"Whom God ordains to endless pains
by Law unalterable,
Repentance true, Obedience new,
to save such are unable.
Sorrow for sin no good can win,
to such as are rejected;
Nor can they grieve nor yet believe,
that never were elected.
CXLVI.
"Of Man's fall'n race, who can true Grace
or Holiness obtain?
Who can convert or change his heart,
if God withhold the same?
Had we applied ourselves and tried
as much as who did most,
God's love to gain, our busy pain
and labor had been lost."
CXLVII.
[Sidenote: Their pleas taken off. Luke 13:27. 2 Pet. 1:9, 10, compared
with Mat. 19:16.]
Christ readily makes this Reply:
"I damn you not because
You are rejected, nor yet elected;
but you have broke my Laws.
It is in vain your wits to strain
the end and means to sever;
Men fondly seek to part or break
what God hath link'd together.
CXLVIII.
[Sidenote: Acts 3:19, and 16:31. 1 Sam. 2:15. John 3:19. Job 5:40. 2
Thes. 2:11, 12.]
"Whom God will save, such he will have
the means of life to use;
Whom he'll pass by shall choose to die,
and ways of life refuse.
He that fore-sees and fore-decrees,
in wisdom order'd has,
That man's free-will, electing ill,
shall bring his Will to pass.
CXLIX.
[Sidenote: Ezek. 33:11, 12. Luke 13:34. Prov. 8:33, 36.]
"High God's Decree, as it is free,
so doth it none compel
Against their will to good or ill;
it forceth none to Hell.
They have their wish whose Souls perish
with Torments in Hell-fire,
Who rather choose their souls to lose,
than leave a loose desire.
CL.
[Sidenote: Gen. 2:17. Mat. 25:41, 42. Ezek. 18:20.]
"God did ordain sinners to pain,
yet he to Hell sends none
But such as swerv'd and have deserv'd
destruction as their own.
His pleasure is, that none from Bliss
and endless happiness
Be barr'd, but such as wrong'd him much,
by willful wickedness.
CLI.
[Sidenote: 2 Pet. 1:10. Acts 13:46. Luke 13:24.]
"You, sinful Crew! no other knew
but you might be elect;
Why did you then yourselves condemn?
Why did you me reject?
Where was your strife to gain that life
which lasteth evermore?
You never knock'd, yet say God lock'd
against you Heaven's door.
CLII.
[Sidenote: Mat. 7:7, 8. Gal. 5:22, 23.]
"Twas no vain task to knock and ask,
whilst life continuéd.
Who ever sought Heav'n as he ought,
and seeking perishéd?
The lowly, meek, who truly seek
for Christ and for Salvation,
There's no decree whereby such be
ordain'd to condemnation.
CLIII.
[Sidenote: John 3:19.]
"You argue then: 'But abject men,
whom God resolves to spill,
Cannot repent, nor their hearts rent;
nor can they change their will.'
Not for his _Can_ is any man
adjudgéd unto Hell,
But for his _Will_ to do what's ill,
and nilling to do well.
CLIV.
[Sidenote: John 5:40.]
"I often stood tend'ring my Blood
to wash away your guilt,
And eke my Sprite to frame you right,
lest your Souls should be spilt.
But you, vile Race, rejected Grace,
when Grace was freely proffer'd,
No changéd heart, no heav'nly part
would you, when it was offer'd.
CLV.
[Sidenote: John 15:22, 24. Heb. 2:3. Isa. 66:34.]
"Who willfully the remedy,
and means of life contemnéd,
Cause have the same themselves to blame,
if now they be condemnéd.
You have yourselves, you and none else,
to blame that you must die;
You chose the way to your decay,
and perish'd willfully."
CLVI.
These words appall and daunt them all,
dismay'd and all amort,
Like stocks that stand at Christ's left hand
and dare no more retort.
Then were brought near with trembling fear,
a number numberless,
Of Blind Heathen and brutish men,
that did God's Law transgress;
CLVII.
