A cordiall of comfort To preserue the heart, from fainting with griefe or feare: for our friends, or our owne visitation, by the plague. Also a thankes-giuing to almightie God, for staying the visitation in London, and the suburbs thereof. Both which may be of vse to Christians in other places, that are cleere, visited, or recouered. By William Chibald.

The Preface.

THE more deadly a dis∣ease is, the greater is the Cure; and the greater the Cure is, the greater is the commendation of the Physician. Euen so the greater any danger is, the greater is GODs deliue∣rance

from it, the greater ought to bee our Thankes∣giuing vnto his blessed Maiesty for it.

On these, and the like grounds, J haue formerly stirred vp my selfe vnto secret, priuate, and publike giuing of thankes to our good God, for abating the heat of the sicknes, & the number of them that dye thereof. And synce, J haue endeauoured to forward others also to glorifie God in this behalfe, by penning a forme thereof, and publi∣shing

it, with this Trea∣tise. The rather because J haue not seen nor heard of any thing in this kind set forth for publike be∣nefyt.

The time and meanes of grace considered, J thinke J may truely say (for the generalitie) that synne did neuer so abound in quantitie, qualitie, and variety, as of late it hath done in our Citie of Lon∣don, and the Suburbs thereof. And now (be∣hold) answerable to the

measure of our synnes, is the measure of Gods Vi∣sytation, for there was neuer such a plague sent among vs.

Jn like manner the contagion and maligni∣tie of this Plague con∣sydered, which in so short a time, when so many vvere absent, killed so many thousands: J may safely say there was ne∣uer such a Deliuerance in this kinde vvrought by Almightie GOD for vs: ••••d therefore answe∣rable

to Gods great good∣nes, ought to be our great gratefulnes.

Now, consydering (Christian Reader) that the measure of our thank∣fulnesse to GOD, ought to be so great, and that our power (as of our selues) to performe it, is so small Let vs all that want ho∣ly wisdome, for this pur∣pose, aske of God onely wise, that hee would bee pleased to giue vs in abili∣tie, what he requires of vs in dutie, and that the me∣ditations

of my heart in conceiuing of this forme, and the vvordes of our mouthes in vttering it, may bee directed by his blessed Spirit, and accep∣ted in his beloued Sonne, Amen. And let the Lord God of our Citie, and our deliuerance say so too.

Notes

• Iam. 1.
• 1 Ti. 1.17
• 1 Reg. 1.36