The Practice of Piety, Treatise · Part 28
A Prayer before taking of Physick.
O Merciful Father, who art the Lord of health, and of sickness, of life, and of death; who killest, 1 Sam. 2. 6.and makest alive; who bringest down to the grave, and raisest up again: I come unto thee as to the only Physician, who canst cure my Soul from sin, and my Body from sickness. I desire neither life nor death, but refer my self to thy most holy Will. For,2 Sam. 14. 14 tho' we must needs die, and being dead, our lives are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gather'd up again: yet hath thy gracious Providence (whilst li… remaineth) appointed means which thou wilt have thy Children to use; and (by the lawful use thereof) to expect thy blessing upon thine own means, to the curing of their sickness, and restitution of their health. A…d now, O Lord, in this my necessity, I have according to thine Ordinance, se…t for thy Servant (the Physician) who hath prepared for me this Physick, which I receive as means sent from thy fatherly hand: I beseech thee therefore, that as by thy blessing on a l…p of dry Figs, …thou didst heal Hezekiah's sore, that he recovered; and by seven times washing in the river of Jordan didst cleanse Naaman the Syrian of his Leprosie,… King. 5. 14. and didst restore the Man that was blind from his birth, by anointing his Eyes with Clay and Spittle, …h. 9. 6, 7.and sending him to wash in the Pool of Siloam; and by touching the hand of Peter's Wife's Mother, Ma…. 8. 15.didst cure her of her Fever; and didst restore the Woman that touched the hem of thy Garment, Matth. 9. …0, &c.from her bloody Issue: So it would please thee of thine infinite goodness and mercy, to sanctifie this Physick to my use, and to give such a blessing unto it, that it may (if it be thy Will and Pleasure) remove this my sickness and …ain, and restore me to health and strength again. But if the number of those days which thou hast appointed for me,Job 14. 5. to live in this Vale of misery, be at an end; and that thou hast sent this sickness, as thy Messenger, to call me out of this mortal life, then, Lord, let thy blessed will be done; for I submit my will to thy most holy Pleasure. Only I beseech thee, increase my faith and patience, and let thy grace and mercy be never wanting unto me; but in the midst of all extremities, assist me with thy Holy Spirit, that I may willingly and chearfully resign up my Soul (the price of thine own Blood) into thy most gracious hands and custody.) Grant this, O Father, for Jesus Christ his sake, to whom with thee, and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, both now and evermore. Amen.
Meditations for the sick.
WHilst thy sickness remaineth, use often (for thy comfort) these few Meditations, taken from the ends wherefore God sendeth afflictions to his Children. Those are ten.
1. That by afflictions God may not only*Deus suo… Percutit ut emendet. Hier. Com… in Esa. 1. 6. correct our sins past, but also work in us a deeper loathing of our natural corruption; and so prevent us from falling into many other sins, which otherwise we would commit: like a good Father, D…us calamitates infligit, non ex…inguere, sed castigare nos cupiens Basil Jerm. 3. in divites.who suffereth his tender Babe to scorch his finger in a candle, that he may the rather learn to beware of falling into a greater fire. So… that the Child of God may say with David, aPsal. 119. 71.It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn thy statutes, forbPsal. 119. 67. before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep thy word. And indeed (saith St. Paul)c1 Cor. 11. 32. We are chastened of the Lord, because we should not be condemned with the World. With one Cross God maketh two Cures: the chastisement of sins past, and the prevention of sin to come. For though the eternal punishment of sin (as it proceedeth from Justice) is fully pardoned in the Sacrifice of Christ, yet we are not (without serious judging of our selves) exempted from the temporal chastisement of sin: for this proceedeth only from the love of God, for our good. And this is the reason that when Nathan told David, from the Lord, that his sins were forgiven, yet that thea2 Sam. 12. 10. Sword (of Chastisement) should not depart from his house, and thatbVerse 14. his Child should surely die. For God like a skilful Physician, seeing the Soul to be porsoned with the setling of sin; and knowing that the reigning of the flesh will prove the ruine of the Spirit, ministereth the bitter Pill of affliction, whereby the reliques of sin are purged, and the Soul …ore soundly cured; the Flesh is subdued, and the Spirit is sanctified. Oh the odiousness of sin, which causeth God to chasten so severely his Children, whom otherwise he loveth so dearly.
