Explanation:
“That with reiterated crimes he might
Heap on himself damnation, while he sought
Evil to others, and enraged might see
How all his malice served but to bring forth
Infinite goodness, grace, and mercy shown
On man by him seduced, but on himse
lf Treble confusion, wrath and vengeance poured.”
(Lines 214-220)

Answer: These lines have been taken from ‘Paradise Lost’ Book I, the famous epic by John Milton. These lines are like an aside or a by-way comment of the poet in the midst of the storytelling. It is obvious that the poet is more impelled to give this comment by his professed aim to justify the ways of God to men than by genuine poetic considerations.

The poet says that God permitted Satan to move about freely from the lake of fire in Hell so that he might indulge in his evil designs. By repeating his sins, Satan would heap further damnation on himself. His attempts to do evil to others would be foiled by God who would show mercy to his intended victims. Satan would seduce man but ultimately God would shower infinite goodness, grace and mercy so that Man might not continue to suffer owing to the mischief of his seducer. On the contrary, Satan the seducer, would provoke God’s treble wrath and vengeance for his misdeeds.

The argument of these lines is the central theme of ‘Paradise Lost’. Man lost paradise but regained it because Man was basically innocent and humble and had the redemptive sacrifice of Christ on his side. Satan was an obdurate sinner. He had no intention of abandoning evil. Hence, the evil that he tried to inflict on others rebounded on himself. This shows that the ways of God are just. He pardons the humble and the repentant but punishes the proud and the hardened sinners.

God’s permission to Satan to commit evil freely can be considered an unwise step but Milton explains in ‘De Doctrina’, that God is blameless, even though he permits, and even tempts the wicked to sin. Milton says, “God eventually converts every evil deed into an instrument of good, contrary to the expectation of sinners and overcomes evil with good.”