THE BALME OF GILEAD PREPARED FOR THE SICKE THE WHOLE IS DIVIDED INTO THREE PARTES 1. THE SICKE MANS SORE 2. THE SICKE MANS SALVE 3. THE SICKE MANS SONG Published by Mr. ZACHARIE BOYD PREACHER of GODS WORD at GLASOGW AVGVST Latet vltimus dies vt observentur omnes dies Sero parantur remedia quum mortis imminent perscula EDINBVRGH Printed by IOHN WREITTOVN 1629 Psal. 102.6 I am like a Pelican of the Wildernesse TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD IAMES BY THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD ARCHBISHOP OF GLASGOVV RIGHT REVEREND THE Preacher speaking of himselfe said that for his preachings hee sought to find out acceptable words words of delight which in the same verse he calleth words of trueth where I obserue that words of trueth may bee words of delight delight not being contrarie to trueth neither pleasure vnto profit Such words are compared to goades nailes which CHRIST the great Pastour giveth vnto his Ministers the Masters of Assemblees who are appointed by him for to fasten yea and to naile mens soules vnto him selfe Such words are full of substance they are faire without faird As it is not good in preaching to make vse of swelled hydropick words of man his invention neither must man take that for simplicity of the Gospell which diverse call simplicity viz. words wanting a due painefull meditation which is the very digestion of the spirit Ill studied words can not be these acceptable words of Solomon Of them can bee made no nailes for the fastening of loose and vâ—stable soules I ever thought this part of the Ministrie a painefull part not to be done without great paines Some speake of a Booke day but all our dayes should be Booke dayes If a Pagan could be moved for any thing to say Ab perdiat diem alace I haue left a day what shall he say who is a labourer in the Lords Vineyeard They who would doe this worke as they should must with earnest prayers painefull reading and serious meditations emptie their veines of their blood till palenesse the STVDDIE MARKE bee printed vpon their face They must watch while others sleepe and labour at the candle They must forsake the feathers and the downes at the chirping of the birds In some measure I striue to this though not as I would Happie is the servant that is vigilant hauing ever his loines girded and his candle in his hand waiting for the coming of his LORD Let it please your Lo. to take in good part this part of my labours wherein is a boxe of balme a little testimony of my thankfulnesse for the great kindnesse whereof in my great affliction it pleased you to make mee partake The bloody persecution in France did scatter many Churches and mine amongst others At my coming heere you refreshed mee with your comforts and placed mee besides your selfe where I find the LORD'S blessing vpon my labours To Him alone belongs the glory And seeing it is the LORDS will that man bee thankfull vnto man let me heere name three speciall friends to whom neither name not blood haue bund mee but great loue and kindnesse in time of mine adversitie the bond whereof as I hope shall never bee broken At my first coming to Edinburgh good Doctour SIBBALD the glory and honour of all the Physicians of our Land would haue mee to abide with him But afterward a preaching at a fast hauing made mine acquaintance with Sr. William Scot of Eli that great Scots MECENAS Patron to great ROLLOCVS hee after that did keepe me with him as one of his owne Children the LORD grant vnto him that hee may finde mercie in that day From Sr. William you brought mee to Glasgow of that your favour let mee not forget a speciall instrument even that wise and godly man Mr. Iames Râ—bertoun Comisser of Hamiltoun with whom I wish that I might both liue and die I heere in the dedication of this treatise acknowledge your bounty with a thankfull profession And seeing our Bookes are our Children the biâ—sb of our braines it is most convenient that you who haue the Patronage of the FATHER should also vouchsafe a blessing to the Children Which looking after I intreat the Most High to preserue you vnblameable both in Soule and Body vntill the day of his appearing At Glasgow the 23 of December 1628. Your Lo. in all duetie Mr. ZACHARIE BOYD Preacher of GODS WORD at GLASGOW TO THE READER THERE was never an age more fertile in reproofes and reproches than this We are come to the dregges of dayes where it is counted vertue to point out the imperfections of our brethren Many are like the Flee that can not rest but vpon a scabbe Charitable Reader take in good part these my paines taken for thy profit As for thee whose countenance is cast downe because of GODS graces in others If thou doe well shall it not bee accepted but if not sinne lyeth as the doore Doe better thy selfe and that shall be my reproofe It was well said by St. Ierome Aut profer meliores epulaâ— me conviva vâ—ere aut qualicuâ—que nostra coeâ—ula contentus esto that is if thou can prepare better cheare let â—nce partake if not bee content with such as I haue THE SICKE MANS SORE PSal 107. v. 17. Fooles because of their transgressions and because of their iniquities are afflicted V. 18. Their soule abhorreth all maner of meate and they draw neare vnto the gates of death V. 19. Then they crye vnto the Lord in their trouble hee saveth them out of their distresses V. 20. He sent his word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions V. 21. Oh that men wold praise the Lord for his goodnesse and for his wonderfull works to the Children of men THis text may be called the sicke mans text The division of the words The text divideth it selfe in three speciall parts In the first is the sicke mans sore In the second is the sick mans salve In the third is the sicke Mans song The sicke mans sore is in these wordes Fooles because of their transgressions and because of their iniquities are afflicted their soule abhorreth all manner of meate c. The sicke mans salve is in these wordes Then they cry to the Lord in their trouble he saveth them out of their distresses hee sent his word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions The sicke Mans song is a Song of praise in these wordes Oh that men wold praise the Lord for his goodnesse and for his wonderfull workes to the Children of men 1. PART THE SECKE MANS SORE IN the words of the Psalmist here first the ordour is to bee considered Judgements heere goe before mercy or for to speak so take the fore-gate of Mercy when God was desired by Moses to shewe him his face God said vnto him that no man could see his face and live But behold said hee there is
Gods Seers they appeared for a space like greene Bay-trees All such greenesse and greatnesse is but in thinges earthly as health wealth houour and preferment But because they are not rooted in the heavens the earth is not able to furnish substance for the vpholding of such things and thereforâ— like grasse vpon the house tops they wither before they grow vp I have seene said Eliphaz the foolish taking roote but tooke hee root for to continue No not Suddainlie said hee I cursed his habitation incontinent his children for whose standing and preferment hee solde himselfe to wickednesse were crushed in the gate neither was there any to deliver them As for their harvest and expected crop others did devoure it not leaving them the miserable stalkes which grew among the thornes * Thus God doth with the wicked as he did with the Amorite Thogh in appearance hee high like a Cedar and strong like an Oke yet hee destroyeth his fruit from aboue and his rootes from beneath The folie of sin is like a foolish tale which as men commonly say hath neither toppe nor root The Iesson is this all sinners are but fooles a wicked man were he never so wise in the world â—is but a foole before God the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God wisedome in evill is nothing but guile and craftinesse guile guilded with wisedome like a tombe covered with the foile of gold having nothing within but a contagious corruption The vse let all men that would be wise indeede studie to an innocent life This is our wisedome that denying vngodlinesse and worldlie lusts wâ—e liue soberly righteously and godly in this prâ—sent world soberlie for our selves righteouslie for our neighbours and godly for our good God What is beyond that is no thing but foolishnesse hee that exceeds the square of that rule in Scripture language is a foole Obiection Heere some may obiect and say how is this that Scripture speaketh thus doth not Scripture forbid vs to speake so Christ speaketh plainly whosoeuer is angrie with his brother without a cause shall bee in danger of iudgment And whosoeuer shall say to his brother Racha shall bee in danger of the Counsell but whoseouer shall say thou foole shall bee in danger of hell fire Behold their three iniuries which the Iewes thought to bee veniall sinnes of the Papists the least is a motion of anger keept close within the breast which I may call a warded wrath for such a fault Christ sayeth that a man is in danger of iudgment that is as though wee should saye in danger to bee brought before the Commissionar an inferiour Judge for the least sinne is the least punishment The second iniurie is Racha that is wrath broken out of warde into wordes the word is a worde of iniurie which signifieth vacuus a man as wee say that hath not harnes or braine a toome headed man Beza out of Chrysostome maketh it as the French word Tutoyer which we call to Thou a man This greater iniurie came before the Sanhedrin which were the Counsell of seventie and two The third and last iniurie is greatest viz. when a man not onelie Thou's his brother but saith Thou foole Some distinguish these three iniuries after this manner The first say they is ira restricti animi that is a warded wrath within the heart The second is ira effervescens an anger breaking foorth The third they call ira erumpens in apertum convitium that is scoffing or rayling for this word saith Christ a man shall bee in danger of hell fire how is it then that in the first part of my Text sinners are called fooles The answere I answere that to call a man foole is not simply forbidden for Christ called two of his Disciples fooles S. Paul called the Galatians foolish That threatning then is against them that out of wrath and malice bring this worde of rayling against their brother It is in this sense said that the Archangell while hee disputed against Satan about the body of Moses durst not bring against him arayling accusation that is hee durst not in anger call him a foole knave or lowne as one by way of rayling will call his brother Their is no rayling in my Text my Text is rather a teaching wherby fooles may learne to bee wise The doctrine I gather heere is this If hee that calleth his brother a foole deserves Hell what shall hee deserve that is a foole indeeede A man may call his brother a foole and yet not bee a foole the one is but a simple act the other is an habite purchased by custome the greater the sinne bee the greater must bee the punishment If God scourged his people for eating swines flesh the abomination and the Mouse what shall hee doe to these that eate vp the poore and the widowes house great sinnes and great iudgments The vse Let vs beware to be that indeed whereof the simple naming of another to bee putteth the Soule in danger of hell fire The Apostle his precept is that fornication and all vncleannesse or covetousnesse bee not once named among vs as becommeth Saints seeing to name such thinges with a filthie tongue is forbidden howe much more should wee bee carefull for to avoide to bee that which is not to bee named 2. What is the cause of the affliction of fooles VVE haue alreadie heard who is afflicted viz. fooles Now followeth into the order of my Text the cause of their afflictions the cause is sinne and iniquitie Fooles because of their transgressions because of their iniquities are afflicted It is an ordinarie question made by the most part while they see any in affliction what coulde bee the cause of such a iudgment wherefore hath GOD thus wise done God told this to Ierusalem when hee threatned to destroy Many nations said hee shall passe by this citie and they shall say every one to his neighbour wherefore hath the Lord done this vnto this great Citie See howe of nations of passers by there is not one but hee saith wherefore Every man saith vnto his neighbour where fore Now what is the answere that God makes to their wherefore It is into the verse following Then they shall answere because they haue forsaken the covenant of the Lord God that is as my text saith because of their transgressions and because of their iniquities The lesson is this Our sinnes are the cause of all our plagues so long as rebellious Ionah was in the Shippe the tempest increased It is saide that the Sea wrought and was tempestuous what could be the cause of such tempestuous working The rebellion of Ionah flying from the presence of the Lord Take mee vp said hee and cast mee into the Sea for I know that for my sake this great tempest is vpon you VVhen Ioshua saw Israel
also he hath beene beaten with the drunkard and hath not felt it it is a sure token that he will yet to it againe Let all men learne heere in their afflictions to seeke out the cause of their trouble When the Philistims sawe them selues miserably plagued with a filthie and shamefull disease they tooke counsell how it might bee tryed wherefrom their affliction came They had the Arke of God a prisoner among them This was the summe of all the counsell Now therefore make a new cart and take two milk kine on which there hath come no yoke and tie the kine to the Cart and bring the calves home from them And take the Arke of the Lord and lay it vpon the cart and send it away that it may gee And see if it goeth vp by the way of his owne coast to Beth-Shemesh if that bee then he hath done vs this great evill but if not then wee shall know that it is not his hand that smote vs but a chance that happened vnto vs. There be many Christians in their afflictions worse then these Philistims though they see things more than two kine drawing a cart by his owne coast yet can not say that it is God that hath done it lesse can they tell that their sinnes haue beene the cause of it but such a thing fell foorth such a thing hath chanced to be it happened so vnto me such was my fortune This is Philistimes language worthy to be banished with buffets as Nehemiah buffeted the little children of the Israelites and pluckt off their haire when he heard them speaking the language of Ashdod It so happened Such was my chance It was my fortune is not Christian but Ashdodian language This is Gods question Wherefore is the living man sorrowfull This is also Gods answere Man suffereth for his sins They are worthy to be scourged and buffeted who while they are afflicted speake of fortun or chance Sathan in his words may teach many Christians to speake when he desired God to scourge Iob he said not God send him an hard weird an evill fortoun or God send him a sudden chance or ill must hee happen But Streach out thy hand touch all that hee hath And againe the second tyme Put furth thyne hand now and touch his bone and his flâ—sh The Magicians of Egypt called the plague the finger of God or Gods send What a shame then should this be for Christians to speake of fortune or chance or hap seeing the divell and his magicians can call afflictions the hand of God or the finger of God Let the lyars of Ephraim say they are not Ephramits but Shibboleth shal proue then to bee Ephramits Let the vngodly deny that they are wicked and giue thanks with the Pharisee that they are not lyke other men but by their very language incontinent yee shall know Some filthie words or bloody oathes for toun hap chance or such words will bewray them By their accent yee shall know that they are of Galile that is of this world Surely said one to Peter thou also art a Galilean and thy speach agreeth thereto The tongue betweene man and man is lyke an interpreter betweene two strangers The heart of every man is a stranger to every other man But out of the abundance of the heart the tongue speaketh bee it good bee it evill The words are the interpretation of the heart If Words beguile works dummy can not lie Againe in the doubling of the name of finne before affliction I obserue that God is loath to afflict till he bee provoked by transgressions by iniquities in the plural number that is againe and againe Till sinnes be multiplyed God scourgeth not the foole Gods wrath commeth not out vpon man till hee bee pressed with mens sinnes as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaues The doctrine then is this God is slowe and loath to come to stroakes till he be provoked againe and againe yea and againe also This is well set downe by the Prophet Amos who declaring Gods iudgments against divers peoples setteth downe first men sinning againe and againe once twise thrise yea foure tymes before that God began to afflict The first is Gaza Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Gaza and for four I will not turne away the punishment thereof The second is Tyrus Thus saith the Lord for three tarnsgressions of Tyrus and for four I will not turne away the punishment thereof The third is Edom Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Edom and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof The fourth is Ammon Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Ammon and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof The fifth is Moab Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Moab and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof The sixt is Judah Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Iudah and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof The seventh is Israel Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Israel and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof The eight is Britans Thus saith the Lord for thirtie transgressions of Britane and for fourtie I will not turne away the punishment thereof Our transgressions are thirtie for three fourtie for foure See how God delighteth to afflict One man sinneth and God forgiveth againe man sinneth and God forgiveth againe yet man sinneth and God forgiveth But at last when men multiplie their transgressions God punisheth saying I will not turne away the punishment thereof The vse is let men beware of doubling and tripling of sinnes If iniquities come after transgressions it is to be feared that God say for three transgressions and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof They are but fooles that say Let vs sinne that grace may abound Though while men sinne God seemes to them to bee inclosed vp into the heavens yet hee sees men into their sinnes Though he come to iudgement softly with foote of wooll when he is come he striketh with armes of yron The longer the stroake be in comming it commeth downe the sadder A sudden or hasty blowe is not of such force as a stroake fetcht from necke to heele Let no man therefore sooth him selfe vp in his sinnes thinking that there is nothing in God but mercie no not As hee is mercifull and gratious long suffering abundant in goodnesse and trueth Hee is also a righteous Lord a God of iustice who will in no wayes cleare the guiltie Bee what men will bee if they be fooles because of their transgressions and because of their iniquities they shall bee afflicted Otherwise where should bee the GOD of iustice Objection Heere some man may object that this seemeth not ever to
sickenesse to come before death that man being forewarned may stryue to bee fore-armed Behold how God stealeth not a dint vpon these fooles that are heere sicke God in justice might strike the sinner dead in an instant as if hee were an oxe felled with the housle of an axe If God should slay vs all vpon the sudden and as we say make vs even shoot to dead hee should be righteous and we should get shame and confusion of face But such is the mercy of God that often he forewarnes sinners making them to sicken by degrees first by taking away their appetite and thereafter by making them to abhorre all maner of meate then their hands become feeble and their knees waxe weake as water thus all their joye by litle and litle doth wither away After that they are thus warned God draweth them neere the doores of death This is Gods custome to send some forerunners to tell that the decree is coming foorth against sinners except that they gather them selues and search them selues for to prevent his judgements Hee sent vnto Ninive his Prophet to giue them a charge of fourtie dayes either to repent or to be destroyed Kings hornings get but commonly fixe dayes God gaue them fourtie dayes leasure to consider whether it was good or no to returne home againe to God After that God had sent vnto Jerusalem his Prophets both great and small for to receiue the fruits of his vineyard whom they abused Hee sent at last his owne Sonne saying They will reverence my Sonne but they killed him and cast him out of his owne vineyard as being the heire yet for all that God would not destroy them Thereafter hee sent the Apostles to preach to doe miracles amongst them yet for all that they would not repent After as Joseph their owne writer records they gote warning from God of their woe to come First a Comete before the destruction of Jerusalem was seene into the aire hauing the forme of a sword for all this they would not yet repent After that a voice was heard into the temple saying Let vs gee out of this place for all this they would not yet repent Last of all there was a certaine man that night and day ranne about the temple crying Voice from the cast and voice from the west voice from the four winds woe to the Citie and to the Temple As at last he was crying woe vnto me he was slaine by the cast of some stone and incontinent thereafter the temple was burnt and the Citie taken and destroyed What need J bring testimonies from forraine nations haue we not eyes to see what God hath done to Britan What cryed the famine vnto vs into this land when in the most glorious streets of this Kingdome it made the poore to fall flatlings to the