A Second CHRISTIAN WARNING-PIECE; wherein is showed the first and chief Cause of England's present Misery, proved to be the Chief Magistrate's Neglect, in not fully doing that Work God hath commanded, that must be yet done, because God hath said it, before this Nation can expect Deliverance. Humbly presented to the PARLIAMENT.  
Right Honourable,  
THe most wise God, who useth the Ministry of his glorious Angels in the Government of the World, hath also ordained some Men to be Governors in the Nations: in which weighty Work that wise King Solomon had some of the prudentest Men in his Kingdom, to give counsel in times of greatest danger, for the Preservation and Peace of his People.  
2. Your Honours, by the Providence of a gracious God, are the King's Majesty's most grave Counsellors in Parliament, gathered together at such a time when this, if not three Protestant Nations, are in most apparent danger of Desolation, not only by the many Judgements of Plagues and Fires already come, but many more threatened; by reason whereof the Nation, as it is a Body Politic, its whole Head is sick, and Heart faint, so that from head to foot there is nothing but Wounds, and Bruises, and putrified Sores, full of Corruption; which in the eye of Reason cannot be cured only by cutting off some dead fleshly Traitors, and so think thereby to heal the Nation's Wound; when as the chief Cause hath not yet been looked into, not known, and so cannot be removed, therefore it still breaketh out afresh, more dangerous than at former times; as hath been proved by many years woeful experience. Therefore it is the opinion of the ablest Physicians, when a Body is desperately diseased, the Cause must be enquired into; and, when known, the Means ordained of God used for removing it, before there can be a Cure either in the Body of a Man, or a Nation.  
3. The truth of this your Honours may see in Holy Writ, that the Lord, in the days of David King of Israel, sent a sore Judgement on that Land of three years' Famine; and so long it continued until the Cause was inquired into by the King and his Council, and when it was known to be for the sin of King Saul's bloody house, for destroying the Gibeonites his Subjects, whom by Oath, according to the Covenant made with them by Joshua and all Israel, before the Lord, he ought to have defended and preserved: But so soon as King David gave order that Judgement should be executed, God was immediately entreated for the Land. O that this may be well minded by your Honours.  
4. Because the Lord sendeth not his sore Judgements, either of Famine, Sword or Pestilence on a Nation, especially on his own People, without a just Cause, as is proved by another Precedent: When God commanded King Saul utterly to destroy Amaleck, because he murdered the Lord's People, when weary and faint in the Wilderness, as they journied to the promised Land: and for the neglect hereof God suffered an Amalekite to kill King Saul: and also, by reason the Lord's Work was done so negligently, the whole People of the Jews in King Ahasuerus his Country were near to be destroyed in a day by the Plottings and Contrivances of that wicked Haman, the seed of Agag the King of Amaleck, had not the Lord marvellously prevented it. And whether these things, in a figure, are not the cause of the present Misery and Danger this Nation is in, let your Honours be Judges.  
5. Because the Lord having commanded the Kings of the Earth, especially Protestant Kings, to hate the Whore, to wit, of Rome, utterly to make her desolate, according to Rev. 17. because she, as a second and spiritual Amaleck, murdered the Lord's People, making herself drunk with the Blood of Saints, as they are travelling in the Wilderness of this World towards their everlasting Rest; so that because a part of this Work was done by King Henry the Eighth K. Edward the Sixth, and Q. Elizabeth of happy memory, (when they abolished out of this Nation the Lord Abbots, Cardinals, Jesuits, with some other of her Abominations) and is not fully finished, but neglected by the King and his Parliament, God had almost suffered the King's Majesty (whom God preserve) to be murdered by four Ruffians, the seed of the spiritual Whore; because all the Romish Inventions, either in Ministry, or other of her yet remaining Abominations imposed by Law of oversight on the Consciences of the King's Subjects in Protestant Churches, is not abolished, and for this same Neglect, whether the whole Nation is not in as much danger to be destroyed (as the Jews were in Mordiea's days) by the Plottings and Contrivances of the wicked haman's of that Popish bloodthirsty Generation, your Honours can best judge.  
