The Saints Sacrifice, Section 122
§. 122. Of Gods preſent mercies to England.
FOr a particular application of the generall ſumme and ſcope of the Pſalme, and of the two laſt mentioned duties of praiſing God our ſelves, and of provoking others ſo to doe, let us take a view of the ſpeciall occaſions which the Lord doth now, even at this preſent time give us to quicken our owne and others ſpirits to render all poſſible thanks unto him for his unſpeakable bleſſings on our owne, and other nations.
1 We here in England doe ſtill enjoy the great bleſſing of peace, together with that farre greater bleſſing the Gospell of peace, and a free uſe of all Gods holy ordinances requiſite for our ſpirituall edification and eternall ſalvation.
At this time this bleſſing ought to be the more highly eſteemed, becauſe it is in a manner proper to us. For moſt of the parts of Chriſtendome are now, or lately have beene exceedingly annoyed with bloudy warre.
Of this bleſſing, Scotland, Ireland, and all the parts of His moſt excellent Majestie our Soveraigne Lord King CHARLES, do partake.
See The Churches Conqueſt. §. …6.Of the benefit of this bleſſing I have els where treated. So as here I need no longer to inſiſt upon it.
2 The laſt yeare there was great ſcarcity of corne every where in this land. Corne roſe to a greater price then hath beene knowne in our memories. And where in former times ſupply in like caſes hath beene made by the plenty of other countries, All the nations round about us were pinched with penury: ſo as there was too great cauſe of fearing a famine.
But the Lord was pleaſed to heare the heavens, whereupon the heavens heard the earth, and the earth heard the corne, the graſſe, and all manner of fruits, and they heard England, and the cry of the poore therein.
Thus by the divine providence our land brought forth ſuch a plentifull harveſt, and the heavens afforded ſo faire a ſeaſon for gathering it in, as ſcarcity is turned into plenty, deareneſſe into cheapeneſſe. Our floores are now full of wheate: we eat in plenty and are ſatisfied.
The miſery of famine giveth ſufficient proofe of the great benefit of plenty.
3 There was alſo the laſt yeare great feare of much ſickneſſe: and that of the infectious, peſtilentious ſickneſſe, which ſome few yeares before had monethmonth after monethmonth, weeke after weeke, day after day deſtroyed ſuch multitudes, as the feare of the returne thereof was the more terrible.
Phyſitians gave up their opinion, that the aire was infected.
The famous Vniverſity of Cambridge was ſo ſmitten therewith, as for the ſpace of halfe a yeare and more, Colledges were diſſolved, Students diſperſed, Readings and Acts intermitted, that populous place made deſolate, and the poore that remained much pinched with poverty.
Other great market townes round about in the country were alſo the laſt yeare much infected with the plague: and many people were thereby deſtroyed, or brought into great exigences.
But now hath the Lord healed our land. Sickneſſe is removed, and health reſtored to our borders.
If the miſerable deſolation that the plague maketh in many places, taking away Magiſtrates from their ſubjects, Miniſters from their people, husbands and wives one from another, parents from children, children from parents, deare friends, helpfull neighbours one from another; and then eſpecially depriving perſons of the comfort of their beſt friends, when they ſtand in moſt need of them. If (I ſay) the miſerable condition occaſioned by the plague be well weighed, we ſhall find our deliverance and freedome from the ſame to be a great bleſſing.
To amplifie this bleſſing the more, Gods more then ordinary providence, not onelyonly in abating the violence of that extraordinary ſickneſſe which in the yeare 1625 ſo fiercely but alſo in his ſpeedy ſuppreſſing, and utter removing it, is frequently and ſeriouſly to be conſidered. A diſtinct narration thereof is e§ 3…before ſet downe.
The more terrible the three evill arrowes of warre, famine and plague are, the more remarkable are the bleſſings of peace, plenty, and health.
4 The birth of Prince CHARLES.4 We in our dayes have ſuch a bleſſing conferred upon us, as hath not fallen out in England foureſcore and thirteene yeares before: which is the Birth of a Prince, heire to the crowne. Bleſſed in this reſpect be the nine and twentieth day of May 1630. On that day was Prince CHARLES borne.
From the twelfth of October 1537. whereon Prince Edward (who was Edward 6. King of England) was borne, to the ſaid 29 of May 1630, England was not honoured with ſuch a bleſſing. This is an incomparable bleſſing to this preſent age, and to future ages alſo, as we ſtedfaſtly hope, and from our hearts with the moſt humble devotion, and the moſt earneſt affection that we can, we daily pray.