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
faith that albeit all the world went from God in these extremities to many vnlawfull meanes yet he would sweetly rest in God and seeke for lawfull meanes onely here hee speakes of euery other faithful beleeuer as of himselfe that he also must haue this particular faith For a man must not onely haue faith concerning Gods prouidence as at other times but I must also beleeue that God in this speciall visitation hath a most speciall care of me and hath commanded his Angels to watch ouer me And for this cause all the promises are particularly applyed to this beleeuer from the beginning to the ende of this Psalme verse 3. Surely he will deliuer thee from the s◅are c. verse 4. Hee will couer thee with his wings and his truth shall bee thy shield verse 5. Thou shalt not be afraid c. verse 7. A thousand shall fall at thy side and it shall not come neare thee verse 8. Thou shalt onely see the reward of the wicked verse 11. Hee will giue his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee verse 12. They shall beare thee c. verse 13. Thou shalt walke vpon the Lion c. Wherefore thou must striue to haue this particular and speciall faith in troubles The 10. verse seemeth vnto me to containe this argument Hee that with all good conscience watcheth ouer his wayes and so endeuoureth with all his might to walke with his God in sinceritie of life and soundnesse of heart hee shall be deliue◅ redin the Pestilence Thou art one of them which striue with all good conscience to serue the Lord thy God and doest endeuour that no cause be giuen that thy father now in his anger shall s◅ite thee with the Pestilence Therefore hee will deliuer thee THe Lord saith in an other place that when the dayes of famine come he will not famish the soule of the righteous and to the true worshipper which serueth him in truth of spirit he saith The Lord shal blesse thy bread and thy water I will take away all sicknesse from the mids of thee The Prophet here teacheth vs as the Apostle that Gods children must auoyd all occasion of sinne or to speake yet more strictly as the holy spirit speaketh all shadow all likenesse or appearance of sinne So some godly Interpreters vnderstand that place The Psalmist as I iudge here compareth vs to wise and faithfull children which are most watchfull least by any the least meanes they giue cause of offence to their good parents And surely all arguments of our heauenly fathers loue and mercie considered in our election creation redemption regeneration adoption continuall preseruation euerlasting saluation we are of all other the most foolish and vnkind childrē if we study not chearefully to obey and carefully to auoyd the offence of so mightie so louing so gratious and so bountifull a father vnto vs. Againe if this watchfulnesse must be found alwaies in vs how much more euen then when our almightie Father in the continuance of his anger as Ieremie saith consumeth his enemies and chasteneth his owne people Therefore at this time specially all the wise sonnes of God tremble to displease him and studie to please him Psal. 2. 4. Question That a good conscience is a speciall preseruatiue against the Pestilence A Good conscience saith Augustine very well is the paradise of the soule and surely so an euill conscience is the very hell of the soule And Chrysost◅me calles the good conscience the good countenance of the soule because this conscience alone can approch boldly to the throne of grace Wherefore this good conscience is one of the greatest blessings wee haue on earth Now for as much as it is a thing most dangerous to bee deceiued in our greatest treasure and to take drosse for gold good for euill and euill for good let vs therefore be the more circumspect and carefull first to know and learne what this great grace is Secōdly let vs wisely examine ourselues whether we possesse it haue it in truth or ignorantly be deceiued as most mē be Lastly after iust triall and examination had of our owne hearts if we finde it in our selues let vs labor with all our strength to cherish it preserue it if we finde we haue it not let vs neuer giue our selues any rest but contend in all the meanes appointed to come to Iesus Christ that he may giue it vs for he alone can giue it and strength to keepe it Conscience is described of some to be a liuing lawe in our hearts which stirreth awaketh driueth vs vnto good things I suppose wee may truly describe the conscience first generally on this manner Conscience is an inward remembrancer in our minds and hearts witnessing eyther with vs or against vs of all our thoughts wordes and workes The cause wherefore the Lord hath put this remembrancer in man is this a small light and weake knowledge would soone lve hid and be as buried in him by reason of the corruption of our hearts and affections therefore the Lord hath left him this feeling as a keeper and a watch to awake him to marke and espie all his secrets and continually to present him vnto the iudgement seate of God that nothing may be lost in obliuion and this keeper men say to be as a thousand witnesses to testifie with vs or against vs euen of of all our secrets a great controller of Atheists euen in their secret chambers The seate of this remembrancer is the vnderstanding yet for that it is found sensibly to smite the heart therefore the holy Ghost euer seates him there So Salomon noteth speaking to Shimei Thou knowest all the wickednesse wherevnto thine heart is priuie that thou didst to Dauid my father And the Apostle saith that the great peace keepeth the heart and mind in Christ Iesus And the Author to the Hebrewes Your heart being pure from an euill conscience Eccles 7. 24. Lastly that this witnesse or remembrancer will be with vs or against vs at all times and that in Gods presence the Apostle testifieth Rom. 2. 15. The Gentiles shewe the effect of the Lawe written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing one an other or excusing before God The first diuision of the conscience is this the conscience is either 1. Good or 2. Euill 1. Of the good conscience SAint Peter 1. 3. 21. saith that a good conscience is a quietnesse of mind after we be perswaded of the grace of God in Christ being then readie without feare to present our selues before him Heb. 10. 2. The holy Ghost to the Hebrewes calleth it a conscience purged from dead works to serue the liuing God If the Heathens did so much reioyce in their good consciences which were but counterfeit in respect of the consciences of the faithfull how much more should we desire to know and reioyce to finde and endeuour to keepe
