Matthew Prior. Dialogues of the Dead and Other Works in Prose and Verse. The Text Edited by A. R. Waller |
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 | Matthew Prior. Dialogues of the Dead and Other Works |  |
That with spontaneous Liberty we move
In vain the adverse Sect desires to prove
From inward Power and Nature of the Soul
Which Natures God can alter or controll.
In vain the adverse Sect desires to prove
From inward Power and Nature of the Soul
Which Natures God can alter or controll.
352
If God does Universal Vows reject
Or only justifys his own Elect
Or those in Climes remote who never heard
His Word reveal'd are from his Anger Spar'd.
Or only justifys his own Elect
Or those in Climes remote who never heard
His Word reveal'd are from his Anger Spar'd.
By time and Age its Notions are disrang'd
By passions short and by distemper chang'd
Nor let us vaunting fancy we are free
That we can mend or alter Heavn's decree.
By passions short and by distemper chang'd
Nor let us vaunting fancy we are free
That we can mend or alter Heavn's decree.
Or with our little Arms go up to fight
With Omnipresence & with Infinite
Our Operations by his Will were wrought
And when he gave he fixt the Pow'r of thought.
With Omnipresence & with Infinite
Our Operations by his Will were wrought
And when he gave he fixt the Pow'r of thought.
All matters particles, all Motions laws,
Cou'd not produce so great a Second cause.
Attoms, how ever sep'rate or combin'd,
Cou'd not compose or animate the mind.
That with spontaneous Liberty we move,
In vain the adverse sect desires to prove,
From inward Pow'r and Nature of the Soul
Which Natures God can alter or controll.
Earth cou'd not form it then from heav'n it came
A part it self of the Celestial flame
Let Christians sanctify the Heathen chain
And that Prometheus which their Poets feign
Was Gods great Spirit enlight'ning passive Earth
And kindling Human action into birth
If then its vigor from Heav'n proceed
By Heav'n its force and measure is decreed
That First who did this Second cause produce
Proportions it to each recipients use
Tis Sisyphus' Stone returning stil
If God who gave the freedom form'd the Will
To form it and incline it was the same
You grant the thing while you dispute the Name.
Cou'd not produce so great a Second cause.
Attoms, how ever sep'rate or combin'd,
Cou'd not compose or animate the mind.
That with spontaneous Liberty we move,
In vain the adverse sect desires to prove,
From inward Pow'r and Nature of the Soul
Which Natures God can alter or controll.
Earth cou'd not form it then from heav'n it came
A part it self of the Celestial flame
Let Christians sanctify the Heathen chain
And that Prometheus which their Poets feign
Was Gods great Spirit enlight'ning passive Earth
And kindling Human action into birth
If then its vigor from Heav'n proceed
By Heav'n its force and measure is decreed
That First who did this Second cause produce
Proportions it to each recipients use
Tis Sisyphus' Stone returning stil
If God who gave the freedom form'd the Will
To form it and incline it was the same
You grant the thing while you dispute the Name.
As running Streams their parted Waters spread
Adown the hill or thrô the flow'ry Mead
Here rising bold and Turbulent in waves
There sunk in Sand or sunk in Rocky Caves
The human Eye may still collect and bring
To their first Murmur and Original spring:
So from the various action of our mind
To pleasure better or to grief enclin'd
Glitt'ring in Courts and shining bright in Arms
Fond of Mans praises & of Womans charms
Or flying Crowds desiring more to dwel
In the thick Woods or Melancholy Cell.
Adown the hill or thrô the flow'ry Mead
Here rising bold and Turbulent in waves
There sunk in Sand or sunk in Rocky Caves
353
To their first Murmur and Original spring:
So from the various action of our mind
To pleasure better or to grief enclin'd
Glitt'ring in Courts and shining bright in Arms
Fond of Mans praises & of Womans charms
Or flying Crowds desiring more to dwel
In the thick Woods or Melancholy Cell.
Pursue this Search to its Original:
Allowing Heav'ns Decree and Adams fall
A new Alliance and firm Covenant made
By God to be requir'd, by Man Obey'd:
Faith and Repentance on the Mortal side
The two great knots by which the Bond is ty'd
And on the part of God the human race
Assisting Mercy and preventing Grace.
Yet how can we believe or how repent
Unless the influence first from Heav'n is sent?
Strong the Condition to our bounded view
Contracted seemingly and sign'd by Two
To perfect which unable one attends
While t'other furnishes the Total means.
Allowing Heav'ns Decree and Adams fall
A new Alliance and firm Covenant made
By God to be requir'd, by Man Obey'd:
Faith and Repentance on the Mortal side
The two great knots by which the Bond is ty'd
And on the part of God the human race
Assisting Mercy and preventing Grace.
