Religion satisfy'd; truth shall retire
Bestruck 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 vengence to the wicked, at return Of him so lately promis'd to thy aid,
The 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 worldly strong, and worldly 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.” Cc
To whom thus also th' Angel last reply'd. "This having learn'd, thou hast attain'd the sum Of wisdom; hope no higher, through all the stars Thou knew'st thy name, and all th' etherial 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 loth 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 Their motion, at whose front a flaming sword, In signal of remove, waves fiercely round: We may no longer stay. Go, waken Eye; 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, 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 625 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 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 Libyan 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. 645 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.
NOTE. The numeral letters refer to the Book, the figures to the Line: AARON and Moses, their mission to Egypt, xii. 170. Abdiel, a Seraph, his opposition to Satan, respecting the revolt of the Angels, v. 803. his fidelity, v. 896 aban- dons the party of Satan, vi. 1. soliloquy on viewing him at their head, vi. 114. his conquest of Ariel, Ari- och, and Ramiel, yi. 369.
Abel and Cain, their story, xi. 429.
Abraham and the patriarchs, story of, xii. 113. Adam and Eve, general description of them, iv.288. more minutely described, iv. 295. their state of innocence, iv. 312 492 738. v. 211 303. viii. 510. entertainment of the angel Raphael, v. 313391. their nuptial bed de- scribed, iv. 708. their behaviour after the fall, and on finding themselves naked, ix. 1004 1051. attempt to avoid God, x. 97. appear before him, x. 109. their expulsion from Paradise, xii. 265. Adam's discourse with her on the prohibition of the tree of knowledge, iv. 411. on viewing her sleeping, v. 8. his answer to her dream relative to Satan's first temptation, v. 94. his discourse in the bower with Raphael, v. 460. his
creation and dominion, ix. 524. his first view of the Divine Presence, &c. viii. 311. his speech to God on his solitude in Paradise, viii. 357. his passion for Eve, viii. 521. discourses with her on Satan's subtil- ty, ix. from 205 to 384. soliloquy on her transgression, ix. 896 resolves to die with her, ix.907.eats the forbid- den fruit, ix.996. solicits her to submit to sexual plea- sures, and their consequences, ix. 1081 1016. speech to her on their fall,&c.ix.1067. sentence on him, x. 197. reflects on the immortality of the soul,&c.x.782. his re- solution against the advice of Eve to commit suicide, x. 1028. behaviour on receiving the message for their ex- pulsion, xi. 263.
Adramelech and Asmalia,fallen angels, their defeat,vi.365. Amaranth, a flower, transplanted to Heaven, iii, 352. Ambition censured, ii. 482.
Angels obey God from choice, v. 535. engagement of the celestial party against Satan, vi. 202 634. Their song
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