To bring forth fruits, joy and eternal blifs.
He ended; and thus Adam laft reply'd..
How foon hath thy prediction, Seer blefs'd,
Meafur'd this tranfient world, the race of time,
Till time ftand fix'd? Beyond is all abyfs
Eternity, whofe end no eye can reach ;
Greatly inftructed I fhall hence depart,
Greatly in peace of thought, and have my fill
Of knowledge, what this veffel 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,
Merciful over all his works, with good
Still overcoming evil, and by fmall
Accomplishing great things, by things deem'd weak
Subverting worldly ftrong and worldly wife
By fimply meek; that fuff'ring for truth's fake
Is fortitude to higheft victory,
And to the faithful, death the gate of life;
Taught this by his example whom I now
Acknowledge my Redeemer ever bless'd.
To whom thus alfo th' Angel laft reply'd,
This having learn'd, thou hait attain'd, the fum 575
Of wisdom; hope no high'er, though all the ftars
Thou know'it 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'd'st,
And all the rule, one empire; only add
Deeds to thy knowledge anfwerable, 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 Paradife, but fhalt poffels
A Paradife within thee, happier far;
Let us defcend now therefore from this top
Of fpeculation; 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 fword,
In fignal of remove, wave fiercely round;
We may no longer ftay: go, waken Eve;
Her alfo I with gentle dreams have calm'd
Portending good, and ali her fp'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 deliv'rance 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 pait, yet much more chear'd
With meditation on the happy end.
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,
Which he hath fent propitious fome great good
Prefaging, fince with forrow' and heart's difirefs
Wearied I fell afleep; but now lead on;
In me is no delay; with thee to go,
Is to ftay 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 banifh'd hence.
This further confolation yet fecure
I carry hence; though all by me is loft,
Such favour I unworthy am vouchfaf'd,
By me the promis'd feed fhall all restore.
So fpake our mother Eve; and Adam heard
Well pleas'd, but anfwer'd not; for now too nigh 625
Th' Arch-angel ftood, and from the other hil
To their fix'd station, all in bright array,
The Cherubim defcended; on the ground
Gliding meteorous, as ev'ning-milt
Ris'n from a river o'er the marifh glides,
And gathers ground faft at the lab'rer's heel
Homeward returning. High in front advanc'd,
The brandifh'd sword of Gon before them blaz'd
Fierce as a comet; which with torrid heat,
And vapour as the Lybian air aduft,
Began to parch that temp'rate clime; whereat
In either hand the haft'ning Angel caught
Our ling'ring parents, and to th' eaftern gate
Led them direct, and down the cliff as faft
To the fubjected plain; then difappear'd.
Then looking back, all th' eaftern 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 choofe 646
Their place of rest, and Providence their guide:
They hand in hand, with wand'ring steps and flow,
Through Eden took their folitary way.
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