THat every man is bound by the Law of God and Nature to keep the clayey Cot­tage of his Body in reparation, and to use all possible means to preserve his naturall life in health and vigour; none can question: we being tenents at the will of our Great Landlord in these[Page 2]houses of Earth, it ought to be our concern to take care least they run to ruine through neglect, and so we expose our selves to an In­ditement at the bar of Heaven for Delapidations; he that is no life preserver is a self murtherer, a felo de se in the sight of God: that command thou shalt not kill, doth strictly obliege us to preserve life, both our own and others.

THe Jews were to be at the charge of any mans cure, whom they had hurt, or any way prejudiced in their bodily health, so as to expose them to expence or danger, much more ought we to take care of our own cure, if Di­vine providence lay any distem­per upon us.

He who breathed into man the breath of Life, at first, and in whom we still live and move and have our[Page 3]being; hath commanded us to pray for our daily bread, viz. the necessary supports of this life, and if we must pray for them, cer­tainly we must use them.

ALthough we live not by bread alone, but by the word of blessing, which proceeds out of the mouth of God, yet the blessing is annext to bread, not to stones; that man will not trust God, but tempt him who shall ex­pect to have stones turned into bread; if God have appointed staires it's not faith but fury to go down by a Precipiece.

Holy David, trusting in the Name of the Lord, made him not throw away his sling, when he went against Goliah: Jacob's supplicating of God made him not neglect to send a present to his Brother; the fast of Hester, made[Page 4]her not forget to feast the King; second causes are to be used in o­bedience to Gods order, not in confidence of there own help.

Faith should cause us to be so di­ligent in the use of means, as if God did nothing for us; and yet so draw us from trusting in the means, as if God were to do all for us.

Saint Pauls Mariners could not expect preservation, unless they did abide in the Ship, not­withstanding they had a promise of their lives.

Balaams Ass may instruct men, that a mercifull man, should be mercifull to his Beast, much more to himself.

Our blessed Saviour makes it a great piece of Religion to visit the Sick, and one of those actions according to which our final sen­tence will be determined.

[Page 5]The Shunamite woman took a journey, and importuned the Pro­phet to use the best means he could to cure her Son.

NAman was commanded to wash seven times in Jordain, for the cure of his Leprosie, al­though he would have had the Prophet only prayed for him.

If the Centurion were importu­nate with our Saviour to cure his servant, when sick of a Palsie; certainly all pious men ought to be concerned for the cure and ease of there servants, and themselves, when laid upon the bed of sick­ness, and to apply themselves to the most proper remedies.

If the body of the Priest under the Law, were to be without na­tural blemishes and distempers, who were to offer Sacrifices in the material Temple, why should[Page 6]not Christians under the Gospel, whose bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost, be carefull to use those means which may preserve them in health and vigor.

King Asa was not condemned for using, but for trusting to the Physitians.

IT is a great sin upon the pre­tence of Gods power to be dis­obedient to his will, in despising Physick, which God hath ordain­ed to be the means to restore us to health; this is to try what God can doe, and yet neglect what he commands, in not adminstering those things which are necessary for the body, &c.

The miraculous cures which the Apostles effected by their Handkerchiffs, and by Oyntment, and laying on their hands, these wholly ceased, according to that[Page 7]rule, cessante causa cessat effectus: the cause of that miraculous power being only to confirm their Doctrine in its first preaching; that being done, that miraculous way ceaseth, and therefore now men must use more ordinary means, found out by reason and experience: as the extraordina­ry way of understanding tongues is ceased, we must doe it by hu­mane industry and natural study.

The life is more then meat, and the body then rayment, and ther­fore queen Hester preferred life before liberty, and importuned the King to grant the life of the Jews; and told him if they had been sold for bondmen and bond­women she had held her peace.

THe father of lyes never spake a greater truth then when he said, skin for skin and all that a[Page 8]man hath will he give for his life. It is a precious Jewel, and Solo­mon saith the Adulteress hunts for the precious life. That which was sick was not to be offer'd in Sacri­fice, why should we not therefore indeavour to present our bodies a healthfull, as well as a holy Sa­crifice; which is but reasonable service.

When the body is in a weak and languishing condition, it is not fit for holy service, and there­fore one part of the happiness of heaven consists in a freedom from sickness and distempers; there Leah shall not be blear eyed nor Mephibosheth halt.

