was sent Secondly the time when it began Thirdly the cōtinuance of it Fourthly his decreasing The cause of which was the sinne of that age which was growen vp as a mightie tree producing diuers sower and deadly fruites The first was the great securitie of the sonnes of God that is of those which made profession of the true Religion eating and drinking marrying and building Luke 17. 27. The second their disobedience and contemning of Noah the Preacher of righteousnesse and of the long suffering of God 1. Pet. 3. 20. The third their fornications and vngodly alliances with the infidels and with that damnable race of Cain without respect either of family or Religion The fourth their crueltie and oppression of their neighbours Gene. 6. 11. and 13. Lastly the corruption of their wayes Gen. 6. 12. and because their wickednesse was great vpon the earth 2. Sam. This is also the cause to applie the first to our selues which hath mooued the Lord to send this deluge of the Plague into the land because the selfe same sinnes did raigne among vs and as it was in the dayes of Noah so hath it beene in these last dayes of the sonne of man and therefore seeing a flood of iniquitie hath ouerwhelmed vs hath not this flood of the Plague iustly and suddenly ouertaken vs From the first let me leade you to the second the circumstance of the time when the flood began noted in the 7. Chap. of Gene. ver 11. In the second moneth the seuenteenth day of the moneth which was about the beginning of May or as others say in April when all things did most flourish and when it was lesse expected which suddennesse hath changed their ioy into sorow So likewise to applie the second to vs this deluge of the Plague began to encrease about the beginning of May as I haue noted when all things did flourish in the Countrey and in the Citie when we were merrie as the sonnes of the old world marrying feasting building and erecting our armes trivmphants when we lesse expected it which hath turned also our ioy into sorrow And as Noahs flood caused them to flie vpon high mountaines and trees that the waters should not reach vnto them So this deluge hath it not caused thousands to depart into the Countrey farre and neere to be preserued From the second I come to the third the continuance of the flood noted Gen. 7. 24. The waters couered and preuailed vpon the earth an hundreth and fiftie dayes which is about halfe a yeere and then in the end of an hundreth and fiftie dayes the waters abated Gene. 8. 3. which was in Nouember reckning from the beginning of them To applie the third our deluge hath not yet preuailed an hundreth and fiftie dayes and I hope through the mercie of God that it wil not so long encrease and bee in his full strength and force and yet O Lord by the great flood of our iniquitie we haue deserued a longer encreasing But haue mercie vpon vs O Lord according to the multitude of thy compassions Psal 51. 1. Let mee applie the fourth thing which is the decreasing of Noahs flood noted Gen. 8. 5 and they decreased vntil the tenth moneth which was the moneth of December this decreasing beginning from Nouember after the hundreth and fiftie dayes Our flood the Lord bee thanked hath begun reasonably to decrease in the moneth of September and the Lord graunt that these waters from henceforward may not bee going and comming but that they may altogether decrease vntill the tenth month And as the tops of the mountaines which were couered because of the flood were seene in the tenth moneth Gene. 8. 5. which was in December So the Lord graunt that the heads of the Citie the Merchants and principall Citizens which because of this deluge haue beene couered may be seene againe in the Citie the tenth moneth Further as on the first day of the first moneth Gene. 8. 13. the vpper part of the ground was wholly drie which was in March and part of Aprill So the Lord graunt that this deluge may in that moneth wholly bee dried vp and that there remaine not any reliques therof if it please him to remember vs in his mercie as hee did Noah Gene. 8. 1. Now that he may remember vs in his mercie let vs forsake the sinnes of the olde world let the flood of iniquitie which is broken through among vs decrease and wholly be dried vp Great hath beene and extraordinarie I doo confesse the invndation of the Plague this present yeere and therefore let our repentance bee great and extraordinarie It is reported of many of the Aegyptians by Sozom lib. 7. cap. 20. that being terrified by the strange invndation of Nilus higher then the wonted maner thereof was immediatly they condemned their ancient Idolatry and applied themselues to the worship of the liuing God So likewise seeing that this deluge of the Plague hath beene higher then the wonted maner as the weekly Bils doo shewe vnto vs let vs bee terrified and remooue our ancient iniquities let vs applie our selues to humble and feruent prayer a principall part of the worship of God And as the Arke in the flood rested vpon the high mountaines of Ararat Gene. 8. 