Pestilence 3. To what ende the Lorde thus smiteth his owne people in the Church with the Pestilence and what vse we are to make of this and of all kindes of afflictions To come then to the Booke of God first let vs learne I say wherefore the Lord hath sent in all ages this destroyer into the world And next we will in like manner consider of the instruments and meanes whereby the Lorde poysoneth the Elements and so smiteth man with the Pestilence And lastly to what ende hee thus proceeds in execution of his feareful iudgements The causes which moue the Lorde to persecute the worlde vniuersally with the Pestilence are the intollerable sinnes of men and in the Church these speciall impieties and wickednesses which followe as motiues and causes of this euill are offered vnto our wise and godly consideration First I sinde that ignorance contempt and negligēce in the pure worship of God causeth the Lord to smite vs with the Pestilence Moses saith to Pharaoh Exod. 5. 3. Let vs goe three dayes iourney into the wildernesse and sacrifice vnto the Lord our God Then hee addeth this reason Least he bring vpon vs the Pestilence or sword Contrarily to the true worshipper it is said The Lord shall blesse thy bread and thy water and I will take away all sicknesse from the midst of thee A second cause is infidelitie and rebellion against the word and the holy ministrie of the same Thus saith the Lord Num. 14. 11. 12. How long will this people prouoke me◅ How long will it be ere they beleeue me Here is the cause I will smite them with the Pestilence Here is the effect A third cause is this to trust to the creatures in extremities and not in the Lorde as to men and armour in times of warre this was Dauids sinne for it is said Sathan stood vp against Israel and prouoked Dauid to number Israel 1. Chron. Chap. 21. verse 1. Here is the cause So the Lord sent a Pestilence and there feli of Israel seuentie thousand men verse 14. Here is the effect Contrary vnto this sinne is the patient resting of the faithful vpō god in aducisities to whom it is said Who so dwelleth in the secret of the most high shall abide in the shadow of the Almightie A fourth cause wee finde is spirituall and corporall whoredome and all superstition whatsoeuer of this cause Moses writeth Num. 25. and Dauid Psalme 106. 28. 29 They ioyned themselues vnto Baal-peor and did eate the offerings of the dead thus they prouoked God to anger with their owne inuentions thus farre the cause the effect And the Plague breake in vpon them A fifth cause is blasphemie and all the prophanation of the most great and glorious name of God and the want of a due feare and reuerence in his worship according to his name power and maiestie If thou wilt not feare this glorious and fearefull name of the Lord thy God Here is the cause want of reuerence of God and all that is contrary to this feare all prophanation of this great name of God the effect followeth Then will I make thy plagues wonderfull and the plagues of thy seed euen great plagues and of long continuance and sore diseases and of long durance all the diseases of Egypt e◅ery plague c. A sixt cause is the gracelesse contempt of the holy word and of the messengers and Ministers of the same Thus saith Ieremie to the Iewes in Ierusalem which would not be taught by Gods word and despised the Prophets of God chap. 29. 18. I will persecute them with the sword with the famine and with the Pestilence Here is the effect first the cause followeth because they haue not heard I. obeyed my word saith the Lord which I sent vnto them by my seruants the Prophets c. In the seuenth place all the sins of Sodome pride fulnes of bread want of mercy idlenes c. may be numbred These caused the famine warres and pestilence in Zedekiahs miserable kingdome Ezech. 16. 46. 47. and Iere. 29. 17. 18 And the eight cause is the affliction grieuance of Gods people Tyre and Sidon they shal be smitten from the Lord with the pestilence saith Ezechiel for afflicting Gods people I will send her pestilence and blood into her streetes the cause is added they shall be no more a pricking thorne vnto the house of Israel nor a grieuous thorne Eusebius speaking of the famine warres and pestilence in the East parts vnder Maximinius and at the same time in Rome and West parts vnder Maxentius he sheweth the cause in these wordes Quis autem sicausam tantorum malorum inquirat persecutionem aduersus nos motam causae loco assignare dubitauerit c. Who shall doubt to affirme that the persecution or affliction of Gods Church and people was the cause of all the euils that fell vpon the world vnder those two Tyrants for tenne yeares space for when they gaue libertie to the Christians their plague ceased To the same purpose he writeth againe in the same story shewing how all the calamities which came vpon the world they are sent from God for the affliction of his people Let the ninth cause bee the abuse of the holy Sacraments as in generall of all diseases so no doubt one especiall of the pestilence Thus the Apostle speaketh For this cause meaning the abuse of his Sacrament first many are weake secondly many are sicke thirdly many are asleepe i. dead already I. Cor. 11. 