vnto thee not the water of life but the water of death Adde also a good quantitie of that comfortable Triacle of hope with the consideration of the future glorie being sure that thy redeemer liueth and that thou shalt see him with thine eyes Iob. 19.25 Mingle and temper thus well together this patience faith confidence and hope and let the patient that is infected with either of them both vse to drinke this Kings medâ—cine often let all his life in health or in sickenesse be a continuall repentance and meditation of these things and it will expell the venome of his sinne of impatience distrustfulnesse and immoderate feare But if the filthy botch of impatience distrustfulnesse and immoderate feare doe happen to appeare then insteede of Elder leaues take a good quantity of elders examples the faith of ABRAHAM patience of IOB the hope of DAVID take my brethren the Prophets for an example of patience in suffring aduersitie Jam. 5.10 Further take also the Mustard-seede of Gods word Matth 13.31 with the excellent commandements admonitions promises and comforts contained therein mingle these together consider vpon them make a plaister of them apply it to thy sore it will draw forth the venome corruption of impatience distrustfulnesse and immoderate feare The Mustard-seede as PLINIVS doeth witnesse is both purgativum curatiuum it purgeth the bodie of euill humours and cureth the venemous byting of a Serpent Euen so the Spirituall Mustard-seede of the Word purgeth and voydeth the euill humours of the soule and healeth the venemous byting of that old Serpent the Deuill THE KINGS MEDIcine for this present yeere Collected out of the 2. booke of Sam. Chap 24. and out of the first of the Chron. Chap. 21. THat which the Apostles in the beginning of their Epistles haue wished vnto the Saints of God the same in the beginning of the yeere I wish vnto you beloued of LONDON for a New-yeeres-gift Grace be with you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ Let vs beloued beginne this present yeere with that excellent Prayer of MOSES Teach vs Psal 90. O Lord to number our daies that we may apply our hearts to wisedome That which is reported of the DOLPHINES in the enrie of this yeere may put vs in minde of the state of the former yeere they play most in the Sea when a tempest is neerest And haue not we the former yeere in the Sea of this world beene most playing reioycing tryumphing erecting our Arches and some of the workes like BABELL when the tempest of the Pestilence was neerest and when we least expected it the suddaine alteration which ensued preacheth it to the whole Land And as the Lord hath bestowed the former yeere vpon this Kingdome the greatest benefite which she euer receiued so hath he also in the same yeere sent the greatest Pestilence in our memorie which she euer felt And note this with me that as the Prophet DANIEL in the first yeere of the reigne of King DARIVS who was made King ouer the Realme of the Caldeans Dan. 9. vnderstoode the desolation of Ierusalem the royall Mother-citie of Iewrie which moued him to turne his face vnto the Lord by Prayer and supplications with fasting and sack-cloth So likewise euen in the first yeere of the reigne of King IAMES who was made King ouer the Realme of England We vnderstood and also saw the desolations of the English Ierusalem the Mother-citie and imperiall Chamber of this kingdome which mooued vs with DANIEL to turne our faces vnto the Lord with prayer and fasting which is the best Phisick to cure the Plague of the soule with the effect thereof the Plague of the body The Physitions against the bodily Plague haue prescribed a certaine remedie called THE KINGS MEDICINE so tearmed because a king of England vsed it in the time of Plague This hath bene the medicine of the old yeere great hath bene your diligence beloued of LONDON to follow this prescription and being ayded by nature and expeperience some of you haue taken in this Kings medicine to preuent the Plague others being alreadie preuented by the sicknesse haue taken it in to expell the venome and to be deliuered from that secrete euill and noysome Pestilence with what successe your selues haue had experience The olde yeere being past giue mee leaue to prescribe another Kings medicine fit for the New yeere so called because a king of Israell vsed it with the Elders of the people It is a medicine against the Plague of the soule fit for all times If PLATO could say Repentance that the life of a Philosopher ought to be a continual meditation of death how much the better may we christians saie that the life of a Christian ought to be a continuall repentance Although the Plague of the bodie bee ceased yet it is to bee feared that the Plague of the soule doeth yet raigne and continue in manie places both in the Citie and suburbes therefore as you haue bene diligent the old yeere to take in the kings medicine for the body so bee not negligent this New-yeere to take in the Kings medicine for the soule It is a medicine which wil cost nothing and as fitte for the poore as for the rich The Phisitions deuide their whole practise in two generall partes in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preuenting Physicke and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 recouering Physick according to this rule The bodily kings medicine vsed the former yeere doth consist of two parts as it may be seene in the medicine it selfe which I haue annexed to this Treatise The first is for them that are not yet infected to preuent it The second is for the infected to remooue it The same medicine for both but with an addition So likewise the Spiritual kings medicine which I purpose to describe consisteth of these two parts It is a preuenting and a recouering Physicke necessary to preuent future calamities and to recouer the health of the soule All this hitherto spoken premitted as a Preface before we proceed let vs let some order in this our discourse and draw the scattered branches home to their roote I will vse the methode that Phisitions doe vse in their practise of Physicke shewing vnto you the cause of the sicknesse the medicine to heale it and the operation of the medicine And this is the methode which the Holy Ghost himselfe that wise Physition doeth follow in these two Chapters prefixed which I haue taken to be my text and the subiect of this discourse The words doe empty themselues into these foure particulars A diuision of the whole discourse The first containeth The Kings sicknesse the Plague of the soule DAVIDS sinne consisting in the numbring of the people verse 1.2.3.4 5. which I may call the Kings euill The second the effect operation and misery of the kings sicknesse the Plague of the bodie verse 14.15.16 with the outwarde cause of it The prouidence decree of
follow the Physitions methode not as naturians and Galenists but as Scripturians If wee search the outwarde cause out of the booke of God we shall finde that that wise Physition the holy Ghost maketh also in outwarde and an inward cause of the Pestilence one without maÌ„ another within man The first is the decree will prouidence of the Lord the second the sin of man the first is manifested in the plague three manner of waies if we respect the disease it selfe the persons infected the time when In all three the prouidence of the Lord worketh the trueth hereof fiue sufficient testimonies do prooue Fiue testimonies prooving the outward cause Deut. 28 Ier. 21.5 6 Esa 38 Iob 5.18 first the name of it the sworde rod out-stretched hand of the Lord secondly the Lords threatnings thirdly the remoouing of it which is proper to him Fourthly the instrumeÌ„t which the Lord vseth fiftly the choise giueÌ„ to the king Hauing found the outward cause imitate the good Phisition Two preseruatiues learne thereout to make preseruatiues and antidotes Out of the consideration of this will and prouidence wee may make a double preseruatiue for the time of infection Two preseruatiues One for the vnuisited the other for the visited For the first it is necessary to expel and to resist the poyson of immoderate feare 1 For the vnuisited Make it in this manner take the coÌ„sideration of the prouidence of the Lord without which nothing can happen apply this to thy soule and it will operate and make thee to saye why should I immoderatly apprehende and feare that which cannot happen and befall vnto mee without his will and which I cannot scape against his will If thou takest in Triacle Mithridate and other confections of arte to resist the poyson of the ayre what oughtest thou to do to expell the poyson of thy soule I shew you theÌ„ beloued here to make a spiritual Triacle and a heauenly Mithridate against this venome Secondly out of this consideration of Gods prouideÌ„ce 2 For the visited the visited and infected may learne to make a preseruatiue which is Christian patience necessary to resist and expell out of his soule the poyson of impatience grudging and murmuring Make it in this maner take the coÌ„sideration of Gods wil thus apply it to thy soule Psalm 39 as DAVID did Lord because thou diddest it I will be dumme and not open my mouth and saye as IOAB to ABISHAI his brother 2 Sam. 10.12 Let the Lord do that which is good in his eyes This preseruatiue is first necessary and forcible Secondly profitable thirdly comfortable fourthly tryed and experimented And thus much for the outward cause THe inward is the sinne of the King and of his subjects As the Physitions make the euill and corrupt humour ingendred in the body 2 The inward cause of the Plague the inward cause of the pestilence out of the booke of Nature So wee may make the inwarde corruptions in the soule the inward cause of the bodily infection out of the booke