2. in p. 50. the 3. p. 51. the 4. in p. 53. the 5 p. 55. the 6 p. 66. Sixe meanes to keep us from dying of the plague p. 57. The 1 meanes p. 58. the 2 in pa. 59. the 3 in pa. 60. the 4 in pa. 64. the 5 in pag 65. the 6 meanes in pa. 66. Cautions touching the efficacie of these meanes to keepe vs frrm infection or death by the plague pa. 68. c. Reasons to proue that the godly doe dy in Gods fauour though the dy of the plagueâ— pag. 74. How that comes to passe page 81. What makes death blessed or accurssed to men pa. 84. Rules to know how we shal dy in Gods fauour though we dy of the plague pa. 74. 86. The first pa. 86. The second pa. 92 The third pa. 96. The fourth pag. 99. The fift p. 101. The sixt pa. 102. Seuen holy vertues or actiâ—ns to be done by Christians to assure them of Gods fauour and loue in life and death pag. 107 A distinction of the sauing graces of the Spirit wrought in the Elect. pag. What brings vs into the estate of grace and what keeps vs therein p. 108. A farewell to them that haue not been visited p. 118. A farewel to them that haue been visited and yet are escaped p. 118. A farewell to both sorts pag. 119. Dr. FEATLIES Approbation I Haue perused this Treatise and fynd it very sound for Doctrine and seasonable for the time and hauing receiued much comfort by it my selfe J desyre others may do the like by the further publishing thereof DANIEL FEATLY A SPIRITV all Cordiall against the Plague OF late it hath pleased God to visite my Familie with the sicknesse Vpon this occasion according to good order I am a Ier. 36.5 shut vp in my Church yard and by this meanes I may not without offence go abroad either to the house of God to teach my people or to my freinds houses to see how they doe but blessed be God that in iudgment remembers mercy sixe of nine persons b Abac. 3.2 remaine escaped as it is this day from death Ezra 9.15 and foure of nine from infection Though God haue imprisoned my body yet hath he enlarged my spirit though he hath silenced my tongue and thereby taken from me liberty to preach yet hath he put my pen into my hand and thereby given me an opportunitie to write some spirituall counsell for the comfort of my dearly beloved like loving neighbours and Parishioners and my kindred and friends that are affected afflicted with Gods visitation on vs. As also for their consolation that haue been are or may be in heavines by meanes of the like visitation That which I haue now written vnto you is that which will be best for you to reade and that will be best for you to read at this time which will best meet with and remoue that which doth now most trouble you namely Griefe and feare That you are grieued for me and mine and for our visitation I assuredly beleeue And because I beleeue it therefore haue I writteÌ„ these few leaues lines 〈◊〉 11 â—0 to asswage your sorrow for it were hard if my affliction should make a wound of griefe in your hearts and I not endeavour to make a playster of comfort to heale it Farre be such ingratitude from me and farre bee such a want from you Though in some respects I am grived with your sorrow yet in other regards I reioyce not simply for the griefe it selfe but for that which I know is the cause and that which I hope will be the fruite and that which I pray may be the issue of it The cause of your griefe for vs is your loue for when the Iewes saw how Christ wept for Lazarus â—oh 11.36 they said behold how he loued him The fruite is godly sorrow for sinne â—heÌ„â—eares â—or sin proue godly or repentance vnto amendment of life and saluation and indeed then sorrow or teares proue godly when they exercise a twofold nature they haue namely 1. A salt brackish or brinish quality 2. A wet or moyst qualitie The salt or brinish qualitie of sorrow or teares shewes it selfe to be godly 1. when it Seasons the soule with grace 2. When it eates out the corrupt humour of wickednes that is in it and 3 keepes the heart from putrifiyng in sin The moyst wet qualitie that is in teares doth shew it selfe to be godly when 1. it softens the heart that is hardned d Heb. 3.13 with the deceitefulnes of sinne and 2. when it e Ier. 4.14 washeth the heart from wickednes and f Isa 16 1â— clenseth it from the loue of sensuall pleasures The issue which I pray may come of your sorrow for me is an assurance to your soules that you are living and not dead members of the Christian body in that you g can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities Heb. 4 1â— Rom. 12.15 Weepe with them that weep * Heb. 4.5 remember them that are in bonds as if you were bound with them * Rom. 12. â—5 And pittie your brethren when the hand of the Lord toucheth them Heb. 13.3 Iob. 19 21 In these