éd 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 à 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 worfe 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 pursuing them to 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 open'd wide its fiery Region of Confufion to receive them in their Fall.

THUS

THUS fpoke 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 awak'd; nor with lefs Terror began to found from on high the loud etherial Trumpet; at which Command the militant Powers, that ftood firm for the Cause of Heaven, (join'd in vaft Bodies of irrefiftable Union) mov'd on their bright Legions in Silence, to the Sound of mufical Inftruments, that breath'd into them an heroick Ardour to great and advent'rous Deeds, under their godlike Leaders, in the Cause 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 fummon'd over EDEN, flying in orderly Array to receive their Names of Thee: So they march'd 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 appear'd a fiery Region, that reach'd the whole Length and the utmoft 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 boafting Devices: These were the united Powers of SATAN, haftning on with furious Expedition; for they imagin'd 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 prov'd empty and vain in the Mid-way: Though at firft it feem'd very ftrange to us, that Angels fhould make War against Angels, and meet in fierce Combat, who were us'd 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 rufhing 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 Maje fty, enclos'd with flaming Cherubim and with golden Shields; then lighted from his refplendent Throne, (for now betwixt the two Armies there was but fmall Distance left, and Front prefented to Front ftood 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 arm'd in Adamant and Gold: The Seraph ABDIEL could not endure that Sight, where he stood among the Mightieft, bent on the Performance of greateft Actions; and thus he fearches and confiders his own undaunted Heart:

OH Heaven! that there fhould yet remain such 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 presumptuous? Though to Appearance he feems unconquerable, I mean (trufting in the Affiftance of the ALMIGHTY) to try his Power; whofe Reason I have already try'd, 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 brutifh and foul, yet it is most fit that Reafon fhould overcome. Confidering thus within himfelf, and stepping out from his armed Companions oppofite to SATAN, his daring Foe, he met him half-way, who was more incens'd,

cens'd, 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 reach'd the Height of thy Afpiring without Oppofition, and to have found the Throne of GoD unguarded, and his Side abandon'd, 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 smallest Things could have rais'd Armies continually without End, to defeat thy Folly; or with his own Hand, which reaches beyond all Limit, without any other Affiftance could have finish'd thee, and whelm'd all thy Legions under Darkness: But thou may'ft fee that all are not of thy Train; there be fome holy Angels besides myself, who efteem Fidelity and Piety towards GoD, though not visible to thee, when I alone feem'd in thy World erroneously to diffent from all: Thou feeft my Party, and now may'ft 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 return'd 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 provok'd; fince that Tongue infpir'd with Contradiction, firft dar'd 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 Succefs may be an Example of Deftruction to the reft; only I have

given thee this Paufe between, (left if I had not, thou should't have boafted that I could not answer thee) to let thee know, that at first I thought that Liberty and Heaven had been the fame Thing to heavenly Souls; but now I perceive that most are fo flothful, that they had rather ferve, be attending Spirits, and train'd up in Festivals and Songs; fuch are these thou haft arm'd, the finging Minstrelfy of Heaven, Slavery contending against Freedom, as the Comparison of this Day's Actions shall prove.

To whom in few Words ABDIEL reply'd fternly? Apoftate Spirit! thou err'ft ftill, and wilt find no End of erring, being out of the Path of Truth; unjustly thou brand'ft the Service that GoD or Nature or dains with the Name of Servitude; GoD and Nature command the fame Things, when he who rules is moft worthy and most excellent above those he governs. It is Servitude to ferve the Unwife, or who hath rebell'd against those that are worthier than himfelf, as thy Followers now ferve thee, thou thyself not being free, but in Slavery even to thyfelf, yet impioufly dar'ft upbraid our Obedience. Do thou reign in Hell, thy Kingdom, and let me ferve the everbleffed GOD in Heaven, and obey his divine Commands, which are worthieft to be obey'd! yet do not thou expect Realms, but Chains in Hell, and Punishment; mean while receive from me (who just now thou faid'ft was return'd from Flight) this Greeting upon thy wicked Head. Saying this he lifted up his Arm to strike a Blow, which immediately with great Strength and Swiftnefs fell on SATAN'S proud Creft, that no Sight nor Motion of fwift Thought could intercept fuch Ruin, much lefs could his Shield: He recoil'd back ten Paces; the tenth his maffy Spear fupported him upon his bended Knee; as if upon Earth fubterranean Winds and Waters had forc'd their Way, and fidelong had push'd a Mountain from

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