hath of him self but fleshe And sheweth that the remedye againste this sickenes commeth not of the worthynes of any sacrifice or merytes of his or any sinfull mannes workes But that the remedy thereof dependeth onely vpon the merytes of his bloude and passion and sheweth the same by the comparyson of the Brasen Serpente appoyncted by Moises And argueth thys waye as the people that were stronge wyth the Serpentes in the wildernes were not made whole by their owne workes or for the dignitye or seruyce of anye sacryfyce that they offred but by the syghte of the Serpente that represented Christe too come Euen soo Nicodemus nor anye other that is stong wyth the Serpentes of synne be made whole by theyr owne woorkes or anye sacrifyce they can offre but onely by the merites of Christe And euyn as the people could not come too the knowledge of this remedy by y e serpent thorough their fathers or theyr owne wysedome noo more can Nicodemus or any man liuing come too the knowledge of the remedye for syckenes and synne in oure sauyoure Christe except he learne it by the woorde of God thoroughe the instructyon of the hoyle ghoste The same remeadye alsoo vseth Christe in hys woordes before rehearsed repente ye and beleue the gospell In the whyche woordes oure sauiour Christ sheweth all thinges to be considered in syn in the remedy thereof For in the firste parte of hys wordes he declareth how that men should knowe y e causes of sicknes and in the second parte the remedy help for the same The cause of sicknes as it appeareth by this worde repente is that men haue by their owne folly turned them selues from the truth of God to the erroure and fonde opinion of man from true faythe too vncertaine fables from verteous godlye workes to vncleanlynes and corruption of lyfe Christe therfore seyng the worlde howe it is in daunger by reason it hath forsaken the wisedome rule of goodes word calleth it home agayne too a better way byddynge it repente As though he had sayed tourne too a better mynde and leaue the wayes accustomed and learne to be wyse and walke in the wayes and wysedome appoyncted by God Here appeareth alsoo that the causes of all the daungers that Christe wylled hys audyence too repente for was their synne and iniquytye The cause of synne was infydelytye and accustomed doing of euill The cause of infidelitie and accustomed doing of yuel was ignoraūcie or misunderstandynge of goodes woorde The cause of ignoraunce or mysunderstandinge of goddes word was Sathan goddes and mannes enemie and mans willing consent to the diuelish sophistry and false construinge of goddes woorde And from these causes springeth all deseases and sicknes death and euerlasting dampnatiō from the which Christ was sent of gods inestimable loue towardes vs to redeme saue vs. Notw tstanding these effectes of pestilence sicknes death and euerlasting dampnation can not be remoued except firste the causes of them be eschued wherfore learne ye and teach other to knowe the causes aboue mencioned and also how they maye be remoued For as long as they worke their propre nature in manne so longe wyll they bringe foorthe their naturall effectes sickenes troubles deathe and dampnacyon The originall cause of all yuell was Sathan and the vngodlye consent of oure forefather Adam in Paradise in crediting more the deuils sophistrie and glose then the plaine and manifest word of god And the remedye of thys cause is god that of loue agaynste Sathans hatred promised in the seade of a woman healpe agayne for man And that euerye man y e beleueth the deuil in euill must repent and beleue god his word in good Ignorancie and mistakyng of goddes word is the second cause of euil The remedie wherof is knowledge and right vnderstanding of goddes word Infidelitie accustomed doing of euill be the third cause of euil True faith and accustomed doyng of good remedyeth them Sinne and iniquitie be the causes of sicknes death and dampnaciō vertue godlines healeth remoueth that they shal not bringe man to euerlasting death although sin and sicknes be not cleane taken frō man yet doth god in Christ take away the dampnation of sin suffereth death to destroye by sickenes none other thing then the body of y e sinner so that he vse this remedy repent and beleue y e gospell and shal at length call y e body dead by death out of thearth And place it alyue with the soule in heauen But now to vse this helpe and remedie agaynst the pestilence which Christ calleth repente and beleue the gospell