darkness by the Hemisphere Divided Light the Day and Darkness Night He nam'd Thus was the first Day Eev'n and Morn Nor past uncelebrated nor unsung By the Celestial Quires when Orient Light Exhaling first from Darkness they beheld Birth-day of Heav'n and Earth with joy and shout The hollow Universal Orb they fill'd And touch't thir Golden Harps hymning prais'd God and his works Creatour him they sung Both when first Eevning was and when first Morn Again God said let ther be Firmament Amid the Waters and let it divide The Waters from the Waters and God made The Firmament expanse of liquid pure Transparent Elemental Air diffus'd In circuit to the uttermost convex Of this great Round partition firm and sure The Waters underneath from those above Dividing for as Earth so hee the World Built on circumfluous Waters calme in wide Crystallin Ocean and the loud misrule Of Chaos farr remov'd least fierce extreames Contiguous might distemper the whole frame And Heav'n he nam'd the Firmament So Eev'n And Morning Chorus sung the second Day The Earth was form'd but in the Womb as yet Of Waters Embryon immature involv'd Appeer'd not over all the face of Earth Main Ocean flow'd not idle but with warme Prolific humour soft'ning all her Globe Fermented the great Mother to conceave Satiate with genial moisture when God said Be gather'd now ye Waters under Heav'n Into one place and let dry Land appeer Immediately the Mountains huge appeer Emergent and thir broad bare backs upheave Into the Clouds thir tops ascend the Skie So high as heav'd the tumid Hills so low Down sunk a hollow bottom broad and deep Capacious bed of Waters thither they Hasted with glad precipitance uprowld As drops on dust conglobing from the drie Part rise in crystal Wall or ridge direct For haste such 〈◊〉 the great command impress'd On the swift slouds as Armies at the call Of Trumpet for of Armies thou hast heard Troop to thir Standard so the watrie throng Wave rowling after Wave where way they found If steep with torrent rapture if through Plaine Soft ebbing nor withstood them Rock or Hill But they or under ground or circuit wide With Serpent errour wandring found thir way And on the waâ—…hie Oose deep Channels wore Easie e're God had bid the ground be drie All but within those banks where Rivers now Stream and perpetual draw thir humid traine The dry Land Earth and the great receptacle Of congregated Waters he call'd Seas And saw that it was good and said Let th' Earth Put forth the verdant Grass Herb yeilding Seed And Fruit Tree yeilding Fruit after her kind Whose Seed is in her self upon the Earth He scarce had said when the bare Earth till then Desert and bare unsightly unadorn'd Brought forth the tender Grass whose verdure clad Her Universal Face with pleasant green Then Herbs of every leaf that sudden flour'd Op'ning thir various colours and made gay Her bosom smelling sweet and these scarce blown Forth flourish't thick the clustring Vine forth crept The smelling Gourd up stood the cornie Reed Embattell'd in her field add the humble Shrub And Bush with frizl'd hair implicit last Rose as in Dance the stately Trees and spred Thir branches hung with copious Fruit or gemm'd Thir Blossoms with high Woods the Hills were crownd With tufts the vallies each fountain side With borders long the Rivers That Earth now Seemd like to Heav'n a seat where Gods might dwell Or wander with delight and love to haunt Her sacred shades though God had yet not rain'd Upon the Earth and man to till the ground None was but from the Earth a dewie Mist Went up and waterd all the ground and each Plant of the field which e're it was in the Earth God made and every Herb before it grew On the green stemm God saw that it was good So Eev'n and Morn recorded the Third Day Again th' Almightie spake Let there be Lights High in th' expanse of Heaven to divide The Day from Night and let them be for Signes For Seasons and for Dayes and circling Years And let them be for Lights as I ordaine Thir Office in the Firmament of Heav'n To give Light on the Earth and it was so And God made two great Lights great for thir use To Man the greater to have rule by Day The less by Night alterne and made the Starrs And set them in the Firmament of Heav'n To illuminate the Earth and rule the Day In thir vicissitude and rule the Night And Light from Darkness to divide God saw Surveying his great Work that it was good For of Celestial Bodies first the Sun A mightie Spheare he fram'd unlight som first Though of Ethereal Mould then form'd the Moon Globose and everie