of but the sorrow of the world worketh death For behold this self-same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulness it wrought in you yea what clearing of your selves yea what indignation yea what fear yea what vehement desire yea what zeal yea what revenge In all things ye have approved your selves to be clear in this matter Tenthly If the sick person needs or desires instruction how to demean himself in his sickness such Scriptures will be useful as direct us to 1. Contrition for sin Job 42.2 5 6. I know that thou canst do any thing and that no thought can be withheld from thee I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee Wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Psal 19.12 Who can tell how oft he offends O cleanse thou me from my secret faults Psal 32.1 c. Blessed is the man whose unrighteousness is forgiven and whose sin is covered Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth no sin and in whose spirit there is no guile I will acknowledg my sin unto thee and mine unrighteousnes have I not hid Psal 34.17 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart and will save such as be of an humble spirit Psal 38.1 c. Put me not to rebuke O Lord in thine anger neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure For thine arrows stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore There is no health in my flesh because of thy displeasure neither is there any rest in my bones by reason of my sin For my wickednesses are gone over my head and are like a sore burden too heavy for me to bear I truly am set in the plague and my heaviness is ever in my sight For I will confess my wickedness and be sorry for my sin Hos 7.2 They consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness Jam. 3.2 In many things we offend all 2. Humility and Patience in affliction 2 Sam. 15.25 26. And the King David said unto Zadok carry back the Ark of God into the City if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again and shew me both it and his habitation But if he thus say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good unto him Job 2.10 What shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil In all this did not Job sin with his lips Chap. 34.31 32. Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have born chastisement I will not offend any more That which I see not teach thou me If I have done iniquity I will do no more Psal 27.16 O tarry thou the Lords leasure be strong and he shall comfort thy heart and put thou thy trust in the Lord. Lam. 3.25 26. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. Mic. 7.9 I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him Luke 21.19 In your patience possess your souls Heb. 12.7 If ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sons Jam. 1.2 3 4. Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh patience But let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing 1 Pet. 5.6 Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time 3. Reliance upon God Deut. 33.26 There is none like unto the God of Jesurun Vers 27. The Eternal God is thy refuge Vers 29. Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O People saved by the Lord the shield of thy help and who is the sword of thy excellency 1 Sam. 12.22 The Lord will not forsake his People for his great Names sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his People 2 Chron. 16.9 The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him Job 13.15 Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Psal 5.13 Thou Lord wilt give thy blessing unto the righteous and with thy favourable kindness wilt thou defend him as with a shield Psal 9.10 They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast never failed them that seek thee Psal 22.10 I have been left unto thee ever since I was born thou art my God even from my mothers womb Psal 23.4 Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me Psal 33.17 Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him and upon them that put their trust in his mercy Psal 37.40 The salvation of the righteous cometh of the Lord which is also their strength in the time of trouble Psal 62.1 My soul truly waiteth still upon God for of him cometh my salvation Isa 30.15 Thus saith the Lord God the Holy One of Israel In returning and rest shall ye be saved in quietness and confidence shall be your strength Lam. 3.25 26. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. 4. The Benefit and Comfort of Prayer Isa 26.8 9. In the way of thy judgments O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our soul is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early for when thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness Job 42.10 The Lord turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the time of trouble So will I hear thee and thou shalt praise me Psal 55.17 18. As for me I will call upon God and the Lord shall save me In the evening and morning and at noon day I will pray and that instantly and he shall hear my voice Psal 65.2 3. Thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come My misdeeds prevail against me O be thou merciful unto our sins Psal 69.13 c. Lord I make my prayer to thee in an acceptable time Hear me O God in the multitude of thy mercy even in the truth of thy salvation Take me out of the mire that I sink not Oh let me be delivered from them that hate me and out of the deep waters Let not the deep flood drown me neither let the deep swallow me up and let not the Pit shut her mouth upon me Hear me O Lord for thy loving kindness is comfortable turn thee unto me according to