The sicke man muste remembre what the first word repente meaneth and how he maye come by it Repentaunce that God requireth is the retourne of the synner from synne intoo a newe lyfe in Christe Whiche retourne is an innouacyon and renouacyon of the mynde of manne by Goddes spiryte in Christe wyth denyall of the former lyfe too begynne a newe and better lyfe And thys repentaunce spryngeth from the knowledge of sinne by the lawe of God From the knowledge of sinne commeth the hatred of synne from the hatred of synne proceadeth the leauynge and departure from synne From y e departure from synne commeth by faythe thorough Christes bloud remissiō of sinne From remission of synne commeth our acceptatyon into goddes fauoure from oure acceptatyon intoo Goddes fauour commeth the gyftes of the holye ghost to doo and worke by verteouse lyfe the wyll of God From the doyng in Christ the wyll of god commeth goddes defence and fauour y t taketh from vs all plages and pestylence From the delyueraunce of plages and pestylence cōmeth euerlastyng lief as Christe sayeth And as thys medicine called repent ye and beleue the gospell declareth There be also manye that be sycke and in greate daunger and perill by reason of synne and yet fele not the sore and grief therof Therefore they passe not whether they seke for any remedye or not And for lacke of takyng heede they fall daily to more wyckednes then other Wherefore it is euery ministers office of the churche diligently and especially in the tyme of pestylence and plages to call vpon the people for amendmente of lyfe And too shewe them truely diligently and plainly this medicine of repentaunce Whiche consisteth of these partes First in knowledge of sinne then in hatred of synne Thirdly in forsakyng of synne Fourthly in beleuyng y e forgeuenes of sinnes for Christes sake And fifthly to liue in verteous and godly lief to honor god and to shewe hys obedience to goddes lawe that by sinne is transgressed And these partes of penaunce whyche be the very true and onely medicines against sickenes and sinne be knowen onely by goddes lawes For by the lawe of god sinne is knowen detested and forsaken if it be hearde or readen by men that pray vnto god thei may vnderstand it Fayth also that beleueth remission of sinne is shewed opened and offered by the gospell wherin be contained goddes merciful promises towardes sinners And those promises sinners receiue by faith that beleueth what so euer god hath promised in Christ he will perfourme it Fayth doth credite and receiue forgeuenes of sinnes by the operacion of goddes holye spiryte in the poore sinner The sinner studyeth and lyueth a verteous life being led by the holye goste and worketh to serue god wyth souche workes as goddes holy commaundement cōmaundeth euerye true christian man too worke and doo And for the better assuraunce and farther stablishyng of repentaunce and acceptation into the fauoure of god by beleuyng the gospell the poore sinner vseth and receiueth the holy sacrament of Christes precious body bloud in remembraunce that Christe died to be his medicine agaynst sinne and theffecte thereof Wherefore now that it pleaseth god for oure offences to shewe by plages and sicknes how he is offended Let vs all that be ministers of the church and y e watche men of the people cal vpon them diligently to repente and beleue the gospell and to liue a godly and verteous life that for Christes sake he will turne mercifully hys plages from vs and geue vs his most gracious fauour to preserue his vniuersall churche oure most godlye Soueraigne Lorde and Kynge King Edward the sixte his Maiesties most honorable Councell and the whole Realme So be it 18. May ▪ 1553. Imprinted at Worceter by Jhon Oswen Prynter appointed by the Kinges Maiestie for the principalitie of Wales and Marches of the same Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum Ezechi 14. Ezechi 18. Li i. de disse feb cap. 5. Li i. de tempe cap. 4. cap. 14 Psalm Math. 15. Apoca. 14. Rom. 14. Psal. 6.42 Sam. 24 Esay 37.38 2. Corin. 15 Plin. lib 2 ▪ cap. 96. Rom. 5. Psalm 42. Deut. 23. 2. Sam 24 Gene. 1. Li. 7. cap. 1. Rom. 13. 1. Io. 3. Deut. 28. Lib. 1. cap. 96. Deut. 28. Io. 10. Enod 5. Numer 14 1. Sam. ult Cap. 1. Galiende sempera Psal. 19.118 2. Timoth. 3. Math. 1.2 Luc. 2. Ion. 1. Cap. 3. Ioan. 1.3 Math. 3. Cap. 4. Ioan. 3 Ioan. 3. Marci 1. Ioan. 3. Gen. 3. Ioan. 1.3.5 Ioan. 1.3 Ioan. 16. Ioan. 3.3.6
