request not that the Lorde did not heare from the beginning but now in the ende he feeleth an answere in his soule that God hath granted his desire As Psal. 69. The Lord hath heard my petition 66. 18. 19. God hath heard me and considered the vâ—…yce of my prayer Where note two things if we desire to be heard first that we haue a feeling of our wants as here in troubles 2. That we cry mightily and continue God in the end wil heare vs as he did Dauid in the end alwayes and after much crying I will be with him in troubles This is the 2. promise Some man will thinke this no special promise for that God is both by his essence infinit filling heauen and earth by his prouidence watchfull present and carefull ouer all and euery one of the creatures in heauen and earth And yet further is hee not with his beloued children alwayes in a more speciall manner by his spirite of sanctification and comfort effectuallie also working by the â—…ath and resurrection of Iesus Christ to make them new creatures All this is true both of the generall prouidence of God and of his speciall working and grace in the Saints But yet they are not alwayes alike comforted For the Lorde doth otherwhiles more graciously shew himselfe at one time then another For may not the King to those of his housholde more louingly shew his countenance at one time then another and frowne at other times vpon them and yet they bee his seruants So is it with Christ and his members The righteous soules of the faithfull sometimes eate and drinke and feast with Christ yet at other times they cry much they aske many watchmen for him and seeke him with much sweating before they can find him And that the Lord Iesus doth more familiarly shew his face and communicate his graces vnto his Saintes in troubles and in their grieuances the experience of Gods people in al ages can testifie and this we haue before partly vouched Dauid cryeth Hide not away thy face from me for I am in trouble and they cryed to the Lord in their trouble and hee deliuered thâ—… out of their distresse O that men would therfore prayse the Lord. Master Philpot sayth to Lady Vane Belieue me dear Lady there is no such ioy in the world as the people of Christ haue vnder the crosse These holy ones haue often many desertions and yet in the midst of their agonies Christ will suddenly shine foorth as bright as the Sun after a cloudie blacke tempest as in Maister Glouers storie appeares and many others And this blessed presence wee speake of make so many of Gods people so constantly and so cheerefully to offer vp themselues a liuing sacrifice to bee rosted and tormented with fire in smithfield and many other parts of the world 6. Question What wonderful communion there is between Christ and his holy members best knowen to his people in afflictions Cant. 2. 16. My welbeloued is mine and I am his verse 15. I will bee with him in trouble FIrst let vs here consider in what manner the holy Scripture speaketh of this great communion and fellowship between Christ his members Thus Iohn writeth of it first in his Epistle That I say which we haue seene and heard declare we vnto you that ye may haue fellowship with vs and that our fellowship also may bee with the father and his sonne Iesus Christ. Againe in his Gospel most comfortably on this manner I pray not for these alone but for theÌ„ also which shall beleeue in me through their word that they all may bee one as thou O Father art in mee and I in thee euen that they all may be one in vs that the world may beleeue that thou hast sent me and the glorie that thou gauest mee I haue giuen them that they may be one as wee are one I in them and they in me that they may bee made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent mee and hast loued them as thou hast loued mee And the Apostle speaketh of this communion when hee saith Tempt your selues whether you be in the faith do ye not know that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be refuâ—…es Because this blessed vnion communion and fellowship is spirituall and misticall the holy Scriptures do striue to helpe our weaknesse to conceiue rightly the trueth of it by sundry Metaphors and borowed speeches as Iohn in the sweet parable of the vine and vine branches in which place the whole comparison if we make supply out of other places standeth vpon sundry most familiar similitudes as to expresse the singular loue and care of God ouer his people and the effectuall power of the Ministerie of his holy word woâ—… in them so to instruct vs of the VI separ bâ—… vnion betweene Christ and his holy members 1. The heauenly Father is compared to the husband-man 2. The ministers vnto the husbandmans laborers 3. The people and the Church of God vnto the vineyard or husbandry 4. Christ and his members vnto the vine and vine branch 5. The spirituall vnion liâ—…e and growth of the faithfull in Christ vnto the naturall coniunction life and growth of the naturall vine and her branches 6. Lastly as the husbandman on earth loueth careth