magnitude of Starrs And sowd with Starrs the Heav'n thick as a field Of Light by farr the greater part he took Transplanted from her cloudie Shrine and plac'd â—…n the Suns Orb made porous to receive And drink the liquid Light firm to retaine Her gather'd beams great Palace now of Light Hither as to thir Fountain other Starrs Repairing in thir gold'n Urns draw Light And hence the Morning Planet guilds his horns By tincture or reflection they augment Thir small peculiar though from human sight So farr remote with diminution seen First in his East the glorious Lamp was seen Regent of Day and all th' Horizon round Invested with bright Rayes jocond to 〈◊〉 His Longitude through Heav'ns high rode the gray Dawn and the Pleiades before him danc'd Shedding sweet influence less bright the Moon But opposite in leveld West was set His mirror with full face borrowing her Light From him for other light she needed none In that aspect and still that distance keepes Till night then in the East her turn she shines Revolvd on Heav'ns great Axle and her Reign With thousand lesser Lights dividual holds With thousand thousand Starres that then appeer'd Spangling the Hemisphere then first adornd With thir bright Luminaries that Set and Rose Glad Eevning glad Morn crownd the fourth day And God said let the Waters generate Reptil with Spawn abundant living Soule And let Fowle flie above the Earth with wings Displayd on the op'n Firmament of Heav'n And God created the great Whales and each Soul living each that crept which plenteously The waters generated by thir kindes And every Bird of wing after his kinde And saw that it was good and bless'd them saying Be fruitful multiply and in the Seas And Lakes and running Streams the waters fill And let the Fowle be multiply'd on the Earth Forth with the Sounds and Seas each Creek Bay With Frie innumerable swarme and Shoales Of Fish that with thir Finns and shining Scales Glide under the green Wave in Sculles that oft Bank the mid Sea part single or with mate Graze the Sea weed thir pasture through Groves Of Coral stray or sporting with quick glance Show to the Sun thir wav'd coats dropt with Gold Or
let in The great Creator from his work returnd Magnificent his Six days work a World Open and henceforth oft for God will deigne To visit oft the dwellings of just Men Delighted and with frequent intercourse Thither will send his winged Messengers On errands of supernal Grace So sung The glorious Train ascending He through Heav'n That open'd wide her blazing Portals led To Gods Eternal house direct the way A broad and ample rode whose dust is Gold And pavement Starrs as Starrs to thee appeer Seen in the Galaxie that Milkie way Which nightly as a circling Zone thou seest Pouderd with Starrs And now on Earth the Seaventh Eev'ning arose in Eden for the Sun Was set and twilight from the East came on Forerunning Night when at the holy mount Of Heav'ns high-seated top th' Impereal Throne Of Godhead fixt forever firm and sure The Filial Power arriv'd and sate him down With his great Father for he also went Invisible yet staid such priviledge Hath Omnipresence and the work ordain'd Author and end of all things and from work Now resting bless'd and hallowd the Seav'nth day As resting on that day from all his work But not in silence holy kept the 〈◊〉 Had work and 〈◊〉 not the solemn â—…ipe And Dulcimer all Organs of sweet stop All sounds on Fret by String or Golden Wire Temper'd 〈◊〉 Tunings intermixt with Voice Choral or Unison of incense Clouds Fuming from Golden Câ—…nsers hid the Mount Creation and the Six dayes acts they sung Great are thy works Jehovah infinite Thy power what thought can measure thee or tongue Relate thee greater now in thy return Then from the Giant Angels thee that day Thy Thunders 〈◊〉 but to 〈◊〉 Is greater then created to destroy Who can impair thee mighty King or bound Thy Empire easily the proud attempt Of Spirits apostat and thir Counsels vaine Thou hast repeld while impiously they thought Thee to diminish and from thee withdraw The number of thy worshippers Who seekes To lessen thee against his purpose serves To manifest the more thy might his evil Thou usest and from thence creat'st more good Witness this new-made World another Heav'n From Heaven Gate not farr founded in view On the cleer Hyaline the Glassie Sea Of amplitude almost immense with Starr's Numerous and every Starr perhaps a World Of destind habitation but thou know'st Thir seasons among these the seat of men Earth with her nether Ocean circumfus'd Thir pleasant dwelling