this sacrifice publikely in the congregation in our streetes in our houses let vs fill our meetings and conferences with this heauenly harmonie and sweete sounding melodie Prouoke one another citizens to praise the Lord for his miraculous deliuerance Vp yee families vppe yee parents vp yee children vp euery particular soule whome the lord by the shadowing wings of his mercie hath preserued Ministers preach it in your Temples sing it in your streetes rich men write it vpon your doore postes paint it vpon your walles cut with an Adamant vpon the tables of your hearts You neede such remembrances for memorie as SENECA writeth is most delicate tender and brittle and soone forgetteth a benefit Citizens neitheir eate or drinke without this condiment to it The Lord bee praised for our deliuerance Daintie Dames let the frontlets beteene your eyes the bracelets vpon your armes and the gards vpon your garmentes bee thanks-giuing 24. Elders of the citie sing with the 24. Elders Reuel 4.10 Praise honour and glorie be vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne It is hee onely not our prudence our phisitions the colde or the frost but as the Prophet speaketh Saluation is the Lords Here is an excellent posie and Epiphoneme Beloued of London I haue a suite vnto you if you doe erect your tryumphant arches against the entrie of him of whome wee may say as the Israelites did of Dauid Psalm 118. Blessed is hee that commeth in the name of the Lord forget not among the rest to adorne theÌ„ with Posies preaching the Lords mercies in this your deliuerance and to write this Saluation is the Lords write it in the Calender of Gods deliuerances and leaue a Chronicle of it to all posterity As for the newe yeare let the accustomed Lord of misrule and your vnlawful sports be banished and bring it ouer in the praises of him who hath deliuered you Shew your spirituall deuotions in the openest places as Dauid built an Altar in the threshing floore of Araunah Lastly offer vp this sacrifice not onely for your selues like vnto the Athenians who woulde offer sacrifice onely for their owne citie and their neighbours of Chios but for the whole bodie for the father for the mother for the daughters And thus much for the third kinde of sacrifice 4 Our children The fourth and last kinde of sacrifice are our children which must bee offered vp this newe yeare vnto the Lord. This concerneth you ô Christian parents Many haue offered them a long while some to Sathan teaching them the language of Sathan to sweare lye and blaspheeme some to the world and the pride therof bringing them vp in all voluptuousnesse delicious fare others to theft oppression and deceipt for which the Lords anger hath bene prouoked and hath also beene a part of our deserued pestilence Bring them therfore better vp then you haue done and as the wise man exhorteth Ec. 7.23 If thou haue sonnes instruct them and holde their neck from their youth If thou haue daughters keepe their bodies Worthy is the saying of Ferus Let vs learne to offer vp our children vnto the Lord non occidendo c. not murthering and slaying them as they did the beasts in the law but bringing them vp in the feare of God and accustoming them to religious exercises for this is a sacrifice acceptable to God Parents seeke rather to leaue your children honest then wealthy for which preposterous care Crates the Theban would deride manie if he liued that your children watch not for your death as the Eagles for a carcasse Families are the fountaines of all common-weals purge the fountaines that the streames may bee cleane And as the Israelites after that the slaying Angell was departed and had spared their children Exo. 13 offered sanctified vnto the Lord all the first borne euen so the lords slaying Angel being departed let vs offer saÌ„ctifie vnto the lord not onely our first borne but all the progenie by good instructions wholsom admonitions keeping them froÌ„ the infection of this world Further as you must saÌ„ctifie them so forget not the sacrifice of good Iob to sacrifice offer your prayers also for theÌ„ Iob. 1.5 shewing therby your religious care for them These are then the foure kindes of sacrifices the â—â—crifice of the heart of the mouth of the hand of the wombe which this newe yeare we must offer vp vnto the lord in the ceasing of the Pestilence Differre not to offer them but as Abraham rose vp earely in the morning in the beginning of the day to sacrifice his sonne euen so beloued of London rise vp early to offer theÌ„ in the verie morning beginning of the yeare A new yeares gift for England to bestowe vpon the Lord. And thus I haue absolued the Kings Medicine Now because it is the manner that one friend bestoweth a newe yeares gift vpon another giue mee leaue belooued of England to shewe vnto you out of the whole frame of the precedent discourse a newe yeares-gift to bestowe vpon the best friende wee haue If ye are desirous to knowe it it is the repentance of King DAVID vnto the bestowing of which three reasons ought to perswade vs. First the reliques of the Kings euill and of the spirituall Plague which yet remaine in vs that it may serue as a medicine to heale them Secondly the prints markes and reliques of the corporall Plague which in some places yet are to be seen that it may serue as a spiritual weapon to chase and driue them from among vs. Thirdly the decreasing of the pestilence in the mother citye from whence the other members receiue their maintenance as the senses and nerues of the bodie from the heade that seeing the Lord hath answered repentance with repentance we may againe returne repentance for repentance Holy and commendable hath beene your zeale and diligence Reuerend Elders of the English Israell that yee haue sanctified a fast blowen the trumpet in Sion called a solemne assembly gathered the Elders and all the inhabitants of the Land into the house of the Lord. Ioel. 1.14 Great hath also beene your obedience blessed inhabitants of this Land that yee haue all come togither mourned togither fasted and cryed togither and the Lord graunt repented togither Beholde therefore the blessed fruites of your zeale diligence and obedience the wrath of the Lord appeased his hand hath not beene shortned that hee coulde not helpe neither his goodnesse abated that hee woulde not heare Wisd 11. And to vse the wordes of that hony Father BERNAD you haue founde honie in the Lyon mercie in the feareful God of heauen I finde that verified among vs which Socrates found in the Lacedemonians who perceiuing that in certaine wars betweene the Athenians and them the Athenians offered much gold vnto their Idols and yet departed still beaten out of the field asked the Oracle what might be the cause of it It was answered that the praiers of the Lacedemonians preuailed more then
must put on There followe the robes and garments of the newe yeare which wee must put on to take in orderly this Kings medicine These are also manifolde and manifest The first is the new man fit for this newe yeare Put on the new man saith the Apostle which is after God created in righteousnesse and holinesse Eph. 4.24 And bee yee changed by the renewing of your minde Rom. 12.2 The second is charitie mercie and kindenesse Col. 3.12 Put on the bowels of mercie kindnesse meeknesse long suffering forbearing and forgiuing one another Heere are costly robes rich men to bee worne and put on the olde yeare being past The third ornament is sobrietie girde vp the loynes of your minde bee sober 1. Pet. 1.13 This is an ornament for you that looke vpon the wine how pleasant it is in the glasse Prou. 23. If you will drinke this medicine you must not giue your selues to the oâ—her The fourth is peace and haue your feete â—hod with the preparatioÌ„ of the gospel of peace Ephe. 6. This is your garment you that are of â—he quarelling humour and sowe strife among â—our brethren The fifth ornament to put on is â—rueth and veritie Merchants this is your newe â—eares garment haue your loynes girded about with veritie Ephe. 6.14 The sixt garment is â—umilitie This is your newe yeares garment â—roud men put on humblenesse of minde Col. 3. â—2 it is a royall garment If then yee will take in â—his royall medicine forget not Dauids garmeÌ„t 〈◊〉 simple araiment in the eyes of the worlde but â—retious in the eyes of God It is an vniuersall â—mament both for the Prince and the begger It is a boldnes great arrogancie for a subiect how highsoeuer he be to be equal to the prince in his garments princely garments become princes but as for this ornament it is no boldnes at al to be equall vnto a King The seauenth is righteousnesse or a good conscience Iudges and magistrates let this be yours haue the brest plate of righteousnesse Ephe. 6.14 The eight is shamefastnesse and modestie women this is your new yeares garment 1. Tim. 2 9. Array your selues in comely apparel with shamefastnesse and modestie The ninth is holinesse and righteousnesse as this is euery mans garment so more particularly it ought to be your new yeares garment O trybe of Leui ô ye Prophets of the Lord. Psal 132.9 Let thy Priestes be cloathed with righteousnesse As vpon AARONS garment when hee entred the Sanctuarie there was written Codesh Codesh holinesse holinesse euen so yee that stande in the Lords Temple haue this holinesse written in your hearts The tenth is the wedding garment Math. 22. which is Faith This is an ornament for those to put on who the former yeare haue vnreuerently approached to the Kings feast The last garment is Chrisâ— Iesus This is the Christians garment Put yeâ— on the Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 13.14 This is thaâ— white raiment which couereth our nakednessâ— Apoc. 3.18 If wee desire a pretious garment one which is not heauie but light one in fashion one pleasant to God put on this Lord Iesus As IACOB hauing put on the garment of his eldest brother receiued the blessing euen so if wee put on this garment and approach vnto the Lord our Physition with it wee shall receiue the blessing of our father in heauen and the health of our soules These are then the garments to put on The colours of our garment are two red and white his redde colour it hath from the bloode of Christ Reu. 7.14 by which it is sanctified his white colour from the splendour and brightnesse of the holy Ghost in regarde of a holie life which shineth before the worlde Reu. 7.13 Let vs then belooued bee carefull to get these garments if wee will drinke this spirituall Kings medicine The Heathens beeing inuited had for their bankets and went to their feasts with white garments which they called vestes coenatorias which were also vsed among the Iewes as PHILO writeth and they which wore them were called Candidati the Lord doth inuite vs this year to the Kings feast which is repentance and that by a ioyfull deliuerance as hee inuited vs the former yeare by his smart-Preacher Ought wee not then to haue the white garment of integritie to put on The former yeare men haue ayred and perfumed their apparell with diuers sents and odoriferous confections to resist the poyson and infection of the ayre let vs this yeare perfume them with the sweet sent of humilitie modestie comlinesse to expell and resist the poyson and infection of curiositie pride and vanitie Let vs then beloued with these Elders in this life be cloathed with the penetentiall garment that in the life to come we may put on those white robes Reu. 7.13 wherewith the Saintes and Elders were adorned let vs not seeke to bee as the glowormes to shine here onely beneath that hereafter wee may shine aboue as the starres in the firmament And thus much for the garments to put on Before I proceede I will shewe you yet one thing The Kings medicine aganst the bodily infection must bee taken in fasting The spirituall Kings medicine is to bee taken in fasting as you may see in the medicine it self prefixed before the treatise as the practise of the former yeare doth also witnesse Euen so this spirituall Kings medicine of repentance against the spiritual Plague must bee taken in fasting There is a twofolde fast First a corporall and an outward Secondly a spirituall and an inward As for Dauid the Elders of Israell whither they haue fasted or no it is not here expressed but yet it may be beleeued that they haue As for you beloued of London first you haue taken in the Kings medicine for the bodie fasting Secondly you haue also begunne to take in this spirituall Kings medicine fasting witnesse the weekely fastings of the former yeare Being now come vnto the newe yeare see that you continue in the inward and spirituall fast as for the outward it is onely necessarie in the time of publike calamity when either any present iudgement would bee remoued or any good cause promoted but without the inward and spirituall this spirituall Kings medicine cannot be taken in vse it then not for the space of 9. daies together but for the space of thy whole life Forget not so much to forsake ordinarie foode as to imprison and shut vp your bodies from the vanities and pleasures of this life pull downe the strength and pride thereof The honour of a fast to vse the words of Chrisostome is not abstinence from meates but auoidance of sinne Dost thou fast shewe mee thy fasting by thy workes If thou askest what kinde of workes If thou seest a poore man take mercie on him if thine enemie reconcile thy selfe If thy friend deseruing praise enuie him not If a beautiful woman make a couenant with thine eyes For what auaileth it saith Augustin to
