Paradife Loft.

BOOK XI.

HUS they in lowlieft plight repentant ftood

Praying, for from the Mercie-feat above Prevenient Grace descending had remov'd The ftonie from thir hearts, and made new flesh Regenerat grow instead, that fighs now breath'd Unutterable, which the Spirit of prayer

Infpir'd, and wing'd for Heav'n with speedier flight Then loudest Oratorie: yet thir port

Not of mean fuiters, nor important less

Seem'd thir Petition, then when th' ancient Pair In Fables old, lefs ancient yet then these, Deucalion and chafte Pyrrha to restore

II

The Race of Mankind drownd, before the Shrine Of Themis ftood devout. To Heav'n thir

prayers Flew up, nor mifsd the way, by envious windes Blow'n vagabond or fruftrate: in they pafsd Dimentionless through Heav'nly dores; then clad With incenfe, where the Golden Altar fum'd, By thir great Interceffor, came in fight Before the Fathers Throne: Them the glad Son Presenting, thus to intercede began.

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See Father, what first fruits on Earth are sprung

From thy implanted Grace in Man, thefe Sighs
And Prayers, which in this Golden Cenfer, mixt
With Incense, I thy Priest before thee bring,
Fruits of more pleafing favour from thy feed
Sow'n with contrition in his heart, then those
Which his own hand manuring all the Trees
Of Paradife could have produc't, ere fall'n
From innocence. Now therefore bend thine eare
To fupplication, heare his fighs though mute;
Unfkilful with what words to pray, let mee
Interpret for him, mee his Advocate

And propitiation, all his works on mee
Good or not good ingraft, my Merit those
Shall perfet, and for these

my

Death fhall pay. Accept me, and in mee from these receave The smell of peace toward Mankinde, let him live Before thee reconcil'd, at least his days

Numberd, though fad, till Death, his doom (which I
To mitigate thus plead, not to reverse)

To better life shall yeeld him, where with mee
All my redeemd may dwell in joy and bliss,
Made one with me as I with thee am one.

To whom the Father, without Cloud, ferene.
All thy request for Man, accepted Son,
Obtain, all thy requeft was my Decree :
But longer in that Paradise 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, grofs to aire as grofs,
And mortal food, as may dispose him best

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For diffolution wrought by Sin, that first
Distemperd all things, and of incorrupt
Corrupted. I at first with two fair gifts
Created him endowd, with Happiness
And Immortalitie: that fondly loft,
This other ferv'd but to eternize woe;
Till I provided Death; fo Death becomes
His final remedie, and after Life

Tri'd in sharp tribulation, and refin’d

By Faith and faithful works, to second Life,
Wak't in the renovation of the juft,
Refignes him

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up with Heav'n and Earth renewd. But let us call to Synod all the Bleft [hide Through Heav'ns wide bounds; from them I will not My judgments, how with Mankind I proceed, As how with peccant Angels late they faw; And in thir state, though firm, stood more confirmd. He ended, and the Son gave fignal high To the bright Minister that watchd, hee blew His Trumpet, heard in Oreb since perhaps When God defcended, and perhaps once more To found at general doom. Th' Angelic blast Filld all the Regions: from thir blissful Bowrs Of Amarantin Shade, Fountain or Spring, By the waters of Life, where ere they fate In fellowships of joy: the Sons of Light Hafted, reforting to the Summons high, And took thir Seats; till from his Throne fupream Th' Almighty thus pronounc'd his sovran Will. O Sons, like one of us Man is become To know both Good and Evil, fince his taste Of that defended Fruit; but let him boast

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His knowledge of Good loft, and Evil got,
Happier, had it fuffic'd him to have known
Good by it self, and Evil not at all.

He forrows now, repents, and prayes contrite, 90
My motions in him, longer then they move,
His heart I know, how variable and vain
Self-left. Leaft therefore his now bolder hand
Reach alfo of the Tree of Life, and eat,
And live for ever, dream at least to live
For ever, to remove him I decree,
And fend him from the Garden forth to Till
The Ground whence he was taken, fitter foile.
Michael, this my beheft have thou in charge,
Take to thee from among the Cherubim
Thy choice of flaming warriours, least the Fiend
Or in behalf of Man, or to invade

Vacant poffeffion fom new trouble raise :
Haft thee, and from the Paradife of God
Without remorfe drive out the finful Pair,
From hallowd ground th' unholie, and denounce
To them and to thir Progenie from thence
Perpetual banishment. Yet least they faint
At the fad Sentence rigorously urg'd,
For I behold them soft'nd and with tears
Bewailing thir excefs, all terror hide.
If patiently thy bidding they obey,
Difmifs them not disconsolate; reveale
To Adam what shall come in future dayes,
As I shall thee enlighten, intermix

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My Cov'nant in the Womans feed renewd;
So fend them forth, though forrowing, yet in peace:
And on the East side of the Garden place,