1. Sion 2. Her Children 3. the Beast and Where overthrown 4 The two Witnesses Rising 5. Pope and Jesuit 6. Enemies of the Church all Flying 7. Angels destroying them Distressed Sion RELIEVED OR The Garment of Praise for the Spirit of Heaviness Wherein are Discovered the Grand Causes of the Churches Trouble and Misery under the late Dismal Dispensation With a Compleat History of and Lamentation for those Renowned Worthies that fell in England by Popilh Rage and Cruelty from the Year 1680 to 1688. Together with an Account of the late Admirable and Stupendious Providence which hath wrought such a sudden and Wonderful Deliverance for this Nation and Gods Sion therein Humbly Dedicated to their Present Majesties By Benjamin Keach Author of a Book called Sion in Distress or the Groans of the True Protestant Church Licensed and Entred according to Order LONDON Printed for Nath. Crouch at the Bell in the Poultrey near Cheapside 1689. To their Most Excellent Majesties William and Mary by the Grace of God King and Queen of England c. Dread Soveraigns May it please your Majesties MOST graciously to cast your Princely Eyes And to accept of this small worthless Mite From one whose Soul 's enamour'd with the sight Of seeing you brought to Great Britains Throne Which Angels do delight to look upon Methinks I see the Cherubs clap their wings Singing sweet Anthems to the King of Kings That such a King and Queen are set on high In glorious Power and Soveraign Majesty No marvel 't is since by Angelick Power You 're both preserved to this happy hour For sure he 's blind who can't discern most clear T was by Heavens Conduct you were both brought here Such a stupendious Providence before Was never known and never may no more Be seen again in this Great Northern Isle Which fills our hearts with joy makes us smile What a distressed and for lorn estate Was this now glorious Kingdom in of late Poor England alas did bleeding lye For many years inslav'd by Tyranny And Sion too was in the same condition Weeping with bitter groans and deep contrition Let me a little freely now dilate Upon Great Britains miserable state When first on her you cast your Royal look And her Salvation likewise undertook A glorious Enterprize which Heaven did bless With such amazing and admir'd success Sick sick as heart can hold the Kingdom lies Filling each corner with her mournful cryes Sometimes she burns as when a Fever heats Anon Despair brings cold and clammy sweats No rest she gains or if she do she dreams Of Massacres Fires Blood and direful Theams She no Physicians finds Bold Empiricks Are from St. Omers sent to try their tricks Who wicked crafty counsel take together To poyson her 't was this that brought them hither Nay hold says Petre we 'l first let her blood That 's fit for her and will do us most good Her Blood 's infected so corrupt I see Naught else can cure her Northern Heresie But let us first prescribe a Golden Pill To ease her that she may suspect no ill But may conclude we choice Physicians be The Pill that they prepar'd was Liberty Curiously gilt it was and tasted well But when 't was down she in t ' an Ague fell Then these State-Mountebanks do her assure Jesuits-Powder will effect the cure Yet still she 's sick and seiz'd with stronger fits Which made most think these Drs. all were Cheats Their Physick was of such a composition It made the Body Politick in confusion And many evidently did foresee 'T was to effect a direful Tragedy They did pretend to purge ill humours out That they their black Designs might bring about And th' evil humours which did lurking lie In divers parts o' th' Body grew thereby More strong and vigorous and did disturb What nature did before so strongly curb That wise Physicians made this wise conclusion T would wholly change the Bodys constitution From good to bad from healthy free and sound Would cause malignant humours to abound Ill ones no doubt it was design'd to nourish Tho' for a while some good ones it did cherish Thus may a Medicine which is safe and good As Liberty is if rightly understood When ill prepared and unduly given Prove dangerous as any under Heaven And pity 't is this universal Pill That has wrought wonders was design'd so ill But ah what shall she do th' Impostors Art Her head doth poison and corrupt her heart Must she O must she die O hear her groans Hear Sions too O