Zion in Distress: Or, The sad and Lamentable Complaint OF ZION AND Her Children.  
Wherein are demonstrated the Causes of Her miserable Calamities, and Her Faith in God, touching her perfect Redemption, & the latter Days Glory.  
Also showing The dreadful controversy God hath with the Beast of Rome, and Mother of Harlots, and all Adversaries and Nations of the world for Zion's sake.  Lam. 1.12. 
Is there any sorrow like unto my sorrow?  
Vers. 17. Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her.  
London. Printed in the Fatal Year.   

THE AUTHOR To the Reader.  
Courteous Reader,  
IF these ensuing illiterate and homespun-Poems come to thy hand, let me crave this of thee, viz. Diligently and impartially to peruse them; and do not censoriously judge, nor prejudicially condemn the plain and simple-hearted Author thereof: Neither do thou slight them because of the lowness and meanness of the stile that they run in: But esteem them rather for the honesty of the matter, then for their Elegancy; more for their Virtue, than for the Variety of Scholastic Expressions. I never learned the Art of Rhetoric, nor courted the Universities. Neither have I studied to deliver myself in that stile that might tend either to the pleasing of the Mind, Fancies, Or vain Humours of any; nor to delight the Ear, but to affect the Heart; not to stir up the Mind to Mirth, but to move the Soul to Mourn. And if, Courteous Reader, thou art a Christian, one that art truly and really born from Above, of the free Woman, and brought up virtuously in the Heavenly Family; if so, I am persuaded that I need not enforce many Arguments to induce thee to a kind acceptance of what I present thee with, because it treateth of the state of Her whose Womb did bear thee, and whose Paps have spiritually given thee suck. Shall thy dear Mother be in a miserable languishing state and condition, and not her own dear Children incline with all diligence to her mournful Complaints? God forbid. If I have misrepresented the state of ZION this day, in any thing, I humbly crave pardon: I have writ according to the measure of Light received. The Subject is Divine, and I confess too high and good to be so low and badly handled; too worthy for such an unworthy Worm to meddle with. Such as it is, I here present to you: I have, with Mary, done what I could; you must not expect a man's Head upon a Child's Shoulders. And if it prove acceptable in your eyes, I matter not how I and it are censured by others: It cannot speed worse than She doth for whose sake I have writ these Lines. This only I entreat of thee. Let Zions' Captivity be thy Misery, and never add thou to her Afflictions: So shall I be thine for ever, in all Christian Service.  
Farewell.  
Let Zealots carp at Homer, if they will,  
And bark like Dogs, until they bark their fill:  
True Protestants will not offended be;  
'Tis only Popish Imps will snarl at me.   

To his Friend the AUTHOR.  
WHat Muse is this doth thus possess thy brain,  
That leads thy Genius to so high a strain?  
Must thy aspiring thoughts needs now rehearse  
Thy Mother's Groans in such a kind of dress?  
What, Poet-like, thyself deliver now?  
Is Prose too mean, to let the World know how  
She is oppressed by Rome's black hellish Crew,  
How in her Blood they did their hands imbrue?  
Let thy Endeavour ● prosper; let them prove  
To be Rome's shame: A Token of thy Love  
To thy distressed Mother, (now the scorn  
Of black-mouthed Imps, the Sons of Satan born.)  
Aspiring Soul! What from her Sorrows climb  
To a Prophetic Spirit in thy Rhyme!  
Foretelling how she shall delivered be  
From all those Bloody▪ Hounds, whom thou dost see  
God will destroy; and will thy Mother make  
Heaven's Glory & Earth's Joy, for his Name sake.  
Jehovah bless thy work, this Book, though small,  
And make it prove a Preface to Rome's Fall.  
Vale.   

