was sent Secondly the time when it began Thirdly the cōtinuance of it Fourthly his decreasing The cause of which was the sinne of that age which was growen vp as a mightie tree producing diuers sower and deadly fruites The first was the great securitie of the sonnes of God that is of those which made profession of the true Religion eating and drinking marrying and building Luke 17. 27. The second their disobedience and contemning of Noah the Preacher of righteousnesse and of the long suffering of God 1. Pet. 3. 20. The third their fornications and vngodly alliances with the infidels and with that damnable race of Cain without respect either of family or Religion The fourth their crueltie and oppression of their neighbours Gene. 6. 11. and 13. Lastly the corruption of their wayes Gen. 6. 12. and because their wickednesse was great vpon the earth 2. Sam. This is also the cause to applie the first to our selues which hath mooued the Lord to send this deluge of the Plague into the land because the selfe same sinnes did raigne among vs and as it was in the dayes of Noah so hath it beene in these last dayes of the sonne of man and therefore seeing a flood of iniquitie hath ouerwhelmed vs hath not this flood of the Plague iustly and suddenly ouertaken vs From the first let me leade you to the second the circumstance of the time when the flood began noted in the 7. Chap. of Gene. ver 11. In the second moneth the seuenteenth day of the moneth which was about the beginning of May or as others say in April when all things did most flourish and when it was lesse expected which suddennesse hath changed their ioy into sorow So likewise to applie the second to vs this deluge of the Plague began to encrease about the beginning of May as I haue noted when all things did flourish in the Countrey and in the Citie when we were merrie as the sonnes of the old world marrying feasting building and erecting our armes trivmphants when we lesse expected it which hath turned also our ioy into sorrow And as Noahs flood caused them to flie vpon high mountaines and trees that the waters should not reach vnto them So this deluge hath it not caused thousands to depart into the Countrey farre and neere to be preserued From the second I come to the third the continuance of the flood noted Gen. 7. 24. The waters couered and preuailed vpon the earth an hundreth and fiftie dayes which is about halfe a yeere and then in the end of an hundreth and fiftie dayes the waters abated Gene. 8. 3. which was in Nouember reckning from the beginning of them To applie the third our deluge hath not yet preuailed an hundreth and fiftie dayes and I hope through the mercie of God that it wil not so long encrease and bee in his full strength and force and yet O Lord by the great flood of our iniquitie we haue deserued a longer encreasing But haue mercie vpon vs O Lord according to the multitude of thy compassions Psal 51. 1. Let mee applie the fourth thing which is the decreasing of Noahs flood noted Gen. 8. 5 and they decreased vntil the tenth moneth which was the moneth of December this decreasing beginning from Nouember after the hundreth and fiftie dayes Our flood the Lord bee thanked hath begun reasonably to decrease in the moneth of September and the Lord graunt that these waters from henceforward may not bee going and comming but that they may altogether decrease vntill the tenth month And as the tops of the mountaines which were couered because of the flood were seene in the tenth moneth Gene. 8. 5. which was in December So the Lord graunt that the heads of the Citie the Merchants and principall Citizens which because of this deluge haue beene couered may be seene againe in the Citie the tenth moneth Further as on the first day of the first moneth Gene. 8. 13. the vpper part of the ground was wholly drie which was in March and part of Aprill So the Lord graunt that this deluge may in that moneth wholly bee dried vp and that there remaine not any reliques therof if it please him to remember vs in his mercie as hee did Noah Gene. 8. 1. Now that he may remember vs in his mercie let vs forsake the sinnes of the olde world let the flood of iniquitie which is broken through among vs decrease and wholly be dried vp Great hath beene and extraordinarie I doo confesse the invndation of the Plague this present yeere and therefore let our repentance bee great and extraordinarie It is reported of many of the Aegyptians by Sozom lib. 7. cap. 20. that being terrified by the strange invndation of Nilus higher then the wonted maner thereof was immediatly they condemned their ancient Idolatry and applied themselues to the worship of the liuing God So likewise seeing that this deluge of the Plague hath beene higher then the wonted maner as the weekly Bils doo shewe vnto vs let vs bee terrified and remooue our ancient iniquities let vs applie our selues to humble and feruent prayer a principall part of the worship of God And as the Arke in the flood rested vpon the high mountaines of Ararat Gene. 8. 