hearken how she moans There is no help but from the God of Wonder 'T is he alone that 's able to bring under This Foe to Nature which is grown so strong And hath her vital parts opprest so long All her Physicians weep and secretly Were heard to say poor England now must die Unless th' Almighty by his own right hand Work Miracles to save our sinking Land. But who 's the Instrument will rise up for her Who is the Man whom God delights to honour To bring relief when all her hopes were gone Great Sir 'T was you Jehovah fixt upon No sooner heard she your victorious Name But she reviv'd and cheerful soon became But ah the Winds were cross this made us fear We n're should have your long'd for presence here And when we heard you were upon the Seas Our hearts rejoyced yet had not perfect ease We doubted still what dangers you might meet In that most Glorious and Renowned Fleet Yet still our Prayers more fervent were and more To see your Royal Person safe on shore And all the time in England you have been What strange amazing wonders have we seen A poor sick Land divided by Christs power Made whole and all united in an hour United so as joyntly to combine To own this just and glorious design O're us long hung a black and dismal Cloud From whence we fear'd a dreadful storm of blood Yet when it brake nought but sweet dews distill This this may sure our souls with wonder fill To see a Mighty Army rais'd by Rome Some flie for fear and others Friends become To gain the Victory yet never fight This plain appears Gods hand to all mens sight Poor Sion who i' th' dust did prostrate lie Bewailing her approaching misery Began to rouse and on her feet to stand When you upon the English Shore did land She long expected in our Hemisphere A glorious Star would certainly appear And now he 's come she can't for bear to sing With Joy to welcom her desired King And as the Sun whose powerful reflection Gives to all Vegetables a resurrection Even so Gods Witnesses now raised are Whose bodies lay like dead so lately here For though it was in the cold Winter time We saw so great a change in our sharp Clime As made us cry The Winter now is gone Your powerful Rays in this our Horizon Made Flowers bud as in the early Spring And chirping Birds
them To a just death as Traytors did condemn For Rome by downright impudence ev'n would Outface the Sun and baffle if she could The clearest proofs and Solid'st evidence Produc'd by Heavens unerring Providence Ah cruel Mistriss of deluded Souls That 's not content to make them arrant fools To lose Estates and Lives but must thereby Make them stab conscience when they come to dye She to incourage Treasons does prefer Those Traytors Martyrs in her Calender But will this recompence the loss of Thrones Or ease the Soul in hell of its sad groans Sions Children Shall we indangered by her Plots arise And curb this Harlot who our God defies Why should her Treasons any more annoy Thy precious Saints and Nations thus destroy Let 's make her drink of that invenom'd Cup She fiill'd for us Shall she not drink it up Will none fall on provoked by just ire To eat her flesh and burn her in the Fire Sion Dear Children as to what you have requir'd At present you must keep your selves retir'd Make no attempts until God from on high Affords you strength this Babel to defie At present you are ev'n like Persons dead And seem unable to erect your head But then you shall appear to be alive Gods Spirit shall your fainting Souls revive VVho to the fixed time will be exact VVhen he 'l begin this strange and dreadful Act To the confusion of your Enemies Then God will cause his Witnesses to rise And you will have a clear and gracious Call To join with those that on the Whore shall fall Sion's Friend These lines were writ eight years ago or more In the book which I mentioned before We then had hopes of what was drawing near But stay my Muse To Sion lend an Ear To what she at that time was heard to say About the Dispensations of that day Sion VVith patience Children wait upon the Lord Until his saving Strength he does afford To him you all must make your Supplication For from him only is my expectation Oh! sigh with me and in your Spirits groan Send up strong cries to the Almighties Throne Give him no rest until those happy days I shall exalted be and made the praise Of all the Earth And I will likewise cry And