the increasing of this spirituall infection yet notwithstanding reiected this his counsaile and followed his owne humor and therefore smarted for it for this spirituall Kings euill hath produced the corporal Plague wherewith the whole body of Israel hath been infected from DAN to Bershebah In the effect of the Kings sicknesse three things are to be obserued First it is propounded Secondly chosen The diuision of the second part thirdly sent propounded by the Prophet ChoseÌ„ by the King sent by the Lord. In the proposition note the persons propounding and the thing propouÌ„ded The persons propouÌ„ding two in nuÌ„ber First the principall 1 The proposition the Lord secondly â—he instrumentall the Prophet GAD who accorâ—ing to the wise Phisition produceth not his own â—easons but the saying of the Lord the supreme â—hisition So saith the Lord The thing propounâ—ed is a trinitie of punishments Two of them are â—uch fellowe-like companions that the Graecians â—istinguish them but by one letter calling the Plague 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the famine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Triniâ—ie may bee reduced vnto a double dichotomie The first Famine or the sword and that either the sword of man which is hostile persecution or the sword of an Angell which is the pestilence The â—econd is DAVIDS dichotomie which he maketh â—imselfe distinguishing them in two sortes the â—irst is a fall into the enemies hands The other two 〈◊〉 fall into God his hands Iustly thou sufferest ô â—onne of ADAM this trinitie of punishments for the â—hree sortes of sins which are to be found in thee â—he sinne of thought word and deede The Lord â—â—ghteth against thee by the hand of man 2 The Kings choâ—se because â—hou fightst against him by the hand of sinne â—carcity of bread there is sometimes in the land â—ecause scarcity of good workes in thee is often â—o bee found the infection of the Plague doth â—nnoy thee in thy bodie because the infection â—f sinne hath raigned in thy soule In the second â—ember of the second parte obserue First the Kings choyce secondly the reason of his choice â—n the choyce behold the Kings three vertues his wisdome charitie pollicy his pollicy ayming at the Churches enriching his charitie ayming at the easinesse of death thirdly his wisdome which appeareth in three things for which hiâ— choice was better than either famine or persecution if we respect first the persoÌ„ of God secondly the kings thirdly his subjects If the persoÌ„ of God his glorie by this kinde of punishment is betteâ— aduanced and that two manner of waies First in regard of the faithful people of God secondly of the infidels and enemies of God By the faithfull it is aduanced in two things making them to looke aboue beneath aboue acknowledging the mighty hand of God beneath the weaknesse and impotencie of man And taketh away a double coÌ„fidence first in our selues secondly iâ— others In regard of his owne person he chooseth one first that was just and reasonable secondly easiest thirdly best for his soule fourthly one thaâ— sheweth his charity to his people In regarde oâ— his subjects it was the best first for their soules secondly for their bodies that either in regard of the paine or of their good name thirdly foâ— the common-weale fourthly for the Church The amplifycations of these I leaue to the meditations of the Readers and come to the reason oâ— the Kings choise For thy mercie is great I will noâ— dilate euery particular The reason of his choise If you desire a large commentarie vpon the kings reason Read the Kingâ— Psalmes and in particular the 103. Psal Which vse as the best interpretour vpon it DAVID vttereth this reason by a double experience of the mercie of God and of the cruelty of man of the latter he hath also had a double experience hauing felt the crueltie and vnkindnes of the father and of the sonne of the Father in SAVL of the sonne either in IBOSHETH or ABSOLON I omit to shew vnto you beloued the difference betwixt the merciful hand of God and the vnmercifull hand of man And I appeale to those kingdomes Prouinces and cities which haue felt this trinitie of punishments propounded vnto DAVID to aske of them whither it be better to fall into the hands of God or in the hands of man because many can answere by experience I will onely aske it of the Low-Countries in the name of all they may speake for they haue had the experieÌ„ce of DAVID haue also felt this trinity of punishmeÌ„ts famine pestilence hostile persecution And note this with me that with DAVID they haue felt the cruelty vnkindnes and barbarous vnmercifulnes of man â—n the father and in the sonne First in the father in that Spanish SAVL king PHILIP of late memorye haue not the Spanish handes destroyed their Cities burnt their Temples dispersed their inhabitants whereof we strangers in this your kingdome dispersed liuing in exile for the name of Christ Iesus are vnto you all eye-witnesse I will not amplifye the Spanish cruelty Horresco referrens Psal 129 onely I say that with DAVID they may speake From my youth of Israel may say they haue afflicted me secoÌ„dly in the Sonne in that Spanish ISBOSHETH what haue they not suffered since the death of the father by the barbarous handes of his gouernours let them now answere and I doubt not hauing DAVIDS experience that if DAVIDS choise were propounded vnto theÌ„ they would come to the resolution of DAVID Let vs fall into the hands of God not into the hands of men for thy mercies are great O Lord. 3 The executioÌ„ The third member of the first part is the execution in which I leaue to your meditations foure things First the effect of the Kings euill a Pestilence Secondly the outwarde cause of that disease the Lord thirdly the inward cause of it the sin of DAVID and of his subjects Fourthly the patits Israel As for the effect it was a diminutioÌ„ of people wherin obserue First the equity of punishmeÌ„t Secondly the trueth of that rule obserued by the Wise man Wisd cap. 11. 13. Wherwith a man sinneth by the same also shal he be punished Experience hereof obserue in the effect of the kings euil DAVID had sinned in the multitude of the people therfore DAVID is punished with adiminutioÌ„ of people The discription of the outward cause deliuereth two things The agent the instrumeÌ„t Iehouah his angel In the ageÌ„t note the outward cause of the pestilence The Phystions and Naturians out of the booke of nature render a double cause of the Plague an outward and an inward 1 The outwarde cause of the plaguâ— the one without man the other within man the one prima causa morbi the first cause of the disease the second proxima the next the one placed without in the infectioÌ„ of the ayre the other within in the corrupted humours of the body Let vs
