Christs Power of Bodily Diseases, Part

Christs Power of Bodily Diseases · Part

p. 21Doct. THat all ſickneſſes and diſeaſes are at the will, and under the command and government of Jeſus Chriſt, ſo that he bids them go and come, and do what he will to the children of men.

This Doctrine is grounded upon the Centurions pleading with Chriſt, that all diſeaſes were under his command and government, as the Centurions ſouldiers were under him; and alſo upon this, that Chriſt teſtifies the truth of this, in commending the Centurion for the greatneſs of his faith in believing this truth, and improving it as he did.

To prevent the miſunderſtanding of this Doctrine, I ſhall premiſe theſe three Cautions.

1. That I do not hereby deny the power and influence that inferiour cauſes may have in bringing diſeaſes upon us; for I know that many ſickneſſes come from God through the hands of Angels and Devils; and that other men, and alſo our ſelves, and that unwholeſome dyet, the ſeaſons of the years, and divers other things, may be the p. 22inſtruments and means of diſeaſes unto us; but yet God is the firſt and chiefeſt cauſe of all diſeaſes; for it is not in the power of any creature to ſuſpend or with-hold that Divine Power and influence which cauſeth our health; but this is continued, or denyed unto us, according to the will and pleaſure of God: and no creature can cauſe our trouble without God; for without him a creature can neither be, nor work, but falls to nothing, and ſo cannot do good or evil.

2. I do not exclude the Art of Phyſitians, nor deny the virtue that is in any medicines for the healing of diſeaſes; knowing that the ſame God who had ordained food for our health, hath alſo ordained phyſick for us in our ſickneſs: but ſtill the firſt and chief of all is Jeſus Chriſt.

3. I do not exclude the power of God the Father, or of God the holy Ghoſt: but becauſe I finde that by diſeaſes God doth execute great judgements in the world, and that he is pleaſed to make great uſe of theſe in his government, both of his Church, and of his enemies; and that the Father hath committed all judgement to the Son, Joh. 5.22. and becauſe this command and government is aſcribed to Chriſt in the Text, therefore I p. 23ſhall frequently mention the name and authority of Jeſus Chriſt, God Redeemer, in this caſe.

Now in the handling of the Doctrine, I ſhall follow this familiar method.

1. I ſhall explain the terms.

2. I ſhall ſhew for what ends Jeſus Chriſt doth thus cauſe and command diſeaſes.

Laſtly, I ſhall make Uſe and Application.

For the firſt: In the explication, I ſhall tell you what I mean by ſickneſſes; and then explain the exerciſe of Chriſts government and command of diſeaſes, in thoſe acts of it which are mentioned in the Text, viz. his commanding diſeaſes to go and come, and do this.

By ſickneſſes I mean all thoſe evils which are ſent by Chriſt to diſeaſe the bodies of living men and women: The author of diſeaſes is Jeſus Chriſt; the formal nature of them is their diſeaſing the bodies of men, depriving them of health, ſtrength, eaſe, &c. and afflicting them with pain and grief, &c. the ſubjects of theſe ſickneſſes are the bodies of living men and women: hereby they are diſtinguiſhed from the wounds and troubles of the ſoul ſo far as they are onelyonly ſpiritual; but thoſe bodily diſeaſes which are p. 24the effects of the wounds and waſtings of the ſoul, are alſo comprehended herein; they are hereby diſtinguiſhed alſo from that corruption which corrupts the body after death; and herein are implyed all manner of bodily diſeaſes, as wounds, hurts, ſores, breaking of bones, &c. I ſhall ſpeak of theſe under this formal conſideration, as Jeſus Chriſt is the cauſe, and ruler, and healer of them, and ſo they come within the ſubject of Divinity, and not of Medicine or Chyrurgery.

I now come to explain the exerciſe of Chriſts government of diſeaſes in thoſe three particulars mentioned in the Text.

1. Chriſt bids diſeaſes go, and they go. Take the meaning of this,

1. In general,

2. In ſome particulars.

Firſt, in general: theſe words, Go, and they go, are words whereby God works what he ſpeaks; he immediately creates what he commands, like thoſe words at the creation: Let there be light, and there was light: thus he ſpake, and it was done, Pſal. 33.9. and ſo the meaning is, that it is the will and power of God, which cauſeth all diſeaſes to come upon us. Hence David calls the peoples falling into the Peſtilence, a falling into the hand of God, 2 Sam. 24.14. Let p. 25us fall into the hand of the Lord: and in his own viſitation he cryes out, Pſal. 38.2. Thy hand preſſeth me ſore. And Pſal. 39.10. I am conſumed by the blow of thy hand. Beloved, God hath a heavy hand, he gives a great blow; what is the greateſt man in the world, when God can ſtrike him to hell at a blow? So ſickneſſes are called Gods arrows, Job 6.4. The arrows of the Almighty are within me. Pſal. 38.2. Thy arrows ſtick faſt in me. God hath his Quiver full of theſe Arrows, full of the Peſtilence, of Fevers, and Dropſies, and Conſumptions, and all manner of Diſeaſes; and he ſhoots theſe Arrows into our Families, Friends and Children; and none but himſelf can pull them out: as the Keeper ſhoots his barbed Arrow into the Deer, and he runs, and leaps, and lyes down, but the Arrow ſticks ſtill: ſo God ſhoots, ſuppoſe a Conſumption into the lungs of a man, or the Gout into the limbs of a man; and the poor man walks, and eats, and ſleeps, but the Arrow ſticks ſtill: Friends pull, and Phyſicians pull; but he may ſay with David, Thy arrows ſtick faſt in me. Thus, beloved, all diſeaſes are ſubject to the will of God, ſo as to go upon any man at his appointment. Sinner, if thou wilt not do the Will of God thy ſelf, God p. 26hath the Stone, Gout, Strangury, and millions of Diſeaſes more, to do his will upon thee: for as it's obſervable that there is a paſſive obediential power in every creature, to yeild to the will and power of God to be what he will, as a ſtone to be turned into a childe of Abraham: So there is an active obediential power in every creature, whereby it is ready to be an inſtrument of Gods power to do what he will: if he ſay to the earth, Open thy mouth, and ſwallow up ſuch a company; it preſently opens, and becomes a great grave to bury them all alive, as in that dreadful judgement mentioned, Numb. 16. So if God ſay to the thunderbolt, Smite ſuch a perſon, he is preſently ſhattered in pieces; and in the ſame caſes the heavens, ſeas, winds, fire, and all creatures obey him: ſo that if God ſet on a flie, a ſpider, an hair of the head againſt a man, all the care and power in the world cannot ſave him. So, my Brethren, if God command the Peſtilence, Fever, ſmall-Pox, to go into ſuch a City, or ſuch a Family, or upon ſuch a perſon, they preſently faſten upon them, though all the world be againſt it.

More particularly in Gods bidding diſeaſes go, and they go, there is implyed theſe five things.

p. 27Firſt, He commands whatſoever diſeaſes he will to go, and they go; the Centurion hath his hundred of Souldiers and he ſends whom he will, and he goes: ſo our Lord of hoſts hath as many ſickneſſes as he himſelf will make at his command, and whichſoever he appoints to go, it preſently goes: Beloved, many cry out of their diſeaſes, as the Church of her ſorrows, Lam. 1.12. Is there any ſorrow like my ſorrow! is there any ſickneſs like my ſickneſs! we are too apt to complain with the Iſraelites, that the way of the Lord is not equal, Ezek. 18.25. We are forward to judge the beſt of our ſelves, and the worſt of our afflictions: but we muſt know, that God doth in great juſtice and wiſdom chooſe and ſingle out what diſeaſes he will viſit us with; he corrects with judgement, Jer. 10.24. and therefore God checks the impatience of Job thus, Job 40.8. Will thou diſanul my judgement? wilt thou make nothing of my judgement, which in wiſdom and counſel I exerciſe in all my viſitations? So that whatever diſeaſe comes upon us, our hearts and wills ſhould agree with the Will of God therein: for the difference betwixt thy affliction and others, is made by the Wiſdom and Will of Chriſt; he hath choſen and appointed this, p. 26duplicate page p. 27duplicate page p. 28as the fitteſt diſeaſe for thee; and it is a ſigne thou wilt be diſcontent with another affliction, if thou quarrel with this: therefore labour to be ſo filled with the Will of Chriſt in thy viſitation, as to conclude that this is the beſt ſickneſs for thee, and the fitteſt diſeaſe for thee; and this is the good ſervant, which Chriſt in wiſdom hath ſent to do him ſervice upon thee, and to bring him glory from thee.

