¡¶Paradise Lost ¢ü¡· THE ARGUMENT tinues from to relate ion, Deation, and Ascention; tate of till ly satisfied and recomforted by tions and Promises descends t, but le dreams composd to quietness of mind and submission. Mic of Paradise, taking tations to guard the Place. 1 AS one Noone, t on speed, so he Archangel pausd Bet troyd and ord, If Adam aug interpose; transition s new Speech resumes. [ 5 ] t seen one orld begin and end; And Man as from a second stock proceed. Muc yet to see, but I perceave tal sigo faile; objects divine Must needs impaire and wearie human sense: [ 10 ] is to com I e, ttend. t but few; And remains Fresie, [ 15 ] ito and right Siplie apace, Labouring teous crop, Corn he herd or flock, Oft sacrificing Bullock, Lamb, or Kid, [ 20 ] it, Shir dayes in joy unblamd, and dwell Long time in peace by Families and tribes Under paternal rule; till one shall rise Of proud ambitious , ent [ 25 ] itie, fraternal state, ill arrogate Dominion undeservd Over e dispossess Concord and laure from th, ing (and Men not Beasts shall be his game) [ 30 ] itile snare such as refuse Subjection to yrannous: A miger tyld Before te of heavn, Or from ie; [ 35 ] And from Rebellion shall derive his name, thers he accuse. 2 ion joyns ito tyrannize, Marco, shall finde [ 40 ] tuminous gurge Boiles out from under ground, th of hell; Of Brick, and of t stuff t to build A Citie and towre, wop may reaco heavn; And get t far disperst [ 45 ] In foraign Lands t, Regardless wher good or evil fame. But God o visit men Unseen, and tations walks to mark them beholding soon, [ 50 ] Comes doo see tie, ere tower Obstruct os Upon tongues a various Spirit to rase Quite out tive Language, and instead to sow a jangling noise of words unknown: [ 55 ] Forth a hideous gabble rises loud Among to other calls Not understood, till hoarse, and all in rage, As mockt torm; great laughter was in heavn And looking doo see trange [ 60 ] And Ridiculous, and the work Confusion namd. o therly displeasd. O execrable Son so to aspire Above o himself assuming [ 65 ] Autie usurpt, from God not givn: , Fish, Fowl Dominion absolute; t right we hold By ion; but Man over men Lord; sucitle to himself [ 70 ] Reserving, from human free. But t proud Stayes not on Man; to God oends Siege and defiance: retc food ill o sustain [ 75 ] hin Aire Above trails gross, And famis of Bread? 3 to t Son, ate of men [ 80 ] Sucrouble brouging to subdue Rational Libertie; yet knohall, Since true Libertie Is lost, w Reason dwells twinnd, and from h no dividual being: [ 85 ] Reason in man obscurd, or not obeyd, Immediately inordinate desires And upstart Passions catc From Reason, and to servitude reduce Man till ts [ 90 ] ito reign Over free Reason, God in Judgement just Subjects to violent Lords; as undeservedly enthrall yrannie must be, [ 95 ] to tyrant thereby no excuse. Yet somtimes Nations will decline so low From vertue, w no wrong, But Justice, and some fatal curse annext Deprives tie, [ 100 ] t: itness t Son Of the shame Don to his heavie curse, Servant of Servants, on ious Race. tter, as the former orld, [ 105 ] Still tend from bad to ill God at last earied ies, hdraw h to leave to ted wayes; [ 110 ] And one peculiar Nation to select From all t, of wo be invokd, A Nation from one faito spring: es yet residing, Bred up in Idol-wors men [ 115 ] (Canst tupid grown, triark livd, whe Flood, As to forsake the living God, and fall to worsone For Gods! yet safes [ 120 ] to call by Vision from hers house, o a Land hich he will shew him, and from him will raise A migion, and upon him showre ion so, t in his Seed [ 125 ] All Nations s; raight obeys Not knoo firm believes: I see t not, Faith ive Soile Ur of Che Ford [ 130 ] to er a cumbrous train Of ude; Not trusting all h ith God, who calld him, in a land unknown. 4 Canaan tains, I see ents [ 135 ] Pitc Seche neighbouring Plaine Of Morehere by promise he receaves Gift to Land; From o t South (t unnamd) [ 140 ] From to t estern Sea, Mount hermon, yonder Sea, each place behold In prospect, as I point the shoare Mount Carmel; ed stream Jordan, true limit East his Sons [ 145 ] So Senir, t long ridge of hills. t all Nations of th S Seed Is meant t deliverer, who shall bruise ts o thee anon [ 150 ] Plainlier sriarc, ime shall call, A Son, and of his Son a Grand-childe leaves, Like h, in wisdom, and renown; t, departs [ 155 ] From Canaan, to a land er calld Egypt, divided by the River Nile; See seaven mouthes Into to sojourn in t Land ed by a yonger Son [ 160 ] In time of dearthy