Fire and Ice: Puritan and Reformed Writings
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The Day of Doom Stanzas 76-100


by Michael Wigglesworth

Contributed by Stephen Lawson

Word format



[ 76 ]

To whom the Lord thus in a word
     returns a short reply,
I never knew any of you
     that wrought iniquity.
You say y'have been my Presence in;
     but friends, how came you there
With Raiment vile that did defile
     and quite disgrace my Cheer?

Is Answered.
Luke 13:27
Matt 22:12

[ 77 ]

Durst you draw near without due fear
     unto my holy Table?
Durst you prophane, and render vain
     so far as you were able,
Those Mysteries? which whoso prize
     and carefully improve
Shall saved be undoubtedly,
     and nothing shall them move.

[ 78 ]

How durst you venture, bold guests, to enter
     in such a sordid hew,
Amongst my guests, unto those Feasts
     that were not made for you?
How durst you eat for spiritual meat
     your bane, and drink damnation,
Whilst by your guile you rendred vile
     so rare and great Salvation?

I Cor 11:27, 29

[ 79 ]

Your fancies fed on heav'nly Bread,
     your hearts fed on some Lust:
You lov'd the Creature more than th' Creator,
     your Souls clave to the dust.
And think you by Hypocrisie,
     and cloaked Wickedness,
To enter in, laden with sin,
     to lasting happiness?

Matt 6:21, 24
Rom 1:25

[ 80 ]

This your excuse shews your abuse
     of things ordain'd for good;
And doth declare you guilty are
     of my dear Flesh and Blood.
Wherefore those Seals and precious Meals
     you put so much upon
As things divine, they seal and sign
     you to Perdition.

I Cor 11:27, 29

[ 81 ]

Then forth issue another Crew
     (those being silenced)
Who drawing nigh to the most High
     adventure thus to plead:
We sinners were, say they, it's clear,
     deserving Condemnation:
But did not we rely on thee,
     O Christ, for whole Salvation?

Another sort of
hypocrites make
their pleas.

[ 82 ]

We did believe and oft receive
     thy gracious promises:
We took great care to get a share
     in endless happiness.
We pray'd and wept, we Fast-dayes kept,
     lewd ways we did eschew:
We joyful were they Word to hear;
     we form'd our lives anew.

Act 8:13
Isa 58:2-3
Heb 64:5

[ 83 ]

We thought our sin had pard'ned been;
     that our Estate was good,
Our debts all paid, our peace well made,
     our Souls wash'd with thy Blood.
Lord, why dost thou reject us now,
     who have not thee rejected,
Nor utterly true sanctity
     and holy life neglected.

II Pet 2:20

[ 85 ]

The Judge incensed at their pretenced
     self-vanting Piety,
With such a look as trembling strook
     into them, made reply;
O impudent, impenitent,
     and guileful generation!
Think you that I cannot descry
     your hearts abomination?

The Judge
uncaseth them.
 
John 2:24-25

[ 85 ]

You nor receiv'ed, nor yet believ'd
     my Promises of Grace;
Nor were you wise enough to prize
     my reconciled Face:
But did presume that to assume
     which was not yours to take,
And challenged the Childrens bread,
     yet would not sin forsake.

Job 6:64
 
Ps 50:16
Matt 15:26

[ 86 ]

Being too bold you laid fast hold,
     where int'rest you had none,
Your selves deceiving by your believing,
     all which you might have known,
You ran away, but ran astray,
     with Gospel-promises,
And perished; being still dead
     in sins and trespasses.

Rev 3:17
 
 
Matt 13:20

[ 87 ]

How oft did I Hypocrisie
     and Hearts deceit unmask
Before your sight, giving you light
     to know a Christians task?
But you held fast unto the last
     your own Conceits so vain;
No warning could prevail, you would
     your own Deceits retain.