2. To whomſoever Chriſt bids diſeaſes go, they go; as when the Centurion commands his ſervant to go, it is implied that he appoints him whither to go. So (my Brethren) as God doth pick and chooſe which arrows he will ſhoot, ſo he doth not, like the man in the Syrian Camp, 1 Kings 22.34. draw his bow at a venture, but in great wiſdom marks, and ſingles out the perſons in whom he will ſtrike theſe arrows. See Pſal. 91.7. A thouſand ſhall fall at thy ſide, and ten thouſands at thy right hand: but it ſhall not come nigh unto thee; whereby it appears that God directs and determines the Peſtilence to whom it ſhall go, and the ſame power he hath over all other diſeaſes; which are the inſtruments of his power to do his Will: and this is clear; for every inſtrument is over-ruled, and limited p. 29by the will and power of him who works with it; ſo that although there be an equal aptneſs in the inſtrument to do one thing as well as another, yet it is determined in its work, according to the pleaſure of him that guides it: as if a man go with an ax into the wood to fell his trees, there is an equal aptneſs in the ax to cut down one tree as well as another; but it is at the pleaſure, and in the power of him that works with it, to determine which tree ſhall ſtand, and which ſhall fall. So (my Brethren ſickneſſes are the inſtruments of Gods power to do his will, and are equally apt to diſeaſe one as well as another; but they being all in his hands, and over-ruled and guided by him, they onelyonly go and afflict thoſe to whom he ſends and appoints them: God ſends the Peſtilence into a City; now the hand of God carries it into what ſtreet, or family, or perſon he will: It is obſervable, that God makes great uſe of diſeaſes to do his Will, and to ſerve his deſigne in the ruine of his enemies, and ſalvation of his people; and therefore they muſt needs be ordered by God, where they may work moſt for his glory; as for example, God ſees how men of the earth (as great worldlings are called, Pſal. 10. ult.) fill a Nation or Country p. 30either with Errour and Hereſie, or with Atheiſm and Prophaneſs; and theſe men lift up the horn on high, Pſal. 75.5. crying, Who is lord over us? Pſal. 12.4. as if neither God nor man durſt ſpeak to them: now it's for Gods honour to ſhew himſelf above ſuch; and therefore he baffles Job with this argument, That he can look on every one that is proud, and abaſe him; and that he can tread down the wicked in his place. Oh you proud Nimords, you mighty Hunters, you are out of your place, you muſt come lower; God will have you under his feet ſhortly, and will tread you down in your place. See Job 40.11, 12. Now as a proof of this power and glory of God, he often ſends a Fever, or a Conſumption, or ſome other diſeaſe, and then down falls the great Gallant groaning under the power and torture of his ſickneſs; and then look what a ſight is here: here are magnificent Buildings, pleaſant Gardens pamper'd Horſes, &c. but the great Maſter lyes languiſhing in the midſt of all: and now the great talk of this mighty man is come to this,P…al. 52.7. Lo, this is the man that made not God his ſtrength, but truſted in the abundance of his riches, and ſtrengthened himſelf in his wickedneſs. Again, ſometimes God looks p. 31upon a beautiful perſon; and ſees him, as it were, turning his own Phanſie into a Looking-glaſs, wherein he is always looking, and admiring, and pleaſing himſelf with his beauty: Well (ſaith God) to a Conſumption, Go, and wither yonder pretty flower; and it goes,Pſa. 39.11.Ps 39:11 and preſently his beauty conſumes away like a moth: Or elſe ſaith God to the ſmall-Pocks, or ſome other diſeaſe, Go, and it goes, and ſcorns and ſhames his beauty: and now the wounds ſtink, and are corrupt, and the body is filled with a loathſome diſeaſe, Pſal. 38.5, 7. and there is burning inſtead of beauty, as it is ſaid in another caſe; Iſa. 3.24. So ſometimes a Miniſter hath but one or two malicious enemies in a Pariſh; and God commands a diſeaſe to fetch away them: and what welcome ſuch have in eternity, they are like to know beſt, that have a minde to try it.

Sometimes a Miniſter hath a gracious man or woman in a Pariſh, which are to him as that gracious couple, Aquila and Priſcilla were to Paul, his helpers in the Lord, Rom. 16.3. and when many a malitious Atheiſt lives, it is the good will of God that they dye.

Sometimes parents have but one childe, and God denies to lend them that. Sometimes p. 32there is but one Life in a Living, and a diſeaſe comes by the appointment of Chriſt, and ſpares all the reſt of the Family, and takes away that; but one good Abijah in a houſe, and God calls away him: Thus all diſeaſes go to whomſoever they are ſent and appointed by Jeſus Chriſt.

Thirdly, Whenſoever Chriſt commands a diſeaſe to go, it goes: This is alſo plainly implied in the Centurions ſpeech; for if he have authority to bid his ſouldiers go, it muſt be at his own pleaſure, when he will bid them go: now it is clear that Jeſus Chriſt hath this authority over all diſeaſes; both becauſe he is a free agent, and therefore works when he will upon his creatures; and becauſe every thing whoſe acting depends on the power and pleaſure of another, works onelyonly then when it is his pleaſure to work with it: as an arrow onelyonly flies then when the archer will ſhoot it; ſo diſeaſes, which as you have heard are Gods arrows, can onelyonly hit us, and hurt us, when it is Gods will to ſhoot them into our bodies. Beloved, God is the Lord of our times: the belief of which comforted David, when his enemies were conſpiring his death, Pſal. 31.13, 14, 15. I truſted in the Lord, I ſaid, Thou art my God, my times are in thy p. 33hands, not in my enemies hands: It is ſweet ſatisfaction to ſee clearly our times of life, and peace, and health, and ſickneſs in Gods hands; we ſhall never be ſick till our Father be willing to make us ſick; he fills our times with what changes he will. It is obſervable, that in Gods working towards Nations, or Families, or Perſons, he ha…h in his determinate counſel appointed an unchangeable method of providence, and in infinite wiſdom hath ſet a ſit nick of time for every diſpenſation; ſo that the glory and beauty of the Providence is much ſeen in the ſeaſon of it: So in this caſe God hath ſet the times for the ſeveral changes in the life of man, Job 7.1. Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? and in all diſeaſes, his wiſdom, and power, and juſtice, and mercy is glorified in the ſeaſon of the Viſitation. Sometimes God ſmites a childe in the womb, and the poor mother carries a dead corpſe inſtead of a living childe: And thus the body and ſoul are no ſooner united, but preſently parted again; and ſo multitudes flie from the womb into heaven and hell.

Some die in their full ſtrength, Job 21.23. We ſee many when they were moſt like to live, they preſently dye; and like the ſtrings p. 34of an inſtrument, break when they are beſt in tune.

Sometimes when men ſtand upon the foot of pride, Pſal. 36.11. they are ſuddenly taken in their pride, Pſal. 59.11. and ſo fall ſuddenly from the top of pride to the bottom of hell. See a fit inſtance of this, Acts 12.21, 22, 23. Herod makes a popular Oration, and the flattering multitude ſhout and cry, It is the voice of God, and not of man: and the Lord ſuddenly ſmites him with a ſtrange diſeaſe, and there lyes the Royal Orator, as it were, in the ſame breath, deified by men, and devoured by worms.

Sometimes a Father is too fond of a childe, and the very might and ſtrength of his heart, which might be better exerciſed in the love and ſervice of God and Jeſus Chriſt, is vainly waſted and ſpent in the inordinate love and delight which he takes in his childe: then God bids a diſeaſe go, and it preſently leaves a fatherleſs childe, or a childeleſs father.

Sometimes, when godly men are ripe for glory, ſo that with Paul they have finiſhed their courſe, 2 Tim. 4.7. then God doth finiſh their time, and ſends a ſickneſs as a meſſenger to fetch them home, as a ſhock of corn in its ſeaſon, Job 5.26. There are multitudes p. 35of other ſeaſons, wherein God chuſeth to viſit his people; which conſiderate Chriſtians may obſerve, and dilate, and amplifie upon in their own thoughts.

4. How often ſoever Chriſt commands diſeaſes to go, they go: this we may alſo gather from the Centurions ſpeech: for by vertue of the ſame authority by which he bids his ſouldiers go once, he bids them go as oft as he ſees reaſon to command them. So by the ſame power that Jeſus Chriſt cauſeth diſeaſes at any time, he can cauſe them as often as he will: for his power being unchangeable, is not ſpent in any work; but it is the ſame after as before, Heb. 13.8. Jeſus Chriſt the ſame yeſterday, and to day, and for ever: and his power being infinite, there is never any thing to hinder, but he can do what he will. Hence many times diſeaſes come thick upon us, Job 10.17. Thou reneweſt thy witneſſes againſt me: by witneſſes he … diſeaſes, as well as other afflictions, which God renews at his pleaſure. So Job 16.14. He breaketh me with breach upon breach: when perſons are ſick, we uſually ſay o… them as David ſpeaks of himſelf, Pſal. 38.8. They are ſore broken: and it is God that thus breaketh them with breach upon breach; p. 36with one breach after another. Beloved, when God begins to trouble us, we are uſually like Mariners on the ſeas, one wave of affliction comes rolling after another: Perhaps God firſt ſmites us in a beaſt, then in a childe, then in our ſelves. David elegantly deſcribes this, Pſal. 42.7. Deep calleth unto deep, at the noiſe of thy water-ſpouts: all thy waves and billows are gone over me: As at the noiſe of thunder or rain from the clouds, which are Gods water-ſpouts, the Brooks, as it were, call on the Clouds, Come and fill us; and the Rivers call unto the Brooks, Come ye and raiſe us: Or, as in a terrible ſtorm at Sea, one wave calls to another, Come and roll after me; and that to another, Come and follow me: ſo one deep affliction calls to another to follow it; the Ague cries to the Fever, Follow me; and the Fever to the Conſumption, Follow me; and the Conſumption to Death, Follow me. And thus all Gods waves and billows go over us; ſo that a man may ſay with Heman, Pſal. 88.7. Thou haſt afflicted me with all thy waves. And thus the day of our life is like a ſtormy day, wherein are ſome ſhining gleams, and then ſtorms follow one another all the day; and therefore as ſouldiers in a garriſon, when they have gallantly beaten back one p. 37ſtorm of the enemy, do not preſently throw down their arms, and diſmantle the garriſon; but they make up their breaches, and keep up their Guards and Centinels, to be ready for a more deſperate aſſault: So when one affliction is paſt, when one diſeaſe is healed, let us be prepared for another, till we have accompliſhed our warfare. I refer you for more of this, to the Application.

Laſtly, How long ſoever God appoints a diſeaſe to ſtay, it will continue upon us: this is alſo implied in the Centurions ſpeech. For by the ſame Authority that he commands a Souldier to go to a place, he can appoint him to ſtay till he give order for his return: So Jeſus Chriſt can as long as he will, continue the exerciſe of the ſame power which firſt cauſed the diſeaſe, upon the exerciſe of which muſt needs follow the continuance of the diſeaſe: and therefore we often ſee, that ſome man continues in a ſickly and dying condition for many years together, ſo that their lives hang in doubt, as it is ſaid, Deut. 28.66. they live, as it were, between the two Worlds, being neither w…ll enough to live, nor ſick enough to die. This (it ſeems) was Hemans caſe, Pſal. 88.15. I am afflicted, p. 38and ready to dye from my youth up: Thus Job tells us, cap. 7.3. I am made to poſſeſs months of vanity, and weariſome nights are appointed to me; whilſt ſome are in their ſweet and refreſhing ſleep, they little dream what weariſome nights others ſpend on their beds of languſhing, crying out with Job in the next verſe, When I lye down, I ſay, When ſhall I ariſe, and the night be gone? and I am full of toſſing to and fro, unto the dawning of the day: Many may cry out in their long and tedious ſickneſs with Hezekiah, Iſa. 38.12. I am cut off with pining ſickneſs, from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me: This is the ſad caſe or many, they eat, and drink, and ſleep, and walk abroad; but they carry about them perhaps a Hectick, or Flux, or Conſumption, whereby God is from day even to night making an end of them: Oh look about thee man, and conſider, What haſt thou to take too, when the hand of God hath made an end of thee! when thou findeſt thy heart bleſſing thy ſelf in thy wealth, friends, and other enjoyments, go alone a while, and tell thy ſoul, This is but a poor portion: when (as to my enjoyment of it) I am ſpitting it away, and sweating it away, and it goes away in the very filth and excrements of my p. 39body every day. Beloved, it hath coſt me ſome ſerious thoughts, to ſee an irreſiſtible diſeaſe feeding upon a neer and dear friend: Friends provide the wholeſomeſt Dyet, Phyſitians preſcribe the fitteſt Medicines; many Cloſets, and Families, and Congregations are full of fervent prayers for their health; but ſtill God bids the diſeaſe ſtay, and waſte, and eat up the life of the friend: and as Job ſpeaks, He is in one minde, and who can turn him? Job 23.13. and he taketh away, and who can hinder him? Job 9.12.