many A◅heists and prophane beastes are driuen not for any trouble of conscience but as that myser by the spirite of couetousnesse some by the spirit of fornication corporall and spirituall to hang and drowne themselues because they cannot obtaine that which they purposed desired as we see in Achitophel Therfore these worldly sorrows must be wisely discerned from the good sorrowes of the troubled consciences of the faithfull Wee must euer desire the light of Gods louing countenance which we may be assured of if we keepe faith a good conscience but if we make shipwracke of these the least thing shall greatly amaze vs yea the shaking of a leafe but if we haue this nothing shalt dismay vs. This paine is like to other griefes and no doubt accompanied with many other euils out of the body losse of goods name honour c. In the body sundrie diseases goe before and follow it melancholy c. But if worldly sorrow alone turmoyle the heart as for riches goods lost let these be recouered and all teares are soone gone and past but the troubled conscience is not so quieted And as for melancholy and other paines in the body they are cured wee see with medicines and good diet but nothing can appease this euill till Christs bloud be applyed 2 The griefe of conscience smites the heart Cant. 5. 6. My heart was gone when hee did speake I sought him but I could not finde him Againe Esay speaking of this troubled conscience saith I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to reuiue the spirit of the humble and to giue life to them that are of a contrite heart And Dauid A contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Thus then we see this griefe is in the hart melting it as fire doth mettals in what measure it pleaseth the Lord to humble his children 3 This sorow presseth downe the soule so Dauid complaineth Why art thou cast downe my soule and disqui◅ted within me wai◅ on God Psal. 43. 5. 4 Lastly I adde the troubled consciences of the faithfull can neuer finde ease but in Iesus Christ. There streames from him a most sweete liuing water as from a fountaine dayly to purge and wash our running sores and to heale the paine and griefe of our hearts By his stripes are wee healed 2. The Saints euer sought to Christ and none other to case them of this paine Psalme 51. 1. Cant. 5. 6. 7. 3. If by any other meanes the conscience be falsely quieted it will afterwardes rage farre worse then before much like vnto Sauls spirit which for some moment of time could b◅e quieted by some sweete melodie but when the musicke was ended he fell into his old furious phrensies againe The troubled consciences of the faithfull most appeare 1. In their calling 2. After 1 When God doth separate his elect by the preaching of the G◅spell that they may be sanctisied by his spirit and come to the profes◅ion of his faith 2. Thess. 2. 13. 14. There must bee then great and many perturbations in the hearts soules of such as the Lord effectually calleth vnto his grace for the heart before was chained and fastned to Sathan sinne and the world and this league and fellowship can not easily be broken Secondly the heart which before was stony and slintie must now be softened Ezech. 11. 19. I will take away the stonie hearts out of their bodyes and will giue them an heart of flesh Thirdly examples teach this Paule is stricken downe from heauen greatly humbled The good hearers Act. 2. when the Lord began to awake their consciences they were picked in their hearts and cryed saying Men and brethren what shall we do Fourthly some maister sinne and inueterate custome in sinne will breed great wrastling and strife at this time Fiftly some enormious sinnes will cause many to bleed at the heart and to dispaire 2 After the Lord hath vouchsaf◅d to giue his elect his spirit of grace and hath giuen them heartes to beleeue in Iesus Christ and after peace obtained with God in Christ after accesse to grace and the blessed reioycing in the hope of the glorie of God the old enemies may yet amaze disquiet and cast downe the soules of Gods elect Dauid saith hee felt some terrors and troubles of minde euen from his youth The reasons are first they haue dayly falles and therefore their repentance humiliation and sorow must dayly be renued Secondly they must otherwhiles againe be humbled for their olde sinnes to proceed on in repentance and least they fall into them againe Psal. 25. 6. Iob. 13. 26. Thirdly God layeth a grieuous hand vpon them when they giue cause through great sinnes that his enemies blaspheme his holy name for the example doth much harme it imboldens the wicked makes faint the heartes of his children Therefore hath Dauid suffered more torments of conscience then any other 2. Sam. 12. verse 14. Remedies and helpes for troubled consciences are these which follow FIrst pray earnestly for the restoring of the holy comforter Psal. 51. 10. and for a clean heart Ioh. 14. 16. Lu. 11. 13. 2 With prayer striue to ioyne much weeping and fasting if thy strength will beare it Psal 69. 10. 3 With prayer fasting comfort thy self with a meditation of the vse of all the afflictions of the faithful Ioh. 7. 13. Psal. 77. for thou hast no tentation nor affliction of conscience but they haue had the same or the like 1. Pet. 5. 9. 4 When thine owne cries and teares cannot finde Christ aske the watchmen and the daughters of Ierusalem for him and so neuer rest but by all good meanes finde him Cant. 5. 6. 7. 8. 6 If all this will not helpe thee seeke to the Elders of the Church and acknowledge thy sins to one or moe most discreet wise godly righteous mē fearing God that they may haue compassion on thee thē be perswaded their cries vnto God shall preuaile for thee Confesse your selues one to another and pray one for another for the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke and if he hath committed sinne it shall bee forgiuen him So farre for the good conscience of Gods children quieted and troubled now the euill conscience of the wicked followeth AN euill conscience is a conscience neuer purged by the blood of Iesus Christ. An euil conscience is either 1. Liuing or 2. Dead The first is the naturall conscience of the naturall man retaining naturall sight and naturall feeling and this liuing conscience is euer 1. Accusing 2. Excusing The naturall man hath left in him sundry generall motions of good and euill which are most crooked corrupt rules being tried by the first Table of the Lawe of God but his knowledge is not so much darkene◅ and corrupted in the generall heads of the second Table This man in all points that
Like his God in righteousnesse and true holinesse Ephe. 4. 24. So that in regard as of his first honour so of his last glory which shall be yet more excellent the Psalmist bursteth out into this holy admiration What is man thou hast made him litle lower then Angels crowned him with glory and honour Now then the Lorde hauing enriched him with so many graces and aduanced him to that imperiall dignitie because hee so shamefully subscribed and consented to Sathans vntroaths and conspired with the onely enemie of the Almightie his sinnes were most dreadfull and drowned him in perdition with all his progenie And thus we are all become the subiects vassals and vncleane cages of wicked spirits which haue an inuisible acquaintance societie and spirituall affinitie with our spirits before Christ come and binde that strong man Luk. 11. 21. before the Gospell and faith in Iesus Christ make cleane the heart Ioh. 15. 3. Act. 159. Before the mightie spirit transforme and reforme our mindes hearts and affections Rom 12. 2. Ephe. 4. 18. This is Adams progenie Who can bring a cleane thing out of silthinesse There is not one vers 14. VVhat is man that hee should bee cleane verse 16. Man is abhominable and filthy and drinketh iniquitie like water Nay we are said before grace to be the very seede of the serpent Gen. 3. 15. Ephe. 2. 3. 