allowed Visitors whose walks are far more perilous than twenty times so many left open to keep themselves clean and at distance from the Sick and Dead as else they would to prevent their own infection Yea after the House is allowed to be open and all that are left alive are well after this usage both they and it are far more dangerous hereby to others than before they were crouded up so long to such a nasty and infecting station being the natural and artificial way also hermetically to effect the most forcible and noisom putrifactions when the Embrio shal be unsealed common experience having proved it naturally less perilous to go to twenty visited kept sweet and clean than to two so noisomly exposed To which I may add that many for fear thereof do hide their Sores and after a Sweat or two their Sickness also and go daily about their business so long as they can stand mingled to much more danger every way Nor dare any do the office of a Nurse or Friend to those shut-up however ne-necessary for the present distress till help can be procured whereby some have been neglected because it is so penâ—l that they must be inclosed then themselves how inconsistent soever to their charge and business by which there comes no small inconveniency to the Sick who are forced to take any ignorant Nurse or worse in haste to their great hazard But lastly I appeal to the experience of this and other parts how apparantly did the hand of the Lord rest as the antient Citizens familiarly do observe in the former great Plagues upon this City when the people were wearied out of this oppression under cause enough to mourn unto this day over the cruelty every mercinary had opportunity to commit as now under colour hereof Ireland also about the year 1650 and 1651. under a far greater Contagion was made ashamed hereof and forced to desist and what should now encourage it under a weekly doubling the destroyed under if not directly by it since the Doctors gave this Advice And some affirm the Hollanders from whence the Plague is so soon it 's said departed never practised it but ordered the Inhabitants of houses visited to walk and air themselves with some mark of distinction at times appointed and yet I will shew you a more excellent way for the quick and thorow Cure thereof now positively if it be not for too long oppression transgression and impenitency irrecoverable as in Jer. 14. 12. Ezek. 14. 16 21. which God forbid Now the Scripture-means for effectual healing whilst it is called to day are set down as followeth First For the Lord 's faithful Remnant grieved as Lot for the filthy conversation of the wicked and for what hath been committed in the midst of Jerusalem as Ezek. 9. to sanctifie a solemn Assembly in the earnestness and humility Joel 2. and seriously therein and in secret bring forth these sores before their High-Priest in quick and speedy intercession and application of the Blood of sprinkling Numb 16. 16 46. Exod. 12. 7. 2 Sam. 24. 25. Secondly In true sence of and humiliation for the Plague of their own hearts timely to seek the face of God and turn from the evil of their doings 1 King 8. 37. 2 Chron. 7. 13 14. Ezek. 7. 16. Thirdly More truly to set their hearts on God and make the Most High their habitation Psal 91. 9 10 14. and to try the truth hereof as followeth 1. By Faith in Christ Jesus John 14. 6. to 11. 2. By their Soveraign Love 1 John 4. 12 16. 3. By their unfeigned obedience 1 John 3. 24. but more particularly 1. To make him more their place of residence and safety as men do their habitation Psal 31. 2. 71. 3. 2. Their place of retirement and rest from disturbance Psal 37.7 Prov. 24. 15. Isa 32. 18. Psal 116. 7. 3. To have their conversation more in God as Rev. 13. 6. Phil. 3. 20. that men may know were to find Professors more at home 4. To be feeding more in him John 6. 56. and entertaining their acquaintance there Cant. 4. 11. Psal 145. 1 to 11. 66. 16. 5. To be working in him hiding themselves and placing their safety and treasure in him more John 3. 21. Psal 91. 1 2. Col. 3. 3. Mat. 6. 19 20 21. O this life of thus inhabiting God Christ lived and this manifests Saintship and sincerity in all ages Psal 90. 1. 140. 13. And wandrings from hence have much exposed God's own People Jer. 9. 6. 50. 6 7. But this Life in God now is both an earnest of our habitation at hand where neither sin nor sickness shall aâ—oy 1 Cor. 5. 