world shall bring vpon me during this present life And thus farre concerning Sathans kingdome the seruice of wicked spirites vnto God in the pestilence and how the Christians may bee comforted as in that euil so in any other THE 4. LECTVRE Verse 7. A thousand shall fall on the one side and ten thousand at thy right hand and it shall not come neare thee HEre againe obserue how carefull the holy Ghost is to multiply his promises to comfort and cherish the true beleeuers heart As long as prosperitie and health lasteth we thinke alwayes that wee haue Gods presence with vs but when miserie approcheth then if our faith faile vs our hearts soone faint within vs. Now this faith euer fainteth without the holy promises which are the very food nourishment of our faith O then thou man of GOD looke often vpon the holy promises that thou may est beleeue that so thy heart may not deceiue thee in the euil day Remember there is no vse of all these promises vnlesse by faith thou canst receiue them Be not afraid saith the Prophet in this Verse of that great destroyer the pestilence which killes so many by day an◅ by night No nor yet feare not I say albeit a thousand of thy neighbours or companions fall on the one side and ten thousand on the other side for thou shalt bee free onely be strong in faith and watch wisely ouer thine owne wayes calling mightily vpon God for his defence and deliuerance Note here againe how careful the holy Ghost is to answer all obiections all arguments and circumstances which in the pestilēce may breed feare in vs. There is nothing doth so appale discourage and dismay vs as to see many dead men lie before vs thousands on the one side ten thousands on the other side as in warres often and in campes where the pestilence rageth as in Maximilians campe when hee besieged Verona twentie thousand dyed in one plague in Dauids time seuentie thousand in three dayes there many great heapes of dead men might bee seene on both sides and in all places The like was to bee seene at Alexandria and in many other places where the liuing were not able to burie the dead There is none of the other causes before mentioned doth so terrifie the heart as this quicke is the eie and sendeth things seene very swifly to the phantasie so to the heart How greatly were the Pagans in Egypt terrified when but one dyed in a house thoroughout the whole land The King and all his subiects rose vp at midnight and strangely all amazed they trembled fearing least present death and destruction was come vpon them Againe and againe I warne the faithful man of God to obsetue these holy promises Thou art precious and deare vnto God among many thousands he that careth for the sparrowes careth much more for vs that bee redeemed by the blood of his s◅nne and called to his grace hope of glorie wherein wee stand and reioyce he that numbreth our haires will not see one of vs perish he that will giue vs a kingdome will not suffer any enemie to hurt vs in this life without his grace and comfort yea when they seeme to hurt vs they shall will they nill they hasten our endlesse felicitie Here before we passe whereas the Prophet saith verse 7. The Plague shall not come neere thee it may bee demaunded how this can bee true for that wee read both in elder ages and see dayly that the pestilence where it is sent doth not only come neere the godly but also smites dead many of the righteous and religious people among the great heapes and troupes of vnbeleeuers A. The answere is this that either they faile in the particuar faith in Gods prouidence so much commended and required in this Psalme or they keepe not within the bounds of their callings or be not instant in prayers or the Lorde hath some secret purpose best knowne to himselfe yet hee is their firme consolation that neither powers nor principalities nor life nor death shall seuer them from the loue of God in Christ Iesus Rom. 8. 39. Verse 8. Thou shalt onely behold with thine eyes and see the reward of the wicked THou shalt see the Pestilence sweepe away thousands on both sides I say againe thou shalt but onely see these calamities light vpon other and this sight it shall doe thee good by the obseruation of the executioners of Gods great and fearefull iudgements thou shalt I say see howe the Lorde doth chasten his children for the time and confound and plague his enemies Note here how we ought to make vse of all Gods iudgements that we see heare and know for therefore doth the Lord lay them before his children and not vpon them Frist that they may see and by seeing learne to feare him and to beleeue in him that they may consider as of Gods mercie towardes them so of his iustice in rewarding sinners that as by the one they are stirred vp to loue him so by the other they learne to feare him that so they may haue a holy mixture of loue and feare and thereby sound hearts to walke in sincere obediēce before him Secondly they must when they see the