CONCERNING
PLAGUE

Contents:

1. A letter from Edward VI, 1551.

2. An injunction from John Hooper, 1551.

3. An epistle from John Hooper, 1551.

4. An homily from John Hooper, 1553.

5. An exposition from James Pilkington, 1562.

6. Letters from Edmund Grindal, 1563.

   1. To William Cecil, 17th July.

   2. To William Cecil, 30th July.

   3. To William Cecil, 15th December.

   4. To John Mullins, 22nd July.

7. Services for the plague, 1563.

   1. A notification from Edmund Grindal.

   2. A letter from Elizabeth I.

   3. The Preface.

   4. The Form.

   5. The Psalm.

   6. A Confession.

   7. A Prayer.

   8. A Prayer.

   9. A Meditation, for those in affliction.

   10. The General Fast.

   11. An homily from Alexander Nowell.

   12. A Psalm, giving thanks for the abatement of the plague.

   13. A Collect, giving thanks for the abatement of the plague.

   14. A Psalm, giving thanks for the ceasing of the plague

   15. A Collect, giving thanks for the ceasing of the plague

   16. A Meditation, for use at home.

8. A poem from Bartholomew Chappell, 1593.

9. A sermon on fleeing plague from Andrew Osiander, translated by Miles Coverdale, 1537.

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1. King Edward VI, 1551:

A letter from Edward VI to the Bishops, on occasion of the Sweating Sickness.

By the King. 

RIGHT reverend father in God, right trusty and well-beloved, we greet you well. And being not a little disquieted to see the subjects of our realm vexed with this extreme and sudden plague, that daily increaseth over all, we cannot but lament the people’s wickedness, through the which the wrath of God hath been thus marvellously provoked. For the more we study how to instruct them in the knowledge of God and of his most holy word, that consequently they might follow and observe his laws and precepts, so much the more busy is the wicked spirit to alienate their hearts from all godliness; and his malice hath so much prevailed, that because the people are become as it were open rebels against the divine majesty, God after one plague hath sent another and another, increasing it so from one to one, till at length, seeing none other remedy, he hath thrown forth this extreme plague of sudden death. And because there is no other way to pacify his fury, and to recover his grace and mercy, but by prayer and amendment of life; considering the cure and charge committed unto you, we have thought good to call upon you to use all diligence possible throughout your whole diocese, as well by yourself as by good ministers, to persuade the people to resort more diligently to common prayer than they have done, and there not only to pray with all their hearts, in the fear of God, as good and faithful men should do, but also to have a better regard unto their livings, and specially to refrain their greedy appetites from that insatiable serpent of covetousness, wherewith most men are so infected, that it seemeth each one would devour another without charity or any godly respect to the poor, to their neighbours, or to their commonwealth: for the which God hath not only now poured out this plague upon them, but also prepared another plague, that after this life shall plague them everlastingly. Wherein you must use those persuasions that may engender a terror, to reduce them from their corrupt, naughty, and detestable vices. But as the body and members of a dull or sick head cannot be lusty, or apt to do well; so in many cures of this our realm, as well the chief as the particular ministers of the church have been both so dull and so feeble in discharging of their duties, that it is no marvel, though their flocks wander, not knowing the voice of their shepherd, and much less the voice of their principal and sovereign Master. We trust ye are none of those: but if there have been such negligence within your jurisdiction, we exhort and pray you, and nevertheless charge and command you, by the authority given us of God, to see it reformed; increasing also amendment in that that already is well begun, in such sort as your diligence may declare you worthy of your vocation, and the effects thereof yield unto God an obedient, faithful, and fearful flock: which we wish to God we may shortly see. Yeven under our signet, at our honour of Hampton Court, the 18th of July, the fifth year of our reign.

E. Somerset, W. Wiltshire, J. Bedford, F. Huntingdon, T. Darcy, G. Cobham, T. Cheyne, John Gage. 

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2. John Hooper, 1551:

Injuctions given by John Hooper, bishop of Gloucester, in his visitation in the year of our Lord God 1551, and in the fifth year of our sovereign lord king Edward the Sixth, to be observed and kept of all parsons, vicars, curates, and ministers within the diocese of Gloucester.

XXXI. Item, that whereas the Almighty God, for the sins and wickedness of the people, the neglecting of God and his word, the contemning of the king’s majesty and his laws, hath now in those days extended his wrath against us, and poured his strange plagues of sudden death almost upon the whole realm, the like thereof hath not been heretofore seen, the appeasing whereof cannot other ways be had than only by amendment of life, with fervent and earnest prayer unto God from the bottom of our hearts; wherefore I will, and, in both their names, God’s and the king’s majesty’s, straitly charge and command you, that every curate or minister within this diocese do exhort, and in like wise straitly charge and command, in the king’s majesty’s name, that of every house within your parish one at the least do resort unto the temple or church every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; and there all the congregation being assembled, godly, religiously, and devoutly to pray together from the bottom of their hearts the common prayer set forth in the king’s majesty’s book, with also diligent study of the amendment of their lives, that by this means (if it be possible) we may provoke God the sooner to withdraw his wrathful ire and displeasure from us, and to accept and take us into his fatherly and gracious favour again; and that ye fail not hereof, as ye will not only avoid the indignation and judgment of Almighty God, but also the contempt of the king’s majesty’s most godly will and pleasure, according unto his gracious letters directed unto me and others in this behalf.

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3–4. John Hooper, 1553:

An epistle concerning the homily to be read in the time of pestilence.

Fear God, Honour the King.
1 Peter 2.

To all pastors and curates within the king’s majesty’s diocese of Worcester and Gloucester. 

Even as we be blind and unthankful for God’s favourable mercies, wherewithal he followeth us in health, wealth, and prosperity; so be we blind and unsensible for his most just plagues, wherewithal he persecuteth and punisheth us in sickness, scarcity, and troubles: and now, amongst other tokens of his displeasure and wrath, hath sent us, in divers places, [Ezekiel 14.] one of the extremest plagues that ever he devised to punish man withal in this life — the plague of pestilence: forasmuch as he meaneth thereby not only to kill and destroy the bodies of such as by this plague he purposeth to take out of this mortal life; but also, without repentance and turning to his mercy in Christ before death, the soul of such as depart from hence must needs perish by God’s just judgment. And not only this to be the end of such as it pleaseth God to strike to death by this his servant and messenger, the plague of pestilence; but also, the like danger of his displeasure remaineth to me, and to all other that have the cure and charge of the people’s souls in this the king’s majesty’s most noble realm, over whom God and he hath made us watchmen and overseers, to admonish and [Ezekiel 38.] warn the people of all dangers and plagues that God shall send for their punishment. In case we admonish not in time the people committed unto our charge of such plagues as for sin he purposeth to punish us withal, their loss and damnation shall be required at our hands.

For the discharge of myself, and also for the better instruction of such as have cures within this diocese of Worcester and Gloucester, and yet not best able to discharge them; and furthermore for the profit and salvation of the people, among whom it may please God to send his fearful plague of pestilence, I have thought it my bounden duty, seeing at all times I cannot comfort the sick myself, to collect or gather into some short sermon or homily a medicine and most present help for all men against the plague of pestilence; and in the same also to provide some present remedy for such as shall be infected with that disease. And for the better understanding of the medicine, I will use this order, that all physicians learned do use in their practice of physic: first, I will shew the chiefest cause of the pestilence; and then, what remedy is best to be used against it, and to heal it when it hath infected any man.

And although I will speak herein somewhat as other physicians have done; yet because they have spoken already more than I can in the matter, though it be a great deal less than the matter of the disease requireth (for none of them have shewed any ascertained remedy, be their reason never so good); I will briefly, as by the way, somewhat speak of this disease, as they do: but as a preacher of God’s word, and as a physician for the soul rather than for the body, entreat of the sickness and the remedy thereof after the advice and counsel of God’s word; who supplieth all things omitted and not spoken of, concerning this most dangerous plague, by such as have written, besides the scripture of God, their mind touching the same. For indeed the chiefest causes of all plagues and sickness is sin, which, remaining within all men, worketh destruction not only of the body, but also of the soul, if remedy be not found.

[book. 1. de diffe. feb. chapter 5.] And whereas Galen saith that “Omnis pestilentia fit a putredine aëris;” that is to say, “All pestilence cometh by the corruption of the air, that both beast and man, drawing their breaths in the air corrupt, draweth the corruption thereof into themselves,” he saith well, yet not enough. He saith also, very naturally, that “When the air is altered from his natural equality and temperature to too much and intemperate heat and moisture, pestilence is like then to reign. For [book 1. de temp. chapter 4] as he saith in the same place that “Heat and moisture distemperated be most dangerous for the creatures of the world,” yet that is not enough. As Ezekiel saith, where as [Ezekiel 14.] God sendeth all these distemperances, and yet if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in the midst of them, they shall be safe; even so saith David also: “Though they die at the [Psalm 91.] right hand ten thousand fold, and die at the left a thousand fold, the plague shall not touch him that sitteth under the protection of the Highest.”

And whereas reason hath many good and probable arguments in this matter touching the cause of pestilence; that it should come sometime by reason of such humours as be in the body disposed and apt to corrupt, then is the man quickly (by drawing and breathing as well the corruption of himself as the infection of the air) infected; and that such humours as be gross and inclined to corruption riseth of evil and immoderate diet; and the infection taketh his original and beginning from such beasts, carrion, and other loathsome bodies that rot upon the face of the earth not buried, or else from moorish, standing, and dampish waters, sinks, or other such unwholesome moistures; so that, towards the fall of the leaf, both the air that man liveth in, as also man’s body itself, be more apt and disposed to putrefaction more in that time than in any other time, for divers natural causes: these causes are to be considered as natural and consonant to reason; yet there be reasons and causes of pestilence of more weight, and more worthy of deep and advised considerations and advertisements than these be: and the more, because they lie within man, and be marked but of very few, and hide themselves secretly, till they have poisoned the whole man, both body and soul. For indeed physicians that write, meddle with no causes that hurt man, but such as come unto man from without: as the humours, they say, take their infection from unwholesome meat and evil diet, or else from the corruption of the air, with such [Matthew 15.] like: but our Saviour Christ sheweth that our corruption and sickness riseth from within us, as I will declare hereafter in the causes that the scripture teacheth of pestilence and all other diseases; requiring you diligently to look upon the same, and to read it in your churches: that the people may understand both the cause of this God’s plague of pestilence, and how to use themselves in the time of this sickness, or any other that shall happen unto them by God’s appointment; as God may be glorified in them, and you and I discharged of our bounden duties; and they themselves that shall happen to be infected with the plague of pestilence, and by the same be brought to death, may be assured, through true and godly doctrine, to die in the Lord, and so be eternally blessed straightway after [Revelation 14.] their death, as St John saith: and in case God reserve [Romans 14.] them to longer life, they may live in truth and verity unto him, with detestation and hatred of sin, the original cause of man’s misery and wretchedness, and with the love of mercy and grace, the original and only workers of man’s quietness and everlasting salvation, given unto us from God the Father Almighty, through Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord; to whom, with the Holy Ghost, be all honour and praise, world without end. So be it. 

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An homily to be read in the time of pestilence, containing the true cause of the same; and likewise a most present remedy for as many as be already, or hereafter shall be infected with disease.

Gathered out of the Holy Scripture by John Hooper, Bishop Worcester and Gloucester. 1553 A.D.

“Repent, and believe the gospel.”
Mark 1v15.

It is the desire of all sick men to know what medicine and remedy hath been known most to prevail, best to remove, and soonest to cure and make whole the person diseased; and the greater and more dangerous the sickness is, the more circumspect and wise the sick man must be in knowledge and choice of the medicine, lest haply he seek a remedy inferior and too weak for the greatness and strength of his disease.

The nature and condition therefore of pestilence being so dangerous (as it is indeed), that whosoever be infected or attainted therewithal, hath need to be well instructed and thoroughly persuaded of a sufficient remedy, stronger than the sickness itself; or else the disease shall more hurt the sick patient than the medicine can do him good; then must needs follow the death and the destruction of the diseased person; it behoveth therefore all men, that be mortal, to know the most general and most dangerous diseases that mortality shall be troubled withal; and then, as he seeth his great and necessary adversaries and sickness, to know also the greatest and most necessary remedy and help against his diseases. And because sin hath so prevailed in us, that truth, persuaded unto us by the examples of others, sooner instructeth and longer tarrieth than any thing taught us by doctrine or testimony; I shall, before I enter into the causes of the pestilence, shew the strength and nature of sickness from the examples of such godly persons as in the word of God are mentioned of for our instruction.

King David, amongst other diseases, fell into the pestilence; the greatness and danger whereof passed all human and worldly helps, as it appeareth by his lamentable cry and [Psalm 6, 42.] complaint unto the Lord; “My soul (saith he) is sore troubled: but how long. Lord, wilt thou defer thy help?” And the same cry and complaint he made unto the Lord, when the [2 Samuel 24.] plague of pestilence had infected his whole realm from Dan to Beersheba, and saw the remedy thereof to be only in God, praying him to command his angel to strike the people no more.

[Isaiah 38.] Hezekiah the king saw that, besides God, all medicines and remedies were too weak and inferior for the strength and power of the pestilence and sickness: wherefore he turned himself to the wall, and prayed God to do that for him that no physic nor medicine was able to do. 

[1 Corinthians 15.] And St Paul, in his wonderful oration that he maketh concerning the resurrection of the dead, weigheth most deeply the nature and condition of man’s miserable estate in this life, burdening him with such strong adversaries, sickness, and diseases, both of body and soul, that every man may see how impossible it is for man to find deliverance from the tyranny and strength of sickness, except only the mercy of God in Christ Jesus; numbering there six adversaries so strong, as the least of them, except Christ help, is able to destroy both body and soul. 

The first is corruption; the second, mortality; the third, sin; the fourth, the law condemning sin; the fifth, death; the sixth, hell; necessary and indivisible plagues and sickness of man in this life: against the which he findeth no remedy, neither by Galen nor Hippocrates, neither yet by the earth [Plin. book 24 e 961.] that men say cureth all wounds; but with great faith and confidence marketh and weigheth the strength of diseases, though they be never so strong, to be yet inferior to the medicine and remedy that God hath provided for us only in Christ: therefore compareth the inferior strength of all those sicknesses unto the sufficient remedy of God through Christ, saying after this manner: “Thanks be unto God, which hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus Clirist.” Whereby it is evident and plain that God is the only remedy for all plagues and diseases. Howbeit, now I shall more specially open the causes of the plague, and the nature of the same; that our sickness and the causes thereof may be more known, and the better avoided. 

The principal cause of pestilence is opened by St Paul by these words: “By sin (saith he) came death into the world:” [Romans 5.] and for the cause of sin God sendeth the plague of pestilence and all other diseases that punisheth towards death; as king David saith, “Thou dost punish the children of men for sin.” [Psalm 39.] Moses also plainly sheweth that the principal and chief cause [Deuteronomy 28.] of pestilence is not in the corruption of the air, nor in the superfluous humours within man; but that sin and the transgression of God’s law is the very cause and chief occasion of pestilence and of all other diseases. And the experience thereof was tried in the pestilence that reigned in king David’s time [2 Samuel 24.] for his sins, and the sins of the people. So that all the scripture of God manifestly declareth, that the contempt and breach of God’s laws is the chief and principal cause of pestilence, and of all other plagues that he sendeth for our punishment. And from this cause proceedeth those causes that physicians speak of, the corruption ot the air, which is never corrupted, nor can corrupt man or beast, except man, for whose sake and comfort both air and all other beasts were made, be first corrupted by sin and transgression of God’s laws. Neither could man take any surfeit by meats, nor any evil humours could be engendered of any meats, were not the man that useth them corrupt and first infected with sin. But when the Lord doth see that the people forget or contemn his blessed commandments, and that such as be appointed to rebuke and punish such transgressors of God’s laws, suffer without punishment the glory of God and his holy commandments to be oppressed and set at nought, as we see daily they be indeed; — from these causes, our sin and abomination, the Lord taketh occasion to turn his good creatures, made for our life, to be a means of our death; which never would be, were not our heinous dishonouring and contempt of God. 

For the Lord’s creatures be perfectly good, and made all [Genesis 1.] to comfort and rejoice; wholesome, clean, and pure without all infection. But seeing that the contempt of God and the filthiness of sin is neither by the clergy declared, opened, nor detected, neither by the heads of the country and officers appointed under God and the king punished; except, therefore, there should nothing else live in this world than sin, abomination, and contempt of God, God is forced, for the taking away and destruction of filthy life and filthy livers, to appoint an extraordinary magistrate to reform and punish the mother of all mischief, sin and contempt of God’s holy word: and so altereth, not by chance, nor by the influence of stars, the wholesomeness of the air into pestilent and contagious infection, and the meat and drink with their nutriment and food into poison and venom; that by their mean sin and sinners might be slain and taken out of this world, and no longer to blaspheme God. 

Thus doth the word of God declare the effectuous and principal cause of pestilence to be the contempt of God’’s word, that should keep men in order both to God and man: the breaking whereof hath always brought these plagues into [book 7 chapter 1] realms, as profane writers also manifestly declare. Orosius saith that the great dearth and famine that came amongst the Romans in the time of Caesar Augustus, was because Caius, his nephew, contemned to honour the living God, as he was taught at Jerusalem, when he passed into Syria. Wherefore it is expedient, and before all things necessary, forasmuch as the plague is come into sundry places about us, for every one to try himself, what just causes of this pestilence each man hath within himself. Every christian man and woman must search whether their religion and Christianity be such as God by his word doth maintain to be good: for there is no greater occasion of pestilence than superstition and false religion.

The bishop, parson, vicar, and curate, must examine themselves, what knowledge of God’s word is in them, and what diligence they have taken to bring the people to a right knowledge and perfect honour of God: for there is no greater danger of pestilence than where as the clergy is either ignorant of God’s word, or negligent in teaching thereof. 

The justices and gentlemen must look how they keep themselves and the king’s majesty’s people in the true knowledge and obedience of God’s laws and the king’s: for nothing provoketh the pestilence more dangerously than where as such as sit and be appointed to do justice, do their own affections with contempt and injuries both to God and man; and the plague of God will revenge it.

All we, therefore, that be subjects, and live under one God and one king, must (now that God hath sent us this pestilence) see that we have true, loving, faithful, trusty, and obedient hearts; with one whole mind altogether to obey, reverence, love, help, succour, defend, and uphold with all our wits, goods, riches, and strength, this our only king, the magistrates and counsellors that be appointed under his highness. For, as St Paul saith, [Romans 13.] “He that disobeyeth and resisteth the higher powers appointed by God, resisteth God,” provoketh the pestilence and vengeance of God against us. And we must take heed also that we hate not [1 John 3.] one another: if we do, the plague will not cease, and the places that yet be not infected God shall infect, whatsoever defence man maketh against it. And although Galen, of all remedies, saith, “To fly the air that is infected is best;” yet I know that Moses by the word of God saith: “Flee whither thou wilt, in case thou take with thee the contempt of God and breach of his commandment, God shall find thee out.” Yea, and although many medicines be devised, and assureth the infected to be made whole; yet, notwithstanding, I know God’s word saith the contrary Deuteronomy 28.], that he will send unto unsensible, careless, and wilful sinners such a plague and incurable a pestilence, that he shall not be delivered, but die and perish by it. 

Therefore, forasmuch as sin is the occasion chiefly of pestilence, let every man eschew and avoid it both speedily and penitently; and then shall ye be preserved from the plague sufficiently, as ye shall perceive in the remedy of this dangerous plague that beginneth to reign amongst us. For doubtless, although we could fly to Locris or Crotone, where as Pliny saith the pestilence was never [book 1 chapter 96], yet God saith [Deuteronomy 18.], in case we fear not him, we shall surely be infected.

The remedy against the pestilence.

Like as the scripture of God only sheweth the very cause of pestilence, so doth it the very true and only remedy against it. I do not dislike the remedies that natural physic hath prescribed; yet I do not hable them as sufficient remedies, for their imperfection’s sake. I would also they were used, and the remedies prescribed in God’s book not omitted; for I see all the remedies that ever was devised by man is not able to remove assuredly the pestilence from him that is infected therewithal, although they be never so excellent and good. And I find the same concerning the preservation from the pestilence devised by man, also insufficient for man’s preservation, yet not to be contemned; for the reason of their chiefest preservation is very good and allowable, and yet not sufficient, which is of all things chiefly to be used against the pestilence, fleeing and departure from the place where as the air is corrupt. Wherefore, for such as may, nothing is better than to flee; and except he do, he offereth himself to a present danger of death: but yet the word of God saith plainly that, “flee whither we will, if we forsake not sin, and serve the living God, the plague shall overtake us.”