Yet how can we believe or how repent
Unless the influence first from Heav'n is sent?
Strong the Condition to our bounded view
Contracted seemingly and sign'd by Two
To perfect which unable one attends
While t'other furnishes the Total means.
Again whilst Grace is Gods immediate Gift
To Heav'n in vain my Voice and heart I lift
To ask th' Almighty's Tutelary Care
Except this Grace prevents my very Prayer.
Now of this Gift if once I stand posses't
Yee Angels am I not for ever blest?
Tell me can Satan take what God has giv'n
Or all Hells darkness quench the light of Heav'n?
What after this do I implore or Crave
And need I ask what I already have?
What light of Comment can these Clouds remove
Backward and forward I uncertain rove
Thrô Labyrinths wander and in Circles prove
If the Creator call'd me forth to birth
Wou'd he, I ask, his helpless Creature leave
Thus wand'ring dark, thus groveling low on Earth
That I might Sin, he punish or forgive.
To Heav'n in vain my Voice and heart I lift
To ask th' Almighty's Tutelary Care
Except this Grace prevents my very Prayer.
Now of this Gift if once I stand posses't
Yee Angels am I not for ever blest?
Tell me can Satan take what God has giv'n
Or all Hells darkness quench the light of Heav'n?
What after this do I implore or Crave
And need I ask what I already have?
What light of Comment can these Clouds remove
Backward and forward I uncertain rove
Thrô Labyrinths wander and in Circles prove
If the Creator call'd me forth to birth
Wou'd he, I ask, his helpless Creature leave
Thus wand'ring dark, thus groveling low on Earth
That I might Sin, he punish or forgive.
354
Before we Grant or Answer let us bring
Our pow'r of Thought to its primæval spring. [OMITTED]
Our pow'r of Thought to its primæval spring. [OMITTED]
The deep decrees the fatalist replyes
Of an eternal God supremely Wise
As firmly fixt are permanently sure
Thro endless chains of Ages shal endure.
Made before heav'n and Earth the word shal last
Unchangeable when heav'n and Earth are past.
Allow free will that Sentence is destroy'd
A Covenant Seal'd which after Acts may void
A Casual Fabric built upon the sand
Which can nor winds nor falling rains withstand
But yields inflex'd and sapp'd by human pray'rs
Blown down with Sighs and wash'd away by tears.
Of an eternal God supremely Wise
As firmly fixt are permanently sure
Thro endless chains of Ages shal endure.
Made before heav'n and Earth the word shal last
Unchangeable when heav'n and Earth are past.
Allow free will that Sentence is destroy'd
A Covenant Seal'd which after Acts may void
A Casual Fabric built upon the sand
Which can nor winds nor falling rains withstand
But yields inflex'd and sapp'd by human pray'rs
Blown down with Sighs and wash'd away by tears.
Or trace your steps thro the determin'd way
Or from the Christian Principles You stray
The Godhead thô with all perfection crown'd
Inclin'd to Mercy is by justice bound
Else whence the wond'rous kind necessity
That to Absolve poor Adam Christ must Dye
Whence the old stains imprest on human race
The heav'nly means that must those stains efface
And Nature lost redeem'd by saving Grace. [OMITTED]
Or from the Christian Principles You stray
The Godhead thô with all perfection crown'd
Inclin'd to Mercy is by justice bound
Else whence the wond'rous kind necessity
That to Absolve poor Adam Christ must Dye
Whence the old stains imprest on human race
The heav'nly means that must those stains efface
And Nature lost redeem'd by saving Grace. [OMITTED]
Hence the long Series of Events to come
And four Monarchic Empires stated doom
Else future knowledge of Three thousand Years
The Psalmists raptures and the Prophets tears
The unveil'd Mysteries to a world restor'd
Forseen by Angels and by Men ador'd;
Hence the great Object of our future hope
And blessings following in that bitter Cup
Which God incarnate loving and belov'd
How'ever yielding beg'd might be remov'd
When prest with Agonies the suffering Son
Said Father not my will but Thine be done.
And four Monarchic Empires stated doom
Else future knowledge of Three thousand Years
The Psalmists raptures and the Prophets tears
The unveil'd Mysteries to a world restor'd
Forseen by Angels and by Men ador'd;
Hence the great Object of our future hope
And blessings following in that bitter Cup
Which God incarnate loving and belov'd
How'ever yielding beg'd might be remov'd
When prest with Agonies the suffering Son
Said Father not my will but Thine be done.
| Matthew Prior. Dialogues of the Dead and Other Works | |