4. So let vs in this flood rest vpon the Lord and vpon the holy mountaine of Heauen the power and mercie of our God are the mountaines whereupon the Arke may finde rest those are the holy hils whereon Sion hath her euerlasting foundation Hauing shewed to you the flood I come to the Arke The holy Ghost in the description of the Arke into which Noah entred Gene. 6. and 7. noteth these fiue things The Arke it selfe The persons entring The cause why The time when The end wherefore As for the Arke into which wee must enter it is not an Arke made of corruptible wood nor an Arke heere beneath sloating and tossing in the sea of this world but the true Arke of Noah and of the righteous the name of the Lord that strong tower wherevnto the righteous runneth by the feete of prayer Prou. 18. 10. an immortall eternall and incorruptible Arke I know no surer refuge from the tempest as Esai speaketh no safer harbour and receptacle wherin to repose your wearied soules The persons entring were Noah and his family Noah the righteous or the Preacher of righteousnesse as he is called 2. Pet. 2. 5. Noah and his little family the remnant of the earth as the sonne of Syrach termeth them Let vs with our families enter into the aforesaid Arke and although they consist more then of eightie and eight soules yea of infinite they cannot fill this Arke neither hinder one another as it happeneth in the bulwarkes and fortresses of mortall men but let vs be righteous Noahs for how can wee be else preserued If wee enter as an impious Cham perhaps we shall escape a temporall flood but not the deluge of Gods eternall wrath The cause
THE ARKE of Noah FOR The Londoners that remaine in the Cittie to enter in with their families to be preserued from the deluge of the Plague Item An Exercise for the Londoners that are departed out of the Citie into the Countrey to spend their time till they returne Wherevnto is annexed an Epistle sent out of the Countrey to the afflicted Citie of London Made and written by Iames Godskall the yonger Preacher of the word Psal 50. 15. Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me Dan. 9. 18. O my God encline thine eare and heare open thine eyes and behold our desolations and the Citie wherevpon thy name is called LONDON Printed by Thomas Creede AN EPISTLE TO the afflicted Citie of London To all you that be at London beloued of God called to be Saints Grace be with you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 1. 7. with all that call on the name of our Lord Iesus Christ in euery place both their Lord and ours 1. Cor. 1. 2. AS Naomi dearely beloued in the Lord the title of honourable at this time I do omit spake vnto the people which sawe her Call mee not Naomi which soundeth beautifull or pleasant but call me Mara for the almightie hath giuen me much bitternesse the Lord hath humbled me the Almightie hath brought me vnto aduersitie So likewise thou afflicted London mayest answere to them that see and heare of thee Call me not Naomi but Mara for the Almightie hath brought thee now vnto aduersitie In which affliction I may speake with the Apostle wee are mindfull of your teares And although as Paul speaketh we be absent in the flesh yet are wee with you in the spirit Coll. 2. 5. kept from you for a season concerning sight but not in the heart 1. Thess 2. 17. For we haue you in perfect memorie Phil. 1. 3. hauing you in our hearts 2. Cor. 7. 3. And thus being affectioned toward you 1. Thess 2 8. without ceasing God is my witnesse with the Apostle wee may protest we make mention of you alwaies in our prayers Rom. 9. 1. 10. Of thee ô London with the Leuites of Ierusalem vnfeignedly I may speake Psal 137. 5. If I forget thee ô Ierusalem let my right hand forget to play If I doo not remember thee let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth True it is by the Riuers of Babel as it were wee sit in a pleasant Countrey but neuerthelesse here we weepe when we remember thee ô London we hang vp our harpes and the pleasantnesse of the countrey cannot stay our teares remembring you that are afflicted as if we were afflicted our selues weeping for the Citie as Christ did for Ierusalem Luk. 19. and not onely for you but for our selues Luk 23. 28. How could we feast while the yron enters Iosephs soule in the Citie We are not Nero singing and triumphing when Rome is on fire but as Abraham prayed for Sodome and the Prophet for the peace of Ierusalem so we for the peace of London As for the Romish Edomites the superstitious Papists who reioyce at this ours and your present calamitie insulting ouer vs in this land and in others preaching it vnto theirs publikely and muttering it priuately that this deluge of the plague is iustly broken through among vs because we haue as they speake forsaken the religion and profession of our forefathers iustly we doo acknowledge although it is falsely imputed to that pretended cause What is this their accusation else but that old song of the superstitious Israelits Ier. 44. 