O Ewigkeit! o Ewigkeit! Wie lang bist du, o Ewigkeit! Wer dich besinnt, zu Gott so spricht: Hier brenn! hier schneid! hier straf und richt! Hier handle nach Gerechtigkeit! Verschon nur nach der Gnaden Zeit! Betracht, o Mensch, die Ewigkeit! O Ewigkeit! o Ewigkeit! Wie lang bist du, o Ewigkeit! Ich, Ewigkeit, ermahne dich, O Mensch, gedenk nur oft an mich; Denn ich der Sünder Straf und Pein, Der Gotteslieb ein Lohn soll sein: Betracht, o Mensch, die Ewigkeit! Daniel Wülffer. 1617-1685. Eternity.[1] One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 2 _St. Peter_, iii. 8. Eternity! Eternity! How long art thou, Eternity! Yet onward still to thee we speed, As to the fight th’ impatient steed, As ship to port, or shaft from bow, Or swift as couriers homeward go: Mark well, O Man, Eternity! Eternity! Eternity! How long art thou, Eternity! As in a ball’s concentric round Nor starting-point nor end is found, So thou, Eternity, so vast, No entrance and no exit hast: Mark well, O Man, Eternity! Eternity! Eternity! How long art thou, Eternity! A ring whose orbit still extends, And, ne’er beginning, never ends; ‘_Always_’ thy centre, Ring immense! And ‘_Never_’ thy circumference: Mark well, O Man, Eternity! Eternity! Eternity! How long art thou, Eternity! Came there a bird each thousandth year, One sand-grain from the hills to bear, When all had vanished, grain by grain, Eternity would still remain: Mark well, O Man, Eternity! Eternity! Eternity! How long art thou, Eternity! As long as God shall God remain, So long shall last hell’s endless pain, So long the joys of heaven shall be; O long delight! long misery! Mark well, O Man, Eternity! Eternity! Eternity! How long art thou, Eternity! O man! let oft thy musings dwell Upon the dreadful woes of hell, Oft on the saints’ all glorious lot, For both shall last when Time _is not_: Mark well, O Man, Eternity! Eternity! Eternity! How long art thou, Eternity! The thought of thee in pain, how dread! In joy how bright thy prospects spread! For here God’s Goodness glads our eyes, And there His Justice terrifies: Mark well, O Man, Eternity! Eternity! Eternity! How long art thou, Eternity! Who here lived poor and sore distressed, Now truly rich, with God doth rest; With joys consoled for all his ill, He lives to praise God’s Goodness still: Mark well, O Man, Eternity! Eternity! Eternity! How long art thou, Eternity! A moment’s pleasure sinners know, Through which they pass to endless woe: A moment’s woe the righteous taste, Through which to endless joy they haste: Mark well, O Man, Eternity!