With opal tow'rs and battlements adorn'd 1050 This pendent world, in bigness as a itar Thither full fraught with anischievous revenge, The End of the Second Book. 1055 BOOK III. The Argument. God fitting on his throne fees Satan flying towards this world, then newly created; fhows him to the Son who fat at his right hand; foretells the fuccefs of Satan in perverting Mankind; clears his own juftice and wisdom from all imputation, having created Man free and able enough to have withstood his Tempter; yet declares his purpofe of grace towards him, in regard he fell not of his own malice, as did Satan, but by him feduced. The Son of God renders praises to his Father for the manifeftation of his gracious purpose towards Man; but God again declares, that grace cannot be extended towards Man without the fatisfaction of divine juftice; Man hath offended the majesty of God by afpiring to Godhead, and therefore with all his progeny devoted to death muft die, unless fome one can be found fufficient to answer for his offence, and undergo his punish ment. The Son of God freely offers himself a ranfome 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 quire, celebrate the Father and the Son. Mean while Satan alights upon the bare convex of this world's outermoft orb; where wandering he first finds a place, fince call'd the Limbo of Vanity; what perfons and things fly up thither; thence comes to the gate of Heaven, defcrib'd afcending by ftairs, and the waters above the firmament that flow about it: his paffage thence to the orb of the fun; he finds there Uriel the regent of that orb, but first changes himself into the fhape of a meaner angel; and pretending a zealous defire to behold the new creation, and Man whom God had plac'd here, inquires of him the place of his habitation, and is directed; alights firft on Mount Niphates. HAIL holy Light, offspring of Heav'n first-born, Or of th' Eternal coeternal beam May I express thee' unblam'd? fince God is light, Dwelt from eternity, dwelt then in thee, Escap'd the Stygian pool, though long detain'd I fung of Chaos and eternal Night, 20 Taught by the heav'nly Muse to venture down Ceafe I to wander where the Mufes haunt, 30 Thofe other two equall'd with me in fate, 35 40 45 Of Nature's works to me expung'd and ras'd, ' Of things invifible to mortal fight. 55 Now had th' almighty Father from above, From the pure empyréan where he fits High thron'd above all highth, bent down his eye, His own works and their works at once to view: About him all the fanctities of Heaven 60 , Stood thick as stars, and from his fight receiv'd Beatitude past utterance; on his right The radiant image of his glory fat, His only Son; on earth he first beheld To stoop with wearied wings and willing feet Him God beholding from his profpect high, Only begotten Son, seest thou what rage On defperate revenge, that shall redound Upon his own rebellious head. And now 65 70 75 80 85 Through all restraint broke loose he wings his way Volume I. N |