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——— That thou art happy, owe to God :
That thou continuest such, owe to thyself,
That is, to thy obedience; therein stand.
This was that caution given thee; be advis'd.
God made thee perfect, not immutable;
And good he made thee; but to persevere
He left it in thy power : ordained thy will
By nature free, not overrul'd by "fate
Inextricable, or strict necessity.
Our voluntary service he requires,
Not our necessitated; such with him
Finds no acceptance, nor can find : for how
Can hearts, not free, be try'd whether they serve
Willing or no, who will but what they must
By destiny, and can no other chuse ?
Myself, and all the angelic host, that stand
In sight of God inthron'd, our happy state
Hold, as you yours, while our obedience holds;
On other surety none : freely we serve,
Because we freely love; as in our will
To love, or not, in this we stand, or fall.
Milton.
That thou continuest such, owe to thyself,
That is, to thy obedience; therein stand.
This was that caution given thee; be advis'd.
God made thee perfect, not immutable;
And good he made thee; but to persevere
He left it in thy power : ordained thy will
By nature free, not overrul'd by "fate
Inextricable, or strict necessity.
Our voluntary service he requires,
Not our necessitated; such with him
Finds no acceptance, nor can find : for how
Can hearts, not free, be try'd whether they serve
Willing or no, who will but what they must
By destiny, and can no other chuse ?
Myself, and all the angelic host, that stand
In sight of God inthron'd, our happy state
Hold, as you yours, while our obedience holds;
On other surety none : freely we serve,
Because we freely love; as in our will
To love, or not, in this we stand, or fall.
Milton.
Such favours, so conferred, though unsought,
Deserve acknowledgment from noble minds.
Such thanks, as one hating to be oblig'd—
Yet hating more ingratitude, can pay,
I offer.
Deserve acknowledgment from noble minds.
Such thanks, as one hating to be oblig'd—
Yet hating more ingratitude, can pay,
I offer.
