and to cast it from vs and when we beat down the body of sin 1. cor 9.27 by fasting and temperance And this is a meanes to keep vs from being iudged of the Lord. 1 Cor. 11 32. The sixt The Sixt and last meanes to keep vs from the infection of the plague concernes our duty and obedience to God and it is faithfulnesse and diligence in our callings with prudence to keepe vs within the compasse of our own waies for the Lord hath promised that hee will giue his Angels charge ouer his children to keepe them in all their wayes Ps 91.11 And this Ezekiah found for hee walked before the Lord in truth and vprightnesse not onely as an Israelite or Christian but as a King and Gouernour and hereby hee was preserued For as Salomon saith Hee that walkes vprightly Pro. 28.18 walkes safely For the second Six meanes to keepe vs frō dying of the plague The meanes to remooue the plague and to keepe you from dying of it though you be infected with it are likewise six and they are of two sorts 1. Ciuill 2. Religious The first The Ciuill meanes is the vsing of skilfull religious Physicians and Surgeons in obedience to Gods ordināce and with trust in his power and blessing For by the commandement of the Prophet Esay frō the Lord Ezekiah was to take a lumpe of dry figs and to lay it on the sore 2 Reg. 20.7 and by this meanes through Gods blessing hee did recouer The Religious means to keepe vs from dying of the plague are fiue and they be of two kinds for they concerne either God or our selues The meanes which concerne GOD are two The first meanes to keep vs frō dying of the plague and which concernes God The Second is earnest and fervent prayer to God to keepe vs a liue either by his blessing on the meanes if we haue any or without if wee haue none By prayer Num. 16.46.47.48 the plague was stayed in Israell when it was begun very hot For incense was offered vp with prayers to God the offering vp of incense Ceremonially did signifie teach the putting vp and accepting of our feruent prayers as is playne by the Psalmist where he saith Psal 141.2 let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense and the lifting vp of my hands bee as the euening Sacrifice And of this Ezekiah had good experience when the Lord said I haue heard thy prayer seene thy teares behold I will add vnto thy dayes fifteene years Isay 38.5 And besides 2 chr 6.29 1 Reg. 8.37.38 the Lord promised to heare their prayer made by the Israelits when they were visited by the Pestilence and the Lord hath promised Christians that thy prayer of faith shall preserue the sicke Iam. 1.15 The third The Second meanes which concernes God and that will keepe vs from dying of the plague is zeale and forwardnes in erecting and establishing and consequently in deuout and religious frequenting performing of the pure worship of God according to his Word and Will We read that when God was about to stay his hand from slaying the Inhabitants of Ierusalem by the plague that the Lord as a meanes thereunto bids his Angel to commaund his Prophet Gad to say to Dauid Goe vp 1 Chron. 21.18 and set vp an Altar to the Lord in the threshing floore of Araunah the Iebusite Whereunto Dauid obeying the text saith that hee went vp at the saying of Gad Verse 19. which hee spake in the name of the Lord Then Dauid said to Ornan grant mee the place of this threshing floore Verse 22. that I may build an Altar thereon vnto the Lord thou shalt grant it me for the full price that the plague may be staied from the people Note 1 Sam. 24. And when Dauid had bought paid for it Verse 26. then the Text saith Dauid built there an Altar to the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings and called vpon the Lord. And to the end it might appeare he accepted this worship for the appeasing of his wrath and staying of the plague The Lord answered him from heauen by fier vpon the Altar of burnt offerings For in the very next Verse it is said vers 37. that the Lord commanded the Angel Note and he put vp his sword againe into the sheath thereof Wee reade also that the people of Israel in Egypt made this a reason to perswade Pharaoh to let them go three dayes iourney Exod. 5.3 and sacrifice to the Lord their God least say they hee fall vpon vs with the pestilence Which shewes that if neglecting Gods worship be a meanes to bring the plague then zeale and deuotion in erecting countenancing performing of Gods worship according to his will is a meanes to remoue it and to keepe vs from dying of it And we may very probably coniecture not without good warrant that the solemne worship of GOD with fasting praying and preaching appointed by Authoritie hath beene a meanes not for the worthinesse of it but by Gods blessing on his owne Ordinance to stay the sicknesse and to abate the multitudes that died thereof The meanes to preuent death of the plague which cōcern our selues are three The first appertains to the iudgement of the plague it selfe The fourth and it is a sensible feeling when wee are smitten with it in our own soules of the heauy hand of God by laying it close to our harts Which we do when we are made to search out our sins which are the cause therof and when we consider seriously of Gods heauy displeasure therein against our sinnes 1 Reg. 8.37 38. 