Both of thy crime and punishment: henceforth No more be troubled how to quit the yoke Of God's Messiah; those indulgent laws Will not be now vouchsaf'd: other decrees Against thee are gone forth without recal; That golden sceptre, which thou didst reject, Is now an iron rod to bruise and break Thy disobedience. Well thou didst advise; Yet not for thy advice or threats I fly These wicked tents devoted, lest the wrath Impendent, raging into sudden flame, Distinguish not: for soon expect to feel His thunder on thy head, devouring fire. Then who created thee lamenting learn,
When who can uncreate thee thou shalt know.' 895 "So spake the seraph Abdiel, faithful found Among the faithless, faithful only he; Among innumerable false, unmov'd, Unshaken, unseduc'd, unterrify'd, His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal; Nor number, nor example, with him wrought To swerve from truth, or change his constant mind, Though single. From amidst them forth he pass'd, Long way through hostile scorn, which he sustain'd Superior, nor of violence fear'd ought; And with retorted scorn his back he turn'd On those proud tow'rs to swift destruction doom'd.
THE END OF THE FIFTH BOOK.
Raphael continues to relate how Michael and Gabriel were sent forth to battle against Satan and his angels. The first fight described: Satan and his powers retire under night: he calls a council, invents devilish engines, which, in the second day's fight, put Michael and his angels to some disorder; but they at length, pulling up mountains, over whelmed both the force and machines of Satan: yet, the tumult not so ending, God, on the third day, sends Messiah his son, for whom he had reserved the glory of that victory: he, in the power of his Father, coming to the place, and causing all his legions to stand still on either side, with his chariot and thunder driving into the midst of his enemies, pursues them, unable to resist, towards the wall of Heaven; which opening, they leap down with horror and confusion into the place of punishment prepared for them in the deep: Messiah returns with triumph to his Father.
"ALL night the dreadless angel, unpursued, Through Heav'n's wide champaign held his way; till
Wak'd by the circling hours, with rosy hand Unbarr'd the gates of light. There is a cave Within the mount of God, fast by his throne, Where light and darkness in perpetual round Lodge and dislodge by turns, which makes through Heav'n
Grateful vicissitude, like day and night;
Light issues forth, and at the other door
Obsequious darkness enters, till her hour
To veil the Heav'n, though darkness there might well Seem twilight here: and now went forth the morn, Such as in highest Heav'n, array'd in gold
Empyreal; from before her vanish'd night,
Shot through with orient beams; when all the plain,
Cover'd with thick embattled squadrons bright, Chariots, and flaming arms, and fiery steeds, Reflecting blaze on blaze, first met his view: War he perceiv'd, war in procinct, and found Already known, what he for news had thought To have reported: gladly then he mix'd Among those friendly pow'rs, who him receiv'd With joy and acclamations loud, that one, That of so many myriads fall'n, yet one Return'd not lost: on to the sacred hill They led him high applauded, and present
Before the seat supreme; from whence a voice From midst a golden cloud thus mild was heard. "Servant of God, well done; well hast thou fought The better fight, who single hast maintain'd Against revolted multitudes the cause
Of truth, in word mightier than they in arms; And for the testimony' of truth hast borne Universal reproach, far worse to bear Than violence; for this was all thy care
To stand approv'd in sight of God, though worlds Judg'd thee perverse: the easier conquest now Remains thee, aided by this host of friends, Back on thy foes more glorious to return Than scorn'd thou didst depart, and to subdue By force, who reason for their law refuse, Right reason for their law, and for their king Messiah, who by right of merit reigns. Go, Michael, of celestial armies prince, And thou, in military prowess next,
Gabriel, lead forth to battle these my sons Invincible; lead forth my armed saints, By thousands and by millions, rang'd for fight, Equal in number to that godless crew Rebellious; them with fire and hostile arms Fearless assault; and, to the brow of Heav'n Pursuing, drive them out from God and bliss Into their place of punishment, the gulf Of Tartarus, which ready opens wide His fiery Chaos to receive their fall.'
"So spake the sov'reign voice, and clouds began
To darken all the hill, and smoke to roll
In dusky wreaths, reluctant flames, the sign
Of wrath awak'd; nor with less dread the lond Ethereal trumpet from on high 'gan blow: At which command the powers militant, That stood for Heav'n, in mighty quadrate join'd Of union irresistible, mov'd on
In silence their bright legions, to the sound Of instrumental harmony, that breath'd
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