THE 
 
 OR, A 
 
 POETICAL DESCRIPTION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 GREAT AND LAST 
 
 JUDGMENT 
 
 $0.etn0. 
 
 MICHAEL WIGGLESWOKTH, A.M., 
 
 TeacTier of the Church at Maiden in New England, 
 1GG2. 
 
 ALSO A MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR, AUTOBIOG 
 RAPHY, AND SKETCH OF HIS FUNERAL 
 SERMON BY REV. COTTON 
 MATHER. 
 
 ACTS 17 : 31. Because he hath appointed a Day in tlie which he 
 will judge tlie World in Paghteousness by that Man whom heliath 
 ordained. 
 
 MAT. 24 : 30. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in 
 Heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the Earth mourn, and they 
 shall see the Sou of Man coming in the clouds of Heaven with power 
 and great glory. 
 
 THE SIXTH EDITION, 1715. 
 
 For ft; 
 
 AMERICAN NEWS COMPANY, 
 1867. 
 
 
8EIVEKA:. 
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year of our Lord, 1867, by 
 WM. HENRY BURR, 
 
 in the Clerk s office of the District Court of the United States, for the Southon 
 District of New York. 
 
 C. S. WESTCOTT & Co., Printers, 79 John street. 
 
MEMOIR OF THE 
 
 THE following is the substance of an article published 
 in the cir New England Historical and Genealogical 
 Kegister, ^ for April, 1863, written by JOHN WARI> 
 DEAN, Esq., of Boston: 
 
 A century ago no poetry was more popular in New 
 England than Wigglesworth s Day of Doom. Francis 
 Jenks, Esq*., in an article in the Christian Examiner for 
 Nov., 1828, speaks of it as "a work which was taught 
 our fathers with their catechisms, and which many an 
 aged person with whom we are acquainted can still re 
 peat, though they may not have met with a copy since 
 they were in leading strings ; a work that was "hawked 
 about the country, printed on sheets like common bal 
 lads ; and, in fine, a work which fairly represents the 
 prevailing theology of New England at the time it was 
 written, and which Mather thought might, perhaps, 
 find our children till the Day itself arrives. " 
 
 The popularity of Wigglesworth dated from the ap 
 pearance of his poem, and continued for more than a cen 
 tury. Expressing in earnest words the theology which 
 the y believed, and picturing in lively colors the terrors 
 of the judgment day and the awful wrath of an offended 
 God, it commended itself to those zealous Puritans, who 
 had little taste for lofty rhyme or literary excellence. 
 The imaginative youth devoured its horrors with avidity, 
 and shuddered at its fierce denunciation of sin. In the 
 darkness of night he saw its frightful forms arise, and 
 was thus driven to seek the " ark of safety" from the 
 
 nn 
 
4 M E M I R F T II E A U T II R . 
 
 wrath, of Jehovah. For the last century, however, the 
 reputation of the Day of Doom has waned, and few at 
 the present day know it except by reputation. 
 
 The author of this book, whose wand had summoned 
 up such images of terror, was neither a cynic nor a 
 misanthrope, though sickness, which generally brings out 
 these dispositions where they exist, had long been his 
 doom. His attenuated frame and feeble health were 
 joined to genial manners ; and, though subject to fits of 
 despondency, he seems generally to have maintained a 
 cheerful temper, so much so that some of his friends 
 believed his ills to be imaginary. 
 
 Rev. Michael Wigglesworth was born October 28, 
 1631, probably in Yorkshire, England. He was brought 
 to this country in 1G38, being then seven years old, but 
 in what ship we are not informed. His father, Edward 
 Wigglesworth, was one of those resolute Puritans who, 
 with their families, found an asylum where they could 
 enjoy their religion without molestation in our then 
 New England wilderness, the distance of which from 
 their English homes can hardly be appreciated now. 
 Here they suffered the severe hardships of a rigorous cli 
 mate, and the fearful dangers from savage tribes around 
 them, while uniting to build up villages which are now 
 cities, and which still retain some of the characteristics 
 of their Puritan founders. The determined purpose and 
 strength of principle that conquered every obstacle was 
 a school of severe training for the children of that 
 period. It was natural that a father who had endured 
 so much for conscience sake should desire to see his 
 only son a clergyman ; and, although the father s means 
 were not large, the son was devoted to the ministry and 
 given a thorough education. Michael, after nearly three 
 years of preparatory studies, entered Harvard College 
 in 1647. Here he had the good fortune to have for a 
 
MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR. 5 
 
 tutor the excellent Jonathan Mitchell, "the glory of 
 the college," and famous as a jpreacher. The friendship 
 here begun appears to have continued after both had 
 left the college walls. Probably the eight stanzas " on 
 the following work and its author," signed J. Mitchel, 
 were written by that tutor and preacher, who was a 
 native of Yorkshire, the county in which Wigglesworth 
 is believed to have been born. 
 
 In 1651 Mr. Wigglesworth graduated, and was soon 
 after appointed a tutor in the College. Some of his 
 pupils were men of note in their day. Among them 
 were, Rev. Shubael Dummer, of York, Me. ; Rev. John 
 Eliot, of Newton ; and Rev. Samuel Torry, of Wey- 
 mouth ; but the chief of them, it will be admitted, was 
 Rev. Increase Mather, D.D., pastor of the second church 
 in Boston, and for sixteen years president of Harvard 
 College. That the tutor was faithful to his trust, we 
 have evidence from the sketch of the funeral sermon 
 appended to this work, preached by Rev. Cotton Mather, 
 D.D., son of Increase, who probably derived his infor 
 mation from his father. 
 
 While a tutor, he prepared himself for the ministry, 
 and before his father s death he had preached several 
 times. He was invited, probably in the autumn of 
 1G54, to settle at Maiden, as the successor of Rev. 
 Marmaduke Matthews, but owing to long-continued 
 sickness was not ordained there till 1656. The precise 
 date of his ordination is not known, but it must have 
 been subsequent to August 25, 1656, for his letter of 
 dismission from the church at Cambridge bears that 
 date. This letter, addressing the " Church of Christ at 
 Mai don," states that " the good hand of Divine Provi 
 dence hath so disposed that our beloved and highly 
 esteemed brother, Mr. Wigglesworth, hath his residence 
 and is employed in the good work of y e Lord amongst 
 
(3 MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR, 
 
 you, and hath cause to desire of us Letters Dismissive 
 to your church, in order to his joining as a member with 
 you." 
 
 The ill health which had delayed his ordination at 
 Maiden returned soon after his settlement there, and 
 interrupted his ministry several years. He took a voy 
 age to Bermuda, sailing Sept. 23, 1663, and being absent 
 about seven months and a half. But the tedious and 
 stormy voyage seems to have impaired his health so 
 much that the change* of climate afforded him little re 
 lief, and he returned much discouraged. He met with 
 a very cordial welcome from his friends and parish 
 ioners. 
 
 While he was thus withheld from his ministry, he 
 employed his time in literary labors. His Day of Doom 
 was published about 1662, the year before his voyage to 
 Bermuda. The first edition consisting of 1,800 copies, 
 was sold, with some profit to the author, within a year, 
 which considering the population and wealth of New 
 England at that time, shows almost as remarkable a 
 popularity as that of Uncle Tom s Cabin. 
 
 While absent on his voyage in search of health, Dec. 
 9, 1663, Rev. Benjamin Bunker was ordained pastor of 
 the church at Maiden. It seems that a distinction was 
 observed at this time in New England between pastor 
 and teacher. Wigglesworth calls Bunker " pastor" in 
 some verses composed on his death, while on the title- 
 page of this work he calls himself " teacher." After 
 Wigglesworth became sole minister, he was probably 
 considered the pastor. Bunker held this office over six 
 years, till his death, Feb. 3, 1669-70. In the elegy on 
 the death of his colleague, Wigglesworth highly extols 
 Bunker s piety and usefulness. The next colleague of 
 our author was Rev. Benjamin Blackman, settled about 
 1674. He supplied the desk four years and upward. 
 
MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR. 7 
 
 and left in tlie year 1G79. His next colleague was Rev. 
 Thomas Cheever, son of his early teacher, the celebrated 
 New England schoolmaster, Ezekiel Cheever, author of 
 Latin Accidence. These three ministers were all edu 
 cated at Harvard College, Bunker having graduated in 
 1658, Blackman in 1663, and Cheever in 1677. Mr. 
 Cheever began to preach at Maiden Feb. 14, 1679-80, was 
 ordained July 27, 1681, and was dismissed May 20, 1686. 
 
 Wigglesworth, though long prevented by sickness 
 from officiating, never resigned his ministerial charge, 
 as appears from a letter which he addressed to Samuel 
 Sprague, July^ 22, 1687. He was now left alone as 
 minister of the church. He had, however, recovered 
 his health in a measure about this time, which had suf 
 fered for nearly twenty years, and for the remainder of 
 his life he continued in public usefulness. 
 
 He died on Sunday morning, June 10, 1705, in the 
 74th year of his age. The epitaph on the last page of 
 this work is believed to have been written by Cotton 
 Mather, as it appears in the appendix to his funeral 
 sermon as by " one that had been gratified by his Meat 
 out of the Eater and Day of Doom." 
 
 Mr. Wigglesworth had at least three wives : Mary, 
 daughter of Humphrey Reyner, of Rowley ; Martha, 
 whose maiden name was probably Mudge ; and Sybil, 
 widow of Dr. Jonathan Avery, of Dedham, and daughter 
 of Nathaniel Sparhawk, of Cambridge. 
 
 By his first wife he had (1) Mercy, b. Feb., 1655-6 ; m. 1st, 
 rSamuel ?^ Braekenbury, by whom she tad at least one son, 
 William; m. 2d, [Rev. Samuel?"] Belcher. 
 
 By his second wife, Martha, who d. llth Sept., 1690, a. 28, he 
 had: (2) Abigail, b. 20th March, 1681; m. Samuel Tappan, 
 23d Dec., 1700; (3) Mary, b. 21st Sept., 1682 ; unm. in 1708 ; 
 
 (4) Martha, b. 21st Dec., 1683 ; m. Wheeler ; (5) Esther, 
 
 b. 16th April, 1685 ; m. 1st, John Sewall, June 8, 1708, who d. 
 1711 ; m. ?d, Abraham Tappan, Oct. 21, 1713 ; (6) Dorothy, b. 
 22d Feb., 1687-88; m. 2d June, 1709, James Upham ; (7) Rev. 
 Samuel, b. 4th Feb., 1689-90, d. 3d Sept,, 1768. 
 
8 MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR. 
 
 By his third wife, Sybil, who d. 6th Aug., 1708, a. 53, ho 
 had: (8) Prof. Edward, D.D., b. about 1692, d. Jan. 16, 
 1765. 
 
 Rev. Samuel Wigglesworth, the elder son, was settled in Ham 
 ilton Parish, in Ipswich, Mass., in 1714. He in. 1st, Mary, dau. 
 of John Brintnal, of Winnisimmet, 80th June, 1715, who d. June 
 6, 1723, a. 28, having borne him four children, Marv, Michael, 
 Martha, and Phebe. He m. March 12, 1730, Martha Brown, and 
 had nine children. 
 
 Edward Wigglesworth, D.D., the younger son, took his degree 
 of Bachelor of Arts in 1710, and applied himself to the study of 
 Divinity. He preached for some time in different parishes, and 
 in 1722 was installed Hollis Professor of Divinity of Harvard 
 College, Not long afterward he was chosen one of the fellows of 
 the corporation. He left an only son, who succeeded him as 
 Hollis Professor in the same college, and an only surviving 
 daughter, who married Prof. Sewall. 
 
 The following are the various editions of the Day of 
 Doom, so far as we have been able to ascertain : 
 
 The first edition was published in 16G1 or 1662, and 
 the second four years after. These facts are obtained 
 from memoranda by the author, which are printed in 
 the Historical Magazine for December, 18G3. An edition 
 was printed in London, England, without the author s 
 name, in 1673. This was, probably, the third impres 
 sion; the date of the fourth is unknown. The fifth 
 edition is said to have been published in 1701. Mr. 
 Dean has made diligent search and repeated inquiries, 
 but can only find two or three copies of the edition of 
 1673, and several fragments which must have been parts 
 of some of the other editions. 
 
 There was an edition published at Newcastle, in Eng 
 land, in 1711. The next edition was published in 1715, 
 called " the 6th edition, enlarged, with Scripture and 
 marginal notes"" printed by John Allen, for Benjamin 
 Eliot, at his shop in King street." From this edition, 
 which was evidently the seventh, the present one is re 
 printed, being carefully compared with that of 1673. 
 Another edition appeared in 1751, " Printed and sold by 
 Thomas Fleet, at the Heart and Crown, in Cornhiil," 
 
MEMO IE Ol 1 THE AUTHOR. 9 
 
 Boston. The next edition appeared in 1811, " Published 
 by E. Little & Company, Newburyport." Mass. The last 
 edition, prior to the present, was published in Boston in 
 1828, by Charles Ewer. 
 
 Besides the Day of Doom, Mr. "Wigglesworth published, 
 in 1669, " Meat out of the Eater ; or, Meditations con 
 cerning the necessity and usefulness of Afflictions unto 
 God s Children." The "fourth edition" appeared in 
 1689, and subsequent editions in 1717 and 1770. In 
 1686 he preached an Election Sermon, which was printed 
 by the colony. Among his unpublished writings is a 
 poem entitled " God s Controversy with New England, 
 written in the time of the great Drought, Anno 1662. 
 By a lover of New England s prosperity." 
 
 Mr. Wigglesworth borrowed little from other poets, 
 and what he borrowed was probably from the commen 
 taries and theological treatises with which his library 
 abounded, rather than from the poets. Not that his 
 style is wholly prosaic, for there are passages in his 
 writings that are truly poetical, both in thought and 
 expression, and which show that he was capable of at 
 taining a higher position as a poet than can now be 
 claimed for him. The roughness of his verses was surely 
 not owing to carelessness or indolence, for neither of 
 them was characteristic of the man. The true expla 
 nation may be, that he sacrificed his poetical taste to his 
 theology, and that, for the sake of inculcating sound 
 doctrine, he was willing to write in halting numbers. 
 
 The author of the Day of Doom, belonging to the 
 straitest sect of Puritans, was, like many others of that 
 sect, a man of generous feeling toward his fellows. 
 Rev. Dr. Peabody calls him " a man of the beatitudes." 
 Obedience to the supreme law gave a heavenly lustre to 
 his example and a sweet fragrance to his memory. The 
 clergy of his day possessed a deep religious earnestness 
 
JO AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 
 
 and a fervent piety. They were Bible students and 
 men of prayer. Even many who consider them erro 
 neous in doctrine, are willing to allow that they were 
 strict in morals ; that, if they were wrong in faith, they 
 were right in life ; that, if their creed was opaque, their 
 hearts were luminous; and that, if their vision did not 
 discern the additional light which the saintly Robinson 
 had prophesied was yet to break forth from God s 
 Word, they sincerely accepted the light they saw. 
 They were patient, hopeful, humble, believing, faithful. 
 They stood on a higher plane than their successors, and 
 exercised a proportionally higher power over their 
 hearers. Their people revered them, were constant in 
 attendance on their services, and submitted gladly to 
 their sway. 
 
 AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 
 
 I WAS born of Godly Parents, that feared y Lord greatly, even 
 from their youth, but in an ungodly Place, where v e generality 
 ofy e people rather derided than imitated their piety; in a place 
 where, to my knowledge, their children had Learnt wickedness 
 betimes; in a place that was consumed v/ith fire in a great 
 part of it, after God had brought them out of it. These godly 
 parents of mine meeting with opposition and persecution for 
 Religion, because they went from their own Parish church to 
 hear y e word and Receiv y 6 Lords supper &c, took up resolu 
 tions to pluck up their stakes and remove themselves to New 
 England : and accordingly they did so, Leaving dear Relations, 
 friends and acquaintance, their native Land, a new built house, 
 a flourishing Trade, to expose themselves to y e hazzard of y e 
 seas, and to y Distressing difficulties of a howling wilderness, 
 that they might enjoy Liberty of Conscience and Christ in his 
 ordinances. And the Lord brought them hither and Landed 
 them at Charlstown, after many difficulties and hazzards, and 
 me along with them, being then a child not full seven years 
 old. After about 7 weeks stay at Charlstown, my parents 
 removed again by sea to New Haven in ye month of October. 
 !n pur passage thither we were in great Danger by a storm 
 which drove us upon a Beach of sand where we lav beatin" 
 til another Tide fetcht us off; but God carried us to our port 
 
AUTOBIOGRAPHY. ]_]_ 
 
 in safety. Winter approaching we dwelt in a cellar partly 
 under ground covered with earth the first winter. But I 
 remember that one great rain brake in upon us and drencht 
 me so in^my bed, being asleep, that I fell sick upon it; but 
 y e Lord in mercy spar d my life and restored my health. When 
 y e next summer was come I was sent to school to Mr. Ezekiel 
 Cheever, who at that time taught school in his own house, and 
 under him in a year or two I profited so much through y e 
 blessing of God, that I began to make Latin and to get forward 
 apace. But God who is infinitely wise and absolutely soverain, 
 and gives no account concerning any of his proceedings, was 
 pleased about this time to visit my father with Lameness 
 which grew upon him more and more to his dying Day, though 
 he liv d under it 13 years. He wanting help was fain to take 
 me oft 7 from school to follow other employments for y e space 
 of 3 or 4 years, until I had lost all that I had gained in the Latin 
 Tongue. But when I was now in my fourteenth year, my 
 Father, who I suppose was not wel satisfied in keeping me 
 from Learning whereto I had been designed from my infancy, 
 and not judging me fit for husbandry, sent me to school again, 
 though at that time I had little or no disposition to it, but I 
 was willing to submit to his authority therein and accordingly 
 I went to school under no small disadvantage and discourage 
 ment, Being those that were far inferior to me, by my dis 
 continuance now gotten far before me. But in a little time it 
 appeared to be of God, who was pleased to facilitate my work 
 and bless my studies that I soon recovered what I had lost, 
 and gained a great deal more, so that in 2 years and 3 quar 
 ters I was judged fit for y e Colledge and thither I was sent 
 far from my parents and acquaintance among strangers. But 
 when father and mother both forsook me then y e Lord 
 took care of rne. It was an act of great self denial in 
 my father that notwithstanding his own lameness and great 
 weakness of Body which required y e service and helpfulness of 
 a son, and having but one son to be y e staff of his age and sup 
 porter of his weakness, he would yet for my good, be content to 
 deny himself of that comfort and Assistance I might have Lent 
 him. It was also an evident proof of a strong Faith in him, in 
 that he durst adventure to send me to y e Colledge, though his 
 estate was but small and little enough to maintain himself and 
 small family left at home. And God let him Live to see how 
 acceptable to himself this service was in giving up his only son to 
 y e Lord and bringing him up to Learning ; especially y e Lively 
 actings of his faith and self denial herein. For first, notwith 
 standing his great weakness of body, yet he Lived til I was so 
 far brought tip as that I was called to be a fellow of" y e Col 
 ledge and improved in Publick service there, and until I had 
 preached several Times ; yea and more than so, he Lived to see 
 aud hear what God had done for my soul in turning me from 
 Darkness to light and from y e power of Sathan unto God, which 
 filled his heart full of joy and thankfulness beyond what can bo 
 expressed. And for his outward estate, that was so far from 
 being sunk by what he spent from year to year upon my cdu- 
 
12 AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 
 
 cation, that in 6 years time it was plainly doubled, which him 
 self took great notice of, and spake of it to myself and others, 
 to y praise of God, with Admiration and thankfulness. And 
 after he had lived under great and sore affliction for y e space of 
 
 13 years a pattern of fuiih, patience, humility, and. heavenly 
 mindedness, having done his work in my education and receiv d 
 an answer to his prayers, God took him. to his Heavenly Rest, 
 where he is now reaping y e fruits of his Labors. When I came 
 first to y e Colledge, I had indeed enjoyed y benefit of Religious 
 and strict education, and God in his mercy and pitty kept me 
 from scandalous sins before I came thither and after I came 
 there, but alas I had a naughty vile heart and was acted by 
 corrupt nature, therefore could propound no Right and noblo 
 ends, but acted from self and for self. I was indeed studious 
 and strove to outdoe my compeers, but it was for honour and 
 applause and preferment and such poor Beggarly ends. Thus I 
 had my Ends and God had his Ends far differing from mine, yet 
 it pleased him to Bless my studies, and to make me grow in 
 Knowledge both in y e tongues and inferior Arts and also in Di 
 vinity. But when I had been there about three years and a 
 half; God in his Love and Pitty to my soul wrought a great 
 change in me, both in heart and Life, and from that time for 
 ward I learnt to study with God and for God. And whereas 
 before that, I had thoughts of applying myself to y e study and 
 Practice of Physick, I wholy laid aside those thoughts, and did 
 chuse to serve Christ in y e work of y e ministry if he would 
 please to fit me for it and to accept of my service in that great 
 work, 
 
 NOTE. In the foregoing Autobiography- the original spelling is re 
 tained. In the following poems the spoiling is modernized. The uso of 
 the acute accent ( ) to indicate the former pronunciation of the final ecZas 
 a separate syllable will be cbvions ; in other exceptional cases the old 
 apostrophe is retained. In a few instances the- termination tion is 
 divided by a hyphen, to indicate its pronunciation as two syllables 
 (sfte-ow). The modern double commas aro also usoJ. to mark quotations. 
 
