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
THE KINGS MEDICINE FOR THIS PREsent yeere 1604. prescribed by the whole colledge of the spirituall physitions made after the coppy of the corporall kings medicine which was vsed in the city the former yeere GIVEN As a NEWYEERS-GIFT to the honorable city of LONDON to be taken in this yeere for the soule as the other was for the bodie HEREVNTO are intermixed First the wonders of the former yeer his triumphs two funeralls two coronations two preachers Secondlie LONDONS and ENGLANDS newyeers-gift to offer vp vnto the Lord for his new-yeers-gift containing King DAVIDS Sacrificing after the ceasing of the pestilence necessarie to teach vs the duty of our deliuerance The whole collected out of the first book of Chr. ch 21. Made and vvritten by IAMES GODSKALL preacher of the vvorde Iohn 5.14 Behold thou art made whole sinne no more least a worse thing come vnto thee At London printed for Edward White at the little Northdoore of Saint Pauls Church at the signe of the gunne To the right honorable the Lord Maior of the most reowmed City of London and to the right worshipfull the Sheriffes and Aldermen their Brethren I. G. wisheth all graces to be multiplied from the Lord by the holy spirit both for the gouernment of his people and for their euerlasting saluation through Iesus Christ THE almightie God right honourable and worshipfull hath dealte the former yeere with your city and suburbes as Kings and Princes in the besieging and taking in of towns first they inuade the suburbes and liberties where they destroy pull downe and set on fire Secondlie they come before the walles and gates of the city which if the inhabitauntes bee not able to resiste they presentlie take in sound the allarum blowe the trumpets strike the drumme and destroy both yong and old which causeth sighs lamentations weeping and howling So likewise the Monarche of the world the Lord of hoasts hauing put on his helmet cloake of reuēge Es 59.17 taken one of the weapons of his wrath of which in his armory of iustice hee hath great store hath first by his destroying Angel taken in your suburbs freedoms liberties there he hath kindled their housen with the fire of the plague made whole families desolate hee hath shot off his arrow that flieth by day Psal 91.5 set the pestilence that walketh in the darkenesse destroyeth at noon day thousandes and ten thousandes haue fallen before him Psal 9.6.7 hee hath made manie to fall and one fel vpon another as the Prophet speaketh Ier. 46.16 So that they haue first tasted the cup of gods wrath Secondly he is come before your gates takē thē in to speak with the psalmist he hath whet his sword Psal 7.12 bēt his bowe made it ready ordayned his arrowes for thē that persecuted him His angel hath kindled the flying fire among your citizēs it hath entred into their housen remained in the mids of thē Za. 5.4 The allarū hath bin giuen witnesse the cōtinuall allarum of bels the trūpets of Iehouah which haue soūded in your ears so that your citizens haue also bin set as a mark for the arrows of his heauēly displeasure to be spent at O the widdows desolate orphās O the sighs tears lamentatiōs of old yong rich poor yet cōtinuing for the miseries of the former yeer To what shal we ascribe the cause of our weaknesse that the bars of our gates we also haue not bē able to keep out the destroyer And to vse the prophets words why haue our valiant men been put backe Ierem. 46.5 and could not stand Two things R. H. make the inhabitants not able to resist first the force of the enemy without and lacke of weapons within to repell the enemy Secondly treason or traitors within the city which rēder it vp The first they are able often couragiously to withstand as experience of greene memorie in that admirable besieging of Ostende admired of all the nations of the world doth testify but the second very seldom of which the Low-coūtries haue had often wofull experience Both of these forenamed haue made vs vnable to keepe out of our city the Lorde of hoastes his slaying angell and his flying arrowes First the default and want of spirituall weapons and of that armor of proofe described in the 6. to the Ephesians our heades being not couered with the helmet of saluation our harts with the brest plate of righteousnesse our loyns with the girdie of verity our feet with the gospel of peace our hands hauing not the sword of the spirit and the buckler of faith the which weapons our long peace prosperitie had made vs to cast aside as carelesse soldiers and to take the armour of sathan The armour of Sathan the helme of mistrust the brestplate of iniury the girdle of falshood the shoos of discord the shield of infidelity the sword of the flesh the darts of Atheisme epicurisme vnmercifulnesse pride and gluttony The second cause of our weakenesse hath beene treason within the traitors and rebelles within our walles which haue rendred vp the city vnto the Lord of hoastes Perhaps you will obiect the Apostles saying vnto me 2. Cor 7 4. that I vse great