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 ChoseÌ„ by the King sent by the Lord. In the proposition note the persons propounding and the thing propouÌ„ded The persons propouÌ„ding two in nuÌ„ber First the principall 1 The proposition the Lord secondly â—he instrumentall the Prophet GAD who accorâ—ing to the wise Phisition produceth not his own â—easons but the saying of the Lord the supreme â—hisition So saith the Lord The thing propounâ—ed is a trinitie of punishments Two of them are â—uch fellowe-like companions that the Graecians â—istinguish them but by one letter calling the Plague 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the famine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Triniâ—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 â—econd is DAVIDS dichotomie which he maketh â—imselfe distinguishing them in two sortes the â—irst is a fall into the enemies hands The other two 〈◊〉 fall into God his hands Iustly thou sufferest ô â—onne of ADAM this trinitie of punishments for the â—hree sortes of sins which are to be found in thee â—he sinne of thought word and deede The Lord â—â—ghteth against thee by the hand of man 2 The Kings choâ—se because â—hou fightst against him by the hand of sinne â—carcity of bread there is sometimes in the land â—ecause scarcity of good workes in thee is often â—o bee found the infection of the Plague doth â—nnoy thee in thy bodie because the infection â—f sinne hath raigned in thy soule In the second â—ember of the second parte obserue First the Kings choyce secondly the reason of his choice â—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 hiâ— choice was better than either famine or persecution if we respect first the persoÌ„ of God secondly the kings thirdly his subjects If the persoÌ„ of God his glorie by this kinde of punishment is betteâ— 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 coÌ„fidence first in our selues secondly iâ— 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 thaâ— sheweth his charity to his people In regarde oâ— 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 foâ— the common-weale fourthly for the Church The amplifycations of these I leaue to the meditations of the Readers and come to the reason oâ— the Kings choise For thy mercie is great I will noâ— dilate euery particular The reason of his choise If you desire a large commentarie vpon the kings reason Read the Kingâ— 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 experieÌ„ce of DAVID haue also felt this trinity of punishmeÌ„ts famine pestilence hostile persecution And note this with me that with DAVID they haue felt the cruelty vnkindnes and barbarous vnmercifulnes of man â—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 secoÌ„dly 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 theÌ„ 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 executioÌ„ 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 diminutioÌ„ of people wherin obserue First the equity of punishmeÌ„t 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 adiminutioÌ„ of people The discription of the outward cause deliuereth two things The agent the instrumeÌ„t Iehouah his angel In the ageÌ„t 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 plaguâ— 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 infectioÌ„ of the ayre the other within in the corrupted humours of the body Let vs
follow the Physitions methode not as naturians and Galenists but as Scripturians If wee search the outwarde cause out of the booke of God we shall finde that that wise Physition the holy Ghost maketh also in outwarde and an inward cause of the Pestilence one without maÌ„ another within man The first is the decree will prouidence of the Lord the second the sin of man the first is manifested in the plague three manner of waies if we respect the disease it selfe the persons infected the time when In all three the prouidence of the Lord worketh the trueth hereof fiue sufficient testimonies do prooue Fiue testimonies prooving the outward cause Deut. 28 Ier. 21.5 6 Esa 38 Iob 5.18 first the name of it the sworde rod out-stretched hand of the Lord secondly the Lords threatnings thirdly the remoouing of it which is proper to him Fourthly the instrumeÌ„t which the Lord vseth fiftly the choise giueÌ„ to the king Hauing found the outward cause imitate the good Phisition Two preseruatiues learne thereout to make preseruatiues and antidotes Out of the consideration of this will and prouidence wee may make a double preseruatiue for the time of infection Two preseruatiues One for the vnuisited the other for the visited For the first it is necessary to expel and to resist the poyson of immoderate feare 1 For the vnuisited Make it in this manner take the coÌ„sideration of the prouidence of the Lord without which nothing can happen apply this to thy soule and it will operate and make thee to saye why should I immoderatly apprehende and feare that which cannot happen and befall vnto mee without his will and which I cannot scape against his will If thou takest in Triacle Mithridate and other confections of