Gods Three Arrows, Section 70 – Section 72
§. 70. Of a plagues devouring.
I. *See §. 69.A Plague can quickly deſtroy a multitude. Here within leſſe then a day 14700. are deſtroyed by a plague. There is mention made before this of a plague, which, though the preciſe number of them that died be not expreſſed, may be thought to have deſtroyed as many as this plague, for it is ſaid that, aNumb. 11. 33.The Lord ſmote the people with a very great plague. After theſe (but before they went out of the wilderneſſe) at one time there b—259.died in a plague 24000. c2 Sam 24. 15.In Davids time there died within the ſpace of three dayes almoſt three times 24000 of a plague, viz. 70000. d2 King. 19. 35In Hezekiahs time when Sennacherib came againſt Ieruſalem, there died of a plague in one night, more then twice as many of the hoſte of Sennacherib, as did of all Iſrael in the foreſaid three dayes, viz. 185000. Other hiſtories relate very great deſtructions cauſed by plagues.
Thucydides maketh mention of a plague that began at Lib. 2 Belli Pelopon. anno ſecundo.Ethiopia, fell downe into Egypt, and Afrique, and into the greateſt part of Perſia, and invaded Athens on a ſudden, where dying men lay tumbling one upon another. Their Temples were filled with the dead. Lawes of funerals were broken: every one burying where he could find roome. And while fires were made to burne ſome dead corps, others were brought and caſt thereinto.
Euſebius recordeth a plague at Alexandria which made Eccleſiaſt Hiſt. lib. 7. cap. 21.every man to howle thorow the City by reaſon of the multitude of dead corps, which daily fell. There was not an houſe where no courſe was found. And the Heathen there left their dead unburied, to be devoured of dogs.
At Rome when Camillus died, there died ten thouſand Heurm. de peſte. cap. 1.every day of the plague. And under Veſpaſian and Commodus Emperours, two thouſand were every day taken away with that infectious diſeaſe.
VnderUnder Iuſtinian a plague with ſuch violence fell upon Bizantium and the bordering places, as every day there died Alſted. in Theſaur. Chronol. Mirab. Dei. an. 547. Idem. Ibid. an. 729. Idem. Ibid. an. 1348.five thouſand, and ſome dayes ten thouſand.
At Conſtantinople a plague ſwept away three hundred thouſand perſons.
VnderUnder Charles 4. an Epidemicall plague waſted the whole world for three yeares together. At Lubeck it deſtroyed foureſcore and ten thouſand: and at Florence an hundred thouſand.
In Petrarchs time ſo fierce a plague invaded Italy, that Idem. Ibid, an. 1359.there remained alive ſcarce ten of a thouſand.
But to leave Forraigne parts, we will give ſome inſtances of the multitudes of ſuch as have beene devoured by the plague in our owne Country.
In the raigne of Edward 2. there was ſo grievous a mortality Stow in his generall Chron. of Engl. an. 9. Edw 2. Idem. Ibid. an. 22. & 23. Edw. 3.of people, as the quicke might unneath burie the dead.
In the raigne of Edward 3. a farre greater plague happened. It came from beyond. ſea into the townes and parts of England joyning on the ſea-coaſts in Dorſet-ſhire, where even as in other countries it made the country void of Inhabitants, ſo as there were almoſt none left alive. Thence it paſſed into Devon-ſhire, and Somerſet-ſhire, even unto Briſtow, where it much raged. It came alſo to Glocester, Oxford, and London, and finally it ſpread over all England, and ſo waſted the people, as ſcarce the tenth man was left alive. When Church-yards were not large enough to bury their dead in, they choſe certaine fields appointed for that purpoſe. For the dead in London *The Charter-Houſe was afterwards built thereon. Regiſter of the Charter-Houſe excarta.a peece of ground called Spittle-croft, containing 13 acres, without the barres of Weſt-Smithfield, was purchaſed, encloſed, and dedicated. In that place were buried the yeare following more then fifty thouſand perſons. *Acts & Monum. an. Edw. 3. 22. An. Dom. 1348.Two thouſand are ſaid to be there buried every day from Feb. 1. till the beginning of May following, beſides thoſe which in other places in and about the City were buried. Of that plague there died in Norwich from Ian. 1. to Iuly following, fifty ſeven thouſand an hundred and foure, and in Yarmouth ſeven thouſand fifty two.
