WONDERFUL strange sights seen in the Element, over the City of London and other places, on Monday being the second day of September: beginning between eight and nine of the clock at night, increasing and continuing till after midnight: most strange and fearful to the beholders. Psalm. 19.1. The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy work. AT LONDON; Printed by Robert Walde-grave, dwelling without Temple-bar, near unto Sommerset-house. The Call of England. AS nothing can move or stir man more effectually, unto the feeling of his own sins, than the law of God, thundered out, & threatened against the conscience of his iniquity: so, nothing can draw him, more forcibly unto repentance, than the sensible sight and feeling, of fearful and mighty plagues, heavenly threatenings, and strange and prodigious wonders, drawn by the efficient cause (God) from the operations of earthy, airy, watery, & heavenly supernal Elements. As on Monday, being the second of September, Anno 1583. was seen very strange sights in the air, beginning betwixt the hours of eight & nine at night. And so increasing & continuing till after midnight, but chief betwixt eleven & twelve was seen marvelous strange, rare, miraculous, & wonderful permovements, ad and regrediations, with constellations of the air, and watery elements, which were sometime dark, sometime red, sometime fiery, and bloody coloured, with streams like sharp spears, shooting strait upward, and meeting together, (as it were) in a round point, with flashes, much brightness, many streams, and strange and unwonted colours of the rainbow. As also with the colour of the fire of Brimstone, and seeming as it were burning with fiery flashes and smoke. Strange, and fearful no doubt to the beholders, as though the gallant frame, of all the radiant sky and elements, had been even then about to be set on fire. All which threats and often preachings from Heaven, by Fire, doth yet once again call our disobedience, unto speedy obedience, and amendment of life. I therefore, as one that beheld the same, although of all others, the most unfittest to report it, have here in writing, published the very truth, and sight, as it then appeared and was manifestly seen, (over our horrizon at London) & no doubt of many others. To the end that none might be ignorant, of that last warning, which appeared, to call us unto repentance. Before the Lord God (whose mercies, are always as great, as himself) do bring any notable overthrow, or destruction upon any nation, kingdom, or people, he first of all giveth them warning, to the end, that if they repent not, yet they might be found, unexcusable, as having no cause, to plead ignorance. Thus he dealt towards the Sodomites, to whom, before he destroyed them. (With fire and brimstone from heaven) he sent three Angels to Abraham, to give them warning, who prayed for them. And before he destroyed the old world, Gen. 18. by the deluge of water, he sent them Noah, who preached by the preparing of an Ark, an hundredth and twenty years, so that every stroke of his hammers, might have been a sufficient sermon, to warn them, of the coming of the waters: before the dearth came upon Egypt, Gen. 6. the Lord sent joseph, to provide barns, and store, for old father jacob, & his family, as it appeareth, in the 45. chapter of Gene. When the heart of Pharaoh, could be mollified, towards the Egyptians, by none other means then by the lords punishments, The Lord sent ten marvelous notable plagues, and wonders upon Pharaoh, and all his host, yea, from the highest that sitteth on th'imperial seat, to the lowest, that grindeth in mill, or slandeth behind the door, and made his stout stomach, somewhat to stoop. The Lord hath forewarned us a great while, & yet doth not cease, so to do still, first by his Law, then by his gospel, thirdly by the benefits, that we have continually received of him, four by his creatures, and miraculous tokens, strange monsters, blazing comets, unwonted enundations of waters, strange fishes, perilous wars, earthquakings, and last of all, fiery constellations, as now also lately appeared, and is here afore more plainly specified. Observing in all points (touching the declaration of that strange sight, which I saw) the truth, so near as I can. Requesting, the gentle readers, to pardon me, as one unlearned, and willing to submit my falting, always to the censure, judgement, and discretion of the learned, whom I reverence. Requesting all, to bear in mind, the holy words of S. Peter in his second epistle, and third Chapter, which are spoke to this purpose. First, that there shall come in the latter days mockers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, where is the promise of his coming? For ever since, the old fathers fell asleep, all things have continued still alike from the beginning and creation of the world. For this they know, (how be it are wilfully ignorant of it) how that the heavens were of old, and the earth consisting of the water, and the water by the word of God. By the which the world that then was (as I have said before) perished, being over run with Water. But the heavens, and the earth which be now, are kept in store, by his word, and reserved unto fire, against the day of judgement, and the perdition of ungodly men. And therefore be not ignorant of this, that one day is with the Lord, as a thousand years, and a thousand years, as one day. And that the Lord is not slack in coming, as some men count slackness, but is patiented to us ward, (forasmuch) as he would have no man lost, but received all, unto repentance. Nevertheless, whether ye repent, or continue still in your sins, yet the day of the Lord shall come, as a thief in the night, in which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt, with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein, shallbe utterly burned. Seeing then, that all these things shall perish, what manner of persons ought ye to be, in all manner of holy conversation and Godliness. Looking for, and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, by whom, the heavens shall perish with