agree with equitee can Mercy have the heart To Recompence few years offence with Everlasting smart CXXXII Can God delight in such a sight as sinners Misery Or what great good can this our bloud bring unto the most High Oh thou that dost thy Glory most in pard'ning sin display Lord might it please thee to release and pardon us this day CXXXIII Unto thy Name more glorious fame would not such Mercy bring Would it not raise thine endless praise more than our suffering With that they cease holding their peace but cease not still to weep Griefe ministers a flood to tears in which their words do steep CXXXIV But all too late Grief 's out of date when Life is at an end The glorious King thus answering all to his voice attend God gracious is quoth he like his no Mercy can be found His Equity and Clemency to sinners do abound CXXXV As may appear by those that here are plac'd at my right hand Whose stripes I bore and clear'd the score that they might quitted stand For surely none but God alone whose Grace transcends man's thought For such as those that were his foes like wonders would have wrought CXXXVI And none but he such lenitee and patience would have shown To you so long who did him wrong and pull'd his judgements down How long a space O stiff-neck't Race did patience you afford How oft did love you gently move to turn unto the Lord CXXXVII With cords of Love God often strove your stubborn hearts to tame Nevertheless your wickedness did still resist the same If now at last Mercy be past from you for evermore And Justice come in Mercies room yet grudge you noâ— therefore CXXXVIII If into wrath God tuâ—â—ed hath his Long-long â—uffeâ—ing And now for Love you Vengeance prove it is an equal thing Your waxing worse hath stopt the course of wonted Clemency Mercy refus'd and Grace misus'd call for severity CXXXâ—X It 's now high time that every Crime be brought to punishment VVrath long contain'd and oft refrain'd at last must have a vent Justice â—evere cannot foâ—bear to plague sin any longer But must inflict with hand moâ—t strict mischief upon the wronger CXL In vain do they for Mercy pray the season being past Who had no care to get a share therein while time did last The men whose ear refus'd to hear the voice of Wisdom's cry Earn'd this reward that none regard him in his misery CXLI It doth agree with Equitee and with God's holy Law That those should dy eternally that death upon them draw The Soul that sin's damnation win's for so the Law ordains Which Law is justâ— and therefore must such suffer endless pains CXLII Eternâ—l smart is the desert ev'n of the least offence Then wonder not if I allot to you this Recompence But wonder more that since so sore and lasting plagues are due To every sin you liv'd therein who well the danger knew CXLIII God hath no joy to crush or ' stroy and ruine wretched wights But to display the glorious ray of Justice he delights To manifest he doth detest and throughly hate all sin By plaguing it as is most fit this shall him glory win CXLIV Then at the Bar arraigned are an impudenter sort Who to evade the guilt that 's laid upon them thus retort How could we cease thus to transgress how could we Hell avoid Whom God's Decree shut out from thee and sign'd to be destroy'd CXLV Whom God ordains to endless pains by Laws unalterable Repentance true Obedience new to save such are unable Sorrow for sin no good can win to such as are rejected Ne can they give not yet believe that never were elected CXLVI Of man's faln Race who can true Grace or Holiness obtain Who can convert or change his heart if God with-hold the same Had we apply'd our selves and tri'd as much as who did most Gods love to gain our busie pain and labour had been lost CXLVII Christ readily makes this reply I damn you not because You are rejected or not elected but you have broke my Laws It is but vain your wits to strain the Eâ—d and Meâ—ns to sever Men fondly seek to dart or break what God hath link'd together CXLVIII Whom God will save such he will have the means of life to use Whom he 'l pass by shall chuse to diâ— and ways of life refuse He that fore-sees and fore-decrees in wisdom order'd has That man's free-will electing ill shall bring his Will to pass CXLIX High God's Decree as it is free so doth it none compel Against their will to good or ill iâ— forceth none to Hell They have their wish whose Souls perish with torments in Hell-fire Who rather chose their souls to lose then leave a loose desire CL. God did ordain sinners to pain and I to hell send none But such as sweâ—v'd and have deserv'd destruction as their own His pleasure is that none fr 〈…〉 ss and endless happiness Be barr'd but such as wrong 〈◊〉 much by wilful wickedness CLI You sinful crew no other knew but you might be elect Why did you then your selves condemn why did you me reject Where was your strife to gain that life which lasteth evermore You never knock't yet say God lock't against you heavens door CLII. 