to them for Christ Iesus sake who hath deliuered vs You that haue alreadie the olde yeare sacrificed let not your goodnesse mercie goe backward like the shadow vpon Ahaz Dyall You that haue not let not your hearts bee like to the clay waxing harder harder let them be as waxe and let them melt vpon your brethren Let the benefit of your deliuerance bee as a sunne to melt them Oh how faire a thing is mercie in the time of anguish It is like a cloude of raine that commeth in the time of a drought Eccle. 35.19 And thus much for the second sort of Sacrifice The third kinde of sacrifice to bee offered this newe yeare is the sacrifice of thanksgiuing 3 The sacrifice of thanksgiuing which is to be offered vnto the Lord according to the direction of the holy Ghost Psal 50.14 Offer vnto God praise and pay thy vowes vnto the most high for hee that offereth praise shal glorifie mee These are the calues of our lips Hos 14.3 And seeing the Lord hath taken away our iniquitie and receiued vs gratiously Hos 14.3 Let vs therefore offer the sacrifice of praise to God the fruite of the lippes which confesse his name Hebr. 13.15 Let vs returne kindnesse for kindnesse DAVID Ps 170. setteth downe 4. kindes of men which are most indebted to GOD for deliuerance froÌ„ perils One of them are such that are freed from a mortall sicknesse London thou art in the coÌ„passe of one of these therfore you the remainders confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men offer the sacrifices of praise and deliuer his workes with reioycing Psalm 107.21.22 Exalt him in the congregation of the people and praise him in the assembly of the Elders Vers 32. Wee haue tasted the neuer stinting streame of his mercies what shall wee then render vnto the Lord for all his benefits towardes vs Let vs take the cuppe of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord pay our vowes vnto him euen now in the presence of all his people Psalm 116.12 The Leaper beeing cleansed by Christ returned with speede to giue GOD praise LONDON thou art now clensed and with HEZECHIAH hast receiued health and therefore say with the King Esd 38 20 The Lord was readie to saue mee therefore we wil sing my song al the daies of our life in the house of the lord If the Israelits haue bowed themselues and worshipped Exod. 12.27 because the Angell had spared them ought not thâ— remainders in all duetifull manner extol the glorious name of the Lord Israel beeing past thâ— red sea hath song vnto the Lord Exod. 15. anâ— shalt not thou ô London hauing now passed those waters which were entred euen to youâ— soule Psal 96 say with MOSES The Lord iâ— my praise and hee is become my saluation I will prepare him a Tabernacle and exalt him O that men would therefore praise the Lord foâ— his goodnesse and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men Psal 107. Nature it selfe doth teach thee ô London this kinde oâ— sacrifice it hath imprinted a thankfull affection in brute beasts and impressed it in senselesse creatures One horse claweth another as it is in the Prouerbe in token of mutuall thankfulnesse The earth receiuing raine from the clouds whereby her thirst is quenched returneth vapours vnto the cloudes againe and so requireth the former benefit The streaming Fountaines and running riuers receiuing water from the Sea send their waters again into the Sea in signe of gratitude The boughes and braÌ„ches of trees in springtime sucking their sap from the roote send it againe in the fall of the leafe into the roote to nourish it in winter season If nature hath ingraffed this affection in senselesse creatures how much more ought reason guided by diuine knowledge leade thee ô London vnto the due coÌ„sideration of this necessarie duetie Aâ—as wee had not deserued to receiue such a benefit and speedy deliuerance wee may then say with DAVID Not vnto vs ô Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name be this honour Psal 115. To what shall we ascribe it but to his greate mercy The Lord may answere vnto vs as Alexander the great vnto a certaine poore man vnto whom he had giuen two talents the poore man astonished with the greatnes of the gift vsing these words Most princely Sir I am not worthy to receiue so much to whome Alexander replyed I doe not respect good man what thou art meete to receiue but what beseemes mee so great a Potentate for to giue euen so God hath not regarded what wee most vnworthy creatures were worthy to receiue but what did become his mercy to bestowe and giue The greatnesse of his mercie then doth require that wee should sing the praises of God in the highest measure The cunning Musitian will not onely stretch forth his strings that they may bee heard but sometimes so that they may bee heard in the highest measure Such Musitians and singers of Gods mercie wee ought to bee this is the measure we must keepe this yeare vpon the Harpe of Dauid If we consider what cloudie daies haue gone ouer our heades and in how faire sunshine wee are set againe haue we not occasion to say with Dauid Psalm 92 It is a good thing to praise the Lord to sing vnto his name and to declare his louing kindnesse O let vs then with the best members and instruments wee haue bodies and spirits which the fingers of GOD haue harmonically composed praise the name of the Lord. Let vs not take without giuing as vnprofitable ground drinketh and deuoureth seede without restoring Let vs imitate Noah after the Floode in one thing and in another leaue him As Noah Gen. 8.20 after that the floode was ceased built an Altar and offered vnto the Lord so let vs after the deluge of the Pestilence offer vnto the Lord the sacrifice of thanksgiuing that the Lord may speake vnto vs as he said to Noah Encrease now again vpon the earth and replenish it But yet let vs take heede to surfet with Noah and forget the floode let the former iudgement which hath as a sworde beene shaken at vs for our sinne terrifie the whole Land Let vs not be like to the nine Leapers who beeing cleansed forgot him that cured them Little will hee yeelde which will not yeelde thankes which makes vs nothing the poorer Wee ought then to stirre vp our selues and with Dauid to speake Awake my tongue I will praise thee O Lord among the people Psalm 57.8 And as Deborah stirred vp her selfe Vp Deborah vp arise and sing a song Iud. 5.12 euen so O London stirre vp thy selfe vp London vppe arise sing a songe vpon the Harpe of DAVID Psalm 103 My soule praise thou the Lord and all that which is within mee his holy name My soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefits let vs euery where offer vp
our slaunders and depriuing of the good name and fame of our brethren Thirdly traitors against our owne persons as our whoredomes traitors against our chastity drunkennesse against our health pride against our humilitie and prodigalitie against our substance Fourthlie some against the prince Abners Asahels Isbosheths 2. Sa. 2. Seminaries and Iesuites repining at his felicitie traitors to inuert the words of AVGVSTIN against the Donatistes conuicti non conficti by conuiction not by confiction locusts come from the bottomlesse pit of hell spued foorth from the sea of Rome and Rhemes in heapes into the land who would rather haue a Reboam then a Salomon and therfore ar vermins being come out of the high Oke tree of Rome seeke to destroy the green Oliue tree in the house of the Lord. 1 â—â—l 52. And haue not some home-bredde enemies blowne the trumpet of Seba 2. Sam. 20. saying we haue no part of Dauid nor inheritance in the sonne of Ishai to whome may be saide that which Wisdome speaketh to her sonne Pro. 31.1 What my sonne the sonne of my wombe and yet they haue risen against their mother that did beare them and gaue them suck These foure kinds of traitors haue betrayed vs and made vs vnable to resist the King of Heauen as they haue prouoked the Lord against vs so haue they also made the Lords Angels the elements our enemies As it hath beene with the father so hath it beene with the sonnes as it hath beene with the King so hath it been with the subiectes For a King being offended his seruants are ready to bee executors of his anger and displeasure O the admirable force of sinne that whereas nothing is able to break the hedge of the Lords vineyard the Lyon nor the wilde Bore yet our sins are able to make a breach as one speaketh The Lord is a strong Sampson but yet our sins are as a razor by which we take away as it were his strength and by which wee doe as it were shaue the heade of that great Sampson our Iudge and defender that he cannot or rather will not helpe vs. I haue shewed you then right Honourable the causes of our impotencie giue mee leaue also to signifie to you the meanes how to escape against the future the brunt of such a iudgement and heauie assault beholde in this newe years gift out of the armory of King Dauid I discouer the right armour of proofe wherewith wee shall bee able to keepe out another time the destroyer namely King Dauids repentance a tree branching it selfe into these fruites the knowledge of his sinne desire of remission accompanied with faith humble confession prayer sacrificing prostrating of himselfe in sackloath with the Elders of the people No other target or sworde no other gate to shut out the destroyer then this These are mans or rather the Christians weapons God hath giuen to euery liuing creature his weapon to defend himselfe and to resist to the Bee his sting to the Bull his hornes to the Cocke his spurres to the Horse his heeles to the Beare his pawes to the Elephant his snoute to the Lyon his teeth to the Fish his sinnes but to man or a Christian hee hath giuen one more forcible then all the rest repentance and prayer fit weapons to resist and to keepe out the slaying Angell and the Lords armie Now that wee might be skilfull in the handling of them this Treatise setteth before our eyes DAVID a skilfull capitaine Esteem not Right Honourable and Worshipfull that it coÌ„meth too late out of time for as after the taking in of cities there is a pourtrature and Mappe drawne of the siege and taking in and of the manner thereof with a description of the traitors which haue betrayed it or of the cause of their weaknesse and vnability to resist and that for the instruction of others that therein they might learne where to amende the fault and the meanes how to keepe out another time the enemie So likewise after the besieging and taking in of your honourable citie by the Lord of Hostes and his Angell beholde I haue made a pourtrature and drawne a Mappe of the manner of the causes of our weakenesse of the traitours which haue betrayed it to shewe hereby the meanes to stoppe the breach and the way to resist if he returne againe the next sommer or any other time For although now in the winter season our enemie the pestileÌ„ce ceaseth to anoy vs yet he may perhaps the next spring returne if we take not heed For the plague is like vnto Kings and Princes in the besieging of cities in the winter season they commonly retyre the coldnesse of the winter suffering them not to continue but when the Sommer appeareth beholde they are in armes and come before the citie destroying burning and shooting In the same manner the Plague which ceased in the winter returneth often in the sommer And therefore let vs not become carelesse Soldiers Great hath beene the diligence by the commandement of our wise and gratious Prince of the spirituall Captaines in your citie to traine vp the Lords Soldiers and to teach them to handle these weapons paise-worthy haue beene the weekely mustrings in the Lords fielde I meane your weekely fastings in the congregation through the whole citie wee haue experience of successe for wee haue ouercome the inuincible Lord and caused him to retire But let vs not therefore giue our selues to security and lay aside these weapons but rather as the citizens who are in doubt of the enemies returning let vs continually watch and pray Luk. 21. that if hee returne wee bee not vnprouided let vs not tarry to take them vntill the Lord enter the citie as wee haue done least wee smart for it againe Alexander the great being readie to giue an assault sawe one of his Souldiers then first to take his buckler in hand and viewing it to try if it were strong enough for which negligence hee displaced him and punished him let vs also take heede that wee suffer not a iust punishment for our procrastination and delay To auoide the same because the prints or markes of gods correcting hand are yet to bee seene and the noyse of the mournings and gronings of manie doe yet sounde in our eares giue mee leaue Right Honourable and worshipfull to giue vnto you Good counsel for the citie and to the whole citie a twofolde counsell First keepe in your citie this yeare yea continuallie spirituall garrison haue the armourie of Dauid exercise your selues in the handling of these spirituall weapons Secondly let your citie bee walled with mercie iudgement trueth sobrietie humilitie and sanctimonie and so it will bee stronger then if it had walles of brasse and Iron and will bee able to keepe out the iudgement of GOD in the highest strength therof To drawe towards a conclusion accept this little vnworthy Treatise Right Honorable and Right Worshipful I offer it vnto you
