none dare Traffick with him and this helps to add yet more to his discomfort for the Merchant will tell you that upon the ceasing of Trade there is not only lâ—â—rum cesfans gain ceasing but there is likewise damnâ—â— emergens loss arising because now a man is forced to take from his stock for necessary uses so that grant a man do escape with his life that is visited with the Plague I say suppose he hath his life for a prey what can he do without a livelihood and towards the procuring of this he is much disabled by the Plague So much in answer to the first Question Why the Plague 〈◊〉 so dreadful a judgment 1. Because it is so destructive 2. Because the destruction which it makeâ— is so quick and sudden 3. Because it is so spreading And lastly because it is so uncomfortable for hereby a man iâ— deprived of the liberty of Gods house the liberty of Friends the liberty of Commerce The second question is what is it that provokes God to inflict this dreadful judgment of the Plague upon a people This is somewhat harder to determine what I purpose to say concerning it take in these three Conclusions 1. For certain God hath just cause given him before he do thus manifest his displeasure many of his wayes are unsearchable but none are unrighteous he can as soon cease to be as to be just if therefore at any time we cannot discerne what should be the cause let us charge our selves with ignorance but take heed of charging God with injustice after God had threatned the Jews with the Sword the Famine the noisomebeast and the Pestilence in Ezek. 14. he adds ver 23. Ye shal know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it saith the Lord and he expresseth himself yet more offended with them for standing upon their justification Jer. 2. 35. Thou sayest because I am innocent surely his anger shall turne from me behold I will plead with thee because thou sayest I have not sinned 2. This we may likewise safely affirm in the general that sin is the meritorious cause as of all other judgments so likewise this of the Plague The wrath of God iâ— revealed from Heaven saith the Apostle against what all â—nrighteousness and ungodliness of man Rom 1. 18. and it is the observation of a good man that as vapours ascend invisibly but come down again in storms and showers which we both see and feel so sometimes secret sins are the procuring cause of open and notorioâ—â— punishments this of the Plague is threatned unto Disobedience Deut. 18. 3. What sins in particular may be the provoking cause of the Plague now or any other time is not so easy to conclude I think the safest way is one of these three 1. Either to attribute judgments that are general unto sins that are most general and what sin hath been of late years and is still most reigning in this Nation would require one better acquainted with the manners of it than I am whether Atheisme or Dissention or a mutinous inclination against all Authority or violation of Oaths or what else I will not say but whether these or others are the National sins at present they are hugely aggravated because God hath not honoured any Nation with more mercy and means of Grace than ours and therefore we could expect no other than that he should deal with us as he threatned he would do with his peculiar People Amos 2. 2. You only have I known of all the Families of the earth therefore I will punish you for your iniquities Or 2. If we know of any notorious National sin though committed several years since not yet so universally acknowledged and repented of we may think that is a great provocation â—nto God to scourge us with the Plaguâ— for this we have that famous instance of Saul's breaking Covenant with and sâ—aying the Gibeonites for which God punished the Land in the time of King David with three years Famiâ—e and would not be appeased till several of Saul's Sons were puâ— to death 2. Sam. 23. 3. This is likewise a safe course to observe out of the Records of Sacred Writ for what sins God hath heretofore sent the Plague and look how far we are guilty of them so far may we attribute our visitatiâ—n to them now in searching the Scripture I find that for six yea for seven transgressions God hath either threatned or sent the Plague I will but name them and leave them to your consideration 1. Despising of plenty and immoderate lusting after dainties so we read how the Israelites despised Manna whereof they had abundance and called it light bread but they lusted exceedingly after Quails for which God smote them with a very great Plague Numb 11. 33 34. 2. We read how they that brought up an evil report upon the Land of promise to the discouragement of the people and the dishonoâ—r of God dyed of the Plague Numb 14. 37. 3. Seditious insurrections against Authority have drawn down the Plague this was the cause of that Plague in the Text. 4. Creature confidence boasting of or trusting in an Arm of flesh this is generally thought to be the cause of that Plague in the 2 Sam. 24. 5. Idolatry for this God waâ— so incensed that he â—lew of the people at once 24000. with the Plague Numb 25. 6. Detaining and withholding from God his due unto this he threatens the Plague Exod. 30. 