Not more; for honors, 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 Heaven, Another method I must now begin. 540 So fay'ing he caught him up, and without wing 545 Of hippogrif bore through the air sublime upright 1; Will ask thee fkill; I to thy Father's house Have brought thee', and highest plac'd, highest is beft, Now fhow thy progeny; if not to ftand, To whom thus Jefus; Alfo it is written, 560 Tempt not the Lord thy God: he faid and ftood: But Satan fmitten with amazement fell. devour'd, That once found out and folv'd, for grief and spite Caft herself headlong from th' Ifmenian steep; 575 So ftruck with dread and anguish fell the Fiend, And to his crew, that fat confulting, brought Who durft so proudly tempt the Son of So Satan fell; and strait a fiery globe 580 Of Angels on full fail of wing flew nigh,. Who on their plumy vans receiv'd him foft 585 Then in a flow'ry valley fet him down Ambrofial fruits, fetch'd from the tree of life, True Image of the Father, whether thron'd In the bofom of blifs, and light of light Conceiving, or remete from Heav'n, infhrin'd In fleshly tabernacle, and human form, Wand'ring the wilderness, whatever place, 600 Habit, or state, or motion, still expreffing The Son of God, with God-like force indued 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 605 He never more henceforth will dare fet foot ..610 In Paradife to tempt; his fnares are 'broke: For though that feat of earthly blifs be fail'd, A fairer Paradife is founded now For Adam and his chofen fons, whom thou A Saviour art come down to re-inftall, 615 Where they fhall dwell fecure, when time. shall be, Of Tempter and temptation without fear. But thou, infernal Serpent, fhallt not long Rule in the clouds; like an autumnal star Or linghtning thou shalt fall from Heav'n, trod down 620 Under his feet: for proof, ere this thòu feel'ft Thy wound, yet not thy laft and deadlieft wouud, By this repulfe receiv'd, and hold'ft in Hell To dread the Son of God: he all unarm'd Shall chace 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 fwine, 630 Left he command them down into thee deep Bound, and to torment fent before their time. Hail Son of the most high, heir of both worlds, Queller of Satan, on thy glorious work Now enter, and begin to fave mankind. 635 Thus they the Son of God our Saviour meek Sang victor, and from heav'nly feaft refresh'd Brought on his way with joy; he unobserv'd Home to his mother's house private return'd. |