Wrought that effect on Jove, fo fables tell;
How would one look from his majestic brow
Seated as on the top of virtue's hill,
Discount'nance her despis'd, and put to rout
All her array; her female pride deject,
Or turn to reverent awe? for beauty stands
In th' admiration only of weak minds
Led captive; cease to' admire, and all her plumes
Fall flat and fhrink into a trivial toy,
At every fudden flighting quite abash'd:
Therefore with manlier objects we must try
His conftancy, with such as have more show
Of worth, of honor, glory', and popular praise;
Rocks whereon greatest men have oftest wreck'd;
Or that which only feems to fatisfy
Lawful defires of nature, not beyond;
And now I know he hungers where no food
Is to be found, in the wide wilderness;
The reft commit to me, I shall let pass
No' advantage, and his ftrength as oft afsay.
He ceas'd, and heard their grant in loud acclame; Then forthwith to him takes a chosen band
Of Spirits likeft to himself in guile
To be at hand, and at his beck appear,
If cause were to unfold fome active scene
Of various perfons, each to know his part;
Then to the desert takes with these his flight;
Where ftill from fhade to fhade the Son of God
After forty days fasting had remain'd,
Now hungring first, and to himself thus faid.
Where will this end? four times ten days I've pass'd Wand'ring this woody maze, and human food 246 Nor tafted, nor had appetite; that fast
To virtue I impute not, or count part
Of what I fuffer here; if nature need not,
Or God fupport nature without repast
Though needing, what praise is it to indure?
But now I feel I hunger, which declares
Nature hath need of what she asks; yet God
Can fatisfy that need fome other way,
Though hunger still remain: so it remain
Without this body's wafting, I content me,
And from the fting of famin fear no harm,
Nor mind it, fed with better thoughts that feed
Me hungring more to do my Father's will.
It was the hour of night, when thus the Son 260 Commun'd in filent walk, then laid him down Under the hofpitable covert nigh
Of trees thick interwoven; there he slept,
And dream'd, as appetite is wont to dream,
Of meats and drinks, nature's refreshment sweet; 265
Him thought, he by the brook of Cherith, stood
And saw the ravens with their horny beaks
Food to Elijah bringing ev'n and morn, (brought:
Though ravenous, taught t'abstain from what they
He saw the prophet also how he fled
Into the defert, and how there he slept
Under a juniper; then how awak’d,
He found his fupper on the coals prepar'd,
And by the Angel was bid rise and eat,
And eat the fecond time after repose,
The strength whereof fuffic'd him forty days;
Sometimes that with Elijah he partook,
Or as a guest with Daniel at his pulse.
Thus wore out night, and now the herald lark
Left his ground-neft, high tow'ring to descry
The morn's approach, and greet her with his fong:
As lightly from his graffy couch up rose
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 saw a pleasant grove,
With chaunt of tuneful birds refounding loud; 290
Thither he bent his way, determin'd there
To rest at noon, and enter'd foon the fhade
High rooft, and walks beneath, and alleys brown,
That open'd in the midst a woody scene;
Nature's own work it seem'd (nature taught art) 295
And to a superstitious eye the haunt
Of Wood-Gods and Wood-Nymphs; he
When fuddenly a man before him stood,
Not ruftic as before, but feemlier clad,
As one in city', or court, or palace bred,
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 fo long should bide
Of all things deftitute, and well I know,
Not without hunger. Others of some note,
As story 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 these forty days none hath regard,
Forty and more deserted here indeed.
To whom thus Jefus. What conclud'ft 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'ft thou not eat? Thereafter as I like
The giver, answer'd Jesus. Why should that
Cause thy refusal? said the subtle 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, those young Daniel could refuse;
Nor proffer'd by an enemy, though who
Would scruple that, with want oppress'd? Behold
Nature asham'd, or better to express,
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 spake no dream, for as his words had end,
Our Saviour lifting up his eyes beheld
In ample space under the broadest shade
A table richly spread, in regal mode,
With dishes pil'd, and meats of noblest sort
And favor, beafts of chafe, or fowl of game,
In pastry built, or from the spit, or boil'd,
Gris-amber-fteam'd; all fish from fea or fhore,
Frefhet, or purling brook, of shell or fin,
And exquisitest name, for which was drain'd
Pontus, and Lucrine bay, and Afric coast.
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 smell diffus'd, in order flood
Tall stripling youths rich clad, of fairer hue
Than Ganymed or Hylas; distant more
Under the trees now tripp'd, now folemn stood
Nymphs
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