to their saluation Make an end of the tryall wee pray thee of other Churches by the sword famine or any other iudgmeÌ„t and continue to ours the peace of the Gospel the Gospel of peace preseruing all Estates and degrees amongst vs in Church and Common-wealth from this other plagues if it be thy blessed will to execute iustice and to shew mercy for the taking away of this and the turning away of other heauy iudgements Be thou exalted Lord in thine owne strength so will we sing and praise thy power Psa 21.16 VI. Professing our amendment vpon our remouall of the Plague For we doe not desire O Lord our God to haue the plague of our sicknes taken away from amongst vs that the plague of our sinnes may remaine within vs nor that thou shouldest turne thy heauie hand from vs that wee might returne to our former wickednes for the time past of our life is sufficient and to much to haue liued therein 1. Pet. 4.3 If thus againe we should breake thy commandements Ezera 9.14 wouldst thou not be angrie with vs till thou hadst consumed vs but wee beg this further favour of thee not to die Psa 118.17 but to liue to declare thy works and to praise thy name Ier. 50.4.5 For this end with mourning and weeping for our former many and greiuous sinnes wee come vnto thee and seeke thee and will ioyne our selues vnto thee in a perpetuall couenant neuer to be forgotten Wee will make a couenant befâ—â—e thee our God to walke after thee to keepe thy coÌ„mandements thy statutes and thy testimonies with all our hearts and with all our soules nnd to performe the words of the couenant 2 Reg. 23.3 and to stand vnto it wee will make a sure couenant write it and seale vnto it Neh. 9.38 yea wee will enter into a curse and into an oath to walee in Gods lawe Neh. 10.29 and to obserue and to do all the commandemnts of the Lord our God that we may ty our loose harts to the obedience of thy holy wil for euer And let our houses which thou hast visited or kept cleare from this contagion and let our bodies which thou hast healed or preserued from infection and let our soules which thou hast humbled comforted in any measure by and vnder this visitation beare witnes to our sincerity in making this holy vow and couenant with thee Let them bee a continuall remembrance to put vs in minde of often renewing it before thee and let them bee as a threefold cord not easily broken faster to binde vs to the keeping of this oath couenant with thee for euer And now O Lord our God since thou hast by thy Spirit put into our hearts this desire to giue thee thanks directed vs to this means of manifesting our thankfulnes we humbly beseech thee keepe it for euer in the thoughts and imaginations of the hearts of thy people 1 Chr. 29 15. and set our hearts vnto thee And giue vs such a heart that wee may feare thee keepe thy commandements alwayes Deu. 5.29 that it may bee well with vs and with our children for euer so wee thy people and sheepe of thy pasture will giue thee praise for euer will alwayes bee setting forth thy praise from generation to generation Amen Now vnto the King immortall inuisible and onely true God most mighty wise faithfull and true patient and pittifull gracious mercifull infinite in all perfection The Father of mercy in The Sonne of peace through The Holy Spirit of coÌ„fort be yeelded and giuen for all our former and later deliuerances in this or any other kind and namely for the present staying of the Plague happily in great measure already begun and continued and hopefully in the end to be perfected accomplished From our beliefe trust our loue and feare our hope and ioy our patience obedience with our bodies and soule by our thoughts words works in our liues and deaths all honour and glory and all praise thanks from this time forth and for euer Ps 106.48 And let all the people say AMEN FINIS
the plague You may not lawfully feare the plague in other respects as namely 1. Not foolishly 2. Not profanely 3. Not desperately 1. You may not feare the plague foolishly or childishly out of a fond conceit That if you come neere a person or house infected you must presently receiue the contagion of it The plague is but GODS creature whether it strike vs immediately by an Angel or mediately by infection froÌ„ men therfore can he countermand it when hee will That he doth countermand his Angel that is sent to destroy of this disease is plain where the Lord saith e 2 Sam. 24 16 Stay thy hand it is enough and that hee can and doth restraine the power of infection that is in this disease it is euident by those which visit them as Physicians and Surgeons and by those which keep them that are sicke of it as Nurses Keepers that sweat them and dresse their sores and wash their linnen that coms from them polluted with the filthy corruption that comes out of their sores yea which lie with them that haue sores running on