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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01801	The Kings medicine for this present yeere 1604 prescribed by the whole colledge of the spirituall physitions, made after the coppy of the corporall kings medicine, which was vsed in the city the former yeere. Giuen as a new yeers-gift, to the honorable city of London, to be taken in this yeere for the soule, as the other was for the bodie. Herevnto are intermixed, first, the wonders of the former yeer, his triumphs, two funeralls, two coronations, two preachers. Secondlie, Londons and Englands newyeers-gift, to offer vp vnto the Lord for his new-yeers-gift, containing King Dauids sacrificing after the ceasing of the pestilence, necessarie to teach vs the duty of our deliuerance. The whole collected out of the first book of Chr. ch. 21. / Made and vvritten by Iames Godskall, preacher of the vvorde.	Godskall, James.	1604 (1604)	STC 11936; ESTC S118768	100,652	208

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 Chosē by the King sent by the Lord. In the proposition note the persons propounding and the thing propoūded The persons propoūding two in nūber First the principall 1 The proposition the Lord secondly ●he instrumentall the Prophet GAD who accor●ing to the wise Phisition produceth not his own ●easons but the saying of the Lord the supreme ●hisition So saith the Lord The thing propoun●ed is a trinitie of punishments Two of them are ●uch fellowe-like companions that the Graecians ●istinguish them but by one letter calling the Plague 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the famine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Trini●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 ●econd is DAVIDS dichotomie which he maketh ●imselfe distinguishing them in two sortes the ●irst is a fall into the enemies hands The other two 〈◊〉 fall into God his hands Iustly thou sufferest ô ●onne of ADAM this trinitie of punishments for the ●hree sortes of sins which are to be found in thee ●he sinne of thought word and deede The Lord ●●ghteth against thee by the hand of man 2 The Kings cho●se because ●hou fightst against him by the hand of sinne ●carcity of bread there is sometimes in the land ●ecause scarcity of good workes in thee is often ●o bee found the infection of the Plague doth ●nnoy thee in thy bodie because the infection ●f sinne hath raigned in thy soule In the second ●ember of the second parte obserue First the Kings choyce secondly the reason of his choice ●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 hi● choice was better than either famine or persecution if we respect first the persō of God secondly the kings thirdly his subjects If the persō of God his glorie by this kinde of punishment is bette● 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 cōfidence first in our selues secondly i● 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 tha● sheweth his charity to his people In regarde o● 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 fo● the common-weale fourthly for the Church The amplifycations of these I leaue to the meditations of the Readers and come to the reason o● the Kings choise For thy mercie is great I will no● dilate euery particular The reason of his choise If you desire a large commentarie vpon the kings reason Read the King● 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 experiēce of DAVID haue also felt this trinity of punishmēts famine pestilence hostile persecution And note this with me that with DAVID they haue felt the cruelty vnkindnes and barbarous vnmercifulnes of man ●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 secōdly 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 thē 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 executiō 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 diminutiō of people wherin obserue First the equity of punishmēt 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 adiminutiō of people The discription of the outward cause deliuereth two things The agent the instrumēt Iehouah his angel In the agēt 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 plagu● 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 infectiō of the ayre the other within in the corrupted humours of the body Let vs

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 frō the high tower of heauē 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 Londō 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 thē 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 Physiti●n That wee might then orderly proceede in this orderly repentance of king DAVID The ingredients of the Kings medicine ar● set downe who hath bene skilfull in the arte of repentance I will set f●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