respects I hope I may say with the Apostle S. Paul 2 Cor. 7.9 Now I reioyce not that yee were made sorry but that yee sorrowed to repentance for yee were made sorry after a godly manner that yee might receiue damage by vs in nothing But to omit any longer preface and to come to the matter intended which is remouing of your griefe and feare Against your griefe I will propound 1. matter of content 2. Meditations of comfort the good Lord reach and apply it by his Spirit vnto your Spirits according to the nature of the doctrine it selfe and according to my desire minde in propounding it That you may be contented with the hand of Gods visitation vpon my Family How to content our selues with Gods visitaion on our fâ—amily I pray you take notice of and consider seriously these fiue points 1 That we are not able to resist the hand of God for we are k not stronger then he Wee are in this respect but I as clay in the hands of the Potter for the a 1. Cor. 10.22 Ier. 18.6 Dan. 4.35 Lord doth according to his will in the armie of heauen and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand 2 That we haue most iustly deserued to drinke of this cup with others b wee haue accepted the punishment of our iniquitie For we haue sinned against God and therefore must we beare c Micah 7 the hand of the Lord we indeed iustly receiue the due reward of our deedes Yea we must be anmbe not open our mouthes because it is his doing who hath not done without cause d Levit. 26 all that he hath done vnto vs. and therefore e Luk 23.
the Lord is iust for wee haue deserued to haue ben beneath for our sinnes f Psal 39. For who are we And what is our Fathers house that in such a common calamity we should looke to be free Seeing g 1. Pet. 4. the time is come that iudgment must begin at the house of God 3. That we are not alone in this affliction for we haue fellowes enough too many if the Lord saw it good h 1 Cor. 10.13 There hath no tentation taken vs but such as is common to man The Lord hath i 2. Sam. 7.14 chastened vs with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men yea with the stripes of them that are his owne children 4. That all in our family haue not bin smitten as yet but a few onely nor are they all dead that were smitten but some onely nor were they all smitten together but by degrees successiuely only First our seruants and then our children nor with so heauie a stroke as some haue bin but gently with moderation k Ier. 30.11 10.24 with measure and iudgement the Lord be praised therefore 5. And lastly consider that none of vs haue wanted that which many our betters haue beene without namely food and physicke helpers and keepers varietie of roomes and chambers with other conueniences so that I may truely say to Gods glory our benefit and your content of our selues as Paul did of himselfe and companions in affliction We are * 2 Cor. 6.9 as dying and behold we liue as chastened but not killed and in another place * 2 Cor. 4.8 We are troubled on euery side but not distressed Wee are in doubt but not in despaire And with Dauid the n Lord hath thrust sore at vs but hath not giuen vs ouer vnto death It is true I haue parted with a good seruant good childe and a good Curate My faithfull fellow helper in the ministery but it is content to vs they were not too good for him that gaue them their goodnes and that had more right to them then I for God in heauen was o master to the one p Father to the other and q Arch-Pastor and Bishop to the other and therfore might command them And it is a comfort to vs so it may be to you that r the Lord is better to vs then tenne sâ—ns â—2 Sam. 1 3. as Elkanah said that himselfe was to his wife Annah Now least haply content may seeme to some but a dry plaister for such a running sore not broad enough to couer it or not soueraigne enough to heale it therfore to make a perfect cure I haue thought of another medicine for the malady and so I passe on to the second sort of meditatioÌ„s that may giue you comfort as well as content against your heauinesse for our visitation How to coÌ„fort our selues against griefe for our visitation These comforts shall be taken from seuerall considerations concerning our affliction as namely 1. The Nature of it 2. The Cause of it 3. The Effect of it 4. The Companion of it 5. And lastly the End of it For in all these points there lieth matter of comfort from all these haue the faithful raised comfort to themselues in their afflictions and withall these haue wee comforted our selues in our visitation 1. The Nature of this visitation is the same with the nature of all other afflictions on the godly The nature of the affliction of the godly which is not to be a vengeance of God to wreake his fury on vs to our vtter destruction but to be a b Heb. 12.5 6 7. 