BOOK TWELFTH
��243
��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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