Health and Gladness while we see Thy Face O Immortal 20. Here will the Lord make clear and plain How sweetly did agree His Attributes when Christ was slain Our Saviour to be 21. How Wisdom did find out the way How Strength did make him stand How Holiness did bear the sway And answer just demand 22. How all these Attributes did bend Themselves to work our Life Thorow the Christ whom God did send To save us by his Might 23. All this will sparkle in our Eye Within the Holy Place And greatly raise our Melody And flow our Hearts with Grace 24. The largest thought that can arise Within the widest Heart Shall then be filled with surprise And pleas'd in every part 25. All Mysteries shall here be seen And every knot unty'd Electing love that hid hath been Shall shine on every side 26. The God of Glory here will be The Life of every one Whose goodly Attributes shall we Possess then as our own 27. By Wisdom we all things shall know By Light all things shall see By Strength too all things we shall do When we in Glory be 28. The Holy Lamb of God also Who for our sakes did dye The holy ones of God shall know And that most perfectly 29. Those small and short discoveries That we have of him here Will there be seen with open eyes In Visions full and clear 30. Those many thousand acts of Grace That here we feel and find Shall there be read with open face Upon his heart most kind 31. There he will shew us how he was Our Prophet Priest and King And how he did maintain our cause And us to Glory bring 32. There we shall see how he was touch't With all our grief and pain As in his Word he hath avouch 't When we with him shall reign 33. He 'll shew us also how he did Maintain our Faith and Love And why his Face sometimes he hid From us who are his Dove 34. These tempting times that here we have We there shall see were good Also that hidden strength he gave The purchase of his Blood 35. That he should stand for us before His Father thus we read But then shall see and shall adore Him for his gracious Deed. 36. Though we are vile He without shame Before the Angels all Layes out his strength his worth and Name For us who are in thrall 37. This is He who was mock'd and beat Spit on and crown'd with Thorns Who for us had a bloody Sweat Whose Heart was broke with scorns 38. 'T is he who stands so much our friend As shortly we shall see With open face World without end And in his Presence be 39. That Head that once was Crown'd with Thorns Shall now with Glory shine That heart that broken was with Scorns Shall flow with Life Divine 40. That man that here met with disgrace We there shall see so bright That Angels can't behold his Face For its exceeding light 41. What gladness will possess our heart When we shall see these things What Light and Life in every part Will rise like lasting springs 42. O blessed Face and holy Grace When shall we see this day Lord fetch us to this goodly place We humbly do thee pray 43. Next to this Lamb we shall behold All Saints both more and less With whited Robes in Glory roul'd 'Cause Him they did confess 44. Each walking in his Righteousness With shining Crowns of Gold Triumphing still in heav'nly bliss Amazing to behold 45. Each Person for his Majesty Doth represent a King Yea Angel-like for Dignity And Seraphims that sing 46. Each motion of their mind and so Each twinkling of their eye Each word they speak and step they go It is in purity 47. Immortal are they every one Wrapt up in health and light Mortality from them is gone Weakness is turn'd to might 48. The Stars are not so clear as they They equalize the Sun Their glory shines to perfect day Which day will ne're be done 49. No sorrow can them now annoy Nor weakness grief or pain No faintness can abate their joy They now in Life do Reign 50. They shall not there as here be vext With Satan Men or Sin Nor with their wicked hearts perplext The heav'ns hath cop'd them in 51. Thus as they shine in their estate So too in their degree Which is most goodly to relate And ravishing to see 52. The Majesty whom they adore Doth them in Wisdom place Upon the Thrones and that before The Angels to their grace 53. The Saints of the Old Testament Full right to their degree Likewise the New in excellent Magnificency be 54. Each one his badg of Glory wears According to his place According as was his affairs Here in the time of Grace 55. Some on the right hand of the Lamb Likewise some on the left With robes and golden chains do stand Most grave most sage and deft 56. The Martyr here is known from him Who peaceably did dye Both by the place he sitteth in And by his Dignity 57. Each Father Saint and Prophet shall According to his worth Enjoy the honour of his Call And plainly hold it forth 58. Those bodies which sometimes were torn And bones that broken were For God's Word he doth now adorn With health and glory fair 59. Thus when in heavenly harmony These blessed Saints appear Adorn'd with grace and Majesty What gladness will be there 60. The light and grace and countenance The least of these shall have Will so with terror them advance And make their face so grave 61. That at them all the world will shake When they lift up their head Princes and Kings will at them quake And fall before them dead 62. This shall we see thus shall we be O would the day were come Lord Jesus take us up to thee To this desired home 63. Angels also we shall behold When we on high ascend Each shining like to men of gold And on the Lord attend 64. These goodly creatures full of grace Shall stand about the Throne Each one with Lightning in his face And shall to us be known 65 These Cherubims with one accord Shall cry continually Ah holy holy holy Lord And heavenly Majesty 66. These will us in their arms embrace And welcome us to rest And joy to see us clad with grace And of the Heav'ns possest 67. This we shall hear this we shall see While raptures take us up When we with blessed Jesus be And at his Table sup 68. Oh shining Angels What must we With you lift up our Voice We must and with you ever be And with you must rejoyce 69. Our Friends that lived godly here Shall there be found again The Wife the Child and Father dear With others of our Train 70. Each one down to the foot in white Fill'd to the brim with grace Walking among the Saints in light With glad and joyful face 71. Those God did use us to convert We there with Joy shall meet