4. So let vs in this flood rest vpon the Lord and vpon the holy mountaine of Heauen the power and mercie of our God are the mountaines whereupon the Arke may finde rest those are the holy hils whereon Sion hath her euerlasting foundation Hauing shewed to you the flood I come to the Arke The holy Ghost in the description of the Arke into which Noah entred Gene. 6. and 7. noteth these fiue things The Arke it selfe The persons entring The cause why The time when The end wherefore As for the Arke into which wee must enter it is not an Arke made of corruptible wood nor an Arke heere beneath sloating and tossing in the sea of this world but the true Arke of Noah and of the righteous the name of the Lord that strong tower wherevnto the righteous runneth by the feete of prayer Prou. 18. 10. an immortall eternall and incorruptible Arke I know no surer refuge from the tempest as Esai speaketh no safer harbour and receptacle wherin to repose your wearied soules The persons entring were Noah and his family Noah the righteous or the Preacher of righteousnesse as he is called 2. Pet. 2. 5. Noah and his little family the remnant of the earth as the sonne of Syrach termeth them Let vs with our families enter into the aforesaid Arke and although they consist more then of eightie and eight soules yea of infinite they cannot fill this Arke neither hinder one another as it happeneth in the bulwarkes and fortresses of mortall men but let vs be righteous Noahs for how can wee be else preserued If wee enter as an impious Cham perhaps we shall escape a temporall flood but not the deluge of Gods eternall wrath The cause
necessarie that we know the name of the place whereunto we go secondly that we haue feet to beare carie vs thither thirdly that we haue a directioÌ„ that we might not erre fourthly that wee haue some right interest there or some acquaintance that we may be receiued So likewise these foure things are necessarie to be knowne of vs in our spirituall departure Touching the name of the place whereunto Dauid fled in the time of plague as it hath diuers names so in this place it is called the name of Iehouah Heere I pertermit the fiue seueral significations of the name of the Lord vsed in the book of God taking it in this place first for the Lord himself secondly for his attributes by which hee doth manifest himselfe Of which Moses Num 14. bringeth in a perfect catalogue the Lord hath deliuered this his name by proclamation Exo. 34. 5. 6. The Lord the Lord strong merciful gratious slow to anger aboundant in goodnes and truth c. God then the almightie eternall immortall inuisible Lord the iudge of the world Psal 94. 2. God merciful gratious the supreme phisition of our soules who healeth all our iniquities Psal 103. God to whom power belongeth and whose is saluation alone Psal 62. is the place it selfe whereunto Dauid and wee ought to flie from the contagion The name of a place if it be known famous and renowned hath often much force to perswade vs rather to goe vnto such a place then vnto such or such surely there was neuer name of place more worthy to goe vnto then the name of Iehouah O ye righteous soules that thirst by reason of the heate of the plague vpon your beddes flie vnto this place to the waters of comfort here are wels enough to be drawne at this is the name which God hath proclaimed to the world and whereby he would be knowne to men that if euer they come to him they may speake their mindes in the confidence and trust of this amiable name Esteeme it not strange beloued that the name of a place is attributed to the Lord for that he is a place of refuge three things are able to prooue First the witnes of God himselfe second the confession of the righteous third the word running here vsed by king Salomon As for the Lord he doth attribute vnto himselfe this name by the pen of the holy Ghost calling himselfe a secret place psal 91. 1. a throne of grace Hebr. 4. 16. a refuge psal 9. 9. a fortresse psal 18. 2. a strong towre and such lyke more Secondly this is the confession of the righteous Of Dauid the father in diuers places psal 18. 2. The Lord is my fortresse and my refuge and in the 32. 7. Thou art my secret place compasâ—est me about with ioyfull deliuerance and so Psal 94. 22. This is also the confession of the sonne in this place and of all the Saints of God vnto whose confessions I referre you as they are set downe by the holy Ghost in the booke of God Thirdly the word runneth implieth as much which giueth me entrance to the second point opening vnto vs the feete which we neede to goe vnto this place the which if ye are desirous to know they are two in number Faith and Praier Faith the first for if by faith we stand 2. Cor. 1. 24. by faith we may also goe to the lord who is faithful Now how could we go vnto him by the feete of prayer if we did not beleeue in him Rom 10. 14. The second is prayer a spirituall legge to beare vs thither noted by Salomon making mention of running by Ionas speaking of comming Iohn 2. ver 7. And my prayer come vnto thee in thine holy temple By the Apostle wheÌ„ he speaketh of going let vs therfore goe vnto the throne of grace Heb. 4. 16. Lastly by the holy Ghost vsing this word Climbing Apoc. 8. 4. Both the name of the place which is appointed for vs to goe vnto and the spirituall legs which the Lord hath giuen vs to carrie vs thither doe preach vnto the sonnes of men the admirable goodnes and mercie of the Lord toward them In this world wee are as pilgrims Psal 119. hauing here no continuing Citie Heb 13. 