Page images
PDF
EPUB

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.

CHAP. I.

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

A

B-DIEL the dreadless Angel held his Way all Night unpurfued 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 the other obedient Darkness enters, till the Hour come for her to draw a Veil over the Heavens (though what is called Darknefs there, might feem Twilight here) and now. went forth the Morning, fuch as it is in the highest Heavens, arrayed in a celeftial and golden Hue, and the Night went off when it approached fhot through with bright Beams; when what first met the Sight of ABDIEL was Chariots and flaming Arms, and fiery Steeds, and thick bright Squadrons in Battle array that covered all the Plain, reflecting Blaze on Blaze. He perceived War in Readiness, and found that to be already known, which he thought to have report

ed

ed for News: He then gladly mixed himself among thofe friendly Powers, who received 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 maintained 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 stand approved, in the Sight of God, though the vaft Multitude of the apoftate Angels, judged 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 Reafon for their Law; 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 armed 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 pursuing them to the Borders of Heaven, drive them out from GoD and from Blifs, into their Place of Punishment; the Gulph of Hell, which has already opened wide its fiery Region of Confufion to receive them in their Fall.

THUS

THUS spoke the Voice of God, and the Clouds. began to darken all the Hill, and Smoak began to rowl in dufky and heavy Flames; a Sign that Wrath divine was awaked; nor with lefs Terror began to found from an high the loud etherial Trumpet; at which Command the militant Powers, that stood firm for the Caufe of Heaven, (joined in vaft Bodies of irrefiftable Union) moved on their bright Legions in Silence, to the Sound of mufical Inftruments, that breathed into them an heroick Ardour to great and adventurous Deeds, under their godlike Leaders, in the Caufe of the ALMIGHTY and his MESSIAH: On they move, fo firm, that it was impoffible for their Ranks to be divided by Hills, Vallies, Woods or Streams, for their March was high above the Ground, and the yielding Air bore up their nimble Tread; as when every Species of Birds came fummoned over EDEN, flying in orderly Array to receive their Names of Thee: So they marched over many a Tract and wide Province of Heaven, tenfold the Length of this earthly Globe. At laft, far in the Horizon of the North appeared a fiery Region, that reached the whole Length and the utmost Depth, drawn up in Array of Battle, and on nearer View might be feen the bright Tops of innumerable Spears, a Throng of Helmets, and Shields with various Ornaments and boasting Devices: Thefe were the united Powers of SATAN, haftening on with furious Expedition; for they imagined that very Day, either by Conqueft or by Surprize, to win the Mountain of GOD, and to fet upon his Throne the proud Ufurper and Envier of his Power; but their Thoughts proved empty and vain in the Mid-way Though at firft it seemed very strange to us, that Angels fhould make War against Angels, and meet in fierce Combat, who were used to meet fo often unanimous in Festivals of Love and Joy, and as the Sons of one great Sire, praifing the eternal FA

THER,

THER. But now the Shout began for the Battle, and the rushing Sound of the Onfet, which put an End to all milder Thoughts.

SATAN fat high in the Midft in his Sun-bright Chariot, exalted like a God, an Idol of divine Majefty, enclosed with flaming Cherubim and with golden Shields; then lighted from his refplendent Throne, (for now betwixt the two Armies there was but small Distance left, and Front prefented to Front stood in terrible Array, extending to a prodigious Length) and before the Ranks of the rebellious Spirits, juft when the Armies were about to join, SATAN advancing with vaft and haughty Strides, came fwelling with imaginary Power, and armed in Adamant and Gold: The Seraph ABDIEL could not endure that Sight, where he ftood among the Mightieft, bent on the Performance of greatest Actions; and thus he fearches and confiders his own undaunted Heart :

OH Heaven! that there fhould yet remain fuch a Refemblance of the Higheft, where Faith and Truth remain no longer: Wherefore fhould not Strength and Might fail when deftitute of Virtue, or prove weakeft where it is most prefumptuous? Though to Appearance he seems unconquerable, I mean (trufting in the Affiftance of the ALMIGHTY) to try his Power; whofe Reason I have already tried, and found to be falfe and unfound: Nor is it any Thing but juft, that he who hath got the better in the Debate of Truth, fhould do the fame alfo in Arms, and become a Conqueror in both Difputes alike; though when Reafon hath to deal with Force, the Conteft is brutish and foul, yet it is most fit that Reason fhould overcome. Confidering thus within himself, and stepping out from his armed Companions oppofite to SATAN, his daring Foe, he met him half-way, who was more in

cenfed,

cenfed, to fee him advance fo boldly towards him, and to hear from him this Defiance :

PROUD Angel! art thou met? Thy Hope was to have reached the Height of thy Afpiring without Oppofition; and to have found the Throne of GOD unguarded, and his Side abandoned, at the Terror of thy Power and potent Voice: Thou Fool! not to confider, how vain it is to rife up in Arms against the ALMIGHTY; who out of the fmalleft Things could have raised Armies continually without End, to defeat thy Folly; or with his own Hand, which reaches beyond all Limit, without any other Affiftance could have finished thee, and whelmed all thy Legions under Darkness: But thou mayeft fee that all are not of thy Train; there be fome holy Angels besides myself, who esteem Fidelity and Piety towards GoD, though not visible to thee, when I alone seemed in thy World erroneously to diffent from all: Thou feeft my Party, and now mayest learn too late, that when Thousands err, fome few may be in the right. To whom SATAN, with malicious and fcornful Eyes, gave Anfwer:

In the wifh'd-for Hour of my Revenge, but ill. for thee, art thou returned from Flight, whom I have been first seeking, feditious Angel! now art thou come to receive that Reward which thou haft merited, the first Tryal of this Right-Hand provoked; fince that Tongue infpired with Contradiction, first dared to oppose a third Part of the Gods, met in Council to affert their Godheads, who while they feel divine Vigour within themselves, neither can or will allow Omnipotence to be the Attribute of any. But well it is thou art come before thy Fellows, ambitious to win from me fomething to brag of, that thy Success may be an Example of Deltruction to the reft; only I have

« PreviousContinue »