2 Chron. 6.28 29. for to this is promised a blessing indeed this will make vs pray humbly feruently for the pardon of our sinnes the cause therof that they being pardoned a way may be made for mercy vnto vs. And S. Peter tels vs 1 Pet. 5.6 that if we humble our selues vnder the mightie hand of God hee will exalt vs in due time And the Apostle S. Iames saith Iam. 5.16 that the prayer of the righteous man preuaileth much with God if it be feruent The second means which concernes our selues The fift and is good to keepe vs from dying of the plague belongs to our sinnes and it is a turning from them leauing them For when Gods people 2 Chron. 7.13 14. on whom his Name is called shal turne from their wicked wayes he hath promised to heale them of the pestilence For by this wee cause God to repent of the euill And by this we remooue and put away the euill of our doing from before the eye of the Lord which were the causes of it Ionah 3.10 Isai 1.16 punish our selues for our sin that we may not be punished of the Lord. The sixt The third means which concernes
A CORDIALL OF COMFORT To preserue the Heart from fainting with Griefe or Feare for our Friends or our owne Visitation by the Plague Also a Thankes-giuing to Almightie God for staying the Visitation in London and the Subvrbs thereof Both which may be of vse to Christians in other places that are cleere visited or recouered BY WILLIAM CHIBALD Printed at London by W. I. for Nic. Bournâ— and Edw. Brewster and are to be sold at the Royall Exchange and at the Bible in Pauls-Church-yard 1625. TO The Right Worshipfull the Company of the Lether-Sellers The Masters and Wardens The Assistants and Liuery with the rest of the Brethren of that worthy Societie Right Worshipfull and Worthy THE DEdication of bookes vnto persons of place and qualitie is to manifest a seruiceable respect and reuerence vnto them and to supplicate a fauourable aspect and acceptation from them According to these fayre endes I haue aduentured to deuote this my Treatise which doth need the one to your Worships that are worthy of the other You are worthy of my Dedication in two respects namely as Citizens and as Lether-Sellers of London 1. As Citizens because I wrote it in the Visitation of the City and for the comfort of Citizens in the Visitation thereof 2. As Lether-sellers because you are that Company whereof my deare Father was Mr. Iames Chibald of sweet memory I hope among you who about the yeere 1595. was Master head of your Body euen as his eldest Sonne my louing Brother is a liuing member of the same at this day It remaynes that your Worships would be pleased by accepting the seruice of this Dedication to Patronize the Booke The rather seeing the Authors ayme in dedicating it to you is but to honour you that are liuing by my deare Parent that is dead and to honour the memory of him that is absent by you that are present which as Brethren of one Company and Parents of Children you cannot but approue That you may the more freely grant my request I pray you to take vnto your consideration further the subiect matter of the Booke which is Spirituall Physicke For it prescribes you first a Cordiall Secondly a Dyet The Cordiall hath a twofold nature 1. To preserue your bodyes from infection or death by the Plague if the Lord see it good for your soules and as Christians you should not desire it otherwise 2. To keep your soules from fainting with immoderate Griefe or Feare for your Friends or your owne Visitation by the Plague The Dyet is to teach you that suruiue how to liue to GODS glory by learning to bee thankefull to God for your own preseruation and for Gods wonderfull and mercifull staying of the sicknesse amongst vs. Both which as men and Christian men you haue reason to looke after and learne In hope of your free fauor herein I humbly take my leaue with my heartie prayer vnto God to blesse the reading of my Treatise to your Corporall and Spirituall health in Iesus Christ in whom I am Your Worships most bounden in all Christian seruice WILLIAM CHIBALD To the Christian Reader that needs Spirituall Physicke from the Word against Griefe or Feare by reason of the Plague IN the beginning of the Creation Gen. 1.2 when darknesse was vpon the deepe 2 Cor. 4.6 the Lord commaunded the light to shine out of darknesse As vnlikely effect of such a cause as the making one see that was borne blind Ioh. 9.11 by anointing his eyes with clay and spittle