30. This also is a generall impietie which hath ouer-spread Citie Towne and Countrey for Saboths and Sacraments be exceedingly prophaned by reason of the blinde ministrie of the land Christ is not preached his diuine mystries be not opened to the people The precious and the vile are alike accepted to the Lordes Table The idolater and blasphemer the murderer and bloody man the adulterer and whoremonger the vsurer and oppressor are thought worthy men to sit and feast with Iesus Chaist The tenth cause the Lorde Iesus saith the Pestilence is one of the messengrs of his comming These messengers some of them are long before Luke 21. verse 12. as persecution for the Gospell Before all these they shall lay hands on you c. Some not long before as famine warres Pestilence earthquakes c. verse 9. But after these the ende followeth not by and by some shall be euen in his comming verse 26 the powers of heauen to be shaken the Sun to be darkned the Moone to loose her light the starres to fall the whole frame of heauen to passe away with a noise 2. Peter 3. 10. the element◅ and the whole earth to consume away with heat and lastly the great signe of the sonne of man shall appeare The Plague then in these times is the sword of reuenge drawne foorth against all nations when the Lorde sendeth it for the contempt of the Gospell of
SPIRITVALL PRESERVATIVES against the Pestilence OR SEVEN LECTVRES ON the 91. Psalme First Printed in Anno. 1593. And now reuised corrected and published as generally for the instruction of ignorant people so specially for the confirmation of the weake seruants of Iesus Christ describing the most diuine and most soueraigne Preseruatiues against the pestilence By H. Holland Hereunro is added a sweete Prayer of M. R. Greenhams neuer before published Leuit. 26. 25. I will send a sword vpon you that shall auenge the quarell of my couenant when ye are gathered in your cities I will send the Pestilence among you LONDON Printed by T. C. for Iohn Browne and Roger Iackson 1603. The Contents of this Booke 1 Q. What benefit comfort and rest Gods peop'e receiue by faith against the Pestilence 2 Q. Wherefore the Lord smiteth his people with the Pestilence 3 Q. How the wicked spirits are Gods speciall instruments in the Pestilence 4 Q. That a good conscience is a speciall preseruatiue against the Pestilence 5 Q. How graciously the Lord preserues his people by his holy Angels in the Pestilence 6 Q What wonderfull communion there is betweene Christ and his holy members best knowne to Gods people in afflictions 7 Of the visitation of the sicke in all diseases TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE SYR ROBERT LEE LORD Maior of the Citie of London and to the Right Worshipfull Syr Iames Pemberton and Syr Iohn Swinerton Knights and Sheriffes and to the Right Worshipfull the Aldermer their brethren H. H wisheth all graces to be mulâ—…plied by Gods holy spirit as for the gouernment of the said Citie so for their owne euerlasting saluation in Iesus Christ. THe Almightie God Right Honourable and Worshipfull in all ages of the woride hath euer reclaimed his people from their sinnes by sundry his most iust indgements and correstions and warned them by his manifold mercies and blessings saith the holie psalmist To walke vprightly in his statutes and to obserue his lawes There is no nation in all Europe freed from the bondage of Antichrist and professing the bolie Gospell of Iesus Christ so entreated both waies for many yeares as we haue bene The Lords mercies and blessings cannot be numbred take a short view of his chasticements and fatherly corrections vppon vs. He hath put vs in minde of our disobedience often by the pestilence which is one speciall reuenger of his couenant And for many yeares past he neuer left pleading with vs by warres famine or by pestilence but in all euils when we cried vnto him he soone called backe his anger and did not stir vp all his wrath against vs. Now againe when we thought all our sorrowes to be paft that our blessed King should seale vp conclude our peace with God man yet still the Lord proclaimes his wrath against vs For we be not vpright with him neither are we faithfull in his couenant Sundrie stories haue recorded how in all ages the Lorde hath swept away multitudes with the pestilence In the yeare of Christ 81. when Vespasian was Emperour and againe in the yeare of Christ 188. in the daies of Commodus the Emperour there dâ—…d daily in Rome of the pestilence no lesse then 2000. Againe in Anno. 254. there were fifteene prouinces of the Romane Empire Incredibiliter exhaustae saith one wonderfully wasted with the pestilence In the yeare 530. in Iustinians time in Constantinople and there-abouts there died 5000. euery day interdum etiam decem millia sometimes 10000. And in an other part of Greece it is said the plague destroied so many that there were none liuing to bury the dead The stories of the Church speake often of most greeuous plagues vpon the Pagans for afflicting Gods people for this cause Anno. 540. there was an vniuersall plague 50. yeares togither which most greeuously consumed and tormented saith Euagrius all the world And in Italy it is said that An. 1359. the pestilence destroied so many that there scarce remained 10. of a thousand And in Rome where the sonne of perdition sitteth as God in the Temple of God was a plague Ann. 1521. that consumed aboue an hundreth thousand people And since the Gospel began to shine foorth in Germany and other