天涯在线书库《www.tianyabook.com》 《Paradise Lost Ⅻ》 THE ARGUMENT The Angel Michael tinues from the Flood to relate what shall succeed; then, in the mention of Abraham, es .99lib.by degrees to explain, who that Seed of the Woman shall be, which romised Adam and Eve in the Fall; his Inatioh, Resurre, and Astion; the state of the Church till his sed ９９liｂ?ing. Adam greatly satisfied and reforted by these Relations and Promises desds the Hill with Michael; wake.99lib.ns Eve, who all this while had slept, but with gentle dreams posd to quietness of mind and submission. Michael in either hand leads them out of Paradise, the fiery Sword waving behind them, and the Cherubim taking thir Stations to guard the Place. 1 AS one who in his journey bates at Noone, Though bent on speed, so heer the Argel pausd Betwixt the world destroyd and world restord, If Adam aught perhaps might interpose; Then with transitio new Speech resumes. [ 5 ] Thus thou hast seen one World begin and end; And Man as from a sed stock proceed. Much thou hast yet to see, but I perceave Thy mortal sight to faile; objects divine Must needs impaire and wearie human sense: [ 10 ] Heh what is to I will relate, Thou therefive due audience, and attend. This sed sours of Men, while yet but few; And while the dread of judgement past remains Fresh in thir mindes, fearing the Deitie, [ 15 ] With sard to what is just and right Shall lead thir lives and multiplie apace, Lab the soile, and reaping plenteous crop, wine and oyle; and from the herd or flock, Oft sacrifig Bullock, Lamb, or Kid, [ 20 ] With large Wine-s pourd, and sacred Feast, Sha.l spend thir dayes in joy unblamd, and dwell Long time in peace by Families and Tribes Under paternal rule; till one shall rise Of proud ambitious heart, who not tent [ 25 ] With fair equalitie, fraternal state, Will arrogate Dominion undeservd Over his brethren, and quite dispossess cord and law of Nature from the Earth, Hunting (and Men not Beasts shall be his ９9ｌｉｂ?game) [ 30 ] With Warr and hostile snare such as refuse Subje to his Empire tyrannous: A mightie Huhence he shall be styld Before the Lord, as ie of Heavn, Or from Heavn claming sed Sovrantie; [ 35 ] And from Rebellion shall derive his name, Though of Rebellion others he accuse. 2 Hee with a crew, whom like Ambition joyns With him or under him to tyrannize, Marg from Eden towards the West, shall finde [ 40 ] The Plain, wherein a black bituminous gurge Boiles out from under ground, the mouth of Hell; Of Brick, and of that stuff they cast to build A Citie and Towre, whose top may reach to Heavn; Ahemselves a name, least far disperst [ 45 ] In fn Lands thir memorie be lost, Regardless whether good or evil fame. But God who oft desds to visit men Unseen, and through thir habitations walk藏书网s To mark thir doings, them beholding soon, [ 50 ] es down to see thir Citie, ere the Tower Obstruct Heavn Towrs, and in derisios Upon thir Tongues a various Spirit to rase Quite out thir Native Language, and instead To sow a jangling noise of words unknown: [ 55 ] Fo藏书网rthwith a hideous gabble rises loud Among the Builders; each to other calls Not uood, till hoarse, and all in rage, As mockt they streat laughter was in Heavn And looking down, to see the hubbub strange [ 60 ] Ahe din; thus was the buildi.. Ridiculous, and the work fusion namd. Whereto thus Adam fatherly displeasd. O execrable Son so to aspire Above his Brethren, to himself assuming [ 65 ] Authoritie usurpt, from God not givn: He gave us onely over Beast, Fish, Fowl Dominion absolute; that right we hold By his donation; but Man over men He made not Lord; such title to himself [ 70 ] Reserving, huma from human free. But this Usurper his enent proud Stayes not on Man; to God his Tower intends Siege and defiance: Wretched man! what food Will he vey up thither to sustain [ 75 ] Himself and his rash Armie, where thin Aire Above the Clouds will pine his entrails gross, And famish him of Breath, if not of Bread? 