46. That what to think, or what to do, Or where to lay their head, They know not; "tis the d.a.m.ned"s woe To live, and yet be dead.
47. These cast-aways would fain have life, But know, they never shall, They would forget their dreadful plight, But that sticks fast"st of all.
48. G.o.d, Christ, and heaven, they know are best, Yet dare not on them think, The saints they know in joys do rest, While they their tears do drink.
49. They cry alas, but all in vain, They stick fast in the mire, They would be rid of present pain, Yet set themselves on fire.
50. Darkness is their perplexity, Yet do they hate the light, They always see their misery, Yet are themselves all night.
51. They are all dead, yet live they do, Yet neither live nor die.
They die to weal, and live to woe, This is their misery.
52. Amidst all this so great a scare That here I do relate, Another falleth to their share In this their sad estate.
53. The legions of infernal fiends Then with them needs must be, A just reward for all their pains, This they shall feel and see.
54. With yellings, howlings, shrieks, and cries, And other doleful noise, With trembling hearts and failing eyes, These are their h.e.l.lish joys.
55. These angels black they would obey, And serve with greedy mind, And take delight to go astray, That pleasure they might find.
56. Which pleasure now like poison turns Their joy to heaviness; Yea, like the gall of asps it burns, And doth them sore oppress 57. Now is the joy they lived in All turned to brinish tears, And resolute attempts to sin Turn"d into h.e.l.lish fears.
58. The floods run trickling down their face, Their hearts do p.r.i.c.k and ache, While they lament their woful case, Their loins totter and shake.
59. O wetted cheeks, with bleared eyes, How fully do you show The pangs that in their bosom lies, And grief they undergo!
60. Their dolour in their bitterness So greatly they bemoan, That h.e.l.l itself this to express Doth echo with their groan.
61. Thus broiling on the burning grates, They now to wailing go, And say of those unhappy fates That did them thus undo.
62. Alas, my grief! hard hap had I Those dolours here to find, A living death, in h.e.l.l I lie, Involv"d with grief of mind.
63. I once was fair for light and grace, My days were long and good; I lived in a blessed place Where was most heav"nly food.
64. But wretch I am, I slighted life, I chose in death to live; O, for these days now, if I might, Ten thousand worlds would give.
65. What time had I to pray and read, What time to hear the word!
What means to help me at my need, Did G.o.d to me afford!
66. Examples, too, of piety I every day did see, But they abuse and slight did I, O, woe be unto me.
67. I now remember how my friend Reproved me of vice, And bid me mind my latter end, Both once, and twice, and thrice.
68. But O, deluded man, I did My back upon him turn; Eternal life I did not heed, For which I now do mourn.
69. Ah, golden time, I did thee spend In sin and idleness, Ah, health and wealth, I did you lend To bring me to distress.
70. My feet to evil I let run, And tongue of folly talk; My eyes to vanity hath gone, Thus did I vainly walk.
71. I did as greatly toil and strain Myself with sin to please, As if that everlasting grain Could have been found in these.
72. But nothing, nothing have I found But weeping, and alas, And sorrow, which doth now surround Me, and augment my cross.
73. Ah, bleeding conscience, how did I Thee check when thou didst tell Me of my faults, for which I lie Dead while I live in h.e.l.l.
74. I took thee for some peevish foe, When thou didst me accuse, Therefore I did thee buffet so, And counsel did refuse.
75. Thou often didst me tidings bring, How G.o.d did me dislike, Because I took delight in sin, But I thy news did slight.
76. Ah, Mind, why didst thou do those things That now do work my woe?
Ah, Will, why was thou thus inclin"d Me ever to undo?
77. My senses, how were you beguil"d When you said sin was good?
It hath in all parts me defil"d, And drown"d me like a flood.
78. Ah, that I now a being have, In sorrow and in pain; Mother, would you had been my grave, But this I wish in vain.
79. Had I been made a c.o.c.katrice, A toad, or such-like thing;[13]
Yea, had I been made snow or ice, Then had I had no sin; 80. A block, a stock, a stone, or clot, Is happier than I; For they know neither cold nor hot, To live nor yet to die.
81. I envy now the happiness Of those that are in light, I hate the very name of bliss, "Cause I have there no right.
82. I grieve to see that others are In glory, life, and well, Without all fear, or dread, or care, While I am racked in h.e.l.l.
