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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69170	Salomons pest-house, or tovvre-royall Nevvly re-edified and prepared to preserue Londoners with their families, and others, from the doubted deluge of the plague. Item, a laudable exercise for those that are departed, or shall depart out of the city into the country, to spend their time till they returne. A handfull of holy meditations vsefull and requisite for Gods people ... By the reuerend, learned, and godly diuine I.D. preacher of Gods word. Whereunto is added Mr Hollands admonition, and Mr Phaers prescription for bodily physicke. Also, London looke-backe: a description or representation of the great and memorable mortality an. 1625. in heroicke matchlesse lines, by A.H. of Tr. Colledge in Cambridge.	I. D., preacher of Gods word.; Holland, Henry, 1583-1650? Spirituall preservatives against the pestilence.; Houssemaine, Nicolas de, d. 1523. Régime contre la peste.; Holland, Abraham, d. 1626. London looke-backe.; Phayer, Thomas, 1510?-1560.	1630 (1630)	STC 6176; ESTC S117096	52,379	80

for our soules and bodies and deserue a commendation both by God and other nations and thereby giue occasion vnto the Lord to shew his omnipotent power in the ceasing of the plague and to doe an act in England conuenient to his nature and glorious to his holy name And as Iacob wrestled with the Angel and would not let him goe vntill he had receiued the blessing So let vs as it were striue with the Lord by our prayers and let him not goe vntill he haue heard vs in that which we aske of him in this afflicted time Let our prayers be now as the showers of the raine if the first showre faileth of watering the earth sufficiently the second the third or the fourth wil fulfill the thirst thereof Let vs be like vnto the widow Luk. 18 and our importunitie will draw him vnto audience but yet let vs hold a better opinion of the Iudge of the world then of a common vulgar friend It delighted his eares to heare our redoubled obsecrations and he suspendeth our desires in expectation that we should be importunate to craue The bodily Physician cannot away with the importunate patient but God Habak 2.3 King Dauids Physician loueth the importunate prayer more acceptable is to him the end of our prayer then the beginning I would the children of light were as wise in their generation as the wodden Priests 1. Reg. 18. who cried long to Baal yea cut themselues with kniues that they might be heard and what ought not wee then doe to obtaine our suite Let nothing then mooue vs to returne but as the King of the Philistines 1. Sam. 6. though they had Calues at home yet they kept the straight way to Bethshemesh and held one path turning neither to the right nor to the left hand neither euer stood still till they came into the field of Iosuah So in our going to the name of Iehouah the affection of our soules bearing the Arke and coffer of our suite though it hath worldly allurements to draw it backe as the Kine had Calues yet let it in the way to the house of God as they to Bethshemesh hold one path of perseuerance turning neither to the right or left hand with wandring cogitations till it commeth into the field and garden of God and there let it remaine Many heretofore hauing not continued in the Countrey in their hasty returning haue fallen sicke and died So many hauing not continued in this strong bulwarke haue endangered both body and soule And thus much hitherto of the second part The third part containing the houshold stuffe which we must carrie vnto that place There followeth now the third and the last which openeth vnto vs the houshold-stuffe which we must carrie with vs thither noted in the word Righteous As they which goe in the country in the time of plague carrie with them their houshold-stuffe their furniture and those things which are necessarie for their bodies and as Noah entring the Arke carried with him necessaries so likewise in our going to this place we must carrie with vs those things which are necessary for our soules that wee may be receiued by the Lord of that soyle and without which we cannot goe thither There are fiue peeces of spirituall houshold-stuffe which are necessary for vs noted in the word Righteous 1. Repentance The first is Repentance and holines of life for hee that is righteous giueth himself to righteousnes And this furniture carried with him Dauid 2. Sam. 24.11 As they which goe in the country haue their reasons why they carrie with them such and such necessaries So giue me leaue in the opening of this furniture to shew you also the reasons which must moue vs to carie them with vs. As for this first the first reason is the prescriptiō of the spiritual Physicians 2. Tim. 2.19 it is the Apostles precept Let euery one that calleth on the name of Christ depart from iniquitie The second is that we may be receiued for the righteous Lord loueth righteousnesse his countenance doth behold the iust Psal 11 7. His eyes are vpon the righteous and his eares open to their cry but his face is against them that doe euill Psal 66.18 to cut off their remembrance from the earth Psal 34.15.16 If I regarde wickednesse in my heart saith Dauid the Lord will not heare me For as Salomon testifieth the Lord is farre off from the wicked but he heareth the prayer of the righteous Prou. 15.29 Draw therefore neere to God and he will draw neere to you cleanse your handes ye sinners and purge your hearts ye wauering minded Prou. 28.9 Iam. 4.8.9 The third is that the bodily plague may cease for how dare we approach vnto the Lord to craue that it might be remooued and yet carie with vs the inward cause thereof let the Physicians maxime heere preuaile remooue the cause that the effect may cease Let vs not as the sonnes of Iacob bring into the presence of our father Psal 59. the garment of Ioseph which we our selues haue be blooded As Aaron could not come before the Lord before he was washed so let vs not go vnto him before we haue cleansed ourselues from infection of the soule And as Iacob Gen. 42. exhorted his sonnes when they were going to Ioseph carry with you the best fruits of the land and giue them him so let vs in our going to the true Ioseph Iesus Christ carrie with vs the best fruites of our hearts to offer vp the sacrifice of our prayers leauing our corrupt affections as Abraham left behinde him at the foot of the hil his asses I conclude this first point with the saying of Chrysostome as in a garland it is not enough that the flowers be pure and cleane but the hand also which handleth them so it is not sufficient that the words of our prayers be holy but the heart also which conceiueth them 2. Faith The second piece of houshold-stuffe Faith for the righteous is also hee that beleeueth in Christ and is righteous through the righteousnes of Christ the righteous 1. Sam. 24. This furniture carried Dauid with him for as hee had a desire of health and remission of his sinne so hee had also a stedfast faith and confidence that it should be forgiuen him This persuasion of deliuerance and hope of obtaining we must haue with vs enterteining it in our hearts The reasons are first the prescription of the spirituall Physicians it is the Apostles precept Iam. 1.6 Let him aske in faith and wauer not And in the fourth to the Heb. 16. that we should goe boldely to the throne of grace drawing neere vnto him with a true heart in assurance of faith Heb. 10.22 casting not away that confidence which hath recompence of reward Vers 35. t is the counsaile of Christ Mar. 11.24 Secondly carrie it with thee that thou maist receiue that for which thou goest vnto him faithfully Psal 145.18

appeares that rather they haue beene thereby encouraged to goe on in security if not in sensualitie I may say therefore with the Authour and Founder of our Towre-Royall This is also an euill vnder the Sun committed by the sonnes of men Of whom I my selfe being one ingenuously confessing I cannot free my selfe from being tainted with the Infection of this euill will say no more but doe humbly implore for my selfe and all the Israel of God more wise humble concrite and thankefull hearts in obseruing his workes Open thou my lips Psal 51.15 Psal 119.18 O Lord that my mouth may shew forth thy praise And open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy workes Iterum in Christo vale I. D. SALOMONS PEST-HOVSE OR TOWRE-ROYALL Collected out of the 18. Chapter of the Prouerbs verse 10. The name of the Lord is a strong towre the righteous runneth vnto it and is preserued Confirmed by the practise of King Dauid 1. Chron. Chap. 21. ver 17. and 26. And he called vpon the Lord and be answered him by fire from heauen THe whole Colledge of the bodily Physicians and the Prince of them that wise and learned Galen prescibe for the time of Plague that of all remedies to preuent the contagion the best is to flie shun the infected and corrupted ayre and to depart vnto a wholesome and purer ayre and that with these three rules Citò longè tardè Depart speedily farre off and returne slowly As this is Physically prescribed so it is diligently practised as daily experience teacheth of all sorts of men yea of the Physicians themselues I will not contradict the prescriptiō of the Physician nor disprooue the diligence of the sons of men if they vse departure lawfully therin not sinning Contra Patriam charitatem vocationem against their Country their calling Christian charity But because by the corruption of our nature which is more than the corruption of the ayre we suffer our selues as with maine sayle to be carried away from the Creatour to the creatures fixing all our senses more vpon