A Proem unto Christ the Judge of the World. more

23

LXXIII

His Masters will how to fulfil
the servant that well knew,
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 easie then for you.

LXXIV

But we have in thy presence bin,
say some, and eaten there.
Did we not eat thy flesh for meat,
and feed on heavenly cheer?
Whereon who feed shall never need,
as thou thy self dost say,
Nor shall they die eternally,
but live with thee for ay.

LXXV

We may alledge, thou gav'st a pledge
of thy dear love to us
In Wine and Bread, which figured
thy grace bestowed thus.
Of strengthning seals, of sweetest meals
have we so oft partaken?
And shall we be cast off by thee,
and utterly forsaken?

LXXVI

To whom the Lord thus in a word
returns a short reply:

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24

I never knew any of you
that wrought iniquity.
You say y' have bin, my Presence in;
but, friends, how came you there
With Raiment vile, that did defile
and quite disgrace my cheer?

LXXVII

Durst you draw near without due fear
unto my holy Table?
Durst you prophane 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?
How durst you eat for spir'tual meat
your bane, and drink damnation,
Whilst by your guile you rendred 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 then th'Creator
your soules clave to the dust.
And think you by hypocrisie
and cloaked wickedness,

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25

To enter in, laden with sin,
to lasting happiness.

LXXX

This your excuse shews your abuse
of things ordain'd for good;
And do declare you guilty are
of my dear Flesh and Bloud.
Wherefore those Seals and precious Meals
you put so much upon
As things divine, they seal and sign
you to perdition.

LXXXI

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 thee,
O Christ, for whole Salvation?

LXXXII

We did believe, and of receive
thy gracious Promises:
We took great care to get a share
in endless happiness:
We pray'd and wept, we Fast-days kept,
lewd ways we did eschew:
We joyful were thy Word to hear,
we form'd our lives anew.

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26

LXXXIII

We thought our sin had pardon'd bin,
that our estate was good,
Our debts all paid, our peace well made,
our Souls washt with thy Bloud.
Lord, why dost thou reject us now,
who have not thee rejected,
Nor utterly true sanctity
and holy life neglected?

LXXXIV

The Judge incensed at their pretenced
self-vaunting piety,
With such a look as trembling strook
into them, made reply;
O impudent, impenitent,
and guileful generation!
Think you that I cannot descry
your hearts abomination?

LXXXV

You not receiv'd, nor yet 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 childrens bread,
yet would not sin forsake.

LXXXVI

Being too bold you laid fast hold
where int'rest you had none,

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27

Your selves 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.

LXXXVII

How oft did I hypocrisie
and hearts deceits unmask
Before your sight, giving you light
to know a Christians task?
But you held fast unto the last
your own conceits so vain:
No warning could prevail, 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,
did thereunto compel.
Your holiness and ways redress,
such as it was, did spring
From no true love to things above,
but from some other thing.

LXXXIX

You pray'd and wept, you Fast-days kept,
but did you this to me?
No, but for sin you sought to win
the greater libertee.
For all your vaunts, you had vile haunt's;
for which your consciences

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28

Did you alarm, whose voice to charm
you us'd these practises.

XC

Your penitence, your diligence
to read, to pray, to hear,
Were but to drown the clam'rous sound
of conscience in your ear.
If light you lov'd, vain-glory mov'd
your selves therewith to store,
That seeming wise, men might you prize,
and honour you the more.

XCI

Thus from your selves unto your selves
your duties all do tend:
And as self-love the wheels do 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 hypocrisie.

XCII

Then were brought nigh a company
of civil honest men,
That lov'd true dealing, and hated stealing,
ne wrong'd their brethren:
Who pleaded thus, Thou knowest us
that we were blameless livers;
No whore-mongers, no murderers,
no quarrellers nor strivers.

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29

XCIII

Idolaters, Adulterers,
Church-robbers we were none;
Nor false dealers, nor couzeners,
but paid each man his own.
Our way was fair, our dealing square,
we were no wastful spenders,
No lewd toss-pots, no drunken sots,
no scandalous offenders.