which was more likely to put them out if euer hee had any sight Not long since there was darknesse and heauinesse vpon the face of my Family by reason of Gods Visitation and behold out of the darknes of that sorrow Almightie GOD hath brought forth this Light of Spirituall coÌ„fort After a sort I may truly say GOD hath commaunded it to shine forth partly by his speciall assistance when J was in my selfe very vnfyt for study and partly by his prouidence in stirring vp many to bee very inquisitiue to seeke after it and to bee very importunate for the publishing thereof J neuer intended to put this Light vnder a Bushell wholly to couer it Matt. 5.15 for J did set it vpon a Candlesticke to giue light in one roome namely to my Parishioners kindred and friends to whom J gaue some Copies But now at the instance of many J haue put it into a Lanthorne hung it out in the open streets for the benefit of all passengers J confesse the light is but small it giues but J hope it will burne cleere and sweet the Treatise J trust wil be free from errour and offence J acknowledge also that it is hung out somewhat late in the Euening when many are at rest in their graues by the Visitation but the truth is my tynder was wet J could not strike fyer to light it sooner and when it was lighted J could not get it hung vp any sooner My meaning is the heauinesse of my heart for Gods visytation on the Citie my Congregation and my Family was some let to the penning of it and the difficultie of getting Work men to print it was a great hinderance to the publishing thereof any sooner Now that it is fynished and published my request is to the Christian Reader that hee vvould not close his eyes Mat. 13.19 that hee cannot see the light but open them to walke by it to the end hee may not stumble and fal at immoderate Griefe or Feare by reason of his own or his friendes Visytation by the Plague And my humble Prayer is That hee who is the true Light Iob. 1.9 that lighteneth euery one which commeth into â—he world Reuel 1.13 and who walketh in the midst of the â—euen golden Candlesticks That he would be graciously pleased to adde further light life to the â—eading perusing of my Treatise for the glory of God and the good of his Church and let all that read it for their comfort say with me Amen Euen as J will say with all that find comfort by the reading of it The Lord bee praised Yours in the seruice of your Faith W. C. A Table shewing the Contents of this Booke WHen teares for sin proue godly pag 4. How to comfort our selues against greife for the visitation of our families pag. 7. How to comfort our selues against greife for our visitation p. 12. The nature of the affliction of Gods children p. 12. The causes of their afflictions efficient and mouing pa. 13. 14. 15. The Companion of it p. 17. The end of it intent and euent p. 18. c. How to hearten our selues against the feare of the plague pa. 24. How you may lawfully feare the plague pa. 32 c. How you may not feare the plague pa 35. The plague is no signe of Gods eternall anger to the godly p. 43. Sixe meanes to preuent the infestiion of the plague p. 48. The 1. meanes p. 48. the
therefore in these two respects in this mortalitie walke before GOD with Feare Faith With Feare because by sin we are subiect to the infection for it is iust with God that we who doe corrupt one anothers soules with the euâ—ll example of our words and workes vnto sin should also infect one anothers bodies with the contagion of this disease vnto punishment and let vs walke with Faith because he can countermaund and restraine it And thus much for my Instructions concerning your feare of the plague namely how farre you may feare it and how far you may not The directions concerning this your feare doe follow My directions touching your feare of the plague shall be giuen in two particulars 1. I will direct you how you may preserue your selues from being infected with the plague 2. I will direct you how you may keep your selues from dying of the plague thogh you be infected with it this wil I do not as a friend by requesting you to bee wary into what house or company you come which I need not doe Nor as a Physician by prescribing vnto you some rare preseruatiues which I cannot do but as a Minister and Preacher of the Gospel by giuing you some good counsel from the Word of God which being followed wil by Gods blessing bee better for these endes if the Lord see it good for his glory and our saluation then all the Bâ—ezâ—rs stone Vnicorns horne or Mithâ—idate in the world Sixe meanes to preuâ—nt the infecti n of the plagu For the first The means to preuent the plague are in number six and they are of two kindes 1. Such as concerne God 2. Such as concerne our selues The meanes which concerne God are three The first meanes to preuent the plague which concernes God is Faith