arte to resist the poyson of the ayre what oughtest thou to do to expell the poyson of thy soule I shew you theÌ„ beloued here to make a spiritual Triacle and a heauenly Mithridate against this venome Secondly out of this consideration of Gods prouideÌ„ce 2 For the visited the visited and infected may learne to make a preseruatiue which is Christian patience necessary to resist and expell out of his soule the poyson of impatience grudging and murmuring Make it in this maner take the coÌ„sideration of Gods wil thus apply it to thy soule Psalm 39 as DAVID did Lord because thou diddest it I will be dumme and not open my mouth and saye as IOAB to ABISHAI his brother 2 Sam. 10.12 Let the Lord do that which is good in his eyes This preseruatiue is first necessary and forcible Secondly profitable thirdly comfortable fourthly tryed and experimented And thus much for the outward cause THe inward is the sinne of the King and of his subjects As the Physitions make the euill and corrupt humour ingendred in the body 2 The inward cause of the Plague the inward cause of the pestilence out of the booke of Nature So wee may make the inwarde corruptions in the soule the inward cause of the bodily infection out of the booke of God To the sinne of man I may attribute foure things First that it is the inward cause of the infection Secondly a just cause just First for God to send it Secondly for man to suffer it Thirdly a tryed and experimented cause for the experience of all ages hath obserued sinne to be the cause of the pestilence First â—ut of the Church Secondly in they Church Out of the Church this hath bin obserued by a double experience First by the experience of Historiographers Secondly Physition In â—he Church two things do prooue it First the sinnes for which he doth threaten to send it Secondly the sinnes for which he hath sent it Here might set before your eyes a cloude of witnesses and make a Christian Chronicle of â—xâ—mples but because I am loath to repâ—at that which others haue done already I ref rre you â—o their writings and to the booke of GOD. Fourthly sinne is the cause of Physical cause he cause both of the outwarde and inwarde â—ause rendreth by the Physition a cause of the infection of the ayre and of the corruption of the humours in the body Out of the consideration of the inward cause learne to make phisick and preseruatiues for the time of the plague Preseruatiues to bee made out of the consideration of the inward cause against the plague that both for the visited vnuisited Two preseruatiues may bee made out of this consideration The first to remooue the poyson of impatience the second to remooue the cause of the pestileÌ„ce If the filthy Botch Carbuncle of impatience grudging doth arise in thy soule seeing the hande of God then take this consideration apply it in this manner to thy soule that which the Lord hath sent to me it is for my sinnes and iniquities why art thou theÌ„ disquieted ô my soule learne to judge aright of this his chastisement and say with the Prophet Mich. 7.9 J will beare the wrath of the Lord because J haue sinned against him This phisick is both profitable and comfortable profitable to huÌ„ble thee to teach thee the knowledge of thy self to make thee vse the poore suters phraise Lorde I suffer nothing but thâ— which infinitly more I haue deserued tak away O Lord the trespasse of thy seruant Secondly comfortable for it setteth before our eies thâ— admirable goodnesse and mercie of the Lord and mooueth vs to speake in this maner I hauâ— infinitely more deserued ô Lord by my tranâ—gression yet so great is thy mercy that thâ— art coÌ„tented to send me an afflictioÌ„ which toucheth only the skin a corporal plague a teÌ„poral chastisement O inequal proportion the creature hath offeÌ„ded her creator a silly earth-worme the majestie of heauen and yet for our infinite sins he sendeth vnto vs but temporall chastisements Thy mercies ô Lord ouercome thy judgemeÌ„ts herein I perceiue the truth of thy promise Os 11.9 J wil not execute the fiercenes of my wrath Be not theÌ„ disamied ô my soule seeing that the Lord doth not punish thee according to thy desarte and the quality of thy sin this is a testimony vnto thee that thy sinnes are remitted that this preseÌ„t rod is but a fatherly correction The Lord then visiting thee with the rod of DAVID doeth ayde thee with a double aide The first is with the aide of correction and discipline The second is with the aide of coÌ„fort By the first he doth exercise thee without by the second he doth assure the within by the first he bridleth thy insolencie by the secoÌ„d he encourageth thy pusillaminity by the first he maketh thee more aduised for the future by the second more deuotions The secoÌ„d preseruatiue The second preseruatiue is to remooue the cause that the effect may cease and seeing sinne is the inward cause flye from it as from a Serpent Ecc. 21. GALENS counsaile is that of
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 â—â—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 coÌ„meth 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 pestileÌ„ce 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
