DEath is not a greater Enemy to Na­ture, than the Pestilence is a Friend to Death; and though it be so grievous a Disease, against which there is yet known no general nor infalible Me­dicine; yet sometimes, either by the strength of Nature, or help of Physick, it hath been cur'd. Now to inform you of the Causes of this par­ticular great Pest we now labour under, they are these. 1. The great Conjunction of Saturn and Ju­piter Octob. 10 1663 in the Celestial sign Sagit­tary 2. A Conjunction of Saturn and Mars, Nov. 12. 1664 in Sagittary 3. An opposition of the Sun and Saturn, June 5. 1664. 4. The Apparition of Three Comets in the latter end of 1664. and beginning of 1665. 5. The Transit of Saturn through Sagittary, unto his greatest dignities, the [...]e to continue for a­bove 5 years together. All which are Causes so po­werfully [Page 2] impelling, that it is to be feared the Pestilence we now partake of, will not be the one m [...]iety of the Effects thence to en­sue, or thereon depending. By this connexion of Causes, it is some­what apparent that this Pest should have took its beginning at the latter end of 1664. and truly had not the Winter then been so ex­treamly sharp (it having a Frost of almost ten weeks continuance together) to have kept it back, it had beyond all question broke forth then. Nay, and break forth it did then too, as the Learned Artist in Astrologie Mr. Gadbury, can experimentally testifie, having been personally visited with it at Christmas that year. And many o­ther Patients of Mr. Josias Westwood the Chirurgeon, were then also afflicted with the same Distemper, and yet obtained cure against it, the Air being then so friendly to Nature, and an Enemy unto the Pestilence. But now let us consider its progress and increase, with the causes thereof, and the possibility of its abatement, with the time when. In this matter I shall cen [...]ult but not trouble you with the Figure of the Suns Ingress into the Equinoctial Sign Aries, for the year 1665. and thence draw down the several Arguments of encrease and abatement; and because the Pestilence was hardly per­ceptible untill the Month of June, I will begin there.

This Month, (as if God and Nature had appointed the Sickness to [...] Ominous in earnest to these Nations) we may observe two most fatal transits to usher it in, viz. Mars his then coming to the opposite point of the Ascendant, and the Sun to the opposite point of Saturn; a beginning of a sickness so mischievous, that greater can hardly be; God grant the end be not as inauspicious: and al­though (I presume it will not be of many Months continuance to this great City, yet we are not to suppose a Pestilence ended, when it seemingly acquits one place.

In the moneth of July it began to encrease considerably, espe­cially toward the latter end thereof: there were then six opposi­tions of the Erratick Stars, and two Eclipses; and to add to these, Mars, Venus, and Mercury, then came to the Quadrate place of the Sun, and to the opposite point of Saturn by transit; and the Sun then came to the opposition of Jupiter both by transit and aspect: all which were very great arguments of its encrease.

In the Month of Aug. Saturn comes to the Quadrate place of the Sun and will be stationary upon it all the Month; the two Eclipses last Month do now begin to operate, which are testimonies of very great augmentation: howbeit the fortunate Planet Venus coming to the Sextile of her own place and of the Moons, at the beginning [Page 3] of the Month; and coming to a Trine of the Sun, the latter end thereof, may so happily contemper the fury of it, that it may not [now] encrease or augment to any exceeding great height.

A part of Septem. is like to prove somewhat dangerous, because Saturn is in a manner still stationary, and the Sun and Saturn then come to a Quadrate aspect, and this in ill points of the Vernal Fi­gure, Mars and Jupiter (who is Dominus Ascendentis) then also come to an opposition, and both in square of Luna's place; whence it is probable, that in the second and last weeks of this Month, the Pest may admit of an abatement; but indeed, I much fear about the middle of the month an encrease considerable: nevertheless, I hope, and rationally believe (favente Deo) that this Pestilence can­not ascend to any higher degree, than it may at that time reach unto.

The Month of October seems to promise well, and the Distemper therein cannot meet with any eminent cause for augmentation: yet I suppose the second and last week will make some slight Of­fers at an encrease, because then the Sun comes to the opposite place of the Moon: and Venus hath a progressional motion to the opposition of the Sun, and Quartile of Saturns places.

November and December in this respect (God not frustrating the course of second Causes, or taking advantage of [...] for our sins) I question not will prove very kindly; and the City of London will begin to be in a better heart, than in many Moneths before. How­beit, it cannot be supposed that this Pestilence should in so short a time totally vanish; or that so great a Sickness should not leave some unkind impressions behind it; but in comparison of what it hath been, I dare assert, that we shall [then] be (in a manner) wholly acquitted from it, and its violent raging, destructive Qua­lities and Company.

