Paradise Lost

Good or not good ingraft, my Merit those 
Shall perfet, and for these my Death shall 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 sad, 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, 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 unharmoneous mixture foule, 
Eject him tainted now, and purge him off 
As a distemper, gross to aire as gross, 
And mortal food, as may dispose him best 
For dissolution 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 lost, 
This other serv'd but to eternize woe; 
Till I provided Death; so 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 just, 
Resignes him up with Heav'n and Earth renewd. 
But let us call to Synod all the Blest 
Through Heav'ns wide bounds; from them I will not hide 
My judgments, how with Mankind I proceed, 
As how with peccant Angels late they saw; 
And in thir state, though firm, stood more confirmd. 
  He ended, and the Son gave signal high 
To the bright Minister that watchd, hee blew 
His Trumpet, heard in OREB since perhaps 
When God descended, and perhaps once more 
To sound 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 sate 
In fellowships of joy: the Sons of Light 
Hasted, resorting to the Summons high, 
And took thir Seats; till from his Throne supream 
Th' Almighty thus pronounced his sovran 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 it self, and Evil not at all. 
He sorrows now, repents, and prayes contrite, 
My motions in him, longer then they move, 
His heart I know, how variable and vain 
Self-left.  Least therefore his now bolder hand 
Reach also of the Tree of Life, and eat, 
And live for ever, dream at least to live 
Forever, to remove him I decree, 
And send him from the Garden forth to Till 
The Ground whence he was taken, fitter soile. 
  MICHAEL, this my behest 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 possession som new trouble raise: 
Hast thee, and from the Paradise of God 
Without remorse drive out the sinful Pair, 
From hallowd ground th' unholie, and denounce 
To them and to thir Progenie from thence 
Perpetual banishment.  Yet least they faint 
At the sad Sentence rigorously urg'd, 
For I behold them soft'nd and with tears 
Bewailing thir excess, all terror hide. 
If patiently thy bidding they obey, 
Dismiss them not disconsolate; reveale 
To ADAM what shall come in future dayes, 
As I shall thee enlighten, intermix 
My Cov'nant in the Womans seed renewd; 
So send them forth, though sorrowing, yet in peace: 
And on the East side of the Garden place, 
Where entrance up from EDEN easiest climbes, 
Cherubic watch, and of a Sword the flame 
Wide waving, all approach farr off to fright, 
And guard all passage to the Tree of Life: 
Least Paradise a receptacle prove 
To Spirits foule, and all my Trees thir prey, 
With whose stol'n Fruit Man once more to delude. 
  He ceas'd; and th' Archangelic Power prepar'd 
For swift descent, with him the Cohort bright 
Of watchful Cherubim; four faces each 
Had, like a double JANUS, all thir shape 
Spangl'd with eyes more numerous then those 
Of ARGUS, and more wakeful then to drouze, 
Charm'd with ARCADIAN Pipe, the Pastoral Reed 
Of HERMES, or his opiate Rod.  Meanwhile 
To resalute the World with sacred Light