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DOOMES-DAY;

OR,

THE GREAT DAY OF THE LORD'S IVDGEMENT.

THE FIRST HOURE.

THE ARGUMENT.

GOD by his workes demonstratively prov'd;
His providence (impugning Atheisme) urg'd;
The divels from Heaven, from Eden man remov'd;
Of guilty guests the world by water purg'd;
Who never sinn'd to dye for sinne behov'd;
Those who him scourg'd in God's great wrath are
scourg'd;

[past, Some temporall plagues and fearefull judgements Are cited here as figures of the last.

THOU, of whose power(not reach'd by reason's height)
The sea a drop, we th' earth a mote may call:
And for whose trophees, stately to the sight,
The azure arke was rear'd (although too small)
And from the lampe of whose most glorious light
The Sun (a sparke) weake, for weake eyes did fall,
Breath thou a heavenly fury in my brest:
I sing the sabbath of eternall rest.

Though every where discern'd, no where confin'd,
O thou, whose feet the clouds (as dust) afford,
Whose voyce the thunder, and whose breath the
winde,
[thy word,
Whose foot-stoole th' Earth, seate Heaven, works of
Guards, hosts of angels moving by thy minde,
Whose weapons, famine, tempest, pest, and sword;
My cloudy knowledge by thy wisdome cleare,
And by my weakenesse make thy power appeare.

Loe, ravish'd (Lord) with pleasure of thy love,
I feele my soule enflam'd with sacred fires,
Thy judgements, and thy mercies, whil'st I move,
To celebrate, my Muse with zeale aspires;
Lord, by thy helpe this enterprise approve,
That successe so may second my desires,
Make Sathan's race to tremble at my lines,
And thine rejoyce while as thy glory shines.

Ye blinded soules, who even in frailty trust,
By moment's pleasures earning endlesse paine,
Whil'st charg'd with heavy chaines, vile slaves to lust,
Of earth, and earthly, till en-earth'd againe;
Heare, hold, and weigh my words, for once ye must
The strange effects of what I tell sustaine :
I goe to sing (or thunder) in your eares,
A Heaven of comfort, or a Hell of feares.

All my transported thoughts at randome flye,
And where to fixe, no solid ground can finde,
Whil'st silent wondring makes a setled eye,
What huge amazement hath o'rewhelm'd my minde?
How some dare scorne (as if a fabulous lye)
That they should rise whom death to dust doth binde,
And like to beasts, a beastly life they leade,
Who nought attend save death when they are dead.

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God visibly invisible who raignes,
Soule of all soules, whose light each light directs,
All first did freely make, and still maintaines,
The greatest rules, the meanest not neglects;
Fore-knowes the end of all that he ordaines,
His will each cause, each cause breeds fit effects,
Who did make all, all thus could onely leade,
None could make all, but who was never made.

Vile dogge, who wouldst the ground of truth orethrow,

Thy selfe to marke thy darkened judgement leade.
For (if thy selfe) thou must thy Maker know,
Who all thy members providently made,
Thy feet tread th' earth (to be contemn'd) laid low,
To looke on Heaven exalted was thy head.
That there thou might'st the stately mansion see, [be.
From whence thou art, where thou should'st seeke to

The world in soules, God's image cleare may see, Though mirrours brus'd when falue, sparks dim'd far flowne,

They in strict bounds, strict bonds, kept captive be,
Yet walke ore all this all, and know not known;
Yea soare to Heaven, as from their burden free,
And there see things which cannot well be showne.
None can conceive, all must admire his might,
Of whom each atome gives so great a light.

When troubled conscience reads accusing scroules,
Which witness'd are even by the breast's own brood;
O what a terrour wounds remording soules,
Who poyson finde what seem'd a pleasant food!
A secret pow'r their wand'ring thoughts controules,
And (damning evill) an author proves of good.
Thus here some mindes a map of Hell doe lend,
To show what horrours damned soules attend.

