ye must have heaven come down from God out of heaven here in grace and holiness or else you shall never come into heaven after you go out of this World Wicked men and unbelievers begin their hell here in the sinfull part of it and hereafter they shall have their hell compleated in the suffering and tormenting part of it so on the other hand godly persons begins their heaven here in the gracious part of it and then the glorious part is superadded hereafter and it is but the parting with a little breath and the sending out that it s but the knocking down of a weak mud wall and the impenitent sinner oh miserable he will have his hell compleated The godly believer oh blessed he will have his heaven compleated and both one and other be in a standing condition such as shall never know nor admitt of changes to all eternity there is no such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 between heaven and earth but that there may be an entercourse and converse now but there is a vast gulf between heaven and hell Luke 16. and whereas I speak of eternal life begun here I say it is by the means of eating the flesh and drinking the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which must be understood spiritually and spiritually performed not in the Letter but in the Mystery We must not here Terrenum concipere it s the spirit that quickens the flesh profits nothing I am of this belief and perswasion that if a man that was present at the Crucifying the Lord of Life had gotten a piece of his holy flesh and eaten it and catcht some of his blood and drunk it down it would have profited him nothing as to his Souls condition and the concernments thereof but that by the way I have been and am perswading to look to the main to minde and make after real and substantial godliness and to be cordial to it I presse it still deal not complementally with it and in the way of Courtship make it your main business and not as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a matter by the by and be sure that it be commander in chief and so it must and will be or it will be nothing it s of too noble and generous a nature to be an underling to any man or to any mans lusts in the world be he who he will and while I urge and press godliness I would have old godliness considered of and owned I mean Abels godliness and Enocks godliness and Abrahams godliness which was as good godliness as ever was in the world let us think it no scorn to be commanded by their examples to write after their coppy Let us not be sloathfull but followers of the holy Patriarchs that by Faith and Patience inherit the promises Concordet vita mea cum Patriarchis maneat in Eternum anima mea Compatriarchis only look diligently with all possible care to this that we be not mistaken about godliness for its a much mistaken thing in the world and the mistakes about it though very common yet are they of most dangerous consequence and will be found so to be ere it be long let you and I walk before God as Enock and Abraham did in the humility and integrity of our hearts and keep close to him while others study sinfull and unwarrantable latitudes and walke at a losse Be we carefull that whatever the times be we never be the worse for them nor they the worse for us that it may not be said of us as of Judah of old Hosea 11. verse 12. Ephraim compasseth me about with lies and the house of Israel with deceit but Judah yet ruleth with God and is faithfull with the Saints This is the way to bring a blessing upon us and let times and providences be what they will it shall go well with us if greater storms and tempests arise upon us then ever yet our eyes beheld in respect of mans actings we shall have a weather-shoare a shelter a hiding place a refuge a chamber of retirement let Gods appearances be never so formidable and dreadfull God will be the hope of his people and Godlinesse and a good conscience will befriend them to purpose and make them sing like birds of Paradice when others shall houle and lament for the misery that will come upon them being cast under a certain fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation that shall devoure the adversary And to the honour of godliness be it spoken the beauty and benefit of it is never more seen and found then in times of publick Calamity and days of Vengeance Consider what our Saviour speaks in Luke 21. 25. And there shall be signes in the Sun and in the Moon and in the Stars and upon the earth distresse of Nations with perplexity the Sea and the Waves roaring Mens hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth For the powers of heaven shall be shaken c. When these things begin to come to passe what then then even then look you up and lift up your heads for your Redemption draws nigh The acceptable year of the Lord and the day of Vengeance of our God are joyned together Esai 61. When Vengeance comes upon the Wicked then is God in suo bene placito then is he in his fullest complacency The Psalmist tells us Psalm 58 The Righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance Esa 66. 