CHRISTIAN WARNING-PIECE FOR ALL TRUE PROTESTANTS BY WAY OF CHRISTIAN COUNSEL and ADVICE TO THE KING'S Most Excellent MAJESTY and all His good Protestant Subjects sounded forth out of the Written Word of GOD. Wherein is clearly shewed the true Causes why the Lord in former Ages brought his severe Judgments on his own People both before the Law under the Law and under the Gospel All which being applied to the present State of Protestants is proved both by Scripture and History that it is the same Cause still for which the Lord is bringing His severe Judgments on his Protestant People Together with the Means if imbraced which God in Mercy hath Ordained to prevent the same By THOMAS WALL Cry aloud spare not lift up thy Voice like a Trumpet and shew my People their Transgressions and the House of Jacob their Sins Isa 58. 1. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our Learning and Admonition upon whom the ends of the World are come Therefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall Rom. 15. 4. 1 Cor. 10. 11. Whosoever heareth the sound of the Trumpet and taketh not Warning his Blood shall be upon his own Head But he that taketh Warning shall deliver his own Soul Ezek. 33. 4 5. LONDON Printed in the Year 1680. TO THE King's Most Excellent Majesty Most humbly shewing THat the most Wise God who hath made all things for his * Rev. 4. 11. Pleasure hath ordained in every Nation but two States Pillers or Legs to stand upon the one Civil and the other Spiritual The Civil State is God's Ordinance of Magistratical Government under divers Titles as Kings or other Chief Governours unto whom an excellent †Dan. 4. 36. Majesty is given them of God as next under ‖ Rom. 13. God Head of the Commonwealth the Lord's Lieutenants here on Earth And seeing since the Fall Mans Heart is * Jer. 17. 9. deceitful and in Mans Flesh dwelleth no good thing so that the Good he would do he doth not but the Evil he would not that he doth †Rom. 7. Therefore for guide in Government God hath given Kings the second ‖ Exod. 20. Table of his Royal Law as a most sure Foundation and Rule to square all their Laws by to govern their People so that by it they bear not the Sword in vain but use it to the Glory of God for the punishment of Evil-doers * Rom. 13. and the praise of them that do well Of which Trust and Stewardship committed to them they must shortly give an Account to their Chief Judg the Prince of the Kings of the Earth the Lord Jesus at the last Day The other State or Piller is the †Rev. 15. 3 Mat. 28. 18 Kingly Government of the Lord Jesus in his Church or ‖ John 18. 36. Kingdom in all things Spiritual As Christ hath his Office under God the only Head of his Mystical Body * Ephes 5. 23. Col. 1. 17. the Church unto whose Government is given the first Table of God's Law according to which most sure Foundation are all the Laws made in all Ages for his worship And though Christ was not manifested in the Flesh till these last Times yet was he from the Days of Adam King in his Church on his holy †Psal 2. 6. Hill of Sion in those who were Figures of him as * Heb. 7. 1. Ps 110. 4. Melchisedeck ‖ Acts 3. 22. Moses and David so Christ was the same Yesterday to Day and for †Heb. 13. 8 ever who now in his Church sitteth on the Throne of his Father David as it is written of him * Isa 11. 3 4. That he shall not judg after the sight of his Eyes nor reprove after the hearing of his Ears but with Righteousness shall he judg the Poor and reprove with Equity for the Meek of the Earth and shall smite the Earth with the Rod of his Mouth and with the breath of his Lips shall he slay the Wicked So that his Weapons are not Carnal as his Kingdom is not of this World so differing from the Civil State Moreover as these be the only States ordained of God and the nature of them being so different the one from the other as the nature of a thing Civil and Spiritual is so that the one State may not meddle with the Work◠that belongeth to the other And hereupon did the Lord in his Wisdom constitute the Civil State in the Tribe of * Gen. 49. 10. 2 Chron. 5. 2. Judah and the Spiritual State in the Tribe of Levi but when King Uzziah would presume to break God's Order to do that Work which †2 Chron. 27. 16 17 18. belonged not to the Civil States Office the Lord smote him with Leprosie to the day of his Death that others may be warned not to presume above what is written 1 Cor. 4. 6. Therefore the Lord Jesus our High Priest and only Lord Spiritual in his Church would not meddle with the Magistrates-work nor Office to give Judgment on a Woman taken in Adultery ‖ John 8. 3 4 5. nor divide Inheritances between Brethren And likewise commanded his Disciples and all Bishops and Ministers to the Worlds end not to take on them the title * Luke 22. 25. Mat. 20. 25. of Politick Princes but rather he that would be Chief to be Servant to all and not as Lords either in Title or Rule over God's Heritage †1 Pet. 5. 