many learne from the schoole of HYPOCRATES the Physition and EPICVRVS the swine to preserue to physicke and dyet their bodies but as for their soules they are not once mindefull O ye sonnes of men foolish and slowe of heart to conceiue the rightest things how long will yee loue such vanities Secondly 2 To resist the outwarde cause resist the outwarde cause of this heart-Plague and seeing that Satan is an infectious ayre vse to take in spirituall antidotes at all times and in all places keepe the windowes of your eies shut and let not the Satanicall ayre of concupiscence enter therein we dwell beloued in infectious places and shall not we take heede As to resist the infection of the elementall ayre we shun contagigious places and flie to the purer ayre so let vs flie the Satanicall ayre by faith and prayer let vs draw neere vnto God Jam. 4.8 Resist the deuil he will flie frō you Iam. 4.7 that stedfast in the faith 1. Pet. 5.9 Immitate your owne industrie for the preseruing of your soules as you haue done for your bodies You that in diuerse places the former yeere haue watched to keepe out the passengers that came out of contagious places and would not suffer them to enter and to harbour amongst you for feare of infection Watch now this yeere to keepe out Sathan an infectious passenger who runneth euery where in contagious houses Shut the gate of your heart suffer him not to lodge in your soule for he will infect it It is a precept of a wise Physition be sober and watch for your aduersarie walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure 1. Pet. 5.8 Aske the Cranes ô sonnes of men and they will teach you wisdome when they flocke together saith PLINIE to feede one of them vseth to feede a farre off and that Crane so singled from the rest still as he feedes lookes round about him and obserues if anie danger be towardes them if he spie anie bodie draw nigh then he giueth warning to the rest and so they saue themselues Shall this policie rest in vnreasonable Birds and shall it not bee found in man shall not our soules watch to espie the fraude of Satan and so to deceiue the deceiuer And thus much for the ayre which infected the king There followeth the time The time when the king got the Plague when the king got this spirituall infection which was now hauing peace and prosperitie his heart being at ease after his victories being deliuered out of the handes of all his enemies and out of the hand of SAVL as appeareth 2. Sam. 22.1 euen then Satan stood vp and tempted him setting before his eyes his excellencie and glorie his power and victories Peace prosperitie idlenesse are as it were a contagious ayre which smiteth vs with the Plague of the soule The ayre which is still and calme is apt to receiue infection for the winde is aeris verriculum a broome to purge the ayre so the soule which is at her ease soonest getteth the spirituall contagion As euill and corrupted humours through idlenesse are ingendred in the body So in peace and prosperitie bad and pernitious humours are ingendred in the soule As the ayre is a good and pure creature of it selfe and yet by the influences putrifyed vapours euaporation of dead carkasses and diuers other things approoued by the booke of nature is altered and becommeth pernitious to the body So peace and prosperitie which are the gifts of God by the corruptions of our owne hearts are abused and become pernitious to the soule And as the ayre hath not alwaies the same force to infect the body So Satan the ayre which infecteth the soule hath not alwaies the like strength and of efficacie to fulfill his purpose and to poyson the soule If thou art desirous to know when the Satanicall aire hath most force It is in the time of peace and prosperitie when thy heart is at ease and that thou hast giuen thy selfe to securitie For he obserueth three things the time the place the occasion Satan dealeth with vs as the Crabbe with the Oysters as AMBROSE obserueth the Crab being an enemie of the Oysters because he cannot hurt thē by reason of the hardnesse of their shell he tarryeth till the Sunne doth shine for then they open themselues and lie still in the Sunne recreating themselues then the Crabbe commeth and casteth little stones into their shels and so hurteth them So likewise Satan our aduersarie perceiuing when we are at our ease and that the sun-shine of prosperitie doth shine ouer vs then he cōmeth casteth his poison into our soules Seeing then that prosperitie ingendreth corruptions in the soule The vse bee not carelesse of thy health exercise thy selfe to driue away the bad humours and to retaine thy spirituull health The sounde man if hee doeth not exercise himselfe is subiect to diseases although thou art sounde of spirit yet if thou giuest thy selfe to securitie thou shalt fall in the Kings sicknesse Three exercises are necessarie for the health of thy soule against the gathering of bad humours The exercise of Prayer 3 Three exercises necessary for the soule the exercise of the Word and the exercise of the Crosse As for the two first