parts of the world the Lord hath consumed and wafted diuerse Cities in the Popes dominions in Italy again as Millan Padua Venice and many moe about the yeare 1576. and 1577. with a most greeuous pestuence which destroied a hundreth thousand in a Citie And it is thought the litle kingdome of Bohemia lost no lesse then 300000. of the plague about the same time In the elder Church of the Iewes the Lorde often in a short time destroied thousands millions as for the sinnes of his people with the Moabites the plague burst in vpon them saith the psalmist and smote 24. thousand And in Dauids time in three dates 70000. When we consider this hand of God so mightie in consuming thousandes in great wrath both in the Church and without both in elder times and of late yeares both in forrein nations otherwhiles in this land and in this Honorable Citie how is it that we do not extoll the most admirable lenitie and fatherly forbearing hand of the Lorde vppon vs in these daies for we shall seldome read or see such gleaning of a few with such patience and long suffering as the Lord hath done with vs. Manie haue a brutish feare worldly sorow as it seemeth because of the losse of their long peace prosperitie but some again on the other side are so foole-hardie that they feare nothing and thinke these louing warnings of the Lord to be but ordinarie and therefore not to be feared and neither regard as Christians anie amendment of life nor as good Citizens good and wise orders appointed for the preseruation of this honorable Citie and the health of the Lordes people The greatest sort flie alwaies from the Lord as in the lesser euils so in this great calamitie to all the naturall helps that can be found and yet receiue small benefit as we all see in the end because they seeke not in the first place to those most precious spiritual preseruatiues helps which the Lord offereth vs against the pestilence Reason phisicke daily experience can teach vs that some secret causes worke in this plague more then in any other For this cause R. H. W. and to satisfie the request of some friendes I was content this Treatise containing I trust some comfortable spiritual helpes against the pectilence should be published for the benefit I hope of some of Gods people Now my humble request vnto your Honor and Worships is that as you be wise prouident and circumspect and verie carefull to remoue all naturall causes which seeme to breede and do indeede give strength vnto this venemous contagion by obserâ—…ation of politicke orders in all the parts of this Honorable citie so
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
Iesus Christ and to proclaime vnto men that if the execution of this iudgement cannot preuaile against their securitie the Lord himselfe commeth speedily to the generall iudgement to sweepe away all sinners from the face of the earth and to cast them into a place of torments where they shall haue plagues farre exceeding the plagues of Egypt not only in body but also in minde not for a day or two but for euer They shall haue plagues without end The eleuenth cause If any yet would know wherefore the Lord sweepeth away so many thousands in the world among Pagans with this beesome of destruction let him take a veiwe of the plagues of Egypt most terrible and dreadfull for besides the reuenge of his people the Lord mentioneth often another cause namely the manifestation of his power and might which he will haue knowne as by his mercies among his people so by his fearefull iudgements vpon his enemies Exod. 7. 4. and 5. By great iudgements the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord Chap. 9. 14. I will at this time send all my plagues vpon thine heart and vpon thy seruants and vpon thy people that thou maiest know that there is none like me in all the earth The twelfth and last cause may bee this againe in the Church among Gods people the reuenge of the couenant of the Lord for where the Lordes Lieutenants and keepers of his couenant the magistrates are slow to draw forth the sword of iustice there the Lord telleth vs he will draw forth his owne swords of famine warres and pestilence Leuit. 26. 14. 15. If ye will not obey me nor doe all these commandements and if yee shall despise mine ordinances either if your soule abhor my lawes so that ye will not do all my commandements but breake my couenant c. verse 25. I will send a sword vpon you that shall auenge the quarrell of my couenant When you are gathered in your Cities I will send the Pestilence among you Deut 28 15. If thou wilt not obey the voyce of the Lord thy God to keepe and doe all his commandements c. verse 21. The Lord shall make the p◅stilence cleaue vnto thee vntill he hath consumed thee the Lord shall smite thee with a consump◅on and with the feauer with a burning ague c. verse 27. the Lorde will smite thee with the hotch of Egypt with the ◅rods and with the scab and with the ◅ch that thou canst not be healed Now then condering the premises may not we heere out of the Lords booke more certainly declare the causes of the pestilence than the learned Pl◅an can doe and let vs not now thinke it strange that the Lord so smites vs in a short and light plague but rather let vs admire and extoll his mercies with all the praises we can for considering the grosse ignorance the great Atheisme the beastly