Lastly, Because the King's Majesty, together with your Honours, will not bear with such an affront from any foreign Princes or States, to impose upon you some of their Laws and Officers to be joined with yours in any of the Offices, Customs or Orders in Government of the Nation: No more will the Lord Jesus have imposed on him in the spiritual affairs of his Church, any of the Offices or Traditions of the Popes, Prelates, or any other not warranted by the Word of God, without incurring his high displeasure. And for Confirmation hereof, I shall make bold to lay before your Honours these four Reasons.  
1. As light and darkness can have no communion together, no more (saith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 6.) can Christ and Belial; that is, Christ in his Ordinances, and the Pope or his Prelates in their Traditions and Inventions, joined in Worship together; but as the Lord destroyed them that set the Ark of God and Dagon together, and consumed his own People in his Anger, that (saith the Lord, Ezek. 43. 8.) set my Threshold and theirs, Me and Them, mine Ordinances and their Abominations together in Worship: How can Protestants for these things think to far any better than those Idolaters , let the wise in heart judge.  
2. If God made the Canaanites as thorns in the eyes and sides of the Children of Israel, because they defiled themselves with their Abominations, and made a breach in the Covenant made between the Lord and them, who commanded them not to meddle with their Inventions in Worship, nor make Marriages with them: May it not be even so with these Nations, because Protestants have defiled themselves with many Popish Inventions in Worship, and also because many do make Marriages with the Papists; hath not God, since the Reformation began, even for these things, made the Papists as thorns in the eyes and sides of this Protestant Nation, I leave to your Honours to judge.  
3. If the Lord did vex the Children of Israel with all Adversity, so that there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, because they worshipped God with another Ministry, and Inventions of King Jeroboam's making: and because they kept the Statutes of Omri, and the manner of the house of Ahab, walking in their Counsels in Worship, contrary to the Law of God given by the hand of Moses, for which the Lord threatened to make them desolate: how shall such Protestants believe any other, that worship God by a Ministry of Man's making, with many Popish Inventions also, but for it God will still vex this Land with all Adversity, as by woeful experience is seen this day; and, if we be not warned, in the end the Lord may justly make this Land desolate: as when no means would cause Israel to return to the Lord's true Worship, the Land did spew them out.  
4. Because the Lord's People of old, by Covenant made between him and them, were his espoused Wife, and he their Husband: and the fellowship and communion they spiritually had together, was as in a Bed of Love, so long as she, as an obedient Wife, yielded obedience in all things that appertained to his Worship, and to no others Commands and Directions, either in Ministry, Ordinances, Time or Order: but when Judah did defile herself with the Babylonish Inventions in Worship, the Babylonians were said to come in to her into the Bed of Love, Ezek. 23. 17. for which God threatened them, as a Woman that broke Wedlock, to give them into the hands of the Babylonians her Lovers: Even so under the Gospel, the Lord's People by the Covenant of the Gospel are espoused or married to one Husband Christ Jesus, who is the Head of the Body his Church; and so long as she obeys the Commands of her Lord, the only Archbishop and Pastor of his Flock, she is said, in the performance of his holy Ordinances, to have fellowship together with him as in a Bed of Love. But when those Protestants that so account of themselves that they are the Lord's People by Covenant, and Christ their Head and Husband, do yield obedience to the Commands of Popes, Prelates, or any other mortal men, in the Worship of God, she (as an Harlot) is said, with Antichrist, to take their fill of Love together, as in a Bed; Prov. 7. 18. Now if no honest Man will endure that his Wife should yield obedience in Marriage-duties to another Man, because Jealousy is as the Rage of a Man, that he will not spare in the day of his Anger, how then shall the Lord? because Marriage is honourable, and the Bed undefiled, but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge; so that the Lord will not spare in the day of his Anger. O that these things might be well minded by all good Protestants!  
