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Throne with Adoration, or with Defiance. Do thou go and carry this Report and thefe Tidings to the anointed King, and make Hafte before fomething worse intercept thy Flight.

· SATAN spoke thus, and a hoarfe Murmur gave Applause to his Words through the infinite Hoft, like the Sound of deep Waters; nevertheless the flaming and undaunted Seraph ABDIEL, though furrounded by Foes and alone, thus answered boldly:

Oн alienated from GoD, Spirit forfaken of all Good, and accurs'd! I fee that thy Fall is determin'd, and thy unhappy Followers involv'd in this perfidious Evil; the Contagion being spread both of thy Crime and Punishment. Be not henceforth any more troubled, how to get rid of the Yoke of GOD'S ME SSIAH; thofe indulgent Laws will not be now vouchfaf'd, but other Decrees not to be recall'd are gone forth against thee. That golden Sceptre which thou didft refufe to obey, is now chang'd to a Rod of Iron, to bruise and break thy Difobedience. Well didft thou advise me to fly these wicked and devoted Tents, yet not for thy Advice or Threats do I do it, but left the Wrath that threatens, raging into a sudden Flame, fhould deftroy all without Diftinction; for expect foon to feel his Thunder on thy Head, a devouring Fire; then mourning, learn to know who is thy Creator, and who hath Power to uncreate and destroy thee.

THE Seraph ABDIEL fpoke thus, who was found faithful among the Faithlefs, alone found faithful among innumerable falfe ones; he kept his Loyalty, Love, and Zeal unmov'd, unfhaken, unfeduc'd, and unterrified: Though he was fingle, neither their Number nor Example prevail'd with him to fwerve

from

from the Truth, nor alter'd the Conftancy of his Mind: He pafs'd forth from amidst them, through hoftile Scorns, which, being much fuperior to, he eafily fuftain'd, nor ftood in Fear of any Violence, but returning their Scorn back again upon them, he turn'd his Face from thofe proud Towers, doom'd to fwift Deftruction.

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THE

SIXTH BOOK ·

O F

PARADISE LOST.

R

The ARGUMENT.

APHAEL continues to relate how Michael and Gabriel went forth to Battle against Satan and his Angels; the first Fight defcrib'd. 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. The Tumult not ending, GOD on the third Day fends the Meffiah bis 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 ftand still on either Side, with his Chariot

and

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 prepar'd for them in the Deep: Meffiah returns with Triumph to his Father.

CHAP. I.

Raphael relates how Michael and Gabriel went forth to Battle against Satan; the first Fight deScrib'd.

BDIEL the dreadlefs Angel, held his Way all Night unpurfu'd through the wide Plains of Heaven; till returning Morning brought on the Light. There is a Cave within the Mountain of GOD, and not far diftant from his Throne, where by turns in a continual Round, Light, and Darkness, lodge and diflodge; which makes through Heaven an agreeable Change, like Day and Night: Light iffues forth at one Door, and at the other obedient Darkness enters, till the Hour come for her to draw a Veil over the Heavens, (tho' what is called Darkness there, might feem Twilight here) and now went forth the Morning, fuch as it is in the highest Heavens, array'd in a celeftial and golden Hue, and the Night went off when it approach'd fhot through with bright Beams; when what firft met the Sight of ABDIEL was Chariots and flaming Arms, and fiery Steeds, and thick bright Squadrons in Battle array that cover'd all the Plain, reflecting Blaze on Blaze. He perceiv'd War in Readiness, and found that to be already known, which he thought to have report

ed

ed for News: He then gladly mix'd himself among those friendly Powers, who receiv'd him with loud Acclamations and Joy, that out of fo great a Number fallen, yet there fhould one return not loft. They led him on, highly applauded to the facred Hill, and prefented him before the fupreme Seat, from whence a Voice was heard thus mild from the midst of a golden Cloud :

WELL done, thou faithful Servant of GOD! Well haft thou fought the better Fight; who fingle against revolted Multitudes, haft maintain'd the Caufe of Truth, mightier in Word than they can be in Arms, and for the Teftimony of the Truth haft bore a general Reproach, far worse to bear than Violence; for all thy Care was to ftand approv'd, in the Sight of God, though the vaft Multitude of the apoftate Angels, judg'd thee to be perverfe. An eafier Conqueft now remains for thee, affifted by this Hoft of Friends, to return back upon thy Foes with greater Glory, than thou didst depart from them with Scorn; and to fubdue them by Force who refufe right Reason for their Law; and MESSIAH for their King, who reigns by Right of Merit.

GO MICHAEL! Prince of the heavenly Armies! and thou GABRIEL! next in military Art and Power, go, and lead forth thefe my invincible Sons; lead forth my arm'd Saints by Millions (equal in Number to that ungodly rebellious Crew) and range them in Order for the Battle, affault them without Fear with hoftile Arms and with Fire, and purfuing them to to the Borders of Heaven, drive them out from Gop and from Blifs, into their Place of Punishment; the Gulph of Hell, which has already open'd wide it fiery Region of Confufion to receive them in thei Fall.

THUS

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