sake that showed it and for conscience sake That which hee said of eating that may J say of drinking Drinke of any drinke that is set downe before you but if a scoll come to the table drinke it not because it is a sacrifice offered vnto the stinking idoll of the belly Let vs not onely flee all evill but all appearance of evill What hurt to health such scolls haue bene the conscience of many will beare mee record I wish that the force of Gods word could sweepe that out which mans corruption hath brought in When the brasen serpent made by Gods command was abused good Hezekiah brake it in peeces and called it Nehushtan that is a lumpe of brasse Seeing scols haue beene so vilely abused let vs breake them in peeces away with all appearance of evill This much concerning these enemies of health who by excessiue drinking drowne their spirits and the gifts of GOD within them There be now another sort of drunkards who spoile their health with reeke and smoke Tobacca-men who goe about to smoke the soule out of the body as if it were a foxe chased out of his hole this fire may be called as the fire of Nadab was called viz. strange fire I speake not of the vse but of the abuse of Gods creatures my reproofe is against these that spend the tyme with plussing of reeke which should be better imployed What count should such firie pipers make to God if death in an instant should feaze vpon them with that fire pipe at their mouth If God should say to that man what was thou doeing while I sent my servant death for thee Will that bee a gratious answere Lord I was spending the tyme that thou gavest mee for repentance at such and such an exercise I will not insist against this sinne that was once a great streanger in this land Onely this will J say for the present this taking of reeke seemeth to be a gracelesse thing Jf a man come in into a house and take but a drinke he wil first pray to God for a blessing But there is no grace for Tobacca as if it were not a creature of God Every creature of God is good and nothing to bee refused if it bee received with thanksgiving Away with such new inventions whereof the event is this the soule abhorreth all manner of meate Away with these creaturs which are nor received with thanksgiving Let vs now proceede in our text And they drewe neere the gates of death VVEE haue heard how all the sicke mans appetite is lost That which followeth is that they drawe neere the gates of death See how the living man sickneth and decayeth See how his sinne goeth downe by degrees first he can not eate after that all natural strength failing him hee draweth neere the gates of death yea so neere that with Job he is not able to swallow downe his spittle The doctrine J obserue heere is that sicknesse commeth formest death followeth after There is no disease that commeth to a man but it is like a warning peece of preparation for death The vse when ever wee find our appetite decay let vs remember the doores of death Againe let vs obserue heere that the Psalmist speaketh not heere of any light disease as of a tooth-ache or of some little throwing of the belly but of a deadly disease wherein all the cunning of the physician is gone See what doloures the sinne of man is able to bring vpon him Sinne while it is in doeing goeth merrily on like a ship falling into calme waters with flaunting failes but tary till the revenging tempest of Gods wrath come rush vpon the sinner and tumble him vp downe then is hee forced to know that there bee some great power provoked but let vs see what is vnderstood heere by the gates or doores of death By the gates or doores of death some vnderstand the graue when your graues are opened for to receiue your bodies then are the gates or ports of death opened that yee may enter in The graue maker is deaths porter A man is said to bee neere the gates of death when he is so sicke that there be more appearance of death then of lyfe Some are so sicke that they must make their Testament Some are yet neerer yea so neere that no hope of lyfe being left the living will cut off their winding-sheete The last yeere when J came out of that fever in all mens opinions deadly I found my winding sheete cut off lying in my studie amongst my bookes In such a case man may well bee said to be neere the gates of death when at every moment wee thinke that his breath should goe out In this drawing neere the graue J obserue also the weaknesse of man Were hee never so strong death at last will drawe him with sicknesse to her portes Samson for all his force yelded vnto this draught Let mee dye said hee with the Philistims there is neither force nor bewtie nor wisdome able to resist this draught Man in his name may learne his weaknesse The Hebrewes call him Enosh quasiâ—â—ger diâ—â—us â—â— mortifera agritudine in quam 〈◊〉 peccatum incidit that is from â—iseases wherevnto hee hath beene made subject by sinne Eliphaz speaking of mans weaknesse faith that wee dwell in houses of clay whose foundation is in the dust which are crushed