6

This also shall they gain by thir delay

In the wide Wilderness, there they shall found

Thir government, and thir great Senate choose [ 225 ]

Through the twelve Tribes, to rule by Laws ordaind:

God from the Mount of Sinai, whose gray top

Shall tremble, he descending, will himself

In Thunder Lightning and loud Trumpets sound

Ordaine them Lawes; part such as appertaine [ 230 ]

To civil Justice, part religious Rites

Of sacrifice, informing them, by types

And shadowes, of that destind Seed to bruise

The Serpent, by what meanes he shall achieve

Mankinds deliverance. But the voice of God [ 235 ]

To mortal eare is dreadful; they beseech

That Moses might report to them his will,

And terror cease; he grants what they besaught

Instructed that to God is no access

Without Mediator, whose high Office now [ 240 ]

Moses in figure beares, to introduce

One greater, of whose day he shall foretell,

And all the Prophets in thir Age the times

Of great Messiah shall sing. Thus Laws and Rites

Establisht, such delight hath God in Men [ 245 ]

Obedient to his will, that he voutsafes

Among them to set up his Tabernacle,

The holy One with mortal Men to dwell:

By his prescript a Sanctuary is framd

Of Cedar, overlaid with Gold, therein [ 250 ]

An Ark, and in the Ark his Testimony,

The Records of his Covnant, over these

A Mercie-seat of Gold between the wings

Of two bright Cherubim, before him burn

Seaven Lamps as in a Zodiac representing [ 255 ]

The Heavnly fires; over the Tent a Cloud

Shall rest by Day, a fiery gleame by Night,

Save when they journie, and at length they come,

Conducted by his Angel to the Land

Promisd to Abraham and his Seed: the rest [ 260 ]

Were long to tell, how many Battels fought,

How many Kings destroyd, and Kingdoms won,

Or how the Sun shall in mid Heavn stand still

A day entire, and Nights due course adjourne,

Mans 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.