THE Text is a peice of a Promise, to a peice of a Prayer: the Prayer was made in the day by So­lomon to God: the Promise was made at night by God to Solomon: Solo­mons [Page 2]whole prayer was, That what prayer soever should bee made of any man, or of all the people of Israel stretching their hands towards the Temple that he built, that then God would be pleased to heare in Heaven and bee mercifull, Chap. 6. 29. 30. and give to every man according to his wayes; and Gods whole promise was, Chap. 7. 12. That he had heard his prayer, and chosen that place to himselfe, for an house of Sa­crifice.

Solomon distinguishes this whole tree of his Devotion, into particular branches, viz. If thy people bee put to the worse before their enemies, chap. 6. 24. 25 be­cause they have sinned against thee, and shall returne, and confesse thy name, and pray, and make supplicati­on before thee in this house: Then heare Thou from Heaven, and forgive the sinnes of thy people Israel, and bring them againe to the Land, thats for Warre, and therefore not for us; [Page 3]for blessed be the name of God, we have peace.

Hee goes on: When the Heaven is shut up, and there is no raine, c. 6. 26. 27 because they have sinned against thee; yet if they pray towards this place, and con­fesse thy name, and turne from their sinne, when thou doest afflict them; then heare thou from Heaven, and forgive their sinnes, and send raine upon the Land. That's for Dearth, and therefore not for us, for yet, blessed be the name of God, wee have plenty.

Hee proceeds: If there bee Pesti­lence, c. 6. 28. 29 or any other sore or sicknesse whatsoever, then heare thou the prayer and supplication of thy people. That's for the plague, and that's for us: For it is a time of plague, a fear­full time it is; yet as fearefull as it is, it is not desperate; for wee have Gods particular promise for this, as well as for the rest, If I send a Pesti­lence [Page 4]amongst my people. If my, &c.

Nay, wee have not onely Gods Promise, but our owne experience also for the truth of that Promise: For in Anno 1625. when in one Weeke there died 3344. the next week fell to 2550. the next to 1612. the next to 1551. the next to 852. the next to 558. the next to fewer, and the next to none. I pray God, wee may see none of those great Weekes. But if we do, what then? shall we despaire? no, we need not, he that performed his promise then, will performe his promise now; so that wee will performe our conditi­ons, and humble our selves and pray; &c. And so I have brought you by a circular motion to my Text again: and my Text is for all the world like a paire of Indētures, the one on Gods part, the other on mans part: God the Maister, Man the apprentice; and both their conditions runne on [Page 5]former conditions: Mans sinne, and Gods iudgements; chap. 6. ver. 22. When a man shall sinne against his neighbour: ver. 24. When there shall bee no raine because they have sinned. When there shall be sicknesse, and Fa­mine, and Plague, if they sinne against thee. ver. 36. So, Gods conditions of Destruction, runne upon mans condition of Transgression, and a­gaine, Gods condition of Delive­rance runnes uppon mans condition of Repentance. And they are foure on either side: first on Mans,

• 1. Humility.
• 2. Prayer.
• 3. Seeking.
• 4. Turning.
  Division.

If my people, &c. These are the con­ditions of our Indentures. And Gods are answerable:

• 1. Hee will Exalt.
• 2. Hee will Heare; heare in Heaven.
• 3. Hee will forgive. And
• 4. Hee will heale the Land.

[Page 6]Or you may consider this Text, as a Malady and a Medicine; as a Dis­ease and a Cure: the Disease, the Disease of the time, Pestilence; the Cure, the Cure of that, and all Di­seases, Repentance.

In the Disease I aske: first Propter quod, the provoking cause. Second­ly, Quid, the matter, what it is? third­ly, Vnde, the Authour. Fourthly, In­quos, who and what they are that are sicke of the Plague. Fifthly, Ad quod, the end and finall cause. These five are in those five first words of my Text. If beeing a supposing Word, implies the first and last: If God does it, somthing must pro­voke him to it: And if he be provo­ked to do it, hee hath some end in the doing of it: And then I the se­cond word, describes the Author: and Pestilence, the third word, the matter; and amongst my people, the last word tels you who, and what [Page 7]they be. In the Cure, I looke upon the severall simples; they are made by Man, as the Apothecary: And made effectuall by God; as the Doctor. The first is the gesture of Repentance, Humble. The second is the voice of Repentance, Devout. The third is the care of Repen­tance, Diligent. The fourth is the Digesture of Repentance, Whole­some, If my, &c.

And thus you see the coherence of the Text, and Context; and the concordance of the Time with the Text: For it is a penitential Season, and this is a penitentiall Sermon; it is a sorrowfull Time, and this is a sorrowfull Theame: it is a fearefull Time, and this is a fearefull Text: And yet it is a Hopefull time, and this is a hopefull Text too, for even in this Feare we hope: We sinne, Hea­ven frownes, God strikes, that's feare­full; wee repent, Heaven laughes; [Page 8]God stroakes, that's Hopefull.

Now, if I draw not these condi­tions like a perfect Scribe, if I com­pound not this Recipe like a learned Galen; you must impute part of that to my ignorance, and God mend it: part you must impute to my negligence, and God forgive it what I faile, you in your meeknesse pardon, God in his goodnesse per­fect. I begin with the first, The Dis­ease, If I send a pestilence, &c.

The first word is a tottering word, Pars 1. Si, If. If; it runnes upon wheeles, & so hath set my braines backeward and forward: if I goe forward with it, I enter into an house of diligence and Devotion, a Haven of Hap­pinesse and Deliverance; into a [...] House of Humility, and Prayer, o [...] Seeking and Turning; into an Ha­ven of Hearing and Healing, o [...] Mercy and Forgiving; and this may be seasonable for some. If [...] [Page 9]look backward with it, I enter into a ship fraught full of iniquitie; into a sea casting up waves of iudge­ments: a ship full of sinne; that is the lading, into a sea full of pesti­lence, that is the exchange. If: so loath is God to send some judge­ments amongst us. If: If he doth it, it is a chance; and a great mis­chance must force him to it. Some punishments come hardly from heaven; but if they come, they come as hardly upon man. No punishment at any time, but for sinne: but such punishment as the pestilence, surely it is for great sinnes; and that resolves my first Quaere, the propter quod.

Why is the pestilence amongst us? 1 ^a 1 ^ae Propter quod? Why the plague Why so great a punishment as the plague? Because wee are sin­ners, because we are great sinners: Ingentia peccata, ingentia supplicia, God visites often, because we sinne [Page 10]often; but never sends his great vi­sitation of the plague, but when sinnes are very great: ordinary sins beget ordinary diseases; but the desolation of the pestilence never followed, unlesse some great abho­mination preceded. Never was destruction threatned, untill trans­gression was conceived. Never such a destruction as the plague ex­ecuted, untill some great transgres­sion was committed.

The word of God, the historie of man, this very time, they all make this true; Not a misery since the beginning of the world was, not a [...] miserie to the end of the world will be, not a miserie at this present is, but they are all the Brats of sinne; but the Plague; the Plague, Oh, that was evermore the spawne of some Whale-like sinne. Sinne and Hap­pinesse could not stand together in Paradise; as soon as sinne entred in, [Page 11]man was thrust out. Mala gens bonam terram malam efficit: an ill people makes a good land bad. Psal. 107.33.34. Hee turneth the flood into a wildernesse, and drieth up the water springs: a fruitfull land maketh he barren for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein. For the wickednesse of them that dwell therein: mark you that. Never was an ounce of judge­ment without a pound of sinne. Zephan. 1.1.2. I will surely destroy from the land, saith the Lord, I will destroy man and beast, I will destroy the fowles of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and ruines shall bee to the wicked, and I will cut off man from the land, saith the Lord. And why will the Lord bring such a destruction upon the land? Why? why verse 4 because there were a remnant of Baal, and Chemarims; verse 5 because there were some that sware by the Lord and by Malcham: verse 6 because there were some that turned backe [Page 12]from the Lord, and enquired not af­ter God: verse 8 Because there were some cloathed with strange apparrell: verse 9 Be­cause there were some daunced proud­ly vpon the thresholds. Runne to and fro through the street of that chap­ter, from the head to the foot, from the beginning to the ending, and see, and heare, and feare, and trem­ble. Sinnes were the cause of that threatned destruction: Sinnes were the Engines, Whirle-windes, Thunder-bolts, Earth-quakes, and devastation of that state.

And what is the cause of this plague? I doe but aske the questi­on; and I would to God that you could returne a Negamus to my questiō, an Ignoramus to my intero­gatorie. Have not wee Schisma­tiques and Heretiques amongst vs? Papists and Anabaptists? Papists for their Baalites, and Anabaptists for their Chemarims? Have not we [Page 13]hollow-hearted Hypocrites? men of two religions? that say with their tongues, Vivat Rex, and wish in their hearts, Praevaleat Papa? Have not wee Apostataes and A­theists? people that turne backe from God? people that forget God? that forget even God that made them? Have not we Gulles, and Gallants; and painted Iezabels? Have not wee Crane-paced leval­toes, that walke with stretched-out neckes? Have not wee covetous, deceitfull, greedy, sinfull, oppres­sing Vsurers, Brokers, Tradesmen, and Gentlemen? and is it any won­der then, if God send a plague? Ve­ry loath hee is to send it, and there­fore hee sayes, If: If I doe it; but such sinnes as these wil enforce him to it.

Why 14700. of the plague at one time, besides them that died in the conspiracie of Corah? Because [Page 14]they murmured. And have not wee them amongst us, that spurne at authoritie, and murmure against God himselfe? That chide with God himself, if he send not a showre of raine when they would have him? And is it any wonder if the plague bee amongst us? God is loath to shoote these arrowes, very loath, and therefore hee sayes, If: but such sinnes as these, murmure and distrust, will bend his bow, and make ready his quiver.

Why 70000. in the time of King David? 2 Sam. [...]4. But because King David would number his people, and trust in his owne strength. And have not wee them that Sacrifice to their owne nets? that trust in the multi­tude of their riches? and think they shall never be removed? No won­der then, if the plague bee amongst tis. Very hardly is God provo­ked to drawe this Sword; but [Page 15]selfe-confidence will whet it.

And the historie of man, the very Heathens tell you as much. Why was the plague so grievous upon the Scythians? It was inflicted, sayes Herodotus, Lib. 1. pag. 57. for their sacriledge in sacking the Temple of Venus. And have not we Church-robbers? Doe not many of you pay the par­son by an under-verted lease? and yet you will not give the over-plus to your painfull priest. And is it then any wonder that the plague is amongst us? God is loath to lift up his hand against you: but these sinnes will prevaile.

Why was the pestilence sent a­amongst the Iewes? It was, In Achaic. pag. 279. sayes Pausanias, for the prophane lust of Menalippus and Camaetho. And have not wee as barbarous lusts a­mongst us? Some Poligamists, that have many wives: some In­cestists, that uncover the mothers [Page 16]and the daughters nakednes, some the sisters, and many their neigh­bours? Is it then any wonder, that the plague is amongst us. God i [...] loath to consume us this way; but such sinnes as these must provoke him.

Why was there such a devouring plague in the time of Romulus? I was inflicted, In vita Romuli, pag. 67. sayes Plutarch, for the treacherie that was practised in the murther of Tatius. And doe not we deale treacherously one with ano­ther? Doe not we hunt every man his brother with a net? Doe no [...] wee seeke to undermine and cir [...] co [...]ve [...]t one another? Is it then a­ny wonder that the plague is a­mongst us? God is hardly drawne to send this judgement; but such sinnes as these, will perswade him to send many more, and many worse.

You see the Quare, why the [Page 17]plague is sent; Now upon the Qua­ [...]e, you must give me leave to play [...]he Lawyer, and propose a crosse [...]terogatorie, by Quomodo, How the [...]lague may be sent away againe. Applic. 1. It is [...]y application of it: And no way [...]o remove it, that I know, Numb. 16 46.47. but A [...] ­ons way, or Phinee's way, or King Davids way. When there died [...]4700. of the plague, Aaron takes censor, puts fire therein from the Altar, and put incense thereon, and goes into the congregation, and a [...] ­ [...]onement was made. Sic vos, so do you; Take the censor of humble devotion; put therein the fire of [...]eale from the altar of the Crosse; and put thereon the incense of Christs merits, and offer it quickly for the congregation; and Gods [...]and is not shortened, his eare is not stopped; but as then, so now, he will be reconciled, and accept of this for attonement, and stay the [Page 18]plague; onely you must stand, as he did, beewixt the living and the dead [...] your dead sinnes with sorrow, and the living graces of God with de­sire, and desire God with those teares, That from plague and pesti­lence hee would deliver us, for [...]esu [...] Christ his sake, Amen.

Or, if it increase to Phinea's num­ber, and there dye 24000. why then you must doe as Phineas did and what did he? Hee rose up from amongst the congregation, and tooke [...] Iaveling in his hand, and thrust Zimri and Cozbi through the belly, so the plague was stayed. Sic vo [...], so doe you: you are Phineas, Christ hath made you so to God his Fa­ther, Kings and Priests. Rise up [...] from the congregation, for you are downe; downe and asleepe in the sinnes of your companions: But at last awake; awake by repentance, and arise; Rise by faith, and take a [Page 19]Javelin; the Javelin of Reluctancie [...]d Feare; and smite Zimri, the [...]entation of sinne, and Cozbi, your [...]onsent to, and delectation in sinne; [...]d smite them through the belly, [...]at there may never againe bee a conjunction of your consent with [...]e Divels tentation; and intreate God, and he will doe it, say the [...]ague through Iesus Christ. Amen.