'T was no vain task to knock to ask whilst life continued Who ever sought Heav'n as he ought and seeking perished The lowly-meek who truly seek for Christ and for salvation There 's no Decree whereby such be ordain'd to condemnation CLIII You argue then But abject men whom God resolves to spill Cannot repent nor their hearts rent ne can they change their will Not for his Can is any man adjudged unto hell But for his Will â— to do what 's ill and nilling to do well CLIV. I often stood tend'ring my Bloud to wash away your guilt And eke my Sprite to frame you right lest your souls should be spilt But you vile race rejected Grace when Grace was freely proffer'd No changed heart no heav'nly part would you when it was offer'd CLV Who wilfully the remedy of Grace and Life contemned Cause have the same themselves to blame if now they be coâ—demned You have your selves you and none else your selves have done to die You chose the way to your decay and perish'd wilfully CLVI These words apale and daunt them all dismai'd and all amort Like stocks they stand at Christs left hand and dare no more retort Then were brought near with trembling fear a number numberless Of blind Heathen and bâ—utish men that did Gods Law transgress CLVII Whose wicked ways Christ open lays and makes their sins appear They making plea's the case to ease if not themselves to clear Thy written word say they good Lord we never did enjoy We not refus'd nor it abus'd Oh do not us destroy CLVIII You ne'r abus'd nor yet refus'd my written Word you plead That 's tâ—ue quoth he therefore shall ye the less be punished
DAY OF DOOM OR A DESCRIPTION Of the Great and Last Judgment WITH A SHORT DISCOURSE ABOUT ETERNITY Eccles. 12. 14. For God shall bring every work into Iudgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil LONDON Printed by I. G. for P. C. 166â— A 〈◊〉 unto Christ the Iudge of the World O Dearest dread most glorious King I 'le of thy justice Iudgment sing Do thou my head and heart inspire To do 't aright as I desire Thee thee alone I 'le invocate For I do much abominate To call the Muses to mine aid Which is the unchristian use and trade Of some that Christians would be thought And yet they Worship worse than naughtâ— Oh what a deal of Blasphemy And Heathenish Impiety In Christian Poets may be found Where Heathen Gods with Praise are crâ—wnâ— They make IEHOVAH to stand by Till Juno Venus Mercury With frowning Mâ—rs and thund'ring Joâ—e â— Rule Earth below and Heav'n above But I have learn'd to pray to none Save unto God in Christ alone Nor will I laud no not in jest That which I know God doth detest I reckon it a damning evil To give Gods Praises to the Devil Thou Christ art he to whom I pray Thy glory fain I would display Oh guide me by the sacred Sprite So to indite and so to write That I thine holy Name may praise And teach thâ— sons of men thy ways THE DAY OF â—â—OM I. STill was the night serene and bright when all men sleeping lay Calm was the season carâ—â—l reason thought so 't would last â—or ay Soul take thine ease let sorrow cease much good thou hast in store This was their song their cups among the evening before II. Wallowing in all kind of sin vile wretches lay secure The best of men had scarcely then their Lamps kept in good ure Virgins unwise who through disguise amongst the best were number'd Had clos'd their eyes yea and the Wise through sloth and frailty slumber'd III. Like as of old when men grew bold Gods threatnings to contemn Who stopt their ear and would not hear when mercy warned them But took their course without remorse till God began to pour Destruction the world upon in a tempestuous showâ—â— IV. They put away the evil day and drown'd their cares and fears Till drown'd were they and swept away by vengeance unawares So at the last whilest men sleep fast in their security Surpriz'd they are in such a snare as cometh suddenly V. For at midnight broke forth a light which turn'd the night to day And speedily an hideous cry did all the world dismay Sinners awake their hearts do ake trembling their loyns surprizeth Amâ—z'd with fear by what they hear each one of them ariseth VI. They rush from beds with giddy heads and to their windows run Viewing this Light which shines more bright than doth the noon-day Sun Straightway appears they see 't with â—ears the Son of God most dread Who with his train comes on amain to judge both Quick and Dead VII Before his face the Heavens give place and Skies are rent asunder With mighty voice and hideous noise more terrible then Thunder His brightness damps Heav'ns glorious lâ—mps and makes them hide their heads As if afraid and quite dismaid they quit their wonâ—ed steads VIII Ye sons of men that durst contemn the threatnings of Gods word How cheer you now your hearts I trow are thrill'd