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

BECOMING AMERICA
SEVENTEENTH CENTURY ENGLISH COLONIAL LITERATURE
Who can relate their dismal state,
and terrours innite?
Who fare the best, and feel the least,
yet feel that Punishment
Whereby to nought they should be brought,
if God did not prevent.
CCXIII
The least degree of misery
there felt’s incomparable,
The lightest pain they there sustain
more then intollerable.
But Gods great pow’r from hour to hour
upholds them in the re,
That they shall not consume a jot,
nor by its force expire.
CCXIV
But ah, the wo they u [. . .] dergo
(they more then all beside)
Who had the light, and knew the right,
yet would not it abide!
The sev’ [. . .] -fold smart, which to their part
and portion doth fall,
Who Christ his Grace would not embrace,
nor hearken to his call!
CCXV
The Amorites and Sodomites,
although their plagues be sore,
Yet nd some ease, compar’d to these,
who feel a great deal more.
Almighty God, whose Iron Rod
to smite them never [. . .] ins,
Doth most declare his Justice rare
in plaguing these mens [. . .] ins.
CCXVI
The pain of loss their souls doth toss
[. . .] nd wond’rously distress,
To think what they have cast away
by wilful wickedness.
We might have been redeem’d from si [. . .],
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