Zion in Distress, Poem 1 · Part 44 – Part 45
Truth.
Moſt glorious Judge, ſince this bold Whore denies
Her filthy lewdneſs, and Adulteries,
Let me but prove it, and proclaim her ſhame,
'Tis known that I a ſaithful Witneſs am.
It has been Evidenc'd by Viſion clear
That ſome ſtrange Monſter ſhould on earth appear,
Which by imperfect views did firſt amaze
Segacious minds when they on it did gaze;
Which made mens Judgments to divide aſunder
To ſee an Object of unuſual Wonder,
A Woman! City! and a ſcarlet Whore!
The like on Earth was never ſeen before.
A Woman in her pompous glory dreſt,
And ſitting on a Monſtrous Horned Beaſt,
Who it decypher'd by prodigious things,
His very Horns (explain'd) are Crowned Kings.
And then this mighty wonder to compleat,
She's plac'd on a Seven-hilled Seat;
She's ſtiled a Woman, and a Whore, becauſe
She once ſubmitted to Enacted Laws,
As other women do, when they do wed
A Husband, and enjoy a Marriage bed.
And who this Woman is, ſhall now be known,
Her proper Title is (Great Babylon)
Who in great Pomp and Royal State doth ride,
Excelling haughty Jezebel in Pride;
Who in our modern times hath boaſting been,
That ſhe Rules all men as a mighty Queen,
Trampling on Kings and Crowned Potentates,
Commanding Kingdoms, Common-wealths, and States,
Requiring Subjects blindly to obey,
Preſſing the Beaſt, and Horns, to kill and ſlay
At ſuch a rate, as that all Chriſtendom
Like Butchers bloody Shambles are become.
If by this Mark ſhe is not underſtood,
Neither by Garb, Beaſt, Actions, or by Blood,
To other waies of proof, I'le quickly come
And ſhew this Whore to be the Church of Rome.
The Woman which th' Adpoſtle John beheld
Array'd in Purple, and in Pomp upheld
By that blaſphemous, ſcarlet colour'd Beaſt
That was with Gold and Stones of value dreſt:
Holding a Cup full of Abominations,
And black pollutions of her Fornications;
That with great Kings Adultery commits,
And on a Sev'n-hill'd Habitation ſits,
*Rev. 17. 18.The holy Angel of the Lord explains
That 'tis that City which ſo proudly Reigns
Over the Kings of th' Earth; but all theſe Notes,
And what beſides the bleſſed Spirit quotes,
With Papal Rome, exactly do agree,
She therefore muſt this bloody Strumpet be.
If all the Marks that of this Whore are given
Will not meet any where ſo plain and even
As on the Church and People I did name,
Then certainly She is the very ſame;
Firſt, then 'tis evident that there is none
May be ſo fitly ſtiled Babylon.
Was Babylon a People of Renown
To that ſame height the Church of Rome is grown.
Had Babylon a great and peerleſs King?
This Church can ſhew an Image of that thing.
Did Babylon poor Iſrael Invade?
This Church on Sion the ſame Invades made.
Did Babylon make Salem deſolate?
This hath brought Sion near to that Eſtate.
Did Babylon make Prophets drink their Tears,
Shake Kingdoms, and fill Peoples hearts with fears?
This Church, hath done ſo; yea, and far out-done
Her Arch type, and ſo beyond her run.
Did Babylon the Prophets bear away
…nto Captivity, and make a prey
Of all the Treaſure that her hand could find?
This Papal Church is not a whit behind.
On th' ableſt guides ſhe laid her helliſh hands,
Confining them to Priſon under Bands;
As if 'twere not enough for her to do,
She ſeiz'd their Perſons, and their ſubſtance too.
Did Babylon God's Worſhip over-throw,
Set up an Idol, and command to Bow?
This Church hath done the fame, yea, and much more,
Fill'd heaped meaſure, and much running o're.
'Twas ſhe that took the Word of God away,
And by a String of Beads taught men to pray.
She rob'd the Layety of the bleſſed Cup,
And ſpoil'd the Feaſt where Children come to Sup,
At the Lords Table where they us'd to mind
The bleſſed things their Saviour left behind.
She did ſet up her Superſtitious Maſs,
As rank an Idol as yet ever was,
Commanding adoration to be given
Of equal honour with the God of Heaven;
Impoſing Vows, unwarranted Traditions,
Implicit Faith, and thouſand Superſtitions,
Pretended Miracles, apperent Lies,
Damnable Errors, and …ond Fopperies;
She clogs the Conſcience, and to make all well,
Boaſts all her Dictates are Infallible.
Did Babylon the burning Work begin?
Make a hot Farnace? Thruſt Gods Worthies in?
This Church herein hath driven ſuch a trade,
That thouſands, broiling Martyrs ſhe hath made.
She ſets the Pope above the holy one,
The great Jehovah and his bleſſed Son.
'Tis ſhe declares him Univerſal Head,
'Tis ſhe forbids the Bible to be read.
'Tis ſhe that firſt did from the Faith depart,
'Tis ſhe that wounded Sion to the heart.
'Tis ſhe hath been the occaſion of all evil,
'Tis ſhe advanc'd the Doctrine of the Devil.
'Tis ſhe that taught her Sons to ſwear and lie,
To vouch great falſhdods, and plain truths deny.
'Tis ſhe that did forbid the Marriage Bed,
Whilſt her vile Clergy ſuch ill lives have led▪
Was it not ſhe that Canon did create,
Commanding plainly to abſtain from meat,
Which God gave licence unto all to eat.
If from this charge ſhe can her ſelf defend,
Then may ſhe make the Judge and Law her friend
Or if ſhe can produce another tribe,
To whom we may this Character aſcribe;
With greater clearneſs than we do to her,
We will conſent her Sentence to defer.
Judge.
ROme, ſince thou canſt not make a fair defence,
And ſhew to all the World thine innocence.
'Tis very evident that all these things,
Have been fulfilled on Kingdoms and their Kings.
And now if there no other People be,
That did the like, then thou alone art ſhe.
Let thy denials trouble men no more,
Thou only art the bloody ſcarlet Whore.
Therefore in Juſtice I at length am come,
(Being long provokt) to paſs thy final d…om.