euill of sin and God cannot make such a breach in his iustice as to spare for sin when men doe not spare to sin God is righteous and not mercifull onely and therefore Dauids song to him is of his mercy and iustice Psal 101.1 Thirdly God should doe wrong if it were not right to visit mans transgression with the rod and his iniquity with strokes Psal 89.32 but the God of iudgement cannot doe but what iust is and it is iust to giue to euery mother her owne childe that is correction where it is deserued and more where more is due therefore God afflicting for sin it followeth that sin is the deseruing cause of that affliction whatsoeuer An instruction in all we suffer Vse 1 whether by sicknesse or otherwaies to confesse the right father euen that which hath begotten all that with the seede of sin wee must confesse our sins to bee cause of all and learne to profit by the hand to amendment I say then hath God lately crost vs in our trades it is because we traded with sin haue our fields kept their Sabbaths it is because we haue not kept Gods Sabbaths haue they beene full of weedes our hearts haue been fuller of the weeds of sin hath God touched vs in our bodies it is because wee haue so dishonored him in our bodies doth the Land mourne and may we not say because of Oathes the Land mourneth Ier. 23.10 So for euery sorrow we must say this is our sorrow that is that which we are worthy of and comes to the right owner Ier. 10.19 If God lay his finger vpon vs touching vs in our estate with want or in our name with disgrace nay if he lay his whole hand vpon vs smiting vs with the calamities of Pestilence Famin or Sword we must cleare the Lord in al in al say Righteous art thou O Lord iust are thy iudgements Psal 119.137 Dauid when it was told him from the Lord by Nathan that euil should be raised against him out of his owne house that the Sword should be laid vpon it that his wiues should be defiled and the childe die 2. Sam 11.12 pleaded to all this no other defence but I haue sinned against the Lord verse 13. And he confesseth that when all those iudgements should come and be executed vpon him which God by his Prophet had threatned yet God was free and he in fault The like confession made Daniel for the people or rather against the people for the Lord in as fearefull a iudgement as could be executed vpon a Nation Dan. 9.5 6 7 11 12 13 14. which was that the Lord was iust and that they had deserued somuch and more what Dauid Daniel did in a Plague and calamitie the greatest vnder heauen that must wee doe in like manner and iustifie the Lord in all his iudgements for no iudgement is executed which is not executed for sin the law reads the sentence and God giues it if God poure out the dregges of his wrath it is because we are frozen in our dregges of sin Zeph. 1.12 the earth is filled with cruelty before God will fill it with water Gen. 6. and 7. Chap. and Sodom burneth with lusts before God will burne it with fire Gen. 18.20 19.5.24 25. So Iudah serueth sin before God will giue vp Iudah to serue in Babel Shee will not serue the Lord for 70. yeeres therefore shee must serue a strange Lord in a strange Land And now for our selues of this Nation the Lord hath lately broken in by a terrible Plague and shall we think other but that the sins were strong and masculine that called for it and if so should it not make vs in all that is come to confesse Gods righteousnes and our owne open shame because we haue sinned against him Dan. 9.8 should it not make vs to search and trie our waies and to turne againe vnto the Lord or make vs to new-cast our selues that we may be a people holy to God Tit. 2.14 If wee doe not rather if wee will not what hope sin continuing the cause of Plagues but that the effect should follow great Plagues for sin either God must loose his iustice or we perish if wee will not be reformed this was more largely spoken of in my Commentary on Psal 9 1. ver 10. the words there shall no euill c. Doctrine and Vses there A reproofe of those who being vnder the hand of God in their many sins Vse 2 neuer giue God glory by confessing vnto him his righteousnesse and their iniquities against themselues but fret at the rod and open wide against him that striketh with it so did that reprobate Mat. 25.24 who charged his Lord to be a hard man and an vnreasonable taker one that had a very hard law a law that reaped where it neuer sowed if they doe not what he commandeth the law is intollerable and who can helpe it or whose fault is it but his who should haue giuen them better grace so say Reprobates so said Cain and that Gods punishment was aboue the fault Gen 4.13 The Hypocrite when God laies smart vpon him and paies him in iustice for iniquity and for sins fareth like a beast that is sticked hal'd with ropes vsing neither meekenes nor entreaty