So much for the explication of the firſt particular: God commands diſeaſes to go, and they go.

Secondly, He commands diſeaſes to come, and they come: As the Centurion bids his ſouldier come, and he comes: ſo Chriſt can call away a diſeaſe from a ſick perſon when he will: and this is clear, for God can at his pleaſure ſuſpend the exerciſe of his power, which was the cauſe of our ſickneſs, and ſo the diſeaſe muſt needs ceaſe: and all the creature-cauſes of diſeaſes muſt ceaſe to be, when God denies the work of his power, which cauſed their being: and they cannot work to diſeaſe and trouble us, if God will not work with them: and beſides, he p. 40can at his pleaſure exerciſe that power which cauſeth our health, and can work with Angels, Phyſitians, Medicines, Food, or any other things, which he ſhall pleaſe to uſe as the inſtruments and means of health to us: and therefore he tells his people, Exod. 15.26. I am the God that healeth thee. And this is acknowledged by the Leper, and practiſed by Chriſt, Mat. 8.2, 3. Lord, if thou wilt, thou canſt make me clean, (ſaith the Leper) Chriſt anſwers, I will, be thou clean. Beloved, God hath deliverances from ſickneſs, as well as from all other afflictions, at command, Pſal. 44.4. Thou art my King, O Lord, command deliverances for Jacob: So (ſaith David) when the Water-ſpouts of affliction came pouring upon him: The Lord will command his loving kindneſs in the day-time: This power of God appears by that of David, Pſal. 68.20. To God the Lord belong the iſſues from death: all the iſſues and means to eſcape death, belong to God: when a man falls into a dangerous ſickneſs, he falls into the hands of death, he ſticks as it were in the very jaws of death; as it is ſaid of Hezekiah, Iſa. 38.1. He was ſick unto death. Now in this caſe there is no viſible iſſue, or eſcape out of the ſnares of death: the man himſelf p. 41ſtrives, friends ſtrive, Phyſitians ſtrive, but there appears no diſcharge in that war, Eccl. 8.8. But now God comes in the greatneſs of his Power, and he makes an iſſue from death; and by theſe things men live, Iſa. 38.16. For God ſaith to the Fever, to the Small Pocks, to the Conſumption, &c. Come away; let the Miniſter live with his People; let the Father live with his Children; let the Children live with their Father; let the Wife live with her Husband: and thus he commands them away, and they are preſently gone; as it is ſaid of the waters, Pſal. 104.7. At his rebuke they fled, and at his voice they haſted away.

So much for the ſecond particular.

Thirdly, Whatſoever Chriſt commands diſeaſes to do, they do it; they are herein like the Centurions ſervant, when his Maſter bids do this, and he doth it: the meaning of this is, that Jeſus Chriſt by all ſickneſſes fulfils his own will; and the reaſon is, becauſe it is the power of Chriſt that works in all diſeaſes: Now Chriſt works by his power according to his will, Eph. 1.11. He worketh all things according to the counſel of his will. Beloved, where-ever a diſeaſe comes, it hath always ſome work to do. 1. Sometimes Chriſt commands it to fill a p. 42man with grievous pain and torment; ſo the Centurions ſervant here was grievouſly tormented: and we read, Job 33.19. He is chaſtened with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with ſtrong pain. This did ſo torture David, that he roared for the very diſquietneſs of his heart, Pſal. 38.8. And Jobs pain was ſo great, that he ſaith, Job 16.12. God hath taken me by my neck, and ſhaken me to pieces. And Sirs, although now we ſit, and walk, and eat, and ſleep at our eaſe, yet our bodies may be breeding thoſe diſeaſes, which may ſhortly cauſe torturing pain and anguiſh to come upon us, as Travel upon a Woman with child.

Sometimes God bids a diſeaſe to waſte and wither a man in the prime and flower of his age, and he doth it: Many that are now incloſed in their own fat, Pſal. 17.10. and cover their faces with fatneſs, and make collops of fat on their flanks, Job 15.27. yet when ſickneſs comes, they are ſtrangely altered; then their fleſh is conſumed that it cannot be ſeen, and their bones that were not ſeen, ſtick out, Job 33.21. Then ſuch a man may cry out with David, I may tell all my bones. …ſa. 22.17.Oh what a ſad caſe is this man in! he looks on his ſilver and gold, p. 43and they ſhine upon him; and upon his precious jewels, and they ſparkle and twinkle upon him; and upon his pleaſant paſtures, and green meadows, and fruitful fields, and they ſmile upon him: but he looks upon himſelf, and his own body, and there he ſees a ghaſtly ſpectacle. Oh now if the face of a reconciled God in Chriſt do not ſhine, what a fearful condition doth the poor man lie in?

Again, ſometimes God commands a diſeaſe to take away a mans appetite and ſtomack to his meat, and it doth it, ſo that his life abhors bread, and his ſoul dainty meat, Job 33.20. So Pſalm 107.18. and this is the ſad caſe of many a man, who hath with Dives fared ſumptuouſly every day, Luke 16.19. But now poor wretch, he hath money enough to buy meat; but all the world cannot purchaſe him a ſtomack.

Sometimes men are juſt finiſhing their deſign of hurting Gods people, and Chriſt commands a diſeaſe to ſtop them. Thus Jeroboams hand was ſtretched out againſt the Prophet, and God withered it preſently, and the good Prophet was delivered. See 1 Kings 13.

But to conclude, ſometimes God bids a diſeaſe tumble ſuch a ſoul into hell, and it p. 44doth it; and the poor friends are winding up the Chriſtleſs body, when the Devils are worrying the damned ſoul.

Sometimes he commands a ſickneſs to looſe a Saint out of the earth into heaven, and it doth it; and here lies the ghaſtly jewel, the redeemed body, but thither flies the bleſſed and glorified ſoul.

I now come to ſhew you divers of the main Ends of Chriſts exerciſing this government of diſeaſes, in commanding them to go and come, and do what he will.

I ſhall mention theſe ſeventeen Ends.

Firſt, To convince us of the great evil of ſin, which is the meritorious cauſe of diſeaſes. I conceive that the underſtanding of a man cannot comprehend the evil of ſin; that is, he cannot know it quantum eſt cognoſcibile, ſo far as it may be known, or ſo far as nothing of the evil of it is unknown: I think none can know it ſo but God; becauſe a man cannot know all the holineſs and goodneſs of God, which ſin is againſt, nor all the wrath of God, which ſin deſerves: yet a man may by the power and light of Gods Spirit be ſo far convinced of the evil of ſin, as to judge it the greateſt evil in the world, and therefore to loath it, and abhor it moſt, and to deſire more to be p. 45ſaved from it, then from any evil: And this is one great uſe of all afflictions, thus to convince us of the evil of ſin, Jer. 2.19. Thine own wickedneſs ſhall correct thee; know therefore, and ſee, that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou haſt forſaken the Lord thy God. And this God intends by viſiting us with ſickneſſes, Job 33.27. He looketh upon men (meaning in their ſickneſs; for this was the caſe mentioned in the foregoing verſes) and if any ſay, I have ſinned, and it profited me not, &c. Beloved, God ſtands looking and hearkening at your ſick beds, to ſee and hear, if upon deep conviction, and by ſincere confeſſion, any of you ſay, I have ſinned: this God looks for in his Viſitations upon us: We find this to be the effect of Davids ſickneſs, Pſal. 38.3, 4. There is no ſoundneſs in my fleſh, becauſe of thy anger; neither is there any reſt in my bones, becauſe of my ſin: For mine iniquities are gone over my head as an heavy burden; they are too heavy for me. Beloved, people would not be ſo fond of their ſins, if they ſaw the diſeaſes and dangers which they bring upon them, as a man would not be greedy of the daintieſt meat, if he knew it were mixt with Rats-bane; nor be proud of the fineſt cloaths, if he knew they were p. 46infected with the Peſtilence: So if people ſaw the Plague, Pocks, Dropſie, Fever, and the Conſumption, in their pride, and oaths, and lyes, and drunkenneſs, and covetouſneſs, it would make them afraid of ſin, as well as of ſickneſs: and therefore look not upon ſin as it appears in your honours, profits and pleaſures, as it appears at an Ale-houſe, May-pole, or Maurice-dance, or Cock-pit, or Bear-bait, or Stage-play; for there thou canſt not ſee ſin for its pleaſures; but look upon thy ſelf on a bed of languiſhing, and there ſee thy ſins ſtanding in order before thee; and then tell me what fruit thou haſt in theſe things: Look upon thy ſelf as hanging over the lake of brimſtone, and then call thy drunken Companions about thee, and bid them pour out their flagons, and quaff off their cups, and ſee whether all theſe can make thee merry: when the flames of hell begin to catch and kindle in thy guilty ſoul, call in thy lyes, and injuſtice, to bring thee thy treaſures of wickedneſs, and lay them under thy pillow, and ſee whether they can bring thee eaſe, when Death, and Hell, and the day of Judgment ſtand preſent before thee.

And (my Brethren) it is obſerveable, that when we ſin in our ſickneſs, we ſhould ſee p. 47far more evil in it then as it is the meritorious cauſe of that diſeaſe: as we ſhould look further into a ſickneſs, then as it cauſeth preſent aches and pains in the body, we ſhould ſee that Death and Eternity which comes after; ſo we ſhould ſee more evil and danger in ſin, then as it brings ſuch a diſeaſe; for the evil of it is not ſpent in that: therefore we ſhould look upon it as provoking God to puniſh us with diſeaſes, and with death, and hell, which diſeaſes are looſing us into.