3 To whom thus Michael. Justly thou abhorrst That Son, who on the quiet state of men [ 80 ] Such trouble brought, affeg to subdue Rational Libertie; yet know withall, Sihy inal lapse, true Libertie Is lost, which alwayes with right Reason dwells Twinnd, and from her hath no dividual being: [ 85 ] Reason in man obscurd, or not obeyd, Immediately inordinate desires And upstart Passions catch the Gover From Reason, and to servitude reduce Man till theherefore since hee permits [ 90 ] Within himself unworthie Powers tn Over free Reason, God in Judgement just Subjects him from without to violent Lords; Who oft as undeservedly enthrall His outward freedom: Tyrannie must be, [ 95 ] Though to the Tyrant thereby no excuse. Yet somtimes Nations will dee so low From vertue, which is reason, that n, But Justice, and some fatal curse a Deprives them of thir outward libertie, [ 100 ] Thir inward lost: With irreverent Son Of him who built the Ark, who for the shame Don to his Father, heard this heavie curse, Servant of Servants, on his vitious Race. Thus will this latter, as the former World, [ 105 ] Still tend from bad to worse, till God at last Wearied with their iniquities, withdraw His presence from among them, and avert His holy Eyes; resolving from theh To leave them to thir own polluted wayes; [ 110 ] And one peculiar Nation to select From all the rest.., of whom to be invokd, A Nation from one faithful man t: Him on this side Euphrates yet residing, Bred up in Idol-worship; O that men [ 115 ] (st thou believe?) should be so stupid grown, While yet the Patriark livd, who scapd the Flood, As to forsake the living God, and fall To worship thir ow?9９lｉｂ?n work in Wood and Stone Fods! yet him God the most High voutsafes [ 120 ] To call by Vision from his Fathers house, His kindred and false Gods, into a Land Which he will shew him, and from him will raise A mightie Nation, and upon him showre His beion so, that in his Seed [ 125 ] All Nations shall be blest; he straight obeys Not knowing to what Land, yet firm believes: I see him, but thou st not, with what Faith He leaves his Gods, his Friends, and native Soile Ur of Chald?a, passing now the Ford [ 130 ] To Haran, after a cumbrous Train Of Herds and Flocks, and numerous servitude; Not wandring poor, but trusting all his wealth With God, who calld him, in a land unknown. 4 aan he now attains, I see his Tents [ 135 ] Pitcht about Sechem, and the neighb Plaine Of Moreh; there by promise he receaves Gift to his Progenie of all that Land; From Hamath Northward to the Desert South (Things by thir names I call, though yet unnamd) [ 140 ] From Hermo to the great Western Sea, Mount Hermon, yonder Sea, each place behold In prospect, as I po99ｌｉｂ? them; on the shoare Mount Carmel; here the double-fouream Jordan, true limit Eastward; but his Sons [ 145 ] Shall dwell to Senir, that le of Hills. This pohat all Nations of the Earth Shall in his Seed be blessed; by that Seed Is meant thy great deliverer, who shall bruise The Serpents head; whereof to thee anon [ 150 ] Plainlier shall be reveald. This Patriarch blest, Whom faithful Abraham due time shall call, A Son, and of his Son a Grand-childe leaves, Like him in faith, in wisdom, and renown; The Grandchilde with twelve Sons i, departs [ 155 ] From aan, to a land hereafter calld Egypt, divi.ded by the River Nile; See where it flows, disg at seaven mouthes Into the Sea: to sojourn in that Land He es invited by a yonger Son [ 160 ] In time of dearth, a Son whose worthy deeds Raise him to be the sed in that Realme Of Pharao: there he dies, and leaves his Race Growing into a Nation, and now grown Suspected to a sequent King, who seeks [ 165藏书网 ] To stop thir rowth, as inmate guests Too numerous; whence of guests he makes them slaves Inhospitably, and kills thir infant Males: Till by two brethren (those two brethren call Moses and Aaro from God to claime [ 170 ] His people from enthralment, they return With glory and spoile back to thir promisd Land. 5 But first the lawless Tyrant, who denies To know thir God, or message tard, Must be pelld by Signes and Judgemen藏书网ts dire; [ 175 ] To blood uhe Rivers must be turnd, Frogs, Lid Flies must all his Palace fill With loathd intrusion, and fill all the land; His Cattel must of Rot and Murren die, Botches and blaines must all his flesh imboss, [ 180 ] And all his people; Thunder mixt with Haile, Haile mixt with fire must rend th Egyptian Skie And wheel on th Earth, ?