ZION IN DISTRESS: OR, The Sad and Lamentable Complaint of Zion and Her Children.  Zion's Sons. 
ATtend all People, harken and draw near:  
What doleful noise is that sounds in my ear?  
Me thinks I hear a very dismal Cry,  
Like one that doth lament most bitterly;  
And by the mournful voice that I do hear,  
Some Woman is in great distress, I fear.  
The more I mind t●is Cry, and do give heed,  
The more my heart is pierced and made to bleed:  
O how I thirst to know who this should be,  
That makes my Soul to grieve and sigh in me!  
A Person of great Honour and Descent,  
Doubtless this Woman is, that doth lament;  
Highly descended; born she's from above;  
Nursed in the Chambers of the Father's Love:  
Espoused to a Prince of high degree;  
For King of kings, and Lord of lords is Herald  
Alas, alas, poor Zion! Is it thou?  
O mourn my Soul, and let my Spiris bow:  
Let all that love the Bridegroom, mourn for grief;  
For Zion weeps, as one past all Relief.  
But why, O Zion, loved of the most High,  
Dost thou lament and mourn so bitterly?  ZION. 
Ah! poor I am, mean, low, and desolate;  
And few there be that pity my estate:  
A long time I have in the Wilderness  
Wandered about in sore and great distress;  
Hiding myself from the Beasts furious rage,  
And there have been until this very Age:  
And having lately looked a little out,  
Again he spied me, and doth search about:  
For to destroy me 'tis his full intent,  
Or drive me back again his mind is bend:  
No rest nor peace to me or mine he'll give,  
Declaring that we are not fit to live.  
The Dragon too, hath with this Beast combined  
To spoil both me and mine, when Us they find.  
Th' old Lion, Lioness, and Lion's Whelp,  
Come out against me, other Beasts to help.  
Dogs, Bulls, and Bears, and Wolves do all agree  
To rend and tear, and make a spoil of me.  
O that e'er I, so delicately bred,  
And my dear Babes, at the King's Table fed,  
Should be this day as one even quite cast out,  
And they as Sheep now scattered round about.  
Now to deliver me, there's none dare venture;  
The Truth would fain, but knows not how to enter:  
And Justice that is made to stand far off;  
Whilst I become the Object of men's scoff.  
Zion am I, that no man doth regard;  
men's hearts against me now are grown so hard:  
Hurled to and fro, and tossed as with the wind;  
And not one Dram of Comfort can I find.  
My Children, which both young and tender are,  
The fierce looks of these Beasts do greatly scare.  
And some they seize upon as their own Prey,  
And them into their Dens do bear away;  
Where they are kept in sore captivity,  
Mourning for me, and their extremity;  
Who for Christ Jesus sake, with much content,  
Do from their Foes endure all punishment:  
For they in Prison rather choose to lie,  
Then to obtain, by sin, their liberty.  
The spoiling of their Goods with joy they take,  
Before they will the Lord of Life forsake;  
Or to be sent out of their native Soil,  
Before they will their Consciences defile;  
Or otherwise to suffer or be slain,  
Than to expose the Gospel to disdain.  
These are the Souls I love, I love most dear,  
Who for the Gospel's sake exposed are  
To all those troubles I before did tell,  
That they with Christ for evermore might dwell:  
But O that men should ever be so blind,  
Who lived have where Gospel-Light hath shined,  
My Children dear thus for to persecute▪  
Because they can't God's holy Name pollute!  
If they were cast amongst the Turks or Jews,  
Doubtless they would not them so badly use,  
As some of mine have been within this Nation,  
For witnessing against abomination.  
Ah! Woe is me! for this is a sad time;  
Now Godliness is counted for a Crime:  
The Gospel now, poor Souls, you must not preach;  
For of their Laws, they say it is a breach;  
Nor meet together in Christ's holy Name,  
But to the Goal you must go for the same:  
If you do venture once more and again,  
Then Banishment or Death must be your pain.  
Alas poor Souls! If this falls to your lot,  
'T will be for good: Don't care for it a jot.  
Though I c●●not forbear to grieve and mourn,  
That you thus dealt with are, whom I have born;  
Yet I had rather you s●ould choose to die,  
Than any of you should your Lord deny.  
But I lament, and greatly, for all those  
Who out of Ignorance do you oppose;  
Who shall ere long be brought in unto me,  
For whom in pa●n I travel ti●l it be.  
But there are thousands more within this Land,  
Who with the Beast are like to fall or stand.  
I do grieve also, and that very sore,  
Because the Gospel wants an open Door;  
Instead whereof, a piece of stuff is read,  
Whereby poor Souls in no wise can be fed,  
No better than the Body of a man  
Can nourished be with Husks, or Chaff, or Bran:  
Which my Beloved never did compose,  
Nor ever on poor men at all impose;  
But the Inventions are of men's own Brain,  
O that therefore all would it much disdain.  
They to impose it, think it Policy,  
To keep themselves in safe security:  
Thus Jeroboam too, by his great sin,  
Thought with himself in safety to have been.  
God's Threshold is digged down by wicked ha●ds,  
And in its room another Threshold stands:  
But hark! methinks I hear my Foes a hisling,  
As if some of my Sons of late were missing:  
O let me mourn, as w●ll indeed I may,  
For those dear Sons I lost the other day:  
But not because they're to their Father gone▪  
For so they're out o'th' storm that's coming on;  
But ●ather 'c●use they might have useful been  
To me, if God t'have spared them good had seen:  
And also 'cause the En●my doth boast  
Saying, Tour Expectation is quite lost.  
My very heart is pierced, whilst they say,  
Where is the God to whom so oft you pray?  
For they having escaped his mighty hand,  
Resolved to make more strong my heavy band.  
They do blaspheme, swear, curse, and domineer,  
As if nor God nor Devil they did fear.  
But to return, and of my great loss speak,  
This thing doth cause my very heart to ache;  
For I do fear some did these idolise,  
As others to their worth did not them prize:  
Offended doubtless is my righteous God,  
That he hath struck me with his heavy Rod;  
And yet my Children they do not agree  
That do remain, nor live in unity.  
Alas, I see hat love doth much decline  
Even every day, in these poor Babes of mine:  
Strifes and debates amongst them are so high,  
They envy one another piteously:  
They grieve themselves in this, and me also;  
And unto Christ and Truth much wrong they do.  
O that they all were once but as one man,  
How would the Gospel spread an●●lourish then!  
But ah! this Rod their judgements han't informed,  
Nor yet their Conversation ●eform'd;  
For some there are, that walk but carnally,  
And little m●nd the stroke of the most High:  
Alas with these it will go very bad,  
Whom frowns nor smiles will turn, nor yet the Rod.  
O mou●n, my Children; you have not done well,  
The Voice within this Rod doth plainly tell.  
O mourn and weep, I say; cry bitterly:  
For I, your Mother, weep, lament, and cry:  
Your Father loves you dear, and so ●o I;  
In love h'hath smitten you assuredly:  
It's doubtlessly to purge your Souls from s●n,  
Which you of late have much abounded in.  
And if that you your Ways do not amend,  
Some greater Judgement surely God will send:  
Besides the great reproach you bring to me,  
My dawning Glory you will hardly see.  
The day is dark that I have lived in;  
And here of late much darker it hath been:  
Thick Clouds do hide the glorious glistering Skies,  
Some mists or fogs do shade or blind my Eyes.  
Because the day abides of my distress,  
Some Children fall now in the Wilderness,  
Who murmur in their hearts against the Lord,  
That Canaan to them he doth not afford.  
Alas, I shall be thin, before that I  
Be ready for that blessed Liberty:  
And some there are that seemingly do feed  
Amongst my Sheep, of whom I would be freed;  
For though that they are called by my Name,  
Yet they do cause i● for to suffer shame:  
Some Truths of Christ indeed these do profess,  
But not his saving Grace and Life possess:  
I never brought them forth; they are not mine:  
Do thou, O Hagar, own them; for they're thine:  
After the Flesh they're born, and so do walk;  
Though of the Spirit they do sometimes talk.  
The day draws near when such shall be afraid,  
All Hypocrites in me shall be dismayed.  
For such I therefore now do greatly grieve,  
Because that they do thus their Souls deceive.  
When the Bridegroom doth to his Chamber come,  
These in that glorious Place will find no room;  
But they must go into eternal Pain,  
If quickly now they are not born again.  
Thus do I spend my days in grief and care,  
Because so few the mighty GOD do fear.  
Though fearful Judgements he doth oft times send,  
It's not his Word nor Works will make them bend;  
Nor mind the operation of his hand;  
They slight strange Prodigies by Sea and Land;  
Which of great Ruins are a plain symptom,  
That from the God of Vengeance soon will come:  
For greater Judgements there are still behind,  
The Truth of which you all shall quickly find.  ZION's SONS. 
O how can we this Lamentation hear?  
Or patiently this doleful mourning bear?  
That our dear Mother should take on her thus;  
Our hearts are pained, our Spi●its fail in us.  
Whence comes that Beast of whom thou hast complain'd●▪  
What is he, and how long hath he thus reigned?  ZION. 
From Hell beneath, this Monster did proceed,  
As in the Revelations you may read:  
He is the Little Horn, the Man of Sin,  
Above twelve hundred years my Foe hath been.  
Once he received, I know, a deadly wound,  
But for the same a cure he since hath found;  
And ●eing healed, he glories in his power,  
As if he would me presently devour.  ZION's SONS. 
Shall we arise against this Beast of Prey,  
To rescue thee, and take his strength away,  
Who hath so long time been thine Enemy,  
Ruling o'er thee and thine in cruelty?  
Or shall he eve●●eign and domineer,  
As he hath done, without control or fear?  ZION. 
No, stay a while; I shall delivered be  
From his fierce wrath, and cruel tyranny.  
When the set time is come, I fully know  
I shall delivered be, as Truth doth show;  
For he that sitteth in the Heavens doth scorn  
At this great Rebel; for his Son that's born  
Heir of the World, and Prince of Kingdoms too,  
Shall surely ●eign, because it is his due:  
For God hath promised that his Son shall have  
The C●own, the Kingdom, and the Sceptre brave:  
Nations shall serve him; Kings that have abhorred  
His Name, shall pay him homage, as their Lord:  
To JESUS all shall bow; he shall be King,  
And to poor Zion shall Redemption bring.  
Wherefore my Children, I do say again,  
Do you not stir; he hath some time to reign:  
Him to destroy, it is beyond your skill;  
Your Wisdom and your Strength is to fit s●ill,  
Till his long months be out, yea, the last hour,  
None can consume or take away his power.  
To suffer still it is for me appointed,  
Till some to do this Work shall be anointed  
With God's good Spirit, that most holy Oil;  
And then they shall this cruel Beast quite foil.  
Your present work is therefore for to pray,  
To be prepared for that blessed Day.  
Be therefore ready, for the time draws near  
When he shall fall; of this you need not fear.  
But since I see you active fain would be,  
Revenge yourselves, I give you liberty,  
On one which a long time my Foe hath ●in;  
If you would know his name you shall, 'tis Sin▪  
Arise now, kill and slay; upon him fall;  
A worse Foe I've not among them all.  
Spare not; it's he which always doth oppose  
Both you and I, and all that with Christ close.  
Until he is beat down, I shall not rise,  
Nor be delivered from my Enemies.  
Because of Sin my very heart doth ache,  
And much of this complaint doth therefore make.  
For it is Sin, together with the Devil,  
That is the cause of all my present evil.  
O strive against them in God's holy power,  
And give no place to them not for an hour.  
Besides them and the Beast, there is the Whore,  
Some wrongs I must impute unto her score;  
For she doth call my Children Heretics,,  
fanatics, also, for by such her tricks  
She keeps the World in such blindness, that so  
There's very few that do my Children know:  
She takes from them their Souls most precious food,  
Because they can't partake with her vile brood:  
Besides, of her I have cause to complain,  
For she hath many of my Children slain;  
She makes the Beast to run at me, and roar,  
And with his Horns ofttimes my Sides to gore.  
She hath some Brats too, clothed in black & white,  
Which st●ike at me this day, with all their might;  
But amongst all he● cursed hellish Train,  
None shall speed worse than they, when she is slain.  ZION's SONS. 
Mother, What Whore is that? for she shall rue:  
Hath she so many of our Brethren slew?  
L●t Vengeance be on her, Gods Saints do cry,  
Whose D●aths are precious in their Father's Eye:  
●hough she hath taken our good Name f●om us,  
●et her not think she shall escape it thus.  
●e do estèem our Names as precious Oil,  
●hich she hath laboured so much to defile.  
〈◊〉 know whom she should be, we do think long,  
〈◊〉 hath unto us all done thus much wrong.  ZION. 
She is great Babylon, of whom you've read,  
Wh●ch owns not Christ in truth to be her Head.  
This is that Romish Antichristian Harlot,  
Who for long time hath sat bed●●k'd in Scarlet,  
Upon the Beast which from the Sea did rise,  
Whose Forehead's spread with Names of Blasphemies;  
Who with the golden Cup that's in her hand,  
Invites the Rich and Noble of the Land,  
For to commit the Sin of Fornication,  
Which to the Lord is great abomination.  
And now because that I abhor this Sin,  
She to this day my Enemy hath been;  
And makes the Mighty Ones me to oppress,  
For laying open her great wickedness.  ZION's SONS. 
Shall we arise? Why should this wicked Whore  
Blaspheme our God, or wrong us any more?  
She glories, and doth live deliciously:  
Both God, his Christ, and Us, she doth defy.  
And more than this, she thousands doth annoy;  
Both Souls and Bodies too, she doth destroy.  
She stretcheth forth her hand; and still doth crave  
Poor Innocents', that them she might enslave.  
Yea, to the whole World she has done such wrong,  
We her abhor more than the stinking Dung.  
Shall we now fill to her in the same Cup  
That she hath filled to us for to drink up?  
Yea double to her double, saith God's Word;  
No mercy unto her at all afford.  
Shall we arise, O Zion, full of ire,  
To eat her Flesh, and burn her in the fire?  ZION. 
You instrumental in this work shall be;  
Your Brother John long time since told it me.  
Esay also, and Jeremy before,  
Did clearly show you should destroy this Whore.  
And I perceive you this do understand,  
Which comforts me too, on the other hand:  
You are enlight'ned with the Angel's Glory,  
As it hath been foretell in sacred Story.  
As for my Children who before did live,  
Light from this Angel they could not receive.  
But you, my Sons, brought forth in these last days,  
Great things shall do, though many it gain-says.  
And you, I see, are earnest for to know  
The time when you this Whore shall overthrow:  
And I can't blame you in this very thing,  
Because great Glory to me it will bring:  
The Gospel too, over the world shall spread,  
And men instead of Husks shall feed on Bread:  
And Gospel-Freedom you shall then enjoy,  
No Popish Prelate you shall more annoy:  
Nor shall the Locusts of you make a prey,  
Because that Tithes to them you cannot pay.  
Those wicked Fiends of Hell shall then no more  
Have power for to sting and hurt the poor:  
They shall be cast with shame, as 'tis most fit,  
Into that dismal, dark and smoking pit:  
Thither they shall, I say, with wrath be turned,  
And with those lasting Flames they shall be burned.  
But to reply to what you have enquired,  
At present you must keep yourselves retired;  
To make attempts you ought for to defy,  
Till strength be given from the Lord on high.  
You now within the streets do lie for dead,  
Not knowing yet how to lift up your head;  
But you shall then appea● to be alive,  
The Spirit of the Lord shall you revive.  
God hath (I know) let down the time exact,  
When he'll begin his strange and dreadful Act,  
To the amazement of your Enemies,  
When God shall call his Mighty ones to rise:  
And from the heavens you then shall hear a Voice,  
The which shall cause your Souls for ●o rejoice;  
And that will be to you so clear a call,  
That you strait way shall on this Strumpet fall.  
Wait now with patience therefore on the Lord,  
Until his saving strength he doth afford;  
And make to him always your supplication,  
For from him only is my expectation.  
O sigh with me, and in your Spirits groan,  
And send strong cries up to his gracious Throne;  
Do you give him no rest, until he hath  
Made me the only Praise of all the Earth:  
And I'll lift up my Voice to God on high,  
And make my moan to him, and thus will cry:  
O Lord, my Lord, consider my estate;  
Let me remain no longer desolate.  
Am I not dear and precious in thy sight?  
My sad Complaint do thou nor therefore slight;  
But let thy Bowels now towards me move,  
For sure I am thou dost me dearly love;  
Thou hast redeemed me with thy precious Blood,  
And nothing thou hast thought fo● me too good.  
Lord, though I sinned have, do thou forgive,  
And let my Children dear in concord live:  
Teach them all truly to know thee, O Lord,  
And worship thee in peace, with one accord.  
Let not the wicked of me make a spoil▪  
Who Thee abhor, and Me esteem most vile.  
Thou dost cast down, and raise up; wound and cure;  
And nothing is to hard for thee, I'm sure.  
Thou know'st my grief, there's nothing hid from thee  
Arise, O Lord, for to deliver me.  
Long time between the Serpent vile and me,  
Thou knowst there has been bitter Enmity;  
Above five thousand years h'hath bruised my Heel,  
And I this day that grievous sore do feel:  
Thou hast declared, O Lord, my Seed shall break  
His cursed Head; for thou wilt Vengeance take  
On this vile Serpent, and his cursed Seed,  
Which first did wound my Heel, and made it bleed.  
But when, O Lord? Is not the time yet come,  
That thou wilt put an end to his Kingdom?  
In Achor's Valley open thou a Door,  
And make me sing, as once I did before.  
O do thou break the bonds of my distress,  
And bring me, Lord, out of this Wilderness:  
Let me break forth, like to the Sun most bright,  
And as an Army terrible in fight.  
O take away the Veil that covers me,  
And these thick Clouds, that I may clearly see  
What is thy mind in this thy Dispensation,  
And know the work of th●s my Generation.  
It's time for thee, O Lord to plead my Cause,  
For wicked men make void thy Righteous Laws.  
Obedience to their Law, they say is Reason;  
Thine to obey, they make as bad as Treason.  
Lord where thou sittest, thou dost see and hear  
That in their shame they glory without fear:  
Thy fearful Judgements they do not regard,  
But sin the more, their Hearts are grown so hard.  
Judgements deferred, in sin doth make them bold,  
Scorning in their vile course to be controlled;  
As if thy dreadful hand their Lives did spare,  
To sin against thee without fear or care;  
Saying within thei● hearts, We a●e passed by,  
To serve our Lusts, in all Iniquity.  
Thinking that God who doth forbear to strike,  
Of them and their debauched ways doth like:  
Or else as if some interposing Cloud  
From God's all-searching-Eye could be a shrou●:  
Supposing that thy Seat is so on high,  
That thou their sinful doings canst not spy:  
Or that since thou their Judgements hast delayed,  
Thou'lt do it still; they are no whit afraid.  
Thus they thy blessed patience do abuse,  
And true Repentance wickedly refuse;  
Whereby they do unto themselves procure  
Great wrath from Heaven, which they shall sure endure;  
And fit themselves for the great day of slaughter,  
When into sorrow shall be turned their laughter.  
Thy seven last plagues thou wilt pour forth on them,  
Because they do both Grace and Truth contemn.  
And how canst thou with them so long forbear,  
Who to thy face thee scornfully do dare?  
Saying, Make speed, that we thy work may see,  
And know thy Counsel, whatsoe'er it be.  
Is not their sinful Cup filled to the top,  
That thou mightst off these mighty Cedars lop?  
Cut down these Trees, O Lord, but spare thy Vine,  
Which thou amongst the Trees hast chose for thine.  
Make that, O God, to flourish and be green,  
And fruitful, as before time it hath been.  
Thou brought'st this Vine from Egypt heretofore;  
From thence, Lord, bring it out again once more:  
Make room for it to ●oot, the Land to fill;  
The Boughs thereof, let shade the highest Hill.  
From Sea to Sea let her her Branches send.  
And from all wrongs her graciously defend.  
Make up her Hedge, her Fence, which like a Wall,  
Secure and safe should keep her now from all  
Those wild Beasts of the field, with the wild Boar,  
Who to devour and waste will ne'er give over.  
Visit thy Vine, O Lord; do thou behold  
That which thou plant'st and prisedst more than gold  
Do they not burn and of it make a spoil?  
And thou dost hide thy face too all this while.  
Who is this Vine, but me whom thou hast chose?  
Both Vine, and Lily, and thy Sharon Rose.  
I am thy Love, Dove, Undefiled One;  
Why dost thou then let me be trod upon?  
By thy own Grace, I am made thus to thee;  
Consider now therefore my misery:  
For I am scorched and burnt in grievous pain;  
And shall I never more thy Love obtain?  
Hast thou withdrawn thyself for evermore?  
And will these days of Sorrow ne'er be over?  
O I am wounded, and in bitter smart!  
Sure it's not long ere these will break my heart.  ZIONS' SONS. 
Mourn, mourn, OH heavens; and thou, O Earth bewail;  
And weep, ye Saints, until your Spirits fail:  
For she that is the Glory of the Earth,  
Most High and Mighty, and of precious Birth,  
Lies sadly weltering almost in despair;  
Her grievous sorrows no Tongue can declare.  
And now, my Brethren, come, I pray, come hither;  
And in God's fear let us confer together:  
Doth not Grief seize on you, my Brethren dear?  
Doth not your hearts dissolve into a tear?  
Doth not your eyes like to a fountain run?  
Doth not all Joy now into Mourning turn?  
Doth not your sleep also from you depart?  
Are you not pierced to the very heart?  
Are you, or are you not in bitterness,  