5. Your brethren that hated you that cast you out for my names sake said let the Lord be glorified but for what I marvel what for hating their Brethren and casting them out O bona causa But what follows he shall appear for your joy and they shall be ashamed my servants saith the Lord shall eat and ye shall be hungry my servants shall drink but ye shall be thirsty my servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed my servants shall sing for joy of heart but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall houle for vexation of spirit chap. 65. verse 13. When was it that those Caelicolae the much people in heaven voiced out their Hallelujahs and the sour and twenty Elders consorted with them and said Amen Hallelujah but when the smoak of Babylon and her Torments ascended for ever and ever and upon the beholding of which the Kings and Merchants of the earth Cry out alasse alasse that Great City Babylon that mighty City for in one hour is thy judgment come It is as I hinted to you before a day of Judgment and terrible appearance of God amongst us in the way of Pestilence and what would we have God to do would we have him always to be silent and sit still in heaven as one that takes no Cognisance of what is done on earth and not sensible in the least of all the provocations wherewith he hath been provoked to his face from day to day such apprehensions and athiestical conceits have possessed the
on our left But thou hast not consum'd us all A Remnant thou hast kept Who trembling stood to see thy Wrath Thus to break forth and burn Not knowing but into th' same path With others they may turn But some from stroke of Pestilence Wholly preserved were Others who of thy stroke had sense From Grave thy Hand did reare Let such thus say with thankfull hearts Thy Fire Lord have we felt From being consum'd are set apart Us let it try and melt It 's meet for us to say to God Chastisement we have bore And having sinn'd have felt the rod Now we will sin no more What yet we know not teach us Lord And having sinn'd before To this we gladly will accord Hence forth to sin no more Thou Lord hast us delivered From Death and deadly thrall Our moistened Eyes from Tears we shed Our slyding Feet from fall When we did say our foot did slide We now are like to fall Thy goodnesse Lord did so provide To stay us up with all Except thou Lord hadst been our ayde Deaths darknesse to dispell Our Life and Soule had now been laid Almost as low as Hell And now our Souls since you are safe Return unto your Rest For largely lo the Lord to you His bounty hath exprest Before the Lord we in the Land Of Life will hence forth walk Submitting to his ruling hand His Laws we will not balk Among the Dead none doth none can Remember him one whit To sing his Praise there 's not a man in the Infernal Pit The living yea the living shall Him praise and eke his Truth The Fathers to their Children all Shall shew with Heart and Mouth The Lord was ready us to save And we our Songs will Sing And to his House being kept from Grave Our Offerings we will bring Amen To the Reader THE Author of this Letter hath expressed in one part of it that that which doth more specially concern the Families and Persons under the Pestilential stroke might be extracted and by one means or other transmitted to them and so coming in conjunction with Mr. Baxters papers might through the co-operation of divine Grace contribute somewhat to the promoting of their Spiritual and Eternal welfare We to whom the Letter was principally intended have judged it worthy in the whole to appear in Publick hoping it will have the same blessed effect upon others as upon our selves For the Author himself he is at a point not passing for mans day knowing that he who judgeth him is the Lord If the Letter had been circumscribed within the compasse of that number to which it was principally intended it would have pleased him well enough as for others who probably will frown upon it and lade it with their censures as he makes account they will Con him little thanks for it so he is not so low brought as to think himself beholding to them for their thanks And so if it must out out let it go and that 's all he hath to say C. B. S. H c. Amos 3. 8. THe Lion hath roared who will not fear the Lord God hath spoken who can but prophesie Micha 6. 9. The Lords voice cryeth unto the City and the man of wisdome shall see thy Name Hear yee the rod and who hath appointed it Prov. 11. 19 As righteousness tendeth to life so he that pursueth evill pursueth it to his own death Numb 32. 14. Behold you are risen up in your fathers stead an increase of sinfull men to augment yet the fierce anger of the Lord towards Israel Numb 32 20 to 23. If yee will doe according to that which the Lord hath commanded this land shall be your possession before the Lord but if ye will not do so ye have sinned against the Lord and be sure your sinne will finde you out Levit. 26. 23 24 25. If ye will not be reformed by these things but will walk contrary to me then will I also walk contrary to you and will punish you yet seaven times for yours sinnes And I will bring a sword upon you that shall avenge the quarrell of my Covenant and when ye are gathered together within your Cities I will send the Pestilence among you Read further vers 40 41 42. Esay 27. 4 5. Fury is not in me who would set the Bryers and Thornes against me in battell I will go thorow them I will burn them together or let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me Heb. 10. 31. It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living God Psal 116. 15. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the World or Life or Death or things present or things to come all are yours and yee are Christs and Christ is Gods Jerem. 15. 