"But with the wicked what can well succeed, In whom perswasions obstinacy breed."

Whil'st sin ore-flow'd the world, God' swrath oreflam'd, [pours, Which when rais'd high, downe flouds of vengeance As Noah's preaching oft times had proclaim'd, (Heavens threatning straight to drown the highest towers.) [stream'd, Clouds clustred darkenesse, lightnings terrour And rumbling thunders usher'd ugly shoures; Whil'st ravenous tempests swallow'd up the light, Day (dead for feare) brought forth abortive night.

From guests prophane that th' Earth might be redeem'd,

The lights of Heaven quench'd in their lanternes lay, The cloudy conduits but one cisterne seem'd, Whil'st (save the waters) all things did decay: The fire drown'd out, Heavens all dissolv'd were deem'd,

Ayre water grew, the earth as wash'd away:
By monstrous storms, whil'st all things were ore-
turn'd,
[burn'd.
Then (save God's wrath) in all the world nought

Men to the mountaines did for helpe repaire,
Whence them the waves did violently chase;
In nature's scorne, came scaly squadrons there,
The forrest's guests inheriting their place:
By too much water, no, for lacke of ayre,
All were confounded in a little space.
"One creature needs all th' elements to live,
But death to all one element can give."

That moving masse against the storme did strive,
Which all the creatures of the world contayn'd;
As through the deepes it through the clouds did drive,
Not by the compasse, nor the rudder rayn'd:
No port, no land was, where it could arrive,
Whil'st th' earth with waters levell all remain'd.
The waves (the world all else as hush'd) at once,
Roard forth a consort with men's dying grones.

But when ore all God's breath did ruine blow,
The arke with others sinne from death did save:
Him whom the raging flouds did not orethrow,
Who (of God's judgements judge) did all perceive
A little liquor did at last o'rethrow,
Which to his sonne to mocke occasion gave.
"Thus drunkennesse disdainefull scorne doth breed,
A fertile vice which others still succeed."

As the first world did first by pride offend,
Whose burning rage to such a height did runne,
That it to quench, God did the waters bend:
O drunkennesse, the second world's first sinne,
The course of vice that element must end,
Which is oppos'd to that which did begin.
In every thing God's justice we may spy, [dry."
"As flouds drown'd pride, flames drunkennesse must.

The peopled world soone left the Lord to feare,
And Sathan in their soules did raise his throne;
O what a burden, Nature, do'st thou beare,
Since that to sinne and live seeme both but one!
Men Babel's towers against the starres did reare,
Since like deserving, fearing what was gone,
As though that God could but one plague command;
(Ah, fooles) what strength against his strength can
stand?

Whil'st fondly they proud weaknesse did bewray, (Who can the deeps of his high judgements sound?) By making their owne tongues their hearts betray, The thund'rer straight those Titans did confound: Here divers tongues the worke of men did stay, Which afterwards the worke of God did ground. "One meanes made Christians joyne, and Ethnicks jarre,

Did helpe th' apostles, Babel's builders marre,"
When purpos'd to dissolve quicke clouds of dust,
God's wrath (as stubble) sinners doth devoure;
That towne to sacke, which had not ten men just,
He brimstone rain'd (O most prodigious shoure!)
Their bodies burn'd, whose soules were burn'd with
lust,

What fayre was, ugly, what was sweet, grew sowre,
Yet of that fire, Lot scap'd the great deluge,
"God's holy mountaine is a sure refuge."
I thinke not of the ruine of those states,
Which since but strangers to the ground of grace,
Were carried head-long with their owne conceits,
And even (though brightly) blindely ran their race:
Did bound their glory in a little space. [mindes,
God's firme decrees, which fondly they call'd fates,
Whil'st tempests huge toss'd their fumultuous
Like reeds by rivers wav'ring with all windes.
Such rais'd not for their good, but for God's ends,
When bent his owne to punish, or support,
Doe (as his arrowes) hit but where he tends,
Else of themselves their power doth not import;
His spotted flocke, when he to purge intends,
They are but tooles us'd in a servile sort,
To fanne or cleanse, such faunes or besomes are,
Which afterwards he not in wrath doth spare.

