Of mianignt-march, and hurried meeting here This only to consult how we may best, With what may be devised of honours new, Receive him coming to receive from us Knce-tribute yet unpaid, prostration vile! Too much to one! but double how endured, Το one, and to his image now proclaim'd? But what if better counsels might erect Our minds, and teach us to cast off this yoke? Will ye submit your necks, and choose to bend The supple knee? Ye will not, if I trust To know ye right, or if ye know yourselves Natives and sons of Heaven possess'd before By none; and if not equal all, yet free, Equally free; for orders and degrees Jar not with liberty, but well consist. Who can in reason then, or right, assume Monarchy over such as live by right His equals, if in power and splendour less, In freedom equal? or can introduce Law and edict on us, who without law
Err not? much less for this to be our Lord, And look for adoration, to the abuse
Of those imperial titles, which assert
Our being ordain'd to govern, not to serve.
Thus far his bold discourse without control
Had audience; when among the Seraphim
Abdiel, than whom none with more zeal adored
The Deity, and divine commanas ovey d, Stood up, and in a flame of zeal severe The current of his fury thus opposed.
O argument blasphemous, false, and proud! Words which no ear ever to hear in Heaven Expected, least of all from thee, Ingrate, In place thyself so high above thy peers.
Canst thou with impious obloquy condemn
The just decree of God pronounced and sworu, That to his only Son, by right ended
Witn regal sceptre, every soul in Heaven Shall bend the knee, and in that honour due Confess him rightful King? unjust, thou say'st, Flatly unjust, to bind with laws the free,
And equal over equals to let reign,
One over all with unsucceeded power.
Shalt thou give law to God? shalt thou dispute
With him the points of liberty, who made
Thee what thou art, and form'd the Powers of Heaven
Such as he pleased, and circumscribed their being?
Yet, by experience taught, we know how good, And of our good and of our dignity
Thyself, though great and glorious, dost thou count, Or all angelic nature join'd in one,
Equal to him begotten Son? by whom,
As by his Word, the Mighty Father made
All things, e'en thee; and all the Spirits of Heaven By him created in their bright degrees,
Crown'd them with glory, and to their glory named Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers, Essential powers; nor by his reign obscured, But more illustrious made; since he the head One of our number thus reduced becomes; His laws our laws; all honour to him done Returns our own. Cease then this impious rage, 850 And tempt not these; but hasten to appease The incensed Father, and the incensed Son, While pardon may be found in time besought.
So spake the fervent Angel: but his zeal None seconded, as out of season judged,
Or singular and rash: Whereat rejoiced
The Apostate, and, more haughty, thus replied:
That we were form'd then, say'st thou and the work
Of secondary hands, by task transferr'd
From Father to his Son? strange point and new! 860 Doctrine which we would know whence learn'd: who When this creation was? remember'st thou
Thy making, while the Maker gave thee being? We know no time when we were not as now; Know none before us, self-begot, self raised By our own quickening power, when fatal course Had circled his full orb, the birth mature Of this our native Heaven, ethereal sons. Our puissance is our own; our own right hand Shall teach us highest deeds, by proof to try Who is our equal: Then thou shalt behold Whether by supplication we intend Address, and to begird the almighty throne Beseeching or besieging. This report, These tidings carry to the anointed King; And fly, ere evil intercept thy flight.
He said and, as the sound of waters deep, Hoarse murmur echo'd to his words applause Through the infinite host; nor less for that The flaming Seraph fearless, though alone Encompass'd round with foes, thus answer'd bold: O alienate from God, O Spirit accursed,
Forsaken of all good! I see thy fall
Determined, and thy hapless crew involved
In this perfidious fraud, contagion spread
Both of thy crime and punishment: henceforth No more be troubled how to quit the yoke Of God's Messiah; those indulgent laws Will not be now vouchsafed; other decrees Against thee are gone forth without recal; That golden sceptre which thou didst reject, Is now an iron rod to bruise and break Thy disobedience. Well thou didst advise; Yet not for thy advice or threats I fly These wicked tents devoted, lest the wrath mpendent, raging into sudden flame,
Distinguish not: For soon expect to feel His thunder on thy head, devouring fire. Then who created thee lamenting learn,
When who can uncreate thee thou shalt know.
So spake the Seraph Abdiel, faithful found Among the faithless, faithful only he; Among innumerable false, unmoved, Unshaken, unseduced, unterrified, His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal; Nor number nor example with him wrought
To swerve from truth, or change his constant mind, Though single. From amidst them forth he pass'd, Long way through hostile scorn, which he sustain'd Superior, nor of violence fear'd aught; And, with retorted scorn, his back he turn'd On those proud towers to swift destruction doom'd.
Kaphael continues to relate how Michael and Gabriel were sem forth to battle against Satan and his Angels. The first fight described: Satan and his Powers retire under night: He calls a council; invents devilish engines, which, in the second day's fight, put Michael and his Angels to some disorder; but they at length, pulling up mountains, overwhelmed both the force and machines of Satan; Yet, the tumult not so ending, God, on the third day, sends MESSIAH his son, for whom he had reserved the glory of that victory: He, in the power of his Father, coming to the place, and causing all his legions to stand still on either side, with his chariot and thunder driving into the midst of his enemies, pursues them, unable to resist, towards the wall of Heaven: which opening, they leap down with horror and confusion into the place of punishment prepared for them in the deep: MESSIAH returns with triumph to his Father
ALL night the dreadless Angel, unpursued, [Morn, Through Heaven's wide champaign held his way. till Waked by the circling Hours, with rosy hand Unbarr'd the gates of light. There is a cave Within the mount of God, fast by his throne,
Where light and darkness in perpetual round
Lodge and dislodge by turns, which makes through Grateful vicissitude, like day and night;
Light issues forth, and at the other door
Obsequious darkness enters, till her hour
To veil the Heaven, though darkness there might well Seem twilight here: And now went forth the Morn Such as in highest Heaven array'd in gold
Empyreal; from before her vanish'd Night,
Shot through with orient beams; when all the plain 15 Cover'd with thick embattled squadrons bright, Chariots, and flaming arms, and fiery steeds, Reflecting blaze on blaze, first met his view: War he perceived, war in procinct; and found already known what he for news had thought
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