A27641:20
A learned treatise of the plague
A learned treatise of the plague wherein the two questions, whether the plague be infectious or no, and , whether and how far it may be shunned of Christians by going aside, are resolved / written in Latin by the famous Theodore Beza Vezelian.A learned treatise of the plague wherein the two questions, whether the plague be infectious or no, and , whether and how farr it may be shunned of Christians by going aside, are resolved / written in Latine by the famous Theodore Beza Vezelian.
London: printed by Thomas Ratcliffe, 1665
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Without all question it is absurd and against all reason to think, that there are immediately (as they say) rather sent unto every several man so many several Plagues, than the kind it self of the Disease, by the which one corrupteth another by Infection: For whether God kill at one stroke, or whether, as it fell out unto the Midianites, he strike them down by one wounding another, whomsoever he hath appointed to die, what difference is there? Neither concerning what we have in hand is there any difference, whether any man be slain with the Dart of God himself, or the Infection of another.
Without all question it is absurd and against all reason to think, that there are immediately (as they say) rather sent unto every several man so many several Plagues, than the kinde it self of the Disease, by the which one corrupteth another by Infection: For whether God kill at one stroak, or whether, as it fell out unto the Midianites, he strike them down by one wounding another, whomsoever he hath appointed to die, what difference is there? Neither concerning what we have in hand is there any difference, whether any man be slain with the Dart of God himself, or the Infection of another.
Let us now come unto that which they allege concerning Second causes, which they deny to be any certain placing of the Stars, or corruption of the Air: Neither will the Physicians have any Plague or Infection to grow of those Causes. But if we grant this, and imagine that all Natural causes of the Plague are by them rehearsed, they must tell me, Why they shut out all these at once, insomuch that they will have them to have but small skill in Scriptures, who impute the plague (next after God) to these Causes? Because, say they, that the Holy Scriptures bear Record, that the Plague is sent by Angels, as Psalm 88. 1. 1 Chron 21. Ezech. 9. also in the History of Zennacherib, and in the Revelation, where there is mention made of a most noisome Ulcer; for, say they, that which God sendeth by Angels is not of Natural causes. I grant that, so far as concerneth the Angels themselves, who I yield are not reckoned among Natural