the aerial corruptiō than vpon the inward cause of the contagion the rottennesse of our bones which we carrie within our selues are more carefull to depart into the Countrey than vnto the Lord as if by the swiftnesse of our feet we could out-runne Him who rideth vpon the wings of the Cherubims Psal 10.4 which causeth that the Lord hath a Pursiuant which he sendeth to arrest some in the pure ayre namely the Plague it selfe which hath arrested some in the Countrie as well as the Citie Anno. 1603. and 1625. as the experience of the two last Visitations verified and this present yeere haue shewen vnto vs all verifing the threatning of the Lord Deut. 28.22 This is the reason why the whole Colledge of the spirituall Physicians of our soules haue prescribed for the time of Plague a better flight and departure than that which is prescribed by Galen and therest namely to the name of Iehouah by the feet of Prayer mentioned and storied by that wise Salomon in the words prefixed And as it is prescribed so it hath been practised of the Saints of God among the rest of King Dauid in the time of Plague as the second place adioyning vnto the first doth witnesse Of this place then which is the right A●ke the little Zoar whereunto our first care ought to be in the time of plague to depart and which is also the trustie friend and seruant to aide the sicke and the Exercise for them that are departed to spend the time till they returne giue me leaue Christian Readers to discourse out of the harmonie of these two places here prefixed To pray well saith Chrysostome is an excellent art which doth adorne a Christian but it is not sufficient to know that we must pray but also in what manner and therfore that we might the better be instructed in the going to this place and become skilfull in this art I will braunch the description of this place in these three seuerall parts which will store vs with a cluster of singular Meditations The first is the name of the place it is the name of the Lord. The second is the qualitie condition propertie and the safenesse of it expressed in two things First because it is a strong towre secondly by the successe of those that run vnto it and is exalted or deliuered which is the thing which they receiue that run to it The third thing is what maner of persons they must be that flie to it what househould stuffe they must carrie thither with them to be receiued noted in these words the righteous runneth vnto it As for the place let me obserue foure things For as in the time of Plague for our departure first it is necessarie that we know the name of the place whereunto we go secondly that we haue feet to beare carrie vs thither thirdly that wee haue a direction that wee might not erre fourthly that we haue some right and interest there or some acquaintance that we may be receiued So likewise these foure things are necessarie to be knowne of vs in our spirituall departure Touching the name of the place whereunto Dauid fled in the time of plague as it hath diuers names 1 The name of the place so in this place it is called the name of Iehouah Heere I pretermit the fiue seueral significations of the name of the Lord vsed in the booke of God taking it in this place first for the Lord himself secondly for his attributes by which he doth manifest himselfe Of which Moses Num. 14. bringeth in a perfect catalogue the Lord hath deliuered this his name by proclamation Exo. 34.5.6 The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gratious slow to anger and aboundant in goodnes and truth c. God then the almightie eternall immortall inuisible Lord the iudge of the world Psal 94.2 God mercifull and gratious the supreme Physician of our soules who healeth all our iniquities Psal 103. God to whom power belongeth and whose is saluation alone Psal 62. is the place it selfe wherunto Dauid and wee ought to flie from the contagion The name of a place if it be knowne famous and renowned hath often much force to perswade vs rather to goe vnto such a place than vnto such or such surely there was neuer name of place more worthy to goe vnto then the name of Iehouah O yee righteous soules that thirst or may thirst by reason of the heat of the plague vpon your beddes flie vnto this place to the waters of comfort here are wels enough to be drawne at this is the name which God hath proclaimed to the world and whereby he would be knowne to men that if euer they come to him they may speake their mindes in the confidence and trust of this amiable name Esteeme it not strange beloued that the name of a place is attributed to the Lord