And this cannot be a sufficient remedy; for there be certain persons that cannot flee, although they would; as the poorer sort of people, that have no friends nor place to flee unto, more than the poor house they dwell in. Likewise, there be such offices of trust as men for no cause may flee from it; as the bishop, parson, vicar, and curate, who hath the charge of those that God pleaseth to infect with the pestilence; and if they forsake their people in this plague-time, [John 10.] they be hirelings and no pastors; and they flee from God’s people into God’s high indignation. Such also as have places and offices of trust for the commonwealth; as the captains of soldiers in the time of war, judges and justices in the time of peace; in case they should flee their countries, or leave their wars for the plague of pestilence, they shall never be good soldiers nor good justices for the commonwealth; and they shall be accountable to Almighty God for all the hurt and detriment that hath happened unto the people in their absence.

Wherefore, seeing there is no certain remedy devised by man, neither for such as cannot flee, nor for them that may flee, we must seek another medicine and help at God’s hand, who can and will preserve those that be whole, and make them whole that be sick, if it be expedient for man, and most for his own honour. The best preservative, therefore, to keep men from the pestilence is this that Moses speaketh of: [Exodus 5.] “Let us do sacrifice unto the Lord, lest we be stricken with pestilence or sword.” And Joshua and Caleb told the people that [Numbers 14.] a faithful trust in the Lord was the best remedy for them: which if they contemned, they should find that God there threatened, speaking to Moses, “How long will this people be unfaithful? I will strike them with pestilence, and consume them.” Also, David knew that the only remedy to keep Jerusalem from the plague was, that God should turn his [2 Samuel 24.] wrath from the city for his sins and the sins of the people.

But now, to bring the remedy the better to the understanding of the people, I will shew it by this place of St Mark, “Repent ye, and believe the gospel:” in the which [Mark 1.] words is contained the only medicine against the pestilence, and also all other diseases, if the text be well and advisedly considered, wherein Christ useth a very natural order to heal all diseases; for as the remedy naturally of all diseases be taken from contrary conditions and qualities to that which worketh and maintaineth the sickness, so doth Christ in these words declare that the preservation and help of sin and wickedness, the cause of pestilence, proceedeth from virtues and conditions contrary to the qualities and nature of such things as preserve and keep this wicked sin and sickness in man. As when a man is fallen into sickness by reason of too much cold and moisture, the remedy must be gathered naturally from the contrary, heat and drought; for this is a common and true principle, “Contraries be holpen by their contraries.” [Galen. de temp.] If nature wax too cold, it must be holpen with heat: if it be too hot, it must be cooled: if it be too moist, it must be dried: if it be too dry, it must be moistened: if it be too cold and moist, it must be heated and dried: if it be cold and dry, it must be heated and moisted: if it be too hot and moist, it must be cooled and dried: if it be hot and dry, it must be cooled and moisted. These be very natural remedies, if they be well used with true proportion and convenient use after physic.

And as these be good and natural for the body wherein the pestilence dwelleth, even so is Christ’s medicine in the first of St Mark a more present and certain remedy for the soul, that keepeth the body in life, to remove or to remedy the sin of man, which is the cause of all plagues and pestilence; in case to remove sin, the cause of sickness, this medicine of Christ be used, as the other is used to remove the effect of sin, which is sickness: as the body that is fallen into sickness by too much cold or moisture, either by nature, that originally was corrupted by Adam, either by our own accustomed doing of sin, it must be made whole by the heat of repentance and true faith in the merits of Christ Jesus, who died for the sins of the world. 

For this is a true and most certain principle of all religion, “One contrary must remedy the other.” Seeing Adam by his fault began our death by sin, it must be cured by Christ, that is without sin. And whereas our own works be sin and filthiness, wherewithal God is displeased, we must desire the works of Christ, to work the good will and favour of our heavenly Father again. And whereas by our own wits, wisdoms, religion, and learning we have committed idolatry and superstition, we must now by God’s wisdom, God’s word, and his most true religion amend our faults, and turn to true and godly honouring of him. Further, whereas our own inventions hath brought us from the knowledge of God, the [Psalm 19, 119.] remedy is, that God’s word must bring us to him again [2 Timothy 3.]; for against all untruths brought in by man the word of God is the only remedy. 

The experience thereof we may have plainly in the scripture. Whereas, for the salvation of the world, God appointed Christ his only Son to be born, and also to be opened unto the world, that by him it might be healed of all sickness and sin, as it appeareth by St Matthew, and other of the evangelists; yet was the world so blind and so corrupted [Matthew 1, 2] with sin, that Christ was born and opened unto them, and [Luke 2.] [John 1.] they of the world nothing the better, as it appeareth in St Matthew [Matthew 3.], where as St John the Baptist in few words, which be these, “Repent ye, for the kingdom of God is at hand,” sheweth the remedy of all sins and sickness, and the means how to receive and take the same remedy. The remedy was only Christ, as he saith in St John, and also in St Matthew; [John 1, 3.] [Matthew 3] and the means to come by the remedy was to repent, as ye shall know further hereafter, when ye know what repentance is.

The same may you also see in St John, in the dialogue [John 3.] between Christ and Nicodemus, a man, after the judgment of the world, that knew life and death, sickness and health, the cause of the one, and also of the other, as well as any learned man among all the congregation and church of the Jews; yet, indeed, as ignorant of his own sickness, and also so far from the true knowledge how to come to health, as an ignorant man might be. And the cause was, that he understood not the nature of sin, as it is esteemed by the word of God, neither the remedy thereof that God hath prescribed and appointed. Wherefore Christ told him by plain words, except he were holpen and cured of his disease and sickness by contrary remedies, he could never understand nor come by his health: and no marvel; for he knew the sickness of sin no otherwise than his forefathers and the worldly men knew sin, that is to say, knew such sins as were known to reason, and done by the body and outward action of men; and the same knowledge had he, and no more, of the remedy against the sickness of sin. And as his fathers and the world thought, so did he, that the merits of their sacrifices and the well-doing of themselves was a sufficient remedy to heal them both in body and in soul. Whereupon Christ most mercifully pitieth the poor man, and with contrary knowledge both of sickness and the remedy thereof sheweth, that the disease man is infected with goeth further than reason and the outer action of the body, and occupieth the soul of man with concupiscence, rebellion, frowardness, and contumacy against God: [John 3.] wherefore he calleth all that man hath of himself but flesh; and sheweth that the remedy against this sickness cometh not of the worthiness of any sacrifice or merits of his, or any sinful man’s works; but tliat the remedy thereof dependeth only upon the merits of his blood and passion, and sheweth the same by the comparison of the brass serpent appointed by Moses; and argueth this way: as the people that were stung with the serpents in the wilderness were not made whole by their own works, or for the dignity or service of any sacrifice that they offered, but by the sight of the serpent, that represented Christ to come; even so Nicodemus, nor any other that is stung with the serpents of sin, be made whole by their own works, or any sacrifice they can offer, but only by the merits of Christ. And even as the people could not come to the knowledge of this remedy by the serpent through their fathers’ or their own wisdom, no more can Nicodemus, or any man living, come to the knowledge of the remedy for sickness and sin in our Saviour Christ, except he [John 3.] learn it by the word of God through the instruction of the Holy Ghost. 

The same remedy also useth Christ in his words before [Mark 1.] rehearsed “Repent ye, and believe the gospel.” In the which words our Saviour Christ sheweth all things to be considered in sin, and in the remedy thereof. For in the first part of his words he declareth how that men should know the causes of sickness; and in the second part the remedy and help for the same. The cause of sickness, as it appeareth by this word “Repent,” is, that men have by their own folly turned themselves from the truth of God to the error and fond opinion of man; from true faith to uncertain fables; from virtuous and godly works to uncleanliness and corruption of life. Christ, therefore, seeing the world how it is in danger, by reason it hath forsaken the wisdom and rule of God’s word, calleth it home again to a better way, bidding it repent: as though he had said, “Turn to a better mind, and leave the ways accustomed, and learn to be wise, and walk in the ways and wisdom appointed by God.”

Here appeareth also, that the causes of all the dangers that Christ willed his audience to repent for, was their sin and iniquity. The cause of sin was infidelity and accustomed doing of evil. The cause of infidelity and accustomed doing of evil was ignorance or misunderstanding of God’s word. The cause of ignorance or misunderstanding of God’s word was Satan, God’s and man’s enemy, and man’s willing consent to the devilish sophistry and false construing of God’s word. And from these causes springeth all diseases and sickness, death, and everlasting damnation; from the which Christ [John 3.] was sent, of God’s inestimable love towards us, to redeem and save us. Notwithstanding, these effects of pestilence, sickness, death, and everlasting damnation cannot be removed, except first the causes of them be eschewed.

Wherefore learn ye, and teach other to know the causes above-mentioned, and also, how they may be removed; for as long as they work their proper nature in man, so long will they bring forth their natural effects, sickness, troubles, death, and damnation. The original cause of all evil was Satan, and the ungodly consent of our forefather Adam in [Genesis 3.] paradise, in crediting more the devil’s sophistry and gloss than the plain and manifest word of God. And the remedy of this cause is God, that, of love against Satan’s hatred, promised in the seed of a woman help again for man; and that [John 1, 3, 5.] every man that believeth the devil in evil must repent and believe God and his word in good.

Ignorance and mistaking of God’s word Is the second [John 1, 3.]cause of evil; the remedy whereof is knowledge and right understanding of God’s word.

Infidelity and accustomed doing of evil be the third cause [John 16.] of evil; true faith and accustomed doing of good remedieth them. 

Sin and iniquity be the causes of sickness, death, and damnation; virtue and godliness healeth and removeth, that they shall not bring man to everlasting death. Although sin and sickness be not clean taken from man, yet doth God in Christ take away the damnation of sin, and suffereth death to destroy by sickness none other thing than the body of the sinner, so that he use this remedy, “Repent, and believe the gospel;” and shall at length call the body, dead by death, out of the earth, and place it alive with the soul in heaven. 

But now, to use this help and remedy against the pestilence, which Christ calleth “Repent, and believe the gospel:” the sick man must remember what the first word, “Repent,”

meaneth, and how he may come by it. Repentance, that God requireth, is the return of the sinner from sin into a new life in Christ; which return is an innovation and renovation of the mind of man by God’s Spirit in Christ, with denial of the former life, to begin a new and better life. And this repentance springeth from the knowledge of sin by the law of God: from the knowledge of sin cometh the hatred of sin: from the hatred of sin proceedeth the leaving and departure from sin: from the departure from sin cometh, by faith through Christ’s blood, remission of sin; from remission of sin cometh our acceptance into God’s favour: from our acceptance into God’s favour cometh the gifts of the Holy Ghost to do and work by virtuous life the will of God: from the doing in Christ the will of God cometh God’s defence and favour, that taketh from us all plagues and pestilence: from the deliverance of plagues and pestilence cometh everlasting life, as Christ saith, and as this medicine, called, [John 3, 5, 6.] “Repent ye, and believe the gospel,” declareth.

There be, also, many that be sick and in great danger and peril by reason of sin, and yet feel not the sore and grief thereof. Therefore, they pass not whether they seek for any remedy or not; and, for lack of taking heed, they fall daily to more wickedness than other. Wherefore it is every minister’s office of the church diligently (and especially in the time of pestilence and plagues) to call upon the people for amendment of life, and to shew them truly, diligently, and plainly, this medicine of repentance, which consisteth of these parts: first, in knowledge of sin; then, in hatred of sin; thirdly, in forsaking of sin; fourthly, in believing the forgiveness of sins for Christ’s sake; and fifthly, to live in virtuous and godly life, to honour God, and to shew his obedience to God’s law, that by sin is transgressed.

And these parts of penance, which be the very true and only medicines against sickness and sin, be known only by God’s laws; for by the law of God sin is known, detested, and forsaken. If it be heard or read by men that pray unto God, they may understand it. Faith also, that believeth remission of sin, is shewed, opened, and offered by the gospel, wherein be contained God’s merciful promises towards sinners; and those promises sinners receive by faith, that believeth whatsoever God hath promised in Christ he will perform it. Faith doth credit and receive forgiveness of sins by the operation of God’s Holy Spirit in the poor sinner. The sinner studieth and liveth a virtuous life, being led by the Holy Ghost, and worketh to serve God with such works as God’s holy commandment commandeth every true christian man to work and do. And for the better assurance and further stablishing of repentance and acceptance into the favour of God by believing the gospel, the poor sinner useth and receiveth the holy sacrament of Christ’s precious body and blood, in remembrance that Christ died to be his medicine against sin, and the effect thereof. 

Wherefore, now that it pleaseth God for our offences to shew by plagues and sickness how he is offended, let us all, that be ministers of the church, and the watchmen of the people, call upon them diligently to “repent, and believe the gospel,” and to live a godly and virtuous life; that for Christ’s sake he will turn mercifully his plagues from us, and give us his most gracious favour to preserve his universal church, our most godly sovereign lord and king, king Edward the Sixth, his majesty’s most honourable council, and the whole realm. So be it. 

18th May 1553.

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5. James Pilkington, 1562:

An exposition of Haggai 2v15–19.

“v. 15. Now consider, I pray you, in your hearts from this day backward, afore one stone was laid upon another in the house of the Lord.

16. While they were so, they came to a heap of corn of twenty bushels, and there was but ten; and ye came to a wine press to draw fifty gallons, and there was but twenty.

17. I have smitten you with blasting winds, with mildew, and with hail, all the works of your hands, and you would not turn unto me, saith the Lord.

18. Consider now in your hearts from this day backward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from that day when the ground-work of the temple was laid,consider it (I say) in your heart.

19. Is your seed yet in the barn? Or have your vineyards, fig-trees, pomegranates and olive-trees not yet flourished? From this day forth will I bless them.”

The prophet calls them here to an earnest and diligent consideration of the years past, and the plagues which they suffered so many, so divers, so grievous and strange. As though he should say unto them thus: Ye are too negligent in marking God’s working towards you, which hath wrought so wonderful great things among you, to the intent that ye should return unto him, and be more diligent in building his house, which he so straitly changed you to do. [God’s doings should teach us, whether they be good or plagues.] Mark them now more diligently; for God did it to teach you your duty, if ye would have learned. God doth not only teach us by his word and writing, by prophets and preaching, but by his deeds also and working: if they be good and blessings, to love and thank him for all his goodness bestowed on us such misers; and if they be sharp and painful, to bring us home again by repentance, to ask forgiveness of our faults, and beware that we no more offend him. Therefore these strange plagues which ye have suffered so many years; that the earth did not yield her fruit; your meat and drink did not feed you; your clothes did not keep you warm; your money wasted in your purses, ye could not tell how, as though it fell out of the bottom; your corn in the barns consumed, ye wist not how; yea, when it came to fanning and winnowing, a man thought in one heap he should have had twenty bushels, he found but ten, the half; and in the wine-press, where ye thought to have had fifty gallons, almost three parts lacked and were consumed, and there was but twenty gallons; — (a good husband that hath much experience, when he comes to an heap of corn or a press of wine, will guess within a few bushels or gallons, how much is contained in the whole; but here in the corn to be deceived the half, and in the wine three parts, was very strange, and could not be but as God said before, that when it was brought into the house, he did blow it away, and so it consumed;) ─ what a negligence was this to suffer such plagues so many years; and yet to be so hard-hearted, that they weighed them not, but lightly let them pass, not considering wherefore God sent them, nor what fault was in them to be amended, which provoked God’s anger so grievously against them! [We cannot worthily consider God’s plagues without a special grace.] But such blindness is in us all, that when we be under the rod, we feel it not, if God open not our eyes to see his displeasure; yea, rather of nature we murmur against his gentle corrections.

Or else, if God withhold his heavy hand for a time, to try whether we will amend with little correction, before he lay on us a greater, we fall to our old fashions, and forget God, his rod, our duty, and his reverence, attributing such plagues to unseasonable weather, pestilent airs, or some evil chance, as though they came not from God. As when we had the sweat, where so many died so suddenly, that men were astonished at it, so many sick that there was not whole folks enough to keep them: then for that time we could call on God, repent, restore evil gotten goods, give alms, and be sorry that we had not been more liberal before time; but as soon as it ceased, we were as evil or worse than before. So in the late days of bloody persecution and cruel popery, how oft with tears desired we God once again to restore us, and we would no more so wickedly live! and yet we be worse than before. How many sweats, rebellions, dearths, unseasonable years have we had; and yet we have forgotten them, as though they came not from God, nor yet that God had not sent them to teach us to turn to him by them!

The workings of God, whether they be in blessing or God’s plaguing, [God’s doings are diligently to be considered.] present or past, to ourselves or others, particularly or to a whole country generally, are deeply to be considered: for he would teach us many things by them, if we had that grace, wit, and eyes, to consider them. St Paul teaches the Corinthians [1 Corinthians 10.] by examples past long before, that they should not murmur, be idolators, nor tempt Christ, as their fathers did, lest they should be destroyed as their fathers were. How often doth the scripture put the Jews in remembrance of their great deliverance out of the vile bondage in Egypt; and [Leviticus 9.] bids them not trouble the stranger, for they were strangers in Egypt themselves, and knew the griefs which strangers suffered. In particular examples and plagues he saith, [Luke 17.] “Remember Lot’s wife;” lest in looking back, and desiring your old lusts in Sodom, ye perish as she did. So in good things also, he teaches us by examples past: “Ye see the suffering of Job, and the end how the Lord rewarded him,” saith St James, moving us to patience in trouble. [James 5.] And generally [Romans 15.] it is said to us all: “What things soever are written before hand, they are written for our learning, that by patience and comfort of the scripture we might have hope.”

So in things done in our time, when we see God’s anger [The plague of one is a warning to the rest.] poured upon the whole realm, or one country or house, as war, plague, hunger, dearth, sickness, fire, loss of lands or goods, sweat, loss of friends; look what grievous and notable sins then reigned in such men or places, and learn to avoid the same, lest the like fall on thee. For by that plague God teacheth all which hear of it to avoid the like wickedness, lest like plagues fall on them. If they will not learn, what marvel is it if they sink in their own sin?

So, if thou see thy neighbour punished, rejoice not at it; but pray for him, comfort him, and learn the goodness of God towards thyself; that where thou hast deserved more to be punished than he, yet God spares thee, and gives thee warning by his punishment to amend betimes, lest thy course be next; and then shalt thou be more grievously plagued, because thou didst not learn to amend thy faults by his correction and punishment.

If thy neighbour be in wealth, and thou in trouble, learn to amend thy faults by his, that God may bestow his benefits on thee, as well as on him. Disdain not his wealth, nor be not sorry for it, whether he be good man or evil: for if he be evil, God would win him with gentleness; if he be good, follow his doings, that God may bless thee also. Thus shall we learn of God’s doings to comfort ourselves, and amend our own lives. How diligent we should be to search out for what cause God plagues us, we are taught [Joshua 7.] by Josua in casting lot with the people when they were plagued, who had angered God so grievously, that he punished them so sharply, and so tried by the lot, that Acham was [1 Samuel 14.] in the fault. So Saul tried by lot, that his son Jonathan had offended, when God so sharply punished them. Jonah running from God was tried by lot, cast into the sea, and the tempest ceased. 

Thus must [Offenders must be tried and punished, that the plague may cease.] not God’s plagues and works be lightly passed over, but deeply considered wherefore he punisheth, and the offenders tried out and punished that God’s plague may cease: for before it will not. If the rulers be negligent in punishing sin, as their duty requires, God must needs take it in hand himself; for sin must needs be punished, and he is a righteous God, and will as well punish the sinner as reward the good: but if man do punish the fault, God will not; for he punishes not twice for one fault. Therefore let us no more be so negligent in not regarding God’s plagues, lest in despising little gentle ones we provoke him to pour his whole wrath on us, as these men did.

He bids them look backward, not at one year or two passed, but even from the beginning “whole forty years, since one stone was laid on another in the foundation of the temple,” and till all that time that they left off their building; and to remember how unfruitful and unseasonable years they had. The corn did not yield the half that men looked for, or yet judged it to be; the wine not three parts of that they hoped for in thus many years together: therefore they should have known, that all was for their disobedience in not building the Lord’s house.

But how came all this to pass? Who was the worker of these plagues? Was it wind, mildew, hail, storms or tempests, which did all this? Indeed they had all those and many more; but God saith, “I smote you with blasting winds, and mildew, and hail, all the works of your hands.” In which he teaches, that wind, hail, mildew, storm and tempests, be his servants, go his messages, where he will, destroying so much and so little, when and where as it pleases him, as David saith, [Psalm 148.] “Fire, hail, snow, ice, and tempests, which do his commandment.” And because no such harm [Although God use his creatures in punishing, yet he calls it his own deed.] comes by chance or by the ruling of the stars, but all be his creatures, serve and obey his holy will and pleasure; he calls it his own deed, and saith, “I smote you.” Therefore by his just judgement it is done, whatsoever is destroyed: and murmur or grudge we must not at his doings, thinking him to do us wrong, or deal like a tyrant with us; but thankfully bear it, knowing that by such light punishment he wills us to amend and escape a greater. We must say with Job, [Job 1.] “The Lord gave it, and the Lord took it away: as the Lord willeth, so let it be: blessed be the name of the Lord now and ever.”

