A perfume against the noysome pestilence prescribed by Moses vnto Aaron. Num. 16. 46. Written by Roger Fenton, preacher of Grayes Inne.

2.

That the Plague is begun, is a thing well knowne, but how it begun is the question.

1. Some take it to be a dis∣commoditie brought ouer in our Marchants commodities from forreine countries.

2. Others suppose it to be a consequent of drought, and of that want of moisture which wee haue complained of so long.

3. Some imagine it to be a matter of course, whereas the elements gather infection con∣tinually more or lesse, once in certaine yeares gathering to a head, it must needes breake forth.

4. Some take it to be an vnhappie coniunction of cer∣taine

Planets, inflaming the ayre vnnaturally.

5. Others conceaue, that a huge concourse of people in some extremitie of heat and drought, hath inflamed and corrupted the bloud, and so it begun.

But the iudgement of Mo∣ses reacheth further, in that he maketh it an effect of Gods wrath: for whatsoeuer secon∣darie causes doe concurre here∣vnto, certaine it is, that the wrath of God is the principall: which being kindled and sent forth, doth fire the rest and set them all a working. He is purblind, as the Apostle speak∣eth, * 1.1 and cannot see a farre off, who looketh onely vpon infe∣riour causes for if the cause of this infection were elementa∣ry, why must holy fire be taken

from the Altar? fire out of the chimney would purifie that & perfume the ayre as well as any: it must be celestiall fire; which argueth that the princi∣pall cause is supernall.

The wrath of God once kindled is terrible: when Da∣uid did but thinke of it, it put him into a passion like men who astonished & halfe frigh∣ted vse to blesse themselues, Psal. 2. 12. If his wrath be kind∣led, * 1.2 yea but a little, blessed are all they that trust in him. Tis like Gun powder which bloweth vp whole familes before they liue out halfe their dayes.

But much more terrible is it, when wrath thus kindled is gone out from the Lord; as in this place where the plague is begun: for long it is before it goe forth: therefore when it is

once out, a harder matter to driue it backe againe. It hath a time to kindle, and a long time: for God is slowe to anger. After it is kindled in the breast it hath a time to breake forth, in words and threats: for Hee speaketh vnto vs in his anger be∣fore he vex vs in his sore displea∣sure. * 1.3 After many threatnings and warnings: he hath a time to prepare himselfe to battell, to whet his sword, and bend his bow, and make his arrowes ready, * 1.4 which are rustie and blunt, and all out of order. A time to open his storehouse, and vnseale his treasuries, where all his plagues & instruments of death be hor∣ded vp, & hardly drawne from him: he is more liberall of his blessing, they come from him with lesse adoe: for he neither sealeth them in his treasure,

nor locketh them in his chest, nor keepeth them in his bo∣some, but carieth them in his hands: It is the opening of his hands and all things liuing are * 1.5 filled with plenteousnesse.

Doubtlesse then, it is no small matter that hath kindled the wrath of God against vs: no cordes of vanitie, but some Cart-ropes of iniquitie, which pull downe this iudgement from him. Which thing ap∣peareth, as well by the nature of the remedie here prescri∣bed, as by the qualitie of the iudgement inflicted.

Here is Incense to perfume and sweeten: therefore some∣what there is which stincketh in the nosthrils of the Almigh∣tie, in that Aaron must dissolue such sweete Odoures for the atonement. Secondly the noi∣somnesse

of the Pestilence, no∣teth the cause thereof to bee some loathsome abhominati∣ons which causeth God to turne the light of his counte∣nance from vs, as we turne our faces from persons and places infected:

1. Whether it be therfore our prophanenesse and neglect of Gods seruice: which Mo∣ses thought sufficient to cause God to meete vs with the pe∣stilence, Exod. 5. 3.

2. Or whether it be our hipocriticall worship of God dissembling with him in our hearts as the Isralites did, for which they should dye of the Pestilence, Iero. 42. ••0. vlt. 1.

3. Or whether it be our light accoumpt of the sacra∣ment, and the vnworthy re∣ceiuing thereof which caused

such a mortalitie amongst the Corinthians. 1. Cor. 11. 30.

4. Or whether our ouer∣much confidence in secondary causes (in that God of his mer∣cie hath laid the corner stone, and vnited kingdomes toge∣ther) make vs to number the people as Dauid did, and se∣cure our selues in the strength thereof; which causeth God by this kinde of iudgement to substract (as fast as we multi∣plie) from Dan to Bersheba.

5. Or whether our stubber∣nesse in not making vse of for∣mer visitations hath brought greater vpon vs as vpon the Israelites in Amos. 4. for God hath proceeded in the same order with vs as with them. First sending vs famine, as ver. 6. after that drought wher∣of we haue long complained,

as vers. 7. thirdly want of fruite this last yeare, as vers. 9. and now the Pestilence, verse 10. and if for all this we will not turne vnto him, there remai∣neth worse behinde; warre, and the ouerthrowe of Sodom. verse 11.

6. Or whether the tolera∣tion of such vncleane and no∣torious harlots as keepe about this place, haue infected the Citie: for the Plague ceaseth not in Israel till Phineas had done iudgement vpon those adulterous persons, Num. 25. 8.

Vnto which you may adde those wanton attyres and vn∣seemelie fashions wherein our women disguise themselues: whose ornaments do beautifie their Aegyptian Temples (not Temples of the holy Ghost) but where some Crocodile

or poysenfull serpent doth in∣habite, whose gallant bushes of such curious and costlie haire doe hang out to testifie that their Wine is of the Vine of Sodome, and Grapes of Go∣morah, commonly solde at the signe of the Painted face and naked brest. These creatures when they thinke themselues most sweete and fine, then be they most loathsome and vgly in the sight of God and honest men.

7. Or whether some trea∣cherous conspiracie plotted and intended by some mur∣muring male-contents for in∣surrection against Moses and Aaron, to the great perill or ouerthrow of Church or com∣mon-wealth, as it was in this place, verse 41.

8. Or whether the blasphe∣mies

of affected Atheists hath poysoned our ayre: for while they be suffered to breath in a Christian common-wealth, they must needs infect vs, since in the iudgement of a Heathen Prince, to blaspheme the true God was accompted most fil∣thie abhomination; insomuch as he decreed their houses to bee made a Iakes, who spake anye plasphemie against the God of Shadracke, Meshake, and Abedmago. Dan. 3. 29.

Whether these, or all these togither, certes some loath∣some and abhominable sinnes they be, which haue brought so noysome a iudgement a∣mongst vs, which must be per∣fumed by the incense of sweet odours.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. 2. Pet. 1. 9
• * 1.2

  Psal. 2. 12
• * 1.3

  Psal. 2. 5
• * 1.4

  Deut. 32. 23. 34.
• * 1.5

  Psal. 145. 16.