allegory of the plague A HELP for the POOR, IN TIME of the PLAGUE. A Help for the Poor Who are visited with the PLAGUE: TO BE Communicated to them by the Rich, OR, By any pious Christian, whose bowels of Compassion are moved towards them, in the apprehension of their comfortless Condition, and the great Danger of their dying in their Sins. Consisting of Two PARTS. The First, showing them their Duty and Concernment in this Condition. The Second, Exhibiting certain forms of Meditation ' Prayer and Praise, suited to the Beginning, Continuance and Issue of their Visitation. BOTH Composed out of Compassion to the Poor, who in this contagious Sickness want the benefit of a Spiritual Physician( a wise and able Minister to instruct them, and pray with them:) and designed to be a Help and Means to save their Souls: And therefore directing them so to demean themselves under Gods Visitation, that though their bodies should perish, their souls may be saved. Hereunto is premised Counsel and Comfort to all good Christians, in this Time of the Plague. By THOMAS wills, late Minister of Shadwell. The Second Edition Corrected and Enlarged. Psal. 72.12, 13. He shall deliver the Needy when he crieth: the poor also, and him that hath no helper. He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. Joel 11.17. Spare thy people O LORD. LONDON, Printed for Peter Parker in Popes-head-Alley, 1666. such is the contagion of this mortal disease, that they are not without just reason afraid to come amongst them, when they have most need of their company, that they may receive the benefit and comfort of their Instructions and Prayers, and be prepared by them for their expected end. When the messenger of death is amongst them, O how welcome would a messenger of life and salvation be to them! would not some poor souls look on a Minister of the Gospel, as if they saw the face of an Angel of God? But alas! Ministers are mortal: and though a Minister should hazard his own life, he cannot rescue these poor creatures from death, who bearing the tokens of Gods displeasure, seem to be marked out( at least) for a temporal destruction. However some way to supply this defect, I have here provided this poor help; the Lord by his blessing make it beneficial. The Lord pity and spare his poor people; The Lord stay and remove this grievous Plague. To these Requests of the Author, I doubt not but the pious Reader will add his Amen. TO THE RICH: A SERIOUS EXHORTATION, AND Seasonable Advice. SIRS, SAD is the state of many poor Families, in this time of Visitation. The Rich fly from the stroke, the Poor fall under it. They are shut up in their Houses, Psal. 44.22. as sheep for the slaughter, while the grim Messenger of Death, the Destroying Plague, makes havoc of them, cutting them off by hundreds, by thousands in a week. During this confinement they want many of those comfortable succours, both for Body and Soul, which those that have their health and freedom may enjoy. Is it not sad that some should be pinched with Famine, whilst others perish by the Plague? Yea, itis much to be feared, that many of them being poor ignorant creatures, or having been very Loose-livers, do perish in their sins, and dying, drop into Hell. Now, how lamentable is the condition of such poor creatures! Surely, if we are not utterly voided of all humanity, we cannot but commiserate the condition of those whom we are to look upon as our own flesh, Isa. 58.7. upon the account of their Communion with us in the same human nature. And if we are not destitute of all grace and goodness, insensible of the Immortality and preciousness of the souls of men, and unapprehensive of the woeful miseries of the Damned in Hell, we cannot but be much affencted with their miserable condition, who are not only in danger of a Temporal death, but also of Eternal Damnation. Doth it not then concern us, doth it not well become us, both as Men and Christians, to endeavour all that in us lies, to rescue such poor creatures from these sad extremities? What a joy may it be to us, to save a poor Famishing Creature from death? What an honour to save a poor perishing soul from Hell! Oh then, do you, to whom God hath given Riches and Estates, liberally communicate to the Necessities of your poor brethren; sand in Relief to those poor Families that are shut up from all worldly comforts. Do you indeed love God? Manifest it by your charity ro the poor; For, Who so hath this Worlds goods, 1 John 3.1. and seeth his Brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? Certainly the time will come, when you will have as much need of Gods mercy, as they now have of your Charity; Now as ever you would sinned mercy with God, in your greatest extremity, in the hour of death, when all your worldly Helps, Friends, Comforts, shall for ever fail you; Oh, put on Bowels of Mercy towards these poor creatures, in this sad Day of their Visitation; Col. 3.1. and let your deeds of Charity be visible demonstrations of your Bowels of Mercy; Mat. 5.7. Blessed are the merciful( saith our Saviour) for they shall obtain mercy. But, remember withal; Jam. 2.13. He shall have judgement without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy. I will ask you one thing( with our Saviour) Is it better to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy? Luke 6.9. Our Saviour betwixt these two admits no Medium. Those whose lives you do not save, when it lies in your power, you do destroy in Gods account. Now will it not be sad for you, at the Day of Judgement, to be indicted of the murder of many of those that are now reported to die of the Plague, and to be found guilty at Gods Tribunal, because you did not relieve them in their most miserable exigency and extremity? Oh then, contribute what you can to the relief of their Bodies, and moreover let your hearts be affencted with a Christian compassion towards them, in respect of the state of their souls. Sad is their state, who have neglected the Ordinances of God, and Means of grace, while they might have enjoyed them, and now are shut up and debarred the freedom of attendance on them. Oh, methinks I see with what earnestness some do desire the opportunities they have sometimes despised; Oh with what seriousness would they now attend, if now God would be pleased to sand them a Messenger, Job 33.23. one of a thousand, a Minister of the Gospel, to declare to them their sins, and the onely way of their salvation! Now that God hath awakened them by his visitation; Now that he threatens to slay them with the Plague; Now that he sets them upon the Brink of Eternity; Now if God would vouchsafe to make one offer of mercy to them more, one tender of grace and salvation more, how greatly would they rejoice in it! how readily would they embrace it! how willingly would they submit to any terms that God would impose upon them, for their attaimment of salvation and life eternal! Now therefore how welcome would some seasonable help be to such poor souls? If therefore no better help be at hand; Oh that you would provide and sand to every such poor visited Family, one of these Papers, which for this purpose I here put into your hands. Moreover, how many are there, that being shut up, know not how to demean themselves in this sad visitation. They know not how to spend their precious Time( the short remainder of their life on earth) upon which depends their following Eternity. They that are well, know not how to pray for the Sick; nor do either the sick or the well know how to pray for themselves. Thus before there are any yet dead, the whole family lies butted in a stupid sorrow, and sloth, not knowing what to do, or how to set themselves upon that necessary work( for which they have so short a time) which may conduce to the salvation of their souls, their future and eternal happiness. In this case I conceived some wholesome instructions and directions, with some suitable forms of Prayer, might be very useful for such poor families; and have therefore thought good to put them thus into your hands, and to beg of you the cost and care of communicating them to such as you conceive may have most need of them; And this work of Charity, I doubt not, will redound to your comfort and joy, in the day of your accounts. I now commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, who is able to present you faultless, before the presence of his glory, with exceeding joy, recommending to your serious consideration, that Apostolical injunction which is hereunto subjoined, by Your servant for Jesus sake, T. W. Aug. 7. 1665. 1 Tim. 6.17, 18, 19. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain Riches, but in the living God, who giveth us all things richly to enjoy. That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. TO A Christian Friend, COUNSEL and COMFORT: Communicated for the good of others. THis is a time of Gods Visitation. He that long held out his golden sceptre, is now come among you with his glittering sword; His Bow is bent, and his Quiver is full of the Arrows of his indignation. Psal. 7.12, 13. job 6.4. Psal. 91.5. Ex. 32.25. 2 Sam. 24.15. The Pestilence is one of Gods empoisoned Arrows. 'Tis sin that disarms men of all defence, and exposes them naked to it; hence in the space of less than three dayes, there fell more than threescore thousand men before it. There is no shield can secure you from it, unless that promise which is made to true Piety: Psal. 91.3, 5, 6, 7. This shield in the hand of faith, if it secure you not from the stroke, will yet preserve you from the poison. There is not more poison in the Arrow, than there is balsam in the Promise; the one is not more powerful to kill, than the other is sovereign to save. Be you sure then to espouse to your soul true piety, and you shall not fail to receive her portion: This Darling daughter of God hath a double dowry; the promise of the life which now is, 1 Tim. 4.8. and of that which is to come: See here, both silver and gold, Earth and Heaven, temporals and eternals: If you should miss the former, the latter( which is infallibly sure to every Saint) is enough to make you for ever rich and happy. Be careful then to embrace and exercise a serious and solid piety, and you need fear no evil, nor the want of any good. Psa. 34.10. 〈◇〉 84.11. Would you then be truly happy, when so many thousands are miserable? take notice of your Duty and Comfort. The Duty to which God calls you by this Providence lies in these particulars: Ex. 19.10, 14, 22. Num. 11.18. Josh. 3.5. and 7.13. 1. sanctify yourselves; This hath been enjoined wherever God hath manifested his special presence. Humble yourselves for your sins; 1 Cor. 15.12, 13. turn to the Lord by a speedy and serious repentance: purify yourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit. 2 Cor. 7. ●. He is a holy God, who is come amongst you with his sword in his hand: If he find you in your sins, he may slay you in his wrath. Tis a dreadful thing to die in sin: he that thus falls by Gods arrow, drops into hell. Your King is at hand; prepare to meet him. Am. 4.12. 1 Kin. 20.31, 32. Go as( Benhadad's servants) with ropes on your heads: The King of Israel is a merciful King. 2. Get your souls sprinkled with the blood of Christ; apply it by faith. The destroying Angel passed over the house, Exo. 12.7.13. where the door-posts were sprinkled with the blood of the Lamb. The blood of Christ is the only sovereign Antidote against the Plague of sin; and the best Preservative both of body and soul. Josh. 2.18. The scarlet thread saved the house of Rahab, when the whole City was destroyed. The destroying Angel dares not smite that soul, that hath the least tincture of Christs blood applied by faith. 3. Build an Altar ( with David) to God. 2 Sam. 24.25. Num. 16.46, 47, 48. With Aaron fill your Censers with holy Incense; Present your prayers and supplications( spiritual Sacrifices) to God, in the Name of Christ. Prayer reverses the Angels Sword, holds back the Almighties Arm. Let me alone( saith the Lord to Moses) that I may destroy them. Deut. 9.14. Davids Prayer stayed that Plague which his Pride brought upon the People. Gods Judgements are a mighty Flood; Mans sins make a Breach in the Bank, Psal. 90.5. & 106.23. Prayer stands in the Breach to keep off the judgement, till the Breach be made up by Repentance. 4. Lay to heart the sins of those among whom you live. Godly sorrow is the most Sovereign Antidote to prevent the contagion of other Mens sins; 2 Pet. 2.7, 8. and the best Preservative from their approaching Plagues, Lot vexed his righteous soul for the filthy conversation of the Sodomites. And the Angels commissioned to destroy Sodom, Gen. 19.32. had their charge first to deliver Lot. Its a sign of grace to mourn for others sins. Ps. 119.136. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes( saith holy David) because men keep not thy law. And grace is the souls Ticket, for its admission into the Sanctuary of Gods special protection. Oh then, sigh, and mourn and weep, for the vile sins of those amongst whom you live. Ezek 9.4. A Mark was set upon those that mourned for others Abominations. These only were to be preserved, and the Destroying Angel was to cut off all the rest. God sets his Bow in the Cloud; Tis the mournful soul that receives the marks of Gods Favour. 