15 16. Take me not away in thy long suffering Know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke thy words were sound and I did eate them and thy word was to me the joy and rejoycing of my heart The Plague Check't OR Piety will either Prevent Or alter the Property of the PLAGUE Held forth together with Sundry other things in a Letter VVritten by a Friend to a Friend pouring out himself into his Bosome and opening his heart unto him concerning the present Times and Providences c. SOlomon tells us Prov. 19. v. 22. That the desire of a man is his kindness and that a poor man is better then a lyer A poor man that hath a reall and cordial desire to express his love to shew kindness to another but hath not power in his hand so to do is better then a rich man that doth perform according to the power that is in his hand somwhat that is beneficial to another but it is not from an inward affection and desire the actings of his hand are not from the inlarged desires and affections of his heart such a one is a lyer Give me leave to accomodate this to my self I am one of the poor men of Anathoth that have but little in mine hand two Mites or so to cast into the Treasury but have an enlarged heart and a lively desire to contribute to the Promoting of the Good and Welfare of all Why should not this be reckoned to me as my kindness and my self and actings in this way be accepted of you and others of my antient and dear Friends to whom I apply my self now in this Epistolary way according to what I have and not according to what I have not I do not now present you with a curious and finely composed Sermon nor with an elaborate Treatise the World is full of such Oh! that there were better use made of them more and better fruit springing up from them then appears at this day but this is a Lamentation and well
THE Plague Checkt OR PIETY will either Prevent OR Alter the Property of the PLAGVE HELD FORTH Together with sundry other Things in a Letter Written by a Friend to sundry of his godly Friends and Acquaintance Pouring out himself thereby into their Bosomes and opening his Heart unto them Partly in a Paraeneticall and Perswasory way Partly in a Corroborating and Consolatory way with respect to the Present Times and Providences Wherein the Great and Terrible God hath appeared in some what a Dreadfull manner both by Land and Sea and by Terrible Things in Righteousnesse hath manifested and made himself known to the sonnes of Men as the Lord of Hosts and the God that is Holy who will be Exalted in Judgement and Sanctified in Righteousnesse London Printed by T. M. for the Authors Friends 1665. A Friend of the Authours to the READER MY Friend if so thou art to whom these come Acknowledge God the Authour of what 's done The Instrument his servant in his hand Hath shew'd himself to be at his Command And thereunto Obedient in that he Hath thus prepar'd what is so good for thee I say prepar'd for thee and 't is a price Put in thy Hand beware and be not nice Here by thou mayest be help'd Virtue to nourish But Vice it checks even in its greatest flourish Where e're he findes it like a man of God He makes due Application of the Rod Unto the Back which most deserves the blow But if it be not minded know yea know This as another Witnesse will come in And be an aggravation of thy sin Not that it was intended for that end No no it aim'd at this that such might mend And knowing their own evils might return To God that smites and makes his anger burn That he may please to spare and eke to pitty The miserable state of this poore Citty And would not let out all his Wrath Till us consumed quite he hath But in his Mercy he may give Some an escape that they may live And be for Monuments of Praise To his most holy Name alwayes Amen London's Lamentation Made mostly in the language of Jeremies Lamentations occasioned by the present Plague with which she is now visited Anno 1665. Her Case HOw doth the City solitary sit Of People it was full now few in it She weepeth sore i' th' Night and so appeares With mournfull Face with Cheeks bedew'd with Tears The wayes of her Assemblies do lament Because that few or none doe them frequent Her Priests do sigh yea they for feare do flye Her Virgins grieve she takes all bitterly Her beauty which was great it now is gone Solemnities she had now there are none Her Princes and her great Ones like the Hart Pursu'd by Plague strengthlesse from her depart Distrest she is her Bowels troubled are Her Heart is turn'd in her thus doth it fare Abroad the Sword bereaves at home there 's death Both young and old bereaved are of Breath Her miseries are yet without restraint Her Sighes are many and her Heart is faint The Cause SHee hath Rebell'd and Sinned grievously Therefore she is remov'd and made to fly Her Filth is in her skirts so may she finde Her latter end full little did she minde Zion of old had Prophets which did see Vaine things and foolish were they found to be Sin did not they discover no not they So as to turn Callamity away False Burthens they did see and Visions vent Causes of dreadfull Plague and Punishment God's fiercest Wrath they sorely did provoke And so they fell under his heavy stroke For sinns of Prophets and of Priests that shed The blood o' the just in her and had not fed The Souls of those committed to their care But rather mischief did for them prepare Gods anger did break out and t' was his minde Them to divide no favour should they findè Let London in this Glasse her Face behold Least still there dye and dye both young and old If she with Scripture as Gods Heifer plow Sho'le read the Riddle and the cause shee 'le know The Course to be taken in Order to Cure WIll she turn queritant That 's not the way To appease the wrath of God the Plague to stay Nay rather let her search her wayes and turn Vnto the Lord Least that his anger