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A69170 Salomons pest-house, or tovvre-royall Nevvly re-edified and prepared to preserue Londoners with their families, and others, from the doubted deluge of the plague. Item, a laudable exercise for those that are departed, or shall depart out of the city into the country, to spend their time till they returne. A handfull of holy meditations vsefull and requisite for Gods people ... By the reuerend, learned, and godly diuine I.D. preacher of Gods word. Whereunto is added Mr Hollands admonition, and Mr Phaers prescription for bodily physicke. Also, London looke-backe: a description or representation of the great and memorable mortality an. 1625. in heroicke matchlesse lines, by A.H. of Tr. Colledge in Cambridge. I. D., preacher of Gods word.; Holland, Henry, 1583-1650? Spirituall preservatives against the pestilence.; Houssemaine, Nicolas de, d. 1523. RĂ©gime contre la peste.; Holland, Abraham, d. 1626. London looke-backe.; Phayer, Thomas, 1510?-1560. 1630 (1630) STC 6176; ESTC S117096 52,379 80

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beseech thee O Lord Loe here O proud son of Adam of thy selfe thou hast nothing but like a poore suppliant begger thou art constrained to goe before the gate of that right God aswel the king that sitteth vpon his throne as poore Lazarus that sitteth before the doore of the rich man Thirdly his memory the subiect wherof was the Lord O holy remembrance Although he had as it were forgotten him by his sinne in his prosperitie yet he remembreth him by his praier in his affliction O the excellencie of praier it is a remembring of our best friend whose remembrance is comfortable to our distressed soules The subiect of our memoris haue beene along time commodities pleasures riches honor triumphs therfore ô England behold another subiect to exercise the art of thy memory If then we haue forgotten him by our feruent prayer in our sin let vs now remember him by our seruent praier in our affliction Many haue practised the art of memorie according to the memoratiue Art and precepts of memorie which appoint places and their furniture for the helpe of such as are vnexperienced but let vs practise the art of this holy memorie let God be the subiect in this our afflictiō let these be our helpes First let vs remember in our praier the commandement of God Psal 50. Secondly the name of him whom we call vpon that it is Iehouah Lord our God a God not in shew but in substance and performance a strong God a towre of defence they that know this name wil trust in him Psal 9.10 Thirdly what he is by nature how sweet and amiable how rich in mercie Eph. 2. Fourthly what he is by promise how faithfull and true 2. Tim. 1.3 Lastly what he is by couenant made vnto Abrahams seed not in the blood of bulles but in the bloud of the seed of Abraham Further Dauid hath shewen his wisdome that in the choice of the place taking his marke aright and directing his petition to the true and proper periode Imitate the wisdom of king Dauid in his choice he that goeth to a place runneth aright and wisely if he be wise and not by crooked and erroneous waies Dauid sheweth vs the right way for to what place should we goe but to this when our sorrowes are multiplied shall we follow the waies of the wicked and say with them Malac. 3. It is in vaine that I haue serued him and what profit is it that I haue kept his Commandements Or shall we runne vpon the way of impatience adding griefe to griefe liuing the life of Caine or dying the death of Iudas drowning our soules in a gulfe of desperation Shall we spend the time in bannings execrations cursing the day and night the earth that beareth vs the ayre that inspireth vs Not so O Christian soules call vpon the name of the Lord with Dauid there was neuer name so worthie to be called vpon in heauen or earth so mightie for deliuerance so sure for protection so gainefull for successe so compendious to cut off vnnecessarie labours as the name of Iehouah Hauing vnderstood the Conscience Humilitie Memorie 6. The causes to mooue vs to goe to this place and Wisedome of Dauid let me open to you the reasons to mooue perswade vs to go to this place Fiue things mooue the sons of men in the time of plague to depart from contagious places vnto a purer ayre First the counsel of the Physicians Secondly the practise of others Thirdly the danger or perill which they are like to fall in Fourthly desire of health and life Fifthly the experience of successe Let the same be motiues vnto vs in this infection to perswade vs to run speedily vnto this Arke of Noah First it is prescribed by the whole Colledge of the spirituall Physicians by God the father Psal 50.15 King Dauids Physician by God the son who prescribing the remedies which men ought to vse in the last dayes in which the Trinitie of punishments Famine Warres and Pestilence should reigne giueth this counsell Luke 21.36 Watch and pray continually by Prophets Apostles wise men Iam. 5.13 Eccle. 