502 PARADISE REGAIN'D. BooK Jf cattle were to unfold fome alive fcene Of various perfons each to know his part 240 Then to the defert takes with thete his flight ; Where Rill from (bade to fhade the Son of God After forty days failing had remain'd, Now hungring firfi, and to himfelf thus laid. 244 Where will this end ? four times ten days I've pafs'd Wand'ring this woody maze, and human food Nor tailed, nor had appetite ; that fait To virtue I impute not, or count part Of what I fuffer here ; if nature need not, Or God fupport nature without repait 250 Tnough needing, what praife is it to indure ? But now I feel I hunger, which declares Nature hath need of what (he asks; yet God Can fatisfy that need fome other way, Though hunger (till remain : fo it remain 255 Without this body's wailing, I content me, And from the fling of famine fear no harm, Nor mind it, fed with better thoughts that feed Me hungring more to do my father's will. It was the hour of night, when thus the Son 260 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 refrefhment fweet ; 265 Him thought, he by the brook of Cherith flood, And law the ravens with their horny beaks Food to Elijah bringing ev'n and morn, [brought Though ravenous, taught t' abilain from what they He faw the prophet alto how he fled 270 into the defert, and how there he flept Under a juniper ; then how awak d, He found his (upper on the coals prepar'd, And gefffefil01
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=