With glory and power to judge both quick and dead,
To judge th'unfaithful dead, but to reward

His faithful, and receave them into bliss,
Whether in heav'n or earth, for then the earth
Shall all be Paradise, far happier place
Than this of Eden, and far happier days.

So fpake th'archangel Michael, then paus'd,
As at the world's great period; and our fire
Replete with joy and wonder thus repli'd.
O goodness infinite, goodness immense !
That all this good of evil fhall produce,
And evil turn to good; more wonderful
Then that which by creation first brought forth
Light out of darkness! full of doubt I stand,
Whether I should repent me now of fin

By me done and occasion'd, or rejoice

Much more, that much more good thereof fhall spring,
To God more glory, more good-will to men
From God, and over wrauth grace shall abound.
But fay, if our deliverer up to heav'n
Muft 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 then 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 shall dwell
His fpirit within them, and the law of faith
Working through love, upon their hearts shall write,
To guide them in all truth, and also arm
With fpiritual armour, able to refift

Satan's affaults, and quench his fierie darts,
What man can do against them, not afraid,
Though to the death, ágainft fuch cruelties
With inward confolations recompenc't,
And oft fupported so as shall amaze

Their proudeft perfecuters: for the spirit
Pour'd firft on his apostles, whom he fends
To evangelize the nations, then on all
Baptiz'd, fhall them with wondrous gifts endue
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 ministry perform'd, and race well run,
Their doctrine and their ftory written left,

They die; but in their room, as they forewarn,
Wolves fhall fucceed for teachers, grievous wolves.
Who all the facred myfteries of heav'n
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 fpirit understood.
Then fhall they feek to avail themfelves of names,
Places and titles, and with thefe to join
Secular power, though feigning fill to aft
By spiritual, to themselves appropriating
The spirit of God, promis'd alike and giv'n
To all believers; and from that pretence,
Spiritual laws by carnal power shall force
On every confcience; laws which none shall find
Left them inroul'd, or what the fpirit within

Shall on the heart ingrave. What will they then
But force the spirit of grace itself, and bind
His confort libertie; what, but unbuild
His living temples, built by faith to stand,
Their own faith not another's: for on earth
Who against faith and confcien ce can be heard
Infallible? yet many will prefume:

Whence heavie perfecution shall arise
On all who in the worship perfevere

Of fpirit and truth; the reft, far greater part,
Will deem in outward rites and fpecious forms
Religion fatisfi'd truth fhall retire

Beftuck with flandrous 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
Appeer of respiration 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 faviour 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 mass, purg'd and refin'd,
New heav'ns, new earth, ages of endless date
Founded in righteousness and peace and love,
To bring forth fruits joy and eternal bliss.
He ended; and thus Adam laft repli'd.

How foon hath thy prediction, feer bleft,
Measur'd this tranfient world, the race of time,
Till time ftand fixt: beyond is all abyfs,

Eternitie, 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 aspire.
Henceforth I learn, that to obey is best,
And love with fear the only God, to walk
As in his presence, 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 deen'd weak
Subverting worldly strong, and worldly wife
By fimply meek; that fuffering for truth's fake
Is fortitude to highest victorie,

And to the faithful death the gate of life;
Taught this by his example whom I now
Acknowledge my redeemer ever bleft.

To whom thus alfo th'angel laft repli'd :

This having learnt, thou haft attain'd the summ
Of wisdom; hope no higher, though all the stars
Thou knewest by name, and all th'ethereal powers,
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 enjoydst,
And all the rule, one empire; only add
Deeds to thy knowledge answerable, add faith,
Add vertue, patience, temperance, add love,
By name to come call'd charitie, the foul
Of all the reft: then wilt thou not be loath
To leave this Paradife, but shalt poffefs
A Paradife within thee, happier far.

Let us defcend now therefore from this top
Of speculation; for the hour precife
Exacts our parting hence; and see the guards,
By me encampt on yonder hill, expect
Their motion, at whose front a flaming sword,
In fignal of remove, waves fiercely round i
We may no longer stay: go, waken Eve;
Her alfo I with gentle dreams have calm'd;
Portending good, and all her spirits 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 feed to come
(For by the woman's feed) on all mankind.
That ye may live, which will be many dayes,
Both in one faith unanimous though fad,
With cause for evils paft, yet much more cheer'd
With meditation on the happie end.

He ended, and they both defcend the hill; Defcended, Adam to the bowre where Eve Lay sleeping ran before, but found her wak't; And thus with words not fad the him receav'd. Whence thou return'ft, and whither wentft, 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 'tò me Art all things under heav'n, all places thou, Who for my wilful crime are banisht hence.