Diffembled, and this anfwer fmooth return'd.

Sharply thou haft infifted on rebuke,

And urg'd me hard with doings, which not will But mifery hath wrested from me

Easily canft thou find one miserable,

where

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

470

But thou art plac'd above me, thou art Lord; 475
From thee I can and must submiss indure
Check or reproof, and glad to 'fcape 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 fylvan pipe or song;
What wonder then if I delight to hear

480

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 leaft, though I despair to' attain. 485
Thy Father, who is holy, wife and pure,
Suffers the hypocrite or atheous priest
To tread his facred courts, and minister
About his altar, handling holy things,

Praying or vowing, and vouchsaf'd his voice 490
To Balaam reprobate, a prophet yet
Inspir'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'ft
Permiffion from above; thou canst not more.
He added not; and Satan bowing low
His gray diffimulation, difappear'd
Into thin air diffus'd: for now began

495

Night with her fullen wings to double-shade 500 The defert; fowls in their clay nefts were couch'd; And now wild beafts came forth the woods to roam.