With joy and acclamations loud, that one, That of fo many myriads fall'n, yet one Return'd not loft: On to the facred hill They led him high applauded, and present Before the feat fupreme; from whence a voice From midft a golden cloud thus mild was heard. Servant of God, well done, well hast thou fought The better fight, who fingle haft maintain'd Against revolted multitudes the cause
Of truth, in word mightier than they in arms; And for the teftimony' of truth haft borne
Univerfal reproach, far worse to bear
Than violence; for this was all thy care,
To stand approv'd in fight of God, though worlds
Judg'd thee perverfe: the easier conqueft now Remains thee, aided by this host of friends, Back on thy foes more glorious to return Than fcorn'd thou didst depart, and to fubdue By force, who reafon for their law refuse, Right reason for their law, and for their king Meffiah, who by right of merit reigns. Go Michael of celeftial armies prince,
And thou in military prowefs next
Gabriel, lead forth to hattel these my fons Invincible, lead forth my armed Saints By thoufands and by millions rang'd for fight, Equal in number to that Godless crew Rebellious; them with fire and hostile arms Fearless affault, and to the brow of Heaven Pursuing drive them out from God and blifs
Into their place of punishment, the gulf Of Tartarus, which ready opens wide His fiery Chaos to receive their fall.
So fpake the fovran voice, and clouds began To darken all the hill, and fmoke to roll In dusky wreaths, reluctant flames, the fign
Of wrath awak'd; nor with lefs dread the loud Ethereal trumpet from on high 'gan blow: At which command the Powers militant, That stood for Heav'n, in mighty quadrat join'd Of union irresistible, mov'd on
In filence their bright legions, to the found Of inftrumental harmony, that breath'd Heroic ardor to adventrous deeds
Under their God-like leaders, in the caufe Of God and his Meffiah. On they move Indiffolubly firm; nor obvious hill,
Nor ftrait'ning vale, nor wood, nor ftream divides 70
Their perfect ranks; for high above the ground
Their march was, and the paffive air upbore
Their nimble tread; as when the total kind Of birds, in orderly array on wing, Came fummon'd over Eden to receive Their names of thee; fo over many a tract
Of Heav'n they march'd, and many a province wide Tenfold the length of this terrene: at last Far in th' horizon to the north appear'd From skirt to skirt a fiery region, stretch'd In battailous afpéct, and nearer view Bristled with upright beams innumerable
Of rigid fpears, and helmets throng'd, and shields Various, with boastful argument portray'd,
The banded Pow'rs of Satan hafting on With furious expedition; for they ween'd That felf-fame day by fight, or by surprise, To win the mount of God, and on his throne To fet the envier of his state, the proud Afpirer, but their thoughts prov'd fond and vain In the mid way: though strange to us it seem'd At first, that Angel should with Angel war, And in fierce hofting meet, who wont to meet So oft in feftivals of joy and love
Unanimous, as fons of one great fire
Hymning th' eternal Father: but the shout Of battel now began, and rushing found Of onfet ended foon each milder thought. High in the midst exalted as a God "Th' Apostate in his fun-bright chariot fat, Idol of majesty divine, inclos'd
With flaming Cherubim and golden fhields; Then lighted from his gorgeous throne, for now "Twixt hoft and hoft but narrow fpace was left, A dreadful interval, and front to front Prefented ftood in terrible array
Of hideous length: before the cloudy van, On the rough edge of battel ere it join'd, Satan with vaft and haughty ftrides advanc'd Came towring, arm'd in adamant and gold; Abdiel that fight endur'd not, where he stood Among the mighticit, bent on higheft deeds,
And thus his own undaunted heart explores.
O Heav'n! that such resemblance of the Highest Should yet remain, where faith and reälty Remain not: wherefore should not strength and might There fail where virtue fails, or weakest prove Where boldeft, though to fight unconquerable? His puiffance, trusting in th' Almighty's aid, I mean to try, whose reason I have try'd Unfound and false; nor is it ought but just, That he who in debate of truth hath won Should win in arms, in both disputes alike Victor; though brutish that contéft and foul, When reafon hath to deal with force, yet fo Moft reafon is that reafon overcome.
So pondering, and from his armed peers Forth stepping oppofit, half way he met His daring foe, at this prevention more Incens'd, and thus fecurely him defy'd.
Proud, art thou met? thy hope was to have reach'd
The highth of thy afpiring unoppos'd,
The throne of God unguarded, and his fide Abandon'd at the terror of thy power
Or potent tongue: fool, not to think how vain
Against th' Omnipotent to rife in arms;
Who out of smallest things could without end Have rais'd inceffant armies to defeat
Thy folly; or with folitary hand
Reaching beyond all limit, at one blow
Unaided could have finish'd thee, and whelm'd Thy legions under darkness: but thou seest
All are not of thy train; there be who faith Prefer, and piety to God, though then
To thee not visible, when I alone
Seem'd in thy world erroneous to diffent
From all my fect thou feeft; now learn too late How few fometimes may know, when thousands err. Whom the grand foe with scornful eye askance Thus anfwer'd. Ill for thee, but in wish'd hour 150 Of my revenge, first sought for thou return'st From flight, feditious Angel, to receive
Thy merited reward, the first aflay
Of this right hand provok'd, fince first that tongue Infpir'd with contradiction durft oppose
A third part of the Gods, in fynod met
Their deities to affert, who while they feel Vigor divine within them, can allow Omnipotence to none. But well thou com'ft Before thy fellows, ambitious to win
From me fome plume, that thy fuccefs may fhow Deftruction to the reft: this pause between (Unanswer'd left thou boaft) to let thee know; At first I thought that Liberty and Heaven To heav'nly fouls had been all one; but now I fee that most through floth had rather ferve, Miniftring Spirits, train'd up in feast and fong; Such haft thou arm'd, the minstrelfy of Heaven, Servility with freedom to contend,
As both their deeds compar'd this day fhall prove. 170
To whom in brief thus Abdiel ftern reply'd. Apoftate, ftill thou err'ft, nor end wilt find
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