Proud Ashur first did daunt all other soiles,
Till barbarous Persia did become her head;
The Greekes did glory in the Persian's spoiles,
Whose prince at last, Rome did in triumph leade;
Rome (ravishing the earth) bred bloudy broiles,
Yet was by whom she scorn'd a widdow made.
"The world a tennis-court, the rackets fates,
Great kings are balls, when God will tosse their
states."

To them whom God to doe great things doth chuse,
He generous mindes, and noble thoughts imparts,
And doth in them all qualities infuse,
That are requir'd to act heroicke parts;
Of matters base, then making others muse,
He breaks their sprites, and vilifies their hearts.
"As greatnesse still a gallant minde preceeds,
A staggering courage ruine still succeeds."
Of Greece and Rome, the glory mounting high,
Did minds amaze, (made all the Muses song)
On both the wings of worth, whil'st it did flye,
By valour rais'd, borne up on learning long;
But (loe) both base in abject bondage lye, [strong.
Whose brood proves now as faint, as once thought
That with their empires (made their enemies' spoiles)
Their sprites seeme too transferr'd to forraine soiles.
For, nations once which strangers were to fame,
On whom (as monsters) civill lands did gaze;
Those who in scorne did them barbarians name,
Doe now farre passe in all which merits praise:
Thus glorie's throne is made the seate of shame,
Who were obscure, doe honour highest raise.

Ierusalem the faire, Iehovah's love, Repudiated by disdainefull wrath,

So are all those of this which I proclaime, A puffe, a glance, a shadow, or a dreame.

As weigh'd by God, still ballanc'd hangs this round, Which sinne (grown heavy) now quite downward beares;

Exhausted courage, horrour shall confound,
Till Hope's high towers rest all oreflow'd with feares:
All shall together fall, as by one wound,
Not having time to flye, no, not for teares.
On day as night (as on the wearied sleepe)

Then did the world's delight her terrour prove,
And harmes perform'd fore-told by sacred breath:
Nought rested where the stately city stood,
Save heapes of horrour rais'd of dust and bloud.

But (murd'ring saints) in wickednesse grown bold, That town which long was drunk, last drown'd with bloud;

That town by which who bought the world was sold,
Sold with disgrace, beheld her scorned brood:
Them lov'd by God, men did in honour hold,
And loath'd by God, with them in horrour stood.
Then lewes whom God high rais'd, and low doth bow,
What name more glorious once, more odious now?

When of salvation, joyfull newes were spread,
With sprituall grace, all nations to bedew,
Whil'st famish'd soules that sacred nectar fed,
The Lord strange judgements, millions made to view,
And those who first fierce persecutions bred,
A jealous God with vengeance did pursue.
The wrath that he against his servants beares,
Is kindled by their sinne, quench'd by their teares.

By him who first 'gainst Christ did ensignes pitch,
His brother, mother, wife, and selfe was slaine;
The great apostate wounded in a ditch,

Did grant with griefe the Galileans raigne ;
Of him whose errours did whole realmes bewitch,
The death most vile, did viler doctrine staine.
"A monstrous death doth monstrous lives attend,
And what all is, is judged by the end."

He who made Himen's torch drop bloud, and teares,
(The nation most humane, growne inhumane)
Did bloud (when dead) at mouth, nose, eyes, and
As vomiting his surfet so againe:
[eares,
In crime, and crowne like charge his brother beares;
The bloudy band by mutuall blowes was slaine.
The king, the duke, the fryer, devis'd that ill,
The king, the duke, the fryer, the king did kill.

Whose sight is so eclips'd which now not sees,
In every kingdome, province, towne, and race,
On princes, subjects, men of all degrees, [trace?
What weighty judgements, sinners' steppes doe
Which not the crowne, more then the cottage frees?
The wicked man (sayes God) shall have no peace.
"A countenance calme may maske a stormy minde,
But guiltinesse no perfect ease can finde."

Those temporall plagues are but small smokes of ire,
To breach a breast which is not arm'd with faith,
And are when God due vengeance doth require,
Of indignation drops, weake sparkes of wrath ;
As lightning is to Hell's eternall fire,
Or to a tempest huge, a little breath.

sweep.

Then since Sinne's hang-man, nature's utter foe,
By whom true life is found, life's shadow lost,
When least expected, doth importune most:
A thousand fancies interrupting so,
Guests of the world, poore passengers that post,
Haste, haste your reck'nings, all must pay, and goe,

And let us strive (a change thus wisely made) To dye alive, that we may live when dead.”