Lords iudgements to smite others be stirred vp to compassion and so to prayer for their brethren and euen for their very enemies for what hart can be forgetfull in these extremities whē they are presented before vs to labour in prayer to God for our brethren the practise of this wee see notably in Dauid who neuer rested crying and calling vnto God for his people till the Lord was appeased Thirdly the Lord would haue vs thus to behold the calamities of our brethren that wee might shew all the compassion that we can as by our prayers so by shewing our Christian liberalitie vpon them and by visiting also such as we are bound by any bond of natural loue Christian societie c. For we must not bee as Dauids friendes standing aside and flying away whē our dearest friends haue greatest need of our helpe and comfort Verse 9. 10. Because thou hast set the Lorde which is my hope euen the most high for thy refuge There shall none occasion be giuen that euill may touch thee neither shall any plagu◅ come neare thy tabernacle HEre the Prophet giueth vs an other reason of all the former securitie of the faithfull making himselfe one of the number His reason is this as farre as I can conceiue it God will deliuer them and couer them c. for that they doe not onely runne to hide themselues vnder his wings for protection but also they do very watchfully attend to all their wayes that they giue none occasion of offence greiuance to his most holy spirit Eph. 4. 30. Wee see againe the holy Ghost requires in vs an especiall faith in these calamities Before he spake verse 2. of his owne particular
be perswaded that all this sacrifice and seruice which they offâ—…r vnto God in their supplications c. is accepted of God in Iesus Christ and shall returne from him a câ—…mfort for themselues and a blessing for theiâ—… brother according to his holy promise in this place This Iames telleth vs in the beginning of his Epistle that if any will receiue any good 〈◊〉 Lord let him aske in faith and wauer not for he that prayeth effectually must be perswaded his labour shall not be lost but that the Lord will consider it Psalm 66. 19. this â—…aith our Sauiour Whatsoeuer yeâ—… aske in prayer if you beleeue you shall receiue it The father of a lunaticke which was vexed also with an euill spirit came to Christ and spake thus doubtfully If thou canst do any thing helpe vs and haue compassion on vs. Christ answered If thou canst â—…eleeue all things are possible to him that beleeueth and straightway the father of the child crying with teares said Lord I beleeue helpe mine vnbeliefe Arguments to confirme their faith in this instant are these 1. The patient is a brother and a professor of the Gospell and therefore we must as feeling members coÌ„sider his case our as own 2. If heretofore he neuer gaue vp his name to Iesus Christ now hee is desirous to doe it as appeares and is signified by sending for the Elders by confession of his sinnes c. And thus both parts must striue that this prayer maâ—… be done in faith and may be working effectuall Cyprian speaking how he and his brethren did much good in his time in the visitation of the sicke saith that they proÌ„sperâ—…d according as they and the patient hath faith to speake vnto God Prout fides patientis adiuuat aut gratiâ—… curantis aspirat 9 Saint Iames here requires also the humiliation and faith of the patient The holy Elders doing their enduour with all dilligence the brother which is thus visited must striue also to beleeue as all things generally concerning his saluation so also so that this particular action of these holy men shall doe him good as for the free pardon of his sinnes so sor bodilie health so far as shall be expedient for him To this end the Apostle willeth the sicke man to confeile his sinnes and the elders to prouoke him thereunto by their experience vers 16. Confesse your sinnes one to another and pray one for another Surelie the Lord Iesus in all his miraculous cures euen requireth this faith in â—…uerie one of his patieÌ„ts Mat. 8 10. To the good woman which had the issue of bloud he saith Daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath made theâ—… whole And so to all the rest he asketh alwaies of their faith and how they are perswaded of his grace loue power and might to do them good And this is it that Cyprian noteth proâ—…t sides patientis adiuuat aâ—… the Patients saith helpeth vs so we preuaâ—…le with God in the visitation of the sicke The 10 point and the last here to be remembred is these meâ—… must haue zeale to perseuer and continue this holie exercise in abstinence add praier 〈◊〉 admonition and instructiâ—… c. For 〈◊〉 the Lord heareth alwaies the praâ—…ers supplications oâ—… his â—…uants in the beginning notwithstanding hee sheweth not alwaies anie full grant of them long after because he would haue his children more carnestly to sue vnto him and to waite vpon him So the Apostle chargeth that we