driuen thereunto either by famine or force as Seba in the time of Dauid hereof is a witnesse Secondly the Lord of the soyle which inhabiteth that place his name is Iehouah the Almightie Psal 91.1 the strong and inuincible God who will and is able to preserue vs. Thirdly it is prooued by the successe of those who run to it by that which they receiue they are exalted preserued or deliuered saith Salomon which Dauid acknowledgeth Psal 32.7 and is confirmed by the successe of Dauids prayer 2. Sam. 24.25 and the plague ceased from Israel Comfortable is the saying of Dauid Psal 91.3.15.16 in which sixe things prooue the happie successe of the righteous that runneth vnto it First Gods ready answere Secondly his presence Thirdly his deliuerance Fourthly his aduancement to honour Fiftly length of dayes Sixtly fruition of saluation O the excellent riches pleasures and ioyes which the righteous there shall enioy As Lot there fled vnto little Zoar to be preserued from the fire of Sodome Gen. 1● So let vs flie to the name of Iehouah to be safe from the fire of the plague The earthly places whereunto men run do want this propertie they are not warranted to be safe there either from danger or from the plague and the experience of this yeere doth declare it vnto vs all Some haue returned and some haue died there but as for the name of Iehouah thy soule is certaine to be preserued if thither shee taketh her recourse and as they onely escaped the flood that entred into the Arke of Noah So likewise they that enter into this incorruptible and immortall Arke shall only be safegarded from the deluge of afflictions The Doue of Noah at her first flight from the Arke although shee mounted aloft and fetched many retires yet shee could finde no resting vntill shee returned againe to the Arke So the poore soule may flie where shee will but yet shee shall not haue any sure footing to rest except shee returne to the heauenly Arke let vs therefore be wise as Serpents and simple as Doues for as they being persecuted flie vnto the rockes so let vs in our calamities take our recourse to the rocke of Dauid Psal 18.2 neuer haue there bin holes in the rockes so open for the doue as the name of Iehouah for the righteous soules There are two renowmed places mentioned by Plinie Locris and Crotone where the plague was neuer as he writeth lib. 1. cap. 96. and without doubt many resorted thither but although we should flie at this day to Locris and Crotone if wee carrie within vs the plague of sinne the inward cause of the bodily contagion we haue no warrant to bee safegarded But me thinkes I heare a controuersie Obiection Many righteous haue fled to the name of the Lord and yet haue not beene safe from the deluge of the pestilence or from the snare of the hunter but thousands and thousands are fallen in former visitations yea some of the chosen of Israel Answer The answer is that they haue first obtained either that which they prayed for secondly or that which is better or thirdly that which is sufficient And the Lord heareth vs alwayes although alwayes he granteth not our petition this seemeth a Paradox and yet the trueth thereof is manifest for in steed of that we asked he giueth vs a better thing and a better place thou askest the earth saith Augustine and the Lord giueth thee heauen temporall life he giueth thee the eternal The Surgion that saweth off the arme or legge of the Patient who crieth for impatience apprehension he areth him Non secundū voluntatem sed sanitatē not according to his wil but according to his health so the Lord dealeth with his Patients 4. A place where they haue friends Fourthly to proceed men make choice of places where they haue their friends the children resort to their parents the parents to their children brethren to their brethren and one friend to another The name of the Lord is a place of refuge where we haue our bestfriends there we haue our Father our eldest brother Christ Iesus the holy Ghost our comforter and therefore Dauid in the time of Plague went to this comfortable place Experience hereof Anno 1625. In earthly places vnto which the sonnes of men resort either we haue no friends or they are farre off and therfore we seeke other or sometimes although we haue friends yet they will not receiue vs for feare of infection but in this holy temple and vpon this holy mountaine we are sure to finde at all times the aforesaid friends 5. A place accessible for all men Fiftly we haue regard to choose a place which is lawful for all men to come vnto which is not prohibited or forbidden by the Lord of the soyle and Magistrate of the place and where we know we shall be receiued This place of refuge is such accessible for all men for whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saued Ioel. 2.32 Neuer a citie of refuge so free for all manner of transgressions hither may come the King and the subiect the rich and the poore the learned and the vnlearned the merchant and the tradesman the sound and the sicke yea the infected with the plague In the time of infection it is not lawfull for them that dwell where the