before the moth See what an house thy soule ô man dwelleth into It is but a little lodge so ruinous that if a moth but creepe vp vpon it with the weight thereof it will be crushed The vse let no man lippen to his strength or youth While thou art into thy greatest force remember that God can cause thee to be crushed before a moth which shall drawe thee perforce in at the doores of death for to dwell amongst the crawling wormes Others by the gates of death heere vnderstand the power that death hath over all the living They call the power of death gates of death quia judicia olim in portis exercebantur because the magistrats in whose hand was the civill power sat into the portes of the City while they did exercise judgement In this sease Christ said that the gates of hell should not prevaile against his Church By the gates or portes of Hell is to be vnderstood the power of hell So heere by the gates of death learned interpreters vnderstand the power of death The doctrine J obserue heere is that great was the power of death before the coming of Christ. It is heere set foorth as a King or a magistrate sitting with great power rule and dominion This impire it keept ever till Christ came who tooke part of our flesh and blood that through death hee might destroye him that had the
while all naturall strength will faile his owne children yet Gods strength will not faile them My flesh and my heart faileth said David but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever What can make a man cry at his last gaspes but this strength of GOD in the heart This is a great mercy that while there is no force in nature to make a man but speake vnto man there shall be into his heart a spirituall force which shall make him cry vnto his God The wicked also when they drawe neere the doores of death will cry vnto the Lord that is they will gaspe gaze grinne glowre and grone yea powre out their roarings as waters And such is the great mercie of God that for plaine pittie he will grant vnto the wicked man his lyfe So hee pittied Ahab clothed with sackeclothe hauing nothing but the outward skinne of repentance Because the Lord sawe him rent his cloaths and put sackcloth vpon his flesh fast and lye in sackcloth hee said to Elijah Seest thou how Ahab humbleth him selfe before mee Therefore I will not bring the evill in his dayes See what God did to a wicked man but outwardly humbled Such is the mercie of our God that hardly can hee punish sinners in his justice As he did to Ahab so will hee doe to a wicked sicke foole when he heareth him groaning and seeth him gaping for lyfe lyke a hungry dogge gaping for a smush bone he will cast vnto him that bone of life and let him gnawe vpon it for a number of yeeres The wicked man loveth not God but looketh for health as a dogge will looke for a bone that hee seeth into a strangers hand as the dogges eye is ever vpon the bone and not vpon the stranger so is the wicked mans eye ever vpon his lyfe and not vpon God When the dogge hath gotten the bone he runneth to some corner and gnaweth vpon it and never regards any more the stranger that cast it to him even so the wicked man as it were gnaweth vpon a number of yeeres which God hath cast to him but after he hath once gotten that which hee glowred so meekill for he looketh no more vpon God The gift of naturall lyfe as J see is a gift both given to the godly and the wicked they will both come to the doores of death and God will bring them backe againe to lyfe But wouldst thou knowe whether or not thou hast gotten that gift in mercy or but for a greater judgement Trye whether or not thou amendeth thy bygone lyfe If thy loue be greater to God then of before If thou depends more vpon his providence then of before Jf thou walke more circumspectly and more carefully into thy calling then of before Jf thou make greater conscience of thy thoughts then of before thou did of thy words and workes If that bee well is thee The Lord in mercy hath added as vnto Hezekiah that tyme to thy dayes But if after thou hast made so many faire promises to God in thy sicknesse so many vowes to redeeme that evill spent tyme yet if after thou hast gotten health thou forget thy miserie and remember it as waters that passe away and so returne to thy old bayas againe to bee friends with thy old sinnes neglecting thy former vowes assure thy selfe that thy lyfe is prolonged but for a curse that thou may see the evill to come Though God spare the wicked for a space yet the day of vengeance is in his heart God is fully mynded to breake him vvith his tempest to make him perish like his owne dung for ever A vvicked man in his greatest glory is like Amalâ—cke of vvhom Balaam prophecied saying Amaleke was the first of nations but his latter end shall bee that hee perish for ever Many never vveepe for sinne till their soule is in hell Againe heere obserue to vvhom the sicke fooles are said to crye iâ— is to the Lord Then they cry vnto the Lord. Heere vvâ—e haue to learne to vvhom wee should cry in