To grant a God, the Divel may make men wise,
Whose apparitions atheists must upbraid,
Who borrowing bodies, doth himselfe disguise,
Lest some his uglinesse might make afraid :
Yet oft in monstrous formes doth roaring rise,
Till even (as charm'd) the charmer stands dismaid.
He bellowing forth abhominable lyes,
Bloud in his mouth, and terrour in his eyes.

Who saves the world lest that it ruin'd be
By him whose thoughts (as arrowes) ayme at ill,
Save one that rules the world by his decree;
Who makes his power not equall with his will?
Of which (not left to plague at pleasure free)
He (forc'd) affords a testimony still.

From every thing thus springs to God some praise,
Men, angels, divels, all must his glory raise.
Though trusting more, yet some transgresse as much
As those who unto God draw never neare:
For what the first not see, the last not touch,
Th' ones' eyes are blinde, the others' are not cleare:
Their mindes (false mirrours) frame a god, for such
As waters straight things crooked make appeare.
Their faith is never firme, their love not bright,
As ankers without holds, fires without light.

Their judgements fond, by frailty all confinde,
Whose sonle (as water) vanity devoures;
Doe faine in God what in themselves they finde,
And by their weaknesse judge the pow'r of pow'rs;
Then (the unbounded bounding by their minde)
Would staine Heaven's garden with terrestriall
"Men still imagine others as they are, [flowres.
And measure all things by corruption's square."
They thinke that God soft pleasure doth affect,
And jocund, lofty, lull'd in ease, as great,
Doth scorne, contemne, or at the least neglect
Man's fickle, abject, and laborious state,
That he disdaines to guerdon, or correct
Man's good or euill, as free from love, or hate.

That when th' Earth is his prospect from the skies,
As men on beasts, on men he casts his eyes.

No, high in Heaven from whence he bindes,and frees,
He in voluptuous ease not wallowing lyes;
What was, what is, what shall be, all he sees,
Weighs every worke, each heart in secret tryes,
Doth all record, then daily by degrees
Gives, or abstracts his grace, cause, end, both spies.
His contemplation farre transcends our reach,
Yet what fits us to know, his word doth teach.
Then to confirme what was affirm'd before,
That no God is, or God doth not regard,
Who doe blaspheme (say fooles) or who adore,
This oft due vengeance wants, and that reward,
Then godly men the wicked prosper more,
Who seeme at freedome, and the others snar'd.
Such (as they thinke) feele paine, and dreame but joy,
Whil'st they what can be wish'd, doe all enjoy.
The Sunne in all like comfort doth infuse,
The raine to all by equall portions parts,
Heaven's treasures all alike both have, and use,
Which God to all (as lov'd alike) imparts;
Each minde's free state like passions doe abuse,
Each burd'nous body by like sicknesse smarts.
Thus all alive alike all fortunes try,
And as the bad, even so the best doe dye.

O men most simple, and yet more then mad,
Whose foolish hearts sinne wholy hath subdu'd,
Whil'st good men now are griev'd, though you be glad,
They weake, (yet pure) you strong, (yet stain'd, and
Huge are the oddes betwixt the best and bad [lew'd)
Which darkely here, hence shall be cleerely view'd.
When of God's wrath the winde sifts soules at last,
They shall abide, you vanish at a blast.

God's benefits though like to both design'd,
Whil'st judgement doth upon weake sight depend,
Yet th' inward eyes a mighty difference finde,
To ballance them whil'st spirituall thoughts ascend,
The gift is one, but not the giver's minde,
The use is one, but not the user's end.
Those take themselves to please, they him to praise.
God so would clogge the one, the other raise,

The godly ill, the wicked good may have,
And both may be whil'st here, pleas'd, or annoy'd:
But as they are, all make what they receive,
Not real of it selfe, but as imploy'd;
Those temporall treasures monuments doe leave,
As by a blessing, or a curse convoy'd.
But this is sure, what ever God doth send,
To good men's good, to evill men's ill doth tend.
God, soules to cure, doth divers balmes apply,
Whil'st his intent the successe still doth crowne;
Some are press'd downe, lest they should swell too
high,
[downe:
Some are rais'd high, lest that they should sinke
Some must have wealth, their charity to try,
Some poverty, their patience to renowne.
"He who made all, knowes all, and as they neede
Not as they wish, makes things with his succeed."