38.9 and 17.23 Secondly the practise of the spirituall Physicians as they haue prescribed it so they haue also practised it haue fled vnto this place to this Sanctuarie went the renowmed Patriarkes the godly Princes the holy Prophets the blessed Apostles the Prince of glory the son of the immortal God the constant Martyrs whose examples ye shall find in the store-house of the Scriptures The example of the bodily Physicians of which some depart in the time of plague hath much force to make vs hasten our departure how much more ought the practise of the spiritual Physicians spurre vs forward vpon our spirituall voyage Thirdly the danger which is threefold In nobis circa nos contra nos In vs round about vs against vs. In vs the plague of sin round about vs the fire of the present plague against vs Sathan who seeketh to make vs curse the Lord and the fire of Gods wrath and anger To auoid this threefold danger run to the Towre and to this blessed Zoar. The fourth motiue is the desire of life and health we need at this time a double health the health of the soule and body let vs therefore goe boldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receiue mercy and find grace to helpe in time of need Heb. 4.16 Why went that woman which was diseased with an issue of blood twelue yeares vnto Christ Matth. 9.20 but that she might receiue her health vers 12. The sicknesse of the plague is an issue of blood which being once opened will euer run and keepe a course if it be not stanched by the power and mercie of God which mercie is onely obtained by going vnto his sacred name to obtaine this double health Dauid went vnto this place 1. Chron. 2 1. that the plague of his soule might be healed and the bodily plague be remooued If we are as it were dead for sorrow prayer will reuiue vs for it is Vita animae the life of the soule as Chrys termeth it Est anima ipsius animae It is the soule of the soule If we goe into the Countrey which cannot saue vs how much more ought we to flie to this name which hath the power to do it this his power being accompanied with mercy and kindnesse for thou O Lord art good and gracious and of great compassion Psal 8 6 Fiftly experience of good successe is the last motiue they which haue fled to this place haue not beene stopped by the way but haue had good speede Goe vnto King Hezekiah Iob Dauid and the rest and they will preach vnto you by experience the experience of this successe This successe is grounded vpon three things as vpon three firme pillars the Power the Will and Promise the Goodnesse and mercie of God His power I haue heard it that power belongeth vnto God Psal 62.11
21.17 in his prayer sheweth vpon what right and encouragement in the time of plague he went to this place O Lord my God I beseech thee c. it was then because the Lord was his God he had a particular feeling of the loue of God toward him and knew him to be his God for hee had had some experience of deliuerance The reason why we must haue this right is because being infected with the plague of sinne we should not be receiued In the Countrie they will not receiue those that are infected with the plague Neither can they also in whose soules the plague of sin doth reigne be admitted to this place and therefore the Lord hath giuen vs Christ the righteous to couer our vnrighteousnesse that thus as pure cleane we might come vnto him I know by mine experience that in the Country heretofore they would not admit some that came from the Citie vnlesse they had put on new apparrell To come vnto that heauenly Ierusalem by the feet of prayer we cannot be admitted Ephe. 4.24 except we put off the old man and put on the new man which is created in righteousnesse and therfore that we should not be hindered to go thither He hath put on vs the Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 13.14 that being adorned with his righteousnesse and holinesse as Iacob was with the garment of his brother Esau We might with confidence approach to the throne of grace Heb. 4. It is only then in the name of Christ that we must goe to the name of Iehouah Ioh. 14.14 Ioh. 57. Mat. 21.22 Ioh. 16.14 1. Tim. 2.5 1 Ioh. 2.1 In his name the poore Lazarus hath as much right to go vnto it as king Salomon the infected as the sound the learned as the vnlearned for Christ prayeth for them all as Augustine speaketh Christ prayeth with vs all as our brother he prayeth in vs all as our head he is prayed vnto by vs all as our Lord but he prayeth for vs all as our high Priest Let then the Romanists in the time of plague run vnto the name of Iehouah in the name of Saint Sebastian Alas they shall not be admitted for Christ alone as Ambrose speaketh is the eye wherewith wee see the father the hand to offer vp our prayers and the mouth to speake vnto him But as for vs with Dauid let vs goe vnto him by force of this right saying with him O Lord our God we beseech thee c. The practise of King Dauid Hauing vnderstood the name of the place with other circumstances let vs now examine the practise of King Dauid vnto this place with these feete by the same right following the true direction hee runned in the time of the plague with his family the Elders of Israel For he fled not to his Castle neither departed he cut of Iewrie nor transported his family into another place but as it is storied 1. Chron. 