Or if yet the sicknes increase far­ [...]er, as in King Davids time, from [...]an to Beersheba, and slay 70000. [...]en; why then you must doe as King David did: He spake unto the Lord when he saw the Angel smite [...]e people, and said, Loe, 2 Sam. 24.17. I have sin­ [...]ed, and I have done wickedly; but these sheepe, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, bee against me, and my fathers house. Sic vos, so must you. If any of you are more conscious than others; and which of you is not? why then you must; [Page 20]or, if you are loath to bewray yo [...] selves, why then I will, I will spe [...] unto the Lord; for I have seene t [...] Angel smiting, and I will say; Wh [...] have the people of this parish, [...] this Citie done, O God: it is I th [...] have sinned, it is I that have do [...] wickedly; they, alas, knew not ho [...] to contrive these sinnes that I have committed; so that thou wilt spa [...] them, let thy hand be against me, and my house: for I am the greatest sinne amongst them all; and yet, but of th [...] extent I trust whom I [...]SUS CHRIS [...] will save; and if thou wilt save me and them from the plague, and he [...] then we will goe up, and reare thee a [...] Altar, and offer burnt offerings, an [...] peace offerings unto thee. From ou [...] sinnes wee goe up, and the altar of ho [...] ­ly protestations wee reare, and swear [...] unto thee, to meddle no more with sin [...] which hath brought this plague: an [...] will for ever offer unto thee the burnt [Page 21]offerings of broken and contrite spi­rits; and the peace offerings of Turtle repentance, and Dove charitie, and [...] leavened sinceritie upon the altar [...]f faith, in the crosse of Iesus Christ, for whose sake heare us, and helpe us, [...]nd have mercy upon us, and bid the Angel that destroyeth thy people, to [...]old his hand, that wee may live and [...]raise thee in the great congregation [...]ilitant, till wee come to thy congre­gation triumphant, to sing eternall Hallel [...]jahs to him that sits upon the [...]hrone, and to the Lambe at his right [...]and for ever. Amen.

If any of you think the removing of the plague is not worth so much [...]aines, I entreat you to goe along with me, and be resolved upon my second Quaere, the Quid, 2 ^a 1 ^ae, [...]uid, what is the plague what the plague is. And what is the plague, thinke you? To know what it is, you must not looke upon it under the genus of sicknesse: for then it is [Page 22]but Humores male dispositi, an ill di [...] ­position of the body, so Secundum definitionem, it is defined so, sickne [...] is; or, it is a want, a defect, a priva­tion of health. It is not a thing i [...] nature; but it is a thing against na­ture, a violation of nature: for therefore is sicknes called Disease [...], because it is sine sanitate without health. So secundum [...]em or it is Macula, a spot, quia corpo­ris formain deformat, because it dis­figures the beautie of the body: i [...] makes him mauc and meagre, pal [...] and wan: and it is Debitum, a debt, quia ad mortem obligat, because i [...] bindes us over to death, and arrests us at his suite. So it is, secundum nomen, it is named so, sicknesse is: Nay, sometimes it is a double debt, a debt to nature, and a debt to phy­sicke: if we dye, then natures debt is paid: if we recover, yet wee are still in debt to the physitian: so [Page 23]farre sometimes, that we spend the [...]st farthing of our substance: So it [...] as said of the woman in the Gos­ [...]ell; she consumed her whole estate [...]on the Physitians; or, it is a percus­ [...]on, and desolation; either a smiting [...] a desolation; so the Prophet [...]yes, I will make thee sick in smiting [...]ee, in making thee desolate: Mica. 6.13. And I [...]ink the Prophet there meanes the [...]lague; for the plague is a smiting [...]cknesse, and the plague is a desola­ting sicknes. It is a smiting, & there­fore called [...], for the fiercenesse [...]f it, it leaves a scarre behind it: and [...] is a desolating sicknes, & is there­fore called [...], because it spreds and diffuses it selfe into many, if not into all people: so secundum divisio­ [...]em, it is distinguished so, sicknes is, and this distinction complies most with the plague, such a thing is the plague, such a fearfull thing is the plague, and I pray God deliver us all from it.

You will see the Feare of it mo [...] perspicuously, and be afraid of [...] more heartily, if you looke upo [...] it comparatiuely, and if you lo [...] upon it consequently; what it is [...] respect of other Diseases; and wh [...] it doth, which no other Disease [...] can, which all other Diseases cann [...] do.

Compare it first with the Agu [...] the Ague onely weakens a Man; [...] seldome kills a Man; but the Plague that weakens and kils both, seldo [...] any Man dies of the Ague; an [...] therefore is the Proue [...]be become [...] truth, An Ague is Physicke, if in the Spring, for the King; seldome an [...] Man recovers of the Plague; som [...] do, but they are but some; and pray God deliver us from that ha­zard.

Compare it secondly with the Feaver; the Feaver distracts some times, and sometimes destroies; but [Page 25]it is but sometimes: but the Plague often distracts, and oftner destroies; few it leaves undistract­ed, few it leaves undestroyed; few it does, and they are but few. I pray God we may never trie it.

Compare it thirdly with the Plu­risie, That is but Membranae in­flamatio intrinsecus latera & costas succingentis, a paine in the side, an [...]nflāmation of the Liver, and blood­ [...]etting lets it out: But the Plague, that is, Totius inflamatio, inferius pe­des, superius caput, interius Cor, Exterius corpus succingentis, an in­flammation of the whole, and a paine all over; a paine in the head above, and a paine below in the Feete; a paine within in the heart, and a paine without, all the body over; and bleeding, and purging, and Sweating will all hardly helpe us. I pray God helpe us so, that we need no such helpe.

Compare it fourthly with the E­pilepsie, the Falling-sicknesse, they that are troubled with those Con­vulsions, fall downe, and rise again [...] but they that fal down of the plague seldome rise againe: that wee may not fall, or if we do fall, that wee may rise again, God deliver us from the Plague.

Compare it lastly with the Lepro­sie, and of all Diseases, it is most like that; and yet the Leprosie was never so as this. Like it it is, for as the Leprosie might not bee pronoun­ced, till the white Scab, or some other Symptome appeared: So, till the Soare arises, or the Spots ap­peare in the Body, no Body can say, any Man is infected with the Plague. Like it it is, for as the Leper was, so the Man infected with the Plague is shut up, and shut ou [...] from the Congregation. Cyrill. lib. 2. De Adv. Like it, i [...] is, for as Lepra est morbus adeo gra­vis, [Page 27]ut medicorum vim superet & Scientiaem. The Leprosie is such a Disease, that no Doctor can meete it, either by his Extractions, or his Instructions. Gravior, sayth the Fa­ther, quàm ut a Medicis ei succurri possit, aut illorum peritia expugnari: Such a strange Disease, that it with­stands the Physitians Science and his Ingredients: So I wonder, what Galen, what Doctor can cure the Plague! let him that can do it, Dic bone Damaetas, & eris mihi magnue Apollo: Hee that can, shall win the golden Fleece.

Like it though it be, yet it is a great deale worse; for the Priest might go to the Leper: Might? nay he was bound to it; but no Priest is bound to goe to a Man sicke of the Plague, not bound by any Law of Man or God. So fearefull a thing is the Plague comparatively; but it is a more fearefull thing effectually; [Page 28]For it brings with it the two grea­test punishments this World can in­flict. It brings with it an Outlawrie [...] and it brings with it an excommuni­cation. An outlawrie is the greate [...] punishment in the common Law and an excommunication is the greatest punishment in the civil law, and the plague does both. I [...] excommunicates us, and it out-law [...] ­ries us too: It out-lawes us from all workes of civilitie in the Com­mon-wealth, and we cannot goe a­bout our lawfull callings: and it ex­communicates us from all worke of pietie in the Church, and we [...] may not goe to publicke prayers. No body will goe to visite them not, or very hardly, the Physitian [...] They may not goe to visite any bo­dy, not the Divine. Their doore [...] are shut up, the red Crosse upon their doores, to bid us stand farther off, and over their doores, Lord [Page 29]have mercy upon us. And I pray God have mercy upon them that are infected, and howsoever hee deale with their bodies, save their [...]oules: and I pray God have mer­ [...]ie upon us, that we may not be in­ [...]ected: not in our bodies with the plague, nor in our soules with sinne; but deliver us through Iesus Christ, Amen.

You see the Quid est, what it is, Applic. 2. what the plague is; I must propose upon this Quaere, another Quomo­do, for the application of it: for be­ing a thing so fearfull, I make no question, but they that are infected, would willingly bee restored; and they that are not yet infected, would willingly bee so preserved: How then first, may they that are infected, be restored? The Physi­cians prescribe Bleeding, Purging, Sweating; so I entreate you to Bleed, to Purge, to Sweat: to bleed [Page 30]by Confession, to Purge by Contri­tion, to Sweat by Restitution. Za­cheus heard of no Salvation, vntil [...] hee had made Restitution. If there bee any accursed thing in your hands, as the Babylonish garment, o [...] Wedge of Gold in the hands of A [...] ­chan, restore it, that the plague may be stayed, that God my have glory and your selves health.

King David heard of no Transtu­lit peccata Deus, 2 Sam. 12.13. the Lord hath ta­ken away thy sinne, till he had con­fessed, and sayd, Peccavi, I have sinned. If there bee any sinne lies heavie upon your soule, if any sinne that in your conscience hath provo­ked God to this displeasure. If any rich man amongst you all, have ta­ken away the poore mans lambe; i [...] any Vsurer, or Bro [...]er, hath taken the poore mans bed to pawne, upon which he should lye, and for want of which he lyes in straw, or upon [Page 31]the hard boords, or the poore mans cloathes which hee should weare, or for want of which hee goes na­ked, or in such ragges that he is asha­med to come to Church, confesse it, for peccatum est, it is a sinne, and restore too: for, Non remittitur peccatum, nisi restituatur ablatum, no hope of remission without resti­tution: never thinke to be forgiven by God, till thou hast restored to man. No hope to bee delivered from the pestilence, till this accom­plishment of repentance. Make confession of your enormous sinnes to the Priest, that he may ease you, and make restitution of your ill got­ten goods to the true owner, that he may pray for you, and then, and not till then, it is to be feared, will God have mercy upon you, and de­liver you from the plague.

Nor did the Publican heare of any Iustification, until he had purged [Page 32]by Contrition: No, Abiit justifiae­tus, dones venit mortificatus; Hee went away justified, but first he came mort [...]ed. He smote his breast, and begged for mercy, and cryed aloud, Lord be mercifull to me a sinner, Luke 18. be­fore God in mercie did put away his sinnes. And so doe you, smite your breasts, breake your hearts, bruise your spirits, and write upon the posts of your soules, with the earnestnesse of your desires, Mise­rere, that God may have mercy up­on you, and open your doores, and bring you into the open gates of Si­on, to sing praises to the Lord. Goe with the Leper, and say, Domine, si vis, Matth. 8. potes, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me cleane; and ten to one if hee doe not make thee cleane. Goe thou that art out-lawed, and take out a writ of Reversation, and unfile the outlawrie. Goe thou that art excommunicated, and appeale: [Page 33]appeale from God to God: from Gods wrath, to Gods mercie; from God offended, to God appeased, [...]nd say with them, We have sinned, Iudg. 10.15. we know not what to doe; deliver us his day, we beseech thee, and he will; or if not restore you, yet he will do [...]hat which is better for you, if you [...]ave faith, and present you to him­ [...]elfe a glorious body, through Iesus [...]hrist.

But Quomodo. 2. How may wee [...]e preserved? How may wee that [...]re not yet infected, bee kept still from infection? How? why thus; [...]y Abstinence, and Patience, and Charitie, and Zeale: the Abstinence of David, the Patience of Iob, the Charitie of Cornelius, and the Zeale of S. Peter.

If sinnes that you have long'd for, your neighbours wife, your neigh­bours house, or what else soever, be brought home to your doore, as [Page 34]the water that David long'd for, was brought to his cave; yet doe as he did: and what did hee? Marrie, hee powred the water upon the ground, when hee had weighed his folly, 2 Sam. 23.17. and sayd, God forbid that I should drinke this water: Is not this the blood of these men? So doe you; though you have playd the fooles, and long'd for a cup of Drunken­nesse, to please your palate; or a kisse of Vncleannesse, to please your flesh; yet now, before you drinke that cup, or touch this woman, con­sider your folly, and powre them upon the ground, and say, God for­bid I should commit these sinnes: will they not damne my soule? Did not Iesus Christ suffer death for them?

If goods that you have gotten honestly, bee lost by theeves; if children that you have brought up carefully, and prayd for fervently, bee destroyed by fire; if the body [Page 35]that you have kept temperately, be blained with plague sores: yet, as Iob did, so do you; rent your hearts, and say, Deus dedit, & abstulit Deus, Iob. 1. [...]1. benedictum nomen Dei. God hath gi­ven, and God hath taken, blessed bee the name of God.

If the poore bee about you, your neighbours; or under your charge, the pensioners, let them not lan­guish at home, nor starve in your streets; but give almes as the Cen­turion did, Act. 10.4. that God may respect you. It is no Poperie, I assure you, to say, That God respects men for their charitie.

If any Magus shall offer you mo­ney for Res sanctas, or Res sacras, for the holy things of God, or the holy things of the Church, answer him with zeale and indignation, as Saint Peter did, Acts. 8.20 Pereat tecum pe­cuniatua, Thy money perish with thee.

When you have done all, keepe a constant fire of Devotion, to puri­fie your hearts, that no corruption may come in by the windows o [...] your eyes; and perfume your ap­parrell with the righteousnesse o [...] Imputation, that the infection mis­take you not; and pray, pray with the Church, From plague and pesti­lence good Lord deliver us: and pray with the Church againe, O Almigh­ty God, which in thy wrath in the time of King David, didst slay with the Plague, &c.

For who else can? 3 ^a 1 ^ae, Ʋnde? The Au­thor. who can re­move the Plague, but he that sends the Plague? and who is that but God? If you looke upon it as prae­mium, or meritum; a wages, or a me­rit, so my sinne, so your sinne is the cause of it; Causa deficiens: but if you looke upon it as it is Paena, or Correctio, a punishment, or a cha­stisement, so God is the cause of it, [Page 37] Causa efficiens: So the Prophet Micah points to God; Mica. 6.13 I will make thee sicke, I: and so does the Pro­phet Moses too; Num. 16.46. Wrath is gone out from the Lord, and the plague is be­gun: And so does the Prophet A­mos too; Is there any evill in the Ci­ty, and the Lord hath not done it? Amos 3.6 that is, any evill of punishment, not of sinne; for God is not the Author of any sinne, though he be the Au­thor of all punishment. Not any punishment, not any mercy; but wee may discerne in it Digitum Dei, The hand of God, and so sayes David; Storme, haile, tempest; they are all his Ministers to fulfill his Will: and so sayes God himselfe of this parti­cular, If I send a pestilence; If I.

