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810

Justice and Temperance, Truth and Faith forgot;
One Man except, the only Son of light
In a dark Age, against example good,
Against allurement, custom, and a World
Offended; fearless of reproach and fcorn,
Or violence, he of their wicked ways
Shall them admonish, and before them fet
The paths of righteousness, how much more fafe,
And full of peace, denouncing wrath to come 815
On their impenitence; and shall return

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Of them derided, but of God obferv'd.
The one juft Man alive; by his command
Shall build a wondrous Ark, as thou beheld,
To fave himself and houshold from amidst
A World devote to univerfal rack.
No fooner he with them of Man and Beaft
Select for life fhall in the Ark be lodg'd,
And shelter'd round, but all the Cataracts
Of Heav'n fet open on the Earth fhall pour
Rain day and night, all fountains of the Deep
Broke up, fhall heave the Ocean to ufurp
Beyond all bounds, till inundation rife
Above the highest Hills: then fhall this Mount
Of Paradife by might of Waves be mov'd
Out of his place, pufh'd by the horned flood,
With all his verdure fpoil'd, and Trees adrift
Down the great River to the op'ning Gulf,
And there take root an Inland falt and bare, 834
The haunt of Scales and Orcs, and Sea-mews clang

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To teach thee that God attributes to place
To fanctity, if none be thither brought
y Men who there frequent, or therein dwell.
And now what further shall enfue, behold.

He look'd, and faw the Ark hull on the flood, 843
Which now abated, for the Clouds were fled,
Driv'n by a keen North-wind, that blowing dry
Wrinkl'd the face of Deluge, as decay'd;
And the clear Sun on his wide watry Glafs
Gaz'd hot, and of the fresh Wave largely drew, 845
As after thirst, which made their flowing shrink
From standing lake to tripping ebb, that stole
With foft foot towards the deep, who now had stopt
His Sluces, as the Heav'n his windows fhut.

The Ark no more now flotes, but feems on ground
Faft on the top of some high mountain fixt.
And now the tops of Hills as Rocks appear;
With clamour thence the rapid Currents drive
Towards the retreating Sea their furious tyde.
Forthwith from out the Ark a Raven flies,
And after him the furer meffenger,

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A Dove fent forth once and again to spy
Green Tree or ground whereon his foot may light;
The second time returning, in his Bill
An Olive leaf he brings, pacific fign:
Anon dry ground appears, and from his Ark
The ancient Sire defcends with all his Train;
Then with uplifted hands, and eyes devout
Grateful to Heav'n, over his head beholds

A dewy Cloud, and in the Cloud a Bow

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Confpicuous with three lifted colours gay,
Betok'ning peace from God, and Cov'nant new.
Whereat the heart of Adam erft fo fad
Greatly rejoyc'd, and thus his joy broke forth.

O thou who future things canft reprefent $
As prefent, Heav'nly inftructor, I revive
At this last fight, assur'd that Man shall live
With all the Creatures, and their seed preserve.
Far lefs I now lament for one whole World
Of wicked Sons deftroy'd, than I rejoyce
For one Man found fo perfect and so juft,
That God vouchfafes to raise another World
From him, and all his anger to forget.
But fay, what mean those colour'd streaks in Heav'n,
Diftended as the Brow of God appeas'd,
Or ferve they as a flowry verge to bind
The fluid skirts of that fame watry Cloud,
Left it again diffolve and fhow'r the Earth?

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To whom th' Archangel. Dextroufly thou aim'ft; So willingly doth God remit his fre, Though late repenting him of Man deprav'd, Griev'd at his heart, when looking down he saw The whole Earth fill'd with violence, and all flesh Corrupting each their way; yet thofe remov'd, Such grace fhall one juft Man find in his fight, 890 That he relents, not to blot out mankind, And makes a Covenant never to destroy The Earth again by flecd, nor let the Sea

Surpafs his bounds, nor Rain to drown the World
With Man therein or Beaft; but when he brings 895
Over the Earth a Cloud, will therein fet
His triple-colour'd Bow, whereon to look
And call to mind his Cov'nant: Day and Night,
Seed time and Harvest, Heat and hoary Froft
Shall hold their courfe, till fire purge all things new,
2oth Heav'n and Earth, wherein the juft fhall dwell.

The End of the Eleventh Book.

❁0༧©O3/༥༣༦༅༡༠༥༧༧)

Paradife Loft.

BOOK XII.

The ARGUMENT. The Angel Michael continues from the Flood to relate what shall fucceed; then, in the mention of Abraham, comes by degrees to explain, who that Seed of the Woman shall be, which was promife Adam and Eve in the Fall; his Incar nation, Death, Refurrection, and Afcen tion; the fate of the Church till his fe cond Coming. Adam greatly fatisfied and recomforted by theje Relations and Promifes defcends the Hill with Mi chael; wakens Eve, who all this while bad lept, but with gentle dreams com tos'd to quietness of mind and fubmission. Michael in either hand leads them out of Paradife, the fiery Sword waving be hind them, and the Cherubim taking their Station to guard the Place.

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