the multitude of thy mercies And hide not thy face from thy servant for I am in trouble Oh haste thee and hear me Draw nigh unto my soul and save it Oh deliver me because of mine enemies Psal 86.1 to 8. Bow down thine ear O Lord and hear me for I am poor and in misery Preserve thou my soul for I am holy save thy servant that putteth his trust in thee Be merciful to me O Lord for I will call dayly upon thee Comfort the soul of thy servant for unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul For thou Lord art good and gracious and of great mercy unto all them that call upon thee Give ear Lord unto my prayer and ponder the voice of my humble desires In the time of my trouble I will call upon thee for thou hearest me Jer. 17.13 14. O Lord the hope of Israel all that forsake thee shall be ashamed and they that depart from thee shall be written in the earth because they have forsaken the Lord the fountain of living waters Heal me O Lord and I shall be healed save me and I shall be saved for thou art my praise Luke 18.1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint Joh. 16.24 Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my Name ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full 1 Thes 5.17 Pray without ceasing 5. Meditation upon spiritual and heavenly things Deut. 22.29 O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end Psal 15.1 2 c. Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle or who shall rest upon thy holy Hill Even he that leadeth an uncorrupt life and doth the thing which is right and speaketh the truth from his heart He that hath used c. Whoso doth these things shall never fall So Psal 24.3 4 5 6. Psal 90.12 So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom Psal 143.4 5. My spirit is vexed within me and my heart within me is desolate Yet do I remember the time past I muse upon all thy works yea I exercise my self in the works of thy hands 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. For which cause we faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory While we look not at the things that are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal Col. 3.1 2 3 4. If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Set your affections on things above not on things on earth For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory Rev. 20.11 12. And I saw a great white Throne and him that sate on it from whose face the earth and the Heaven fled away and there was found no place for them And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works 6. Choice of company fit for that time 1 Sam. 21.14 15. Achish said unto his servants Lo you see the man is mad wherefore then have you brought him to me Have I need of madmen that ye have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence shall this fellow come into my house Job 13.4 5. Ye are all Physicians of no value O that you would altogether hold your peace and it should be your wisdom Chap. 15.2 Should he a wise man reason with unprofitable talk or with speeches where with he can do no good Chap. 16.5 I would strengthen you with my mouth and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief Chap. 33.23 24. If there be a messenger with him one of a thousand to shew unto men his uprightness Then he is gracious unto him and saith deliver him from going down into the pit I have found a Ransome Psal 26.4 5. I have not dwelt with vain persons neither have I had fellowship with the deceitful I have hated the Congregation of the wicked neither will I sit amongst the ungodly Psal 101.8 c. Mine eyes look unto such as be faithful in the Land that they may dwell with me Whoso leadeth a godly life he shall be my servant There shall no deceitful person dwell in my house he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight 2 Cor. 6.16 17 18. What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols for ye are the Temple of the Living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and will be their God and they shall be my people Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you And will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my sons and my daughters saith the Lord God Almighty Eph. 4.29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers Jam. 5.14 Is any sick among you let him call for the Elders of the Church Vers 16. Confess your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much 7. Hearing and Reading the Scriptures Psal 119.92 93. If my delight had not been in thy Law I should have perished in my trouble I will never forget thy commandements for with them hast thou quickned me Trouble and heaviness have taken hold upon me yet is my delight in thy Commandements Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life Acts 8.28 Who the Eunuch returning and sitting in his Chariot read Esaias the Prophet Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope 2 Tim. 3.15 From a Child thou hast known the Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus Rev. 1.3 Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this Prophesie and keep those things that are written therein The Portion of Holy Scripture that may be seasonably read to the sick are the penitential Psalms as they have been commonly called that is to say the 6th 32 38 51 102 130 143. The 15 39 90 103. Job 14. Mit. 26 and 27. Mark 14 and 15. Luke 22 and 23. Joh. from chap. 13 to 20.1 Cor.