18. But every Heart shall op'ned be Before this Judge most high Yea every thought to Judgment he Will bring assuredly 19. And every Word and Action too He there will manifest Yea all that ever thou didst do Or keep within thy Breast 20. Shall then be seen and laid before The World that then will stand To see thy Judge open every sore And all thy evils scan'd 21. Weighing each sin and wickedness With so much equity Proportioning of thy distress And woful misery 22. With so much justice doing right That thou thy self shalt say My sins have brought me to this plight I threw my self away 23. Into that gulf my sins have brought Me justly to possess For which I blame not Christ I wrought It out by wickedness 24. But oh how willingly would these That thus in Judgment be If that they might have help or ease Unto the Mountains flee 25. They would rejoyce if that they might But underneath them creep To hide them from revenging Right For fear of which they weep 26. But all in vain the Mountains then Will all be fled and gone No shelter will be found for Men That now are left alone 27. For succour they did not regard When Christ by Grace did call To them therefore they are not heard No Mountains on them fall 28. Before this Judge no one shall shroud Himself under pretence Of Knowledge which hath made him proud Nor seeming Penitence 29. No high Profession here can stand Unless Sincerity Hath been therewith commixed and Brought forth Simplicity 30. No Mask nor Vizor here can hide The Heart that rotten is All Cloaks must now be laid aside No Sinner must have bliss 31. Though most approve of thee and count Thee upright in thy Heart Yea though preferr'd and made surmount Most men to act thy part 32. In treading where the godly trod As to an outward shew Yet this holds still the grace of God Takes hold on but a few 33. So as to make them truly such As then shall stand before This Judge with gladness this is much Yet true for evermore 34. The Tree of Life this Paradise Doth always beautify 'Cause of our health it is the rise And perpetuity 35. Here stands the golden throne of Grace From out of which do run Those chrystal streams that make this place Far brighter than the Sun 36. Here stands Mount Sion with her King Jerusalem above That holy and delightful thing So beautify'd with love 37. That as a Mother suckers those Which of her body be So she far more all such as close In with her Lord. And she 38. Her gates her everlasting doors Will open wide unto Them all with welcome welcome poor Rich bond free high and low 39. Unto the Kingdom which our Lord Appointed hath for all That hath his Name and Word ador'd Because he did them call 40. Unto that work which also they Sincerely did fulfill Not shunning always to obey His gracious holy will 41. Besides this much doth beautify This goodly Paradise That from all quarters constantly Whole thousands as the price 42. Of precious Blood do here arrive As safe escaping all Sin Hell and Satan did contrive To bring them into thrall 43. Each telling his deliverance I' th' open face of Heaven Still calling to remembrance How fiercely they were driven 44. By deadly Foe who did pursue As swift as Eagles fly Which if thou have not down thou must With those that then shall dye The second Death and be accurst Of God For certainly 45. The truth of Grace shall only here Without a blush be bold To stand whilst other quake and fear And dare not once behold 46. That Heart that here was right for God Shall there be comforted But those that evil ways have trod Shall then hang down the head 47. As sore confounded with the guilt That now upon them lies Because they did delight in filth And beastly vanities 48. Or else because they did deceive VVith hypocritical Disguises their own Souls and leave Or shun that best of all 49. Approved word of Righteousness They were invited to Embrace therefore they no access Now to him have but woe 50. For every one must now receive According to their ways They that unto the Lord did cleave The everlasting Joys 51. Those that did dye in wickedness To execution sent There still to grapple with distress VVhich nothing can prevent 52. Of which two states I next shall write VVherefore I pray give ear And to them bend with all your might Your Heart with filial fear Of Heaven 1. HEaven is a Place also a State It doth all things excell No Man can fully it relate Nor of its Glory tell 2. God made it for his Residence To fit on as a Throne Which shews to us the Excellence Whereby it may be known 3. Doubtless the Fabrick that was built For this so great a King Must needs surprise thee if thou wilt But duly mind the thing 4. If all that build do build to suit The glory of their state What Orator though most accute Can fully Heaven relate 5. If Palaces that Princes build Which yet are made of Clay Do so amaze when much beheld