Zion in Distress 2, Poem 2
An Alarm to the wiſe and fooliſh Virgins.
I.
ALL you that fear
The Lord, give ear
To what I do indite,
There is a cry,
The Bridegroom's nigh,
Tis now about midnight.
II.
Awake, awake,
Your Lamps to take,
…nd longer do not ſlumber;
Them do you trim,
To tend on him
…nto the Wedding Chamber▪
III.
You Virgins all,
To you I call;
What Oyl have you in ſtore?
If you have none,
You are undone,
Look to it now therefore.
IV.
Watch you alway,
Our Lord doth ſay,
None knows the day nor hour;
Watch carefully,
For now it's nigh,
The day of his great pow'r.
V.
Wherefore ariſe,
Open your eyes,
The Day-Star doth appear;
Riſe from your Bed,
Lift up your head,
Redemption now draws near.
VI.
All who are wiſe,
Their time do prize,
Preparing for their Lord;
To them he will
His Word fulfil,
His preſence to afford.
VII.
But fools do haſte,
Their time to waſte,
In ſleep and ſlothfulneſs;
Yet they do dream,
I do preſume,
Of glory ne'ertheleſs.
VIII.
But they indeed,
On fancies feed;
'Twill come to ſuch an ebb,
That they ſhall ſee,
Their hopes will be,
Like to the Spiders Web.
IX.
They ſtill do keep
Themſelves aſleep,
And know not where they be;
Were they awake,
How would they quake,
Their woful ſtate to ſee.
X.
You who remain,
Carnal and vain,
In a cold formal ſtate;
And all the while,
Have got no Oyl;
You'l mourn when 'tis too late.
XI.
You who profeſs,
And not poſſeſs,
The Truth in Life and Pow'r;
Your ſtate is bad,
And will be ſad,
Before this day is o'er.
XII.
What is the ſhell
To the kernel,
Or Chaff unto the Wheat?
You husks do take,
And do forſake
Your Souls moſt precious meat.
XIII.
'Tis the laſt day;
O, therefore pray,
And faithful now abide,
Unto the Lord,
With one accord,
And be on the Lambs ſide.
XIV.
And have a care,
You do not dare,
In Babel to remain;
For if you do,
Then alſo know,
With her you ſhall be ſlain.
XV.
Come, come away,
Without delay,
With all ſpeed and indevour;
Her end is come,
Her fatal doom;
Your Souls therefore deliver.
XVI.
You now do hear,
Her ruin's near;
Your ſins therefore forſake;
And you'l prevent,
Great puniſhment,
Of which ſhe muſt pertake.
XVII.
All her pleaſures,
And rich treaſures,
Abhor as a great evil;
Gods Word doth ſhow,
Who love them do,
Shall go unto the Devil.
XVIII.
Do you remove,
Your Souls, dear Love,
From Earth, and things thereof;
For this hath bin,
Your very ſin;
Now caſt it therefore off.
XIX.
On things above,
Set you your love,
Affections and deſire;
Theſe things below,
God will o'erthrow,
With his conſuming fire.
XX.
Alas, poor Souls,
Be not ſuch fools,
To labour for the Wind;
The Wealth you heap,
You ſhall not keep,
'Tis true, ere long you'l find.
XXI.
Do you not reſt
On ſelf-int'reſt,
But wholly for the Lord;
For he'l at laſt,
You ſurely blaſt,
According to his Word.
XXII.
There are ſome men,
Cry Lord, When, when,
Wilt thou in Glory come?
Who will repent,
And then relent,
They pray'd for his Kingdom.
XXIII.
For it will be,
They then ſhall ſee,
As when on ſcapes a Bear;
That being gone,
Comes a Lyon,
Doth him in pieces tear.
XXIV.
Subdue your ſin,
For it hath bin,
Your chiefeſt Enemy;
I ſay, again,
Let it not reign,
Throughly it crucifie.
XXV.
For in this Land,
There's none ſhall ſtand,
And happy be indeed,
But onelyonly thoſe,
Whom God hath choſe,
Who on Chriſt Jeſus feed.
XXVI.
Continually,
O, therefore cry,
For Chriſt and precious Grace;
That with his bleſt,
You all may reſt,
When you have run your race.
XXVII.
And the Bridegroom,
When he doth come,
He will you entertain;
And you ſhall then,
Be happy men,
And with him ever reign.
XXVIII.
Yea, gloriouſly,
In majeſty,
Your honour ſhall excel;
Here will I end,
Who am your Friend,
And bid you all farewell.