The ſecond End, to convince us of the vanity of the creature: now we are truly convinced of the vanity of the creature, when we judge it to be empty of that good which muſt free a ſinful man from miſery, and fill him with true happineſs: It muſt needs be a vanity, when a man may be miſerable with it, and happy without it. Now Chriſt appoints diſeaſes as means to convince us of this vanity of the creature: for, as one ſaith wittily, the world is the Devils Cheſs-board, wherein a man can neither move forward nor backward, but the Devil attaches him with ſome creature or other: and indeed we are ſo full of the ſpirit of the world, as it's called, 1 Cor. 2.12. which doth ſo fill our hearts with the world, that God, and Chriſt, p. 48and Heaven, and Salvation, are nothing to us; and therefore this ſin is called, a denying God that is above, Job 31.24, 25, 28. and Agur tells us, that when a man is full of the world, he is apt to deny God, and to ſay, Who is the Lord? Prov. 30.9. Oh what poor ſcornful thoughts a covetous, proud, ſecure worldling hath of God, and Chriſt, and Saints, and Ordinances, and Salvation! Now this is one great uſe of ſickneſſes, to convince a man of the vanity of the world: and this is a moſt convincing argument; for I dare challenge all the worldlings which the world it ſelf can own, to name me that earthly creature, and tell me what I ſhall call it, which can heal the wounds of a guilty conſcience, or can take out the ſting of death; or of which a man can truly ſay, Here is a treaſure which a lump of phlegm cannot take from me: If thou canſt not ſay this of the creature, I grant thou mayſt uſe it for thy good; but be ruled by a friend, never chooſe it for thy portion.

But more particularly, we may hereby be convinced of the vanity of theſe five things.

Firſt, Of the vanity of our ſelves: Sickneſs moved David to beg wiſdom of God, to know how frail he was, Pſal. 39.4. and p. 49this made Job compare himſelf to a leaf, and to the dry ſtubble, and to a flower and ſhadow, Job 13.25. and Cap. 14.2. and we read, that this is the uſe of ſickneſs, to hide pride from man, Job 33.17. that is, to take it quite away, to be ſeen no more: and if we did look on every thing which we are uſually proud of, as it will prove on a ſick bed, or death-bed, it would be an effectual means to abaſe us, and to hide pride from us. Beloved, it is a moſt precious thing for a man to be fill'd with the knowledge and ſenſe of his own emptineſs and vanity: The Kingdom of heaven is unchangeably entail'd upon all ſuch, Mat. 5.3. Bleſſed are the poor in ſpirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Hereby a man is ſweetly qualified for every duty: Faith never acts with more integrity and ſtrength, then when it acts from the belief of a mans own emptineſs▪ for when ſelf is moſt denied, Chriſt is moſt acknowledged and believed; then doth a man moſt heartily and ſtrongly receive and reſt upon Chriſt to juſtifie and to ſave him, when he ſees what a guilty, condemned, loſt wretch he is in himſelf; and when he ſees what a weak helpleſs creature he is, then doth he moſt truſt to the infinite power of Jeſus Chriſt: and this alſo doth exceedingly p. 50endear his heart in love to God, when he ſees that God is ſo good, and ſo full of grace, and love, and mercy, as to chuſe, and call, and pardon, and ſave ſuch a vile and loathſome creature as he; then repentance is moſt inward and ſpiritual, when a man with Job, abhors himſelf, and repents in duſt and aſhes, Job 42.6. and this fills the heart with prayer; for prayer begs of God what a man wants in himſelf: therefore when a man ſees himſelf poor, and empty of all good, and knows that he cannot be ſupplied from himſelf, then doth he pray to be fill'd with the fulneſs of God. Now, I ſay, ſickneſs is a ſpecial means to convince a man of his emptineſs and vanity; for hereby a man is left bare and empty of all thoſe creature-comforts which ſeemed to fill him before, and now he ſees that nothing will fill him but grace and glory; and that there is nothing in him to make up this fulneſs.

Secondly, To convince us of the vanity of great men. Oh what is a Prince, or a Noble-man, or Gentleman, when the Pox, or the Fever, or the Conſumption will inſult over him, and ſcorn him, and make nothing of him; and there is nothing in him to reſiſt or remove theſe, becauſe the irreſiſtible p. 51Arm and Power of God works in them; and therefore he may cry in his ſickneſs, Help …riends, help riches, help honours: But if God do not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers ſtoop under him, Job 9.13. The places of the world are called ſlippery places, Pſal. 73.18. and they that know what God is, and what ſin, and what the creature is, know by the cauſes the ſlipperineſs of them, and ſee you ſliding down as faſt as you are riſing up. And tell me,Pſalm 10.18.Ps 10:18 you great men of the earth, where is the place which you can name and ſay, Here I can ſtand, and cannot ſlip into hell! I tell you, there are ſtanders by can ſee your magnificent buildings ſcituated on the borders of hell, your beds made at the very mouth of hell, your tables ſpread over the pit of hell, your horſes prancing with you, and Coaches ratling with you at the very edge and brink of hell: Ah great vanities! where-ever you are, the mouth of hell is gaping upon you, and there are thouſands of diſeaſes and deaths to looſe you in: We may hence then conclude with David, Pſal. 62.9. That men of high degree are a lye and vanity; and if we weigh nothing in the balance with them, they will prove lighter then nothing, and vanity.

p. 52Thirdly, The vanity of ſtrong men: Solomon tells us, Prov. 20.29. The glory of young men is their ſtrength: and men are apt to be very proud of their ſtrength, that they can leap, and lift, and run, and wreſtle, and fight, and excel others in bodily exerciſes: But what is all this ſtrength, when God comes upon thee by ſickneſs, and with his ſtrong hand oppoſeth himſelf againſt thee? Job 30 21. Thy bones are now full of marrow and ſtrength; but when a diſeaſe comes, thy ſtrength will be dried up like a Potſheard, or pitcher baked and burnt in the fire, Pſal. 22.15. therefore when thy heart is lifted up in the ſenſe of thy bodily ſtrength, conſider, Haſt thou an arm like God? Job 40.9.Job 40:9or art thou ſtronger then he? 1 Cor. 10.22.1 Cor 10:22canſt thou fight with a Fever? or wreſtle with the Falling ſickneſs? or out-run a Conſumption? No, no: this conflict will prove like that of Jobs with the Leviathan, to teach thee to remember the battel, Job 40.9.Job 40:9and do no more. David was a man of ſuch ſtrength, that he tells us, that a bow of ſteel is broken by mine arms, Pſal. 18.34. but when he came to grapple with ſickneſs, then he was ſo feeble and ſore broken, that ſaith he, Pſalm 22.14. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joynt. Beſides, if thou live to it, old age will creep p. 53upon thee ſhortly: and then the keepers of the houſe, viz. the hands and arms, will tremble: and the ſtrong men, viz. the limbs that ſupport thee, will bow, as we read… Eccleſ. 12.13. and at laſt death ſhall devour thy ſtrength, Job 18.13. and the very worms of the earth will be too ſtrong for thee: Let not therefore the mighty man glory in his might, Jer. 9.23. for as David infers from Gods waſting men with ſickneſs, Pſal. 39.5. Verily every man at his beſt eſtate is altogether vanity.

4. To convince us of the vanity of children; theſe indeed are ſweet comforts, and it is a great mercy to be inſtruments in Gods way of bringing ſuch an excellent creature as a man-childe or woman-childe into the world: and I have often thought, that when ſome do take too much pleaſure in a horſe, or in a dog, as a ſpaniel, or the like, that it's a great bleſſing to parents to have ſuch objects of their delight, as their own children. Hence ſaith Job, O that I were as in months paſt; — when my children were about me! Job …9.2.—6. and truely though the fare be but courſe, yet it makes it more pleaſant to have theſe plants about the table: Pſal. 128.3.Ps 128:3Theſe are indeed ſweet flowers; but a ſickneſs comes, and then, like a Poſie, they p. 54wither in thy boſome; ſo that we muſt conclude with Solomon, Eccleſ. 11. ult. that childehood and youth is vanity.

Laſtly, of the vanity of wealth and riches: Oh how bare will ſickneſſes and death make a man! Sirs, a dead corpſe is but a poor thing: How poor doth a rich man go out of the world, when ſickneſs and death hath ſtript him of all his enjoyments! and then as he came naked out of his mothers womb, ſo naked muſt he return: Job 1.21. Eccleſ. 5.15. 1 Tim. 6.7. look on the world with your hearts filled with the thoughts of ſickneſs and death, and then you will ſee the vanity of it; look on thy ſelf as ſtretcht on a bed of languiſhing, ſee thy ſelf lying in a Coffin, or in a Grave, or ſtanding before the judgement-ſeat of Chriſt; and then ſee how all the riches of the world appear before thee: If a man look on his ſtately houſe and buildings, what a pleaſant dream is he in to ſee a ſweet ſcituation, wholeſome air, convenient rooms, &c. but let him ſee death coming up into the windows;Jer. 9.21.Jer 9:21 and then, what pleaſure hath he in his houſe after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midſt? Job 21.21.Job 21:21So when a man is feeding himſelf with the pleaſant thoughts of a feaſt,2 Kin. 4.40.2 Kgs 4:40 let him remember that death is in the p. 55Pot, and that death ſtands between the cup and the lip; and then he will not be ſo apt to make his belly his God, like thoſe, Phil. 3.19.

So when men are proud of their Pedigrees, and take pleaſure in reckoning up their Kindred, and telling of their Families; let them take in theſe with the reſt of their Relations, ſaying to corruption, Thou art our father, and to the worms, You are our mothers and ſiſters, Job 17.14. and this will ſhew all to be but noble duſt, and rich earth, and great vanity.

So much for the ſecond End of Chriſts viſiting men with ſickneſs.