 W. H. B. 
 
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER 
 
 READER, I am a fool, 
 
 And have adventured 
 
 To play the fool this once for Christ, 
 
 The more his fame to spread. 
 
 If this my foolishness 
 
 Help thee to be more wise, 
 
 I have attained what I seek, 
 
 And what I only prize. 
 
 Thou wonderest, perhaps, 
 
 That I in Print appear, 
 
 Who to the Pulpit dwell so nigh, 
 
 Yet come so seldom there. 
 
 The God of Heaven knows 
 
 What grief to me it is, 
 
 To be withheld from serving Christ ; 
 
 No sorrow like to this. 
 
 This is the sorest pain 
 
 That I have felt or feel ; 
 
 Yet have I stood some shocks that might 
 
 Make stronger men to reel. 
 
 I find more true delight 
 
 In serving of the Lord, 
 
 Than all the good things upon Earth, 
 
 Without it, can afford. 
 
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER 
 
 And could my strength endure 
 That work I count so dear, 
 Not all the Riches of Peru 
 Should hire me to forbear. 
 But I m a Prisoner, 
 tinder a heavy Chain ; 
 Almighty God s afflicting hand 
 Doth me by force restrain. 
 
 Yet some (I know) do judge 
 
 Mine inability 
 
 To come abroad and do Christ s work, 
 
 To be Melancholly ; 
 
 And that I m not so weak 
 
 As I myself conceit : 
 
 But who in other things have found 
 
 Me so conceited yet ? 
 
 Or who of all my Friends 
 That have my trials seen, 
 Can tell the time in seven years 
 When I have dumpish been ? 
 Some think my voice is strong, 
 Most times when I do Preach ; 
 But ten days after, what I feel 
 And suffer few can reach. 
 
 My prison d thoughts break forth, 
 When open d is the door, 
 With greater force and violence, 
 And strain my voice the more. 
 But vainly do they tell 
 That I am growing stronger, 
 Who hear me speak in half an hour. 
 Till I can speak no longer. 
 
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER. 15 
 
 Some for because they see not 
 
 My cheerfulness to fail, 
 
 Nor that I am disconsolate, 
 
 Do think I nothing ail. 
 
 If they had borne my griefs, . 
 
 Their courage might have fail d them, 
 
 And all the Town (perhaps) have known 
 
 (Once and again) what ail d them. 
 
 But why should I complain 
 
 That have so good a God, 
 
 That doth mine heart with comfort till 
 
 Ev n whilst I feel his Rod ? 
 
 In God I have been strong, 
 
 But wearied and worn out, 
 
 And joy d in him, when twenty woes 
 
 Assail d me round about. 
 
 Nor speak I this to boast, 
 
 But make Apology 
 
 For mine own self, and answer those 
 
 That fail in Charity. 
 
 I am, alas ! as frail, 
 
 Impatient a creature, 
 
 As most that tread upon the ground, 
 
 And have as bad a nature. 
 
 Let God be magnified, 
 Whose everlasting strength 
 Upholds me under sufferings 
 Of more than ten years length ; 
 Through whose Almighty pow r 
 Although I am surrounded 
 "With sorrows more than can be told, 
 Yet am I not confounded. 
 
16 TO THE CHRISTIAN READER. 
 
 For liis dear sake have I 
 
 This service undertaken, 
 
 For I am bound to honor him 
 
 Who hath not me forsaken. 
 
 I am a Debtor too, 
 
 Unto the sons of Men, 
 
 Whom, wanting other means, I would 
 
 Advantage with my Pen. 
 
 I would, but ah ! my strength, 
 When tried, proves so small, 
 That to the ground without effect 
 My wishes often fall. 
 Weak heads, and hands, and states, 
 Great things cannot produce ; 
 And therefore I this little Piece 
 Have publish d for thine use. 
 
 Although the thing be small, 
 
 Yet my good will therein, 
 
 Is nothing less than if it had 
 
 A larger Volume been. 
 
 Accept it then in love, 
 
 And read it for thy good ; 
 
 There s nothing in t can do thee hurt, 
 
 If rightly understood. 
 
 The God of Heaven grant 
 
 These Lines so well to speed, 
 
 That thou the things of thine own peace 
 
 Through them may st better heed ; 
 
 And may st be stirred up 
 
 To stand upon thy guard, 
 
 That Death and Judgment may not come 
 
 And find thee unprepar d. 
 

 TO THE CHRISTIAN READER. 17 
 
 \ 
 
 Oil get a part in Christ, 
 
 And make the Judge thy Friend 
 
 So shalt thou be assured of 
 
 A happy, glorious end. 
 
 Thus prays thy real Friend 
 
 And Servant for Christ s sake, 
 
 Who, had he strength, would not refuse 
 
 More pains for thee to take. 
 
 MICHAEL WIGGLESWORTH. 
 
ON THE FOLLOWING WORK AND ITS AUTHOR. 
 
 A VERSE may find him who a sermon flies, 
 Saith Herbert well. Great truths to dress in Meter, 
 Becomes a Preacher, who men s Souls doth prize. 
 That Truth in Sugar roll d may taste the sweeter. 
 No cost too great, no care too curious is 
 To set forth Truth and win men s Souls to bliss. 
 
 In costly Verse, and most laborious Rhymes, 
 Are dish d up here Truths worthy most regard : 
 No Toys, nor Fables (Poets wonted crimes) 
 Here be, but things of worth, with wit prepar d. 
 Reader, fall to, and if thy taste be good, 
 Thou lt praise the Cook, and say, Tis choicest Food. 
 
 David s affliction bred us many a Psalm, 
 From Caves, from mouth of Graves that Singer sweet 
 Oft tun d his Soul-felt notes : for not in s calm, 
 But storms, to write most Psalms God made him meet. 
 Affliction turn d his Pen to Poetry, 
 Whose serious strains do here before thee lie. 
 
 This man with many griefs afflicted sore, 
 Shut up from speaking much in sickly Cave, 
 Thence painful seizure hath to write the more, 
 
ON THE FOLLOWING WORE. 19 
 
 And send thee Counsels from the mouth o th Grave. 
 One foot i th other world long time hath been, 
 Read, and thou lt say, His heart is all therein. 
 
 Oh, happy Cave, that s to mount Nebo turn d ! 
 
 Oh, happy prisoner that s at liberty 
 
 To walk through th other World ! the Bonds are burn d, 
 
 (But nothing else) in Furnace fiery. 
 
 Such fires unfetter Saints, and set more free 
 Their unscorch d Souls for Christ s sweet company. 
 
 Cheer on, sweet Soul, although in briny tears 
 Steept is thy seed ; though dying every day ; 
 Thy sheaves shall joyful be when Christ appears, 
 To change our death and pain to life for aye. 
 
 The weepers now shall laugh ; the jovial laughter 
 Of vain ones here shall turn to tears hereafter. 
 
 Judge right, and his restraint is our Reproof. 
 The Sins of Hearers Preachers Lips do close, 
 And make their Tongue to cleave unto its roof, 
 AVhich else would check and cheer full freely those 
 
 That need. But from this Eater comes some Meat. 
 
 And sweetness good from this affliction great. 
 
 In those vast Woods a Christian Poet sings 
 (Where whilom Heathen wild were only found) 
 Of things to come, the last and greatest things 
 Which in our Ears aloud should ever sound. 
 Of Judgment dread, Hell, Heaven, Eternity, 
 Reader, think oft, and help thy thoughts thereby. 
 
 J. MITCHEL. 
 
A PEAYEE 
 
 UNTO 
 
 CHRIST THE JUDGE OF THE WORLD 
 
 O Dearest, Dread, most glorious King I/ 
 
 Til of thy justest Judgments sing : 
 
 Do tliou my head and heart inspire, 
 
 To Sing aright, as I desire. 
 
 Thee, thee alone Pll invocate, 
 
 For I do much abominate 
 
 To call the Muses to mine aid : 
 
 Which is th* Unchristian use and trade 
 
 Of some that Christians would be thought, 
 
 And yet they worship worse than naught. 
 
 Oh ! what a deal of Blasphemy, 
 
 And Heathenish Impiety, 
 
 In Christian Poets may be found, 
 
 Where Heathen gods with praise are crown d I 
 
 They make Jehovah to stand by 
 
 Till Juno, Venus, Mercury, 
 
 With frowning Mars, and thund ring Jove, 
 
 Rule Earth below, and Heav n above. 
 
 But I have learned 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 God s Praises to the Devil. 
 
 TJiou, CJirist, art he to whom I pray ; 
 
 Thy Glory fain I would display. 
 
 Oh ! guide me by thy sacred Sprite, 
 
 So to indite, and so to write, 
 
 That I thine holy Name may praise, 
 
 And teach the Sons of Men thy ways. 
 
THE 
 
 DAY OF DOOM. 
 
 STILL was the night, serene #nd bright, 
 
 when all Men sleeping lay ; 
 Calm was the season, and carnal reason 
 
 thought so twould last lor aye. 
 " Soul, take thine ease, let sorrow cease ; 
 
 much good thou hast in store :" 
 This was their Song, their Cups among, 
 
 the evening before. 
 
 The security 
 of the World 
 before Christ s 
 coming to judg 
 ment. 
 Luke 12 : 19. 
 
 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. 
 
 Mat. 25 : 5. 
 
22 
 
 THE DAY OF DOOM. 
 
 III. 
 
 Like as of old, when men grew bold, 
 God s threat nings to contemn, 
 
 Who stopt their Ear, and would not hear 
 Mat. 24: -37, 38. when Mercy warned them, 
 
 But took their course, without remorse, 
 till God began to pour 
 
 Destructi-on the World upon, 
 in a tempestuous show r; 
 
 IV. 
 
 1 Thes. 5 : 3. Who 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, whilst men sleep fast 
 
 in their security, 
 Surpris d they are in such a snare 
 
 As cometh suddenly. 
 
 ing. 
 
 Mat. 25 : 6. 
 
 2 Pet. 3 : 10. 
 
 The sudden- For at midnight breaks forth a light, 
 
 Christ s appear^ And speedily an hideous cry 
 
 doth all the World dismay. 
 Sinners awake, their hearts do ache, 
 
 trembling their loins surpriseth ; 
 Amaz 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. 
 
THE DAY OF DOM. 23 
 
 Straightway appears (they see t with tears) 
 
 the Son of God most dread, 
 Who with his Train comes on amain Mat. 24 : 
 
 to judge both Quick and Dead. 29 30> 
 
 VII. 
 
 Before his face the Heav ns give place, 
 
 and Skies are rent asunder, 
 With mighty voice and hideous noise, 
 
 more terrible than Thunder. 
 His Brightness damps Heav n s glorious Lamps 
 
 and makes them hide their heads ; 
 As if afraid and quite dismay d, 2 Pet. 3 : 10. 
 
 they quit their wonted steads. 
 
 Ye sons of men that durst contemn 
 
 the Threat nings of God s Word, 
 How cheer you now ? Your hearts, I trow, 
 
 are thrill d as with a sword. 
 Now Atheist blind, whose brutish mind 
 
 a God could never see, 
 Dost thou perceive, dost now believe 
 
 that Christ thy Judge shall be ? 
 
 Stout Courages, (whose hardiness 
 
 could Death and Hell outface,) 
 Are you as bold, now you behold 
 
 your Judge draw near apace ? 
 They cry, " No, no, Alas ! and woe ! 
 
 our courage all is gone : 
 Our hardiness (fool hardiness) 
 
 hath us undone, undone !" 
 
24 THEDAYOFDOOM. 
 
 Eev. 6 : 15. No heart so bold, but now grows cold, 
 
 and almost dead with fear ; 
 No eye so dry but now can cry, 
 
 and pour out many a tear. 
 Earth s Potentates and pow rful States, 
 
 Captains and Men of Might, 
 Are quite abasht, their courage dasht, 
 
 at this most dreadful sight. 
 
 Mat. 24 : 30. Mean men lament, great men do rent 
 
 their Robes, and tear their hair j 
 They do not spare their flesh to tear 
 
 through horrible despair. 
 All kindreds wail ; all hearts do fail ; 
 
 Horror the World doth fill 
 With weeping eyes and loud out-cries, 
 
 yet knows not howjto kill. 
 
 Eev. 6 : 15, 16. Some hide themselves in Caves and Delves, 
 
 in places under ground : 
 Some rashly leap into the Deep, 
 
 to scape by being drown d : 
 Some to the Rocks (0 senseless blocks !) 
 
 and woody Mountains run, 
 That there they might this fearful sight, 
 
 and dreaded Presence shun. 
 
 XIII. 
 
 In vain do they to Mountains say, 
 
 " Fall on us and us hide 
 From Judge s ire, more hot than Fire, 
 
 for who may it abide ?" 
 
THE DAT OP DOOM. 5 
 
 No hiding place can from his Face 
 
 sinners at all conceal, 
 Whose flaming Eye hid things doth spy, 
 
 and darkest things reveal. 
 
 The Judge draws nigh, exalted high Mat. 25 : 21. 
 
 upon a lofty Throne, 
 Amidst the throng of Angels strong, 
 
 lo, Israel s Holy One ! 
 The excellence of whose Presence 
 
 and awful Majesty, 
 Amazeth Nature, and every Creature 
 
 doth more than terrify. 
 
 xv. 
 
 The Mountains smoke, the Hills are shook, Eev. 6 : 14. 
 
 the Earth is rent and torn, 
 As if she should be clear dissolv d 
 
 or from her center borne. 
 The Sea doth roar, forsakes the shore, 
 
 and shrinks away for fear ; 
 The wild beasts flee into the sea, 
 
 so soon as he draws near, 
 
 Whose Glory bright, whose wond rous Might, 
 
 whose Power Imperial, 
 So far surpass whatever was 
 
 in Realms Terrestrial, 
 That tongues of men (nor Angel s pen) 
 
 Cannot the same express ; 
 And therefore I must pass it by, 
 
 lest speaking should transgress. Thes. 4 : 16. 
 
 2 
 
26 
 
 THE DAY OF DOOM, 
 
 XVII. 
 Resurrection Before Ills Throne a Trump is blown, 
 
 ^S *29 P roclaimin S th D^ of Voom ; 
 
 Forthwith he cries, " Ye Dead arise 
 
 and unto Judgment come." 
 No sooner said, but tis obey d ; 
 
 Sepulchers open d are ; 
 Dead bodies all rise at his call, 
 
 and s mighty Power declare. 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 Both Sea and Land at his command, 
 
 their Dead at once surrender ; 
 The Fire and Air constrained are 
 
 also their dead to tender. 
 The mighty Word of this great Lord 
 
 links Body and Soul together, 
 Both of the Just and the unjust, 
 
 to part no more for ever. 
 
 The living 
 changed. 
 Luke 20 : 36. 
 1 Cor. 15 : 52. 
 
 XIX. 
 
 The same translates from Mortal states 
 
 to Immortality, 
 All that survive and be alive, 
 
 in th twinkling of an eye ; 
 That so they may abide for aye, 
 
 to endless weal or woe : 
 Both the Renate and Reprobate 
 
 are made to die no moe. 
 
 All brought 
 to Judgment. 
 Mat. 24 : 31. 
 
 His winged Hosts fly through all coasts, 
 
 together gathering 
 Both good and bad, both Quick and Dead, 
 
 and all to Judgment bring. 
 
THE DAY OP DOOM. 37 
 
 Out of their holes those 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 2 Cor. 5 : 10. 
 
 of Christ the Judge is brought The Sheep 
 
 Both righteous and impious, SESSta* 
 
 that good or ill hath wrought. Mat - 25 32 - 
 
 A separation and diff ring station 
 
 by Christ appointed is 
 (To sinners sad) twixt good and bad, 
 
 twixt Heirs of woe and bliss. 
 
 At Christ s right hand the Sheep do stand, 
 
 his holy Martyrs, who 
 For his dear Name suffering shame, 
 
 calamity and woe, 
 Like Champions stood and with their Blood who are 
 
 their Testimony sealed ; Christ s 
 
 Whose innocence without offence M*t?5 : 10 11 
 
 to Christ their Judge appealed. 
 
 XXIIL 
 
 Next unto whom there find a room 
 
 all Christ s afflicted ones, 
 Who being chastis d, neither despis d 
 
 nor sank amidst their groans ; 
 Who by the Eod were turn d to God, He b. 12 5 
 
 and loved him the more, 6, 7. 
 
 Not murmuring nor quarrelling 
 
 when they were cliast ncd sore. 
 
28 
 
 THE DAY OF DOOM 
 
 XXIV. 
 
 Moreover, sucli as loved much, 
 tliat had not such a trial, 
 
 As might constrain to so great pain, 
 Luke 7 : 41, 47. an ^ such deep self-denial, 
 
 Yet ready were the Cross to bear, 
 when Christ them call d thereto, 
 
 And di"d rejoice to hear his voice, 
 they re counted Sheep also. 
 
 John 21 : 15. 
 Mat. 19 : 14. 
 John 3 : 3. 
 
 Christ s flock of Lambs there also stands, 
 
 whose Faith was weak, yet true, 
 All sound Believers (Gospel receivers) 
 
 whose Grace was small > but grew ; 
 And them among an Infant throng 
 
 of Babes, for whom Christ died ; 
 Whom for his own, by ways unknown 
 
 to Men, he sanctified. 
 
 Rev. 6 : 11. 
 Phil. 3 : 21, 
 
 All stand before their Savi-or, 
 in long white Robes yclad, 
 
 Their countenance full of pleasancc, 
 appearing wond rous glad. 
 
 O glorious sight ! Behold how bright 
 * dust-heaps are made to shine, 
 
 Conformed so their Lord unto, 
 whose Glory is Divine. 
 
 The Goats 
 described, or 
 
 bates on th 
 
 At Christ s left hand the Goats do stand, 
 
 all whining Hypocrites 
 Who for self-ends did seem Christ s friends, 
 
 but foster d guileful sprites j 
 
THE DAY OF DOOM. 
 
 29 
 
 Who Sheep resembled, but they dissembled, 
 (their hearts were not sincere,) 
 
 "Who once did throng Christ s Lambs among, 
 but now must not come near. 
 
 left hand. 
 Mat. 2-1 : 51. 
 