for and purgeth his vine with his handes and instruments his corne fieldes c. so the heauenly father loueth and purgeth his Church and his people by his Spirit word and sacraments c. And like as wise Princes commit their sonnes to the custodie and instruction of wise and faithfull men so the heauenly Father commendeth the education of his children to his holy labourers and by their Ministrie hee prepareth such on eaith as he purposeth to aduance to the kingdome of his glory to be fellow heires with Iesus Christ in heauen Againe all that heauenly and most sweet parable the song of Salomon tendeth principally to expresse this inspeakeable communion comparing it often vnto the holy vnion which is betweene man and wife in that mariage which is in the Lord and so doth the Apostle and concludeth â—…that wee are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones 3 And this firme coniunction which 〈◊〉 in this mysticall body is againe notably â—…id before vs by the similitude of the naturall body and the essentiall parts of the same 1. Cor. 12. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. Thus when we see by these few places how the holy spirit doth demonstrate vnto vs a most certaine and reall coniunction and communion betwixt Christ and all the faithfull heere on earth And yet heere is no corporall commixtion of our soules with his or any coniunction of natures neither is this a bare consent of mindes onely but an inspeakeable coniunction is 〈◊〉 by meanes of the words of reâ—…ation without and the holy spirit of Christ within working effectually almightie in power to knit together
be perswaded that all this sacrifice and seruice which they offâ—…r vnto God in their supplications c. is accepted of God in Iesus Christ and shall returne from him a câ—…mfort for themselues and a blessing for theiâ—… brother according to his holy promise in this place This Iames telleth vs in the beginning of his Epistle that if any will receiue any good 〈◊〉 Lord let him aske in faith and wauer not for he that prayeth effectually must be perswaded his labour shall not be lost but that the Lord will consider it Psalm 66. 19. this â—…aith our Sauiour Whatsoeuer yeâ—… aske in prayer if you beleeue you shall receiue it The father of a lunaticke which was vexed also with an euill spirit came to Christ and spake thus doubtfully If thou canst do any thing helpe vs and haue compassion on vs. Christ answered If thou canst â—…eleeue all things are possible to him that beleeueth and straightway the father of the child crying with teares said Lord I beleeue helpe mine vnbeliefe Arguments to confirme their faith in this instant are these 1. The patient is a brother and a professor of the Gospell and therefore we must as feeling members coÌ„sider his case our as own 2. If heretofore he neuer gaue vp his name to Iesus Christ now hee is desirous to doe it as appeares and is signified by sending for the Elders by confession of his sinnes c. And thus both parts must striue that this prayer maâ—… be done in faith and may be working effectuall Cyprian speaking how he and his brethren did much good in his time in the visitation of the sicke saith that they proÌ„sperâ—…d according as they and the patient hath faith to speake vnto God Prout fides patientis adiuuat aut gratiâ—… curantis aspirat 9 Saint Iames here requires also the humiliation and faith of the patient The holy Elders doing their enduour with all dilligence the brother which is thus visited must striue also to beleeue as all things generally concerning his saluation so also so that this particular action of these holy men shall doe him good as for the free pardon of his sinnes so sor bodilie health so far as shall be expedient for him To this end the Apostle willeth the sicke man to confeile his sinnes and the elders to prouoke him thereunto by their experience vers 16. Confesse your sinnes one to another and pray one for another Surelie the Lord Iesus in all his miraculous cures euen requireth this faith in â—…uerie one of his patieÌ„ts Mat. 8 10. To the good woman which had the issue of bloud he saith Daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath made theâ—… whole And so to all the rest he asketh alwaies of their faith and how they are perswaded of his grace loue power and might to do them good And this is it that Cyprian noteth proâ—…t sides patientis adiuuat aâ—… the Patients saith helpeth vs so we preuaâ—…le with God in the visitation of the sicke The 10 point and the last here to be remembred is these meâ—… must haue zeale to perseuer and continue this holie exercise in abstinence add praier 〈◊〉 admonition and instructiâ—… c. For 〈◊〉 the Lord heareth alwaies the praâ—…ers supplications oâ—… his â—…uants in the beginning notwithstanding hee sheweth not alwaies anie full grant of them long after because he would haue his children more carnestly to sue vnto him and to waite vpon him So the Apostle chargeth that we perseuere and continue in praier waiting â—…nd expecting