mount my voice to Him who sits on High. The Churches Prayer O Lord of Hosts consider my Estate Let me remain no longer desolate Have I not been most precious in thy sight Lord therefore do not my Petition slight But let thy bowels to thy Children move In token of parental tender love Shall Sion totter and the Beast be steady In his proud Seat Hast thou not seen already VVhat they have done who evil good do call From whom we can expect no good at all VVill they make Judgment i' th' right Channel go Exâ—irpate vice make righteousness to flow Like mighty Streams VVill they a blessing be To me or mine who haters are of thee Can men of thorns expect sweet grapes to find VVill ravenous VVolves to innocent Lambs be kind VVill such as have thy Childrens blood let out Striving to bring their black designs about And with mine Enemies daily still combine To root out and destroy both me and mine VVill these be now chief Friends and me relieve Sure none but mad men would such things believe If Thanks and Praises will on Earth be giv'n If Hallelujahs will be sung in Heav'n To thy great name for rasing Babylon If placing of a Papist on the Throne Be for our good by opening a door For mens Salvation readier than before If the access of sinners easier be In their approaches Blessed God to thee By Romanists having the Soveraignty Oh! then exalt them Let all others fall And Rome usurp Dominion over all But if in thy just and all seeing Eye Their monstrous crimes are of a crimson dye If they from their Original have been The vilest wretches and the worst of men If for the future they intend to be The Perpetrators of all Villany If their dark Heathenish Idolatry Pride horrid murthers and base Perjury Mount up to Heavens High Imperial Throne If their Oppressions make thy Churches gone If they will burn the Scriptures and suppress All Books that treat of Gospel Holiness If guiltless Souls without respect to age Or Sex must be the objects of their rage If they are Enemies to thy Covenants If they would trample under foot thy Saints If 'cause thou dost not seem to hear and save Thy Sion or to grant what she doth crave They Scoff at and deride thy glorious name And put thy Faithful ones to open shame Then hear O Lord Thou see'st my power 's gone In thee I trust Besides thee there is none That can thy Church from her Stern Foes deliver Oh draw thy flaming Arrows from thy Quiver To quell the Pride of this Insulting Crew Thy mighty Arm alone can them subdue On thee I have my absolute reliance Do thou assist I 'le bid them all defiance Hear O my God and for thy mercy Sake On Gasping Sion some compassion take I have been Ransom'd by the precious bloud Of thy Dear Son and fed with heavenly food Thy Churches sins O pardon and forgive And in sweet concord let thy Children live Teach them true saving knowledge from thy Word That they may worship thee with one accord My breach thou canst repair and cure my wound Nothing too difficult for thee is found Thou knowest my grief O Lord incline thine ear Revive my hope and chace away my fear In Achors Valley open thou a door Make me rejoyce as I did heretofore I pray thee break my bonds ease my distress Bring me out of this dolesom wilderness Oh let me Shine like Sols illustrious light Make me an Army terrible in fight Rend off that Vail which does thy Sion cover Scatter the Clouds whereby I may discover What thou designest by this thy Dispensation And what my work is in this generation 'T is time for thee to plead thy righteous cause When wicked men make void thy righteous Laws Thou canst cause them to drink of their own cup And loftiest Cedars by the roots pluck up But Lord remember Sion spare thy Vine That spreading Plant which thou hast chose for thine Make that to flourish and be ever green And full of Clusters as before 't has been From Egypt thou hast brought it heretofore O God I pray bring it out thence once more Let thy hand plant and water so the Root That all the Land may feast upon the fruit O let its cordial juice the Nation fill And let its boughs o're shadow every Hill From Sea to Sea do thou her branches send From all her Enemies always her defend Preserve her Fence be unto her a Wall And keep her from the violence of all Wild Beasts and from that Boars malicious power That would destroy her and her fruit devour Lord from on high thy Lovely Vine behold 'T is thine own Plant of greater