forget them not as for the third the Lord himselfe will not forget sometimes in due season to lay vpon thee And as the Physitions in their Treatises of the former yeere touching the Plague bid thee to haue a regarde in your exercises vbi quomodo quando where howe when So I bid you this yeere obserue these rules in your spirituall exercises the amplifycation of which I leaue to your meditations And thus much for the time The third member of the first parte containeth the Kings sicknesse it selfe The Kings sicknesse it selfe consisting in the numbring of the people This fact of DAVID is the Kings sicknesse a dangerous disease I may call it the heart-plague As the infection of the elementall ayre in the bodily Plague doeth creepe vnto the heart and poyson the vitall spirits So the infection and poyson of Satan hath crept into his heart and infected that place with pride This Kings Euill is more daungerous then that disease which some haue called the kings euill For the bodily Kings euill can bee cured si credere f◠est if it be true with corruptible gold but the spiritual Kings Euill A spirituall Kings euil cannot be cured with corruptible gold or siluer as the Apostle speaketh but onely by the pretious blood of the Sonne of God This is then a dangerous and greeuou◠wound in a Saint if I would thrust my fingers into it throughly handle it To extenuate the Kings euill three things might bee alleadged that it agreeth with the commaundement o◠God Exod. 30.12 Secondly with the practise o◠the Isralits Numb 1.2 Thirdly with Politicke prudence To vntie the knot with a word there is a two-folde numbring First a
Constantius the Emperour in the city of Rome and beheld the companies that should haue entertained him might he not haue vsed that Emperours saying Tot vidi reges quot ciues I haue seene as many kings as citizens Parents Parents haue you not had the kings euill haue you not gloried in the number and multitude of your children and set too much your hearts vpon them And not to spare our selues We children of the Prophets we haue bene infected with the kings sicknesse I do appeale vnto our two Vniuersities Vniuersities they haue gloried in the number of their Colledges and stately buildings in the greatnesse and multitude of their reuenewes of their Doctors learned writers Schollers and Students And I dare say our voicâ— hath bene a proude and ambitious voice despysing the forraine Schooles as not to be compared vnto vs. And it is to bee feared that of them may be saide that which was spoken of Gilead Hos 6.8 which was the place where the Priests dwelt and which should best haue bene instructed Gilead is a citie of them that worke iniquitie As for the whole body of the kingdome not to flatter our selues 4 The whole body it hath had the kings euill alas our voice hath bene insolent and imperious we haue magnifyed our selues in the mightines of our nation and haue gloryed our selues in the number of our swift-sayling-Shippes in the greatnesse of our strength and number of our people that in few houres warning many thousands we haue bene able to make ready ascribing our victories to the st ength of our arme and not to him who teacheth DAVIDS fingers to fight Psalm 144. Let mee nowe adde this that a generall disease of the whole body hath bene defect of charitye The Physitions saye that the bodye is sicke when that his kindely heate is to lâ—ttle or when it is to much Charity to God and our neighbour is as it were the naturall heate of the body of a kingdome lustfull loue to the creatures is an vnnaturall heate the first hath beene too little in the body of the kingdome the second too great and therefore it hath sorely bene sicke Lastly I do appeale to the Cleargie 5. The Clergy Many of them haue not onely had the Kings euill but also haue bene infected with IOABS sicknesse Haue we not had some ô would to God that there yet were none that are spiritual Physitions to others and in the Lords Temple produce their reasons as IOAB did to disswade their auditors from the Plague of sinne and yet themselues that seeke to binde vp the wounds of others are carelesse of their owne sores their notorious sinnes as ABSOLONS adulteries euen vpon the house toppes open to the worlde to the great scandale of the church like to MERCVRIES images that point the way to others but themselues stand still and stirre not one foote like to Water-men that look one way but rowe another O Physitions heale your selues builde not an Arke for others and your selues be drowned Tribe of LEVIE I am ashamed to vncouer our own nakednesse which hath also bene a cause of that deserued pestilence whose printes and markes are yet to bee seene amongst vs. To apply the last circumstance we of England haue got the Plague of the soule and the Kings euil 3 How and when wee haue got the kings euill in such a time as the king got it in our peace and prosperity our hearts being at ease after our victoryes Satan hath set before our eyes our excellency glory power victories our long peace and prosperity as a contagious ayre hath infected vs. And because we were become grosse and fat as ISRAEL