Michael Wigglesworth (1631—1705)

The day of Grace now past

CXXXVII.

“With chords of love God often strove
your stubborn hearts to tame;
Nevertheless your wickedness
did still resist the same.
If now at last Mercy be past
from you for evermore,
And Justice come in Mercy’s room,
yet grudge you not therefore.

CXXXVIII.

“If into wrath God turnéd hath
his long, long-suffering,
And now for love you vengeance prove,
is an equal thing.
Your waxing worse hath stopt the course
of wonted Clemency,
Mercy refus’d and Grace misus’d
call for severity.

CXXXIX.

“It’s now high time that ev’ry Crime
be brought to punishment;
Wrath long contain’d and oft restrain’d,
at last must have a vent.
Justice severe cannot forbear
to plague sin any longer,
But must inflict with hand most strict
mischief upon the wronger.

CXL.

“In vain do they for Mercy pray,
the season being past,
Who had no care to get a share
therein, while time did last.
The man whose ear refus’d to hear
the voice of Wisdom’s cry,
Earn’d this reward, that none regard
him in his misery.

CXLI.

“It doth agree with Equity
and with God’s holy Law,
That those should die eternally
that Death upon them draw.
The soul that sins Damnation wins,
for so the Law ordains;
Which Law is just; and therefore must
such suffer endless pains.

CXLII.

“Eternal smart is the desert
ev’n of the least offense;
Then wonder not if I allot
to you this Recompense;
But wonder more that since so sore
and lasting plagues are due
To every sin, you liv’d therein,
who well the danger knew.

CXLIII.

“God hath no joy to crush or ’stroy,
and ruin wretched wights;
But to display the glorious Ray
of Justice he delights.
To manifest he doth detest,
and thoroughly hate all sin,
By plaguing it as is most fit—
this shall him Glory win.“

Michael Wigglesworth (1631—1705)

CXXXIV.

But all too late; grief’s out of date,
when Life is at an end.
The glorious King thus answering,
all to his voice attend:
“God gracious is,” quoth he; “like his,
no mercy can be found:
His Equity and Clemency
to sinners do abound,

Mercy now shines forth in the vessels of Mercy.

CXXXV.

“As may appear by those that here
are plac’d at my right hand,
Whose stripes I bore, and clear’d the score,
that they might quitted stand.
For surely none but God alone,
whose Grace transcends men’s thought.
For such as those that were his foes
like wonders would have wrought.

Did also wait upon such as abused it.

CXXXVI.

“And none but he such lenity
and patience would have shown
To you so long, who did him wrong,
and pull’d his Judgment down.
How long a space, stiff-neck’d race,
did patience you afford?
How oft did love you gently move,
to turn unto the Lord?

Michael Wigglesworth (1631—1705)

They are answered.

CXXXIV.

But all too late; grief’s out of date,
when Life is at an end.
The glorious King thus answering,
all to his voice attend:
“God gracious is,” quoth he; “like his,
no mercy can be found:
His Equity and Clemency
to sinners do abound,

Mercy now shines forth in the vessels of Mercy.

CXXXV.

“As may appear by those that here
are plac’d at my right hand,
Whose stripes I bore, and clear’d the score,
that they might quitted stand.
For surely none but God alone,
whose Grace transcends men’s thought.
For such as those that were his foes
like wonders would have wrought.

Did also wait upon such as abused it.

CXXXVI.

“And none but he such lenity
and patience would have shown
To you so long, who did him wrong,
and pull’d his Judgment down.
How long a space, stiff-neck’d race,
did patience you afford?
How oft did love you gently move,
to turn unto the Lord?

Michael Wigglesworth (1631—1705)

Others plead for pardon from God’s Mercy and Justice.

CXXX.

Others plead Others argue, and not a few,
“Is not God graci-ous?
His Equity and Clemency,
are they not marvellous?
Thus we believ’d; are we deceiv’d?
Cannot his Mercy great,
(As hath been told to us of old,)
assuage his anger’s heat?

CXXXI.

“How can it be that God should see
his Creatures’ endless pain.
Or hear their groans and rueful moans,
and still his wrath retain?
Can it agree with Equity,
can Mercy have the heart.
To recompense few years’ offense
with everlasting smart?

CXXXII.

“Can God delight in such a sight
as sinners’ misery?
Or what great good can this our blood
bring unto the most High?
O thou that dost thy Glory most
in pard’ning sin display,
Lord, might it please thee to release
and pardon us this day!

CXXXIII.

“Unto thy name more glorious fame
would not such Mercy bring?
Would not it raise thine endless praise,
more than our suffering?“
With that they cease, holding their peace,
but cease not still to weep;
Grief ministers a flood of tears,
in which their words do steep.