15. 8. Ready and cheerful submission to the will and wisdom of God Job 1.21 And Job said Naked came I out of my Mothers womb and naked shall I return thither the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. Chap. 33.13 Why doest thou strive against him for he giveth not account of any of his matters Isa 39.8 Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken he said moreover for there shall be peace and truth in my days Jer. 18.6 O House of Israel cannot I do with you as this Potter saith the Lord behold as the Clay is in the Potters hand so are ye in mine hand O House of Israel Luke 1.38 And Mary said Behold the handmaid of the Lord be it unto me according to thy word Phil. 1.20 As always so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death Heb. 12.1 2. Wherefore seeing we are also compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God 9. Thankfulness for chastisement Psal 94.12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him in thy Law Psal 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I have kept thy word Heb. 12.8 If ye be without chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sons Eleventhly The exercise of the duty of prayer as a special means to procure for him what is necessary for his present condition As 1. Help against temptations Psal 22.11 14 16. O go not from me for trouble is hard at hand and there is none to help me I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of joynt my heart also in the middest of my body is even like melting wax For many dogs are come about me and the counsel of the wicked layeth siege against me Mat. 26.41 Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak Luke 22.31 32. Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat But I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not Joh. 17.20 Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word Heb. 2.17 18. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful high Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the People For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted 1 Pet. 5.8 9. Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour Whom resist stedfast in the faith Rev. 12.12 Wo to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea for the Devil is come down unto you having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time 2. Ease and comfort under bodily pains and anguish of mind Job 7.20 I have sinned what shall I do unto thee O thou Preserver of men why hast thou set me as a mark against thee so that I am a burden to my self Psal 72.1 In thee O Lord have I put my trust let me never be put to confusion but rid me and deliver me in thy righteousness encline thine ear unto me and save me Vers 2. Be thou my stronghold whereunto I may always ways resort thou hast promised to help me for thou art my house of defence and my castle Vers 5. Through thee have I been holden up ever since I was born thou art he that took me out of my mothers womb my praise shall be always of thee Vers 8. Cast me not away in the time of age forsake me not when my strength faileth me Vers 10. Go not far from me O God my God haste thee to help me Psal 109.20 Deal thou with me O Lord God according to thy Name for sweet is thy mercy Vers 21. O Deliver me for I am helpless and poor and my heart is wounded within me Vers 22. I go hence like the shadow that departeth and an driven away like the Grashopper Vers 23. My knees are weak through fasting my flesh is dryed up for want of fatness Psal 141. 1. Lord I call upon thee haste thee unto me and consider my voice when I cry unto thee Vers 2. Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice Vers 9. Mine eyes look unto thee O Lord God in thee is my trust O cast not out my soul 3. Perseverance Psal 40.14 Withdraw not thou thy mercy from me O Lord let thy loving kindness and thy truth alway preserve me Vers 15. For innumerable troubles are come about me my sins have taken such hold upon me that I am not able to look up yea they are more in number than the hairs of my head and my heart hath failed me Psal 145.14 The Lord upholdeth all such as fall and lifteth up all such as be down Vers 17. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works Vers 18. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him yea all such as call upon him faithfully Vers 19. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him he also will hear their cry and will help them Vers 20. The Lord preserveth all them that love him but scattereth abroad all the ungodly Mat. 24.13 He that endureth unto the end the same shall be saved Rom. 11.20 Thou standest by faith Be not high-minded but fear 1 Cor. 10.13 God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it Phil. 1.3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you Vers 4. Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy Vers 5. For your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now Vers 6. Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ Jesus Vers 7. Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all Ezek. 36.37 Thus saith the Lord God I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them 4. A quiet departure out of this life Gen. 49.33 When Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons he gathered up his feet into the bed and yielded up the Ghost and was