wee haue spurned with the heeles Deut. 32.15 It is an opinion that fat men get sooner the corporal Plague then the leane macilent experience teacheth that the body of this Realme through his long prosperity beeing waxeÌ„ fat grosse hath got the spiritual plague There is a disease in the body called a Lethargy or sleepinesse which disease hants commonly grosse and fat men There hath beloued raigned in our soules a spiritual Lethargy in vs who were become fat by reason of our halcyonious daies It hath brought vs to wanton Babels estate and made vs tender delicate Es 4.7 or like to the vntamed heyfar by reason of our long running in plentifull pastures we haue forgotten to carry the sweete yoke of obedience and are become so dainty that we haue esteemed more the dinners of the world then the supper of the Lambe the Garlicke Onions of Aegipt then the milke hony of the land of promise Thus haue wee lost our spirituall appetites Wee may speake of our selues as PLINY speaketh of a certaine Countrie that ex siccitate lutum ex imbre puluerem c. drought hath caused durt and raine hath stirrid vp dust among vs for what hath the Sun-shine of his mercies but caused vs to lye in the myre of our abhominations what hath the moysture of his graces but euen dried vp the fountaine of grace in vs It is true of vs as of Rome that religio peperit diuitias et filia deuorauit matrem the blessing of the Gospel hath made them wealthy and the Daugther hath deuoured the Mother Our prosperitye hath made vs like to the springes in the suÌ„mer the more heate abroad the dryer they are or like vnto the Moone in our fulnesse wee haue been farthest froÌ„ the Sun of righteousnesse And yet the Lord hath all the day long stretched out his haÌ„ds vnto vs made as loÌ„g a day as euer he did to IOSVAH as long houres of the day as euer were shadowed vpon the Diall of AHAZ to prouoke our repeÌ„tance for the 12. houres of the day he hath giueÌ„ vs almost 4. times twelue yeres Esd 3.1 why haue wee theÌ„ takeÌ„ these his benefits with the left hand why haue they engendred in our soules the kings euill The old yeere theÌ„ being past and the new yeere come coÌ„sidering that this is our estate let this be ô England thy Arithmeticke to nuÌ„ber thy sins Marchant be not so busy to nuÌ„mber thy debts Lawyer thy clyents gentlemaÌ„ thy landes husbandman thy cattell captaine thy souldiers minister thy tithes as the sins of the old yeere that now this new yeere we may apply our hearts to wisdome And thus much for the first part The second part contayning the operation miserie and effect of the Kings Euil which was the Plague of the body Second part AS the sicknesse of the patient after that he hath followed his owne humour and appetite despising and reiecting the counsaile of the Phisition and taking in that which is hurtfull for him maketh him to smarte for it and produceth dangerous effects so hath it fallen out with DAVID who being strucken with the Plague of the soule and infected with the Satanicall aire and IOAB as a good Physition hauing giuen him counsaile how to preuent
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 froÌ„ the high tower of heaueÌ„ 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 LondoÌ„ 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 theÌ„ 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 Physitiâ—n That wee might then orderly proceede in this orderly repentance of king DAVID The ingredients of the Kings medicine arâ— set downe who hath bene skilfull in the arte of repentance I will set fâ—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
al remedies the best is to shun the infected ayre to depart in time to the purer aire But with GALENS leaue seeing sin is the cause of Physicall causes that it infecteth the ayre the best remedy of all according to the counsaile of the whole colledge of the spirituall Physitions is to flye from the infectious contagious aire of this world But I leaue to amplyfie this because I purpose to speake more of it in the kings medicine 4 The patients The last member of the second part are the patients who haue felt the effect of the Kings euill ISRAEL that is the subjects of DAVID In which obserue First the circumstance of the time how lōg it lasted secōdly of the place from Dan to Bershebah thirdly of the number seauentie thousand The Lord in all ages hath sought to reclaime the sonnes of men from the kings euill by sundrie corrections amongst the rest with the Pestilence which is the Lords beesome he hath swept away not seauenty but hundreth thousands and that in diuers places First without the church secondly within the church Againe in the Church either in the true or in the false church Further some haue been vniuersall some nationall and prouinciall some haue been of a long some of a short continuance so that this rod may be called the flying booke Zach. 5. Heere I might also make a large Chronicle of examples out of the booke of God the monuments of the church and the writings of mē but because others haue amplyfied this at large I referre you to their Chronicles being as cloudes of witnesses