this first day of the yeare for a newe yeares gift with the name of the Kings Medicine which the Treatise following will lay open vnto you It was a medicine vsed by King Dauid and the Elders of the people and therefore beeing a kingly medicine is not vnfit to bee dedicated vnto your Honour a Kings Lieutenant and also to you Right VVorshipful the Elders of the people The Lord grant that with the 24. Elders yee may fall downe before the throne of GOD and giue all praise glorie wisdome thanks honour power and might vnto GOD Reuel 4.10 for euermore Amen Your Honors and Worships to commaund and to vse in the Lord IAMES GODSKALL the younger THE KINGS MEdicine of the former yeere against the Plague of the bodie The first part TAke Sage of vertue The ingredients Rue otherwise called Hearb-grace Elder-leaues Red bramble leaues and Worme-wood of each of them a good handfull stampe them all together and then straine them through a fine linnen cloth and put to the iuyce a quart of perfect good White wine and a good quantitie of white wine Vinegar mingle them altogether put thereto a quarter of an ounce of White Ginger beaten to small powder vse to drinke this Medicine euery morning fasting for the space of nine daies together the quantitie of a spooneful at a time and this will by Gods helpe preserue you for the space of a whole yeere THE KINGS MEDIcine for this present yeere against the Plague of the soule and the effect thereof TAke the hearbe of vertue the doing of good The ingredients Psal 34.14 and the hearbe of patience otherwise called a waiting vpon the Lorde Psal 37.7 wherewith possesse your soules Luc. 21.19 Insteede of Hearb-grace take another called Christs grace and in the place of Elder-leaues Elders examples following and imitating the Elders of Israel 1. Chro. 21. prostrating your selues before the Maiestie of God Let not two things be the ingredients of this Spirituall Kings medicine which are in the corporall the Bramble the Wormewood Leaue out the proude bramble and his leaues for he would exalt himselfe aboue the other trees Iudg. 9.15 Secondly leaue out also the bitter worme-wood of hate anger and enuy and according to the counsel of God the best Physition deu 29.18 Let there not be among you any roote of bitternes and wormewood In steede of these two take the humble Fig-tree and his leaues who would not exalt himselfe aboue others Iudg. 9.11 Mingle herein the broad Fig-leaues of lowlinesse humbling your selues vnder the mightie hand of God 1. Pet. 5.6 couering your good workes as the Fig-tree his sweete fruite with the broad leaues of humilitie Take of each of these a good quantitie and be aboundant in good workes and in the work of the Lord as the Apostle speaketh being filled with all fulnesse of God Ephe. 3.9 Straine these through the fine Strainer of vprightnes and integritie walking vprightly Psal 15. Auoyding al hypocrisie and laying aside all guile and dissimulation 1. Pet. 2.1 In steede of white Ginger put thereunto the hot ginger of loue towards God and thy neighbour let it be white and pure louing without dissimulation Rom. 12. verse 9. Further hote and feruent Aboue all things hauing feruent loue among you 1. Pet. 4. vers 8. Breake with the stamper of obedience and humilitie the hardnesse of thy heart Let it smite thee as DAVIDS did make as it were a small pouder of it through humilitie and if to day thou hearest the voice of the Lord harden not thy heart Heb. 3. In steede of white Wine put to the juice of these The perfect white and pure wine that is the blood of Iesus Christ and the sower Vinegar of his death and passion For onely by the vertue of this the medicine must operate Vse to take in this medicine euery daie fasting sometime outwardlie and corporally when in publique calamitie it is appointed by the superiour power to remooue a present judgement but alwaies inwardly Spiritually loosing the bandes of wickednes taking off the heauy burthens letting the oppressed goe free couering the naked dealing thy bread to the hungrie Esa 5.8 vse this I say not for the space of nine daies together but the whole yeere yea all the daies of thy life So continuing in the Lord. Phil. 4.1 and beeing not wearie of well doing 2. Thess 3 13. And this wil by Gods helpe preserue you from the Plague of the soule and the infection of this world I say not a whole yeere but all thy life time till against the future resurrection both with bodie and soule thou maiest liue eternally THE KINGS BOdily Medicine after infection The second part IF it fortune that one be strickē with the Plague before hee haue taken the former medicine then take the things rehearsed and put thereto a spoone-ful of Betony water and as much Scabious water and a prettie quantitie of fine Treacle and temper them well together and let the patient vse to drinke it often and it will expell the veneme or poyson forthwith But if the Botch do happen to appeare then take a good quantitie of Elder leaues red Bramble leaues and Mustard seede stampe them well together and make a playster thereof apply it to the sore and it wil draw foorth all the venome and corruption THE SECOND part of the Spiritual medicine IF it fortune that thou art stricken with the Plague before thou hast taken in the former Kings medicine of repentance then take the things afore rehearsed and least in thy affliction thou waxe impatient put thereunto not the balme of Gilead Jer. 46.11 But the Spirituall Triacle and Mithridate of the consideration of Gods will and prouidence Psal 39.9 opening not thy mouth because he doeth it and holding that nothing can happen vnto thee without his appoyntment Further that thou shouldest not distrust or dispaire of the remission of thy sinnes of the health of thy soule and of the goodnesse and power of God the Physition In steede of Betony water put there-unto a good quantitie of that Aqua benedicta of that blessed Water of Gods mercie praying with DAVID take away O Lord the trespasse of thy seruant 2. Sam. 24 10. and wash me that J may be whiter then snow Psal 51. This will coole the heate of thy conscience and comfort thy wearie bones Adde as much of the water of life Iohn 4.10 which is powred into our hearts by the holy Ghost vnto euerlasting life Fetch it by prayer of Christ the Phisitian and Doctor of our soules for hee doeth giue it to quench our thirst Ioh. 4.14 Put hereunto thy Baptisme water representing the blood of Christ Iesus It is one of the three witnesses 1. Iohn 5. assuring thee of the remission of thy sinnes Leaue out Scabious water I meane that Scabbie Holie-water with the Bulles and Indulgences of the Antichrist for it will make thee to get scabbes and sores in thy soule and be
vnto thee not the water of life but the water of death Adde also a good quantitie of that comfortable Triacle of hope with the consideration of the future glorie being sure that thy redeemer liueth and that thou shalt see him with thine eyes Iob. 19.25 Mingle and temper thus well together this patience faith confidence and hope and let the patient that is infected with either of them both vse to drinke this Kings medâ—cine often let all his life in health or in sickenesse be a continuall repentance and meditation of these things and it will expell the venome of his sinne of impatience distrustfulnesse and immoderate feare But if the filthy botch of impatience distrustfulnesse and immoderate feare doe happen to appeare then insteede of Elder leaues take a good quantity of elders examples the faith of ABRAHAM patience of IOB the hope of DAVID take my brethren the Prophets for an example of patience in suffring aduersitie Jam. 5.10 Further take also the Mustard-seede of Gods word Matth 13.31 with the excellent commandements admonitions promises and comforts contained therein mingle these together consider vpon them make a plaister of them apply it to thy sore it will draw forth the venome corruption of impatience distrustfulnesse and immoderate feare The Mustard-seede as PLINIVS doeth witnesse is both purgativum curatiuum it purgeth the bodie of euill humours and cureth the venemous byting of a Serpent Euen so the Spirituall Mustard-seede of the Word purgeth and voydeth the euill humours of the soule and healeth the venemous byting of that old Serpent the Deuill THE KINGS MEDIcine for this present yeere Collected out of the 2. booke of Sam. Chap 24. and out of the first of the Chron. Chap. 21. THat which the Apostles in the beginning of their Epistles haue wished vnto the Saints of God the same in the beginning of the yeere I wish vnto you beloued of LONDON for a New-yeeres-gift Grace be with you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ Let vs beloued beginne this present yeere with that excellent Prayer of MOSES Teach vs Psal 90. O Lord to number our daies that we may apply our hearts to wisedome That which is reported of the DOLPHINES in the enrie of this yeere may put vs in minde of the state of the former yeere they play most in the Sea when a tempest is neerest And haue not we the former yeere in the Sea of this world beene most playing reioycing tryumphing erecting our Arches and some of the workes like BABELL when the tempest of the Pestilence was neerest and when we least expected it the suddaine alteration which ensued preacheth it to the whole Land And as the Lord hath bestowed the former yeere vpon this Kingdome the greatest benefite which she euer receiued so hath he also in the same yeere sent the greatest Pestilence in our memorie which she euer felt And note this with me that as the Prophet DANIEL in the first yeere of the reigne of King DARIVS who was made King ouer the Realme of the Caldeans Dan. 9. vnderstoode the desolation of Ierusalem the royall Mother-citie of Iewrie which moued him to turne his face vnto the Lord by Prayer and supplications with fasting and sack-cloth So likewise euen in the first yeere of the reigne of King IAMES who was made King ouer the Realme of England We vnderstood and also saw the desolations of the English Ierusalem the Mother-citie and imperiall Chamber of this kingdome which mooued vs with DANIEL to turne our faces vnto the Lord with prayer and fasting which is the best Phisick to cure the Plague of the soule with the effect thereof the Plague of the body The Physitions against the bodily Plague haue prescribed a certaine remedie called THE KINGS MEDICINE so tearmed because a king of England vsed it in the time of Plague This hath bene the medicine of the old yeere great hath bene your diligence beloued of LONDON to follow this prescription and being ayded by nature and expeperience some of you haue taken in this Kings medicine to preuent the Plague others being alreadie preuented by the sicknesse haue taken it in to expell the venome and to be deliuered from that secrete euill and noysome Pestilence with what successe your selues haue had experience The olde yeere being past giue mee leaue to prescribe another Kings medicine fit for the New yeere so called because a king of Israell vsed it with the Elders of the people It is a medicine against the Plague of the soule fit for all times If PLATO could say Repentance that the life of a Philosopher ought to be a continual meditation of death how much the better may we christians saie that the life of a Christian ought to be a continuall repentance Although the Plague of the bodie bee ceased yet it is to bee feared that the Plague of the soule doeth yet raigne and continue in manie places both in the Citie and suburbes therefore as you haue bene diligent the old yeere to take in the kings medicine for the body so bee not negligent this New-yeere to take in the Kings medicine for the soule It is a medicine which wil cost nothing and as fitte for the poore as for the rich The Phisitions deuide their whole practise in two generall partes in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preuenting Physicke and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 recouering Physick according to this rule The bodily kings medicine vsed the former yeere doth consist of two parts as it may be seene in the medicine it selfe which I haue annexed to this Treatise The first is for them that are not yet infected to preuent it The second is for the infected to remooue it The same medicine for both but with an addition So likewise the Spiritual kings medicine which I purpose to describe consisteth of these two parts It is a preuenting and a recouering Physicke necessary to preuent future calamities and to recouer the health of the soule All this hitherto spoken premitted as a Preface before we proceed let vs let some order in this our discourse and draw the scattered branches home to their roote I will vse the methode that Phisitions doe vse in their practise of Physicke shewing vnto you the cause of the sicknesse the medicine to heale it and the operation of the medicine And this is the methode which the Holy Ghost himselfe that wise Physition doeth follow in these two Chapters prefixed which I haue taken to be my text and the subiect of this discourse The words doe empty themselues into these foure particulars A diuision of the whole discourse The first containeth The Kings sicknesse the Plague of the soule DAVIDS sinne consisting in the numbring of the people verse 1.2.3.4 5. which I may call the Kings euill The second the effect operation and misery of the kings sicknesse the Plague of the bodie verse 14.15.16 with the outwarde cause of it The prouidence decree of
