The Great TRIBUNAL; or, CHRISTs
glorious appearing in Judgment. Being, a contemplative Description of
Resurrection.
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HERE Christians may bohold as in a Glass,
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What will eer long surely be brought to pass,
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The great Appearance of our blessed Lord,
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On his bright Throne the Righteous to reward.
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With Cherubims of Angels compassd round,
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No murmuring, but a sweet harmonious Sound,
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Of Hallelujahs to the King of Kings,
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Under the shadow of his blessed Wings.
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Care of his twelve Apostles he did take,
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And all that ever suffered for his Sake,
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Shall taste his Love, those are the Saints hell own,
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And place them nearest to his blessed Throne.
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Behold! he sends his Angels out before,
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To reap and gather in his Winter-store,
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Of blessed Saints prepard for glory bright,
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In whom our Lord has Joy, and great Delight.
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The weighty Wheat shall be preservd with Care,
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It cannot be blown away with breathing Air:
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But for the Chaff, hot Fire will it consume,
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The non-repenting stubborn Sinners Doom.
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Before this mighty Judge, the Quick and Dead,
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Must all appear, and as their Lives they led,
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In Righteousness they shall rewarded be,
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In lasting Joy, or endless Misery.
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At this Tribunal-seat in the last Day,
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No Fear or Favour shall be found to sway,
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That Judge, but all must answer for their Sins,
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Committed against God, the best of Friends.
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The greatest Princess both of Birth and Fame,
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And all that would not hearken to his Name:
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When at the Bar at last they shall appear,
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How will they tremble with a slavish Fear.
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Before this mighty Judge two Flocks shall stand,
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One on his Right, the other on his Left-hand;
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For to receive their Sentence good or bad,
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Consider this while Grace is to be had.
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The Just he calls with Bowels of his Love,
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Unto the everlasting Joys above,
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Prepard for them; but the Wicked they,
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To endless Sorrows shall be forcd away,
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The Mouth of burning Tophet open stands,
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Whilst Furies with hot Scourges in their Hands,
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Drive howling Sinners to the gloomy Cell,
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Where Lucifer does with his Legions dwell.
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What dreadful Howling, Shrieks, and dismal Cries,
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Would then be heard when just before their Eyes,
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One sees another draggd down by the Hair,
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Into the burning Pit of sad Dispair.
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To groan under the fearful Wrath of God,
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The sharpest Scourge, the most severest Rod,
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That ever Justice to the World might deal,
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Dreadful it is to hear, but worse to feel.
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While the Arch-angels do the Trumpet sound,
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The Dead arises up then from the Ground:
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Are taken up into the Clouds above,
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There to enjoy the blessed Lord of Love.
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The lonesome Grave, and eke the silent Tomb,
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That narrow Space of unconfined Room,
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Shall open, that the Dead may all arise,
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For their appearing at the great Assize.
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The roaring Seas, with Waters over-spread,
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In the last Day shall yeild up all their Dead;
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That they may come to the Tribunal-seat,
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Where Justice shall that mighty Work compleat.
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Mens Hearts shall tremble in that dreadful Day,
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The Heavens melt, the Earth shall pass away
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With all the Pleasure, Pomp, and worldly Store,
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But Grace and Truth shall last for evermore.
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In this last Day the Sun shall give no Light,
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The Stars shall fall the Moon be darknd quite;
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And Men with wringing Hands be str[o]ngly hurld,
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To see the Revolution of the World.
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Some will to lofty Hills and Mountains call,
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And craggy Rocks, beseeching them to fall,
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Upon their Heads, to hide them from his Face,
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Who comes to Judge them for their sinful Race.
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But those who are by Faith seald to their God,
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Those that the Paths of Righteousness have trod,
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By Angels shall be carefully conveyd,
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From Grace to Glory, for their Peace is made.
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Clouds of the Lords Elect with Patience wait,
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And find the Way to the Celestial-gate;
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By Angels guided, where they enter in,
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With Joy to think they never more shall sin.
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The Church of Christ, his dear beloved Spouse,
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Tho Grief may be sometimes upon her Brows,
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And eke her Sweets be mixd with bitter Gall,
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A Crown of Glory makes amends for all.
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Since here we have presented to our View,
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A Shadow of those Things that must ensue:
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The Laws of God let us no more transgress,
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That we may live and die in Righteousness.
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