12. When thou takest the summ of the Children of Israel they shall give every man a Ransome for his Soul unto the Lord that there be no plague among them Lastly to all these I may add the contempt and abuse of the Lords Supper for when Saint Paul faith that many of the Corinthians were â—â—ck and weak and many dyâ—d 1 Cor. 11. 30. it is not improbable that God sent amongst them some pestilential and contagious disease I have done with the second question What it is that provokes God to inflict this dreadful punishment of the Plague upon a people I hasten to the third The plague being such a token of Gods wrath whether doth it befall good men believers such as are in the state of justification for our satisfaction in this we may have recourse to that of Solomon Eccles 9. 1. 2. No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that 〈◊〉 before them all things come alike to all there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked to the clean and to the unclean to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner and be that sweareth as he that feareth an Oath Ahab and Josiah's death concurred in the very circumstances and Saul and Jonathan though different in their deportments yet in their deaths they were not divided Here we shall do well to consider three things 1. That good men are subject to and guilty of many sins and enormities
and their sins admit of those aggravations which the sins of other men do not and therefore why should we think that they should be priviledged from those temporal punishments which God is went to inflict for such sins 2. Consider that good men even by their sins do help to draw down a judgment and common calamity upon a Nation indeed God takes most notice of their sins concerning the common sort of prophans persons he saith These are foolish they have not known the way of the Lord nor the judgment of their God but when his own People in Covenant with him when these shall break the bands then he bursts out How shall I pardon thee for this now if good men by their sins be instrumental in drawing down a Pest upon a Nation why should they expect any other but to be involved in it 3. Consider this as you cannot tell me any sin be it never so gross into which a Believer may not fall except it be the sin against the Holy-Ghost so you cannot assigne any judgment be it never so great whereunto a Believer is not obnoxious unless it be Everlasting damnation There is no condemnation indeed to those that are in Christ Jesus but for temporal calamities they are so incident to good men that the Scripture seems to make them their Portion and it may be truly said of Gods Servants as Augustus said once when he sat between Virgil and Horace whereof the one was bleer-eyed and the other much given to sighing they sit inter suspiria lachrymas between sighing and weeping I am plagued all the day long and chastened every morning saith David Psal 73. 14. That is a pretty saying of Clemens Alexandrinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is neer to God is always under the â—â—sb It is a Pestilent Doctrine therefore to aâ—â—irm that none who believe in God and love him sincerely can dye of the Plague it is very tâ—uâ— the dying of the pl guâ— shall be no more prejudicial to them in respect of their salvation than the dying of any other dâ—â—th All things and therefore the Plague work together for good to them that love God but the sentence of jâ—sâ—ification Gods acceptation of them into favour gives not Believers an immunity from any disease but their persons are still subjâ—ct unto those diseases which the nature is and it is very soundly observed by one Mr. â—â—mford who writ a little Tâ—eâ—â—ise the laâ—â— great Plague but this at London that God by suffering good men to dye of the Plague glorifies both his justice and his wisdâ—me his justice among the wicked in giving them cause to say If God spare not the green tree what shall be done to the dry his wisdome among the godly lest they should say for our own Righteousness â—e are delivered Thus I have answered the three Questions Why the Plague is so dreadful a judgment what it is that provokes God to send it Whether it be incident to good meâ— I have now only a Cauâ—ion to subjoyn and then I shall come to Application The Cautiâ—â— is this though the plague be a dreadful judgment yet the Scripture speaks of another plague which is far worâ—e and yet whilest we do what we can to â—lie the leâ—â—er plague we do what we can to pursue the greater but what Plague i that Solomon will tell you 1 King 8. 38. The plague of the heart sin in general is the plâ—gue of the heart every mans own iniquity his peccatum in deliciâ—â— his darling lust that is the particular plague of hâ—â— own heart now this plague of the heart is worse than the other plague in several respects I will name them tâ—ough I cannot insist on them 1. As in good things the cause is beâ—tâ—r so in evil things the cause is worse than the effect bu the plague of the heart is the cause of the other plague sin brought in misery at first and mâ—sery hath ever since pursued sin 2. We are more sensible of the plâ—gue of the body than that of the heart and therefore the plague of the heart is more dâ—ngerouâ— the first stâ—p to â—ealth is to have a feeling of our disease therefore there is less hope of câ—re where there is less feeling of the Distemper 