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 seemlier clad,
As one in city, or court, or palace-bred)
And with fair speech these words to him address'è.
With granted leave officious I return,
But much more wonder that the Son of God In this wild folitude so long should bide, Of all things defstitute, 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-cast 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 thefe forty days none hath regard, Forty and more deferted here indced.
To whom thus Jefus: what conclud'st thou hence? They all had need, I as thou seest 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, anfwer'd Jefus. Why should that Cause thy refusal, said the subtle fiend? Haft thou not right to all created things? Owe not all creatures by just 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, nor offer'd first To idols, thofe 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 exprefs, Troubl'd that thou should'st hunger, hath purvey'd
From all the elements her choicest store
To treat thee as beseems, and as her lord, With honour, only deign to fit and eat.
He spake 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 spread, in regal mode, With dishes pil'd, and meats of noblest fort And favour, beasts of chace, or fowl of game, In pastry-built, or from the spit, or boil'd, Gris-amber-fteam'd; all fish from fea or shore, Frefhet, or purling brook, or shell 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 side-board by the wine That fragant fmell diffus'd, in order stood Tall ftripling youths, rich clad, of fairer hue Than Ganymede or Hylas; diftant more Under the trees now tripp'd, now solemn stood Nymphs of Diana's train, and Naiades
With fruits and flow'rs from Amalthea's horn,
And ladies of th' Hefperides, that seem'd
Fairer than feign'd of old, or fabl'd fince Of fairey damfels met in forest wide
By knights of Logres, or of Lyones, 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 earliest smells. Such was the fplendor; 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 thefe viands pure; Their taste no knowledge works at least of evil, But life preferves, 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 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'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 best, 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 ministrant Array'd in glory on my cup t'attend.
Why should'st 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 answer'd Satan malecontent: That I have alfo pow'r to give, thou seest; If of that pow'r I bring thee voluntary What I might have bestowed on whom I pleas'd, And rather opportunely in this place
Chofe 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 spoil. With that Both table and provision vanish'd quite
With found of harpies wings, and talons heard; Only the importune tempter still remain'd, And with thefe words his temptation purfu'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 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 doft thou aspire To greatness? whence authority deriv'st?
What followers, what retinue canst thou gain, Or at thy heels the dizzy multitude,
Longer than thou canst 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 Judah'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 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 shepherd 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) canst thou not remember Quintius, Fabricius, Curius, Regulus? For I esteem thofe names of men fo poor, Who could do mighty things, and could contem■ Riches, though offer'd from the hand of kings.
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