contagion reigneth to com vnto the Princes Court they are forbiddē by Proclamation to resort thither But the court of heauen is open for all men yea the for infected for they cannot infect the Court of heauen The King of heauen his proclamation the King of heauen hath made a Proclamation in the 50. Psal that we should resort thither the Prince of glory Iesus Christ who keepeth his residence there will not keepe vs backe If the Prince had made a Proclamation that the infected should resort to his court to bee healed who would not hasten thither It was not lawfull for all men to come to the inner Court of King Ahassuerus Esth 4. none might approach but they to whom hee held out his golden Scepter except he would die the death that was appointed for such as durst come neere no such kind of punishment is appointed for those that goe vnto the Courte of the King of heauen we may approach boldely to the throne of grace Heb. 4.16 the scepter of our King I meane not that yron scepter of his iustice but the golden of his mercie is euer held forth to man woman children bond or free stranger or Citizen infected or not infected whether they be called or not called and they all may safely approach I name not neither inward or outward court but euen to the throne of grace where the King himselfe sitteth and if there we craue of him I say not to the halfe of his Kingdome as Ahassuerus spake vnto Ester but to the whole it shall not bee denied vs. Feare of punishment

keepeth vs from the Princes court Let not feare keepe vs from the court of heauen Nehem 2● Nehemiah although hee held the cup to the King yet how fearefull hee was to make a request vnto him But as for you O ye righteous soules feare yee not O you little flocke for it is your fathers pleasrue to giue you a Kingdome Luk. 12. Further in time of contagion not only the court but also the other cities townes and villages will not often lodge them that come from contagious places either the Lord of the soile or the magistrate of those places forbidding it but as for that heauenly Ierusalem and the Lord of the liuing thervnto euery one may resort the Lord and magistrate of heauen doth not interdict it Dauid cried vnto the Lord and said thou art my portion in the land of the liuing Psal 142.5 At Rome the housen of the Aediles were alwaies open for all men that they might resort thither to haue their causes heard and so is the house of the Lord for the afflicted soules In some places there are appointed as I my selfe haue seene watchmen with halbards to aske the passengers from whence they come and sometimes to keepe out those that come from infected places but in our going to this place we need not to haue such feare for as Chrysostome saith Hic non est miles assistens qui expellat here there is no Sergiant or Soldier to keepe thee out If the cities of the earth shut their gates before thee thou canst not enter As for that heauenly Ierusalem it is not lockt and although it were prayer as Augustine speaketh is a key to open heauen to bring thee to the presence of God Serm. 226. detemp the Towne and Villages in times of infection although they receiue some yet they will not harbour many and often there is no place for multitudes but so is it not with the name of Iehouah with this strong tower it is not like vnto the bulwarkes of mortall men into the which if too many enter they will hinder one another this fortresse can receiue millions and millions without any impediment Further the temple is also interdicted to the infected for they are commanded by the magistrate to keepe their housen for a time or if they come they are entreated to sit a side but the Lords holy temple aboue in heauen is not forbidden vnto the infected nor to any man it is lawfull for them to go thither and pray and that with the successe of Dauid Psal 18. In my trouble I did call vpon the Lord and cried vnto my God and he heard my voyce out of his Temple 6. A place neere vnto the Citie Sixtly some make a choyse in the plague time of a place which is neere whereunto they may easily goe without any great trouble or cost the name of the Lord is such a place compendious to cut off vnnecessarie labours yee need not to runne farre the Lord is neere as the Prophet speaketh to all them that call vpon him neither will it cost vs any thing mony or merites intercession of friends or gifts Poore men yee that want friendes or money and therefore cannot prouide your selues a place be not dismaide behold here is a place which will cost you nothing It is a place whereunto we may go at all times at dinner time and at supper as Chrysostome speaketh in the day time and at mid-night in thy health and in thy sicknesse the sicke man may ly downe vpon his bed and goe vnto it and when with King Ezekiah he cannot vse the feet of the flesh yet may he vse the feet of the spirit