Since worldly things, God makes both sorts possesse,.
Whose use in them a gratefulnesse should move :
Let us seeke greater things (though seeming lesse).
Which for one sort doe onely proper prove,
That heavenly grace, whose power none can expresse,
Whose fruits are vertue, zeale, faith, hope, and love.

The godly may the wicked's treasures gaine, But theirs the wicked never can attaine."

Ah, why should soules for senselesse riches care!
They mercy neede, it is a way to wrath:
The first man he was made, the rest borne bare;
Those floting treasures come, and goe with breath.
Not mortals' goods, no, mortalls' evils they are,
Which (since but dead) can nothing give save death.
Their seed base eare, their fruit is torturing paine,
A losse when found, oft lost, the looser's gaine.

The greatest good that by such wealth is sought,
Are flattering pleasures, which (whilst fawning)

stayne,

A smoke, a shadow, froth, a dreame, a thought, Light, sliding, fraile, abusing, fond, all vaine; Which (whilst they last, but showes) to end soon Of bravest thoughts, the liberty restraine. [brought, As of Heaven's beauties, clouds would make us doubt, Through mists of mindes, the sprite peeps faintly out.

That king (of men admir'd, of God belov'd,) Whom such none did preceede, nor yet succeede, Who wisedome's minion, virtue's patterne prov'd, Did show what heighth of blisse this Earth could breed,

Whose minde and fortune in like measure mov'd, Whil'st wealth and wit striv'd which should most exceed,

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Even he was cross'd alive, and scorn'd when dead, With gifts fit for their state, all are endu’d; By too much happinesse, unhappy made.

Her store, franke Nature prodigally spent,

To make that prince more than a prince esteem'd,
Whilst Art to emulate her mistresse bent, [seem'd,
Though borrowing strength from her, yet stronger
He nothing lack'd, which might a minde content,
What once he wish'd, or but to wish was deem'd.
For, thoughts of thousands rested on his will,
"Great fortunes finde obsequious followers still."
With God the Father, he who did conferre,
And of the sonne plac'd for a figure stood,
He to God's law did his vile lust preferre,
His lust as boundlesse as a raging floud;
Who would have thought he could so grosly erre,
Even to serve idols, scorne a God so good?
"The strong in faith (when destitute of grace)
Like men disarm'd, fall faintly from their place."

God's way cannot be found, his course not knowne,
As hearts he did enlarge, or else restraine,
Some were made saints, who saints had once ore-
throwne,

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Some once thought holy, turn'd to be prophane,
To mocke men's judgement, justifie his owne,
Whil'st God by both did magnifi'd remaine.
Let none presume, nor yet all hope despise;
When standing, feare, when falne, still strive to rise.
Through Hell to Heaven since our Redeemer past,
Thinke that all pleasure purchas'd is with paine,
Though the first death, none shall the second taste,
Who are with God eternally to raigne;

Chus'd, call'd, made holy, just and glorious last, Twixt Heaven and Earth they have a spirituall chaine,

Whose fastening faith, whose linkes are all of love, Through clouds by God's own hand stretch'd from

above.

Grace mercy still, wrath justice doth convoy;
God cleares their sight of whom he will be view'd,
And blindes them here, whom hence he will destroy;
Those whom he did elect, them he renew'd, [joy:
Those whom he leaves, they sinne, and sinne with
Such live like beasts, but worse (when dead) re-
maine,

[paine: Beasts dead, lose sense, death gives them sense with

This froward race that to confusion runnes,
Through selfe-presumption, or distrust of God,
Shall once disgorge the surfet of their sinnes,
Whil'st what seems light, then proves a burd'nous
lode,

With them in judgement once when God beginnes
To beat, to bruise them with an iron rod:
"Whil'st aiery pleasures, leaden anguish bring,
Exhausted honey leaves a bitter sting."