epicurisme the prophane blasphemies the wicked periuries all the intollerable prophanations of Gods holy name the abuse of the Lordes Sabbothes the great contempt of Gods holy Ministerie word and Sacraments vncleannes adulteries incest fraud deceite vsuries and all manner of oppressions with infinite more sinnes amongst vs is it not a most admirable and miraculous mercy that wee bee not continually consumed with all the iudgements of the Almightie within these few yeares the Lord first began with a famine which sinote al the parts of the whole land not long after he made vs al to tremble with the sight of a most bloody Nation which came to deuoure vs now in the last place he hath called vs by Pestilence to a sin◅ere obedience vnto his Gospell The first iudgement was soone forgotten◅ the second hath giuen vs no instruction The Lorde grant this third and last of the Pestilence may open the eyes of his people Great plagues and iudgements argue great sinnes assuredly and great sinnes call for great iudgements I conclude this question with the wise mans golden sentence Though a sinner do euill an hundred times and God prolonge his daies yet I know that it shall be well with them that feare the Lord and doe reuerence before him but it shall not bee well to the wicked he shall be like a shadow because he feareth not before him THE 3. LECTVRE Verse 5. 6. Verse 5. Thou shalt not bee affraide of the feare of the night nor of the arrow that flyeth by day Verse 6. I meane the Pestilence that walketh in the darkenesse and of the Plague that destroyeth at noone-day TO passe ouer the allegories of which some are not vnprofitably nor vnfitly here vnderstood by diuers of the learned Interpreters I thinke it sufficient to commend vnto Gods people that sense only which the scope of the whole Psalm◅ leadeth me vnto I vnderstand here therfore in all these sweet promises by all these metaphors and borrowed speeches that great euill which the Prophet before verse 3. in naturall and proper tearmes hath called Deber hauoth The grieuous Pestilence or the pestilence of griefes that is most grieuous In the fift verse The Pestilence hath two fit names 1. The terror of the the night a metonymie of the effect for the cause because this sicknesse breeds many terrors feares in the night 1. Because the night is a sollitary time and solitarinesse doth encrease feares 2. Because of the darkenesse of the time for as all light brings comfort and boldnes so all darknes workes feare and discouragement in the sound much more in the weak and now most of all when a man is readie to walk into the valley of the shadow of death where is wont to be alwaies some agonies and great causes of feare Psal. 23. 3. 4. 3 The night breedes fearefull dreames which in time of the Pestilence increase terrors Iob in his affliction crieth out because hee is terrified with the visions of the night When I say my couch shall relieue mee my bed shall bring comfort in my meditation then fearest thou with dreames and astonishedst me with visions my soule choseth rather to be strangled and to die then to be in my bones When the Lord mindeth to amaze his enemies with any terrors hee powreth his iudgements vpon them in the night season when hee would shake all Egypt hee slew one euen the first borne in euery house in Egypt at mid-night and it caused a dreadfull crying and lamentation throughout the whole land Exod. 12. 29. 30. 33. It was the night time whē the Lord slew 185000. in Senacharibs campe that so he might beat downe the great insolencie of that proude enemie of his people First the Pestilence is called the arrow that flyeth by day So Dauid called it Psal. 38. For that it comes inuisibly if mē be not wel sighted they cā hardly discerne how it flies Secondly for that it comes swiftly a man can hardly auoid it Thirdly because it strikes suddenly as an arrow doth when men thinke
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
may bring him to the kingdome of heauen is most blind and counts all these holy meanes meere foolishnes 1. Cor. 2. 14. The wisedome of the fl◅sh is en◅tie against God so the Apostle speaketh The conscience handwriting or watchman in this man is giuen him of God partly to conuince him because hee walketh not according to the generall motions and naturall knowledge he hath of good things partly to bridle and keepe vnder his wild and disordred affections 1 This conscience excuseth euer falsly because of ignorance corruption of the minde and all affections as first when it doth excuse those works which in the generall are good indeede but are sinnes in him and all naturall men as Vzzas fact mentioned 1. Chron. 159. Secondly whē it excuseth and couereth any inward sin and hypocrisie by an outward false obedience An example of this wee haue in Mark 10 20. 2 This conscience first truly accuseth and citeth a man before God for that which is euil indeed as 10. 9. the wicked accusers were accusea by their own consciences Many are thus cited and sent for by this Parator and confesse it with shame as Saul did to Dauid and yet are neuer the better a dangerous signe Secondly this conscience citeth a man falsly for that which is not euill in it selfe but superstitiously thought to be euill Col. 2. 