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cause_n	death_n	die_v	sin_n	7,620	5	5.8816	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A27641	A learned treatise of the plague wherein the two questions, whether the plague be infectious or no, and , whether and how farr it may be shunned of Christians by going aside, are resolved / written in Latine by the famous Theodore Beza Vezelian.	Bèze, Théodore de, 1519-1605.	1665 (1665)	Wing B2196; ESTC R31585	20,458	25

hath been believed For the better determining of this question they would have it to be considered what the Plague is from whence it commeth what is the cause of it by what means it is sent unto us what is the nature of it and what the end I take their Proposals for it is most lawful and reasonable But how shall we come to the knowledge of these things By no means say they from any reasons out of Physick but only by the word of God Then let all things disputed by Physicians be blotted out and instead of the Books of Hypocrates Galen and others Let Physicians read only the Bible and let there be no difference between them and Divines between the Physick of the body and the minde Nay God forbid will they say for we condemn no other reasons of Physick than such as are against the word of God Let us enquire then forasmuch as Infection hath its beginning from Natural causes and therefore proceedeth from them whether concerning Natural causes of the Plague there be any thing taught in the word of God contrary to the Rules and Judgement of Physicians They say that the Plague is caled by the Hebritians Dener of the word Daner which also signifieth to destroy by Sentence given by God and that the Grecians do render it Thanaton that is to say Death Be it so it is not much to the matter ●or hereof it followeth not that the Plague proceedeth not of Natural ●auses coming between because it is sent by God unless that we will ●ave therefore all Natural causes of Diseases taken away because no man di●th but God decreeing of what kinde and manner of death soever it be that he die Nay say they it is a folly to call the Sentence of God whereby he appointeth unto every man not only death it self but also the kinde of death and Second causes infections But who I pray ever doted so much as to call the Sentence it self of God infectious But that which we say is far otherwise namely That the Infection it self is to be reckoned amongst Second causes for who can deny that many Diseases are gotten by Handling and Touching of the which some are deadly and other some are less dangerous unless they will also contend that the Sun shineth not at noon day Sinne indeed wherewith we are all born infected and from which all this Dying cometh by a certain Spiritual infection not without the Decree of God it is conveyed and spread into all the posterity of Adam therefore there is no substance at all in this Reason But they also demand if Infection be reckoned amongst Second causes appointed by God how we can avoid that which is ordeined by God that hence they might gather that if the Plague be granted to be infectious that in vain a Remedy is sought against it by flying away But this is also a very dull reason For if this reason be good shall it not be lawful to affirm the same of all Second causes of death If so Let us neither eat nor drink nor seek any remedy against any Diseases let Souldiers go unarmed to Battel because Death ordained by God cannot be avoided But thus the Case standeth doubtless neither Death nor the Time or any kinde of Death appointed by God can be avoided Neither do we eat or use Remedies against Diseases or put on armor against our Enemies as if we meant to withstand God But leaving those things which God would have kept secret from us we must use those things which God himself going before Nature telleth us to be ordained by him to prolong our life so long as it shall please him which if we do not we shall worthily be deemed to tempt and most grievously to offend God so far off is it that using the means set down by him to avoid death we should sinne against him although that sometimes we use them in vain that is to say when as the end doth plainly shew that even then we must die when as we thought our life should yet for a time have been prolonged So is Asa rebuked not for that he sent for Physicians but for that he put his hope of life in the Physicians So that when experience hath taught us that Infection creepeth rather into things near than afar off he is not to be accused who leaving no part of Christian duty undone withdraweth himself and his Family Nay he shall be greatly blamed who rashly casteth himself and his into the danger of Infection when as the Apostle beareth witness he is worse than an Infidel which hath not so great care over his as with a pious safety and charity he ought to have Now let us see whether this following Reason be of any more force By those Names say they which in the holy Scripture are attributed to the Plague is sufficiently and thorowly expressed what the quality and manner of the same is Now the Plague is called The hand of God 2 Sam. 24. The word of God 1 Chron. 21. and is also signified by the name of Arrows Ps 31. 