THE ARGUMENT. The disciples of Jesus, uneasy at his long absence, reason amongst themselves concerning it. Mary also gives vent to her maternal anxiety: in the expression of which she recapitulates many circumstances respecting the birth and early life of her Son.-Satan again meets his Infernal Council, reports the bad success of his first temptation of our Blessed Lord, and calls upon them for council and assistance. Belial proposes the tempting of Jesus with women. Satan rebukes Belial for his dis soluteness, charging on him all the profligacy of that kind ascribed by the poets to the heathen Gods, and rejects his proposal as in no respect likely to succeed. Satan then suggests other modes of temptation, particularly proposing to avail himself of the circumstance of our Lord's hungering; and, taking a band of chosen Spirits with him, returns to resume his enterprise.-Jesus hungers in the desert. -Night comes on; the manner in which our Saviour passes the night is described.-Morning advances.Satan again appears to Jesus, and, after expressing wonder that he should be so entirely neglected in the wilderness, where others had been miraculously fed, tempts him with a sumptuous banquet of the most luxurious kind. This he rejects, and the banquet vanishes.-Satan, finding our Lord not to be assailed on the ground of appetite, tempts him again by offering him riches, as the means of acquiring power: this Jesus also rejects, producing many instances of great actions performed by persons under virtuous poverty, and specifying the danger of riches, and the cares and pains inseparable from power and greatness. PARADISE REGAINED. BOOK II. MEANWHILE the new-baptiz'd, who yet remain'd Him whom they heard so late expressly call'd And on that high authority had believ'd, And with him talk'd, and with him lodg'd; I mean With others though in holy writ not nam'd; And the great Thisbite, who on fiery wheels Rode up to heav'n, yet once again to come: The city' of palms, Enon, and Salem old, Where winds with reeds and osiers whisp'ring play, 5 10 15 20 25 Plain fishermen, (no greater men them call,) Their unexpected loss and plaints out breath'd. 30 Unlook'd for are we fall'n! our eyes beheld His words, his wisdom full of grace and truth; 35 Hath rapt him from us? will he now retire 40 Send thy Messiah forth, the time is come! Behold the kings of th' earth, how they oppress 45 50 Nor will withdraw him now, nor will recall, 55 Mock us with his blest sight, then snatch him hence; Soon we shall see our hope, our joy return." Thus they, out of their plaints, new hope resume To find whom at the first they found unsought: But, to his mother Mary, when she saw 60 Others return'd from baptism, not her son, 66 Within her breast though calm, her breast though pure, 20 70 |