it came to pass on the third day in the Morning that there were Thunderings and Lightnings and a thick Cloud upon the Mount and the voice of the Trumpet exceeding loud so that all the people that was in the Camp trembled Vers 18. And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoak because the Lord descended upon it in fire And the smoak thereof ascended as the smoak of a furnace and the whole Mount quaked greatly Chapt 20.18 And all the People saw the Thunderings and the Lightnings and the noise of the Trumpet and the Mountain smoaking And when the peope saw it they remov'd and stood afar off And so terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly fear and quake Heb. 12.21 Chap. 33.20 Thou Moses canst not see my face for there shall no Man see me and live Vers 21. Behold there is a place by me and thou shalt stand upon a Rock Vers 22. And it shall come to pass whil'st my glory passeth by that I will put thee in a clift of the Rock and will cover thee with my hand whil'st I pass by Vers 23. And I will take away mine hand and thou shalt see my back parts but my face shall not be seen Isa 40.22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the Earth and the Inhabitants thereof are as Grashoppers That stretcheth out the Heavens as a Curtain and spreadeth them out as a Tent to dwell in Vers 23. That bringeth the Princes to nothing and maketh the Judges of the Earth as vanity Heb. 12.28 Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly ear Vers 29. For our God is a consuming fire Secondly The Divine Attributes especially of his 1. Holiness 2. Justice 3. Power Holiness Gen. 28.16 17. And Jacob awaked out of his sleep and he said surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not And he was afraid and said how dreadful is this place This is none other but the House of God and this is the Gate of Heaven Exod. 3.5 Draw not nigh hither put off thy Shoes from off thy feet for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground Chap. 19.12 Take heed to your solves that ye go not up into the Mount or touch the border of it Whosoever toucheth the Mount shall be surely put to death 13. There shall not a hand touch it but he shall surely be stoned or shot through whether it be beast or man it shall not live 1 Sam. 6.19 And he the Lord smote the men of Bethshemesh because they had looked into the Ark of the Lord even he smote of the People Fifty thousand and threescore and ten men vers 20. And the men of Bethshemesh said Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God 2 Sam. 6.6 Uzzah put forth his hand to the Ark of God and took hold of it for the Oxen shook it Vers 7. And God smote him there for his errour and there he dyed by the Ark of God vers 9. And David was afraid of the Lord that day and said how shall the Ark of the Lord come to me 1 Pet. 1.15 As he who hath called you is Holy so be ye Holy in all manner of conversation 16. Because it is written be ye holy for I am holy Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. 2. Justice Gen. 18.25 Shall not the Judg of all the Earth do right Exod. 20.5 I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate me vers 26. And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandments Psal 89.15 Righteousness and equity are the habitation of thy seat And 119.137 Righteous art thou O Lord and true are thy judgments Rom. 2.2 We are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things vers 6. Who will render to every man according to his deeds vers 7. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life vers 8. But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath vers 9. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil vers 10. But glory honour and peace to every man that worketh good Rev. 22.12 Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be 3. Power Gen. 18.14 Is any thing too hard for the Lord Jer. 5.22 Fear ye not me saith the Lord will ye not tremble at my presence which have placed the sand for a bound of the sea by a perpetual decree that it cannot pass and though the waves thereof toss themselves yet can they not prevail though they roar yet can they not pass over it And Chap. 10.7 Who would not fear thee O King of Nations For to thee doth it appertain Dan. 2.20 Blessed be the Name of God for ever and ever for wisdom and might are his vers 21. He changeth the times and the seasons he removeth Kings and setteth up Kings Rev. 15.4 Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorisie thy Name for thou only art holy for all Nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgments are made manifest Acknowledged and fear'd by the enemies of Religion themselves Exod. 9.27 The Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked Dan. 3.29 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake and said Blessed be the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego who hath sent his Angel and delivered his Servants that trusted in him and have chang'd the Kings word and yielded their bodies that they might not serve nor worship any God except their own God vers 29. Therefore I make a Decree that every People Nation and Language which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego shall be cut in pieces and their houses shall be made a dunghil because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort Chap. 6.25 Then Darius wrote unto all People Nations and Languages that dwelt in all the earth vers 26. I make a decree that in every Dominion of my Kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel for he is the living God and stedfast for ever and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed and his Dominion shall be even unto the end Vers 27. He delivereth and rescueth and he worketh signs and wonders in Heaven and in Earth Who hath delivered Daniel from the Power of the Lions Acts 24.25 And as Paul reasoned of Righteousness Temperance and Judgment to come Felix trembled Rev. 6.15 And the Kings of the Earth and the great men and the Rich men and the chief Captains and the mighty men and every bondman and every freeman hid themselves in the Dens and in the Rocks of the