worker in the workes of men but yet let vs not set vp a iudgement seat in our erronious phantasies thereat arraigning God of iniustice Thus much I dare say that as the house wherein SAMPSON was fell to ruine with the verie weight of the building when he withdrew the proppes and pillers of the house and as the remoouing of the sunne from these vpper parts of the earth into the other hemisphere bringeth darknes vpon vs So when the Lord withdraweth his gratious spirite and that the aide and assistance of Gods grace forsaketh a man the righteous Lorde departing from an vnrighteous soule how can the house but fall and how can there but darkenesse succeede Great and admirable is thy wisdome ô Lord Sin is a poyson yet as the wisdome of the Phisitions is in vsing the poyson of Serpents for how harmefull a nature soeuer the poysoÌ„ hath the Physition tempereth it by degree healeth his patieÌ„t therby the poyson it self notwithstanding hurtfull the skill of the Physition commendable the effect profitable So the Lord an excellent Physition handleth sinne the poyson of the olde Serpent froÌ„ the corrupted will of man can produce good effects as appeareth here in the example of DAVID But I will not enter further into a bottomles sea let vs remaine where the lambe may wade without danger of miscarrying This question is couered with a curtain of sacred secrecy therfore the booke that is clasped vp I leaue to the lambe and to the blessed Trinity You phantastick Libertines that charge that righteous Lord with the conception and birth of so vile a monster why rubbe ye your filthinesse vpon his puritie vessels of clay dare you thus conceiue of your former Aske but the maisters of humane wisdome they will enforme you better God is by no meanes vniust saieth PLATO Let those dogges be confounded that barke at the iustice of God Iam. 1. I conclude with the Apostle let no man when hee is tempted saye that he is tempted by God for God is not tempted with euill and hee himselfe tempteth no man Others with a right iudgment follow the determination of that wise doctor the Holy Ghost who can not erre and make Man and Satan the cause of this spirituall infection But what neede we dispute about the matter the doctor of trueth decideth the question and himselfe maketh a Commentarie vpon this question in few words Satan stood vp and prouoked him For explanation of which Commentarie the saying of AVGVSTINE is excellent and substantiall Deus deserit diabolus suggerit homo consentit The deuill worketh by suggestion man by consenting God by forsaking To follow the methode of the Physition as hee maketh a double cause of the corporall Plague an outward and an inward the infection of the ayre and the corruption of the humours in the body The outwarde cause of the spirituall contagâ—on So may we make a double cause of the spiritual plague First an outward Satan Secondly an inward the flesh and the corruption within the the soule of man Satan is the ayre which doeth infect the soule this ayre is worser then the infection of the elementall ayre For the Satanicall ayre is euery where in all contries Kingdomes cities townes and villages It compasseth the earth to and fro Job 1.7 It infecteth all manner of persons the Prince and the subject the Courtier and the Carter the learned and the ignorant and hee that taketh in preseruatiues against it doth often hardly scape it For DAVID himselfe hath bene infected by it He walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure 1. Pet. 5.8 The infection of the elementall ayre hurteth nothing but the body but the Satanicall ayre seeketh to hurt man in three things In his soule in his bodie in his goods The infection of the elementall aire remaineth not alwaies but this continueth and hath bene from the beginning this infectious ayre was in Paradise the first person infected was EVE ADAM got it from her We from ADAM The bitter root of disobedience which our fore-fathers tasted infected their blood and the corrupt nutriment thereof conuerted it selfe into the whole body of their succeeding linage The breasts of EVE gaue no other milke then peruersnesse to her children and ADAM alas left it for a patrimonie to all his posteritie although the Lord had giuen them a preseruatiue against this Satanical ayre namely his commandement and had as it were fenced the forbidden tree with a double hedge of a twofold death yet it was so forcible that they became infected with the plague of the soule which plague manifested it selfe with many Deuils tokens disobedience apostasie infidelitie pride ambition and other more this ayre then hath infected DAVID and poysoned his heart Some deny that the ayre doth infect and affirme that an Angell doth it I dispute not therof but to apply this to our purpose I may say that an Angell doth infect men with the Plague of the soule but it is an Angel of darknesse As an Angel of heauen smote the ISRALITES with the bodily pestilence so an Angell of hell smote DAVID their King with the spirituall pestilence 2 The inward cause of it Iam. 1 14 15 thus much for the outward cause of this spirituall infection The inward is in man his pronenes to this corruption as the corrupted ayre cannot infect except the humors in the body be apt to receiue the infection for the euill and corrupt humors ingendered in the body are a cause of the bodily pestilence So although Satan bee the outward cause yet this our spirituall disease riseth from within vs. Satan cannot constrain vs to receiue it vnlesse our willes should consent to it and that by the inward corruption of our flesh wee were apt to take it The vse Out of the consideration of the two-folde cause of the spirituall pestilence learne to make a two-folde preseruatiue First resist the inward cause 1 To resist the inward cause and as against the inward cause of the bodily infection the engendring of euill humors it is good to take heede of disordering himselfe either in dyet or other vnlawfull exercises So to resist the cause of the spirituall plague which is in man Be sober and watch 1. Pet. 5.8 Take heede to your selues least at any time your hearts bee oppressed with surfetting and drunkennes and cares of this life Luc. 21.36 possesse your vessels in holinesse and honour and not in the lust of concupiscence 1. Thes 4.4 And as NOAH pitched the Arke without and within that no water should get in So let vs pitche the arkes of our soules that no violent and disordered thoughts rush into them The men of the world were wont to saye saieth BERNARD that hee that keepeth the bodye keepeth a good Castell Wee saye not so sayeth hee but hee that keepeth his soule keepeth a good Castell Let thy principall care bee to preserue this pretious soule from this infection But alas how
follow the Physitions methode not as naturians and Galenists but as Scripturians If wee search the outwarde cause out of the booke of God we shall finde that that wise Physition the holy Ghost maketh also in outwarde and an inward cause of the Pestilence one without maÌ„ another within man The first is the decree will prouidence of the Lord the second the sin of man the first is manifested in the plague three manner of waies if we respect the disease it selfe the persons infected the time when In all three the prouidence of the Lord worketh the trueth hereof fiue sufficient testimonies do prooue Fiue testimonies prooving the outward cause Deut. 28 Ier. 21.5 6 Esa 38 Iob 5.18 first the name of it the sworde rod out-stretched hand of the Lord secondly the Lords threatnings thirdly the remoouing of it which is proper to him Fourthly the instrumeÌ„t which the Lord vseth fiftly the choise giueÌ„ to the king Hauing found the outward cause imitate the good Phisition Two preseruatiues learne thereout to make preseruatiues and antidotes Out of the consideration of this will and prouidence wee may make a double preseruatiue for the time of infection Two preseruatiues One for the vnuisited the other for the visited For the first it is necessary to expel and to resist the poyson of immoderate feare 1 For the vnuisited Make it in this manner take the coÌ„sideration of the prouidence of the Lord without which nothing can happen apply this to thy soule and it will operate and make thee to saye why should I immoderatly apprehende and feare that which cannot happen and befall vnto mee without his will and which I cannot scape against his will If thou takest in Triacle Mithridate and other confections of arte to resist the poyson of the ayre what oughtest thou to do to expell the poyson of thy soule I shew you theÌ„ beloued here to make a spiritual Triacle and a heauenly Mithridate against this venome Secondly out of this consideration of Gods prouideÌ„ce 2 For the visited the visited and infected may learne to make a preseruatiue which is Christian patience necessary to resist and expell out of his soule the poyson of impatience grudging and murmuring Make it in this maner take the coÌ„sideration of Gods wil thus apply it to thy soule Psalm 39 as DAVID did Lord because thou diddest it I will be dumme and not open my mouth and saye as IOAB to ABISHAI his brother 2 Sam. 10.12 Let the Lord do that which is good in his eyes This preseruatiue is first necessary and forcible Secondly profitable thirdly comfortable fourthly tryed and experimented And thus much for the outward cause THe inward is the sinne of the King and of his subjects As the Physitions make the euill and corrupt humour ingendred in the body 2 The inward cause of the Plague the inward cause of the pestilence out of the booke of Nature So wee may make the inwarde corruptions in the soule the inward cause of the bodily infection out of the booke of God To the sinne of man I may attribute foure things First that it is the inward cause of the infection Secondly a just cause just First for God to send it Secondly for man to suffer it Thirdly a tryed and experimented cause for the experience of all ages hath obserued sinne to be the cause of the pestilence First â—ut of the Church Secondly in they Church Out of the Church this hath bin obserued by a double experience First by the experience of Historiographers Secondly Physition In â—he Church two things do prooue it First the sinnes for which he doth threaten to send it Secondly the sinnes for which he hath sent it Here might set before your eyes a cloude of witnesses and make a Christian Chronicle of â—xâ—mples but because I am loath to repâ—at that which others haue done already I ref rre you â—o their writings and to the booke of GOD. Fourthly sinne is the cause of Physical cause he cause both of the outwarde and inwarde â—ause rendreth by the Physition a cause of the infection of the ayre and of the corruption of the humours in the body Out of the consideration of the inward cause learne to make phisick and preseruatiues for the time of the plague Preseruatiues to bee made out of the consideration of the inward cause against the plague that both for the visited vnuisited Two preseruatiues may bee made out of this consideration The first to remooue the poyson of impatience the second to remooue the cause of the pestileÌ„ce If the filthy Botch Carbuncle of impatience grudging doth arise in thy soule seeing the hande of God then take this consideration apply it in this manner to thy soule that which the Lord hath sent to me it is for my sinnes and iniquities why art thou theÌ„ disquieted ô my soule learne to judge aright of this his chastisement and say with the Prophet Mich. 7.9 J will beare the wrath of the Lord because J haue sinned against him This phisick is both profitable and comfortable profitable to huÌ„ble thee to teach thee the knowledge of thy self to make thee vse the poore suters phraise Lorde I suffer nothing but thâ— which infinitly more I haue deserued tak away O Lord the trespasse of thy seruant Secondly comfortable for it setteth before our eies thâ— admirable goodnesse and mercie of the Lord and mooueth vs to speake in this maner I hauâ— infinitely more deserued ô Lord by my tranâ—gression yet so great is thy mercy that thâ— art coÌ„tented to send me an afflictioÌ„ which toucheth only the skin a corporal plague a teÌ„poral chastisement O inequal proportion the creature hath offeÌ„ded her creator a silly earth-worme the majestie of heauen and yet for our infinite sins he sendeth vnto vs but temporall chastisements Thy mercies ô Lord ouercome thy judgemeÌ„ts herein I perceiue the truth of thy promise Os 11.9 J wil not execute the fiercenes of my wrath Be not theÌ„ disamied ô my soule seeing that the Lord doth not punish thee according to thy desarte and the quality of thy sin this is a testimony vnto thee that thy sinnes are remitted that this preseÌ„t rod is but a fatherly correction The Lord then visiting thee with the rod of DAVID doeth ayde thee with a double aide The first is with the aide of correction and discipline The second is with the aide of coÌ„fort By the first he doth exercise thee without by the second he doth assure the within by the first he bridleth thy insolencie by the secoÌ„d he encourageth thy pusillaminity by the first he maketh thee more aduised for the future by the second more deuotions The secoÌ„d preseruatiue The second preseruatiue is to remooue the cause that the effect may cease and seeing sinne is the inward cause flye from it as from a Serpent Ecc. 21. GALENS counsaile is that of
the spirituall Plague so hath there been a time for the Raigne of the corporall Plague Let vs now farther vnfolde the flying booke that with Ierusalem Eze. 16. wee may beare our own shame The order calleth me now to the applycation of the two lâ—st meÌ„bers which will stores vs with some singular meditations obserue with me beloued of LoÌ„ndon in the entrie of this New-yeare Note the thinges following The two preacherâ— of the last yeere that the Lord hath vsed the former yere two kinde of Preachers to mooue vs to repentance First a Preacher of anger and justice summoning vs by his smart-Preacher Secondly a Preacher of mercie So that the old yeere hath preached both mercy and iustice hath kissed each other The first Preacher is his justice which hee hath shewen in two thinges crossing vs two manner of waies First with the rodde of DAVID Secondly with coÌ„traries First the Lord hath chastised vs as it were by Retaliation a like Plague for the like offence according to the rule of the wise man 1 Gods smart Preacher wherewith a man sinneth by the same also shall he bee punished hath sent a diminution of people England thou hast had the experience of DAVID thou hast gloryed in the number of the people and hast long bene busie with a vaine Arithmeticke in the numbring of thy riches prosperitie housen c and therefore the Lord hath punished thee with a diminution of people and hath teached thee another Arithmeticke Thou hast bene busie with addition multiplication and the Lorde hath bene busie with Substraction and diuision Hee hath taken away thousandes and ten thousands and hath by the weekly Bils taught vs to number three things First our sinnes for them Secondly the diminution of the people therby thirdly to number our daies Further because ordinarie magistrates had not done their duty behold he hath sent an extraordinary Magistrate froÌ„ heauen to reforme vs feare him rich poore honorable contemptible this hath bin the Lord chiefe iustice PareÌ„ts Parents you haue also had experieÌ„ce of this because some of you haue gloried in the nuÌ„ber of your children louing theÌ„ too much setting your harts vpon theÌ„ the Lord hath takeÌ„ them away and made whole families desolate PareÌ„ts maisters Maisters you should haue bin little magistrates to your families which you shold haue purged but for wanâ— of this duety he hath sent another Magistrate Magistrates which hath purged theÌ„ because you had deformed not reformed your selues he hath seÌ„â— his Reformer Leu. 26. Merchants Merchants because you haue been more busie to pay the debts of meâ— then to pay a debt which you owe to God which is repentance which hee hath long required by his seruants the Prophets therefore he hath sent his Sergjants and Purseuants to warne and arrest you The Lord hath among the rest three Sergjants age sicknes and deathâ— by the second he hath warned some of you by the third he hath arrested some you that arâ— not yet arrested by death pay this yeere the debts which you owe to God before you pay the debt which you owe nature Husbandmen Husbandmen because you haue been more carefull to gather your fruites and to fill your barnes and that your figge tree hath produced euill fruite and your sinnes filled the measure of iniquitie therefore your teeth haue ben iustly set on edge the Lord hath filled full the cup of his wrath and giuen vnto vs his deadly wine to drinke The haruest was come and because our sinnes were ripe he hath sent a sickle from heauen to cut them downe and this hath mowens many thousands Gentlemen Gentlemen some of you haue gloried in the number and multitude of our laÌ„ds but what hath this auailed for the Lord hath giueÌ„ to some of you so much measure of grouÌ„d to the length breadth of your bodies as hath onely serued to bury them in or so many handfulles of dust as your bodies go into after their consumption SOCRATES carried ALCIBIADES bragging of his lands to a Map of the world bad him demoÌ„strat where his laÌ„d lay he could not espie it for Athens it selfe was but a small thing The Lorde hath told you the former yere and yet telleth and sheweth you this yeere where your Lande lyeth so much measure of grounde to the length breadth of your bodies as may serue to bury them in This is my earth and his earth your earth therefore if ye wil glorie glorie in the Lord For why art thou proude ô earth ashes Ruffianly Swaggerers and Caualiers you that haue contemned the Lord and spoken with Rabsacs proude and high words alas a little Carbuncle and a little spot in the skinne hath cast downe some of the proudest of you al and as MOSES smote the hard rocke with his rod so the Lord hath smitten some of your rockie hearts with the rod of his vengeance and because your damnable othes Blasphemers haue as it were whipped and tormented the patience of God they haue also receiued a scourge for which they called for Worldlings Worldlings you had not bene a long time at rest the cares of this worlde had too much molested you and as the clocke can neuer stande still from running so long as the Peases and Plummets hang thereat euen so hauing infiniteÌ„ cares hanging vpon your minds as weights vpon the Clocke you haue had no rest and therefore the Lord hath sent one to make you rest for a time and hath made you MARIES insteede of MARTHA that ye might not be troubled about many things but remember that â—â—e thing which is necesarie The Lord graunt that in your weekely fastings through the whole Lande you haue bene MARIES and sate at the feete of Iesus with humilitie deuotion and reuerence Schollers children of the Prophets Cleargy men and also all ye inhabitantes of this kingdome that hath bene the subject a long time of your discourses but your profite benefices pleasures the glory of this world in the beginning of the former yeere of the tryumphs of this lande euen from Dan to Bershebah from Douer to Saint Dauies From Barwicke to the Mount court citie therefore the Lord hath giuen vs justly another subject to discourse vpon a subject to speake of our sinne our creator our permanent citie our miserie and our mortalitie If hee had not offered vs this subject we should haue forgotten him O what a happy time then hath it bene for the soule who hath not discoursed of this subject prepared and ordered his house The New-yeere being come forget not this subject thinke not as the Emperour OTHO did that it is a part of dastardy to speake of death Astronomers Astronomers because you haue bene more busie to behold the Ecclipses of the Sunne and of the Moone than the Ecclypse in your owne soules the worlde like vnto the Moone
in the entrie of the New-yeere which are as it were foure Preachers to Preach vnto vs the doctrine of Repentance The olde yeere hath bene a yeere of wonders as fitly I may tearme it Witnesse the strange alterations like vnto the variable estate of the Moone As King AHASHVEROSH called to minde out of the booke of Records and the Chronicles the things fore-past Euen so call to your mindes out of the booke of your memories and the Chronicle of the former yeere the thinges which then haue hapned The Lorde hath visited vs the former yeere at diuerse times with foure visitations In the beginning in the middest in the ende Two of them are visitations of sorrow two of joye Two of them haue beene Funeralles two haue bin deliuerances and Coronations Two haue concerned a Prince two a Princely City These haue ben diuersly intermingled sorrow and joye haue followed and kissed each other Sorrow hath begunne the yeere joye hath ended it both joye and sorrow haue walked in the middest To particularize 1 A visitation of sorrowe with the funerals of a Noble Princesse The first hath bene a visitation of sorrowe and the funeralles of a Prince in the beginning of the yeere the Lord first visiting with sicknesse and afterwardes taking away that Noble Princesse of famous memorie that worthie instrument of Gods glory by whose sacred Scepter the faithful Protestant aswel we strangers as the natural inhabitants haue found a secure and fertile nurcery At that time ô the sighes of the righteous ô the coÌ„plaints of the godly ô the feare doubting of many Spemque metumque inter dubij some fearing some hoping 2 Chro. 35 Then as IOSIAS was mourned for by all IVDAH and Ierusalem and IEREMY mourned for IOSIAS al singing men and singing women Euen so all the coÌ„panies and Orders of the Realme the Princes and the prophets plentifully watered their cheekes euen from the honourable counsailor to him that grindeth at the Mill. This began a little to mooue vs as it were to taste the medicine of repentance for the death of a good Prince is one of the Lords Preachers to make many at that time to pray vnto the Lord that hee would be mindfull of Sion and not permit vs to fall againe in the superstitions of the Antichrist This part of the tragedy ended behold there followed the second alteration the visitation of ioy and mercie the proclamation of a new Prince and afterward his ioyfull Coronation At that time ô the admirable ioy euen from Dan to Bershebah 2 A visitation of ioy with the Proclamation and Coronation of a new Prince from th' one part of the land to the other for this heauenly gift of a noble renowned godly Religious vertuous wise learned Prince a man after Gods own heart and vnfeignedly I may speak a man after our owne heart long desired and wished for in the hearts of the Godly subjects true professours Sorrow in the first visitation was as it were a heauy stone vpon our hearts but in the second visitation hee hath as it were sent an Angell from heauen to speake to the whole Kingdome Feare not In the first the whole land was as it were laid down in the bed of sorrow but by the second there arose a new Sun whose beames were comfortable to the whole land This then hath bin another of the Lords Preachâ—rs But hath this mooued vs either to continue or to goe forward in the waies of the Lord alas wee haue not altered the colour or haire of our heads nor added one inch to our stature since all these thinges haue bin accomplished among vs our hearts haue bene as the adamant that the impiession of Gods graces haue not entred And therefore there followed the third visitation of sorrow lamentation the deluge of the Pestilence the second Funerall The funeralls of whole families and the funeralles of a Princely Cittie which was as it were going to her graue if the Lord in his mercy had not commaunded his Angel to put vp his sword into the scabberd this was an other kinde of Preacher The consideration of the second visitation 3 A newe visitation of sorrow with the funerals of a princely citie had made vs to say in our hearts with DAVID in his prosperitie Psa 30. I shall neuer be mooued The Pestilence of securitie did beginne to raigne among vs I doe appeale vnto the words speeches of the inhabitants which then were vsed in the Lande and therefore the Lord came and mingled our joy with sorrow sprinckled a little salt ouer the joy of the country and by a mortalitie hee did put vs in minde of our mortality As Christ shewed vnto PETER and the rest vpon the Mountaine when they were in the midst of their joye and that PETER said Let vs make heere three tabernacles as hee shewed I say to them MOSES and ELIAS which were dead men Euen so in the midst of our ioy and glory when wee were saying It is good to bee heere and to make our tabernacles heere euen then he shewed vnto vs MOSES and ELIAS and sent vs a mortallity It was vsuall amongst the Egiptians that in the middest of their feasts solemnities a resemblance of death all trembling and shaking was brought and carryed round about to make them remember it to learne sobrietie Euen so in the midst of our solemnities for the joye of a newe Prince death hath been carried round about the Land that we should not waxe to wanton and forget the Lord. It is storied that when the Emperours were crowned the Sepulchers of dead men were shewed vnto them to make them mindefull of death euen so when our King the former yeere was Crowned the Lord hath shewen vnto him and to vs the Sepulchers of dead men and by the continuall allarum of Bels put vs in minde of death which mindfulnesse as CASSiANVS an ancient writer speaketh is a generall restraint from euil Let this Preacher beloued of London teach you that as IOSEPH of Arimathea had a sepulchre in the midst of his beautiful garden eueÌ„ so you ought in the midst your prosperity felicity to be mindful of your mortal being The fourth last visitatioÌ„ in the end of the yeere hath ben a visitation of joy a deliueraÌ„ce froÌ„ the PestileÌ„ce as it were a second Coronation A newe visitation of ioy with a second Coronation a Coronation of your citie the Lord compassing it round about with joyful deliueraÌ„ce Ps 32. Ps 103.4 crowning it with his accustomed kindnes with mercy coÌ„passion But of this more at large in King DAVIDS sacrifycing To proceed I told you beloued before that the Lord by the smart-Preacher of his justice and anger hath crossed vs two maner of waies First punishing vs as it were by Retaliation for our glorying in the number and multitude with a diminution Secondly by contraries 2 The second thing where in
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
Grecian Ladyes count theyr age and the beginning of their life from the time of theyr Marryage not from the day of theyr Birth and if they bee demaunded how olde they bee they beginne to reckon from theyr Marriage for then only say they wee beginne to liue Euen so we may esteeme the beginning of our life not from the day of our birth and corporall life for it is but a shadowe which passeth and perisheth but from the day that wee as spirituall Virgins haue been Married with Christ Iesus and by the vertue thereof haue begun to liue this spiritual life Sin is an vnsupportable burdeÌ„ who would not therefore with DAVID pray Lord take it away Blessed are they whose sins are bound vp in a bundle and drawne into a narrow roome Secondly let thy desire be mingled with faith and a stedfast perswasion that thy sore shall be healed Let the perswasioÌ„ of the gratiousnes kindnes of the Lord enter into your hart for a man without this hope is without his best aduocate the God of DAVID is yet the Lord and thou which art infected with the infection of DAVID art his seruaunt This medicine will heale thy maladie throwe not your blood in the ayre with IVLIAN spill it not vpon the ground with SAVL sacrifice it not vpon a Ladder with IVDAS the Lord doth open heauen and you shut it not hee nailed the writings vppon the Crosse and you renewe them not Hee that hath not this hope hee denyeth three thinges saith AVGVSTINE the truth the mercy and the power of the Lorde The knowledge of sinne is needefull but not sufficient for wee neede a double eye one eye in our selues and in our sinne the other on Christ and his merits DAVID hath had this double eye and being conducted by mercie and faith hee leaped out from the hot-house of desperation As wee neede a double eye so wee neede a double vertue feare and loue loue to looke vpon Gods mercie feare to looke vpon his justice the first to stay vs froÌ„ desperation the second from presumptioÌ„ These two support our faith as the two Lions supported SALOMONS Throne As wee neede these two vertues so let vs take heede from these two extremities our hope is placed betwixt these two As in a ballance if there be any ods in the scales wee take out that which is the heauier and put in that which is the lighter till there be egalitie Euen so wee must way ourselues that wee bee not too heauie for our sinnes despayring nor too light for Christs mercy presuming these two are Serpents which infect the soules of many treade vpon the heades of both The Surgion doth promise helpe to thy sore and shalst thou the patient thrust thy nailes into it and answere him nay but it shall not bee