Newcastles Call to Her Neighbor and Sister Towns, Title page – Table of contents
Newcastles Call, To her Neighbour and Siſter Townes and Cities throughout the land, to take warning by her Sins and Sorrowes.
Leſt this overflowing ſcourge of Peſtilence reach even unto them alſo.
As alſo a Direction, how to diſcover ſuch Sins as are the procurers of Gods judgments by divers Methods.
By R. JENISON, Dr. of D.
Whereunto is added, the number of them that dyed weekely in Newcaſtle and Garth-ſide, from May 6. to December 31. 1636.
foreign.
LONDON, Printed for Iohn Coleby, at the ſigne of the Vnicorne neere to Fleet Bridge. 1637.
and there told of the Meanes, both of the Safetie; and alſo, Ruine of Cities and whole Kingdomes.
Be yee pleaſed now to take in good part, a word or two, ſpoken, I hope, not out of ſeaſon, in the mournfull and ſad condition of this my Mother and Nurſe, — Foelix …uicumque …olore, Al…erius diſ…es poſſe ca…ere tuo.in whoſe name I make bold to ſalute you all in the Lord, and to wiſh you the happineſs to be warned in time by that bittercup of ours, wherin God, by Peſtilence, ſeemeth to have begun to you all. The times require every ones helpe to ſeeke to quench this fire of wrath begun in the Land▪ I heartily wiſh that manie others of much abler parts, would in this kind of popular and familiar Diſcourſe and Exhortation put forth themſelves, and ſtoope to ſuch neceſſarie and edifying Arguments. For my part, as the caſe is, I, though the meaneſt of moſt, expect not who ſhall begin. God hath begun with us here: The Lyon hath roared—the Lord hath ſpoken, I cannot (according to my abilitie, ſetting aſide all reſpect of credit with men of the world) but propheſie; & that not by word here onelyonly, but by writing (ſuch is my deſire of the publicke good, and ſuch is the occaſion here offred by Gods beginning in this fierce manner with us.) The benefit you may, by Gods bleſſing, and your own good indeavour, reap hereby, will be, either a prevention of and freedom to you, frō this ſpreading evill (which I chiefly by this Dedication do deſire and intend:) or a Direction how to carry your ſelves (& that with comfort) under Gods hand, if it reach alſo unto you.
… 26.9, ….The truth is, When Gods judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world …ill (at leaſt ſhould) learne …ghteouſneſſe. The wiſe and juſt will ſo doe, Who wait for God in the way of his judgements. Amos 4.12. opened.They will prepare to meet God, and to prevent judgments, which othervviſe are threatned, and ſeeme to make towards them.How wee may prevent Gods judgments. Which they doe, or ſhould doe by theſe meanes:
1. By taking warning by judgements inflicted on others, 1 Cor. 10.5, 6, 7-11. Luke 13.3-5. The want whereof God takes ſpeciall notice of, Ierem. 3.8, 9, 10, 11.
2. By doing that in our
4. By ſeeking, and obtaining the pardon of Sin, upon Repentance. Sinne once pardoned, is neve… more remembred or puniſhed, Iſa. 43.25. Go… ſo forgives, as hee alſ… forgets.
5. By mortifying ſuch ſinnes as raigne in us, or among us, Rom. 6.12. Coloſſ 3.5. &c. Seeing ſuch exemplary judgements; a Peſtilence, war, &c. com… not for ſmaller faylings but for ſinnes againſt conſcience, Rom. 1.18. and fo… groſſer evils, Epheſ. 5.5.6.
6. By newneſſe of life and by bringing forth fruit meet for repentance—ſo w… eſcape wrath to come, and cutting downe, Math. 3.7. 8-10. By theſe meanes it will concerne you to prepare to meet God; whom …o you will find to meet you in mercy; as the father of the Prodigall ran to meet his ſonne, and to welcome him. Men have not heard—neither hath the eye ſeene, O God beſides thee what hee hath prepared for him that waiteth for him: Thou meeteſt him that rejoyceth and worketh righteouſneſſe, thoſe that remember thee in thy waies, Iſa. 64.4, 5.
Now becauſe men are apt to make ill uſe of Gods judgements on others, to miſ-judge them, and to harden themſelves in their ſecurity,Four Con…uſions …ut of Luke 13.4, 5. touching the uſe of Gods judgments on others. conſider we what our Saviour teacheth us, Luke 13.1, 2, 3, 4, 5- Think yee that theſe were Sinners above all men that dwelt in Ieruſalem? I tell you nay: but except yee repent, yee ſhall all likewiſe periſh. Whence theſe Concluſions doe readily offer themſelves.