of God To the sinne of man I may attribute foure things First that it is the inward cause of the infection Secondly a just cause just First for God to send it Secondly for man to suffer it Thirdly a tryed and experimented cause for the experience of all ages hath obserued sinne to be the cause of the pestilence First â—ut of the Church Secondly in they Church Out of the Church this hath bin obserued by a double experience First by the experience of Historiographers Secondly Physition In â—he Church two things do prooue it First the sinnes for which he doth threaten to send it Secondly the sinnes for which he hath sent it Here might set before your eyes a cloude of witnesses and make a Christian Chronicle of â—xâ—mples but because I am loath to repâ—at that which others haue done already I ref rre you â—o their writings and to the booke of GOD. Fourthly sinne is the cause of Physical cause he cause both of the outwarde and inwarde â—ause rendreth by the Physition a cause of the infection of the ayre and of the corruption of the humours in the body Out of the consideration of the inward cause learne to make phisick and preseruatiues for the time of the plague Preseruatiues to bee made out of the consideration of the inward cause against the plague that both for the visited vnuisited Two preseruatiues may bee made out of this consideration The first to remooue the poyson of impatience the second to remooue the cause of the pestileÌ„ce If the filthy Botch Carbuncle of impatience grudging doth arise in thy soule seeing the hande of God then take this consideration apply it in this manner to thy soule that which the Lord hath sent to me it is for my sinnes and iniquities why art thou theÌ„ disquieted ô my soule learne to judge aright of this his chastisement and say with the Prophet Mich. 7.9 J will beare the wrath of the Lord because J haue sinned against him This phisick is both profitable and comfortable profitable to huÌ„ble thee to teach thee the knowledge of thy self to make thee vse the poore suters phraise Lorde I suffer nothing but thâ— which infinitly more I haue deserued tak away O Lord the trespasse of thy seruant Secondly comfortable for it setteth before our eies thâ— admirable goodnesse and mercie of the Lord and mooueth vs to speake in this maner I hauâ— infinitely more deserued ô Lord by my tranâ—gression yet so great is thy mercy that thâ— art coÌ„tented to send me an afflictioÌ„ which toucheth only the skin a corporal plague a teÌ„poral chastisement O inequal proportion the creature hath offeÌ„ded her creator a silly earth-worme the majestie of heauen and yet for our infinite sins he sendeth vnto vs but temporall chastisements Thy mercies ô Lord ouercome thy judgemeÌ„ts herein I perceiue the truth of thy promise Os 11.9 J wil not execute the fiercenes of my wrath Be not theÌ„ disamied ô my soule seeing that the Lord doth not punish thee according to thy desarte and the quality of thy sin this is a testimony vnto thee that thy sinnes are remitted that this preseÌ„t rod is but a fatherly correction The Lord then visiting thee with the rod of DAVID doeth ayde thee with a double aide The first is with the aide of correction and discipline The second is with the aide of coÌ„fort By the first he doth exercise thee without by the second he doth assure the within by the first he bridleth thy insolencie by the secoÌ„d he encourageth thy pusillaminity by the first he maketh thee more aduised for the future by the second more deuotions The secoÌ„d preseruatiue The second preseruatiue is to remooue the cause that the effect may cease and seeing sinne is the inward cause flye from it as from a Serpent Ecc. 21. GALENS counsaile is that of
scape the infection So this is the duety of the obedient subiects Pro. 18.10 going vnto the name of the Lord that strong towre to carry with them in their prayers their Princes and magistrates whom they are bound to loue as fathers that their soules may be preserued from the infection of sinne As there are no better Halbards and no trustier garde to preserue a King from bodily danger as an auncient father speaketh then the prayers of the righteous So I may saye that there is no better preseruatiue for the soule of the Prince to keepe it from the spirituall infection then the humble prayers of the louing subiects It is the Apostles precept that prayers 1. Tim. 2.1 supplications and intercessions should be made for Kings and for all that are in authoritie As a king for himselfe so praye thou for the king 2. Sa. 24 10 Take away O Lord the trespasse of thy seruant I conclude this poynt which concerneth kings and subiects with the prayer of a king fitte for a subiect Giue thy iudgements to the King O God and thy righteousnesse to the kings sonne psal 72.1 2 Dauid considered as a priuate person Secondly DAVID being considered as a priuate person a holy and a righteous soule a man after Gods owne heart and yet beholde infected with the plague of sinne taketh me as it were by the hande biddeth me tell you beloued that the holiest the most righteous the godlyest may get the spiritual infectiō sometime are taken with spirituall apoplexies 3. Doctrine Where is the Patriarke the Prophet the Apostle which hath not had the falling sicknesse Both the bad and the good get the corporal infection and so not onely the vessels of earth but vessels of the greatest honour in the great house of the Lord are sometimes polluted For as IEROME speaketh Nunquam ad perfectionem pertingemus nisi confecto stadio nostro we shall neuer attaine vnto perfectiō vntill we haue finished our race Magnum electionis vas perfectionem abnuit The great vessell of election PAVL himselfe denieth perfection saith BERNARD As there is no Pomegranate wherein there is not some kernel amisse as the prouerbe goeth So where is the Saint in whome there is no fault The Arke of couenant it selfe doeth Preach it for consisting ex lignis Sethim auro obducto Exod. 37 1.2 of a certaine Wood called Shitthim-wood ouer-couered with gold doeth signifie that the Church as long as shee is in the worlde shall neuer bee free from the Plague of sinne and yet that shee is purged and couered by the innocencie and golden perfection of Christ Iesus The righteous DAVID and the Holiest NOAH may bee compared vnto the ORANGE tree which beareth at one time ripe fruit greene Oranges and blossoms So the Christian fig-tree planted in the Lords Vineyard hath some imperfection And how canst thou deny this ô impure perfectist seeing man falleth as LACTANTIVS hath noted three waies In deedes in speeches in thoughts who can say I am cleane from sinne Pro. 20.9 Shew him me and I will praise him tell me where he is and I will honour him let me see him and I will worship him as a mortal God Is there a body without a blemish or a day without a cloude The Heathen POET could say Horace Nemo sine crimine viuit There be two false positions touching the corporall Plague which although many haue held to be true yet I haue founde false this yeere The first that an olde man can not get the Plague The seconde that he that feareth it not shall not lightly be infected As touching the spirituall Plague if any should hold these positions examples would prooue the contrary in old DAVID and ancient NOAH Old NOAH could preach that a floud should come and yet a second invndation preuailed against him and he became ouer-flowed with wine as the old world with water PETER would seeme the strongest to feare nothing and yet he shewed himselfe a weakling and got the Plague of Apostasie which remained in his soule till he was wakened by the allarum of a seely Cocke But I cease to report their falles least I seeme to take pleasure with vngratious CAM to vncouer the nakednesse of my fathers The vse you that stand learne by their ruines two things to auoyd presumption 1 To auoyde presumption to walke circumspectly First by their falles learne not to fa◠draw not on thee sin with the cart-ropes of examples take no aduantage at the ruins of Gods Saints countenance not your sins by the examples of those who healed them Alas pretious vessels they are but made of clay and shaped of the selfe-same mould whereof thou and all mankinde is fashioned Secondly learne prudence 2 To learne prudence If the spirituall Phisitions get this Plague how hardly shall the patients escape If the Cedars in Libaenon are throwne downe no maruaile if the lowe shrubs be shaken supplanted If ye are Prophets trust not the prerogatiue of your calling Prophets haue fallen Patriarches haue fallen Apostles haue fallen Starres Angels haue fallen Are you strong alas trust not to it it is infirmitie Thinkest thou to be pure ô perfectist alas trust not your purest and vprightest spirits whilest they haue their dwelling in houses of clay there is a lawe in the members striuing against them to get the victory Sayest thou I haue stood a time yet trust not your legges you may slide againe repliest thou I haue slipt and recouered trust not that recouery for feare of backe-sliding It is a cōceite of men that if once they haue had the bodily Plague they thinke that they cannot get it againe Whether this bee true or no experience teacheth as for the spiritual plague be not too bold and venture not too farre for DAVID who was once infected with the plague of murther and of adulterie was afterwardes infected with ambition And thus much for the person infected There followeth in the description of the spirituall plague 2 The ayre which infected the King the second thing which is the ayre infecting him or how DAVID got this infection 1. Chron. 21.1 Satan stood vp and prouoked him with the consideration of the time when the king got it in the time of peace and prosperitie his heart now being at ease Touching the first as there haue bene diuers opinions concerning the cause of the corporall Plague some attributing it to the infection of the ayre and inwarde corruption of the humours out of the booke of Nature others to the slaying Angell out of the booke of God So likewise diuersly some haue disputed of the cause of sin which is the plague of the soule Some haue ascribed it to God others to Satan the third to man As for them that roote wickednesse in heauen they discerne not betwixt the corruption of nature and the authour of nature True it is that GOD is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a