4. And the very children of the diuell Ioh. 84. And thus to conclude this point the noblest of all inferior creatures is become the vilest and basest of all creatures and most abhorred of God the wicked spirits excepted in this life subiect to innumerable curses and miseries in the next to infinite torments and euerlasting in this life the soule Sathans vassall to inuent the body Sathans instrument to practise and in the life to come both companions of his confusion Thus we see briefly how Sathan became the god and prince of this worlde And this is hee who with great power and might continually ruleth and worketh in all the sonnes of Adam the children of disobedience as the Apostle speaketh And hee worketh also so inuisibly and so strangely that till Christ come and his spirit the most wise in this world can neuer discerne him For this cause one saith thus Suadent miris inuisibilibus modis perillam subtiâ—…itatem suorum corporum corpora hominum non sentientium penetrando seque cogitationibus corum per quaedam imaginaria visa miscendo siue vigilantium siue dormientium They perswade by maruellous and inuisible meanes piersing by reason of their ayrie thin bodies the bodies of men when they perceiue it not and so confounding mingling themselues by means of some imaginations conceiued with the motions of their mindes both waking and sleeping And thus hee poisoneth so strongly the sences of men as the best Diuine is not able to expresse the manner of his working How effectually and suddenly did hee possesse Iudas How strangely did he surprise Ananias and Sapphira Who can expresse how hee breathed such poyson into their hearts or iniected such motions in theyr mindes An other saith hee worketh in his vassals with as great facilitie as the beames of the Sunne in any liquid or soft matter Tertullian writeth of this secret power and working of Sathan in the soules of men very learnedly c. Suppetit illis ad vtramque substantiâ—…n c. Like as blastes destroy fruits and trees inuifibly strangely so saith this learned man do wicked spirits kill and poyson the bodies and soules of men And Augustine speaking of this point doth notably teach vs the blindenesse and madnesse of men who many times to excuse and couer Sathan they blame some euill humour or distemperance in theyr bodies Daemones saith he quantum viderinâ—… fidem in homine crescere tantum ab eo refugiunt si tamen in aliqua infidelitatis parte resederint cum tempus inuenient cogitationes subiscient coraibus hominum ills nescientes vnde haec veniant suggestionibus daemonum quasi animae suae sensibus credunt suggerunt ergo alijs occasione corporeae necessitatis delicias sequi aliorum iracundiam excusant per abundantiam fellis aliorum insaniam nigri fellis vehementia colorant sed stultitiam quorundam ob phlegmatis multitudinem extenuant The diuels the more they see a man increase in faith the more they flye from him but if they haue any residence in any part infected with infidelitie when they finde opportunitie they suggest many thoughts into mens hearts and they not knowing whence these cogitations come they beleeue the suggestions of deuils as if they were the motions of their owne spirits They suggest therfore vnto some to follow after their delights by occasion of some bodily necessitie they excuse others for their anger by abundance of choller and the madnesse of some they colour and hide vnder excesse of melancholy and they lessen the folly of others also because they abound in phlegme And because this enemie so inuisible so mightie and so dangerous can hardly be discouered great arguments and signes of his kingdome and habitation are thes by Gods light giuen vs. The heartfull of infidelitie without any measure of faith Act. 5. 3. 2. The minde full of grosse ignorance in the fundamentall pointes of saluation 2. Cor. 4. 4. Ephe. 5 8 4 18. Col. 1. 13. 3. To walke in the workes of darknes howsoeuer we pretend knowledge 1. Io. 1. 5 6 7. 4 Vncleannesse of body or soule Math. 12. 43. 5. A relapse into fearefull sinnes and to bee worse after then before 2. Pet. 2. 2. 21. Math. 12. 44. 45. 6. To see onely into the bare story of the Gospell not to vnderstand profitably any part of it Luke 8. 12. 7. To persecute the word with blasphemies Matth. 12. 30. And with violence Io. 8. 44. 8. To withstand the true Preachers of the Gospell with all subtiltie and mischiefe Act. 13. 10. 9. To haue Sathan breathing into the heart continuall disobedience Ephe. 2. 2. 10. To be as it were haltered and choked with cares riches and pleasures Luk 8. 14. All proud sinnes argue Sathans presence in the wicked neuer humbled alwaies and in the beleeuers when they fall into such sinnes till they for sake them by repentance Diabolicibus est ebrietas luxuria fornicatio vniuersa vitia Drunkennesse riot whoredome and all proud sinnes are the diuels meat that is he lodgeth feasteth and sporteth himselfe where such abhominations are committed Cyprian sheweth his vigilancie and great strife to re-enter where hee is once dislodged Circuitisle nos singulos tanquam hostis clausos obsidet muros explorat tentat an sit aliqua pars membrorum minus stabilis mirus fida cuius aditr ad interiora penutrat The diuell compasseth about euery one of vs and as an enemie doth beset our walles hee searcheth and trieth whether any part of vs be weake and vnsure
that thereby hee may haue entrance into vs againe Finally to end this point and to come vnto our purpose againe there is nothing we ought in all our liues to bee more carefull of then to striue to discerne betweene the true the blessed and most comfortable peace of Iesus Christ in our hearts and consciences and the false peace and most dangerous and deadly sleepe of carnall and benummed consciences where Sathan dwelleth That if wee haue the one we may with all our might endeuour to preserue it and if we be miserably deluded and so endangered by the other wee may with all speede come to the meanes appointed in the Gospell of Iesus Christ for our deliuerance Great and deadly is the sleepe of all Atheists hypocrites and carnall men before Sathans face by the light of the Gospell bee discerned They are like men which haue drunke some deadly poyson they can but sleepe and delight in sleeping and yet perswade themselues in this miserable security that all is wel Our Sauiour rendereth a reason of this when he saith Sathan watcheth them with all his strength munition armour and with all violence stâ—…uing to keepe blinde in this state all he can to the day of death There can bee no true peace before Christ by his word and spirit cast forth Sathan out of the mindes and hearts of men as long as men loue darkenesse and hate light as long as the sloniâ—… slintie polluted heart ' and conscience remaineth the peace and sleepe is to be suspected to be Sathanicall Secondly before Christ giue peace hee must needes warre with Sathan Luk. 11. 21. In this warfare the prisoner that Christ taketh which fought against him is the soule of man c. a man therefore must be captiuat and so in soule humbled vnder Christ before true peace in Christs kingdome that peace therefore which is before humiliation is to be suspected Thirdly where Christ hath ouercome there his goood spirit watcheth for hee will not leese any that he hath found Io. 10. 28. Where that spirit is there hee worketh true sanctification of soule spirit and body I. Thess. 5. 23. Where therefore true sanctification is wanting the peace is dangerous and to be suspected But of this more in an other question Now to returne to that wee purposed let vs consider briesly whether the wicked spirites are Gods instruments and messengers to smite vs with the Pestilence The Lorde vseth no doubt as in many other of his iudgements so in this the ministerie of Angels good and euill Hee maketh his Angels like the windes and his ministers are like a flame of fire It was as it seemeth to me a good Angell which with his sword drawne flew so many thousands in Israel in Dauids time Howbeeit Augustine saith hee can neuer remember that the good Angels execute any iudgements vpon any good people And it was the Angell of the Lord that flew in Senacheriâ—…s campe in one night 185000. And they were good Angels which came to Sodome and Gomor when it was destroyed with fire and brimstone It was likewise the Angell of the Lord which smote proud Herod that hee was eaten of wormes Act. 12. 