Must reascend, what will betide the few
His faithful, left among th' unfaithful herd,
The enemies of truth? who then shall guide
His people, who defend? will they not deal
Worse with his followers than with him they dealt?
Be sure they will, said th' angel; but from heav'n
He to his own a Comforter will fend,..
The promise of the Father, who shall dwell
His Spirit within them, and the law of faith
Working thro' love, upon their hearts shall write, -.
To guide them in all truth, and also arm
With spiritual armour, able to resist
Satan's affaults, and quench his fiery darts,
What man can do against them, not afraid,
Though to the death, against fuch cruelties
With inward confolations recompens'd,
And oft fupported so as shall amaze
Their proudest perfecutors: for the Spirit..
Pour'd first on his apostles, whom he fends
To' evangelize the nations, then on all
Baptiz'd, shall them with wondrous gifts indue, 500
To fpeak all tongues, and do all miracles,
As did their Lord before them. Thus they win
Great numbers of each nation to receive
With joy the tidings brought from heav'n: at length,
Their ministry perform'd, and race well run,
Their doctrine and their story written left,
They die; but in their room, as they forewarn,
Wolves shall fucceed for teachers, grievous wolves,
Who all the sacred mysteries of heaven
To their own vile advantages shall turn
Of lucre and ambition, and the truth
With fuperftitions and traditions taint,
Left only in those written records pure,
Though not but by the Spirit understood.
Then shall they seek to avail themselves of names,
Places, and titles, and with these to join
Secular pow'r, though feigning still to act
By spiritual, to themselves appropriating
The Spirit of God, promis'd alike and given
To all believers; and from that pretence,
Spiritual laws by carnal pow'r shall force
On every confcience; Jaws which none shall find
Left them inroll'd, or what the Spirit within
Shall on the heart ingrave. What will they then
But force the Spirit of grace itself, and bind
His confort liberty? what, but unbuild
His living temples, built by faith to stand,
Their own faith, not another's? for on earth
Who against faith and confcience can be heard
Infallible? yet many will prefume:
Whence heavy perfecution shall arife
On all who in the worship perfevere
Of fpi'rit and truth; the rest, far greater part,
Will deem in outward rites and specious forms
Religion fatisfy'd'; truth shall retire
Bestuck with flandrous darts, and works of faith
Rarely be found: so shall the world go on,
To good malignant; to bad men benign,
Under her own weight groaning, till the day
Appear of refpiration to the just,
And vengeance to the wicked, at return
Of him so lately promis'd to thy aid,
The woman's feed, obscurely then foretold,
Now amplier known thy Saviour and thy Lord,
Last in the clouds from heav'n to be reveal'd
In glory of the Father, to diffolve
Satan with his perverted world, then raise
From the conflagrant mass, purg'd and refin'd,
New heav'ns, new earth, ages of endless date
Founded in right'ousness, and peace, and love, 550
To bring forth fruits, joy and eternal bliss.
He ended; and thus Adam last reply'd.
How foon hath thy prediction, seer bless'd,
Measur'd this tranfient world, the race of time,
Till time stand fix'd? Beyond is all abyss,
Eternity, whose end no eye can reach.
Greatly instructed I shall hence depart,
Greatly in peace of thought, and have my fill
Of knowledge, what this vessel can contain;
Beyond which was my folly to afpire.
Henceforth I learn, that to obey is best,
And love with fear the only God, to walk
As in his presence, ever to observe
His providence, and on him fole depend,
Merciful over all his works, with good
Still overcoming evil, and by small
Accomplishing great things, by things deem'd weak
Subverting worldly strong, and worldly wife
By fimply meek; that suff'ring for truth's fake
Is fortitude to highest victory,
And, to the faithful, death the gate of life;
Taught this by his example, whom I now
Acknowledge my Redeemer ever bless'd.
To whom thus also th' angel last reply'd. This having learn'd, thou haft attain'd the fum 575 Of wisdom; hope no high'er, though all the stars Thou knew'it by name, and all th' ethereal pow'rs, All secrets of the deep, all Nature's works, Or works of God in heav'n, air, earth, or sea,
And all the riches of this world_enjoy'dft,
And all the rule, one empire; only add
Deeds to thy knowledge answerable, add faith,
Add virtue, patience, temperance, add love,
By name to come call'd Charity, the foul
Of all the rest: then wilt thou not be loath
To leave this Paradise, but shalt poffefs
A Paradife within thee, happier far.
Let us descend now therefore from this top
Of fpeculation; for the hour precife
Exacts our parting hence; and fee the guards, 590
By me incamp'd on yonder hill, expect
Their motion, at whose front a flaming sword,
In fignal of remove, waves fiercely round;
We may no longer ftay: go, waken Eve;
Her also I with gentle dreams have calm'd
Portending good, and all her spirits compos'd
To meek fubmiffion: thou at season fit
Let her with thee partake what thou hast heard,
Chiefly what may concern her faith to know,
The great deliv'rance by her feed to come
(For by the woman's feed,) on all mankind:
That ye may live, which will be many days,
Both in one faith unanimous though fad,
With caufe for evils palt, yet much more cheer'd
With meditation on the happy end.
He ended; and they both descend the hill;
Defcended, Adam to the bower where Eve
Lay fleeping ran before, but found her wak'd;
And thus with words not fad the him receiv'd.
Whence thou return'st, and whither went'st, I know; 611
For God is alfo' in fleep, and dreams advise,
Which he hath fent propitious, fome great good
Prefaging, fince with forrow' and heart's distress
Wearied I fell asleep: but now lead on;
In me is no delay; with thee to go
Is to stay here; without thee here to stay
Is to go hence unwilling; thou to me
Art all things under heav'n, all places thou,
Who for my wilful crime art banish'd hence.
This further confolation yet secure
I carry hence; though all by me is lost,
Such favour I unworthy am vouchsaf'd,
By me the promis'd feed shall all restore.
So spake our mother Eve; and Adam heard Well pleas'd, but answer'd not; for now too nigh 625 Th' archangel stood, and from the other hill To their fix'd station, all in bright array, The cherubim descended; on the ground Gliding meteorous, as ev'ning mist Ris'n from a river o'er the marish glides, And gathers ground fast at the lab'rer's heel, Homeward returning. High in front advanc'd, The brandish'd sword of God before them blaz'd Fierce as a comet; which with torrid heat, And vapour as the Libyan air adult, Began to parch that temp'rate clime; whereat In either hand the hast'ning angel caught Our ling'ring parents, and to the eastern gate Led them direct, and down the cliff as fast To the fubjected plain; then difappear'd. They looking back all th' eastern fide beheld Of Paradise, so late their happy feat,
Wav'd over by that flaming brand, the gate
With dreadful faces throng'd and fiery arms:
Some natural tears they dropt, but wip'd them foon;
The world was all before them, where to chuse 646
Their place of rest, and Providence their guide:
They hand in hand, with wand'ring steps and flow,
Through Eden took their folitary way.
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