that

Both table and provifion vanish'd quite

410

With found of harpies wings, and talons heard;
Only th' impórtune Tempter ftili remain'd,
And with these words his temptation purfu'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 atchiev'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 greatness? whence authority deriv'st?
What followers, what retinue canft thou gain,
Or at thy heels the dizzy multitude,
Longer than thou canft feed them on thy coft?
Money brings honor, friends, conqueft, and

realms:

415

420

What rais'd Antipater the Edomite, And his fon Herod plac'd on Judah's throne (Thy throne), but gold that got him puiffant

friends?

425 Therefore, if at great things thou would'ft 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,
While virtue, valor, wisdom, fit in want.
To whom thus Jefus patiently reply'd.
Yet wealth without thefe three is impotent
To gain dominion, or to keep it gain'd.
Witnefs thofe ancient empires of the earth,
In highth of all their flowing wealth diffolv'd:
But men endued with thefe have oft attain'd
In lowest poverty to highest deeds;
Gideon, and Jephtha, and the fhepherd lad,
Whofe offspring on the throne of Judah fat
So many ages, and shall yet regain

430

435

440

That feat, and reign in Ifrael without end. Among the Heathen, (for throughout the world

Worthy' of memorial) canft thou not remember
Quintius, Fabricius, Curius, Regulus ?
For I esteem those 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 seems wanting, but that I
May alfo in this poverty as foon
Accomplish what they did, perhaps and more?
Extol not riches then, the toil of fools,

450

455

The wife man's cumbrance if not snare, more apt
To flacken virtue, and abate her edge,
Than prompt her to do ought may merit praife.
What if with like averfion I reject

Riches and realms; yet not for that a crown,
Golden in fhow, is but a wreath of thorns,
Brings dangers, troubles, cares, and fleepless
nights,

460

To him who wears the regal diadem,
When on his shoulders each man's burden lies;
For therein stands the office of a king,
His honor, virtue, merit, and chief praise,
That for the public all this weight he bears. 465
Yet he who reigns within hin felf, and rules
Paffions, defires, and fears, is more a king;
Which every wife and virtuous man attains:
And who attains not, ill afpires to rule
Cities of men, or headstrong multitudes,
Subject himself to anarchy within,
Or lawless paffions in him which he ferves.
But to guide nations in the way of truth
By faving doctrin, and from error lead

470

To know, and knowing worship God aright, 475
Is yet more kingly; this attracts the foul,
Governs the inner man, the nobler part;

That other o'er the body only reigns,

And oft by force, which to a generous mind
So reigning can be no fincere delight.
Befides to give a kingdom hath been thought
Greater and nobler done, and to lay down
Far more magnanimous, than to affume.
Riches are needlefs then, both for themselves,
And for thy reason why they should be fought,
To gain a fccpter, ofteft better mifs'd.

100

Made famous in a land and times obfcure:
Who names not now with honor patient Job? 95
Poor Socrates (who next more memorable?)
By what he taught and suffer'd for so doing,
For truth's fake fuffering death unjuft, lives now
Equal in fame to proudeft conquerors.
Yet if for fame and glory ought be done,
Ought fuffer'd; if young African for fame
His wafted country freed from Punic rage,
The deed becomes unprais'd, the man at least,
And lofes, though but verbal, his reward.
Shall I feek glory then, as vain men feek,
Oft not deferv'd? I feek 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 leaft
Refembling thy great Father: he feeks glory, 110
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;
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 declar'd;
From us his foes pronounc'd glory' he exacts. 120
To whom our Saviour fervently reply'd.
And reafon; 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 fighteft, easiest, readiest recompenfe
From them who could return him nothing elfe,
And not returning what would like lieft render 130
Contempt instead, difhonor, obioquy?
Hard recompenfe, unfuitable return
For fo much good, fo much beneficence.

116

125

But why should man feek glory, who' of his own
Hath nothing, and to whom nothing belongs 135
But condemnation, ignominy', and fhame?
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 Ipake the Son of God; and here again
Sarah had not to answer, but stood ftruck
With guilt of his own fit, for he himself
Ifatable of glory had loft all,

140

145

Yet of another plea bethought him foon.