９9ｌｉｂ.dev where it rouls; What it devours not, Herb, or Fruit, raine, A darksom Cloud of Locusts swarming down [ 185 ] Must eat, and on the ground leave nothing green: Darkness must overshadow all his bounds, Palpable darkness, and blot out three dayes; Last with one midnight stroke all the first-born Of Egypt must lie dead. Thus with ten wounds [ 190 ] The River-dragon tamd at length submits To let his sojourners depart, and oft Humbles his stubbor, but still as Ice More hardnd after thaw, till in his rage Pursuing whom he late dismissd, the Sea [ 195 ] Swallows him with his Host, but them lets pass As on drie laween two christal walls, Awd by the rod of Moses so to stand Divided, till his rescud gain thir shoar: Such wondrous pod to his Saint will lend, [ 200 ] Though present in his Angel, who shall goe Before them in a Cloud, and Pillar of Fire, By day a Cloud, by night a Pillar of Fire, To guide them in thir journey, and remove Behihem, while th obdurat King pursues: [ 205 ] All night he will pursue, but his approach Darkness defends between till m Watch; Then through the Firey Pillar and the Cloud God looking forth will trouble all his Host And craze thir Chariot wheels: when by and [ 210 ] Moses once more his potent Rod extends Over the Sea; the Sea his 藏书网Rod obeys; On thir imbattelld ranks the Waves return, And overwhelm thir Warr: the Race elect Safe towards aan from the shoar advance [ 215 ] Through the wilde Desert, not the readiest way, Least entring on the aanite allarmd Warr terrifie them i, and feare Return them back to Egypt, choosing rather I?nglorious life with servitude; for life [ 220 ] To noble and ignoble is more sweet Untraind in Armes, where rashness leads not on. 6 This also shall they gain by thir delay In the wide Wilderness, there they shall found Thir gover, and thir great Senate choose [ 225 ] Through the twelve Tribes, to rule by Laws ordaind: God from the Mount of Sinai, whose gray top Shall tremble, he desding, will himself In Thunder Lightning and loud Trumpets ?sound Ordaihem Lawes; part such as appertaine [ 230 ] To civil Justice, part religious Rites Of sacrifice, inf them, by types And shadowes, of that destio bruise The Serpent, by what meanes he shall achieve Mankinds deliverance. But the voice of God [ 235 ] To mortal eare is dreadful; they beseech That Moses might report to them his will, And terror cease; he grants what they besaught Instructed that to God is no access Without Mediator, whose high Offiow [ 240 ] Moses in figure beares, to introduce One greater, of whose day he shall foretell, And all the Prophets in thir 藏书网Age the times Of great Messiah shall sing. Thus Laws and Rites Establisht, such delight hath God in Men [ 245 ] Obedient to his will, that he voutsafes Among them to set up his Tabernacle, The holy Oh mortal Men to dwell: By his prescript a Sanctuary is framd Of Cedar, overlaid with Gold, therein [ 250 ] An Ark, and in the Ark his Testimony, The Records of his ant, over these A Mercie-seat of Gold between the wings Of twht Cherubim, before him burn Seaven Lamps as in a Zodiac representing [ 255 ] The Heavnly fires; over the Tent a Cloud Shall rest by Day, a fiery gleame by Night, Save when they journie, and at length they e, ducted by his Ao the Land Promisd to Abraham and his Seed: the rest [ 260 ] Were long to tell, how many Battels fought, How many Kings destroyd, and Kingdoms won, Or how the Sun shall in mid Heavn stand still A day entire,.. and Nights due course adjourne, Mans voianding, Sun in Gibeon stand, [ 265 ] And thou Moon in the vale of Aialon, Till Israel overe; so call the third From Abraham, Son of Isaad from him His whole dest, who thus shall aan win. 7 Here Adam interposd. O sent from Heavn, [ 270 ] Enlightner of my darkness, gracious things Thou hast reveald, those chiefly which e Just Abraham and his Seed: now first I finde Mine eyes true opning, and my heart much easd, Erwhile perplext with thoughts what would be [ 275 ] Of mee and all Mankind; but now I see His day, in whom all Nations shall be blest, Favour ued by me, who sought Forbiddn knowledge by forbiddn means. This yet I apprehend not, why to those [ 280 ] Among whom God will deigo dwell oh So many and so various Laws are givn; So many Laws argue so many sins Among them; how God with such reside? To whom thus Michael. Doubt not but that sin [ 285 ] Will reign among them, as of thee begot; And therefore was Law giveo evince Thir natural pravitie, by stirring up Sin against藏书网 Law to fight; that when they see Law discover sin, but not remove, [ 290 ] Save by those shadowie expiations weak, The bloud of Bulls and Goats, they may clude Some bloud more preust be paid for Man, Just for unjust, that in such righteousness To them by Faith imputed, they may finde [ 295 ] Justification tod, and peace Of s>..ence, which the Law by Ceremonies ot appease, nor Man the moral part Perform, and not perf ot live. So Laears imperfet, and but givn [ 300 ] With purpose tn them in full time Up to a better ant, disciplind From shadowie Types to Truth, from Flesh to Spirit, From imposition of strict Laws, to free Acceptance of large Grace, from servil fear [ 305 ] To filial, works of Law to works of Faith. 8 And therefore shall not Moses, though of God Highly belovd, being but the Minister Of Law, his people into aan lead; But Joshua whom the Gentiles Jesus call, [ 310 ] ..s Name and Office bearing, who shall quell The adversarie Serpent, and bring back Through the worlds wilderness long wanderd man Safe to eternal Paradise of rest. Meanwhile they in thir earthly aan plact [ 315 ] Long time shall dwell and prosper, but when sins National interrupt thir public peace, Provoking God to raise them enemies: From whom as oft he saves them pe By Judges first, then under Kings; of whom [ 320 ] The sed, both for pietie renownd And puissant deeds, a promise shall receive Irrevocable, that his Regal Throne For ever shall ehe like shall s?９９lｉｂ.ing All Prophecie, That of the Royal Stock [ 325 ] Of David (so I his King) shall rise A Son, the Womao thee foretold, Foretold to Abra>ham, as in whom shall trust All Nations, and to Kings foretold, of Kings The last, for of his Reign shall be no end. [ 330 ] But first a long succession must ensue, And his Son for Wealth and Wisdom famd, The clouded Ark of God till then is Wandring, shall in a glorious Temple enshrine. Such follow him, as shall be registerd [ 335 ] Part good, part bad, of bad the longer scrowle, Whose foul Idolatries, and other faults Heapt to the popular summe, will so inse God, as to leave them, and expose thir Land, Thir Citie, his Temple, and his holy Ark [ 340 ] With all his sacred things, a s and prey To that proud Citie, whose high Walls thou sawst Left in fusion, Babylon thence calld. 9 There in captivitie he lets them dwell The space of seventie years, then brings them back, [ 345 ] Remembring mercie, and his ant sworn To David, stablisht as the dayes of Heavn. Returnd from Babylon by leave of Kings Thir Lords, whom God disposd, the house of God T.t>hey first re-edifie, and for a while [ 350 ] In meae live moderate, till .9９lib.grown Ih and multitude, factious they grow; But first among the Priests dissension springs, Men who attend the Altar, and should most Endeavour Peace: thir strife pollutis [ 355 ] Upoemple it self: at last they seise The Scepter, and regard >not Davids Sons, Then loose it to a strahat the true Anointed King Messiah might be born Barrd of his right; yet at his Birth a Starr [ 360 ] Unseen before in