83. Thus will these souls with watery eyes, And hacking of their teeth, With wringing hands, and fearful cries, Expostulate their grief.
84. O set their teeth they will, and gnash, And gnaw for very pain, While as with scorpions G.o.d doth lash Them for their life so vain.
85. Again, still as they in this muse, Are feeding on the fire, To mind there comes yet other news, To screw their torments higher.
86. Which is the length of this estate, Where they at present lie; Which in a word I thus relate, "Tis to eternity.
87. This thought now is so firmly fix"d In all that comes to mind, And also is so strongly mix"d With wrath of every kind.
88. So that whatever they do know, Or see, or think, or feel, For ever still doth strike them through As with a bar of steel.
89. For EVER shineth in the fire, EVER is on the chains; "Tis also in the pit of ire, And tastes in all their pains.
90. For ever separate from G.o.d, From peace, and life, and rest; For ever underneath the rod That vengeance liketh best.
91. O ever, ever, this will drown"d Them quite and make them cry, We never shall get o"er thy bound, O, great eternity!
92. They sooner now the stars may count Than lose these dismal bands; Or see to what the motes[14] among Or number up the sands.
93. Then see an end of this their woe, Which now for sin they have; O wantons, take heed what you do, Sin will you never save.
94. They sooner may drink up the sea, Than shake off these their fears; Or make another in one day As big with brinish tears; 95. Than put an end to misery, In which they now do roar, Or help themselves; no, they must cry, Alas, for evermore.
96. When years by thousands on a heap Are pa.s.sed o"er their head; Yet still the fruits of sin they reap Among the ghostly dead.
97. Yea, when they have time out of mind Be in this case so ill, For EVER, EVER is behind[15]
Yet for them to fulfill.
EBAL AND GERIZZIM,
OR
THE BLESSING AND THE CURSE:
BEING A SHORT EXHORTATION TO SINNERS, BY THE MERCY AND SEVERITY OF G.o.d.
FROM MOUNT GERIZZIM.
Besides what I said of the Four Last Things, And of the weal and woe that from them springs; An after-word still runneth in my mind, Which I shall here expose unto that wind That may it blow into that very hand That needs it. Also that it may be scann"d With greatest soberness, shall be my prayer, As well as diligence and G.o.dly care; So to present it unto public view, That only truth and peace may thence ensue.
My talk shall be of that amazing love Of G.o.d we read of; which, that it may prove, By its engaging arguments to save Thee, I shall lay out that poor help I have Thee to entice; that thou wouldst dearly fall In love with thy salvation, and with all That doth thereto concur, that thou mayst be As blessed as the Blessed can make thee, Not only here but in the world to come, In bliss, which, I pray G.o.d, may be thy home.
But first, I would advise thee to bethink Thyself, how sin hath laid thee at the brink Of h.e.l.l, where thou art lulled fast asleep In Satan"s arms, who also will thee keep As senseless and secure as e"er he may, Lest thou shouldst wake, and see"t, and run away Unto that Jesus, whom the Father sent Into the world, for this cause and intent, That such as thou, from such a thrall as this Might"st be released, and made heir of bliss.
Now that thou may"st awake, the danger fly, And so escape the death that others die, Come, let me set my trumpet to thine ear, Be willing all my message for to hear: "Tis for thy life, O do it not refuse; Wo unto them good counsel do abuse.
Thou art at present in that very case, Which argues thou art dest.i.tute of grace: For he that lies where sin hath laid him, lies Under the curse, graceless, and so he dies In body and in soul, within that range, If G.o.d his heart in mercy doth not change Before he goes the way of all the earth, Before he lose his spirit and his breath.
Repentance there is none within the grave, Nor Christ, nor grace, nor mercies for to save Thee from the vengeance due unto thy sin, If now thou dost not truly close with him.
Thou art like him that sleepeth in the sea On broken boards, which, without guide or stay, Are driven whither winds and water will; While greedy beasts do wait to have their fill By feeding on his carca.s.s, when he shall Turn overboard, and without mercy fall Into the jaws of such as make a prey Of those whom justice drowneth in the sea.