2. God sendeth affliction, to seal unto us our Adoption: for every child whom God loveth, he correcteth: …eb. 12. 6, 7, 8.And he is a Bastard that is not corrected. Yea, it is a sure note, that where God seeth sin and sinites not, there he detests and loves not. Therefore it is said that he*Ad … servant…r non … …di. 1 Sam. …. 25. suffered the wicked sons of Ely to continue in their sins without correction, because the Lord would stay them. O… thec… favor … non …st favor, ira sed ingens. At favor in magno s…pe dolore late… Basil. Antho. …a…r. other side, there is no surer token of God's fatherly love and care, than to be corrected with some Cross, as oft as we commit any sinful crime. Affliction therefore is a seal of Adoption, no sign of Reprobation. For the purest Corn is cleanest …anned, the finest Gold is of…est tryed, and the sweetest Grape is hardest pressed, and the truest Christian heaviest crossed.
3. God sendeth affliction, to wean our hearts from too much loving this world and wordly vanities; and to cause us the more earnestly to desire and long for*Cr…bris tribulationibus Ecclesiam suam Dominus exercet: nè si cun…ta temporalia fortè prosperè currant; incolatu praesentis exilii delectata, minùs coelestem patriam suspiret. Beda in Cant. Mundanus affectus praesentia amat, temporal…a cumulat, spiritulia … ligit, & cum totus se sp…r git in imis, nil potest amare de sum mis. Justin. Patriarch. … di… menast. cap. 4. Eternal Life. For as the Children of Israel (had they not been ill intreated in Egyp… ) would never have been so willing to go towards Canaan: so (were it not for the crosses and afflictions of this life) God's Children would not so heartily long, and willingly desire for the Kingdom of Heaven. For, we see many Epicures that would be content to forego Heaven, on condition that they might still enjoy their earthly Pleasures; and (having never tasted the joys of a better) how loth are they to depart this life? Whereas the Apostle (that saw*… Cor. 12. 4. Heavens glory…) tells us, that there is no more comparison betwixt the joys of eternal life, and the Pleas…res of this world, than there is betwixt the filthiest dung and the pleasantest meat; or betwixt the stinkingest†Phil. 3. 8. … …aucti … aliquà … in …, qui basdam ten…ionibus … …ch. in 1. Reg. Dunghill, and the fairest Bed Chamber. As therefore a loving Nurse puts … or Mustard on the Breast, to make the Child the rather to forsake the …: so God mixeth sometimes … affliction with the pleasures and prosperity of …, lest (like the Children of this … ration) they should forg… God, and fall into too much love of this … sent evil World; and so by Riches grow proud; by Fame insolent; … …iberty wanton, and †Deut 32. 15.… against the Lord, when they …. For if God's Children love the World so well when (like a curst Step-mother) she mis… seth and strikes us, how should we love this Harlot, if she smiled upon us, and stroaked us, as she doth her own worldly Brats? Thus doth God (like a wise and loving Father) embitter with crosses the pleasures of this life to his Children, that (finding in this earthly state no true and permanent joys) they might sigh and long for eternal life, where firm and everlasting joys are only to be found.
4. By affliction and sickness God exerciseth his Children, and the Graces which he bestoweth upon them. He refineth and tryeth their faith, as the Goldsmith doth his Gold in the*1 Pet. 1. 7. Ut igne purgati & ab admixtione viti…rum carnalium defaecati, splend…ant exanimatae innocentiae claritate. Hilar. in Psal. 95. Furnace, to make it shine more glistering and bright; he stirreth us up to pray more diligently and zealously, and proveth what patience we have learned all this while in his †Schola crucis, schola lucis. Gubernator in tempestate dignoscitur, in acie miles probatur: delicata jactatio est, cùm periculum non est: conflictatio in adversis, probatio est veritatis. … Su…. 1 de …m.School. The like Experience he maketh of our Hope, Love, and all the rest of our Christian Vertues: which without this Trial, would rust like Iron unexercised, or corrupt like standing Waters, that either have no current, or else are notaJer. 48. 11. poured from Vessel to Vessel; whose taste remaineth, and whose scent is not changed. And rather than a Man should keep still the scent of his corrupt Nature to damnation; who would not wish to be changed from state to state, by crosses and sickness to salvation? For as the Camomile which is t…odden, groweth best, and smelleth most fragrant; and as the Fish is sweetest that lives in the saltest Waters, so those Souls are most precious unto Christ, who are most exercised and afflicted with his Cross.
