An approved medicine against the deserued plague

¶To the humble hearted Readers, in the Lord.

THE Almightie GOD, the Lord of Hosts (as Father of mercies) deare brethern, for many yéeres past, hath swéetly called vs to vnfained repen∣tance, by the Ministery of his holy woord, but wée haue not hearkened therevnto. Wherefore eftsoones and againe, the same mightie God, doth at this present, sommon vs, by his smart Preacher,* 1.1 the vi∣siting rod. Whose encreasing voyce, cryeth to all in the per∣sons of many, thus. Oh sinfull earth hearken and giue eare: stop thy course, stay thy race, tourne thy selfe to mée, receaue my stripes with pacience, and wisely foresée the plague and hide thée. For he that sent mée saith farther vnto thee.* 1.2 O Na∣tion not worthie to be loued, how yet, haue I, loued thee? What should I haue done, that I haue not done vnto thée? I haue giuen thée a wonderfull peace, an inuincible protec∣tion, an heauenly doctrine, and the choyse store, of all earthy treasure. The gold of Ophir, Salomon sought after,* 1.3 but the Indians gold, I haue powred into thy lap, as vnlooked for. A Prince thou hast, the holy wonder of the world. Else, aske the Ilands which know not God. Thy Realme and rest, is kept by mée, the watchman thereof, and when soeuer the enimie assaileth, I put him back, with great dis∣grace. The heauens doe drop the fatnesse, & the earth doth make thée laugh and sing, what wouldest thou haue more, but a continuance of that spirituall comfort, and corporall pleasures which yet abide with thée, but be wise and consi∣der, sée how I now begin to beate thée, beware therefore, re∣pent in tyme, least I vtterly remoue,* 1.4 thy Candlestick from thée, and then who will pittie thy last dissolution? Behold,

and heare my rod,* 1.5 and mée that sent it. I haue made thée sick with striking, doe not my percing arrows, stick fast in thée?* 1.6 Are not thy wounds putrified? Doth not hasty death greatly deuoure thée? Mark it well and the cause therof. Thy sinne is the cause,* 1.7 thy great sinnes, and they passing accompt.* 1.8 Turne therefore vnto mée that am in iust angre comming vnto thée with a mynde of reuenge: prepare thée therefore to méete mée, before the daye of my decrée come foorth.* 1.9 Come to mée, not with Israells hipocrisie, but with Magdalens teares. Rent your harts, and kéepe whole your garments, for I cannot take pleasure, in that bodely exer∣cise, where the penitent spirit, speaketh not for mercie. If any be afflicted let him pray.* 1.10 If many be vnder the rod, let all come together, turne together, mourne together, cry to∣gether and say: O Lord of Hosts, in the midle of thy wars thinck vpon thy promised mercies. Wée come, no more to fight against thée in our sinfull lusts, but to fall before thée, forsaking & confessing our sinnes, swéet Lord haue mercie. And let euery of you,* 1.11 from the top to the toe, (for you are sore from the head to the foote) applying profitably the con∣trauersie to your selues, say: Our sinnes O Lord, yea euery man say, my sinnes, as our sinnes are the causes of this ma∣lady. Our rebellions, presumptions, scorning, Atheistical, our Romane sinnes, our carnall apetites, present, past, re∣membred, and forgotten sinnes. Sinnes without remorse, without conscience, against all conscience, euen when y^e spi∣rit quaketh in dread: euen thē y^e flesh burneth in lust. Sinnes in Court vnbridled, sinnes in the Church not repented of, in the country not cared for.* 1.12 The prophanation of the Sab∣both day, the abhominations in the wéeke day, no truth, lesse trust,* 1.13 no faith to God, no loue to our brethern, much fayll of loyaltie to the Prince, and small proofe of due obedience, to hir Magistrates. But a mightie scorne of the Lords Prea∣chers, through an vtter contempt of his woord. Resolute, in league with sinne,* 1.14 death and hell, and an absolute distrust, of Gods sure promises, either for mercies, or Iudgement.

And what should I say more? Oh how many are the foolish wise, which say in vnpunished boldnesse, they haue no God,* 1.15 There is no God. Oh England, O people, why wilt thou dye? Say to thy selfe, Oh Soule, repent thée of thy sinne,* 1.16 and God will repent him of the plague, will take thée into his protection, and hide thée vnder his wings. They shall fall on both sides thée, but it shall not come to thee.

But if thou wilt not hearken to this his voice, O flesh, (of what mould so euer,) but still wilt pamper thy selfe in carnall delights, to a further transgression, (which now ought to be feared) then feare, for he hath not sent this scourage for little purpose, and be sure that he hath his store-house full, of finall instruments, which can and will make quick dispatch. As cleannesse of téeth, barrennesse of earth,* 1.17 brought of heauen, deuouring wormes, fierie feauers, bur∣ning botch, scowring sword, reuenging axe, haylestones and stormes of fier, as of Sodome and Gomorrah, to persecute, to pull downe, to cast out, and into hell, all those which for∣get God. Are the treasures of wickednesse still in your hou∣ses, the false balance, small waights, naughtie wares, coun∣terfaite lights, swéet woords, sowre déedes?* 1.18 Do your heads eate for lust, and not for néede, drinck to surfet, and not for thirst, send their proud seruants, to bring, and neuer satisfi∣ed? Are the daughters of Sion proud, as Esay descryes them?* 1.19 Be your Prophets chamber groomes, to lay pillowes, vn∣der sinfull elbowes? or doe their tongues cleaue to the roofe of their mouthes? or speake they to the Clowds, or in the Ayre? or is fearefull Ieremy, become an example? Oh for woe. Ah Syon, thou plowed field, sometime, the bewtie of the world? what is become of thée? Oh England the pre∣sent Bride, beware of widowhood,* 1.20 the Bridegroome is come out of his chamber, goe foorth to méete him. He is gon into his beds of spiceries, shall be finde store?* 1.21 He féedeth of flowers, where be his Lillies? Oh thrise happie land, per∣ceaue thy present happinesse, preuent a futuer horror, pray for the lyfe of thy Princely light, and harden not thy hart,* 1.22

