"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 "To speak all tongues, and do all miracles,

"As did their Lord before them.

"Great numbers of each nation to

Thus they win

receive

"With joy the tidings brought from Heaven: at length, "Their ministry performed, and race well run,

"Their doctrine and their story written left,

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They die: but in their room, as they forewarn,

"Wolves shall succeed for teachers-grievous wolves,
"Who all the sacred mysteries of Heaven
"To their own vile advantages shall turn
"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,
"Spiritual laws by carnal power shall force
"On every conscience; laws which none shall find
"Left them enrolled, 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:

"Whence heavy persecution shall arise
"On all, who in the worship persevere
"Of spirit and truth; the rest (far greater part)
"Will deem in outward rites and specious forms
"Religion satisfied; truth shall retire

500

510

520

530

"Bestruck with slanderous darts, and works of faith 'Rarely be found. So shall the world go on,

"To good malignant, to bad men benign;

"Under her own weight groaning; till the day

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Appear of respiration to the just,

"And vengeance to the wicked, at return

"Of him so lately promised to thy aid,

"The Woman's seed; obscurely then foretold,

"Now amplier known thy Saviour and thy Lord;

Last, in the clouds, from Heaven to be revealed "In glory of the Father, to dissolve

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Satan, with his perverted world; then raise "From the conflagrant mass, purged and refined, "New Heavens, new Earth, ages of endless date, "Founded in righteousness, and peace, and love; "To bring forth fruits, joy, and eternal bliss!" He ended, and thus Adam last replied: "How soon hath thy prediction, seer blest, "Measured this transient world, the race of time, "Till time stand fixed! Beyond is all abyss"Eternity, whose end no eye can reach.

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'Greatly instructed I shall hence depart;

"Greatly in peace of thought; and have my fill
"Of knowledge—what this vessel can contain ;
Beyond which was my folly to aspire.
"Henceforth I learn, that to obey is best,
"And love with fear the only God; to walk
"As in his presence; ever to observe
"His providence; and on him sole depend,
"Merciful over all his works, with good
"Still overcoming evil, and by small

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Accomplishing great things-by things deemed weak
Subverting worldly strong, and worldly wise

By simply meek: that suffering for truth's sake "Is fortitude to highest victory;

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And, to the faithful, death the gate of life;

Taught this by his example, whom I now "Acknowledge my Redeemer ever blest."

To whom thus also the Angel last replied: "This having learned, thou hast attained the sum