MEAN while the new-baptiz'd, who yet remain'dAt Jordan with the Baptist, and had seenHim whom they heard so late expresly call'dJesus Messiah Son of God declar'd,And on that high Authority had believ'd,And with him talkt, and with him lodg'd, I meanAndrew and Simon, famous after knownWith others though in Holy Writ not nam'd,Now missing him thir joy so lately found,So lately found, and so abruptly gone, 10Began 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 onceMoses was in the Mount, and missing long;And the great Thisbite who on fiery wheelsRode up to Heaven, yet once again to come.Therefore as those young Prophets then with careSought lost Eliah, so in each place theseNigh to Bethabara; in Jerico 20The City of Palms, Aenon, and Salem Old,Machaerus and each Town or City wall'dOn this side the broad lake GenezaretOr in Perea, but return'd in vain.Then on the bank of Jordan, by a Creek:Where winds with Reeds, and Osiers whisp'ring playPlain Fishermen, no greater men them call,Close in a Cottage low together gotThir unexpected loss and plaints out breath'd.Alas from what high hope to what relapse 30Unlook'd for are we fall'n, our eyes beheldMessiah certainly now come, so longExpected of our Fathers; we have heardHis 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'dInto perplexity and new amaze:For whither is he gone, what accidentHath rapt him from us? will he now retire 40After appearance, and again prolongOur expectation? God of Israel,Send thy Messiah forth, the time is come;Behold the Kings of the Earth how they oppressThy chosen, to what highth thir pow'r unjustThey have exalted, and behind them castAll fear of thee, arise and vindicateThy 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, 50By 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 fearsLay on his Providence; he will not failNor 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 resumeTo find whom at the first they found unsought:But to his Mother Mary, when she saw 60Others 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'dSome troubl'd thoughts, which she in sighs thus clad.O what avails me now that honour highTo have conceiv'd of God, or that saluteHale highly favour'd, among women blest;While I to sorrows am no less advanc't,And fears as eminent, above the lot 70Of other women, by the birth I bore,In such a season born when scarce a ShedCould be obtain'd to shelter him or meFrom the bleak air; a Stable was our warmth,A Manger his, yet soon enforc't to flyeThence into Egypt, till the Murd'rous KingWere dead, who sought his life, and missing fill'dWith Infant blood the streets of Bethlehem;From Egypt home return'd, in NazarethHath been our dwelling many years, his life 80Private, unactive, calm, contemplative,Little suspicious to any King; but nowFull 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 foretold,That to the fall and rising he should beOf Many in Israel, and to a signSpoken against, that through my very Soul 90A 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 intentConceals him: when twelve years he scarce had seen,I lost him, but so found, as well I sawHe could not lose himself; but went aboutHis Father's business; what he meant I mus'd,Since understand; much more his absence now 100Thus 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 thingsAnd sayings laid up, portending strange events.Thus Mary pondering oft, and oft to mindRecalling what remarkably had pass'dSince first her Salutation heard, with thoughtsMeekly compos'd awaited the fulfilling:The while her Son tracing the Desert wild,Sole but with holiest Meditations fed, 110Into himself descended, and at onceAll his great work to come before him set;How to begin, how to accomplish bestHis end of being on Earth, and mission high:For Satan with slye preface to returnHad left him vacant, and with speed was gonUp 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. 120Princes, Heavens antient Sons, Aethereal Thrones,Demonian Spirits now, from the ElementEach of his reign allotted, rightlier call'd,Powers of Fire, Air, Water, and Earth beneath,So may we hold our place and these mild seatsWithout new trouble; such an EnemyIs ris'n to invade us, who no lessThreat'ns then our expulsion down to Hell;I, as I undertook, and with the voteConsenting in full frequence was impowr'd, 130Have found him, view'd him, tasted him, but findFar other labour to be undergonThen 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 140Of my success with Eve in ParadiseDeceive ye to perswasion over-sureOf like succeeding here; I summon allRather to be in readiness, with handOr counsel to