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Eternal Father, from his secret cloud,
Amidst in thunder utter'd thus his voice:
Assembled Angels, and ye Powers return'd,
From unsuccessful charge, be not dismay'd,
Nor troubled at these tidings from the Earth,
Which your
sincerest care could not prevent,
Foretold so lately what would come to pass,

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When first this Tempter cross'd the gulf from Hell.
I told ye then he should prevail and speed
On his bad errand, man should be seduc'd
And flatter'd out of all, believing lies
Against his Maker; no decree of mine
Concurring to necessitate his fall,

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Or touch with lightest moment of impulse
His Free-will, to her own inclining left
In even scale. But fall'n he is, and now
What rests, but that the mortal sentence pass
On his transgression, death denounc'd that day?
Which he presumes already vain and void,
Because not yet inflicted, as he fear'd,
By some immediate stroke; but soon shall find
Forbearance no acquittance ere day end.
Justice shall not return as bounty scorn'd.
But whom send I to judge them? whom but thee
Vicegerent Son? to thee I have transferr'd
All judgment, whether in Heav'n, or Earth, or Hell.
Easy it may be seen that I intend

Mercy colleague with justice, sending thee
Man's friend, his mediator, his design'd

Both ransom and redeemer voluntary,

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And destin'd Man himself to judge men fall'n.

So spake the Father, and unfolding bright To'ward the right hand his glory, on the Son Blaz'd forth unclouded deity; he full Resplendent 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 Supreme, that thou in me thy Son belov'd 70 May'st ever rest well pleas'd. I go to judge On Earth these thy transgressors, but thou know'st, Whoever judg'd, the worst on me must light, When time shall be, for so I undertook Before thee'; and not repenting, this obtain Of right, that I may mitigate their doom On me deriv'd, yet I shall temper so Justice with mercy', as may illustrate most Them fully satisfy'd, and thee appease.

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Attendance none shall need, nor train, where none Are to behold the judgment, but the judg'd, Those two; the third best absent is condemn'd, Convict by flight, and rebel to all law: Conviction to the serpent none belongs.

Thus saying, from his radiant seat he rose Of high collateral glory': him thrones and powers, Princedoms, and dominations ministrant Accompanied to Heav'n gate, from whence Eden and all the coast in prospect lay. Down he descended straight; the speed of gods 90 Time counts not, thoughwith swiftest minuteswing'd, Now was the sun in western cadence low

From noon, and gentle airs due at their hour
To fan the Earth now wak'd, and usher in

The ev❜ning cool, when he from wrath more cool
Came the mild judge and intercessor both

To sentence Man : ́the voice of God they heard,
Now walking in the garden, by soft winds
Brought to their ears, while day declin'd; they heard,
And from his presence hid themselves
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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 seen afar off? I miss thee here,
Not pleas'd thus entertain'd with solitude,
Where obvious duty ? ere while appear'd unsought:
Or come I less conspicuous, or what change
Absents thee, or what chance detains? Come forth.
He came, and with him Eve, more loath though
first

To' offend, discountenanc'd both, and discompos'd;
Love was not in their looks, either to God 111
Or to each other, but apparent guilt,

And shame, and perturbation, and despair,
Anger, and obstinacy', and hate, and guile.
Whence Adam falt'ring long, thus answer'd brief:
I heard thee in the gard❜n, and of thy voice
Afraid, being naked, hid myself. To whom
The gracious Judge without revile replyd' :
My voice thou oft hast heard, and hast not fear'd,
But still rejoic'd: how is it now become

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So dreadful to thee? that thou' art naked, who

Hath told thee? hast thou eaten of the tree,

Whereof I gave thee charge thou shouldst not eat?
To whom thus Adam, sore beset, reply'd:

O Heav'n! in evil strait this day I stand
Before my Judge, either to undergo

life;

Myself the total crime, or to accuse
My other self, the partner of my
Whose failing, while her faith to me remains,
I should conceal, and not expose to blame
By my complaint; but strict necessity
Subdues me, and calamitous constraint,
Lest on my head both sin, and punishment,
However insupportable, be all

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Devolv'd; though should I hold my peace, yet thou Wouldst easily detect what I conceal.

This Woman, whom thou mad'st to be my help, And gav'st me as thy perfect gift, so good,

So fit, so acceptable, so divine,

That from her hand I could suspect no ill,

And what she did, whatever in itself,
Her doing seem'd to justify the deed;
She gave me of the Tree, and I did eat.

To whom the Sovran Presence thus reply'd:
Was she thy God, that her thou didst obey
Before his voice, or was she made thy guide,
Superior, or but equal, that to her

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Thou didst resign thy manhood, and the place Wherein God set thee' above her, made of thee, And for thee, whose perfection far excell'd 150 Hers in all real dignity? Adorn'd

She was indeed, and lovely to attract
Thy love, not thy subjection; and her gifts
Were such as under government well seem'd,
Unseemly to bear rule, which was thy part
And person, hadst thou known thyself aright.
So having said, he thus to Eve in few:
Say, Woman, what is this which thou hast done?

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To whom sad Eve with shame nigh overwhelm'd, Confessing soon, yet not before her Judge Bold or loquacious, thus abash'd replied: The serpent me beguil'd, and I did eat.

.

Which when the Lord God heard, without delay To judgment he proceeded on th' accus'd Serpent though brute, unable to transfer The guilt on him who made him instrument Of mischief, and polluted from the end Of his creation; justly then accurs'd, As vitiated in nature: more to know Concern'd not man (since he no further knew) 170 Nor alter'd his offence; yet God at last To Satan first in sin his doom apply'd, Though in mysterious terms, judg'd as then best: And on the serpent thus his curse let fall: Because thou hast done this, thou art accurs'd Above all cattle, each beast of the field; Upon thy belly groveling thou shalt go, And dust shalt eat all the days of thy life. Between thee and the woman I will put Enmity, and between thine and her seed; Her seed shall bruise thy head, thou bruise his heel.

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