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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