serue him 3. They do Gods will 4. They do it faithfully according to his word Thus far for the first point The 2. thing to be knowne is their loue to Gods Church and great care ouer the faithfull members of the same And certainly their loue is great For it is saide they reioyce ouer one sinner that repenteth and turneth vnto God The Psalmist testifieth of their loue and care when hee faith They pitch their tents round about them which feare the Lorde and desiuer them And here it is said they beare them like as louing parents nurces do their children in their hands and armes to keepe them from scandals and offences And the Lord giueth them in charge thus to doo faith this Prophet heere And hence it is the Author to the Hebrewes describeth them to be Ministring spirits sent from their sakes which shall be heires of saluation And as for their number wee must not curiously search how many each man hath to keepe him for the scriptures tell vs that sometimes many are sent to one man and againe sometimes one Angell is sent for the deliuerance of the whole Church To saue Elisha against the king of Syria the mountaine was full of horses and chariets of fire round about Elisha But in Daâ—â—els time one Angell seemeth to be sent for the protection of the whole Church And in Ezechias time one was of streÌ„gth sufficient to kil and destroy in one night 185000. of the enemies of Gods people And if yet we further desire to learn what ther causes besides that speciall charge of God moue them so to loue vs affect vs and to minister vnto vs for our protection and deliuerance the holy Ghost teacheth vs that first they are members with vs of one bodie which is the whole catholicke Church wherof part is triumphant in heauen part militant vpon earth secondly they haue with vs one spirit for their Lord as to conuert and sanctifie 〈◊〉 so to confirm them in the truth Thirdly they haue with vs one Gospel of comâ—…ort for the Angels saith Peter desire to â—…ehold the mysteries therein contained â—…or their confirmation and our conuersion and euerlasting saluation They are present in the holy assemblies reioyce no doubt greatly to see the Gospell of Iesus Christ preached vnto theiâ—…â—…retheren Lastly they haue one head with vs euen Iesus Christ our Lorde this the Apostle speaketh Christ is set at the right hand of the father in heauenly places farre aboue all principalitie and power and might and domination and euery nâ—…me that is named not in this worlde but also in that that is to come and hath made all thinges subiect vnder his feete and hath giuen him ouer all things to bee the head to the Church which is his boâ—…y euen the fulnesse of â—…im that â—…th all things Here foolish Rabbims obiect by occasion of the words of this Psalme Of bearing in their hands That the holy and elect are more worthy persons and more honorable then the Angels because the Angels must as it were attend vpon them and keepe them Their reasons are weake and they too too curious for parents beare children and yet the children are not the â—…re worthy the good shepheard finâ—…th the sheepe which was lost and carrieth it home on his shoulders and yet is not the sheep more worthy then the shepâ—…eard An other question is here demanded of their appearance what letteth it now more then in elder times They know now their visible appearance is both needelesse and dangerous 1. Needlesse for instruction for they know we haue now in the booke of God all the counsell of God reuealed vnto vs so they had not in the old times in that cleare maner that we haue 2. Needlesse for our protection for they can do this inuisibly as well as in sight Elishas guard was as strong and as faithfull before he sawe them as after Lastly their â—…ppearance now is dangerous since Antichrist hath peruerted many with the false worship and inuocation of Angels for since this Idolatrie crept into the Church wee know assuredly that wicked spirits haue taken the forme of good Angels and haue bene adored of miserable men and so deluded many And the visible appearance vnto men would be more terrible in these daies then it was to Manoab and his wife Iudg. 13. And thus farre of their loue towardes the Saints The third and last point to be considered briefly is how long their charge lasteth ouer vs the answere is So long as they walke in their wayes This is that which Sathan left out when hee made assault against Christ for hee can both