perseuere and continue in praier waiting â—…nd expecting with patience a blessing from the Lord. And this our Sauiour teacheth vs sweetly by a parable And Daniâ—…l coÌ„firmeth it vnto vs by his owne pracâ—…ise and experience for thus he saith At the same time I Daniel was in heauinesse for 3. weekes of daies I ate no pleasant bread neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth neither did I annoint my selfe at all till three weekes of daies were fulfilâ—…ed Here is a watchfull continuance in praier fasting and humiliation for 21. daies then he reâ—…eiueth an answere Feare not Daniel for from the first day that thou diddest set thine bea rt to vnderstand and to humble thy selfe before thy God thy words were heard and I am come for thy words Thus we see that albeit the Lord heareth not at the first crie yet he delighteth to see our humiliation will grant our requests in his good time and not faile vs. And thus farre we haue seen howe the holy elders proceed in their spiritual cure These rules being followed with wisedome and iudgement I doubt not the holy men of God haue and may attaine great mercies blessings in the due practise of them in the visitation of the sicke people of God And if this spirituall exercise be so comfortable and so profitable in common and vulgar diseases which come of naturall causes onely howe much more precious are they in greater plagues in any as Saint Iames speaketh and therefore in the pesâ—…ilence it is so also which is no doubt a mixt euill of naturall common knowen causes and spirituall inuisible and vnknowen as wee haue before shewed Here I would â—…nd but that I must first answere two sortâ—… of men which oppose themselues against the comely and comfortable ordinance of the Lord. For some there are so hard hearâ—…ed and so voyde of all humanitie that they will not haue this holy exercise to haue any place in time of pestilence Again there are others â—…o void of al good iudgment which without all difference or respect of time persons or place frequent all houses without any feare of contagion or infection and exclaime mightily against all departure or going aside from the pestilence For the first sort I commend vnto them these holy rules following 1. they must summon theÌ„selues vnto the iudgement seat of God and looke on the plague as on the messenger of Gods wrath which cannot be auoided with change of places but by repentance and amendment of life c. 2 Let no man go aside nor tarry with a doubtful conseience but when as he shal haue learned out of the word of GOD what his dutie is that commending himselfe to God he may continue constantly therein 3 Let no man depart a haires bredth for feare of death froÌ„ the duties of humanitie nor breake any of the bondes of loue which are many as betweene man and wife betweene parents and children maisters and seruants betweene kindred betweene christians neigbours friends For if wee breake these bonds I see not howe humane societies may continue And here when the Lord shall change the life of anie of thy good friends be not cast downe as they which are without hope But remember Cyprians words NoÌ„ amittimus nostros sed tantum premittimus We haue not loct our good friends but we haue onely sent them before vs. 4 Let not him that is bound to anie ciuill office depart for such are
you would also be as vigilant striue with strong hand to remoue the spiritual causes of the same I meanâ—… that you should pare away all the rotten proud sinnes of this citie which are corrigible by good lawes as much as in you lieth with the sword of instice â—…our will is good and hath beene I heare for manye yeares for to cast downe the diuellish theaters the nurceries of whoredome and uncleannesse they are Cupids and Venus temples they are Bacchus and Sathans pallaces they corrupt the youth of your citie intollerably all eies can see and all chast eares can witnes some of the maisters of these euil artes when the Lord had humbled them by some great terrors were driuen to confesse the same in extreame passions and pangs of death In all ages God and his Church hath euer abhorred these wicked abbominations let one man speake for all Tertul shewing how Gods people differed from the Pagans in his sweet apologie for the Church against the gentils he saith Nihil est nobis dictu visu audâ—… cum impudicitia theatri We cannot abidâ—… to speake to see or heare anie thing of the shamelesse and vnchast wantonnesse oâ—… your theaters They replied vpon you in tâ—… citie often as elsewhere with authoritie and 〈◊〉 censes â—…euer allowed by the almightie Tâ—… idle drones greatly prophaned as in all the laâ—… so specially in this citie the Lords Saboth and carried away great flockes or heards rather of blinde people from the holy worship of Almightie God But our gratious King seeing the greatnes of this impietie hath alreadie by Edict reformed this euill The Lord will not be vnmindfull of him for being