Must reafcend, 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 Worfe with his followers than with him they dealt? Be sure they will, faid th' angel; but from heav'n He to his own a Comforter will fend,
The promise of the Father, who fhall dwell
His Spirit within them, and the law of faith Working thro' love, upon their hearts fhall write, - To guide them in all truth, and alfo arm With fpiritual armour, able to refift
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 fhall amaze Their proudest perfecutors: for the Spirit. Pour'd first on his apoftles, whom he fends To' evangelize the nations, then on all
Baptiz'd, fhall them with wondrous gifts indue, sca 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 miniftry perform'd, and race well run,
Their doctrine and their story written left,
They die; but in their room, as they forewarn,
Wolves fhall fucceed for teachers, grievous wolves, Who all the facred myfteries of heaven To their own vile advantages shall turn Of lucre and ambition, and the truth With fuperftitions and traditions taint, Left only in thofe written records pure, Though not but by the Spirit understood,
Then fhall they feek to' avail themselves of names,
Places, and titles, and with thefe 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 fhall 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 Spi'rit 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 fhall arife On all who in the worthip perfevere
Of spirit and truth; the reft, far greater part, Will deem in outward rites and specious forms Religion fatisfy'd; truth fhall retire
Bestuck with fland'rous darts, and works of faith Rarely be found: fo fhall 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,
Satan with his perverted world, then raise From the conflagrant mafs, purg'd and refin'd, New heav'ns, new earth, ages of endless date
Founded in right'oufnefs, and peace, and love, To bring forth fruits, joy and eternal bliss.
He ended; and thus Adam laft reply'd. How foon hath thy prediction, feer blefs'd, Meafur'd this tranfient world, the race of time, Till time ftand fix'd? Beyond is all abyfs, Eternity, whofe end no eye can reach. Greatly inftructed I fhall hence depart, Greatly in peace of thought, and have my fill Of knowledge, what this veffel can contain ; Beyond which was my folly to afpire. Henceforth I learn, that to obey is beft, And love with fear the only God, to walk As in his prefence, ever to obferve His providence, and on him fole depend, Merciful over all his works, with good Still overcoming evil, and by fmall
Accomplishing great things, by things deem'd weak Subverting worldly ftrong, and worldly wife. By fimply meek; that fuff'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 blefs'd.
To whom thus alfo th' angel laft reply'd. This having learn'd, thou haft attain'd the fum 575 Of wisdom; hope no high'er, though all the ftars Thou knew'ft by name, and all th' ethereal pow'rs, All fecrets of the deep, all Nature's works,
Or works of God in heav'n, air, earth, or fea, And all the riches of this world enjoy'dft,
And all the rule, one empire; only add Deeds to thy knowledge anfwerable, add faith, Add virtue, patience, temperance, add love, By name to come call'd Charity, the foul
Of all the reft: then wilt thou not be loath To leave this Paradife, but fhalt poffefs A Paradife within thee, happier far.
Let us defcend now therefore from this top Of fpeculation; for the hour precife
Exacts our parting hence; and fee the guards, 592 By me incamp'd on yonder hill, expect Their motion, at whofe front a flaming fword, In fignal of remove, waves fiercely round; We may no longer ftay: go, waken Eve; Her alfo I with gentle dreams have calm'd Portending good, and all her fpirits 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. 603
He ended; and they both defcend the hill; Defcended, Adam to the bower where Eve Lay fleeping ran before, but found her wak'd; And thus with words not fad she him receiv'd.
Whence thou return'ft, and whither went't, I know; For God is alfo'in fleep, and dreams advife, Which he hath fent propitious, fome great good Prefaging, fince with forrow' and heart's distress Wearied I fell asleep: bút 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 fecure
I carry hence; though all by me is loft,
Such favour I unworthy am vouchfaf'd, By me the promis'd feed fhall all restore.
So fpake our mother Eve; and Adam heard Well pleas'd, but anfwer'd not; for now too nigh 625 Th' archangel ftood, and from the other bill
To their fix'd station, all in bright array, The cherubim defcended; on the ground Gliding meteorous, as ev'ning mist Ris'n from a river o'er the marish glides, And gathers ground faft at the lab'rer's heel, Homeward returning. High in front advanc'd, The brandifh'd fword of God before them blaz'd Fierce as a comet; which with torrid heat, And vapour as the Libyan air adust,
Began to parch that temp'rate clime; whereat In either hand the haft'ning angel caught Our ling'ring parents, and to th' eastern gate Led them direct, and down the cliff as fast To the fubjected plain; then disappear’d. They looking back all th' eaftern fide beheld Of Paradife, fo 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 chufe 646. Their place of reft, and Providence their guide: They hand in hand, with wand'ring fteps and flow, Through Eden took their folitary way.
« ForrigeFortsæt » |