Yet wicked men, whom foule affections blinde,
Dare say (O now that Heaven not brimstone raynes!)
Let us alive have what contents the minde,
And dread (when dead) threats of imagin'd paines;
The debt we sweet, the interest easie finde,
At least the payment long deferr'd remaines:
Who shadowes feare whilst they the substance keepe,
But start at dreames, when they securely sleepe.

Ah, filthy wretch, more high thy fancies lift, (That doth encroach which thou would'st thus delay) Then eagle, arrow, shippe, or winde, more swift, (Match'd onely by it selfe) time posts away, Straight of all soules, God shall the secrets sift, And private thoughts, with publike shouts display. Then when time's glasse (not to be turn'd) is runne, Their griefe still growes, whose joyes were scarce. begun.

Whil'st rais'd in haste, when soules from him rebell, | When them he view'd, whose power nought can exBy inundations of impetuous sinne,

The flouds of God's deep indignation swell,
Till torment's torrents furiously come in,
Damnation's mirrours, models of the Hell,

To show what hence not ends, may here beginne.
Then let me sing some of God's judgements past,
That who them heare, may tremble at the last.

That glorious angell bearer of the light,
The morning's eye, the messenger of day,
Of all the bands above esteem'd most bright,
(As is amongst the rest the month of May)
He whom those gifts should humbled have of right,
Did (swolne with pride) from him who gave them
And sought (a traitour) to usurpe his seate, [stray,
Yea worse (if worse may be) did prove ingrate.
Their starry tailes the pompous peacocks spreade,
As of all birds the basenesse thus to prove,
So Lucifer who did Hell's legions leade,
Was with himselfe preposterously in love;
But better angels, scorning such a head,
No flattering hope to leave their Lord could move.
"Those who grow proud, presuming of their state,
They others doe contemne, them others hate."

The Divell to all an easie way affords,
That strife which, one devis'd, all did conclude,
Their armour malice, blasphemy their swords,
Darts sharp'd by envy, onely aym'd at good:
They when they met, did need to use no words,
The thoughts of others, who soone understood.
By bodies grosse when they no hindrance have,
Pure sprites (at freedome) all things may conceive.
As where uncleannesse is, the ravens repaire,
The spotted band swarm'd where he spu'd his gall,
Who fondly durst with God (foule foole) compare,
And his apostasie applauded all;

Then to usurpe Heaven's throne did bend their care,
So hasting on the horrour of their fall, [strayes)
Whose trayterous head made (like a whore that
His flaming beauties prodigall of rayes.

Whil'st vainely puft up with preposterous aymes,
He even from God his treasure striv'd to steale,
The angels good (those not deserving names)
With sacred ardour, boldly did appeale; [fames,
Their eyes shot lightning, and their breath smok'd
As ravish'd with God's love, burnt up with zeale.
All lifted up their flight, their voyce, their hands,
Then sang God's praise, rebuk'd rebellious bands.

This mutiny a monstrous tumult bred,

The place of peace all plenish'd thus with armes; Bright Michael forth a glorious squadron led, Which forc'd the fiends to apprehend their harmes, The lights of Heaven look'd pale, clouds (thundring) shed,

Winds (roaring trumpets) bellow'd loud alarmes :
Thinke what was fain'd to be at Phlegra bounds,
Of this a shadow, ecchoes but of sounds.

O damned dog, who in a happy state,
Could not thyselfe, would not have others bide:
Of sinne, death, Hell, thou open didst the gate,
Ambition's bellowes, fountaine of all pride,
Who force in Heaven, in Paradice deceit,
On earth us'd both, a traitour alwaies try'd.
O first the ground, still guilty of all evils, [divels.
Since whom God angels made, thou mad'st them
VOL. V.

presse,

To whose least nod the greatest things are thrall,
Although his word, his looke, his thought, or lesse,
Might them have made dust, ayre, or what more
small,

Yet he (their pride though purpos'd to represse)
Grac'd by a blow, disdain'd to let them fall,
But them reserv'd for more opprobrious stripes,
As first of sinne, still of his judgement types.

