A Looking-Glass for a Christian Family;
OR, A Warning for all people to serve God.
Good people, in this Glass you may behold the Joy and Comfort are in, the wicked be-
ing accursed for evermore: Likewise the great cause the lord sends such sore judg-
ments among us for our Sins and Wickedness, and worser he will send if we repent
not in time. The Tune is, Aim not too High.
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ALL you that fear the Lord that rules the sky,
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And fear his Holy Name that sits on high:
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Do but observe these lines which I have pen'd,
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I hope 'twill be a means your Lives to amend.
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You see that Charity is fled and gone,
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And Love and Unity is left alone:
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Whereas plain-dealing us'd to bear the sway,
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Deceit and Cozening it hath got the day.
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Oh is it not a grievous sight to see,
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The Son against the Father for to be:
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The Daughter curse and ban her Mother dear,
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To bring her up she always took great care.
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This is the cause this Land is punisht sore,
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And still I doubt it will be more and more:
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The Lord his judgments he doth on us send,
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Because we don't our wicked lives amend.
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Do you not see in Town and City too,
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How Men and Womens hearts are full of Woe,
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Sore sick dear friends, O this is all their cry,
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Praying to God to ease their misery.
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The burning Fever, and pain i'th head is chief,
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And griping in the Belly is all their grief:
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No easment can be had for it, nor cure,
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But still poor souls the same they must endure.
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Therefore good people all both night and day,
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Unto the Lord on our knees let us pray:
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That he would be pleas'd to ease their pain,
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And grant them to their former health again.
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O England, England, whither wilt thou hie?
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Thy sins to God for vengeance they do cry:
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Thy Pride and Whoredom thou seek'st to maintain
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And the true Word of God dost still refrain.
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Oh silly Soul, where will thy Pride become?
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When as grim Death appears to strike thee home?
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Then thy Rich Jewels and thy brave attire,
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Will be but Fuel for Eternal Fire.
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Then thou wilt curse the Pride that did thee wrong,
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And wish thou'st dyed when thou hadst been young:
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But all'd too late, and vain be sure 'twill be,
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To call for help to ease thy misery.
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WHen thou dost on thy bed of languish lye:
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Against thee then thy conscience it will cry;
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And witness all the sins thou hast commit,
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Make thee appear for Heaven much unfit.
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Then from thy Gold and Silver thou must part,
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Though thou dost leave it with a heavy heart:
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But when Death comes thou must not put him by
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Nothing so sure that one day thou must dye.
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Children see, your Parants do obey,
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So Heaven will protect you night and day:
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Servants be just to those your Masters be,
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Then God will surely bless you, you shall see
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It grieves my Heart and Soul to see?
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How young Children to cursing given be:
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Those that can scarcely yet speak one word plain,
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Yet they can take the Name of God in vain.
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But all you that are Mothers meek and mild,
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Do not you spare the rod to spoile the Child:
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Apply the twigs before they stubborn stand,
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Lest at last you can't bend them with your hand.
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Uphold not Children Neighbours for to wrong,
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But look unto their ways in hand and tongue:
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Let him be first a Lyer, he'l turn Thief;
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Then thou'lt repent, when there is no relief.
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Then silly Soul why wilt not thou amend?
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Knowing that all things once will have an end:
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All Wordly pleasures are but vanity;
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None knows but that to morrow we must dye.
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The Glutton shall with hunger pine away,
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Drunkards the more they thirst, the more they may
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Swearers, and those that do delight therein;
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Be sure in Heaven shall never favour win.
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The Usurer and those that grind the poor
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Are like to have a judgment very sore:
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He that doth seek the widdows overthrow,
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Wilt one day repent that ever he did do so.
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But he that relieves the widdow and fatherless,
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At the years end will never have the less:
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What thou dost give unto the blind or lame,
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The Lord he will restore to thee again.
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Suppose that thou hadst thousands lying by?
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And thou wast sick and full of misery:
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Wouldest thou not give it all some ease to have?
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But mind, O man, 'tis not Gold thy life can save,
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And some so proud and lofty they art grown,
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That a poor man in heart they scorn to own:
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Because their Riches that will fade away,
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And both their Beds must be a clod of Clay.
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These things my Friends see that you do observe,
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And from the Word of God be sure don't swerve:
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For fear you should repent when 'tis too late,
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When you shall ask God mercy at his gate.
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Thus Christian friends you hear in every thing,
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The difference between a wicked and good thing:
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He that fears the Lord a blessed man is he,
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But for the Wicked Damned shal he be.
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