Saint John prayeth for Gaius that his body might prosper and be in health even as his soul was. And Saint James bids us pray for one another that we may be healed

Now if it be our duty to pray for one anothers health, much more ought we to indeavor to preserve our own.

THe soul sits uneasie in a dis­eased body. The body it is the sheath of the soul, as Daniel calls it; if the sheath be defective, or impaired, it is prejuditial to the blade, so when the Golden bowl is broken, and the sound of the grind­ing is low, and the strong men bow themselves, then the Sun and the Moon and the Stars will be dark­ned. That is, all the faculties of the Soul will be clouded, and not so fit to perform their several of­fices, the understanding, the me­mory, and the fancy, will not be so clear, strong and lively, and desire it self must needs fail.

Barzillai took small delight in the pleasures of the Court when his sight and his tast fail him.

Our bodies are members of Christ therfore we ought to have a respect for them, neglecting of[Page 10]the body is by St. Paul reckoned as a peece of will Worship.

The best way to keep the body under is by a virtuous mind.

THe cure of the Leprous per­sons under the Law was ap­pointed to be managed by the Priest, rather then by the Physiti­an, because it concern'd him to keep back men, who were Le­prous from the Sanctuary, al­though it is probably though he might have the advice of the Physician, for their profession was ancient, as we may observe in the 50 of Genesis. It is very re­markable, the conformity be­tween the Leprous contagion, and the Law of cleansing: the Le­prosie did putrifie the skin, and opposite to that was Cedar-wood, commended against putrefaction; it was of an offensive colour, op­posite[Page 11]to that, was the colour of scarlet; of an ill sent, contrary to that was the sweetness of Hysop; it did consume the flesh and bring death, there was the sparrow let loose, a significant sign of recovery and continuance of life.

It is probably thought that the prohibition of many sorts of meats in the 11 of Leviticus, was not on­ly upon a moral but also upon a physical account, because they yield no good nourishment, but are unwholsome.

THe world is very full of com­plaints of the ineffectual ap­plication of Medicines in order to the procuring of Health, when it is lost or the preservation of it when enjoyed, and doubtlesse the the cause of these complaints must arise from the imprudent and pre­posterous use of so excellent an or­dinance[Page 12]of God, for the good of mankinde, for who but a person whose reason is unhinged, and whose intellectuals are Eclipsed with the fogs of ignorance or pre­judice can reflect any deficiency in those remedies themselves, which are designed, by the God of na­ture, to be good for food, and phy­sick even every herb bearing seed, therefore he that dare to say in his heart ther is no God, who hath given, every herb for the service of man, his folly is manifest to all men, doubtless that profession which hath received a pattent from the King of Kings and the great preserver of men, must needs be of great utillity & transcendent excellency. Shal the Almighty him­l f prescribe an Emolient Cata­plasme, for the plague-sore of He­zekias in order to the addition of 15 years to his life, and shall any condemn so noble a faculty as phy­sick is in it self, if rightly applyed.

HOw many singular examples of physical applications do the inspired penmen of holy writ exhibit to us, and whatsoever was written aforetime was written for our learning.

Were not the waters of Mara made salutiferous by the casting in of medicinal ingredients.

Without doubt the sons of the prophets had a physical intention in the composition of ther Broth, with physicall herbs, although it was attended with a mistake, as to the nature of the simple.

KIng Solomon who had the pri­viledge granted him from the only wise God, to be the only wise man, made it his business to en­quire into the nature of vigetables[Page 14]from the tallest Cedar to the con­temptible Hysop, and shall we cast the Imputation of folly upon him whom the spirit of God, hath re­corded, for the most eminent ex­ample of Wisdom, and imagine that he spent his time in such a study, as was not likely to be pro­fitable to human nature, shall he whose brow was incircled with a glittering Diadem, whose Gold was so plentious as to pave his palace, whose orchards were replenisht with delicious fruits, whose eares were entertain'd with the most harmonious melodies, and had all the delights of the sons of men, shall he I say condescend to the study and improovement of physick, and yet Contemptible fooles despise it. The wiseman doth not onely tell us, with what remedies the Almighty heales men, and takes away their pains in his discription of the variety of plants, a book which possibly[Page 15]the world hath lost, or else goeth­under the name of some other Au­thour, but also in his divine dis­courses wherin he acts the part of a Preacher, he declares to the world that these remedies must be applied, for he saith there is a time to heal, and that a medicine doth good if rightly used, for he com­pares it to a chearful spirit, or ra­ther a good conscience which is a continual feast.

