KEDEMPTION. 143
Thou oft hast heard from me of war in lieav'n ;
How one proud spirit rose, and with him drew
To base revolt, third part of Heav'ns sons;
How I thence thrust them out to utter woe :
How I created man, with all those worlds,
Which thou behold'st adorn yon spacious dome.
Those worlds, created once so fair, Satan,
Through enmity malign, essay'd to mar.
With what success in other spheres, doth not
My purpose touch, hereafter thou shalt learn;
But what fell here, the ruin that he wrought,
Too well the records of the race recount.
Thus man was dooni'd to like despair, (e'en thou
Had'st been, unless superlative redeem'd,)
To utter, hopeless, dark, and wild despair.
Yet, since by tempting, sin not innate sprung,
Pardon was offer'd him, could one be found,
Sufficient to atone for mortal sin.
I chose th' atoning sacrifice to be ;
Offer'd, and meet acceptance soon received;
Came to the world through thee, the first redeem'd,
Entire redeem'd, and fitting made for me,
Exempt from common law, the paradigm
Of earthly favour and celestial grace.
The prophets thou hast read ; and know the theme,
Which most harmonious tuned their sacred choirs,
And with what clearness, they redemption sang;
Its rise, through thee; its course, that I should die,
And justice thus original restore,
The sting of death withdraw, and light the grave,
With rays of glory from beyond its borne.
The sting of Death, what is it? Sin. Sin then
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