BOOK I. THE ARGUMENT. Truth-its attributes—and theme. Invocation. Christ the Truth. Era. Messiah. Palestine. The Wilderness-and Eden. Satan. The Temptation-Agencies of Nature-Job-Christ's sufferance of Satanic power-Illusion of the World-of the Temple-Defeat. THE BETRAYAL. BOOK I. Great is Truth: Of heavenly ministries, high and manifold, The all pervading: guardian of the grace That joins in holiness of Highest God The throne and mercy seat-making the form of goodness awful: gifted infinite: Eye of Eternity, and voice of Time: Nearest omniscience made, angelical: Whether, of old, in free and timeless being, Breathing, to make immortal, piety, The fair, the full, th' attun'd, the awful page; A scene of being in the life that now is, An interval of immortality, Since from Eternity the era sprang Of this creation, when th' omnific Word Call'd to His will th' obedient universe, And from the throng of elements spake forth, Of every kind, the instinct principle, And into one, for a new star in glory, Bound their sweet influence; while to its course The then indictive voice its cycle set,' Leaving in angel hands this loan of life (a) Till, in eternal issue, Time shall be no more: -Albeit thus the way of Truth within A lowlier scene be laid- -a narrower sphere :Albeit this the ministering Spirit The sanctuary of its presence make; for this O great, to tell, of heavenly argument, Or revelation to this darken'd soul Make possible of thought-the mind reveal'd Of Him, Father of spirits, else unknown; And still, as th' Urim on the breast sublime Of heaven, all else intelligence above! World of the fallen-whose idolatry, Of godliness this mystery hath made, Hear, and believe-what angels seek to know, |