but with roaring and strugling and straining himselfe doubleth his paine He neuer considers his sin in which he is bound fast vnto iudgement but complaines of his punishment also he flutters like a bird in a Net when God hath caught him but what is gotten by strugling thus vnder Gods hands they that are so impatient vnder the rod must be bound to a forme and what doe we get by running against the rocke and stone of offence but a dashing in fitters with the Plague-sore of a tormented conscience if then we will not bee as the most wicked when wee are in fault we must humbly as the most penitent submit when we haue to do with the Lord reuerencing his iust law and cleering him If hee follow vs with iudgements he is iust or if he reiect vs he is iust holy and righteous If he take away our corne in the time of haruest he may doe it sin prouoking him if hee bring the Plague againe why may he not who taking it away in mercy may in iustice reduce it for sinne if he kill with death we cannot complaine the wages of sinne being in our hands Rom. 6.23 and the issues of it in his The last reason perswading followeth Lest a worse thing come vnto thee THis last reason goeth off with a threatning shot It hath a full charge telling the man whom Christ healed that if he did so againe that is so as before he should not carry it so easily or then it should bee worse with him then euer God hauing an yron rod to breake those whom his rod of correction cannot make better And indeed the Lord hath many iudgments in his store-house that can neuer be emptied
commandement and day set 1. Cor. 11.17.18 1. Cor. 16.1 Thus then we haue traced the way in which we may finde and bee found of Christ euen the Kings high-way which fooles cannot misse and which none but worse then fooles goe out of Esay 35.8 the reasons Reasons There is Iacobs Ladder in the staires of the means to heauen Gen. 28.12.17 there God hath commanded the blessing and life for euer Psal 133.3 Secondly it is our Fathers house Iohn 2.16 and where doe children conuerse familiarly with their earthly Fathers but at home in their Fathers house where haue they the helps of naturall life but there and in what house but therein And shall wee not care to goe home to GOD our heauenly Father in the Assemblie where we may haue him to speake kindely to vs by his Word where wee may speake familiarly to him in our prayers where wee may meete with his seales of assurance and be bettered by his nurture rod of discipline where he giues vs his Sonne and giues vs his Spirit and grace in our hearts where hee keepes his wealth and where his houshold-stuffe lies or doe wee not care for the abundance of Gods house or had we rather liue beggerly in the world then richly at Church to be short had wee rather loose our gracious Father then finde him or be found of him in the way wherein they that seeke finde Mat. 7.7 we should be followers of God and wil we be followers of those who choose another Father in their ordinary absences from the Assembly then they haue who assemble willingly in the day of Gods musters Psal 110.3 Thirdly hence when Cain was cast out of Adams house which was the Church then he said to God I am cast out of thy sight Gen. 4.14 meaning his face in the Assembly which is the Church now But is Christ found in Church-Assemblies Vse and doth he there seeke vs and seeke vs for much good to our selues how vnwise are we and what fooles for our selues if we will suffer euery twist of occasion though in neuer so small a thred to hold vs from thence If a mortall King should seeke vs in some speciall place to bestow honours and wealth vpon vs and we knowing the place would not come thither were we not both vndutifull to him and vnwise to our selues This is the very case of our Papists Recusant and Protestants at large The immortal King of kings seekes them in our Church-Assemblies to make them rich in Christ and great in Heauen yet they will not be in place nor tread vpon the threshold of his Sanctuarie saue where Law binds nor some nay many where they are so bound Of Dauids affection to the publike places of prayer hearing the Word receiuing the Sacraments and the like wee heard The riuer of his desires rising mainely in this case could be kept within no banke he could rest vpon no ground till being in exile from Gods Tabernacle he was brought backe againe to God in his ordinances It was his Crosse and a weighty one vpon him that by tyrannie and enforced absence hee was not permitted to worship at Ierusalem But now who doth not account it the least of his trouble that by sicknesse and other impediments necessitated not procured he is held as in bonds from the publique Assembly who wisheth for his appearance before the Lord as the Hart brayeth for the brooks of water Psal 42.1 who now feareth the hand of the