Page:Wonderful progidies (sic) of judgment and mercy.pdf/60

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The miſerable Ends of

he had been dying, but his colour ſuddenly returned to him, and the uſe of all his members, ſenſes, and underſtanding, and at the next petition, to the glory of God, and amazement, but comfort of all the company, he ſaid Amen; and ſo continued to repeat Amen to every petition: prayers are hereupon now turned into thankſgivings, wherewith the company concluded.

After which, John Fox ſaid, Good Mr. Rothwell, leave me not, I ſhall not live long; for the devil tells me be will choak me with the firſt bit of meat that I eat, Mr. Rothwell anſwered, Wilt thou believe the devil that ſeeks thy deſtruction, before thou wilt truſt in God through Jesus Chriſt, that ſeeks thy ſalvation; hath not God by his almighty power diſpoſſeſſed him; had he had his will, thou hadſt been in hell before now? but he is a liar, and as he is not able to hinder thy ſoul's life, ſo neither ſhall he be able to deſtroy the life of thy body, wherefore get me ſomething (ſaith he) ready for him, and I will ſee him eat before I go, and will beg a bleſſing upon it.

When it was brought, Eat (ſaith Mr. Rothwell) and fear not the devil, and urged him to eat, as being a means appointed of God to preſerve life, and quoted the example of Jairus's daughter, whom our Saviour, after he had reſtored her to life, commanded to give her meat, Luke viii. 55. With much ado, and great trembling, at laſt he took and eat; Look you (ſays Mr. Rothwell) you all ſee that the devil is a liar, the firſt bit hath not choaked him, nor ſhall the reſt. Mr. Rothwell then left him, after which he was ſtruck dumb for three years together, and continued to be tempted, though no longer poſſeſſed. At length, by prayer likewiſe, which was inſtantly put up to God for him, his mouth was opened, and his ſpeech reſtored to him at that very inſtant, when a miniſter praying for him in the congregation, where