that is trust or confidence in God whereby we rest and rely on his power goodnes for protection and not on the broken reeds of any outward meanes as good ayre refraining company shift of roomes and varietie of perfumes much lesse on any exorcised preseruatiues enchanted Tablets or Amulâ—ts to weare about our necks for that end To trust in God In whom we liue moue Act 17.28 and haue our being is to make him our rocke and our sortresse And because the righteous man makes the Lord his refuge and the most high his habitation therefore there shal none euill befall him Psa 91.9.10.11 neither shall the plague come nigh his dwelling for he shall giue his Angels charge ouer him to keepe him in all his wayes For by this faith or relying on God the Israelites when they had no power in theÌ„selues ouercame their enemies the Hagarites and for want of this faith 1 Chro. 5.20 or trusting in God his wrath fell vpon them Psal 78.21 The second The second means which concernes God is seeking his face and fauor his mercy and his loue wherby his anger may be appeased towardes vs and his displeasure remoued which prouokes him to send his pestilence among vs. To this seeking of Gods face 2 Chron. 7.14 wee are directed by the Spirit of God in the Word and vnto this is promised likewise a blessing For to haue the Lord to lift vp the light of his countenance vpon vs Psal 4.8 is better then all the contents of worldlings yea better then life it selfe The Lord saith to vs seeke yee my face Psal 27 8. and wee must say to to him Thy face Lord wil we seeke yea wee must seeke it before health or life For if we enioy his fauour we are happy though we were infected vnto death and if we want this we are accursed though wee should neuer bee smitten or die of the plague The third meanes to preuent the plague The third which concernes God is feruent and faithfull prayer to God in the name of Christ according to his will 2. Chron. 7.14 This is likewise commanded in the Word for this end and to this is annexed a promise to encourage vs to the practise thereof By praier Moses preuented the plague froÌ„ falling generally on all the Israelites when some of them dyed by the plague before the Lord. Numb 14.20.37.38 1. Cor. 10.10 And by prayer Moses preueÌ„ted another great plague and vtter destruction from falling on the Israelites did therby as it were bind the hands of the Lord that hee could not smite them Exod. 32. for the Lord said Vers 10.11 Let me alone that my wrath may waxe hot against them and that I may consume them Vers 14 And vpon this prayer the Lord repented him of the euill which hee thought to doe vnto his people The meanes which concerne our selues and which are good to preuent the plague from smiting vs are likewise three but they are of two sorts 1. Some which concerne our sins and disobedience 2. Some which concernes our dutie and obedience Those which concerne our sins are two The first meanes to preuent the plague which concernes our selues and our sinnes The fourth is humbling our selues in soule and body before the Lord in a free confession of our sins and acknowledgement of our worthinesse to be smitten by it This humiliation was commaunded by the Lord to the people of Israel and consequently to vs in them in the like case 2 Chr. 7.14 and to it also is promised a blessing 1 Chro. 21 15.16.17 2 Sam. 24.17 This Dauid and the Elders of Israel did being clothed in sackcloth and falling on their faces And by this they preuented the stroke of the Angel when hee stood betwixt the earth and heauen hauing a drawne sword in his hand stretched out ouer Ierusalem namely to destroy it also by the plague as other parts of the Countrey had euen then beene Amo 4.22 By this humiliation wee meet God to pacifie his anger as Iacob did his brother Esau and by this wee hide our selues from the punishing hand of God Gen. 32. Pro. 22.3 when we see it comming towards vs. By this Iosiah and the Niniuites preuented the execution of GODS iudgements threatned 1 Chro. 34.28 Ionah 3. The second means which concernes our sins The fift and is effectual for the preuenting of the plague is zeale against sin in our selues and others for God and his sake Num. 25.11.12 This zeale against sin is to be shewed by vs either as Magistrates vpon Malefactors notorious ones especially Psal 106.30 for by this Phinias stayed the plague when foure twentie thousand had dyed thereof Or as Ministers or Masters of Families by rebuking correcting sin in our people seruants and children Or as Christians 1 Cor. 11.31 2 cor 7.11 by iudging our selues taking reuenge on our selues And this wee doe when wee deny to our sinfull senses the allurements and contents of sin which is to plucke out the right eye Mat. 23.19 and to cut off our right hand