Grecian Ladyes count theyr age and the beginning of their life from the time of theyr Marryage not from the day of theyr Birth and if they bee demaunded how olde they bee they beginne to reckon from theyr Marriage for then only say they wee beginne to liue Euen so we may esteeme the beginning of our life not from the day of our birth and corporall life for it is but a shadowe which passeth and perisheth but from the day that wee as spirituall Virgins haue been Married with Christ Iesus and by the vertue thereof haue begun to liue this spiritual life Sin is an vnsupportable burdē who would not therefore with DAVID pray Lord take it away Blessed are they whose sins are bound vp in a bundle and drawne into a narrow roome Secondly let thy desire be mingled with faith and a stedfast perswasion that thy sore shall be healed Let the perswasiō of the gratiousnes kindnes of the Lord enter into your hart for a man without this hope is without his best aduocate the God of DAVID is yet the Lord and thou which art infected with the infection of DAVID art his seruaunt This medicine will heale thy maladie throwe not your blood in the ayre with IVLIAN spill it not vpon the ground with SAVL sacrifice it not vpon a Ladder with IVDAS the Lord doth open heauen and you shut it not hee nailed the writings vppon the Crosse and you renewe them not Hee that hath not this hope hee denyeth three thinges saith AVGVSTINE the truth the mercy and the power of the Lorde The knowledge of sinne is needefull but not sufficient for wee neede a double eye one eye in our selues and in our sinne the other on Christ and his merits DAVID hath had this double eye and being conducted by mercie and faith hee leaped out from the hot-house of desperation As wee neede a double eye so wee neede a double vertue feare and loue loue to looke vpon Gods mercie feare to looke vpon his justice the first to stay vs frō desperation the second from presumptiō These two support our faith as the two Lions supported SALOMONS Throne As wee neede these two vertues so let vs take heede from these two extremities our hope is placed betwixt these two As in a ballance if there be any ods in the scales wee take out that which is the heauier and put in that which is the lighter till there be egalitie Euen so wee must way ourselues that wee bee not too heauie for our sinnes despayring nor too light for Christs mercy presuming these two are Serpents which infect the soules of many treade vpon the heades of both The Surgion doth promise helpe to thy sore and shalst thou the patient thrust thy nailes into it and answere him nay but it shall not bee healed let vs therefore as Christian Souldiers keepe this helmet and this buckler and then although wee should dye yet shall wee liue It is storied of EPAMINONDAS who being stricken through with a Speare and his blood saying him asked if his Target were safe and whether the enemie were put to the flight and vnderstanding all to bee answerable to his hearrs desire sayd my fellowes in armes it is not an ende of my life that is now come but a better beginning Euen so although we bee stricken with the Plague and that our life nowe fayleth vs this is no great losse if the Target of our fayth bee safe for not an ende of our life is come but a better beginning namelye of the life of glorye ô yee faintyng and declining consciences set the Pillers of hope and fayth vnder you sayle not vpon the dangerous rocke of desperation let the breath winde of faith and hope stop that wretched course cut the throat of desperation which hath cut the throate of many IVDAS saith IEROME offended more in dispayring The reasons why wee ought to mingle in this medicin this confidence thē in betraying If now you are desirous to know the causes for which we ought to mingle in this kings medicine this confidence Christs grace they are three in number The first is the counsell of the spiritual Physitions Christ Iesus prescribeth it Repent and beleeue Secondly the practise of others and their successe DAVID EZECHIAS the Prodigal sonne the Publican tooke it in this manner Thirdly the necessitie of it to auoyde the increasing of the spirituall contagion and the death of the soule As it is not sufficient to the sicke-man to know that he s sicke except there be a desire in him of health euen so it is not enough to know that we are infected with the contagion of the soule vnlesse there be in vs the desire of DAVID take away the trespasse of thy seruant This desire is health it selfe thus is it not in the diseases of the body thy desire cannot procure thee thy health If ●hen we haue taken in the kings medicine of t●e former yeere because we were d●sirous of life Let vs not from hence-foorth forget this ingred●ent of this spirituall kings me●ici●e for the life and health of the spirite And so much for the desire it selfe Th K●●gs Phi●●tion Th●re followeth the Phisitiō of whom he desireth this health Lord This is the Kings Physition who healeth all our infirmities as the