Heavn proclaims him , And guides the Eastern Sages, who enquire His place, to offer Inse, Myrrh, and Gold; His place of birth a solemn Aells To simple Shepherds, keeping watch by night; [ 365 ] They gladly thither 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 asd The Throne hereditarie, a藏书网nd bound his Reign [ 370 ] With earths wide bounds, his glory with the Heavns. He ceasd, dising Adam with such joy Surchargd, as had like grief bin dewd in tears, Without the vent of words, which these he breathd. O Prophet of glad tidings, finisher [ 375 ] Of utmost hope! now clear I uand What oft my steddiest thoughts have searcht in vain, Why reat expectation should be calld The seed of Woman: Virgin Mother, Haile, High in the love of Heav from my Loynes [ 380 ] Thou shalt proceed, and from thy Womb the Son Of God most High; So God with man unites. 10 Needs must the Serpent now his capital bruise Expect with mortal paine: say where and when Thir fight, what stroke shall bruise the Victors heel [ 385 ]. To whom thus Michael. Dream not of thir fight, As of a Duel, or the local wounds Of head or heel: not therefore joyhe Son Manhood to God-head, with more strength to foil Thy enemie; nor so is overe [ 390 ] Satan, whose fall from Heavn, a deadlier bruise, Disabld not to give thee thy deaths wound: Which hee, who es thy Saviour, shall recure, Not by destroying Satan, but his works In thee and in thy Seed: nor this be, [ 395 ] But by fulfilling that which thou didst want, Obedieo the Law of God, imposd Oie of d.h, and sufferih, The penaltie to thy transgression due, And due to theirs which out of thine will grow: [ 400 ] So onely high Justice rest appaid. The Law of God exact he shall fulfill Both by obediend by love, though love Alone fulfill the Law; thy punishment He shall endure by ing in the Flesh [ 405 ] To a reproachful life and cursed death, Proclaiming Life to all who shall believe In his redemption, and that his obedience Imputed bees theirs by Faith, his merits To save them, not thir own, though legal works. [ 410 ] For this he shall live hated, be blasphemd, Seisd on by force, judgd, and to death nd A shameful and accurst, naild to the Cross By his own Nation, slaine fing Life; But to the Cross he hy Enemies, [ 415 ] The Law that is against thee, and the sins Of all mankinde, with him there crucifid, o hurt them more whhtly trust In this his satisfa; so he dies, But soon revives, Death over him no power [ 420 ] Shall long usurp; ere the third dawning light Returhe Starres of Morn shall see him rise Out of his grave, fresh as the dawning light, Thy ransom paid, which Man from death redeems, His death for Man, as many as offerd Life [ 425 ] not, and the be imbrace By Faith not void of workes: this God-like act Annuls thy doom, the death thou shouldst have dyd, In sin for ever lost from life; this act Shall bruise the head of Satan, crush his strength [ 430 ] Defeating Sin ah, his two maine armes, And fix farr deeper in his head thir stings Then t?9９ｌiｂ.emporal death shall bruise the Victors heel, Or theirs whom? he redeems, a death like sleep, A gentle wafting to immortal Life. [ 435 ] Nor after resurre shall he stay Longer oh theaiimes to appeer To his Disciples, Men who in his Life Still followd him; to them shall leave in charge To teach all nations what of him they learnd [ 440 ] And his Salvation, them who shall beleeve Baptizing in the profluent streame, the signe Of washing them from guilt of sin to Life Pure, and in mind prepard, if so befall, For death, like that which the redeemer dyd. [ 445 ] All Nations they shall teach; for from that day Not oo the Sons of Abrahams Loines Salvation shall be Preacht, but to the Sons Of Abrahams Faith wherever through the world; So in his seed all Nations shall be blest. [ 450 ] 11 Then to the Heavn of Heavns he shall asd With victory, triumphing through the air?e Over his foes and thihere shall surprise The Serpent, Prince of aire, and drag in es Through all his Realme, and