our selues and is auailable to preuent our death of the plague appertaines to the coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts of God and it is sincerity vprightnes of heart whereby we desire and endeuour to walke in obedience to all Gods commandements in the refraining of all known sinnes euen our beloued ones and in the practising of all knowne duties cheerfully conscionably and constantly The Lord tells vs by the Prophet Ezekiel Ezek. 14.17 20. that the righteous shall by his righteousnesse deliuer his owne life from the pestilence Prou. 10.2 and Solomon saith that Righteousnesse deliuers from death An experiment of the soueraignty of this meanes medicine wee haue in Ezekiah who to preuent if it were possible his death of this sicknesse with which he was smitten as the learned iudge hee vseth no better an argument to perswade the Lord to heare him herein then this Isay 38.3 Remember mee now O Lord how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart haue done that which is good in thy sight and behold what the Lord said vnto him by his Prophet Isai 2 Reg. 20.6 I haue added to thy dayes fifteene yeares I will heale thee and the third day thou shalt goe vp to the house of the Lord. Verse 5. And according to this promise was Gods performance for the text saith plainely Verse 7. that he recouered Cautions touching the efficacy of these meanes to keepe vs from infection or death of the plague But coÌ„cerning these directions I must giue you som cautions to teach you how for you are to rely on them for the preventing of infectioÌ„ by the plague or death by infection You are to know then 1. That you are not to think to prevaile with God to these endes by vsing some one of these meanes that is easiest to be done or which you like to choose but by the vsing of them all with continuance therein 2. You are not to expect preservatioÌ„ howeuer they be performed by you but then wheÌ„ for manner aswel as for matter they are done according to the Word 3. You are not to imagine that you can merite preseruation by these meanes for when you doe them best h Lu. 17.10 you are vnprofitable seruants for the efficacie of these exercises to their seueral ends depends not on our good performance but on Gods institution and blessing 4. You must not look to obtain by these religious exercises preseruation froÌ„ infection or death absolutly but with condition and reseruation only For we must vse these meanes in faith beleife to receiue good by them else why doe wee vse them as Gods ordinances to this end and wee must by faith beleeue to receiue good by them so farre as God meanes and intends we shall for it is in vayne to looke for it otherwise and God meanes and intends we shall receiue good by these holy exercises so farr as he hath reuealed his will and meaning for thus speaks the Scripture which reveals Gods will and meaning herein 1 Ioh. 5.14 If wee aske any thing according to Gods will he heareth vs. And the spirit maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of GOD. Rom. 8.27 But you will aske me what is this will of God according to which wee are to pray and what is asked according to Gods will Surely that which God doth will and meane to grant What doth God will meane to grant Surely that which he hath promised to giue What is that which God hath promised to giue Surely good things for so speakes the Scripture l Mat 7.11 Your Father which is in heauen will giue good things to them that aske him They which m Psal 34.9 10. feare the Lord stall want nothing that is good And no good n Ps 84.11 thing will hee with hold from them that liue vprightly And what be those good things Surely those which are good for Gods glory and good for our saluation For what doth God will more then his own glory and the saluation of his Elect Seeing hee hath appointed their saluation by his own Sonne Eph. 1.5.6.11.12 according to the good pleasure of his will for the praise of the glory of his grace wherein hee hath made vs accepted in the beloued What is good if these bee not what is good without these Is it not enough for vs poore sinners that deserue not our health or life vpon any conditions to inioy them vpon these terms but wee must haue them without Gods good will whether or no it bee good for Gods glory our own saluation or else we are vndone and God is not true of his word nor carefull of vs Far be such strange lust from Christians whose lot is the Lord and whose portion is heauen to desire to liue here to the dishonour of God and the hinderance of their owne saluation far be it from crauers to be caruers and beggars choosers And so I come to the third thing which I propounded to deliuer touching your feare and it is comfort and consolation The comfort is against your feare to die of the plague and it is this That though you die of it yet are you not accursed but you shal die in the loue and fauour of God for you shal die o Num. 23 10. the death of the righteous you shall p Reu. 14.13 rest from your labours yee shall q Lu. 2.27 1 Thes 4.14 depart in peace and r