Of Heaven what shall we say 6. It is the high and holy place No Moth can there annoy Nor make to fade that goodly grace That Saints shall there enjoy 7. Mansions for glory and for rest Do there prepared stand Buildings eternal for the blest Are there provided and 8. The glory and the comliness By deepest thought none may With heart or mouth fully express Nor can before that day 9. These Heav'ns we see be as a scrole Or garment folded up Before they do together role And we call'd in to sup 10. There with the King the Bridegroom and By him are led into His Palace-Chambers there to stand With his Prospect to view 11. And taste and smell and be inflam'd And ravished to see The buildings he hath for us fram'd How full of Heav'n they be 12. It s state also is marvellous For beauty to behold All goodness there is plenteous And better far than Gold 13. Adorn'd with grace and righteousness While fragrant scents of love O're-flow with everlasting bliss All that do dwell above 14. The Heav'nly Majesty whose Face Doth far exceed the Sun Will there cast forth its rays of Grace After this World is done 15. Which rays and beams will so possess All things that there shall dwell With so much glory light and bliss That none can think or tell 16. That Wisdom which doth order all Shall there be fully shown That Strength that bears the World there shall By every one be known 17. That Holiness and Sanctity Which doth all thought surpass Shall there in present purity Out-shine the Chrystal Glass 18. The Beauty and the Comliness Of this All-mighty shall Make amiable with lasting bliss Those he thereto shall call 19. The presence of this God will be Eternal Life in all And
And joyntly shall with all our Heart In Life each other greet 72. A Crown to them we then shall be A Glory and a Joy And that before the Lord when he The World comes to destroy 73. This is the place this is the State Of all that fear the Lord Which men nor Angels may relate With tongue or pen or word 74. No night is here for to eclipse Its spangling rayes so bright Nor doubt nor fear to shut the lips Of those within this light 75. The strings of Musick here are tun'd For heavenly Harmony And every Spirit here perfum'd With perfect Sanctity 76. Here runs the Chrystal streams of Life Quite thorow all our veins And here by love we do unite With Glory's golden Chains 77. Now that which sweetneth all will be The lasting of this state This heightens all we here or see To a transcendent rate 78. For should the Saints enjoy all this But for a certain time Oh how would they their mark then miss And at this thing repine 79. Yea 't is not possible that they Who then shall dwell on high Should be content unless they may Dwell there eternally 80. A thought of parting with this place Would bitter all their sweet And darkness put upon the Face Of all they there do meet 80. But far from this the Saints shall be Their portion is the Lord Whose face for ever they shall see As saith the holy Word 81. And that with everlasting peace Joy and felicity From this time forth they shall encrease Unto Eternity Of Hell and the Estate of those that perish 1. THus having shew'd you what I see Of Heaven I now will tell You also after search what be The damned wights of Hell 2. And oh that they who read my lines Would ponder soberly And lay to heart such things betimes As touch Eternity 3. The sleepy sinner little thinks What sorrows will abound Within him when upon the brinks Of Tophet he is found 4. Hell is beyond all thought a state So doubtful and forlorn So fearful that none can relate The pangs that there are born 5. God will exclude them utterly From his most blessed Face And them involve in misery In shame and in disgrace 6. God is the Fountain of all bliss Of Life of Light and peace They then must needs be comfortless Who are depriv'd of these 7. Instead of Life a living death Will there in all be found Dyings will be in every breath Thus sorrow will abound 8. No light but darkness here doth dwell No peace but horror strange The fearful damning wights of Hell In all will make this change 9. To many things the damned's woe Is likened in the Word And that because no one can shew The vengeance of the Lord. 10. Unto a dreadful burning Lake All on a fiery flame Hell is compared for to make All understand the same 11. A burning Lake a Furnace hot A burning Oven too Must be the portion share and lot Of those which evil sow 12. This plainly shews the burning heat With which it will oppress All hearts and will like burnings eat Their Souls with sore distress 13. This burning Lake it is Gods wrath Incensed by the sin Of those who do reject his path And wicked ways walk in 14. Which wrath will so perplex all parts Of Body and of Soul As if up to the very hearts In burnings they did roul 15. Again to shew the stinking state Of this so sad a Case Like burning Brimstone God doth make The hidings of his Face 16. And truly as the steam and smoak And flames of Brimstone smell To blind the Eyes and Stomach choak So are the pangs of Hell 17. To see a Sea of Brimstone burn Who would it not afright But they whom God to Hell doth turn Are in most woful plight 18. This burning cannot quenched be No not with tears of blood No mournful groans in misery Will here do any good 19. O damned Men this is your fate The day of Grace is done Repentance now doth come too late Mercy is fled and gone 20. Your groans and cries they sooner should Have sounded in mine ears If Grace you would have had or would Have me regard your tears 21. Me you offended with your sin Instructions you did slight Your sins against