13. Yet Iosephus saith hee sawe an Owle or a Diuell in that likenesse ouer his head presaging that miserable death And he addeth there followed great tormentâ—… in his inwarde parts His grandfather was eaten of lice but this Tyrants death sâ—…meth to be of some sore griping and guawing wormes in his bowels hee was made wormes meate saith Saint Luke It may be hee was tormented of lice without and wormes within But they were euill spirits and Sathans angels which plagued Aegypt Psal. 78. 49. 50. Hee cast vpon them the fiercenesse of his anger indignation and wrath and vexation by the sending out of euill angels hee made a way to his anger hee spared not their soule from death but gaue their life to the Pestilence And sathan is saide to fill Iobes body all ouer with most pestiferous botches and biles One saith the diuell gathereth of the first seeds of nature and applyeth them to some matter and so can produce strange effects but how farre hee can proceede in nature it is hard to iudge The diuell is limited two wayes First hee cannot out-reach nature Secondly the will of the Lord so saith hee the diuell can bring pestilence famine biles for he knoweth of what causes these euils do arise And an other reuerend diuine saith The wicked angels are Gods instruments in the pestilence working by naturall causes So the diuell is said to send the godly to prison but by meanes of tyrants Reue. 2. 10. and chap. 6. 8. 9. verse 1. At the commandement of God the windes are in like manner sent foorth by euill angels from the which windes doubtlesse it is manifest that many infections of the ayre and this infection chiefly doth arise And Augustine vpon the Psalme 78. hee is of iudgement that the good and euill Angels can vse these visible Elements and by them effect many things As men saith he can vse them not onely to sustaine life but also according to the measure of their knowledge most artificially both in sundrie supersluous trisles and in diuers mechanicall effects There be three sorts of maladies wherâ—…by the wicked are plagued and the godly chastened of the Lord. The first kinde is meere naturall the second is meere diabolicall the third is mixt Meere naturall I call all those which haue their causes knowne in nature discerned and cured not by rude Empyriâ—… but by the learned in the practise of Phisicke as the ordinary common diseases among the people Meere diabolicall I thinke wee may câ—… those euils wherein no cause appearâ—… to the most perfect and learned Phisition but some secret cause that is some wicket spirit sent of God to distemper the body and to cause the naturall faculties and parts of the body eyther not to be able to performe their duties or to benumbe the body or to do farre more with greater strength and violence then nature alone can effect such were those the scripture cals dâ—…moniaci possessed of diuels or holden of diuels or as some learned men reade inspired by diuels In which most grieuous affliction Sathan doth most commonly bereaue the possessed of the vse of common sense and reason working in them beside their ordinarie course of nature straunge effects euen such as the most iudicious both Phisitions and Diuines cannot ascribe to any other cause but to Sathans effectuall working There is great wisedome and heede to bee taken in helping and healing such at this day for it is not done by coniuration or diuination as Popish Priestes professe and practise but by entreating the Lord humbly in fasting and prayer I see no warrant we haue to talke or question with Sathan for hee is the Lords executioner hee hath sent him what authoritie then haue wee to commaund
continually to possesse a good conscience Thus then I trust according to Gods holy veritie a good conscience may be described A good conscience is an assured vnder◅anding in the minde a feeling in the heart of the iudgement of God acquiting and discharging vs frō our sinnes by faith in Iesus Christ and an inward witnesse testifying with vs of our holy endeuour to walke in all the commaundements of God Psal. 119. ver 6. Here in this description I consider two thinges principally first the feeling and finding in the conscience of that wonder◅ull peace which passeth vnderstanding as the Apostle speaketh by our free iustification and discharge from all our sinnes in Iesus Christ Rom. 5. 1. Secondly I consider the most iovfull inward testimonie and boldnesse which we haue when we are assured that our actions are warrantable by Gods word sanctified by Gods spirit and accepted of God in Christ. 2. Cor. 1. 12. The first thing I say that gladdeth and reioyceth the conscience is that peace which is purchased by the bloud of Iesus Christ betweene God and vs such peace as the merits of all men and Angelles coulde neuer procure vnto vs. Rom. 5. 1. Beeing iustified by faith wee haue peace with God through our Lorde Iesus Christ. Hebr. 10. 22. Let vs drawe neare with a true heart in assurance of faith our hearts beeing purified from an euill conscience Of this peace speaketh Christ to his Apostles Iohn 14. verse 27. Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you not as the' worlde giueth giue I vnto you let not your hearts be troubled nor feare This peace most cheared and comforted Abraham Iohn 8. verse 56. Rom. chap. 4. And this causeth Dauid to sing often and to stirre vp all the powers of his soule to sing praises vnto God All that is within mee sayeth hee praise his holy name the reason is added which forgiueth all thine iniquitie and healeth all thine infirmities And because Christ is the matter and the onely purchaser of this wonderfull peace the Apostle cannot fasten his heart and affections vpon any thing but vpon Christ. The things which were aduantage vnto me the same I counted losse for Christs sake yea doubtlesse I thinke all things but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lorde for whome I haue counted all thinges losse and doo iudge them to bee dung that I might winne Christ. This peace therefore whereof we speake doth more rauish euery true beleeuers heart then any earthly pardon or peace whatsoeuer can comfort his heart which is adiudged and condemned vnto the most terrible torments that can bee deuised on earth the Apostle calles it rightly th◅ peace that passeth vnderstanding Philip. 4. 