king himselfe doeth speake of him Psal 103.3 In this Physition all needeful qualities are found and there is nothing wanting in him which serueth for our healing First His qualities if yee are desirous to haue a wise and a skilfull Physition such one is this Lord the authour of al wisdome who knoweth whereof we are made Ps 103.14 and the greatnes of our disease and also the way to cure it Some Physitions are vnskilfull in their profession such as PLINIE speaketh of Experimenta per mortes agunt they kill men to get experience Secondly if ye desire to haue a faithfull and trusty one such is also this Lord in whose hands you may trust al that you haue this faithfulnesse is often wanting in the earthly Physitions some will lye to their patients make them carelesse extenuate the heauinesse of their disease of whom may be saide that of the Psalme 146. Put not your trust in the sonnes of m●n Thirdly if you desire one who is powrefull and able to cure thee such a one is this Physition Es 43. his name doth prooue his power and although our sinnes were as crimson hee is able to make them white as Snowe Es 1.18 This power is wanting in the bodilie Physition for it is onely this Physition who must blesse the meanes Fourthly if you lacke one who is willing such a one is also the Lord his goodnesse and his promise do prooue his willingnes as a father hath compassion in his children so hath the Lorde compassion on vs. Ps 103. Willingnes is often wanting in the bodily Phisition in the time of the Plague Fiftly if you desire one that will cost

emty thy belly of foode and to fill thy soule with sinnes to be pale for fasting and to bee blewe and pale for hate and enuie to drinke no wine and to be drunke with the poyson of anger to abstaine from things which are lawfull and to doe things which are vnlawfull Follow then beloued the counsaile of Chrisostome and Bernard who both iumpe togither Let not onely thy mouth and thy bowels fast but thine eyes thine eares thy feete thy handes and all thy bodily members Let thy hands fast from robbery thy feete from bearing thee to vnlawfull spectacles thine eares from sucking in slāderous tales thine eyes from receiuing in wantonnesse And to shewe you out of the mouth of God himselfe what manner of fast you ought to vse this new yeare Loose the bands of wickednesse Es 58. take off the heauie burdens let the oppressed goe free deale thy breade to the hungry and couer the naked As there hath bene the former yeare a generall fast through the whole land so there ought this yeare to bee this inward and spirituall through the whole Kingdome from the honourable Counsellor to him that grindeth at the Mill. This is the great generall fast and a Lent of abstinence which wee all must keepe And thus much for the patients behauiour and also the third part of the Kings Medicine ¶ The fourth part containing the time when the King tooke in this Medicine and the cause moouing him thereunto THE time when hee tooke it in was first when he saw that he had gotten the spirituall infection by the numbring of the people and secondly when he saw the danger and effect therof a pestilence in Israel The cause mouing him to take it in was to heale his disease to remoue the effect thereof Ver. 8.16 The consideration of both deliuereth vnto vs a portrature of a wise Physition of a wise patient the wisdome of God and the wisdome of Dauid The wisdome of God the Physition Vse The wisdome of God the Physition doth appeare in the diuersity of means which he knoweth to vse for to cure sin to mooue the sons of men to take in this spirituall Kings medicine of repentance This Physition had before giuen vnto DAVID peace prosperity and victories ouer his enemies and now seeing him anew infected with a dangerous disease he sendeth a generall pestilence in Israell Before hee came with his benefits and now with his iudgements As the expert Physition vseth first soft and lenitiue remedies and if they auaile not then hee commeth to his sharpe and biting corrosiues euen so the Lord vseth first the soft and lenitiue remedies of his commandements promises and benefits and then the byting corrosiues of his iudgements Some hee healeth by hony some by gall some by salt some by meale some by sweete some by sower Hee hath a store-house full of remedies and the breade of iudgement to breede good bloode in vs. The Lord as Clemens Alexandrinus speaketh is like vnto an expert Musitian hee hath sundry kindes and varieties and sheweth the changes of his notes hee both pittieth and chasteneth entreateth and threateneth and by threatning best admonisheth by speaking roughly soonest perswadeth When the railes of the law kept not the Israelits in the pasture of the word the Lord appointed the hedge of thorny discipline And euen so at this present such as he cannot draw to come in the fold of saluatiō by the whistle of the word he compelleth them to come in by the