Londons Lamentation for Her Sins, Part 2
A SOVEREIGNE MEDICINE FOR and againſt the Plague: Being an ancient and approoued Antidote, and the ſure and infallible way how to eſcape the Plague, or at leaſt the Plague of the Plague.
TAke thy Heart (for there beginnes the Plague) and eueryevery morning, waſh it, in the teares of true repentance and heartie ſorrow for thy ſinnes: But that it may bee throughly waſht, ſee firſt thou ſtretch it vponupon the tenters, or rather ſet it vponupon the racke, of a ſtrict Examination, that ſo it may poure it ſelfe out, and make a free and full Confeſsion: Then mollifie it in the precious Oyle, and bathe it in the bloud of Ieſus Chriſt the true Balme of Gilead, by a true and liuely Faith. Being thus clenſed, then ſtrengthen it by cordiall comforts confected of nothing elſe, but the pure and ſweet promiſes of the Goſpell: And this Confection is only to be made; by the skilfull hand of the holy Phyſician and Spirituall Apothecarie, the Miniſter of God, whom thou ſhalt alwayes find at the ſigne of the Bible, or the Holy Lambe, and there thou art ſure of true and wholeſome Simples; But take heed of them at the Croſſekeyes, or the Signe of Agnus Dei, for though the Shops be gorgeous, and all things gloriouſly painted, thou art ſure to be coozened with counterfeit Drugs, and with the corrupt Balſome of Aegypt, in ſtead of the true Balme of Gilead.
Thy Heart thus rectified, let it then command thy tongue and lippes, to acknowledge that thou for thy part by thy ſinnes of Commiſſion and Omiſſion haſt had thy hand, and borne thy part in pulling downe, this Peſtilence and all other plagues of God: Let it then command it ſelfe to promiſe and vow, that if thou for thy part, may by the power and merciemercy of God bee preſerued, thou wilt performe ſome ſpeciall ſeruice to him, his Church or Children, more then before: And let it command the ſaid tongue and lips to vtter and publiſh the ſame promiſe, the better to bind it ſelfe to obedience. Let it then command the eyes, to turne away from beholding, and the eares from hearkening after vanitie, and yeeld themſelues, the inſtruments of holy Obſeruation, to marke and conſider the works of the Lord; It muſt then command the hands, to keepe themſelues free from corruption, and that they bee painfully, and faithfully imployed in the honeſt labour of thy lawfull Calling, and thy feet to walke in thoſe wayes, and tread onelyonly in thoſe ſteps, which God hath appointed thee.
This done, then take for thy Breakfaſt, in the Name of the Lord, a Chapter of the bleſſed Bible, and ſo ſet thy ſelfe vntounto thy worke, and faithfull labour of thy lawfull Calling. Then after thy dayes labour done, bodily refection, take for thy Spirituall Dinner and Supper thy heartfull of holy Obſeruations of thoſe mightie Workes of God, both of his Iuſtice and MercieMercy towards thy ſelfe and others: which all that day long, eyther thine eyes hauehave ſeene, or thine eares hauehave heard of. Then the day beeing done, ſee that thou and thine for your Banquet, or reare Supper, doe cloſe vp your ſtomackes, with thoſe true Sweet-meates, certaine ſelected Chapters of the bleſſed Bible: Then after a holy Commemoration, of what eueryevery one hath heard or ſeene, or obſerued that day touching the wondrous Workes of God, and application of the ſame one to another: and each one to himſelfe, Let then the Heart command the Tongue with comfort and boldneſſe, to recommend the ſoules and bodies of Thee and Thine into the bleſſed tuition, powerfull protection and ſafe keeping of the Keeper of Iſrael.