If we could thus with a reverent fear acknowledge God’s working in all his punishing, we would not seek unlawful means in danger of fire; as St Aga’s letters, the holy candle, or a hawthorn in lightning, the hallowed bell to ring in thunder, &c.: and it would be a great quietness to our minds, that we should patiently and willingly bear all crosses that he shall lay upon us, lest we seem to grudge at his doings, which were no small fault. When Job had lost all that he had, yet he accused neither devil, enemies, nor any other man, but said, “If we received good things at the Lord’s hands, why should we not suffer evil also? The Lord gave it, and the Lord took it away.” Though the devil of malice stirred up such men to commit such robbery against Job, and they of covetousness or envy did spoil and rob the good man, and so both the devil and his members in all their doings heap their own condemnation, because they do it of such a wicked mind and for so evil a purpose and end; yet the good man in such plagues hath a further respect to God, thinking that he which ruleth all, and suffereth these things, by such means trieth his patience: [God’s love and justice, the devil’s malice, and man’s cruelty, appear in one deed.] and therefore he thankfully taketh it. So in one deed God’s love, with just punishment for our sins and trial of our faith and patience, do appear; and also the malice of the devil towards us, and the frowardness of us one towards another. But because the end and purpose wherefore it is done be so far divers, we work our own damnation willingly, when we do any wickedness one towards another: and God is not the cause nor yet the enticer of us to any evil, but a just punisher of all sin. 

Mark here diligently the merciful goodness of our good God and Father in punishing his people; how he destroys not utterly first their wives and children, or plagues them [God begins first gently to punish.] with extreme diseases, but begins gently with their corn and other fruits, far off from them, whose loss they might better bear: yet nevertheless by these little ones he gives them warning to amend; or else he will punish them more grievously, and come nearer unto them in such things as they love more dearly; and at length they and all theirs should perish, if they would not amend. Thus saith God, [2 Samuel 7v14.] [Psalm 89.] “I will visit you in the rod of men,” that is to say, gently: and David in God’s name saith, “I will visit their wickedness with a rod, and their sins with a scourge; but my mercy I will not take away from them, nor I will not hurt them, as I am a true God.” Thus, like a father and not like a tyrant, he punishes to amend and not to destroy, to save and not to condemn, for love and not for envy, to pull us from our wickedness to him, and not to make us to hate him or run from him, first by little ones, that we may avoid greater, and not in them utterly perish. 

The end of God’s punishing this people so long appears [God for our profit, and suffers long.] here, when he saith, “You would not turn unto me, saith the Lord.” For this cause then, that they should turn to him, did he send these plagues; and not for hate or harm to his people. But what a wickedness and hard hearts were these men of, that among so many threatenings, so great plagues, and in so many years, they would not turn unto the Lord! Here appears, how true it was that he said before, that all were fallen on sleep, both prince, priest and people, until the Lord awaked up all their spirits to see their great disobedience, and to go about their building. And also this declares, how unable and unwilling we be to do good, until God stir us up by his grace. God deals with us as the shepherd doth with his sheep: if a sheep run from his fellows, the shepherd sets his dog after it, not to devour it, but to bring it in again: so our heavenly Shepherd, if any of us his sheep disobey him, he sets his dog after us, not to hurt us, but to bring us home to a consideration of our duty towards this our heavenly Father and loving Shepherd.

God’s dogs be poverty, banishment, sickness, evil rulers, dearth, death, war, ignorance, superstition, loss of goods or friends, &c. Who could have holden his hands beside such a sturdy people, and not utterly have destroyed them; where no sort of men among such a number, for so many plagues, in so many years, would turn to their Lord God? Here [God suffers long.] therefore may appear the long-suffering of God, who doth not suddenly in a rage take vengeance on us, as soon as the fault is done, as one of us doth towards another; but tarries so long to look for our amendment and repentance. Also it is evident, how true that is which God saith, [Romans 10.] “All the day long I stretched out my hands to an unfaithful and rebellious people.” Our Saviour Christ saith, [Revelation 3.] he stands and knocks at the door, and would come in, and we will not let him in. 

The Lord for his mercy’s sake soften our hearts, that we despise not such gentle callings, and be found in the number of such hard hearts; lest we be given up to our own lusts, and so perish in our own wickedness. When we read and hear this sturdy disobedience towards God, we think this people to be the worst under heaven; and if we had been in their case, we would not have been so disobedient: but if we look at ourselves, and without flattery examine our own consciences and behaviour towards God, we shall find that we have been plagued no less than they, and have had God’s long sufferance and benefits shewed towards us no less than they; and yet we have not learned so much, yea, less than they. God of his goodness amend it in us for Christ’s sake!

And because they had been so negligent in not considering God’s plagues and works among them so many years; yet twice again in this verse he wills them not lightly to consider it, nor forget it any longer, as they had done beforetimes, but deeply to weigh why those plagues had fallen upon them. God works nothing in vain, but for our learning and great profit, that we may remember our duty the better, and more reverently worship him hereafter. It is no small fault so lightly to consider God’s works towards us: for that we might the better do it, he hath given man only reason as a chief treasure, that we may do the same; and also taught us by his word to do so. Therefore, if we do it not, we are worse than beasts, which have not reason to consider such his workings.

No kind of fruit, corn, vines, figs, pomegranates, olives, had prosperously increased of all these years; which could not be but for some great cause: and yet they passed but lightly on it, neither fearing God the more, lest he should increase the plagues, nor amended their lives, [Remembering our sins and plagues work good in us.] that he might hold his hand from plaguing them any longer. Often and earnest remembering of our disobedience towards God, and considering his scourges for the same, works in all good hearts [Luke 15.] an earnest amendment of life. The unthrifty son in the gospel, that had spent all his portion of goods unthrifty, when he was driven by hunger to remembrance of himself and his misbehaviour, comes home to his father, submits himself, confesses his fault, saying, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and thee, and am not worthy to be called thy son;” and so is received to mercy. The publican, acknowledging his sins, went home righteous. St Paul, remembering how he [1 Timothy 1.] was a persecutor, cruel, a blasphemer, is kept in an humble and lowly knowledge of himself. Ezra and Daniel, [Daniel 9.] confessing their disobedience and sins of the whole people, knowledge their misery, God’s justice in punishing, and so obtain mercy. Closes, to teach the Jews to be pitiful to strangers, bids them remember, how they were strangers in Egypt [Exodus 22.] and slaves to Pharaoh: for in so considering their old estate and heavy case that they were in before, they should learn the better to pity strangers and consider their heaviness. This by remembering diligently, our case and state past with God’s punishment for our sins, we shall learn our misery, call for help of God, and be more ware hereafter, that we fall not into the like sins, and so procure God’s anger and heavier hand, heaping our own damnation. God sends such things to teach us our duty; and if we do not learn, he will cast us out of his school. No good schoolmaster will suffer such lewd scholars in his school as will not learn, when they be sufficiently taught both by gentleness and sharpness, by things past and present, by example of others and experience of themselves. 

And where these plagues began to fall upon them, even after the ground-work of the temple was laid, and when they left off building; a man would think God dealt extremely with them, which would not spare them anything at all, but for the first fault punishes so sharply and continues so long. But, as the Maccabees teach, when he hath reckoned the cruelty [2 Maccabees 6.] and persecution of Antiochus, lest a man should think God hated his people for dealing so sharply with them, he saith, [God’s punishing is a token of his love.] “God did it for love, and that he loved them more than all other people, because by correction he would so soon call them back, and not let them live in sin still, as he did other nations.” The Gentiles whom he punished nothing so sharply, but let them live at their pleasure, they knew him not, worshipped him not; he gave them not his word nor his prophets, but let them take their pleasure, as though he cared not for them. David, considering the divers plagues and sickness which God laid on him, said, [Psalm 119] “It is good for me that thou hast corrected and humbled me; for before I was corrected, I sinned.” For as a man will suffer those beasts which he appoints to be killed, to go where they lust in the best pastures, and to break his hedges, that in so doing, the sooner they be fat, the sooner they may be slain; so God, those people which he loves not in Christ his Son, he lets them take their pleasure, corrects them not for their amendment, but lets them work their just condemnation, in giving them up to their own lusts. “Every father,” saith the apostle, “corrects his children; and those which he corrects not be bastards.” And although correction of God seem sharp and bitter for the present time, and seems to come of hate and not of love; yet the end is sweet, loving, and profitable, that he may give us his holiness. A vessel, if it be foul, must be scoured before wine be put in it; and he that will make his ground fruitful, must first pull up the weeds, before he sow good seed: so by these sharp medicines of God’s correction must the body be purged, that the mind may bring forth his due fruit in fear and reverence.

Let us in England therefore remember God’s plagues, which we have suffered of God’s good will, so long and many, for our amendment; and let us lament our hardness of heart, that have been so grievously and long punished, and yet, have not duly considered the heaviness of God’s hand, nor the greatness of our sins which have so provoked his anger upon us. We are sufficiently taught by all examples before us, if we will learn, and by these present plagues that we feel, what a grievous thing and horrible sin it is in God’s sight to leave God’s house unbuilt: and yet, like unreasonable beasts and unsensible, we neither fear our good God as [Malachi 1.] a Lord, nor love him as a father, as Malachi saith, “If I be your Lord, where is the fear ye owe me? If I be your father, where is the love that is due unto me?”

From henceforth God promises “to bless their fruit and works:” and they had not so great scarceness before, but now [God turneth to us, when we turn to him.] they should have as great plenty. So that when man turns unto God, God turns unto him: when man amends, God looks cheerfully on him, where before he was angry: when man leaves sinning, God leaves plaguing: when man builds God’s house, and maintaineth his true religion, God blesseth his house and all that is in it. As Moses teaches: [Deuteronomy 28.] “If thou hear the voice of the Lord thy God, to do his commandment, thou shalt be blessed in the city, in thy house, in the field, &c.”

And how came all this to pass, that they were so amended? By preaching rather than plaguing: for that which could not be obtained in forty years’ plagues, was gotten in three weeks’ preaching [Preaching moves more than plagues.]. Haggai came the first day of the sixth month, and the twenty-fourth of the same they began to work; so they had no more time to preach in, nor to prepare their tools in, but three weeks and three days. Such a strong thing is the word of God, sharper than a two-edged sword, [Hebrews 4.] and piercing to the division of the mind and soul: and where it is earnestly received, it makes many to fear no death nor displeasure, nor to think any thing painful, so that he may please his God. Therefore let us have it in reverence, use it, hear it, read it, mark it, remember it, and practise it: for in it is shewed unto us all the counsel of God; and it is set for a sufficient doctrine to us, to stir us up to the doing of our duty and salvation of our souls, to the worshipping of God, and understanding his goodness offered unto us. Also a worthy example it is to be followed of all that have [Gentleness is oft better than sharpness.] correction of other, that when the rod will not serve, to prove words and counsel: for often many be such, that they will do more for a word than a stripe; and often strokes harden the heart, when gentleness wins and persuades.

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6. Edmund Grindal, 1563:

Letters from Edmund Grindal, bishop of London, to William Cecil, secretary to Elizabeth I, concerning the plague of 1563.

To Sir W. Cecil.

Sir, — I SEND you at length the catalogue of names of the late Convocation. Few of these named were absent: and I think not one that was present refused to subscribe the Articles, as they were first offered to the queen’s majesty, no, not D. Whyte of Oxford.

Some that bear good zeal and dutiful affection to the queen’s majesty, do marvel that her highness removeth not. The Germans give these precepts in a plague-time: Cito, procul, sero; and expound the enigma thus, Cito fuge, procul fuge, sero revertere [‘fly quickly, fly far-off, return late’]. I am bold sometimes in these things quoe sunt supra me [‘which are above me’] to utter mine affection to you. God keep you!

From Fulham, 17th July, 1563. 

Yours in Christ, 

EDM. London.

To the Honourable Sir William 
Cecily Knight, Secretary to
the Queen’s Majesty. 

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To Sir W. Cecil.

I HAD somewhat thought of some preparations for common prayer, &c., afore I received your letters, and had written to Mr Dean of Paul’s to write an homily meet for the time, which he hath done; but I meant it then for mine own cure. Now, upon your admonition, by help of Mr Dean, who was luckily with me at the receipt of your letters, I have proceeded further, and send you herewith a copy of that which is done.

After ye have considered it, if ye think so good, it may be sent speedily to my lord of Canterbury, by one of Jugg’smen, and so returned to the printer. 

1. It is to be considered by you, in what form the fast is to be authorised, whether by proclamation, or by way of injunction, or otherwise; for it must needs pass from the queen’s majesty.

2. Item, Whether any penalty is to be prescribed to the violators thereof, or no. 

3. Item, Whether ye will have it general through the realm, or but in this province. 

4. Item, To add, diminish, or amend the form and circumstances of fast devised here. 

The last week I sent order to London for exhortations of diligent coming to their parish churches on these days, and also for private prayer and abstinence: but some are offended that we have not general assemblies, as we did in the time of unseasonable weather; which I think not meet, for fear of spreading the infection. If it seem so to you, it were not amiss that an admonition were annexed, that in cities infected general concourses be forborne; and moderate assemblies, as of those that be of one parish, to meet at their parish churches, to be more commendable. 

The sentences or psalm, which ye wished to be revised, are not altogether ready; they shall be finished this night.

The homily is also not fair written; but of that ye cannot doubt, knowing the author. 

If this fast be concluded, I doubt not but the court will give good example. I could also wish a good portion of that which should be spared hereby in weekly provision should be bestowed in the back lanes and alleys of London, and amongst the poor strangers; for these are the sorest visited. 

If ye send any order to my lord of Canterbury, if the messenger come by me, I shall deliver him the homily, and the sentences; or else send them to you to-morrow morning.

God keep you! 

From Fulham, 30th July, 1563. 

Yours in Christ, 

EDM. London.

To the Honourable Sir William 
Cecily Knight, Secretary to
the Queen’s Majesty. 

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To Sir W. Cecil.

I SEND you herewith a psalm and a prayer, which may be set forth, (if ye so think it good,) in this time of the diminution of sickness, minding also to cause another psalm and prayer of thanks to be drawn, which may be used when it shall please God to send us perfect delivery. I intend also at that time to have a sermon and some solemn assembly of the companies at Paul’s on some Wednesday, to give God thanks; and so to end jejunium nuper indictum, if you do not otherwise advise me. But I suppose this latter cannot be done till the number of the plague be under a hundred a week.

…

From Fulham, 15th December 1563.

Yours in Christ,

EDM. London.

To the Honourable Sir William 
Cecily Knight, Secretary to
the Queen’s Majesty. 

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A letter from from Edmund Grindal, bishop of London, to Mr Mullins, archdeacon of London, concerning the plague of 1563.

Salutem in Christo. Forasmuch as it hath pleased God to visit diverse parts of the city of London with the sickness of the plague; considering the frequent and great assemblies of people for public prayer and preaching, (which in common calamities and afflictions have been most commendably used) in this contagious time might be occasion to spread the infection of the disease: these are therefore to require you to give order to all pastors, curates, and ministers within the city and suburbs of London, being under your jurisdiction, that they on Sunday next earnestly exhort their parochians diligently to frequent the common prayer in their several parish churches, during this time of God’s visitation; and that not only on Sundays and holidays, but also on Wednesdays and Fridays: and further to exhort them in their private houses and families to use private prayer, fasting and abstinence, with other the fruits of faith and true repentance; most earnestly praying to Almighty God, that it may please him to remember us in his mercy, and to turn away from us, if it be his blessed will, this his plague and punishment, most justly poured upon us for our sins and unthankfulness. I commend you to God. From Fulham the 22nd day of July, 1563.

Yours in Christ, 

EDM. LONDON.

To Mr Mullins, archdeacon of London, give these.

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7. Services For The Plague, 1563

A Form of Notification to be given to the Curates of London.

For avoiding peril of infection, which might grow, if in this time great assemblies of people should be made at Christ’s church for general prayer, as hath been accustomed in time of unseasonable weather, &c. and yet for the exciting of people to repentance and godly prayer in this time of God’s visitation; it is ordered by the bishop of London, that all curates, &c. shall on Sunday next monish and exhort their parochians diligently to frequent common prayer in their parish churches on all Sundays and holidays, and also on Wednesdays and Fridays; and beside, to be diligent in private prayer in their private houses, joined with fasting and abstinence; praying most instantly to Almighty God for the ceasing of this infection: which God grant, if it be his holy will. Amen.

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By the Queen.

Most reverend father in God, right trusty and right well-beloved, we greet you well. Like as Almighty God hath of his mere grace committed to us, next under him, the chief government of this realm and the people therein, so hath He, of his like goodness, ordered under us sundry principal ministers to serve and assist us in this burden. And therefore, considering the state of this present time, wherein it hath pleased the Most Highest, for the amendment of us and our people, to visit certain places of our realm with more contagious sickness than lately hath been, for remedy and mitigation thereof we think it both necessary and our bounden duty, that universal prayer and fasting be more effectually used in this our realm. And understanding that you have thought and considered upon some good order to be prescribed therein, for the which ye require the application of our authority for the better observation thereof amongst our people, we do not only commend and allow your good zeal therein, but do also command all manner our ministers ecclesiastical or civil, and all other our subjects, to execute, follow, and obey such godly and wholesome orders, as you, being primate of all England, and metropolitan of this province of Canterbury, upon godly advice and consideration shall uniformly devise, prescribe, and publish, for the universal usage of prayer, fasting, and other good deeds, during the time of this visitation by sickness and other troubles.

Given under our signet, at our manor of Richmond, the first day of August, the fifth year of our reign. 

To the most reverend father in God, our right trusty and right well-beloved the archbishop of Canterbury, and primate of all England.

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The Preface.

We be taught by many and sundry examples of holy scriptures, that upon occasion of particular punishments, afflictions, and perils, which God, of his most just judgement, hath sometimes sent among his people to shew his wrath against sin, and to call his people to repentance and to the redress of their lives, the godly have been provoked and stirred up to more fervency and diligence in prayer, fasting, and alms-deeds, to a more deep consideration of their consciences, to ponder their unthankfulness and forgetfulness of God’s merciful benefits towards them, with craving of pardon for the time past, and to ask his assistance for the time to come, to live more godly, and so to be defended and delivered from all further perils and dangers. So king David in the time of plague and pestilence, which ensued upon his vain numbering of the people, prayed unto God with wonderful fervency, confessing his fault, desiring God to spare the people, and rather to turn his ire to himward, who had chiefly offended in that transgression. The like was done by the virtuous kings Jehoshaphat and Hezekiah in their distress of wars and foreign invasions. So did Judith and Esther fall to humble prayers in like perils of their people. So did Daniel in his captivity, and many other more in their troubles.

Now therefore calling to mind, that God hath been provoked by us to visit us at this present with the plague and other grievous diseases, and partly also with trouble of wars, it hath been thought meet to set forth by public order some occasion to excite and stir up all godly people within this realm, to pray earnestly and heartily to God to turn away his deserved wrath from us, and to restore us as well to the health of our bodies by the wholesomeness of the air, as also to godly and profitable peace and quietness. And although it is every Christian man’s duty of his own devotion to pray at all times, yet, for that the corrupt nature of man is so slothful and negligent in this his duty, he hath need by often and sundry means to be stirred up and put in remembrance of his duty; for the effectual accomplishment whereof, it is ordered and appointed as followeth: 

First, that all curates and pastors shall exhort their parishioners to endeavour themselves to come unto the church, with so many of their families as may be spared from their necessary business, (having yet a prudent respect in such assemblies to keep the sick from the whole in places where the plague reigneth,) and they to resort, not only on Sundays and holy-days, but also on Wednesdays and Fridays during the time of these present afflictions, exhorting them there reverently and godly to behave themselves, and with penitent hearts to pray unto God to turn these plagues from us, which we through our unthankfulness and sinful life have deserved.

Secondly, that the said curates shall then distinctly and plainly read the general confession appointed in the book of service, with the residue of the morning prayer, using for both the lessons the chapters hereafter following. That is to say:

For the first lesson, one of these chapters out of the old testament. 

The 2 Kings 14. Leviticus 26. Deuteronomy 28. Jeremiah 18 unto these words: “Let us, &c.” and 22. 2 Chronicles 34; Isaiah 1; Ezekiel 18 and 19; Joel 2; Esther 9; Jonah 2 and 3 chapters together. Which chapters would be read orderly on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 

And for the second lesson, one of these chapters out of the new testament.

Matthew 3, 6, 7, 24, 25; Luke 13; Acts 2 beginning at these words: “Ye men of Israel, hear these words,” to the end of the chapter; Romans 2, 6, 12, 13; Galatians 5; Ephesians 4, 5; 1 Timothy 2; Revelation 2.

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A Form Of Common Prayer.

The Order For The Wednesdays.

On Wednesdays (which be the days appointed for general fast, in such form as shall hereafter be declared) after the morning prayer ended, as is aforesaid, the said curates and ministers shall exhort the people assembled to give themselves to their private prayers and meditations. For which purpose a pause shall be made of one quarter of an hour and more, by the discretion of the said curate; during which time as good silence shall be kept as may be.

That done, the litany is to be read in the midst of the people, with the additions of prayer hereafter mentioned. 