there founded leave; [ 455 ] Theer into glory, and resume His Seat at Ght haed high Above all names in Heavn; and thence shall e, When this worlds dissolution shall be ripe, With glory and power to judge both quid dead [ 460 ] To judge th unfaithful dead, but to reward His faithful, and receave them into bliss, Whether in Heavn or Earth, for then the Earth Shall all be Paradise, f.t>ar happier place Then this of Eden, and far happier daies. [ 465 ] So spake th Argel Michael, then pausd, As at the Worlds great period; and ourbbr>. Sire Replete with joy and wohus replid. O goodness infinite, goodness immense! That all this good of evil shall produce, [ 470 ] And evil turn to good; more wonderful 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 By mee done and occasiond, or rejoyce [ 475 ] Much more, that much mood thereof shall spring, To God mlory, mood will to Men From God, and over wrauth grace shall abound. But say, if our deliverer up to Heavn Must reasd, what will betide the few [ 480 ] His faithful, left among th unfaithful herd, The enemies of truth; who then shall guide His people, who defend? will they9９lｉｂ.t> not deale Wors with his followers then with him they dealt? 12 Be sure they will, said th Angel; but from Heavn [ 485 ] Hee to his own a forter will send, The promise of the Father, who shall dwell His Sp..irit within them, and the Law of Faith W through love, upon thir hearts shall write, To guide them in all truth, and also arme [ 490 ] With spiritual Armour, able to resist Satans assaults, and quench his fierie darts, What Man do against them, not affraid, Though to the death, against such cruelties With inward solations repenct, [ 495 ] And oft supported so as shall amaze Thir proudest persecuters: for the Spirit Powrd藏书网 first on his Apostles, whom he sends To evangelize the Nations, then on all Baptizd, shall them with wondrous gifts endue [ 500 ] To speak all Tongues, and do all Miracles, As did thir Lord before them. Thus they win Great numbers of eaation to receave With joy the tidings brought from Heavn: at length Thir Ministry performd, and race well run, [ 505 ] Thir doe and thir story writte, They die; but in thir room, as they forewarne, Wolves shall succeed for teachers, grievous Wolves, Who all the sacred mysteries of Heavn To thir own vile advantages shall turne [ 510 ] Of lucre and ambition, and the truth With superstitions bbr>?and traditions taint, Left onely in those written Records pure, Though not but by the Spirit uood. Then shall they seek to avail themselves of names, [ 515 ] Places and titles, and with these to joine Secular power, though feigning still to act By spiritual, to themselves appropriating The Spirit of God, promisd alike and givn To all Beleevers; and from that pretense, [ 520 ] Spiritual Lawes by al power shall force On every sce; Laws whione shall finde Left them inrould, or what the Spirit within Shall on the heart engrave. What will they then But force the Spirit of Grace it self, and binde [ 525 ] His sort Libertie; what, but unbuild His living Temples, built by Faith to stand, Thir own Faith not anothers: for oh Who a.99ｌib.gainst Faith and sce be heard Infallible? yet many will presume: [ 530 ] Whence heavie persecution shall arise On all who in the worship persevere Of Spirit and Truth; the rest, farr greater part, Well deem in outward Rites and specious formes Religion satisfid; Truth shall retire [ 535 ] Bestuck with slandrous darts, and works of Faith Rarely be found: so shall the Woe on, To good malignant, to bad men benigne, Under her own waight groaning till the day Appeer of respiration to the just, [ 540 ] And vengeao the wicked, at return Of him so lately promissd to thy aid The Womans seed, obscurely then foretold, Nolier known thy Saviour and thy Lord, Last in the Clouds from Heavn to be reveald [ 545 ] In glory of the Father, to dissolve Satan with his perverted World, then raise From the flagrant mass, purgd and refind, New Heavns, h, Ages of endless date Founded in righteousness and pead love [ 550 ] T forth fruits Joy aernal Bliss. 