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A10514
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A faire vvarning Declaring the comfortable vse both of sicknesse and health. Deliuered in seuerall sermons at Saint Maries in Douer, by Iohn Reading minister and preacher of Gods words.
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Reading, John, 1588-1667.
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1621
(1621)
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STC 20789; ESTC S115682
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47,243
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64
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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
Augustus Caesar said of Galbâ—…'s crooked backe I can admonish I cannot mend thee we can warne if you will not amend then go vp and proâ—…per but if the end of sinne be peace then say the Lord hath not spoken by vs goe on but a worse thing will happen to you As they shall not be heard who will not heare so neyther shall hearing profit them which will not pray Prayer woundeth sin prayer beat down the Amalekites prayer is that weapon of Samson which first layeth the enemie heaps vpon heaps and after refresheth vs with the waters of comfort Hitherto you haue heard the Admonition the Intermination is next Now as Isâ—…ai said of Dauid there remaineth yet a little one I cannot say the rest it will proue of a louely countenance and comely visage because it will present you the fearefull end of impenitent sinners lest a worse thing come vnto thee This part commeth like Câ—…shi to Dauid and speedily deliuereth the message He that is not bettered by light afflictions but falleth backe to his former sinnes shall haue greater iudgement bâ—…fall him God shall wound the â—…irie scalpe of such a one as goeth on stiâ—… in his trespasses But relâ—…pses into sinne are most dangerous The seuen worse Spirits entring into the heart swept with a little formall Repentance make the end of that man worse then the beginning God healed Niniuie by the ministerie of the Prophet Ionah but presently 〈◊〉 became a Mistressâ—… of Witchcraâ—…e then God vtterly ouerthrew her When God had corrected Israel hâ—… concluded I said surely thou wilâ—… feare me thou wilâ—… 〈◊〉 instruction but they 〈◊〉 â—…rly and corrupted all their workes then God determined to powre vpon them his indignation fierce 〈◊〉 and the fire of his 〈◊〉 If you should runne thorow their Historie you should find their last plagues greatest all their Captiuities were light to this last disperâ—…ion of aboue a thousand and â—…ue hundred yeeres God at first but sheweth the Rodde and if a faire Warning will not serue he striketh and if the correction of a Father will not auayle he putteth on the person of a seuere Iudge You may reade it at large Leâ—…iticus 26. If you will not obey me then will I also doe this vnto you I will appoint ouer you Terror Coâ—…sumption and the burning Agâ—… to consume the eyes and make the heart heauie And if ye will not for these things obey me then will I punish you seuen times more according to your sinnes and if ye walke stubbornely against mâ—… and will not obey me then will I bring seuen times mâ—…re plagues vpon you yet if by these ye will not be reformed then will I mitâ—… you yet seuen times for your sinnes Againe Yet if you will not for this obey me I will also chastise you â—…uen times more according to your sinnes Of the same argument you may reade more Deut. 28. 15. His Iudgements had such like course with Pharâ—…h when the faire Warnings could not enter into his heart hee commeth neere to himselfe and first-borne God sendeth Iudgements as he did his Angell to Balaam If wee will not see him in a broad way hee will yet stand where we passe nâ—…r him at first perhaps he but â—…oucheth our goods if that mend vs not he commeth to our bodyes with sickenesse if that faire warning will not serue he hath heauyer iudgements stored vp a worse thing to befall vs. Immedicable sores must haue desperate cures This worse thing is reducible to foure kinds 1 The same or other plagues more heauily inflicted as hath beene sayd 2. The second is often publike shame sinne like Samson spoyles the Philistimâ—… to pay the Philistims but with much difference it robbeth vs of the white robe of Christs riâ—…hteousnesse to pay vs with shame shame is the onely physicke for a prowd heart Augustine sayth boldly of a more priuate shame that too much liking himselfe was the cause of Adaâ—…s fall desiring more he became lesse Therefore I dare say It is good that the proude should fall into some broad and disgracefull sinâ—…e thereby to take a dislike of themselues who fell by too much liking themselues Peters sorrowfull dislike of himselfe when he wept was more healthfull 〈◊〉 his soule then his vnsound pleasure hee tooke in himselfe when hee presumed Therefore of the enemies hee sayth Fill their faces with shame that they may seeke thy name O Lord. Thirdly a worse euill may be a giuing ouer to a reprobate minde as it falleth to the wicked or deliuering to some sharp tryal for a time such as God often giueth his dearest children See it in Iob Dauid Consider it you that are well read in the black characters of a troubled coÌ„science The worst of euils is the last the torments of hel prepared for those who will take no warning Tophet set on fire by the breath of the Lord Lakes of Fire and Brimstone The torments of Hell are expressed as the ioyes of Heauen not as they are but as wee can for the present vnderstand onely thus much wee know the torments of the damned are paines and miseries of euery kind extensiue without remission hope helpe or end Nature and Paine shall hold a continuall conflict and yet the one neuer ouercome the other In this liues sicknesse eyther the Paine is Victor and so Death expelleth the sense of it or Nature conquereth and driueth out the paine but there Paine shall afflict and Nature suffer eteâ—… This is the wofull effect of sinne Christ wept for others sinnes and Elisha for others danger If we could but see as farre as Hell or truly consider the torments of the damned we would euen weepe as oft as we see men sinning It is a most wicked ioâ—… that some â—…onceiue when they see others sinning this is to clap hands at the Deuils victories and to be glad for Gods dishonour and our brotherâ—… miseries Trust not sinne she plâ—…yeth the Panther allureth with a sweet breath but hideth her vgly head shee sheweth the adulterer fill of loue but hideth the rottennesse of the flesh casâ—…ing off to finall impenitencie and a worse euill in Hell shee sheweth Ambition the large obiect of his desâ—… but hideth the downefall telleth the Oppressor of goodly Lordships but hideth the downefall of Heauen in all as from our Sauiour hee would haue hidden a part of his scriptum est so from the 〈◊〉 he concealeth a part of this prohatum est a worse thing will befall thee Neuer flatter thy selfe then in sinne Thou hast ouercome one sickenesse one aâ—…ction if that amend thee not thou but flyest a Lyon to meete a Beare one euill to meete another It is vaine for night watching adulterers to boast of their stollen houres their iudgement sleepeth not vaine for the couetous and deceitfull to reioyce of their ill-gotten treasure they worke like