 Apostates base and run-aways, 
 
 such as have Christ forsaken, 
 Of whom the Devil, with seven more evil, 
 
 hath fresh possession taken ; 
 Sinners ingrain, reserv d to pain, 
 
 and torments most severe, 
 Because gainst light they sinn d with spite, 
 
 are also placed there. 
 
 Luke 11 : 24, 
 
 26. 
 
 He!). 6 : 4, 5, 6. 
 
 Heb. 10 : 29. 
 
 There also stand a num rous band, 
 
 that no profession made 
 Of Godliness, nor to redress 
 
 their ways at all essay d ; 
 Who better knew, but (sinful Crew) 
 
 Gospel and Law despised, 
 Who all Christ s knocks withstood like blocks, 
 
 and would not be advised. 
 
 Luko 12 : 47. 
 Trov. 1 : 24, 26. 
 Job 3 : 19. 
 
 Moreover, there with them appear 
 
 a number, numberless, 
 Of great and small, vile wretches all, 
 
 that did God s Law trans^roos , 
 Idolaters, false worshippers, 
 
 Profaners of God s Name, 
 Who not at all thereon did call, 
 
 or took in vain the same. 
 
 Gal. 3:10. 
 1 Cor. 6 : 9. 
 Rev. 21 : 8. 
 
3() THE DAY OP DOOM. 
 
 XXXI. 
 
 Exod. 20 : 7, 8. Blasphemers lewd, and Swearers shrewd, 
 
 scoffers at Purity, 
 That hated God, contemn d his Rod, 
 
 and lov d Security ; 
 
 2 Thes. 1 : 6, Sabbath-polluters, Saints-persecutors, 
 8 9> presumptuous men and proud, 
 
 Who never lov d those that reprov d ; 
 all stand amongst this crowd. 
 
 XXXII.. 
 
 Adulterers and "Whoremongers 
 Heb. 13 : 4. were there, with all unchast ; 
 
 1 Cor. 6 : 10. Tn er e Covetous and Ravenous, 
 
 that riches got too fast : 
 Who us d vile ways themselves to raise 
 
 t Estates and worldly wealth, 
 Oppression by or knavery, 
 by force, or fraud, or stealth. 
 
 Moreover, there together were 
 
 children flagiti-ous, 
 And Parents who did them undo 
 Zach. 5 : 3, 4. by nurture vici-ous. 
 20 1 21 : False-witness-bearers and self-forswearers, 
 
 Murd rers and Men of Blood, 
 Witches, Enchanters, and Ale-house haunters, 
 beyond account there stood. 
 
 Their place there find all Heathen blind 
 
 that Nature s light abus d, 
 
 Rom. 2 : 13. Although they had no tidings glad 
 of Gospel grace refus d 
 
THE DAY OF DOOM. 31 
 
 There stand all Nations and Generations 
 of Adam s Progeny, [not, 
 
 "Whom Christ redeem d not, whom he esteem d 
 through Infidelity ; 
 
 XXXV. 
 
 Who no Peace-maker, no undertaker, 
 
 to shroud them from God s ire, 
 Ever obtain d ; they must be pain d Acts 4 : 12. 
 
 with everlasting fire. 
 These num rous bands, wringing their hands, 
 
 and weeping all stand there, 
 Filled with anguish, whose hearts do languish, 
 
 through self-tormenting fear. 
 
 XXXVI. 
 
 Fast by them stand at Christ s left hand, 
 
 the Lion fierce and fell, 
 The Dragon bold, that Serpent old, 
 
 that hurried Souls to Hell. 1 Cor. 6 : 3. 
 
 There also stand, under command, 
 
 legions of Sprites unclean, 
 And hellish Fiends, that are no friends 
 
 to God, nor unto Men. 
 
 XXXVII. 
 
 With dismal chains, and strongest reins, 
 
 like Prisoners of Hell, Jude 6. 
 
 They re held in place before Christ s face, 
 
 till He their Doom shall tell. 
 These void of tears, but fill d with fears, 
 
 and dreadful expectation 
 Of endless pains and scalding flames, 
 
 stand waiting for Damnation. 
 
 THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
32 
 
 THE DAY OF DOOM. 
 
 The Saints 
 cleared and 
 justified. 
 
 2 Cor. 5 : 10. 
 Eccl. 3 : 17. 
 John 3 : 18. 
 
 Job 17 : 6. 
 Eph. 1 : 4. 
 
 XXXVIII. 
 
 All silence keep botli Goats and Sheep 
 
 before the Judge s Throne ; 
 With mild aspect to his Elect 
 
 then speaks the Holy One : 
 " My Sheep draw near, your Sentence hear, 
 
 which is to you no dread, 
 Who clearly now discern and know 
 
 your sins are pardoned. 
 
 xxxix. 
 " Twas meet that ye should judged be, 
 
 that so the World may spy 
 No cause of grudge, when as I judge 
 
 and deal impartially. 
 Know therefore all both great and small, 
 
 the ground and reason why 
 These Men do stand at my right hand 
 
 and look so cheerfully. 
 
 XL. 
 " These Men be those my Father chose 
 
 before the World s foundation, 
 And to me gave, that I should save 
 
 from Death and Condemnation ; 
 For whose dear sake I flesh did take, 
 
 was of a Woman born, 
 And did inure myself t endure 
 
 unjust reproach and scorn. 
 
 " For then it was that I did pass 
 through sorrows many a one ; 
 
 .That I drank up that bitter Cup 
 which made me sigh and groan. 
 
THE DAY OF D O 31 . 
 
 The Cross s pain I did sustain ; R cy . i . 5. 
 
 yea more, my Father s ire 
 I underwent, my Blood I spent 
 
 to save them from Hell-tire. 
 
 33 
 
 " Thus I esteemed, thus I redeemed 
 
 all these from every Nation, 
 That they may be (as now you see) Eph. 2 : 1, 3. 
 
 a chosen Generation. 
 What if ere while they were as vile 
 
 and bad as any be, 
 And yet from all their guilt and thrall 
 
 at once I set them free ? 
 
 XLIII. 
 
 " My grace to one is wrong to none ; 
 
 none can Election claim ; 
 Amongst all those their souls that lose, u at 2 3 . 13 
 
 none can Rejection blame. 15. 
 
 He that may choose, or else refuse, 
 
 all men to save or spill, 
 May this Man choose, and that refuse, 
 
 redeeming whom he will. 
 
 XLIV. 
 
 " But as for those whom I have chose 
 
 Salvation s heirs to be, Iga 53 . 4 
 
 I underwent their punishment, 5, 11. 
 
 and therefore set them free. 
 I bore their grief, and their relief 
 
 by suffering procur d, 
 That they of bliss and happiness 
 
 might firmly be assur d. 
 
34 THEDAYOFDOOM. 
 
 XLV. 
 
 " And tliis my grace they did embrace, 
 Acts 1 : 3, 48. believing on my Name ; 
 
 Hdb" 12 - 1 ? Which Faith was true ) the fruits do sliew 
 Mat. 19 : 29. proceeding from tlie same ; 
 Their Penitence, their Pati-ence, 
 
 their Love and Self-denial, 
 In suff ring losses and bearing Crosses, 
 when put upon the trial ; 
 
 XLVI. 
 " Their sin forsaking, their cheerful taking 
 
 my Yoke, their Charity 
 Unto the Saints in all their wants, 
 
 and in them unto me ; 
 
 1 John 3 : 3. These things do clear, and make appear 
 Mat. 25 : 39, 40. their Faitll to be un fei g ned, 
 
 And that a part in my desert 
 and purchase they have gained. 
 
 XLVII. 
 " Their debts are paid, their peace is made, 
 
 their sins remitted are ; 
 Isa. 53 : 11, 12. Therefore at once I do pronounce, 
 
 ?7 , I 33 8 34! 6 and oP enl 7 declare, 
 
 John 3 : 18. That Heav n is theirs, that they be Heirs 
 
 of Life and of Salvation ; 
 Nor ever shall they come at all 
 
 to Death or to Damnation. 
 
 XL VIII. 
 
 " Come blessed Ones and sit on Thrones, 
 
 judging the World with me ; 
 Come and possess your happiness, 
 Luke 22 : 29, 30. and bought felicity ; 
 
THEDAYOFDOOM. 35 
 
 Henceforth no fears, no care, no tears, Mat, 19 : 28. 
 
 no sin shall you annoy, 
 Nor any thing that grief doth bring : 
 
 Eternal Rest enjoy. 
 
 XLIX. 
 
 " You bore the Cross, you suffer d loss Mat. 25 : 34. 
 
 of all for my Name s sake ; laced^n 
 
 Receive the Crown that s now your own ; Thrones to join 
 
 come, and a Kingdom take." judging the "* 
 
 Thus spake the Judge : the wicked grudge wicked. 
 
 and grind their teeth in vain ; 
 They see with groans these plac d on Thrones, 
 
 which addeth to their pain : 
 
 L. 
 
 That those whom they did wrong and slay, 
 
 must now their Judgment see ! 
 Such whom they slighted and once, despited, 
 
 must now their Judges be ! 
 Thus tis decreed, such is their meed, 
 
 and guerdon glorious ; Cor. 6 : 2. 
 
 With Christ they sit, judging it fit 
 
 to plague the Impious. 
 
 LI. 
 
 The wicked are brought to the Bar, 
 
 like guilty Malefactors, The wicked 
 
 That oftentimes of bloody Crimes l^Bar. t0 
 
 and Treasons have been Actors. Rom. 2 : 3, 6, 
 
 Of wicked Men, none are so mean 
 
 as there to be neglected ; 
 Nor none so high in dignity 
 
 as there to be respected. 
 
THEDAY.OF DOOM. 
 
 The glorious Judge will privilege 
 
 nor Emperor nor King ; 
 But every one that hath misdone 
 Rev. 6 : 15, 16. doth unto judgment bring. 
 Isa. 30 : 33. An(i everv one that hath misdone, 
 
 the Judge impartially 
 Condemneth to eternal woe, 
 and endless misery. 
 
 LIU. 
 
 Thus one and all, thus great and small, 
 
 the Rich as well as Poor, 
 And those of place, as the most base, 
 
 do stand the Judge before. 
 They are arraign d, and there detain d 
 
 before Christ s Judgment seat, 
 With trembling fear their Doom to hear, 
 
 and feel his Anger s heat. 
 
 LIV. 
 There Christ demands at all their hands 
 
 a strict and straight account 
 Of all things done under the Sun, 
 Eccl. 11 : 9, whose number far surmount 
 
 12 14 - Man s wit and thought : they all are brought 
 
 unto this solemn Trial, 
 And each offense with evidence, 
 so that there s no denial. 
 
 LV. 
 There s no excuse for their abuse, 
 
 since their own Consciences 
 More proof give in of each Man s sin, 
 
 than thousand Witnesses. 
 
THE DAY OF DOOM. 
 
 Though formerly this faculty 
 
 had grossly been abused, 
 (Men could it stifle, or with it trifle, 
 
 when as it them accused,) 
 
 LVI. 
 
 Now it comes in, and every sin 
 
 unto Men s charge doth lay ; 
 It judgeth them and doth condemn, 
 
 though all the World say nay. J 
 It so stingeth and tortureth, 
 
 it worketh such distress, 
 That each Man s self against himself, 
 
 is forced to confess. 
 
 37 
 
 LVII. 
 
 It s vain, moreover, for Men to cover 
 
 the least Iniquity ; 
 The Judge hath seen, and privy been 
 
 to all their villainy. 
 He unto light and open sight 
 
 the work of darkness brings ; 
 He doth unfold both new old, 
 
 both known and hidden things. 
 
 Secret sins and 
 works of dark 
 ness brought to 
 light. 
 Ps. 139 : 2, 4, 
 
 Rom. 2 : 16. 
 
 All filthy facts and secret acts, 
 
 however closely done, 
 And long conceal d, are there reveal d 
 
 before the mid-day Sun. 
 Deeds of the night, shunning the light, 
 
 which darkest corners sought, 
 To fearful blame, and endless shame, 
 
 are there most justly brought. 
 
 Eccl. 12 : 14. 
 
38 THEDAYOFDOOM. 
 
 * LIX. 
 
 And as all facts, and grosser acts, 
 
 so every word and thought, 
 
 Mat 12 36 Erroneous notion and lustful motion, 
 Rom. 7 : 7. are unto Judgment brought. 
 
 No Sin so small and trivial, 
 but hither it must come ; 
 Nor so long past but now at last 
 it must receive a doom. fc 
 
 LX. 
 
 An account At this sad season, Christ asks a Reason 
 SSI*" (with just austerity) 
 John 5 : 40, and Of Grace refus d, of light abus d 
 
 Mat. 9 26 = 19, 27. SO ft > SO wilfull 7 5 
 
 Of Talents lent, by them misspent 
 
 and on their Lust bestown, 
 Which if improv d as it behoov d 
 Heav n might have been their own ; 
 
 Of times neglected, of means rejected, 
 
 of God s long-suffering 
 And Pati-ence, to Penitence 
 Rom. 2 : 4, 5. that sought hard hearts to bring ; 
 
 "Why chords of love did nothing move, 
 
 to shame or to remorse ? 
 Why warnings grave, and counsels, have 
 
 naught chang d their sinful course ? 
 
 Why chastenings, and evils things, 
 why judgments so severe, 
 
 Prevailed not with them a jot, 
 nor wrought an awful fear ? 
 
THEDAYOFDOOM. 39 
 
 Why promises of Holiness > 
 
 and new Obedience, Jer. 2 : 20. 
 
 They oft did make, but always brake 
 
 the same, to God s offense ? 
 
 LXIII. 
 
 Why still Hell-ward, without regard, 
 
 they bold ventured, John 3 : 19, etc. 
 
 And chose Damnation before Salvation, Luke lV- S^ 21 
 
 \rhen it was offered? 
 Why sinful pleasures and earthly treasures, 
 
 like Cools, they prized more 
 Than Htav nly wealth, Eternal health, 
 
 and all Christ s Royal store ? 
 
 LXIV. 
 
 Why, when lie stood off ring his Blood 
 
 to wash them from their sin, Luke 13 : 34. 
 
 They would embrace no saving Grace, ^ hn 2 | : 40 and 
 
 but liv d and died therein ? 
 Such aggravations, where no evasions, 
 
 nor false pretences hold, 
 Exaggerate and cumulate 
 
 guilt more than can be told. 
 
 LXV. 
 
 They multiply and magnify 
 
 Men s gross Iniquities ; 
 They draw down wrath (as Scripture saith) 
 
 out of God s treasuries. 
 Thus all their ways Christ open lays 
 
 to Men and Angels view, 
 And as they were makes them appear 
 
 in their own proper hue. 
 
40 THE DAY OF DOOM. 
 
 LXVI. 
 
 Thus he doth find of all Mankind, 
 Rom. 3 : 10, 12. that stand at his left hand, 
 
 No mother s son but hath misdone, 
 
 and broken God s command. 
 All have transgress d, even the best, 
 
 and merited God s wrath, 
 Unto their own perditi-on 
 
 and everlasting scath. 
 
 LXVII. 
 
 Earth s dwellers all, both great and sme J, 
 Kom. 6 : 23. have wrought iniquity, 
 
 And suffer must (for it is just) 
 
 Eternal misery. 
 Amongst the many there come not any, 
 
 before the Judge s face. 
 That able are themselves to clear, 
 of all this cursed Race. 
 
 LXVIII. 
 
 Nevertheless, they all express, 
 Hypocrites (Christ granting liberty,) 
 
 What for their wa y the v have to s *7> 
 how they have liv d, and why. 
 
 They all draw near and seek to clear 
 themselves by making pleas ; 
 
 There Hypocrites, false-hearted wights, 
 do make such pleas as these : 
 
 LXIX. 
 
 " Lord, in thy Name, and by the same, 
 Mat. 7 : 21, 22, we Devils dispossess d ; 
 
 We rais d the dead and minist red 
 Succor to the distressed. 
 
THE DAY OF DOOM. 4} 
 
 Our painful teaching and pow rful preaching 
 
 by thine own wondrous might, 
 Did throughly win to God from sin 
 
 many a wretched wight." 
 
 " All this," quoth he, " may granted be, 
 
 and your case little better d, Tho Judge 
 
 Who still remain under a chain John^Vo 
 
 and many irons fetter d. 1 Cor. 9 : 27. 
 
 You that the dead have quickened, 
 
 and rescu d from the grave, 
 Yourselves were dead, yet ne er needed 
 
 a Christ your souls to save. 
 
 LIU. 
 
 " You that could preach, and others teach 
 
 what way to life doth lead, Rom. 2 : 19, 21, 
 
 Why were you slack to find that track 22 23t 
 
 and in that way to tread ? 
 How could you bear to see or hear 
 
 of others freed at last 
 From Satan s paws, whilst in his jaws 
 
 yourselves were held more fast ? 
 
 " Who though you knew Repentance true, 
 
 and Faith is my great Name, John 9 : 41. 
 
 The only mean to quit you clean, Kev - 2 : 21) 22 * 
 
 from punishment and blame, 
 Yet took no pain true Faith to gain, 
 
 such as might not deceive, 
 Nor would repent with true intent, 
 
 your evil deeds to leave. 
 
42 THE DAY OP I) COM. 
 
 LXXIII. 
 
 " His Master s will how to fulfil 
 Luke 12 : 47. the servant that well knew, 
 22*g l : 21 Yet left undone his duty known, 
 
 more plagues to him are due. 
 You against light perverted right ; 
 
 wherefore it shall be now 
 For Sidon and for Sodom s Land 
 more easy than for you." 
 
 LXXIV. 
 
 " But we have in thy presence been," 
 Another plea of say some, " and eaten there. 
 
 S Did We not eat th y Flesl1 for meat > 
 and feed on Heav ; nly Cheer ? 
 
 "Whereon who feed shall never need, 
 
 as thou thyself dost say, 
 Nor shall they die eternally, 
 
 but live with Christ for aye. 
 
 LXXV. 
 "We may allege, thou gav st a pledge 
 
 of thy dear Love to us, 
 In Wine and Bread, which figured 
 
 thy Grace bestowed thus. 
 Of strength ning Seals, of sweetest Meals, 
 
 have we so oft partaken ; 
 And shall we be cast off by thee, 
 
 and utterly forsaken ?" 
 
 The answer. To whom the Lord, thus in a word, 
 
 Mat 6 22 - ! 12 returns a s]l or-t repty : 
 " I never knew any of you 
 that wrought Iniquity. 
 
, 
 
 THE DA TOP DOOM. 43 
 
 >u eaj, >-ou ve been my Presence in ; 
 >ut t len, liow came you there 
 :^feainient vile that did defile 
 JW^Huite disgrace my Cheer ? 
 
 ffllB 
 
 LXXVII. 
 
 u draw near without due fear 
 o >!y Table? 
 
 rofane and render vain, 
 so far as you were able, 
 Those Mysteries, which whoso prize, 
 
 and carefully improve, 
 Shall saved be undoubtedly, 
 and nothing shall them move ? 
 
 LXXVIII. 
 
 " How durst you venture bold guests to enter 
 
 in such a sordid hue, 
 Amongst my guests unto those Feasts 
 
 that were not made for you ? ! ^ n . 27 
 
 How durst you eat for spir tual meat 29. 
 
 your bane, and drink damnation, 
 Whilst by your guile you render d vile 
 
 so rare and great Salvation ? 
 
 LXXIX. 
 
 " Your fancies fed on heav nly Bread, 
 
 your hearts fed on some Lust ; 
 You lov d the Creature more than th Creator, 
 
 your souls clove to the dust. 
 And think you by Hypocrisy, 
 
 and cloaked Wickedness, 
 To enter in laden with sin, 
 
 to lasting Happiness 1 
 
44 
 
 THE DAY OF DOOM. 
 
