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Illuftrious far and wide, but by his own
First seen; them unexpected joy furpris'd,
When the great enfign of Meffiah blaz'd
Aloft by Angels borne, his fign in Heaven;
Under whofe 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;
At his command th' uprooted hills retir'd
Each to his place; they heard his voice, and went
Obfequious; Heav'n his wonted face renew'd,
And with fresh flow'rets hill and valley smil'd.
This faw his hapless foes, but ftood obdur'd,
And to rebellious fight rallied their Powers
Infenfate, hope conceiving from despair.

775

780

In heav'nly Spi'rits could fuch perverfeness dwell?
But to convince the proud what figns avail,
Or wonders move th' obdurate to relent?
They harden'd more by what might most reclame,
Grieving to fee his glory, at the fight

Took envy; and afpiring to his highth,
Stood reimbattel'd fierce, by force or fraud
Weening to profper, and at length prevail
Against God and Meffiah, or to fall
In univerfal ruin laft; and now

To final battel drew, difdaining flight,

Or faint retreat; when the great Son of God
To all his hoft on either hand thus fpake.

Stand still in bright array, ye Saints, here ftand
Ye Angels arm'd, this day from battel reft;

04

785

790

795

800

Faithful

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 curfed crew
The punishment to other hand belongs;
Vengeance is his, or whose he fole appoints:
Number to this day's work is not ordain'd
Nor multitude; stand only and behold
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 fupreme
Kingdom and pow'r and glory appertains,
Hath honor'd me according to his will.
Therefore to me their doom he hath affign'd;
That they may have their wish,
In battel which the stronger proves, they all,
Or I alone against them, fince by ftrength
They measure all, of other excellence
Not emulous, nor care who them excels;
Nor other ftrife with them do 1 vouchfafe.

to try

with me

So fpake the Son, and into terror chang'd
His count'nance too fevere to be beheld,
And full of wrath bent on his enemies.

At once the Four fpread out their starry wings.
With dreadful fhade contiguous, and the orbs
Of his fierce chariot roll'd, as with the found
Of torrent floods, or of a numerous host.
He on his impious foes right onward drove,
Gloomy as night; under his burning wheels

805

810

815

820

825

830

The

The ftedfaft empyréan fhook throughout,

All but the throne itself of God.

Full foon

Among them he arriv'd, in his right hand
Grafping ten thousand thunders, which he sent
Before him, fuch as in their fouls infix'd
Plagues; they aftonish'd all resistance loft,
All courage; down their idle weapons dropt;

835

Oer shields and helms and helmed heads he rode 840
Of Thrones and mighty Seraphim proftráte,

That wish'd the mountains now might be again
Thrown on them as a shelter from his ire.
Nor lefs on either fide tempeftuous fell
His arrows, from the fourfold-vifag'd Four
Distinct with eyes, and from the living wheels
Distinct alike with multitude of eyes;

One Spirit in them rul'd, and every eye
Glar'd lightning, and shot forth pernicious fire

845

Among th' accurs'd, that wither'd all their strength, 850. And of their wonted vigor left them drain'd,

Exhaufted, fpiritlefs, afflicted, fall'n.

Yet half his ftrength he put not forth, but check'd

His thunder in mid voly; for he meant

Not to destroy, but root them out of Heaven : 855

The overthrown he rais'd, and as a herd

Of goats or timorous flock together throng'd
Drove them before him thunder-ftruck, pursued
With terrors and with furies to the bounds

And crystal wall of Heaven, which opening wide, 860
Roll'd inward, and a spacious gap disclos'd

Into the wafteful deep; the monftrous fight

Struck

Struck them with horror backward, but far worse

Urg'd them behind; headlong themselves they threw Down from the verge of Heav'n; eternal wrath 865 Burnt after them to the bottomlefs pit.

Hell heard th' unfufferable noife, Hell faw Heav'n ruining from Heaven, and would have fled Affrighted; but ftrict fate had caft too deep Her dark foundations, and too fast had bound. Nine days they fell; confounded Chaos roar'd, And felt tenfold confufion in their fall Through his wild anarchy, so huge a rout Incumber'd him with ruin: Hell at laft

870

Yawning receiv'd them whole, and on them clos'd;
Hell their fit habitation fraught with fire

Unquenchable, the houfe of woe and pain.
Difburden'd Heav'n rejoic'd, and foon repair'd
Her mural breach, returning whence it roll'd.
Sole victor from th' expulfion of his foes
Meffiah his triumphal chariot turn'd:

To meet him all his faints, who filent stood
Eye-witnesses of his almighty acts,

With jubilee advanc'd; and as they went,

880

Shaded with branching palm, each order bright, 885
Sung triumph, and him fung victorious King,
Son, Heir, and Lord, to him dominion given,
Worthiest to reign: he celebrated rode
Triumphant through mid Heav'n, into the courts
And temple of his mighty Father thron'd
On high; who into glory him receiv'd,
Where now he fits at the right hand of blifs.

890

Thus

895

Thus measuring things in Heav'n by things on Earth,
At thy requeft, and that thou may'st beware
By what is past, to thee I have reveal'd
What might have else to human race been hid;
The difcord which befel, and war in Heaven
Among th' Angelic Pow'rs, and the deep fall
Of those too high afpiring, who rebell'd
With Satan; he who envies now thy state,
Who now is plotting how he may seduce
Thee alfo from obedience, that with him
Bereav'd of happiness thou may'ft partake
His punishment, eternal misery;

Which would be all his folace and revenge,
As a despite done against the most High,
Thee once to gain companion of his woe.
But liften not to his temptations, warn
Thy weaker; let it profit thee to' have heard
By terrible example the reward

Of disobedience; firm they might have stood,
Yet fell; remember, and fear to tranfgrefs.

900

9°5

910

THE END OF THE SIXTH BOOK.

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