Matt 6:2, 4, 24
Jer 8:5-8

[ 88 ]

As for your care to get a share
     in bliss; the fear of Hell,
And of a part in endless smart,
     did thereunto compel.
Your holiness and ways redress,
     such as it was, did spring
From no true love to things above,
     but from some other thing.

Ps 78:34-37

[ 89 ]

You pray'd and wept, you Fast-days kept;
     but did you this to me?
No, but for sin, you sought to win,
     the greater libertie.
For all your vaunts, you had vile haunts,
     for which your Consciences
Did you alarm, whose voice to charm
     you us'd these practices.

Zach 7:5-6
Isa 58:3-4
I Sam 15:13, 21
Isa 1:11, 15

[ 90 ]

Your Penitence, your diligence
     to Read, to Pray, to Hear,
Were but to drown'd the clamorous sound
     of Conscience in your ear.
If light you lov'd, vain glory mov'd
     your selves therewith to store,
That seeming wise, men might you prize,
     and honour you the more.

Matt 6:2, 5
John 5:44

[ 91 ]

Thus from your selves unto your selves,
     your duties all do tend:
And as self-love the wheels doth move,
     so in self-love they end.
Thus Christ detects their vain projects,
     and close Impiety,
And plainly shews that all their shows
     were but Hypocrisy.

Zech 7:5-6
Hos 10:1

[ 92 ]

Then were brought nigh a Company
     of Civil honest Men,
That lov'd true dealing, and hated stealing,
     ne'r wrong'd their Bretheren;
Who pleaded thus, Thou knowest us
     that we were blameless livers;
No Whoremongers, no Murderers,
     no quarrellers nor stivers.

Civil honest mens
pleas.
Luke 18:11

[ 93 ]

Idolatoers, Adulterers,
     Church-robbers we were none,
Nor false-dealers, no couzeners,
     but paid each man his own.
Our way was fair, our dealing square,
     we were no wastful spenders,
No lewd toss-pots, no drunken sots,
     no scandalous offenders.

[ 94 ]

We hated vice, and set great price,
     by vertuous conversation:
And by the same we got a name,
     and no small commendation.
Gods Laws express that righteousness,
     is that which he doth prize;
And to obey, as he doth say,
     is more than sacrifice.

I Sam 15:22

[ 95 ]

Thus to obey, hath been our way;
     let our good deeds, we pray,
Find some regard and some reward
     with thee, O Lord, this day.
And whereas we transgressors be,
     of Adam's Race were none,
No not the best, but have confest
     themselves to have mis-done.

Eccl 7:20

[ 96 ]

Then answered unto their dread,
     the Judge: True Piety
God doth desire and eke require
     no less than honesty.
Justice demands at all your hands
     perfect Obedience:
If but in part you have come short,
     that is a just offence.

Are taken off &
rendred invalid.
Deut 10:12
Titus 2:12
James 2:10

[ 97 ]

On Earth below, where men did ow
     a thousand pounds and more,
Could twenty pence it recompence?
     could that have clear'd the score?
Think you to buy felicity
     with part of what's due debt?
Or for desert of one small part,
     the whole should off be set?

[ 98 ]

And yet that part, whose great desert
     you think to reach so far
For your excuse, doth you accuse,
     and will your boasting mar.
However fair, however square,
     your way and work hath been,
Before mens eyes, yet God espies
     iniquity therein.

Luke 18:11, 14

[ 99 ]

God looks upon th' affection
     and temper of the heart;
Not only on the action,
     and the external part.
Whatever end vain men pretend,
     God knows the verity;
And by the end which they intend
     their words and deeds doth try.

I Sam 16:7
II Chron 25:2

[ 100 ]

Without true Faith, the Scripture saith
     God cannot take delight
In any deed, that doth proceed
     from any sinful wight.
And without love all actions prove
     but barren empty things.
Dead works they be, and vanitie,
     the which vexation brings.

Heb 11:6
 
 
I Cor 13:1-3

Stanzas 101-125
Index to Wigglesworth
About Michael Wiggleworth and his Poetry


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