A Perfume against the noysome Pestilence prescribed by Moses vnto Aaron Num. 16. 46. Written by Roger Fenton Preacher of Grayes Inne ¶ Imprinted at London by R. R. for William Aspley 1603. To the Christian Reader THese times of Gods visitation doe begge that at my hands which otherwise in this writing age might very well haue bin spared the publishing of some few Meditations concerning the times for the instruction and comfort of such as shall now stand in need of the same And albeit it seemeth to me a matter of great difficultie to prescribe formes of priuate prayer for others since I haue not the scantling of any ones affection but mine owne yet because this Treatise promiseth somewhat in that kinde I haue annexed three supplications which if they may fit thy deuotion gentle reader I shall be right glad If not I wish thee that which may togither with all spirituall comfort in life and death to the glorie of God in Christ Iesus our Lord R. F. August 9. 1603. A Perfume against the noisome Pestilence prescribed by Moses vnto Aaron Num. 16. 46. Take the Censer and put fire therein of the Altar put Incense thereon and go quickly to the congregation and make an atonement for them for there is vvrath gone out from the Lord. The plague is begun THis plague as it is a generall iudgment zeasing vpon all sorts and sparing none so it is inflicted for a generall sin as appeareth by the remedie in that the atonement is made for the whole congregation And who must make the atonement but Aaron himselfe the party offended aduised by Moses against whom also all the multitude of the children of Israel murmured and made insurrection verse 41. 42. This atonement is prescribed by Moses and put in execution by Aaron after this maner 1 He taketh the Censer a hallowed vessell for that purpose kept in the holiest place of the Tabernacle Heb. 9. 4. 2. He put fire therein to dissolue the odours not common fire but taken from the Altar where it burned continually to signifie how ready God is to answer vs by fire and to accept our deuotions if we be not slack in bringing of them 3. He putteth Incense thereon Incense compounded of sweet Spices to wit Myrrhe cleare Gumme Galbandum Exod. 30. 34. and pure Frankincense composed after the Arte of the Apothecarie brused and beaten to powder to make a more fragrant smell This is the atonement which must bee made with expedition because wrath is gone out from the Lord therefore there is no delaying and to proue that wrath is gone out he vseth a sensible demonstration in that the plague is begun Of which context that we may so dispose as may be most easie for our vnderstanding we propound in the first place the iudgement it selfe which now beginneth to bee made sensible vnto vs Secondly we enquire of the cause thereof and how it begunne in that wrath is gone out from the Lord. In the third place we adde the remedie the atonement made according to the prescript of Moses Take the Censer c. 1. The word which commonly is vsed in Scripture for the pestilence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leuit. 16. 25. Num. 14. 12. Deut. 28. 21. 2. Sam. 24 13. is deriued from a verbe that signifieth to speake as some thinke because where it is euery one speaketh of it enquireth after it how it encreaseth what remedies there be for it what preseruatiues against it what be the symptomes qualities of it wherfore since it is a thing so well knowne as euery one is able to discourse of it I shall need to speake the lesse Onely thus much in a word since we haue so long hardened our harts against the voice of God speaking vnto vs it seemeth now that hee will indeede speake with vs in a iudgement so quick that vnlesse some speedie atonement be made with all expedition hee is but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worde and a blow that since we would not heare him we shall now feele him for the word which Moses here vseth properly translated Plague signifieth Smiting and such a smiting as is fearefull and terrible for impenitent sinners to thinke vpon Fearfull because it brings death with it and without repentance a second death Fearefull in regarde of the terrours which accompany the same for which cause Dauid calleth it The Pestilence Psal 91. 