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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 midft a woody fcene;

Nature's own work it seem'd (nature taught art) 295 And to a fuperftitious eye the haunt

Of Wood-Gods and Wood Nymphs; he view'd it round
When fuddenly a man before him ftood

Not ruftic as before, but feemlier clad,
As one in city', or court, or palace bred,

Ant with fair fpeech these words to him address'd.
With granted leave officious I return,

But much more wonder that the Son of God
In this wild folitude fo long should bide
Of all things deftiture, and well I know,
Not without hunger. Others of fome note,
As story tells, have trod this wilderness ;
The fugitive bond-woman with her fon
Out-caft Nebaioth, yet found here relief
By a providing Angel; all the race

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Of Ifrael here had famish'd, had not God
Rain'd from Heav'n Manna; and that Prophet bold
Native of Thebez wand'ring here was fed

Twice by a voice inviting him to eat:

Of thee these forty days none hath regard,

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Forty and more deferted here indeed.

To whom thus Jefus. What conclud'st thou hence? They all had need, as I thou feeft have none.

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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 subtle Fiend.

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Haft

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Haft thou not right to all created things?
Owe not all creatures by juft right to thee
Duty and fervice, not to ftay till bid,
But tender all their pow'r? nor mention I
Meats by the Law unclean, or offer'd firft
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 express,

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Troubled that thou fhould't hunger, hath purvey'd From all the elements her choiceft ftore

To treat thee as befeems, and as her Lord 335 With honor, only deign to fit and eat.

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He fpake no dream, for as his words had end, Our Saviour lifting up his eyes beheld In ample space under the broadeft fhade A table richly fpread, in regal mode, With dishes pil'd, and meats of nobleft fort And favor, beafts of chafe, or fowl of game, In paftry built, or from the fpit, or boil'd, Gris-amber-fteam'd; all fifh 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 stately fide-board by the wine That fragrant finell diffus'd, in order food 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

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With fruits and flow'rs from Amalthea's horn,

And

And ladies of th' Hefperides, that seemd
Fairer than feign'd of old, or fabled fince
Of faery damfels met in forelt wide

By knights of Logres, or of Lyones,
Lancelot, or Pelleas, or Pellenore:

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And all the while harmonious airs were heard
Of chiming frings, or charming pipes, and winds
Of gentleit gale Arabian odors fann'd

From their soft wings, and Flora's earliest finells. 364
Such was the fplendor, and the Tempter now
His invitation earnestly renew'd.

What doubts the Son of God to fit and eat? Thefe are not fruits forbidden; no interdict Defends the touching of thefe viands pure;

Their tafte no

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knowledge wworks at leaft of evil,

But life preferves, destroys life's enemy,
Hunger, with fweet restorative delight.

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All these are Spi'rits of air, and woods, and fprings,
Thy gentle minifters, who come to pay
Thee homage, and acknowledge thee their Lord
What doubt'st thou Son of God? fit down and eat.
To whom thus Jefus temp'rately reply'd.
Said'ft thou not that to all things I had right?
And who withholds my pow'r that right to use? 386
Shall I receive by gift what of my own,
When and where likes me beft, I can cominand
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, were no acceptance it can find?
And with my hunger what haft thou to do?

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Thy

Thy pompous delicacies I contemn,

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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 seeft;
If of that pow'r I bring thee voluntary

What I might have bestow'd on whom I pleas'd, 395
And rather opportunely in this place

Chofe to impart to thy apparent need,

Why shouldst thou not accept it? but I see
What I can do or offer is fufpect;*

Of these things others quickly will dispose,

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Whofe pains have earn'd the far fet fpoil. With that
Both table and provifion vanish'd quite

With found of harpies wings, and talons heard;
Only th' importune Tempter ftill remain'd,
And with these words his temptation purfu'd. 405
By hunger, that each other creature tames,
Thou art not to be harin'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, thyself
Bred up in poverty and ftraits at home
Loft in a defert here and hunger-bit:

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Which way or from what hope dost thou aspire
To greatnefs? whence authority deriv'st?
What followers, what retinue canft thou gain,
Or at thy heels the dizzy multitude,

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Longer than thou canft feed them on thy coft?
Money brings honor, friends, conqueft, and realms:

VOL. II.

C

What

What rais'd Antipater the Edomite,

And his fon Herod plac'd on Judah's throne
(Thy throne), but gold that got him puiffant friends?
Therefore, if at great things thou would'ft arrive,
Get riches firft, 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 those ancient empires of the earth,
In highth of all their flowing wealth diffolv'd:
But men endued with thefe have oft attain'd
In lowest poverty to highest deeds;
Gideon, and Jephtha, and the shepherd lad,
Whofe offspring on the throne of Judah fat
So many ages, and shall yet regain

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That feat, and reign in Ifrael without end.

Among the Heathen, (for throughout the world
To me is not unknown what hath been done
Worthy' of memorial) canft thou not remember 445
Quintius, Fabricius, Curius, Regulus?

For I efteem thofe 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 feems wanting, but that I
May alfo in this poverty as foon

Accomplish what they did, perhaps and more?
Extol not riches then, the toil of fools,

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The wife man's cumbrance if not fare, more apt To flacken virtue, and abate her edge,

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Than

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