All thinke whil'st sound, what sicknesse may succeed,
How in the bed imprison'd ye may be,
When every object loathsomnesse doth breed,
Within, without, that soule, or eyes can see,
To trembling nature, which still death doth dread,
Whil'st griefe paints horrour in a high degree,
The body in the bed, thoughts in it roule,
The conscience casting up a bitter scroule.

But when th' externall powers begin to faile,
That neither tongue can give, nor eares receive,
Friends (wretched comforters) retir'd to waile,
To agonize the soule alone doe leave,
Which Sathan straight with squadrons doth assaile,
Then bent to force whom first he did deceive;
Who once entic'd, then to accuse beginnes,
To wakened soules upbraiding buried sinnes.

That fatall conflict which all flesh doth feare,
By helpes from Heaven, which foughten out, and

wonne,

Whil'st soules to Heaven triumphing angels beare,
This mortall race magnanimously runne:
Of them that are to decke the highest sphere,
The soule shall shine more glorious then the Sunne.
Whil'st cloath'd with righteousnesse, a Priest, a
King,

Hell, where 's thy victory, Death, where thy sting?
O! when to part, God doth the soule permit,
Rais'd from her shell, a pearle for Sion chus'd,
She recollects (accomplish'd ere she flit)
Her faculties amidst fraile flesh diffus'd;
As judgement, reason, memory, and wit,
Then all refin'd, no more to be abus'd.
And parts in triumph, free from earthly toiles,
Yet longs perchance to gather up her spoiles.

Let those great plagues (smokes of our Maker's ire)
Make all in time their inward state reforme,
Those plagues of which, loe, even to sing I tyre,
Ah, what doe those who beare their ugly forme!
Yet they but kindlings are of endlesse fire,
And little drops which doe foregoe a storme.
Look, look, with clouds Heaven's bosome now doth
To blow the wicked to the lowest Hell. [swell,

DOOMES-DAY;

OR,

THE GREAT DAY OF THe Lord's IvDGEMENT.

THE SECOND HOURE.

THE ARGUMENT.

That threatned time which must the world appall,
Is (that all may amend) by signes fore-showne,
Warres rumour'd are, the gospell preach'd o're all,
Some lewes convert, the antichrist growes knowne:
Divels rage, vice raignes, zeale cooles, faith failes,
stars fall,

All sorts of plagues have the last trumpet blowne:
And by prodigious signes it may appeare,
That of the Sonne of man the signe drawes neare.

THOUGH thundring down those who transgresse his
And with disdaine his bounty do abuse: [lawes,
As adamants doe iron, repentance drawes
The Lord to love them whom he first did chuse;
A space retir'd from the tempestuous waves,
The port of mercy must refresh my Muse;
Whose ventrous flight all loftinesse must leave,
And plainly sing what all men should conceive.

The Lord delights not in a sinner's death,
But sheepe which stray, toiles to recover still;
To please a sonne, who had deserv'd his wrath,
His calfe (long fed) the father straight did kill:
Not for the best whose thoughts(sway'dbyhis breath)
Had squar'd his actions onely to his will;

Their bloud, which tyrants (by evill angels led)
Like worthlesse waters lavish'd on the dust,
From out the altar cries, all that was shed,
From Abel till (and since) Zachary the just,
To see the wicked with confusion cled,

When judg'd by him in whom they would not trust. "The sorrow of his saints doth move God much: No sweeter incense then the sighs of such."

God is not slack as worldings do suppose,
But onely patient, willing all to winne;
Time's consummation quickly shall disclose.
The period of mortality and sinne,

And for the same his servants to dispose,
Else charg'd by signes the processe doth begin,
Signes which each day upbraid us with the last,
Few are to come, some present, many past.
What fatall warnings do that time presage,
A due attendance in the world to breed:
(Though oftner now) some us'd in every age,
And some more monstrous, straight the day preceed:
Ah! flie the flames of that encroaching rage,
And arme against these terrours that succeed:
For whom the first not frights, the last confounds,
As whilst the lightning shines, the thunder wounds.
Whilst threatning worldlings with the last deluge,
Old Noah scorne acquir'd, but never trust:
Though building in their sight his owne refuge,
So were the people blinde with pride and lust;
And ere the coming of the generall Iudge,
To damne the bad, and justifie the just,
Even when the tokens come, which Christ advis'd,
As Noah's then, Christ's words are now despis'd.