worker in the workes of men but yet let vs not set vp a iudgement seat in our erronious phantasies thereat arraigning God of iniustice Thus much I dare say that as the house wherein SAMPSON was fell to ruine with the verie weight of the building when he withdrew the proppes and pillers of the house and as the remoouing of the sunne from these vpper parts of the earth into the other hemisphere bringeth darknes vpon vs So when the Lord withdraweth his gratious spirite and that the aide and assistance of Gods grace forsaketh a man the righteous Lorde departing from an vnrighteous soule how can the house but fall and how can there but darkenesse succeede Great and admirable is thy wisdome ô Lord Sin is a poyson yet as the wisdome of the Phisitions is in vsing the poyson of Serpents for how harmefull a nature soeuer the poysoÌ„ hath the Physition tempereth it by degree healeth his patieÌ„t therby the poyson it self notwithstanding hurtfull the skill of the Physition commendable the effect profitable So the Lord an excellent Physition handleth sinne the poyson of the olde Serpent froÌ„ the corrupted will of man can produce good effects as appeareth here in the example of DAVID But I will not enter further into a bottomles sea let vs remaine where the lambe may wade without danger of miscarrying This question is couered with a curtain of sacred secrecy therfore the booke that is clasped vp I leaue to the lambe and to the blessed Trinity You phantastick Libertines that charge that righteous Lord with the conception and birth of so vile a monster why rubbe ye your filthinesse vpon his puritie vessels of clay dare you thus conceiue of your former Aske but the maisters of humane wisdome they will enforme you better God is by no meanes vniust saieth PLATO Let those dogges be confounded that barke at the iustice of God Iam. 1. I conclude with the Apostle let no man when hee is tempted saye that he is tempted by God for God is not tempted with euill and hee himselfe tempteth no man Others with a right iudgment follow the determination of that wise doctor the Holy Ghost who can not erre and make Man and Satan the cause of this spirituall infection But what neede we dispute about the matter the doctor of trueth decideth the question and himselfe maketh a Commentarie vpon this question in few words Satan stood vp and prouoked him For explanation of which Commentarie the saying of AVGVSTINE is excellent and substantiall Deus deserit diabolus suggerit homo consentit The deuill worketh by suggestion man by consenting God by forsaking To follow the methode of the Physition as hee maketh a double cause of the corporall Plague an outward and an inward the infection of the ayre and the corruption of the humours in the body The outwarde cause of the spirituall contagâ—on So may we make a double cause of the spiritual plague First an outward Satan Secondly an inward the flesh and the corruption within the the soule of man Satan is the ayre which doeth infect the soule this ayre is worser then the infection of the elementall ayre For the Satanicall ayre is euery where in all contries Kingdomes cities townes and villages It compasseth the earth to and fro Job 1.7 It infecteth all manner of persons the Prince and the subject the Courtier and the Carter the learned and the ignorant and hee that taketh in preseruatiues against it doth often hardly scape it For DAVID himselfe hath bene infected by it He walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure 1. Pet. 5.8 The infection of the elementall ayre hurteth nothing but the body but the Satanicall ayre seeketh to hurt man in three things In his soule in his bodie in his goods The infection of the elementall aire remaineth not alwaies but this continueth and hath bene from the beginning this infectious ayre was in Paradise the first person infected was EVE ADAM got it from her We from ADAM The bitter root of disobedience which our fore-fathers tasted infected their blood and the corrupt nutriment thereof conuerted it selfe into the whole body of their succeeding linage The breasts of EVE gaue no other milke then peruersnesse to her children and ADAM alas left it for a patrimonie to all his posteritie although the Lord had giuen them a preseruatiue against this Satanical ayre namely his commandement and had as it were fenced the forbidden tree with a double hedge of a twofold death yet it was so forcible that they became infected with the plague of the soule which plague manifested it selfe with many Deuils tokens disobedience apostasie infidelitie pride ambition and other more this ayre then hath infected DAVID and poysoned his heart Some deny that the ayre doth infect and affirme that an Angell doth it I dispute not therof but to apply this to our purpose I may say that an Angell doth infect men with the Plague of the soule but it is an Angel of darknesse As an Angel of heauen smote the ISRALITES with the bodily pestilence so an Angell of hell smote DAVID their King with the spirituall pestilence 2 The inward cause of it Iam. 1 14 15 thus much for the outward cause of this spirituall infection The inward is in man his pronenes to this corruption as the corrupted ayre cannot infect except the humors in the body be apt to receiue the infection for the euill and corrupt humors ingendered in the body are a cause of the bodily pestilence So although Satan bee the outward cause yet this our spirituall disease riseth from within vs. Satan cannot constrain vs to receiue it vnlesse our willes should consent to it and that by the inward corruption of our flesh wee were apt to take it The vse Out of the consideration of the two-folde cause of the spirituall pestilence learne to make a two-folde preseruatiue First resist the inward cause 1 To resist the inward cause and as against the inward cause of the bodily infection the engendring of euill humors it is good to take heede of disordering himselfe either in dyet or other vnlawfull exercises So to resist the cause of the spirituall plague which is in man Be sober and watch 1. Pet. 5.8 Take heede to your selues least at any time your hearts bee oppressed with surfetting and drunkennes and cares of this life Luc. 21.36 possesse your vessels in holinesse and honour and not in the lust of concupiscence 1. Thes 4.4 And as NOAH pitched the Arke without and within that no water should get in So let vs pitche the arkes of our soules that no violent and disordered thoughts rush into them The men of the world were wont to saye saieth BERNARD that hee that keepeth the bodye keepeth a good Castell Wee saye not so sayeth hee but hee that keepeth his soule keepeth a good Castell Let thy principall care bee to preserue this pretious soule from this infection But alas how
ruine and ouerthrow therof Whatsoeuer may be said of MARCELLVS for his clemencie ouer those he had slaine yet there is no comparison to be made betwixt him the Emperour of heauen and earth hee hath had froÌ„ the high tower of heaueÌ„ compassion ouer the Cittie It hath repented him hee hath beheld her ruines If mercie had not bene before him and grace behinde him so great is our sinne the whole Cittie might haue been destroyed And thus much for the second Preacher of the former yeere and also of the second part of this new yeres-gift The third part containing the Kings Medicine it selfe with the ingredients thereof AS an expert Physition first sheweth the disease it selfe with the cause and danger thereof and then prescribeth to his patient Phisick to cure him and the order of his diete Euen so hauing shewen beloued of LondoÌ„ the disease it selfe the Kings euill with the effect thereof giue mee leaue nowe to prescribe the Phisicke against the Kings euill And as the Physition hitting vpon the right humor and cause of the disease can with happier successe applie his Phisicke So wee knowing the cause both of the spirituall and corporall infection shall the better bee able to finde out the right medicine It is the desire of al sickemen to know a good medicine which hath bin knowen most to preuaile best to remooue and soonest to cure the person diseased This he learneth to know out of the booke of nature the best physitions the cause of the disease and the experience of others if there bee a medicine which is much vsed and commended euery one is desirous to haue it and to knowe the ingredients thereof As this is the desire of the diseased in regard of the body so it ought also to bee the desire of euery Christian in regard of his soule This hee shall learne to know out of the booke of God the cause of the disease the spirituall Physitions and the experience of others If we desire one for to cure the plague of the soule the effect thereof which is commended and hath been vsed and tryed by experience behold I set one before you the Kings medicine DAVIDS repentance so called because a King of Israell tooke it in both in the Plague and after the Plague As for the bodyly kings medicine other humane confections of art they are of no force to cure the spiritual contagion For the Triacle and to vse the words of the