in the Book of Fame When he is gone his Works shall never dye But still be Famous to Posterity C. N. Distressed Sion RELIEVED OR The Garment of Praise for the Spirit of Heaviness FOR almost Thirty years last past have I Seen Floods of Tears flowing continually From Sions Eyes whose sad distressed state With Filial Sympathy I did relate In Sixty Six a year of expectation Came no relief but still fresh Lamentation When she was told her sorrows would be o're That year produc't more sorrow than before Which caus'd me who in Prison then did lye To sigh and sob and weep most bitterly In prospect of what I saw coming on Poor Sion e're her miseries would be gone And therefore did before that year run out Foretel some things time since hath brought boâ— Sions Distresses plainly did appear And still they did increase year after year Until the time the Popish Plot was known That Grand Intrigue of Bloody Babylon My Soul had then some ease I then did hope The day was come should quite o'rethrow tâ—â— Popâ— And bloody Whore That cursed Church of Rom That she would now receive her fatal Doom But all my hopes being frustrate I again In the year Eighty pour'd out Tears amain For at that time came forth a new Addition To Sions groans and sorrowful condition When I had thought poor Sions woes were gone What dismal Clouds o're spread our Horizon Just as I deem'd I spy'd the morning Light. How were we threatned with a dismal Night Of Popish Darkness this I did descry And mourn'd in Verse for England's misery But Sion's troubles I did most lament Whose Enemies were strong and insolent Which caused me in Christian Sympathy With bitter groans my grief to testifie In this sad manner ' WHat dismal vapour in so black a form ' Is this which seems Harbinger to a Storm ' What pitchy Cloud invades our starry Sky 'To stop the beamings of the Worlds great Eye ' What spreading Sables of Egyptian Night ' Would rob the Earth of its illustrious Light ' What interposing Fog obscures our Sun ' What dire Eclipse benights our Horizon ' Is England's Great and Royal Bridegroom fled ' Is its Aurora newly gone to Bed ' That scattered Clouds make such prodigious haste ' Combine in one and re-unite so fast ' Clouds that so lately dissipated were ' Do now conspire to make a darker Air. ' I mourn unpitied groan without relief ' No bounds nor measures terminate my grief ' The Sluces of mine Eyes are too too narrow 'To vent the Streams of my increasing sorrow ' Ebbs follow swelling Floods and springing Days ' Adorn the Fields which Winter dis-arrays ' All States and Things have their alternate ranges ' As Providence the Scene of Action changes ' All Revolutions hurry to and fro ' Yet rest and settlement at length do know ' But helpless I have often lookt about 'To find some ease and Soul refreshment out ' Yet can I see no prospect of relief ' But swift additions multiply my grief ' As Pilgrims wander in their great distress ' Amongst the wild rapacious Savages In pathless Desarts where the midnight howls Of hungry Wolves mixt with the screech of Owls And Ravens dismal croaks salute the Ears Of poor Erratick trembling Passengers ' So I 'm surrounded so the Beasts of prey ' Conspire to take my Life and Name away ' My glowing Soul does melt my Spirits faint ' For want of vent I 'm pregnant with complaint ' No Age nor Generation but has known ' Some part of this my just and grievous moan ' But now I 'm far more dangerously charg'd ' By bolder Foes my sorrows are enlarg'd 'A Hellish Tribe of black Avernus Crew ' Do Blood-hound like me and my Lambs pursue ' Lord Jesus come O Christ let me invoke ' Thy sacred presence to divert the stroke ' Have all my Friends forsook me Are there none 'To ease my woes Ah must I grieve alone Sion's Friend ' What doleful noise salutes my listning Ear ' What grief expressing voice is that I hear ' Methinks the accent of this dismal cry ' Issues from one in great extremity ' The shrilness of this mournful tone bespeaks 'A Womans loud and unregarded shrieks ' The more her deep and piercing sighs I heed ' The more my Heart in Sympathy does bleed ' Ah! who can find her out who can make known ' The Author of this Heart-relenting moan ' Doubtless though sorrow now has seiz'd upon her ' She is a Lady of high Birth and Honour ' Of Royal Stem extracted from above ' Nurs'd in the Chambers of