Poem 12

walls, Awed by the rod of Moses so to stand Divided, till his rescued gain their shore: Such wondrous power God to his Saint will lend, Though present in his Angel, who shall go Before them in a cloud, and pillar of fire⁠— By day a cloud, by night a pillar of fire⁠— To guide them in their journey, and remove Behind them, while the obdurate king pursues. All night he will pursue, but his approach Darkness defends between till morning-watch; Then through the fiery pillar and the cloud God looking forth will trouble all his host, And craze their chariot-wheels: when, by command, Moses once more his potent rod extends Over the sea; the sea his rod obeys; On their embattled ranks the waves return, And overwhelm their war. The race elect Safe towards Canaan from the shore advance Through the wild Desert, not the readiest way; Lest, entering on the Canaanite alarmed, War terrify them inexpert, and fear Return them back to Egypt, choosing rather Inglorious life with servitude; for life To noble and ignoble is more sweet Untrained in arms, where rashness leads not on. This also shall they gain by their delay In the wide wilderness: there they shall found Their government, and their great Senate choose Through the twelve tribes, to rule by laws ordained. God, from the mount of Sinai, whose grey top Shall tremble, he descending, will himself In thunder, lightning, and loud trumpet’s sound, Ordain them laws; part, such as appertain To civil justice; part, religious rites Of sacrifice, informing them, by types And shadows, of that destined Seed to bruise The Serpent, by what means he shall achieve Mankind’s deliverance. But the voice of God To mortal ear is dreadful; they beseech That Moses might report to them his will, And terror cease; he grants what they besought, Instructed that to God is no access Without Mediator, whose high office now Moses in figure bears, to introduce One greater, of whose day he shall foretell, And all the Prophets, in their age, the times Of great Messiah shall sing. Thus laws and rites Established, such delight hath God in men Obedient to his will, that he vouchsafes Among them to set up his tabernacle⁠— The Holy One with mortal men to dwell. By his prescript a sanctuary is framed Of