Lord Ierm 8.22 the Balme of Gilead and their Physitions cannot helpe or recouer our health and therefore the Lord reprocheth theÌ„ Ier. 46.11 Goe vp vnto Gilead and take balme ô Virgine the daughter of Egypt in vaine shalt thou vse manie medicines for thou shalt haue no health Seeing that the confections of men are of so litle force there is no better then this kings medicine which is better worth then all the balme of Gilead If ye are desirous to knowe where the ingredients of this Physicke doe grow ye shall finde them growing in the garden of this Scripture nowe in hand As the Lord saieth ORIGEN hath prepared Physicke for the body out of the hearbes which grow in the fields and gardens euen so he hath ordayned Physicke for the soule whose ingredients he hath sowen in the garden of the Scripture of this Physicke Christ Iesus is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the supreame Physitiâ—n That wee might then orderly proceede in this orderly repentance of king DAVID The ingredients of the Kings medicine arâ— set downe who hath bene skilfull in the arte of repentance I will set fâ—orth a liuely Anotomie of a repentant sinner whose foote-steps we ought to follow steppe by steppe In this spirituall king Medicine I obserue fiue things First the patients or the persons which tooke it in verse 28. and 16. The King and the Elders of Israell Secondly the ingredients of this Physicke and the parts wherof it is compounded which are three in number The first ingredient is the knowledge and feeling of the Kings disease vers 10 And his heart smote him The second is his desire of spirituall life and health in the same verse Take away the trespasse of thy seruant The third is the hearbe of patience vers 14. the king grudged not but saide Let vs fall into the hands of the Lord. Thirdly the patients behauiour and the manner how the king tooke it in which is set downe in three things First the discouery and laying open of his sore vnto the Physition 2. Sam. 24.10 I haue sinned exceedingly and I haue done very foolishly The second is his bodily prostrating of himselfe with the Elders vpon their faces 1. Chron. 21.16 Thirdly an humble cloathing of himselfe with the Elders in Sack-cloth in the same verse of the Chapter Fourthly the time when hee tooke in this medicine and the cause moouing him to vse this receit which was when he saw that hee was infected with the Plague of the soule 2. Sam. 24.10 Then c. and that he perceiued the effect and danger thereof the bodily pestilence 2. Sam. 24.17 Fiftly the operation of the Kings medicine which is the ceasing of the Plague 2. Sam. 24 25. With the behauiour of the patient DAVID now being healed his sacrificing vnto the Lord. 1. Chron. 21.28 This is the Anotomie of the Kings medicine of which in order I. The patients or persons which tooke in the Kings Medicine THe persons which vsed this Physick are the King and the Elders honorable persons the chiefest of the kingdome Patients which were diseased infected with the spiritual contagion Kings and Princes mortall Gods Potentates of the earth and yee the elders of the people Heere is a Looking-glasse for you come down from your thrones and the height of your glorie be not ashamed with a vertuous Prince to take in a royall medicine Let not the maximes of that vnpure Atheist MACHIAVEL that malaperte and pelting Towne-Clearke of Florence infecte your soules who among the reste of his filthinesse blusheth not to spewe out this poyson that Kings and Princes neede not make any accounte of godlinesse and that it is sufficient to make onely an outward shew of it The practise of DAVID and the Elders doe shewe the contrarie going before you whose foote-steps follow steppe by steppe As the Physitions prescribing a medicine shewe the reasons which ought to mooue the patients to take it in Euen so let mee ô Princes and Elders of the people with the prescription of this royall medicine shew you also the causes which ought to perswade you to the taking in of this Physicke The reasons are fiue in number First Fiue reasons to mooue great men to take in this Physicke the consideration of your disease the multitude of your sinnes Princes you are most of al troubled with the kings euill and the greatest sinnes commonly raigne among the greatest Secondly the prescription of the whole Colledge of the spirituall Physitions God the Father
many learne from the schoole of HYPOCRATES the Physition and EPICVRVS the swine to preserue to physicke and dyet their bodies but as for their soules they are not once mindefull O ye sonnes of men foolish and slowe of heart to conceiue the rightest things how long will yee loue such vanities Secondly 2 To resist the outwarde cause resist the outwarde cause of this heart-Plague and seeing that Satan is an infectious ayre vse to take in spirituall antidotes at all times and in all places keepe the windowes of your eies shut and let not the Satanicall ayre of concupiscence enter therein we dwell beloued in infectious places and shall not we take heede As to resist the infection of the elementall ayre we shun contagigious places and flie to the purer ayre so let vs flie the Satanicall ayre by faith and prayer let vs draw neere vnto God Jam. 4.8 Resist the deuil he will flie frō you Iam. 4.7 that stedfast in the faith 1. Pet. 5.9 Immitate your owne industrie for the preseruing of your soules as you haue done for your bodies You that in diuerse places the former yeere haue watched to keepe out the passengers that came out of contagious places and would not suffer them to enter and to harbour amongst you for feare of infection Watch now this yeere to keepe out Sathan an infectious passenger who runneth euery where in contagious houses Shut the gate of your heart suffer him not to lodge in your soule for he will infect it It is a precept of a wise Physition be sober and watch for your aduersarie walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure 1. Pet. 5.8 Aske the Cranes ô sonnes of men and they will teach you wisdome when they flocke together saith PLINIE to feede one of them vseth to feede a farre off and that Crane so singled from the rest still as he feedes lookes round about him and obserues if anie danger be towardes them if he spie anie bodie draw nigh then he giueth warning to the rest and so they saue themselues Shall this policie rest in vnreasonable Birds and shall it not bee found in man shall not our soules watch to espie the fraude of Satan and so to deceiue the deceiuer And thus much for the ayre which infected the king There followeth the time The time when the king got the Plague when the king got this spirituall infection which was now hauing peace and prosperitie his heart being at ease after his victories being deliuered out of the handes of all his enemies and out of the hand of SAVL as appeareth 2. Sam. 22.1 euen then Satan stood vp and tempted him setting before his eyes his excellencie and glorie his power and victories Peace prosperitie idlenesse are as it were a contagious ayre which smiteth vs with the Plague of the soule The ayre which is still and calme is apt to receiue infection for the winde is aeris verriculum a broome to purge the ayre so the soule which is at her ease soonest getteth the spirituall contagion As euill and corrupted humours through idlenesse are ingendred in the body So in peace and prosperitie bad and pernitious humours are ingendred in the soule As the ayre is a good and pure creature of it selfe and yet by the influences putrifyed vapours euaporation of dead carkasses and diuers other things approoued by the booke of nature is altered and becommeth pernitious to the body So peace and prosperitie which are the gifts of God by the corruptions of our owne hearts are abused and become pernitious to the soule And as the ayre hath not alwaies the same force to infect the body So Satan the ayre which infecteth the soule hath not alwaies the like strength and of efficacie to fulfill his purpose and to poyson the soule If thou art desirous to know when the Satanicall aire hath most force It is in the time of peace and prosperitie when thy heart is at ease and that thou hast giuen thy selfe to securitie For he obserueth three things the time the place the occasion Satan dealeth with vs as the Crabbe with the Oysters as AMBROSE obserueth the Crab being an enemie of the Oysters because he cannot hurt thē by reason of the hardnesse of their shell he tarryeth till the Sunne doth shine for then they open themselues and lie still in the Sunne recreating themselues then the Crabbe commeth and casteth little stones into their shels and so hurteth them So likewise Satan our aduersarie perceiuing when we are at our ease and that the sun-shine of prosperitie doth shine ouer vs then he cōmeth casteth his poison into our soules Seeing then that prosperitie ingendreth corruptions in the soule The vse bee not carelesse of thy health exercise thy selfe to driue away the bad humours and to retaine thy spirituull health The sounde man if hee doeth not exercise himselfe is subiect to diseases although thou art sounde of spirit yet if thou giuest thy selfe to securitie thou shalt fall in the Kings sicknesse Three exercises are necessarie for the health of thy soule against the gathering of bad humours The exercise of Prayer 3 Three exercises necessary for the soule the exercise of the Word and the exercise of the Crosse As for the two first forget them not as for the third the Lord himselfe will not forget sometimes in due season to lay vpon thee And as the Physitions in their Treatises of the former yeere touching the Plague bid thee to haue a regarde in your exercises vbi quomodo quando where howe when So I bid you this yeere obserue these rules in your spirituall exercises the amplifycation of which I leaue to your meditations And thus much for the time The third member of the first parte containeth the Kings sicknesse it selfe The Kings sicknesse it selfe consisting in the numbring of the people This fact of DAVID is the Kings sicknesse a dangerous disease I may call it the heart-plague As the infection of the elementall ayre in the bodily Plague doeth creepe vnto the heart and poyson the vitall spirits So the infection and poyson of Satan hath crept into his heart and infected that place with pride This Kings Euill is more daungerous then that disease which some haue called the kings euill For the bodily Kings euill can bee cured si credere f◠est if it be true with corruptible gold but the spiritual Kings Euill A spirituall Kings euil cannot be cured with corruptible gold or siluer as the Apostle speaketh but onely by the pretious blood of the Sonne of God This is then a dangerous and greeuou◠wound in a Saint if I would thrust my fingers into it throughly handle it To extenuate the Kings euill three things might bee alleadged that it agreeth with the commaundement o◠God Exod. 30.12 Secondly with the practise o◠the Isralits Numb 1.2 Thirdly with Politicke prudence To vntie the knot with a word there is a two-folde numbring First a
