Such as we might perceive amus'd them all,
And stumbled many; who receives them right,
Had need from head to foot well understand;
Not understood, this gift they have besides,
They show us when our foes walk not upright.
So they among themselves in pleasant vein
Stood fcoffing, highten'd in their thoughts beyond
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 635
Against such hellish mischief fit to' oppose.
Forthwith (behold the excellence, the power,
Which God hath in his mighty Angels plac'd)
Their arms away they threw, and to the hills
(For Earth hath this variety from Heaven
Of pleasure fituate in hill and dale)
Light as the lightning glimpse they ran, they flew ;
From their foundations loosning to and fro
They pluck'd the feated hills with all their load,
Rocks, waters, woods, and by the shaggy tops
Up-lifting bore them in their hands: Amaze,
Be fure, and terror feis'd the rebel host,
When coming towards them fo dread they faw
The bottom of the mountains upward turn'd;
Till on those curfed engins triple-row
They faw them whelm'd, and all their confidence
Under the weight of mountains buried deep;
Themselves invaded next, and on their heads
Main promontories flung, which in the air
Came shadowing, and opprefs'd whole legions arm'd;
Their armour 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, ere they could wind
Out of fuch pris'n, though Spi'rits of pureft light, 660
Pureft at first, now gross by finning grown.
The reft 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,
That under ground they fought in difmal fhade;
Infernal noife; war feem'd a civil game
To this uproar; horrid confufion heap'd
Upon confufion rofe: and now all Heaven
Had gone to wrack, with ruin overspread;
Had not th' almighty Father, where he fits
Shrin'd in his fanctuary of Heav'n secure,
Confulting on the fum of things, foreseen
This tumult, and permitted all, advis'd:
That his great purpose he might so 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' affeffor of his throne he thus began.
Effulgence of my glory, Son belov'd,
Son in whofe face invifible is beheld
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 Heaven,
Since Michael and his Pow'rs went forth to tame
These disobedient: fore hath been their fight,
As likelieft was, when two fuch foes met arm'd;
For to themselves I left them, and thou know'st,
Equal in their creation they were form'd,
Save what fin hath impair'd, which yet hath wrought
Infenfibly, for I fufpend their doom;
Whence in perpetual fight they needs must last
Endless, and no folution will be found:
War wearied hath perform'd what war can do,
And to diforder'd rage let loose the reins,
With mountains as with weapons arm'd, which makes
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 worthiest to be Heir
Of all things, to be Heir and to be King
By facred unction, thy deserved right.
Go then thou Mightieft in thy Father's might,
Afcend 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 fword upon thy puiffant thigh;
- Pursue these fons of darkness, drive them out
From all Heav'n's bounds into the utter deep:
There let them learn, as likes them, to despise
God and Meffiah his anointed king.
He said, and on his Son with rays direct
Shone full; he all his Father full exprefs'd
Ineffably into his face receiv'd;
And thus the filial Godhead anfw'ring spake.
O Father, O Supreme of heav'nly Thrones, First, Highest, Holiest, Beft, thou always feek'st To glorify thy Son, I always thee,
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 blifs.
Scepter and pow'r, thy giving, I affume,
And gladlier fhall refign, when in the end
Thou shalt be all in all, and I in thee
For ever, and in me all whom thou lov'ft:
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 shall soon,
Arm'd with thy might, rid Heav'n of these rebell'd,
To their prepar'd ill mansion driven down,
To chains of darkness, and th' undying worm,
That from thy just obedience could revolt,
Whom to obey is happiness entire.
Then shall thy Saints unmix'd, and from th' impure
Far feparate, circling thy holy mount
Unfeigned Halleluiahs to thee fing,
Hymns of high praife, and I among them chief. 745
So faid, he o'er his fcepter bowing, rofe
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 whirlwind The chariot of paternal Deity,
Flashing thick flames, wheel within wheel undrawn, Itself inftin&t 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 carreering fires between ;
Over their heads a crystal firmament,
Whereon a faphir throne, inlaid with pure
Amber, and colors of the fhow'ry arch.
He in celeftial 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 roll'd
Of smoke and bickering flame and sparkles dire:
Attended with ten thoufand thousand Saints,
He onward came, far off his coming fhone;
And twenty thoufand (I their number heard)
Chariots of God, half on each hand were seen :
He on the wings of Cherub rode fublime
On the crystallin fky, in faphir thron'd,
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