In a moment we can flie thither for as soone as we haue finished our prayer we are alreadie come to this place and to the Lord of this soyle our prayer and God meeting one another in heauen as Iesus Christ and the woman at the Well Ioh. 4. As for earthly places whereunto men resort either they are far off vneasie to goe vnto and that with trouble and cost or expences sometimes we are stopped we must haue Warrants and Certificates of the Parish Church-wardens that our house is not infected before we can be admitted all this trouble we need not in the time of plague in our going to the name of the Lord nothing will stop vs the bodily plague shall be no impediment for wee haue a warrant that we may passe the King of heauen his warrant in the 50. Psalme Call vpon me c. The warrant of the infected and therefore this place is better then the earthly where the fearefull sonnes of men dwell which feare the apparrel houshold-stuffe yea and thy letters I know nothing then to stop our passage but the plague of the soule as the Lord of this soyle telleth vs in the 2. Cor. 6.17 Touch none vncleane thing and I will receiue you Obiection But I heare the weake conscience obiect I am infected with the plague of the soule and therefore it is not lawfull for me to call vpon the name of the Lord it is for the righteous as Salomon speaketh but alas I am vnrighteous and how can I therefore go vnto this strong tower The answer is Answer for thy comfort O weake conscience that Salomon speaketh not of them that are righteous by their owne righteousnesse but by the righteousnes of Christ Iesus such are all the faithful in whose mortall bodies the plague of sin doth not remaine their infirmities being healed by Dauids Physician Psal 103. If yee desire a certificate thereof you haue the Gospell subscribed and sealed by God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost If yee desire a witnesse ye haue a threefold witnesse The spirit the water and the bloud 1. Ioh. 5.8 7. A place where we may haue a Physician Lastly wee make choyse of such places where if need be we may haue good Physicians for we esteeme it a great miserie to be destitute of a good Physician and of meanes to helpe vs in our neede The place of refuge whereunto Dauid fled and wee also ought to flie following his direction hath the best Physician which is both in heauen or earth God the Father King Dauids Physician who hath both health and sicknesse life and death in his power to dispose of them for our good and saluation knocke therefore boldly with the hand of prayer and repentance at the gate of his mercie and thrust in his hands both thy life and health And thus much for the qualities and properties of the place To pray for others is also requisite Further we haue to obserue that Dauid went not to this place of refuge alone but with his whole family for he prayed with the Elders of the people for the people and for the deliuerance of his whole kingdome Herein imitate King Dauid remember in thy prayer thy whole family and the state of the whole kingdome the Tribe of Iudah and

their time was expired Now then the gift ceassing it is madnesse to retaine still the time which went with the gift that is this annointing or aneiling and more madnesse to make a Sacrament of it as Antichrist hath done most extreame madnes to giue it vnto them only which are a dying which was wont to be giuen to such as did recouer health againe Wherefore as the holy Visitors did then first vse their spirituall exercise which is left for vs to practise and next this extraordinary gift and meanes of healing so let vs carefully and wisely heere call for in the second place the learned Physician the comfortable and ordinary meanes which God hath left vnto vs in nature as long as the World endureth This order that holy Writer Ecclus 38.9.10 11.12 the Godly Preacher commendeth vnto vs in these words My sonne faile not in thy sicknesse but pray vnto the Lord and he will make thee whole leaue off from sinne and order thine hands aright c. and cleanse thine heart from all wickednesse c. Then giue place to the Physician for the Lord hath created him let him not goe from thee for thou hast neede of him the houre may come that their enterprises may haue good successe for he also shall pray vnto the Lord that he would prosper that which is giuen for the prolonging of life Whereas some obiect that in the Pestilence naturall remedies of Physick cannot benefit vs because the causes here cannot be seene or found in nature I answer with M.B. If there come into the Pestilence no naturall causes then these whom the Plague hath infected cannot doubtlesse so much be eased much lesse be healed by naturall remedies But this second to be very false experience and common sense do daily tell vs. Wherefore I affirme that naturall remedies must not be neglected