Now mee thinkes I heare an obiectiō against the justice of God for the cleering of these patiēts These Isralits had not sinned ergo vniustly visited The antecedēt is deyned the interpretours vpō the first verse of 2. Sam. 24. And the wrath of the Lord was kindled against ISRAEL obserue diuers sinnes for then which the Lords anger was prouoked among the rest first their security and wantonnes after their peace victories prosperitie secondly the rebellion disobedience of some against their sacred Prince DAVID in the time of ABNER SEBAH ABSOLON and the rest the which sinnes hee hath deferred to punnish in due season with the sinne of DAVID And thus much for the second part the effect of the Kings euill Let vs now beloued of LONDON looke home-ward a little The applycation of the second part and is it were out of the Looking-glasse of this example by way of reflection If we holde out the glasse we shall descrie that justly we haue felt the effect of the kings euill The old yeere being past and the New appeared let vs apply to our selues the members of the second part to invert the order Let me beginne with the last as the subjects of DAVID after they had bene infected with the Plague of the soule and that DAVID now nine Moneths and twenty daies long had not regarded his sinne haue bene the Lords patients and haue felt the effect of the Kings euill a generall pestilence So likewise the subjects of our DAVID after that they haue now these nine yeeres more bene infected with the Plague of the soule not regarding their sores and the counsell of the spirituall Physitions haue justly also bene the Lords patients and felt the former yeere the effect of their spirituall contagion a generall pestilence almost through the whole body of the kingdome The inwarde cause of this effect hath bene two-folde First wee haue bene infected with the infection of DAVID and secondly of his subjectes As for the first the Lords Prophets as spirituall physitions haue a long time as IOAB did to DAVID shewed vnto vs the meanes how to preuent the increasing of our spirituall contagion they haue produced their reasons setting before vs the danger which should redounde both to our owne persons and to others But alas great hath bene our obstinacie we haue as bad patients followed our owne humours rejected the counsell of the spirituall physitions and our pride ambition spirituall idolatrie curiositie and disobedience haue preuiled against them and therefore the Lord hath sent a pestilēce in England there dyed not yet I am perswaded seauenty thousand If in the second place I set before our eyes DAVIDS subjects as a looking glasse therin alas we may discry the bleamishes of our faces First they had a famine 2. Sa. 21.1 But the Lord remooued that in his mercie and gaue them peace and prosperitie and yet they waxed wanton and insolent 1592 Since the last pestilence there hath bene a dearth in England in the daies of ELIZABETH but the Lord hath taken it away in his mercie and giuen plenty and choise store of earthly treasures we haue since seene and tasted how friendly the Lord is Psal 34. his mercies haue bene multiplyed vpon vs euen like vnto the dewe of Hermon that watered the dry earth that gaped for it His blessings both Temporall and spirituall haue bene as two hands to draw vs home to him and yet wee haue bene like to DAVIDS subjects As for their seconde sinne shall I bee so bolde to accuse some thereof Not I but the experience and euente of the former yeere doeth Preach it to the whole Kingdome The Londe hath giuen vs a gratious DAVID a man after Gods owne heart and as I may speake a man after our owne heart and yet beholde as some male-contented Israelites haue sought DAVIDS ruine an enuious SEBAH an ambitious ABSOLON A note out of the 2 Sam 2 agreeing with that which hath hapned the formes yere a false-harted ACHITOPHEL a seditious ABNER so some haue bene enuious with Satan of our DAVIDS felicity And note this with mee which I haue obserued out of the second booke of Sam. the 2 chap. that as in the first yeere of king DAVIDS raigne DAVID being but newly crowned king of Israel euen then beholde there was found a seditious ABNER and ASAHEL and an ISBOSHETH which rose vp against DAVID So in the first yeere of the raigne of our DAVID euen then hee being but newly crowned king of England as DAVID was king of Israel behold some ABNERS ASAHELS and ISBOSHETHS against their sacred and annoynted Prince But let this be our comfort in the tenth verse of that Chapter that the house of Iudah hath followed DAVID the companie of the true Professors and Confessors of God and that ABNER and his adherents are fallen before the seruants of DAVID Seeing then we are guiltie all of the first sinne and some of the second the Lord hath dealt justly with vs as with the subjects of DAVID sending vnto vs as he did to them after a famine or a dearth a pestilence So that the wrath of the Lord hauing been againe kindled against vs no bodie needeth to make an objection against his justice for our innocencie as it might haue been done for ISRAEL As there hath been a time for the Raigne of