place Thrice happie men And sons of men whom God hath thus advanc't Created in his Image there to dwell And worship him and in reward to rule Over his Works on Earth in Sea or Air And multiply a Race of Worshippers Holy and just thrice happie if they know Thir happiness and persevere upright So sung they and the Empyrean rung With Halleluiahs Thus was Sabbath kept And thy request think now fulfill'd that ask'd How first this World and face of things began And what before thy memorie was don From the beginning that posteritie Informd by thee might know if else thou seekst Aught not surpassing human measure say To whom thus Adam gratefully repli'd What thanks sufficient or what recompence Equal have I to render thee Divine Hystorian who thus largely hast allayd The thirst I had of knowledge and voutsaf't This friendly condescention to relate Things else by me unsearchable now heard VVith wonder but delight and as is due With glorie attributed to the high Creator some thing yet of doubt remaines VVhich onely thy solution can resolve VVhen I behold this goodly Frame this VVorld Of Heav'n and Earth consisting and compute Thir magnitudes this Earth a spot a graine An Atom with the Firmament compar'd And all â—…er numberd Starrs that seem to rowle Spaces incomprehensible for such Thir distance argues and thir swift return Diurnal meerly to officiate light Round this opacous Earth this punctual spot One day and night in all thir vast survey Useless besides reasoning I oft admire How Nature wise and frugal could commit Such disproportions with superfluous hand So many nobler Bodies to create Greater so manifold to this one use For aught appeers and on thir Orbs impose Such restless revolution day by day Repeated while the sedentarie Earth That better might with farr less compass move Serv'd by more noble then her self attaines Her end without least motion and receaves As Tribute such a sumless journey brought Of incorporeal speed her warmth and light Speed to describe whose swiftness Number failes So spake our Sire and by his count'nance seemd Entring on studious thoughts abstruse which Eve Perceaving where she sat retir'd in sight With lowliness Majestic from her seat And Grace that won who saw to wish her stay Rose and went forth among her Fruits and Flours To visit how they prosper'd bud and bloom Her Nurserie they at her coming sprung And toucht by her fair tendance gladlier grew Yet went she not as not with such discourse Delighted or not capable her eare Of what was high such pleasure she reserv'd Adam relating she sole Auditress Her Husband the Relater she preferr'd Before the Angel and of him to ask Chose rather hee she knew would intermix Grateful digressions and solve high dispute With conjugal Caresses from his Lip Not Words alone pleas'd her O when meet now Such pairs in Love and mutual Honour joyn'd With Goddess-like demeanour forth she went Not unattended for on her as Queen A pomp of winning Graces waited still And from about her shot Darts of desire Into all Eyes to wish her still in sight And Raphael now to Adam's doubt propos'd Benevolent and facil thus repli'd To ask or search I blame thee not for Heav'n Is as the Book of God before thee set Wherein to read his wondrous Works and learne His Seasons Hours or Days or Months or Yeares This to attain whether Heav'n move or Earth Imports not if thou reck'n right the rest From Man or Angel the great Architect Did wisely to conceal and not divulge His secrets to be scann'd by them who ought Rather admire or if they list to try Conjecture he his Fabric of the Heav'ns Hath left to thir disputes perhaps to move His laughter at thir quaint Opinions wide Hereafter when they come to model Heav'n And calculate the Starrs how they will weild The mightie frame how build unbuild contrive To save appeerances how gird the Sphear With Centric and Eccentric scribl'd o're Cycle and Epicycle Orb in Orb Alreadie by thy reasoning this I guess Who art to lead thy ofspring and supposest That Bodies bright and greater should not serve The less not bright nor Heav'n such journies run Earth sitting still when she alone receaves The benefit consider first that Great Or Bright inferrs not Excellence the Earth Though in comparison of Heav'n so small Nor glistering may of solid good containe More plenty then the Sun that barren shines Whose vertue on it self workes no effect But in the fruitful Earth there first receavd