our trouble Jt is vnto the Lord. St. Augustine saith very well Nâ—n est quod fugias à Deo irato nisi ad Deum placatum there is no refuge from an angry God but vnto God being pacified whom haue I in Heaven but thee said David Cursed be the man saith Jeremie that trusteth in man and whose heart departeth from the Lord for hee shall bee like the heath in the wildernesse and shall not see when GOD commeth But blessed is the man that can say to God with Jeremie thou art my hope in the day of evill The vse let vs learne wisdome at these sicke fooles come to their witts againe In all our distresses let vs runne to the LORD Who is so powerfull to helpe as hee who is so mercifull to helpe as he It shall therefore be our best in the tyme of out prosperitie to make our acquaintance with him that in affliction wee may the more boldly goe and cry for his helpe * If God bee a stranger vnto vs wee will thinke shame to imploye him but if he be our friend wee shall finde that of Salomon to be true There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother Againe in that the afflicted are said heere to cry vnto the Lord but not vntill they bee so straited with sicknesse that there is no more appearance of lyfe J obserue the profite of affliction yea of sorest sicknesse It is a powerfull meanes for to chaise a man home to his God While the Mariners of the ship wherein Jonah was perceived the tempest arise they were busy in doing what men could doe they cast out the wares that were in the ship to lighten it of them but seeing that the sea wrought still and was more and more tempestuous they tooke them to their prayers Every man cryed vnto his God When their Gods could not answere they wakened sleeping Ionas who should haue beene the cock of the ship for to craw day vnto others him they exhorted to cry to try what his God could doe Arise said the poore pagan Call vpon thy God if so bee that hee will thinke vpon vs that wee perish not There was no crying vnto God into that ship vntill the ship was like to bee broken Jn the great distresse the pagans that knewe not God before seeing the perill boasted the Prophet to his prayers saying what meanest thou O sleeper Arise and call vpon thy God When there is no appearance of helpe from any creature then men are forced to runne to God So long as man can see a creature that can helpe him hee will runne to it as to his best refuge Jf hee be mynded to conquesse houses or lands hee will cry vnto his coffers Come out thousands of silver
Oh in thy distresse Againe in those words Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse I obserue how sensible the godly are when the least point of GOD his service is neglected If a godly man cryeth Oh that men would praise the Lord because hee seeth them flow vnto it how grieved will his heart bee when hee shall see men not only not praising God but dishonouring GOD for his goodnesse Many haue gotten health from God God in great mercy hath brought them from the gates of death and hath restored vnto them their former strength but what thankes They haue lyke the dogge returned to their â—â—nite againe The drunkard restoâ—ed runneth backe to the taverne and the harlot to his old acquaintance lyke that divell returning from dry places vnto his house whence hee came out The last of such persons is worse then their first Good had it beene for many that they had never beene brought backe from the doores of death because that after a newe tâ—â—ke of their lyfe they dishonour God more then ever they did before As Iacob said of Simeon and Levi so say I of such O my soule come not thou into their secret vnto their assembly mine honour bee thou not vnited The vse let vs striue to be sensible of sinne so that wee make conscience of the least sinne Many thinke vnthankfulnesse to GOD no sinne The leavâ—n of the Pharisees hath sowred the whole lumpe of many mens hearts Jf they bee not Adulterers but can fast and giue almes at once they will thanke GOD that they are not lyke other men GOD desyreth no such thankes when man praiseth GOD for his owne goodnesse But OH that mâ—â— would praise the LORD for his goodnesse and for his wonderfull workes to the children of men Let man praise GOD for his goodnesse but in his owne goodnesse there is no matter of praise What can bee said to the praise of a mâ—â—stâ—uâ—us cloath Such is all our righteousnesse Let vs also obserue heere another lesson The deliverance from death is said to bee from the goodnesse of God and it is also called a wonderfull worke for while it is said Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse it is cleare that the deliverance from death in sicknesse is from the goodnesse of our GOD. The vse let all those who are sicke haue recourse vnto the goodnesse of God by which only wee haue health When wee seeke health from God let vs say for thy goodnesse sake O Lord. The second vse I make of those words is for them that are recouered of their sickenesse Let such learne to bee good seing their health is