assist; lest I who erstThought none my equal, now be over-match'd.So spake the old Serpent doubting, and from allWith clamour was assur'd thir utmost aidAt his command; when from amidst them roseBelial the dissolutest Spirit that fell 150The sensuallest, and after AsmodaiThe fleshliest Incubus, and thus advis'd.Set women in his eye and in his walk,Among daughters of men the fairest found;Many are in each Region passing fairAs the noon Skie; more like to GoddessesThen Mortal Creatures, graceful and discreet,Expert in amorous Arts, enchanting tonguesPerswasive, Virgin majesty with mildAnd sweet allay'd, yet terrible to approach, 160Skill'd to retire, and in retiring drawHearts after them tangl'd in Amorous Nets.Such object hath the power to soft'n and tameSeverest temper, smooth the rugged'st brow,Enerve, and with voluptuous hope dissolve,Draw out with credulous desire, and leadAt will the manliest, resolutest brest,As the Magnetic hardest Iron draws.Women, when nothing else, beguil'd the heartOf wisest Solomon, and made him build, 170And made him bow to the Gods of his Wives.To whom quick answer Satan thus return'dBelial in much uneven scale thou weigh'stAll others by thy self; because of oldThou thy self doat'st on womankind, admiringThir shape, thir colour, and attractive grace,None are, thou think'st, but taken with such toys.Before the Flood thou with thy lusty Crew,False titl'd Sons of God, roaming the EarthCast wanton eyes on the daughters of men, 180And coupl'd with them, and begot a race.Have we not seen, or by relation heard,In Courts and Regal Chambers how thou lurk'st,In Wood or Grove by mossie Fountain side,In Valley or Green Meadow to way-laySome beauty rare, Calisto, Clymene,Daphne, or Semele, Antiopa,Or Amymone, Syrinx, many moreToo long, then lay'st thy scapes on names ador'd,Apollo, Neptune, Jupiter, or Pan, 190Satyr, or Fawn, or Silvan? But these hauntsDelight not all; among the Sons of Men,How many have with a smile made small accountOf beauty and her lures, easily scorn'dAll her assaults, on worthier things intent?Remember that Pellean Conquerour,A youth, how all the Beauties of the EastHe slightly view'd, and slightly over-pass'd;How hee sirnam'd of Africa dismiss'dIn his prime youth the fair Iberian maid. 200For Solomon he liv'd at ease, and fullOf honour, wealth, high fare, aim'd not beyondHigher design then to enjoy his State;Thence to the bait of Women lay expos'd;But he whom we attempt is wiser farThen Solomon, of more exalted mind,Made and set wholly on the accomplishmentOf greatest things; what woman will you find,Though of this Age the wonder and the fame,On whom his leisure will vouchsafe an eye 210Of fond desire? or should she confident,As sitting Queen ador'd on Beauties Throne,Descend with all her winning charms begirtTo enamour, as the Zone of Venus onceWrought that effect on Jove, so Fables tell;How would one look from his Majestick browSeated as on the top of Vertues hill,Discount'nance her despis'd, and put to routAll her array; her female pride deject,Or turn to reverent awe? for Beauty stands 220In the admiration only of weak mindsLed captive; cease to admire, and all her PlumesFall flat and shrink into a trivial toy,At every sudden slighting quite abasht:Therefore with manlier objects we must tryHis constancy, with such as have more shewOf worth, of honour, glory, and popular praise;Rocks whereon greatest men have oftest wreck'd;Or that which only seems to satisfieLawful desires of Nature, not beyond; 230And now I know he hungers where no foodIs to be found, in the wide Wilderness;The rest commit to me, I shall let passNo advantage, and his strength as oft assay.He ceas'd, and heard thir grant in loud acclaim;Then forthwith to him takes a chosen bandOf Spirits likest to himself in guileTo be at hand, and at his beck appear,If cause were to unfold some active SceneOf various persons each to know his part; 240Then to the Desert takes with these his flight;Where still from shade to shade the Son of GodAfter forty days fasting had remain'd,Now hungring first, and to himself thus said.Where will this end? four times ten days I have pass'dWandring this woody maze, and humane foodNor tasted, nor had appetite: that FastTo Vertue I impute not, or count partOf what I suffer here; if Nature need not,Or God support Nature without repast 250Though needing, what praise is it to endure?But now I feel I hunger, which declares,Nature hath need of what she asks; yet GodCan satisfie that need some other way,Though hunger still remain: so it remainWithout this bodies wasting, I content me,And from the sting of Famine fear no harm,Nor