150

Of glory, as thou wilt, faid he, so 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 pow'rful hands, that will not part 155
Eafily from poffeffion won with arms:
Judea now and all the promis'd land,
Reduc'd a province under Roman yoke,
Obeys Tiberius; nor is always rul'd

With temperate fway; oft have they violated 166
The temple, oft the law with foul affronts,
Abominations rather, as did once
Antiochus and think'ft thou to regain
Thy right by fitting still or thus retiring?
So did not Maccabets: he indeed
Retir'd unto the defert, but with arms;
And o'er a mighty king so oft prevail'd,
That by ftrong hand his family obtain'd,
Though priests, the crown, and David's throne

ufurp'd,

165

The prophets old, who fung thy endless reign;
The happier reign the fooner it begins;
Reign then; what canft thou better do the while?
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 whofe hand all times and feafons roll.
What if he hath decreed that I shall firft
Be try'd in humble state, and things adverse,
By tribulations, injuries, infults,

185

190

Contempts, and fcorns, and fnares, and violence,
Suffering, abftaining, quietly expecting,
Without diftruft or doubt, that he may know
What I can fuffer, how obey? who beft

Can fuffer, beft can do; best reign, who first 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 destruction?

To whom the Tempter iniy 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 worse torments me than the feeling can.
I would be at the worft; worst is my port,
My harbour, and my ultimate repofe,
The end I would attain, my final good.
My error was my error, and my crime

200

205

210

240

Empires, and monarchs, and their radiant courts,
Best school of beft experience, quickest infight
In all things that to greatest actions lead.
The wifeft, unexperienc'd, will be ever
Timorous and loath, with novice modefty,
(As he who seeking affes found a kingdom)
Irrefolute, unhardy, unadventrous:

But I will bring thee where thou foon fhalt quit
Thofe rudiments, and fee before thine eyes 245
The monarchies of th' earth, their pomp and
state,

Sufficient introduction to inform
Thee, of thyself so apt, in regal arts,

And regal myfteries, that thou may'st know
How beft their oppofition to withstand.

250

With that (fuch pow'r was giv'n him then) he took

The Son of God up to a mountain high.
It was a mountain at whofe verdant feet
A fpacious plain out-ftretch'd in circuit wide
Lay pleasant; from his fide two rivers flow'd,
Th' one winding, th' other ftrait, and left be-

tween

255

Fair champain with lefs rivers intervein'd,
Then meeting join'd their tribute to the fea :
Fertil of corn the glebe, of oil and wine;
With herds the pastures throng'd, with flocks the
hills;
260
Huge cities and high towr'd, that well might feem
The feats of mightieft monarchs, and fo large
The profpect was, that here and there was room
For barren defert fountainless and dry.

To this high mountain top the Tempter brought
Our Saviour, and new train of words began. 266
Well have we speeded, and o'er hill and dale,
Foreft and field and flood, temples and towers,
Cut shorter many a league; here thou behold'st
Affyria and her empire's ancient bounds,

270

275

280

285

Araxes and the Caspian lake, thence on
As far as Indus eaft, Euphrates west,
And oft beyond; to fouth the Persian bay,
And inacceffible th' Arabian drouth:
Here Nineveh, of length within her wall
Several days journey, built by Ninus old,
Of that firft golden monarchy the seat,
And feat of Salmanaffar, whofe fuccefs
Ifrael in long captivity ftill mourns;
There Babylon, the wonder of all tongues,
As ancient, but rebuilt by him who twice
Judah and all thy father David's houfe
Led captive, and Jerufalem laid waste,
Till Cyrus fet them free: Perfepolis
His city there thou feeft, and Bactra there;
Ecbatana her structure vaft there flows,
And Hecatompylos her hundred gates;
There Sufa by Choafpes, amber stream,
The drink of none but kings; of later fame
Built by Emathian, or by Parthian hands,
The great Seleucia, Nifibis, and there
Artaxata, Teredon, Ctesiphon,
Turning with eafy eye thou mây'st behold.
All there the Parthian, now fome ages past,
By great Arfaces led, who founded first
That empire, under his dominion holds,
From the luxurious kings of Antioch won.
And just in time thou com'ft to have a view
Of his great pow'r; for now the Parthian king
In Ctesiphon hath gather'd all his hoft
Against the Scythian, whofe incurfions wild
Have wafted Sogdiana; to her aid

