Themselves invaded next, and on their heads
Main promontories flung, which in the air
Came shadowing, and oppress’d whole legions arm’d;
Their armour help'd their harm, crush'd in and bruis’d
Into their substance pent, which wrought them pain
Implacable, and many a dolorous groan,
Long strugling underneath, ere they could wind
Out of such pris'n, though Spi'rits of purest light, 669
Pwest at first, now grofs by finning grown.
The rest in imitation to like arms
Betook them, and the neighb’ring hills uptore ;
So hills amid the air encounter'd hills
Hurl'd to and fro with jaculation dire,

665
That under ground they fought in dismal shade;
Infernal noise; war seem'd a civil game
To this uproar; horrid confusion heap'd
Upon confusion rose: and now all Heaven
Hąd gone to wrack, with ruin overspread; 6.70
Had not th' almighty Father, where he sits
Shrin'd in his fanctuary of Heav'n secure,
Consulting on the sum of things, foreseen
This tumult, and permitted all, advis’d:
That his great purpose he might fo fulfil,
To honor his anointed Son aveng'd
Upon his enemies, and to declare
All pow'r on him transferr'd: whence to his Son
Th’affessor of his throne he thus began.
Effulgence of my glory, Son befovid,

680 Son in whose face invisible is beheld Visibly, what by deity, I am,

675

683

And in whose hand what by decree I do,
Second Omnipotence, two days are past,
Two days, as we compute the days of Heaven,
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'ft,
È qual 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,

695 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. Two days are therefore past, the third is thine ; For thee I have ordain'd it, and thus far

700 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, 716 Ascend my chariot, guide the rapid wheels That shake Heav'n's basis, bring forth all my war,

My

My bow and thunder, my almighty arms
Gird on, and sword upon thy puissant thigh;
Pursue these fons 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 Mesiah his anointed king,
He said, and on his Son with

rays

direct Shone full; he all his Father full express’d 720 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'it 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. Scepter and pow'r, thy giving, I affume, 730 And gladlier shall resign, when in the end Thou 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, Thrat from thy just obedience could revolt, 749 Whom to obey is happiness entire. Then shall thy Saints unmix'd, and from th' impure

O 3

Far

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 fcepter bowing, rose
From the right hand of glory where he sat;
And the third sacred morn began to shine, [sound
Dawning through Heav'n : forth rush'd with whirlwind
The chariot of paternal Deity,

750
Flashing thick flames, wheel within wheel undrawn,
Itself inftin&t 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 beril, and carrcering fires between ;
Over their heads a crystal firmament,
Whereon a saphir throne, inlaid with pure
Amber, and colors of the show'ry arch.
Hle 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 effufion rollid

765 Of finoke 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 heard) Chariots of God, half on each hand were seen : He on the wings of Cherub rode sublime On the crystallin fky, in fapbir thron'd,

Illustrious

766

770

Illustrious far and wide, but by his own
First feen; them unexpected joy surpris’d,
When the great ensign of Messiah blaz'd

775
Aloft by Angels borne, his sign in Heaven ;
Under whose conduct Michael foon reduc'd
His army, circumfus’d on either wing,
Under their Head imbodied all in one.
Before him pow'r divine his way prepar'd;

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, 785 And to rebellious fight rallied their Powers Insensate, hope conceiving from despair. In heav'nly Spi'rits could fuch perverseness dwell? But to convince the proud what signs avail, Or wonders move th' obdurate to relent?

790 They harden’d more by what might most reclame, Grieving to see his glory, at the fight Took

envy; and aspiring to his highth, Stood reimbattel'd 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 battel drew, disdaining flight, Or faint retreat; when the great Son of God To all his holt on either hand thus fpake.

800 Stand still in bright array, ye Saints, here stand Ye Angels arm'd, this day from battel rest;

4

Faithful