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ONE THING IS NEEDFUL;

OR,

SERIOUS MEDITATIONS UPON THE FOUR LAST THINGS-DEATH AND JUDGMENT, HEAVEN AND HELL.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE ENSUING
DISCOURSE.

1. THESE lines I at this time present

To all that will them heed, Wherein I show to what intent

God saith, Convert with speed;

2. For these four things come on apace,
Which we would know full well-
Both death and judgment, and, in place
Next to them, heaven and hell.

3. For doubtless man was never born
For this life and no more;
No, in the resurrection-morn
They must have weal or woe.

4. Can any think that God should take
That pains to form a man

So like himself, only to make

Him here a moment stand?

5. Or that he should make much ado,
By justice and by grace,
By prophets and apostles too,
That men might see his face?

6. Or that the promise he hath made,

Also the threatenings great, Should in a moment end and fade? Oh no; this is a cheat.

7. Besides, who is so mad (or worse)
To think that Christ should come
From glory to be made a curse,
And that in sinners' room,

& If nothing should by us be had
When we are gone from hence,
But vanities while here? O mad
And foolish confidence!

9. Again, shall God, who is the truth,
Say there is heaven and hell,

And shall men play that trick of youth,
To say, But who can tell?'

10. Shall He that keeps his promise sure
In things both low and small,
Yet break it like a man impure
In matters great'st of all?

11. Oh let all tremble at that thought
That puts on God the lie-
That saith, Men shall turn unto naught
When they be sick and die.

12. Alas! death is but as the door

Through which all men do pass
To that which they for evermore
Shall have by wrath or grace.

13. Let all therefore that read my lines
Apply them to the heart;

Yea, let them read, and turn betimes
And get the better part.

14. Mind, therefore, what I treat on here-
Yea, mind and weigh it well:
"Tis death and judgment, and a clear
Discourse of heaven and hell.

OF DEATH.

1. DEATH, as a king rampant and stout,
The world he dare engage;
He conquers all, yea, and doth rout
The great, strong, wise, and sage.

2. No king so great, nor prince so strong,
But death can make to yield,
Yea, bind and lay them all along,
And make them quit the field.

3. Where are the victors of the world,
With all their men of might?
Those that together kingdoms hurl'd
By death are put to flight.

4. How feeble is the strongest hand

When death begins to gripe!
The giant now leaves off to stand,
Much less withstand and fight.

5. The man that hath a lion's face

Must here give place and bend; Yea, tho' his bones were bars of brass, 'Tis vain here to contend.

6. Submit he must to feeble ones,

To worms, who will enclose

His skin and flesh, sinews and bones,
And will thereof dispose

7. Among themselves, as merchants do
The prizes they have got,
Or as the soldiers give unto
Each man the share and lot

8. Which they by dint of sword have won
From their most daring foe,
While he lies by as still as stone,
Not knowing what they do.

9. Beauty, death turns to rottenness,
And youth to wrinkled face;
The witty he brings to distress,
And wantons to disgrace.

10. The wild he tames, and spoils the mirth Of all that wanton are;

He takes the worldling from his worth,
And poor man from his care.

11. Death favours none; he lays at all

Of all sorts and degree;

Both old and young, both great and small,
Rich, poor, and bond, and free.

12. No fawning words will flatter him, Nor threatenings make him start; He favours none for worth or kin; All must taste of his dart.

18. What shall I say? The graves declare
That death shall conquer all;

There lie the skulls, dust, bones, and there
The mighty daily fall.

14. Death puts on things another face
Than we in health do see;

Sin, Satan, hell, death, life and grace
Now great and weighty be.

15. Yea, now the sick man's eye is set
Upon a world to come;

He also knows too, without let,

That there must be his home,

16. Either in joy, in bliss, and light,
Or sorrow, woe, and grief;
Either with Christ and saints in white,
Or fiends without relief.

17. But oh the sad estate that then
They will be in that die

Both void of grace and life! Poor men.
How will they fear and cry!

18. Ha! live I may not, though I would
For life give more than all;
And die I dare not, though I should
The world gain by my fall.

19. No, here he must no longer stay,
He feels his life run out;
His night is come, also the day

That makes him fear and doubt.

20. Death doth already strike his heart
With his most fearful sting

Of guilt, which makes his conscience start
And quake at every thing.

21. For only he that God doth fear
Will now be counted wise;
Yea, he that feareth him while here,
He only wins the prize.

22. 'Tis he that shall by angels be
Attended to that bliss

That angels have; for he, oh he,
Of glory shall not miss.

23. Those weapons and those instruments
Of death that others fright,
Those dreadful fears and discontents
That bring on some that night

24. That never more shall have a day,
Bring this man to that rest
Which none can win but only they
Whom God hath call'd and blest

25. With the first fruits of saving grace,
With faith, hope, love, and fear
Him to offend; this man his face
In visions high and clear

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16. Within whose breast a witness then
Will certainly arise

That to each charge will say, Amen,
While they seek and devise

17. To shun the sentence which the Lord
Against them then will read

Out of the book of God's record,
With majesty and dread.

18. But every heart shall opened be

Before this Judge most high;
Yea, every thought to judgment he
Will bring assuredly.

19. And every word and action too

He there will manifest;
Yea, all that ever thou didst do
Or keep within thy breast

20. Shall then be seen and laid before
The world, that then will stand
To see thy Judge ope every sore,
And all thy evils scann'd,

21. Weighing each sin and wickedness
With so much equity,
Proportioning of thy distress.
And woeful misery;

22. With so much justice doing right
That thou thyself shalt say,

My sins have brought me to this plight;
I threw myself away.

23. Into the gulf my sins have brought
Me justly to possess,

For which I blame not Christ; I wrought
It out by wickedness.

24. But oh how willingly would these

That thus in judgment be,

If that they might have help or ease,
Unto the mountains flee!

25. They would rejoice, if that they might
But underneath them creep,
To hide them from revenging right,
For fear of which they weep.

26 No mask nor vizor here can hide
The heart that rotten is;

All cloaks now must be laid aside,
No sinner must have bliss.

27. The tree of life this paradise Doth always beautify,

'Cause of our health t is the rise And perpetuity.

28. Here stands the golden throne of grace, From out of which do run

Those crystal streams that make this place
Far brighter than the sun.

29. Here stands Mount Zion with her King, Jerusalem above,

That holy and delightful thing,
So beautified with love.

30. That as a mother succours those Which of her body be,

So she far more all such as close
In with her Lord; and she

31. Her grace, her everlasting doors,
Will open wide unto

Them all, with welcome, welcome-poor,
Rich, bond, free, high and low-

32. Unto the kingdom which our Lord Appointed hath for all

That hath his name and word ador'd
Because he did them call;

33. Unto that work which also they Sincerely did fulfil,

Not shunning always to obey
His gracious, holy will.

34. Besides, this much doth beautify This godly paradise,

That from all quarters constantly
Whole thousands, as the price

35. Of precious blood, do here arrive, As safe escaping all

Sin, hell, and Satan did contrive
To bring them into thrall;

36. Each telling his deliverance
In open face of heaven,
Still calling to remembrance
How fiercely they were driven

37. By deadly foe, who did pursue As swift as eagles fly;

Which if you have not, down thou must

With those that then shall die
The second death, and be accurst
Of God. For certainly,

38. The truth of grace shall only here
Without a blush be bold

To stand, whilst others quake and fear,
And dare not once behold.

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