scape the infection So this is the duety of the obedient subiects Pro. 18.10 going vnto the name of the Lord that strong towre to carry with them in their prayers their Princes and magistrates whom they are bound to loue as fathers that their soules may be preserued from the infection of sinne As there are no better Halbards and no trustier garde to preserue a King from bodily danger as an auncient father speaketh then the prayers of the righteous So I may saye that there is no better preseruatiue for the soule of the Prince to keepe it from the spirituall infection then the humble prayers of the louing subiects It is the Apostles precept that prayers 1. Tim. 2.1 supplications and intercessions should be made for Kings and for all that are in authoritie As a king for himselfe so praye thou for the king 2. Sa. 24 10 Take away O Lord the trespasse of thy seruant I conclude this poynt which concerneth kings and subiects with the prayer of a king fitte for a subiect Giue thy iudgements to the King O God and thy righteousnesse to the kings sonne psal 72.1 2 Dauid considered as a priuate person Secondly DAVID being considered as a priuate person a holy and a righteous soule a man after Gods owne heart and yet beholde infected with the plague of sinne taketh me as it were by the hande biddeth me tell you beloued that the holiest the most righteous the godlyest may get the spiritual infectiō sometime are taken with spirituall apoplexies 3. Doctrine Where is the Patriarke the Prophet the Apostle which hath not had the falling sicknesse Both the bad and the good get the corporal infection and so not onely the vessels of earth but vessels of the greatest honour in the great house of the Lord are sometimes polluted For as IEROME speaketh Nunquam ad perfectionem pertingemus nisi confecto stadio nostro we shall neuer attaine vnto perfectiō vntill we haue finished our race Magnum electionis vas perfectionem abnuit The great vessell of election PAVL himselfe denieth perfection saith BERNARD As there is no Pomegranate wherein there is not some kernel amisse as the prouerbe goeth So where is the Saint in whome there is no fault The Arke of couenant it selfe doeth Preach it for consisting ex lignis Sethim auro obducto Exod. 37 1.2 of a certaine Wood called Shitthim-wood ouer-couered with gold doeth signifie that the Church as long as shee is in the worlde shall neuer bee free from the Plague of sinne and yet that shee is purged and couered by the innocencie and golden perfection of Christ Iesus The righteous DAVID and the Holiest NOAH may bee compared vnto the ORANGE tree which beareth at one time ripe fruit greene Oranges and blossoms So the Christian fig-tree planted in the Lords Vineyard hath some imperfection And how canst thou deny this ô impure perfectist seeing man falleth as LACTANTIVS hath noted three waies In deedes in speeches in thoughts who can say I am cleane from sinne Pro. 20.9 Shew him me and I will praise him tell me where he is and I will honour him let me see him and I will worship him as a mortal God Is there a body without a blemish or a day without a cloude The Heathen POET could say Horace Nemo sine crimine viuit There be two false positions touching the corporall Plague which although many haue held to be true yet I haue founde false this yeere The first that an olde man can not get the Plague The seconde that he that feareth it not shall not lightly be infected As touching the spirituall Plague if any should hold these positions examples would prooue the contrary in old DAVID and ancient NOAH Old NOAH could preach that a floud should come and yet a second invndation preuailed against him and he became ouer-flowed with wine as the old world with water PETER would seeme the strongest to feare nothing and yet he shewed himselfe a weakling and got the Plague of Apostasie which remained in his soule till he was wakened by the allarum of a seely Cocke But I cease to report their falles least I seeme to take pleasure with vngratious CAM to vncouer the nakednesse of my fathers The vse you that stand learne by their ruines two things to auoyd presumption 1 To auoyde presumption to walke circumspectly First by their falles learne not to fa◠draw not on thee sin with the cart-ropes of examples take no aduantage at the ruins of Gods Saints countenance not your sins by the examples of those who healed them Alas pretious vessels they are but made of clay and shaped of the selfe-same mould whereof thou and all mankinde is fashioned Secondly learne prudence 2 To learne prudence If the spirituall Phisitions get this Plague how hardly shall the patients escape If the Cedars in Libaenon are throwne downe no maruaile if the lowe shrubs be shaken supplanted If ye are Prophets trust not the prerogatiue of your calling Prophets haue fallen Patriarches haue fallen Apostles haue fallen Starres Angels haue fallen Are you strong alas trust not to it it is infirmitie Thinkest thou to be pure ô perfectist alas trust not your purest and vprightest spirits whilest they haue their dwelling in houses of clay there is a lawe in the members striuing against them to get the victory Sayest thou I haue stood a time yet trust not your legges you may slide againe repliest thou I haue slipt and recouered trust not that recouery for feare of backe-sliding It is a cōceite of men that if once they haue had the bodily Plague they thinke that they cannot get it againe Whether this bee true or no experience teacheth as for the spiritual plague be not too bold and venture not too farre for DAVID who was once infected with the plague of murther and of adulterie was afterwardes infected with ambition And thus much for the person infected There followeth in the description of the spirituall plague 2 The ayre which infected the King the second thing which is the ayre infecting him or how DAVID got this infection 1. Chron. 21.1 Satan stood vp and prouoked him with the consideration of the time when the king got it in the time of peace and prosperitie his heart now being at ease Touching the first as there haue bene diuers opinions concerning the cause of the corporall Plague some attributing it to the infection of the ayre and inwarde corruption of the humours out of the booke of Nature others to the slaying Angell out of the booke of God So likewise diuersly some haue disputed of the cause of sin which is the plague of the soule Some haue ascribed it to God others to Satan the third to man As for them that roote wickednesse in heauen they discerne not betwixt the corruption of nature and the authour of nature True it is that GOD is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a
knowledge maketh vs to goe vnto the Physition and to seeke a remedie for the curing of our disease as the Israelites beeing stung by the fierie Serpents fled to the Brasen Serpent Wee are all infected with the Plague of sinne and yet there is a great difference in the pati nts Some see it not at all Some see it too much Some feele it and feare it Some neither feele nor feare it Of these foure sortes the third sorte is onely carefull to seeke a remedie Happie is the sinner whose heart doeth beginne to smite with DAVID They that are smitten with the corporall Plague feele paine at the heart which often is a signe of death But if beeing smitten with the spirituall Plague our hearts doe beginne once to feele it and to smite vs it is a signe of life The heart is the fountaine of life the first thing that liueth and the last thing that dyeth As it is first in corporall life so let it be first in the spirituall life The heart is like an instrument if it be in tune and well strung it makes a sweet melodie As in the repentance of Nineueh when the King beganne to arise from his throne the rest followed So in the repentance of DAVID after that his heart which sits in the bodie as a King in his throne and hath all the inferiour partes at commaund beganne to arise the rest of his members followed him his mouth confessed his handes put off the royall garment and sacrificed vnto the Lorde The heart is like vnto a clocke if the ballance thereof stirre all the other instruments and