“How can it be that God should see   his Creatures’ endless pain. Or hear their groans and rueful moans,   and still his wrath retain? Can it agree with Equity,   can Mercy have the heart. To recompense few years’ offense   with everlasting smart? CXXXII. [113] “Can God delight in such a sight   as sinners’ misery? Or what great good can this our blood   bring unto the most High? 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 But all too late; grief’s out of date,   when Life is at an end. The glorious King thus answering,   all to his voice attend: “God gracious is,” quoth he; “like his,   no mercy can be found: His Equity and Clemency   to sinners do abound, _Mercy now shines forth in the vessels of Mercy._ CXXXV. [114] “As may appear by those that here   are plac’d at my right hand, Whose stripes I bore, and clear’d the score,   that they might quitted stand. For surely none but God alone,   whose Grace transcends men’s thought. For such as those that were his foes   like wonders would have wrought. _Did also wait upon such as abused it._ CXXXVI. [115] “And none but lie such lenity   and patience would have shown To you so long, who did him wrong,   and pull’d his Judgment down. How long a space, stiff-neck’d race,   did patience you afford? How oft did love you gently move,   to turn unto the Lord ? _The day of Grace now past_ CXXXVII. [116] “With chords of love God often strove   your stubborn hearts to tame; Nevertheless your wickedness   did still resist the same. If now at last Mercy be past   from you for evermore, And Justice come in Mercy’s room,   yet grudge you not therefore. CXXXVIII. [117] “If into wrath God turned hath   his long, long-suffering, And now for love you vengeance prove,   is an equal thing. Your waxing worse hath stopt the course   of wonted Clemency, Mercy refus’d and Grace misus’d   call for severity. CXXXIX. [118] “It’s now high time that ev’ry Crime   be brought to punishment; Wrath long contain’d and oft restrain’d,   at last must have a vent. Justice severe cannot forbear  to plague sin any longer, But must inflict with liand most strict   mischief upon the wronger. CXL. [119] “In vain do they for Mercy pray,   the season being past, Who had no care to get a share   therein, while time did last. The man whose ear refus’d to hear   the voice of Wisdom’s cry, Earn’d this reward, that none regard   him in his misery. CXLI. [120]