The WANDERING JEW;
OR,
The Shoe-maker of Jerusalem, who lived when our Saviour Christ was
crucified, and appointed to live until his coming again.
To the Tune of, The Ladies Fall.
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WHEN as in fair Jerusalem,
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Our Saviour Christ did live,
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And for the Sins of all the World,
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His own dear Life did give.
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The wicked Jews with Scoffs and Scorns,
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Did daily him molest,
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That never till he left this Life,
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Our Saviour could have Rest.
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Repent now therefore, O England!
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Repent, whilst you have Space,
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And do not like this wicked Jew,
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Despise Gods profferd Grace.
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When they crowned his Head with Thorns,
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And scourgd him with Disgrace:
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In scornful Sport they led him forth,
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Unto his dying Place.
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Where Thousands, Thousands in the Streets,
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Did see him pass along;
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Yet not one gentle Heart was there,
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That did pity his Wrong.
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Both Old and Young reviled him,
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As in the Streets he went,
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And nothing found but churlish Taunts,
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By every ones Consent.
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His own dear Cross he bore himself,
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A Burthen far too great.
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Which made him in the Street to faint,
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With Blood and heavy Sweat.
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Being weary thus, he sought to Rest,
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To ease his burthned Soul
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Upon a Stone, this wicked Wretch,
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Did churlishly controul.
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And said, Away! thou King of th Jews,
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Thou shalt not rest thee here,
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Pass to thy Execution Place,
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Thou seest now draweth near.
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And thereupon he thurst him thence,
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At which our Saviour said,
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I sure will rest, but thou shall walk,
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Thy Steps shall neer be staid.
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With that this cursed Shoe-maker,
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For offering Christ this wrong,
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Left Wife and Children, House, and all,
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And went from thence along.
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Where after he had seen the Blood
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Of Jesus Christ thus shed,
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And to the Cross his Body naild,
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Away with Speed he fled.
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Without returning back again,
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Unto his Dwelling-place;
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And wandering up and down the World,
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A Run-a-gate most base.
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No resting could he find at all,
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No Ease, or Hearts Content;
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No House, no Home, no Dwelling-place,
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But far from Home he went.
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From Town to Town in foreign Lands,
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With his grieved Conscience,
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Repenting for the henious Guilt,
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Of his past great Offence.
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Thus after some few Ages past,
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In wandering up and down,
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He much again desired to see,
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Jerusalems Renown.
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But finding it all quite destroyd,
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He went from thence with Wo,
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Our Saviours Words which he had spoke,
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To verifie and show.
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Ill rest, said he, but thou shall walk,
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So doth this wandring Jew,
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From Place to Place, but cannot stay,
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For seeking Counsel new.
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Declaring still the Power of him,
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Where eer he comes or goes;
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And of all Things done in the East,
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Since Christ his Death he shows.
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The World he hath encompassd round,
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And seen those Nations strange;
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That hearing of the Name of Christ,
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Their Idol Gods do change.
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To whom he had told wondrous Things,
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Of Times fore past and gone,
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And to the Princes of this World,
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He makes a grievous Moan.
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Desiring still to be dissolvd,
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And yield his mortal Breath:
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But if the Lord has thus decreed,
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How shall he yet see Death.
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For neither Looks he old or young,
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But as in those sad Times,
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When Christ did suffer on the Cross,
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For mortal Sinners Crimes.
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He passed many a foreign Land,
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Arabia, Africa,
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Grecia, Syria, and Great Thrace,
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And through all Hungaria.
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Where Paul and Peter preached Christ,
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Those blest Apostles dear;
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Where he had told our Saviours Words,
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In Countries far and near.
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And lately in Bohemia,
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With many a German Town;
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And now in Flanders, as tis thought,
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He wandereth up and down.
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Where learned Men with him confer,
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Of those his lingering Days,
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And wondering much to hear him tell,
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His Journies and his Ways.
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If People give this Jew an Alms,
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The most that he will take,
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Is not above a Groat a Time,
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Which he for Jesuss Sake
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Will freely give unto the Poor,
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And therefore makes no spare;
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Affirming still that Jesus Christ,
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Of him hath daily Care.
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He neer was seen to laugh or smile,
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But weep and make great moan;
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Lamenting still his Miseries,
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And Days fore past and gone.
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If he hear any one blaspheme,
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Or take Gods Name in vain,
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He tells them that they crucify
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Their Master Christ again.
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If thou had seen grim Death, says he,
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As these mine Eyes have done;
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Ten thousand, thousand Times would you,
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His Torments think upon.
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And suffer for his Sake all Pain,
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All Torments and all Woes:
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This is the Life, and these his Words,
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Where eer he comes or goes.
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