PARADISE REGAIN'D.

M

BOOK II

EAN while the new-baptiz'd, who yet
remain'd

At Jordan with the Baptift, and had feen
Him whom they heard fo late exprefly

call'd

Jefus Meffiah Son of God declar'd,

And on that high Authority had believ'd,

And with him talk'd, and with him lodg'd, I'mean
Andrew and Simon, famous after known,

With others, though in Holy Writ not nam'd,
Now miffing him their Joy fo lately found,
So lately found, and fo abruptly gone,
Began to doubt, and doubted many days,
And as the days increas'd, increas'd their doubt:
Sometimes they thought he might only be shewn,
And for a time caught up to God, as once
Mofes was in the Mount, and miffing long;
And the great Thifbite who on fiery wheels
Rode up to Heav'n, yet once again to come.

There

Therefore as those young Prophets then with care
Sought loft Elijah, so in each place thefe
Nigh to Bethabara; in Jericho

The City of Palms, non, and Salem old,
Macharus, and each Town or City wall'd
On this fide the broad lake Genezaret,
Or in Pere, but return'd in vain.

Then on the bank of Jordan, by a Creek,

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Where Winds with Reeds and Ofters whisp'ring play,
Plain Fishermen, no greater men them call,
Close in a Cottage low together got,

Their unexpected lofs and plaints out-breath'd.

Alas, from that high hope to what relapse

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Unlook'd for are we fall'n! our Eyes beheld
Meffiah certainly now come, fo long

Expected of our Fathers; we have heard

His words, his wifdom full of grace and truth;

Now, now, for fure, deliverance is at hand,
The Kingdom fhall to Ifrael be restor'd:
Thus we rejoic'd, but foon our Joy is turn'd
Into perplexity and new amaze:

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For whither is he gone, what accident

Hath rapt him from us? will he now retire

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After appearance, and again prolong

Our expectation? God of Ifrael,

Send thy Meffiah forth, the time is come;
Behold the Kings of th'Earth how they opprefs
Thy chofen, to what heighth their Pow'r unjust 45
They have exalted, and behind them caft
All fear of thee; arife and vindicate
Thy glory, free thy people from their yoke:

But

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But let us wait; thus far he hath perform❜d,
Sent his Anointed, and to us reveal'd him
By his great Prophet, pointed at and shown
In publick, and with him we have convers'd;
Let us be glad of this, and all our fears
Lay on his Providence; he will not fail,

Nor will withdraw him now, nor will recall,

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Mock us with his bleft fight, then snatch him hence: Soon we shall fee our hope, or joy return.

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Thus they out of their plaints new hope resume
To find whom at the firft they found unfought:
But to his mother Mary, when she saw
Others return'd from Baptism, not her Son,
Nor left at Jordan, tidings of him none;
Within her breaft, though calm; her breast, though
Motherly cares and fears got head, and rais'd
Some troubled thoughts, which she in fighs thus clad.

O what avails me now that honour high
To have conceiv'd of God, or that falute,
Hail highly favour'd, among Women bleft;
While I to forrows am no less advanc'd,
And fears as eminent, above the lot
Of other Women, by the birth I bore;

[pure,

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In fuch a feafon born when fcarce a Shed

Could be obtain'd to shelter him or me

From the bleak air; a Stable was our warmth,

A Manger his, yet foon enforc'd to fly

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Thence into Egypt, till the murd’rous King

Were dead, who fought his life, and miffing fill'd'
With Infant-blood the streets of Bethlehem;
From Egypt home return'd, in Nazareth

Hath

Hath been our dwelling many years, his life
Private, unactive, calm, contemplative,
Little fufpicious to any King; but now
Full grown to Man, acknowledg'd, as I hear,
By John the Baptist, and in public shown,

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Son own'd from Heaven by his Father's voice: 85
I look'd for fome great change; to Honour? no,
But trouble, as old Simeon plain foretold,

That to the fall and rifing he should be
Of many in Ifrael, and to a fign

Spoken against, that through my very Soul

دو

A fword fhall pierce, this is my favour'd lot,
My Exaltation to Afflictions high;

Afflicted I may be, it seems, and blest;

I will not argue that, nor will repine.

But where delays he now? fome great.intent

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Conceals him: when twelve years he fcarce had seen,
I loft him, but fo.found, as well I faw

He could not lofe himself; but went about
His Father's business; what he meant I mus'd,
Since understand; much more his absence now 100
Thus long to fome great purpose he obfcures.
But I to wait with patience am inur'd;
My heart hath been a store-house long of things
And sayings laid up, portending strange events.

Thus Mary pond'ring oft, and oft to mind 105
Recalling what remarkably had pass'd
Since first her Salutation heard, with thoughts
Meekly compos'd awaited the fulfilling:
The while her Son tracing the Defart wild,
Sole, but with holiest Meditations.fed,

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Into himself defcended, and at once

All his great work to come before him fet;
How to begin, how to accomplish best

His end of being on Earth, and Miffion high,
For Satan with fly preface to return

Had left him vacant, and with speed was gone
Up to the middle Region of thick Air,
Where all his Potentates in Council fate;
There without fign of boast, or fign of joy,
Sollicitous and blank he thus began.

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Princes, Heav'n's ancient Sons, Æthereal Thrones, Demonian Spirits now, from th' Element Each of his reign allotted, rightlier call'd

Pow'rs of Fire, Air, Water, and Earth beneath,

So may we hold our place and thefe mild feats
Without new trouble; fuch an Enemy

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Is rifen to invade us, whom no lefs

Threatens than our expulfion down to Hell; 1, as I undertook, and with the vote

Confenting in full frequence was impower'd,

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Have found him, view'd him, tafted him, but find Far other labour to be undergon

Than when I dealt with Adam first of Men,

Though Adam by his Wife's allurement fell;
However to this Man inferior far,

If he be Man by Mother's fide at least,

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With more than human gifts from Heav'n adorn'd, Perfections abfolute, Graces divine,

And amplitude of mind to greatest Deeds.

Therefore I am return'd, teft confidence

Of my fuccefs with Eve in Paradife

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