boldnesse of speech toward you Be not offended beloued I meane our manifold sinnes and iniquities which are as an auncient father tearmeth them traitors within vs which render vp the castle and fortresse This is the nature of sinne it maketh vs soldiers rebels and to vse the words of the holy ghost fighters against God Act 5.39 Sathan beeing the captaine our flesh the lieftenant our pride the standart and flourishing ensigne our lying tongues the trumpets our blasphemies the pikes wherewith we do as it were pearce him through our dissensions the drum to giue the allarum and our damnable oathes and swearings the horses wherewith wee doe as it were tread and trample vnder feet the sacred name of the immortall god Foure sorts of traitors haue rendred vp the city But to particularize foure sorts of traitors and rebels wee haue had amongst vs which haue betraied vs and rendred vp the city First traitors against the maiesty of god the king of heauen our blasphemies Atheismes cursings idolatries damnable swearings our contemning of his heauenly proclamation and of his spirituall heraulds Thus sathan as an old Seba had blowen the trumpet and many entising blasts had caried vs away from our true allegiance to Christ Iesus our king These kinds of sins although they are committed beneath vpon the earth yet they reach as high as heauen and therfore may be compared vnto the Pioners or vnderminers who although they are busie vnder the earth about the foundation yet their purpose and intent is aboue to cast downe the high wals towres and fortresses Secondlie traitors against our neighbors our murthers adulteries our thefts robberies fraudes and oppressions of the poore our false witnesses against the innocent
many learne from the schoole of HYPOCRATES the Physition and EPICVRVS the swine to preserue to physicke and dyet their bodies but as for their soules they are not once mindefull O ye sonnes of men foolish and slowe of heart to conceiue the rightest things how long will yee loue such vanities Secondly 2 To resist the outwarde cause resist the outwarde cause of this heart-Plague and seeing that Satan is an infectious ayre vse to take in spirituall antidotes at all times and in all places keepe the windowes of your eies shut and let not the Satanicall ayre of concupiscence enter therein we dwell beloued in infectious places and shall not we take heede As to resist the infection of the elementall ayre we shun contagigious places and flie to the purer ayre so let vs flie the Satanicall ayre by faith and prayer let vs draw neere vnto God Jam. 4.8 Resist the deuil he will flie frō you Iam. 4.7 that stedfast in the faith 1. Pet. 5.9 Immitate your owne industrie for the preseruing of your soules as you haue done for your bodies You that in diuerse places the former yeere haue watched to keepe out the passengers that came out of contagious places and would not suffer them to enter and to harbour amongst you for feare of infection Watch now this yeere to keepe out Sathan an infectious passenger who runneth euery where in contagious houses Shut the gate of your heart suffer him not to lodge in your soule for he will infect it It is a precept of a wise Physition be sober and watch for your aduersarie walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure 1. Pet. 5.8 Aske the Cranes ô sonnes of men and they will teach you wisdome when they flocke together saith PLINIE to feede one of them vseth to feede a farre off and that Crane so singled from the rest still as he feedes lookes round about him and obserues if anie danger be towardes them if he spie anie bodie draw nigh then he giueth warning to the rest and so they saue themselues Shall this policie rest in vnreasonable Birds and shall it not bee found in man shall not our soules watch to espie the fraude of Satan and so to deceiue the deceiuer And thus much for the ayre which infected the king There followeth the time The time when the king got the Plague when the king got this spirituall infection which was now hauing peace and prosperitie his heart being at ease after his victories being deliuered out of the handes of all his enemies and out of the hand of SAVL as appeareth 2. Sam. 22.1 euen then Satan stood vp and tempted him setting before his eyes his excellencie and glorie his power and victories Peace prosperitie idlenesse are as it were a contagious ayre which smiteth vs with the Plague of the soule The ayre which is still and calme is apt to receiue infection for the winde is aeris verriculum a broome to purge the ayre so the soule which is at her ease soonest getteth the spirituall contagion As euill and corrupted humours through idlenesse are ingendred in the body So in peace and prosperitie bad and pernitious humours are ingendred in the soule As the ayre is a good and pure creature of it selfe and yet by the influences putrifyed vapours euaporation of dead carkasses and diuers other things approoued by the booke of nature is altered and becommeth pernitious to the body So peace and prosperitie which are