in thir Pearlie shells at ease attend Moist nutriment or under Rocks thir food In jointed Armour watch on smooth the Seale And bended Dolphins play part huge of bulk Wallowing unweildie enormous in thir Gate Tempest the Ocean there Leviathan Hugest of living Creatures on the Deep Strâ—…tcht like a Promontorie sleeps or swimmes And seems a moving Land and at his Gilles Draws in and at his Trunck spouts out a Sea Mean while the tepid Caves and Fens and shoares Thir Brood as numerous hatch from the Egg that soon Buâ—…sting with kindly rupture forth disclos'd Thir callow young but featherd soon and fledge They summ'd thir Penns and soaring th' air sublime With clang despis'd the ground under a cloud In prospect there the Eagle and the Stork On Cliffs and Cedar tops thir Eyries build Part loosly wing the Region part more wise In common rang'd in figure wedge thir way Intelligent of seasons and set forth Thir Aierie Caravan high over Sea's Flying and over Lands with mutual wing Easing thir flight so â—…tears the prudent Crane Her annual Voiage born on Windes the Aire Floats as they pass fann'd with unnumber'd plumes From Branch to Branch the smaller Birds with song Solac'd the Woods and spred thir painted wings Till Ev'n nor then the solemn Nightingal Ceas'd warbling but all night tun'd her soft layes Others on Silver Lakes and Rivers Bath'd Thir downie Brest the Swan with Arched neck Between her white wings mantling proudly Rowes Her state with Oarie feet yet oft they quit The Dank and rising on stiff Pennons towre The mid Aereal Skie Others on ground Walk'd firm the erested Cock whose clarion sounds The silent hours and th' other whose gay Traine Adorns him colour'd with the Florid hue Of Rainbows and Starrie Eyes The Waters thus With Fish replenisht and the Aire with Fowle Ev'ning and Morn solemniz'd the Fiâ—…t day The Sixt and of Creation last arose With Eevning Harps and 〈◊〉 when God said Let th' Earth bring forth Fowle living in her kinde Cattel and Creeping things and Beast of the Earth Each in their kinde The Earth obey'd and strait Op'ning her fertil Woomb teem'd at a Birth Innumerous living Creatures perfet formes Limb'd and full 〈◊〉 out of the ground up rose As from his Laire the wilde Beast where he wonns In Forrest wilde in Thicket Brake or Den Among the Trees in Pairs they rose they walk'd The Cattel in the Fields and Meddowes green Those rare and solitarie these in flocks Pasturing at once and in broad Herds upsprung The grassie Clods now Calv'd now half appeer'd The Tawnie Lion pawing to get free His hinder parts then springs as broke from Bonds And Rampant shakes his Brinded main the Ounce The Libbard and the Tyger as the Moale Rising the crumbl'd Earth above them threw In Hillocks the swift Stag from under ground Bore up his branching head scarfe from his mould Behemoth biggest born of Earth upheav'd His vastness Fleec't the Flocks and bleating rose As Plants ambiguous between Sea and Land The River Horse and scalie Crocodile At once came forth whatever creeps the ground Insect or Worme those wav'd thir limber fans For wings and smallest Lineaments exact In all the Liveries dect of Summers pride With spots of Gold and Purple azure and green These as a line thir long dimension drew Streaking the ground with sinuous trace not all Minims of Nature some of Serpent kinde Wondrous in length and corpulence involv'd Thir Snakie foulds and added wings First crept The Parsimonious Emmet provident Of future in small room large heart enclos'd Pattern of just equalitie perhaps Hereafter join'd in her popular Tribes Of Commonaltie swarming next appeer'd The Femal Bee that feeds her Husband Drone Deliciously and builds her waxen Cells With Honey stor'd the rest are numberless Aâ—…d thou thir Natures know'st and gav'st them Names Needlest to thee repeaed nor unknown The Serpent suttl'st Beast of all the field Of huge extent somtimes with brazen Eyes And hairie Main terrific though to thee Not noxious but obedient at thy call Now Heav'n in all her Glorie shon and rowld Her motions as the great first-Movers haâ—…d First wheeld thir course Earth in her rich attire Consummate lovly smil'd Aire Water Earth By Fowl Fish Beast was flown was swum was walkt Frequent and of the Sixt day yet remain'd There wanted yet the Master work the end Of all yet don a Creature who not prone And Brute as other Creatures but endu'd With Sanctitie of Reason might erect His Stature and upright with Front serene Govern the rest self-knowing and from thence Magnanimous to correspond with Heav'n But grateful to acknowledge whence his good Descends thither with heart and voice and eyes Directed in Devotion to