From those deep-throated Engines belcht, whofe roar
Embowel'd with outragious noise the Air,
And all her Entrails tore, difgorging foul
Their devilish glut, chain'd Thunder-bolts and Hail
Of Iron Globes, which on the Victor Hoft
Level'd, with fuch impetuous fury fmote,
That whom they hit, none on their feet might stand,
Though ftanding else as Rocks, but down they fell
By thousands, Angel on Arch-Angel rowl'd;
The fooner for their Arms, unarm'd they might
Have easily as Spirits evaded fwift
By quick Contraction or Remove; but now
Foul diffipation follow'd and forc'd rout ;
Nor ferv'd it to relax their ferried files.
What should they do? if on they rufht, repulse
Repeated, and indecent overthrow
Doubled, would render them yet more despis'd,
And to their foes a laughter; for in view
Stood rankt of Seraphim another row
In pofture to difplode their second tire
Of Thunder: back defeated to return
They worse abhorr'd. Satan beheld their plight,
And to his Mates thus in derifion call'd.
O Friends, why come not on these Victors proud?
Ere while they fierce were coming, and when we,
To entertain them fair with open Front
And Breaft, (what could we more?) propounded terms
Of compofition, ftrait they chang'd their minds,
Flew off, and into strange Vagaries fell,
As they would Dance, yet for a Dance they seem'd
Somewhat extravagant and wild, perhaps
For joy of offer'd peace: but I fuppofe
If our proposals once again were heard
We should compel them to a quick Result.
To whom thus Belial in like gamefom mood,
Leader, the terms we fent were terms of Weight,
Of Hard contents, and full of Force urg❜d home,
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 befides,
They fhew us when our foes walk not Upright..
So they among themselves in pleasant vein
Stood fcoffing, heighten'd in their thoughts beyond
All doubt of Victory, Eternal Might
To match with their inventions they prefum'd
So eafie, 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,
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 Heav'n
Of pleasure fituate in Hill and Dale)
Light as the Lightning glimpse they ran, they flew,
From their Foundations loofning to and fro
They pluckt 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 terrour feiz'd the rebel Hoft,
When coming towards them so dread they saw
The bottom of the Mountains upward turn'd,
Till on those curfed Engines triple-row
They faw them whelm'd, and all their confidence
Under the weight of Mountains bury'd deep,
Themselves invaded next, and on their heads
Main Promontories flung, which in the Air
Came fhadowing, and oppreft whole Legions arm'd.
Their armour help'd their harm, crush'd in and bruis'd
Into their Subftance pent, which wrought them pain
Implacable, and many a dolorous groan,
Long ftruggling underneath, ere they could wind
Out of such prison, though Spirits of pureft light,
Pureft at firft, now grofs by Sinning grown.
The reft in imitation to like Arms
Betook them, and the neighbouring Hills uptore:
So Hills amid the Air encounter'd Hills
Hurl'd to and fro with jaculation dire,
That under ground they fought in dismal shade;
Infernal noife; War feem'd a civil Game
To this uproar; horrid confufion heapt
Upon confufion rofe. And now all Heav'n
r-fpread,
Had gone to wrack, with ruin over-f
Had not th' Almighty Father where he fits
Shrin'd in his Sanctuary of Heav'n fecure,
Confulting on the sum of things, foreseen
This tumult, and permitted all, advis'd:
That his great purpose he might so fulfil,
To honour his Anointed Son aveng'd
Upon his enemies, and to declare
All Power 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 invisible is beheld
Visibly 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 Heav'n,
Since Michael and his Powers 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',
Equal in their Creation they were form'd,
Save what fin hath impair'd, which yet hath wrought
Insensibly, for I fufpend their doom;
Whence in perpetual fight they needs must laft
Endless, and no folution will be found.
War wearied hath perform'd what War can do,
And to disorder'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
Immense I have transfus'd, that all may know
In Heav'n and Hell thy Power above compare,
And this perverfe Commotion govern'd thus,
To manifeft thee worthieft to be Heir
Of all things, to be Heir and to be King
By Sacred Unction, thy deserv'd right.
Go then thou Mightieft in thy Father's might ;
Afcend my Chariot, guide the rapid Wheels
That shake Heav'ns Bafis; bring forth all my War,
My Bow and Thunder; my Almighty Arms
Gird on, and Sword upon thy puiffant Thigh ;
Purfue thefe fons of Darkness, drive them out
From all Heav'ns 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 Rayes direc
Shon full, he all his Father full exprest
Ineffably into his face receiv'd,
And thus the filial Godhead answering spake.
O Father, O Supream of heav'nly Thrones,
First, Higheft, Holieft, Beft, thou always feck'ft
To glorifie thy Son, I always thee,
As is moft juft; 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 blifs.
Scepter and Power, thy giving, Laffume,
And gladlier shall refign, when in the end
Thou shalt be All in All, and I in Thee
Forever, and in Me all whom thou lov'st:
But whom thou hat'ft, l'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 thefe rebell'd,
To their prepar'd ill Mansion driven down
To chains of darkness, and'th'undying Worm,
That from thy juft obedience could revolt,
Whom to obey is happiness entire.
Then fhall thy Saints unmixt, and from th' impure
Far separate, circling thy Holy Mount
Unfeign'd Halleluiahs to thee fing,
Hymns of high praise, and I among them chief.
So faid, he o'er his Scepter bowing, rofe
From the right Hand of Glory where he fat,
And the third facred Morn began to fhine (wind found Dawning through Heav'n: Forth rush'd' with whirlThe Chariot of Paternal Deity,
Flashing thick flames, Wheel within Wheel undrawn,
It self instinct with Spirit, but convoy'd
By four Cherubic fhapes; four Faces each
Had wondrous; as with Stars their bodies all
And Wings were fet with Eyes, with Eyes the Wheels
Of Beril, and careering Fires between;
Over their heads a chryftal Firmament,
He in Celestial Panoply all arm'd
Of radiant Urim, work divinely wrought,
Afcended; at his right hand Victory
And from about him fierce Effufion rowl'd
And Quiver with three-bolted Thunder ftor'd,
Sate Eagle-wing'd; befide him hung his Bow
Of smoak, and bickering flame, and sparkles dire.
Attended with ten thousand thousand Saints
He onward came; far off his coming fhon,
And twenty thousand (I their number heard)
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