274 KEDEMPTION.
And fled incontinent th' impending doom. When he had fled, and all his goblin train, The martial hierarch, his look severe Divests, and mildly radiant, stands beside The bleeding, fainting, agonizing Man ; His waning strength with balm celestial roused, Composed his visage, wiped his bloodstain'd brow, And these words breath'd consoling in his ear :
" Rise Son of God and man, thy pray'r is heard. Swift through the pearly gates it sped, pierced The Father's ear, soft touch' d his sovereign heart, And me to thee, on high commission brings; Though not as needing words, to ease thy care, In whom innate, all ease and comfort dwell, And from whom, as a fountain, living streams Of grace forever flow, on all thy works. But so it pleased Omnipotence, his ways To manifest to those, the sons of light, Now with amaze, on this stupendous scheme For man's redemption, gazing man, else lost, But through th' assumption of his debt by Thee. By Thee assumed, without the guilt of sin, Freely assumed, not by decree imposed ; As free then to perfect or pretermit, (For so the message runs, enjoin'd on me,) Leaving the penalty there, where of right The guilt and punishment alone belong."
So spake the princely hierarch, submiss, With lowly rev'rence bow'd, and veiled face. T' whom thus the sovereign Master mild return'd :
" 'Tis well thou deemest, Michael, Prince of hosts; Solace of language doth divine not need,
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