A seasonable caution to apostate Protestants: or, mercy and judgment at once visible wherein you'l find heart refreshing mercy to the firm Protestants; and soul ruining vengeance on the rotten time-serving ones that turn papists. Verifying, in the very letter, that promise, whosoever will save his life, shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake, shall find it: Mat. 16. 25. (as here the true Protestants did, who gave themselves up for dead men, rather than turn papists to save their lives; and yet were miraculously saved: when, at the same time, the rotten unsound Protestants, who, at that pinch, turn'd papists to save their lives, yet perished. Written by Mercurius Hibernicus, an ey-witness of the Protestants miseries, and of the papists treacheries in Ireland; from whom expect several sheets to the shame of popery. Mercurius, Hibernicus. 1680 Approx. 16 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-IV TIFF page image. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2009-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A92790 Wing S2220 ESTC R222959 99899337 99899337 153334 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A92790) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 153334) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 2359:19) A seasonable caution to apostate Protestants: or, mercy and judgment at once visible wherein you'l find heart refreshing mercy to the firm Protestants; and soul ruining vengeance on the rotten time-serving ones that turn papists. Verifying, in the very letter, that promise, whosoever will save his life, shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake, shall find it: Mat. 16. 25. (as here the true Protestants did, who gave themselves up for dead men, rather than turn papists to save their lives; and yet were miraculously saved: when, at the same time, the rotten unsound Protestants, who, at that pinch, turn'd papists to save their lives, yet perished. Written by Mercurius Hibernicus, an ey-witness of the Protestants miseries, and of the papists treacheries in Ireland; from whom expect several sheets to the shame of popery. Mercurius, Hibernicus. 1 sheet ([1] p.) : ill. printed by Th. Dawks, living in Black fryers. Sold by Langly Curtis in Goat Court on Ludgate-hill, London : [1680?] Date of publication from Wing. With a 6 1/2 line advertisement at end of text, followed by "The papists method in spreading their pamphlets and pestilent books, ..." (2 lines). 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Broadsides -- England 2007-07 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-08 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-07 Emma (Leeson) Huber Sampled and proofread 2008-07 Emma (Leeson) Huber Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-09 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A Seasonable Caution to Apostate Protestants : Or , Mercy and Judgment at once Visible : Wherein you 'l find heart refreshing Mercy to the Firm Protestants ; and Soul ruining Vengeance on the rotten Time-serving ones that turn Papists . Verifying , in the very letter , that Promise , Whosoever will save his life , shall lose it : and whosoever will lose his life for my sake , shall find it : Mat. 16. 25. ( as here the true Protestants did , who gave themselves up for dead men , rather than turn Papists to save their lives ; and yet were miraculously saved : when , at the same time , the Rotten unsound Protestants , who , at that Pinch , turn'd Papists to save their lives , yet perished . Written by Mercurius Hibernicus , an Ey-witness of the Protestants Miseries , and of the Papists Treacheries in Ireland ; from whom expect several sheets to the shame of Popery . NOW are the Daies , doubtless , whereof Christ and his Apostles forewarn'd us ; That there should be a departing or falling away from the Faith : ( 1 Tim. 4. 1. 2 Pet. 3. 3. Jude 18. ) and that because of Iniquities abounding , the love of many should wax cold , Matth. 24. 12. Cold for Christ , and the true Christian Religion ; Nay , They shall even deny Christ , 2 Pet. 2. 1. 2 Tim. 2. 12. And these things , with many more are come to pass at this very day . And this hath proceeded from the cursed design of the JESUITES , and the rest of the Romish Faction , who debauch many great Ones , and they , by their wicked Example ( which almost carries the sorce of a Command with it ) the whole Comonalty , ( by deluding them with pretences of Venial sins , and Pardons , &c. ) For is not Whoring , Swaring , Drunkning , Lying , Aequivocating , &c. become as a mighty Stream overflowing the whole Land , thereby fitting us for some worse Judgment , if the Plague , the Fire , and other Punishments we have had , do no good upon us . Therefore be steadfast : How dreadful is it to consider , and what a sure Token of approaching Judgment is it , to see I. Many quandam zealous Protestants , grown of late so cold , ( colder since the PLOT than before ) so narrow spirited and basely timorous , ( thinking 'tis a great piece of discretion , and that they shew an emphatical piece of Wisdom ) That when Discourse is raised in Company , concerning POPERY , they will either shift it off with a Drool , force some other Discourse , or sneak away , in hopes to save their Bakon , ( cujus contrarium verum est , ) so that , really , they are asham'd , or half afraid to own themselves Protestants : Shewing not so mch zeal for the true Worship of the true God , as a Turk does for Mahomets , or a Heathen for his Idol : hereby declaring that they have sat under a dead Ministry , of whom God hath said , They shall not profit the People . Those that never felt the Power of God , under an Ordinance , in turning them from all Sin , and shewing them the desperateness of their Condition without Christ , a holy Life , &c. will turn to any , the worst of prevailing Religions , especially to that which tollerates Sin , as Popery do's : nay , makes it meritorious , as murdering Kings , burning Cities , & c ! II. Others are so pusillanimous , so dirty , and dastardly ; That they dare not own the Truth , when they hear it traduced and impugned by men popishly affected : when e'n the Spirit of God and their own Consciences prompt them to speak : as if they were asham'd of Christ , ( See Mark 8. 