Sceptre, and power, thy giving, I assume, 730 735 Image of thee in all things; and shall soon, 740 Then shall thy saints unmix'd, and from th' impure Far separate, circling thy holy mount Unfained hallelujahs to thee sing, Hymns of high praise, and I among them chief. 745 [wind sound Flashing thick flames, wheel within wheel undrawn, Itself instinct with spirit, but convoy'd By four cherubic shapes; four faces each Had wondrous, as with stars their bodies all Over their heads a crystal firmament, 758 Whereon] Fenton reads 'Where, on.' Todd. 756 760 765 Amber, and colours of the show'ry arch. He, in celestial panoply all arm'd Of radiant Urim work divinely wrought, Ascended; at his right hand Victory Sate eagle-wing'd, beside him hung his bow And quiver with three-bolted thunder stor❜d, And from about him fierce effusion roll'd, Of smoke, and bickering flame, and sparkles dire. Attended with ten thousand thousand saints He onward came; far off his coming shone; And twenty thousand, I their number heard, Chariots of GOD, half on each hand were seen. 770 He on the wings of cherub rode sublime, On the crystalline sky, in sapphire thron❜d. Illustrious far and wide, but by his own First seen; them unexpected joy surpris'd, When the great ensign of Messiah blaz❜d, Aloft by angels borne, his sign in heaven: Under whose conduct Michael soon reduc'd His army, circumfus'd on either wing, Under their head embodied all in one. Before him power divine his way prepar'd; At his command the uprooted hills retir'd Each to his place; they heard his voice and went Obsequious; Heaven his wonted face renew'd, And with fresh flow'rets hill and valley smil'd. This saw his hapless foes, but stood obdur'd, 759 show'ry arch] A. Ramsæi, P. Sacr. ed. Lauder, p. 5. 'Coelo sicut Thaumantias udo, Cum picturatum dat mille coloribus arcum.' 775 780 And to rebellious fight rallied their powers 786 Insensate, hope conceiving from despair: 790 In heavenly spirits could such perverseness dwell? Took envy, and, aspiring to his height, To final battle drew, disdaining flight, Or faint retreat; when the great Son of GOD 795 800 Stand still in bright array, ye saints; here stand, Ye angels arm'd; this day from battle rest. Faithful hath been your warfare, and of GOD Accepted, fearless in his righteous cause, And as ye have receiv'd, so have ye done Invincibly but of this cursed crew : The punishment to other hand belongs; 787 hope] Virg. Æn. ii. 354. 'Una salus victis, nullam sperare salutem.' and Q. Curt. L. v. c. iv. Sæpe desperatio spei causa est.' Newton. 797 last] Tickell and Bentley read 'lost.' 905 810 815 820 Nor multitude: stand only and behold 825 830 833 841 815 O'er shields, and helms, and helmed heads he rode 855 Yet half his strength he put not forth, but check❜d 841 prostrate] Fairfax and Spenser accent this word on the last syllable. v. Tasso, c. i. 83; 'And lay his powers prostráte.' F. Qu. xii. 39. 'Before fair Britomart she fell prostráte. Newton. 858 thunder] See Beaumont's Psyche, c. xx. st. 102. 'Down plung'd this mixed rout which almost split The greedy throat of the sulphureous deep, Loud was the noise of this great fall, but yet Far louder was their crie, who down the steep Eternal precipice still tumbled, and No bottom saw, to bid their ruine stand.' |