CErtainly Ahab would never have been so sinfully ambiti­ous to abtain the vineyard of Naboth for a garden of herbs, If he had not understood their virtue as well as delight.

Doubtless the good will of him that dwelt in the bush is further declar'd to man-kind, by the fruit the leaves and the flowers grow­ing theron, which he hath impreg­nated[Page 16]with such virtues that they are good for the healing of the nations, in a corporal, as well as in a spiritual sence, those contempti­ble persons Job speaks of, who cut up mallows by the roots, proba­bly understood they were nutra­tive and medicinal as the expe­rience of many ages demonstrate.

THe bitter herbs appointed to be eaten with the pascal Lamb, were not only typical but medicinal if we may beleeve some of the antients.

Nay, a Dinner of herbs with Evangelical charity, is preferd by Solomon before a costly banquet. Medicinal herbs as Mint, Anniss, Rhue, and Cummin, &c. were so much in use amongst the Jews, that they layed tithes and costo­mary impositions upon them.

WHen the Church would make a Metaphorical description, of the external and internal qualifications of her be­loved; doth she not compare him to those things that are most ex­cellent and usefull; as Myrrhe, Aloes, Cassia, and all the chief Spices?

Without controversie Phy­sitians are not onely usefull for the Embalming of the Dead, as Joseph used them; but for the recovering of the dying, as our Saviour intimates, when he saith the whole have no need of the Phy­sitian, but they that be sick have.

Who can be so weak as to ima­gine that the Art of the Apothe­cary should be employed only to prepare the Holy Oyntments, for the Consecration of Priests and Kings of old; and not to prepare [Page 18]variety of Medecines for the re­stauration of virtuous and pious Souls who through, the meritori­ous death of the Son, are made Kings and Priests unto God the Father?

THe Evangelical Prophet Esay, reflecting upon the deplora­ble condition of the Church, with the whole head sick, and heart faint; full of wounds, bruises, and putrifying sores, being not bound up nor mollified with oynt­ments; doth plainly intimate how necessary he thought, the natural as well as the spiritual applicati­on of fit remedies, in such a case; which must needs be sad indeed, when there is no Balm in Gilead, and no Physitian there.

Jothams Parable may be useful thus far, to instruct the world, that not onely the Olive, the Fig-tree,[Page 19]and the Vine are usefull to Honour and cheer the Heart of God and man but also the bram­ble may have an excellency, and superiority in some distempers: for although its thorns do tear the flesh, yet of its leaves are made a healing application.

Such is the Beneficence of our great Creator, that since the Ap­pearance of the second Adam, we may eat of every tree in the gar­den, without any prejudice to us or our posterity, asking no que­stion for conscience sake, for the Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof.

It is wonderfull to observe the miraculous providence of God, in preserving the seminal virtues of plants, from perishing by the de­luge, when we read not of any seeds preserv'd in the Ark; the in­nocent Dove shewing a leaf to the new world, preached a Sermon of Divine goodness, so that the[Page 20]Poet might well say, Quaelibet herba Deum, &c.

EZechiels vision through Gods goodness may be daily seen, a tree whose fruit is good for food; and leaves for medicine.

Our Saviour the Physitian of Souls, was Physitian of bodies too, and not only commended the good Samaritan, but acted the part of one throughout his whole life.

Saint Luke, the beloved Physi­an, was the quill of the holy dove, the Divine Amanuensis.

The Angelick Spirits think it not an office inferior to their na­tureto be instrumental in the heal­ing of the sick, as may be seen in the stirring the waters of Bethesda.

Although our Saviors restoring sight to the blind man was mira­culous, yet means was used[Page 21]although but clay and spittle.

Saint Paul himself prescribes wine to Timothy as a medicinal cordial to chear his spirits, and to support him under his infirmi­ties.

ANd the utility of Physicall Remedies, is not onely de­monstrated from Scripture, but it may be evinced from the use of it, by the most knowing and intelli­gent part of mankind; both Jews and Pagans.

In the Temple of Esculapius, there was a fountain of oyle, with a golden Arch, a perfect symbole of Physick; the one de­noting its usefullness, the other its honour.

Again it is founded upon rea­son, and attended with the expe­rience of many Ages. Therefore[Page 22]the unsuccesfulnes of it cannot be from the nature of the thing, but from the misusings of it.

THe Design of medicines being not to prevent death, for it is the unalterable Decree of Heaven that men must dye, but it is to make life comfortable, and to pre­serve natures lamp, so long until there is no more oyl left to feed it.

