Of these fair spreading trees; which bids us seek
Some better shroud, some better warmth, to cherish
Our limbs benumbed, ere this diurnal star

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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

down

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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

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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

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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:

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"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

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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

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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,

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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