Of times neglected, of means rejected
61
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?
62
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 same, to God's offence?
63
Why still Hell-ward, without regard,
they boldly ventured,
And chose Damnation before Salvation,
when it was offered:
Why sinful pleasures, & earthly treasures,
like fools, they prized more
Than heav'nly wealth, Eternal health,
and all Christ's Royal store.
64
Why, when he stood off'ring his Blood
to wash them from their sin,
They would embrace no saving Grace,
but liv'd and dy'd therein?
Such aggravations, where no evasions,
nor false pretences hold,
Exaggerate and cumulate
guilt more than can be told
65
They multiply and magnify
mens gross iniquities,
They draw down wrath (as Scripture saith)
out of Gods treasuries
Thus all their ways Christ opens lays
to men and Angels view,
And, as they were, makes them appear
in their own proper hew.
66
Thus he doth find all of Mankind,
that stand at his left hand,
No Mothers Son, but hath mis-done,
and broken God's Command
All have transgrest, even the best,
and merited God's wrath
Unto their own perdition,
and everlasting scath.
67
Earths dwellers all, both great and small,
have wrought iniquity,
And suffer must, for it is just,
Eternal misery
Amongst the many there come not any,
before the Judge's face,
That able are themselves to clear,
of all this cursed race.
68
Nevertheless, they all express,
Christ granting liberty,
What for their way they have to say
how they have liv'd, and why.
They all draw near, and seek to clear
themselves by making pleas.
There Hypocrites, false-hearted wights,
do make such pleas as these:
69
Lord, in they Name, and by the same,
we Devils dispossest,
We rais'd the dead, and ministred
succour to the distrest
Our painful teaching, & pow'rful preaching
by thine own wondrous might,
Did throughly win to God from sin
many a wretched wight.
70
All this, quoth he, may granted be,
and your case little better'd,
Who still remain under a chain,
and many irons fetter'd.
You that the dead have quickened,
and rescu'd from the grave,
Your selves were dead, yet never ned,
a Christ your Souls to save.
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?
62
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 same, to God's offence?
63
Why still Hell-ward, without regard,
they boldly ventured,
And chose Damnation before Salvation,
when it was offered:
Why sinful pleasures, & earthly treasures,
like fools, they prized more
Than heav'nly wealth, Eternal health,
and all Christ's Royal store.
64
Why, when he stood off'ring his Blood
to wash them from their sin,
They would embrace no saving Grace,
but liv'd and dy'd therein?
Such aggravations, where no evasions,
nor false pretences hold,
Exaggerate and cumulate
guilt more than can be told
65
They multiply and magnify
mens gross iniquities,
They draw down wrath (as Scripture saith)
out of Gods treasuries
Thus all their ways Christ opens lays
to men and Angels view,
And, as they were, makes them appear
in their own proper hew.
66
Thus he doth find all of Mankind,
that stand at his left hand,
No Mothers Son, but hath mis-done,
and broken God's Command
All have transgrest, even the best,
and merited God's wrath
Unto their own perdition,
and everlasting scath.
67
Earths dwellers all, both great and small,
have wrought iniquity,
And suffer must, for it is just,
Eternal misery
Amongst the many there come not any,
before the Judge's face,
That able are themselves to clear,
of all this cursed race.
68
Nevertheless, they all express,
Christ granting liberty,
What for their way they have to say
how they have liv'd, and why.
They all draw near, and seek to clear
themselves by making pleas.
There Hypocrites, false-hearted wights,
do make such pleas as these:
69
Lord, in they Name, and by the same,
we Devils dispossest,
We rais'd the dead, and ministred
succour to the distrest
Our painful teaching, & pow'rful preaching
by thine own wondrous might,
Did throughly win to God from sin
many a wretched wight.
70
All this, quoth he, may granted be,
and your case little better'd,
Who still remain under a chain,
and many irons fetter'd.
You that the dead have quickened,
and rescu'd from the grave,
Your selves were dead, yet never ned,
a Christ your Souls to save.
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