O'ercomes the roar of flames, and deafens hell.
Then through the folid gloom with nimble wing They cut their fhining traces up to light; Return'd upon the edge of heavenly day,
Where thinnest beams play round the vaft obfcure, And with eternal gleam drive back the night. They find the troops lefs ftubborn, lefs involv'd In crime and ruin, barr'd the realms of peace, Yet uncondemn'd to baleful feats of woe, Doubtful and fuppliant; all the plumes of light Moult from their fhuddering wings, and fickly fear Shades every face with horror; confcious guilt Rolls in the livid eye-ball, and each breast Shakes with the dread of future doom unknown.
'Tis here the wide circumference of heaven
Opens in two vaft gates, that inward turn
Voluminous, on jafper columns hung
By geometry divine: they ever glow With living sculptures, that arife by turns T'imboss the shining leaves, by turns they fet
To give fucceeding argument their place; In holy hieroglyphics on they move,
The gaze of journeying angels, as they pass Oft looking back, and held in deep furprize.
Here stood the troops diftinct; the cherub guard Unbarr'd the fplendid gates, and in they roll Harmonious; for a vocal spirit fits
Within each hinge, and, as they onward drive, In just divifions breaks the numerous jarr With fymphony melodious, such as spheres Involv'd in tenfold wreaths are faid to found. Out flows a blaze of glory; for on high Tow'ring advanc'd the moving throne of God, Vaft and majestic; on each radiant fide
The pointed rays flope glittering; at the foot Glides a full tide of day, that onward pours, In liquid torrents through the black abyss, Sparkling among reluctant shapes which thence Retire confus'd; as when Vefuvio shakes With inward torments, and difgorges flames, O'er the vast mountain's ridge the burning waves Drive their refulgent curls, and on they roll Sweeping the glowing flames down to the fea; Th' affrighted fea leaps back with hideous roar To give the fire its courfe; thus Chaos wild Hiffing recoils to let in floods of light. Above the throne, th' ideas heavenly bright Of past, of present, and of coming time
Fix'd their immov'd abode, and there prefent An endless landscape of created things To fight celeftial, where angelic eyes Are loft in profpect; for the fhiny range, Boundless and various, in its bofom bears Millions of full-proportion'd worlds, beheld With stedfaft eyes, 'till more arise to view, And farther inward scenes start up unknown. Myriads of feraphs in long feries wait About the throne, and as it moves, proceed In numerous order, to celeftial fong. Above, the symphony of mellow flutes, And harps, by flying angels gently touch'd, Relieve the trumpet's rage, and fitly blend The folemn founds in harmony divine;
Such as might tune new worlds, and give the laws To globes on high, and the just figure guide Of planets forming all their airy dance. Below, the blazing wheels drive bounding o'er The starry pavement; ftars and hills of light Double their glories where the chariot rolls With rattling found; and th' empyræum vast Down to its stedfaft axis, groans throughout Under the burning tracts, 'till now it rests
Upon the gaping brink of heaven; and there With open pomp, fills the vaft empty space. Silence enfues; a deep and aweful pause More terrible, all expectation held
In horror: now wrath imminent amaz'd With dreadful precipice, to all it seems More formidable near; then from the throne A vocal thunder roll'd the sense of God, Majestically long, repugnant all
To princes' customs here; their judgments flash On guilt, with words concise, and sudden blaze. Quite otherwise, the God's enlarged speech Set wide the fate of things; that all around Might take full profpects of their coming doom. Servants of God! and Virtues great in arms; We approve your faithful works, and you return Bless'd from the dire pursuit of rebel foes; Refolv'd, obdurate, they have try'd the force Of this right hand, and known Almighty pow'r; Transfix'd with lightning down they funk, they fell Into the fiery gulph, and deep they plunge Below the burning waves, to hide their heads In fhelter from my vengeance bellowing hence More fierce, and scorching with more dreadful fires.
There let 'em find their doom, that durft defy Omnipotence, and flight his proffer'd grace ; Rolling in flames, and ne'er to find a dawn Of heavenly day; inftead, the mind imbibes Eternal gloom, and fing'd with constant flames, Can find no eafe; while fierce their boiling rage Eats through th' impyreal mould, and glows within With endless pain; not one repentant thought Shall cool the breast, but proud in horrid crime, The foul anneals and hardens in the fire.
you commiffion'd by commands divine, Have wifely fill'd your trust, and clos'd 'em all Within the fervid lake, left any roam
Into the dark abyfs to fhun their doom, And in the womb immense of things unborn Should feek annihilation; you must rife Among the shining Virtues more fublime; On lofty thrones preferr❜d for lofty deeds.
For you, ye guilty throng! that lately join'd In this fedition, fince feduc'd from good, And caught in trains of guile, by fpirits malign, Superior in their order; you accept, Trembling, my heavenly clemency and grace. When the long æra once has fill'd its orb,
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