The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (47 page)

183

Some I have chosen of peculiar
²⁴⁹³
grace,

184

Elect
²⁴⁹⁴
above the rest; so is my will.

185

The rest shall hear me call, and oft be warned

186

Their sinful state, and to appease betimes
²⁴⁹⁵

187

The incensed
²⁴⁹⁶
Deity, while offered
²⁴⁹⁷
grace

188

Invites, for I will clear their senses dark,

189

What may suffice, and soften stony hearts

190

To pray, repent, and bring obedience due.
²⁴⁹⁸

191

To prayer, repentance, and obedience due,

192

Though but endeavored with sincere intent,

193

Mine ear shall not be slow, mine eye not shut.

194

And I will place within them as a guide

195

My umpire
²⁴⁹⁹
Conscience, whom if they will hear,

196

Light
²⁵⁰⁰
after light, well used, they shall attain,

197

And to the end, persisting, safe arrive.

198

This my long sufferance,
²⁵⁰¹
and my day of grace,

199

They who neglect and scorn shall never taste,

200

But hard be hardened, blind be blinded more,

201

That they may stumble on, and deeper fall.

202

And none but such from mercy I exclude.

203

   
“But yet all is not done. Man disobeying,

204

Disloyal, breaks his fealty
²⁵⁰²
and sins

205

Against the high supremacy of Heav’n,

206

Affecting
²⁵⁰³
God-head and, so losing all,

207

To expiate his treason hath nought left,

208

But to destruction sacred
²⁵⁰⁴
and devote,

209

He, with his whole posterity, must die.

210

Die he or justice must; unless for him

211

Some other able, and as willing, pay

212

The rigid
²⁵⁰⁵
satisfaction,
²⁵⁰⁶
death for death.

213

Say, Heav’nly Powers, where shall we find such love?

214

Which of you will be mortal, to redeem

215

Man’s mortal crime and, just, the unjust to save?

216

Dwells in all Heav’n charity
²⁵⁰⁷
so dear?

217

   
He asked, but all the Heav’nly choir
²⁵⁰⁸
stood mute,

218

And silence was in Heav’n: on man’s behalf

219

Patron
²⁵⁰⁹
or intercessor
²⁵¹⁰
none appeared,

220

Much less that durst upon his own head draw

221

The deadly forfeiture and ransom set.

222

And now without redemption all mankind

223

Must have been lost, adjudged to Death and Hell

224

By doom
²⁵¹¹
severe, had not the Son of God,

225

In whom the fullness dwells of love divine,

226

His dearest mediation thus renewed:

227

   
“Father, Thy word is past, man shall find grace;

228

And shall grace not find means? that finds her way,

229

The speediest of Thy wingèd messengers,

230

To visit all Thy creatures, and to all

231

Comes unprevented,
²⁵¹²
unimplored, unsought?

232

Happy for man, so coming. He her aid

233

Can never seek, once dead in sins, and lost:

234

Atonement for himself, or offering meet,
²⁵¹³

235

Indebted and undone, hath none to bring.

236

Behold me, then: me for him, life for life

237

I offer. On me let Thine anger fall;

238

Account
²⁵¹⁴
me man. I for his sake will leave

239

Thy bosom, and this glory next to Thee

240

Freely put off, and for him lastly
²⁵¹⁵
die

241

Well pleased. On me let Death wreak
²⁵¹⁶
all his rage.

242

Under his gloomy power I shall not long

243

Lie vanquished. Thou hast giv’n me to possess

244

Life in myself forever. By Thee I live,

245

Though now to Death I yield, and am his due
²⁵¹⁷

246

(All that of me can die), yet that debt paid,

247

Thou wilt not leave me in the loathsome grave

248

His prey, nor suffer my unspotted soul

249

Forever with corruption there to dwell,

250

But I shall rise victorious, and subdue

251

My vanquisher, spoiled of his vaunted
²⁵¹⁸
spoil.

252

Death his Death’s wound shall then receive, and stoop
²⁵¹⁹

253

Inglorious, of his mortal sting disarmed.

254

I through the ample
²⁵²⁰
air in triumph high

255

Shall lead Hell captive maugre
²⁵²¹
Hell, and show
²⁵²²

256

The powers of darkness bound. Thou, at the sight

257

Pleased, out of Heaven shalt look down and smile,

258

While, by Thee raised, I ruin
²⁵²³
all my foes,

259

Death last, and with his carcass glut
²⁵²⁴
the grave.

260

Then with the multitude of my redeemed

261

Shall enter Heav’n, long absent, and return,

262

Father, to see Thy face, wherein no cloud

263

Of anger shall remain, but peace assured

264

And reconcilement. Wrath shall be no more,

265

Thenceforth, but in Thy presence joy entire.”
²⁵²⁵

266

   
His words here ended, but his meek aspect,

267

Silent, yet spoke, and breathed immortal love

268

To mortal men, above which only shone

269

Filial obedience. As a sacrifice

270

Glad to be offered, he attends the will

271

Of his great Father. Admiration
²⁵²⁶
seized

272

All Heav’n, what this might mean, and whither tend,
²⁵²⁷

273

Wond’ring. But soon
²⁵²⁸
th’Almighty thus replied: