The Day of Doom, Poem 2
I Walk'd and did a little Mole-hill view,
Full peopled with a most industrious crew
Of busie Ants, where each one labour'd more,
Then if he were to bring home Indian Ore;
Here wrought the Pioneers, there march'd the Bands,
Here Colonies went forth to plant new Lands …
These hasted out, and those supplies brought in,
As if they had some sudden Siege foreseen:
Vntil there came an angry Spade, and cast
Countrey and People to a Pit at last.
Again, I view'd a Kingdom in a Hive,
Where every one did wo…k, and so all thrive;
Some go, some come, some war, some watch & ward,
Some make the works, & some the works do guard …
These frame their curious Waxen-cells, and those
Do into them their Nectar drops dispose:
Vntil the greedy Gardner brought his smoke,
And, for the work, did all the workmen choke.
Lo here, frail Mortals may …it Emblems see
Of their great toil, and greater vanity.
They weary out their b…ain, their strength, their time,
While some to Arts, and some to Honours climb:
They s…arch Earth's bowels, cross the roaring Seas,
Mortgage their Souls, and forf…it all their Ease,
Grudge Night her sleep, and lengthen out the day,
To far these B…gs, & cram those Chests with clay.
They rack and charm each Creature to explore
Some latent Quin…essence, not known before:
Torture and squeez out all its juice and bloud,
To try if they can now find out that GOOD
Which Solomon despair'd of, but at last
On the same shore of V…nity are cast;
The Spade stops their career of Pride and Lust,
And calls them from their Clay unto their Dust …
Leave off your Circles, Archimede, away,
The King of Terror calls, and will not stay:
Miser, kiss all your Bags, and then lie down;
Scholar, your Books; Monarch, yield up your Crown;
Give way Wealth, Honour, Arts, Thrones … bac… make room…
That these pale Souls may come unto their doom …
Nor shew vain men the fruit of all that pain,
Which i… the …nd nothing but Loss did gain:
Compute your Lives, and all your Hours up cast…
Lo here's the total sum of All at last.
I rose up early, sat up late, to know
As much as Men, as Tongues, as Books could shew…
I toil'd to search all Science and all Art,
But died ignor…nt of mine own Heart.
I got great Honour, and my Fame did stream
As far as doth the Mornings shining Beam;
My Name into a page of Ti…les swell'd,
My head a Crown, my …and a Scepter held:
Ado…'d without, but shameful lusts within;
Adorn'd with Titles, but defil'd with sin …
With anxious thoughts, with saddest cares a… …
I gain'd these Lordships and this Soul I l…st:
My greedy Heir now hovers o'r my pelf,
I purchas'd Land …or him, Hell for my self.
Go on you nobler B…ains, and fill your sight
As full of Learning as the Sun's of light;
Expand your Souls to Truth as wide as Day,
Kuow all that Men, know all that Angels say:
Write shops of Volumes, and let every Book
Be fill'd with lustre as was Moses look,
Yet know, all this is but a better kind
Of sublime vanity, and more refin'd…
Except a saving knowledge crown the rest,
Devils know more, and yet shall …e'r be blest.
Go on, ambitious Wo…s, yet, yet aspire,
Lay a sure Scene how you may yet rise higher:
March forward, Macedonian Horn, add on
Gaza to Tyre, Indies to Babylon;
Make stirrups of the peoples backs and bones,
Climb up by them to Diadems and Thrones:
Thy Crowns are all but Grass; thine was the toil,
Thy Captains come and they divide the spoil.
Except one heav'nly Crown crown all the rest,
Devils are Potentates, and yet not blest.
Go on, base dunghil-souls, heap gold as mi…,
Sweep silver as the dust, emulate Tyre,
Fill every Ware-house, purchase every Field,
Add house to house, Pelion on Ossa build;
…t Mida's vote to transubstantiate
…hate'r you pl…ase all into golden plate;
…uild wider Barns, sing requiem to your heart,
…eel your wealths pleasures only, not their smart:
Except his Riches who for us was poor,
Do sweeten those which Mortals so adore;
Except sublimer wealth crown all the rest,
Devils have nobler Treasures, yet not blest.
Cease then from vain delights, & set your min…
T…at solid and enduring GOOD to fi…d,
Which sweetens life and death, which will encrease
O… an immortal Soul immor…al peace;
Which will replenish and advance you higher
Then ere your own Ambition could aspire.
Fear your great Maker with a child-like aw,
Believe his Grace, love and obey his Law.
This is the total work of man, and this
Will crown you here with Peace, and there wi… Blis…
Be kind unto your selves, believe and try:
If not, go on, fill up your lusts and die.
Sing peace unto your selves; 'twill once be kno…
Whose word shall stand, your Judg's, or your ow…
Crown thee with Rose-buds, satiate thine eyes,
Glut every sense with her own vanities:
Melt into pleasures, until that which Lust
D…d not before consume, rot into dust:
The Thrones are set, the Books wil strait be rea…
Hell will her Souls, & graves give up their dea…
Then there will be (and the time is not far)
Fi…e on the Bench, and Stubble at the Bar.
O sinners ruminate these thoughts agen,
You have been Beast enough, at last be Men.
Chris… …et intreats, but if you will not turn,
Whe…e G…ce will not convert, there Fire wil b…