thus mindfull of his holy Saboths Lord open thou his eyes to see the manifolde impieties that as yet remaine in Church and Common-wealth and giuc him a wise heart to reforme thy sanctuarie according to the diuine rule thy most holy word As for naturall preseruatiues the learned Phisitions can best direct you Yet giue me leaue onely to put your Honor and Worships in mind of such helpes as some of the learned haue greatly commended and many godly wise men haue of ten wished for the benefite of this citie The first thing to bee desired is that God would stirre vp your hearts and others to prouide more new burials for the citie where the dead might better rest from the liuing and the liuing better auoyd the contagion of the dead The second thing to be wished is that many houses were prouided as in elder times for the contagious leprosie and many cities in other countries and kingdomes haue at this day where the sicke of infected houses if they desired more libertie might haue more freedome of aire and benefit of the place for diet keeping c. For such as be pind vp in their owne houses in the citie as birdes in their cages are often greatly plagued the rich with want of ayre the poore with famine The last thing is this that the sicke be committed to the custody cure of such selected chosen men mercifull men men fearing God men of iudgement and knowledge meete to minister helpes both corporall and spirituall to ease the grieuances of Gods people both for their soules and bodies and that such be well prouided for and encouraged with a most competent and sufficient salarie The Lord guide your hearts and spirits by his almightie spirit and graunt you such spirituall courage wisedome and iudgement as that ye may faithfully execute the Lords iudgements in this Honorable Citie to the glory of God the good of his Church and the euerlasting comfort of your owne soules through Iesus Christ. Anno. 1603. Your H. and W. to commaund and to vse in the Lord Henry Holland THE EPISTLE TO the Reader WE may well say good Reader of the men of this age as Christ his Prophet spake of the people of their times their eyes are shut and see not their eares are heauie and heare not their hearts are fat and feele not Ignorant people swarmâ—… in all places hauing eyes and cannot see how the Lords iudgements are threatned and otherwhiles most iustly fall vpon them They stop their eares from the Gospell they can at no hand be charmed to any sincere obedience to it such effeminate delicate and itching eares as will not heare the charmer charm he neuer so wisely Their harts are fat they cannot vnderstand how leaue their soules are how emptie of all good graces how stuffed farced full of rotten vnsauerie sinnes in towne country What ignorance and blindnesse what insidelitie and prophanenesse what pride idlenesse what gluttony and drunkennesse what whoredome vncleannes what deceit and lying what blasphemies and all cursed speaking what riot and all maner of excesse do raigne in most places For these sinnes the like many iudgements are fallen and we haue yet escaped them The Lords hand striueth to chasten vs not to coÌ„sume vs miserable people caÌ„hear wheÌ„ their bellies speak but caÌ„not heare wheÌ„ God doth speak Your sinnes cause the pestilence the pestilence in time wil breed famin great wants and penurie among you The Lord giue you eyes to see eares to heare and hearts to vnderstand Make hast to reform your selues first then to your families Teach correct your vnruly seruants keepe them froÌ„ theaters and other abhominatioÌ„s bring them to sermons more carefully teach and correct your children for lying swearing blasphemies Teach al your family the holy grounds of religion the feare of the Lord for so ye are bound to do if ye doubt of this aske the Lord and he shall tell you But alasse most of you miserable people neither can teach nor will learne any good Nay it is to be feared you teach your wiues children and seruants all the euill you see heare know euery where practised in the world They learn of you to sweare horribly their wicked mouthes are full of othes they learne of you to walke inordinately for their liues are vngodly prophane Families are the fountains of al commoÌ„-weals purge the fountaines and the streames shall be clean Wherfore I warn such as fear the Lord loue Gods people regard their owne welfare in this life euerlasting saluation in that which is to come teach instruct correct by all good meanes reform your families for assuredly our sinnes call for many iudgements from the Lord vpon vs. Purge your families I say of vnclean persons as did Dauid Iacob not sparing euen your owne children in their disobedience riotous and luxurious life And humble your selues in this and the like calamity in abstinence and praier For so haue the people of god euer done in sundry afflictions when they sought for any great blessings for theÌ„selues or for the church of God Hest. 4. 16. Nehem. 1. 4. Act. 10 30. And so did Dauid his good people in the pestilence they rested not crying vnto
