“Till the day
  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
  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.”

These instructions finished, the angel bids Adam not seek to know any more, enjoining upon him to add deeds to knowledge, to cultivate patience, temperance, and love, promising, if he obeys, that Paradise will reign in his heart.  Then pointing out that the guards placed around Eden are waving their flashing swords and that it is time to awaken Eve, he bids Adam gradually impart to her all that he has learned through angelic revelations.  When they rejoin Eve, she explains how God sent her a dream which has soothed her heart and filled it with hope, making her realize that, although she has sinned and is unworthy, through her seed all shall be blessed.

Then the angel takes Adam and Eve by the hand and leads them out by the eastern gate into the world.  Gazing backward, our first parents catch their last glimpse of Paradise and behold at the gate the angel with a flaming sword.  Thus, hand in hand, dropping natural tears, they pass out into the world to select their place of rest, having Providence only for their guide.

PARADISE REGAINED

Having sung of Paradise Lost, Milton proposes as theme for a new epic “Paradise Regained.”  In it he purports to sing of “deeds heroic although in secret done” and to describe how Christ was led into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan.

Book I. While baptizing in the Jordan, John suddenly beheld Christ approaching, and, although he at first demurred, yielded at last to his request to baptize him too.  While the Baptist was doing this, a heavenly voice proclaimed Christ Son of God.  This was heard not only by John and his disciples, but also by the adversary, who, ever since the fall, had been roaming around the world, and who for years past has been closely watching the promised Redeemer in hopes of defeating his ends.

Suddenly realizing that the conflict between them is about to begin, Satan hastens back to Hades to take counsel with his crew.  When all are assembled, he reminds them how long they have ruled the earth, adding that the time has come when their power may be wrested from them and the curse spoken in Eden fulfilled.  He fears Jesus is the promised Messiah, owing to his miraculous birth, to the testimony of the precursor, and to the heavenly voice when he was baptized.  Besides he has recognized in Christ’s