13 He ended; and thus Adam last replyd. How soon hath thy predi, Seer blest, Measurd this tra World, the Race of time, Till time stand fixt: beyond is all abyss, [ 555 ] Eternitie, whose end no eye reach. Greatly instructed I shall hence depart. Greatly in peace of thought, and have my fill Of knowledge, what this Vessel taine; Beyond which was my folly to aspire. [ 560 ] Heh I learhat to obey is best, And love ?h feare the onely 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 overing evil, and by small Aplishing great things, by things deemd weak Subverting worldly strong, and worldly wise By simply meek; that suffering for Truths sake Is fortitude to highest victorie, [ 570 ] And to the faithful Death the Gate of Life; Taught this by his example whom I now Aowledge my Redeemer ever blest. To whom thus also th Angel last replid: This havi, thou hast attaihe summe [ 575 ] Of wisdom; hope no higher, though all the Starrs Thou k by name, and all th ethereal Powers, All secrets of the deep, all Natures works, Or works of God in Heavn, Aire, Earth, or Sea, And all the riches of this World enjoydst, [ 580 ] And all the rule, one Empire; onely add Deeds to thy knowledge answerable, add Faith, Add vertue, Patieempera藏书网nce, add Love, By o e calld Charitie, 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 farr. 14 Let us desd now therefore from this top Of Speculation; for the hour precise Exacts our parting hence; ahe Guards, [ 590 ] By mee encampt on yonder Hill, expect Thir motion, at whose Front a flaming Sword, In signal of remove, waves fiercely round; We may no loay: go, waken Eve; Her also I with gentle Dreams have calmd [ 595 ] Portending good, and all her spirits posd To meek submission: thou at season fit Let her with thee partake what thou hast heard, Chiefly what may her Faith to know, The great deliverance by her Seed to e [ 600 ] (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 cheerd With meditation on the happie end. [ 605 ] He ended, and they both desd the Hill; Desded, Adam to the Bowre where Eve Lay sleeping ran before, but found her wakt; And thus with words not sad she him receavd. Whehou returnst, and whither wentst, I know; [ 610 ] Fod is also in sleep, and Dreams advise, Which he hath sent propitious, some great good Presaging, sih sorrow as distress Wearied I fell asleep: but now lead on; In mee is no delay; with thee to goe, [ 615 ] Is to stay here; without thee here to stay, Is to go henwilling; thou to mee Art all things under Heavn, all places thou, Who for my wilful crime art banisht hence. This further solatio secure [ 620 ] I carry hehough all by mee is lost, Such favour I unworthie am voutsaft, By mee the Promisd Seed shall all restore. So spake our Mother Eve, and Adam heard Well pleasd, but answerd not; for now too nigh [ 625 ] Th Argel stood, and from the other? Hill To thir fixt Station, all in bright array The Cherubim desded; on the ground Glidieorous, as Evning Mist Risn from a River ore the marish glides, [ 630 ] And gathers ground fast at the Labourers heel Homeward returning. High in Front advanct, The brandisht Sword of God before them blazd Fierce as a et; which with torrid heat, And vapour as the Libyan Air adust, [ 635 ] Began to parch that temperate Clime; whereat Iher hand the hastning Angel caught Our lingring Parents, and to th Eastern Gate Led them direct, and down the Cliff as fast To the subjected Plaihen disappeerd. [ 640 ] They looking back, all th Eastern side beheld Of Paradise, so late thir happie seat, Wavd over by that flaming Brand, the Gate With dreadful Faces throngd and fierie Armes: Som natural tears they dropd, but wipd them soon; [ 645 ] The World was all before them, where to choose Thir place99ｌｉb? of rest, and Providehir guide: They hand in hand with wandring steps and slow, Through Eden took thir solitarie way. THE END天涯在线书库《www.tianyabook.com》