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.