we thinke or can wee imagine that God sent and took away so great a fire of Plague saue for some few sparkes that yet remaine here and there vntroden out only to hold talke of it and not to feare that God that hath power ouer all Plagues Then are we as blockish as those Iewes whom Ieremy reprooueth for learning nothing of the feare of God by his blessings yea though he reserued vnto them the appointed weekes of the haruest Ier. 5.24 But Gods children and all whom the Lord hath made wise to their Saluation wil heare the Rod and him who hath appointed or betrothed it Mich. 6.9 If the father brings a rod the fearefull childe will tremble the whip of Pestilence is a sore Rod they tremble at it whom God hath sealed By it or in sight of it they gather themselues and all their wits together taking them vp from their stray waies before the decree which is at the seale come forth or be executed against them Zeph. 2.1 or they fan winnow themselues from the chaffe of sin which caÌ„not abide in the winde of the Lords iustice is driuen to hell with sinners and all that forget God They trie their waies and bring them to the touch turning vnto God Lam. 3.40 and so are better by the rod Gods louing correction makes them whole The wicked not so A reproofe of those who set all Gods iudgements or Vse 2 workes done in iudgement at naught There are that despise counsell and will none of Gods correction Pro. 1.25 such are neuer the better by his word calling them nor by the whip lashing them whether God be angry or well pleased they are all one Let the earth be moued they are not moued and let the hills tremble they feare not In the sad daies of a Land caused by Pestilence dearth or the rumours of warre they drinke wine in bowles and anoint themselues with the chiefe oyntments not troubled for the affliction of Ioseph Am. 6.6 no aduersity can make them change their merry note which they chaunt to their instruments of musick ver 5. and they put the day of euill farre off verse 3. They consider not the rod and prouoke the striker neither can punishments awe them nor blessings winne them for punishmeÌ„ts if they touch not them no matter wher they light and for blessings they take them as gifts of fortune or with Papists as their due and merit from God they rise not by them to obedieÌ„ce they liue in them to the giuers dishonor Hence so few to this day see to any amendment notwithstaÌ„ding the singer of God or rather whole hand in so grieuousa Plague or stroke vpon LondoÌ„ neuer the like or so great in any memory now liuing But though God hath now stopped the sore that so ran ceased not yet how soone he may open it againe who knowes who should not consider he is the same God that he was euer and the God that hateth iniquity as much as euer he did The Pestilence that was so lately sent what was it but the fruit of an euill tree that is of the Realms sin Our Land was all ouer-runne with sin Our Cities and great Townes were as the Pot and the men in them as the flesh spoken of by Ezekiel Chap. 11.3 24.3.4.5 Our Masters in Israel were many of them no Teachers and some that taught threw down by euill example what they builded by doctrine eating and drinking with sinners Mat. 24.49 the poore sheepe were smitten with ignorance all good fellowship was and did consist in pots of drinke and pipes of smoake In the whole Land there was a large confederacie and increase of sinfull men The sinnes of the Churches spoken of Apoc. 2. and 3. Chapters were the sins of some of better note in their cold loue of the truth and for pride fulnes of bread and abundance of idlenesse the very sins of Sodom what were they but Englands crying sins Thus it was with vs and this wee were when the late Plague began and if we fall againe vpon this euill byas of old custome to like sins or worse not remembring Gods late hand what can we expect but a new Plague or the old renewed God hath other roddes of correction in his Schoole and yron rods to breake vs if we will not turne at the correction past or if we will sinne still prouoking God in the Church and grieuing him in the Common-wealth the Lord will watch vpon worse Plagues to bring them among vs for when one affliction cannot preuaile he can send another and many till we be made better or confounded Leuit. 26.18.19 So much for the finger directing to the benefit the benefit it selfe followeth Thou art made whole CHrist heere remembers the man of the benefit hee had so lately and strangely receiued in his health which was giuen him not mediately in the Poole of Bethesda but immediately by diuine power And these words are the ground of the subsequent admonition first as if the Lord Christ had said sin made thee sick God hath made thee whole fall not backe to thy sins past lest the relapse make thee worse then euer Quest Quest Answ Doct. But who made this man whole Answ God by his power and Christ as God whence learne that as God can make sicke so it is he onely that can make whole We reade as much in the Text of Hannabs song which Text speaketh of a greater matter for it saith the Lord killeth and maketh aliue bringeth downe to the graue and raiseth vp 1. Sâ—m 2.6 Now it is easier to raise from sicknesse to health then to bring from