Mean men lament, great men do rent their Robes, and tear their hair: They do not spare their flesh to tear through horrible despair. All Kindreds wail: all hearts do fail : horror the world doth fill With weeping eyes, and loud out-cries, yet knows not how to kill. Some hide themselves in Caves and Delves, in places under ground: Some rashly leap into the Deep, to scape by being drown'd: 60 Some to the Rocks (O senseless blocks!) and woody Mountains run, That there they might this fearful sight, and dreaded Presence shun. In vain do they to Mountains say, fall on us and us hide From Judges ire, more hot than fire, for who may it abide? No hiding place can from his Face sinners at all conceal, Whose flaming Eye hid things doth 'spy and darkest things reveal. The Judge draws nigh, exalted high, upon a lofty Throne, Amidst a throng of Angels strong, The excellence of whose presence and awful Majesty, Amazeth Nature, and every Creature, doth more than terrify. The Mountains smoak, the Hills are shook, the Earth is rent and torn, As if she should be clear dissolv'd, or from the Center born. * 80 The Sea doth roar, forsakes the shore, and shrinks away for fear; 85 The wild beasts flee into the Sea, so soon as he draws near. Before his Throne a Trump is blown, Dead bodies all rise at his call, Both good and bad, both quick and dead, and all to Judgment bring. Out of their holes those creeping Moles, that hid themselves for fear, By force they take, and quickly make before the Judge appear. Thus every one before the Throne of Christ the Judge is brought, Both righteous and impious that good or ill hath wrought. A separation, and diff'ring station by Christ appointed is (To sinners sad) 'twixt good and bad, 'twixt Heirs of woe and bliss. 105 110 PHILIP FRENEAU THE WILD HONEYSUCKLE FAIR flower, that dost so comely grow, No roving foot shall crush thee here, By Nature's self in white arrayed, Smit with those charms, that must decay, They died nor were those flowers more gay, Unpitying frosts, and Autumn's power, From morning suns and evening dews 5 If nothing once, you nothing lose, The space between is but an hour, TO A HONEY BEE THOU, born to sip the lake or spring, Did he for you this glass prepare? Did storms harass or foes perplex, A better seat you could not take Welcome! I hail you to my glass: This fluid never fails to please, And drown the griefs of men or bees. What forced you here we cannot know, 10 15 |