5. God sendeth afflictions, to demonstrate unto the world, the trueness of his Childrens love and service. Every Hypocrite will serve God whilst he prospereth and blesseth him,Job 1. 9, 10. as the Devil falsly accuseth Job to have done; but who (save his loving Child) will love and serve him in adversity, when God seemeth to be angry and displeased with him? yea, and cleave unto him most inseparably, when he seemeth (with the greatest frown and disgrace) to reject a Man, and to cast him out of his favour? yea, when he seemeth to wound and kill as an enemy: yea, then to say with Job: Though thou Lord kill me, Job 13. 15.yet will I put my trust in thee. The loving and the serving of God, and trusting in his mercy in the time of our correction and misery, is the truest note of an unfeigned Child and Servant of the Lord.
9. Sanctified affliction is a singular help to further our true Conversion, and to drive us home by Repentance to our heavenly Father. In their affliction (saith the Lord) they will seek me diligently. Hos. 5. 15.Egypts burthens madeaExod. 3. 7. Israel cry unto God.bPsal. 86. 7. David's troubles made him pray. cIsa 38. 2, 3.Hezekiah's sickness made him to weep, and misery drove thedLuke 15. 16, &c. prodigal Child to return and sue for his Father's grace and mercy. Yea, we read of many in the Gospel, that by sicknesses and afflictions were driven to c…me unto Christ, who, if they had had health and prosperity, as others, would have (like others) neglected or contemn'd their Saviour, and never have sought unto him for his saving health and grace. For as the Ark of Noah, the higher it was tossed with the Flood, the nearer it mounted towards Heaven: so the sanctified Soul, the more it is exercised with affliction, the nearer it is lifted towards God O blessed is that Cross that draweth a sinner to*Deus non delectatur poenis nostris, sed confessionem quaerit erroris. Alb. in Psalm. 4. Poenitent. come (upon the knees of his heart) unto Christ, to confess his own misery, and to implore his endless mercy! Oh blessed, ever blessed be that Christ, that never refuseth the sinner that cometh unto him, though weather-driven by affliction and misery.
7. Affliction worketh in us pity and compassion towards our fellow brethren, that be in distress and misery;Heb. 13. 3. whereby we learn to have a fellow-feeling of their Calamities, and to condole their estate, as if we suffer'd with them. And for this cause Christ himself would suffer, and be tempted in all things like unto us (sin only excepted) that he might be a merciful High Priest, Heb. 4. 15. & 2. 18. & 5. 8, 9.touched with the feeling of our infirmities. For none can so heartily bemoan the misery of another, as he who first suffered himself the same affliction. Hereupon a Sinner in misery may boldly say unto Christ,
Non ignare mali, miseris succurito Christe.
Our frailty sith (O Christ) thou didst perceive,
Condole our state, who still in frailty cleave.
8. God useth our sicknesses and afflictions, as means and examples both to *Sinit Deus justum incidere in calamitates, ut virtutem quae in illo lateb…t, aliis ap…rtam manifestamque faciat. Dam. l. 2. de Orth. cap. 29.manifest unto others the faith and vertues which he hath bestowed upon us, as also to strengthen those who have not received so great a measure of Faith as we. For there can be no greater encouragement to a weak Christian, than behold a true Professor (in the extreamest sickness of his Body) supported with greater patience and consolation in his Soul. And the comfortable and blessed departure of such a man will arm him against the fear of death, and assure him that the hope of the godly is a far more precious thing than that flesh and blood can understand, or mortal eyes behold in this vale of misery. And were it not that we did see many of those whom we know to be the undoubted Children of God, to have endured such afflictions and calamities before us; the greatness of the miseries and crosses which oft-times we endure, would make us doubt whether we be the Children of God or no. And to this purpose St. James saith, God made Job and the Prophets an example of suffering adversity, and of long patience.