my Law hath bin Justice shall have his right 22. I gave my Son to do you good I gave you space and time With him to close which you withstood And did with Hell combine 23. Justice against you now is set Which you cannot appease Eternal Justice doth you let From either life or ease 24. Thus he that to this place doth come May groan and sigh and weep But sin hath made that place his home And there it will him keep 25. Wherefore Hell in another place Is call'd a Prison too And all to shew the evil case Of all sin doth undo 26. Which Prison with its locks and bars Of Gods lasting decree Will hold them fast O how this mars All thought of being free 27. Out at these brazen bars they may The Saints in glory see But this will not their grief allay But to them torment be 28. Thus they in this infernal Cave Will now be holden fast From heav'nly freedom though they crave Of it they may not tast 29. The Chains that darkness on them hangs Still ratling in their Ears Creates within them heavy pangs And still augments their fears 30. Thus hopeless of all remedy They dyingly do sink Into the Jaws of misery And Seas of sorrows drink 31. For being cop'd on every side With helplesness and grief Head-long into despair they slide Berest of all relief 32. Therefore this Hell is call'd a Pit Prepar'd for those that dye The second Death a term most fit To shew their misery 33. A Pit that 's bottomless is this A Gulf of grief and wo A Dungeon which they cannot miss That will themselves undo 34. Thus without stay they always sink Thus fainting still they fail Despair they up like water drink These Prisoners have no bail 35. Here meets them now that worm that gnaws And plucks their bowels out The Pit too on them shuts her jaws This dreadful is no doubt 36. This gastly worm is guilt for sin Which on the Conscience feeds With Vipers Teeth both sharp and keen Whereat it sorely bleeds 37. This worm is fed by memory Which strictly brings to mind All things done in prosperity As we in Scripture find 38. No word nor thought nor act they did But now is set in sight Not one of them can now be hid Memory gives them light 39. On which the understanding still Will judge and sentence pass This kills the mind and wounds the will Alas alas alas 40. Oh Conscience is the slaughter-shop There hangs the Axe and Knife 'T is there the worm makes all things hot And wearies out the life 41. Here then is execution done On Body and on Soul For Conscience will be
them that sought his Life no rest he found Until a word of Faith became a ground To stay himself upon O! then they fell His very Song became their passing Bell. Then Holiness of Heart a consequence Of Faith in Christ is for it flows from thence The love of Christ in Truth constraineth us Of love sincerely to make Judgment thus He for us dyed that for ever we Might dye to sin and Christ his Servants be O! nothing's like to the remembrance Of what it is to have deliverance From Death and Hell which is of due our right Nothing I say like this to work delight In holy things this like live-honey runs And needs no pressing out of honey-combs Then understand my meaning by my words How sence of mercy unto faith affords Both Grace to sanctifie and holy make That Soul that of forgiveness doth partake Thus having briefly shewed you what is The way of Life of Sanctity of Bliss I would not in conclusion have you think By what I say that Christian-men should drink In these my words with lightness or that they Are now exempted from what every day Their duty is No God doth still expect Yea doth command that they do not neglect To pray to read to hear and not dissent From being sober grave and diligent In watching self-denyal and with fear To serve him all the time thou livest here Indeed I have endeavoured to lay Before your Eyes the right and only way Pardon to get and also Holiness Without which never think that God will bless Thee with the Kingdom he will give to those That Christ embrace and holy lives do choose To live while here all other go astray And shall in time to come be cast away From Mount Ebal THus having heard from Gerizzim I shall Next come to Ebal and you thither call Not there to curse you but to let you hear How God doth curse that Soul that shall appear An unbelieving man a graceless wretch Because he doth continue in the breach Of Moses Law and also doth neglect To close with Jesus him will God reject And cast behind him for of right his due Is that from whence all miseries ensue Cursed saith he are they that do transgress The least of my Commandments more or less Nothing that written is must broken be But always must be kept unto by thee And must fulfilled be for here no man Can look God in the face or ever stand Before the Judgment seat for if they be Convict condemned too assuredly Now keep this Law no mortal Creature can For they already do as guilty stand Before the God that gave it so that they Obnoxious to the curse lye every day Which also they must feel for certainty If unto Jesus Christ they do not fly Hence then as they for ever shall be blest That do by faith upon the promise rest So peace unto the wicked there is none 'T is wrath and death that they must feed upon That what I say may some impression make On carnal Hearts that they in time may take That course that best will prove when time is done These lines I add to what I have begun First Thou must know that God as he is Love So he is Justice therefore cannot move Or in the least be brought to favour those His Holiness and Justice doth oppose For though thou may'st imagine in thy heart That God is this or that yet