THe manifold schismes & rents in the Church, the manifest divisions and dissentions in the Common-wealth, as they cannot but afflict us with grief, so they may justly affright us with feare, that the Gospel of the Sonne of God may shortly come to suffer as great an Eclipse in these Kingdomes, as the Sunne did in the firmament, when the Son of God Christ Jesus suffered upon the Crosse, which was universall, miraculous. For if wee doe but weigh and consider with our selves, the fearfull, crying, crimson sins of the times, how few Shunamites return, how the zeale of God is dryed up in the hearts of men, how God is served for custome, and not upon conscience sake, for fashion, ra­ther then in sincerity of affection, what can we, nay, what may we expect else, but that the Almighty instead of his armes full of mercy, peace, and plenty, thus long held out amongst us, hath now gathered his lap full of plagues, and is powring 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 moneths, and England shall be destroyed, if England amend not? feare we, and it stands us every one upon to pray and feare, lest wee are they of whom our Saviour speaks in his Gospel, Mat­thew [Page 3]21.43. The Kingdome of Heaven shall be taken from you, or as he speaks by his Prophet, Amos 3.2. You only of al the Nations of the World have I loved, therefore, I wil visit you for your sins. Your sins have no lesse incited, and provoked the Lord, then the sins of your neere, deere Countrymen and Friends in Ireland, your sins are not lesse then theirs, that your sufferings should be lighter, and doe you not heare 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 Sodome, that sink of sinne, pride, idlenesse, fulnesse of bread, and unmercifulnesse to the poore, adde we, they were great oppressors, fearefull swea­rers, blasphemers, common Sabbath-breakers, and these last evils have layn long in the deck, and now draw Gods heavy judgments upon them, say all this is granted.

Sol. But stay your censure, and heare the Apostle speak­ing, Thou that saist, another should not steale, dost thou steale? &c. 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 Iob, and say. Once have I spoken, but I abhor my selfe, &c. or reflect as Iudah did upon his Act, with Tamar, Gen. 38.26. Thou art more holy than I; and doth not holi­nesse become Gods House? but behold hollownesse, hollo­nesse in your thoughts, hollownes in your words, hollownes in your actions: Hollownesse in your thoughts, it being [Page 4]the common beliefe and opinion (specially of severall Sectarists) that there are none or very few sincere Chri­stians in Ireland, but men of debaucht 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 Kingdome may be planted with such as will bring forth the fruits of the Spirit. And doe not their Actions shew as much in affording them no timely Aide, ‘Vt nemo in sese tentat descendere, nemo?’

Say they are superfluous branches, yet preserve them for your Orchard of Englands 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 loyall to our gracious Sovereigne) 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 fruitfull Vine? but this is ex non concessis, and we must tell you, that vestra res agitur, and the Catholikes (for so they'l be now called) are but pricking you through our sides, and wil shortly, very shortly (without timely prevention) wound you, propriis spinis. Looke 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 Kingdome so divided can long stand.

Division is most pernitious to those parts, whose life and safety is in Vnity. Divide & impera, is the Devils grand master-piece; our Enemies could never conquer us were we [Page 5]unanimous, but plowing with our Heifer they prevail, ma­king some men Decoyes to betray others. But, me thinks, I heare the Times Polititian 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 himselfe 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 entreth mischiefe at the open gates of securitie; and this is most dangerous, facilius opprimitur qui nihiltimet, he is most easily surprised that forecasts no perils, dangerlesse feare is better then fearlesse danger. Danger is like the Basiliske if fore­seen it dies, if not, it destroyes. My Lords of Athens, said Demosthenes (once seriously jesting) how vigilant ought we to be, seeing we have thieves of brasse, and walles of clay. And will you never feare more then you seele, never dread danger till it knock at your doores? 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 mischiefe, and your Religion, and their superstition unconsistent, and are you not in danger? is that State most miserable, where e­very man makes his owne Religion and Law, and are you not in danger? These things wisely wayed, must teach you to debate: Men and brethren, what shall we doe? the Eccho answers doe, debate no longer, doe, or else un­done. The Gospel, Religion lyes at stake, and if you bid not faire for it, and that by Armes, and that very speedily, [Page 6] Actum est, and your judgment sleepeth not. It is good po­licy with men to restraine that nature by force which will not be wonne by faire meanes. If faire means would ever have prevailed, how hath our gracious Sovereign & his pre­decessors (of most blessed memory) endevored that way? but we find and feele (and you may feare no lesse) that there is nothing more dangerous then superstition, or the false wor­ship of the true God. After the bloudy quinqennium of Q. Mary, and pious Elizabeth placed in the Throne, many that were addicted to the Roman superstition, Apolog. of Ec­clesiasticall 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 Majesties loyall 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 Kingdome to his subjection, sends Morton an English Priest to declare by his Papall Authoritic unto the then Earls of Northumberland and Westmerland, that Queene Elizabeth was an Heretike, 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 fulnesse of his power, An Dom. 1570.12. Eliz. Queene Elizabeth is denounced an Heretike, and that such as did cleave unto her should incur his Curse, and that shee was deprived of all Dominion, and Dignitie; that her Nobles and people, or any other that had sworne 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 fastned by one Felton (a Fu­gitive, deeply plunged in the Roman superstiton) upon the Gates of the Bishop of Londons Palace. But this Bull did [Page 7]not yet roare loud enough, therefore Gregorie the thir­teenth who succeeded Pius Quintus, confirmes, Anno 1578.14. Eliz. and rati­fies this Bull, endevouring to give him more breath and life. Bristow and Allen were herein very busie; but Cam­pian and Parsons, by their plausible perswasions prevailed with many; and Saunders by violence and force of Armes (with an Army from the Pope, succouring the Rebell Desmond) enthralled mens persons in Ireland, and now they are worse enthralled, the Lord comfort them. What should I say of their bloudie 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 Sovereigne King Iames, right well resent, and could not but in his Princely wisdome more then conjecture that the like disloyall attempts might be practised against his sacred Dignitie and person by these Romanists, yet hoping by the light of the Gospel, to extinguish the Egyptian darknesse of Popery, and out of his gracious inclination to pity and mercy, desiring to conquer evill with goodnes in the beginning of his Reigne (his Majesties clemencie was rare and admirable) hee sets at liberty all Jesuits, Anno 1603. and Priests, that were imprisoned, and unto such as lurked in secret corners of the Land, hee gave them leave openly to professe themselves to be such, so that both by a certaine day would depart the Realme. And as hee began, so hee ended his Reigne, with all manner of clemency and mer­cy towards them. And our gracious Sovereigne, treading the steps of his wife and peaceable Predecessours, hath still beene most gentle and indulgent towards them. Them whose Trust is Treason, whose Faith is Faction, whose Religion is Rebellion. Doe we not see and feel the wofull [Page 8]effects of his Majesties clemency & others connivencie 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 looke shortly for an onset. Up be going or doing, flie or fight for your lives. The last is most ho­nourable, warrantable; Then gather your selves 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.