Sought loft Elijah, fo in each place these
Nigh to Bethabara; in Jerico
The City of Palms, Ænon, and Salem Old,
Macharus and each Town or City wall'd
On this fide the broad lake Genezaret,
Or in Perea, but return'd in vain.
Then on the bank of Jordan, by a Creek,
Where winds with Reeds and Ofiers whisp'ring play,
Plain Fishermen, no greater men them call,
Clofe in a Cottage low together got,
Their unexpected lofs and plaints out breath'd.
Alas, from that high hope to what relapse
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 fall to Ifrael be reftor'd:
Thus we rejoyc'd, but foon our Joy is turn'd
Into perplexity and new amaze:
For whither is he gone, what accident
Hath rapt him from us? will he now retire
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 oppress 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 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,
Mock us with his bleft fight, then snatch him hence, Soon we shall fee our hope, our joy return.
Thus they out of their plaints new hope resume To find whom at the first they found unfought: But to his mother Mary, when the faw Others return'd from Baptifm, not her Son, Nor left at Jordan, tidings of him none; Within her breast, though calm; her breaft, though Motherly cares and fears got head, and rais'd [pure, Some troubled thoughts, which the in fighs thus clad. O what avails me now that honour high To have conceiv'd of God, or that falute Hale highly favour'd, among Women bleft; While I to Sorrows am no lefs advanc'd, And fears as eminent, above the lot Of other Women, by the birth I bore, In fuch a feafon born when scarce a Shed Could be obtain'd to fhelter him or me From the bleak air; a Stable was our warmth, A Manger his, yet foon enforc'd to fly Thence into Egypt, till the Murd'rous King Were dead, who fought his life, and missing fill'd With Infant blood the streets of Bethlehem;
From Egypt home return'd, in Nazareth
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 Baptift, and in publick shown,
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 fore-told,
That to the fall and rifing he should be
Of many in Ifrael, and to a fign.
Spoken against, that through my very Soul
A fword fhall pierce, this is my favour'd lot,
My Exaltation to Afflictions high;
Afflicted I may be, it seems, and bleft;
I will not argue that, nor will repine.
But where delays he now? fome great intent
Conceals hm: when twelve years he scarce 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 abfence 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 fayings laid up, portending strange events.
Thus Mary pond'ring oft, and oft to mind 105
Recalling what remarkably had pafs'd
Since firft 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,
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 mission high:
For Satan with fly preface to return
TIS
Had left him vacant, and with speed was gon
Up to the middle Region of thick Air,
Where all his Potentates in Council fate;
There without fign of boast, or sign of joy
Sollicitous and blank he thus began.
Princes, Heav'ns ancient Sons, Ethereal 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 these mild feats 125
Without new trouble; fuch an Enemy
Is rifen to invade us, whom no lefs
Threatens our expulfion down to Hell;
I, as I undertook, and with the vote
Confenting in full frequence was impower'd,
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,
With more than human gifts from Heav'n adoin'd, Perfections abfolute, Graces divine,
'And amplitude of mind to greatest Deeds.
Therefore I am return'd, left confidence
Of my fuccefs with Eve in Paradife
Deceive ye to perfwafion over-fures
Of like fucceeding here; 1 fummon alle
Rather to be in readiness, with hand
Or counsel to affift; left L who erft
Thought none my equal, now be over-match'd. 145TM
So fpake th' old Serpent doubting, and from all
With clamour was affur'd their utmost aid?
At his command; when from amidst them rofe
Belial, the diffoluteft Spirit that fell,
The fenfualleft, and, after Afmodai,
The fleshlieft Incubus, and thus cadvis'd.
Set women in his eye, and in his walk,
Among daughters of men the fairest found;
Many are in each Region paffing fair
As the noon Sky; more like to Goddeffes
Than Mortal Creatures, graceful and difcreet,
Expert in am'rous Arts, enchanting tongues
Perfuafive, Virgin majesty with mild
And sweet allay'd, yet terrible t'approach,
Skill'd to retire, and in retiring draw
Hearts after them tangl'd in Amorous Nets.
Such object hath the pow'r to foft'n and tame
Severeft temper, fmooth the rugged'st brow,
Enerve, and with voluptuous hope diffolve,
Draw out with credulous defire, and lead
At will the manlieft, refoluteft breast,"
As the Magnetic hardest Iron draws.
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