And fends his Spi'rit of truth henceforth to dwell
In pious hearts, an inward oracle
To all truth requifite for men to know.

where

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470

So fpake our Saviour; but the fubtle Fiend, Though inly ftung with anger and difdain, Diffembled, and this anfwer smooth return'd. Sharply thou haft infifted on rebuke, And urg'd me hard with doings, which not will But mifery hath wrefted from me Eafily canft thou find one miferable, And not enforc'd oft-times to part from truth; If it may ftand him more in ftead to lie, Say and unfay, feign, flatter, or abjure? But thou art plac'd above me, thou art Lord; 475 From thee I can and muft fubmifs indure Check or reproof, and glad to 'fcape fo quit. Hard are the ways of truth, and rough to walk, Smooth on the tongue difcours'd, pleafing to th'

Her dictates from thy mouth? most men admire
Virtue, who follow not her lore; permit me
To hear thee when I come (fince no man comes)
And talk at least, though I despair to' attain. 485
Thy Father, who is holy, wife, and pure,
Suffers the hypocrite or atheous prieft
To tread his facred courts, and minifter
About his altar, handling holy things,
Praying or vowing, and vouchfaf'd his voice 490
To Balaam reprobate, a prophet yet
Infpir'd; difdain not fuch access to me.

To whom our Saviour with unalter'd brow.
Thy coming hither, though I know thy scope,
495
I bid not or forbid; do as thou find'st
Permiffion from above; thou canst not more.
He added not; and Satan bowing low
His gray diffimulation, difappear'd
Into thin air diffus'd: for now began
Night with her fullen wings to double-shade 500
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.

Alas, from what high hope to what relapfe 30
Unlook'd for are we fall'n! our eyes beheld
Meffiah certainly now come, fo long
Expected of our fathers; we have heard

His words, his wisdom full of grace and truth;
Now, now, for fure, deliverance is at hand,
The kingdom shall to Ifrael be restor'd;

Thus we rejoic'd, but foon 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 Ifraël,

35

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 unjust 45
They have exalted, and behind them cast
All fear of thee; arife and vindicate
Thy glory, free thy people from their 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 public, 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,

50

Nor will withdraw him now, nor will recall, 55 Mock us with his bleft fight, then snatch him hence;

Soon we shall fee cur hope, our joy return.

Thus they out of their plaints new hope refume

60

To find whom at the first they found unfought :
But to his mother Mary, when the faw
Others return'd from baptifm, not her son,
Nor left at Jordan, tidings of him none,
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 thus clad.

65

70

75

O what avails me now that honor high To have conceiv'd of God, or that falute Hail highly favor'd, among women blest! While I to forrows am no less advanc'd, And fears as eminent, above the lot Of other women, by the birth I bore, In fuch a feason born when fearce a fhed Could be obtain'd to shelter him or me From the bleak air; a stable 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 mifling 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 fufpicious to any king; but now Full grown to man, acknowledg'd, as I hear, By John the Baptist, and in public shown, Son own'd from Heaven by his Father's voice; 85 I look'd for fome great change; to honor? no, But trouble, as old Simeon plain foretold, That to the fall and rifing he should be Of many in Ifraël, and to a fign

Spoken against, that through my very foul

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120

Princes, Heav'n's ancient Sons, ethereal Thrones,
Demonian Spirits now, from th' element
Each of his reign allotted, rightlier call'd
Pow'rs of fire, air, water, and earth beneath,
So may we hold our place and thefe mild feats 125
Without new trouble; fuch an enemy

Is rifen to invade us, who no less
Threatens than our expulfion down to Hell;

I, as I undertook, and with the vote

Confenting in full frequence was impower'd, 130 Have found him, view'd him, tafted him, but

If he be man by mother's fide at least,

140

With more than human gifts from Heav'n adorn'd,
Perfections abfolute, graces divine,
And amplitude of mind to greatest deeds.
Therefore I am return'd, left confidence
Of my fuccefs with Eve in Paradise
Deceive you to persuasion over-fure
Of like fucceeding here; I fummon all
Rather to be in readiness, with hand
Or counsel to affift; left I, who erst
Thought none my equal, now be over-match'd.
So fpake th' old Serpent doubting, and from all
With clamor was affur'd their utmoft aid
At his command; when from amidst them rofe
Belial, the diffolutest Spi'rit that fell,
The fenfualleft, and after Afmodai
The fleshlieft Incubus, and thus advis'd.
Set women in his eye, and in his walk,

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150

Among daughters of men the fairest found;
Many are in each region paffing fair
As the noon fky; more like to Goddeffes
Than mortal creatures, graceful and discreet,
Expert in amorous arts, inchanting tongues
Perfuafive, virgin majefty with mild