1. Cor. 11.32 chatistment and correction to make vs repent more soundly of our past sinnes and to prevent with more watchfulnesse the committing of the same or like sins againe Reu. 3.19 that c Reu 2.29 we may be zealous and amend Indeed it is in it selfe a punishment and to the wicked that repent not it is a vengeance but to the godly that amend it is not so as shall bee proued more at large hereafter And therefore in this respect may we all take comfort in it 2 The cause of this our visitation is twofold The causes of the afflictions of the godly Efficient and impulsiue The Efficient Cause is the author or sender of it which is God and herein God is d to be considered not simply as God onely but as God a 2. Sam. 7 14. our Father or as mercifull For by this visitation wee fall into Gods hands whose b 2. Sam. 4 14 mercies are great and herein GOD c Heb 12.7 deals with vs as with his sons and daughters Therefore wee ought not to d Heb. 16. faint when vvee are rebuked of him but consequently bee comfortable therein The second cause is Impulsiue or that which mooueth God thus to afflict or chasten vs which is his eternall loue in Christ For as many as the Lord loues hee rebukes and chastens e Reu. 3.19 The Lord may chasten vs with the f 2 Sam. 7.4 15. rod of men and vvith the stripes of the children of men but his mercy shall not depart from vs. So that g Phil. 2.1 if there be any comfort in loue that is in Gods loue then may wee comfort our selues in our affliction which proceeds from it It is true the Instrumentall cause of this our visitation hath been Gods Angell or infection by men but the supreme Efficient is GOD. It is true also that in respect of our sinnes the h anger and fury of GOD may bee sayde to bee an Impulsiue or moouing cause of it a 2 Sam. 24 1. b Ezek. 10 19 But it is but his temporary anger vvhich is but for a i moment c Isa 54.8 VVhich may and doth well stand with his eternal loue euerlasting compassion in Christ with which wee are to bee comforted The effect of their affliction 3 The effect and fruit that comes to the faithfull by all their afflâ—â—tions when they are exercised thereby is very coÌ„fortable it is the a peaceable fruite of righteousnes e Heb 5.8 that is increase of holinesse both in heart life which will bring forth true quâ—et and peace to the soule though the body and outward man h Heb 6.9 be disquieted afflicted with theÌ„ for the present it is to c learne obedience by the things we suffer f Hos 6.1 it is to d Heb. 12.12 returne to God that smites vs and be zealous and amend g Reu. 3.29 So that we having in some measure through Gods grace fouÌ„d these fruits and effects wrought in vs by our affliction and these beeing comfortable because they be such as e accompany saluation therfore ought you not to sorrow f as men without hope 1 Thes 4.18 g Mat. 2.18 like Rachell that would not be comforted but even in griefe to
A CORDIALL OF COMFORT To preserue the Heart from fainting with Griefe or Feare for our Friends or our owne Visitation by the Plague Also a Thankes-giuing to Almightie God for staying the Visitation in London and the Subvrbs thereof Both which may be of vse to Christians in other places that are cleere visited or recouered BY WILLIAM CHIBALD Printed at London by W. I. for Nic. Bournâ— and Edw. Brewster and are to be sold at the Royall Exchange and at the Bible in Pauls-Church-yard 1625. TO The Right Worshipfull the Company of the Lether-Sellers The Masters and Wardens The Assistants and Liuery with the rest of the Brethren of that worthy Societie Right Worshipfull and Worthy THE DEdication of bookes vnto persons of place and qualitie is to manifest a seruiceable respect and reuerence vnto them and to supplicate a fauourable aspect and acceptation from them According to these fayre endes I haue aduentured to deuote this my Treatise which doth need the one to your Worships that are worthy of the other You are worthy of my Dedication in two respects namely as Citizens and as Lether-Sellers of London 1. As Citizens because I wrote it in the Visitation of the City and for the comfort of Citizens in the Visitation thereof 2. As Lether-sellers because you are that Company whereof my deare Father was Mr. Iames Chibald of sweet memory I hope among you who about the yeere 1595. was Master head of your Body euen as his eldest Sonne my louing Brother is a liuing member of the same at this day It remaynes that your Worships would be pleased by accepting the seruice of this Dedication to Patronize the Booke The rather seeing the Authors ayme in dedicating it to you is but to honour you that are