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, pürg'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 stand fix'd? beyond is all abyss,
Eternity, whofe end no eye can reach.
Greatly instructed 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 small
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 bleft.
Υ
To whom thus alfo th' Angel last 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 pow'rs, 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'dst, 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 fee the guards, 590
By me incamp'd on yonder hill, expect
Their motion, at whofe front a flaming sword,
In fignal of remove, waves fiercely round;
We
e may no longer stay: go, waken Eve;
Her alfo I with gentle dreams have calm'd
Fortending good, and all her fpirits 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 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, 611
Which he hath fent propitious, fome great good
Prefaging, fince with forrow' and heart's diftrefs.
Wearied I fell asleep: but now lead on;
In me is no delay; with thee to go,
Is to ftay 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 favour I unworthy am vouchfaf'd,
By me the promis'd Seed shall 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 stood, and from the other hill To their fixt station, all in bright array The Cherubim defcended; on the ground Gliding meteorus, as evening mist Ris'n from a river o'er the marifh glides, And gathers ground faft at th' lab'rer's heel Homeward returning. High in front advanc'd The brandifht fword of God before them blaz'd Fierce as a comet; which with torrid heat, And vapour as the Lybian air adust, Began to parch that temprate clime; whereat In either hand the haft'ning Angel caught Our lingring parents, and to th' eastern gate Led them direct, and down the cliff as faft To the fubjected plain; then disappear'd. They looking back, all the 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 drop'd, 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 wandring steps and flow,
Through Eden took their folitary way.
Note, The numeral letters refer to the Book,
the figures to the Line.
AARON and Moses, their mission to Egypt, xii.
Abdiel, (a Seraph) his opposition to Satan, respect-
ing the revolt of the Angels, v. 803. his fidelity,
v. 896. abandons the party of Satan, vi. 1. soliloquy
on viewing him at their head, vi. 114. his con-
quest of Ariel, Arioch, and Ramiel, vi. 369
Abel and Cain, their story, xi. 429
Abraham and the Patriarchs, story of, xii. 113
Adam and Eve, general description of them, iv. 288.
more minutely described, iv. 295. their state of
innocence, iv. 312 492 738. v. 211. 303. viii. 510.
entertainment of the angel Raphael, v. 313 391.
their nuptial bed described, iv. 708. their behaviour
after the fall, and on finding themselves naked,
ix. 1004 1051. attempt to avoid God, x. 97. appear
before him, x. 109. their expulsion from Paradise,
xii. 265
Adam, his discourse with Eve on the prohibition of
the tree of knowledge, iv. 411. on viewing her
sleeping, v. 8. his answer to her dream relative
to Satan's first temptation. his discourse in the
bower with Raphael, v. 460.
O.; creation.
his creation and
dominion, ix. 524. his first view of the Divine
Presence, &c. viii. 311. his speech to God on
his solitude in Paradise, viii. 357. his passion
for Eve, viii. 521. discourses with her on Satan's
subtilty, ix. from 205 to 384. soliloquy on her
transgression, ix. 896. resolves to die with her,
ix. 907. eats the forbidden fruit, ix. 996. solicits
her to submit to sexual pleasures, and their con-
sequences, ix. 1011 1016. speech to her on their
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