Because of Zion, and her sore distress?  
How can our heart's delight in things below?  
How can we sleep in peace as others do?  
How can we comfort have, or comfort find:  
Or how can we the World's concernments mind?  
How can we eat or drink with Hearts content,  
And not with Grief poor Zion's state lament?  
Because that our dear Mother is a crying;  
She sighs and sobs, as if she were a dying:  
She languisheth, and is in bitter pain,  
And in this state all do her much disdain:  
She is reproached by every drunken Sot,  
Being cast out, like to a broken Pot:  
She is despised and trod upon like Dung,  
The Drunkard of her makes his daily Song.  
But I will turn, and will expostulate  
The case with Zion, touching her estate;  
Why art thou sometimes up, then down again?  
Sometimes at ease, sometimes in bitter pain:  
They're doubtless throes; cheer up, and do not fear;  
Deliverance, dear Soul, is very near:  
And though thy throes and pains should now give over▪  
Don't fear, thou shalt not die; One or two more  
Shall bring that Child into the World, which thou  
Hast travelled with in bitter pangs till now.  
O cry to God, thy Midwife he will be;  
For I am sure he will deliver thee:  
He is the God that brings unto the Birth,  
He also 'tis that gives strength to bring forth.  
O stay thyself upon thy blessed Lord,  
His gracious strength he will to thee afford:  
Upon his Promises do thou depend,  
And thou shalt see deliverance at the end.  ZION. 
Alas poor Hearts! my God hath me forsaken,  
My sighs he doth not mind, nor on me look;  
To pity me▪ he hath now quite forgot;  
His anger's kindled, and his wrath is hot:  
It burneth sore against me; let me mourn;  
For I am sorely spoiled, rend and torn:  
Like to a Ship with raging tempests tossed,  
That suffers Shipwreck, ready to be lost.  
Ah woe is me, that ever I did on,  
And so unfaithful to my God have been!  
How beautiful and comely once was I?  
Like to a Pearl in his most blessed Eye:  
I could not speak, but he would answer me,  
But now I lie in sore captivity.  
I cry and call, but he doth stop his Ear,  
And answers not, as if he had no care  
Of me; but I will prove him once again,  
And not give over till I do obtain:  
Of Bowels he is full, and can't retain  
His anger, but will ease me of my pain.  
O Lord, I come; I come again to thee;  
O pardon, Lord, and do thou pity me:  
For when I said I was of thee forsaken,  
I see that I therein was much mistaken;  
For I engraven am upon thy hand,  
And in thy sight for evermore shall stand.  
Awake, O Arm of God, and do not stay;  
My Sorrows are so great, O say not nay.  
Hear me, dear Jesus, unto thee I cry;  
My Heart doth bleed: O save me, or I die.  CHRIST. 
In Heaven where I do sit in Majesty,  
A Voice sounds in mine Ears continually;  
And now of late much louder it doth cry:  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
And doubtless 'tis the voice of her I love,  
My Bowels in me do so greatly move;  
I will therefore to her now faithful prove  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
Alas, poor Heart, thy mournful voice I hear;  
And will come down to help; be of good cheer;  
For thou art precious to me, and most dear.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
Go to; for all thy sorrows I well know,  
And will deliver thee from them also;  
And will again th' Egyptians overthrow.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
I AM THAT I AM, that is still my Name,  
The proudest of thy Foes shall know the same;  
And they shall never more put thee to shame.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
In thy afflictions, great distress, and pain,  
Of which thou dost so grievously complain,  
I am afflicted, and made grieve again.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
F`or all the hurts and wrongs they do to thee,  
I take as if they did them all to me;  
And this indeed ere long they all shall see.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
It was for thee that I did bleed and die;  
I love thee as the Apple of mine Eye:  
Fear not thou than thy proudest Enemy.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
Although, 'tis true, thou in their hands art now;  
Yet Power's mine, and Wisdom: I know how  
To strengthen thee, and make them all to bow.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
And I will rise now in great Jealousy▪  
To show my Power and great Sovereignty,  
And make them to the Rocks and Hil●s to fly.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
The Day of Vengeance now is in my mind,  
And where to hide themselves they shall not find,  
Though with the Powers of Hell they have combined.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
Thy Controversy throughly I will plead,  
And will bring down each high and lofty Head:  
The Mighty Ones like Mortar I will tread.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
Though silent for a long time I have stood,  
I'll be revenged for all the righteous Blood,  
That hath run down, like to a mighty Flood.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
Though Judgement on them I did long delay,  
Yet what is due to Justice they shall pay;  
And but a little longer will I stay.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
For now besides the wrongs thou dost repeat,  
The Martyr's blood doth loudly me entreat;  
I will come forth therefore in fury great.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
I will perform my strange and dreadful Acts,  
And thou before me very strong shalt wax;  
For I'll make thee to be my Battle-Axe.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
Thy Horn shall Iron be, and thy Hoof Brass,  
With which thou shalt be at down the Serpent's Race;  
And quickly will I b●ing this thing to pass.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
Thy Sons that scattered are, the Earth throughout,  
I will soon gather them, do thou not doubt,  
And bring them forth too, with a mighty shout.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
The Mighty they shall overcome with Slings,  
The Nobles also, and the Heathen Kings,  
With Fetters they shall bind, and suchlike things.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
O t●ou who art with raging tempests tossed,  
Without all comfort, ready to be lost;  
Thy expectation shall not long be crossed.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
I'll lay thy Stones with colours fair and sure,  
And thy Foundations shall be Saphires pure,  
Which shall indeed for evermore endure.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
For a small time I have forsaken thee,  
But with great mercy thou shalt gathered be;  
And from all bondage I will set thee free.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
Though I have thee afflicted heretofore,  
I'll turn my hand upon the bloody Whore,  
And will not now afflict thee any more.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
Because thou dost my holy name profess,  
I will establish thee in Righteousness,  
And break in pieces them that thee oppress.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
I will come down also from Heaven above,  
And will from thee oppression far remove;  
'Gainst thee no Weapon formed, shall prosperous prove.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
Thy Children too, shall all be taught of me;  
Also great peace for ever there shall be,  
And I'll bring in the Gentiles unto thee.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
Though many do thee grievously deride,  
Thy Borders I'll enlarge on every side,  
And to thy Seed the whole Earth will divide,  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
For I did promise them, I do confess,  
That they should fully all the World possess;  
And I'll perform it now in Righteousness  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
I will come now unto my holy Hill,  
The Heathen at my presence shall be still;  
The Earth with Knowledge I will also fill.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
Exalted I shall be; and sit on high,  
Above all earthly Kings in Majesty;  
And thou shalt reign with me triumphantly▪  
Sing therefore Hallelujah.  
All Kingdoms of the Earth shall now be mine,  
And then be sure that they shall all be thine,  
And thou in Beauty like a Queen shalt shine.  
Sing therefore Hallelujah▪  ZION. 
O matchless Grace, and Love beyond degree!  
Now am I sure there is none like to thee  
In Heaven nor Earth, were there ten thousand more,  
For thou hast found a Sal●e for every Sore.  
By thee I ravished am, O thou most High:  
O how my Spirit and my Soul doth cry  
To thee, O Lord, by whose enlarged Grace▪  
My Heart's enlarged to run the blessed Race.  
Thou shalt me lead unto thy living Springs;  
From thence I'll mount up, as with Eagles' Wings,  
Unto the Heavenly Mount of Faith's Desire,  
Where I thy glory great may much admire:  
And then will I descend down from above,  
To be embraced in the Arms of Love:  
I'll hold thee fast, and never let thee go;  
For by the loss of thee, what grievous woe  
Did I sustain? O what great misery!  
Thou hidst thy face, and troubled sore was I.  
Thee having, though nought else, what have I not?  
Without thee, though all else, what have I got?  
Lord, having all things, and not thee, what have I?  
Let me enjoy but thee, what further crave I?  
Without thee, Lord, things be not what they be;  
All things are nothing, when compared with thee:  
I am thy portion, Lord, though didst me choose;  
And thou my portion art, I'll never refuse.  
But thou, O God, shalt be my Heritage;  
Thou art a God of Grace from age to age:  
And therefore evermore I'll dwell with thee:  
For thou, O God, my hiding place shalt be.  
In time of trouble and of fury great,  
I will unto thy holy Name retreat;  
Which is a Tower strong to all that fly  
With care and speed, from their iniquity.  
Thou light in darkness art, and joy in grief;  
Though I in trouble am, thou send'st relief:  
When I am down, thou lift'st me up on high;  
And I thy Name, O God, will magnify.  
And with much patience I will undergo  
Thy indignation, Lord, for well I know  
That I have sinned against thy holy Name,  
And therefore 'tis that I do suffer shame.  
And though this day I am but low and mean,  
Poor and despised, and so long time have been;  
Yet for my good I know that thou wilt make it,  
And with content I therefore now will take it;  
And will wait on thee till thou dost arise  
To break in pieces all our Enemies.  
My precious Cause then I will leave with thee;  
Which thou, O Lord, wilt doubtless plead for me.  
Thy Voice, great God, is to my Soul so sweet,  
I am revived, and set upon my feet:  
O I can sing, in hopes of what I see,  
Thou hast, O Lo●d, laid Blessings up for me.  
And now, O Whore, that art my bitter Foe,  
My day is near, I would have thee to know:  
My God han't me forsook, for he will now  
Set me on high, and make thee for to bow,  
And shalt with shame cover thy filthy Head,  
Whilst I in triumph shall upon thee tread.  
Because so long thou hast upon me ●rod,  
And in contempt hast said, Where is thy God?  
He will therefore in right retaliate,  
And bring just Judgements down upon thy pate.  BABYLON. 