And if we rightly understand the excellency of natural life, it being that space of time alloted us for the securing our eternal state; it highly concerns us to use those means which may be most likely to preserve it. Now there are several things absolute­ly needfull, in order to the preser­vation, or restoration of natural life; and must be observed, or we cannot rationally apply the re­medies.

• The ability of the Physitian in prescribing.
• The faithfulness of the Apothe­cary in preparing.
• The regularity of the Patient in observing.
• The care of Nurses in attending.
• The strength of Nature in As­sisting.
• The Providence of God in in­fluencing.

Concerning the choise of an able Physitian, which is the unum necessarium in sickness, next to the imploring the Divine Be­nediction; This I may say, that there is no action of a mans life of greater consequence, nei­ther doth any, discover more of wisdom or folly, then a prepo­sterous or prudent choise. There's no wife man, but will choose a person of learning, ex­perience, and known integrity; [Page 24]If a mans horse be troubled with the glanders, it is a point of pru­dence to apply himself to the ablest Farrier for advise, and not to every Hostler that hath a confi­dence to prescribe a drench.

If my watch want mending, I would choose to send it to the most ingenious Artist.

People seldom are so imprudent in other things; as they send not their Bellows to a lookinglass ma­ker to mend, but their bodies shall be sent to any mungrel Phy­sitian; who can sooner cure all Diseases then one

The curing of Diseases being like mending a watch, if not don by a skillfull Artist, the rectifying of one spring may disorder the regular motion of the whole.

How many persons destroy themselves by imprudence, in the choyce of Physitians; more dying of soft places in their heads hen ulcers in their lungs; and[Page 25]multitudes digging their graves with their thick sculls.

THe generallity of people, if a person be but nick-named Doctor, and took his degree in a drinking Schoole, & ascendit gra­dum sine gradibus. It may be one, who did his exercise in Fees, and will be a Doctor although he wants the participle Doctus, spels Physick with an F. and Chirur­gion with an S. such a one shall serve turn.

Some called Doctors, are as un­skilfull in Physick as the A­thenians were in Religion; they dedicate their medicines to an unknown disease. People had better fall into the hands of the common Executioner; for then they will be put out[Page 26]out of their pain; then into the hands of Illiterate Doctors, or confident Quacks. He deserves to be kill'd that runs against the point of a sword in the hand of a madman; and little better are many, who pretend to secrets or rare arcana's, and kill men with­out making any noise; like white Gunpowder, that none shall know who hurt them. Pretend privacy in the preparations of their medi­cines, that the world may not see what poyson'd the Patient.

These imitate Evah, or rather the Serpent, pretend to give that which shall be pleasant to the tast, and good for food and Physick, but in the end, beguile men of their health, and few dayes after the Patient dyeth the death. Like the Lyon, that pretends to pull the thorne out of the Lambs foot, and devours him; like Gipsies tell you your fortune, and pick[Page 27]your pockets.

These waterologers, or rather piss Prophets, will make a man believe they know every thing by the water, even how many staires a man falls down when he bruises himself; these are like mouse­traps, when a man is in their hands; their is no getting out but with the loss of life; si populus vult decipi, decipiatur.

SOme goe altogether by books, which are only a collection of conjectural experiments, and ne­ver consider Age, Constitution, Sex, Time of the disease; never re­gard the rational intentions of cure, lop the branches of the di­sease, but never pluck up the root, nor remove the cause, but cry they are safe, if they doe no good[Page 28]they can doe no hurt, whereas they doe much hurt in omitting more effectual remedies, while they use weak and insignificant ones.

Some blind Bayards there are, who pretend to three or four uni­versal remedies to cure all distem­pers, and these will sometimes cure the disease, and kill the Pa­tient, and like some Gardners pluck up the root of the plants and sow the seeds against the next year at the same time, and snuff the candle so rashly, as to put it quite out; but so long as none but themselves know what the thing was, that made the man breath his last, all is well enough. Whereas a learned experienced Physitian cares not who views his prescripts upon the file, suppo­sing the Patient dye, it being nothing but what was safe, what he would have taken himself, and what would have certainly reco­vered[Page 29]the Patient, if God would have had it so.

Some are so confident they will tell you they will be hanged if they don't cure you: they can cure the Gout when the cause is removed; and the Dropsie pro­ceeding from neither wind nor water, and pains in the head if not distemper'd in body; and restore any man to health, although never so crooked.