adore And worship God Supream who made him chief Of all his works therefore the Omnipotent Eternal Father For where is not hee Present thus to his Son audibly spake Let us make now Man in our image Man In our similitude and let them rule Over the Fish and Fowle of Sea and Aire Beast of the Field and over all the Earth And every creeping thing that creeps the ground This said he 〈◊〉 thee Adam thee O Man Dust of the ground and in thy nostrils breath'd The breath of Life in his own Image hee Created thee in the Image of God Express and thou becam'st a living Soul Male he created thee but thy consort Femal for Race then bless'd Mankinde and said Be fruitful multiplie and fill the Earth Subdue it and throughout Dominion hold Over Fish of the Sea and Fowle of the Aire And every living thing that moves on the Earth Wherever thus created for no place Is yet distinct by name thence as thou know'st He brought thee into this delicious Grove This Garden planted with the Trees of God Delectable both to behold and taste And freely all thir pleasant fruit for food Gave thee all sorts are here that all th' Earth yeelds Varietie without end but of the Tree Which tasted works knowledge of Good and Evil Thou mai'st not in the day thou eat'st thou di'st Death is the penaltie impos'd beware And govern well thy appetiâ—…e least sin Surprise thee and her black attendant Death Here finish'd hee and all that he had made View'd and behold all was entirely good So Ev'n and Morn accomplish'd the Sixt day Yet not till the Creator from his work Desisting though unwearied up returnd Up to the Heav'n of Heav'ns his high abode Thence to behold this new created World Th' addition of his Empire how it shew'd In prospect from his Throne how good how faire Answering his great Idea Up he rode Followd with acclamation and the sound Symphonious of ten thousand Harpes that tun'd Angelic harmonies the Earth the Aire Resounded thou remember'st for thou heardst The Heav'ns and all the Constellations rung The Planets in thir stations list'ning stood While the bright Pomp ascended jubilant Open ye everlasting Gates they sung Open ye Heav'ns your living dores
heart too easie entrance won Fixt on the Fruit she gaz'd which to behold Might tempt alone and in her ears the sound Yet rung of his perswasive words impregn'd With Reason to her seeming and with Truth Meanwhile the hour of Noon drew on and wak'd An eager appetite rais'd by the smell So savorie of that Fruit which with desire Inclinable now grown to touch or taste Sollicited her longing eye yet first Pausing a while thus to her self she mus'd Great are thy Vertues doubtless best of Fruits Though kept from Man worthy to be admir'd Whose taste too long forborn at first assay Gave elocution to the mute and taught The Tongue not made for Speech to speak thy praise Thy praise hee also who forbids thy use Conceales not from us naming thee the Tree Of Knowledge knowledge both of good and evil Forbids us then to taste but his forbidding Commends thee more wâ—…ile it infâ—…s the good By thee communicated and our want For good unknown sure is not had or had And yet unknown is as not had at all In plain then what forbids he but to know Forbids us good forbids us to be wise Such prohibitions binde not But if Death Bind us with after-bands what profits then Our inward freedom In the day we eate Of this fair Fruit our doom is we shall die How dies the Serpent hee hath eat'n and lives And knows and speaks and reasons and discernes Irrational till then For us alone Was death invented or to us deni'd This intellectual food for beasts reserv'd For Beasts it seems yet that one Beast which first Hath tasted envies not but brings with joy The good befall'n him Author unsuspect Friendly to man farr from deceit or guile What fear I then rather what know to feare Under this ignorance of Good and Evil Of God or Death of Law or Penaltie Here grows the Cure of all this Fruit Divine Fair to the Eye inviting to the Taste Of vertue to make wise what hinders then To reach and feed at once both Bodie and Mind So saying her rash hand in evil hour Forth reaching to the Fruit she pluck'd she eat Earth felt the wound and Nâ—…ure from her seat Sighing through all her Works gave signs of woe That all was lost Back to the Thicket slunk The guiltie Serpent and well might for Eve Intent now wholly on her taste naught else Regarded such delight till then as seemd In Fruit she never tasted whether true Or fansied so through expectation high Of knowledg nor was God-head from her thought Greedily she