21.26 He called vpon the Lord. Here is a foundation whereupon some prodigall of their liues vncharitable to others proude in their conceites build the vnlawfulnesse of departing out of the contagi●us places in the time of plague condemning it by the example of King Dauid in generall Obiection without any exception in all manner of persons which their vncharitable conceit I will not heere refute I referre the Reader to that learned Treatise of that reuerend father Theodorus Beza written touching this matter wherein he learnedly soundly and religiously refuteth their grosse opinion onely let me destroy their building which they erect vpon the example of King Dauid Answere Foure particulars can hinder them to make a generall conclusion out of this example First the short continuance of that plague for the space of three dayes or of a halfe of a day as some of the learned are of opinion w●ose reasons I will not alleage which left him no time to deliberate vpon departure Secondly the generalitie of the Pestilence being spred from Dan to Beershebah which left him no place free to go vnto for whither should he flie seeing that the pestilence was spread all ouer the land 2. Sam. 24. Thirdly his owne guiltinesse that plague being caused by his sinne the numbring of the people which caused such a sorrow in Dauid that he was ready by his owne death to redeeme the publike calamitie praying vnto the Lord 1. Chro. 21.17 O Lord my God I beseech thee let thine hand be on me and on my fathers house and not on thy people for their destruction Fourthly the soundnesse of Ierusalem the place where he was the Angel hauing not yet or very sparingly touched the head Citie 1. Chron. 21.15 the Lord repenting of the euill when the Angel came to Ierusalem these foure particulars are able to cast downe their building and to disprooue their consequence Dauid fled not Ergo it is vnlawfull for any man to depart the true consequence if we would argue out of this place might be this Dauid the Elders departed not Ergo let not Magistrate forsake his Citie nor the Minister his flocke Hauing pluckt out the weedes and the thistles let vs as the good husbandman sow the good seede As this then prooueth not the vnlawfulnesse of departure so on the other side it doth commend vnto vs king Dauids praying The true vse of the example and his spirituall departure teaching vs that in the time of plague our first and principall care ought to bee as well before our departure as in our departure if we are so minded for I vrge no necessitie of it to flie and runne by the feete of faith and prayer to the name of the Lord which being forgotten omitted or negligently practised maketh our departure vnlawful Imitate the King then O ye righteous soules in this threatened tempest of the plague let your soules take the wings of a Doue the motion and agility of the spirit of God and let them flie by the strength of their prayers to the bosome of Gods mercies where they shall be at rest Dauid in this his going to the name of the Lord hath showen and manifested foure things His Conscience Humilitie Memory Wisedome His Conscience that it was good his Humilitie great his Memorie holy his Wisedome right Touching the first the spirit of prayer is a signe of a good Conscience for as Tertullian speaketh Lib. de cast Oratio de conscientia procedit si conscientia erubescat erubescet oratio Prayer doth proceede from the Conscience if the Conscience blush prayer will also be ashamed O it is an excellent thing that we can giue our selues to this holy exercise let one haue riches honour pleasures let him be adored as a little god if he haue not the spirit of prayer to push him forward with Dauid in the midst of his felicitie he is most miserable Secondly his miserie and humilitie for a King is become a begger and at the gate of the King of heauen he vseth speeches of submission I
haue I in heauen but thee saith Dauid he saith not that he had a Moses or a Samuel haue all these erred Euen so will we with them Secondly yee goe to them that cannot helpe you let them arise if they can helpe you in the time of your miserie Iere. 2. In the famine of Samaria 2. Reg. 6. a woman crying to the King helpe me O King hee answered seeing the Lord doth not succour thee how should I helpe thee Concluding secondly that if the Lord withdraw his helping hand it lieth not in the power of mortall man to helpe So wee may answere the Papists crying in the time of plague to their Sebastian helpe and laid vs Saint Sebastian If it lieth not in the power of mortal men that are liuing with vs to helpe how much lesse can they that are dead And farre lesse one that perhaps hath neuer beene As for the Angels they are displeased that ye come to them to thrust vpon them such a dangerous honour they may say as Dauid Psal 115. Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs c. they that refused a farre smaller offer vpon the earth Apoc. 22.9 the onely bowing of the knee vnto them See thou doe it not will bee much more discontented to see the knees of the heart to stoup to them for the ceasing of the plague for although an Angel smote seuentie thousand in the time of Dauid yet he was but the instrument God onely the agent and therefore he onely to be prayed vnto If the Papists reply that they intreate onely Saint Sebastian Obiection to speake vnto God for them Answer the answer is that God needeth not a Sebastian nor any Saint so euer to be his Master of Request this is a seruice not vnmeet for the gouernours of the earth the Lord is not like vnto earthly Princes vnto the which may be said that which Iethro said Exod. 18. to Moses the thing is too heauie for thee thou art not able to doe it thy selfe alone for the Almightie is able to doe it alone neither is there any defect in his hearing whose eares are open to the prayers of the poore Let vs therefore hold Christ Iesus alone for the Master of Requests it is he onely that can present our requests which we make vnto the Lord for the ceasing of the plague let others run where they will to stickes and stones from the name of the Lord I doe you no iniurie to impute this to you for as Hilarie writeth vpon the first Psalme It is as great an offence to make a new as to denie the true God The Lord annoynt your eyes with his eye-salue that ye may returne to flie to the name of Iehouah As for vs we will follow the holy Canon and leaue the broad way whose end is destruction saying with Dauid Psal 11.1 In the Lord put I my trust how say ye then to my soule flie to your mountain as a bird Matth. 7. I end the first branch of this discourse with that holy Epiphoneme of King Dauid Psal 146.5 Blessed is hee that hath the God of Iacob for his helpe whose hope is in the Lord his God After the name of the place and other circumstances The second part the properties of the place there followeth in the two places the condition properties quality and safenesse of the place whereunto we must run in the time of the plague The sonnes of men in the time of infection before their departure haue a speciall regard of the place where they will goe of the situation nature and such like and being led by the prescription of the Physician Secondly by their owne minde they make choyse commonly of a place in which they perceiue these seuen properties following and although Salomon here maketh mention but of one namly of a safe place yet giue me leaue to discourse of the rest First they go where there is a good wholsome pure ayre 1 A pure place not subiect to stinking euaporations it is the prescriptiō of the Physicians that we should go vnto places where the ayre is not corrupted far from the infection Dauid fled to such a place for such is the name of Iehouah a pure place far from the corruptions of this world for he is a pure incorruptible God in whom there is no infectiō of sin the Lord holy holy holy not admitting those in whose mortall bodies the plague of sin doth raign to pray then to repent is to returne go to a wholesom light Eccle. 17.24 The places whereunto the sons of men flye although they are for a time corrupted yet they are not warrāted stil so to remain diuers alteratiōs by sundry meanes may befall as by the resort of persons infected such like but the name of Iehouah this place of refuge shal neuer be altered for he is the immutable vnchāgeable God the gates of that Citie no vncleane person shal enter Apoc 22.14 15. Secondly men make choyse of a pleasant and delectable place 2 A pleasant place both for their bodies and soules where there is good companie to recreate themselues in their sorrow and exile foode and necessaries for their bodies further by the riuer side or where there is good water lastly where they may also haue food for their soules the word of God Preached This place of refuge the name of Iehouah is a pleasant and delectable place where canst thou better recreate thy selfe then by thy Father and brother Iesus Christ in this thy exile and miserie Comfortable is the bosome of the mother to the yong infant but more comfortable is the name of the Lord to the righteous which are called little babes by the Apostle Paul maketh mention in his voyage toward Rome of a certaine place which was called The faire hauens Act. 27. this place of refuge better deserued this name let vs goe thither for it is a harbour and rode for those which are tossed in the sea and deluge of the Pestilence happy is the soule that landeth at these hauens If we desire water there is the fountaine of life Iere. 2. the water of grace Psal 51. If we desire the word there is the word it selfe Iesus Christ Ioh. 1 the truth Ioh 14. There is the best the first the ancientest Preacher God himselfe that preached in Paradise Thirdly in our choyse we seeke out a safe place whither we may goe without danger 3 A safe place and where we may abide safe and dwell without danger The name of Iehouah is a safe harbour the secret place and shadow of the most high Psal 91.1 vnder whose wings we shall abide safe and harmelesse Three things prooue the safenesse of this place First the name of the place it is A strong towre Prou. 18.10 A secret place Psal 32.7 A rocke and fortresse Psal 18. which is inuincible Such are not the fortresses of mortall men which they are constrained to render vp being
