BAXTER'S POEMS, 117 Men are not stars, and stars are not the sun: So he will make great difference in grace. Man is not helpless left to mere despair, Life is again made possible to all, The former terms of innocence now cease, Mercies all sinners to repentance call. A law of saving grace is newly made, All that accept it and consent shall live: Trust but a Saviour for that blessed life, And he will freely grace and glory give. But yet man's life on earth a warfare is, God's grace and Satan's malice daily fight; And all that will be sav'd must overcome; Sin's vanquished by grace, darkness by light. Each part their caplain have, and they their bands Not made by force, but doctrine and consent; Each man as rational and free commands, One draws to sin, the other to repent. Sin hath its punishment, the worst within, When for neglect of grace God it suspends ; But the correction of the flesh for sin, Furthers repentance, and the soul amen~s. Thus all on earth have some degrees of grace, Which reason tells us they should not abuse, Which bringeth some so far to Adam's case, They stand or fall as they these mercies use. But God will not his grace at random give, And leave the event to uncertainty, But hath his chosen, who shall surely live, , In whom h}s saving grace shall never die.
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