PARADISE REGAINED. BOOK II. The disciples of Jesus, uneasy at his long absence, reason amongst themselves concerning it. Mary also gives vent to her maternal anxiety: iu 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 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, par. ticularly 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. MEANWHILE the new-baptized, who yet remain'd And on that high authority had believed, And with him talk'd, and with him lodged; I mean With others though in Holy Writ not named; The city of palms, Ænon, and Salem old, Then on the bank of Jordan, by a creek, Where winds with reeds and osiers whispering play Plain fishermen (no greater men them call), Close in a cottage low together got, Their unexpected loss and plaints outbreathed: His words, his wisdom full of grace and truth; The kingdom shall to Israel be restored; For whither is he gone, what accident Hath rapt him from us? will he now retire Send thy Messiah forth, the time is come! Thy glory; free thy people from their yoke! Thus they, out of their plaints, new hope resume Within her breast though calm, her breast though pure, O, what avails me now that honour high To have conceived of God, or that salute, Hail, highly favour'd among women bless'd!” While I to sorrows am no less advanced, And fears as eminent, above the lot In such a season born, when scarce a shed Spoken against, that through my very soul A sword shall pierce: This is my favour❜d lot, Afflicted I may be, it seems, and bless'd; But where delays he now? some great intent Conceals him: When twelve years he scarce had seen, He could not lose himself, but went about Thus Mary, pondering oft, and oft to mind All his great work to come before him set; Had left him vacant, and with speed was gone Where all his potentates in council sat; There, without sign of boast or sign of joy, Solicitous and blank, he thus began: Princes, Heaven's ancient Sons, etherial Thrones; Demonian Spirits now, from the element Each of his reign allotted, rightlier call'd Powers of fire, air, water, and earth beneath! (So may we hold our place and these mild seats C |