ground What cryed the Pestilence that walketh in darkenesse while the best cities of this land were almost laid waste And now what cryeth the sword drawen our of the scabert Can we say but that we are well forewarned Though God should come this yeere and sweepe vs quite away none of vs can say that our God hath beene too hasty to take vengeance Such forewarnings by sickenesse by famine by pestilence by sword are given to sinners to let the world see that God is true in his oath viz. that as hee liueth hee taketh no delight into the death of sinners But because if GOD should giue to all such forewairnings the wicked world yea the best of vs would become secure Therefore the Lord often will take away both godly and vngodly into a moment that every man may be continuallie vpon his watch least hee should be taken away vpon the sudden and so dye without preparation while the Philistims were seeking to see Samson sport the house fell downe vpon them and they died into an instant While Nadab and Abihu brought in strange fire before the Lord the fire of God consumed them into a moment Fiftie men with their Captaine and againe other fiftie men with their Captaine that came to lay hands vpon Elias were consumed into an instant with fire from heaven All Iobs children were smothered at a feast The Aegyptians in their greatest rage against God his people were all drowned into a moment Ananias and Saphirah shot to dead while they were lyeing against GOD Lots wife in an instant was turned into a pillar of salt All these are set out in scripture to giue warning vnto sinners not to lippen to the last as if one Gods mercy at the last gaspe were enough for al their sinnes Not one of all these fore said persons gote once leasure for to say Lord haue mercy vpon mee What can thou tell O man but thou mayst die vnder the fall of an house with Samson the Philistims Jt may bee thou be burnt with a blast of powder as Nadab was with fire What if Satan get licence from God to raise a wind which shall smite the corners of the house whereby in an instant thou shall be overwhelmed The LORD may drown thee with the Aegyptians into the sea J knew a man in France fall downe dead as hee was washing his hands into the basen for to goe to dinner after the Communion I knew a man in Scotland who died at the dinner hauing the cuppe in his hand not feeling any sicknesse of before What doe all these cry vnto vs but that we ever be prepared Is not our lyfe a vapour a breath into our nostrils which departeth so soone as the Lord but saith Returne yee children of men The vse of this for great comfort to these that are afflicted with long diseases Yee that haue such sicke persons at home whose names are prayed for heere take home to them this comfort that they are much beholden to Gods mercies that proceedeth in such a maner with them whereby they may haue tyme to repent and recken with their God What if God had slaine them vpon an evill thought word or worke * It is a fearfull thing to goe directly from sin to judgement Well is the man that hath tyme to craue mercy from his Iudge Comfort your sicke with this let them see how they are beholden vnto God for his delays After that tell them what hath made them sicke The Physitians can discourse and tell diverse naturall causes But alas this is too sparingly told to the sicke that they suffer for their sinnes The Physitian will say the humour must first be purged but the Minister must say sinne must first bee purged Many never send for the minister till the physitian can doe no more This they will verifie vbi medicus desinit ibi Deus incipit where man leaveth off there God beginneth O foole God should be begun at in thy sicknesse Seeke first the minister the interpreter one of a thousand that he
may cry to God for remission of thy sinnes the cause of thy sicknesse If this cause bee not removed the physitian shall by his drogges waste both thy health and thy wealth My counsell is that thou proceede orderly into thy cure Bee first friends with thy God and he shall direct the Physitian Otherwise the tyme shall come that thou shall say to all wordly meanes as Iob said to his fectlesse friends we are all Physitians of no value Let vs now visite this sicke man into his bed let vs see what aileth him my text saith that his soule abhorreth all maner of meate the Hebrew word Taban signifieth properly abominoâ— that is to abhorre avoide or scunner at a thing that standeth against our heart His sicknesse is so sore that all sortes of meate stand against his stomack â—ewe men in health can eate of all 〈◊〉 of meate Some like not flesh some caâ—e not fish some abhorre one thing and some abhorre another But for a man to abhorre all maner of meate so that he can taste nothing as the sicke man of my text it declareth the greatnesse of the disease This is then the affliction heere sent against man because of his transgressions his soule abhorreth all manner of meate that is GOD taketh the appetite from him The doctrine I obserue heere is this God hath many whips wherewith he can chastise his owne children and scourge the wicked Let all other plagues be removed let vs see what GOD can doe to man in matter of meate First God can giue thee meate enough and yet scourge thee with such a niggard heart which like an hungry steward will not vouchafe vpon the stomacke it s owne due Such a man wee call a wretch or worlds worme that is feared to eare of the earth least the whole earth bee not sufficient for it J compare such a man to a currish dogge lyeing vpon a heape of hay that neither can eate himselfe neither suffer the beast to eate that would eate * Heere is the plague of povertie or rather plague of plentie magnas inter opes inops to bee poore in the middest of wealth Secondly God can scourge a man in his meate when he both giveth him meate and a heart and a hand to take it and a stomacke to digest it but hee beseigeth the heart with hunger by taking the passage of his throate there he will set downe a squinacie crowels or boils for to hinder all sorte of victuall for to be caried to his enemies that are lying into the heart rebellious imaginations that haue lifted vp a banner against the Lord God will take this passage of the throate as Iephre tooke the passages of Jordan for the overthrowe of the Ephracaits Thirdly God will giue meate vnto men but will take away the strength and foison of it which is called to breake the staffe of bread According to this he said to his people threatning them for sinne yee shall eate much and shall not bee satisfied When Gods plague after this maner is on meate men are like these leane evill favored kine that Pharaoh sawe in his dreame eate vp the fatre fleshed kine that were fed in a meadow who after they had fed so fatly it could not be knowne that they had eaten them they remained as leane and evill favored as ever they were before See how God can plague his creatures with leanuesse even while they feede in fattest medowes But againe let the Lord bee pleased let him blesse a little portion were it of pulse it shall haue greater force to feede thy body then all the Kinges dainties with Gods displeasure Thus Daniel and his fellowes whose portion was but pulse were fatrer and fatter in flesh then all the children which didcate the portion of the Kings meate Fourthly God can plague man in meate when hee suffereth a man to become foolish either for to tarrowe of his meate because he geteth not such meate as he would haue hee wâ—ll take no meate at all and so depriveth him selfe of Gods comforts this wee see often into little children Others more foolishly will make vowes not to eate till they haue done an evill turne like these Jewes who banded together and bound them selves vnder a curse that they would neither eate nor drinke till they had killed Paul This was Sauls follie he discharged the people all sorte of meate tiâ—l the battell was ended he band them vnder a curse but what came of it The people vexed with hunger did eate flesh with blood Thus Gods command was broken by occasion of such a foolish injunction Fifthly God can scourge man in meate while he cursed the meate which man desire against his will It is said of Israel that they tempted God in their heart by asking meate for their lust yea they spake against God they said can God furnish a table in the wildernesse Thereafter it is said that the Lord heard this and was wroth What did hee into his wrath By his power hee brought in the south wind Hee rained flesh vpon them as dust and feathered fowles lyke as the sand of the sea So that they did eate were filled But how soone came judgement the Psalmist sayeth that while their meates was in their mouths the wrath of God came vpon them and slewe the fattest of them and smote downe the chosen men of Israel Behold the end of all their good cheere Behold how shortly their greening was cooled Sixtly God can scourge man in meate when hee maketh meate to discord with man From this is the proverb That which is one mans meat is an others mans poyson It is a righteous thing with God to putte discord betweene man and his creatures when man hath sinned against his God The least discord between man and food declareth that man is at feade with his God Seventhly God can afflict man in meat by withdrawing all meat from man This is famine a fearefull plague Jeremie calleth it a punishment greater then the punishment of the sinne of Sodome In that famine of Jerusalem the tender hearted weemen for lack of bread did eate their children of a spanne long The little children came to their mothers crying where is bread And after that they swooned and fell downe dead and their mothers did eate them These who in tyme of abundance were Nazarits purer then the snowe and whiter then milk in tyme of famine their visage became blacker than a cole their skinne withered and became lyke a sticke Jn Samariah two weemen made paction for to eate their two children first the one and then the other Eightly God can scourge man in meat while hee letteth him eate till hee surfet Thus when Israel lusted after flesh the Lord gaue them flesh and they did eate vntill it came out at their nostrils But
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
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