5 that walketh in the darkenesse taking vs vnawares when we cannot see to auoide it causing such wofull lamentations of distressed soules that perish for want of succour such dolefull griping and towling of Bels as would make a sluggard watchfull or a sound man sicke to heare Fearfull for the noysomnesse of it which depriueth men of the comforte of that friendly and neighbour-like visitation which otherwise they might enioy Fearefull because it strikes suddenly which made Aaron make such hast disappointing vs thereby of many blessings which a deliberate death would endowe vs withall for the perfitting of our repentance for the better triall and exercise of our faith and patience for the blessing of our posteritie and the more effectuall enforming of others by the last words which make the deepest impression for the libertie of our minds in setting our houses in order making choise of the fittest soile where the last seed of charitie might be sowne Fearefull in regarde of the vniuersality of it spareing Luk. 16. 9 neither place nor person for as it is a sword pointing to 1. Sam. 24 ver 19. Psal 91. vers 5. the citie cutting neere hand so is it an arrow flying into the country and smiting a farre of And if any be so sencelesse as not to be mooued with this fearefull iudgement let them remember that Christ reckoneth this but amongst the beginnings of sorrow Math. 24. 8. Mat. 24. 8 signifying that God hath yet moe arrowes in his quiuer and greater vengeance in store to make an end of such wretches as make no vse of these beginnings 2. That the Plague is begun is a thing well knowne but how it begun is the question 1. Some take it to be a discommoditie brought ouer in our Marchants commodities from forreine countries 2. Others suppose it to be a consequent of drought and of that want of moisture which wee haue complained of so long 3. Some imagine it to be a matter of course whereas the elements gather infection continually more or lesse once in certaine yeares gathering to a head it must needes breake forth 4. Some take it to be an vnhappie coniunction of certaine Planets inflaming the ayre vnnaturally 5. Others conceaue that a huge concourse of people in some extremitie of heat and drought hath inflamed and corrupted the bloud and so it begun But the iudgement of Moses reacheth further in that he maketh it an effect of Gods wrath for whatsoeuer secondarie causes doe concurre herevnto certaine it is that the wrath of God is the principall
not in the power for any one to refuse it thogh through malitiousnesse they will not vouchsafe to accept any thing at our hands yea though they be set on mischiefe against Moses Aaron yet Aaron his Incense shall stay the plague that is begun amongst them But while we seriously reflect vpon our selues all that hath bin said will not comfort vs for we haue neither censer nor fire nor odours for the purpose Our harts which should be hallowed sanctified vessels for this holy action laid vp in the holy place of the tabernacle they are daily and hourely prophaned polluted by common vncleane vse Our fire the most of it is kindled either from the earth or a worse place for Sathan is euer casting his firebrands at vs or els blowing with the bellowes of one temtation or other and if we can beg any heauenly fire from the Altar we haue so many humerous affections as bee ready euermore to quench the same Our odours stinke the imaginations Gen. 5. 6. of our harts be only euill continually if good motions be inspired frō aboue there is such a damp of thoughts arising in our Luk. 24. 38. harts to meet with thē as must needs choake them Yea that excellent compound of prayer made by our Sauiour Christ himselfe for our vse if it once passe through our polluted lips we marre it in saving of it And to say the trueth our consciences doe accuse vs and our sinnes doe witnesse that we are the offendors who haue kindled this wrath of God against vs and shall wee now take our Censers and offer Incense so did Moses bid the rebellious people in the 17. verse of this Chapter Take euery one their Censer and put Incense Num. 16. 17. thereon before the Lorde two hundreth and fiftie Censers but this is the next waye to kindle the wrath of God more against vs to consume vs as it did them 35. verse It is true if we be obstinate in our rebellions but otherwaies though Aaron himselfe haue sinned yet we read that he may take the Censer as well for himselfe as for others and it shall be so accepted that the smoake of the Incense shall Leuit. 16. 13. couer the mercie Seat that is vpon the testimonie So he shall not dye And against all our infirmities and imperfections which can be alledged we are releeued aboundantly in the 8. of the Reuelation the 3. verse A◠Reuel 8. 3 Angell stood before the Altar hauing a golden Censer and much Odours was giuen vnto him that he should offer with the prayers of all Saints Our high Priest made not an end of praying for vs vpon the Crosse but as he is a Priest for euer so he prayeth for euer without end It is God that iustifieth Rom. 8. 34. who shall condemne it is Christ which is dead or rather risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request for vs and as we euer sinne so the Apostle saith He Heb. 7. 