Seis'd on by force, judg'd, and to death condemn'd
A fhameful and accurs'd, nail'd to the cross
By his own nation, flain for bringing life;
But to the cross he nails thy enemies,
The law that is against thee, and the fins
Of all mankind, with him there crucify'd,
Never to hurt them more who rightly trust
In this his fatisfaction; fo he dies,
But foon revives; death over him no power
Shall long ufurp; ere the third dawning light
Return, the stars of morn fhall fee him rife
Out of his grave, fresh as the dawning light,
Thy ransom paid, which man from death redeems,
His death for man,
as many as offer'd life
Neglect not, and the benefit embrace
By faith not void of works: this God-like act
Annuls thy doom, the death thou shouldft have dy'd,
In fin for ever loft from life; this act
Shall bruife the head of Satan, crush his ftrength, 430
Defeating fin and death, his two main arms,
And fix far deeper in his head their stings
Than temp'ral death fhall bruife the victor's heel,
Or theirs whom he redeems, a death like sleep,
A gentle wafting to immortal life.
Nor after refurrection fhall he stay
Longer on earth than certain times to' appear
To his difciples, 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 falvation, them who fhall believe
Baptizing in the profluent stream, the sign
Of washing them from guilt of fin to life
Pure, and in mind prepar'd, if fo befall,
For death, like that which the Redeemer dy’d.
All nations they fhall teach; for from that day
Not only to the fons of Abraham's loins
Salvation fhall be preach'd, but to the fons
Of Abraham's faith wherever through the world;
So in his feed all nations fhall be bleft.
Then to the Heav'n of Heav'ns he shall afcend
With victory, triumphing through the air
Over his foes and thine; there shall surprise
The Serpent, prince of air, and drag in chains
Through all his realm, and there confounded leave;
Then enter into glory, and refume
His feat at God's right hand, exalted high
Above all names in Heav'n; and thence fhall come, When this world's dissolution shall be ripe,
With glory' and pow'r to judge both quick and dead, To judge th' unfaithful dead, but to reward
His faithful, and receive them into bliss,
Whether in Heav'n or Earth, for then the Earth
Shall all be Paradife, far happier place
Than this of Eden, and far happier days.
So fpake th' Arch-Angel Michaël, then paus'd,
As at the world's great period; and our fire
Replete with joy and wonder thus reply'd.
O Goodness infinite, Goodness immenfe !
That all this good of evil fhall produce,
And evil turn to good; more wonderful
Than that which by creation firft brought forth
Light out of darkness! full of doubt I stand,
Whether I should repent me now of fin
By me done and occafion'd, or rejoice
Much more, that much more good thereof shall spring,
To God more glory, more good-will to men
From God, and over wrath grace shall abound.
But fay, if our Deliverer up to Heaven
Must reafcend, 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
Worfe with his followers than with him they dealt?
Be fure they will, faid th' Angel; but from Heaven
He to his own a Comforter will fend,
The promise of the Father, who shall dwell
His Spirit within them, and the law of faith
Working through love, upon their hearts fhall write,
To guide them in all truth, and also arm
With spiritual armour, able to refift
Satan's affaults, and quench his fiery darts,
What man can do against them, not afraid,
Though to the death, against fuch cruelties
With inward confolations recompens'd,
And oft fupported fo as fhall amaze
Their proudest perfecutors: for the Spirit
Pour'd first on his Apostles, whom he sends
To evangelize the nations, then on all
Baptiz'd, fhall them with wondrous gifts indue
To speak all tongues, and do all miracles,
As did their Lord before them. Thus they win
Great numbers of each nation to receive
With joy the tidings brought from Heav'n: at length
Their miniftry perform'd, and race well run,
Their doctrin and their story written left,
They die; but in their room, as they forewarn,
Wolves shall fucceed for teachers, grievous wolves,
Who all the facred myfteries of Heaven
To their own vile advantages fhall turn
Of lucre and ambition, and the truth
With fuperftitions and traditions taint,
Left only in those written records pure,
Though not but by the Spirit understood.
Then fhall they seek to' avail themselves of names, 515
Places, and titles, and with these to join
Secular pow'r; though feigning ftill to act
By fpiritual, to themselves appropriating
The Spirit of God, promis'd alike and given
To all believers; and from that pretence,
Spiritual laws by carnal pow'r fhall force
On every confcience; laws which none shall 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
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
On all who in the worship perfevere
Of fpi'rit and truth; the reft, far greater part,
Will deem in outward rites and fpecious forms
Religion fatisfied; truth fhall retire
Beftuck with fland'rous darts, and works of faith
Rarely be found: fo fhall the world go on,
To good malignant, to bad men benign,
Under her own weight groaning, till the day
Appear of refpiration to the juft,
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 righteoufnefs and peace and love,
To bring forth fruits, joy and eternal blifs.
He ended; and thus Adam last reply'd.
How foon hath thy prediction, Seer blest,
Measur'd this tranfient world, the race of time,
Till time stand fix'd? beyond is all abyss,
Eternity, whofe end no eye can reach.
Greatly instructed I shall hence depart,
Greatly in peace of thought, and have my fill
Of knowledge, what this veffel can contain ;
Beyond which was my folly to aspire.
Henceforth I learn, that to obey is best,
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