leading to the doore of life Christ Iesus So hath mans soule a smal window aboue to receiue light from heauen but the doore the passage for earth is of three heights the more neede haue we to cleare this little window towards heauen that we may see the comfort which followeth in the next place THE SECOND SERMON Thou art healed WE haue hitherto seene the excitation the stirring vp our attention in foure points first discouering to the ignorant the good they haue the second reprehending the vnthankefull the third remembring the forgetfull the fourth comforting the afflicted Next we are to consider what God hath done in restoring his health Chrysostome noteth the humilitie of Christ not saying I haue healed thee but thou art healed If man doe well consider the workes done they will lead him to their author Thou art healed There is an health of Soule tâ—…t he cured who became like the Pellican in the Wildernesse smiting his brest and recouering vs By his stripes we are healed There is an health of Body I doubt not but he had here a respect to both as in a like Cure Matth. 9. 2. where he vseth them as conuertible termes Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee or Arise and walke Most men haue health as Soules by which though they liue moue and vnderstand yet not many vnderstand what whence or for what end they haue it Which three points as God time and your patience shall giue me leaue I will consider Health so much differeth from health that what it is I cannot without distinction describe Health in it esse and proper being was that vncorrupt disposition of bodie in mans innocencie when the foure first qualities in Man as a Citie 〈◊〉 vnitie in it selfe by their brotherly 〈◊〉 fortified him against all assaults of Paines Aches Sicknesse Wearinesse Decrepednesse Old Age. Then was no ambition among them but though they were by their beings contrarie yet vnited into one being of a right temper they stroue not but so 〈◊〉 each other that the euenly-diuided power kept peace betwixt them all till the ambitious mind taught them to 〈◊〉 then Heat and Cold Moist and Drie eagerly as it were fighting for soueraignetie by restlesse ciuill warres ouerthrew Mans body the little modell of a State neuer ending their intestine quarrell till the great Vsurper Death entring through the breach of sinne surprized all Since sinne was borne a thousand life-killing Maladies fore runne as if they were sworne Harbingers to Death So that Health in it existence and present being is assaulted with many Infirmities Distempers Surfets vntimély Accidents a thousand Gates are set open to Death And him that escapeth from the sword of Hazael shall Iehu slay and him that escapeth from the sword of Iehu shall Elisha slay If a man liue free of all these Old Age commeth in the Maine Battaile with Legions of Diseases an vnresistable all-subduing power I wonder what Democritus it was and in what merrie moode how he 〈◊〉 his cares asleepe how he forgot his first language or vnderstood not his last adue to the world when he described a Man to be a Creature apt to laugh Man borne with teares liuing with sorrow dying with griefe Nature said one which armeth all the Creatures cast out Man naked in the day of his Natiuitie to teares and crying Thus happily borne he lyeth bound hand and foot a weeping little Master of all the Creatures beginning his life with punishment And now Diseases swarme Changes and 〈◊〉 are against vs and as much varietie of Medicines and those ouercome with nouelties in Diseases making it a part of sicknesse to perish by skill it being easier dying of the Disease then too much remedie 〈◊〉 and frayle is mans health Few and euill are the dayes of my Pilgrimage said good Iacob halfe our life is like death as death representeth sleepe so sleepe death The vnripe dayes of froward Infancie are hardly to be reputed a life wherein though we liue we thinke not of liuing neyther of Old Age the second Childhood the Age of Sorrow and Care wherein we haue so little pleasure as oft we learne of Ionah to inuite that vn welcome guest Death that coldhanded last and furest Physician for all Diseases whom others in vaine striue to rob of some houres possession Adde to these the sickly houres our stronger yeeres haue told how many spent in sinne for I can neyther call that health when eyther the pensiue mind maketh the body sicke or the pampered body the mind and if the vnhealthie are to be 〈◊〉 as one said of Sea-men betwixt the liuing and the dead we shall find that he who hath reckoned many yeeres hath liued but few and those euill That our dayes are euill we cause that being euill they are few Gods mercy prouideth At the best externall health is but a delaying the maladie for a little time the Period is set our liues Glasses euer runne in our best strength wee decay Hezekiah may haue fifteene yeeres pieced vnto his life yet hee must dye The Heauens may stand still yet the day must end Lazarus may liue some posthume dayes yet must come to the Graue againe The giuer of Natures Lawes onely can dispense with them but we run towards our ends no Age no Estate no Place can 〈◊〉 vs. Hormisda discouered Constantius vaine confidence in the pompe of the then triumphant Rome when asked of the Emperour what he thought of the pompe of that glorious Citie he replyed it onely liked me that I haue learned that men doe also dye at Rome Artemidorus men of Taproban liuing long and neuer sicke are truly the Citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem where no inhabitant shall say I am sicke But in this life there is no absolute health we are borne drawing death from our first originall and bearing natures corruption and contention or victorie in our members The same point of time giueth an exordium to our liuing and dying our life is but a lampe lighted at our birth which may haue some violent blast to put it out or wind to spend it but though neyther vntimely death extinguish nor heart-eating sorrow consume yet there is but a proportioned oyle of life which will soone burne out Shall we then be impatient and wish we had not been This life is a time of triall be contented a while with thy discontents he that now soweth in teares shall reape in ioy Shall we build great hopes on these sands Eternitie is a surer rock set not vp your rest here for as Moses told Israel Ye are not yet come to your rest the short epitome of life forbiddeth to begin long hopes There is nothing firme not in health it selfe health the riches of the poore and the blessing of the rich vaine hopes of worldly men pursuing that which is not as if it were It is one
their bodies â—…icknesse to weaken them heauie afflictions to bruise them then sinne should reigne ouer them men willingly drinke a bitter draught to cure them Therefore sayd Ambrose blessed be God who vouchsafed to correct his seruants that he destroy them not and concerning Gods words of Iob he sayth resoluedly Let the Serpent eate my flesh let him grinde my body onely let God say of me I deliuer him into thine hands onely keepe his soule Such is the power of Christ at his command the rauenous Lyon must keepe his owne prey in safetie betwixt his teeth he may vlcerate the flesh but he must keepe the soule Let him be alwayes â—…uill that God may be euer gratious who turneth that malice into our good who therby killeth our sinnes Shall I then repine at mine infirmities God sendeth sickenesse against sinne as Ioab besieged Abel onely for the traytor Sheba whose head throwne ouer the wall the warre was endâ—… Sinne is the Sheba which God pursueth if we deliuer it vp God will soone raise the siege Feare not affliction if thy â—…nne hurt thee not Bubbles filled with ayre breake themselues it is their weakenesse beate an Adamant with an hammer it breaketh not a small affliction breaketh the heart of a wicked man but nothing can destroy the righteous no affliction shall hurt where no iniquitie reigneth So true is that no man is hurt but by himselfe Orâ—…gen thus sayth of the enemy Sinne giueth him a breach to enter and power to kill Sinne is that Delilah which cutteth off our strength and deliuereth vs into the power of affliction it is the soules trayterous Catiline O happy state this heape of mischiefe cast out one onely Catiline drawne out the Citiâ—… seemeth eased and refreshed What euill or impietie can be deuised or thought of which he conceiued not Against such danger God fore-armeth vs by sickenesse Euery father can tell why hee vseth the Rodde Correct thy soâ—…ne and he will giue thee rest he will amend his faults before Gods Arke were layd vp Mannâ—… and the Rodde not Manna without the Rodde mercy without stripes for his stripeâ—… conuey his mercy to vs by amending vs. Such wanton Adoniahs who from their youth must not haue so much said to them as Why haue yee done so may proue faire but very seldome good Dauid was better instructed with the terrors of God from his youth vp therefore confesseth It is good for me that I haue beene afflicted that I might learne thy Statutes You see the first daughter of Affliction The next is Approbation God giueth his children such tryalls as the Psylli in Africa were said to cast theirs before Serpents which hurt them not if they were legitimate or as they were reported to throw their infants vpon the Rhene which drowned the adulterate bloud but rendred the vnstained to the carefull mother againe so God proueth vs that he may approue vs to the intent that wee might know what hee knew before all Worlds that wee are borne of an immortall seed and no affliction can separate vâ—… from him Night putteth not out but more clearely sheweth the starres a thinne and sickly bodie sheweth the patience of the godly so are our losses gainefull Cast all thy care vpon God thou art in the hands of a faithfull Creator who will not deale ouer-roughly with thee He said of Israel in all her troubles he was troubled and that he bare them and carried them continually Againe as an Eagle stirreth vp her nest â—…uttereth ouer her birds taketh them and beareth them on her wings so the Lord alone carried them on the high places of the earth but as Leocras made the Eagle carrying Ganymede so tenderly as if hee had knowne what she was carrying and to whom onelâ—… griping his clothes with her tallons Sicknesse and paines are the sharpe tallons in which God taketh vs vp to proue vs but so gently that he hurteth not That maketh the experienced Saint entertaine Gods corrections with alacritie whilst to the wicked man they are as dreadfull as some inexorable Sergeant to a bankrupt Debtor Dauid saith God shall suddenly shoot at them and they shal be wounded but the good man shall not be afraid for any euill tidings nor for the flying arrow Though the good bad indifferently seeme the marke at which death shooteth sicknesse yet to the good mans heart the Lord sayth as the Prophet to Ioasâ—… Behold the arrow of the Lords deliuerance paines are to them the arrowes of the Almightie Dauid and Iob were very sensible of them but like Ionathans arrowes shot to warne not to wound Blessed is the iust marke the man what euer hee suffer his end shall be peace hee is comforted in his bodies infirmitie and decay by the sense and assurance of his inward mans renuing death to him is but like 〈◊〉 sword in old Aeson's throat letting cut the old bloud to renew his age an age which in spight of time shall neuer be old The good and bad must be sicke and dye and both returne