Now, Right Honourable and Noble Patriots, seeing for the Evils aforesaid, first, for the King's Majesty, together with the Parliament's neglect to obey the Commands of God, in making the Whore (to wit, of Rome) desolate, in abolishing all and every thing that hath but the smell, scent, or taste of Popery, either in Place of Trust in the Nation, or in Place and Office, with their Traditions in Worship, set up by former Kings by Law of oversight in Protestant Churches, for which the Lord is angry not only with the King, and your Honours, but also with the whole Nation. And for the doing of this glorious Work, that there be no erring on the right hand nor on the left, I humbly beg leave to lay before your Honours these three Observations.  
1. The wise God hath given the King's Majesty, together with his Honourable Council, most perfect Directions in this his Work of Reformation about the Worship of God, by example of the Godly Kings of Judah, who had no power by their Civil or Kingly Authority to add to, or diminish from the Worship of God, but to remember the Law of Moses, as a most perfect Direction for all things in Worship; so that when any King, by the counsel of false Prophets and Teachers together, or in his own heart, did devise or set up in Worship to God, or to the worship of Idols, any thing either by way of a false Ministry, or Altars, or Sacrifice, or any other thing aforesaid, contrary to God's Law, the Godly Kings of Judah, Asa, Jehosaphat, Hezekiah, and Josiah, by the Command of God did demolish it, and destroy it out of their Dominions, and did call the Lord's People by all loving means to the Service and Worship of God, according as it was found written in the Law of Moses. And thus they were (as God had promised Kings should be) Nursing Father's: not such Nurses, to give the Lord's Children Milk, the sincere doctrine of his Word (as is the Ministers work) the Breasts of his Church for Consolation; but, as Nurses, that look after with care, to defend and preserve the Church from all enemies at home or abroad, that (Dragonlike) are ready to devour her Children, which the Church in her painful Ministry and Preaching, traveleth in pain till Christ be form in them, begotten by the seed of the immortal Word; that so as the Psalmist, Prophet, and others say, this and that Man was born in her; Psal. 87. Isa. 66. Rev. 12. Gal. 4. And this is still the duty of Christian Kings under the Gospel; not to add or diminish, but to preserve the Church while she followeth her Head and Husband CHRIST in all his Directions in Worship, and to demolish all Images, and false Inventions and Traditions set up by other Kings in Worship to God; that so the Romish Whore may be made desolate, and the Anger of the Lord turned away from this Nation, as it was when the good Kings of Judah did the same work, from that Nation. For what a shame is it to see in the Cathedrals in England how the Clergy bow and cringe themselves to a wooden Altar, Papist-like!  
2. There is no King, nor other mortal Man, hath power over the Conscience of any of his Subjects in spiritual things: as saith the Apostle, — we have no dominion over your Faith. Therefore when Joshua conquered part of Canaan, and the Nations became tributary to Israel, as their Subjects and Servants, they forced them not to be of their Religion; because they, and all Kings should know that it is a work belonging to God only, to persuade Japhet (or the Gentiles) to dwell in the Tents of Shem: so that to force any man after that persecuting manner (as do the Pope and his Prelates) to worship, before they have faith, or be born again, is to force blind men to the Kingdom they see not, and to make a Church of Hypocrites, bringing men into a snare even to their Condemnation, to devour that which is holy, and after that (saith Solomon) they must with sorrow enough make enquiry what they have done. Therefore the work of Kings is only to take off all the yoke of Popish Bondage, so that their Subjects may be free, seeing (saith the Prophet) every Nation will walk in the name of his God; that so Protestants, as true Christians, may walk in the Name of the Lord their God, whose Name is his Law, the Gospel; that so as Christians, they may do their duty to God, and love their Brethren, doing to all as they would be done unto; and in this is the whole duty of Man comprehended.  
