For that warning voice, which he who aw
Th' Apocalyps, heard cry in Heav’n aloud, Then when the Dragon, put to econd rout, Came furious down to be reveng'd on men, Wo to the inhabitants on Earth! that now, While time was, our firt Parents had bin warnd The coming of thir ecret foe, and cap'd, Haply o cap'd his mortal nare; for now Satan, now firt inflam'd with rage, came down, 10The Tempter ere th' Accuer of man-kind, To wreck on innocent frail man his los Of that firt Battel, and his flight to Hell: Yet not rejoycing in his peed, though bold, Far off and fearles, nor with caue to boat, Begins his dire attempt, which nigh the birth Now rowling, boiles in his tumultuous bret, And like a devillih Engine back recoiles Upon himelf; horror and doubt ditract His troubl'd thoughts, and from the bottom tirr 20The Hell within him, for within him Hell He brings, and round about him, nor from Hell One tep no more then from himelf can fly By change of place: Now concience wakes depair That lumberd, wakes the bitter memorie Of what he was, what is, and what mut be Wore; of wore deeds wore ufferings must enue. Sometimes towards Eden which now in his view Lay pleaant, his griev'd look he fixes ad, Sometimes towards Heav’n and the full-blazing Sun, 30Which now at high in his Meridian Towre: Then much revolving, thus in ighs began. O thou that with urpaing Glory crownd, Look't from thy ole Dominion like the God Of this new World; at whoe ight all the Starrs Hide their diminiht heads; to thee I call, But with no friendly voice, and add thy name O Sun, to tell thee how I hate thy beams That bring to my remembrance from what tate I fell, how glorious once above thy Spheare; 40Till Pride and wore Ambition threw me down Warring in Heav’n againt Heav’ns matchles King: Ah wherefore! he deervd no uch return From me, whom he created what I was In that bright eminence, and with his good Upbraided none; nor was his ervice hard. What could be les then to afford him praie, The eaiet recompence, and pay him thanks, How due! yet all his good prov'd ill in me, And wrought but malice; lifted up o high 50I deind ubjection, and thought one tep higher Would et me highet, and in a moment quit The debt immene of endles gratitude, So burdenome, till paying, till to ow; Forgetful what from him I till receivd, And undertood not that a grateful mind By owing owes not, but till pays, at once Indebted and dichargd; what burden then? O had his powerful Detiny ordaind Me ome inferiour Angel, I had tood 60Then happie; no unbounded hope had rais'd Ambition. Yet why not? om other Power As great might have apir'd, and me though mean Drawn to his part; but other Powers as great Fell not, but tand unhak'n, from within Or from without, to all temptations arm'd. Hadt thou the ame free Will and Power to tand? Thou hadt: whom hat thou then or what to accue, But Heav’ns free Love dealt equally to all? Be then his Love accurt, ince love or hate, 70To me alike, it deals eternal woe. Nay curs'd be thou; ince againt his thy will Choe freely what it now o jutly rues. Me mierable! which way hall I flie Infinite wrauth, and infinite depaire? Which way I flie is Hell; my elf am Hell; And in the lowet deep a lower deep Still threatning to devour me opens wide, To which the Hell I uffer eems a Heav’n. O then at lat relent: is there no place 80Left for Repentance, none for Pardon left? None left but by ubmiion; and that word Didain forbids me, and my dread of hame Among the pirits beneath, whom I educ'd With other promies and other vaunts Than to ubmit, boating I could ubdue Th' Omnipotent. Ay me, they little know How dearly I abide that boat o vaine, Under what torments inwardly I groane; While they adore me on the Throne of Hell, 90With Diadem and Scepter high advanc'd The lower till I fall, onely Supream In mierie; uch joy Ambition findes. But ay I could repent and could obtaine By Act of Grace my former tate; how oon Would highth recall high thoughts, how oon unay What feign'd ubmiion woree: eae would recant Vows made in pain, as violent and void. For never can true reconcilement grow Where wounds of deadly hate have peirc'd o deep: 100Which would but lead me to a wore relape, And heavier fall: o hould I purchae deare Short intermiion bought with double mart. This knows my puniher; therefore as farr From granting hee, as I from begging peace: All hope excluded thus, behold in tead Of us out-cat, exil'd, his new delight, Mankind created, and for him this World. So farewel Hope, and with Hope farewel Fear, Farewel Remore: all Good to me is lot; 110Evil be thou my Good; by thee at leat Divided Empire with Heav’ns King I hold By thee, and more then half perhaps will reigne; As Man ere long, and this new World hall know.