sleepe in Iesus which whosoeuer doth is blessed In handling this matter of comfort I will obserue this method 1. I will proue that the faâ—thfull doe die in Gods loue though they die of the plague 2. I will shew how it comes about to bee so 3. I will giue you some Rules by which you may assure your selues that you shall die in GODS loue though you die of the sicknesse 1. That the godly die in the fauour of God though they die of the plague I wil proue by two Reasons of which this is the first Reason 1 The faithfull that die of the plague doe die in Gods loue because their death works to them spiritual and eternall good The Reason is good because nothing works to the spirituall and eternall good of the wicked that doe not die in Gods loue for they haue right to no spirituall or eternall good thing being out of Christ Å¿ Phi. 3.19 minding earthly things and hauing their t Ps 17.14 portion in this life onely And that the death of the godly though it bee of the sicknesse workes vnto their spiritual and eternall good I proue by S. Paul who affirmes That all u Ro. 8.28 things worke together vnto good to them that loue God who are called according to his purpose Whence I thus argue If the death of the godly by the plague be somthing then must it worke to the good of them for all things work if vnto their good
then vnto their spirituall and eternall good 1. Because it is not likely that death should worke vnto any temporall good for all temporal good things leaue them when they die And secondly because the good which by the text is said to be wrought is good vnto them that loue God and are called of his purpose therefore it is a spirituall and an eternall good in the eternal loue of God to their soules Reason 2 The godly which die of the plague doe dy in Gods loue because nothing can separate them from the loue of God in Christ Iesus The Reason is good because they that are separated from the loue of God in Christ doe die in Gods eternall displeasure because they die in their sinnes and goe to hell For if they that dye in the Lord are x Reu. 14.13 blessed then they that die out of him are accursed And that the godly cannot be separated from the loue of God in Christ is plaine by the Apostle who saith of himselfe and that which is true of one that is truely godly is true of all that partake of the y Iude v. 3. common saluation Neither z Ro. 8.38 life nor death nor any other creature can bee able to separate me from the loue of God which is in Iesus Christ our Lord. Whence I thus reason 1. If death cannot separate the godly from the loue of God then no death can for indefinite propositions are generall if no death can then death of the plague cannot 2. If nothing can separate the godly from his loue then death of the plague cannot for that is something and if death of the plague cannot separate the faithfull from Gods loue in Christ then must they needs dy in his loue thogh they die of the plague For a Ro. 14.8 whether they liue or whether they die they are the Lords therefore the Lord is theirs The state of Lazarus when hee lay full of sores and pouertie was in the eye of the world very wretched yet was hee blessed in his death for hee b was carried to Abrahams bosome Luc 16.22 and therefore died in Gods loue Indeed death of the plague may seeme to separate the godly from the loue of God but it is a separation of them from his loue of them as his creatures onely not as his children because it is not a separation of them from his loue of them c Rom. 8.38.39 in Christ Death of the plague is a signe of Gods displeasure but it is a signe of his temporary displeasure only and not of his eternall For though God in d Isa 58.7 8. a little wrath hide himselfe from his children for a moment yet with euerlasting kindnes will hee haue mercie on them Though God by death of the plague take our life and health from vs e Psal 89.31 32. Yet will he not take his louing kindnes from vs vtterly Though our friends depart from vs and death of this sicknesse part the parents from the children c. Yet f 2. Sa. 7.15 Gods mercy shall not depart from vs. And so much of the first point in the doctrine of comfort touching your feare to die of the plague The second point herein is to shew how it comes to passe that the faithfull dy in Gods fauour though they dy of the plague This is effected by that which hath ben done How it coms to passe that though the godly dy of the plague they dy in Gods fauour and suffered by our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ in whose righteousnesse we g Eph. 1.6 are accepted and by whose h Isa 53.5 stripes we are healed For 1. He hath i Ioh. 16.33 ouercome the world that is the afflictions of it one whereof is death which the meÌ„ of the world lay one them so that the afflictions which his children endure in this world while they liue here cannot hinder their saluation in an other world And therefore in this respect our Saviour wills them to be of good comfort Ibid. notwithstanding them 2 Christ hath giuen k 1. Cor. 15 56.57 vs victory ouer the stinge