 1 Cor. 11 : 27, 
 29. 
 
 " Tliis your excuse shews your abuse 
 
 of tilings ordain cl for good, 
 And doth declare you guilty are 
 
 of rny dear Flesh and Blood. 
 W herefore those Seals and precious Mealij 
 
 you put so much upon 
 As things Divine, they Seal and Sign 
 
 you to Perditi-on." 
 
 . 
 
 Another sort 
 of Hypocrites 
 make their 
 pleas. 
 
 Then forth issue another Crew 
 
 (those being silenced), 
 Who drawing nigh to the Most High, 
 
 adventure thus to plead : 
 " We sinners were," say they, " tis clear, 
 
 deserving condemnation ; 
 But did not we rely on thec, 
 
 Christ, for whole Salvation ? 
 
 Acts 8 : 
 Isa. 58 
 Heb. 6 
 
 13. 
 2,3. 
 4,5. 
 
 " We did believe, and oft receive 
 
 thy gracious Promises ; 
 We took great care to get a share 
 
 in endless Happiness. 
 We pray d and wept, and Fast-days kept, 
 
 lewd ways we did eschew ; 
 We joyful were thy Word to hear ; 
 
 we form d our lives anew. 
 
 LXXXIII. 
 
 " We thought our sin had pardon d been, 
 2 Pet. 2 : 20. that our Estate was good, 
 
 Our debts all paid, our peace well made, 
 our Souls wash d with thy Blood. 
 

 THE DAY OF DOOM 
 
 45 
 
 Lord, why dost though reject us now, 
 who have not thee rejected, 
 
 Nor utterly true sanctity 
 and holy life neglected ?" 
 
 The Judge incens d at their pretens d 
 
 self-vaunting Piety, 
 With such a look as trembling strook 
 
 unto them made reply : 
 " impudent, impenitent, 
 
 and guileful generation ! 
 Think you that I cannot descry 
 
 your hearts abomination ? 
 
 The Judge 
 urcaseth them. 
 John 2 : 24, 25. 
 
 LXXXV. 
 
 " You nor receiv d, nor jet believ d 
 
 my Promises of Grace, 
 Nor were you wise enough to prize 
 
 my reconciled Face ; 
 But did presume that to assume 
 
 which was not yours to take, 
 And challenged the Children s Bread, 
 
 yet would not sin forsake. 
 
 John 6 : 64. 
 Psal. 50 : 16. 
 Mat. 15 : 26. 
 
 LXXXVI. 
 
 " Being too bold you laid fast hold 
 
 where int rest you had none, 
 Yourselves deceiving by your believing, 
 
 all which you might have known. 
 You ran away but ran astray 
 
 with Gospel Promises, 
 And perished, being still dead 
 
 in sins and trespasses. 
 
 Rev. 3 : 17. 
 Mat. 13 : 20. 
 
4(3 THEDAYOFDOOM. 
 
 " How oft did I Hypocrisy 
 
 and Hearts deceits unmask 
 Mat. 6 : 2, Before your sight, giving you light 
 Jei^S -56 * know a Christian s task ? 
 
 7, 8. But you held fast unto the last 
 
 your own conceits so vain. 
 No warning could prevail j you would 
 your own Deceits retain. 
 
 LXXXVIII. 
 " As for your care to get a share 
 
 in Bliss ; the fear of Hell, 
 And of a part in endless smart, 
 Psal. 78 : 34, did thereunto compel. 
 
 OC ryr oy 
 
 Your holiness and ways redress, 
 
 such as it was, did spring 
 From no true love to things above, 
 
 But from some other thing. 
 
 LXXXIX. . 
 
 Zach. 7 : 5, 6. You pray d and wept, you Fast-days kept, 
 
 l S Sam! 15 : 4 " but did vou this to me ? 
 
 13, 21. No, but for sin you sought to win 
 
 Isa. 1 : 11. 15. ,, ,., 
 
 the greater liberty. 
 
 For all your vaunts, you had vile haunts, 
 for which your Consciences 
 
 Did you alarm, whose voice to charm 
 you us d these practices. 
 
 xc. 
 
 " Your Penitence, your diligence 
 Mat. 6 : 2, 5. to Read, to Pray, to Hear, 
 John 5 : 44. Were but to drown t h e c l am rO us sound 
 
 of Conscience in your Ear. 
 
THE DAY OF DOOM. 47 
 
 . 
 
 Zech. 7 : 5, 16. 
 Hos. 10 : 1. 
 
 If light you lov d, vain glory mov d 
 yourselves therewith to store, 
 
 That seeming wise men might you prize, 
 and honor you the more. 
 
 xci. 
 
 " Thus from yourselves unto yourselves, 
 
 your duties all do tend ; 
 And as self-love the wheels doth move, 
 
 so in self-love they end." 
 Thus Christ detects their vain projects, 
 
 and close Impiety, 
 And plainly shews that all their shows 
 
 were but Hypocrisy. 
 
 Then were brought nigh a Company 
 
 of Civil honest Men, Civil honest 
 
 That lov d true dealing and hated stealing, 
 
 ne er wrong d their Bretheren ; 
 Who pleaded thus : ( Thou knowest us 
 
 that we were blameless livers ; 
 No Whoremongers, no Murderers, 
 
 no quarrelers nor strivers. 
 
 xcm. 
 
 " Idolaters, Adulterers, 
 
 Church-robbers we were none, 
 Nor false dealers, nor cozeners, 
 
 but paid each man his own. 
 Our way was fair, our dealing square, 
 
 we were no wasteful spenders, 
 No lewd toss-pots, no drunken sots, 
 
 no scandalous offenders. 
 
 
 
48 
 
 THE DAY OF DOOM. 
 
 XCIV. 
 
 " We hated vice and set great price, 
 
 by virtuous conversation ; 
 1 Sam. 15 .- 22. And by the same we got a name 
 
 and no small commendation. 
 God s Laws express that righteousness 
 
 is that which he doth prize ; 
 And to obey, as he doth say, 
 
 is more than sacrifice. 
 
 " Thus to obey hath been our way ; 
 Ecol. 7 : 20. let our good deeds, we pray, 
 
 Find some regard and some reward 
 
 with thee, O Lord, this day. 
 And whereas we transgressors be, 
 
 of Adam s race were none, 
 No, not the best, but have confess d 
 
 themselves to have misdone." 
 
 Are taken off 
 and rendered 
 invalid. 
 Deut. 10 : 12. 
 Tit. 2 : 12. 
 Jam. 2 : 10. 
 
 Then answer6d unto their dread, 
 
 the Judge : " True Piety 
 God doth desire and eke require, 
 
 no less than honesty. 
 Justice demands at all your hands 
 
 perfect Obedience j 
 If but in part you have come short, 
 
 that is a just offense. 
 
 XCVII. 
 
 " On Earth below, where men did owe 
 a thousand pounds and more, 
 
 Could twenty pence it recompense ? 
 Could that have clear d the score 1 
 
THEDAYOFDOOM. 49 
 
 Think you to buy Felicity 
 with part of what s due debt ? 
 
 Or for desert of one small part, 
 the whole should off be set ? 
 
 xcvm. 
 
 " And yet that part whose great desert 
 
 you think to reach so far, Luke 18: 11^ 
 
 For your excuse doth you accuse, 
 
 and will your boasting mar. 
 However fair, however square 
 
 your way and work hath been 
 Before -men s eyes, yet God espies 
 
 iniquity therein. 
 
 xcix. 
 
 " God looks upon tli affecti-on 
 
 and temper of the heart ; 
 Not only on the acti-on, 1 Sam. 16 : 7. 
 
 and the external part. 
 Whatever end vain men pretend, 
 
 God knows the verity, 
 And by the end which they intend 
 
 their words and deeds doth try. 
 
 " Without true Faith, the Scripture saith, 
 God cannot take delight 
 
 In any deed that doth proceed Heb. 11 : 6. 
 
 / -i -i , 1 Cor. lo : 1, 
 
 from any sinful wight. 2, 3. 
 
 And without love all actions prove 
 
 but barren empty things ; 
 Dead works they be and vanity, 
 
 the which vexation brings. 
 3 
 
50 THE DAY OF DOOM. 
 
 " Nor from true Faith, which quencheth wrath, 
 
 hath your obedience flown ; 
 Nor from true Love, which wont to move 
 
 Believers, hath it grown. 
 Your argument shews your intent 
 
 in all that you have done ; 
 You thought to scale Ileav n s lofty Wall 
 
 by Ladders of your own. 
 
 u Your blinded spirit hoping to merit 
 l)y your own Righteousness, 
 
 Needed no Savior but your behavior, 
 Rom. 10 : 3. and blameless carriages. 
 
 You trusted to what you could do, 
 and in no need you stood ; 
 
 Your haughty pride laid me aside, 
 And trampled on my Blood. 
 
 cm. 
 
 11 All men have gone astray, and done 
 Rom. 9 : 30, 32. that which God s laws condemn ; 
 
 l ^ But m ^ Purcliase and offer d Grace 
 All men did not contemn. 
 
 The Ninevites and Sodomites 
 had no such sin as this ; 
 
 Yet as if all your sins were small, 
 you say, All did amiss. 
 
 civ. 
 " Again you thought and mainly sought 
 
 a name with men t acquire ; 
 Pride bare the Bell that made you swell, 
 
 and your own selves admire. 
 
THE DAY OF DOOM 
 
 51 
 
 Mean fruit it is, and vile, I wiss, 
 that springs from such a root ; 
 
 Virtue divine and genuine 
 
 wonts not from pride to shoot. 
 
 Mat. 6 : 5. 
 
 cv. 
 
 " Such deeds as your are worse than poor 
 
 they are but sins gilt over 
 With silver dross, whose glist ring gloss 
 
 can them no longer cover. 
 The best of them would you condemn, 
 
 and ruin you alone, 
 Although you were from faults so clear, 
 
 that other you had none. 
 
 Prov. 26 : 23. 
 Mat. 23 : 27. 
 
 CVI. 
 
 " Your gold is brass, your silver dross, 
 
 your righteousness is sin ; 
 And think you by such honesty 
 
 Eternal life to win ? 
 You much mistake, if for its sake 
 
 you dream of acceptation ; 
 Whereas the same deserveth shame 
 
 and meriteth damnation." 
 
 Prov. 15 : 8. 
 Rom. 3 : 20. 
 
 A wondrous crowd then gan aloud 
 
 thus for themselves to say : 
 " We did intend, Lord, to amend, 
 
 and to reform our way. 
 Our true intent was to repent 
 
 and make our peace with thee ; 
 But sudden death stopping our breath, 
 
 left us no liberty. 
 
 Those that 
 pretend want 
 of opportunity 
 to repent. 
 Prov. 27 : 1. 
 Jam. 4 : 13. 
 
52 
 
 THE DAY OF DOOM. 
 
 " Short was our time, for in its prime 
 
 our youthful pow r was cropt ; 
 "We died in youth before full growth, 
 
 so was our purpose stopt. 
 Let our good will to turn from ill, 
 
 and sin to have forsaken, 
 Accepted be, Lord, by thee, 
 
 and in good part be taken." 
 
 To whom the Judge : " Where you allege 
 Are confuted the shortness of the space, 
 
 "SJuS 1 ?? 84 " That from y ur birtk y u n v d on earth 
 
 Rev. 2 : 21. to compass saving Grace, 
 
 It was Free Grace that any space 
 
 was given you at all, 
 To turn from evil, defy the Devil, 
 and upon God to call. 
 
 Luke 13 : 24. 
 7 2 8 9 
 
 " One day, one week wherein to seek 
 
 God s face with all your hearts, 
 A favor was that far did pass 
 
 tlie best f y Ur deserts - 
 You had a season ; what was your reason 
 
 such precious hours to waste 1 
 What could you find, what could you mind 
 
 that was of greater haste ? 
 
 Eccl. 11 : 9 
 
 " Could you find time for vain pastime, 
 for loose, licentious mirth ? 
 
 For fruitless toys and fading joys, 
 that perish in the birth ? 
 
THE DAY OF DOOM. 
 
 53 
 
 Had you good leisure for carnal Pleasure, 
 in days of health and youth ? 
 
 And yet no space to seek God s face, 
 and turn to him in truth ? 
 
 cxn. 
 
 " In younger years, beyond your fears, 
 
 what if you were surprized ? 
 You put away the evil day, 
 
 and of long life devised. 
 You oft were told, and might behold, 
 
 that Death no Age doth spare ; 
 "Why then did you your time foreslow, 
 
 and slight your soul s welfare ? 
 
 Amos 6 : 3, 4, 
 5, 6. 
 
 Eph. 5 : 16. 
 Luke 19 : 42 
 
 CXIII. 
 
 " Had your intent been to repent, 
 
 and had you it desir d, 
 There would have been endeavors seen 
 
 before your time expir d. 
 God makes no treasure, nor hath he pleasure 
 
 in idle purposes j 
 Such fair pretenses are foul offenses, 
 
 and cloaks for wickedness."* 
 
 Luke 13 : 24, 
 25, etc. 
 Phil. 2 : 12. 
 
 CXIV. 
 
 Then were brought in and charg d with sin, 
 
 another Company, 
 T\ r ho by Petition obtain d permission 
 
 to make Apology. 
 They argued, " We were misled, 
 
 as is well known to thee, 
 By their example that had more ample 
 
 abilities than we ; 
 
 Some plead ex 
 amples of their 
 betters. 
 Mat. 18 : 7. 
 
54 THE DAY OF DOOM. 
 
 cxv. 
 
 " Sucli as profess d they did detest 
 
 and hate each wicked way ; 
 "Whose seeming grace whilst we did trace, 
 
 our Souls were led astray. 
 John 7 : 48. When men of Parts, Learning, and Arts, 
 
 professing Piety, 
 Did thus and thus, it seem d to us 
 
 we might take liberty." 
 
 cxvi. 
 
 Who are told The Judge replies : " I gave you eyes, 
 l^rS ! 3 And light to see your way, 
 Psal. 19 : 8, 11. Which had you lov d and well improv d, 
 Exod. 23 : 2. , , \ 
 
 Psal. 50 : 17 y ou ^ad n t g ne astray. 
 18 My Word was pure, the Rule was sv.rc ; 
 
 Why did you it forsake, 
 Or thereon trample, and men s example 
 your Directory make ? 
 
 " This you well knew : that God is true, 
 
 and that most men are liars, 
 2 Tim. 3:5. In word professing holiness, 
 
 in deed thereof deniers. 
 simple fools ! that having Rules, 
 
 your lives to regulate, 
 Would them refuse, and rather choose 
 
 vile men to imitate." 
 
 cxvin. 
 They nrs;e that " But, Lord," say they, " we went ar.tray, 
 
 tZJSUA and (M more wickedly> 
 
 Examples. But By means of those whom thou hast chose 
 all their shifts Sa i vation s l ieirs to be." 
 
THE DAY OF DOOM. 
 
 To whom the Judge : " What you allege 
 
 doth nothing help the case, 
 But makes appear how vile you were, 
 
 and rend reth you more base. 
 
 55 
 
 turn to their 
 greater shame. 
 
 CXIX. 
 
 " You understood that what was good, 
 
 was to be followed, 
 And that you ought that which was naught 
 
 to have relinquished. 
 Contrariwise it was your guise 
 
 only to imitate 
 Good men s defects, and their neglects 
 
 who were regenerate. 
 
 1 Cor. 11 : 1. 
 Phil. 4 : 8. 
 
 cxx. 
 
 " But to express their holiness, 
 
 or imitate their grace, 
 You little car d, nor once prepar d 
 
 your hearts to seek my Face. 
 They did repent and truly rent 
 
 their hearts for all known sin ; 
 You did offend, but not amend, 
 
 to follow them therein." 
 
 Psal. 32 : 5. 
 2 Chron. 32 : 26. 
 Mat. 26 : 75. 
 Prov. 1 : 24, 25. 
 
 CXXI. 
 
 " We had thy Word," say some, " Lord, 
 
 but wiser men than we 
 Could never yet interpret it, 
 
 but always disagree. 
 How could we fools be led by Rules 
 
 so far beyond our ken, 
 Which to explain did so much pain 
 
 and puzzle wisest men ?" 
 
 Some plead the 
 Scriptures 
 darkness, and 
 difference 
 among Inter 
 preters. 
 2 Pet, 3 : 16. 
 
5C THE DAY OF DOOM. 
 
 CXXII. 
 
 They are con- " Was all my Word abstruse .and hard ?" 
 
 Prot 14 : 6. the Jud S e then answered j 
 
 Isa. 35 : 8. " It did contain much Truth, so plain 
 
 IIos. 8 : 12. y OU ^g^ have run and read. 
 
 But what was hard you never car d 
 
 to know, or studied ; 
 
 And things that were most plain and clear 
 you never practis6d. 
 
 " The Mystery of Piety 
 Mat, 11 : 25. God unto Babes reveals, 
 
 Prov. 2 : 3, 4, 5. when to the Wise he it denies, 
 and from the world conceals. 
 If to fulfil God s holy Will 
 had seemed good to you, 
 You would have sought light as you ought, 
 and done the good you knew." 
 
 Then came in view another crew, 
 
 and gan to make their pleas ; 
 Amongst the rest, some of the best 
 Others the fear had such poor shifts as these : 
 
 AS I^ 11 " Thou know st ri S ht well, who all canst toll, 
 
 we liv d amongst thy foes, 
 Who the Renate did sorely hate 
 and goodness much oppose. 
 
 cxxv. 
 
 u We holiness durst not profess, 
 John 12 : 42, 43. fearing to be forlorn 
 
 Of all our friends, and for amends 
 to be the wicked s scorn. 
 
THE DAY OF DOOM. 
 
 57 
 
 We knew their anger would much endanger 
 
 our lives and our estates ; 
 Therefore, for fear, we durst appear 
 
 no better than our mates." 
 
 To whom the Lord returns this word : 
 
 " wonderful deceits ! 
 To cast off awe of God s strict law, 
 
 and fear men s wrath and threats ; 
 To fear hell-fire and God s fierce ire 
 
 less than the rage of men ; 
 As if God s wrath could do less scath 
 
 than wrath of bretheren ! 
 
 They are an 
 swered. 
 Luke 12: 4, 5. 
 Isa. 51 : 12, 13. 
 
 " To use such strife, a temp ral life 
 
 to rescue and secure, 
 And be so blind as not to mind 
 
 that life that will endure ! 
 This was your case, who carnal peace 
 
 more than true joys did savor ; 
 "Who fed on dust, clave to your lust, 
 
 and spurned at my favor. 
 
 " To please your kin, men s love to win, 
 
 to flow in worldly wealth, 
 To save your skin, these things have been 
 
 more than Eternal health. 
 You had your choice, wherein rejoice ; 
 
 it was your porti-on, 
 For which you chose your souls I expose 
 
 unto Perditi-on. 
 
 3* 
 
 Luke 9 : 23, 
 24, 25, 
 and 16 : 2. 
 
53 THE DAY OF DOOM. 
 
 CXXIX. 
 
 " Who did not hate friends, life, and state, 
 Luke 9 : 26. with all things else for me, 
 
 John S 8 - !!) 6 20 And a11 forsake and s CroSs u P- take 
 shall never happy be. 
 
 Well worthy they to die for aye, 
 - who death than life had rather ; 
 Death is their due that so value 
 the friendship of my Father." 
 
 cxxx. 
 
 Others plead Others argue, and not a few, 
 for pardon both uj s not (^ O( j g rac i-ous? 
 from God s 
 Mercy and His Equity and Clemency, 
 
 are the not marvellous ? 
 
 plTS 38 
 
 2 Kin. 14 : 26. Thus we believ d 5 are we deceiv d ? 
 
 Cannot his Mercy great, 
 (As hath been told to us of old,) 
 
 assuage his anger s heat ? 
 
 CXXXI. 
 
 " How can it be that God should see 
 
 his Creatures endless pain, 
 Or hear their groans and rueful moan.?, 
 
 and still his wrath retain 1 
 Can it agree with Equity, 
 
 can Mercy have the heart, 
 To recompense few years offense 
 
 with everlasting smart ? 
 
