Religion satisfy'd; truth shall retire

Bestuck with sland'rous darts, and works of faith

Rarely be found: so shall the world go on,

To good malignant, to bad men benign,

535

Under her own weight groaning, till the day
Appear of respiration to the just,

540

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:

550

How soon hath thy prediction, Seer blest,

Measur'd this transient world, the race of time,

Till time stand fix'd? Beyond is all abyss,

555

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

560

His providence, and on him sole depend,

Merciful over all his works, with good

Still overcoming evil, and by small

Accomplishing great things, by things deem'd weak

Subverting worldly strong, and worldly wise

By simply meek; that suffering for truth's sake

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.

565

570

To whom thus also th' Angel last reply'd:
This having learn'd, thou hast attain'd the sum
Of wisdom; hope no higher, though all the stars
Thou knew'st by name, and all th' ethereal pow'rs,
All secrets of the deep, all Nature's works,

575

Or works of God in Heav'n, air, earth, or sea,

And all the riches of this world enjoy'dst,

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 soul

Of all the rest: then wilt thou not be loath

585

To leave this Paradise, but shalt possess

A Paradise within thee, happier far.

Let us descend now therefore from this top
Of speculation; for the hour precise

Exacts our parting hence; and see the guards,
By me encamp'd on yonder hill, expect
Their motion, at whose front a flaming sword,
In signal of remove, waves fiercely round;
We may no longer stay: go waken Eve:

590

Her also I with gentle dreams have calm'd
Portending good, and all her spiʼrits compos'd
To meck submission: thou at season 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
(For by the Woman's seed) on all mankind:

595

600

I hat ye may live, which will be many days,

Both in one faith unanimous though sad,

With cause for evils past, yet much more cheer'd
With meditation on the happy end.

605

.He ended, and they both descend the hill; Descended, Adam to the bow'r where Eve Lay sleeping ran before, but found her wak'd; And thus with words not sad she him receiv'd: WHENCE thou return'st, and whither went'st, I know;

For God is also' in sleep, and dreams advise,

611

Which he hath sent propitious, some great good

Fresaging, since with sorrow' and heart's distress
Wearied I fell asleep : but now lead on;

In me is no delay; with thee to go,

615

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 consolation yet secure

620

I carry hence; though all by me is lost,
Such favour I unworthy am vouchsaf'd,
By me the promis'd Seed shall all restore.
So spake our mother Eve, and Adam heard

Well pleas'd, but answer'd not; for now too high 626
Th' Arch-Angel stood, and from the other hill

To their fix'd station, all in bright array
The Cherubim descended; on the ground
Gliding meteorous, as evening mist
Ris'n from a river o'er the marish glides,

630

And gathers ground fast at the lab'rer's heel

Homeward returning. High in front advanc'd

The brandish'd sword of God before them blaz'd

Fierce as a comet; which with torrid heat,

And vapour as the Libyan air adust,

635

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:

640

646

Some natural tears they dropt, but wip'd them soon; The world was all before them, where to choose Their place of rest, and Providence their guide: They hand in hand, with wand'ring steps and slow, Through Eden took their solitary way.