What might be publick good; my self I thought
Born to that end, born to promote all truth, 205
All righteous things: therefore above my years,
The Law of God I read and found it sweet,
Made it my whole delight, and in it grew
To fuch perfection, that ere yet my age
Had measur'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 Spirit 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 Tyrannick pow'r,
Till truth were freed, and equity restor❜d:
Yet held it more humane, more heav'nly, firft
By winning words to conquer willing hearts,
And make perfuafion do the work of fear;
At least to try, and teach the erring Soul
Not wilfully mif-doing, but unaware
Mif-led; the ftubborn only to fubdue.
Thefe growing thoughts my mother foon perceiving
By words at times caft forth, inly rejoic'd,
And faid to me apart, High are thy thoughts
Son, but nourish them, and let them foar
To what heighth facred virtue and true worth
Can raise them, though above example high;
By matchless Deeds exprefs thy matchless Sire.
For know thou art no Son 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 Sons of men ;
A meffenger from God foretold thy Birth
Conceiv'd in me a Virgin, he foretold
Thou should't be great and fit on David's Throne,
And of thy Kingdom there should be no end. 241
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 see 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 courfe led on they found the place,
Affirming it thy Star new grav'n in Heav'n,.
By which they knew the King of Ifrael born.
Juft Simeon and Prophetic Anna warn'd
By Vifion found thee in the Temple, and fpake.
Before the Altar and the vefted Prieft,
Like things of thee to all that present stood.
This having heard, ftraight I again revolv'd
The Law and Prophets, fearching what was writ
Concerning the Meffiah, to our Scribes
263
Known partly, and foon found of whom they spake
I am; this chiefly, that my way muft lie.
Through many a hard affay even to the death,
Ere I the promis'd Kingdom can attain,.
Or work Redemption for mankind, whofe 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 Baptift (of whose birth I oft had heard, 270
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 loudest voice proclaim'd
Me him (for it was fhewn him fo from Heav'n) 276
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 should 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 Wilderness, to what intent
I learn not yet, perhaps I need not know;
For what concerns my knowledge God reveals.
So fpake our Morning Star, then in his rife,
And looking round on every fide beheld
A pathlefs Defart, dusk with horrid shades ;
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 past and to come,
Lodg'd in his breaft, as well might recommend
Such Solitude before choiceft Society.
Full forty days he pafs'd, whether on hill,
Sometimes, anon in shady vale, each night
Under the covert of fome antient 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 last
Among wild Beafts: they at his fight grew mild,
Nor fleeping him nor waking harm'd, his walk
The fiery Serpent 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 stray 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 spake. 320
Sir, what ill chance hath brought thee to this place
So far from path or road of men, who pass
In Troop or Caravan, for fingle none
Durft ever, who return'd, and dropt not here
His Carcafe, pin'd with hunger and with drought.
I ask the rather, and the more admire,
326
For that to me thoy 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 330 Who dwell this wilde, constrain'd by want, come forth To Town or Village nigh (nigheft is far)
Where ought we hear, and curious are to hear, What happens new; Fame alfo finds us out. 334
To whom the Son of God. Who brought me hither Will bring me hence, no other Guide I feek.
By Miracle he may, reply'd the Swain,
What other way I fee not; for we here
Live on tough roots and stubs, 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; So fhalt thou fave thyfelf, and us relieve
With Food, whereof we wretched feldom taste. 345
He ended, and the Son of God reply'd:
Think'ft thou fuch force in Bread; is it not written
(For I difcern thee other than thou feem'ft)
Man lives not by bread only but each Word
Proceeding from the mouth of God? who fed 350
Our Fathers here with Manna; in the Mount
Mofes was forty days, nor eat nor drank,
And forty days Elijah without food
Wandred this barren wafte, the fame I now:
Why doft thou then fuggeft to me distrust,
Knowing who I am, as I know who thou art?
Whom thus answer'd th' Arch-Fiend, now undif-
'Tis true, I am that Spirit unfortunate,
|