pare and shred the scriptures and stretch them also otherwhiles to serue his purpose So he can heape vp iudgements to terrifie and amaze poore consciences which are humbled and multiply mercies before such as stand to breede in them dangerous presumptions By these words Their wayes The Psalmist vnderstandeth our seuerall vocations wherein we must walke circumspectly and not rashly runne forth to any vnlawfull meanes as Sathan would haue Christ to do for so doing wee shall tempt God as Christ answereth the diuell in the second temptation Here then we are taught to walke wisely within our boundes and not to vse vnlawfull meanes or to neglect the good meanes giuen vs of God for our benefit and good We must not â—…lie in the ayre for God hath not giuen vs wings to flye but legges to walke We must not talke of reuelations for God doth not so teach vs now but by his written word Wee must not goe to witches in extremitie to theft in pouertie for so wee walke out of our wâ—… and the holy Angels forsake vs 〈◊〉 wicked spirits will maister vs and confound vs. The workes of our calling are called in scripture the way wherein we must walke desiring the Lord to blesse them and all lawfull meanes appointed for vs. Now to make vse of this doctrine briefly for our present purpose no doubt of all other spirituall preseruatiues this of the Angels is one of the best against the pestilence For we may not doubt but â—…mly beleeue they pitch their tents and â—…et as it were an hedge about vs for our custodie and preseruation as the diuell conâ—…esseth it of Iobs protection So then consider euill angels are cruel good Angels are mercifull euill angels are olde and subtile good Angels are of â—…ke yeares and more wise euil angels are very expert to send forth venimous exhalations to poyson the ayre the good Angels are more wise to purge the same the euill angels are strong and mightie but they be fearefull and feare abates strength the good angels are more mightie and excell them in strength and voyd of feare for that they be voyd of 〈◊〉 To bee short looke wherein the euâ—…â—…ngels haue any might to hurt vs and annoy
make choise for their gods and religion yet saith hee I and mine house will serue the Lord And as Dauid here saith let the prophane multitude of vnbeleeuers run to the creatures in their necessities forgetting the Lord of life yea some to the meanes hee vtterly forbiddeth and others not a few to the meere professed enemies of God to Pagans and Idolaters as often did the Kings of Israel and Iudah yea to Sathan himselfe as all such do which run to the diuellish faculties of witchcraft and sorcery as the Egyptians when they were smitten with sundry plagues they sought to their wizardly priests and coniurers so the Chaldees Babilonians Saul Manasses Nero ◅ulian and such like in all ages The hypocrites iudgement and practise is cleane contrary to this holy canon here taught vs for he thinks it neuer safe to walke that way which most men treade not of the way of the multitude it is said Many si◅de it and like it but the end is destruction The 2. thing to be noted here is how he laboureth to teach others by his example This is a singular good way for teachers to conuert and confirme soules by speaking vnto men of their owne sence and experience of their faith I finde saith hee by most comfortable experience that they be safe which are in the Lords secret chamber and vnder his almightie shadowe I meane such as make God their castle and protection and boldly cry vnto him that they depend vpon him trust and rest in his almightie prouidence This is the best way to teach the ignorant and to conuert sinners vnto God by our owne faith feeling experience and practise of this we haue many sweet presidents in scripture This Prophet when hee hath receiued any spirituall comfort and instruction hee is euer ready to communicate vnto others what graces hee hath receceiued and how to come by them Hauing receiued inspeakeable cōfort in the free pardon of his sinnes Ps. 32. v. 5. he saith v. 8. I will instruct thee and teach thee the way that thou shalt goe And Psal. 51. he sheweth how greatly God is delighted that wee should teach others what benefits we haue receiued I will teach thy wayes vnto the wicked and sinners shall bee conuerted vnto thee This manner of teaching the Apostle thinkes most effectuall and profitable and therefore he vseth often in his owne example to teach others great mysteries of religion as of the dangerous conflicts between the flesh and the spirit Rom 7. and 8. of the vertue and great ◅fficacie of Christs crosse death and resurrection Gal. 6. 