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
thing of that which I haue wondred at to see aweake sickly man a drunkard and the lame and vnhealthy couetous and vniust euen with dying hands laying hold on other mens goods There is no comfortable possession without health nor stabilitie in health health so weakely fortressed from a world of infirâ—…es that euen in the houre in which we call it ours and say Soule take thâ—…e ease wee are fooles if wee know not they may take â—…way our soules Thou canst not hold a vapour in thine hand and life is but a vapour appearing for a little time and suddenly vanishing Suppose thou hasâ—… ouercome a dangerous disease thou must be sicke againe â—…nd dye there is no escape from the pale Sergeant Death is that onely Creditor which haâ—… no Bankrupt Debtor Agree with thine aduersarie quickly Shall wee blame the giuer of Life for our liues shortnesse The very Heathen esteemed that a great blessing I will adde the reason God is herein mercifull not onely cutting off iudgement by shortning the time of our transgression but by our times shortning and healths vnâ—… deterring vs from sinne He that dareth euill in the way to the Iudge in an health so 〈◊〉 a life so short what would he not dare if he were sure his iudgement were farre off You haue seene what our health is See from whence God is the giuer of health he saith it I am the Lord that â—…ealeth thee Againe he healeth all thine infirmities of Soule remitting all sinnes to one of Body hee is a preseruer as well as a Creator and though second â—…ses haue their place yet till he say I will he 〈◊〉 cleansed be thou sound no meanes can be effectuall 〈◊〉 is the true Physician whose Cures are not of 〈◊〉 Art but certaine Power Health is vnder his wings and 〈◊〉 Cures free Good Physicians are Gods Vice 〈◊〉 towards the Body their skill is sacred and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who disclaymed to be the Lawyer 〈◊〉 who made me a 〈◊〉 honoured the Physician in many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 himselfe a Physician therefore they are worthy of honour and reward 〈◊〉 may teach the vnthankfull so much but they should there be any such who betray 〈◊〉 â—…ents health to a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fatis 〈◊〉 a poore remainder of a 〈◊〉 life to the graue that they may take the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of death they are but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carâ—… to 〈◊〉 vpon them the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a 〈◊〉 Profession they haue not learned of Christ the compassion he had on all that came vnto him The poore Haemorrhois had experience perhaps of both when shee had spent all on Physicians she but touched the hemme of Christs garment and was healed He proued himselfe the Messiah by this argument to Iohns Disciples the lame are made found the blind see the lepers are cleansed the deafe heare I conclude with Ambrose words We 〈◊〉 all things in Christ if we are sicke he is a Physician if sinfull he is righteousnesse if we feare death he is life Wee must vsd this Lesson thuâ—… in all our sicknesse to haue recourse to God through Christ Iesus he hath not left off the care hee had of his if in his state of humilitie he was so powerfull feare not now all power is committed to him hee keepeth the very bones and dust of the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 God of the dead and not of the liuing There are three â—…orts of people which haue neede to learne 〈◊〉 Lesson 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so impatient that if God answer not when they would they will with Sâ—…l to Endor with Aâ—… to 〈◊〉 to the Diuell to healing Witches for helpe It is true Sathan is a cunning Mountebanke and Wizzards and good Witches keepe his shops who to kill a superstitious Soule are suffered to cure the Body These may be admired like the Peloponnesian Physician at Rome for his first Cures but experience will name them 〈◊〉 cruell Butchers I may say as he of the Athenians they haue sworne to kill all their patients with Physicke 2. Others Asa like neglect God and trust to the Physician though such men vse lawfull meanes yet they erre as the former but with this difference they made the Deuill their God these other Creatures 3. Others neglect the good means which God hath giuen and so tempt God in the foolish hazard of their life They say their dayes are numbred so were Sauls Iudas dayes yet they were guilty of murder and if not to saue be to kill what are they lesse who obstinately refuse probable meanes of recouerie Some say because they are not certaine they must know there are many reasons why the same meanes obtaine not alwayes the like good effect First if none should faile too many would ascribe their health to the creature Secondly God reserueth some Cures in which he will more immediatly discouer his owne hand there were many Widowes in Israel in the dayes of Elisha but onely vnto one was the Prophet sent many lepers in Assyria but Naaman only healed many here sicke and of diuers diseases but this one cured by Christ God seeth good to shew his presence in few Thirdly to some he giueth not health presently to others not at all either by the difficultie of the cure to leaue a deeper impression of his mercy or to exercise them who are not yet of patience proued and approued they will haue an hundred medicines and none endured an houre they will be of Naamans peeuish temper to prescribe God and the Physician they will be well how and when they list or else they cry Are not Abanah and Pharpar Riuers of Damascus better then all the waters of Israel they will repine and murmure against God himselfe For these and the like causes God giueth not the like effect to all yet that exempteth none from the lawfull vse of his Ordinance he heareth not all yet all must pray the Word profiteth not all yet all must heare God is displeased if the meanes he hath prescribed be neglected albeit by the powerfull effects of his hidden iudgements he teach vs to distinguish betwixt the first cause and the second that to be trusted to this to be vsed God gaue health to Hezekiah yet the Prophet applyeth the plaster What is lordan to a leprous 〈◊〉 What Siloam What a troubled Bethesda to euery disease The Angell stirred but God healed his Ministerie Gods power It is to be obserued that Christ in his healing did not only vse his Diuine power but opposed something belonging to his Humanitie to teach vs that wee must neyther neglect the meanes nor forget God the giuer of Health Which leadeth me to my last consideration of Health The true vse of Health is with euery facultie of Body and Soule to honour God Prayse the Lord O my Soule and all that is within me prayse his holy Name So Dauid
