A Present for Such as Have Been Sick, Title page – To the reader
A PRESENT For ſuch as have been SICK and are RECOVERED;
Or a DISCOURSE concerning The GOOD which comes out OF THE EVIL of AFFLICTION.
Being ſeveral Sermons, Preached after his being raiſed from a Bed of Languiſhing.
By Nathanael Vincent, M. A. Miniſter of the Goſpel.
Pſal. 119. 75. I know O Lord that thy Judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulneſs haſt afflicted me.
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London, Printed by T. S. for Tho. Parkhurſt at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapſide near Mercers-Chappel, 1693.
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY. To his Honoured Elder, and onelyonly Brother, Mr. John Vincent of North-hill in the County of Cornwall.
Dear Brother!
THough you affect to lead a retired Life—Procul negotiis—Ut Priſca Gens mortalium: Yet I preſume this Dedication will not be unacceptable to you; ſince it ſignifies my Recovery from thoſe Diſtempers, which I thought would have left you without a Brother in the World. Many indeed were concerned for me; Deſired and Prayed, that I might be ſpared and reſtored; I wiſh my Pains may be bleſst and beneficial to them; according to their Hopes and Expectations. They are thankful to God, that they ſtill enjoy my Labours; and I know the reſtoring of my Health, will be matter of your Thanksgiving, who are ſo full of Brotherly Affection. 'Tis Pitty a Man of your Learning, Parts, and Prudence, has not appeared in a more Publick Station. You might have been a more Common Good, more your Countreys Ornament and Benefactour, if your exceſs of Modeſty had not caſt a Veil over your great Abilities. I take it for granted, that as you have done, ſo you will ſtill adhere to His Opinion who ſaid—Bene qui latuit, bene vixit—And may you much enjoy your ſelf, My Dear Brother! and which is infinitely better; may you enjoy much of God in your Beloved …olitude! May that ſmall Company, which have the Happineſs of your Acquaintance; be directed by your Advice, when they need it; and better'd by your Example! And may all the Gentry in my Native Countrey of Cornwal, look upon all Debauchery and Wickedneſs, as Bruitiſh; and as much below them; as you do! I wiſh the Sword of Juſtice were in your hand; if it were; I perſwade my ſelf, that the Profane who deſerve it; woul feel the Edge of it; and your unblemiſht Life falling under greater Obſervation, would make thoſe, that are otherwiſe, aſhamed of the Spots wherewith their Lives are ſtained.
I know you are not a Stranger to Afflictions of diverſe kinds; This Book which I here Preſent you with; is not improper for your Peruſal. 'Tis my Deſire that no good thing may be withheld from You or Yours; and that all Evils by their Sanctification to you, may have their Nature quite alter'd, and work together for your good! May Divine Grace be ſufficient for you; till you are brought ſafe to the Heavenly Glory and Kingdom! There are the beſt wiſhes for you that can be; and are the conſtant, daily ones of
Your moſt Affectionate Brother, and humble Servant for Chriſts Sake. Nathanael Vincent.
TO THE READERS, Eſpecially thoſe who attend upon my Miniſtry.
AFfliction is an Argument much Diſcourſed of, and the thing it ſelf is commonly felt, for Man is born unto trouble as the Sparks fly upward: And yet how few know how to improve Affliction ſo as to be indeed the better for it! Judgments, though dreadful ones, have little amended this Preſent Age. Rods have been ſpent in vain; for men have received no Correction. Sin is an inveterate and ſtubborn malady hard to be cured; the League between the Heart and its beloved Luſts is not eaſily broken. Sinners are inexcuſable in not hearing when God ſpeaks to them; but when he ſmites them, and yet they are as if they were without Sence; how void do they ſhew themſelves both of Grace and Reaſon! Affliction in this World, is in Order to amendment; and ſo to prevent future Sorrows and Wrath in the next; And Happy thoſe who turn to Him that ſmites them; and are afraid of feeling the uttermoſt of Sin's deſert and God's diſpleaſure! But they who will not be purged in the Furnace of Affliction now; but hold faſt Deceit and refuſe to return from their evil and deſtructive Ways; ſhall be thrown at laſt, into the flaming Furnace of Hellfire, whoſe heat will never end or abate; and unalterable Confirmation in Wickedneſs, will be a great part of their Eternal Miſery.
The Word of God commands that the Rod ſhould be heard; and how feelingly does it teach? and how dull and ſtupid are they who will not learn the Leſſons of it! The deſign of this Treatiſe is to make Affliction beneficial to them that labour under it; that they may not endure a great deal of Sickneſs, Pain, and trouble to no purpoſe. Corporal Diſtempers are Spiritual Phyſick; and this Book ſhews what the Regimen Government is; which they ſhould be under that uſe it; that it may work well, and conduce to the ſoundneſs of the Mind, and the Souls Healthineſs.
Now the Proſperity and Health of the Soul is beyond all Conception valuable. Where this Health is; how clear is the Judgment! how Pure the Conſcience! How Conformable the Will unto the Will and Law of God which is ſo Holy, Juſt and Good! How rightly are the Affections placed! Sin being moſt hated which is really moſt hateful! and the Lord being loved above all, who is moſt worthy to be loved! Such an Healthy Soul has a good Appetite unto ſpiritual Food, is ſtrong to walk with God and to work hard for God, 'tis ſtrong to reſiſt Temptations to Evil, and to maintain the Combate with ſpiritual Enemies, and to bear Perſecution for the ſake of Righteouſneſs. Finally, an Healthy Soul is ſtrong through Faith, Fear, Love, and Patience; to perſevere in well-doing till Glory, Honour, Life, and Immortality are attained.
Such Healthy Souls, I wiſh all afflicted Ones: and that the following Inſtructions, and Counſels may have a mighty Influence and Efficacy this way! I my Self of late have again and again drunk of the bitter Cup of Affliction. I deſire and hope to Experience more and more the Medicinal Vertue of it! And much good may this Cup do to all that have it put into their hands!
The Text I handle was the firſt I preached upon, after I come out of a Sick-bed into the Pulpit. My deſign in Publiſhing theſe Sermons, is that the Hearts of the Afflicted may be ſtedfaſt with God, after he has thrown the Rod out of his Hand; and that the Rod may bring forth more laſting Fruits of Righteouſneſs!
N. V.