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And with fresh flow'rets hill and valley smiled. This saw his hapless foes, but stood obdured, And to rebellious fight rallied their powers, Insensate, hope conceiving from despair! In heavenly spirits could such perverseness dwell? But to convince the proud what signs avail, Or wonders move, the obdurate to relent? They, hardened more by what might most reclaim, Grieving to see His glory, at the sight Took envy, and, aspiring to His height, Stood re-embattled fierce, by force or fraud Weening to prosper, and at length prevail Against God and Messiah, or to fall In universal ruin last: and now To final battle drew, disdaining flight, Or faint retreat; when the great Son of God To all his host on either hand thus spake:

Stand still in bright array, ye saints; here stand, Ye angels armed; this day from battle rest. Faithful hath been your warfare, and of God Accepted, fearless in his righteous cause; And as ye have received, so have ye done, Invincibly. But of this cursed crew The punishment to other hand belongs; Vengeance is His, or whose He sole appoints. Number to this day's work is not ordained, Nor multitude; stand only, and behold God's indignation on these godless poured By me; not you, but me, they have despised, Yet envied; against me is all their rage, Because the Father, to whom, in heaven supreme, Kingdom, and power, and glory, appertain, Hath honoured me according to his will. Therefore to me their doom He hath assigned: That they may have their wish, to try with me In battle which the stronger proves; they all,

The chariot of Paternal Deity, Flashing thick flames, wheel within wheel undrawn, Itself instinct with spirit, but convoyed By four cherubic shapes. Four faces each Had wondrous; as with stars, their bodies all, And wings, were set with eyes; with eyes the wheels Of beryl, and careering fires between; Over their heads a crystal firmament, Whereon a sapphire throne, inlaid with pure Amber, and colours of the showry arch. He, in celestial panoply all armed Of radiant Urim, work divinely wrought, Ascended; at his right hand Victory Sat, eagle-winged; beside him hung his bow And quiver with three-bolted thunder stored; And from about him fierce effusion rolled 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. He on the wings of cherub rode sublime, On the crystalline sky, in sapphire throned, Illustrious far and wide, but by his own First seen; them unexpected joy surprised, When the great ensign of Messiah blazed Aloft, by angels borne, His sign in heaven; Under whose conduct Michael soon reduced His army, circumfused on either wing, Under their Head embodied all in one. Before him Power Divine his way prepared; At his command the uprooted hills retired Each to his place; they heard His voice, and went Obsequious: Heaven its wonted face renewed,

¹ Of radiant Urim. -- Aaron's breastplate was so called. The word means "brilliancy."