5. Prepare for Death. Rev. 6.8. Death now rides in triumph upon his pale Horse: if you meet him not in the streets, if you shut your doors upon him, he can look in at your windows. 'Tis not a poor Paper-wall can keep out his burning dart. 'Tis folly to think of keeping Death out, when sin, his Harbinger, is already entred in. 'Tis your greatest wisdom so to prepare yourselves to give him entertainment, that when he comes, you may bid him welcome. He is ever a Messenger of good tidings to a Saint. He comes to call him home to his Fathers house. Though you cannot defend yourself from death, you may disarm death, so that it cannot hurt you. Get your sin pardonned, and you take out the sting of Death. Acts 3.19. And if you seriously Repent, God will certainly Pardon. Get your interest in Christ, and evidences for eternal life, cleared and confirmed to you. Faith sensibly acted on Christ, John 3.16. 2 Pet 1 5, to 11. visibly. operative in good works, will infallibly insure your salvation. So shall your life( the life of your soul) be secure, Col. 3.3, 4. being hide with Christ in God. And then, when Christ, who is your life shall appear, you shall appear with him in glory. And now this leads me to the consideration of that comfort, which may be administered to you in this case and condition. Take it in these Particulars; Consider seriously; 1. You are in the hand of God. Upon this account David, 2 Sam. 24.14. with no loss wisdom than piety, rather choose the Plague, than the Sword or Famine. God hath indeed Vials of wrath, to pour upon poor sinners; but he hath Bowels of mercy to pled for his Saints. Jam. 5.11. For, the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. Judgement is his strange work; Isa. 28.21. but mercy pleaseth him; Mic. 7.18. 'tis his delight. By the abuse of his mercy do men awake his justice; yet even then, when he cometh forth to punish men for their provocations, he baths his Sword of Justice, in the oil of mercy. The Children of God, as they are not without faults, Heb. 12.6, 7 so they escape not without correction. But still the Child is in the Fathers Arm, and the Rod is in a hand of love. And, Like as a Father pitieth his children, Psal. 103.13, 14. so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame: he remembreth that we are dust. God has secret chambers of providence, wherein he preserves his ●aints in a time of common calamity; Isa. 26.20. Psal. 27.5. and 91.4. Isa 49.2. he hides them in his pavilion, and keeps them secret in his sanctuary; he shrouds themunder his wings, and covers them with his feathers; he hides them in the shadow of his hand, Deut. 32.10 and keeps them as the apple of his eye. Psal. 91.5, -10. Gods promise is his Saints security from the noisome Plague. It shall either not touch you; or if it do, not hurt you. If it do not touch you, you may live longer on earth; and it will not hurt you, if it bring you sooner to heaven. Fear not the arrow that flies by day, and 91.5. and sends so many thousands to the shades of night: If wounded, you shall bleed in your Fathers arms; if mortally, you shall die in your Fathers bosom; and so sweet a death is betthan the longest life. 2. Rom. 8.28. All things shall work together for your good: judge. 14.14 Out of the eater shall come meat, and out of the strong sweetness; out of the greatest affliction God can raise the richest advantage. Happy are they who have the plague of pride and sin cured in their own souls, by that plague and sickness which is laid upon others bodies. When God sweeps away thousands in a week by the Plague, how happy shall you be if you wash away thousands of sins by repentance! How wise and good is God, who can make others sickness a means and medicine to purge our souls from sin! happy shall you be, if by others temporal death God shall prepare and fit you for eternal life. 3. Death will bring your souls to glory. The worst you can fear is death; and is not that the best you can wish? what can you desire better than a translation to glory? Is it not the property of the Saints to groan after their dissolution, 2 Cor. 5. 1.-8. out of an earnest desire of a more immediate Communion with Christ? Can you look upon death as an enemy, which comes to bring you to your best friend? the waters of Jordan will recoil for your easier passage into Canaan. The terrors of death will soon be swallowed up in the joys of an endless life. If the destroying Angel smite your body, and it drop into the dust, there's a preserving Angel ready to receive your soul, and carry it up to the bosom of eternal bliss. If God cast down your tottering tabernacle, Phil. 3.21. he will raise you up a beautiful temple. Your body which is vile in death, shall be glorious in the resurrection: You shall therefore in death but leave a bed of sickness, a valley of tears, to live for ever in a Region of health and happiness. Death to a Saint is but the birth day of a blessed immortality, the commencement of an eternal Festivity. 4. 1 Kin. 8.27, Psel. 139.7, -12. Though you may be deprived of the society of men, you cannot be debarred the freedom of communion with God. As God is not included in the Heaven of Heavens; 1 John 13 so cannot he be excluded from any place on earth: And communion with God and Christ( the privilege of a Saint) is certainly better to a gracious soul than the company and comfort of the nearest relations, of all the dearest friends in the world. 'Tis the voice of a Saint, Psal. 73.25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. Fear not want of company in the strictest confinement; God and his holy Angels will dwell with you; and is not that house a kind of heaven, where a Saint dwells with God and his holy Angels? Be it your comfort though you may be shut up here on earth, you cannot be shut out of heaven. Certainly in the closest confinement, a Saint hath at least a window, by which he can look into heaven, and a door by which he may pass into Paradise. 5. Upon your repentance God will seal your pardon. Sin is the greatest evil; 'tis worse than the Plague; it destroys both body and soul. If the greatest evil be removed, you need not fear the lesser. If your soul be secured, what need you fear that which can but hurt the body. Though sickness bring your body into dust, God will shortly raise it up in glory. That Plague which is so severe a punishment to the ungodly, is to the children of God but a chariot sent to bring them home to their Father in Heaven. Now the Lord give you that good spirit of promise, that may teach and guide you into all truth, support and comfort you in all trouble, until your services and sufferings on earth, shall be crowned with a glorious reward and everlasting joys in Heaven: And by the same Spirit, and for the same ends, the Lord breath life and sweetness into the counsels and comforts here tendered to you, by the hand of his unworthy servant, and Aug. 7. 1665. Your faithful Friend and Monitor. T. wills. A Help for the POOR THAT ARE VISITED WITH THE PLAGUE. THE FIRST PART: showing them their Duty and Concernment in this Condition. TO you that are Visited with this sad and heavy judgement of the Plague and Pestilence, or in great danger thereof, do I now address myself. And because I do hearty desire to do good to the Poorest, Weakest, and Meanest of You, I shall use great plainness of speech. 2 Cor. 3.12. This Visitation is therefore terrible to you, because mortal to the most. The Plague is one of the fiercest Fore-runners of the King of terrors; it doth but touch and take, whomsoever it smites, it usually slays. And therefore I know your desires are to be kept from it, or to be cured of it. And because the latter is more dangerous, the former is more desirable. But this know for certain, there is no man living can give you any certain security for either. If God will smite( for 'tis his scourge) who can stay his hand? If he will slay, who can keep alive? Whom God smites with the Sword of Pestilence, he is wont to smite to the earth at once: 1 Sam. 26.8. He does not need to redouble his stroke, nor is he wont to smite the second time. He is every where present; we cannot fly from him: and he is Almighty; we cannot resist or escape him. Seeing then there is no way possible to secure the life of your bodies; it is your chiefest wisdom to secure the salvation of your souls. The greatest danger, doubtless is, lest when you come to die, and your souls in death shall leave your bodies, they should be cast into Hellfire, from whence there is no redemption: and therefore your chiefest care should be to glorify God in the day of your Visitation, and to save your own souls. And for this end and purpose seriously mind these following Directions, and in the Fear of God, speedily set upon these necessary Duties, which for your spiritual and eternal good, I do here recommend unto you, viz. 1. Look up to God, and be sensible of his hand in your Visitation. 2. Look down upon yourselves, and be deeply sensible of your sins. 3. Speedily make your peace with God, whom you have offended. 4. Speedily prepare for Death, which you have deserved. 5. Patiently bear your affliction and restraint. 6. Piously improve the time of your Visitation. 7. Quietly wait upon God, with submission to his Will, for the issue of it. These are your Duties, beg of God to assist you to do them. Lift up your Heart to God, and say; Ah Lord, spare my life, till by the help of these directions thou hast brought to my hand, I am prepared for death. And, Oh help me by thy grace, so to do these duties of Piety, that I may end my dayes in Peace. Then seriously set upon the work that lies before you, 2 Chro. 20.17. and the Lord will be with you. So God will either preserve you from the Plague, and prolong your life on earth, or pardon your sin, and give you eternal life in Heaven. The First Duty. LOOK up to God, and be sensible of his hand in your Visitation. Certainly, Job 5.6. Affliction cometh not forth of the Dust; nor doth the destroying Plague come by chance. There is a great God, who made the world, and governs it, and all things therein. His Empire is universal: his Kingdom is over all. Psal. 103.19. There is nothing comes to pass, but according to his wise counsel and determination; Nothing but what is ordered, directed, and limited by his wise, holy, powerful, and all-disposing Providence. Are not two Sparrows sold for a farthing( saith our Saviour to his Disciples) and one of them shall not fall on the Ground without your Heavenly Father. Mat. 10.29, 30. But the very hairs of your head are numbered. This great God is the Lord of life and death; 1 Sam. 2.6. Psal. 31.15. He kills, and makes alive, at his own pleasure. Our Times are in his hand, and he varies them according to his will. He checkers our life with good and evil, health and sickness, joy and sadness, as he doth the face of time with light and darkness, day and night. Though our calamities do oft immediately proceed from second causes, yet God, who is the first cause, orders, directs, and determines them, as to these hurtful effects. Job therefore doth religiously aclowledge the Hand of God, Job 1.21. in those evils which were procured by the malicious Agency of Satan. And therefore we find God challenging to himself, as his proper prerogative, this universal causality. For, saith he, Isa. 45.5, 7. I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God besides me. I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I the Lord do all these things. ●●os 3.6. And again, Shall there be evil in a City, and the Lord hath not done it? Understand this of the evil of punishment, not of the evil of sin. For God is so infinitely essentially good, as that it is impossible he should be the Author of sin. Sooner may the Sun, the Fountain of light, be the cause of darkness; than God, the Fountain of Goodness, can be the cause of the evil of sin. But for sickness, the proper effect and punishment of sin, it comes from God, as a just judge, the righteous governor of the World. God therefore threatens his Israel, to bring upon them all the diseases of Egypt, for their disobedience. See Deut. 28.58, to 62. 'Twas he that smote them with the Plague and Pestilence, both in the time of Moses, and in the dayes of David. Oh then be very sensible of the Hand of God upon you, in this day of your Visitation; Jam. 4.10. 1 Pet. 5.6. and humble yourselves under his mighty hand, that he may have mercy upon you, and save you. The Second Duty. LOok down upon yourselves, and be deeply sensible of your sins. 'Tis sin that provokes God, and so procured all the evils that the Sons of men do undergo. sickness is a scourge in the Hand of God, wherewith he chastises the Sons of men for their sins. David therefore in his sufferings, was very sensible of his sins. And therefore he thus addresses his supplication to God; Psal. 25.18. Look upon mine affliction and my pain, and forgive all my sins. Now the Plague is a special judgement which God reserves( as it were) in his own hand, for the severer punishment of some more grievous and provoking sins. 