Week 1 JEREMIAH REVIVED: Though in his PRISON; or his Lamentations paralleled. April's mild Showers after Marches rough storms, or Great Britan's voice of Weeping after Great Britan's Vote of Loyalty. Being a mournful representation of the KING and His KINGDOMS wretched condition. Seasonably dewing down in four several Showers this springing Month of April, each Week one. This is the first Shower. April 6th Printed for N. P. the Author. 1648. JEREMIAH Revived, though in His Prison. HO, Aeolus after a discreet, though sharp and niping use of storm raising Boreas in defence of Charlemains, I have returned him (not standing in need of an Ordinance of Indemnity: for, though he hath spoken loud, yet he hath been harmless in his March) into the vast Conclave of his strong prison; and now for the more successful prosecution of my design, I request thee gently to latch thy sword into the South West side of that wind pregnant mountain, and thence let all fruitfull-shower-distilling Zephyrus steal a freedom by degrees tobreath with his humid blasts this Spring, on the Rocks of Albion and make her stony mountains as fertile as the low laid valleys: or rather, Oblessed Saviour who commandest the winds and they obey thee; send forth amongst us the * Zephyrus of thy Word & promise that Grace-infusing Spirit of thy Father, Mat. 8.27. john 3.8. joh. 25.26. Act. 17.25.28. 2 Sam. 21.1, 10.14. the Lord of all our beings, and God of every blessing; who testified that he was pacified after his fierce wrath, for the breach of a Nationall Oath or Covenant, by sending a seasonable rain: and who bringeth up the clouds from the ends of the earth, and maketh the lightnings with the rain; drawing forth the winds out of his treasures Ps. 135.7 that he may blow up a shower of thy precious dew of saving Charity, and diffuse the rain of the Gospel of Peace, which distilling on the flinty hills and Rockey Mountains, the marble hearts and obdurate souls of the Lords and Commons, and all their adherents, may make them as fruitful of remorse for, and compassion of the sad condition and distraction of this languishing yea gasping Kingdom, as they have been prodigal of its blood and oppression; and that, being mollified with pity, and melted into commiseration, three kingdoms groans may at last make such an impression in their minds as may cause them to look seriously upon their present desperate state, and cordially apply themselves to prevent in this their time their utter ruin and subversion, both Pathetically presented unto them in this mournful representation of the King and Kingdoms sad and wretched condition. 1. How doth the Eden of Europe remain solitary without her Adam? she is as a widow: she that was once in high esteem among foreign Countries, and the glory of the whole world for the Sceptre of Judah in her, how is she forced to turn Issachar (though strong, yet an Ass) and tamely couches between two burdens, Gen. 29.14 Presbytery and Independency: though great of force, yet wanting courage to resist her enemies. 2. For this, 'tis true, she weeps continually, and her tears murmur in the furrows of her cheeks, but it is by stealth, in the night; despairing of consolation from her pretending savourers, for among such her Lovers, there is none to comfort her: and scaring to discover her grief to those who formerly declared themselves her Patriots; for those false friends have dealt unfaithfully with her, and having compounded with the causers of her woe, are become her enemies. 3. Her Lion, Gen. 49 8 to whom her Father's sons should bow down is forced to couch under restraint and heavy affliction, and she herself brought into great slavery by an heathen sort of people, who now dwell in her houses: from whose cruel oppressions which they lay upon her, she can discover no hope of freedom, nor can she yet find rest in the midst of those troubles, distractions and unnatural wars wherein they have involved her, her persecutors having taken her in the straits. 4. The ways to the houses of God in her land mourn, for all her solemn Feasts are despized and voted against; Psa. 42.4, 5. all the gates of these Zions' into which her David led her sons and daughters with the voice of singing and praise, as a multitude that keepeth a Feast, may now lift up their voice in weeping and howling and lamenting, for they are become desolate; the mouths of the Oxen that used there to tread out her corn, are … led, 1 Cot. 9.9.13. her Priests are permitted neither to wait at her Altars, not to partake with her Altars: just cause then have her Ministers to ●igh● her tender ones to be discomfited, and she herself to fit in heaviness. 