dogge hooke of disciplin correction If the blessings of Mount Garizzim do not moue vs Deut. 27. then the cursings of Mount Ebal must come vpon vs. If we take no pleasure in the beauty of Mount Sion then the thundrings lightnings of Sinai must put vs in feare As this sheweth the wisdom of God so it declareth the successe of his wisdom The successe of his wisdom in DAVID his patient the Lords corosiues haue wrought in his soule for seeing the hand of the Lord he began to take in the medicine of repētance The Lords corrosiues haue many vertues The vse of afflictions First they make vs to esteeme honour make much of the Lord King Dauids Physition Secondly they make vs to attaine vnto the knowledge of our disease bind Manasses with chains pul the King of Babilon from his throne they wil know thēselues thirdly they make vs to seek for a remedy against our sore Fourthly they preuēt keepe our soules from falling into more grieuous diseases Fiftly they serue as a purge to purge vs frō the corrupted humours of the soule The want of these fiue things had beene a long time among vs and therfore king Dauids Physitiō hath the former year vsed his corrosiues We shuld haue fallen into a deadly Lethargy of sin therfore he hath preuented it that we might as the Prouerb is with the burnt child dread the fire As Ionathan shot arrowes to giue DAVID warning euen so the Lord hath shot off his arrowes Ps 9. to giue vs warning The Plague ô London hath bin a writing scrole vpō your flesh engrauen in your skin to teach you obediēce as the Leprosie vnto Miryam It hath bin as I. Baptist to send you vnto Christ It hath bin as a medicine sent from heauen the King of heauens medicine to heale the sores of the land to remoue the spiritual plague Sicknes as Basil saith vpon the 25. Psalme is vnto many a salutiferous medicine and life it selfe As we pluck back or stay our horses if either they gallop too fast or go out of the way so the Lord because we were as wild horses hath curbed our bits straitned the raines of our vnbridled affections As the Lords corrasiues haue had good successe in DAVID so they haue wrought in vs. We had beene like vnto Ioab 2. Sa. 14.29 As Absolon sent for him the first time by his seruāts but would not come and the second time yet woulde not come to him and therefore sent the third time his seruants to set Ioabs fields on fire then he arose and came euen so the Lord had sent at diuerse times his seruants the Prophets to will vs to come to him but because we remained obstinate he sent the former yeare other seruants namely his Angels to kindle our housen with the fire of pestilence and that made vs to arise to goe vnto the Lord with fasting that made vs to cry out Lord haue mercy vpon vs Christ haue mercy vpon vs. When the waters of the flood came vpon the face of the earth downe went stately Turrets Towers but as the waters rose so the Arke rose still higher higher In like sort when the waters of afflictions arise as the floode of the pestilence did the former year downe goes the pride of life the lust of the eyes the vanities of the world as they did also in some sort the last yeare pray God

our slaunders and depriuing of the good name and fame of our brethren Thirdly traitors against our owne persons as our whoredomes traitors against our chastity drunkennesse against our health pride against our humilitie and prodigalitie against our substance Fourthlie some against the prince Abners Asahels Isbosheths 2. Sa. 2. Seminaries and Iesuites repining at his felicitie traitors to inuert the words of AVGVSTIN against the Donatistes conuicti non conficti by conuiction not by confiction locusts come from the bottomlesse pit of hell spued foorth from the sea of Rome and Rhemes in heapes into the land who would rather haue a Reboam then a Salomon and therfore ar vermins being come out of the high Oke tree of Rome seeke to destroy the green Oliue tree in the house of the Lord. 1 ●●l 52. And haue not some home-bredde enemies blowne the trumpet of Seba 2. Sam. 20. saying we haue no part of Dauid nor inheritance in the sonne of Ishai to whome may be saide that which Wisdome speaketh to her sonne Pro. 31.1 What my sonne the sonne of my wombe and yet they haue risen against their mother that did beare them and gaue them suck These foure kinds of traitors haue betrayed vs and made vs vnable to resist the King of Heauen as they haue prouoked the Lord against vs so haue they also made the Lords Angels the elements our enemies As it hath beene with the father so hath it beene with the sonnes as it hath beene with the King so hath it been with the subiectes For a King being offended his seruants are ready to bee executors of his anger and displeasure O the admirable force of sinne that whereas nothing is able to break the hedge of the Lords vineyard the Lyon nor the wilde Bore yet our sins are able to make a breach as one speaketh The Lord is a