To treat thee as beseems, and as her Lord 335 With honor, only deign to fit and eat. He spake no dream, for as his words had end, 340 Our Saviour lifting up his eyes beheld By knights of Logres, or of Lyones, 350 360 And all the while harmonious airs were heard Of chiming strings, or charming pipes, and winds Of gentleft gale Arabian odors fann'd From their foft wings, and Flora's earliest fmells. 365 Such was the fplendor, and the Tempter now His invitation earnestly renew'd. What doubts the Son of God to fit and eat? Thefe are not fruits forbidden; no interdict Defends the touching of thefe viands pure; 370 Their taste no knowledge works at least of evil, But life preferves, destroys life's enemy, Hunger, with sweet restorative delight. All these are Spi'rits of air, and woods, and fprings, Thy gentle ministers, who come to pay 375 Thee homage, and acknowledge thee their Lord: What doubt'ft thou Son of God? fit down and eat. To whom thus Iefus temp'rately reply'd. Said'ft thou not that to all things I had right? And who withholds my pow'r that right to ule? 1 380 Shall I receive by gift what of my own, When and where likes me beft, I can com. mand? I can at will, doubt not, as soon as thou, Command a table in this wilderness, And call swift flights of Angels ministrant 385 390 To whom thus answer'd Satan malecontent. That I have alfo pow'r to give thou feeft; If of that pow'r I bring thee voluntary What I might have bestow'd on whom I pleas'd, And rather opportunely in this place Chose to impart to thy apparent need. Why shouldst thou not accept it? but I fee 395 Of these things others quickly will dispose, 400 Whose pains have earn'd the far fet fpoil. With that Both table and provifion vanish'd quite With found of harpies wings, and talons heard; Only th' importune Tempter still remain’d, And with these words his temptation pur By hunger, that each other creaturc tames, Thou art not to be harm'd, therefore not mov'd; Thy temperance invincible befides, For no allurement yields to appetite, coft? 415 Money brings honor, friends, conqueft, and realms: What rais'd Antipater the Edomite, And his fon Herod plac'd on Juda's throne, (Thy throne) but gold that got him puissant friends? 425 Therefore, if at great things thon would'st ar rive, Get riches firft, get wealth, and treafure 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, wifdom fit in want. 430 Yet Yet wealth without these three is impotent Gideon, and Jephtha, and the shepherd lad, Whole offspring on the throne of Judah fat So many ages, and fhall yet regain 440 That feat, and reign in Ifrael without end. Among the Heathen, (for throughout the world To me is not unknown, what hath been done Worthy of memorial) canft thou not remem ber 445. Quintius, Fabricius, Curius, Regulus? temn Riches though offer'd from the hand of kings. And what in me seems wanting, but/hat I 450 May alfo in this poverty as foon Accomplish what they did, perhaps and more,? Extol not riches then, the toil of fools, The wife man's cumbrance if not fnare, more apt To flaken virtue, and abate her edge, Than prompt her to do ought may 455 merit praife. |