burn And not be quencht nor from her turn away But still devoure and waste from day to day Vnto the Heavens let her lift her hands Her Heart to God who hath her in his Bands And say that she transgrest Rebelled hath And therefore God hath Plagu'd her in his wrath That he is Righteous in what e re he doth Sinned she hath and he is justly wroth Cause she hath none to plain its punishment For Sin she bears it is for that shee 's shent Let her submit keep silence unto God Put mouth in dust quietly bear the Rod Remembring misery Wormwood eke and Gall And being kindly humbled under all Such Recollection made let her expresse Acceptance of her punishment learn Righteousnes Knowing withall her spiritual Plague and Sore Let her return to God and Sin no more Least worse things come unto her when she shall Back-slide return to Folly from God fall Then let her Hope and in that Hope confesse It is of Gods rich Mercy that there 's less Then utter desolation on her brought She not consumed wholly brought to nought Let her acknowledge Gods compassions are Such as doe never faile he doth prepare Them every morning fresh and so makes known His faithfulnesse full great unto his own Let her make God her Portion and then say In him my hope shall be both now and aye Let her improve the experience she hath found For others good and loudly let her sound To th' Honour of Gods Name that they that seek And waite for him with lowly Hearts and meek Shall finde its good because its duty and For them his goodnesse he will still command Let London take this course be sure God will Return in Mercy make her flourish still The after Carriage of such as are Preserved from or recovered of the Plague LOrd thou hast greatly been provok't By City Countries all Thine anger hath broke out and smoak't And we been made to fall Terrible have thy appearings been Thy Hand eke lifted up In it our Eyes have also seen Of Wrath a deadly Cup. Thy glittering Sword thou whetted hast Thy Bow eke thou hast bent Thine Arrows on thy string were plac't On every side they went On Judgement thou hast taken hold Thy Vengeance thou hast made To seize on such as have been bold And not at all affraid Thee to provoke unto thy Face Against thee to Rebell Thy Pestilence it did them chase And into Graves they fell Thousands on our right hand did fall Thousands eke
chap. 20. v. 27. Now had they committed but one trespass yea they had multiplied their trespasses But we may understand it either as if all their trespasses were run into one or there was a Master a Monster trespass one or other trespass of such notoriety that God would not pardon but take vengance and do execution with furious rebukes Whatever the cause is a cause there is why the Plague is broken out among us and begins to rage and beat down on every side And to be sure in the general Sin is the cause but happy we if we had an interpreter one of a thousand to declare unto us our unrighteousness and the unrighteousness in special which testifies and pleads against us and hath procured this sore Judgment of the Pestilence which is as a sword sharpened and furbished and for ought we know is sharpened and furbished to make a sore slaughter And should we then make mirth what if it contemn our Rod our Srength our Riches Honour and Beauty of our Ornaments as it did of old the Rod the Strength and Beautiful Ornaments of Israel and of Judah when it proved the Sword of the great men which were slain the sword entring into their privy Chambers the point of it set against their gates that their hearts might be faint their ruines be multiplied with terror of Princes and people Ye find that thus it was threatned and done to Jerusalem and Judah Ezek. 21. 8 9. And as it is further exprest Ezek 7. 8 9. 10. Now will I shortly poure out my fury upon thee and accomplish mine anger upon thee and I will judge thee according to thy ways and will recomponce thee for all thine abominations And mine eye shall not spare neither will I have pitty I will recompence thee according to thy ways and thine abominations that are in the midst of thee and ye shall know that I am the Lord that smiteth Behold the day behold the day is come the morning is gone forth the rod hath blossomed pride hath budded With revenging re-compenses God cometh upon the Back of them yea to their faces he tells them he would not spare nor have pity Utinam non sic Nobiscum but behold the day is come behold it is come the Rod is gone forth the Rod is Blossomed Pride is Budded Violence is risen up into a Rod of Wickedness and Wickedness is risen up into a Rod of Judgment and Destruction And let us know and be assured that he whose life is in his Iniquity Cujus vivere est peccare so our Translators express Ezekel 7. verse 13. That he shall not strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life And for such as make iniquity the iniquity of their hearts that is set their hearts upon their iniquity they shall find that when the iniquity of their heels shall compass them about which is the Psalmists phrase in the 49 Psalm their wickedness wil prove bitter yea bitterer then gall and wormwood it will reach to the heart and make them cry out as in Jer. 4. v. 18 19. My bowels my bowels I am pained at the very heart Insuch a day as this is which is a day of sharp Rebuke from God as it hath been of latter times a day of sharp Rebuke from Majestrates and men in Authority to some of us It s fit for us all to humble our selves and reckon upon it that God cals to Mourning and Weeping Jeremiahs Commission impowered him to say to the King and the Queen Jerem. 