out of deaths lightlesse prison but like Pharoahs seruants one to honour the other to execution euen death approueth the righteous wherein Christ is our aduantage and death so bitter-sweet a gayne that euen they which feare it desire it Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his said the vnrighteous Prophet Sicknesse is the suburbs of death death the gate of Heauen a loathed Gate to so desired a Citie Opinion and humane failtie for a time shutteth the Saint from his desires but when the Angell of the Lord shall call vs as Peter out of prison these chaynes shall fall off and those Iron Gates which leade to the Citie open by it owne accord and giue an easie passage Then especially shall God approuevs then we shall know that all these bodily paines are like the Babylonish fire in which the Children walke safely and their Tormentors onely perish and like the Red Sea in which the Aegyptian is drowned but the Israelite passeth thorow them to his long desired rest Here is Afflictions second daughter a Naomi though she would be called Marah the reward is next the ioyes which grow among the thornes of sorrow and they are seuen sweet Babes of an ill looking Mother The first is Sicknesse weaneth vs from the loue of the World Israel loued her bondage too well though she groaned vnder it God suffered her to be afflicted to force her to seeke a better rest Wee find many inconueniences in the World yet wee cleaue to it what would wee doe if there were none How would they loue a faire Rahel who 〈◊〉 so much on a bleare-eyed Leah extremitie of paine is the onely Wormewood which God layeth to the brest to draw our loues from
gâ—…pe they for more that they tast not what they haue receiued Some are not what they seeme the prosperous wicked almost deceiue the afflicted righteous enforce a strange dreame Certainely I haue cleansed mine heart in vaine and washed mine hands in innocencie for dayly I haue beene punished yet as a dreame when one awaketh so shall God soone make the image of these happy seeming men most despised Some seeme not what they are the Saints but dreame of sorrow seeming to bee vnhappy men which they cannot be they see the euils shewed but in a manner as Iob was terrâ—…fied with dreames 〈◊〉 was troubled with these heauy ephiâ—…lts which seemed to oppresse him yet confesseth when I awake I 〈◊〉 satisfied with thine image Againe he dreamed of perils then his heart trembled within him and the terrours of death fell vpon him Then hee wishes O that I had wings like a 〈◊〉 then would I 〈◊〉 away and be at rest The ambitious meane time like Câ—…sar a little before his death dream of resting in the clouds so dreams make fooles haue wings whilst they are falling Some seeme well who are sicke Agags dreame surely the bitternesse of death is past Laâ—…dicia was blinde and poore and naked yet shee say de shee wanted nothing It was the Iewes disease but now yee say wee see theresore your 〈◊〉 remaineth others perceiue not the good they haue not so much as the blinde man one thing I know that I was blinde and now I see this is the summe of all some vnderstand not the euill others not the good they haue both neede this 〈◊〉 to instruct them for how can a-any either be sollicitous to auoyde the euill or thankefull for the blessings which hee hath but knoweth not The vse warneth vs not to 〈◊〉 ouer the benefits we haue without due valluing them for want of this what euer wee haue our estate is irkesome to vs. Hence that foolish affectation of others miseries whilst wee not contenred to bee happie because wee see not how happy we were if we were 〈◊〉 make a good 〈◊〉 euill to vs for want of wisedome to manage it in our owne lots wee onely recount the inconueniences wee suffer we lease out our benefits vnconsidered In others we propose the good they seeme to haue which we preferre before our owne because we see what they seeme we feele not what they suffer The husbandman would be a tradefman the tradesman student the begger would be rich the rich noble the noble a king neither well knowing that euery estate is blessed to a good man but God hath fitted vs with such as hee knoweth best for vs. This ecce is to tel vs that the enuy which attendeth greatnesse and with an hundred eyes watcheth honour fighting with it as the serpent with Hercules in the cradle and infancie commendeth the quiet of a meane estate and that it is safe sayling in the hauen that it is no secure being on those pinacles of the Court or Temple where we can neither rest without feare nor come downe without falling If we will giue ambition feete to stand vpon the good wee had this ecce will giue place to a second of reprehension Ecce in the second place telleth vs that man is vnthankfull for the mercies receiued to the vngodly God sayd What hast thou to doe to declare my statutes An vncleane heart is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 altar for Gods prayses but to the righteous offer vnto God thanks-giuing God onely accepteth what he giueth that is mercedem virtutis mercedem virtutem a reward of vertue blessings vertue a reward thankefulnesse Some know not that they are to learne the first ecce was theirs others learne not that they are to know the thanks they owe to God but sacrifising to their owne net leaue the maine poynt vndone for which God did all for them that is thou shalt glorifie me This behold-therefore discouereth our defect in beholding we haue need of as many 〈◊〉 as we haue dayes or houres euery minute wee receiue few looke backe to the giuer the tracts of Gods benefits toâ—…ards vs are as the feete of the beasts to the Lions den all looke towards vs bâ—…t nonâ—… backe 〈◊〉 we receiue of him what we haue and are he clothed vs we feede at his