United Public Domain Gold 2/United Public Domain Gold 2.iso/literature/lit013.dms/lit013.adf/PARADISE LOST Book 12

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                       Book XII
                     The Argument

  The Angel Michael continues from the Flood to relate what shall
succeed; then, in the mention of Abraham, comes by degrees to explain,
who that Seed of the Woman shall be, which was promised Adam and Eve
in the Fall; his Incarnation, Death, Resurrection, and Ascention;
the state of the Church till his second Coming. Adam greatly satisfied
and recomforted by these Relations and Promises descends the Hill with
Michael; wakens Eve, who all this while had slept, but with gentle
dreams compos'd to quietness of mind and submission. Michael in either
hand leads them out of Paradise, the fiery Sword waving behind them,
and the Cherubim taking thir Stations to guard the Place.

  As one who in his journey bates at Noone,
  Though bent on speed, so heer the Archangel paus'd
  Betwixt the world destroy'd and world restor'd,
  If Adam aught perhaps might interpose;
  Then with transition sweet new Speech resumes.
    Thus thou hast seen one World begin and end;
  And Man as from a second stock proceed.
  Much thou hast yet to see, but I perceave
  Thy mortal sight to faile; objects divine
  Must needs impaire and wearie human sense:
  Henceforth what is to com I will relate,
  Thou therefore give due audience, and attend.
  This second sours of Men, while yet but few,
  And while the dread of judgement past remains
  Fresh in thir mindes, fearing the Deitie,
  With some regard to what is just and right
  Shall lead thir lives and multiplie apace,
  Labouring the soile, and reaping plenteous crop
  Corn wine and oyle; and from the herd or flock,
  Oft sacrificing Bullock, Lamb, or Kid,
  With large Wine-offerings pour'd, and sacred Feast
  Shal spend thir dayes in joy unblam'd, and dwell
  Long time in peace by Families and Tribes
  Under paternal rule; till one shall rise
  Of proud ambitious heart, who not content
  With fair equalitie, fraternal state,
  Will arrogate Dominion undeserv'd
  Over his brethren, and quite disposses
  Concord and law of Nature from the Earth;
  Hunting (and Men not Beasts shall be his game)
  With Warr and hostile snare such as refuse
  Subjection to his Empire tyrannous:
  A mightie Hunter thence he shall be styl'd
  Before the Lord, as in despite of Heav'n,
  Or from Heav'n claming second Sovrantie;
  And from Rebellion shall derive his name,
  Though of Rebellion others he accuse.
  Hee with a crew, whom like Ambition joyns
  With him or under him to tyrannize,
  Marching from Eden towards the West, shall finde
  The Plain, wherein a black bituminous gurge
  Boiles out from under ground, the mouth of Hell;
  Of Brick, and of that stuff they cast to build
  A Citie & Towre, whose top may reach to Heav'n;
  And get themselves a name, least far disperst
  In foraign Lands thir memorie be lost,
  Regardless whether good or evil fame.
  But God who oft descends to visit men
  Unseen, and through thir habitations walks
  To mark thir doings, them beholding soon,
  Comes down to see thir Citie, ere the Tower
  Obstruct Heav'n Towrs, and in derision sets
  Upon thir Tongues a various Spirit to rase
  Quite out thir Native Language, and instead
  To sow a jangling noise of words unknown:
  Forthwith a hideous gabble rises loud
  Among the Builders; each to other calls
  Not understood, till hoarse, and all in rage,
  As mockt they storm; great laughter was in Heav'n
  And looking down, to see the hubbub strange
  And hear the din; thus was the building left
  Ridiculous, and the work Confusion nam'd.
    Whereto thus Adam fatherly displeas'd.
  O execrable Son so to aspire
  Above his Brethren, to himself assuming
  Authoritie usurpt, from God not giv'n:
  He gave us onely over Beast, Fish, Fowl
  Dominion absolute; that right we hold
  By his donation; but Man over men
  He made not Lord; such title to himself
  Reserving, human left from human free.
