To Balaam Reprobate, a Prophet yet
Inspir'd; disdain not such access to me.

To whom our Saviour with unalter'd brow.
Thy coming hither, though I know thy scope,
I bid not or forbid; do as thou find'st
Permission from above; thou canst not more.
He added not; and Satan bowing low

His gray dissimulation, disappear'd
Into thin Air diffus'd: for now began

Night with her sullen wing to double-shade

The Desert, Fowls in thir clay nests were couch't;
And now wild Beasts came forth the woods to roam.

The End of the First Book.

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PARADISE REGAIN'D.

The Second Book.

MEAN while the new-baptiz'd, who yet remain'd
At Jordan with the Baptist, and had seen

Him whom they heard so late expresly call'd
Jesus Messiah Son of God declar'd,

And on that high Authority had believ'd,

And with him talkt, and with him lodg'd, I mean
Andrew and Simon, famous after known

With others though in Holy Writ not nam'd,
Now missing him thir joy so lately found,
So lately found, and so abruptly gone,
Began to doubt, and doubted many days,
And as the days increas'd, increas'd thir doubt:
Sometimes they thought he might be only shewn,
And for a time caught up to God, as once
Moses was in the Mount, and missing long;
And the great Thisbite who on fiery wheels
Rode up to Heaven, yet once again to come.
Therefore as those young Prophets then with care
Sought lost Eliah, so in each place these
Nigh to Bethabara; in Jerico

The City of Palms, Ænon, and Salem Old,
Macharus and each Town or City wall'd
On this side the broad lake Genezaret,
Or in Perea, but return'd in vain.

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

ΙΟ

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Thir unexpected loss and plaints out breath'd.
Alas, from what high hope to what relapse
Unlook'd for are we fall'n, our eyes beheld
Messiah certainly now come, so long
Expected of our Fathers; we have heard
His words, his wisdom full of grace and truth,
Now, now, for sure, deliverance is at hand,
The Kingdom shall to Israel be restor❜d:
Thus we rejoyc'd, but soon 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 Israel,

Send thy Messiah forth, the time is come;

Behold the Kings of the Earth how they oppress

Thy chosen, to what highth thir pow'r unjust
They have exalted, and behind them cast
All fear of thee, arise and vindicate
Thy Glory, free thy people from thir 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
Nor will withdraw him now, nor will recall,

Mock us with his blest sight, then snatch him hence,
Soon we shall see our hope, our joy return.

Thus they out of their plaints new hope resume

To find whom at the first they found unsought:
But to his Mother Mary, when she saw
Others return'd from Baptism, not her Son,
Nor left at Jordan, tydings of him none;

Within her brest, though calm; her brest though pure,
Motherly cares and fears got head, and rais'd

Some troubl'd thoughts, which she in sighs thus clad.
O what avails me now that honour high

To have conceiv'd of God, or that salute

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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 Manger his, yet soon enforc't to flye
Thence into Egypt, till the Murd'rous King
Were dead, who sought 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
Private, unactive, calm, contemplative,
Little suspicious to any King; but now
Full grown to Man, acknowledg'd, as I hear,
By John the Baptist, and in publick shown,
Son own'd from Heaven by his Father's voice;
I look't for some great change; to Honour? no,
But trouble, as old Simeon plain fore-told,
That to the fall and rising he should be
Of many in Israel, and to a sign
Spoken against, that through my very Soul
A sword shall pierce, this is my favour'd lot,
My Exaltation to Afflictions high;
Afflicted I may be, it seems, and blest;

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 so found, as well I saw

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
Thus long to some great purpose he obscures.
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.

Thus Mary pondering 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 Desert wild,
Sole but with holiest Meditations fed,
Into himself descended, 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 slye preface to return

Had left him vacant, and with speed was gon
Up to the middle Region of thick Air,
Where all his Potentates in Council sate;
There without sign of boast, or sign of joy,
Sollicitous and blank he thus began.

Princes, Heavens antient Sons, Ethereal Thrones,
Demonian Spirits now, from the Element
Each of his reign allotted, rightlier call'd,

Powers of Fire, Air, Water, and Earth beneath,
So may we hold our place and these mild seats
Without new trouble; such an Enemy

Is ris'n to invade us, who no less

Threat'ns then our expulsion down to Hell;
I, as I undertook, and with the vote
Consenting in full frequence was impowr'd,

Have found him, view'd him, tasted him, but find
Far other labour to be undergon

Then when I dealt with Adam first of Men,
Though Adam by his Wives allurement fell,
However to this Man inferior far,

If he be Man by Mothers side at least,

With more then humane gifts from Heav'n adorn'd,
Perfections absolute, Graces divine,

And amplitude of mind to greatest Deeds.
Therefore I am return'd, lest confidence
Of my success with Eve in Paradise
Deceive ye to perswasion over-sure
Of like succeeding here; I summon all
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 the old Serpent doubting, and from all
With clamour was assur'd thir utmost aid

At his command; when from amidst them rose
Belial the dissolutest Spirit that fell

The sensuallest, and after Asmodai

The fleshliest Incubus, and thus advis'd.
Set women in his eve and in his walk,
Among daughters of the fairest found;

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