Of fpirits likeft to himself in guile
To be at hand, and at his beck appear,
If cause were to unfold fome active icene
Of various perfons; each to know his part;
Then to the defert takes with thefe his flight;
Where ftill from shade to fhade the Son of God
After forty days fafting had remain`d,
Now hung'ring firft, and to himself thus faid:
Where will this end? Four times ten days I've pafs'd Wand'ring this woody maze, and human food Nor tafted, nor had appetite; that fast
To virtue I impute not, or count part
Of what I fuffer here; if Nature need not,
Or God fupport Nature without repast,
Though needing, what plaife is it to endure?
But now I feel I hunger, which declares
Nature hath need of what the aíks; yet God
Can fatisfy that need fome other way,
Though hunger ftill remain: fo it remain
Without this body's wafting, I content me,
And from the fting of famine fear no harm,
Nor mind it, fed with better thoughts, that feed
Me hung'ring more to do my Father's will.
It was the hour of night, when thus the Son
Commun'd in filent walk, then laid him down,
Under the hospitable covert nigh
Of trees thick interwoven; there he flept,
And dream'd, as appetite is wont to dream,
Of meats and drinks, Nature's refreshment sweet; 265
Him thought, he by the brook of Cherith stood,
And faw the ravens with their horny beaks
Food to Elijah bringing ev'n and morn,
Though ravenous, taught to abitain from what they
He faw the Prophet also how he fled
Into the defert, and how there he ilept
Under a juniper; then how awak'd
He found his fupper on the coals prepar'd,
And by the angel was bid rife and eat,
And eat the fecond time after repofe,
The ftrength whereof fuffic'd him forty days;
Sometimes that with Elijah he partook,
Or as a guest with Daniel at his pulfe.
Thus wore out night; and now the herald lark
Left his ground neft, high tow'ring to defcry
The Morn's approach, and greet her with his fong:
As lightly from his graffy couch up rofe
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 fhade
High rooft, and walks beneath, and alleys brown,
That open'd in the midst a woody scene:
Nature's own work it seem'd, (Nature taught Art,) And to a fuperftitious eye the haunt
Of wood gods, and wood-nymphs: he view'd it round,
When fuddenly a man before him stood;
Not ruftic, as before, but feemlier clad,
As one in city, or court, or palace bred,
And with fair fpeech these words to him addrefs'd :
With granted leave officious I return,
But much more wonder that the Son of God
In this wild folitude fo long fhould bide
Of all things deftitute, and well I know
Not without hunger. Others of fome note,
As ftory tells, have trod this wilderness;
The fugitive bond-woman with her fon,
Out-calt Nabaioth, yet found here relief
By a providing angel; all the race
Rain'd from Heav'n manna; and that prophet bold,
Of Ifrael here had famish'd, had not God
Native of Thebez, wand'ring here, was fed
Of thee thefe forty days none hath regard,
Forty and more deferted here indeed.
Twice by a voice inviting him to eat :
To whom thus Jefus: What conclud'ft thou hence?
They all had need, as I thou feest have none.
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, answer'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 juft right to thee
Duty and fervice, not to stay 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 expreis,
Troubled, that thou should'ft hunger, hath purvey'd From all the elements her choiceft ftore
To treat thee as befeems, and as her Lord
With honour, only deign'd to fit and eat.
'He fpake no dream; for as his words had end,}
Our Saviour, lifting up his eyes, beheld
In ample space, under the broadeft shade,
A table richly fpread, in regal mode,
With dishes pil'd, and meats of noblest sort
And favour, beafts of chace, or fowl of game,
In paftry built, or from the fpit, or boil'd,
Gris amber fteam'd; all fish from fea or fhore,
Frefhet, or purling brook, of fhell or fin,
And exquifiteft 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 ftately fide-board, by the wine,
That fragrant fmell diffus'd, in order ftood
Tall tripling youths, rich clad, of fairer hue
Than Ganymede or Hylas; diftant more
Under the trees now tripp'd, now folenin stood,
Nymphs of Diana's train, and Naiades
With fruits and flow'rs from Amalthea's horn,
And ladies of th' Hefperides, that feem'd,
Fairer than feign'd of old, or fabled fince
Of fairy 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 odours fann'd
From their foft wings, and Flora's earliest smells.
Such was the fplendour, and the Tempter now
His invitation earnestly renew'd.
What doubts the Son of God to fit and eat?
These are not fruits forbidden; no interdict
Defends the touching of these viands pure;
Their tafte no knowledge works at least of evil,
But life preferves, deftroys life's enemy,
Hunger, with fweet restorative delight.
All these are spirits of air, and woods, and springs,
Thy gentle minifters, who come to pay
Thee homage, and acknowledge thee their Lord :
What doubt'ft thou, Son of God? fit down and eat.
To whom thus Jefus 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,
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 swift flights of angels miniftrant
Array'd in glory on my cup t' 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,
And count thy fpecious gifts no gifts, but guiles.
To whom thus anfwer'd Satan malecontent:
That I have also pow'r to give thou feest;
If of that power I bring thee voluntary
What I might have beftow'd on whom I pleas'd, 395 And rather opportunely in this place
Chofe to impart to thy apparent need,
Why fhould thou not accept it? But I fee
What I can do or offer is fufpect;
Of these things others quickly will difpofe,
Whose pains have earn'd the far fet fpoil. With that
Both table and provision vanish'd quite
With found of Harpies' wings, and talons heard;
Only th' importune Tempter till remain'd,
And with these words his temptation pursu'd :
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 defigns,
High actions; but wherewith to be achiev'd?
Great acts require great means of enterprise;
Thou art unknown, unfriended, low of birth,
A carpenter thy father known, thyfelf
Bred up in poverty, and ftraits at home,
Loft in a defert here, and hunger-bit:
Which way or from what hope dost thou afpire
To greatness? whence authority deriv'ft?
What followers, what retinue, canft thou gain,
Or at thy heels the dizzy multitude,
Longer than thou canft feed them on thy cost?
Money brings honour, friends, conqueft, and realms. What rais'd Antipater, the Edomite,
And his fon Herod plac'd on Juda's throne,
(Thy throne) but gold, that got him puiffant friends?
Therefore, if at great things thou would'st arrive,
Get riches first, get wealth, and treasure heap,
Not difficult, if thou hearken to me :
Riches are inine, Fortune is in my hand;
They whom I favour thrive in wealth amain,
While Virtue, Valour, 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.
Witnefs those ancient empires of the earth,
In height of all their flowing wealth diffolv'd:
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