ARGUMENT of Book XI.
The Son of God presents to his Father the prayers of our firft 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 difpoffefs them; but first to reveal to Adam future things: Michael's coming down. Adam fhows to Eve certain ominous figns; he difcerns Michael's approach, goes out to meet him: the angel denounces their departure. Eve's lamentation. Adam pleads, but fubmits the angel leads him up to a high hill, and fets before him in vifion what shall happen till the flood.
HUS they in lowlieft plight repentant ftood
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'
Unutterable, which the spi'rit of prayer
Infpir'd, and wing'd for heaven with speedier flight
Than loudest oratory: yet their port
Not of mean fuitors, nor important lefs
Seem'd their petition, than when th'ancient pair 10
In fables old, lefs ancient yet than these,
Deucalion and chafte Pyrrha, to restore
The race of mankind drown'd, before the fhrine
Of Themis stood devont. To heaven their prayers
Flew up, nor mifa'd the way, by envious winds
Brown vagabond or fruftrate: in they pafs'd
Dimenfionless thro' heavenly doors; then clad
With incenfe, where the golden altar fum'd,
By their great Interceffour, came in fight
Before the Father's throne: them the glad Son
Prefenting, thus to intercede began.
See, Father, what first fruits on earth are sprung.
From thy implanted grace in man, these fighs
And prayers, which in this golden cenfer, mix'd
With incenfe, I thy Prieft 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 produce'd, ere fall'n
From innocence. Now therefore bend thine ear
To fupplication; hear his fighs tho' 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 thefe my death fhall pay.
Accept me, and in me from these receive
The fmell of peace tow'ard mankind;
Before thee reconcil'd, at least his days
Number'd, tho' fad, till death, his doom (which I'
To mitigate thus plead, not to reverfe)
To better life fhall yield him, where with me
All my redeem'd may dwell in joy and bliss,.
Made one with me, as I with thee.am ones
To whom the Father, without cloud, ferene.
All thy requeft 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 unharmonious mixture foul,
Eject him tainted now, and purge him off
As a diftemper, grofs to air as grofs,
And mortal food, as may dispose him best
For diffolution wrought by Sin, that first
Diftemper'd all things, and of incorrupt
Corrupted. I at firft with two fair gifts
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