[Sidenote: Heathen men plead want of the Written Word.]
Whose wicked ways Christ open lays,
and makes their sins appear,
They making pleas their case to ease,
if not themselves to clear.
"Thy Written Word," say they, "good Lord,
we never did enjoy;
We ne'er refus'd, nor it abus'd;
Oh, do not us destroy!"
CLVIII.
[Sidenote: Mat. 11:22. Luke 12:48.]
"You ne'er abus'd, nor yet refus'd
my Written Word, you plead;
That's true," quoth he, "therefore shall ye
the less be punishéd.
You shall not smart for any part
of other men's offense,
But for your own transgressi-on
receive due recompense."
CLIX.
[Sidenote: 1 Cor. 1:21, Insufficiency of the light of Nature.]
"But we were blind," say they, "in mind;
too dim was Nature's Light,
Our only guide, as hath been tried,
to bring us to the sight
Of our estate degenerate,
and curs'd by Adam's Fall;
How we were born and lay forlorn
in bondage and in thrall.
CLX.
[Sidenote: Mat. 11:22.]
"We did not know a Christ till now,
nor how fall'n men be savéd,
Else would we not, right well we wot,
have so ourselves behavéd.
We should have mourn'd, we should have turn'd
from sin at thy Reproof,
And been more wise through thy advice,
for our own soul's behoof.
CLXI.
[Sidenote: They are answered.]
"But Nature's light shin'd not so bright,
to teach us the right way:
We might have lov'd it and well improv'd it,
and yet have gone astray."
The Judge most High makes this Reply:
"You ignorance pretend,
Dimness of sight, and want of light,
your course Heav'nward to bend.
CLXII.
[Sidenote: Gen. 1:27. Eccl. 7:29. Hos. 13:9.]
"How came your mind to be so blind?
I once you knowledge gave,
Clearness of sight and judgment right:
who did the same deprave?
If to your cost you have it lost,
and quite defac'd the same,
Your own desert hath caus'd the smart;
you ought not me to blame.
CLXIII.
[Sidenote: Mat. 11:25, compared with 20:15.]
"Yourselves into a pit of woe,
your own transgression led;
If I to none my Grace had shown,
who had been injuréd?
If to a few, and not to you,
I shew'd a way of life,
My Grace so free, you clearly see,
gives you no ground of strife.
CLXIV.
[Sidenote: Rom. 1:20, 21, 22.]
"'Tis vain to tell, you wot full well,
if you in time had known
Your misery and remedy,
your actions had it shown:
You, sinful Crew, have not been true
unto the Light of Nature,
Nor done the good you understood,
nor ownéd your Creator.
CLXV.
[Sidenote: Rom. 2:12, 15, and 1:32. Mat. 12:41.]
"He that the Light, because 'tis slight,
hath uséd to despise,
Would not the Light shining more bright,
be likely for to prize.
If you had lov'd, and well improv'd
your knowledge and dim sight,
Herein your pain had not been vain,
your plagues had been more light."
CLXVI.
[Sidenote: Reprobate Infants plead for themselves. Rev. 20:12, 15,
compared with Rom. 5:12, 14, and 9:11, 13. Ezek. 18:2.]
Then to the Bar all they drew near
Who died in infancy,
And never had or good or bad
effected pers'nally;
But from the womb unto the tomb
were straightway carriéd,
(Or at the least ere they transgress'd)
who thus began to plead:
CLXVII.
"If for our own transgressi-on,
or disobedience,
We here did stand at thy left hand,
just were the Recompense;
But Adam's guilt our souls hath spilt,
his fault is charg'd upon us;
And that alone hath overthrown
and utterly undone us.
CLXVIII.
"Not we, but he ate of the Tree,
whose fruit was interdicted;
Yet on us all of his sad Fall
the punishment's inflicted.