3. or Churches of God Therefore we see God in his Wisdom hath limited either State to keep within the limits he hath ordained for them Therefore as touching the Civil Magistratical State we may justly conclude That whatsoever Person he be whether Noble or Ignoble that shall presume to Alter Change or Diminish to or from any part of the Laws Ordinances Offices or Order contrary to the King 's Royal Crown and Dignity established by Law according to the second Table of God's Law must needs be accounted a Traytor to the King and suffer his high Displeasure Accordingly may we conclude concerning the Spiritual State of Christ's Government in his Church That whatsoever Person he be whether Noble or Ignoble that shall presume to Add or Diminish Alter or Change any thing in Government or Ministry Time Maintenance or Order contrary to the Rules or Laws of Christ's Testament founded on the first Table of God's Law in all things pertaining to the Worship of God may justly be deemed a Traytor to the Royal Crown and Dignity of the Lord Jesus and may hear the Sentence out of his own Mouth against them saying Bring those mine Enemies that would not that I should Reign over them and slay them before me Either by casting out of his Church or by everlasting Wo at the last Day May it therefore please your Majesty in your Wisdom to consider these things That it is one of the Crying
an artificial Eye or Brest So shall your Majesty and People hope as King Josiah and his People did that the Judgments threatned against this Land may be turned away as it was from his As it is proved in the following Lines that it was chiefly for corruptions in Faith and Worship that God brought his Judgments on his own People Now would it please your Majesty in your Civil Kingdom to suffer your Self to be so abused as to have no Servants to serve You in your Kingdom or at your Table but what the King of another Nation thinketh fit No sure How then shall the Lord Jesus the Prince of the Kings of the Earth suffer himself any longer to be so Abused as to have no Servants to serve Him in his Church of his own Appointment either in Name or Office as Pastors Teachers Elders and Deacons but what the Pope or other Mortal Men think fit Neither would your Majesty accept of the Service of any Subject Noble or Ignoble that should proffer his Service to serve You in your Civil Affairs if he did not do the same as your Majesty had given him Command and not as he pleased How then shall the Lord Jesus accept nay he doth not accept of the Service of any Person of what Degree soever that shall in his Spiritual Kingdom or Church serve him never so zealously except he do that Work and Service to God as Christ in his Testament hath commanded him If it were not so the very Turks that boast how they are Worshippers of the Living God and do abhor Idols would go beyond many that bear the name of Christians who though they do zealously worship the Living Beal Ep. to image of both Churches God and concerning Christ allow him to be a great Prophet the Word of God the Spirit of God born of Mary the Virgin yet because they worship not God by the Appointment of the Lord Jesus in his Testament but according to the directions of Mahomet therefore are they and their services rejected of God So likewise the Papists boast how they worship God yet abhor not Idols but because they do it by direction of sundry Popes and not by Christ's Appointment they are rejected of God and their service But if a Turk or Papist should ask many Protestants By whose Appointments do you worship God If truly answered must say Partly by the directions of Christ for we have his Ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper and partly by the Appointments of sundry Popes and Bishops as after is shewed So that for these things among other Evils God is bringing his Judgments on your Kingdom Oh therefore that your Majesty together with your Honorable Council would seriously consider these things that the Wrath of the Lord may be turned away from us And lastly Seeing there is but one way to escape God's Judgments threatned let not a Heathen Prince as Christ told the Jews come in Judgment at the last Day against a Christian Prince viz. the King of Jonah 3. Nineveh who so soon as he heard the Judgment of God threatned against him and his People arose from his Throne and laid his Robes from him issued forth a Proclamation to his People to keep a true Fast to the Lord as he required that is to break off their Sins by Repentance in turning every one from his evil way and from the violence that was in their Hands who did so so that it is written God saw their Works and repented of the evil he threatned against them Thus having discharged the part of a true Protestant Subject presented to a Wise Protestant Prince not doubting but this Mite shall be accepted and protected by yonr Majesty in Christian love to the Truth for the Honour of God and comfort of your Soul and the joy and comfort of your Protestant Subjects So that your Majesty with the Godly Kings of Judah doing the Will of God herein may have many Years Acts 13. 36. Rev. 21. 