our selues and is auailable to preuent our death of the plague appertaines to the coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts of God and it is sincerity vprightnes of heart whereby we desire and endeuour to walke in obedience to all Gods commandements in the refraining of all known sinnes euen our beloued ones and in the practising of all knowne duties cheerfully conscionably and constantly The Lord tells vs by the Prophet Ezekiel Ezek. 14.17 20. that the righteous shall by his righteousnesse deliuer his owne life from the pestilence Prou. 10.2 and Solomon saith that Righteousnesse deliuers from death An experiment of the soueraignty of this meanes medicine wee haue in Ezekiah who to preuent if it were possible his death of this sicknesse with which he was smitten as the learned iudge hee vseth no better an argument to perswade the Lord to heare him herein then this Isay 38.3 Remember mee now O Lord how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart haue done that which is good in thy sight and behold what the Lord said vnto him by his Prophet Isai 2 Reg. 20.6 I haue added to thy dayes fifteene yeares I will heale thee and the third day thou shalt goe vp to the house of the Lord. Verse 5. And according to this promise was Gods performance for the text saith plainely Verse 7. that he recouered Cautions touching the efficacy of these meanes to keepe vs from infection or death of the plague But coÌ„cerning these directions I must giue you som cautions to teach you how for you are to rely on them for the preventing of infectioÌ„ by the plague or death by infection You are to know then 1. That you are not to think to prevaile with God to these endes by vsing some one of these meanes that is easiest to be done or which you like to choose but by the vsing of them all with continuance therein 2. You are not to expect preservatioÌ„ howeuer they be performed by you but then wheÌ„ for manner aswel as for matter they are done according to the Word 3. You are not to imagine that you can merite preseruation by these meanes for when you doe them best h Lu. 17.10 you are vnprofitable seruants for the efficacie of these exercises to their seueral ends depends not on our good performance but on Gods institution and blessing 4. You must not look to obtain by these religious exercises preseruation froÌ„ infection or death absolutly but with condition and reseruation only For we must vse these meanes in faith beleife to receiue good by them else why doe wee vse them as Gods ordinances to this end and wee must by faith beleeue to receiue good by them so farre as God meanes and intends we shall for it is in vayne to looke for it otherwise and God meanes and intends we shall receiue good by these holy exercises so farr as he hath reuealed his will and meaning for thus speaks the Scripture which reveals Gods will and meaning herein 1 Ioh. 5.14 If wee aske any thing according to Gods will he heareth vs. And the spirit maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of GOD. Rom. 8.27 But you will aske me what is this will of God according to which wee are to pray and what is asked according to Gods will Surely that which God doth will and meane to grant What doth God will meane to grant Surely that which he hath promised to giue What is that which God hath promised to giue Surely good things for so speakes the Scripture l Mat 7.11 Your Father which is in heauen will giue good things to them that aske him They which m Psal 34.9 10. feare the Lord stall want nothing that is good And no good n Ps 84.11 thing will hee with hold from them that liue vprightly And what be those good things Surely those which are good for Gods glory and good for our saluation For what doth God will more then his own glory and the saluation of his Elect Seeing hee hath appointed their saluation by his own Sonne Eph. 1.5.6.11.12 according to the good pleasure of his will for the praise of the glory of his grace wherein hee hath made vs accepted in the beloued What is good if these bee not what is good without these Is it not enough for vs poore sinners that deserue not our health or life vpon any conditions to inioy them vpon these terms but wee must haue them without Gods good will whether or no it bee good for Gods glory our own saluation or else we are vndone and God is not true of his word nor carefull of vs Far be such strange lust from Christians whose lot is the Lord and whose portion is heauen to desire to liue here to the dishonour of God and the hinderance of their owne saluation far be it from crauers to be caruers and beggars choosers And so I come to the third thing which I propounded to deliuer touching your feare and it is comfort and consolation The comfort is against your feare to die of the plague and it is this That though you die of it yet are you not accursed but you shal die in the loue and fauour of God for you shal die o Num. 23 