death to life Therefore Hezekiah King of Iudah went the right way for health when he turned his face to the wall and prayed vnto the Lord Esay 38.2 hence Moses in his song saith what we haue heard Hanna in her song to say Deut. 32.39 And the Prophet Hosea exhorting the people that went farre from God in their sinnes to draw back by repentance giues this for one reason that the Lord would heale them Hosea 6.1 as if there were no Physitian but he nor balme of healing but by him further also so much the king of Israel none of the best rather one of the worst confessed saying that he must haue Gods place who will take vpon him to heale a man of his Leprosie 2. King 5.7 the reasons Hence Reasons our health is commonly and truly called Gods blessing and here corporall Physitians or Physitians of the body are as the spirituall of the soule for they are but Ministers by whom we beleeue 1. Cor. 3.5 and so these are but Ministers of health and God is the giuer he that maketh an vnbeleeuer faithfull is he that maketh a sicke man whole and this is God for Faith is the gift of God Ephes 2.8 Secondly sin causeth sicknesse and impaiteth health Micah 6.10.13 but God onely forgiueth sins it was alledged by the Scribes
A CAVEAT to preuent future IVDGEMENTS Or AN ADMONITION to all ENGLAND more specially to LONDON and other places where the death of Plague hath lately beene * ⎠* By ROBERT HORN Minister of the Word PSAL. 50.22 Now consider this yee that forget God lest I teare you in peeces and there be none to deliuer LONDON Printed by G. M. for Philemon Stephens and Cristopher Meredith and are to be sold at their shop at the golden Lyon in Pauls Church-yard 1626. TO THE VVORSHIPFVLL AND REVEREND MAtron Mistresse AGNES DANET of Westhope in Shropshire Widow the comforts of this life and the glorie of the next WORSHIPFVLL M rs DANET YOur Obligation vpon Me binds me at least to acknowledgement I with my wife liued with you in house twenty yeeres saue some few weekes Most of which time or saue some few moneths the whole of it I liued Preacher to your Tenants and priuate familie at a Chappell by being there set and left by that rightly worshipfull and truly religious old Gentleman your most kinde husband IOHN DANET Esquire long since with God The instructiōs you receiued that while from me before that while of time from faithfull men elsewhere I doubt not but you remember and will practise for your part and time heere Some testimony you lately gaue in your zealous and constant obseruation of those Fasts which were weekely commanded for London by Royall authority notwithstanding your often infirmities and great yeeres which makes me now vnder your name to send forth this small Sermon and to entitle you to it as to your owne by many interests In regard of the Plagues late fearefull increase in London and other places about and further off there came a commandement from our Augustus King CHARLES that all of the Realme that could or were fit should meete together in a publike weekely Fast on Wednesdaies to beseech the Lord by prayer and supplications vntill it should please him to say as sometime he said to the destroying Angel with his sword ouer Ierusalem it is enough hold now thy hand 2. Sam. 24.16 To this and to vs his Royall Maiesty began in a rare President and so did no more by precept then what he first sealed by practise in his owne high Person The Plague was great and so we fasted and besought our God for it and he was entreated of vs Ezra 8.23 vpon the successe wonderfull in our eares most strange in Londons eyes his Maiesty hath since published his Royall pleasure for publike thankes to God through all the Kingdome All which should moue all of vs of this Land if we haue not lost all life of motion euen now to turne vnto the Lord with all our hearts And therefore for my particular and to set my selfe some steps forward inso good a way I haue left this little pawne in the Sanctuary for mine own engagement Where I desire you Good Mistresle DANET to goe on in the same good way you haue been long vpon and that till you finish your course which that it may be with true comfort to your Blisse eternall I will pray as I daily doe while we haue being together The time cannot be long to you or me which should make vs therfore and I pray God we may be made to redeeme all the good houres of it for the power of godlinesse and a pure conuersation in Christ Which gift also I humbly craue at Gods hands for those you haue Adopted into your family as the charge of your prouidence that to Gods pleasure they may longer yet haue the comfort of you your Tenants in like manner and that whole Neighbour-hood in that light which now you beare vp among them by your life in the Gospel and your beeing in the world He saith Amen vnto it Clon-bury neere Ludlow Iune 1. 