 | PSALMOSTHEIOS[Greek], Or a Divine psalme or, Song, Wherein Predestination is maintained, yet the honour of Jehovah preserved and vindicated: And to that eternall song the holy Scripture dedicated. By John Davis [i.e. Davies]. Whereunto is annexed an Elogie upon the Patron, With certaine Divine Epigrams to whom the Author presented some of his Books |  |
Answ.
I answer, that if they cannot discoverThat God deludes them, how can any other
That prosecutes this strange objection charge,
The just, and righteous God, with couzenage?
What are they turned Gods? that they
Can thus unlock; disclose, display,
This hidden veiled mystery,
That none within the World espie;
Since that Gods wayes without all doubt
Are a ships way, past finding out?
Surel', if there be no reprobates,
Can say that God equivocates
With any, with them, while h'exhorted
Them to believe, and be converted,
And yet with-holds the grace, whereby
They should upon his Son relye;
Because th are cannot truly know,
Whether they reprobates or no:
Then surely he that doth maintain
This mysticall, or rather vain
Objection, must give ore for shame,
Thus basely the great God to blame,
9
The just God in fault, and in his own case
Only, and not on others thus to declaim
Before themselves in any wise complain
Of Gods dealing with them, who do not vent
A word (perchance) against unchang'd intent.
Thus more, be pleas'd to give me leave,
God doth not reprobates deceive,
In offering grace to them by
The Gospel in its Ministry;
Though he resolveth not to give
The faith by which the just do live;
Because th'reprobates I will maintain
By th'Gospel preach't to them do gain:
That which becomes a present stay
To their drooping souls, which would sink
Into despair, should they not drink
Of th'Gospels spring; possibility
They have, and more, a probability
Of true conversion, which none under heaven
Have, but such to whom the Gospel's given.
God doth not reprobates deceive,
In offering grace to them by
The Gospel in its Ministry;
Though he resolveth not to give
The faith by which the just do live;
Because th'reprobates I will maintain
By th'Gospel preach't to them do gain:
1.
As first, oft-times they bear awayThat which becomes a present stay
To their drooping souls, which would sink
Into despair, should they not drink
Of th'Gospels spring; possibility
They have, and more, a probability
Of true conversion, which none under heaven
Have, but such to whom the Gospel's given.
| PSALMOSTHEIOS[Greek], Or a Divine psalme or, Song, Wherein Predestination is maintained, yet the honour of Jehovah preserved and vindicated: And to that eternall song the holy Scripture dedicated. By John Davis [i.e. Davies]. Whereunto is annexed an Elogie upon the Patron, With certaine Divine Epigrams to whom the Author presented some of his Books | |