the Fathers Love ' Espoused to a most Illustrious Prince ' Who over all has Just Preheminence ' Monarch of Monarchs ' Ah Sion is it thou ' Oh mourn my Soul Oh let my Spirit bow ' Let all that Love the Bridegroom sigh for grief ' For Sion weeps as if past all relief ' But why O Sion since thou art belov'd ' Of Heaven's Supream art thou so sadly mov'd ' Why with stretcht Arms dost thou implore the Skies ' Why do such streams of Tears flow from thine Eyes ' This makes me wonder Sion ' My forlorn Estate ' Is poor unpitied mean and desolate ' I long have wandred in the Wilderness ' Involv'd in trouble and in sore distress ' In Caves absconding from the horrid rage ' Of savage Beasts until this latter Age. ' Yet when I but attempted to look out ' The Monsters to destroy me searcht about ' The roaring Bloud-hounds greedy on the scent 'To kill or drive me back again are bent ' No interval of peace no rest they give ' Pronounce me cursed and not fit to live ' The cruel Dragon joineth with the Beast 'To gore my sides and spoil my Interest ' Th' old Lion Lyonness and the Lyons whelp ' With dreadful Jaws the other Beasts do help ' Dogs Bulls and Foxes Bears and Wolves agree 'To rend and tear and make a spoil of me ' I that have been so delicately bred ' My Children at the Royal Table fed ' Am now expos'd to the Infernal spight ' Of such who still in Fire and Blood delight ' Hatch Ploâ—s in Hell and Rome whose black desig ' Is to stab Monarchs and to undermine 'Our Ancient Laws subvert Religion and ' Bow Englands Neck to Antichrists command ' These were Fore-runners of that dismal Doom ' Of Fire and Faggot which the Whore of Rome ' Prepar'd for English Protestants and the rest ' Who won't adore the Image of the Beast ' I am the mark these Monsters aim at all ' Their Grand Intrigues were to contrive my fall ' If Friends or Strangers any favour show ' They straight conspire to work their overthrow 1678. ' Ah vile Conspiracy Ah cursed Plot ' So deeply laid How canst thou be forgot ' Th' Infernal Conclave ne're produc'd a
as the vilest Schismaticks But that 's not all my Children more refin'd From those corruptions do afflict my mind Oh depths of sorrow that disturb my rest Oh racking grief that rends my woful Breast Some are so carnal some so swiftly hurl'd Into the Lab'â—inths of th' inticing World That in the hurries of that crouded Road They find small leisure to attend their God Preferring filthy gain and ill-got wealth Before the means of their Eternal health Some that in words respect me I behold In that sad posture betwixt hot and cold Sometimes they seem for sanctity sometimes Slide with the current of prevailing crimes Their Pulses beat with an alternate motion Now foâ— the world then for some faint devotion Some â—hat unto my Tabernacle were Admitted left me for Egyptians fare These not content with my Celestial Diet Do run with others to excess of Riot Some to be popular away would give Those Gospel-duties that are positive From such as these my sorrows do increase That sell Gods order for a seeming peace Allow such gaps as do pervert the Laws Of my just Right and well-defended Cause But O! how many easy Christians take Their rest in forms and no distinction make 'Twixt shell and kernel that rely on Duty As if it were the sole adorning Beauty Such give the Lord the more invalid part Present their Bodies but deny their Heart Are not some Pastors careless to provide A Word in Season for the Flocks they guide Some are too backward to supply the need Of painful Lab'rers that their Souls do feed Discourag'd by close-fisted Avarice Despis'd neglected through this Hellish Vice. My Workmen languish and have cause of moan To see their toyl so ineffectual grown The most pathetick Preaching scarce can move Some Rocky hearers to the Grace of Love. Must hag-fac'd Envy and foul-tongu'd Detraction Invenom'd Malice and unfaithful Action Ill grounded Slander and uncertain Rumors Backbiting Quarrels and the worst of Humors Be practic'd thus Ah grief of griefs to see Professing people act iniquity To such a pitch some Husbands and some Wives Do lead such shameful such unsavoury Lives Whilst mutually at strife they do impeach That name that should be very dear to each â—uch pride such churlish reprehension For every toy such sharpness and contention As does disgrace Religion and does lay Blocks and offences