fire, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. Wherefore good Christians and beloved brethren, seeing that you do now look for such things, which undoubtedly shall come to pass, be diligent, that ye may be found of the Lord in peace, without spot, and undefiled. Wherefore seeing ye be warned, (and that afore hand by divers and sundry preadmonitions) to take heed. Take heed and beware, lest ye fall away (thorough the error of the wicked) from your own steadfastness. But grow ye in grace, and in the knowledge of our only Lord, and Saviour jesus Christ, to whom be glory both now and forever. Amen. Farewell in the Lord, Thomas Day. ΒΆ THE CALL OF England, which setteth out our great sin and iniquities, Gods long sufferance, his sundry kinds of callings, our slackness in coming, our incredulity in believing, and our just destruction. NO comfort, solace, nor no joy, can lodge within my breast, Because thou dost me still annoy, with thy unquiet rest. Repent England, and turn with speed, whilst God doth daily call, For he doth send, and bid thee mend, before thy dreadful fall. Dear England thou, dost daily grieve and vex me every way, To see my works and prove my deeds, what I can do, or say. Repent England, etc. Full twenty years and four thou hast at large, heard out my cry, And still by word, I say repent by waters, earth, and sky. Repent england, etc. And as upon jerusalem, I did both weep and wail, So doth my loving preachers cry, but nothing can prevail, Repent england, etc. Thou thinkest not upon my call, my voice thou dost note hare, My preachers meek, my word most sweet to save, thou dost not fear. repent england, etc. Neglecting still, thou dost fulfil all wickedness and sin, And hast delight, both day and night to fit, and dwell therein. repent england, etc. What sins in Noy, his time were found, or else in Sodoms' store, That doth not now in thee abound, a thousand times, and more. repent england, etc. Is not thy whoredom, and thy pride, thy usury, and gain, Thy weight, and measure unjust tried, still lodged in thy brain. repent england, etc. No care to get, so that thou have, thy pining purse to fill, Who be undone, although thereby thy brother's blood thou spill. repent england, etc. Lo England now, what meaneth else, thy rents which tripled Bee, In such a rate, that none but thou or thine, can dwell with thee. repent England, etc. And is it all, nay leases great, yea Fines and Incomes bore Up such a price, that non that's wise, but thee and thine doth fear. repent England, etc. Why dealest thou so (O England) with thine anointed king, Who fills thy store, and empts thy store again, of every thing. repent england, etc. But avarice (that bag) stirs up, thy Tygred nature's kind, To wring and wrest the poor, to fill thine uncontented mind. repent england, etc. Thus carelessly, thou dost contemn the poor, whom thou shouldst feed, And to the rich thou makest feasts with fare thou dost exceed. repent england, etc. Esteeming more thy gluttony, thy pride, and idle life, Then care, and conscience of the poor, to end their law and strife, repent england, etc. Yet God doth send his jonas still, thee England to call, While there is time, if thou wilt hear, and fear, from sin to fall. repent england, etc. If not, his judgement is most swift, remember Easter past, how on the wednesday, he did shake this earth, and all things fast. repent england, etc. Both Castles, towns, and Towers strong, and Mountains every where, The ground most firm, and all thereon did shake, and quake for fear. repent england, etc. If then his wrath be found so fierce, as senseless things makes nimble, Shall it not make the stoutest hearts, of understanding tremble? repent england, etc. Yes, yes, O england think not so, but that thou shalt be found, And as amazed gydsicke man, fall flat with death to ground. repent england, etc. While thou hast time, therefore repent, and call to God for grace, That he from wrath may yet relent, and all thy sins deface. repent england, etc. Unto thee which his judgements call, and cause thee to decline, And thitherward appoint thy path, as by a squared line. repent england, etc. Repent I say, and soeke his face, whilst it is to be found, In this same special time of grace, here living on the ground. repent england, etc. And dare thou not protract the time, to dally any more, Because the judge with judgement comes, and standeth at the door. and saith repent, etc. With wonders strange and monsters fell, and blazing stars by past, Doth still Prognosticate and tell, of judgement at the last. repent england, etc. What sickness new, with plagues are sent, what floods do overflow, In every place, what wars are bend to tell us it is so. repent england, etc. And everything in their degree, as nature hath assigned, The tide, the time, and winters be, unnatural by kind. repent england, etc. What warnings hath been often sent to thee, by flashing streams Of fire, which bids thee to repent and wake, out of thy dreams. repent england, etc. The clouds, likewise infixed with blood, and brimstone fire, like smoken, With colours strange, not oft like seen, a day of doom betoken. repent england, etc. As late (alack) on Monday last, who so abroad did range, Betwixt the hours of leaven and twelve, might see it very strange. repent england, etc. On all the parts of heavenly sky. was tokens to remember, The latter coming of the Lord, the second of September. repent therefore O england, etc. Therefore while thou haste time and space, and whiles he calls thee still, Come unto him, turn not thy face, obey unto his wil repent england, etc. And thou shalt have, that he hath bought, and purchased for thee free, The kingdom of eternal rest, for thy reward and fee. repent england, etc. Lord send us all those heavenly joys, with thee for to remain, And us defend from satans 'noys, and everlasting pain. repent england, etc. God save our queen Elizabeth, and 'stablish still her reign, In health, and wealth, and happy peace, thy Gospel to maintain. Repent (O England) then with speed, and turn from satans thrall. Both man and wife, amend your life, and Christ will save you all. FINIS.