the Tribe of Leui. There are foure sorts for which we must pray First for those which are Supra nos aboue vs Secondly for those which are equall vnto vs. Thirdly for those which are Sub nobis vnder vs Fourthly for those which are Contra nos against vs. In the going to the name of the Lord wee must not imitate the negligence of many who depart into the Country and care onely for themselues as for their families or at least their seruants they are not once mindfull of them but we must as well carrie with vs in our prayers the seruants which are vnder vs as shee that lieth in our bosome And the Oliue plants which are round about our tables Psal 108.3 The Athenians would offer sacrifice but onely for their owne Citie and their neighbours of Chios but wee Christians must pray not onely for the mother Citie but for all the daughters Christ teacheth vs to say Our father c. as if wee all came from one wombe It is a principle both of nature and policie Vis vnita fortior Strength vnited receiueth more strength It holdeth likewise in Diuinitie If the prayer of one righteous person auaileth much the prayer of many righteous shall auaile more If the Syrophenician obtained for her daughter the sure shee made much more the whole Church of England shal obtaine for all her daughters Where two or three be gathered together in his name he is in the midst of them Much rather in the midst of a people in the midst of thousands in whom there is Anima vna cor vnum One soule one heart one tongue as if they were all but one man Lord heale the sores of our land for behold both the mother and the daughters the head and the members doe prostrate our selues before his Maiestie Yee of the sect of Rome diuide not at this time of the plague in your prayers the soule the voyce and language of the Countrey into two places Eliah and his companie praying in one place and with one stile O Lord God of Abraham and yee in another O Baal heale vs Some praying for the life of Dauid and some for the life of Iabin As for vs we will pray for the Lords annoynted our Soueraigne that God may hide Him vnder the shadow of his wings from the noysome pestilence knowing that this is one of the parts of our obedience towards him that we as Constantine the great taught his souldiers to shew their allegiance in nothing more then this should pray for him yea for his royal Consort his hopeful posterity their Families I end this point with the saying of an ancient Father That there is no better Guard or Halbards to safegard a Prince than the prayers of the Righteous Before I come to the third branch of this discourse Three rules to be obserued in out going to this place giue leaue Christian Readers to the spirituall Physicians to lay downe three rules which are to be obserued in this our spirituall departure to the name of the Lord. The bodily Physicians touching departure prescribe as is before said three rules Longè citò tardè Goe farre off depart speedily returne slowly The same rules are to be obserued by the righteous First we must flie far 1. Longè not with the prodigall forlorne son in a far Countrey far from the feare of God and thought of death or with Ionah from the presence of the Lord who rideth on the Cherubins can ouertake vs for whither shall I goe Psal 839.9 saith Dauid from thy spirit Or whither shall I flee from thy presence But farre from this world and the earth vnto the holy temple and mountaine vnto heauen which is high aboue the earth as Dauid speaketh Psal 103.11 vnto that place which is called the land of the liuing Secondly flie farre from the plague of sinne and the infected ayre of this world and being come vnto that farre Countrey the Lord of the soyle will receiue you 2. Citò The second rule is flie speedily and deferre not your departure which rule is not in any maner to be omitted it is the counsell of the wise man Iesus Syrach Eccle. 