deeds Raise o be t Realme Of Phere he dies, and leaves his Race Groo a Nation, and now grown Suspected to a sequent King, who seeks [ 165 ] to stop te guests too numerous; ws hem slaves Inably, and kills t Males: till by thren call Moses and Aaron) sent from God to claime [ 170 ] , turn ito thir promisd Land. 5 But first tyrant, who denies to knoo regard, Must be compelld by Signes and Judgements dire; [ 175 ] to blood uns be turnd, Frogs, Lice and Flies must all his Palace fill itrusion, and fill all the land; tel must of Rot and Murren die, Botc all his flesh imboss, [ 180 ] And all h haile, rend tian Skie And w rouls; it devours not, , or Graine, A darksom Cloud of Locusts swarming down [ 185 ] Must eat, and on thing green: Darkness must overshadow all his bounds, Palpable darkness, and blot out three dayes; Last stroke all t-born Of Egypt must lie dead. ten wounds [ 190 ] tamd at lengts to let , and oft ubborn , but still as Ice More er till in his rage Pursuing he Sea [ 195 ] S ts pass As on drie land betwo cal walls, Ao stand Divided, till hir shoar: Suco will lend, [ 200 ] t 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 thir journey, and remove Be King pursues: [ 205 ] All nig his approach Darkness defends betill morning atch; the Cloud God looking fortrouble all And craze t wheels: when by command [ 210 ] Moses once more ent Rod extends Over the Sea his Rod obeys; On ttelld ranks turn, And overw Safe tohe shoar advance [ 215 ] t, not t way, Least entring on te allarmd arr terrifie t, and feare Return to Egypt, cher Inglorious life ude; for life [ 220 ] to noble and ignoble is more s Untraind in Armes, w on. 6 thir delay In they shall found t, and t Senate choose [ 225 ] tribes, to rule by Laws ordaind: God from t of Sinai, wop Sremble, he descending, will himself In tning and loud trumpets sound Ordaine t sucaine [ 230 ] to civil Justice, part religious Rites Of sacrifice, informing types And s destind Seed to bruise t, by w meanes he shall achieve Mankinds deliverance. But the voice of God [ 235 ] to mortal eare is dreadful; they beseech t Moses mig to them his will, And terror cease; s Instructed t to God is no access it Mediator, whose high Office now [ 240 ] Moses in figure beares, to introduce One greater, of well, And all ts in times Of great Messiaes Establis h God in Men [ 245 ] Obedient to safes Among to set up abernacle, tal Men to dwell: By a Sanctuary is framd Of Cedar, overlaid herein [ 250 ] An Ark, and in testimony, t, over these A Mercie-seat of Gold bethe wings Of t Cherubim, before him burn Seaven Lamps as in a Zodiac representing [ 255 ] tent a Cloud S by Day, a fiery gleame by Night, Save hey come, Conducted by o the Land Promisd to Abra [ 260 ] ere long to tell, tels fought, royd, and Kingdoms won, Or and still A day entire, and Nights due course adjourne, Mans voice commanding, Sun in Gibeon stand, [ 265 ] And the vale of Aialon, till Israel overcome; so call third From Abraham, Son of Isaac, and from him , whus shall Canaan win. 7 erposd. O sent from heavn, [ 270 ] Enlighings t reveald, those chiefly which concerne Just Abra I finde Mine eyes true opning, and my much easd, Ers w would becom [ 275 ] Of mee and all Mankind; but now I see ions s, Favour unmerited by me, w Forbiddn knowledge by forbiddn means. t I appre, hose [ 280 ] Among h So many and so various Laws are givn; So many Laws argue so many sins Among th such reside? to but t sin [ 285 ] ill reign among t; And to evince tural pravitie, by stirring up Sin against Lao fig whey see La not remove, [ 290 ] Save by tions weak, ts, they may conclude Some bloud more precious must be paid for Man, Just for unjust, t in suceousness to ted, they may finde [ 295 ] Justification towards God, and peace Of Conscience, whe Law by Ceremonies Cannot appease, nor Man t Perform, and not performing cannot live. So La, and but givn [ 300 ] ito resign time Up to a better Covnant, disciplind From sypes to truto Spirit, From imposition of strict Lao free Acceptance of large Grace, from servil fear [ 305 ] to filial, o h. 8 And t Moses, though of God ter Of Law, o Canaan lead; But Josiles Jesus call, [ 310 ] his Name and Office bearing, who shall quell t, and bring back the worlds wilderness long wanderd man Safe to eternal Paradise of rest. Meanw [ 315 ] Long time s when sins National interrupt thir public peace, Provoking God to raise them enemies: From By Judges first, then under Kings; of whom [ 320 ] tie renownd And puissant deeds, a promise shall receive Irrevocable, t hrone For ever she like shall sing All Prop of tock [ 325 ] Of David (so I name this King) shall rise A Son, to told, Foretold to Abrarust All Nations, and to Kings foretold, of Kings t, for of his Reign shall be no end. [ 330 ] But first a long succession must ensue, And Son for ealth and isdom famd, till tents andring, semple enshrine. Sucerd [ 335 ] Part good, part bad, of bad the longer scrowle, ries, and ots to the popular summe, will so incense God, as to leave thir Land, tie, emple, and his holy Ark [ 340 ] ithings, a scorn and prey to t proud Citie, w Left in confusion, Babylon thence calld. 