A warnyng to Englan [...], let London begin: To repent their iniquitie, & flie from their sin.
¶ ISAIE. 1.
¶ The Ore knoweth his owner, and the Asse his masters crib, but Israell hath not knowen: my people hath not vnderstand. Ah, sinfull nation, a people laden with iniquitie: a séede of the wicked, corrupt chyldren: they haue forsaken the Lorde, they haue prouoked the holy one of Israell to anger: they are turned backewarde.
OH Endland be vigilant, and repent thee with spede,
And marke well the myrours of thy visitation:
Prepare thee to prayer, for it was neuer more neede,
And lang wish for thy lewde life, with great lamētation.
¶ When God drowned the worlde in the dayes of Noye,
for that sin onely (I saye) which we dayly do frequent:
He sent Noye to preach to them, or he dyd them destroye,
And gaue them sixe score yeares, a space for to repent.
¶ Zodome and Gomorra also, were sunke in fyre ful hot,
Burnyng all in Brimstone, vntyll they were destroyed:
And yet they were fore warned long▪ by the prophete Lot,
VVith Repentance vnto them, continually he cryed.
❧ But that happye citie Niniuie, among all the rest,
They heard Ionas his preachyng whē he came thither:
Repentyng straight wayes, and of
GOD they were blest,
A goodly myrour to
LONDON, yf they wolde consider.
¶ O London, London, Ierusalem I may thee call,
for whye▪ thy conuersation agreeth thereto now:
They wolde take no warnyng before the plague did fall,
And at this presēt day O
LONDON, nomore doest thou.
¶ VVhat tokens haue bene of late, of Gods feareful yre?
The lyke before was neuer seene, in no time (I trowe)
Thy cheef and beautifull Temple was defaced with tyre,
A goodly admonition sure (yf thou couldest it knowe)
¶ Neither coulde the Pestilence prouoke vs to repent,
Nor cruell warres warne vs that the end is at hand:
No, we mocke at Gods threatnigs lyke beasts impudent,
No doubt, Gods iustice must needes plague the lande.
¶ For we wyll not repent, nor our wicked lyues amend,
But continue styll in wickednes, procuring Gods curse:
VVhat earnest preachers doth the Lorde vs dayly send?
It is but pearles before swyne, for we at wurse & wurse.
¶ If a man rebuke drunkennes, swearyng or blasphemie,
[...] shall in this wyse be mocked of one iabell or an other:
[...] is good godly man,
[...] toe holy for our companie,
[...] ar a precisian I
[...] some vnspotted brother.
¶ Alas, is this your repentance after so long preachyng?
I pray you read the xii. chap. of S. Mathe wes gospell:
Christ saith, of euery idle worde we shal geue a reconyng,
Then sweaters and blasphemers, shal be punished in hell.
Deare christians, consider our state this present yeare,
Both w
t war and other plagues, we are round enclosed:
Let vs turne to the Lorde our God w
t tremblyng & feare,
With harty thankes geuyng for his great mercies offred.
¶ Remember the .x. Lepers, in the .xvii. of Luke certaine,
When the Lorde had clēsed them of their sore infirmitie:
One poore Samaritane come to Iesus Christ agayne,
To geue him hartie thankes for his great benignitie.
¶ So let vs geue thanks to God in hart both al & some,
A
[...]d repent our former liues, without any longer delay:
[...]word
[...]eare lest a greuous plague among vs hastely come,
[...]
[...]ithout speedye repentance, looke for it we may.
Bryng forth the frutes of the gospel, I meane a godly life,
Leaue your filty hipocrisie which stinketh in Gods sight
Leaue your abominable pryde, amend both man & wyfe,
Leaue your horrible blasphemie wherein you so delight.
Pray England pray, and London leaue thy wicked trade,
Especiallye Couetousnes, Glotonie, and al fylthy lust:
And remember our merciful God who hath vs all made,
A body that is mor
[...]all, and shall turne to dust.
¶ For our noble queene Elizabeth, let vs al harte
[...]
And for her honorable counsell, that God geue th
[...]
To maintayne his glorious Gospell both night
[...]
To the advancement of Vertue, all wickednes to
[...]
ꝙ William Birch
¶
FINIS.
¶ Imprinted at London, in little Britaine: by Alexander Lacie.