ingorg'd without restraint And knew not eating Death Satiate at length And hight'nd as with Wine jocond and boon Thus to her self she pleasingly began O Sovran vertuous precious of all Trees In Paradise of operation blest To Sapience hitherto obscur'd infam'd And thy fair Fruit let hang as to no end Created but henceforth my early care Not without Song each Morning and due praise Shall tend thee and the fertil burden ease Of thy full branches offer'd free to all Till dieted by thee I grow mature In knowledge as the Gods who all things know Though others envie what they cannot give For had the gift bin theirs it had not here Thus grown Experience next to thee I owe Best guide not following thee I had remaind In ignorance thou op'nst Wisdoms way And giv'st access though secret she retire And I perhaps am secret Heav'n is high High and remote to see from thence distinct Each thing on Earth and other care perhaps May have diverted from continual watch Our great Forbidder safe with all his Spies About him But to Adam in what sort Shall I appeer shall I to him make known As yet my change and give him to partake Full happiness with mee or rather not But keep the odds of Knowledge in my power Without Copartner so to add what wants In Femal Sex the more to draw his Love And render me more equal and perhaps A thing not undesireable somtime Superior for inferior who is free This may be well but what if God have seen And Death ensue then I shall be no more And Adam wedded to another Eve Shall live with her enjoying I extinct A death to think Confirm'd then I resolve Adam shall share with me in bliss or woe So dear I love him that with him all deaths I could endure without him live no life So saying from the Tree her step she turnd But first low Reverence don as to the power That dwelt within whose presence had infus'd Into the plant sciential sap deriv'd From Nectar drink of Gods Adam the while Waiting desirous her return had wove Of choicest Flours a Garland to adorne Her Tresses and her rural labours crown As Reapers oft are wont thir Harvest Queen Great joy he promis'd to his thoughts and new Solace in her return so long delay'd Yet oft his heart divine of somthing ill Misgave him hee the faultring measure felt And forth to meet her went the way she took That Morn when first they parted by the Tree Of Knowledge he must pass there he her met Scarse from the Tree returning in her hand A bough of fairest fruit that downie smil'd New gatherd and ambrosial smell diffus'd To him she hasted in her face excuse Came Prologue and Apologie to prompt Which with bland words at will she thus addrest Hast thou not wonderd Adam at my stay Thee I have misst and thought it long depriv'd Thy presence agonie of love till now Not felt nor shall be twice for never more Mean I to trie what rash untri'd I sought The paine of absence from thy sight But strange Hath bin the cause and wonderful to heare This Tree is not as we are told a Tree Of danger tasted nor to evil unknown Op'ning the way but of Divine effect To open Eyes and make them Gods who taste And hath bin tasted such the Serpent wise Or not restraind as wee or not obeying Hath eat'n of the fruit and is become Not dead as we are threatn'd but thenceforth Endu'd with human voice and human sense Reasoning to admiration and with mee Perswasively hath so prevaild that I Have also tasted and have also found Th' effects to correspond opener mine Eyes Dimm erst dilated Spirits ampler Heart And growing up to Godhead which for thee Chiefly I sought without thee can despise For bliss as thou hast part to me is bliss Tedious unshar'd with thee and odious soon Thou therfore also taste that equal Lot May joyne us equal Joy as equal Love Least thou not tasting different degree Disjoyne us and I then too late renounce Deitie for thee when Fate will not permit Thus Eve with Countnance blithe her storie told But in her Cheek distemper flushing glowd On th' other side Adam soon as he heard The fatal Trespass don by Eve amaz'd Astonied stood and Blank while horror chill Ran through his vâ—…ins and all his joynts relax'd From his slack hand the Garland wreath'd for