of death that it cannot now bee vnto vs a passage to eternall death and damnation as by nature through sinne it was and is to them that beleeue not in Christ nor amend their liues 3 Christ hath l Heb. 2.14 ouercome him that had the power of death which is the Deuill by his owne death so that he cannot carrie our soules to hell when we dy Luc. 16.22 as he did the soule of Diues and as he hath power to execute that punishment on all those that are out of Christ 4. Christ hath m Gal. 3.13 redeemed vs from the curse of the law being made a curse for vs. And thereby freed vs from the curse of any kind of death or afflictions bodily whatsoeuer In which respect S. Paule saith that in n Rom. 8.35.36.37 tribulation in death in persecution in famine in nakednes in perill in sword and why not then in o 1. Chron. 11.12 the sword of the Lord euen the pestilence in all these things wee are more then Conquerours through him that hath loued vs the Lord Iesus Christ 1. cor 1.30 vvho is made vnto vs of God wisedome righteousnes Phil. 2.21 sanctification and redemption and both in life and death advantage What makes death blessed or cursed It is not the kind of death in respect of the matter that makes men blessed or accurssed For in this respect a Ezek. 9.2 all things comes a like to all there is one euent to the righteous and to the wicked By this no man knoweth either loue or hatred But it is their graces or their sinnes whâ—ch they carrie with theÌ„ to tâ—eir deathes and the reward or punishment that followes after them when they are dead that makes them happy or miserable The godly carrie their graces vertues with theÌ„ to death Heb. 11.13 for they b dy in faith they c Reuel 14.13 dy in the Lord they d Lu. 2.29 depart in peace But the wicked carry their sins to their death e Iohn 8.21.24 For they dy in their sinnes as Absolon in his treason 2 Sam. 18. Num. 16. Corah in his rebellion and Herod in his pride Act. 12. That which followes after the godly is heauen for f Heb. 4.9 there remaines a rest for them g 1 Pet. 1.5 an inheritance and incorruptible reserued for theÌ„ in heauen Lazarus went to Abrahams bosome and the good Theife on the Crosse was with Christ in Paradise Luk. 23.43 that very day he dyed But that which follows the wicked after their h Heb. 9.27 death is iudgement which is i Reu. 6.8 hell that followes death k Rom. 2.5 wrath against the day of wrath As Iudas that went to l Act. 2.15 his owne place and Diues
to m Luc. 16.22 Hell when they died So that as long as yee dy not in your sinnes nor goe to hell but liue and dye in the grace of God and goe to heauen which you shall certainely doe if you liue and dye in Gods feare and in the faith of Christ you must needes dye in Gods loue though yee dye of the plague The third and last point in the doctrine of comfort Rules to know how christians shall dy in Gods fauour though they dy of the plague against the feare to dye of the plague is to giue you some Rules by which you may assure your selues you shall dye in the loue of God and his eternall fauour though you dye of the plague To which I now addresse my selfe That you may assure your selues you shall dye in Gods loue It is requisite that first you bee sure you liue in Gods loue for he cannot dye in any sense that neuer liued in the same And that you may knowe you liue in Gods loue it must appeare vnto you by the effects and motions of this life for n Iam. 2.16 Iob. 27.5 the body without breath is iudged dead Breathing and mouing are signes of life The effects and motions of your life in Gods loue will appeare by the vse and exercise of the graces of the Spirit of God which in his loue hee workes in you to o Ephes 2.5 6. quicken and raise you from the death of sin to the life of righteousnesse For this the Lord doth in his rich mercy Ibid. 4. and for his great loue wherewith he hath loued vs. These graces are of two sorts 1. Such as bring vs into an actual communion of Gods loue and fauour and sets vs in the state of grace 2. Such as keepe preserue in this state vnto the end The first Faith in Christ Of the graces of the first kind namely which bring vs into the state of grace there is but one onely and it is a iustifying Faith called Faith in Christ whereby a sinner with a p Matt. 11.28 weary and heauy laden soule that is a repenting and relenting heart goes and seekes to Christ for saluation rests and trusts in the merites of his death and righteousnes for forgiuenesse of sinnes Ioa 3.16 and eternall life This faith doth not of it selfe but by vertue of the obiect thereof which is Christ to whom by Gods appointment it doth vnite and ingraft vs in whom we are accepted and q Eph. 1.4.6 beloued of God and who dwells in your hearts by it Now if r Eph. 3.17 Christ dwell in your hearts by faith you shall be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length v. 18 and depth and height and to know the loue of Christ which passeth knowledge If you liue and die in this faith of Christ then you may assure your selues you liue and shall dy in the loue of God For if