serue him 3. They do Gods will 4. They do it faithfully according to his word Thus far for the first point The 2. thing to be knowne is their loue to Gods Church and great care ouer the faithfull members of the same And certainly their loue is great For it is saide they reioyce ouer one sinner that repenteth and turneth vnto God The Psalmist testifieth of their loue and care when hee faith They pitch their tents round about them which feare the Lorde and desiuer them And here it is said they beare them like as louing parents nurces do their children in their hands and armes to keepe them from scandals and offences And the Lord giueth them in charge thus to doo faith this Prophet heere And hence it is the Author to the Hebrewes describeth them to be Ministring spirits sent from their sakes which shall be heires of saluation And as for their number wee must not curiously search how many each man hath to keepe him for the scriptures tell vs that sometimes many are sent to one man and againe sometimes one Angell is sent for the deliuerance of the whole Church To saue Elisha against the king of Syria the mountaine was full of horses and chariets of fire round about Elisha But in Daâ—â—els time one Angell seemeth to be sent for the protection of the whole Church And in Ezechias time one was of streÌ„gth sufficient to kil and destroy in one night 185000. of the enemies of Gods people And if yet we further desire to learn what ther causes besides that speciall charge of God moue them so to loue vs affect vs and to minister vnto vs for our protection and deliuerance the holy Ghost teacheth vs that first they are members with vs of one bodie which is the whole catholicke Church wherof part is triumphant in heauen part militant vpon earth secondly they haue with vs one spirit for their Lord as to conuert and sanctifie 〈◊〉 so to confirm them in the truth Thirdly they haue with vs one Gospel of comâ—…ort for the Angels saith Peter desire to â—…ehold the mysteries therein contained â—…or their confirmation and our conuersion and euerlasting saluation They are present in the holy assemblies reioyce no doubt greatly to see the Gospell of Iesus Christ preached vnto theiâ—…â—…retheren Lastly they haue one head with vs euen Iesus Christ our Lorde this the Apostle speaketh Christ is set at the right hand of the father in heauenly places farre aboue all principalitie and power and might and domination and euery nâ—…me that is named not in this worlde but also in that that is to come and hath made all thinges subiect vnder his feete and hath giuen him ouer all things to bee the head to the Church which is his boâ—…y euen the fulnesse of â—…im that â—…th all things Here foolish Rabbims obiect by occasion of the words of this Psalme Of bearing in their hands That the holy and elect are more worthy persons and more honorable then the Angels because the Angels must as it were attend vpon them and keepe them Their reasons are weake and they too too curious for parents beare children and yet the children are not the â—…re worthy the good shepheard finâ—…th the sheepe which was lost and carrieth it home on his shoulders and yet is not the sheep more worthy then the shepâ—…eard An other question is here demanded of their appearance what letteth it now more then in elder times They know now their visible appearance is both needelesse and dangerous 1. Needlesse for instruction for they know we haue now in the booke of God all the counsell of God reuealed vnto vs so they had not in the old times in that cleare maner that we haue 2. Needlesse for our protection for they can do this inuisibly as well as in sight Elishas guard was as strong and as faithfull before he sawe them as after Lastly their â—…ppearance now is dangerous since Antichrist hath peruerted many with the false worship and inuocation of Angels for since this Idolatrie crept into the Church wee know assuredly that wicked spirits haue taken the forme of good Angels and haue bene adored of miserable men and so deluded many And the visible appearance vnto men would be more terrible in these daies then it was to Manoab and his wife Iudg. 13. And thus farre of their loue towardes the Saints The third and last point to be considered briefly is how long their charge lasteth ouer vs the answere is So long as they walke in their wayes This is that which Sathan left out when hee made assault against Christ for hee can both pare and shred the scriptures and stretch them also otherwhiles to serue his purpose So he can heape vp iudgements to terrifie and amaze poore consciences which are humbled and multiply mercies before such as stand to breede in them dangerous presumptions By these words Their wayes The Psalmist vnderstandeth our seuerall vocations wherein we must walke circumspectly and not rashly runne forth