the gifts of God by the corruptions of our owne hearts are abused and become pernitious to the soule And as the ayre hath not alwaies the same force to infect the body So Satan the ayre which infecteth the soule hath not alwaies the like strength and of efficacie to fulfill his purpose and to poyson the soule If thou art desirous to know when the Satanicall aire hath most force It is in the time of peace and prosperitie when thy heart is at ease and that thou hast giuen thy selfe to securitie For he obserueth three things the time the place the occasion Satan dealeth with vs as the Crabbe with the Oysters as AMBROSE obserueth the Crab being an enemie of the Oysters because he cannot hurt thē by reason of the hardnesse of their shell he tarryeth till the Sunne doth shine for then they open themselues and lie still in the Sunne recreating themselues then the Crabbe commeth and casteth little stones into their shels and so hurteth them So likewise Satan our aduersarie perceiuing when we are at our ease and that the sun-shine of prosperitie doth shine ouer vs then he cōmeth casteth his poison into our soules Seeing then that prosperitie ingendreth corruptions in the soule The vse bee not carelesse of thy health exercise thy selfe to driue away the bad humours and to retaine thy spirituull health The sounde man if hee doeth not exercise himselfe is subiect to diseases although thou art sounde of spirit yet if thou giuest thy selfe to securitie thou shalt fall in the Kings sicknesse Three exercises are necessarie for the health of thy soule against the gathering of bad humours The exercise of Prayer 3 Three exercises necessary for the soule the exercise of the Word and the exercise of the Crosse As for the two first forget them not as for the third the Lord himselfe will not forget sometimes in due season to lay vpon thee And as the Physitions in their Treatises of the former yeere touching the Plague bid thee to haue a regarde in your exercises vbi quomodo quando where howe when So I bid you this yeere obserue these rules in your spirituall exercises the amplifycation of which I leaue to your meditations And thus much for the time The third member of the first parte containeth the Kings sicknesse it selfe The Kings sicknesse it selfe consisting in the numbring of the people This fact of DAVID is the Kings sicknesse a dangerous disease I may call it the heart-plague As the infection of the elementall ayre in the bodily Plague doeth creepe vnto the heart and poyson the vitall spirits So the infection and poyson of Satan hath crept into his heart and infected that place with pride This Kings Euill is more daungerous then that disease which some haue called the kings euill For the bodily Kings euill can bee cured si credere f◠est if it be true with corruptible gold but the spiritual Kings Euill A spirituall Kings euil cannot be cured with corruptible gold or siluer as the Apostle speaketh but onely by the pretious blood of the Sonne of God This is then a dangerous and greeuou◠wound in a Saint if I would thrust my fingers into it throughly handle it To extenuate the Kings euill three things might bee alleadged that it agreeth with the commaundement o◠God Exod. 30.12 Secondly with the practise o◠the Isralits Numb 1.2 Thirdly with Politicke prudence To vntie the knot with a word there is a two-folde numbring First a
the increasing of this spirituall infection yet notwithstanding reiected this his counsaile and followed his owne humor and therefore smarted for it for this spirituall Kings euill hath produced the corporal Plague wherewith the whole body of Israel hath been infected from DAN to Bershebah In the effect of the Kings sicknesse three things are to be obserued First it is propounded Secondly chosen The diuision of the second part thirdly sent propounded by the Prophet ChoseÌ„ by the King sent by the Lord. In the proposition note the persons propounding and the thing propouÌ„ded The persons propouÌ„ding two in nuÌ„ber First the principall 1 The proposition the Lord secondly â—he instrumentall the Prophet GAD who accorâ—ing to the wise Phisition produceth not his own â—easons but the saying of the Lord the supreme â—hisition So saith the Lord The thing propounâ—ed is a trinitie of punishments Two of them are â—uch fellowe-like companions that the Graecians â—istinguish them but by one letter calling the Plague 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the famine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Triniâ—ie may bee reduced vnto a double dichotomie The first Famine or the sword and that either the sword of man which is hostile persecution or the sword of an Angell which is the pestilence The â—econd is DAVIDS dichotomie which he maketh â—imselfe distinguishing them in two sortes the â—irst is a fall into the enemies hands The other two 〈◊〉 fall into God his hands Iustly thou sufferest ô â—onne of ADAM this trinitie of punishments for the â—hree sortes of sins which are to be found in thee â—he sinne of thought word and deede The