Then shall follow the ministration of the communion, so oft as a just number of communicants shall be thereto disposed, with a sermon, if it can be, to be made by such as be authorised by the metropolitan or bishop of the diocese, and they to entreat of such matters especially as be meet for this cause of public prayer; or else, for want of such preacher, to read one of the homilies hereafter appointed, after the reading of the gospel, as hath been accustomed. And so the minister, commending the people to God with the accustomed benediction, shall dismiss them.

If there be no communion, then on every of the said Wednesdays after the litany, the ten commandments, the epistle, gospel, the sermon or homily done, the general usual prayer for the state of the whole church shall be read, as is set forth in the Book of Common Prayer. After which shall follow these two prayers: 

“Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, &c.” And “Almiglity God, which hast promised, &c.” with the accustomed benediction.

The Order For Fridays.

On Fridays shall be only the morning prayer, and the litany, with the prayers now appointed to be annexed to the same.

Homilies to be read in order on Wednesdays.

1. First, an Homily entitled, “An Homily concerning the Justice of God in punishing of impenitent sinners, &c.” newly now set forth for that purpose. 

2. The 8th Homily of the first tome of Homilies, entitled, “Of the Declining from God.”

3. The 9th Homily of the same tome, entitled, “An Exhortation against the Fear of Death.”

4. The Homily of Fasting, in the second tome of Homilies.

5. The Homily of Prayer, in the same tome.

6. The Homily of Almsdeeds, in the same tome.

7. The Homily of Repentance, in the same tome also.

When these homilies are once read over, then to begin again, and so to continue them in order. 

After the end of the collect in the litany, which beginneth with these words, “We humbly beseech thee, O Father, &c.” shall follow this Psalm, to be said of the minister, with the answer of the people.

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The psalm to be said in the litany, before one of the prayers newly appointed. Whereof one verse to be said of the minister, and another by the people, clerk, or clerks.

1. O COME, let us humble ourselves, and fall down before the Lord, with reverence and fear. [Psalm 95.]

2. For he is the Lord our God: and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hands. 

3. Come therefore, let us turn again unto our Lord; for he hath smitten us, and he shall heal us. [Hosea 6.]

4. Let us repent, and turn from our wickedness: and our sins shall be forgiven us. [Acts 3.]

5. Let us turn, and the Lord will turn from his heavy wrath, and will pardon us, and we shall not perish. [Jonah 3.]

6. For we knowledge our faults: and our sins be ever before us. [Psalm 51.]

7. We have sore provoked thine anger, O Lord; thy wrath is waxed hot, and thy heavy displeasure is sore kindled against us. [Lamentations 3.]

8. Thou hast made us hear of the noise of wars, and hast troubled us by the vexation of enemies. 

9, Thou hast in thine indignation stricken us with grievous sickness, and by and by we have fallen as leaves beaten down with a vehement wind. [Isaiah 64.]

10. Indeed we acknowledge that all punishments are less than our deservings: but yet of thy mercy. Lord, correct us to amendment, and plague us not to our destruction. [Judith 8.] [Job 11.] [Wisdom 11.]

11. For thy hand is not shortened, that thou canst not help: neither is thy goodness abated, that thou wilt not hear.

12. Thou hast promised, O Lord, that afore we cry thou wilt hear us: whilst we yet speak, thou wilt have mercy upon us. [Isaiah 65.]

13. For none that trust in thee shall be confounded: neither any that call upon thee shall be despised. [Tobit 3.] [Job 5.] [Hosea 6.]

14. For thou art the only Lord, who woundest and dost heal again, who killest, and revivest, bringest even to hell, and bringest back again. 

15. Our fathers hoped in thee; they trusted in thee, and thou didst deliver them. [Psalm 22.]

16. They called upon thee, and were helped: they put their trust in thee, and were not confounded.

17. O Lord, rebuke not us in thine indignation: neither chasten us in thy heavy displeasure. [Psalm 6.]

18. O remember not the sins and offences of our youth: but according to thy mercy think thou upon us, O Lord, for thy goodness. [Psalm 25.]

19. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, for we are weak: O Lord, heal us, for our bones are vexed. 

20. And now m the vexation of our spirits and the anguish of our souls we remember thee, and we cry unto thee: hear, Lord, and have mercy. [Baruch 3.] [Jonah 2.]

21. For thine own sake, and for thy holy name’s sake, incline thine ear, and hear, O merciful Lord. [Daniel 9.]

22. For we do not pour out our prayers before thy face, trusting in our own righteousness: but in thy great and manifold mercies.

23. Wash us throughly from our wickedness, and cleanse us from our sins.

24. Turn thy face from our sins, and put out all our misdeeds.

25. Make us clean hearts, O God: and renew a right spirit within us.

26. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: O deliver us, and be merciful unto our sins for thy name’s sake. [Psalm 79.]

27. So we that be thy people and sheep of thy pasture shall give thee thanks for ever, and will always be shewing forth thy praise from generation to generation.

Glory be to the Father, &c.

After this Psalm, shall be said by the curate or minister, openly and with an high voice, one of these three prayers following. And after that orderly the rest of the collects appointed in the litany. At which time the people shall devoutly give ear, and shall both with mind and speech to themselves assent to the same prayers.

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A prayer, containing also a confession of sins, which is to be said after the litany, as well upon Sundays, as Wednesdays and Fridays. 

O Almighty, most just and merciful God, we here acknowledge ourselves most unworthy to lift up our eyes unto heaven; for our conscience doth accuse us, and our sins do reprove us. We know also that thou, Lord, being a just judge, must needs punish the sins of them which transgress thy law. And when we consider and examine all our whole life, we find nothing in ourselves that deserveth any other thing but eternal damnation. But because thou, O Lord, of thy unspeakable mercy, hast commanded us in all our necessities to call only upon thee, and hast also promised that thou wilt hear our prayers, not for any our desert, (which is none,) but for the merits of thy Son our only Saviour Jesus Christ, whom thou hast ordained to be our only Mediator and Intercessor; we lay away all confidence in man, and do flee to the throne of thy only mercy, by the intercession of thy only Son our Saviour Jesu Christ. And first of all, we do most lament and bewail, from the bottom of our hearts, our unkindness and unthankfuluess towards thee our Lord, considering that, besides those thy benefits which we enjoy as thy creatures, common with all mankind, thou hast bestowed many and singular special benefits upon us, which we are not able in heart to conceive, much less in words worthily to express. Thou hast called us to the knowledge of thy gospel. Thou hast released us from the hard servitude of Satan. Thou hast delivered us from all horrible and execrable idolatry, wherein we were utterly drowned, and hast brought us into the most clear and comfortable light of thy blessed word, by the which we are taught how to serve and honour thee, and how to live orderly with our neighbours in truth and verity. But we, most unmindful in times of prosperity of these thy great benefits, have neglected thy commandments, have abused the knowledge of thy gospel, and have followed our carnal liberty, and served our own lusts, and through our sinful life have not worshipped and honoured thee as we ought to have done. And now, O Lord, being even compelled with thy correction, we do most humbly confess that we have sinned, and have most grievously offended thee by many and sundry ways. And if thou, O Lord, wouldest now, being provoked with our disobedience, so deal with us as thou might, and as we have deserved, there remaineth nothing else to be looked for, but universal and continual plagues in this world, and hereafter eternal death and damnation, both of our bodies and of our souls. For if we should excuse ourselves, our own consciences would accuse us before thee, and our own disobedience and wickedness would bear witness against us. Yea, even thy plagues and punishments, which thou dost now lay upon us in sundry places, do teach us to acknowledge our sins. For seeing, O Lord, that thou art just, yea, even justice itself, thou punishest no people without desert. Yea, even at this present, O Lord, we see thy hand terribly stretched out to plague us and punish us. But although thou shouldest punish us more grievously than thou hast done, and for one plague send an hundred; if thou shouldest pour upon us all those the testimonies of thy most just wrath, which in times passed thou pouredst on thy own chosen people of Israel, yet shouldest thou do us no wrong; neither could we deny but we had justly deserved the same. But yet, O merciful Lord, thou art our God, and we nothing but dust and ashes. Thou art our Creator, and we the work of thy hands. Thou art our Pastor, we are thy flock. Thou art our Redeemer, and we thy people redeemed. Thou art our heavenly Father, we are thy children. Wherefore punish us not, O Lord, in thine anger, but chasten us in thy mercy. Regard not the horror of our sins, but the repentance thereof. Perfect that work which thou hast begun in us, that the whole world may know, that thou art our God and merciful deliverer. Thy people of Israel oftentimes offended thee, and thou most justly afflictedst them: but as oft as they returned to thee, thou didst receive them to mercy. And though their sins were never so great, yet thou always turnedst away thy wrath from them, and the punishment prepared for them, and that for thy covenant’s sake, which thou madest with thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Thou hast made the same covenant with us, O heavenly Father, or rather a covenant of more excellency and efficacy; and that namely through the mediation of thy dear Son Jesus Christ our Saviour, with whose most precious blood it pleased thee that this covenant should be, as it were, written, sealed, and confirmed. Wherefore, O heavenly Father, we now casting away all confidence in ourselves or any other creature, do flee to this most holy covenant and testament, wherein our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, once offering himself a sacrifice for us on the cross, hath reconciled us to thee for ever. Look therefore, O merciful God, not upon the sins which we continually commit, but upon our Mediator and Peace-maker, Jesus Christ; that by his intercession thy wrath may be pacified, and we again by thy fatherly countenance relieved and comforted. Receive us also into thy heavenly defence, and govern us by thy Holy Spirit, to frame in us a newness of life, therein to laud and magnify thy blessed name for ever, and to live every of us according to the several state of life, whereunto thou, Lord, hast ordained us. And although we are unworthy, O heavenly Father, by means of our former foul life, to crave anything of thee; yet, because thou hast commanded us to pray for all men, we most humbly here upon our knees beseech thee, save and defend thy holy church. Be merciful, O Lord, to all commonweals, countries, princes, and magistrates, and especially to this our realm, and to our most gracious queen and governor, Queen Elizabeth. Increase the number of godly ministers; endue them with thy grace, to be found faithful and prudent in their office. Defend the Queen’s majesty’s council, and all that be in authority under her, or that serve in any place by her commandment for this realm. We commend also to thy fatherly mercy all those that be in poverty, exile, imprisonment, sickness, or any other kind of adversity, and namely those whom thy hand now hath touched with any contagious and dangerous sickness; which we beseech thee, O Lord, of thy mercy, (when thy blessed will is,) to remove from us; and in the mean time grant us grace and true repentance, steadfast faith, and constant patience, that whether we live or die, we may always continue thine, and ever praise thy holy name, and be brought to the fruition of thy Godhead. Grant us these, and all other our humble petitions, O merciful Father, for thy dear Son’s sake Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Or else, in the stead of the other, this Prayer may be used; and so to use the one one day, the other another.

O ETERNAL and ever-living God, most merciful Father, which of thy great long-suffering and patience hast hitherto suffered and borne with us most miserable offenders, who have so long strayed out of thy way, and broken all thy laws and commandments, and have neither by thy manifold benefits bestowed upon us unworthy and unthankful sinners, nor by the voice of thy servants and preachers, by continual threatenings out of thy holy word, hitherto been moved, either, as thy children, of love to return unto thee our most gracious Father; either for fear of thy judgements, as humble and lowly servants, to turn from our wickedness. And therefore, most righteous Judge, thy patience being (as it were) overcome at the last, with our obstinate unrepentance, thou hast most justly executed those thy terrible threats, now partly upon us by plaguing us so [Note to pray against any of these plagues, as they shall touch us.] (with most dreadful and deadly sickness) (with trouble of wars) (with penury and scarceness of food and victual) whereby great multitudes of us are daily afflicted and consumed. We beseech thee, O most merciful Father, that in thy wrath thou wilt remember thy old great mercies, and to correct us in thy judgements, and not in thy just anger, lest we be all consumed and brought to nought. Look not so much upon us and upon our deservings, O most righteous Judge, to take just vengeance on our sins; but rather remember thy infinite mercies, O most merciful Father, promised to us by thy dearly beloved Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, for whose sake, and in whose name, we do earnestly and humbly crave mercy and forgiveness of our sins, and deliverance from this horrible sickness, being thy just punishment and plague for the same. And as thy holy word doth testify, that thy people of all ages, being justly plagued for their sins, and yet in their distress unfeignedly turning unto thee and suing for thy mercy, obtained the same: so likewise we, most worthily now afflicted with grievous and dreadful plagues for our iniquities, pray thee, O most merciful Father, to grant us thy heavenly grace, that we may likewise both truly and unfeignedly repent, and obtain thy mercy and deliverance from the same; which we beseech thee, O Father of all mercies, and God of all consolation, to grant us, for the same Jesus Christ’s sake, our only Saviour, Mediator, and Advocate. Amen.

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This prayer may be said every third day.

It had been the best for us, O most righteous Judge, and our most merciful Father, that in our wealths and quietness, and in the midst of thy manifold benefits, continually bestowed upon us most unworthy sinners, we had of love hearkened to thy voice, and turned unto thee our most loving and gracious Father; for in so doing we had done the parts of good and obedient loving children. It had also been well, if at thy dreadful threats out of thy holy word, continually pronounced unto us by thy servants our preachers, we had of fear, as corrigible servants, turned from our wickedness. But, alas! We have shewed hitherto ourselves towards thee neither as loving children, O most merciful Father, neither as tolerable servants, O Lord most mighty. Wherefore now we feel thy heavy wrath, O most righteous Judge, justly punishing us with grievous and deadly sickness and plagues; we do now confess and acknowledge, and to our most just punishment do find indeed that to be most true, which we have so often heard threatened to us out of thy holy scriptures, the word of thy eternal verity, that thou art the same unchangeable God; of the same justice that thou wilt, and of the same power that thou canst, punish the like wickedness and obstinacy of us impenitent sinners in these days, as thou hast done in all ages heretofore. But the same thy holy scriptures, the word of thy truth, do also testify that thy strength is not shortened but that thou canst, neither thy goodness abated but that thou wilt, help those that in their distress do flee unto thy mercies; and that thou art the same God of all, rich in mercy towards all that call upon thy name; and that thou dost not intend to destroy us utterly, but fatherly to correct us, who hast pity upon us, even when thou dost scourge us; as by thy said holy word, thy gracious promises, and the examples of thy saints in thy holy scriptures, expressed for our comfort, thou hast assured us. Grant us, O most merciful Father, that we fall not into the uttermost of all mischiefs, to become worse under thy scourge; but that this thy rod may by thy heavenly grace speedily work in us the fruit and effect of true repentance, unfeigned turning and converting unto thee, and perfect amendment of our whole lives; that, as we through our impenitency do now most worthily feel thy justice punishing us, so by this thy correction we may also feel the sweet comfort of thy mercies, graciously pardoning our sins, and pitifully releasing these grievous punishments and dreadful plagues. This we crave at thy hand, O most merciful Father, for thy dear Son our Saviour Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

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A short meditation to be said of such as be touched in affliction. 

[Jeremiah 14.] O Father, doubtless our own wickedness do reward us: but do thou, O Lord, according to thy name. Our oft transgressions and sins be many. Against thee have we sinned; yet art thou the comforter and helper of thy humble subjects in the time of their trouble. For thou, O Lord, art in the midst of us, and thy name is called upon us. Forsake us not, O God, forsake us not, for the merits of thy only Son our Saviour Jesus Christ; to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory. Amen.

Psalms which may be sung or said before the beginning or after the ending of public prayer.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 13, 15, 25, 26, 30, 32, 46, 51, 67, 79, 84, 91, 102, 103, 107, 123, 130, 143, 147.

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The order for the general fast.

It is most evident to them that read the scriptures, that both in the old church under the law, and in the primitive church under the gospel, the people of God hath always used general fasting, both in times of common calamities, as war, famine, pestilence, &c. and also when any weighty matter, touching the estate of the church or the commonwealth, was begun or intended. And it cannot be denied, but that in this our time, wherein many things have been reformed according to the doctrine and examples of God’s word and the primitive church, this part for fasting and abstinence, being always in the scripture, as a necessary companion, joined to fervent prayer, hath been too much neglected.

Wherefore, for some beginning of redress herein, it hath been thought meet to the queen’s majesty, that in this contagious time of sickness and other troubles and unquietness, according to the examples of the godly king Jehoshaphat, and [2 Chronicles 20.] [Jonah 3.] the king of Nineveh, with others, a general fast should be joined with general prayer throughout her whole realm, and to be observed of all her godly subjects in manner and form following: 

1. First, it is ordained that the Wednesday of every week shall be the day appointed for this general fast. 

2. Secondly, all persons between the age of sixteen years and sixty (sick folks and labourers in harvest, or other great labours, only excepted) shall eat but one only competent and moderate meal upon every Wednesday. In which said meal shall be used very sober and spare diet, without variety of kinds of meat, dishes, spices, confections, or wines, but only such as may serve for necessity, comeliness, and health.

3. Item, in that meal it shall be indifferent to eat flesh or fish, so that the quantity be small, and no variety or delicacy be sought. Wherein every man hath to answer to God, if he in such godly exercises either contemn public order, or dissemble with God, pretending abstinence and doing nothing less. 

4. Item, those that be of wealth and ability ought that day to abate and diminish the costliness and variety of their fare, and increase therewith their liberality and alms towards the poor; that the same poor, which either in deed lack food, or else that which they have is unseasonable and cause of sickness, may thereby be relieved and charitably succoured, to be maintained in health.

5. Last of all, this day, being in this manner appointed for a day of general prayer and fasting, ought to be bestowed, by them which may forbear from bodily labour, in prayer, study, reading or hearing of the scriptures, or good exhortations, &c. And when any dulness or weariness shall arise, then to be occupied in other godly exercises; but no part thereof to be spent in plays, pastime, or idleness, much less in lewd, wicked, or wanton behaviour.

When there is a sermon, or other just occasion, one of the lessons may be omitted, and the shortest of the three prayers appointed in the litany by this order may be said, and the longest left off.

Forasmuch as divers homilies, appointed before to be read in this form of common prayer, are contained in the second tome of homilies, now lately set forth by the queen’s majesty’s authority; therefore it is ordered, that the churchwardens of every parish shall provide the same second tome or book of homilies with all speed, at the charges of the parish.

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An homily composed expressly for the occasion of the plague, by Alexander Nowell, Dean of St Paul’s.

An homily concerning the justice of God.

The most righteous God, and the same our most merciful Father abhorring all wickedness and impiety, and delighting in all righteousness and innocency, and willing that we, his people and children, should herein be conformed and become like to our God and heavenly Father, that we might be also partakers of his inheritance and everlasting kingdom, in his holy scriptures, containing the perfect rule of righteousness, and written for our learning and direction towards his said kingdom, both by great threatenings doth continually fear us from all impiety and wickedness, so displeasant to him, and also by most large and gentle promises, like a loving father, doth provoke and entice us to righteousness and holiness, so acceptable unto him; and so leaveth nothing unassayed, no way unproved, whereby he might save us from perpetual destruction, and bring us to life everlasting. To this end all those threatenings of temporal punishments and plagues, whereof the [Genesis 12.] scriptures be so full [Job 36.], are to be referred; that we, for fear [Psalm 7, 12, 119.] of temporal punishments refraining from all unrighteousness, [Isaiah 26.] might also escape eternal pain and damnation, whereunto it [Jeremiah 30] [Job 5.] would finally bring us, if we should not by repentance turn from the same, and return unto our God and most merciful Father, who would not the destruction and death of sinners, but rather that they should convert and be saved. 

But when he perceiveth that neither gentleness can win us, as his loving children, neither fear and threatenings can amend us, as being most stubborn and rebellious servants, at the last he performeth in deed that which he hath so oft threatened, and of fatherly sufferance and mercy so long, upon hope of amendment, deferred, his longanimity and patience being now overcome with our stony hardness and obstinate impenitency. After this sort wo shall find by the holy scriptures and histories ecclesiastical that he hath dealt with his people of all ages, namely the Israelites, whom in sundry other places, but especially in the 26th of Leviticus and 28th of Deuteronomium, [Leviticus 26.] [Deuteronomy 28.] as well by fair promises as by menaces, he laboureth to bring to due obedience of his law, which is perfect righteousness. “If (saith he) thou hear the voice of the Lord thy God and keep his commandments, all these blessings shall come upon thee: Thou shalt be blessed in the city and in the field: the seed of thy body, the fruit of thy earth, the increase of thy cattle, shall be blessed, &c. Thou shalt have seasonable weather, fruitful [Leviticus 26.] ground, victory of thy enemies, and after, quiet peace in thy coasts; and I will be thy loving Lord and God, thy aid and defender, and thou shalt be my beloved people. But if thou wilt not hear the voice of the Lord thy God, nor keep his commandments, but despise his laws, &:c., all these curses shall come upon thee: Thou shalt be cursed in the city and in the field; thy barn, all thy storehouses shall be cursed; the fruit of thy body, of thy cattle, and of thy ground, shall be cursed: thou shalt be cursed going out and coming in. The Lord shall send thee famine and necessity; he shall strike thee with agues, heats and colds, with pestilences and all other evil diseases; yea, and with all the botches and plagues of Egypt. He shall make heaven over thee as it were of brass, and the earth which thou treadest on as it were iron. He shall send thee imseasonable weather, &:c.; wars; and overthrow thee at thine enemies’ hands, and thy carrion shall be a prey to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and there shall be no man to drive them away.” And so forth, many more most horrible evils and mischiefs, written at large in those two chapters; [Leviticus 26.] where ye may see how lovingly on the one part he promiseth to the obedient, and how terribly on the other part he threateneth the disobedient, and how largely and at length he prosecuteth the matter, specially in the threatenings and menaces most meet for the Jews, a people ever stiff-necked and rebellious. And indeed the whole writings of the prophets, and universally of all the scriptures, be nothing else but like callings to true obedience, and to repentance from our transgressions, by like promises and threatenings; yea, and greater also, as by promise of life everlasting to the faithful, obedient, and penitent, and contrarily, of everlasting damnation and death to the stubborn, rebellious, and impenitent sinners.