mind it, fed with better thoughts that feedMee hungring more to do my Fathers will.It was the hour of night, when thus the Son 260Commun'd in silent walk, then laid him downUnder the hospitable covert nighOf Trees thick interwoven; there he slept,And dream'd, as appetite is wont to dream,Of meats and drinks, Natures refreshment sweet;Him thought, he by the Brook of Cherith stoodAnd saw the Ravens with thir horny beaksFood to Elijah bringing Even and Morn,Though ravenous, taught to abstain from what they brought:He saw the Prophet also how he fled 270Into the Desert, and how there he sleptUnder a Juniper; then how awakt,He found his Supper on the coals prepar'd,And by the Angel was bid rise and eat,And eat the second time after repose,The strength whereof suffic'd him forty days;Sometimes that with Elijah he partook,Or as a guest with Daniel at his pulse.Thus wore out night, and now the Herald LarkLeft his ground-nest, high towring to descry 280The morns approach, and greet her with his Song:As lightly from his grassy Couch up roseOur Saviour, and found all was but a dream,Fasting he went to sleep, and fasting wak'd.Up to a hill anon his steps he rear'd,From whose high top to ken the prospect round,If Cottage were in view, Sheep-cote or Herd;But Cottage, Herd or Sheep-cote none he saw,Only in a bottom saw a pleasant Grove,With chaunt of tuneful Birds resounding loud; 290Thither he bent his way, determin'd thereTo rest at noon, and entr'd soon the shadeHigh rooft and walks beneath, and alleys brownThat open'd in the midst a woody Scene,Natures own work it seem'd (Nature taught Art)And to a Superstitious eye the hauntOf Wood-Gods and Wood-Nymphs; he view'd it round,When suddenly a man before him stood,Not rustic as before, but seemlier clad,As one in City, or Court, or Palace bred, 300And with fair speech these words to him address'd.With granted leave officious I return,But much more wonder that the Son of GodIn this wild solitude so long should bideOf all things destitute, and well I know,Not without hunger. Others of some note,As story tells, have trod this Wilderness;The Fugitive Bond-woman with her SonOut cast Nebaioth, yet found he reliefBy a providing Angel; all the race 310Of Israel here had famish'd, had not GodRain'd from Heaven Manna, and that Prophet boldNative of Thebes wandring here was fedTwice by a voice inviting him to eat.Of thee these forty days none hath regard,Forty and more deserted here indeed.To whom thus Jesus; what conclud'st thou hence?They all had need, I as thou seest have none.How hast thou hunger then? Satan reply'd,Tell me if Food were now before thee set, 320Would'st thou not eat? Thereafter as I likeThe giver, answer'd Jesus. Why should thatCause thy refusal, said the subtle Fiend,Hast thou not right to all Created things,Owe not all Creatures by just right to theeDuty and Service, nor to stay till bid,But tender all their power? nor mention IMeats by the Law unclean, or offer'd firstTo Idols, those young Daniel could refuse;Nor proffer'd by an Enemy, though who 330Would scruple that, with want opprest? beholdNature asham'd, or better to express,Troubl'd that thou should'st hunger, hath purvey'dFrom all the Elements her choicest storeTo treat thee as beseems, and as her LordWith honour, only deign to sit and eat.He spake no dream, for as his words had end,Our Saviour lifting up his eyes beheldIn ample space under the broadest shadeA Table richly spred, in regal mode, 340With dishes pil'd, and meats of noblest sortAnd savour, Beasts of chase, or Fowl of game,In pastry built, or from the spit, or boyl'd,Gris-amber-steam'd; all Fish from Sea or Shore,Freshet, or purling Brook, of shell or fin,And exquisitest name, for which was drain'dPontus and Lucrine Bay, and Afric Coast.Alas how simple, to these Cates compar'd,Was that crude Apple that diverted Eve!And at a stately side-board by the wine 350That fragrant smell diffus'd, in order stoodTall stripling youths rich clad, of fairer hewThen Ganymed or Hylas, distant moreUnder the Trees now trip'd, now solemn stoodNymphs of Diana's train, and NaiadesWith fruits and flowers from Amalthea's horn,And Ladies of th' Hesperides, that seem'dFairer then feign'd of old, or fabl'd sinceOf Fairy Damsels met in Forest wideBy Knights of Logres, or of Lyones, 360Lancelot or Pelleas, or Pellenore,And all the while Harmonious Airs were heardOf chiming strings, or charming pipes and windsOf gentlest gale Arabian odors fann'dFrom their soft wings, and flora's earliest smells.Such was the Splendour, and the Tempter nowHis invitation earnestly renew'd.What doubts the Son of God to sit and eat?These