155

170

And sweet allay'd, yet terrible t' approach, 160
Skill'd to retire, and in retiring draw
Hearts after them tangled in amorous nets.
Such object hath the pow'r to soft'n and tame
Severeft temper, smooth the rugged'ft brow,
Enerve, and with voluptuous hope diffolve, 165
Draw out with credulous defire, and lead
At will the manlieft, resoluteft breast,
As the magnetic hardest iron draws.
Women, when nothing elfe, beguil'd the heart
Of wifeft Solomon, and made him build,
And made him bow to the Gods of his wives.
To whom quick answer Satan thus return'd.
Belial, in much uneven scale thon weigh'st
All others by thyfcif; because of old
Thou thyself doat'dft on womankind, admiring
Their fhape, their color, and attractive grace,
None are, thou think', but taken with fuch toys.
Before the flood thou with thy lufty crew,
Falfe titled fons of God, roaming the earth
Caft wanton eyes on the daughters of men,
And coupled with them, and begot a race.
Have we not feen, or by relation heard,
In courts and regal chambers how thou lurk't,
in wood or grove by moffy fountain fide,
In valley or green meadow, to way-lay
Some beauty rare, Califto, Clymene,
Daphne, or Semele, Antiopa,

Or Amymone, Syrinx, many more

174

180

All her array; her female pride deject,
Or turn to reverent awe? for beauty ftands 220
In th' admiration only of weak minds
Led captive; cease to' admire, and all her plumes
Fall flat and fhrink into a trivial toy,

At every fudden flighting quite abafh'd:
Therefore with manlier objects we must try 225
His conftancy, with fuch as have more how
Of worth, of honor, glory', and popular praife;
Rocks whereon greateft men have ofteft wreck'd;
Or that which only feems to fatisfy
Lawful defires of nature, not beyond;
And now I know he hungers where no food
Is to be found, in the wide wilderness;
The reft commit to me, I fhall let pafs
No' advantage, and his strength as oft affay.
He ceas'd, and heard their grant in loud at
clame;

230

235

240

205

210

Of honor, wealth, high fare, aim'd not beyond
Higher defign than to enjoy his fiate;
Thence to the bait of women lay expos'd:
But he whom we attempt is wifer far
Than Solomon, of more exalted mind,
Made and fet wholly on th' accomplishment
Of greatest things; what woman will you find,
Though of this age the wonder and the fame,
On whom his leifure will vouchsafe an eye
Of fond defire? or should the confident,
As fitting queen ador'd on beauty's throne,
Defcend with all her winning charms begirt
T'enamour, as the zone of Venus once
Wrought that effect on Jove, fo fables tell;
How would one look from his majestic brow
Seated as on the top of virtue's hill,
Difcount'nance her defpis'd, and put to rout

215

245

250

Of what I fuffer here; if nature need not,
Or God fupport nature without repast
Though needing, what praise is it to indure?
But now I feel I hunger, which declares
Nature hath need of what she asks; yet God
Can fatisfy that need fome other way,
Though hunger ftill remain: fo it remain
Without this body's wafting, content me,
And from the fting of famin fear no harm.
Nor mind it, fed with better thoughts that feed
Me hungring more to do my Father's will.

255

It was the hour of night, when thus the Son 260 Commun'd in filent walk, then laid him down Under the hofpitable covert nigh

Of trees thick interwoven; there he slept,
And dream'd, as appetite is wont to dream, 264
Of meats and drinks, nature's refreshment sweet;
Him thought, he by the brook of Cherith flood,
And faw the ravens with their horny beaks
Food to Elijah bringing ev'n and morn,
Though ravenous, taught t'abstain from what they

brought:

The morn's approach, and greet her with his fong:

285

As lightly from his graffy couch up rose
Our Saviour, and found all was but a dream,
Fafting he went to fleep, and fasting wak'd.
Up to a hill anon his steps he rear'd,
From whofe high top to ken the prospect round,
If cottage were in view, fheep-cote, or herd;
But cottage, herd, or fheep-cote, none he saw,
Only' in a bottom faw a pleasant grove,
With chaunt of tuneful birds refounding loud;
Thither he bent his way, determin'd there
To reft at noon, and enter'd foon the shade
High rooft, and walks beneath, and alleys brown,
That open'd in the midft a woody fcene;
Nature's own work it feem'd (nature taught art)
And to a fuperftitious eye the haunt

2,91

296

Of Wood-Gods and Wood-Nymphs; he view'd it round,

When fuddenly a man before him stood,

342

345

350

In ample space under the broadeft fhade
A table richly fpread, in regal mode,
With difhes pil'd, and meats of nobieft fort.
And favor, beafts of chafe, or fowl of game,
In pastry built, or from the fpit, or boil'd,
Gris-amber-fteam'd; all fish from fea or shore,
Frefhet, or purling brook, of fhell or fin,
And exquifitest name, for which was drain'd
Pontus, and Lucrine bay, and Afric coaft.
Alas how fimple, to thefe cates compar'd,
Was that crude apple that diverted Eve!
And at a stately fide-board by the wine
That fragrant fiell diffus'd, in order flood
Tall ftripling youths rich clad, of fairer hue
Than Ganymed or Hylas; diftant more
Under the trees now tripp'd, now folemn ftood
Nymphs of Diana's train, and Naiades
With fruits and flow'rs from Amalthea's horn,
And ladies of th' Helperides, that feen'd
Fairer than feign'd of old, or fabled fince
Of faery damfels met in foreft wide
By knights of Logres, or of Lyones,
Lancelot, or Pelleas, or Pellenore:
And all the while harmonious airs were heard
Of chiming ftrings, or charming pipes, and winds
Of gentleft gale Arabian odors fann'd
From their foft wings, and Flora's earliest
fmells.

