A Proem unto Christ the Judge of the World. even more

47

CLIII

You argue then; But abject men,
whom God resolves to spill,
Cannot repent, nor their hearts rent;
ne can they change their will.
Not for his Can is any man
adjudged unto hell:
But for his Will to do what's ill,
and nilling to do well.

CLIV

I often stood tend'ring my Bloud
to wash away your guilt:
And eke my Sprite to frame you right,
lest your souls should be spilt.
But you, vile race, rejected Grace
when Grace was freely proffer'd:
No changed heart, no heav'nly part
would you, when it was offer'd.

CLV

Who wilfully the remedy
of Grace and Life contemned,
Cause have the same themselves to blame,
if now they be condemned.
You have your selves, you and none else,
your selves have done to die:
You chose the way to your decay,
and perish'd wilfully.

CLVI

These words apale and daunt them all;
dismai'd, and all amort,

---

48

Like stocks they stand at Christs left hand,
and dare no more retort.
Then were brought near, with trembling fear
a number numberless
Of blind Heathen and brutish men,
that did Gods Law transgress.

CLVII

Whose wicked ways, Christ open lays,
and makes their sins appear,
They making plea's the case to ease,
if not themselves to clear.
Thy written word (say they) good Lord
we never did enjoy:
We not refus'd nor it abus'd,
Oh do not us destroy.

CLVIII

You ne'r abus'd nor yet refus'd
my written Word, you plead;
That's true, (quoth he) therefore shall ye
the less be punished.
You shall not smart for any part
of other mens offence,
But for your own transgression
receive due recompence.

CLIX

But we were blind, say they, in mind;
too dim was natures light,
Our only guide (as hath been try'd)
to bring us to the sight
Of our estate degenerate,
and curst by Adam's fall;

---

49

How we were born and lay forlorn
in bondage and in thrall.

CLX

We did not know a Christ till now,
nor how faln man he saved:
Else should we not, right well we wot,
have so our selves behaved.
We should have mourn'd, we should have turn'd
from sin at thy reproof,
And been more wise through thine advice,
for our own Souls behoof.

CLXI

But natures light shin'd not so bright
to teach us the right way:
We might have lov'd it, & well improv'd it,
and yet have gone astray.
The Judge most high makes this reply;
you ignorance pretend,
Dimness of sight, and want of light
your course Heav'n ward to bend:

CLXII

How came your mind to be so blind?
I once you knowledge gave,
Clearness of sight, and judgement right;
who did the same deprave?
If to your cost you have it lost,
and quite defac'd the same;
Your own desert hath caus'd your smart,
you ought not me to blame.

---

50

CLXIII

Your selves into a pit of wo
your own transgressions led:
If I to none my grace had shown,
who had been injured?
If to a few, and not to you,
I shew'd a way of life,
My Grace so free, you clearly see,
gives you no ground of strife.

CLXIV

'Tis vain to tell, you wot full well,
if you in time had known
Your Misery and Remedy,
your actions had it shown.
You, sinful crew, have not been true
unto the light of Nature;
Not done the good you understood,
nor owned your Creator.

CLXV

He that the Light, because 'tis Light,
hath used to despize,
Would not the Light, shining more bright,
be likely for to prize.
If you had lov'd and well improv'd
your knowledge and dim sight,
Herein your pain had not been vain,
your plagues had been more light.

CLXVI

Then to the Bar all they drew near
who dy'd in infancy,

---

51

And never had or good or bad
effected pers'nally;
But from the womb unto the tomb
were straightway carried,
(Or at the least, ere they transgrest)
who thus began to plead.

CLXVII

If for our own transgression,
or disobedience,
We here did stand at thy left hand,
just were the recompence:
But Adam's guilt our souls hath spilt,
his fault is charg'd upon us;
And that alone hath overthrown,
and utterly undone us.

CLXVIII

Not we, but he, ate of the Tree,
whose fruit was interdicted:
Yet on us all of his sad fall
the punishment's inflicted.
How could we sin who had not bin?
or how is his sin our
Without consent, which to prevent
we never had a pow'r?

CLXIX

O great Creator, why was our nature
depraved and forlorn?
Why so defil'd, and made so vild
Whilst we were yet unborn?
If it be just, and needs we must
transgressors reckon'd be,

---

52

Thy mercy, Lord, to us afford,
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,
that was the chief offender?

CLXXI

Then answered the Judge most dread;
God doth such doom forbid,
That men should die eternally
for what they never did.
But what you call old Adam's Fall,
and only his Trespass,
You call amiss to call it his:
both his and yours it was.

