Classic Poem

Still was the night, Serene and Bright,
when all Men sleeping lay;
Calm was the season, and carnal reason
thought so 'twould last for ay.
Soul, take thine ease, let sorrow cease,
much good thou hast in store:
This was their Song, their Cups among,
the Evening before.

Wallowing in all kind of sin,
vile wretches lay secure:
The best of men had scarcely then
their Lamps kept in good ure.
Virgins unwise, who through disguise
amongst the best were number'd,
Had clos'd their eyes; yea, and the wise
through sloth and frailty slumber'd.

Like as of old, when Men grow bold
Gods threatnings to contemn,
Who stopt their Ear, and would not hear,
when Mercy warned them:
But took their course, without remorse,
til God began to powre
Destruction the World upon
in a tempestuous showre.

They put away the evil day,
and drown'd their care and fears,
Till drown'd were they, and swept away
by vengeance unawares:
So at the last, whilst Men sleep fast
in their security,
Surpriz'd they are in such a snare
as cometh suddenly.

For at midnight brake forth a Light,
which turn'd the night to day,
And speedily an hideous cry
did all the world dismay.
Sinners awake, their hearts do ake,
trembling their loynes surprizeth;
Amaz'd with fear, by what they hear,
each one of them ariseth.

They rush from Beds with giddy heads,
and to their windows run,
Viewing this light, which shines more bright
then doth the Noon-day Sun.
Straightway appears (they see't with tears)
the Son of God most dread;
Who with his Train comes on amain
To Judge both Quick and Dead.

Before his face the Heav'ns gave place,
and Skies are rent asunder,
With mighty voice, and hideous noise,
more terrible than Thunder.
His brightness damps heav'ns glorious lamps
and makes them hide their heads,
As if afraid and quite dismay'd,
they quit their wonted steads.

Ye sons of men that durst contemn
the Threatnings of Gods Word,
How cheer you now? your hearts, I trow,
are thrill'd as with a sword.
Now Atheist blind, whose brutish mind
a God could never see,
Dost thou perceive, dost now believe,
that Christ thy Judge shall be?

Stout Courages, (whose hardiness
could Death and Hell out-face)
Are you as bold now you behold
your Judge draw near apace?
They cry, no, no: Alas! and wo!
our Courage all is gone:
Our hardiness (fool hardiness)
hath us undone, undone.

No heart so bold, but now grows cold
and almost dead with fear:
No eye so dry, but now can cry,
and pour out many a tear.
Earths Potentates and pow'rful States,
Captains and Men of Might,
Are quite abasht, their courage dasht
at this most dreadful sight.
Mean men lament, great men do rent
their Robes, and tear their hair:
They do not spare their flesh to tear
through horrible despair.
All Kindreds wail: all hearts do fail:
horror the world doth fill
With weeping eyes, and loud out-cries,
yet knows not how to kill.
Some hide themselves in Caves and Delves,
in places under ground:
Some rashly leap into the Deep,
to scape by being drown'd:
Some to the Rocks (O sensless blocks!)
and woody Mountains run,
That there they might this fearful sight,
and dreaded Presence shun.
In vain do they to Mountains say,
Fall on us, and us hide
From Judges ire, more hot than fire,
for who may it abide?
No hiding place can from his Face,
sinners at all conceal,
Whose flaming Eyes hid things doth 'spy,
and darkest things reveal.
The Judge draws nigh, exhalted high
upon a lofty Throne,
Amidst the throng of Angels strong,
lo, Israel's Holy One!
The excellence of whose presence
and awful Majesty,
Amazeth Nature, and every Creature,
doth more than terrify.
The Mountains smoak, the Hills are shook,
the Earth is rent and torn,
As if she should be clean dissolv'd,
or from the Center born.
The Sea doth roar, forsakes the shore,
and Shrinks away for fear;
The wild Beasts flee into the Sea,
so soon as he draws near.
Whose Glory bright, whose wondrous might,
whose Power Imperial,
So far surpass whatever was
in Realms Terrestrial;
That tongues of men (nor Angels pen)
cannot the same express,
And therefore I must pass it by,
lest speaking should transgress.
Before his Throne a Trump is blown,
Proclaiming th' Day of Doom:
Forthwith he cries, Ye Dead arise,
and unto Judgment come.
No sooner said, but 'tis obey'd;
Sepulchers open'd are:
Dead Bodies all rise at his call,
and's mighty power declare.
Both Sea and Land, at his Command,
their Dead at once surrender:
The Fire and Air constrained are
also their dead to tender.
The mighty word of this great Lord
links Body and Soul together
Both of the Just, and the unjust,
to part no more for ever.
The same translates, from Mortal states
to Immortality,
All that survive, and be alive,
i' th' twinkling of an eye:
That so they may abide for ay
to endles wear or woe;
Both the Renate and Reprobate
are made to dy no more.
20