vniuersall ordinary but like shifting theeuish customers wee must bee followed with an ecce you haue not payed Moses acknowledged there were no people vnder the heauens more blessed then Israel Dauid sayd he had not dealt so with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet they sayd not where is the Lord that brought vs 〈◊〉 of the laâ—…d of Egypt but were an obslinate a 〈◊〉 people no wonder if the heauens are called to witnesse they declare the glory of God and the earth for all creatures in their kinde are thankefull giue the beasts they will know thee the oxe the tuâ—…tle the storke all shall iudge man giue the very earth it will bee abundantly thankefull giue man you must giue him an ecce heauen earth all creatures hold their courses man onely is exorbitant Christ did many wonders for the Iewes see the vse they made of it and by their error we shall discouer our way some vnthankfully neglect him some malitiously persecute him O foolish people and 〈◊〉 do ye so reward the Lord againe I fed them with Maâ—…na with water also out of the stonie rocke I say abridgeth all 〈◊〉 could haeue beene done more that I haue not done See their requitall They gaue mee gall to eate when I was thirstie they gaue mee vineger to drinke their vineger was sharpe to his sence their vnthankâ—…ulnesse was more distastfull to his soule vnthankfulnesse was condemned and punished with death among the heathens what wonder then if it be euer hatâ—…full to God and men no vnkindnesse so bitter as where our well meaning loues bids vs looke for loue againe All this commendeth to our vse Dauids 〈◊〉 quie praise the Lord O my soule How often falleth that sweete Chorus and bearing to his heauenly song O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse and declare the wonders that hee doth for the children of men All good men are thankefull Dauid had tasted of his mercy and preâ—…ently sayth Quidretribuam What shall â—… render The heart of a good man is like the image in a glasse with eyes euer fixed on the eye which beholdeth them 〈◊〉 Gods eye falleth on his miseries his looketh vp to Gods mercies There are many reasons for it First God giueth freely and onely expecteth ouâ—… thankes not that they can benefite him but that he might giue more Secondly the course of grace stoppes where is no recourse of gratitude Thirdly that perisheth which is done for vnthankefull men by which meanes they are not onely not bettered by the good they receiue but made worse by all
The Lord was 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 me therefore wee will sing my Song all the dayes of our life in the House of God So said Hezekish by this meanes wee shall lay vp a good prouision the treasure of a good conscience against the time of Sicknesse as Ioseph stored vp in plentie against a Famine There are two Nations of finnes eternall foes to the people of God like Moab and Ammon begotten of those two base Daughters of Health in their Fathers forgetfulnesse Drunkennesse and Lust of eyther of them may be said that of Ambrose concerning her dauncing How many faults were in that one Wickednesse Many thinke their health giuen them to make them able to powre in much strong dâ—…inke and themselues borne to deuoure Wine and eate vp the fruits of the Earth When Nilus 〈◊〉 it maketh Egypt fertile Gluttonie and Drunkennesse is our Nilus which saith Basil like a dispersed Riuer ouerflowing her Bankes pubescere facit peccata doth ripen sinne Wee might haue instance in Noe Lot Esau Israel but that this Age robbing the Dutch of their intemperance as all other Nations of their once-esteemed proper vices aboundeth with example Wee lacke in eueâ—…ie corner of the Land an Academic of Cynicks to be angry with the betrayers of their strength destroying their owne health in sacrificing to others It was but a fable of Circes which this monstrous age maketh true Intemperance is our Circes which transformeth men into variable sortes of beasts which like the 〈◊〉 do fight and kill with their cups the bloody enemy not destroying so many as the drunken friend One sayd drunkennesse is the death of the memory â—…he spake enough the drunkard forgetteth his friend his state his health his reason himselfe his soule and God not his How should he then remember the end woe and sorrow It goeth downe pleasantly but in the end it will bite like a Serpent and hurt like a Cockatrice whose deathfull eye if thou foresee not will kill thee Others giue their healths to harlots among all the Ideots the wise man considered this one voyde of vnderstanding going like the foole to correction like the Oxe to the slaughter ambitiously begging and dearely buying repenâ—…ance at the best or going on till a dart strike through his liuer The Embassadors replyed wisely to Lysimachus shewing in his armes the wounds he receiued when he played with a Lyon Demetrius hath more dangerous markes in his necke which Lamia gaue him no beast so cruell as an harlot none other can bite the soule I finde more 〈◊〉 then death the woman whose heart is as nets and snares the curses of the damned and malice of the diuell are not so hurtf ll as the flattry and loue of a whore shee consumeth the estate rotteth the body killeth the soule she bringeth a man to a morsell of bread shame and dishonour she causeth many to fall downe wounded and the strong men are all 〈◊〉 by her her house is the way to the graue which goeth downe to the chamâ—…ers of death This is the fire which deuoureth to destruction God wiâ—…l iudge them they shall not inherit heauen but the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Such is the reward of them which abuse their health some thinke if they follow such pleasures as the world calleth lawfull they owe