38.9 My sonne faile not in thy sicknesse but pray vnto the Lord and he will make thee whole T is the commandement of the Lord to call vpon him in the time of need Psal 50. Which must be performed with speed according to the example of Dauid Psal 119. I will runne the way of thy Commandements If wee make hast to flie into the Countrey and forget to goe speedily vnto this Sanctuarie it is as Augustine speaketh of another matter Cursus celerrimus praeter viam A swift race besides the way Hast in this matter is praise worthy a man can neuer run too fast that runneth to this place The delay that Elizeus made let me go kisse my Father those shifts in the Gospel Let me first go burie my mother or take leaue of my friends are not admitted in this businesse commune not therfore with flesh blood If in the time of plague we make such haste to depart before we haue ordained our businesse aright or bad our friends farwel How much more ought we to hasten our spiritual voyage While the fal-bridge is let downe let vs make speed to enter Many because they went not far nor made speed to depart haue endangered their b●dies but many more because they fled not from the contagion of sin with speed haue endangered their soules therfore as the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 9. of another matter so I may say of this going So run that yee may obtaine 3. Tardè The third rule is Returne slowly that is continue where thou art a necessarie rule to be obserued in the going to the name of the Lord. It is the rule of the spirituall Physicians Eph. 6.18 Rom. 12. 1. Thes 5. Pray continually c. As it is prescribed so it hath beene practised Luk. 21.36 the woman of Canaan continued in her prayer and returned not in hast They which are in the Countrey although there bee many things which might mooue them to returne yet for the safetie of their bodies they continue till the plague be ceased So continue in thy prayer by the Lord and be not wearie of wel doing Although three things might haue mooued the Syrophenician to returne the silence of Christ her back friends and the odious names giuen vnto her yet these discouragements her poore soule digested obtaining both a cure for her daughters infirmitie and a commendation for her faith O woman thou hast wrought a miracle by the preseuerance of thy prayer and hast giuen to thy Sauiour occasion to doe a memorable act conuenient to his nature glorious to his holy name Let vs at this time follow her perseuerance and although the Lord should seeme to be silent for a time yet let vs not draw backe that we may receiue a cure both
by praier Moses diuided the red rea by praier Iosua beat down the wals of Iericho by praier Sidrach and Abednago quenched the fire Daniel stopped the Lyons greedie and deuouring throates the Apostles opened the prisons and brake their bands And I will yet adde one thing by praier brethren you shall be able to ouercome him who is inuincible The Lord hath besieged and beguirt your Citie by his destroying Angell the onely meanes to resist him and to make him retire are your humble praiers O the admirable force of praier which ouercommeth him who ouercommeth al things I may compare the praiers of the righteous to the haires of Sampson as long as his head was adorned and couered with them hee was in a maner inuincible hee brake the cordes and roapes wherewith he was bound his strength lying in his haire but being shauen his strength went from him he waxed weake and like other men All your strength beloued lieth in your praier as long as you exercise your selues therein you shall be able to resist I say not the tyrants the deuil but the Lords Angel himselfe You haue another enemie the which to resist it is necessarie that you learn to handle the sword of praier this enemie is cruell malicious mightie subtile and industrious his name bewrayeth his nature Sathan by name who is not only in the Citie but followeth you in the country for as a deuouring Lyon he compasseth the earth and there he seeketh to make you forget the Lord and the affliction of Ioseph to sticke to the creature forget the Creator to withstand this Enemie and his fierie darts let this be your continuall Exercise Imitate the industrious wrestlers who to eass downe another first fall downe themselues so to ouerthrow this enemy who seeketh in the Countrey to ouerthrow you cast downe your selues by humble prayer and fasting that in that place you may triumph ouer him who thought to triumph ouer you To end beloued to you all I speake together you that are in the Citie enter this Towre you that are cast downe vpon your beddes vse the aide of this friend you that are departed let this be your pastime that we altogether may be preserued from the deluge and the waters may decrease more and more till they be dried vp that being decreased we may offer the sacrifice of thankesgiuing as Noah offered vnto the Lord after the floud But let vs not be like vnto the sea-sicke who onely are weake lament and cry as long as they are in the tempest and when they begin to smell the ayre and are gone out of the ship they forget both their sicknesse and their deliuerance Gen. 28. But rather as Iacob ye that are departed flying to heauen the remembrance of his countrey being sweet made an excellent vow and prayer that if hee came againe to his fathers house in safetie the Lord should be his God and that he would giue vnto the Lord the tenth of all he had so likewise ye that are departed or to depart from your Mother Citie as Iacob from his fathers house the remembrance thereof being sweet to you as I know it is make the vow and prayer of Iacob that when the Lord bring you home againe in safety that hee shall be your God and that yee will serue him with more zeale and feruencie