9. ByaRom. 8. 18. 1 Pet. 4. 14. afflictions God makes us conformable to the Image of Christ his Son, who being thebHeb. 2. 10. Captain of our Salvation was made perfect through sufferings. And therefore he first bare the Cross in shame, before he wascHeb. 2▪ 7. crowned with glory; and did first tastedMat. 27. 34. gall before he did eat the eLuk. 24. 42. Favus post mella guftavit. Ter. lib. de Coron. milit. c. 24.honey-comb: and was first derided, King of the Jews, by the Soldiers in the High-Priests Hall, before he was saluted fPsal. 24. 7.King of Glory, by the angels in his Father's Court. And the more lively our Heavenly Father shall perceive the Image of his natural Son to appear in us, the better he will love us; and when we have, for a time, born his likeness in his sufferings, and *2 Tim. 4. 7, 8.fought and†Rev. 3. 21. overcome, we shall be crowned by Christ; and with Christ sit on his Throne, and of Christ receive the*Rev. 2. 17. precious white Stone and morning Star, that shall make usgPhil. 3. 21. Ideo tentantur Sancti, ut ipsi se agnoscant. Primas. Esse se magnarumvirium homo crederet, si nullum unquam eárundem virium defectum sentiret. shine like Christ for ever in his Glory.
10. Lastly, That the godly may be humbled in respect of their own state and misery; and God glorified by delivering them out of their Troubles and Afflictions,Greg. l. 2. when they call upon him for his help and succour.Moral. Job. For though there be no Man so pure, but if the Lord will straitly aPsal 130. 3.mark Iniquities, he shall find in him just cause to punish him for his sin: yet the Lord in mercy doth†In his quae patimur, nullum contra Deum murmur cordi nostro subrepat: quia ad quod hoc Creator noster operetur, ignot…m est. not always in the affliction of his Children, respect their sins, but sometimes layeth afflictions and crosses upon them for his glories sake. Thus our Saviour Christ told his Disciples,Greg. Epist. 31. That the man was not born blind for his own or his Parents sin: but that the work of God should be shewed on him. So he told them likewise,John 9. 3. that Lazarus's sickness was not unto the death, John 11. 4but for the glory of God. O the unspeakable goodness of God, which turneth those afflictions, which are the shame and punishment due to our sins, to be the subject of his honour and glory.
These are the blessed and profitable ends, Malum pati malum non est: malum facere malum est.wherefore God sendeth sickness and affliction upon his Children; whereby it may plainly appear, that afflictions are not signs either of God's hatred, Chrys. de Prod. Ind.or of our reprobation; but rather tokens and pledges of his fatherly love unto his Children, whom he loveth, and therefore chasteneth them in this life, where upon repentance, there remains hope of pardon; rather than to refer the punishment to that life, where there is no hope of pardon, nor end of punishment. For this cause, the Christians in the*Cum vexamur ac premimur, tum maximas gratias agimus indulgentissimo Patri, quod corruptelam nostram non patitur longius procedere, sed plagis ac verberibus emendat. Primitive Church, were wont to give God great thanks, for afflicting them in this life. So the Apostles rejoyced, that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ's Name, Acts 5. 41. And the Christian Hebrews suffered with joy the spoiling of their goods, knowing that they had in Heaven a better, and an enduring substance, Heb. 10. 34. And in respect of those holy Ends, the Apostle saith,†Heb 12. 11. That though no affliction for the present seemeth joyous, but grievous; yet afterwards it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousness to them who are thereby exercised. Lact. lib. 5. cap. 23.Pray therefore heartily, that as God hath sent unto thee this sickness, so it would please him to come himself unto thee with thy sickness; by teaching thee to make those sanctified uses of it, for which he hath inflicted the same upon thee.