if thou art At all besides the truth of what he is And so dost build thy hope for life amiss Still he the same abideth and will be The same the same for ever unto thee As God is true unto his promise so Unto his threatning he is faithful too Cease to be God he must if he should break One tittle that his blessed mouth did speak Now then none can be saved but the men With whom the God-head is contented when It them beholds with the severest eye Of Justice Holiness and yet can spye No fault nor blemish in them these be they That must be saved as the Scriptures say If this be true as 't is assuredly Woe be to them that wicked live and dye Those that as far from Holiness have been All their Life long as if no Eye had seen Their doings here or as if God did not At all regard or in the least mind what Wherein or how they did his Law transgress Either by this or other Wickedness But how deceived these poor creatures are They then shall know when they their burthen bear Alas our God is a consuming fire So is his Law by which he doth require That thou submit to him and if thou be Not in that Justice found that can save thee From all and every sentence which he spake Upon Mount Sinai then as one that brake It thou the flames thereof shalt quickly find As scourges thee to lash while sins do bind Thee hand and foot for ever to endure The strokes of vengeance for thy Life impure What I have said will yet evinced be And manifest abundantly to thee If what I have already spoken to Be joyned with these Lines that do ensue Justice discovers its antipathy Against Prophaneness and Malignity Not only by the Law it gave to men And Threatnings thereunto annexed then But in as much as long before that day He did prepare for such as go astray That dreadful that so much amazing place Hell with its Torments for those men that Grace And Holiness of Life slight and disdain There to bemoan themselves with hellish pain This place also the Pains so dismal be Both as to Name and Nature that in me It is not to express the damning wights The hellish Torture and the fearful plights Thereof for as intolerable they Must needs be found by those that disobey The Lord so can no word or thought express Unto the full the height of that distress Such miserable Caitiffs that shall there Rebukes of Vengeance for Transgressions bear Indeed the Holy Scriptures do make use Of many Metaphors that do conduce Much to the symbolizing of the place Unto our Apprehension but the case The sad the woful case of those that lye As wracked there in endless misery By all similitudes no mortals may Set forth in its own nature for I say Similitudes are but a shade and shew Of those or that they signifie to you The fire that doth within thine Oven burn The Prison where poor People sit and mourn Chains Racks and Darkness and such others be As painting on the Wall to let thee see By Word and Figures the extremity Of such as shall within these burnings lye But certainly if Wickedness and Sin Had only foolish toyes and trifles been And if God had not greatly hated it Yea could he any ways thereof admit And let it pass he would not thus have done He doth not use to punish any one With any place or punishment that is Above or sharper than the sin of his Hath merited and Justice
from these shakings run 19. But how much more then when he comes To graffle with thy Heart To bind with Thread thy Toes and Thumbs And fetch thee in his Cart. 20. Then will he cut thy silver Cord And break thy Golden Bowl Yea break that Pitcher which the Lord Made Cabin for thy Soul 21. Thine Eyes that now are quick of sight Shall then no way espy How to escape this doleful plight For Death will make thee dye 22. Those Legs that now can nimbly run Shall then with faintness fail To take one step Death's Dart to shun When he doth thee assail 23. That Tongue that now can boast and brag Shall then by Death be ty'd So fast as not to speak or wag Though Death lyes by thy side 24. Thou that did'st once encline thine Ear Unto the Song and Tale Shall only now Death's Message hear While he with Face most pale 25. Doth reason with thee how thy days Hath hitherto been spent And what have been thy deeds and ways Since God thee time hath lent 26. Then will he so begin to tear Thy Body from thy Soul And both from Life if now thy Care Be not on Grace to roll 27. Death puts on things another face Than we in health do see Sin Satan Hell Death Life and Grace Now great and weighty be 28. Yea now the Sick-man's Eye is set Upon a World to come He also knows too without let That there must be his Home 29. Either in Joy in Bliss and Light Or Sorrow Woe and Grief Either with Christ and Saints in white Or Fiends without Relief 30. But oh the sad estate that then They will be in that dye Both void of Grace and Life poor men How will they fear and cry 31. Ha! Live I may not though I would For Life give more than all And dye I dare not though I should The World gain by my fall 32. No here he must no longer stay He feels his Life run out His Night is come also the day That makes him fear and doubt 33. He feels his very Vitals dye All waxeth pale and wan Nay worse he fears to misery He shortly must be gone 34. Death doth already strike his Heart With his most fearful sting Of Guilt which makes his Conscience start And quake at every thing 35. Yea as his body doth decay By a contagious grief So his poor Soul doth faint away Without hope or relief 36. Thus while the man is in this scare Death doth still at him lay Live dye sink swim fall foul or fair Death still holds on his way 37. Still pulling of him from his place Full sore against his Mind Death like a Sprite stares in his face And doth with links him bind 38. And carries him into his den In darkness there to lye Among the swarms of wicked men In grief eternally 39. For only he that God doth fear Will now be counted wise Yea he that feareth him while here He only wins the Prize 40. 