13. Humble your selves sit down in the dust And I know no reason to the contrary but if Kings and Queens Princes and Nobles and Grandees of the World sin as others doe they should humble themselves Repent and Abase themselves before God as others ought to do and some do If ever they will finde that mercy with God which others in the way of Repentance hope to finde God and godliness are no respecters of persons there is not one way for Kings and another way for Subjects one way for Princes and Nobles and another way for Pezants and Plebeiants one for Rich and another for Poor to be saved in The same truths are to be believed the same yea the severest duties are indespensable required and to be performed and practised by one and other If any man yea any man be he who be will will be Christs Disciple he must deny himself take up his Crosse and follow him Religion is too noble and generous a thing to stoop to any mans humour in the World He that will not be saved upon Gods terms may and shall go without Gods Salvation God will abate nothing of his price nor be beholding to any man to come to heaven he that likes not the terms upon which heaven salvation is propounded may let it alone if one will not deal for it others will As to a due comportment with present times and providences besides what I have already said I say further that it is for every man to study the Plague of his own heart the sore of his own soul they are scripture expressions 1 King 8. 2 Chron. 6. We are to reckon the Lord calls to weeping and mourning and to sigh and cry for all the abominations that have been committed in the Land to smite with the hand and stamp with the foot and say as Ezekiel expresseth it Alas alas to do as the Ninivites did when Jonah had delivered his message judgment was but in denounciation as to them it s in actual execution upon us they believed God and proclaimed a Fast put on sackcloth from the greatest of them even to the least of them the King himself arose from his throne and laid his Robe from him and covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes and he caused it to be proclaimed and published by the decree of the King and his Nobles That neither Man nor Beast Herd nor Flock should taste any thing nor feed nor drink water but that Man and Beast should be covered with sackcloath and cry mightily unto God and turn every one from the evil of his ways and from the violence that is in their hands and all this upon a probability nay a possibility a paradventure a who knows who can tell whether God will not Return and Repent and Turn from his fierce anger that we perish not A most eminently exemplary â—atâ—ern and president worthy the imitation of all 〈◊〉 Cities and Countries in England and the â—â—ole World Now fye upon it and shame to us all that we should be so shy so proud and I know not what as not to follow such examples better But the men of Ninivie shall rise up in Judgment against the men of this Generation and condemn it for they repented at the preaching of Jonah and at his once preaching I know not that ever he preached a second time God had much a doe to bring him to that once We have had preaching upon preaching
the house of the Lord in the presence of all ' the people saying I have broken the yoak of the King of Babylon and in two fall years will I bring again to this place all the vessels of the Lords house that Nebuchadnezar King of Babylon took away from this place and carried them to Babylon c. Jeremiah said to Hananiah in the presence of the Priests and in the presence of all the people even the Prophet Jeremiah said Amen the Lord do so the Lord perform the word which thou hast prophesied Jer. 27. So would I say upon such suggestions concerning an abatement Cessation of the judgment upon us even so Amen the Lord perform this word But see well to it how and upon what termes we and the Plague part it may prove maxima Dei ira the greatest wrath of God for God not to be angry that is not to make manifest his anger God punisheth most severely when he refuseth to punish as in Hosea 4. I will not punish your Daughters when they commit Whordom Medicus cum definit curare desperat it s an argument that the Physician hath little or no hope of the Patient when he gives over the Cure it may prove the greatest Judgment to have a Judgment removed and let us be wise and take our Saviours counsel given to the diseased man John 5. Sin no more least a worse thing come unto thee Judgment and punishments of the second or third edition or of a second or third prolaâ—ion may prove seaven times more pressingly burthensome pray we then that God and we may be friends before we and his Judgments part by occasion of the sad stroak under which we lye There is a monthly Fast appointed by His Majesties Authority and it is well that such a course is taken in order to the removal of the Judgment which is now incumbent upon us Fasting and Praying is a proper expedient for such a purpose of Gods appointing and therefore it should be of mans because of Gods but let us take heed that our fasting be such as God requires not a fasting for Strife and Debate and to smite with the fist of wickedness Is it such a Fast saith the Lord that I have chosen a day for a man to afflict his soul is it to bow down his head as a Bulrush wilt thou call this a fast an acceptable day to the Lord. Let there be a putting our selves in a due posture and know that it well becomes us to appear before God with earth upon our heads with ropes about our necks with sackcloath upon our Loyns and so to