Man will fall as did Satan, but
as Satan was self-tempted, and man will be deceived by another, the latter
shall find grace where his tempter did not."
Great was the joy of the Son when he learned that man would receive mercy
for his transgression. "Pardon and mercy he shall receive," declared the
Father, "but some one must be willing to expiate his sin for him; the just
must die for the unjust. Who in Heaven is willing to make the sacrifice?"
For a moment all the Heavenly quire stood mute; then the Son of God spoke
and implored his Father to let his anger fall on him, since he could not
wholly die, but could arise from death and subdue his vanquisher.
When his Father accepted the sacrifice, and named him Son of God and Man
who should hereafter be Universal King, Ruler of Heaven and Earth, Heaven
rang with the shouts of the Angels, who, casting down their amaranthine
wreaths until the golden pavement was covered with the garlands, took
their golden harps and sang the praises of the Father and the Son.
While they sang, Satan walked over the vast globe on which he had
alighted, through what in after years, when the world was peopled, was to
be the Paradise of Fools, the spot to which the spirits of all things
transitory and vain, of those who had worked for their reward in life
instead of in Heaven, would come.
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