Page images
PDF
EPUB

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 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
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

20

25

30

And propitiation; all his works on me

Good or not good ingraft, my merit those

$35

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)

41

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.

45

All thy requests 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

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

His final remedy, and after life

Try'd in sharp tribulation, and refin'd

By faith and faithful works, to second life,

Wak'd in the renovation of the just,

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

But let us call to synod all the Blest

65

Through Heav'n's wide bounds, from them I will not hide My judgments, how with mankind 1 proceed.

As how with peccant Angels late they saw,

70

And in their state, though firm, stood more confirm'd.
He ended, and the Son gave signal high

To the bright minister that watch'd; he blew
His trumpet, heard in Qreb 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 amarantine shade, fountain or spring,
By the waters of life, where'er they sat

75

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 variable 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
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
Vacant possession, some new trouble raise :
Haste thee, and from the Paradise of God

Without remorse drive out the sinful pair,
From hallow'd ground th' unholy,' and denounce
To them and to their progeny from thence
Perpetual banishment. Yet lest they faint
At the sad sentence rigorously urg'd,

For I behold them soften'd and with tears

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

110

Bewailing their excess, all terror hide.
If patiently thy bidding they obey,
Dismiss them not disconsolate; reveal

To Adam what shall come in future days,

As I shall thee enlighten; intermix

115

My covenant in the Woman's seed renew'd;

So send them forth, though sorrowing, yet in peace:
And on the east side of the garden place,

Where entrance up from Eden easiest climbs,
Cherubic watch, and of a sword the flame
Wide-waving, all approach far off to fright,
And guard all passage to the tree of life:
Lest Paradise a receptacle prove

To Spirits foul, and all my trees their prey,

120

With whose stol'n fruit Man once more to delude. 125

HE ceas'd; and the angelic Pow'r prepar'd

For swift descent, with him the cohort bright
Of watchful Cherubim; four faces each
Had, like a double Janus, all their shape
Spangled with eyes, more numerous than those
Of Argus, and more wakeful than to drowse,
Charm'd with Arcadian pipe, the past'ral reed
Of Hermes, or his opiate rod. Meanwhile

To re-salute the world with sacred light

130

Leucothea wak'd, and with fresh dews imbalm'd 135 The earth, when Adam and first matron Eye

Had ended now their orisons, and found

Strength added from above, new hopes to spring

Out of despair, joy, but with fear yet link'd;

Which thus to Eve his welcome words renew'd. 140 EVE, easily may faith admit, that all

The good which we enjoy, from Heav'n descends;
But that from us ought should ascend to Heaven
So prevalent as to concern the mind

Of God high-blest, or to incline his will,
Hard to belief may seem; yet this will prayer
Or one short sigh of human breath, upborne
Ev'n to the seat of God. For since I sought
By pray'r th' offended Deity to' appease,
Kneel'd and before him humbled all my heart,
Methought I saw him placable and mild,
Bending his ear; persuasion in me grew
That I was heard with favour; peace return'd
Home to my breast, and to my memory
His promise, that thy seed shall bruise our foe;
Which then not minded in dismay, yet now
Assures me that the bitterness of death

Is past, and we shall live. Whence hail to thee,
Eve rightly call'd, mother of all mankind,
Mother of all things living, since by thee

145

150

155

160

Man is to live, and all things live for Man.

To whom thus Eve with sad demeanour meek.

Ill worthy I such title should belong
To me transgressor, who for thee ordain'd
A help, became thy snare; to me reproach
Rather belongs, distrust and all dispraise :
But infinite in pardon was my Judge,
That I who first brought death on all, am grac'd
The source of life; next favourable thou,
Who highly thus to' intitle me vouchsafʼst,
Far other name deserving. But the field
To labour calls us now with sweat impos'd,

165

170

« PreviousContinue »