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Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.

All hearts doth the Lord search, and every imagination of the thoughts doth he understand.

And in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

THE JUDGE OF ALL THE EARTH

Male he created thee, but thy consórt

Female, for race; then blessed mankind, and said,
'Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the Earth;
Subdue it, and throughout dominion hold
Over fish of the sea, and fowl of the air,

And every living thing that moves on the Earth!'
Wherever thus created-for no place

Is yet distinct by name-thence, as thou know'st,
He brought thee into this delicious grove,
This Garden, planted with the trees of God,
Delectable both to behold and taste,

And freely all their pleasant fruit for food

Gave thee. All sorts are here that all the earth yields, Variety without end; but of the tree

Which tasted works knowledge of good and evil

Thou may'st not; in the day thou eat'st, thou diest. Death is the penalty imposed; beware,

And govern well thy appetite, lest Sin

Surprise thee, and her black attendant, Death.
Here finished He, and all that he had made
Viewed, and, behold! all was entirely good.
Attend! 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 advised.
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 over-ruled 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 tried whether they serve
Willing or no, who will but what they must

By destiny, and can no other choose?

Myself, and all the Angelic Host, that stand

In sight of God enthroned, 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.
And some are fallen, to disobedience fallen,
And so from Heaven to deepest Hell. O fall
From what high state of bliss into what woe!
Be strong, live happy, and love! but first of all
Him whom to love is to obey, and keep
His great command; take heed lest passion sway
Thy judgment to do aught which else free-will
Would not admit; thine and of all thy sons
The weal or woe in thee is placed; beware!
I in thy persevering shall rejoice,

And all the Blest. Stand fast; to stand or fall

ATH God cast away his people?

HATH

For what cause hast thou left them?

Why shouldst thou be as a stranger in the land?

Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?

Wherefore dost thou forsake us for ever, and forsake us so long time?

Is the Lord among us, or not?

We cannot find him out.

Will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth?

Are we not counted of him strangers?

Carest thou not that we perish?

The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers; oh may he not leave us, nor forsake us.

Oh that God would but speak!

Free in thine own arbitrement it lies.
Perfet within, no outward aid require;
And all temptation to transgress repel."

"How fully hast thou satisfied me, pure
Intelligence of Heaven, Angel serene,

And, freed from intricacies, taught to live
The easiest way, nor with perplexing thoughts
To interrupt the sweet of life, from which
God hath bid dwell far off all anxious cares,
And not molest us, unless we ourselves

Seek them with wandering thoughts, and notions vain!"

THE MORNING HYMN OF ADAM AND EVE

"THESE are thy glorious works, Parent of good,

Almighty! thine this universal frame,

Thus wondrous fair: Thyself how wondrous then!
Unspeakable! who sitt'st above these heavens
To us invisible, or dimly seen

In these thy lowest works; yet these declare
Thy goodness beyond thought, and power divine.
Speak, ye who best can tell, ye Sons of Light,
Angels-for ye behold him, and with songs
And choral symphonies, day without night,
Circle his throne rejoicing-ye in Heaven;
On Earth join, all ye creatures, to extol

Him first, him last, him midst, and without end.
Fairest of Stars, last in the train of Night,
If better thou belong not to the Dawn,
Sure pledge of day, that crown'st the smiling morn
With thy bright circlet, praise him in thy sphere
While day arises, that sweet hour of prime.
Thou Sun, of this great World both eye and soul,
Acknowledge him thy Greater; sound his praise
In thy eternal course, both when thou climb'st,
And when high noon hast gained, and when thou fall'st.
Moon, that now meet'st the orient Sun, now fliest,
With the fixed Stars, fixed in their orb that flies;
And ye five other wandering Fires, that move

In mystic dance, not without song, resound

His praise who out of Darkness called up Light.
Air, and ye Elements, the eldest birth

Of Nature's womb, that in quaternion run
Perpetual circle, multiform, and mix

And nourish all things, let your ceaseless change
Vary to our great Maker still new praise.
Ye Mists and Exhalations, that now rise
From hill or steaming lake, dusky or gray,
Till the sun paint your fleecy skirts with gold,
In honour to the World's great Author rise;
Whether to deck with clouds the uncoloured sky,

OUR iniquities have separated between you and your

YOUR

God, and your sins have hid his face from you.

With an everlasting love have I loved thee.

Ye have forsaken me.

Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I yea, thine own lips testify against thee.

Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee.

Thou hast stumbled through thy iniquity.

Destruction is thy own: thy help is only in me.

I change not.

I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Your sins have withholden what is good from you.

YOUR FATHER

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