Of these fair spreading trees; which bids us seek Some better shroud, some better warmth, to cherish Our limbs benumbed, ere this diurnal star
Leave cold the night; how we his gathered beams Reflected may with matter sere foment, Or by collision of two bodies grind
The air attrite to fire; as late the clouds, Justling, or pushed with winds, rude in their shock, Tine the slant lightning, whose thwart flame driven
Kindles the gummy bark of fir or pine, And sends a comfortable heat from far, Which might supply the sun. Such fire to use, And what may else be remedy or cure To evils which our own misdeeds have wrought, He will instruct us praying, and of grace Beseeching him; so as we need not fear To pass commodiously this life, sustained By him with many comforts, till we end In dust, our final rest and native home. What better can we do, than to the place Repairing where he judged us, prostrate fall Before him reverent, and there confess Humbly our faults, and pardon beg, with tears Watering the ground, and with our sighs the air Frequenting, sent from hearts contrite, in sign 1091 Of sorrow unfeigned, and humiliation meek? Undoubtedly he will relent, and turn
From his displeasure, in whose look, serene, When angry most he seemed and most severe, What else but favour, grace, and mercy shone?" So spake our father penitent, nor Eve
Felt less remorse. They forthwith, to the place Repairing where he judged them, prostrate fell
Before him reverent, and both confessed Humbly their faults, and pardon begged, with tears Watering the ground, and with their sighs the air Frequenting, sent from hearts contrite, in sign Of sorrow unfeigned, and humiliation meek.
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 Paradise; sends Michael with a band of Cherubim to dispossess them; but first to reveal to Adam future things: Michael's coming down. Adam shews to Eve certain ominous signs; he discerns 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; sets before him in vision what shall happen till the Flood.
HUS they in lowliest plight repentant stood,
Praying; for from the mercy-seat above
Prevenient grace descending had removed The stony from their hearts, and made new flesh Regenerate grow instead, that sighs now breathed Unutterable, which the Spirit of prayer
Inspired, and winged for Heaven with speedier flight Than loudest oratory. Yet their port
Not of mean suitors, nor important less Seemed their petition, than when the ancient pair,
In fables old, less ancient yet than these, Deucalion and chaste Pyrrha, to restore
The race of mankind drowned, before the shrine Of Themis stood devout. To Heaven their prayers Flew up, nor missed the way, by envious winds Blown vagabond or frustrate: in they passed Dimensionless through heavenly doors; then clad With incense, where the golden altar fumed, By their great Intercessor, came in sight Before the Father's throne. Them the glad Son Presenting thus to intercede began:
"See, Father, what first-fruits on Earth are sprung
From thy implanted grace in Man; these sighs And prayers, which in this golden censer, mixed With incense, I thy priest before thee bring; Fruits of more pleasing savour, from thy seed Sown with contrition in his heart, than those Which, his own hand manuring, all the trees Of Paradise could have produced, ere fallen From innocence. Now therefore bend thine ear 30 To supplication; hear his sighs, 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 shall pay. Accept me, and in me from these receive
The smell of peace toward Mankind: let him live Before thee reconciled, at least his days
Numbered, though sad; till death, his doom-which I To mitigate thus plead, not to reverse- To better life shall yield him, where with me All my redeemed may dwell in joy and bliss,
Made one with me, as I with thee am one." To whom the Father, without cloud, serene: "All thy request for Man, accepted Son, Obtain; all thy request was my decree. But, longer in that Paradise to dwell The law I gave to Nature him forbids; Those pure immortal elements, that know No gross, no unharmonious mixture foul, Eject him, tainted now, and purge him off, As a distemper, gross, to air as gross, And mortal food, as may dispose him best For dissolution wrought by sin, that first Distempered all things, and of incorrupt Corrupted. I at first with two fair gifts Created him endowed, with happiness And immortality; that fondly lost, This other served but to eternize woe, Till I provided death: so death becomes His final remedy, and, after life Tried in sharp tribulation and refined By faith and faithful works, to second life, Waked in the renovation of the just,
Resigns him up with heaven and earth renewed.- But let us call to synod all the Blest
Through Heaven's wide bounds; from them I will not hide
My judgements, how with Mankind I proceed, As how with peccant Angels late they saw,
And in their state, though firm, stood more confirmed."
He ended, and the Son gave signal high
To the bright minister that watched. He blew His trumpet, heard in Oreb since perhaps When God descended, and perhaps once more
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