As life's last day hath unto none beene showne,
That still (attending death) all might live right:
So that great iudgement's day is kept unknowne,
To make us watch, as Christ were still in sight;
Like virgins wise with oyle still of our owne,
That when the bridegroome comes, we want not light.
"Live still, as looking death should us surprise,
And go to beds, and graves, as we would rise."

O what great wonder that so few are found,
Whom those strange signes make griev'd, or glad,
appeare!
[found,
Though that day haste which should their souls con-
Or from corruption make them ever cleare.
If holy Ierome thought he heard the sound
Of that great trumpet thundring in his eare,
What jealous cares should in our brests be lodg'd,
Since greater sinners, nearer to be judg'd?
When will to man, or rather man to will,
Was freely given, straight discord did begin:
Though brethren borne, th' one did the other kill,
Of those who first were made life's race to runne.
Thus striving (as it seem'd) who did most ill,
The father fell, the sonne did sink in sinne.
Love Adam lost, but Cain did kindle wrath,
The author breeding, th' actor bringing death.
Thus at the first contentious worldlings jarr'd,
Of all the world when onely two were heires;
And when that nations were, then nations warr'd,
Oft sowing hopes, and reaping but despaires;
Base avarice, pride, and ambition marr'd
All concord first, and fram'd death divers snares:
"Though as a winde soone vanish doth our breath;
We furnish feathers for the wings of death."

Lo, as the sacred register records,
Strife is (still boyling mortall men's desires)
The thing most fertile that the world affords,
Of which each little sparke may breed great fires.
Yet that portentuous warre which Christ's owne words
Cites as a signe when judgement th' Earth requires,
It is not that which vaine ambition bends,
By partiall passions rais'd for private ends.

Such was the warre which in each age was mov'd,
When by preposterous cares from rest restrain'd:
Bent to be more then men, men monsters prov'd,
Who (lords of others) slaves themselves remain'd.
For, whilest advancement vaine they fondly lov'd,
The Devill their souls, whilest they but bodies gain'd;
So with their owne disturbing every state,
They bought Hell's horrors at too high a rate.

Christ came below, that souls might be releev'd,
Not to breed peace, but worse then civil! warres :
Broyls amongst brethen, scarce to be beleev'd;
Even twixt the sonne and syre engendring jarres.
"God must be pleas'd who ever else be griev'd;
The gospel's growth no tyrant's malice marres.
As Egypt's burdens Israel's strength did crowne,
The truth most mounts when men would presse it
downe."

Those warres that come before that fatall'day,
End things begun, and endlesse things begin:
Are not us'd broils which states with steele array,
Whilest worldlings would but worldly treasures
winne.

No, even religion shall make peace decay:
And godlinesse be made the ground of sinne.
Then let the world expect no peace againe,
When sacred causes breed effects prophane.

Such warres have beene, some such are yet to be,
What must not once plague Adam's cursed brood?
Which zeale had kindled to be quench'd with bloud,
Ab, that the world so oft those flames did see,
Whilst disagreeing thoughts in deeds agree,
Some bent for sprituall, some for temporall good,
"Hell's fire-brands rage, whilst zeale doth weakly
When policy puts on religion's cloke." [smoke,
All nations once the gospel's light shall see,
That ignorance no just excuse may breed,
Truth spreads in spite of persecution free:
The bloud of martyrs is the churche's seed,
That it receiv'd, or they condemn'd may be,
All on the word their soules may sometime feed,
The word by which all help, or harme must have,
"Those knowledge damnes, whom conscience can-
not save."

When bent to mitigate his Father's wrath,
Man's mortall veile the God-head did disguise,
The world's Redeemer was engag'd to death,
And rais'd himself to show how we should rise;
Those twelve whose doctrine builded on his breath,
To beare his yoke all nations did advise,
They terrours first, and then did comfort sound,
For, ere the gospell heale, the law must wound.

In simple men who servile trades had us'de,
(The wisest of the world are greatest fools)
The Holy Ghost one truth, all tongues infus'de,
And made them teach who never knew the schools;
Yea, with more power the souls of men they brus'd,
Then rhetorick could do with golden rules,