7. the peace which can be felt but cannot be vttered The second thing that cheareth our consciences and bringeth a secondarie peace vnto vs is an inward assurance that our actions are warrantable by Gods word san◅tified by his good spirit and accepted of God in Iesus Christ as the workes of his children of this the Apostle speaketh and reioyceth saying Our reioycing is this the testimonie of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenesse and not in fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God wee haue had our conuersation in the world and most of all towardes you This secōd peace is euer a consequent of the former and neuer goeth before but followeth after for that before we come to Christ receiue a sweet smelling ointmē◅ from him our best actions are altogether vnsauourie and vncleane Because there are many dangerous errors of conscience obserue well the marks The markes and signes of this good conscience which we haue h◅herto described are these following THis cōscience alone hath free accesse vnto the throne of grace to make requests for our wants strengthened by the spirit of prayers Wee know that we are of the truth and shall before him assure our hearts for if our hearts condemne vs God is greater then our hearts and knoweth all things beloued if our hearts condemne vs not then haue we boldnesse towards God and whatsoeuer we aske we receiue of him Oratio de cōscientia procedit si cōscientia erubescat erubes◅et oratio Tertul. de castit Praier doth proceed from the conscience if the conscience blush prayer will be ashamed 2 This conscience doth most glory in ◅ope to see the glory of God Rom. 5. 2. Heb. 3. 6. Luk. 10. 20. 3 Another good signe is this incomparably to loue and esteeme Christ f◅ such haue truly felt and knowne what peace is purchased by Christ. 4. An other speciall marke of a good conscience is inestimably to value the word of grace the Gospell of peace that word of reconciliation and the ministery thereof for none can so highly esteeme of them as they which by these holy meanes haue bin reconciled vnto God Note what honor the beleeuers giue the message and messengers thereof Rom. 10. 15. Act. 10. 24. 25. Act verse 15 33. Gal 4. 15. 5 The Apostle euer chaines and knits faith vnfained loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience together 6 An inward care to liue in all honestie of life this is an inseparable companion of a good conscience Heb. 13. 18. Pray for vs we haue a good conscience in all things desiring to liue honestly When wee haue a precious pea◅le wee studie and endeuour with all our might so to preserue it as that we neuer leese it vnlesse it be taken from vs by violence 7 To keepe a good conscience we must be well assured of our actions to be warrantable by the word Heb. 13. 18. We are assured that wee haue a gaod conscience in all things 1. Cor. 4. 4. I know nothing by my selfe 8 Where this peace that passeth vnderstanding is the Apostle saith it keepeth the heart that is the will and affections the mind the seat of reason the vnderstanding the facultie of discoursing and iudging in obedience to Christ Iesus Phil. 4. 7 2. Of troubled consciences THe faithfull are disquieted often in their consciences An vnquiet or troubled conscience is a wonderfull griefe of heart conceiued in the feare of Gods iudgements whereby the soule is pressed downe and mourneth vntill it be comforted by ◅auh in Iesus Christ. The conscience is a tender ◅eece as the eye and therefore we must take heed how we offer any violence to it 1 There doth arise in all worldlings a most extreame sorrow for the losse of dignities preferments honour health prosperitie and riches c. When the carnall churle Nabal heard that his substance was diminished his heart dyed within him and he was like a stone This griefe is no griefe of conscience arising of the feare of Gods presence or judgements but a sorrow which doth proceed from a feare of some worldly and externall wants in this present life So in like maner
vs in soule or in body the blessed Angels far passe them to preserue vs and protect vs in both Now blessed be God in this inspeakable mercie for this wonderfull honour and glory hee giueth his poore children heere vpon earth that hee accounts them worthy the communion and fellowship of his most holy Angels And yet hee giueth them a greater glory then this for they haue his owne presence most comforable for Iesus Christ walketh with them in afflictions as partly before hath bene shewed and yet in that which followeth shall be more plainely proued Here to conclude this question forget not to make this vse of this holy doctrine First learn by the excellencie of these holy creatures the great glory of their creator Secondly learne by their loue to conceiue rightly of the infinit loue of thy God towardes thee Thirdly remember seeing they be but our fellow-seruants they must not be adored Fourthly consider often how much thou art bound to bee thankefull ◅or this blessed protection Fifthly learne humilitie by their examples they take vp poore Lazarus in their armes and poore sinners often Lastly let thy behauiour be comely with all reuerence in thy secret chambers and priuate affaires because of their presence And so much for this question Verse 13. Thou shalt walke vpon the fierce lion and the aspe thou shalt treade vpon the young lyon and the dragon THis verse againe containeth a consequent of an antecedent set downe in the last verse aforegoing And here hedoth amplifie what he spake before of the Pestilence well I said the pestilence was like the snare of a hunter like an arrow c. I say yet further let it be as fierce as a lyon as venemous as an aspe as terrible as a dragon yet if thou canst beleeue in Iesus Christ and repose thy selfe in the prouidence of the Almightie in the Almightie and watchfully walke in thy waies it shall goe well with thee This reason is thus formed Such as haue the holy Angels to preserue them may walke safely amongst lyons and aspes and pestiferous euils such as the Pestilence is But thou that beleeuest in the Almightie thou that watchfully walkest in thy wayes thou hast the holy Angels to preserue thee Wherefore thou shalt be preserued in the Pestilence Here we may well vnderstand first generally by lyons and aspes and dragons all the great dangers secret and open euils of this present life Note here for instruction and comfort what the life is of Gods Saintes on earth Assoone as thou hast giuen vp thy name to Iesus Christ there wil bend themselues against thee and beset thee all the wicked spirits that can flie vpon thee and all the euil men of this world will vow thy destruction and like dragons lyons aspes will these euer bestir themselues to poyson thee to sting thee teare thee in peeces But be no whit dismaied this was and is the condition of all thy bretheren and remember there are more better stronger and mightier with thee then against thee which thing thou mightest visibly discerne if thine eyes were opened But we walke and liue by faith Againe I am of iudgement that the Psalmist doth here also in other termes laie before vs the plague and the great danger therof as touching this mortal life For like as before he calles the pestilence tropically 1. The snare of the hunter 2. the feare of the night 3. the arrow that flieth by day 4. the reward of the wicked so here 5. he calles the same euil a fierce lyon 6. a venimous aspe 7. a yoong lyon and lastly a terrible dragon First let vs see wherefore the plague is compared to a lyon 1 FIrst because of the rauenous crueltie of this beast she teareth all our beasts in peeces especially then when shee hath young the she lion spareth as they say no pray euen so the pestilēce spareth no sorts of men 2 For the inuincible strength of this beast there is none comparable vnto the lion Euen so the pestilence of all other diseases is most strong deadly brings downe to the earth as well the strongest as the weakest 3 The lion is a beast of a most hotte and fierie nature euen so the plague for the infected complaine much of their extreame burning Secondly hee compareth the Pestilence to the aspe WHere the aspe biteth his wounds be not great But like as they say to the prickes of pins or needles but there