3. Seeing God hath showed unto man what is good, Mic. 6. 8. and then especially unto Kings, the Lord's Lieutenants, who, with their great Council in Parliament, are, (1.) to do justly (2.) love mercy, (3.) and to walk humbly with God. This will be, 1. when the Romish Whore is by Act of Parliament abolished out of this Land; not in destroying the lives of the Papists that transgress not the Laws, but live peaceably as loyal Subjects to the Government in all Civil things, as well as other Persuasions, but to destroy all Popish Abominations out of Protestant Churches. 2. In loving Mercy, when the King's Majesty with his Parliament shall make an Act, That no Protestant, or any other living peaceably, of what Nation soever they are, shall not be imprisoned for Conscience sake in things spiritual; especially in the matter of Tithes, considering how many are daily cast into Prison because they cannot in conscience pay them, for these Reasons: (1.) Because Tithe was an heave Offering under the Law, abolished by Christ, who was the end of the Ceremonial Law for Righteousness to all that believe. The Priesthood being changed, so of necessity the Law, Heb. 7. (2dly.) Tithes were never payable but in the Land of Canaan, so never commanded of the Gentile Churches. (3.) Tithes were not paid by any Christians for eight hundred years after Christ, as ancient Writers say, and then Pope Pascalis appointed Tithes should be paid to his Priests. Therefore in paying Tithes, Christ is denied to be faithful in his House, as Moses was, to appoint a Ministry, and not their Wages; and the Pope made equal with Christ, in giving Laws to his Church. O that your Honours would find out a way to remedy this great evil, and take off this yoke from the necks of all Protestant Subjects; seeing Solomon saith, To punish the Just is not good, etc. Prov. 17. 26. Then the 3d thing God requires is, That both King, Parliament, and all the King's Christian Subjects walk humbly with God; and this will be when they shall worship him in Spirit and in Truth, according to his directions in his last Will and Testament: That so Christ Jesus may in all things spiritual reign in his Church: which was and is the true foundation of all promised Peace to the Lord's People. As for example, under the Law: So long as Israel worshipped the Lord as he commanded them by his Servant Moses, in Ministry, Ordinances, Time and Order, God promised that they should dwell in the Land in confident safety, Leu. 25. And when all Israel's Males went three times a Year to Jerusalem to worship, and left none to guard their Dwellings but very aged Men and young Children, the Lord was a Wall of Fire about them, Zech. 2. in making their enemies to be at peace with them. And so long as the primitive Christians feared the Lord, and worshipped him, as Christ Jesus had appointed in his Testament, the Churches had rest throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria. And thus, when the Lord giveth quietness, who can make trouble? but when be hideth his face (for the reasons aforesaid) who can behold him? whether it be done against a Nation, or a Man only.  
Thus I have discharged my humble duty, first, unto his Majesty, and next unto your Honours, and, lastly, to all the Nation (though the unfittest of many) in a work of this nature; beseeching your Honours not to despise it coming from so unworthy an Instrument, but remember that there were many wise Men in the City Abel, (for renown termed, a Mother in Israel) who despised not a Woman's Counsel, when it was for the preservation of that City, and this of a whole Nation, if God so bless it.  
And because the Work your Honours are herein moved to do; is but what the Lord commandeth to be done, though great and glorious, in removing all Popish Rubbish out of Protestant Churches, that a throrow-Reformation may be made, that so the Anger of the Lord may be turned from this Nation: Therefore let not ten to two discourage you, (who have God's Promise on your side, that the Whore must be made desolate) that the Canaanites or Popish Walls are strong, and that your Opposers are powerful as Giants: Neither let the opposition of the Tobiass▪ s and Sanballats of the Times hinder the Work, seeing God opened the King of Assyria's heart to strengthen the hand of the Lord's People in the figurative Work of the Lord's Building. And what hath the Lord done less on the heart of his Majesty, (and we are bound to believe it is real) that hath encouraged your Honours to take care of the Protestant Religion? and what care can be like that, to cleanse it from all Popish Inventions either in the Ministry, or Service, or any other thing whatsoever in Worship, which is not found agreeable to the Rules of Christ's Testament: which God hath appointed in the Work of Reformation from Antichrist's Apostasy, the Golden Reed of God's Word to measure the Spiritual Altars, Temple, and Worshippers therein. For so long as the forbidden thing hid in the Camp of Israel, remained in Achan's Tent, Israel could not stand before their Enemies: how then shall this Nation, so long as the forbidden thing of Popish Abominations is retained in the Camp or Tents of Protestant Churches, stand before their Enemies, which the Doctrine of the Gospel forbiddeth all Christians not to taste, touch, or handle in Worship? The neglect of this glorious Work commanded of God, in not making the Romish Whore utterly desolate in the Nation, hath been the chief cause God is angry with us, in not only suffering so many Plots to be contrived to the utter ruin thereof, because there is still retained so many Popish Abominations in Ministry and Traditions as aforesaid, the Fire of which hath kindled in the Bosom of Protestant Churches at this day all the Contentions in Religion, to the dividing Protestants one from the other into so many diversities of opinions. Also it hath given strong confidence to the Papists to believe that such Protestants as can without scruple of conscience adhere to, and embrace again so many Popish Abominations in Worship, which they once vomited up, shall in God's just Judgement be made, either by fraud or by force, to embrace all the rest of the Popish Abominations which our former Governors abolished, to wit, the Lord Abbots, Cardinals, Jesuits, Friars, and all other Relics expelled with them, seeing the Meat is not worse than the Broth; that so the head and tail of that beastly Clergy may be joined together, when they are united to their younger Brethren the Arch and Lord Bishops, as the Proverb is, Birds of a feather will not rest in their motion till they come together: and then the deadly wound of the Beast will be again healed, to the Scorpion-like tormenting Plague (Rev. 9) of all true Protestants, if the King, with your Honours, be not the Physicians in God's hand to prevent it.  
