As a poor miserable captive thrall

Comes to the place where he before had sat
Among the prime in fplendor, now depos'd,
Ejected, emptied, gaz'd, unpitied, fhunn'd,
A fpectacle of ruin or of scorn

To all the host of Heav'n: the happy place
Imparts to thee no happiness, no joy,
Rather inflames thy torment, representing
Loft bliss, to thee no more communicable,
So never more in Hell than when in Heaven.
But thou art serviceable 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 to' afflict him
With all inflictions? but his patience won.
The other service was thy chosen task,
To be a liar in four hundred mouths;

415

420

425

For lying is thy sustenance, thy food.

Yet thou pretend'ft to truth; all oracles

430

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.
But what have been thy answers, what but dark,
Ambiguous and with double sense deluding,
Which they who afk'd have seldom understood,
And not well understood as good not known?
Who ever by consulting at thy fhrine

435

Return'd

Return'd the wiser, or the more instruct

To fly or follow what concern'd him moft,
And run not fooner to his fatal snare?
For God hath juftly giv'n the nations up
To thy delufions; justly, fince they fell
Idolatrous: but when his purpose is

Among them to declare his providence

440

445

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

In every province? who themselves difdaining
T'approach thy temples, give thee in command
What to the smallest tittle thou fhalt say
To thy adorers; thou with trembling fear,
Or like a fawning parasite obey'st;

Then to thyself ascrib'st the truth foretold.
But this thy glory shall be soon retrench'd;
No more shalt thou by oracling abuse
The Gentiles; henceforth oracles are ceas'd,
And thou no more with pomp and facrifice
Shalt be inquir'd at Delphos or elsewhere,

450

455

At least in vain, for they shall find thee mute.

God hath now fent his living oracle

460

Into the world to teach his final will,

And fends his Spirit 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 subtle Fiend, 465 Though inly ftung with anger and disdain,

Diffembled, and this answer smooth return'd.

470

Sharply thou hast insisted on rebuke, And urg'd me hard with doings, which not will But mifery hath wrested from me: where Eafily canft thou find one miserable, 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? But thou art plac'd above me, thou art Lord; From thee I can and muft fubmifs indure Check or reproof, and glad to 'scape fo quit. Hard are the ways of truth, and rough to walk, Smooth on the tongue discours'd, pleasing to th' ear, And tuneable as fylvan pipe or fong;

What wonder then if I delight to hear

Her dictates from thy mouth? most men admire

475

480

Virtue, who follow not her lore: permit me

To hear thee when I come (fince no man comes)

And talk at least, 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
To Balaam reprobate, a prophet yet

Infpir'd; difdain not such access to me.

To whom our Saviour with unalter'd brow. Thy coming hither, though I know thy scope,

490

I bid not or forbid; do as thou find'ft
Permiffion from above; thou canst not more.

He added not; and Satan bowing low

495

His gray diffimulation, disappear’d

Into thin air diffus'd: for now began

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.

The end of the First Book.