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 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, 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 bless'd, 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 giv'n; 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 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 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, Ilis 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.
Meanwhile 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 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, and 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, Rememb'ring mercy, and his cov❜nant 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 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 enquire 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 this 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 Ileav'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 Godhead, 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 recure, 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: 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. 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 In this his satisfaction. So he dies,
But soon revives; death over him no pow'r Shall long usurp; ere the third dawning light Return, the stars of morn shall see him rise Out of his grave, fresh as the dawning light, Thy ransom paid, which man from death redeems, His death for man, as many as offer'd life Neglect not, and the benefit embrace
By faith not void of works. This God-like act Annuls thy doom, the death thou shouldst have dy'd,
In sin for ever lost from life; this act
Shall bruise the head of Satan, crush his strength, Defeating Sin and Death, his two main arms; And fix far deeper in his head their stings Than temp❜ral death shall bruise the victor's heel, Or theirs whom he redeems, a death-like sleep, A gentle wafting to immortal life.
Nor after resurrection shall he stay
Longer on earth, than certain times t' appear To his disciples, men who in his life
Still follow'd him: to them shall leave in charge To teach all nations what of him they learn'd. And his salvation; them who shall believe Baptizing in the profluent stream, the sign Of washing them from guilt of sin to life Pure, and in mind prepar'd, if so befal, For death, like that which the Redeemer dy'd. All nations they shall teach: for from that day Not only from the sons of Abraham's loins Salvation shall be preach'd, but to the sons Of Abraham's faith wherever through the world; So in his seed all nations shall be bless'd.
Then to the Heav'n of Heav'ns he shall ascend With victory, triumphing through the air Over his foes and thine, there shall surprise The serpent, prince of air, and drag in chains
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