as with a sword Now Atheist blind whose bruâ—ish minâ— a God could never see Dost thou perceive dost now believe that Christ thy Judge shall beâ— IX Stout courages whose hardiness could death and hell out-face Are you as bold now you behold your Judge draw near apace They cry No no alas and woâ— our courage all is gone Our hardiness â—ool-hardiness hath us undone undone X. No heart so bâ—ld but now grows cold and almost dead with fear No eye so dry but now can cry and pour out many a tear Earths Poâ—entates and pow'rful States Captains and men of Might Are quiâ—e abasht their courage dasht At this most dreadful sight XI Mean men lament great men do râ—nt their robes and tear their hair They do not spare their flesh to tear through horrible despair All kindreds wail their hearts do fail horrour the world doth fill Wiâ—â— weeping eyes and loud out-cries yet knows not how to kill XII Some hide themselves in Caves and Delves and plâ—ces under ground Some rashly leap into the deep to scape by being drown'd Some to the Rocks O sensless blocks and woody Mountains run Tâ—aâ— there they might this fearful â—ight and dreaded Presence shun XIII In vâ—in do they to Mountains say Fall on us and us hide From Judges iâ—e more hot then fire For who may it abide No hiding place can from his face sinners at all conceal Whose flaming eye hid things doth spy and darkest things reveal XIV The Judge draws nigh exalted high upon a lofty Throne Amids the throng of Angels strong LIKE Israel's â—oly One The excellence of whose Presence and awful Majesty Amâ—zeth Nature and every Creaâ—ure doth more then terrifie XV. The Mountains smoâ—k the Hills are shook the Earth is rent and torn As if she should be clean dissolv'd or from her Cenâ—re born The Sea doth roar forsakes the shoâ—e and shrinks away for fear The wild beasts flee into the Sea so soon as he draws neaâ— XVI Whose glory bright whose wondâ—ous might whose Power Imperial So far surpass what ever was in Realms Terrestrial That tongues of men nor Angels pen cannot the same express And theâ—efore I must pass it by lest speaking should transgress XVII Before his throne a Trump is blown proclaiming th' day of Doom Forthwith he câ—ies Ye dead arise and unto Iudgement come No sooner said but 't is obey'd Sepulchâ—es open'd are Dead bodies all â—ise at his call and 's migâ—â—y power declare XVIII Both sâ—a and land at his command their dead at once surrender The fire and air constrained are also â—heir deâ—d to â—ender The mighty woâ—d of â—his great Lord links body and soul togeâ—her Both of the just and the unjust to part no more for ever Xâ—X The same translates from mortal states â—o immâ—â—tality All that survive and be alive i' th' twinkling of an eye That so they may abide for ay to endless weal or woe Both the Renate and Reprobate are made to dye no moe XX. His winged Hosts fly through all Coasts together gathering Both good and bad both quick and dead and all to Judgement bring Out of their holes these creeping Moles that hid themselves for fear By force they take and quickly make before the Judge appear XXI Thus every one before the Throne of Christ the Judge is brought Both righteous and impious that good or ill had wrought A sepaâ—ation and diff'ring station by Christ appointed is To sinners sad ' â—wixt good and bad ' â—wixt Heirs of woe and bliss XXII At Christ's right hand the
You shall not smart for any part of other mens offence But for your own transgression receive due recompence CLIX. But we were blind say â—hey in mind too dim was natures light Our only guide as hath been tryâ—d to bring us to the sight Of our estate degenerate and cuâ—st by Adam's fall How we were born and lay forlorn in bondage and in thâ—all CLX We did not know a Christ till now nor bow falâ— man he saved Else should we not right well we woâ— have so our selves behaved We should have mourn'd we should have turn'd from sin at thy reproof And been more wise through thine advice for our own Souls behoof CLXI But natures light shin'd not so bright to teach us the right way We might have lov'd it well improv'd it and yet have gone astray The Judge most high makes this reply you ignorance pretend Dimness of sight and want of light your course Heav'n-ward to bend CLXII How came your mind to be so blind I once you knowledge gave Clearness of sight and judgement right who did the same deprave If to your cost you have it lost and quite defac'd the same Your own desert hath caus'd your smart you ought not me to blame CLXIII Your selves into a pit of wo your own transgressions led If I to none my grace had shown who had been injured If to a few and not to you I shew'd a way of life My Grace so free you clearly see gives you no ground of strife CLXIV 'T is â—ain to tell you wot full well if you in time had known Your Misery and Remedy your actions had it shown You sinful crew have not