PARADISE REGAIN'D. Book I.
Till truth were freed, and equity restor'd:
Yet held it more humane, more heav'nly, first
By winning words to conquer willing hearts,
And make perfuafion do the work of fear;
At least to try, and teach the erring Soul
Not wilfully mif doing, but unaware
Mif-led; the ftubborn only to destroy.
These growing Thoughts my Mother foon perceiving
By words at times caft forth, inly rejoic'd,
And faid to me apart, High are thy thoughts
O Son, but nourish them, and let them foar
To what height facred virtue and true worth
Can raise them, though above example high;
By matchless Deeds express thy matchlefs Sire.
For know thou art no Son of mortal man,
Though men efteem thee low of Parentage,
Thy Father is th' Eternal King, who rules
All Heav'n and Earth, Angels and Sons of men;
A messenger from God foretold thy Birth
Conceiv'd in me a Virgin, he foretold
Thou should'ft be great and fit on David's Throne,
And of thy Kingdom there shall be no end.
At thy Nativity a glorious Quire
Of Angels in the fields of Bethlehem fung
To Shepherds watching at their folds by night,
And told them the Meffiah now was born,
Where they might fee him, and to thee they came,
Directed to the Manger where thou lay'st;
For in the Inn was left no better room :
A Star not feen before in Heav'n appearing
Guided the Wife Men thither from the East,
To honour thee with Incense, Myrrh and Gold,
By whose bright course led on they found the place,
Affirming it thy Star new grav'n in Heav'n,
By which they knew the King of Ifrael born.
Just Simeon and Prophetick Anna warn'd
By Vifion found thee in the Temple, and spake
Before the Altar and the vested Priest,
Like things of thee to all that present stood.
This having heard, straight I again revolv'd
The Law and Prophets, searching what was writ 260
Concerning the Messiah, to our Scribes
Known partly, and foon found of whom they spake
I am; this chiefly, that my way must lie
Through many a hard affay even to the death,
Ere I the promis'd Kingdom can attain,
Or work Redemption for mankind, whose sins
Full weight must be transferr'd upon my head.
Yet neither thus dishearten'd or dismay'd,
The time prefix'd I waited, when behold!
The Baptift (of whose birth I oft had heard,
Not knew by fight) now come, who was to come
Before Meffiah and his way prepare.
I as all others to his Baptifm came,
Which I believ'd was from above; but he
Straight knew me, and with loudest voice proclaim'
Me him (for it was shewn him so from Heav'n) 276
Me him whose Harbinger he was; and first
Refus'd on me his Baptifm to confer,
As much his greater, and was hardly won:
But as I rose out of the laving stream,
Heav'n open'd her eternal doors, from whence
The Spirit defcended on me like a Dove;
And last, the fum of all, my Father's voice,
Audibly heard from Heav'n, pronounc'd me his,
Me his beloved Son, in whom alone
He was well pleas'd; by which I knew the time
Now full, that I no more should live obfcure,
But openly begin, as best becomes
The Authority which I deriv'd from Heaven.
And now by fome strong motion I am led
Into this Wilderness, to what intent
I learn not yet, perhaps I need not know;
For what concerns my knowledge God reveals.
So fpake our Morning Star, then in his rife, And looking round on every fide beheld A pathless Defart, dusk with horrid fhades; The way he came not having mark'd, return Was dificult, by humane steps untrod: And he still on was led, but with fuch thoughts Accompanied of things past and to come, Lodg'd in his breaft, as well might recommend / Such Solitude before choiceft Society. Full forty days he pass'd, whether on hill, Sometimes anon in shady vale, each night Under the covert of fome antient Oak Or Cedar, to defend him from the dew, Or harbour'd in one Cave, is not reveal'd; Nor tafled humane food, nor hunger felt Till those days ended, hunger'd then at last Among wild Beafts: they at his fight grew mild, 310 Nor fleeping him nor waking harm'd, his walk The fiery Serpent fled, and noxious Worm, The Lion and fierce Tiger glar'd aloof. But now an aged man in rural weeds, Following, as feem'd, the quest of some stray Ewe, 315 Or wither'd fticks to gather, which might ferve Against a Winter's day when winds blow keen, To warm bim wet return'd from Field to Eve, He faw approach, who first with curious eye
Perus'd him, then with words thus utter'd spake. 320
Sir, what ill chance has brought thee to this place So far from path or road of men, who pafs
In Troop or Caravan, for single none
Durst ever, who return'd, and dropt not here
His Carcafe, pin'd with hunger and with drought. 325
I ask the rather, and the more admire,
For that to me thou seem'st the Man, whom late
Our new baptizing Prophet at the Ford
Of Jordan honour'd so, and call'd the Son
Of God: I saw and heard, for we sometimes
Who dwell this wilde, constrain'd by want, come forth
To Town or Village nigh (nighest is far)
Where ought we hear, and curious are to hear,
What happens new; Fame also finds us out.
To whom the Son of God. Who brought me hither Will bring me hence, no other Guide I seek.
By Miracle he may, reply'd the Swain,
What other way I fee not; for we here
Live on tough roots and stubs, to thirst inur'd
More than the Camel, and to drink go far,
Men to much misery and hardship born;
But if thou be the Son of God, command
That out of these hard stones be made thee Bread;
So shalt thou save thy felf, and us relieve
With Food, whereof we wretched seldom taste.
He ended, and the Son of God reply'd..
Think'st thou fuch force in Bread; is it not written
(For I difcern thee other than thou seem'it)
Man lives not by bread only but each Word
Proceeding from the mouth of God? who fed
Our Fathers here with Manna; in the Mount
Mofes was forty days, nor eat nor drank,
And forty days Elijah without food
Wandred this barren waste, the fame I now:
Why dost thou then suggest to me diftruft,
Knowing who I am, as I know who thou art?
Whom thus answer'd th' Arch-Fiend now undisguis'd. 'Tis true, I am that Spirit unfortunate,
Who leagu'd with millions more in rash revolt,
Kept not my happy Station, but was driven
With them from bliss to the bottomless deep,
Yet to that hideous place not fo confin'd
By rigour unconniving, but that oft
Leaving my dolorous Prison I enjoy
Large Liberty to round this Globe of Earth,
Or range in th' Air; nor from the Heav'n of Heav'ns
Hath he excluded my refort fometimes.
I came among the Sons of God, when he
Gave up into my hands Uzzæan Job
To prove him, and illustrate his high worth;
And when to all his Angels he propos'd
To draw the proud King Ahab into fraud,
That he might fall in Ramoth, they demurring,
I undertook that Office; and the tongues
Of all his flatt'ring Prophets glibb'd with lyes
To his destruction, as I had in charge,
For what he bids I do; though I have loft
Much luftre of my native brightness, loft
To be belov'd of God, I have not loft
To love, at least contemplate and admire
What I fee excellent in good, or fair,
Or virtuous, I should so have lost all sense.
What can be then less in me than defire
To fee thee, and approach thee, whom I know
Declar'd the Son of God, to hear attent
Thy Wisdom, and behold thy God-like deeds?
Men generally think me much a foe
To all mankind: why should I? they to me
Never did wrong or violence, by them
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