And to prosecute this matter, when the Jews were monished, remonished, prayed, threatened so oft by so many prophets, and in all in vain, did not the Lord at the last bring upon them all those evils which he had threatened, namely, famine, war, and pestilence? — as ye may read at large in the books of Judges, Kings, and Chronicles, in the Lamentations of Jeremiah, namely the 2nd, 4th and 5th chapters, and in other places of the prophets and the Old Testament, containing the descriptions of extreme famines, horrible wars and captivities, and dreadful plagues, whereby God punished and afflicted his people for their sins and rebellion against him most [Jeremiah 20v5.] sharply. Yea, and when all this could not amend them, but that they waxed worse under the rod and correction, did he not at the last, which is most horrible, utterly destroy them with famine, war and pestilence, and carried the rest into captivity, and destroyed utterly their cities and countries, according to [Isaiah 5.] the prophecy of Isaiah, and as our Saviour Christ likewise in [Matthew 24.] the gospel foresheweth of the miserable destruction and ruin of [Mark 13.] their cities and temple, so horrible that one stone should not be left upon another? 

In like manner, the same immutable God proceeded aforetime with the Christians of Asia, Afric, and Greece. He sent them like prophets, learned doctors, and holy saints; saint Clement, Ignatius, Tertullian, Cyprian, Origene, Gregorius, Basil, Chrysostom, Augustine, and many more; who, out of holy scriptures, likewise warned and warned them again to turn from their sins and to return to God; unto whom after, when they would not be warned with words, he sent them the swords of [Goths.] the Goths, Huns, Vandals, Saracens, and Turks; he sent them likewise famines and pestilences; and finally, when neither threats nor punishments could amend them by those nations, and especially the Saracens and Turks, he hath either utterly destroyed them, or else made them most miserable captives of the miscreant Turks, under them to be in all unspeakable slavery and misery, and (that which is most horrible of all) where their forefathers worshipped Christ the Saviour of the world, to serve in his stead filthy and damned Mahomet, the deceiver of the world. 

Now to come to our times, most dearly beloved in our Saviour Christ, hath not God likewise begun this order of proceeding with us Christians of this age? Hath he not sent amongst us his prophets and preachers, who out of God’s holy word have continually called us to repentance, continually denounced unto us that he is the same immutable God, of the same justice that he will, and of the same power that he can, persecute the same wickedness and impenitency with like punishments and plagues? In the which also he hath used his wonted clemency in denouncing evils before he bring them upon us, that by speedy repentance we might avoid and escape them. And hath he not, I pray you, prosecuted the same his proceedings with us also, continuing in impenitency, by sending us sundry plagues at sundry times, wars, famines, exiles, horrible fires? And hath he not now at the last, after almost twenty years’ patience and forbearing of us, sent us the pestilence, which of all sicknesses we most fear and abhor, as indeed it is to be feared? Seeing we have so long despised his justice requiring our innocency, he cannot but visit with his justice punishing our iniquity; and that he doth more justly execute upon us, than he did upon his people of any time before us, for that we, besides the warning of his scriptures and preacher of his word, by so many examples of the punishments of all former ages for like vices have not been amended or moved to any repentance.

Wherefore now at the last he hath sent to us, that could never in health by any means be brought to the obedience of him, horrible sickness and the dreadful fear of death, present at our doors and before our eyes. We, that could never skill of compassion towards the misery of others, are now ourselves by his just judgments fallen into extreme misery. We, that have not visited and comforted the sick according to God’s will, are now fallen into such sickness that the nearest of our friends refuse to visit us. We, that could never be brought from the love of this world, are now most justly brought in fear suddenly to leave and depart out of this world. We, that loved our wicked mammon so much, that we could not find in our hearts to bestow any part thereof upon the relief of our poor brethren and sisters, are now brought in fear suddenly to lose it altogether, and ourselves also with it, by sudden and dreadful death of our bodies, and, for the abusing of it, in danger and dread to lose our souls also everlastingly. We, that set all our delight in gathering together and heaping of worldly muck, in building of fair houses, and purchasing of lands, as though we should live for ever, are now justly put in fear of loss of life and all with it, at the short warning of two or three days, and often not many more hours. All those doctrines of the vanity of this transitory life and world, set out in the scriptures in so many places, preached unto us in so many sermons, which we yet could never hitherto by hearing believe, are now put in practice in deed, and set before our eyes and all our senses to see and perceive most certainly. Wherefore, unless we now at the last repent, I see not what time is left for repentance. It had been the best indeed, as we have been oft forewarned, to have turned to our heavenly Father in time of quietness, for love of our Father, rather than fear of the rod; for that had been indeed the part of loving and good children: but not to be mended with stripes, is now the part not of servants that be corrigible, but of indurate and desperate slaves. Let us not, O dearly beloved, fall into the [2 Chronicles 28.] [Jeremiah 2v5.] [Ezekiel 24.] [Haggai 2.] [Zepheniah 3.] [Proverbs 1, 29.] uttermost of all mischiefs, that we should be incorrigible with punishment also, and worse under the scourge; as were those stiff-necked Jews, who when, first after threatenings, and then after plagues of war, famine, and pestilence, they remained indurate and incorrigible, lastly, as he by his holy prophets had threatened them, he overthrew them as a high wall down [Isaiah 30.] to the ground, and dashed them all to pieces as an earthen vessel, that their ruin might be without help, and their destruction remediless. Which most horrible mischief that we may avoid, let us avoid the cause thereof, contempt, obstinacy, and hardness of heart in God’s most just wrath and scourge now used for our correction. There is yet no cause, for all this, why we should despair or distrust; but rather that we should turn from our sins, and return to our merciful Father, craving pardon and deliverance at his hand. 

For the declaration whereof, it shall be shewed out of the [Leviticus 26v40.] scriptures. First, that God doth not punish us in this world, [Deuteronomy 8.] and send us these miseries and sickness, of hatred, to destroy [Psalm 118.] [Judith 8.] us, but of love, mercifully to correct us. And out of infinite places, it shall suffice to rehearse a few notable, serving for this purpose. And here the testimony of Job, a man both sore punished and most favoured of God, hath a worthy place; who, well understanding God’s goodness and mercy, even in his grievous punishments, [Job 5.] “Blessed or happy (saith he) is the man whom God punisheth. Therefore refuse not thou the chastening of the Almighty: for though he make a wound, he giveth a plaster; though he smite, his hand maketh whole again. He shall deliver thee in six troubles, and in the seventh there shall no evil come unto thee. In hunger he shall feed thee from death, and in the wars he shall deliver thee from the power of the sword” and so forth, how God in dearth and destruction will help and save, and how that such correction keepeth us from sinning. And again in the 36th chapter, God by punishing and nourtring of men roundeth [Job 36.] them (as it were) in the ears, warneth them to leave off their wickedness, and to amend: “If they now take heed and serve him, they shall wear out their days in prosperity, and their years in prosperity and joy.” And Tobit, a man likewise exercised in afflictions, saith: [Tobit 3.] “Blessed is thy name, O God of our fathers, who when thou art angry shewest mercy, and in time of trouble forgivest the sins of them that call upon thee.” And by and by after: “This may every one that worshippeth thee look for of a certainty, that if his life be put to trial, he shall be crowned; if he be in trouble, he shall be delivered; if he be under correction, he shall come to thy mercy; for thou delightest not in our destruction, for after tempest thou sendest calm, and after mourning and weeping thou bringest joy and rejoicing: thy name, O God of Israel, be blessed for ever.” And in the 6th chapter of Hosea God saith: [Hosea 6.] [Isaiah 26.] “In their adversity they shall seek me and say. Come, let us turn again unto the Lord, for he hath smitten, and he shall heal us; he hath wounded us, and he shall bind us up again. After two days shall he quicken us, and the third day shall he raise us up, so that we shall live in his sight. Then shall we have understanding, and endeavour ourselves to know God.” And in the third chapter of the Proverbs: [Proverbs 3.] “My son, (saith Solomon,) despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither faint when thou art rebuked of him: for whom the Lord loveth, him he chasteneth; yea, and delighteth in him, even as a father in his own son.” The apostle to the Hebrews hath the like most comfortable doctrine, which he [Hebrews 7.] yet amplifieth more, saying: “Ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children: My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, neither faint when thou art rebuked of him; for whom the Lord loveth, him he chasteneth, yea, and scourgeth every son that he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God offereth himself unto you as unto sons. What son is he whom the Father chasteneth not? If ye be not under correction, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons. Therefore, seeing we have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence, shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? And they verily for a few days nourtered us after their own pleasure; but he nourtereth us for our profit, to the intent that he may minister of his holiness unto us. No manner chastening for the present time seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless afterward it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” And in the third of the Revelation [Revelation 3.] Christ saith: “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” And St Paul declareth that [Romans 8.] neither trouble nor peril, neither life nor death, nor any other thing can separate us from the love of God, if we through Christ trust in his mercy. And in the first to the Corinthians [1 Corinthians 11.] he teacheth, that God doth punish and correct us in this wretched world, that we should not be condemned with the wicked world.

Secondly, it is most comfortable to call to remembrance such places of the scriptures as contain God’s merciful promises, made to all such as in their trouble unfeignedly call unto him for help; whereof certain be hereunder noted, for the more readiness to have them before our eyes. In the [Deuteronomy 4.] 4th of Deuteronomy, as God threateneth to bring the Jews into all miseries, if they do disobey him, so, saith he, “if thou then in thy greatest distress do turn unto the Lord thy God, and hear his voice, and seek him, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and soul: for the Lord thy God is a merciful God; he will not forsake thee, nor destroy thee.” [Deuteronomy 30.] And in the 30th chapter of the same book: “If,” saith the Lord, “for thy sins the curses written in this book do light upon thee, and thou, moved with repentance of thy heart, turn unto the Lord, and obey his commandments with all thy heart and with all thy soul; the Lord thy God shall bring thee again out of captivity, and will have compassion upon thee, and will turn and set thee again from all the nations among which the Lord thy God shall have scattered thee. Though thou were cast unto the extreme parts of heaven, even from thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will he set thee. And the Lord thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt enjoy it. And he will shew thee kindness, and multiply thee above thy fathers. And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, that thou mayest love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. And the Lord thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee and that persecute thee. But thou shalt turn and hearken unto the voice of the Lord, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day. And the Lord thy God will make thee plenteous in all the works of thy hands, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for thy wealth; for the Lord will turn again and rejoice over thee, to do thee all good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers.” The book of Psalms is very plentiful of such comfortable promises. Psalm 50, [Psalm 50.] “Call upon me in the time of thy trouble, and I will deliver thee, (saith the Lord,) and thou shalt honour me." Psalm 86, [Psalm 86.] “Thou, Lord, art good and gracious, and of great mercy unto all them that call upon thee." And by and by: “In the time of my trouble I will call upon thee, for thou hearest me.” In the 91st Psalm [Psalm 91.] be large promises of God’s help and deliverance, yea, and that expressly from the plague and pestilence, and all other evils. Psalm 145, [Psalm 145.] “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, yea, all such as call upon him faithfully.” And Solomon, in dedicating of his temple [1 Kings 8], testifieth that if either in war, or famine, or pestilence, or any other plague for our sins, we do convert unto God, and ask mercy, that we shall obtain it. And God, appearing unto him, doth promise and assure the same; [2 Chronicles 6.] which promise of God the good king Jehosaphat doth repeat [2 Chronicles 20.] in the 2nd of Chronicles and the 20th chapter, and according to the same, in his distress obtaineth God’s mercy and help. And the Lord by his prophet Jeremiah saith: [Jeremiah 18.] “If that people, against whom I have thus devised, convert from their wickedness, I will repent of the plague that I devised to bring upon them.” Again, “When I take in hand to build or to plant a people or a kingdom, if the same people do evil before me, and hear not my voice, I will repent of the good that I devised to do for them.” And in another [Jeremiah 29.] place: “Ye shall cry unto me, ye shall go and call upon me, and I shall hear you: ye shall seek me and find me, yea, if so be that you seek me with your whole heart, I will be found of you, (saith the Lord,) and will deliver you.” [Jeremiah 31.] And again, in another place: “I heard Ephraim that was led away captive complain on this manner: O Lord, thou hast corrected me, and thy chastening have I received as an untamed calf: convert thou me, and I shall be converted; for thou art my Lord God; yea, as soon as thou turnest me, I shall reform myself; and when I understand, I shall smite upon my thigh.” And by his prophet Ezekiel he saith: [Ezekiel 18.] “If the ungodly will turn away from all his sins that he hath done, and keep all my commandments, and do the thing that is equal and right, doubtless he shall live and not die. As for all his sins that he did before, they shall not be thought upon; but in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. For have I any pleasure in the death of a sinner, saith the Lord God, but rather that he convert and live?” And shortly after again: “When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath done, and doth the thing which is equal and right, he shall save his soul alive. For in so much as he remembereth himself, and turneth him from all the ungodliness that he hath used, he shall live and not die.” And again: “Wherefore be converted, and turn you clean from all your wickedness; so shall there no sin do thee harm. Cast away from you all your ungodliness that ye have done; make you new hearts, and a new spirit. Wherefore will ye die, O ye house of Israel? Seeing I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: turn you then, and ye shall live.” And likewise by his prophet Joel: Although an [Joel 2.] horrible destruction be threatened to be at hand, “yet (saith the Lord) turn unto me with all your hearts, with fasting, weeping, and mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothes, turn you unto the Lord you God; for he is gracious and merciful, and of great compassion, and ready to pardon wickedness.” And anon: “Every one that calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” And the Lord himself testifieth, that he hath performed these his promises accordingly, saying, [Psalm 81.] “Thou calledst upon me in troubles, and I delivered thee, and heard thee, what time as the storm fell upon thee.” Yea, and it is so accustomed unto God to help those that in their troubles flee unto him for succour, that he is, as it were, by a special name called in the scriptures the helper and refuge in the day of trouble, the Father of mercies, [Jeremiah 14, 16.] the God of all comfort; that thereby we might in our distress [2 Corinthians 1.] be the more encouraged to sue to the throne of his heavenly grace, whereunto our Saviour most lovingly calleth [Matthew 11.] all such as feel the burthen of adversity, and their sins withal.

Now it remaineth, for the third part, rehearsal be made of certain examples of such as being in trouble, and trusting to God’s merciful promises, called upon him and were delivered. And first, of David, a man wonderfully exercised in worldly troubles [Psalm 4, 31, 34, 77, 86, 118, 138, 142, 144.], to his eternal health and salvation; who confesseth that God was ever his helper and deliverer, when he called upon him in trouble, sickness, or any other adversity; and that in very many places of the Psalter, a number whereof are noted in the margins. Yea, when he was in desperate state concerning all worldly help, crying out that the snares and [Psalm 18, 66.] [2 Samuel 22.] sorrows of death had compassed him round about, and that the pains of hell had come upon him, and taken hold of him; that he would yet call upon the name of the Lord, beseeching him to deliver his soul, and that God out of his holy temple would not fail to hear, and speedily to help and save him. And notably and directly to this purpose, the same king David, as is testified in the 2nd book of Kings and 24th chapter, when [2 Samuel 24.] 70,000 were in three days slain with the plague for his and their sins, making most humble confession of his offence, and earnest prayer for mercy and pardon, obtained the same, and [Ecclesiasticus 48.] the plague at God’s commandment suddenly ceased. Hezekiah and the people with him in their great distress, whereunto they were brought for their sins, called upon the merciful Lord, and he heard and holp them, not remembering their sins. Jonah, [Jonah 2.] when by disobedience he had offended God, and was swallowed up by the whale, yet by prayer he was delivered even out of the belly of hell, as he himself speaketh; that none, even in most desperate state, should distrust in God’s mercy and help. The Jews also, ever most stubborn and rebellious against God, yet when they, being afflicted most worthily, did in their distress call upon the Lord for mercy and help, he heard and relieved them, as appeareth by all the scriptures of the old [Psalm 107.] testament; but especially and notably the 107th Psalm, which rehearseth the manifold rebellions of that nation against their Lord and God, and the sundry afflictions that he therefore sent upon them. But ever this verse, as it were the burden of the psalm or song, is oftentimes among rehearsed: “But they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.” And in the end of the psalm is added, that “they that be wise will consider these examples, and thereby understand the mercies of the Lord,” in like distress to flee thereunto. The like rehearsal of God’s mercies, shewed unto them when they in their troubles called upon him, is in the book of Nehemiah, or 2nd of Esdras, and the ninth chapter [Nehemiah 9.]. How mercifully relieved God Ishmael and his mother in their great distress! [Genesis 21.] What mercy was shewed to [2 Chronicles 33.] wicked Manasses truly repenting! Likewise to Nebuchadnezzar [Daniel 4.], turning unto the Lord in his trouble! How graciously is the prodigal son received of his father in his extreme misery, procured by his own wickedness! [Luke 15.] How mercifully is the thief pardoned even in the miserable end of his most wicked life! Yea, all those diseases which the gospel recordeth to be so miraculously cured by our Saviour Christ, in such as sued to him for health, and by faith trusted to obtain the same, what be they else but testimonies to us of our like relief in our grievous sickness, if with like faith we call to him for help? [Romans 10.] “For it is the same Lord of all, rich in mercy towards all that call upon him.” Neither is his hand shortened or weakened, that he can not, nor his goodness abated or diminished that he will not, now help his servants that in their distress do flee to his mercy and goodness. For it is now also true, as it was then when it was written, of the sheep and penny lost and found again, and that “there is more joy in heaven upon one sinner repenting than upon ninety-nine righteous.”

I have more largely prosecuted this part, for that I thought it necessary that we should be instructed by the doctrine of God’s word, his merciful promises, and the comfortable examples of his saints in their troubles, that God doth punish us in this wretched world, that we be not damned [1 Corinthians 11.] with the wicked world; and that he will not refuse nor reject such as, being punished for their sins, do unfeignedly in their distress return unto him. For where our negligence in coming to him heretofore in the time of our quietness might now in the day of our trouble come into our minds, to the great disquieting of our fearful consciences, I thought it expedient to stir up and erect our good hope in his mercies in the time of our troubles, by the manifold most sweet and assured comforts of the holy scriptures, written for our doctrine and consolation, both at all times, and specially in the time of affliction; for then is that heavenly medicine most necessary, when our disease doth most grieve and fear us, which we should undoubtedly receive at God’s merciful hand, to our eternal health, if we, according to the above-written doctrines, promises, and examples, do unfeignedly turn to the Lord our God in these days of our affliction: unfeignedly, I say, not for the time of affliction only, as [Deuteronomy 4v30.] mariners in the tempest, neither as dogs returning again [Psalm 145.] [Isaiah 58.] to their vomit; but to remain such in health and security,[Jeremiah 29.] [Ecclesiastes 2.] as in sickness and danger we promised to be; and all the days of our life hereafter, being delivered from fear of all plagues, to serve the Lord our God sincerely and continually [Luke 1.] in all holiness and righteousness acceptable to him. Wherefore I thought good to admonish us, that we do not by dissembling with God, who cannot be deceived, deceive ourselves: but that as the Lord would have this plague not to be an utter destruction unto us, but to be our fruitful correction, as by the doctrine and examples above rehearsed appeareth; so we of this cross might win that gain, and gather that fruit, which may be healthful unto us, as it was to those godly saints, which were before under like correction and chastisement of the Lord. Therefore let us learn by this affliction to mourn for our sins, to hate and forsake sin, for the which God doth thus shew his anger and displeasure against us. For when shall we mourn for our sins, if not now in the time of mourning? When shall we hate them, if not now when they so grievously wound us, and bring us to present danger of double death, both of body and soul, if we flee not from them? When shall we forsake sin in our life, if we cleave to it now when life forsaketh, or is most like to forsake us? And if we shall enter into particularities, when will we forsake our pride, if not now when all glory is falling into the dust? When will we leave our envy, malice, hatred, and wrath if not now when we are going to the grave, where all these things take an end? When will we give over our gluttony, if not now when we must forego the belly and whole body also? When will we leave our fleshly lusts, if not now when our flesh shall turn to dust? When will we give over the cares of this life, if not now when we shall cease to live? When will we cease from our usury, if not now when we must lose both the increase and the stock wholly? When shall we willingly give over the love of wicked mammon, if not now when we cannot hold nor use it, but, will we nill we, we must part from it? Wherefore, either now let us make us friends of it, who may receive us into the heavenly tabernacles; or else there is no hope that we ever will. When shall we relieve the poor in their need, if not now, thereby to provoke the Lord to succour us in this our great distress? When will we awake, that we sleep not in death, if not now at the point of death? When shall we ever truly remember the last times, thereby to avoid sin, if not now in the last times themselves? And as we ought now in affliction to flee all wickedness, so ought we to learn the love of righteousness, whereunto of long by gentleness God hath drawn us, and now by his just punishment meaneth to drive us. Let us learn the fear of God, now punishing us, which by his long sufferance and patience heretofore was [Psalm 145.] almost clean gone out of our hearts; for there be special promises that he will hear them that fear him. And when will we fear him, if not now when he punisheth us? Let us learn patience, [Romans 5.] [2 Corinthians 1.] [James 1.] [2 Corinthians 4.] “knowing that affliction in the children of salvation worketh patience, patience bringeth trial, trial hope, and hope shall not suffer us to be confounded;” “for the short evil of our troubles in this world, patiently taken, worketh in us an exceeding high and everlasting weight of glory” in the world to come. Let us learn the contempt of this wretched life and wicked world, with all her trifling and uncertain joys, and manifold and horrible evils. For when shall we understand that this life is as a vapour, as a shadow, [James 4.] [Job 7.] passing and fleeing away, as a fading flower, as a bubble rising on the water, if not now in the decaying, passing, and vanishing away of it? When shall we forsake this wicked world, if not now when it forsaketh us? Let us learn the desire of heaven and the life to come, where be both many and most great and certain joys, mingled with no evils, no plagues of famine, war, pestilence, or other sickness, and miseries, whereof this wretched life is full, as we now by experience prove. 

