A SAD WARNING TO ALL profane, MALIGNANT SPIRITS; WHO REPROACH True Protestants with the name of roundheads.  
WHEREIN IS DECLAred five sad examples of Gods fearful and just Judgements upon them.  
LONDON, Printed for H. U. 1642.   

A SAD WARNING To all Malignant Spirits.  
Caveats for Anti-Round-heads: or the fearful judgements of God upon several persons in several places for the abuse of the tongue, and may serve as a good Item to those, whose tongues are by themselves accounted their own, and yet cannot or will not rule them.  
AMong the manifold examples of Gods wrath and Justice upon men for sin, this age hath had not a few as well as former ages; and as former ages have shown forth several examples of Gods ireful indignation for several sins: so especially among other sins for this, the persecution of Gods servants: which persecution, least some should think themselves altogether free from, so long as they keep their hands from being actually embrewed in innocent blood, let them be pleased to consider that there is a double persecution; either when a man doth encourage another in his persecution of others, or when a man doth himself actually persecute, the first of these shall bee waved altogether in this discourse, the second shall be touched upon, and so I shall pass on to the ensuing discourse: And these persecutors wee shall reduce to three sorts, and they are these; First, hand persecutors; secondly, heart persecutors; thirdly tongue persecutors. As for the first sort of persecutors, whose persecution is a persecution of the hand( as I may so term it) this is of a large extent, consisting in external persecuting actions: But I shall decline speaking of that, because it doth not so properly belong to this discourse, and it being also a thing, which many, though their malicious hearts would put them upon it, yet dare not act it, because the laws of the Land do manacle them, and so doth restrain them from that which their own evil hearts would put them upon: I shall also in that regard say no more of it; so likewise for the second sort of persecutors, whose persecution is the persecution of the heart. I shall not speak of that at all, because ye shall see enough of what is in the heart by that which is in the tongue, for as Christ saith, Matthew 12.34. From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh: So that the tongue being an evident demonstration of that to the world that before lay hide in the heart, I shall not need to speak any thing at all of that; and so I come to speak of the third sort of persecutors, and those are they whose persecution is with the tongue.  
Now concerning this persecution, the Apostle Paul speaks in the fourth Chapter of the Galatians, vers. 28. where the Apostle speaking concerning Ishmael and Isaac, saith, that he that was born after the flesh did persecute him that was born after the Spirit: what that persecution was, is apparent enough: It was the persecution of the tongue, as you may see if you compare that place in the fourth Chapter of the Gallatians, vers. 28. with the 21. of Genesis, verse 9. there you may see that which in Genesis is called a mocking of Isaac, that in the fourth of the Epistle to the Galatians, vers. 28. is called a persecution of Isaac.  
Now concerning examples of such as have had Gods fearful judgements seize upon them for this kind of persecution: you may take notice of them as recorded in Holy Writ, and also as made examples by God in our dayes, that so they may be as Sea marks for the ensuing Generations, least they should dash themselves upon the same rocks.  
First to instance one and no more in divine writ, and that I would have you seriously to mark, It is in 2. Kings 2.23, 24. There you may see that a great judgement fell upon those little Children for calling the Prophet Elisha Bald-head. Its an instance concerning a Prophet, but may be applied by others of Gods servants. It is said that two bears did come out of the Wood and tore 42. of them: A man would have thought, judging after the judgement of carnal Reason: that this had been somewhat hard. Especially being that they were( as the Text saith) But little Children; which happily some of them might scarce understand what they said, and might be drawn to it by others examples; now for such a judgement to come upon them, there lies the wonder: and if they had been at riper yeares, and such a judgement had come upon them for such an evil, then it would have seemed somewhat more tolerable to the dim eyes of carnal Reason, and men would not so wonder at it. But from hence we may see how God hates this sin of persecution: that he punisheth it many times in them which scarce know what they do, but may happily, or rather unhappily be brought on to it by others examples: who may not do it out of ignorance, but through knowledge, and itis well if not out of malice also. And in all this God is most just, for he may punish sin where ever he finds it, whether it be in small or great.  
But to come to our own times, in which hath been manifested the severe indignation of God against such courses. Two examples of which wee have had in the City of Oxford, in which, as in a Looking-glasse we may behold the most remarkable and fearful indignation of Gods severe countenance against such persons as have a hand in a thing so highly displeasing to his majesty as that is, namely the persecution of them who are the favourites of the God of heaven, what ever man esteem of them.  
The first example that I shall give you, is, of one in the Parish of Hollowell in the City of Oxford( who being desirous to look back to the garlic and Onions of Egypt. I mean those May-pole games as delightful to them as the other things to Israel of old) did set up a May-pole, that he might not be different from others in other places there abouts; and rather than he would be deficient in what others had, he would be superfluous and have what others had not; although indeed what he had, and others had in that particular, was more than a good deal: he being now desirous to make some addition to the Pole-sport, sets upon that the picture of a man in a Tub, and said, that was the picture of a Roundhead: which Picture is reported to be made in derision of a godly man, a Manciple of one of the colleges in Oxford: and the Reason why it was to represent him, was, because he was a godly honest man, having repetition of Sermons in his house, and did that which God requires of him, and of them too, who despised it, although they have not that grace that he had to performs their duty as they ought. This Picture being up, this man, with others being about it, making themselves merrily mad, or mad merry( call it what you will) In the conclusion they came to this, that they would shoot at this Picture of the Roundhead; some say that the Picture was to be pulled down by the command of the vicechancellor, and for that they would have this Picture down in triumph, because it was to go down therefore they did shoot at it, but whether that be so or no, it is not much material, the end of their sport was to deride those who were of that goodness which they for their parts did not mean to attain unto, and these called by the name of roundheads: In the conclusion some brought Muskets, and other Pieces to shoot at the Picture, and one, a servant of the man whose delight this game was, shot, and did hit the Picture, at which the Master fell a laughing, and on a sudden sunk down, falling into a Convultion fit, and hath been sick ever since, and now at this present for any thing reported to the contrary, and whether he will live or die, that must be left to him to judge, who hath the issues of life and death in his own hand.  