9 tivitie s them dwell tie years, them back, [ 345 ] Remembring mercie, and sworn to David, stablishe dayes of heavn. Returnd from Babylon by leave of Kings the house of God t re-edifie, and for a while [ 350 ] In mean estate live moderate, till grown In itude, factious they grow; But first among ts dissension springs, Men ar, and s Endeavour Peace: trife pollution brings [ 355 ] Upon temple it self: at last they seise ter, and regard not Davids Sons, t to a stranger, t true Anointed King Messia be born Barrd of ; yet at arr [ 360 ] Unseen before in heavn proclaims him com, And guides tern Sages, who enquire o offer Incense, Myrrh, and Gold; ells to simple Sc; [ 365 ] te, and by a Quire Of squadrond Angels hear his Carol sung. A Virgin is his Sire t high; he shall ascend tarie, and bound his Reign [ 370 ] ithe heavns. h such joy Surcears, it t of words, whd. O Prop of glad tidings, finisher [ 375 ] Of utmost and oft my steddiest ts in vain, expectation should be calld ther, haile, from my Loynes [ 380 ] t proceed, and from the Son Of God most es. 10 Needs must t now al bruise Expect al paine: say where and when t, roke sors heel [ 385 ]. to , As of a Duel, or the local wounds Of the Son Mano God-rengto foil thy enemie; nor so is overcome [ 390 ] Satan, whose fall from heavn, a deadlier bruise, Disabld not to give ths wound: hy Saviour, shall recure, Not by destroying Satan, but his works In this be, [ 395 ] But by fulfilling t , Obedience to the Law of God, imposd On penaltie of death, tie to transgression due, And due to t of thine will grow: [ 400 ] So onely can ice rest appaid. t he shall fulfill Bothough love Alone fulfill t he Flesh [ 405 ] to a reproach, Proclaiming Life to all who shall believe In ion, and t his obedience Imputed becomes ts to save t though legal works. [ 410 ] For ted, be blasphemd, Seisd on by force, judgd, and to death condemnd A s, naild to the Cross By ion, slaine for bringing Life; But to thy Enemies, [ 415 ] t is against the sins Of all mankinde, here crucifid, Never to tly trust In tisfaction; so he dies, But soon revives, Death over him no power [ 420 ] S Returne, tarres of Morn shall see him rise Out of , th redeems, h for Man, as many as offerd Life [ 425 ] Neglect not, and t imbrace By Fait void of Annuls t have dyd, In sin for ever lost from life; t San, crusrength [ 430 ] Defeating Sin and Deatwo maine armes, And fix farr deeper in ings temporal deators heel, Or th like sleep, A gentle ing to immortal Life. [ 435 ] Nor after resurrection say Longer on Eartaine times to appeer to his Disciples, Men who in his Life Still follohem shall leave in charge to teacions w of hey learnd [ 440 ] And ion, them who shall beleeve Baptizing in t streame, the signe Of o Life Pure, and in mind prepard, if so befall, For deat whe redeemer dyd. [ 445 ] All Nations teac day Not onely to the Sons of Abrahams Loines Salvation s, but to the Sons Of Abrahe world; So in ions s. [ 450 ] 11 to the heavn of heavns he shall ascend itory, triumphe aire Over here shall surprise t, Prince of aire, and drag in Chaines there confounded leave; [ 455 ] ter into glory, and resume at Gods riged high Above all names in hence shall come, ion shall be ripe, ito judge both quick and dead [ 460 ] to judge t to reward o bliss, h Shall all be Paradise, far happier place this of Eden, and far happier daies. [ 465 ] So spake then pausd, As at t period; and our Sire Replete hus replid. O goodness infinite, goodness immense! t all this good of evil shall produce, [ 470 ] And evil turn to good; more wonderful t brough Lig of darkness! full of doubt I stand, me now of sin By mee done and occasiond, or rejoyce [ 475 ] Muc muchereof shall spring, to God more glory, more good o Men From God, and over h grace shall abound. But say, if our deliverer up to heavn Must reascend, ide the few [ 480 ] among thful herd, truthen shall guide deale ors ? 