Fear; each rely'd upon himself, as if only in his Arm lay the Balance of the Victory: Deeds were done of eternal Fame, for the War was fpread wide and various; fometimes a ftanding Fight upon firm Ground, then mounting upon main Wing, all the Air was troubled; for all the Air feem'd then to be nothing but contending Fire; the Battle hung a long Time in even Scale, 'till SATAN (who that Day had fhewn prodigious Power, and in Arms had met no Equal) ranging through the dreadful Attack of Seraphim, confufedly fighting, at length faw where the Sword of MICHAEL fmote and fell'd whole Squadrons at once; his huge Weapon brandish'd aloft in both Hands, the horrid Edge came down, wafting far and near. SATAN hafted to withstand fuch Destruction, and oppofed his ample Shield that was of vaft Circumference, a rocky Orb of tenfold Adamant. MICHAEL, the great Arch-Angel, gave over fighting at his Approach, glad as hoping here to end inteftine War in Heaven, by fubduing SATAN, or dragging him Captive in Chains; but with a hoftile Frown, and a Countenance all inflam'd, first spoke to him:

THOU Author of Evil! which 'till thy Revolt had no Name in Heaven, now as thou feest these Acts of hateful Strife are become plentiful; hateful to all, though by just Measure heaviest upon thyself and all thy Adherents: How haft thou disturb'd the bless'd Peace of Heaven, and brought Mifery into Nature, which was not created 'till the Time of thy Rebellion? How haft thou inftill'd thy Malice into Thousands, who were once upright and faithful, but now are prov'd falfe? But think not to trouble holy Reft here in Heaven; Heaven cafts thee out from all her Confines, Heaven, which is the Seat of Blifs, fuffers not Deeds of Violence and War to be done here: Hence then! and let Evil, which is thy Offfpring, go along with thee to Hell, the Place of Evil: Hence P 2

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thou and thy wicked Crew! and there ftir up Broils; before this my avenging Sword begin thy Doom, or fome more fudden Vengeance, wing'd immediately from GOD, hurl thee down headlong with ftill additional Pain.

THUS fpake MICHAEL, the Prince of the Angels; to whom the Adverfary SATAN replied: Think not with empty and airy Threats to awe thofe, whom yet with Deeds thou canst not: Haft thou put the least of these to Flight? Or made fall, but that they rife again unvanquish'd? Doft thou think it easier to contend with me, that thou fhould'ft hope, imperious Arch-Angel, with Threats to chafe me hence? Miftake not fo much, as to think that we fhall end fo that Strife which thou calleft Evil, but we ftile the Strife of Glory; which we intend to win, or else turn this Heaven itself into the Hell thou hast been telling Fables of; here intending however to dwell free, if not to reign: Mean while thy utmoft Force (and call him who is nam'd ALMIGHTY to thy Affiftance) I have not fled from; but inftead of that, have fought thee far and near.

THEY ended talking, and both addrefs'd themfelves for Fight in a Manner not to be defcrib'd; for who can relate, tho' with the Tongue of Angels, or to what Things liken it that are feen upon Earth, that maylift the human Imagination to fuch a Height of godlike Power? For they feem'd likeft Gods, whether they ftood ftill or mov'd; in Arms, in Stature, and Motion, fit to decide the great Empire of Heaven: Now their fiery Swords wav'd, and made broad Circles in the Air; their Shields, like two broad Suns, blaz'd oppofite each other, while either Side look'd on with Expectation and Horror: The Angelical Bands from each Hand where the Fight before was hotteft retir'd with Speed, and left large Field for them to combat in;

it

it being unfafe to remain near fuch Commotion: Such (to fet great Things forth by fmall) as if the Concord of Nature being broke, War was fprung among the Conftellations, and two Planets rufhing from a malign Afpect of fierce Oppofition, fhould meet in the Middle of the Sky, and confound their jarring Spheres. Both together, with an Arm next to Almighty, lifted up imminent, aim'd one Stroke that might determine at once and not need Repetition, nor did there appear any Odds in Power, or in Swiftnefs, to prevent each other; but the Sword of MICHAEL, which he had from the Armoury of GOD, was given him temper'd fo, that nothing either keen or folid might refift that Edge; it met the Sword of SATAN, defcending with great Force to ftrike, and cut it quite in two, nor ftaid there, but wheeling swift revers'd, deeply entering, divided all his Right-Side. It was then that SATAN firft knew Pain, and writh'd himself to and fro, rowling about with Anguish, fo forely the piercing Sword with feparating Sharpnefs pafs'd through him; but the heavenly Subftance foon clos'd, which could not be long divided, and from the Gash flow'd Blood, fuch as celeftial Spirits may bleed, and ftain'd all his Armour, which before was