10. the death of the righteous you shall p Reu. 14.13 rest from your labours yee shall q Lu. 2.27 1 Thes 4.14 depart in peace and r sleepe in Iesus which whosoeuer doth is blessed In handling this matter of comfort I will obserue this method 1. I will proue that the faâ—thfull doe die in Gods loue though they die of the plague 2. I will shew how it comes about to bee so 3. I will giue you some Rules by which you may assure your selues that you shall die in GODS loue though you die of the sicknesse 1. That the godly die in the fauour of God though they die of the plague I wil proue by two Reasons of which this is the first Reason 1 The faithfull that die of the plague doe die in Gods loue because their death works to them spiritual and eternall good The Reason is good because nothing works to the spirituall and eternall good of the wicked that doe not die in Gods loue for they haue right to no spirituall or eternall good thing being out of Christ Å¿ Phi. 3.19 minding earthly things and hauing their t Ps 17.14 portion in this life onely And that the death of the godly though it bee of the sicknesse workes vnto their spiritual and eternall good I proue by S. Paul who affirmes That all u Ro. 8.28 things worke together vnto good to them that loue God who are called according to his purpose Whence I thus argue If the death of the godly by the plague be somthing then must it worke to the good of them for all things work if vnto their good
onely dispose them thereunto and vnto faith which doth set men therein and therfore haue I not mentioned them here because it is possible for a man to haue these and yet not dye in the state of grace if hee dy before he haue faith in Christ and the other bee wrought in him and therefore can you not assure your selues that you dy in Gods fauour if you stay here and haue not the other sixe There be also besides a beleife of the gospell and repentance for past sinnes some other graces that doe follow it as effects fruits thereof namely peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost and these also are helpes to preserue vs in the state of grace For that peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding and consequently the ioy of GOD Phil. 4.7 which is 1 Pet. 1.8 vnspeakable glorious doth keepe our hearts and minds in Christ But these graces imply comfort more then duty I had rather that Christians should endeauour to assure themselues they shall die in Gods fauour by graces that import duty then by them which import coÌ„fort least some Christians tender in conscience not finding the graces of comfort may therfore think they haue no grace nor are in the state of grace which is vsuaâ—l with such to thinke of theÌ„selues specially in affliction violence of temptation wheras indeed as long as the dutifull graces exercise themselues in them they may assure themselues they shall die in Gods fauour though they want the feeling of their ioyfull and comfortable graces for the time so they hunger for them lament after them and endeuour in the vse of the means to get them In like manner besides all the forenamed graces and holy gifts of the Spirit there be some vertuous actions and Christian duties Vertuous actions that will assure vs to dy in Gods fauor to which the godly are stirred vp continually by the Spirit and by the means of the six forenamed graces and by the constant conscionable practise whereof they may rather assure theÌ„selues they liue in Gods fauour consequently shall dye therein I will but only touch them Rom. 10.9 Heb 10.23 1. A zealous profession of the Gospel notwithstanding the slaunder and danger accompanying it Heb. 6.6 Ier. 50.4.5 6. 2 Reg. 23.3 2. Often renewing our couenant with God of new obedience by searching our hearts and liues for our sins and lamenting our back-slidings 3. Deuout intention of mind Psal 26.6.7.8.84 and instant affection of heart in Gods seruice and worship Col. 3.5 in all the points and kinds of it publike priuate or secret ordinary or extraordinary Matt. 5.24.50 4. Mortifying our sinful nature and lessoning our will and power to sinne by crossing our owne wills to the end we may doe Gods and denying to our selues the occasions and opportunities of our beloued sins 5. Growing in grace 2 Pet. 3.18 5.10 12 and increasing in the number and measure of our Christian vertues and holy graces 6. 1 Pet 5.7.8 A sober moderating of our affections about worldly profits pleasures and honors that our hearts be not set too much thereupon 7. 