The ARGUMENT.

The Son of God presents to his Father the Prayers of our first Parents now repenting, and intercedes for them: God accepts them, but declares that they must no longer abide in Paradife; fends Michael with a Band of Cherubim to dif poffefs them; but first to reveal to Ãdam future things: Michael's coming down. Adam fhews to Eve certain eminous figns; be difcerns Michael's approach, goes out to meet him: the Angel denounces their departure. Eve's Lamentation. Adam pleads, but submits: The Angel leads him up to a high Hill, fets before him in vifion what Shall happen till the Flood.

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HUS they in lowlieft plight repentant flood Praying, for from the Mercy-feat above Prevenient Grace defcending had remov'd

The ftony from their hearts, and made new flesh Regenerate grow instead, that fighs now breath'd s Unutterable, which the Spirit of prayer

Inspir'd, and wing'd for Heav'n with speedier flight Than loudest Oratory: yet their port

Not of mean fuitors, nor important less

Seem'd their Petition, than when th'ancient Pair 19
In Fables old, less ancient yet than these,
Deucalion and chafte Pyrrha to restore

The Race of Mankind drown'd, before the Shrine
Of Themis ftood devout. To Heav'n their pray'rs
Flew up, nor miss'd the way, by envious winds 15
Blown vagabond or fruftrate: in they pass'd
Dimentionless thro' Heav'nly dores; then clad
With incenfe, where the Golden Altar fum'd,
By their great Interceffor, came in fight

Before the Father's Throne: Them the glad Son 20
Presenting, thus to intercede began.

See, Father, what firft fruits on Earth are sprung From thy implanted Grace in Man, thefe Sighs And Prayers, which in this Golden Cenfer, mixc With Incense, I thy Frieft before thee bring, Fruits of more pleafing favour from thy feed Sown with contrition in his heart, than thofe Which his own hand manuring all the Trees Of Paradife could have produc'd, e'er fæll’n

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From innocence. Now therefore bend thine ear
To fupplication, hear his fighs though mute;
Unskilful with what words to pray, let me
Interpret for him, me his Advocate
And propitiation, all his works on me

Good or not good ingraft, my Merit those

Shall perfect, and for these my Death fhall pay.
Accept me, and in me from these receive

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The smell of peace toward Mankind, let him live Before thee reconcil'd, at least his days

Number'd, tho' fad, till Death, his doom (which I
To mitigate thus plead, not to reverse)

To better life thall yield him, where with me
All my redeem'd may dwell in joy and blifs,
Made one with me as I with thee am one.

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To whom the Father, without Cloud, ferene. 45 All thy request for Man, accepted Son, Obtain, all thy request was my Decree: But longer in that Paradife to dwell, The Law I gave to Nature him forbids: Thofe pure immortal Elements that know No grofs, no unharmoneous mixture foule, Eject him tainted now, and purge him off As a diftemper, gross to aire as gross, And mortal food, as may difpofe him best For diffolution wrought by Sin, that first Diftemper'd all things, and of incorrupt Corrupted. I at firft with two fair gifts Created him endow'd, with Happiness And Immortality: that fondly loft,