Lord â—â—ghteth against thee by the hand of man 2 The Kings choâ—se because â—hou fightst against him by the hand of sinne â—carcity of bread there is sometimes in the land â—ecause scarcity of good workes in thee is often â—o bee found the infection of the Plague doth â—nnoy thee in thy bodie because the infection â—f sinne hath raigned in thy soule In the second â—ember of the second parte obserue First the Kings choyce secondly the reason of his choice â—n the choyce behold the Kings three vertues his wisdome charitie pollicy his pollicy ayming at the Churches enriching his charitie ayming at the easinesse of death thirdly his wisdome which appeareth in three things for which hiâ— choice was better than either famine or persecution if we respect first the persoÌ„ of God secondly the kings thirdly his subjects If the persoÌ„ of God his glorie by this kinde of punishment is betteâ— aduanced and that two manner of waies First in regard of the faithful people of God secondly of the infidels and enemies of God By the faithfull it is aduanced in two things making them to looke aboue beneath aboue acknowledging the mighty hand of God beneath the weaknesse and impotencie of man And taketh away a double coÌ„fidence first in our selues secondly iâ— others In regard of his owne person he chooseth one first that was just and reasonable secondly easiest thirdly best for his soule fourthly one thaâ— sheweth his charity to his people In regarde oâ— his subjects it was the best first for their soules secondly for their bodies that either in regard of the paine or of their good name thirdly foâ— the common-weale fourthly for the Church The amplifycations of these I leaue to the meditations of the Readers and come to the reason oâ— the Kings choise For thy mercie is great I will noâ— dilate euery particular The reason of his choise If you desire a large commentarie vpon the kings reason Read the Kingâ— Psalmes and in particular the 103. Psal Which vse as the best interpretour vpon it DAVID vttereth this reason by a double experience of the mercie of God and of the cruelty of man of the latter he hath also had a double experience hauing felt the crueltie and vnkindnes of the father and of the sonne of the Father in SAVL of the sonne either in IBOSHETH or ABSOLON I omit to shew vnto you beloued the difference betwixt the merciful hand of God and the vnmercifull hand of man And I appeale to those kingdomes Prouinces and cities which haue felt this trinitie of punishments propounded vnto DAVID to aske of them whither it be better to fall into the hands of God or in the hands of man because many can answere by experience I will onely aske it of the Low-Countries in the name of all they may speake for they haue had the experieÌ„ce of DAVID haue also felt this trinity of punishmeÌ„ts famine pestilence hostile persecution And note this with me that with DAVID they haue felt the cruelty vnkindnes and barbarous vnmercifulnes of man â—n the father and in the sonne First in the father in that Spanish SAVL king PHILIP of late memorye haue not the Spanish handes destroyed their Cities burnt their Temples dispersed their inhabitants whereof we strangers in this your kingdome dispersed liuing in exile for the name of Christ Iesus are vnto you all eye-witnesse I will not amplifye the Spanish cruelty Horresco referrens Psal 129 onely I say that with DAVID they may speake From my youth of Israel may say they haue afflicted me secoÌ„dly in the Sonne in that Spanish ISBOSHETH what haue they not suffered since the death of the father by the barbarous handes of his gouernours let them now answere and I doubt not hauing DAVIDS experience that if DAVIDS choise were propounded vnto theÌ„ they would come to the resolution of DAVID Let vs fall into the hands of God not into the hands of men for thy mercies are great O Lord. 3 The executioÌ„ The third member of the first part is the execution in which I leaue to your meditations foure things First the effect of the Kings euill a Pestilence Secondly the outwarde cause of that disease the Lord thirdly the inward cause of it the sin of DAVID and of his subjects Fourthly the patits Israel As for the effect it was a diminutioÌ„ of people wherin obserue First the equity of punishmeÌ„t Secondly the trueth of that rule obserued by the Wise man Wisd cap. 11. 13. Wherwith a man sinneth by the same also shal he be punished Experience hereof obserue in the effect of the kings euil DAVID had sinned in the multitude of the people therfore DAVID is punished with adiminutioÌ„ of people The discription of the outward cause deliuereth two things The agent the instrumeÌ„t Iehouah his angel In the ageÌ„t note the outward cause of the pestilence The Phystions and Naturians out of the booke of nature render a double cause of the Plague an outward and an inward 1 The outwarde cause of the plaguâ— the one without man the other within man the one prima causa morbi the first cause of the disease the second proxima the next the one placed without in the infectioÌ„ of the ayre the other within in the corrupted humours of the body Let vs