  But this Usurper his encroachment proud
  Stayes not on Man; to God his Tower intends
  Siege and defiance: Wretched man! what food
  Will he convey up thither to sustain
  Himself and his rash Armie, where thin Aire
  Above the Clouds will pine his entrails gross,
  And famish him of Breath, if not of Bread?
    To whom thus Michael. Justly thou abhorr'st
  That Son, who on the quiet state of men
  Such trouble brought, affecting to subdue
  Rational Libertie; yet know withall,
  Since thy original lapse, true Libertie
  Is lost, which alwayes with right Reason dwells
  Twinn'd, and from her hath no dividual being:
  Reason in man obscur'd, or not obeyd,
  Immediately inordinate desires
  And upstart Passions catch the Government
  From Reason, and to servitude reduce
  Man till then free. Therefore since hee permits
  Within himself unworthie Powers to reign
  Over free Reason, God in Judgement just
  Subjects him from without to violent Lords;
  Who oft as undeservedly enthrall
  His outward freedom: Tyrannie must be,
  Though to the Tyrant thereby no excuse.
  Yet somtimes Nations will decline so low
  From vertue, which is reason, that no wrong,
  But justice, and some fatal curse annext
  Deprives them of thir outward libertie,
  Thir inward lost; Witness th' irreverent Son
  Of him who built the Ark, who for the shame
  Don to his Father, heard this heavie curse,
  Servant of Servants, on his vitious Race.
  Thus will this latter, as the former World,
  Still tend from bad to worse, till God at last
  Wearied with their iniquities, withdraw
  His presence from among them, and avert
  His holy Eyes; resolving from thenceforth
  To leave them to thir own polluted wayes;
  And one peculiar Nation to select
  From all the rest, of whom to be invok'd,
  A Nation from one faithful man to spring:
  Him on this side Euphrates yet residing,
  Bred up in Idol-worship; O that men
  (Canst thou believe?) should be so stupid grown,
  While yet the Patriark liv'd, who scap'd the Flood,
  As to forsake the living God, and fall
  To worship thir own work in Wood and Stone
  For Gods! yet him God the most High voutsafes
  To call by Vision from his Fathers house,
  His kindred and false Gods, into a Land
  Which he will shew him, and from him will raise
  A mightie Nation, and upon him showre
  His benediction so, that in his Seed
  All Nations shall be blest; hee straight obeys
  Not knowing to what Land, yet firm believes:
  I see him, but thou canst not, with what Faith
  He leaves his Gods, his Friends, and native Soile
  Ur of Chaldaea, passing now the Ford
  To Haran, after a cumbrous Train
  Of Herds and Flocks, and numerous servitude;
  Not wandring poor, but trusting all his wealth
  With God, who call'd him, in a land unknown.
  Canaan he now attains, I see his Tents
  Pitcht about Sechem, and the neighbouring Plaine
  Of Moreh; there by promise he receaves
  Gift to his Progenie of all that Land;
  From Hamath Northward to the Desert South
  (Things by thir names I call, though yet unnam'd)
  From Hermon East to the great Western Sea,
  Mount Hermon yonder Sea, each place behold
  In prospect, as I point them; on the shoare
  Mount Carmel; here the double-founted stream
  Jordan, true limit Eastward; but his Sons
  Shall dwell to Senir, that long ridge of Hills.
  This ponder, that all Nations of the Earth
  Shall in his Seed be blessed; by that Seed
  Is meant thy great deliverer, who shall bruise
  The Serpents head; whereof to thee anon
  Plainlier shall be reveald. This Patriarch blest,
  Whom faithful Abraham due time shall call,
  A Son, and of his Son a Grand-childe leaves,
  Like him in faith, in wisdom, and renown;
  The Grandchilde with twelve Sons increast, departs
  From Canaan, to a land hereafter call'd
  Egypt, divided by the River Nile;
  See where it flows, disgorging at seaven mouthes
  Into the Sea: to sojourn in that Land
  He comes invited by a yonger Son
  In time of dearth, a Son whose worthy deeds
  Raise him to be the second in that Realme
  Of Pharao: there he dies, and leaves his Race
  Growing into a Nation, and now grown
  Suspected to a sequent King, who seeks
  To stop thir overgrowth, as inmate guests
  Too numerous; whence of guests he makes them slaves
  Inhospitably, and kills thir infant Males:
  Till by two brethren (those two brethren cal
  Moses and Aaron) sent from God to claime
  His people from enthralment, they return
  With glory and spoile back to thir promis'd Land.