lie in the dust before him And for the publick Preachers in whose hands is the management of the work I would beseech them to look to two or three things First that they would cry aloud and not spare that they would lift up their Voices like Trumpets and shew the ' Inhabitants of England their transgressions and wherein they have exceeded that they would drive impartially sparing none that they would lift up a Standard against that Athiesme which threatneth to invade the Nation as a Flood That they would not give stones instead of bread that they would not fall upon that falacie in Logick to put Non causam pro causa touching the Pestilence That they would not be like the Prophets of Old who saw vaine and foolish things for the people not discovering their Iniquity to turn away their Captivity but seeking for them false burthens and causes of Banishment and of Destruction and of desolation as the Prophet speaks Lam. 2. v. 14. But that they would make it their main design to promote the power of Godliness and a real Reformation according to the word of God and example of the best reformed Churches and that Primitive Discipline which as the Common Prayer Book expresses it were much to be wished that it were Restored might come in Power The Long Parliament were driving something to that purpose but could not bring about their design Oh that now Magistrates and Ministers would unanimously set themselves to see if they can perform better then they did So as that the people of the Nation may be brought to worship God Vnohumero with one shoulder then shall we not need to be forced by Acts of Parliament to come to Church Those whom they call Phanaticks will then flee as Doves to their windows flock as sheep to their foulds come by shoals that to be sure you will not be able to keep them out The Apostle tells us that the great God calls upon all men every where to Repent Oh that that might be our work and that we might second our Humiliation with a real Reformation that we may put away the Iniquity of our hearts and hands that we may spit out the sweet morsels which we have rowl'd so long under our tongue and held so fast between our teeth that we would each of us study our own iniquity and quit it and let the Preachers themselves look to it that they be lively examples thereof then may we Fast and Pray with hope and confidence that God will hear and answer and appeare for our help And would not those who are lookt upon as Fanaticks would not they comply with others in this cause There are of them that though they have not felt the Lashing of the Scorpions have not had the sowerest looks the severest frowns and sharpest rebukes yet have had none of the friendliest aspects yet even those are free in their spirits to comply with the Cause of Humiliation and I hope that the people of the Nation will not think that they have wished evil to them or desired the woful day Jeremiah was forbidden to pray for the people of his time and he was somtimes in deep and dreadfull imprecations against them whether out of passion and perturbation of spirit by means of deep provocations from them or prompeed thereunto by divine instinct I dispute not but these can do deprecate with others the present Judgments and can say with Samuel God forbid that we should sin in ceasing to pray for you We are and count it our duty to be deeply sensible as of Gods dishonour so of the Nations present Calamity and Sufferings We are fellow Country-men we are fellow Subjects in the Nations Peace we have had Peace but may we not question whether other of our brethren desire or care for our Prayers but hope to do the work themselves without our help even so say we So there be but found a Moses to stand in the Gap an Aaron with his Censer in his hand to stand between the living and the dead it matters not so there be a man to turn away the wrath of God let him be who he will we will rejoyce My dear Friends I purposed a shorter come off then thus not to draw out a Line to this length but so it proves and I make proof of your patience and if your patience
be not quite spent I will add some few words more and we will close up all I told you before of the Earl of Marleboroughs letter I have yet further to signifie to you that I lately met with another paper bearing Mr. Richard Baxters name a large sheet woven by him not to be a winding sheet for mens bodyes but rather a spiritual winding sheet for their souls to wind them into God and into heaven if you will you may reckon it to be a Penitential sheet woven and wrought to winde poor souls into Faith and Repentance and so to Glory Since that sheet I have met with other papers of his which referr partly to the Godly partly to the wicked to one and other principally with respect unto this Contagious Pestilence in all which he expresses much of the good will of him that dwelt in the bush Good man of a Piously publick spirit wishing well to all hurt to none if he could help it would have none to Perish but all to come to Repentance and so to Glory having it seems a strong confidence as well he may be the numbers never so great of Persons that get the Possession of the Kingdome before himself he shall not be prejudiced in the least as to his own interest therein and I must ingeniously confesse thus much to you that those sweet and savory Papers of his which like so many Boxes of Precious Ointment broken open have filled the City and Country with such an Odoriferous and Fragrant smell as hath much refresht the nostrills of many gave me the occasion to appear in this way and with him to