LXIV.

The Law is given from Mount Sinai in
Thunder and Lightning." α✪ **

O Sinai next, the Mount of God, they came,
Which foon was veil'd in awful Clouds, and
Flame:

Fehova calls, and bids the Camp prepare,
From Heav'n he will his facred Laws declare;
Around the fpatious Mount muft Bounds be made,
Nor Man nor Beaft on pain of Death invade.

Archangels now th amazing Trumpets found, Which from th' Arabian Deep, and Western Shores rebound:

Heark how th' unfufferable Thunders tear

Both Earth and Heav'n! while forky Lightnings glare,

And with blue Flames transfix the ambient Air: Trembled the Camp, the folid Mountain shakes, And Earth beneath it, to the Centre quakes: Red Volcans from its mould'ring Top expire, Extinguish Day, and damp the Lightnings Fire. The Lord defcends, the Thund'rers Voice is known, The Holy Myriads guarding round his Throne: The Ten dread Words from Sinai he recites, Which his own Hand in Marble Tables writes Great Natures Tranfcript, and Eternal Law, Whence future Sages fhall their Models draw, Wife Greece and haughty Rome are here furpafs'd, Each Word, each Tittle here fhall Earth and Heav'n out-laft.

LXIV.

EXODUS, Chap. XIX. and Chap. XX.

115

Chap. xix. V. 18. Mount Sinai was altogether on afmoke, because the Lord defcended upon it in fire: and the fmoke thereof afcended as the fmoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.

20. And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the Lord called Mofes up to the top of the mount, and Mofes went up. 21. And the people ftood afar off, and Mofes drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.

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LXV.

The Altar and Tabernacle.

O Mofes God the facred Model fhows,
Whence he his moving Temple thou'd
compose:

Figure of heavenly Things in Shades conceal'd,
And Truths to be by lab'ring Time reveal'd.
Of Shittim's precious Wood an Altar's rear'd,
And all its facred Utenfils prepar'd:

Next fee the Court whofe fpacious Curtains joyn,
Embroider'd richly o'r, a Work divine:
On Twenty neat Pilafters ftrongly born,
Whofe Heads fair Silver Cornishes adorn.
The Tabernacle next with awful Fear ·
Approach the Place, for God himself is here:
Let all adoring enter, nor prefume

With Feet unhallow'd to invade the Room:
Where a rich Branch with pureft Oil fupply'd'
Scatters perpetual Day on every fide,

But what the Veil conceals we can't furvey,
Until the Son of God in Mortal Clay
Into the Holy' of Holies fhews the way:
Yet Faith may pierce beyond dull Senfe's Eye,
And thofe tremendous Myfteries defcry.
The facred Ark with pureft Gold o'rlaid,
Of the Redeemers Flesh a Myftic Shade:
High over all the Shechina divine,
From whence unfufferable Glories fhine.

}

Here Faith muft ftop,forHeav'n can give no more! Here Modeft Seraphs veil their Faces, and adore.

LXV.

EXODUS, Chap. XXV. Ver. 8, 9, 10. 17, 18. 22. Chap. XXVII. to the End.

117,

Chap. xxv. V. 8. Let them make me a fanctuary; that I may dwell amongst them.

9. According to all that I fhew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the inftruments thereof, even fo fhall ye make it.

10. And they fhall make an ark of Shittim-wood: 11. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, &c. Chap. xxvii. V. 1. And thou shalt make an altar of Shittim-wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar fhall be four-fquare, and the height thereof fhall be three cubits.

2. And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns fhall be of the fame: and thou

WH

LXVI.

The Golden Calf.

Hile Mofes in the Mount with God remain'd, Shameful Idolatry the People ftain'd: Their Leader abfent, who fhou'd them protect? Rejecting him they God himself reject: A Golden Calf the Crowd in Horeb frame, And for their Idol fteal Jehova's Name, Then thus the gaudy Nothing's Praise proclaim. "Hail, facred Heifer! thus we bow to thee, "Who Ifrael didft from Egypts Bondage free: "Oide us thro' this barren World of Sand, "And bring us fafe to Canaans blissful Land! From him not hid, who ev'n our Thoughts can fee,

Their Black Ingratitude, and Blafphemy:
In wrathful Clouds his Face he foon conceals,
And thus to Mofes he their Crime reveals:

"Hence to the Camp descend, nor longer here remain!

"Thy People, (mine no more, they my Commands difdain,)

"Whom thou from Egypt brought'ft, fo foon corrupted grown,

"New Golden Gods adore, their Fathers God disown:

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Confirm'd and steel'd in Sin, of harden'd Heart and Face,

"My Vengeance I'll unrein on all their murm'ring Race,

Low