14 and while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord 2. Cor. 5. 6. In which pilgrimage Many are the troubles of the righteous Psal 34. O the great goodnesse of the Lord then that hee hath giuen vs feete to come vnto him and made himselfe a place of refuge for vs in all our troubles which goodnesse is comfortable vnto the faithfull for as it is a comfort vnto the pilgrim shepheard or souldier to haue in the heate of the day a place of refuge to refresh their wearied members So likewise what a comfort is it for you O afflicted soules in the heate of your afflictions to haue the name of Iehouah for a sacred Sanctuarie the Lord is not like vnto the princes of the earth who desire not to be molested with the requests of their distressed subiects It is a ioy to the wearied student that he may sometime come home to his fathers house and recreate himselfe Into this world the Lord hath sent vs as in an Vniuersitie which although it is farre off from our fathers house yet the Lord hath giuen vs spirituall feete by which in a moment we can ascend vnto our fathers house and recreate there our wearied spirits This world is a waste desart if wee neede any thing here are the legges by which speedily wee may runne to this place and prouide our selues If the Lord hath cast vs downe vpon our beds and that wee can not vse the feete of our bodies behold hee hath giuen vs other feete to vse in steade of these King Ezekias visited with the plague could not vse the feete of the flesh but with the feete of the spirit went vnto this place knowen vnto him by the name of Iehouah Ionas is locked vp in a prison in the belly of the Whale the Lords prison and can not stirre himselfe and yet by the vertue of these feete out of the depth he ascendeth to the holy temple of Iehouah Now that these feete may be able to beare vs thither and that they may not faile vs in our voyage they must put on the hose of faith and as the Apostle speaketh our feete must be shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace And as the feete to that Image of Daniel were part of yron part of clay which the Prophet expoundeth partly strong partly weake or broken So the feete of our prayers are according to the hosen wherewith they are couered if they put on feare and distrustfulnesse they will bee shiuering and sinking downeward of clay weake and impotent if they put on faith and confidence in the mercies of God they will be feete of yron strong stable and
wrath and anger To auoide this threefold danger runne to the Arke and to this blessed Zoar. The fourth motiue is the desire of life and health we neede at this time a double health the health of the soule and body let vs therefore goe boldly vnto the throne of grace that wee may receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede Heb. 4. 16. Why went that woman which was diseased with an issue of blood twelue yeares vnto Christ but that shee might receiue her health Vers 12. The sicknesse of the plague is an issue of blood which being once opened will euer runne and keepe a course if it bee not stanched by the power and mercie of God which mercie is onely obtained by going vnto his sacred name to obtaine this double health Dauid went vnto this place 1. Chron. 21. that the plague of his soule might be healed and the bodily plague bee remooued If we are as it were dead for sorrow prayer will reuiue vs for it is Vita animae the life of the soule and as Chrysostome termeth it Est anima ipsius animae It is the soule of the soule If we goe into the Countrey which cannot saue vs how much more ought we to flie to this name which hath the power to doe it this his power being acompanied with mercie and kindnesse for thou O Lord art good and gracious and of great compassion Psal 86. Fiftly experience of good successe is the last motiue they which haue fled to this place haue not beene stopped by the way but haue had good speede Goe vnto King Eezekias Iob Dauid and the rest and they will preach vnto you by experience the experience of this successe This successe is grounded vpon three things as vpon three firme pillars the power the will and promise the goodnesse and mercie of God His power I haue heard it that power belongeth vnto God Psal 62 11. There was neuer affliction or sore so great but the hand of that Physitian hath beene able to master it the least finger of his right hand being of more puissance then the whole arme of flesh His will and promise Psal 91. 1. Ioel 2. 32. Iam. 5. 15. Eccle. 31. 9. Matth. 77. Ioh. 14. 13. The King of heauen is not like vnto the Princes of the earth or vnto that Philip of Macedon who answered vnto the widow comming in his Court to him to be heard I am not at leisure vnto which also shee answered iustly then bee not a King any longer for seeing that he hath promised it he is also willing his promise being signed with the finger of the holy Ghost and sealed with the blood of his beloued and annoynted Neither is he like vnto him Matth. 7. who answered trouble mee not my doores are shut the gate of heauen is alwayes open for vs. God reuoketh not his promise as King Salomon 1. Reg. 2. 