And the very word it selfe speaks no lesse, Plague; it is Verbum aspe­rum, A killing word, the plague is: but it is the Lord that kills, sayes Moses, and it is therefore called [Page 38] [...], To kill, to kill as [...] were with the sword; but it is th [...] Sword of the Lord, no hand ca [...] weild this Sword, but the hand o [...] the Lord: 2 Sam. 24.14. And therefore it is cal­led sometimes the hand of the Lord because in this punishment the Lord shews his power after a wonderful [...] and fearefull manner: somtimes it is called an Arrow; Psal. 91.6. The Arrow that flies by day: But no Bow can shoote this Arrow, but Gods: An Arrow it is, for the suddainnesse of it; and an Arrow it is, for the swiftnesse of it; it brings a suddaine destruction; for it creeps not as doe other Disea­ses, by little, and little; but it pier­ces suddainly, and it flyes with speed too, thorow a whole City, o­ver a whole Countrey, even from Dan to Beersheba; and who can shoote so suddainly, or so swiftly, but God?

And therefore take you heed of [Page 39]that fearefull curse and imprecati­on which is too rife in your mouths, [...] your servant doe but anger you; [...]our servant did I say? if your Childe that comes out of your [...]ines; nay, if your Wife doe but displease you, by and by you say, what doe you say? that which I [...]m afraid to thinke of; but you say [...]; The plague, the plague of God light upon you: You see how God hath heard, not your prayers, but your sins; and now you pray with all your soules, Good Lord deliver us from plague and pestilence.

But In quos? 4a, 1ae, In quos. A­mongst whom. Amongst whom is the plague? for the plague being a thing so fearefull, and God, a God so gracious, surely he sends it not, but In hostes, Amongst his enemies, if any; Does he? man indeed would doe so; He will love his friends, and plague his enemies, but Gods waies are not like Mans; Hee loves his e­nemies, [Page 40]and punisheth his friends [...] for his enemies, hee will not love them so well, as to bee angry with them; and that is the worst God does to any man in this world [...] when hee does not love them so well, as to be angry with them. Th [...] Israelites were in a good case, so long as God whipped them; but when [...] came to Auferam zelum, I will take away my iealousie, Ezech. 16.42. and be no more an­gry; by and by Loammi followed They were none of Gods people. A sure mark, They are Gods enemies, he wi [...] not frowne upon.

But if it be not, in hostes, amongst his enemies, that God sends a plague [...] yet in peregrinos, is it not? If not a­mongst his enemies, that hee hates, yet amongst strangers, that he cares not for. Man indeed would doe so; if he cannot spit his venom [...] upon his enemies, yet he will never doe it upon his acquaintance: but [Page 41]if upon any, upon them he knows not: But Gods wayes are not like Mans; for strangers that will not know him, hee will suffer them to runne on in their course; but for his acquaintance, hee will visite them, sometimes with plague and pesti­lence; so he dealt with David, so with Iob; two men, his nearest Ac­quaintance, and dearest Favorites of all men upon the face of the Earth.

It is not In hostes, amongst my ene­mies; it is not In peregrinos, amongst strangers; nor yet In vulgus, amongst the common people; no, none of these; but it is In populos, and In me­o [...], My people; If I send a pestilence amongst my people.

So sure are they, they that are his people, above all men in the world, of Rods: The Father whips his owne Childe, not his Neigh­bours, or a strangers: Nor doth [Page 42] God whip another people, but his owne; they come in no misfortune like other folke; so King David speakes of the wicked: They have children at their desire, and leave the rest of their substance for their babes: but the troubles of the Righ­teous, they are many. All crosses, and amongst them, the Plague, tell us, we are children; and somewhat more, they tell us, we are sonnes of Age, sonnes growne to some strength and ripenesse; for Babes, and Infants are too weake for the yoake. Prov. 3.11 12. My sonne therefore sayes Solomon, that is God by Solomon, de­spise not the chastisement of the Lord, neither faint when thou art rebuked of him: for the Lord correcteth every one that he loveth, as a Father doth his sonne, whom he receiveth.

The Comick said as much, when he sayd, Castigo te non quòd odio ha­beam, sed quòd amem: Why doth [Page 43]the Master whip his Scholler? Be­cause he hates him? No, because he loves him. Does God send a plague amongst us, because we are not? No, because wee are his people.

I draw this to a period; but the period of this I must speake to you in teares & comfort: in the teares of sorrow, & in the words of comfort.

But first, in teares: For though God doth send a plague amongst his people; Applica­tion. yet he doth not send a plague amongst his people with de-delight: because amongst his peo­ple, therefore you that live, must take heed how you censure them that dye: for the plague, to dye of the plague, is no evidence of repro­bation. No, it is the mad zeale of some foolish people to say so: were it so, King David would never have desired God to set his hand, his hand of plague against him, if hee [Page 44]must have gone to hell for it: but yet it is an evidence of wrath, and therefore you must take heed of se­curitie; God takes no pleasure in our smarting: No, hee would wil­lingly lay aside his blowes, if words would serve. If: if he does send a plague, it comes hardly from him. He would faine lay aside this sharpe plough, but hee cannot otherwise breake up the fallow ground of our hearts. Faine would hee lay aside these hammers, but hee cannot by the instrument of words, beate un­derstanding into our braines. Such stout and stubborne Schollers are we growne, that no School-master will fit us, but this severe and swin­ging one. God deales with us by these foule, because we will not be overcome by faire meanes. Oh God, thou doest not willingly plague us, but the strength of our corruptions necessarily enforce [Page 45]thee thereunto; which will not otherwise bee subdued. So Phy­sitians and Chyrurgeons are con­strained to cut, and launce, and burne, when milder remedies will not prevaile. When God did first lift up his hand against us in this plague, me thoughts, hee pulled it backe againe, as if he were loath to doe it; yet, sayes he, I wil give them a testimonie, that they are my people, it may bee, they will repent and cry. Thats the first. It desires your Teares to be waile the hardnesse of your hearts, though you are his people; because, If he sends a plague.

But secondly, though you cry, be­cause the plague is amongst you for the hardnesse of your hearts; yet, despaire not: for the very plague sent by God, testifies that you are his people. Never despaire, till God leave you to your selfe; when he does not love you so much as to [Page 46]afflict you. When God gives you not so much peace as to trouble you, then you may despaire. But if you have trouble and sicknesse, though that sicknesse be the plague, and sent, despaire not; for you are yet his people. So long as God punishes you, hee gives you phy­sicke: If he draw his knife, it is but to prune you; you are his vine. If he draw bloud, it is but to rectifie a distempered veine; you are his pa­tient. If he breake your bones, it is but to set them staighter. If hee bruise you in mortar, it is but that you may breathe up a sweet savour into his nostrills; you are his handy worke: and if one hand be under you, let him lay the other as heavy as hee pleases upon you: let him handle you which way hee will, if hee does not throw you out of his hands, it is no matter. If GOD frownes upon you, his threatnings [Page 47]are hopefull: But if God looke not upon you at all; then, oh then; you are gone. If he pursue you, you are well; but if hee have left you to you to your selves: then, oh then, farewell: but so long as God stu­dies your recoverie, you are well. Vox est animi non habentis in promp­tu quid statuat, & desperantis salu­tem. When God hath tried all meanes to reduce you, and failed in all, and then leaves you to your owne desperate wayes; then, oh then, thou art gone. It is the worst that ever God did say, Ezech. 16.42. Auferam ze­lum. This is Gods greatest anger, when hee will not let us know that hee is angry. Ier. 6.30. Refuse silver shall men call thee, because the Lord hath re­jected thee. Cain cryes out, Gen. 4. My sin is greater than can be forgiven. But why does Cain cry out so? Because I shall be hid from thy presence. Cain grew desperate, not because God [Page 48]looked not graciously upon him; but because God would not looke upon him at all.

See then, if God looke upon you any way, though with frownes in his brow, rod in his hand, menaces in his mouth, plague-sores upon your bodies; submit unto him, and repent, and turne from your evill wayes, and God shall not onely turne from the evill which hee hath brought upon you, but your trem­bling soule also shall no sooner cry out, Why am I thus visited with the plaguē? but your faith shall make a sweet reply from this Text, There­fore hath God sent a pestilence to as­sure us wee are his people, if wee will humble our selves.

That's the ad quod, 5 ^a 1 ^ae, Ad quod, The end. the end why we are plagued; To put an end to our sinnes. But this end of the sicknesse, is the beginning of the cure; and therefore I say no more of it, but [Page 49] Blessed be the name of God for cala­mitous dayes; praised be the Name of God, even for the plague, since by this bee calles us to repentance, and writes upon our doores, Lord have mercie upon us; And do thou, O God, in mer­cie looke upon us, and send such a bles­sing with this punishmēt of plague, as that we may humble our selves, and pray, and seeke thy face, and turne from our wicked wayes, that thou also mayest heare us, and for­give us, and heale our land through Iesus Christ. Amen.

THE words are, as I told you, Pars. 2 ^a. the Cure of the Disease: In the compo­sition there are foure simples, and seuerall ingredients, [Page 51]and they are foure dosses of Pills: The first is a preparing Pill: It pre­prepares us to receive of God, and prepares God to giue us Exaltati­on, If we humble our selves, hee will heare in Heauen: and it is a great Exaltation that God in heaven, should heare us vpon earth. The second is an opening Pill, it opens our lippes to pray, and opens Gods eares to heare our prayers: If my people pray, I will heare. The third is a purging Pill; it purges us of sinne, and God of wrath; If my people turne from their wicked wayes, I will for­give their sinne. The fourth is an healing Pill; 1 ^a, 2 ^ae. if my people seeke my face, I will heale their Land. I be­gin first with the 1. the preparing Pill, Humility; and in this I shall with Gods leave, sh [...]w you first, Quid est: and secondly, Quid effi­cit: First, what Humility is; and se­condly, what Humility does: And [Page 52]first, Quid est? What is it?

Humility is the first Ingredien [...] that cures the plague, for pr de is the first sinne that brought the plague, and all other Judgements into the world: Gen. 3. Eritis sicut Dij, To be like God: Oh, it tickled Adam to the heart, and therefore he made him­selfe unlike a man, hee made him­selfe like to the beasts that perish: In forma servi, Philip. 2.7 To be like a servant, this rejoyced Christ at the heart; and for this cause hath God exalted him with a name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow.

There is a Ladder of seven steps, by which wee goe downe to Hell, and the first of those steps is pride; pride hath got the first place of the seven deadly sinnes; and there is a Ladder of eight steps, by which we goe up to Heaven: And marke that, seven to goe downe, and eight to [Page 53]goe up, for facilis descensus Aver­ [...]i, sed revocare, &c. We easier, and with lesse paines goe to Hell downe-wards, than to Heaven upwards: but seven steps downe to Hell, eight up to Heaven; and the first of those eight is Humility; Humility hath the first place of all Gods graces, so Cromatius.

The eight Beatitudes are like Ia­cobs Ladder, that reach from Earth to Heaven, and the very first step, as the foundation of the rest, is Humi­lity; so Christ begins the Sermon of his Blessings: Blessed are the poore in spirit; blessed are the humble; Matth. 5. for humility is a poverty in spirit: that's the Quid est, and Definition of it. 1 ^a 1 ^ae, 3 ^ae. What is Humility.

If any one askes you, what humi­lity is, you answer him truely, if you say, It is a poverty in spirit; and as poore men are in their attire rag­ged, in their dyet course, and hun­gry, in their speech lowly, and re­verent: [Page 54]so Humility hath a lean [...] body; it keeps the body under, an [...] many times empty; a freeze coate [...] a coate of sackcloth, and covering of ashes; and a submisse language, [...] ever speaking in a low stile, and phrase. Looke else upon the Cen­turion for the speech of humility; he hath an high conceit of God, and a low conceit of himselfe: looke [...] else upon King David for the die [...] of humility; hee will neither eate, nor drinke: looke else upon the King of Niniveh, for the dresse and garments of humility; he will have no gay clothes in a time of destru­ction upon his grey heart: The Cen­turion speaks the voyce of humility, King David cookes the diet of hu­mility, the King of Nineveh cloths the back of humility, and they all act the gesture of humility upon their knees.

1. And first, what sayes the Cen­turion [Page 55]for the voice of Humility? Humilities voyce. Math. 8.8. what but this? Lord, I am not wor­thy thou shouldst come under the roofe [...]f mine house: Non sum dignus, I am not worthy, is evermore Humilities [...]anguage: Non sum dignus, I am not worthy, saies Iacob, not worthy of what? de maximis of Gods Rega­ [...]ioes; Gen. 32 10. it may bee so, very likely: no de minimis; I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies: Non sum dig­nus, saies St. Iohn Baptist. I am not worthy; no not to carry Christ up­on his shoulders, as it is reported of St. Christopher: not so; but Non sum dignus calceamenta portare: Mat. 3.11. I am not worthy to unty his shooe­strings; a poore office wee would thinke: Non sum dignus saies Daniel, Dan. 9.7. We are not worthy of any thing but confusion. Quis ego? saies Gideon, that mighty man of valour: Who am I that I should save Israel? Jud. 6.15. behold my family is poore in Manasseh, and I [Page 56]am the least in my fathers honse: I am not worthy to doe it. I? Qui [...] ego ut alloquar? saies Abraham the Father of the Faithfull. Who am I, Gen. 18.17. that I should speake unto the Lord? I am not worthy, I.

So low a value does the humble man ever set upon himselfe, that no man lower: proud men take it well if wee humble our selves lower than is cause: so Iacob the Patriarch pleased his proud brother Esau with saying, Thy servant: and does not God take such submisse extenuati­ons of our selves very well? I am a worme and no man, saies David: and God made David a King, and no subiect, I am more foolish than a man, and have not the understan­ding of a man in me; and God made him wiser than his enemies. Who did ever bragge to God, even with­in the compasse of his desert, and was accepted? we may be too low­ly [Page 57]in our dealings with men, with God we cannot: the lower we fall, the higher he raises us: so it was with Naomi: ô call mee no more Naomi, quoth she, but Marah; no more Beau­ty, but Bitternesse; and God made her the Grandmother of David: But now, how many be there, that set faces upon want, and in the bitternesse of their condition affect the name of Beauty? Are there not too many in this age, that care more to seeme, than to be good?