Those scorned rivals, God would judge, not fight, And then themselves none else, more fit could finde, Brands for his rage, (whil'st flaming at the height) Whose guilty weakenesse match'd with his pure To cleare their knowledge it with terrour shin'd; Did at an instant vanish like a winde. [might, "Their conscience fir'd, who doe from God rebell, Hell first is plac'd in them, then they in Hell."

That damned crue, God having spy'd a space,
First, lightning lookes, then thundred forth those
words,
"Baites for my wrath, that have abus'd my grace,
As once of light, of darkenesse now be lords,
Where order is, since forfeiting your place,
Passe where confusion every thing affords.
And use your spight to pine, and to be pin'd,
Not angels, no, doe evils as divels design'd."

If we great things with small things may compare,
Or with their Maker, things that have been made,
Marke when the falcon fierce soares through the ayre,
The little feathered flockes fall downe as dead;
As darkenesse flyes, Heaven (like a bride) lookes
faire,

When Phoebus forth doth fiery coursers leade,
Like some bride-groome bent for his wedding place,
Or like a mighty man to runne his race.

Even so as lightning (flashing from the sky)
Doth dye as it descends, scarce seen when gone,
More fast then follow could a thought, or eye,
Heaven's banish'd rebels fell downe every one;
Then abject runnagates over all did flye,
As seeking deserts where to howle and moane.
O what a deadly storme did then begin,
When Heaven rain'd divels to drown the world with
sin!

That forge of fraud, evils centre, spheare of pride, From blisse above, whbm God's owne breath had blowne;

He, who his strength in Heaven in vaine had try'd,
(As dogs bite stones for him who hath them throwne)
Did hunt God's image, when in Adam spy'd,
And (grudging at his state) despis'd his owne :
It never ended yet, which then began,
His hate to God, his envy unto man.

Ere tainted first with that most fatall crime,
Then Adam liv'd more blest then can be thought:
Babe, infant, childe, youth, man, all at one time,
Form'd in perfection, having need of nought,
To Paradice preferr'd from abject slime,
A graine of th' earth to rule it all was brought.
With him whom to content, all did contend,
God walk'd, and talk'd, as a familiar friend.

Y

Then of his pleasures to heape up the store,
God Evah did create with beauties rare,
Such as no women had since; none before,
Thinke what it is to be divinely faire,
And then imagine her a great deale more;
She, principall, the rest but copies are
No height of words can her perfections hit,

Thus good and evill they learn'd to know by this,
But ah, the good was gone, the evill to be;
Thus monstrously when having done amisse,
They cloathing sought, (of bondage a decree)
"Loe, the first fruits of mortals knowledge is,
Their nakednesse, and hard estate to see:
Thus curiousnesse to knowledge is the guide,

The worke was matchlesse, as the workeman's wit. And it to misery, all toiles when tryde."

The world's first father what great joyes did fill,
Whil'st prince of Paradice from trouble free,
The fairest creature entertain'd him still;
No rivall was, he could not jealous be,
But wretched prov'd, in having all his will,
And yet discharg'd the tasting of one tree.
"Let one have all things good, abstract some toy,
That want more grieves, then all he hath gives joy."

Through Eden's garden, stately Évah stray'd,
Where beauteous flowers her beauties backe re-
By nature's selfe, and not by art array'd, [glanc'd
Which pure (not blushing) boldly were advanc'd;
With dangling haires the wanton Zephyres play'd,
And in rich rings their floting gold enhaunc'd.
All things concurr'd, which pleasure could incite,
So that she seem'd the centre of delight.