How could we sin that had not been,
or how is his sin our,
Without consent, which to prevent
we never had the pow'r?
CLXIX.
[Sidenote: Psal. 51:5.]
"O great Creator why was our Nature
depravéd and forlorn?
Why so defil'd, and made so vil'd,
whilst we were yet unborn?
If it be just, and needs we must
transgressors reckon'd be,
Thy Mercy, Lord, to us afford,
which sinners hath set free.
CLXX.
"Behold we see Adam set free,
and sav'd from his trespass,
Whose sinful Fall hath split us all,
and brought us to this pass.
Canst thou deny us once to try,
or Grace to us to tender,
When he finds grace before thy face,
who was the chief offender?"
CLXXI.
[Sidenote: Their arguments taken off. Ezek. 18:20. Rom. 5:12, 19.]
Then answeréd the Judge most dread:
"God doth such doom forbid,
That men should die eternally
for what they never did.
But what you call old Adam's Fall,
and only his Trespass,
You call amiss to call it his,
both his and yours it was.
CLXXII.
[Sidenote: 1 Cor. 15:48, 49.]
"He was design'd of all Mankind
to be a public Head;
A common Root, whence all should shoot,
and stood in all their stead.
He stood and fell, did ill or well,
not for himself alone,
But for you all, who now his Fall
and trespass would disown.
CLXXIII.
"If he had stood, then all his brood
had been establishéd
In God's true love never to move,
nor once awry to tread;
Then all his Race my Father's Grace
should have enjoy'd for ever,
And wicked Sprites by subtile sleights
could them have harméd never.
CLXXIV.
"Would you have griev'd to have receiv'd
through Adam so much good,
As had been your for evermore,
if he at first had stood?
Would you have said, 'We ne'er obey'd
nor did thy laws regard;
It ill befits with benefits,
us, Lord, to so reward?'
CLXXV.
[Sidenote: Rom. 5:12. Psal. 51:5. Gen. 5:3.]
"Since then to share in his welfare,
you could have been content,
You may with reason share in his treason,
and in the punishment.
Hence you were born in state forlorn,
with Natures so depravéd;
Death was your due because that you
had thus yourselves behavéd.
CLXXVI.
[Sidenote: Mat. 23:30, 31.]
"You think 'If we had been as he,
whom God did so betrust,
We to our cost would ne'er 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 woe,
yourselves and yours have brought.
CLXXVII.
[Sidenote: Rom. 9:15, 18. The free gift. Rom. 5:15.]
"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 would not be free,
If to release whom I should please
I have no liberty.
CLXXVIII.
"If upon one what's due to none
I frankly shall bestow,
And on the rest shall not think best
compassion's skirt to throw;
Whom injure I? will you envy
and grudge at others' weal?
Or me accuse, who do refuse
yourselves to help and heal?
CLXXIX.
[Sidenote: Mat. 20:15.]
"Am I alone of what's my own,
no Master or no Lord?
And 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?
CLXXX.
[Sidenote: Psal. 58:8. Rom. 6:23. Gal. 3:10. Rom 8:29, 30 and 11:7. Rev.
21:27. Luke 12:14, 8. Mat. 11:22.]
"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 sin's a crime.
CLXXXI.
[Sidenote: The wicked all convinced and put to silence. Rom. 3:19. Mat.
22:12.]
"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.
CLXXXII.
[Sidenote: Behold the formidable estate of all the ungodly as they stand
hopeless and helpless before an impartial Judge, expecting their final
Sentence. Rev. 6:16, 17.]
Thus all men's pleas the Judge with ease
doth answer and confute,
Until that all, both great and small,
are silencéd and mute.
Vain hopes are cropt, all mouths are stopt,
sinners have naught to say,
But that 'tis just and equal most
they should be damn'd for aye.
CLXXXIII.
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'er had seen
the sun, or not been born.
CLXXXIV.
Yea now it would be good they could
themselves annihilate,
And cease to be, themselves to free
from such a fearful state.