But a good Christian hates this Hypocrisie, and those whom God hath humbled, and those who hum­ble themselves before God, care not to be respected of men: Good men thinke it not dainty, if the world thinke them filthy; but are commonly the first proclaimers of their owne unworthinesse: the Pha­risie coms with Gratias in his mouth. Luk. 18.11.1 [...] I thank thee oh God that I am not as [Page 58]other men are; but the Publican thinkes not himselfe worthy to lift up his eyes to Heaven: such a voluntary dejectednesse shall you ever finde in the humble: they humble themselves, though not humbled by God; but if humbled by God, then much more humble: whereas the wicked, though hum­bled by God, yet will not be hum­ble; such were Pharaoh, Herod, and Iulian, Exod. 5.2. and such I feare, there are many now. Who is God, that I should let the people goe? sayes Pha­raoh: What is the Plague, these foolish preachers speake of? say some wicked men now, that I should forsake my sinnes? vicisti Galilee, saies Iulian in scorne and contempt to Christ: Thou hast over­come me, thou Carpenters sonne of Galilee, but for all that I will not [...]oope to thee; and so doth many a sonne of Belial say now: There is a [Page 59]Plague amongst us, and destroies many, but for all that I will not yeeld yet.

And for all this, I trust there are some Godfrees too, who in the top of his honour refused to bee crow­ned with a Crowne of Gold at Ie­rusalem, because Christ was there crowned with a Crown of thornes: some Aurelius's of whom St. Cy­prian writes: Ep. 3 4. In quantum gloria sub­limis in tantum verecundia humilis at dū nihil in honore sublimius, nihil in humilitate submissius, as humble as the lowest in their places of high­est honours: Some St. Austens, Li. 13. cum Falci Ma­nich. who acknowledged himselfe the least, when indeed hee was the best Bi­shop of his time: Some Davids, that are humbled in their owne heart; now they are humbled under Gods hands by the Plague: And I pray God make us all so humble, that he may take off this heavy hand; to [Page 60]seeke him early, now hee slayes us; to confesse our selves worthily pu­nished for our former sinnes, that we may be partakers of his future mercies, Health and Happinesse: Health here, and Happinesse here­after, a continued preservation from the plague, and eternall deli­verance from hell, through Iesus Christ. Amen.

But I must intreate you to testifie your humilitie not onely by your tongue, but also by your backe; ei­ther like Iob, Ioh. 42.6. I abhorre my selfe in dust and ashes, or like the Ninivites, Let Man and Beast put on sack-cloth. Iona. 3.8.

Some there bee that say, Humilities cloathes. and say truely, that Humilitie confists not in the out-side, but the in-side; and Beggars may bee as proud with ragges, as Gentlemen with robes. Nor are the rich denyed, or dissal­lowed by any wise man, such vesti­ments as are fit for their callings, [Page 61]and their estate and substance will beare. And yet for all this, in times of mourning, it wants not proofe, that the Back should testifie the hu­militie of the Heart so well as the tongue. So when the approach of Holofernes was feared, Iudith 4.9.10. every one cryed to God with great fervencie, and their soules were greatly affli­cted, and they, and their wives and children, and their cattell, and eve­ry stranger, and hireling, and their bought servants, put on sack-cloth upon their loynes. So Achaeb, when he heard of evill upon him­selfe, and his posteritie, 1 Reg. 21.27. Hee rent his cloathes, and put sack-cloth upon his flesh.

Never did grey heart delight in gay cloathes; humility is as well content with base freeze, as the proudest gallant with his Silke and Tissue. But I forbeare to speak of the attire of Humilitie: for I be­lieve, [Page 62]if I should spend a whole Ser­mon, as the Prophet Isaiah spent al­most a whole Chapter, and tell the proud Dames of England, That the Lord will make them bald, Isa. 3.17. and take away the ornament of the slippers, and the Cawle, and the round tyres of the head, and the head bands, and the rest there named? I should bee an­swered, That this as the fashion of the time; or, it may be, laughed at for a foole. I am content, but not satisfied: for it is verily imagined, that the raritie, and superfluitie of such strange dresses, are abhomina­tion unto God, as if we might fol­low the times; yet in a time of mourning, such as the plague is, a modest dresse fits with an humble heart. Howsoever, I shall turn the Prophets reproofe into a wish, vers. 24. That God in stead of sweet savour, may not give you a stinke; and in stead of a Girdle, a Rent; and in stead of dres­sing [Page 63]the haire, baldnesse; and in stead of a Stomacher, a girding of Sack­cloth; and burning in stead of beauty. Surely, when God clothes our bodies, as hee did Iobs, with Byles and Plague-sores, wee should then testifie our humilitie, even in our cloathes. Howsoever our cloathes be without, I pray God our cloathes within bee black and white; Blacke with Sorrow, and white with Puri­tie, that hee seeing our repentance for our sinnes, may also repent of this plague, and cloath us with those white raiments which they weare that follow the Lambe whi­thersoever he goeth. Amen.

And so from the Dresse, I passe to the Dyet of Humility, which is al­wayes spare and thin; either like that of Daniel, Water and pulse; Dan. 1.12. or that of David, when hee [...]ourned for his childe, Hee would not eate: 2 Sam. 12.17.

A Doctrine it is, This, That Pa­pists [Page 64]ascribe too much to, the Schis­maticke too little to. They make it an immediate matter of Religion, These no matter of Religion at all: They superstitiously observe it; These scrupulously decline it.

Such an act of Religion it is not, as wherein principally wee worship God, Rom. 14. [...] For the kingdome of God con­sists not in meate and drinke. sayes Mr. Paul, Et qui Deum per ventrem colit, propè est us Deum ventrem ha­heat, sayes Tertullian, Hee that wor­ships God by his belly, is not farre from making his belly his God. And yet for all that, it is a religious worke; else why did God command it, saying by his Prophet, [...] 2.15. Proclaime a fast.

This Fast is either corporall, in abstaining from meat; or spirituall, in restraining the affections from sinne. The corporall is not alwayes commanded by the State, nor doe I meddle with it; the spiritnall is [Page 65]evermore commanded by God, e­specially in time of Plague, and Fa­mine, and Warre. And this from God I beseech you to observe, Let your wanton eyes fast this time of wee­ping, from the sight of vanity; Let your curious eares fast this time of mourning, from idle rumours, and un­savourie talk; Let your glibbe tongues fast this time of feare from evil spea­king.

But what need I presse you to this? The time presses you enough; for let but your eyes imagine, they see their eyes, who are shut up by the plague, watering and washing their bed, bedewing their cheekes; and then your eyes will have little list to roave upon forbidden flesh. Againe, by as strong a phansie, let your eares imagine they heare their dolefull complaints, O Lord, thou hast justly restrained me of my liber­ty, for I have abused my liberty. I am [Page 66]worthily deprived of health. These soares are deservedly upon my body: for I have infected my soule more than once, and often: And then your cares will have little desire after newes and vanitie. And with your tongues speake what they speake; How long, Lord, how long shall thy iealousie burne like fire? for ever? O when shall I come into thy house? O forgive my sinnes, that brought this plague. O remove this plague, the iust scourge of my sinnes; and I believe your tongues will not easily lye and sweare, or talke idly.

In a word, let your polluted soules fast, and deny their owne wills, to doe Gods; so diet your bodies, that you may fat your soules; so feed your bodies, so fat your soules, that your Humility may have her perfect worke, and that brings me to my second consi­deration.

Quid efficit, What it doth: what doth humility? Exaltat, it exalts: 2 ^a1 ^ae, 2 ^ae. what doez Humility. Humilitas est Schola, & scala coeli: He that desires to build high, and seeke those things which are above, must lay his foundation low; for humblenesse of mind is the Schoole teaching, and the Scale reaching Heaven: so he, and so the Poet, Quo minor est quisquis, maximus, &c. He that is least in his owne conceit, Prov. 18.12. is highest in Gods; so the Prophet, Before honour is humility: and so the Apostle, Iam. 46. God giveth grace to the humble. Pride is the beginning of sinne, and Humility is the A, B, C, of our Christian Ethicks; and there­fore sayes the Apostle againe, Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God, that he may lift you up. Iam. 4.10. Humility mounts the soule that uses it, to Heaven; Pride keeps us downe, for it is a plague. The plague is Tumor in corpore, and so [Page 68] pride is Tumor in mente; That a swel­ling in the body, this in the soule. [...] the plague be exalted, and become Macula in corpore, Tokens in the bo­dy, then the body dyes: so, if prid [...] be exalted, and become Macula in anima, Spots in the soule, then the soule dyes. And yet it is observed by some, that though the Tokens doe appeare, yet lying upon the earth, and breathing into the earth, may possibly cure it: And so humility, the lowest, and lowly­est of all Gods graces, will cure the plague of the soule, pride.

O quantum crimen superbiae, sayes St. Ambrose, ut ei etiam adulteria praeferantur! Oh how great a sinne is the sinne of Pride, that even Adul­teries are preferred and saved before it! Noverca virtutum, mater vitio­rum, The stepmother of vertue, and the mother of vice. The stepmother of Vertue, because it hates them, as [Page 69]many women doe those children their husbands had by former wives; and the mother of Vice, be­cause there is not one vice in the world, but therein is found the con­tempt of God, and that is Pride.

Humilitati autem nihil aequale, Tom. 5. p. 171. De Humilit. sayes St. Chrysostome, haec est bono­rum mater, & radix, altrix, & oc­casio, simul & vinculum: What is comparable to humility? Humility is the mother of all Graces, the root, the nurse, the occasion, and the bond of all Graces: The mother of all Graces shee is, for she conceives them; God had respect unto the low­linesse of his Hand-maiden: Luke 1. The lowlinesse conceived a respect in God towards her. The roote shee is, for they grow upon her; if they be not upon the stocke of humility, they turne into vices: Nothing more wicked than to cleanse the Leper, than to heale the lame, than [Page 70]to raise the dead, sayes St. Chryso­stome; How? nothing more wic­ked? why, these are good workes, how then are they wicked? Why, the Father tells you, Ibid. Si sit cum inso­lentia, If it be done in arrogance, and selfe-conceite, if it be done without humility: No fire of Charity, if it be not raked up in the cindars of hu­mility; and the Nurse she is; for the Graces of God, if they suck not up­on the Breasts of humility, they waxe leane, and starve: He hath fil­led the hungry, (Humble) with good things, but the rich he hath sent emp­ty away. And the occasion of other Graces she is; when Saul sought his Fathers Asses humbly, hee found a Kingdome gloriously: when hee sought himselfe vainely, hee lost himselfe, and his Kingdome foo­lishly. And the Bond shee is; for when the other Graces of God, se­ver themselves from humility, they [Page 71]become sinnes: Luk. 1.51. God puts downe the mighty from their seate, but exalts the humble and meeke.

You see what Humility does; It exalts, I could tell you much more that it doth; for all that I could and would tell you, I tell you, it secures. Socrates secured him­selfe from death, when the Tyrant threatned him with death, saying, volo mortem I would dye: Nay, but then sayes the Tyrant, thou shalt live: why saies he, volo sive mor­tem sive vitam, I will either dye or live, as you please, and so was safe: And so is the Humble man; as the Reed answered the Oake, The Oake wonders why the stron­gest of all Trees should bee some­times Eradicated, rooted up by the Roots, and sometimes blowne downe by the winde; when the Reede, the weakest of all things, should never be hurt by the wind: [Page 72]Why, saies the Reede, thou need est not wonder at this, for thou art a proud, and inflexible piece of wood, and will not yeeld; and therefore the winde that is stron­ger than thy selfe, breakes thee; whereas, I yeeld to every winde, and so no winde hurts mee, but I am secure; so saies the Humble man: Now God hath sent a Plague, I am willing to dye, and if it please him to take it away againe, I am willing to live: If I live; saies he, I will live to thy glory in newnesse of life, and ascribe it to thy mercy, if this destroying Angel passe over my house; and if I dye, I will dye to be glorified with thee, through Iesus Christ my Saviour: if I dye, in Heaven I will praise thee; and if I live, in Earth I will pray unto thee.

And that is my second part I am to speake of: 2 ^a, 2 ^ae. The second ingredient [Page 73]for the cure of the Plague; Prayer: It is an opening Pill, it opens out hearts to conceive, our lips to utter a Prayer; and it opens Gods eares to heare our Prayer: If my people shall pray. I will heare.

In this I shall, if God will, shew you: 1. Quid est, what Prayer is: 2. Cui, to whom we must pray: 3. Quid efficiat, what Prayer doth: And 1. Quid est, What is Prayer?

Some have defined Prayer Com­paratè, 1 ^a. 2 ^ae 2 ^a. Prayer what? and some Absolutè: They that define it by Comparison, tell us, That Prayer is the sacrifice of a Dove; that is, a Peace offering; and they that define it thus, direct us to first, Electio, the choice of a cleane one, by preparation, they meane, as the Psalmist saith, That our hearts indite a good matter: Psal. 45. and secōdly, Corpus, a Body, verba pura, viz. good words, & not to speak to God, as too many speake in this [Page 74]place to you, Non sence, by speaking Quicquid in bucc am vener it, what­soever comes next to hand: but so to speake, as God hearing, may ac­cept, and man hearing, may not pitty, if not laugh: not to comple­ment with God in uncoth language, nor yet to slight God with slovenly words, nor yet to weary God with tedious bablings, but with words well compos'd, that it be neither a leane body, nor a lame body. And thirdly Animā, A Soule: viz. Inten­tionē fixam, a fix'd intention; not to suffer our heart to roave & wander, while our lippes moove and speake, but to observe what we pray for, as we desire God to observe and grant our prayers. Wee pray of­ten, and God heares us not; and the reason is plaine, because wee heare not our selves. And fourthly, Alas, Wings, viz. Fidem, & spem; faith, & Hope; Faith, to deliver the message [Page 75]in Heaven; and Hope, to returne the answer upon earth, beleeving hee doth heare them, and hoping hee will grant them: And grant them God will, if fiftly, this Dove have plumas, and be not bare of feathers, viz. Gemitum & lachrymas, sighes, & teares. But last of all, you must be sure they have pedes, feete too, ope­ra Charitatis, Workes of Charity: And then, when GOD sees your prayers so compleate, he will, que­stionlesse hee will accept it for a peace offering. They that define Prayer absolutely, tell us, it is Ex­pressio mentis ad Deum in Nomine Iesu Christi, an expression of our desires in the Name of Iesus Christ to God.

