The Angel Michael continues from the flood to relate what fhall fucceed; then, in the mention of Abraham, comes by degrees to explain who that Seed of the Woman shall be which was promised Adam and Eve in the fall. His incarnation, death, resurrection, and afcenfion; the ftate of the church till his fecond coming. Adam, greatly satisfied and recomforted by these relations and promifes, defcends the hill with Michael; wakens Eve, who all this while had flept, but with gentle dreams compofed to quietness of mind and fubmiffion. Michael in either hand leads them out of Paradife, the fiery fword waving behind them, and the Cherubim taking their stations to guard the place.
As one who in his journey bates at noon,
Though bent on fpeed; fo here the Archangel paus'd
Betwixt the world deftroy'd and world restor'd,
If Adam ought perhaps might interpofe;
Then with tranfition sweet new speech resumes.
"Thus thou haft seen one world begin and end;
And man as from a second stock proceed.
Much thou haft yet to fee, but I perceive
Thy mortal fight to fail; objects divine.
Muft needs impair and weary human sense.
Henceforth what is to come I will relate,
Thou therefore give due audience, and attend.
This fecond fource of men, while yet but few,
And while the dread of judgment past remains
Fresh in their minds, fearing the Deity,
With fome regard to what is just and right,
Shall lead their lives, and multiply apace,
Lab'ring the foil and reaping plenteous crop,
Corn, wine, and oil; and, from the herd or flock
Oft facrificing bullock, lamb, or kid,
With large wine-offerings pour'd, and facred feast,
Shall spend their days in joy unblam'd, and dwell
Long time in peace, by families and tribes,
Under paternal rule: till one fhall rife
Of proud ambitious heart, who, not content
With fair equality, fraternal state,
Will arrogate dominion undeferv'd
Over his brethren, and quite difpoffefs
Concord and law of nature from the earth,
Hunting (and men not beafts fhall be his game)
With war and hoftile fnare such as refuse
Subjection to his empire tyrannous :
A mighty hunter thence he shall be styl'd
Before the Lord, as in despite of Heaven,
Or from Heav'n claiming fecond foy'reignty;
And from rebellion fhall derive his name,
Though of rebellion others he accuse.
He with a crew, whom like ambition joins
With him or under him to tyrannize,
Marching from Eden tow'ards the weft, fhall find
The plain, wherein a black bituminous gurge
Boils out from under ground, the mouth of Hell:
Of brick, and of that stuff they cast to build
A city' and tow'r, whofe top may reach to Heaven;
And get themselves a name, left, far difpers'd
In foreign lands, their memory be loft,
Regardless whether good or evil fame.
But God, who oft defcends to vifit men
Unfeen, and through their habitations walks
To mark their doings, them beholding foon,
Comes down to see their city, ere the tower
Obftru&t Heav'n-tow'rs, and in derifion fets
Upon their tongues a various fpirit to rafe
Quite out their native language, and instead
To fow a jangling noife of words unknown.
Forthwith a hideous gabble rifes loud
Among the builders; each to other calls
Not understood, till hoarfe, and all in rage,
As mock'd, they ftorm: great laughter was in Heaven,
And looking down, to fee the hubbub ftrange
And hear the din; thus was the building left
Ridiculous, and the work Confufion nam'd."
Whereto thus Adam fatherly difpleas'd.
"O execrable fon, fo to aspire
Above his brethren, to himself affuming
Authority ufurp'd, from God not given:
He gave us only over beaft, fish, fowl,
Dominion abfolute; that right we hold
By his donation; but man over men
He made not lord: fuch title to himself
Referving, human left from human free.
But this ufurper his encroachment proud
Stays not on man; to God his tow'r intends
Siege and defiance. Wretched man! what food
Will he convey up thither to sustain
Himself and his rafh army, where thin air
Above the clouds will pine his entrails gross,
And famish him of breath, if not of bread?"
To whom thus Michael. 66
Juftly thou abhorr'ft
That fon, who on the quiet state of men
Such trouble brought, affecting to fubdue
Rational liberty; yet know withal,
Since thy original lapfe, true liberty
Is loft, which always with right reafon dwells
Twinn'd, and from her hath no dividual being.
Reason in man obfcur'd, or not obey'd,
Immediately inordinate defires
And upftart paffions catch the government
From reason, and to fervitude reduce
Man till then free. Therefore fince he permits
Within himself unworthy pow'rs to reign
Over free reason, God in judgment juft
Subjects him from without to violent lords;
Who oft as undeservedly inthrall
His outward freedom: tyranny must be,
Though to the tyrant thereby no excufe,
Yet fometimes nations will decline fo low
From virtue, which is reason, that no wrong,
But justice, and some fatal curfe annex'd,
Deprives them of their outward liberty,
Their inward loft. Witness th' irreverent fon
Of him who built the ark, who for the shame
Done to his father heard this heavy curse,
"Servant of servants," on his vicious race.
Thus will this latter, as the former world,
Still tend from bad to worse, till God at lafst,
Wearied with their iniquities, withdraw
His prefence from among them, and avert
His holy eyes; refolving from thenceforth
To leave them to their own polluted ways;
And one peculiar nation to select
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