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
ruine and ouerthrow therof Whatsoeuer may be said of MARCELLVS for his clemencie ouer those he had slaine yet there is no comparison to be made betwixt him the Emperour of heauen and earth hee hath had froÌ„ the high tower of heaueÌ„ compassion ouer the Cittie It hath repented him hee hath beheld her ruines If mercie had not bene before him and grace behinde him so great is our sinne the whole Cittie might haue been destroyed And thus much for the second Preacher of the former yeere and also of the second part of this new yeres-gift The third part containing the Kings Medicine it selfe with the ingredients thereof AS an expert Physition first sheweth the disease it selfe with the cause and danger thereof and then prescribeth to his patient Phisick to cure him and the order of his diete Euen so hauing shewen beloued of LondoÌ„ the disease it selfe the Kings euill with the effect thereof giue mee leaue nowe to prescribe the Phisicke against the Kings euill And as the Physition hitting vpon the right humor and cause of the disease can with happier successe applie his Phisicke So wee knowing the cause both of the spirituall and corporall infection shall the better bee able to finde out the right medicine It is the desire of al sickemen to know a good medicine which hath bin knowen most to preuaile best to remooue and soonest to cure the person diseased This he learneth to know out of the booke of nature the best physitions the cause of the disease and the experience of others if there bee a medicine which is much vsed and commended euery one is desirous to haue it and to knowe the ingredients thereof As this is the desire of the diseased in regard of the body so it ought also to bee the desire of euery Christian in regard of his soule This hee shall learne to know out of the booke of God the cause of the disease the spirituall Physitions and the experience of others If we desire one for to cure the plague of the soule the effect thereof which is commended and hath been vsed and tryed by experience behold I set one before you the Kings medicine DAVIDS repentance so called because a King of Israell tooke it in both in the Plague and after the Plague As for the bodyly kings medicine other humane confections of art they are of no force to cure the spiritual contagion For the Triacle and to vse the words of the Lord Ierm 8.22 the Balme of Gilead and their Physitions cannot helpe or recouer our health and therefore the Lord reprocheth theÌ„ Ier. 46.11 Goe vp vnto Gilead and take balme ô Virgine the daughter of Egypt in vaine shalt thou vse manie medicines for thou shalt haue no health Seeing that the confections of men are of so litle force there is no better then this kings medicine which is better worth then all the balme of Gilead If ye are desirous to knowe where the ingredients of this Physicke doe grow ye shall finde them growing in the garden of this Scripture nowe in hand As the Lord saieth ORIGEN hath prepared Physicke for the body out of the hearbes which grow in the fields and gardens euen so he hath ordayned Physicke for the soule whose ingredients he hath sowen in the garden of the Scripture of this Physicke Christ Iesus is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the supreame Physitiâ—n That wee might then orderly proceede in this orderly repentance of king DAVID The ingredients of the Kings medicine arâ— set downe who hath bene skilfull in the arte of repentance I will set fâ—orth a liuely Anotomie of a repentant sinner whose foote-steps we ought to follow steppe by steppe In this spirituall king Medicine I obserue fiue things First the patients or the persons which tooke it in verse 28. and 16. The King and the Elders of Israell Secondly the ingredients of this Physicke and the parts wherof it is compounded which are three in number The first ingredient is the knowledge and feeling of the Kings disease vers 10 And his heart smote him The second is his desire of spirituall life and health in the same verse Take away the trespasse of thy seruant The third is the hearbe of patience vers 14. the king grudged not but saide Let vs fall into the hands of the Lord. Thirdly the patients behauiour and the manner how the king tooke it in which is set downe in three things First the discouery and laying open of his sore vnto the Physition 2. Sam. 24.10 I haue sinned exceedingly and I haue done very foolishly The second is his bodily prostrating of himselfe with the Elders vpon their faces 1. Chron. 21.16 Thirdly an humble cloathing of himselfe with the Elders in Sack-cloth in the same verse of the Chapter Fourthly the time when hee tooke in this medicine and the cause moouing him to vse this receit which was when he saw that hee was infected with the Plague of the soule 2. Sam. 24.10 Then c. and that he perceiued the effect and danger thereof the bodily pestilence 2. Sam. 24.17 Fiftly the operation of the Kings medicine which is the ceasing of the Plague 2. Sam. 24 25. With the behauiour of the patient DAVID now being healed his sacrificing vnto the Lord. 1. Chron. 