14. 15. 16. Rom. 66 How greatly the faithfull esteeme of Iesus Christ and his Gospell 1. Cor. 2. 2. Phil. 3. 8. 9. And the Apostle thinks also this way best to cōsort others in afflictions for thus he writeth Blessed be God euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christ the f◅ther of all mercies and the God of all comfort which comforteth vs in all our tribulations That we may be able to comfort them which are in any affliction by the comfort wherewith we are our selues comforted of the Lord. The vse of this doctrine is this euery man to stirre vp himselfe to be mindfull of his brethren to pe◅orm spiritual duties vnto them of instruction admonition exhortation c. as their state and condition shall require And to this end to begge of God as a louing and a mercifull spirit so specially the spirit of wisedome and iudgement that wee may know how to speake a good word seasonably vnto him that is wearied with his afflictions Es. 50. R. v. 4. Pro. 25. 11. Verse 3. Surely hee will deliuer thee from the snare of the hunter and from the grieuous Pestilence HEere the Psalmist laboureth to apply the generall doctrine of the first verse and what hee hath spoken of his owne saith and experience in the second verse vnto the present calamitie which was vpon the Iewes in his time and he striueth to perswade euery one of the faithfull that they shall be deliuered from the flying Angell which like a hunter raunged throughout all Iurie destroying so many thousands with the grieuous and deadly pestilence if they slie by faith farre aboue the secundarie causes vnto the Lords prouidence and holy protection 1. Here learne how that we must endeuour with all our might to strengthen one an others faith in calamities Doest thou beleeue canst thou beleeue All things are possible to him that beleeueth Wilt thou lie downe in the shadow of the Almightie surely he will deliuer thee 2. The Pestilence is heere called the snare of the Hunter because the Angell which was sent from the Lord like a Hunter or a fowler strangled slew many from Dan to Beersheba throughout all that kingdome with the Pestilence And it is not vnfitly compared vnto a snare for that it catcheth sodenly some walking some feeding some sporting some waking some sleeping as wee haue seene by our experience The Pestilence is here saide to bee noisome grieuous and painefull The word noysome or grieuous is in the originall a word of the pl◅n signifieth grieses So the plur n. is vsed for the superlatiue degree q. d. the most grieuous pestilence so it was in elder times vnto Dauid Heze iah and Iob and so it is vnto this day in such as are smitten we see and know daily by their complaints Verse 4. He will couer thee vnder his wings and thou shalt be sure vnder his feathers his truth shal be thy shield and buckler HEere the Prophet applyeth vnto the beleeuers spirit and conscience the same gracious promise of protection in other most sweete rearines and familiar speeches When men are dulled with griefes sorrowes and calamities they will hardly admit any consolation for this cause the holy Ghost here so often repeateth the same promise of mercie and comfort vnto vs. The metaphor of the Hen couering her young with her winges and feathers is no lesse comfortable than familiar Our Sauiour liketh it Math. 23. 27. The like is also vsed Exod. 19. 4. I haue carried you vpon Eagles wings and haue brought you vnto me The metaphor wherein he compareth the truth of Gods promise vnto a shield and buckler in the warres is thus vnderstood Like as the shield and buckler couereth our bodies from the strokes and darts of our enemies so the holy promise of Gods protection and deliuerance receiued by faith strongly confirmeth our hearts to receiue any calamities or plague and to rest confidently as out of all danger in Gods almightie shadow So is Gods promise called Pra. 30. 5. Euery word of God is pure and a shield to those that trust in him Here note that whereas before hee said the Lord to bee the most sure protection of his people hee ascribeth now that protection here vnto Gods truth that is the reuealed promise of God because the Lord ca◅ no other way be found but in the word o◅ promise
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
