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 Popish 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 |
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Their wicked Laws good Men must not transgress,
Nay which is worse; they force them to profess,
And to declare, They just and righteous are,
And fit to be obey'd; yea they must Swear
They will defend them, and that Power too
That did Enact them; which was hard to do.
There's one thing more that's grievous to relate,
Which shews their cruel and malicious hate.
That finding Legal Tryals 'gainst them slow
And troublesome, they grant a power to
The rude ungovern'd Souldiers; so that they
Have pow'r to challenge, and examine may
Whom they think fit, and Oaths likewise impose,
Scotland ne're saw such Justices as those.
Yea they commanded and enjoined were
To put to death all such as would not Swear:
Yea if they would not answer the demands
Of these leud wretches; then into their hands
They fell, who most severely them did use;
The French Dragoons could them not worse abuse:
And in few weeks no less than Fifty dy'd
Of those that their curst Tyranny decry'd.
No Judge these Martyr'd Christians did condemn,
Neither did any Jury pass on them.
The Souldiers without cause destroy'd them all,
Which doth aloud to Heav'n for vengeance call:
They kill and slay without respect to Age
Or Sex; to gratifie their brutish rage.
They raise an Army like to that in France,
Their Arbitrary Power to advance;
And the Intrigues of Rome to carry on,
And this for Scotland's sorrows makes me moan.
Nay which is worse; they force them to profess,
And to declare, They just and righteous are,
And fit to be obey'd; yea they must Swear
They will defend them, and that Power too
That did Enact them; which was hard to do.
There's one thing more that's grievous to relate,
Which shews their cruel and malicious hate.
That finding Legal Tryals 'gainst them slow
And troublesome, they grant a power to
The rude ungovern'd Souldiers; so that they
Have pow'r to challenge, and examine may
Whom they think fit, and Oaths likewise impose,
Scotland ne're saw such Justices as those.
Yea they commanded and enjoined were
To put to death all such as would not Swear:
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Of these leud wretches; then into their hands
They fell, who most severely them did use;
The French Dragoons could them not worse abuse:
And in few weeks no less than Fifty dy'd
Of those that their curst Tyranny decry'd.
No Judge these Martyr'd Christians did condemn,
Neither did any Jury pass on them.
The Souldiers without cause destroy'd them all,
Which doth aloud to Heav'n for vengeance call:
They kill and slay without respect to Age
Or Sex; to gratifie their brutish rage.
They raise an Army like to that in France,
Their Arbitrary Power to advance;
And the Intrigues of Rome to carry on,
And this for Scotland's sorrows makes me moan.
Poor men Free Quarters must provide, or they
Are plundered, and all is swept away;
And many hundred sober Persons were
Inhumanely destroy'd year after year.
No former Tyrant scarcely did invent
More Tortures than good men there under-went;
VVhich they must suffer, or must else defile
Their Consciences with their Opinions vile.
It seem'd as if Inquisitors were come
To Scotland now from Spain, or else from Rome.
Ah! poor inslaved Land, Ah! must thou be
The Scene of Popish Pride and Cruelty?
Thy Magistrates are ravening VVolves become,
Of Esau's Race, fit Instruments for Rome.
Thy Noble Patriots mourn, thy Priests are sad;
Thy Kirk has lost that Glory which she had.
'Tis good for thee to weigh, and lay to Heart
What caus'd these woes, under which thou dost smart.
Are plundered, and all is swept away;
And many hundred sober Persons were
Inhumanely destroy'd year after year.
No former Tyrant scarcely did invent
More Tortures than good men there under-went;
VVhich they must suffer, or must else defile
Their Consciences with their Opinions vile.
It seem'd as if Inquisitors were come
To Scotland now from Spain, or else from Rome.
Ah! poor inslaved Land, Ah! must thou be
The Scene of Popish Pride and Cruelty?
Thy Magistrates are ravening VVolves become,
Of Esau's Race, fit Instruments for Rome.
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Thy Kirk has lost that Glory which she had.
'Tis good for thee to weigh, and lay to Heart
What caus'd these woes, under which thou dost smart.
Hast thou not been too hot, and too severe,
And hence are forc'd such miseries now to bear?
Learn wisdom then, and mild and gentle be,
Since God doth never love severity.
If ever he return to thee again,
Let not thy sharpness all thy glory stain.
Let such who can't unite and joyn with thee
Have equal Love, and Christian Liberty;
Or else at length a fiercer Storm may come,
Than what thou hast already had from Rome.
Farewel, poor Scotland, for I must be gone;
And now methinks I hear poor Ireland groan:
With a sad Heart I take my leave of thee,
And what is doing there resolve to see.
And hence are forc'd such miseries now to bear?
Learn wisdom then, and mild and gentle be,
Since God doth never love severity.
If ever he return to thee again,
Let not thy sharpness all thy glory stain.
Let such who can't unite and joyn with thee
Have equal Love, and Christian Liberty;
Or else at length a fiercer Storm may come,
Than what thou hast already had from Rome.
Farewel, poor Scotland, for I must be gone;
And now methinks I hear poor Ireland groan:
With a sad Heart I take my leave of thee,
And what is doing there resolve to see.
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