 CXXXII. 
 
 " Can God delight in such a sight 
 
 as sinners misery ? 
 
 Psal. 30 : 9. Or what great good can this our blood 
 Mic. 7 : 18. bring unto the most High ? 
 
. THEDAYOFDOOM. 59 
 
 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 not it raise thine endless praise, 
 
 more than our suffering ?" 
 With that they cease, holding their peace, 
 
 but cease not still to weep ; 
 Grief ministers a flood of tears, 
 
 in which their words do steep. 
 
 cxxxiv. 
 
 But all too late; grief s out of date, 
 
 when Life is at an end. They are 
 
 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 Mercy now 
 
 are plac d at my right hand, th^vest^c 
 
 Whose stripes I bore, and clear d the score, Mercy. 
 
 that they might quitted stand. Bom. 9 : 23. 
 
 For surely none but God alone, 
 
 whose Grace transcends men s thought, 
 For such as those that were his foes 
 
 like wonders would have wrought. 
 
60 
 
 THE DAY OF DOOM. 
 
 Did also wait 
 upon such as 
 abused it. 
 Rom. 2 : 4. 
 Hos. 11 : 4. 
 
 CXXXVI. 
 
 " And none but lie such lenity 
 
 and patience would have shown 
 To you so long, who did him wrong, 
 
 and pull d his Judgment down. 
 How long a space, stiff-neck d race, 
 
 did patience you afford ? 
 How oft did love you gently move, 
 
 to turn unto the Lord ? 
 
 cxxxvu. 
 
 " With chords of love God often strove 
 Luke 13 : 34. your stubborn hearts to tame ; 
 GraSwpast Nevertheless your wickedness 
 
 did still resist the same. 
 If now at last Mercy be past 
 
 from you. for evermore, 
 And Justice come in Mercy s room, 
 yet grudge you not therefore. 
 
 CXXXVIII. 
 
 Luke 19: 42, 
 
 43. 
 
 Jude 4. 
 
 " If into wrath God turned hath 
 
 his long, long-suffering, 
 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. 
 
 cxxxix. 
 
 " It s now high time that ev ry Crime 
 Rom. 2 : 5, 6. be brought to punishment ; 
 Amos 2 : 13. Wrath long contain d and oft restrain d, 
 Gen. 18 : 25. a t last must have a vent. 
 
THE DAT OF DOOM 
 
 Justice severe cannot forbear 
 
 to plague sin any longer, 
 But must inflict with hand most strict 
 
 mischief upon the wronger. 
 
 CXL. 
 
 " In vain do they for Mercy pray, Mat. 25 : 3, 1, 
 
 the season being past, ^ 12 ; 
 
 Who had no care to get a share 30. 
 
 therein, while time did last. 
 The man 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 Equity Isa 5 . 18 ^ 19> 
 
 and with God s holy Law, Gen. 2:17. 
 
 That those should die eternally 
 
 that Death upon them draw. 
 The soul that sins Damnation wins, 
 
 for so the Law ordains ; 
 Which Law is just ; and therefore must 
 
 such suffer endless pains. 
 
 CXLII. 
 
 " Eternal smart is the desert 
 
 ev n of the least ofiense ; 
 Then wonder not if I allot Rom. 6 : 23. 
 
 to you this Kecompense j 2 Thes - 1 : 8 9 - 
 
 But wonder more that since so sore 
 
 and lasting plagues are due 
 To every sin, you liv d therein, 
 
 who well the danger knew. 
 
QO THE DAY OF DOOM. 
 
 CXLIII. 
 
 Ezek. 33 : 11. " God hath no joy to crush or stroy, 
 
 andli^ 17 7 and ru * n wretcned wights ; 
 
 But to display the glorious Ray 
 
 of Justice he delights. 
 To manifest he doth detest, 
 
 and throughly hate all sin, 
 Rom. 9 : 22. By plaguing it as is most fit 
 this shall him Glory win." 
 
 CXLIV. 
 
 Some pretend Then at the Bar arraigned are 
 
 li an impudenter sort, 
 "Gcxf s Who to evade the guilt that s laid 
 R 9 18 19 Upon them, thus retort : 
 
 " How could we cease thus to transgress ? 
 
 How could we Hell avoid, 
 Whom God s Decree. shut out from tliee, 
 and sign d to be destroy d ? 
 
 " Whom God ordains to endless pains 
 by Law unalterable, 
 
 Heb. 22 : 17. Repentance true, Obedience new, ,, 
 
 Rom. 11 : 7, 8. to gaye gucll are una bl ei \ 
 
 by God 
 I)ecree. 
 
 Sorrow for sin no good can win, 
 
 to such as are rejected ; 
 Nor can they grieve nor yet believe, 
 
 that never were elected. 
 
 " Of Man s fall n race, who can true Grace 
 
 or Holiness obtain ? 
 Who can convert or change his heart, 
 
 if God withhold the same ? 
 
HE DAY OF DOOM 
 
 63 
 
 Had we applied ourselves and tried 
 as much as who did mo.,.t, 
 
 God s love to gain, our busy pain 
 and labor had been lost." 
 
 CXLVII. 
 
 Christ readily makes this Reply: 
 
 u I damn you not because 
 You are rejected, nor yet elected ; 
 
 but you have broke my Laws. 
 It is in vain your wits to strain 
 
 the end and means to sever ; 
 Men fondly seek to part or break 
 
 what God hath link d together. 
 
 Their pleas 
 taken off. 
 Luke 13: 27. 
 2 Pet. 1 : 9, 10, 
 compared \vi;h 
 Mat. 19 : 16. 
 
 " Whom God will save, such he will have 
 
 the means of life to "use ; 
 Whom he ll pass by shall choose to die, 
 
 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. 
 
 Acts 3 : 19, 
 and 16 : 31. 
 
 1 Sam. 2 : 15. 
 John 3 : 19. 
 Job 5 : 40. 
 
 2 Thes. 2 : 11, 
 12. 
 
 CXLIX. 
 
 " High God s Decree, as it is free, 
 
 so doth it none compel 
 Against their will to good or ill ; 
 
 it forceth none to 51L_ 
 They have their wish whose Souls p ovish 
 
 with /Torments in Hell-fire, [^ 
 Who rathef choose their souls to lose , 
 
 than leave a loose desire, 
 
 Ezek. 33 : 11, 
 
 12. 
 
 Luke 13: 34. 
 
 Prov. 8 : 33, 
 
 38. 
 
64 THEDAYOFDOOM 
 
 CL. 
 
 Gen. 2j 17. " God did ordain sinners to pain, 
 Mat. 25 : 41, yet he to Hell gendg none 
 
 Ezek. 18 : 20. But such as swerv d and have deserv d 
 
 destruction as their own. 
 His pleasure is, that none from Bibs 
 
 and endless happiness 
 Be barr d, but such as wrong d him much, 
 by willful wickedness. 
 
 CLI. 
 " You, sinful Crew ! no other kneAv 
 
 - : 46 
 Luke 13*: 24. Why did you then yourselves condemn ? 
 
 Why did you me reject ? 
 Where was your strife to gain that life 
 
 which lasteth evermore ? 
 You never knock d, yet say God lock d 
 
 against you Heaven s door. 
 
 CLII. 
 Mat. 7 : 7, 8 Twas no vain task to knock and 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, 
 Gal. 5 : 22, 23.. 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 ; 
 nor can they change their will. 
 
THEDAYOFDOOM. (35 
 
 Not for liis Can is any man 
 
 adjudged unto Hell, 
 But for his Will to do what s ill, John 3 : 19. 
 
 and nil ling to do well. / 
 
 CLIV. 
 
 " I often stood tend ring my Blood 
 
 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, John 5 : 40. 
 
 when Grace was freely proffer d, 
 No changed heart, no heav nly part 
 
 would you, when it was offer d. 
 
 CLV. 
 
 " Who willfully the remedy, 
 
 and means of life contemned, 
 Caus& have the same themselves to blame, John 15 : 22, 
 
 if now they be condemned. ^ 2 
 
 You have yourselves, you and none else, Isa. 66 : 34. 
 
 to blame that you must die ; 
 You chose the way to your decay, 
 
 and perish d willfully." 
 
 CLVI. 
 
 These words appall and daunt them all, 
 
 dismay d and all amort, 
 Like stocks that stand at Christ s left hand 
 
 and dare no more retort. 
 Then were brought near with trembling fear, 
 
 a number numberless, 
 Of Blind Heathen and brutish men, 
 
 that did God s Law transgress j 
 
CG 
 
 THE DAY OF DOOM 
 
 Whose wicked ways Christ open lays, 
 
 and makes their sins appear, 
 They making pleas their case to ease, 
 Heathen men if not themselves to clear. 
 
 Word. 
 
 Mat. 11 : 22. 
 Luke 12 : 48. 
 
 we never did enjoy ; 
 We ne er refus d, nor it abus d ; 
 Oh, do not us destroy !" 
 
 CLVIII. 
 " You ne er abus d, nor yet refus d 
 
 my Written Word, you plead ; 
 That s true," quoth he, " therefore shall ye 
 
 the less be punished. 
 You shall not smart for any part 
 
 of other men s offense, 
 But for your own transgressi-on 
 
 receive due recompense. " 
 
 1 Cor. 1 : 21, 
 Insufficiency 
 of the light 
 of Nature, 
 
 " But we were blind," say they, " in mind ; 
 
 too dim was Nature s Light, 
 Our only guide, as hath been tried, 
 
 to bring us to the sight 
 Of our estate degenerate, 
 
 and curs d by Adam s Fall j 
 How we were born and lay forlorn 
 
 in bondage and in thrall. 
 
 "We did not know a Christ till now, 
 nor how fall n men be saved, 
 
 Else would we not, right well we wot, 
 have so ourselves behaved. 
 
THE DAY OF DOOM, 
 
 C7 
 
 We should have mourn d, we should have turn d 
 
 from sin at thy Reproof, 
 And been more wise through thy advice, 
 
 for our own soul s behoof. Mat. 11 : 22. 
 
 CLXI. 
 
 " But Nature s light shin d not so bright, 
 
 to teach us the right way : 
 We might have lov d it and well improv d it, 
 
 and yet have gone astray." 
 The Judge most High makes this Reply : They aro 
 
 " You ignorance pretend, 
 Dimness of sight, and want of light, 
 
 your course Ileav nward to bend. 
 
 answered. 
 
 " How came your mind to be so blind ? 
 
 I once you knowledge gave, 
 Clearness of sight and judgment 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 the smart 
 
 you ought not me to blame. 
 
 CLXIII. 
 
 " Yourselves into a pit of woe, 
 
 your own transgression 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. 
 
 Gen. 1 : 27. 
 Eccl. 7 : 20. 
 Hos. 13 : 9. 
 
 Mat. 11 : 25, 
 compared with 
 20 : 15. 
 
THE X> AY Of DOOM. 
 
 " Tis vain to tell, you wot fall well, 
 
 if you in time had known 
 Your misery and remedy, 
 
 your actions had it shown : 
 Rom. 1 : 20, You, sinful Crew, have not been true 
 
 91 22 
 
 unto the Light of Nature, 
 Nor done the good you understood, 
 nor owned your Creator. 
 
 CLXV. 
 " He that the Light, because tis slight, 
 
 hath used to despise, 
 Rom. 2 : 12, 15, Would not the Light shining more bright, 
 
 HOL be like1 ^ for to P rize " 
 
 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." 
 
 <t CLXVI. 
 
 Reprobate In- Then to the Bar all they drew near 
 
 fonts plead for Who died in in f ancy 
 
 themselves. 
 
 Rev. 20 : 12, And never had or good or bad 
 
 15 effected pers nally : 
 
 compared with *^ 
 
 Rom. 5 : 12, 14, But from the womb unto the tomb 
 
 E"ek laW 3 " were strai S ntwa 7 carried, 
 
 (Or at the least ere they transgress d) 
 who thus began to plead : 
 
 *CLXVII. 
 " If for our own transgressi-on, 
 
 or disobedience, ^ 
 
 We here did stand at thy left hand, 
 
 just were the Recompense; 
 
THE DAY OF DOOM. 
 
 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 ate of the Tree, 
 
 whose fruit was interdicted ; 
 Yet on us all of his sad Fall 
 
 the punishment s inflicted. 
 How could we sin that had not been, 
 
 or how is his sin our, 
 Without consent, which to prevent 
 
 we never had the pow r ? 
 
 great Creator why was our Nature 
 
 depraved and forlorn ? 
 Why so detil d, and made so vil d, 
 
 whilst we were yet unborn ? 
 If it be just, and needs we must 
 
 transgressors reckon d be, 
 Thy Mercy, Lord, to us afford, Psal. 51 -. 5. 
 
 which sinners hath set free. 
 
 CLXX. 
 
 " Behold we see Adam set free, 
 
 and sav d from his trespass, 
 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, 
 
 who was the chief offender ? ; 
 
70 THE DAY OF DOOM 
 
 Then answered the Judge most dread : 
 Their argu- God doth such doom forbid, 
 
 Ezek! 18 k : e 20 ff " T]iat men sllould die eternally 
 Kom. 5;. 12, 19. 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 public Head ; 
 
 1 Cor. 15 . A common Root, whence all should shoot, 
 48, 49. - , , , . ,, . , 
 
 and stood in all their steaa. 
 
 He stood and fell, did ill or well, 
 
 not for himself alone, 
 But for you all, who now his Fall 
 
 and trespass would disown. 
 
 " If he had stood, then all his brood 
 
 had been established 
 In God s true love never to move, 
 
 nor once awry to tread ; 
 Then all his Race my Father s Grace 
 
 should have enjoy d for ever, 
 And wicked Sprites by subtile sleights 
 
 could them have harmed never. 
 
 CLXXIV. 
 Would you have griev d to have receiv d 
 
 through Adam so much good, -^4 
 As had been your for evermore, 
 
 if he at first had stood ? 
 
THE DAY OF DOOM. 
 
 Would you have said, We ne er obey d 
 
 nor did thy laws regard ; 
 It ill befits with benefits, 
 
 us, Lord, to so reward ? 
 
 " Since then to share in his welfare, 
 
 you could have been content, ^ 
 
 You may with reason share in his treason, 
 
 and in the punishment. R om . 5 : 12. 
 
 Hence you were born in state forlorn, sal - 61 : 5 - 
 
 . Al \ r . Gen. 5 : 3. 
 
 with Natures so depraved ; 
 
 Death was your due because that you 
 had thus yourselves behaved. 
 
 CLXXVI. 
 
 " You think If we had been as he, 
 
 whom God did so betrust, 
 We to our cost would ne er have lost 
 
 all for a paltry lust. 
 Had you been made in Adam s stead, Mat. 23 : 30, 31. 
 
 you would like things have wrought, 
 And so into the self-same woe, 
 
 yourselves and yours have brought. 
 
 CLXXVII. 
 
 N 
 
 " I may deny you once to try, 
 
 or Grace to you to tender, 
 Though he finds Grace before my face Rom. 9 : 15, 18. 
 
 who was the chief offender ; " 
 Else should my Grace cease to be Grnce, 
 
 for it would not be free, 
 If to release whom I should please 
 
 I have no Liberty. 
 
72 
 
 THE DAY OF DOOM. 
 
 Mat. 20 : 15. 
 
 Psal. 58 : 8. 
 Rom. 6 : 23. 
 Gal. 3 : 10. 
 Rom. 8 : 29, 
 30, and 11 : 7. 
 Rev. 21 : 27. 
 Luke 12: 14,* 
 Mat. 11 : 22. 
 
 CLXXVI1I. 
 
 " If upon one what s due to none 
 
 I frankly shall bestow, 
 And on the rest shall not think best 
 
 compassion s skirt to throw, 
 Whom injure T ? will you envy 
 
 and grudge at others weal ? 
 Or me accuse, who do refuse 
 
 yourselves to help and heal ? 
 
 CLXXIX. 
 " Am I alone of what s my own, 
 
 no Master or no Lord ? 
 And if I am, how can you claim 
 
 what I to some afford ? 
 Will you demand Grace 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. 
 i. Yet to compare your sin with their 
 
 who liv d a longer time, 
 I do confess yours is much less, 
 though every- sin s a crime. 
 
 The wicked all " A crime it is, therefore in bliss 
 
 convinced and you mav not ] ol p e to dwell ; 
 
 put to silence. J J - 
 
 Rom. 3 : 19. But unto you I shall allow 
 
 Mat. 22 : 12. tto eagiest room in j^n 
 
THE DAT OF DOOM 73 
 
 The glorious King thus answering, 
 they cease, and plead 110 longer ; 
 
 Their Consciences must needs confess 
 his Reasons are the stronger. 
 
 CLXXXII. 
 
 Thus all men s pleas the Judge with ease Behold the 
 
 , , n -i c formidable 
 
 doth answer and confute, estate of all the 
 
 Until that all, both great and small, ungodly as they 
 
 ., , , , __ stand hopeless 
 
 are silenced and mute. V and helpless 
 
 Tain hopes are crdpt, all mouths are stopt, \ before an im- 
 
 r . parttalJndge, 
 
 sinners have naught to say, / expecting their 
 
 But that tis just and equal most \ final Sentence, 
 they should be damn d for aye. 
 
 CLXXXIII. 
 
 Now what remains, but that to pains 
 
 and everlasting smart, 
 Christ should condemn the sons of men, 
 
 which is their just desert? 
 Oh rueful plights of sinful wights ! 
 
 Oh wretches all forlorn ! 
 T had happy been they ne er had seen 
 
 the sun, or not been born. 
 
 CLXXXIV. 
 
 Yea now it would be good they could 
 
 themselves annihilate, 
 And cease to be, themselves to free 
 
 from such a fearful state. 
 happy Dogs, and Swine, and Frogs, 
 
 yea, Serpent s generation ! 
 "Who do not fear this doom to hear, 
 
 and sentence of Damnation ! 
 
74 T II E D A Y F D O O M . 
 
 CLXXXV. 
 
 This is their state so desperate ; 
 
 their sins are fully known ; 
 Their vanities and villanies 
 Psal. 139 : 2, 3, before the world are shown. 
 
 Eccl. 12 14. As ^ej are ross and im P ious ) 
 so are their numbers more 
 
 Than motes in th Air, or than their hair, 
 or sands upon the shore. 
 
 CLXXXVI. 
 
 Divine Justice offended is, 
 
 and satisfaction claim eth ; 
 God s wrathful ire, kindled like fire, 
 Mat. 25 : 45. against them fiercely flameth. 
 
 Their Judge severe doth quite cashier, 
 
 and all their pleas off take, 
 That ne er a man, or dare, or can 
 
 a further answer make. 
 
 CLXXXVII. 
 
 Their mouths are shut, eacli man is put 
 Mat, 22 : 12. to silence and to shame, 
 
 Luke 19 ?42! Nor have the y au S ht within their thought, 
 Christ s Justice for to blame. 
 
 The Judge is just, and plague them must, 
 nor will he Mercy shew, 
 
 For Mercy s day is past away 
 to any of this Crew. 
 
 CLXXXVIII. 
 
 The Judge is strong, doers of wrong 
 Mat. 28 : 18. cannot his pow r withstand ; 
 
 None can by flight run out of sight, 
 nor scape out of his hand. 
 
< ^v 
 
 \ 
 DIVERSITY I 
 
 \ s 
 
 ^. ^^ 
 
 THE DAY OF DOOM. 75 
 
 Sad is tlieir state ; for Advocate, 
 
 to plead tlieir cause, there s none ; Psal. 137 : 7- 
 
 None to prevent their punishment, 
 
 or mis ry to bemoan. 
 
 CLXXXIX. 
 
 dismal day ! whither shall they 
 
 for help and succor flee ? 
 To God above with hopes to move 
 
 their greatest Enemy ? Isa. 33 : 14. 
 