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
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
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
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
cause of the pestilence Exod. 23. 25. The second â—…ause of the Pestilence The third cause of the Pestilence Psal 91. Verse 1. The fourth cause of the Pestilence The fifth cause of the Pestilence Deut. 28. 58. The sixt cause of the Pestilence The seuenth cause of the Pestilence Chap. 28. 23. The eight cause of the Pestilence Euseb. lib. c. 16. Dis. 9. 1. 7. 8. Matth. 24. 29. The eleuenth cause of the Pestilence The conclusion These sins raigne in euery Citie towne and hamlet and yet the watchmen are a sleepe the Lords couenant is broken the watchmen regard not and therefore he will auenge the quarrell of his couenant by thâ—… Pestilence Anno. 1587. Anno. 1588. Anno. 1592. Eccle. 8. 11. 12. 15. Iob. 7. 13. 14. 15. Note what sundrv effects this feare wrought in Phatoh and all his subiects 2. King 19. 35. No wisdom in time of Pestilence to walke in the aires of night Hypocrates Aphorisme Iude verse 5. 1. Iohn 3. 8. Iohn 8. 44 a Reuel 22. 9. 1. Cor. 11. 3. b Turtul Apoc. ca. 22. Gene. 3. 1. Long conference with Sathan dangerous let him soone be packing Matth. 4. c Matth. 12. 43 44 1. Mens 2. Cogitatio 3. Affectus 4. Voluntas 5. Studium Gen. 3. 4. 5. 6. Gen. 4. 26. Psal. 8. 84. Iob. 144. Thus we are â—…ll by nature without exception Ep. 2. 2. 3. 4 Ep. 2. 1. 2. 3 De diuin daem lib 1. cap. 3. 5. Vtlamen solis penetrat aquam nubemacreÌ„ ita spiritus petrat omnia P. M. By speciall euidences to discerne and discouer Sathans habitation Ierom. epitad DamasuÌ„ Cypr. de Iiuore caelo Hel ser. 2. The 〈◊〉 peace of Christ the false peace of Sathaâ—… Ro. 15. 11. 1. Th. 5. 6. 1. Cor. 15. 34. 2. Cor. 2. 18. 2. Cor. 4. 34. Luk. 11. 21. 2. Cor. 4. 4 1 Tit. 1. 15. Ezech. 11 19. Ps. 104. 4 2. Sam 24. 1. Chr. 21 16. Aug. in Psal. 78. 2. Ki. 19. 35. Gen. 19. Antiq. 19. 7 Bubonem supra caput suum funi exten to nisidenteÌ„ Act. 12. 3. Wicked spâ—rits by sorcery filled their soules with errors destroyed their bodie with the pestilence Malakiâ—… Ragnim Iob. 1. 2. P. M. Beza de peste Ille spiri Daemoniacus de menâ—…b vestrie aduersus nos araeliatur Tert. Apoâ—… 27. Math. 8. 14. 15. * Verse 34. August in Psal. 78. Angeli mali ex vtraque parte The Lord will not suffer the de * Iobs plagu the plague of Egypt haue one name in the originall causes Iob. 2. 7. Exod. 9. 11. Deut. 28. 28. 59. 60. 01. Esd. 27. 8. 9. How to comfort our selues and to make vse of afflictions * The godly are beaten for the confirmation of their brethrâ—… and for the instructioÌ„ of the wicked Good to haue changes Psal. 7. 3. 2. Cor. 12. 9. Rom. 5. 2. 3. Iames 1. 2. 3. Nonignara mali miseris suâ—…curreie disco The sense Obseâ—… Euseb. hist. lib. 7. 21. Rom. 5. 2. 3. Matt. 6. Luke 12. 2. Sam. 24. 17. Verse 25. We must shew compassion on our brethren in praying for them in our liberalitie towardes â—…m in visiting them when they be sicke of which dutie see more in the ende Lo teunnâ—…h Note A particular victoriouâ—…â—…aith a speciall preseruatiue against the pestilence as before q. 1. Lo Teunnah 1. Th. 5. 21 Ier. 14. 15 Hob. 4. 16 Dangerous to be deceiued in a good cause 2. Cor. 13. 5 Definition * Or the Lords hand-writing Heb. 9. 14. Conscientia bene actae vitae multorumque beneficiorum recordano iucundissima est What a good conscience is Two things in a good conscience Note The first peace between God our hearts is by Christ immediatly onely Ro. 〈◊〉 1. Heb. 9. 14. 10. 22. Io. 14 27. Io. 8. 56. M. 42. Ps. 103. 1. 3 Phil. 3. 7. The second peace between a man and his own heart conscience 2. Cor. 1. 12 Tit. 1. 15. 16. 1. Io. 2. 21 27. Zac. 12. 10. 11. 20. 8. 16. 1. Io. 3. 19. 20. The spirit of prayers a good signe of a good conscience Spiritus ducit orationeÌ„ ad Deum si spiritus reus apâ—…d se sit conscientia erubescet quomodo audebit orationem ducere ad alaâ—…re ibid * Ephe. 6. 15. 2. Cor. 5. 18 19. Psal. 119. Rom. 10. 15 1. Tim. 1. 5. 19. Watch ouâ—…r thy conscience as ouer the apple of thine eye * Ro. 14. 5. Act. 24. 16 What a troubled conscience is 〈◊〉 Sam. 25. 37. Wee haue many Nabals in these dayes It is a common practise with Pâ—…pists and Atheists to hâ—…ng themselues 2. Co. 7. 9. 10. Esa. 57. 15 Psal. 51. Zach. 13 1 Esa. 53. 5. As in popery we see many gibbets to hang poore con sciences Zach. 12. 