O happy Dogs, and Swine, and Frogs,
yea, Serpent's generation!
Who do not fear this doom to hear,
and sentence of Damnation!
CLXXXV.
[Sidenote: Psal. 130:2, 3, 4. Eccl. 12:14.]
This is their state so desperate;
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 in th' Air, or than their hair,
or sands upon the shore.
CLXXXVI.
[Sidenote: Mat. 25:45.]
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 ne'er a man, or dare, or can
a further answer make.
CLXXXVII.
[Sidenote: Mat. 22:12. Rom. 2:5, 6. Luke 19:42.]
Their mouths are shut, each man is put
to silence and to shame,
Nor have they aught within their thought,
Christ's Justice for to blame.
The Judge is just, and plague them must,
nor will he Mercy shew,
For Mercy's day is past away
to any of this Crew.
CLXXXVIII.
[Sidenote: Mat. 28:18. Psal. 137:7.]
The Judge is strong, doers of wrong
cannot his pow'r 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 mis'ry to bemoan.
CLXXXIX.
[Sidenote: Isa. 33:14. Psal. 11:6. Num. 25:19.]
O dismal day! whither shall they
for help and succor flee?
To God above with hopes to move
their greatest Enemy?
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.
CXC.
[Sidenote: Matt. 25:41, and 25:10, 11, 12.]
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.
CXCI.
[Sidenote: Luke 12:20. Psal. 49:7, 17. Deut. 32:2.]
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 whilom was
their birth and Education?
Lo! Christ begins for their great sins,
to fire the Earth's Foundation;
CXCII.
[Sidenote: 2 Pet. 3:10.]
And by and by the flaming Sky
shall drop like molten Lead
About their ears, t'increase their fears,
and aggravate their dread.
To Angel's good that ever stood
in their integrity,
Should they betake themselves, and make
their suit incessantly?
CXCIII.
[Sidenote: Mat. 13:41, 42. Rev. 20:13, 15].
They've 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 moan? Their case is one;
they're in the same distress.
CXCIV.
[Sidenote: Luke 16:28.]
Ah! cold comfort and mean support,
from such like Comforters!
Ah! little joy of Company,
and fellow-sufferers!
Such shall increase their heart's disease,
and add unto their woe,
Because that they brought to decay
themselves and many moe.
CXCV.
[Sidenote: Rev. 21:4. Psal. 58:10.]
Unto the Saints with sad complaints
should they themselves apply?
They're not dejected nor aught 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.
CXCVI.
[Sidenote: 1 Cor. 6:2.]
Where tender love men's 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 so near, but Saints to hear
their Sentence can abide.
CXCVII.
[Sidenote: Compare Prov. 1:28 with 1 John 3: 2, and 2 Cor. 5:16.]
One natural Brother beholds another
in his astonied fit,
Yet sorrows not thereat a jot,
nor pities 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.
CXCVIII.
He that was erst a Husband pierc'd
with sense of Wife's 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.
CXCIX.
[Sidenote: Luke 16:25.]
The tender Mother will own no other
of all her num'rous 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 lie
In Hell with Devils, for all his evils,
burning eternally,
CC.
[Sidenote: Psal. 58:10.]
Than God most High should injury
by sparing him sustain;
And doth rejoice to hear Christ's voice,
adjudging him to pain.
Thus having all, both great and small,
convinc'd and silencéd,
Christ did proceed their Doom to read,
and thus it utteréd:
CCI.
[Sidenote: The Judge pronounceth the sentence of condemnation. Mat.
25:41.]
"_Ye sinful wights and curséd sprights,
that work iniquity,
Depart together from me for ever
to endless Misery;
Your portion take in yonder Lake,
where Fire and Brimstone flameth;
Suffer the smart which your desert,
as its due wages claimeth._"
CCII.
[Sidenote: The terror of it.]
Oh piercing words, more sharp than swords!
