Contentment Leading a Christian, Treatise 1 · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI. Of Sicknesse, and Contentment therein.
THe third personall evill is Sicknesse Grounds of Contentment in Sicknesse.and diseases, which often infect the mind with heavinesse and impatience, especially if they bee more tedious and lingring; and so much the more burthensome, by how much health' (which is next to life, the best earthly blessing of God) is overprized. But godlinesse suggesteth many motives to contentment, in this estate.
1 It looketh up unto the hand 1of our Father, lovingly chastening in measure, not above our strength; in mercy, not to our desert; and to a good end, for his own glory, as Lazarus his sicknesse was, Iohn 11. 4. and for our glory too, even as our Head Christ must first suffer, and so enter into his glory, Luke 24.
2 Sicknesse is the Lords schoole, wherin we learne not only the knowledge, but the practise of many Christian The good uses of sicknesse. 1vertues.
First, it telleth us, that wee carry about with us a body subject to death, upon which sentence is past, that being dust it must returne to dust. It sheweth the frailty of man by bringing downe the lustiest bodies, abating the strength, and abolishing the beauty of them.
Secondly, it humbles men, by drawing 2a confession from them, that all flesh is but as grasse, and the grace thereof as the flower of the field.
Thirdly, it abates selfe love in men, 3and tames the ranke flesh, when health, strength and prosperity lift up the minde, and make men overweane themselves, and kicke against the Lord.
Fourthly, sicknesse of the body is the medicine of the soule, which labours 4more with weaknesse of faith, hope, love, then the body with diseases. And therefore as physick, though it be unpleasant to the Patient, yet is profitable, so is it with the sicknesse of the body to the soule: For then (as all men can witnesse of themselves) they are most wise, most humble, most sorrowfull for sinne, most earnest for pardon, most fervent in prayer, most watchfull against sinne, and in one word, best affected in soule in the sicknesse of the body. Did not Naamans sicknesse of lep…osie bring him to the Prophet Elisha, where being healed he confesseth there was no God in the world, but in Israel? 2 Kings 5. 15, 16. Was not that a most notable prayer of Ezekiah in his sicknesse? Esa. 38. 9. How many hearty prayers did David poure out to the Lord in his sicknesse? Psal. 6. and 32. and 38. Looke upon Iob in his sicknesse, a mirrour of patience, confidence, humility, other holy vertues, and as a modell of grace he came tryed and refined out of the furnace.
Fifthly, sicknesse is a preservative 5against many sinnes; in that it makes us thinke of the cause of sickenesse, which is sinne; and of earnest repentance, the waster of sinne; and of seeking to the Physitian of soules, which is Christ himselfe, who maketh a confection of his owne heartbloud to cure all our sinnes, which are our spirituall diseases and sickenesse.
Sixthly, in that it lets us see that the house of this Tabernacle must 6be dissolved, it moveth us to bid adieu to the world, and seeke for that life which is everlasting, not capable of age, sickenesse, or any grievance. The nurse in weaning the childe layeth mustard on her breast: And this life must have some bitter tang, to make us seeke for a better.
Were not my sicknesse so lingring O. Comfort in lingring sicknesse. Ans. 1.and tedious, I could be better contented.
1 Thou lingrest in the cause, which is thy sinne. Hasten thy repentance.
2 See thou get soundnesse of 2soule so much the more, and the spirit of a man will beare his infirmities. Make sure remission of sins, get faith, &c.
3 Christ hath not taken away the lingring of diseases, but the malignity 3and poison of them. It may long exercise and molest thee, it shall not hurt thee, nay bee turned to the best: neither can the sicknesse belong, where the life is so short.
4 Perhaps thou hast abused or 4forfeited thy health, or wouldst abuse it to Gods dishonour. See wee not numbers, it were better for them to be bound on their beds, and be perpetually sicke or bedrid, then continually to pursue wickednesse with high hand as they doe? And assure thy selfe, were health as good for thee as it is in it selfe, thou shouldest have it. Better to bee broken with griefe to salvation, then enjoy health to condemnation.
5 Thinke not God hath forgotten thee, if hee longer hold thee 5under. Looke upon that godly woman that laboured of a bloudy issue eighteene yeares, and was bowed together, Luk. 13. 8. Another whom Christ cured, that had an issue twelve yeares, c. 8. 43. Behold the man that was lame thirty eight yeres, Iohn 5. 5. And Aeneas that was sick of the palsie eight yeares, Act. 9. 33. and yet were respected and cured in due season.
But of all examples, most comfortable is that of our Lord and Esa. 53. 3.Head, Gods deare Sonne, who was a man of sorrowes, and his whole life nothing but a burthen of sorrowes: and never was any sorrow like unto his, and yet he ceased not to be deare to his Father. And the same is the condition of the members.6
Lastly, God hath just causes to defer 6 Why God suffereth sicknesse to linger long on his children. 1 2help, and seem to hide himselfe.
1 To try our faith, love, and patience, and bring it forth into example. as Iob, David, the woman of Canaan, Mat. 15. 23.
2 To acknowledge the greatnesse and continuance in sin by continuance of his hand. Were our correction alway short, we would not be perswaded of the greatnesse of our sin.
3 To make us more watchfull 3against sin for hereafter. A disease soon cured is not much cared for.
4 To keep our peace with God 4more carefully: hardlier gotten, surelier kept. And to whet our prayers, and means of fellowship with him.
5 That we may acknowledge how 5heavy and continuall those torments are, which be prepared for impenitent persons, if repentant sinners bee layd under such lingring evils in this life, 1 Pet. 4. 17. If judgement begin at the house of God, what shall the end of the wicked be?