3. Nature doth not only feel the Plague of the body but is may by Gods blessing upon means be of force to work out the malignity of it that it shall not prove mortal for else none that have the plague should escape death bâ—â— by a miracle but corrupt nature as it is not sensible of the Plague of the heart so neither hath it power to work it cut if the great Physitian of Souls cure iâ— not it is not all tâ—e strength of Nature the art of man the power of Medicines that can avail any thing but the soul is infâ—cted and will be destroyed 4. Though the plague of the body be infectious yet the plague of the heart addâ— venâ—â—e and malignity to it The spirit of a man will hear his infirmity but a wounded spirit who can hear sin emâ—itters and poysons any affliction the sting of every pâ—nal evil is sin this is the plague of the plague an affliction consists not in the bulk of it but the burthen what is a Serpent without a sting or a great bulk if it hath no weight where the plague of the heart is cured the other plague is more easily bornâ— though the cross continue yet the cursâ— is taken away 5. The plague of the heart is worse than the other plague because it seiâ—eth upon and infects the better part of man his Soul that which is more worth than a world and could be Redeemed by no less than the precious blood of Christ look how much better the Soul is than the Body by so much worse is the plague of the heart than that of the body Lastly as Christ said concerning men so may I say concerning the plague the utmosâ— it can do is but to kill the body and that for a time but the Plague of the hears will destroy both body and Soul everlastingly that death which consists only in a separation of the Soul from the Body is nothing so terrible as that which consists in an everlasting separation of the Soul from God But some men will never be convinced what a plague the Plague of the heart is till they come to feel the plagues of the damned then they shall wish for death but it shall flee from them I come now to Application 1. If the plague be such a token of Gods wrath what cause have we of this Nation to think that God iâ— wroth and displeased with us since he hath visited us with such a Plague as cannot be parallelled since the Sweating sickness and that in such a juncture of time when it could not have been more prejudicial to the affairs of the Nation it is
hard to say whether we have more cause to tremble at Gods judgment in this plague or to admire at his goodness in the abatâ—ment of it when it once threatned the whole Nation as though the Lord had purposed to make a full end that affliction should not rise up the second time Now mark what the Prophet saith The Lion hath roared who will not fear Amos 3. 8. when Gods hand is lifted up he expects that we should see it and express a sense of it the People of Nineveh believed God and proclaimed a Fast and put on sackcloath Jon. 3. 5. and did we verily believe that God is wroth with us we should busy and bestir our selves towards the appeâ—sing of it This day would be observed with more solemnity our Prayers sent up to Heaven with more devotion the Word listen'd unto with more attention Almâ— given with more freeness and abundance All tokens and testimonies of Humiliation are little enough when God shews such tokens of his wrath as the plague is this is not a time to addict our selves to pride or dâ—lliance or luxury The Romans punished one severely that in a time of common calamity was seen looking out at a window with a Crown of Roses on his head God delights to see a People shew themselves affected with his displeasure mâ—rk what he said once to the Isrâ—elites after they had made the Golden Calf Exod. â—3 5. I will come into the â—â—ast of thee in a moment and consume thee it is not an absoluâ—e determination but a conditional coâ—â—inaâ—ion therefore now put off thy Ornaments from thee that I may know what to do uâ—to theâ— that is humble thy self give some testimony of the awe â—hat thou standeâ—â— in of my Wrath of thy sorrow for the sin that hath incensed it thaâ— though I be highly provoked yet I may be â—â—ved to have pity on and shew some favour to theâ— 2. If the Plague be so dreadful a judgment what cause have we of this City to bless God for our preservation from it especially considering how many dangers we have been exposed to some through the necessity of State others through our own improvidence and some through the corrupt and covert dealings of Passengers and Traders to be preserved from danger is a mercy at any time but especially then when we see others overtaken and our selves encompossed with it What may we attribute this our preservation to shall we impute it to our own diligence and care no certainly for if our watchfulness had been ten times more yet we read in Psal 127. 1. Except the Lord keep the City the Watchmâ—n â—aketh but in vain shall we ascribe it to any merit or desert of ours nay that would be far worse as Job saith Job 9. 