290

295

300

He faw them in their forms of battle rang'd.
How quick they wheel'd, and fly'ing behind them
fhot

Sharp fleet of arrowy fhow'rs against the face
Of their purfuers, and overcame by flight;
The field all iron caft a gleaming brown;
Nor wanted clouds of foot, nor on each horn
Cuiraffiers all in steel for standing fight,
Chariots or elephants indors'd with towers
Of archers, nor of lab'ring pioneers
A multitude with fpades and axes arm'd
To lay hills plain, fell woods, or valleys fill,
Or where plain was ra fe hill, or overlay
2 [P] 2

325

339

His daughter, fought by many proweft knights,
Both Paynim, and the peers of Charlemain.
Such and fo numerous was their chivalry;
At fight whereof the Fiend yet more prefum'd,
And to our Saviour thus his words renew'd.

346

355

That thou may'st know I feek not to engage Thy virtue, and not every way fecure On no flight grounds thy fafety; hear, and mark To what end I have brought thee hither and shown All this fair fight: thy kingdom though foretold By prophet or by Angel, unless thou Endevor, as thy father David did, Thou never fhalt obtain; prediction ftill In all things, and all men, fuppofes means Without means us'd, what it predicts revokes. But fay thou wert poffefs'd of David's throne By free confent of all, none oppofit, Samaritan or Jew; how could'it thou hope Long to enjoy it quiet and fecure, Between two fuch inclofing enemies Roman and Parthian? therefore one of these Thou must make fure thy own, the Parthian first By my advice, as nearer, and of late Found able by invafion to annoy

391

395

Vented much policy, and projects deep
Of enemies, of aids, battels and leagues,
Plaufible to the world, to me worth nought.
Means I must use, thou fay'st, prediction elfe
Will unpredict and fail me of the throne:
My time I told thee (and that time for thee
Were better fartheft off) is not yet come :
When that comes, think not thou to find me flack
On my part ought endevoring, or to need
Thy politic maxims, or that cumbersome
Luggage of war there fhown me, argument
Of human weakness rather than of strength.
My brethren, as thou call'ft them, those ten tribes
I muft deliver, if I mean to reign
David's true heir, and his full fcepter sway 405
To just extent over all Ifrael's fons;

400

410

365

371

375

Thy country', and captive lead away her kings
Antigonus and old Hyrcanus bound,
Maugre the Roman: it fhall be my task
To render thee the Parthian at difpofe;
Choose which thou wilt, by conqueft or by league.
By him thou fhalt regain, without him not,
That which alone can truly reinstall thee
In David's royal feat, his true fucceffor,
Deliverance of thy brethren, thofe ten tribes
Whofe offspring in his territory yet ferve,
In Habor, and among the Medes difpers'd;
Ten Sons of Jacob, two of Jofeph loft
Thus long from Ifracl, ferving as of old
Their fathers in the land of Egypt ferv'd,
This offer fets before thee to deliver.
Thefe if from fervitude thou shalt reftore
To their inheritance, then, nor till then,
Thou on the throne of David in full glory,
From Egypt to Euphrates and beyond
Shalt reign, and Rome or Cæfar not need fear.
To whom our Saviour anfwer'd thus unmov'd.
Much oftentation vain of flefhly arm,
And fragil arms, much inftrument of war
Long in preparing, foon to nothing brought,
Before mine eyes thou' haft fet; and in my car

420

And all th' idolatries of Heathen round,
Befides their other worse than heath'nifh crimes;
Nor in the land of their captivity
Humbled themselves, or penitent befought
The God of their forefathers; but fo dy'd
Impenitent, and left a race behind

384

So fpake Ifrael's true king, and to the Fiend Made answer mect, that made void all his wiles. So fares it when with truth falfhood contends.

THE END OF THE THIRD BOOK,