Permillion from above; thou canst not more. The defert; fowls in their clay nefts were couch'd; And now wild beafts came forth the woods to roam. The End of the First Book. BOOK II. Mean while the new-baptiz'd, who yet re main'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, 5 And with him talk'd', and with him lodg'd, I mean Andrew and Simon, famous after known, 10 Sometimes they thought, he might be only fhown, And for a time caught up to God, as once Mofes was in the mount, and mifling long; 15 And the great Thifbite, who on fiery wheels Rode up to Heav'n, yet once again to come. Therefore as those young prophets then with care Sought loft Elijah, so in each place these The city' of palms, Aenon, and Salem old, 20 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, Their unexpected lofs and plaints out breath'd. Unlook'd for are we fall'n! our eyes beheld Thus we rejoic'd, but foon our joy is turn'd Into perplexity and new amaze: For whither is he gone, what accident Hath Hath rapt him from us? will he now re tire After appearance, and again prolong 40 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 un just 45 They have exalted, and behind them caft All fear of thee; arife and vindicate Thy glory, free thy people from their yoke. Mock us with his bleft fight, then snatch him hence; Soon we shall see our hope, our joy return. 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 60 Others return'd from baptifmi, not her fon, Nor left at Jordan, tidings of him none, K 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 70 O what avails me now that honor high To have conceiv'd of God, or that falute Hail highly favor'd, among women bleft! While I to forrows am no less advenc'd, And fears as eminent, above the lot Of other woman, 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 ftable 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 75 With infant blood the streets of Bethlehem; life Private, unactive, calm, contemplative, 80 Little fufpicious to any king; but now. I look'd for fome great change; to honor? no, |