How many kings destroy'd, and kingdoms won,
Or how the fun fhall in mid Heav'n ftand ftill
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 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 Heaven, 270
Inlightner of my darkness, gracious things
Thou haft reveal'd, those 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 shall be bleft,
Favor 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 given:
laws argue fo many fins
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 discover fin, but not remove,
Save by thofe fhadowy 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 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 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, shall 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 shall quell
The adversary Serpent, and bring back
Through the world's wilderness long wander'd man
Safe to eternal Paradife of reft.
Mean while they in their earthly Canaan plac'd
Long time shall 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 indure; the like shall fing
All prophecy, that of the royal stock
Of David (so I name this king) shall rise
A fon, the woman's feed to thee foretold,
Foretold to Abraham, as in whom fhall trust
All nations, and to kings foretold, of kings
The laft, for of his reign fhall be no end.
But firft a long fucceffion must ensue,
And his next fon, for wealth and wisdom fam'd,
The clouded ark of God, till then in tents
Wand'ring, fhall in a glorious temple' inshrine.
Such follow him as shall be register'd
Part good, part bad, of bad the longer fcroll,
Whose foul idolatries, and other faults
Heap'd to the popular fum, will so incenfe
God, as to leave them, and expofe their land,
Their city', his temple, and his holy ark
With all his facred things, a fcorn and prey
To that proud city, whose high walls thou faw'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,
Remembring mercy, and his covenant fworn
To David, stablish'd as the days of Heaven.
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 springs,
Men who attend the altar, and should most
Endeavor peace: their ftrife pollution brings
Upon the temple' itself: at last they feife
The scepter, and regard not David's sons,
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 proclames 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;
They gladly thither hafte, and by a quire
Of fquadron'd Angels hear his carol fung.
A virgin is his mother, but his fire
The pow'r of the moft High; he shall afcend
The throne hereditary, and bound his reign
With earth's wide bounds, his glory with the Heavens. 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 steddiest thoughts have search'd in vain ;
Why our great expectation should be call'd
The feed 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 moft High; fo God with Man unites.
Needs must the Serpent now his capital bruise
Expect with mortal pain: fay 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 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 destroying 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 rest appaid.
The law of God exact he fhall fulfil
Both by obedience and by love, though love
Alone fulfil the law; thy punishment
He shall indure by coming in the flesh
To a reproachful life and curfed death,
Proclaming life to all who shall 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 fhall live hated, be blafphem'd,
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