In Richard the ſeconds time, a great peſtilence was in Stow. in his generall Chrō. Rich. 2. 15. An. Dom. 1391 Ibid. Edw. 4. 18 An. Dom. 1479Norfolk, and other countries. Beſides other places, in a ſhort time there died therof in the city of York eleven thouſand.
VnderUnder Edward 4. an innumerable company of people died of the plague in London, & in divers other parts of the Realm.
In the raigne of Henry 8. there was ſuch a plague, as in Ibid. Hen. 8. 5. An. Dom. 1513one houſe, to wit the Minories without Aldgate, there died 27. profeſſed Nunnes, beſides lay-people and ſervants in that houſe.
In the raigne of Edward 6. was alſo a great peſtilence.
In Queene Elizabeths time many Engliſh being ſent to Ibid Edw. 6. 2. 1548. Ibid Q. Eliz. anno 4.New-haven for the ſafeguard thereof, ſuch a plague there fell, as the ſtreets lay even full of dead corps, not able to be removed by reaſon of the multitude that periſhed. From thence the ſouldiers brought the infection into England. Beſides thoſe that died in other parts of the Realme there died in London liberties and out-pariſhes from Ian. 1. 1562. to Dec. 31. 1563. twenty thouſand one hundred thirty and ſixe, beſides thoſe which died of other diſeaſes. Againe, from Dec. 29. 1592. to Dec. 20. 1593. there died in London and the liberries of all diſeaſes 17893. of the plague 10673.
In the firſt yeare of King Iames from Dec. 23. 1602. to Dec. 22. 1603. in London and the liberties thereof there died of all diſeaſes 38578. Of the plague 30578.
In the firſt yeare of King CHARLES from Dec. 22. 1624. to Dec. 23. 1625. of all diſeaſes 54267. of the plague 35417.
It hath beene *§. 48.before proved that a plague is an effect of Gods wrath, an immediate ſtroake of his hand. Such a ſtroake muſt therefore needs be heavy, and deſtroy many where it lighteth, eſpecially when the Lord ſo ſtriketh therewith, as he will ſhew that he is angry.
§. 71. Of the terrour of a plague.
O Make not a tuſh at a plague: ſleight it not too much. Why a plague is not to be made light of.If we account the lives of men, women and children to be precious, (how precious a thing life is, hath beene *§ 63. Lege Flavij Ioſephi Antiquit. Iud. lib. 7. cap. 13. Deſcriptionē peſlis quae contigit ſub Davide. Terrorem iſtius morbi ad vivum exprimit.before declared) we may well thinke that that which taketh away the lives of many, is to be accounted a terrible thing. I deny not but that in ſome reſpects warre, in other reſpects famine is more terrible then peſtilence: which made e2 Sam. 24. 14.David chooſe it, rather then either of them. Yet is a plague, if once it grow to any ſtrength, a fearefull and terrible judgement. By it, parents that have had many children like Olive plants round about their table, have beene ſoone made childleſſe. By it parents, children, husbands, wives, maſters, ſervants, whole houſholds have beene in a very ſhort time ſwept away. Yea ſtreets, and villages, and cities have thereby beene made deſolate. On ſome it commeth more mildly, and taketh them away without any paine, or extraordinary fervour: on others it falleth more violently, caſting them into extreme burning fits, troubling the braine, diſturbing the underſtanding, making them that are affected therewith, rage and rave, and ſeeke all wayes to make away themſelves. Lamentable experience hath given too evident proofes hereof. Beſides, by reaſon of the contagion and infection of this diſeaſe, deare friends are kept one from another, and they that are viſited therewith, deprived of many outward helpes, and inward comforts that otherwiſe they might have. Finally, they that die of this diſeaſe are for the moſt part deprived of the honour of that decent and ſolemne funerall which otherwiſe they might have: a matter iEccl. 63. Ier. 22. 18. 19.which God himſelfe hath threatned as a judgement: but k1 King. 14. 13 Ier. 34. 5.promiſed an honourable, and comely buriall as a bleſſing. In theſe and many other reſpects a plague is juſtly to be accounted a fearefull judgement: which ſhould make us more fearefull of provoking his wrath that hath the power over plagues, to ſend them when he will, to continue them as long as he will; and to make them as fierce and violent as he will. See more of this point, § 48, 50.