'T is he that shall by Angels be Attended to that bliss That Angels have for he O he Of glory shall not miss 41. Those weapons and those instruments Of death that others fright Those dreadful fears and discontents That brings on some that night 42. That never more shall have a day Brings this man to that rest Which none can win but only they Whom God hath call'd and blest 43. With the first fruits of saving grace With faith hope love and fear Him to offend this man his face In visions high and clear 44. Shall in that light which no Eye can Approach unto behold The rayes and beams of Glory and Find there his Name inrol'd 45. Among those glittering Stars of light That Christ still holdeth fast In his right hand with all his might Until that danger 's past 46. That shakes the world and most hath dropt Into grief and distress O blessed then is he that 's wrapt In Christ his righteousness 47. This is the man Death cannot kill For he hath put on arms Him Sin nor Satan hath not skill To hurt with all their charms 48. An Helmet on his head doth stand A Breast-plate on his Heart A Shield also is in his Hand That blunteth every Dart. 49. Truth girds him round the Reins also His Sword is on his Thigh His Feet in Shooes of Peace do go The ways of Purity 50. His Heart it groaneth to the Lord Who hears him at his call And doth him help and strength afford Wherewith he conquers all 51. Thus fortify'd he keeps the field While Death is gone and fled And then lies down upon his Shield Till Christ doth raise the dead Of Judgment 1. AS 't is appointed men should dye So Judgment is the next That meet them must assuredly For so saith holy Text. 2. Wherefore of Judgment I shall now Inform you what I may That you may see what 't is and how 'T will be with Men that Day 3. This World it hath a time to stand Which time when ended then Will issue Judgment out of hand Upon all sorts of Men. 4. The Judge we find in Gods Record The Son of Man for he By God's appointment is made Lord And Judge of all that be 5. Wherefore this Son of man shall come At last to Count withal And unto them shall give just doom Whether they stand or fall 6. Behold ye now the Majesty And State that shall attend This Lord this Judge and Justice high When he doth now descend 7. He comes with Head as white as snow With Eyes like flames of fire In Justice clad from top to toe Most glorious in attire 8. His Face is fill'd with gravity His Tongue is like a Sword His Presence aws both stout and high The World shakes at his Word 9. He comes in flaming fire and With Angels clear and bright Each with a Trumpet in his hand Cloathed in shining white 10. The Trump of God sounds in the Air The dead do hear his Voice The living too run here and there Who made not him their Choice 11. Thus to his place he doth repair Appointed for his Throne Where he will sit to Judge and where He 'l Count with every one 12. Angels attending on his hand By thousands on a roe Yea thousand thousands by him stand And at his beck do go 13. Thus being set the Books do ope In which all Crimes are writ All Vertues too of Faith and Hope Of Love and every whit 14. Of all that Man hath done or said Or did intend to do Whether they fin'd or were afraid Evil to come into 15. Before this Bar each Sinner now In Person must appear Under his Judgment there to bow With trembling and with fear 16. Within whose breast a witness then Will certainly arise That to each Charge will say Amen While they seek and devise 17. To shun the Sentence which the Lord Against them then will read Out of the Books of God's Record With Majesty and Dread
one ungodly first And so by him crave pardon for thy sin Which thou hast loved and hast lived in For this cannot at all forgiven be For any righteousness that is in thee Because the best thou hast is filthy raggs Prophane presumptuous and most beastly braggs Of Flesh and Blood which always cross doth lye To God to Grace and thy Felicity Then Righteousness imputed thou must have Thee from that guilt and punishment to save Thou lyest under as a sinful man Throughout polluted and that never can By any other means acquitted be Or ever have true holiness in thee The reason is because all Graces are Only in Christ and be infused where Or into those whom he doth justifie By what himself hath done that he thereby Might be the whole of all that happiness The Sinner shall enjoy here and in Bliss Besides if Holiness should first be found In those whom God doth pardon then the ground Why we forgiven are would seem to be He first found Holiness in thee and me But this the Holy Scriptures will refute And prove that Righteousness he doth impute Without respect to goodness first in man For to speak Truth indeed no goodness can Be found in those that underneath the Law Do stand For if God Goodness in them saw Why doth he once and twice say Ther 's is none That Righteous be no not so much as one None understandeth none seek after God His ways they have not known but have abode In Wickedness unprofitable they Must needs appear to be then every way Their Throats an open Sepulchre also Their Mouths are full of filthy Cursings too And bitterness yea underneath their Lips The Asp hath Poyson O how many slips And falls in Sin must such poor People have Now where 's the Holiness that