from the goodnesse of God A lyfe given in goodnesse should not bee spent in wickednesse The goodnesse of God inviteth all men to repentance Againe obserue heere that great must bee that goodnesse of God whereby hee bringeth man backe from the doores of death The preservation of mans lyfe in his sicknesse is also called a wonderfull worke Js it not a great goodnesse of God and a wonder that hee should spare the lyfe of a rebellious foole What a wonder is this in God his goodnesse that the lyfe of man should be so precious in his sight Is not man naturally the enemie of God It must bee a great goodnesse that will make a man spare his enemie his lyfe And who said Saul to David finding his enemie will let him goe well away O but in God then must be a wonderfull goodnesse in that not onely he spareth his enemie but which is more euen preserueth the life of his enemie Did not God dye for his enemies did he not suffer for them by whom hee suffered By this meanes such was his goodnesse hee heaped vpon their heads coales of fire that is as St. Augustine saith vrentes poenitentiae gemitus the burning sighs of repentance Who can not bee but burnt with sighs while hee considereth the goodnesse of GOD that hath rendered him so mekle good for so mekle ill What a great mercie is this that GOD should prolong the lyfe of a sinner but an houre The vse seeing the deliverance from death and destruction is called a wonderfull work and seeing it is so indeede let vs wonder at it when J arose out of that deadly fever Anno 1626 in the moneth of September and J fand my winding sheete wrapped together into my studie amongst my bookes J began to wonder at GOD his great worke I thought it wonderfull But alace we wonder at God his works of mercie as at other common worldly thinges but for a litle space From thence is the proverb A wonder lasteth but nyne nights into a city Fy vpon vs that can not wonder still at the wonderfull works of our GOD. The Hebrew word Pala in Niphal signifieth both admirabile occuitum that is both secret wonderfull a fit word for to declare the worke to be wonderfull indeede David speaking of his making in the belly vseth this word I will praise thee said hee for I am fearfully and wonderfully madâ— Likewise in another Psalme speaking how Christ the stone which the builders refused was become the head stone of the corner he said This is the Lords doing it is marveilous or wonderfull in our eyes So heere the bringing from the doores of death is called a wonderfull worke of GOD tovvard the children of men Obserue the lesson only the workes of God are wonderfull Men may wonder at some workes of men but no works of men are wonderfull No created wisdome can fill a worke with wonder There is nothing that man can doe but man may come after and doe better plus vident oculi quam oculus many eyes see better than one This is true amongst men But all the eyes of men can not perceiue that God in any worke hath either beene defectuous or superfluous Looke vp to the Heavens and consider the sunne in his goings Behold how in the spring he commeth slowly by degrees till our day be at the longest Behold and wonder at such slownesse in such a swiftnesse If hee were not slow in such swiftnesse what fearfull changes should ensue If from the elleventh of December in the space of a day the sunne should be into that part of Heaven whereinto he is seene into the elleventh of Iune what discorder should be in the creatures below All men know how dangerous are sudden changes from heate to cold and from cold to heate Behold then and wonder how the Creator hath so ruled that Bridgroome of light that no man can imagine how his course could be changed for a better What shall I speake of the sea tide which made that most subtile searcher of secrets as some thinke to haue drowned him selfe in the
while the flesh was betweene their teeth ere it was chewed the wrath of the Lord wat kindled and smot the people with a very great plague from thence the place was called Kibroth-Hattavah that is the graues of lust These that surfet either in meat or drink till they sicken are plagued in their meat and drinke woe vnto them that are mighty to drink wine men of strength to mingle strong drinke Last of all God scourgeth man in meat when by sore sicknesse hee maketh a man to losse his appetite or when he maketh his soule as my text saith abhorre all maner of meate The Lord in his justice can put a man at variance and discord with that meate which once hee loved best yea hee will sowe such seed of discord betweene man and his meat that man will bee at deadly feade with his food yea abhorre it of whatsoever sorte it can bee were thy fare never so daintie or delicate the Lord can make the soule of the sicke man to abhorre it The doctrine I obserue heere is that there is no such loue and friendship amongst the creatures but if the creature offend God God can set them at variance * God that put an evill spirit of dissention betwixt Abimâ—lech and the men of Shechem can put