prosecute the same design of promoting some benefit refreshment and comfort especially to Persons Visited with the Pestilence yet withal having an eye to others that they might be prepared for it and corroborated against the fears of it rolling themselves upon God in the way of a holy confidence and this is that which with your patience I would apply my self unto First of all I would perswade you and all my Christian Brethren and Friends not to be over-fearful of the Plague it is good to have an awe upon our spirits and a trembling frame of heart in the Presence of our Father when the Rod is in his hand and he exercising his severity upon those that are in his great Family but be not too much of a dispondent spirit as too many are who fear and fly I shall not now dispute the case concerning removing into the Country how farr it may be lawfull how farr not who may be allowed to provide for their safety that way who not others have performed that and for my part I have favourable and friendly thoughts concerning such as do onely I would have them to consider that there is no flying from God so David Psal 139. verse 7 8 9 10 11. Whither shall I go from thy spirit or whether shall I fly from thy presence if I ascend up into Heaven thou art there if I make my bed in hell behòld thou art there if I take the wings of the morning dwell in the uttermost parts in the Sea even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me if I say surely the darkness shall cover me even the night shall be light about me We are further to know that these Arrows of Pestilence are guided by a divine hand and are not sent out at a venture at random as the Syrians were and Jehus which were directed to Ahabs brest and Jehorams back they are levelled in wisdome and judgment according to the Counsel of God he smites whom he pleases he spares whom he pleases and both the Numerus numerans and the Numeras numeratus are with him It is good therefore to rolle our selves upon God and to trust him with our lives and souls and all our concernments not fearing the fear of wicked men but sanctifying the Lord God in our hearts making him our fear As touching the Plague it is in it self and in the nature of it a formidable disease as might be manifested in sundry respects as I said but it is ordered by a divine hand you may be infected with it it may be not if it be so you may recover it s not necessary you should dy it proves not mortal to all its thought by many of the learned that King Hezekiah was sick of that Disease and yet he recovered and lived many years after and we have proof of it at this very day by means used divers are kept from the Grave and raised up again 〈…〉 whom God is pleased to make use of as instruments in his hand to such a purpose though they be but few blessed of God be our worthy Doctor Oaks who is eminently active 〈…〉 the hazard of himself and Family for the good and benefit of such as are seized with the Disease having a freenesse of spirit â—o apply himself as much to the Poor as to those of a higher rank and blessed be God not without successe as is well known to many of us at this day but grant it that the Disease prove Morâ—â—l and we should fall by the hand of it if all be well between God and our own souls if we be a pardoned people justified by the blood of thâ— everlasting covenant it shall be well with us to all eternity and what if you go to heaven in a storm the Mariner thinks not the worse of the havâ—n because a tempest hurled him into it heaven will be never the worse nor lesse acceptable to us not we the lesse welcome to it though we come thither by the means of the Plague As for such whose Families are now Visited whether Rich or Poor Young or Old One or Other I would in more special manner make my Application to them Worthy Mr. Baxter hath prevented me and performed worthily and he hath given ouâ— wholsome Advice and Directions Methodizing matters that do more especially concern persons in that condition I would second him in a more General way and what I shall now in the closing up of my Letter offer out with respect unto Visited Families and Persons I could heartily wish that it might be abstracted from the rest of my Letter and transmitted to the said Families and Persons and why might not some well affected persons that have a larger Portion of the World then others of their neighbours be at so much cost to procure together with Mr. Baxters Papers that which now I second them with and transmit them unto such Families and Persons I have observed that our Mountebanks can issue out their Papers and scatter them up and down that there may be a general cognizance taken of such and such Soveraign Antidotes and Medicaments as may be beneficial to persons to whom such Medicaments are most proper and may prove most beneficial and this which now I have to express is the extract which I wish might be made I would
