In the wide wilderness; there they shall found Their government, and their great senate choose 225 Through the twelve tribes, to rule by laws ordain'd: God from the mount of Sinai, whose grey top Shall tremble, he descending, will himself
In thunder, lightning, and loud trumpets' 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 235 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 Of cedar, 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 Were long to tell; how many battles fought, How many kings destroy'd, and kingdoms won,
Or how the sun shali in mid Heav'n stand still A day entire, and night's due course adjourn, Man's voice commanding, Sun, in Gibeon stand, 265 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 Heaven, 270 Enlight'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 become Of me and all mankind; but now I see His day, in whom all nations shall be blest; Favour 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 argues so many sins
Among them; how can God with such reside?"
To whom thus Michael. "Doubt not but that sin 285 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 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 mortal part Perform, and, not performing, cannot live. So law appears imperfect, and but given With purpose to resign them, in full time,
Meanwhile they, in their earthly Canaan plac'd, 315 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 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 prophecy, 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.
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, Rememb❜ring 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 awhile
In mean estate live moderate; till, grown In wealth and multitude, factious they grow; But first among the priests dissention springs, Men who attend the altar, and should most Endeavour 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, 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 thither haste, and by a quire
Of squadron'd angels hear his carol sung. A virgin is his mother, but his sire
The pow'r of the most High; he shall ascend
The throne hereditary, and bound his reign
With earth's wide bounds, his glory with the Heav'ns." He ceas'd, discerning Adam with such 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 steadiest 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 shalt proceed, and from thy womb the Son Of God most High: so God with man unites! Needs must the serpent now his capital bruise Expect with mortal pain: say where and when Their fight, what stroke shall bruise 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 god-head, with more strength to foil Thy enemy; nor so is overcome
Satan, whose fall from Heav'n, a deadlier bruise, Disabled, not to give thee thy death's wound: Which he, who comes thy Saviour, shall re-cure, Not by destroying Satan, but his works In thee and in thy seed: 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 suffering death, The penalty to thy transgression due,
And due to theirs which out of thine will grow: 400 So only can high justice rest appaid.
The law of God exact he shall fulfil
Both by obedience and by love, though love Alone fulfil the law; thy punishment He shall endure, by coming in the flesh To a reproachful life and cursed death, Proclaiming life to all who shall believe In his redemption, and that his obedience, Imputed, becomes theirs by faith, his merits
To save them, not their own, though legal, works. 410 For this he shall live hated, be blasphem'd,
Seiz'd on by force, judg'd, and to death condemn'd A shameful and accurs'd, nail'd to the cross By his own nation, slain for bringing life; But to the cross he nails thy enemies, The law that is against thee, and the sins Of all mankind, with him there crucify'd, Never to hurt them more who rightly trust
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