should them save Or as a preparation go before To move God to do for them less or more No Grace must on thee Righteousness bestow Or else Sin will for ever thee undo Sweet Paul this Doctrine also doth express Where he saith Some may have a Righteousness Though Works they have not and it thus may stand Grace by the promise gives what the command Requireth us to do and so are we Quitted from doing and by Grace made free Now then if Holiness thou would'st obtain And would'st a tender Christian-man remain Keep Faith in action let that Righteousness That Christ fulfilled always have express And clear distinction in thy Heart from all That Men by Scripture or besides it call Inherent Gospel-holiness or what Terms else they please to give it for 't is that And that alone by which all Graces come Into the Heart for else there is no room For ought but pride presumption or despair No love or other Graces can be there Received you the Spirit saith St. Paul By hearing Faith or Works not Works and shall No ways retain the same except you do Hear Faith imbrace the same and stick thereto The word of Faith unto me pardon brings Shews me the ground and reason whence it springs To wit free grace which moved God to give His Son to dye and bleed that I might live This word doth also loudly preach to me Though I a miserable sinner be Yet in this Son of God I stand compleat Whose righteousness is without all deceit 'T is that which God himself delighteth in And that by which all his have saved been When I do this begin to apprehend My Heart my Soul and Mind begins to bend To God-ward and sincerely for to love His Son his Ways his People and to move With brokenness of Spirit after him Who broken was and killed for my sin Now is mine heart grown holy now it cleaves To Jesus Christ my Lord and now it leaves Those ways that wicked be it mourns because It can conform no more unto the Laws Of God who loved me when I was vile And of sweet Jesus who did reconcile Me unto Justice by his precious blood When no way else was left to do me good If you would know how this can operate Thus on the Soul I shall to you relate A little farther what my Soul hath seen Since I have with the Lord acquainted been The word of Grace when it doth rightly seize The Spirit of a man and so at ease Doth set the Soul the Spirit of the Lord Doth then with might accompany the Word In which it sets forth Christ as crucifi'd And by that means the Father pacifi'd With such a wretch as thou and by this fight Thy guilt is in the first place put to flight For thus the Spirit doth expostulate Behold how God doth now communicate By changing of the person grace to thee A sinner but to Christ great misery Though he the just one was and so could not Deserve this punishment behold then what The love of God is how 't is manifest And where the reason lyes that thou art blest This Doctrine being spoken to the heart Which also is made yield to every part Thereof it doth the same with sweetness fill And so doth sins and wickednesses kill For when the love of God is thus reveal'd And thy poor drooping Spirit thereby seal'd And when thy heart as dry ground drinks this in Unto the roots thereof which nourish sin It smites them as the worm did Jonah's Gourd And makes them dwindle of their own accord And dye away instead of which there springs Up Life and Love and other holy things Besides the holy Spirit now is come And takes possession of thee as its home By which a war maintained always is Against the old man and the deeds of his When God at first upon Mount Sinai spake He made his very servant Moses quake But when he heard the Law the second time His heart was comforted his face did shine What was the reason of this difference Seeing no change was in the ordinance Although a change was in the manner when The second time he gave it unto Men. At first 't was given in Severity In Thunder Blackness Darkness Tempest high In fiery Flames it was delivered This struck both Moses and the Host as dead But Moses when he went into the Mount The second Time upon the same account No fear nor dread nor shaking of his Mind Do we in all the Holy Scripture find But rather in his Spirit he had rest And look'd upon himself as greatly blest He was put in the Rock he heard the Name Which on the Mount the Lord did thus proclaim The Lord merciful gracious and more Long-suffering and keeping up in store Mercy for thousands pardoning these things Iniquity Transgressions and Sins And holding guilty none but such as still Refuse forgiveness of rebellious will This Proclamation better pleased him Than all the Thunder and the Light'ning Which shook the Mount this rid him of his fear This made him bend make haste worship there Jehosaphat when he was sore opprest By Amon and by Moab and the rest Of