Thou art like him that snoring still doth lie Upon the bed of vain security, Whilst all about him into burning flame By fire is turned; yea, and while the frame And building where he lies consuming is, And while himself these burnings cannot miss.
Thou art like one that hangeth by a thread Over the mouth of h.e.l.l, as one half-dead; And O, how soon this thread may broken be, Or cut by death, is yet unknown to thee!
But sure it is, if all the weight of sin, And all that Satan, too, hath doing been, Or yet can do, can break this crazy thread, "Twill not be long before, among the dead, Thou tumble do, as linked fast in chains, With them to wait in fear for future pains.
What shall I say? Wilt thou not yet awake?
Nor yet of thy poor soul some pity take?
Among the lions it hood-winked lies; O, that the Lord would open once thine eyes That thou might"st see it, then I dare say thou, As half-bereft of wits, wouldst cry out, How Shall I escape? Lord help, O! help with speed, Reach down thy hand from heav"n, for help I need, To save me from the lions, for I fear This soul of mine they will in pieces tear.
Come, then, and let us both expostulate The case betwixt us, till we animate And kindle in our hearts that burning love To Christ, to grace, to life, that we may move Swifter than eagles to this blessed prey; Then shall it be well with us in that day The trump shall sound, the dead made rise, and stand, Then to receive, for breach of G.o.d"s command, Such thunder-claps as these, Depart from me Into h.e.l.l-fire, you that the wicked be, Prepared for the devil, and for those That with him and his angels rather chose To live in filthy sin and wickedness, Whose fruit is everlasting bitterness.
We both are yet on this side of the grave, We also gospel-privileges have; The word, and time to pray; G.o.d give us hearts, That, like the wise man, we may act our parts, To get the pearl of price; then we shall be Like G.o.dly Mary, Peter, Paul, and we Like Jacob, too, the blessing shall obtain; While Esau rides a-hunting for the gain Of worldly pelf, which will him not avail When death or judgment shall him sore a.s.sail.
Now, to encourage us for to begin, Let us believe the kingdom we may win, And be possess"d thereof, if we the way Shall hit into, and then let nothing stay Or hinder us; the crown is at the end, Let"s run and strive, and fly, and let"s contend With greatest courage it for to obtain; "Tis life, and peace, and everlasting gain.
The gate of life, the new and living way, The promise holdeth open all the day, Which thou by Jacob"s ladder must ascend, Where angels always wait, and do attend As ministers, to minister for those That do with G.o.d, and Christ, and glory close.
If guilt of sin still lieth at our door, Us to discourage, let us set before Our eyes a bleeding Jesus, who did die The death, and let"s believe the reason why He did it, was that we might ever be From death and sin, from h.e.l.l and wrath set free.
Yea, let"s remember for that very end It was his blessed Father did him send; That he the law of G.o.d might here fulfil, That so the mystery of his blessed will Might be revealed in the blessedness Of those that fly to Christ for righteousness.
Now let us argue with ourselves, then, thus That Jesus Christ our Lord came to save us, By bearing of our sins upon his back, By hanging on the cross as on a rack, While justice cut him off on every side, While smiles Divine themselves from him did hide, While earth did quake, and rocks in pieces rent, And while the sun, as veiled, did lament To see the innocent and harmless die So sore a death, so full of misery.
Yea, let us turn again, and say, All this He did and suffered for love of his.
He brought in everlasting righteousness, That he might cover all our nakedness; He wept and wash"d his face with brinish tears That we might saved be from h.e.l.lish fears; Blood was his sweat, too, in his agony, That we might live in joyful ecstasy; He apprehended was and led away, That grace to us-ward never might decay.
With swords, and bills, and outrage in the night, That to the peace of heav"n we might have right.
Condemned he was between two thieves to die, That we might ever in his bosom lie; Scourged with whips his precious body were, That we lashes of conscience might not fear; His head was crowned with thorns, that we might be Crowned with glory and felicity; He hanged was upon a cursed tree, That we delivered from death might be; His Father from him hides his smiles and face, That we might have them in the heavenly place; He cry"d, My G.o.d, why hast forsaken me?
That we forsaken of him might not be.
Into his side was thrust a b.l.o.o.d.y spear, That we the sting of death might never fear; He went into the grave after all this, That we might up to heav"n go, and have bliss.