Gods three arrovves plague, famine, svvord, in three treatises. I. A plaister for the plague. II. Dearths death. III. The Churches conquest over the sword. By William Gouge Doctor in Divinity, and preacher of Gods Word in Black-Friers, London.

TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE, RIGHT Worshipfull, and other my Be∣loved Parishioners, Inhabitants of Black-Fryers LONDON, all Happinesse.

Right Honourable, Right Worshipfull, Beloved,

BEhold here a Testimony of my due Re∣spect to you. Behold here an Apo∣logy for my seeming Neglect of you. I do acknowledge that all the Respect which by a gratefull Pastor may be due to a loving People, is by me due to you. In that respect, I do here a 1.1 the fourth time give publike testimony thereof by presenting to you in speciall that which is made publike to all. The neglect of you, objected against me, is, my seldome preaching among you this last yeare. This ancient, undeniable aphorisme, b 1.2 A man can do no more then he can, giveth a just an∣swer thereto. Great hath beene the weakenesse of my body, first occasioned by a very dangerous dis∣ease in August last (how low I was brought thereby,

many of you are witnesses) and further increased by two relapses, one in Nov. the other in Febr. follow∣ing. (Of Gods goodnes in my recoveries I shall have fit occasion to speake on The Saints Sacrifice, shortly to be tendred unto you.) Had I no other excuse, this * 1.3 were sufficient. Saint Chrysostome, where he gran∣teth that by the weakenesse of Ministers bodies the Churches commodities may be intercepted, concludeth that Ministers in such cases are not to be blamed. But howsoever my weakenesse were a just impediment to preaching (whereby the spirits of a feeble man are much exhausted) yet would I not make it a pre∣text for wasting precious time in idlenesse. It was wittily and gravely said, d 1.4 Even in leisure lasinesse is to be shunned. Worthy therefore of all to be imitated is he, who made that use of freedome from publique affaires, as he set himselfe more close to his pri∣vate studies, and thereupon was wont to say that, He was never lesse at leisure then when he was most at leisure: Answerably (according to the abilitie which God gave me) I endeavoured to spend that cessation which I had from publike imployments, in my priuate studies, so as some fruit thereof might redound to you and others. By this my true and just apology, I hope the fore-mentioned seeming neg∣lect of you, appeares to be but seeming, Concer∣ning the subject matter of my private paines now made publike, though I had by me sundry treatises heretofore preached in your eares, which might with more ease have beene laid againe before your eyes: yet the manifestation of Gods displeasure against us and other parts of the Christian world,

by shooting out his three e 1.5 evill arrowes (so called in regard of their evill effects) Plague, Famine, Sword, hath drawne my thoughts to meditate thereon, and to publish what in mine ordinary course of Mini∣stry I have not had occasion to preach. Indeed on speciall occasions I have out of the pulpet delivered some of the points handled in these Treatises: but I never finished any of them. It is without question a point of prudence to eye the divine Providence in all things. For f 1.6 by it without all contradiction are all things thorowout the whole world governed and disposed: especially the affaires of his Church: on which sometimes the light of his favour brightly shineth: other-times haile-stones of indignation are showred downe. By a due observation hereof may our disposition to God be so ordered, as that, which God expecteth, be effected: namely Gratulation for his Favours: Humiliation for his Iudgements. Now are the times wherein clouds of Gods anger have obscured the bright skie of the Church. Pertinent therefore to the present times are the Treatises fol∣lowing, and in that respect the more profitable to us of these times. g 1.7 The more pertinent a point is, the more profitable it is. I could wish that there were not so just occasion of treating of the fore-said three ar∣rowes, as there is. We have felt the bitternesse of the plague within these six yeares more then in many hundred yeares before in this land: which arrow is now againe shot against us: and how farre the venime thereof (for it is a venimous arrow) may infect, who knowes? Both the Palatinates, Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, Hungaria, and almost all Germany:

h 1.8 Rochel, Montauban, Monpellier, Nesmes, and other townes, cities, and countries in France: Bredaw in the Low Countries, and many other places in Chri∣stendome, have felt the deepe wound of warre, whereby Idolatry hath thrust out Piety, Superstition is set in the roome of Religion, Vsurpers have entred up∣on the rites of the true Lords and Inheritours, the bloud of many millions hath beeneshed, more have beeneexiled, and all things turn'd upside downe. S. Augustine in his time complained that the outrages of the Clergy of the Donatists so wasted the * 1.9 Churches, that Barbarians dealings might seeme to be more mild. How much more justly may we take up that complaint against the Popish Clergy, Iesu∣ites, Monks, Priests, Friers, and the rest of that rabble? As for Famine, it begins to invade all Christendome: so as one country cannot be helpfull to another, as they have been in former times. Corne hath not been so deare among us, as now it is, in any living mans memory. How far this Famine begun may proceed and to what extremities it may bring both our, and other countries, no man can tell. Is it not now time for Plaisters to be made for the Plague, Provision to be procured against Dearth, and Protection provided against the Sword? Such are the evils of these Arrowes, as to determine which of them is the least evill, is not easie. I am sure, that the least of them is so evill, as there is just cause to use all the meanes that possibly we can to prevent or remove it. To these purposes tend the Treatises here tendred to you. In them ye shall find (beside sundry other usefull points) the ex∣tremities of, and remedies for i 1.10 Plague, k 1.11 Famine,

and l 1.12 Sword. With such a mind accept them as they are offered to you, by him that thinks no pains too much for your good, who is alwaies mindfull of you, and humbly and heartily desireth the helpe of your pray∣ers: who though feeble in body, yet, so long as he retaineth any competent strength to do you any ser∣vice, desireth to be

Black-Fryers, LONDON, 11. Apr. 1631.

Your faithfull Minister, WILLIAM GOVGE.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Treatises presented to my parishio∣ners.

  1 The whole Ar¦mont of God.

  2 Domesticall Daties.

  3 A Guide to go to God.

  4 Gods three Arrowes.
• b 1.2

  Vltra posse non est esse: ncc velit quidem.
• * 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; Chrys. Hom. 1. in cap. 1. ad Tit.
• d 1.4

  Cavendum & in ocio ocium est. Bern de Con∣sid. l. 3. c. 13. Scipio Africanus dicere solebat Nunquam se minus ociosum quam cum ocio∣osus esset. Cic. Offic. lib. 3.
• e 1.5

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 malas sagittas. Ezek. 5. 16 Metonymia effe∣cti.
• f 1.6

  Maiestati divi∣nae gubernatio pariter & admi∣nistratio univer∣sitatis incumbit. Bern super. Cant. Ser. 68.
• g 1.7

  Quo magis quid accomodum, eo magis com∣modum est.
• h 1.8

  The generall History of France hath a catalogue of 99 townes and places of Ostage for them of the religion, redu∣ced in these late warres.
• * 1.9

  Clericorum Do∣natistarum la∣trocinia sic va∣stant Ecclesias, ut Barbarorum fortasse sacta mi∣tiora siat. Aug. Epist. 122.
• i 1.10

  Plaister for the Plague §. 70, 71, 50, 64, &c.
• k 1.11

  Dearths Death, §. 4, 5, 6, &c.
• l 1.12

  Churches 6 quest, §. 83, 85 9, 10, &c. Dignity of Chi¦valry, §. 15, 10, &c.