maie be assured through true and godlye doctrine to dye in the Lorde and soo be eternallye blessed straighte waye after their deathe as Saincte Jhon sayeth And incase god reserue them to longer lyef they maye liue in trueth and vearitie vntoo him with detestation and hatred of sinne the originall cause of mannes miserye and wretchednes and wyth the loue of mercy and grace the originall and onely workers of mannes quyetnes and euerlasting saluatiō geuen vnto vs from god the father almightye thorough Jesus Christe his onely sonne our Lorde To whome wyth the holye ghost be all honour and praise worlde wythout eande So be it ¶ An homolie to be reade in the time of pestilence contayninge the true causes of the same And likewise a moste present remedye for as many as be alreadye or hereafter shalbe infected wyth that dysease Gathered out of the holy scripture by John Hoper Busshoppe of Worcester and Gloucester ANNO DOMINI 1553. Marci i. Repente and beleue the gospell IT is the desire of all sicke men to knowe what medicine and remedye hath beene knowen moste to preuayle best too remoue and soonest to cure make whole the person dyseased And the greater and more daungerouse the syckenes is the more circumspect and wise the sicke man muste be in knowledge and choise of the medicine Lest happely he seeke a remedy inferior and to weake for the greatnes strength of his disease The nature cōdicion therfore of pestilence being so daūgerous as it is in dede y t who so euer be infected or attemted therw t al hath nede to be well instructed and thorughly perswaded of a sufficient remedye stronger then the sickenes it selfe Or els the dysease shall more hurte the sicke pacyente then the medicine can do him good Thē must nedes followe the deathe and y e destruction of the diseased person It behoueth therefore all men that be mortall to knowe the most generall and most daūgerous dyseases that mortalitie shalbe troubled withall And then as he seeth his greate and necessary aduersaries and syckenes to knowe also the greatest and most necessary remedy and helpe against his diseases And because sinne hath soo preuayled in vs that trueth perswaded vnto vs by thexamples of others sooner instructeth and longer tarieth then any thinge taught vs by doctrine or testimonye I shall before I enter into the causes of the pestylence shewe the strength and nature of sickenes from thexamples of souche godly persons as in the worde of god are mencioned of for oure instruction Kinge Dauid emonges other dyseases fell intoo the pestilence The greatnes and daunger whereof passed all humane worldly healpes as it appeareth by hys lamentable crye and complaynte vnto the Lorde My soule saieth he is sore troubled But how long Lord wilt thou differre thy help And the same crie and complainte he made vnto the Lorde when the plage of pestilence had infected his whole Realme from Dan too Berzabe And sawe the remedye therof to be onlie in god Praying him to commaund his Aingel to stryke the people no more Ezechias the kinge sawe that besides god al meatsonnes and remedies were to weak and inferior for y e strength and power of the pestilence sickenes ▪ wherfore he turned him selfe to y e wall and praied god to do that for him that no phisicke nor medicine washable to do And sainct Paule in hys wonderfull oratyon that he maketh concernyng the resurrectyon of the dead waigheth moste deapely the nature condicion of mannes myserable estate in thys lief Bourdeinnyng hym wyth suche strong aduersaries sicknes and deseases both of body and soule that euery man may see how impossible it is for mā to fynde deliueraunce from the tirannie and strengthe of syckenes excepte onely the mercy of god in Christe Jesu Nomberyng there sixe and aduersaries so stronge as the least of them except Christ helpe is hable to destroy both bodie and soule The first is corruptiō The second mortalitie The third sinne The fourth the lawe condempning sin The fifth death The sixte hell necessary and indiuisible plagues and sickenes of man in this lief Against the which he findeth no remedy neyther by Galien nor Hipocrates neyther yet by thearth of para y t men say cureth al woundes But with greate faith confydence marketh and weigheth the strength of deseases though they be neuer so stronge too be yet inferior too the medsone and remedy that god hath prouided for vs onlie in Christe Therefore compareth y e inferior strength of althose sicknes vnto y e sufficient remedy of god through Christ saying after this maner Thankes be vnto god which hath geuē vs