These will tell a woman she is with child, when the course of na­ture hath been stopt half a year, and no ill symtomes, and that a mans liver grows too much on his right side, and that there is wa­ter near his heart, and such like things which every fool may doe if he please.

But none are so confident to talk and undertake, as those that have least judgement; it is therefore a great indiscretion in the vulgar, to condemn the most learned and[Page 30]most experienced Physitians, be­cause they doe not preach over the water, and enter into imper­tinent discourses with people, as ignorant pretenders to Physick are apt to doe.

He that saith least and doth most, is the best Physitian. His business is to cure the Patients bo­dy not to inform his judgement; to procure health, not knowledge in Physick; vulgar apprehensions are not capable of understanding, either the terms or the notions of Physick.

Dogs may indeed lick mens sores and make them whole with their tongues; Physitians must cure by reason and experience.

INdeed illiterat Practitioners wil somtimes let fly such strange words that with a small addition, being taken in the pap of an apple,[Page 31]would give a man a purge; that must needs be a simple compositi­on in the cure of my distemper, that hath more of words then deeds for its ingredients. But frequently it happens that a­mongst such Doctors, the most corrosive, venemous Chimical medicine, hath nothing to kill it, but fasting spittle or a smooth tongue.

Beware of that medicine, whose best corrective is a poyson, though guilded over with never so plausible pretences, their spi­rits generally prove evil spirits, and such as cannot be cast out by natural means, their powders are worse then Gunpowder, for they blow up many good subjects, and with so much privacy, that none but he that did it can tell who hurt them.

ONe of these desperadoes may possibly be more talked on, and admired by the vulgar then an able Physitian, because never u­sed but in desperate cases, where­in they either kill or cure: now if the Patient dye, they are not blamed as others are, because it is nothing but what was expect­ed, namely that the Patient should dye, being given over by all, but if the Patient recover, then their skill is proclaimed, but what a madness is it to run a sword in a mans bowels, to cure him of an impostume, because one was once cured so by accident.

It is no wonder to see such mens prodigious actions admired; for doe we not gaze more upon a blazing Comet that infects the Aire, and poysons men with pe­stilential vapours: then on the[Page 33]regular motions of the glorious Sun, whose cherishing beams yield light and health to humane nature?

Who hath more followers then the Prince of Darkness?

GIve me the Physitian whose Prescriptions are safe, and yet effectual, who imitates nature, and allures her into a healthful state, and by plausible insinuations opens obstructi­ons, evacuates superfluities, cor­rects crudities, checks violent fermentations, and in a mild and friendly way helps her to shake hands with the disease.

I desire no acquaintance with those malignant remedies, who assault the disease with such im­prudent rashness, that they de­stroy the disease, and kill the pa­tient; as Sampson did his ene­mies[Page 34]and himself.

It is good to use chimical reme­dies very warily, a child is in more danger of doing mischief with a knife of steele then of Bone.

We choose the ablest Carpen­ter for our buildings: but in­debted Trades-men, disbanded Souldiers, wandring Mounte­banks, wicked Jews; the very scorn of the people, serve for our bodies: a Taylor shall as soon mend a stitch fallen in our bodies as a learned Physitian. The Proverb is changed, from all are fools or Phisitians, to all fools are Physitians. Tractent fabri­lia fabri; let every one handle his own tooles, but men will not learn wisdom until the dust of the grave, that powder of experience be cast in their eyes. Many Pati­ents become Martyrs to their Physitians ignorance.

Degrees and tryals of mens a­bilities, are good political Shibo­leths[Page 35]and very needfull.

The English people strangely betray their simplicity in affecting strangers and forrain Physitians; he that came the last tyde from Gravesend, hath but Englsh enough to write, me cure all these Diseases par la grace of God; ha­ving cured the Ala-mode distem­per in himself, is well studyed in Hypocras & Gallon, rather then Hippocrates and Galen, is a rare Doctor. Their practise being like countrey dance called hit or miss. Possibly they may cure some old Distemper just taking its leave, and through the energy of a for­mer course thrust out of doors; but they may as well promise a man success from thence as that a blind man shall hit the mark a se­cond time because he did it once.

In an able Physitian there is re­quired natural abilities, advanced by study, and confirmed by expe­rience.

