A Christian almanacke Needefull and true for all countryes, persons and times. Faithfully calculated by the course of holy Scripture, not onely for this present yeere 1613, but also for many yeeres to come. Written by J. M.

CHAP. 3.

Concerning the Sicknes and diseases of this yeare.

THe Eygptians had a manner & vse ni their banquets to carry about an Image of death, and to say to euery man that was at the Banquet, Look•• vppon this, eate, drinke, and be merry, such an one shalt thou be when thou dyest. And this they did (no doubt) to put men in remembrance of tempe∣rance and of death, least they vn∣discreetly through excesse of eating and

Drinking should happen to dye before their age, for so doth God vse to pu∣nish such sinne: wherefore if we dyet and temper our selues, through the in∣fluence of the Sunne we shall haue few diseases, except Mars bring some other thing to passe that we misknowe not our selues, as for such as follow Mercurius, liuing night and day in ••oyot and vncleanenes, these, I say, shall through the Sunne haue great Diseases in all the members of their bodies, in the Lungs, Liuer, Hands, and Féete, yea, and perils of their ••oules. I passe ouer the pouerty that drunkards and ryotous persons shall haue. Keepe no company saith Salomon with drunkards nor with gluttons:* 1.1 for the drunkard and the glutton shalbe poore,* 1.2 and the sleeper shalbe cloathed with Ragges, and in the same Chap. he saith. To whom is woe, to whom is sor∣row? to whom is strife? to whom is mur∣muring? to whom are woundes without cause? and to whome is the rednesse of the eyes? euen to them that tarry long at the Wine, to them that goe and seeke mixt Wine: and therefore he subioyneth

this counsell, looke not thou vppon the wine when it is red, and when it shew∣eth his coulour in the Cuppe, or goeth downe pleasantly in the end, therefore, saith he, it will bite like a Serpent, and hurt like a Cockatrice, and thou shalt be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 one that sleepeth in the midst of the sea, and as he that sleepeth in the toppe of the Mas••e. They haue stricken me, shalt thou say, but I was not sicke, they haue beaten me, but I wot not when I awoke. There∣fore will I seeke it still, and though drunkenesse make them more insensi∣ble then beastes, yet can they not re∣fraine, let thē remember our Sauiour Christs warning,* 1.3 which he giueth in these words of the latter day, take heed, saith he, to your selues, least at any time your harts be oppressed with surfetting, and drunkennes, and cares of this life, & least that day come vpon you vnawares. There is doubtlesse a maruelous sore punishment to come vpon the whole world of the wicked, sword, warres, hunger, not only spiritual, as I said be∣fore but temporall, which plagues haue bin aforetime, but are not yet all past. I néede not to rehearse the pestilence, and those great plagues that God will

send to the reformation of as many as wilbe warned, as for the common 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the vngodly there shall such a feare∣fulnes of death come vppon them, that they shall not tell where to turne them, nor how to escape death. O how bitter and gréeuous shall the remembrance of death be this yeare to such as séeke rest and consolation in transitory sub∣stance of this world, to such as know of no aduersitie, but haue good dayes, liue in voluptuousnesse, and to such Epicures as say,* 1.4 Thou hast much goods layed vp for many yeares, liue at ease, eate drinke, and take thy pastime, but God shall say, O foole, this night will they fetch thy soule from thee, then whose shall these things be, which thou hast prouided? But oh death, how ac∣ceptable and welcome shalt thou be vnto such as are in aduersitie, in their last age, or in despaire, whosoeuer thou be therefore that wouldest escape the sicknesse of this yeare, beware that thy body be not ouer-laden with ouer much eating,* 1.5 or with drunkennes; for excesse of meats bringeth sicknesse, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 gluttony commeth at the last to an vn∣measurable

heate, and Chollericke dis∣eases. By surfet haue many perished, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he that dieteth himselfe, prolongeth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 life:* 1.6 as for vnsatiable eaters they ••••all not onely sléepe vnquietly this yeare, but shall haue Ache and payne of the body. Concerning the spirituall disease and sicknesse that shall raigne this yeare, as it hath done before, Paule an auncient and true Astrono∣mer saith plainely, that we be all sinners, if we say that we haue no sinne,* 1.7 we de∣ceiue our selues,* 1.8 and the truth is not in vs.* 1.9 This is now the spirituall disease that shall commonly raigne this yeare,* 1.10 but especially in them that féele least of it and will not acknowledge it, if we acknowledge our sinnes,* 1.11 hee is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes, and to clense vs from all vngodlinesse: for the Sunne hath such vertue, that whosoeuer can sée his disease and will com∣playne of it, it shall clense them and make them whole. Yea Paule sayeth playnely,* 1.12 that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners. And Saint Iohn giueth vs a good comfort,* 1.13 and saieth, if any man sinne, we haue an aduocate with