But forget not noe thing as thou wouldeſt hauehave all this profitable, and to doe thee any good, namely, to learne (which thou maiſt doe, of that excellent Apothecary Heb. 11. 38.Saint Paul) what it is to liue the life of faith, when naturall reaſon and humane helpes not only faile thee, but haply are all againſt thee: This Faith I tel thee afore-hand is not eaſily found, but I deale truly with thee who had it, and can teach thee how to get it, for though himſelfe cannot giuegive it thee, yet hee will both direct and lead thee, and bring thee acquainted with that holy Spirit, who gaue it him, and will not denie it thee if thy Tongue doe begge it, and thy Soule ſeeke it: Neuer ſo little of this Faith is precious, therefore ſo thou get it and hauehave it right, care not for the quantity; for it is a holy Elixir, a true Quinteſſence which will preſently and perpetually multiply, beyond ordinary beliefe, to the infinite inriching of the Soule that enioyes it.
But this Faith hath one ſtrange propertie, that although it will bee content to bee gathered vp by graines of young and weake Chriſtians, and treaſured vp by drammes and ounces of ſuch as be rich and ſtrong men in Chriſt, yet can it not abide to be meaſured or mixt with Scruples: For theſe Scruples are of a contrary nature to true Faith: but otherwiſe, be it more, be it leſſe, ſo it be true, its perfect, and thou ſhalt find thy ſelfe happy if thou hauehave it: for the leaſt quantitie of this Faith will affoord thee eueryevery Morning and Euening a proportion of that true Treacle, or Methrydate, which yet was neuer made at Venice (except cloſely in ſome corners) by reaſon of that great Iugler the Pope, who conueyes in corrupt Drugs and falſe Ingredients: This Methrydate is made of more ſtrange Simples, then bee the bloud of Scorpions, or the fleſh of Vipers: For it is and muſt bee confected of the fleſh and body, and bloud of a Man, but ſuch a Man as the World neuer had a Second, for he muſt be the child of Adam, and yet the Sonne of no Man, and a true Man, and yet no Man to be his Father: Now his bloud taken from him while he is aliue, and yet ſo taken from him as he muſt needs dye, is of that Souereigne excellency, and that infinite vertue and Merit, as the Quinteſſence that may be extracted out of it, (which only this fore-named Faith can doe,) Is that Superexcellent, nay, Superceleſtiall Methry date of that high infallible, and inualuable vertue, as the Soule that out taſtes of it Morning and Euening, did neuer periſh, nor ſhall to the Worlds end. Therefore, I ſay againe, as thou wouldſt hauehave this Medicine worke, and become powerfull for thy preſeruation, forget not to take a taſte of this continually, the firſt thing in the Morning, and the laſt at Night.
Then lye thee downe in Peace, and ſecurely take thy reſt, for thou art free from the feare of all that are able to hurt thee. But bee ſure, for a ſigne whereby to know this Phyſicke workes well, that inſtantly when thou wakeſt thy heart, doe forth-with fixe it ſelfe on God, and vponupon him beſtow thy firſt thoughts: And ſo when thy body hath receiued ſo much ſleepe and reſt as may make it ſeruiceable for the Soule, then vp with it in the Name of the Lord, that ſo both Body and Soule may ſet themſelues to ſerue their God: Then taking this Medicine, and following all the former directions, thou mayſt ſafely enter vponupon thy buſineſſe, and aduenture vponupon the dangers of that day both thou & thine. Prouided firſt, that you alwayes intermixe (as occaſion is) together with the duties of your Calling, ſuch workes of Piety towards God, Iuſtice and Equity towards Man, Mercy and Charity towards the Poore, as the Diuine Prouidence ſhall lay before thee, or caſt in thy way: For take it for a Rule, that theſe foure muſt alwayes goe together, and God himſelfe hath ſo ioyned them all together, as curſed bee the Man that puts them aſunder, for hee carries ſuch a heart about him, as this Phyſicke can neuer doe him good: But where theſe foure are conſcionably conioyned, this Phyſicke neuer fayled to worke his worke: but where any of the foure is wanting, and totally neglected, there the other three will doe no good, but contrariwiſe, if they cannot get the company of their companion, they mourne and pine away, and in a ſhort time will bee gone, and ſtay no longer there, where they cannot be compleate.