Concluſ. 1 1. Extraordinary, uncouth (yea and ſudden) death doth ſometime befall ſuch as are not the greateſt Sinners. I ſuppoſe thoſe ſeventie thouſand of Davids Subjects who died by Peſtilence, among the other Tribes, were not greater Sinners than Ieruſalem it ſelfe; VponUpon which, the Angell ſtretched out his hand to deſtroy it. Yea, the good King vvould make theſe (in that caſe eſpecially) more innocent than himſelfe, ſaying — Loe, I have ſinned— but theſe Sheepe, what have they done? when God ſhewed his ſeveritie againſt Samaria and Iſrael, having removed them out of his ſight; and when the Tribe of Iudah onelyonly was left and ſpared,2 Kings 1… 18, 19. Eze… 16.51, …. yet ſaith God to Iudah, —They are more righteous than thou.
2. On the other hand it Concluſ. 2 is in thee my power, and that my name may be declared in all the earth.
…et. 2.9.Howſoever, God Reſerves the unjuſt unto the day of judgement to be puniſhed: …s 17. … 31.hee hath appointed a day of purpoſe for them.
3. God (in ſome caſes) reſpects his owne Glorie, more then mens deſerts, & ſo ſpares them a while, though unworthie. See Deut. 32.26. Ezek. 20.8, 9-13, 14-21, 22.
4. Chiefly: God remembers his covenant and promiſe, who will reſerve to himſelfe a Church on earth in the greateſt defections, provocations and deſtructions of his people: he will,Ezek. 14.19, 20, 21 and doth ever reſerve a remnant (who otherwiſe deſerve ill at his hand, Ezek. 16.59, with 60.) See Iſa. 6.13. Rom. 3.3. What if ſome did not believe? ſhall their unbeliefe make the faith of God of none effect? Si quoties peccant homines, &If God in generall defections and judgements thereupon, ſhould conſume in his wrath, all that deſerve it, where ſhould hee have a Church on earth to ſerve him? hee muſt and will have ſome, in whom hee wil magnifie his merciemercy. It is of the Lords mercies (ſaid Ieremie in the time of the captivitie, when ſo many had periſhed) that wee are not (all) conſumed, becauſe his compaſsions fa…le not. …et. 2.…Here is no merit to bee pleaded in ſuch caſe.…om. 2.4. Gods ſparing mercies leade the way to his pardoning mercies. Hee often ſpares the unworthy, that they, overcome with his kindneſſe,& 9, 6. might relent, repent, ſeeke and find merciemercy, and that ſo his covenant and word might take effect in that remnant which is according to the Election of Grace. & 11.5.Hence it is, that even among thoſe in Ieruſalem, on whom Gods irrevocable ſentence of famine,Ezek. 14.19, 20, 21, 22. noiſome beaſts, ſword and peſtilence had paſſed, yet a remnant was reſerved, in whom God magnified his merciemercy, and for example of others. It were a happy thing, if ſuch among us, as are either thus far ſpared, or have eſcaped, could ſee and make uſe of the merciemercy. This hath been done by others, why not now by us?
Wee reade concerning Waldus (from whom the VValdenſes tooke their name)Acts and M…um. that making merrie with many of his rich neighbours, one of the company, ſuddenly fell downe dead: whereupon, hee apprehending Gods diſpleaſure, tooke warning, gave himſelfe to Reading, Almes, Prayer; and exhorted others to the like.
The like might be obſerved in Mr. Gee, eſcaping in that deadly downefall of neere an hundred Papiſts in the Black-friers in London.
Concluſ. 3 3. In caſe of Gods judgements on others, and our owne ſparing, wee are neither raſhly to cenſure them, nor haſtily to juſtifie our ſelves as innocent. Chriſt himſelfe,Iſa. 53.3, … becauſe of his ſufferings, was eſteemed ſtricken, ſmitten of God, and afflicted, and thereupon deſpiſed.Acts 28.4▪ So was Paul miſ-judged, becauſe of the Viper; And the blind man, in that hee was borne blind. But Chriſt, though hee forbid not a wiſe conſideration of Gods judgement on Sinners, yet corrects ſuch raſh cenſures as men readily uſe, and preſcribes an Order, rather to begin at home, and not to ſecure our ſelves, knowing that God often judgeth ſome, 1 Cor. 11.… 32.that they may not be condemned with the world. 1 Pet. 4.18.Iudgement uſually begins at Gods owne houſe, that others thence may learn, not to juſtifie themſelves, but rather, not repenting, to expect like, or greater wrath.
Concluſ. 4 4. Laſtly, God warnes and cals all (careleſſe Livers) to repentance, by his corrections and judgements on ſome, or elſe hee ſo ſummons them to like, or greater wrath. Except yee repent, yee ſhall all likewiſe periſh.
1. Its a merciemercy when God makes others examples to us. The end of examples and Hiſtorie, is to make us wiſe and watchfull, leſt wee bee made Examples and Hiſtories to others. And among men, Executions are done for the living, not for the dead, who cannot be bettered by Example or Admonition, as the living may be.