to any vnlawfull meanes as Sathan would haue Christ to do for so doing wee shall tempt God as Christ answereth the diuell in the second temptation Here then we are taught to walke wisely within our boundes and not to vse vnlawfull meanes or to neglect the good meanes giuen vs of God for our benefit and good We must not â—…lie in the ayre for God hath not giuen vs wings to flye but legges to walke We must not talke of reuelations for God doth not so teach vs now but by his written word Wee must not goe to witches in extremitie to theft in pouertie for so wee walke out of our wâ—… and the holy Angels forsake vs 〈◊〉 wicked spirits will maister vs and confound vs. The workes of our calling are called in scripture the way wherein we must walke desiring the Lord to blesse them and all lawfull meanes appointed for vs. Now to make vse of this doctrine briefly for our present purpose no doubt of all other spirituall preseruatiues this of the Angels is one of the best against the pestilence For we may not doubt but â—…mly beleeue they pitch their tents and â—…et as it were an hedge about vs for our custodie and preseruation as the diuell conâ—…esseth it of Iobs protection So then consider euill angels are cruel good Angels are mercifull euill angels are olde and subtile good Angels are of â—…ke yeares and more wise euil angels are very expert to send forth venimous exhalations to poyson the ayre the good Angels are more wise to purge the same the euill angels are strong and mightie but they be fearefull and feare abates strength the good angels are more mightie and excell them in strength and voyd of feare for that they be voyd of 〈◊〉 To bee short looke wherein the euâ—…â—…ngels haue any might to hurt vs and annoy
haue so accounted it Gen. 15. 15. Thou shal come to thy fathers in peace and shalt be buried in a good old age So Gedâ—…on is buried in a good age Iudges 8. 32. And Dauid full of daies riches and honour 1. Chron. 29 28. Surely olde age and gray haires is a Crowne of glory to the righteous and godly man For thus the holy Spirit speaketh Age is a Crowne of glory when it is found in the way of righteousnesse but all things are turned into sinne and accursed to the wicked and vngodly Againe Gods children are more satisfied here on earth with a fewe daies then the wicked are with Nestors yeares And concerning long dayes in heauen there shall be dayes continually and no more nightes The heauenly Ierusalem hath no neede of the Sunne neither of the Moone to shine in it for the glory of God doth light it and the Lambe is the light of it The 6. and last promise I will shewe him my saluation This promise of all the rest is most comfortable And here two things must be considered First who see their saluation or to whome it is shewed Secondly where and when it is shewed vs and seene by vs. For the first not euery man can see into this mysterie no not euery professour of the Gospell first he must be as he is described in this Psalme a faithfull man a godly man a righteous man watchfull ouer his wayes a deuout man fearing God the Lord doth assure such in time by his good spirit of their election adoption vocation and euerlasting saluation Rom. 8. 15. Eph. 430. All the faithfull ought to striue daily in all religious seare to come to the knowledge and the full assurance by faith of their saluation Secondly if thou demandest when and where the faithfull see their saluation I answere that they see it both on earth and in heauen first in earth they see it as in a glasse two waies â—…st by saith when they see Christ and haue the assurance of his benefits in their hâ—…ts by the holy spirit secondly by â—…eeling when they â—…eele the power and vertue of Christ working in them true moâ—…ficaton and sanctification of life Again they see their saluation in heauen when they come to the present possessioÌ„ of that crown which is purchased for them then shall they no more see darkly for â—…ohn saith We know that when he shâ—… appeare we â—…all bee 〈◊〉 him for we shall 〈◊〉 as he is and be with him where he is 10 17 〈◊〉 24. Note here 〈◊〉 â—…sts and Athâ—…sts till the Lord 〈◊〉 your eyeâ—… with his eye â—…alue you can neuer but doubt of your saluation for he alone doth shew it whom and where and when he will To be short this is a most soueraigne comfort for all Gods people and euer hath bene in all paines and griefes of this present life plagues persecutions and all euils whatsoeuer Iob reioyceth in his miserie saying I am sure my redeemer liueth and I shall see him c. THE 7. LECTVRE The seuenth Question Of the visâ—…ation of the sicke which dutie must also be â—…erformed by some chosen faithfull and discreet men in the Pestilence Iames 5. 