Page:Redemption, a Poem.djvu/15

 REDEMPTION.

Who, unimpeach'd, kept firm their first estate, And now, expectant, waited near the throne, To learn the high behests of God to man. Beneficent, the Father thus replied: " Effulgence of my glory, increate, Ever beloved Son, well pleased am I In thee. Justice and truth adorn thy words; Infinite sanctity cannot commix With sinful flesh; and yet, since man hath sinn'd, 'Tis man must die, man born of Adam's race; 'Tis he alone can suffer for the fault; So the decree went forth, so must abide. But finite sacrifice, for infinite Transgression, cannot compensate, nor mend The broken law, my justice not appease. This mystery is for thee, Son, to solve, And render manifest to all the sons Of light, lest misjudging, inconsistence They should seem to find, in whom consistence Innate dwells. All power is given to thee ; To thee, by whom creation e'er subsists ; To make and unmake equally is thine. As at thy word, from slime, man perfect came, And Eve, his consort, frail embodiment Of woe, sprang perfect from his fruitful side ; So pure from impure, clean from unclean seed, Is thine to constitute, and second Eve More worthy prove, true mother of mankind. Son, man's redemption rests with thee; the work Is all thine own, to plan, to execute, And all the glory thine; the sacrifice Sufficient, I accept; justice intact,

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