A WARNING PIECE  
Shot off from Freland to England, charged home with good counsel, by a tru-hearted Englishman, a mourner in ZION.  
WHEREIN These evil days, and dangerous Times (without reflecting upon any particular persons) are plainly set forth.  
— pecces quocunque sub axe  
Sub Iove semper eris.  
LONDON, Printed 1641.   

THe manifold schisms & rents in the Church, the manifest divisions and dissensions in the Commonwealth, as they cannot but afflict us with grief, so they may justly affright us with fear, that the Gospel of the Son of God may shortly come to suffer as great an Eclipse in these Kingdoms, as the Sun did in the firmament, when the Son of God Christ Jesus suffered upon the Cross, which was universal, miraculous. For if we do but weigh and consider with ourselves, the fearful, crying, crimson sins of the times, how few Shunamites return, how the zeal of God is dried up in the hearts of men, how God is served for custom, and not upon conscience sake, for fashion, rather than in sincerity of affection, what can we, nay, what may we expect else, but that the Almighty instead of his arms full of mercy, peace, and plenty, thus long held out amongst us, hath now gathered his lap full of plagues, and is pouring them down upon us? Yet forty days said Jona, and Nineveh, shall be destroyed, true, if Nineveh, repent not, and may not we as truly say, yet not five months, and England shall be destroyed, if England amend not? fear we, and it stands us every one upon to pray and fear, lest we are they of whom our Saviour speaks in his Gospel, Matthew 21.43. The Kingdom of Heaven shall be taken from you, or as he speaks by his Prophet, Amos 3.2. You only of all the Nations of the World have I loved, therefore, I will visit you for your sins. Your sins have no less incited, and provoked the Lord, than the sins of your near, dear Countrymen and Friends in Ireland, your sins are not less than theirs, that your sufferings should be lighter, and do you not hear how the Lord hath visited them? Them that so lately lived at ease, abounding in plenty, seated (as they conceited) in the Eden of the World, and had built their Nests so high, the Lord hath humbled them, brought them low, and lower yet they are like to be brought.  
Ob. But they were grievous sinners, transcendent sinners, their sins were the sins of Sodom, that sink of sin, pride, idleness, fullness of bread, and unmercifulness to the poor, add we, they were great oppressors, fearful swearers, blasphemers, common Sabbath-breakers, and these last evils have lain long in the deck, and now draw Gods heavy judgements upon them, say all this is granted. 
— Pudet haec opprobria nobis  
Et dici potuisse, & non potuisse refelli.   
Sol. But stay your censure, and hear the Apostle speaking, Thou that sayest, another should not steal, dost thou steal? etc. The rule is not more ancient, then true, Where there is no Reformation in Action, there is no alteration in the Affection, then lay your hand on the mouth with job, and say. Once have I spoken, but I abhor myself, etc. or reflect as judah did upon his Act, with Tamar, Gen. 38.26. Thou art more holy than I; and doth not holiness become God's House? but behold hollowness, hollonesse in your thoughts, hollowness in your words, hollowness in your actions: Hollowness in your thoughts, it being the common belief and opinion (specially of several Sectarists) that there are none or very few sincere Christians in Ireland, but men of debauched life, vile conversation, such as England had spewed out, whence they inserre (by words) that it is the just Judgement of God, toweed them out, that in posterum, that Kingdom may be planted with such as will bring forth the fruits of the Spirit. And do not their Actions show as much in affording them no timely Aid,  nemo in sese tentat descendere, nemo?  
Say they are superfluous branches, yet preserve them for your Orchard of England's shade they may keep a storm from you. Say they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (value them at the lowest.)  
Such members as the World might well want, yet such (as being most loyal to our gracious Sovereign) might stand you in steed, and being preserved might stand to you in time of need. Did you never see a barren prop uphold a fruitful Vine? but this is ex non concessis, and we must tell you, that vestra res agitur, and the Catholics (for so they'll be now called) are but pricking you through our sides, and will shortly, very shortly (without timely prevention) wound you, propriis spinis. Look to your Edomites with their no God, your Babylonians with their new God, your dissolute Atheists, your resolute bloudy-hearted and bloudy-handed Papists (to say nothing of the Brownists, Anabaptists, fanatical Familists, and many other Sects swarming amongst you and say, if a City or Kingdom so divided can long stand.  
Division is most pernicious to those parts, whose life and safety is in Unity. Divide & impera, is the Devils grand masterpiece; our Enemies could never conquer us were we unanimous, but ploughing with our Heifer they prevail, making some men Decoys to betray others. But, me thinks, I hear the Time's Politician replying, O Coridon, Coridon, quaete dementia coepit?  
