University of Virginia Library

Every man is tempted, when he is drawne away by his own lust, and enticed.

Serpent. Eve.
Serpent:
Not eat? Not taste? Not touch? Not cast an eye
Upon the fruit of this faire Tree? And why?
Why eat'st thou not what Heav'n ordain'd for food?
Or can'st thou think that bad, which heav'n call'd Good?
Why was it made, if not to be enjoy'd?
Neglect of favours makes a favour voyd:
Blessings unus'd pervert into a Wast,
As well as Surfeits; Woman, Do but tast;
See how the laden boughs make silent Suit
To be enjoyd; Look, how their bending Fruit
Meet thee halfe way; Observe but how they crouch
To kisse thy hand; Coy woman, Do but touch:
Mark what a pure Vermilion blush has dy'd
Their swelling Cheeks, and how, for shame, they hide
Their palsie heads, to see themselves stand by
Neglected: Woman, Do but cast an eye:
What bounteous heav'n ordain'd for use, refuse not;
Come, pull and eat; y'abuse the things ye use not.

Eve:
Wisest of Beasts, our great Creator did,
Reserve this Tree, and this alone forbid;
The rest are freely ours, which, doubtlesse, are
As pleasing to the Tast; to the eye, as faire
But touching this, his strict commands are such,
'Tis death to tast, no lesse than death, to touch.

Serpent:
P'sh; death's a fable. Did not heav'n inspire
Your equall Elements with living Fire,
Blowne from the Spring of life? Is not that breath
Immortall? Come; ye are as free from death
As He that made ye: Can the flames expire
Which He has kindled? Can ye quench His fire?
Did not the great Creator's voice proclaime
What ere he made (from the blue spangled frame
To the poore leafe that trembles) very Good?
Blest He not both the Feeder, and the Food?
Tell, tell me, then, what a danger can accrue
From such blest Food, to such Halfe-gods as you?
Curb needlesse feares, and let no fond conceit
Abuse your freedome; woman, Take and eat.

Eve:
'Tis true; we are immortall; death is yet
Unborne; and, till Rebellion make it debt,
Undue; I know the Fruit is good, untill
Presumtuous disobedience make it ill:
The lips that open to this Fruit's a portall
To let in death, and make immortall, mortall.

Serpent:
You cannot die; Come, woman, Tast and feare not:

Eve:
Shall Eve transgresse? I dare not, O I dare not.

Serpent:
Afraid? why draw'st thou back thy tim'rous Arme?
Harme onely fals on such as feare a Harme:
Heav'n knows and feares the vertue of this Tree:
'Twill make ye perfect Gods as well as He.
Stretch forth thy hand, and let thy fondnesse never
Feare death: Do, pull, and eat, and live for ever.

Eve:
'Tis but an Apple; and it is as good
To do as to desire: Fruit's made for food:
Ile pull, and tast, and tempt my Adam too
To know the secrets of this dainty;

Serpent:
Doe.

S. CHRYS. sup. Matth.

He forc'd him not: He touch'd him not: Onely said Cast thyself downe; that we may know, whosoever obeyes the Divell, casts himslf downe; For the Divell may suggest; compell, he cannot.

S. BERN. in Ser.

It is the Divels part to suggest; Ours, not to consent: As oft we resist him, so often we overcome him: as often as we overcome him, so often we bring joy to the Angels, and glory to God; Who proposes us, that we may contend, and assists us, that we may conquer.