38. ) and with Spira , desperately quench and resist the Motions of the Holy Ghost : and if any put them to it by Interrogatories , they 'l answer with an Equivocation , or an Italian shrug : Know , they that dare not Speak for Christ , will hardly either Do or Suffer for him ; These are light Wheat , that will soon be blown aside , if the Wind rises a little : especially , if Euroclydon blow hard . III. There is also another sort , who , tho they will talk pretty freely concerning the PLOT , &c. yet their words are so cunningly and artificially placed , as if they were coin'd on purpose : Yea their Expressions are many times so ambiguous , and savoring of the JESUITS canting Querks , that the wisest Man alive can hardly tell what to make of them : and all these three aim at the same thing , viz. hoping , by Silence , Indifferency , and Neutrality , to find favour of the Papists , if they should get uppermost ; which is the greatest Folly imaginable : as I could evince by many woful Examples , in the Rebellion , in Ireland where they were most egregiously perfidious , promising the Protestants quarter , but in stead thereof murdered them in cold Blood : And this one Relation , shall serve in stead of many , whereby you may see , if you will , what you are to expect when they have the Sword , &c. Take it faithfully as I receiv'd it from Captain Edward Leventhorp , and others . DUring the late Wars in Ireland , A Castle well mann'd with English , Protestants , being suddenly and straightly besieged by the Enemy , in so much , that in few daies , they were reduced to so great Extremity , that they must of necessity either starve , or yield to the Mercy of the merciless and implacable Papists ( whose tender Mercies are Cruelty ; as all along the Maryan Dayes , the Troubles in Germany , and the Irish Rebellion hath been proved . ) Hereupon , the Day and Hour being appointed whereon they should march out of the Castle , without any thing , save only their wearing Clothes : These Noble Souls ( I call them so for their Magnanimity for the Cause of Jesus Christ ) came out of the Castle , and as soon as ever they came forth , so soon were they surrounded by the Enemy ; as you see in this Figure : who , with drawn swords in their hands , waited only for the Word of Command to fall on , and cut them in pieces : whilst , the other poor Souls were upon their Knees , one while calling upon God for Mercy , and another while crying to their Enemies for Pity : but the Papists had sworn the Ruine of them all , and had done it too , if GOD by a strange and wonderful way had not prevented it . For , just as the Commander was about to give the Word , to fall on , and spare none of the English Soldiers ; GOD , I say ! put it into the Commanders mind , to ask them one Question first : and it was this , He demanded if there were any Roman Catholicks among them ? if there be ( said he ) let them draw out , and separate from the rest , who were to stand still : The Word was no sooner out of his Mouth , but out came three or four , and confest themselves Roman Catholicks , and withall antedated their Religion : after them , came half a dozen , and at the heels of them half a score more , and divers others after them , and all acknowleding themselves Catholicks , ante-dating , as the first did . Whereat the Popish Commander turn'd about and smil'd : and when no more would come , he asked the rest that stood Firm , If they were resolv'd to dye PROTESTANTS ? They , ( like true Christians , Heaven born Souls indeed ) answered , That they would not change their Religion to save their LIVES ! Say you so ? Quoth the Popish Commander ! But what , I pray , Do'nt you think the others that separated from you good Catholicks ? No , ( said the stedfast Soldiers ) because they never own'd themselves as such till now , and they do it for fear of Death . I verily believe it , ( said the Commander ) for I thought as much before . Then turning to the rest of his Officers and Souldiers , he said , Them yonder , meaning those that separated , are but Counterfeit Catholicks , and the Rogues do it only to save their LIVES , and to abuse us , for they will run away the next Opportunity : Therefore , by GOD , they shall dy every man of them , and the other for standing so bravely to their Principles shall live ; and whom I would sooner trust , upon any occasion , than the other , or any such Time-serving Rascals , as they are ! In short , he put all the Revolters to the Sword , and saved the other for their brave Resolution : and not only so , but sent them with a safe Conduct to the next English Garrison , having as many of his own sent in Exchange , that had been Prisoners . By this noble Act , the said Commander won great Applause amongst the English . Now , consider this , all ye that think to save your Lives and Estates by temporising and basely ante-dating your Religion , or dirtily complying with , and fawning upon every base pitiful ( the