weights followe in a good course But if that stande still euerie one of the rest goe out of order Euen so if our hearts mooue and smite vs if they stirre and steppe forwarde al the rest wil follow but if the hart stay the whole body is apter to receiue any corruption The ship is a great vessel but if the rudder be well guided the whole body thereof is directed without hazard So if the heart go aright it goeth not alone This is then a profitatable knowledge it is a key that openeth the doore to the closet where all our bookes of accounts doe lie which is in the heart It is a looking glasse or the eye of the soule whereby she seeth her self The excellencie of this knowledge looketh into her whole estate It is a spirituall hammer to breake the stonie hardnes of our harts This knowledge surpasseth all humane knowledge What is it by Arithmeticall account to know the deuision of the least fractions and not to know that the multitude of our sins doe make a deuision betwixt God and vs. What is it by Geometricall practise to measure the longitude of the most spacious prospects and not to measure the height of our sinnes which ascende as high as heauen What is it to haue the knowledge of Musicke and not to know that for want of good gouernement wee lead a life all out of tune What is it with the Astronomer to know the motion of the heauens and to be ignorant that our hearts lie buried in the earth With the Naturalist to know the cause the effects of euery thing and not to know the effect and cause of our disease With the Historian to know what others haue done to neglect the true knowledge of our selues With the Lawer to prescribe many Lawes and not to know the Law of God which teacheth vs the knowledge of our sins Let vs therfore haue this knowledge this detestation sorrow for our sins this heauenly dew of deuâ—tion neuer faleth but the sun of righteousnes drawes it vp and vpon whose face soeuer it drops it makes the same most amiable in the sight of God And thus much for the first parte and ingredient of the Kings medicine The second parte and ingredient is his desire of health and spirituall life The seconde ingredient desire of health Take away the trespasse of thy seruant Which wordes deliuer two things First the desire it self Secondly the Phisition of whom he doth desire it the Lord his desire is remission of sinne a healing of the Plague of the soule that the Lord as a merciful skilful Surgion would take away those pestilential Carbuncles deuils-tokeÌ„s which were risen in his soule Among other ingredients of the bodily kings medicine the second hearb is hearb-geace very excellent against the bodily infectioÌ„ Insteed of this there is another thing which we may call Gods grace or Christs grace which is excellent to cure the infection of the soule This necessarie Hearbe we see is heere in the spirituall Kings medicine for DAVID sueth for the grace of God to cure his euill Hee had lost the health of the soule yea it was like dead For sinne is first the death of our selues Secondly the death of Christ Thirdly on the other side it is the life of death And fourthly the life of the Deuill And therefore DAVID prayeth his Physition to restore vnto him both health and life Further as the king had this desire so he had also a stedfast hope faith and confidence in the mercie of the Lord he did not presume or dispaire but beleâ—ued that his health should be restored that his Physition was able to doe it This his faith he expresseth in this his petition by two things First by the name which hee giueth to his Physition Dauids faith and hope of mercie calling him Lord SecoÌ„dly by the name which he giueth to himself being the patient calling himselfe his seruant of thy seruant Imitate the king in the taking in of this medicine of repentaÌ„ce Hauing obtained the knowledge of thy disease haue a desire of spirituall life and health And secondly let thy desire be mingled with DAVIDS hope stedfast coÌ„fidence in the mercies of God First desire this health and the curing of this sore aboue all other things desire not this life as much as the spirituall life for alas this life as AVGVSTINE speaketh is a continuall weaknes which followeth vs to our death The heathen man SOCRATES could say he liueth not who mindeth nothing but this life for is this a life where the house is but claye the breath a vapour or smoke the body a body of death our garment corruption As the wombe of the earth doth breede vs so the wombe of the earth must againe receiue vs. There is a threefolde life the life of the body the life of the soule and the life of glorie If wee will obtaine the last wee must seeke to get the second for as concerning the life of the body thinke not saith Augustine that in this life thou hast properly health immortalitie shall bee our true and perpect health If wee escape the Plague of the body and retayne the corporall life and that our soules in the meane time want this life and health of the spirite alas wee may esteeme our selues but Dead The
you nothing go to this Physition he will aske thee nothing but repentance Ierem. 3.22 Returne and I will heale your rebellions Sixtly if you desire one which is neere and whom you may haue at all times such a one is the Lord who as DAVID speaketh is neere vnto them that are of a contrite heart Psa 34.18 The consideration of these sixe qualities ought to mooue vs to vse no other Physition then this Lorde As long as wee are in this infectious worlde wee shall neede him for we cannot our selues take away our trespasses As RACHELS cattell could not drinke of the waters of the Brooke Gen. 27. before IACOB had rolled away the stone that couered it euen so we cannot drinke in this Kings medicine and of the waters of repentance vnlesse this Physition who is the God of IACOB doeth himselfe remooue the stonie hardnesse of our hearts There hath bene a disease in this Land called the Queenes euill the which shee was able to cure But as for the Kings euill nobody can cure it but the King of heauen who is this Physition Let vs make therefore much of this Physition It is reported that SOCRATES neuer needeed a physition in his life time but as for vs we shall neede this Physition continually and therefore as we honour the bodily Phisition so let vs giue to this Physition the honour which is due to him If the weake consciences object their vnworthines therefore dare not presume to goe vnto this Physition Let them not feare this Lord is also the Lord Iesus who biddeth vs to come to him Mat. 11. Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden and I will case you His blood will purge our consciences from dead workes Heb. 9.14 Hee is a Physition for euery diseased soule the plaster and very purgation it self For Christs sake the sonne of this Lord we shall be heard The story of THEMISTOCLES is not vnfitly applyed who hauing offended PHILIP king of Macedon takes vp his yong sonne ALEXANDER in his armes and so comes to aske mercie if not for his owne sake yet for his sonnes sake whom hee did present vnto him Euen so wee that haue offended the King of heauen wee craue pardon for our sinnes not in the confidence of our owne worthinesse but for the name of Christ Iesus the Kings sonne Hee is that adoriferous Hysope in the fifty one Psalme Purge me ô Lorde with Hysope AVGVSTINE sayeth that Hysope hath force to purge the inwarde partes Euen so this spiritual Hysope the hart the soule of mā his blood as SAVARANOIA speaketh is as a pretious balsame in our woundes Vnto whom sweet BERNARD consenteth I doe acknowledge the greatnes of my danger but the son of God is slaine that he might cure and heale my woundes by the gretious balsame of his blood A Physition saide to CONSTANTINE the Emperour that there was no meanes to cure his leprosie but by bathing of himselfe in the blood of a childe to whom he answered I would rather alwaies be sicke then to get my health by such a remedie As for vs beloued we neede not vse such an answere a childe is borne vnto vs Es 9. In whose blood we may wash the leprosie and plague of our sinne For by his stripes saith the Prophet we are healed Es 51.5 In which fewe words is described the sick-mans cure in foure things The Phsition curing the sicke patient the Physicke curing the operation of the Physicke Before I ende this poynt Many not contented with king Dauids Physition let me let before your eyes a companie of bewitched Idolaters who erre both in the medicine and the Physition The Iusticiaries runne to their workes The Votaries to their vowes the superstitious to the Pope and to Sainct SEBASTION vsing not the Prayer of DAVID Lorde take awaie the trespasse of thy seruant but Sancte SVDARI ora pro nobis sudarium Christi liberet nos a peste morte tristi O holie NAPKIN pray for vs and deliuer vs from the Pestilence and euil death But let the Pope promise health by his pardons Buls and indulgences they are but euen a potion of ranke poyson prepared by the Diuell his Apothecary This is a counterfaite physicke which cannot purge This Physition hath deceiued his Patients and hath wrought no more cure on the soules of men then ELISHA his staffe did recouer the SVNAMITES childe when GEHEZI laide it vpon the face thereof 2. Reg 4-3 The Popes patients are sicke still for all the Popes drugges and still will be as the SVNAMITES childe was deade till ELISHA came I see another sort who wander vp and downe The pilgrime and runne farre and wide to seeke Physitions the one to Spaine the other to Italy the third to Ierusalem Alas why goe yee not to DAVIDS Physition who is neere and whome yee may haue at all times As the trauailer that hath beene round about the world is not therefore the neerer heauen euen so when yee shall haue compassed all the world yee shall not bee the neerer to Christ the true Physition As the Doue then found no rest till she returned to the Arke euen so you shal finde no rest for your distressed consciences till you returne to Christ Iesus As for vs with the lame and the halte in the Gospell we will cry to Christ alone O IESV the sonne of DAVID haue mercie vpon vs. Luk. 17.13 And thus much for king DAVIDS Physition Now followeth the third ingredient of the kings medicine The third ingredient which is the hearbe of patience the hearbe of patience 2. Sam. 24.14 Let vs fall into the hands of the Lord. DAVID hearing the will of the Lord by the Prophet GAD that the Lord would send a Pestilence in Israell hee murmureth and grudgeth not but receiued patiently the hand of God First hee doth not alleadge or produce any thing in regard of his sinne to excuse and extenuate the same Secondly in regarde of the punishment propounded to aggrauate it but possessing his soule in patience hee breaketh forth into these words Let vs fall into the hāds of God Imitate and followe the king in the taking in of the kings medicine if the Lord visit thee with the rod of Dauid or with any other calamity The third hearb of the kings medicine for the bodie are Bramble leaues In steade of these take the hearbe of patience so called in euery mans mouth for as the common prouerb is Patience is a good hearb but it groweth not in euery mans garden As for the bramble leaue him out Three reasons to vrge the vse of it for hee exalted himselfe aboue the other trees Iud. 9.15 Three things ought to mooue vs to vse this excellent hearbe First it is prescribed by the colledge of the spirituall Physitians Christ himselfe commaundeth the vse thereof Luk. 21.19 Possesse your soules with patience DAVID the King Psalme 37.7 Waite patiently vpon the Lord. Secondly the practise
the golde of the Athenians Euen so I may say that the prayers of the Church of England haue preuailed more then the gold of the Papists and more than if we had presented with the wisemen golde Incense and Myrrhe Math. 2 and that for these the Lords Angell is departed This mercie and bountifulnesse of the Lord doth call vs all this newe yeare vnto repentance 1 The tribe of Iudah First it doth appeale vnto you ô Royall Court ô tribe of Iudah in honour degree and dignitie the first as you offer vnto the Prince a newe yeares-gift so forget not to offer this present to the Prince of Heauen Doe homage vnto the King of Heauen who rideth vpon the wings of the Cherubins bowe the neckes of your soules before the throne of his maiestie put on the royal garment of King DAVID and take in this year a Kings medicine for the soule a royall medicine becommeth a royall Court Honourable Counsellors meditate the lawe of the most high and vse King Dauids counsellors Psalm 119.24 Great men let your wils not bee inordinate and hauing the raignes of dominion in your hands proclaime not with Nero My authoritie giueth mee license to doe all things gouerne by lawe and not by lust Noble peeres take heede of the sinne of Zimri Numb 25.14 Possesse you vessels in holinesse and honour and not in the lust of cōcupiscence 1. Thessa 4. You that are in high places bee patient of iniuries forget nothing but iniuries as Caesar esteeme with Theodosius a Christian Emperour that yee haue receiued a benefit as often as yee are entreated to forgiue or say with Marcus Cato vnto him that smote him beeing now desirous to make amends I remember not that I was smitten For as Lactantius speaketh Ira mortalium debet esse mortalis the anger of mortall men must bee mortall You that haue adorned and imbossed your speaches with oathes come out of this humour esteeme them not the humour of gentilitie nor an ornament to your discourses chāge blasphemies into prayers and let your tongues bee bels to sound the praises of him who hath deliuered vs. Let not the voluptuous pamper themselues more in carnall delights nor sport themselues with sinne as Sampson with Dalilah let them shake it off and not account this world a siluer shrine Painted Dames bee contented with the naturall colour of your Creator Altogither bee not senselesse at the former stroke of Gods hammer but spend your time in the royall pastime of King Dauid 2 The tribe of Leuie Secondly the bountifulnesse of the Lord doth appeale vnto you ô tribe of Leui. Giue vnto the Lord this newe yeares gift Prophets take in this yeare a Prophets medicine Reuerend fathers and Elders prostrate your selues with DAVID and the Elders of Israel and as the holy Ghost exhorteth you Act. 20.28 Take heede vnto your selues and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers to feede the Church of God which hee hath purchased with his owne bloode You the other Prophets bee vnreproueable watching sober modest harberous apt to teach not giuen to wine or filthy lucre 1. Tim. 3.2 Vnto you that are in the office of Archippus Col. 4.17 it is also saide Take heede to the ministerie that thou hast receiued in the Lord that thou fulfill it It is a worke not a play onus non honos a burthen not an honour a seruice not a vacancy You that should guide others to the Land of promise come not short your selues Wee that build Arkes for