strong Sampson but yet our sins are as a razor by which we take away as it were his strength and by which wee doe as it were shaue the heade of that great Sampson our Iudge and defender that he cannot or rather will not helpe vs. I haue shewed you then right Honourable the causes of our impotencie giue mee leaue also to signifie to you the meanes how to escape against the future the brunt of such a iudgement and heauie assault beholde in this newe years gift out of the armory of King Dauid I discouer the right armour of proofe wherewith wee shall bee able to keepe out another time the destroyer namely King Dauids repentance a tree branching it selfe into these fruites the knowledge of his sinne desire of remission accompanied with faith humble confession prayer sacrificing prostrating of himselfe in sackloath with the Elders of the people No other target or sworde no other gate to shut out the destroyer then this These are mans or rather the Christians weapons God hath giuen to euery liuing creature his weapon to defend himselfe and to resist to the Bee his sting to the Bull his hornes to the Cocke his spurres to the Horse his heeles to the Beare his pawes to the Elephant his snoute to the Lyon his teeth to the Fish his sinnes but to man or a Christian hee hath giuen one more forcible then all the rest repentance and prayer fit weapons to resist and to keepe out the slaying Angell and the Lords armie Now that wee might be skilfull in the handling of them this Treatise setteth before our eyes DAVID a skilfull capitaine Esteem not Right Honourable and Worshipfull that it cōmeth too late out of time for as after the taking in of cities there is a pourtrature and Mappe drawne of the siege and taking in and of the manner thereof with a description of the traitors which haue betrayed it or of the cause of their weaknesse and vnability to resist and that for the instruction of others that therein they might learne where to amende the fault and the meanes how to keepe out another time the enemie So likewise after the besieging and taking in of your honourable citie by the Lord of Hostes and his Angell beholde I haue made a pourtrature and drawne a Mappe of the manner of the causes of our weakenesse of the traitours which haue betrayed it to shewe hereby the meanes to stoppe the breach and the way to resist if he returne againe the next sommer or any other time For although now in the winter season our enemie the pestilēce ceaseth to anoy vs yet he may perhaps the next spring returne if we take not heed For the plague is like vnto Kings and Princes in the besieging of cities in the winter season they commonly retyre the coldnesse of the winter suffering them not to continue but when the Sommer appeareth beholde they are in armes and come before the citie destroying burning and shooting In the same manner the Plague which ceased in the winter returneth often in the sommer And therefore let vs not become carelesse Soldiers Great hath beene the diligence by the commandement of our wise and gratious Prince of the spirituall Captaines in your citie to traine vp the Lords Soldiers and to teach them to handle these weapons paise-worthy haue beene the weekely mustrings in the Lords fielde I meane your weekely fastings in the congregation through the whole citie wee haue experience of successe for wee haue ouercome the inuincible Lord and caused him to retire But let vs not therefore giue our selues to security and lay aside these weapons but rather as the citizens who are in doubt of the enemies returning let vs continually watch and pray Luk. 21. that if hee returne wee bee not vnprouided let vs not tarry to take them vntill the Lord enter the citie as wee haue done least wee smart for it againe Alexander the great being readie to giue an assault sawe one of his Souldiers then first to take his buckler in hand and viewing it to try if it were strong enough for which negligence hee displaced him and punished him let vs also take heede that wee suffer not a iust punishment for our procrastination and delay To auoide the same because the prints or markes of gods correcting hand are yet to bee seene and the noyse of the mournings and gronings of manie doe yet sounde in our eares giue mee leaue Right Honourable and worshipfull to giue vnto you Good counsel for the citie and to the whole citie a twofolde counsell First keepe in your citie this yeare yea continuallie spirituall garrison haue the armourie of Dauid exercise your selues in the handling of these spirituall weapons Secondly let your citie bee walled with mercie iudgement trueth sobrietie humilitie and sanctimonie and so it will bee stronger then if it had walles of brasse and Iron and will bee able to keepe out the iudgement of GOD in the highest strength therof To drawe towards a conclusion accept this little vnworthy Treatise Right Honorable and Right Worshipful I offer it vnto you