Prouided alſo that Man, nor God doe euer find thee out of thy way, but alwayes eyther walking faithfully in thy lawfull calling, or elſe doing ſome good in the performance of ſome of the foreſaid duties of Piety, Iuſtice, or MercieMercy: For theſe bee the wayes of a Chriſtian, and hee that is found out of all theſe is vtterly out of his way, and conſequently out of that protection which God hath granted to them that wayte on him, which runnes in theſe words, That Hee hath giuen his Angels charge ouer Pſal. 91. 11.them, to keepe them in all their wayes, &c. And the power of this Protection no Creature can infringe. So as by vertue thereof, the Seruants of God hauehave walked in ſafetie in the midſt of ſuch dangers as hath beene an amazement to the World, and a wonder to themſelues: And for the want of this, many thouſands hauehave miſcarried, not only of Gods Enemies, who walke in wrong and wicked wayes, but euen ſuch of his friends and followers, who being miſled by the World or their owne Preſumptions, tooke to themſelues the boldneſſe to ſtep aſide, out of their owne wayes, and ſo hauehave ſhifted themſelues out of that ſhelter or ſafetie, which otherwiſe they might hauehave challenged as their owne.
And laſtly, Prouided that in all times of danger thou take heed of tempting God, for otherwiſe thou mayſt iuſtly prouoke him to deny his bleſſing to this Medicine, without which, as Souereigne and powerfull as it is, it can do no good. Now if thou wilt auoid this feareful and dangerous Sinne of tempting GOD, thou muſt take heed:
Firſt, of putting thy ſelfe into any needleſſe danger: And it is then needleſſe, when without neceſſary cauſe or lawfull calling, eyther for gaine or pleaſure, or any priuate reſpect thou puts thy ſelfe into places, or among perſons infected.
Secondly, thou muſt alſo at thy vtmoſt perill, carefully vſe all good helpes of Nature and Art, which Gods good Prouidence affoords thee, whether they bee commended vntounto thee by the Learned Phyſician, or approued by true and reall experience, and whether they be meanes Preſeruatiue, Curatiue, or Reſtoratiue.
Thirdly, thou muſt bee wary of all wilfull diſtemper, and bee diligent in keeping a carefull and orderly dyet, not only for moderation and ſobriety, in reſpect of the quantity both of meate, and drinke eſpecially, but alſo for Wiſdome in the choice of the quality and condition of that little thou feedſt vponupon.
And laſtly, abhorre more then Poyſon or the Plague it ſelfe theſe wicked Opinions, and all that hold them.
Firſt, that the Peſtilence is not infectious in it ſelfe, and of it owne nature, but ſo immediately, and only the hand of God, as none become infected, but only by his ſtroke.
Secondly, that eueryevery mans dayes are ſo numbred, as doe or not doe what hee will, he cannot liue longer, nor die ſooner then his day and houre appointed.
Thirdly, that therefore all carefull auoyding of perſons or places infected, and diligent vſing of meanes appointed for preſcruation are needleſſe and to no purpoſe.
The fouleneſſe and falſeneſſe of all theſe three appeares:
Leuit. 13. &c.Firſt, in that the Leaper muſt bee ſhut vp, and all men auoyd him, yea, though…. Kings. 15. he were a King, which being nothing ſo deadly as is the Peſtilence, (ſeeing ſome liued with it many yeeres) It is manifeſt it was ſo commanded, only in reſpect of the Contagion.
Iob 2.Secondly, that Iobs Friends being louing, wiſe, and Religious, and comming to comfort him, hauing the Peſtilence, Leproſie, or ſome ſuch contagious ſickneſſe, ſtood afarre off, and refuſed to come neere him.
Eſay 38. 5▪Thirdly, Hezekiah hauing (that which neuer man had elſe) a Leaſe of his life for fifteene yeeres, from him that was able to make it good, yet vſed all ordinary meanes and humane helpes, for preſeruing his health, and prolonging his life.
