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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 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.

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK XI.

THUS they in lowliest plight repentant stood
Praying, for from the mercy-seat above
Prevenient grace descending had remov'd
The stony from their hearts, and made new flesh
Regenerate grow instead, that sighs now breath'd
Unutterable, which the Spi'rit of prayer

Inspir'd, and wing'd for Heav'n with speedier flight
Than loudest oratory: yet their port
Not of mean suitors, nor important less

Seem'd their petition, than when th' ancient pair
In fables old, less ancient yet than these,
Deucalion and chaste Pyrrha, to restore
The race of mankind drown'd, before the shrine
Of Themis stood devout. To Heav'n their prayers
Flew up, nor miss'd the way, by envious winds
Blown vagabond of frustrate: in they pass'd
Dimensionless through heavenly doors;
With incense, where the golden altar fum'd,
By their great intercessor, came in sight
Before the Father's throne: them the glad Son
Presenting, thus to intercede began.

then clad

See, Father, what first fruits on earth are sprung
From thy implanted grace in Man, these sighs
And pray'rs, which in this golden censer, mix'd
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

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Of Paradise could have produc'd, ere fall'n
From innocence. Now therefore bend thine ear
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,

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Good or not good ingraft, my merit those

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Shall perfect, and for these my death shall pay.

Accept me, and in me from these receive

The smell of peace tow'ard mankind; let him live
Before thee reconcil'd, at least his days

Number'd, though sad, till death, his doom, (which I
To mitigate thus plead, not to reverse)

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To better life shall yield him, where with me

All my redeem'd may dwell in joy and bliss,

Made one with me, as I with thee am one."

To whom the Father, without cloud, serene.

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“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
Distemper'd all things, and of incorrupt
Corrupted. I at first with two fair gifts
Created him endow'd, with happiness
And immortality: that fondly lost,
This other serv'd but to eternize woe;
Till I provided death; so death becomes
His final remedy, and after life

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Try'd in sharp tribulation, and refin'd

By faith and faithful works, to second life,
Wak'd in the renovation of the just,

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Resigns him up with Heav'n and Earth renew'd.

But let us call to synod all the Blest

Through Heav'n's wide bounds; from them I will not hide My judgments, how with mankind I proceed,

As how with peccant Angels late they saw,

He ended, and the Son gave signal high

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And in their state, tho' firm, stood more confirm'd."

To the bright minister that watch'd; he blew
His trumpet, heard in Oreb since perhaps

When God descended, and perhaps once more
To sound at general doom. Th' angelic blast
Fill'd all the regions: from their blissful bowers
Of amaranthine shade, fountain or spring,
By the waters of life, where'er they sat
In fellowships of joy, the sons of light
Hasted, resorting to the summons high,

And took their seats; till from his throne supreme
Th' Almighty thus pronounc'd his sov'reign will,
"O Sons, like one of us Man is become
To know both good and evil, since his taste
Of that defended fruit; but let him boast
His knowledge of good lost, and evil got;
Happier had it suffic'd him to have known
Good by itself, and evil not at all.
He sorrows now, repents, and prays contrite,
My motions in him; longer than they move,
His heart I know, how yariable and vain
Self-left. Lest therefore his now bolder hand
Reach also of the tree of life, and eat,
And live for ever, dream at least to live
For ever, to remove him I decree,

And send him from the garden forth to till

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The ground whence he was taken, fitter soil.
"Michael, this my behest have thou in charge;

Take to thee from among the Cherubim

Thy choice of flaming warriors, lest the Fiend,
Or in behalf of Man, or to invade

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