TAke heed of dashing your health upon these Rocks, least you shipwrack all, when your body is in a storm, call in the help of a skilfull Pilot, I mean an able Physitian; and in bleeding, purging, sweating, vomitting and blistering, depend not on the advise of any, without an able Physitian; for with the well advised is wisdom and in Coun­cel there is safety: men doe not depend upon the advise of an At­torney when their estate is in danger, but fee a Councellor; why should they dally with their health more then their estates? There are many considerable mo­tives may be urged to perswade, to take the advice of able Physitians.

As our own safety, Physitians being better acquaintanted with the nature of all remedies, and with[Page 37]the Anatomy of the body of man, understand the scituation of the parts, and the circulations of the blood, better then any Artist what­soever.

Again, for the satisfaction of the world, that all may be convinced that the best means were used that could be: I have known some that have been almost distracted after the death of relations be­cause they advised not in time with some able Physitians.

Again, Because we cannot ra­tionally expect the concurrence of a Divine influence, unless we make use of the most probable of second causes, and the most like­ly means; we must use our best indeavors, if we would have them effectuall in the production of any end.

Again, Because a person dying in the omission of the most proper and rational means, may be in danger of an indictment for self [Page 38]murther, which few consider.

MOreover it is very requisite that care should be used in the choyce of faithfull Persons, to prepare and compound, those re­medies which learned and experi­enced Phisitians prescribe: a busi­ness of so great consequence ought not to be committed to serving men, who never served Appren­tiship to any Imployment of that nature. And therefore the wisdom of Authority hath established a Society of Apothecaries to be in­structed & imployed in that use­ful Art, & they have demonstrated to the world their care to prevent abuses in medicines, by erecting a Publick Elaboratory for the pre­paration of Chymicall remedies, in the most exact manner.

ANother excellent Rule to be observed in order to the [Page 39]cure of distempers is, that the Patient be very exact in obser­ving the directions of the Physitian in his Dyet, Aire, Exercise, Evacuations, Sleep and Passions of the Mind: there arc many Pa­tients that will promise their Phy­sitian fairly, but as soon as their back is turned observe no rules, yet be very ready to censure the Physitian, if they do not recover. They will not persevere until the distemper be removed. If a man layeth a plaister to an ulcer and takes it off presently, it can never heal.

If the Physitian throws water, and the Patient throw on fuell, how can the fire be extinguished?

What folly is it to blame our food for not satisfying our hun­ger, when we eat but a bit?

Many Patients are like the Ba­bel builders, when the Physitian prescribes a trowel they will use a hammer, when the distem­per [Page 40]calls for sweats they will use none but cooling Juleps; and consult more the antique picture in the Almonack, then the stare, increase, and declination of the distemper.

If sleep be wanting, then Syrup of Poppy must be had, which translates the morbifick matter to the brain, and causeth a frenzy, or else such a sleep is procured, which onely the last trumpet can a­wake. And it is an endless thing to argue with some people to whom sense is a riddle, and reason a Paradox.

If people would put on their considering caps they might soon­er put off their sick caps.

Although some people may be called Patients, because they ex­ercise the Physitians Patience; yet they are not so in using their own, for they will not persevere in a regular course, until the remedy can have its due operation, if[Page 41]they are not cured of those di­stempers in a day which they have been contracting a year; then leave the medecine, and chop and change, and run from one thing to another, and be constant to no­thing.

And one imprudent rib shall slay more persons then the Jaw-bone of an Ass. And practice by book re­ceipts, where through the default of the printer, a dram of Mercurius vitae shall be prescrib'd in stead of a few grains, yet down it goeth be­cause the judgement of the reader knows not the exact dose. In Dyet they will not be confin'd but like Timothy to drink a little wine.

ANother rule to be observed in the restoring of health, is the care of the attendance; a good nurse is a good sign of re­covery. If the attendance are[Page 42]not carefull, the abillities of the Physitian, and the goodness of the medicine is but in vain. Now the care of attendants is evident in giving the remedies which are prescribed, and in hindring the Patient from those things which are hurtfull; but the generality of attendance are like Eva, in­stead of discouraging will tempt and invite to the eating forbidden fruit, to the ruine of the patient, and sometimes of the posterity.

THE rule to be observed in the right use of remedies is, to ap­ply our selves to the use of pro­per means before nature is vast­ed: delay in this case proves al­waies dangerous, therefore the Poets rule is good: Principiis ob [...] sta sero medicina peratur.