2. The second example in the same City was in a tavern, where being met a company of drinkers, who rather then they would have no pastime at all, in the midst of their cups did resolve to do that which was evil, so they might rejoice in it, and what they are that rejoice in evil, Solomon tells you: Among the rest of their actions, this was one, a health drank to the confusion of the roundheads, which when it had gone round, one amongst the rest being ready to invent something new, though never so nought; come saith he, I will go cut a Caper to the confusion of the roundheads, but his wife not liking such doings, would have persuaded him to have desisted from it, as once Pilates wife would have dissuaded him from an evil action, Mat. 27.29. But as Pilates wife could not prevail with Pilate, so neither could this woman with her husband. But he going to begin his dance, and so to cut his caper, fell down and broken his leg, upon which he lay by it a long while, and at last dyed.  
3. Another example is a company of roisters about Chearing-Cross, or not far off it, abusing one of the trained Bands with their uncivil tongues, giving them reproachful and ignominious terms, and being reproved by one for it, fell fowle upon the man, and drew upon him, and in th●usting at him, gave him a prick in the hand, the mans hilt of his sword having none of the best guards; but he being set upon, let fly at one of them, and cut him cross the wrist, and so cutting the sinews he let fall his sword, and so was laid hold of, and now lies in the Gatehouse to answer for his demerits.  
4. Another example is of divers persons, who being drinking in the mitre tavern in Fleet-streete, did abuse another of the train Bands of the City, by casting out something forth of the Chamber window among the Sovldiers, besides the abusive language they used; one having more ingenuity then the other, reproved them that did it, and upon that they asked him if he were a Round-head, and they drawing one upon another, this man made at by the other, puts by his thrust, got within him, and stabbed him with a stiletto, the others coming on him likewise, he wounded them both; of which three wounded, two are now dead, and the other his recovery questionable: This man made away down stairs, with his sword in one hand, and stiletto in another, and running down Ram-Alley, got down toward the water, and is not as yet heard of: here may we see Gods Justice upon these, as was once shown upon the Amorites and Moabites, suffering them to slay one another, that so he might take vengeance upon their sins.  
One in Cree-Church Parish, a woman commonly noted to be an enemy to, and a mocker of goodness and good men, which ill disposition of hers, she manifested not long since in the Church at a Sermon made there by Master Wels, who desired that they would not sleep, but she being asleep, and wakened by one mistress clerk, a woman well reputed of for godliness, which awakening was but in a neighbourly and loving way, by the jogging of her knee, as they sate together; Shee presently fell into strange expressions, ( Oh you bold drunken slut, do you kick me) with many other uncivil speeches, which language the said mistress clerk put up in silence, and only acquainted her husband with her usage in the forenoon, and expressed her unwillingness to sit in the pew with her, whereupon he unwilling there should bee any difference between his wife and any, repaired to the Minister of the Church, and desired that the Church-wardens, and the ancientest of the parish would after Sermon sand for the womans husband, and see whether or no he would abet and encourage her in this evil: According to his desire, after Sermon he was sent for, and came, where after he had asked the cause why he was sent for, and the wronged party began to relate it, he would not suffer him to go on, but broken forth into fowle words, and  told him he lied, for his wife had kicked his wife in the Church, thereupon the Lecturer of the said Church, Master Falkingham, desired in love to take him of, and entreated that each might be heard, and then the business would the better be reconciled; to whom he replied, I have nothing to do with you, nor you with me, and to another that reproved him for such ill behaviour, you are a Blockhead, and a Roundhead, and thereupon went hastily out of the vestry, and fetched his wife, who came thither in a great heat, and very probably full of bitterness, for the malignant spirit did thrust out so fast, that as those that observed her best, did verily believe it stopped her breath: Some said that she spake evil of the said Master Wels, others that she boasted how she had used mistress clerk, others, that she wished herself some mischief if mistress clerk had not kicked her, others, that shee and he both did utter many bitter words at, and before this evident token of Gods displeasure: but though these be probable enough, yet we will not set them down for currant, and indeed it is well known that they both have been long disaffected to pure Religion, and have been ready not only to speak evil of ordinary Christians, but of Gods own Messengers, and now at this time suffering their tongues to wander beyond bounds: But let all good people from this example take notice of God in the way of his Justice, to dread and praise him, and that all so addicted, would take notice of it as a Judgement upon the husband( that should partake of his wives sin, & use the like language, & manage her in such abominable wickedness) and upon her, in that God struck her in the very act of belching out her venom, and made her gull to become bitter to death to herself; for she fell down dead presently after she( in a rage) departed from the vestry: We wrote this not to accuse her or him, but to clear God, and warn all wicked persons. More might have been said, and more strict observation had of Gods hand, but some are willing to be silent, and others had not spirits to take special notice of her end, who were by her at her end: But for proof of this we can produce many hands.  
One affirms, that just when she was dying, one saying to her, mistress clerk would not abuse her, she cursed, saying, A pox take you, you are one of the holy sisters, and suddenly her tongue( as was observed) turned black.   
FINIS.