CLXXII

He was design'd of all mankind
to be a publick Head,
A common Root whence all should shoot,
and stood in all their stead:
He stood and fell, did ill or well,
not for himself alone,
But for you all, who now his Fall
and trespass would disown.

---

53

CLXXIII

If he had stood, then all his brood
had been established
In Gods true love, never to move,
nor once awry to tread:
Then all his Race my Fathers Grace
should have enjoy'd for ever,
And wicked Sprights by subtil sleights
could them have harmed never.

CLXXIV

Would you have griev'd to have receiv'd
through Adam so much good,
As had been your for evermore,
if he at first had stood?
Would you have said, We ne'r obey'd
nor did thy Laws regard;
It ill befits with benefits
us, Lord, so to reward?

CLXXV

Since then to share in his welfare
you could have been content,
You may with reason share in his treason,
and in the punishment.
Hence you were born in state forlorn,
with natures so depraved:
Death was your due, because that you
had thus your selves behaved.

CLXXVI

You think if we had been as he,
whom God did so betrust,

---

54

We to our cost would ne'r have lost
all for a paltry lust.
Had you been made in Adam's stead,
you would like things have wrought;
And so into the self-same wo
your selves and yours have brought.

CLXXVII

I may deny you once to try,
or Grace to you to tender,
Though he finds grace before my face
who was the chief offender:
Else should my Grace cease to be Grace,
for it should not be free,
If to release whom I shall please
I have not libertee.

CLXXVIII

If upon one what's due to none
I frankly shall bestow,
And on the rest shall not think best
compassions skirt to throw,
Whom injure I? will you envy,
and grudge at others weal?
Or me accuse, who do refuse
your selves to help and heal?

CLXXIX

Am I alone of what's my own
no Master or no Lord?
Or if I am, how can you claim
what I to some afford?
Will you demand Grace at my hand,
and challenge what is mine?

---

55

Will you teach me whom to set free,
and thus my Grace confine?

CLXXX

You sinners are, and such a share
as sinners may expect,
Such you shall have, for I do save
none but mine own Elect.
Yet to compare your sin with their
who liv'd a longer time,
I do confess yours is much less,
though ev'ry sin's a crime:

CLXXXI

A crime it is: therefore in bliss
you may not hope to dwell:
But unto you I shall allow
the easiest room in hell.
The glorious King thus answering,
they cease and plead no longer:
Their consciences must needs confess
his Reasons are the stronger.

CLXXXII

Thus all mens plea's the Judge with ease
doth answer and confute,
Until that all both great and small,
are silenced and mute.
Vain hopes are cropt, all mouths are stopt,
sinners have nought to say,
But that 'tis just, and equal most
they should be damn'd for ay.

---

56

CLXXXIII

Now what remains, but that to pains
and everlasting smart
Christ should condemn the sons of men,
which is their just desert?
Oh rusul plights of sinful wights!
Oh wretches all forlorn!
That happy been they ne'r had seen
the Sun, or not been born.

CLXXXIV

Yea, now it would be good they could
themselves annihilate,
And cease to be, themselves to free
from such a fearful state.
Oh happy Dogs, and Swine, and Frogs!
yea, Serpents generation!
Who do not fear this doom to hear,
and sentence of Damnation!

CLXXXV

This is their state so desperate:
their sins are fully known;
Their vanities and villanies
before the world are shown.
As they are gross and impious,
so are their numbers more
Then motes i'th' air, or then their hair,
or sands upon the shore.

CLXXXVI

Divine Justice offended is,
and Satisfaction claimeth:

---

57

Gods wrathful ire kindled like fire
against them fiercely flameth.
Their Judge severe doth quite cashire
and all their Pleas off take,
That never a man, or dare, or can
a further Answer make.

CLXXXVII

Their mouthes are shut, each man is put
to silence and to shame:
Nor have they ought within their thought
Christs 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
cannot his Power withstand:
None can by flight run out of sight,
nor scape out of his hand.
Sad is their state; for Advocate
to plead their Cause there's none:
None to prevent their punishment,
or misery to bemone

CLXXXIX

O dismal day! whither shall they
for help or succour flee?
To God above, with hopes to move
their greatest Enemee?
His wrath is great, whose burning heat
no flood of Tears can slake:

---

58

His word stands fast, that they be cast
into the burning Lake.

