The river dragon tam'd at length fubmits. To let his fojourners depart, and oft Humbles his stubborn heart, but ftill as ice More harden'd after thaw, till in his rage Pursuing whom he late difmis'd, the sea Swallows him with his hoft, but them let pass As on dry land between two cryftal walls, Aw'd by the rod of Mofes fo to stand Divided, till his rescued gain their shore: Such wondrous power God to his Saint will lend, Though present in his Angel, who fhall go Before them in a cloud, and pillar of fire, By day a cloud, by night a pillar of fire, To guide them in their journey, and remove Behind them, while the obdurate king pursues : All night he will purfue, but his approach Darkness defends between till morning watch; Then through the fiery pillar and the cloud God looking forth will trouble all his hoft, And craze their chariot wheels: when by command Mofes once more his potent rod extends Over the fea; the fea his rod obeys; On their imbattled ranks the waves return, And overwhelm their war: the race elect Safe towards Canaan from the fhore advance. Through the wild defart, not the readieft way, Left entring on the Canaanite alarm'd War terrify them inexpert, and fear Return them back to Egypt, choofing rather Inglorious life with fervitude; for life. To noble and ignoble is more sweet
Untrain'd in arms, where rashness leads not on. Thus alfo fhall they gain by their delay
In the wide wilderness, there they shall found Their government, and their great fenate choofe
Through the twelve tribes, to rule by laws ordain'd :- God from the mount of Sinai, whofe gray top Shall tremble, he descending will himself In thunder, lightning, and loud trumpets found,. Ordain them laws; part fuch as appertain To civil juftice, part religious rites.
Of facrifice, informing them, by types And fhadows, of that deftin'd Seed to bruise The Serpent, by what means he fhall achieve Mankind's deliverance. But the voice of God. To mortal ear is dreadful; they befeech That Mofes might report to them his will, And terror ceafe; he grants what they befought, Inftructed that to God is no access Without mediator, whofe high office now Mofes in figure bears, to introduce
One greater, of whofe day he fhall foretell, And all the prophets in their age the times Of great Meffiah fhall fing. Thus laws and rites Establish'd, fuch delight hath God in men Obedient to his will, that he vouchsafes Among them to fet up his tabernacle, The holy one with mortal men to dwell: By his prefcript a fanctuary is fram'd- Of cedar, overlaid with gold, therein An ark, and in the ark his teftimony, The records of his covenant, over thefe A mercy-feat of gold between the wings. Of two bright Cherubim; before him burn. Sev'n lamps as in a zodiac representing The heav'nly fires; over the tent a cloud Shall reft by day, a fiery gleam by night, Save when they journey, and at length they come, Conducted by his Angel to the land
Promis'd to Abraham and his feed: the rest
Were long to tell, how many battels fought, How many kings deftroy'd, and kingdoms won, Or how the fun fhall in mid heaven stand still A day entire, and night's due courfe adjourn, Man's voice commanding, Sun in Gibeon ftand, And thou moon in the vale of Ajalon, Till Ifrael overcome; fo call the third From Abraham, fon of Ifaac, and from him His whole defcent, who thus fhall Canaan win. Here Adam interpos'd.
Inlightner of my darkness, gracious things Thou haft reveal'd, thofe chiefly which concern Juft Abraham and his feed: now first I find Mine eyes true opening, and my heart much eas'd, Erewhile perplex'd with thoughts what would become Of me and all mankind; but now I fee
His day, in whom all nations fhall be bleft, Favour unmerited by me, who fought 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 fo various laws are giv'n; So many laws argue fo many fins
Among them; how can God with fuch refide?
To whom thus Michael. Doubt not but that fin Will reign among them, as of thee begot; And therefore was law given them to evince Their natural pravity, by stirring up
Sin against law to fight: that when they see Law can difcover fin, but not remove, Save by these shadowy expiations weak,
The blood of bulls and goats, they may conclude- Some blood more precious must be paid for man. Just for unjust, that in fuch righteousness To them by faith imputed, they may find
Juftification towards God, and peace
Of confcience, which the law by ceremonies Cannot appease, nor man the moral part Perform, and not performing cannot live. So law appears imperfect, and but given With purpose to refign them in full time Up to a better covenant, difciplin'd
From shadowy types to truth, from flesh to spirit, From impofition of strict laws to free Acceptance of large grace, from fervile fear
To filial, works of law to works of faith.
And therefore fhall not Mofes, though of God Highly belov'd, being but the minister
Of law, his people into Canaan lead ;
But Joshua whom the Gentiles Jefus call,
His name and office bearing, who fhall quell The adversary Serpent, and bring back
Through the world's wilderness long wander'd man Safe to eternal Paradise of rest.
Mean while they in their earthly Canaan plac'd Long time fhall dwell and prosper, but when fins National interrupt their public peace,
Provoking God to raise them enemies ; From whom as oft he faves them penitent By judges first, then under kings; of whom The fecond, both for piety renown'd And puiffant deeds, a promise shall receive Irrevocable, that his regal throne
For ever fhall endure; the like fhall fing All prophecy, that of the royal stock Of David (fo I name this king) fhall rife A fon, the Woman's feed to thee foretold, Foretold to Abraham, as in whom fhall truft All nations, and to kings foretold, of kings The laft, for of his reign, fhall be no end.
But firft a long fucceffion muft ensue,
And his next fon, for wealth and wisdom fam'd, The clouded ark of God, till then in tents Wand'ring, shall in a glorious temple inshrine. Such follow him as fhall be register'd
Part good, part bad, of bad the longer fcroll, Whofe foul idolatries, and other faults Heaped to the popular fum, will fo incenfe God, as to leave them, and expose their land, Their city, his temple, and his holy ark With all his facred things, a fcorn and prey To that proud city, whofe high walls thou faw'ft Left in confufion, Babylon thence call'd. There in captivity he lets them dwell
The space of fev'nty years, then brings them back, Remembering mercy, and his covenant fworn To David, stablish'd as the days of heav'n. Return'd from Babylon by leave of kings
Their lords, whom God difpos'd, the house of God They first re-edify, and for a while
In mean estate live moderate, till grown In wealth and multitude, factious they grow; But first among the priests diffenfion fprings, Men who attend the altar, and should most Endeavour peace: their ftrife pollution brings Upon the temple itfelf: at laft they seize The fceptre, and regard not David's fons, Then lose it to a stranger, that the true Anointed king Meffiah might be born Barr'd of his right; yet at his birth a star Unfeen before in heav'n proclaims him come, And guides the eastern fages, who inquire His place, to offer incenfe, myrrh, and gold; His place of birth a folemn Angel tells To fimple fhepherds, keeping watch by night-;
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