All doubt of victory: Eternal Might

To match with their inventions they prefum'd
So eafy, and of His thunder made a scorn,
And all His hoft derided, while they stood
A-while in trouble: but, they stood not long;
Rage prompted them at length, and found them arms
Against fuch hellish mischief fit t' oppose.
Forthwith (behold the excellence, the pow'r
Which God hath in his mighty Angels plac'd!)
Their arms away they threw, and to the hills

636

(For earth hath this variety from heav'n,

640

Of pleasure fituate in hill, and dale) Light as the light'ning glimpse they ran, they flew, $ From their foundations loos'ning to and fro,

630

650

They pluck'd the feated hills, with all their load,
Rocks, waters, woods, and by the shaggy tops 645
Up-lifting bore them in their hands. Amaze,
Be fure, and terror, feiz'd the rebel hoft,
When coming towards them, fo dread they faw
The bottom of the mountains upward turn'd;
'Till on thofe curfed engins' triple-row
They faw them whelm'd, and all their confidence
Under the weight of mountains bury'd deep:
Themselves invaded next, and on their heads
Main promontories flung, which in the air
654
Came fhadowing, and oppreft whole legions arm'd:
Their armor help'd their harm,crufh'd in, and bruis'd
Into their fubftance pent, which wrought them pain
Implacable, and many a dolorous groan;

Long ftrugling underneath, e'er they could wind

Out of fuch prifon, though spirits of purest light:
(Pureft at first, now gross by finning grown) 661
The rest, in imitation, to like arms

665

Betook them, and the neighb'ring hills up tore:
So, hills a-mid the air en-counter'd hills,
Hurl'd to, and fro, with jaculation dire;
That under ground they fought in dismal shade;
Infernal noife! war seem'd a civil game
To this uproar; horrid confusion heap'd
Upon confusion rofe. And now all heav'n
Had gone to wreck, with ruin over-spread,
Had not th' Almighty Father, where He fits
Shrin'd in His fanctuary of heav'n fecure,
Confulting on the fum of things, fore-feen
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

670

675

All pow'r on Him transferr'd: whence to His Son,
(Th' Affeffor of His Throne) He thus began.
Effulgence of My Glory, Son belov'd!
Son! in Whofe face invisible is beheld

680

Vifibly, what by Deity I am;

And in Whofe hand what by decree I do,
Second Omnipotence! two days are past,
(Two days, as We compute the days of heav'n) 685
Since Michael, and his Pow'rs, went forth to tame
Thefe difobedient: fore hath been their fight,
As likelieft was, when two fuch foes met arm'd:
For to themselves I left them; and Thou know'ft,

690

Equal in their creation they were form'd,
Save what fin hath impair'd; which yet hath wrought
Infenfibly, for I suspend their doom:

Whence in perpetual fight they needs must laft
Endless, and no folution will be found.

War wearied hath perform'd what war can do, 695
And to disorder'd rage let loose the reins, [makes
With mountains, as with weapons, arm'd; which
Wild work in heav'n, and dangerous to the main.
Two days are therefore past, the third is Thine;
For Thee I have ordain'd it; and thus far
Have fuffer'd, that the glory may be Thine
Of ending this great war, fince none but Thou
Can end it. Into Thee fuch virtue, and grace
Immenfe, I have transfus'd, that all may know
In heav'n, and hell, Thy pow'r above compare:
And this perverse commotion govern'd thus,
To manifeft Thee worthieft to be Heir

700

706

Of all things; to be Heir, and to be King
By facred Unction, Thy deserved right.
Go then, Thou Mightiest, in Thy Father's Might!
Ascend My chariot, guide the rapid wheels 711
That shake heav'n's bafis, bring forth all My war,
My bow, and thunder; My Almighty arms
Giron, and fword 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 Meffiab His anointed King.

He said, and on His Son with rays direct

720

Shone full, He all His Father full expreft, Ineffably into His face receiv'd: And thus the Filial Godhead anfw'ring spake. O Father! O Supreme of heav'nly Thrones! First, Higheft, Holieft, Beft! Thou always feek'st To glorifie Thy Son, I always Thee, 725 As is most juft: 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 fulfill is all My blifs. Sceptre, and pow'r, Thy giving, I affume; And gladlier thall refign, 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'ft, I hate, and can put on Thy terrors, as I put Thy mildness on, Image of Thee in all things: and fhall foon, Arm'd with Thy might, rid heav'n of these rebell'd; To their prepar'd ill manfion driven down To chains of darkness, and th' undying worm : That from Thy just obedience could revolt, Whom to obey is happiness entire.

735

740

744

Then shall Thy Saints un-mix'd, and from th' impure
Far feparate, circling Thy holy mount
Un-fained hallelujahs to Thee fing,
Hymns of high praife, and I among them Chief.
So faid, He o'er His fceptre bowing, rose
From the right hand of glory where He fat;
And the third facred morn began to shine,
Dawning through heav'n. Forth rush'd with whirl-

[wind found

730

The chariot of Paternal Deity,

750

756

Flashing thick flames, wheel within wheel un-drawn, It felf instinct with spirit, but convoy'd By four Cherubic fhapes; four faces each Had wondrous; as with ftars, their bodies all, And wings, were fet with eyes; with eyes, the wheels Of beril; and careering fires between: Over their heads a chrystal firmament; Where on a faphir throne, (in-laid with pure Amber, and colors of the show'ry arch) He, in cœleftial panoply all arm'd Of radiant Urim, work divinely wrought! Afcended: at His right hand, Victory Sat eagle-wing'd: befide Him hung his bow, And quiver with three-bolted thunder ftor'd: And from about Him fierce effufion rowl'd 765 Of smoke, and bick'ring flame, and sparkles dire. Attended with ten thousand thousand Saints, He onward came; far off his coming fhone, And twenty thousand (I their number heard) Chariots of God, half on each hand, were seen. He on the wings of Cherub rode fublime On the chryftallin sky, in faphir thron'd, Illuftrious far, and wide: but by His own First feen, them un-expected joy furpriz'd, When the great enfign of Meffiah blaz'd, Aloft by Angels born, His fign in heav'n: Under whofe conduct Michael foon reduc'd His army, circumfus'd on either wing, Under their Head imbodied all in one.

771

760

775