Paradise Lost - Book 12 of 12 - John Milton

book 12 of Paradise Lost second edition by John Milton this LibriVox recording is in the public domain recording by Thomas Copeland book 12 the argument the angel Michael continues from the flood to relate what shall succeed 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 ascension the state of the church till his second coming Adam greatly satisfied and were comforted by these relations and promises descends the hill with Michael wake conceive who all this while had slept but with gentle dreams composed to quietness of mind and Submission Michael in either hand leads them out of paradise the fiery sword waving behind them and the chair of him taking their stations to guard the place as one who in his journey Bates at noon though bent on speed so here the Archangel paused they twixt the world destroyed and world restored if Adam art perhaps might interpose then with transition sweet new speech resumes thus thou hast seen one world begin and end and man as from a second stall proceed much thou hast yet to see but I perceive thy mortal sight to fail objects divine must needs impair and weary human sense henceforth what is to come I will relate thou therefore give do audience and attend this second source of men while yet but few and while the dread of judgment past remains fresh in their minds fearing the deity with some regard to what is just and right shall lead their lives and multiply a pace labouring the soil and reaping plenteous crop corn wine and oil and from the herd or flock oft sacrificing Bullock lamb or kid with large wine offerings board and sacred feast shall spend their days in joy unblameable on time in peace by families and tribes under paternal rule till one shall rise of proud ambitious heart who not content with fair equality fraternal state will arrogate Dominion undeserved over his brethren and quite dispossessed concordant law of nature from the earth hunting and men not beasts shall be his game with war and hostile snare such as refused subjection to his empire tyrannous a mighty hunter thence he shall be styled before the Lord as in despite of heaven or from heaven claiming second sovereignty and from rebellion shall 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 towards the west shall find the plain we're in a black the tomb earnest girge boils out from underground the mouth of hell of brick and of that stuff they cast to build a city and tower whose top may reach to heaven and get themselves a name lest far disbursed in foreign lands the memory be lost regardless whether good or evil fame but God who offed descends to visit men unseen and through their habitations walks to mark their doings then beholding soon comes down to see the city ere the tower obstruct heaven towers and in derision sets upon their tongues a various spirit to raise quite out the native language and instead to sew a jangling noise of words unknown forth with the hideous gable Rises loud among the builders each to other calls not understood to horse and all in rage as mocked they store great laughter was in heaven and looking down to see the hubbub strange and here the din thus was the building left ridiculous and the work confusion named where to thus Adam fatherly displeased Oh XAR crippled son so to aspire above his brethren to himself affirming Authority usurped from God not given he gave us only over beasts fish fowl Dominion absolute that right behold by his donation not man over men he made not Lord such title to himself reserving human left from human free but this zarbor his encroachment proud stays not unmanned to God his tower intense siege in defiance wretched man but food will he convey up there to sustain himself in his rash army with thin air above the clouds will pine his entrails gross and famish him of breath if not a dread tomb thus Michael justly thou have Horst that son who on the quiet state of men such trouble brought affecting to subdue rational Liberty yet know with all since thy original Labs true Liberty is lost which always with the right reason dwells twinned and from her hath no dividual being reason and man obscured or not obeyed immediately inordinate desires and upstart passions catch the government from reason and to servitude reduce man till then free therefore since he permits within himself unworthy powers to reign over free reason God in judgment just subjects him from without to violent Lords who oft as undeservedly enthrall his outward freedom terror name must be though to the tyrant thereby no excuse yet sometimes nations will decline so low from virtue which is reason that no wrong but justice and some fatal curse annexed deprives them of their outward Liberty their inward laws witness the reverent son of him who built the ark who for the shamed unto his father heard this heavy curse servant of servants on his vicious race thus were this latter as the fore world's still tend from bad to worse till God at last we read with their iniquities withdraw his presence from among them and avert his holy eyes resolving from thence forth to leave them to their own polluted ways and one peculiar nation to select from all the rest of whom to be invoked a nation from one faithful man to spring him on this side Euphrates yet residing bread up in idol