When angels sinned, tho' of higher race Than thou, and also put in higher place, Yet them he spared not, but cast them down From heaven to hell, where also they lie bound In everlasting chains, and no release Shall ever have, but wrath, that shall increase Upon them, to their everlasting woe. As for the state they were exalted to, That will by no means mitigate their fear, But aggravate their hellish torment here; For he that highest stands, if he shall fall, His danger needs must be the great'st of all. Now if God notable angels did not spare Because they did transgress, will he forbear Poor dust and ashes? Will he suffer them To break his law and sin, and not condemn Them for so doing? Let no man deceive Himself or others; they that do bereave Themselves by sin of happiness shall be Cut off by justice, and have misery.

Witness his great severity upon

The world that first was planted, wherein none
But only eight the Deluge did escape;
All others of that vengeance did partake.
The reason was, that world ungodly stood
Before him, therefore he did send the flood,

Which swept them all away--a just reward
For their most wicked ways against the Lord,
Who could no longer bear them and their
ways,

Therefore into their bosom vengeance pays.
We read of Sodom and Gomorrah too,
What judgments they for sin did undergo--
How God from heaven did fire upon them rain
Because they would not wicked ways refrain
Condemning of them with an overthrow,
And turned them to ashes. Who can know
The miseries that these poor people felt
While they did underneath these burnings
melt?

Now these, and many more that I could name
That have been made partakers of the flame
And sword of justice, God did them cut off,
And make examples unto all that scoff
At holiness or do the Gospel slight;
And long it will not be before the night
And judgment painted out by what he did.
To Sodom and Gomorrah, fulfilled
Upon such sinners be, that they may know
That God doth hate the sin and persons too
Of such as still rebellious shall abide,
Although they now at judgment may deride.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE ENSUING

DISCOURSE.

1. THESE lines I at this time present

To all that will them heed,
Wherein I show to what intent

God saith, Convert with speed;

2. For these four things come on apace,
Which we would know full well-
Both death and judgment, and, in place
Next to them, heaven and hell.

3. For doubtless man was never born
For this life and no more;
No, in the resurrection-morn
They must have weal or woe.

4. Can any think that God should take
That pains to form a man
So like himself, only to make
Him here a moment stand?

5. Or that he should make much ado,
By justice and by grace,
By prophets and apostles too,
That men might see his face?

6 Or that the promise he hath made,
Also the threatenings great,
Should in a moment end and fade?
Oh no; this is a cheat.

7. Besides, who is so mad (or worse)

To think that Christ should come
From glory to be made a curse,
And that in sinners' room,

& If nothing should by us be had When we are gone from hence, But vanities while here? O mad And foolish confidence!

9. Again, shall God, who is the truth,
Say there is heaven and hell,

And shall men play that trick of youth,
To say, But who can tell?

10. Shall He that keeps his promise sure In things both low and small, Yet break it like a man impure

In matters great'st of all?

11. Oh let all tremble at that thought
That puts on God the lie-
That saith, Men shall turn unto naught
When they be sick and die.

12. Alas! death is but as the door

Through which all men do pass
To that which they for evermore
Shall have by wrath or grace.
my lines

13. Let all therefore that read'

Apply them to the heart;
Yea, let them read, and turn betimes
And get the better part.

14. Mind, therefore, what I treat on hereYea, mind and weigh it well: 'Tis death and judgment, and a clear Discourse of heaven and hell.

OF DEATH.

1. DEATH, as a king rampant and stout,
The world he dare engage;
He conquers all, yea, and doth rout
The great, strong, wise, and sage.

2. No king so great, nor prince so strong,
But death can make to yield,
Yea, bind and lay them all along,
And make them quit the field.

3. Where are the victors of the world,
With all their men of might?
Those that together kingdoms hurl'd
By death are put to flight.

4. How feeble is the strongest hand

When death begins to gripe!
The giant now leaves off to stand,
Much less withstand and fight.

5. The man that hath a lion's face

Must here give place and bend; Yea, tho' his bones were bars of brass, 'Tis vain here to contend.

6. Submit he must to feeble ones,

To worms, who will enclose

His skin and flesh, sinews and bones,
And will thereof dispose

7. Among themselves, as merchants do
The prizes they have got,
Or as the soldiers give unto
Each man the share and lot

8. Which they by dint of sword have won From their most daring foe, While he lies by as still as stone,

Not knowing what they do.

9. Beauty, death turns to rottenness,
And youth to wrinkled face;
The witty he brings to distress,
And wantons to disgrace.

