Places, and titles, and with these to join
Secular pow'r, though feigning still to act
By fpiritual, to themselves appropriating

The Spi'rit of God, promis'd alike and given
To all believers; and from that pretence,
Spiritual laws by carnal pow'r fhall force

516

520

On every confcience; laws which none fhall find
Left them inroll'd, or what the Spi'rit within
Shall on the heart ingrave. What will they then
But force the Spi'rit of grace itself, and bind 525
His confort liberty? what, but unbuild

His living temples, built by faith to stand,
Their own faith not another's? for on earth
Who against faith and confcience can be heard
Infallible? yet many will prefume:
Whence heavy perfecution fhall arise

530

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agreeable to reveal'd or natural m ligion, neither to be found in holy Scripture, or written on their heard by the Spirit of God, according that divine promise, Jer. XXXI. 33 I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their bearti

526. His confort liberty ?] Fe where the Spirit of the Lord is, then is liberty, 2 Cor. III. 17.

527. His living temples.] Chriflian are calk the temples of God, 1 Cat. III. 16, 17. and VI, 19. 532. Oa

all who in the worship perfevere

fpi'rit and truth; the rest, far greater part, ill deem in outward rites and specious forms ligion fatisfy'd; truth shall retire

tuck with fland'rous darts, and works of faith

rely be found: so shall the world go on,
good malignant, to bad men benign,
ader her own weight groaning, till the day
ppear of respiration to the just,

and vengeance to the wicked, at return

E him fo lately promis'd to thy aid

he Woman's Seed, obfcurely then foretold, ow amplier known thy Saviour and thy Lord,

535

540

aft in the clouds from Heav'n to be reveal'd 545 glory of the Father, to diffolve

tan with his perverted world, then raise

From the conflagrant mafs, 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 blifs.
He ended; and thus Adam laft reply'd.
How foon hath thy prediction, Seer bleft,
Measur'd this tranfient world, the race of time,
Till time ftand fix'd? beyond is all abyss,

550

555

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 çan 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

11, 12. Seeing then that all these things fhall be diffolved &c. the Heavens being on fire fhall be diffolved. And he had mention'd before, ver. 459. this world's diffolution.

549. New Heav'ns, new Earth,] The very words of St. Peter, 2 Pet. III. 13. Nevertheless we, according to his promife, look for new Heavens and a new Earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. This notion, of the Heavens and Earth being renew'd

after the conflagration, and made the habitation of Angels and juft men made perfect, was very pleafing to our author, as it was to Dr. Barnet, and must be to every one of a fine and exalted imagination; and Mton has inlarged upon it in feveal parts of his works, and particularly in this poem, III. 333, &c. X. 638 XI. 65, 900. XII. 462.

568. Subverting worldly ftrong, &c.) 1 Cor. I. 27. God hath cbojca the

is providence, and on him fole depend,
erciful over all his works, with good
ll overcoming evil, and by small

565

ccomplishing great things, by things deem'd weak bverting worldly strong, and wordly wife simply meek; that fuffering for truth's fake fortitude to highest victory,

ad to the faithful death the gate of life; aught this by his example whom I now knowledge my Redeemer ever bleft.

To whom thus also th' Angel laft reply'd.

579

nis having learn'd, thou haft attain'd the fum 575 F wifdom; hope no high'er, though all the stars hou knew'ft by name, and all th' ethereal pow'rs, l fecrets of the deep, all Nature's works, works of God in Heav'n, air, earth, or fea,

if things of the world to confound wife; and God hath chofen the ak things of the world to confound things which are mighty. And in the reft there is the fenfe of ripture, if not the very words. to obey is beft, 1 Sam. XV. 22. hold to obey is better than facrifice. d on him fole depend, 1 Pet. V. 7. fting all your care upon him, for careth for you. And merciful over his works, Pfal. CXLV. 9. His rcies are over all his works. &c.

And

And all the riches of this world enjoy’dst,
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 poffefs

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, 599
By me incamp'd on yonder hill, expect
Their motion, at whofe front a flaming fword,
In fignal of remove, waves fiercely round;
We may no longer ftay: go, waken Eve;
Her alfo I with gentle dreams have calm'd

595

Par

from this to

Of fpeculation;] From this ris nary highth, from this hill of pro phecy and prediction. Speculation, watching on a tower or high plac thence a difcovery, therefore applet to the prophets in the facred pa who are called jeers and watches, speculatores of Specula Latin, a watch tower; Son of man, I have made in a watchman unto the boule of fra Ezek. III. 17. more exactly defcribe chap. XXXIII. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Ham.

So