'Tis Gods Visitation, when he is provoked to wrath by mens sins; And have not you, think you, contributed to the measure of those sins, whereby the wrath of Almighty God hath been provoked, which is now poured out in this sore judgement of the Plague, upon the chief City of the Land? On then, labour to be sensible of, and deeply affencted with your sins, whereby you have provoked God to anger. There are some special sins, for the punishment whereof, God hath either inflicted or threatened this very particular judgement of the Plague and Pestilence. And it much concerns you, both to search Gods Book, and to examine yourselves, lest you should be found guilty of any of those sins; Some of them are these that follow. 1. Neglect of the Worship and Service of God: especially when conjoined with contempt of his Command, Exod. 5.3. Zach. 14.17, 18. 2. Obstinacy in disobedience. Obssinate refusal to harken to, and to obey the Voice of God by his Ministers, Exod. 9.13, 14, 15. Deut. 28.15, 21. Jer. 14.10, 11, 12. and 21.5, 6. and 29.15, to 19. and 42.13, 17, 19, to the end; and 44.13, 15, 16, 17. 3. Incorrigibleness under former judgments; When men will not be reclaimed by lesser judgements, God sends greater. When men will not regard the frowns of Gods displeasure, they may expect the stroke of his fury. The destroying Plague comes in the rear of forerunning Punishments, Lev. 26.21, to 25. Amos 4.6, to 10. 4. profanation of Gods Holy Ordinances; Particularly of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, 2 Chron. 21.12. to 15. 1 Cor. 11.20, 21, 30. 5. Unbelief, distrust, and murmuring against Gods Providences, when he doth not afford us the visible means of that plenty and safety, sufficiency and security we desi●e, Numb. 14.11, 12, 26, 27, &c. 37. and 11.4, 5, 6, 33. 6. murmuring against men, Magistrates, and Ministers, because of the evils inflicted by God, the just punishments of presumptuous and rebellious sinners, Numb. 16.41, 49. 7. Open and horrible uncleanness and whoredom, Numb. 25.1, to 4, 9. with Josh. 22.17. No wonder though God sand the Plague for the punishment of a people among whom these Seven Abominations may be found, when it hath been inflicted, or is threamed for any one of them. And much more may it be expected, when God is continually provoked to this severe Visitation, by mens licentiousness, in all manner of evils and impieties. When all sorts of sins do abound amongst all sorts of men. See Ezek. 33.24, to 27. Heb. 2. throughout, and 3.1, to 5. Now deal seriously with thy own soul, whosoever thou art that readest these lines, and setting thyself, as in the presence of the All-seeing God, the Judge of the whole world. Consider, Art thou not guilty of some or more of the forementioned sins? Hast thou not by thy personal Transgressions added to the Provocations of the people of the Land? And is it not meet that the most Holy and Righteous God should visit for these things? Is it not wonderful he hath not long before now cut off many thousands in his wrath? Hast thou not cause to admire his wonderful patience in sparing thee so long, and to adore his Justice in this his Visitation? Oh cast thyself down at the feet of an offended Majesty, and in a deep sense of thy sins, and provocations, cry out, I have sinned, Job 7.20. I have sinned; Oh what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? The Third Duty. SPeedily make your Peace with God, whom you have offended. If God cut you off in his wrath, he will cast you into Hell. This corporal Plague will transmit you to eternal punishment: If it be sad to be shut up from society of men on earth, how much more sad will it be to be eternally excluded from the presence of God, and the society of Saints and Angels in Heaven! If it be a dreadful thing to be shut up in a House, visited with the Plague, how much more dreadful is it to be shut up in the dark and fiery Prison of Hell? there to have no other company then that of the Devils and Damned to eternity! Yet if you die in your sins, this will certainly be your state, how soon or suddenly you may die you know not; it concerns you therefore very speedily to make your peace with God. If God be reconciled to you in Christ, he will either preserve your body from the Plague, from death; or save your soul from Hell; you shall either have a longer life on earth, or a speedier advance to Heaven; where there is no sin, no sickness, no sorrow, but perfect health, perfect happiness, perfect peace and joy for ever. If you make your peace with God, you shall be most happy; both in life and death: In life, happy in his love and favour; Most happy in death, Psal. 16.11. in the fruition of ineffable pleasures in his presence for ever. Quest. But how shall I make my peace with God? Answ. 1. Humble yourself for your sins, whereby you have offended him. Cast down yourself before him, and make an humble confession of your sins, with an unfeigned sorrow and grief of heart, that you have so grievously offended so good a God. By Pride man departs from God: Humiliation and self-abasement; is the first step of his return to God. By commission of sin, Prov. 28.12. we make God an enemy; but upon penitent confession of sin, we shall find God a friend. 1 Pet. 5.6. Humble yourself therefore for all your sins, that God may exalt you in due season. For God resisteth the proud, Jam. 4.6. but giveth grace to the humble. 2. Earnestly beg mercy of God in the pardon of your sins. Without pardon of sin, no peace with God. For this therefore beg with all earnestness, even as for your life; the life of your soul lies upon it. Exod. 34.6, 7. God hath proclaimed himself to be merciful, and gracious, pardoning iniquity, transgression and sin. He hath promised pardon to the truly penitent, Isa. 1.15, 16, 17, 18. and 55.6, 7. Acts 3.19. pled out these promises, till you have the pardon of your sins sealed up to your souls, in a comfortable assurance thereof. 3. Rom. 3.24, 25. Cast yourself on the Lord Jesus Christ, by believing. God shows no mercy to any in the pardon of their sins, or in the salvation of their souls, but only in and through Christ. You must have an interest in Christ by believing, if ever you would have Peace with God, 〈◇〉 and 5.10. or receive any fruits of his favour. God is reconciled to sinners, onely in his Son Jesus Christ. The Fourth Duty. SPeedily prepare for death, which you have deserved. By your sins you have offended God, and now( with the rest of the Family visited) are shut up, Psa. 44.22. as sheep appointed for the slaughter; The destroying Angel is come in among you, and though you are yet in health, how soon he may smite you with death, you know not. Doth not God by this providence, say to thee, Set thy house, thy heart in order, Isa. 38.1. for thou must die? How near,( for any thing thou knowest) doth death stand to thee! Luke 12.20. Alas! This night thy soul may be taken from thee; And yet, if thou diest unprepared( alas!) thou art undone for ever. How many thousand poor creatures( it is much to be feared) are surprised with death, before they are fit to die! Alas, how many are surprised in their sins, and so as their bodies drop into the dust, their souls are sent into Hell, there to lye in quenchless flames, and to endure the wrath of Almighty God to eternity! Oh this is( in times of mortality) matter of great lamentation. This, this is that which( if possible) deserves to be bewailed with tears of Blood. But now if you were duly prepared to die, you need not at all to fear death. Death would but put an end to all the Miseries of life. Death would but put your soul into immediate Possession of Paradise. Death would but bring you to a glorious Rest, and crown your souls with everlasting joys. And, O happy soul, that through the pangs of death, passeth into the joys of Paradise! you would but go from Earth to Heaven; from an house infected with the Plague, to a place of everlasting pleasures. And never was any man sorry that he came so soon to Heaven. Never did any, that ever tasted of the joys of Heaven, grieve that he so soon left and lost all the pleasures upon earth. You shall but exchange your earthly comforts for eternal Crowns of glory. Had you but an affured interest in, and a lively apprehension of the happiness of the Saints in Heaven, I am sure you would not desire to live one day longer on earth. Believers who have tasted the joys of heaven, in communion with Christ, 2 Cor. 5.1, -8. Phil. 1.23. groan in their earthly Tabernacles, desiring to be dissolved and absent from the body, that they may be for ever present with the Lord. Quest. But how shall I so prepare myself for death, that I may entertain it with joy, in the hopes of eternal life in Heaven? Ans. Set yourself speedily and seriously to do these three things, and you shall be fit either to live with comfort, or to die in peace, with undeceiving hopes of glory. First, Get your sins pardonned, and your pardon sealed. Secondly, Get the life of your soul secured. Thirdly, So live, as one that ever looks when he shall die. This is your threefold work( the great business of your life) which when you have done, you may quietly go to your Rest at the summons of Death. Seriously then set yourself to it. 1. Work, Get your sins pardonned, and your pardon sealed. 'Tis nothing but sin, that can keep you out of Heaven, that can sink your soul to Hell. If your sins were pardonned, you need not be afraid to die; Death could then but bring you to Heaven, and so be an end of your miseries, a beginning of your happiness. If you should die in your sins, you will not dare to look God, your judge in the face; but if your sin be forgiven you, you may hold up your head with joy, the holy Angels will be ready in death to transport your soul into the blessed Mansions of Bliss and Glory. Quest. 1. But what must I do that my sins may be pardonned? Answ. Repent, and God will forgive, Acts 3.19. and 5.31. if your sins be never so many, never so great, if you do unfeignedly repent of them, and with your whole soul turn from them to God, he will certainly forgive them all. See his Promise, Isa. 1.16, 17, 18. Wash ye, make you clean, &c. And again, Isa. 55.7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. On then speedily, seriously( while you have yet time and space) set upon this necessary work of Repentance. Retire yourself into your secret chamber or closet; being there, set yourself as under the All-seeing eye of God: strictly examine yourself; reflect upon your whole life past; call your sins to remembrance, those especially to which you have been most addicted, and whereby you have most dishonoured God. Think with yourself, what sins are they that would most trouble me was I now to die, and make me afraid that God would throw me into Hell? and having found them out, fall down on your knees, and confess them to God. Work your heart to an unfeigned sorrow for them, hatred of them, and resolution against them; this penitent confession of your sins, will put you into capacity of the pardon of them, according to Gods gracious promises; as Pro. 28.13. He that covereth his sin shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy; and 1 Joh. 1.9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Oh then beg earnestly of God mercy in the forgiveness of your sins; and so humbly apply the promises of pardon, and labour to feel them sealed up to your soul by the spirit of God, in a comfortable assurance of the forgiveness of your sins. For a help to the weak in this work, I have( in the Second Part) drawn up The Penitents Confession of his sins, and Petition for Pardon, which you may make use of for this end. Quest. 2. But what must I do that I may be assured my sins are pardonned? Ans. If in the foregoing Work you do not find the Promises so sealed up to your soul by the spirit of God, that you are assured of the pardon of your sins, then do this; seriously reflect upon your repentance, and review Gods promises of pardon: Say thus with yourself, God hath graciously promised the pardon of sin to them that truly repent. Now though I cannot so mourn for my sins, as the heinousness of them does deserve, yet am I so unfeignedly sorrowful for them, because I have thereby offended a good and a gracious God, who hath preserved me all my life, sustained me with many mercies, sent his Son to die for me, that I do hearty desire to forsake them for ever, and to turn from them all to God. And O that God would give me a heart to hate them, and grace never more to commit any of them. Now God hath graciously promised pardon to them that do thus repent of their sins. O let him fulfil his promises to my soul; he certainly will do it; for he is faithful and true, and its impossible he should ever fail in the performance of any of his promises: Oh then be it to me, O Lord, according to thy word. I desire quietly to rest satisfied with that assurance thou hast thereby given me of the forgiveness of my sins, and I hearty bless thy name, and adore the riches of thy grace, in that thou art pleased in such a time of need to show mercy on such a vile sinner. 