Christs Teares over Jerusalem.
OR, A Caveat for England, to call to GOD for Mercy, lest we be plagued for our contempt and wickedn [...]sse.
To the tune of The Merchant.
VVHen Christ our Lord drew nigh
unto Jerusalem,
unto Jerusalem,
Fore-séeing all the miseries
the which should fall on them:
And casting of his lookes,
upon that beauteous Towne,
For very griefe the bitter teares
from his faire eyes fell d [...]wne.
Repent faire England now,
repent while thou hast space,
And doe not like Jerusalem
despise Gods proffred grace.
Alas Jerusalem,
Jerusalem (quoth he)
Which kil'd the Prophets of the Lord,
when they were sent to thée:
How often times would I
have kept thee from all ill
Even as the Hen her Chickens kéepes,
but thou wert stubborne still?
Oh that thou hadst but knowne,
at least in that thy day,
The things which did concerne thy peace,
but now 'tis hid away:
Yea from thine eyes 'tis hid,
thou shalt not sée the same,
And for thy sorrowes comming on,
thy selfe doe onely blame.
Therefore the dayes shall come,
thy enemies shall rise,
And trench thée in on every side,
regarding not thy cryes:
Thy strong and stately Towers,
in wrath they shall confound,
And make thy sumptuous buildings all,
lye equall with the ground.
And such shall be their rage,
they shall not leave in thée
One stone upon another stone,
which shall not spoiled be:
Because thou knewest not
the seasonable day,
Wherein the Lord did visit thée,
to wash thy sinnes away.
Thus Christ without the Towne
did weep for their distresse,
While they within triumph in sinne,
and use all wickednesse;
No whit they would beleeve
the words that he did say,
But enviously did practise still
to take his life away.
He mourn'd and wept full sore,
to thinke upon their smart,
While they full stout did goe about
to pierce his tender heart;
And for his paines they stript him,
and whipt him thorow the Towne,
And with a wreath of pricking thornes,
his holy head did crowne.
Th [...]y scoft and laught at him,
they dasht him on the face:
They cal'd him gracious Lord and King
in flowting and disgrace:
And thorow his hands and féet
they nailed him to the Crosse,
Betwéen two lewd and wicked théeves;
but few lament his losse.
They gave him for to drinke,
sharpe vinegar and gall,
And with a Speare they pierc'd his side,
till his heart blood did fall:
Yet patiently and milde,
he suffered every thing,
And pray'd his Father not to charge
them with this grievous sinne.
The second part,
To the same tune.
VVHen thus they had dispatcht
the living Lord of life,
Full safely then they thought themselves
from sorrow, care and strife:
But within few yeeres space,
as Christ before had told;
The mighty Emperour of Rome,
came there with courage bold.
And with a mighty hoast,
he did besiege them round,
By Sword and Famine ere he went,
he did them quite confound:
Yea, Dogs and Cats they ate,
Mice, Rats and every thing:
For want of food, their Infants young,
unto the Pot they bring.
No pitty could they finde,
at this their enemies hand,
But Fier, Sword, and cruell death,
before them still did stand:
Their famous City faire,
he set upon a flame.
And burnt their Temple unto dust,
that stood within the same.
And those that scap'd the Sword,
and fury of his hand,
He made them slaves and bond-men all
within a forraine Land.
Thus faire Jerusalem,
was cast unto the ground,
For their great sinne and wickednesse
the Lord did it confound.
Awake, England, I say,
rise from the sléep of sinne,
Cast off the great security,
which thou hast lived in:
Thy God hath often cal'd,
and offered thée his grace,
His messengers have showne his will
to thee in every place.
Great wonders hath he showne,
to thée by Sea and Land,
And sent strange tokens in the ayre,
to make thée understand:
He is offended sore
at thy great wickednesse,
And that except thou dost repent,
thy plagues shall he expresse.
Remember how of late
the Spaniard thée assayld,
And how of Gods especiall power
they ne're a whit prevail'd:
And all was for to try
if thou wouldst sinne forsake,
And to an upright holy life,
thy selfe at last betake.
But soone hast thou forgot
his favour in the same,
Which afterwards most grievously
his wrath did so inflame,
That then he plagued thée
with pestilence and death,
Whereby in Country and in Towne
a number lost their breath.
Yet wilt thou not forsake
thy wickednesse and ill,
But in thy pride and covetousnesse,
thou dost continue still.
Provoke not God to wrath,
with thy most loathsome sinne,
But speedily t'amend thy life,
by prayers now begin.
And therefore now England,
at last for mercy cry,
And grieve the Lord thy God no more,
through thine iniquity,
Lest he forsake thée quite,
and turne away his face,
Because like to Jerusalem,
thou dost despise his grace.
Repent therefore O England,
repent while thou hast space,
And doe not like Jerusalem,
despise Gods proffered grace.
FINIS.
Printed at London for Henry Gosson, living upon London Bridge.