24. on Earth a prosperous Reign and having brought your Honour and Glory to the glorious State of Christ's Kingdom in his Church whereby She may enjoy all her Rights and Priviledges you may undoubtedly receive with Christ a Crown of Glory eternally in the Heavens which is and shall be the Prayer of your most humble Subject THO. WALL A Word of Advice to all true Protestants AS it is the duty of every true Christian not to hide his Talant in the * Luke 19. with Mark 25. 25. Earth but put it on a Candlestick that all may be benefited by the same I therefore judg if ever there were a time to speak it is now when the Protestant Religion lieth at stake to be utterly Ruined and the Professors thereof Murdered by the Blood-thirsty Papists the Spiritual Assyrians the Rod of God's Anger †Isa 10. 5. against his own People So that as Affliction doth not come out of the ‖ Job 5. 6. Dust nor Trouble spring out of the Ground for as saith the Scripture Is there any Evil * Amos 3. 6. in the City to wit of Punishment and I have not done it saith the Lord And when the Lord giveth Quietness who can make †Job 34. 29. Trouble and when he hideth his Face who can behold him whether it be done against a Nation or a Man only Therefore I have thought it the most profitable way to shew what I have gathered out of holy Scripture was the cause in Ages past that the Lord brought Judgments on his own People and to apply the same to our present Condition Which if the Lord help us truly to mind the same as Christians ought to do it may be a means to obtain Mercy at the Hand of the Lord to turn away his Judgments Let us take a view of these things from the first State of old Secondly When God had graciously restored Adam by his Grace in Christ promised and given him Ordinances as Figures of Christ to come to perform in the Lord 's holy order of Worship which in the days of his Son Enos his Children had greatly departed from corrupted their Way meaning their ‖ Gen. 6. 12. with Acts 18. 25. and 22. 4. Faith and Religion as also their making Marriages with Cain's Posterity called the Daughters of Men which was not lawful for the Members of the Church called the Sons of God to do and though God called them to Repentance by Noah's Preaching and warned them by his building the Ark of the Judgment intended by the Flood yet they persisted in their evil Course untill the Flood destroyed them all And how like to this is the state of Luke-warm Protestants now So that Christ likened the last Days we are fallen in to the Days of * Luke 17. 26. Noah for Sin and Wickedness by departing from the true Faith and by corruption in Worship and Members of Churches now making Marriages with those they cannot in Conscience
Scepter * Psal 45. 6. of our Lord Jesus blessed for ever his Word being commanded to be purely taught without corrupting or swerving either to the right Hand or to the left Which when the Primitive Christians observed not but neglected their Watch †Rev. 3. 3. in suffering false Doctrine to creep in among them as in the Church of Pergamos reigned the Doctrine of Balaam ‖ Rev. 2. 14 15. and the Nicolaitans and in Thyatira the Doctrine of Jezebel * Ver. 20. Ephesus †Rev. 2. 4 having left her first Love and among the Corinthians and other Christians both Men and Women were they not reproved for walking in a vain Conversation Whilst Men wearing long Hair the ‖ 1 Cor. 11. 14. shame of Nature their Women likewise wearing of Gold Pearl * 1 Tim. 2. 9. 1 Pet. 3. 3. plaited Hair uncovered expresly in plain words forbidden by the Apostle not becoming modest Women professing Godliness with good Works For which Evils and Disorders with others because the Churches punished them not according to God's Order by casting the ‖ Mat. 17. 18. obstinate Sinners out of the Churches the Lord Jesus threatned to cast them into a Bed of great Tribulation †Rev. 2. 22. under the term of ten Prophetical Days meaning Years which some have observed to come on the Churches in the Year of Christ in the Reign of Trajan the Emperour So that if God in his just Judgment for the Sins of the ten Tribes delivered them of old into the Hands of the Kings of Assyria and likewise Judah into the Hands of the King of Babylon even so for like Cause did the Lord deliver the East Churches into the Hands of Mahomet and the West Churches into the Hands of the Beast the Pope and his Clergie Unto which agreeth Mr. Fuller's Testimony in his History of the Holy Wars worth all Protestants observation especially in this Day of Apostacy in Chap. 6. pag. 6. in these words But the Sins of the Eastern Countries and chiefly their damnable Heresies hastened God's Judgments on them and in the Western parts Heresies as an Angle caught single Persons which in Asia like a Draw-Net took whole Provinces The staid and settled Wits of Europe were not easily removed out of the old Road and Track of Religion whilst the active and nimble Heads of the East were more desirous of Novelties more desirous and cunning to invent Distinctions to cozen themselves more fluent in Language to express their Conceits as always Error groweth fastest in hottest Brains Hence it came to pass the Melchites Maronites Nestorians Euticheans Jacobites overspread those parts Then it was mark that just with God saith he to suffer them that would not be convinced by Christian Counsel to be subdued by the Pagans