others let vs not bee drowned our selues Wee that are the Lords Seers let vs not bee blinde wee that are the Lords Cryers let vs not bee dumbe and tongue-tide and because sinne is impudent and cannot blush let vs from hence-forward arme our selues not with the speare but with the zeale of Phinees for the gentle spirit of Eli is not sufficient to mende children past grace let vs not put hony into the sacrifice in steade of salt but bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sonnes of thunder You the two Vniuersities 3 The two Vniuersities obtain in this rank the third place vnto you also the Lords bountifulnesse doth appeale giue vnto him this excellent newe yeares-gift children of the Prophets take one another by the hande yee two sisters and say with DAVID wee haue also done foolishly O Lord. Let the Kings medicine come among you take it in against the kings euill Your schooles haue beene broken vp the former yeare the newe yeare beeing come breake the strength of sinne that the Lords Angell disperse you not againe You that should bee fountaines and welsprings of good life to others bee not dryed vp that if men seeke for the water of life at your hands they returne not with an emptie pitcher or else as Iob speaketh 13.4 You are Physitions of no value Sende forth skilfull Bezaleels and Aholiabs filled with the spirit of Wisdome and vnderstanding to worke with all the wise-hearted all manner of workmanship for the seruice of the Lords Sanctuarie for the vniting of the Saints and for the edification of the mysticall bodie of Christ Iesus that from you the two heades as the pretious ointment from the head of Aaron was deriued vnto the very skirts of his garments many pretious oyntments may be deriued to all the members of the Kingdome Lastly because the haruest is great suffer your selues to bee thrust into the haruest Fourthly it appealeth to you that obtaine the fourth place 4 Magistrates and Iudges and who are the politicall Elders the Iudges and magistrates Present vnto the magistrate and Iudge of heauen and earth this newe yeares gift and take also in the Kings medicine for this present yeare You haue ordained and prescribed the former yeare good orders for the staying of the bodily infection shewe now your diligence to prescribe good orders for the staying of the spirituall infection Bee rather desirous of the maintenance of good lawes and reformation of manners then of honour preferre the weale-publike before your priuate good take heede of the spirituall Plague First bee not louers of giftes which blinde the eyes Deut. 18.21 Secondly differre and delay not to giue iudgement in the righteous cause and if yee can doe your neighbour good to day say not to him come to morrowe Prouerb 3.28 Viewe your selues in Iob that right paterne of a good Iudge Iob. 31. Let your sentence bee to the oppressed as the comfortable raine to the thirsty ground Iob. 29.23 Thirdly haue not respect of persōs in iudgemēt Deut. 1.17 hear the small as well as the great fear not the face of man You are the pillers Ps 75.3 If the pillers be weakned if the nail be broken or the strong mē bow themselues the house the burden all falleth that leaneth vpon them By the way it speaketh to you also lawyers Lawiers men of counsell magistrates attedāts offer vp also this newyeers gift to the Lord
many learne from the schoole of HYPOCRATES the Physition and EPICVRVS the swine to preserue to physicke and dyet their bodies but as for their soules they are not once mindefull O ye sonnes of men foolish and slowe of heart to conceiue the rightest things how long will yee loue such vanities Secondly 2 To resist the outwarde cause resist the outwarde cause of this heart-Plague and seeing that Satan is an infectious ayre vse to take in spirituall antidotes at all times and in all places keepe the windowes of your eies shut and let not the Satanicall ayre of concupiscence enter therein we dwell beloued in infectious places and shall not we take heede As to resist the infection of the elementall ayre we shun contagigious places and flie to the purer ayre so let vs flie the Satanicall ayre by faith and prayer let vs draw neere vnto God Jam. 4.8 Resist the deuil he will flie frō you Iam. 4.7 that stedfast in the faith 1. Pet. 5.9 Immitate your owne industrie for the preseruing of your soules as you haue done for your bodies You that in diuerse places the former yeere haue watched to keepe out the passengers that came out of contagious places and would not suffer them to enter and to harbour amongst you for feare of infection Watch now this yeere to keepe out Sathan an infectious passenger who runneth euery where in contagious houses Shut the gate of your heart suffer him not to lodge in your soule for he will infect it It is a precept of a wise Physition be sober and watch for your aduersarie walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure 1. Pet. 5.8 Aske the Cranes ô sonnes of men and they will teach you wisdome when they flocke together saith PLINIE to feede one of them vseth to feede a farre off and that Crane so singled from the rest still as he feedes lookes round about him and obserues if anie danger be towardes them if he spie anie bodie draw nigh then he giueth warning to the rest and so they saue themselues Shall this policie rest in vnreasonable Birds and shall it not bee found in man shall not our soules watch to espie the fraude of Satan and so to deceiue the deceiuer And thus much for the ayre which infected the king There followeth the time The time when the king got the Plague when the king got this spirituall infection which was now hauing peace and prosperitie his heart being at ease after his victories being deliuered out of the handes of all his enemies and out of the hand of SAVL as appeareth 2. Sam. 22.1 euen then Satan stood vp and tempted him setting before his eyes his excellencie and glorie his power and victories Peace prosperitie idlenesse are as it were a contagious ayre which smiteth vs with the Plague of the soule The ayre which is still and calme is apt to receiue infection for the winde is aeris verriculum a broome to purge the ayre so the soule which is at her ease soonest getteth the spirituall contagion As euill and corrupted humours through idlenesse are ingendred in the body So in peace and prosperitie bad and pernitious humours are ingendred in the soule As the ayre is a good and pure creature of it selfe and yet by the influences putrifyed vapours euaporation of dead carkasses and diuers other things approoued by the booke of nature is altered and becommeth pernitious to the body So peace and prosperitie which are the gifts of God by the corruptions of our owne hearts are abused and become pernitious to the soule And as the ayre hath not alwaies the same force to infect the body So Satan the ayre which infecteth the soule hath not alwaies the like strength and of efficacie to fulfill his purpose and to poyson the soule If thou art desirous to know when the Satanicall aire hath most force It is in the time of peace and prosperitie when thy heart is at ease and that thou hast giuen thy selfe to securitie For he obserueth three things the time the place the occasion Satan dealeth with vs as the Crabbe with the Oysters as AMBROSE obserueth the Crab being an enemie of the Oysters because he cannot hurt thē by reason of the hardnesse of their shell he tarryeth till the Sunne doth shine for then they open themselues and lie