Hooper, John ; Andrewes, Lancelot ; Crashaw, William
Synopsis "Godly Directions in a Time of Plague"
This very timely and advantageous work is truly a godly help to Christ's church, a present help in a time of plague. It is filled with godly directions from various authors who took time to thoughtfully set down specific biblical directions, pleading with the people of God to forsake sin, and follow Christ's prescription for holiness and righteousness. These authors are all of one mind, though they lived at different times over a span of almost 200 years. This is because all godly directions taken from careful Scriptural study will always end up in the same place. It is true, each writer deals with various texts, from various angles. But, still, their conclusions are the same, and they all offer the church today godly directions that will deliver the church from under the heavy hand of God's judgments. The authors are well known to those who have taken an interest in the preachers of old, and in times of reformation. The works included have been chosen to be helpful, not overbearing. They are, however, clear in their content, though more examples could certainly be added (having whole books written on this subject of the plague). There are four sermons, one by John Hooper (on Mark 1:15) which is a shortened homily, a sermon by Lancelot Andrewes (on Psa. 106:29-30), one by John Owen (on 2 Timothy 3:1) and one by Thomas Manton (on Psalm 119:67). There is an extended prayer given by William Crashaw (which is amazing and experimentally helpful) coupled by an exhortation given by him about the plague, as well as an extended exhortation by Henry Burton on self-denial and humiliation (on Luke 9:23). Finally, Thomas Draxe sets down a series of simple questions and answers to the difficulty of a plague and how the godly should conduct themselves. In all of these the church around the world would do well to heed their godly directions in this time, that God would hear from heaven, and forgive their sin, and remember his covenant for their good.