them and are continually in their breath and drinke after them in the same cup who notwithstanding are preserued from touch of infection I suppose it comes to pass not because the plague is not in it selfe infectious as some ignorantly sensâ—esly haue thought and spoken but it is effected by an extraordinary hand of God by his wisdome and soueraigne power and namely and of purpose to encourage people to bee pittifull to them that are diseased with it to hearten them in this deed of charitie to minister to them for the Lord knowes that without tending of them that are thus visited many would pinch miserably and if all should be infected that caÌ„e neere them that were visited there would be few or none to tend them Is not the fire of a burning nature in it selfe because some one house in a streete or one roume in a house escaps burning by the wise and powerfull providence of God when the rest are burnt to ashes Even so the plague it selfe is in it owne nature malignant infectious yet notwithstanding the malignancy of it the Lord can and doth restraine it and therefore it is not to be feared foolishly as if God could not keep vs if wee came neere where it is but we must needes be infected by it 2 You must not feare the Plague profanely which they do that more feare the punishing Angell theÌ„ God and the infection of it more then to sinne as they doe that in this time of contagion runne away from the Citie and carry their sinnes with them into the Countrey namely their securitie and impenitencie their pride covetousnes whereby it comes to passe that they neither repent of their owne sinnes nor bee greived for the affliction of Ioseph Amos 6.6 to coÌ„misserate their brethren in misery I speake not of all that depart for some doe it warrantab y in a godly manner without diffidence in God for themselues oâ— negligeÌ„ce of their afflicted brethreÌ„ but of such as manifest their impenitency by going on in their former sinnes and spending this heauie time in pastime and merriment and shew their vnmercifulnesse by leauing nothing behind them for the poore and sicke when they went nor haue sent no thing to them since they went nor haue a purpose to doe it when they shall returne Thus wee may not feare the plague Mat. 10.28 for wee must not feare them which can but kill the body and can do no more but we must feare him it which can kill both soule and body that is God and Sinne. The plague can but infect the blood and thereby fill the body with putrified sores that it die But sin can kill both soule and body too and therfore wee ought not so much to feare the plague as we doe to offend God Wee ought not to pray so to bee kept from the plague as to be kept from sinne we ought not to bee thankful so much for being kept from the plague as from sin nor ought wee to bee so watchfull ouer our selues that wee bee not infected with the plague as that wee be not corrupted by the deceitfulnesse of siâ— for the one is simply euill so is not the other at all the one is a breach of GODS Law the other is but a punishment of that breach 3. You must not feare the plague desperately so as to thinke that if you bee smitten with it and die of it That presently therefore you are none of Gods children and that you shall not die in Gods fauour as some sottishly and blasphemously haue giuen out Dan. 3.23 With this point because I haue occasion anon to meet and to diâ—proue it therefore I will referre it to its proper place in the last generall point concerning your feare which is the consolations It is true the stroke of the plague is a signe of Gods temporall anger but not of his eternall displeasure 1. Because it is inflicted but on the bodie onely and not on the soule 2. Because it is in this life onely inflicted and not in the life to come and therefore by it selfe without spirituall iudgements of blindnesse of minde hardnes of heart and impenitencie it is no signe of Gods eternall wrath because a all things come a like to all there is one euent to the righteous and to the wicked Eccle. 6.2 no man knoweth either loue or hatred by all that is before thee of earthly and worldly blessings oâ— punishments accompanying it It is true that in some familyes God striks all with sicknesse in others none at aâ—l Some infected persons are very sicke others ayle nothing at all This comes not to passe by chance but by Gods Soveraigne power If he please hee can arme his creâ—tures so as to kill whole housholds as he armed the fire to burne slay those men that tooke vp the three children Dan. 3.23 and putt them into the firy Fornace therfore you should feare it as I haue formerly taâ—ght you to doe and as warrantablie you may Againe he can restraine and countermand his creature so as not to kill one in a Familie though they be all infected no nor in inâ—ect any one no nor to make any one ill at ease of it though they be infected as hee restrained the heate of that exceeding whott fier that it had no power one their bodyes Dan 3.27 an hayre of their heads was not sindged neither were their coates changed nor had the smell of fire passed one them therefore you should not feare it as some doe whereof you haue heard before vnwarrantably If euery one should die that were infected some would say God were not able to keepe aliue him that were smitten with the plague and if none should die of it many would set light by it and not humble themselues before GOD when they are smitten with it Let vs
