BOOK If. PARADISE REGAIN'D. 497 Motherly cares and fears got head, and rais'd Some troubled thoughts, which the in fighs thus clad. 0 what avails me now that honour high 66 To have conceiv'd of G )d, or that falute Hail highly favor'd, among women bial While 1 to forrows am no lefs advanc'd, And fears as eminent, above the lot 70 Of other women, by the birth I bare, In fuch a feafon born when fcarce a (bed Could be obtain'd to flielter him or me From the bleak air ; a noble was our warmth, A manger his ; yet loon enforc'd to fly 75 Thence into Egypt, till the mu, d'rous king Were dead, who fought his life, and miffing fill'd With infant blood the fireets of Bethlehem ; From Egypt home return'd, in Nazareth Hath been our dwelling many years ; his life Private, unaaive, calm, contemplative, Little fufpicious to any king ; but now Full grown to man, acknowledg'd as I hear, By John the Baptin, and in public' Chown, Sun own'd from Heaven by his father's voice ; I look'd for tome great change ; to honor ? no, But trouble, as old Simeon plain foretold, That to the fall and riling he fhould be Of many in !noel, and to a fign Spoken againn, that through my very foul A fword (hall pierce ; this is my favor'd lot, My exaltation to afiliaions high ; Afflicted I may be, it teems, and blen ; I will not argue that, nor will repine. But where delays he now ? fame great intent 95 Conceals him : when twelve years he icarce had Peen, Lon him, but fo found, as well I law He could not lote hinifelf ; but went about Gggg His
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=