25 euer liueth to make intercession for vs. There he standeth before the Altar in the presence of his father with a golden Censer for his pretious body which hath bin so often tryed as golde in the fire of persecution is now glorified in the heauens which before was an earthen vessell In which censer there wanteth no fire for he hath caried al his affections bowels of cōpassion with him into heauen neither may we thinke that he carieth lesse zeale or loue in his brest towardes mankinde now sitting in glory then bleeding in the gardē or dying vpon the crosse It was the effect of the theefe his petition Lord remēber Luk. 23. 42. me when thou cōmest into thy kingdom now in the midst of torment I know thou canst not forget vs since thou art partaker of the same misery with vs but wilt thou remēber me whē all is past and thou come into thy kingdom when thy body is glorified all teares wiped from thine eies shall not those pittifull affections be also wiped from thine hart no verily though he be ascended aboue the heauens stand behind the wall though the heauens be Cant. 2. 9. drawne like a Curtin or stand like a brazen wall betweene that we cannot behold our beloued with bodily eies yet euē now also doth he looke through the grate vpon vs with no lesse pittiful compassion then when hee hanged vpon the crosse for when that bloudie enemie Saul made a breache into his Church it affected him as much as if his owne person had been assaulted afresh Saul Saul why doest thou persecute me I am Iesus of Nazareth Acts. 9. 4. whome thou persecutest When the blessed martyr Steuen stood at the barre in great distresse then did he beholde our Sauiour standing at the right hand of his Father as Saint Iohn Act. 7. 55. Reu 8. 3. doeth here see him standing before the Altar who is wont to sit at the right hand of the maiestie in the highest places but when his Chucrh is troubled then doth hee stand vp and make intercession for the same such is his sympathie and compassion towards vs. Vpon this heauenly fire doth he powre sweete odours and offereth them to his Father togither with the prayers of Saints So then here is our comfort though our Censers be vncleane yet our prayers are offered in his golden Censer before they be presented vnto God and though they be in themselues neuer so vnworthy yet are they sweetned and perfumed by the sweete odours of Christ in whome there is more vertue to purifie and reforme them then is or can be corruption in our nature to infect them Therefore to conclude since we are not able of our selues as of our selues to 2. Cor. 3. 5. thinke a good thought let vs desire the holy spirit by his celestiall inspirations to raise holie desires in vs and since those desires when they are at the holyest must needes smell of the caske let vs humbly entreate our Sauiour Christ to take them out of our naughtie vessels and offer them in his golden Censer to perfume them with his sweete odours to present them in his owne name for vs so shall they be a sweete sauour vnto God the Father to whome with his beloued Sonne and blessed spirit what euer become of vs be giuen all glorie powre and dominion world without ende Amen A Prayer for this time of visitation O Eternall and euer-liuing God Creatour and disposer of all things in heauen earth wee thy poore creatures bound in dutie to giue thee humble thankes for that great benefite of our creation whereby thou didst raise vs out of the dust aboue other creatures to bee made conformable to thine owne selfe doe acknowledge here before thy deuine and vnspotted Maiestie to our shame and confusion that by our owne onely default wee haue vtterly depriued our selues not onely of the comfort of that most
which being kindled and sent forth doth fire the rest and set them all a working He is purblind as the Apostle speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Pet. 1. 9 and cannot see a farre off who looketh onely vpon inferiour causes for if the cause of this infection were elementary why must holy fire be taken from the Altar fire out of the chimney would purifie that perfume the ayre as well as any it must be celestiall fire which argueth that the principall cause is supernall The wrath of God once kindled is terrible when Dauid did but thinke of it it put him into a passion like men who astonished halfe frighted vse to blesse themselues Psal 2. 12. If his wrath be kindled Psal 2. 