495 Satan's affoults, and quench his fiery darts: indue To speak all tongues, and do all miracles, win 500. Thus they Great numbers of each nation, to receive With joy the tidings brought from Heav'n: at Who all the facred myfteries of Heav'n, 510 Then Then shall they seek t' avail themselves of names, 515 Places and titles; and with these to join Left them inroll'd; or what the Spirit within Shall on the heart ingrave. What will they then But force the Spirit of grace itself, and bind 525 530 535 Beltuck with flandrous darts: and works of faith Rarely be found. So fhall the world go on, To good malignant, to bad men benign; Under her own weight groaning; till the day H Appear of refpiration to the just,. 540 And vengeance to the wicked: at return Lord; Laft in the clouds from Heav'n to be reveal'd In glory of the Father, dillolve 545 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, .550 To bring forth fruits, joy, and eternal bliss, He ended, and thus Adam laft reply'd. How foon hath thy prediction, Seer biest! Meafur'd this tranfient world, the race of time, Till time ftand fix'd? Beyond is all abyfs, 555 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 vellel can contain, Beyond which was my folly to afpire. 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, 560 Merciful over all his works, with good. 565 Still overcoming evil; and by small Accomplishing great things: by things deem'd weak Subverting worldly ftrong, and worldly wife By fimpling meek: that fuffering for truth's fake Is fortitude to highest victory, And to the faithful Death the gate of Life: 570 To whom thus alfo th' Angel last reply'd: This having learn'd, thou haft attain'd the fum 575 Of wisdom; hope no higher, though all the ftars Thou knew'ft by name, and all th' ethereal powr's, All fecrets of the deep, all nature's works, fea, And all the riches of this world enjoy'dft, 580 Add virtue, patience, temperance add love, A Paradife within thee, happier far. gnards and fee the 590 By me incamp'd on yonder hill, expect Her alfo I with gentle dreams have calm'd, 595 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, 600 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 cause for evils past, yet much more chear'd With meditation on the happy end. 605 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'st, I know; For God is alfo in fleep, and dreams advise; |