Lodg'd in Bethabara where John baptiz'd,
Mufing and much revolving in his breast,
How beft the mighty work he might begin
Of Saviour to mankind, and which way firft
Publish his god-like office now mature,

One day forth walk'd alone, the Spirit leading;
And his deep thoughts, the better to converfe
With folitude, till far from track of men,
Thought following thought, and step by step led on,
He entered now the bordering defart wild,
And with dark fhades and rocks environ'd round,
His holy meditation thus purfu'd.

O what a multitude of thoughts at once
Awaken'd in me fwarm, while I confider
What from within I feel myfelf, and hear,
What from without comes often to my ears,
Ill forting with my present state compar'd.
When I was yet a child, no childish play
To me was pleafing, all my mind was fet
Serious to learn and know, and thence to do
What might be public good; myself I thought
Born to that end, born to promote all truth,
All righteous things: Therefore above my years,
The law of God I read and found it fweet,
Made it my whole delight, and in grew
To fuch perfection, that ere yet my age
Had meafur'd twice fix years, at our great feaft
I went into the temple, there to hear
The teachers of our law, and to propofe

What might improve my knowledge or their own;
And was admir'd by all, yet this not all
To which my fpirit afpir'd, victorious deeds.

Flam'd in my heart, heroic acts, one while
To refcue Ifrael from the Roman yoke,
Then to fubdue and quell o'er all the earth
Brute violence and proud tyrannic pow'r,
Till truth were freed, and equity restor❜d:
Yet held it more humane, more heav'nly, first
By winning words to conquer willing hearts,
And make perfuafion do the work of fear;
At least to try, and teach the erring foul
Not wilfully mifdoing, but unaware
Mifled; the stubborn only to destroy.

These growing thoughts my mother soon perceiving
By wards at times caft forth inly rejoic'd,
And said to me apart, High are thy thoughts,
O fon, but nourish them and let them foar
To what height facred virtue and true worth
Can raife them, though above example high;
By matchlefs deeds exprefs thy matchlefs fire.
For know, thou art no fon of mortal man,
Though men esteem thee low of parentage,
Thy father is th' eternal King who rules
All heav'n and earth, angels and fons of men ;
A meffenger from God fore-told thy birth
Conceiv'd in me a virgin, he fore-told

Thou should'st be great and fit on David's throne,
And of thy kingdom there shall be no end.

At thy nativity a glorious quire

Of angels in the fields of Bethlehem fung

To Shepherds watching at their folds by night,
And told them the Meffiah now was born,

Where they might fee him, and to thee they came;
Directed to the manger where thou lay'st,

For in the inn was left no better room:
A star, not seen before, in heav'n appearing
Guided the wife men thither from the east,
To honour thee with incenfe, myrrh, and gold,
By whose bright course l.d on they found the place,
Affirming it thy ftar new grav'n in heav'n,

By which they knew the King of Ifrael born.
Juft Simeon, and prophetic Anna, warn'd
By vision, found thee in the temple, and spake
Before the altar and the vested priest,
Like things of thee to all that present stood :
This having heard, straight I again revoly'd
The law and prophets, fearching what was writ
Concerning the Meffiah, to our scribes

Known partly, and foon found of whom they spake
I am; this chiefly, that my way must lie
Through many a hard assay even to the death,
Ere I the promis'd kingdom can attain,
Or work redemption for mankind, whose fins
Full weight must be transferr'd upon my head.
Yet neither thus difhearten'd or dismay'd,
The time prefix'd I waited, when behold!
The baptist (of whofe birth I oft had heard,
Not knew by fight) now come, who was to come
Before Meffiah and his way prepare,

I as all others to his baptifm came,

Which I believ'd was from above; but he

Straight knew me, and with loudeft voice proclaim'd
Me him (for it was fhewn him fo from heav'n)
Me him whofe harbinger he was; and first
Refus'd on me his baptifm to confer,

As much his greater, and was hardly won:

But as I rofe out of the laving ftream,
Heav'n open'd her eternal doors, from whence
The Spirit defcended on me like a dove,
And laft, the fum of all, my Father's voice,
Audibly heard from heav'n, pronounc'd me his,
Me his beloved Son, in whom alone

He was well pleas'd; by which I knew the time
Now full, that I no more fhould live obfcure,
But openly begin, as best becomes

The authority which I deriv'd from heav'n.
And now by fome ftrong motion I am led
Into this wildernefs, to what intent
I learn not yet, perhaps I need not know;
For what concerns my knowledge God reveals.

So fpake our morning ftar, then in his rife,
And looking round on every fide beheld
A pathlefs defart, dusk, with horrid fhades;
The way he came not having mark'd, return
Was difficult, by human steps untrod;

And he still on was led, but with fuch thoughts
Accompanied of things paft and to come
Lodg'd in his breaft, as well might recommend
Such folitude before choiceft fociety.

Full forty days he pafs'd, whether on hill
Sometimes, anon in fhady vale, each night
Under the covert of fome ancient oak,
Or cedar, to defend him from the dew,
Or harbour'd in one cave, is not reveal'd;
Nor tafted human food, nor hunger felt
Till thofe days ended, hunger'd then at laft
Among wild beasts; they at his fight grew mild,
Nor fleeping him nor waking harm'd, his walk

The fiery ferpent fled, and noxious worm,
The lion and fierce tiger glar'd aloof.

But now an aged man in rural weeds,

Following, as feem'd, the queft of fome ftray ewe,
Or wither'd sticks to gather, which might ferve
Against a winter's day when winds blow keen,
To warm him wet return'd from field at eve,
He faw approach, who first with curious eye
Perus'd him, then with words thus utter'd fpake.

Sir, what ill chance has brought thee to this place
So far from path or road of men, who pafs
In troop or caravan, for single none

Durst ever, who return'd, and dropt not here
His carcass pin'd with hunger and with drought.

I ask thee rather, and thee more admire

For that to me thou feem'ft the man, whom late

Our new baptizing prophet at the ford

Of Jordan honour'd fo, and call'd the Son

Of God; I faw and heard, for we fometimes

Who dwell this wild, conftrain'd by want, come forth To town or village nigh (nighest is far)

Where aught we hear, and curious are to hear,

What happens new; fame alfo finds us out.

To whom the fon of God.. Who brought me hither

Will bring me hence; no other guide I feck.

By miracle he may, reply'd the swain;

What other way I fee not, for we here
Live on tough roots and ftubs, to thirst inur'd
More than the camel, and to drink go far,
Men to much mifery and hardship born;
But if thou be the Son of God, command

That out of these hard ftones be made thee bread ;