21.28 This is the Anotomie of the Kings medicine of which in order I. The patients or persons which tooke in the Kings Medicine THe persons which vsed this Physick are the King and the Elders honorable persons the chiefest of the kingdome Patients which were diseased infected with the spiritual contagion Kings and Princes mortall Gods Potentates of the earth and yee the elders of the people Heere is a Looking-glasse for you come down from your thrones and the height of your glorie be not ashamed with a vertuous Prince to take in a royall medicine Let not the maximes of that vnpure Atheist MACHIAVEL that malaperte and pelting Towne-Clearke of Florence infecte your soules who among the reste of his filthinesse blusheth not to spewe out this poyson that Kings and Princes neede not make any accounte of godlinesse and that it is sufficient to make onely an outward shew of it The practise of DAVID and the Elders doe shewe the contrarie going before you whose foote-steps follow steppe by steppe As the Physitions prescribing a medicine shewe the reasons which ought to mooue the patients to take it in Euen so let mee ô Princes and Elders of the people with the prescription of this royall medicine shew you also the causes which ought to perswade you to the taking in of this Physicke The reasons are fiue in number First Fiue reasons to mooue great men to take in this Physicke the consideration of your disease the multitude of your sinnes Princes you are most of al troubled with the kings euill and the greatest sinnes commonly raigne among the greatest Secondly the prescription of the whole Colledge of the spirituall Physitions God the Father
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
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
emty thy belly of foode and to fill thy soule with sinnes to be pale for fasting and to bee blewe and pale for hate and enuie to drinke no wine and to be drunke with the poyson of anger to abstaine from things which are lawfull and to doe things which are vnlawfull Follow then beloued the counsaile of Chrisostome and Bernard who both iumpe togither Let not onely thy mouth and thy bowels fast but thine eyes thine eares thy feete thy handes and all thy bodily members Let thy hands fast from robbery thy feete from bearing thee to vnlawfull spectacles thine eares from sucking in slāderous tales thine eyes from receiuing in wantonnesse And to shewe you out of the mouth of God himselfe what manner of fast you ought to vse this new yeare Loose the bands of wickednesse Es 58. take off the heauie burdens let the oppressed goe free deale thy breade to the hungry and couer the naked As there hath bene the former yeare a generall fast through the whole land so there ought this yeare to bee this inward and spirituall through the whole Kingdome from the honourable Counsellor to him that grindeth at the Mill. This is the great generall fast and a Lent of abstinence which wee all must keepe And thus much for the patients behauiour and also the third part of the Kings Medicine ¶ The fourth part containing the time when the King tooke in this Medicine and the cause moouing him thereunto THE time when hee tooke it in was first when he saw that he had gotten the spirituall infection by the numbring of the people and secondly when he saw the danger and effect therof a pestilence in Israel The cause mouing him to take it in was to heale his disease to remoue the effect thereof Ver. 8.16 The consideration of both deliuereth vnto vs a portrature of a wise Physition of a wise patient the wisdome of God and the wisdome of Dauid The wisdome of God the Physition Vse The wisdome of God the Physition doth appeare in the diuersity of means which he knoweth to vse for to cure sin to mooue the sons of men to take in this spirituall Kings medicine of repentance This Physition had before giuen vnto DAVID peace prosperity and victories ouer his enemies and now seeing him anew infected with a dangerous disease he sendeth a generall pestilence in Israell Before hee came with his benefits and now with his iudgements As the expert Physition vseth first soft and lenitiue remedies and if they auaile not then hee commeth to his sharpe and biting corrosiues euen so the Lord vseth first the soft and lenitiue remedies of his commandements promises and benefits and then the byting corrosiues of his iudgements Some hee healeth by hony some by gall some by salt some by meale some by sweete some by sower Hee hath a store-house full of remedies and the breade of iudgement to breede good bloode in vs. The Lord as Clemens Alexandrinus speaketh is like vnto an expert Musitian hee hath sundry kindes and varieties and sheweth the changes of his notes hee both pittieth and chasteneth entreateth and threateneth and by threatning best admonisheth by speaking roughly soonest perswadeth When the railes of the law kept not the Israelits in the