And so did purpose all the souls to make, That ever have been made, or ever shall; And that their Being, they should only take In human bodies, or not Be at all. Was it then fit, that such a weak event (Weakness, itself! the sin and fall of Man) His counsel's execution should prevent? Decreed and fixed before the world began. Or that one penal law, by ADAM broke, Should make GOD break His own eternal law; The settled order of the world revoke, And change all forms of things, which He foresaw. Could EVE'S weak hand, extended to the tree, In sunder rent that Adamantine Chain, Whose golden links, Effects and Causes be; And which to GOD's own chair, doth fixt remain? O could we see! how Cause from Cause doth spring! How mutually they linked and folded are! And hear how oft one disagreeing string, The harmony doth rather make, than mar! And view at once, how Death by sin is brought! And how from Death a better Life doth rise; How this, GOD's Justice and his Mercy taught; We, this decree, would praise, as right and wise! But we (that measure times, by First and Last) The sight of things successively do take; When GOD, on all at once, His view doth cast; And of all times, doth but one instant make. All in Himself, as in a glass, He sees, And from Him, by Him, through Him, all things be; His sight is not discursive, by degrees; But seeing the whole, each single part doth see. He looks on ADAM, as a root, or well, And on his heirs, as branches, and as streams; He sees all men as one man! though they dwell In sundry cities, and in sundry realms. And as the root and branch are but one tree, And well and stream do but one river make; So, if the root and well corrupted be; The stream and branch the same corruption take So when the root and fountain of Mankind; Did draw corruption, and GOD's curse by sin: This was a charge that all his heirs did bind; And all his offspring grew corrupt therein! And as when th' hand doth strike, the man offends, (For part from whole, Law severs not in this!) So ADAM'S sin to the whole Kind extends, For all their natures are but part of his. Therefore, this sin, of Kind, not personal; But real, and hereditary was: The guilt whereof, and punishment to all, By Course of Nature, and of Law doth pass. For as that easy law was given to all! To ancestor and heir! to first and last! So was the first transgression general; And All did pluck the fruit! and All did taste!