La [...]ly, London hath at present been the Patient, and hath felt the force of the Almighties scourge to purpose; while most other places of England have escaped the [...]ash. I wish with all my soul, that London might be the Scape-Goat for them all: but ah, I fear, before the Planet Saturn be gotten quite out of Capricorn, that tho [...]e other parts of this Nation will drink deep of the same Cup. God and Nature punish none by proxy. It will not be this Cities suffering [...], that can excuse other Towns [...]nd Cities, from the vio­lent stroak of so insatiate an Enemy. Thus much for the Predi­ctions of the Learned Gadbury.

[Page 4] And now a word or two touching the present Pest, whether it be infectious or catching: If any Diseases be infectious or contagious, to any person or persons, it is their fear and imagination; and the timidity of their Affections that occasion it Cast off then the love of the World, let the distrust of God's mercy be far from you, use the exercise of a holy life, and good conversation; and because it is God's doing, repine not at his Providence, but use these supernatural Remedies, it being a most evident Truth, that Faith is the best Fence against Fear. Pa­tience the best Plaister against Sores; Repentance the best Restorative; and Prayer the best antidote These are the onely Remedies against Passions, Ter­rours, Fears, Frights, and Imaginations, which are more easily discoursed of, than removed. When, nay, and before you are forsaken of Friends, and hear no­thing but Complaints of Neighbours, the crying of Wives and Children, the mourning of Husbands and Parents, the sorrowing of Kinsfolks and Allies, the Sickness spreading, the Pestilence raging, & the Plague encreasing from Tens to Hundreds, and from Hundreds to Thousands. But (God not alter­ing or suspending the power he hath given to se­cond Causes) this Pest will abate about the latter end of Septemb 1665▪ and then grow less apace. As those persons which fly from the Plague, are the most [Page 5] subject unto it; so hence it is, that the Countries round about us, come to be so suddenly seized with this sickness; the Fears of the Heartless Fugitives, be­ing as so many nimble Chariots, to convey it unto the places whither they fly or travel. If men be a­fraid to trust God, it is no wonder that he refuses to protect them. How many are there, that by flying from dangers, have fallen into the midst of dan­gers? When men plot to save themselves, their con­trivances often procure their ruine. In the year 1348 when that great and terrible Pest hapned, many people not only changed their Habitation, but th [...]ir Nation also, in hopes to avoid it. But behold, they that refused to trust God at Land, were overtaken by that his judgment at Sea, and were forced to make their Graves in the Bellies of Fishes. But some there are that say, they fly not from God, but from his Plague: Alas, Gods judgments are never sepa­rate from him; the Rod of his Anger is of such a Longitude, that it can reach us every where. But that the shutting up of people in a time of Sickness and denying [...] the advantage of the Air, is certainly a great cause of the encrease of the Contagion. For by how much the more Men are abridged their cu­stomary liberty, by so much the more are they sub­ject to Fear; and the greater their Fear is, the sooner do they meet the Ill they dread. And we in this age, [Page 6] shut up not onely the unclean, but the Sound and Sick together, (the onely way to be rid of all, if [...]e least there be such a thing as Infection.) For [...] the time of the Levitical Law, men were not to [...] shut up above 7 days, and then only the unclean per­son; but if he amended either before, or at the [...] days end, then was he pronounced clean.

To conclude, This present Plague was fore-told by sun [...] learned and famous Artists; as Mr. Gadbury, in his Ephemeris [...] the present year, 1665. in the Moneth April, at which time [...] Sickness first began to shew it self visible; notwithstanding it [...] its Rise at Christmas, he himself, with many others, being visited that time.

It was also fore-told by Mr. Lillie, Mr Booker, Mr. Trigge, and [...] Andrews, who in the Judicials of the Aestival Figure thereof, [...] these words: And in regard he (that is, Saturn) is in the [...] House [viz. the House of Death and Mortality] he doth thereby [...] to prenote a Mortality, which will destroy & bring many to their [...] And Mr. Trigge had these-prophetical Expressions, in his Observa­tions upon June, I very much fear a sickly Season in earnest; from [...] evil God of his mercy protect this great and populous City, for Mars [...]sesseth Gemini, the Ascendant of London. It is observable, that' [...] Sickness then began to encrease.

And the eminent Mr. Gadbury, from the apparition of those Cel­estial Moniters the Comets, further expresseth, That he bewaits [...] World by reason of the many and terrible afflictions they denounce unto [...] And after a consideration of the natural portents of the effects influences of Comets or Blazing-Stars, he subjoyns these word [...] When we consider these several dreadful significations, it may put us at our Letany, From War, PLAGUE, and Famine,

Good Lord deliver Us.