A CORDIALL OF COMFORT To preserue the Heart from fainting with Griefe or Feare for our Friends or our owne Visitation by the Plague Also a Thankes-giuing to Almightie God for staying the Visitation in London and the Subvrbs thereof Both which may be of vse to Christians in other places that are cleere visited or recouered BY WILLIAM CHIBALD Printed at London by W. I. for Nic. Bournâ— and Edw. Brewster and are to be sold at the Royall Exchange and at the Bible in Pauls-Church-yard 1625. TO The Right Worshipfull the Company of the Lether-Sellers The Masters and Wardens The Assistants and Liuery with the rest of the Brethren of that worthy Societie Right Worshipfull and Worthy THE DEdication of bookes vnto persons of place and qualitie is to manifest a seruiceable respect and reuerence vnto them and to supplicate a fauourable aspect and acceptation from them According to these fayre endes I haue aduentured to deuote this my Treatise which doth need the one to your Worships that are worthy of the other You are worthy of my Dedication in two respects namely as Citizens and as Lether-Sellers of London 1. As Citizens because I wrote it in the Visitation of the City and for the comfort of Citizens in the Visitation thereof 2. As Lether-sellers because you are that Company whereof my deare Father was Mr. Iames Chibald of sweet memory I hope among you who about the yeere 1595. was Master head of your Body euen as his eldest Sonne my louing Brother is a liuing member of the same at this day It remaynes that your Worships would be pleased by accepting the seruice of this Dedication to Patronize the Booke The rather seeing the Authors ayme in dedicating it to you is but to honour you that are liuing by my deare Parent that is dead and to honour the memory of him that is absent by you that are present which as Brethren of one Company and Parents of Children you cannot but approue That you may the more freely grant my request I pray you to take vnto your consideration further the subiect matter of the Booke which is Spirituall Physicke For it prescribes you first a Cordiall Secondly a Dyet The Cordiall hath a twofold nature 1. To preserue your bodyes from infection or death by the Plague if the Lord see it good for your soules and as Christians you should not desire it otherwise 2. To keep your soules from fainting with immoderate Griefe or Feare for your Friends or your owne Visitation by the Plague The Dyet is to teach you that suruiue how to liue to GODS glory by learning to bee thankefull to God for your own preseruation and for Gods wonderfull and mercifull staying of the sicknesse amongst vs. Both which as men and Christian men you haue reason to looke after and learne In hope of your free fauor herein I humbly take my leaue with my heartie prayer vnto God to blesse the reading of my Treatise to your Corporall and Spirituall health in Iesus Christ in whom I am Your Worships most bounden in all Christian seruice WILLIAM CHIBALD To the Christian Reader that needs Spirituall Physicke from the Word against Griefe or Feare by reason of the Plague IN the beginning of the Creation Gen. 1.2 when darknesse was vpon the deepe 2 Cor. 4.6 the Lord commaunded the light to shine out of darknesse As vnlikely effect of such a cause as the making one see that was borne blind Ioh. 9.11 by anointing his eyes with clay and spittle which was more likely to put them out if euer hee had any sight Not long since there was darknesse and heauinesse vpon the face of my Family by reason of Gods Visitation and behold out of the darknes of that sorrow Almightie GOD hath brought forth this Light of Spirituall coÌ„fort After a sort I may truly say GOD hath commaunded it to shine forth partly by his speciall assistance when J was in my selfe very vnfyt for study and partly by his prouidence in stirring vp many to bee very inquisitiue to seeke after it and to bee very importunate for the publishing thereof J neuer intended to put this Light vnder a Bushell wholly to couer it Matt. 5.15 for J did set it vpon a Candlesticke to giue light in one roome namely to my Parishioners kindred and friends to whom J gaue some Copies But now at the instance of many J haue put it into a Lanthorne hung it out in the open streets