  But first the lawless Tyrant, who denies
  To know thir God, or message to regard,
  Must be compelld by Signes and Judgements dire;
  To blood unshed the Rivers must be turnd,
  Frogs, Lice and Flies must all his Palace fill
  With loath' d intrusion, and fill all the land;
  His Cattel must of Rot and Murren die,
  Botches and blaines must all his flesh imboss,
  And all his people; Thunder mixt with Haile,
  Haile mixt with fire must rend th' Egyptian Skie
  And wheel on th' Earth, devouring where it rouls;
  What it devours not, Herb, or Fruit, or Graine,
  A darksom Cloud of Locusts swarming down
  Must eat, and on the ground leave nothing green:
  Darkness must overshadow all his bounds,
  Palpable darkness, and blot out three dayes;
  Last with one midnight stroke all the first-born
  Of Egypt must lie dead. Thus with ten wounds
  This River-dragon tam'd at length submits
  To let his sojourners depart, and oft
  Humbles his stubborn heart, but still as Ice
  More hard'nd after thaw, till in his rage
  Pursuing whom he late dismissd, the Sea
  Swallows him with his Host, but them lets pass
  As on drie land between two christal walls,
  Aw'd by the rod of Moses so to stand
  Divided, till his rescu'd gain thir shoar:
  Such wondrous power God to his Saint will lend,
  Though present in his Angel, who shall goe
  Before them in a Cloud, and Pillar of Fire,
  By day a Cloud, by night a Pillar of Fire,
  To guide them in thir journey, and remove
  Behinde them, while th' obdurat King pursues:
  All night he will pursue, but his approach
  Darkness defends between till morning Watch;
  Then through the Firey Pillar and the Cloud
  God looking forth will trouble all his Host
  And craze thir Chariot wheels: when by command
  Moses once more his potent Rod extends
  Over the Sea; the Sea his Rod obeys;
  On thir imbattelld ranks the Waves return,
  And overwhelm thir Warr: the Race elect
  Safe towards Canaan from the shoar advance
  Through the wilde Desert, not the readiest way,
  Least entring on the Canaanite allarmd
  Warr terrifie them inexpert, and feare
  Return them back to Egypt, choosing rather
  Inglorious life with servitude; for life
  To noble and ignoble is more sweet
  Untraind in Armes, where rashness leads not on.
  This also shall they gain by thir delay
  In the wide Wilderness, there they shall found
  Thir government, and thir great Senate choose
  Through the twelve Tribes, to rule by Laws ordaind:
  God from the Mount of Sinai, whose gray top
  Shall tremble, he descending, will himself
  In Thunder Lightning and loud Trumpets sound
  Ordaine them Lawes; part such as appertaine
  To civil Justice, part religious Rites
  Of sacrifice, informing them, by types
  And shadowes, of that destind Seed to bruise
  The Serpent, by what meanes he shall achieve
  Mankinds deliverance. But the voice of God
  To mortal eare is dreadful; they beseech
  That Moses might report to them his will,
  And terror cease; he grants them thir desire,
  Instructed that to God is no access
  Without Mediator, whose high Office now
  Moses in figure beares, to introduce
  One greater, of whose day he shall foretell,
  And all the Prophets in thir Age, the times
  Of great Messiah shall sing. Thus Laws and Rites
  Establisht, such delight hath God in Men
  Obedient to his will, that he voutsafes
  Among them to set up his Tabernacle,
  The holy One with mortal Men to dwell:
  By his prescript a Sanctuary is fram'd
  Of Cedar, overlaid with Gold, therein
  An Ark, and in the Ark his Testimony,
  The Records of his Cov'nant, over these
  A Mercie-seat of Gold between the wings
  Of two bright Cherubim, before him burn
  Seaven Lamps as in a Zodiac representing
  The Heav'nly fires; over the Tent a Cloud
  Shall rest by Day, a fierie gleame by Night,
  Save when they journie, and at length they come,
  Conducted by his Angel to the Land
  Promisd to Abraham and his Seed: the rest
  Were long to tell, how many Battels fought,
  How many Kings destroyd, and Kingdoms won,
  Or how the Sun shall in mid Heav'n stand still
  A day entire, and Nights due course adjourne,
  Mans voice commanding, Sun in Gibeon stand,
  And thou Moon in the vale of Aialon,
  Till Israel overcome; so call the third
  From Abraham, Son of Isaac, and from him
  His whole descent, who thus shall Canaan win.