To conclude, let us, giving over all wickedness, now at [Isaiah 58.] [Daniel 4.] the last, when we are in most greatest danger to give over ourselves, and helping the needy and poor, that the Lord in our necessities may relieve us; let us, I say, now at the last turn unto the Lord our God, and call for help and mercy; and we shall be heard and relieved, according to the doctrine of God’s word, and his merciful promises made unto us, and after the examples foreshewed to us out of the holy scriptures afore declared, and in infinite other places, to our great comfort. For if, as God by affliction goeth about, as our heavenly schoolmaster, to teach us thus to flee from sin, and to follow righteousness, to contemn this world, and to desire the life to come, with such other godly lessons, so we, like his good disciples, do well learn the same; we shall not need much to fear this plague as dreadful and horrible, but with the blessed man of God, Job, to trust in him, yea, though [Job 13.] he should kill us bodily, and patiently to take our sickness as God’s good visitation and fatherly correction, and in it quietly and constantly to commit ourselves wholly to the holy will of our most merciful Father, by our Saviour Christ, [Deuteronomy 32.] [Wisdom 16.] [Romans 14.] [John 18.] whether it be to life or death; knowing that he is the Lord of life and death, and that whether we live or die, we be the Lord’s. For it cannot perish which is committed unto him; in whom they that believe, though they die, shall live, and in whom all that live and trust faithfully in his mercy, shall not die eternally; and by whom, through our Saviour Christ, all that die in him have life everlasting; which I beseech the same our most merciful heavenly Father, for the death of our Saviour Jesus Christ, to grant unto us all: unto whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one eternal Majesty of the most glorious God, be all honour, glory, and dominion, world without end.

Amen.

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Prayers of thanksgiving for the abatement and ceasing of the plague.

A Psalm and Prayer to be used on occasion of the abatement of the plague. 

The Psalm.

1 . O praise the Lord; for it is a good thing to sing praises unto our God: yea, a joyful and pleasant thing it is to be thankful. [Psalm 147.]

2. O give thanks unto the Lord, and call upon his name, and tell the people what he hath done. [Psalm 105.]

3. For it is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most Highest: [Psalm 92.]

4. To tell of thy loving-kindness early in the morning, and of thy truth in the night-season.

5. We Will sing of the Lord, because he hath dealt so lovingly with us; yea, we will praise the name of the Lord most Highest. [Psalm 13.]

6. We will magnify thee, O Lord; for thou hast set us up, and not made our foes to triumph over us. [Psalm 30.]

7. For thou, Lord, hast made us glad through thy works; and we will rejoice in giving praise for the operation of thy hands. [Psalm 92.]

8. For, O Lord our God, we cried unto thee, and thou hast healed us. [Psalm 30.]

9. Thou hast brought our souls out of hell; thou hast kept our life from them that go down to the pit.

10. For great is thy mercy towards us, and thou hast delivered our souls from the nethermost hell. [Psalm 86.]

11. Praised be the Lord daily, even the God which helpeth us, and poureth his benefits upon us. [Psalm 68.]

12. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, long-suffering, and of great goodness. [Psalm 103.]

13. Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful. [Psalm 116.]

14. For his wrath endureth hut the twinkling of an eye, and in his pleasure is life: heaviness may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. [Psalm 30.]

15. He will not alway be chiding, neither keepeth he his anger for ever. [Psalm 103.]

16. He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our wickedness. 

17. For look how wide the east is from the west, so far hath he set our sins from us. 

18. For like as a father pitieth his children, even so is the Lord merciful to them that fear him. 

19. For he knoweth whereof we be made; he remembereth that we are but dust. 

20. For thou, Lord, art good and gracious, and of great mercy unto all them that call upon thee. [Psalm 136.]

21. Thou hast forgotten the offence of thy people, and covered all their sins. [Psalm 85.]

22. Thou hast taken away all thy displeasure, and turned thyself from thy wrathful indignation.

23. Thou hast turned our heaviness to joy: thou hast put off our sackcloth, and girded us with gladness. [Psalm 30.]

24. Turn thee again, O Lord, at the last, and be gracious unto thy servants. [Psalm 90.]

25. O satisfy us with thy mercy, and that soon; so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.

26. Comfort us again, after the time that thou hast plagued us; and for the year wherein we have suffered adversity.

27. Shew thy servants thy work, and their children thy glory; and the glorious majesty of the Lord our God be upon us. Prosper thou the work of our hands upon us; O prosper thou our handy work.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost:

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. 

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The Prayer, or Collect. 

We yield thee hearty thanks, O most merciful Father, that it hath pleased thee in thy wrath to remember thy mercy, and partly to mitigate thy severe rod of this terrible plague, wherewith thou hast hitherto most justly scourged us for our wickedness, and most mercifully revoked us from the same; calling us, (who in health and prosperity had clean forgotten both thee and ourselves,) by sickness and adversity, to the remembrance both of thy justice and judgement, and of our own miserable frailness and mortality; and now, lest we by the heaviness of thine indignation should have utterly despaired, comforting us again by the manifest declaration of thy fatherly inclination to all compassion and clemency. We beseech thee to perfect the work of thy mercy graciously begun in us. And forasmuch as true health is to be sound and whole in that part, which in us is most excellent and like to thy Godhead, we pray thee thoroughly to cure and heal the wounds and diseases of our souls, grievously wounded and poisoned by the daily assaults and infections of the old serpent, Satan, with the deadly plagues of sin and wickedness; by the which inward infections of our minds these outward diseases of our bodies have, by the order of thy justice, O Lord, issued and followed: that we, by thy fatherly goodness and benefit obtaining perfect health, both of our minds and bodies, may render unto thee therefore continual and most hearty thanks; and that by flying from sin we may avoid thine anger and plagues, and ever hereafter in innocency and godliness of life studying to serve and please thee, may both by our words and works always glorify thy holy name. Which we beseech thee to grant us, O Father of mercies, and God of all consolation, for thy dear Son our only Saviour and Mediator Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

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A Short form of thanksgiving to God for ceasing the contagious sickness of the plague, to be used in Common prayer, on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, instead of the Common prayers, used in the time of mortality. Set forth by the Bishop of London, to be used in the City of London, and the rest of his diocese, and in other places also at the discretion of the ordinary Ministers of the Churches. 22nd January 1563.

After the end of the collect in the Litany which beginneth with these words, “We humbly beseech thee, O Father,” &c. shall follow this Psalm, to be said of the minister, with the answer of the people.

1 . Lord, thou art become gracious unto thy land, thou hast turned away the afflictions of thy servants. [Psalm 85.]

2. Thou hast taken away all thy displeasure, and turned thyself from thy wrathful indignation.

3. For if thou, Lord, hadst not helped us, it had not failed, but our souls had been put to silence. [Psalm 94.]

4. But when we said. Our feet have slipped, thy mercy, O Lord, helped us up. 

5. In the multitude of the sorrows that we had in our hearts, thy comforts have refreshed our souls.

6. Our souls waited still upon the Lord, our souls hanged upon his help, our hope was always in him. [Psalm 62.]

7. In the Lord’s word did we rejoice, in God’s word did we comfort ourselves. 

8. For the Lord said, Call upon me in the time of trouble, and I will hear thee, and thou shalt praise me. [Psalm 50.]

9. So when we were poor, needy, sickly, and in heaviness, the Lord cared for us: he was our help and our Saviour according to his word. [Psalm 40, 69.]

10. In our adversity and distress he hath lift up our heads, and saved us from utter destruction. [Psalm 27.]

11. He hath delivered our souls from death, he hath fed us in the time of dearth, he hath saved us from the noisome pestilence. [Psalm 33, 91.]

12. Therefore will we offer in his holy temple the oblation of thanksgiving with great gladness; we will sing and speak praises unto the Lord our Saviour. [Psalm 27.]

13. We will give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious, and his mercy endureth for ever. [Psalm 106.]

14. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, long suffering, plenteous in goodness and pity. [Psalm 86, 103.]

15. His mercy is greater than the heavens, and his gracious goodness reacheth unto the clouds. [Psalm 57, 108.]

16. Like as a father pitieth his own children, even so is the Lord merciful unto them that fear him. [Psalm 103.]

17. Therefore will we praise thee and thy mercies, O God; unto thee will we sing, O thou Holy One of Israel. [Psalm 71.]

18. We will sing a new song unto thee, O God; we will praise the Lord with psalms of thanksgiving. [Psalm 98.]

19. O sing praises, sing praises unto our God: O sing praises, sing praises unto our King. [Psalm 47.]

20. For God is the king of the earth; sing praises with understanding.

21. We will magnify thee, O God our king; we will praise thy name for ever and ever. [Psalm 145.]

22. Every day will we give thanks unto thee, and praise thy name for ever and ever.

23. Our mouth shall speak the praises of the Lord; and let all flesh give thanks to his holy name for ever and ever.

24. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for ever: and blessed be the name of his Majesty, world without end. Amen. Amen. [Psalm 21, 72.]

After this Psalm shall be said by the Minister, openly and with an high voice, the Collect following. 

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The Collect.

O heavenly and most merciful Father, what mind or what tongue can conceive, or give thee worthy thanks, for thy most great and infinite benefits, which thou hast bestowed, and dost daily bestow upon us, most unworthy of this thy so great and continual goodness and favour, though we should bestow all our life, power, travail, and understanding thereabouts only and wholly? When we were yet as clay is in the potter’s hands, to be framed at his pleasure, vessels of honour or dishonour, of thy only goodness, without our deserving, (for how could we deserve anything before we were anything?) thou hast created and made us of nothing, not dumb beasts void of reason, not vile vermins creeping upon the earth, but the noblest and most honourable of all thy worldly creatures, little inferior to thy heavenly angels, endued with understanding, adorned with all excellent gifts, both of body and of mind, exalted to the dominion over all other thy earthly creatures, yea, the sun and the moon with other heavenly lights appointed to our service, enriched with the possession of all things either necessary for our use, or delectable for our comfort. And as thou hast made us so excellent of nothing, so hast thou restored us being lost, by thy son our Saviour Jesus Christ, dying for us upon the cross, both more marvellously and mercifully than thou didst first create us of nothing; besides that thou dost continually forgive and pardon our sins, into the which we do daily and hourly fall most dangerously, yea, deadly also, damnably, and desperately, were not this thy present and most ready help of thy mercy. And what have we, that we have not by thee? Or what be we, but by thee? All which unspeakable benefits thou hast, like a most loving father, bestowed upon us, that we thereby provoked might, like loving children, humbly honour and obediently serve thee, our good and most gracious Father. But forsomuch as we have dishonoured thee by and with the abusing of thy good gifts, thou dost even in this also, like a father correcting his children whom he loveth, when they offend, no less mercifully punish us for the said abuse of thy gifts, than thou didst bounteously before give them unto us; scourging us sometime with wars and troubles, sometimes with famine and scarcity, sometimes with sickness and diseases, and sundry other kinds of plagues, for the abusing of peace, quietness, plenty, health, and such other thy good gifts, against thy holy word and will, and against thy honour and our own health, to thy great displeasure and high indignation. As thou now of late terribly, but most justly and deservedly, plagued us with contagious, dreadful, and deadly sickness, from the which yet thou hast most mercifully, and without all deservings on our part, even of thine own goodness, now again delivered us and saved us. By the which thy most merciful deliverance, and especially in that, amongst other thy great and manifold benefits, it hath pleased thee of thine eternal goodness, most mercifully and miraculously, not only heretofore to deliver our most gracious Queen and governor from all perils and dangers, yea, even from the gates of death; but now also to preserve her from this late most dangerous contagion and infection; like as thou hast exceedingly comforted our sorrowful hearts, so we for the same do yield unto thee, as our bounden duty is, our most humble and hearty thanks, O most merciful Father, by thy dear Son our Saviour Jesus Christ; in whose name we pray thee to continue this thy gracious favour towards us, and stay us in thy grace, defending us against the assaults of Satan, that we, continually enjoying thy favour, with the health of our souls, which is the quietness of our consciences, as a taste here in earth of thy heavenly joys, and as a pledge of thy eternal mercy, may always in this life render therefore all laud and honour to thee, and after this transitory and miserable life may ever live and joy with thee, through the same our only Saviour and Mediator Jesus Christ, thy only Son, who with thee and the Holy Ghost, one immortal Majesty of the most glorious God, is to be praised and magnified, world without end. Amen. 

Psalms whereof may be used, instead of the ordinary Psalms in the Morning Prayer, one, two, or three, in order, according to the length thereof: And Also one of the same, may be said or sung in the beginning of rending of public prayer.

34, 95, 96, 100, 103, 107, 116, 118, 145, 146, 147, 148.

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A form of meditation, very meet to be daily used of house holders in their houses, in this dangerous and contagious time. 

Set forth according to the order in the Queen’s majesty’s Injunction.

The master kneeling with his family in some convenient place of his house, perfumed before with Frankincense, or some other wholesome thing, as Juniper, Rosemary, Rosewater and Vinegar, shall with fervent heart say, or cause to be said, this that followeth. The servants and family to every petition shall say: Amen.

Meditation.

We read in thy holy word (O Lord) what blessings thou hast of thy mercy promised to them that live obediently [Deuteronomy 28.] [Leviticus 26.] according to thy blessed will and commandments: we read also the curses that thy justice hath pronounced against such as despise thy word, or negligently pass not to live thereafter. 

And, among the rest of thy heavy curses, thou threatenest by name the plague, and the Pestilence, with other noisome and most painful diseases, to such as forsaking thee worship strange gods, and follow their own vain fantasies, instead of thy sacred ordinances.

We find also, how extremely thine own people the Jews, have oftentimes felt the performance of these thy bitter threatenings, and that for sundry and diverse offences.

Because they loathed Manna, and were not contented with thy miraculous provision, [Numbers 11.] but would have Quails, and other dainty victuals to content their luxurious appetites, thou slewest so many with a sudden and mighty plague that the place of their burial was named thereof, and called the Graves of lust.

Also for murmuring against the ministers of thy word Moses and Aaron, [Numbers 16.] thou destroyedst with a sudden plague fourteen thousand and more, besides those traitors, whom the earth swallowed for their rebellion: And had not Aaron entreated for them, and gone between the quick and the dead, thou wouldest have consumed them all, as thou wast minded to have done before, when they despised the plentiful land which thou hadst promised them (had not Moses stayed thy wrath), when thou saidst: I will strike them with the pestilence, and utterly destroy them.

Furder, [1 Samuel 4, 5, 6, 7.] when they had lost thine Ark through their own sins, and the sins of their Priests the keepers thereof, after that the Philistines were forced through thy plaguing hand religiously to send it home again, thou struckest with the plague fifty thousand of the Bethsamites thy people, for rashly presuming to look into the same, not having thy warrant so to do. 

In the time of king David, [2 Samuel 24.] thou destroyedst three score and ten thousand of thy people in three days, with thy wasting plague of Pestilence: moved thereto by the transgression of David, whom for the sins of his people thou sufferedst to be tempted and subdued with a vain curiosity to number the people.

Also shortly after the death of that immaculate Iamb our Saviour, [1 Corinthians 11.] thou sufferedst the plague to reign among the members of his body (the church of the Corinthians) for not worthily preparing themselves, and for misusing the Sacrament of the body and blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and many died therefore: as thy holy Apostle saint Paul hath taught us.

Since which time, O Lord, as the monuments of thy church and other chronicles do declare, thou hast from time to time so plagued with pestilence not only cities, but also whole countries for these and other like causes, that we may justly look for the coming of our Saviour: so many and so horrible Pestilences have been among us already.

All which causes, O Lord, for the which thou hast so afflicted thy people, are through the malice of Satan and our wilful consenting unto him grown so ripe in us, that were it not for the exceeding greatness of thy mercy and compassion, we should all presently perish, and that worthily, so horrible and outrageous are our iniquities.

For we loathe not only the plentiful provision of wholesome victuals and apparel, which thou hast given us for our bodies more abundantly than to many nations, travailing by all means to get wherewith to pamper our flesh, with wines, spices, silks, and other vain costly delighting things; but the precious Manna of our souls, thy holy word and sacra- ments, we can not away with: we are so full that we are glutted therewith.

We so little esteem the heavenly kingdom, which our Saviour hath so dearly prepared and kindly promised to us, that we abhor it, and are ready to stone those few that commend it, and exhort us for our own good to travel thitherward: better liking and crediting those false prophets, the Epicures and papists, that with their lies discourage us therefrom.

What murmuring and grudging make we against the ministers of thy sword and word, which thou of thy especial goodness hast in mercy given us! How despise we our Bishops and Preachers, and other ministers of thy holy sacraments, whom thou hast commanded us to reverence and honour! 

Did not we, through our wicked lives, wretchedly lose the Ark of thy holy word and the true ministration of thy sacraments not many years agone, which the popish Philistines took from us? And now, when thou through thy plagues laid upon them hast miraculously sent it us again; see how bold we be with the Bethsamites unreverently to receive it.

For many make of it a gazing-stock to serve their eyes and tongues, rather than a law to obey and follow in their lives.

Yea, the knowledge of thy truth, goodness, and mercy, breedeth in many of us a careless security, and a contempt of thy holy ordinances. For we presume upon thy mercy and promises, not regarding the conditions, nor any of thy commandments, which in our baptism we vowed to observe. Yea, we make thy Gospel a cloak of our covetousness: under colour whereof we seek our own lucre, and hide all our wicked and filthy practices.

If the Corinthians deserved to be plagued for abusing thy holy Sacrament, how much more are we worthy of fierce wrath, that not only abuse it but also abhor and contemn it, because it is ministered as it ought! For thou knowest, O Lord, what a sorf^ there are, which, bewitched with the Devil and the Pope’s doctrine, do utterly abhor Christ’s holy communion, and, saving for fear of the law, would never come at it: In what sort these receive, and how they be prepared, is not unknown unto thee. How rashly also, and unadvisedly, and unprepared, the common multitude do frequent it, partly appeareth in that many of them never forgive old offences, nor reconcile themselves, nor in any thing do amend their old sins and vices. 

Seeing then that we, Lord, the common sort and multitude, do thus abound in all kind of wickedness, how can it be, but that thou of thy justice must suffer our Magistrates to offend also in somewhat, to the end thou mayest justly take vengeance on our sins?

For these manifold heaps of sins and wickednesses, O Lord, thou hast justly at this present sent this dangerous Pestilence among us, as thou hast often and long time threatened by the mouths of thy faithful preachers, who continually have called upon us to stay thy wrath by earnest repentance and amendment of life: but we have always been deafer and deafer; the delight in our sins not only stopped our ears, but also hardened our hearts, against their hearty and friendly admonitions: and in that we now, O Lord, do begin to feel and acknowledge our sins, it cometh more of thy rigor in plaguing us, than of any good inclination of our selves. Mollify therefore, O Lord, our flinty hearts with the suppling moisture of thy holy Spirit: make us to reverence thee as children for love of thy mercies, and not to dread thee like slaves, for fear of punishment. Amen.

O dear Father, reclaim us thy lost children; O merciful Saviour, pity us thy putrefied members; O Holy Ghost, repair us, thy decayed Temples; O holy, blessed and glorious Trinity, have mercy upon us miserable sinners. Amen.