gold and buy this But if he be drowned into debâ—e and cast into prison then and there he will cry vnto the Lord. So long as the forlorne sonne had a pennie into his purse he thought never of home but when he was forced to feede with the swine he said I will returne to my father againe So long as wee haue peace in our land and Barnes full of corne and purses full of money we ly in securitie lyke these of Lâ—ish But if the foraine enemy come and depriue vs of such comforts then we shall crye vnto the Lord. So long as Iehoshaphat in the battell sawe his partie to be equall he fought as he could But so soone as hee sawe him selfe neere straited by the enemie then hee cryed vnto the Lord. So long as Hagar had water into the bottles she and Ismael dranke together enjoying the creature But so soone as all was spent then she weept and cryed vnto the Lord. So â—long as the Raven can find a fleshy carion hee will quietly feede vpon it But while hee is straited with hunger hee beggeth his meate from God The young Lions saith the Psalmist roare aâ—ter their prey and seeke their meate from God All things men beasts fowles yea Papists in their greatest pinch are forced to quite all other vaine hopes for to cry vnto the Lord. I remember that in the tyme of the French persecution J came by sea to Flanders and as I was sailing from Flanders to Scotland a fearfull tempest arose which made our Mariners reele to and fro and stagger like drunken men In the meane tyme thâ—re was in our ship a Scots papist who lay neere me while the ship gaue a great shake his ordinarie cry was O Lord J observed the man and after the Lord had sent a calme I said to him Sir now yee see the weaknesse of your religion so long as yee are in prosperitie yee cry vnto this Sainct and that Sainct Jn our greatest danger J heard you cry often Lord Lord but not a word yee spake of our Lady J compare a Papist in his pilgrimages to creatures to a sheepe that is hunted of a flie it runneth from bush to bush every bush catcheth a lâ—ck till the silly sheepe bee threed-bare and tirred of all his fleece sinne lyke a cleg-flee maketh the soule to startle like a beast there is no sure refuge but in God Away then with Papistrie and with all that draweth a man from the Lord vnto any other The highest point of tribulation or some great danger of death wakning a man will tell a man that there is none that can helpe but the Lord and that hee onely is to bee called vpon Call vpon mee in the day of trouble said the Lord Whom haue I in heaven but thee said the Psalmist All things are for the Lord and from the Lord and all things in their troubles must come to the Lord as the hunger-bitten Aegiptians came all to Joseph for meate Thus yee see the great good of greevous afflictions They chase the creature till it cry to the Creator I will goe saith the Lord and returne to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seeke my face In their affliction they will seeke mee early This is heeâ—e declared in these words of my text Then they cry vnto the Lord in their trouble The vse let vs rejoyce in tribulation seeing God hath made it a spnrre vnto prayer Man is like waters Putrescunt ni movcantur aquae waters spill and stinke if they stand without any motion so will the soule stinke without affliction Before I was afflicted said David I went astray but now I learne thy statutes Indeede it is true that no affliction for the present seemâ—th to bee joyous but grievous Neverthelesse afterward it yeeldeth the pâ—â—câ—able fâ—uit of righteousnesse to these that are exercised thereby This is a quiet fruit of righteousnesse when the soule is moved to cry vnto God Cryes in prayer vnto God are the quietnesse of righteousnesse I confesse that both the wicked and the godly will crye in their distresse but the wicked cry like dogs beaten with a staffe the godly crye into their hearts like children with Moses to whom God said why cryest thou vnto mee Let vs praye the Lord that hee would rouze vp these sleepie soules of ours that sleepe so oftin sinne like Jonah in the hatches Well is the man to whom God shall send some affliction crying to the sinner as the Ship-master cryed to Jonah what meanest thou O sleeper arise crye and call vpon thy God It is goode that man while hee is forewarned by any affliction strive to bee friends with his God Men may rebell for a space and may turne the grace of God into wantonnesse yea and harden their hearts with Pharaoh against his plagues But at last when all their excellencie is swept away like a spiders web as Eliphaz sayeth they die without wisdome As a man liveth ordinarly so dieth hee He that liveth a foole shall readily die without wisedome a fore-warning affliction doeth goode to the godly man it maketh him to be fore-armed But as for the wicked man though God send sicknesse after sicknesse and delaye his death yet hee is not a whit the better But while hee liveth hee letteth the debt run on like a spender or waster who carelesly puts more and more vpon the score Jt were good for the wicked that hee had never beene borne as Christ said of Iudas or that hee had died in the birth yet seeing life in itselfe is a benefite while it is abused by those that have gotten it by crying vnto the Lord it is righteous with God to punish them in rigour for the abuse of his benefite which should have beene to them a large time well imployed in repentance where-with as with a brush they should have clensed their hearts from the scailles of wickednesse Againe heere some may obiect how is it that the godly man beeing sicke and neere the doores of death shuld cry so earnestly for life Should not a godly man bee glad to goe to GOD his Father to his long home where are pleasures for evermore What see wee heere but the back-parts of Iehovah Are wee not in this world as David was in Kedar and in Meshech or as Israel were captives in Babilon Is not this earth a strange land wherein wee can not sing the praises of our God Are not our Harpes heere hung vpon the willowes Our Musick is dumbe I answere that indeede if the godly well prepared as they should bee when sicknesse commeth vnto them they would not crye for health of body but their chiefe crye should bee Come Lord Iesus come and fetch away my soule that panteth after thee like a chaâ—ed Hart desiring the rivers of waters The chiefe desire
They looked vnto him and were lightened and their faces were not ashamed Now let vs see the kirnell of that comfort in the verse following This poore man cryed and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles Behold a progresse of seeking and of deliverance first hee sought God secondly he looked vnto God thirdly the poore man cryed So first God mett mans seeking with deliverance from the feare of trouble secondly while man looked vnto him hee made him to bee inlightened so that hee knew both who did afflict and wherefore hee did afflict him But last of all while God saw this sinner humbled like a poore man and heard him crye then hee saved him from his troubles This poore man cryed saith the Psalmist and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles See how the Lord at the first saved him not from all his troubles but by degrees till hee cryed vnto him like a poore man crying for an almes The harder health is more come by the more it is set by a disease easily cured is easily incurred The sooner a sinner bee helped if hee returne againe to his sinnes hee shall find God the slower to come to his helpe againe God will let him seeke and looke and cry yea and crye againe to teach him better manners This wee see in the booke of Iudges to have beene Gods doing with Israel The Israelites beeing oppressed by the Philistimes and Ammonites in their miserie they sought vnto God they looked vnto him yea and they cryed but what answere got they at the first God sent them vnto their false gods at the first and yet vpon their repentance hee hee pittied them The wordes are so weightie that they are worthie to be heard these be they euen as they were writen by Gods pen-man when the Israelites sawe that they were so sore afflicted by their enemies it is said They cryed vnto the Lord saying wee haue sinned against thee both because we haue forsaken our God and also serued Balaam let vs now heare what answere God made vnto them Hee said vnto them Did I not deliuer you from the Egyptians and from the Ammorits and from the Children of Ammon and from the Philistimes The Zidonians also and the Amalelikites and the Maonites did oppresse you and yee cryed vnto mee and I deliuered you out of their hands yet ye haâ—e forsaken mee and serued other Gods Behold their relaps what saith the Lord to that I will deliuer you no more Goe and crye vnto the Gods which ye haue chosen let them deliuer you in the time of your tribulation heare what a hard answere Now what did the Jsraelites They said to God We haue sinned doe thou vnto vs whatsoeuer seemeth good vnto thee deliuer vs onely we praye thee this day as if they should haue said Lord but for this one time Thus after they had cryed they amended their life by putting away the strange Gods from among them and serued the Lord what did God then It is said that his soule was grieued for the miserie of Israel So at last they got help but after many prayers and after the amendement of their life O the great mercy of our God! O the preseruer of man Let vs make vse of this by applying it to our present purpose which is concerning these that are so sicke that they seeme to bee neere the doores of death While God delayeth to bring them from their sicknesse notwithstanding of all their prayers and of all our prayers private or publicke let vs not grudge neither let the sicke murmure God while hee delayeth their health hee as it were sayeth to them as hee said to Israel I will deliver you no more yet if the poore patient persist to murne before him God will not faile to give him full contentment at last God afflicteth not willingly the children of men no not his soule often is grieved for the miserie of Israel How can hee but deliver repenting sinners seeing their miserie grieveth his verie soule It is not wonder that God repented himselfe to have made man because that hee is the chiefe matter of his griefe As for the Devils they grieve GOD by their sinnes but he is not grieved for their torments God gladly shall cause scourge them with scorpions But as for his owne children heere hee is grieved and grieved againe first for their sinnes but most for their sufferings hee is grieved for their sinnes as a father for his childrens faults and againe he is grieved to strike them Last of all hee is most grieved after that hee hath striken them These bee wonderfull wordes his soule was grieued for the miserie of Israel God that forgave David his sinne could as gladly have spared him in his iudgments but the wicked were looking on wondred how God did spare and therefore â—or his honour and for his names sake he could not let David go vnpunished So soone as David had said I have sinned against the Lord Nathan answered that the Lord had put away his sinne but as for afflictions and troubles hee could not put them awaye because by that deede hee had giuen great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme Jf all the wicked were blind God would often spare to afflict his Children An obiection Heere some may obiect and saye that this our Text is not ever true Js it not cleare that God delivereth not all men from the gates of death though they cry vnto him The answere It is certaine that it is not aye done For if men by crying to God were ever brought backe from the doores of death death should bee a rare thing among men If life could bee had for crying to GOD the World should be deafned with din for all that a man hath he will giue it for his life Jt is but one of a thousand that can say with S. Paul I desire to be dissolued what then shall we say to our Texte wherein is said that when the sicke man cryeth then God deliuereth Surely this is not euer done but if it be once done to a man in his life they be fewe here of anye age but once in their lifetime God hath brought them from the doores of death If God once hath done this to thee by thy owne experience subscribe to the trueth of my Texte Neither doth my Text say that this is done to all left that anye should beguile himselfe saying I may sinne seeing as yet I haue neuer bene so sicke as to be at the ports of death before J die I must first be neere these portes and be broght backe againe to health and so shall liue a space and afterward die No not God hath not astricted himselfe by promise to anye that he shall get but an houres sicknesse before he die If
