Real or Allegoric, I discern not,

Nor when; eternal fure, as without end,
Without beginning; for no date prefixt

Directs me in the Starry Rubric fet.

390

So faying, he took, (for still he knew his Pow'r Not yet expir'd) and to the Wilderness 395 Brought back the Son of God, and left him there, Feigning to disappear. Darkness now rofe, As day-light funk, and brought in lowring night, Her fhad'wy offspring, unsubstantial both, Privation meer of light and abfent day.

Our Saviour meek and with untroubled mind,

400

404

;

After his airy jaunt, though hurry'd fore,
Hungry and cold, betook him to his rest,
Wherever under some concourse of shades,
Whose branching arms thick intertwin'd might shield
From dews and damps of night his fhelter'd head
But shelter'd slept in vain; for at his head
The Tempter watch'd, and foon with ugly dreams
Disturb'd his fleep: and either Tropic now
409
'Gan thunder, and both ends of Heav'n. The clouds
From many a horrid rift abortive pour'd
Fierce rain with lightning mixt, water with fire
In ruin reconcil'd: nor flept the winds
Within their ftony caves, but rush'd abroad
From the four hinges of the world, and fell
On the vext Wildernefs, whose tallest Pines,
Though rooted deep as high, and sturdiest Oaks
Bow'd their ftiff necks, loaden with stormy blafts
Or torn up fheer: ill waft thou shrouded then,
O patient Son of God, yet only foodst

415

420

Un

Unfhaken nor yet ftaid the terror there;

Infernal Ghosts, and Hellish Furies, round

Environ'd thee, fome howl'd, fome yell'd, fome fhriek'd,

Some bent at thee their fiery darts, while thou
Sat'ft unappal'd in calm and finless Peace.
425
Thus pafs'd the night so foul, till morning fair
Came forth with Pilgrim steps in amice gray;
Who with her radiant finger ftill'd the roar
Of thunder, chas'd the clouds, and laid the winds,
And grifly Spectres, which the Fiend had rais'd, 430
To tempt the Son of God with terrors dire.
And now the Sun with more effectual beams
Had chear'd the face of Earth, and dry'd the wet
From drooping plant, or dropping tree; the birds,
Who all things now beheld more fresh and green,
After a night of storm so ruinous,
Clear'd up their choiceft notes in bush and spray
To gratulate the sweet return of morn.
Nor yet amidst this joy and brightest morn
Was abfent, after all his mifchief done,
The Prince of darkness; glad would alfo feem
Of this fair change, and to our Saviour came;
Yet with no new device, they all were spent,
Rather by this his last affront refolv'd,

436

440

Defp'rate of better course, to vent his rage, 445

And mad defpight to be so oft repell'd.

Him walking on a Sunny hill he found,

Back'd on the North and Weft by a thick wood ;

Out of the wood he starts in wonted shape,

And in a careless mood thus to him said,

450

Fair morning yet betides thee Son of God, After a difmal night; I hear'd the rack

As Earth and Sky would mingle; but myself Was diftant; and these flaws, though mortals fear them,

As dang'rous to the pillar'd frame of Heav'n, 455 Or to the Earth's dark bafis underneath,

Are to the main as inconfiderable,

And harmless, if not wholesom, as a fneeze
To man's lefs univerfe, and foon are gone:
Yet as being oft-times noxious where they light 460
On man, beast, plant, waftful and turbulent,
Like turbulencies in the affairs of men,

Over whofe heads they roar, and feem to point,
They oft fore-fignify, and threaten ill.

This Tempest at this Defart most was bent; 465
Of men at thee, for only thou here dwell'ft.
Did I not tell thee, if thou didst reject
The perfect season offer'd with my aid
To win thy deftin'd feat, but wilt prolong
All to the push of Fate? pursue thy way

470

Of gaining David's Throne no man knows when,
(For both the when and how is no where tọld)
Thou shalt be what thou art ordain'd, no doubt;
For Angels have proclaim'd it, but concealing
The time and means: each act is rightliest done, 475
Not when it must, but when it may be best.
If thou observe not this, be sure to find,
What I foretold thee, many a hard assay
Of dangers, and adversities, and pains,
Ere thou of Ifrael's Scepter get fast hold;

480

Whereof

Whereof this ominous night that clos'd thee round, So many terrors, voices, prodigies

May warn thee as a fure fore-going fign.

So talk'd he; while the Son of God went on And ftaid not, but in brief him answer'd thus. 485

Me worse than wet thou find'ft not; other harm Thofe terrors which thou speak'st of, did me none; I never fear'd they could, though noifing loud And threatning nigh: what they can do as figns Betok'ning, or ill boding, I contemn

490 As falfe portents, not fent from God, but thee; Who knowing I fhall reign paft thy preventing, Obtrud'ft thy offer'd aid, that I accepting At least might feem to hold all pow'r of thee, Ambitious fpirit, and wou'dft be thought my God, And ftorm'ft refus'd, thinking to terrify Me to thy will; defift (thou art discern'd

496

And toil'ft in vain) nor me in vain moleft.

To whom the Fiend now fwoln with rage re

ply'd:

Then hear, O Son of David, Virgin-born,

500

505

(For Son of God to me is yet in doubt)
Of the Meffiah I have heard foretold
By all the Prophets; of thy birth at length
Announc'd by Gabriel with the firft I knew,
And of th' Angelic Song in Bethlehem field,
On thy birth-night, that fung thee Saviour born:
From that time feldom have I ceas'd to eye
Thy infancy, thy childhood, and thy youth,
Thy manhood last, though yet in private bred ;
Till at the Ford of Jordan, whither all

510 Flock'd

Flock'd to the Baptist, I among the rest,

(Though not to be baptiz'd,) by voice from Heav'n
Heard thee pronounc'd the Son of God belov'd.
Thenceforth I thought thee worth my nearer view
And narrower fcrutiny, that I might learn
In what degree or meaning thou art call'd
The Son of God, which bears no fingle sense:
The Son of God I also am, or was,

And if I was, I am; relation stands:

515

All men are Sons of God; yet thee I thought 520 In some respect far higher fo declar'd.

Therefore I watch'd thy footsteps from that hour, And follow'd thee ftill on to this waste wild; Where by all beft conjectures I collect

Thou art to be my fatal enemy.

Good reason then, if I before-hand feek]

To understand my Adversary, who

And what he is; his wifdom, pow'r, intent;
By parl, or compofition, truce or league

525

To win him, or win from him what I can. 530 An opportunity I here have had

To try thee, fift thee; and confefs have found thee Proof against all temptation as a rock

Of Adamant, and as a Center, firm,

To th' utmost of mere man both wife and good, 535 Not more; for Honours, Riches, Kingdoms, Glory Have been before contemn'd, and may again. Therefore to know what more thou art than man, Worth naming Son of God by voice from Heav'n, Another method I muft now begin.

540

So faying, he caught him up, and without wing

Of