90. Therefore it cometh not of Infection when asneither Hand nor Sword nor Arrow woundeth by Infection But besides that peradventure I might worthily call into doubt whether all these testimonies alledged deny this Argument also for in another place as Psalm 17. David calleth his Enemies the hand of God who by natural means assaulted him And when as the hand of God is said to have made us Natural generation is not left out and it is manifest that in the Scripture all evils and punishments whatsoever God sendeth unto Mankinde using either ordinary Laws of Nature only or else using the service of Angels are called Arrows I demand moreover what they call the quality and manner of the Disease They will say The nature thereof it self But I say by those metaphorical terms of hand sword arrow is no more signified of what manner or quality this Disease is in it self than what is Hail or the Scabb when God is said with a stretched out hand to have smitten Aegypt And to be short what is the force and nature of every Disease when as in the additions of the Law they are reckoned up amongst the Curses which God would send upon them What then surely then it belongeth unto the Physicians to search out the nature of Diseases so far as they depend upon the laws of Nature which we often see by them performed with such good success and certainty that they can foreshew both them and what issue they are likely to come unto But concerning Supernatural and Divine causes of Sickness and other Miseries those do Divines declare teaching That we must mount far above Nature and all things appertaining unto Nature when with our Prayers we deal about the avoiding and removing of them far away from us for the true and principal cause of them is our Sins wherewith God being provoked doth raise and stir up against us

A LEARNED TREATISE OF THE PLAGUE WHEREIN The two Questions Whether the PLAGUE be Infectious or no And Whether and how farr it may be shunned of Christians by going aside are resolved Written in Latine by the famous Theodore Beza Vezelian LONDON Printed by Thomas Ratcliffe and are to be sold by Edward Thomas at the Adam and Eve in Little Britain 1665 To the Honorable Sir JOHN ROBINSON Lieutenant of his Majestie 's Principal Fortress the Tower of London Honourable Sir THE confidence of a Stranger will I hope easily meet your pardon when the worth of the Author and the occasional Subject of the Discourse in these contagious and calamitous times have given me too sad an opportunity of presenting it to your Honour whose concerns for the Publick Welfare even in this Great City are as eminently great as any others The matter of the Discourse is a Confutation and reconciling the onely two destructive Opinions that in all Ages in Contagious and Infectious times have ever proved fatal to the World the one too much presuming and relying upon this bold Opinion That the PLAGUE is not Infectious and the other Tum pavor sapientiam omnem mihi ex animo expectorat out of a weak and unspirited Precipitation without exception flye away from it both of which are so contrarie to Humanity that as they are utter Enemies to each other so like the dis-agreeing Brothers they are both in opposition to Christian Community and Charity To say more were too great a wrong to the Judicious Beza and to anticipate Your Honours Judgement To whose Noble Approbation I commend the Author and hope from Your Noble Candour You will easily censure this Presumption in Honourable Sir Your Honours though unknown most devoted and most humble Servant Edward Percivall A LEARNED TREATISE OF THE PLAGUE Wherein the two Questions Whether the PLAGUE be Infectious or no And Whether and how far it may be shunned of Christians by going aside are resolved I Confess my self to have been so unacquainted with this question Whether the Plague be to be reckoned amongst infectious Diseases that untill within these few years I am of belief that it was never doubted but that this Sicknesse alone amongst all others was to be judged Contagious for testimony whereof before any man that is not given to quarrel I refer my self to the judgement of Writers of all Countries who have treated of these things But now in our times men have taken in hand to dispute this question upon this occasion That many do so greatly fear this disease and death which commonly followeth the same that forsaking all duties not onely of Christians but also of Humanity they have greatly increased the very wrath of God which is the chief cause of this Sicknesse and there hath in a manner been no stay or lett in them but where this great misery hath happened the bonds of Man's fellowships being once broken it is much to be wondered at that all Mankinde hath not perished and been destroyed And these men being demanded what they can alledge for so impious a crime for that they commonly bring nothing else for their excuse but the fear of Infection wherof it hath come to pa●s that those in whom there is a greater boldness do think that they can no way more certainly finde a remedy for this evil than by teaching that this Sickness is falsly supposed to be infectious But I because I think that this Paradox or strange opinion can no more be proved by good reason then if a man with Anaxagoras should hold the Snow to be black or out of the Hypothesis of Copernicus labour to prove that the Earth doth really move and the Sun stand still as the Center of the World do judge that this so great fear which bringeth with it a forgetfulness of all duty both may and also ought otherwise to be put away neither will I believe this Disease not to be infectious untill some man shall teach me either out of the Word of God or by evident and good reasons to the contrary for there are in the very course of Nature certain and most sure grounds