The Day of Doom Stanzas 176-200 by Michael Wigglesworth

[ 176 ] You think if we had been as he, whom God did so betrust, We to our cost would ne're have lost all for a paltry Lust. Had you been made in Adam's stead, you would like things have wrought, And so into the self-same wo, Your selves and yours have brought. Matt 23:30-31 [ 177 ] I May deny you once to try, or Grace to you to tender, Though he finds Grace before my face, who was the chief offender: Else should my Grace cease to be Grace; for it should not be free, If to release whom I should please, I have no libertee. Rom 9:15, 18 The free gift. Rom 5:15 [ 178 ] If upon one what's due to none I frankly shall bestow, And on the rest shall not think best, compassions skirts to throw, Whom injure I? will you envy, and grudge at others weal? Or me accuse, who do refuse your selves to help and heal? [ 179 ] Am I alone of what's my own, no Master or no Lord? Of if I am, how can you claim what I to some afford? Will you demand Grace at my hand, and challenge what is mine? Will you teach me whom to set free, and thus my Grace confine? Matt 20:15 [ 180 ] You sinners are, and such a share as sinners may expect, Such you shall have; for I do save none but mine own Elect. Yet to compare your sin with their, who liv'd a longer time, I do confess yours is much less, though every sins's a crime. Ps 58:3 Rom 6:23 Gal 3:10 Rom 8:29-30 & 11:7 Rev 21:27 Luke 12:48 [ 181 ] A crime it is, therefore in bliss you may not hope to dwell; But unto you I shall allow the easiest room in Hell. The glorious King thus answering, they cease, and plead no longer; Their Consciences must needs confess his Reasons are the stronger. Matt 11:22 The wicked all convinced and put to silence. Rom 3:19 Matt 22:12 [ 182 ] Thus all mens Pleas the Judge with ease doth answer and confute, Until that all, both great and small, are silenced and mute. Vain hopes are cropt, all mouths are stopt, sinners have nought to say, But that 'tis just, and equal most they should be damn'd for ay. Behold the formidable estate of all the ungodly, as they stand hopeless & helpless before an impartial Judge, expecting their final Sentence. Rev 6:16-17 [ 183 ] Now what remains, but that to pains and everlasting smart, Christ should condemn the Sons of men, which is their just desert; Oh, rueful plights of sinful wights! Oh wretches all forlorn: 'T had happy been they ne're had seen the Sun, or not been born. [ 184 ] Yea, now it would be good they could themselves annihilate, And cease to be, themselves to free from such a fearful state. Oh happy Dogs, and Swine, and Frogs: yea Serpents generation, Who do not fear this doom to hear, and sentence of Damnation! [ 185 ] This is their state so desparate: their sins are fully known; Their vanities and villanies before the world are shown. As they are gross and impious, so are their numbers more Than motes i'th' Air, or then their hair, or sands upon the shore. Ps 139:2-4 Eccl 12:14 [ 186 ] Divine Justice offended is and Satisfaction claimeth: God's wrathful ire kindled like fire, against them fiercely flameth. Their Judge severe doth quite cashier and all their Pleas off take, That never a man, or dare, or can a further Answer make. Matt 25:45 [ 187 ] Their mouths are shut, each man is put to silence and to shame: Nor have they ought within their thought, Christ's Justice for to blame. The Judge is just, and plague them must, nor will he mercy shew (For Mercies day is past away) to any of this Crew. Matt 22:12 Rom 2:5-6 Luke 19:42 [ 188 ] The Judge is strong, doers of wrong cannot his power withstand: None can by flight run out of sight, nor scape out of his hand. Sad is their state: for Advocate to plead their Cause there's none: None to prevent their punishment, or misery bemone. Matt 28:18 Ps 139:7 [ 189 ] O dismal day! whither shall they for help and succour flee? To God above, with hopes to move their greatest Enemee: His wrath is great, whose burning heat no floods of tears can slake: His word stands fast, that they be cast into the burning Lake. Isa 33:14 Ps 11:6 Num 23:19 [ 190 ] To Christ their Judge, he doth adjudge them to the Pit of Sorrow; Nor will he hear, or cry, or tear, nor respite them one morrow. To Heav'n alas, they cannot pass, it is against them shut; To enter there (O heavy cheer) they out of hopes are put. Matt 25:41 Matt 25:10-12 [ 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: Luke 12:20 Ps 49:7, 17 Deut 32:2 [ 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? II Pet 3:10 [ 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. Matt 13:41-42 Rev 20:13, 15 [ 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. Luke 16:38 [ 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. Rev 21:4 Ps 58:10 [ 196 ] Where tender love mens hearts did move unto a sympathy, And bearing part of others smart in their anxiety; Now such sompassion is out of fashion, and wholly laid aside: No Friends so near, but Saints to hear their Sentence can abide. I Cor 6:2 [ 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. Compare Prov 1:26 with I John 3:2 & II Cor 5:16 [ 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, Luke 16:25 [ 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: Ps 58:10

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The Day of Doom Stanzas 176-200

Michael Wigglesworth

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