Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, GOD'S DETERMINATIONS: THE THIRD RANK ACCUSED, by EDWARD TAYLOR


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GOD'S DETERMINATIONS: THE THIRD RANK ACCUSED, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: What thou art too for christ, it seems? Yet fain
Last Line: I am a saint, if thou no sinner art.
Subject(s): Puritans In Literature


What thou art too for Christ, it seems? Yet fain
Thou wouldst the World with all her Pomps mentain.
But such as share of Christ, fall short of these.
And have but faint affections to such fees.
Go Coach thy Eyes about the world, and eye
Those Rich inchanting Braveries there Cry
Give us your heart? Wherefore thy heart doth ake
That it such Amorous Objects must forsake.
The Love whereto so stuffs thy heart; no place
Is left therein for any Saving Grace.
Its folly then to think that Grace was shown,
When in persute thy heart was overthrown.
It was not Grace in Grace that made thee fall:
For unto Grace thou hast no heart at all.
Thou thoughtst these Objects of thy Love would faile.
The thoughts of which do make thy Spirits faile.
And this is easely prov'd: for thou didst goe
Into the field with God, as with a foe.
And bravely didst outbrave the Notion Grace.
And Chose to flee rather than it imbrace.
And well thou mightst, A Bird in hand doth far
Transcend the Quires that in the Hedges are.
And so its still: turn o're thy heart, thou'lt finde
As formerly so still thou art inclinde.
In sin thou hadst delight, didst grace defy:
And dost so still: For still thou dost reply.
Whoever went to Hell, and Came again
To shew to anyone, what is that pain?
Did ever any slip to Heaven to see
Whether there's there a God? and who is hee?
What is that fancide God rowld o're the tongue?
Oh! Brainsick Notion, or an Oldwifes Song!
That He should wholy be in e'ry place
At once all here, and there, yet in no space.
That all should be in any part though small:
That any part of him should be him all.
And that he hath no parts though Head, and Heart.
Hands, Ears, and Eyes he hath, he hath no part.
That he is all in all, yea all in thee,
That he is also all that time in mee.
That he should be all in each Atom small:
And yet the whole cannot contain him all.
That he doth all things in a moment see,
At once, of things to Come, Past, and now bee.
That He no Elder, he no Younger is,
Than when the World began: (What wonders this?)
That time that flies from all with him remains,
These are Chamaera's Coin'd in Wanton brains.
Among which Fopperies mans Soul may go,
Concerning which thou mak'st so much ado.
Nay; what? or where is Hell Can any show?
This Bugbare in the Darke, 's a mere Scar-Crow.
But say its true, there is an Hell: a God.
A Soul Immortall in a mortall Clod:
Did God such principles infuse as egge
The Soul from him into Eternall plague?
Thou dost Confess that God doth not Command
Such things of us as had are of no hand.
Which sure he doth, if he deny to save
Whom live by Natures Law: which Law he Gave.
Yet grant this tenet which thy heart denies,
Christ saveth none but whom he sanctifies.
Thou art not sanctifide in any part:
For sins keepe Centinall within thy heart
And there they train, therein they Rentdevouz.
Her troops therein do quarter: and do house.
And hence as from a fountain Head there streams
Through ev'ry part Pollution in the Veans.
Hence sprouts Presumption making much too bold
To catch such Shaddows which no hand can hold.
Hence Harebrain'd Rashness rushes in the Brain:
Hence Madbrain'd Anger which no man can tame.
Hence Crackbrain'd folly, or a shatter'd Wit
That none Can Plaster: none can med'cine it.
Hence a stiff, stubborn, and Rebellious Will
That sooner breakes than buckles to fulfill
Gods Laws: and so for other sins thou'lt find
A Forward Will joyn'd with a froward minde.
Thy Heart doth lip such Languague, though thy Lip
Is loath to let such Languague open slip.
I see thy secret thoughts: and such they bee,
That Wish there was no God, or I was Hee.
Or that there was no Holiness, unless
Those sins thou'rt given to, were Holiness.
Or that there was no Hell, except for those
Who stand for Holiness, and sin oppose.
Or that there was no heaven t'enter in,
Except for those Who pass their Lives in Sin.
Though thou the Languague of thy heart outface
Dost, yet thou huggest sin, dost hiss out Grace.
Set Heaven, and Hell aside its clearly shown,
Thou lov'st mee more than God thou seem'st to own.
Hence was it not for these, it plainly 'pears
Thy God for servants might go shake his ears.
For thou to keep within my booke dost still
Ungod thy God not walking by his Will.
This Languague of thy heart doth this impart
I am a Saint, if thou no Sinner art.





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