End 3. To fill our hearts with the ſence of death: Sickneſſes are fit means for this purpoſe, for ſickneſs it ſelf is a kinde of death: for death is a privation of life, a ſeparation from that which is our life: And now we know we have, as it were, a life in food, friends and eſtates, &c. and ſickneſs parts and ſeparates us from theſe; it ſtops the paſſage betwixt theſe and a man, ſo that the pleaſure and comfort of theſe cannot come to the man for his diſeaſe; but the man ſtands, as it were, betweeen the two worlds, at the end of this world, and at the beginning of the other, and all creature p. 56enjoyments are ſhut up from him; and the great things of eternity ſtand open before him: So that what the Apoſtle ſpeaks of perſecution, is for the ſame reaſon true of ſickneſs, 2 Cor. 4.12. Death worketh in us: when ſickneſs comes, death works apace; it works away your health, it works away your eaſe, it works away your ſtomachs, it works away your ſtrength, and at laſt works you into your graves. Hence we finde that the godly in Scripture were full of the thoughts of death in the time of their ſickneſs. David prays on his ſick bed that his viſitation may be ſanctified; to this purpoſe, Pſal. 39.4. Lord make me to know my end —and this improvement made Heman of his ſickneſs, when the wounds of his ſoul cauſed waſtings and diſeaſes in his body, Pſal. 88.3, 4, 5. For my ſoul is full of troubles, and my life draws nigh unto the grave — and this was good Hezekiah his frame in his ſickneſs, Iſa. 38.10, 11, 12. I ſaid in the cutting off my days, I ſhall go to the gates of the grave; I am deprived of the reſidue of my years: I ſaid, I ſhall not ſee the Lord, even the Lord in the land of the living: I ſhall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the earth. Mine age is departed, and is removed from me, as a ſhepherds tent: p. 57I have cut off like a weaver my life. He will cut me off with pining ſickneſs; from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me. So when Job was almoſt throtled with a diſeaſe; for, ſaith he, Job 30.8. It bindeth me about as the collar of my coat: He makes this gracious uſe of his Viſitation, verſ. 23. I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the houſe appointed for all living. So that by all we ſee, that ſickneſs is a ſpecial means to fill our hearts with the thoughts of death.

End 4. To fill the heart with the knowledge and ſenſe of God. Beloved, our hearts are apt to be ſenſeleſs of God as he appears in the ordinary courſe of his Providence and mercy; therefore God often manifeſts himſelf in the croſſes and changes of our life, which makes us more apt to inquire into the cauſe of ſuch alterations: as when corn grows in its ordinary courſe, firſt the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear, few obſerve the good Providence of God herein; but when God by froſt, hail or blaſting, deſtroys the fruits of the field, ſo that it neither yeilds bread to the eater, nor ſeed to the ſower, hereby his hand is more remarkably ſeen and obſerved: ſo whilſt God continues men in p. 58health, and eaſe, and ſtrength, few are ſenſible of his goodneſs herein: but when he fills their bodies with aches, pains and diſeaſes, then his power and providence is more obſerved in ſuch viſitations. Hence ſaith Job, cap. 10.17. Thou reneweſt thy witneſſes againſt me: as Gods mercies are called his witneſſes, his doing good, and giving rain, and fruitful ſeaſons, Act. 14.17. ſo ſickneſſes, and other judgements, are fitly called Gods witneſſes, the uſe of which is to declare and teſtifie of God to us: Oh, ſaith the Peſtilence, He is a terrible God that ſent me; and ſaith the Fever, He is a mighty God that ſent me; and ſaith the Conſumption, He is a juſt God that ſent me: If you will not receive the teſtimony of Gods Miniſters, and of his Mercies, will you receive the teſtimony of your afflictions! certainly every ſickneſs, if the conſcience be awakened, will teſtifie the ſame things of God and Chriſt, which Miniſters preach to you. Conſider further, I pray you, that there is a more ſpecial aptneſs in diſeaſes to convince the heart of man, then in divers other things which yet will leave us inexcuſable: as it is the uſe of outward mercies to commend the power, and wiſdom, and care, and goodneſs of God to p. 59ours heart; and a man may improve every mercy ſo, as out of it to fill his heart with God; but there are ſnares and temptations in theſe to ſteal the heart from God, and therefore men are apt to loſe God, and to forget him, when they are moſt full of theſe mercies: So in injuries form men, we ſhould ſee the hand of God. From men, which are thy hand, O Lord, ſaith David, Pſal. 17.14. but we are uſually ſo fill'd with anger and revenge towards men, that we forget the hand of God.

But now in a ſickneſs, the name of God and the hand of God is more clearly known and ſeen, ſo that there is no ſuch proviſion for luſt in a ſickneſs, as in the mercies: here is no profit, nor credit, nor pleaſure for luſt to feed upon; and here is no inſtrument to quarrel with: will a man be angry with a Fever, or be revenged on a Conſumption? No, we muſt own the Power and Will of God, who is the cauſe of the viſitation.

End 5. Chriſt ſends diſeaſes to turn men from ſin and the world, unto himſelf. Hence God complains of the want of this, as a great diſappointment, Amos 4.10. I have ſent among you the Peſtilence (to cauſe you turn to me) yet have ye not returned unto p. 60to me, ſaith the Lord: and therefore it's obſervable, that in a ſickneſs God doth blaſt that which makes the ſnare to hold our hearts from God: as we know, much of the life and ſtrength of pride, and covetouſneſs and other luſts is in the profits, and pleaſures, and preferments of the world; now what are all theſe to a ſick man? his ſickneſs doth, as it were, block up all proviſion from the fleſh; and now he may ſee that none but God and Jeſus Chriſt can anſwer the neceſſity of his ſoul: and therefore let me ask you, What is the beſt thing which you would propound to a friend on a ſick bed, who is juſt upon his flight into eternity? will you provide him a ſumptuous feaſt, or a rich ſuit of cloaths, or offer him ſome place of preferment? No, no, ſhew him a God and Chriſt to ſave his poor ſoul; ſhew him a happineſs which will make him bleſſed, when he is turned out of all which ſickneſs and death can take from him. Moreover, it appears that ſickneſs is appointed by God as a means for our converſion, becauſe this and every affliction calls us to do that which the word calls us unto: Bleſſed is the man whom thou chaſteneſt, Pſal. 94.12.Ps 94:12O Lord, and teacheſt him out of thy law. This makes a man a bleſſed man, when in his chaſtenings p. 61he is full of the teaching of the Law. Hence we are commanded to hear the rod, and who hath appointed it, Micah 6.9. Beloved, the rod ſpeaks as well as ſtrikes; and we ſhould hear the rod, as well as feel the rod: now what doth the rod ſpeak? I anſwer, The rod ſpeaks the minde and will of God, who ſmites with it: the rod and the word ſpeak the ſame language; therefore we ſhould ſee our ſickneſs full of Scripture. Oh, ſaith the Dropſie, Turn to the God that ſent me; and ſaith the Ague, Make your peace with God that ſent me: And this is the voice of every diſeaſe which comes upon us: And therefore conſider, that God doth often ſo bleſs and ſanctifie a ſickneſs to us, that it is a means to turn the heart to God, and cauſeth us to bring forth the fruit of many other diſpenſations: as for example, God ſends to allure us by his mercies, Hoſ. 11.4. I drew them with the cords of a man, with the bands of love; there are ſecret cords and bands in all our mercies, to draw and to bind our hearts to God; and when we finde our ſelves nouriſht with meat, and refreſht with ſleep, we ſhould finde a ſecret vertue in theſe mercies to joyn our hearts to God; but God uſeth this means with many one, but the ſoul yet abides in his ſins: then God p. 62ſendeth another ſervant; he ſends a faithful Miniſter to call him to himſelf, and a faithful friend to perſwade him to come; but yet the poor ſinner will not come: Well, ſaith God, I will yet try another meſſenger; Go Fever, Go Ague, &c. Now theſe are often ſo bleſſed, that all the former diſpenſations work afreſh: Now he remembers his mercies, and Sermons, and counſels, and they all work ſo effectually, that the poor ſinner is ſavingly converted unto God.

End 6. To convince people of the neceſſity and excellencie of godly Miniſters. Beloved, Gods Miniſters are the ſtrength of King and Kingdom, the very Militia of the Land: The charets of Iſraels, and the horſemen thereof, 2 Kin. 2.12. The Apoſtle ſhews how we ſhould eſteem godly Miniſters, 1 Cor.4.1. Let a man ſo account of us, as the Miniſters of Chriſt: If we eſteem Miniſters aright, we ſhould prize them as Miniſters, prize them for that which makes them differ, and wherein they are ſeparated from other men; as if you would truely prize the Lords day, and call it a delight and honourable, as the Scripture requires, you muſt eſteem it as ſanctified and ſeparated from other days, and thereby you ſhall ſee it a more holy and bleſſed day: ſo if you p. 63would prize the Lords Supper, you muſt eſteem the bread and wine as ſeparated from other bread and wine, and as conſecrated and ſanctified to ſuch a uſe: ſo if you would honour an Embaſſadour from a great King, you do not ſo much look upon his perſonal worth, but he is honoured and received as he is ſent from the King, and ſtands in his ſtead. So, my Brethren, if we would prize a Miniſter aright, look upon him as ſeparated to the Goſpel, as cloathed with authority to preach the Word, and adminiſter the Sacraments, as one through whoſe hands God hath in wiſdom choſen to tranſmit the treaſures of the Goſpel to you, and as one who ſtands in the ſtead of Jeſus Chriſt, who is ready to revenge all the affronts that are offered unto him. Now, my Brethren, there are no ſorts of men ſo much abhorred by the world, as godly Miniſters; theſe whom our Saviour calls the ſalt of the earth, Matth. 5.13. as if the world of men would be but as a piece of ſtinking carrion, if it were not for godly Miniſters and godly people. And the Apoſtle tells us, they are unto God a ſweet ſavour in Chriſt, 2 Cor. 2.15. yet they are hated, as if they were the loathſomeſt excrements in the world. This Paul elegantly p. 64expreſſeth, 1 Cor. 4.13. We are made as the filth of the world, and are the off-ſcouring of all things unto this day. Miniſters are loathed, as if they were a curſe and plague to the world, and as if they were the naſtieſt jakes or ſink on the earth; for thus the words in the original, foreign and foreign, imply. But now when God throws a ſinner on a bed of ſickneſs, then a …aithful Miniſter is for worth and excellency one of a thouſand, Job 33.23. for the more a man ſees his need of thoſe ſoul-ſaving mercies, which Chriſt ſends by his Miniſters, the more he will prize Miniſters themſelves: If a man ſees what hell is, he will prize Miniſters that labour to ſave him thence: If a man believes what heaven is, he will account Miniſters precious, who are to be the greateſt means under God to bring him thither: If the ſoul be wounded for ſin, then how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Goſpel of peace, and bring glad tydings of good things! Rom. 10.15. So look on thy ſelf as gaſping under ſickneſs at the door of Eternity; and then ſee whether thou dareſt boaſt, that thou hadſt rather hear a Piper then hear a Preacher, or rather ſet up a May-pole then ſet up a Miniſter; theſe will prove but poor p. 65frolicks, when thou ſeeſt nothing but death and hell, and the day of judgement before thee; thou wilt be glad then to ſend for theſe Elders, Jam. 5.14.Jas 5:14the Miniſters of the Church to pray over thee; and as faſt as thou canſt ſpit in their faces now, thou wouldſt be glad then to lick the very duſt of their feet, for the leaſt ſound comfort that ever dropt from their ſanctified lips.

