4

Canaan he now attains, I see his Tents [ 135 ]

Pitcht about Sechem, and the neighbouring Plaine

Of Moreh; there by promise he receaves

Gift to his Progenie of all that Land;

From Hamath Northward to the Desert South

(Things by thir names I call, though yet unnamd) [ 140 ]

From Hermon East to the great Western Sea,

Mount Hermon, yonder Sea, each place behold

In prospect, as I point them; on the shoare

Mount Carmel; here the double-founted stream

Jordan, true limit Eastward; but his Sons [ 145 ]

Shall dwell to Senir, that long ridge of Hills.

This ponder, that all Nations of the Earth

Shall in his Seed be blessed; by that Seed

Is meant thy great deliverer, who shall bruise

The Serpents head; whereof to thee anon [ 150 ]

Plainlier shall be reveald. This Patriarch blest,

Whom faithful Abraham due time shall call,

A Son, and of his Son a Grand-childe leaves,

Like him in faith, in wisdom, and renown;

The Grandchilde with twelve Sons increast, departs [ 155 ]

From Canaan, to a land hereafter calld

Egypt, divided by the River Nile;

See where it flows, disgorging at seaven mouthes

Into the Sea: to sojourn in that Land

He comes invited by a yonger Son [ 160 ]

In time of dearth, a Son whose worthy deeds

Raise him to be the second in that Realme

Of Pharao: there he dies, and leaves his Race

Growing into a Nation, and now grown

Suspected to a sequent King, who seeks [ 165 ]

To stop thir overgrowth, as inmate guests

Too numerous; whence of guests he makes them slaves

Inhospitably, and kills thir infant Males:

Till by two brethren (those two brethren call

Moses and Aaron) sent from God to claime [ 170 ]

His people from enthralment, they return

With glory and spoile back to thir promisd Land.