yee beleeue in Christ then this will follow that first you are t 1. Ioh 5.1 born of God 2. yee are the u Gal. 3.26 children of God 3. yee are x Act 13 39. iustified from all your sinnes and shall receiue remission of them Act. 10.43 4. Ye are passed y Iob. 3.36 from death to life 5. Yee shall bee able to z Eph. 6.16 quench all fiery darts of the deuil And sixtly for the certainty of this yee are a Eph. 1.13 sealed with the Spirit of promise The second sort of graces that may assure vs wee shall dy in Gods fauour are they which keepe and continue vs in the state of grace wheÌ„ we are set into it and they are of foure kinds The first Sanctifying The second Comforting The third Contenting The fourth Crowning graces of which in order But first I would not bee mistaken for though I say faith in Christ doth set vs into the state of grace I would not bee vnderstood to speake exclusiuely as if it had no worke in keeping vs also in that state for wee are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation 1 Pet. 1.5 But I haue therefore assigned vnto it that worke of bringing vs into the state of grace and iustifying vs because the primary and chiefe act of it is this viz. To ingraft vs into Christ and hereby to bring vs into vnion communion with the loue of God in him and into the state of grace to liue by faith Rom. 1.17 The first kind of graces that keepe vs in the state of grace are sanctifying graces so called because they keepe vs from sinne and incite vs to holinesse These sanctifying graces are two The first is the loue of God The 2. is the feare of God of each a litle And first of loue vnto God What the nature of this grace of our loue to God is The second the Loue of God will appeare by the nature of our loue to any person like our selues whom wee loue vnfainedly our loue appeare in two things 1. In delighting in their company and communion 2. In a desire and indeuour to doe them good For so are wee affected to God if wee loue him for we delight to be in his presence and company in his Temple and to haue communion with him in his Ordinances the Word Sacrament Prayer Meditation and Thanksgiuing 2. Wee desire and will endeuour to doe the best wee can to honour and obey him in refraining those things that will displease him which is sinne and in practising all such things as wee know will pleaâ—â— him which are comprehendâ—d vnder faith and obedience If wee haue this loue of God and liue and dy therin wee shall thereby be assured that we shal dy in the loue of God to vs. 1. Because it will assure vs of the loue of God to vs. 1 Ioh. 4.19 For we loue God because hee loued vs first 2. Because it will assure vs wee haue the Spirit of God for loue is the e Gal. 5.22 fruite of the Spirit and they who haue Gods f Rom. 8.9 Spirit are Christs 3. Because it will assure vs our faith is sound For g Gal. 5.6 faith is working and it works by loue 1 Thes 1.3 4. Because it will assure vs that h Ro. 8.28 all things shall worke together to good namely to the good of our saluation for so doe they doe to them that loue God 5. Because it will assure vs we are i 1 Cor. 8.3 knowne of God that is acknowledged of him for his owne for so are they that loue God 6. Because the Loue of God will assure vs of the crowne k Iam. 1.12 2 5. of life and the kingdome of heauen for it is promised to them that loue God 7. Because it will assure vs we l 1 Ioh. 4.7 are borne of God and are his children yea that wee m 1 Ioh. 4.19 dwell in God
onely dispose them thereunto and vnto faith which doth set men therein and therfore haue I not mentioned them here because it is possible for a man to haue these and yet not dye in the state of grace if hee dy before he haue faith in Christ and the other bee wrought in him and therefore can you not assure your selues that you dy in Gods fauour if you stay here and haue not the other sixe There be also besides a beleife of the gospell and repentance for past sinnes some other graces that doe follow it as effects fruits thereof namely peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost and these also are helpes to preserue vs in the state of grace For that peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding and consequently the ioy of GOD Phil. 4.7 which is 1 Pet. 1.8 vnspeakable glorious doth keepe our hearts and minds in Christ But these graces imply comfort more then duty I had rather that Christians should endeauour to assure themselues they shall die in Gods fauour by graces that import duty then by them which import coÌ„fort least some Christians tender in conscience not finding the graces of comfort may therfore think they haue no grace nor are in the state of grace which is vsuaâ—l with such to thinke of theÌ„selues specially in affliction violence of temptation wheras indeed as long as the dutifull graces exercise themselues in them they may assure themselues they shall die in Gods fauour though they want the feeling of their ioyfull and comfortable graces for the time so they hunger for them lament after them and endeuour in the vse of the means to get them In like manner besides all the forenamed graces and holy gifts of the Spirit there be some vertuous actions and Christian duties Vertuous actions that will assure vs to dy in Gods fauor to which the godly are stirred vp continually by the Spirit and by the means of the six forenamed graces and by the constant conscionable practise whereof they may rather assure theÌ„selues they liue in Gods fauour consequently shall dye therein I will but only touch them Rom. 10.9 Heb 10.23 1. A zealous profession of the Gospel notwithstanding the slaunder and danger accompanying it Heb. 6.6 Ier. 50.4.5 6. 