People generally flatter them­selves[Page 43]into their graves, with the conceipts of colds and surfeits, and so confounding diseases, with their symptomes, and nicknamed distempers, and giving them some common denomination, and ap­prehending that it being nothing else but what they have known some recover of, they neglect the properest remedies until it be too late; or until the distem­per be complicated, and hath taken deep root. It costs many a man his life, whilest he eyeth only the external causes of di­stempers. It is usual to di­scourse thus; I have left off a coate, or put on a damp shift, or eaten somthing that did not agree with my stomach, or drank cold beer when hot, or over walked my self, or have been frighted or grieved, or the like; when at the same time the stomach is disor­dered by a loade of corrupt hu­mors, and a meer Quagmire; the[Page 44]Blood inflamed; the Liver and Spleen obstructed, and the Lungs perished, and this is not taken notice of; as if a man when his house is on fire should not mind it, so as to quench it, but satisfie himself with this consideration, that it came only by a boy throw­ing a squib, &c. And many times they will depend upon the ad­vice of some friend, or apish Do­ctor, until cold sweats affright, and then the learned Physitian is sent for, when the time for pur­gation and bleeding is let ship, and so the Physitian shares with the Patient in the infamy of mis­carriage; and he is sent for, not to cure, (that he cannot, because nature is spent) but to try whe­ther he can antidate resurrections. Nothing destroyes more Persons, then imprudent hearkning to the advise of persons, of other pro­fessions, and neglecting learned Physitians, until it be too late;

A Nother effectual ingredient in the cure of distempers, and that which is most necessary, is the concurring influence of a divine blessing: unto God the Lord belong the issues from death, and therefore it concerns us so to be­have our selves, that we may procure a divine Benediction.

The best way to procure a di­vine influence to cooperate with the means, is by a Holy and a pious life: so saith God Almighty to the Jews, If you obey my sta­tutes, and hearken to my Judg­ments, I will bless your bread and your water, & remove sickness from the midst of you. Solomon urgeth the consideration of our health as a very strong argument to pro­mote divine fear, It shall be health [Page 49]our Navel and marrow to our bones. Wisdom is a Tree of life to them that lay hold upon, it, what man is he that loveth life, and many dayes, let him depart from evil and do good.

Godliness hath the promise of the life that now is, as well as of that which is to come

Solomons asking of wisdom was attended with the addition of long life.

If the obedience of our natu­rall Parents hath the promise of long life annext to it, much more the service of our spiritual pa­rent, especially so far as life is good; life is yours saith the A­postle. because you are Christs.

PIety it secures men from the power of evil Angels, who have a great influence in the procuring of distempers, by a Divine permission, as in the[Page 47]case of the excommunicated Corinthian, and the incestuous persons, about Lots House struck blind, Herod destroyed by an An­gel, and the evil angels sent a­monst the Israelites, and several other examples of the like nature, and the Demoniacks in the Gospel. Again Piety it usu­ally secures men from the stroke of Humane Justice, as it guards them from those flagitious impieties which expose them to the penalties of humane lawes, as murders, thefts and rapine.

And it also preserves men from the terrors of an evil conscience, which makes men many times wash their hands in their own blood as Judas did.

Again, Piety preserves life, as it teacheth men temperance and moderation in the use of those means that preserve life.

We find in Sacred Oracles, that immature death is threatned [Page 48]as the penalty of disobedience; and that the Penmen of Holy writ doe often inculcate the bene­fit of the fear of God, as it is at­tended with the promise of lon­gaevity.

So that to imagine the life of man to be fixed beyond the possi­bility of the Almighties abbrevi­ation or prolongation, is vain and inconsistent with scripture and reason.

THe Turks dream that the manner and moment of eve­ry mans death, is prefixt by the Immutable laws of fate, and that his lot is written in invisible Cha­racters in his forehead, that they accompt it vanity and cowardise to arm themselves against the blows of war by defensive wea­pons, but it is to be hop'd that Christians have learned better. It being a confest verity that eve­ry[Page 49]natural motion, hath its be­ginning, duration, and period, dependent on the will of the first motive, now the life of man be­ing a natural motion, our nativity and death, are both order'd by di­vine providence, for in him we live and move and have our being.

The natural life of man consist­ing in a requisite harmony of the first qualities, and in a proportio­nate comixture of the natural heat and radical moysture, which har­mony is more or less, according to the more or less, exquisite tem­perament of body, assigned to each single person by the free dis­pensation of the divine will. It followeth that the continuance of every individual, in this natural life, dependeth upon the pleasure of the first cause, as Holy Job inti­mates when he saith, our dayes are determined and the number of our Months are with him, who hath set bounds to humane nature, so[Page 50]that no man can live beyond the durability of his specificall tem­perament, the principles of his vitality and permissions of pro­vidence.