CXC

To Christ their Judge? he doth adjudge
them to the Pit of Sorrow:
Nor will he hear or cry, or tear,
nor respite them on morrow.
To Heav'n? Alas they cannot pass,
it is against them shut:
To enter there (O heavy chear!)
they out of hopes are put.

CXCI

Unto their Treasures, or to their Pleasures?
all these have been forsaken:
Had they full Coffers to make large offers,
their Gold would not be taken.
Unto the place where whilome was
their birth and education?
Lo! Christ begins for their great sins
to fire the Earths foundation:

CXCII

And by and by the flaming Sky
shall drop like moulten Lead
About their ears, t'increase their fears
and aggravate their dread.
To Angels good that ever stood
in their integrity,
Should they betake themselves, and make
their suit incessantly?

---

59

CXCIII

They neither skill, nor do they will
to work them any ease:
They will not mourn to see them burn,
nor beg for their release.
To wicked men, their brethren
in sin and wickedness,
Should they make mone? their case is one;
they're in the same distress.

CXCIV

Ah, cold comfort, and mean support
from such like Comforters!
Ah, little joy of Company,
and fellow-sufferers!
Such shall increase their hearts disease,
and add unto their wo,
Because that they brought to decay
themselves and many moe.

CXCV

Unto the Saints with sad complaints.
should they themselves apply?
They're not dejected nor ought affected
with all their misery.
Friends stand aloof, and make no proof
what Prayers or Tears can do:
Your godly friends are now more friends
to Christ then unto you.

CXCVI

Where tender love mens hearts did move
unto a sympathy,

---

60

And bearing part of others smart
in their anxiety;
Now such compassion is out of fashion,
and wholly laid aside:
No friend so near, but Saints to hear
their judgement can abide.

CXCVII

One natural Brother beholds another
in this 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.

CXCVIII

He that was erst a Husband pierc't
with sense of Wives 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.

CXCIX

The render Mother will own no other
of all her numerous brood,
But such as stand at Christs right hand
acquitted through his Blood.
The pious Father had now much rather
his graceless Son should lye

---

61

In Hell with Devils, for all his evils
burning eternally:

CC

Then God most High should injury
by sparing him sustain;
And doth rejoyce to hear Christs voice
adjudging him to pain.
Who having all (both great and small)
convinc't and silenced,
Did then proceed their Doom to read,
and thus it uttered;

CCI

Ye sinful wights, and cursed sprights,
that work Iniquity,
Depart together from me for ever
to endless Misery.
Your portion take in that sad Lake
where Fire and Brimstone flameth:
Suffer the smart, which your desert
as its due wages claimeth.

CCII

Oh pierceing words more sharp then Swords!
what, to depart from Thee,
Whose face before for evermore
the best of Pleasures be!
What! to depart (unto our smart)
from thee Eternally!
To be for ay banish't away
with Devils company!

---

62

CCIII

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 released, or to be eased,
not after years, but Never!

CCIV

Oh, fearful Doom! now there's no room
for hope, or help at all:
Sentence is past which ay shall last,
Christ will not it recall.
There might you hear them rent 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 terrour:
They cry, they rore for anguish sore,
and gnaw their tongues for horrour.
But get away without delay;
Christ pities not your cry:
Depart to Hell, there may you yell
and roar Eternally.

CCVI

That word Depart, maugre their heart;
drives every wicked one,

---

63

With mighty pow'r, the self-same hour
far from the Judges throne.
Away they're cast by the strong blast
of his Death-threatning mouth:
They flee full fast, as if in hast;
although they be full loath.

CCVII

As chaff that's dry, and dust doth fly
before the Northern wind:
Right so are they chased away,
and can no Refuge find.
They hasten to the Pit of wo,
guarded by Angels stout:
Who to fulfil Christ's holy will
attend this wicked Rout.

CCVIII

Whom having brought, as they are taught
unto the brink of Hell
(That dismal place far from Christ's face,
where Death and Darkness dwell:
Where God's fierce ire kindleth the fire,
and Vengeance feeds the flame
With piles of wood, and brimstone flood,
that none can quench the same.)

CCIX

With Iron bands they bind their hands
and cursed feet together,
And cast them all, both great and small,
into that Lake for ever.
Where day and night, without respite,
they wail, and cry, and howl

---

64

For tor'tring pain, which they sustain
in Body and in Soul.

CCX

For day and night, in their despight,
their torments smoak ascendeth:
Their pain and grief have no relief,
their anguish never endeth.
There must they lye, and never dye;
though dying every day;
There must they dying ever lye;
and not consume away.