21. As for the committing or omitting of any thing against the superstitious traditions of men Touch not taste not handle not Thus much of the feeling conscience the dead conscience followeth A dead conscience is a heart and conscience voyd of all naturall sense or naturall feeling This conscience of all other is most fearefull and daungerous and commeth after multiplying and heaping of greeuous sinnes together or long contempt of the holy truth or both The Apostle speaketh of some of the prophane Gentiles that first from vanitie of minde they come to blindnes from blindnes they fall to hardnes of heart then they become past feeling and the last degree of euill is they giue themselues vnto wantonnesse to work◅ all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse And of Antichrist and his disciples hee sayth First they depart from the faith secondly they giue heed to spirits of error thirdly to doctrines of diuels fourthly they giue heede to such as speake lies through hypocrisie lastly their consciences is seared with a hot iron Signes of a deadly frozen and benummed conscience are these FIrst a dangerous signe to multiply sins without feeling Ephes. 4. 18. 19. Rom. 1. 22. 30. 2 A dangerous signe to regard neither the curses nor blessings of GODS lawe Deut. 29. 19. But to flatter himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace although I walke according to the stubburnnesse of my heart so adding drunkennes vnto thirst the Lord will not be merciful vnto that man This heart is poysoned by the spirit of slumber Rom. 11. 8. 3 To make a mocke of sinne and of the Ministrie of Gods most holy Word Ezech. 33. 30. 31. 32. 33. 4 When vexation of spirit commeth to lay violent hands vpon themselues as to hang themselues with Iudas and Achitophel to kill themselues desperately with Saul and many others Lastly these are most fearfull signes of a most wicked prophane conscience to haue some notable horror of minde and trembling of bodie when some of Gods iudgements appeare blaspheinies in great extremities and passions of death Nero was wonderfully terrified with visions flashings of fire and terrible dreams after he had murthered his owne mother Belshazzar King of Babylon hauing the spoyles of Gods Church and in great contempt of the true God sporting himselfe and praysing the gods of gold and siluer of iron wood stone at the same houre appeared fingers of a mans hand which wrote ouer against the candlesticke vpon the plaister of the wal of the kings pallace and the king saw the palme of the hand that wrote Then the kings countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the ioynts of his l◅ynes were loosed and his knees smote one against another And this trembling had Felix when Paul disputed before him of righteousnes and temperance which he wanted and of the fearfull iudgements wherin all sinners must appeare before Iesus Christ in the end of the world and receiue a heauie sentence of condemnation The troubles of reprobates breede in them often desperation the causes of this are either secrt or open Secret Gods reprobation knowne to himselfe and not to be searched manifest causes in the ende finall impenitencie hardnesse of heart Here it is wisedome to hope the best of men Crastinus dies ignoratur wee knowe not what shall be to morrow if an open blasphemie with an abnegation of the trueth appeare not And thus much of an euill conscience Now to make in a word some vse of this sweet doctrine aforegoing and to apply it vnto our present purpose First in the time of pestilence and all other calamities wisely examine thy selfe as is afore shewed If thou doubtest of thy conscience how it may stand in the euill day make hast to purge it least euill preuent thee And if after sound tryall thou findest thy selfe to possesse a blessed cleane conscience well purged by Iesus Christ and sanctified by his holy Spirite then mightily keepe watch ward as it were that no enemy may steale this pearle frō thee for it is of inestimable value and surpassing vertue to preserue thee in the pestilence I giue thee here none other counsel then the holy Ghost hath giuen vs all For it is written Keepe thine heart with all diligence for thence proceed the actions of life and leese this thou shalt make shipwrack also offaith and spirituall vnderstanding And Christ saith that vnlesse the heart be purged and watchfully preserued and kept cleane it sends foorth euill thoughts adulteries c. Iob therfore was very carefull of his heart and conscience and very watchfully kept it My heart saith hee shall not reproue me of my dayes And so was Dauid for assoone as he had sinned and gaue occasion of that Pestilence before the Prophet Gad came vnto him it is said Dauids heart smote him after hee had numbred the people And examine thy selfe also truely how thou standest in the faith and how Iesus Christ is in thee Take heed of a false faith as thou beleeuest so so shall it be done vnto thee For like as the true faith brings many blessings to the beleeuers so a false faith breedes many euill effects in the vnbeleeuers And as the heart chiefly must be regarded so the outward sences and partes of the body must in no wise bee neglected in this watch The eye is a dangerous sence and most quicke and suddenly doth stirre vp euill motions in the heart wee must as Iob make a couenant with our eyes The ◅are must diligently first heaken and then consider how to beleeue and obey