then ye haue done before further that ye will if not the tenth yet some part of your goods bestow vpon the Lord in his poore members Let the Apostles words be the conclusion 2 Pet. 3.17.18 Yee therefore beloued seeing ye know these things before beware left ye be also lead away with the errour of the wicked but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to him be glory both now and for euermore Amen A zealous Prayer in time of the Plague to be vsed by all Londoners that are fled from the Citie and all others that are sensible of the Cities Calamitie wheresoeuer O LORD GOD our onely helper and Defender who amongst all other Euils hast promised to deliuer thy People from the noysome Pestilence Wee beseech thee take this thy heauy Plague away from vs and especially withhold thy hand from off the Citie of LONDON the Metropolis of this Kingdome where thy Name is daily called vpon And let our humble Supplications which at this time vpon our knees wee make vnto thee in the name of CHRIST IESVS procure our happy Release and appease thy Wrath which wee haue iustly procured against vs through sinne Lord we being heartily sorry for our sinnes fully purposing by the assistance of thy holy Spirit to amend our liues doe humbly intreat thee to haue mercy vpon vs to take away this plague from vs and not to suffer vs to perish after so miserable a sort We thanke thee O Lord that thou hast not left vs altogether comfortlesse nor cast vs off without hope but hast somewhat withdrawne thy heauy hand and spared many of vs we pray thee to continue thy fauour daily more and more towards vs to deale with vs in Mercy not in Iustice to blesse vs and all those that depend on vs To set thy sauing Marke vpon our houses as thou diddest for the Israelites in Aegypt To giue order to the Destroyer that he hurt vs not to put thy strength to our Medicines to let thy good blessing make the preseruatiues of Physicians effectuall and to make our shifting places for more securitie profitable vnto vs. Giue vs grace O Lord not to trust too much on outward meanes but onely on thy Mercy Protect vs alwaies in all our waies haue pittie vpon our distressed Brethren and Sisters whether in London or else where Comfort the desolate Widow prouide for all Orphanes and Fatherlesse Children gather vs together againe that by these meanes are dispersed Send vs Health Peace with men vpon Earth and peace of Conscience towards thee through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen In the Visitation Anno 1603. Mr. Henry Holland of pious memorie published a booke entituled Spirituall Preseruatiues against the Pestilence Whereunto was annexed An Admonition concerning the vse of Physick and all naturall helpes which the Lord may blesse for our good as in other maladies so in the Pestilence Which booke being worne out of Print the Admontion is here added for the vse and benefit of vs now liuing SAint Iames addeth that after the former spirituall comforts the Elders of his time did annoint the sicke with oyle of the name of the Lord euen as our Sauiour had before appointed and his Disciples practised in their miraculous cures Mark 6. The gift of healing the Apostle speaketh of 1. Cor. 12.30 Shewing it to be a peculiar gift are all doers of miracles haue all the gifts of healing And it ceassed in the Church when the Gospell was sufficiently confirmed with miracles euen anon after the Apostles Prophets and Euangelists had finished and ended their worke and when
their time was expired Now then the gift ceassing it is madnesse to retaine still the time which went with the gift that is this annointing or aneiling and more madnesse to make a Sacrament of it as Antichrist hath done most extreame madnes to giue it vnto them only which are a dying which was wont to be giuen to such as did recouer health againe Wherefore as the holy Visitors did then first vse their spirituall exercise which is left for vs to practise and next this extraordinary gift and meanes of healing so let vs carefully and wisely heere call for in the second place the learned Physician the comfortable and ordinary meanes which God hath left vnto vs in nature as long as the World endureth This order that holy Writer Ecclus 38.9.10 11.12 the Godly Preacher commendeth vnto vs in these words My sonne faile not in thy sicknesse but pray vnto the Lord and he will make thee whole leaue off from sinne and order thine hands aright c. and cleanse thine heart from all wickednesse c. Then giue place to the Physician for the Lord hath created him let him not goe from thee for thou hast neede of him the houre may come that their enterprises may haue good successe for he also shall pray vnto the Lord that he would prosper that which is giuen for the prolonging of life Whereas some obiect that in the Pestilence naturall remedies of Physick cannot benefit vs because the causes here cannot be seene or found in nature I answer with M.B. If there come into the Pestilence no naturall causes then these whom the Plague hath infected cannot doubtlesse so