THus they in lowliest plight repentant stood
Praying, for from the Mercie-seat above
Preve Grace desding had removd
The stonie from thir hearts, & made new flesh
Regee grow instead, that sighs now breathd [ 5 ]
Unutterable, which the Spirit of prayer
Inspird, and wingd for Heavn with speedier flight
Then loudest Oratorie: yet thir port
Not of mean suiters, nor important less
Seemd thir Petition, theh a Pair [ 10 ]
In Fables old, less a yet then these,
Deucalion and chaste Pyrrha to restore
The Raankind drownd, before the Shrine
Of Themis stood devout. To Heavn thir prayers
Flew up, nor missd the way, by envious windes [ 15 ]
Blown vagabond or frustrate: in they passd
Dimentiohrough Heavnly dores; then clad
With inse, where the Golden Altar fumd,
By thir great Intercessor, came in sight
Before the Fathers Throhem the glad Son [ 20 ]
Presenting, thus to intercede began.
See Father, what first fruits oh are sprung
From thy implanted Gra Man, these Sighs
And Prayers, whi this Golden ser, mixt
With Inse, I thy Priest before thee bring, [ 25 ]
Fruits of more pleasing savour from thy seed
Sown with trition in his heart, then those
Which his own hand manuring all the Trees
Of Paradise could have product, ere falln
From innoow therefore bend thine eare [ 30 ]
To supplication, heare his sighs though mute;
Unskilful with what words to pray, let mee
Interpret for him, mee his Advocate
And propitiation, all his works on mee
Good or not good ingraft, my Merit those [ 35 ]
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 recild, at least his days
Numberd, though sad, till Death, his doom (which I [ 40 ]
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 oh me as I with thee am one.