In the wide wilderness, there they shall found Their government, and their great senate choose Through the twelve Tribes, to rule by laws ordain'd: God from the mount of Sinai, whose gray top Shall tremble, he descending, will himself In thunder, lightning, and loud trumpet's sound, Ordain them laws; part such as appertain To civil justice, part religious rites Of sacrifice, informing them, by types And shadows, of that destin'd 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 cease; he grants what they besought, Instructed that to God is no access Without mediator, whose high office now Moses in figure bears, to introduce One greater, of whose day he shall foretel, And all the prophets in their age the times Of great Messi'ah shall sing. Thus laws and rites Establish'd, such delight hath God in men Obedient to his will, that he vouchsafes Among them to set up his tabernacle, The holy One with mortal men to dwell: By his prescript a sanctuary is fram'd Ofeedar, overlaid with gold, therein An ark, and in the ark his testimony, The records of his covenant, over these A mercy-seat 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 rest 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 seed: the rest 260 Were long to tell, how many battles fought, How many kings destroy'd, and kingdoms won, Or how the sun shall in mid Heav'n stand still A day entire, and night's due course adjourn, Man's voice commanding, Sun in Gibeon stand, And thou Moon in the vale of Aialon, Till Israel overcome; so call the third From Abraham, son of Isaac, and from him His whole descent, who thus shall Canaan win. Here Adam interpos'd: O sent from Heav'n, 270 Inlight'ner of my darkness, gracious things Thou hast reveal'd, those chiefly which concern Just Abraham and his seed: now first I find
Mine eyes true opening, and my heart much eas'd, Erewhile perplex'd with thoughts what would be-
Of me and all mankind; but now I see His day, in whom all nations shall be blest, Favor unmerited by me, who sought 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: Doubt not but that Sin 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 see Law can discover sin, 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, 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 Perform, 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, disciplin'd
From shadowy types to truth, from flesh to spirit, From imposition of strict laws to free
Acceptance of large grace, from servile fear
To filial, works of law to works of faith. And therefore shall not Moses, though of God Highly belov'd, being but the minister
Of law, his people into Canaan lead; But Joshua, whom the Gentiles Jesus call, His name and office bearing, who shall 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 shall dwell and prosper, but when sins National interrupt their public peace,
Provoking God to raise them enemies;
From whom as oft he saves them penitent By judges first, then under kings; of whom 320 The second, both for piety renown'd
And puissant deeds, a promise shall receive Irrevocable, that his regal throne
For ever shall endure; the like shall sing All prophesy, that of the royal stock Of David (so I name this king) shall rise A son, the woman's seed to thee foretold, Foretold to Abraham, as in whom shall trust All nations, and to kings foretold, of kings The last, for of his reign shall be no end. But first a long succession must ensue, And his next son, 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 shall be register'd, Part good, part bad, of bad the longer scroll, Whose foul idolatries, and other faults Heap'd to the popular sum, will so incense God, as to leave them, and expose their land, Their city', his temple, and his holy ark With all his sacred things, a scorn and prey To that proud city, whose high walls thou saw'st
Left in confusion, Babylon thence call'd. There in captivity he lets them dwell
The space of sev'nty years, then brings them back, Remembering mercy, and his covenant sworn To David, stablish'd as the days of Heav'n. Return'd from Babylon by leave of kings
Their lords, whom God dispos'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 dissension springs, Men who attend the altar, and should most Endeavor peace: their strife pollution brings Upon the temple' itself: at last they seize The sceptre, and regard not David's sons, Then lose it to a stranger, that the true Anointed king Messiah might be born Barr'd of his right; yet at his birth a star 360 Unseen before in Heav'n proclaims him come, And guides the eastern Sages, who inquire His place, to offer incense, myrrh, and gold; His place of birth a solemn Angel tells To simple shepherds, keeping watch by night; They gladly hither haste, and by a quire Of squadron'd 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 370 With earth's wide bounds, his glory with the Heav'ns. He ceas'd, discerning Adam with such joy
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