18. 19 Since wee left off to burne incense to the Queene of heauen we haue had scarcenesse of things and haue beene consumed by the sword and famine Were not also the good Christians in the time of Tertullian Cyprian Arnobius and others in this manner vpbrayed by the Heathens who imputed to them the cause of Pestilence Warre Invndations Earthquakes and other troubles But O yee blind sonnes of men what was the cause of the flood in the time of Noah was it the Religion of that time or was it Noah the preacher of righteousnesse The Lord himselfe sheweth the cause Gene. 6. and 7. Chap. the sinnes of that age and the flood of iniquitie For which like sinnes both we and their professors also as well as we at diuers times haue felt this rod and also at this present time in Flanders they doo taste of this smart-whip which giueth vs iust occasion to speake vnto them that of the Prophet Thine inuentions haue procured thee these things Remember O Lord the children of Edom these superstitious Romanists which speake rase it rase it to the foundation thereof O daughter of Babel worthie to be destroyed But from whence am I digressed To returne to the head of the race where I first began I returne to you my brethren with sighes to whome I may vse the Apostles words In anguish of heart I write vnto you with many teares Of Prayer of which this treatise following doeth intreate I may speake that which Martha said vnto Christ If thou hadst beene here my brother should not haue died So likewise if feruent and humble prayer had beene amongst vs we should not haue suffered these things But seeing wee are in the flood and that the waters are entred euen to our soules Psal 69. 1. Therefore behold against this deluge I send to you a delineation of the true Arke of Noah whereunto yee and we ought to flie to be preserued which is the name of Iehouah Prou. 18. 10. the little Zoar and the Sanctuarie to hide and safegard our selues Two things beloued may put you in minde this yeere of two things First of Noah Secondly of Ionas withered Gourd vnto which your present calamitie for diuers respects fitly may be compared The first is your great ioyes preparations and stately buildings in the beginning of the yeere like vnto the ioy feasting marrying and building of those who liued in the dayes of Noah Matth. 24. Luke 17. The second is the suddaine alteration which ensued thereupon like vnto the vnexpected flood and deluge which came vpon the securitie of the olde world We liued before as in the dayes of Noah wee are now as it were in the flood the afflictions and troubles of the sonnes of men being not vnfitly compared vnto waters by the Kingly Prophet Dauid which prayer at this time London thou mayest make Saue me O God for the waters are entred euen to my soule Seeing therefore that thou with Ionas mayest say Lord the floods compasse me about what remaineth but that we enter into the Arke to be preserued Giue me leaue beloued by a comparison to shew you two things the flood wherewith ye are compassed about and the Arke which yee ought to enter In the flood of Noah the holy Ghost noteth foure things First the cause for which it
moouing Noah to enter was the Commandement of God Gene. 7. 1. Enter c. the same cause ought to mooue vs to enter it is the Commandement of the most high the Proclamation of the King of heauen Psal 50. 15. Cal vpon me c. And as in the time of the olde world hee ordained himselfe an Arke for Noah so he hath himselfe prepared appointed and ordained himselfe as an Arke and refuge for the righteous Noahs The time when was in the flood Gene. 7. 7. So Noah entred because of the waters of the flood Are not we in the flood Are not the waters entred euen to our soules And is it not therefore high time to keepe our selues within this Arke The end wherefore that he might bee preserued Gen. 6. 18 19. For the same ende let vs enter beloued to bee preserued from a threefold deluge from the flood of iniquitie wherewith our soules haue beene ouerwhelmed from the deluge of the Plague that calling vpon the name of the Lord and seeking his pesence the land may be healed 2. Chron. 7. 14. Thirdly from the deluge of Gods eternall wrath Follow therefore the obedience of Noah Gene. 7. 6. who did according vnto all that the Lord commanded him and was also remembred Gene. 8. 1. Enter therefore O yee righteous soules let your miserie speake for audience The waues doo now smite and tosse your ship and as the tempest arose Matth. 8. when they were a sleepe So likewise this present tempest wherewith we are tossed did arise when wee are a sleepe but arise arise from the sleepe of securitie call vnto Christ with the Disciples Maister saue vs or else wee perish Cast your eyes on high as the Marriner in the tempest Ad stellam polarem on the right North starre Christ Iesus who is also the bright morning starre Apoc. 22. 