    Here Adam interpos'd. O sent from Heav'n,
  Enlightner of my darkness, gracious things
  Thou hast reveald, those chiefly which concerne
  Just Abraham and his Seed: now first I finde
  Mine eyes true op'ning, and my heart much eas'd,
  Erwhile perplext with thoughts what would becom
  Of mee and all Mankind; but now I see
  His day, in whom all Nations shall be blest,
  Favour unmerited by me, who sought
  Forbidd'n knowledge by forbidd'n means.
  This yet I apprehend not, why to those
  Among whom God will deigne to dwell on Earth
  So many and so various Laws are giv'n;
  So many Laws argue so many sins
  Among them; how can God with such reside?
    To whom thus Michael. Doubt not but that sin
  Will reign among them, as of thee begot;
  And therefore was Law given them to evince
  Thir natural pravitie, by stirring up
  Sin against Law to fight; that when they see
  Law can discover sin, but not remove,
  Save by those shadowie expiations weak,
  The bloud of Bulls and Goats, they may conclude
  Some bloud more precious must be paid for Man,
  Just for unjust, that in such righteousness
  To them by Faith imputed, they may finde
  Justification towards God, and peace
  Of Conscience, which the Law by Ceremonies
  Cannot appease, nor Man the moral part
  Perform, and not performing cannot live.
  So Law appears imperfet, and but giv'n
  With purpose to resign them in full time
  Up to a better Cov'nant, disciplin'd
  From shadowie Types to Truth, from Flesh to Spirit,
  From imposition of strict Laws, to free
  Acceptance of large Grace, from servil fear
  To filial, works of Law to works of Faith.
  And therefore shall not Moses, though of God
  Highly belov'd, being but the Minister
  Of Law, his people into Canaan lead;
  But Joshua whom the Gentiles Jesus call,
  His Name and Office bearing, who shall quell
  The adversarie Serpent, and bring back
  Through the worlds wilderness long wanderd man
  Safe to eternal Paradise of rest.
  Meanwhile they in thir earthly Canaan plac't
  Long time shall dwell and prosper, but when sins
  National interrupt thir public peace,
  Provoking God to raise them enemies:
  From whom as oft he saves them penitent
  By Judges first, then under Kings; of whom
  The second, both for pietie renownd
  And puissant deeds, a promise shall receive
  Irrevocable, that his Regal Throne
  For ever shall endure; the like shall sing
  All Prophecie, That of the Royal Stock
  Of David (so I name this King) shall rise
  A Son, the Womans Seed to thee foretold,
  Foretold to Abraham, as in whom shall trust
  All Nations, and to Kings foretold, of Kings
  The last, for of his Reign shall be no end.
  But first a long succession must ensue,
  And his next Son for Wealth and Wisdom fam'd,
  The clouded Ark of God till then in Tents
  Wandring, shall in a glorious Temple enshrine.
  Such follow him, as shall be registerd
  Part good, part bad, of bad the longer scrowle,
  Whose foul Idolatries, and other faults
  Heapt to the popular summe, will so incense
  God, as to leave them, and expose thir Land,
  Thir Citie, his Temple, and his holy Ark
  With all his sacred things, a scorn and prey
  To that proud Citie, whose high Walls thou saw'st
  Left in confusion, Babylon thence call'd.