Then could she not well thinke, who now can tell
What banquetted her sight with objects rare?
Birds striv'd for her whose songs should most excell,
The odoriferous flowres perfum'd the ayre:
Yet did her breath of all most sweetly smell,
Not then distemper'd with intemperate fare.
No mixtures strange compos'd corrupting food,
All naturally was sweet, all simply good.

But ah! when she the apples faire did spy,
Which (since reserv'd) were thought to be the best;
Their fained pretiousnesse enflam'd to try,
Because discharg'd, she look'd where they did rest,
Luxuriously abandon'd to the eye,

Swolne, languishing (like them upon her brest.)
"Ah curiousnesse, first cause of all our ill,
And yet the plague which most torments us still!"

On them she (doubtfull) earnestly did gaze,
The hand oft times advanc'd, and oft drawne backe,
Whil'st Sathan cunningly her parts did praise,
And in a serpent thus his course did take:
"Your state is high, you may more high it raise,
And may (with ease) your selves immortall make.
This precious fruit God you forbids to eate,
Lest (knowing good and evill) you match his state."

Those fatall fruits which poison'd were with sinne,
She (having tasted) made her husband prove;
What could not words of such a Sirene winne?
O woe to man, that woman thus can move!
He him to hide (his fall's first marke) did rinne1,
Whom knowledge now had learn'd to loath and
[darke,
Death from that tree did shoot through shadowes
His rest an apple, beauty was his marke.

love.

Marke Adam's answer when his Maker crav'd,
If that his will had beene by him transgress'd;
"The woman (Lord) whom I from thee receiv'd,
Did make me eate, as who my soule possess'd:"
The woman said, "the serpent me deceiv'd:"
Both burden'd others, none the fault confess'd.
Which custome still their faulty race doth use,
"All first doe runne to hide, next to excuse."

But he who tryes the reynes, and views the heart,
(As through the clouds) doth through fraile bodies
And is not mock'd by men's ridiculous art, [see,
By which their crimes encreast, more odious be:
Who proudly sinne, they must submissely smart,
Loe, God craves count of what he did decree.
And those who joyn'd in sinne, are punish'd all,
All Adam's partners crush'd were with his fall.
Thus God first damn'd the fountaine of deceit,
"O most accurst of all the beasts which breed,
Still wallowing in the dust (a loathsome state)
Drawn on thy belly basely shalt thou feed;
The woman thee, thou shalt the woman hate.
Which hatred still inherit shall her seed.
Whose fierce effects both mutually shall feele,
Whil'st he shall breake thy head, thou bruise his
heele.

"And woman weake, whose thought each fancy
blowes,

I will encrease thy griefe, thy joyes restraine,
And since thy judgement doth depend on showes,
Thou to thy husband subject shalt remaine:
And (bringing forth thy brood with bitter throwes)
What was thy pleasure sown, shalt reape with paine.
Those beauties now which mustred are with pride,
In withered wrinckles, ruinous age shall hide.
"Fond Adam, thou (obeying thus thy wife)
What I commanded violate that durst:
Cares shall exhaust thy dayes, paines end thy life,
Whil'st for thy cause the earth becomes accurst,
With thornes and thistles, guerdoning thy strife,
Who sweating for thy food, art like to burst.
And looke no more for rest, for toile thou must,
Till whence first com'd, thou be turn'd back to dust."
By angels arm'd barr'd from the pleasant place,
When wretched Adam's pilgrimage was past,
The tree of sinne o're-shadowing all his race,
They from their minds all love of God did east,
Them to reclaime who did contemne his grace,
Who weary was with striving at the last,
And of the world a harvest made by raine,
Did straight resolve to try new seede againe.

Yet since that Noah uprightly had liv'd,
He and his race stood safe on horrour's height,
And when all creatures' ruine was contriv'd,
Did live secure the forty-day-long night:

1A Scotiscism for run, which frequently occurs To make the world repent, that good man striv'd,

in these poems. C.

His swelling engine building in their sight.

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