victorye thorough oure Lorde Jesus Christ. Wherby it is euident and plaine that god is thonely remedy for al plages deseases How be it nowe I shal more speciallye open y e causes of the plage and the nature of the same y t our sicknes the causes therof may be more knowen and the better auoyded The principall cause of pestilence is opened by S. Paule by thies wordes By sinne saith he came death into y e world and for the cause of sinne god sendeth the plage of pestilence and all other diseases that punisheth towardes death Asking Dauid sayth Thou doest punishe the childerin of men for sinne Moises also plainly sheweth that the principall and chyef cause of pestilence is not in the corruption of the ayer nor in the superfluous humors within man But that sinne and y e transgression of goodes lawe is the very cause and chief occasion of pestilence of al other diseases And y e experience therof was tried in the pestylence that raigned in king Dauides time for his sinnes and the sinnes of the people So that al y e scripture of god manifestly declareth that the contempt and breache of goddes lawes is the chief and principall cause of pestylence and of all other plages that he sendeth for our punishment And from this cause procedeth those causes y t phisicions speake of the corruption of the aier whiche is neuer corrupted nor can corrupte man or beast excepte mā for whose sake and comfort both ayer and all other beastes were made be firste corrupted by sin and transgression of goddes lawes Neither could man take any surfeit by meates nor anye yuell humors coulde be engendered of any meates were not y e man that vseth them corrupte first infected with sinne But when the Lord doth see that the people forgeate or contempne his blessed commaundementes and that souche as be appointed to rebuke and punish suche transgressours of goddes lawes suffer without punyshment y e glory of god and his holy commaundementes to be oppressed and set at naught as we se daylie they be in deed From these causes our sinne and abhominacion the Lord taketh occasion to turne hys good creatures made for oure lief to be a meanes of oure deathe which neuer woulde be were
not our hainouse dishonouring and contempte of God For the Lordes creatures be perfectly good and made al to comforte and reioyce holsome cleane and pure withoute all infectyon But seinge that the contempte of god and the filthines of sinne is nether by the Cleargie opened declared ne detected neyther by the heades of the countrey and offycers appointed vnder god and the kyng punished Except therfore there shoulde nothing els liue in this world then sinne abhominacion and contempt of god god is forced for the taking away destruction of filthy lief and filthy liuers to appoint an extra ordinary magistrate to reforme and punish the mother of all mischyef synne and contempte of gooddes holye woorde And soo altereth not by chaunce nor by the influence of sterres the holesomnes of the ayer intoo pestylente and contagyouse infectyon And the meate and drynke wyth theyr nutrimente and foade intoo poyson and venome that by their meane sinne and sinners myghte bee slayne and taken oute of thys worlde and no longer too blaspheme God Thus dothe the woorde of god declare theffectuouse and pryncypal cause of pestylence too be the contempte of Goddes woorde that shoulde kepe men in ordre bothe too God and man The breakynge whereof hath alwayes brought these plagues into Realmes as prophane writers also manifestly declare Orosius sayeth that the greate dearthe and famyne that came emonges the Romanes in the tune of Caesar Augustus was because Caius his neuewe contempned to honor the liuing god as he was taught at Hierusalē whē he passed into Siria Wherfore it is expedient and before al thinges necessary for as monthe as the plage is come into soundry places about vs for euery one to trye hym selfe what iust causes of thys pestylence eche man hath wythin him selfe Euery Christian man and woman muste searche whether theyr religion and christianitie be souche as god by hys worde dothe maintayne to be good for there is no greater occasyon of pestilence then superstycyon and false relygyon The Busshoppe Person Uycare and Curate must examine them selues what knowledge of goddes word is in them and what dilygence they haue taken too brynge the people to a ryghte knowledge and perfecte honor of God for there is noo greater daungere of pestilence then where as the Cleargie is either ignoraunte of