16. And in the sea of these afflictions Quite you like men and be strong t is the Apostles precept begin you to the ores of the Spirit inuocations intercessions to the liuing God praying as the Apostle exhorteth Ephe. 6. 18. With all maner of prayer and supplication in the Spirit with all perseuerance The arme of flesh is too weake to beare vs out and if our strength were brasse it could not helpe vs These are my brethren the onely ores which are able to row our ship through all the stormes of the sea these vessels of our bodies and soules I meane and if the bankes of the land doo faile vs that is temporall health they will land vs in the hauen of eternall felicitie Giue mee leaue brethren in the second place to amplifie vnto you another comparison not vnfit for this time for the suddaine alteration and estate of this yeere doth put me in minde not onely of the flood of Noah but also of Ionas Gourd To enter therein first our Citie as yee all know hath long bene and principally in the beginning of the yeere for diuers respects a flourishing Gourd and as a greene Laurell tree wee had builded a Tabernacle of pleasures yea Arches and Theaters and some of the workes like Babel Prosperitie as a Gourd was come ouer vs we were sitting vnder the shadow of it euery one as the Prophet speaketh vnder his vine and vnder his figge tree none making vs afraide and perhaps what doo I adde perhaps Without doubt many of vs in this our prosperitie haue spoken with Dauid I said in my prosperitie I shall neuer be mooued Secondly as Ionas reioyced exceedingly for the Gourd So likewise haue we reioyced exceedingly for this our prosperitie witnesse our feastes our braueries preparations and triumphs would to God that it had beene in the Lord. And as Peter was reioyced to be vpon the mountaine saying Maister it is good to bee here let vs make here three Tabernacles whereas hee was but a stranger and knew that there was not the permanent Citie Heb. 13. 14. So although we know we are but strangers in this life yet we haue said to our flesh as Peter vnto Christ let vs make here Tabernacles And therefore as the Gourd of Ionas suddenly withered and his exceeding ioy was changed into sorrow so our ioyfull songs haue beene changed into lamentations and our pleasure hath beene quite dasht the Lord hath made vs to say with Ieremie For these things I weepe and mine eye casteth out water Hee hath made others to say of thee O London as Ieremie of Ierusalem how doth the Citie remaine solitarie that was full of people shee is a widow shee that was great among the nations her Priests sigh her virgins are discomfited and shee is in heauinesse Lam. 1. 1. And hereunto I may adde that in the fifth verse it is for the multitude of her transgressions for which her people is now in diuers places scattered liuing as it were in exile and banishment and sighing as the Israelites did in Babel when they remembred thee O London But the Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away and hee that had power ouer the blessings hath also had power ouer the plagues Apoc. 6. As Ionas little thought of so speedie an alteration so did we little expect such a sudden change but it was feared and also prophecied of many as I my selfe haue heard and behold the trueth of their prophecie Nullum violentem perpetuum Some haue died through immoderate ioy as Diagoras of Rhodes and others and we I may say haue beene sicke through immoderate ioy and some dead The sonnes and daughters of England in this their exceeding ioy did little thinke of this sorrow as the sonnes and daughters of Iob when they were banquetting did not once dreame of the wind that came from the wildernesse and smote the foure corners of the house Babylon which was called tender and delicate and the Lady of kingdomes Ephe. 4. 7. which assumed to her selfe I am and there is none else I shall not sit a widow nor know the losse of children did not imagine how neere they were that came with a contrarie newes Thine ende is come Iere. 51. Neither London tender and delicate which hath vsed the same voice did expect to bee a widow for a time and to see the losse of her children by thousands You the Edomites and Epicures of these dayes yee that haue mocked your Prophets and watchmen as they did Ephe. 21. saying to them yee speake of iudgement haue yee not a time of sorrow and darknesse as yee haue had a time of light and delights The time when the Gourd withered was when the morning or the Sunne did arise in the comming foorth of the Sunne when the shadow of it should most haue pleasured him So in the rising as it were of the Citie which by the death of our late Soueraigne had beene as it were laide downe in the bed of sorrow and in the comming foorth of a new Sunne whose beames were comfortable to the whole land and the