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
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
excellent benefite but of all power to be dulye thankefull for the same Wee haue blemished thine honour defaced thine Image brought a cursse vpon our selues and miserable thraldome vpon the rest of thy good creatures Wee haue left our selues nothing but miserie and wretchednesse shame and nakednesse nothing but mortalitie terrours of death fearefull expectation of iudgements and euerlasting confusion And albeit there be left vnto vs some reliques of vnderstanding as the candle-light of nature for direction by which we are able to discerne some few things vnder heauen yet when wee consider how some of our brethren made of the same mould are borne into the worlde naturall fooles and starke ideods who by due might challenge as much as the best of vs wee are thereby driuen to confesse that this small remnant of thine image is deriued vnto vs not by any right of inheritance but onelye by the indulgence of such a faithfull creatour who in the middest of thy iudgementes doest remember mercie Yet cursed creatures that wee are no sooner doe wee receiue a good guift of nature from thee but wee arme our selues thereby the more to worke mischiefe turning sweetenesse into poyson and imploying all the naturall powers and faculties of soule and bodye as instrumentes and weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto wickednesse Insomuch as if thou shouldest not by thy prouident power binde in that bagge of poyson and restraine the roote of bitternesse within vs but shouldest suffer it to sproute out into the seuerall branches wee should too too soone bewraye what monsters we are Thus are we by nature plunged into the depth of woe and exposed vnto all miserie so that if all the plagues vnder heauen should zease vpon our bodies and send our soules headlong into those hellish torments we doe vnfainedly acknowledge that thou in thy iudgements might thereby reape honour and we our most iust deseruings Yet notwithstanding for all this we are encouraged to approach to thy throne of mercie as to a most gracious God and our louing Father in Iesus Christ O blessed be that sonne who hath taught vs to call thee Father in whose onely name and mediation we come vnto thee beseeching thee vpon our vnseigned repentance to be reconciled vnto vs. Wee repent O Lorde helpe our impenitencie wee are out of loue with our selues we detest our selues for offending such a gratious God we are sorrie for our sinnes and hartilie sorrie that wee cannot bee more sorrie yet accept our endeuours O Lorde and pardon our infirmities Teach vs more and more by thy holye spirite to make the true vse and application of the merites of thy sonne to our soules and consciences Let his humanitie encourage vs with confidēce to come vnto thee in the name of our elder brother Let his holy conception dayly purifie our originall corruption wherein wee were conceaued and borne that it neuer bring forth more of this corrupt and bitter fruite as it hath done in the course of our liues We haue multiplyed manye actuall transgressions and foule offences against thy diuine maiestie but yet thy sonne did neuer transgresse in all his life he was obedient to euery iote and tittle of thy lawe for our sakes looke vppon his righteousnesse We were slaues vnto Sathan but his passion hath redeemed vs bound with the chaine of sinnes but his condemnation before Pilate hath absolued vs borne to eternall death but quickned by his death to euerlasting life cursed creatures we were but his crosse hath blessed vs polluted and vncleane but his bloud hath washed vs. Let all the lusts and affections therefore of our olde man be buried with him that wee may be renewed in spirit by vertue of his resurrection and so shall wee haue the lotte of our heauenly inheritance daylye more and more confirmed vnto vs by his ascention and we secured of all blessings meete and conuenient for the militant estate of thy kingdome by his session at the right hand of the Maiestie Yea these woundes of our consciences which do now seeme to bleed afresh vnder thy heauie hand of visitation shall be suppled and healed vp by the soueraigne vnction of thy gracious spirit descending vpon thy Church and distilling from the head to euery liuely member of the same And seeing thou hast yeelded thus farre vnto vs most gracious Lorde we hope further that thou wilt not denie vs any temporall blessings which may stand with thy glorie and our comfort Then let this great death mortalitie which nowe reigneth bee swallowed vp in the death and passion of our blessed Sauiour Let his sweete Incense make a speedie attonement for vs Let it appease thy wrath which is gone out against vs and stay this plague that is begun amongst vs. O Lorde we haue deserued a thousand plagues wee confesse but wee are sorrie for it Holde thy hand therefore good father and we will doe no more so Lesse of thy iudgement sweete Iesus lesse of thy iudgment and more of thy grace that wee may make the true vse of thy iudgements so shall our happie deliuerance minister matter of praise and thankesgiuing in thy holy congregation to the eternall glorye of thy blessed name and comforte of thine elect children These thinges and whatsoeuer our vnperfect prayers are not able to expresse which thou in wisdome knowest to be needfull for vs and expedient for thy whole Church we humbly begge at thy hands for Iesus Christ his sake thy beloued Sonne and our only Sauiour and redeemer Amen ¶ Another directed by the line of the Lords Prayer to the same purpose O LORD our GOD most Our Father gracious and mercifull we giue thee hūble thankes for that thou hast vouchsafed to giue vs leaue to come so neere thy Maiestie as in the name of children to call thee Father Wee are astonished O Lorde at this great mercie that thou wilt acknowledge vs for thine owne children who are so vnlike the father vglie and deformed as Mephibosheth disobedient and profligate runagates who like the Prodigall sonne haue spent our time and wasted all thy good gifts and blessings in the vanities of this wretched worlde disloyall vnnaturall rebellious as Absolon who by our obstinacie and vnkinde actes by our most cruell and wicked attempts against so tender and louing a Father haue deserued a thousande vntimelye deaths Yet notwithstanding Dauid could bee no more tender in affection and loue towards Absolon then thou art ouer vs thy vngracious and wicked children Hee desired to haue dyed for his Sonne but thou haste giuen thine onely Sonne a thousand times more pretious in thy sight then Absolon could be in Dauids to dye for vs. How shouldst thou not then with him giue vs all things since by him thou hast made vs sonnes wee hope that in him thou wilt denie vs nothing And albeit wee doe nowe feele to our great griefe that we haue greeuouslie offended thee and that thou art highlye displeased with vs yet wee hope this thy correction will