2. Work, Get the life of your soul secured; Labout to get so sound an evidence for life eternal, that you may be assured whensoever you die, your soul shall be saved. Your body is mortal, it shall at length drop into the dust; but your soul is immortal, it shall never die. But when your body dies, your soul must immediately go either to heaven or to hell: Your soul dismissed from the body, shall either endure all the miseries of the damned in hell, or enjoy all the felicity of the blessed in heaven to eternity. Now if you were but assured upon undeceiving grounds, that your soul should be saved, you need not fear death; Death would be nothing then but an entrance into life, a gate to glory. Your soul would but leave a day cottage for a heavenly habitation. Your soul would but fly up as a spark to heaven, there to shine as a star in glory. Quest. 1. But how may I secure the life of my soul? how may I make sure my salvation? Answ. By faith in Jesus Christ; Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. For, Acts 16.32 John 3.16. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. Consider seriously thy condition. Know, Thou wast born in sin, and art by Nature a Child of Wrath, justly obnoxious to the Wrath of Almighty God, and liable to the Torments of the Damned in Hell. Know thou hast in thy corrupt Nature, the seeds of all manner of sins, the cursed principles of all manner of impiety and rebellions against God. Consider how many thousand times thou hast by thy actual transgressions broken Gods Holy Law in thought, word and dead. Oh be sensible that thou art a lost and utterly undone creature in thyself, by reason of thy sins. For every sin, as it offends an infinite Majesty, deserves an eternal punishment: and how many grievous sins art thou guilty of, against Almighty God! For these sins thou art already condemned by the Sentence of the Law; John 3.18. while thou art in this condition, thou art every moment in danger of eternal damnation. And if thou diest in this state, thy soul will certainly drop into hellfire. This is thy danger, thy condition, from which thou canst not by any thing thou canst do or suffer, save or deliver thyself. Acts 4.12. Neither can any creature in Heaven or Earth save thee; 'tis only the Blood of Christ can expiate thy sins; 'tis only Christ Jesus can save thy soul. If thou hast interest in Christ by believing, thou shalt be saved: if not, thou must certainly be damned, Mark 16.16. Now know that salvation by Christ is freely tendered in the Gospel to the worst of sinners, Tit. 2.11, 12. 1 Tim. 1.15. And assure thyself that Jesus Christ is more willing to save thee, than thou canst be desirous to be saved by him. Didst thou ever desire him to shed his blood for thee? Didst thou ever desire him to reveal the way of life to thee? Didst thou ever desire that he would sand an invitation to thee, to come to him and live? Yet all this he hath freely done, and now waits for thine acceptance; yea, he complains of the backwardness of poor sinners to come to him, saying, Ye will not come to me that ye may have life. John 5.40. O then accept of this salvation; accept of Jesus Christ upon his own terms: accept him to be thy Sovereign and thy Saviour, and so trust in him, and rest upon him alone for thy salvation. Say, Ah Lord Jesus, I am a poor lost sinner, that cannot possibly save myself, but if thou wilt thou canst save me. Behold, Lord, I am willing to take thee upon thine own terms; to do, to be done with, and disposed of in every thing as seems good unto thee; onely have mercy upon me, and save my precious immortal soul. Save me, O save me, Lord Jesus I perish. 1 Tim. 1.15. Thou camest into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief, And therefore behold I cast myself upon thee, I put my whole trust in thee; I rest upon thee alone for my salvation. Act faith thus on Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be undoubtedly saved; for faith will unite thy soul to Christ; Col. 3.3, 4. and so shall thy life be hide with Christ in God; and then when Christ who is thy life shall appear, thou shalt appear with him in glory. And thus mayst thou secure the life of thy soul. Q. 2. But seeing a man may presume and perish, how may I be assured, upon an undeceiving ground, that my soul shall be saved? A. Though a man may presume and perish, yet tis certain, He that believeth shall be saved, Mark 16.16. John 3.16. And therefore having acted faith on Christ, as before, Reflect upon that act, and remember the promise of salvation made to every Believer. Say thus then with yourself, I am assured Jesus Christ came to save sinners: I know I am a lost sinner, and cannot save myself. I have no hope of salvation by any but Christ. I wholly rely upon him alone for my salvation. In him I believe, in him I trust, through him only I hope for life eternal. Mat. 16.16. Now I know God hath promised salvation and life eternal to every one that believeth in him. John 3.16. Doubtless God will perform his promise. Happy then am I, my soul shall be saved: I shall inherit eternal life: I shall at length see my Saviour in glory; Come then Lord Jesus, O come quickly. Rev. 22.20. 3. Work. So live, as one that ever looks when he shall die. Mark 13.34, 35, 36. Demean yourself so, as one that is in continual expectation of his Lords coming. Watch ye therefore( 'tis our Saviours charge to his Disciples) because ye know not the time when your Lord will come; whether at Even, or at Midnight, or at the Cock crowing, or in the Morning; Watch therefore, lest coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. If you be found asleep in sin, you'l awake in the flames of hell. rouse yourselves therefore from the sleep of sin and sloth, to the work of grace and godliness. So spend every day and hour, as if it were the last you should ever spend. So perform every Religious Duty, as if it were the last you should ever perform. So enjoy every comfort, as if it were the last earthly comfort you should ever enjoy. Col. 3.1, 2. 1 John 1.3. Set your hearts and affections upon things above. Be much in communion with God and Christ. So demean yourself, as being always under Gods eye. Keep a continual watch over your Heart, Words, and ways; Be very careful to avoid whatsoever may be offensive to God; study in every thing you do, to please and honour him. In a word, so live on earth, as if you were already in Heaven. So shall you by death enter into life eternal. For, saith the Lord, To him that ordereth his conversation aright, Psal. 50.23. will I show the salvation of God. The Fifth Duty. PAtiently bear your afflictions and restraint. 'Tis Gods hand that is upon you; 'tis his Visitation that is the cause of your confinement. When God speaks by way of rebuk( in his holy Providence) it becomes man to be silent: When God corrects, his Child must not complain. David in this case, by a holy silence, expressed his humble submission. Psal. 39.9. I was dumb( saith he) I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it. consider your own sin( you suffer no more than you deserve:) and Gods sovereignty( he may punish you as he pleases) and so patiently bear his hand, and quietly submit to his will. Think not by your own strength to break Gods bands: neither repined at your restraint, which is for the public safety. Murmur not against men, lest it displease the Lord. Your liberty might be the loss of others lives. The public good and safety, is to be preferred before the Private Benefit of particular persons or families. Know, though you are shut up, God is not shut out: He that hath visited you, is present with you. On then be sensible of your sins, as the cause of your sufferings; and prefer the freedom or communion with God, infinitely before the comfort of society with men. 'Twas the sense of his presence, Act. 16.25. that made Paul and Silas to sing in Prison. His presence will turn a Prison into a Paradise. Say then, with the Prophet, Therefore I will look unto the Lord: Mic. 7.7, 8, 9. I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. When I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me. I will bear the indignatinn of the Lord, because I have sinned against him. Know and consider, by your sins you have long since forfeited your lives to the divine justice. Alas! Its of Gods mercy you are not now in Hell. And should you then complain of Gods Visitation and your Confinement? Wherefore doth a living man complain( or murmur) a man for the punishment of his sins? Lam. 3.39. Rather say, in the sense of your deserts, vers. 22. It is of the Lords mercies we are not consumed, because his compassions sail not. When by reason of your confinement you cannot enjoy the comforts of life, observe the counsel of our Saviour, Mat. 21.19. In your patience possess ye your souls. Through Patience in your affliction, you I have that experience of Gods Love, that will both sweeten your sufferings, and insure your salvation. Hence, saith the Apostle, in the name of suffering Saints, We rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Rom. 5.2, -5. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience experience; and experience hope; And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the holy Ghost, which is given unto us. Happy are you, if you reap this fruit from your afflictions. 'Tis by Patience you may in a sort accomplish impossibilities, hereby you may gather Grapes from Thorns, and figs from Thistles. Hereby you may fetch water out of the Flinty Rock, and Wine out of the barren Wilderness. Hereby you may receive the sweetest refreshing comforts, from the saddest and sharpest afflictions. Divine patience is a heavenly alembic, by which you may distill the sweetest waters from the bitterest herbs, Moreover know 'tis your special duty and concernment to glorify God in the day of your Visitation. And this you must do by a penitent confession of your sins, a patient bearing of your sufferings, and a pious improvement of them for your spiritual advantage. The Sixth Duty. PIously improve the time of your Visitation. Spend not this precious time( which is the space which lies betwixt you and eternity) in a stupid sorrow, and fruitless lamentations. But set yourself seriously upon those Exercises of piety, which may conduce to your present comfort, and future happiness. Be much in Reading the Scriptures, and other good Books, in Meditation and Prayer. You are now restrained from the public Ordinances; Be sensible of your sin in neglecting them, or not improving them as you might and ought, for your souls good. You may never possibly hear one Sermon more, or join with the public Congregation in one solemn Prayer. Oh therefore be so much the more serious in your private and personal duties and devotions. 1. Diligently, and Reverently red the holy Scriptures. When you take up that blessed book into your hand, lift up your heart to God, and secretly say, Let thy good Word O Lord, do my soul good. O let thy Spirit so guide me in thy Word, that I may find some comfort for my poor soul. Oh warm my heart by thy good spirit, that it may receive impression by thy holy word. Good Lord, make it effectual for my salvation. Oh let it be as physic to cure the Plague of sin in my soul, and as food to nourish me to life eternal. Amen, Amen. The whole Scripture is excellent and useful, yet some Portions thereof may be more proper in the present Case. Such are the Book of Job, the Psalms of David; the Lamentations of Jeremiah; Also the Prophecies of Hosea, Joel, and Amos; And the Epistles of Saint James, Peter, and John: More particularly, red the Law of God, or Ten Commandments, contained in the twentieth Chapter of Exodus, that in the Glass of Gods Law, you may behold those sins whereby you have provoked the pure eyes of his glory. red the 26. Chapter of Leviticus, wherein you may see the Judgements which God hath denounced against men for disobedience. red Numbers chap. 16. and 26. where you may see what particular sins God hath punished with the Plague. red Deut. 30. wherein life and death are set before you, and tendered to your choice. red Josh. 24. wherein you have Joshna's Proposal, and the peoples Resolution to serve the Lord. red Nehem. 9. wherein you have a large confession of Gods goodness, and mans wickedness. red Job 14. wherein you have an account of the shortness of mans life, and the certainty of his death, which yet shall not come before Gods appointed time. Many of the Psalms are very excellent, seasonable and suitable, and therefore oft to be red. Such are the seven Penitential Psalms, viz. the 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143. The Psalms occasioned by the Plague and Mortality in the time of Moses, Psal. 90. and in the dayes of David, Psal. 91. Such Psalms as contain the Saints Addresses to God, and demeanour in affliction; as the 22, 25, 28, 39, 42, 86, 88, 142. Such Psalms as declare the goodness of God to his Saints, upon these Addresses and in these Afflictions; as the 16, 30, 31, 34, 40, 103, 106, 108, 116, 145. Such Psalms as show the Saints Hope and Confidence in God in time of trouble; as the 23, 49, 62, 63, 85. red Isaiah chap. 28. which is the Prayer of Hezekiah, when he was visited( as it is thought) with the Plague, and his Thanksgiving for his recovery. red Jeremiah 19. chap. representing the sad state of a sinsul people, when God comes to punish them with the Sword, Famine and Pestilence. red Ezekiel 33. chap. wherein God promiseth Mercy to the penitent, and denounceth judgement against the disobedient. And seeing you are now deprived of the happy opportunities of hearing Sermons, red our Saviours Sermon in the Mount, Matth. 