followeth his bitings strange effects for such as the aspe biteth are smitten with a numnesse throughout all parts and there followeth a wonderfull coldnesse continuall gasping heauinesse in the head and after all this a deadly sleepe There be diuers kindes of these serpents Some breede dimnesse in the eyes paine of the heart swelling in the face and deafenesse in the eares some bring present death and some kill within three houres space Wee haue here then not an vnfit comparison considering what like dangerous effectes the aspe and the plague breed in the bodies of men Some by the Hebrue word here vsed vnderstand the Basilisco or Cockatrice There is no◅reeping thing can abide the least hissing of this venemous worme Such as be bitten by this beast are tormented with extreame heate and burning in their bodies the falling of the haire followeth and present death not long after And some say it is death also to see it or to heare the hissing of it Surely there are some such lke symptomes to bee found in the Pestilence and the Phisitions counsell vs not to eie them greatlie which are infected But I thinke our sinfull feares bring manie euils vpon vs which otherwise might well be auoided Thirdlie hee compareth the plague to the Dragon THis beast saith Plinie and other naturall writers doth not cast forth poison but killeth by violence and tearing in peeces as the lions do For these beasles haue great sharpe teeth like wilde sowes with which they crush and rend in peeces any thing The P◅stilence is compared to this beast by the Psalmist and by a man of wonderfull experience and sight in naturals because they are alike dangerous terrible and of like poison and qualities together THE 6. LECTVRE Verse 14. Because he loueth me therefore will I deliuer him I will exalt him because hee hath knowne my name NOw the Lord himselfe speaketh and confirmeth as it were to the conscience by his good spirit all that his Prophet hath hitherto spokē both of Gods promises and of his owne experience for it is but a small comfort onely to heare the experience of other men the sweete promises of the Lord in the outward ears vnlesse the holy spirit speake also effectually vnto the heart conscience But here obserue how first the Lord will haue vs to attend vnto the experience of his Saints and the ministrie of his word before hee adde his owne effectuall working The reason is thus framed He that knoweth
things most â—…arre distant as one soule binâ—…es head and â—…eete together in one body To be â—…ort the Lord to bring his children to this high pitch of honour and dignitie doth proceede with them in this manner as followeth First the holy spirit singleth and seuereth thâ—…m out of the world by the â—…ound of â—…is Gospel 〈◊〉 15. 19. I haue chosen you out of the world And receiueth them to his owne house â—…nd â—…amilie Ephe. 2. 18. 19 Ye are no more strangers and forreners but citizens with the Saints of the houshold of God The 2. effect is Hee prepareth our hearts by faith to receiue Christ. And to this end 1. he renueth the minde 2. hee giueth an vnderstanding heart Marc 4. 10. â—…1 to receiue Christ by faith Ioh. 1. 11. To renue the mind his light dispelleth ignorance bringeth in that woÌ„derful doctrine which coÌ„ueâ—…teth the soule Psal 199. To renue the heart 1. he sofâ—…th and humbleth it by the preaching of Gods law Ezech. 11. 19. 20. 2. he causeth it with sighes and grones to confesse Rem 826. There is no good thing in my flesh 3. the heart hungreth after Christ and his righteousnesse Mat. 5. 6. 4. Lastly he worketh in the heart that admirable worke of God Iohn 629. Even a pretious and victorious faith to receiue as with a haÌ„d Iesus Christ and his benefits Ioh. 1. 12. The 3. effect and worke of Gods spirit is hee giueth them as a free gift vnto Christ. Ioh. 1027. 924. And Christ vnto them againe in like maner Rom 8 3. 2. CaÌ„t. 2. 16. My welheloued is mine anâ—… I am his The 4. effect The holy spirit doth in a most wonderfull and reall manner knit their soules and hearts vnto Christ and Christ ento them againc so that Christ become the head and the beleeuer the liuely member of Christ. So as the branches haue not a mâ—…re certaine sap life and growth by the vine then the true beleeuer hath life grace and growth in al good graces from Christ. lab 15. 1. 2. For this cause the Apostle saith truly We are mibers of his body of his flesh of his bones Epâ—… 5. 38. 21 Fiftly then Christ doth communicate vnâ—…o them being thus vnited vnto him by the wonderfull worke of his spirit all graces and blessings which conceâ—…ne their euerlasting saluation 1. They are couered with his righteousnes as with a golden robe Gal. 2. 27 They receiue by his spirit the precious vertue of his death which hath a great â—…fficacie to kill sinne Rom 6. 6. Gal. 6 15. and the vertue of his buriall to rot sin that so they may loath it as an vnsaâ—… carrion being crucified and slaine in them and the vertue of his resurrection Phil. 38. 9. whereby they are made new creatures Gal 6. 15. 16. 3 Because of this communiâ—…n wee are said to bee partakers of the diuine nature And the beleeuer may speake all this the Apostle speaketh in his owne person I am crucified with Christ but I liue yet not I any more but Christ liueth in me and in that I now liue in the flesh I liue by faith in the sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me Insignis sententia fideles extra se viuere id est in Christo A notable saying saith maister Cal. the faithfull â—…ue without themselues in Christ. 6 Lastly when they are thus highly aduanced into the communion of the holy Trinitie all the holy Angels and Saints of God they slay not then in one stay but they must haue their dayly confirmation by the said word and spirit that so they may haue a holy growth vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the full growth or fulnesse of Christ. And this growth is signified vnto vs by the growth and increase which is to be seene in the partes of any naturall body Ephe 4. 15. Let vs follow the trueth in loue and in all things grow vp to him which is the head that is Christ. And againe Col. 2. 19. All the body furnished and knit togither by ioynts and bands increaseth with the encreasing of God Thus farre briesly of this holy communion The third promise And I will deliuer him The Lord will haue his childreÌ„ wade through afflictions yea sometimes to bee smitten with the plague it selfe but hee will deliuer them that is hee will restore him to health if that bee good for him or else he wil change this miserable and transitorie life with the happy and immortall life which is best of all Blessed is the man whom God correcteth therefore refuse not thou the chastâ—… of the Almightie for hee maketh the wound and bindeth 〈◊〉 vp hee smiteth and his hands make whole he shall deliuer thee in fixe troubles and in the seuenth the 〈◊〉 shall not touch thee The fourth promise And I will bring him to honour It is not to bee doubted but God hath perâ—…ormed this promise alwayes to his children whether wee vnderstand it of an earthly â—…anour or an heauenly they which faile of this one are sure notwithstanding of the other and sometime of both Ioseph and Daniel of both after great aduersitie Hezekâ—…as Dauid and Iob of both after plagues and pestilentiall maladies Yet Lazarus and many of his condition wanting this vaine and transitory glory haue receiued the greater measure of the heauenly Here againe I do not thinke but that he putteth vs in minde of the glory of our resurrection and of our regeneration where assuredly our glory begins 2. Cor. 1. 