Zion, thyself mistake thou dost;  
The Day will still be mine,  
Wherefore then dost thou proudly boast,  
As if it would be thine?   

I for my Wounds have got a Cure;  
At ease I am, and well:  
I very safe am, and secure;  
And so I know shall dwell.   

My Glory is returned to me,  
Which I had lost indeed:  
No Widowhood more shall I see,  
From sorrow I am freed.   

A Queen I am, so shall remain,  
And have my Pleasures still:  
For so long as my Lord doth reign,  
I can do what I will.   

For he doth me most dearly love;  
And mighty strength has he;  
All other Lords he is above,  
They all his servants be.   

He is the chief in all the Earth,  
And sits in Peter 's Chair:  
The Keys of Hell and Death he hath,  
And is past all compare.   

The Dragon, from whence did derive  
His power, strength and seat,  
Thee to the Wilderness did drive,  
There for to seek thy meat.   

And they have got the same power still:  
Who da●es make wa● with them?  
To spoil them, is beyond the skill  
Of all that them condemn.   

One Emperor, and also Kings,  
Love me, as doth appear:  
My name in every Court so rings,  
Ruin I do not fear.   

My Sons, likewise, are Noble men,  
For Dukes and Lords they be;  
They will secure me always, when  
Great dangers they do see.   

Their Honours, and their Riches too,  
From me they have them all;  
They know they should them lose also,  
If ever I should fall.   

The Lawyers too, and Priests, I know,  
Dear Children to me are,  
To keep me from an overthrow,  
Their lives they will not spare.   

The Merchants, yea, and thousands more,  
Will all lend me their hand;  
Certain, I am, from hence therefore▪  
Secure I long shall stand.   

And thus thou clearly may'st behold,  
What strength is on my side;  
And although I am now grown old,  
With glory I shall ride.   

And as for God, the Lord most high,  
He hath spared me so long;  
He doth love me assuredly,  
And will do me no wrong.   

Falsely accused am I therefore,  
As if God did mean me,  
When he speaks of the wicked Whore,  
That shall destroyed be.   