10. They are Gods enemies which through their sinnes and infirmities take â—…ccasion to blasphâ—…me God Iames 5. 15. What an euill conscience is Nocte dieq suum gestat in pectore testem Iuucnal Saâ—…yr 13. Rom 8. 7. This conâ—…ence is a specâ—…ll preseâ—…t ue oral com wâ—… soâ—…es or men Popish consciences are thus much disquieted Eph. 4. 19 The popish â—…erisie Mat. 27. 5. Psal. 55. 2. Sam. 17. 23. Snetonvita Neronis Take heede ye Church robbers to your conscience be-â—…ime if your hearts condemne you God is greaâ—…er c. Dan. 5. 4. 5. 6. Act. 24. 26. Hebr. 12. 17. 1. Ioh. 5. 16. Matt. 12. 31. Pro. 4. 23. 1. Tim. 1. 18. 19. Mar. 21. Iob. 27. 6 2. Sam. 24. 10. Iob 31. 1. Psal. 45. 12. Psal. 36. 1. Iam. 1. 12. Ch. 3. 6 Watch ouer all parts A gracious preseruation in the Pestilence As of the orders of angels Psal. 103. 20. Luk. 1. 19. 29. Dan. 9. 21â—… 8. 16. Iere. 1. 9. Dan. 10. 16. Iudg. 13. 20. But that storie is very Iewish and fabulous Col. 1. 16. Psal. 103. 148. 1. Ki. 21. 22. Reue. 19. Dan. 7. 10 Psal. 34. Ezec. 10. 5 Dan. 9. 21 Ps. 104. 4 Heb. 1. 7. Mat. 5. Luk. 2. Not as the euill spirits do Luk. 15. Ps. 34. 7. Psal. 91. 15. Heb. 1. 14. 2. K. 5. 17. It may be this was Michael Iesus Christ. Eze. 37. 2. K. 19. Col. 1. 16. 20. We are in communion with the Angels Iob. 4. 18. 1. Per. 1. 12. 1. Cor. 11. Eph. 1. 12. 22. Obiection Answere Questi 〈◊〉 Answere Gal. 1. 6. Io. 20. 31. 2. Pet. 1. 19 Wherefore Angels appeare not Mat. 4. An so do his members often 1. Cor. 7. 20. Siman Magus Act. 8. Deut. 8. 10. 11. 12. Pro. 30. 9 Psal. 34. Iob. 1. 10. The euill angels haue no such power to dest oy vs as the good angels to preserue vs. Psal. 103. 20. The vse of the doctrine going besore Reu. 19. 22. The condition of Gods children in this world Pâ—… 8. lib. nat h. c. 15 Plin. h. n. lib. 8. c 15 16. 23. * Peten Lib. S. n. b. 15. â—…alen * Dependeth â—pon me or â—mbraceth me The paâ—… Not 〈◊〉 Luk. 12. 32. 1. Ioh. 5. 18 Ignoti nulla cupido We do not desire things vnknowen Mark 4. 11. Mâ—…t 16. Rom. 8. 26. Mal. 1. Rom. 12. 1. And yet few so blind and so wicked but they say they can pray Psal. 141. Eccles. 4. 17. Rom. 10. 14. Iames 5. Psal 22. 1. 2. Cant 5. 4. 56. Psal. 66. 18. * If I delighâ—… in wickednâ—…s Psal. 38. 2 Some good Interpretâ—…s so iudge 1. Promise Obiection Gal. 6. 14 15. 16. Reu. 5. 20. Cant. 5. 5. 6. 7. 8. Psal. 69. 17. Psal. 107. vers 6. 13 19. 28. Act and M. in M. Philpots letters 2. Cor. 12. 9. 10. Act. M 2. Iohn 1. 3. Iohn 17. 20. 2. Cor. 13 4. A parable is a speech comparing like things together to stirre vp affection to illustrate any doubt and to shew the effectuall working of any thing by most familiar and best known â—…tudes 1. Cor. 2. 9. Es. 5. E the 14. 15. â—…ere 15. 17. An vnderstandâ—…ng â—…eart oâ—… a â—…ng heart Mat. 13. 15. Iustificatition Sanctification 2. Pet. 1. 4. Gal. 2. 20. Iohn Cal. Com in Gal. verse 2. 10. 2. Pet. 3. 18. Epâ—…e 4. 13. Iob. 5. 17. 18. 19. Mat. 13. 43 Dan. 12. 5. Iob. 19. verse 25. If Sathan be sent to torment the body remeÌ„ber Iobes comfort 1. Tim. 4. 8. Prou. 5. 1. 2. Pro. 4. 10. 25. 8. Câ—…itie bona senio satur Pro. 16. 31. Age nor honour make men wiâ—…e but the spirit of God Iob. 32. 8 9 Com. 5. Keue 21. 23. 1 Who see their saluation Psal. 23. 6. 2 Cor. 3. 12. 18. Io. 8. 56. Heb. 11. 1. Eph 320. Phâ—… 3. 8. 10. 19. 2. Cor. 13. 4. Gal. 6. 14. 15. 16. 1. 10. 3. 2. Ch. 19. 2. Chro. 16. 10. 12. Note Ecc. 4. 9. Iob. 33. 23. * Ioach. Camerar in synop depeste Ewichâ—…s depeste Here I desire to bee taught by the godly learned both how S. Iames must be vnderstood and how â—…he sicke of the plagne may best be visited B. de peste Iob. 2. 12. 13. 2. Pet. 1. 7. Rom. 15. 6. Matâ—…8 â—…8 19 Omothumadon Ast. 2. 1. 4 24. * Uers. 31. Parresia Eph. 6. 19. 1. Chro. 28 20. Act. 2. 1. Act. 1. 46. Phil. 3. 15. 16. Ro. 15. 16 Verse 15. Ephe. 6. Esai 11. 2. Pro. 25. 11 Euchentes pisteos Câ—…a 5. 16. Mat. 21. 22. Mat. 9. Verse 22. 23. 24. 4 Tract de Idol vanit Mâ—…tt 9. 22. Kom 12. 12. Luke 8. 1. Dan. 10. 2. 3. Vers. 12. Mat 2. 46. 47. 1. Ob. Thus a heatheÌ„ spaketh Tam fatale est medicum adhibe re quam conualescere Delato 2. obiect 3. obiect 4. obiect 5. Obiect 6. Obiect If any desisire to know more of this read Bâ—…za of the pestilence Lib. 7. ca. 10. Marc. 6. Eccle. 38. 9 10. 11. 12. Ecclesi 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 1 Denature dcorum Of the plague in Wittenberge Ann. 1527 Note Ioel 2. 12. Conclusion 1. Ch. 6. 12. Maist. Phaer of the Pestilence * Of euery one like quantitie Let the Apothecary help you to make this pouder