Lord that of which we heard for omitting the publique Seruice of God in the Congregation and not holden from it by Pharao as some necessary chaine in Egypt but with chaines of their owne either vnnecessary busines or carnall sports Exod. 5.2 It was Dauids desire aboue or more then all he desired to dwell in the house of the Lord all his time and to behold the beauty of the Lord in his Temple Psal 27.4 wee make no such request nor will we take vp our pleasant daies with such sad matters And some though they dwell not far from the place where the Arke of the Gospel is placed in the Preaching Ministers mouth as in the Tabernacle thereof yet if the wether be not to their lazie minds if any impediment seaze them a lesse matter then the buying of a Farme or the prouing of fiue yoke of Oxen wil keep them away Luke 24.18.19 you must haue them excused they cannot but more truly they wil not come why they can serue God at home as well as there so could Abraham as easily as haue gone the dolorous iourney of three daies to Sacrifice his dearest Son Isaac Gen. 22.4 but Abraham must go and Abraham did go to the place which God shewed him And so God will be serued in the place he hath shewed vs and in the manner as we haue heard of him there we must offer vp not the only childe of our loues but the foule children of our lusts Iames 1.15 that vpon the Altar of the law that threatneth iniquities and sins The Iewes came betimes to Ierusalem though dwelling in the vttermost lists of the Land neither foule weather nor perill by that long way could hinder them for with Abraham they droue away al vncleane fowles of exception that might fall vpon the carkasses that were for that sacrifice them Gen. 15.11 But now Dauids place is empty O Lord how long which though Sauls now do not marke as Saul then God doth the Pews Seats that are empty so often and for no cause he knowes who will one day say wherefore come not these to meate neither yesterday nor to day 1. Sam. 20.27 I may adde and say not these seuen or eight weekes of daies And here let me speake to such vnwilling and prest men where God will haue none in his camp but voluntaries Psal 110.3 what would such do if the * Master Widley his Tract on the â—abbath page 125. Parisian line were stretched ouer the land men should be killed with their bibles in their hands their blood being sprinkled vpon the seats they sit on would they not say this euill is all of the Lord why should we waite on the Lord any longer 2. King 6.33 But to make short yee that thus turne the back and not your faces to Gods Sanctuary sacred house consider your waies and turne your feete vnto Gods testimonies consider who it is that seekes you and where and for what He that seekes you is Iesus he that saues his people and must you if you will not be damned and he seekes you in the assembly and there seeks you for your own good I say therfore would you be found of God in peace or of your Sauiour the Sonne of God to your peace and comfort euerlasting be in the way of the meanes let your feete stand within the gates of the Gospels Ierusalem there fall downe low on your faces and kneele before he Lord your Maker Psal 95.6 And
and not denied by Christ Mar. 2.6.7 and therefore he only can take away sicknesâ— and send health An instruction to vse such Physitians for our necessitie Vse 1 as by whom we may be perswaded that God who maketh whole will send a message of health vnto vs. And these must be men of good conscience and sound Religion not Popish or of no Religion if wee can choose else it will be said is it not because there is no God in Israel that yee goe to enquire of the God of Ekron for your health 2. King 1.3 God giueth the blessing and can we thinke that hee will inclose it to vs in euill meanes further hauing made our best choise this way we must take certaine religious preparatiues that their physick may haue the better worke vpon vs. And here we must humble our soules with repentance and confession of sinnes yea craue pardon for them and forsake them purposing amendment also we must sanctifie our sicke beds and make them vp by the Word of God and prayer 1. Tim. 4.5 The truth is when a man is made whole good medicines are good meanes vnto it but Gods blessing is it that strikes the stroke of health and recouers him Therefore let those who haue lately felt the sweet fruit of Gods worke in their restorings to health from the wound of Plague bring forth like fruit of thankfulnesse in their turnings to him that hath healed them else better they had died then and that the Plague had taken away their life when it tooke away their health The want of this is often cause that diseases curable in themselues are made incurable by our sinnes which should make vs when God begins his correction by sicknesse to begin repentance by turning to him that smiteth vs when we take physick for our recouery we must not take it as trusting in it but repose on God for health nor must our end of taking it be to put off death further then God hath bounded our terme here for physick can goe no farther then hee hath appointed who puts his staffe into it without which it falls to nothing A reproofe of those who with Asa in sicknesse Vse 2 seeke to physitions and not to God 2. Chron. 