 His wrath is great, whose burning heat 
 
 no floods of tears can slake ; 
 His Word stands fast that they be cast 
 
 into the burning Lake. 
 
 To Christ their Judge? He doth adjudge Mat. 25 : 41, 
 
 them to the Pit of Sorrow ; Jjf 25 : 10 n > 
 
 Nor will he hear, or cry or tear, 
 
 nor respite them one morrow. 
 To Heav n, alas ! they cannot pass, 
 
 it is against them shut ; 
 To -enter there (0 heavy cheer) 
 
 they out of hopes are put. 
 
 cxci. 
 Unto their Treasures, or to their Pleasures ? Luke 12 : 20. 
 
 All these have them forsaken ; Si tt*:^ 1?< 
 
 Had they full coffers to make large offers, 
 
 tlieir gold would not be taken. 
 Unto the place where whilom was 
 
 their birth and Education ? 
 Lo ! Christ begins for their great sins, 
 
 to fire the Earth s Foundation ; 
 
76 THEDAYOFDOOM. 
 
 CXCII. 
 
 And by and by the flaming Sky 
 shall drop like molten Lead 
 
 About their ears, t increase their fears, 
 2 Pet. 3 : 10. and aggravate their dread. 
 
 To Angel s good that ever stood 
 in their integrity, 
 
 Should they betake themselves, and make 
 their suit incessantly ? 
 
 CXCIII. 
 
 They ve neither skill, nor do they will 
 
 to work them any ease ; 
 They will not mourn to see them burn, 
 Mat. 13 : 41, 42. nor beg for their release. 
 Rev. 20 : 13, 15. x o wicked men, their bretheren 
 
 in sin and wickedness, 
 
 Should they make moan? Their case is o:ic 
 they re in the same distress. 
 
 Ah ! cold comfort and mean support, 
 from such like Comforters ! 
 
 Ah ! little joy of Company, 
 Luke 16 : 28. and fellow-sufferers ! 
 
 Such shall increase their heart s disease, 
 and add unto their woe, 
 
 Because that they brought to decay 
 themselves and many moe. 
 
 cxcv. 
 
 Unto the Saints with sad complaints 
 should they themselves apply ? 
 
 Rev. 21 : 4. They re not dejected nor aught affected 
 Psal. 58 : 10. misery> 
 
THE DAY OF DOOM. 
 
 77 
 
 Friends stand aloof and make no proof 
 what Prayers or Tears can do ; 
 
 Your Godly friends are now more friends 
 to Christ than unto you. 
 
 cxcvi. 
 
 Where tender love men s hearts did move 
 
 unto a sympathy, 
 And bearing part of others smart 
 
 in their anxiety, 
 Now such compassion is out of fashion, 
 
 and wholly laid aside"; 
 No friends so near, but Saints to hear 
 
 their Sentence can abide. 
 
 4 
 
 1 Cor. G : 2. 
 
 CXCVII. 
 
 One natural Brother beholds another 
 
 in his astonied fit, 
 Yet sorrows not thereat a jot, 
 
 nor pities him a whit. 
 The godly "Wife conceives no grief, 
 
 nor can she shed a tear 
 For the sad state of her dear Mate, 
 
 when she his doom doth hear. 
 
 Compare 
 Prov. 1 : 26. 
 with 1 John 3 
 2, and 2 Cor. 
 5:16. 
 
 CXCVIII. 
 
 He that was erst a Husband pierc d 
 
 with sense of Wife s distress, 
 Whose tender heart did bear a part 
 
 of all her grievances, 
 Shall mourn no more as heretofore, 
 
 because of her ill plight, 
 Although he see her now to be 
 
 a damn d forsaken wight. 
 
7ft 
 
 THE DAY OF DOOM. 
 
 CXCIX. 
 
 The tender Mother will own no other 
 of all her num rous brood, 
 
 But such as stand at Christ s right hand, 
 Luke 16 : 25, acquitted through his Blood. 
 
 The pious Father had now much rather 
 his graceless Son should lie 
 
 In Hell with Devils, for all his evils, 
 burning eternally, 
 
 Than God most High should injury 
 
 by sparing him sustain ; 
 Psal. 58 : 10. And doth rejoice to hear Christ s voice, 
 
 adjudging him to pain. 
 Thus having all, both great and small, 
 
 convinc d and silenced, 
 Christ did proceed their Doom to r"ea<l, 
 
 and thus it uttered : 
 
 The Judge 
 pronounceth 
 the sentence of 
 condemnation. 
 Mat 25 : 41. 
 
 " Ye sinful wights and cursed sprights, 
 
 that toork iniquity , 
 Depart together from me for ever 
 
 to endless Misery ; 
 Your portion take in yonder Lake, 
 
 where Fire and Brimstone Jlameth ; 
 Suffer the smart which your desert, 
 
 as its due wages claimeth" 
 
 The terror 
 of it. 
 
 Oh piercing words, more sharp than swords ! 
 
 What ! to depart from Thee, 
 Whose face before for evermore 
 
 the best of Pleasures be ! 
 

 THE DAY OF DOOM. 79 
 
 What ! to depart (unto our smart), 
 
 from thee Eternally ! 
 To be for aye banisli d away 
 
 with Devils company ! 
 
 com. 
 
 What ! to be sent to Punishment, 
 
 and flames of burning Fire ! 
 To be surrounded, and eke confounded 
 
 with God s revengeful Ire ! 
 What ! to abide, not for a tide, 
 
 these Torments, but for Ever ! 
 To be releas d, or to be eas d, 
 
 not after years, but Never ! 
 
 cciv. 
 
 v - Oh fearful Doom ! now there s no room 
 
 for hope or help at all ; 
 Sentence is past which aye shall last ; 
 
 Christ will not it recall. 
 Then might you hear them rend and tear 
 
 the Air with their out-cries ; 
 The hideous noise of their sad voice 
 
 ascendeth to the Skies. 
 
 ccv. 
 
 They wring their hands, their caitiff-hands, 
 
 and gnash their teeth for terror ; Luke 13 : 38. 
 
 They cry, they roar for anguish sore, 
 
 and gnaw their tongues for horror. 
 But get away without delay, 
 
 Christ pities not your cry ; 
 Depart to Hell, there may you yell, 
 
 and roar Eternal ly. 
 
80 
 
 THE DAY OF DOOM. 
 
 It is put i 
 
 CCVI. 
 
 That word "Depart," maugre their heart, 
 drives every wicked one, 
 
 With mi S htv P ow r > the self-same hour, 
 far from the Judge s Throne. 
 
 Away they re chas d by the strong blast 
 of his Death-threat ning mouth ; 
 
 They flee full fast, as if in haste, 
 although they be full loath. 
 
 ccvn. 
 
 As chaff that s dry, as dust doth fly 
 Mat. 13 : 41. 42. before the Northern wind, 
 
 Right so are they chased away, 
 
 and can no Refuge find. 
 They hasten to the Pit of Woe > 
 
 guarded by Angels stout, 
 Who to fulfil Christ s holy Will, 
 attend this wicked Rout j 
 
 HELL. 
 
 Mark 9:42 
 Isa. 30 : 33. 
 Eev. 21 : 8. 
 
 Wicked men 
 
 Mat. 22 : 13, 
 
 CCVIII. 
 
 Whom having brought as they are taught, 
 unto the brink of Hell, 
 
 ( That dismal P laC6 > far from Christ s face > 
 
 where Death and Darkness dwell, 
 Where God > s fierce j re kind i etll tlie fire? 
 
 and vengeance feeds the flame, 
 With piles of Wood and Brimstone Flood, 
 so none can quench the same,) 
 
 ccix. 
 With Iron bands they bind their hands 
 
 and curs d feet fr* 6 *". 
 
 And cast them all, both great and small, 
 into that Lake forever, 
 
THE DAY OF DOOM 
 
 81 
 
 Where day and night, without respite, 
 they wail, and cry and howl, 
 
 For tort ring pain which they sustain, 
 in Body and in Soul. 
 
 ccx. 
 
 For day and night, in their despite, 
 
 their torment s smoke ascendeth, 
 Their pain and grief have no relief, 
 
 their anguish never endeth. 
 There must they lie and never die, 
 
 though dying every day ; 
 There must they dying ever lie, 
 
 and not consume away. 
 
 ccxi. 
 
 Die fain they would if die they could, 
 
 but Death will not be had ; 
 God s direful wrath their bodies hath 
 
 forev r immortal made. 
 They live to lie in misery, 
 
 and bear eternal woe ; 
 And live they must whilst God is just, 
 
 that he may plague them so. 
 
 CCXII. 
 
 But who can tell the plagues of Hell, 
 
 and torments exquisite ? 
 Who can relate their dismal state, 
 
 and terrors infinite ? 
 Who fare the best and feel the least, 
 
 yet feel tliat punishment 
 Whereby to nought they would be brought 
 
 if God did not prevent. 
 
 Rev. 14 : 10, 11. 
 
 The unsufifera- 
 ble torments of 
 the Damned. 
 Luke 16 24. 
 Jude 7. 
 
g2 . THEDAYOFDOOM. 
 
 CCXIII. 
 
 The least degree of misery 
 
 there felt is incomparable ; 
 
 Isa. 33 : 14. The lightest pain they there sustain 
 Mark 9 : 43, 44. is more than intolerable. 
 
 But God s great pow r from hour to hour 
 
 upholds them in the fire, 
 That they shall not consume a jot 
 nor by its force expire. 
 
 ccxiv. 
 But, ah, the woe they undergo 
 
 (they more than all beside) 
 Who had the light, and knew the right, 
 Luke 12 : 47. yet would not it abide ! 
 
 The sev n fold smart which to their part 
 
 and porti-on doth fall, 
 
 Who Christ s free Grace would not embrace. 
 nor hearken to his call. 
 
 ccxv. 
 
 The Amorites and Sodomites, 
 Mat. 11 : 24. although their plagues be sore, 
 
 Yet find some ease compar d to these, 
 
 who feel a great deal more. 
 Almighty God, whose Iron Rod, 
 
 to smite them never lins, 
 Doth most declare his Justice rare 
 in plaguing these men s sins. 
 
 ccxvi. 
 
 The pain of loss their souls doth toss, 
 Luke 16 : 23, and wond rously distress, 
 - 25 > and 13 : 28 To think what they have cast away 
 by willful wickedness. 
 
THE DAY OP DOOM. 83 
 
 " We might have been redeem d from sin," 
 
 think they, " and liv d above, 
 Being possesst of Heav nly rest, 
 
 and joying in God s love. 
 
 " But woe, woe, woe, our Souls unto ! 
 
 we would not happy be ; 
 And therefore bear God s vengeance here Luke 13 : 24. 
 
 to all Eternity. 
 Experience and woful sense 
 
 must be our painful teachers, 
 Who d not believe, nor credit give 
 
 unto our faithful Preachers." 
 
 CCXVIII. 
 
 Thus shall they lie and wail and cry, 
 
 tormented and tormenting j 
 Their galled hearts with poison d darts, Mat. 9 44. 
 
 but now too late repenting. Rom - 2 : 15> 
 
 There let them dwell in th Flames of Hell : 
 
 there leave we them to burn. 
 And back again unto the men 
 
 whom Christ acquits, return. 
 
 The Saints behold with courage bold The Saints 
 
 and thankful wonderment, rejoice to see 
 
 Judgment cxe- 
 To see all those that were their foes cuted upon the 
 
 thus sent to punishment. 
 Then do they sing unto their King Rev. 10 : 1, 
 
 a Song of endless Praise ; 2 3 - 
 
 They praise his Name and do proclaim 
 
 that just are all his ways. 
 
84 
 
 THE DAY OF DOOM 
 
 CCXX. 
 
 They ascend Thus with great joy and melody 
 ^ Hea *n S: to Heav n they all ascend, 
 umpiring. Him there to praise with sweetest lays, 
 Mat. 25 : 46. ftnd Hymns that never end . 
 
 "Where with long rest they shall be blest 3 
 and naught shall them annoy, 
 
 Where they shall see as seen they be, 
 and whom they love enjoy. 
 
 1 John 3 : 2. 
 1 Cor 13 12. 
 
 Their eternal 
 happiness and 
 incomparable 
 glory there. 
 
 Kev. 21 : 4. 
 
 Psal. 16 : 11. 
 
 ccxxi. 
 Oh- glorious Place ! where face to face 
 
 Jehovah may be seen, 
 By such as were sinners while here, 
 
 and no dark veil between ! 
 Where the Sunshine and light Divine 
 
 of God s bright countenance, 
 Doth rest upon them every one, 
 
 with sweetest influence ! 
 
 ccxxi i. 
 Oh blessed state of the Renate ! 
 
 Oh wond rous happiness, 
 To which they re brought beyond what thought 
 
 can reach or words express ! 
 Grief s watercourse and sorrow s source 
 
 are turn d to joyful streams; 
 Their old distress and heaviness 
 
 are vanished like dreams. 
 
 CCXXIII. 
 
 For God above in arms of love 
 
 doth dearly them embrace, 
 And fills their sprights with such delights, 
 
 and pleasures in his Grace, 
 
THE DAY OF DOOM. 85 
 
 As shall not fail, nor yet grow stale, 
 
 through frequency of use ; 
 Nor do they fear God s favor there 
 
 to forfeit by abuse. 
 
 ccxxiv. 
 
 For there the Saints are perfect Saints, 
 
 and holy ones indeed ; 
 From all the sin that dwelt within Heb. 12 : 23. 
 
 their mortal bodies freed ; 
 Made Kings and Priests to God through Christ s 
 
 dear Love s transcendency, 
 There to remain and there to reign Rev. 1 : 6, 
 
 with him Eternally. and 22 : 5 - 
 
A SHORT DISCOURSE ON ETERNITY, 
 
 WHAT mortal man can with a Span 
 
 mete out Eternity ? 
 Or fathom it by depth of Wit, 
 
 or strength of Memory ? 
 The lofty Sky is not so high, 
 
 Hell s depth to this is small ; 
 The World so wide is but a stride, 
 
 compared therewithal. 
 
 It is a main great Oce-an 
 
 withouten bank or bound, 
 A deep Abyss, wherein there is 
 
 no bottom to be found. 
 This World hath stood now since the Flood, 
 
 four thousand years well near, 
 And had before endured more 
 
 than sixteen hundred year. 
 
 But what s the time from the World s prime, 
 
 unto this present day, 
 If we thereby Eternity 
 
 to measure should essay ? 
 The whole duration since the Creation, 
 
 though long, yet is more little, 
 If placed by Eternity, 
 
 than is the smallest tittle. 
 
88 ETERNITY. 
 
 Tell every Star both near and far, 
 
 in Heav. n s bright Canopy 
 That doth appear throughout the year 
 
 of high or low degree : 
 Tell every Tree that thou canst see 
 
 in this vast Wilderness, 
 Up in the "Woods, down by the Floods, 
 
 in thousand miles Progress : 
 
 The sum is vast, yet not so vast 
 
 but that thou may st go on 
 To multiply the leaves thereby J 
 
 that hang those Trees upon : 
 Add thereunto the Drops that thou 
 
 imaginest to be 
 In April Show rs, that bring forth Flow rs 
 
 and blossoms plenteously : 
 
 Number the Fowls and living Souls 
 
 that through the Air do fly, 
 The winged Hosts in all their Coasts 
 
 beneath the starry Sky : 
 Count all the Grass as thou dost pass 
 
 through many a pasture-land, 
 And dewy Drops that on the tops 
 
 of Herbs and Plants do stand : 
 
 Number the Sand upon the Strand, 
 
 and atoms of the Air-; 
 And do thy best on Man and Beast, 
 
 to reckon every Hair : 
 Take all the Dust, if so thou lust, 
 
 and add to thine Account : 
 Yet shall the Years of Sinners tears, 
 
 the Number far surmount. 
 
ETERNITY. 
 
 Naught join d to naught can ne er make aught, 
 
 nor Cyphers make a Sum ; 
 Nor things finite, to infinite 
 
 by multiplying come : 
 A Cockle-shell may serve as well 
 
 to lade the Ocean dry 
 As finite things and reckonings 
 
 to bound Eternity. 
 
 Oh happy they that live for aye, 
 
 with Christ in Heav n above ! 
 
 Who know withal that nothing shall 
 
 deprive them of his love. 
 Eternity, Eternity ! 
 
 Oh ! were it not for thee, 
 The Saints in bliss and happiness 
 
 could never happy be. 
 
 For if they were in any fear 
 
 that this their joy might cease, 
 It would annoy (if not destroy) 
 
 and interrupt their peace. 
 But being sure it shall endure 
 
 so long as God shall live ; 
 The thoughts of this, unto their bliss, 
 
 do full perfection give. 
 
 Cheer up ye Saints amidst your wants 
 
 and sorrows many a one ; 
 Lift up the head, shake off all dread, 
 
 and moderate your moan. 
 Your sufferings and evil things 
 
 will suddenly be past ; 
 Your sweet Fruitions and blessed Visions, 
 
 for evermore shall last. 
 
 89 
 
9Q- ETERNITY. 
 
 Lament and mourn you that must burn 
 
 amidst those flaming Seas : 
 If once you come to such a doom, 
 
 for ever farewell ease. 
 sad estate and desperate, 
 
 that never can be mended. 
 Until God s Will shall change, or till 
 
 Eternity be ended ! 
 
 If any one this Questi-on 
 
 shall unto me propound : 
 What ! have the years of Sinners tears 
 
 no limits or no bound ? 
 It kills our heart to think of smart, 
 
 and pains that last for ever ; 
 And hear of tire that shall expire, 
 
 or be extinguish d never, 
 
 I ll answer make (and let them take 
 
 my words as I intend them ; 
 For this is all the Cordi-al 
 
 that here I have to lend them : ) 
 When Heav n shall cease to flow with peace 
 
 and all felicity, 
 Then Hell may cease to be the place 
 
 of Woe and Misery. 
 
 When Heav n is Hell, when 111 is Well, 
 
 when Virtue turns to Vice; 
 When Wrong is Right, when Dark is Light, 
 
 when Naught is of great price ; 
 Then may the years of Sinners tears 
 
 and sufferings expire, 
 And all the Hosts of damned Ghosts 
 
 escape out of Hell-fire. 
 
ETERNITY. < 
 
 When Christ above shall cease to love, 
 
 when God shall cease to reign 
 And be no more as heretofore 
 
 the World s great Sovereign ; 
 Or not be just, or favor lust, 
 
 or in Men s sins delight ; 
 Then wicked men (and not till then) 
 
 to Ileav n may take their flight. 
 
 When God s great Power shall be brought lower, 
 
 by foreign Puissance, 
 Or be decay d and weaker made 
 
 through Time s continuance ; 
 When drowsiness shall him oppress, 
 
 and lay him fast asleep, 
 Then sinful men may break their pen, 
 and out of Prison creep. 
 
 When those in Glory shall be right sorry 
 
 they may not change their place, 
 And wish to dwell with those in Hell, 
 
 never to see Christ s face ; 
 Then those in pain may freedom gain 
 
 and be with Glory dight : 
 Then Hellish fiends may be Christ s Friends, 
 
 and Heirs of Heaven hight. 
 
 Then, ah ! poor men ! What ! not till then ? 
 
 No, not an hour before j 
 For God is just, and therefore must 
 
 torment them evermore. 
 ETERNITY ! ETERNITY ! 
 
 thou mak st hard hearts to bleed : 
 The thoughts of thee in 
 
 do make men wail indeed. 
 
ETERNITY. 
 
 When they remind what s still behind 
 
 and ponder this word NEVER, 
 That they must there be made to bear 
 
 God s Vengeance for EVER : . 
 The thought of this more bitter is 
 
 than all they feel beside j 
 Yet what they feel, nor heart of steel, 
 
 nor flesh of brass can bide. 
 
