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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

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Univerfal reproach, far worse to bear

Than violence; for this was all thy care,

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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,

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And thou in military prowefs next

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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

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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,

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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

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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

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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,

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And

And thus his own undaunted heart explores.

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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.

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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

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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

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Unaided could have finish'd thee, and whelm'd
Thy legions under darkness: but thou seest

VOL. I.

N

All

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

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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,

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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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