this infected Nurse the World which we onely enioy in health without which all earthly ioyes are but as Messes of Meat set vpon a Graue Secondly it bringeth vs more acquainted with death and maketh him lesse feared by how much more familiar how bitter is the remembrance of death to the alwayes healthie health and prosperitie make vs desirous to liue Antigonus souldier healed of a long-felt infirmitie proued a very Coward for which being reproued hee replyed Thou O King hast made me so who by giuing me health hast taken away the contempt I had of life Discontents haue strange power to make vs loue death so through a darke and false Medium the vgly may seeme fairer 〈◊〉 desireth the death from which hee fled a little heat made Ionah wish to die short pâ—…nes haue so ouercome the wicked that they haue changed them for death eternall and so much discouered the Saints infirmities that they haue loathed not onely their present being but what they haue beene Death seemeth better then a bitter life such force haue short paines but who was euer so fearefull that he had not rather once fall then euer hang by the hands once dye then euer feare death and liue in paine Thirdly it maketh Gods mercy in health better vnderstood if all were day the light if all Summer euen that season would be vnpleasing to vs the good wee haue is commended by some annexed contrary the paine of the disease knowne the pleasure of health is sweeter Wee neuer rightly account what wee owe to God for health saue when we begge it in sicknesse Fourthly it bringeth vs to God in amendment of a mis-spent life wee haue instance in many of whom I may fay their extremities amended them their prosperitie corrupted them As Ambrose saith of Peter and Ionah he confessed Christ on the waues but denyed him on the land and Ionah fled Gods presence seeming safe but found a Chappell to pray and prayse God in the belly of the Whale Many being in health endeuour to flie from God but in some desperate sicknesse they learne to sing their De profundis sicknesse mendeth that good man whom health marred When I afflict them they will seeke me early Ephraim bemoaned himselfe Thou hast chastened me surely after that I was instructed I repented God cureth a dissolute heart as the Prophet did Ierico Waters by â—…asting in salt sharpe biting remedies The fift is Patience which as one said of Learning is an Ornament in prosperitie and a Refuge in aduersitie It is good for a man saith the weeping Prophet to beare the yoke in his youth he putteth his mouth to the dust if there may be hope he giueth his cheeke to him that smiteth him It seemeth a strange saying Is it good to be afflicted that I may learne patience see the reason It is a rare thing to see a man externally prosperous patient I grant he may haue a disposition to patience he may discourse like some bookish souldier of the warres which neuer saw fight but patience is the child of aduersitie and considering the manifold calamities to which euery man in this life is subiect no wayes to be auoided but by patient bearing them it seemeth to me no paradox that without outward or in ward aduersitie it is not easie for a man to be happie They iudge amisse who thinke a man can be patient without tryals or happie without patience that such a man may seeme happie wee know that hee is generally vnhappie we may learne Chrysostome sayth well of prospeâ—…tie It hath brought in grieuous Masters and Tyrants to the 〈◊〉 To omit the multitude and speake of this one Impatience is a very Tyrant worse then 〈◊〉 and his Taske-masters for it suffereth not a man to â—…nioy any thing he hath Hath the impatient man riches hee enioyeth them not who is impatient for that 〈◊〉 hath no more hath he friends eyther he loseth them by his impatience or else enioyeth them not with whom he is displeased 〈◊〉 hath hee a faire and prosperous estate what is that to him who is not pleased with it hath hee health his mindes distemper robbeth him of the vse of it In a word the impatient man possesseth nothing except he possesseth other things which possesseth not himselfe Christ sayth By your patience 〈◊〉 your soules without patience you cannot enioy your selues such is the impatient mans case Marke the man neyther vnderstanding will memorie neyther hand nor tongue serue him all are slaues to passion and whilest hee thinketh hee hath all things in hauing his froward humor indeed Impatience hath him but hee hath nothing not so much as himselfe Now tryalls bring forth patience and the quiet fruits of righteousnesse which follow in the next place Sixtly it worketh to the children of God a peace passing all vnderstanding of a naturall man that is a calmenesse and quietnesse of mind in the experience of Gods mercies Where the seditious Graâ—…us was sâ—…aine at Rome the Temple of Concord was built so there God foundeth in our hearts the Temple of Peace where our peacelesse sinnes are buried with Christ and our impatience in our sufferings Seuenthly the last is the reward whereof this life tasteth only first fruits a cluster from Eshcol the assurance of a better life in this liues decaying Our light afflictions for a moment causing vnto vs a greater weight of eternall glory As Samson said of his Lyon of Timnah Out of the eater came meate and out of the strong came sweetnesse So will I conclude this point What stronger then Sicknesse or more deuouring then Death or so sweete as Heauen Behold Happie is the man whom God correcteth therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almightie for he maketh sore and bindeth vp he woundeth and his hands make whole Hee maketh whole by wounding It is for children and fooles to imagine Frosts Stormes and Raine eyther the off-spring of Chance or vselesse effects of Nature the wiser know that milder Winters are the vndoubted Parents of sterilitie and contagion Stormes which seeme the Diseases of a distempered Skie doe purge the Ayre and the dewie Clouds are Gods Clepsydra his Bottles to water the Earth so is it in man And the Saints weeping eyes are Gods Clouds to make fruitfull a penitent heart Faint not at thy tryalls but be zealous and amend Sinne no more THE FOVRTH SERMON Sinne no more WE haue considered in the last place the cause of Sicknesses and the reasons why God afflicteth with them as also what effects they worke in them to whome they are sanctified It remayneth that I also shew the end why God deliuereth and bestoweth health vpon vs. God deliuereth from Sicknesse that being thereby warned we might sinne no more There are many reasons disswading from sinne let vs consider a few of many Let the
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
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