Though to the death, against such cruelties With inward consolations recompens'd, And oft supported so as shall amaze Their proudest persecuters: for the Spirit Pour'd first on his apostles, whom he sends To evangelize the nations, then on all Baptiz'd, shall 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 story written left, They die; but in their room as they forewarn, Wolves shall succeed for teachers, grievous wolves, Who all the sacred mysteries of heav'n To their own vile advantages shall turn, Of lucre and ambition, and the truth With superstitions and traditions taint, Left only in those written records pure, Though not but by the Spirit understood. Then shall they seek t' avail themselves of names, Places, and titles, and with these to join Secular pow'r, though feigning still to act 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 pow'r shall force On every conscience; laws which none shall find Left them enroll'd, or what the Spirit within Shall on the heart engrave. What will they then But force the Spirit of grace itself, and bind His consort 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 presume: Whence heavy persecution shall arise On all who in the worship persevere
Of spirit and truth; the rest, far greater part, Will deem in outward rites and specious forms 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, Under her own weight groaning, till the day Appear of respiration to the just,
And vengeance to the wicked, at return Of him so lately promis'd to thy aid, To woman's Seed obscurely then foretold, Now amplier known thy Saviour and thy Lord, Last in the clouds from heav'n to be reveal'd In glory of the Father, to dissolve
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 soon hath thy prediction, seer blest, Measur'd this transient world, the race of time, Till time stand 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 sole depend, Merciful over all his works, with good Still overcoming evil, and by small
Accomplishing great things, by things deem'd weak Subverting wordly strong, and wordly 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.
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, Or works of God in heav'n, air, earth or sea, And all the riches of this world enjoy'dst, 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 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 in 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; Her also I with gentle dreams have calm'd Portending good, and all her spirits compos'd To meek 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 : That 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.
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, Which he hath sent propitious, some great good Presaging, since with sorrow 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 consolation yet secure
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 nigh 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 metorous, 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 brandish'd sword 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 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 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.
THE END OF PARADISE Lost.
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