16.12 or to them in the first place and to God when there is no other remedie Some neuer call when God bindeth them Iob 1.36.13 bid them pray they list not or cannot and for their sicknesse they fret at it and with Cain say the punishment is greater then they can beare Gen. 4.13 as if they should say God doth not well so to punish them that is so seuerely or so for nothing And so they anger him with their impatiencie who must giue them their health if they euer recouer and increase the wrath going further in but not comming out of sicknesse to health But some insteede of seeking the Lord by prayer seeke to the diuel in some witch for ease of paine or end of sicknesse so did Ahaziah who falling through a lattesse in his vpper chamber in Samaria was so bruised with the fall that he lay sick of it vpon his bed till he died hereupon when he should haue sent to God in Israel he sent to an Idol in Ekron Baal-zebub that is not to God in faith but to the diuell in sinne to know if he should recouer of that disease 2. King 1.2.6 The admonition followeth Sinne no more OVr Sauiour hauing made this Man whole here like a good Physitian tells him what dyet hee should keep to keepe so The dyet prescribed is Sin no more the meaning is not as thou hast done and so he bidds him not to keepe a course in sinne as before and not to returne to the vomit which he hath cast or he wisheth him to looke better to the health of his soule for neglect whereof he had such ill health in his body and to take heede that by the ill dyet of sin he fell not into a relapse This may be our Sauiours counsell where yet he intends not that he can be so free from sin as that he should neuer fall againe for that is impossible in this mid-vaile but intimates that his sicknesse was the fruit of his sin Doct. from whence we may draw this conclusion that the diseases of the body for the most part come from the disease of the minde caused by sin and so God correcteth sin with the whip of sicknesse not alwaies yet most what and commonly I say not alwaies for there are sometimes other causes of sicknesse beside sin not knowne to vs but well knowne to God Ioh. 9.2.3 yet sin ordinarily is cause The first fall gaue vs this bruise and euer since we spat blood through or by meanes of it Indeed a peace since was made betweene God and vs in the seede of the woman Gen. 3.15 but it neuer reached so far as to conclude a peace betweene God and sin and he that was contented to be reconciled to sinners is at emnity with sin hence sin is the proper and kindly cause of Plagues vpon a whole Nation or particular person and so of sicknesses vpon it and him And for generall strokes vpon a Land that sin causeth them it is a plaine case in the book of Lamentations where Ieremy shewing what a folly it is for man so to vexe himself that is so in vaine by mis-iudging of his estate helps to winde him out of the by-pathes of so foule mistakes and directly tells him that being smitten of God hee suffereth iustly the punishment of his sin man suffereth for his sin Lam. 3.39 but more specially in the instance of sicknesses that these also come deseruedly for sin beside the words here the speech of Christ to the sick of the Palsey in which disease his sinne held him doth make plaine as vpon tables Mat. 9.26 for first he forgaue him his sins remouing the cause verse 2. and then he healed his Palsey changing the effect ver 6. God was comming to Iudah with good things in both hands but hee turned away the good came not which their sins hindered and euil things were sent which their iniquities were cause of Ier. 5.25 Eliphaz tells Iob that misery comes not forth of the dust Iob 5.6 and bids him to seeke another mother for it euen the proper mother of miserie which is sin ver 3. The rebellious to Gods ordinances who are foule sinners are threatned for like matter by the Lord himselfe Leuit. 26.15.16 and the Psalmist saith that fooles by which he meaneth wicked ones by reason of their transgression and because of their iniquities are afflicted Psal 105.17 that is afflicted with sicknesse and visited with troubles Psal 89.32 the reasons Reasons In many things we sin all Iames 3.2 and all in some but the least sin doth at the best hand deserue the gentle correction of sicknesse which hauing the owne due deserueth hell and death Rom. 6.23 Secondly the euill of punishment followeth the