Michael Wigglesworth

“ The things of God; who little prize his Favor.
Farewell, I say, with your Fool's Paradise,
Until the King of Terrors you surprise,
And bring you trembling to Christ's Judgment Seat,
To give Account of your Transgressions great.
Farewell, New England, which hast long enjoy'd
The Day of Grace, but hast most vainly toy'd
And trifled with the Gospel's glorious Light;
Thou may'st expect a dark Egyptian Night.
Farewell, young Brood and rising Generation,
Wanton and proud, ripe for God's Indignation,
Which neither you nor others can prevent,
Except in Truth you speedily repent. ”

“ How canst thou hold from weeping floods of tears?
Yea, tears of blood, I might almost have said,
If such-like tears could from thine eyes be shed.
To gain the world what will it profit thee,
And lose thy soul and self eternally?
Eternity on one small point dependeth;
The man is lost that this short life misspendeth.
For as the Tree doth fall, right so it lies,
And man continues in what state he dies.
Who happy die shall happy rise again;
Who curséd die shall curséd still remain.
If under Sin and Wrath Death leaves thee bound,
At Judgment under Wrath thou shalt be found ”

“ Thou liv’st in sin, thy sins will grow the stronger;
And then it will an harder matter prove
To leave those wicked haunts that thou dost love.
The Black’moor may as eas’ly change his skin,
As old Transgressors leave their wonted sin.
And who can tell what will become of thee,
Or where thy Soul in one day’s time may be?
We see that Death ne’er old nor young men spares,
But one and other takes at unawares;
For in a moment, whilst men Peace do cry,
Destruction seizeth on them suddenly.
Thou who this morning art a lively wight,
May’st be a corpse and damnéd Ghost ere night. ”

“ Lament and mourn you that must burn
amidst those flaming Seas:
If once you come to such a doom,
for ever farewell ease.
O sad estate and desperate,
that never can be mended,
Until God's Will shall change, or till
Eternity be ended!
If any one this Questi-on
shall unto me propound:
What! have the years of Sinners' tears
no limits or no bound?
It kills our heart to think of smart,
and pains that last for ever ”

“ O thou that dost thy Glory most
in pard’ning sin display,
Lord, might it please thee to release
and pardon us this day!
CXXXIII.
“Unto thy name more glorious fame
would not such Mercy bring?
Would not it raise thine endless praise,
more than our suffering?“
With that they cease, holding their peace,
but cease not still to weep;
Grief ministers a flood of tears,
in which their words do steep.
They are answered.
CXXXIV.
But all too late; grief’s out of date,
when Life is at an end. ”

“ Like Rebels still, who think to strain his Glory
By wickedness, and after to be sorry?
Unto thy lust shall he be made a drudge,
Who thee and all ungodly men shall judge?
Canst thou account sin sweet, and yet confess
That first or last it ends in bitterness?
Is sin a thing that must procure thee sorrow,
And wouldst thou dally with’t another morrow?
O foolish man who lovest to enjoy
That which will thee distress, or else destroy! ”

“ For the last century, however, the reputation of the Day of Doom has waned, and few at the present day know it except by reputation.
The author of this book, whose wand had summoned up such images of terror, was neither a cynic nor a misanthrope, though sickness, which generally brings out these dispositions where they exist, had long been his doom. His attenuated frame and feeble health were joined to genial manners; and, though subject to fits of despondency, he seems generally to have maintained a cheerful temper, so much so that some of his friends believed his ills to be imaginary. ”

“ The popularity of Wigglesworth dated from the appearance of his poem, and continued for more than a century. Expressing in earnest words the theology which they believed, and picturing in lively colors the terrors of the judgment day and the awful wrath of an offended God, it commended itself to those zealous Puritans, who had little taste for lofty rhyme or literary excellence. The imaginative youth devoured its horrors with avidity, and shuddered at its fierce denunciation of sin. ”

“ Who have with Sins and Griefs so long been tir’d;
And welcome Death, my Father’s Messenger;
Of my Felicity the Hastener.
Welcome good Angels, who, for me distrest,
Are come to guard me to Eternal Rest.
Welcome, Christ, who hast my Soul Redeem’d,
Whose Favor I have more than Life esteem’d.
Oh! do not now my sinful soul forsake.
But to thyself thy Servant gath’ring take.
Into thy Hands I recommend my Spirit,
Trusting through Thee Eternal Life t’ inherit. ”

“ After about 7 weeks stay at Charlstown, my parents removed again by sea to New Haven in ye month of October. In our passage thither we were in great Danger by a storm which drove us upon a Beach of sand where we lay beating til another Tide fetcht us off; but God carried us to our port in safety. Winter approaching we dwelt in a cellar partly under ground covered with earth the first winter. But I remember that one great rain, brake in upon us and drencht me so in my bed, being asleep, that I fell sick upon it; but ye Lord in mercy spar’d my life and restored my health. ”

“ From his Exemplary Life I will single out one thing, his EARLY RELIGION. Our Wigglesworth was a Godly child, and he held on living to God and Christ until the Seventy-Fourth Year of his Age.
When he lay a Dying, some one spoke to him about his having secured his Interest in the Favor of Heaven, and his Assurance of that Interest. He Replyed, [Me-thoughts like my Polycarp,]
I bless God I began that Work betimes, and ere I was Twenty Years Old I had made thorow work of it. ”

“ Like to Christ’s glorious Body, glorious made.
Thus Christ shall thee again to me restore,
Ever to live with him and part no more.
Meanwhile my Soul shall enter into Peace,
Where Fears and Tears, where Sin and Smart shall cease. ”

“ For first, notwithstanding his great weakness of body, yet he Lived til I was so far brought up as that I was called to be a fellow of ye Colledge and improved in Publick service there, and until I had preached several Times; yea and more than so, he Lived to see and hear what God had done for my soul in turning me from Darkness to light and from ye power of Sathan unto God, which filled his heart full of joy and thankfulness beyond what can be expressed. ”

“ Ezekiel Cheever, who at that time taught school in his own house, and under him in a year or two I profited so much through ye blessing of God, that I began to make Latin and to get forward apace. But God who is infinitely wise and absolutely soverain, and gives no account concerning any of his proceedings, was pleased about this time to visit my father with Lameness which grew upon him more and more to his dying Day, though he liv'd under it 13 years. ”

“ Come blessed Ones and sit on Thrones,
judging the World with me;
Come and possess your happiness,
and bought felicity;
Henceforth no fears, no care, no tears,
no sin shall you annoy,
Nor any thing that grief doth bring:
Eternal Rest enjoy.
They are placed on Thrones to join with Christ in judging the wicked. ”

“ The following is the substance of an article published in the "New England Historical and Genealogical Register," for April, 1863, written by John Ward Dean, Esq., of Boston:
A century ago no poetry was more popular in New England than Wigglesworth's Day of Doom. Francis Jenks, Esq., in an article in the Christian Examiner for Nov., 1828, speaks of it as "a work which was taught our fathers with their catechisms; and which many an aged person with whom we are acquainted can still repeat, though they may not have met with a copy since they were in leading strings ”

“ The true explanation may be, that he sacrificed his poetical taste to his theology, and that, for the sake of inculcating sound doctrine, he was willing to write in halting numbers.
The author of the Day of Doom, belonging to the straitest sect of Puritans, was, like many others of that sect, a man of generous feeling toward his fellows. Rev. Dr. Peabody calls him “a man of the beatitudes.” Obedience to the supreme law gave a heavenly lustre to his example and a sweet fragrance to his memory. The clergy of his day possessed a deep religious earnestness and a fervent piety. ”

“ For Death at once frees me from all my Pain.
Make Christ your greatest Friend, who never dies;
All other Friends are fading Vanities.
Make him your Light, your Life, your End, your All;
Prepare for Death, be ready for his Call.
Farewell, vile Body, subject to decay.
Which art with lingering sickness worn away;
I have by thee much Pain and Smart endur’d ”

“ It was natural that a father who had endured so much for conscience’ sake should desire to see his only son a clergyman; and, although the father’s means were not large, the son was devoted to the ministry and given a thorough education. Michael, after nearly three years of preparatory studies, entered Harvard College in 1647. Here he had the good fortune to have for a tutor the excellent Jonathan Mitchell, “the glory of the college,” and famous as a preacher. ”

“ His father, Edward Wigglesworth, was one of those resolute Puritans who, with their families, found an asylum where they could enjoy their religion without molestation in our then New England wilderness, the distance of which from their English homes can hardly be appreciated now. Here they suffered the severe hardships of a rigorous climate, the fearful dangers from savage tribes around them, while uniting to build up villages which are now cities, and which still retain some of the characteristics of their Puritan founders. ”