Mountains Verse 16. And said to the Mountains and Rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. Verse 17. For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Thirdly The State of an Impenitent Sinner 1. In respect of original corruption Job 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Not one Chap. 15.14 What is man that he should be clean and he that is born of a Woman that he should be righteous Verse 15. The Heavens are not clean in his sight verse 16. How much more abominable and filthy is Man that drinketh iniquity like water Chap. 25.4 How then can Man be justified with God Or how can he be clean that is born of a Woman Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in wickedness and in sin hath my Mother conceived me John 3.5 Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Verse 6. That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Rom. 5.18 By the offence of one judgment came upon all men unto condemnation 2. In respect of actual sin Exod. 32.33 Whosoever hath sinn'd against me him will I blot out of my Book 2 Kings 17.18 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight there was none left but the Tribe of Judah only Verse 19 Also Judah kept not the Commandments of the Lord their God but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made Verse 20. And the Lord rejected all the seed of Israel and afflicted them and delivered them into the hand of spoilers till he had cast them out of his sight Job 4.8 They that plow iniquity and sow wickedness reap the same Verse 9. By the blast of God they perish and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed Chap. 8.11 Can the Rush grow up without mire can the Flag grow without water Verse 12. Whilst it is yet in its greenness and not cut down it withereth before any other herb Verse 13. So are the paths of all that forget God and the hypocrites hope shall perish Jer. 22.24 As I live saith the Lord though Coniah the Son of Jehoiakim King of Judah were the signet upon my right hand yet would I pluck thee thence Verse 25. And I will give thee into the hand of them who seek thy life Verse 26. And I will cast thee out and thy Mother that bare thee into another Country where ye were not born and there shall ye dye Mat. 7.26 Every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not shall be likened unto a foolish Man which built his house upon the sand Verse 27. And the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it Gal. 5.19 The works of the flesh are manifest which are these adultery fornication uncleanness lasciviousness idolatry witcheraft hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions heresies envyings murders drunkenness revellings and such like they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 2 Thes 1.7 The Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Rev. 14.9 10 11. If any man worship the Beast and his image and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb and the smoak of their torment ascended up for ever and ever Secondly When the Minister finds not in the sick person a total hardness and impenitency he must wisely mingle Threatnings and Comforts together To which purpose such-like passages of Scripture will be useful Deut. 7.9 10. Know therefore that the Lord thy God he is God the faithful God which keepeth Covenant and Mercy with them that love him and keep his Commandements to a Thousand generations And repayeth them that hate him to their face to destroy them He will not be slack to him that hateth him he will repay him to his face Jer. 32.18 19. Thou shewest loving kindness unto thousands and recompensest the iniquity of the Fathers into the bosom of their Children after them the great the mighty God the Lord of Hosts is his Name Great in Counsel and mighty in works for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men to give every one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings Psal 89.31 32 33. If his Children forsake my Law and walk not in my judgments If they break my statutes and keep not my Commandements I will visit their offence with rods and their sin with scourges Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my truth to fail Rev. 2.4 5. I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works or else I will come against thee quickly and will remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent Thirdly When the Sick Person is fallen into the other extream and is sensible of little or no comfort the passages of Scripture relating to such a condition are those which set forth 1. The excellency and goodness of the Divine Nature Exod. 34.6 7. The Lord passed by before him and proclaimed The LORD the LORD GOD merciful and gracious longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth Keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin Psalm 86.15 16. Thou O Lord God art full of compassion and mercy longsuffering plenteous in goodness and truth O turn thee then unto me and have mercy upon me Give thy strength unto thy servant and help the son of thine handmaid Psalm 103.8 9 c. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy Longsuffering and of great goodness He will not alway be chiding neither keepeth he his anger for ever He hath not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our wickedness For look how high the Heaven is in comparison of the Earth So great is his mercy also toward them that fear him Look how wide also the East is from the West So far hath he set our sins from us Yea like as a Father pittieth his own Children Even so is the Lord merciful unto them that fear him For he knoweth whereof we are made he remembreth that we are but dust Hos 11.3 4. I taught
therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given you Judg. 20.21 25. And the Children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibzah and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men And the second day they destroyed down to the ground eighteen thousand men I Sam. 4.18 And when he the Messenger made mention of the Ark of God Eli fell from off the seat backward by the side of the Gate and his neck brake for he was an old man and heavy and he had judged Israel fourty years 2 Kings 23.29 And King Josiah went against him Pharaoh Necho and he slew him at Megiddo Job 2.7 Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord and smote Job with sore biles from the sole of his foot unto his crown Chap. 9.21 22. Though I were perfect yet would I not know my soul I would despise my life This is one thing therefore I said it he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked Eccl. 8.14 There be just men unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked again there be wicked men unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous Chap. 9.2 All things come alike to all there is one event to the righteous and unto the wicked to the good and to the clean and to the unclean to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner and he that sweareth as he that feareth an oath Jer. 24.5 Like these good figs so will I acknowledg them that are carried away captive of Judah whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Caldoeans for their good Acts 20.9 And there sate in a window a certain young man named Eutychus being fallen into a deep sleep and as Paul was long preaching he sunk down with sleep and fell down from the third loft and was taken up dead 2 Tim. 4.20 Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick 3. The Divine Clemency in preventing by such chastisements our eternal destruction Joh. 5.14 Jesus said unto him Behold thou art made whole sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee I Cor. 11.32 When we are judged we are chastned of the Lord that we should not be condemed with the world 4. The Discrimination that shall one day be made betwixt such as may suffer alike in this world Mal. 3.14 to the end Ye have said it is vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinance and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts And now we call the proud happy yea they that work wickedness are set up yea they that tempt God are even delivered Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his Name And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth the Lord and him that serveth him not 5. The Duty of searching after that which doth provoke God to anger Gen. 42.22 And they the Brethren of Joseph said one to another we are verily guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the Anguish of his soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this distress come upon us Jos 7.13 Thus saith the Lord God of Israel there is an accursed thing in the middest of thee O Israel thou canst not stand before thine enemies until ye take away the accursed thing from among you Jon. 1.7 And the Mariners said every one to his fellow come and let us cast lots that we may know for whose cause this evil is come upon us 1 Cor. 11.30 31. For this cause many are weak and sickly amongst you and many are fallen asleep For if we would judg our selves we should not be judged Rev. 9.20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands Fifthly When the sick Person is oppressed with the fear of death such Scriptures are useful as set forth 1. The like fear in holy men Psal 18.3 4. The sorrows of death compassed me and the overflowings of ungodliness made me afraid The pains of Hell came about me the snares of death overtook me Psal 55.4 5. My heart is disquieted within me and the fear of death is fallen upon me Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me and an horrible dread hath overwhelmed me Psal 102.23 24. He brought down my strength in my journey and shortned my days But I said O my God take me not away in the middest of mine age as for thy years they endure throughout all generations Isa 38.1 2 3. Isaiah the Prophet the son of Amos came unto him Hezekiah and said unto him Thus saith the Lord set thine house in order for thou shalt dye and not live Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall and prayed unto the Lord And said remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walkt before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight and Hezekiah wept sore 2. Comforts against fear of death from 1. The necessity of dying 1 Sam. 12.23 Now he is dead wherefore should I fast can I bring him back again I shall go to him but he shall not come to me Chap. 14.14 We must needs dye and are as water spilt on the ground which cannot be gathered up again Job 7.1 Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth are not his days also like the days of an hireling Isa 40.6 7. The voice said cry And I said what shall I cry All flesh is grass and all the goodliness thereof is as a flower of the field The grass withereth the flower fadeth because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it surely the People is grass Heb. 9.27 It is appointed unto men once to dye 2. Victory over death by Christ. Isa 25.8 He will swallow up death in victory Hos 13.14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave I will redeem them from death O death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction 1 Cor. 15.25 26. He must reign till he have put all enemies under his feet The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death Vers 54.55 When this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory 3. Blessed death of the righteous 2 Chron. 34.28 I will gather thee to thy Fathers and thou shalt be gathered unto thy