1625. Who is yours truly for his best meanes in the Word of Faith ROBERT HORN AN ADMONITION TO ALL ENGLAND More specially to LONDON and other Cities and townes in England where the death of Plague hath lately beene * ⎠* IOHN 5.14 After these things Iesus findeth him in the Temple and said vnto him behold thou art made whole Sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto thee THis Scripture is a Scripture of admonition and containeth matter of important counsell which directed to a man whom Christ loosed from his chaine of a long sicknesse concerneth vs to amendment that are sicke of sinne Hee was held in his infirmity thirty and eight yeeres verse 5. some of vs haue beene held longer in the chaine of our sinnes Now after he was cured not knowing by whom he was found in the Temple to wit by Christ who cured him And so hauing strangely and by miracle without meanes receiued health and power to walke he walkes to the Temple the house of prayer and praise probably I thinke I may say purposely to giue thankes for his corporall health and to pray for spirituall Doing so his Physition who had done one good worke vpon him purposing to doe another and better in the cure of his soule returnes after he had for a while withdrawne himselfe and comes to the Temple where he found his Patient Being found there he beginnes instantly the cure of sinne in his soule puts him in remembrance how long a seruant he had beene to sinne vnder an old infirmity and telling him what a blessing he had receiued in his body which was made whole wisheth him to haue care of his soule by breaking off his sinnes or the course he held in them after the course of the world which if he did not would cost him deare for a worse thing then matter of sicknesse would befall him in a worse place at least whom God could not amend with his Rod of correction he would breake with his yron rod punishing him yet seuen times more that is grieuously for his sinnes Leuit. 26.18 Thus I haue opened the Text which is the effect of the miracle here wrought sheweth where Christ found the Man whom he had made whole and what he said vnto him for the first it hath two circumstances as of time when he was found and of person who found him for the second it containeth a precept sinne no more and the reasons perswading it and they are the benefit he had receiued thou art made whole and the perill if he sinned still a worse thing would come vnto him The circumstance of time in this word Afterward or after these things being a word of context and referring to the ninth verse before sheweth what it was that more specially moued this Man at this time to visit Gods Temple and to be found in it and that is the healing of him by Christ vpon a word speaking rise take vp thy bed and walke v. 8. But I wil take vp no longer time either for the further opening of this sentence which is not hard or for the taking in of Texts in coherence with this which is not
necessarie And therefore I passe to the Doctrines of this verse their grounds or reasons with their Vse and Application Afterward THat is after this cure wrought and person healed Christ findes him in the house of prayer and returning found him thankefull which Precedent deserueth followers Doct. and teacheth vs after a benefit receiued from God to be thankfull to him greatly after a great benefit and presently after any So Melchizedech blessed God for Lot recouered by Abraham Gen. 14.20 and Moses and the Israelites sang vnto him in praise for the Egyptian yoke broken Exod. 15.1 2 3 c. and the Iewes kept a feast of memoriall for their safety and the destruction of their enemies and of that wicked Haman Hest 9.17 In Psal 51.15 Dauid desireth God to giue him cause and matter and then promiseth to praise God with ioyfull lippes not diuiding betweene the effect and cause Hence further he debates with himselfe about rendring to God in this manner Psal 116.12 and in another Psalme summons all within him to this duty Psal 103.1 The Apostle Paul ioynes with prayer thankesgiuing by an inseparable tie Philip. 4.6 and good reason for as he saith Colos 4.6 praise sets the watch in our prayers without which they would fall asleepe in our mouthes the Scripture is full in this point the reasons Wee sit at an easie rent by such a returne Reasons 1 for what easier then to confesse the liberality of such a Land-lord by taking words vnto vs and by ordering our waies Psal 50.23 Secondly thankfulnesse sanctifieth all our receipts without which they are vncleane vnto vs Exodus 12.14 and no better then stollen waters Pro. 9.17 Thirdly true Christians must stand in some distance from Hypocrites and dissemblers with God the difference stands in point of praise and not of petition for Hypocrites can make a good shew in prayer their necessities and desire of supply will kindle a fire of earnestnesse this way Luke 17.13 but when they should returne with acknowledgement where are they verse 17. Fourthly prayer is a sweet oblatioÌ„ to God but the soule of it and that which quickens it is true thankfulnesse Psal 50.23 and heere what the body is without the soule that is prayer for a benefit and no praise for it Fifthly of all the Sacrifices in the Law this of praise was most acceptable to God Psal 50.13.14 which made our fathers in the estate of the Old Testament often and in many words to vow this oblation to God and as it were to enter into bond vnto him to pay it Psal 66.13.14 Ecclesiast 5.4.5 Sixthly if nothing else could moue vs to be thankfull after a benefit yet our owne good by the hand should for the remembrance of an old benefit prepares the way for a new and what