14. Is any sicke among you let him send for the Elders c. WE haue already shewed very cordâ—…all and precious preseruatiues both against many euils and specially against the Pestilence And yet there is one more which is giuen vs of the Lord no lesse profitable and effectuall then the rest And this is that comfortable visitation of the sicke which containeth medicines of wonderfull vertue to be ministred by the righteous and religious Elders or holy Ministers vnto Gods people and by the wiâ—…e godly brethren one to an other in all their maladies In the visitation of the sicke Iames teacheth vs what the sicke or visited must doo 1 He must send for the Elders verse 14. 2 Acknowledge his sinnes verse 16. 3 He must beleeue verse 15. 4 He must pray with them verse 16. Secondly what the visitors must be 1 The Elders verse 14. 2 The Elders of the Church verse 14. 3 Faithful men verse 15. 4 Righteous men verse 16. 5 Zealous men 6 Mercifull men 7 Men of one accord Thirdly what the visitors must do 1 They must come to the house of mourning verse 14. 2 They must teach and admonish the patient verse 16. 3 They must striue in fasting and praier for him verse 15. 4 They must pray tn faith verse 15. 5 They must perseuer and expect a blessing assuredly Is any sicke let him send for the Elders 1 HEre againe with Iames wee see that sicknes as all afflictions of this life is common to all the godly with the wicked poore rich strong and weake in faith there is no exception nor priuiledge here to free any man 2. S. Iames would haue the sicke man to sheâ—…e his faith loue by sending first of his own accord for the Elders of the church to instruct him and to pray for him and to comâ—…ort him so the Elders seeing his desire his loue feare shall be stirred vp in a greater affection and compassion towards him againe 3 Wee must here note also wherefore the holy Ghost sends vs first to these spirituall Phisitions of the soule before wee call for the other of the body which must not be despised And this hee doth that these holy men may take a view of the spirituall causes of our euils and labour to remoue them for then our naturall griefs are both soonest holpen most soundly cured so Christ begins his cure Mat. 9. 2. by remouing first the spirituall causes Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee And surely this we finde daily true by our experience that when phisicke â—…res without the Lord as it were the sores plagues of their soules become more dangerous incurable for being nothing humbled nor bettered by the Lords chasticements they walke more boldly in their old sinnes when they recouer health thâ—… before Now lâ—… 〈◊〉 examine with all diligence what speciall points S. Iames commendeth vnto vs concerning the visitation of the sicke First hee saith the Elders must be sent for by these Elders the holy spirit vnderstandeth else-where the holy Ministers chiefly and with them the godly brethren which were their helpers in their ministrie and spirituall seruice vnto God and his church men of knowledge wisedome experience and godlinesse without rebuke Secondly hee saith not one but many Elders not one Elder for here in this spirituall seruice as in many other corporall actions that is true which the Preacher saith Two are better then one Againe the loue iudgement experience faith feeling and praier of many must here be more effectuall and comfortable then of one And yet here cases no doubt may ofteÌ„ so fall out as that some one most rare most expert and wise messengers of the Lord must be sought for albeit as Iob
speaketh we shall hardly finde one such amongst a thousand Thirdly he addeth they must be the Elders of the church that is such as are best knowne to thee thine owne wise pastor c. which can best discerne al thy sores or that minister which hath bene Gods most holy ordinance either for thy conuersion or confirmation Question BVt here now a question may bee demanded whether the same Ministers of God which serue the Lord in their publike ministry and come to the holy assemblies are charged also in this place to attend vpon the visitatiō of the sicke in time of pestilence Answere TO this I answer with men of iudgement that it were very expedient that at such times there should be certaine speciall men chosen for this purpose men knowne both for their ministery godlinesse and sinceritie of life who should not neglect their dutie concerning eyther the soules or bodies of the faithfull which they could performe or cause any way to be done for their good Secondly I answere that I cannot see how the Pastor notwithstanding can neglect any of his slocke committed of the Lord vnto his charge in any calamitie or the pestilence For the Apostles charge is so general in my iudgement that it excludeth all exceptions of persons time and sicknesse Any man may send in any sicknesse for the Elders of the Church But here let wise Christians be carefull as not to abuse the loue of their kinsfolkes and friends so to preferre the health of all the congregation before their own and so to striue to content themselues with the presence of such as the magistrates haue selected and appointed for this purpose This religious loue care for the church was in Boz who being sicke himselfe of the plague at Lausanna would not haue M. Ioh. Caluin and P. Viret to come vnto him when they offered freely most lo◅ingly to come visit him because saith he we must preferre the benefit of Gods Church and the glorie of God before our owne comforts and the preseruation of our owne life Fourthly these men must be men of great loue mercy compassion for this cause hee willeth vs to take the Elders of our Church that is such louing knowne mercifull men as can will mourne with vs and for vs. Psal 41. 