Constantius the Emperour in the city of Rome and beheld the companies that should haue entertained him might he not haue vsed that Emperours saying Tot vidi reges quot ciues I haue seene as many kings as citizens Parents Parents haue you not had the kings euill haue you not gloried in the number and multitude of your children and set too much your hearts vpon them And not to spare our selues We children of the Prophets we haue bene infected with the kings sicknesse I do appeale vnto our two Vniuersities Vniuersities they haue gloried in the number of their Colledges and stately buildings in the greatnesse and multitude of their reuenewes of their Doctors learned writers Schollers and Students And I dare say our voicâ— hath bene a proude and ambitious voice despysing the forraine Schooles as not to be compared vnto vs. And it is to bee feared that of them may be saide that which was spoken of Gilead Hos 6.8 which was the place where the Priests dwelt and which should best haue bene instructed Gilead is a citie of them that worke iniquitie As for the whole body of the kingdome not to flatter our selues 4 The whole body it hath had the kings euill alas our voice hath bene insolent and imperious we haue magnifyed our selues in the mightines of our nation and haue gloryed our selues in the number of our swift-sayling-Shippes in the greatnesse of our strength and number of our people that in few houres warning many thousands we haue bene able to make ready ascribing our victories to the st ength of our arme and not to him who teacheth DAVIDS fingers to fight Psalm 144. Let mee nowe adde this that a generall disease of the whole body hath bene defect of charitye The Physitions saye that the bodye is sicke when that his kindely heate is to lâ—ttle or when it is to much Charity to God and our neighbour is as it were the naturall heate of the body of a kingdome lustfull loue to the creatures is an vnnaturall heate the first hath beene too little in the body of the kingdome the second too great and therefore it hath sorely bene sicke Lastly I do appeale to the Cleargie 5. The Clergy Many of them haue not onely had the Kings euill but also haue bene infected with IOABS sicknesse Haue we not had some ô would to God that there yet were none that are spiritual Physitions to others and in the Lords Temple produce their reasons as IOAB did to disswade their auditors from the Plague of sinne and yet themselues that seeke to binde vp the wounds of others are carelesse of their owne sores their notorious sinnes as ABSOLONS adulteries euen vpon the house toppes open to the worlde to the great scandale of the church like to MERCVRIES images that point the way to others but themselues stand still and stirre not one foote like to Water-men that look one way but rowe another O Physitions heale your selues builde not an Arke for others and your selues be drowned Tribe of LEVIE I am ashamed to vncouer our own nakednesse which hath also bene a cause of that deserued pestilence whose printes and markes are yet to bee seene amongst vs. To apply the last circumstance we of England haue got the Plague of the soule and the Kings euil 3 How and when wee haue got the kings euill in such a time as the king got it in our peace and prosperity our hearts being at ease after our victoryes Satan hath set before our eyes our excellency glory power victories our long peace and prosperity as a contagious ayre hath infected vs. And because we were become grosse and fat as ISRAEL wee haue spurned with the heeles Deut. 32.15 It is an opinion that fat men get sooner the corporal Plague then the leane macilent experience teacheth that the body of this Realme through his long prosperity beeing waxeÌ„ fat grosse hath got the spiritual plague There is a disease in the body called a Lethargy or sleepinesse which disease hants commonly grosse and fat men There hath beloued raigned in our soules a spiritual Lethargy in vs who were become fat by reason of our halcyonious daies It hath brought vs to wanton Babels estate and made vs tender delicate Es 4.7 or like to the vntamed heyfar by reason of our long running in plentifull pastures we haue forgotten to carry the sweete yoke of obedience and are become so dainty that we haue esteemed more the dinners of the world then the supper of the Lambe the Garlicke Onions of Aegipt then the milke hony of the land of promise Thus haue wee lost our spirituall appetites Wee may speake of our selues as PLINY speaketh of a certaine Countrie that ex siccitate lutum ex imbre puluerem c. drought hath caused durt and raine hath stirrid vp dust among vs for what hath the Sun-shine of his mercies but caused vs to lye in the myre of our abhominations what hath the moysture of his graces but euen dried vp the fountaine of grace in vs It is true of vs as of Rome that religio peperit diuitias et filia deuorauit matrem the blessing of the Gospel hath made them wealthy and the Daugther hath deuoured the Mother Our prosperitye hath made vs like to the springes in the suÌ„mer the more heate abroad the dryer they are or like vnto the Moone in our fulnesse wee haue been farthest froÌ„ the Sun of righteousnesse And yet the Lord hath all the day long stretched out his haÌ„ds vnto vs made as loÌ„g a day as euer he did to IOSVAH as long houres of the day as euer were shadowed vpon the Diall of AHAZ to prouoke our repeÌ„tance for the 12. houres of the day he hath giueÌ„ vs almost 4. times twelue yeres Esd 3.1 why haue wee theÌ„ takeÌ„ these his benefits with the left hand why haue they engendred in our soules the kings euill The old yeere theÌ„ being past and the new yeere come coÌ„sidering that this is our estate let this be ô England thy Arithmeticke to nuÌ„ber thy sins Marchant be not so busy to nuÌ„mber thy debts Lawyer thy clyents gentlemaÌ„ thy landes husbandman thy cattell captaine thy souldiers minister thy tithes as the sins of the old yeere that now this new yeere we may apply our hearts to wisdome And thus much for the first part The second part contayning the operation miserie and effect of the Kings Euil which was the Plague of the body Second part AS the sicknesse of the patient after that he hath followed his owne humour and appetite despising and reiecting the counsaile of the Phisition and taking in that which is hurtfull for him maketh him to smarte for it and produceth dangerous effects so hath it fallen out with DAVID who being strucken with the Plague of the soule and infected with the Satanicall aire and IOAB as a good Physition hauing giuen him counsaile how to preuent
al remedies the best is to shun the infected ayre to depart in time to the purer aire But with GALENS leaue seeing sin is the cause of Physicall causes that it infecteth the ayre the best remedy of all according to the counsaile of the whole colledge of the spirituall Physitions is to flye from the infectious contagious aire of this world But I leaue to amplyfie this because I purpose to speake more of it in the kings medicine 4 The patients The last member of the second part are the patients who haue felt the effect of the Kings euill ISRAEL that is the subjects of DAVID In which obserue First the circumstance of the time how lōg it lasted secōdly of the place from Dan to Bershebah thirdly of the number seauentie thousand The Lord in all ages hath sought to reclaime the sonnes of men from the kings euill by sundrie corrections amongst the rest with the Pestilence which is the Lords beesome he hath swept away not seauenty but hundreth thousands and that in diuers places First without the church secondly within the church Againe in the Church either in the true or in the false church Further some haue been vniuersall some nationall and prouinciall some haue been of a long some of a short continuance so that this rod may be called the flying booke Zach. 5. Heere I might also make a large Chronicle of examples out of the booke of God the monuments of the church and the writings of mē but because others haue amplyfied this at large I referre you to their Chronicles being as cloudes of witnesses Now mee thinkes I heare an obiectiō against the justice of God for the cleering of these patiēts These Isralits had not sinned ergo vniustly visited The antecedēt is deyned the interpretours vpō the first verse of 2. Sam. 24. And the wrath of the Lord was kindled against ISRAEL obserue diuers sinnes for then