What! to depart from Thee,
Whose face before for evermore
the best of Pleasures be!
What! to depart (unto our smart),
from thee _Eternally_!
To be for aye banish'd away
with Devils' company!
CCIII.
What! to be sent to Punishment,
and flames of burning Fire!
To be surrounded, and eke confounded
with God's revengeful Ire!
What! to abide, not for a tide,
these Torments, but for Ever!
To be releas'd, or to be eas'd,
not after years, but Never!
CCIV.
Oh fearful Doom! now there's no room
for hope or help at all;
Sentence is past which aye shall last;
Christ will not it recall.
Then might you hear them rend and tear
the Air with their out-cries;
The hideous noise of their sad voice
ascendeth to the Skies.
CCV.
[Sidenote: Luke 13:38. Prov. 1:26.]
They wring their hands, their caitiff-hands,
and gnash their teeth for terror;
They cry, they roar for anguish sore,
and gnaw their tongues for horror.
But get away without delay,
Christ pities not your cry;
Depart to Hell, there may you yell,
and roar Eternally.
CCVI.
[Sidenote: It is put in Execution. Mat. 25:46.]
That word "_Depart_," maugre their heart,
drives every wicked one,
With mighty pow'r, the self-same hour,
far from the Judge's Throne.
Away they're chas'd by the strong blast
of his Death-threat'ning mouth;
They flee full fast, as if in haste,
although they be full loath.
CCVII.
[Sidenote: Mat. 13:41, 42.]
As chaff that's dry, as dust doth fly
before the Northern wind,
Right so are they chaséd away,
and can no Refuge find.
They hasten to the Pit of Woe,
guarded by Angels stout,
Who to fulfil Christ's holy Will,
attend this wickéd Rout;
CCVIII.
[Sidenote: HELL. Mat. 25:30. Mark 9:42. Isa. 30:33. Rev. 21:8.]
Whom having brought as they are taught,
unto the brink of Hell,
(That dismal place, far from Christ's face,
where Death and Darkness dwell,
Where God's fierce Ire kindleth the fire,
and vengeance feeds the flame,
With piles of Wood and Brimstone Flood,
so none can quench the same,)
CCIX.
[Sidenote: Wicked men and Devils cast into it forever. Mat. 22:13, and
25:46.]
With Iron bands they bind their hands
and curséd feet together,
And cast them all, both great and small,
into that Lake forever,
Where day and night, without respite,
they wail, and cry and howl,
For tort'ring pain which they sustain,
in Body and in Soul.
CCX.
[Sidenote: Rev. 14:10, 11.]
For day and night, in their despite,
their torment's smoke ascendeth,
Their pain and grief have no relief,
their anguish never endeth.
There must they lie and never die,
though dying every day;
There must they dying ever lie,
and not consume away.
CCXI.
Die fain they would if die they could,
but Death will not be had;
God's direful wrath their bodies hath
forev'r immortal made.
They live to lie in misery,
and bear eternal woe;
And live they must whilst God is just,
that he may plague them so.
CCXII.
[Sidenote: The unsufferable torments of the Damned. Luke 16:24. Jude 7.]
But who can tell the plagues of Hell,
and torments exquisite?
Who can relate their dismal state,
and terrors infinite?
Who fare the best and feel the least,
yet feel that punishment
Whereby to nought they would be brought
if God did not prevent.
CCXIII.
[Sidenote: Isa. 33:14. Mark 9:43, 44.]
The least degree of misery
there felt is incomparable;
The lightest pain they there sustain
is more than intolerable.
But God's great pow'r from hour to hour
upholds them in the fire,
That they shall not consume a jot
nor by its force expire.
CCXIV.
[Sidenote: Luke 12:47.]
But, ah, the woe they undergo
(_they_ more than all beside)
Who had the light, and knew the right,
yet would not it abide!
The sev'n fold smart which to their part
and porti-on doth fall,
Who Christ's free Grace would not embrace,
nor hearken to his call.