20. 21. 23. Aske my mother for I will not say thee nay and yet behold how this time is changed Adoniah hath spoken this word against his owne life of the Lords promise wee neede not doubt but with Dauid boldly we may speake Psal 86. 7. In the day of my trouble I will call vpon thee for thou wilt heare me Thirdly His goodnesse mercie and liberalitie which is so great that he giueth meate to the yong rauens which call vpon him Psal 147. 9. Doubt not then but that hee will heare the supplications of men whom he hath made a little lower then the Angels to crowne them with glorie aboue other creatures Psal 8. 5 6. Let therefore saith Augustine thy prayer ascend and Gods mercie will descend shall wee distrust his goodnesse who is rich to all that call vpon him Rom. 10. 12. Or shall we suspect his bountifulnesse which powreth out plentifully his blessings vpon all flesh Rom. 8. 32. And although wee haue offended him yet our offences will not stop his mercies Men when they haue done any good turne to any if they bee neuer so little offended they cast men in the teeth with the benefits they haue done them and vpbraide them with the good turnes they haue shewed wherefore men are loath to make request to such for any thing If wee goe vnto the Lord we shal not meete with one that is of such a disposition and nature he as the Apostle speaketh reproacheth no man nor keepeth his anger for euer Psal 103 9. The willingnesse mercie and goodnesse of the Prince to haue vs maketh vs also willing to goe to him who more willing then he that is our Father our Sauiour then he that hath suffered for vs scoffings spittings bands stripes and death it selfe Neuer lap of the mother hath beene so open to her babes as the bowels of Gods compassions are open to the righteous Harken to this yee faint spirits be strengthened yee weake hands and feeble knees receiue this comfort that he hath deliuered he doth deliuer hee yet will and can deliuer I ende this point with the 13. 14 and 15. verses of the 10. Chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes wherein behold a singular and compendious gradation As they that would come to King Salomon sitting vpon his throne were faine to runne vp sixe staires for his throne was mounted vnto by sixe staires so the perfection and consummation of man going to the throne of the true Salomon Iesus Christ ascendeth and ariseth by sixe degrees the highest and the happiest staires being inuocating and sauing prayer and deliuerance These are then the fiue reasons by which wise Christians ought to bee guided I imitate King Dauid onely resorting to the wings of the Lords fauour And herein we should be wise if we leuell our hearts and affections at the very right center and marke of prayer which is the name of Iehouah alone and the period or scope in whom our requests must end But alas there are fiue sortes of men which make choice of other places reiecting the wisedome of Dauid the counsell of the spirituall Physitions and the practise of the Saints of God going a crooked a circular and endlesse way not towards the marke nor with a right foote as the Apostle speaketh Gal. 2. The first kind flie first to the helpe of mortall man and with Asa make speede to the bodily Physitian to the confections of Arte or to the purer ayre not once mindfull of this place but when all helpes faile them and that the Lord sendeth his Sergiant and heauenly Pursiphant to arrest them then they returne to runne to this place What name shall wee giue you O yee of little faith but the name of weake Christians Put not your trust in the sonne of man for there is no helpe in him Psal 146. There is a second sort which runne onely to the ordinarie creatures deriding the name of Iehouah yea denying that there euer hath beene or is yet at this present such a place to be found wherevnto the righteous is preserued
our soules that they may familiarly speake with him whose loue vnto vs is better then gold or pearle If we delight to speake languages by prayer wee may speake the excellentest language which hath euer beene the language of Canaan let vs not feare to discourse with the Lord by our prayers for hee is not like vnto the spruce and finical sonnes of men feare not saith Chrysostome he seeketh not at thy hands painted eloquence an angelicall tongue filed phrases but beholdeth only the beautie of thy soule Others take their pleasure while they are in the Countrey to ride vp and downe in their Coches and Chariots being carried therein betwixt heauen and earth Let prayer bee your Coache beloued it is as one saith as a Chariot of fire bearing vs aloft in the presence of God able to mount vs aboue the Eagles of the skie to seeke the Lords assistance In the time of plague there is appointed a Waggon or Coache to carrie the sicke to the Pest-house and there to be healed there is no better Chariot to carrie our soules vnto the house of heauen to bee healed by that heauenly Physitian then humble prayer Some delight to goe vp and downe and see their friends our best friends at this time and at all times who can do vs the most good are God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost let vs visite