Chapter 4 3

Him God beholding from his prospect high, Wherein past, present, future he beholds, Thus to his only Son foreseeing spake. Onely begotten Son, seest thou what rage [ 80 ] Transports our adversary, whom no bounds Prescribd, no bars of Hell, nor all the chains Heapt on him there, nor yet the main Abyss Wide interrupt can hold; so bent he seems On desparate reveng, that shall redound [ 85 ] Upon his own rebellious head. And now Through all restraint broke loose he wings his way Not farr off Heavn, in the Precincts of light, Directly towards the new created World, And Man there plact, with purpose to assay [ 90 ]

If him by force he can destroy, or worse, By some false guile pervert; and shall pervert For man will hearn to his glozing lyes, And easily transgress the sole Command, Sole pledge of his obedience: So will fall, [ 95 ] Hee and his faithless Progenie: whose fault? Whose but his own? Ingrate, he had of mee All he could have; I made him just and right, Sufficient to have stood, though free to fall. Such I created all th Ethereal Powers [ 100 ] 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 givn sincerely

Of true allegiance, constant Faith or Love, Where only what they needs must do, appear, [ 105 ] 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 servd necessitie, [ 110 ] Not mee. They therefore as to right belong, So were created, nor can just accuse Thir maker, or thir making, or thir Fate, As if predestination over-ruld Thir will, disposd by absolute Decree [ 115 ] Or high foreknowledge; they themselves decreed

Thir own revolt, not I: if I foreknew, Foreknowledge had no influence on their fault, Which had no less provd certain unknown.