'Tis some one else, that God doth mean;  
His Church, in truth, am I,  
And from all sin, I am washed clean:  
Thy speech I do defy.   ZION. 
Leave off, leave off, 'tis thou, O bloody Whore,  
Do not thou think, thou shalt for evermore  
Thus domineer, in pomp and wicked pride:  
For God, ere long, thy Rulers will divide;  
Those mighty ones, in whom are all thy trust,  
Long shall not hold, but into pieces must  
Be surely broken; this thou soon shalt see:  
Here, here, begins thy bitter misery.  
Those that did love thee most, will hate thee so,  
That they will seek thy utter overthrow;  
As was their love, their hatred now will be,  
And to destroy thee, they will all agree:  
For thou hast them enslaved unto thy lust,  
Whilst they, like simple ones, in no wise durst  
Offend, or cross, thy vile and bloody mind,  
For they have been bewitched, they now will find;  
By thy alluring Voice and lustful Eye,  
To join with thee in all iniquity.  
Thy flatteries sha●l them no more deceive,  
Nor thy base Whoredoms thousands more bereave  
Of inward Good, and outward Riches, so  
As they have been to their eternal wo.  
They then shall see thy vile and ill intent,  
In setting them against the Innocent.  
To satisfy thy lust and base desire,  
Their sinful Hearts, alas, were set on fire:  
And through the provocation of the Devil,  
Have yielded to commit such horrid Evil,  
That there's no Pen can write, no Tongue declare,  
What things were acted almost every where.  
For throughout Europe, either more or less,  
There hath been wrought indeed such wickedness;  
Which surely would cause Hearts of Stone to melt,  
When they consider what my Children felt,  
And did endure from savage Tyrants great,  
Who cruelly those tender Lambs did treat;  
More than did ever the bloodthirsty Turk:  
Which Tyrants thou didst always set on work.  
Some hints of which, here briefly doth ensue,  
Which I shall now present unto your view.  
And what at this time I lay to thy Charge,  
I'd briefly speak, and shall not much enlarge:  
For men have writ great Volumes, thou dost know,  
Which of thy cruelties do largely show.  
Thou hast all men oppressed in every Age;  
But evermore thy spiteful Hellish rage▪  
Was always set against my Children dear,  
Who could not to thy wicked ways adhere.  
Thou mad'st the Magistrates their Enemies;  
A●d the worst torments that thou couldst devise  
Thou mad'st them suffer, sto●ie plainly shows;  
Some thou didst hang by th' Head, some by the Toes.  
And thousands thou didst burn, and broil on Coals,  
And others starve to death in stinking holes.  
Some thou didst cut to pieces very small,  
And Infants Brains were dashed against the Wall,  
On Bodies of the Saints thou trodst like dung;  
Thou spard'st no Sex, neither the old nor young.  
By thy cursed Crew Women were ravished;  
And after cruelly were knocked o'th' Head.  
Some had their Eyes and Tongues by thee pulled out,  
Some harborless were made, and forced about  
To wander, and in Woods and Caves to lie,  
Until their days were spent in misery.  
Thousands were famished so, till forced to eat  
Worms, Frogs & Toads, and Spiders for their meat.  
Thy Cruelties all People may admire,  
Thou hast poor Children forced to set fire  
To that same Wood in which their Parents dear,  
By burning Flames consumed to Ashes were.  
By cruel Massacres were thousands slain,  
Who did endure the most in humane pain  
That Bishops, Monks, and Friars could devise;  
Whose Blood aloud to God for Vengeance cries.  
What precious Blood was shed in Italy,  
In Spain also, yea and in Germany?  
How were the Merindolians put to death?  
For Cruelties were e'er the like on Earth?  
The Massacres in Piedmont were sad;  
And many more in France there were as bad.  
As for Spain's Inquisition-Cruelties,  
And of those many horrid miseries  
That they invented for Religion's sake,  
'Twould fill a Volumn should I them relate:  
But I'll forbea● to speak of them at large,  
And leave them to the day wherein the charge  
Of all the Righteous Blood that hath been shed,  
Shall come with Vengeance down upon the Head  
Of all thy proud and persecuting crew,  
That studied have, the Righteous to undo;  
The precious blood, which wicked hands did spill  
In Ireland, I do remember still;  
Thou there didst play a very cruel part,  
Poor innocents' were there stobed to the heart;  
Yea grievous tortures those poor Lambs did bear,  
Because they would not buy thy Popish ware.  
But to come nearer home, within this Land,  
How many blessed Saints, at thy command,  
Were cruelly to ashes burnt at Stake,  
Because God's Truth they no wise durst forsake?  
As in the Marian days; ye, and before;  
I dare not say that yet thou hast given o'er,  
And hast forgot to make attempts again;  
For I do clearly see, there doth remain  
The selfsame Spirit; hadst thou but the power,  
Both me, and mine, thou quickly wouldst devour:  
For secretly, I do perceive, this day,  
Thy Romish Ruffians, like to Beasts of prey,  
Do now contrive, and privately design  
To work the ruin both of me and mine.  
Will not those horrid wretched cruelties  
That thou hast done, thy raging lust suffice?  
Why thou art drunk already, and dost reel,  
And yet thou criest, O give, O give me still  
The blood of Heretics, that I may drink,  
O fill my Cup up to the very brink.  
'Tis full, O Whore, for this I clearly see,  
All precious blood the Lord doth charge on thee,  
That e'er was shed, from Righteous Abel's days,  
'Twill all be found in thee, the Scripture says.  
O shameless, vile, and wretched bloody Whore!  
Hast drunk so much, & wouldst thou yet have more▪  
What blood of Prophets and Apostles too,  
Of Christ, the Lord, whom thou hast also slew?  
And since those days, hast many millions slain,  
Whose Blood, and Souls, do to the Lord complain  
For Righteous Judgements to be poured on thee,  
For all thy vile and bloody cruelty.  
Prepare thyself for ruin, for I'm sure,  
The patient God much longer won't endure,  
Ere he avenge the cause of his dear Son,  
For all the wrongs thou hast unto him done;  
Those who would see more of thy cruelties,  
Let them read my Son Fox his Histories.  BABYLON. 
O why dost thou father Christ's death on me?  
This is a lie, all people plain may see  
That I am free of this, all people know,  
Fo● who put him to death, the Scriptures show;  
Don't charge his death on me, for I am clear,  
But Heretics fit were not to live here;  
I therefore did such kill, and sweep away,  
And so 'tis fit I should this present day;  
For if to holy Church they won't be turned,  
'Tis fit, in truth, that they should all be burned.  ZION. 
That this is true, vile Whore, I'll prove it plain,  
That thou hast my most blessed Jesus slain;  
For if all precious Blood is found in thee,  
That e'er was spilt by hands of cruelty,  
It followeth then, by consequent most clear,  
That thou hast shed the Blood of Christ, most dear▪  
The former's so; I showed it thee before,  
Therefore 'tis true: be silent, say no more,  
But stop thy mouth, for this I further see,  
That many times he hath been slain by thee;  
Under thy Romish power, his Flesh did die,  
In Spirit since thou didst him crucify:  
And what thou hast unto God's Servants done,  
He takes as if thou didst it to his Son.  
He also is the Head, they Members are  
Of his own Body, whence it doth appear,  
Thou hast tormented him in every part,  
And hast ofttimes plucked out his very heart.  
Thou hast Imprisoned, Scourged him also,  
Ye burned and hanged, and starved him I know:  
Can the dear body thus be put to pain,  
And not the head the like sore grief sustain?  
And more than this, to show what thou hast done,  
The Father, Son, and blessed Saints are one;  
What ere therefore thou hast done unto me,  
Thou hast it done unto the Trinity:  
Who touch God's Saints, the apple of his eye  
Do also touch; O dreadful tyranny!  
For men to persecute the Lord of Life,  
And with the mighty God to be at strife!  
When Saul afflicts the Saints, than Christ doth cry,  
Saul, Saul, 'Tis me that thou dost crucify.  
This is the reason of thy wicked spite  
Thou bearest unto the blessed Saints of Light;  
It is, because that they do testify  
Against thy Whoredoms and Adultery.  
As they are men, thou dost not persecute,  
But 'tis because they won't God's Name pollute;  
'Tis Christ in them, and them fo● his Name sake,  
That thou dost hate, and such a spoil dost make;  
But it is from the Lord, that they can't now  
Unto thy whoredoms and thy falsehoods bow;  
Revenge thyself on God, who is the cause  
Why they contemn all thy invented Laws;  
Let these alone, do not in mischiefs run,  
For these, alas, what have these poor Lambs done?  
Ye Persecutors all, mind well I pray,  
The dreadful work you are about this day.  
But I'll return, and talk with thee yet further  
Who guilty art, most clear, of horrid murder;  
And yet dost wipe thy mouth, and proudly say,  
I innocent have been unto this day,  
And am in truth Christ's holy Ch●rch, I know  
H●s love is such, there's none shall me o'erthrow.  
But to confute thy lies and insolence,  
And stand in Truths and blessed Saints defence;  
No other Arguments need● to bring,  
For to disprove thee in this very thing;  
For 'tis most clear, by all this horrid evil,  
That thou vile Whore, art of and from the Devil;  
Thou art no Church of Christ, he doth thee hate,  
And with his Soul doth thee abominate;  
Christ's Church his Members never did annoy,  
Nor persecute, and millions thus destroy.  
To blind men's eyes, thou hast thy former tricks,  
To tell the World that they are Heretics;  
But after that way thou call'st Heresy,  
That God they worship, whom thou dost defy.  
And here vile Worm, dost thou think to contend  
With God the Lord, whom thou dost thus offend?  
O● thinkest thou he hath quite passed by,  
All thy vile acts and cruel tyranny?  
Dost think he won't fulfil his holy Word,  
And in his fury draw his glittering Sword?  
Dost thou not at his presence fear and quake,  
Who with a frown will make all Nations shake?  
Dost think that man can save thee from his stroke,  
That thou go'st on, and still dost him provoke?  
Dost think, because he hath spared thee so long,  
He'll ne'er avenge on thee my grievous wrong?  
Or dost thou think the Pope, that Fiend of Hell,  
Who 'bove all Gods, doth in God's Temple dwell,  
Can save thee from that great and dreadful blow,  
Which will produce thy utter overthrow?  
Alas vile wretch, for all thy mighty strength,  
There is no hope but down thou must at length.  
What God resolves to do, on Sea or Land,  
No Beast, nor Devil, can the same withstand.  
As to the Pope, let me speak in thy Ear,  
His time is short for to continue here;  
For he that hath presumed Kings to depose,  
Shall soon destroyed be by some of those  
Of whom he now nor dreads, nor stands in fear;  
The truth of this, ere long, will plain appear.  
This is the Beast, that did from Hell ascend,  
And thither shall be cast too in the end:  
This, this is he that ha●h so often swelled thee  
With hopes, and hath unto this day upheld thee;  
For his false Pardons, and uncivil power,  
Encouraged thee my Children to devour.  
Though his Foundation's laid as deep as Hell,  
And doth in strength abundantly excel  
The greatest Potentate, who heretofore  
E'er swayed a Sceptre; nay, I add much more;  
Though he himself doth greatly magnify,  
Above the blessed Stars that are on high,  
Yet he sh●ll fall, and never rise again:  
Thy hopes thou hast of him is therefore vain;  
He is condemned, the Sentence that is gone,  
His day of execution doth come on;  
And to be short, I fear thee not at all,  
Do now thy worst, you both together shall  
Drink of one Cup, with all thy lovers too,  
For thou shal● surely know what God can do.  
Thy Magpy-Merchants then shall cry and howl,  
And mournfully thy ruin thus condole.  
Alas, alas, this City great and fair,  
Sumptuous and very brave, beyond compare;  
How in a moment are her judgements come,  
Her fall, her ruin, and her final doom:  
Our Trade is gone, and all our Merchandise,  
And ah! there's none pities our grievous cries:  
Alas, alas, we all are quite undone,  
What shall we do, or whither shall we run?  
O that the Mountains, and the Hills would cover  
Us, till the vengeance of the Lord be over!  
But to conclude, all people, this I say,  
From Babylon see that you haste away;  
For if you done't, than you too late will mourn,  
And curse the day that ever you were born.  
Like as the Hee-Goat doth before the Flock,  
So haste away, and fly to Christ your Rock:  
For if you follow her, than I am sure,  
You will destruction to your Souls procure;  
For you like Oxen to the Slaughter go,  
Though like a Bird ensnared, you do not know  
The danger you are in, and what 'twill cost,  
Till Soul, and Body, Life and all is lost;  
Many Sh'as wounded, and has strong men slain;  
Let all God's Saints then, from her ways refrain:  
Her ways do lead unto the depths of Hell▪  
Who follows her, shall with the Devils dwell.   

