On all who in the worship perfevere
Of fpi'rit and truth; the reft, far greater part,
Will deem in outward rites and specious forms
Religion fatisfied; truth fhall retire
Beftuck 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 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, 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 righteoufnefs and peace and love,
To bring forth fruits, joy and eternal bliss.
He ended; and thus Adam laft reply'd.
How foon hath thy prediction, Seer bleft,
Meafur'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 shall 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 observe
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 deem'd weak
Subverting worldly ftrong, and worldly wife
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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 bleft.
To whom thus also th' Angel last reply'd.
This having learn'd, thou hast attain'd the fum 575
Of wisdom; hope no high'er, though all the stars
Thou knew'ft by name, and all th' ethereal pow'rs,
All fecrets of the deep, all Nature's works,
Or works of God in Heav'n, air, earth, or sea,
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 fhalt poffefs
A Paradife 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 fword,
In fignal of remove, waves fiercely round;
We may no longer stay: go, waken Eve;
Her alfo I with gentle dreams have calm'd
Portending good, and all her spi'rits compos'd
F 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 caufe for evils paft, yet much more chear'd
With meditation on the happy end.
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'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 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 vouchsaf'd,
By me the promis'd Seed fhall all restore.
So fpake our mother Eve, and Adam heard
Well pleas'd, but anfwer'd not; for now too nigh 625
Th' Arch-Angel 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 advanc'd
The brandifh'd fword of God before them blaz'd
Fierce as a comet; which with torrid heat,
And vapor 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 the eastern gate
Led them direct, and down the cliff as faft
To the fubjected plain; then disappear'd.
They looking back, all th' eastern fide beheld
Of Paradife, 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 choose
Their place of reft, and Providence their guide:
They hand in hand, with wand'ring steps and flow,
Through Eden took their folitary way.
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