still in the Sunne recreating themselues then the Crabbe commeth and casteth little stones into their shels and so hurteth them So likewise Satan our aduersarie perceiuing when we are at our ease and that the sun-shine of prosperitie doth shine ouer vs then he cōmeth casteth his poison into our soules Seeing then that prosperitie ingendreth corruptions in the soule The vse bee not carelesse of thy health exercise thy selfe to driue away the bad humours and to retaine thy spirituull health The sounde man if hee doeth not exercise himselfe is subiect to diseases although thou art sounde of spirit yet if thou giuest thy selfe to securitie thou shalt fall in the Kings sicknesse Three exercises are necessarie for the health of thy soule against the gathering of bad humours The exercise of Prayer 3 Three exercises necessary for the soule the exercise of the Word and the exercise of the Crosse As for the two first forget them not as for the third the Lord himselfe will not forget sometimes in due season to lay vpon thee And as the Physitions in their Treatises of the former yeere touching the Plague bid thee to haue a regarde in your exercises vbi quomodo quando where howe when So I bid you this yeere obserue these rules in your spirituall exercises the amplifycation of which I leaue to your meditations And thus much for the time The third member of the first parte containeth the Kings sicknesse it selfe The Kings sicknesse it selfe consisting in the numbring of the people This fact of DAVID is the Kings sicknesse a dangerous disease I may call it the heart-plague As the infection of the elementall ayre in the bodily Plague doeth creepe vnto the heart and poyson the vitall spirits So the infection and poyson of Satan hath crept into his heart and infected that place with pride This Kings Euill is more daungerous then that disease which some haue called the kings euill For the bodily Kings euill can bee cured si credere f◠est if it be true with corruptible gold but the spiritual Kings Euill A spirituall Kings euil cannot be cured with corruptible gold or siluer as the Apostle speaketh but onely by the pretious blood of the Sonne of God This is then a dangerous and greeuou◠wound in a Saint if I would thrust my fingers into it throughly handle it To extenuate the Kings euill three things might bee alleadged that it agreeth with the commaundement o◠God Exod. 30.12 Secondly with the practise o◠the Isralits Numb 1.2 Thirdly with Politicke prudence To vntie the knot with a word there is a two-folde numbring First a
preacheth also the Lords mercie to England and that in two things First that he hath not sent vnto vs the whole Trinitie of chastisements propounded vnto DAVID Secondly In that he hath not sent the heauiest of them three First our sins did deserue them all three together 1 Of the trinitie sending but one the famine and scarcitie of good workes famine and scarcitie of bread our fighting against the Lord the sword of the enemie the infection of the soule the infection of the body But the Lord who is mercifull hath called backe his anger and not stirred vp all his wrath Psal 78.38 The Low-countries may Preach the Lords mercie towardes England They haue sometimes felt at one time the trinitie of punishments and the former yeeres both warre and Pestilence wee in the meane time feeling but the rodde of DAVID Wee did I confesse expect a heauier judgement wee looked for nothing else but blood-shedding and fighting for a crowne behold we haue nothing but joye peace prosperitie and joyful ringing for a Crowne This our joy in the meane time being spysed with a litle bitternesse Secondly he hath not onely visited vs with one of the three 2 Sending not the heauiest but also with the sweetest and the best vsing not the rodde of reuenge but the scourge of correction And although our sinnes had deserued the heauiest yet he hath shewen to vs that mercie which he shewed to DAVID not suffering vs to fall into the handes of men If he had sent vs famine it would haue made many to haue morgaged their Landes to PHARAOS Gen. 47.20 to haue left the kingdome Gen. 12. Famine as the Prouerbe is is an euill counsellor when hunger had gryped vs it would haue egged men to thefts murthers deâ—eits Many would haue liued vppon the ayre and their owne moysture and so consumed away and in doing nothing to vse the saying of AVGVSTINE haue come to nothing Mothers you may be Preachers of Gods mercie if hee had sent a famine alas the tongue of the sucking childe had cleaued to the roofe of his mouth for thirst The yong children had asked bread no man should haue broken it vnto them And to vse further the words of IEREMIE the hands of the pittiful woman would haue sodden their own children as they did in the siege of Ierusalem Iam. 4.10 If he had sent vs hostile persecutioÌ„ Alas the vnmerciful souldier would haue laied opeÌ„ your hedges leauiled your houses with the ground emptied you yours of all their possessions Where had bin your cities your wiues your daughters where your temples your Prophets yea where your religion they would haue displayed the banner and set vp the ensigne of the Romish-beast erected the signes of their abhominatioÌ„s They would haue blaspheamed the God of Israel and said are these the Christians where is their God But nowe beloued they all remaine in their flowre prime the rod of DAVID hath not hindred vs to enter the temple nor the exercises of religion we see our signes and our prophets we enter into the house of the Lord with libertie of conscience there to behold her beautie Psal 27. and to adore the God of Israell in the spirit and trueth Wee strangers An apostrophe to strangers may also bee preachers ô Lorde of thy mercie in the middest of thy justice It is true thou hast much diminished the number of thy litle flock collected in this Kingdome yet better hath it bene for them that are exiled here for the name of thy Sonne for the testimony of thy eternal truth to haue falleÌ„ in thy hands then in the hands of meÌ„ of whose barbarous cruâ—lty both they their fore-fathers haue had experience and although they are buried in their exile yet thou hast transported theÌ„ in their heauenly father-land Thou which hast brought this vaine out of the Romish Egipt planted it in this land as in another Canaan make it fruiteful returne we beseech thee and now visite it in thy mercie and wee will not goe backe from thee but cal vpon thy name I returne to thee ô LondoÌ„ preach thou also the Lords mercie he hath not vndon or dissolued thy coÌ„position nor couerd thee with brambles hee hath not vtterly destroyed thee as Babilon The great Niniuie Troy Ierusalem and the rest of which wee may truely say O iam periere ruina the verie ruines of them are gone to ruine thou standest yet and I hope shalt flourish as much as thou euer didst if the former iudgement mooue thee to repentance I will conclude with a paradoxe Mercie we had desired the former yeere and mercy hee hath also shewen the former yeere A paradoxe the trueth whereof the euent of the former yeere hath manifested yea by the sending of the Plague The Lord hath heard our prayers If this seeme strange to you beloued I will expound the paradoxe In the beginning of the yeere when that Noble Princesse Elizabeth of famous memory fell sicke during her disease wee mourned sighed and lamented We were heauie and much troubled many righteous soules prayed vnto the Lord and in their prayers desired two thinges of the