Muit 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 thian with him they dealt? Be fure 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 through love, upon their hearts fhall writé,
To guid 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 fo as fhall amaze
Their proudest perfecutors: for the Spirit
Pour'd firft on his apoftles, whom he fends
To' evangelize the nations, then on all
Baptize'd, fhall them with wondrous gift indue, 500
To speak 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 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.
Then fhall they feek to' avail themselves of names,
Places, and titles, and with these to join
Secular power, though feigning ftill to act
By fpiritual, to themfelves appropriating
The Spirit of God, promis'd alike and given
To all believers; and from that pretence,
Spiritual laws by carnal power fhall force
On every confcience; laws which none fhall 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 arise.
On all who in the worship perfevere
Of fpi'rit and truth; the reft, far greater part,
Will deem in outward rites and fpecious 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,
And vengeance to the wicked, at return
Of him fo lately promis'd to thy aid,
The woman's feed, 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, to diffolve
Satan with his perverted world, then raise
From the conflagrant mafs, purge'd and refin'd,
New heavens, new earth, ages of endless date
Founded in righteousness, and peace, and love,
To bring forth fruits, joy and eternal blifs.
He ended; and thus Adam laft reply'd.
How foon hath thy prediction, feer blefs'd,
Measur'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 sole depend,
Merciful over all his works, with good
Still overcoming evil, and by fmall
Accomplishing great things, by things deem'd weak
Subverting worldly strong, and worldly wife
By fimply 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 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 stars
Thou knew'ft by name, and all th' ethereal powers,
All fecrets of the deep, all Nature's works,
Or works of God in heaven, 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 see the guards, 590
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 fpi'rits compos'd.
To meek fubmiffion: thou at feafon fit
Let her with thee partake what thou haft heard,
Chiefly what may concern her faith to know,
The great deliverance 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 past, 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 fhe him receiv'd.
Whence thou return'ft, and whither went'ft, I know;
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 heaven, 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 620 Th' archangel ftood, and from the other hill To their fix'd station, all in bright array, The Cherubim defcended; on the ground Gliding meteorous, as evening-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 advance'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 aduft, 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' eastern fide beheld Of Paradise, 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.
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