5, 6, 7. chap. red the 14, 15, 16, 17. chapters of St. John, wherein our Saviour comforteth his Disciples( and in them all Believers) against the troubles of the world, and commends them by prayer into the hands of God. red the 24. and 25. chapters of St. Matthew, wherein our Saviour describes the Day of Judgement, and gives direction for our duty and carriage, that we may with comfort and joy wait for his coming. red the 15. chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians; wherein the Resurrection is described, for your comfort against the fear of Death. red the 4. and 5. chap. of the second Epistle to the Thess. concerning our preparation for the coming of Christ. red the three last Chapters of the Revelation concerning the Glory and Happiness of the Saints in Heaven. You may red as many of the forementioned Portions of Holy Scripture as you have leisure and opportunity, during your Confinement And while you are Reading, remember this, God is speaking to you, and treating with you about the Concernments of your Soul and a better Life; and directing you in the true and only way for the certain and infallible attaimment of Eternal Life and Happiness. This is an excellent Improvement of your present Time, and Preparative for your future Eternity. But then, 2. Meditate seriously on those things which you red. Apply them to your own Soul. Labour to get your Heart duly affencted with them. Oh labour to feel your Heart melt with Sorrow for those Sins which you discover in yourself, and inflamed with Love to God, for his Mercy and Goodness to the Sons of Men. Labour to find a perfect Abhorrency of Sin planted in your Heart, and an affectionate Love to your Saviour. Oh say, shall I not hate Sin, which dishonours so good a God, and destroys the Immortal Soul? Shall I not love my Saviour, who hath shed his precious Life-Blood for my Salvation? Labour to suck sweetness out of the precious Promises, and to fortify yourself against the Fears of Death, with the Hopes of Eternal Life. 3. Be frequent and fervent in Prayer. 'Tis the Apostles Rule, Is any among you afflicted? Jam. 5.18. let him pray. 'Twas a heavy Charge wherewith Eliphaz burdened Job, in his Affliction; Job 15.4. Thou castest off Fear, and restrainest Prayer before God. When the Hand of God is upon you, your Heart should be lift up to Him. When God is come to visit you with the Plague, itis high time for you to return to him by Prayer. When Hezekiah found himself sick, Isa. 28.2, 3. he presently betook himself to Prayer, and made his earnest supplication to God. Prayer is the best Preservative for the sound, the best Restorative for the sick. Oh then, while you have yet Health and Strength, fall down upon your knees before God, and pour out your humble Supplications to Him, for the Pardon of your Sin, the Prevention of Sickness, and the Recovery of the Sick, if it be his good Will and Pleasure. And in your Prayers, act Faith in Gods Promises. Remember what our Blessed Saviour hath said for your Encouragement. Mat. 21.22 All things whatsoever ye shall ask in Prayer, believing, ye shall receive. And( saith the Apostle) the Prayer of Faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed Sins, they shall be forgiven him. Iam. 5.15, 16. And therefore saith he, Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed: The effectual fervent Prayer of a Righteous Man availeth much. And for a help to the weak in this Duty, I have hereunto added several Forms of Prayer, suited to this sad Occasion; as in the Second Part. The Seventh Duty. QUietly wait upon God, with submission to his Will, job 14.5. Psal. 68.20. for the Issue of this Visitation. Know, He hath appointed the Bounds of Mans Life: and, to Him belong the Issues from Death. Be sure then you shall not die an Hour, a Moment before your Time. The Day of your Death was prefixed in Gods Decree, before the Day of your Birth. God hath unchangeably appointed the Number of your Dayes, job 7.1. and 21. 23-26. and the manner of your End. If your appointed Time be not yet come, He can and will deliver you from Death. But if your appointed Time be at hand, why should you be unwilling to die? Death is a Debt to Nature: Heb. 9.27. 'tis the common lot of all Men. If you must once die, why may you not as well now? Death is the beginning of the Saints Glory: 'tis the Day of their entrance upon an Eternal Inheritance. Was ever any sorry that he was so soon happy? Will the Heir to a great Estate, be sorry that the day is at hand, wherein he must enter upon his Inheritance? Can you imagine it possible that a Saint should be sorry that he is come so soon to Heaven? If you have therefore any well grounded evidence for Eternal Life( for the attaimment whereof I have already directed you) you need not be afraid, and methinks you should not be unwilling to die. The World is a Stage of Labour, a Sea of Trouble, a Field of War. Can a Servant be sorry that his Work is ended, and he is dismissed to his Rest? Can the Seaman be sorry that his Voyage is finished, and he is arrived at his desired Haven, returned to his long-longed for Home? Can the soldier be sorry that the battle is ended, the Victory won, and he is called to receive his Reward, his Crown? And should a Christian be sorry that his Life is ended, and he is called, by death, to enter into Rest, to go home to his Father in Heaven, and to receive from the hand of Christ a Crown of Eternal Glory? On then resign up yourself into the hand of God, to be at his disposal, with a free submission to his will for life or death according to his appointment. Wait then quietly upon god, with submission to his will, and you shall see his salvation. He'l either give you your Life for a Prey, or make your Death an Advantage. Say then with the Prophet in his Lamentations. Lam. 3.24, 25, &c. The Lord is my Portion, saith my Soul, therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the Soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a Man that he bear the yoke in his youth. He sitteth alone, and keepeth silence, because he hath born it upon him. He putteth his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be Hope. For the Lord will not cast off for ever. But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion, according to the multitude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the Children of Men. This holy and gracious Carriage under Affliction and Confinement, will certainly be crowned with a happy and glorious Issue. A Help for the Poor, That are Visited with the PLAGUE. The Second Part. Exhibiting certain Forms of Meditation, Prayer and Praise, suited to the Beginning, Continuance and Issue of their Visitation. A serious Self-Reflection, or Divine Soliloquy: Being, A Meditation suited to the state and condition of one that is shut up in a House visited with the Plague. HEre am I now shut up as Noah in the ark; For the Deluge of Gods Wrath( provoked by the sins of men) is come, and Thousands are over whelmed by it. Noah was shut up for his Preservation; but, perhaps, I am shut up for my Destruction: For( alas!) I have not, as I ought, walked with God; Gen. 6.9 but rather after the course of this World. Eph. 2.2. I have rather fulfilled the lusts of the Flesh, than obeied the Motions of Gods Spirit. Justly therefore may I expect rather to perish with the Wicked World, than to be preserved with Righteous Noah. The Lord alone knows whethe● I, or any within these walls shall ever go out aliv 〈…〉 he good Lord fit us for that end and issue which he 〈◇〉 appointed. How righteous is the LORD in all his w●… how holy in all his works! Psal. 145.17. How just are his judgements! How plainly may I red Gods Justice in this my restraint! How fit a punishment of my sins, is this confinement! I have sinned against Heaven, Luke 15.21. and am not worthy to behold it. I have polluted the Air by my sinful words, and am not worthy to breath in it. How justly is the benefit of the pure and free Air denied me, who haue so polluted it by my impure speeches, corrupt Communications! Eph. 4.29 How justly is the Air, which was polluted by my sins, insected with the Plague! Have I not polluted it with Oaths and Curses, at least stained it with many vain and idle words, for which I must give account at the Day of Judgement! Mat. 12.36. I have desiled the Earth, by walking in ways of wickedness, and now I am utterly unworthy ever to tread more upon it. I have abused Gods Creatures, and therefore justly may I be shut up from the use of them. Have I not sometimes forsaken mine own house, to go and sit in those houses where Gods creatures are too commonly abused, to his dishonour, by excess and drunkenness? Have I not there heard the Name of God profaned by Oaths and Curses? Have I not there seen the creatures of God abused? Yea, have not I sometimes both abused myself and them? How justly then doth God lay this restraint upon me, and shut me up in this confinement! How justly am I deprived of the Society of Men, who have taken more delight in it, than in Communion with God! How oft have I neglected going to the House of God, and sate at home, while I might have attended his Holy Ordinances; and how justly am I now debarred that liberty, and shut up at home, in this sad confinement! Oh, how long have I sinfully neglected to receive that Blessed Sacrament of the Lords Holy Supper; and now the Lord gives me the Bread of Adversity, and the Water of Affliction, instead of that sacred Bread and Wine, the blessed Symbols of my Saviours Body & blood! How oft have I profaned that holy Ordinance by my unprepared participation, my unreverent receiving of it; and now how justly am I deprived of opportunities to receive it! Alas! I may now never hearone Sermon more, never feast with Christ in his holy Supper more; never put up one prayer with the Church more; never have one tender of Grace and Salvation more in the ministry of the Gospel. Yet, good God, do not shut the Gate of Salvation against me, oh do not shut me out of Heaven and Glory. Here am I now shut up in this House, and how justly may I be sent out of this House into Hell! Yea, what mercy is it I am not in Hell already! How oft have I by my sins provoked God to cast me into that fiery Prison! How many hath God cut off in the very Act of Sin, and immediately cast them into Hell! Ah! I have cause to believe there are many thousands now in hellfire, who have never committed so many sins against God, as I have done; who have never lived so long as I to dishonour him. Oh, how great is his mercy, that I who am now shut up in this House, am not shut up in Hell, there to dwell with devouring fire, and to lye down in everlasting burnings! From this House there yet stands a way open to Heaven; but from Hell there is no redemption. The Lord grant I may so improve my precious Time in this House, that I may escape the cruel pains of the damned in hellfire, which last to Eternity. Here am I shut up in this House, and debarred from the Society of my dear Friends; but I am not excluded from the Presence of God: I am not abridged the Freedom of Communion with Him. The Lord fit me for, and refresh me with the comfors of this Holy Communion. The Plague in this House cannot make me so miserable, as the privilege of Gods special gracious Presence may make me happy. O the Lord grant that I may so enjoy and improve his gracious Presence on Earth, that it may be to me a certain pledge of his glorious Presence in Heaven. The Penitents Confession of his sins, and Petition for Pardon. O Most High and Mighty, Great and Glorious Lord God, behold thy poor Creature humbly casts himself down at thy Foot-stool. My sins, I do humbly confess, are very many, and exceeding great, that if thou wast not infinitely merciful, I might justly be afraid to come into thy holy presence. For what can such a vile sinner as I am, expect from such a holy and just God as thou art, but that thou shouldst spurn me from thy Footstool into Hell fire? But seeing, Lord, thou hast promised Mercy and Pardon to them that humbly confess their sins and hearty repent of them; I do here humbly present myself before thee, desiring freely to confess the sins which I have committed against thee. I have been, I confess, a sinner from the very womb, I was conceived and born in sin, and I have been a Trangressor of thy Holy Laws, in the whole course of my life. Those Good Duties which thou hast strictly commanded, I have sinfully neglected; and those great Evils which thou hast expressly forbidden, I have customarily committed. I have not valued thy precious Promises, not regarded thy terrible threatenings. Thy Mercies have not alured