No More Learning

All before Moloch with respect retired.
In sable armour clad, which to his pace
Resounded, he advanced as does a storm
Amid dark lowering clouds. The mountains shook
Before him, and behind, a trembling rock
In shattered fragments sunk. Thus he advanced
And soon attained the first revolter's throne.

After the council of fiends, all hell approves Satan's determination.
Satan and Adramelech return to earth to execute their design. Abaddon,
following them at a distance, sees at the gate of hell Abdiel, the
seraph who was once his friend, whom he addresses. But Abdiel ignoring
him, he presses forward, bewails the loss of his glory, despairs of
finding grace, and after vainly endeavouring to destroy himself,
descends to earth. Satan and Adramelech also advance to earth and
alight on Mount Olivet.

They both advanced and stormed against the Mount
Of Olives, the Redeemer there to find
Assembled with His confidential friends.
Thus down into the vale destructive cars
Of battle roll, against th' intrepid chief
Of the advancing and undaunted host.
Now brazen warriors throng from every point.
The thundering crash of the encounter, clash
Of sword and shield, a sullen iron din
O'er distant rocks resounds tow'rd heaven aloft,
And in the valley scatters death around.

Caiaphas assembles the Sanhedrim, and relates a vision which has
terrified him. He declares that Jesus must die, but counsels caution
as to the manner of the execution.
Philo, a dreaded priest and
Pharisee, steps forward, and with great vehemence pronounces the dream
of Caiaphas a mere empty fiction, yet joins in counselling the death
of Jesus. He declares Caiaphas a disgrace to the priesthood of God,
but that Jesus would abolish the priesthood altogether.

So saying, Philo, with uplifted arms,
Advanced in the assembly and exclaimed:
"Spirit of Moses, reigning now in bliss,
Whether in thy celestial robes thou art,
Or whether thy yet mortal children now
In council met beneath a humble roof,
Thou deign'st to visit. Solemnly
I swear to thee, by yon dread covenant,
Which thou to us hast brought out of the storm
From God, to thee on Sinai revealed:
I will not rest till this thine adversary,
Who hates thy laws and thee, be from this earth
Exterminated. "

The evil counsel is warmly opposed by Gamaliel and Nicodemus. Judas
has a private conference with Caiaphas. The Messiah sends Peter
and John into Jerusalem to prepare the Passover. Jesus, going to
Jerusalem, is met by Judas. Jesus institutes a memorial of His death.
Judas goes out from the supper. Then Jesus prays for His disciples,
and returns to the Mount of Olives.


_III. --Eloah Sings the Redeemer's Glory_

God descends towards the earth to judge the Mediator, and rests
on Tabor. The Almighty sends the seraph Eloah to comfort Jesus in
Gethsemane by singing a triumphant song on His future glory.

He soared on golden clouds and sang aloud:
"Hail me, I was found worthy after Thee
To feel what Thou dost feel, and to behold
At humble distance the Messiah's thoughts,
Which in the fearful and most dreadful hour
Of His humiliation, fill His mind.
No finite being ever saw God's thoughts:
Yet I have been found worthy from afar,
From an obscure dimension of created
And but finite understanding, to extend
My view into Divine Infinitude!