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
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.
therefore in these two respects in this mortalitie walke before GOD with Feare Faith With Feare because by sin we are subiect to the infection for it is iust with God that we who doe corrupt one anothers soules with the euâ—ll example of our words and workes vnto sin should also infect one anothers bodies with the contagion of this disease vnto punishment and let vs walke with Faith because he can countermaund and restraine it And thus much for my Instructions concerning your feare of the plague namely how farre you may feare it and how far you may not The directions concerning this your feare doe follow My directions touching your feare of the plague shall be giuen in two particulars 1. I will direct you how you may preserue your selues from being infected with the plague 2. I will direct you how you may keep your selues from dying of the plague thogh you be infected with it this wil I do not as a friend by requesting you to bee wary into what house or company you come which I need not doe Nor as a Physician by prescribing vnto you some rare preseruatiues which I cannot do but as a Minister and Preacher of the Gospel by giuing you some good counsel from the Word of God which being followed wil by Gods blessing bee better for these endes if the Lord see it good for his glory and our saluation then all the Bâ—ezâ—rs stone Vnicorns horne or Mithâ—idate in the world Sixe meanes to preuâ—nt the infecti n of the plagu For the first The means to preuent the plague are in number six and they are of two kindes 1. Such as concerne God 2. Such as concerne our selues The meanes which concerne God are three The first meanes to preuent the plague which concernes God is Faith that is trust or confidence in God whereby we rest and rely on his power goodnes for protection and not on the broken reeds of any outward meanes as good ayre refraining company shift of roomes and varietie of perfumes much lesse on any exorcised preseruatiues enchanted Tablets or Amulâ—ts to weare about our necks for that end To trust in God In whom we liue moue Act 17.28 and haue our being is to make him our rocke and our sortresse And because the righteous man makes the Lord his refuge and the most high his habitation therefore there shal none euill befall him Psa 91.9.10.11 neither shall the plague come nigh his dwelling for he shall giue his Angels charge ouer him to keepe him in all his wayes For by this faith or relying on God the Israelites when they had no power in theÌ„selues ouercame their enemies the Hagarites and for want of this faith 1 Chro. 5.20 or trusting in God his wrath fell vpon them Psal 78.21 The second The second means which concernes God is seeking his face and fauor his mercy and his loue wherby his anger may be appeased towardes vs and his displeasure remoued which prouokes him to send his pestilence among vs. To this seeking of Gods face 2 Chron. 7.14 wee are directed by the Spirit of God in the Word and vnto this is promised likewise a blessing For to haue the Lord to lift vp the light of his countenance vpon vs Psal 4.8 is better then all the contents of worldlings yea better then life it selfe The Lord saith to vs seeke yee my face Psal 27 8. and wee must say to to him Thy face Lord wil we seeke yea wee must seeke it before health or life For if we enioy his fauour we are happy though we were infected vnto death and if we want this we are accursed though wee should neuer bee smitten or die of the plague The third meanes to preuent the plague The third which concernes God is feruent and faithfull prayer to God in the name of Christ according to his will 2. Chron. 7.14 This is likewise commanded in the Word for this end and to this is annexed a promise to encourage vs to the practise thereof By praier Moses preuented the plague froÌ„ falling generally on all the Israelites when some of them dyed by the plague before the Lord. Numb 14.20.37.38 1. Cor. 10.10 And by prayer Moses preueÌ„ted another great plague and vtter destruction from falling on the Israelites did therby as it were bind the hands of the Lord that hee could not smite them Exod. 32. for the Lord said Vers 10.11 Let me alone that my wrath may waxe hot against them and that I may consume them Vers 14 And vpon this prayer the Lord repented him of the euill which hee thought to doe vnto his people The meanes which concerne our selues and which are good to preuent the plague from smiting vs are likewise three but they are of two sorts 1. Some which concerne our sins and disobedience 2. Some which concernes our dutie and obedience Those which concerne our sins are two The first meanes to preuent the plague which concernes our selues and our sinnes The fourth is humbling our selues in soule and body before the Lord in a free confession of our sins and acknowledgement of our worthinesse to be smitten by it This humiliation was commaunded by the Lord to the people of Israel and consequently to vs in them in the like case 2 Chr. 7.14 and to it also is promised a blessing 1 Chro. 21 15.16.17 2 Sam. 24.17 This Dauid and the Elders of Israel did being clothed in sackcloth