12 Be sure t from heavn [ 485 ] o er will send, ther, who shall dwell h orking ts se, to guide truth, and also arme [ 490 ] itual Armour, able to resist Satans assaults, and quencs, Man can do against t affraid, to t sucies itions recompenct, [ 495 ] And oft supported so as shall amaze t persecuters: for t Po on les, whom he sends to evangelize tions, then on all Baptizd, ss endue [ 500 ] to speak all tongues, and do all Miracles, As did they win Great numbers of eacion to receave itidings broug length try performd, and race well run, [ 505 ] trine and tory ten left, t in they forewarne, olves seachers, grievous olves, eries of heavn to tages surne [ 510 ] Of lucre and ambition, and truth ititions and traditions taint, Left onely in tten Records pure, t but by t understood. to avail themselves of names, [ 515 ] Places and titles, and o joine Secular poill to act By spiritual, to ting t of God, promisd alike and givn to all Beleevers; and from t pretense, [ 520 ] Spiritual Lawes by carnal power shall force On every conscience; Laws which none shall finde Left t t hin S engrave. hen But force t of Grace it self, and binde [ 525 ] Libertie; unbuild emples, built by Faito stand, t anoth Faith and Conscience can be heard Infallible? yet many will presume: [ 530 ] ion shall arise On all whe worship persevere Of Spirit and trut, farr greater part, ell deem in outes and specious formes Religion satisfid; trutire [ 535 ] Bestuck s, and h Rarely be found: so she orld goe on, to good malignant, to bad men benigne, Under groaning till the day Appeer of respiration to t, [ 540 ] And vengeance to t return Of ely promissd to thy aid told, Nohy Lord, Last in to be reveald [ 545 ] In glory of to dissolve Satan ed orld, then raise From t mass, purgd and refind, New e Founded in righteousness and peace and love [ 550 ] to bring forts Joy and eternal Bliss. 13 replyd. ion, Seer blest, Measurd transient orld, time, till time stand fixt: beyond is all abyss, [ 555 ] Eternitie, whose end no eye can reach. Greatly instructed I s. Greatly in peace of t, and have my fill Of knoaine; Beyond wo aspire. [ 560 ] to obey is best, And love o walk As in o observe his providence, and on him sole depend, Merciful over all h good [ 565 ] Still overcoming evil, and by small Accomplis things deemd weak Subverting rong, and worldly wise By simply meek; t suffering for truths sake Is fortitude to victorie, [ 570 ] And to te of Life; taughis by his example whom I now Ackno. to w replid: t, t attained the summe [ 575 ] Of wisdom; arrs t by name, and all thereal Powers, All secrets of tures works, Or works of God in h, or Sea, And all t, [ 580 ] And all the rule, one Empire; onely add Deeds to th, Add vertue, Patience, temperance, add Love, By name to come calld Cie, the soul Of all t: t t be loath [ 585 ] to leave t s possess A Paradise hee, happier farr. 14 Let us descend noop Of Speculation; for the hour precise Exacts our parting he Guards, [ 590 ] By mee encampt on yonder tion, at w a flaming Sword, In signal of remove, waves fiercely round; e may no longer stay: go, waken Eve; le Dreams have calmd [ 595 ] Portending good, and all s composd to meek submission: t season fit Let ake heard, C may concern o know, t deliverance by o come [ 600 ] (For by the omans Seed) on all Mankind. t ye may live, which will be many dayes, Bothough sad, it, yet much more cheerd itation on the happie end. [ 605 ] he hill; Descended, Adam to the Bowre where Eve Lay sleeping ran before, but found ; And t sad she him receavd. urnst, and , I know; [ 610 ] For God is also in sleep, and Dreams advise, propitious, some great good Presaging, since s distress earied I fell asleep: but now lead on; In mee is no delay; o goe, [ 615 ] Is to stay to stay, Is to go o mee Art all thou, banisht hence. tion yet secure [ 620 ] I carry , Sucsaft, By mee tore. So spake our Mother Eve, and Adam heard ell pleasd, but ans; for nooo nigh [ 625 ] tood, and from ther hill to t Station, all in bright array the ground Gliding meteorous, as Evning Mist Risn from a River ore the marish glides, [ 630 ] And gat at the Labourers heel urning. advanct, t Shem blazd Fierce as a Comet; worrid , And vapour as t, [ 635 ] Began to parc temperate Clime; w In eitning Angel caught Our lingring Parents, and to tern Gate Led t, and do to ted Plaine; then disappeerd. [ 640 ] tern side beheld Of Paradise, so late t, avd over by t flaming Brand, te ithrongd and fierie Armes: Som natural tears t hem soon; [ 645 ] to choose t, and Providence thir guide: teps and slow, took tarie way.