not devouringly feed on you as it shall upon some Psalm 49. Once more you must dye I beseech you for Gods sake for dear Jesus sake for your souls sake let this be your greatest care oh that it may be mine as well as yours see to it that you live before you dye that you live the life of Grace before you dye the death of Nature and then it matters not when where how by what Disease you dye you shall not dye to dye but dye to live again and live to dye no more but live in the un-interrupted Vision and interminable fruition of him who is the King Eternal Immortal Invisible the onely wise God the Resurrection and the Life the I am the infinite Being the All in All. Oh my Friends let Master Bakters Counsel and this of mine seconding his let it be acceptable to you and be not so cruel to your own souls as to neglect such a God such a Christ such a Gospel such a Govenant and such an Inheritance as is laid up in store for the Saints in Light who but fools would live without God without Christ without Faith and Fear and forgo him and his Christ to all Eternity and be eternally miserable with Devils and Damned souls After you are dead you must have the searchers to view your bodies be you who you will be you searchers to your selves and your own Souls and see to it that there be no spiritual Feaver Spots or Plague Spots upon you If any spots look to it that they be no other then the spots of Gods Children and if you have spots look to it that you be not spots such as Jude speaks of And if the Marks of the Lord Jesus be upon your souls and not the Mark of the Beast and Dragon whatever Marks and Spots may be found on your Bodies they may prove Mâ—rkâ— of death but shall never prove the Marks of Hell and Damnation For my part while I am continued oâ— this side the Grave and in Praying work my earnest Prayer for you all shall be that though you may be judged according to men in the Flesh yet you may live according to God in the Spirit and that though your outward Man perish that your inward Man may be renewed daily that though there be a destroying of the outward Man your Souls may be saved in the day of out Lord Jesus I have now promised to pray for you and it is my daily work but be sure you pray for your selves and make use of Christs name in your prayers onely take heed of resting in a meet Forme as commonly men do that have learned to say for Jesus Christs sake do thus and thus when as poor souls in the mean time they know nothing of Christ never closed with him in a believing way never knew any need of him never had any sense of the burthens of fin pressing heavily on their souls and so made to cry out after that ease and rest which he is so willing to afford to poor burthened and heavy laded souls Mat 11. â—8 Such poor ignorant ones Christ may say to them upon what account do you make use of my name what hath passed between you and me you and I are yet to begin our acquaintance together you know not me nor I you what have you then to do to take my name into your lips This then is that which I would perswade and presse you to acquaint your selves with Christ and be at peace as was the counsel given to Job chap. 22. The Father is angry and there is no coming at him but by the the son Oh kisse the son least he be angry as is advised Psal 2. Kisse him with a kisse of Faith a kiss of Love a kiss of â—eal and Cordial Subjection Oh do in a spiritual way as the poor woman the sinner did in a bodily way but with her heart too Luke 7. Get to the feet of Christ and pray that if you may not have the kisses of his mouth you may have the kisses of his feet hang fast about him and touch him with a touch of faith Mary Magdalen was bid not to touch him and Christ gave the reason For saith he I am not aseended She doted too much upon his bodily presence but now he is ascended touch him and spare not get you an interest in Christs person and then use his name and improve it to the utmost you have his warrant for it John 16 24. and you may be bold upon it and this incouragement you have That what you aske in his name the Father will give it It is as a pretious so a prevailing name The case may so stand with a people or person that though Noah Daniel and Job though Moses and Samuel who were Gods Favourites very potent and prevalent with him yet could not Gods heart be toward such a people or person nor should they prevail Jeremiah 15. 1. Ezek 14. 14. And it did appear in Sauls case on whose behalf Samuel did very passionately intercede but could not prevail 1 Sam. 16. 1. But it was never said by God nor never shall though Jesus my Son should stand up and plead in the behalf of such or such a sinner he should not prevail with me This Paper of mine either in the whole complex or in the extract which principally I have wished to you may come and knock at your doores and may finde them shut upon you and you shut up within them that Friends cannot come to you If it come take it in entertain it friendly what know you but Christ who stands at the doore and knocks may come along with it Oh let him be entertained into your Houses into your Hearts you will have cause to blesse God to eternity that ever such a guest came under your Roofes And so that your hora â—ovissima prove but hora salutifera saluifica your last hour may prove an hour of salvation I wish you no more no better And now my Brethren I had down but that one onely thing more is to be done If this paper should be publisht as haply it may but if so it shall be your act as much as if not more then mine It will be perhaps animadverted upon and Objected against I would therefore willingly animadvert upon it my self and anticipate prevent what Objections may be made against it It may be said first That for all my time past I have been quiet and appeared little in a way of Printing How comes it to passe that now I appeare I Answer It s true I have appeared little very ittle in this way two or three things have passed in my Name and under my Hand poore inconsiderable things yet found good acceptance and incouragement for such minutula They take up little room and are had on easie terms lesse then Twelve pence I think will buy them all Why may I not appear when the occasion is so pressing the Arguments so material