CHA P. II.

Satan and his Powers retire under Night; he puts Michael and his Angels to fome Disorder in the Second Day's Fight, but they overwhelm both bis Force and his Engines.

TOW Night began her Courfe, and bringing

N

on Darkness over Heaven and Silence, there was a Truce made to the hateful Din of War, and both the Victor and the Vanquish'd, as foon as it was Night retir'd. MICHAEL and his Angels, who had the Advantage on their Side, encamping on the Field where the Battle had been fought, plac'd Cherubic waving Fires round their Watches in Guard On the other Part, SATAN with his rebellious Angels difappear'd, and took their Stations far in the Dark, where finding it impoffible to take any Reft, he call'd his Potentates to Council by Night, and standing up in the Midst of them, thus began to Speak:

:

DEAR Companions! now tried in Danger, and in Arms found to be invincible, and not worthy of Liberty only, (the Thing we pretended to contend for) but of what we more affect, Honour, Empire, Glory, and Renown, who have fuftain'd one Day (and if one Day, why not for ever?) in a doubtful Fight, what GoD with his greatest Power could fend against us from about his Throne, and what he thought fufficient to fubdue us to his Will. But it does not prove fo.----Then it seems we may make a Judgment, that he is fallible as to the Knowledge of future Things, though 'till now he has been thought omnifcient. 'Tis true, happening to be worfe arm'd, we have fuftain'd fome Difadvantage, and experienc'd what Pain

is;

is; but we know withal, of how little Confequence it is and defpife it, fince we find that we cannot be deftroy'd, and that our Wounds foon clofe, heal'd by our native Vigour. Of fo fmall an Evil let us think the Remedy must be eafy; perhaps when we meet next, better Arms may give us the Advantage, and destroy our Enemies, or at least make that equal between us, which before made the Odds, where there is none in Nature: If by any other hidden Cause they are indeed fuperior, while we can preferve our Minds unhurt, and our Understanding found, we fhall difcover it by Confultation and proper Search.

HE fat down, and there ftood up in the Affembly NISROC, (b) one of the chief of the Principalities; he look'd as one efcap'd from the Slaughter of the Battle, fatigu'd and wearied out, his Armour fhatter'd and cut to Pieces, and gloomy in his Afpect; he thus replied:

DELIVERER from new Lords! and Leader to the free Enjoyment of our Right, as we are Gods! yet it is hard for Gods, and we find it too much to fight in Pain, against those who feel none, and are incapable of fuffering; from which Evil nothing but Ruin can enfue; for what fignifies Valour or Strength, if accompanied with Pain, which fubdues all Things, and makes weak the Hands of the most powerful? Perhaps we might be willing to be depriv'd of the Senfe of Pleasure, and live without repining in Quiet and Content, which is the calmeft Life; but Pain is perfect Mifery, a real Evil, and if it be exceffive, overturns all Patience. He therefore, who can invent what

what we may offend more forcibly our yet unwounded Enemies with, or how we fhall arm ourfelves with the fame Defence they have, in my Opinion deferves no lefs, than what we already owe for our Deliverance.

WHERETO SATAN, with a compos'd Look, replied: That which thou rightly believest so neceffary to our Succefs, is not now to be invented, it being already in my Power. Which is there of us, who beholds the bright Surface of this celeftial Mold upon which we ftand, this fpacious Continent of Heaven, adorn'd with fuch Diversity of Plants, Fruits, fweeteft Flowers, Jewels, and Gold; whofe Eye is it that furveys these Things fo fuperficially, as not to obferve from whence they grow deep under the Ground, made of dark and crude Materials, of fpirituous and fiery Sulphur, 'till touch'd with the Ray of Heaven and temper'd, they fhoot forth fo beautifully up into Light? These the Deep fhall yield us in their first Forms, pregnant with ftrange Fire, which being ramm'd into hollow Engines, long and round, and touch'd at the other End with Fire, dilated and put into a violent Motion, fhall, with Noife like Thunder, fend from far fuch Implements of Mischief among our Foes, as fhall overwhelm and dafh to Piecès whatever ftands against them; fo that they fhall be afraid that we have difarm'd the Thunderer of his only dreaded Thunder-bolt: Nor fhall our Labour be long, for yet before Break of Day what we wifh fhall be effected: Mean while chear up, and abandon Fear; think nothing hard to Strength join'd with good Counfel, much less to be despair'd of.

