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
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
the Lord and then it is said The Lord was entreated appeased toward the land the plague ceased from Israel Here I offer thee christian Reader some spirituall helpes coÌ„forts both against the pestilence and many other euils if thou shalt receiue any benefit by them giue God the praise glory Farewell in Christ the yeare of our saluation 1603. Thine in the Lord Iesus Henrie Holland SPIRITVALL PRESERVATIVES against the Pestilence THE 1. LECTVRE Psal. 91. 1. Who so resteth in the secret of the most high shall abide in the shadow of the Almightie THIS Psalme is a very precious Iewell containing most sweete doctrine and heauenly consolation It is most like to be written when the Angell of God in Dauids kingdome slew so many thousands in that short time throughout all Iewrie At which time the Lord moued to mercie by the instant praiers continuall supplications of David and his people the Angell was commaúnded to holde his hand as from Ierusalem so from the whole land Considering therefore all circumstances this Psalme may very well bee referred to that time and people A short view of the whole Psalme may thus bee giuen thee They haue a most sufficient protection as in all euils so in this of the Pestilence whom the Lord hideth in his secret place comforteth in his almightie shadow and couereth as with his holy wings And this he doth to all them which assuredly rest by faith in him hope in him which haue Gods word and holy veritie for their shield and sword which do watchfully wait vpon him in all reuerence in all their waies which wholy hang vpon him as vpon their Almighty Father in loue in faith and feare which call vpon him in all their troubles These men he protecteth fatherly hee preserueth mightily by his good Angels and comforteth sweetly by his holy spirit as in all troubles so in the dreadfull time of the Pestilence The parts of this Psalme may be these 1. The first part is a proposition verse 1. for this generall doctrine is here first propounded that who so resteth by faith in Gods prouidence reposing himselfe in all afflictions sweetly as in his fathers bosome that man hath assuredly an almightie shadow and protection against all euills of this life 2 The second part is a confirmation verse 2. by an argument drawne from the Prophets owne experience it may be set in this forme What I finde true touching my faith by mine owne spiritual experience in my selfe Gods faithfull may find true by the like experience in themselues But I finde and must euer professe it that the Lords almightie shadow is my best protection against all euils and my soueraigne preseruatiue in the Pestilence Therfore Gods holy people if they do by their precious faith repose themselues in Gods bosome they shall finde as an almightie protection against all euils so a most soueraigne preseruatiue against the Pestilence 3. The third part is an application of this sweete doctrine vnto all belceuers to stirre them vp to embrace it from the third verse to the fourteenth Where we be to obserue 1. How with many words and sweete promises he desires to cheere and confirme the hearts of the faithfull that they may rest by a particular victorious faith on God in the Pestilence 1. ver 3. Surely he will deliuer thee 2. ver 4. He will couer thee 3. ver 5. Thou shalt not be â—…fraide 4. ver 7. A thousand shall fall at the sidâ—… and it shall not come neare thee 5. ver 13. Thou shalt walke vpon the fierce Lyon c. Secondly obserue how he calleth vpon the beleeuer to cleaue vnto Gods protection by a speciall faith and to looke well vnto his waies c. 1. ver 4. He wil couer thee vnder his wings when thou shalt hide or betake thy selfe vnder his featbers 2. ver 9. 10. Because thou hast set the Lord which is mine hope euen the most high for thy refuge there shal none occasion be giuen that euil may touch thee 3. His Angels shall keepe thee in all thy wayes Thirdly obserue with what varietie of names and arguments the Prophet setteth forth the nature and qualities of the Pestilence for he calles it 1. The snare of the hunter ver 3. 2. The noysome Pestilence ver 3. 3. The feare of the night ver 5. 4. The arrow flying by day ver 5. 5. The Pestilence that walketh in darknesse verse 6. 7. The rewardf the wicked ver 8. Fourthly marke what meanes the Lord vseth for our protection in the Pestilence for the Prophet assureth vs that the holy Angels of God are sent with a speciall charge and commission from God to preserue his faithfull people from euill spirits in the Pestilence ver 11. He shal giue his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy waies ver 12. They stall beare thee in their hands that thou hurt not thy foote against a stone And thus farre the application The fourth part of this Psalme is a conclusion wherein the Lord himselfe speaketh as it were to the heart of the beleeuer feeding him with sweete promises and instructing him what duties hee requireth at his hands 1. Gods sweet promises are these repeated 1. I will deliuer him ver 14. 15. 2. I will set him vp on high that is in a sure place of defence ver 14. 3. I will heare his prayers ver 15. 4. I will be with him in troubles ver 15. 5. I. I will honour him ver 15. 6. I. will giue him long life ver 16. 7. I will shew him my saluation ver 16. 2. God requires in his children 1. Faith Because hee dependeth on me or embraceth me ver 14. 2. Loue. Because hee dependeth on me or embraceth me ver 14. 3. Knowledge and profession ver 14. 4. The spirit of prayer So soone as he calleth vpon me I will heare him ver 15. The 91. Psalme verse 1. Who so resteth in the secret of the most high shall abide in the shadow of the Almightie THE first verse containeth the proposition of the whole Psalme as is before shewed The sense is this That he which firmely standeth by faith in the Lords seeret place that is vnder the Lords gracious prouidence and strong protection when tempestuous calamities fall vpon the world for sin he shall be graciously preserued as in an almightie shadow Secret a place of refuge wherevnto a man runnes from the violence and rage of his enemies as wilde beasts when they are in chase before the hunters make all speede into theyr dennes and holes for their defence So much doth the word in the originall signific And so in like manner the prudent man hides himselfe in Gods bosome when God smites his people with the Pestilence Pro. 22. 3. shall abide in the shadow or as the best reade shall lodge all night in the shadow Like as wearied trauellers much spent with
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
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
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