delight, from Mat. III. 17. My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Son of my bosom, from John I. 18. The only begotton Son which is in the bofom of the Father. My word, from Rev. XIX. 13. And his name is called the word of God. My wisdom and effectual might, from 1 Cor. I. 24. Chrift the power of God and the wisdom of God.

180. By