God had before life could be gotten Though he should haue walked to and fro and streatched himselfe vntill now except that God had sent his word Elisha should haue said as Gehazi said that was sent with his staffe The child is not awaked There is no force in man against death to make either voice or hearing Heere then let vs obserue the great power of God who by the message of his word cureth such deadly diseases A Physitian may helpe a sicke man by application but what can he doe by explication Mens wordes are but wind wordes can not worke Mens wordes are but of dead letters But the word of god is quick and quickening it is mighty in operation the Power of God to salvation both of soule and of body That which is able to saue both soule and body from Hell fire may easily be a power for to heale the sicke body The Centurion after that hee had sent a man for Christ to come and cure his sick seruant hee bethought himself what power was in Gods word and therfore he sent back word againe to Christ that hee should not come him selfe but only send his word Tell him said the Centurion to his friends whom he sent to him tell him Lord trouble not thy selfe for I am not worthie that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe wherefore neither thought I my selfe worthie to come vnto thee but saye in a word and thy servant shall bee healed Saye in a word that is send a word and it shall heale him I read of Ioseph that he was cast into the stockes in a prison But by what meanes was he deliuered It was by Gods word The psalmist saith that they hurt his feete with stockes and that he was laide in yron But how was he deliuered there he laye vntill the time that his word came God had giuen to Ioseph the word of his promise in a dreame that he should be a sheafe before whom all others sheaues should bowe yea that before him the Sunne and Moone and elleuen starres should doe reuerence So soone as the time of that word came the stockes could keepe Ioseph no more As Ioseph lay in the stockes so must the sicke man ly in his bed vntill the the time that his word came then shall he goe free Heere behold the great power of the word of the Lord. Turne thee yet againe and behold the power of this word in a greater cure In Ezekiel J see a strange worke wrought by this word In a valley there was a huge great number of bones both bare and drye loe saith the Prophet they were very drye God hauing showne them to his Prophet said vnto him Sonne of man can these bones liue The Prophet said Lord thou knowest as if he had said there is very little appearance J will make them liue said the Lord But how By my word I will send my word vnto them Prophecie vpon these bones and say vnto them O ye dry bones heare the word of the Lord Behold I shall cause breath enter into you and ye shall liue And I will lay sinewes vpon you and will bring vp flâ—sh vpon you and couer you with skin and put breath in you and ye shall liue As soone as the Prophet had giuen the bones this first charge of Gods word at that first prophecie there was a noise and behold a shaking and the bones came together euery bone to its owne bone But there was no breath in them Behold how the first charge of the word made onely the bones to be conueened and to be couered with flesh and skinne But how shall life be gotten God must send his word againe God sent his word to the wind for to fetch breath for the quickning of these dead men Prophecie vnto the wind said the Lord Prophecie Son of man say to the wind Thus saith the Lord God Come from the four winds O breath breath vpon these slaine that they may liue At that second charge of the word the wind fetcht breath which entred into them and all those bones lived and stood vp an exceeding great armie He who by his word prophecied made dry bones to creepe together and by this word made the winde to breath life into them may easily send vnto sick men a word that will heale them thought they were even at the doores of death Secondly in that the word of God is said heere to be the meanes whereby God healeth the sicke J obserue the diuersitie of the operation of his word what ever God hath to doe let him but send his word and it shall be done When he made the world he vsed no other hand but his word let there be light let there be a firmanent Gods word LET wrought all the creatures He said and it was and as he said so it was The word of God is like a Mine of diuers veines either for to help Gods friendes or for to hurt his foes as the cloudy pillar was darkenesse by day vnto the Egyptians and light in darkenesse vnto the Jsraelites As that Pillar was a darke cloud by day behind Israel for to hide them from the Egyptians and a burning Pillar of fire by night going before Israel for to let them see the waye So the word that God sends is euer for the good of Israel It is a quickning spirit and sauour of life to life vnto these that are saued but it is a killing letter and a sauon of death to these that perish When Christ had a will to ding his enemies vpon their backe he sent his word to doe it I with I am he he made them goe backward to the ground With his word he dang his enemies vpon their backe and with his word he raised vp Lazarus his dead freind out of the graue Gods greatest wonders were done by his word When Israel at Massah and Meribah tempted God in their thirst for to get water God directed Moses to find water But how was it by sending him for to delue downe in the ground for to find some water spring No not He sent him to a Place where naturally was rather fire then water euen to a hard flint Rocke But how was that water gotten God sent his word vnto the Rocke speake vnto the Rocke said the Lord to Moses and it shall giue forth his water Thirdly seeing Gods word is of such power that for all things it is a soveraine remeedie let vs beware to doubt of its power These gluttons that cryed for flesh are branded with this blot They spake against God saying Can God furnish a table in the wilderenesse Beware to say Can God were the difficultie neuer so great in appearance Moses his doubt made
him double his stroke against the Rocke while he should haue spoken to the stones who for a word would haue wept and shed teares to be drinke vnto Jsrael he in steade of speaking to the Rocke scourged the Rocke once and againe That Rocke was CHRIST and who would haue thought that euer Moses would haue scourged Christ for that deed particularly he neuer bowe the Lord by his prayer for once to let him set his foot in Canaan the type of Heauen Because he dishonored the word of faith with doubting he neuer entered into the land of promise The wordes of his doubt were these Here now yee rebels must wee fetch you water out of this Rock Hezekiel his answere to God was better when the Lord inquired of him if the dead bones could liue O Lord said he thou knowest O but God thinketh much of his word God hath said a great word Heauen and earth shall passe away but my word shall not passe away Christ speaking of the power of this word said that a word spoken with as great of faith as a graine of mustard seede should remoue a mountaine hence to yonder place S. Luke saith that such a word should be able to pluck vp by the roots a sycamine tree and plant it into the Sea a most vnfit place for planting * See how Gods word can cause a tree take roote in an element which naturaly is more bent to pluck vp trees by the roots shall we doubt of the power of this word were our distresse neuer so great No not There is such a power in this word that in time of miracles it made the shadowe of the Messinger to heale these that were sicke while Peter passed by The people brought foorth the sicke into the streets and laid them on beds and couches that at the least the shaddow of Peter passing by might ouer-shddowe some of them Such was their faith that they stroue for the shadowe of Peter and all that but for to be cured of a bodily disease O if men now a dayes were as bent for to come to this word of God as they were for the shadow of a man The power of this word within S. Paul put such vertue into his napkins that wypt the sweate from his body or the teares from his eyes that these to whome they were brought were cured of all their diseases yea and thereby euill spirits were cast out of some Such vertue came from the shadowes and clothes of such men that men might belieue that they were sent with this word that healeth the soule These miracles were done by the word and are writen for our learning that we may belieue Gods word to be true Fourthly seeing this word sent by God should be receiued by faith it must also be preached with faith let him that speaketh it speake it with boldnes not fearing the face of man hee must not be like the Trumpeter who trembleth while hee foundeth alarmes for to stirre vp the courage of others Fifthly seeing it is Gods word that is the word of power let him that heares a word preached consider well vvhose worde it is The touch stone of spoken wordes is the writen word This was the nobilitie of the men of Berea they tried the word after it was preached they searched the scriptures daily whether these things that were preached were so or not Sixtly in that it is said in my Text that the word is a messenger of health a messenger sent from God for to cure diseases we should make it welcome When Eglon a Pagan King heard Ehud saye Iudg. 3 v. 20. I haue a message from God vnto thee it is said that he arose out of his seat that is hee stood vpon his feete for to beare reverence to the worde of the Lord. When Hezekiah heard many sore wordes of threatning sent to him from God All that he said was Good is the worde of the Lorde what then should we say of the word of health the healing word which is sent for to cure both soule and body viz. the worde of the Gospell Goode is the Gospell goode is the Gospell the word of health may all sicke sinners now say This is that word sent for to cure the diseases that would not yeeld vnto the dead letters of the law Blessed are the feete of these that fetch Gospell the word of good tidings Seuently seeing the word sent from God is God his appointed meanes for the recouering of health when euer we are sicke if wee pray for health let vs intreat God to send his word vnto vs but seeing the word now commeth not downe from heauen in a voice thorow the aire but is committed to a messenger we must not looke for revelations but seeke