Pardon; watering the Ground with our Tears, and filling the Air with our Sighs, fent from contrite Hearts, in Sign of unfeigned Sorrow and meek Humiliation? He will undoubtedly relent, and turn away from his Difpleafure; in whofe ferene Look when he feemed most angry and most severe, what else shone but Favour, Grace, and Mercy? So spoke our first Father, in true Penitence: nor did EvE feel lefs Remorfe: They forthwith repaired to the Place where God judged them, fell reverently proftrate before him; and there humbly confeffed their Faults, and begged Pardon; watering the Ground with their Tears, and filling the Air with their Sighs, fent from contrite Hearts, in Sign of unfeigned Sorrow and meek Humiliation. The End of the TENTH BOOK. THE THE ELEVENTH BOOK OF PARADISE LOST. T The ARGUMENT. HE Son of GOD prefents to his Father the Prayers of our first Parents, now repenting, and interceeds for them: GOD accepts them, but declares that they muft no longer abide in Paradife: Sends Michael, with a Band of Cherubim, to difpoffefs them; but first to reveal to Adam future Things: Michael's coming down. С НА Р. The Son of GOD prefents to his Father the Prayers of Adam and Eve. Michael is fent to put them out of Paradise, and reveal future Things to Adam. HUS proftrate in the lowest State of Humility, they remained penitent and praying; for, even before that, Grace defcending from the Mercy-Seat (a) above, had foftened the Stonynefs of their Hearts, and in the Room made new Flesh to grow; fo that they breathed unutterable Sighs and Groans; which were infpired with the Spirit of Prayer, and could fooner find the Way to Heaven than the loudeft Oratory: Yet they were not mean -Supplicants, nor did their Petition feem lefs important, than when the antient Pair, according to the Fables of old, DEUCALION (b) and chafte PYR RHA "beaten Work shalt thou make "them in the two Ends of the "Mercy feat. And thou shalt "put the Mercy-feat above up on the Ark, and in the Ark "thou fhalt put the Teftimony (a) Mercy-Seat. It was a covering of pure folid Gold, made exactly to fit the Dimenfions of the Ark, to which the two Cherubims of Gold alfo were fixed, and fpread their Wings over it; placed in the" Tabernacle and in Solomon's Temple under the two Cheru bims. It was two Cubits and an half in Length, and a Cubit and an half in Breadth, Exod. xxv. 17. xviii. 21." And thou shalt make "a Mercy-feat of pure Gold: "Two Cubits and a half fhall "be the Length thereof, and a "Cubit and a half the Breadth "thereof. And thou shalt make two Cherubim of Gold: Of that I fhall give thee." It was called Propitiatory or Covering Mercy feat. Therefore God is faid to fit between the Cherubim. Thither the pious Jews did always turn their Faces, in what Part of the World they were, when they prayed, 1 Kings viii. 48. P. xcix. 1. Dan. vi. Jon. ii. 5. Heb. iv. 16. (b) Deucalion; Lat. Gr. i. e. Calling upon God. An antient King of Theffaly the Son of Pro |