euerlasting chaines vnder darknesse vnto iudgement of the great day A. In the beginning God did so but afterwards for the execution of his iustice and will hee suffered some part of of them to slie about in the aire but at his pleasure he can shut them vp againe in prison for proofe Reuel 9. 1. 2. The bottomlesse pit opened by an Angel and thence come foorth many euill spirits This same bottomlesse pit is shut vp by an Angel Reu. 20. 7. and Sathan is bound a thousand yeares Thus it appeares now and then they are shut vp and againe loosed when the Lord wil* therefore they intreat Christ Luke 8. not to cast them into the deep in hell Luke 16. 25. so Matth. 8. 24. Iames 2. 19. And thus farre of the causes mouing the Lord and of the instrumentall and secret causes which the Lorde vseth to smite his people with the Pestilence Now let vs not be brutishly secure and senslesse as the vngodly be but let vs make a holy vse as of all the Lords chasticemēts so of the pestilence comforting euery man himselfe by the word of the Lorde on this manner as followeth First I consider the Pestilence and the like calamities on Gods people to be Gods holy visitation to call men to a serious and a publique humiliation before him that their iniquitie may bee purged and this is all the fruite he desireth euen the taking away of their sinne Hee doth not punish willingly Iere. Lam. 3. 33. And that this is all hee desireth when he smiteth the Church with the pestilence may appeare For the Prophet saith that he contends in measure with it in the branches thereof not simiting them as hee doth the Gentiles And this we shall sinde in due time true if wee compare his lenitie with vs and his fierce wrath vpon many citties in the Popes dominions Conferre Pet. 1. 14. 15. and 2. Chap. verse 12. 18. Secondly I consider the Lords chasticements as effects of the great and certaine decree of God vpon mee Rom. 8. 28. what God hath decreed must come to passe God hath deered to make the Saints through afflictions that is all maner of chasticements whatsoeuer conformable to the image of his sonne Christ The best beloued Sonne wanted not rods all the life hee liued vpon earth and therefore I must not otherwhiles want them I must beare many crosses on earth before I shall be crowned with Christ in heauen Thirdly I know Christ seeth dayly all my sores all my griefs all my paines all my troubles all my teares they are as well knowne vnto him as if they were distilled by drops into his bottle and the number of them by iust account set downe in his register Psal. 56. 8. Thou hast counted my wanderings put my teares into thy bottle are they not in thy Register Fourthly I consider all these greeuances of this life as vndoubted seales of mine immortalitie for the Lorde hauing decreed to bring mee to immortalitie to blisse voyd of all miserie c. The effects of his decree I know and see in my vocation Iustification and sanctification but the life promised as yet I finde not because of my manifold afflictions wherefore I shall vndoubtedly finde it when this life is ended Eiftly I learne in Gods booke that the diseases of the body and all other afflictions of this life they are oftē sent vpon Gods people and holy seruants to worke in them a more serious humiliation for the sinnes of their youth either because they were neuer throughly humbled for them or least they fall dangerously into the same sinnes againe Psalm 25. 6. Remember not the sinnes of my youth nor my rebellions but according to thy kindnesse remember thou me euen for thy goodnesse sake O Lord. And Iob complaineth chap. 13. 26. Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possesse the sinnes of my youth Fiftly I consider also that God would haue vs his children beaten as for their owne sinnes so also that he may awaken his enemies and tell them that for their intollerable sinnes their destruction sleepth not 1. Pet. 4. 17. Iudgement must first beginne at the house of God if it first begin at vs what shal be the end of them which obey not the Gospell of God Sixtly I see and know the corruptions of mine heart to be so many and the dulnes and dimmesse of my minde to be such that if I were not often by the crosse brought to hearken and to obey I should neither vnderstand aright the Lords reueiled will nor practise it with any sincerity in my life Psal. 1 19. 