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,
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Save what fin hath impair'd, which yet hath wrought
Infenfibly, for I fufpend their doom;
Whence in perpetual fight they needs must laft
Endlefs, 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 paft, 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
Immense 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
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,
Afcend my chariot, guide the rapid wheels
That thake Heav'n's bafis, 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, Higheft, Holieft, 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'ft thy will
Fulfill'd, which to fulfil is all my bliss.
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 fhall thy Saints unmix'd, and from th' impure
Far feparate, circling thy holy mount
Unfeigned Halleluiahs to thee fing,
Hymns of high praise, 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 fhine,
Dawning through Heav'n: forth rufh'd with whirlwind The chariot of paternal Deity,
Flashing thick flames, wheel within wheel undrawn, Itself instinct with Spirit, but convoy'd
By four Cherubic fhapes; four faces each
Had wondrous; as with ftars their bodies all
And wings were set 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 show'ry arch.
He in celestial 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 stor'd,
And from about him fierce effufion roll'd
Of smoke and bickering flame and fparkles 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 feen :
He on the wings of Cherub rode fublime
On the crystallin sky, in saphir thron'd, .
Illuftrious far and wide, but by his own
Firft feen; 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 fmil'd.
This faw his hapless foes, but ftood obdur'd,
And to rebellious fight rallied their Powers
Infenfate, hope conceiving from despair.
In heav'nly Spirits could fuch perverseness 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 aspiring 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 ftill in bright array, ye Saints, here stand
Ye Angels arm'd, this day from battel 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 curfed crew
The punishment to other hand belongs;
Vengeance is his, or whofe he fole appoints:
Number to this day's work is not ordain'd
Nor multitude; ftand only and behold
God's indignation on thefe Godlefs 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, to try with me
In battel which the stronger proves, they all,
Or I alone against them, fince by strength
They measure all, of other excellence
Not emulous, nor care who them excels;
Nor other ftrife with them do I vouchfafe.
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 spread 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 hoft.
He on his impious foes right onward drove,
Gloomy as night; under his burning wheels
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