5. Her enemies flourish having got the better, and those who are her greatest adversaries Oreb and Zech (Fairfax and Grun●well) 〈◊〉 the chief (the one Captain, the other Li●ustenant Psal. 83. who with Zeba and Zalo … na (the Lords and Commons) have cast their heads together with one consent, and made a League together against her, and now that Ashur is also joined with them, they dare boldly say, Let us take for our possession the habitation of all that is called God: White-Hall, Westminster, with all Cathedral and Parochial Churches and Chapels. And this the Lord permits (she confesseth) because he intends to humble her by afflictions, and chastise her for the multitude of her transgressions, especially her rebellions against, and want of a due commanded fear of God and her King: Yea because she hath willingly meddled, and readily had to do with the seditious, Pro. 24 21. or those that were and are given to change, her children are become captives, slaves and vassals to hers and their enemies. 6 So that now from this daughter of Zion (once flourishing England) all her beauty is departed▪ her lawful rulers like Hearts that find no pasture, are as men pined away with sorrow, and bereft of all strength and courage, all power and command, are forced to flee before the Nimrods' of these days, Gen. 10 9 2 K 9.20. who Jehu like pursue them. 7. But what? 1 Cor. 4.8. may not her Jerusalem triumph and rejoyce●▪ she lives at case and is full: Nay even she also may expect a day of affliction for her rebellion: when all the pleasant things that she enjoyed in time past shall be taken from her, then shall she with grief of soul call to mind and remember the benefits and commodities she had during here obedience, but lost since she hath so consentingly lost the acknowledgement of her Allegiance to her Royal Sovereign. Nay, may we not say her misery is in part fallen on her already? look but upon her people and power, inhabitants and Militia: did not they all in one day fall into the hand of her enemy, and none did help here her adversaries advanced towards, looked upon and straightway overcame her, and now mock at her Sabbaths, all that she held sacred, her Assembly, her Classis and Directory. 8. Yea she is become the derision of other countries, jer. 18.61. the * Deu. 28.37. By word of neighbour Nations, and the … ing of them from after▪ * Ver. 19.8. Mic. 6.16. all that heretofore honoured her as the best Ordered most decently civilised, and purest reformed Catholick-Religion-professing City of the world, now d●spise her and point at her, because they have s●●n h●r 〈…〉 schisms, yea, her Hydra-headed bulk of errors and blasphemies. O then that London would purge her stinking air with whole gales of heart-breathed sighs, and cleanse her seditious streets with soul-wept tears, out of a seriously sorrowful sense and acknowledgement that she hath grievously sinned. 9, 10, 11. But alas! Now readers, if guilty, read this if you dare without remorse & compunction, if guiltless, hear this without amazement and compassion, sinful London sighs indeed, but the n turns backward. All People sigh and seek the living Bread, the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ, but find it not, lyea, they part from their pleasant things for wholesome meat, sound Doctrine to refresh the soul, but are seduced & deceived, for thy Prophet's prophecy lies and thine adversaries the Sectaries love to have it so: these have destroyed Gods true Religion, jer. 5.31. cast his public Worship and Service out of their assemblies, rejected his sacred Ordinances, reviled the footsteps of his Anointed, strained and laid violent hands upon his loyal Servant their royal Sovereign the King, despised God's Law, despited his servants the Preachers, violated the law of Nature and Nations, beat, imprisoned, and robbed their fellow-subjects, who have not run giddily into the same excess of Rebellion with themselves, and to make all good that they either say or act; they have set up their Banners and spread their Ensigns in sign of defiance, Psal. 74.4. and as evidences to all the World, that they resolve to justify themselves by the Sword not the Word, by Machiavelli not the Gospel, by B●ll●na not the Bible, and confute the Arguments of all that shall oppose their Sic volo sic jubeo, stat proratione voluntas, with distress not discourse, with a Prison not a Pulpit, encouraging one another to cruelty, that not only God's People might be destroyed, but also his Religion utterly in all places suppressed, and