2. Certaine deſtruction will befall ſuch as take no warning by others. See Levit. 18.3-24.27.28. 2. King. 17.6.7.8-18.God lookes wee ſhould profit by the example of his diſpleaſure, even on enemies, much more on friends, both Forefathers, Ierm. 7.12.13.14. Dan. 5.20.21. 22.23-30.31.2 Kings 21.9-12.13. and neighbours and equals. Not to take warning by ſuch (eſpecially after ſo many other warnings, wherein God is not wanting to any of us now) is a ſigne and fore-runner of ſpeedy vengeance. So God looked that Iudah ſhould have taken warning by Iſraels captivity—but his complaint is—yet her treacherous ſiſter Iudah feared not, Ier. 3.7.8.9.10.but went and played the Harlot alſo:—and yet for all this her trecherous ſiſter Iudah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but fainedly. What hereupon followed?King. 17.15. Becauſe Iudah (which tribe onelyonly now was left) walked in the ſtatutes of Iſrael which they made; Therefore ſaith God, I will caſt you out of my ſight, Ier. 75.as I have caſt out all your brethren, 2 King 21.13.even the whole ſeed of Ephraim. And I will ſtretch over Ieruſalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the houſe of Ahab. The like complaint of not profiting by others evils is made, Revel. 9.20.21. and threatned, Amos 4.11.12. I hauehave overthrowne ſome of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and yee were as a fire-brand pluckt out of the burning, yet hauehave ye not returned unto me, ſaith the Lord. Therefore thus will I doe unto thee: that is, even overthrow thee, as Sodom was overthrowne: Now this accordingly came to paſſe for not taking warning in time,Lament. 4. as Ieremy lamenting, doth bewaile. What then remaines, but as it followeth in Amos, and as wee hauehave already directed, that wee in time prepare to meet God. To which end, and for our further warning and wiſedome, I referre you as to the example of Gods diſpleaſure, againſt this place of*From May 6. till Decemb 31. 1636. there hauehave died of the plague within liberties 5027. without, ſome 500. ours, ſo to the inſuing treatiſe it ſelfe, now publiſhed as for our owne, ſo alſo chiefly for your ſpirituall good, which is moſt heartily wiſhed, and ſhall be ſtill ſought of God by him, who profeſſeth himſelfe at this time the Interpreter of New-caſtles good meaning towards you, and
Yours, and the Churches ſervant, R. I. New-caſtle, the 2. of Ianuary 1636.
The Contents.
CHAP. I.
An Introduction to the maine Obſervation, with the occaſion, and alſo cure of the Plague ſpoken of in the Text. Pag. 1.
CHAP. II.
The maine Doctrine propounded. The parts and particulars of the Text. Gods wrath againſt ſinners ſhewed. Mens ſen… leſneſſe thereof bewa… led. 1…
CHAP. III.
That the wrath ſpoken … was Peſtilence. That p… ſtilence is an effect … Gods wrath, and the… not to be dallied witha… yet Gods diſpleaſure m… to be looked unto & pra… ed against, then the … ſtilence it ſelfe.
CHAP. IV.
That peſtilence is from Go… Iuſtice and Wiſdome, a… not to be aſcribed to a… other Authour or Inſtrument, neither much to be feared of the godly, to whom it may bee a merciemercy. 52
CHAP. V.
Peſtilence is yet the fruit of mans ſin. The ſin of theſe Iſraelites here. All evill being for ſinne, we are to juſtifie God, his truth and people, and to take all blame to our ſelves. 69
CHAP. VI.
The maine Dutie concerning our ſpeedy uſing of Meanes to pacifie Gods preſent wrath, urged and preſſed by divers Motives in the Text. A… firſt becauſe this Peſt… lence is wrath. 11
CHAP. VII.
This Peſtilence is ſenci… wrath, wrath gone o… and manifeſted, to t… end that taking notice… Gods diſpleaſure, we might with good hope, … ſubmiſsion, ſeeke to paci… the ſame. 13
CHAP. VIII.
In that wrath is but go… out, and this plague b… begun (which therfore … it may be ſtaied from pr… ceeding, if we time… meet God in the way his judgements, ſo it will prove but the beginning of greater evils if we rerepent not) we hauehave cauſe ſpeedily to runne in with our Cenſers, and to prevent our own ruine. 144
CHAP. IX.
This wrath and peſtilence is from the Lord, & therfore howſoever his Prophets may be deſpiſed, yet God himſelfe is not to be dallied withall, whoſe greatnes and terror ſhould cauſe us ſeeke peace with him in time. 183
CHAP. X.
The Concluſion of the Motives duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page urging a ſpeedie performance of the dutie of Humiliation both publikely and privately, and that from the practiſe of the Heathen in caſe of Peſtilence. 203
CHAP. XI.
A Direction concerning the Means of pacifying Gods wrath: and that both Negatively, ſhewing what meanes wee are not, either to uſe at all, or not to reſt in; as alſo affirmatively, what are the true and only meanes and duties to be performed at ſuch times. 219
Newcaſtles Call, To her Neighbor and Siſter Towns and Cities throughout the Land, to take warning by her Sins and Sorrowes.
NVMB. 16.46.
— For there is wrath gone out from the Lord; the Plague is begun.