End 7. Chriſt by ſickneſſes doth further and promote the Salvation of his own people, (as the following particulars do more fully evince) and the reaſon of this is, becauſe Jeſus Chriſt doth every thing to his people as their Saviour, and therefore there is a ſaving Power and Vertue works from Chriſt in and through all his diſpenſations towards them; as whether a father feed or whip his childe, he doth it with the heart of a father, for the good of his childe: ſo if Chriſt afflict his childe, he doth it with the heart of a Saviour, to ſave his childe; and therefore all Gods people may ſay of their ſickneſs, as Paul in another caſe, Phil. 1.19. I know that this ſhall turn to my ſalvation. We have full proof of this, 1 Cor. 11.32. When we are judged, we are chaſtened of the Lord, (meaning by thoſe ſickneſſes and weakneſſes mentioned in verſ. 30.… that we p. 66ſhould not be condemned with the world, nor go to hell with the world. Hence Tertullian ſpeaking of Gods fatherly love in correcting his people, hath this pathetical paſſage, O ſervum illum beatum, cujus emendationi Dominus inſtat, cui dignatur iraſci! de patientiâ, cap. 11. O bleſſed is that ſervant, for whoſe correction or amendment the Lord is ſo earneſt, with whom he vouchſafes to be (ſo lovingly) angry. Beloved, it is obſervable, that God doth not diſtinguiſh his people from the wicked, by making them Lords and Ladies, or by filling them with the treaſures of the earth: theſe are not the effects of diſtinguiſhing grace; for a wicked man may have his belly full of theſe things: Whoſe belly thou filleſt with thy hid treaſures: Pſal. 17.14.Ps 17:14And therefore Job tells us of thoſe that provoke God, that into their hands God brings abundantly of worldly things, Job 12.6. he brings a whole Empire of the world into the hands of a Nero, or a Turk. But God diſtinguiſheth his people from the world by making them holy and happy: and therefore though the common merciemercy of God, which brings riches, and honours, and health, &c. doth not ſo much abound to the godly, yet the diſtinguiſhing grace of God, which brings ſalvation, Tit. 2.11. never fails; p. 67and therefore when they have many things which hinder their eſtates, and liberty, and health; yet nothing ſhall hinder their ſalvation, but ſtill the infinite power of Chriſt is working and prevailing to bring them to heaven.

End 8. Chriſt by ſickneſs doth change his people more and more into his own likeneſs: So that as the fire melts and ſoftens the gold, and thereby fits it for the ſtamp; ſo theſe ſickneſſes ſoften the hearts of the godly, and thereby fit them to receive the ſtamp of Gods Image. Hence many a Saint comes more full of God from a ſick bed, then he did from a Sermon, or Sacrament, for many a day before. To this purpoſe agrees the ſaying of learned and holy Rolloc on his ſick bed, I am not aſhamed (ſaith he) to profeſs, that I never attained to ſuch a great meaſure of the knowledge of God, as I have gained by this ſickneſs. The Apoſtle aſſures us, that this is Gods end in all our corrections, Heb. 12.10. He chaſteneth us for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holineſs. If we loſe by corrections one way, as in our health, liberty, or eſtates; profit comes in another way, in holineſs, in graces, and in comforts. There is a fit proof of this, 2 Cor. 4.16. Though p. 68the outward man periſh, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. In v. 12. (as was obſerved before) he tells us, that death worketh in them: Death was buſily working to take away their lives: Well, ſaith he, but though the outward man periſh, that is, though the body and bodily things periſh and decay, yet the inward man, that is, the new man, the ſpiritual man, is renewed day by day. To apply this to our particular caſe, we often ſee, that whilſt ſickneſs is withering and waſting the body, the outward man, there comes a newneſs of life and ſpirit from Jeſus Chriſt, to quicken and renew the inward man: So that although the outward man be feeble, ſpeech weak, and hands weak, and limbs weak, yet look in the inward man, and you ſhall ſee every thing in its prime; faith ſtrong, and love ſtrong, and patience ſtrong, and comfort ſtrong: ſo that as the outward man is waſting and falling towards the earth, the inward man is riſing and ripening towards heaven.

End 9. Chriſt viſits his people with ſickneſs, to try whether they will cleave to him notwithſtanding he thus viſit them. Beloved, you often hear and read of the tryals of Gods people; I ſhall therefore acquaint you what this tryal is, whereby you will p. 69more clearly underſtand this end of Gods Viſitation. A tryal is that whereby God puts his people to give a proof and experiment of their graces. As for example, there was a queſtion between God and Satan, concerning the integrity of Job: God teſtifies of Job, c. 1.8. That he was a perfect and upright man, one that feared God, and eſchewed evil. Satan denies this, and undertakes to prove Job to be an Hypocrite, and a Diſſembler, verſ. 9, 10, 11. Doth Job fear God for nought? No marvel if he fear thee; thou payeſt him well for it; thou haſt made a hedge about him, that no body muſt hurt him: but he makes but a Trade of Religion; do but throw down the hedge about him, and he will quickly throw down his ſervice and obedience; he will curſe thee to thy face. Now upon this, Job is put to the tryal: but though in a few hours he is changed from a man of great riches, &c. to a poor Job; yet ſtill he holds faſt his integrity, as God witneſſeth of him, Job 2.3. Afterwards ariſeth another queſtion, Whether Job will prove a hypocrite if God viſit him with ſickneſs; for, ſa;ith Satan, Job 2.5. Touch his bone, and his fleſh, and he will curſe thee to thy face. Upon this, Job is put to another tryal, he is ſorely and ſadly diſeaſed p. 70from top to toe, v. 7. yet his heart proves ſound ſtill, v. 10. In all this did not Job ſin with his lips. And if we obſerve him in the whole courſe of his tryal, though the infirmities of a man appeared in him, yet he would never be baffled out of his integrity; and at laſt he comes out of the furnace like gold, Job 23.13. And thus God often viſits his people, to try their graces. I ſhall leave this particular; only I ſhall direct you how to prove ſound in all the tryals which can befal you; as thus: Make that a ground of your Religion, which no tryal can ever take away: if thou wilt be Religious, becauſe it brings thee credit or profit, &c. then if a tryal comes, and God and Mammon claſh, and thou muſt be either a Martyr or an Apoſtate, thy Religion is then gone and loſt, becauſe the ground and reaſon of it is gone: but if thou truſt God, and love God, becauſe he commands thee, and becauſe he is a faithful and good God, here is a cauſe and ground and reaſon for thy Religion, which nothing can take away; and ſo thy holineſs and godlineſs is everlaſting, becauſe it is built and grounded upon an everlaſting foundation.

End 10. To try his people whether they will leave this world, and come to him in p. 71the other world. Beloved, we ſhould live in this world ſo, as to be always ready at an hours warning to leave all, and to go into Eternity. Now when God ſends a ſickneſs, we ſhould look upon it as a Call into Eternity, and be ready to give a willing and obedient anſwer▪ Job 14.1, Thou ſhalt call, that is (ſaith Lavater) call me out of this life, and I will come, I will anſwer thee. And thus in a Fever, or Conſumption, &c. God ſtands as it were by the ſick bed, and calls, Come away Husband from thy Wife, come away Wife from thy Husband, come away Father from thy Children: now we ſhould be ready to leave all, and to come home to God; for this is one choice part of our obedience, to yield up our lives to God as his right and due, when he calls for them. Hence, ſaith Paul, 2 Tim. 4.6. I am now ready to be offered. Every believer ſhould look upon his life as a ſacrifice ſanctified and ſet apart for God, and to be always ready to be offered to him at his will and pleaſure. It is obſerveable of Moſes, Deut. 32.48, 49▪ 50. God there appoints Moſes to go up to Mount Nebo, and die: and did not Moſes (think ye) go up with a heavy heart? No, he chearfully and obediently ſubmits, and thither he goes up, and there he dies, p. 72Deut. 34. So if God ſay to thee by his Providence, Go into a Fever and die, or go into a Dropſie and die, go upon thy ſick-bed and die, thou muſt yield, thou muſt go at the pleaſure of God. And certainly if Believers did but clearly ſee whither ſickneſs and death would bring them, it would be a thouſand times harder duty to be content to live, then to be willing to die.

End 11. To try his people, if they will reſigne their friends to God when he calls for them by ſickneſs: a friend is a choice treaſure, he is alter ego, another ſelf; but we muſt obediently give up our friends to the will of God: I ſhall tell you what this is, thus quietly to reſign our friends to God; It is that whereby we ſolemnly worſhip God, acknowledging and praiſing his Name, and ſubjecting our hearts to his will, as he is a God of this diſpenſation. As for example, God ſmites a Husband with a diſeaſe; now ſaith God by this Providence to the Wife, What if I make thee a Widdow, and thy Children Fatherleſs? Why! Lord (ſaith the Wife) thou art herein a wiſe, holy, and good God; and I will ſtill own, and truſt, and love, and rejoyce in thee. Thus the heart muſt worſhip and praiſe p. 73God as he appears in this ſad Providence; and ſo the heart agrees with the Will of God, as it is ſignified by this diſpenſation. Now if there appear any riſing of diſcontent, we muſt quiet all ſuch tumults with the Will of God, as Eli did, 1 Sam. 3.18. It is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth good in his ſight. We have an excellent pattern of this in Job, Cap. 1.20, 21. when amongſt other ſad Providences, he heard of the ſudden death of his ſons, he fell down and worſhipt God (whom he ſaw in the Providence) ſaying, The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away, bleſſed be the Name of the Lord. Thus he worſhippeth and praiſeth God, as it appeared, in taking away his Children. And thus when any friends are diſeaſed, labour to get thy heart into this frame; this will make the mercy more ſweet if they live, and the affliction leſs bitter if they die. I know your thoughts will now be full of the goodneſs of your friends; Oh ſuch a wiſe, faithful, loving Husband, ſuch a careful, meek, loving Wife! &c. Well, look upon them at the very beſt, and as ſuch offer them up to God: offer to God the beſt of thy flock, the beſt of thy friends; the better they are, the better is thy patience and obedience in parting with them: and withall p. 74all remember, that if God will have thy friends to Eternity, there is no ranſome to be taken for them, Pſal. 49.7.Ps 49:7but they muſt be gone: Thou mayſt cry after them, as Eliſha did by Elijah▪ 2 Kings 2.12. My Father, my Father; but Elijah never ſtops to anſwer him: So thou mayſt cry, My Husband, my Husband; my Wife, my Wife; my Childe, my Childe! but to Eternity they will go, and never ſtay to anſwer thee; for God taketh away, Job 9.17.Job 9:17and who can hinder him? or who can ſay unto him, What doſt thou? We cannot hinder him, and we muſt not queſtion him, but reſigne all to him.