Acts 27.Fourthly, Saint Paul hauing an expreſſe grant from God, of the liues of eueryevery one in the Ship with him: yet the next day, when the Mariners, who are the means vnderunder God to command and rule, and ſaue a Ship, would hauehave craftily conuayed themſelues out, to hauehave ſaued their owne liues, leauing Paul and the reſt to be ſaued by that promiſe and power of God: Saint Paul plainly toldVerſe 31. the Captaine, If theſe men goe out of the Ship we cannot bee ſaued. For howſoeuer that condition of vſing meanes was not expreſſed, yet he knew it to be implyed, which was all one. Laſtly, our Lord Ieſus himſelfe, whoſe Deitie could deliuerMar. 39. 10 & 4. 1, 2. him from all danger, yet to teach vsus to be carefull in vſe of all good meanes, and to let vsus ſee how made theſe men be, when ſuch as had Plagues preſſed too neere vponupon him, called for a little Ship to wayte vponupon him, becauſe (ſayth the Text) of the multitude, leſt they ſhould throng him. Yet hee that refuſed the throng, refuſed not his dutie, hee that fled from the danger, fledde not from his calling, but preacht Gods Word vntounto them, himſelfe in the Ship, and the people on the ſhore.
The laſt wicked opinion to bee auoyded, is, that none who louelove, feare and ſerue God, and beleeue in him can dye of the Plague, and all that doe, doe want Faith: The wickedneſſe of which Doctrine appeares in this, that diuers of the deareſt of Gods Saints hauehave taſted, nay drunke as deeply the Cup of all externall Croſſes, and bodily afflictions whatſoeuer, as any Vnbeleeuers or Enemies of God hauehave done. Againe, in that many of Gods Children, who in common Calamities turne to the Lord in Faith and true Repentance, howſoeuer thereby they ſaued their Soules, yet for their bodily liues were ſwept away with the reſt, by the generall Iudgement: As a great number of them that periſhed in the Floud, and diuers of thoſe that dye by the hand of Iuſtice, and all Hiſtories and Ages affoord frequent examples.
And laſtly, if thou wouldeſt take heed of tempting God, ſtand in thy ſtation, make Conſcience to doe thy duty, Flie not with Ionah from the preſence of Ionah. 1.the Lord, for hee can follow thee, and find thee where euer thou art, and reach thee afarre off as well as at home, and make Ionah feele him (being fled from his duty) euen when hee thought himſelfe moſt ſafe, and ſlept ſecurely: Thou therefore that mayſt boldly begge Gods bleſsing in thy place and duty, how dareſt thou tempt and try the power of God, by flying from it. Vſe this Medicine and obſerue theſe Rules, and as ſure as God is true and juſt, thou mayſt boldly beleeue the Plague ſhall either not touch thee, or not hurt thee; but in ſtead of a Plague ſhall bee a Bleſsing to thee: And whereas many of GODS good Children hauehave taken and died of this Infection, as it is manifeſt on the one ſide they wanted not Grace, nor Faith for Saluation, ſo it is as cleere on the other; that thev ſome way failed in the vſe of this Medicine either, in not belceuing what in this caſe ought to be belieued, or in not doing ſomething to bee done for their deliuerance in this danger: In all which Caſes, the Rule of Chriſt is certaine: according to thy faith, and conſequently thy obedience, which alwayes waits on true Faith, So be it vntounto thee.
This Medicine is ſo ancient and ſo approued, that ſince the World began it was neuer found to faile in one particular, ſauing only ſuch as either ſeeme to vſe it but did not, or vſing it in part; yet failed in ſome particulars which in the vſe of Medicines may not bee allowed. And by the vertue of this Medicine alone, many about this Citie hauehave beene preſerued to this day, whoſe Callings and Duties ineuitably bound them within the reach of ſuch dangers, from which all the humane helpes in the World could not hauehave deliuered them: And ſtill if they faile not in Faith, nor diſcharge of their Duties: God who is the Authour of this Medicine will not faile in performance of his promiſe.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Crashaw, Londons Lamentation for Her Sins (1625)