been true unto the light of Nature Noâ— done the good you understood nor owned your Creator CLXV He that the Light because 't is Light hath used to despize Would not the Light shining more bright be likely for to prize If you had lov'd and well improv'd your knowledge and dim sight Herein your pain had not been vain your plagues had been more light CLXVI Then to the Bar all they drew near who dy'd in infancy And never had or good or bad effected pers'nally But from the womb unto the tomb were straightway carried Or at the least ere they transgrest who thus began to plead CLXVII If for our own transgression or disobedience We here did stand at thy left hand jâ—st were the recompence But Adam's guilt our souls hath spilt his fault is charg'd upon us And that alone hath overthrown and utterly undone us CLXVIII Not we but he aâ—e of the Tree whose fruit was interdicted Yet on us all of his sad fall the punishment's inflicted How could we sin who had not bin or how is his sin our Without consent which to prevent we never had a pow'r CLXIX O great Creator why was our nature depraved and forlorn Why so defil'd and made so vild Whilst we were yet unborn If it be just and needs we must transgressors reckon'd be Thy mercy Lord to us afford which sinners hath set free CLXX Behold we see Adam â—et free and sav'd from his treâ—pass Whose sinful fall hath split us all and brought us to this pass Canst thou deny us once to try or grace to us to tender When he finds grace before thy face that was the chief offender CLXXI. Then answered the Judge most dread God doth such doom forbid Tâ—at men should die eternally for what they never did But what you call old Adam's Fall and only his Trespass You call amiss to call it his both his and yours it was CLXXII He was design'd of all mankind to be a publick Head A common Root whence all should shoot and stood in all their stead He stood and fell did ill or well not for himself alone But for you all who now his Fall and trespass would disown CLXXIII If he had stood then all his brood had been established In Gods true love never to move nor once awry to tread Then all his Race my Fathers Grace should have enjoy'd for ever And wicked Sprights by subtil sleights could them have harmed never CLXXIV Would you have griev'd to have receiv'd through Adam so much good As had been your for evermore if he at first had stood Would you have said We ne'r obey'd nor did thy Laws regard It ill befits with benefits us Lord so to reward CLXXV Since then to share in his welfare you could have been content You may with reason share in his treason and in the punishment Hence you were born in state forlorn with natures so depâ—aved Death was your due because that you had thus your selves behaved CLXXVI You think if we had been as he whom God did so betrust We to our cost would ne'r have lost all for a paltry lust Had you been made in Adam's stead you would like things have wrought And so into the self-same wo your selves and yours have brought CLXXVII I may deny you once to try or Grace to you to tender Though he finds grace beâ—ore my face who was the chief offender Else should my Grace cease to be Grace for it should not be free If to release whom I shall please I have not libertee CLXXVIII Iâ— upon one what 's due to none I frankly shall bestow And on the rest shall not think best compassions skirt to throw Whom injure I will you envy and grudge at others weal Or me accuse who do refuse your selves to help and heal CLXXIX Am I alone of what 's my own no Master or â—o Lord Or if I am how can you claim wâ—at I to some afford Will you demand Gâ—ace at my hand and challenge what is mine Will you teach me whom to set free and thus my Grace confine CLXXX You sinners are and such a share as sinners may expect Such you shall have for I do save none but mine own Elect. Yet to compare your sin with their who liv'd a longer time I do confess yours is much less though ev'ry sin 's a crime CLXXXI A crime it is therefore in bliss you may not hope to dwell But unto you I shall allow the easiest room in hell The glorious King thus answering they cease and plead no longer Their consciences must needs confess his Reasons are the stronger CLXXXII Thus all mens plea's the Judge with ease doth answer and confute Until that all both great and small are silenced and mute Vain hopes are cropt all mouths are stopt sinners have nought to say But that 't is just and equal most they should be damn'd for ay CLXXXIII Now what remains but that to pains and everlasting smart Christ should condemn the sons of men which is their just desert Oh ruâ—ul plights of sinful wights Oh wretches all forlorn That happy been they ne'r had seen the Sun or not been born CLXXXIV Yea now it would be good they couldâ— themselves annihilate And cease to be themselves to free from such a fearful state Oh happy Dogs and Swine and Frogs