me to obedience, nor thy Judgements deterred me from sin. I have too eagerly pursued the Profits of the World, and the Pleasures of Sin; while I have woefully neglected the Service of God, and the Salvation of my soul. I have( alas!) too long lived without God in the world; and therefore might I now die without any hope of future happiness. I have so demeaned myself, O Lord, as if I neither feared thine anger, nor desired thy favour; as if I neither feared Hell, nor desired Heaven; so that I might but satisfy my base lusts in this present life. And now, Lord, I humbly confess it might be just with thee to despise me in my affliction, and to reject me as an abominable thing for ever. Most justly, O Lord, mayest thou smite me with the Plague, and cut me off from the Land of the Living. For I must needs confess that I stand guilty before thee of those very sins, for which thou hast inflicted, or denounced that heavy Judgement. For I humbly confess, O Lord, that I have neglected thy Worship and Service both in public and private. I have not so diligently attended on thy holy Ordinances, nor daily called upon thy holy Name, as I ought to have done. And herein I cannot excuse myself from the contempt of thy Command; for I have not been ignorant that thou hast required these things from me. But, O Lord, I have not harkened to the voice of thy Ministers, who have declared thy Will unto me, and in thy Name required my obedience. But though I have known thy Will, I have by an obstinate disobedience provoked thy wrath. And though thou hast sometimes afflicted me by losses, crosses, and disappointments, or laid thine hand upon me in sickness, I have not been sensible of my sins and thy displeasure; neither have I been reclaimed by thy Corrections. For when thou hast removed thy stroke from me, I have again return'd to the same course of folly and sin. I have, I humbly confess, profaned thy holy Ordinances, and shed the Blood of Christ in his Holy Supper, by my unprepared approach to his Table, and unworthy receiving of that Blessed Sacrament of his Body and Blood. I have not so quickly depended upon thy holy Providence as I ought, with full contentment, with that portion of Creature-comforts which thou hast allotted me. I have been more apt to murmur at thy mercies, that they have been no greater, than to mourn for mine own sins, which have been so exceeding great, and whereby I have made myself less than the least of thy mercies. And when others have been justly punished for their sins, I have been ready to murmur against the Ministers of thy Justice: so apt have I been to justify the wicked, and to condemn the just. I have been so far from mourning for the horrible and open uncleanness and whoredoms of others, that I have been in a great measure guilty thereof, by entertaining the reports of that sin, whereby thy Name is dishonoured, and the Land polluted, with pleasure and delight. Yea, Lord, I have defiled my own body with filthy lusts, my soul with filthy thoughts, affections, imaginations and delights. And here, O Lord, I do with a broken and bleeding heart bewail that grievous sin of * Here confess your special secret sin. — to which I am so much inclined, and which I have so oft committed, to the wounding of my conscience, the defiling of my soul, and the dishonour of thy great Name. For this, O Lord, I might have been long since most justly damned; for this thou mightest have cut me off by a stroke from Heaven: in the very act of this sin, thou mightest most justly have cut me off, and cast me into Hell. But seeing thou hast hitherto spared me; good Lord, do not now destroy me. Thou hast spared me when I have sinned against thee: oh do not destroy me, when( with an unfeigned sorrow for my sins) I do return unto thee. Behold, Lord, in a sense of my sins, I lye at thy feet, and I beg thy mercy. I am grieved at my very heart that I have so grievously sinned against thee. I have done amiss, Lord, I have done amiss, but oh! through thy Grace, I will do so no more: no, I will never, never so dishonour thy Name, and provoke the pure Eyes of thy Glory, as I have heretofore done. Oh therefore, good God, I do most humbly and earnestly beseech thee, for thy tender mercies sake, and for the merits of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and of that precious Blood which he shed for sinners, have mercy upon me, have mercy upon me, in the free and full forgiveness of all my sins. Pardon me, O Lord, or I perish for ever. Oh save me from wrath, save me from Hell, through the remission of my sins, in the Blood of my Saviour Jesus Christ. Oh I am a poor lost Creature in myself, to him I fly, on him I do rely for my Salvation. Oh pardon my sins, wash them away in his blood, and save my soul. In him, O Lord, thou hast promised pardon to the truly penitent, and salvation to every one that believes. Behold, O Lord, I do hearty repent me of my sins, I do steadfastly believe in my Saviour Jesus Christ; I put my whole trust in him, I give myself up to him, I desire in all things to be ruled by him. Oh then speak peace to my soul in this blessed assurance, that my sins are pardonned, and my soul shall be saved. This thou hastpromised, O Lord, I believe thy Promises are most faithful and true. Be it then to thy Servant according to thy Word. And now, O Lord, sanctify me, I beseech thee, throughout by thy Spirit, and enable me by thy Grace, to conquer my Corruptions, and to keep thy Commandments. Oh writ thy Laws in my heart, and enable me to express a conformity to them in my life. For while I live will I serve thee, Psal. 104.33. I will praise thy Name while I have my being. Oh grant that during that time, whether longer or shorter, which thou hast allotted me upon Earth, I may do the things that please thee, and then when thou shalt call me hence by death, oh receive my soul into glory, that I may for ever enjoy thee in Heaven. Grant this, O Lord, for the merits of thy dear Son, and my blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: Amen. A Prayer for one that is visited with the Plague, to be used by him in the beginning of his Sickness. O Lord, I have sinned, and thou hast smitten me. Now, now, Lord, do I feel the Tokens of thy Displeasure, and the Fore-runners of my Death, if thou do not save by thy Power, whom thou hast wounded in thy Justice. Thou hast smitten me, but behold, Lord, I do not fly from thee, but fall down before thee. I do not, oh I dare not complain of thy stroke; I know it is just: but I lament my sin, an my sin; for it is exceeding great. Mercy, mercy, O Lord, I humbly beg on my bended knees, for my body, for my soul. Have mercy on my soul, and forgive me my sins. Have mercy on my body, and heal my sickness: On spare thy poor servant, Psal. 3● 10 and remove thy stroke from me, if it be thy good pleasure. All my folly, all my wickedness, Psal. 90.8. O Lord, is known to thee. Thou hast set mine iniquities before thee, my secret sins in the light of thy countenance. On charge them not upon my soul to my condemnation, but wash them all away in the Blood of Christ. If by this stroke thou shalt put an end to my dayes, oh take me not away in my sins; do not, oh do not cast my sinful soul into Hell. But, O good God, have mercy upon me, even for Jesus Christs sake, have mercy upon me, in the forgiveness of my sins, and the salvation of my soul. I have sinned away my health; oh keep me from sinning in my sickness. Thou hast wounded my body, but oh keep me from wounding my own soul by sin. Let me not put poison into mine own cup; let me not add a sting to thy stroke, by mixing of sin with my sufferings. Keep me then, O keep me, good Lord( for I cannot keep myself) from all murmuring and impatience, from distraction and despair. Preserve my soul from the power of Satan, and the poison of his temptations. Eph. 6.16. Give me that Shield of Faith, whereby I may quench all his fiery darts. Let my heart, to the last moment, be fixed, Psal. 112.7. Job 19.21 trusting in the Lord, believing in Christ. Behold, Lord, I am weak and frail; Have pity upon me, O my God, have pity upon me, for thy hand hath touched me. O spare me a little, Psal. 39.13. that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be seen no more. I bless thee, O Lord that I have this breathing space; while I live will I breath after thee; and when I die, oh let me breath out my soul into thy bosom, that my last breath may, through thy grace and favour, waft my soul to a Land of Bliss and Glory. Now into thine hands, O Lord, Psal. 31.5. do I commit and commend myself, both body and soul; thou hast redeemed me, O thou God of my alvation. To thy will do I submit, whether for life or death. Oh by thy power let me be preserved unto life eternal. Grant, O grant this my humble and earnest svit, for the sake of thy dear Son, and my blessed Lord, and alone Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen, Amen. A Prayer to be red to one that lies sick of the Plague ( if he be sensible) and by him to be repeated, Sentence after Sentence. First speak thus to the sick man; Lift up your heart to God, who hath laid his hand upon you, and say after me. Then repeat to him the following Prayer, Sentence by Sentence, as it is pointed. LORD, Look down upon me. I am a miserable sinner. I have broken thy Holy Laws. I have neglected thy Service. I have profaned thy Sabbaths. I have dishonoured thy Name. I have lived too much after mine own Lusts. I have abused thy Mercies. I have misspent my precious Time. I have not served thee, as I ought, in my Health. My sins have deserved this Sickness. My sins have provoked thy wrath. My fins do deserve hellfire. But, O Lord, have mercy upon me. Give me true Repentance: And forgive me all my sins. I am hearty sorry for them. Oh give me a soft heart. increase my sorrow for my sins. Oh pardon them for Jesus Christ his sake. Wash me in his Blood. Cloath me with his Righteousness. sanctify me by his Grace. Save me through his Merit. Give me a lively Faith in Christ. Lord, I believe: Oh help my unbelief. Mark 9.24. Luke 17.5. Lord, increase my Faith. Lord, give me Christ, or I die. Oh give me Christ before I die. Give me Christ, and I shall live for ever. Thou, Lord, hast cast me down: And thou canst raise me up. Oh pity and spare me. Remove thy stroke from me. Lord, Remove thy stroke from me. Redeem my life from Destruction. Psal. 103.4. Renew my health and strength. Heal me, O Lord, heal me. Yet not my will, Luke 22.42. but thine be done. Prepare me for Death. Prepare me for Heaven. Good God, receive my Soul in Death. Receive my Soul into Glory. Hear me, O Lord, for Jesus Christs sake. Amen. When he grows weaker, and nearer to his end, let him oft repeat these short Petitions. Lord, Have Mercy upon me. Good Lord, Pardon my sins. Lube 18.13. Acts 7.59. For Christs sake save my soul. God be merciful to me a Sinner. Lord Jesus, Receive my Spirit. Amen. A Prayer to be said by others, for one that is sick of the Plague. O LORD, Thou art righteous in all thy ways, Psal. 145, 17. and holy in all thy works. We thy poor servants, do freely confess, that we justly deserve by our sins, the sorest of all thy judgements. Yea, Lam. 3 22. It is of thy mercies we are not all consumed, because thy compassions fail not. If thou, Lord, Psal. 130.3. shouldst mark iniquities, who can stand? If thou shalt contend with us, who are but dust and ashes, we must needs fall and perish. Psal. 130.4. But with thee there is mercy and forgiveness, that thou mayest be feared and served. Oh then in great mercy forgiven all our sins, Psal. 103.3. and heal all our diseases. Psal. 103.10. Deal not with us after our deserts, neither reward us according to our Iniquities. Look down we beseech thee, with an eye of special compassion upon thy poor sick servant. Oh pardon, and spare, and heal * Or her, if it be a woman. him. Save him, O Lord, for thy great mercies sake. Ah Lord God! what is poor frail man, a poor, weak worm, that thou who art the Mighty God, shouldst contend with him? Oh let not thy Power oppress, but relieve thy poor Creature. Thou, O Lord, art a consuming fire, Heb. 12.29. and we are but withered stubble before thee. But oh consume us not in thy wrath, but save us in thy mercy. Mercifully pardon thy poor servants sins, and then( if it be thy good pleasure) heal his sickness. Oh give him true repentance, and then seal him a gracious pardon. Let him so remember his sins, as that thou mayest for ever forget them. Let him so mourn for his sins, that his Soul may rejoice in the sense and assurance of the forgiveness of them. And, if it be thy good pleasure, O Lord, rescue thy servant from the Jaws of Death; renew his health and strength, and restore unto him the comforts of life. For, O Lord, the dead praise thee not; Psal. 115.17. Psal. 38.17.18. they that go down into the pit of corruption, cannot declare thy power and goodness to the Sons of men. For thy Names sake, O Lord, save and deliver thy poor servant. However let the life of his soul be precious in thy sight. If thou hast appointed him to die, O Lord, prepare him for death. Oh sanctify him throughout, that when his body shall drop into dust, his soul may ascend into glory. Prepare him, we beseech thee, for whatsoever issue thou hast appointed to this Visitation. Oh do not cut him off in his sins, do not shut him out of Heaven when he dies. But let the Blood of Christ cleanse him from all his sins, 1 John 1.7. and through the merit of Christ let his soul be saved. Oh cause thy face to shine upon his soul, and refresh him with thy gracious comforts while he lives, and when he dies receive him into thy glorious Kingdom. Lord hear our petitions in his behalf, for the sake of thy dearest Son, and our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, in whose holy Name and Words we further call upon thee, saying, The Lords Prayer. Our Father, which art in Heaven; Mat. 6.9, -13. Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in Earth, as it is Heaven. Give us this Day our daily Bread: And forgive us our Trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And led us not into Temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory, for ever and ever. Amen. A short Prayer for one that lies at the very point of Death. LORD, look down in mercy upon thy poor Creature, and through the terrors of Death carry his soul into the Triumphs of Life Eternal. Oh help, help him, Lord, in his last extremity, and through the soorows and pangs of death, let his soul pass into the joys and pleasures of Paradise. O forsake him not, O Lord, in the very agonies of Death, in the last strugglings of his soul, with the great enemy of his salvation. rebuk Satan, that cruel and malicious Tempter, who is then ready to assault with the greatest strength, when thy poor creatures have the least power to resist him. He then strives in his malice to hurt and destroy, when we have most need of thy mercy to help and save. But let thy mercy, O Lord, be above Satans Malice. Let not the Evil Spirit touch the soul of thy poor dying servant, but let thy Holy Angels bear it up into Abraham's bosom, Luke 16.22. into everlasting rest and joys. Oh wash his soul from all his sins, in his Saviours Blood, and sanctify him throughout by thy Holy Spirit, judas v. 24. that he may be presented faultless with exceeding great joy, before the presence of thy Glory. Oh finsh his combats in Death, and give him the Crown of Life. Rev. 2.10. Behold, thou hast brought him to the Gates of Death, thou hast set him upon the brink of Eternity; Oh open to him the Gates of Life, and let his Soul enter into Glory. Thou callest him hence, he must stay no longer here: Now, Luke 2.29, 30. Lord, Let thy Servant depart in peace, that his Soul may see thy salvation. O receive in mercy his departing soul to thyself in Glory. Into thine hand, O Lord we do commend his soul; O save him for thine infinite mercies sake, in Jesus Christ our Lord and onely Saviour. Amen. A Prayer to be used by him that is yet in Health, though shut up in a House Visited with the Plague. O Most Holy, Great, and Glorious Lord God, and in Jesus Christ, my most Merciful and loving Father, I humbly and hearty thank thee, that thou hast been pleased hitherto to preserve me from this contagious and deadly Disease, the noisome Plague and Pestilence. My sins, I humbly confess, which have been greater than others, have deserved, that thou shouldst cut me off before others. But blessed be thy holy Name, thou hast given me a larger space of Repentance, and a longer time to prepare for thy Visitation, and my death: O give me grace to improve it, that I may not be surprised with Sickness, before I have thoroughly repented of my sins; nor be arrested by Death, before I am fit to die. I am, O Lord, I confess, a very great and grievous sinner; I have spent my time in much forgerfulness of thee, and disobedience to thee: I have not so improved the blessed seasons of grace and salvation, as I might and ought to have done. And I now know not whether ever I shall enjoy another opportunity. Good Lord, forgive me this great neglect. I have woefully neglected the Duties of thy Worship and Service. I have not so diligently sought thy face in secret, as I ought to have done. I have too much walked after the sinful inclinations of my own heart, spending my precious time in folly, vanity, and sin. I have been too careless of the great concernments of my soul, too regardless of my own salvation. But, O Lord God, I am hearty sorrowful for my sins, & I humbly beseech thee, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, to forgive me all my offences. Oh, remember them not against me; charge them not upon me to my condemnation; but be thou fully Reconciled to me in thy dear Son, Jesus Christ. And, O Lord God, I beseeth thee spare the life of thy poor Servant; preserve me from this deadly Disease, and prolong my life( if it be thy good will and pleasure) that I may as much honour thee by my obedience for the time to come, as I have dishonoured thee heretofore by my sins. I know, I confess, O Lord, that it were better for me to die, than to live in sin to the dishonour of thy Name, and my own deeper condemnation. I do not therefore desire to live, but that I may serve and glorify thee. And therefore, O Lord, if thou wilt graciously be pleased to spare the life of thy poor servant, I do solemnly promise to devote myself to thy service all the rest of my dayes. If thou shalt spare my life, Oh give me grace faithfully to serve thee while I live, that my soul may be saved when I come to die. But if it shall please thee O Lord, to smite me with sickness, and by this deadly Disease to put an end to my dayes, Oh of thy great mercy forgive my sins, and save my soul. Prepare me therefore, O Lord, for Death, that if thou shalt continue me here, I may live more holy on earth; and if thou shalt take me hence, I may be for ever happy in heaven. To this end, Good Lord, seal up to my soul the pardon of my sins, and assure me of thy favour in Christ. Sanctify my sinful nature, and shed abroad thy love in my heart by the Holy Ghost. Rom. 5.5. Give me a steadfast Faith in Christ Jesus, and a lively hope in thy mercy. Help me to conquer my own Corruptions, and give me victory over Satans Temptations. Oh teach and enable me so to live in thy Fear, that I may die in thy Favour; so shall my Death be comfortable, and my Resurrection joyful and glorious. And now, O Gracious God, and Merciful Father, I do humbly commit and commend myself Body and Soul into thy Hands: I do here humbly resign myself up wholly unto thee, to be at thy disposal, whether for life or death, beseeching thee to fit me for that issue which thou hast appointed, that if I shall live, I may live to thy glory; if I shall die, I may die in thy Favour, and so live with thee for ever in Glory. Thus Grant, Lord, Rom. 14.8. that living and dying I may be thine, and happy in thee for ever, through the Merits and Mediation of thy Dear Son, and my Blessed, and alone Saviour and Redeemer. Amen. A Prayer, to be used by some fit Person, with the Family visited with the Plague, both Morning and Evening. O Lord, the Great and Dreadful God, Psal. 86.9. & 125.18. who art terrible in thy judgments, and yet rich in Mercy to all that call upon thee, who call upon thee in Truth. Vouchsafe, we humbly beseech thee, to look down upon thy poor unworthy Servants, who do here humbly cast themselves down at thy Footstool, imploring thy Mercy towards them, in this their miserable extremity, in the prevailing Name and Mediation of thy dear Son, Jesus Christ. Our sins, O Lord, do testify against us, and our Iniquities are gone over our Heads; Psal. 38.4. they have long since reached unto Heaven, and provoked thy wrath and vengeance; and have now contributed to the procurement of this dreadful Visitation with the Plague and Pestilence. Here we are, O Lord, as Sheep shut up to the slaughter, Psal. 44.22 as poor creatures set over to Death and Destruction, if thou be not more merciful to us. Justly we confess, O Lord, mayest thou command thy destroying Angel to slay every one of us before thee, because we have every one of us grievously sinned against thee. But though we have received the Sentence of Death in ourselves, 2 Cor. 1.9. we know, if thou wilt, thou canst deliver us. And to whom should we, poor creatures cry, in this our Misery, but to that God, who is infinite in Mercy? Have mercy upon us, O Lord, we beseech thee, have mercy upon us. Forgive us, O Lord, all our grievous sins, and preserve us from this mortal sickness: Preserve us, O Lord, if it be thy good will and pleasure, that we may live to speak thy Praises, and to glorify thy great Name. We have, we humbly confess, justly deserved this heavy Visitation, and sad confinement. For in the time of our Health and Liberty, we have not so remembered thee, to fear and serve thee as we ought; but by our sins and disobedience we daily provoked thee to anger. We have not, O Lord, thus met daily together in our Health, to call upon thy Holy Name, and to seek thy Face by Prayer, and to give thee the praise of our Preservation, and of thy manifold Mercies. And therefore justly now mightest thou hid thy Face from us, and refuse to harken to the Voice of our Supplications. But good Lord, Mal. 3 7. Return to us in Mercy, according to thy Promise; who do desire to return to thee in Duty, according to thy Command. We confess, Holy God, that our hearts are full of Corruption, and our lives have been full of Sin. We have broken all thy Holy Laws, in Thought, and Word, and dead. We have more minded the World, than thee, our God; and have taken more care and pains for our poor, frail Body, than for our precious, Immortal Souls. We have been more afraid of sickness, than of Sin; and have not so much desired Holinesse as Health. How justly may the evil that we fear, be brought upon us, seeing we have not been careful to do the Good, which was required from us! But, O Lord, Psa. 103.10 Deal not with us after our sins, nor reward us according to our Iniquities. Our sins, we confess, are many, and exceeding great. We have oft repeated the same sins, and multiplied our provocations. Hadst thou not, O Lord, been infinite in Patience, we had certainly perished through thy wrath incensed by our sins, Lam. 3.22. long before now, We must needs confess, It is of the Lords mercy we are not all consumed, because his compassions fail not. For we have sinned against the Light that hath shone in thy Gospel, and the Love that hath been manifested in thy Son. We have proceeded in sin, notwithstanding the Knowledge of thy Commands, and the checks of our own Consciences: Yea, we have multiplied our sins against thee, as thou hast multiplied thy mercies upon us. Rom. 2.4. The goodness, Patience, Forbearance, and Long-suffering of our God, which leads us to Repentance, hath not reclaimed us from our sins, nor persuaded us to an amendment of our lives. And now what can we expect but that the goodness of God, which we have despised, should forsake us; and that Patience and Forbearance, which hath been abused by us, should be turned into fury and indignation against us? But, good God, seeing thy goodness hath spared and preserved us, when we have rebelled against thee, Oh let not thy wrath be kindled against us, to consume and destroy us, when with unfeigned sorrow for our sins we return unto thee. For behold, O Lord, we beseech thee, our Hearts are grieved within us for our sins, and we do here humble ourselves at thy feet for our provocations, being willing even to put our mouths in the dust, Lam. 3.29. if there may be hope. O Lord, pity; O Lord, pardon; O Lord, spare us and save us for thy Mercy's sake. Oh do not destroy the work of thine own hands: Do not destroy thy poor creatures, who now cry for mercy to thee, when in the bitterness of their souls they do bewail those sins, which they have committed against thee. Wherefore, O Lord, didst thou give thy dearest Son to die, but that poor sinners might live? Oh for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ, and for the Merit of that precious Blood, which he hath shed for the sins of the World, have Mercy upon us in the free and full Remission of all our sins. And, O Lord, We beseech thee, so purify our Hearts by thy Grace, and sanctify our souls by thy Spirit, that we may loathe the sins we have loved, and so turn from them all, to thee our God, as never to return to them more. Let thy Grace be in us so powerful a Principle of New-Obedience, that during the precious Remnant of our Dayes, we may so live, as those that are redeemed by Christ, Alive from the Dead, and Heirs of Glory. * When there is none sick in the house, this must be omitted. And now, O Lord, We humbly beseech thee, to pity thy poor † Or Servants, if there be more than one Sick. Servant, on whom thou hast laid thy Hand, in this heavy Visitation. Oh pardon * Or her, or their. his sins, and speak Peace to his Conscience in the assurance of his pardon. Oh preserve him from Death, according to the greatness of thy Power, or prepare him for a better life, according to the riches of thy Mercy. Oh when his soul shall leave his Body, let thy Holy Angels carry it up into Heaven, that his better Part may be with Christ in Paradise. And look down graciously, we beseech thee, upon us thy poor Servants, here at thy foot-stool, and prepare every one of us for that, which thou hast appointed to be the issue of this thy Visitation. Oh do not take any of us away in our sins: Do not sand us hence into hellfire: But bring us out of our sins into our Saviour, and so preserve us by thy Power, through Faith in Christ, to life Eternal. 