Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

To his deftruction, as I had in charge,
For what he bids I do: though I have loft
Much luftre of my native brightness, lost
To be belov'd of God, I have not loft
To love, at least contemplate and admire 380
What I fee excellent in good, or fair,
Or virtuous, I fhould fo have loft all fenfe.
What can be then lefs in me than defire
To fee thee and approach thee, whom I know
Declar'd the Son of God, to hear attent
385
Thy wifdom, and behold thy Godlike deeds?
Men generally think me much a foe
To all mankind: why should I? they to me
Never did wrong or violence; by them

I loft not what I loft, rather by them

390

I gain'd what I have gain'd, and with them

dwell

Copartner in thefe regions of the world,

If not difpofer; lend them oft my aid,
Oft my advice by prefages and figns,

And anfwers, oracles, portents and dreams, 395
Whereby they may direct their future life.
Envy they say excites me, thus to gain
Companions of my mifery and woe.

At first it may be; but long fince with woe Nearer acquainted, now I feel by proof, 400 That fellowship in pain divides not fmfart, Nor lightens ought each man's peculiar load. Small confolation then, were man adjoin'd:

This wounds me moft (what can it lefs?) that

man,

Man fall'n fhall be restor'd, I never more. 405 To whom our Saviour fternly thus reply'd. Defervedly thou griev'ft, compos'd of lies From the beginning, and in lies wilt end; Who boaft'st release from Hell, and leave to

come

Into the Heav'n of Heav'ns: thou com'st in

deed,

As a poor milerable captive thrall

410

Comes to the place, where he before had fat
Among the prime in splendor, now depos'd,
Ejected, emptied, gaz'd, unpitied, fhunn'd,
A fpectacle of ruin or of scorn
415

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,
So never more in Hell, than when in Hea-

[blocks in formation]

But thou art serviceable to Heav'n's King.
Wilt thou impute to' 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,

425

To be a liar in four hundred mouths;

For lying is thy fuftenance, thy food.

Tet thou pretend'st 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

[blocks in formation]

And not well understood as good not known?
Who ever by confulting at thy fhrine
Return'd the wiser, or the more inftruct
To fly or follow what concern'd him moft, 440
And run not fooner to his fatal fnare!
For God hath justly giv'n the nations up
To thy delufions; justly, 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

In every province?

445

who themfelves difdai

ning

T' approach thy temples, give thee in com

mand

What to the smallest tittle thou shalt fay
To thy adorers; thou with trembling fear,
Or like a fawning parafite obey'st;

450

455

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

460

And fends his Spirit of truth henceforth to

dwell

In pious hearts, an inward oracle

To all truth requisite for men to know.

So fpake our Saviour; but the subtle

Fiend,

465 Though inly stung with anger and disdain, Diffembled, and this answer finooth return'd.

Sharply thou haft insisted on rebuke, And urg'd me hard with doings, which not will

But mifery hath wrefted from me: where 470 Eafily canft thou find one miserable,

And not enforc'd oft-times to part from

truth;

If it

may

ftand him more in stead 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

475

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,

480

And tuneable as fylvan pipe or fong;
What wonder, then if I delight to hear
Her dictates from thy mouth? most men ad-

mire

Virtue, who follow not her lore: permit me To hear thee when I come (fince no man comes) And talk at least, though I defpair to' at

tain.

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 vouchfaf'd his voice

To Balaam reprobate, a prophet yet

Infpir'd; difdain not fuch access to me.

490

To whom our Saviour with unalter'd brow. Thy coming hither, though I know thy scope, I bid not or forbid; do as thou find'st 495

« ForrigeFortsæt »