Page:The Complete Poetical Works of John Milton.djvu/283

 BOOK TWELFTH

��241

��And therefore shall not Moses, though of

God

Highly beloved, being but the minister Of Law, his people into Canaan lead; But Joshua, whom the Gentiles Jesus call, His name and office bearing who shall quell 311

The adversary Serpent, and bring back Through the world's wilderness long-wan- dered Man

Safe to eternal Paradise of rest. Meanwhile they, in their earthly Canaan

placed, 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 320

The second, both for piety renowned And puissant deeds, a promise shall re- ceive

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 fore- told, 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. But first a long succession must ensue; 331 And his next son, for wealth and wisdom

famed,

The clouded Ark of God, till then in tents Wandering, shall in a glorious Temple en- shrine.

Such follow him as shall be registered Part good, part bad; of bad the longer

scroll:

Whose foul idolatries and other faults, Heaped 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 34'

To that proud city whose high walls thou

saw'st

Left in confusion, Babylon thence called. There in captivity he lets them dwell The space of seventy years; then brings them back,

��Remembering mercy, and his covenant

sworn

To David, stablished as the days of Hea- ven.

Returned from Babylon by leave of kings, Their lords, whom God disposed, the house

of God

They first re-edify, and for a while 350

In mean estate live moderate, till, grown In wealth and multitude, factious they

grow. But first among the priests dissension

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 Barred of his right. Yet at his birth a

Star, 360

Unseen before in heaven, 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 squadroned Angels hear his carol sung. A Virgin is his mother, but his sire The Power of the Most High. He shall

ascend

The throne hereditary, and bound his reign With Earth's wide bounds, his glory with

the Heavens." 371

He ceased, discerning Adam with such

joy Surcharged as had, like grief, been dewed

in tears, Without the vent of words; which these he

breathed :

" O prophet of glad tidings, finisher Of utmost hope ! now clear I understand What oft my steadiest thoughts have

searched in vain Why our great Expectation should be

called

The Seed 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

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