being still dayly called in mercie.* 1.23 For this sinne, many are sick, and many are dead, let the Remainder repent, least ye all likewise perish. And now my beloued, and important charge,* 1.24 I besech you by the mercies of God, remember with mee,* 1.25 there is no plague but for sinne, and the Lyon roareth not, without his pray. Wée are now vnder this growing plague with others,* 1.26 lette vs repent effectually as others, which truely,* 1.27 séeke the Lord, Cast our sinnes from vs, and draw the Lords mercie to vs. Forget not what godly Si∣rach saith,* 1.28 because of vnrighteous dealing, and wrongs, and riches gotten by deceipt, the Kingdome, is translated, from one people,* 1.29 to an other. Wo vnto the buylder which buil∣deth with blood. And bewise to vnderstand this. Goods euill gotten, are of no long continuance. Finally let this sen∣tence sommon you, before the last Tromp, sound for you. Go to now,* 1.30 ye rich men, wéepe and howle, for your mise∣ries, that shall come vpon you. Your riches are corrupt, and your garments are moth eaten, your gold and siluer is canckered, and the rust of them, shalbe a witnesse against you, and shall eate your flesh, as it were fier. Ye heaped vp treasures for the last daies. Behold: the hyer of your labo∣rers, which haue reaped your féelds (roomed your shippes) which is of you kept back, by fraud, cryeth, and their crye, is entred into the eares of the Lord of Hosts. Iames, 5.1.2. &c. Lay your selues open to the Lord, for all things are ap∣parant vnto him,* 1.31 but he will haue thée to accuse thy selfe, that he may forgiue thée. He that hideth his sinnes (saith Salomon) shall not prosper, but he that confesseth his sinnes, and forsaketh them, shall finde mercie. Therefore take a good heart to thée, bring repentance with thée, fall on your knées,* 1.32 lift vp pure hands, the whole in Church, in our great assemblies, the sick at home, amids their children and fami∣lies. Take these prayers (or such) into your hands, send them hartely, vp to God, in Christ our onely Mediator, and feare not to finde mercie, with gracious deliuerance, be∣cause,* 1.33 he hath so promised, saying: Call vpon mée in the day

of thy trouble, and I will heare thée, and deliuer thée, and thou shalt glorifie mee.* 1.34 And our sauiour Christ doth ten∣derly inuite all penitent sinners thus. Come vnto mée all you that trauell and be heauie loden, and I my selfe will ease you. To whome with the Father and the holy Ghost be alwaies, all honour and glorie, one God euerlasting. Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Micah. 6.9.
• * 1.2

  Pro. 22.3. Zoph. 2.1.
• * 1.3

  2. Chron. 8.18.
• * 1.4

  Reue. 2.5.
• * 1.5

  Micah. 6.9.
• * 1.6

  Psal. 38.2.5.
• * 1.7

  Micah. 6.13.
• * 1.8

  Oseas. 9.9.17
• * 1.9

  Psal. 106. in all. Lucke. 7.38. Ioel. 2.13.
• * 1.10

  Iam. 5.13.
• * 1.11

  Esa. 1.5.6. Hos. 4.1. Iero. 8.6.
• * 1.12

  Iero. 17.27.
• * 1.13

  Hose. 4.1.2.
• * 1.14

  Esa. 28.
• * 1.15

  Psal. 14.1.
• * 1.16

  Iero. 18.8. &. 26 3. Psal. 91.4.7.
• * 1.17

  Amos. 4.6.
• * 1.18

  Eccle. 10.16.17
• * 1.19

  Amos 4.1. Esa. 3.16. Ezech 13.18. Esa. 28.10. 1. cor. 9.26. & 14.9. Ier. 20.9. Micha. 3.12.
• * 1.20

  Psal. 19.5. Cant. 6.1.
• * 1.21

  Cant. 4.13.
• * 1.22

  2. Sam. 21.17.
• * 1.23

  1. Cor. 11. Lucke. 13.3.5.
• * 1.24

  Ro. 12.1.
• * 1.25

  Amos. 1.2. &. 3.4.
• * 1.26

  Zeph. 2.3.
• * 1.27

  Esa. 30.22.
• * 1.28

  Eccle. 10.8.
• * 1.29

  Hab••. 2.9.
• * 1.30

  Ia 5.1.2
• * 1.31

  Pro. 28.13.
• * 1.32

  1. Tim. 2.8.
• * 1.33

  Pro. 50.15.
• * 1.34

  Math. 11.28.