XCIV

We hated vice, and set great price
by vertuous conversation:
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 then sacrifice.

XCV

Thus to obey, hath been our way;
let our good deeds, we pray,
Find some regard, and good 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
themselves to have misdone.

XCVI

Then answered, unto their dread,
the Judge, True piety

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30

God doth desire, and eke require
no less then honesty.
Justice demands at all your hands
perfect Obedience:
If but in part you have come short,
that is a just offence.

XCVII

On earth below where men did owe
a thousand pounds and more,
Could twenty pence it recompence?
could that have clear'd the score?
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?

XCVIII

And yet that part (whose great desert
you think to reach so far
For your excuse) doth you accuse,
and will your boasting mar.
However fair, however square
your way, and work hath bin
Before mens eyes, yet God espies
iniquity therein.

XCIX

God looks upon th'affection
and temper of the heart;
Not only on the action,
and the external part.
Whatever end vain men pretend,
God knows the verify:

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31

And by the end which they intend
their words and deeds doth try.

C

Without true faith, the Scripture saith,
God cannot take delight
In any deed, that doth proceed
from any sinful wight.
And without love all actions prove
but barren empty things:
Dead works they be, and vanity,
the which vexation brings.

CI

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 heavens lofty wall,
by ladders of your own.

CII

Your blinded spirit, hoping to merit
by your own righteousness,
Needed no Saviour, but your behaviour
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 Bloud.

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32

CIII

All men have gone astray, and done
that which God's Laws condemn:
But my Purchase and offered 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.
Mean fruit it is, and vile, I wis,
that springs from such a root:
Vertue divine and genuine
wants not from pride to shoot.

CV

Such deeds as you are worse then poor,
they are but sins guilt over
With silver dross, whose glistering gloss
can them no longer cover.
The best of them would you condemn,
and ruine you alone,
Although you were from faults so clear,
that other you had none.

CVI

Your gold is dross, your silver brass,
your righteousness is sin:

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33

And think you by such honesty
Eternall life to win?
You much mistake, if for it's sake
you dream of acceptation;
Whereas the same deserveth shame,
and meriteth damnation.

CVII

A wond'rous Crowd then 'gan aloud
thus for themselves to say;
We did intend, Lord to mend,
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 libertee.

CVIII

Short was our time; for in his prime
our youthful flow'r was cropt:
We dy'd in youth, before full growth;
so was our purpose stopt.
Let our good will to turne from ill,
and sin to have forsaken,
Accepted be O Lord, by thee,
and in good part be taken.

CIX

To whom the Judg; Where you alledge
the shortness of the space
That from your birth you liv'd on earth,
to compass Saving Grace:
It was free-grace, that any space
was given you at all

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34

To turn from evil, defie the Devil,
and upon God to call.

CX

One day, one week, wherein to seek
Gods face with all your hearts,
A favour was that far did pass
the best of your deserts.
You had a season; what was your Reason
such precious hours to waste?
What could you find, what could you mind
that was of greater haste?

CXI

Could you find time for vain pastime?
for loose licentious mirth?
For fruitless toys, and fading joyes
that perish in the birth?
Had you good leisure for Carnal pleasure
in days of health and youth?
And yet no space to seek Gods face,
and turn to him in truth?

CXII

In younger years, beyond your fears,
what if you were surprised?
You put away the evil day,
and of long life devised.
You oft were told, and might behold,
that Death no age would spare.
Why then did you your time foreslow,
and slight your Souls welfare?

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35

CXIII

Had your intent been to Repent,
and had you it desir'd,
There would have been endeavours seen
before your time expir'd.
God makes no treasure nor hath he pleasure
in idle purposes:
Such fair pretences are foul offences,
and cloaks for wickedness.

CXIV

Then were brought in and charg'd with sin
another Company,
Who by Petition obtain'd permission
to make apology:
They argued; We were mis-led,
as is well known to thee,
By their Example, that had more ample
abilities than we.

CXV

Such as profest we did detest
and hate each wicked way:
Whose seeming grace whil'st we did trace,
our Souls were led astray.
When men of Parts, Learning and Arts,
professing Piety,
Did thus and thus, it seem'd to us
we might take liberty.