that word from the messenger Gods interpreter to whom it is betrusted we must looke for a blessing from the word spoken by him who is called of God If God had not bidden Ezekiel prophecie vnto the bones the bones had neuer stirred for all his preachinges If profite had called him to be a Prophet his prophecie had neuer bene able to quicken these slaine But because he prophecied not till God bade him prophecie so soone as hee prophecied the sent word vnto the scattered dead bones they all got life and stood vp an exceeding great armie Men that run and speake vnsent find that their speach take no effect Certaine of the vagabond Jewes exorcists and among others seuen sonnes of Sceua who was chiefe of the Priests tooke vpon them to adiure a deuill that was in a man and that by Jesus whom Paul preached But what said the divell Iesus I know and Paul I know but who are yee Thus God as yee see hath appointed certaine men for to carie the word that he sendeth such a man the sickenesse of a man will knowe But if men runne vnsent though they should preach Jesus whome Paul preached the diseases like diuels shall say to them But who are yee yea the disease shall leape on them and ouercome them and preuaile against them as the diuell did to the exorcists When Gods word is sent for to heale most ordinarly it is sent by a rare man a pastour whom Elihu calles one of a thousand I know that by the word that God in my Texte is laide to send may bee vnderstood the power of God God indeede can heale men without a pastour either to speake to them or to pray for them but ordinarly he sendeth this word of healing by the mouth of some rare interpreter The words of Elihu are plaine for the clearing of my Text Behold first how he bringeth in the sicke man in his sickenesse Hee is chastened with pâ—ine vpon his bed the multitude of his bones with strong paine So that his life abhorreth bread and his soule dainty
meat His flesh is consumed away that it can not be seene and his bones that were not seene sticke out His soule draweth neere vnto the graue and his life to the buriers Behold his sickenesse But how shall he be cured Let him send for a faithfull minister If there be a messenger with him an interpreter one among a thousand to shew vnto man his vprightnesse Then he is gracious vnto him and saith deliuer him from going downe to the pit I haue found a ransome His flesh shall be fresher then a childs he shall returne to the dayes of his youth Consider well these words and they shall giue light to these words of my Text He sent his word and healed them from this may be gathred that he must be a rare man that caryeth the word sent for health Hee must be a man sent of God that caryeth the word which God sendeth for the healing of the sicke Little good may be looked from the preaching of many because they preach vnsent they preach not the word that is sent which is the word of power they may preach Gods word but they preach not a sent word they take Gods statuts in their mouth but God shall reproue them saying what hast thou to doe to declare my statutes or that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy mouth When God was angry at Ahab he desired to send out some against him while he was vpon this thought he looked to all his creatures saying whome shall I send and who will goe for vs that said An ill spirit came out and said send me There be many like the ill-spirit who will not waite till God send them but will preueen him saying send me The world now runnes to be sent There be none so ready to preach as these whom God neuer sent Jn this they are worse then the diuell who before he went out heard God first say Goe forth and doe so See how the diuell would not goe to the Lords vvorke vvithout a commission and a warrand These vvho run and speake vnsent shall find their speach take no effect It is the sent vvord that is the vvord of conversion and of health A people had great neede to bequeath themselues to God that he would keepe them from a Pastour that commeth vnsent I will giue you two tokens of a Pastour that carieth the sent word of God the one is inward into the mans selfe the other is outwarde and appeareth amongst the people First the Pastour himselfe must haue in his owne bosome a warrant from God that he is called to beare the word that God sendeth this warrant he shall knowe in two things First he shall find within him a drawing desire to serue God in such a calling this is for the generall Secondly he shall haue a privie particular draught within him moving him to desire to be with such a flocke Not so much for to cloth him selfe with their wooll and feede him with their rents whereby he may haue a life by them as that he may winne some poore soule to the loue of Jesus or drawe some clogged heart out of the snares of the diuell that when he hath ended his ministrie he may say Behold heere I am and the children that God hath giuen mee This is the inward calling without which if a man goe to speake the word he shall be like Vzza who putting his hand to helpe Gods â—â—â—Arke was stricken dead with a breach into an instant Because hee wanted a calling God slewe him for doing that which otherwise was good in it selfe The second token of a Pastour sent with Gods word to any particular people is an vncorrupt desire of him by the flocke not because he is their carnall friend or of their blood or because he is such a mans sonne or because some guider of the parochin favoureth him but because they see him furnished with giftes and graces whereby their soules may be helped vnto God When S. Paul was at Troas A vision appeared vnto him in the night There stoode a man of Macedonia and prayed him saying Come ouer into Macedonia and help vs We must not now J confesse looke for visions But certanely if God hath called a man effectually to bring his word for the well of a people he will make these of the flocke that are most godly to pray him to come and helpe them as the man of Macedonia did vnto Paul Jf these things be away it shall proue at last that such a man was neuer a Pastour but a hireling what euer words he preached shall in end appeare not to haue bene wordes sent from God Eightly let vs obserue here whose word it is that being sent healeth the sicke folkes of my Texte It is the word of God Jt is in my Texte called his word He sent his word and healed them his word then and not mans word Long shall a man continue jogging before that he waken a sinner by words of mans braine The words of men being but wind can no more waken these that are soule-sicke of the lethargie then the tempest could waken Ionas But the word of God like that ship master will rouse vp a sinner with reproofes and chase him with glowmes to his God The flowers of eloquence neuer so sweet smelling are not able to reviue the dying soule what are mens wordes though writen in letters of golde but words of no vertue Such words may be like Agrippa clothed with great phantasie but they shall neuer almost perswade a man to bee a Christian they may skippe about a dead soule as the Priestes of Baal skipped and cryed about their dead sacrifice but all in vaine their god was on his iourneye or asleepe there was none to make answere there is no comfort to the soule from the words of man Papists traditions are but mens words and wordes that God neuer sent vnto men and therefore are not able to comfort a man vpon his sicke bed they are liveles without any power or force but the word of God is lively and mighty in operation My words said Christ are spirit and life The vse of this doctrine is let all these that are sent by God to carie his word to a people to sicke or to whole let them take heed that they deliuer Gods word as Gods word with the mind of the sender Such must neuer faine nor flatter vnder the paine of damnation When it was told to Micaiah that he should prophecie good things to wicked King Ahab because all the rest of the prophets had done so what said Micaiah As the Lord liâ—eth said he what the Lord saith vnto me that will I speake All the rest of the prophets made preachings of their owne head for to please the King But
Micaiah only preached the word that was sent In this Baalam shall condemne manye that preach as their humour carie them in feede or in favour as the matter toucheth their particular said I not vnto thy messenger said Baalam to King Balak if Balak would giue me his house full of gold and silver I can not goe beyond the commandement of the Lord to doe either good or bad of mine owne mind But what the Lord saith that will I speake Because he had a couetous heart loued the wages of iniquitie though hee transgressed not in his wordes he was but a villaine Hee caried the sent word and spake the word that was sent but because he spake it not as it was sent in sinceritie of heart Baalam is branded with infamie for euer Jn this last age many are become worse then Baalam his greatest fault was that hee loued the wages of iniquitie but as for his doctrine amongst the Moabits it was sincere he fâ—attered not the King he would not curse where the King commanded but blessed where he was commanded to curse till the King in wrath did smite his hands together commanding him to flee to his owne place 1 called thee to curse mine enemies said the King and behold thou hast altogether blessed them these three times Who amongst vs in open viewe before a King dare thrise transgresse a Kings command for the honour of his God Mens preachings to great men are become like the Echo's of their affections the last syllabe at least must be theirs Others great flatterers are like these greater Echos of longer breath that vvill go out the vvhole verse in repetitions What is an Echo vox sonus aura nihil Mercifull God what shall become of this age wherin the sent vvord of God the vvord of reproofe is concealed smothred and chocked as though God durst not be angry at the sinnes of grands Mercifull God vvhat shall become of this age vvherein the sent word of God is thus despised except it be decked with words of mans wisdome J take this to be a fearefull plague vpon this land Jt is righteous vvith God that so he repaye home againe the loathing of his sent vvord It is iustice on his part that these that delight not in the word of God vvhich is the only sent word should bee giuen ouer to eares itching after humane eloquence and delicate phrases made of wordes that are but winde Such vvordes like sweetest meats may vvell make men sicke but shall neuer make the sicke to become whole Ninthly in these vvords of the Text hee sent his worde I obserue that the vvord that a faithfull minister speaketh either in preaching to sicke or to vvhole or in praying for the sicke are vvords sent from God Such vvordes are not in vs by nature but by grace they are sent vnto vs and by vs vnto you how shall they preach except they bee sent saith the Apostle yea how shall they speake except that the word be sent vnto them O Lord said Moses vvhile God vvas sending him to speake to Pharaoh I am not eloquent or as in the Hebrâ—w I am not a man of vvordes but I am slow of speach and of a slowe tongue because he