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 fpoke thus, and a hoarfe Murmur gave Applaufe 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 anfwered boldly : Он alienated from Gop, Spirit forfaken of all Good, and accurfed! I fee that thy Fall is determined, and thy unhappy Followers involved 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 MESSIAH; thofe indulgent Laws will not be now vouchfafed, but other Decrees not to be recalled are gone forth against thee. That golden Sceptre which thou didit refufe to obey, is now changed to a Rod of Iron, to bruife and break thy Difobedience. Well didst thou advise me to fly thefe wicked and devoted Tents, yet not for thy Advice or Threats do I do it, but left the Wrath that threatens, raging into a fudden Flame, fhould deftroy all without Distinction 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 unmoved, unfhaken, unfeduced, and unterrified: Though he was fingle, neither their Number nor Example prevailed with him to fwerve from the Truth, nor altered the Conftancy of his Mind: He paffed forth from amidst them, through hoftile Scorns, which, being much fuperior to, he easily sustained, nor ftood in Fear of any Violence, but returning their Scorn back again upon them, he turned his Face from thofe proud Towers, doomed to fwift Destruction. The End of the FIFTH BOOK. THE THE SIXTH BOOK OF 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 defcribed. 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 Disorder, but they at length pulling up Mountains, overwhelm ed both the Force and Machines of Satan. The Tumult not ending, GOD on the third Day fends the Meffiah his Son; for whom he had referved the Glory of that Victory: He, in the Power of bis Father coming to the Place, and caufing all his Legions to ftand still on either Side, with his Chariot and A a 21 |