Grant us, O Lord, such true repentance, as may through the blood of our Saviour blot out the stains of our heinous iniquities. Forgive us our sins, O Lord, forgive us our sins, for thine infinite mercy’s sake. Amen. 

Forgive us our blasphemies, Idolatries, and perjuries, forget our vain and outrageous oaths. As thou hast by thy rigour and plagues forced us to acknowledge thee to be our just and righteous Lord, so let us through thy mercy and forgiveness feel thee to be our mild and loving Father: and give us grace for ever hereafter to reverence this thy glorious name. Amen. 

Take from us, O God, the care of worldly vanities, make us contented with necessaries: pluck away our hearts from delighting in honours, treasures, and pleasures of this life; and engender in us a desire to be with thee in thy eternal kingdom. Give us, O Lord, such taste and feeling of thy unspeakable joys in heaven, that we may always long therefore, saying with thine elect: hasten thy kingdom, O Lord, take us to thee. Amen. 

Make us, O Lord, obedient to thy will revealed in thy holy word; make us diligent to walk in thy commandments; forgive us our contempt and murmuring against the Magistrates and Ministers which thou hast in thy mercies appointed; make us obedient unto their godly laws and doctrine. Save and preserve, O Lord, thine anointed, our Queen Elizabeth, that she in thy grace and fear may long reign among us.

Give peace to all Christian nations: Move us by thy Spirit to love one another, as the members of one body, that we may all do thy will here in earth, as it is in heaven. Amen.

Dig out of us, O Lord, the venomous roots of covetousness and concupiscence: or else so repress them with thy grace, that we may be contented with thy provision of necessaries, and not to labour as we do with all toil, sleight, guile, wrong, and oppression, to pamper ourselves with vain superfluities. Feed our souls, O Lord, daily with the true Manna of thy heavenly word, and with the grace of thy holy sacraments. Give us grace continually to read, hear, and meditate thy purposes, judgements, promises, and precepts, not to the end we may curiously argue thereof, or arrogantly presume thereupon, but to frame our lives according to thy will: that by keeping the covenants we may be sure of the promises; and so make our election and vocation certain through our constant faith, and virtuous and godly living. Amen.

Conform us, O Lord, to the image of our Saviour; so burn our hearts with the flames of love, that no envy, rancour, hatred, or malice, do remain in us, but that we may gladly forgive whatsoever wrong is or shall be either maliciously or ignorantly done or said against us. And here, Lord, in thy presence (thy Majesty is everywhere) we forgive whatsoever hath been by any man practised against us, beseeching thee of thy goodness likewise to forgive it. And further, for thy mercies’ sake, and for our Saviour Jesus Christ’s sake, we beseech thee, O dear Father, to forgive us those horrible and damnable sins, which we have committed against thy Majesty; for which thou hast now justly brought this Pestilence and plague upon us: let the ceasing thereof, we beseech thee, certify us of thy mercy and remission. Amen.

We know, O Lord, the weakness of ourselves, and how ready we are to fall from thee: suffer not therefore Satan to shew his power and malice upon us, for we are not able to withstand his assaults. Arm us, O Lord, always with thy grace, and assist us with thy holy Spirit, in all kinds of temptation. Amen. 

Deliver us, O dear Father, from all evils both bodily and ghostly: deliver, O Lord, from trouble of conscience all that are snarled in their sins: Deliver, O Lord, from all fear of persecution and tyranny our brethren that are under the Cross for profession of thy word: deliver, O merciful Father, those that for our sins and offences are already tormented with the rage of Pestilence: recover those, O Lord, that are already stricken, and save the rest (of this my household) from this grievous infection. Amen. Grant this, O dear Father, for our Saviour Jesus Christ’s sake, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

End with the Lord’s prayer.

A prayer to God to cease the Plague.

O Lord God, which for our innumerable sins dost here fatherly correct us, to the end we should not feel the rigour of thy severe judgement in eternal condemnation: we humbly submit ourselves unto thy grace and pity, beseeching thee for our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, that although we have justly deserved this plague now laid upon us, yet it may please thee in the multitude of thy mercies to withdraw thy rod from us. Grant us, O Lord, true repentance of our sins, which (as it did in that good king Hezekiah) may deliver us from the plague laid upon us, and cause those that be sick to recover. Or if thou have determined to take a number of us out of the miseries of this present world, give us the comfort of thy holy Spirit, that may make us glad and willing to come unto thee. Give us grace, O Lord, so to prepare ourselves, that we may be ready, with the wise Virgins, to enter into life with our Saviour Christ, whensoever it shall please thee to call us. Grant us this, O dear Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake, our only mediator and advocate. To whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

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8. Bartholomew Chappell, 1593:

A Warning Voice

The roaring sea doth fret and fume,
Her waves she flings above the land;
She skews all things are out of tune;
She cries, ‘God’s day is nigh at hand.’

The earth of late hath shaked herself,
As weary of her sinful burn;
Which is ourselves with worldly pelfe;
But oh! thereby we are forlorn.

Of late she swallowed in her gulf
Twelve thousand out of London town
By sudden plague, like ravening wolf;
Yet are our hearts not once plucked down.

O man! to thee now must I call,
The end where first I did begin,
That joys, that bliss, that pain and thrall
May keep thy soul and mind from sin.

Thy heart will melt on them to think,
If any grace in thee remain;
And from all filthy sinful sink
Thy heart and hand thou wilt refrain.

When grisly death doth thee assault,
It is too late for to amend:
Wherefore in time confess thy fault,
And God to please see thou intend.

For when this life is gone and past,
There is no cure for any sin:
Then as we are, so shall we last,
In joy, or pain, as we begin.

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9. Andrew Osiander, translated by Miles Coverdale, 1537:

How and whether a Christian man ought to fly the horrible plague of the pestilence.

A Sermon out of Psalm 91.

Forasmuch as Almighty God doth visit, handle and punish the country and region with the horrible and fearful plague of the pestilence, and many folks (after an unmannerly fashion) are so afraid thereof, that there be heard and seen of them all manner of uncostumable words and works, which become not well a Christen man: And seeing that all the deeds of charity which one Christian man is bound to show unto another (no less than unto Christ himself,) are perilously omitted, whereby then riseth all manner of slander to the weak, and misreport unto the holy Gospel: I thought it profitable and necessary to bestow upon your charity in this case a short instruction and comfort out of the holy Scripture, to the intent that the ignorant may be taught, the weak strengthened, and every one counselled after his calling to serve his neighbour. And I will take for me the 91st Psalm, which soundeth after this manner:

Who so sitteth under the defence of the highest, and abideth under the shadow of the Almighty.

He sayeth unto the LORD: My hope, and my strong hold: my God on whom I trust.

For he delivereth me from the snare of the hunter, and from the noisome pestilence.

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and thy trust shall be under his wings: his truth is spear and shield.

So that thou needest not to fear for the horribleness of the night, for the arrows that fly by daytime.

For the pestilence that cometh peeping in the dark: for the sickness that destroyeth in the noon-day.

Though a thousand fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand, yet shall it not come nigh thee.

Yea with thine eyes shalt thou see thy desire, and behold, how the ungodly shall be rewarded.

But afore we come to the understanding of these comfortable words, your charity shall first know that it is not my meaning to forbid or inhibit any man to fly or to use physic, or to avoid dangerous and sick places in these fearful airs, so far as a man doth not therein against the belief, nor God’s commandment, nor against his calling, nor against the love of his neighbour. For though some will say: Such plague toucheth no man, but those that be ordained of God thereunto, like as there be certain examples thereof found in the holy Scripture ─ namely, how in Ezekiel 9 and Revelation 7 there was sent an angel, which beforehand marked the virtuous and elect, or ever it was charged & commanded the second angel to smite with pestilence or other plagues those that were not marked. Nevertheles, against that it might be said: Good sir, though it went so at such a time in such places, who maketh us sure yet now, that it shall therefore chance so in all other deaths of the country? Therefore will I now at this time let all such things continue in their worthyness and free, like as all other natural things, which be subject and committed unto our reason to rule. But as for the christian, which (by reason of office, or for poverty’s sake, or for other reasonable causes) cannot, or be not minded to fly, I will here withall show them their best and highest comfort that they have.

In like manner, I will not entreat against them, that speak naturally thereof, and say: Such plague cometh out of the influence of the stars, out of the working of the comets, out of the unseasonable weather and altering of the air, out of the South winds, out of stinking waters, or out of foul mists of the ground: For such wisdom of theirs will we leave unto them undespised, and not fight there against: But (as Christian men) we will hold us unto the word of God, the same will we suffer to be our most high wisdom, and give credence unto it, and follow it: and so shall we find much better and surer instruction: Namely, that this horrible plague of the pestilence cometh out of God’s wrath, because of the despising and transgressing of his godly commandments. For thus sayeth the holy prophet Moses in Deuteronomy 28:

If thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and keep all his commandments and ordinances which I command thee, then shall all these curses come upon thee &c. And it followeth: The LORD shall cause the pestilence to endure long with thee: the LORD shall smite thee with swelling, fever, heat, burning, blasting, drought &c. and shall persecute thee till he utterly destroy thee, and bring ye to naught.

And certainly this is the plain truth and the very origin of these plagues. No man ought to doubt thereon. For though the foresaid natural causes do somewhat also thereto, yet is it sure and undoubted, that the same causes be sent and stirred up out of God’s wrath for our sin and unthankfulness.

And truly that it is even so, the holy Scripture declareth, not with bare words only, but showeth it also with notable examples. For in Numbers 14, when all the spies (except Joshua and Caleb) spoke evil of the land of promise, and made the people unpatient and uproarish, so that they chose then a captain, and thought to go again in to Egypt, and to stone Moses and Aaron, (which commanded them the contrary) we read thus: Then appeared the glory of the Lord, and spoke unto Moses ─ Howe long doth this people blaspheme me? And how long will they not believe me, for all the tokens that I have done upon them? Therefore will I smite and destroy them with pestilence, and make of thee a greater nation than this.

Likewise also when David caused the people to be numbered against God’s commandment, he displeased the Lord God horribly therewith. Therefore laid he the punishment upon him, so that he was fain to chose himself whether he had rather have seven years of dearth, or three months of mischance in battle, or three days of pestilence in the land. And when he chose the pestilence, there died in three days seventy thousand men, as it is written in the last chapter of 2 Samuel.

Seeing then that out of the word of God we know the very cause of this horrible plague: Namely, that it is the fault of our sins, as unbelief, disobedience and unthankfulness; therefore before all things it shall be necessary, that we refrain from the same, repent, and amend our lives, if we will else be preserved and delivered from this horrible plague. For if God punish us because of sin, it is good to consider that we must first acknowledge and eschew our sins, in case that he shall withdraw and take away his wrath and punishment from us. For if we continue in our evil, sinful and culpable life, certainly he shall not cease with the punishment, but go forth more and more, until he give and recompense according to our works. But if we acknowledge our sin, refrain from it, repent and ask grace, then shall he also take away his wrath. And this horrible wrath (with other heavy burdens as war and dearth that lie upon our neck) shall he mercifully take away from us again. As holy Paul sayeth, 1 Corinthinans 11, If we judged ourselves, we should not be judged: But when we are judged, we be chastened of the Lord, that we should not be damned with the world.

And out of all this may your charity well perceive, how unwisely and unchristianly they do, that out of inordinate fear of this plague leave their calling and office, maliciously withdrawing the love, help, and faithfulness, which they (out of God’s commandment) are bound to show unto their neighbours, and so do sin grievously against the commandment of God. For certainly they do but stir up the wrath of God more earnestly against themselves, that he may the sooner take hold upon them and pluck them away with this plague. For men may hear on every side, that some do shun and fly not only the sick, but also the whole: Yea, (that yet more foolysh is) even the platters and candlesticks which come out of strange houses, as though death did surely stick therein. And (out of such fond childish fear) it cometh, that not only some sick folks be suffered to do away with out all keeping, help and comfort, but the women also great with child be forsaken in their need, or else cometh there utterly no man unto them: Yea, a man may hear also, that the children forsake their fathers and mothers, and one household body keepeth himself away from another, and showeth no love unto him: Which nevertheless he would be glad to see showed unto himself, if he lay in like necessity.

Howbeit I suppose there come not many such chances to pass, nevertheless I must speak thereof that it be done no more from henceforth. For certainly it is unwisely and unchristianly handled: and we need not think that the same is the way to escape this plague, but rather an occasion that it reigneth the more mightily over us. For seeing it is sure (as ye have heard before) that such plague is sent for punishment of our sins, and Christ hath given us a new commandment that we should love one another (as he hath loved us) it followeth, that the farther we depart from the love of our neighbour, the more we laid sin upon us, and deserve this plague but the more. Again the more diligently that we take heed unto the love of our neighbour, the surer shall we be from this plague: No man needeth to doubt thereof.

But here withal will I also counsel or compel no man to any unneedful danger, (that he is not bound unto by his calling nor by love), but only warn those, which for fear leave that which they are bound to do before God: To the intent that for such naked fear’s sake, they do not transgress nor omit the commandment of God, and hope by sin to escape this plague, which nevertheless cometh because of sin. For that were a foolish unadvised counsel, if one would go about to escape the wrath of God by transgression, and by sin to avoid the punishment of sin.

Besides this, doth experience show also that they which be so sore afraid, do commonly miscarry. Again, they that wait upon their offices and serve their neighbours, be delivered: As it is well seen in the ministers of the church and others more, that shun not the sick, but must visit and comfort them with God’s word, and provide for them with the holy sacrament: For we see nowhere, that they therefore must also be soon sick and must die. Yea, how must the higher powers of the world do, which (by reason of their calling, and for the communal profit & regiment’s sake) abide also in the jeopardy, and must minister because of love? Specially the chiefest, on one whereof there lieth more, than on a thousand of other? And yet doth God commonly preserve them also that they be delivered, left still alive, and die in a good quiet age.

Therefore certainly such inordinate fear and flying against God’s commandment is nothing else, but a declaring of a great and sore unbelief, that men do not believe and trust in God, that he can and will deliver. And thus is verified the saying: The ungodly have no peace, Isaiah 57. For if we will fear and fly where no peril is, when will we then bestow our lives for our neighbours, as Christ hath done for us? And we also be bound to do likewise, 1 John 3.

Whoso now desireth to escape the wrath of God and this horrible plague, let him not ask his own reason how he shall do, but believe and follow the word of God: which teacheth him, not to fly evil air and infected places (which he may well do: nevertheless he remaineth yet uncertain whether it helpeth or no) but it teacheth him to leave off from sin, as from the very original cause of this plague and punishment, and (by true repentance and amendment of living) to walk again in the right way. For that is the only sure and wholesome flying in this dangerous time, whereby a man may escape this plague.

Also the defence of God is set forth unto us every where in the scripture, as an overshadowing and covering with wings. For like as the two Cherubims spread out their wings over the Ark, Exodus 37, even so doth God spread out the wings of his protection over his elect. Therefore sayeth Moses Deuteronomy 32, like as an eagle stireth up his nest, and flyeth over his young ones: so spread he out his feathers, and bare his people upon his wings. After this manner spoke the holy angel Gabriel also unto the most blessed and pure virgin Mary, when she should be the mother of God: The holy ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee, Luke 1. In like manner spoke Christ also unto Jerusalem ─ How oft would I have gathered thy children together, as an hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not? Matthew 23. For though a true believing man be indeed the temple of God, and God dwelleth in him yet useth the Scripture oft to speak thereof, as though he did fly above us (inasmuch as he doth overshadow, cover and defend us) and that because the heaven and the heaven of all heavens (as Solomon sayeth) can not comprehend nor contain him. 1 Kings 3. But though he dwelleth in us, yet flyeth he wide, high and low, not only on the outside of us, but also on the outside and over all creatures. And so in all these words there is nothing else said, but: whosoever is a right believing Christian.

Mark now then that he sayeth not: Whoso is wise, stronger, rich, whole, or well friended. Neither sayeth he also: whoso keepeth himself thence, or flyth thither, holdeth himself well, or useth good physic, but whoso putteth his trust in God. Not that the foresaid good things be evil, or may not be had or used with profit: But that they (where faith is not) may even as soon do harm as good, are in no wise able to deliver from the wrath of God. But what doth the believer: He sayeth unto the Lord: my hope. But this do not the ungodly and unbelievers, but set their hope in the foresaid points, put their trust in them, and boast thereon, and so commit spiritual whoredom therewith, and make idols thereof. But to God do not they lift up their eyes, neither think they upon him, nor fear him. And when he commeth then with his wrath, and overtaketh them with a plague, so that of necessity they must needs think upon him, then fear they, and be afraid of him, fly away and know not where to abide: Then vanisheth away their hope and boasting, which they (in time of prosperity) had unto the creatures. And so cometh it to pass, that their wisdom hath been plain foolishness: their strength, their own misfortune: their riches, their own destruction: their health their own harm: their friends, their own hypocrites and traitors. And all that which they trusted unto, cannot help them. When they would hide themselves on the backside thereof, it is even as much as when one hideth him behind a ladder. And when they would seek help thereby, it is even like as if a wolf should defend a sheep or a goose.

But thus goeth it not with the believer: for whoso putteth his trust in the Lord, shall not be confounded. Therefore sayeth he not only that the Lord is his hope, but also his stronghold, which he may fly unto, in the which he may shut himself close, and be delivered therein. As Solomon sayeth in Proverbs 18: The name of the Lord is a strong castle, the righteous flyeth unto it, and shall be defended. For the unbelievers have their hope even in their goods, but in necessity they find no refuge, as the faithful hath a stronghold and high castle in God the Lord.

And though the unbelievers have their whole will all their life long, yet hath it an evil end, as it had with the rich man, which was buried in the hell, Luke 16. For whoso believeth not, shall be damned. Again, though the faithfull be plagued and persecuted all his life long, so that he cannot see how he may be delivered, yet hath he this comfort, that the Lord is his God: that is that he can help and deliver him as an almighty Lord, yea after such a fashion and way, as neither he himself nor any man’s reason can think or devise. And though he do it not, yet doth not the faithful despair, but letteth the Lord be his God, on whom he hopeth: that is, at whose hand he looketh for all good in the life for to come and everlasting. For hope seeth and looketh on that which is to come, which as yet is hid. As Paul sayeth in Romans 8, Hope that is seen, is no hope: for how can a man hope that which is seen. But if we hope that which we see not, we look for it by patience.

And so is this meaning: The unbelievers have their hope in the creatures, and are afraid of God. The faithful hath his hope to God, and is lord over the creatures. The unbelievers miscarry, and by the creatures find they no help in need. The faithful miscarry not, but God is unto them a stronghold. The unbelievers may well have their wills as long as they live, but at the last (through their despair) there followeth everlasting damnation. The faithful may their life long have disquietness and temptation, but at the last (through their hope) there followeth euerlasting life.

Such hope should they have, and they have it indeed, that though they must lie under as long as they live, yet after death they shall inheret everlasting life. But certainly it cometh not to pass, that they must always lie under: For God is faithful, and suffereth not his to be tempted above their strength, but maketh the temptation so to have an end, that we may bear it, 1 Corinthians 10. Therefore sayeth the prophet moreover: For he delivereth me from the snare of the hunter, and from the noisome pestilence. And in these words doth he shortly show unto us, that almighty God can and will deliver his own from all misfortune, yea, even in this life. For all the mischances that we be troubled withal in this temporal life, are of two sorts: Some come out of the wicked device of the devil and of men, as shame and persecution: Some plainly of nature and out of the ordinance of God, as tempest and pestilence. The faithful now believeth and maketh his boast, that these mischances can not be so great and mighty, but God shall deliver him there from.

And it is a goodly natural similitude, that he likeneth the evil wicked device of the ungodly against the faithful, to a net or snare of the hunter. For like as an hunter proveth the kind and nature of every wild beast, cometh privily after him, seeketh out the course and habitation thereof, and afterwards setteth the net, that he may drive it therein: Even so do the ungodly also unto the righteous: First, they look how they be minded. If any one be free of language, then set they him on fire, that he may speak somewhat sharply, as St Steven did, Acts 7. If he be gentle and friendly, then imagine they some foolish thing upon him, and flatter away his heart from him as Delilah did unto Samson. If he seek the salvation of the people, then slander they him, as the Jews blasphemed Christ to be a wine-supper and a companion of publicans. If he be simple, then lie they upon him behind his back, or ever he beware thereof: Then follow they upon him, cry, lie, and complain, that the virtuous Christian man knoweth not what point to be at, or how he hath deserved it. Nevertheless they think the bell is so cast, that at the last it must ring as they will, but it faileth them.

For the Lord on whom we believe, which is our hope, refuge and God, cannot only preserve us from their snares that we fall not therein, but also when we fall into them, and they think we be their captives he can and will deliver us yet thereout. In like manner doth God the Lord preserve his faithful, not only from the noisome sickness of the pestilence, but also when they be taken therewith and infected already he delivereth them from it and maketh them whole again. But how that cometh to pass, and how we shall understand it, it shall follow here after more clearly.