seeth due Read sin then by the death that doth ensue Most men do judge of sin not by the fruits It bears and bringeth forth but as it suits Their carnal and deluded hearts that be With sensual Pleasures eaten up but he That now so judgeth shortly shall perceive That God will judge thereof himself and leave Such men no longer to their carnal lusts To judge of wickedness and of the just And righteous punishment that doth of right Belong thereto and will too in despite Of all their carnal reason justifie Himself in their eternal misery Then Hell will be no fancy neither will Mens sins be pleasant to them but so ill And bitter yea so bitter that none can Fully express the same or ever stand Under the burden it will on them lay When they from Life and Bliss are sent away When I have thought how often God doth speak Of their destruction who his Law do break And when the nature of the punishment I find so dreadful and that Gods intent Yea resolution is it to inflict On every sinner that shall stand convict I have amazed been yet to behold To see poor sinners yet with sin so bold That like the Horse that to the battel runs Without all fear and that no danger shuns Till down he falls O resolute attempts O sad amazing damnable Events The end of such proceedings needs must be From which O Lord save and deliver me But if thou think that God thy noble Race Will more respect than into such a place To put thee hold though thou his off-spring be And so art lovely yet sin hath made thee Another kind of Creature than when thou Didst from his fingers drop and therefore now Thy first Creation stands thee in no stead Thou hast transgressed and in very deed Set God against thee who is infinite And that for certain never will forget Thy sins nor favour thee if thou shalt dye A graceless Man this is thy misery When Angels sinned though of higher race Than thou and also put in higher place Yet them he spared not but cast them down From Heaven to Hell where also they lye bound In everlasting chains and no release Shall ever have but wrath that shall encrease Upon them to their everlasting woe As for the state they were exalted to That will by no means mitigate their fear But aggravate their hellish torment here For he that highest stands if he shall fall His danger needs must be the great'st of all Now if God noble Angels did not spare Because they did transgress will he forbear Poor dust and ashes will he suffer them To break his Law and sin and not condemn Them for so doing let not man deceive Himself or others they that do bereave Themselves by sin of happiness shall be Cut off by Justice and have misery Witness his great severity upon The World that first was planted wherein none But only eight the Deluge did escape All others of that Vengeance did partake The reason was That World ungodly stood Before him therefore he did send the flood Which swept them all away a just Reward For their most wicked ways against the Lord Who could no longer bear them and their ways Therefore into their bosom Vengeance pays We read of Sodom and Gomorrha too What Judgments they for sin did undergo How God from Heaven did fire upon them rain Because they would not wicked ways refrain Condemning of them with an overthrow And turned them to ashes who can know The miseries that these poor People felt While they did underneath those burnings melt Now these and many more that I could name That have been made partakers of the flame And Sword of Justice God did then cut off And make Examples unto all that scoff At holiness or do the Gospel slight And long it will not be before the night And Judgment painted out by what he did To Sodom and Gomorrha fulfilled Upon such sinners be that they may know That God doth hate the sin and Persons too Of such as still rebellious shall abide Although they now at Judgment may deride FINIS Prison-Meditations Directed to the Heart of SUFFERING SAINTS AND REIGNING SINNERS By JOHN BUNYAN in Prison 1665. 1. FRiend I salute thee in the Lord And wish thou may'st abound In Faith and have a good regard To keep on Holy Ground 2. Thou dost encourage me to hold My Head above the Flood Thy Counsel better is than Gold In need thereof I stood 3. Good Counsel's good at any time The Wise will it receive Tho' Fools count he commits a Crime Who doth good Counsel give 4. I take it kindly at thy hand Thou didst unto me write My Feet upon Mount Sion stand In that take thou delight 5. I am indeed in Prison now In Body but my Mind Is free to study Christ and how Unto me he is kind 6. For though men keep my outward man Within their Locks and Bars Yet by the Faith of Christ I can Mount higher than the Stars 7. Their Fetters cannot Spirits tame Nor tye up God from me My Faith and Hope they cannot lame Above them I shall be 8. I here am very much refresht To think when I was out I preached Life and Peace and Rest To Sinners round about 9. My business then was Souls to save By preaching Grace and Faith Of which the comfort now I have And have it shall till death 10. They were no Fables that I taught Devis'd by cunning men But God's own Word by which were caught Some sinners now and then 11. Whose Souls by it were made to see The evil of their sin And need of Christ to make them free From death which they were in 12. And now those very Hearts that then Were Foes unto the Lord Embrace his Christ and Truth like men Conquered by his Word 13. I hear them sigh and groan and cry For Grace to God above They loath their sin and to it dye 'T is Holiness they love 14. This was the work I was about When Hands on me they laid 'T was this from which they pluck'd me out And vilely to me said 15. You Heretick Deceiver come To Prison you must go You preach abroad and keep not home You are the Churches foe 16. But having Peace within my Soul And Truth on every side I could with comfort them controul And at their charge deride 17. Wherefore to Prison they me sent Where to this day I lie And can with very much content For my Profession die 18. The Prison very sweet to me Hath been since I came here And so would also hanging be If God will there appear 19. Here dwells good Conscience also Peace Here be my Garments white Here though in Bonds I have Release From Guilt which else would bite 20. When they do talk of Banishment Of Death or such like Things Then to me God sends Hearts content That like a Fountain springs 21. Alas they little think what peace They help