Sword And again saith he it may justly seem Admirable that that sensless Religion should gain so much ground on Christianism especially having neither real substance in Doctrine nor winning behaviour in Ceremony to allure Professors being but the scum of Judaism and Paganism sod together here and there strawed with a spice of Christianity Thus was fulfilled what was written on those that received not the love of the Truth God gave them over to believe Lyes and punished them with the Pagans Sword and being no whit bettered then the Lord prepared the four Angels or Messengers of his Wrath whom John Napier a Nobleman of Scoland observeth to be the four Mabometan Nations that inhabit about or beyond the River Euphrates to wit the Saracens Turks Tartarians and Arabians all Confederates together in one Law of Mahomet and under one great Emperour Ottoman whom God for the Sins of Christians had prepared for an Hour a Day a Month and a Year to slay the third part of Men By whom saith the learned Ainsworth God scourged Christendom with Fire Smoke and Brimstone out of the Horses Mouths and Horsemen conducted by the Angel of Destruction Yet the * Rev. 9. 20. Remnant of Men not killed by these Plagues repented not of their Works that they should not worship Devils and Idols of Gold and Silver and Brass and Wood and Stone which can neither hear nor see nor walk See Ainsworth Arrow pag. 96. Notwithstanding the Judgments of God upon the Primitive Apostate Churches some falling to Mahometism others to Papistry yet no Apostate Church retained more Idolatry than Rome and that that Church is the great Whore Mystery Babylon and the Beast that she rideth on is the Popish Prelacy is plainly shewed in the Answer of that famous Protestant H. Ainsworth to John Ainsworth the Papist That whereas in their Letters written to each other John Ainsworth saith The seven Mountains in Rev. 17. are said to be seven Kings none of which agree with the Pope Yea saith Henry Ainsworth the seventh agrees very well for the Woman is the great City Rome the Beast on which she rideth hath seven Heads which are expounded there to be seven Mountains and seven Kings Rev. 17. 3 9. The seven Mountains are famous through the World as Palatinus Capitolinus Aventinus Esquilinus Caelius Virminalis Quirinalis on which Mountains Rome was builded The seven Kings are also seven Governments of Rome renowned also in Histories as by * Cornel. Tacitus ◠1. Kings by Consuls by Decemviry by Dictators by Triumphiry by Cesars by foraign Emperours and Popes therefore when John wrote the Five first were fallen and removed Rev. 17. 10. and one saith he is namely the Sixth by the Cesars and another is not yet come which was the Foraign Emperours as Trajan the Spaniard and the like who when they come should continue but a while Constantine going to Bizantium and the Empire being over-run by the barbarous Goths and the Beast saith he is the eighth and is one of the seventh Rev. 17. 11. meaning the Popes who by an Ecclesiastical Government differ from the Civil Emperours and so are the eighth yet because they Reign together with the Emperours they make as it were one Government So the eighth is one of the seven as the Scripture saith Unto this agrees the words of St. Bernard The Beast †Bernard Epist 125. that hath a Mouth speaking Blasphemies occupieth Peter's Chair Moreover saith the Scripture Rev. 13. 18. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the Beast for it is the number of a Man and his number is 666. Now for the better understanding of this Mystery we must know that it is the general Course of the Spirit of God throughout the Revelations to take Words and Phrases out of the Prophets and apply them to the things there prophesied as in this number of the Beast which is by a borrowed speech taken from the name of a Man and his Familie in Ezra 2. 13. the Man's name being Adonikam by signification a God ascending or standing up his Sons were 666. Now the Beast by signification is called a Man to wit of Sin
discovered thine Iniquities to turn away thy Captivity but have seen for thee false Burdens and causes of Banishment Oh that Protestants would lay these things to Heart considering the many signs of God's displeasure shewed against this Nation of a Captivity threatned for these Sins Witness the Spanish Invasion in 1588 then the Powder Plot in 1605 the late Dreadful Plague and Fires and lastly this Cursed Popish Plot. Now consider according to the Law of Nations If a Ship at Sea meeteth with another which ought to strike to her and she refuseth then a warning Piece is sent to her if that make her not submit there is lot slie at her two or three Ordnance if then she will not do her duty there is poured into her a Broadside which possibly sinketh her and all that 's in her Even so if no Judgment nor Warning will make us submit in all things Spiritual to the Royal Scepter of the Lord Jesus in his Church to serve God in his Worship by the directions in his holy Testament then may we expect unavoidably that he will pour in on us Iris Murdering Places the Turks and Papists who like the Armies of ‖ Rev. 20. 