worship oh man canst thou believe should be so stupid drone while yet the patriarch lived to escape the flood as to her sake the Living God and fall to worship their own work in wood and stone for God's yet him God the Most High vowed safes to call by vision from his father's house his kindred in false gods into a land which he will show him and from him will raise a mighty nation and upon him shower his benediction so that in his seed all nations shall be blessed he Street obeys not knowing to what land yet firm believes I see him but thou canst not with what faith he leaves his gods his friends and native soil who are of khaldiya passing now the Ford to haver after him a cumbrous train of herds and flocks and numerous servitude not wandering poor but trusting all his wealth with God who called him in the land unknown Canaan he now attains I see his tents pitched about Shechem and the neighbouring plain of more ever thereby promise he receives gift to his progeny of all that land from hema 'the northward to the desert south things by their names i call though yet unnamed from hermann east to the great western sea mount hermon yonder sea each place behold in prospect as i point them on the shore mount carmel here the double fountains stream jordan true limit eastward but his son shall dwell to señor that long ridge of hills this ponder that all nations of the earth shall in his seed be blessed by that seed is meant thy great deliverer who shall bruise the Serpent's head wear out to the anon plane there shall be revealed this patriarch blessed whom faithful Abraham do time shall call a son and of his son a grandchild leaves like him in faith in wisdom and renown the grandchild with twelve sons increased departs from Canaan to a land hereafter called Egypt / the River Nile sea where it flows to scourging at seven mouths into the sea to sojourn in that land he comes invited by a younger son in time of dearth the son who's worthy deeds raised him to be the second in that realm of Pharaoh there he dies and leaves his race growing into a nation and now grown suspected to a sequined king who seeks to stop their overgrowth as inmate guests to numerous quince of guests he makes them slaves in hospitably and kills their infant males till by two brethren to those two brethren called Moses and Aaron sent from God to claim his people from enthrall men they return with glory and spoiled back to the promised land but first the lawless tyrant who denies to know the God or message to regard must be compelled by signs and judgments dire to blood unshared to the rivers must be turned frogs lice and flies must all his palace filled with loads intrusion and fill all the land his cattle must have rocked and Marin die bachas and blames must all his flesh emboss and all his people Thunder mixed with hail hail mixed with fire must rend the Egyptian sky and wheel on the earth devouring where trolls but a devours not herb or fruit or grain a dark sand cloud of locusts swarming down must eat and on the ground leave nothing dream darkness must overshadow all his bounds countable darkness and blot out three days last with one midnight stroke all the firstborn of Egypt must lie dead thus with ten wounds this river dragon tamed at length submits to let his sojourners depart and oft humbles his stubborn heart that still as ice more hardened after thaw till in his rage pursuing whom he late dismissed the sea swallows him with his host but them let's pass as on dry land between two crystal walls awed by the rod of Moses so to stand divided till his rescued gain their Shore such wondrous power God to his saint will end though present in his angel who shall go before them in a cloud and pillar of fire to guide them in their journey and remove behind them while the jurat King pursues all 90 will pursue but his approach darkness defends between till morning watch then through the fiery pillar in the cloud God looking for will trouble all his hosts and crazed the chariot wheels when by command Moses once more his potent rod extends over the sea the sea is rod or base on their embattled ranks the waves return and overwhelmed a war the racy legged safe towards Canaan from the shore advance through the wild desert not the radiused way lest entering on the Canaanite alarmed war terrify them in expert and fear return them back to Egypt choosing rather inglorious life with servitude for life to noble and ignoble is more sweet untrained in arms we're rational EADS not on this also shall they gain by the delay in the wide wilderness there they shall found the government and the great Senate Jews to the 12 tribes to rule bylaws ordained God from the Mount of Sinai whose gray top shell tremble he descending will himself in thunder lightning and loud trumpet sound ordained them laws part such as a pertain to civil justice part religious rites of sacrifice informing them by types and shadows of that destined seed to bruise the serpent by what means he shall achieve mankind's deliverance but the voice of God to mortal ear is dreadful they beseech that Moses might report to them his will and terror seized he grants them the desire instructed that to God is no excess without mediator whose high office now Moses in figure bears to introduce one greater of whose day he shall foretell and