vvanted vvords of his ovvne hee doubted But GOD that sendeth vvordes to his ovvne in neede told him that it vvas he that had made mans mouth When God sendeth a man hee will send words into that mouth that hee hath appointed for his seruice The vse seeing it is so whensoeuer in our preachinges or in our prayers any good word come not of our mouth that be sent for to doe good tâ— your soules remember that the word is not ours but a present that GOD hath sent to you by vs who are nothing but the Lords stewardes to whom the dispensation of his mysteries is committed Now for so many good words that hee hath sent vnto vs in sicknesse and in health in povertie and in riches in ioye and in sorrow let vs give vnto this God all glory praise and honour for now and evermore Amen THE SICKE MANS SALVE THE FOVRTH SERMON PSAL. 107. v. 20. Hee sent his word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions V. 21. O that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse and for his wonderfull workes to the children of men IN the last part of my former Sermon we have heard what salve the Lord sends for to heale the sicke mans sore it is set downe in these words hee sent his worde and healed them Out of these words wee did gather diverse doctrines 1. That great is the Majestie of God that maketh his word a worthy messenger for all his affaires 2. That great is the power of Gods word that cureth all sorts of sicknesse 3. Seeing God is so powerfull by his worde that wee doubt never of his power or of his promise 4. That seeing this word should be received by faith it should also bee preached by faith 5. Seing it is only Gods word that is this worde let him that heareth the word consider well whose word it is 6. Seeing Gods word is a messenger of health wee should make it welcome and blesse the feete of these that carrie it 7. Seeing Gods word is his appointed ordinarie meanes when vvee sicken let vs pray God to send vnto vs this messenger of health 8. It hath been observed that there is no word but GODS vvord that can make the sicke man vvhole there is no health in the vvordes that are forged in mans braine 9. It is God that preacheth orpraveth in and by his faithfull servants Hee that hath made the mouth is hee that putteth his vvord into the mouth This farre haue vvee proceeded in the doctrines vpon these vvords hee sent his word and healed them And healed them Let vs now consider what is it that God healed by his word It is said heere that hee healed them viz. these that vvere sicke without anye exception of disease hee healed them saith the Text. Let vs first heere observe the great power of GODs word No man by a word can heale any disease but there is no sort of disease but God can heale it by his word If it had beene saide fooles because of their follie had the fever and God by his word healed them Some would have doubted if this word could haue healed also of the fluxes No not while it is saide that God healed them in generall it is to bee vnderstood of all sortes of diseases Our God is not only a God of the mountaines but also of the valleyes The Papists that run to Saints for health not finding any that can cure of all diseases have appointed them slaves to runne to diverse Saints for diverse diseases to one they must go for S. Iohns â—ll to another they must goe for frenesie to
another for leprosie to another for barrennesse to another for sicke horse to another for sicke kine to another for their swine I neede not goe farre Beholde into the same house where J preach that place of S. 〈◊〉 mooles in my time J sawe a deepe hole at the side of that stone where the miserable ignoraÌ„ts of this land had digged for to get the dust of that pretended Saint as if it had had power for to give health Mercifull God what blindnesse of ignorance was that What could be the cause of this This was the cause The poore people could not find the worde Gods messenger for health The Bible was a clasped booke then the Antichristian seales were as yet not loosed they heard nothing but mumbling of Masses wordes that they vnderstood not wordes that could not heale their hearts sicke of sinne and what wonder that like hennes they came seraping and scarting among the graves seeking if they could find any pickle of comfort to their comfortlesse soules Blessed bee our God that hath sent his word to this place for healing of sicke sinners whereas of before they were wont to bee sent to seeke comfort from the dead that had no comfort for themselves Gods word is a salve for all sorts of sores To come to my doctrine there is no disease vncurable to the word when it shall please God to send it I confesse that there bee diseases like devills some of a kinde that are more hardly driven away than others This sort of devils said Christ cannot bee cast out but by fasting and prayer to the worde of prayer fasting behoved to be ioyned Not that the word wanted force for to chase out these Devills but because of vs whose prayers are sluggish while the bellie is full A full bellie maketh the spirit lumpish fulnesse of food sends vp such thicke vapours which become clowdes betweene the face of God and our prayers so that they can not passe thorow Againe seeing Gods word is his appointed meane whereby hee not onlie giveth health to the body but also to the soules of his children let vs not wonder that Sathan the enemie of mans salvation bee a great enemie to this word to the teachers and to the hearers There is not a Sermon made to a people but Sathan is affraide to losse a soule for this cause especiallie hee beares a great ill will at Pastours because they carie the word of health Such men are the Lords Ensigne-bearers against whom Sathan shooteth his greatest peeces If they fall the men of health fall the sicke can no more get salve for his sore for this cause let no man wonder that Sathan raiseth slanders vpon Preachers This maketh that Dragon often to stretch out his taile that hereby hee may sweepe downe the lights of the World which shew vnto vs the way of salvation Jf once hee can make this word of God to bee ill spoken of and by the reeke of calumnie darken the light or make it to bee loathed hee thinkes that hee hath wonne a field As for you who take vpon you any profession of godlinesse by frequenting Sermons and often hearing of this word Beware that by a scandalous life yee make others to loath that which is Gods also appointed meanes for the healing of soules Woe to them that make the worde of God to bee ill spoken of Againe seeing the word is so poweâ—full a meane for to recover the health that is lost it must also bee a most powerfull preservative of health The vse seeing it is so let vs make meekle of Gods word in our health for it is the word of health the messenger of health the word of good tidings What better tidings would a sicke man have than that hee should bee healed * There was such a desire of health in Christs dayes that the people throâ—ged so about him that some not being able to enter in at the doore of the house where he was clambe vp vpon the house vncouered the roofe above his head and let downe the sicke into beds by the hole they had broken vp Jf wee knew the vertue of Gods word before that wee were debarred therefrom by a multitude wee should vncover the roofe of the house where it is preached that we might bee let downe by cords as wee loue our health wee should loue this word of health All men wish for health heere is the best preservative feare God and heare his word diligentlie If thou losse a preaching needlesly it is a wonder if thou contract not some disease If thou also be sluggish to come to Gods house or if thou come but yet heares carelesly and receiues not the word with greedinesse that is a spirituall lumpishnesse of heart a forerunner of some painefull disease Men ordinarly before some sicknes find a certain heauinesse with want of appetit There is no surer token of a fearfull disease to come then a lumpish loathing of Gods word It is of the word as of the Sacrament Jf the Sacrament of the supper be eaten vnworthily by the children of God though God after their repentance forgiue them the sinne yet he will chastise them with diuers diseases for this cause said the Apostle many are weake and sickly amongst you and many sleepe Euen so when the word is heard negligently without due preparation for this cause many are plagued with diuers diseases There is no such token that God will keepe the health of a people as when a people hath appetit of the word and heares it with greedinesse These delicate soules that are not content with the sincere word of God except that it be saused into the entising words of mans wisdome can not be but sickly soules Such men must be filled with some filthinesse within which bursteth out into scabs which scripture calleth the itching of the eare Thus as Solomon faith The full soule lotheth the honiâ— combe euen Gods word that is sweeter then the honie combe But to the hungrie soule euery bitter thing is sweet A morsell of drye bread is more pleasant to a hungry man then wild foule is to him that is Blewe burstex as we say This land let me be familiar is as it were Blewe bursten vvith abundance of Gods word We are well fed but it is not seene on vs Because we are filled we loth the honie combe J see no greater token of great diseases to come vpon this land then this Scotlands appetite of Gods word is lost Let vs heere also obserue the craft of Sathan who in all things goeth about to counterfeit God in his doings Heere in my Text it is said that God healeth the sicke with wordes he sent his Worde and healed them Sathan goeth about to make men beleiue that he can heale diseases also with words which wee