HE finish'd his Speech, and his Words gave a little glimmering of Joy to their dejected Countenances, and reviv'd their languifh'd Hope; all admir'd the Invention, and it feem'd fo eafy, once being found, (which being unfound most would have thought im

poffible)

poffible) that every one wonder'd, how he mifs'd to be the Inventor of it: Yet poffibly, ADA M, fome of thy Race in future Time, (if Malice should abound) intent on Mischief, or infpir'd with infernal Machination, may invent fome fuch Inftrument, to plague the Sons of MEN for Sin; bent on War and mutual Slaughter. Forthwith they rufh'd out from the Council, to undertake this Work; no one delay'd the Time in Argument, but innumerable Hands were ready; they turn'd up the celeftial Soil wide in a Moment, and faw beneath the Originals of Nature; in their unripe Conception they found and mingled fulphurous and nitrous Matter, and with fubtle Art having digefted and dry'd it, they reduc'd it to black Grain, and convey'd it into the Stores, and Part of them provide hidden Veins of Mineral and Stone digg'd up, (nor hath this Earth Entrails much unlike) whereof to form their Engines, and their Balls that being difcharg'd might carry Ruin with them; Part provide Reeds, that being lighted, might with a Touch give Fire to their Engines. So under the Shadow of the Night, fecretly and unefpied they finish'd all, and with filent Circumfpection fet it in Örder.

Now when the fair and fhining Morning appear'd in Heaven, the victorious Angels rofe up, and the Morning Trumpet founded to Arms: They ftood compleatly arm'd, in Armour of Gold, a fhining Hoft, and were foon drawn up in Bands: Others look'd round from the Hills, and light-arm'd Scouts fcour'd each Quarter, to discover the diftant Foe, where lodg'd, or whether fled, or if halting, or in Motion for the Fight: They foon met him, moving near them under fpread Enfigns, in a flow but firm Battalion: ZOPHIEL, (c) the fwifteft among the Cherubim,

(c) Zophiel; Heb. i. e. The Spy or Watch of God.

Cherubim, with his greatest Speed came flying, and thus in the Middle of the Air he cry'd out aloud:

ARM, Warriors, arm for the Fight, the Foe whom we thought fled is very near at Hand, and To-day will fave us the Trouble of pursuing him far; there is no Fear of his Flight, he comes with fo large a Body, and I fee fettled in his Face a prefumptuous Refolution and Security. Let each gird his Armour well, fit well his Helmet, and hold his Shield with all his Strength, either born even or high; for this Day, if I conjecture right, will pour down no flight Shower of Darts and Arrows, but a rattling Storm of fuch as will be bearded with Fire.

THUS he warn'd them, who were themselves aware before, and foon they took the Alarm, and inftantly, without any Impediment or Disturbance, mov'd onward in Order of Battle; when behold! not far diftant the Foe approaching with heavy Pace, training his devilish Engines in fuch a Manner, that they were furrounded on every Side with thick Squadrons of his Angels, to hide the Fraud. Both Armies ftood a while at the Interview, but fuddenly SATAN appear'd at the Head of his, and was heard thus commanding aloud:

VANGUARD! open your foremost Ranks to the Right and Left, unfold the Front; that all who hate us may fee how we feek Peace and Quietnefs, and ftand ready with open Breaft to receive them, if they like our Terms, and turn not their Backs upon us. But that I doubt of; however, let Heaven be Witnefs anon, while we freely discharge our Part: You, who ftand appointed, do as you have receiv'd Orders, and touch what we propound briefly and loud, fo that there may be Nobody but what may hear.

So