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Sought loft Elijah, so in each place these

Nigh to Bethabara; in Jericho
The city' of Palms, AEnon, and Salem old,
Machærus, and each town or city wall'd
On this fide the broad lake Genezaret,
Or in Peræa; but return'd in vain.

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Then on the bank of Jordan, by a creek,
Where winds with reeds and osiers whisp'ring play,
Plain fishermen, no greater men them call,
Close in a cottage low together got,
Their unexpected loss and plaints out breath'd.

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Alas, from what high hope to what relapse 30 Unlook'd for are we fall'n! our eyes beheld Meffiah certainly now come, so long Expected of our fathers; we have heard His words, his wisdom full of grace and truth; Now, now, for fure, deliverance is at hand,

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The kingdom shall to Ifrael be reftor'd:

Thus we rejoic'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

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After appearance, and again prolong

Our expectation? God of Ifraël,

Send thy Meffiah forth, the time is come;

Behold the kings of th' earth how they opprefs Thy chofen, to what highth their pow'r unjust 45 They have exalted, and behind them caft

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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 public, 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, 55
Mock us with his blest sight, then snatch him hence ;
Soon we shall fee our hope, our joy return.

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Thus they out of their plaints new hope refume To find whom at the first they found unfought: But to his mother Mary, when she saw Others return'd from baptifm, not her fon, Nor left at Jordan, tidings of him none, Within her breast though calm, her breast tho' pure, Motherly cares and fears got head, and rais'd Some troubled thoughts, whichshein sighs thus clad.

O what avails me now that honor high To have conceiv'd of God, or that falute Hail highly favor'd, among women blest! While I to forrows am no less advanc'd, And fears as eminent, above the lot

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Of other women, by the birth I bore,
In such a season born when scarce a shed
Could be obtain'd to shelter him or me
From the bleak air; a stable was our warmth,

A

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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 80

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,
Son own'd from Heaven by his Father's voice; 85
I look'd for fome great change; to honor? no,
But trouble, as old Simeon plain foretold,
That to the fall and rising he should be
Of many in Ifraël, and to a fign

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Spoken against, that through my very foul
A fword shall pierce; this is my favor'd lot,
My exaltation to afflictions high;
Afflicted I may be, it feems, and bleft;
I will not argue that, nor will repine.
But where delays he now? some great intent
Conceals him: when twelve years he scarce had seen,
I lost him, but fo found, as well I faw

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He could not lose 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 some great purpose he obscures.
But I to wait with patience am inur'd;

My

My heart hath been a store-house long of things
And say'ings laid up, portending strange events.
Thus Mary pond'ring oft, and oft to mind 105
Recalling what remarkably had pass'd
Since first her falutation heard, with thoughts
Meekly compos'd awaited the fulfilling:
The while her son tracing the defert 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 set;

How to begin, how to accomplish best

His end of being on earth, and mission 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,

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Where all his potentates in council fat;
There without sign of boast, or fign of joy,
Solicitous and blank he thus began.

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Princes, Heav'n's 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 risen to invade us, who no less Threatens than our expulfion down to Hell; I, as I undertook, and with the vote

Consenting in full frequence was impower'd, 130

Have found him, view'd him, tasted him, but find
Far other labor to be undergone

Than when I dealt with Adam first of Men,
Though Adam by his wife's allurement fell,
However to this man inferior far,

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If he be man by mother's side at least,
With more than human gifts from Heav'n adorn'd,

Perfections absolute, graces divine,

And amplitude of mind to greatest deeds.
Therefore I am return'd, left confidence
Of my fuccess with Eve in Paradife
Deceive ye to perfuafion over-fure
Of like fucceeding here; I summon all

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Rather to be in readiness, with hand
Or counsel to assist; lest I who erst
Thought none my equal, now be over-match'd.
So spake th' old Serpent doubting, and from all
With clamor was assur'd their utmost aid
At his command; when from amidst them rose

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Belial, the dissolutest Spirit that fell,

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The fenfuallest, and after Asmodai

The fleshliest Incubus, and thus advis'd.

Set woman in his eye, and in his walk,
Among daughters of men the fairest found;
Many are in each region passing fair
As the noon sky; more like to Goddesses
Than mortal creatures, graceful and difcreet,
Expert in amorous arts, inchanting tongues

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Per

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