are not Fruits forbidden, no interdictDefends the touching of these viands pure, 370Thir taste no knowledge works, at least of evil,But life preserves, destroys life's enemy,Hunger, with sweet restorative delight.All these are Spirits of Air, and Woods, and Springs,Thy gentle Ministers, who come to payThee homage, and acknowledge thee thir Lord:What doubt'st thou Son of God? sit down and eat.To whom thus Jesus temperately reply'd:Said'st thou not that to all things I had right?And who withholds my pow'r that right to use? 380Shall I receive by gift what of my own,When and where likes me best, I can command?I can at will, doubt not, as soon as thou,Command a Table in this Wilderness,And call swift flights of Angels ministrantArray'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 hast thou to do?Thy pompous Delicacies I contemn, 390And count thy specious gifts no gifts but guiles.To whom thus answer'd Satan malecontent:That I have also power to give thou seest,If of that pow'r I bring thee voluntaryWhat I might have bestow'd on whom I pleas'd.And rather opportunely in this placeChose to impart to thy apparent need,Why shouldst thou not accept it? but I seeWhat I can do or offer is suspect;Of these things others quickly will dispose 400Whose pains have earn'd the far fet spoil. With thatBoth Table and Provision vanish'd quiteWith sound of Harpies wings, and Talons heard;Only the importune Tempter still 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 besides,For no allurement yields to appetite,And all thy heart is set on high designs, 410High 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, thy selfBred up in poverty and streights at home;Lost in a Desert here and hunger-bit:Which way or from what hope dost thou aspireTo greatness? whence Authority deriv'st,What Followers, what Retinue canst thou gain,Or at thy heels the dizzy Multitude, 420Longer then thou canst feed them on thy cost?Money brings Honour, Friends, Conquest, and Realms;What rais'd Antipater the Edomite,And his Son Herod plac'd on Juda's Throne;(Thy throne) but gold that got him puissant friends?Therefore, if at great things thou wouldst arrive,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 favour thrive in wealth amain, 430While Virtue, Valour, Wisdom sit in want.To whom thus Jesus patiently reply'd;Yet Wealth without these three is impotent,To gain dominion or to keep it gain'd.Witness those antient Empires of the Earth,In highth of all thir flowing wealth dissolv'd:But men endu'd with these have oft attain'dIn lowest poverty to highest deeds;Gideon and Jephtha, and the Shepherd lad,Whose off-spring on the Throne of Juda sat 440So many Ages, and shall yet regainThat seat, and reign in Israel without end.Among the Heathen, (for throughout the WorldTo me is not unknown what hath been doneWorthy of Memorial) canst thou not rememberQuintius, Fabricius, Curius, Regulus?For I esteem those names of men so poorWho could do mighty things, and could contemnRiches though offer'd from the hand of Kings.And what in me seems wanting, but that I 450May also in this poverty as soonAccomplish what they did, perhaps and more?Extol not Riches then, the toyl of FoolsThe wise mans cumbrance if not snare, more aptTo slacken Virtue, and abate her edge,Then prompt her to do aught may merit praise.What if with like aversion I rejectRiches and Realms; yet not for that a Crown,Golden in shew, is but a wreath of thorns,Brings dangers, troubles, cares, and sleepless nights 460To him who wears the Regal Diadem,When on his shoulders each mans burden lies;For therein stands the office of a King,His Honour, Vertue, Merit and chief Praise,That for the Publick all this weight he bears.Yet he who reigns within himself, and rulesPassions, Desires, and Fears, is more a King;Which every wise and vertuous man attains:And who attains not, ill aspires to ruleCities of men, or head-strong Multitudes, 470Subject himself to Anarchy within,Or lawless passions in him which he serves.But to guide Nations in the way of truthBy saving Doctrine, and from errour leadTo know, and knowing worship God aright,Is yet more Kingly, this attracts the Soul,Governs the inner man, the nobler part,That other o're the body only reigns,And oft by force, which to a generous mindSo reigning can be no sincere delight. 480Besides to give a Kingdom hath been thoughtGreater and nobler done, and to lay downFar more magnanimous, then to assume.Riches are needless then, both for themselves,And for thy reason why they should be sought,To gain a Scepter, oftest better miss't.Note: 309 he] here 1695.The End of the Second Book.