 To lie in woe and undergo 
 
 the direful pains of Hell, 
 And know withal, that there they shall 
 
 for aye and ever dwell ; 
 And that they are from rest as far 
 
 when fifty thousand year, 
 Twice told, are spent in punishment, 
 
 as when they first came there ; 
 
 This, oh ! this makes Hell s fiery flakes 
 
 much more intolerable ; 
 This makes frail wights and damned sprites 
 
 to bear their plagues unable. 
 This makes men bite, for fell despite, 
 
 their very tongues in twain ; 
 This makes them roar for great horrcr, 
 
 and trebleth all their pain. 
 
A POSTSCRIPT UNTO THE READER. 
 
 AND now, good Reader, I return again 
 
 To talk with thee who hast been at the pain 
 
 To read throughout and heed what went before ; 
 
 And unto thee I ll speak a little more. 
 
 Give ear I pray thee unto what I say, 
 
 That God may hear thy voice another day. 
 
 Thou hast a Soul, my Friend, and so have I, 
 
 To save or lose ; a Soul that cannot die ; 
 
 A Soul of greater price than Gold or Gems ; 
 
 A Soul more worth than Crowns and Diadems ; 
 
 A Soul at first created like its Maker, 
 
 And of God s Image made to be partaker : 
 
 Upon the wings of noblest Faculties, 
 
 Taught for to soar above the Starry Side?, 
 
 And not to rest, until it understood 
 
 Itself possessed of the cliiefest Good. 
 
 And since the Fall. thy Soul retaineth still 
 
 Those faculties of Reason and of Will, 
 
 But oh ! how much deprav d and out of frame, 
 
 As if they were some other s, not the same ! 
 
 Thine Understanding dismally benighted, 
 
 And Reason s eye in Spir tual things dim-sighted, 
 
 Or else stark blind ; thy Will inclin d to evil, 
 
 And nothing else ; a slave unto the Devil ; 
 
 That loves to live, and liveth to transgress, 
 
 But shuns the way of God and Holiness. 
 
94 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 All tliine Affections are disordered. 
 
 And thus by headstrong Passions are misled. 
 
 What need I tell thee of thy crooked way, 
 
 And many wicked wand rings every day ? 
 
 Or that thine own transgressi-ons are more 
 
 In number than the sands upon the Shore ? 
 
 Thou art a lump of wickedness become, 
 
 And may st with horror think upon thy Doom, 
 
 Until thy Soul be washed in the flood 
 
 Of Christ s most dear, soul-cleansing, precious Blood. 
 
 That, that alone can do away thy sin, 
 
 Which thou wert born and hast long lived in ; 
 
 That, only that can pacify God s wrath, 
 
 If apprehended by a lively Faith, 
 
 Now whilst the day and means of Grace do last, 
 
 Before the opportunity be past. 
 
 But if, man, thou liv st a Christless creature, 
 And Death surprise thee in a state of nature. 
 (As who can tell but that may be thy case ?) 
 How wilt thou stand before the Judge s face, 
 When he shall be reveal d in flaming fire, 
 And come to pay ungodly men their hire, 
 To execute due vengeance upon those 
 That knew him not, or that had been his foes ? 
 What wilt thou answer unto his demands, 
 When he requires a reason at thy hands, 
 Of all the things that thou hast said or done. 
 Or left undone, or set thine heart upon ? 
 When he shall thus with thee expostulate : 
 " What cause hadst thou thy Maker for to hate, 
 To take up arms against thy Sovereign, 
 And enmity against him to maintain ? 
 What injury hath God Almighty done thee? 
 
POSTSCRIPT. 95 
 
 What good hath he withheld that might have won tLee ? 
 
 What evil, or injustice hast thou found 
 
 In him that might unto thine hurt redound ? 
 
 If neither felt nor feared injury 
 
 Hath moved thee to such hostility, 
 
 What made thee then the Fountain to forsake, 
 
 And unto broken Pits thyself betake ? 
 
 What reason hadst thou to dishonor Gocl, 
 
 Who thee with Mercies never ceas d to load ? 
 
 Because the Lord was good hast thou been evil, 
 
 And taken part against him with the Devil ? 
 
 For all his cost to pay him with despite, 
 
 And all his love with hatred to requite ? 
 
 Is this the fruit of God s great patience, 
 
 To wax more bold in disobedience ? 
 
 To kick against the bowels of his Love ? 
 
 Is this aright his Bounty to improve ? 
 
 Stand still, ye Heav ns, and be astonished, 
 
 That God by man should thus be injured ! 
 
 Give ear, Earth, and tremble at the sin 
 
 Of those that thine Inhabitants have been V 
 
 But thou, vile wretch, hast added unto all 
 
 Thine other faults and facts so criminal, 
 
 The damning sin of willful unbelief; 
 
 Of all Transgressors hast thou been the chief. 
 
 Yet when time was thou might st have been set free 
 
 From Sin and Wrath and punishment by me ; 
 
 But thou would st not accept of Gospel Grace, 
 
 Nor on my terms Eternal Life embrace. 
 
 As if that all thy breaches of God s Law 
 
 Were not enough upon thy head to draw 
 
 Eternal Wrath, thou hast despis d a Savior, 
 
 Rejected me, and trampled on my favor. 
 
 How oft have I stood knocking at thy door, 
 
96 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 And been denied entrance evermore ? 
 How often hath my Spirit been withstood, 
 When as I sent him to have done thee good ? 
 Thou hast no need of any one to plead 
 Thy cause or for thy Soul to intercede : 
 Plead for thyself, if thou hast aught to say, 
 And pay thy forfeiture without delay. 
 Behold thou dost ten thousand Talents owe ; 
 Pay thou the debt or else to Prison go." 
 
 Think, think, man, when Christ shall thus unfold 
 
 Thy secret guilt, and make thee to behold 
 
 The ugly face of all thy sinful errors, 
 
 And fill thy soul with his amazing terrors, 
 
 And let thee see the flaming Pit of Hell, 
 
 Where all that have no part in him shall dwell ; 
 
 When he shall thus expostulate the case, 
 
 How canst thou bear to look him in the face ? 
 
 What wilt thou do without an Advocate, 
 
 Or plead, when thus thy state is desperate ? 
 
 Dost think to put him off with fair pretenses ? 
 
 Or wilt thou hide and cover thine offenses ? 
 
 Can anything from him concealed be, 
 
 Who doth the hidden things of darkness see ? 
 
 Art thou of force his Power to withstand ? 
 
 Canst thou by might escape out of his hand ? 
 
 Dost thou intend to run out of his sight, 
 
 And save thyself from punishment by flight ? 
 
 Or wilt thou be eternally accurst, 
 
 And bide his Vengeance, let him do his worst? 
 
 Oh ! who can bear his indignation s heat ? 
 
 Or bide the pains of Hell which are so great ? 
 
 If, then, thou neither canst his Wrath endure, 
 Nor any ransom after death procure j 
 
POSTSCRIPT. 97 
 
 Tf neither Cries nor Tears can move his heart 
 
 To pardon thee or mitigate thy smart, 
 
 But unto Hell thou must perforce be sent, 
 
 With dismal horror and astonishment, 
 
 Consider, my Friend, what cause thou hast, 
 
 With fear and trembling (while as yet thou may st), 
 
 To lay to heart thy sin and misery, 
 
 And to make out after the Remedy. 
 
 Consider well the greatness of thy danger, 
 
 O Child of wrath, and object of God s anger. 
 
 Thou hangest over the Infernal Pit, 
 
 By one small thread, and car st not thou a whit ? 
 
 There s but a step between thy Soul and Death ; 
 
 Nothing remains but stopping of thy breath, 
 
 (Which may be done to-morrow, or before) 
 
 And then thou art undone forevermore. 
 
 Let this awaken thy security, 
 
 And make thee look about thee speedily. 
 
 How canst thou rest an hour or sleep a night, 
 
 Or in thy creature-comforts take delight ? 
 
 Or with vain Toys thyself forgetful make 
 
 How near thou art unto the burning Lake ? 
 
 How canst thou live without tormenting fears ? 
 
 How canst thou hold from weeping floods of tears ? 
 
 Yea, tears of blood, I might almost have said, 
 
 If such-like tears could- from thine eyes be shed. 
 
 To gain the world what will it profit thee, 
 
 And lose thy soul and self eternally ? 
 
 Eternity on one small point dependeth ; 
 
 The man is lost that this short life misspendeth. 
 
 For as the Tree doth fall, right so it lies, 
 
 And man continues in what state he dies. 
 
 Who happy die shall happy rise again ; 
 
98 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 Who cursed die sliall cursed still remain. 
 If under Sin and Wrath Death leaves thee bound, 
 At Judgment under Wrath thou shalt be found ; 
 And then woe woe that ever thou wert born, 
 wretched man, of Heav n and Earth forlorn ! 
 Consider this, all ye that God forget, 
 Who all his threatenings at naught do set, 
 Lest into pieces he begin to tear 
 Your souls, and there be no deliverer. 
 
 you that now sing care and fear away, 
 
 Think often of the formidable Day, 
 
 Wherein the Heavens with a mighty noise, 
 
 And with a hideous, heart-confounding voice 
 
 Shall pass away, together being rolPd, 
 
 As men are wont their garments up to fold ; 
 
 When th Elements with fervent heat shall melt, 
 
 And living Creatures in the same shall swelt, 
 
 And altogether in those flames expire, 
 
 Which set the Earth s Foundati-ons on lire. 
 
 Oh ! what amazements will your hearts be in, 
 
 And how will you to curse yourselves begin, 
 
 For all your damned sloth and negligence, 
 
 And unbelief and gross Impenitence, 
 
 When you shall hear that dreadful Sentence pass d, 
 
 That all the wicked into Hell be cast ! 
 
 What horrors will your Consciences surprise, 
 
 When you shall hear the fruitless, doleful cries 
 
 Of such as are compelled to depart 
 
 Unto the place of everlasting smart ! 
 
 What ! when you see the sparks fly out of Hell, 
 
 And view the Dungeon where you are to dwell, 
 
 Wherein you must eternally remain 
 
 In anguish and intolerable pain ! 
 
 What ! when your hands and feet are bound together, 
 
~ POSTSCRIPT. 99 
 
 And you are cast into the Lake forever ! 
 Then shall you feel the truth of what you hear, 
 That Hellish pains are more than you can bear, 
 And that those Torments are an hundred fold 
 More terrible than ever you were told. 
 
 Nor speak I this, good Reader, to torment thee 
 
 Before the time, but rather to prevent thee 
 
 From running headlong to thine own deca}^ 
 
 In such a perilous and deadly way. 
 
 We who have known and felt Jehovah s terrors. 
 
 Persuade men to repent them of their errors, 
 
 And turn to God in time ere his Decree 
 
 Bring forth, and then there be no Remedy. 
 
 If in the night, when thou art fast asleep, 
 
 Some friend of thine that better watch doth keep, 
 
 Should see thy house all on a burning flame, 
 
 And thee almost inclosed with the same : 
 
 If such a friend should break thy door and wake thee, 
 
 Or else by force out of the peril take thee, 
 
 What ! wouldst thou take his kindness in ill part, 
 
 Or frown upon him for his good desert ? 
 
 Such, my friend, such is thy present state 
 And danger, being unregenerate. 
 Awake, awake, and then thou shalt perceive 
 Thy peril greater than thou wilt believe. 
 Lift up thine eyes, and see God s wrathful ire 
 Preparing unextinguishable fire 
 For all that live and die impenitent. 
 Awake, awake, Sinner, and repent, 
 And quarrel not because I thus alarm 
 Thy Soul, to save it from eternal harm. 
 
 Perhaps thou harborest such thoughts as these : 
 " I hope I may enjoy my carnal ease 
 
100 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 A little longer, and myself refresh 
 
 With those delights that gratify the flesh, 
 
 And yet repent before it be too late, 
 
 And get into a comfortable state. 
 
 I hope I have yet many years to spend, 
 
 And time enough those matters to attend." 
 
 Presumptuous heart ! Is God CD gag d to give 
 
 A longer time to such as love to live 
 
 Like Rebels still, who think to strain his Glory 
 
 By wickedness, and after to be sorry ? 
 
 Unto thy lust shall he be made a drudge, 
 
 Who thee and all ungodly men shall judge 1 
 
 Canst thou account sin sweet, and yet confess 
 
 That first or last it ends in bitterness ? 
 
 Is sin a thing that must procure thee sorrow, 
 
 And wouldst thou dally with t another morrow ? 
 
 foolish man who lovest to enjoy 
 
 That which will thee distress, or else destroy ! 
 
 What gained Samson by his Delilah ? 
 
 What gained David by his Bathshebah ? 
 
 The one became a slave, lost both his eyes, 
 
 And made them sport that were his enemies ; 
 
 The other penneth, as a certain token 
 
 Of God s displeasure, that his bones were broken. 
 
 Besides the woes he after met withal, 
 
 To chasten him for that his grievous Fall : 
 
 His own Son Ammon, using crafty wiles, 
 
 His Daughter Thamar wickedly defiles : 
 
 His second Son, more beautiful than good, 
 
 His hands embreweth in his Brother s blood : 
 
 And by and by, aspiring to the Crown, 
 
 He strives to pull his gentle Father down ; 
 
 With hellish rage, him fiercely persecuting. 
 
 And brutishly his Concubines polluting. 
 
POSTSCRIPT. 101 
 
 Read whoso list, and ponder what he reach, 
 And he shall find small joy in evil deeds. 
 
 Moreover this consider, that the longer 
 
 Thou liv st in sin, thy sins will grow the stronger ; 
 
 And then it will an harder matter prove 
 
 To leave those wicked haunts that thou dost love. 
 
 The Black moor may as eas ly change his skin, 
 
 As old Transgressors leave their wonted sin. 
 
 And who can tell what will become of thee, 
 
 Or where thy Soul in one day s time may be ? 
 
 We sea that Death ne er old nor young men spares. 
 
 But one and other takes at unawares ; 
 
 For in a moment, whilst men Peace do cry, 
 
 Destruction seizeth on them suddenly. 
 
 Thou who this morning art a lively wight, 
 
 May st be a corpse and damned Ghost ere night. 
 
 Oh ! dream not then that it will serve thy turn 
 Upon thy Death-bed for thy sins to mourn ; 
 But think how many have been snatch d away, 
 And had no time for mercy once to pray. 
 It s just with God Repentance to deny 
 To such as put it off until they die. 
 And late Repentance seldom proveth true, 
 "Which, if it fail, thou know st what must ensue j 
 For after this short life is at an end, 
 What is amiss thou never canst amend. 
 Believe, man, that to procrastinate, 
 And put it off until it be too late, 
 As tis thy sin, so it is Satan s wile, 
 Whereby he doth great multitudes beguile. 
 How many thousands hath this strong delusion 
 Already brought to ruin and confusion, 
 Whose souls are now reserv d in iron chains, 
 
102 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 Under thick darkness to Etdrnal Pains ! 
 
 They thought f many years, as thou dost now. 
 
 But were deceived quite, and so may st thou. 
 
 Oh ! then, my friend, waste not away thy time, 
 
 Nor by rebellion aggravate thy crime. 
 
 Oh ! put not off Repentance till to-morrow, 
 
 Adventure not, without God s leave, to borrow 
 
 Another day to spend upon thy lust, 
 
 Lest God (that is most Holy, Wise, and Just) 
 
 Denounce in wrath, and to thy terror say, 
 
 " This night shall Devils fetch thy Soul away/ 3 
 
 Now seek the face of God with all thy heart, 
 
 Acknowledge unto him how vile thou art. 
 
 Tell him thy Sins deserve eternal wrath. 
 
 And that it is a wonder that he hath 
 
 Permitted thee so long to draw thy breath, 
 
 Who might have cut thee off by sudden death, 
 
 And sent thy Soul into the lowest Pit, 
 
 From whence no price should ever ransom it j 
 
 And that he may most justly do it still, 
 
 (Because thou hast deserv d it) if he will. 
 
 Yet also tell him that, if he shall please, 
 
 He can forgive thy sins and thee release, 
 
 And that in Christ his Son he may be just 
 
 And justify all those that on him trust ; 
 
 That though thy sins are of a crimson dye, 
 
 Yet Christ his Blood can cleanse thee thoroughly. 
 
 Tell him that he may make his Glorious Name 
 
 More wonderful by covering thy shame ; 
 
 That Mercy may be greatly magnified, 
 
 And justice also fully satisfied, 
 
 If he shall please to own thee in his Son, 
 
 Who hath paid dear for Man s Redemptl-on. 
 
POSTSCRIPT. 103 
 
 Tell him thou hast an unbelieving heart, 
 
 Which hind reth thee from coming for a part 
 
 In Christ ; and that although his terrors awe thee, 
 
 Thou canst not come till he be pleas d to draw thee. 
 
 Tell him thou know st thine heart to be so bad, 
 
 And thy condition so exceeding sad, 
 
 That though Salvation may be had for naught 
 
 Thou canst not come and take it till thou rt brought. 
 
 Oh ! beg of him to bow thy stubborn will 
 
 To come to Christ, that he thy lusts may kill. 
 
 Look up to Christ for his attractive pow r, 
 
 Which he exerteth in a needful hour ; 
 
 Who saith, " When as I lifted up shall be, 
 
 Then will I draw all sorts of men to me." 
 
 Oh ! wait upon him with true diligence 
 
 And trembling fear in every Ordinance ; 
 
 Unto his Call earnest attention give, 
 
 Whose voice makes deaf men hear and dead men live. 
 
 Thus weep and mourn, thus hearken, pray, and wait, 
 
 Till he behold and pity thine estate, 
 
 Who is more ready to bestow his Grace 
 
 Than thou the same art willing to embrace ; 
 
 Yea, he hath Might enough to bring thee home, 
 
 Though thou hast neither strength nor will to come. 
 
 If he delay to answer thy request. 
 
 Know that ofttimes he doth it for the best ; 
 
 Not with intent to drive us from his door, 
 
 But for to make us importune him more ; 
 
 Or else to bring us daily to confess, 
 
 And be convinc d of our unworthiness. 
 
 Oh ! be not weary, then, but persevere 
 
 To beg his Grace till he thy suit shall hear ; 
 
 And leave him not, nor from his footstool go, 
 
 Till over thee Compassion s skirt lie throw. 
 
104 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 Eternal Life shall recompense tliy pains, 
 If found at last, with, everlasting gains. 
 For if the Lord be pleas d to hear thy cries, 
 And to forgive thy great iniquities, 
 Thou wilt have cause forever to admire 
 And laud his Grace, that granted thy desire. 
 Then shalt thou find thy labor is not lost, 
 But that the good obtain d surmounts the cost. 
 Nor shalt thou grieve for loss of sinful pleasures, 
 Exchang d for Heav nly joys and lasting treasures. 
 The yoke of Christ which once thou didst esteem 
 A tedious yoke, shall then most easy seem. 
 For why ? The love of Christ shall thee constrain 
 To take delight in that which was thy pain. 
 The ways of Wisdom shall be pleasant ways, 
 And thou shalt choose therein to spend thy days. 
 
 If once thy Soul be brought to such a pass, 
 O bless the Lord and magnify his Grace. 
 Thou that of late hadst reason to be sad, 
 May st now rejoice and be exceeding glad ; 
 For thy condition is as happy now 
 As erst it was disconsolate and low. 
 Thou art become as rich, as whilom poor ; 
 As blessed now as cursed heretofore. 
 For being cleansed with Christ s precious Blood ? 
 Thou hast an % int rest in the chiefest Good ; 
 God s anger is towards thy Soul appeas d. 
 And in his Christ he is with thee well pleas d. 
 Yea, he doth look upon thee with a mild 
 And gracious aspect, as upon his child. 
 He is become thy Father and thy Friend, 
 And will defend thee from the cursed Fiend. 
 Thou need st not fear the roaring Lion s rage, 
 Since God Almighty doth himself engage 
 
POSTSCRIPT. 105 
 
 To bear thy Soul in everlasting Arms, 
 Above the reach of all destructive harms. 
 Whatever here thy sufferings may be, 
 Yet from them all the Lord shall rescue thee. 
 He will preserve thee by his wond rous Might 
 Unto that rich Inheritance in Light. 
 