resurrection The vse of this doctrine is tâ—â—o sold first for â—â—se godly secondlie for the wicked As for the godly let them bee thankfull vnto God who hath changed their destructions into beds of rest where they shall sleepe most softly vntill the great blast of the last trumpet This is one of the speciall comforts which God hath prepared for the godly man in his bed of languishing that God will make all his bed in his sicknesse Behâ—ld heere a greater comfort In death God will make all the godly mans bed The graue to him is but a bed made for him by the Lord. O man of GOD for thy graue bee thankfull vnto God When death is drawing neere comfort thy selfe with this that God is preparing a well made bed for thee in the graue Blesse him who hath turned thy destruction into rest As for the wicked let the fearfull word of my text viz. destructions let it bee as it were a Remembrancer vnto them that there is a thing after this lyfe prepared for them which God his word calleth destruction While they heare of it let them come out of their chaire of ease for to be friends with God in time O mercifull God what terrour must this bee while a man on his death bed perceiveth nothing but GODS wrath a gapeâ—ng graue and an vâ—prepared soule Let this memorandum rouse vp all slippry soules so to liue in this lyfe that they losse not that lyfe which is to come No man can tell how soone his glasse shall runne out What a follie is this for a moment of pleasures to losse eternitie and to goe to destruction Happy then I see is the man that liveth well heâ—re Blessed is he whose GOD is the Lord Thrise happy is hee that hath faith in Christ for in the very graue he shall find salvation Hee hath a cordiall antidoâ— against the poison of destruction who hath Christ to bee his salvation Christ our salvation hath destroyed this destruction He hath gotten such a victorie not only for him selfe but also for all his Saints that the least and weakest of them may defye both death and destruction with those words of boast O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie Death like that viper of Malta may hang vpon a godly mans hand but in the day the Lord shall purge the world with fire the godly man shall shake death from him as St. Paul cast the vâ—per from him into the fire without any hurt But as for the wicked that are not in Christ their graues are their destructions death in the graue feedeth on them as on sheepe To euery one of them death may say as Christ said to death I shall be thy death While Christs friends with Lazarus are said to sleepe into the graue the wicked man there is but a destroyed creature While he is there he is in destruction hee is in abstracto mall into evill it selfe hee is nothing there but the Carion of a creature VVoe be to him to whom the graue is a destruction Let therefore all men stâ—â—e so to liue that while they goe to their graues their graues may bee a bed of rest vnto them Jf the graue bee a destruction to thy body the place of damnation is prepared for thy soule Let Epicures while they liue sport and say Hell is not so â—â—te nor sinne so heavy nor the divell so blacke nor GOD so severe as Preachers prattle The day shall come when they shall find it farre other wayes Shall GOD suffer the whole creation to groane vnder the burden of our sinnes Shall GOD him selfe be pressed vnder the weight thereof as a cart laden with sheaues and shall he not be avenged of vs in death except we repent Let vs therefore least our graues after death bee our destructions amend our lyfe in tyme Let vs abhorre the filthie shape of our sinnes Let vs lay hold on GOD his mercy and CHRIST his merits which are two shoulders that shall carie away all the weights of wickednesse Well is that soule whose Bill Bond before death is cancelled and crost With great joy may he goe to the graue to whom the LORD hath said I haue put away thy transgression like a cloud and thy sinnes as a mist Lord make our eyes nimble to rip our hearts to the bottome that wee may bring out our sinnes from thence that they may get a dead stroake before wee dye Heere let vs obserue who is hee that is said heere to haue delivered the sicke from their destructions it is the Lord The greatnesse of the worke declareth plainly that it could bee no other then the Lord when Iohn and Peter went a fishing after Christs resurrection Christ appeared vnto them after they had toiled the whole night in vaine at last at Christs command they cast the nets Christ at the first they knew not but by the great draught of fishes they began to know him the disciple whom Jesus loved considering the draught said vnto Peter it is the Lord So may a man who hath beene delivered from his destructions easily know that none could deliver him but the LORD the text is plaine heere and hee delivered them from their destructions Heere is a lesson of the great power of God the angell of the covenant said well when he sawe Sarah laughing at the promise is any thing too hard for the Lord. Christ speaking of the hard entrie of rich men into God his kingdome compared it to the passing of a Camell thorow the eye of a needle this thereafter hee made more cleare saying with men it is impossible but not with God for with GOD all things are possible This great power heere appeareth in that when the sicke man is hard at the doores of death vpon the very brime of destruction yet the Lord by his infinit power delivereth him from his destructions The vse is this when ever we find our selues perplexed let vs haue recourse to him that is only able to helpe vs Who can deliver from destruction the abstract of ill but God who is salvation essentially that which is good yea goodnesse it selfe No man can deliver his friend from feare in the dayes of evill when the iniquities of his heeles shall compasse him about Though men were never so wealthy boasting them selues in the multitude of their riches none of them can by any meanes redeeme his brother nor gius to God a ransome for him All the gold of â—ndia is not able to deliver a man from his destructions no not to prolong his lyfe but an houre Hee only who gaâ—e the lyfe is able to preserue the lyfe He only who gaue the lyfe is able for to take away the lyfe vnto God the Lord alone belong the issues from
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
death and also the issues vnto death In his mouth alone are the quickning or killing words returne yee children of men either from lyfe to destructions or from destruction vnto lyfe and therefore in all our distresses and greatest sickenesse let vs haue our recourse vnto him saving with the Psalmist whom haue I in Heaven but thee and there is none on earth whom I desyre besyds thee my fiâ—sh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever We haue heard how those that were sicke drewe neere to the doores of death and how GOD while none could help them delivered them from their destructions in bringing them from death to lyfe from sicknesse to health Before I passe foreward to the last part of the text I desyre you all to consider well that albeit God in great sicknesse by his word recall vs from the graue once or twise yet for all that we must carefully remember our mortalitie for though at diverse tymes God either in sicknesse or in dangers by sea or by land hath by his power delivered vs from the graue wherein long since wee had beene rotten yet for all that at last these bodies of ours must come to the hands of the buriers who shall lay vs downe into our destructions Consider and weigh well the matter O man though God should prolong thy dayes so that every one of them should bee lyke that day oâ— losualâ— when the sunne stood still vpon Gibeon and the moone in the valley of Atâ—lon yet should all those dayes come to an end The standing sunne at last must goe downe yea though God should bring backe the shaddow of thy lyfe many thousand degrees at last it shall goe downe in the diall of thy mortalitie Though the house were never so strong at last it must decay and drop thorow There is no ludging for eternitie in things below Methuselah with his nine hundred three score and nine yeeres is followed with hee died as well as hee who lived but an houre I wish that this my sermon could bee to you like the house of mourning which Salomon calleth better then the house of feasting his reason is for that is the end of all men and the living will lay it to his hearâ— A feast is made for laughter which will not admit the companie of so graue mediations Laughter will not suffer the living to lay his end to his heart Oh that yee all could lay well this my sermon to your heart before that death by sicknesse come and make a breach by that breach runne away with your soules Alas it is hard for men in prosperitie to be moved to thinke that they shall be moved I said in my prosperitie said David I shall never be moved O how hard it is for men and weemen that haue hearts desire and wealth at will to desire to bee dissolved They are so taken vp with their pleasures in this lyfe that they haue no leasure to think vpon death Men take no heede to the graue that is before them though they be even vpon the brinke or brimme thereof they can not thinke that they shall fall therein though thousands haue fallen before them J compare the most part of this world to men walking over a field so covered wich fâ—oâ— that they can not perceiue the way when they thinke to run they fall into a pit with a jumpe It is even so of men in prosperitie while their eyes are dazeled with the brightnesse of their pleasures profits which as sâ—ow cover all the way before that ever they be aware they rush downe into the ditch of death Many like Mariners in a mist make ship wracke in the calme sea The Lord bee our Pilot and so direct our soules into this perillous navigation that at last by death wee may arriue into the haven of the Heavens where wee may liue with GOD for ever Well is the man that is ever wating for his GOD. Well is him that can say with David when I awake I am still with thee THE THIRD PART THE SICKE MAN HIS SONG VVEE haue heard of mans miserie in the sicke man his sore wee also haue heard of God his mercy in the sicke mans salve Man being sore sicke cryed vnto God by prayer and God heard him and hee sent his word and healed him Now it followeth that wee see what man his duetie should bee toward his GOD for delivering him from such miserie The duetie is set downe into those words Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse and for his wonderfull workes to the children of men this is the sicke man his song Heere let vs obserue what is the duetie of him who hath received health and lyfe from God in a most dangerous sicknesse it is heere set downe viz. that hee should praise God for his goodnesse c. God seeketh nothing from man for his benefits but thankes and praise The doctrine is this GOD his yoke is easy if by our owne wickednesse wee make it not vneasy there is no yoke so easy as God his yoke See how for all his blessings hee requireth but thankes After that the Physitian of the body hath vsed his cure whether it cure thee or not thou must giue him gold after that thy God hath cured both thy soule and body He seeketh but thankes He craveth but a grandmercy from the heart And yet alas hee who doeth most and seeketh least is least considered and worse payed of his due First heere obsetue that the duetie of him who hath received his health from God is to praise God for his goodnesse and for his wonderfull workes our GOD for all requireth nothing but thankes Hee hath no neede of our guifts As hee hath no neede so neither doeth hee seeke any thing from vs I will not saith hee reproue thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings to haue beene continuallie before meâ— I will take no bullocke out of thy house nor hee goates out of thy foldes for every beast of the forrest is myne and the cattell vpon a thousand hils I know all the fowles of the mountaines and the wild beasts of the field are myne If I were hungrie I would not tell thee for the world is myne and the fulnesse thereof Behold how God will not seeke any worldly thing from man for all the world is his and the fulnesse thereof What is it then that hee would haue for all his benefits The Lord declareth him felfe what hee would haue Offer vnto God thankesgiving and pay thy vowes vnto the most high Thankefulnesse as yee see is the onely impost that God requireth of vs. So soone as man hath received a benefite from God hee is bund to repare to his GOD with