Go then thou mightiest in thy father's might,
Afcend my chariot, guide the rapid wheels

That shake heav'n's bafis, bring forth all my war,
My bow and thunder, my almightie arms

Gird on, and fword upon thy puissant thigh;
Pursue these fons of darkness, drive them out
From all heav'n's bounds into the utter deep :
There let them learn, as likes them, to despise
God and Meffialt his anointed king,

He said, and on his fon with rays direct
Shon full, he all his father full exprest
Ineffable into his face receiv'd,

And thus the filial godhead answering fpake.
O father, O fupream of heav'nly thrones,
First, highest, holieft, beft, thou always seekst
To glorifie thy son, I always thee,

As is moft juft; this I my glorie account,
My exaltation, and my whole delight,

That thou in me well pleas'd, declarst thy will
Fulfill'd, which to fulfil is all my bliss.
Scepter and power, thy giving, I affume,
And gladlier fhall refign, when in the end
Thou shalt be all in all, and I in thee

For ever, and in me all whom thou lov'ft:
But whom thou hat'ft, I hate, and can put on
Thy terrors, as I put thy mildness on,

Image of thee in all things; and fhall foon,
Arm'd with thy might, rid heav'n of these 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,

3

Whom to obey is happiness entire.

Then shall thy faints unmixt, and from th’impure
Far feparate, circling thy holy mount

Unfained hallelujahs to thee fing,

Hymns of high praife, and I among them chief.
So faid, he o're his fcepter bowing, rofe
From the right hand of glorie where he fate,
And the third facred morn began to fhine

Dawning through heav'n: forth rufh'd with whirlwind

The chariot of paternal deitie,

(found

Flashing thick flames, wheel within wheel undrawn, Itself inftinct with fpirit, but convoy'd

By four cherubic shapes, four faces each

Had wondrous, as with ftars their bodies all
And wings were fet with eyes, with eyes the wheels
Of beril, and careering fires between ;
Over their heads a chrystal firmament,
Whereon a faphir throne, inlaid with pure
Amber, and colours of the showrie arch.
He in celeftial panoplie all arm'd
Of radiant Urim, work divinely rought,
Afcended, at his right hand victorie

Sate eagle-wing'd, befide him hung his bow
And quiver with three-bolted thunder ftor'd,
And from about him fierce effufion rowl'd
Of fmoak and bickering flame, and sparkles dire;
Attended with ten thousand thousand faints,
He onward came, far off his coming fhon,
And twentie thousand (I their number hear'd)
Chariots of God, half on each hand were feen :
He on the wings of cherub rode fublime.

On the chrystallin skie, in saphir thron'd.
Illuftrious far and wide, but by his own.
First seen, them unexpected joy furpriz'd,
When the great enfign of Meffiah blaz'd
Aloft by angels born, his fign in heav'n:
Under whose conduct Michael foon reduc'd
His armie, circumfus'd on either wing,
Under their head imbodied all in one.
Before him power divine his way prepar'd ;
At his command the uprooted hills retir'd
Each to his place, they heard his voice and went
Obfequious, heav'n his wonted face renew'd,
And with fresh flourets hill and valley fmil'd.
This faw his hapless foes, but stood obdur'd,
And to rebellious fight rallied their powers
Infenfate, hope conceiving from despair.

In heav'nly spirits could such perverseness dwell?
But to convince the proud what figns availe,
Or wonders move th'obdurate to relent?
They hard'n'd more by what might most reclaim,
Grieving to fee his glorie, at the fight
Took envie, and afpiring to his highth,
Stood reimbattell'd fierce, by force or fraud
Weening to profper, and at length prevail
Against God and Meffiah, or to fall
In univerfal ruin last, and now

To final battel drew, difdaining flight,

Or faint retreat; when the great son of God
To all his hoft on either hand thus fpake.

Stand ftill in bright array ye faints, here ftand.

Ye angels arm'd, this day from battle rest;

Faithful hath been your warfare, and of God
Accepted, fearless in his righteous cause,
And as ye have receiv'd, so have ye done
Invincibly; but of this curfed crew
The punishment to other hand belongs,
Vengeance is his, or whose he fole appoints }
Number to this day's work is not ordain'd
Nor multitude, ftand only and behold
God's indignation on these godless pourd
By me; not you but me they have despis'd,
Yet envied; against me is all their rage,
Because the father, t'whom in heav'n fupream
Kingdom and power and glorie appertains,
Hath honour'd me according to his will,
Therefore to me their doom he hath affign'd;
That they may have their wish, to trie with me
In battle which the ftronger proves, they all,
Or I alone against them, fince by strength
They measure all, of other excellence
Not emulous, nor care who them excells;
Nor other ftrife with them do I voutfafe.
So fpake the fon, and into terrour chang'd
His count'nance too severe to be beheld
And full of wrauth bent on his enemies.
At once the four fpred out their starrie wings
With dreadful fhade contiguous, and the orbes
Of his fierce chariot rowl'd, as with the found
Of torrent floods, or of a numerous host.
He on his impious foes right onward drove,
Glomie as night; under his burning wheels
The ftedfaft empyrean shook throughout,

All but the throne itself of God. Full foon
Among them he arriv'd; in his right hand
Grafping ten thousand thunders, which he fent
Before him, fuch as in their fouls infix'd
Plagues; they astonisht all resistance loft,
All courage; down their idle weapons drop'd ;
O're shields and helmes, and helmed heads he rode:
Of thrones and mighty seraphim proftrate,

That wish'd the mountains now might be again
Thrown on them as a shelter from his ire.
Nor lefs on either fide tempeftuous fell
His arrows, from the fourfold-vifag'd foure,
Distinct with eyes, and from the living wheels,
Diftinct alike with multitude of eyes,

One fpirit in them rul'd, and every eye
Glar'd lightning, and shot forth pernicious fire
Among the accurft, that wither'd all their strength,
And of their wonted vigour left them drain'd,
Exhausted, fpiritlefs, afflicted, fall'n.

Yet half his strength he put not forth, but check'd)
His thunder in mid volie, for he meant

Not to destroy, but root them out of heav'n ::
The overthrown he rais'd, and as a herd
Of goats or timerous flock together throng'd
Drove them before him thunder-ftruck, pursu'd
With terrors and with furies to the bounds
And chrystal wall of heav'n, which op'ning wide,
Rowl'd inward, and a fpacious gap disclos'd
Into the waftful deep; the monftrous fight
Strook them with horror backward, but far worfe
Urg'd them behind; headlong themfelves they threw