1 Cor 7.31 30.39 Diligent faithfulnesse and conscionablenesse according to Iustice and Equitie in doing our duty in our ordinary callings whether in Common-wealth 1 Cor. 7.24 Church Col. 3.18 â—â— 22. or Family But all these are the fruits and effects of the sixe forenamed graces they shew the soundnesse and sinceritie of them and therefore are necessarily implied in them and for as much as they are not habits or vertues themselues but actions of those vertues and graces and also for because the forenamed sixe with their vse and exercise are sufficient to assure vs that we shall die in Gods fauour therefore haue I forborne to speake of them at large as I haue done of the other six The rather because these sixe are sufficient to free vs from all euils sin affliction death hell and the deuill and to make vs partakers of all good things as grace peace glory and God himselfe But to draw towards an end We doe all owe God a death this debt is to be paid when God will demand it The Lord respects not therefore what need we stand on it in what coyn we pay our debt gold or siluer so it be his own stampe and bee weight with the allowance that is what need we be troubled what death we die Num. 23.1 so it bee the death of the rigtheous which God himselfe sends and not we our selues pull vpon our selues through our owne sins and so it be in the faith Heb. 11.13 with trust and confidence for the allowance and acceptation of the death and obedience of Iesus Christ to our iustification for what euer our death be wee shall be happy in it Be it ordinary or extraordinary of an Ague or the Plague in the bed or in the field in the Citie or in the Countrey a naturall or a violent death And thus much by occasion of your present Griefe Feare to pacifie the one and to satisfie the other and further to sanctifie sweeten theÌ„ both to your future edification by humiliation or consolation in Iesus Christ Of these Meditations which God by his Spirit hath ministred vnto mee I may say as Physicians do of their medicines Probatum est that is They haue been proued and approued by the seruants of GOD of whoÌ„ we read in the Word out of which they are taken by and my Selfe in this present Visitation of my seruants children louing Assistant whom the Lord hath taken to rest from his labours in his Vineyard betimes Math. 20.12 and hath giuen him his wages for his worke as it were but one houre therein Matt. 20.12 What remaines but that as I haue made the potion and sent it so you take and apply it And because I haue taken paines to write these Meditation for you that therefore you will take care to read peruse them to ponder and consider of them seriously for your selues and your own good to confer the points with the proofs and to compare your selues with the points that you may receiue further direction and instruction according as the nature of the seuerall points shall lead you and your particular need require To the end you may by laying your selues to the Rule find iuster cause of humiliation in your selues or of consolation in Iesus Christ If you shall lay them close to your hearts I doubt not but as they haue ministred comfort and content to vs for which wee praise our good God so will they vnto you by his blessing For which I will not cease to pray But before I end I would take my leaue of you by saying one thing more vnto you according as your houses haue beene cleare all this while or visited and your selues sound or infected and that which I will say shall
be first vnto you all of both sorts ioyntly and then vnto each sort of you in severall That which concernes you altogether is a watch-word and a Request My watch-word is to warne you not to censure your brethren that haue been either infected when you were cleere or visited more heauily then your selues or taken away by the visitation when you surviue as if they were greater sinners then you for this were to bee miserable comforters Luc. 13.2 4 Iob. 16.2 when you should be comforters of them in misery Yea it is to trample on them whom God hath cast downe My request is that you would according to your abillitie with your handes releiue their povertie as well as in heart pitty them for that is charitie Hereunto you are called not onely by the word which bids you Loue indeed as well as in word 1 Ioa. 3.18 affection only but also by the extreme penurie wherein too many haue bin are will be cast Luc. 2.16 partly by sicknesse partly by decay of trade and partly by approching winter That which shall be spoken of each sort o you in seuerall shall be first to them that haue not ben visited all this while and theÌ„ to them that are recouered and escaped from death though you were visited To you whose houses haue yet been free I would giue an admonition and an exhortation My admonition is That you would not be secure as if God now could not smite you For there were first in this Visitation that shall not be last and there shall be last that were not first And my exhortation is That you neuer forget the free fauour of God in your protection preseruation least he repent him of the good hee hath done vnto you But that you studie what you shall render to the Lord forâ—â—â— his