liuing by my deare Parent that is dead and to honour the memory of him that is absent by you that are present which as Brethren of one Company and Parents of Children you cannot but approue That you may the more freely grant my request I pray you to take vnto your consideration further the subiect matter of the Booke which is Spirituall Physicke For it prescribes you first a Cordiall Secondly a Dyet The Cordiall hath a twofold nature 1. To preserue your bodyes from infection or death by the Plague if the Lord see it good for your soules and as Christians you should not desire it otherwise 2. To keep your soules from fainting with immoderate Griefe or Feare for your Friends or your owne Visitation by the Plague The Dyet is to teach you that suruiue how to liue to GODS glory by learning to bee thankefull to God for your own preseruation and for Gods wonderfull and mercifull staying of the sicknesse amongst vs. Both which as men and Christian men you haue reason to looke after and learne In hope of your free fauor herein I humbly take my leaue with my heartie prayer vnto God to blesse the reading of my Treatise to your Corporall and Spirituall health in Iesus Christ in whom I am Your Worships most bounden in all Christian seruice WILLIAM CHIBALD To the Christian Reader that needs Spirituall Physicke from the Word against Griefe or Feare by reason of the Plague IN the beginning of the Creation Gen. 1.2 when darknesse was vpon the deepe 2 Cor. 4.6 the Lord commaunded the light to shine out of darknesse As vnlikely effect of such a cause as the making one see that was borne blind Ioh. 9.11 by anointing his eyes with clay and spittle which was more likely to put them out if euer hee had any sight Not long since there was darknesse and heauinesse vpon the face of my Family by reason of Gods Visitation and behold out of the darknes of that sorrow Almightie GOD hath brought forth this Light of Spirituall coÌ„fort After a sort I may truly say GOD hath commaunded it to shine forth partly by his speciall assistance when J was in my selfe very vnfyt for study and partly by his prouidence in stirring vp many to bee very inquisitiue to seeke after it and to bee very importunate for the publishing thereof J neuer intended to put this Light vnder a Bushell wholly to couer it Matt. 5.15 for J did set it vpon a Candlesticke to giue light in one roome namely to my Parishioners kindred and friends to whom J gaue some Copies But now at the instance of many J haue put it into a Lanthorne hung it out in the open streets for the benefit of all passengers J confesse the light is but small it giues but J hope it will burne cleere and sweet the Treatise J trust wil be free from errour and offence J acknowledge also that it is hung out somewhat late in the Euening when many are at rest in their graues by the Visitation but the truth is my tynder was wet J could not strike fyer to light it sooner and when it was lighted J could not get it hung vp any sooner My meaning is the heauinesse of my heart for Gods visytation on the Citie my Congregation and my Family was some let to the penning of it and the difficultie of getting Work men to print it was a great hinderance to the publishing thereof any sooner Now that it is fynished and published my request is to the Christian Reader that hee vvould not close his eyes Mat. 13.19 that hee cannot see the light but open them to walke by it to the end hee may not stumble and fal at immoderate Griefe or Feare by reason of his own or his friendes Visytation by the Plague And my humble Prayer is That hee who is the true Light Iob. 1.9 that lighteneth euery one which commeth into â—he world Reuel 1.13 and who walketh in the midst of the â—euen golden Candlesticks That he would be graciously pleased to adde further light life to the â—eading perusing of my Treatise for the glory of God and the good of his Church and let all that read it for their comfort say with me Amen Euen as J will say with all that find comfort by the reading of it The Lord bee praised Yours in the seruice of your Faith W. C. A Table shewing the Contents of this Booke WHen teares for sin proue godly pag 4. How to comfort our selues against greife for the visitation of our families pag. 7. How to comfort our selues against greife for our visitation p. 12. The nature of the affliction of Gods children p. 12. The causes of their afflictions efficient and mouing pa. 13. 14. 15. The Companion of it p. 17. The end of it intent and euent p. 18. c. How to hearten our selues against the feare of the plague pa. 24. How you may lawfully feare the plague pa. 32 c. How you may not feare the plague pa 35. The plague is no signe of Gods eternall anger to the godly p. 43. Sixe meanes to preuent the infestiion of the plague p. 48. The 1. meanes p. 48. the
