Cities of men, or head-strong Multitudes,
Subject himself to Anarchy within,
Or lawless paffions in him which he serves.
But to guide Nations in the way of truth
By faving Doctrine, and from errour lead
To know, and knowing worship God aright,
Is yet more Kingly, this attracts the Soul,
Governs the inner man, the nobler part,
That other o're the body only reigns,
And oft by force, which to a generous mind
So reigning can be no fincere delight.
Befides to give a Kingdom hath been thought
Greater and nobler done, and to lay down
Far more magnanimous, then to affume.
Riches are needless then, both for themselves,
And for thy reason why they should be fought,
To gain a Scepter, ofteft better mifs't.
The End of the Second Book.
O fpake the Son of God, and Satan stood
A while as mute confounded what to say,
What to reply, confuted and convinc't
Of his weak arguing, and fallacious drift;
At length collecting all his Serpent wiles,
With foothing words renew'd, him thus accofts.
I fee thou know'ft what is of ufe to know,
What best to say canft fay, to do canft do;
Thy actions to thy words accord, thy words
To thy large heart give utterance due, thy heart
Conteins of good, wife, juft, the perfect shape. 11
Should Kings and Nations from thy mouth confult,
Thy Counsel would be as the Oracle
Urim and Thummim, thofe oraculous gems
On Aaron's breaft: or tongue of Seers old
Infallible; or wert thou fought to deeds
That might require th' array of war, thy skill
Of conduct would be fuch, that all the world
Could not fuftain thy Prowefs, or fubfift
In battel, though against thy few in arms.
Thefe God-like Vertues wherefore doft thou hide?
Affecting private life, or more obscure
In favage Wilderness, wherefore deprive
All Earth her wonder at thy acts, thy felf
The fame and glory, glory the reward
That fole excites to high attempts the flame
Of moft erected Spirits, moft temper'd pure
Ætherial, who all pleasures else despise,
All treasures and all gain esteem as dross,
And dignities and powers all but the highest ? 30
Thy years are ripe, and over-ripe, the Son,
Of Macedonian Philip had e're these
Won Afia and the Throne of Cyrus held
At his dispose, young Scipio had brought down
The Carthaginian pride, young Pompey quell'd
The Pontic King and in triumph had rode.
Yet years, and to ripe years judgment mature,
Quench not the thirst of glory, but augment.
Great Julius, whom now all the world admires
The more he grew in years, the more inflam'd 40
With glory, wept that he had liv'd so long
Inglorious but thou yet art not too late.
To whom our Saviour calmly thus reply'd.
Thou neither doft perfwade me to seek wealth
For Empires fake, nor Empire to affect
For glories fake by all thy argument.
For what is glory but the blaze of fame,
The peoples praise, if always praise unmixt?
And what the people but a herd confus'd,
A miscellaneous rabble, who extol
Things vulgar, & well weigh'd, fcarce worth the They praise and they admire they know not what; And know not whom, but as one leads the other; And what delight to be by fuch extoll'd,
To live upon thir tongues and be thir talk,
Of whom to be disprais'd were no small praise?
His lot who dares be fingularly good.
Th' intelligent among them and the wife
Are few, and glory scarce of few is rais'd.
This is true glory and renown, when God 60
Looking on the Earth, with approbation marks
The just man, and divulges him through Heaven
To all his Angels, who with true applause
Recount his praises; thus he did to Job,
When to extend his fame through Heaven & Earth,
As thou to thy reproach mayst well remember,
He afk'd thee, haft thou seen my fervant Job?
Famous he was in Heaven, on Earth lefs known;
Where glory is false glory, attributed
To things not glorious, men not worthy of fame.
They err who count it glorious to fubdue
By Conqueft far and wide, to over-run
Large Countries, and in field great Battels win,
Great Cities by affault: what do these Worthies,
But rob and spoil, burn, flaughter, and enslave
Peaceable Nations, neighbouring, or remote,
Made Captive, yet deferving freedom more
Then those thir Conquerours, who leave behind
Nothing but ruin wherefoe're they rove,
And all the flourishing works of peace deftroy, 80
Then fwell with pride, and must be titl❜d Gods,
Great Benefactors of mankind, Deliverers,
Worship't with Temple, Prieft and Sacrifice;
One is the Son of Jove, of Mars the other,
Till Conquerour Death discover them scarce men,
Rowling in brutish vices, and deform'd,
Violent or fhameful death thir due reward.
But if there be in glory aught of good,
It may by means far different be attain'd
Without ambition, war, or violence;
By deeds of peace, by wisdom eminent,
By patience, temperance; I mention still
Him whom thy wrongs with Saintly patience born,
Made famous in a Land and times obfcure;
Who names not now with honour patient Job?
Poor Socrates (who next more memorable?)
By what he taught and fuffer'd for fo doing,
For truths fake fuffering death unjust, lives now
Equal in fame to proudest Conquerours.
Yet if for fame and glory aught be done,
Aught fuffer'd; if young African for fame
His wafted Country freed from Punic rage,
The deed becomes unprais'd, the man at least,
And lofes, though but verbal, his reward.
Shall I feek glory then, as vain men seek
Oft not deferv'd? I feek not mine, but his
Who fent me, and thereby witness whence I am.
To whom the Tempter murmuring thus reply'd.
Think not so flight of glory; therein least
Resembling thy great Father: he feeks glory, 110
And for his glory all things made, all things
Orders and governs, nor content in Heaven
By all his Angels glorifi'd, requires
Glory from men, from all men good or bad,
Wife or unwife, no difference, no exemption;
Above all Sacrifice, or hallow'd gift
Glory he requires, and glory he receives
Promifcuous from all Nations, Jew, or Greek,
Or Barbarous, nor exception hath declar'd;
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