He found his fupper on the coals prepar'd, And by the Angel was bid rife and eat, And eat the fecond time after repose, The ftrength whereof fuffic'd him forty days; Sometimes that with Elijah he partook, Or as a guest with Daniel at his pulfe.
Thus wore out night, and now the herald lark Left his ground-neft, high tow'ring to defcry 280 The morn's approach, and greet her with his fong: As lightly from his graffy couch up rofe
Our Saviour, and found all was but a dream, Fafting he went to fleep, and fasting wak'd. Up to a hill anon his steps he rear'd, From whofe high top to ken the prospect round, If cottage were in view, fheep-cote or herd; But cottage, herd, or sheep-cote none he saw, Only' in a bottom faw a pleafant grove,
With chaunt of tuneful birds refounding loud; 290 Thither he bent his way, determin'd there To reft at noon, and enter'd foon the shade High rooft, and walks beneath, and alleys brown, That open'd in the midft a woody scene;
Nature's own work it seem'd (nature taught art) 295 And to a fuperftitious eye the haunt
Of Wood-Gods and Wood-Nymphs; he view'd it When fuddenly a man before him ftood, Not ruftic as before, but feemlier clad, As one in city', or court, or palace bred, 309 And with fair speech these words to him address’d. With granted leave officious I return, But much more wonder that the Son of God In this wild folitude so long should bide Of all things destitute, and well I know, Not without hunger. Others of some note, As ftory tells, have trod this wilderness ; The fugitive bond-woman with her fon
Out-caft Nebaioth, yet found here relief
By a providing Angel; all the race
Of Ifrael here had famish'd, had not God
Rain'd from Heav'n Manna; and that Prophet bold Native of Thebez wand'ring here was fed Twice by a voice inviting him to eat : Of thee thefe forty days none hath regard, Forty and more deferted here indeed.
To whom thus Jefus. What conclud'st thou hence ? They all had need, I as thou seest have none. How haft thou hunger then? Satan reply'd. Tell me if food were now before thee fet, Would't thou not eat? Thereafter as I like The giver, anfwer'd Jefus. Why should that Caufe thy refufal? faid the fubtle Fiend. Haft thou not right to all created things? Owe not all creatures by juft right to thee Duty and fervice, not to stay till bid, But tender all their pow'r? nor mention I Meats by the Law unclean, or offer'd first To idols, thofe young Daniel could refuse Nor proffer'd by an enemy, though who Would fcruple that, with want opprefs'd? Behold Nature afham'd, or better to exprefs,
Troubled that thou should'st hunger, hath purvey'd From all the elements her choicest store
To treat thee as befeems, and as her Lord With honor, only deign to fit and eat.
He fpake no dream, for as his words had end, Our Saviour lifting up his eyes beheld In ample space under the broadeft shade A table richly spread, in regal mode, With dishes pil'd, and meats of nobleft fort And favor, beafts of chafe, or fowl of game, In pastry built, or from the fpit, or boil❜d, Gris-amber-fteam'd; all fish from fea or shore,
Frefhet, or purling brook, of fhell or fin, And exquifiteft name, for which was drain'd Pontus, and Lucrine bay, and Afric coaft. Alas how fimple, to these cates compar'd, Was that crude apple that diverted Eve! And at a stately fide-board by the wine That fragrant fsmell diffus'd, in order stood Tall ftripling youths rich clad, of fairer hue Than Ganymed or Hylas; diftant more Under the trees now tripp'd, now folemn stood Nymphs of Diana's train, and Naiades With fruits and flow'rs from Amalthea's horn, And ladies of th' Hefperides, that feem'd Fairer than feign'd of old, or fabled fince Of faery damfels met in foreft wide By knights of Logres, or of Lyones,
Lancelot, or Pelleas, or Pellenore :
And all the while harmonious airs were heard
Of chiming ftrings, or charming pipes, and winds Of gentleft gale Arabian odors fann'd
From their foft wings, and Flora's earliest smells. 365 Such was the fplendor, and the Tempter now His invitation earnestly renew'd.
What doubts the Son of God to fit and eat? These are not fruits forbidden; no interdict Defends the touching of these viands pure; Their tafte no knowledge works at least of evil, But life preserves, deftroys life's enemy, Hunger, with fweet restorative delight. All these are Spirits of air, and woods, and fprings, Thy gentle minifters, who come to pay Thee homage, and acknowledge thee their Lord: What doubt 'ft thou Son of God? fit down and eat. To whom thus Jefus temp'rately reply'd. Said'ft thou not that to all things I had right? And who withholds my pow'r that right to ufe? 380
Shall I receive by gift what of my own,
When and where likes me beft, I can command? I can at will, doubt not, as soon as thou, Command a table in this wilderness,
And call fwift flights of Angels miniftrant Array'd in glory on my cup to' attend: Why shouldst thou then obtrude this diligence, In vain, where no acceptance it can find? And with my hunger what hast thou to do? Thy pompous delicacies I contemn,
And count thy fpecious gifts no gifts but guiles. To whom thus anfwer'd Satan malecontent.
That I have also pow'r to give thou seeft ; If of that pow'r I bring thee voluntary
What I might have bestow'd on whom I pleas'd, 395 And rather opportunely in this place
Chofe to impart to thy apparent need, Why shouldst thou not accept it? but I see What I can do or offer is fufpect;
Of these things others quickly will difpofe, Whofe pains have earn'd the far fet spoil. With that Both table and provifion vanish'd quite
With found of harpies wings, and talons heard ; Only th' impórtune Tempter ftill remain'd, And with these words his temptation pursu’d. 405 By hunger, that each other creature tames, Thou art not to be harm'd, therefore not mov'd; Thy temperance invincible befides,
For no allurement yields to appetite,
And all thy heart is set on high designs, High actions; but wherewith to be achiev'd? Great acts require great means of enterprise; Thou art unknown, unfriended, low of birth, A carpenter thy father known, thyself Bred up in poverty and straits at home, Loft in a defert here and hunger-bit;
Which way or from what hope doft thou afpire To greatnefs? whence authority deriv❜st? What followers, what retinue canft thou gain, Or at thy heels the dizzy multitude,
Longer than thou canst feed them on thy cost? Money brings honor, friends, conquest, and realms: What rais'd Antipater the Edomite,
And his fon Herod plac'd on Juda's throne, (Thy throne) but gold that got him puiffant friends? Therefore, if at great things thou would'st arrive, Get riches first, get wealth, and treasure heap, Not difficult, if thou hearken to me; Riches are mine, fortune is in my hand; They whom I favor thrive in wealth amain, 430 While virtue, valor, wisdom fit in want. To whom thus Jefus patiently reply'd. Yet wealth without these three is impotent To gain dominion, or to keep it gain'd. Witness thofe ancient empires of the earth, In highth of all their flowing wealth dissolv'd: But men indued with these have oft attain'd In lowest poverty to highest deeds; Gideon, and Jephtha, and the fhepherd lad, Whofe ofspring on the throne of Judah fat So many ages, and fhall yet regain
That seat, and reign in Israel without end. Among the Heathen, (for throughout the world To me is not unknown what hath been done Worthy' of memorial) canft thou not remember 445 Quintius, Fabricius, Curius, Regulus ? For I efteem thofe names of men fo poor Who could do mighty things, and could contemn Riches though offer'd from the hand of kings. And what in me feems wanting, but that I 450 May alfo in this poverty as foon
Accomplish what they did, perhaps and more?
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