Dawning through Heav'n: forth rufh'd with whirl wind found The chariot of paternal Deity, 750 Flashing thick flames, wheel within wheel undrawn, Itself instinct with Spirit, but convoy'd By four Cherubic fhapes; four faces each Had wondrous; as with ftars their bodies all eyes the wheels Of and rifing again from the grave: and thus as St. Paul fays Rom. I. 4. He was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the refurrection from the dead. Greenwood. 749.-forth rush'd with whirl wind found &c.] Milton has raifed his defcription in this book with many images taken out of the poetical parts of Scripture. The Meffiah's chariot is formed upon a vision of Ezekiel, who, as Grotius obferves, has very much in him of Homer's fpirit in the poetical parts of his prophecy. Addifon. The whole defcription indeed is drawn almoft word for word from Ezekiel, as the reader will fee by comparing them together. -forth rufh'd with whirlwind The chariot of paternal Deity, And I looked, and behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, I. 4. Or perhaps the author here drew Ifaiah likewife to his affiftance, Ifa. LXVI. 15. For behold the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind. -wheel within wheel undrawn, Itself instinct with Spirit, but convoy'd By four Cherubic shapes; Alfo out of the midft thereof came the likeness of four living creatures, and their appearance was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel; and when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them, for the Sprit of the living creature was in the wheels. 1. 5, 16, 19, 20. -four faces each Had wondrous; as with ftars their bodies all And wings were fet with eyes, with eyes the wheels And Sat eagle-wing'd; befide him hung his bow And every one had four faces. I. 6. And their whole body, and their wings, and the wheels were full of eyes round about, X. 12. -the wheels And Stal, ftretched forth over their heads above: And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likenefs of a throne, as the appearance of a japbir fone: And I faw as the color of amber, as the appearance of Of beril, and carreering fires be- the bow that is in the cloud in the tween; The beril is a precious ftone of a fea-green color, and carreering fires are lightnings darting out by fits, a metaphor taken from the running in tilts; The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the color of a beril; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning, I. 16, 13. Over their heads a cryftal firma ment, Whereon a faphir throne, inlaid day of rain. I. 22, 26, 27, 28. 760. He in celeftial panoply all arm'd Of radiant Urim,] All arm'd in complete heavenly armour of raallufion to St. Paul's expreffion, diant light. Celeftial panoply is in Eph. VI. 11. Put on the panoply, the whole armour of God. The word was used before, ver. 527. Urim and Thummim were fomething in Aaron's breaftplate; what they were critics and commentators are by no means agreed; but the word Urim fignifies light and Thummim perfection; and therefore Milton Amber, and colors of the fhow'ry very properly gives the epithet of with pure arch. And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creatures was as the color of the terrible cry radiant to Urim. It is moft probable that Urim and Thummim were only names given to fignify the clearne's and certainty of the divine anfwers, which were obtain'd And quiver with three bolted thunder stor'd, Of smoke and bickering flame and sparkles dire: 765 He onward came, far off his coming fhone; 775 Under 767. Attended with ten thousand thousand saints, He onward came, &e.] Jude 14. Behold the Lord cometh with ten tosafands of his Saints. And twenty thousand (I their The chariots of God are twenty thou fand. Pfal. LXVIII. 17. I beari the number of them. Rev. VII. 4. Let it be remark'd how much of his fublimity, even in the fublimet part of his works, Milton owes to Scripture. 771. He on the wings of Cherub &c.] Pfal. XVIII. 10. He rode upon a Cherub &c. Greenwood. 776. —bis Under whofe conduct Michael foon reduc'd E Under their Head imbodied all in one. 780 At his command th' uprooted hills retir'd Each to his place; they heard his voice and went And with fresh flow'rets hill and valley fmil'd. 785 In heav'nly Spirits could fuch perverfenefs dwell? But to convince the proud what figns avail, Or 776.-bis fign] The fign of the goodness, to renew the wonted face croís probably. Greenwood. 779. Under their Head-] Rom. XII. 5. We being many are one body in Chrift. Col. I. 18. He is the head of the body. Greenwood. 781. At his command &c.] We frequently read in the Scriptures of the hills and mountains trembling and moving at the prefence or the command of the Lord: but it is generally, if not always, mentioned as the effect or proof of his high difpleasure. Here the poet lays hold of the fame thought, and applies it as an inftance of his great VOL. I. Greenwood. of Heaven. Or wonders move th' obdurate to relent? They harden'd more by what might most clame, Grieving to fee his glory, at the fight 790 re Took envy; and aspiring to his hight, Stood reimbattel'd fierce, by force or fraud 795 Against God and Meffiah, or to fall In univerfal ruin laft; and now To final battel drew, difdaining flight, Or faint retreat; when the great Son of God To all his hoft on either hand thus fpake. 800 Stand still in bright array, ye Saints, here stand Ye Angels arm'd, this day from battel reft; Faithful hath been your warfare, and of God Accepted, fearless in his righteous cause, And as ye 797. In univerfal ruin left;] So it is in Milton's two first editions; and if he wrote laft, it must be understood the fame as at left but I was thinking whether it would not be better to read In univerfal ruin left, when I found it fo 805 |