which the Lords anger was prouoked among the rest first their security and wantonnes after their peace victories prosperitie secondly the rebellion disobedience of some against their sacred Prince DAVID in the time of ABNER SEBAH ABSOLON and the rest the which sinnes hee hath deferred to punnish in due season with the sinne of DAVID And thus much for the second part the effect of the Kings euill Let vs now beloued of LONDON looke home-ward a little The applycation of the second part and is it were out of the Looking-glasse of this example by way of reflection If we holde out the glasse we shall descrie that justly we haue felt the effect of the kings euill The old yeere being past and the New appeared let vs apply to our selues the members of the second part to invert the order Let me beginne with the last as the subjects of DAVID after they had bene infected with the Plague of the soule and that DAVID now nine Moneths and twenty daies long had not regarded his sinne haue bene the Lords patients and haue felt the effect of the Kings euill a generall pestilence So likewise the subjects of our DAVID after that they haue now these nine yeeres more bene infected with the Plague of the soule not regarding their sores and the counsell of the spirituall Physitions haue justly also bene the Lords patients and felt the former yeere the effect of their spirituall contagion a generall pestilence almost through the whole body of the kingdome The inwarde cause of this effect hath bene two-folde First wee haue bene infected with the infection of DAVID and secondly of his subjectes As for the first the Lords Prophets as spirituall physitions haue a long time as IOAB did to DAVID shewed vnto vs the meanes how to preuent the increasing of our spirituall contagion they haue produced their reasons setting before vs the danger which should redounde both to our owne persons and to others But alas great hath bene our obstinacie we haue as bad patients followed our owne humours rejected the counsell of the spirituall physitions and our pride ambition spirituall idolatrie curiositie and disobedience haue preuiled against them and therefore the Lord hath sent a pestilēce in England there dyed not yet I am perswaded seauenty thousand If in the second place I set before our eyes DAVIDS subjects as a looking glasse therin alas we may discry the bleamishes of our faces First they had a famine 2. Sa. 21.1 But the Lord remooued that in his mercie and gaue them peace and prosperitie and yet they waxed wanton and insolent 1592 Since the last pestilence there hath bene a dearth in England in the daies of ELIZABETH but the Lord hath taken it away in his mercie and giuen plenty and choise store of earthly treasures we haue since seene and tasted how friendly the Lord is Psal 34. his mercies haue bene multiplyed vpon vs euen like vnto the dewe of Hermon that watered the dry earth that gaped for it His blessings both Temporall and spirituall haue bene as two hands to draw vs home to him and yet wee haue bene like to DAVIDS subjects As for their seconde sinne shall I bee so bolde to accuse some thereof Not I but the experience and euente of the former yeere doeth Preach it to the whole Kingdome The Londe hath giuen vs a gratious DAVID a man after Gods owne heart and as I may speake a man after our owne heart and yet beholde as some male-contented Israelites haue sought DAVIDS ruine an enuious SEBAH an ambitious ABSOLON A note out of the 2 Sam 2 agreeing with that which hath hapned the formes yere a false-harted ACHITOPHEL a seditious ABNER so some haue bene enuious with Satan of our DAVIDS felicity And note this with mee which I haue obserued out of the second booke of Sam. the 2 chap. that as in the first yeere of king DAVIDS raigne DAVID being but newly crowned king of Israel euen then beholde there was found a seditious ABNER and ASAHEL and an ISBOSHETH which rose vp against DAVID So in the first yeere of the raigne of our DAVID euen then hee being but newly crowned king of England as DAVID was king of Israel behold some ABNERS ASAHELS and ISBOSHETHS against their sacred and annoynted Prince But let this be our comfort in the tenth verse of that Chapter that the house of Iudah hath followed DAVID the companie of the true Professors and Confessors of God and that ABNER and his adherents are fallen before the seruants of DAVID Seeing then we are guiltie all of the first sinne and some of the second the Lord hath dealt justly with vs as with the subjects of DAVID sending vnto vs as he did to them after a famine or a dearth a pestilence So that the wrath of the Lord hauing been againe kindled against vs no bodie needeth to make an objection against his justice for our innocencie as it might haue been done for ISRAEL As there hath been a time for the Raigne of
commandeth it Ierem. 13.18 Say vnto the king to the Queene humble your selues Thirdly the example and practise of great men with the succes thereof DAVID MANASSES EZECHIAS and the rest Fourthly the danger in which you cast your selues if it bee neglected The justice of the highest God fearing no power preuented by no pollicie staied by no brybes He spareth not the Prince for his Scepter the high Cedar Tree for his height the stronge Oke for his strength The greene Laurel for his greenesse The flying booke Zach. 5. is a large booke which noteth that none of what place or calling soeuer can be exempted from Gods judgment Tophet is prepared of olde it is euen prepared for the King he hath made it deepe and large Es 30.33 The Lord hath a rasour Es 7.20 by which his judgements are meant and by this he will shaue not only the haire of the feete but of the head and the beard also The Lord hath also raging floudes that come vp not to the loynes onely and the middle but euen to the chin and the necke Es 8.8 The Frogs could not be kept out of PHARAO his bed-chamber nor from the Couch where hee lay Exod. 8.3 The Lord is not like the litle fishermen that spread their Nets for the smaller fish because they cannot take the grand Leuiathan of the Sea and the Whale with an hooke or pearce his jawes with an angle Job 40.21 For hee is able to take the Dragon and Crocodile of the riuers with an Hooke and cause the fish to cleaue to his scales Fiftly to be an example to your subjects for Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis As the Brooke doth follow the nature of the fountaine and the sea the ayre euen so the people is the shaddowe of the Prince You ought then to be as one saith carbo lampas a coale burning vnto your selues and a lampe shining vnto others As the oyntment ranne downe from the head of AARON by the beard to the verie boarders of the garment so the sweet oyntment of good workes ought to come and descend from the King the head of the people by the counsell and elders of the people to the meanest soule in the Land True is the saying that the repentance of a king is as it were the repentance of a whole kingdome And thus much for the patients which ought to take it in II The ingredients of the Kings medicine and the parts whereof it is compounded THe first ingredient and part of the Kings medicine Knowledge of sin is the feeling of his disease and knowledge of his sinne for his heart smote him This was then an inwarde sense and feeling in the heart of DAVID The Physitions in their practise of Physick prescribe two maāer of remedies some to be taken inwardly as Pilles and medicines some to be applyed outwardly as playsters and such like In this spirituall Kings medicine there are ingredients which must be taken inwardly whereof the first is this inward knowledge of our sinne Many excellent hearbes are the ingredients of the bodily Kings Midicine of which the first is Sage of vertue Surely this knowledge of our sin is an hearbe which hath singular vertue as shall appeare Followe heerein the King in the taking in of this medicine let there be in thy soule an inwarde knowledge detestation and sorrow for thy sinne In this knowledge obserue two things First the qualitie of it Secondly the necessitie of it Knowledge must euer goe before the face of repentance and must be accompanied with three things First of the person offended The quality of this knowledge in three things his name majestie greatnes Secondly of the person offending his basenesse mortalitie and corruption Thirdly of the nature of thy disease not of the distinctions of sinne and of her proper names but of their number and weight How manie how grieuous how farre they extende to the annoyance of the earth prouocation of heauen breach of Christian charitie In this maner vse the kings medicine conuert thy sinne before reason examine it with iudgement and vnderstanding consider what an infinite majestie it offendeth what infinite plagues it bringeth enter into the closet of thy conscience turne ouer the bookes of thy accounts cast thy reckonings set downe the summes and as DAVID numbred the people to know them euen so number thy sinnes as farre as possible is that thou mayest attaine to this knowledge Set downe Jmprimis for abusing of Gods creatures for spirituall Idolatrie for blaspheaming and swearing Item for prophaning of the Sabbath Item for disobediēce to parents magistrates Item for hate enuie Jtem for adulterie vncleane lusts Itē for stealing oppression Item for lying slandering Item for the 4. sins of Sodome Alas the totall summe is the breach of the whole law the summe is greater then the number of the people which IOAB brought to DAVID Now that thou mayst not forget to take in this ingredient The reasons for which wee ought not to forget this ingredient there are three reasons to perswade thee First it is the counsel of the whole colledge of the spiritual Physitions