Now, Right Honourable, if something of this nature be not done for preventing the shedding of innocent Blood, that if the Papists within us should rise, or their Accomplices invade us from without, the King's Majesty with your Honours, would be pleased to make an Act, that all Protestants now (as was granted to the Jews in the days of K. Ahasuerus) may without offence stand in their own defence in the preservation of the lives of themselves and their families, in what manner your Honours shall think fit. And this by God's Blessing will break the hearts of all Popish Plotters in their wicked designs; who for madness, instead of destroying Protestants, like the enemies of Jehoshaphat, will destroy one another.  
O ●herefore that his Majesty, with your Honours, would remember to follow the Example of that wise and good King Solomon, who first built the Lord's House before he built his own. And K. David was grieved that himself should dwell in an House of Cedar, when the Ark of God remained under Curtains. Nehemiah could have no joy (though the King's Cupbearer) to see the City of Jerusalem lie waste. If then the King's Majesty, with your Honours, would imitate these worthy Patrio's herein, in seeking first the Kingdom of God, and his Righteousness, than all smaller things of Temporal Deliverances, and outward Benefits shall be added. Which God will still make good to all true Protestants, if they prefer the Heavenly Jerusalem before their chiefest joy, Psal. 137. as was made good to Israel of old, who were a Nation in the midst of Idolatrous Nations, as the true Churches of God are now, Holy Nations in the midst of the Nations: And so long as Christians now, as God's People of old, do faithfully walk wi●h God in his true Faith and Worship, they are said to dwell alone, in respect of their Faith and Worship among the Nations, Num. 34. 24. The want of these things now, amongst Protestant Churches, is proved by holy Scripture to be the same cause God is testifying to us, as to Judah of old, I have forsaken my House, I have left my Heritage, I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hands of her enemies: Read Jer. 12 13. If there be not a speedy turning to the straight path of the Lord, in executing Judgement, and seeketh the Truth, Jer. 5. 1. The deep sense of which, may with the Prophet Jeremiah, cause every true Christian to say, O that my head were water, and eyes a fountain of tears, to weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people; and that he had in the Wilderness a lodging-place, that he might not behold the Sins▪ bounding, or the Judgements coming on the Land: O then, before it be too late, that the King's Majesty, with your Honours; and also the whole Nation, would lay these things to heart. Seeing how unwilling the Lord is to destroy this Nation, not only by discovering the Plots, but also the Cause why God suffers them. Now, shall a Trumpet be blown in the City, and the people not be warned? Or is there any evil in a City (to wit, of punishment) and I have not done it, saith the Lord? Hos. 3. 6. Be wise therefore, O ye Kings, be instructed, ye Judges of the Earth; kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye erish from the way▪ For he is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth, who can only crown you with Glory; which the Lord in his Mercy will bestow, as he hath promised, on all that love him, and keep his Commandments.  
Your Honour's humble Servant in all Christian Duties, THO. WALL.