for the benefit of all passengers J confesse the light is but small it giues but J hope it will burne cleere and sweet the Treatise J trust wil be free from errour and offence J acknowledge also that it is hung out somewhat late in the Euening when many are at rest in their graues by the Visitation but the truth is my tynder was wet J could not strike fyer to light it sooner and when it was lighted J could not get it hung vp any sooner My meaning is the heauinesse of my heart for Gods visytation on the Citie my Congregation and my Family was some let to the penning of it and the difficultie of getting Work men to print it was a great hinderance to the publishing thereof any sooner Now that it is fynished and published my request is to the Christian Reader that hee vvould not close his eyes Mat. 13.19 that hee cannot see the light but open them to walke by it to the end hee may not stumble and fal at immoderate Griefe or Feare by reason of his own or his friendes Visytation by the Plague And my humble Prayer is That hee who is the true Light Iob. 1.9 that lighteneth euery one which commeth into â—he world Reuel 1.13 and who walketh in the midst of the â—euen golden Candlesticks That he would be graciously pleased to adde further light life to the â—eading perusing of my Treatise for the glory of God and the good of his Church and let all that read it for their comfort say with me Amen Euen as J will say with all that find comfort by the reading of it The Lord bee praised Yours in the seruice of your Faith W. C. A Table shewing the Contents of this Booke WHen teares for sin proue godly pag 4. How to comfort our selues against greife for the visitation of our families pag. 7. How to comfort our selues against greife for our visitation p. 12. The nature of the affliction of Gods children p. 12. The causes of their afflictions efficient and mouing pa. 13. 14. 15. The Companion of it p. 17. The end of it intent and euent p. 18. c. How to hearten our selues against the feare of the plague pa. 24. How you may lawfully feare the plague pa. 32 c. How you may not feare the plague pa 35. The plague is no signe of Gods eternall anger to the godly p. 43. Sixe meanes to preuent the infestiion of the plague p. 48. The 1. meanes p. 48. the
to m Luc. 16.22 Hell when they died So that as long as yee dy not in your sinnes nor goe to hell but liue and dye in the grace of God and goe to heauen which you shall certainely doe if you liue and dye in Gods feare and in the faith of Christ you must needes dye in Gods loue though yee dye of the plague The third and last point in the doctrine of comfort Rules to know how christians shall dy in Gods fauour though they dy of the plague against the feare to dye of the plague is to giue you some Rules by which you may assure your selues you shall dye in the loue of God and his eternall fauour though you dye of the plague To which I now addresse my selfe That you may assure your selues you shall dye in Gods loue It is requisite that first you bee sure you liue in Gods loue for he cannot dye in any sense that neuer liued in the same And that you may knowe you liue in Gods loue it must appeare vnto you by the effects and motions of this life for n Iam. 2.16 Iob. 27.5 the body without breath is iudged dead Breathing and mouing are signes of life The effects and motions of your life in Gods loue will appeare by the vse and exercise of the graces of the Spirit of God which in his loue hee workes in you to o Ephes 2.5 6. quicken and raise you from the death of sin to the life of righteousnesse For this the Lord doth in his rich mercy Ibid. 4. and for his great loue wherewith he hath loued vs. These graces are of two sorts 1. Such as bring vs into an actual communion of Gods loue and fauour and sets vs in the state of grace 2. Such as keepe preserue in this state vnto the end The first Faith in Christ Of the graces of the first kind namely which bring vs into the state of grace there is but one onely and it is a iustifying Faith called Faith in Christ whereby a sinner with a p Matt. 11.28 weary and heauy laden soule that is a repenting and relenting heart goes and seekes to Christ for saluation rests and trusts in the merites of his death and righteousnes for forgiuenesse of sinnes Ioa 3.16 and eternall life This faith doth not of it selfe but by vertue of the obiect thereof which is Christ to whom by Gods appointment it doth vnite and ingraft vs in whom we are accepted and q Eph. 1.4.6 beloued of God and who dwells in your hearts by it Now if r Eph. 3.17 Christ dwell in your hearts by faith you shall be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length v. 18 and depth and height and to know the loue of Christ which passeth knowledge If you liue and die in this faith of Christ then you may assure your selues you liue and shall dy in