God no tribute for their health Pleasure like Ionahs gourd is of a short pleasing growth but when God hath prouided the worme to bite the root where is then Iosephs prouision Some sacrifice all their time to Mammon but take such a man on his death bed shall thy wealth now deliuer thee from hell Where is Iosâ—…phs prouision now the cause why many are so comfortlesse in their sicknesse is because they make no good vse of their healths If thy health did not corâ—…upt thee thy sicknesse could not dismay thee but so easily doth the bodyes health make a diseased soule that some call it not amisse a vitious health multi tutius aegrotassent Sickenesse had beene more safe for many How much better had it beene for Dauid to haue beene sicke in bed then sending his eyes such vnlawfull embasses to Barthsheba How much better for them which now tormented in hell fire wish it too late neuer to haue beene free from sickenesse that at least their torments might haue beene lesse Learne by their euill how to vse the good thou hast let this part teach theethe next Sinne no more leâ—…t a worse come vnto thee THE THIRD SERMON Siâ—…ne no more PHisitians forbid that dyet which caused the disease and the cause found they esteeme the cure found By this admonition then we learne that Sinne is the cause of sickenesse death entred into the world through sin and sickenes fore-ran death in the same passage It was neuer sayd before Câ—…rsed be the earth for thy sake in sorrâ—…w shalt thou eate thereof Neuer did any heare I will greatly encrease thy sorrows sinne like the Grecian stratagem though it were let in by a small-seeming breach yet her bowels were laden with a world of armed mischiefes which set open the soules gates to the destroyer sins infection is stampt as deepe as Gehaza's leprosie to thee and to thy seed for euer so that we haue framed our own snares wee walke in the fire wee haue kindled for the wickednesse of Iacob is all this Michai 1. 5. Therefore will I make thee sicke in smiting thee because of thy sinnes Sinne is that morbida qualitas the infection of the soule and body Dauid was sicke for it there is no sound part in my flesh because of my sinne Much more Iehoram his bowels fell out for his his sinnes Miserie commeth not forth of the dust To sicknesse and all those previous dispositions of death in labour wearinesse in old age faintnesse and as many more as are allyed to sickenesse sinne gaue being for the punishment could not haue been without the crime Al miseries are the vndoubted child eÌ„ of sinne sinne is that Eue that grandmother of euery malady sinne is that world envenoming Dragon not so little as that whose tayle swept ouer a third part of heauen Great was the infâ—…ction of Egypt on the land on the waters on the trees on the corne on the field on their houses on the earth on the ayre on man on beast but still Gâ—…shen was excepted but sinne went ouer all For sin the earth is cursed it is her sicknesse euery creature groneth and trauelleth in paine a generall contagion The mischiefe staieth not here but flyeth vp to the cloudes and there sometime lxion-like begetteth monstrous Centaures fiery eruptions ayre infecting meteors thunders stormes tempests â—…ometime it maketh that dewie region of cloudes like Abimelech house barren euery wombe shut vp then our heauen is as brasse and
our earth iron then the Lord giueth vs dust ashes for raine All is litle that can be sayd to this one thing Christs soule was very heauy euen vnto the death for sinne Hee was wounded for our 〈◊〉 and broken for our iniquities all his sorrow was for sinne not his but ours All our debt hath beene payd by obedience of suffrings not ours but his yet we suffer because we sinne yet Christ who for vs ouer came the malice of sinne prescribeth sinne no more It was sinne made thee sick when he sayd thy sinnes are forgiuen thee he began the cure where the malady began We often put the fault on guiltlesse nature we thinke why were we borne to miseries wee blame our bodies constituâ—…ions Ahab imputed his fault to the Prophet but it is thou Ahab thou sin and thy fathers house the diuels vgly family which trouble all Israell We accuse the distempers of the yeares But man suffereth for his sinne hast thou not procured this vnto thy selfe Diseases are all begotten of that mishapen hagge and fearefull Incubus sinne Shall I then be discouraged in my sickenesse or iudge others plagued of God in theirs not so all are not in firme for sinne though none without some against sinne some for probation and exercise as Iob whom God pronounced iust Some that the glory of God might appeare Therefore they asked amisse who had sinned Iohn 9. Neither he nor his parents had sinned which must be referred to the immediatnesse of his maladies cause He had deserued the euill but God aymed especially at his own glory in the cure Seest thou a man afflicted leaue him to God who best knoweth why hee striketh his iudgement is alwayes iust though oftâ—…n secret Seest thou a wicked man healthy and strong enuy him not his misery is to come but when we are chastened we are corrected that we might not be condemned with the world Art thou afflicted euer thinke thou sufferest lesse then thou hast deserued To conclude this one lesson well learned would be a good meanes to preuent many errors many euils of body and soule you shall haue some man if his body be neuer so litle dis-affected send in as much hast for the Physitian as Gehazi ran to the Shunamites sonne if thou meete any salute him not if he sinne he deferreth dissembleth or perhaps it hath a noli me tangere none may touch it if he sin it pleaseth him if he be sicke nothing can comfort him O peruerse affection of the ignorant man his body