all the prophets in their age the times of great Messiah shall sing thus laws and rights established such delight hath God in men obedient to his will that he vowed safes among them to set up his tabernacle the holy one with mortal men to dwell by his prescript the sanctuary is framed of cedar overlaid with gold therein and are and in the are his testimony the records of his covenant over these a mercy seat of gold between the wings of two bright cherubim before him burned seven lamps is in a zodiac representing the heavenly fires over the tent a cloud shall rest by day a fiery gleam by night save when they journey and at length they come conducted by his angel to the land promised to Abraham and his seed the rest were long to tell how many battles fought how many kings destroyed in kingdoms won or how the Sun shall in Midheaven stand still a day and tire at nights due course of gern man's voice commanding son and Gibeon stand and thou moon in the Vale of Isle on till Israel overcome so-called the third from Abraham son of Isaac and from him his whole descent who thus shall canaan win here adam interposed Oh sent from heaven and Lightner of my darkness gracious things the hast revealed those chiefly which concern just Abraham and is seen now first I find mine eyes true opening and my heart much eased there while perplexed with thoughts what would become of me and all mankind but now I see his day in whom all nations shall be blessed favor unmerited by me who sucked forbidden knowledge by forbidden means this yet I apprehend not why to those among whom God will deign to dwell on earth so many and so various laws are given so many laws argue so many sins among them how can God with such reside to whom thus Michael dark not but that sin will reign among them as of thee begot and therefore was log given to them to evince the natural private II by stirring up sin against law to fight that when they say law can discover sin but not remove say by those shadowy expirations weak the blood of bulls and goats they may conclude some blood more precious must be paid for man just for unjust that in such righteousness to them by faith imputed they may find justification towards God and peace of conscience which the law by ceremonies cannot appease nor man the moral part the form and not performing cannot live so law appears imperfect and but given with purpose to resign them in full time up to a better covenant discipline from shadowy types to truth from flesh to spirit from imposition of strict laws to free acceptance of large grace from servile fear to figlio works of law to works of faith and therefore shall not Moses though of God highly beloved being but the minister of law his people into Canaan lead but Joshua when the Gentiles Jesus call his name and office bearing who shall quell the adversary Serpent and bring back through the world's wilderness long wandered man safe to eternal paradise of rest meanwhile they in their earthly Canaan placed long time shall dwell and prosper but when sins national interrupt their public peace provoking God to raise them enemies from whom is oft he saves them penitent but judges first then under kings of whom the second both for piety renowned and puissant deeds a promise shall receive irrevocable that his regal throne forever shall endure the light shall sing all prophecy that of the Royal stock of David so I named this King shall rise a son the woman seed to thee foretold were told to Abraham as in whom shall trust all nations and to Kings were told of Kings the last four of his reign shall be no end but first a long succession must ensue and his next son for wealth and wisdom famed the clouded Ark of God till then in tents wandering shall in a glorious temple enshrine such follow him as shall be registered art good art bad a bad the longer scroll whose fowl idolatries and other faults heaped to the popular some will so incensed God as to leave them and expose the land the city his temple and his Holy Ark with all his sacred things a scorn and prey to that proud City whose high walls the sauce left in confusion Babylon thence called therein Tiffany he lets them dwell the space of 70 years then brings them back remembering mercy and his covenant sworn to David established as the days of heaven return from Babylon by leave of kings the Lords whom God disposed the house of God they first rieta fie and for a while in Mina stately of moderate till grown in wealth and multitude factionists they grow but first among the priests dissension Springs men who attend the altar and should most endeavor beasts their strife pollution brings upon the temple itself at last they seize the sceptre and regard not David sons then lose it to a stranger that the true anointed King Messiah might be born bard of his right yet at his birth a star unseen before in heaven proclaims him come and guides the eastern sages who enquire his place to offer incense myrrh and gold his place of birth a solemn angel tells two simple Shepherds keeping watch by night they gladly liver haste and by a choir of squadron angels hear his Carol sung a virgin is his mother but his sire the power of the Most High he shall ascend the throne hereditary and bound his reign with Earth's wide bounds his glory with the heavens he ceased discerning Adam with