eloquence more forcible to draw from a man what wee craue or need then the shewing of our selues thankfull for what we haue had already God sets no other rent-charge vpon all he giues who giues all freely but the old rent of a thankfull heart and of thankfulnesse in our liues and if this be done we shall be sure to be great gainers at Gods hands Seuenthly we are thankfull to men for small matters and shall we be vnthankful to him that giues vs all things shall the wicked Heathen praise their gods of siluer and gold of brasse of yron of wood stone who were made themselues Dan. 5.4 and shall not we praise that God that made vs and all the world The Vse of this is for all England Vse 1 but more specially for London and other Townes and Cities vpon which the Sword of Pestilence hath bin lately laid for should not these be found in the Temple with this man healed by Christ And for London the prime Citie of the Kingdome seeing that so lately the waies of it so lamented being al shut vp Lam. 1.4 which now clap hands for their opening againe and for their being sowen with the seed of man should it not register in marble of remembrance a worke of mercy toward it so singular and so strange should it not cry grace grace vnto it Zach. 4.7 for from 44.63 dead and buried of the mortality of Plague in one weeke in that Citie the Bill fell in few weekes to no lesse then halfe a score yea to foure onely and can such an abatement so wondered at proue as the wonder that lasts but nine daies Rather may not the Citizens and may we not all say this admirable decrease considered as the people of Sion in captiuity after their returne said We were like them that dreame Psal 126.1 Surely we cannot denie that our mouth is filled with laughter and our tongues with songs v. 2. and shall they be empty of his praise who hath done so great things for vs whereof we sing v. 3. When Ioshâ—â—ah had made a great slaughter of Amaleck and his men euen so great and so long as Moses his feeble hands could be held from falling downe which was till the Sunne went downe Exod. 17.12 Gods charge to Moses was that it should be written for better remembrance in a booke and rehearsed to Ioshuah verse 14. This was a great blessing of God and this so great blessing of his must both be written and spoken of was it a blessing bookeable which God shewed to Israel against Amaleck who wasted so many of his weake and feeble people and is it not worthy both to bee spoken of and bookt with letters of lasting praise in our hearts and mouthes that God hath in manner remoued so cleane and quickly from a Citie of so great vse to the whole Realme that Amaleck of wasting Pestilence But our dulnesse hath need of much spurring and and of those nailes that Salomon the wisest King and wisest Man spake of fastned by the Masters of the Assemblies Eccles 12.13 for how soone had we forgotten a worke of this nature a worke all made of mercy by quitting London as now of the mortality of 3300. and odde falling there of a like stroake of Plague in one weeke and in the yeere 1603. This for some yeeres after lay dead and as buried in some perpetuall graue therefore hath God opened our graues againe by killing with the Plague of Pestilence in that same Citie and thereabouts from about Aprill or after to the 15. of December 1625. no fewer then 35417. And I pray God this may be a warning for those of London and of all England to keepe better in remembrance and to better purpose the Acts of Gods mercy and to keepe both them and vs from falling after the like manner of disobedience If it be not and if still we will proue vnfaithfull though the Plague were quite gone God hath other Vultures as one saith to send vpon the carion of a Realme dead in sinnes and trespasses for beside the Plague of Pestilence he hath his glittering Sword which is a grieuous Plague that he can put into the hand
of an enemy of a fierce countenance and of an implacable desire to our Land But God turne away the euill and to doe our parts to doe it let the last grieuously deuouring Pestilence in and about London and in other Cities and Townes abroad be the graue of our lusts Num. 11.34 and let a sound confession of sinnes and turning to God from sinne burie them else it will be but to a greater hardning that the Lord in his singular mercy at his last great assise of commune mortality reprieued vs pulling some then as a brand out of the fire Zacharie 3.2 A reproofe of those who bury Gods benefits so deep in Sepulchers of obliuion that Vse 2. like as it fared with the nine clensed Lepers Luke 17.17 there is no returning to giue thankes Many in some plunges of sicknesse as dissembling Saylors in a storme will fall to their deuotions who yet when the weather is ouer and a calme skie of health succeedes drowne all remembrance of the danger then in their prophane Cannes of Wine and Beere Then as vnthankfull Sea-men insteede of finding them in the Temple you may finde them in some Ale-house or Tauerne tossing their Cannes to the health of the diuell What is this but to receiue a blessing from God and to thanke the diuell for it but what man bestowing a benefit vpon vs and loosing his thankes will send another after it and can we imagin God will