Becoming America - An Exploration of American Literature from Precolonial to Post-Revolution, 2018a

BECOMING AMERICA
SEVENTEENTH CENTURY ENGLISH COLONIAL LITERATURE
and on their lusts bestown;
Which if improv’d as it behoov’d,
Heaven might have been their own.
LXI
Of time neglected, of meanes rejected,
of God’s long-suering,
And patience, to penitence
that sought hard hearts to bring.
Why cords of love did nothing move
to shame or to remorse?
Why warnings grave, and councels have
nought chang’d their sinful course?
LXII
Why chastenings and evil [. . .] hings,
why judgments so severe
Prevailed not with them a jo [. . .],
nor wrought an awful fear?
Why promises of holiness,
and new obedience,
[. . .] hey oft did make, but always break
the [. . .] ame to Gods oence?
LXIII
Why, still Hell-ward, without regard,
the boldly ventured,
And chose Damnation before Salvation
when it was oered?
Why sinful pleasures and earthly treasures,
like fools they prized more
Then heavenly wealth, eternal health,
and all Christs Royal store?
LXIV
Why, when he stood o’ring his Bloud
to wash them from their sin,
They would embrace no saving Grace,
but liv’d and di’d therein?
Such aggravations, where no evasions
nor false pretences hold,
Exagerate and cumulate
guilt more then can be told:
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