CXVI

The Judge Replies; I gave you eyes,
and light to see your way:

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36

Which had you lov'd and well improv'd
you had not gone astray.
My Word was pure, the Rule was sure;
why did you it forsake,
Or thereon trample, and men's Example
your Directory make?

CXVII

This you well know, that God is true,
and that most men are liars,
In word professing holiness,
in deed thereof deniers.
O simple fools! that having Rules
your lives to Regulate,
Would them refuse, and rather chuse
vile men to imitate.

CXVIII

But Lord, say they, we went astray,
and did more wickedly,
By means of those whom thou hast chose
Salvations Heirs to be.
To whom the Judge; What you alledge
doth nothing help the case,
But makes appear how vile you were,
and rend'reth you more bale.

CXIX

You understood that what was good
was to be followed,
And that you ought that which was nought
to have relinquished.
Contrariwise, it was your guise,
only to imitate

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37

Good mens defects, and their neglects
that were Regenerate.

CXX

But to express their holiness,
or imitate their Grace,
Yet little car'd, not 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.

CXXI

We had thy Word, (said some) O Lord,
but wiser men then wee
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?

CXXII

Was all my Word obscure and hard?
the Judge then answered:
It did contain much Truth so plain,
you might have run and read.
But what was hard you never car'd
to know, nor studied:
And things that were most plain and clear,
you never practised.

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38

CXXIII

The Mystery of Piety
God unto Babes reveals;
When to the wise he it denies,
and from the world conceals.
If to fulfill Gods holy will
had seemed good to you,
You would have sought light as you ought,
and done the good you knew.

CXXIV

Then came in view another Crew,
and 'gan to make their plea's;
Amongst the rest, some of the best
had such poor shifts as these:
Thou know'st right well, who all canst tell,
we liv'd amongst thy foes,
Who the Renate did sorely hate,
and goodness much oppose.

CXXV

We Holiness durst not profess,
fearing to be forlorn
Of all our friends, and for amends
to be the wicked's scorn.
We knew their anger would much endanger
our lives and our estates:
Therefore for fear we durst appear
no better than our mates.

CXXVI

To whom the Lord returns this word;
O wonderful deceits!

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39

To cast off aw of Gods strict Law,
and fear mens wrath and threats!
To fear Hell-fire and Gods fierce ire
less then the rage of men!
As if Gods wrath could do less scath
than wrath of bretheren!

CXXVII

To use such strife to 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 then true joyes did savour:
Who fed on dust, clave to your lust,
and spurned at my favour.

CXXVIII

To please your kin, mens loves to win,
to flow in worldly wealth,
To save your skin, these things have bin
more than Eternal health.
You had your choice, wherein rejoyce,
it was your portion,
For which you chose your Souls t'expose
unto Perdition.

CXXIX

Who did not hate friends, life, and state,
with all things else for me,
And all forsake, and's Cross up take,
shall never happy be.
Well worthy they do die for ay,
who death then life had rather:

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40

Death is their due that so value
the friendship of my Father.

CXXX

Others argue, and not a few,
is not God gracious?
His Equity and Clemency
are they not marvellous?
Thus we believ'd; are we deceiv'd?
cannot his Mercy great,
(As hath been told to us of old)
asswage his anger's heat?

CXXXI

How can it be that God should see
his Creatures endless pain?
Or hear their groans or ruefull moanes,
and still his wrath retain?
Can it agree with equitee?
can Mercy have the heart,
To Recompence few years offence
with Everlasting smart?

CXXXII

Can God delight in such a sight
as sinners Misery?
Or what great good can this our bloud
bring unto the most High?
Oh thou that dost thy Glory most
in pard'ning sin display!
Lord! might it please thee to release,
and pardon us this day?

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41

CXXXIII

Unto thy Name more glorious fame
would not such Mercy bring?
Would it not raise thine endless praise,
more than our suffering?
With that they cease, holding their peace,
but cease not still to weep;
Griefe ministers a flood to tears,
in which their words do steep:

CXXXIV

But all too late; Grief's out of date
when Life is at an end.
The glorious King thus answering,
all to his voice attend:
God gracious is, quoth he, like his
no Mercy can be found;
His Equity and Clemency
to sinners do abound.