So spake the Son of God, and Satan stoodA while as mute confounded what to say,What to reply, confuted and convinc'tOf his weak arguing, and fallacious drift;At length collecting all his Serpent wiles,With soothing words renew'd, him thus accosts.I see thou know'st what is of use to know,What best to say canst say, to do canst do;Thy actions to thy words accord, thy wordsTo thy large heart give utterance due, thy heart 10Conteins of good, wise, just, the perfect shape.Should Kings and Nations from thy mouth consult,Thy Counsel would be as the OracleUrim and Thummin, those oraculous gemsOn Aaron's breast: or tongue of Seers oldInfallible; or wert thou sought to deedsThat might require th' array of war, thy skillOf conduct would be such, that all the worldCould not sustain thy Prowess, or subsistIn battel, though against thy few in arms. 20These God-like Vertues wherefore dost thou hide?Affecting private life, or more obscureIn savage Wilderness, wherefore depriveAll Earth her wonder at thy acts, thy selfThe fame and glory, glory the rewardThat sole excites to high attempts the flameOf most erected Spirits, most temper'd pureAetherial, who all pleasures else despise,All treasures and all gain esteem as dross,And dignities and powers all but the highest? 30Thy years are ripe, and over-ripe, the SonOf Macedonian Philip had e're theseWon Asia and the Throne of Cyrus heldAt his dispose, young Scipio had brought downThe Carthaginian pride, young Pompey quell'dThe Pontic King and in triumph had rode.Yet years, and to ripe years judgment mature,Quench not the thirst of glory, but augment.Great Julius, whom now all the world admires,The more he grew in years, the more inflam'd 40With glory, wept that he had liv'd so longInglorious: but thou yet art not too late.To whom our Saviour calmly thus reply'd.Thou neither dost perswade me to seek wealthFor Empires sake, nor Empire to affectFor glories sake by all thy argument.For what is glory but the blaze of fame,The peoples praise, if always praise unmixt?And what the people but a herd confus'd,A miscellaneous rabble, who extol 50Things vulgar, & well weigh'd, scarce worth the praise,They praise and they admire they know not what;And know not whom, but as one leads the other;And what delight to be by such extoll'd,To live upon thir tongues and be thir talk,Of whom to be disprais'd were no small praise?His lot who dares be singularly good.Th' intelligent among them and the wiseAre few; and glory scarce of few is rais'd.This is true glory and renown, when God 60Looking on the Earth, with approbation marksThe just man, and divulges him through HeavenTo all his Angels, who with true applauseRecount his praises; thus he did to Job,When to extend his fame through Heaven & Earth,As thou to thy reproach mayst well remember,He ask'd thee, hast thou seen my servant Job?Famous he was in Heaven, on Earth less known;Where glory is false glory, attributedTo things not glorious, men not worthy of fame. 70They err who count it glorious to subdueBy Conquest far and wide, to over-runLarge Countries, and in field great Battels win,Great Cities by assault: what do these Worthies,But rob and spoil, burn, slaughter, and enslavePeaceable Nations, neighbouring, or remote,Made Captive, yet deserving freedom moreThen those thir Conquerours, who leave behindNothing but ruin wheresoe're they rove,And all the flourishing works of peace destroy, 80Then swell with pride, and must be titl'd Gods,Great Benefactors of mankind, Deliverers,Worship't with Temple, Priest and Sacrifice;One is the Son of Jove, of Mars the other,Till Conquerour Death discover them scarce men,Rowling in brutish vices, and deform'd,Violent or shameful death thir due reward.But if there be in glory aught of good,It may by means far different be attain'dWithout ambition, war, or violence; 90By deeds of peace, by wisdom eminent,By patience, temperance; I mention stillHim whom thy wrongs with Saintly patience born,Made famous in a Land and times obscure;Who names not now with honour patient Job?Poor Socrates (who next more memorable?)By what he taught and suffer'd for so doing,For truths sake suffering death unjust, lives nowEqual in fame to proudest Conquerours.Yet if for fame and glory aught be done, 100Aught suffer'd; if young African for fameHis wasted Country freed from Punic rage,The deed becomes unprais'd, the man at least,And loses, though but verbal, his reward.Shall I seek glory then, as vain men seekOft not deserv'd? I seek not mine, but hisWho sent me, and thereby witness whence I am.To whom the Tempter murmuring thus reply'd.Think not so slight of glory; therein least,Resembling thy great Father: he seeks glory, 110And for his glory all things made, all thingsOrders and governs, nor content in HeavenBy all his Angels glorifi'd, requiresGlory from men, from all men good or bad,Wise or unwise, no difference, no exemption;Above all Sacrifice, or hallow'd giftGlory he requires, and glory he receivesPromiscuous from all Nations, Jew, or Greek,Or Barbarous, nor exception hath declar'd;From us his foes pronounc't glory he exacts. 