18. which while wee consider albeit afflictions for the present are greeuous yet wee must be wonderfully cheared and comâ—…orted for howsoeuer heere for a moment our bodies bee subiect to many most grieuous and noysome diseases for our correction and chasticement and after to putrefaction yet in the ende they shall be â—…illed with a wonderfull glory For they shall shine in the resurrection as the Sunne and shall be like the Angels of God Whereas the wicked shall ariâ—…e to a greater shame then if they were filled with all the sores and plagues of Aegypt And therefore this promise much comforted Iob â—…or thus he speaketh of it in his great passions most chearefully I am sure that my Redeemer lâ—…cth and he shall stand the last on the earth and though after my skinnâ—… wormes destroy this body yet shall I see God in my flesh whom I my selfe shall see and mine eyes shall behold and none other for me though my reynes are consumed within mee The fifth promise With length of daies will I sanctifie him Here I iudge this promise as that aforegoing and the last which followeth concerneth both the life present and that which is to come The faithfull then in that plague looked euery mâ—…ment for death and therefore they haue this promise to comfort them An old age is promised as a blessing often to the godly and they
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
translated out of Dutch into Latine and in English thus much God hath created phisicke and giuen vs a minde and reason that euerie man should haue a care of his owne bodie for health and life whosoeuer vvil not vse these vvhen as vvithout the hurt of his neighbour hee may the same man betraieth his owne life and there lacketh little but that before God he is made a murtherer for by the same reason hee may despise meate and drinke rayment and housing and trusting too much vnto his faith saie if God vvill hee can preserue me without all these thinges then the which follie this is yet greater that hee whiche after this sorte casteth off the care of his bodie he may hurt and infect others also and so through his negligence he may purchase the blame of a murderer Some men doe indeed as foolish men doe in a common firing which will not come and helpe the citie but let the fire alone that the whole citie might be burned namelie vpon this trust doubtlesse if God will ◅e can without water quench the fire But friend thou oughtest in no wise so to deale Nay it is vnlawfull and shamefull which thou perswadest thy selfe but rather vse remedies and medicines and doo whatsoeuer anie way may helpe perfume thine house orchard or streete flie the infested places and so behaue thy selfe as one willing to quench and not to maintaine this open fire Againe it followeth in the same treatise If Sathan by the will of God either by himselfe or his Ministers hath wrought vs this deadlie infection I on the other side before all things will pray vnto God that of his mercie he will take away the same from vs then I will put to my simple helping hand both by perfuming aud clensing of the ayre by vsing of medicines and also in sbunning the infection where my presence is not necessarie Lest I might seeme my selfe to haue neglected some thing or to be cause of death vnto other who through my negligence may take harme But if God neuerthel◅sse will haue me vi◅ited with this sicknesse or call me out of this world vnto his kingdome yet I haue done but that which was my dutie neither haue I offeded◅◅n any thing either against my selfe or my neighhour but vvhere my seruice is needfull there I will let passe nothing of all things which either can or ought to be done of me Behold this is that godly faith indeed which doth nothing rashly neither tempteth God in any thing Thus thē I conclude when thou shalt haue wisely considered and discerned the causes of the pestilence then turn to God as the Prophet biddeth with all thine heart with fasting with weeping with mourning and slie aloft by faith into the secret place almightie shadow blessed protection of the Lord and there rest patiētly as vnder his holy wings euer praying for the increase of faith and patience that thou maist quietly wa◅t and depend vpon God and for a good conscience that so thou maist auoyde false foolish vaine and wicked feares and cheerfully standing in thy place and carefully call for the protection of the mightie blessed and holie Angels for the communion and presence of Iesus Christ so shalt thou chase far*away from thee the wicked and vncleane spirits which are sent of God to poysen and to destroy men with the pestilence And lastly when thou hast vsed al the meanes before shewed for thy spirituall helpe and comfort thou must neglect no ordinance nor helpe of God in nature both for thy cure and preseruation The wicked indeed inuert peruert this order as did Asa and therefore no maruell if they receiue often a curse in steed of a blessing for if phisicke giue them health of body their soules notwithstanding are neuer cured or made any better by their chasticements but they daily gather more strength to commit sin with greater boldnesse MAISTER GREENEHAMS PRAYER O God most mighty glorious and righteous O Father most louing gracious and merciful which keepest couenant and mercie in Iesus Christ for all those which receiuing the first fruites of thy holy spirit walke before thee in vprightnesse of their heart we thy vnworthy children come vnto thee in the name of thy onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ our Lord beseeching thee to renue and encrease thy holy spirit in vs and to purifie our hearts more and more by faith that we may haue a clearer sight and a surer perswasion of thy fatherly goodnesse vnto vs and that we may more readily perform our dutifull obedience vnto thee For we do acknowledge confesse vnto thy sacred Maiestie that wee haue yet neuer hitherto worthily estemed thy mercies towards vs nor sufficiently expressed the fruites of our bounden dutie towards thee but that stil we remaine ignorant and forgetfull of many good things which wee ought and might know And we confesse Lord we are slack vnto those things which thy holy spirit offereth to our mindes vnapt to do them soone weary of wel-doing and wherein we please thee something we please our selues too much Moreouer we likewise confesse that we are ignorant of many euill things that we haue done doo or may doo forgetfull of diuers things which sometime we haue had knowledge and remorce of And now the thinges which come to our remembrance and are in our sight do not appeare to be so sinfull in any measure as they are and ought of vs to be regarded Yea we are beguiled or euer we are aware with our present corruptions and they cleaue so fast vnto vs that wee can hardly leaue them but most hardly be brought to true repentance of them We besee◅h therfore thy sacred Maiestie to worke in vs by thy holy spirit a wise and carefull searching out of and into our sinnes that by thy lawe wee may be conuinced of them awakened by thy threatnings rebuked for them by thy iudgements executed vpon the wicked and exercised towarde thy children seruants and friends that so we may feare and tremble for them And by the serious premeditation of the vncertaine houre of a most certaine death of the day of thy generall in◅itable and dreadfull iudgement of the horrible euerlasting paines of the wicked in the helles and their losse of the inestimable ioyes of the heauens stirre vp our dead heartes to seeke thee O Father in thy Christ and thy sonne our Lorde and Sauiour in the Gospell And finally wee pray that wee may be euen confounded in our selues by the fruitfull remembrance of thy blessed sufferings the most precious bloud-sheading and death of our Lorde Iesus Christ that so wee may bee humbled after that manner and measure thy children should bee beseeching thee that wee may so aforehand accuse our selues before thy blessed Maiestie that our aduersarie may haue no power hereafter to accuse vs so iudge our selues that we be not iudged by thee so with shame sorrow feare trembling acknowledge the