12 yea but a little blessed are all they that trust in him T is like Gun powder which bloweth vp whole familes before they liue out halfe their dayes But much more terrible is it when wrath thus kindled is gone out from the Lord as in this place where the plague is begun for long it is before it goe forth therefore when it is once out a harder matter to driue it backe againe It hath a time to kindle and a long time for God is slowe to anger After it is kindled in the breast it hath a time to breake forth in words and threats for Hee speaketh vnto vs in his anger before he vex vs in his sore displeasure Psal 2. 5 After many threatnings and warnings he hath a time to prepare himselfe to battell to whet his sword and bend his bow and make his arrowes ready Deut. 32. 23. 34. which are rustie and blunt and all out of order A time to open his storehouse and vnseale his treasuries where all his plagues instruments of death be horded vp hardly drawne from him he is more liberall of his blessing they come from him with lesse adoe for he neither sealeth them in his treasure nor locketh them in his chest nor keepeth them in his bosome but carieth them in his hands It is the opening of his hands and all things liuing are Psal 145. 16. filled with plenteousnesse Doubtlesse then it is no small matter that hath kindled the wrath of God against vs no cordes of vanitie but some Cart-ropes of iniquitie which pull downe this iudgement from him Which thing appeareth as well by the nature of the remedie here prescribed as by the qualitie of the iudgement inflicted Here is Incense to perfume and sweeten therefore somewhat there is which stincketh in the nosthrils of the Almightie in that Aaron must dissolue such sweete Odoures for the atonement Secondly the noisomnesse of the Pestilence noteth the cause thereof to bee some loathsome abhominations which causeth God to turne the light of his countenance from vs as we turne our faces from persons and places infected 1. Whether it be therfore our prophanenesse and neglect of Gods seruice which Moses thought sufficient to cause God to meete vs with the pestilence Exod. 5. 3. 2. Or whether it be our hipocriticall worship of God dissembling with him in our hearts as the Isralites did for which they should dye of the Pestilence Iero. 42. â—0 vlt. 1. 3. Or whether it be our light accoumpt of the sacrament and the vnworthy receiuing thereof which caused such a mortalitie amongst the Corinthians 1. Cor. 11. 30. 4. Or whether our ouermuch confidence in secondary causes in that God of his mercie hath laid the corner stone and vnited kingdomes together make vs to number the people as Dauid did and secure our selues in the strength thereof which causeth God by this kinde of iudgement to substract as fast as we multiplie from Dan to Bersheba 5. Or whether our stubbernesse in not making vse of former visitations hath brought greater vpon vs as vpon the Israelites in Amos. 4. for God hath proceeded in the same order with vs as with them First sending vs famine as ver 6. after that drought wherof we haue long complained as vers 7. thirdly want of fruite this last yeare as vers 9. and now the Pestilence verse 10. and if for all this we will not turne vnto him there remaineth worse behinde warre and the ouerthrowe of Sodom verse 11. 6. Or whether the toleration of such vncleane and notorious harlots as keepe about this place haue infected the Citie for the Plague ceaseth not in Israel till Phineas had done iudgement vpon those adulterous persons Num. 25. 8. Vnto which you may adde those wanton attyres and vnseemelie fashions wherein our women disguise themselues whose ornaments do beautifie their Aegyptian Temples not Temples of the holy Ghost but where some Crocodile or poysenfull serpent doth inhabite whose gallant bushes of such curious and costlie haire doe hang out to testifie that their Wine is of the Vine of Sodome and Grapes of Gomorah commonly solde at the signe of the Painted face and naked brest These creatures when they thinke themselues most sweete and fine then be they most loathsome and vgly in the sight of God and honest men 7. Or whether some treacherous conspiracie plotted and intended by some murmuring male-contents for insurrection against Moses and Aaron to the great perill or ouerthrow of Church or common-wealth as it was in this place verse 41. 8. Or whether the blasphemies of affected Atheists hath poysoned our ayre for while they be suffered to breath in a Christian common-wealth they must needs infect vs since in the iudgement of a Heathen Prince to blaspheme the true God was accompted most filthie abhomination insomuch as he decreed their houses to bee made a Iakes who spake anye plasphemie against the God of Shadracke Meshake and Abedmago Dan. 3. 