XV. John Hall, M.D. An Holsome Warning. Edward Farr, ed. 1845. Select Poetry, Chiefly Devotional, of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth

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Edward Farr, ed. Select Poetry of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. 1845.

An Holsome Warning

XV. John Hall, M.D.

For All Men That Beare the Name of Christians to Lyve Christianly

From the “Court of Vertue.”

O HARKE a whyle vnto my style,
All ye that Christians be;
That beare that name, and doe not frame
Your liues accordingly.

Is fayth in syche as beying ryche,	5
Though thee doo Christ professe,
That euery houre doo Christ deuoure,
And his poore flocke oppresse?

For we are all, as sayth Saynt Paule,
Membres of one body	10
Of Christ Jesu, ground of vertue
And of all veritie:

When the poore man, as proue I can,
Is Christ his member true,
As well as he, what so he be,	15
That ryches so endue.

Why should ye then to symple men
Beare such despight and hate,
Syth they be all in Christ equall
With you in all estate?	20

Christ his kyngdome was neuer wonne
By wealth or hygh degree,
Allthough that here some doo appere
To reygne in dignitie.

Then let none thynke that Christ wyll shrynke,	25
When he shall iudge us all,
Of all your wealth, so got by stelthe,
You to accompt to call:

When yf he fynde ye were unkynde
To your poore brethern dere,	30
Then wyll he say, Goo from me aye
Into eternall fyre.

When I lackt meate, and fayne would eate,
In sycknes, thyrst, and colde,
In all my nede not one good dede	35
That you to me doo wold.

Then wyll ye say wythout delay,
Lord, when dyd we thee see
Lacke any foode to doo thee good,
And dyd it not to thee?	40

And he agayne shall answer playne,
I truely say to you,
Ye styll oppreste and muche detest
The poore, my members true.

When ye therfore did them abhorre	45
That are of lowe degree,
To me alone, and other none,
Ye did that iniury.

Saint John doth proue we cannot loue
God whom we doe not see,	50
If we doe hate our brethren that
Are present to our eye.

Nowe call for grace, whyle ye haue space;
Your wycked lyues amende;
And so procede in worde and dede	55
True Christians to the ende.

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