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 miniftry perform'd, and race well run,
Their doctrin and their story written left,
They die; but in their room, as they forewarn,
Wolves fhall fucceed for teachers, grievous wolves,
Who all the facred mysteries of Heaven
To their own vile advantages shall turn
Of lucre and ambition, and the truth
With fuperftitions and traditions taint,
Left only in those written records pure,
Though not but by the Spirit understood.
Then fhall they seek to' avail themselves of names, 515
Places, and titles, and with these to join
Secular pow'r; though feigning ftill to act
By spiritual, to themselves appropriating
The Spirit of God, promis'd alike and given
To all believers; and from that pretence,
Spiritual laws by carnal pow'r fhall force
On every confcience; laws which none shall find
Left them inroll'd, or what the Spirit within
Shall on the heart ingrave. What will they then
But force the Spi'rit of grace itself, and bind
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 confcience can be heard
Infallible yet many will prefume:
Whence heavy perfecution fhall arise
On all who in the worship perfevere
Of fpi'rit and truth; the reft, far greater part,
Will deem in outward rites and fpecious forms
Religion satisfied; 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,
In glory of the Father, to diffolve
Satan with his perverted world, then raise
From the conflagrant mafs, 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 blifs.
He ended; and thus Adam last 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 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 prefence, 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 strong, 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 alfo th' Angel last reply'd.
This having learn'd, thou hast attain'd the fum
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 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 poffefs
A Paradife within thee, happier far.
Let us defcend now therefore from this top
Of speculation; for the hour precise
Exacts our parting hence; and fee the guards,
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 alfo I with gentle dreams have calm'd
Portending good, and all her spi'rits compos'd
To meek fubmiffion: 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 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 past, yet much more chear'd
With meditation on the happy end.
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 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 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 ftood, 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 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 difappear'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 fteps and flow, Through Eden took their folitary way.
THE END OF PARADISE LOST.
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