when men deale with him like those vnthankfull Israelites whose prayers and praise ended almost assoone as they had passed the red sea The Heathen did offer continually vnto their false Gods their cynamon and frankinsence and shall it be enough for vs or will it discharge vs for a day or some few daies and that in no true meaning to offer our tribute of praise to IEHOVAH the true God who is worthy and onely to be serued in righteousnesse and true holinesse all the daies of our life Luke 1.75 Shall wee thus requite the Lord as a people foolish and vnwise Deut. 52.6 vnthankfulnesse is a close Thiefe and will wee so cunningly deceiue God indeed our selues by robbing him of the praise that is due vnto his name Rather should we not extoll him with our lippes and with our liues praise him But who will not say that he thankes God for all To whom I say true thankfulnesse stands not in words but in obedience to Gods Word nor in saying but in giuing thankes nor in labour of lippes but in purity of life Then to come to an issue Thou sayest thou thankest God for all but art thou a repentant and amending sinner when God openeth his treasury dost thou open thy mouth and art thou liberall of his praises Psal 66.16.17 rather and contrarily when hee shoureth blessings vpon thee dost thou not drop thankes vnto him praising him slenderly when he giues to thee plentiously or is not thy thankes cold thanks and thanks onely in words not zealous from the heart nor faithfull with a single heart further dost thou thanke God with continuance not churlishly and with the thankes that hath soone done doest thou praise God with thy praise-worthy life Is thy tongue an instrument of the truth and of his honour Is his word thy counsellor are his best Seruants thy best Companions his Sabbath daies thy best daies his Communion Cup thy sweetest Cup his Seruice thy liberty and his yoke thy crowne and thy glory If this bee so thou maist bee numbered among the thankfull to God but if not so thou be still the same man thou wast a drunkard still a fornicator still still a swearer and prophaner of Gods Name and Sabbaths a cold hearer or no hearer of the Word and at Prayer and Sacraments carnall so often as thou sayest The Lord bee thanked thy mouth doth not blesse God but mock him for out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing praise and vnthankfulnesse Iames 3.10 So much for the circumstance of the time that of the Person followeth Iesus IF you aske who found this Man it was Iesus if you aske where it was in the Temple the place where the meanes of Gods publike worship were In speaking of the person I will speake of both together the person is Iesus in english the Sauiour the Temple was the house of publique prayer and sacrifices first built by Salomon but after destroyed by the King of Babel and re-built by Zerubbabel and Nehemiah Heere Christ reuealed himselfe Doct. who before was not knowne of the Man whom he had healed which teacheth that in Church-assemblies Christ is found and finds vs. In this way and to such as are in it he reueales himselfe in the arme of his Word Esay 53.1 and as they whom he healed corporally were in the way by which he passed Mat. 20.30.34 Mar. 6.55.56 so they must be found in the walke of Iesus the way of the meanes whom he will heale spiritually His ordinary walke is in the Temple of the New Testament that is in the publique assembly of Christians Thither therefore we must come if wee will know Christ in the arme of power to our Saluation Dauid knew the way by his experience and followed it with loue to the Temple Psal 42.1.4 and when Saul his Father in law tooke this way from him by banishment for some time how doth he desire his returne thither by more then an ordinary affection for hee fared as a woman set a longing after somewhat which because she cannot obtaine maketh her sick of desire Psal 84.2 There Gods euidences were kept and there God was in place by an extraordinary presence hence the Prophet was taken vp with a loue thereof euen to the fainting of his soule he had drunke deepe of Gods blessings in that earthly heauen which being denied him by a kinde of excommunication out of that Paradise of God first vnder Saul and then vnder Absolom his owne sonne how soule-sick was he for the daily sacrifices Moses when the people of God were kept with Pharaos strong hand as with a chaine in Egypt from seruing at some publique Altar asketh their deliuerance of the King lest the Lord should meete them with Pestilence or sword Exod. 5.3 and so vpon paine of death God must be publikely serued which if our bodies escape our soules shall not Thus it was in the Law and vnder Moses In the New Testament in like manner it was the practise of Christians to beate this way to the Lord Luke 4.16 and why did they so assemble and so many in houses which they called Synagogues but because they were vpon promise perswaded there to meet the Lord Christ who would be in the middes of them Mat. 18.20 At another time the whole Citie came together in a like assembly and to a like end Act. 13.43.44 and for this the assembly is called Gods Army Psal 110.3 because God takes the muster of his people there But further for this meeting wee haue a