The Author's Request.  

I.  
SOme things, great God, my Soul doth long to have,  
Before these mortal days of mine be over,  
Which things, Lord of thee I do humbly crave,  
Before I go from hence and be no more;  
Until which things, O Lord, I do obtain,  
I shall be filled with sorrow, grief, and pain.   

II.  
Alas, my sorrows they do greatly double;  
O that thou wouldst be pleased to hear me Lord,  
So should my Soul thereby be freed from trouble,  
If that these things to me thou wouldst afford;  
Until, O Lord, thou grants me my request,  
I can't give over, nor give thee any rest.   

III.  
'Tis not for riches of this wicked world,  
Nor for vain honour, Lord that I do cry;  
They with a puff alas, ofttimes are hurled,  
They get them wings and quite away dofly;  
These things I know, dear God, uncertain be,  
I ask them not, some better things I see.   

IV.  
Nor are they earthly momentary pleasures  
For which, great God, I come now unto thee,  
But it is for thy everlasting Treasures,  
Which now I seek and beg, O Lord, for me;  
Can Riches, Honours, Pleasures to me give,  
The things that I do want whilst here I live?   

V.  
No, no, O Lord, the things I ask of thee  
More precious are; the first that I shall urge,  
Thy blessed presence, Lord, give unto me;  
My heart from sin, Lord, also do thou purge.  
These are the things, in part, for which I cry,  
Lord, grant me this before I come to die.   

VI  
Thy presence is more sweet unto my heart  
Then Honey, or the Hony-Comb, indeed;  
And I will choose, O Lord, the better part,  
From sin therefore, O let my Soul be freed;  
And I thy holy Name shall magnify,  
And happy be, when e'er I come to die.   

VII.  
Let thy good Spirit ever be my guide,  
And in thy house for ever let me dwell;  
And from thy Truths, Lord, never let me slide,  
Nor find my Conscience to be like a Hell.  
And I thy Name, Lord, evermore shall praise,  
And happy be, when ended are my days.   

VIII.  
And whatsoever, Lord, my state is here,  
Let me therein always be well content;  
When I in trouble am, Lord, then be ne'er,  
And from me never do thyself absent;  
And then, O Lord, I never more will fear,  
What e'er I suffer for thy Namesake dear.   

IX.  
Teach me always, O Lord, that heavenly skill,  
My days to number, as thy Saints have done;  
And ever let me yield unto thy Will,  
And wait on thee until my Glass is run;  
So shall I then thy holy Name adore▪  
And sound thy praise, O Lord my God, therefore.   

X.  
Lord, bridle thou my tongue, and make me see  
How few my days are, O how short their length!  
Incline my heart always to trust in thee;  
Remove thy Scourge, O Lord, or give me strength:  
Be thou my Way, my Strength, my Truth, my Light,  
So shall I learn to live and die upright.   

XI.  
When, Lord, I hungry am, be thou my Meat;  
When I in darkness am, be light to me;  
And when I weary am, Lord, be my Seat;  
And when in Prison, do thou set me free:  
And I thy Name, O Lord, will glorify,  
And walk in thankfulness until I die.   

XII.  
In time of wrath, O Lord, and fury great,  
Be unto me a Fence, and Tower strong;  
And let me to thy blessed Name retreat,  
Till thou avenged art for all the wrong  
That wicked men, O Lord, have done to me,  
And unto all, dear God, that do love thee.   

XIII.  
Let me, with patience, run that blessed race,  
And from my weights which grievious have been;  
Lord set me free, that I may run apace,  
And the immortal Crown, the prize, may win:  
Grant me thy fear, O Lord, guard well my Path,  
O give me patience, and with patience, Faith.   

XIV.  
Make thy dear Saints, great God, all of one heart,  
Let their divisions end also by thee,  
Let them unite again, and never part  
Whilst there is either Earth or Sea;  
And than thy praises, Lord, I will declare,  
For I shall then be freed from all my care.   

XV.  
Thy Saints, dear Lord, are many Members joined  
To make one body, whose blessed Head thou art;  
Let all thy Children, Lord, be of one mind,  
Let this one Body, Lord, have but one heart;  
Then shall I see indeed a blessed increase,  
Of Zions' Glory, and of Israel's Peace.   

XVI.  
Thy Children dear. O Lord, offended have,  
Do thou in mercy all their sins pass by;  
Have mercy, Lord, thy mercy do I crave,  
That they may live thy name to magnify;  
And I thy mercy, Lord, will show to all,  
And warning take, l●st that I also fall.   

XVII.  
Zion remember, Lord, in all her grief,  
She mourns, she weeps, she cries, and is in pain;  
Do thou in mercy send her such relief,  
That she with cause may never more complain;  
And then, O Lord, my sorrows will be o'er▪  
And I thy praises, Lord, will sing therefore.   

XVIII.  
O'er all the world, now let thy Gospel spread;  
All Popish enterprises Lord prevent:  
Let Papists never here get any head,  
As is their purpose, Lord, and full intent;  
And then▪ I shall, O Lord, without all shame,  
Ascribe the Glory to thy Holy Name.   

XIX.  
Lord, cast thine eyes upon those cruel Foes;  
Prevent their purpose, who this day combine  
Against thy Flock, O God, that thou hast chose;  
Do thou make them like Chaff before the wind;  
Preserve thy Heritage out of their hand,  
Establish Truth and Peace, Lord, in the Land.   

XX.  
O thou, great God, whose Judgements are severe,  
Whose Mercies too are full of sweet compassion;  
Do thou, Lord, scourge thy Foes both far and near,  
And grant to me the joy of thy Salvation;  
And I will spend the remnant of my days  
In Psalms of thanks to thee, and Songs of praise.   

XXI.  
Make haste, great God, to judge the bloody Whore▪  
Thy Righteous Judgements do thou execute;  
O let her fall, and never rise no more,  
Lord, don't deny me this my earnest Suit:  
But let me see her down before I die,  
That I thy Name therefore may magnify.   

XXII.  
Establish, Lord, the Kingdom of the Just;  
O let thy Son, upon his blessed Throne,  
Destroy the Kingdom, Lord, of the vile Beast;  
Let Christ, his foes to conquer, now go on,  
That in the heights of Zion I may sing,  
Hosanna, in the highest, to my King.   

XXIII.  
What thou, O Lord, hast un●o Zion told,  
Of blessings that thou hast for her in store;  
Those things, great God, O let my eyes behold,  
And then let me go hence and be no more.  
No more, dear God, I mean, as now am I,  
For I shall live to all eternity.   

XXIV.  
There's one thing more, O Lord, I beg for me,  
Let me always be well prepared to die;  
And this do I, Lord, also crave of thee,  
To reign with Christ to all eternity.  
And then, great God, when this short life is over,  
With Angels I will sing for evermore.   

XXV.  
What ever of my Suit thou dost deny,  
Grant me true Faith, let me always believe,  
That through Christ's death, when ere I come to die,  
A Paradise from thee I shall receive.  
O grant, dear God, to me this one request,  
Let me enjoy but thee, and I will rest.  
For having thee, O Lord, I all things have,  
And having thee, there's nothing more I crave.    