120To whom our Saviour fervently reply'd.And reason; since his word all things produc'd,Though chiefly not for glory as prime end,But to shew forth his goodness, and impartHis good communicable to every soulFreely; of whom what could he less expectThen glory and benediction, that is thanks,The slightest, easiest, readiest recompenceFrom them who could return him nothing else,And not returning that would likeliest render 130Contempt instead, dishonour, obloquy?Hard recompence, unsutable returnFor so much good, so much beneficence.But why should man seek glory? who of his ownHath nothing, and to whom nothing belongsBut condemnation, ignominy, and shame?Who for so many benefits receiv'dTurn'd recreant to God, ingrate and false,And so of all true good himself despoil'd,Yet, sacrilegious, to himself would take 140That which to God alone of right belongs;Yet so much bounty is in God, such grace,That who advance his glory, not thir own,Them he himself to glory will advance.So spake the Son of God; and here againSatan had not to answer, but stood struckWith guilt of his own sin, for he himselfInsatiable of glory had lost all,Yet of another Plea bethought him soon.Of glory as thou wilt, said he, so deem, 150Worth or not worth the seeking, let it pass:But to a Kingdom thou art born, ordain'dTo sit upon thy Father David's Throne;By Mother's side thy Father, though thy rightBe now in powerful hands, that will not partEasily from possession won with arms;Judaea now and all the promis'd landReduc't a Province under Roman yoke,Obeys Tiberius; nor is always rul'dWith temperate sway; oft have they violated 160The Temple, oft the Law with foul affronts,Abominations rather, as did onceAntiochus: and think'st thou to regainThy right by sitting still or thus retiring?So did not Machabeus: he indeedRetir'd unto the Desert, but with arms;And o're a mighty King so oft prevail'd,That by strong hand his Family obtain'd,Though Priests, the Crown, and David's Throne usurp'd,With Modin and her Suburbs once content. 170If Kingdom move thee not, let move thee Zeal,And Duty; Zeal and Duty are not slow;But on Occasions forelock watchful wait.They themselves rather are occasion best,Zeal of thy Fathers house, Duty to freeThy Country from her Heathen servitude;So shalt thou best fullfil, best verifieThe Prophets old, who sung thy endless raign,The happier raign the sooner it begins,Raign then; what canst thou better do the while? 180To whom our saviour answer thus return'd.All things are best fullfil'd in thir due time,And time there is for all things, Truth hath said:If of my raign Prophetic Writ hath toldThat it shall never end, so when beginThe Father in his purpose hath decreed,He in whose hand all times and seasons roul.What if he hath decreed that I shall firstBe try'd in humble state, and things adverse,By tribulations, injuries, insults, 190Contempts, and scorns, and snares, and violence,Suffering, abstaining, quietly expectingWithout distrust or doubt, that he may knowWhat I can suffer, how obey? who bestCan suffer, best can do; best reign, who firstWell hath obey'd; just tryal e're I meritMy exaltation without change or end.But what concerns it thee when I beginMy everlasting Kingdom, why art thouSollicitous, what moves thy inquisition? 200Know'st thou not that my rising is thy fall,And my promotion will be thy destruction?To whom the Tempter inly rackt reply'd.Let that come when it comes; all hope is lostOf my reception into grace; what worse?For where no hope is left, is left no fear;If there be worse, the expectation moreOf worse torments me then the feeling can.I would be at the worst; worst is my Port.My harbour and my ultimate repose, 210The end I would attain, my final good.My error was my error, and my crimeMy crime; whatever for it self condemn'dAnd will alike be punish'd; whether thouRaign or raign not; though to that gentle browWillingly I could flye, and hope thy raign,From that placid aspect and meek regard,Rather then aggravate my evil state,Would stand between me and thy Fathers ire,(Whose ire I dread more then the fire of Hell,) 220A shelter and a kind of shading coolInterposition, as a summers cloud.If