End 12. Chriſt viſits his people with ſickneſs, to fill their hearts with prayer: Solomon tells us, Prov. 15.8. The prayer of the upright is his delight. For a Believer being in Chriſt, and found in his Righteouſneſs at the Throne of Grace, there ariſeth ſuch a ſweet ſmell and ſavour to God, which makes the Believer and his prayers pleaſant and delightful to him: and therefore God often ſends ſickneſs to ſtir up a ſpirit of prayer in the hearts of his people. Hence we read of that ſick man, Job 33.26. He ſhall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him, and he ſhall ſee his face with joy. So when Hezekiah was ſick, he turned p. 75his face to the wall (as he lay in bed) and wept, and prayed unto the Lord, Iſa. 38.2, 14. So David, as appears by Pſal. 30, and 38, and 39. when his body was full of ſickneſs, his heart was full of prayer. See further, Pſal. 107.17, 18, 19.

That was a ſavoury ſpeech of a Reverend Divine in his ſickneſs to his friends: Sinite me Pſittaci inſtar cum Domino meo balbutire: Suffer me to ſtammer like a Parret with my Lord by prayer.

The hearts of Gods people are called, as Mr. Brightman obſerves on. Rev. 5.8. Vials full of Od…urs; that is, hearts full of ſweet and ſavoury prayers. Oh when the bodies of the godly are as a ſink full of filthy humors, their hearts are as Vials full of the precious odours of prayer. This is the bleſſed priviledge of a Believer, that in the moſt ſad and deplorate condition in the world, he hath always acceſs with boldneſs into the preſence of God, Epheſ. 2.18. Through Chriſt we have acceſs by one Spirit unto the Father, Hebr. 10.19. Having boldneſs to enter into the Holieſt (viz. into heaven) by the Blood of Chriſt. Thou mayſt by faith and prayer ſtep out of thy ſick bed into heaven▪ Job ſaith in his affliction, Chap. 31.37. As a Prince would I go near unto him. Sirs, the p. 76Spirit of Prayer is a Royal Spirit, whereby a Believer goes with a Princely boldneſs and confidence unto God. Now indeed ſickneſs is a moſt ſpecial ſeaſon for prayer, becauſe of our preſent need of thoſe things which we are bound to pray for, not only in regard of our need of eaſe, and health, and life, though the want of theſe is a reaſon of prayer, Iſa. 38.14. I am oppreſſed (with pain and trouble) undertake for me. Hence David prays, Pſalm 39.13. O ſpare me, that I may recover ſtrength before I go hence, and be ſeen no more. But now our preſent need of ſoul-ſaving mercies ſhould ſet awork our hearts in prayer: now a man is perhaps juſt in his fall into Eternity, and is like to finde within a few hours, whether Heaven or Hell be his portion: This man hath need to pray earneſtly for ſound repentance, and ſaving faith, and pardon of ſin, and everlaſting ſalvation.

End 13. To fill the hearts of the godly with ſympathy to one another: as a diſtemper in a toe or finger, afflicts all the reſt of the members; ſo when one member of Chriſt is viſited, all the members about him are called to ſympathize and condole with him, 1 Cor. 12.26. If one member ſuffer, all the members ſuffer with it. Hence we finde, p. 77that when a Chriſtian is diſeaſed, there is a ſpirit of prayer poured out in his behalf from all the Chriſtians about him. When Melancthon was ſick, it's reported, that Lutheri & Crucigeri precibus non tam convaluit, quàm revixit: By the prayers of Luther and Cruciger, he was not only reſtored from ſickneſs to health, but as it were from death to life. Melch. Adam. in vita Melancth. So when Myconius was ſick, Luther affectionately prays, Peto ut loco tuo me faciat Dominus aegrotum: I pray that the Lord would make me ſick in thy ſtead. Melch. Adam. in vita Mycon. David had this charity for his enemies in their ſickneſs, Pſal. 35.13. But as for me, when they were ſick my clothing was ſackcloth: I humbled my ſoul with faſting, and my prayer returned into my own boſom.

I behaved my ſelf as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourned for his Mother. Shall David thus faſt and pray for his ſick enemies, and ſhall not we for our ſick friends? Job profeſſeth what his carriage ſhould have been for his friends, which proved ſuch miſerable Comforters to him, Job 16.4, 5. If your ſouls were in my ſouls ſtead, I would ſtrengthen you with my mouth, and the movings of my lips ſhould aſſwage your p. 78grief. Oh Sirs, how ſweet and ſavoury is it to a ſick Chriſtian, to receive ſpiritual Cordials from the wholeſome tongue of a cordial friend! Now this will be a reaſon and ground of our ſympathy, if we look on Believers in their ſickneſs, in their union and relation to Jeſus Chriſt; for ſaith Chriſt, Mat. 25.36. I was ſick (viz. in my ſick members) and ye viſited me. Conſider, this diſeaſed Chriſtian is a member of that Body, whoſe Head ſits at the right hand of the Majeſty of the moſt High: And as poor as this ſicK Saint lies here, yet he is virtually raiſed up with Chriſt, Eph. 2.6.Eph 2:6and ſits together with him in heavenly places: As miſerable as he appears now, yet the next time we ſee him, we ſhall ſee him appearing with Chriſt in glory. Col. 3.4.Col 3:4Come with theſe conſiderations when you viſit one another, and you will account it a mercy and great priviledge, if you, or any thing of yours be ſo bleſt, as to be the inſtrument of eaſe, or health, or comfort to ſuch a precious one; and you will finde all well improved, when Chriſt ſhall ſay unto you, Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you; for I was ſick, and ye viſited me.

End 14. Chriſt viſits his people with ſickneſs, to glorifie his power and mercy p. 79in ſtrengthening and comforting them in their ſickneſs: That of the Apoſtle is true of bodily, as well as of ſpiritual weakneſs, 2 Cor. 12.9. My ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs. Now is a time for God to ſhew his ſtrength in the weakneſs of his people, Pſal. 41.3. The Lord will ſtrengthen him on a bed of languiſhing; thou wilt make all his bed in his ſickneſs. Methinks that man ſhould lie eaſily, who hath the God that made all the world, to make all his bed in his ſickneſs: The meaning is, God will be the cauſe of reſt, and eaſe, and peace to him in this condition. Hence Myconius in a fit of ſickneſs writes to Luther, Se non lethaliter, ſed vitaliter aegrotare; that he is not ſick unto death, but ſick unto life, having ſo much ſpiritual life and comfort in his ſickneſs: And one of Mr. Dods Converts told him in her ſickneſs, That ſhe was full of comfort, and could as hardly forbear ſinging now, as ſhe could crying when ſhe was in Child-bearing. That of the Pſalmiſt agrees to this, Pſalm 73.26. My fleſh and my heart faileth; but God is the ſtrength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

It's obſervable, that God hath this title in Scripture, The God of all comfort, 2 Cor. 1.3. becauſe whatever comfort we have p. 80from any creature, it comes from God through the creature: it's the goodneſs of God in the creature, which makes it a comfort; it's the goodneſs of God which makes a Wife a comfort, a Childe a comfort, &c. And then he is the God of all comfort, becauſe he comforts us againſt all troubles: there is comfort from God through the creatures, but this is but ſome comfort: Money comforts a man againſt his debts, and meat comforts him againſt his hunger; but there are other caſes, as of ſickneſs, and ſpiritual wounds, and temptations, &c, wherein theſe yield no comfort: But whatever the trouble be to a Believer, there is comfort in God againſt it: we have often God the Holy Ghoſt called in Scripture, The Comforter: now it's a ſpecial skill to obſerve, which way God in a moſt eſpecial manner glorifies his ſeveral Titles: This Title, The Comforter, is glorified by Gods exerciſing his infinite power to comfort the hearts of his diſtreſſed people: Now ſickneſs is an affliction, wherein a man can have nothing to comfort him but God and Jeſus Chriſt; this is clear: for true comfort is the ſtrengthening of the heart againſt the preſent trouble: now that which comforts us, muſt be as truly ours, as the trouble p. 81is ours; we muſt ſay, Our God, and our joy, as well as Our ſickneſs, or elſe we cannot have comfort. And again, it muſt be as near as our trouble; for it's no comfort to an hungry man to know he hath meat, if he cannot come at it. Now faith ſees God and Chriſt as near to the ſoul to comfort it, as ſickneſs is to the body to trouble it. And then laſtly, that which comforts us, muſt be good enough to take away the evil that troubles us: now a mans great trouble on his ſick-bed, is, for fear of loſing his poor ſoul: and in this caſe, to ſhew him riches, and honours, and pleaſures, will not comfort him, for they can do nothing in the removing his trouble; but if God ſay, I am thy ſalvation, now the man is comforted, and ſings at the very door of death. Solomon tells us, Prov. 14.32. The righteous hath hope in his death. Now his hope is not for ſome place of preferment, or ſome rich purchaſe, or the like; for death brings no ſuch things; but he hopes for preferment in the great City that hath foundations, Heb. 11.10. where he is for ever to dwell in his houſe not made with hands, 2 Cor. 5.1. and theſe ſickneſs and death bring him into. That Scripture is ſweet, Heb. 6.19, 20. Which hope we have, as an anchor of the ſoul, both ſure p. 82and ſtedfaſt, and which entreth into that within the vail, whither our forerunner is for us entred, even Jeſus. — The place within the vail is heaven, where the anchor of hope enters and ſticks: So that though a poor believer lie gaſping and groaning on his ſick bed, or in other afflictions; yet this is his comfort, he is ſtill anchor'd and faſtned to heaven.