Lord first that if she should come to die that hee would not suffer them to fall into the hands of men Secondly that hee would bee mercyfull to Sion and not dispearse and scatter them but gather keepe together his church and beholde the Lord hath heard our prayers he hath not suffered vs to fal into the hands of men he hath sent a pestilence by which we are fallen into his handes for what is the Plague but a fall into God his hands according to the definition of DAVID Further he hath not dispersed but rather called and gathered many of vs vnto himselfe for what is death else but a gathering vnto our fathers a departure vnto God The Lord hath called many of his children froÌ„ Schoole froÌ„ the Schoole of this world where they had learned no good he hath called them to that heauenly vniuersity Many had desired to see the tryumphes of the cittie but the Lord in his mercy hath made them to see a better tryumph in that permanent Cittie and heauenly Ierusalem Many had desired to see the Coronation of their newe Prince but the Lord in hss mercy hath made theÌ„ to see a better Coronation the Coronation of the Prince of glorie of the true SALOMON Christ Iesus yea he hath made many the royall priest-hood Apo. 1. Thus theÌ„ beloued of LONDON I haue amplyfied vnto you the mercy of the Lord which hath onely staied the Angels sword or else it would haue gone forward There is no comparison betwixt the mercy of God and the mercy of men It is reported that MARCELLVS after that his souldiers had conquered SIRACVSA not without the great slaughter of many was so compassionate ouer them that hee went vp to the highest Towre in the Castle with teares lamented the
emty thy belly of foode and to fill thy soule with sinnes to be pale for fasting and to bee blewe and pale for hate and enuie to drinke no wine and to be drunke with the poyson of anger to abstaine from things which are lawfull and to doe things which are vnlawfull Follow then beloued the counsaile of Chrisostome and Bernard who both iumpe togither Let not onely thy mouth and thy bowels fast but thine eyes thine eares thy feete thy handes and all thy bodily members Let thy hands fast from robbery thy feete from bearing thee to vnlawfull spectacles thine eares from sucking in slāderous tales thine eyes from receiuing in wantonnesse And to shewe you out of the mouth of God himselfe what manner of fast you ought to vse this new yeare Loose the bands of wickednesse Es 58. take off the heauie burdens let the oppressed goe free deale thy breade to the hungry and couer the naked As there hath bene the former yeare a generall fast through the whole land so there ought this yeare to bee this inward and spirituall through the whole Kingdome from the honourable Counsellor to him that grindeth at the Mill. This is the great generall fast and a Lent of abstinence which wee all must keepe And thus much for the patients behauiour and also the third part of the Kings Medicine ¶ The fourth part containing the time when the King tooke in this Medicine and the cause moouing him thereunto THE time when hee tooke it in was first when he saw that he had gotten the spirituall infection by the numbring of the people and secondly when he saw the danger and effect therof a pestilence in Israel The cause mouing him to take it in was to heale his disease to remoue the effect thereof Ver. 8.16 The consideration of both deliuereth vnto vs a portrature of a wise Physition of a wise patient the wisdome of God and the wisdome of Dauid The wisdome of God the Physition Vse The wisdome of God the Physition doth appeare in the diuersity of means which he knoweth to vse for to cure sin to mooue the sons of men to take in this spirituall Kings medicine of repentance This Physition had before giuen vnto DAVID peace prosperity and victories ouer his enemies and now seeing him anew infected with a dangerous disease he sendeth a generall pestilence in Israell Before hee came with his benefits and now with his iudgements As the expert Physition vseth first soft and lenitiue remedies and if they auaile not then hee commeth to his sharpe and biting corrosiues euen so the Lord vseth first the soft and lenitiue remedies of his commandements promises and benefits and then the byting corrosiues of his iudgements Some hee healeth by hony some by gall some by salt some by meale some by sweete some by sower Hee hath a store-house full of remedies and the breade of iudgement to breede good bloode in vs. The Lord as Clemens Alexandrinus speaketh is like vnto an expert Musitian hee hath sundry kindes and varieties and sheweth the changes of his notes hee both pittieth and chasteneth entreateth and threateneth and by threatning best admonisheth by speaking roughly soonest perswadeth When the railes of the law kept not the Israelits in the pasture of the word the Lord appointed the hedge of thorny discipline And euen so at this present such as he cannot draw to come in the fold of saluatiō by the whistle of the word he compelleth them to come in by the dogge hooke of disciplin correction If the blessings of Mount Garizzim do not moue vs Deut. 27. then the cursings of Mount Ebal must come vpon vs. If we take no pleasure in the beauty of Mount Sion then the thundrings lightnings of Sinai must put vs in feare As this sheweth the wisdom of God so it declareth the successe of his wisdom The successe of his wisdom in DAVID his patient the Lords corosiues haue wrought in his soule for seeing the hand of the Lord he began to take in the medicine of repētance The Lords corrosiues haue many vertues The vse of afflictions First they make vs to esteeme honour make much of the Lord King Dauids Physition Secondly they make vs to attaine vnto the knowledge of our disease bind Manasses with chains pul the King of Babilon from his throne they wil know thēselues thirdly they make vs to seek for a remedy against our sore Fourthly they preuēt keepe our soules from falling into more grieuous diseases Fiftly they serue as a purge to purge vs frō the corrupted humours of the soule The want of these fiue things had beene a long time among vs and therfore king Dauids Physitiō hath the former year vsed his corrosiues We shuld haue fallen into a deadly Lethargy of sin therfore he hath preuented it that we might as the Prouerb is with the burnt child dread the fire As Ionathan shot arrowes to giue DAVID warning euen so the Lord hath shot off his arrowes Ps 9. to giue vs warning The Plague ô London hath bin a writing scrole vpō your flesh engrauen in your skin to teach you obediēce as the Leprosie vnto Miryam It hath bin as I. Baptist to send you vnto Christ It hath bin as a medicine sent from heauen the King of heauens medicine to heale the sores of the land to remoue the spiritual plague Sicknes as Basil saith vpon the 25. Psalme is vnto many a salutiferous medicine and life it selfe As we pluck back or stay our horses if either they gallop too fast or go out of the way so the Lord because we were as wild horses hath curbed our bits straitned the raines of our vnbridled affections As the Lords corrasiues haue had good successe in DAVID so they haue wrought in vs. We had beene like vnto Ioab 2. Sa. 14.29 As Absolon sent for him the first time by his seruāts but would not come and the second time yet woulde not come to him and therefore sent the third time his seruants to set Ioabs fields on fire then he arose and came euen so the Lord had sent at diuerse times his seruants the Prophets to will vs to come to him but because we remained obstinate he sent the former yeare other seruants namely his Angels to kindle our housen with the fire of pestilence and that made vs to arise to goe vnto the Lord with fasting that made vs to cry out Lord haue mercy vpon vs Christ haue mercy vpon vs. When the waters of the flood came vpon the face of the earth downe went stately Turrets Towers but as the waters rose so the Arke rose still higher higher In like sort when the waters of afflictions arise as the floode of the pestilence did the former year downe goes the pride of life the lust of the eyes the vanities of the world as they did also in some sort the last yeare pray God