His winged Hosts file through all Coasts,
together gathering
Both good and bad, both quick and dead,
and all to Judgment bring.
Out of their holes those creeping Moles,
that hid themselves for fear,
By force they take, and quickly make
before the Judge appear.
Thus every one before the Throne
of Christ the Judge is brought,
Both righteous and impious
that good or ill had wrought.
A separation, and diff'ring station
by Christ appointed is
(To sinners sad) 'twixt good and bad,
'twixt Heirs of woe and bliss.
At Christ's right hand the Sheep do stand,
his holy Martyrs, who
For his dear Name suffering shame,
calamity and woe,
Like Champions stood, and with their Blood
their testimony sealed;
Whose innocence without offence,
to Christ their Judge appealed.
Next unto whom there find a room
all Christ's afflicted ones,
Who being chastised, neither despised
nor sank amidst their groans:
Who by the Rod were turn'd to God,
and loved him the more,
Not murmuring nor quarrelling
when they were chast'ned sore.
Moreover, such as loved much,
that had not such a tryal,
As might constrain to so great pain,
and such deep self-denyal:
Yet ready were the Cross to bear,
when Christ them call'd thereto,
And did rejoyce to hear his voice,
they're counted Sheep also.
Christ's Flock of Lambs there also stands,
whose Faith was weak, yet true;
All sound Believers (Gospel receivers)
whose Grace was small, but grew:
And them among an Infant throng
of Babes, for whom Christ dy'd;
Whom for his own, by wayes unknown
to men, he sanctify'd.
All stand before their Saviour
in long white Robes yclad,
Their countenance full of pleasance,
appearing wondrous glad.
O glorious sight! Behold how bright
dust heaps are made to shine,
Conformed so their Lord unto,
whose Glory is Divine.
At Christ's left hand the Goats do stand,
all whining hypocrites,
Who for self-ends did seem Christ's friends,
but foster'd guileful sprites;
Who Sheep resembled, but they dissembled
(their hearts were not sincere);
Who once did throng Christ's Lambs among,
but now must not come near.
Apostates and Run-awayes,
such as have Christ forsaken,
Of whom the Devil, with seven more evil,
hath fresh possession taken:
Sinners in grain, reserv'd to pain
and torments most severe:
Because 'gainst light they sinn'd with spight,
are also placed there.
There also stand a num'rous band,
that no Profession made
Of Godliness, nor to redress
their wayes at all essay'd:
Who better knew, but (sinful Crew)
Gospel and Law despised;
Who all Christ's knocks withstood like blocks
and would not be advised.
30

Moreover, there with them appear
a number, numberless
Of great and small, vile wretches all,
that did Gods Law transgress:
Idolaters, false worshippers,
Prophaners of Gods Name,
Who not at all thereon did call,
or took in vain the same.
Blasphemers lewd, and Swearers shrewd,
Scoffers at Purity,
That hated God, contemn'd his Rod,
and lov'd Security;
Sabbath-polluters, Saints persecutors,
Presumptuous men and proud,
Who never lov'd those that reprov'd;
all stand amongst this Crowd.
Adulterers and Whoremongers
were there, with all unchast:
There Covetous, and Ravenous,
that Riches got too fast:
Who us'd vile ways themselves to raise
t' Estates and worldly wealth,
Oppression by, or Knavery,
by force, or fraud, or stealth.
Moreover, there together were
Children flagitious,
And Parents who did them undo
by Nurture vicious.
False-witness-bearers, and self-forswearers,
Murd'rers, and Men of blood,
Witches, Inchanters, and Ale-house-haunters,
beyond account there stood.
Their place there find all Heathen blind,
that Natures light abused,
Although they had no tydings glad,
of Gospel-grace refused.
There stands all Nations and Generations
of Adam's Progeny,
Whom Christ redeem'd not, who Christ esteem'd not,
through Infidelity.
Who no Peace-maker, no Undertaker,
to shrow'd them from Gods ire,
Ever obtain'd; they must be pained
with everlasting fire.
These num'rous bands, wringing their hands,
and weeping, all stand there,
Filled with anguish, whose hearts do languish
through self-tormenting fear.
Fast by them stand at Christ's left hand
the Lion fierce and fell,
The Dragon bold, that Serpent old,
that hurried Souls to Hell.
There also stand, under command,
Legions of Sprights unclean,
And hellish Fiends, that are no friends
to God, nor unto Men.
With dismal chains, and strongest reins,
like Prisoners of Hell,
They're held in place before Christ's face,
till He their Doom shall tell.
These void of tears, but fill'd with fears,
and dreadful expectation
Of endless pains, and scalding flames,
stand waiting for Damnation.
All silence keep, both Goats and Sheep,
before the Judge's Throne;
With mild aspect to his Elect
then spake the Holy One:
My Sheep draw near, your Sentence hear,
which is to you no dread,
Who clearly now discern, and know
your sins are pardoned.
'Twas meet that ye should judged be,
that so the world may spy
No cause of grudge, when as I Judge
and deal impartially.
Know therefore all, both great and small,
the ground and reason why
These Men do stand at my right hand,
and look so chearfully.
40