71. It is good for me that I haue bene afflicted that I may learne thy Statutes Iob. Chap. 33. verse 16. God openeth the eares of men by their corrections Maister Caluin in his Preface on the Psalmes saith that if God had not exercised him with manv afflictions he could not wel haue vnderstood many Psalmes Seuenthly I finde also another great comfort in all mine insirmities and greeuance◅ I haue heard and knowne the faithfull to confesse Christs presence more familiar sweet and comfortable in their aduersitie then prosperitie and this I finde true in like manner And the rather I obserue this for that the Apostle speaketh thus of himselfe I will reioyce rather in mine infirmities that the power of Christ may soiourn with me therefore I take pleasure in mine infirmities in reproches in necessities c. And I finde true that prosperitie breedes dangerous pride and carnal securitie I sayd in my rest I shall neuer be mooued for thou Lord of thy goodnes hast made my mountaine so strong but thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled then I cryed to thee O Lord and prayed to my Lord. Psal. 30. 8. Eightly I gather also by afflictions experience and this both worketh in me a Christian sympathie compassion towardes other men in their miseries and teacheth mee how to comfort them as I haue beene comforted of the Lorde 2. Cor. 1. 3. 4. Blessed be God euen the father our Lord Iesus Christ the father of mercies and the God of all comfort which comforteth vs in all our tribulation that we may bee able to comfort them which are in any affliction by the comfort wherewith we our selues are comforted of God for as the sufferings of Christ abound in vs so our consolation aboundeth through Christ. Wee gather experience of Gods loue of our weakenes Rom. 5. 2. 3. Iames 1. 2. strength to endure cōtempt Lastly I consider death whether by pestilence or otherwise as the complement of my mortification for in mortification I am crucified and die dayly but in death I shal finde the full destruction of the whole bodie of sinne The Phisitions say death is the last phisition which endes the most grieuous pangs and dangerous diseases by Phisicke incurable so I know that death shall put an ende to all the euils that Sathan sinne and the
world shall bring vpon me during this present life And thus farre concerning Sathans kingdome the seruice of wicked spirites vnto God in the pestilence and how the Christians may bee comforted as in that euil so in any other THE 4. LECTVRE Verse 7. A thousand shall fall on the one side and ten thousand at thy right hand and it shall not come neare thee HEre againe obserue how carefull the holy Ghost is to multiply his promises to comfort and cherish the true beleeuers heart As long as prosperitie and health lasteth we thinke alwayes that wee haue Gods presence with vs but when miserie approcheth then if our faith faile vs our hearts soone faint within vs. Now this faith euer fainteth without the holy promises which are the very food nourishment of our faith O then thou man of GOD looke often vpon the holy promises that thou may est beleeue that so thy heart may not deceiue thee in the euil day Remember there is no vse of all these promises vnlesse by faith thou canst receiue them Be not afraid saith the Prophet in this Verse of that great destroyer the pestilence which killes so many by day an◅ by night No nor yet feare not I say albeit a thousand of thy neighbours or companions fall on the one side and ten thousand on the other side for thou shalt bee free onely be strong in faith and watch wisely ouer thine owne wayes calling mightily vpon God for his defence and deliuerance Note here againe how careful the holy Ghost is to answer all obiections all arguments and circumstances which in the pestilēce may breed feare in vs. There is nothing doth so appale discourage and dismay vs as to see many dead men lie before vs thousands on the one side ten thousands on the other side as in warres often and in campes where the pestilence rageth as in Maximilians campe when hee besieged Verona twentie thousand dyed in one plague in Dauids time seuentie thousand in three dayes there many great heapes of dead men might bee seene on both sides and in all places The like was to bee seene at Alexandria and in many other places where the liuing were not able to burie the dead There is