29. Whether these or all these togither certes some loathsome and abhominable sinnes they be which haue brought so noysome a iudgement amongst vs which must be perfumed by the incense of sweet odours 3. And what is Aaron that he should make an atonement for so great matters a sinfull man like one of vs. He was but a shadow the true Priest is the sonne of God our blessed Sauiour by whose onely vertue the atonement made euen by Aaron himselfe was made acceptable vnto God 1. First this Priest of the High God in the fulnesse of time tooke the Censer when he assumed our humane nature into the personall vnion of his deitie when he hallowed and sanctified that earthen vessell to offer Incense therein vnto his Father 2. He put fire in this Censer not sparingly but in such quantitie as he had like to haue burnt vp Censer and all Iohn 2. 17. The zeale of thine house Ioh. 2. 17. hath consumed me That feruent affection also which he carryed to mankinde was fire enough to dissolue Odours for a thousand worldes It hath beene obserued that as the Sonne of God when hee became man made choise of the worthier sex that such a sacrifice might be without the least note of imperfection so one the
other side did he vouchsafe to be conceaued of a woman without a Father that hee might suck from her such tendernesse of affection as that sex could deriue vpon him And yet he receiued more then she could giue forsomuch as her nature was sinfull and sinne doth naturally harden the hart and dull the affection Christ therefore who receiued all but sinne must needes haue his loue and affection much more quickned towardes man for whose sake it pleased him to bee humbled with such passions 3. Humaine affection is feruent for the time but vnconstant like earthly fire sometimes in and sometimes out Peter his loue was hotte enough when hee would dye with Christ but it would not holde but Christ hath kindled his affection from the Altar from a perpetual fire which neuer went out Humane loue sauoureth of the earth bee it neuer so pure except the holy Ghost doe sanctifie it from aboue Peter spake from loue and from an harty kinde affection to his maister I make no doubt willing him to fauour himselfe that such miseries might not befall him but his loue was not taken from the Altar it seemeth by Christ his answer to haue beene kindled from hell rather get thee behind me Sathan But Christ in whom the holy Ghost dwelleth bodily is full of celestiall fire 4. Wherevpon he putteth Incense offering vp prayer vnto his Father an atonement for his whole Church Incense compounded of sweete Odours artificially compounded of such deuine meditations as are recorded in the 17. chapter of Saint John in that excellent prayer made by Christ for the entire mysticall body himselfe and his members These spices were brused broken beaten to powder to the end they might send vp a more odoriferous smell into the nosthrils of his heauenly Father Were not the thoughts of his heart broken when lamenting ouer Hierusalem in this maner If Luk. 19. 42. thou haddest knowne at the least in this thy day those things which belong vnto thy peace there commeth a sob and cutteth away the rest of the sentence and as if his minde were broken in the midst betwixt compassion and indignation hee concludeth but now are they hid from thine eyes Were not his deuine Meditations interrupted and sore brused when hee stood in a mammering what to say backward and forward when hee saith and againe vnsaith How is my Iohn 12. 27. soule troubled what shall I say Father saue me from this houre but therefore came I into this houre Father glorifie thy name Nay were not the passions of his heart beaten to powder in that bitter agonie and bloudie conflict where he striueth till he sweate and sweateth till he bleed so brused and broken in hart that an Angell must comfort the Lord of life 5. This sweete Incense is an atonement to his Father but for whome for the congregation of men who murmured conspired and made insurrection against him for his enemies and bloudie persecutors Yea the first Incense of prayer which he offered vpon the crosse was for those who nailed him to the crosse Father forgiue them for they wotte not Luk. 23. 34. what they doe and not for them onely but for all mankinde was this atonement made who pierced the eternall God before he had a side to pierce Zacher 12. 10. and Zak 12. 10. because wee cannot conceiue how our sinne should pierce a spirit or our ill dooing extend vnto God more then our well dooing Psal 16. 2. Therefore Psal 16. 