them therefore continually by our prayers Others in writing letters what is prayer else but as it were a letter sent to God in which wee declare our neede and as a letter is an amiable discourse and conference of one friend with another as if they were both present So is our prayer as a friendly letter or discourse of vs which are absent from home with our best friend the Lord as if wee were present with him in heauen Send this letter and letter vpon letter yee that are now exiled shew vnto the Lord your neede pray vnto him that hee will bring you home againe and remooue that in his mercie which keepeth you backe Lastly some in running of Races or in Hunting but yee beloued in this afflicted time runne the way of Gods Commandements as Dauid Psal 119. runne to the name of Iehouah with the righteous Prou 18. runne the race which is set before you and that with patience looking vnto Christ Iesus Hebr. 12. 1. and so runne that yee may obtaine that which you sue for Hunt not after the pleasures of this life but after the liuing God and as the Hart brayeth for the ryuers of waters so let your soules pant after the liuing God Psal 42. 1. That the Lords Hunter Psal 91. hunt vs not but that the Lord may deliuer vs from the snare of the Hunter and from the noysome pestilence Psal 91. 3. Vse therefore this comfortable exercise the childe is neuer better but when it is in his fathers and mothers lap So shal you neuer be better but when by prayer you creepe as it were in your heauenly Fathers bosome it will kindle your loue toward him as the loue of louers is kindled the more they come together and if yee remaine there this Winter feruent prayer will bee in steade of fire to kindle in your hearts the loue of God Fourthly the profit of this exercise commendeth it much it is not onely delectable but also profitable Some which are in the Countrey at this time spend their time I doo confesse profitably riding vp and downe to buy commodities against the future but prayer is a farre profitabler exercise for this time for it is not onely profitable to our selues but also vnto others yea to the whole Realme And as the Apostle speaketh of Godlines that it is profitable for al things so I may say of prayer that it can obtaine any thing profitable for vs in two respects First to obtaine that we haue not Secondly to keepe that we haue obtained First if thou lackest knowledge and wisedome prayer is the meanes to obtaine it Iam. 1. If thy vnderstanding bee darke pray with Dauid Psal 119. Open mine eyes O Lord that I may see the mysteries of thy Law If thou lackest zeale pray with Dauid Psal 119. Lord incline my heart vnto thy law c. And because this world is a desart where we may easily erre pray with Dauid Psal 50. Leade me in thy pathes c. If our soules be infected with the plague of vanitie and couetousnesse the meanes to remooue it is prayer Psal 119. O Lord remooue farre from me vanitie and encline not my heart to couetousnesse The meanes to obtaine a contented minde is also prayer Prou 30. Pouertie nor riches giue me not c. If thou desirest to thinke vpon thy mortalitie by the subiect whic◠now is presented to thee pray with Dauid Psa 90. Teach vs O Lord to number our dayes that we may applie our hearts to wisedome If yee desire to returne it is not your sports or delightes but your prayers that must bring you backe If yee desire the ceasing of the plague it is your prayer that must remooue the cause that the effect may cease As prayer obtaineth so it keepeth that you haue already obtained such are not your exercises which ye your selues haue inuented O sonnes of Adam for by them you often loose that which you had purchased ryotously which Alexander blamed in his friends wasting and consuming your whole abilitie There is another thing which ought to perswade you to this exercise which is that it is profitable to others prayer doeth more good then Almes for by our Almes we can helpe but a fewe but by our prayers wee can helpe thousands and thousands yea those which are farre off Prayers are the almes of the rich as well as of the poore for Pharao did as well begge for prayers as poore Lazarus for crummes Yee rich men that are in the Countrey bestowe these almes vpon the poore as well as the almes of your purses and in this afflicted time seeke more to profite the whole Realme by your prayers then by your commodities I ende this point with the saying of Augustine Plus profeci orando quā legendo I haue more profited by praying then by reading Fiftly this exercise is commendable because it is able to to strengthen vs. Some in the Countrey doo spend their time in exercises by which they may maintaine their health and strengthen their bodies that they may bee able to doo any thing the exercise of prayer is good to make vs recouer the health of our soules which was waxen weake as this present plague and your present exile both doo witnesse Yea it is able to make vs doo admirable things Was it euer heard that mightie Potentates as there haue beene many Alexander the great Iulius Caesar and the rest could make the Sunne or the Moone to stand still in the firmament And yet this hath done the prayer of Iosua Haue there euer beene any armies so great