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 temptation of our Blessed Lord, and calls upon them for counsel and assistance. Belial proposes the tempting of Jesus with women. Satan rebukes Belial for his dissoluteness, 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 desart. 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. MEAN while the new-baptiz'd, who yet remain'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; Moses was in the mount and missing long, The city of palms, Enon, and Salem old, Where winds with reeds and osiers whispering play, Their unexpected loss and plaints out breath'd. Expected of our fathers; we have heard For whither is he gone, what accident Send thy Messiah forth, the time is come; Behold the kings of the earth, how they oppress Thus they, out of their plaints, new hope resume Within her breast though calm, her breast though pure, Motherly cares and fears got head, and rais'd Şome troubled thoughts, which she in sighs thus clad. O, what avails me now that honour high To have conceiv'd of God, or that salute. "Hail highly favour'd, among women bleṣt !” |