High in the midst exalted as a God
Th Apostate in his Sun-bright Chariot sate [ 100 ]
Idol of Majesty Divine, enclosd
With Flaming Cherubim, and golden Shields;
Then lighted from his geous Throne, for now
Twixt Host and Host but narrow space was left,
A dreadful intervall, and Front to Front [ 105 ]
Preseood in terrible array
Of hideous length: before the cloudie Van,
On the rough edge of battel ere it joynd,
Satan with vast and haughtie strides advanct,
Came t, armd in Adamant and Gold; [ 110 ]
Abdiel that sight endurd not, where he stood
Among the mightiest, bent on highest deeds,
And thus his own undaunted heart explores.
O Heavn! that such resemblance of the Highest
Should yet remain, where faith aie [ 115 ]
Remain not; wherefore should not strength and might
There fail where Vertue fails, or weakest prove
Where boldest; though to sight unquerable?
His puissarusting in th Almighties aide,
I mean to try, whose Reason I have trid [ 120 ]
Unsound and false; nor is it aught but just,
That he who ie of Truth hath won,
Should win in Arms, in both disputes alike
Victor; though brutish that test and foule,
When Reason hath to deal with force, yet so [ 125 ]
Most reason is that Reason overe.
So p, and from his armed Peers
Forth stepping opposite, half way he met
His daring foe, at this prevention more
I, and thus securely him defid. [ 130 ]
Proud, art thou met? thy hope was to have reacht
The highth of thy aspiring unopposd,
The Throne of God unguarded, and his side
Abandond at the terror of thy Power
Or potent tongue; fool, not to think how vain [ 135 ]
Against th Omnipotent to rise in Arms;
Who out of smallest things could without end
Have raisd incessant Armies to defeat
Thy folly; or with solitarie hand
Reag beyond all limit at one blow [ 140 ]
Unaided could have finisht thee, and whelmd
Thy Legions under darkness; but thou seest
All are not of thy Train; there be who Faith
Prefer, and Pietie to God, though then
To thee not visible, when I alone [ 145 ]
Seemd in thy World erroneous to dissent
From all: my Sect thou seest, now learn too late
How few somtimes may know, when thousands err.