of God the father Ier. 3.13 know thine iniquitie for thou hast rebelled against the Lord thy God And Ez. 16.2 Cause the people to remember their sin Of God the holy Ghost Re. 2. Remember from whence thou art fallen repent It is the counsel of MOSES Deut. 9. that they should remember their sin Secondly the practise of others the successe thereof Psal 51.3 DAVID tooke it in in this maner I know mine iniquities my sinne is euer before me IONAS forgot it not Ionas 1.12 I know that for my sake this great tempest is vpon you The Prodigall sonne was mindful of it for he came to himself Luc. 25.17 said I wil go to my father say I haue sinned Third-the necessitie of it for this knowledge is profitable for the curing healing of thy sores It is a good signe when the patient doeth feele his sore and his griefe it is the first degree and stoppe vnto corporall health yea the prouerbe goeth that to know the cause of his disease is to haue his wounde halfe cured Euen so it is a good signe to knowe the disease of our soules it is the first steppe to attaine vnto spirituall health The first degree of felicitie is not to offende The second is hauing offended to know the offence And although thy offence be great yet God sayth NAIANZENE is more mercifull then man can be sinfull if mā will be sorrowful The verie heathen-man him selfe calleth them fooles that know not their faults and reputeth their danger great SENECA reporting of HARPASTES a foole who knew not that shee was blinde and therefore intreated her guide to goe foorth of doores because the house was darke compareth such as know not their faultes vnto this HARPASTES and calleth them fooles Further this
it may coÌ„tinue But the Arke of the soule riseth as these waters rise higher and higher towards heauen as also they did the old yeare As your afflictions then beloued haue beene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so haue they also beene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both sufferings and instructions Interpret them aright let them put a sensible and liuely feeling into your soules receiue them not as an horse or mule that taketh the branding of an hote Iron which they presently forget Bene pungeris si compungeris saith that hony father BERNARD It is a happy pricking of the body that maketh a pricking in the hart This kinde of affliction as it is reported mooued some of the Heathens to become Christians for in the raigne of Edward the third there fel a Plague in the East Indies which lasted seauen yeares which moued many of them to become Christians How much more then ought it to make vs deformed Christians to become reformed and good Christians If then tribulation come receiue it with thankes keepe it with patieÌ„ce digest it in hope apply it with wisdom bury it in meditation it shal end in glory and peace Further The portrature of a wise patient obserue the wisdom of Dauid the patient in the taking in of this medicine hee differreth not to take it in but as soone as hee perceiued that he had gotteÌ„ the spiritual contagioÌ„ that the effect therof was spread through the land behold his hart smiteth he coÌ„fesseth prostrateth himself Follow the wisdom of Dauid ô sons of Adam let not the oportunity slip let both the time cause perswade you As medicines for the bodie must be taken in Six motiues to persvvade vs to this vvisdome in due season euen so the Kings medicine for the soule Six motiues ought to perswade vs not to differ the â—aking in of it in due season First the couÌ„saile of the whole colledge of the spirituall Physitions Heb. 3.13 Eccle. 12.1 Es 55.6 Ec. 5.7 Ioel. 2.12 Eccl. 38.9 Secondly the vncertainety of the houre of death The experience of the former yeare hath shewed the truth of that Prouerbe As many daies as many liues They who one day carried the deade bodies to the graues were themselues on the morrow carried by others Thirdly the daungers which ensue Three daÌ„gers if it bee not taken in in due season the dangers are three in number First delay doth cast our owne persons in daunger both bodie and soule the bodie in the danger of the fire of the Plague the soule of the fire of hell both of the fire of Gods heauie indignation To quench this three-folde fire wee must take in the Kings medicine in due season Secondly wee cast others in danger doe wee not see that our little children doe as it were suffer with vs and helpe to beare the punishment of our delay and procrastination Thirdly delay encreaseth our disease and lastly maketh it incurable It fareth with the plague of sinne as with a tempest vpon the sea in which there are first little waues afterwards greater volumes of waters and then perhaps surges mounting vp as high as heauen Or it is like vnto the breedes of serpents first an egge 2. a cockatrice thirdlie a serpent To preuent this encreasing take in the Kings medicine betimes Auncient woundes sayth IEROME are not cured in haste the playster must lie long vpon them euen so our olde festered sinnes can not bee done away with a dayes repentaunce The snow ball the more it is rouled the greater it waxeth the more sinnes we commit the more walls of brasse wee builde vp betwixt God and vs so that at last our cryes can not haue passage vnto him nor his mercyes vnto vs. The longer the blowe bee in fetching the heauier wil the wound be when it commeth And the deeper the arrow be drawn in the bowe the deeper it pearceth when it is let flee Sinne creepeth foorth like a canker if in time it bee not medicined As of the sicknesse of the body so of the soule there are criticall dayes knowne to God whereby he doth guesse whether we be in likelihoode to recouer health and to harken to the holesome counsailes of his lawe or not If then the lorde take his time to giue vs ouer to our selues and the malignitie of our diseases we may say too late as sometime Christ of Ierusalem O that we had knowne the things that belong to our peace but now they are hid from vs. As I will not promise so I dare not presume saith AVSTIN of euening repenters to make all out of doubt the best course is to repent betimes The fourth motiue are the impediments which will hinder vs to take in the Kings medicine if we slip the opportunity the first haÌ„sel of time If it be differed to old age or to sicknesse two impedimentes will be in the way outward and inward First outward impediments thy wife children enuironing thee thy friends whispering in thine eares to make thy Wil and to remember such and such a friend so that repentance being differred will be either nulla vel ficta vel difficilis either none at all or counterfeit or very hard The other impedimentes will be the multitude of thy sinnes feare of death the terrour of the law the obiections of Sathan the accusations of thy conscience True is the saying of AMBROSE nulla seria penitentia est nimis sera sed rarò tam sera est seria No serious repeÌ„taÌ„ce is too late but yet seldom a late repentaÌ„ce is a serious repentaunce Yong men take in betimes the Kings medicine spend not the strength sap and greenenesse of your youth season your greene vessels with the liquor of Gods spirite and offer vnto him the maidenheade of your youth Old men take it also in due seasoÌ„ differre it not to the houre of death for if you doe you treade vpon yee which if it be molten with a little heate of Gods anger alas you shall sinke into the gulfe of destruction Yong age trust not to olde age thou leanest vpon a brittle staffe which when it breakes the splinters and shiuers thereof will wound thee Both of you offer not the dregges of your life vnto god leaste yee drinke the dregges of his anger The common saying is true vita breuis ars longa life is short and the arte of saluation requireth a long time of learning Fiftlie your owne diligence beloued of London in the taking in of the bodilie Kings medicine in due season for the preseruation of your bodies ought to put you in minde of the care and diligence which you ought to haue for your soules You haue not differred to take in preseruatiues till the infection had wonne the vitall partes let the health of your soules bee dearer vnto you then the health of your bodies If these fiue mooue you not goe then yee foolishe sonnes of men to the verie beastes aske of them as IOB speaketh