off for euer though hee cause griefe yet will he haue compassion according to the multitude of his mercies for he doth not afflict willingly Mica 7.18 for who is a God like vnto our God that pardoneth iniquitie and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his anger for euer because hee delighteth in mercy 2. Though the Lord should smite vs all with the stroke of this sicknesse so that wee were all infected and sicke of it as in some families better then ours it is as iustly hee may deale with vs for ought we are able to resist or can deserue to the contrary yet may it please God to spare vs that wee die not a â—sal 38.1.5 Ezekiah was sicke of the plague as the learned iudge and the text saith he was sicke vnto death that is in his owne apprehension and in the opinion of the Physicians and in the violent and malignant nature of the disease yet did he recouer liued fifteene yeeres after The like is to bee seene by daily experience of many that doe suruine b Ionah 2. Ionah was in the sea but hee was not drowned c Dan. 3. The three children were in the fire but were not burnt d Dan. 6. Daniel was in the den of Lions but was not deuoured And why may not we be kept from dying of the plague though wee should bee infected with it if the Lord be so pleased in his free fauour Seeing in generall afflictions e Amos 4.11 some are as firebrands pluckt out of the burning euen as in haruest som gleanings are scattered that are not gathered by the owner and in the vintage some clusters of grapes are left on the vine that are not pluckt off I write not this in security as if I thought with Agag f 1 Sam. 15.32 The bitternesse of death vvas past or in presumption as if I were past all feare the conscience of mine own vnworthynes the knowledge of Gods after reckonings with som families do keepe mee from such folly But because the seruants of God may with Abraham g Rom. 4.18 hope against hope We doe not confidently assure our selues that it shall be so but comfortably we hope it wil in the free fauor and mercie of God which is as great as is his Maiestie and vvho vvill haue mercy on them on vvhom he vvill haue mercy 1 Rom. 9.15 3. What though all in our family that are now in health and life should bee smitten and that we h Isai 21.14 could not bee purged from our iniquitie till vvee die then for content I say for vs all as Paul did for himself and his companions k Act. 22. The vvill of of the Lord be done And as Christ our blessed Sauiour hath taught vs to say i Mat. 9.10 Thy vvill be done on earth as it is in heauen More particularly I say for my selfe as Dauid did for himselfe l Here am I 2 Sam. 15.24 let him doe to mee as seemeth good to him And for my selfe and children and seruants I say as good old Eli did for his sonnes m 1 Sam. 3 18. It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good And for comfort to my selfe and you I say n Heb. 4 9. There remaines a rest for Gods people o 1 Cor. 15 19. We haue hope in Christ not in this life onely p 1 Cor. 51 For vvee know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolued vvee haue a building of GOD not made vvith handes eternall in the heauens q 2. Pet. 3 13. We according to his promise look for new heauens and a new earth vvherein dwelleth righteousnesse For we know that our Redeemer liueth r Iob. 19.25 Wee know vvhom vvee haue trusted and vvee are perswaded that hee is able to keepe that which wee haue committed vnto him against that day And therefore s 2. Tim 1.12 though the Lord kill vs yet will we trust in him t Iob 13.15 And so I descend from your feare for vs to your feare for your selues Your feare for your selues and your owne families is that though hitherto the Lord hath spared your houses from the visitation yet hereafter ere hee make an end he may though not with the first yet with the last either soone or Syne Concerning this your feare I must first giue you some instructions 2. Some directions And thirdly some consolations The Instructions shall be How we may lawfully feare the Plague in two points 1. How farre you may feare the plague lawfully 2. How farre and in what respects you may not feare the plague 1. You may lawfully feare the plague in three respects 1. In respect of it selfe 2. In respect of God 3. In respect of your selues 1. In respect of the plague it selfe because it is t 2 Chron. 