334 PARADISE LOST. BOOK Since by original lapfe, true liberty Is loft, which always with right reafon dwells Twiri'd, and from her bath no dividual being : 85 Reafon in man olofcued, or not obey'd, Immediately inordinate defires, And upftart paflions, catch the government From reafon; and to fervitude reduce Man, till then free. Therefore, fince he permits go Within himfelf unworthy pow'rs to regin, Over free reafon ; God in judgment juft Subjeds it from without to violent Lords : Who oft as undefervedly inthral His outward freedom. Tyranny mull be ; 95 Though to the tyrant thereby no excufe. Yet fontetimes nations will decline fo low From virtue (which is Reafon) that no wrong, But juflice, and fome fatal curie annex'd, Deprives them of their outward liberty; 100 Their inward loft ; witnefs th' irreverent fon Of him who built the Ark ; who for the fhame Done to his father, heard his heavy curie, " Servant of Servants," on his vicious race. Thus will this latter, as the former world, 105 Still tend from bad to worfe ; till God at laft Wearied with their iniquities, withdraw His pretence from among them, and avert His holy eyes ; refolving from thenceforth To leave them to their own polluted ways : And one peculiar nation to feled From all the reit, of whom to be invok'd ; A nation from one faithful man to fpring : Him on this fide Euphrates yet raiding, Bred up in idol-worfhip. 0 that men 115 (Canit thou believe ?) fhould be fo ftupid grown, While yet the Patriarch liv'd, who fcap'd the flood, As
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