their own Babel of confession and Anarchy both in Church and State instead thereof erected. Great Britain: See, O Lord, and consider: for I am become vile. 12 What I Hath a universal Lethargy overspread the whole Land? Hath all the People quaffed their fills of the stupifying Waters of Leth●, hath a blackness as palpable as that of Egypt clouded their understandings and darkened their judgements? or hath a willingness to be blinded, hoodwinked, and so led namely to their own destruction, seized on all the Inhabitants of England, that they are generally so insensible of their present Woes and approaching Miseries? Have ye no regard ally that pass by this way? O! thou who art justly styled The Defender of the Faith, Dost thou not consider how the Faith of jesus Christ so prospeously, and with God's blessing peofessed in this Land, is assaulted, in danger, and never stood in more need of thy defence than now? Alas, thou dost, but to the grief of thy soul canst not secure it other ways than by thy patiented suffering all manner of affronts, incivilities, inhumanities' wherewith the scum of the Land; the dregs of our Nation, and the offscouring of thy Subjects daily entertain thy person and exercise, thy graces and virtues; for they have rebelliously usurped thy power, and violently wrested the Sword out of thy hand, lest thou shouldest oppose the one unsheathe the other and make use of both in this so just and lawful a Defence, which before the Throne of thy King shall make for their greater condemnation, but thy more glorious justification. Thou wouldst but wert not admitted, nay, by force of Arms hindered and restrained from performing this thy duty. O ye great Clerks and learned Doctors, whose calling it is to tell Judah of her transgressions and Israel of her sins; do ye not see that certain men are crept into the Fold, Wolves in Sheep's clothing, turning the grace of our God into wantonness, speaking lies through hypocrisy, jude 4. 1 Tim. 4.2 2 Pet. 2.10. walking after the flesh in the lusts of uncleanness, and dully, but yet impudently despising and despiting Governments, and speaking evil of them that are in authority? Nay, do ye not bear and see how the false Prophets and Teachers spoken of by the Apostles of old are now (if ever) among us, and have broached damnable errors and heresies, 2 Pet. 2 21. Iu●e 9 even denying the Lord that ha●h bought them, God the only Lord, and the Lord jesus Christ: those makers of Sects, mockers foretell of * 2 P●●. 3.3. Rom. 16.17, 18. causers of divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine of Jesus Christ which ye have learned and taught, who serve not the Lord jesus Christ, but their own bellies; those deceiving deceivers who creep into houses, and with fair speeches and fawning flatter beguile the hearts of the unstable souls; and how that many follow their insolent, wanton, licentious; yea, damnable ways, by reason whereof the way of truth is evil spoken of? And are ye silent, mute, and your Trumpets not heard? Though ye have knowledge, and are established in the Truth, have ye yet need of a Peter to put ye in mind of these things, and stir you up by retriving in your remembrance the duty enjoined you by Saint Paul, 2 Tim. 4.2 Preach the Word; be instant in season and out of season; improve, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering. Alas, the last gift they will provide ye shall daily exercise, but at no time (by their good wills) any of the former: that headless, heartless, tongueless Trunk of a Parliament, a generation that strive with the Priest, Hos. 4.2. hath ordered the stopping of your mouths, or stifling of your breaths: for the time (foretold by the Apostle) being now come, 2 Tim. 4.3 they will not suffer wholesome Doctrine, but having their ears itching, after their own lusts get them an heap of Teachers. You are silenced: you can, but may not. O then, ye that only can, ye that call yourselves the Patriots of the Law, the loyal Subjects of the King, and the representative Body of the Kingdom, express it in these two Acts, pity and period their sorrows, their sufferings towards whom to pregnant a remorse now at last in your breasts, may these sad showers of Lamentation be distilled into your bosoms. Great Britain, Behold and see if ever sorrow were like my sorrow which is done unto me, and wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce wrath. etc. read Lamen. verse●. 13, etc. 22. What I careless, heedless, remorseless Cannot three Kingdom's groans make on● impression? Confound them Lord, retaliate their oppression. FINIS.