2 Reg. 23.3 2. Often renewing our couenant with God of new obedience by searching our hearts and liues for our sins and lamenting our back-slidings 3. Deuout intention of mind Psal 26.6.7.8.84 and instant affection of heart in Gods seruice and worship Col. 3.5 in all the points and kinds of it publike priuate or secret ordinary or extraordinary Matt. 5.24.50 4. Mortifying our sinful nature and lessoning our will and power to sinne by crossing our owne wills to the end we may doe Gods and denying to our selues the occasions and opportunities of our beloued sins 5. Growing in grace 2 Pet. 3.18 5.10 12 and increasing in the number and measure of our Christian vertues and holy graces 6. 1 Pet 5.7.8 A sober moderating of our affections about worldly profits pleasures and honors that our hearts be not set too much thereupon 7. 1 Cor 7.31 30.39 Diligent faithfulnesse and conscionablenesse according to Iustice and Equitie in doing our duty in our ordinary callings whether in Common-wealth 1 Cor. 7.24 Church Col. 3.18 â—â— 22. or Family But all these are the fruits and effects of the sixe forenamed graces they shew the soundnesse and sinceritie of them and therefore are necessarily implied in them and for as much as they are not habits or vertues themselues but actions of those vertues and graces and also for because the forenamed sixe with their vse and exercise are sufficient to assure vs that we shall die in Gods fauour therefore haue I forborne to speake of them at large as I haue done of the other six The rather because these sixe are sufficient to free vs from all euils sin affliction death hell and the deuill and to make vs partakers of all good things as grace peace glory and God himselfe But to draw towards an end We doe all owe God a death this debt is to be paid when God will demand it The Lord respects not therefore what need we stand on it in what coyn we pay our debt gold or siluer so it be his own stampe and bee weight with the allowance that is what need we be troubled what death we die Num. 23.1 so it bee the death of the rigtheous which God himselfe sends and not we our selues pull vpon our selues through our owne sins and so it be in the faith Heb. 11.13 with trust and confidence for the allowance and acceptation of the death and obedience of Iesus Christ to our iustification for what euer our death be wee shall be happy in it Be it ordinary or extraordinary of an Ague or the Plague in the bed or in the field in the Citie or in the Countrey a naturall or a violent death And thus much by occasion of your present Griefe Feare to pacifie the one and to satisfie the other and further to sanctifie sweeten theÌ„ both to your future edification by humiliation or consolation in Iesus Christ Of these Meditations which God by his Spirit hath ministred vnto mee I may say as Physicians do of their medicines Probatum est that is They haue been proued and approued by the seruants of GOD of whoÌ„ we read in the Word out of which they are taken by and my Selfe in this present Visitation of my seruants children louing Assistant whom the Lord hath taken to rest from his labours in his Vineyard betimes Math. 20.12 and hath giuen him his wages for his worke as it were but one houre therein Matt. 20.12 What remaines but that as I haue made the potion and sent it so you take and apply it And because I haue taken paines to write these Meditation for you that therefore you will take care to read peruse them to ponder and consider of them seriously for your selues and your own good to confer the points with the proofs and to compare your selues with the points that you may receiue further direction and instruction according as the nature of the seuerall points shall lead you and your particular need require To the end you may by laying your selues to the Rule find iuster cause of humiliation in your selues or of consolation in Iesus Christ If you shall lay them close to your hearts I doubt not but as they haue ministred comfort and content to vs for which wee praise our good God so will they vnto you by his blessing For which I will not cease to pray But before I end I would take my leaue of you by saying one thing more vnto you according as your houses haue beene cleare all this while or visited and your selues sound or infected and that which I will say shall
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
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