He to his own a Comforter will send,
The promise of the Father, who shall dwell
His Sp'rit within them, and the law of faith,
Working thro’love, upon their hearts shall write,
To guide them in all truth, and also arm 490
With sp’ritual armour, able to resist
Satan's assaults, and quench his fiery darts;
What man can do against them, not afraid,
Though to the death, against such cruelties
With inward consolations recompens'd,

495
And oft supported so as shall amaze
Their proudest persecutors : for the Spirit,
Pour’d first on his Apostles, whom he sends
T'evangelize the nations, then on all
Baptiz’d, shall them with wondrous gifts endue
To speak all tongues, and do all miracles, 501
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, 506
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

510
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 to'avail themselves of names,
Places, and titles, and with these to join 516
Secular pow'r though feigning still to act
By spiritual, to themselves appropriating
The Sp'rit of God, promis'd alike, and giv'n,
To all believers; and from that pretence, 520
Spiritual laws by carnal pow'r shall force
On ev'ry conscience; laws which none shall find
Left them inrolld, or what the Sp’rit within
Shall on the heart engrave. What will they then
But force the Sp'rit of grace itself, and bind
His consort Liberty? What but unbuild 526
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:

530
Whence heavy persecution shall arise
On all who in the worship persevere
Of sp’rit and truth; the rest, far greater part,
Will deem in outward rites and specious forms
Religion satisfy’d. Truth shall retire

535 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

540 And vengeance to the wicked, at return Of him so lately promis'd to thy aid, The Woman's Seed, obscurely then foretold; Nowamplier known thy Saviour and thy Lord,

546

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. 551

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, 555
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.

560 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 565 Still overcoming evil, and by small Accomplishing great things, by thingsdeem'dweak Subverting worldly strong, and worldly wise By simply meek; that suffering for truth's sake Is fortitude to highest victory,

570 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, 580
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 585
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 on yonder hill, expect

591
Their motion, at whose front a flaming sword,
In signal to remove, waves fiercely round.
We may no longer stay. Go, waken Eve;
Her also I with gentle dreams have calm’d, 595
Portending good, and all her sp’rits 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 deliv'rance by her Seed to come 600
(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

615

With meditation on the happy end.

605
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;

610
For God is also' in sleep, and dreams advise,
Which he hath sent propitious, some great goo
Presaging, since with sorrow'and heart's distress
Weary'd 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

620
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 meteorous, as ev’ning mist
Ris'n from a river o'er the marish glides, 630
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