Hymn I. For the Day-present, or the Last-Day.
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The last shall be first, and the first shall be last. For
as the Day-present, is the first of those that are
to come; So it is the last of those which are past;
and, may be to us, the last Day of all. We have
therefore, made it an occasion to remember us of
that Last-Day, which no man shall escape.
Sing this as the Lamentation.
[1]
So much who knows, that he can say
His Last, this Minute, shall not be?
Or, who can tell, but that this Day,
Will be the last, his Eye shall see?
And, therefore, how far off soe're,
The Worlds Last-day from us we place,
The morrow next, it will appear,
To him, that hath fulfild his Race.
And Sorrows
Changes he shall Ring;
Or Joyes, blest Halelviah, sing.
2
How dull, how blind! how mad therefore,
Are we who now this Day enjoy,
(And, are not sure of one day more)
If we, this time, shall misemploy?
If we God's
Voice refuse to hear,
Now, Vs he cals on, to repent:
Anon, perhaps, we shall with fear,
Beyond the sounds of Grace, be sent:
To be confin'd, where damned-Soules,
And Sathan, rages, Roares, and Howles.
3
If Daily, we in Sin waxe old;
And ev'ry day grow more to blame;
Our Judge how shall we then behold,
When Heaven and Earth, are in a Flame?
And, if our hearts, no pleasure takes,
To heare him, when in Peace he comes,
How shall we beare it, when he speaks,
In wrath, our everlasting-Doomes.
And, saies, in his inflamed Ire,
Depart into unquenched Fire?
4
Lord, whilst this Day of Grace, doth shine;
Whilst thou dost speak to us, in Love,
So let us mark each Word of thine,
That, Faithfull Hearers, we may prove.
So let us walk; so let us work;
Whilst this faire-Day-light, is possest,
That, when Deaths Evening waxeth dark,
Our Flesh, in Hope, may sweetly rest.
Vntill that mortall Night be done;
And Day immortall, is begun.
5
And, when, Times Vaile, is rent, away,
(Whereby Eternitie is hid)
When thou shalt all things, open lay,
Which ere we Thought, or Said, or Did;
Among Times Ruines, bury so,
Our failings (through our Tract of Time)
That, from these Dungeons, here below,
We to celestiall Thrones may clime,
And, there, to our Eternall-King;
Forever, Halelviah sing.