An expression of our desires, not that words are ever necessary; for sometimes the heart may bee so o­vercharged with griefe, as that the tongue cannot speake. So we read [Page 76]of Hannah, and so of Moses; but that wee would make our tongues the Ambassadors of our hearts, when there is not a greater occasion to keepe them at home: For God made our Tongues, so well as our Hearts; and wee desire to have our Tongues in Heaven with our Hearts, and therefore must glori­fie the God of Heaven equally with our Tongues and Hearts. So the Psalmist, Psal. 45. My heart is enditing of a good matter, and my tongue is the pen of a ready writer; I will speak of the things which I have made unto the King. And so we, we must ut­ter, utter with our Tongues, what we desire with our Hearts.

But both our desire and expressi­on must bee in the Name of Iesus Christ; no promise but in him; no purchase but by him: Whatsoever you shall aske in my name, God will give it you: In nomine ejus it must [Page 77]be: for without him, we are like to have as course entertainment with God, as Ioseph promised his bre­thren, if they brought not Benja­min. By the Princes favourite, the subject obtaines the Princes favour; and by Jesus Christ, in whom, and in whom onely, God is well plea­sed, Math. 3. we obtaine whatsoever we ob­taine: and therefore as the Apostle, so I to you, Let your prayers be made knowne by him (viz. by Iesus Christ) to God.

And being made known by him, our prayers are sure of acceptance; for he hath purchased Gods favour for us, and that by a bloody rate, Hebr. 5. By his owne blood; By that hee entred into the holy place, to make interces­sion for us, this makes our Evange­licall sacrifices acceptable to God.

To God, I say: For as our pray­ers must bee offered, By; 2 ^a, 2 ^ae, 2 ^ae. and in the name of Iesus Christ, so they must [Page 78]be offered to God, and to God onely; for God onely is the Cui, the ob­ject, To whom we must pray.

Not to Patriarch, or Prophet; for no precept for that. Not to Angel or Archangell; for no promise to that. Not to the Virgine Marie, or any shee Saint; for no example of this, let Rome say what Rome can to the contrary. But this is a matter of dispute, and so disputed it hath been, that it needs no dispute here; for they are not able to reply. And besides, their owne Doctrine and Example choakes them: for their doctrine never taught to offer, their example never did offer any thanks­giving to any Saint, or Angel what­soever. And yet thankesgiving is a part, and a chiefe part, of prayer: and therefore where no thanks­giving is due, there no prayer is due. Nor the one nor the other hath any object, but God: I shall therefore [Page 79]conclude this with a prayer to God.

God grant wee may never betake our selves to any other shelter, than Vmbra altissimi, that of God; for blessed be the people that bee in such a case; yea, blessed are the people which have the Lord for their God. God make us Saints in Heaven, and give us grace never to pray to any Saint; and to pray to him so, that when wee pray, he may heare.

It is my third consideration, in Quid efficit? what does prayer? 3 ^a, 2 ^ae, 2 ^ae. And did I propose it so low, What does prayer? I should rather have pro­posed it thus, What does it not? It opens Heaven, and it shuts Heaven. 1 Reg. 18. Raine or no Raine, are at the com­mand of prayer. It defeates our E­nemies: So David overthrew the counsell of Achitophel by Prayer. 2 Sam. [...] 31. It obtaines favour with Kings: Neh, 2.4. So Nehemiah wonne grace with Ar­taxerxes [Page 80]the King, by Prayer. It o­pens Gods hands, and it shuts Gods hands: Numb. 11.2. So Moses, when God was angry, shut his hands, by Prayer. and when the people were hungry, by prayer Moser opened Gods hands to give them Manna. In a word, Prayer is, as Luther, speakes, though Hyperbolically, yet Divinely, Res omnipotentissima, an Almighty po­wer. By this, 2 Sam. 24 Psal. 106. [...]. prayer, David in his time, and Phineas in his time, stayed the Plague. As they did pray, so God give us grace to pray, and to pray so, that this plague may bee stayed, through Iesus Christ. Amen.

Many objections are made against the necessitie of prayer, and against the efficacie of prayer. I have solv'd those objections else where; The third Sermon. and all that I say here, is, If any one amongst you all misse the aime of your prayers, it is, I will lay my life on it, it is be­cause your prayers are amisse: Mend [Page 81]them, and God will heare them; heare them, and forgive your sinnes, so that you mend your selves, and turne from your wicked wayes.

It is the third thing I am to speak of, 3 ^a, 2 ^ae. and the third ingredient for the cure of the plague, Repentance is; It is a purging pill, it purges us of sin, and God of wrath. If my people turne from their wicked wayes, I will forgive their sinne. And herein I shall desire you to observe with me, 1. Qui, who are to turne, popu­lus, & populus universus, my people, and all my people. 2. Quid est, what it is to turne. That wee must take by the example of Turners. 3. A quo, from what we must turn, from our wicked wayes, from all our wicked wayes. 4. Ad quem, to whom wee must turne: for every motion hath a double terme, To God; turne to me sayth the Lord. 5 And lastly, Quid efficit, what good turning does us: [Page 82] It obtaines forgivenesse, forgivenesse of sinnes, forgivenesse of all sinnes. And when they are once forgiven, there is no feare, but with one helpe more, but the land will bee healed, and the plague removed.

Of which, may I so speake, and you so heare, and all of us so doe, Turne from our wicked wayes, that God may forgive us all our sinnes, and preserve us from the plague, and remove the plague from us, through Iesus Christ. Amen.

I begin with the first, 1 ^a, 3 ^ae, 2 ^ae. Who to turne. Qui, Who should turne; populus, & populus universus, My people, and all my peo­ple: 1. Gods people: for they that are not Gods people, either cannot, or doe not: They cannot, for want of grace; they doe not, for want of skill: They have no correction to drive them to it, they have no dire­ction to guide them in it: so unhap­py they, they that are not Gods [Page 83]people, that they have no unhappi­nes; They come in no misfortune, like other folk. So happy we, we, that are Gods people, that wee have many unhappinesses. We come into mis­fortune above all other folke; onely our mis-hap becomes a good hap; and our mis-fortune, a Fortune, a good fortune.

For when God whippes us, wee reade it in Corrigit, a Chastisement; but when God whippes them, it is in punit, a punishment. Chastise­ments are alwayes for amendment, punishments cōmonly for amerce­ments. When God does Castigare, correct his people, it is to amend them: When God does punire, pu­nish them that are not his people, it is to end them. With his people, God deales as a Father with his Childe, as a Master with his Schol­ler. And why doeth the Father [Page 84]whip his Childe? to make him bet­ter. Why the Master his Scholler [...] To make him learne his book. But with them that are not his people, God deales as a Judge with a male­factor: and why doth a Judge con­demne a Thiefe? To hang him, to hang him out of the way. Thus did God deale with the Egyptians, Hee sent them Frogges, Exod. 6. &c. and Lice, & Flies, and Grashoppers, and Murraine: and what was the end of all this? To o­verthrow them in the red Sea. But why did he send Fierie Serpents a­mongst the Israelites? Numb. 21 9. To make them looke up to the Brasen Serpent, that they might be healed. Why did he smite them at Ai? Iosh. 7.13. But to make them up, and sanctifie themselves, Why did hee suffer the Philistimes and Ammonites to oppresse them? but to make them say, We have sin­ned against thee, Iudg. 10.15. deliver us wee pray thee, this day. Why did hee send [Page 85]them Thunder and Raine in Har­vest? 1 Sam. 12.19. but to make them pray unto the Lord, and confesse the addition of their sinnes. Why a plague in King Davids dayes? 2 Sam. 24 17. but to make him con­fesse his sinnes. Why a plague now? but to make us that are his people, to turne from our wicked wayes.

Such a happinesse there is in being Gods people, for all the plague; and as Plato sayd, He thanked God, hee was a Man, and not a Beast; a Greci­an, and not a Barbarian: So we must, at least, so wee should, blesse the Name of God, that we are men, and not beasts, Christians, and not Infi­dels; his people, and not them, nor of them that are not his people: and God make us all so happy, that all of us may alwayes, especially in this time of plague, as to turne from our wicked wayes.

For it is not onely first, Populus, 2. Vniver­sus, all the people. but secondly, Populus universus; not [Page 86]onely My people, but All my people must turne: For all the people are sinners; and therefore all the peo­ple are in danger of the plague; and in more danger, because this sick­nesse is more dangerous than all o­ther sickensses, it is infectious; it is amongst us that tarry heere in the City; it may overtake them that are gone into the Countrey. I pray God it may not overtake them; I pray God remove it from amongst us: But yet it is amongst us, and for ought they know, or any man else, it may goe after them. If in King Davids dayes, it went from Dan to Beersheba; it may in our dayes goe from London, to the farthest parts of England: No way to remove it from us, no way to keepe it from them; but for them, and us, and all the people of God, To turne from our wicked wayes.

Were the sinne but private, and [Page 87]particular, and the punishment an­swerable, why then happily that particular mans turning might turne the plague out of doores. But the sinne, alas, is universall, and the punishment Epidemicall: All of us are sinners, all of us, though not happily all of us in the same de­gree, yet all of us in some degree are sinners, and most of us all in a very high degree, God have mercy upon us; and all of us are punished, some by feeling, some by fearing; some of us smart actually, all of us potentially; and therefore all of us must turne.

Nay, now I thinke on't, though the sinne were but private, and that private man had the passion of Re­pentance in respect of his owne sin, and cryed out with the Publican, God be mercifull unto me a sinner; yet notwithstanding all men should bee compassionate towards the ill case [Page 88]of others, and communicate with him in a joynt Repentance; the rea­son is, because hee is a member of the same Body. But the sinne, as I sayd before, is generall; we all say, and many of us, God mend our man­ners; doe but say so, We have erred and strayed from thy wayes like lost sheepe; and therefore all of us must participate in Repentance, and say, There is no health in us; but thou oh Lord have mercy upon us miserable offenders: For the Church is Corpus Homogeneum, and therefore Eadem est ratio partis & totius. All men are one Body, and every man is a member of that one body; and therefore the same remedy serveth both; what every man must doe in particular, all men must doe in ge­nerall.

All men are but one Body, and thus the Members are placed: The King is the Head, the Divine is [Page 89]the Heart, the Physitian is the Li­ver, the Lawyer is the Tongue, the Souldier is the Armes, the Merchant is the Lungs, the Commons are the Feete. The King rules, the Priest prayes, the Physitian feeds, the Lawyer pleads, the Souldier fights, the Merchant breaths, the Com­mons travaile: None of these can be spared, for then the Body will be imperfect; and therefore all of these, all Gods people must Turne. The King, though a King, and therefore the best of men; yet he is but a man, and therefore a sin­ner: and a Carbuncle may come up­on the Head; but I pray God, pre­serve our Head, King Charles, from plague and pestilence: The Priest, though a Bishop, and the holiest of then, yet hee is but a man, and therefore a sinner; and the poyson of the plague may possesse the Re­ligion of the Heart; but I pray God [Page 90]preserve the Heart of our Religion, and Devotion, the Clergy, from plague and pestilence. The Physi­tian, though the liveliest of men, yet he is but a man, and therefore a sinner; and the plague may by his venome stop the Fountaine of Blood; but I pray God preserve the Liver of our Body, the Physitian, from plague and pestilence. The Lawyer, though the nimblest of men, yet he is but a man, and there­fore a sinner; and the Sore may rise in the throat close by the Tongue; but I pray God preserve the Tongue of our State, the Law­yer, from plague and pestilence. The Souldier, though the strongest of men, yet hee is but a man, and therefore a sinner; and the Plague, stronger than himselfe, may breake the Armes; but I pray God pre­serve the Armes of our Kingdome, the Souldier, from plague and pesti­lence. [Page 91]The Merchant, though the richest of men, yet he is but a man, and therefore a sinner; and the plague may suffocate the Lungs; but I pray God preserve the Lungs of o [...] Kingdome, the Merchant, from the plague. The Common peo­ple is a man, and but a man, and therefore a sinner; and the plague may weaken the Feet, a Sore may rise in the Groine, but I pray God preserve the Feete of this Kingdome, the Common people, from the plague.

No way to perswade God to this, but for the Head, and the Heart; and the Liver, and the Tongue; and the Armes, and the Lungs; and the Feet, and all; all Gods people to turne from their wicked wayes. Some there be, that think themselves too good to humble themselves, and turne; and some that thinke themselves too unworthy to pray, and turne; but here is a checke for the one, and [Page 92]a comfort for the other; all my people must turne, The good man hath need, and the bad man hath leave.

Bee thou as good as King David, a man after Gods owne heart; yet K. David may fall into an adulterie, and a selfe confidence: and therefore not hee so good, but hee must turne. And indeed, how often did hee turne? Sometimes himselfe to God, and sometimes God to him, God to him by prayer, Turne not away thy face from thine annointed. And sometimes himselfe to God by re­pentance, Turne me, O God, and I shal be turned. And this is to teach good men, that when God is turned from them, or they from God, then that they by prayer should turne God to them; and they by repentance turne themselves to God, by tur­ning from their wicked wayes.

Nor none so bad neither, but hee may turne; not the Publican: and therefore Saint Matthew was cal­led, [Page 93]and Zacheus saved. Not the Thiefe; and therefore the Thiefe from the Crosse went into Para­dise. Not the Harlot, and there­fore Mary Magdalene had many sins forgiven her. Not the Persecutor, and therefore Saint Paul was con­verted. Not the Denyer, and there­fore Saint Peter wept bitterly. And I pray God give us all grace to weepe so bitterly, and to turne so truely, that God may remove the plague speedily, and send health into our houses perpe­tually, and grace into our soules eter­nally, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

This is not onely our Ministerie perswading: for you may thinke, and too many of you doe too often think too lightly of that; but it is al­so Gods Majestie commanding: and which of you dares thinke but highly of that? God commands all men every where to repent, Acts 17.30. viz. To turne. All men, deepe Polititians, [Page 94]rich Citizens, great Sinners, holy Saints, all his people, to turne.

But what is it to turne? 2 ^a, 3 ^ae, 2 ^ae. To turne, what. That's my second consideration must tell you; and I must tell it you from the ex­amples of Turners: And for these examples, I looke upon Nehemiah; he met with an uneven peece of Timber, and he turned it round. I looke upon King David, hee met with a knotty peece of Timber, and hee turned it smooth. I looke upon King Nebuchadnezzar, he met with a loftie peece of Timber, and hee turned it thin and low. I look upon Israel, she met with a rotten peece of Timber, and shee turned it into the fire. I look upon S. Peter, he met with a foule peece of Timber, and he turned it cleane and faire.