 O sing for joy, all ye Regenerate, 
 
 "Whom Christ hath brought unto this blessed state ! 
 
 love the Lord all ye his saints, who hath 
 
 Redeemed you from everlasting wrath ! 
 
 Who hath by dying made your Souls to live, 
 
 And what he dearly bought doth freely give. 
 
 Give up yourselves to walk in all his ways, 
 
 And study how to live unto his praise. 
 
 The time is short you have to serve him here ; 
 
 The day of your deliv rance draweth near. 
 
 Lift up your heads, ye upright ones in heart, 
 
 Who in Christ s purchase have obtain d a part. 
 
 Behold he rides upon a shining cloud, 
 
 With angel s voice and Trumpet sounding loud. 
 
 He comes to save his folk from all their foes, 
 
 And plague the men that Holiness oppose. 
 
 So come, Lord Jesus, quickly come, we pray ; 
 
 Yea, come and hasten our Redemption-day. 
 
VANITY OF VANITIES. 
 
 A SONG OF EMPTINESS. 
 
 VAIN, frail, short-liv d, and miserable Man, 
 Learn what thou art when thy estate is best ; 
 A restless Wave o th troubled Oce-an, 
 A Dream, a lifeless Picture finely drest. 
 
 A Wind, a Flower, a Yapor, and a Bubble, 
 A Wheel that stands not still, a trembling Reed, 
 A trolling Stone, dry Dust, light Chaff, and Stubble, 
 A shadow of something but truly naught indeed. 
 
 Learn what deceitful Toys and empty things* 
 This World and all its best Enjoyments be ; 
 Out of the Earth no true Contentment springs, 
 But all things here are vexing Vanity. 
 
 For what is Beauty but a fading Flower ? " y 
 Or what is Pleasure but the Devil s bait, 
 Whereby he catcheth whom he would devour, 
 And multitudes of Souls doth ruinate ? 
 
 And what are Friends but mortal men as we, ^ 
 Whom Death from us may quickly separate ? 
 Or else their hearts may quite estranged be, 
 And all their love be turned into hate. 
 
 And what are Riches to be doted on ? 
 
 Uncertain, fickle, and ensnaring things ; 
 
 They draw men s Souls into Perditi-on, 
 
 And when most needed take them to their wings. 
 
 (107) 
 
108 VANITY OF VANITIES. 
 
 Ah ! foolish man ! that sets his heart upon 
 Such empty shadows, such wild Fowl as these, 
 That being gotten will be quickly gone, 
 And whilst they stay increase but his disease. 
 
 As in a Dropsy, drinking drought begets, 
 The more he drinks the more he still requires, 
 So on this "World whoso affection sets, 
 As Wealth s increase, increaseth his desires. 
 
 happy Man, whose portion is above. 
 Where Floods, where Flames, where Foes cannot be 
 reave him ! 
 
 Most wretched Man that fixed hath his love 
 Upon this World, that surely will deceive him ! 
 
 For what is Honor ? what is Sovereignty, 
 Whereto men s hearts so restlessly aspire ? 
 Whom have they crowned with Felicity ? 
 When did they ever satisfy desire ? 
 
 The Ear of Man with hearing is not fill d ; 
 To see new sights still coveteth the Eye ; 
 The craving stomach, though it may be still d, 
 Yet craves again without a new supply. 
 
 All Earthly things man s cravings answer not, 
 Whose little heart would all the World contain, 
 (If all the World should fall to one man s lot) 
 And notwithstanding empty still remain. 
 
 The Eastern Conqueror was said to weep 
 When he the Indian Oce-an did view, 
 To see his Conquest bounded by the Deep, 
 And no more Worlds remaining to subdue. 
 
VANITY OF VANITIES. 109 
 
 Who would that man in his Enjoyment bless, 
 Or envy him, or covet his Estate, 
 Whose gettings do augment his greediness, 
 And make his wishes more intemperate 1 
 
 Such is the wonted and the common guise 
 Of those on Earth that bear the greatest sway ; 
 If with a few the case be otherwise, 
 They seek a Kingdom that abides for aye. 
 
 Moreover they of all the Sons of Men 
 That rule, and are in highest Places set, 
 Are most inclin d to scorn their Bretheren, 
 And God himself (without great Grace) forget. 
 
 For as the Sun doth blind the gazers eyes, 
 That for a time they naught discern aright, 
 So Honor doth befool and blind the Wise, 
 And their own lustre reaves them of their sight. 
 
 Great are their Dangers, manifold their Cares, 
 Through which, whilst others sleep, they scarcely Nap, 
 And yet are oft surprised unawares, 
 And fall unwilling into Envy s Trap. 
 
 The mean Mechanic finds his kindly rest ; 
 All void of fear sleepeth the Country Clown ; 
 When greatest Princes often are distrest, 
 And cannot sleep upon their Beds of Down. 
 
 Could Strength or Valor men Immortalize, 
 Could Wealth or Honor keep them from decay, 
 There were some cause the same to Idolize, 
 And give the lie to that which I do say. 
 
lift VANITY OF VANITIES. 
 
 But neither can such things themselves endure, 
 Without the hazard of a change, one hour, 
 Nor such as trust in them can they secure 
 From dismal days, or Death s prevailing pow r. 
 
 If Beauty could the Beautiful defend 
 From Death s dominion, then fair Absalom 
 Had not been brought to such a shameful end : 
 But fair and foul unto the Grave must come. 
 
 If Wealth or Scepters could Immortal make, 
 Then, wealthy Crcesus, wherefore art thou dead ? 
 If Warlike force which makes the World to quake, 
 Then why is Julius Ceesar perished ? 
 
 Where are the Scipio s Thunderbolts of War ? 
 Renowned Pompey, Caesar s Enemy ? 
 Stout Hannibal, Rome s Terror known so far ? 
 Great Alexander, what s become of thee ? 
 
 If Gifts and Bribes Death s favor might but win, 
 If Pow r, if Force, or Threat nings might it fray, 
 All these, and more had still surviving been ; 
 But all are gone, for Death will have no Nay. 
 
 Such is this World, with all her Pomp and Glory ; 
 Such are the men whom worldly eyes admire, 
 Cut down by time, and now become a Story, 
 That we might after better things aspire. 
 
 Go boast thyself of what thy heart enjoys, 
 Vain Man ! triumph in all thy worldly Bliss : 
 Thy best Enjoyments are but Trash and Toys j 
 Delight thyself in that which worthless is. 
 
 Omnia prcetereunt prceter amare Deum. 
 
DEATH EXPECTED AND WELCOMED. 
 
 WELCOME sweet Rest, by me so long Desir d, 
 Who have with Sins and Griefs so long been tir d ; 
 And welcome Death, my Father s Messenger ; 
 Of my Felicity the Hastener. 
 
 Welcome good Angels, who, for me distrest, 
 Are come to guard me to Eternal Rest. 
 Welcome, Christ, who hast my Soul Redeem d, 
 Whose Favor I have more than Life esteem d. 
 
 Oh ! do not now my sinful soul forsake, 
 But to thyself thy Servant gath ring take. 
 Into thy Hands I recommend my Spirit, 
 Trusting through Thee Eternal Life t inherit. 
 
 (ill) 
 
A FAREWELL TO THE WORLD. 
 
 Now Farewell, World, in which is not my Treasure j 
 I have in thee enjoy d but little Pleasure. 
 And now I leave thee for a Better Place, 
 Where lasting Pleasures are, before Christ s face. 
 
 Farewell, ye Sons of Men, who do not savor 
 
 The things of God ; who little prize his Favor. 
 
 Farewell, I say, with your Fool s Paradise, 
 
 Until the King of Terrors you surprise, 
 
 And bring you trembling to Christ s Judgment Seat, 
 
 To give Account of your Transgressions great. 
 
 Farewell, New England, which hast long enjoy d 
 The Day of Grace, but hast most vainly toy d 
 And trifled with the Gospel s glorious Light ; 
 Thou may st expect a dark Egyptian Night. 
 
 Farewell, young Brood and rising Generation, 
 Wanton and proud, ripe for God s Indignation, 
 Which neither you nor others can prevent, 
 Except in Truth you speedily repent. 
 
 Farewell, sweet Saints of God, Christ s little Number, 
 Beware lest ye through sloth securely slumber ; 
 Stand to your Spir tual Arms and keep your Watch, 
 Let not your Enemy you napping catch ; 
 Take up your Cross, prepare for Tribulation, 
 Through which doth lie the way unto salvation. 
 
 (112) 
 
FAREWELL TO THE WORLD. 
 
 Love Jesus Christ with all sincerity ; 
 Eschew Will-worship and Idolatry. 
 Farewell, again, until we all appear 
 Before our Lord, a Well-done there tp hear. 
 
 Farewell, ye faithful Servants of the Lord, 
 
 Painful dispensers of his Holy Word, 
 
 From whose Communion and Society 
 
 I once was kept through long infirmity. 
 
 This of my Sorrows was an aggravation ; 
 
 But Christ be thanked, through whose Mediation 
 
 I have at length obtained Liberty 
 
 To dwell with Soul-delighting Company, 
 
 Where many of our Friends are gone before, 
 
 And you shall follow with a many more. 
 
 Meanwhile stand fast, the Truth of God maintain, 
 
 Suffer for Christ, and great shall be your Gain. 
 
 Farewell, my natural Friends and dear Relations, 
 
 Who have my Trials seen and great Temptations; 
 
 You have no cause to make for me great Moan ; 
 
 My Death to you is little Loss or none. 
 
 But unto me it is no little Gain, 
 
 For Death at once frees me from all my Pain. 
 
 Make Christ your greatest Friend, who never dies ; 
 
 All other Friends are fading Vanities. 
 
 Make him your Light, your Life, your End, your All ; 
 
 Prepare for Death, be ready for his Call. 
 
 Farewell, vile Body, subject to decay, 
 
 Which art with lingering sickness worn away ; 
 
 I have by thee much Pain and Smart endur d ; 
 
 Great Grief of Mind hast thou to me procur d ; 
 
 Great Grief of Mind by being Impotent, 
 
 And to Christ s Work an awkward Instrument. 
 
114 FAREWELL TO THE WORLD. 
 
 Thou shalt not henceforth, be a clog to me. 
 Nor shall my Soul a Burthen be to thee. 
 
 Rest in thy Grave until the Resurrection, 
 
 Then shalt thou be revived in Perfection, 
 
 Endow d with wonderful Agility, 
 
 Clothed with Strength and Immortality ; 
 
 With shining Brightness gloriously array d, 
 
 Like to Christ s glorious Body, glorious made, 
 
 Thus Christ shall, thee again to me restore, 
 
 Ever to live with him and part no more. 
 
 Meanwhile my Soul shall enter into Peace, 
 
 Where Fears and Tears 3 where Sin and Smart shall cease. 
 
A 
 
 CHARACTER 
 
 OF THE REVEREND AUTHOR, 
 
 MR. MICHAEL WIG6LESVORTH, 
 
 IN A FUNERAL SERMON PREACHED AT 
 
 MALDEN, JUNE 24, 1705. 
 
 BY THE REVEREND DR. COTTON MATHER. 
 
 HE was Descended of Eminently Religious Parents, 
 who were Sufferers for that which was then TJie Cause of 
 God and of New-England. While he was yet a youth, he 
 was marvellously concerned that he might have an Heart 
 filled with the Spirit of God. This Concernment upon 
 his mind appeared especially in his watchful Endeavors 
 to have Spiritual Sins chased out of his cleansed Heart. 
 PRIDE, the Sin of Young Men, yea, of all Men j PRIDE, 
 the Sin which few Men try or trouble themselves about ; 
 this Devout Youth was full of Holy and Watchful Trou 
 ble about it : And he then wrote a very Savoury Dis 
 course, Entituled, Considerations against Pride, and 
 another, Entituled, Considerations against Delighting 
 more in the Creature than in God. This was to Mortify in 
 himself the Sins rarely minded by the most of men. 
 
 Having had a Pious and a Learned Education, the first 
 Publick Station wherein I find him, was that of .a Fellow 
 and a Tutor in Harvard Colledge. With a rare Faithful- 
 
 115) 
 
116 FUNERAL SERMON. 
 
 ness did he adorn that Station ! He used all means 
 imaginable to make his Pupils not only good Scholars, 
 but also good Christians, and instil into them those 
 things which might render them rich Blessings unto the 
 Churches of God. Unto his Watchful and Painful Essays 
 to keep them close under their Academical Exercises, he 
 added Serious Admonitions unto them about their Inte 
 rior State; and he Employed his- Praters and Tears to 
 God for them, and had such a naming zeal to make 
 them worthy Men, that upon Reflection he was afraid 
 Lest his cares for their Good, and, his affection to them, sJwuld 
 so drink up his very Spirit, as to steal away his Heart from 
 God. 
 
 From Cambridge he made his remove to Maiden, and 
 was their Faithful Pastor for about a Jubilee of years 
 together. 
 
 It was not long after his coming to Maiden that a sickly 
 Constitution so prevailed upon him, as to confine him 
 from his Publick Work for some whole seven of Years. 
 His Faithfulness continued when his Ministry was thus 
 interrupted. The Kindness of his Tender Flock unto 
 him was answered in his Kind Concern to have them 
 served by other Hands. He took a short voyage unto 
 another Country for the Recovery of his Health ; which, 
 though he recovered not, yet at his Return I find him 
 comforting himself with inserting of this Passage in his 
 Reserved Papers : 
 
 Peradventure the Lord Removed me for a season that he might 
 set a better Watchman over his Flock, and a more painful La 
 borer in his Vineyard. This was one thing that I aimed at in 
 Removing (to help the People s Modesty in the case), and I believe 
 the Lord aimed at it, in Removing me for a season. 
 
 His Faithfulness now appeared in his Edifying Dis 
 courses to those that came near him ; much bewailing 
 
. FUNERAL SERMON HJ 
 
 the want of a Profitable and Religious conversation in so 
 many that profess Religion. And that yet he might 
 more Faithfully set himself to do Good, when he could 
 not Preach he Wrote several Composures, wherein he 
 proposed the edification of such Readers as are for plain 
 Truths, dressed up in a Plain Meeter. These Compo 
 sures have had their Acceptance and Advantage among 
 that sort of Readers ; and one of them, the Day of Doom, 
 which has been often Reprinted in both Englands, may 
 find our Children till the Day itself arrive. 
 
 It pleased God, when the distress of the Church in 
 Maiden did extremely call for it, wondrously to restore 
 his Faithful Servant. He that had been for near Twenty 
 Years almost Buried Alive, comes abroad again, and for 
 as many years more, must, in Publick Usefulness, receive 
 the Answer and Harvest of the Thousands of Supplica 
 tions with which the God of his Health had favoured him. 
 
 How Faithfully did he now Deliver the Whole Counsel 
 of God ! 
 
 How Faithfully did he Rebuke Sin, both in his Min 
 istry and Discipline ! 
 
 How Faithful was he to the Work of God in the 
 Churches of New-England, and grieved at every thing 
 that he thought had any Tendency to incommode that 
 Glorious Work ! But how Patient, how Loving, how 
 Charitable to such as in lesser Matters differed from him ! 
 
 How Faithful was he in the Education of his Family ! 
 A very Abraham for his Commands unto them, to Keep 
 the Way of the Lord ! A very David for his charge unto 
 them to Know the God of their Father and Serve Him ! 
 
 His long Weakness and Illness made him an able Phy 
 sician for the Body as well the Soul. 
 
 As he was Faithful to the Death, so he was Lively to the 
 Death. 
 
 It was a surprise to us to see a little, feeble Shadow 
 
H8 FUNERAL SERMON. 
 
 of a Man, beyond Seventy, Preaching usually twice or 
 thrice in a week, Visiting, Comforting the Afflicted, En 
 couraging the Private Meetings, Catechising the Chil 
 dren of the Flock, and managing the Government of the 
 Church, and attending the Sick, not only as a Pastor, but 
 as a Physician too ; and this not only in his own Town, 
 but also in all those of the Vicinity. Thus he did unto 
 the Last ; and he was but one Lord? 8-Day taken off be 
 fore his Last. But in the Last Week of his Life, how 
 full of Resignation ! How full of Satisfaction I 
 
 From his Exemplary Life I will single out one thing, 
 his EARLY RELIGION. Our Wigglesworth was a 
 Godly child, and he held on living to God and Christ 
 until the Seventy-Fourth Year of his Age. 
 
 When he lay a Dying, some one spoke to him about 
 his having secured his Interest in the Favor of Heaven, 
 and his Assurance of that Interest. He Replyed, [Me- 
 thoughts like my Poly carp,] 
 
 I bless God I began that Work betimes, and ere I was Twenty 
 Years Old I had made thorow work of it. Ever since then I 
 have been -pressing after the Power of Godliness, the Power of 
 Godliness ! For more than Fifty Years together I have been La 
 boring to uphold a Life of Communion with God ; and I thank 
 the Lord I now find the Comfort of it ! 
 
 Words that contain in them A History of a Life more 
 Valuable than I have seen a Volume in Folio. 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF 
 
EPITAPH. 
 
 (BEUEVED TO HAVE BEEN WRITTEN BY REV. COTTON MATHER.) 
 
 THE EXCELLENT 
 
 WIGGLES WORT II; 
 
 REMEMBERED BY SOME GOOD TOKENS. 
 
 His Pen did once Meat from the Eater fetch ; 
 And now he s gone beyond the Eater s reach. 
 His Body once so Thin, was next to None ; 
 From hence he s to Unbodied Spirits flown. 
 Once his rare skill did all Diseases heal ; 
 And he does nothing now uneasy feel. 
 He to his Paradise is joyful come. 
 And waits with joy to see his Day of Doom. 
 
 (119) 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Memoir of the Author 3 
 
 Autobiography 10 
 
 To the Christian Reader 13 
 
 On the following Work 18 
 
 Prayer unto Christ 20 
 
 THE DAY OF DOOM 21 
 
 Security of the World before Christ s coming 21 
 
 Suddenness and Terror of his appearing 22 
 
 Resurrection All brought to judgment 26 
 
 The Sheep separated from the goats 27 
 
 The several sorts of reprobates described 
 
 The Saints justified Election Atonement 32 
 
 They are placed on thrones 34 
 
 The wicked brought to the Bar 35 
 
 Secret sins brought to light 38 
 
 Hypocrites plead for themselves 40 
 
 Another sort of hypocrites 44 
 
 Civil honest men s pleas ; 47 
 
 Pretended want of opportunity to repent \. 51 
 
 Plea of examples of betters . . 53 
 
 Godly men s examples misleading 54 
 
 Scripture, darkness, and difference of interpretation 55 
 
 Fear of persecution 56 
 
 Plea of God s mercy and justice 58 
 
 Vessels of mercy 59 
 
 Mercy abused Day of grace past 60 
 
 Shutting out by God s decree 62 
 
 i The Heathen s plea 66 
 
 / Reprobate infants plea 68 
 
 The wicked all convinced and silenced . . 72 
 
 Hopeless and helpless estate of the ungodly 73 
 
 Sentence of condemnation 78 
 
 /Sentence executed The wicked cast into Hell 80 
 
 [Their unsufterable torments 81 
 
 JThe saints rejoice thereat 83 
 
 They ascend in triumph to Heaven 84 
 
 A Short discourse on Eternity 87 
 
 A Postscript unto the Reader 93 
 
 Vanity of Vanities *.-.. 107 
 
 Death expected . ....:. .v Ill 
 
 A Farewell to the World 112 
 
 Funeral Sermon 115 
 
 Epitaph 119 
 
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