Page images
PDF
EPUB

Why dost thou then fuggeft to me distrust, 355 Knowing who I am, as I know who thou art?

Whom thus anfwer'd th' Arch-Fiend now undif'Tis true, I am that Spi'rit unfortunate, (guis'd. Who leagu'd with millions more in rash revolt Kept not my happy ftation, but was driven 360 With them from blifs to the bottomlefs deep, Yet to that hideous place not fo confin'd By rigour unconniving, but that oft Leaving my dolorous prifon I enjoy

Large liberty to round this globe of earth,

365

Or range in th' air, nor from the Heav'n of Heav'ns

Hath he excluded my resort fometimes.

I came among the Sons of God, when he

Gave up into my hands Uzzean Job

To prove him, and illustrate his high worth; 370
And when to all his Angels he propos'd

To draw the proud king Ahab into fraud
That he might fall in Ramoth, they demurring,
I undertook that office, and the tongues

Of all his flattering prophets glibb'd with lies 375
To his deftruction, as I had in charge,
For what he bids I do: though I have loft
Much luftre of my native brightness, loft
To be belov'd of God, I have not loft
To love, at least contemplate and admire
What I fee excellent in good, or fair,
Or virtuous, I fhould fo have lost all sense.

380

What

What can be then lefs in me than defire
To see thee and approach thee, whom I know
Declar'd the Son of God, to hear attent 385
Thy wisdom, and behold thy Godlike deeds?
Men generally think me much a foe

To all mankind: why fhould I? they to me
Never did wrong or violence; by them

I lost not what I loft, rather by them

390

I gain'd what I have gain'd, and with them dwell Copartner in these regions of the world,

If not disposer; lend them oft

my aid, Oft my advice by presages and figns,

And answers, oracles, portents and dreams, 395
Whereby they may direct their future life.

Envy they say excites me, thus to gain
Companions of

400

my mifery and woe. At first it may be; but long fince with woe Nearer acquainted, now I feel by proof, That fellowship in pain divides not smart, Nor lightens ought each man's peculiar load. Small confolation then, were man adjoin'd: This wounds me most (what can it lefs?) that man, Man fall'n fhall be reftor'd, I never more.

405

To whom our Saviour fternly thus reply'd. Deservedly thou griev'ft, compos'd of lies From the beginning, and in lies wilt end; Who boaft'ft release from Hell, and leave to come Into the Heav'n of Heav'ns: thou com'ft indeed, 410

As a poor miferable captive thrall

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

To all the hoft of Heav'n: the happy place
Imparts to thee no happiness, no joy,
Rather inflames thy torment, representing
Loft blifs, to thee no more communicable,

415

So never more in Hell than when in Heav'n. 420
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 425
With all inflictions? but his patience won.
The other service was thy chosen task,
To be a liar in four hundred mouths;
For lying is thy fuftenance, thy food.
Yet thou pretend'ft to truth; all oracles

430

By thee are giv'n, and what confess'd more true
Among the nations? that hath been thy craft,
By mixing fomewhat true to vent more lies.
But what have been thy anfwers, what but dark,
Ambiguous and with double fenfe deluding, 435
Which they who afk'd have seldom understood,
And not well understood as good not known?
Who ever by confulting at thy fhrine

Return'd

440

Return'd the wiser, or the more instruct
To fly or follow what concern'd him most,
And run not fooner to his fatal fnare?
For God hath juftly giv'n the nations up
To thy delufions; juftly, fince they fell
Idolatrous: but when his purpose is
Among them to declare his providence
To thee not known, whence haft thou then thy truth,
But from him or his Angels prefident

445

450

In every province? who themselves disdaining
T'approach thy temples, give thee in command
What to the smallest tittle thou shalt say
To thy adorers; thou with trembling fear,
Or like a fawning parafite obey'ft;
Then to thyself ascrib'ft the truth foretold.
But this thy glory shall be soon retrench'd;
No more fhalt thou by oracling abuse

The Gentiles; henceforth oracles are ceas'd,
And thou no more with pomp and facrifice
Shalt be enquir'd at Delphos or elsewhere,
At least in vain, for they fhall find thee mute.
God hath now fent his living oracle

Into the world to teach his final will,

455

460

And fends his Spi'rit 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.

Sharply thou hast insisted on rebuke,

And urg'd me hard with doings, which not will
But mifery hath wrefted from me: where
Eafily canft thou find one miferable,

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?

470

But thou art plac'd above me, thou art Lord; 475
From thee I can and must submiss indure
Check or reproof, and glad to 'scape so quit.
Hard are the ways of truth, and rough to walk,
Smooth on the tongue difcours'd, pleafing to th' ear,
And tuneable as fylvan pipe or fong;
What wonder then if I delight to hear

480

Her dictates from thy mouth? moft men admire
Virtue, who follow not her lore: permit me
To hear thee when I come (fince no man comes)
And talk at leaft, though I defpair to' attain. 485
Thy Father, who is holy, wife and pure,
Suffers the hypocrite or atheous priest
To tread his facred courts, and minifter
About his altar, handling holy things,

Praying or vowing, and vouchsaf'd his voice 490
To Balaam reprobate, a prophet yet
Infpir'd; difdain not fuch access to me.

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

I

« PreviousContinue »