CXXIII. Jud Smith

From “A Coppie of the Epistle that Jeremye sent unto the Jewes, which were led away Prisoners by the king of Babilon, wherein he certifyeth them of the things which was commaunded him of God.”

BECAUSE ye haue committed sinne

Against the myghtie God,

Ye may be certein to possesse

His scourging whip and rod:

Nabuchodonosor the king

Shall lead you captiues all

Unto the Babilonians’ soyle,

And there remaine ye shall

Long season, yea, and many dayes;

For God hath so decreede,

That seuen generations

Shall there be spent in deede.

But afterwarde with peace and rest

From thence I will you bring,

In safetie and in sauegarde sure,

As underneath my wing.

But yet whylst that in Babilon

Ye do as captiues byde,

There shall you see the gods of gold

And silver tyme and tyde;

And eke their gods of wood and stone,

Which they on shoulders beare;

Which tendeth unto nothing, but

The heathen for to feare.

But when you see the multitude

Which geueth honor due

Unto these flattering fained gods,

Then do remember you:

“O Lorde, it is thy maiestie

“That oughtest for to haue

“The adoration, whereof nowe

“The heathen thee depraue.”

This being done, my angel shall

Be with you as you are,

And I myselfe will surely seeme

For all your soules to care.

As for the timber of those gods,

The carpenter you see

Hath polyshed, and yet besyde

They gaily gilted be.

Yet are they thinges of vanitie,

And neuer seeme to speake:

And therefore they that worship them

Do my commandment breake.

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