A04930:52
A fort for the afflicted Wherein are ministered many notable & excellent remedies against…A fort for the afflicted VVherin are ministred many notable & excellent remedies against…
A fort for the afflicted Wherein are ministered many notable & excellent remedies against the storms of tribulation. Written chiefly for the comfort of Christs little flock, which is the final number of the faithful, by John Knox.A fort for the afflicted VVherin are ministred many notable & excellent remedies against the stormes of tribulation. Written chiefly for the comforte of Christes little flocke, which is the final number of the faithfull, by Iohn Knoxe.
Imprinted at London : At the three Cranes in the Vintry, by Thomas Dawson, 1580Imprinted at London : At the three Cranes in the Vintree, by Thomas Dawson, 1580
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
After the desiring of mercy, now desireth David a corporal benefit, saying, Heal me, Lord. Hereof is to be noted, that bodily health being the gift of God, may be asked of him without sin, albeit that we understand our selves to be punished for our offences. Neither yet in so praying, are we contrary to Gods will: for his providence hath planted in the nature of man, a desire of health, & a desire that it may be conserved, & therefore is he not ⟨image 20⟩offended that we ask health of body, when we lack it, neither yet that we seek preservation of our health by such ordinary means as he hath appointed: Provided always, that God himself be first sought, and that we desire neither life, neither health, to the hinderance of Gods glory nor to the hurt or destruction of others our brethren, but rather that by us Gods glory may be promoted, & that others our brethren by our strength, health, and life, may be comforted and defended. These presidents now rightly observed, it is no sin earnestly to ask at God health of body, albeit we know our sickness to be the very hand of God, punishing or correcting our former evil life. This I write because some are so severe, that they would not that we should ask bodily health of God, because the sickness is sent to us by him: but such men do not righteously understand, neither yet consider that sickness is a trouble to the body and that God commandeth us to call for his help in our troubles. Surely our submission and prayers in such extremity, is the greatest glory that we can give unto God: for so doing we think that his mercy aboundeth above his judgement and so we are bold to pray for the withdrawing ⟨image 20⟩of his scourge,1 which petition no doubt he must grant, for so he promiseth by Jeremiah his Prophet, saying: If I have spoken against any nation or City, saying that I will destroy it, and if it turn from iniquity and repent, it shall repent me also of the plagues, that I have spoken against it. God promiseth to show mercy to a whole City or nation if it repent, & will he not do the same to a particular person, if in his sickness he call for grace? He hath showed unto us that he will, by divers examples, and specially by the leprosy of Mary the sister of Moses and Aaron, which she received at the Lords hand, punishing her high and haughty mind: