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
scape the infection So this is the duety of the obedient subiects Pro. 18.10 going vnto the name of the Lord that strong towre to carry with them in their prayers their Princes and magistrates whom they are bound to loue as fathers that their soules may be preserued from the infection of sinne As there are no better Halbards and no trustier garde to preserue a King from bodily danger as an auncient father speaketh then the prayers of the righteous So I may saye that there is no better preseruatiue for the soule of the Prince to keepe it from the spirituall infection then the humble prayers of the louing subiects It is the Apostles precept that prayers 1. Tim. 2.1 supplications and intercessions should be made for Kings and for all that are in authoritie As a king for himselfe so praye thou for the king 2. Sa. 24 10 Take away O Lord the trespasse of thy seruant I conclude this poynt which concerneth kings and subiects with the prayer of a king fitte for a subiect Giue thy iudgements to the King O God and thy righteousnesse to the kings sonne psal 72.1 2 Dauid considered as a priuate person Secondly DAVID being considered as a priuate person a holy and a righteous soule a man after Gods owne heart and yet beholde infected with the plague of sinne taketh me as it were by the hande biddeth me tell you beloued that the holiest the most righteous the godlyest may get the spiritual infectiō sometime are taken with spirituall apoplexies 3. Doctrine Where is the Patriarke the Prophet the Apostle which hath not had the falling sicknesse Both the bad and the good get the corporal infection and so not onely the vessels of earth but vessels of the greatest honour in the great house of the Lord are sometimes polluted For as IEROME speaketh Nunquam ad perfectionem pertingemus nisi confecto stadio nostro we shall neuer attaine vnto perfectiō vntill we haue finished our race Magnum electionis vas perfectionem abnuit The great vessell of election PAVL himselfe denieth perfection saith BERNARD As there is no Pomegranate wherein there is not some kernel amisse as the prouerbe goeth So where is the Saint in whome there is no fault The Arke of couenant it selfe doeth Preach it for consisting ex lignis Sethim auro obducto Exod. 37 1.2 of a certaine Wood called Shitthim-wood ouer-couered with gold doeth signifie that the Church as long as shee is in the worlde shall neuer bee free from the Plague of sinne and yet that shee is purged and couered by the innocencie and golden perfection of Christ Iesus The righteous DAVID and the Holiest NOAH may bee compared vnto the ORANGE tree which beareth at one time ripe fruit greene Oranges and blossoms So the Christian fig-tree planted in the Lords Vineyard hath some imperfection And how canst thou deny this ô impure perfectist seeing man falleth as LACTANTIVS hath noted three waies In deedes in speeches in thoughts who can say I am cleane from sinne Pro. 20.9 Shew him me and I will praise him tell me where he is and I will honour him let me see him and I will worship him as a mortal God Is there a body without a blemish or a day without a cloude The Heathen POET could say Horace Nemo sine crimine viuit There be two false positions touching the corporall Plague which although many haue held to be true yet I haue founde false this yeere The first that an olde man can not get the Plague The seconde that he that feareth it not shall not lightly be infected As touching the spirituall Plague if any should hold these positions examples would prooue the contrary in old DAVID and ancient NOAH Old NOAH could preach that a floud should come and yet a second invndation preuailed against him and he became ouer-flowed with wine as the old world with water PETER would seeme the strongest to feare nothing and yet he shewed himselfe a weakling and got the Plague of Apostasie which remained in his soule till he was wakened by the allarum of a seely Cocke But I cease to report their falles least I seeme to take pleasure with vngratious CAM to vncouer the nakednesse of my fathers The vse you that stand learne by their ruines two things to auoyd presumption 1 To auoyde presumption to walke circumspectly First by their falles learne not to fa◠draw not on thee sin with the cart-ropes of examples take no aduantage at the ruins of Gods Saints countenance not your sins by the examples of those who healed them Alas pretious vessels they are but made of clay and shaped of the selfe-same mould whereof thou and all mankinde is fashioned Secondly learne prudence 2 To learne prudence If the spirituall Phisitions get this Plague how hardly shall the patients escape If the Cedars in Libaenon are throwne downe no maruaile if the lowe shrubs be shaken supplanted If ye are Prophets trust not the prerogatiue of your calling Prophets haue fallen Patriarches haue fallen Apostles haue fallen Starres Angels haue fallen Are you strong alas trust not to it it is infirmitie Thinkest thou to be pure ô perfectist alas trust not your purest and vprightest spirits whilest they haue their dwelling in houses of clay there is a lawe in the members striuing against them to get the victory Sayest thou I haue stood a time yet trust not your legges you may slide againe repliest thou I haue slipt and recouered trust not that recouery for feare of backe-sliding It is a cōceite of men that if once they haue had the bodily Plague they thinke that they cannot get it againe Whether this bee true or no experience teacheth as for the spiritual plague be not too bold and venture not too farre for DAVID who was once infected with the plague of murther and of adulterie was afterwardes infected with ambition And thus much for the person infected There followeth in the description of the spirituall plague 2 The ayre which infected the King the second thing which is the ayre infecting him or how DAVID got this infection 1. Chron. 21.1 Satan stood vp and prouoked him with the consideration of the time when the king got it in the time of peace and prosperitie his heart now being at ease Touching the first as there haue bene diuers opinions concerning the cause of the corporall Plague some attributing it to the infection of the ayre and inwarde corruption of the humours out of the booke of Nature others to the slaying Angell out of the booke of God So likewise diuersly some haue disputed of the cause of sin which is the plague of the soule Some haue ascribed it to God others to Satan the third to man As for them that roote wickednesse in heauen they discerne not betwixt the corruption of nature and the authour of nature True it is that GOD is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a
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
preaching of the Gospell Secondly beâ—ause we rendred not vp our hearts he hath erected vp his red tents threatning vs with an enemy without and an enemy within Lastly because this hath not auailed he hath erected the last yeere his blacke rents sending among vs mortalitie the funerals haue walked vp and downe our streetes with mourning and lamenting the parents for the children the children for the parents Let then the remaynders repent least they all likewise perish And thus much for the first Preacher of the former yeere the Lordes smart-preacher in his anger and in his justice There followeth now the second Preacher The Preacher of mercy which the Lorde whose mercies are infinite hath manifested in three thinges 2 The second Preacher of the former yeere the preacher of mercy manifested in three things in the giuing of a Prince in the fruits of the earth in the very Plague it selfe First by the gift of an honorable plant which his right hande it selfe hath planted among vs although I haue once already mentioned it before yet I would not esteeme it a tautologie to repeat it twentie and twenty times more vnto this benefite he hath added another The preseruing of him by his holy Angels his majesties safest garde First 1 In the guift of a Prince from the snare of the hunter and the noysome pestilence Secondly from intended treason against his sacred person Seeing the Lorde hath giuen vs a worthie instrument of his glorie to beate downe the walles of that Româ—sh IERICHO Satan would faine hinder it and thereby sheweth that hee hath no greater enemie in the world then our most Christian Prince Satan to vse the words of AVGVSTINE the former time was as a Lyon for then he raysed open persecution against the Church And now he playeth the subtile serpent and priuily lyeth in waite But although they all should stande vp as a huge mountaine against our ZOROBABEL Zac. 4.7 yet shall they bee made I hope a plaine as the prophet speaketh The second token of his mercie hath bene the blessing of a fruitfull yeere the aboundance of corne 2 In the blessing of a pleÌ„tifull yeere which the distilling dew of heauen hath comforted the sheaues whereof haue filled the mowers hands and the gleaners lap The heauens haue dropped their fatnesse and the earth hath made the hearts of manie to leape for joy and the barnes as it were to enlarge themselues for the receite of this blessed plentie This mercie of the former yeere is a Preacher preaching vnto you beloued of England the 8. verse of the 34. Psalme Taste and see how gracious the Lord is The third token of his mercie doeth appeare in the very Pestilence it self the Lord hauing shewen mercie as the Prophet speaketh in the middest of his justice 3 In the Pestilence it selfe as appeareth in foure things If this seemeth vnto you a paradoxe I will prooue and manifest it in foure things in regarde of the time of the number of the place of the kinde of punishment his mercie towardes vs rysing vppe by foure degrees like the water in EZECHIEL cap. 4.7 which at the first time came but to the ankles the second time to the knees the third to his loynes the fourth time was a deepe riuer First the time preacheth his mercy 1 In regarde of the time and that for our continuall sinnes without continuall repentance haue deserued a continuall Plague but the continuance of this rod hath notwithstanding not bene among vs The mercie of the Lorde towards vs in regard of the time doth appeare in two things before he commeth and when hâ— is come First before he commeth 1 Before hee commeth his greate patience and long sufferance he commeth leysurely but euery nine or ten yeeres once where as he might yeerely visite vs if he would deale with vs justly according to our sinnes 2 When hee is come Secondly when he is come the short continuance of the Pestilence feauen or eight Moneths at the most The Lord turning the storme to calme so that the waues thereof are still Psal 107.29 ô admirable lenitie and fatherlie kindnesse thus dealeth he not with other Nations Goe but vnto your neighbours they will preach vnto you Gods mercie towards you Aske the Pagans and they will tell it you witnesse that Plague begunne Anno 540. which lasted fiftie yeeres tormenting them Secondly the number preacheth vnto you Gods mercie Our infinite sinnes had deserued that millions and millions should haue beene swept awaye and yet there hath beene but a gleaning of few If you reply and set before mee 2 In regard of the number the greatnesse of the former Plague which seemeth to take awaie this mercie which I amplifie Aske but of DAVID and hee himselfe will open Gods mercie towardes you What is the number of thirtie seauen thousande in the space of a yeere in regarde of seauentie thousande in three daies Goe further and aske the Nations which knew not God they wil lay it opeÌ„ to you What is the number of 37. thousaÌ„d in regard of 2000. which dyed euery day in the time of VESPASIAN of 5000. euery day and sometime of 10000. in the time of IVSTINIAN of a hundreth thousande in the citie of Rome Anno 1521. Thou ô little kingdome of Bohemia which hast lost Anno 1577. 300000. mayest Preach vnto this kingdome the Lords mercie towardes her O Graecia thou hast in such manner bene consumed that there were almost none to burie thy dead Euseb lib. 9. Cap. 7 8 and yet thou ô England hast had not onely some to burie thy dead but to accompanie them decently and honorably to the graue It is then the Lordes mercy onely that we haue not all bene consumed Lam. 3. O that thou couldest ô England yet perceiue thy present happinesse and preuent a future horrour 3 In regarde of the place Thirdly the diuerse places vnuisited in this kingdome do Preach this mercy The Plague of the soule which had raigned in euery place had deserued that the Plague of the body should haue raigned also in euery corner The Lord might haue sent his Angel euen from Dan to Bershebah to strike not onely the head with some of the members but altogether and yet he hath not for although this Pestilence hath bene more generall then others yet many haue bene exempted Both DAVID and other nations doe Preach vnto thee ô England this admirable mercie Remember the 15. Prouinces of the Romaine Empyre wasted away in a short time by this smart-whippe In Egypt Exod. 12.30 there was no house where there was not one dead And yet behold there haue bene many housen I say not in England but in London it selfe which haue escaped To what shall we ascribe this but to the greate mercy of the Lord Fourthly the kinde of punishment wherewith we haue bene visited 4 In regard of the punishment it selfe and that in two respects
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
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