t; Affecting godhead, and fo lofing all, 210 Say, heav'nly powers, where Thall we find fuch love? Which of ye will be mortal, to redeem Man's mortal crime, and juft th' unjuft to fave? 215 Dwells in all heaven charity fo dear ? He afk'd but all the heav'nly quire ftood mute, Much less that durft 'upon his own head draw In whom the fullness dwells of love divine, 220 225 Father, thy word is past, man shall find grace; And shall grace not find means, that finds her way, The speediest of thy winged messengers, To vifit all thy creatures, and to all 230 Comes unprevented, unimplor'd, unfought? Happy for man, fo coming: he her aid Can never feek, once dead in fins, and lost; Freely put off, and for him laftly die 233 Well pleas'd; on me let Death wreak all his rage: 240 N Under his gloomy pow'r I shall not long Lie vanquith'd; thou haft giv'n me to possess Life in myself for ev'r; by thee I live, Though now to Death I yield, and am his due 245 For ever with corruption there to dwell; My vanquisher, fpoil'd of his vaunted fpoil; 250 Death his death's wound fhall then receive, and stoop Inglorious, of his mortal fting disarm'd. I through the ample air, in triumph high Shall lead hell captive, maugre hell, and fhow 255 260 His words here ended, but his meek afpéct Silent yet spake, and breath'd immortal love To mortal men, above which only shone Filial obedience: as a facrifice 265 Glad to be offer'd, he attends the will Of his great Father. Admiration feiz'd 270 All heaven, what this might mean, and whither tend Wond'ring; but foon th' Almighty thus reply'd. O thou in heaven and earth the only peace Found out for mankind ander wrath! O thou My fole complacence! well thou know'st how dear To me are all my works; nor man the least, 275 Though laft created; that for him I fpare As from a fecond root, fhall be reftor'd In those who, when they may, accept not grace. Nor fhalt thou, by defcending to affume Man's nature, leffen or degrade thine own. 280 285 290 295 300 Because thou haft, though thron'd in higheft blifs, 305 Equal to God, and equally enjoying God-like fruition, quitted all, to fave A world from utter lofs, and haft been found 310 With thee thy manhood also to this throne; I give thee; reign for ever, and assume Thy merits; under thee, as head supreme, 315 321 Thrones, princedoms, powers, dominions I reduce: 325 Thy dread tribunal; forthwith from all winds, The living, and forthwith the cited dead Of all past ages, to the general doom Shall haften; fuch a peal shall rouse their sleep. 336 See golden days, fruitful of golden deeds, With joy and love triumphing, and fair truth, Then thou thy regal fceptre fhalt lay by, 340 No fooner had th' Almighty ceas'd, but all The multitude of angels, with a shout 345 Loud as from numbers without number, fweet As from blefs'd voices, uttering joy, heav'n rung With jubilee, and loud hofannas fill'd Th' eternal regions. Lowly reverent, Tow'ards either throne they bow, and to the ground With folemn adoration down they caft 351 Their crowns, inwove with amarant, and gold; Immortal amarant, a flower which once In Paradise, fast by the tree of life, Began to bloom; but foon for man's offence 355 To heav'n remov'd, where firft it grew, there grows, And flowers aloft fhading the fount of life, And where the riv'r of blifs through midft of heav'n Rolls o'er Elyfian flow'rs her amber stream: With these, that never fade, the spi'rits elect 360 Bind their refplendent locks, inwreath'd with beams; Now in loose garlands thick thrown off, the bright 366 Then crown'd again, their golden harps they took; No voice exempt, no voice but well could join 370 Eternal King; thee author of all being, 3756 3 Amidst the glorious brightnefs where thou fitt'ft The full blaze of thy beams, and through a cloud Begotten Son, divine fimilitude, 3805 In whofe confpicuous count'nance, without cloud 385; |