CXXXV

As may appear by those that here
are plac'd at my right hand;
Whose stripes I bore and clear'd the score
that they might quitted stand.
For surely none but God alone;
whose Grace transcends man's thought,
For such as those that were his foes
like wonders would have wrought.

CXXXVI

And none but he such lenitee
and patience would have shown

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42

To you so long, who did him wrong,
and pull'd his judgements down.
How long a space (O stiff-neck't Race!)
did patience you afford?
How oft did love you gently move
to turn unto the Lord?

CXXXVII

With cords of Love God often strove
your stubborn hearts to tame:
Nevertheless, your wickedness
did still resist the same.
If now at last Mercy be past
from you for evermore,
And Justice come in Mercies room,
yet grudge you nor therefore.

CXXXVIII

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 every Crime
be brought to punishment:
VVrath long contain'd, and oft refrain'd,
at last must have a vent.
Justice severe cannot forbear
to plague sin any longer;

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43

But must inflict with hand most strict
mischief upon the wronger.

CXL

In vain do they for Mercy pray,
the season being past,
Who had no care to get a share
therein, while time did last.
The men whose ear refus'd to hear
the voice of Wisdom's cry,
Earn'd this reward, that none regard
him in his misery.

CXLI

It doth agree with Equitee,
and with God's holy Law,
That those should dy eternally,
that death upon them draw.
The Soul that sin's damnation win's;
for so the Law ordains:
Which Law is just; and therefore must
such suffer endless pains.

CXLII

Eternal smart is the desert
ev'n of the least offence;
Then wonder not if I allot
to you this Recompence:
But wonder more that, since so sore
and lasting plagues are due
To every sin, you liv'd therein,
who well the danger knew.

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44

CXLIII

God hath no joy to crush or 'stroy,
and ruine wretched wights:
But to display the glorious ray
of Justice he delights.
To manifest he doth detest
and throughly hate all sin,
By plaguing it, as is most fit,
this shall him glory win.

CXLIV

Then at the Bar arraigned are
an impudenter sort,
Who to evade the guilt that's laid
upon them, thus retort;
How could we cease thus to transgress?
how could we Hell avoid,
Whom God's Decree shut out from thee,
and sign'd to be destroy'd?

CXLV

Whom God ordains to endless pains
by Laws unalterable,
Repentance true, Obedience new,
to save such are unable:
Sorrow for sin no good can win
to such as are rejected;
Ne can they give, not yet believe
that never were elected.

CXLVI

Of man's fain Race who can true Grace
or Holiness obtain?

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45

Who can convert or change his heart,
if God with-hold the same?
Had we apply'd our selves, and tri'd
as much as who did most
Gods love to gain, our busie pain
and labour had been lost.

CXLVII

Christ readily makes this reply;
I damn you not because
You are rejected, or not elected;
but you have broke my Laws.
It is but vain your wits to strain
the End and Means to sever:
Men fondly seek to dart or break
what God hath link'd together.

CXLVIII

Whom God will save, such he will have
the means of life to use:
Whom he'l pass by, shall chuse to 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.

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 Hell.
They have their wish whose Souls perish
with torments in Hell-fire:

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46

Who rather chose their souls to lose,
then leave a loose desire.

CL

God did ordain sinners to pain;
and I to hell send none,
But such as swerv'd, and have deserv'd
destruction as their own.
His pleasure is, that none from bliss
and endless happiness
Be barr'd, but such as wrong'd him much
by wilful wickedness.

CLI

You (sinful crew!) no other knew
but you might be elect:
Why did you then your selves condemn?
why did you me reject?
Where was your strife to gain that life
which lasteth evermore?
You never knock't, yet say God lock't
against you heavens door.

CLII

'Twas no vain task to knock, to ask,
whilst life continued.
Who ever sought Heav'n as he ought,
and seeking perished?
The lowly-meek who truly seek
for Christ and for salvation,
There's no Decree whereby such be
ordain'd to condemnation.