In circuit, undetermined square or round, 1050 Of smallest magnitude close by the moon. Thither, full fraught with mischievous revenge, 1055 5* PARADISE LOST BOOK III. Jod, sitting on his throne, sees Satan flying towards this world, then newly created; shows him to the Son, who sat at his right hand; foretels the success of Satan in perverting mankind; clears his own justice and wisdom from all imputation, having created Man free, and able enough to have withstood his tempter; yet declares his purpose of grace towards him, in regard he fell not of his own malice, as did Satan, but by him seduced. The Son of God renders praises to his Father for the manifestation of his gracious purpose towards Man: But God again declares, hat grace cannot be extended towards Man without the satisfacion of divine justice: Man hath offended the majesty of God by aspiring to Godhead, and, therefore, with all his progeny, devoted to death, must die, unless some one can be found sufficient to answer for his offence, and undergo his punishment. The Son of God freely offers himself a ransom for Man: The Father accepts him, ordains his incarnation, pronounces his exaltation above all names in Heaven and Earth; commands all the Angels to adore him: They obey, and hymning to their harps in full choir, celebrate the Father and the Son. Meanwhile Satan alights upon the bare convex of this world's outermost orb; where wandering he first finds a place, since called the Limbo of Vanity: What persons and things fly up thither: Thence comes to the gate of Heaven, described ascending by stairs, and the waters above the firmament that flow about it: His passage thence to the orb of the sun; he finds there Uriel, the regent of that orb, but first changes himself into the shape of a meaner Angel; and, pretending a zealous desire to behold the new creation, and Man whom God had placed here, inquires of him the place of his habi lation, and is directed: Alights first on mount Niphates. HAIL, holy Light, offspring of Heaven first-born, May I express thee unblamed? since God is light, 10 Thee I revisit now with bolder wing, Escaped the Stygian pool, though long detain'd Through utter and through middle darkness borne, I sung of Chaos and eternal Night; 15 Taught by the heavenly Muse to venture down 20 25 Smit with the love of sacred song; but chief 30 That wash'd thy hallow'd feet, and warbling flow, Nightly I visit: nor sometimes forget Those other two equal'd with me in fate, 35 So were I equal'd with them in renown! Of natures works, to me expunged and rased, 40 45 50 So much the rather thou, celestial Light, Of things invisible to mortal sight. 55 Now had the Almighty Father from above, His own works and their works at once to view: 60 Stood thick as stars, and from his sight received The radiant image of his glory sat, In blissful solitude; he then survey'd Only begotten Son, seest thou what rage 65 70 75 80 85 Through all restraint broke loose, he wings his way Not far off Heaven, in the precincts of light, Directly towards the new created world, And man there placed, with purpose to essay 90 By some false guile pervert; and shall pervert; 25 He and his faithless progeny: Whose fault? 100 And Spirits, both them who stood, and them who fail'd; Freely they stood who stood, and fell who fell. Not free, what proof could they have given sincere Of true allegiance, constant faith, or love, Where only what they needs must do appear'd, 105 Not what they would? what praise could they receive 110 Not me? They therefore, as to right belong'd, Their Maker, or their making, or their fate, As if predestination overruled Their will disposed by absolute decree 115 Or high foreknowledge; they themselves decreed Foreknowledge had no influence on their fault, 120 Both what they judge and what they choose; for so I form'd them free; and free they must remain, Till they enthral themselves; I else must change 125 Their nature, and revoke the high decree |