355

365

365 Such was the fplendor, and the Tempter now His invitation carneilly renew'd.

370

What doubts the Son of God to fit and eat? These are not fruits forbidden; no interdict Defends the touching of thefe viands pure; Their tafte no knowledge works at least of evil, But life preferves, dettroys life's enemy, Hunger, with fwect reftorative delight.

All these are Spi'rits of air, and woods, and fprings,

375

Thy gentle minifters, who come to pay
Thee homage, and acknowledge thee their Lord:
What doubt't thou Son of God? fit down and

eat.

320

To whom thus Jesus temp'rately reply'd. Said'st thou not that to all things I had right? And who withholds my pow'r that right to use? Shall I receive by gift what of my own,

381

325

How haft thou hunger then? Satan reply'd. Tell me if food were now before thee fet, Would't thou not eat? Thereafter as I like The giver, anfwer'd Jefus. Why should that Caufe thy refufal? faid the fubtle Fiend. Haft thou not right to all created things? Owe not all creatures by just right to thee Duty and service, not to ftay till bid, But tender all their pow'r? nor mention I Meats by the Law unclean, or offer'd first To idols, thofe young Daniel could refuse; Nor proffer'd by an enemy, though who Would fcruple that, with want opprefs'd? Behold

Nature afham'd, or better to exprefs,

385

When and where likes me beft, I can command?
I can at will, doubt not, as foon as thou,
Command a table in this wilderness,
And call fwift flights of Angels miniftrant
Array'd in glory on my cup to' attend:
Why shouldst thou then obtrude this diligence,
In vain, where no acceptance it can find?
And with my hunger what haft thou to do?
Thy pompous delicacies I contemn,
390
And count thy fpecious gifts no gifts, but guiles.
To whom thus anfwer'd Satan malecontent.
That I have alfo pow'r to give, thou feest;
If of that pow'r I bring thee voluntary

that

Both table and provifion vanish'd quite
With found of harpies wings, and talons heard;
Only th' impórtune Tempter still remain'd,
And with these words his temptation pursu’d. 405
By hunger, that each other creature tames,
Thou art not to be harm'd, therefore not mov'd;
Thy temperance invincible befides,
For no allurement yields to appetite,
And all thy heart is fet on high designs,
High actions; but wherewith to be atchiev'd?
Great acts require great means of enterprise;
Thou art unknown, unfriended, low of birth,
A carpenter thy father known, thyself
Bred up in poverty and straits at home,
Loft in a defert here and hunger-bit:

410

415

430

Get riches first, get wealth, and treasure heap,
Not difficult, if thou hearken to me;
Riches are mine, fortune is in my hand;
They whom I favor thrive in wealth amain,
While virtue, valor, wisdom, fit in want.
To whom thus Jefus patiently reply'd.
Yet wealth without these three is impotent
To gain dominion, or to keep it gain'd.
Witness thofe ancient empires of the earth,
In highth of all their flowing wealth dissolv'd:
But men endued with these have oft attain'd
In lowest poverty to higheft deeds;
Gideon, and Jephtha, and the fhepherd lad,
Whofe offspring on the throne of Judah fat
So many ages, and fhall yet regain
That feat, and reign in Ifrael without end.
Among the Heathen, (for throughout the world

435

440

446

Worthy' of memorial) canft thou not remember
Quintius, Fabricius, Curius, Regulus?
For I esteem those names of men fo poor
Who could do mighty things, and could contemn
Riches though offer'd from the hand of kings.
And what in me seems wanting, but that I 450
May alfo in this poverty as foon

455

Accomplish what they did, perhaps and more?
Extol not riches then, the toil of fools,
The wife man's cumbrance if not foare, more apt
To flacken virtue, and abate her edge,
Than prompt her to do ought may merit praife.
What if with like averfion I reje&
Riches and realms; yet not for that a crown,
Golden in fhow, is but a wreath of thorns,
Brings dangers, troubles, cares, and fleepless
nights,

460

470

To him who wears the regal diadem, When on his fhoulders each man's burden lies; For therein stands the office of a king, His honor, virtue, merit, and chief praise, That for the public all this weight he bears. 465 Yet he who reigns within himself, and rules Paffions, defires, and fears, is more a king; Which every wife and virtuous man attains: And who attains not, ill afpires to rule Cities of men, or headstrong multitudes, Subject himfelf to anarchy within, Or lawless paffions in him which he ferves. But to guide nations in the way of truth By faving doctrin, and from error lead To know, and knowing worship God aright, 475 Is yet more kingly; this attracts the foul, Governs the inner man, the nobler part; That other o'er the body only reigns, And oft by force, which to a generous mind So reigning can be no fincere delight. Befides to give a kingdom hath been thought Greater and nobler done, and to lay down Far more magnanimous, than to affume. Riches are needless then, both for themselves, And for thy reason why they should be fought, To gain a fccpter, oftest better miss'd.

THE END OF THE SECOND BOOK.

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486