An Alarm to the wise and foolish Virgins.  

I.  
ALL you that fear  
The Lord, give ear  
To what I do indite,  
There is a cry,  
The Bridegroom's nigh,  
'tis now about midnight.   

II.  
Awake, awake,  
Your Lamps to take,  
●nd longer do not slumber;  
Them do you trim,  
To tend on him  
●nto the Wedding Chamber▪   

III.  
You Virgins all,  
To you I call;  
What Oil have you in store?  
If you have none,  
You are undone,  
Look to it now therefore.   

IV.  
Watch you always,  
Our Lord doth say,  
None knows the day nor hour;  
Watch carefully,  
For now it's nigh,  
The day of his great power.   

V.  
Wherefore arise,  
Open your eyes,  
The Daystar doth appear;  
Rise from your Bed,  
Lift up your head,  
Redemption now draws near.   

VI  
All who are wise,  
Their time do prize,  
Preparing for their Lord;  
To them he will  
His Word fulfil,  
His presence to afford.   

VII.  
But fools do haste,  
Their time to waste,  
In sleep and slothfulness;  
Yet they do dream,  
I do presume,  
Of glory ne'ertheless.   

VIII.  
But they indeed,  
On fancies feed;  
'Twill come to such an ebb,  
That they shall see,  
Their hopes will be,  
Like to the Spiders Web.   

IX.  
They still do keep  
Themselves asleep,  
And know not where they be;  
Were they awake,  
How would they quake,  
Their woeful state to see.   

X.  
You who remain,  
Carnal and vain,  
In a cold formal state;  
And all the while,  
Have got no Oil;  
You'll mourn when 'tis too late.   

XI.  
You who profess,  
And not possess,  
The Truth in Life and Power;  
Your state is bad,  
And will be sad,  
Before this day is over.   

XII.  
What is the shell  
To the kernel,  
Or Chaff unto the Wheat?  
You husks do take,  
And do forsake  
Your Souls most precious meat.   

XIII.  
'Tis the last day;  
O, therefore pray,  
And faithful now abide,  
Unto the Lord,  
With one accord,  
And be on the Lamb's side.   

XIV.  
And have a care,  
You do not dare,  
In Babel to remain;  
For if you do,  
Then also know,  
With her you shall be slain.   

XV.  
Come, come away,  
Without delay,  
With all speed and endeavour;  
Her end is come,  
Her fatal doom;  
Your Souls therefore deliver.   

XVI.  
You now do hear,  
Her ruins near;  
Your sins therefore forsake;  
And you'll prevent,  
Great punishment,  
Of which she must partake.   

XVII.  
All her pleasures,  
And rich treasures,  
Abhor as a great evil;  
God's Word doth show,  
Who love them do,  
Shall go unto the Devil.   

XVIII.  
Do you remove,  
Your Souls, dear Love,  
From Earth, and things thereof;  
For this hath been,  
Your very sin;  
Now cast it therefore off.   

XIX.  
On things above,  
Set you your love,  
Affections and desire;  
These things below,  
God will overthrow,  
With his consuming fire.   

XX.  
Alas, poor Souls,  
Be not such fools,  
To labour for the Wind;  
The Wealth you heap,  
You shall not keep,  
'Tis true, ere long you'll find.   

XXI.  
Do you not rest  
On self-int'rest,  
But wholly for the Lord;  
For he'll at last,  
You surely blast,  
According to his Word.   

XXII.  
There are some men,  
Cry Lord, When, when,  
Wilt thou in Glory come?  
Who will repent,  
And then relent,  
They prayed for his Kingdom.   

XXIII.  
For it will be,  
They then shall see,  
As when on escapes a Bear;  
That being gone,  
Comes a Lion,  
Doth him in pieces tear.   

XXIV.  
Subdue your sin,  
For it hath been,  
Your chiefest Enemy;  
I say, again,  
Let it not reign,  
Throughly it crucify.   

XXV.  
For in this Land,  
There's none shall stand,  
And happy be indeed,  
But only those,  
Whom God hath chose,  
Who on Christ Jesus feed.   

XXVI.  
Continually,  
O, therefore cry,  
For Christ and precious Grace;  
That with his blessed,  
You all may rest,  
When you have run your race.   

XXVII.  
And the Bridegroom,  
When he doth come,  
He will you entertain;  
And you shall then,  
Be happy men,  
And with him ever reign.   

XXVIII.  
Yea, gloriously,  
In majesty,  
Your honour shall excel;  
Here will I end,  
Who am your Friend,  
And bid you all farewell.    

A POSTSCRIPT: Or, an After-Word to ENGLAND.  
TO thee, O Land, this after-word I write,  
Which doth love darkness, and abhor the light;  
I finish can't this Work, until that I,  
Against thy wickedness do testify;  
And do pronounce the Righteous God's decree,  
Which will with vengeance executed be  
In a short time; and that because thou hast,  
Let Zion, like a barren Field, lie waste:  
She hath been trod upon in great disdain,  
And yet from thee no comfort could obtain;  
Thou hast not succoured her in great distress,  
Nor helped her, though in the Wilderness:  
She, as a stranger, fain would sojourn here,  
But thou not willing art, as doth appear,  
Her to embrace; no nor the Gospel neither,  
But fain thou wouldst be rid of them together.  
Alas, thou sinful Nation, most unwise,  
That hates thy friends, and loves thy enemies;  
What wilt thou do over a little space?  
I much lament thy sad and heavy case;  
Thy sins more vile than Sodoms doth abound:  
Some Righteous ones, indeed, in thee are found,  
Or else, before this time, I fully know,  
God had, like Sodom, wrought thy overthrow.  
God hath with great compassion born with thee,  
But yet thou art as vile; this I do see:  
Judgements therefore already are begun,  
And God will make thee bow ere he has done;  
He'll break thy heart, and make thee for to cry,  
Lord, I have sinned, thy Name I glorify.  
God hath begun to make thy people few,  
And made them know, that they are like the dew,  
Which early passeth, when the Sun doth rise,  
Or like the Shadow which so swiftly flies.  
The glory of thy City God hath stained,  
Which like a Queen so long a time hath reigned.  
But yet, the worst, O England, is behind;  
Alas, these judgements I do clearly find,  
Have made thee worse than thou wert before;  
Instead of healing, they have made thy sore  
Appear so dangerous, that I do see,  
There is no help, nor cure now for thee.  
woe, woe, unto all people high and low,  
My Soul doth mourn and bleed, because I know  
The day of vengeance doth draw very near,  
Wherein all people shall cry out with fear;  
They then will weep, and bitterly will mourn,  
And curse the day that ever they were born  
To see such days, the which will surely come,  
Which will be like, though not the day of doom.  
Thou wilt repent that ere thou didst provoke  
The Righteous God; for why, his dreadful stroke  
Will be so sore, that some will seek to die;  
But Death, alas, from them away will fly;  
While others they their bitter days shall end,  
A just reward, from God, whom they offend.  
Some now there be alive, which shall behold,  
The dreadful things which to thee have been told.  
With Nineveh, therefore, with speed repent,  
If happily thou mayst God's Wrath prevent;  
Which otherwise will come on thee, O Land,  
Before which Wrath, alas, no flesh can stand.  
Cease to do evil, I do thee advise,  
Learn to do well, I do thee advertise;  
Break of all yokes, set the oppressed free,  
And labour for a Christian Liberty.  
The Pope, that Hellish Beast, do thou withstand,  
And all who ready are at his command,  
To yield unto that wicked bloody Whore,  
Who thinks to have the day again once more;  
Do thou in time their purpose frusterate,  
Who enemies are both to Prince and State.  
Yield thou obedience unto God and King,  
Rebellion is a vile and cursed thing;  
which I exhort thee to defy and hate,  
And utterly for to alominate:  
For like the sin of witchcraft, 'tis I know,  
And those that guilty are God will overthrow.  
If thou this counsel take, I dare not say,  
But God may turn his furious wrath away;  
And thou mayst notwithstanding at the length,  
Shine forth in glory and in perfect strength.  
FINIS.