§. 72. Of the many meanes that God hath to deſtroy men.
II. *See § 69.GOD can many wayes deſtroy men. Many, many are the wayes that are recorded in Scripture: and yet many many other wayes hath experience in all ages given evidence of. We read that from heaven aGen 7. 11.water fell and drowned the whole world: and b—19. 24.fire and brimſtone, and deſtroyed foure cities at once; and cIoſ. 10. 11.great ſtones that flew armies of men; and d1 Sam 7. 10.great thunders, and ePſal. 18. 14.lightnings, whereby hoſts of enemies have beene diſcomfited; yea and f—78. 48.hot thunderbolts: gIud. 5. 20.the ſtarres in their courſes, and hPſal. 35. 5, 6. 2 Sam. 24. 16. 2 King 19. 35. Per culices ac mures integros Barbarorum exercitus ſugabat Deus. Chryſ in 2 Cor. 5. Hum. 8the Angels of God have deſtroyed many. All theſe, and many other meanes of deſtruction hath the Lord ſent from heaven. On earth he can raiſe up men againſt men to deſtroy one another, which is moſt uſuall: He can ſtirre up mEzek. 14 15.beaſts, and nIer. 8. 17.ſerpents, yea oNumb 21. 6.extraordinary fiery ſerpents, and pExo 8. 6.frogs, q—17.lice, r—24.flies, ſ—10. 13.graſhoppers, and innumerable other kinds of creatures. How many kinds of diſeaſes hath God in all ages raiſed up to afflict and deſtroy men? What Phyſitian can reckon them all up. He can make all the elements his inſtruments to conſume men, and all manner of creatures: yea, he can make new creatures to be his ſcourges. Read in particular the tLev. 26. 16, &c Deu. 28. 16, &cſeverall curſes recited by Moſes, and we ſhall find juſt cauſe to ſay, God can many wayes destroy men.
God is a ſupreme and abſolute Lord over all: and can both diſpoſe them to what worke and ſervice it pleaſeth him, and alſo enable them to effect whatſoever he putteth them unto. So as what he will have to deſtroy, ſhall deſtroy as he will have it. Yea, his Divine power is then eſpecially manifeſted, when by vile things he effecteth great matters.Tunc maximè manifeſtatur Dei potentia, quando per viles operatur magna. Chryſ. in 2 Cor. 5. Hom. 8.
Is not this Lord now to be feared? Is it ſafe to provoke his wrath? Doth he not ſinne againſt his owne ſoule that provoketh him? What if he have inflicted ſore judgements on others, and thou haſt eſcaped? Doeſt thou thinke that God hath no more judgments in ſtore, if thou continueſt to provoke him? Were they that were not ſwallowed up with Dathan & Abiram, or not conſumed with Korahs complices, were they exempted from all other judgments? Were not 14700 conſumed with a plague? Remember this aggravation, BESIDES thoſe that died, &c. Remember it, and tremble. Thou maiſt eſcape this plague, and yet periſh by another judgement. Rejoyce not becauſe the rod of him that ſmote thee is broken: for out of the ſerpents root ſhall come Iſa 14. 29.—24. 17, 18. Pro qualitate peccati ignem ſibi unusquiſ que ſuccendit. Hier. Comment. l. 14. in Iſa. 50acockatrice, and his fruit ſhalbe a fiery flying ſerpent. Feare, and the pit, and the ſnare, are upon thee O inhabitant of the earth. And it ſhall come to paſſe, that he who fleeth from the noiſe of the feare ſhall fall into the pit: and he that commeth out of the midst of the pit ſhalbe taken in the ſnare, &c. Every one kindleth a fire for himſelf according to the quality of his ſin.