“ Benjamin Bunker was ordained pastor of the church at Malden. It seems that a distinction was observed at this time in New England between pastor and teacher. Wigglesworth calls Bunker “pastor” in some verses composed on his death, while on the title-page of this, work he calls himself “teacher.” After Wigglesworth became sole minister, he was probably considered the pastor. Bunker held this office over six years, till his death, Feb. 3, 1669-70; In the elegy on the death of his colleague, Wigglesworth highly extols Bunker’s piety and usefulness. ”

“ These Composures have had their Acceptance and Advantage among that sort of Readers; and one of them, the Day of Doom, which has been often Reprinted in both Englands, may find our Children till the Day itself arrive.
It pleased God, when the distress of the Church in Malden did extremely call for it, wondrously to restore his Faithful Servant. He that had been for near Twenty Years almost Buried Alive, comes abroad again, and for as many years more, must, in Publick Usefulness, receive the Answer and Harvest of the Thousands of Supplications with which the God of his Health had favoured him. ”

“ These godly parents of mine meeting with opposition and persecution for Religion, because they went from their own Parish church to hear ye word and Receiv ye Lords supper &c, took up resolutions to pluck up their stakes and remove themselves to New England: and accordingly they did so, Leaving dear Relations, friends and acquaintance, their native Land, a new built house, a flourishing Trade, to expose themselves to ye hazzard of ye seas, and to ye Distressing difficulties of a howling wilderness, that they might enjoy Liberty of Conscience and Christ in his ordinances. ”

“ Unto his Watchful and Painful Essays to keep them close under their Academical Exercises he added Serious Admonitions unto them about their Interior State; and he Employed his Prayers and Tears to God for them, and had such a flaming zeal to make them worthy Men, that upon Reflection he was afraid Lest his cares for their Good, and his affection to them, should so drink up his very Spirit, as to steal away his Heart from God.
From Cambridge he made his remove to Malden, and was their Faithful Pastor for about a Jubilee of years together. ”

“ That I thine holy Name may praise.
And teach the Sons of Men thy ways.
The Day of Doom The security of the world before Christ’s coming to judgment.
I. 1
Still was the night, serene and bright,
when all Men sleeping lay;
Calm was the season, and carnal reason
thought so ’twould last for aye.
“Soul, take thine ease, let sorrow cease;
much good thou hast in store:“
This was their Song, their Cups among,
the evening before.
II. 2
Wallowing in all kind of Sin,
vile Wretches lay secure ”

“ The Judge is just, and plague them must,
nor will he Mercy shew,
For Mercy’s day is past away
to any of this Crew.
CLXXXVIII. 154
The Judge is strong, doers of wrong
cannot his pow’r withstand;
None can by flight run out of sight,
nor ’scape out of his hand.
Sad is their state; for Advocate,
to plead their cause, there’s none;
None to prevent their punishment,
or mis’ry to bemoan.
CLXXXIX. 155
O dismal day! whither shall they
for help and succor flee?
To God above with hopes to move
their greatest Enemy?
His wrath is great, whose burning heat
no floods of tears can slake ”

“ And for his outward estate, that was so far from being sunk by what he spent from year to year upon my education, that in 6 years time it was plainly doubled, which himself took great notice of, and spake of it to myself and others, to ye praise of God, with Admiration and thankfulness. And after he had lived under great and sore affliction for ye space of 13 years a pattern of faith, patience, humility, and heavenly mindedness, having done his work in my education and receiv’d an answer to his prayers, God took him to his Heavenly Rest, where he is now reaping ye fruits of his Labors. ”

“ Look up to Christ for his attractive pow’r,
Which he exerteth in a needful hour;
Who saith, “When as I lifted up shall be,
Then will I draw all sorts of men to me.“
Oh! wait upon him with true diligence
And trembling fear in every Ordinance;
Unto his Call earnest attention give,
Whose voice makes deaf men hear and dead men live.
Thus weep and mourn, thus hearken, pray, and wait,
Till he behold and pity thine estate,
Who is more ready to bestow his Grace
Than thou the same art willing to embrace ”

“ Michael Wigglesworth, in a Funeral Sermon Preached at Malden, June 24, 1705. By the Reverend Dr. Cotton Mather.
He was Descended of Eminently Religious Parents, who were Sufferers for that which was then The Cause of God and of New-England. While he was yet a youth, he was marvellously concerned that he might have an Heart filled with the Spirit of God. This Concernment upon his mind appeared especially in his watchful Endeavors to have Spiritual Sins chased out of his cleansed Heart. Pride, the Sin of Young Men, yea, of all Men; Pride, the Sin which few Men try or trouble themselves about ”