Againe whereas others doe obiect that Physick heere often is seene to haue but small good successe I answere that wee must not say of naturall Preseruatiues that because they doe not benefit one or two or three therefore they cannot helpe any at all It is a bad conclusion for consider that God doth gouerne naturall causes and their effects as it pleaseth him and blesseth them to whom hee will where and when he will And hence it commeth that the infection toucheth not euery one that is in danger of it neither is it deadly to euery one that is infected Others yet more fondly dispute against naturall remedies in this sicknesse and they say that God hath here a more speciall prouidence and he will smite whom he will to death and therfore all remedies are to small purpose These men againe want iudgement I answer that the Lord no doubt when he sent a Famine into Egypt and the Regions thereabout he determined who should die in that Scarcity yet for all this ceaseth not Ioseph with most wise counsell to prouide for the Egyptians and Iacob for his familie The like did Paul in the Sea with the Mariners when he had receiued an answer he should come to Rome safely And Christ knew his time and yet hee went aside often from his enemies hand till his houre came vsing the ordinarie meanes for his preseruation And that no man may stand stifly in his owne rash iudgment Quid Temeritate fortius saith Tully What so foole-hardie or so violent as rash and hastie spirits 1. De natura deorum Heare what that learned Father of euer blessed memorie Master Luther saith of this matter in his * De Peste in Witteberga Ann 1527. Treatise translated out of Dutch into Latine and in English thus much God hath created Physicke and giuen vs a minde and reason that euery man should haue a care of his owne body for health and life whosoeuer will not vse these when as without the hurt of his neighbour hee may the same man betrayeth his owne life and there lacketh little but that before God he is made a murtherer for by the same reason hee may despise meat and drinke rayment and housing trusting too much vnto his faith say if God will he can preserue me without all these things than the which folly this is yet greater that he which after this sort casteth off the care of his body he may hurt and infect others also and so through his negligence he may purchase the blame of a murderer Some men indeed doe as foolish men doe in a common firing which will not come and helpe the Citie but let the fire alone that the whole Citie might be burned namely vpon this trust doubtlesse if God will he can without water quench the fire But friend thou oughtest in no wise so to deale Nay it is vnlawfull and shameful which thou perswadest thy self but rather vse remedies and Medicines and do whatsoeuer any way may helpe perfume thine house orchard or street flie the infected places and so behaue thy selfe as one willing to quench not to maintaine this open fire Againe it followeth in the same Treatise If Sathan by the will of God either by himselfe or his Ministers hath wrought vs this deadly Infection I on the other side before all things will pray vnto God that of his mercy he will take away the same from vs then I will put to my simple helping hand both by perfuming and cleansing of the ayre by vsing of medicines and also in shunning the infection where my presence is not necessarie Lest I might seeme my selfe to haue neglected some thing or to be cause of death vnto others who through my negligence may take harme But if God neuerthelesse will haue mee visited with this sicknesse or call me out of this world vnto his Kingdome yet I haue not done but that which was my dutie neither haue I offended in any thing either against my selfe or my neighbour but where my seruice is needfull there I will let passe nothing of all things which either can or ought to be done of me Behold this is that Godly faith indeed which doth nothing rashly neither tempteth God in any thing Thus then I conclude when thou shalt haue wisely considered and discerned the causes of the Pestilence then turn to God as the Prophet biddeth with all thine heart Ioel. 2.12 with fasting with weeping and with mourning and flee a loft by faith into the secret place almightie shadow and blessed protection of the Lord and there rest patiently as vnder his holy wings euer praying for the increase of faith and patience that thou mayst quietly waite and depend vpon God and for a good Conscience that so thou maist auoide false foolish and wicked feares and cheerefully stand in thy place and carefully call for the Protection of the mighty blessed and holy Angels and for the communion and presence of Iesus Christ so shalt thou chase far away the wicked and vncleane Spirits which are sent of God to poysen and destroy men with the Pestilence And Lastly when thou