1. Nehemiah at his returne from the Captivity, Nehem. 13.3.23. found in Ierusalem an uneven peece of Timber, a mixed multitude; Jewes that had [Page 95]married wives of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab, people that spake halfe the language of the Jewes, and halfe of Ashdod, and hee rounded them: he put away all their strange wives. Sie vos, so doe you: If you have in your house a mixed multitude, goods gotten honestly, by your labour; and goods gotten dishonest­ly, by Rapine, or Theft, or Vsu­rie, or Lying: away with them, re­turne them to the true owners, that Ierusalem may be repaired, that the plague may be stayed, that your bo­dies may bee healed, that your soules may he saved.

If the affections of your soules have married strange wives, the World, or the Flesh; if you come to Church, and speake halfe the language of Canaan, and yet serve the World, or lust after the flesh; take out a divorce, that you may serve God onely, that God, who [Page 96]onely can, may repaire the breach of the people.

King David met with a knottie peece of Timber, 2 Sam. 11.4. [...] 8.13 he commits adul­terie with Bathsheba, when Ioab is besieging Rabbah, and sends for Vriah her husband to cover it; and when he would not goe home, nei­ther drunk nor sober, he dispatches him with letters, to dispaeth him of his life. And when his subtelty was found out by Nathan, hee smoothes it, 2 Sam. 12.13.30.31. and sayes plainly, and sorrowful­ly, Peccavi, I have sinned; Et tran­stulit Dominus,, And the Lord tooke away his sinne. Sic vos, so doe you. If any of you, while your tongue hath been besieging Hell by prayers, as Ioab Rabbah by weapons; and in the meane time your heart hath committed adulterie, by roaving and wandring imaginations upon your gold at home, your businesse abroad, or your neighbour in the [Page 97]Church, either by lust, or talke, as David with Bathsheba; and you have sent for your eye, the husband of your heart, to cover this wic­kednesse, by lifting up the white of it to Heaven; why then dispatch it, pull it out: and now that Nathan your Minister, hath told you on't, be sorry for it, and confesse it, and say, I have sinned, that God may forgive your sins, that your tongue may conquer Hell, that the Crown of the King thereof, Lucifer, that Crowne which hee ware when hee was in Heaven, may bee put upon your head, and all his people, his tentations, and sinnes, and plagues, may goe under the Harrowes, and Axes, and Sawes of your repen­tance: and so shall the plague bee stayed, and you saved.

3. Dan. 4.30.31.32.37. King Nebuchadnezzar met with a loftie and proud peece of Timber, Is not this great Babel that [Page 98]I have built for the house of the king­dome, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majestie? And by and by his kingdome was taken from him, and hee was driven from men, to eate grasse as Oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his haires were growne like Eagles feathers, and his nailes like birds clawes, and he confessed that Gods workes are truth, and those that walke in pride he is able to debase. Sic vos, so doe you. If any of you rich Citi­zens, that came hither with a staffe, like Iacob over Iordan, and are now become great, and have built you faire houses, Citie houses for pro­fite, and Countrey houses for plea­sure, yet walke not in the pride of your heart, say not, you have got this by the policie of your brain, or the strength of your hand; or if you have said so, as too many of you have sayd so, why then goe, [Page 99] eate grasse with the Oxen, feed hard­ly: wet your body with the dew of heaven, with thowres of ne [...]venly grace, with teares of true repen­tance: let your haires grow like Ea­gles, like Estridge feathers, to break off the Iron chaines o [...] your sinnes; and your nailes like birds clawes, to picke out the eyes of these proud tentations: Breake off your sinnes by righteousnesse, and your iniquitie by shewing mercie to the poore, that there may bee an healing of your errour, and a lengthning of your dayes, and a staying of the plague, through Ie­sus Christ. Amen.

4. Israel met with a rotten peece of Timber, coverings of graven I­mages, and ornaments of molten I­mages, and shee cast them away as a menstruous cloath. Sic vos, so do you. Isai. 30.22.23.26. If you have p [...] your crust in the graven Images of silver, or m [...]l [...]ea Images or gold; If you have wor­shipped [Page 100]your wealth, before you have your God; if you have taken more delight and paines in getting this trash, then the favour of God, why then, throw away these, be an­gry with these selfe-confidences, that God may send you seasonable weather, and give you bread, and binde up the breach of the people, and heale the stroake of your wound.

Fiftly and lastly, Saint Peter met with a foule piece of Timber, a Damosell meets him, and charges him to be Christs servant, and hee denies him: Another charges him, and hee denies him againe; and so the third time. Then Iesus lookes backe, the Cocke crowes, and hee goes out, and weeps bitterly. Sic vos, so doe you: If when you have met with a Maide, with a Woman, you have denyed Christ, and defi­led your selfe, his members. If a [Page 101]second time you have polluted his Temple, and lay with your neigh­bours wife: if a third time, you have defacced his Image, and denyed him; and belyed him, by selling his Wares at high rates, and put them off by Oaths and lyes: Why see, Ie­sus lookes backe, lookes backe with pitty, and anger both: The Cocke crowes, his Ministers call to you, doe you goe out, and turne from such wicked company, and weepe bitterly; that your Faith may not saile, that your bodies may not dye, that your Soules may not be damned; that you may live to praise God here joyfully, and in Heaven eternally.

For by turning here, God meanes a motion opposite to going on: you are in a way of sinne, that hath made away for the plague; if you goe on, you goe a wrong way still, and still the plague continues: If [Page 102]you would have the plague away, why then turne from that way; turne from it with indignation, and hate your sinnes as the Israelites did, turne from it by contrition, as Nebuchadnezzar did, and be sorry for your sinnes: Turne from it by confession, as King David did, and acknowledge your sinnes: Turne from it by Resolution, as Nehemiah did, and divorce your sins: Turne from it by compunction, as St. Peter did, and weepe for your sinnes: send up St. Peters teares to Heaven, that God may send some showers from Heaven, send up King Davids groanes to Heaven, that God may send health upon the Earth: Turne you from, that God may turne you to: They that will not turne, shall be turned; The wicked shall be turned into Hell, and all the people that for­get God. If you would have a turne to Heaven when you goe from [Page 103]hence; Then while you are here, turne from your wicked wayes.

That's the A quo, and my third consideration, 3 ^a, 3 ^ae, 2 ^ae. Frō what wee must turne. From what must wee turne? From our wicked wayes. And And here by the way, I looke upon the Metaphor, Wayes; and by wayes here is meant Manners, Courses, Con­versations, 1. Frō our wicked wayes. and the meaning is, Turn from your wicked manners, your wic­ked courses, your wicked conversati­ons. And againe, by Way is meant, not onely a course, but a setled course; not a starting, or a fit: but a constancie. Good men may start aside; as David into an adulterie, Peter into a denyall. but, Non est via eorum, It is not their way. This, and so the wicked may sometimes try the right way. Cain may stumble upon a sacrifice, and Saul upon an offering, and Caiaphas upon a pro­phesie, but it is not via eorum, they quickly take their former roade a­gaine; [Page 104]and so the whole meaning is You that are good, turn you from your wicked startings; you that are bad, turn you from your wicked courses: 2. From al our wic­ked waies. from all your wicked wayes. For not a sin, but must be repented of.

Israel was guilty of other sinnes; yet Israel could not get the victory, till Achans sinne was done away. Other sinnes there were, but Rabbah could not bee taken, till King Da­vid turned from his wicked way of adulterie. Other sinnes there were, but the plague would not be staied, till King David turned from his wicked way of selfe-confidence. Many other sinnes there are now, for which this plague is amongst us, but there are some wayes we walke in, some continued sinnes, either in­wardly or outwardly, Drunken­nesses outwardly, Hypocrisies in­wardly; Adulteries outwardly, Concupiscences inwardly; Pride [Page 105]outwardly, Ambition inwardly; Vsurie outwardly, and Avarice in­wardly. And answerably we must turne; Turne outwardly from our outward wicked wayes; and turne inwardly from our inward wicked wayes. Outwardly we must be so­ber, continent, humble, and libe­rall: and inwardly we must bee sin­cere, chaste, humble, and content. And this wee must especially doe; especially turne inwardly: for if we doe turne inwardly, we do turne outwardly. Whereas many men turne outwardly, that doe not turne inwardly. We may bee civill, yet hypocrites: we may bee chaste for the outward man, and yet adulte­rous within: wee may bee humble outwardly, as Achab was, and yet ambitious in our hearts, as Absolom was: wee may bee prodigall in the outward acts of charity, and yet co­vetous within in our desires.

And what say the Schooles of this? Our actions are so farre ver­tuous or vitious, as the will hath a hand in them. Vera bonitas & ma­litia sunt tantum in corde. True goodnes, true wickednes is onely in the heart. And God oftentimes takes not off his heavie hand, because we turne not from our wicked wayes with all our hearts. Non facta nu­merat, sed corda. Hee lookes not up­on our hands, but upon our hearts. Animae amaritudo est anima poeniten­tiae. The turning with our heart, is the heart of turning; the repentance of the soule, is the soule of repentance. And because this is all in all, I shall shew you in a word for all, whe­ther you doe turne from your wic­ked wayes with your hearts. There are two speciall rules to know it by: The first is Si in, the second is Si post.

1. Si in: if in the act of our tur­ning, [Page 107]we resolve never to have any more to do with sinne: if we throw our sins away, Hosea 14.8. as repenting Ephraim did: What have I any more to doe with Idols? Fie, Get you hence. Give me leave to aske some of you, Why doe you Vsurers call in for your money now? Because you will have no more to doe with usurie? or for feare you should loose your money in this sicknesse, and that when the sicknesse is past, you may have money to put out to use a­gaine? It is a turning this; But such a turning, that for all this, the plague may turn you into the earth, and these Reservations into Hell. I could aske the Drunkard the same question, Why does hee lay aside his pots now? Because he will ne­ver bee drunke againe? or because he feares by such quaffing, hee may inflame his blood, and get the infe­fection? and that at the fall, he may [Page 108]have his health, and fall to his Healths againe? It is a turning, this but, &c.

If you would have the plague turne from your heart, turne you from your sinnes, with all your hearts, with the resolutions and protestations of your hearts, That you will never have any more to doe with sinne. That is the first note.

2 The second, Tertul. Si post sequatur emendatio vitae, If after this resolu­tion there followes amendment, and a better life. Poenitentia sine emen­datione vitae vana, quia caret fructu cui Deus eam servit. In vain is that repentance, which is not followed with a better life; because it beares not that fruit, for which God planted it: that is, the fruits of Righteousnesse. If thou finde thy selfe after the plague, as bad as thou wast before the plague; in the plague thou hast [Page 109]repented, but so, that for all that, God will follow thee with another plague, or send thee into hell for it. The plague never kills, till it hath poysoned the heart: nor is the plague ever killed, til the heart hath poysoned it with Repentance.

From Plague and Hell good Lord deliver us all. And that wee may all be delivered thence, God give us grace to turne from all our wicked wayes with all our hearts; and assure us thereof in our holy resolutions pre­sently, and in our holy conversations futurely; that presently wee may ob­taine health, and futurely salvation, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

But being turned from our wic­ked wayes, to whom, 4 ^a, 3 ^ae, 2ae. Turne to what. or to what must we turne? Why, we must not turn, as too many wicked men in this world doe turne, from one sinne to another; not from prodigality to covetousnesse: This is to turne from [Page 110]one Divell to another; not from the extortion of pawne taking, to the oppression of usurie. This is to turn out one Divell by another: and for such a turning we may feare, That God will turne the plague of Pesti­lence into the plague of Famine, and that is worse: and turne out the plague of Famine by the plague of Warre; and that is worst of all. If you would have God turne away all these sore plagues, and leave a blessing behinde, then you must turne to him. Ioel 2.12. Turne to the Lord your God, sayes the Prophet.

Wee need not goe so farre for the example: Looke but in the former chapter upon the petition; and there it is in the 38. verse. 2 Chron. 6.38. If they returne to thee with all their heart.

And indeed, to whom else should we turne? Hee is the Lord and so onely can: He is our God, and so surely will: With the Lord is power, [Page 111]with our God is mercie. By the po­wer of the Lord hee did create us, and doth preserve us: and therefore sayes the Psalmist, Psa. 100.3. It is hee that hath made us, and not we our selves: and therefore saith the Psalmist againe, Psa. 124.2 If the Lord himselfe had not been on our side, now may Israel say, &c. And may not wee say so now? If the Lord himselfe had not been on our side, when the plague destroyes a thousand on our side, and ten thou­sand on our right hand, but that it should light upon us too? No hand can keepe it from us, but the hand of the Lord. And by the mercie of our God hee did redeeme us, doth forgive us, and will save us. He re­deemed Israel, he will save his peo­ple, sayes the Psalmist. Luk. 1.71. He hath re­deemed us from our enemies, and from the hands of all that hate us, sayes Zacharie: and sayes hee here, I will forgive their sinne.

It is my fist and last considerati­on of this part, 5 ^a 3 ^ae, 2ae what good by Tur­ning. Quid efficit, what good does this turning from our wicked wayes to God doe? Why, it obtaines forgivenesse, and here I shall shew you, God willing, first, that God onely can forgive sinnes: Secondly, that God certainly doth forgive all sinnes.

First, God onely can forgive sins; so the Iewe [...] disputed well, 1 ^a, 5ae, 3 ^ae 2 ^ae. Muk 2.20 when they sayd, Who can forgive sinnes, but God onely? Nor did Christ gaine-say it, though he sayd againe, The Son of Man hath power to forgive sins: for that was by vertue of the Union of the God-head and Man­hood into one Person; Originally it is in God, I, and onely too.

