A27641:35
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.
as it is worthily turned upon them which do in such sort fly the Plague, or any other danger, that then neglect the Duties of a Christian: So doth it in no case make against them who shun the Plague by going aside, unless they may be judged to have neglected to perform those Duties which they owe both unto their Country and to their Neighbour. And truly, I do marvel that those who without exception do condemn going aside, as being of it self repugnant unto Charity, do not consider, that Charity doth less require that we provide for the whole, than that we help those that are taken with that Sickness.
as it is worthily turned upon them which do in such sort fly the Plague, or any other danger, that then neglect the Duties of a Christian: So doth it in no case make against them who shun the Plague by going aside, unlesse they may be judged to have neglected to perform those Duties which they owe both unto their Country and to their Neighbour. And truly, I do marvel that those who without exception do condemn going aside, as being of it self repugnant unto Charity, doe not consider, that Charity doth less require that we provide for the whole, than that we help those that are taken with that Sickness.
Finally, They say that as many as fly the Plague, do that which no Christian ever did, when as there is no example thereof in the holy Histories.
I answer, That this is too deceitful an Argument, when as it is apparent that in the holy Scriptures is not set down what every one hath done; and that in many the general Rules of Doctrine, there is sufficient to determine those things whereof we have no Commandment, nor any particular Example; and that it is without doubt that it is not set down how often the People hath been visited with the Plague, neither yet how every man behaved himself in the Plague. But they say they have altogether contrary counsel in the holy Scriptures; for that David doth call us back unto the Tabernacle of the Most Highest,