2 God is incarnate and hath taken our flesh vpon him that man might conceaue and see and looke vpon him whom he hath pierced Notwithstanding this atonement made once for all yet we see wrath is gone out from the Lord and the plague is begun amongst vs Aaron with his Censer and all the ceremonies of the Leuiticall Priesthood be vanished what remedy remaineth then for vs Much euery waye for albeit the Aaronicall Priesthood be taken away and the true Priest ascended vp on high out of sight yet notwithstanding by vertue of his mediation there is a continuall entercourse betweene the Throne of God his Church militant here vpon earth for his heauenly inspirations and our holye desires are as so many ascending and descending Angels of commerce betweene God and vs And as teaching bringeth vs to know the truth of God so prayer testifieth that wee acknowledge his Goodnesse to be the onely fountaine of all blessings wherefore as there is nothing to which God is more prone and inclinable then to communicate his goodnesse insomuch as the Prophet saith he doth expect and waite that he may haue mercy so there is Esa 30. 18 no part of our seruice can be more acceptable vnto God then this of prayer which drawing mercie from him sheweth so happy a concurrence betweene his will and our wishes It is with our gratious and mercifull Father in this case as with a full breast which aketh for desire to giue Milke then welcome is the hungrie childe that can sucke the best This dutie lieth principallie vpon the Ministers of the Gospell who as publique persons doe stand and speake in the presence of God for the people for as it was enioyned Aaron and his sonnes to blesse the people in the name of God and to offer prayers vnto God in the name of the people so was the same practised in the Primatiue Church as Saint Paul witnesseth by the Minister of this function 1. Cor. 14 16. whose Prayers and thankesgiuings the people by their ioyfull acclamation did ratifie Wherefore the Archeministers of the Gospell the Acts. 6. 3. twelue Apostles seperating others for other imployments reserued themselues wholye for Prayer and the Ministerie Verse 4. of the worde conioyning those two ghostlye exercises together as if they whose care and charge ouer the people is manifolde more then common persons should haue a double portion in this dutie of Prayer for the people which verye dutye imposed vppon them is a speciall seale and confirmation that the selfe same deuine loue which hath made choise of the instrument will thereby effect his good worke in blessing his people and accepting their prayers and vnfained deuotions but so much the rather if the Minister himselfe doe lift vp pure hands in prayer 1. Tim. 2. 8. Wherefore our great desire is that as wee for the people so they for vs would pray with Dauid Let thy Priests O Lorde be cloathed with righteousnesse Psal 132. 9. so shall thy Saints reioyce and sing Which oblation that it may be the more effectuall and acceptable vnto God for externall incense we must take vnto vs the Censer of the Sacrament those hallowed mysteries which represent and exhibite vnto vs the precious body of our blessed Sauiour which neuer commeth emptie of heauenly fire taken from the Altar for it is Ioh 6. 63 the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing Whereby our odours of deuotion being perfectly kindled and
dissolued our Incense shall ascend euen as pillers of smoake in his presence and couer the mercie seate Yet for all this let the people take heed how by conferring the burthen of this dutie vpon the Minister they doe any way seeke to exonerate or ease themselues for concerning the spirituall function of offering this Incense of prayer we are all of vs Priests at large A chosen generation and â— Pet. â— â— Reu. â— 10 royall Priest hood ordained and made Priests vnto God by the Lambe which now sitteth vpon the Throne 1. Let euery one therefore bring his Censer that is his hart vnto the Lord a hallowed sanctified vessell for this purpose to offer vp incense of praier vnto God a vessell laid vp in the holy of holies in the heauenly tabernacle where Christ Heb â—â— Coâ—o 3. 2 sitteth at the right haÌ„d of God 2. Let him put fire in the ceÌ„ser the fire of zeale that he may be feruent in Prayer for the wrath of God waxeth hot and our high Priest hath taught vs by his own exaÌ„ple in his agony wheÌ„ the hand of God is vpoÌ„ vs Luk. 22. â—â— then to pray more earnestly 3. But alas we knowe not what nor how to pray happily we shall pray for life because that is sweet vnto vs or for our houshold and friends for that they are deere vnto vs or some such like petitioÌ„ which flesh blood in this case shall reueale vnto vs neither do we know in these extremities how to limit our praiers according to the wil of our heauenly father neither will our earthly fire of carnall zeale carye the smoake of our incense high inough to couer the Luk. 16. 13 mercy seat besides euery blast of winde euery idle wandring cogitation wil be ready to disperce it into the ayre before euer it come neere the clouds wherefore we must beg some holy fire froÌ„ the Altar desire God with Dauid that he wold direct our prayers in his sight like Incense that they might ascend directly without interruption whereof assurance is made by the Apostle Rom. 8. 