End 15. Chriſt viſits his people with ſickneſs, to fit them for greater ſufferings: As the Martyr Bilney put his finger in the fire, to fit him to burn in the flames. Chriſt by ſickneſs makes a man fit to die, and then he is fit for any ſufferings; for he that can obediently ſacrifice his life to God, can for the ſame reaſon offer up his health, liberty, and eſtate to God: and this made Paul ready to ſuffer all perſecutions, becauſe he was ready to die, Acts 20.22, 23, 24. He knew that every where bonds and afflictions did way-lie him; but, ſaith he, v. 24. None of theſe things move me: I will not ſtir a ſtep out of my way of obedience, for all the bonds and afflictions that the hands of devils and men can make: What is his reaſon? becauſe I count not my life dear unto my ſelf, ſo that I may finiſh my courſe with joy, and the Miniſtry which I have received of the Lord Jeſus, to p. 83teſtifie the Goſpel of the grace of God. Precious Paul, ſo that he could die in joy, and die in duty, he did not think his life too dear or too good to be ſpent for Jeſus Chriſt. So, ſaith he, 1 Cor. 15.32. I proteſt by your rejoycing, which I have in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord, I die daily. He was ſo acquainted with death, that he made it his daily practice to put himſelf into a frame and poſture to die: and ſo many a Chriſtian hath got ſuch acquaintance with death by ſickneſs, that he lives in a continual frame and readineſs to die: beſides, his ſickneſs makes him leſs fearful of men: for he knows, Luke 12.4.Luke 12:4when they have killed the body, they have no more that they can do; they have done their worſt, which is no more then an ordinary diſeaſe can do: and therefore, as the Philoſopher told the Tyrant, when he threatned to kill him, that a Fly could do that: ſo Believers need not fear what men can do, becauſe they can do no more then a Fever, Dropſie, Conſumption, or any other diſeaſe can do: and thus he is prepared by ſickneſs for other afflictions.

End 16. To prepare them for great mercy. Beloved, ſometimes mercies are more dangerous for Gods people then afflictions; they are often worſe in plenty p. 84then in poverty, in credit then in diſgrace; more ſecure in health and eaſe, then in pains and ſickneſs. This happens, when our mercies are too big for our graces; as when we have great credit, and little humility: or elſe when our outward mercies do moſt feed our inward corruptions; as when riches do meet with a heart much inclined to covetouſneſs, and health and eaſe are given to a Chriſtian who is apt to be idle and ſecure: now therefore God melts his people in the Furnace of Affliction, to prepare them to be veſſels of mercy. Hence we read, Hebr. 12.11. That no chaſtening for the preſent ſeemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheleſs, afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteouſneſs unto them which are exerciſed thereby: As whilſt a Childe is under the diſcipline of the Rod, he receives the fruit of his dulneſs and idleneſs in the ſmarting of the Rod; but afterwards, he receives the fruit of his learning and education in honours and preferments: So whilſt Gods children are corrected with ſickneſs, and other afflictions, they receive the bitter fruit of their ſins, of their pride, frowardneſs, ſecurity, and creature-confidence, &c. and this is not for the preſent joyous, but grievous; but afterwards they reap the p. 85fruit of righteouſneſs and holineſs, of faith, fear, love, prayer, &c. and this is ſweet and peaceable fruit: we have a pertinent proof of this, Pſal. 126.5, 6. They that ſow in tears, ſhall reap in joy.

He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious ſeed, ſhall doubtleſs come again with rejoycing, bringing his ſheaves with him. As the Husbandman in a year of famine, when corn is dear, and ſeed ſcarce, he ſows, he ventures it in the ground, but he ſows in tears, he goes out with his ſeed weeping: Ah, thinks he, this corn would have made ſo much bread for my poor wife and children, or would have given ſo much money towards paying my rent: Thus with a ſad heart he ſows his ſeed; but when harveſt comes, and brings forth a plentiful crop, then he reaps in joy, and brings home his ſheaves with ſinging, ſhouting and rejoycing. Thus it is with Gods childe in affliction, as ſuppoſe in ſickneſs, his grief is great, and his pains grievous; yet he ſows, though it be in ſorrow; he believes in tears, and hopes in tears, and prays in tears: well, after comes the harveſt of health, and he reaps the fruit of faith, hope and prayer, and he goes about rejoycing and praiſing God, and carrying his ſheaves of mercy p. 86and comfort about with him. Our Saviour ſpeaks fully to this caſe, Joh. 16.20, 21. — Ye ſhall be ſorrowful, but your ſorrow ſhall be turned into joy.

A woman when ſhe is in travel hath ſorrow, becauſe her hour is come: but as ſoon as ſhe is delivered of the childe, ſhe remembreth no more the anguiſh, for joy that a man is born into the world. As a woman with childe, when the hour of her travel is come, is full of ſorrow with the throws and pains of her travel; but when ſhe is delivered, ſhe forgets her ſorrow, and with a joyful heart falls a kiſſing and imbracing her childe: So, my Brethren, when the hour of ſickneſs, or other affliction comes upon us, we are full of ſorrow with the pains and travels of our affliction; but when we are delivered, and ſee what mercy our affliction hath brought forth, the joy and comfort of our graces, and experiences, and deliverances, doth ſwallow up the ſorrow of our affliction.

We have a ſpecial inſtance of the glorious chain of Gods wonderful Providence towards Joſeph, to confirm the truth in hand: his afflictions laſted about thirteen years: (for he was ſeventeen years old when he viſited his Brethren, Gen. 37.2. and thirty years old, when he was preferred in Pharaohs p. 87Court, Gen. 41.46.) Now in all this time his afflictions were ſad; he was parted from his tender father, he was bought and ſold; after this unjuſtly defamed and impriſoned; he was put like a Rogue in irons, Pſal. 105.18. his afflictions were ſo great, that the afflictions of Gods people were long after, and ever will be to the end of the world, called the afflictions of Joſeph, Amos 6.6. yet he was after all this raiſed up in great merciemercy, and was made a bleſſed inſtrument to ſave the Church and Iſrael of God from periſhing with famine. We have another inſtance in Job. I ſhall ſay no more of him, but onelyonly apply to his afflictions, what the Apoſtle ſaith of his patience, Ye have heard of the afflictions of Job, Jam. 5.11.Jas 5:11and have ſeen the end of the Lord; for as we read, Job 42.12. The Lord bleſſed the latter end of Job.

David upon this ground incouraged himſelf in his afflictions, becauſe he believed a good iſſue out of them, Pſal. 71.20, 21. Thou which haſt ſhewed me great and ſore troubles, ſhalt quicken me again, and ſhalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth. Thou ſhalt increaſe my greatneſs, and comfort me on every ſide.

Conſider further, that ſickneſs when p. 88ſanctified, exceedingly fits a man both for Spiritual and Temporal mercies; for then a man comes out of ſickneſs, as one who is raiſed from the grave, and ſo he is filled with the thoughts of death and eternity; and this is a frame of heart, which gives a kindly reliſh to all ſpiritual mercies; this makes him taſte God and Chriſt to be exceeding gracious, in the likeneſs and enjoyment of whom he ſees himſelf bleſſed and ſatisfied through all eternity: And this alſo fits him for Temporal mercies; for it teacheth him to uſe friends, lands, food, and all his temporal injoyments for eternity; he hereby learns to turn his treaſures in earth into treaſures in heaven: This makes him at the will of God to leave father and mother, and lands, and life, knowing that he ſhall receive the comfort of all in another world; ſo he cheerfully gives to Chriſt in his members,Phil. 4.17.Phil 4:17 knowing that this fruit will abound to his account when Chriſt and he come to reckon: and that this is laid up in ſtore as a good foundation againſt the time to come, 1 Tim. 6.19. As a man that intends to tranſplant himſelf beyond the Seas, turns his ſtock here into ſuch things which will make his life comfortable when he comes there: So a Saint knowing that he is upon p. 89a journey beyond this world, turns his ſtock and eſtate to Gods glory here, believing that it will be returned to him a thouſand fold in the glory and joys of heaven, when he comes there.

End 17. Which is the laſt that I ſhall mention, is to gain to himſelf praiſe and glory in recovering his people from their ſickneſs. Hence we read, Job 11.3, 4. when it was told Chriſt, that Lazarus, whom he loved, is ſick: Chriſt anſwers; This ſickneſs is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. Beloved, recovery from ſickneſs is a great mercy both to a mans ſelf and others, as St. Paul acknowledgeth of Epaphroditus, Phil. 2.27. He was ſick, nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him, and not on him onelyonly, but on me alſo, leſt I ſhould have ſorrow upon ſorrow. And therefore upon this reaſon the hearts of Gods people have been filled with the praiſes of God: Pſal. 103.1, 2, 3. Bleſs the Lord, O my ſoul, and all that is within me praiſe his holy name: And this is one ground of this— Who healeth all thy diſeaſes. This was Hezekiah his practice in this caſe; Iſa. 38.19. The living, the living, they ſhall praiſe thee, as I do this day.— See alſo, 2 Cor. 1.9, 10, 11. We p. 90had the ſentence of death in our ſelves; that is, our danger was ſo great, (whether by ſickneſs, or perſecution, or rather both, I ſhall not inquire) that we looked on our ſelves as ſentenced to dye; and this ſentence was in us, and did fill us: but, ſaith he, God who raiſeth the dead, delivered us from ſo great a death, for this end, that thanks may be given by many on our behalf. Beloved, ſometimes our ſickneſſes are very grievous and dangerous, as Job cries out, cap. 23.2. My ſtroke is heavier then my groaning; and ſaith, Job 10.16. Thou ſheweſt thy ſelf marvellous upon me; that is, thou exerciſeſt thy marvellous power and greatneſs in afflicting me. Now this ſhould cauſe us to make the praiſes of God more glorious for our recovery; and therefore in ſuch caſes the godly have acknowledged this mercy to be a kinde of reſurrection from the dead: as Pſal. 30.3. O Lord, thou haſt brought up my ſoul from the grave, 1 Sam. 2.6. Who bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. Job 33.28, 29, 30. He will deliver his ſoul from going down into the pit, and his life ſhall ſee the light. And this is the Providence that all are to obſerve and acknowledge: Loe! all theſe things worketh God oftentimes with man, to bring back his ſoul from the pit, p. 91to be inlightened with the light of the living.