495

Satan's affoults, 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 fo, as (hall 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

To speak all tongues, and do all miracles,
As did their Lord before them.

win

500.

Thus they

Great numbers of each nation, to receive

With joy the tidings brought from Heav'n: at

Who all the facred myfteries of Heav'n,
To their own vile advantages fhall 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,

510

Then

Then shall they seek t' avail themselves of

names,

515

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 giv'n
To all believers: and from that pretence 520
Spiritual laws by carnal pow'r fhall force
On every confcience; laws 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 525
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 conscience can be heard
Infallible? Yet many will presume;
Whence heavy perfecution fhall arise
On all, who in the worship perfevere
Of spirit and truth: the reft, far greater part,
Will deem in outward rites and fpecious forms.
Religion fatisfy'd: truth fhall retire

530

535

Beltuck with flandrous darts: and works of

faith

Rarely be found. So fhall the world go on, To good malignant, to bad men benign; Under her own weight groaning; till the day

H

Appear of refpiration to the just,.

540

And vengeance to the wicked: at return
Of Him fo lately promis'd to thy aid,.
The Woman's Seed; obfcurely, then foretold,
Now amplier known thy Saviour, and thy

Lord;

Laft in the clouds from Heav'n to be reveal'd

In glory of the Father, dillolve

545

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 righteoufnefs, and peace, and

love,

.550 To bring forth fruits, joy, and eternal bliss, He ended, and thus Adam laft reply'd. How foon hath thy prediction, Seer biest! Meafur'd this tranfient world, the race of time, Till time ftand fix'd? Beyond is all abyfs, 555 Eternity, whofe end no eye can reach! Greatly inftructed, I shall hence depart, Greatly in peace of thought, and have my fill Of knowledge, what this vellel 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 prefence, ever to observe

His providence, and on him fole depend,

560

Merciful over all his works, with good. 565 Still overcoming evil; and by small Accomplishing great things: by things deem'd

weak

Subverting worldly ftrong, and worldly wife By fimpling meek: that fuffering 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 bleft,

570

To whom thus alfo th' Angel last reply'd: This having learn'd, thou haft attain'd the fum

575

Of wisdom; hope no higher, though all the

ftars

Thou knew'ft by name, and all th' ethereal powr's,

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, 580
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 reft, then wilt thou not be loath, 585
To leave this Paradise, but shalt 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:

gnards

and fee the

590

By me incamp'd on yonder hill, expect
Their motion; at whose 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, 595
Portending good, and all her fpirits compos'd
To meek fubmiffion: thou at feafon fit

Let her with thee partake, what thou hast heard:

Chiefly what may concern her faith to know, The great deliverance by her seed to come, 600 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 cause for evils past, yet much more chear'd

With meditation on the happy end.

605

He ended, and they both defcend the hill: Defcended, Adam to the bow'r, where Eve Lay fleeping ran before, but found her wak'd, And thus with words not fad fhe him receiv'd. Whence thou return'ft, and whither went'st, I know;

For God is alfo in fleep, and dreams advise;