Breflau and Bruffels, Drefden, Edingburgh, Florence, Genoa, Mofcow, Naples, Rome, Dublin and Venice, Turin, Koningsburg, Palermo, Prefburg, Parma, Mantua, Thefe capitals of Europe and her states, Or leffer provinces, are now no more. Pekin and Canton, Chinefe cities, fhare With all the famous cities of the eaft, In this dire confiagration of the world. But most of all Jerufalem I mourn, That famous city, chief of all the earth, Which falls a prey in this fo genʼral doom, Together with the temple of the Lord;
But all the bleft inhabitants are gone Up to Jerufalem, which is above, That city which can never be destroy'd, Built by the great Jehovah for his feat. There all the happy fhall together dwell In perfect pleasure, and divine delight, So that no real lofs can be fuftain'd
By thofe who leave this lower world on fire :
Nor will they feel the fhadow of regret
At this dire conflagration of the world. Not fo the wicked who are left below,
To bear the horrors of this dreadful ftorm.
Such terrors will upon their fpirits feize As cannot be defcrib'd by tongues of men, Nor even yet conceiv'd by human hearts. Let all the real terrors or the feign'd, And all the torments, pains, or miferies, That ever were experienc'd by mankind,
Be put together, yet the burning globe
Will be a fource of greater pains and woes To all its wretched loft inhabitants.
Join all the tempefts, fires, and storms, and plagues, Thund'rings and lightnings, earthquakes, whirlwinds Eruptions of volcanoes, vapours, figns,
That ever have been seen, or felt, or fear'd, Since man was firft created, to that day, The world on fire would more than equal all. Confider ye that laugh at punishment, And treat it with, contempt if limited, How would ye bare this dreadful scene of woe One fingle day, or even for an hour? Combine the pain of hunger, fharpeft thirft, The keenest sense of fhame and deep difgrace, The pungent tortures of a guilty mind, A wounded fpirit, fill'd with black despair, A ftrong remembrance of tranfgreffions past, A feeling fenfe of God's refentment juft, The unmix'd vials of Almighty wrath; And all the frightful terrors of the mind; And add to thefe the real pains of fire. Suppose a man in foul and body form'd In fuch a manner as to feel the whole, Without the leaft abatement all at once; Think what his pain and mifery must be ? This is the real ftate of those who fall Under the dreadful fentence of the Lord, And fhall be left to feel the burning lake, With all its horrors and tremenduous pains. Their bodies fhall be form'd more capable
Of feeling pain than in this mortal ftate,. And yet endure these torments manifold. For many ages ere they see an end;
Nor for one moment reft or ease enjoy. Their fouls fhall be with fharp reflections fill'd, Enough to form in ev'ry breaft a hell
Of woe unutterable. Who can bear Thefe dreadful tortures for one moment's space? Much lefs for ages? Think before ye leap, Ye bold and daring finnes, think, O think! Prefent this wholefome fight before your minds, And let me afk you, Will you madly rush Into thefe burning flames for present toys, And vain delights, the trifles of an hour? Would fenfual pleafures for an hundred years,. Repay you for one moment of this woe? Remember this is not an idle dream,.
A fiction of my brain, but fcripture truth, The threat'nings of the God who cannot lie ;; And what each stubborn foe must furely feel.. Therefore furvey your punishment severe, Before the awful execution comes. Confider all the threat'nings of the Lord,
And all thofe hateful and forbidden crimes For which fuch punishments fhall be prepar'd. Think not God's righteous judgment to escape, If ftill fuch things you practife oh, repent! 862 Nor dare to venture torments fuch as thefe. And if you can receive a friend's advice,. Laugh not I pray you at the lake of fire,, As though it was a thing impoffible,,
For God (who once a world of wicked drown'd With water, unexpectedly to all,
Though long they had been warn'd ;) at last to turn
The globe of earth and water to that lake,.
And leave the wicked there to fuffer long.
O be not ignorant of what has been ! That once the world was wholly overflow'd, And all th' unrighteous perish'd by the flood: But now the earth and Heav'ns are kept in store, Referv'd to fire against that awful day, The day of judgment, when ungodly ones Shall there be doom'd to fuffer lofs and pain..
There, but imagination fure muft fail To paint the millionth part of all their woes; They must endure the punishments ordain'd, The juft rewards of lives employ'd in fin; Till God fhall fee it proper to release, And free them by his mercy from their griefs,, And them restore unto himself again :: Changing them wholly by his pow'rful grace, Nor lefs their habitation than themselves.
Of these most grand and noble works of God, I will not fail to fing with gladfome heart, If my Creator will prolong my life,,
And give his kind affistance to a worm;
A feeble child of man, who fain would praife 890 His holy name for all his wonders wrought, And all that he hath promis'd to perform ; Which here by faith my foul anticipates..
END: CE THE TENTH BOOK..
The New Creation; or, The Renovation of the Heavens and Earth after the Conflagration.
WHAT fhall I render to my gracious God, For all his loving kindneffes to me? And that he ever led my feeble mind, To view his vaft unbounded plan of grace, And his intention to restore at last
All who have fallen from their firft eftate.
What though on this account I loft my friends, And all my Christian brethren turn'd their backs, And caft my name as evil out to men, And would have glory'd to behold my fall, To see me cover'd with the deepest shame ? Yet all that I have parted with for this
Is nothing to the glorious treafure gain'd. The joy and fatisfaction that I feel
In this great truth, that God himself is Love, Is more than pays me for whate'er I loft For being faithful to the light receiv'd. For could my former friends and brethren know The folid pleasure which my foul has found In this most glorious scheme of love divine, They would not wonder why I ftill remain As firmly now attach'd as at the first. My heart is ftill as warm, my tongue prepar'd As much as ever, to proclaim God's love, His univerfal love to all mankind.
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