Announc'd by Gabriel with the first I knew,
And of th' Angelic Song in Bethlehem field,
On thy birth-night, that fung thee Saviour born:
From that time feldom have I ceas'd to eye
Thy infancy, thy childhood, and thy youth,
Thy manhood laft, though yet in private bred;
Till at the Ford of Jordan, whither all
Flock'd to the Baptift, I among the reft,
Though not to be baptiz'd, by voice from Heav'n
Heard thee pronounc'd the Son of God belov'd.
Thenceforth I thought thee worth my nearer view
And narrower fcrutiny, that I might learn
In what degree or meaning thou art call'd
The Son of God, which bears no single sense:
The Son of God I alfo am, or was,
And if I was, I am; relation stands:
All men are Sons of God; yet thee I thought
In some respect far higher fo declar'd.
Therefore I watch'd thy footsteps from that hour,
And follow'd thee ftill on to this wafte wild ;
Where by all beft conjectures I collect
Thou art to be my fatal enemy.
Good reason then, if I before-hand feek
To understand my Adversary, who
And what he is; his wifdom, pow'r; intent;
By parl, or compofition, truce or league
To win him, or win from him what I can.
An opportunity I here have had
To try thee, fift thee; and confess have found thee
Proof against all temptation as a rock
Of Adamant, and as a Center, firm,
To th' utmoft of mere man both wife and good,
Not more; for Honours, Riches, Kingdoms, Glory
Have been before contemn'd, and may again.
Therefore to know what more thou art than man,
Worth naming Son of God by voice from Heav'n,
Another method I must now begin.
So faying, he caught him up, and without Wing,
Of Hippogrif, bore through the Air fublime
Over the Wilderness and o'er the Plain;
Till underneath them fair Jerufalem,
The holy City lifted high her Tow'rs,
And higher yet the glorious Temple rear'd
Her Pile, far off appearing like a Mount
Of Alabafter, topt with Golden Spires:
There on the highest Pinnacle he fet
The Son of God; and added thus in Scorn.
There ftand, if thou wilt ftand; to stand upright Will ask thee Skill; I to thy Father's House
Have brought thee, and highest plac'd; higheft is beft.
Now fhew thy Progeny; if not to stand,
Caft thyself down; fafely, if Son of God:
For it is written, He will give Command
Concerning thee to his Angels, in their hands
They fhall uplift thee, left at any time
Thou chance to dash thy foot against a stone.
To whom thus Jefus : Also it is written,
Tempt not the Lord thy God: he faid and ftood.
But Satan fmitten with Amazement fell.
As when Earth's Son Antaus (to compare
Small things with greateft) in Iraffa itrove
With Jove's Alcides, and oft foil'd still rose,
Receiving from his mother Earth new strength,
Frefh from his fall and fiercer grapple join'd,
Throttled at length in th" Air expir'd and fell :
So after many a foil the Tempter proud,
Renewing fresh Affaults amidst his pride
Fell whence he ftood to fee his Victor fall.
And as that Theban monfter that propos'd
Her riddle, and him, who folv'd it not, devour'd ;
That once found out and folv'd, for grief and fpight
Caft her felf headlong from th' Ismenian steep;
So ftrook with dread and anguish fell the Fiend,
And to his crew that fat confulting, brought
Joylefs Triumphals of his hop'd fuccefs,
Ruin, and defperation, and difmay,
Who durft fo proudly tempt the Son of God.
So Satan fell; and straight a fiery Globe
Of Angels on full fail of wing flew nigh,
Who on their plumy Vans receiv'd him foft
From his uneafie ftation, and upbore
As on a floating couch through the blithe Air;
Then in a flow'ry valley fet him down
On a green bank, and fet before him spred
A table of Celestial Food, Divine,
Ambrofial fruits, fetcht from the Tree of Life,
And from the fount of Life Ambrofial drink,
That foon refresh'd him weary'd, and repair'd
What hunger, if aught hunger had impair'd,
Or thirst; and as he fed, Angelic Choirs
Sung Heav'nly Anthems of his victory
Över temptation, and the tempter proud.
True Image of the Father, whether thron'd
In the bofom of blifs, and light of light
Conceiving, or remote from Heav'n, enfhrin'd
In fleshly Tabernacle, and human form,
Wand'ring the Wilderness, whatever place,
Habit, or state, or motion, ftill expreffing
The Son of God, with God-like force indu'd
Against th' Attempter of thy Father's Throne
And Thief of Paradife; him long of old
Thou didst debel, and down from Heaven caft
With all his Army; now thou haft aveng'd
Supplanted Adam, and by vanquishing
Temptation, haft regain'd loft Paradife;
And fruftrated the conqueft fraudulent:
He never more henceforth will dare fet foot
In paradife to tempt ?. his fnares are broke.
For though that feat of earthly bliss be fail'd,
For Adam and his chofen Sons, whom thou
A fairer Paradife is founded now
A Saviour art come down to re-instal,
Where they shall dwell fecure, when time shall be,
Of Tempter and Temptation without fear.
But thou, Infernal Serpent, fhalt not long
Rule in the Clouds; like an Autumnal Star,
Or Lightning, thou fhalt fall from Heav'n, trod down
Under his feet for proof, ere this thou feel'st
Thy wound, yet not thy last and deadliest wound,
By this repulfe receiv'd, and hold'ft in Hell
No triumph: in all her Gates Abaddon rues
Thy bold attempt; hereafter learn with awe
To dread the Son of God: he all unarm'd
Shall chafe thee with the terror of his voice
From thy Demoniac holds, poffeffion foul,
Thee and thy Legions; yelling they shall fly,
And beg to hide them in a herd of Swine,
Left he command them down into the deep,
Bound, and to torment fent before their time.
Hail Son of the moft High, heir of both Worlds,
Queller of Satan, on thy glorious work
Now enter, and begin to fave mankind.
Thus they the Son of God our Saviour meek Sung Victor, and from Heav'nly Feaft refr.fl'd Brought on his way with joy; he unobferv'd Home to his Mother's houfe private return'd.
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