To noble and ignoble is more fweet Untrain'd in arms, where rafhness leads not on. This alfo fhall they gain by their delay
In the wide wildernefs, there they shall found Their government, and their great fenate choose Through the twelve tribes, to rule by laws ordain'd: God from the mount of Sinai whofe grey top
Shall tremble, he defcending, will himself,
In thunder, lightning, and loud tempest's sound, Ordain them laws; part fuch as appertain To civil justice, part religious rites Of facrifice, informing them, by types And fhadows, of that deftin'd feed to bruife The ferpent, by what means he shall achieve
Mankind's deliverance. But the voice of God To mortal ear is dreadful; they beseech 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 thall foretel,
And all the prophets in their age the times
Of great Meffi'ah fhall fing. Thus laws and rites
Etablish'd, fuch delight hath God in men
Obedient to his will, that he vouchfafes 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 these 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 battles fought, How many kings destroy'd, and kingdoms won, Or how the fun fhall in mid heav'n stand still A day entire, and night's due courfe adjourn, Man's voice commanding, Sun in Gibeon stand, 265 And thou moon in the vale of A1alon, 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: O fent from heav'n,. Enlightner of my darknefs, gracious things Thou haft reveal'd, thofe chiefly which concern Just 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 thofe Among whom God will deign to dwell on earth So many and fo various laws are given;
So many laws argue fo many
Among them; how can God with fuch refide?
To whom thus Michael: Doubt not but that fin 285
Will reign among them, as of thee begot ;
And therefore was law giv'n them, to evince
Their natural pravity, by stirring up
Sin against law to fight; that when they fee
Law can difcover fin, but not remove,
Save by those shadowy expiations weak,
The blood of bulls and goats, they may conclude Some blood more precious must be paid for man, Juft 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 appeafe, 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, disciplin'd
From fhadowy types to truth, from flesh to spirit, From impofition of strict laws to free
Acceptance of large grace, from servile fear To filial, works of law to works of faith.
And therefore fhall not Mofes, though of God Highly belov'd, being but the minifter
Of law, his people into Canaan lead;
But Joshua, whom the Gentiles Jefus call,
His name and office bearing, who thall quell
The adversary ferpent, and bring back
Through the world's wilderness long wander'd man Safe to eternal paradife of rest.
Mean while they, in their earthly Canaan plac'd,
Long time fhall dwell and profper; 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 promife shall receive Irrevocable, that his regal throne For ever thall endure; the like fhall fing All prophefy, that of the royal ftock Of David (fo I name this king) fhall rife A fon, the woman's feed to thee foretold, Foretold to Abraham, as in whom shall truft All nations, and to kings foretold, of kings The last, for of his reign (hall be no end. But first a long fucceffion muft enfue:
And his next fon, for wealth and wifdom fam'd, The clouded ark of God, till then in tents Wand'ring, fhall in a glorious temple infhrine. Such follow him as shall be register'd
Part good, part bad; of bad the longer fcroll, Whole foul idolatries, and other faults Heap'd 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 saw'st Left in confufion, Babylon thence call'd. There in captivity he lets them dwell
The space of fev❜nty years, then brings them back, Rememb'ring mercy, and his covenant fworn To David, ftablish'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 eftate live moderate, till grown
In wealth and multitude, factious they grow: But first among the priests diffention springs, Men who attend the altar and should most Endeavour peace; their frife pollution brings Upon the temple itfeif: at laft they feize The fceptre, and regard not David's fons, Then lofe 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 enquire His place, to offer incenfe, myrrh, and gold: His place of birth a folemn angel tells
To fimple thepherds, keeping watch by night; They gladly thither hafte, and by a choir Of fquadron'd angels hear his carol fung.
A virgin is his mother, but his fire
The power of the Moft High: he shall afcend The throne hereditary, and bound his reign
With earth's wide bounds, his glory with the heav'n's. He ceas'd, difcerning Adam with fuch joy
Surcharg'd, as had like grief been dew'd in tears, Without the vent of words, which these he breath'd: O Prophet of glad tidings, finisher
Of utmost hope! now clear I understand
What oft my steadieft thoughts have search'd in vain ; Why our great expectation should be call'd The Seed of Woman: Virgin mother, hail,
High in the love of heav'n, yet from my loins
Thou falt procecd, and from thy womb the Son Of God molt High; fo God with man unites. Needs muft the ferpent now his capital bruise Expect with mortal pain: fay where and when Their fight, what ftroke fhall bruife the victor's heel. To whom thus Michael: Dream not of their fight, As of a duel, or the local wounds
Of head or heel: not therefore joins the Son Manhood to Godhead, with more strength to foil Thy enemy; nor fo is overcome
Satan, whofe fall from heav'n, a deadlier bruise, Difabled not to give thee thy death's wound; Which he, who comes thy Saviour, fhall recure ; Not by deftroying Satan, but his works In thee and in thy feed: nor can this be But by fulfilling that which thou didst want, Obedience to the law of God, impos'd
On penalty of death, and fuffering death, The penalty to thy tranfgreffion due,
And due to theirs, which out of thine will grow: 400 So only can high justice reft appaid.
The law of God exact he fhall fulfil
Both by obedience and by love, though love Alone fulfil the law; thy punishment He fhall endure, by coming in the flesh To a reproachful life and curfed death, Proclaiming life to all who fhall believe In his redemption, and that his obedience Imputed becomes theirs by faith, his merits
To fave them, not their own, though legal works. For this he shall live hated, be blafphem❜d,
Seiz'd on by force, judg'd, and to death condemn'd A fhameful and accurs'd, nail'd to the cross By his own nation, flain for bringing life : But to the cross he nails thy enemies, The law that is against thee, and the fins Of all mankind, with him there crucify'd, Never to hurt them more who rightly truft In this his fatisfaction; fo he dies,
But foon revives; Death over him no power
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