20 9. an euill of punishment It is u 1 Reg. 8.30 a plague or sicknes It is x Deut. 28.21 a consuming pestilence And because it is a great plague yea one of the foure great plagues of God with which hee scourges his people when they rebell against him Ezek. 44.21 namely The Famine the Sword wilde Beasts and Pestilenâ—e 2. In respect of God likewise it is to bee feared because it is his sword wherewith he killeth whosoeuer is smitten with this sicknes hee is said after an extraordinary manner and more immediately y Ezek. 14 21 to fall into the hands of God which is a z 1. Chron 24.12 fearefull thing When the Lord sends this punishment into a land he is said to a 2 Sam 24.14 powre out his fury vpon it in blood and to b Heq. 10.31 plead with it in blood 3. In respect of your selues you may warrantably feare the plague for two causes 1. Because you are but flesh and blood and therefore subiect to bee infected by the malignant qualitie of it and to be corrupted in your blood with the contagion of it For you are not made of stones which it cannot pierce yee are as weake as water and cannot resist the stroke of GODS Angel you are b Ier. 18.6 as clay and cannot resist the Potter 2. You may feare the plague in respect of your selues because you are sinners and it is inflicted as a chastisement for c 1 King 8 33.37 sin Wee haue beene partakers of the sins of this Citie that moved God to send it Deuâ—r 28 15.22 2 Sam. 24 17. therefore we may iustly feare we shall be partakers in the visitation of the Citie by the plague sooner or later by infection or by death wee our selues or ours We that haue deserued the worst may warâ—antably feare the worst though God should be pleased beyond our expectation desert to spare vs as a d Mal. 3.17 father doth his own child which serueth him 2. How you may not feare
and to cast it from vs and when we beat down the body of sin 1. cor 9.27 by fasting and temperance And this is a meanes to keep vs from being iudged of the Lord. 1 Cor. 11 32. The sixt The Sixt and last meanes to keep vs from the infection of the plague concernes our duty and obedience to God and it is faithfulnesse and diligence in our callings with prudence to keepe vs within the compasse of our own waies for the Lord hath promised that hee will giue his Angels charge ouer his children to keepe them in all their wayes Ps 91.11 And this Ezekiah found for hee walked before the Lord in truth and vprightnesse not onely as an Israelite or Christian but as a King and Gouernour and hereby hee was preserued For as Salomon saith Hee that walkes vprightly Pro. 28.18 walkes safely For the second Six meanes to keepe vs frō dying of the plague The meanes to remooue the plague and to keepe you from dying of it though you be infected with it are likewise six and they are of two sorts 1. Ciuill 2. Religious The first The Ciuill meanes is the vsing of skilfull religious Physicians and Surgeons in obedience to Gods ordināce and with trust in his power and blessing For by the commandement of the Prophet Esay frō the Lord Ezekiah was to take a lumpe of dry figs and to lay it on the sore 2 Reg. 20.7 and by this meanes through Gods blessing hee did recouer The Religious means to keepe vs from dying of the plague are fiue and they be of two kinds for they concerne either God or our selues The meanes which concerne GOD are two The first meanes to keep vs frō dying of the plague and which concernes God The Second is earnest and fervent prayer to God to keepe vs a liue either by his blessing on the meanes if we haue any or without if wee haue none By prayer Num. 16.46.47.48 the plague was stayed in Israell when it was begun very hot For incense was offered vp with prayers to God the offering vp of incense Ceremonially did signifie teach the putting vp and accepting of our feruent prayers as is playne by the Psalmist where he saith Psal 141.2 let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense and the lifting vp of my hands bee as the euening Sacrifice And of this Ezekiah had good experience when the Lord said I haue heard thy prayer seene thy teares behold I will add vnto thy dayes fifteene years Isay 38.5 And besides 2 chr 6.29 1 Reg. 8.37.38 the Lord promised to heare their prayer made by the Israelits when they were visited by the Pestilence and the Lord hath promised Christians that thy prayer of faith shall preserue the sicke Iam. 1.15 The third The Second meanes which concernes God and that will keepe vs from dying of the plague is zeale and forwardnes in erecting and establishing and consequently in deuout and religious frequenting performing of the pure worship of God according to his Word and Will We read that when God was about to stay his hand from slaying the Inhabitants of Ierusalem by the plague that the Lord as a meanes thereunto bids his Angel to commaund his Prophet Gad to say to Dauid Goe vp 1 Chron. 