the loue of God For if yee beleeue in Christ then this will follow that first you are t 1. Ioh 5.1 born of God 2. yee are the u Gal. 3.26 children of God 3. yee are x Act 13 39. iustified from all your sinnes and shall receiue remission of them Act. 10.43 4. Ye are passed y Iob. 3.36 from death to life 5. Yee shall bee able to z Eph. 6.16 quench all fiery darts of the deuil And sixtly for the certainty of this yee are a Eph. 1.13 sealed with the Spirit of promise The second sort of graces that may assure vs wee shall dy in Gods fauour are they which keepe and continue vs in the state of grace wheÌ„ we are set into it and they are of foure kinds The first Sanctifying The second Comforting The third Contenting The fourth Crowning graces of which in order But first I would not bee mistaken for though I say faith in Christ doth set vs into the state of grace I would not bee vnderstood to speake exclusiuely as if it had no worke in keeping vs also in that state for wee are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation 1 Pet. 1.5 But I haue therefore assigned vnto it that worke of bringing vs into the state of grace and iustifying vs because the primary and chiefe act of it is this viz. To ingraft vs into Christ and hereby to bring vs into vnion communion with the loue of God in him and into the state of grace to liue by faith Rom. 1.17 The first kind of graces that keepe vs in the state of grace are sanctifying graces so called because they keepe vs from sinne and incite vs to holinesse These sanctifying graces are two The first is the loue of God The 2. is the feare of God of each a litle And first of loue vnto God What the nature of this grace of our loue to God is The second the Loue of God will appeare by the nature of our loue to any person like our selues whom wee loue vnfainedly our loue appeare in two things 1. In delighting in their company and communion 2. In a desire and indeuour to doe them good For so are wee affected to God if wee loue him for we delight to be in his presence and company in his Temple and to haue communion with him in his Ordinances the Word Sacrament Prayer Meditation and Thanksgiuing 2. Wee desire and will endeuour to doe the best wee can to honour and obey him in refraining those things that will displease him which is sinne and in practising all such things as wee know will pleaâ—â— him which are comprehendâ—d vnder faith and obedience If wee haue this loue of God and liue and dy therin wee shall thereby be assured that we shal dy in the loue of God to vs. 1. Because it will assure vs of the loue of God to vs. 1 Ioh. 4.19 For we loue God because hee loued vs first 2. Because it will assure vs wee haue the Spirit of God for loue is the e Gal. 5.22 fruite of the Spirit and they who haue Gods f Rom. 8.9 Spirit are Christs 3. Because it will assure vs our faith is sound For g Gal. 5.6 faith is working and it works by loue 1 Thes 1.3 4. Because it will assure vs that h Ro. 8.28 all things shall worke together to good namely to the good of our saluation for so doe they doe to them that loue God 5. Because it will assure vs we are i 1 Cor. 8.3 knowne of God that is acknowledged of him for his owne for so are they that loue God 6. Because the Loue of God will assure vs of the crowne k Iam. 1.12 2 5. of life and the kingdome of heauen for it is promised to them that loue God 7. Because it will assure vs we l 1 Ioh. 4.7 are borne of God and are his children yea that wee m 1 Ioh. 4.19 dwell in God
and that God dwels in vs. In which case whosoeuer is cannot but die in Gods loue and fauour the rather because this loue of GOD produceth the loue of our neighbour also yea of our enemyes which whosoeuer doth for conscience sake in action as well as affection may knowe they are n 1 Iohn 3.16 Matt. 5 44. translated from death to life and that they are the children of their heauenly Father The third is the Feare of God The second sanctifiyng grace is the feare of God that is feare to offend God not onely because he is iust but also and cheifly because he l Psa 130.2 is mercifull By this feare Christians learne to m Pro. 3.7 depart from euil and also to n Deut. 6.2 keep Gods commandements which whosoeuer doe 2 Ti 2.19 the Lord knowes that they are his and they are the o Ps 112.1 blessed of God If thus you feare God you may bee sure you shall dy in Gods loue and fauor first because Gods mercy is on all them that feare him Luc. 1.50 2. Because it is a signe to all such that they are redeemed from their spirituall enemies Sinne Hell Death Satan 3. Luc. 7.14 Because such walke in the comfort of the Holy Ghost 4. Act. 9.31 Because such know they are redeemed by the precious blood of Iesus Christ 5. 1 Pet. 1.17 18 19. Because such worke out their saluation that is the assurance of it to themselues Philip. 