stryfe and contention betweene a man and the meate hee loveth best Hee can make the best meate to be vnto man after he hath abused it as hee made Tamar to bee to Amnon after his lust was satisffied his last hatred was greater then his former loue Hee abhorred her at last after whom he sickned for lust Heere is such hatred against meat Their soule abhorreth all maner of meate yea of meat which once they lusted most after God will not suffer his enemies to haue the vse of his creatures Jf man cast out with GOD God can make man cast out with his meat yea and cast it yea and make his drinke to cast him vpon his backe God may for a space delay and suffer sinnes to haue a stomacke But what saith hee into the Psalme when I see a convenient tyme then will I execute judgement GOD is not slacke while he delayeth but hee stayeth till sinne bee ripe The vse of this is let vs never offend God in our meat Let vs beware to make of our bellyes Kibroth Hatavab graues of lust What is a gluttons belly but a graue of lust wherein hee burieth the good creatures of God Let all men learne heere not to set their affection too much vpon that which shall goe to the draught He that loveth his meat or drinke better then his God God shall make him hate his loue yea and abhorre it What is a man given to his belly but a belly-god Stinke must hee whose God is his belly Fye on the follie of that foole that for meat forsaketh God and cleaveth vnto his belly which God one day shall destroy yea and shall make of it a nest of wormes Often in this lyfe hath it beene seene that God hath marked the abused belly with some judgement for to bee a prophecy of torment vnto others least they should bee like vnto them Gods judgements vpon others should bee vnto vs as if a messinger had beene sent from the dead for to giue warning to the gluttons Brethren least they also should fall into the like torment The second doctrine I gather heere is this It is a great benefite of GOD to man to haue his appetite so that hee may eate of all maner of meat The vse Thou hast a stomacke thanke God for it abuse it not in gluttonie or drunkennesse St Paul hath a notable speach viz that the grace of God hath appeared vnto all men teaching vs. what is the lesson That denying vngodlinesse and worldly lusts we should liue soberly righteouslie and godly in this present world Soberly in regard of our selues Righteously in regard of our neighbours and Godly in regard of our God See how in these three severall dueties fobrietie is sent before for to prepare a place in the heart for the Lord who can not dwell into an heart full of surfet The third lesson J obserue heere is that sinne is the cause which maketh a man to losse his appetite The vse Let every man that sindeth a decay in this benefite considder how this euill is come vpon him I remember of a comfortable laying which that worthy and learned man my Lord of Plessis Morney whom I knew in Sanmur was wont to say concerning the sight of his eyes almost lost Is say a quel ieu ie les ay pardus J know said he at what play I haue lost them Hee had worne-them away with great reading Hee was not bleare eyed as many amongst vs by much drinking Well is the man that hath such bosome and secret comfortes while hee is afflicted Health is a great benefite and would bee meekill made of Let vs so spend it that while it is spent wee may haue some comfort to remember how wee haue spent it Seeing my text is of health of sicknesse let mee say something against these that are enemies both of their owne health and of other mens To you first J addresse my speach who are drinkers of strong drinke or rather strong in drinking Men of strength to mingle strong drinke to scoll as wee say How call yee such scols Scols of health What folie is this that a man should losse his health by drinking the scolls of health what sicknesse is this when a man is sick of healths the very names of this sin declareth the madnesse of men What meaneth thou ô man to say before a drinke that will make the sicke This is to such a mans health A scoller whose schoole is the tavorne is not a scholer of Christ that sayes learne of mee J never heard tell that Christ scolled to any mans health and yet hee is the man that onely can in all things say learne of me J will not follow St Paul him selfe in all things hee desired not to be followed in all things But bee yee followâ—rs of mee said hee as I am of Christ Take my counsell O man follow not the fashions of this world If thou would bee a man of health be not a drinker of healths Bee a scholler of Christ but bee not a scoller of strong drinke Drinke soberly but scoll not A scoll is a thing sacrificed to idols viz. to bellyes that are drunken mens gods belly gods The counsell of St Paul is wise If any of them that beleeveth not saith hee bid you to a feast and yee bee disposed to goe whatsoever is set before you eaâ—e asking no question for conscience sake But if any man say vnto you this is offered in sacrifies vnto idols eate not for his