in a Converts way Ah! why can 't we in Families eschew That which meer Heathens are asham'd to do Their Houses are the Scene of Civil Wars Of Brawls of Discord and Domestick Jars In Grace or Comfort can they find increase Or Heavenly Blessings who are void of peace How oft do Parents ill Example draw Their tender Children to infringe the Law And Sanctions of the Everlasting God Do they not spoil them when they spare the Rod To strange Extreams some Parents do adhere Check not at all or else are too severe On Back and Belly they bestow much cost But care not if their precious Souls be lost Are they not guilty of prodigious folly That teach them Courtship and neglect what 's holy A Child untutor'd a meer lump of sin May justly curse its cause of having been Such as instruct do doubly them beget By timely Lessons lab'ring to defeat Their growth in ill such cure their better part By wise prevention of a canker'd Heart Oh! then 's the time to give 'em Form and Mold For Trees admit no bending that are old Who timely sow such Seed they would have grow Will surely reap according as they sow Some like the Ape that does by hugging kill Prompt on a Child to tip his Tongue with ill In his first prattle but it is less pain To form good habits than reform the vain On th' other hand how many Children do Prove vain rebellious disobedient to Their godly Parents slight their careful teaching Make sport of Prayer and a mock of Preaching Contempt of Parents of what kind so e're Contracts a bitter curse which every where Will find them out But Oh my akeing Soul Beats sad Alarms of grief I must condole The dismal Fate of Youth alas how few The ways of God and holiness pursue But very eager to obey the Devil In quickly Learning every reigning evil Here you may see if you survey the Nation Our youth grown old in vile Abomination Such early Graduates in the Hellish Science Setting both Heaven and Hell at loud defiance Let Grace and Vertue grovel in the dust Their Youth and Strength they 'l Sacrifice to Lust That Sacred Precept in the Word of Truth To mind their Maker in the days of Youth They scorn to heed Ah Fools that would begin Conversion when they can no longer Sin But know preposterous Souls the day of Doom That dreadful Audit of Accounts will come How dare you run this vile career till Death Like a grim Serjeant comes t arrest your Breath When your Tongues faulter and your Eye strings crack When stings of horror do your Conscience rack When Hells Abyss sets ope its spacious Gate And Troops of Devils round about you wait When nought but horror and confusion seizes Upon your Sences when those foul Diseases You got by vile Debauches have at length Destroy'd your Persons and subdu'd your Strength â—s this a Season to detest your Leudness To talk of Vertue or pretend to Goodness Egregious Fools how dare you to delay Your Souls Affairs to that uncertain day Oh! can you trust so grand a work to that Moment of anguish when you know not what When sound your end will be nor yet how soon Though brisk at Morning you may die ere Noon And if unchang'd your certain doom will be To lye in Hell to all Eternity Sion's Children O dismal state O miserable case Enough to daunt all that are void of grace And crush the bragging of the stoutest mind But are there still more grievances behind Sion Still more behind O that there were no more Since they 'r too many that I 've told before Masters and Servants Kings and Subjects err In their Relation does not each prefer Base selfish Ends to gratifie a Lust Before what 's honest and supreamly just Sion's Friend Thus thus I 'm sure it was that year when I Publisht that Book of Sion's Misery For King and People strangely were misled And the curst Popish Plot near smothered And many other horrid shameless crimes I' th' Land were perpetrated in those times But I 'll have done Dread Matron pray declare What th' other Motives of your sorrows are Sion Ah! how much time by Christians is spent In fruitless idle talk how negligent In holy conference strange to each other How dull is each to quicken up his Brother In Gospel-duties O! how few do nourish That Love and Zeal which heretofore did flourish A Love whose flaming heat and gen'rous rays Repleat with Spirit fam'd the former days Pious discourses may reclaim the vile But they are hardn'd in their sins the while Christians converse like