These Men be those my Father chose
before the worlds foundation,
And to me gave, that I should save
from Death and Condemnation.
For whose dear sake I flesh did take,
was of a Woman born,
And did inure my self t' indure,
unjust reproach and scorn.
For them it was that I did pass
through sorrows many [a] one:
That I drank up that bitter Cup,
which made me sigh and groan.
The Cross his pain I did sustain;
yea more, my Fathers ire
I underwent, my Blood I spent
to save them from Hell fire.
Thus I esteem'd, thus I redeem'd
all these from every Nation,
That they may be (as now you see)
a chosen Generation.
What if ere-while they were as vile,
as bad as any be,
And yet from all their guilt and thrall
at once I set them free?
My grace to one is wrong to none:
none can Election claim,
Amongst all those their souls that lose,
none can Rejection blame.
He that may chuse, or else refuse,
all men to save or spill,
May this Man chuse, and that refuse,
redeeming whom he will.
But as for those whom I have chose
Salvations heirs to be,
I underwent their punishment,
and therefore set them free;
I bore their grief, and their relief
by suffering procur'd,
That they of bliss and happiness
might firmly be assur'd.
And this my grace they did imbrace,
believing on my Name;
Which Faith was true, the fruits do shew
proceeding from the same:
Their Penitence, their Patience,
their Love and Self-denial
In suffering losses, and bearing Crosses,
when put upon the tryal.
Their sin forsaking, their chearful taking
my yoke, their Charity
Unto the Saints in all their wants,
and in them unto me,
These things do clear, and make appear
their Faith to be unfaigned,
And that a part in my desert
and purchase they have gained.
Their debts are paid, their peace is made,
their sins remitted are;
Therefore at once I do pronounce,
and openly declare;
That Heav'n is theirs, that they be Heirs
of Life and of Salvation!
Nor ever shall they come at all
to Death or to Damnation.
Come, Blessed Ones, and sit on Thrones,
Judging the World with me:
Come, and possess your happiness,
and bought felicitie.
Henceforth no fears, no care, no tears,
no sin shall you annoy,
Nor any thing that grief doth bring:
Eternal Rest enjoy.
You bore the Cross, you suffered loss
of all for my Names sake:
Receive the Crown that's now your own;
come, and a Kingdom take.
Thus spake the Judge; the wicked grudge,
and grind their teeth in vain;
They see with groans these plac't on Thrones
which addeth to their pain:
50

That those whom they did wrong and slay,
must now their judgment see!
Such whom they slighted, and once despighted,
must now their Judges be!
Thus 'tis decreed, such is their meed,
and guerdon glorious!
With Christ they sit, Judging is fit
to plague the Impious.
The wicked are brought to the Bar,
like guilty Malefactors,
That oftentimes of bloody Crimes
and Treasons have been Actors.
Of wicked Men, none are so mean
as there to be neglected:
Nor none so high in dignity,
as there to be respected.
The glorious Judge will priviledge
nor Emperour, nor King:
But every one that hath mis-done
doth into Judgment bring.
And every one that hath mis-done,
the Judge impartially
Condemneth to eternal wo,
and endless misery.
Thus one and all, thus great and small,
the Rich as well as Poor,
And those of place as the most base,
do stand the Judge before.
They are arraign'd, and there detain'd,
before Christ's Judgment-seat
With trembling fear, their Doom to hear,
and feel his angers heat.
There Christ demands at all their hands
a strict and strait account
Of all things done under the Sun,
whose number far surmount
Man's wit and thought: yet all are brought
unto this solemn Tryal;
And each offence with evidence,
so that there's no denial.
There's no excuse for their abuses,
since their own Consciences
More proof give in of each Man's sin,
than thousand Witnesses,
Though formerly this faculty
had grosly been abused,
Men could it stifle, or with it trifle,
when as it them accused.
Now it comes in, and every sin
unto Mens charge doth lay:
It judgeth them, and doth condemn,
though all the world say nay.
It so stingeth and tortureth,
it worketh such distress,
That each Man's self against himself,
is forced to confess.
It's vain, moreover, for Men to cover
the least iniquity:
The Judge hath seen, and privy been
to all their villany.
He unto light, and open sight
the works of darkness brings:
He doth unfold both new and old,
both known and hidden things.
All filthy facts, and secret acts,
however closly done,
And long conceal'd, are there reveal'd
before the mid-day Sun.
Deeds of the night shunning the light,
which darkest corners sought,
To fearful blame, and endless shame,
are there most justly brought.
And as all facts and grosser acts,
so every word and thought,
Erroneous notion, and lustful motion,
are unto judgment brought,
No sin so small and trivial
but hither it must come:
Nor so long past, but now at last
it must receive a doom.
60

At this sad season, Christ asks a Reason
(with just Austerity)
Of Grace refused, of light abus'd
so oft, so wilfully:
Of Talents lent by them mis-spent,
and on their Lust bestown;
Which if improv'd, as it behov'd,
Heav'n might have been their own!
Of times neglected, of means rejected,
of God's long-suffering,
And Patience, to Penitence
that sought hard hearts to bring.
Why Cords of love did nothing move
to shame or to remorse?
Why warnings grave, and counsels, have
nought chang'd their sinful course?
Why chastenings, and evil things,
why judgments so severe
Prevailed not with them a jot,
nor wrought an awful fear?
Why Promises of Holiness,
and new Obedience,
They oft did make, but always brake
the