Raphael continues to relate how Michael and Gabriel were fent 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 fecond day's fight put Michael and his Angels to fome diforder; but they at length, pulling up mountains, overwhelmed both the force and machines of Satan. Yet the tumult not fo ending, God on the third day fends Meffiah his Son, for whom he had referv'd the glory of that victory: He, in the power of his Father, coming to the place, and caufing all his legions to stand still on either fide, with his chariot and thunder driving into the midst of his enemies, pursues them, unable to refift, towards the wall of Heaven; which opening, they leap down with horror and confufion into the place of punishment prepared for them in the deep. Meffiah returns with triumph to his Father.
"ALL night the dreadless Angel, unpursued,
Through Heav'n's wide champain held his way; 'till
Wak'd by the circling hours,
Unbarr'd the gates of light.
Within the mount of God, faft by his throne,
Where light and darkness in perpetual round
Lodge and diflodge by turns, which makes thro' Heaven Grateful viciffitude, like day and night;
Light iffues forth, and at the other door
Obfequious darkness enters, till her hour
To veil the Heav'n, though darkness there might well
Seem twilight here: and now went forth the morn,
Such as in highest Heav'n, array'd in gold
Empyreal; from before her vanish'd night,
Shot through with orient beams; when all the plain,
Cover'd with thick embattled fquadrons bright,
Chariots and flaming arms, and fiery steeds,
Reflecting blaze on blaze, first met his view.
War he perceiv'd, war in procinct, and found,
Already known, what he for news had thought
To have reported: gladly then he mix'd
Among those friendly Pow'rs, who him receiv'd
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 midst a golden cloud thus mild was heard.
"Servant of God, well done, well haft 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 testimony' of truth haft borne
Universal 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 perverse: the easier conquest 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 subdue
By force, who reason 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 prowess next,
Gabriel, lead forth to battle thefe my fons
Invincible, lead forth my armed Saints,
By thousands and by millions rang'd for fight,
Equal in number to that Godless crew
Rebellious; then with fire and hoftile arms
Fearless affault, and to the brow of Heaven
Pursuing, drive them out from God and blits
Into their place of punishment, the gulf
Of Tartarus, which ready opens wide
His fiery Chaos to receive their fall.'
"So fpake the Sov'reign voice, and clouds began To darken all the hill, and smoke to roll
In dufky wreaths, reluctant flames, the sign
Of wrath awak'd; nor with less dread the loud
Ethereal trumpet from on high 'gan blow:
At which command the Powers militant,
That stood for Heav'n, in mighty quadrate join'd
Of union irresistible, mov'd on,
In filence, their bright legions to the found
Of inftrumental harmony, that breath'd
Heroic ardour to advent'rous deeds,
Under their God-like leaders, in the cause
Of God and his Meffiah. On they move,
Indiffolubly firm; nor obvious hill,
Nor ftrait'ning vale, nor wood, nor stream, divides
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
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