10. The wild he tames, and spoils the mirth Of all that wanton are;

He takes the worldling from his worth,
And poor man from his care.

11 Death favours none; he lays at all

Of all sorts and degree;

Both old and young, both great and small,
Rich, poor, and bond, and free.

12. No fawning words will flatter him,
Nor threatenings make him start;
He favours none for worth or kin;
All must taste of his dart.

18. What shall I say? The graves declare
That death shall conquer all;

There lie the skulls, dust, bones, and there
The mighty daily fall.

14. Death puts on things another face
Than we in health do see;

Sin, Satan, hell, death, life and grace
Now great and weighty be.

15. Yea, now the sick man's eye is set
Upon a world to come;

He also knows too, without let,
That there must be his home,

16. Either in joy, in bliss, and light,
Or sorrow, woe, and grief;

Either with Christ and saints in white,
Or fiends without relief.

17. But oh the sad estate that then
They will be in that die

Both void of grace and life! Poor men.
How will they fear and cry!

18. Ha! live I may not, though I would
For life give more than all;
And die I dare not, though I should
The world gain by my fall.

19. No, here he must no longer stay,
He feels his life run out;
His night is come, also the day

That makes him fear and doubt.

20. Death doth already strike his heart
With his most fearful sting

Of guilt, which makes his conscience start
And quake at every thing.

21. For only he that God doth fear
Will now be counted wise;

Yea, he that feareth him while here,
He only wins the prize.

22. 'Tis he that shall by angels be
Attended to that bliss

That angels have; for he, oh he,
Of glory shall not miss.

23. Those weapons and those instruments
Of death that others fright,
Those dreadful fears and discontents
That bring on some that night

24. That never more shall have a day,
Bring this man to that rest
Which none can win but only they
Whom God hath call'd and blest

25. With the first fruits of saving grace,
With faith, hope, love, and fear
Him to offend; this man his face
In visions high and clear

26. Shall in that light which no eye can

Approach unto-behold

The rays and beams of glory, and
Find there his name enroll'd

27. Among those glittering stars of light
That Christ still holdeth fast

In his right hand, with all his might,
Until that danger's past

28 That shakes the world, and most have dropt Into grief and distress.

Oh blessed then is he that's wrapt
In Christ his righteousness.

29. This is the man death cannot kill,
For he hath put on arms;

Him sin or Satan hath not skill
To hurt with all their charms.

80. An helmet on his head doth stand;
A breastplate on his heart:
A shield also is in his hand
That turneth every dart.

81. Truth girds him round the reins, also His sword is on his thigh;

His feet on shoes of peace do go
The ways of purity.

82. His heart, it groaneth to the Lord,

Who hears him at his call,

And doth him help and strength afford,
Wherewith he conquers all.

83. Thus fortified, he keeps the field,

While death is gone and fled; And then lies down upon his shield Till Christ doth raise the dead.

OF JUDGMENT.

1. As 'tis appointed men should die,
So judgment is the next
That meets them most assuredly;
For so saith holy text.

Wherefore of judgment I shall now

Inform you what I may, That you may see what 'tis, and how "Twill be with men that day.

8. This world, it hath a time to stand; Which time once ended, then Will issue judgment out of hand Upon all sorts of men.

4. The Judge we find in God's record The Son of man, for he

By God's appointment is made Lord
And Judge of all that be.

5. Wherefore this Son of man shall come At last to 'count with all,

And unto them shall give just doom,
Whether they stand or fall.

6. Behold ye now the majesty

And state that shall attend

This Lord, this Judge and Justice high When he doth now descend.

7. He comes with head as white as snow,
With eyes like flames of fire,
In justice clad from top to toe,
Most glorious in attire.

8. His face is fill'd with gravity;
His tongue is like a sword;
His presence awes both stout and high;
The world shakes at his word.

9. He comes in flaming fire, and
With angels clear and bright,
Each with a trumpet in his hand,
Clothed in shining white.

10. The trump of God sounds in the air,
The dead do hear his voice;
The living do run here and there

Who made not him their choice.

11. Thus to his place he doth repair,
(Appointed for his throne,)

Where he will sit to judge, and where
He'll 'count with every one.

12. Angels attending on his hand
By thousands on a row;

Yea, thousands, thousands by him stand
And at his word do go.

13. Thus being sate, the books do ope
In which all crimes are writ-
All virtues too, of faith and hope,
Of love, and every whit

14. Of all that man hath done or said,
Or did intend to do,

Whether they sinn'd, or were afraid
Evil to come into.

15. Before this bar each sinner now
In person must appear,
Under his judgment there to bow
With trembling and with fear;