most of them are no better ) Papist before hand , as if ye would forespeak Friendship , as I am too sure many do . And possibly , you that are next to , removed but one little step from them , may find some favour , for a very little time , from them , till you and them , if they can by any idle foolish pretence get you to assist them against such as are more zealous against their Idolatries : But , when their work is so far done , then they will more easily cut you off too , for the least step of Reformation since Qu. Maries daies , their Soul hates , even as the purest worship . For I can liken them to no better a Crew than Rogues and Thieves that live in an honest place ; who will carry it very fairly among the Neighbourhood , to have som●●●dies good word at a pinch : so they , make to some one party to shelter under them : and the●● only Polyphemus's Courtesy will be yours , that is , to dy last ; when you have seen the Throats of others cut , your own turn comes next . There are Seven sorts that above all others are most likely to turn Apostates , viz. The Covetous , the Ambitious , the Self-lovers , the Over-nice , the Formalists , the Ignorant and the Fearful . See Rev. 21. 8. Mat. 10. 33. Mark. 13. 13. Rev. 2. 10. 25. 1 Cor. 16. 13. Phil. 4. 1. 1 Cor. 10. 12. These 7 include the first three abovenamed ; and are wrapt up in the word HYPOCRITE ; and amongst them , there are divers great Professors even of all sorts , who ( as well as the loose , ignorant , debauch'd , prophane Protestants ) for fear or favour , may joyn with the Papists against sincere Protestants ; as the Lutherans joyned with Papists against the Calvenists , An. 1567. and about the 10 year of Q. Eliz. especially when allured thereto by the curious Arts of Jesuites and their Proselytes , the P●●ltring Baites of Profit and Preferment . Seconded by the lusty ( tho feigned ) Promises of some principal Papists and their Agents . But God can ( and perhaps will ) bring it so to pass , That such revolting Wrethes , may be served as they above mention'd : or , if not so , yet they cannot escape Vengeance : for I am confident they will perish by one means or other , perchance by the hands of true Protestants : And , for my own part , I do profess , ( if God will make use of the Arm of Flesh , in our defence ) I would sooner give quarter to French or any other outlandish-Papist , than any English Apostate whatsoever ( Laity or Clergy ) that should joyn in Arms with them , or our domestick or home-born Papists against the Protestants Cause . And I write this with an heart that never yet feared the greatest or the proudest Papist in the World : who have been at the routing of such , almost an hundred times , in my junior daies : and therefore , I think , I should know the better how to deal with them now ; if they will needs force us to it , by falling upon us first : for till then we will not stir one foot : Let them otherwise provoke us never so much , as they have done very often , and do daily : besides burning of London , Southwark , &c. But as crafty Fowlers as they are , they shall not catch old Birds in the Chaff . ☞ Be steadfast , 1 Cor. 15. 58. — stand fast , 1 Cor. 16. 13. For , In all Gods Armory , there 's no defence for the Back , the Runagade , the Apostate must everlastingly perish . O Apostate bethink thy self betimes ! True Protestants will rather chuse to dy , Than Christ , or their Religion deny : And bravely persevere , come , what will come , But Hypocrites will bow the Knee to Rome , Ev'n these 7 Monsters , which I nam'd before , Would Popery , if it were up , adore . Notwithstanding all this , Let us , and all that think they stand , beware lest we fall , ( 1 Cor. 10. 12. ) as they may , without Divine Assistance : Self-Confidence being a most dangerous Rock on which many have split , even in this present Age : Remember the Apostle Peter : and the Apostate Pendleton , in the Book of Martyrs . LONDON , Printed by Th. Dawks , living in Black fryers . Sold by Langly Curtis in Goat Court on Ludgate-hill . Where also may always be had , 1. Godfrys Murder made Visible , containing the Cruelties of the Papists therein . 2. A Chronology of Popery , shewing When and Who brought in their Fopperies . 3. Packs of Cards illustrating the Plot , with a Book to explain them . 4. The Beggars Petition to Hen. 8. against Popery shewing Reasons enough why the King did throw off the Popes Authority . 5. Dr. Otes's Vindication for discovering the Plot , tho the wicked Papists rage at him for it . 6. Romes hunting match for III Kingdoms . 7. Englands Calamity foreshewn from the Growth of Popery . 8. Dr. Salmons Dispensatory . 9. Dr. Salmons Horae Mathematicae , or Soul of Astrology , containing an account of Nativities by Inspection only , without Calculation ; and of the evil of the next succeeding years , &c. 10. Famous Mr. Rich's Absence supplyed , by a Key to his Short-hand Table , faithfully discovering the whole Art , in that Method , he taught his Scholars , together with the reserv'd Rules in their proper places : the Table being little worth without this Key ; as also that all Books of this Art , in Mr. Rich's Name are Counterfeits : and for the Truth hereof he appeals to Mr Rich's Scholars . The Papists Method in spreading their Pamphlets and Pestilent Books , is this , When the People come to Confession , every Priest injoyns those that confess , and expect Absolution , to buy such Books as promote , holy Mother Churches Interest , and that they lend them to the poor sort , their Neighbours and others ; and this they must do either as a Meritorious Act , or as a Penance for some fault .