[ 126 ]
To whom the Lord returns this word:
O wonderful deceits!
To cast off aw to Gods strict Law,
and fear mens wrath and threats.
To fear hell-fire and Gods fierce ire
less than the rage of men,
As if Gods wrath, could do less scath
than wrath of bretheren.
They were
answered.
Luke 12:4-5
Isa 51:12-13
[ 127 ]
To use such strife, a temporal life,
to rescue and secure,
And be so blind as not to mind
that life that will endure:
This was your case, who carnal peace
more than true joyes did favour;
Who fed on dust, clave to your lust,
and spurned at my favour.
[ 128 ]
To please your kin, mens love to win,
to flow in worldly wealth,
To save your skin, these things have bin
more than Eternal health.
You had your choice, wherein rejoyce,
it was your portion,
For which you chose your Souls t'expose
unto perdition.
Luke 9:23-25
Chap. 16:25
[ 129 ]
Who did not hate friends, life, and state,
with all things else for me,
And all forsake, and's Cross up-take,
shall never happy be.
Well worthy they to dye for ay,
Who death then life and rather:
Death is their due, that so value
the friendship of my Father.
Luke 9:26
Prov 8:36
John 3:19-20
[ 130 ]
Others Argue, and not a few,
is not God gracious?
His Equity and Clemency
are they not marvellous?
Thus we believ'd; are we deceiv'd?
cannot his mercy great,
(As hath been told to us of old)
asswage his angers heat?
Others plead for
Pardon both from
Gods mercy and
justice.
Ps 78:38
[ 131 ]
How can it be that God should see
his Creatures endless pain,
Or hear the groans and rueful moans,
and still his wrath retain?
Can it agree with Equitie?
can mercy have the heart
To recompence few years offence
with Everlasting smart?
II Kings 14.26
[ 132 ]
Can God delight in such a sight
as sinners misery?
Or what great good can this our blood
bring unto the most High?
Oh, thou that dost thy Glory most
in pard'ning sin display!
Lord, might it please thee to release,
and pardon us this day?
Ps 30.9 <
Micah 7.18
[ 133 ]
Unto thy Name more glorious fame
would not such mercy bring?
Would not it raise thine endless praise,
more than our suffering?
With that they cease, holding their peace,
but cease not still to weep;
Grief ministers a flood of tears,
in which their words do steep.
[ 134 ]
But all too late, grief's out of date,
when life is at an end.
The glorious King thus anwering,
all to his voice attend:
God gracious is, quoth he, like his
no mercy can be found;
His Equity and Clemency
to sinners do abound.
They answered.
[ 135 ]
As may appear by those that here
are plac'd at my right hand;
Whose stripes I bore, and clear'd the score,
that they might quitted stand.
For surely none, but God alone,
whose Grace transcends mens thought,
For such as those that were his foes
like wonders would have wrought.
Mercy that now
shines forth in the
vessels of Mercy.
Micah 7.18
Rom 9.23
[ 136 ]
And none but he such lenitee
and patience would have shown
To you so long, who did him wrong,
and pull'd his judgments down.
How long a space (O stiff neck'd race)
did patience you afford?
How oft did love you gently move,
to turn unto the Lord?
Did also long wait
upon such as
abused it.
Rom 2:4
Hos 11:4
[ 137 ]
With Cords of love God often strove
your stubborn hearts to tame:
Nevertheless your wickedness,
did still resist the same.
If now at last Mercy be past
from you for evermore,
And Justice come in Mercies room,
yet grudge you not therefore.
Luke 13:34
The day of Grace
now past.
[ 138 ]
If into wrath God turned hath
his long long suffering,
And now for love you vengence prove,
it is an equal thing.
Your waxing worse, hath stopt the course
of wonted Clemency:
Mercy refus'd, and Grace misus'd,
call for severity.
Luke 19:42-43
Jude 4
[ 139 ]
It's now high time that ev'ry Crime
be brought to punishment:
Wrath long contain'd, and oft restrain'd,
at last must have a vent:
Justice nsevere cannot forbear
to plague sin any longer,
But must inflict with hand most strict
mischief upon the wronger.
Rom 2:5-6
Isa 1:24
Amos 2:13
Gen 18:25
[ 140 ]
In vain do they for Mercy pray,
the season being past,
Who had no care to get a share
therein, while time did last.
The man whose ear refus'd to hear
the voice of Wisdoms cry,
Earn'd this reward, that none regard
him in his misery.
Matt 25:3, 11-12
Prov 1:28-30
[ 141 ]
It doth agree with equity,
and with Gods holy Law,
That those should dye eternally
that death upon them draw.
The Soul that sins damnation wins,
for so the Law ordains;
Which Law is just, and therefore must
such suffer endless pain.
Isa 5:18-19
Gen 2:17
Rom 2:8-9
[ 142 ]
Eternal smart is the desert,
ev'n of the least offence;
Then wonder not if I allot
to you this Recompence:
But wonder more, that since so sore
and lasting plagues are due
To every sin, you liv'd therein,
who well the danger knew.
Rom 6:23
I Thess 1:8-9
[ 143 ]
God hath no joy to crush or 'stroy,
and ruine wretched wights,
But to display the glorious Ray
of Justice he delights.
To manifest he doth detest,
and throughly hate all sin,
By plaguing it as is most fit,
this shall him glory win.
Ezek 33:11
Exod 34:7
& 14:17
Rom 9:22
[ 144 ]
Then at the Bar arraigned are
an impudenter sort,
Who to evade the guilt that's laid
upon them, thus retort;
How could we cease thus to transgress?
how could we Hell avoid,
Whom Gods Decree shut out from thee,
and sign'd to be destroy'd?
Some pretend they
were shut out from
Heaven by Gods
Decree.
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