head thir stings Then temporal death shall bruise the Victors heel Or theirs whom he redeems a death like sleep A gentle wafting to immortal Life Nor after resurrection shall he stay Longer on Earth then certaine times to appeer To his Disciples Men who in his Life Still follow'd him to them shall leave in charge To teach all nations what of him they learn'd 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 prepar'd if so befall 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 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 Then to the Heav'n of Heav'ns he shall ascend With victory triumphing through the aire Over his foes and thine there shall surprise The Serpent Prince of aire and drag in Chaines Through all his realme 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 With glory and power to judge both quick 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 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 That all this good of evil shall produce 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 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 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 deale Wors with his followers then with him they dealt Be sure they will said th' Angel but from Heav'n Hee to his own a Comforter 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 To guide them in all truth and also arme 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 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 To evangelize the Nations then on all 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 Thir Ministry perform'd and race well run Thir doctrine and thir story written left They die but in thir room as they forewarne Wolves shall succeed for teachers grievous Wolves Who all the sacred mysteries of Heav'n To thir own vile advantages shall turne 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 Then shall they seek to avail themselves of names 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 giv'n To all Beleevers and from that pretense Spiritual Lawes by carnal power shall force On every conscience Laws which none 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 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 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 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 Appeer of respiration to the just And vengeance to the wicked at return Of him so lately promiss'd to thy aid The Womans seed obscurely then foretold Now amplier known thy Saviour and thy Lord Last in the Clouds from Heav'n to be reveald 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 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 containe Beyond which was my folly to aspire Henceforth I learne that to obey is best And love with 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 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 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 This having learnt thou hast attaind the summe 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 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 Of all the rest 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 for the hour precise Exacts our parting hence and see the Guards 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 longer stay go waken Eve 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 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 With meditation on the happie end He ended and they both descend the Hill Descended Adam to the Bowre where Eve Lay sleeping ran before but found her wak't And thus with words not sad she him receav'd Whence thou returnst 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 VVearied I fell asleep but now lead on 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 VVho for my wilful crime art banisht hence This further consolation yet secure I carry hence though all by mee is lost Such favour I unworthie am voutsaft By mee the Promis'd Seed shall all restore So spake our Mother Eve and Adam heard VVell pleas'd but answer'd not for now too nigh Th' Archangel stood and from the other Hill To thir fixt Station all in bright array The Cherubim descended on the ground Gliding meteorous as Ev'ning Mist Ris'n from a River o're the marish glides And gathers ground fast at the Labourers heel Homeward returning High in Front advanc't The brandisht 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 temperate Clime whereat In either 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 Plaine then disappeer'd They looking back all th' Eastern side beheld Of Paradise so late thir happie seat Wav'd over by that flaming Brand the â—…ate With dreadful Faces throng'd and fierie Armes Som natural tears they drop'd but wip'd them soon The World was all before them where to choose Thir place of rest and Providence thir guide They hand in hand with wandring steps and slow Through Eden took thir solitarie way THE END