Nigh to Bethabara; in Jericho

20

The City of Palms, Anon, and Salem old,

Macharus, and cach 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,

25

Where Winds with Reeds and Ofiers 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.

Alas, from that high hope to what relapse
Unlook'd for are we fall'n! our Eyes beheld

30

Mediah certainly now come, fo 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,
The Kingdom shall to Ifracl be restor'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

After appearance, and again prolong

Our expectation? God of Ifrael,

Send thy Meffiah forth, the time is come;
Behold the Kings of the Earth how they oppress
Thy chofen, to what height their Pow'r unjust
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,

35

40

45

5

Nor

Nor will withdraw him now, nor will recal, 55 Mock us with his blest fight, then snatch him hence: Soon we shall fee our hope, our joy return.

60

Thus they out of their plaints new hope resume To find whom at the first they found unfought; But to his Mother Mary, when she saw Others return'd from Baptifm, not her Son, Nor left at Jordan, tidings of him none; Within her breast, though calm; her breast, though pure, Motherly cares and fears got head, and rais'd Some troubled thoughts, which she in fighs thus clad. 65

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;
In such a feason born when scarce a Shed

70

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

75

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 Baptift, and in publick shown,
Son own'd from Heaven by his Father's voice:
I look'd for fome great change; to Honour? no,

85

But trouble, as old Simeon plain foretold,

That

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 shall pierce, this is my favour'd lot,

90

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? some great intent
Conceals him when twelve Years he scarce had feen,

95

I lost him, but fo found, as well I faw
He could not lose himself; but went about

His Father's business; what he meant I mus'd,

Since understand; much more his Abfence now
Thus long to some great purpose he obscures.

100

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.

105

Thus Mary pond ring oft, and oft to mind
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,
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 boaft, or fign of joy,
Sollicitous and blank he thus began.

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115

120

Princes,

125

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 Without new troubles; such an Enemy Is risen to invade us, whom no less Threatens our expulfion down to Hell; I, as I undertook, and with the vote Consenting in full frequence was impower'd, Have found him, view'd him, tafled him, but find Far other labour to be undergon

t

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 adorn'd,
Perfections absolute, Graces divine,

130

135

And amplitude of mind to greatest Deeds.
Therefore I am return'd, left confidence

140

Of my fuccess with Eve in Paradife
Deceive you to perfuafion over-fure
Of like fucceeding here; I summon all
Rather to be in readiness, with hand

Or counsel to assist; lest I who erst

145

Thought none my equal, now be over-match'd.

So spake 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 diffolutest Spirit that fell,

150

The sensualest, and, after Afmodai,

The fleshlieft Incubus; and thus advis'd.

Set

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 Goddesses
Than mortal Creatures, graceful and discreet,
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 soft'n and tame
Severest temper, fmooth the rugged'st brow,
Enerve, and with voluptuous hope diffolve,
Draw out with credulous defire, and lead
At will the manlieft, resoluteft breast,
As the Magnetic hardest Iron draws.
Women, when nothing else, beguil'd the heart
Of wifeft Solomon, and made him build,
And made him bow to the Gods of his Wives.

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160

165

170

To whom quick answer Satan thus return'd: Belial, in much uneven scale thou weigh'st All others by thy self, because of old Thou thy felf doat'dit on woman-kind, admiring 175 Their shape, their colour, and attractive grace. None are, thou think'st, but taken with fuch toys.

Before the Flood thou with thy lusty Crew,
False-titled Sons of God, roaming the Earth,

Caft wanton eyes on the daughters of men,

180

And coupled with them, and begot a race.

Have we not seen, or by relation heard,

In Courts and Regal Chambers how thou lurk'dst,

In Wood or Grove by mossy Fountain fide,

In Valley or green Meadow to way-lay

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Some Beauty rare, Calisto, Clymene,

Daphne,