Classic Poem

191

Unto their Treasures, or to their Pleasures,
all these have them forsaken:
Had they full Coffers to make large offers,
their Gold would not be taken
Unto the place where whilome was
their Birth and Education?
Lo! Christ begins for their great sins
to fire the Earths Foundation;

192

And by and by the flaming Sky
shall drop like molten Lead
About their ears, t'increase their fears,
and aggravate their dread.
To Angels good that ever stood
in their integrity,
Should they betake themselves, and make
their sute incessantly?

193

They neither skill, nor do they will
to work them any ease:
They will not mourn to see them burn,
nor beg for their release.
To wicked men, their bretheren,
in sin and wickedness,
Should they make mone? their case is one,
they're in the same distress.

194

Ah, cold comfort, and mean support
from such like Comforters!
Ah, little joy of Company,
and fellow-sufferers!
Such shall increase their hearts disease,
and add unto their woe,
Because that they brought to decay
themselves and many moe.

195

Unto the Saints with sad complaints
should they themselves apply?
They're not dejected, nor ought affected
with all their misery.
Friends stand aloof, and make no proof
what Prayers or Tears can do:
Your godly friends are now more friends
to Christ than unto you.

196

Where tender love mens hearts did move
unto a sympathy,
And bearing part of others smart
in their anxiety;
Now such compassion is out of fashion,
and wholly laid aside:
No Friends no near, but Saints to hear
their Sentence can abide.

197

One natural Brother beholds another
in this astonied fit,
Yet sorrows not thereat a jot,
nor pitties him a whit
The godly wife conceives no grief,
nor can she shed a tear
For the sad state of her dear Mate,
when she his doom doth hear.

198

He that was erst a Husband pierc't
with sense of Wives distress,
Whose tender heart did bear a part
of all her grievances,
Shall mourn no more as heretofore
because of her ill plight;
Although he see her now to be
a damn'd forsaken wight.

199

The tender Mother will own no other
of all her numerous brood,
But such as stand at Christ's right hand
acquitted through his Blood.
The pious Father had now much rather
his graceless Son should ly
In Hell with Devils, for all his evils
burning eternally,

200

Then God most high should injury,
by sparing him sustain;
And doth rejoyce to hear Christ's voice
adjudging him to pain.
Who having all, both great and small,
convinc'd and silenced,
Did then proceed their Doom to read,
and thus it uttered,