20. Our own mouths would condemne us and prove us perverse I would it might not be said of us as it was once of Ahaz that in this time of distress we have trespassed yet more and more sure it is vice and profaneness are grown to that height of impudence as hath not been known in former years those vices which heretofore were scarce once named amongst us are become common what said God once concerning Judah Jer. â— 8. When she saw that God had given back sliding Israel a â—ill of Divorce and put her away for her adulâ—eries yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not but went and played the Harlot also it is easie to apply it here though we saw what God had doâ—â— to London â—et we have not feared but gone on to corrupt our selâ—es and do so wickedly as if we intended to justific them or as if we thought that the sins of the Nation could not be soon enough filled up unless we added more measure to them Our preservation therefore can be attributed â—o nothing but the merciful and gratioâ— protection of Almighty God And therefore let us magnify the Lord and let us exalt his name together let us bless him at all times and let â—iâ— praise be continually in our months for he i◠〈◊〉 that hath held our souls in life and not suffered our feet to be moved he hath hitherto delivered us from all our fears and put a new song into our month eveâ— praise unto our God Only let us fear the Lord and serve him in truth and with all our hearts for consider how great things he hath done for us but if we shall still do wickedly sin lies at the door and judgment will find us out 3. And lastly if the Plague be so dreadful a judgment then it calls upon us loudly to pity those whom God hath been pleased to exercise with so heavy a visitation think that you hear the great City of the Land thus bewailing her misery and begging your commiseration as the City Jerusalem once I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath surely against me is 〈◊〉 turned he turneth his hand against me all the day be hath bent his â—â—w and set me as a mark for the arrow I envy not your immunity only desire you to commiserate my Calamity Have pity upon me have pity upon me O ye my friends for the hand of God hath touched me Job 19. 21. We have no hasty and fearful fleeing out of our City whole families made desolate miserere dâ—uâ— upon our doors we hear not that doleful voice bring out your dead Eusebins faith that in the Plague at Alexandria the Christians were as careful of one another visited those that were infected provided for them converted with them buryed them as at other times but the Heathen regarded not their Neighbours and friends but fled from them suffered them to starve and afterwards to lye unburied I acknowledge there is much difference between the spirits of Christians now from what was in those Ages for then they were willing upon all occasions to hazard yea to lay down their lives for the Brethren I blame not the Christians at Alexandria for what they did because I know not what Heroick principle they might have to induce them to it perhaps they did it for to set a pattern and example to the Heathen among whom they lived to let them see that they were not afraid of death and that their love to each other was so great that nothing could separate them But it is not safe to tempt God and run our selves upon hazards where we have no warrant we cannot we may not in a time of infection converse so freely with and do those offices to the infected as we would at another time yet it behoves us however to do all we can safely there is no danger sure in pitying them in praying for them in contributing toward their necessities these we may safely do we cannot salvâ conscientiâ omit them And now that I have mentioned Contribution I cannot but I must tell you that there is no reality in our commiseration without it St. James declares against such as say to one that is in wanâ— Be ye filled and be ye warmed but give them not those things that are needful for the body Jâ—â—â— 2. 16. St John is yet sharper 1 John 3. 17. whoso hath this worlds goods and seeth his Brother have need and â—hâ—ttâ—th up his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him Giving of Alms is one of the man ingredients into an acceptable Fast The Fast that God hath chosen is â—o deal our bread to the hungry â—loath the naked and not to hide our selves from our own flesh Isa 58. â— 7. we cannot â—ell whether it may please God to visit us but if he should happy that man then who hath not been defective in his duty to the infected whose bowels have melted and turned within him for their Calamity whose Prayers have been dayly poured ouâ— for their redreâ—â— whose hands have been stretched out wide and without grudging for their Relief and lastly whose conversation hath been ordered aright that they and the whole Land might see the salvation of God FINIS â—ob 39. 22. 2 Cor. 1. 3. 10 Dâ—â—emb 6th 1665. 1 â—am 2â— 3. 1 Sam. 18. 8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. lib. 7 ca. 17. Exoâ— 12. 30. Neque quisque mortalium qâ—â— ejus â—ffugerit contagionâ—m c. lib. 3. ca 28 2 King 2. 12. Psal 128. 3. Jer. 31. 15. Psal 84. â— â—lâ—â—d Râ—m 82. 17. 1. Kings 22. 2. Chro 35. 2. Sam. 1 23. Jer. 5. 4. Rom. â— 1 Math. 16. 24. Acts 14. 21. Rom. 8. 28. Luk. 23. 31 Dan. 9. 4. Rss Prov. 18. 14. Mat. 16. 2â— 1 Pet. 1 1â— Luk. 12. 4 Rev. 9. 6. Nahu 1. 9. Is 26 9 10 11 2 Chr. 28. 2â— Eph. 5. 3. Psal â—4 â— 2 3 4. Psal 66. 9. Psal 40. 3. 1 â—aâ— 12. â—4 Geâ— 4. 7. Num. 32. 23. Lament 3. â— Joh. 3. 16. Mat. 4. 7. Pâ—â—l 50. 23.