1 Pet. 1.5. Give us Patience, O Lord, to bear thy Hand, and Grace to submit to thy Will. And when thou shalt take us out of this life, Lord have Mercy on our Souls, and receive them to thyself in Glory. Howsoever, O Lord, It shall please thee to deal with us, we beseech thee in great Mercy, remove this grievous Judgement from the Land. On say, 〈◇〉. 24.16 1 Chron. 21.27. It is enough. Command the destroying Angel to stay his Hand, and to put his Sword up into its sheathe. Oh spare thy poor People. and deliver them from this dreadful destruction. show Favour, we pray thee, to all those who snew any Kindness to thy poor Servants in this their sad Visitation: Preserve their Persons, bless their Estates, and save their Souls, who have lifted up their hearts in Prayer to God for us; and who have stretched out their hands to afford any relief and support to thy poor Servants in this their afflicted and desolate Condition. Oh let that good, that kindness which we have received from any, for the support and comfort of our bodies or souls, be returned a Thousand-fold, into their own bosoms. And now, O Lord, In the Morning. We hearty bless thee, that thou hast kept us the Night past, and given us to see the Light of another Day. Thou mightest have made our Beds our Graves, and covered us in the darkness of the Night, with the shadow of Death. How many of thy poor People have this last Night, slept the sleep of Death, never to awake more till the Day of Judgement! But thou hast raised us up again to the beginning of this day. Now, Lord, grant that we may live this day, as if it were the last Day we had to live, seeing we know not but it may. Keep us, we pray thee, from sin; and quicken us to every good Duty: Give us Grace to be ever welldoing, that when Christ shall come to call us hence, he may find us so doing, Mat. 24.26, & 25.21. Luk. 19.15. and may say to every one of us, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful in a little, take possession of much: Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Grant this, O Lord, for the sake and merit of our onely Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, In whose holy Name and Words, we further call upon thee, saying; Our Father, which art in Heaven, &c. In the Evening. We bless thy Holy Name, that thou hast added one Day more unto our lives. Oh that as we are now one Day nearer to our Death, we were all something fitter to die. Pardon, we beseech thee all the sins of this Day past: Do not remember them against us, nor charge them upon us to our Condemnation. Wash them all away in the Blood of Christ, that they may be as if they had never been. We hearty bless thee for all the mercies we have this Day received; we are less than the least of them. We pray thee take us this Night into thy Tuition, and give us safety under the shadow of thy wings. Teach us, O Lord, so to lye down in our Beds, as in our Graves; & so to compose ourselves to sleep, as if we should no more wake till the Resurrection of the dead. Psal. 16.7. Let our Reins instruct us in the Night season, and let our secret thoughts be sanctified and sweetened, by the inspirations and comforts of thy Holy Spirit. Psal. 139.8. When we awake, let us be still with thee. Let our first thoughts be seasoned with a holy remembrance of our merciful preserver. If thou shalt add another Day to our lives, grant that we may so spend it in thy Fear, and with such Diligence in every good Duty, that at the last we may give up our Accounts with joy. All this, with what ever else thou seest more needful for us than we can ask or think, Eph. 3.20. we humbly beg in the Name, and for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate; to whom, with thyself, and holy Spirit, be all Honour and Glory, Dominion and Praise, Thanksgiving and Obedience, henceforth, and for evermore. Amen. A Thanksgiving to be used by one recovered of the Plague. O Lord, thou art wonderfully great and good, Life and death are in thy Hand. Thou hast Power to save and to destroy. Thou castest down into the Dust of Death, and again raisest up unto the liberty of life. Ex. 15.11. Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the Gods? Who is like unto thee, Glorious in Holinesse, Fearful in Praises, Doing wonders? The Lord killeth, 1 Sam. 2.6. and the Lord maketh alive: He bringeth down to the Grave, and bringeth up again. Thou art no less Glorious, O Lord, in thy Mercy, than Dreadful in thy Justice. Thou art able to destroy, yet ready to save. I thy poor Servant have had experience of thy Power and goodness: Thou, O Lord, didst cast me down, and show me my own sin and frailty; but thou hast raised me up, to manifest thy Power and Mercy. When I became vile in my own eyes, then was my life precious in thy sight. Thou layedst thy Hand upon me, and afflictedst me; I bore the Tokens of thy displeasure; but thine Anger is tuned away, Isa. 12.1. thou hast removed thy stroke from me, and Comforted me. O Blessed, for ever Blessed be thy Holy Name. I said in the cutting off of my dayes, Isa. 38.10, 11. I shall go to the gates of the Grave: I am deprived of the residue of my Years. I said, I shall no more see the goodness of the Lord, in the Land of the Living. I shall behold Man no more, with the Inhabitants of the World, But thou hast in love to my Soul delivered it from the Pit of Corruption: Isa. 38.17, -20. For thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. For the Grave cannot Praise thee, Death cannot celebrate thee: They that go down into the Pit cannot hope for thy Truth. The Living, the Living he shall Praise thee, as I do this Day: The Father to the Children shall make known thy Truth. The Lord was ready to save me; therefore will I speak the Praises of my God all the dayes of my life. Thousands are cut off, and behold, I am preserved: What am I better than others, that I should be this Day alive, when so many Thousands are dead? Alas! by my sins I have justly deserved to be swept away with the same Destruction. But the Lord hath taken pity on me, and my God hath preserved me. bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy Name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, Psal. 103.1, -5. & forget not all his benefits, who forgiveth al thine Iniquities; who healeth all thy Diseases; who redeemeth thy life from Destruction: Who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender Mercies. Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, so that thy youth is renewed like the Eagles. Now, Lord, seeing I live through thy Mercy, give me Grace to live to thy Glory. Help me to perform all my vows and Promises. Suffer me not to Relapse into my former sins. Teach me to live, as one that is alive from the dead. Enable me to honour thee by a Holy life; that when mine appointed time is come, Psal. 73.24. I may die a Happy death. Guide me, O Lord, by thy Counsel, and afterwards receive me to Glory. So for all the goodness that thou hast shewed to thy Servant o● Earth, I shall Eternally Praise thy Name in Heaven. And now, Lord, I lay mine Incense upon thine Altar. Let this my Prayer and Praise be accepted, through Jesus Christ, my only Lord, and Saviour. Amen. A Thanksgiving, to be used by one preserved from the Plague, in a House Visited. O Lord, my good God, What Praises can I render to thee, for my Preservation? When thine arrows have stuck fast in others, Job. 6.4 and the poison thereof hath drunk up their spirits; Psal. 34.7. & 91.11. with Favour hast thou compassed me about, as with a Shield. Thy Holy Angels, the Executioners of thy Justice upon others, have surely been a Guard and a Defence to me. While the noisome Plague hath preyed upon others; thou hast sheltered me under thy Wings, Psal. 91.4. and covered me with thy Feathers. Oh blessed, blessed be thy Holy Name, for this singular specialty of thy Power and Goodness in my Preservation. My Sins, O Lord, as well as others, have provoked thy Wrath, and exposed me to the same danger, to the same Disease, by which so many Thousands have perished. How great is thy Goodness, who when thou mightest in thy Justice have punished me for my Sins, hast in thy Mercy preserved me from Destruction! When others have been consumed with the blow of thy Hand: Psal. 39.10. thou hast not so much as touched me with one Twig of thy Rod. When Hundreds have been continually grappling with the terrors of Death; thou hast still continued to me the comforts of life. Thou hast made the House of Mourning and Death, to be as a Sanctuary of life and health to thy Servant. My Soul therefore shall glory in thy Goodness, Psal. 63.5. and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. I called upon thee, O Lord, and thou heardest me: I put my trust in thee, & thou hast preserved me. Death drew near to me to devour me; the Grave opened its mouth wide to swallow me up: But the Lord hath delivered me from the stroke of Death; he hath delivered me from the hand of the Grave: Psal 89. 4● Yea, the cruel Messenger of Death hath not touched me; for the hand of the Lord hath kept me. I still looked to be cast down into a dying state; but behold î I am this day a living Monument of the Lords Mercy. The Lord hath kept me in the Valley of the shadow of death. Psal. 23.4. The Lord hath preserved my soul in Life. Psal. 34. 1.-7. I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall continually be in my Mouth. My Soul shall make her boast in the Lord, the humble shall hear thereof and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his Name together. I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. Now, O Lord, let the remembrance of thy mercy be ever sweet to my Soul. Make me sensible of that Obligation which thou hast hereby laid upon me to Obedience. I have been preserved by thy Providence, and therefore solemnly do I devote myself to thy Service, My life is continued, or rather renewed by thy Goodness; and therefore do I desire to dedicate all the rest of my dayes to thy Honour. Lord, teach me so to live, that my life may speak thy Praises: Psal. 50.23 And prepare me so to die, that I may in death see thy Salvation. Accept, O Lord, this poor tribute of Praise, which I now render thee for my Preservation, and overlook the Unworthiness of the person presenting it, for the Worthiness of the Person in whose Name I present it, Jesus Christ the Righteous, thy Dear Son, and my Blessed Saviour and Redeemer. Amen. A Corollary. Now as you love your Soul, take heed that you live not in sin. You have escaped the Plague: But if you live in sin, you shall not escape Hell. Resolve then, by the Grace of God, to led a New Life. Set up the Worship of God in your Family. Be constant in the practise of true Piety in the whole course of your Conversation. If you resolve( as you ought) so to do, I know further Directions for the Duties of Religion, and a Holy Life will be acceptable to you. And such are already extant in several excellent Treatises. I shall Commend Three of them to you, which are of such singular usefulness to quicken and direct men in the exercise of true Godliness, that I hearty wish every Family was furnished with them, viz. The Sincere Convert, by Mr. shepherd. The Practise of Piety, by Dr. Bayly. The Rule of the New Creature, by Mr. Reynor. To these, those that are able may add, The Christian Mans Calling, by Mr. Swinnock. But above all, be much in reading the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise to Salvation, and will infallibly direct you in the Way to Eternal Life. FINIS. Several Books useful and necessary, Printed and sold by Peter Parker at the first Shop in Popes-head Alley next to Lombard-street; viz. Mr. Cradocks Gospel Holiness, or a saving sight of God. Dr. Harris his several Sermons in one Vol. 40. Dr. Sibbs his Excellency of the Gospel above the Law; wherein is shewed the liberty of the Sons of God, with the Image of their graces here, and their glory hereafter. The Fiery Pillar of Heavenly Truth, by Al. gross. A brief Discourse of Mans first and second State, by Robert Harris Dr. in Divinity. Mr. Baxters Call to the Unconverted, to turn and live. Mr. Baxters Three Treatises to awaken secure sinners, viz. 1. A Sermon of Judgement. 2. The Danger of slighting Christ. 3. True Christianity, or Christs absolute dominion, and mans necessary self resignation to him. A Trial of Faith, in several Sermons, by Mr. Timothy Arnetage, late Pastor of a Congregation in Norwich. Mr. dikes Right receiving of Christ. St. Peters Enlargement in pray, wherein are certain Queries touching the Theory and practise of Prayer. The Saints Cordials, being a Collection of several Sermons by the Reverend Dr. Sibbs. Israels Prayer, being an Exposition on Hosea, by Edward Reynolds Dr in Divinity. With many others not here name.