Page:The Complete Poetical Works of John Milton.djvu/285

 BOOK TWELFTH

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��Then enter into glory, and resume

His seat at God's right hand, exalted high

Above all names in Heaven; and theuce

shall come,

When this World's dissolution shall be ripe, With glory and power, to judge both quick

and dead 460

To judge the unfaithful dead, but to re- ward

His faithful, and receive them into bliss, Whether in Heaven or Earth ; for then the

Earth

Shall all be Paradise, far happier place Than this of Eden, and far happier days." So spake the Archangel Michael; then

paused, As at the World's great period; and our

Sire,

Replete with joy and wonder, thus re- plied :

" O Goodness infinite, Goodness im- mense,

That all this good of evil shall produce, 470 And evil turn to good more wonderful Than 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 me done and occasioned, or rejoice 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 Heaven Must reascend, what will betide the few, 480 His faithful, left among the unfaithful

herd, The enemies of truth. Who then shall

guide His people, who defend ? Will they not

deal Worse with his followers than with him

they dealt?" " Be sure they will," said the Angel;

" but from Heaven He 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 their hearts

shall write,

To guide them in all truth, and also arm 490 With spiritual armour, able to resist

��Satan's assaults, and quench his fiery

darts

What man can do against them not afraid, Though to the death; against such cruelties With inward consolations recompensed, And oft supported so as shall amaze Their proudest persecutors. For the Spirit, Poured first on his Apostles, whom he sends To evangelize the nations, then on all Baptized, shall them with wondrous gifts

endue 500

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 Heaven:

at length, Their ministry performed, and race well

run,

Their doctrine and their story written left, They die; but in their room, as they fore- warn, Wolves shall succeed for teachers, grievous

wolves,

Who all the sacred mysteries of Heaven To their own vile advantages shall turn 510 Of lucre and ambition, and the truth With superstitions and traditions taint, Left only 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 join Secular power, though feigning still to act By spiritual; to themselves appropriating The Spirit of God, promised alike and

given

To all believers; and, from that pretence, 520 Spiritual laws by carnal power shall force On every conscience laws which none

shall find Left them enrowled, or what the Spirit

within Shall on the heart engrave. What will

they then But force the Spirit of Grace itself, and

bind

His consort, 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 conscience can be

heard

Infallible ? Yet many will presume : 530 Whence heavy persecution shall arise

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