Sharply thou haft infifted on rebuke,

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

And not inforc'd oft-times to part from truth;
If it may stand him more in stead to lie,
Say and unfay, feign, flatter, or abjure?

476

But thou art plac'd above me, thou art Lord; 475.
From thee I can and muft fubmifs endure
Check or reproof, and glad t'escape fo quit.
Hard are the ways of truth, and rough to walk,
Smooth on the tongue discours'd, pleafing to th'ear,
And tuneable as Silvan Pipe or Song;

480

What wonder then if I delight to hear Her dictates from thy mouth? most men admire Virtue, who follow not her lore: permit me To hear thee when I'come (fince no man comes) And talk at least, tho' I despair t' attain. Thy Father, who is holy, wife and pure, • Suffers the Hypocrite or Atheous Priest To tread his Sacred Courts, and minister About his Altar, handling holy things,

485

Praying or vowing, and vouchfaf'd his voice 490
To Balaam Reprobate, a Prophet yet
Infpir'd; difdain not fuch access to me.

To whom our Saviour with unalter'd brow.
Thy coming hither, though I know thy scope,
I bid not or forbid; do as thou find'st
Permiffion from above; thou can't not more.

495

He added not; and Satan bowing low
His gray diffimulation, disappear'd
Into thin Air diffus'd: for now began

Night with her fullen wings to double-shade

500

The Defart, Fowls in their clay nefts were couch'd; And now wild Beafts came forth the Woods to roam

The End of the First Book.

Paradife Regain'd.

M

BOOK II.

Ean while the new-baptiz'd, who yet remain'd At Jordan with the Baptift, and had seen Him whom they heard fo late exprefly call'd Jefus Meffiah Son of God declar'd,

And on that high Authority had believ'd,
And with him talkt, and with him-lodg'd, I mean
Andrew and Simon, famous after known,

With others though in Holy Writ not nam'd,
Now miffing him their Joy fo lately found,
So lately found, and fo abruptly gone,
Began to doubt, and doubted many days,
And as the days increas'd, increas'd their doubt:
Sometimes they thought he might be only fhewn,
And for a time caught up to God, as once
Mofes was in the Mount, and missing long;
And the great Thisbite who on fiery wheels
Rode up to Heav'n, yet once again to come.
Therefore as thofe young Prophets then with care