Satan, persisting in the temptation of our Lord, shows him imperial Rome in its greatest pomp and splendour, as a power which he probably would prefer before that of the Parthians; and tells him that he might with the greatest ease expel Tiberius, restore the Romans to their liberty, and make himself master not only of the Roman Empire, but by so doing of the whole world, and inclusively of the throne of David. Our Lord, in reply, expresses his contempt of grandeur and worldly power, notices the luxury, vanity, and profligacy of the Romans, declaring how little they merited to be restored to that liberty, which they had lost by their misconduct, and briefly refers to the greatness of his own future kingdom. Satan, now desperate, to enhance the value of his proffered gifts, professes that the only terms, on which he will bestow them, are our Saviour's falling down and worshipping him. Our Lord expresses a firm but temperate indignation at such a proposition, and rebukes the Tempter by the title of "Satan for ever damned." Satan, abashed, attempts to justify himself: he then assumes a new ground of temptation, and, proposing to Jesus the intellectual gratifications of wisdom and knowledge, points out to him the celebrated seat of ancient learning, Athens, its schools, and other various resorts of learned teachers and their disciples; accompanying the view with a highlyfinished panegyric on the Grecian musicians, poets, orators, and philosophers of the different sects. Jesus replies, by showing the vanity and insuffi. ciency of the boasted Heathen philosophy; and prefers to the music, poetry, eloquence, and didactick policy of the Greeks, those of the inspired Hebrew writers. Satan, irritated at the failure of all his attempts, upbraids the indiscretion of our Saviour in rejecting his offers; and having, in ridicule of his expected kingdom, foretold the sufferings that our Lord was to undergo, carries him back into the wilderness, and leaves him there. Night comes on: Satan raises a tremendous storm, and attempts further to alarm Jesus with frightful dreams, and terrific threatening spectres; which however have no effect upon him. A calm, bright, beautiful morning succeeds to the horrors of the night. Satan again presents himself to our blessed Lord, and, from noticing the storm of the preceding night as pointed chiefly at him, takes occasion once more to insult him with an account of the sufferings which he was certainly to undergo. This only draws from our Lord a brief rebuke. Satan, now at the height of his desperation, confesses that he had frequently watched Jesus from his birth, pur. posely to discover if he was the true Messiah; and, collecting from what passed at the river Jordan that he most probably was so, he had from that time more assiduously followed him, in hopes of gaining some advantage over him, which would most effectually prove that he was not really that Divine Person destined to be his "fatal Enemy." In this he acknowledges that he has hitherto completely failed; but still determines to make one more trial of him. Accordingly he conveys him to the Temple at Jerusalem, and, placing him on a pointed eminence, requires him to prove his Divinity either by standing there, or casting himself down with safety. Our Lord reproves the Tempter, and at the same time manifests his own Divinity by standing on this dangerous point. Satan, amazed and terrified, instantly falls; and repairs to his infernal compeers, to relate the bad success of his enterprise. Angels in the mean time convey our blessed Lord to a beautiful valley, and, while they minister to him a repast of celestial food, celebrate his victory in a triumphant hymn. PARADISE REGAINED. BOOK IV. PERPLEX'D and troubled at his bad success That sleek'd his tongue, and won so much on Eve, 5 10 Still will be tempting him who foils him still, And never cease, though to his shame the more; 15 About the wine press where sweet must is pour'd, (Vain batt'ry!) and in froth or bubbles end; 20 So Satan, whom repulse upon repulse Met ever, and to shameful silence brought, Yet gives not o'er, though desp❜rate of success, And his vain importunity pursues. He brought our Saviour to the western side 25 Of that high mountain, whence he might behold Another plain, long, but in breadth not wide, That screen'd the fruits of th' earth, and seats of men, From cold septentrion blasts; thence in the midst 31 On each side an imperial city stood, 35 40 Than great and glorious Rome, queen of the earth, 45 Of nations; there the capitol thou seest, 50 55 In cedar, marble, ivory, or gold. 60 Thence to the gates cast round thine eye, and see What conflux issuing forth, or ent❜ring in; Prætors, proconsuls to their provinces Hasting, or on return, in robes of state; 65 Legions and cohorts, turms of horse and wings: 70 Meroe. Nilotic isle; and, more to west, The realm of Bocchus to the Black-moor sea; Dusk faces with white silken turbans wreath'd; To Rome's great emperor, whose wide domain, And long renown, thou justly may'st prefer All public cares, and yet of him suspicious; 75 80 85 90 95 105 Might'st thou expel this monster from his throne, 100 110 |