Poetical pieces on various subjects/Reflections on the death of a Profligate

by John Maxwell

Reflections on the death of a PROFLIGATE

I

Now shrinks my soul, I hear a doleful moan,
Enough to melt an heart tho' hard as stone:
The sound proceedeth from a mansion nigh,
The Master thereof is about to die

II

I view him on affliction's bed confin'd,
Pain'd in his body, troubled in his mind,
Sad sight indeed! for human eyes to see,
He seems in torments tho' on earth he be

III

Extreme his grief! deplorable his stale!
Much he repines and murmurs against fate;
Can common ills, or any bod'ly pain,
Ere make a living man thus to complain.

IV

Ah! surely no, it is the gall within,
The bitter effect of a life of sin,
Which makes him now to cry when death does stare
In all the ravings of a wild despair

V

⟨So⟩ profligate he was, and habits ill
⟨Had⟩ long contracted with assiduous skill.
⟨The⟩ door of vice he could not think to pass;
⟨It⟩ cheer'd him much to see the drunkard's glass

VI

⟨He⟩ hugg'd the world, and in it he did trust,
⟨He⟩ scarce would spend, but to obtain some lust;
⟨His⟩ unrepented crimes now makes him shrink,
⟨He⟩ dreads the awful cup he soon must drink

VII

⟨Tho'⟩ to God's law he sometimes paid pretence,
Yet still his chiefest deity was sense.
When vice display'd her banner, fools to draw,
⟨His⟩ heart did leap when he the signal saw

VIII

⟨Base⟩ were the passions that did thus enslave,
⟨They⟩ broke his health, and digg'd for him a grave,
⟨His⟩ chief delight was in the harlot's bower;
⟨But⟩ vain's the pleasures of a short-liv'd hour.

IX

⟨Behold⟩ him now upon the verge of death,
With great reluctance parting with his breath;
He longs for life; but far it from him flies;
He bows his head, and by compulsion dies

X

O! may each mortal who reflects on this,
Shun ev'ry crime, and seek for future bliss,
For oft the death of wicked men does shew
Awful presages of eternal woe

XI

But tho' we see the dupes of sin and sense,
Distracted much when God doth call them hence,
Let this great truth the righteous still solace,
"The latter end of the good man is peace,"