none of the other causes before mentioned doth so terrifie the heart as this quicke is the eie and sendeth things seene very swifly to the phantasie so to the heart How greatly were the Pagans in Egypt terrified when but one dyed in a house thoroughout the whole land The King and all his subiects rose vp at midnight and strangely all amazed they trembled fearing least present death and destruction was come vpon them Againe and againe I warne the faithful man of God to obsetue these holy promises Thou art precious and deare vnto God among many thousands he that careth for the sparrowes careth much more for vs that bee redeemed by the blood of his s◅nne and called to his grace hope of glorie wherein wee stand and reioyce he that numbreth our haires will not see one of vs perish he that will giue vs a kingdome will not suffer any enemie to hurt vs in this life without his grace and comfort yea when they seeme to hurt vs they shall will they nill they hasten our endlesse felicitie Here before we passe whereas the Prophet saith verse 7. The Plague shall not come neere thee it may bee demaunded how this can bee true for that wee read both in elder ages and see dayly that the pestilence where it is sent doth not only come neere the godly but also smites dead many of the righteous and religious people among the great heapes and troupes of vnbeleeuers A. The answere is this that either they faile in the particuar faith in Gods prouidence so much commended and required in this Psalme or they keepe not within the bounds of their callings or be not instant in prayers or the Lorde hath some secret purpose best knowne to himselfe yet hee is their firme consolation that neither powers nor principalities nor life nor death shall seuer them from the loue of God in Christ Iesus Rom. 8. 39. Verse 8. Thou shalt onely behold with thine eyes and see the reward of the wicked THou shalt see the Pestilence sweepe away thousands on both sides I say againe thou shalt but onely see these calamities light vpon other and this sight it shall doe thee good by the obseruation of the executioners of Gods great and fearefull iudgements thou shalt I say see howe the Lorde doth chasten his children for the time and confound and plague his enemies Note here how we ought to make vse of all Gods iudgements that we see heare and know for therefore doth the Lord lay them before his children and not vpon them Frist that they may see and by seeing learne to feare him and to beleeue in him that they may consider as of Gods mercie towardes them so of his iustice in rewarding sinners that as by the one they are stirred vp to loue him so by the other they learne to feare him that so they may haue a holy mixture of loue and feare and thereby sound hearts to walke in sincere obediēce before him Secondly they must when they see the Lords iudgements to smite others be stirred vp to compassion and so to prayer for their brethren and euen for their very enemies for what hart can be forgetfull in these extremities whē they are presented before vs to labour in prayer to God for our brethren the practise of this wee see notably in Dauid who neuer rested crying and calling vnto God for his people till the Lord was appeased Thirdly the Lord would haue vs thus to behold the calamities of our brethren that wee might shew all the compassion that we can as by our prayers so by shewing our Christian liberalitie vpon them and by visiting also such as we are bound by any bond of natural loue Christian societie c. For we must not bee as Dauids friendes standing aside and flying away whē our dearest friends haue greatest need of our helpe and comfort Verse 9. 10. Because thou hast set the Lorde which is my hope euen the most high for thy refuge There shall none occasion be giuen that euill may touch thee neither shall any plagu◅ come neare thy tabernacle HEre the Prophet giueth vs an other reason of all the former securitie of the faithfull making himselfe one of the number His reason is this as farre as I can conceiue it God will deliuer them and couer them c. for that they doe not onely runne to hide themselues vnder his wings for protection but also they do very watchfully attend to all their wayes that they giue none occasion of offence greiuance to his most holy spirit Eph. 4. 30. Wee see againe the holy Ghost requires in vs an especiall faith in these calamities Before he spake verse 2. of his owne particular