1,6 and is such a present refuge and safe shelter as either this Pestilence shall not come at all or coming shall not be a Plague but lose its hurtful nature to such as do dwell in or now truly and timely shall make refuge unto and reside in him as their habitation Psal 91. 1 to 10. Deut. 33. 27. Psa 23. 4 5 6. Job 5. 22 23. Rom. 8. 38. 1 Cor. 3. 21. On then that poor souls who have no refuge but Country-Houses now when they will meet with sorrow enough as Amos 9. 1. would in the encouragement of the New-Covenant by the New and Living Way hasten for refuge unto this safe Habitation Heb. 6. 18. Yea O that that may be now fulfilled which is written Psa 22. 27 28 29 30. All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord and all the kindreds of the Nations shall worship before thee for the Kingdom is the Lords and he is the Governour among the Nations c. Run ye then out of the World whose works will be burnt up ye Righteous into your Strong Tower Turn ye to the Strong Hold ye wandering Children hasten into your Habitation Prov. 18. 10. And ye Visited ones of God happy may ye be by this Visitation O that you may experience through Grace as Hezekiah that herein is the life of your Spirit Isa 38. 16. and be able as Job 10. 12. to say with thankfulness Thou hast vouchsafed me life and favour and thy Visitations have preserved my Spirit and as Psa 119. 67 71. experience the good hereof Behold happy is the man who to this end is corrected of the Lord for he maketh sore and bindeth up he woundeth and his hands make whole Job 5. 18. Lo all these things worketh God often-times with man to hide Pride from man to bring back his soul from the Pit to be enlightned with the light of the Living Job 33. 17 29 30. Indeed I could dwell on this direction for our Cure for the sake of my own soul and for the sakes of my poor Country-men of every sort beyond what this Paper may contain and bring you a most rare Experiment of one that made Jerusalem run with blood and was almost as profound to slaughter as poor M. G. B. who yet
Golgotha OR A Looking-Glass for London and the Suburbs thereof Shewing the Causes Nature and Efficacy of the present PLAGUES and the most hopeful Way for Healing With an humble Witness against the Cruel Advice and Practice of SHUTTING UP unto Oppression Both now and formerly experienced to encrease rather than prevent the spreading thereof By J. V. grieved for the Poor who perish daily hereby Prov. 22. 22 23. Rob not the Poor because he is poor neither oppress the Afflicted in the Gate For the Lord will plead their cause and spoile the soul of those that spoiled them Psal 41. 1 3. Blessed is he that considereth the Poor the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing thou wilt make all his bed in his Sickness London Printed for the Author Anno 1665. GOLGOTHA OR A Looking-Glass for London c. WHoever would administer to the Cure must first consider the Cause and Nature of any Visitation and especially reverence any light given from God who hath been pleased above all to appropriate this of the Pestilence as his imediate Sword and hath acquainted the sons of men as with the Causes so with the dreadful Efficacy and Nature thereof Ezek. 6. 12. chap. 33. 27. 7. 12. 13. 15. and hath very expresly prescribed the Cure in its season ver 16. 2 Chron. 7. 14. signifying also when it will be so contagious and incurable as the usual way prescribed shall not effect the recovery of either Son or Daughter but him or them that find mercy so timely in a right spirit to apply the Preservative the Lord directeth Jer. 14 12. Ezek. 14. 16 21. and his wayes are everlasting Hab. 3. 6. So that the present Age will experience the advantage of timely applying or disadvantage of neglecting the antient Advice of God which having no Weekly Intelligencer or skilful Physician to set forth for lack of knowledge the people perish and the Plague doth double it self in defiance of all the Directions the most skilful Doctors do industriously divulge now daily in the world and that Decree is verifying but the more apparently Isa 2. 