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. 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 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, 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 Of wisdom; hope no higher, though all the stars Thou knew’st by name, and all the