with patience a blessing from the Lord. And this our Sauiour teacheth vs sweetly by a parable And Daniâ—…l coÌ„firmeth it vnto vs by his owne pracâ—…ise and experience for thus he saith At the same time I Daniel was in heauinesse for 3. weekes of daies I ate no pleasant bread neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth neither did I annoint my selfe at all till three weekes of daies were fulfilâ—…ed Here is a watchfull continuance in praier fasting and humiliation for 21. daies then he reâ—…eiueth an answere Feare not Daniel for from the first day that thou diddest set thine bea rt to vnderstand and to humble thy selfe before thy God thy words were heard and I am come for thy words Thus we see that albeit the Lord heareth not at the first crie yet he delighteth to see our humiliation will grant our requests in his good time and not faile vs. And thus farre we haue seen howe the holy elders proceed in their spiritual cure These rules being followed with wisedome and iudgement I doubt not the holy men of God haue and may attaine great mercies blessings in the due practise of them in the visitation of the sicke people of God And if this spirituall exercise be so comfortable and so profitable in common and vulgar diseases which come of naturall causes onely howe much more precious are they in greater plagues in any as Saint Iames speaketh and therefore in the pesâ—…ilence it is so also which is no doubt a mixt euill of naturall common knowen causes and spirituall inuisible and vnknowen as wee haue before shewed Here I would â—…nd but that I must first answere two sortâ—… of men which oppose themselues against the comely and comfortable ordinance of the Lord. For some there are so hard hearâ—…ed and so voyde of all humanitie that they will not haue this holy exercise to haue any place in time of pestilence Again there are others â—…o void of al good iudgment which without all difference or respect of time persons or place frequent all houses without any feare of contagion or infection and exclaime mightily against all departure or going aside from the pestilence For the first sort I commend vnto them these holy rules following 1. they must summon theÌ„selues vnto the iudgement seat of God and looke on the plague as on the messenger of Gods wrath which cannot be auoided with change of places but by repentance and amendment of life c. 2 Let no man go aside nor tarry with a doubtful conseience but when as he shal haue learned out of the word of GOD what his dutie is that commending himselfe to God he may continue constantly therein 3 Let no man depart a haires bredth for feare of death froÌ„ the duties of humanitie nor breake any of the bondes of loue which are many as betweene man and wife betweene parents and children maisters and seruants betweene kindred betweene christians neigbours friends For if wee breake these bonds I see not howe humane societies may continue And here when the Lord shall change the life of anie of thy good friends be not cast downe as they which are without hope But remember Cyprians words NoÌ„ amittimus nostros sed tantum premittimus We haue not loct our good friends but we haue onely sent them before vs. 4 Let not him that is bound to anie ciuill office depart for such are
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
him to depart where God hath sent him A Prince or Magistrate is offended with a subiect for some disloyaltie an Officer is sent to imprison him shall hee or any other charge the Officer in the Princes name to let him alone and not to touch him Is it not their way onely to pacifie the Prince and so the Magistrate will commaund the Officer to surcease euen so where God sendeth Sathan his executioner to arest any person in any forme or manner in body or minde the onely way no doubt is to entreat the Lord to be pacified and to rebuke Sathan Againe we reade often that Sathan tormented many in sundry most grieuous diseases which I call the third and mixt kinde for by secret poysons hee hath made them incurable to the best practitioners in Phisicke in all ages The good woman mentioned Luke 13. verse 16. shee is saide to bee bounde of Sathan 18. yeares and to haue a spirit of infirmitie And such were many lunatikes and may be to this day they had a disease of causes partly knowne partly vnknowne Matt. 17. 15. Maister haue pittie on my sonne for he is a lunatike The learned deriue the cause of this euill from the Moone as the name importeth because they haue obserued that such as are borne in the change are thus pained but note what the Euangelist addeth and wee shall see the secret cause of it verse 18. Iesus rebuked the diuell and hee went out of him and the childe was healed in that houre Here then we see a disease in part naturall in part sathanicall And maister Caluine hee saith that experience teacheth vs howe this disease dooth increase and decrease according to the course of the Moone yet this lets not but that Sathan can put in his effectuall working in the naturall meanes Neque tamen hoc obstat quo minus sathan naturalibus medijs suos impetus permise uenit The woman also mentioned Marke 5. 