675

685

Had r.ot th' Almighty Father, where he sits,
Shrin'd in his sanctuary of Heav'n secure,
Consulting on the sum of things, foreseen
This tumult, and permitted all, advis'd:
That his great purpose he night so fulfil,
To honour his anointed Son aveng'd
Upon his enemies, and to declare
All pow'r on him transferr'd: whence to his Son
Th' assessor of his throne he thus began.
Erfulgence of my glory, Son belor'd,

680
Son in whose face invisible is beheld
Visibly, what by deity I am,
And in whose hand what by decree I do,
Second Omnipotence, two days are past,
Two days, as we compute the days of Heav'n,
Since Michael and his pow'rs went forth to tame
These disobedient : sore hath been their fight,
As likeliest was, when two such foes met arm’d:
For to themselves I left them, and thou know'st,
Equal in their creation they were form’d,

690 Save what sin hath impair'd, which yet hath wrought Insensibly, for I suspend their doom ; Whence in perpetual fight they needs must last Endless, and no solution will be found : War wearied hath perform'd what war can do, And to disorder'd rage let loose the reins, With mountains as with weapons arm'd, which makes Wild work in Heav'n, and dange'rous to the main. I wo days are therefore past, the third is thine; For thee I have ordain'd it, and thus far

700

695

Have suffer'd, that the glory may be thine
Of ending this great war, since none but Thou
Can end it. Into thee such virtue' and grace
Immense I have transfus'd, that all may

know
In Heav'n and hell thy pow'r above compare ; 705
And this perverse commotion govern’d thus,
To manifest thee worthiest to be Heir
Of all things, to be Heir and to be King
By sacred unction, thy deserved right.
Go then thou Mightiest in thy Father's might, 710
Ascend my chariot, guide the rapid wheels
That shake Heav'n's basis, bring forth all my war,
My bow and thunder, my almighty arms
Gird on, and sword upon thy puissant thigh;
Pursue these sons of darkness, drive them out 715
From all Heav'n's bounds into the utter deep :
There let them learn, as likes them, to despise
God and Messiah his anointed king.

He said, and on bis Son with rays direct
Shone full; he all his Father full express’d
Ineffably into his face receiv'd ;
And thus the filial Godhead answ'ring spake.

O FATHER, O Supreme of heav'nly thrones,
First, Highest, Holiest, Best, thou always seek'st
To glorify thy Son, I always thee

725 As is most just; this I my glory' account, My exaltation, and my whole delight, That thou in me well pleas'd, declar'st thy will Fulfill'd, which to fulfil is all my bliss. Sceptre and pow'r, thy giving, I assume,

730

720

And gladlier shall resign, when in the end
I hou shalt be all in all, and I in thee
For ever,

and in me all whom thou lov'st: But whom thou hat’st, I hate, and can put on Thy terrors, as I put thy mildness on.

735 Image of thee in all things; and shall soon, Arm'd with thy might, rid Heav'n of these rebellid, To their prepar'd ill mansion driven down, To chains of darkness, and th' undying worm, That from thy just obedience could revolt, 740 Whom to obey is happiness entire. Then shall thy Saints unmix'd, and from th' impure Far separate, circling thy holy mount Unfeigned Halleluiahs to thee sing, Hymns of high praise, and I among them chief. 745

So said, he o'er his sceptre bowing rose From the right hand of glory where he sat; And the third sacred morn began to shine, Dawning through Heav'n: forth rush'd with whirl.

wind sound The chariot of paternal Deity,

750 Flashing thick flames, wheel within wheel undrawn, Itself instinct with Spirit, but convoy'd By four Cherubic shapes; four faces each Had wondrous; as with stars their bodies all And wings were set with eyes, with eyes the wheels Of beryl, and careering fires between ;

756 Over their heads a crystal firmament, Whereon a sapphire throne, inlaid with purc Amber, and colours of the show'ry arch.

760

He in celestial panoply all arm’d
Of radiant Urim, work divinely wrought,
Ascended; at his right hand Victory
Sat eagle-wing'd; beside him hung his bow
And quiver with three-bolted thunder stor’d,
And from about him fierce effusion roll'd

765
Of smoke and bickering flame and sparkles dire ::
Attended with ten thousand thousand Saints,
He onward came, far off his coming shone;
And twenty thousand (I their number hcard)
Chariots of God, half on each hand were seen:

770 He on the wings of Cherub rode sublime On the crystalline sky, in sapphire thron'd, Illustrious far and wide, but by his own First seen; them unexpected joy surpris’d, When the great ensign of Messiah blaz'd

775 Aloft by Angels borne, his sign in Heav'n; Under whose conduct Michael soon reduc'd His army circumfus’d on either wing, Under their head embodied all in one. Before him pow'r divine his way preparid: 780 At his command th' uprooted hills retir'd Each to his place; they heard his voice, and went Obsequious; Heav'n his wonted face renew'd, And with fresh flow'rets hill and valley smil'd. This saw his hapless foes, but stood obdur'd, And to rebellious fight rallied their Powers Insensate, hope conceiving from despair. In heav'nly Spi'rits could such perverseness dwell ? But to convince the proud what signs avail,

785 Or wonders move th' obdurate to relent?

790 They harden'd more by what might most reclaim, Grieving to see his glory, at the sight Took envy; and aspiring to his height, Stood re-embattled fierce, by force or fraud Weening to prosper, and at length prevail 795 Against God and Messiah, or to fall In universal ruin last; and now To final battle drew, disdaining flight, Or faint retreat; when the great Son of God To all his host on either hand thus spake.

800 STAND still in bright array, ye Saints, here stand Ye angels arm’d; this day from battle rest; Faithful hath been your warfare, and of God Accepted, fearless in his righteous cause, And as ye have receiv’d, so have

ye

done
Invincibly; but of this cursed crew
The punishment to other hand belongs;
Vengeance is his, or whose he sole appoints :
Number to this day's work is not ordain'd
Nor multitude; stand only and behold

810
God's indignation on these Godless pour'd
By me; not you but me they have despis'd,
Yet envied; against me is all their rage,
Because the Father, t' whom in Heav'n supreme
Kingdom and pow'r and glory appertains,
Hath honour'd me according to his will.
Therefore to me their doom he hath assign'd;
That they may have their wish, to try with me
In battle which the stronger proves, they all,

805

815