Nor is Quorum remiseritis any Barre, Ioh. 20. Whose sinnes yee forgive, they are forgiven: for the power of the Priest is but a Delegate, a ministeri­all, a dependent power; a power to [Page 113]ascertaine us, that such a thing is done Sicut in terra, sic in Coelo; As in Earth, so in Heaven: It is Primi­tive, Imperiall, and Soveraigne in God; therefore sayes the Church, O God, whose nature and property is alwayes (It will beare onely too) to have mercy, and to forgive; there­fore sayes Daniel, To thee ô Lord be­longeth mercy: Dan. 9. 2 Cor. 1.3. therefore St. Paul calls him, The Father of mercy, and God of all consolation; and so GOD proclaimes himselfe, Exod. 3 4. The Lord, the Lord God, strong, gracious, merci­full, and ready to forgive, &c. And so King David prayes, According to the multitude of thy mercies doe a­way all mine offences. Psal. 51.1.

In a word, sinne is onely directly against God, and therefore God onely can directly forgive sinne. As David therefore to his Auditory, Trust not in wrong, & robbery, nor in my childe of man, for there is no helpe [Page 114]in them: so I to you, trust not in In­dulgences, nor in Supererogations though the Churches, though the Saints; they are fallen, that you may stand upright; goe to God, but goe to God in the face of Iesu [...] Christ; for as it is Gods property to forgive, so it is his property to forgive in Christ. GOD looke [...] graciously upon none, but in the face of Iesus Christ: And then Ec [...] Agnus Dei qui tollit peccata mund [...] Behold the Lambe of God which take away the sinnes of the world. Ioh. 1.29.

And secondly, 2 ^a, 5 ^ae, 3 ^ae, 2 ^ae. as God onely ca [...] forgive sinnes: so God certainel [...] doth forgive all sinnes, all sinne [...] that men turne from, and aske for givenesse for: so Christ himself tells us, All sinues shall be forgive [...] save the blasphemy against the Ho [...] Ghost. Mark. 3.38.

Object. And shall not that sinne be forgi­ven? how then doth God forgive [Page 115]all sinnes? Solut. To answer this, you must understand what Christ there speaks of; He speaks not, De personae Spiritus, Of a sinne against the per­son of the Spirit, but Dona, Against the graces of the Spirit: No sure; for, God blesse us, which of us have not sinned against the person of the Spirit? Which of us have not resi­sted, quenched, and grieved the Spirit? I: ô God have mercy up­on us, and against the Graces of the Spirit too; yet not to death, we trust [...]n God.

For howsoever the Schooles say, The sinne against the Holy Ghost, is [...]ot a sinne of Ignorance; No, that's [...]ardonable, as St. Pauls was; be­cause a man may affect too much knowledge, as Adam did; nor yet is it a sinne of Infirmity; no, that's [...]ardonable, as St. Peters denyall was; because a man may affect too much Soveraignty, as the Angels [Page 116]did; but a sinne of Malice it is, be­cause a man cannot affect too much Love. Yet with submission, I dare not send any weake conscience to despaire for this; for which of us have not sinned, when wee have knowne sinne to be sinne, and that against the arguments and perswasi­ons of our owne Conscience; yes, against the motions of Gods Spirit [...] and what is this lesse than a sinne of Malice? and God forbid, this should bee sinne against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable.

No sure, it is not: The sinne a­gainst the Holy Ghost, that which is impardonable, is for all the world, like the mad mans sicknesse; not that it cannot be cured, but because it will not bee cured: The Glasse [...] which brings his health, he throws against the Physitians head, and fights against his owne Cure: And such is the sinne against the Holy [Page 117]Ghost; when God hath tryed all wayes, Judgments, Mercies, pro­mises, and threats; and all these are received in vaine, and the man will not repent: then, ah, then, I say no more; but as from all sinne, so from this sinne above all sinne, Good Lord deliver us. Till then, blessed bee the Name of God for it, there is no sinne against God, but may be for­given.

No sinne, though Tam multa, though Tam magna; though they be as many as Manasses's, more than the sands of the Sea; though they be as heavy as King Davids, a sore burthen, and too heavy for us to [...]eare; why yet for all this, God [...]orgave them, and why not us? surely he will forgive us, if wee will [...]oe as they did, Repent, and turne from our wicked wayes. For all this, Repentance doth, or rather intreats God to doe all this, you may bee [Page 118]sure on't, so that your Repentance be not like a Planet; sometimes i [...] Conjunction with God; some times in more, sometimes in lesse aspect; sometimes in plaine opposi­tion, for then you are not forgiven else if your Repentance be fixt, be sure on't; so that your Repentance be not like the plague: The plague takes one away, it may bee to day and then shuts up that house for Moneth; when the Moneth is ex­pired within a Weeke, and the poore soules hope for liberty, the the plague takes away another, an [...] shuts up the house for a Monet longer: So if your Repentance b [...] onely for fits, you may doubt o [...] forgivenesse; otherwise, if it be steady and constant, if you are so [...] ­ry for what is past, and resolu [...] for the time to come, and sinne [...] more, why, behold thou art ma [...] whole. All that I have to say to you [Page 119]more of this, is this, to beseech you to labour for forgivenesse: To be a sinner, Oh God, a sinner, it is the greatest plague that man ever pull'd upon his owne head; but to bee a forgiven sinner, to have our sinnes forgiven, this is a blessing of bles­sings; I, this makes a man blessed indeed: Ps. 32.1, 2. For blessed is hee whose un­ [...]ighteousnesse is forgiven, and whose sinne is covered: Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes no sinne.

Many there be that care not, so they may have the carnall desires of their hearts; but as Abraham [...]ayd to God, when hee had given him Canaan, and many a larger promise, Lord, what is all this, see­ing I goe childlesse? Gen. 15.2 So say I to them; they have children at their desire, pleasures at their command, [...]ches at their becke; but what are all these, if they want forgivenesse: Oh happy, oh peaceable forgive­nesse, [Page 120]let me be as poore as Iob, as sicke as Hezechias, as hungry as Lazarus, I care not, so I may have the forgivenesse of my sinnes.

If you once have this, you may be sure, the next thing will be, The Land will be healed, if you seeke the face of God. It is my fourth, and last part, but the time parts this, and that; for that I must rest your Deb­tor till we meete againe: In the meane time, God give us grace so the turne from our wicked wayes, that he may forgive us our sinnes through Je­sus Christ: To whom with the Holy Ghost, three persons, one God, be ascri­bed all honour and glory, now, and for­ever, Amen.

THis is the fourth, 4 ^a, 2 ^ae. and last Ingredient that cures the Plague; I call'd it the healing Pill, and so it is, and so it had need to be: For the purging Pill left some Excoria­sions; we did not so turne from our picked wayes, but there were many infirmities left, even enough to de­ [...]troy us; many bleeding sores for [Page 122]all that, even enough to drive us to despaire, if God enter into Judge­ment with us: But there is mercy with God, mercy with him to heale us; and to obtaine it, we must seeke his face. And here I shall shew, with Gods leave, and your patience, first, what it is to seeke; and secondly, what is the Face of God.

In the first of these, wee must ob­serve first, a Quando; secondly, a Quomodo, thirdly, an Vbi; and them from all, which may bee a third ge­nerall part, what all this doth; it heales our Land, or rather intreat [...] God to doe, what here he sayes, [...] will heale their Land, and first of the first, what is it to seeke.

Quaerere est actus diligentiae, 1 ^a, 4 ^ae, 2 ^ae. What it is to seeke. Rom. 3.23 to seeke proposes diligence, and supposes [...] losse; so wee are all at a bay, an [...] losse. Having sinned in Adam, w [...] are all deprived of the glory of God and so it came to passe with Adam [Page 123]as with a griping Vsurer, who ex­torting more than was due, lost all, both Principall and Interest: For Adam, by striving to know more than was allowed him, lost that knowledge which before was gran­ted him; and so became ignorant of God, and ignorant of himselfe; and what befell him, befell us. For as a man that is in the darke, cannot see any thing, no, not himselfe: so Adams brats being borne in sinne, which is the thickest darknesse, are ignorant, and cannot see either God their Creator, or themselves, his Creatures.

And hence it is, that there is a con­ [...]inuall seeking up and downe in the world; so that if a question were asked, what all men in the World [...]oe? it might bee answered in a word, Quaerunt, They seeke: some­what we want, somewhat we would have: though when we have it, wee [Page 124]are not contented with it; Multa pe­te [...]tibus desunt multa; untill we find that which is able to satisfie us, and that is God himselfe. So St. August. Ate Domine sumus, & irrequietum est cor nostrum, Lib. Con­fess. donec revertamur ad te: From thee oh Lord wee are, and we are not at quiet till wee are with thee againe. The wanton seekes to please his Flesh, the worldling seekes to fill his Purse, the profuse seekes to corrupt his manners, the Divell too, he seeks to damne our Soules; all these, and many more, runne about the street, and seeke, and are never satisfied: Onely God seeks our Conversion, and is well pleased in it. As I live saith the Lord, Ezek. 33.11. I desire not the death of a sin­ner, but rather that the sinner turn [...] from his wicked way, and live. And the godly man seekes the face of God and delights in it: Oh when shall come & appeare before the face of God sayes David?

So all men seeke, and therefore all men are lost; lost all in them­selves, because they have all lost God: Tua perditio ex to ô Israel, Thy perdition is of thy selfe oh Israel; They are all gone out of the way, they are al­together become abhominable, Rom. 3.12 there is also none that doth good, no, not one.

We are all, God helpe us, like the Woman in the Gospell, that lost her Groat; God give us the grace that she had, To light a Candle, and seeke; to light the Candle of Nature, and seeke the face of God in the booke of the Creatures, the Workes of his hands: To light the Candle of the Law, and see [...]e the face of God in the Words of his Mouth, the Bookes of Moses, and the Prophets: and to light the Candle of Grace, and to seeke the face of God in the expresse Image of his person, the Sonne of God incarnated, Iesus [Page 126]Christ. You see what it is to seeke; it is to use diligence for the recove­ry of what we have lost, and that is the face of God.

It is my second Consideration, 2 ^a. 4 ^ae. 2 ^ae, The Face of God, what. wherein I am to tell you, what is meant by the Face of God; and I conceive it necessary I should un­fold this phrase unto you; for wee cannot behold the face of GOD, and live; and how then are wee heere commanded to seeke the face of God, that wee may live, that our Land may be healed? Why that we shall know, when we know, what is meant by the Face of God, and what is here then meant by the Face of God?

1. Some by the face of God doe understand, Facies majestatis, The face of his majestie and glorie, but this in this life wee cannot enjoy; and whether wee shall throughly and perfectly enjoy it in the next, it [Page 127]is a question: For the Cherubims, as glorious and unspotted creatures as they are, cannot behold it for glorie, Isai 6.2. and therefore they doe veile their faces with their wings. In this life it is onely desireable, and wee may say with David, O when shall I come and appeare before the presence of God? Psal. 27.4. One thing have I desired of the Lord, which I will still seeke af­ter ever, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord, to behold the faire beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his ho­ly Temple. In the next life it is ad­mirable, and full of glorie.

2. Others understand, Facies Iu­stitiae, The face of his justice and judgement; But this is formidable, and full of feare; wee dare not be­hold it, we dare not: For King Da­vid, a man after Gods owne heart, did not dare; and therefore did hee so de precate it, Psa. 143.2. Enter not into judge­ment with thy servant, O Lord, for [Page 128]in thy sight shall no man living be ju­stified. So fearfull it was to him; how much more fearfull to us? For we feare and tremble now wee see but the backe parts of it, the plague. The plague, and all other judge­ments in this world, are but the backe parts of the Face of Gods judgement. His judgements in Hell are intollerable. Here we de­precate, From plague and pestilence deliver us, O Lord; if not from these, for these tall alike upon good and bad; yet from Hell, for Iesus Christ his sake. For Hell is onely for the bad, and not for the good.

Or if you you will take Iuslitia here in the fairest acception, for Righteousnesse; why even so, wee are not able to make answer to one of a thousand. Should God but ex­amine our good deeds, our Devoti­ons, and our Charities, our Fastings and our Repentances, by the exact [Page 129]rule of Righteousnesse, O God, how short should wee by them come of Heaven!

3. Others therefore by the Face of God, understand Facies Misericor­diae, The Face of Mercie. And this is it wee must seeke. The face of his Majestie strikes us dead, the Face of his Wisedome wee admire, the Face of his Iustice wee stand in awe of, the Face of his Vengeance we fly from, but the Face of his Mercie, his Mercie, This is that strong, out of which came this Sweet, and the full unfolding of Sampsons Riddle, This is that Lion out of which came this Honie-combe. I will not feare what man or Divell can doe unto mee, so long as I can seeke the Face of Gods mercie.

This is it, we are here bid to seek, and seeke it till we finde it, till we behold it, till it doeth manifest it selfe unto us.

But how may we know when we finde it? how may we know when the Face of Gods mercie doth ma­nifest it selfe unto us?

Why that we may know, if wee know how and when the Sunne doth manifest it selfe unto us. And the Sunne, you know, doth mani­fest it selfe, 1. Obscurely, 2. Plainly, and 3. Fully. The Sunne is mani­fested, 1. by Day light, that is, Ob­scurely, and this manifestation is common to all in the same clyma [...] unto which the Sunne is risen. 2. It manifests it selfe by Sun-shine, that is, Plainly, and this is not in all pla­ces where the day light is. It is 3. manifested in his full strength, that is, Perfectly, and this is onely in the Heavens, where the body is present, & no bodies enjoy it but the starres, because no other bodies can endure it but the starres; and there by they are glorious bodies. So [Page 131]God doth manifest his Face of mer­cie. 1. By the workes of his gene­tall providence to all the world, Act. 1 [...].28 In him we live, we move, and have our being. This is an obscure manife­station of himselfe, as it were, by day light; yet even this, as obscure as it is, is enough to make all men without excuse, Rom. 1.20. because hereby wee may understand His eternall power and God-head. He 2. manifests the Face of his mercie, by the peculiar workes of Grace to his Church. This is the Plaine Sunshine of his mercie: And blessed are the people that bee in such a case; Psal. 144.15. for Hee hath not dealt so with every nation, neither have the Heathen knowledge of his Lawes. The [...]est of the world, in respect of the Church, sits in darknesse, and in the hadow of death. May this face of is mercie, the Sunne of his Gospell, [...]hine bright & pure within the walles of this kingdome, till wee and our po­sterities [Page 132]after us, come to see and be­hold the third manifestation of his face in Heaven, which is the fullest manifestation that any creature is ca­pable of whether Saint or Angel, and thereby they are glorious and sancti­fied bodies.