  There in captivitie he lets them dwell
  The space of seventie years, then brings them back,
  Remembring mercie, and his Cov'nant sworn
  To David, stablisht as the dayes of Heav'n.
  Returnd from Babylon by leave of Kings
  Thir Lords, whom God dispos'd, the house of God
  They first re-edifie, and for a while
  In mean estate live moderate, till grown
  In wealth and multitude, factious they grow;
  But first among the Priests dissension springs,
  Men who attend the Altar, and should most
  Endeavour Peace: thir strife pollution brings
  Upon the Temple it self: at last they seise
  The Scepter, and regard not Davids Sons,
  Then loose it to a stranger, that the true
  Anointed King Messiah might be born
  Barr'd of his right; yet at his Birth a Starr
  Unseen before in Heav'n proclaims him com,
  And guides the Eastern Sages, who enquire
  His place, to offer Incense, Myrrh, and Gold;
  His place of birth a solemn Angel tells
  To simple Shepherds, keeping watch by night;
  They gladly thither haste, and by a Quire
  Of squadrond Angels hear his Carol sung.
  A Virgin is his Mother, but his Sire
  The Power of the most High; he shall ascend
  The Throne hereditarie, and bound his Reign
  With earths wide bounds, his glory with the Heav'ns.
    He ceas'd, discerning Adam with such joy
  Surcharg'd, as had like grief bin dew'd in tears,
  Without the vent of words, which these he breathd.
    O Prophet of glad tidings, finisher
  Of utmost hope! now clear I understand
  What oft my steddiest thoughts have searcht in vain,
  Why our great expectation should be call'd
  The seed of Woman: Virgin Mother, Haile,
  High in the love of Heav'n, yet from my Loynes
  Thou shalt proceed, and from thy Womb the Son
  Of God most High; So God with man unites.
  Needs must the Serpent now his capital bruise
  Expect with mortal paine: say where and when
  Thir fight, what stroke shall bruise the Victors heel.
    To whom thus Michael. Dream not of thir fight,
  As of a Duel, or the local wounds
  Of head or heel: not therefore joynes the Son
  Manhood to God-head, with more strength to foil
  Thy enemie; nor so is overcome
  Satan, whose fall from Heav'n, a deadlier bruise,
  Disabl'd not to give thee thy deaths wound:
  Which hee, who comes thy Saviour, shall recure,
  Not by destroying Satan, but his works
  In thee and in thy Seed: nor can this be,
  But by fulfilling that which thou didst want,
  Obedience to the Law of God, impos'd
  On penaltie of death, and suffering death,
  The penaltie to thy transgression due,
  And due to theirs which out of thine will grow:
  So onely can high Justice rest appaid.
  The Law of God exact he shall fulfill
  Both by obedience and by love, though love
  Alone fulfill the Law; thy punishment
  He shall endure by coming in the Flesh
  To a reproachful life and cursed death,
  Proclaming Life to all who shall believe
  In his redemption, and that his obedience
  Imputed becomes theirs by Faith, his merits
  To save them, not thir own, though legal works.
  For this he shall live hated, be blasphem'd,
  Seis'd on by force, judg'd, and to death condemnd
  A shameful and accurst, naild to the Cross
  By his own Nation, slaine for bringing Life;
  But to the Cross he nailes thy Enemies,
  The Law that is against thee, and the sins
  Of all mankinde, with him there crucifi'd,
  Never to hurt them more who rightly trust
  In this his satisfaction; so he dies,
  But soon revives, Death over him no power
  Shall long usurp; ere the third dawning light
  Returne, the Starres of Morn shall see him rise
  Out of his grave, fresh as the dawning light,
  Thy ransom paid, which Man from death redeems,
  His death for Man, as many as offerd Life
  Neglect not, and the benefit imbrace
  By Faith not void of workes: this God-like act
  Annuls thy doom, the death thou shouldst have dy'd,
  In sin for ever lost from life; this act
  Shall bruise the head of Satan, crush his strength
  Defeating Sin and Death, his two maine armes,
  And fix farr deeper in his head thir stings
  Then temporal death shall bruise the Victors heel,
  Or theirs whom he redeems, a death like sleep,
  A gentle wafting to immortal Life.