such joy surcharged as had like grief been dude in tears without the vent words which the ease he breathed o prophet of glad tidings finisher of utmost Hope now clear I understand what oft my steadiest thoughts of searched in vain why our great expectation should be called the seed of woman virgin mother hail high in the love of heaven yet from my loins thou shalt proceed and from thy womb the son of God most high so God with man unites needs must a serpent now his capital brews expect with mortal pain say where and when the fight what stroke shall grooves the victors heal to whom thus Michael the dream not of their fight is of a duel for the local wounds of head or heal not therefore joins the Sun manhood to Godhead with more strength to foil the enemy nor so is overcome Satan whose fall from heaven a deadlier bruise disabled not to give thee thy deaths wound which he becomes thy Saviour shall wreak you not by destroying Satan but his works Indian in thy seed nor can this be but by fulfilling that which thou didst want obedience to the law of God imposed on penalty of death and suffering death the penalty to thy transgression do and do to theirs which out of thine will grow so only can high justice rest o paid the law of God exact he shall fulfill both by obedience and by love though love alone fulfil the law by punishment he shall endure by coming in the flesh to her approach for life and courser death proclaiming life to all who shall believe in his Redemption and that his obedience imputed becomes theirs by faith his merits to save them not their own the legal works for this he shall live hated be blessed fiend seized on by force judged and to death condemned a shameful and cursed nailed to the cross by his own nation slain for bringing life but to the cross he nails the enemies the law that is against thee and the sea of all mankind with him there crucified never to hurt them more who rightly trusts in this his satisfaction so he dies but soon revives death over him no power shall long usurped ere the third dawning light returned the stars of morn shall see him rise out of his grave fresh as the dawning light thy ransom paid which man from death redeems his death for man as many has offered life neglect not and the benefit embraced by faith not void of works this godlike act and nulls thy doom the death thou should stir died in sin forever lost from life this act shall bruise the head of Satan crush his strength defeating sin and death is two main arms and fix far deeper in his head their stings than temporal death shall bruise the victors heel or theirs hue redeems a death like sleep a gentle wafting to immortal life nor after resurrection shall he stay longer on earth than certain times to appear to his disciples men who in his life still followed him to them shall leave in charge to teach all nations what of him they learned and his salvation their Musha believed baptizing in the Prophet windstream the sign of washing them from guilt of sin to life fuel and in mind prepared if so befall for death like that which the Redeemer died all nations they shall teach for from that day not only to the sons of Abraham's law and salvation shall be preached but to the sons of Abraham's faith forever through the world so in his seed all nations shall be blessed then to the heaven of heavens he shall ascend with victory triumphing through the air over his foes and dined there shall surprised the serpent Prince of air and dragon chains through all his and their confounded leave then enter into glory and resume his seat at God's right hand exalted high above all names in heaven and then shall come when this world's dissolution shall be ripe with glory and power to judge both quick and dead to judge then faithful dead but to reward his faithful and receive them into bliss whether in heaven or earth for them 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 replied oh goodness infinite goodness immense that all this good of evil shall produce and evil turned a 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 goodwill to men from God and over wrath grace shall abound but say if I would deliver her up to heaven must reassemble betide the few is faithful left among the unfaithful heard 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 thy will said the angel ba 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 heart shall write to guide them in all truth and also armed with spiritual armor 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 recommenced and oft supported so is shall amaze the proudest persecutors for the Spirit poured first on his apostles whom he sends to evangelize the nations then are all baptized shall them with wondrous gifts and you to speak all tongues and do all miracles as to the Lord before him thus they win great numbers of each nation to receive with joy the tidings brought from heaven at length the ministry performed and race well run the doctrine and their story written left they died but in the room as therefore worn woo 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 pretense spiritual laws by carnal power shall force on every conscience laws which none shall find left them enrolled or what the spirit within shell on the hardened grave what will they then but force the spirit of grace