vilenesse oâ—… our sinnes wholely before the throne of thy iustice that wee finde it to be a throne of grace and mercie vnto vs in Iesus Christ our Lord. Now O Lord the searcher of the hearts and reynes thou knowing this to be the humble and single desire of our hearts we flye vnto thee for refuge beseeching thee by thy holy spirit to worke in vs a clearer sight of the wisedome of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby our mindes may be further cleared from blindnes and we haue a clearer sight of the whole misterie of our saluation in him and graunt vs God a fuller perswasion of the discharge of all our sinnes in his death and of the imputation of his righteousnesse vnto vs in his resurrection that the guiltinesse of our conscience may daily more and more goe away from vs and peace of the same be confirmed in vs especially in the time of our temptation and trouble the day of our death and the houre of iudgement And next most mercifull Father graunt vs a more powerfell experience of his death killing sinne in vs and of his resurrection raising vs vp vnto a new life that daily we may be lesse sinfull and more holy righteous and sober in this present life that so also wee may haue a more sure and stedfast hope in his redemption and may more strongly resist the vanities of this world in false pleasures profits and glories and more patiently endure all manner of miseries of the same which may befall vs vntill his glorious appearing when he shal come to bee glorious in his Saintes and made maruellous in all those which beleeue in him Amen Furthermore O Lord whereas we are priuie to our selues or it is knowne vnto others or vnto thee that thereby any sinne or sinnes more strange in vs through our corrupt nature or custome or the temptatioÌ„ of others or of the tempter we beseech thee that there we may labour to finde the precious death of our Lord Iesus Christ more powerfull in subduing the same and whereas through vnabilitie of nature want of meanes or grace wee are weaker in any duties of well-doing there wee may striue to finde the vertue of his glorious resurrection more effectuall in raising vs vp in meanes of life so that our familiar corruptions being cured and our speciall infirmities beeing relieued wee may be also endued as with generall graces meete for all Christians so with such peculiar graces as may be meete for our callings and inable vs to gloriâ—…ie thy holy name build vp others in well doing and treasure vp the fruites of a good conscience for our selues at all times and especially in our neede And in this behalfe the desire of our heart is that thy holy spirit worke in vs the renouncing of our reason so farre forth as it is blinde and the crucifying of our affections so farre forth as they be corrupt that so wee may offer them vp with soule and body in sacrifice of humiliation and that hauing receiued these graces we may also oâ—…er them vp in a sacrifice of obedience vnto thy gracious Maiestie And wherein soeuer wee haue doe or shall with thy graces obey thee wee desire to offer vp thy graces our obedience and our selues in a sacrifice of thankesgiuing and praising of thy holy and blessed name through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen All thy waies O Lord we acknowledge to be mercie and truth we beseech thee therefore giue vs the holy fruites of all the good meanes thou hast heretofore wrought our good by as thy holy and sweete promises preached vnto vs red of vs meditated vpon by our selues or conferred of with others the prayers thankesgiuings Psalmes Hymnes of our selues our friends and thy church thy sacred Sacraments the ministeric of thy holy Angels the coÌ„munion of thy Saints admonitioÌ„ which hath bin giueÌ„ vs for our good most humbly entreating that we may haue sanctified vnto vs the remembrance of thy former mercies bestowed vpoÌ„ thy church vpoÌ„ any member therof or vpoÌ„ our selues either in benefits or in crosses albeit our nature is most impatieÌ„t either of reproches offred vnto vs by our enemies or any iniuries by our friends yet herein we feruently aske of thy wise and mercifull goodnes that wee may reape a good fruite euen of such euill meanes And because wee grow to be acquainted with the pride of ourspirits and sloathfulnesse of our flesh and fewe meanes are left vs and many offences by our selues conceiued by others and Sathan offered do alreadie and are daily like more to assaile vs O Lord thou which hast bene our God euen from our first birth especially since our new birth bee thou the God of our middle age yea of our old dayes if wee liue so long vntill thou finish the last worke of our new birth begun and continued thus farre in vs. To this ende we aske of thee that we may vow and receiuing grace from thee wee doo vowe to vse all these forenamed good meanes of our saluation more mercifully then yet euer we vsed them in vsing of them wee aske more feare of thy Maiestie faith of thy promises purenesse of our hearts loue vnto others and withall blessing and fruite more aboundant that our latter workes may be better then our former Wofull experience O blessed Sauiour teacheth and moueth vs to call vpon thee as for these former things so to be preserued and protected by thy almightie and mercifull grace from our owne corruption to come from all Sathans temptations and accusations from all manner of contagion of the vngodly in their iniuries reproches and in their benefites praises their sorceries inchantments yea from any hurt of thy children as they be not regenerate from any hurt by thy creatures so farre forth as any of these things may hurt our saluation Former experience Ô mightie God and mercifull Father ought not onely to teach but also to enforce vs to giue thee thankes praise and glory for thy former mercies vpon vs and thy Church bestowed but wherein thou hast prouided for vs many arguments of strength of faith or ignorance forgetfulneâ—…e negligence and want of reuerence of thy mercies receiued minister iust cause of humiliation and therefore in some faith in and thankfulnesse for thy former mercifull blessings and yet in much weakenesse in the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord with our whole heart we beseech thee giue vs a good portion of thy spirit to call carefully thy benefites to our remembrance wisely to vnderstand them and reuerently to regard and truly to be thankfull for them in minde in heart in word and deed through Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen Wee beseech thee most mightie God and mercifull Father to make partakers of our praiers and thankesgiuings all the whole Church and euery member therof especially where dutie most chargeth promise bindeth necessitie craueth and thy glory chalengeth c. LEt the rich seeke for the godly wise and learned