pasture of the word the Lord appointed the hedge of thorny discipline And euen so at this present such as he cannot draw to come in the fold of saluatiō by the whistle of the word he compelleth them to come in by the dogge hooke of disciplin correction If the blessings of Mount Garizzim do not moue vs Deut. 27. then the cursings of Mount Ebal must come vpon vs. If we take no pleasure in the beauty of Mount Sion then the thundrings lightnings of Sinai must put vs in feare As this sheweth the wisdom of God so it declareth the successe of his wisdom The successe of his wisdom in DAVID his patient the Lords corosiues haue wrought in his soule for seeing the hand of the Lord he began to take in the medicine of repētance The Lords corrosiues haue many vertues The vse of afflictions First they make vs to esteeme honour make much of the Lord King Dauids Physition Secondly they make vs to attaine vnto the knowledge of our disease bind Manasses with chains pul the King of Babilon from his throne they wil know thēselues thirdly they make vs to seek for a remedy against our sore Fourthly they preuēt keepe our soules from falling into more grieuous diseases Fiftly they serue as a purge to purge vs frō the corrupted humours of the soule The want of these fiue things had beene a long time among vs and therfore king Dauids Physitiō hath the former year vsed his corrosiues We shuld haue fallen into a deadly Lethargy of sin therfore he hath preuented it that we might as the Prouerb is with the burnt child dread the fire As Ionathan shot arrowes to giue DAVID warning euen so the Lord hath shot off his arrowes Ps 9. to giue vs warning The Plague ô London hath bin a writing scrole vpō your flesh engrauen in your skin to teach you obediēce as the Leprosie vnto Miryam It hath bin as I. Baptist to send you vnto Christ It hath bin as a medicine sent from heauen the King of heauens medicine to heale the sores of the land to remoue the spiritual plague Sicknes as Basil saith vpon the 25. Psalme is vnto many a salutiferous medicine and life it selfe As we pluck back or stay our horses if either they gallop too fast or go out of the way so the Lord because we were as wild horses hath curbed our bits straitned the raines of our vnbridled affections As the Lords corrasiues haue had good successe in DAVID so they haue wrought in vs. We had beene like vnto Ioab 2. Sa. 14.29 As Absolon sent for him the first time by his seruāts but would not come and the second time yet woulde not come to him and therefore sent the third time his seruants to set Ioabs fields on fire then he arose and came euen so the Lord had sent at diuerse times his seruants the Prophets to will vs to come to him but because we remained obstinate he sent the former yeare other seruants namely his Angels to kindle our housen with the fire of pestilence and that made vs to arise to goe vnto the Lord with fasting that made vs to cry out Lord haue mercy vpon vs Christ haue mercy vpon vs. When the waters of the flood came vpon the face of the earth downe went stately Turrets Towers but as the waters rose so the Arke rose still higher higher In like sort when the waters of afflictions arise as the floode of the pestilence did the former year downe goes the pride of life the lust of the eyes the vanities of the world as they did also in some sort the last yeare pray God
cap. 13. and they will tell it you Euen the storke in the ayre knoweth her appointed times the turtle the crane and the swallowes obserue the time of their comming Ierem. 8.7 If not the wisedome of man then let the wisedome of beastes perswade you And yet why should not the wisedome of men mooue men Doth not the husbandman obserue the tyme of sowing the mariner watch his tydes the smith strike his yron while it is hot the marchant take shippe while the wind serueth shall not you then that are patients take in physick before it is too late I will conclude the fourth part of this discourse As IEROME hauing read the life and death of HILARION who after hee had liued religiouslie died moâ—â— christianlie sayd well HILARION shall be thâ— champion whome I will followe euen so hauing now read and heard the repentaunce oâ— DAVID let vs say Well DAVID shall bee ouâ— champion whome we will followe The fift part containing the operation of the kings medicine with King DAVIDS sacrificing THe fift and last part of thiâ— discourse 1. The operation of the kings medicine brauncheth it selfâ— in two branches the first containeth the operation oâ— the kings medicine 2. Sam. 24 25. which is the ceasing oâ— the plague The second the behauiour of the patient DAVID now beeing healed and hauing felt the operation of this medicine which is his sacrificing vnto the lord 1. Chron. 