Paradise: Cantos 16–21

As embers, at the breathing of the wind,
Their flame enliven, so that light I saw
Shine at my blandishments; and, as it grew
More fair to look on, so with voice more sweet,
Yet not in this our modern phrase, forthwith
It answer’d:

Nor with oracular response obscure,
Such, as or ere the Lamb of God was slain,
Beguil’d the credulous nations; but, in terms
Precise and unambiguous lore, replied
The spirit of paternal love, enshrin’d,
Yet in his smile apparent; and thus spake:

Nor with oracular response obscure,
Such, as or ere the Lamb of God was slain,
Beguil’d the credulous nations; but, in terms
Precise and unambiguous lore, replied
The spirit of paternal love, enshrin’d,
Yet in his smile apparent; and thus spake:

This they wish, and this
Contrive, and will ere long effectuate, there,
Where gainful merchandize is made of Christ,
Throughout the livelong day.

For all ungrateful, impious all and mad,
Shall turn ’gainst thee: but in a little while
Theirs and not thine shall be the crimson’d brow
Their course shall so evince their brutishness
T’ have ta’en thy stand apart shall well become thee.

Thou, notwithstanding, all deceit remov’d,
See the whole vision be made manifest.

For this there only have been shown to thee,
Throughout these orbs, the mountain, and the deep,
Spirits, whom fame hath note of. For the mind
Of him, who hears, is loth to acquiesce
And fix its faith, unless the instance brought
Be palpable, and proof apparent urge.”

Then, as at shaking of a lighted brand,
Sparkles innumerable on all sides
Rise scatter’d, source of augury to th’ unwise;
Thus more than thousand twinkling lustres hence
Seem’d reascending, and a higher pitch
Some mounting, and some less; e’en as the sun,
Which kindleth them, decreed.

"This well I know,
That if there be in heav’n a realm, that shows
In faithful mirror the celestial Justice,
Yours without veil reflects it. Ye discern
The heed, wherewith I do prepare myself
To hearken; ye the doubt that urges me
With such inveterate craving."

And in that space so variously hath wrought,
Both openly, and in secret, in such wise
Could not through all the universe display
Impression of his glory, that the Word
Of his omniscience should not still remain
In infinite excess.

“O animals of clay! O spirits gross I
The primal will, that in itself is good,
Hath from itself, the chief Good, ne’er been mov’d.
Justice consists in consonance with it,
Derivable by no created good,
Whose very cause depends upon its beam.”

Of such vicissitude in heaven I thought,
As the great sign, that marshaleth the world
And the world’s leaders, in the blessed beak
Was silent; for that all those living lights,
Waxing in splendour, burst forth into songs,
Such as from memory glide and fall away.

That, which thou seest in the under bow,
Was William, whom that land bewails, which weeps
For Charles and Frederick living: now he knows
How well is lov’d in heav’n the righteous king,
Which he betokens by his radiant seeming.

O how far remov’d,
Predestination! is thy root from such
As see not the First cause entire: and ye,
O mortal men! be wary how ye judge:
For we, who see our Maker, know not yet
The number of the chosen:

Near upon my close
Of mortal life, through much importuning
I was constrain’d to wear the hat that still
From bad to worse it shifted.—Cephas came;
He came, who was the Holy Spirit’s vessel,
Barefoot and lean, eating their bread, as chanc’d,
At the first table.