I then to the worst that can be hast,Why move thy feet so slow to what is best,Happiest both to thy self and all the world,That thou who worthiest art should'st be thir King?Perhaps thou linger'st in deep thoughts detain dOf the enterprize so hazardous and high;No wonder, for though in thee be unitedWhat of perfection can in man be found, 230Or human nature can receive, considerThy life hath yet been private, most part spentAt home, scarce view'd the Gallilean TownsAnd once a year Jerusalem, few daysShort sojourn; and what thence could'st thou observe?The world thou hast not seen, much less her glory,Empires, and Monarchs, and thir radiant CourtsBest school of best experience, quickest in sightIn all things that to greatest actions lead.The wisest, unexperienc't, will be ever 240Timorous and loth, with novice modesty,(As he who seeking Asses found a Kingdom)Irresolute, unhardy, unadventrous:But I will bring thee where thou soon shalt quitThose rudiments, and see before thine eyesThe Monarchies of the Earth, thir pomp and state,Sufficient introduction to informThee, of thy self so apt, in regal Arts,And regal Mysteries; that thou may'st knowHow best their opposition to withstand. 250With that (such power was giv'n him then) he tookThe Son of God up to a Mountain high.It was a Mountain at whose verdant feetA spatious plain out strech't in circuit wideLay pleasant; from his side two rivers flow'd,Th' one winding, the other strait and left betweenFair Champain with less rivers interveind,Then meeting joyn'd thir tribute to the Sea:Fertil of corn the glebe, of oyl and wine,With herds the pastures throng'd, with flocks the hills, 260Huge Cities and high towr'd, that well might seemThe seats of mightiest Monarchs, and so largeThe Prospect was, that here and there was roomFor barren desert fountainless and dry.To this high mountain top the Tempter broughtOur Saviour, and new train of words began.Well have we speeded, and o're hill and dale,Forest and field, and flood, Temples and TowersCut shorter many a league; here thou behold'stAssyria and her Empires antient bounds, 270Araxes and the Caspian lake, thence onAs far as Indus East, Euphrates West,And oft beyond; to South the Persian Bay,And inaccessible the Arabian drouth:Here Ninevee, of length within her wallSeveral days journey, built by Ninus old,Of that first golden Monarchy the seat,And seat of Salmanassar, whose successIsrael in long captivity still mourns;There Babylon the wonder of all tongues, 280As antient, but rebuilt by him who twiceJudah and all thy Father David's houseLed captive, and Jerusalem laid waste,Till Cyrus set them free; PersepolisHis City there thou seest, and Bactra there;Ecbatana her structure vast there shews,And Hecatompylos her hunderd gates,There Susa by Choaspes, amber stream,The drink of none but Kings; of later fameBuilt by Emathian, or by Parthian hands, 290The great Seleucia, Nisibis, and thereArtaxata, Teredon, Tesiphon,Turning with easie eye thou may'st behold.All these the Parthian, now some Ages past,By great Arsaces led, who founded firstThat Empire, under his dominion holdsFrom the luxurious Kings of Antioch won.And just in time thou com'st to have a viewOf his great power; for now the Parthian KingIn Ctesiphon hath gather'd all his Host 300Against the Scythian, whose incursions wildHave wasted Sogdiana; to her aidHe marches now in hast; see, though from far,His thousands, in what martial equipageThey issue forth, Steel Bows, and Shafts their armsOf equal dread in flight, or in pursuit;All Horsemen, in which fight they most excel;See how in warlike muster they appear,In Rhombs and wedges, and half moons, and wings.He look't and saw what numbers numberless 310The City gates out powr'd, light armed TroopsIn coats of Mail and military pride;In Mail thir horses clad, yet fleet and strong,Prauncing their riders bore, the flower and choiceOf many Provinces from bound to bound;From Arachosia, from Candaor East,And Margiana to the Hyrcanian cliffsOf Caucasus, and dark Iberian dales,From Atropatia and the neighbouring plainsOf Adiabene, Media, and the South 320Of Susiana to Balsara's hav'n.He saw them in thir forms of battell rang'd,How quick they wheel'd, and flying behind them shotSharp sleet of arrowie showers against the faceOf thir pursuers, and overcame by flight;The field all iron cast a gleaming brown,Nor wanted clouds of foot, nor on each horn,Cuirassiers all in steel for standing fight;Chariots or Elephants endorst with TowersOf Archers, nor of labouring Pioners 330A multitude with Spades and Axes arm'dTo lay hills plain, fell woods, or valleys fill,Or where