English works of the Rev. Walter Davies (Gwallter Mechain)

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Spurrell, 1868

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Page 102 - All he could have : I made him just and right, Sufficient to have stood, though free to fall. Such I created all th' ethereal powers And spirits, both them who stood and them who failed : Freely they stood who stood, and fell who fell. Not free, what proof could they have...
Page 98 - Whate'er the passion, knowledge, 'fame, or pelf, Not one will change his neighbour with himself. The learn'd is happy Nature to explore, The fool is happy that he knows no more; The rich is happy in the plenty given, 265 The poor contents him with the care of Heaven. See the blind beggar dance, the cripple sing, The sot a hero, lunatic a king ; The starving chemist in his golden views Supremely blest, the poet in his muse.
Page 102 - Freely they stood who stood, and fell who fell. Not free, what proof could they have given sincere Of true allegiance, constant faith, or love, Where only what they needs must do appear'd, Not what they would ? what praise could they receive ? What pleasure I from such obedience paid ? When will and reason, reason also is choice, Useless and vain, of freedom both despoil'd, Made passive both, had served necessity, Not me?
Page 102 - Which had no less proved certain unforeknown. So without least impulse or shadow of fate, Or aught by me immutably foreseen, They trespass, authors to themselves in all, Both what they judge and what they choose...
Page 102 - So were created, nor can justly accuse Their Maker, or their making, or their fate, As if predestination over-rul'd Their will, dispos'd by absolute decree Or high foreknowledge, they themselves decreed Their own revolt, not I; if I foreknew, Foreknowledge had no influence on their fault, Which had no less prov'd certain unforeknown. So without least impulse or shadow...
Page 98 - See the blind beggar dance, the cripple sing, The sot a hero, lunatic a king; The starving chemist in his golden views Supremely blest, the poet in his muse.
Page 107 - As Bradwardin and holy Austin can ; If prescience can determine actions so That we must do, because he did foreknow, Or that foreknowing, yet our choice is free, Not forced to sin by strict necessity ; This strict necessity they simple call, Another sort there is conditional.
Page 107 - That other does not liberty constrain, But man may either act, or may refrain. Heaven made us agents free to good or ill, And forced it not, though he foresaw the will.
Page 107 - For what he first foresaw, he must ordain, Or its eternal prescience may be vain: As bad for us as prescience had not been ; For first, or last, he's author of the sin. And who says that, let the blaspheming man Say worse even of the devil, if he can. For how can that eternal power be just To punish man, who sins because he must?
Page 107 - I waive, for fear of splitting on a rock ; The tale I tell is only of a cock ; Who had not run the hazard of his life, Had he...

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