much be eased much lesse be healed by naturall remedies But this second to be very false experience and common sense do daily tell vs. Wherefore I affirme that naturall remedies must not be neglected Againe whereas others doe obiect that Physick heere often is seene to haue but small good successe I answere that wee must not say of naturall Preseruatiues that because they doe not benefit one or two or three therefore they cannot helpe any at all It is a bad conclusion for consider that God doth gouerne naturall causes and their effects as it pleaseth him and blesseth them to whom hee will where and when he will And hence it commeth that the infection toucheth not euery one that is in danger of it neither is it deadly to euery one that is infected Others yet more fondly dispute against naturall remedies in this sicknesse and they say that God hath here a more speciall prouidence and he will smite whom he will to death and therfore all remedies are to small purpose These men againe want iudgement I answer that the Lord no doubt when he sent a Famine into Egypt and the Regions thereabout he determined who should die in that Scarcity yet for all this ceaseth not Ioseph with most wise counsell to prouide for the Egyptians and Iacob for his familie The like did Paul in the Sea with the Mariners when he had receiued an answer he should come to Rome safely And Christ knew his time and yet hee went aside often from his enemies hand till his houre came vsing the ordinarie meanes for his preseruation And that no man may stand stifly in his owne rash iudgment Quid Temeritate fortius saith Tully What so foole-hardie or so violent as rash and hastie spirits 1. De natura deorum Heare what that learned Father of euer blessed memorie Master Luther saith of this matter in his * De Peste in Witteberga Ann 1527. Treatise translated out of Dutch into Latine and in English thus much God hath created Physicke and giuen vs a minde and reason that euery man should haue a care of his owne body for health and life whosoeuer will not vse these when as without the hurt of his neighbour hee may the same man betrayeth his owne life and there lacketh little but that before God he is made a murtherer for by the same reason hee may despise meat and drinke rayment and housing trusting too much vnto his faith say if God will he can preserue me without all these things than the which folly this is yet greater that he which after this sort casteth off the care of his body he may hurt and infect others also and so through his negligence he may purchase the blame of a murderer Some men indeed doe as foolish men doe in a common firing which will not come and helpe the Citie but let the fire alone that the whole Citie might be burned namely vpon this trust doubtlesse if God will he can without water quench the fire But friend thou oughtest in no wise so to deale Nay it is vnlawfull and shameful which thou perswadest thy self but rather vse remedies and Medicines and do whatsoeuer any way may helpe perfume thine house orchard or street flie the infected places and so behaue thy selfe as one willing to quench not to maintaine this open fire Againe it followeth in the same Treatise If Sathan by the will of God either by himselfe or his Ministers hath wrought vs this deadly Infection I on the other side before all things will pray vnto God that of his mercy he will take away the same from vs then I will put to my simple helping hand both by perfuming and cleansing of the ayre by vsing of medicines and also in shunning the infection where my presence is not necessarie Lest I might seeme my selfe to haue neglected some thing or to be cause of death vnto others who through my negligence may take harme But if God neuerthelesse will haue mee visited with this sicknesse or call me out of this world vnto his Kingdome yet I haue not done but that which was my dutie neither haue I offended in any thing either against my selfe or my neighbour but where my seruice is needfull there I will let passe nothing of all things which either can or ought to be done of me Behold this is that Godly faith indeed which doth nothing rashly neither tempteth God in any thing Thus then I conclude when thou shalt haue wisely considered and discerned the causes of the Pestilence then turn to God as the Prophet biddeth with all thine heart Ioel. 2.12 with fasting with weeping and with mourning and flee a loft by faith into the secret place almightie shadow and blessed protection of the Lord and there rest patiently as vnder his holy wings euer praying for the increase of faith and patience that thou mayst quietly waite and depend vpon God and for a good Conscience that so thou maist auoide false foolish and wicked feares and cheerefully stand in thy place and carefully call for the Protection of the mighty blessed and holy Angels and for the communion and presence of Iesus Christ so shalt thou chase far away the wicked and vncleane Spirits which are sent of God to poysen and destroy men with the Pestilence And Lastly when thou