  Nor after resurrection shall he stay
  Longer on Earth then certaine times to appeer
  To his Disciples, Men who in his Life
  Still follow'd him; to them shall leave in charge
  To teach all nations what of him they learn'd
  And his Salvation, them who shall beleeve
  Baptizing in the profluent streame, the signe
  Of washing them from guilt of sin to Life
  Pure, and in mind prepar'd, if so befall,
  For death, like that which the redeemer dy'd.
  All Nations they shall teach; for from that day
  Not onely to the Sons of Abrahams Loines
  Salvation shall be Preacht, but to the Sons
  Of Abrahams Faith wherever through the world;
  So in his seed all Nations shall be blest.
  Then to the Heav'n of Heav'ns he shall ascend
  With victory, triumphing through the aire
  Over his foes and thine; there shall surprise
  The Serpent, Prince of aire, and drag in Chaines
  Through all his realme, & there confounded leave;
  Then enter into glory, and resume
  His Seat at Gods right hand, exalted high
  Above all names in Heav'n; and thence shall come,
  When this worlds dissolution shall be ripe,
  With glory and power to judge both quick & dead
  To judge th' unfaithful dead, but to reward
  His faithful, and receave them into bliss,
  Whether in Heav'n or Earth, for then the Earth
  Shall all be Paradise, far happier place
  Then this of Eden, and far happier daies.
    So spake th' Archangel Michael, then paus'd,
  As at the Worlds great period; and our Sire
  Replete with joy and wonder thus repli'd.
    O goodness infinite, goodness immense!
  That all this good of evil shall produce,
  And evil turn to good; more wonderful
  Then that by which creation first brought forth
  Light out of darkness! fun of doubt I stand,
  Whether I should repent me now of sin
  By mee done and occasiond, or rejoyce
  Much more, that much more good thereof shall spring,
  To God more glory, more good will to Men
  From God, and over wrauth grace shall abound.
  But say, if our deliverer up to Heav'n
  Must reascend, what will betide the few
  His faithful, left among th' unfaithful herd,
  The enemies of truth; who then shall guide
  His people, who defend? will they not deale
  Wors with his followers then with him they dealt?
    Be sure they will, said th' Angel; but from Heav'n
  Hee to his own a Comforter will send,
  The promise of the Father, who shall dwell
  His Spirit within them, and the Law of Faith
  Working through love, upon thir hearts shall write,
  To guide them in all truth, and also arme
  With spiritual Armour, able to resist
  Satans assaults, and quench his fierie darts,
  What Man can do against them, not affraid,
  Though to the death, against such cruelties
  With inward consolations recompenc't,
  And oft supported so as shall amaze
  Thir proudest persecuters: for the Spirit
  Powrd 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 thir Lord before them. Thus they win
  Great numbers of each Nation to receave
  With joy the tidings brought from Heav'n: at length
  Thir Ministry perform'd, and race well run,
  Thir doctrine and thir story written left,
  They die; but in thir room, as they forewarne,
  Wolves shall succeed for teachers, grievous Wolves,
  Who all the sacred mysteries of Heav'n
  To thir own vile advantages shall turne
  Of lucre and ambition, and the truth
  With superstitions and traditions taint,
  Left onely in those written Records pure,
  Though not but by the Spirit understood.
