They gladly thither haste, and by a quire

Of squadroned Angels hear his carol sung.

A virgin is his mother, but his sire

The power of the Most High: He shall ascend

The throne hereditary, and bound his reign

With Earth’s wide bounds, his glory with the Heavens.”

He ceased, discerning Adam with such joy

Surcharged, as had like grief been dewed in tears,

Without the vent of words; which these he breathed.

“O prophet of glad tidings, finisher

Of utmost hope! now clear I understand

What oft my steadiest thoughts have searched in vain;

Why our great Expectation should be called

The seed of Woman: Virgin Mother, hail,

High in the love of Heaven; yet from my loins

Thou shalt proceed, and from thy womb the Son

Of God Most High: so God with Man unites!

Needs must the Serpent now his capital bruise

Expect with mortal pain: Say where and when

Their fight, what stroke shall bruise the victor’s heel.”

To whom thus Michael. “Dream not of their fight,

As of a duel, or the local wounds

Of head or heel: Not therefore joins the Son

Manhood to Godhead, with more strength to foil

Thy enemy; nor so is overcome

Satan, whose fall from Heaven, a deadlier bruise,

Disabled, not to give thee thy death’s wound:

Which he, who comes thy Saviour, shall recure,

Not by destroying Satan, but his works

In thee, and in thy seed: Nor can this be,

But by fulfilling that which thou didst want,

Obedience to the law of God, imposed

On penalty of death, and suffering death;

The penalty to thy transgression due,

And due to theirs which out of thine will grow:

So only can high Justice rest appaid.

The law of God exact he shall fulfil

Both by obedience and by love, though love

Alone fulfil the law; thy punishment

He shall endure, by coming in the flesh

To a reproachful life, and cursed death;

Proclaiming life to all who shall believe

In his redemption; and that his obedience,

Imputed, becomes theirs by faith; his merits

To save them, not their own, though legal, works.

For this he shall live hated, be blasphemed,

Seized on by force, judged, and to death condemned

A shameful and accursed, nailed to the cross

By his own nation; slain for bringing life:

But to the cross he nails thy enemies,

The law that is against thee, and the sins

Of all mankind, with him there crucified,

Never to hurt them more who rightly trust

In this his satisfaction; so he dies,

But soon revives; Death over him no power

Shall long usurp; ere the third dawning light

Return, the stars of morn shall see him rise

Out of his grave, fresh as the dawning light,

Thy ransom paid, which Man from death redeems,

His death for Man, as many as offered life

Neglect not, and the benefit embrace

By faith not void of works: This God-like act