healed let vs therefore as Christian Souldiers keepe this helmet and this buckler and then although wee should dye yet shall wee liue It is storied of EPAMINONDAS who being stricken through with a Speare and his blood saying him asked if his Target were safe and whether the enemie were put to the flight and vnderstanding all to bee answerable to his hearrs desire sayd my fellowes in armes it is not an ende of my life that is now come but a better beginning Euen so although we bee stricken with the Plague and that our life nowe fayleth vs this is no great losse if the Target of our fayth bee safe for not an ende of our life is come but a better beginning namelye of the life of glorye ô yee faintyng and declining consciences set the Pillers of hope and fayth vnder you sayle not vpon the dangerous rocke of desperation let the breath winde of faith and hope stop that wretched course cut the throat of desperation which hath cut the throate of many IVDAS saith IEROME offended more in dispayring The reasons why wee ought to mingle in this medicin this confidence theÌ„ in betraying If now you are desirous to know the causes for which we ought to mingle in this kings medicine this confidence Christs grace they are three in number The first is the counsell of the spiritual Physitions Christ Iesus prescribeth it Repent and beleeue Secondly the practise of others and their successe DAVID EZECHIAS the Prodigal sonne the Publican tooke it in this manner Thirdly the necessitie of it to auoyde the increasing of the spirituall contagion and the death of the soule As it is not sufficient to the sicke-man to know that he s sicke except there be a desire in him of health euen so it is not enough to know that we are infected with the contagion of the soule vnlesse there be in vs the desire of DAVID take away the trespasse of thy seruant This desire is health it selfe thus is it not in the diseases of the body thy desire cannot procure thee thy health If â—hen we haue taken in the kings medicine of tâ—e former yeere because we were dâ—sirous of life Let vs not from hence-foorth forget this ingredâ—ent of this spirituall kings meâ—iciâ—e for the life and health of the spirite And so much for the desire it selfe Th Kâ—â—gs Phiâ—â—tion Thâ—re followeth the PhisitioÌ„ of whom he desireth this health Lord This is the Kings Physition who healeth all our infirmities as the king himselfe doeth speake of him Psal 103.3 In this Physition all needeful qualities are found and there is nothing wanting in him which serueth for our healing First His qualities if yee are desirous to haue a wise and a skilfull Physition such one is this Lord the authour of al wisdome who knoweth whereof we are made Ps 103.14 and the greatnes of our disease and also the way to cure it Some Physitions are vnskilfull in their profession such as PLINIE speaketh of Experimenta per mortes agunt they kill men to get experience Secondly if ye desire to haue a faithfull and trusty one such is also this Lord in whose hands you may trust al that you haue this faithfulnesse is often wanting in the earthly Physitions some will lye to their patients make them carelesse extenuate the heauinesse of their disease of whom may be saide that of the Psalme 146. Put not your trust in the sonnes of mâ—n Thirdly if you desire one who is powrefull and able to cure thee such a one is this Physition Es 43. his name doth prooue his power and although our sinnes were as crimson hee is able to make them white as Snowe Es 1.18 This power is wanting in the bodilie Physition for it is onely this Physition who must blesse the meanes Fourthly if you lacke one who is willing such a one is also the Lord his goodnesse and his promise do prooue his willingnes as a father hath compassion in his children so hath the Lorde compassion on vs. Ps 103. Willingnes is often wanting in the bodily Phisition in the time of the Plague Fiftly if you desire one that will cost
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
of others the renowned Patriarks the blessed Prophets the religious Kings the holy Apostles The effectes of it the godly troupe of Martyres haue vsed it Thirdly the excellent effectes qualities properties and operations of this hearbe The first is to preuent and to preserue vs from the poyson and contagion of immoderate feare of death sicknesse or of any other calamitie The second is when thou art visited to expell the venome and poyson of impatience from thy mouth and thy heart The sick man although hee throweth off his cloathes and tosseth himselfe from side to side in the bedde for mitigation of paines is not thereby holpen the sicknesse still remaineth this is the onely hearbe to ease him If the carbuncle and filthy botch of impatience breaketh forth here is a playster to cure the wound It will drawe foorth the venome and make vs to humble our selues vnder the mightie hande of GOD. 1. Pet. 5.6 Patience is alumna dei the daughter of GOD saith TERTVLLIAN for want of which many are like birds in lime or snares which the more they striue to escape the more they are limed snared As the hearbs then of the bodily kings medicine are vsed both before infection after in fection euē so the hearb of patiēce is good both for the vnuisited to preuent and for the visited to expell Thirdly this hearbe will ease and mollifie thy paine plaisters are vsed to sweeten mollifie and mitigate the paine euen so the plaister of patience will make vs to ouercome all our troubles The heathens haue acknowledged this for one saith He that endureth patiently ouercommeth his paine This then will make vs to say with DAVID Lord because thou diddest it I am dumbe It filleth the heart with comfort spirituall ioy Fourthly it doth strengthen vs. Prou. 16.32 Fiftly it will heale and make vs perfect in Christ Iesus Iam. 1.4 It mooueth the Lord to pittie and mercie Iam. 5.11 Sixtly it is good cheape it will not cost golde or siluer onely pray for it and the Kings Physition will giue it you Seauenthly it is an vniuersall remedie for all manner of men for all diseases and at all times not onely for the time of Plague but for the time of famine warre and pouertie PLINIE saith that the earth Para cureth al manner of woūds this property may better be attributed to Christian patience If the patient reply that the hearbe of patience is not like vnto the hearbes of the bodily kings medicine for they are to be founde in euery mans Garden and so is not this I can giue him no other answere but this Let him pray for it and hee shall obtaine it As for impatience seeing that it is borne of the Diuell as TERTVLLIAN speaketh to him let vs leaue this plant which the hand of the Lord neuer planted and to his male-contented Imps who neuer learned how the linkes of that heauenly chaine are fastened one to another Rom. 5 that tribulation bringeth patience patience experience experience hope They breake the chaine at the first linke Let vs Christians hang vpon the chaine and clime to heauen by it through the merits of Christes death and passion wherof the last linke consisteth Let vs not ill entreat the Lords Embassadors DAVID tooke it not well when the AMONITES ill entreated his Embassadours afflictions are Gods Embassadors to repine or grudge against them is to entreate them ill I end with the wordes of AVGVSTINE Let vs not regarde so much what part wee haue in the whippe but what place in the Testament And thus much for the three parts and ingredients of the Kings Medicine The third part containing the Patients behauiour and the manner how Dauid tooke in this medicine KING DAVIDS behauiour is set downe in three things whereof of the first is that hee discouered and laide open his sore vnto his Physition with an humble confession 2. Sam. 24.10 I haue sinned exceedingly and I haue done verie foolishly In which discouery I discouer three things First the patient of the person discouering DAVID the King noted in this word I Secondly his sore or discase noted in two words sinned and foolishly Thirdly the Physition to whome he doth discouer it vnto the Lord. The patient discouering As for the patient it is DAVID who confesseth that hee was infected hee maketh an immediate confession and casteth forth the impostumated matter of a dissembling conscience which beeing concealed had beene present death And although a king yet he forgetteth his glorie setteth affection aside writeth as it were his fault in his browe and pointeth with his finger at his transgression Imitate the Kings behauiour in thy spirituall disease ô sinfull son of ADAM Couer it not with some defence as ADAM his nakednesse strangle it not within thy bones in a sullen and melancholike passion Two things hinder sometimes the diseased to discouer their disease feare and shame Let not these be impediments Be not ashamed to confesse thy sinnes Eccl. 4.26 Follow not the infected with the corporall plague who sometimes plucketh down the bill or defaceth the red crosse of his doore either for shame or temporall profit Secondly feare not it is a signe and argument of life and as the first argument of life which the widdowes sonne of Naim gaue was this he began to speake so in this spirituall resuscitation from the death of the soule the first token of our recouery is that we begin to speake with DAVID I haue sinned exceedingly If thou replyest this is also the voice of CAIN of the MOABITE Aegyptian and Elamite the answere is Confession is oris et cordis of the mouth and of the heart the first was onely in the Edomite let both bee in the Christian Six reasons vrging confession Let me according to the manner of the bodily Physition shewe vnto you the reasons which ought to perswade you to this discouery of your sores the which are sixe in number First the nature of your disease that is of sinne doth require it as long as it is hidden it biteth as a Scorpion which we hide in our bosome Woūds the closer they are kept the greater torture they bring saith GREGORIE Sinnes not confessed bring saith AVGVSTINE condemnation vpon vs. Secondly the counsaile of the spiritual Physitions commande it Eccl. 4-24 and of the rest whose prescriptions reade in the booke of God Thirdly the practise of the faithfull and their successe this is the voice of IOB Psal 32.5 EZRA DANIEL and the rest Fourthly the curing of your disease doth aske it for this is a meanes to haue it healed Pro. 28.13 He that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but hee that confesseth them shall haue mercie O how auaileable saith AMBROSE are three syllables peccaui is but three syllables but the flame of an hearty sacrifice ascendeth therein into heauen and fetcheth downe three thousand blessings Fiftly the end and purpose of the Lord the supreame Physition for which hee
a wise man and a good politician The good preacher a railer the dumbdogge a good fellow The swaggering swearer a fine gentleman The zealous man a precisian Thus we see that sins hauing gotten a liuerie of their master the diuell and stolen the cloake of vertue doe iet it and braue it vp and downe like fidlers and players vnder noble mens coates which when their coates are taken away are but rogues by statute and so sinnes when theyr coloured cloakes ate taken away are most foule and ougly diuelles by the worde of God The three aforesaide physitians are like vnto some of those which are appointed in the time of the plague to iudge whither it bee the sicknesse or no after the departure of the infected some beeing corrupted by brybes and monie doe often iudge that it is not the plague and that there appeare no signes cloaking it with some other disease euen so the worldlings corrupted and blinded by the Deuill and the flesh doe iudge of the plague of the soule But as there is a punishment ordained by the magistrate for those corrupted iudges euen so there is a punishment appointed by the magistrate of heauen Prou. 28.13 for them that seeke patronage and defence for their sins that they might as LACTANTIVS sayth seeme to sinne honestly O yee foolish sonnes of men your eyes are blinded with partiality yet the eye lids of the Lorde shall trie you his righteous and flaming countenance shall soundlie examine your actions vncouer the faces of your iniquities and call them by their proper names ALCAEVS tooke a mole in the body for a grace yet was it a blemish euen so although ye esteeme your sinnes ornamentes of gentilitie yet are they but blemishes both of the bodie and soule Thinke nor that these fig leaues shall keepe gods iudgements from you But as for you ô yee righteous soules despise the iudgement of the scorning Michols of this age and with DAVID and MARY bee more zealous for you haue chosen the better part which shall not bee taken away from you And thus much for the nature of his sore There followeth the Surgion or physition to whome he discouered his sore 3. The physition to whome Dauid discouereth his sore vnto the lord not vnto his friend or to the priest but vnto the best physitian both in heauen and earth Imitate the King and vse for this purpose no other Surgion then King DAVIDS The sonnes of men if they be of any abilitie in their corporall diseases are desirous to haue the kings Surgion and physition because they perswade themselues of their wisedome and experience and yet they may erre to whome then shall wee discouer our spirituall sores but vnto the lord the kings physitian whoe can not erre and whome wee may haue at all times The superstitious Papistes bankrupte of all sense are not contented with the Kings surgion they must haue vnskilfull surgions who haue no power to heale theyr owne sores nor the sores of others Behold how the sillie people runne to lay open their sores vnto the priestes and substitutes appointed by that proude prelate of the seauen hilled citie with his purple cardinals and horned bishops As the Paracelsian physicke sometimes killeth the body euen so this Antichristian medicine the soule But I purpose not to stirre the filthy dunghill of the auricular confession The more we stirre a dunghill the more it stinketh and therefore I will not infect your senses therewith But as for you ô proude Romanistes great and intollerable is your arrogancie to heare the confessions of other mens sinnes Are you Christians The verie Heathens doe detest this arrogancie Lysander could not abide it for hauing asked counsell in Samothracia of the oracle and beeing willed by the Priest and keeper thereof to tell the greatest sinne that euer hee committed asked whether he should doe it at his bidding or at the commaundement of the gods when it was told him it was the will of the gods hee willed the priest to stand apart and saide he would tell it the gods Wherefore let that be abandoned farre from the schoole of Christ which the verie Heathen by reason did not admit 2. The second thing wherein the kings behauiour is set downe The second thing whereby the patients behauiour in this his disease is declared is his bodily prostrating of himselfe with the elders of Israell vpon their faces Behold DAVID forgetteth not his first foundation that as hee was bred of the earth so to earth he must returne They fall not to lie on a heape of violets and roses as the Libarites were wont to do or vpon a couch beautified and deckt with the tapistry of Aegypt but vpon the earth and they which before were kings of the earth are now as it were wormes of the earth and the dunghils are their thrones 1. The vse first in regard of Princes Imitate and followe the King and the elders of Israell both Princes and subiectes Princes bee first and formost in humilitie and in the seruice of God It is not the sword the scepter and the robe which maketh magistrates bee not lawlesse Caracalla to giue lawes and to receiue none Bee a rule both to others and to your selues Let not the golden cup of honour make you drunke and driue you from all sense of your earthlinesse and mortalitie but with DAVID and the Elders prostrate your selues before the throne of God Subiectes thinke not that it becommeth onelie the chariots 2. In regard of subiectes and chayres of estate to stoope before him who rideth upon the Cherubins but that also it becommeth vs all from the highest to the lowest to fall downe and kneele before the lord our maker Let vs therefore all be lowe before the footestoole of his excellencie and with all submission both of bodie and spirite acknowledge his hand and power ouer vs. Let vs abate our proude spirites cast downe our Lordelie lookes couer our faces for the shame of our sinnes and presente our selues vnto him in all those humble behauioures which the consideration of his maiestie and our miserie can possiblie frame degrading and discountenauncing our selues in the eyes of our God The Kings medicine for the bodie prescribeth against the corporall infection Elder-leaues in steade of them in this spirituall Kings medicine against the spirituall infection take the examples of Elders following the Elders of Israell By this prostrating of themselues they haue shewen three things First their sorrowe for their sinnes Secondlie the inwarde humilitie of their heartes Thirdlie their wisedome The first doeth produce the second for as a bladder if it bee-prickt all the winde and emptinesse voideth out of it 1. Sorrowe euen so our heartes which are puffed vp with the winde of pride and ambition if they bee once prickt with sorrowe for their sinnes the wind of pride emptieth it selfe and humilitie of heart succeedeth Which humilitie of hearte is a necessarie ingredient in this Kings
this robe as the Ap. exhorteth Cast off lying and speake euery man trueth vnto his neighboure Zeph. 4-25 The thirde sorte of indumentes Garments to put off which with the old yeere wee must put off to take in this medicine are according to the counsayle of the Apostle Col. 3.8 put yee away wrath anger cursed speaking and filthie speaking out of your mouth The fourth is hate for as loue is the liuerie of a christian as Tertullian tearmeth it so hate and enuie is the badge and liuerie of Sathan an ornament of the prince of darkenesse The fift is hypocrisie and dissimulation 1. Pet. 2-1 Lay aside all guile and dissimulation The sixt the robes of curiositie vanitie and pride and facion not your selues like vnto this world Rom. 12-2 Wiues it is the Apostles precepte 1. Pet. 3.3 bee subiecte to your husbandes and let not your apparelling be outward as with broyded hayre and golde put about or in putting on of apparell Sicke men which are to take in medicines for their bodily health which are cast down vpon theyr beds take no care for the adorning and attyring of their bodies neither doe take pride in theyr apparell but cloathe themselues as patientes and sicke men euen so seeing wee are infected and sicke of the plague of sinne and that wee are to take in this medicine for to recouer our spirituall health shall wee busie our selues to adorne and trimme vppe these mortall bodies and take delight in these outward ornaments Alas sinne and shame were the first taylors that shaped ADAMS garments and the garmentes on our backes they are signes that we are sick with the plague of the soule For as the bill and red crosse vpon the doore is a token that that house is infected with the Plague euen so the garments vpon our backes are as a bill and red crosse shewing that the houses of our hearts with our whole bodie are infected with the plague of sinne Should he not be accounted foolish who should glorie himselfe of the red crosse vpon his doore It is maintained by the vulgar experience that the bodily plague doth or can lye sticke in the apparell and by this meanes that others are infected whether this be true or no I can not affirme But this is certaine that there is a plague which lyeth and sticketh in the apparell the plague of strange fashions of curiositie vanitie and pride which plague infecteth others It is also maintained that the plague can be brought out of other contries in the apparel wares and merchandises whether this also bee true I will not dispute but this we may affirme that the plague of pride curiositie vanitie and strange fashions is brought out of other countries into England as out of Italy Spaine and Fraunce and so infecteth vs English-men If wee shunne the garment which is suspected of bodily infection shall not wee fly from the induements which are stained with the spirituall contagion Let vs not then giue countenance by them vnto our beggery alas what is their nature they are but the painting of a graue or whiting of a rotten wall the couer and case to a lumpe of mortall flesh they make vs honourable in the sight of men but worke no reuerence or estimation before the Lord of Hostes And yet good God how are wee degenerated from our father ADAM When God made apparell for man hee made it but of the skinnes of beastes but now this fashion is quite out of fashion we robbe al the creatures of the world to adorn vs by taking from some their wool from some their skins frō others their fur frō some their very excrements rather then we wil be vnfurnished of any thing we will not sticke to diue into the verie bottome of the sea for pretious stones O how many are there of those fooles of which Bias speaketh He that wasteth much to followe euery fashion may bee called the Mercers friend the Tailors foole and his owne foe Many doe erre in the taking in of this Kings medicine and bring other guises and shewes in repentance but as for vs there must bee in vs not DAVIDS Iewish putting on but his penitent putting off Lustie gallants if yee will take in the kings medicine for this yeare you must put off your Absolons haire painted Iesabels you can not take it in with your painted faces open breasts monstrous verdingales long staring ruffes ruffianly lockes Daintie dames if you will vse this medicine you must not gird your selues so straight to bee fine and small but you must girde and pinch the loynes of your mindes Royall citizens Luke 12. if you will take in this royall medicine you must put off your princely furniture your wanton disdainefull superfluous sailes of pride wherein yee esteeme not warmth but the colour and die wearing them for their price more then necessitie They are as AVGVSTVS the Emperour of Rome termeth them vexillum superbiae nidusque luxuriae the banner of pride neast of riotousnesse The cause of Gods anger against vs and which hath brought many to shame and beggery hath it not beene their backe and their bellie Let vs therefore crush these vipers and not suffer them any longer to liue amongst vs. This excesse hath beene one of the two daughters of the horse-leach which hath suckt the bloode of the whole lande and consumed in vaine the substance of manie and therefore let vs crosse it in our repentance And as BENADAD 1. Reg. 20. hauing receiued an ouerthrowe of an hundred thousande foote-men vpon that miserie wherewith hee and his seruantes were toucht his seruantes saide we haue heard that the Kinges of ISRAEL are mercifull kings let vs put on sackcloath and ropes about our heads and goe to the king of Israel c euen so ô England hauing receiued the former yeare an ouerthrowe of many thousands by the Lords Angell and knowing that the God of Israell is a mercifull God leaue your prince-like furniture goe vnto him that you may receiue mercie To conclude this point whensoeuer we see the Lord is angry let vs imitate ABIGAIL 1◠Sam. 25. who perceiuing Dauid to be angry arose and went to meete him with a present to appease his wrath and laded her asses with two bottles of wine and frailes of raisons euen so let vs lade our bodies and sinful carcasses which we haue vsed as Asses to beare the huge burthen of our sinnes with fasting sackcloath mourning which are the armour of repentance Le◠our eyes bee as two bottles of wine to carrie with vs the teares whereof wee may drinke to comfort vs in the assurance of Gods mercie le◠vs present our broken and contrite hartes the which hee will receiue kindly at our hands and lay his sworde downe and bid vs to returne in peace vnto our houses And thus much for the Robes of the olde yeare which wee must pu◠off 2 The garments for this newe yeare which vve
hart ô god thou wilt not despise Ps 51.17 you neede not then ô sonne of ADAM saith AVSTIN to seeke without thee a beast to slaughter you haue one within thee for a sacrifice pleasing vnto God is a contrite spirite Let therefore the bountifulnesse of God leade vs to repentaunce Rom. 2.4 and mooue vs to vowe vnto his maiestie the continuall sacrifice of a better life After the sweete raine and dewe of Gods blessing receiued bring foorth good fruite and not bryars and brambles Heb. 6.6.7 London thou mayest say with DAVID Psal 116.1 I loue the lord because hee hath heard my voice and my prayers when the snares of death compassed me and therefore ô lord because thou hast deliuered my soule from death mine eyes from teares I will walke before thee in the land of the liuing London heare the voice of Christ vnto thee Ioh. 5.14 Behold thou art made whole sin no more least a worse thing come vnto thee And as the Ruler and al his houshould Ioh. 4.53 beleeued after that Christ had healed his daughter euen so ô Rulers of London politicall ecclesiasticall Oeconomicall after that Christ hath healed you beleeue and shew your faith by your workes with your whole families Frame your affections to loue him for his goodnesse to honour him for his greatnesse to reioyce in him for his mercies God to vse the words of Lactantius desireth not the sacrifice of a dumbe beast or of death but the sacrifice of man and life wherein there is no need either of garlands or of fillets of beasts but such things alone as proceede from the inward man the altar for which offerings is the heart wheron offer vnto god righteousnesse patience faith innocēcy chastity and abstinence We haue promised the former yeere in our affliction these sacrifices let vs now performe them and not be like vnto Pharaoes butler promising Ioseph when he was in his affliction that hee would remember him but beeing freed forgot him Gen 40. If you haue not make with the new yeer new vowes vow your selues I say not in the world a virgin but a virgin to Christ Vow your selues I say not in the world a pilgrim to goe with the papist from place to place but a pilgrim to Christ Vow your selues I say not as the Friar in the world a begger but a begger to Christ And so much for the first kind of sacrifice The second sort of Sacrifices to be offered this new yeere 2. Sacrifices of mercie and liberality to the poore are the sacrifices of mercie and liberality which are to be offered vnto the poore To distribute forget not for with such sacrifices god is pleased Heb. 13.16 these are excellente Sacrifices Ec. 35.2 They are an odour that smelleth sweet a sacrifice acceptable to god Phil. 4.8 Shew thereby your loue your fidelitie to god to Christ to your neighbour As Zacheus after that Christ had looked vpon him with the eye of mercy that saluation was come to his house waxed liberall to the poore Euen so ô London after that Christ hath now looked vpō thee with the eie of his mercy that saluatiō is also come to thy house be like vnto Zacheus principallie you rich mē be ready to distribute cōmunicate 1. Tim. 6.18 that the poor may say of you for your well dooing as the Licaonians said of Paule Barnabas Act 14.12 for their heauēly speaking the gods are come down to vs in the shape of mē for by mercy we com◠neer vnto god The necessity doth vrge this kind of sacrifice the pestilēce with wante of doings hath eatē consumed vp that which in a long time they had gathered The former yeer the fat kine haue eaten vp the leane but now let the leane feede vpon the fat Gen. 41.4 The common saying is that after a pestilence commeth a famine surely I thinke this is verified among the poorer sorte