benefits Ps 116.12 and endeuour to expresse your thankfulnesse for such a deliuerance by seruing him you and your houshold more constantly conscionably Iosh 24.15 To you whose houses haue been visited and yet your selues are escaped and enioy your liues so a pray I would likewise giue you a caution and a counsell My caution is that you thinke not that any thing in your selues or in your meanes hath made the difference betwixt you that are aliue and other that are dead for this were to sacrifice to your selues Abac. 1.16 and to your net and yarne But that God his free favour his power and goodnesse hath made the difference who will haue mery on whom hee will and who can preserue whom he pleaseth And my counsell is That during the time of your liues hereafter 2 Chron. 30.17 you set your hearts to seeke God and make him your portion and inheritance Ps 116.5 walke within your houses with a perfect heart Ps 101.2 Ioh. 5.14 and sin no more least a worse thing come vnto you 2 The. 2.16 Now our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe and God euen our Father which hath saued vs and giuen vs euerlasting consolation comfort your hearts and stablish you in euery good word and worke And Blessed bee God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 1.3 4. the Father of mercies and the GOD of all comfâ—rt who comforteth vs in all our tribulation that wee may bee able to comfort them which are in trouble by the comfort vvherewith wee our selues are comforted of God Amen FINIS AN HVMBLE THANKS-GIVING TO ALMIGHTIE GOD For his so soone so great and so gracious staying of the Plague in the Citie of London and Subvibs thereof BY WILLIAM CHIBALD PSAL. 36.1 O giue thankes vnto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for euer Printed at London by W. I. for Nic. Bourne and Edw. Brâ—wster and are to be sold at the Royall Exchange and at the Bible in Pauls-Church-yard 1625. The Preface THE more deadly a disease is the greater is the Cure and the greater the Cure is the greater is the commendation of the Physician Euen so the greater any danger is the greater is GODs deliuerance from it the greater ought to bee our Thankesgiuing vnto his blessed Maiesty for it On these and the like grounds J haue formerly stirred vp my selfe vnto secret priuate and publike giuing of thankes to our good God for abating the heat of the sicknes the number of them that dye thereof And synce J haue endeauoured to forward others also to glorifie God in this behalfe by penning a forme thereof and publishing it with this Treatise The rather because J haue not seen nor heard of any thing in this kind set forth for publike benefyt The time and meanes of grace considered J thinke J may truely say for the generalitie that synne did neuer so abound in quantitie qualitie and variety as of late it hath done in our Citie of London and the Suburbs thereof And now behold answerable to the measure of our synnes is the measure of Gods Visytation for there was neuer such a plague sent among vs. Jn like manner the contagion and malignitie of this Plague consydered which in so short a time when so many vvere absent killed so many thousands J may safely say there was neuer such a Deliuerance in this kinde vvrought by Almightie GOD for vs â—â—d therefore answerable to Gods great goodnes ought to be our great gratefulnes Now consydering Christian Reader that the measure of our thankfulnesse to GOD ought to be so great and that our power as of our selues to performe it is so small Let vs all that want holy wisdome Iam. 1. for this purpose 1 Ti. 1.17 aske of God onely wise that hee would bee pleased to giue vs in abilitie what he requires of vs in dutie and that the meditations of my heart in conceiuing of this forme and the vvordes of our mouthes in vttering it may bee directed by his blessed Spirit and accepted in his beloued Sonne Amen 1 Reg. 1.36 And let the Lord God of our Citie and our deliuerance say so too The parts of the Thanksgiuing for this Deliuerance are SIXE I. BEmoning our Miserie caused by the Plague II. Confessing our sinnes that brought it III. Acknowledging Gods Iustice in sending the Plague IV. Thanking GODs goodnesse for staying it V. Praying to GOD wholly to remooue the Plague VI. Professing our amendment vpon the remoueall thereof A THANKESGIVING TO GOD FOR STAYING the Plague O LORD GOD of Heauen and earth by whose patience prouidence it is that yet vvee liue and moue Act. 17.28 and haue our being in this world for our life drew nigh vnto the graue Ps 88.3 4 and wee were counted with them that goe downe into the pit Through thy goodnesse O Lord wee are a remnant escaped Ezra 9.15 as appeareth this day reserued as wee trust to glorifie thy Name But who are wee dast and ashes miserable sinners that should be bold to glorifie thy goodnesse that deseâ—â—e not to confesse