is to him as Dauids beloued childe bewailed with teares his soule like the Iewes friends whose death they solemni zed with instruments of musicke the reason is they obserue not what dangerous effects sinne worketh to body and soule therefore they striue with the effects but touch not the cause Wilt thou be healed remoue the cause the effect will cease sinne is the fountaine of euill first cleanse that Sinne no more for God smiteth for sinne which bringeth me to a second consideration of sickenesse God smiâ—…h with sickenesse therby to restraine the fury of the wicked and to instruct the righteous Egypts plagues the pestilence in the campe of Israel the murmurers the Philistim Emerods Gehaziâ—… leprosie Herods wormes shew the one Iob Dauid Hâ—…zekiah with many others like this present instance marked with an 〈◊〉 sanatus es Sinne no more proue the other My discourse is especially addressed to this Affliction hath three daughters like Iobs last three giuen him after his trialls more beautifull then the former Exercise purging sinne Probâ—…tion giuing approbation and Reward crowning our labours God gaue a life free from all sicknesse and pâ—…ine when man abused that gift he afflicted him with many iâ—…firmities by correcting the body the baser part to amend the more excellent like a good Physician if an obstinate disease the Splene or Dropsie will not be cured with potions and light medicines he vseth lancing and cauterizing without So are our sicknesses like Christs Scourges which he made to driue the buyers and sellers out of the Temple I meane those cursed Brokers which sell vs to Sinne Securitie and Neglect in which our luxuriant minds full fed soone fall asleepe then commâ—…h God as Dauiâ—… to Saul sleeping and taketh away the speare and pot of mater our strength and nourishment but â—…lling to vs a farre off sheweth plainely he did not take aduantage to kill but to awaken vs. Doe I desire the death of a sinner Why will ye die O house of Isâ—…e Looke how a father pittieth his owne child so is God mercifull to his he correctâ—…th but his indiâ—…ation is not execution of reuengâ—… but working of pâ—…rdon Like a good Physician he fighteth with the disease not the diseased Christ wept for Ierusalem before he took vp the Rodde Looke how wise parents punish their childrens faâ—…ks but suffer with their persons how anger goeth betwixt the child and the fault like the sâ—…king 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 lâ—…pe betwixt Abrahams diuided Sacrifice which Grâ—…gorie expresseth thus I reprehâ—…d thy faulâ—… that I may loâ—…e thy person sâ—… lâ—…e thy person that I may not be guiltie of thy crime So God sendeth sicknesse yet as Dauid his battailes against Absolom with this charge Deale gently for my sake with the yong man God correcteth his but often as the Persians beat their Princes Clothes not their Princes Infirmities are Gods well-ordered troupes which strongly charge the disorderly affections of a rebellious minde yet to these hee sayth as concerning Iob Loe he is in your hand but saue his life Sinne is the water as in a Pericardium compassing our heart which should be the Altar of God sicknesse like Eliahs fire sent from Heauen licketh it vp consuming that fomitem peccati abounding in a full and healthie bodie Therefore he giueth a litâ—…le rebated sorrow as Physicians poyson which as one saith of the Cantarides carry a remedie with them and is an externall antidote against eternall weeping and gnashing of teeth so soueraigne a medicine that euen the weake haue desired it Reserue me not to vtter darkenesse said Origeâ—… rather correct me O Lord. Mauritius guiltie of the bloud of twelue hundred souldiers through his couetousnesse vnransomed and put to the sword hauing beene terrified with many â—…arefull predictions and gastly apparitions humbly beâ—…ought the Lord that he might haue his punishment in this life which hee obtayned not in a little sickenesse but first seeing the Empresse his Wife and deare Children butchered at Phocas command he onely said Righteous art thou O Lord and iust is thy iudgemeâ—…t and with the like constancie himselfe soone after suffered death Good men doe so much loue God and hate sinne that they had rather suffer famine to beate downe
first be this present Doctrine First God giueth vs health that we might auoid sinne Secondly there is nothing of it owne nature euill but sinne ere sinne was borne God saw all his Creatures euen the Angels which falling became damned Deuils the Beasts the Serpents and all that he had made and loe it was very good nothing created is euill sinne is a non enâ—… a priuation of the good was made Thirdly onely sinne is against Nature a very Monster of the Soule as Monsters are said by the Naturalist to be the errorâ—… of Nature our nature which sinne corrupted is of it selfe good and to good nothing but euill is contrarie Sinne therefore primarily beeing the onely â—…uill is so onâ—…ly coâ—…trarie and destructiue to Nature Fourthly Sinne iâ—… contâ—…ie to God nothing of that hee made is contrarie to him for all beeings are in him and God made all sinne onely excepted by sinne we oppose Gods soueraignâ—…e not by nature but by corruption of will hauing no power to hurt God our will to hurt maketh vs Gods fâ—…s our nature therefore it is not but our sinne that contrarieth God euill onely being contrarie to good Fiftly it maketh vs children of the Deuill not by Propagation but Imitation not by Generation but by doing his workes of Rebellion against God Sixtly Sinne onely hurteth vs the vice that â—…aketh vs oppose God is onely our owne hurt no wayes Gods because it corrupteth our nature of it selfe good Sinne is like that euill Spirit in the possessed