and proofs of this verity so long as the order of necessary Causes agree with themselves For I deny although it be agreed upon that the Plague of all other diseases is most infectious yea and that unavoidable death for the most part doth presently follow that therefore the Standing in which God hath placed every man is to be forsaken I deny I say that therefore that thing is not to be preferred before Life it self which we owe unto God to our Country and which we owe unto men either for some publick or private respect And I had much more rather they would bestow their endeavours in perswasive disputes to restrain mens flying away for fear of the Plague than that they should labor to prove their strange opinion of the Plague not to be contagious Indeed I had rather have the Consequent according to the School-phrase in that same Enthymeme to be denied than the Antecedent for by that means something might be brought to pass not only by probable but also by necessary Arguments according to their own desire namely That those do very greatly offend who for fear of any peril do offend against God or against their Neighbour For what Christian man dareth to call these things into controveisie or if he dare do it shall not be reproved by the restimony of his own Conscience though all the world should be silent For I do not think that there are any which do hold that with a good conscience the Plague by all means without exception is to be fled from which notwithstanding I see by some in such sort disputed against as if it were by others maintained Yet if there be any of that minde I do no more favour their errour than I allow of those men which of a clean contrary opinion do think that the Plague is not to be fled from But surely it is the part of a wise man to follow the Golden mean so that he fly not when he should tarry neither when he should go aside for the term of flying away in this Argument seemeth to me to be very improper by his rash tarrying offend against the self-same Charity which seemed to counsel him to stay These things I thought good in manner of a Preface to set down before I come to the handling of the matter To the end that all men at the first entrance may perceive what I have undertaken to defend and what to disprove Then for as much as there are some not wanting which do think that this discourse of the Plague to be fled from or not to be fled from doth depend upon the first question Whether the Plague be infectious or no let us examine with what reasons and arguments they so boldly deny the Plague to be infectious a thing which hitherto of all men without controversie

as in other indifferent things so also may a man use going aside both well and ill and so far am I from perswading the same to every man without exception that on the contrary I confesse that they offend much lesse who when they might otherwise with a good Conscience withdraw themselves had rather yet tarry and to venture and endanger their Lives rather than that they might seem to have forsaken their Neighbour or Family I confesse I say that these offend much lesse than those who being carried away with too much distrust or with unmeasurable fear of death forgetting and neglecting all duties of Humanitie have this only before their eyes Away quickly a far off long ere you return again Men surely most worthy to be thrust out of all company of men the bonds whereof they break all to pieces Now what in this point may be observed I think may this way be determined First of all I think it is to be proivded That every man do summon himself unto the Judgement seat of God unto the Plague as the coming of news of the wrath of God condemning himself that he may be acquitted by him and that withall he weigh with himself that he is called to stand forth and plead his own Cause and that this Rod cannot be avoided by change of place but of manners and that if he must die that this is decreed for the good of them which die forasmuch as they are blessed which die in the Lord. Another Point is That no man either Go aside or tarry with a doubtful Conscience But when as he shall have learned out of the Word of God what his Dutie is that commending himself unto God he continue constantly therein And although that in so great varietie of Circumstances Rules for every singular thing cannot be set down yet is it no hard matter to give certain General Precepts agreeable unto the Word of God by the which as by a certain Rule singular Cases may afterwards as they say be tried Let them therefore which think to tarry know that it is the Commandment of God Thou shalt not Kill and that therefore neither their own nor the Lives of any belonging or depending on them are rashly to be put in danger of deadly Infection Let them on the other side which think to Go away know that no man ought to have so great regard either of himself or of his Family that he forget what one oweth unto his Countrie and Fellow Citizens To be brief what he oweth unto another whether they be bound by the common bond of Humanitie and Societie of by any other kinde of Friendship for Love seeketh not the things which are her own Wherefore I confess that I cannot see by what reason at all any man is forbid to depart which either by reason of Age or of Sickness past hope of Recovery cannot help others and if they tarry they may therefore seem onely to be stayed that they may die to the great losse of the Common-wealth for as their Crueltie can never enough be blamed which thrust them out