This is now well to be marked also, that the pestilence is a noisome sickness, not because it bringeth death (for that do all other mortal sicknesses likewise, and death is no loss unto the faithful, but advantage, as Paul sayeth, Philippians 1, but because that it taketh away the people very suddenly unlooked for and unawares: Whereat them there followeth, strife, lawing or busyness among sinners and of the commonwealth, as every man by himself can lightly perceive and understand. Therefore is it also an horrible punishment over the sin of the world, which concerneth both them that die, and them that are left alive, as hereafter it shall follow.

Where as is now such a faith as giveth credence unto God, he shall preserve him from all wicked imaginations of men, likewise from all noisome sicknesses. And at the last shall he save him, that continueth not without fruit, but breaketh out with right love and faithfulness toward his neighbour, and desireth also to bring him unto that point, that he may believe and be partaker of all such goods and benefits of God. Therefore doth the prophet turn his words now also unto his neighbour, and sayeth furthermore:

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and thine hope shall be under his wings. That is: If thou also wilt put thy trust in him, thou shalt find it so likewise. For he showeth such his benefits unto all and every one that put their trust in him. As for the covering of his feathers and hope under his wings, your charity hath herd enough before what it is.

Now though all faithful look for such help at God, and it happeneth unto them, yet is it not done without a special battle of faith. For such help doth he promise us in his holy word, that we should believe it. And if we believe it, it happeneth unto vs according to our faith. Therefore sayeth the prophet moreover: his truth is spear and shield. That is, his godly promises, which are sure and true, and neither lie nor deceive: Those be our weapons wherewith we fight, and overcome all adversity. But like as spear and shield are not profitable unto him that cannot use them, nor will: Even so also do not the promises of God profit him, that cannot fight therewith, and will not believe thereon. For that is the right science in this battle when misfortune, adversity or temptation cometh, that we look about us according unto God’s word: Namely what comfort and promise he hath made unto us in such a case, and with a right belief to take hold of the same as of a shield, and to comfort and defend ourselves therewith, so can there no mischance do us harm, as the holy St Paul in the last chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians teacheth and sayeth: Before all things take the shield of faith wherewith ye may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Against the same (namely against Satan our head enemy) is such word of God, even the right spear, wherewith we wound and overcome him. For no bodily weapon hurteth and hindereth men so sore, as the word of God stoppeth and hindereth Satan. If it be thrust under his nose against his venomous dealing and temptation. For if a servant (that dealeth wrongly and unthriftily in his master’s goods and businesses) be afraid, vexed, and pierced through the heart, when a simple man sayeth unto him: Thou unthrift, why dost thou so. That is not thy masters will and meaning, he did not so command me. How much more goeth it through Satan’s heart, when a virtuous Christian man holdeth the word of God under his eyes, and bringeth witness over him, that he as a wicked creature handleth against his maker, and against his chosen children? Therefore doth holy St Paul call God’s word also the sword of the Spirit: And the Lord Christ defendeth himself only with the same against all temptations of Satan in the wilderness.

Now when thou takest hold thus of God’s promises through faith, and usest them for spear and shield to defend thyself, and to smite Satan, then out of the same it followeth as the prophet sayeth farther:

That thou needest not to fear for the horribleness of the night,

For the arrows that fly in the daytime,

For the pestilence that cometh privily in the dark,

For the sickness that destroyeth in the noon-day.

For these four adversities set forward and shorten the life of the unbelievers: But the faithful hath such consolation and promise, that he needeth not to be afraid. First for the horribleness of the night. That is, for all manner of temptation and deceit, that happen unto men by night in the darkness. For this we all perceive, that in the night and in the darkness we are weaker minded, of more despair, and more afraid than in the light. The blood runneth to our hearts, and the hairs stand upright, and all the body waxeth cold for fear. Out of this cometh it then, that we think we see, hear and perceive somewhat, which in very deed is not so. Then goeth there one astray, another leseth his colour, the third falleth sick, the fourth is become crocked, the fifth goeth out of his wit. And so men think, that the devil hath done it, where as it is yet a plain natural working of the exceeding great fear, which would destroy a man even by day time, if it were so great. Howbeit true it is that the devil causeth such fear, and printeth it in, that he may beguile and destroy us by fear as by a natural working. Yet is it nothing but a fear: for the prophet calleth it not an evil or good spirit, but plainly the horribleness of the night. Neither is it anything else also but an horror and fear, and continueth an horror and fear.

Therefore, where a right belief is, there is no fear. Where no fearfulness is, there is also no horror, nor fantasy of spirits, or deceitfulness of the night, but plain courage and boldness. If anything else be seen (as fire or light) they be but natural things, out of the heat of the ground, like as lightnings, dragons, falling stars and comets be in the air and in the heaven. But herewithal will not I speak against the wonderful visions and tokens, which God sendeth for a warning before great my chances to come.

Secondarily, is the faithful sure for the arrows that fly in the daytime. That is, all manner of mischances which overtake a man openly in the day: and yet so suddenly and unawares, that he cannot escape them. As when a tile falleth from the roof of an house, when a wicked beast doth evil, or when an ungracious person doth hurt in body, name or good. For such misfortunes come for the most part so suddenly, that a man cannot prevent them, but must let them hit as with an arrow, and afterward restore and heal the harm with great travail and labour. But now will God preserve his faithful from such misfortune, if they have his promises before their eyes, believe thereon, and order their lives thereafter.

Thirdly, a faithful person needeth not also to be afraid for the pestilence, that slippeth in privily in the dark. This is verily a comfortable promise in this dangerous time, for the which we should by right put our trust in God, and thank him therefore forasmuch as it is one of the most perilous and horrible plagues, wherewith he visiteth and punisheth the sin of the world. For it taketh hold of life unawares, and plucketh a man away in two or three days (or ever he can order his business and house, and make his testament), creepeth in privily in the dark so that no man knoweth what it is, or whence it cometh, or whither it goeth, therefore can no man keep himself surely from it: For if it were in meat or drink, it might be eschewed: if it were an evil taste, it might be expelled with a sweet savour: If it were an evil wind, the chamber might with diligence be made close therefore: If it were a cloud or mist, it might be seen, and avoided: If it were a rain, a man might cover himself for it. But now is it a secret misfortune that creepeth in privily, so that it can neither be seen nor heard, neither smelled nor tasted till it have done the harm.

Therefore the more dangerous and noisome that the plague is, the better and more excellent is the promise, that no man should have cause to despair. For how might God make us a more excellent and fairer promise, than that he promiseth to deliver from the pestilence, us that be his children, and that we need not to be afraid thereof, though a thousand die of the same at our leftside, and ten thousand at our right side. Yet shall it not reach unto us, if we do but believe this promise, and let it be our spear and shield. For if we so do, then shall such poisoned arrows either not hit us at all, or else not wound us to death.

Fourthly, God will also preserve his children from the sickness that destroyeth in the noon-day: For the noon-day (when the Sun is at the strongest) is cause of much heat and feverous sickness, specially in those countries where the Sun riseth high and cometh nigh over men’s heads. For great heat bringeth much sweat, consumeth and altereth the blood causeth inordinate drinking, and maketh that the people are glad to cool themselves again foolishly: Whereout then arise all manner of perilous diseases, which be not very unlike the sickness of the pestilence.

Now whether it be fear of the night or arrow of the day, whether it be pestilence or sickness, that cometh by the evil South-wind, or what plague it will that lieth upon the world because of their sins, God the Lord will preserve his faithful therefrom, or deliver them from it: and that shall come to pass so certainly and so wonderfully, that (as the Prophet sayeth) though a thousand fall at thy left side, and ten thousand at thy right side, yet shall it not touch thee. This is doubtless a loving, merciful, comfortable, and fair promise, whereon our heart by reason should trust, and chiefly rejoice in the same: For he that speaketh it, is Almighty and true, therefore should we by reason give credence unto him. For we can do God no greater dishonour, than to despair in his holy word. We ought therefore to be much more afraid of that inordinate fear than of death itself: for death can not hurt us, inasmuch as we (through baptism) are grafted and buried unto like death with Christ. But fearfulness (which is nothing else but an unbelief) may harm us, and bring us in to imprudence. Wherefore my most dearly beloved, take these promises to heart, strengthen your heart, mind and understanding therewith, and be not faint hearted. So shall ye prove by experience, that God is true, and faithfully performeth that which he promiseth.

And that ye may the more easily believe it, I will declare it unto your charity by a similitude how it cometh to pass, and whence it springeth, that a right faithful Christian man can be so safe and free from all these plagues: For it is good to understand, and comfortable to know.

Your charity seeth and proveth daily by experience, how mighty and horrible a thing the darkness of the night is. For when it falleth, it covereth all the whole world, darkeneth the colour and fashion of all creatures, captivateth all men and beasts living, that they must be still and rest, yea, and maketh them fainthearted and fearful, and so of all things it is a mighty invincible tyrant, whom no man may withstand. Nevertheless, it is not yet so mighty, that it can darken, overwhelm, and quench the least light that is found in the world. For we see, that the darker the night is, the clearer do the stars shine: yea, the least candle light that is lighted, withstandeth the whole night, and suffereth not only the darkness not to cover or oppress it, but giveth light even in the midst of the darkness, and smiteth it back a certain space on every side: and thither as it is borne, must darkness depart, and give place unto the light: all the power and fearfulness thereof, cannot help against it.

And though a light be so weak, that it giveth not light far about it, neither can smite the darkness aback (as the spark of an hot coal) yet cannot the darkness cover it, much less to quench it: but it giveth light itself alone, so that it may be seen afar off in the darkness, and remaineth unovercome of the same, though it cannot help other things, nor give light unto them.

Yea (that yet more wonderful is), a rotten, shining piece of wood, which nevertheless hath the faintest light that can be found, remaineth invincible of all the power of darkness: and the more it is compassed about with darkeness, the clearer light it giveth, so little can darkness overcome or hold down any light: but it ruleth, vanquisheth and expelleth the darkeness, which else overwhelmeth, snareth and putteth all things in fear.

Even so likewise doth a wellspring also, for there may we see, how a little vein of water breaketh out of the ground, somewhere scarce so great as a finger. And when it is closed in roundabout that the water may gather together, and must needs be a ditch or a pit, yet springeth it nevertheless. And though the water be certain hundreds weight above the spring, yet may not it drive the spring back, but the spring driveth the whole burden of the water back, and above itself, and springeth still more and more, till the hole flow over. And if the other water be foul and unclean, it cannot mix itself under the fresh clere water of the spring, but it remaineth clear till it come farther abroad from the first head thereof, as it may all be seen with eyes, and also be proved by daily experience.

If a natural light then be so mighty against the darkness of the night, and an earthen wellspring so strong in stirring against all standing waters, how much more doth it then the true everlasting and heavenly light, and the only invincible spring of all life, namely, God the Lord our maker and Saviour?

That God is the true, everlasting and heavenly light, witnesseth John the evangelist in the first Chapter, and sayeth: God was the word, in him was the life, and the life was the light of men. Likewise also in his canonical epistle in the first chapter: God is light, and in him is no darkness.

In like manner, That he is the only invincible spring of all life, witnesseth the prophet Jeremy in the second chapter, For there sayeth the Lord: My people committeth a double sin, they forsake me the living spring of life, and make themselves fair wells, which nevertheless give no water. And David sayeth in Psalm 35: With thee is the spring of life and in thy light see we light.

If God the Lord then be the true light, it followeth, that all they which put their trust in him, be as a burning candle: for by faith doth God dwell in our hearts, and we are the living temple of God, as Paul to the Corinthians doth witness more than once. Therefore sayeth Christ of his disciples, Matthew 5, Ye are the light of the world. And of John the Baptist: He was a burning and shining light, John 5. Likewise if God be the everlasting and living fountain, it followeth, that the faithful be even flowing springs. Therefore sayeth Christ also, John 7, Whoso believeth on me, as the Scripture sayeth, out of his body shall flow streams of living water: But this he said of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive.

Like as the darkness of the night now can hurt no earthly or worldly light, but must give place and fly from the light: Even so Satan also which is a prince of spiritual darkness, can do no harm to a true right believing Christian man; but must fear and fly from him: For God, which is the everlasting light, dwelleth and shineth in his heart, and driveth and expelleth far from him all the works of darkness. And like as no heap of water can drive back any fountain of the ground, and hinder the quick springe thereof, and like as no uncleaness can make it soul, even so also can no adversity of this world take away or shorten any christian man’s life. For God which is the fountain of all life, dwelleth and liveth in his heart, and driveth all hurtful poison and mortal sicknesses far away from thence, so that not only it cannot harm him, but he also helpeth other people, and delivereth them by his presence: even as a light that shineth far about it, and as a spring that always floweth, runneth and maketh the ground, moist and fruitful.

And this is it that the Lord sayeth in the Gospel, in the last of Mark: The tokens that shall follow them which believe, are these: In my name shall they cast out devils, speak with new tongues, drive away serpents: and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them: They shall lay hands upon the sick, and they shall recover. So is it red also in Acts of the Apostles chapter seven, that the sick were made whole only of St Peter’s shadow. So utterly must vanish everything that it is contrary and against the everlasting light, and spring of life, where a right Christian man is, in whom God dwelleth by a true belief, and out of whom the holy ghost shineth and floweth.

Let Satan then press in here with all his darkness and with all his hurtful infection, yet shall ye see in belief, that he cannot take nor destroy any Christian man therewith if he continue in faith, and kept God in his heart: But he shall be smitten back and driven away by force, as the wonderful works of Christ and of all saints do manifestly declare. Therefore is it a great shame for a Christian man to be so afraid for the plague of the pestilence, as to fly from them whom he is bound to serve by God’s commandment. For by reason he should without all fear make haste unto them, not only to fulfil God’s commandment, but also by his presence to help them, if their faith do else work with all. But if it come not to pass, yet is he sure, forasmuch as God dwelleth in him, and he walketh and goeth in God’s commandment. For certainly this promise shall not fail him.

Though a thousand fall at thy syde, and ten thousand at thy right side, yet shall it not touch thee.

But with faith must these words be taken hold upon, for natural reason doth not comprehend them, inasmuch as in deed it appeareth far otherwyie. And no man needeth to think nor judge, that they which die of this plague, be all unchristian and faithless: but we ought not to doubt but that there die thereof many virtuous men, and leave many ungodly. This is done, because that death may happen to a man two manner of ways.

One way, after the common course of nature, according as every man’s death is appointed him of God: and we have consented unto it in baptism. Of this sayeth the prophet Job in the 14th chapter. A man hath his appointed time, the number of his months standeth with thee: who hast appointed him his bounds, which he shall not overpass.

Another way may death happen to a man before the time, by reason of his great and grievous sins: As the Lord hath threatened by Moses, that if his commandment be not kept, he will cause pestilence to reign. Whereout it is certain, that when they be kept, the plague abideth out. Likewise sayeth he in the commandments: Honour father and mother that thou mayest live long &c.

Out of the which it is certain, that his life which doth them not, shall be shortened. In like manner, sayeth David in the fourth Psalm, The blood thirsty shall not bring their life to the half number. Whereat it is sure that they should live much longer, if they shed not innocent blood. Likewise sayeth Christ, Luke 12, If ye do not repent, ye shall all perish, as they that the tower in Siloam fell upon. Whereby it is certain, that whoso repenteth not, may look for all misfortune.

And of this untimely death only speaketh this Psalm, and promiseth the faithful christian men, that they shall be free from it. For from the right appointed death into the which we have consented in baptism, we can, nor shall be, delivered. Wherefore, if a virtuous right Christian man die of this plague, it is certainly his very hour appointed unto him of God, which he cannot prevent. But doubtless there die of it many sinners also besides, which might well live longer if they repented. And though some be taken because of their sins, yet be they not therefore damned: but if they ask forgiveness of sins and believe, they shall be saved. As Paul sayeth: When we be judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

Thus goeth it then together, that just men die their own right death, but the wicked die an untimely death, and therewith doth God punish the world sorest of all because of their sins, but spareth his own for their faith’s sake. Therefore should they not be fearful nor fainthearted, but (as the prophet sayeth) they should look and behold, how the ungodly are recompensed: For whether the wicked die before the time, or the just in the right season, yet is it done both for the punishment and plague of the ungodly. If virtuous fathers and mothers die from wicked disobedient children, then be the children plagued, for they are afterward evil nurtured, hanged or slain. If young children die from wicked fathers and mothers, then be the children delivered, and the fathers and mothers punished, in that they have gathered their goods for those that they wish them not unto. If tyrants die, then be they punished, and the persecuted Christian delivered. If good rulers die, which with their wisdom have maintained peace and good governance, then be they in peace: And so the ungodly which are left alive, raise up war and sedition, and be always punished worse and worse. Shortly, whoso hath eyes of faith, seeth that true believers die in a right season, but the ungodly before the time. Wherefore, whether good men die or live, it is done for their wealth. But whether the wicked die or live, it is done for their punishment, and always shall they be plagued, and their wickedness shall be rewarded them.

Wherefore my most dearly beloved, take ye such doctrine and comfort to heart, and follow the same. Fly in good earnest (by true repentance and amendment) from sin, wherewith the world hath deserved this horrible plague: And fly by a true upright faith unto God’s word wherein is the fountain of life and the light of men: Then shall ye be whole and safe from this and other plagues, and so live to the honour of God and wealth of your neighbour, till the appointed time come, wherein God the Father (in the death of Christ that we be baptised in) shall send for us out of this miserable life, to his own everlasting kingdom: Which God grant unto us all. Amen.

A comfort concerning how wife, children and other friends shall be comforted; the husband being dead.

Seeing now that God hath called your husband, father or other good friend out of this misery into everlasting joy, therefore shall ye receive it willingly: for it is his work. Repine not therefor at his work, neither weep against his will, but commit the cause unto him: take it of his hand as a fatherly proving, and say with Job: God hath given us him and hath taken him again, the name of the Lord be blessed: as it was the Lord’s will, so is it happened.

God almighty will prove you as he did Job; how ye will behave yourself as he taketh out of your sight the thing that ye love. He will admit well enough that ye be sorry. For it is seldom seen but a man (be he never so vile, or of so little reputation) hath ever a sundry gift whereat he served and profited other. And the same gifts were not greatly regarded in a man while he lived: for we regard little commonly such things as are present, but as soon as the man is gone, so soon as the vessel is spilt than begin we to want the gifts that where contained therein.

Therefore is it no marvel that we be sorry for such a gift of God, if it be taken out of our sight.

As long as we use men and the gifts according as they be ordained of God for our necessity, then do we well, and that can God suffer well enough: But that we misuse them and make an idol of them, that cannot God suffer. For when we put our trust and comfort in man, or any other creature, then do we wrong and misuse the same and the curse cometh upon us whereof it is written, Jeremiah 17, Cursed is the man that putteth his trust in man.

For all man’s help is to be suffered only when they be present, and that we have need of them: but as soon as they are gone, then must we look for other help, namely: God, letting go it that passeth away, thinking it to be temporal, fading at the twinkling of an eye, and vanity that is in this world. We have here no abridging thing, but must look about for the thing to come that endureth forever.

For this cause doth God draw and pull us so from the creatures. And saying he is our true father, bride-groom and husband he cannot (for he is strong and jealous) abide that we set our hope, love or trust upon any creature. This is the cause, then, that he doth take us from them, and carryeth us upon himself. For look on what creature we have most hope, love and affection, that will he soonest take out of our sight: if he doth love us. And when he hath such jealousy upon us, then doth he most chiefly declare his love toward us.

By this also it cometh that Christ, Matthew 18, forbiddeth us to call any man father upon earth, for we have only one father in heaven, namely God, which will nor can suffer us to call or to have any man upon earth father: and that because we should depend and hang only upon him, looking for all good of him. For he will be the same that we may hardily trust unto: seeing he cannot nor will fail us, and that because he is no earthly but an heavenly father. For this cause, then, is that man blessed and happy, that putteth his trust, hope and confidence in the Lord, as the prophet sayeth.

Finally, if when nature fulfilleth her course, man hath but continual travail and misery, and after that this course of nature is ended and at rest, man is eased of so great travail: we seem to hate rather than to love them that be departed, if we would wish them to be in this wretched world again. Moreover, in making so much of our friends departed, and setting so great affection upon them, wishing God’s work not to be fulfilled upon them, we blame God in his will and working: as though he knew not better what were best both for them and us than we.

Let us therefore set our will in God’s will, and suffer him to work at his pleasure. For he knoweth best what is both our friend’s and our soul’s health.

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Attribution

Transcribed and edited by Ollie Lansdowne for New Whitchurch Press.

Works consulted

Thomas Cranmer, Works [Vol. 2] (1846), Edited by John Edmund Cox, Cambridge: Parker Society

John Hooper, Later Writings (1852), Edited by Charles Nevinson, Cambridge: Parker Society

Edmund Grindal, Remains (1843), Edited by William Nicholson, Cambridge: Parker Society

Edward Farr, Select Poetry, Chiefly Devotional, of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth (1845), Cambridge: Parker Society

Henry Gough, General Index to the Publications of the Parker Society (1855), Cambridge: Parker Society