Provoking God to raise them enemies:
From whom as oft he saves them penitent
320
By Judges first, then under Kings; of whom
The second,25 both for pietie renownd
And puissant deeds, a promise shall receive
Irrevocable, that his Regal Throne
For ever shall endure; the like shall sing
325
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
330
The last, for of his Reign shall be no end.
But first a long succession must ensue,
And his next Son26 for Wealth and Wisdom fam’d,
The clouded Ark of God till then in Tents
Wandring, shall in a glorious Temple enshrine.
335
Such follow him, as shall be registerd
Part good, part bad, of bad the longer scrowl,
Whose foul Idolatries, and other faults
Heapt to the popular sum, will so incense
God, as to leave them, and expose thir Land,
340
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
345
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 Kings27
Thir Lords, whom God dispos’d, the house of God
350
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
355
Endeavour Peace: thir strife pollution brings
Upon the Temple it self: at last they28 seise
The Scepter, and regard not Davids Sons,
Then loose it to a stranger,29 that the true
Anointed King Messiah might be born
360
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
365
To simple Shepherds, keeping watch by night;
They gladly thither30 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
370
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 breath’d.
375
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, Hail,
380
High in the love of Heav’n, yet from my Loyns
Thou shalt proceed, and from thy Womb the Son
Of God most High; so God with man unites.
Needs must the Serpent now his capital31 bruise
Expect with mortal pain: say where and when
385
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 joyns the Son
Manhood to God-head, with more strength to foil
390
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
395
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,
400
And due to theirs which out of thine will grow:
So onely can high Justice rest appaid.32
The Law of God exact he shall fulfill
Both by obedience and by love, though love
Alone fulfill the Law; thy punishment
405
He shall endure by coming in the Flesh
To a reproachful life and cursed death,
Proclaiming Life to all who shall believe
In his redemption, and that his obedience
Imputed becomes theirs by Faith, his merits
410
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, slain for bringing Life;
415
But to the Cross he nails thy Enemies,
The Law that is against thee, and the sins
Of all mankind, with him there crucifi’d,
Never to hurt them more who rightly trust
In this his satisfaction; so he dies,
420
But soon revives, Death over him no power
Shall long usurp; ere the third dawning light
Return, the Starrs of Morn shall see him rise
Out of his grave, fresh as the dawning light,
Thy ransom paid, which Man from death redeems,
425
His death for Man, as many as offerd Life
Neglect not, and the benefit imbrace
By Faith not void of works: this God-like act
Annuls thy doom, the death thou shouldst have dy’d,
In sin for ever lost from life; this act
430
Shall bruise the head of Satan, crush his strength
Defeating Sin and Death, his two main armes,33
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,
435
A gentle wafting to immortal Life.
Nor after resurrection shall he stay
Longer on Earth then certain times to appeer
To his Disciples, Men who in his Life
Still follow’d him; to them shall leave in charge
440
To teach all nations what of him they learn’d
And his Salvation, them who shall beleeve
Baptizing in the profluent34 stream, the signe
Of washing them from guilt of sin to Life
Pure, and in mind prepar’d, if so befall,
445
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 Loins
Salvation shall be Preacht, but to the Sons
Of Abrahams Faith wherever through the world;
450
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 air
Over his foes and thine; there shall surprise
The Serpent, Prince of air, and drag in Chains
455
Through all his Realm, and 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,
460
With glory and power to judge both quick35 and 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
465
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!
470
That all this good of evil shall produce,
Then that which by creation first brought forth
Light out of darkness! full of doubt I stand,
Whether I should repent me now of sin
475
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
480
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 deal
Wors with his followers then with him they dealt?
485
Be sure they will, said th’ Angel; but from Heav’n
Hee to his own a Comforter36 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,
490
To guide them in all truth, and also arm
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
495
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
T’ evangelize the Nations, then on all
500
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
505
Thir Ministry perform’d, and race well run,
Thir doctrine and thir story written left,
They die; but in thir room, as they forewarn,
Wolves shall succeed for teachers, grievous Wolves,
Who all the sacred mysteries of Heav’n
510
To thir own vile advantages shall turn
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.
515
Then shall they seek to avail themselves of names,
Places and titles, and with these to join
Secular power, though feigning still to act
By spiritual, to themselves appropriating
The Spirit of God, promis’d alike and giv’n
520
To all Beleevers; and from that pretense,
Spiritual Laws by carnal power shall force
On every conscience; Laws which none shall find
Left them inrould, or what the Spirit within
Shall on the heart engrave. What will they then
525
But force the Spirit of Grace it self, and bind
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
530
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
535
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
540
Appeer of respiration to the just,
And vengeance to the wicked, at return
Of him so lately promis’d to thy aid,
The Womans seed, obscurely then foretold,
Now amplier known thy Saviour and thy Lord,
545
Last in the Clouds from Heav’n to be reveald
In glory of the Father, to dissolve
Satan with his perverted World, then raise
New Heav’ns, new Earth, Ages of endless date
550
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,
555
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 contain;
560
Beyond which was my folly to aspire.
Henceforth I learn, that to obey is best,
And love with fear the onely God, to walk
As in his presence, ever to observe
His providence, and on him sole depend,
565
Mercifull 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
570
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:
575
This having learnt, thou hast attaind the sum
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,
580
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
585
Of all the re
st: then wilt thou not be loath
To leave this Paradise, but shalt possess
A Paradise within thee, happier farr.
Let us descend now therefore from this top
Of Speculation;37 for the hour precise
590
Exacts our parting hence; and see the Guards,
By mee encampt on yonder Hill, expect38
Thir motion, at whose Front a flaming Sword,
In signal of remove, waves fiercely round;
We may no longer stay: go, waken Eve;
595
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,
600
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
605
With meditation on the happie end.
He ended, and they both descend the Hill;
Descended, Adam to the Bowr where Eve
Lay sleeping ran before, but found her wak’t;
And thus with words not sad she him receav’d.
610
Whence thou returnst, and 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;
615
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.
620
This further consolation yet secure
I carry hence; though all by mee is lost,
Such favour I unworthie am voutsaft,