17. And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down and the haughtiness of men shall be laid low and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day And to that end therefore I shall endeavour to declare the Causes of the present Plagues The CAVSES To speak clearly hereunto we ought wisely to consider the Constitution of the Country under Visitation whether Prophane or Professors whether Egypt or Israel or a mingled people much of the same spirit and path who may be both then how-ever they differ in Profession partakers of the same Plagues Jer. 9. 26. Rev. 18. 4. Or whether for different Causes And first for a people of an Egyptian oppressing spirit at enmity with God and Christ and Saints and Scripture whereof this Nation under profession hath dreadfully abounded exceeding Sodom in odious beastly enmity and cruel Tumults and Decrees against the Lord's Name Wayes and People fulfilling in their Confederacy therein the Prophecy Psal 83. to the full Know ye for a certain as you have lived after the manner of Egypt so are you and now will be more plagued after the manner thereof till you in very good earnest let Israel go Exod. 11. 1 12. 33. yea till for your own safety you take the good counsel tendred unto you Psal 2. 10 11. For certain I am though some of God's Israel may fall by this Visitation yet is the Lord hereby gone out further for Salvation with his Anointed and this Pestilence is the Harbinger of that Saviour and High-One who will surely save his poor People from your fury who came out to scatter them as with a Whirlwind to fulfill the third of Habakkuk and those of them whose habitation in this tempest shall be the Most High shall only with their eyes behold and see the reward of the wicked Psal 91. 8 9. It therefore concerns you his most proud vile Adversaries to see what this Angel did to Egypt Exod. 9. 13 14 15. compared with Psal 78. 49 50 51. to Zidon Ezek. 28. 23 24. to the Assyrian 2 King 19. 25. and will do to Gog Ezek. 38. 22. and the Assyrian-like Adversary in the latter-day Micah 5. 15. O it concerns you to bewail your oppression and hacred of the Upright and to tremble timely unto true subjection to Him who is measuring the Earth and driving asunder the Nations and bringing the Tents of Cushan into affliction before whom goeth this Pestilence Hab. 3. 5 6 7. Your way is dark-and slippery and the Angel of the Lord doth chase you Psal 35. 6. You shall go into the clefts of the Rocks and into the tops of the ragged Rocks for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his Majesty Isa 2. 21. Rev. 6. 16. Yea flee ye afar off live ye alene there shall the Angel of the Almighty search you Ezek. 33. 27. Amos 9. 2 5. This is the Word of the Lord against you save only such as shall be reckoned Israel by joyning timely and truly to the Lord in the day of these destructions Isa 19. 18. And in Israel the divers causes of this Visitation have been also signified plainly from their God As 1. Neglect of his true Worship Laws Statutes Ordinances Exod. 5. 3. Lev. 26. 25. Deut. 28. 15 21. and not being spiritual in them 1 Cor. 11. 29 30. 2. False-Worship or bringing into his Worship the detestible things of mens devising or invention to the changing his Ordinances Ezek. 5. 11 12 17. Isa 24. 5. 3. Unbelief especially under signs of his Power and Presence Numb 14. 11 12 37. 4. Carnal security and Confidence in our own righteousness Amos 9. 10. 5. Unthankfulness to the Lord under his Salvations Exod. 30. 12. 6. Pride Sensuality and Violence under Fulness and Prosperity Ezek. 7. 10. to 16. chap. 33. 26 27. Numb 11. 33. compared with Psal 78. 30 31. 7. Unprofitableness and impenitency under other Judgments Jer. 24. 8 9 10. Prov. 29. 1. 8. Fleshly confidence in the Numbers of Israel 2 Sam. 24. 15. 9. Wandring from the Lord after other lovers provoking him with their Abominations 1 Cor. 10. 8. Jer. 14. 10 11. Ezek. 6. 9 to 12. 10. Making false Refuges in times of Judgment Jer. 42. 17 22. compared with Isa 30. 1. ch 31. 2 3. Jer. 44. 12 13. 11. Discontent with the Lord 's righteous Judgements on eminent Malefactors Numb 16. 41 47 48. And 12. Hearkning to false Prophets that abuse Promises to comfort the Impenitent in want of humble and mournful subjection to the Lord 's fore Judgments for sin in bringing over them those that hate them and attempts to deliver themselves from the Sword of the Enemy by any fleshly strength without true repentance for the causes of their captivity Jer. 27. 8 to 13. chap. 28. 15. chap. 21. 4.