You then that are rich take somwhat from your bellies backs sacrifice it as a new yeeres gift to your poor brethren and honor the lord with your riches with the first fruits of your encrease Pro. 3.9 The mariners cast out their corn in the tēpest to saue their ship let vs to inuert the order the tempest being past cast out our corne to saue others As that wife of the sonne of the Prophet after the death of her husbād intreated assistance of Elisha 2. King 4.1 So many after the death of their husbands without doubt doe craue assistance of you 1. Sam. 20.7 As Samuell then saide to Saul whē thou seest these signes com vpon thee do as occasion shall serue euen so I to you beloued of London seeing you see these signes come vpon you fit your ability to opportunity doe as occasiō now serueth Aske the Harts and they will teach you they helpe one another to passe the sea or the riuer helpe to carie one anothers burthen as AVGVSTINE reporteth the tempest of the plague hath made many poore weary let vs therfore helpe one another through the riuer and sea of this world as the Apostle exhorteth Bear ye one anothers burdē Gal. 6.2 As those of Athens had a Temple of mercie in their citie into the which none might enter but they which had been merciful the greatest ignominie which could be done to a citizen of Athens was to reproach him that yet he had not entred that Temple and therefore euery one did striue to enter euen so beloued of London erect this yeare among you a Temple of mercie let the poore bee that Temple enter therin by the workes of mercie esteeme it the greatest ignominie that one should reproach to a citizen of London that he hath not entred the Temple of mercie Augustus Caesar thought that day ill spent in which he had not holpen some poore person euen so esteeme the old yeare ill spent you that haue not showen workes of mercie and now begin the newe yeare well The Papistes sacrifice vnto deade and dumbe Idols but you do sacrifice to the liuely images of God to those whose wonted nimblenesse of their fingers and agilitie of their bodies life-stealing age hath taken away And as DAVID after the death of Sauls son asked if there were any left aliue of the house of Saul that I may do him good for Ionathans sake When hee called to minde the benefits which Ionathan the Kings sonne had bestowed vpon him honouring him with his bowe his loue and preseruing him from the wrath of his father hee was moued to mercie euen so beloued of London and you the Elders of the people calling to minde the mercie and loue which a Kings sonne Christ Iesus hath shewed to you preseruing you from the wrath of his father and remouing the noysome Pestilence say as DAVID did in the beginning of this yeare after the death of so many Is there any left aliue of the poorer sort that I may doe good
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
that his slaying Angell returne not The wise man Pro. 23.23 teacheth you wise mē wisedom giueth counsaile to you counsellers Buy the truth that is spare no cost to purchase truth but sel it not that is bee not hired for anie mony to forgoe the truth Set not your wisedōe eloquence conscience and all to sale Giue not sweet taste to the bitter sower with your sugred eloquēce Let not your fined tongues faire pretenses cunning gloses goodly circūstances of speech vphold bolster out the vniust cause Be not caught with birdlime for vnto this doth AVSTIN cōpare the receiuing of bribes by which your wings are pinioned so that ye can not flie Officers Iohn Baptist Luk. 3. giueth you a good lessō Be cōtēt with your stipēd vseno extortiō Principally 5. London it doth appeale vnto thee ô London which hast suffered the greatest brunt in this assault least the lords Angell returne again offer vp vnto him which hath shewen thee mercy this new yeers gift as you haue bin diligēt the former yeere to take in the Kings medicine for the body so be not now negligent to take in the Kings medicine for the soule A certain heathen man after that he had seen a suddain shipwrack of all his worldly goods and had bin exercised with diuerse afflictions brake forth into these speeches wel fortune I see thy intent thou wouldest haue me become a philosopher euen so ô Londō hauing receiued the old yeer a shipwrack of thousands of thy subiectes and hauing bin visited with much bitternes say vnto the almighty wel lord I see thine intēt thou wouldst haue me to becom zealous religious to enter into a meditatiō of the life to come Let both Nehemias Daniel magistrat minister within thy wals cōfesse their sins Let euery citizē in particular say as Ionas did I know that for my sake this great tēpest hath bin vpō you It is reported that the Delphiās had murthered Aesop had cōcealed their sin but being visited with mortality they begā to confesse it yea caused it to be proclamed by noise of criers that they had done it In like māner ô Londō hauing cōmitted diuerse sins hauing bin visited with mortality cōfesse thē now proclame thē reueale thē vnto the lord let the graues that shroude so many corpses let the tears of the widdows and desolate orphanes yet remaining mooue you vnto repētāce As the rod of Moses made water to proceed out of the rock so let the lords rod wring from our stonie hearts some drops of remorse The voice of the Lord Londons Echo spoken as it were from heauen hath bin heard within thy walls to mooue thee vnto repentance make now answere to this voice with a sweete resounding echo into heauen in this manner Thy voice I will heare and thy call I will obey Greatnesse will not stoupe but at great iudgements a great one thou hast felt the Lorde hath not onelie brused the heele of the body the poorer sorte but he hath reached the head the rich and mighty among vs. First yee the 24. elders apply this soueraigne balme to your sore Secondly Merchants from henceforth become christian merchauntes to buye the pearle of Gods word take Christ with you in your shippes that the tempeste of Gods anger arise not remember the shippe where IONAS was in and haue no fellowshippe with Atheistes papistes and prophane Esaus cleare your eies with the eiesalue of plaine dealing You that haue beene crushing Zacheus and gripple pennie fathers in this gold-sick age haue ripped vp your brethrens entrails for mony as Sāpson searched the lions carkasse for honie be no more wealth-deuouring vermins grind not the faces of your watrie-faced brethren breake off your crueltie as the Spinster doth her thread intending to drawe it out no longer Take heed Mich. 6. that the treasures of wickednesse be not found in your houses any more neither a scant measure which is abominatiō to the lord who iustifieth not the wicked balāces the bag of deceitfull waights Tradesmē labour not any more so much for the meat which perisheth but for the food which endureth for euer Ioh. 6. Citizēns in generall seeing the lord hath knocked at your proud palaces shake from you the setled lees of your long cōtinued iniquities and because two principall haue lodged within your wals walked along your streets pride gluttony cure them now according to the method of the kings medicin by two cōtraries humility tēperancy Put on the royal indumēt of Dauid which is humilitie and let not your daughters walk more with outstretehed neckes as the daughters of Sion Esa 3. Return not in the city you that are departed with your painted faces opē breasts monstrous verdingales long staring ruffes leaue thē behind infect not the city with them any more that they produce not againe the same effect Returne not with your superfluous feasts rather from henceforrh inuite Christ Iesus prepare him a feast by faith mercie Many of you haue been depriued a long time of the enioying of one anothers fellowship during the time of the pestilēce A profitable admonition but now being returned cōming togither again abuse not your meeting after this lōng separation by quaffing dācing banquetting spend it in the prayses of him who hath brought you home againe Drunkard search not out thy drunken cōpanion aske not whither he liueth to associate thy self with him Whoormonger seek not thy harlot carnall man for thy cōfederates renew not that wicked bād league take the last farwell of them cōmunicate no more with those vnfruiteful workes of darknesse Eph. 5.11 We haue feared the former yeer to draw our breath in the streets least wee should haue drawn in infection let vs this yeere fear to draw in the infection of sin The former yeer wee haue vsed followed many good orders to stay the bodily infectiō purged our housē clensed our streets perfumed our apparell had vpon our doors bils red crosses shūned infectious places let out the corrupted bloud abstained frō euil meats emptied our housen of dogs ayred thē with fire caried in our hands diuerse cōfections of art such more what ought wee not thē to do this yeer to stay the plague of sin Let vs purge our housē frō spiritual infectiō remoouing the false ballāce smal waights Spirituall orders to be followed this yeere in the citty coūterfait lights sweet words sowr deeds threasures of wickednes Let vs wash cleanse our streets frō pride swearing blaspheming perfume our apparel with modesty humility shun places infected with drūkards gluttōs adulterers Let vs haue vpon the doors of our harts other bils 1 the mark of the spirit rom 8.2 the blod of the lāb Of which we need not to be ashamed Let vs also let out the corrupted bloud of hate enuy concupiscēce abstaine frō the fleshpots garlicke of Aegypt Let vs
beware of dogs Phil. 3.2 suffer not the detractiōs slaunders Further let vs ayr our housē our harts with the fire of loue hauing aboue all things feruente loue among vs. 1. Pet. 4.8 Lastly let vs cary with vs when we go abroad that heauēly pomāder confection of good works of the fear of god this wil preserue vs against the infectiō of this world You haue vsed the old yeere wormewood against the plague this yeer let me tel ye of a wormwood frō which ye must abstaine for it is very naught against the spirituall plague if you desire to know it Moses telleth it vnto you Deut. 29.28 Let there not be a root of bitternesse or wormwood amongst you To leaue you ô Londō for the cōtinual knils alarum of bels the trūpets of Iehouah which haue sounded within thy walls let the tongues of thy inhabitants be bels trūpets to publish the praises mercy of the Lorde towards them O you that are not yet turned to your earth how are you bound to think of your creator redeeme therefore this new yeere with newnesse of liues the former yeers misspent In the last place I must not leaue you vnspokē vnto The other Sister cities townes and villages you the glorious Sisters cōfederates of the mother city you the daughters other mēbers of which some of you haue also groned vnder this burdē offer vp vnto god with your mother this new yeers gift take in also this spirituall kings medicin draw instructiōs from your mothers breasts change your Moriās skins put of your stained coats wash your feet not only your feet but your heads also And because all the ioynts of the whole body of the lād haue bin disquieted that now the lord hath salued thē with his sauing health concur together to sing the praises of that god of Israel Great hath bin your diligēce to auoid the bodily infection be not now negligēt to expel the spiritual cōtagiō Were it not madnes to haue cried for the woūd not to pul out the arrow for the coale which hath burnt you not to remooue it You haue bewailed those sins which ye had cōmitted now cōmit not those sins ye haue bewailed He hath not retained his anger shal we retain our sins the cause of his anger he hath returned to vs by his grace shal not we return to him by repentāce he hath had cōpassiō on vs shall not we haue cōpassiō on our own soules He hath taken away that which took away his fauour shall not we seek to continue that which keepeth his fauor we haue lōg bē al like to the Moon in her decreasing for thē she doth turn the opening of her bowe down towards the earth her backe toward heauē euē so we haue decreast failed in vertue piety zeale we haue turned the doore of our harts the opening of our desires altogither to this world But now with the new yeere let vs be like the Moone in her increasing for then she turneth her open side vp towards heauen and her backe towardes the earth and so groweth to a perfect light In like manner let vs encrease in pietie zeale charitie let vs turne our backes towardes the worlde but our harts opening of our desires to god heauē And for the decreasing let vs encrese not in iniquitie but in faith honesty let vs not forgoe for a little mony that which for no mony cā be had again I may speak brethrē vnto you that of the psalm The lord hath looked down frō the height of his sāctuary that he might heare your mourning deliuer the childrē appointed vnto death You haue al called vpon the lord and behold the successe of good seed hath bin cōsequēt to your prayers they haue been ioyned together as if their souls had been knit togither like the souls of Dauid Ionathā Continue therfore in your repentance let it not be as a morning cloud or as the morning dew which goeth away Hos 6.4 or else neuer look for sauing sound cōtinuing health but euē with Gehezi to die a leprous man if not with the plague of the body yet with the plague of the soul Lord most mighty most gracious most mercifull wound vs with thy fear possesse our souls with an awfull dread of thy power which thou hast shewn the former yeer rebuild the ruines of the house of our harts make vs fit for thy holy seruice make vs thy spirituall Ierusalē our harts the tēples of the holy ghost that thy Angel may spare vs as he did Ierusalē Psal 51. Create in vs ô lord with this new yeere a clean hart renew a right spirit within vs. I end with the prayer wherewith I begun Lord teach vs to number our days that we may apply our harts to wisedome Psal 90. Amen FINIS