Juft as the good old man had clos'd his fong,
An aged widow came that inftant in;
Full fourfcore years and four she had remain'd
Within the facred place; had ferv'd the Lord
With faftings, and with pray'rs, both night and day;
And waited long the Savior to behold,
Whom now she faw and greatly did rejoice :
Gave public thanks, and spake of him to all
Who look'd and waited for redemption there.
"Ye holy widows, who are waiting now
For Jefus fecond coming, view him near!
Behold, the figns and tokens plainly fhew
The great expected day is at the door.
Prepare to meet your God; prepare, prepare.
This generation fhall not pass, perhaps,
Until that grand event fhall be fulfill'd,
Of which I have propos'd, ere long, to fing,
Unless the icy hand of Death prevent.
Fain would I live to fee my Savior come ;
But, not my will be done, but thine, O Lord. 270
The infancy of Him now let us trace,
The Sinner's Friend, and Savior of mankind!
When one full year was paft, from Jesus' birth,
Before the fecond had fulfill'd its round,
The eaftern fages, by a wond'rous star,
Were mov'd, and led to feek the new-born King;
And coming to Jerufalem, enquir'd
Where they might find the heir of David's throne ? In that fam'd city regn'd a man of blood,
Crafty, fevere, proud, cruel, jealous, fierce,
Full of refentment; fwoln with envious spite.
Hater of Judah's race of kings and priests.
Born of Idumean blood. He gain'd the throne
(Supported by the pow'r of hoftile Rome)
By feats of arms, too cruel to rehearse;
(His cruel nature foon must be expos'd)
He heard, with inward rage, and troubled mind,
The ftrict enquiries for the new-born Prince;
But his malicious purpose so disguis'd,
As might deceive the wifeft of mankind.
He gathering all the fcribes, and priests, demands
Where Chrift, the great Meffiah, fhould be born?
In Bethlehem's city, all at once agreed;
As Micah long before had prophefy'd.
O famous city! now we clearly fee
What God hath spoken-cannot, will not, fail;
No, not the fmalleft tittle fhall be loft.
When Mary firft conceiv'd this holy child,
She dwelt in Naz'reth's city, far remote;
But as he must be born in Bethlehem's town, 305
The great Auguftus muft his fubjects count,
And put the tribes in motion to repair
Each to their native place, to be enroll❜d :
That fo, the Virgin, mother of our Lord,
Attending Joseph in his journeying home,
Might thither come before the time arriv'd,
When Christ, the King of Glory, should be born.
But, to return. When crafty Herod gain'd
The knowledge of the facred prophecy,
Which inly he prefum'd to overthrow;
He fent the eastern Magi on the
To find the object of their grand pursuit,
Defiring them, to bring him word again.
That he might follow, and obedience pay ;
Though nothing lefs was in his cruel thoughts 315
The Prince he wifh'd to fee; but 'twas to kill.
But God, who faw the malice of his heart,
Sent home the wife men fafe another way.
When they had feen, ador'd, and honor'd him,
Whom long they fought, and much rejoic'd to fee. 320
While Jofeph, warn'd by friendly angel, fled,`
With his lov'd charge, to Egypt's land, in peace.
So Heav'nly Wisdom baffled the designs
Of him who fought the Savior to destroy.
But now I fing the babes of Bethlehem,
By Herod's curs'd decree condemn'd to die ;
And left the dreaded infant should escape,
(The facred object of his jealous rage)
The cruel-hearted tyrant fpared none.
What fhrieks, and dying groans torment the ear! 332
While mothers mourn their fons untimely flain !
Ye weeping mothers, hear the voice of God;
Refrain your voice from crying, dry your eyes,
Your work fhall be rewarded, faith the Lord;
Your children from the land of death fhall come,335
Shall rife to glorious immortality,
And reign with him for whom they fuffer'd here !
I hafte from fields of blood, and flaughter'd heaps
Of mangled infants, flain by cruel hands ;
And now return to Jefus, precious babe!
To Egypt he descends, that God might call
His Son from thence, as Jacob's tribes, of old,
Were call'd and led by his Almighty hand.
What happen'd there, while Christ in Mizraim dwelt,
Who can pretend to fay? Some tell indeed, 345
That Egypt's idols at his presence fell,
And all their lying oracles were dumb.
His fmall expences were provided for
By those enlighten'd Magi's gifts, of gold,
Frankincence, myrrh, which they bestow'd on him.
But when the bloody tyrant had receiv'd
The awful fummons to refign his breath,
The angel of the Lord convey'd the news
To Jofeph, and invited his return
To Ifrael's land; to which he bent his courfe. 355
But, hearing of the reign of Archelaus,
He feared to return to Judah's land :
But being warn'd of God, he turn'd aside,
And dwelt in Nazareth of Galilee.
But there, how private! how remote from view 36.
Dwelt God's belov'd Son, in human form !
No more we read of him, till he arriv'd
At near twelve years of age; a lovely youth!
Then he, with Jofeph, and with Mary, went
To Zion's temple, at the pafchal feast,
According to the law by God ordain'd,
That all the males fhould worship thrice a year.
And pay their homage at his facred dome.
When once the feaft was over, they return'd; But Jefus ftay'd behind. They knew it not, 370
But when they stopp'd at night, and miss'd the child,
Who can describe their grief and deep concern?
Let mothers guefs, whofe children, fent abroad,
Return not home at the appointed time;
Dark night comes on, and still no tidings heard 375
Of their fond darlings: How a thousand fears
Rufh through their tender hearts! they find no reft.
So far'd the bleffed Virgin, when the found
That fhe had loft her Son! Oh, how the wept !
No farther did fhe journey! but, with hafte, 380
Returning back with Jofeph, fought him there,
For whom they griev'd; and fought him not in vain.
They found him in the Temple, well employ'd,
Surrounded by the doctors of the law.
His weighty questions puzzled all their skill: 385
And all that heard his anfwers were amaz'd
At fuch unbounded wisdom in a youth.
Children, remember, Jefus once was young;
But oh, how wife, how perfect was his heart !
Remember now your Savior, him obey;
And he will make you wife, and fill your minds.
With heav'nly treasures, everlafting good!
Jofeph and Mary were furpriz'd. She faid, Why haft thou ferv'd us thus: didft thou not think That I, thy mother, with thy father dear,
Would feek the forrowing, and never cafe,
Until we found thee? Wherefore didft thou thus
Absent thyself from us, thy only friends?
To which he anfwer'd; Why, did you not know,
That I my Father's business muf perform ?
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