Season 3 Podcast 148 Milton's Paradise lost Pt VII Bk III Grace

Paradise Lost: GraceThis podcast entitled Grace is a continuation of Milton’s Epic Poem, Paradise Lost. Milton was an independent Christian thinker. He was not always in harmony with church or state. He preached divorce against the climate of his day and the only things that saved his life from the State were his blindness and his age. He fled London to escape the Black Plague and relied upon his vast memory of the Holy Bible in writing Paradise Lost. He was a literalist and influenced Christian thought in England for hundreds of years. In these Podcasts on Milton, I try to show Milton’s views of Christianity.In the following we continue with the dialogue from Book III between the Father and the Son. As they watch Satan fly surreptitiously toward Eden to Tempt Adam and Eve, the Father and Son discuss the role of Grace.  Thus while God spake, ambrosial fragrance fill’dAll Heav’n, and in the blessed Spirits electSense of new joy ineffable diffus’d:Beyond compare the Son of God was seenMost glorious, in him all his Father shoneSubstantially express’d, and in his faceDivine compassion visibly appeared,Love without end, and without measure Grace,Which uttering thus he to his Father spake.Let us keep in mind as we read Paradise Lost that Milton’s stated purpose is to “justify the ways of God to man.” Here, in Bk III, Milton is explaining why God allows Satan to tempt man. He also discusses the need of a Savior. The fall is essential to freewill, agency, and liberty. Therefore, the Father is providing a way for man to be redeemed from the fall even before the fall occurs. In the poem, Satan is unaware that he is being observed by the Father. After all he is flying through chaos and night. He thinks he is invisible. But to God, who is omniscient, nothing is invisible. The Son replies:O Father, gracious was that word which clos’dThy sovran sentence, that Man should find grace;For which both Heav’n and Earth shall high extollThy praises, with th’ innumerable soundOf Hymns and sacred Songs, wherewith thy ThroneEncompass’d shall resound thee ever blest.For should Man finally be lost, should ManThy creature late so lov’d, thy youngest SonFall circumvented thus by fraud, though joinedWith his own folly? that be from thee far,That far be from thee, Father, who art JudgeOf all things made, and judgest only right.Or shall the Adversary thus obtainHis end, and frustrate thine, shall he fulfillHis malice, and thy goodness bring to naught,Or proud return though to his heavier doom,Yet with revenge accomplish’t and to HellDraw after him the whole Race of mankind,By him corrupted? or wilt thou thy selfAbolish thy Creation, and unmake,For him, what for thy glory thou hast made?So should thy goodness and thy greatness bothBe questioned and blaspheam’d without defense.In the above, the Son raises some of the greatest paradoxes of Christianity. He raises the following issues:1.     Why Man needs grace2.     Without grace Man would finally be lost by his own folly3.     Without grace the Adversary would obtain his end and destroy Mankind4.     Without grace God himself would Abolish his Creation leaving the creation of man indefensible.