25. labouring of an issue of bloud twelue yeares may seeme to be grieuous on this manner for some cause or causes seene to bee secret and vnknowne such be sathans practises for it is said shee had suffered many things of the Phisitions and had spent all shee had and it auailed her nothing but she became much worse and this woman was one of Gods elect for shee heard afterwardes these gracious wordes Daughter thy faith hath made thee whole goe in peace and be whole of thy plague Of this third and last kinde I iudge to bee our common plague and pestilence at this day My reasons are First it is partly naturall for if there were here no naturall cause then those whom the plague hath infected cannot doubtlesse so much as bee cased much lesse healed by naturall remedies but this second to bee very false our common sence and experience dayly teacheth vs. Secondly it must haue also some secret cause for the learned as I haue before noted cannot finde it to arise of any elementall qualitie in nature But my greatest and surest ground is this the word of the Lorde speaketh it plainly that the wicked spirits are his messengers and his instruments for this purpose If any doubt of this let him looke into the iudgements which were inflicted vpon Egypt and Iob by the ministerie of wicked spirites for so the Psalmist speaketh they vexed and tormented Egypt with wonderfull plagues They turned the water that was in the riuer into blood They which can corrupt one element for the destruction of mankind can corrupt another the water with blood the avre with the pestilence But wicked spirits did the first therefore they can doe the second when and where God permitteth Againe they which can poyson the water with frogs may poison in like manner the aire with pestiferous exhalations euill spirits did the first ergo Thirdly they which cā destroy beasts with the morraine may as easily destroy men with the Pestilence the wicked spirits did the first and therefore can doe the second Exod 9. 3. Fourthly they which can breed scabs and blisters can breed the pestilence cha 9. 10. Lastly the destroyer which flue so many in one night throughout all Egypt with the Plague can plague in like manner to this day where and when he is sent hee was an euill angel saith Dauid he sent euil angels he gaue their life to the Pestilence In Iobs story wee see sufficient demonstrations for this purpose They which can bring downe fire from heauen to destroy beastes may in like maner poison the aire and men with the pestilence the wicked spirits did the first Ergo can do the second Secondly they which can driue windes and tempests together to beate downe houses most violently may be as fit instruments to execute the like iustice and iudgements in the pestilence the wicked spirits c. Thirdly they which can poison the soules of men suggesting and breathing most pestilent motions into the mindes of men to their destruction can much more easily poyson their bodyes when GOD sendeth them for that purpose But Sathan did that first wee see in the Sab◅ans and in the Chaldeans and in all the pestilent crewe of rebellious sinners at this day hee driueth them before him as men driue beastes saith August Ergo. Lastly he that would plague that blessed man of God Iob with most grieuous poyson and torments in his bodie can doe much more vpon all the wicked enemies of God and vessels of wrath and the like also vpon Gods good people to this day but Sathan and his wicked spirites smote Iob with most pestiferous vlcers or pestilentiall carbuncles or biles scabs and sores most noysome Wherefore these wicked spirits may and doe no doubt serue the Lord in the like iudgements to this day And for this cause some of the learned Interpreters haue sayde these two names vsed in this Psalme Keteb and Deber are the names of certaine euill spirites which poyson the ayre with pestilent and venimous exhalations Of all the premises let vs conclude that wee must in this visitation of the Lorde principally lift vp our mindes aboue the secondarie causes Winter Sommer colde heate drought moisture all the elementarie qualities and fasten our eyes vpon the mightie hand of GOD who when and where it pleaseth him sendeth foorth his raunging hunter this olde Dragon these venimous Aspes and bloodie Lyons Sathan and his wicked spirites against vs as in the warres and famine so likewise in the pestilence the Scriptures speake often that the wicked spirites flye about and doe many euils as Iob 1. 7. 2. 2. 1. King 22. 22. Matth. 12. Luke 8. 31. Ro. 16. 20. 2. Cor. 12. 8. Ephe. 2. 2. 6. 11. 1. Pet. 5. 8. 9. But how agrees these Scriptures with Saint Peter◅ words 2. Pet. 2. 45. wee read that the Angels which sinned were cast downe into hel and deliuered into chaines of darkenesse to bee kept vnto damnation so Iude verse 6. They are reserued in
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