of their Cities especially if they be of the poor●● sort so both the pious natures of Parents in time providing for the preservation and life of theirs without prejudice or hurt to any man seemeth unto me to be greatly commended And also the providence of the Magistrates is much to be praysed where their care shall be extended without dammage to the Common-welfare to see that those weak ones as seed-plots of Citizens be well looked unto And here cometh in the way that General bond wherewith Man is especially bound unto Man and that without taking away of Humanitie it self cannot be broken There is also another Bond binding every Citizen unto his Country and Citie But both these Bonds I affirm to be natural and universal that every one must have regard of his Estate and Calling for some serve in Publick Offices either Civil or the Ministry the rest are Private persons And the bonds of Private persons between themselves are manifold the which Nature it self knitteth and Christian Godliness bindeth the which unlesse they be discerned asunder that every man may know what his Dutie is in all things it must needs follow that Confusion shall bear the sway in all things under a shew of Order Therefore let Man help Man Citizen Citizen that needeth his help according to his power and let him not think of Going aside by which it may justly appear likely unto him to come to pass that by this means some bodie shall be ill looked unto much more that through contempt of any man or of an overthwart fear of Death he depart not any whit from the dutie of Humanitie but when as without the neglect of his Dutie and Publick offence he may be careful both for himself and his by going aside I see no cause why he may not onely not do it but also why he is not bound to do it yet lest in this case any man by flattering of himself might sinne against his Neighbour it is the dutie of a Christian Magistrate to provide that those things which either breed or nourish the Plague so far as they may be taken away and that regard may be had of those that be visited with this Sickness that A●l benot driven to be careful for All. But how they that serve in any Publick Civil Office may leave their Charge in the time of the Plague I do not see and for faithful Pastors to forsake but one poor Sheep at that time when he most of all needeth Heavenly comfort it were too shameful nay too wicked a part As touching Private persons their bonds of F●iendship and Amitie are divers and manifold among these this is the Chiefest unto which also Natural conjunction of Blood as God witnesseth must g●ve place I mean the bond and tye of Wedlock so that in my judgement the Husband cannot with a good Conscience go 〈…〉 or the Wife from the Husband especially if one of them be 〈…〉 the Plague And how much Parents do owe unto their Children and Children to their Parents Kinsmen to Kinsmen the verie Laws of Nature declares the which Christian Charitie is so far off from letting loose that contrariwise it draweth them more and harder together Yea and for Servants to forsake their Masters or Masters to look slenderly to their Servants being sick which cometh too often to pass who have made use of their Service when they were well is Crueltie Yet is not the bond of all these friendships alike or equal and therefore that which is not so near must give place to the nearer forasmuch as many cannot be discharged at once Furthermore as there is place also for forsaking amongst those which are present unless they which tarry do their dutie so heed is to be taken both of those that are sick that they abuse not the love of their Kindred and Friends whilst they are desirous to have themselves provided for and also of those which continue in doing their duties that they cast not themselves rashly into the danger of Infection which is used to be done by some of desperate boldness rather than of true and Christian judgement who being wont to contemn those that are sick of other diseases doe visit those that are taken with the Plague that they may seem to despise Death And this conrempt of God's judgements I should less bear withall than with the too much weakness of the fearful But how others are affected and disposed in the craving of the presence of their Friends I know not when as my self being visited with the Plague and that divers of my Friends offered unto me all kinde of Courtesie I suffered none to come unto me lest I might have been thought to have provided for my self with the loss of my Friends But if in such Calamities the Magistrate do not in time provide as much as may be both by such lawful means as are not repugnant unto Christian Charitie that the Infection may be prevented and also that the sick of the Plague want nothing he shall doubtless do very well both for the sick the whole and shall take away many Questions which in this Argument are wont to be raised but this especially must be agreed upon that as our Sinnes are the chief and true cause of the Plague so that this is the onely proper remedie against the same if the Ministers dispute not of the Infection which belongeth to Physicians but by their Life and Doctrine stir up the People to earnest Repentance and Love and Charitie one towards another FINIS * The Plague is judged to be infectious by all that have written of the same * The unnatural discourtesie of some towards their Neighbors visited with the Plague Answer to the former Reasons if simply alledged against such who upon any manner of occasion go aside