21.18 and set vp an Altar to the Lord in the threshing floore of Araunah the Iebusite Whereunto Dauid obeying the text saith that hee went vp at the saying of Gad Verse 19. which hee spake in the name of the Lord Then Dauid said to Ornan grant mee the place of this threshing floore Verse 22. that I may build an Altar thereon vnto the Lord thou shalt grant it me for the full price that the plague may be staied from the people Note 1 Sam. 24. And when Dauid had bought paid for it Verse 26. then the Text saith Dauid built there an Altar to the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings and called vpon the Lord. And to the end it might appeare he accepted this worship for the appeasing of his wrath and staying of the plague The Lord answered him from heauen by fier vpon the Altar of burnt offerings For in the very next Verse it is said vers 37. that the Lord commanded the Angel Note and he put vp his sword againe into the sheath thereof Wee reade also that the people of Israel in Egypt made this a reason to perswade Pharaoh to let them go three dayes iourney Exod. 5.3 and sacrifice to the Lord their God least say they hee fall vpon vs with the pestilence Which shewes that if neglecting Gods worship be a meanes to bring the plague then zeale and deuotion in erecting countenancing performing of Gods worship according to his will is a meanes to remoue it and to keepe vs from dying of it And we may very probably coniecture not without good warrant that the solemne worship of GOD with fasting praying and preaching appointed by Authoritie hath beene a meanes not for the worthinesse of it but by Gods blessing on his owne Ordinance to stay the sicknesse and to abate the multitudes that died thereof The meanes to preuent death of the plague which cōcern our selues are three The first appertains to the iudgement of the plague it selfe The fourth and it is a sensible feeling when wee are smitten with it in our own soules of the heauy hand of God by laying it close to our harts Which we do when we are made to search out our sins which are the cause therof and when we consider seriously of Gods heauy displeasure therein against our sinnes 1 Reg. 8.37 38. 2 Chron. 6.28 29. for to this is promised a blessing indeed this will make vs pray humbly feruently for the pardon of our sinnes the cause therof that they being pardoned a way may be made for mercy vnto vs. And S. Peter tels vs 1 Pet. 5.6 that if we humble our selues vnder the mightie hand of God hee will exalt vs in due time And the Apostle S. Iames saith Iam. 5.16 that the prayer of the righteous man preuaileth much with God if it be feruent The second means which concernes our selues The fift and is good to keepe vs from dying of the plague belongs to our sinnes and it is a turning from them leauing them For when Gods people 2 Chron. 7.13 14. on whom his Name is called shal turne from their wicked wayes he hath promised to heale them of the pestilence For by this wee cause God to repent of the euill And by this we remooue and put away the euill of our doing from before the eye of the Lord which were the causes of it Ionah 3.10 Isai 1.16 punish our selues for our sin that we may not be punished of the Lord. The sixt The third means which concernes
remember comfort in him as God hath in iudgment remembred mercy for vs. 4 The CoÌ„panion of the outward affliction of Gods children The comdanion of their affliction it is inward Spirituall consolation at one time or other in one kind or other or in one measure or other wherein also wee haue had our share blessed bee God For as the h 1. Cor. 2.5 sufferings of Christ abound in them so their consolations also abound in Christ There i Psal 97. is light sowen for the righteous and ioy for the vpright in heart 1.5 And that which is sowne for them k Gal. 6 9 They shall reape in due time if they faint not the Lord Iesus will not l Ioh 14 18. leaue them comfortlesse hee will not m 1. Cor 10 13. suffer them to bee tempted aboue that they be able to beare hee hath n Ioa. 16.33 bidden them to bee of good comfort because though they shall haue afflictions in the world yet shall haue peace in him For though o Psal 30. heauinesse may endure for a night ioy shâ—l come in the morning p Hos 6.2 After two dayes hee will reuiue vs in the third day hee will raise vs vp and we shal liue in his sight The last thing to be considered in our affliction is the end of it which is the same with the end of all the afflictions of the godly And this end is twofold 1. Gods intent in sending of them 2. The event of theÌ„ when they are sent For both these minister comfort 1. The end or intent of GOD in afflicting his children is generally their good For euen in them i God is good to Israel More especially God intends