  Then shall they seek to avail themselves of names,
  Places and titles, and with these to joine
  Secular power, though feigning still to act
  By spiritual, to themselves appropriating
  The Spirit of God, promisd alike and giv'n
  To all Beleevers; and from that pretense,
  Spiritual Lawes by carnal power shall force
  On every conscience; Laws which none shall finde
  Left them inrould, or what the Spirit within
  Shall on the heart engrave. What will they then
  But force the Spirit of Grace it self, and binde
  His consort Libertie; what, but unbuild
  His living Temples, built by Faith to stand,
  Thir own Faith not anothers: for on Earth
  Who against Faith and Conscience can be heard
  Infallible? yet many will presume:
  Whence heavie persecution shall arise
  On all who in the worship persevere
  Of Spirit and Truth; the rest, farr greater part,
  Will deem in outward Rites and specious formes
  Religion satisfi'd; Truth shall retire
  Bestuck with slandrous darts, and works of Faith
  Rarely be found: so shall the World goe on,
  To good malignant, to bad men benigne,
  Under her own waight groaning, till the day
  Appeer of respiration to the just,
  And vengeance to the wicked, at return
  Of him so lately promiss'd to thy aid,
  The Womans seed, obscurely then foretold,
  Now amplier known thy Saviour and thy Lord,
  Last in the Clouds from Heav'n to be reveald
  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 fixt: beyond is all abyss,
  Eternitie, 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 containe;
  Beyond which was my folly to aspire.
  Henceforth I learne, that to obey is best,
  And love with feare the onely 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 deemd weak
  Subverting worldly strong, and worldly wise
  By simply meek; that suffering for Truths sake
  Is fortitude to highest victorie,
  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 repli'd:
  This having learnt, thou hast attained the summe
  Of wisdom; hope no higher, though all the Starrs
  Thou knewst by name, and all th' ethereal Powers,
  All secrets of the deep, all Natures works,
  Or works of God in Heav'n, Air, Earth, or Sea,
  And all the riches of this World enjoydst,
  And all the rule, one Empire; onely add
  Deeds to thy knowledge answerable, add Faith,
  Add Vertue, Patience, Temperance, add Love,
  By name to come call'd Charitie, the soul
  Of all the rest: then wilt thou not be loath
  To leave this Paradise, but shalt posses
  A Paradise within thee, happier farr.
  Let us descend now therefore from this top
  Of Speculation; for the hour precise
  Exacts our parting hence; and see the Guards,
  By mee encampt on yonder Hill, expect
  Thir 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 Womans Seed) on all Mankind.
  That ye may live, which will be many dayes,
  Both in one Faith unanimous though sad,
  With cause for evils past, yet much more cheer'd
  With meditation on the happie end.
    He ended, and they both descend the Hill;
  Descended, Adam to the Bowre where Eve
  Lay sleeping ran before, but found her wak't;
  And thus with words not sad she him receav'd.
    Whence thou returnst, & whither wentst, I know;
  For God is also in sleep, and Dreams advise,
  Which he hath sent propitious, some great good
  Presaging, since with sorrow and hearts distress
  Wearied I fell asleep: but now lead on;
  In mee is no delay; with thee to goe,
  Is to stay here; without thee here to stay,
  Is to go hence unwilling; thou to mee
  Art all things under Heav'n, all places thou,
  Who for my wilful crime art banisht hence.
  This further consolation yet secure
  I carry hence; though all by mee is lost,
  Such favour I unworthie am voutsaft,
  By mee 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' Archangel stood, and from the other Hill
  To thir fixt Station, all in bright array
  The Cherubim descended; on the ground
  Gliding meteorous, as Ev'ning Mist
  Ris'n from a River o're the marish glides,
  And gathers ground fast at the Labourers heel
  Homeward returning. High in Front advanc't,
  The brandisht Sword of God before them blaz'd
  Fierce as a Comet; which with torrid heat,
  And vapour as the Libyan Air adust,
  Began to parch that temperate Clime; whereat
  In either hand the hastning Angel caught
  Our lingring Parents, and to th' Eastern Gate
  Led them direct, and down the Cliff as fast
  To the subjected Plaine; then disappeer'd.
  They looking back, all th' Eastern side beheld
  Of Paradise, so late thir happie seat,
  Wav'd over by that flaming Brand, the Gate
  With dreadful Faces throng'd and fierie Armes:
  Som natural tears they drop'd, but wip'd them soon;
  The World was all before them, where to choose
  Thir place of rest, and Providence thir guide:
  They hand in hand with wandring steps and slow,
  Through Eden took thir solitarie way.


                                   -THE END-