tearing and raging and â—…asting vs into the fire Infinite are the miseries borne of sinne it maketh God angry with vs it separateth vs from him it draweth the Curse of the Lord vpon our Houses it shutteth out our prayers from Gods eares it subiecteth vs to all Miseries Sicknesses Paines Death I haue not yet sayd all when all Warnings will not serue a worse thing shall befall the Sinner which like Tamerlans â—…able Flagge commeth in the Rere and last part of my Text. But is there any perfection in this life Can any in this life be without sinne The Iusticiaries affirme it the Nouatians sayd they were 〈◊〉 the Pelagians denyed Originall Corruption and sayd the Elect may be without Sinne in this life a man not sinning but where shall wee finde the man Come to the Saintâ—… thou shalt heare them crying enter not into iâ—…dgement with thy seruants O Lord. Againe we all haue â—…one astray like sheepe againe I see another law in my members Leading me captiue vnto the law of sin There is not aiust man vpon the earth that doth good and sinneth not then who can say I haue made my heart cleane I am pure from sinne Sinne no more O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death How heauy are the burthens of sinne how smartfull the wounds of a guilty conscience giue me any griefe it is easier it is for thy sake sinne the Saint often cryeth I desire to be dissolued For the contagion hath iâ—…fected euery part and dispersed it selfe through my veines all my thoughts woâ—…s and workes relish of thee if I examine my best actions I finde them faulty in my prayers suggestions and profane wandrings fall vpon mine heart like the foules on Abrahami sacrifice In my hearing distraction in my almes vaine glory or some sinister respect which like the the worme at Ionahâ—… gourd â—…ateth vp the life of goodnes as 〈◊〉 men sayd of the Philistims Behold we are afrayde here in 〈◊〉 how much more then if we come to Keilah against the â—…rmies of the Philistiâ—…s If sinne assaile vs in our bestactions how shall we deale with it in other how fayst thou then O Lord finne no more Lord thou knowest my thoughts my heart fayleth me because of my sinnes and I desire nothing in the world like this that I might sinne no more If my sinne were written with Inke I could perhaps put it out but now it is written in mine heart like 〈◊〉 with an Iron pen. Lord if thou wilâ—… thou câ—…nst makâ—… me cleane The tables of the law were written and broken and written againe by the finger of God God wrote the law in mans heart sinne brake these Tables and now we are the writing of the â—…ame God whoing ingâ—…ueth in the fleshy Tables of the hâ—…rt by the same Spirit of his whose finger writing in the dust where finners are written did cancell and put out the hand writing of sinne and acquitting of others accusations blessedly dismissed and gaue a quiâ—…tus est neither doe I condemne thee goe and siâ—…ne no more how did she not sinne being humane how did shee fulfill his command if she did sinne none liue which sinne not Therefore Gods family sayth not I am whole I need no Physitian but heale me O Lord and I shall be whole saue me and I shall be saued When of old God brake Israels yoke she sayd I will no mâ—…re transgresse she sayd it but as we say it onely as Ambrose sayd of Calanus answer to Alexander â—…raeclara verba sed verba excellent words but words excellent constancy but the constancy of a man for she did sinne more and more But sayth he not Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not yet there is no man that doeth good and 〈◊〉 not None no not one These two come like Esau and Iacob with the face of enmitie till they meete and are reconciled All sinne would God we had no proofe for it yet the iust sinne not which wee vnderstand not as Bede of mortall sinnes or the violation of Charitie but as the Spirit of God the best interpreter of himselfe If I doâ—… that which I would not I consent to the law that it is good now then it is NO MORE I THAT DOE IT but the sin that dwelleth in me The regenerate in a right sence sinne not they â—…inne not because they doe that they would not and where they will they would not will the euill which sinne â—…raweth them to There is a sinne then which maketh the saint of God groane an inhabiting not a reigning sinne an inmate not a king The righteous sinne not that is God couereth their sinnes and imputeth them not hee taketh them quite away which hee will no more remember as hee sayd of the Edoâ—…ites they shall be as if they had not beene there shall be no remnant of them though hee cast not out these Iebusites all at once yet sinnes receiuing their deaths-wound by little and little bleede to death all our life after like a desperate enemie fighting in blood and striking with dying hands The Separatists seeke a spotlesse congregation forgetting our mothers confession I am blacke O daughters of Ierusalem but