the Father euen Iesus Christ the iust, and he is the reconciliation for our sinnes, and not for ours onely, but also for the sinne•• of the whole world. Whosoeuer there∣fore hath this disease (as there is no man without it) let him do wisely,* 1.14 let him proue and examine himselfe all times,* 1.15 and goe to Phisicke before he be sore sicke,* 1.16 and aboue all things let him beware of such false Phisitians & fayned Surgeons as heale the hurt of the people with swéete words, and say peace,* 1.17 peace, where there is none. And as a true Astronomer reporteth, with faire spéech and flattering,* 1.18 des∣ceiue the harts of the simple, and all for their bellyes sake, such serue not the Lord Iesus, such false Phisitions lay wrong plasters to mens sores, & speake the meaning of their owne harts,* 1.19 but not out of the mouth of the Lord.* 1.20 But goe thou boldly vnto him,* 1.21 which onely healeth the contrite in heart and bynd∣eth vp their wounds, he shall not cast thée away:* 1.22 But if thou come vnto him he shall refresh thée,* 1.23 he shall ease thée, for his yoake, saith he, is easie, & his bur∣den light, if thou be sicke goe vnto him:

for he is the right Phisitian for such as are diseased, if thou be thirstie & come vnto him, he hath to giue thee a well of water,* 1.24 springing vp vnto euerlasting life. If thou be hungry for righteousnes sake and thirst,* 1.25 blessed shalt thou be for thou shalt be filled:* 1.26 yea he cryes, euery one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and ye that haue no siluer, come, buy, and eate, come, say, buy Wine, and milke, without siluer, and without money, he will feed his sheepe,* 1.27 and bring them to rest, though thou be lost, he will seeke thee; though thou hast gone astray, he will bring thee again; though thou be woun∣ded he will bind thee vp; though thou be sicke and weake he will make thee whole and strong. Seeke him therefore this yeare and as long as thou liuest, for with the Lord is mercy and with him is great redemption.* 1.28 He hath saluation inough for thée, thou néedest not to séeke helpe at any other, neither is there sal∣uation in any other, therefore biddeth he thée euer come to himselfe, he neuer bad thée séeke other Phisitians to heale thée of this disease:* 1.29 for there is no helpe in the Children of men.* 1.30 As for Cor∣porall

diseases God hath ordayned out∣ward medicines for them, in his crea∣tures, by the ministration of true Phi∣sitians, which gift of God no wise man will abhorre,* 1.31 and thou art commaund∣ed to honour the Phisitian, with that honour that is due vnto him, because of necessity, for the Lord hath created him; for of the most high commeth heal∣ing, and he shall receiue gifts of the King: but against the sicknes of sinne there is no helpe or succour, but onely in himselfe, as there is no saluation without him, so is there euer grace, mercy, pardon, and remission fréely in him, for all such as will receiue it and be thankfull for the same.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Pro. 23. 2.
• * 1.2

  Pro. 23. 29. ad finem.
• * 1.3

  Luke. 21. 34.
• * 1.4

  Luk. 12. 19.
• * 1.5

  Eccles. 37. 39. 30
• * 1.6

  Eccles. 30. 20.
• * 1.7

  Rom. 3. 9.
• * 1.8

  Gal. 3. 22.
• * 1.9

  1. Iohn. 1. 8
• * 1.10

  Iohn. 9. 39.
• * 1.11

  1. Iohn. 1. 9
• * 1.12

  1. Tim. 1. 15
• * 1.13

  1. Iohn. 2. 1••.
• * 1.14

  1. Cor. 11. 28.
• * 1.15

  2. Cor. 13. 5.
• * 1.16

  Eccles. 18. 28.
• * 1.17

  Ier. 6. 14.
• * 1.18

  Rom. 16. 18.
• * 1.19

  Ie••. 23. 16.
• * 1.20

  Psal. 147. 3.
• * 1.21

  Iohn. 6. 37.
• * 1.22

  Mat. 11. 30.
• * 1.23

  Mat. 9. 12.
• * 1.24

  Iohn 4. 14.
• * 1.25

  Mat. 5. 6.
• * 1.26

  Isay 55. 1.
• * 1.27

  Ezech. 34. 15
• * 1.28

  Psal. 130. ••.
• * 1.29

  Acts. 4. 12.
• * 1.30

  Psal. 146. 3.
• * 1.31

  Eccles. 38. 1. 2.