9 Gog and Magog compass the Tents of the Saints about bringing great * Luke 21. 25. distress of Nations until Fire come down from Heaven even at that day when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming †2 Thess 1. 8. Fire who shall reap the Harvest of the Earth in taking Vengeance on them that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be destroyed from the glory of his Power when the Remnant of the Faithful as in the days of Noah shall be preserved and caught up to meet the Lord in the Air so shall they ‖ 1 Thess chap. 4. ever be with the Lord. The sum of all is Seeing God hath said He will do nothing concerning Mercy or Judgment to his People but he revealeth * Amos 3. 7. Rom. 15. 5. his Secrets to his Servants the Prophets written in the holy Scriptures for all Christians Admonition◠which we have here laid before this present Age. The chief Causes why God brought his Judgments in Ages past were for Errors in Faith and Corruptions in Worship Seeing then there is but †Eph. 4. 5. one Faith and proper Object thereof even the Evangelical Promise * Rom. 1. 16. of Grace in Christ from the days of Adam called the Faith of Jesus †Rev. 14. 12. once given to the Saints * Jude 3. therefore called the Faith of God's Elect †Tit. 1. 1. which Faith in God's Elect either more or less is built upon the * Ephes 2. 20. Foundation or Doctrine both of the Apostles and Prophets So that whatsoever Article of any Christian's Faith agreeth not to the Law and Testimony that is to the figures of Christ in the Law the Schoolmaster leading to Christ for fulfilling of the same in the New Testament with applying the Promises to the right Subjects †Acts 2. 39. they belong unto with all the benefits thereof to be enjoyed in God's 〈◊〉 is not the faith of God's Elect but a falned Faith which saveth not So that whatsoever Faith is not thus proved as it is written * 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves c. know ye not how that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates Forasmuch as Christ is said to dwell †Ephes 3. 17. in the heart by Faith that is by true belief And hereupon it is written * Mark 16. 16. He that believeth not shall be damned How needful is it then that every ones Faith be right seeing it is a matter that concerns their Salvation Secondly As touching Worship It hath been proved that whatsoever Ministry or Ordinance God is served with or by after the Commandment and Doctrine of Men is * Col. 2. 22 23. Will-worship which all are to perish with the using Because the true Worship is to serve or worship God in †John 4. 24. Spirit and in Truth that is by Faith in Christ according to the word of Truth as Christ the only Law-giver in Worship hath commanded Thirdly And for as much as God is a God of Order * 1 Cor. 14. 40. therefore true Faith and Order in the performance of every Ordinance in the Worship of God must go †Col. 2. 5. together Every Officer is to keep within the Order God hath placed him and every Member within the bounds of their Places set in the * 1 Cor. 12. 18. Body For the clear distinguishing of every Officer and Member's place and duty in Worship as Members in the Body see the Book fore-named Ancient Truth Revived For the breach of these things God's Anger was still kindled against his People for which cause the Lord is now searching Jerusalem †Zeph. 1. 12. with Candles and will punish the Luke-warm Carnal Professors that are settled on their Lees who make Worldly Gain and Pleasure their Religion and Godliness Who say in their Hearts * Ezek. 9. 9. either the Lord hath forsaken the Earth or He will not do good neither will he do evil Thus as in the days of Noah is a state of Security seized on Professors saying Soul take thy ease Let 's build plant Marry Eat Drink joyn House to House Field to Field till there be no more place in the Earth The Harp the Viol and Pipe †Isa 5. 8 12 13. and Wine are in their Feasts but regard not the Works of the Lord neither consider the Operation of his Hands Therefore on such both Famine and Captivity will come so that their Goods shall become * Zeph. 1. 13 17. a Booty and their Houses a Desolation Even as Christ hath said Distress †Luke 21. 26. of Nations Mens hearts failing them for fear and looking after those things which for the Sins aforesaid are coming on the Earth The evident signs of the foregoing * Mat. 24. 15 21 24. Type of Jerusalem's destruction sheweth that the time is near of Christ's coming to Judgment true Faith so greatly decayeth among Men as it is written When the Son of Man cometh shall he find †Luk. 18. 8 Faith on Earth Oh! that open * Pro. 27. 6 Rebuke may be in this Day better than secret Love and the Wounds of a Friend better than the Kisses of an Enemy And to give to any †Job 32. 22. flattering Titles I know not for in so doing my Maker will soon take me away But have herein sought the good of every Soul yea the very * Mat. 5. 44. Enemies of all true Protestants the Papists and desire their Conversion that the Lord upon their true Repentance may have mercy on them Now to conclude by way of an healing Medicine both to the King 's most Excellent Majesty and