and falling on their faces And by this they preuented the stroke of the Angel when hee stood betwixt the earth and heauen hauing a drawne sword in his hand stretched out ouer Ierusalem namely to destroy it also by the plague as other parts of the Countrey had euen then beene Amo 4.22 By this humiliation wee meet God to pacifie his anger as Iacob did his brother Esau and by this wee hide our selues from the punishing hand of God Gen. 32. Pro. 22.3 when we see it comming towards vs. By this Iosiah and the Niniuites preuented the execution of GODS iudgements threatned 1 Chro. 34.28 Ionah 3. The second means which concernes our sins The fift and is effectual for the preuenting of the plague is zeale against sin in our selues and others for God and his sake Num. 25.11.12 This zeale against sin is to be shewed by vs either as Magistrates vpon Malefactors notorious ones especially Psal 106.30 for by this Phinias stayed the plague when foure twentie thousand had dyed thereof Or as Ministers or Masters of Families by rebuking correcting sin in our people seruants and children Or as Christians 1 Cor. 11.31 2 cor 7.11 by iudging our selues taking reuenge on our selues And this wee doe when wee deny to our sinfull senses the allurements and contents of sin which is to plucke out the right eye Mat. 23.19 and to cut off our right hand
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
to their saluation Make an end of the tryall wee pray thee of other Churches by the sword famine or any other iudgmeÌ„t and continue to ours the peace of the Gospel the Gospel of peace preseruing all Estates and degrees amongst vs in Church and Common-wealth from this other plagues if it be thy blessed will to execute iustice and to shew mercy for the taking away of this and the turning away of other heauy iudgements Be thou exalted Lord in thine owne strength so will we sing and praise thy power Psa 21.16 VI. Professing our amendment vpon our remouall of the Plague For we doe not desire O Lord our God to haue the plague of our sicknes taken away from amongst vs that the plague of our sinnes may remaine within vs nor that thou shouldest turne thy heauie hand from vs that wee might returne to our former wickednes for the time past of our life is sufficient and to much to haue liued therein 1. Pet. 4.3 If thus againe we should breake thy commandements Ezera 9.14 wouldst thou not be angrie with vs till thou hadst consumed vs but wee beg this further favour of thee not to die Psa 118.17 but to liue to declare thy works and to praise thy name Ier. 50.4.5 For this end with mourning and weeping for our former many and greiuous sinnes wee come vnto thee and seeke thee and will ioyne our selues vnto thee in a perpetuall couenant neuer to be forgotten Wee will make a couenant befâ—â—e thee our God to walke after thee to keepe thy coÌ„mandements thy statutes and thy testimonies with all our hearts and with all our soules nnd to performe the words of the couenant 2 Reg. 23.3 and to stand vnto it wee will make a sure couenant write it and seale vnto it Neh. 9.38 yea wee will enter into a curse and into an oath to walee in Gods lawe Neh. 10.29 and to obserue and to do all the commandemnts of the Lord our God that we may ty our loose harts to the obedience of thy holy wil for euer And let our houses which thou hast visited or kept cleare from this contagion and let our bodies which thou hast healed or preserued from infection and let our soules which thou hast humbled comforted in any measure by and vnder this visitation beare witnes to our sincerity in making this holy vow and couenant with thee Let them bee a continuall remembrance to put vs in minde of often renewing it before thee and let them bee as a threefold cord not easily broken faster to binde vs to the keeping of this oath couenant with thee for euer And now O Lord our God since thou hast by thy Spirit put into our hearts this desire to giue thee thanks directed vs to this means of manifesting our thankfulnes we humbly beseech thee keepe it for euer in the thoughts and imaginations of the hearts of thy people 1 Chr. 29 15. and set our hearts vnto thee And giue vs such a heart that wee may feare thee keepe thy commandements alwayes Deu. 5.29 that it may bee well with vs and with our children for euer so wee thy people and sheepe of thy pasture will giue thee praise for euer will alwayes bee setting forth thy praise from generation to generation Amen Now vnto the King immortall inuisible and onely true God most mighty wise faithfull and true patient and pittifull gracious mercifull infinite in all perfection The Father of mercy in The Sonne of peace through The Holy Spirit of coÌ„fort be yeelded and giuen for all our former and later deliuerances in this or any other kind and namely for the present staying of the Plague happily in great measure already begun and continued and hopefully in the end to be perfected accomplished From our beliefe trust our loue and feare our hope and ioy our patience obedience with our bodies and soule by our thoughts words works in our liues and deaths all honour and glory and all praise thanks from this time forth and for euer Ps 106.48 And let all the people say AMEN FINIS