fo bright. Forthwith on every Side many strong Angels run to his Aid, who interpos'd in his Defence; while others bore him upon their Shields back to his Chariot, where it ftood retir'd fome Distance off the Files of War; there they laid him, gnashing his Teeth for Anguish, Shame, and Despite, to find himself not matchlefs, and have his Pride humbled by fuch a Rebuke, fo far beneath the Confidence he had conceiv'd to have equall'd' GOD in Power: Yet he heal'd foon; for Spirits that live throughout their whole Being, live wholly in every Part, (not like frail MAN, whofe Life is in his Entrails, Heart, Head, Liver, or Reins) and cannot die but by Annihilation, nor receive any mortal Wound into their fine

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and fpiritual Compofitions, no more than thin and fluid Air can: They live as if they were all Heart, all Head, all Eye, Ear, Intellect, and Senfe; and as they please can form themfelves, and affume what Size, Colour, or Shape pleafes them best, whether it be lefs or more fubftantial.

MEAN while in other Parts where the Powers of GABRIEL fought, other like Deeds deferv'd to be remember'd; who fiercely pierc'd into the deep Array of the furious King MOLOCH, who defy'd him, and threaten'd to drag him bound at his Chariot Wheels, nor from the Holy-one of Heaven refrain'd his blafphemous Tongue; but foon by the Sword of GABRIEL being cloven down to the Waist, with shatter'd Arms, and Pain to which he was before a Stranger, fled bellowing away. On each Wing URIEL and RAPHAEL vanquish'd each his vaunting Foe, ADRAMELECH (a) and ASMODEUS, (though powerful and arm'd in a Rock of Diamond) two very great Angels, that difdain'd to be lefs than Gods; but in their Flight they learn'd to think a little meaner of themselves, being mangled with gafhly Wounds, through their broad and plated Coats of Mail. Nor did ABDIEL ftand unmindful to annoy all that was poffible the Atheift Crew, but with redoubled Blows overthrew ARIEL and ARIOC, and the Violence of the fcorch'd and blafted RA MIEL, a very haughty and afpiring Angel.

I MIGHT relate of Thoufands, and make their Names immortal here upon Earth; but thofe elect Angels fufficiently contented with their Fame in Hea

ven, do not feek the Praise of MEN; and the fallen. Angels, though wondrous in Might and in Acts of War, nor lefs eager of Renown, yet by Doom being blotted out of the Book of Heaven and all facred Remembrance, let them dwell namelefs in dark Oblivion: For Strength divided from Truth and Juftice, is fo far from being laudable, that it merits nothing but Difpraise and Ignominy; yet being vain-glorious afpires to Glory, and feeks Fame through Infamy : Therefore let their Doom be eternal Silence.

AND now their mightieft Chief being quell'd, the Battle began to be diforder'd and broken into, with Rout and Confufion; all the Ground was ftrew'd with fhiver'd Armour, and upon a Heap lay overturn'd Chariot and Charioteer, and fiery foaming Steeds: Those who stood gave back, over-wearied, and fcarcely through the faint Army of SATAN mantaining a defenfive Fight, or furpriz'd with pale Fear and Senfe of Pain, (being the firit Fear and Pain they had ever known) fled fhamefully, brought to fuch Evil by the Sin of Difobedience; 'till that Hour not having been liable to Fear, or Flight, or Pain. Far otherwise the holy Saints (ftanding firm in the Orders they were first drawn up) advanc'd intire, invulnerable, and in Armour that was impenetrable: Such high Advantages their Innocence, not to have finn'd, not to have difobey'd, gave them above their Enemies! They stood unwearied in Fight, not liable to receive Pain from any Wound, though they might be remov'd from their Places by Violence.