The deed becomes unprais'd, the man at least, And loses, though but verbal, his reward. Shall I feek glory then, as vain men seek,
Oft not deferv'd? I seek not mine, but his Who fent me', and thereby witness whence I am. To whom the Tempter murm'ring thus reply'd. Think not fo flight of glory; therein least Resembling thy great Father: he seeks glory, And for his glory all things made, all things Orders and governs; nor content in Heaven By all his Angels glorify'd, requires
Glory from men, from all men good or bad, Wife or unwife, no difference, no exemption; 115 Above all facrifice, or hallow'd gift Glory' he requires, and glory he receives Promifcuous from all nations, Jew, or Greek, Or barbarous, nor exception hath declared; From us his foes pronounc'd glory' he exacts. 120 To whom our Saviour fervently reply'd. And reason; fince his word all things produc'd Though chiefly not for glory as prime end, But to fhow forth his goodness, and impart His good communicable to every foul Freely; of whom what could he lefs expect Than glory' and benediction, that is thanks, The slightest, easiest, readiest recompense From them who could return him nothing else, And not returning that would likeliest render 130
Contempt instead, difhonor, obloquy?
Hard recompenfe, unfuitable return
For fo much good, fo much beneficence.
But why should man seek glory, who' of his own Hath nothing, and to whom nothing belongs 135 But condemnation, ignominy', and shame? Who for fo many benefits receiv'd Turn'd recreant to God, ingrate and false, And fo of all true good himself defpoil'd, Yet, facrilegious, to himself would take That which to God alone of right belongs; Yet fo much bounty is in God, fuch grace, That who advance his glory, not their own, Them he himself to glory will advance.
So fpake the Son of God; and here again 145 Satan had not to answer, but stood struck With guilt of his own fin, for he himself Infatiable of glory had loft all, Yet of another plea bethought him foon.
Of glory, as thou wilt, faid he, fo deem, Worth or not worth the feeking, let it pass: But to a kingdom thou art born, ordain'd To fit upon thy father David's throne;
By mother's fide thy father; though thy right Be now in powerful hands, that will not part 155 Easily from poffeffion won with arms:
Judæa now and all the promis'd land,
Reduc'd a province under Roman yoke,
Obeys Tiberius; nor is always rul'd
With temp'rate fway; oft have they violated The temple, oft the law with foul affronts, Abominations rather, as did once Antiochus and think'st thou to regain Thy right by fitting still or thus retiring? So did not Maccabeus: he indeed
Retired into the defert, but with arms;
And o'er a mighty king so oft prevail'd,
That by ftrong hand his family obtain'd,
Tho' priests, the crown, and David's throne ufurp'd, With Modin and her fuburbs once content.
If kingdom move thee not, let move thee zeal And duty; zeal and duty are not flow ; But on occafion's forelock watchful wait. They themselves rather are occafion best, Zeal of thy Father's house, duty to free Thy country from her Heathen servitude; So fhalt thou best fulfil, best verify
The prophets old, who fung thy endless reign; The happier reign the fooner it begins;
Reign then; what canft thou better do the while? 180 To whom our Saviour answer thus return'd.
All things are best fulfill'd in their due time, And time there is for all things, Truth hath faid: If of my reign prophetic Writ hath told, That it fhall never end, fo when begin
The Father in his purpose hath decreed,
He in whose hand all times and seasons roll. What if he hath decreed that I shall first
Be try'd in humble ftate, and things adverse, By tribulations, injuries, infults,
Contempts, and fcorns, and fnares, and violence, Suffering, abstaining, quietly expecting, Without diftruft or doubt, that he may know
What I can suffer, how obey? who best
Can fuffer, best can do; best reign, who firft 195 Well hath obey`d; just trial ere I merit My exaltation without change or end. But what concerns it thee when I begin My everlasting kingdom, why art thou Solicitous, what moves thy inquifition? Know'st thou not that my rifing is thy fall, And my promotion will be thy deftruction? To whom the Tempter inly rack'd reply'd. Let that come when it comes; all hope is loft Of my reception into grace; what worse? For where no hope is left, is left no fear: If there be worfe, the expectation more Of worfe torments me than the feeling can. I would be at the worft; worft is my port, My harbour and my ultimate repose, The end I would attain, my final good. My error was my error, and my crime My crime; whatever for itfelf condemn'd, And will alike be punish'd whether thou
Reign or reign not; though to that gentle brow 215 Willingly I could fly, and hope thy reign,
From that placid afpect and meek regard, Rather than aggravate my evil ftate,
Would stand between me and thy Father's ire
(Whose ire I dread more than the fire of Hell) 220 A shelter and a kind of shading cool Interpofition, as a fummer's cloud.
If I then to the worst that can be hafte, Why move thy feet so flow to what is best, Happiest both to thyfelf and all the world, That thou who worthiest art should'st be their king? Perhaps thou linger'ft in deep thoughts detain'd Of th' enterprise so hazardous and high; No wonder, for though in thee be united What of perfection can in man be found, Or human nature can receive, confider Thy life hath yet been private, most part spent At home, scarce view'd the Galilean towns, And once a year Jerusalem, few days Short fojourn; and what thence could'ft thou obferve? The world thou haft not seen, much less her glory, Empires, and monarchs, and their radiant courts, Best school of beft experience, quickest insight In all things that to greatest actions lead. The wifeft, unexperienc'd, will be ever Timorous and loath, with novice modesty, (As he who seeking affes found a kingdom)
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