Ascend my chariot, guide the rapid wheels He said, and on his Son with rays direct And thus the filial Godhead answering spake : O Father, O Supreme of heavenly thrones, As is most just; this I my glory account, That thou in me well pleased declarest thy will Image of thee in all things; and shall soon, Arm'd with thy might, rid heaven of these rebell'd, Whom to obey is happiness entire. Then shall thy saints unmix'd, and from the impure Unfeigned hallelujahs to thee sing, Hymns of high praise, and I among them chief. So said, he, o'er his sceptre bowing, rose From the right hand of glory where he sat ; Dawning through heaven: forth rush'd with whirlwind sound The chariot of Paternal Deity, Flashing thick flames, wheel within wheel undrawn, By four cherubic shapes; four faces each Had wondrous, as with stars their bodies all And wings were set with eyes, with eyes the wheels Of beryl, and careering fires between ; Over their heads a crystal firmament, Whereon a sapphire throne, inlaid with pure He, in celestial panoply all arm'd Of radiant Urim-work divinely wrought, Ascended; at his right hand Victory Of smoke, and bickering flame, and sparkles dire. His army, circumfused on either wing, In heavenly spirits could such perverseness dwell? They, harden'd more by what might most reclaim, Took envy, and, aspiring to his height, Stood re-embattled fierce, by force or fraud To final battle drew, disdaining flight, Or faint retreat; when the great Son of God Stand still in bright array, ye saints, here stand, Because the Father, to whom in heaven supreme So spake the Son, and into terror changed That wish'd the mountains now might be again Nor less on either side tempestuous fell Glared lightning, and shot forth pernicious fire Yet half his strength he put not forth, but check'd |