To warm him wet return'd from field at eve,
He faw approach, who first with curious eye

Perus'd him, then with words thus utter'd spake.

320

Sir, what ill chance hath brought thee to this place

So far from path or road of men, who

In troop or caravan ? for fingle none

Durst ever, who return'd, and dropt not here

His carcass, pin'd with hunger and with drouth.

325

I ask thee rather, and the more admire,

For that to me thou feem'ft the man, whom late-
Our new baptizing Prophet at the ford

Of Jordan honor'd fo, and call'd thee Son

Of God; I saw and heard, for we sometimes

3300

Who dwell this wild, constrain'd by want, come forth
To town or village nigh (nigheft is far)

Where ought we hear, and curious are to hear,,

What happens new; fame alfo finds us out.

To whom the Son of God. Who brought me hither,

Will bring me hence; no other guide I seek.

336

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,

340

Men to much mifery and hardship born ;;

But if though be the Son of God, command:

That out of these hard ftones be made thee bread,
So fhalt thou fave thyfelf and us relieve

With food, whereof we wretched seldom taste.

345

15

He ended, and the Son of God reply'd.
Think'st thou fuch force in bread is it hot written

Ver. 340. More than the camel,] It is commonly faid that camels will go without water three or four days.

350

(For I difcern thee other than thou feem'ft)
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
Wander'd this barren wafte; the fame I now:
Why dost thou then fuggeft to me diftruft,,
Knowing who I am, as I know who thou art?

555

Whom thus anfwer'd th' Arch-Fiend now undifguis'd. 'Tis true, I am that Spirit unfortunate,

Who leagu'd with millions more in rafh revolt

Kept not my happy ftation, but was driven

360

With them from blifs to the bottomlefs deep,

Yet to that hideous place not fo confin'd
By rigor unconniving, but that oft

Leaving my dolorous prifon I enjoy

Large liberty to round this globe of earth,

365

Or range in th' air, nor from the Heav'n of Heav'ns Hath he excluded my refort fometimes.

I came among the fons of God, when he

hands Uzzean Job

Gave up
into my
To prove him, and illuftrate 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 flattr'ing prophets glibb'd with lies
To his deftruction, 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

370

375

38a

What I fee excellent in good, or fair,

Or virtuous, I fhould fo have lost all fenfe.

What can be then lefs in me than defire

To fee thee and approach thee, whom I know
Deelar'd the Son of God, to hear attent

385

Thy wisdom, and behold thy Godlike deeds?

Men generally think me much a foe

To all mankind: why fhould I? they to me

Never did wrong or violence; by them

I loft not what I loft, rather by them

390

I gain'd what I have gain'd, and with them dwell

Copartner in these regions of the world,

If not difpofer; lend them oft my aid,
Oft my advice by prefages and figns,

And anfwers, oracles, portents and dreams,
Whereby they may direct their future life.
Envy they fay excites me, thus to gain.
Companions of my mifery and woe.

395

At first it may be; but long fince with woe
Nearer acquainted, now I feel by proof,
That fellowship in pain divides not fmart,
Nor lightens ought each man's peculiar load.

400

Small confolation then, were man adjoin'd:

This wounds me moft (what can it lefs?) that man,
Man fall'n fhall be reftor'd, I never more.

405

To whom our Saviour fternly thus reply'd.
Deservedly thou griev'ft, compofed of lies
From the beginning, and in lies wilt end;

Who boaft'ft release from Hell, and leave to come
Into the Heav'n of Heav'n's: thou com'ft indeed, 410

As a poor miserable captive thrall

Comes to the place where he before had fat

Among the prime in fplendor, now depos'd,

Ejected, emptied, gaz'd, unpitied, fhunn'd,

A fpectacle of ruin or of fcorn

To all the hoft of Heav'n: the happy place
Imparts to thee no happiness, no joy,
Rather inflames thy torment, reprefenting
Loft blifs, to thee no more communicable,
So never more in Hell than when in Heaven.
But thou at ferviceable to Heav'n's King.
Wilt thou impute t' obedience what thy fear
Extorts, or pleasure to do ill excites ?
What but thy malice mov'd thee to misdeem
Of righteous Job, then cruelly t' affli&t him
With all inflictions? but his patience won.
The other service was thy chosen task,
To be a liar in four hundred mouths;.
For lying is thy fuftenance, thy food.
Yet thou pretend'ft to truth; all oracles.

By thee are giv'n, and what confefs'd more true
Among the nations? that hath been thy craft,
By mixing fomewhat true to vent more lies.

415

But what have been thy anfwers, what but dark,
Ambiguous and with double fenfe deluding,
Which they who afk'd have feldom understood,.
And not well understood as good not known?
Who ever by confulting at thy fhrine
Return'd the wifer, or the more instruct
To fly or follow what concerned him most,
And run not fooner to his fatal fnare?
For God hath justly giv'n the nations up
To thy delufions; juftly, fince they fell
Idolatrous; but when his purpofe is

420

425

4303

435

440

Among them to declare his providence

445

To thee not known, whence haft thou then thy truth,
But from him or his Angels prefident

In every province? who themfelves difdaining
T'approach thy temples, give thee in command
What to the fmallest tittle thou shalt fay
To thy adorers; thou with trembling fear,
Or like a fawning parasite obey'ft;
Then to thyfelf afcrib'ft the truth foretold.
But this thy glory fhall be foon retrench'd;
No more fhalt thou by oracling abufe

450

455

The Gentiles; henceforth oracles are ceas'd,
And thou no more with pomp and facrifice

Shalt be inquir'd at Delphos or elsewhere,

At least in vain, for they fhall find thee mute.
God hath now fent his living oracle

460

Into the world to teach his final will,

And fends his Spi'rit of truth henceforth to dwell
In pious hearts, an inward oracle"

To all truth requifite for men to know.

So fpake our Saviour; but the fubtle Fiend,

465

Though inly ftung with anger and difdain,
Diffembled, and this answer smooth return'd.

Sharply thou haft infifted on rebuke,

And urg'd me hard with doings, which not will
But mifery hath wrested from me: where
Eafily canft thou find one miferable

470

And not enforc'd oft-times to part from truth;
If it may ftand him more in ftead to lie,
Say and unfay, féign, flatter, or abjure;
But thou art plac'd above me, thou art Lord;
From thee I can and muft fubmifs indure
Check or reproof, and glad to 'fcape fo quit.
Hard are the ways of truth, and rough to walk
Smooth on the tongue difcours'd, pleafing to th' ear

475