20. The spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to may as we ought but the spirit it selfe maketh â—ouâ—d to God for vâ— with 〈…〉 to be expressed 4 Vpon this holy fire must we put incence that is powre out our soules before God and our prayers in his presence not casting forth vnâ—â—uerently before his throne our soâ—d affection or what euer our hart lusteth nor presenting before such a maiestie whatsoeuer our foolish conceite doth suggest for the present but our incense must be compounded or sweete odours and artificially made after the skill of the Apothecary Choise and select Meditations are to be prouided by mature premeditation composed according to the praescript of our Lorde and master who hath not onely giuen vâ— generall directions and rules of supplication but also framed for vs a generall summe an exact forme and most perfit patterne of all prayer These Odours must bee brused or beaten to powder A sacrifice of God 〈◊〉 a troubled spirit a contrite and broken hart Psal â—â— 17. O God wilt not thou despise It is no small griefe which breakes the hart no sleight humiliation which brings vs to dust and powder We say we are sorrie for our sinnes but we cannot weepe sorrie but we eate and drinke neuer the lesse we sigh and say our prayers and by and by as cheerefull and light harted as euer before These sudden qualmes be farre from that humiliation and contrition which the Scripture calleth the breaking and the â—enting of Ioel. â— 13 the heart for can we perswade our selues it is no greater torment Gal â— 24 Rom. â— 29. then so to haue our flesh mortified yea and crucified or can we assure our consciences that we doe indeed circumcise the foreskin of our harts vnlesse we feele them bleed within vs God prophesied by Zacherie of true penitents that after they had looked vpon him whom they had pierced and duly considered how their sinnes had offended the Almightie they should lament for him as one mourneth for his onely sonne and Zach 12. 10. great reason that as our sinnes had pierced him so sorrow for sinne should pierce vs as we caused him to giue his son his onely sonne vnto death for vs so our mourning should not be slight superficiall but as one mourneth for his onely sonne To the end our incense may be beaten smaller our Sauiour Christ hath commanded vs to ioine praier with fasting which maketh our Incense both to asceÌ„d higher to smel sweeter for 〈◊〉 doth not only eleuate the minde in deuine meditation which was the effect of Moses his fast in the mount but in depriuing our flesh of her ordinary food we do worke reueÌ„ge vpoÌ„ our selues for offending such a gratious God and withall giue vnfained testimonie that our selues we coÌ„demne as the only causes of our own misery Thus displeasing our selues we our incense are more pleasing vnto God iudging condemning our selues we shall not be iudged 2. Cor 7. 1â— reueÌ„ging our selues vpoÌ„ our selues we shall preuent the greater iudgment of God If publike fasts vpon the occasion of this generall visitation should appeare manifestly by the rules of Phisicke not to stand with safetie of some weaklings in a time of infection then let them performe it priuatly that our Father which seeth them in secret may releeue them openlie For albeit our gratious God in regarde of our feares and infirmities doth dispense with the maner of his worship in some cases as he dispensed with Dauid who should haue gone to Gibeon to aske counsel of God but onely that he was afraide of the sworde of the Angell â— Chro. â—â— 30. â— Thes 5. 27. of the Lorde yet for the substance of his worship we are neuer dispensed withall If we should seriously thinke of these things and practise vpon our selues to purpose wee should not onely preuent the Prophet his complaint that wee hang downe our heads like a Esa â—â— â— Bull-rush which boweth in a storme and after standeth pricke vp as before but wee should finde such alteration in our selues as wee should haue small list to commit the same sinnes againe Yea the very remembrance of them would make vs to loue our selues the worse while we liued 5. And as for prayer all times are conuenient so is it a generall dutie to be performed for all persons for the whole congregation of what condition soeuer Let prayers be made for all men for Kings and for all 1. Tim. 2. 1. that be in authoritie for our enimies and them that rise vp against vs as in this place against Aaron for as prayer is a benefit which none so poore but is able to bestow so there is none so rich but standeth in need of it and againe as it is in the powre of euery one to giue so is it