21.28 in these words At that time when DAVID sawe that the Lorde had heard him then hee sacrificed The operation of the kings medicine sheweth that it is a healing medicine he taketh it in against the plague and behold the plague ceaseth This operation hath manifested it selfe in two things First Manifested in two things in the curing of the plague of the soule for DAVIDS sinne hath beene pardoned Secondly in the remoouing of the effecte thereof for the plague of the body ceased The operation then of this physicke commendeth vnto vs the kings medicine If it bee taken in with all her ingredientes and in that manner that DAVID tooke it in it hath the vertue to cure a double plague of the soule and of the bodie This doeth king DAVIDS physitian witnesse himselfe in that excellent testimonie worthie to be noted 2. Chron. 7.14 If my people among whome my name is called vpon do humble themselues pray seeke my presence and â—urne from theyr wicked wayes then will I be mercifull to theyr sinnes heere is the curing of â—he first plague And I will heale their land here is the healing of the second plague This mediâ—ine then is better then they which are prescriâ—ed in the booke of nature by Galen Hypocraâ—es and the rest it is also better then the balme of Gilead which could not auaile Ierem. 46.11 To perswade you to the taking in of this Kingâ— medicine A commendation of the kings medicine not onelie the operation of it buâ— diuerse other arguments are able to commend it vnto you The first argument of prayse may bâ— taken from the author 1. From the author thereof not mortall man but the blessed Trinity hath first prescribed and inuented this physick the whole colledge oâ— the blessed patriarkes prophets Apostles hauâ— taught the manner how to take it in for vs thaâ— are vnexperienced A medicin hauing an experâ— and skilfull author hath great force to perswade The second from the persons which haue vsed iâ— 2. From the persons which haue vsed it taken it in not only mean men but also honorable persons Kings princes Magistrates patriarks prophets Apostles martyrs Medicines vsed by honorable persons are esteemed much made of because wee perswade our selueâ— that they will spare no cost 3. Her names Thirdly the honorable names which are giuen vnto it in the bookâ— of God doe much commend it beeing called glorie and a ioyfull crowne Ec. 1.11 honourablâ— wisedome Ec. 1.14 and diuerse others which will not specify The very name of the kings medicine hath perswaded many the former yeerâ— to vse the same aboue others The ancientnes antiquity of it 4. Antiquitie doth minister the 4. argument oâ— commeÌ„dation for it was ordayned in paradyse God the first preacher and physitian of ouâ— soules preached repentaunce in paradyse heâ— shewed them their sinnes and gaue them thâ— promise The 5. argument of prayse is the vniuersalitie 5. Vniuersalitie of it it is good for all manner of persons which vniuersalitie is wanting in the corporall medicines some beeing not good for old men some for yong men some not good for children some for women but this is good for all men and therefore it is prescribed vniuersallie to Princes Ierem. 13. to riche men 1. Tim. 6. to poore men to olde men to yong men Ec. 12.1 to virgins to married women Ec. 1.15 to the barren to them that are with childe to souldiers Luke 3. for captains Actes 10. for ministers for schollers it is a Prophets medicine And behold ô physitians here is a medicine for physitians Parentes vse it your selues giue it in to your children and Masters to your seruantes that the infection of this world annoy them not 6. it is profitable 6. Profitable it wil cost you nothing yet it hath excelleÌ„t operatioÌ„s medicins which cost little or nothing yet haue singular vertue are much esteemed Many haue spent almost their whole substaÌ„ce in physick for the curing of heir bodies this shal not need if you vse this medicine the Doctors to teach you the maÌ„ner to take it in shal also cost you nothing Poor men heere is another Kings medicine for you which will not waste your substaÌ„ce Seuenthly 7. Delectable the pleasantnes of it hath no little force to adde somwhat to the coÌ„mendatioÌ„ of it Corporal medicins are often vnpleasant vnsauorie bitter the sicke man sometime will not take them in for they cannot abide them but this is delectable for it is nothing else but loue it is compounded of loue al manner of vertues What is there more delectable then to loue God and to take our delight in his law Psal 1. and therewithall to adorne our selues with all manner of vertues Shall not that bee pleasaunt vnto vs which voideth the filthinesse of sinne that maketh vs stinking in the sight of God The patient doth often tremble against the time that hee must take in his medicine but this reioyceth the sinner for the feare of the Lord Ec. 1.12 maketh a merrie heart 8. Sufficient and giueth gladnesse and ioy Eightlie the sufficiencie of it may be an other argument of prayse I do not dislike the medicines that naturall physicke doth prescribe but they are not sufficient for theyr imperfection sake but this is a perfect medicine for the feare of the lord giueth peace and perfect health Ec. 1.22 Ninthly it is an experimented 9. ExperimeÌ„ted medicine the continuall practise of others since the beginning
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