CCXV.
[Sidenote: Mat. 11:24.]
The Amorites and Sodomites,
although their plagues be sore,
Yet find some ease compar'd to these,
who feel a great deal more.
Almighty God, whose Iron Rod,
to smite them never lins,
Doth most declare his Justice rare
in plaguing these men's sins.
CCXVI.
[Sidenote: Luke 16:23, 25, and 13:28.]
The pain of loss their souls doth toss,
and wond'rously distress,
To think what they have cast away
by willful wickedness.
"We might have been redeem'd from sin,"
think they, "and liv'd above,
Being possesst of Heav'nly rest,
and joying in God's love.
CCXVII.
[Sidenote: Luke 13:24.]
"But woe, woe, woe, our Souls unto!
we would not happy be;
And therefore bear God's vengeance here
to all Eternity.
Experience and woful sense
must be our painful teachers,
Who'd not believe, nor credit give
unto our faithful Preachers."
CCXVIII.
[Sidenote: Mat. 9:44. Rom. 2:15.]
Thus shall they lie and wail and cry,
tormented and tormenting;
Their galléd hearts with poison'd darts,
but now too late repenting.
There let them dwell in th' Flames of Hell:
there leave we them to burn,
And back again unto the men
whom Christ acquits, return.
CCXIX.
[Sidenote: The Saints rejoice to see Judgment executed upon the Wicked
World. Psal. 58:10. Rev. 10:1, 2, 3.]
The Saints behold with courage bold
and thankful wonderment,
To see all those that were their foes
thus sent to punishment.
Then do they sing unto their King
a Song of endless Praise;
They praise his Name and do proclaim
that just are all his ways.
CCXX.
[Sidenote: They ascend with Christ into Heaven triumphing. Mat. 25:46.]
Thus with great joy and melody
to Heav'n they all ascend,
Him there to praise with sweetest lays,
and Hymns that never end;
Where with long rest they shall be blest,
and naught shall them annoy,
Where they shall see as seen they be,
and whom they love enjoy.
CCXXI.
[Sidenote: 1 John 3:2. 1 Cor. 13:12. Their eternal happiness and
incomparable glory there.]
Oh glorious Place! where face to face
Jehovah may be seen,
By such as were sinners while here,
and no dark veil between!
Where the Sunshine and light Divine
of God's bright countenance,
Doth rest upon them every one,
with sweetest influence!
CCXXII.
[Sidenote: Rev. 21:4.]
Oh blessed state of the Renate!
Oh wond'rous happiness,
To which they're brought beyond what thought
can reach or words express!
Grief's watercourse and sorrow's source
are turn'd to joyful streams;
Their old distress and heaviness
are vanishéd like dreams.
CCXXIII.
[Sidenote: Psal. 16:11.]
For God above in arms of love
doth dearly them embrace,
And fills their sprights with such delights,
and pleasures in his Grace,
As shall not fail, nor yet grow stale,
through frequency of use;
Nor do they fear God's favor there
to forfeit by abuse.
CCXXIV.
[Sidenote: Heb. 12:23. Rev. 1:6, and 22:5.]
For there the Saints are perfect Saints,
and holy ones indeed;
From all the sin that dwelt within
their mortal bodies freed;
Made Kings and Priests to God through Christ's
dear Love's transcendency,
There to remain and there to reign
with him Eternally.
A SHORT DISCOURSE ON ETERNITY.
What mortal man can with a Span
mete out Eternity?
Or fathom it by depth of Wit,
or strength of Memory?
The lofty Sky is not so high,
Hell's depth to this is small;
The World so wide is but a stride,
comparéd therewithal.
It is a main great Oce-an
withouten bank or bound,
A deep Abyss, wherein there is
no bottom to be found.
This World hath stood now since the Flood,
four thousand years well near,
And had before enduréd more
than sixteen hundred year.