who dranke no wine Solomon a part who sayd Consider diligently what is before thee otherwise thou putst as it were thy knife to thy throate if thou be a man giuen to the appetite be not desirous of dainty meat for it is a deceiueable meat The senses like the passages of Iordan taken by the Gileadites watched by the temperate would cut off many sinnes we must do by sinnes as with some strong fort if it cannot be forced we must cut off all forragers and so stárue the defendants Lust and drunkennesse liue at full tables pleasure is the Nurse of sinne if there be a famine of temperance they are gone to soiourne also here He wisely ouercommeth things vnlawfull who hath learned not to vse the lawfull Paul will teach thee an excellent part in auoyding inconuenient talke our Sauiour hath comprised all in this one Watch that ye enter not into temptation Wee perish like Isbosheth sleeping whilst wee dreame of no danger Fifthly let euery sinne bee the more heartily repented by how much oftner it assayleth if sinne will needes dwell with thee vse the deceiuer as Israel the Gibeonites cause it to hew wood and draw water for the house of God sinne draweth water when it maketh vs weepe bitterly for that we haue offended it heweth wood when it enflameth vs with a zealous anger against our selues and with an heartie desire and care to serue God the more the more wee consider wee haue offended him Sweete waters kill the Purple sinne is that Purple and teares the purest water not as if repentance were the primarie instrumentall cause of our sinnes remission Christs blood killeth sinne to Gods iudgement repentance to our conscience till we repent we shall neuer be assured of our sinnes forgiuenesse God for the merits of Christ forgiueth but with this condition that we repent which he also giueth That which Ambrose speaketh to Sisynnius will expresse it Thou hast done like a good parent soone forgiuing but being first entreated for to giue pardon before it be asked is not to pardon but to approue the fact as fathers loues forgiue their children faults yet their submission is expected that they may say we forgiue So God looketh that we repent that hee may haue mercy repentance is the gate of heauen a gate leading to the doore of life Christ Iesus But lest we repent of our repentance obserue that repentance must be done speedily truely throughly and constantly First speedily in the dayes of thy youth sinne gaineth streÌ„gth by age blessed is he that dasheth her childreÌ„ yong as dying Aâ—…rath of Scanderbeg this â—…aytour should haue beene suppressed in that newnesse of his estate giue thy sinne no time Repent speedily Secondly repent truly The more thou sinnest weepe the more abyssus abyssâ—…m vocat Dâ—…pth of sinne a deepe sourse of teares as Peter wept of whom I read he wept I â—…ead not that he satisfied as the sinner wept Luke 7. Or if thou canst not equall her God knoweth how to supply the weake yet let thy sorrow be true Some haue teares at command yet weepe like Apolloâ—… statue without sense it is not formall penance hypocrisie can resemble grace Vibius may bee like Pompey It is not a thousand stripes not the cloathes nor backe but the heart must be rent As for the hypocrites which tender God a counterfeit sorrow God â—…hall pay them with true Thirdly repent throughly That is of euery sinne We will be content to leaue â—…ome gainelesse sinnes but we spare one Agag of our Amalekiteâ—… designd to death In the slaughter of our sinnes we snatch vp one as Iehâ—…sheba caught vp loash and his Nurse with that we runne away that it may raigne ouer vs though we heare it reproued and the danger preached yet of it our heart cryeth 〈◊〉 Agripine of her sonne Nero when the Astrologers told her at his natiuitie he should be an Emperour but should kill his mother occidat dum regnet Let him kill mee so he may reigne Iehu destroyed Bâ—…al out of Israel but from the sinneâ—… of Ieroboam hee departed not God commaundeth concerning sinne as 〈◊〉 by his first edict against the Iewes in all his Prouinces to 〈◊〉 out to kill and to destroy them both yâ—…g and old What auaileth it to fortifie all the Citadell if we leaue open-some posterne gate to a vigilant enemy I conclude as thâ—… Orator of his Catiline if of so great a rabble of Traytours hee onely be taken away wee may perhaps a while seeme freed of feare and carâ—… but the danger will reside shut vp in the veines and bowels of the state so sicke men in their hot fits at first seeme eased by a draught of coole water but afterward more vehemently burne And this sicknesse of the Commonweale eased a little with his only death shall grow more desperate by his fellowes liues Fourthly Repent constantly It is not hanging the head for a day which God accepteth as our sinnes are continuall so must our repentance be Wee smite our sinnes as Iehoash smote the ground with his arrowes three times and so we cease where we should haue smitten till we had consumed them Sinne is an hardie and puissant foe and will not so be ouercome It is not easiâ—… sayd Amurath to his discomforted souldierâ—… before Croya without bloudie hands to put the yoke on the fierce enemies necke The very cause of our easie falling backe into sinne is that wee charge it cowardly and soone giue ouer the pursuit In these foure Channels Repentance like the Riuer of Paradise watereth a zealous heart and all make a fift rule of Practise A sixt is Abstaine from all appearance of euill The Deuill is subtill and maketh the way to Hell easie Sinne like Eliahs Cloud on Carmel is not to be seene at first when Sathan suggesteth and after it appeareth but in the bignesse of a mans hand but if we flye it not there is a noyse of much Raine the full Vialls of Gods Wrath. Come not neere her dwelling it is ill iesting with sinne as Delilah acted sinne so sinne playeth the Delilah 〈◊〉 maketh loue at first at lâ—…st shee cutteth off our strength and causeth to be put out the strong mans eyes so that he that at first was not afraid of appearances of euill presently groweth impudent and cannot or will not see the greatest sinnes Seuenthly Take away all occasions of sinne Moses stampt the Idoll into powder to take away occasion of Idolatrie Not onely Baâ—…li Image but the Groues and his House ought to be beaten to the ground for sinne is an importunate solicitour like Ben-badads crafty Messengers it watcheth diligently to catch any thing of vs if we acknowledge the least acquaintance it not need be entreated to take hold of it When Pharaoh saw there was no remedie but the Israclitâ—…s would