1. Blessed is hee that iudgeth wisely of the poore the Lord shall deliuer him in time of trouble A notable example of this compassion is in Iobs friends for first they came to comfort him secondly they wept greatly when they sawe him thirdly their great griefe is signified in renting of their cloathes fourthly their compassion in sitting by him seuen dayes and seuen nights in silence This is the time when Gods children must striue to shew their affection and brotherly kindnesse towards the Saints Fifthly these holy Elders which visit the sicke must affect one thing be of one minde and of one accord for the cri◅s and praiers of such men be very strong and can soonest and best preuaile with the Lord according to his owne truth holy promise Uerely I say vnto you that if two of you shall agree in earth vpon any thing whatsoeuer they shall desire it shall be giuen them of my father which is in heauen for where two or three are gathered togither in my name there am I in the midst of them The truth of this promise is to be seene in the practise and praier of the holy Saints The disciples which were met togither to pray for the good successe of the gospel for spirituall courage boldnesle in their ministry for the cōfirmatiō of their doctrine by signes wonders I it is said of the whole multitude of thē which beleeued there prayed That they were of one heart of one soule Ast. 4. 31. 32. They lift vp their voyces vnto God with one accord ver se 24. 3. After prayer they obteined all that they asked For it is said first that they were confirmed presently with a myracle The place was shaken where they were assembled togither and all were filled with the holy Ghost vers 31. 2. They receiued their second request spirituall boldnesse courage for it is said they spake the word of God boldly ver 31. 3. Lastly the Gospell was more glorified had a more free passage daily And the day of Penticost when they waited togither in praier for the gifts of the holy Ghost It is said they were altogither with one accord in one place And the holy Disciples which beleeued they are said that in hearing the word in praier they continued with one accorde daily in the Temple These Elders then of whom Iames speaketh must be thus affected Religious men faithfull men deuout men righteous men and such will not lightly iarre or disagree but be most carefull to keepe the bandes of loue in holy peace and vnitie with heart and minde affecting one thing and bearing with them of weaker iudgement till the Lord hath reuealed better things vnto them These men thus hauing one heart and one mouth may send forth such cries vnto the Lord as shall be heard and none other Sixtly S. Iames requireth that they be faithfull men righteous men and m◅n of good feeling They must haue faith for otherwise they cannot pray as wee haue before shewed ver 15. of that 19. Psalme they must be righteous men for otherwise they shall be reiected of God in this sacrifice which they offer Pro. 21. 27. and the sicke can haue no comfort in them And they must haue a good feeling of the wants of their brother otherwise their praier will not worke and be effectuall so the promise is to be vnderstood the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much which is working and effectuall Seuenthly they must instruct and admonish the patient and by mutuall conference so stirre him vp to open and re◅eale such sinnes and euils as most grieue his hart and conscience They must know his passions his life his calling his knowledge his feare his affections his loue and all his conuersation and how long he hath knowne Iesus Christ. Againe here they must be wise to discerne whether Sathan hath wounded him with any siery dart and so hath caused him to doubt of his election vocation faith repentance c. They must be prouided of examples which may shewe him how that other of Gods children haue so bene smitten haue languished long and yet at last were graciously restored But nothing comparable to our owne experience Here let them pray earnestly for the spirit of iudgement for that Sathan hath many strange inuisible delusions and remember the prouerbe That a gracious speech heateth the passions of the soule A word spoken in his place is like app◅es of golde with pictures of siluer Eightly Saint Iames requireth in the visitors of the sicke verse 15. a praier of faith They must