itself and bind his console Liberty what but unbilled 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 in fallible yet many will presume whence heavy persecution shall arise on all who in the worship persevere of spirit and truth the rest for greater part will deem an outward rights and specious forms religion satisfied truth shall retire be stuck with slanderous darts and works of faith rarely be found so shall the world go on to good two bad men benign under our own weight groaning to the day appear of respiration to the just and vengeance to the wicked at the turn of him so lately promised that i aid the woman seemed obscurely then foretold now amply are known thy Saviour and I Lord last in the clouds from heaven to be revealed in glory of the Father to dissolve Satan and his perverted world then raised from the conflict Hrant 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 blessed measure this transient world the race of time took time stand think'st beyond is all abyss eternity whose end no I can reach greatly instructed I shall hence depart greatly in peace of thought and have my fill of knowledge but this vessel can contain beyond which was my folly to aspire henceforth I learned that too obeys best and love with fear the only God to walk us in his presence ever to observe his Providence and on him soul depend merciful over all his works with good still overcoming evil and by small accomplishing great things by things deemed weak subvert world is strong and worldly wise by simply neat that suffering for truth sake his fortitude to highest victory and to the faithful death the gate of life taught this by his example whom I now knowledge my redeemer ever blessed tomb thus also the angel last replied this having learned though has detained the sum of wisdom hope no higher though all the stars down use by name and all the theory of powers all secrets of the deep all nature's works or works of God in heaven air earth or sea and all the riches of this world and joys and all the rule one Empire only ad deems to thy knowledge answerable ad faith at virtue patience temperance had loved by named calm called charity the soul of all the rest then wilt thou not be looked to be this paradise but shall possess a paradise within me happier far let us descend now therefore from this top of speculation for the hour precise exact sour parting hence and see the guards by me encamped on yonder Hill expect their motion but whose front a flaming sword in signal remove waves fiercely round we may no longer stay go wake and Eve her also I with gentle dreams have calmed pretending good and all her spirits composed to make submission thou at CSUN fit let her with the putt take what thy was turned chiefly what may concern her faith to know the great deliverance by her seed to come for by the woman seemed on all mankind that he may live which will be many days both in one faith unanimous no sad the cause for evils past yet much more cheered with meditation on the happy end he ended and they both descend the hill descended Adam to the Bower where Eve lay sleeping ran before but found her winked and thus with words not sad she him received whence thou returnest and whither whenst I know for God is also in sleep and dreams advise which he had sent officious some great good priests aging since with sorrow and heart's distress wearied I fell asleep but now lead on in me is no delay with me to go is to stay here without the here to stay is to go hence unwilling thou to me art all things under heaven all places thou who for my wilful crime are vanished hence this further consolation yet secure I carry hence though all by me is lost such favor aye unworthy about saved by me the promised seed shall all restore so spake our mother Eve and Adam heard well pleased but answered not for now - neither cane juice stood and from the other hill to their fixed station all in bright array the cherubim descended on the ground gliding meteor us as evening mist risen from a river or the marish glides and gathers ground fast at the labourers heel homeward returning high in front advanced the brandished sword of God before them blazed fierce as a comet which with torrid heat and vapor as the libyan air a dust began to parched that temperate clime where at in either hand the hastening angel caught her lingering parents and to the stern gate led them direct and down the cliff is fast to the subjective plane then disappeared they looking back all be Stern side the held of paradise so late their happy seat waved over by that flaming brand the gate with dreadful faces thronged and fiery arms some natural tears they talked but wiped them soon the world was all before them where to choose the place of rest and Providence the guide they hand in hand with wandering steps and slow to Eden took their solitary way notes argument the angel proceeded thence from the flood relates and by degrees explains who that seed 1667 lines one through five these five lines were added in the second edition 1674 when the original tenth book was divided into an eleventh and twelve the end of book twelve recording by Thomas Copeland the end of Paradise Lost 2nd edition by John Milton

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Length: 39min 0sec (2340 seconds)

Published: Fri Mar 22 2019