of the world doth commend it The operation of it experience hath prooued Her operations are admirable it cureth a double plague it giueth long life Ec. 1.12.22 It maketh wise Ec. 1.15 Yea it is a remedie against a secret ill The plague is called by some a secret il wherein learned physitions haue professed ignorance And yet behold heere is a medicine appointed by God himselfe which is able to remooue it Let these 9. arguments of commendation commend vnto you this new yeere this Kings medicine and the vse thereof And thus much for the operation of the Kings medicine There followeth the action and behauiour of the patient now beeing healed 2. King DAVIDS sacrificing hauing felt the operation of this medicine namelie his sacrificing vnto the Lord. This his sacrificing emptieth it selfe into these particulars First the person sacrificing DAVID Secondlie the person to whome vnto the Lord Thirdlie the thing sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings Fourthly the place where in the threshing floor of ORNAN the Iebusite Fiftlie the time when when hee sawe that the Lord had heard him 1. Chron. 21.28 Sixtlie and lastlie the successe of his sacrificing the Lord answered him by fire from heauen v. 26 This action of DAVID was religious reasonable iust and acceptable to God Sacrifices are of two sortes Iewish and Euangelicall But I purpose not to enter the large fielde of sacrifices and to number their kindes describe their lineaments their antiquitie their soule their endes I leaue the Iewish to the Iews The Euangelicall sacrifices are also of two sorts the sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of a Christian In the sacifice of Christ obserue these particulars according to the method of DAVIDS sacrifice 1 the person sacrificing Christ the true DAVID Christs sacrificing the king of the Iewes for that did hee once when hee offered vp himselfe Heb. 7.27 Secondly as DAVID offered vnto the Lord so Christ the true DAVID offered vnto the father 3 the thing sacrificed his owne body In the end of the world hath hee appeared once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe Heb. 9.26 Fourthly the place where Ierusalem And as the altar was built in the threshing floore of a Iebusite euen so Christ our altar hath beene erected among the gentiles Fiftly the time when In the end of the world Heb. 9.26 vnder Pontius Pilate Sixtlie the persons for whome for the true Israelites and all the faithfull 7 As Dauid offered for the ceasing of the corporall plague euen so the true Dauid Christ Iesus offered for the ceasing and remoouing of the spirituall plague Heb. 10.12.14 by the vertue of whose sacrifice it is onely remooued As for the sin of Dauid whole Israell smarted so for the sinne of Adam whole mankinde 8 The altar whereupon the true Dauid offered was the crosse 9 The successe of it the anger of the Lord hath beene appeased towardes the sonnes of men And as hee answered Dauid by fire so hee hath answered the sacrifice of the true Dauid by the fire of his loue and he hath consumed our sinnes by the sacred fire of his mercie and the Angels haue put vp the sword in the scabberd that is they are become our friendes 10 As Dauid hath beene toucht with the knowledge of his sinne euen so the true Dauid hath beene touched with the feeling of our infirmities and in all things tempted in like sort yet without sinne Heb. 4.15 Eleuenthly as Dauid desired the health of his soule euen so the true Dauid hath wished for the health of our soules and hath sayd as Dauid Lord take away the trespasses of thy seruants 12 As Dauid humbled and prostrated himselfe vpon the earth euen so the true Dauid hath humbled himselfe and is become obedient vnto death Phil. 2.8 he hath prostrated himself vpon the earth Mat. 26.13 As Dauid desired to haue the punishment of the people transferred vpon his owne person Let thine hand bee against mee c. So the true Dauid hath indeede borne our infirmities and caried our sorrowes hee hath beene wounded for our transgressions broken for our iniquities and the chastisemente of our peace was vpon him Es 53.45 14 As Dauid hath prayed for the people euen so Christ for vs. Iohn 14. 15 Lastlie as Dauid hath cloathed himselfe with a vile indument putting on sackcloth euen so Christ the Prince of glorie hath taken to him a mortall bodie the indument of our flesh he who was in the forme of god hath takē the form of a seruāt Phil. 2.6 The differēce The differēce betwixt Dauid and Christ are these 1. DAVID died not for the sins of his people but christ suffered death for them 2. DAVID was a sinner Christ not Heb. 9.14 Thirdly with DAVID the Elders prostrated themselues but with Christ neither Saint or Angell 4. DAVID prayed not only for his people but for himselfe that his sore might be healed Christ onely for the people And thus much for Christs sacrifice which we can not offer 2. The Christians Sacrifices which are 4. in number to be offered vnto God this new yeere Now seeing the Lord hath heard our prayers and that we are healed we ought this new yeer to offer vp Sacrifices vnto the Lord as DAVID did not the Iewish but the Christian Sacrifices which are 4. in number Repentance thankesgiuing mercie and our children These 4. must be the Mercuries or messengers to publish abroad through the whole land our repentaunce these must bee the proclamations audible sermons to preach the dutie of our deliuerance Offer first the sacrifice of repentance 1. The Sacrifice of repentāce called the sacrifices of righteousnesse Psal 51.19 which braunch themselues in many little braunches First offer vp your selues both bodie and soule Rom. 12.1 I beseeche you brethren by the mercies of God that ye giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God Secondly your obedience Ec. 35.1 for who so keepeth the law bringeth offrings ynow and he that holdeth fast the commādements offreth an offring of saluation This is better then sacrifice for he that offreth sacrifice offreth the flesh of a beast but he that obeyeth offereth his own will as a quick and reasonable sacrifice Make then the vse which DAVID made of gods mercy and deliuerance Ps 105.45 keep his statutes and obserue his lawes Thirdly your harts Prou. 23. My son giue me your hart This is a Christian sacrifice this mite he requireth for the dutie of our deliuerance As Naaman being purged from his leprosie returned from the waters would offer a present vnto ELISHA 2. Reg. 5.15 Euen so ô London being purged from thy contagion offer vp vnto the Lord both rich and poor the precious gift of your whole heart Christ our physitian desireth no other fee or reward of vs then our harts Fourthly offer vp an humble and contrite spirit for the sacrifice of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and broken