But if, man, thou liv’st a Christless creature, And Death surprise thee in a state of nature, (As who can tell but that may be thy case?) How wilt thou stand before the Judge’s face, When he shall be reveal’d in flaming fire. And come to pay ungodly men their hire. To execute due vengeance upon those That knew him not, or that had been his foes? What wilt thou answer unto his demands. When he requires a reason at thy hands. Of all the things that thou hast said or done. Or left undone, or set thine heart upon? When he shall thus with thee expostulate: “What cause hadst thou thy Maker for to hate; To take up arms against thy Sovereign, And enmity against him to maintain? What injury hath God Almighty done thee? What good hath he withheld that might have won thee? What evil, or injustice hast thou found In him that might unto thine hurt redound? If neither felt nor feared injury Hath movéd thee to such hostility, What made thee then the Fountain to forsake, And unto broken Pits thyself betake? What reason hadst thou to dishonor God, Who thee with Mercies never ceas’d to load? Because the Lord was good hast thou been evil, And taken part against him with the Devil? For all his cost to pay him with despite. And all his love with hatred to requite? Is this the fruit of God’s great patience, To wax more bold in disobedience? To kick against the bowels of his Love? Is this aright his Bounty to improve? Stand still, ye Heav’ns, and be astonished, That God by man should thus be injured! Give ear, Earth, and tremble at the sin Of those that thine Inhabitants have been! But thou, vile wretch, hast added unto all Thine other faults and facts so criminal. The damning sin of willful unbelief; Of all Transgressors hast thou been the chief. Yet when time was thou might’st have been set free From Sin and Wrath and punishment by me; But thou would’st not accept of Gospel Grace, Nor on my terms Eternal Life embrace. As if that all thy breaches of God’s Law Were not enough upon thy head to draw Eternal Wrath, thou hast despis’d a Savior, Rejected me, and trampled on my favor. How oft have I stood knocking at thy door, And been denied entrance evermore? How often hath my Spirit been withstood, When as I sent him to have done thee good? Thou hast no need of any one to plead Thy cause or for thy Soul to intercede: Plead for thyself, if thou hast aught to say, And pay thy forfeiture without delay. Behold thou dost ten thousand Talents owe; Pay thou the debt or else to Prison go.“