305

Acceptance of large grace, from fervile fear
To filial, works of law to works of faith.
And therefore fhall not Mofes, tho' of God
Highly belov'd, being but the minifter

Of law, his people into Canaan lead;

But Jofhua, whom the Gentiles Jefus call, 310
His name and office bearing, who fhall quell
The adverfary ferpent, and bring back

Thro' the world's wilderness long wander'd man
Safe to eternal Paradise of rest.

320

Mean while they in their earthly Canaan,plac'd, 315
Long time fhall dwell and profper; but when fins
National interrupt their public peace,
Provoking God to raife 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 fhall receive
Irrevocable that his regal throne
For ever fhall endure; the like thall fing
All prophecy, that of the royal stock
Of David (so 1 name this king) fhall rife
A fon. the woman's feed 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 fhall be no end.
But first a long fucceffion must 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 fhall be register'd

Part good, part bad, of bad the longer feroll;
Whofe foul idolatries, and other faults
Heap'd to the popular fum, will fo incenfe
God, as to leave them, and expofe their land,

325

330

T

335

A

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 faw'it
Left in confufion, Babylon thence call'd,

There in captivity he lets them dwell

349

346.

The space of fev'nty years, then brings them back,
Rememb'ring 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;

350

But first among the priests dissention springs,
Men who attend the altar, and should most
Endeavour peace; their arife pollution brings 355
Upon the temple itself, at last they seize
The fceptre, and regard not David's fons;
Then lofe it to a franger, 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

360

To fimple shepherds, keeping watch by night; 365
They gladly thither hafte, and by a quire

Of fquadron'd angels hear his carol fung,
A virgin is his mother, but his fire

370

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, finifher

Of utmost hope! now clear I understand

375

What oft my fteddieft thoughts have fearch'd in vain;
Why our great expectation fhould be call'd,

The feed of woman: Virgin mother, hail! ...
High in the love of Heaven; yet from my loins 380
Thou shalt proceed, and from thy womb the Son
Of God moft High; fo God with man unites.
Needs must the ferpent now his capital bruise
Expect with mortal pain: fay where and when 384
Their fight, what stroke fhall 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 soil
Thy enemy; nor fo is overcome

Satan, whofe fall from heaven, a deadlier bruise,
Difabled not to give thee thy death's wourd :
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.:

390

395

On penalty of death, and fuffering death,e The penalty to thy tranfgreffion due,

And due to theirs which out of thine will grow: 400

So only can High juftice reit appaid.

The law of God exact be thall fulfil

Both by obedience and by love, tho' love
Alone fulfil the law; thy punishment
He shall 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.

405

To

415

To fave them, not their own, tho' legal works. 410
For this he fhall 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 lifeVÝ
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: So he dies,
But foon revives; Death over him no power
Shall long ufurp; ere the third dawning light
Return, the stars of morn fhall fee him rife
Out of his grave, fresh as the dawning light:
Thy ranfom paid, which man from death redeems,
His death for man, as many as offer'd life.
Neglect not, and the benefit embrace.

420

425

By faith not void of works. This god-like a&t.
Annuls thy doom, the death thou fhould't have dy'd,
In fin for ever lost from life; this act

Shall bruise the head of Satan, crush his ftrength, 430-
Defeating Sin and Death, his two main arms,
And fix far deeper in his head their flings,

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 refurrection fhall he stay

Longer on earth, than certain times to' appear.
To his difciples, men who in his life

435

Still follow'd him; to them thall leave in charge
To teach all nations what of him they learn'd, ^ 440
And his falvation, them who shall believe. r*
Baptizing in the profluent ftream, the fign
Of washing them from guilt of fin to life
Pure, and in mind prepar'd; if fo befall,

For

For death, like that which the Redeemer dy'd. 445
All nations they fhall teach; for from that day
Not only to the fons of Abraham's loins
Salvation fhall be preach'd, but to the fons
Of Abraham's faith wherever thro' the world;
So in his feed all nations shall be bless'd.
Then to the heav'n of heav'ns he fhall afcend
With victory, triumphing thro' the air
Over his foes and thine; there fhall furprise
The ferpent, prince of air, and drag in chains
Thro' all his realm, and there confounded leave;
Then enter into glory, and refume

His feat at God's right hand, exalted hight

456

Above all names in heaven; and thence fhall come, When this world's diffolution shall be ripe,

461

With glory' and pow'r to judge both quick and dead;
To judge th' unfaithful dead, but to reward
His faithful, and receive them into blifs,
Whether in heaven or earth; for then the earth
Shall all be Paradife, far happier place
Than this of Eden, and far happier days.

So fpake th' archangel Michaël, then paus'd,
As at the world's great period; and our fire,
Replete with joy and wonder, thus reply'd.
O goodness infinite, goodness immenfe!
That all this good of evil fhall produce,
And evil turn to good; more wonderful
Than that which by creation first brought forth
Light out of darkness! Full of doubt I ftand
Whether I fhould repent me now of fin

By me done and occafion'd, or rejoice

5+

465

475

Much more, that much more good thereof shall spring,
To God more glory, more good-will to men
From God, and over wrath grace fhall abound.
But say, if our Deliverer up to heaven