beware of dogs Phil. 3.2 suffer not the detractiōs slaunders Further let vs ayr our housē our harts with the fire of loue hauing aboue all things feruente loue among vs. 1. Pet. 4.8 Lastly let vs cary with vs when we go abroad that heauēly pomāder confection of good works of the fear of god this wil preserue vs against the infectiō of this world You haue vsed the old yeere wormewood against the plague this yeer let me tel ye of a wormwood frō which ye must abstaine for it is very naught against the spirituall plague if you desire to know it Moses telleth it vnto you Deut. 29.28 Let there not be a root of bitternesse or wormwood amongst you To leaue you ô Londō for the cōtinual knils alarum of bels the trūpets of Iehouah which haue sounded within thy walls let the tongues of thy inhabitants be bels trūpets to publish the praises mercy of the Lorde towards them O you that are not yet turned to your earth how are you bound to think of your creator redeeme therefore this new yeere with newnesse of liues the former yeers misspent In the last place I must not leaue you vnspokē vnto The other Sister cities townes and villages you the glorious Sisters cōfederates of the mother city you the daughters other mēbers of which some of you haue also groned vnder this burdē offer vp vnto god with your mother this new yeers gift take in also this spirituall kings medicin draw instructiōs from your mothers breasts change your Moriās skins put of your stained coats wash your feet not only your feet but your heads also And because all the ioynts of the whole body of the lād haue bin disquieted that now the lord hath salued thē with his sauing health concur together to sing the praises of that god of Israel Great hath bin your diligēce to auoid the bodily infection be not now negligēt to expel the spiritual cōtagiō Were it not madnes to haue cried for the woūd not to pul out the arrow for the coale which hath burnt you not to remooue it You haue bewailed those sins which ye had cōmitted now cōmit not those sins ye haue bewailed He hath not retained his anger shal we retain our sins the cause of his anger he hath returned to vs by his grace shal not we return to him by repentāce he hath had cōpassiō on vs shall not we haue cōpassiō on our own soules He hath taken away that which took away his fauour shall not we seek to continue that which keepeth his fauor we haue lōg bē al like to the Moon in her decreasing for thē she doth turn the opening of her bowe down towards the earth her backe toward heauē euē so we haue decreast failed in vertue piety zeale we haue turned the doore of our harts the opening of our desires altogither to this world But now with the new yeere let vs be like the Moone in her increasing for then she turneth her open side vp towards heauen and her backe towardes the earth and so groweth to a perfect light In like manner let vs encrease in pietie zeale charitie let vs turne our backes towardes the worlde but our harts opening of our desires to god heauē And for the decreasing let vs encrese not in iniquitie but in faith honesty let vs not forgoe for a little mony that which for no mony cā be had again I may speak brethrē vnto you that of the psalm The lord hath looked down frō the height of his sāctuary that he might heare your mourning deliuer the childrē appointed vnto death You haue al called vpon the lord and behold the successe of good seed hath bin cōsequēt to your prayers they haue been ioyned together as if their souls had been knit togither like the souls of Dauid Ionathā Continue therfore in your repentance let it not be as a morning cloud or as the morning dew which goeth away Hos 6.4 or else neuer look for sauing sound cōtinuing health but euē with Gehezi to die a leprous man if not with the plague of the body yet with the plague of the soul Lord most mighty most gracious most mercifull wound vs with thy fear possesse our souls with an awfull dread of thy power which thou hast shewn the former yeer rebuild the ruines of the house of our harts make vs fit for thy holy seruice make vs thy spirituall Ierusalē our harts the tēples of the holy ghost that thy Angel may spare vs as he did Ierusalē Psal 51. Create in vs ô lord with this new yeere a clean hart renew a right spirit within vs. I end with the prayer wherewith I begun Lord teach vs to number our days that we may apply our harts to wisedome Psal 90. Amen FINIS
the increasing of this spirituall infection yet notwithstanding reiected this his counsaile and followed his owne humor and therefore smarted for it for this spirituall Kings euill hath produced the corporal Plague wherewith the whole body of Israel hath been infected from DAN to Bershebah In the effect of the Kings sicknesse three things are to be obserued First it is propounded Secondly chosen The diuision of the second part thirdly sent propounded by the Prophet ChoseÌ„ by the King sent by the Lord. In the proposition note the persons propounding and the thing propouÌ„ded The persons propouÌ„ding two in nuÌ„ber First the principall 1 The proposition the Lord secondly â—he instrumentall the Prophet GAD who accorâ—ing to the wise Phisition produceth not his own â—easons but the saying of the Lord the supreme â—hisition So saith the Lord The thing propounâ—ed is a trinitie of punishments Two of them are â—uch fellowe-like companions that the Graecians â—istinguish them but by one letter calling the Plague 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the famine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Triniâ—ie may bee reduced vnto a double dichotomie The first Famine or the sword and that either the sword of man which is hostile persecution or the sword of an Angell which is the pestilence The â—econd is DAVIDS dichotomie which he maketh â—imselfe distinguishing them in two sortes the â—irst is a fall into the enemies hands The other two 〈◊〉 fall into God his hands Iustly thou sufferest ô â—onne of ADAM this trinitie of punishments for the â—hree sortes of sins which are to be found in thee â—he sinne of thought word and deede The Lord â—â—ghteth against thee by the hand of man 2 The Kings choâ—se because â—hou fightst against him by the hand of sinne â—carcity of bread there is sometimes in the land â—ecause scarcity of good workes in thee is often â—o bee found the infection of the Plague doth â—nnoy thee in thy bodie because the infection â—f sinne hath raigned in thy soule In the second â—ember of the second parte obserue First the Kings choyce secondly the reason of his choice â—n the choyce behold the Kings three vertues his wisdome charitie pollicy his pollicy ayming at the Churches enriching his charitie ayming at the easinesse of death thirdly his wisdome which appeareth in three things for which hiâ— choice was better than either famine or persecution if we respect first the persoÌ„ of God secondly the kings thirdly his subjects If the persoÌ„ of God his glorie by this kinde of punishment is betteâ— aduanced and that two manner of waies First in regard of the faithful people of God secondly of the infidels and enemies of God By the faithfull it is aduanced in two things making them to looke aboue beneath aboue acknowledging the mighty hand of God beneath the weaknesse and impotencie of man And taketh away a double coÌ„fidence first in our selues secondly iâ— others In regard of his owne person he chooseth one first that was just and reasonable secondly easiest thirdly best for his soule fourthly one thaâ— sheweth his charity to his people In regarde oâ— his subjects it was the best first for their soules secondly for their bodies that either in regard of the paine or of their good name thirdly foâ— the common-weale fourthly for the Church The amplifycations of these I leaue to the meditations of the Readers and come to the reason oâ— the Kings choise For thy mercie is great I will noâ— dilate euery particular The reason of his choise If you desire a large commentarie vpon the kings reason Read the Kingâ— Psalmes and in particular the 103. Psal Which vse as the best interpretour vpon it DAVID vttereth this reason by a double experience of the mercie of God and of the cruelty of man of the latter he hath also had a double experience hauing felt the crueltie and vnkindnes of the father and of the sonne of the Father in SAVL of the sonne either in IBOSHETH or ABSOLON I omit to shew vnto you beloued the difference betwixt the merciful hand of God and the vnmercifull hand of man And I appeale to those kingdomes Prouinces and cities which haue felt this trinitie of punishments propounded vnto DAVID to aske of them whither it be better to fall into the hands of God or in the hands of man because many can answere by experience I will onely aske it of the Low-Countries in the name of all they may speake for they haue had the experieÌ„ce of DAVID haue also felt this trinity of punishmeÌ„ts famine pestilence hostile persecution And note this with me that with DAVID they haue felt the cruelty vnkindnes and barbarous vnmercifulnes of man â—n the father and in the sonne First in the father in that Spanish SAVL king PHILIP of late memorye haue not the Spanish handes destroyed their Cities burnt their Temples dispersed their inhabitants whereof we strangers in this your kingdome dispersed liuing in exile for the name of Christ Iesus are vnto you all eye-witnesse I will not amplifye the Spanish cruelty Horresco referrens Psal 129 onely I say that with DAVID they may speake From my youth of Israel may say they haue afflicted me secoÌ„dly in the Sonne in that Spanish ISBOSHETH what haue they not suffered since the death of the father by the barbarous handes of his gouernours let them now answere and I doubt not hauing DAVIDS experience that if DAVIDS choise were propounded vnto theÌ„ they would come to the resolution of DAVID Let vs fall into the hands of God not into the hands of men for thy mercies are great O Lord. 3 The executioÌ„ The third member of the first part is the execution in which I leaue to your meditations foure things First the effect of the Kings euill a Pestilence Secondly the outwarde cause of that disease the Lord thirdly the inward cause of it the sin of DAVID and of his subjects Fourthly the patits Israel As for the effect it was a diminutioÌ„ of people wherin obserue First the equity of punishmeÌ„t Secondly the trueth of that rule obserued by the Wise man Wisd cap. 11. 13. Wherwith a man sinneth by the same also shal he be punished Experience hereof obserue in the effect of the kings euil DAVID had sinned in the multitude of the people therfore DAVID is punished with adiminutioÌ„ of people The discription of the outward cause deliuereth two things The agent the instrumeÌ„t Iehouah his angel In the ageÌ„t note the outward cause of the pestilence The Phystions and Naturians out of the booke of nature render a double cause of the Plague an outward and an inward 1 The outwarde cause of the plaguâ— the one without man the other within man the one prima causa morbi the first cause of the disease the second proxima the next the one placed without in the infectioÌ„ of the ayre the other within in the corrupted humours of the body Let vs