2.12 6. Because such are blessed And so much for the sanctifying graces Ps 128.1 I know faith in Christ is a sanctifying grace as well as the loue feare of God for the Elect are sanctified by faith in Christ Act. 26.18 But I haue named all these six graces by the chiefe and most proper act of each which of faith is to iustifie and not to sanctifie It is true faith doth sanctifie as well as iustifie but by a secondary act not as it layes hold on Christ for so it iustifies but as it incites to obedience and restrains from sin for which it produceth the loue and feare of God for faith sanctifies as it workes and faith workes by loue Gal. 5.6 which also is true of the fear of God Ioh. 1.12 for by faith we â—re Gods children he is ouâ— adopted Father And 〈◊〉 call on the Father bâ— fâ—ith then must wee passe the time of our soiourning heere in feare namely in feare to offend God by sin 1 Pet. 1.17 As obedient children not fashioning our selues according to the former lusts in our ignorance v. 14. Of the second kinde of vertues holy gifts which keep vs in the state of grace The third is Hope when wee are set into it by faith there is but one it is a comforting grace and it is Hope 1. Thes 4. vlt. and Hope is a grace of God whereby we comfort our selues against the immoderate feare of death in our selues or greife for the death of our friendes and by it the faithfull earnestly looke long and will for the second comming of Christ Act. 23.6 Rom. 5.2 and a ioyfull resurrection from death to eternall life thereby Whosoeuer hath this Hope may assure themselues they shall dy in Gods favour 1. Rom. 5.5 Because iâ— will not make them ashamed that is they which by it looke for a ioyfull Resurrection it will not deceiue them of the thing hoped for but will bring them to the possession of it 2. Because it is a sure signe that the loue of GOD is shed abroad in their hearts by the holy Spirit Rom. 5.5 1 Thes 5.8 3. Because this hope is a helmet of saluation to cover the heads of the Saints here one earth against Sin Satan and all spirituall enemyes 4. Because by this hope the faithfull assure themselues their bodies are at rest in the graue till the second comming of Christ Act. 2.26 5. Because they are saued by hope Rom. 8.24 6. Because he that hath this hope purgeth himselfe 1. Iohn 33 viz. from sinne wickednesse and he that thus purgeth himselfe 2 Ti. 2.21 Rom. 9.21 is a vessel of honour and hee that is a vessell of honour Ibid. 23. is a vessell of mercy and he that is a vessell of mercy is a vessell afore prepared vnto glory The third kind of holy vertues that keepe vs in the state of grace The fift is Patience is the contenting grace it is Patience And by this patience wee first quiet our selues in the will of God in all our afflictions and meekely submit our selues to indure them 2. By patience we stay our selues on Gods pleasure patiently waiting his leasure for the performance of his promise of helpe and deliuerance If you haue and doe exercise this patience you may be sure to die in Gods fauour Luk. 21.19 1. Because by it you possesse your soules Rom. 2.7 2. Because by it you shall gaine eternall life Heb. 6.12 15. 3. By patience you shall inherit the promises of grace and glory 4. By patience we shall get experience Rom. 5.4 namely of the fatherly loue of God towards his children Rom. 15.4 5. By patience we shall nourish and confirme our hope Iam. 1.4 And 6th Because if patience haue her perfect worke wee shall be entire and lacke nothing The sixt is Perseuerance The fourth fort of vertues and holy gifts of the Spirit that keepe vs in the state of grace when we are set into it by faith in Christ It is a crowning grace and the grace that puts the crowne of glory on our heades is perseuerance to the end of our liues in the number measure of all our Christian graces together with all the holy fruits and effects that proceed from them in the vse and exercise of them If you shall thus perseuere in grace you may bee sure to dy in Gods favour 1. 1 Ioh. 2.24 Because you shall continue in the Sonne and in the Father 2. Because you shall bee saued 3. Mat. 10.22 Because you shall receiue the crowne of life 4. Reu. 2.10 Because the Lord Iesus will present you vnblameable and vnreproueable in Gods sight 5. Col. 1.22 Because when Christ shall appeare 1 Ioh. 2.28 you may haue confidence and not bee ashamed before him aâ— his comming 6. If yee fight a good fight finish your course and keepe the faith 2. Tim. 4. then you may assure your selues that henceforth is laid vp for you a crowne of righteousnes which the Lord the righteous Iudge will giue you at that day There be other graces of God that are necessary to saluation viz. a beleife of the Gospell repentance for past sinnes I doe not meane amendment of life or new obedieÌ„ce which in nature follow Faith in Christ but these doe not set men into the state of grace but