To whom I answer as I have read, That whiles the Crocodile sleeps gaping with open mouth, the Indian Rat shoots himself into his belly, and gnaws his guts in sunder: Whilst the men of Laish lived quiet and secure, Judges 18.7. the Danites come upon them and smite them with the sword, and burn up their Cities, Verse 27. So entereth mischief at the open gates of security; and this is most dangerous, facilius opprimitur qui nihiltimet, he is most easily surprised that forecasts no perils, dangerless fear is better than fearless danger. Danger is like the Basilisk if foreseen it dies, if not, it destroys. My Lords of Athens, said Demosthenes (once seriously jesting) how vigilant ought we to be, seeing we have thiefs of brass, and walls of clay. And will you never fear more than you seel, never dread danger till it knock at your doors? Are wicked men in a State, as ill humours in the body, if they be not corrected, suppressed, all must perish, and are you not in danger? Are your Enemies of unwearied vigilancy for mischief, and your Religion, and their superstition unconsistent, and are you not in danger? is that State most miserable, where every man makes his own Religion and Law, and are you not in danger? These things wisely weighed, must teach you to debate: Men and brethren, what shall we do? the Echo answers do, debate no longer, do, or else undone. The Gospel, Religion lies at stake, and if you bid not fair for it, and that by Arms, and that very speedily, Actum est, and your judgement sleepeth not. It is good policy with men to restrain that nature by force which will not be won by fair means. If fair means would ever have prevailed, how hath our gracious Sovereign & his predecessors (of most blessed memory) endeavoured that way? but we find and feel (and you may fear no less) that there is nothing more dangerous than superstition, or the false worship of the true God. After the bloody quinqennium of Q. Marry, and pious Elizabeth placed in the Throne, many that were addicted to the Roman superstition, 
Apolog. of Ecclesiastical Hierarch cap 1. An Dom. 1569.15. Rig Eliz.  communicated with us in Divine Service, free from all punishment or molestation, and enjoyed common favours and benefits with other of her Majesty's loyal Subjects, but the Pope perceiving that by this consociation with our Church all hope would soon be lost (by any help from a home party) of reducing this Kingdom to his subjection, sends Morton an English Priest to declare by his Papal Authoritic unto the then Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland, that Queen Elizabeth was an Heretic, 
Slow in Annal. 12. Eliz.  and therefore they were not subject to her Laws. Whereupon they raised an Army which was soon defeated. But Pius Quintus was still the same, and forthwith a Bull is published, wherein out of the fullness of his power, 
An Dom. 1570.12. Eliz.  Queen Elizabeth is denounced an Heretic, and that such as did cleave unto her should incur his Curse, and that she was deprived of all Dominion, and Dignity; that her Nobles and people, or any other that had sworn obedience unto her, were freed from that Oath, and from all Allegiance and fidelity; commanding them not to obey her Laws upon pain of his Curse. And that this Bull might be seen, heard, and feared; it is fastened by one Felton (a Fugitive, deeply plunged in the Roman superstiton) upon the Gates of the Bishop of London's Palace. But this Bull did not yet roar loud enough, therefore Gregory the thirteenth who succeeded Pius Quintus, confirms, 
Anno 1578.14. Eliz.  and ratifies this Bull, endeavouring to give him more breath and life. Bristol and Allen were herein very busy; but Campian and Parsons, by their plausible persuasions prevailed with many; and Saunders by violence and force of Arms (with an Army from the Pope, succouring the Rebel Desmond) enthralled men's persons in Ireland, and now they are worse enthralled, the Lord comfort them. What should I say of their bloody Enterprises of Arden, Parry, 
An. 1582.25. Eliz  and many others of the same rank against her sacred Majesty.) All these notorious seditions and sanguinary attempts against Queen Elizabeth of blessed Memory, did our last gracious Sovereign King james, right well resent, and could not but in his Princely wisdom more than conjecture that the like disloyal attempts might be practised against his sacred Dignity and person by these Romanists, yet hoping by the light of the Gospel, to extinguish the Egyptian darkness of Popery, and out of his gracious inclination to pity and mercy, desiring to conquer evil with goodness in the beginning of his Reign (his Majesty's clemency was rare and admirable) he sets at liberty all Jesuits, 
Anno 1603.  and Priests, that were imprisoned, and unto such as lurked in secret corners of the Land, he gave them leave openly to profess themselves to be such, so that both by a certain day would departed the Realm. And as he began, so he ended his Reign, with all manner of clemency and mercy towards them. And our gracious Sovereign, treading the steps of his wife and peaceable Predecessors, hath still been most gentle and indulgent towards them. Them whose Trust is Treason, whose Faith is Faction, whose Religion is Rebellion. Do we not see and feel the woeful effects of his Majesty's clemency & others connivency at Popery? There is no more to be said. Something must be done, or else shortly all will be undone: Their Idolatry must be restrained, or our Religion cannot long be retained. Set on, or look shortly for an onset. Up be going or doing, fly or fight for your lives. The last is most honourable, warrantable; Then gather yourselves together, and let every man say, with good Nehemiah, Sh●●l such a man as I am Fly? The Lord of hosts be with you, the God of Jacob be our refuge. Amen.