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[BOOK III.—87-122

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 If him by force he can destroy, or, worse, By some false guile pervert; and shall pervert; For man will hearken to his glozing lies, And easily transgress the sole command, Sole pledge of his obedience. So will fall He and his faithless progeny. Whose fault? Whose but his own? Ingrate, he had of me All he could have. I made him just and right, Sufficient to have stood, though free to fall. Such I created all the ethereal powers And spirits, both them who stood, and them who failed; 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 appeared, Not what they would? What praise could they receive? What pleasure I from such obedience paid? When will and reason—reason also is choice— Useless and vain, of freedom both despoiled, Made passive both, had served necessity, Not me? They therefore, as to right belonged, So were created, nor can justly accuse Their maker, or their making, or their fate, As if predestination overruled Their will, disposed by absolute decree Or high foreknowledge. They themselves decreed Their own revolt, not I. If I foreknew, Foreknowledge had no influence on their fault, Which had no less proved certain unforeknown. So without least impulse or shadow of fate, Or aught by me immutably foreseen, They trespass, authors to themselves in all

Воок ІП.—123-158] Both what they judge, and what they choose; for so I formed them free: and free they must remain, Till they enthrall themselves; I else must change Their nature, and revoke the high decree Unchangeable, eternal, which ordained Their freedom; they themselves ordained their fall. The first sort by their own suggestion fell, Self-tempted, self-depraved: Man falls, deceived By the other first: Man therefore shall find grace, The other none. In mercy and justice both, Through heaven and earth, so shall my glory excel; But mercy first and last shall brightest shine.

Thus while God spake, ambrosial fragrance filled All heaven, and in the blessed spirits elect Sense of new joy ineffable diffused. Beyond compare the Son of God was seen Most glorious: in him all his Father shone Substantially expressed; and in his face Divine compassion visibly appeared, Love without end, and without measure grace, Which uttering, thus he to his Father spake:

O Father, gracious was that word which closed Thy sovereign sentence, that man should find grace; For which both heaven and earth shall high extol Thy praises, with the innumerable sound Of hymns and sacred songs, wherewith thy throne Encompassed shall resound thee ever blessed. For should Man finally be lost, should Man, Thy creature late so loved, thy youngest son, Fall circumvented thus by fraud, though joined With his own folly? That be from thee far, That far be from thee, Father, who art judge Of all things made, and judgest only right. Or shall the Adversary thus obtain His end, and frustrate thine? Shall he fulfil His malice, and thy goodness bring to nought;