Wrought that effect on Jove, fo fables tell; 215 How would one look from his mageftic brow Seated as on the top of virtu'es hill,
Discount'nance her defpis'd, and put to rout All her array; her female pride deject,
reverent awe ? for beauty
In th' admiration of weak minds
Led captive; cease to admire, and all her
Fall flat and fhrink into a trivial toy,
At every sudden flighting quite abash'd:
Therefore with manlier objects we must
225 His conftancy, with fuch as have more fhow Of worth, of honor, glory', and popular
And now I know, he hungers where no food
Is to be found, in the wide wilderness;
The rest commit to me, I fhall let pafs
No' advantage, and his strength as oft assay.
He ceas'd, and heard their grant in loud
2235 Then forthwith to him takes a chofen 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; 240
Then to the defert takes with these his flight;
Where still from fhade to fhade the Son of
God
After forty days fafting had remain'd,
Now hungring firft, and to himself thus
Where will this end? four times ten days
Wand'ring this woody maze, and human food
Nor tasted, nor had appetite; that faft
To virtue I impute not, or count part
Of what I fuffer here; if nature need not,
Or God support nature without repaft 250
Though needing, what praise is it to indure?
But now I feel I hunger, which declares,
Nature hath need of what fhe asks; yet God
Can fatisfy that need fome other way,
Though hunger ftill remain: fo it remain 255
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
Me hungring more to do my Father's will. It was the hour of night, when thus the
Commun'd in filent walk, then laid him down
Under the hofpitable covert nigh
Of trees thick interwoven; there he flept, And dream'd, as appetite is wont to dream, Of meats and drinks, nature's refreshment [weet;
265 Him thought, he by the brook of Cherith
And faw the ravens with their horny beaks Food to Elijah bringing ev'n and morn, Though ravenous, taught t'abftain from what they brought:
He saw the prophet alfo 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 rife and eat,
And eat the second time after repose, £75
The ftrength whereof fuffic'd him forty days;
Sometimes that with Elijah he partook,
Or as a guest with Daniel at his pulfe.
Thus wore out night, and now the herald lark
Left his ground - neft, high tow'ring to
defcry
The morn's approach, and greet her with his fong:
As lightly from his grally couch up rose
Our Saviour, and found all was but a dream,
Fasting he went to fleep, aud fafting wak'd.
Up to a hill anon his steps he rear'd,
From whose high top to ken the prospect round,
If cottage were in view, sheep-cote none he
faw,
Only' in a bottom faw a pleasant grove,
With chaunt of tuneful birds refounding
290
Thither he bent his way, determin'd there
To reft at noon, and enter'd foon the shade
High rooft, and walks beneath, and alleys
brown,
That open'd in the midst a woody scene;
Nature's own work it feem'd (nature taught
And to a fuperftitious eye the haunt
Of Wood-Gods end Wood-Nymphs; he view'd
it round,
When fuddenly a man before him stood,
Not ruftic as before, but feemlier clad,
As one in city', or court, or palace bred, 300
And with fair speech these words to him
addrefs'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 destitute, and well I know, 305
Not without hunger. Others of fome note,
As story tells, have trod this wilderness;
The fugitive bond-woman with her son
Out-caft Nebaioth, yet found here relief!
By a providing Angel; all the race 310
Of Ifrael here had famifh'd, had not God
Rain'd from Heav'n Manna; and that Pro-
phet bold
Native of Thebez wand'ring here was fed
Twice by a voice inviting him to eat:
Of thee thefe forty days none hath regard, 315
Forty and more deferted here indeed.
To whom thus Jefus. What conclud'st
thou hence?
They all had need, as I thou feest have none.
How haft thou hunger then? Satan reply'd.
if food were now before thee fet, 320
Thereafter as I like
The giver, answer'd Jefus. Why should that
Cause thy refusal? faid the fubtle Fiend.
Haft thou not right to all created things?
Owe not all creatures by just right to thee 325
Duty aud service, 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 refufe;
Nor proffer'd by an enemy, though who 330
Would fcruple that, with want opprefs'd?
Tell me,
Would't thou not eat?
Nature afham'd, or better to exprefs;. Troubled, that thou should'ft hunger, hath purvey'd
From all the elements her choicest store
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