That, that is here spoken of, is the second, and the meaning is this; seeke my face, viz. Seeke my mercy. My mercy as it is revealed unto you in the Mercy seat, and in the San­ctuarie, where the Incense Altar, and the Ark stood: the Incense Al­tar in the middle of the Sanctuarie, and the Ark in the Sanctum Sancto­rum; 1 Reg, 8.9. that in the body of the Church, this in the Quire, or the Chancell. Here stood the Arke with the Law of God in it, and the Mercy-seate upon it, which was called [...], or [...], a Propitiatorie, or a Propi­tiation, because it covered the Law, and hid it, that it might not appeare [Page 133]before God, to plead against man: and there in the Sanctuarie stood the Incense Altar, Exod. 30.10. which was sprinkled once every yeare with the blood of the Sacrifice, or the Sinne offering once every yeare, because an attonement was thereby made for the people. This was a type of Prayer, that of Iesus Christ, with whose blood, if our prayers bee sprinkled, He is the propitiation for our sinnes. 1 Ioh. 2.22.

That you may bee sure this is the meaning, you may looke upon the prayer, to which this Text is the answer. The prayer was this, If there be a pestilence, 2 Chron. 6.28.29. and the people shall pray with their hands spread to­wards this house, viz. the Temple of Solomon: that Temple was but a type, that type is long since ruined, but the truth thereof abides for e­ver, and it is this, If God sends a pe­stilence amongst us Christians, then [Page 134]we must humble our selves and pray, and turne from our wicked wayes, and seek his face by bonding our eyes to­wards the mercy seate, viz. his right hand, where Jesus Christ sits ma­king intercession for us, that our prayers may bee accepted, that our Land may be healed.

I conclude this with that of Saint Stephen, when his enemies stoned him, Act. 7.55. He looked up stedfastly into Hea­ven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, Si [...] vos, so doe you; now the plague destroyes your neighbours about you, looke you stedfastly up to Heaven, and by the light and Eye of Faith, see Iesus Christ at the right hand of God, and with faith­full prayers never leave importu­ning God, till hee have healed your Land, or saved your soules.

And one of these you shall be sure of, if not both; for marke the [Page 135]Apostles inference: Rom. 8.32 Hee hath given his Sonne for us, and will not he with him give us all things? It is as if he should have sayd, hee hath delive­red the better part, your Soules from Hell; and will not hee deliver your worse part, your Body from the plague? Hee did that by Iesus Christ, when you desired him not; and will not hee doe this for Iesus Christ his sake, when you desire him? there is no doubt to be made of it, so that we seeke him, as wee should: It is my third thing I have to doe, and here I am first to tell you, when you must seeke him.

First, there is a time we may find, 1 ^a, 1 ^ae, 4 ^ae, 2 ^ae. Seeke God, when. if we seeke; secondly, there is a time we shall finde, if wee seeke; and thirdly, there is a time, though we seeke, yet we shall not finde.

First, we may chance to finde him, if wee seeke him upon our Death-beds, and never till then. [Page 136]But it is a chance, this, and a meere chance, if wee doe; some one, or two there are amongst 10000. that have so done: but it is not safe to follow this example; hee were but a mad man, that having a long journey to goe, would leave his money behinde him, because hee hath heard of one or two that have found a purse of money in their journey: And little lesse than mad is hee, that will deferre seeking of God till his Death-bed, hoping to finde him then, because one Thiefe upon the Crosse did so: there is no certainty this way; no wisedome to trust to this.

To seeke, I told you before, is an act of diligence, we must stirre our­selves, and turne our selves this way, and that way, and every way; and enquire of every one we meete, if we intend to finde what we seeke: But then, upon our Death-beds, [Page 137]alas, God knows, wee cannot stirre our selves, much lesse turne our selves; nor hardly enquire what we have to doe for paine. All that we can doe then, is to lye still in our beds, and let the Minister speake a few words in our eares; and if he wil be so kinde, as to administer a little comfortable Divinity to our soules, and so send them away, God knows whither: I speake not this, that any old man should despaire, no, de­spaire not, though you never sought God till your Death-beds; for one there was, and a Thiefe hee was, that never sought till then, and then did finde: But he was but one, and therefore doe you young men take [...]eed how you presume till then: For there were five Virgins, and this makes the Wager five to one, that were shut out for not seeking sooner, and received for answer, when they knock'd for entrance, [Page 138] Nescio vos, Math. 25.12. Away, I know you not; that wee may not receive the like answer, I pray God give us grace to seeke sooner. There is more hope to prevent the fire, when it is upon our Neighbours house, than to quench the fire, when it is upon our owne house: and it is more pos­sible to finde God, if wee seeke his face, when the plague is amongst us, then if wee deferre it, till the plague be upon us: If I send a pesti­lence amongst my people, is the Text, not upon them: while it is In aelios, a­mongst others, let us seeke, and not put off till it be In nos, Vpon us; and so happily we may finde him so, as to preserve us still from the plague, and to heale them of the plague. And God grant wee may so seeke, and seeke so successefully through Iesus Christ, Amen.

Secondly, there is a time, that though we seeke, yet we shall not [Page 139]finde; so sayes the Prophet: Hose. 5.6. They shall goe with their flocks, and with their heards to seeke the Lord, but they shall not finde him, he hath with­drawne himselfe from them: And Isaiahs Limitation sayes as much, Seeke him while he may be found. Isa. 55.6. And this shews plainely, that a time there is, though men seeke him, yet they shall not finde him; And so St. Bernard comments the words, Erit procul dubio cum inveniri non poterit, In Cantic. Serm. 75. and that is when this life is ended. Now is the acceptable time, now is the day of Salvation: you may put it off if you please, Et expectare salutem in medio Gehennae, quae facta fuer at in medio terrae: And seeke for salvation in the middest of Hell, which was purchased in the midst of the Earth. But when this life is ended, our seeking too is en­ded; if we finde not heere, wee are sure to misse hereafter; no hope to [Page 140]finde either in the Grave, or in Purgatorie or in Hell. Here if wee misse, Chrysost. Com. de Lazaro. we misse for ever. Non est po­stea situm in nobis poemtere aut com­missa diluere. No power to repent after this life, sayes St. St. Chrysostome; and St. Cyprian, Hic vita amittitur aut tenetur, Here we loose or gaine eternity. The next life is a time of rewarding, this onely a time of seeking.

And thirdly, in this life there is a time we shall be sure to finde, if wee seeke; and this is referred to pri­mum, and that primum is againe en­larged to semper. Mat. 6.33. First seek the king­dome of God, sayes Christ. And sayes David, Psa. 105.4. Qaerite faciem ejus semper, Seek his face evermore. Re­member thy creator in the dayes of thy youth, Eccles. 12.1. was Salomons direction. They sought Christ early in the mor­ning, Mark. 16.1. was the womens commenda­tion: So doe you, and you shall be [Page 141]sure to finde, if so bee your early bee stretched to perpetually; that is, If you seeke him first, and last, and al­wayes, why then, you shall finde God in grace to your soules, against sinne, in health to your bodies, a­gainst, the plague; and hereafter in glory to your soules and bodies against hell.

That is the first, Tempus opportu­num; 2 ^a, 1 ^ae, 4 ^ae, 2 ^ae, Seek God, Where? Cant. 3.1. the second is, Locus requisitus, or ubi decet; that a fit time, and this a fit place: Non in lectulo, not in your bed lazily. In lectulo quaesivi, sayes the Church; I sought him in my bed. I sought him, but I found him no [...]. Non in tumulo, Nor yet in the grave. The women sought him there, and were reproved with a Quid quaeritis? Why seek you the living amongst the dead? Non est hìc, He is not here: whereupon Saint Austen reproves Mary Magdalen thus; Quid quaeris in tumulo, De temp. Serm. 133. quem [Page 142]adorare debes in coelo, Why doest thou seeke him in the grave, whom thou oughtest to worship in heaven? Non inter cognatos; Nor yet amongst our kinsfolke neither: there, a­mongst them, Ioseph and Mary sought; they sought, but found him not: Whereupon St. Bernard thus; Quomodo, ô bone Iesu, inter cognatos meos te inveniam, qui inter tuos mi­nimè es inventus? O sweet Iesus, what hope to finde thee amongst my kindred, when thou wouldst not a­mongst thine owne?

But where? if not here, nor there, where then must wee seek for him? Why, in sinu matris Ecclesiae, sayes Saint Gregorie, Moral. lib. 18. in the bosome of our holy mother the Church. But where is that bosome? In Scripturis in Ec­clesia expositis, In the Scriptures ex­pounded in the Church. There one­ly you shall finde both Christ and the Scriptures. Et ubi Christus, ibi [Page 143]facies Dei, And where Christis, there is the face of God.

The Scriptures are in the Church, Rom. 3.2. For to her are committed the Oracles of God, and the Church is in the Scripture, and God in both. So S. Austen, In sanctis libris ubi mani­festatur Dominus Iesus, Ad Bonif. Ep. 50. ibi & eius Ecclesia declaratur. In the holy books of God, there is both the Lord Iesus and his Church. So Ioseph and Ma­ry found Christ in the Temple after three dayes search. There is his seat, and there hee is still, Luk. 2.46. In medio Doctorum, In the middle of his Mi­nisters, to aid them in preaching. In medio discipulorum, & in the middle of you to heare you in praying. Sic amat medium mediator Dei & ho­minum, Such love beares hee to the midst, that is the mediator betwixt God and Man.

In medio jumentorum natu, when he was borne in the middest of cat­tell, [Page 144] In medio Doctorum anno duode­ [...]mo, when he was twelve yeares old, in the middest of Doctors. In medio discipulorum doctrina, when he was preaching in the middest of his disciples. And now, where is he now? but, in medio nostrûm, in the middest of us. Matth. 18.20. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the middest of them.

So then, that you may finde, doe you seeke the face of God in the Church; in the Scriptures, but seek him there in the middle part of your selves too, your hearts.

That is the Modus; 3 ^a, 1 ^ae, 4 ^ae, 2 ^ae. Seek God, How? the manner how we must seek the Face of God, and the last consideration of the first part, I am to speak of.

Si quaeritis, Isa. 21.12. quaerite, saith the Pro­phet, If you will enquire, enquire: If you will seeke, seeke. Seek not loosly, slightly, slenderly; but if you will [Page 145]seeke to finde, seeke him with all your heart: so holy Bonaventure di­stinguishes these words, Petite quae­rite, In Luke 11.9. pulsate, Aske, seeke, knock; Di­stinguish these wo [...]s, sayes hee, as they are meanes to come to glorie. Then you must aske by prayer, seek by living well, and knock by perse­verance and holding out; but the sincerity of our heart is the greatest matter in living well.

Or distinguish them as meanes to come to wisedome; and so St. Au­sten does distinguish them, saying; Ad sapientiam non venitur, nisi quemadmodum Dominus docet; We cannot attaine to wisedome, but by that way the Lord Iesus hath dire­cted us, viz. by asking, seeking, knocking; that is, by praying, rea­ding, and repenting; but wee doe not onely reade with our eyes: no' but with our hearts too, if wee will understand what we reade: or else, [Page 146]by believing, hoping, and working, but hope is placed in the heart: if hope were not there, the heart would breake.

Or distinguish them, Ex parte pe­titi, in respect of the thing sought, so it is petite veniā, Quaerite gratiā, pulsate ad gloriam, Aske forgiuenesse, seeke for grace, knocke to enter into glorie. But grace is no grace, un­lesse it bee, as sought with the heart, so put into the heart. In a word, so he concludes it, To aske is the la­bour of the mouth; to knocke, is the labour of the hand; and to seek, that is the labour of the heart. So that there is no hope to see the Face of God, if wee seeke it not with our hearts. And so I conclude this part too, by contracting all that I have sayd, into these three conclu­sions.

1. Seeke him by the light of his Word: all other lights are but false, [Page 147]and like so many ignes fatui, as you walk up and down to seek God, let his word bee a Lanthorne to your steppes.

2. Seeke him by the conformity of your life; Oculus enim cordis per­turbatus, sayes S. Austen, avertit se a luce justitiae: for if your life be bad, you dare not looke upon the Sunne of Righteousnesse. By living ill, you may bee seen of God, but shall never see God; whereas by a well ordered life, you shall both see, and be seen of God: see him with com­fort, and be seene of him with de­light.

3. Seeke him by a heart establi­shed in grace: Oculus circumactus non videt etiam quae ante se sunt, sayes the same Father, a rolling or a squint eye cannot see the things that are iust before it. Nor the heart that is in and out, in grace to day, and [Page 148]out of grace to morrow: to day in a state of Repentance, and to mor­row in a state of Sinne, can ever seeke to see the Face of God. Look therefore for God in the Word of God: seeke God by conforming your lives to that Word, and see God you shall, if you hold out ac­cordingly to the end.

But, 3 ^a, 4 ^ae, 2 ae. What good by seeking? Cui bono? what good o [...] all this? Why all this paines? Why seeke the Face of God? Why now? Why early? Why alwayes? Why at Church? Why with all ou [...] hearts? Why, doe you aske [...] why, it heales our land. It is the last par [...] of this Text, and high time I had made an end of it: I onely prove [...] it for the explication; and for the application, I pray God wee may finde the truth of it.

Looke upon Iacob, Gen. 32.30. Vidi D [...] minum à facie ad faciem, & sal­va [Page 159]facta est anima mea: I have seene God face to face, and my ii [...]e is pre­served. He sought the face of God, and God healed his life.

Looke upon Moses, Exo. 4.12. hee sought and saw the face of God, and his tongue that stammered, and was slow before, was healed.

Looke upon Gideon, Iudg. 6.16. he saw the face of God, and his hand that was weake before, was healed, and strengthened to save Israel.

Looke upon the Leper, Mat. 8.3. hee saw the face of God, to wit, Iesus Christ, and was made whole.

Looke upon the Hemorisse, Mat. 9.20. she sought the face of God, and tou­ched the hemme of his garment, and was healed.

Now, I pray GOD give us grace so to seeke his face, in the face of his love, in the love of his countenance, in the countenance [Page 150]of his well-beloved Sonne, IESUS CHRIST, that our land may be healed, this plague stayed, our bo­dies preserved, and our soules sa­ved, and all this, and all things else, for JESUS CHRIST his sake, To whom with the holy Ghost, three persons, one God, be ascribed all honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.