CCXI

Dye fain they would, if dye they coul
but death will not be had.
Gods direful wrath their bodies hath
for ev'r Immortal made.
They live to lie in misery.
and bear eternal wo:
And live they must whil'st 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 terrours infinite?
Who fare the best, and feel the least,
yet feel that Punishment
Whereby to nought they should be brought,
if God did not prevent.

---

65

CCXIII

The least degree of misery
there felt's incomparable,
The lightest pain they there sustain
more then intollerable.
But Gods 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 wo they undergo
(they more then all beside)
Who had the light, and knew the right,
yet would not it abide!
The sev'n-fold smart, which to their part
and portion doth fall,
Who Christ his Grace would not embrace,
nor hearken to his call!

CCXV

The Amorites and Sodomites,
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 lius,
Doth most declare his justice rare
in plaguing these mens sins.

CCXVI

The pain of loss their sculs doth toss
and wond'rously distress,

---

66

To think what they have cast away
by wilful wickedness.
We might have been redeem'd from sin,
think they, and liv'd above,
Being possest of heav'nly rest,
and joying in Gods love.

CCXVII

But wo, wo, wo our souls unto!
we would not happy be;
And therefore bear Gods vengeance here
to all Eternitee.
Experience and woful sence
must be our painful teachers,
Who n' ould believe, nor credit give
unto our faithful Preachers.

CCXVIII

Thus shall they lie, and wail, and cry,
tormented, and tormenting
Their galled hearts with poyson'd darts;
but now too late repenting.
There let them dwell i'th' flames of hell,
there leave we them to burn,
And back agen unto the men
whom Christ acquits return.

CCXIX

The Saints behold with courage bold,
and thankful wonderment,
To see all those that were their foes
thus sent to punishment:
Then do they sing unto their King
a song of endless praise:

---

67

They praise his Name, and do proclaim,
that just are all his ways.

CCXX

Thus with great joy and melody
to Heav'n they all ascend,
Him there to praise with sweetest layes,
And Hymns that never end.
Where with long Rest they shall be blest,
and nought shall them annoy:
Where they shall see as seen they be,
and whom they love, enjoy.

CCXXI

O glorious Place! where face to face
Jehovah may be seen,
By such as were sinners whilere,
and no dark vail between.
Where the Sun-shine, and Light divine,
of Gods bright Countenance
Doth rest upon them every one
with sweetest influence.

CCXXII

O blessed state of the Renate!
O Wond'rous Happiness
To which they'r brought, beyond what thought
can reach, or words express!
Grief's water-course, and Sorrow's source
are turn'd to joyful streams.
Their old distress and heaviness
are vanished like dreams.

---

68

CCXXIII

For God above in arms of love
doth dearly them embrace,
And fills their sprights with such delights
and pleasures in his grace;
As shall not fail, nor yet grow stale
through frequency of use:
Nor do they fear Gods Favour there
to forfeit by abuse.

CCXXIV

For there the Saints are perfect Saints,
and holy ones indeed,
From all the sin, that dwelt within
their mortal bodies, freed:
Made Kings and Priests to God, through Christs
dear loves transcendency,
There to remain, and there to reign
with him Eternally.

FINIS.

---

69

[I walk'd and did a little Mole-hill view]

I walk'd and did a little Mole-hill view,
Full peopled with a most industrious crew
Of busie Ants, where each one labour'd more,
Then if he were to bring home Indian Ore;
Here wrought the Pioneers, there march'd the Bands,
Here Colonies went forth to plant new Lands:
These hasted out, and those supplies brought in,
As if they had some sudden Siege foreseen:
Until there came an angry Spade, and cast
Countrey and People to a Pit at last.

Again, I view'd a Kingdom in a Hive,
Where every one did work, and so all thrive;
Some go, some come, some war, some watch & ward,
Some make the works, & some the works do guard.
These frame their curious Waxen-cells, and those
Do into them their Nectar drops dispose:
Until the greedy Gardner brought his smoke,
And, for the work, did all the workmen choke.

Lo here, frail Mortals may fit Emblems see
Of their great toil, and greater vanity.
They weary out their brain, their strength, their time,
While some to Arts, and some to Honours climb:
They search Earth's bowels, cross the roaring Seas,
Mortgage their Souls, and forfeit all their Ease,
Grudge Night her sleep, and lengthen out the day,
To fat these Bigs, & cram those Chests with clay,