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 prefume:
Whence heavy perfecution fhall arise On all who in the worship perfevere
Of Spi rit and truth; the reft, far greater part, Will deem in outward rites and fpecious forms Religion fatisfy'd; truth shall 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 respiration to the just,
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, Last in the clouds from Heav'n to be reveal'd, 545 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 last reply'd. How foon hath thy prediction, Seer blest,
Measur'd this tranfient world, the race of time, Till time ftand 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 aspire. 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 ftrong, and worldly wife
By fimply meek; that suffering 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 blest.
To whom thus also th'Angel last reply'd.
This having learn'd, thou hast attain'd the fum 575 Of wisdom; hope no higher, 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 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 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
To leave this Paradise, but shalt possess
A Paradise within thee, happier far.
Let us defcend now therefore from this top Of fpeculation; for the hour precise
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 stay: 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 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 cause for evils paft, yet much more chear'd With meditation on the happy end. 605
He ended, and they both descend 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 she him receiv'd.
Whence thou return'ft, and whither went'ft, I know; For God is also in fleep, and dreams advise, 611 Which he hath fent propitious, fome great good Presaging, 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 fecure
I carry hence; though all by me is loft, Such favor I,unworthy, am vouchfaf'd, By me the promis'd Seed fhall all restore.
So fpake our mother Eve, and Adam heard Well pleas'd, but answer'd not; for now too nigh 625 Th'Arch-Angel stood, and from the other hill
To their fix'd ftation, 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 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 vapor as the Lybian air aduft,
Began to parch that temp'rate clime; whereat In either hand the hast'ning Angel caught
Our ling'ring parents, and to th' eastern gate Led them direct, and down the cliff as fast To the subjected plain; then disappear'd. They looking back, all th'eastern side beheld Of Paradise, so late their happy seat, 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 choose 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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