Nature's own work it feem'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 some 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
Of Ifrael here had famish'd, had not God

Rain'd from heav'n manna, and that prophet bold
Native of Thebes wand'ring here was fed

Twice by a voice inviting him to eat;
Of thee these forty days none hath regard,
Forty and more deferted here indeed.

To whom thus Jefus: what conclud'st thou hence
They all had need, I as thou feeft have none.
How haft thou hunger then? fatan reply'd;

Tell me if food were now before thee fet,
Would'st thou not eat? thereafter as I like
The giver, answer'd Jesus. Why should that
Cause thy refufal, faid the subtle 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, nor offer'd first
To idols, those young Daniel could refuse;
Nor proffer'd by an enemy, though who
Would fcruple that, with want oppreft? behold
Nature afham'd, or, better to express,

Troubl'd that thou should'st hunger, hath purvey'd
From all the elements her choicest store
To treat thee as befeems, and as her lord,
With honour, only deign 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 broadest shade
A table richly spread, in regal mode,
With dishes pil'd, and meats of noblest sort
And favour, beafts of chase, or fowl of game,
In paftry-built, or from the spit, or boil'd,
Gris-amber-fteam'd; all fish from fea or shore,
Frefhet, or purling brook, or fhell or fin,
And exquifiteft name, for which was drain'd
Pontus and Lucrine bay, and Afric coaft.
Alas, how fimple, to these cates compar'd,
Was that crude apple that diverted Eve!
And at a stately fide-board by the wine
That fragrant fmell 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 flood
Nymphs of Diana's train, and Naiades

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

And ladies of th' Hefperides, that feem'd ha
Fairer than feign'd of old, or fabl'd fincer
Of fairy damfels met in forest wide wool are youn
By knights of Logres, or of Lyones, skont
Lancelot, or Pelleas, or Pellenore.

And all the while harmonious airs were heard
Of chyming strings, or charming pipes; and winds
Of gentlest gale Arabian odours fann'd

From their foft wings, and Flora's earlieft fmells.
Such was the fplendor; and the tempter now

His invitation carnestly renew'd.

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

All these are spirits of air, and wood, 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:
Saidft 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 best, I can command.a
I can at will, doubt not, as soon as thou,
Command a table in this wilderness,
And call swift flights of angels ministrant
Array'd in glory on my cup t' attend.

Why should't thou then obtrude this diligence

In vain, where no acceptance it can find, are
And, with my hunger what hast thou to do?
Thy pompous delicacies I contemn,

And count thy fpecious gifts no gifts, but guiles.
To whom thus anfwer'd fatan malecontent:
That I have alfo pow'r to give, thou feeft;
If of that pow'r I bring thee voluntary
What I might have bestow'd on whom I pleas'd,
And rather opportunely in this place
Chose to impart to thy apparent need;
Why shouldst thou not accept it? but I fee
What I can do or offer is fufpect;

Of these things others quickly will dispose,

Whose pains have earn'd the far-fetcht fpoil. With that
Both table and provision vanish'd quite
With found of harpies wings, and talons heard;
Only the importune temper ftill remain'd,
And with thefe 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 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, thy felf
Bred up in poverty and straits at home,
Loft in a defart here, and hunger-bit:
Which way, or from what hope dost thou aspire
To greatnefs? whence authority deriv't?

What followers, what retinue can't thou gain,
Or at thy heels the dizzy multitude, new batt

Longer than thou canst feed them on thy coft? ouAL
Mony brings honour, friends, conqueft and realms.
What rais'd Antipater the Edomite, enter
And his fon Herod plac'd on Judah's throne, ed
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 mended
Riches are mine, fortune is in my hand;
They whom I favour thrive in wealth amain,
While virtue, valour, wisdom fit and 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 antient empires of the earth,
In height of all their flowing wealths diffolv'd:
But men endu'd with thefe, have oft attain'd
In lowest poverty to highest deeds;
Gideon and Jephtha, and the fiepherd 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
To me is not unknown what hath been done
Worthy memorial) canft thou not remember
Quintus, Fabricius, Curius, Regulus?
For I esteem thofe names of men so poor,
Who could do mighty things, and could contemn
Riches, though offer'd from the hand of kings.