to them therein these good things namely 1. In respect of himselfe to make them k heb 12.10 partakers of his holinesse 2. In respect of Christ that they may haue l Phil. 3.10 fellowship with his sufferings and bee made conformable to his death 3. In respect of the wicked that m 1 Cor. 11 33. they may nor be condemned with the world And fourthly in respect of themselues n Heb 12. that they may liue namely in heauen and there bee glorified vvith Christ when first they haue o Rom. 8.17 suffered with him 2 The end or euent likewise which according to Gods intent follows vpon all the afflictions of the godly it is comfortable for generally it is their good so Dauid found it when he said It is good for me that I haue been afflicted More particularly these good things insue thereupon namely 1. grace p Psal 119 7. better to learne Gods Statutes and to keepe his word 2 Peace or comfort in God and in conscience q Psal 119 71.61 For marke the perfect man behold the iust the end of that man is peace r Psal 37.37 2 Cor. 4 17. 3 Glory for Å¿ Iam. 5.11 our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for vs a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory The beginning and progresse of Iobs troubles were very harsh and greeuous but S. Iames tells vs that t Ioh. 8.16 we haue seene and theard what an end God made It is true the visitation of the plague is vncomfortable because the feare of infection makes friends afraide to see vs but it is content that we haue had some that haue visited vs and it is comfort that though we had not had one to come vnto vs yet had we not been alone for u Mat. 18.20 God our Father hath beene with vs. x he hath not forsaken vs in our bondage for hee hath promised neuer to leaue of nor to forsake any of his And Iesus Christ hath been with vs for y wheresoeuer two or three are gathered together in the name of Christ hee is in the midst of them and wee according to our neede and dutie haue often humbled our selues before him in priuate fasting praying searching of our hearts and confessing our sinnes which is in part to bee gathered together in the name of Christ It was Sampsons Riddle that z Iudg. 14 14. out of the eater should come meate and out of the strong should come sweetnesse And it is a Christians Riddle That out of affliction should come consolation for of all the birds of the ayre fewe sing in winter but the Red-brest And of all the trees of the garden few are greene but the Bay tree and of all sorts of men few a Rom. 5.3 reioyce in tribulation but the godly That they haue cause to reioyce in tribulation bath euen now ben shewed in fiue seuerall points That they ought to doe so wee are taught by the Apostle Saint Iames who wills Christians b Iam. 1.2 to account it exceeding ioy when they fall into diuers tribulations That they do so may bee seene by the examplâ—s of Peter and the other Apostles who c Act. 5.41 Col. 1.24 reioyced that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ how it comes to passe shall be shewed hereafter In the mean while you that are made sorrowfull with our visitation bee ioyfull at our consolation and so from asswaging your griefe I come to compound your feare Your feare is twofold partly in respect of vs and partly also in respect of your selues Your fear in respect of vs is least the hand of God should still bee stretched out against our familie to strike more with the infection that is amongst vs and to take away more by death of it To hearten you against this feare How to hearten our selues against the feard of the plague I pray you to take into your thought and consideration these three things 1. Though the Lord be able to proceed against vs still and though hee should bee iust if hee did so yet it may please the Lord to spare vs d 1. Sam. 12.22 for his owne Names sake because e Ierem. 1.7 it hath pleased the Lord to make vs his people for the Lord f Eph. 3.20 is able to doe exceeding aboundantly aboue all that wee are able to aske or thinke Hee deales not with his children according to their iniquities for who should remain in health or life Ahac 3.2 Euen in iudgement the Lord remembers mercy as the Prophet Abacuck tells vs as wee see it proued in that great plague in Israel for when the Angel of the Lord had slaine thereof 70000 in three dayes 2 Sam. 24.19 and hee began to stretch out his hand against Ierusalem also the Lord repented him of the euill and said to the Angel that had destroyed the people It is enough stay now thy hand That all are not infected or die not of the infection It is not because he is not able to doe it or if he did it it were not iust and all did not deserue it Lament 3.31.32.33 but because the Lord will not cast