Thou on the throne of David in full glory,
From Egypt to Euphrates and beyond
Shalt reign, and Rome or Cæfar not need fear. 385
To whom our Saviour anfwer'd thus unmov'd.
Much oftentation vain of fleshly arm,
And fragil arms, much inftrument of war
Long in preparing, foon to nothing brought,
Before mine eyes thou' haft fet; and in my ear 390
Vented much policy, and projects deep
Of enemies, of aids, battels and leagues,
Plaufible to the world, to me worth nought.
Means I must use thou fay'ft, prediction elfe
Will unpredict and fail me of the throne:
My time I told thee (and that time for thee
Were better fartheft off) is not yet come;
When that comes, think not thou to find me flack
On my part ought endevoring, or to need
Thy politic maxims, or that cumbersome
Luggage of war there shown me, argument
Of human weakness rather than of strength.
My brethren, as thou call'ft, them, those ten tribes
I muft deliver, If I mean to reign
David's true heir, and his full fcepter fway 405
To juft extent over all Ifrael's fons;
But whence to thee this zeal, where was it then
For Ifrael, or for David, or his throne,
When thou ftood'ft up his tempter to the pride
Of numb'ring Ifrael, which cost the lives
Of threescore and ten thousand Ifraelites
By three days peftilence? fuch was thy zeal
To Ifrael then, the fame that now to me.
As for those captive tribes, themselves were they
Who wrought their own captivity, fell off
From God to worship calves, the deities
Of Egypt, Baal next and Afhtaroth,
And all th' idolatries of Heathen round,
Befides their other worfe than heath'nifh crimes; Nor in the land of their captivity
Humbled themselves, or penitent befought
The God of their forefathers; but fo dy'd
Impenitent, and left a race behind
Like to themselves, distinguishable scarce
From Gentiles, but by circumcision vain,
And God with idols in their worship join'd.
Should I of these the liberty regard,
Who freed, as to their ancient patrimony,
Unhumbled, unrepentant, unreform'd,
Headlong would follow'; and to their Gods perhaps
Of Bethel and of Dan? no, let them serve
Their enemies, who serve idols with God.
Yet he at length, time to himself best known,
Remembring Abraham, by some wondrous call
May bring them back repentant and fincere, 435
And at their paffing cleave th' Affyrian flood,
While to their native land with joy they hafte,
As the Red Sea and Jordan once he cleft,
When to the promis'd land their fathers pass'd; To his due time and providence I leave them. 440
So fpake Ifrael's true king, and to the Fiend Made answer meet, that made void all his wiles. So fares it when with truth falfhood contends.
The end of the Third Book.
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