goddes worde or negligent in teachyng thereof The Justices gentlemen must loke howe they kepe them selues and the kynges Maiesties people in y e true knowledge and obedience of goddes lawes and the Kinges for nothing prouoketh the pestilence more daungerously then where as suche as sitte and be appointed to do iustice do their owne affections with contempte iniuries bothe to god and man and the plage of god will reuenge it All we therfore that be subiectes and liue vnder one god and one kinge must nowe that god hath sente vs this pestilence see that we haue true louing faithful trustie and obedyent hartes wyth one hole minde altogether to obey reuerence loue healpe succour defende and vpholde with all our wittes gooddes ryches and strengthe this oure onely Kinge the Magistrates and councellours that be appointed vnder hys highnes For as Saincte Paule saieth he that disobeieth and resisteth the hygher powers appointed by god resist god prouoke the pestilence and vengeaunce of god against vs. And we must take hede also that we hate not one another yf we do the plage wyll not ceasse and the places that yet be not infected god shall infecte what so euer defence man maketh againste it And although Galien of all remedyes saieth to flie the ayer that is infected is best Yet I know that Moses by the worde of god sayeth Flee whether thou wylte in case y u take wyth the the contempt of god breache of his commaundement god shall fynde the oute Yea and although manye medicines be deuised and assureth the infected to be made whole yet not wythstandyng I know goddes worde sayeth the contrary that he will sende vnto vnsensible careles and wilfull sinners souche a plage and incurable a pestilence that he shall not be deliuered but dye and perish by it Therfore forasmouche as synne is thoccasion chiefly of pestilence let euery man eschewe and auoyd it both spedelye and penitentlie and then shall ye be preserued from the plage sufficientlye as ye shal perceaue in the remedy of this daungerous plage that begynneth to raigne emonges vs. For doubtles although we could flye to Locris or Crotone where as Plinie sayeth the pestilence was neuer yet god saith incase we feare not him we shall surely be infected The remedy against the pestylence LOke as the scripture of god onely sheweth y e very cause of pestilence so doth it the very true and onely remedye agaynst it I doo not dislike y e remedies that naturall phisicke hath prescribed yet I do not hable them as sufficient remedies for their imperfection sake I woulde also they were vsed and the remedies prescribed in goddes boke not omitted For I see all the remedyes that euer was deuysed by man is not hable to remoue assuredlie the pestylence from hym that is infected there wythall althoughe they be neuer soo excellente and good And I fynde the same concernynge the preseruacyon from the pestylence deuysed by man alsoo insufficyente for mannes preseruacyon yet not to be contempned for the reason of theyr chiefest preseruacyon is very good and allowable and yet not sufficient Which is of all things chiefly to be vsed against the pestilence fleing and departure from the place wheare as the ayer is corrupte Wherefore for souche as maye nothing is better then too flee and excepte he do he offereth him selfe too a presente daunger of deathe But yet the woorde of God sayeth plainelye that flee whether we wyll yf we forsake not synne and serue the lyuynge god the plage shall ouertake vs. And thys can not be a suffycyent remedy for there be certen persons that can not flee although they woulde As the poorer sorte of people that haue no frendes nor place too flee vntoo more then the poore house they dwell in Like wyse there be souche offyces of truste as men for noo cause maye flee from it As the Busshoppe Person Uicare and Curate who hath the charge of those that god pleaseth too infecte wyth the pestilence and yf they forsake theyr people in thys plague tyme they be hirelinges no Pastoures and they flee frō goddes people into gods high indignaciō Such alsoo as haue places and offices of truste for the commune wealth as the Capitaines of souldiers in y e time of warre Judges and Justices in the tyme of peace Incase they should flee their countryes or leaue theyr warres for y e plage of pestylence they shall neuer be good souldiers nor good Justices for the commune wealth And they shalbe accompatable to almighty god for all the hurte and detriment that hath happned vnto the people in their