plain was raise hill, or over-layWith bridges rivers proud, as with a yoke;Mules after these, Camels and Dromedaries,And Waggons fraught with Utensils of war.Such forces met not, nor so wide a camp,When Agrican with all his Northern powersBesieg'd Albracca, as Romances tell;The City of Gallaphrone, from thence to win 340The fairest of her Sex AngelicaHis daughter, sought by many Prowest Knights,Both Paynim, and the Peers of Charlemane.Such and so numerous was thir Chivalrie;At sight whereof the Fiend yet more presum'd,And to our Saviour thus his words renew'd.That thou may'st know I seek not to engageThy Vertue, and not every way secureOn no slight grounds thy safety; hear, and markTo what end I have brought thee hither and shewn 350All this fair sight; thy Kingdom though foretoldBy Prophet or by Angel, unless thouEndeavour, as thy Father David did,Thou never shalt obtain; prediction stillIn all things, and all men, supposes means,Without means us'd, what it predicts revokes.But say thou wer't possess'd of David's ThroneBy free consent of all, none opposite,Samaritan or Jew; how could'st thou hopeLong to enjoy it quiet and secure, 360Between two such enclosing enemiesRoman and Parthian? therefore one of theseThou must make sure thy own, the Parthian firstBy my advice, as nearer and of lateFound able by invasion to annoyThy country, and captive lead away her KingsAntigonus, and old Hyrcanus bound,Maugre the Roman: it shall be my taskTo render thee the Parthian at dispose;Chuse which thou wilt by conquest or by league 370By him thou shalt regain, without him not,That which alone can truly reinstall theeIn David's royal seat, his true Successour,Deliverance of thy brethren, those ten TribesWhose off-spring in his Territory yet serveIn Habor, and among the Medes dispers't,Ten Sons of Jacob, two of Joseph lostThus long from Israel; serving as of oldThir Fathers in the land of Egypt serv'd,This offer sets before thee to deliver. 380These if from servitude thou shalt restoreTo thir inheritance, then, nor till then,Thou on the Throne of David in full glory,From Egypt to Euphrates and beyondShalt raign, and Rome or Caesar not need fear.To whom our Saviour answer'd thus unmov'd.Much ostentation vain of fleshly arm,And fragile arms, much instrument of warLong in preparing, soon to nothing brought,Before mine eyes thou hast set; and in my ear 390Vented much policy, and projects deepOf enemies, of aids, battels and leagues,Plausible to the world, to me worth naught.Means I must use thou say'st, prediction elseWill unpredict and fail me of the Throne:My time I told thee, (and that time for theeWere better farthest off) is not yet come;When that comes think not thou to find me slackOn my part aught endeavouring, or to needThy politic maxims, or that cumbersome 400Luggage of war there shewn me, argumentOf human weakness rather then of strength.My brethren, as thou call'st them; those Ten TribesI must deliver, if I mean to raignDavid's true heir, and his full Scepter swayTo just extent over all Israel's Sons;But whence to thee this zeal, where was it thenFor Israel or for David, or his Throne,When thou stood'st up his Tempter to the prideOf numbring Israel which cost the lives 410Of threescore and ten thousand IsraelitesBy three days Pestilence? such was thy zealTo Israel then, the same that now to me.As for those captive Tribes, themselves were theyWho wrought their own captivity, fell offFrom God to worship Calves, the DeitiesOf Egypt, Baal next and Ashtaroth,And all the Idolatries of Heathen round,Besides thir other worse then heathenish crimes;Nor in the land of their captivity 420Humbled themselves, or penitent besoughtThe God of their fore-fathers; but so dy'dImpenitent, and left a race behindLike to themselves, distinguishable scarceFrom Gentils, but by Circumcision vain,And God with Idols in their worship joyn'd.Should I of these the liberty regard,Who freed, as to their antient Patrimony,Unhumbl'd, unrepentant, unreform'd,Headlong would follow; and to thir Gods perhaps 430Of Bethel and of Dan? no, let them serveThir enemies, who serve Idols with God.Yet he at length, time to himself best known,Remembring Abraham by some wond'rous callMay bring them back repentant and sincere,And at their passing cleave the Assyrian flood,While to their native land with joy they hast,As the Red Sea and Jordan once he cleft,When to the promis'd land thir Fathers pass'd;To his due time and providence I leave them. 440So spake Israel's true King, and to the FiendMade answer meet, that made void all his wiles.So fares it when with truth falshood contends.The End of the Third Book.