THe only wise God hath com­posed our bodies like a lamp of heat and moysture, hath given appetites of hunger and thirst to feed this lamp, and so supply the expences of the moy­sture by the heat, he hath given us reason and understanding to govern our appetites, and the re­velation of his will to guide our reason; now if we through the depravation of our natures, and the predominancy of temptation, do suffer our appetite to dethrone our reason, and give way to Ebri­ety, Gluttoners salacity, & other immoralities which have a natu­ral tendency to extinguish, the [Page 51]lamp of life, we may justly ex­spect to be cut off in the midst of our dayes, and to dye before our time, by being wicked over much as Solomon expresseth it.

Whereas piety and obedience like the Tree of life in paradise, not only sacramentally but really conduceth to health and long life, so far as it is a blessing: and this it doth by impregnating our ele­ments with the tincture of a di­vine benediction, by meliorating our temperaments and constitu­tions, by infusing salutiferous dis­positions in the air, & propitious influences in the host of heaven, which many times impress the seminalities of diseases upon the blood and spirits, so that the pe­riod of our days, and all the se­cond causes conducing thereun­to, are circumscribed within the circle of a divine prenotion and limitation.

A man may dye in a time when God forbids, and yet dye when God permits, and live out all Gods time, who wickedly shortens his own.

The murmuring Isralites were buried in the wilderness not­withstanding, their promise of seeing Canaan, their infidelity anticipated their funerals.

The wages of sin is death, and may as justly be payd in the morning as in the evening of our lives. Indeed temperance doth not alwayes prove an Antidot a­gainst the Pestilence, nor Absti­nence a preservative against Fa­min, nor innocence a security from the stroke of injustice, but they are likely meanes.

The flagitious impiety of the old world sent a Deluge, which [Page 53]possibly might have been preven­ted had their repentance been as visible as the Ninevites was, who were repreived from execution after the sentence of death had passed upon them, whereby om­nipotence did demonstrate that he hath reserved a power in his own hands to length then or shorten the lives of men as he pleaseth, and to make the sands in the glass of time run swift or slow accord­ing to his pleasure, it is very ob­servable how the Patriarks out­lived all their titles of consan­guinity, yet none lived to a compleat thousand years, some indeed give this reason for it, be cause God would make good his threatning to Adam, that in the day he eat he should dye the death, and so they would com­pute, a day for a thousand years as St. Peter speaks, but this is trifling and foolish.

A more probable reason may be[Page 54]to declare to the world the vani­ty of life, when those who lived longest could not arrive to such a period, which in comparison of Gods eternity is but a day.

SIn brought death at first, and as sin increased, death came near er by 500 years, presently after the flood; man sinned still and built Castles in the air, and then it is reduced to 200 years, and by Moses time half that remnant is taken away, and threescore and ten is the period, had God gone on still to shorten our dayes as we increased in sin, our life by this time had not been a day long, and therefore he no longer destroys the kind, but punisheth the indi­vidual, and sets it down for a rule viz. evil shall slay the wicked.

So that not one in 500 arrive at that state, which they might at­tain[Page 55]unto by the course of nature but end their dayes in sin and folly, and in a period appointed in anger: we may easily observe how the blessing of health is con­tradicted by an impious life, for from surfeting proceeds disoluti­on of members, relaxation of nervs, fractures of bones, inflama­tion of the liver, & crudities of the stomach, which Solomon sums up, besides the uncleanly consequen­ces of lust, which hunt for the pre­tious life, and like a dart strike through the liver; and the ca­sual deaths caused by Jealousies and animosities: thus provi­dence intervenes, and suffers not nature to take its course by rea­son of impieties.

IT is observable that not a Son dyed a natural death before the Father for three thou­sand years untill Terahs time [Page 56]who was the first that taught the people to make Images of clay, and corrupted the Worship of God, his son Haron was snatched away by death before him.

The Jewish Rabbins do ob­serve that during the standing of the second Temple there were 300 high priests, but in the time of the first but 18, which stood within 10 years as long as the first, which may be much attribu­ted to their impieties.

It is thought by some of the an­tients, that Balaam's wish to dye the death of the righteous, was not only that he might be sav'd at last, but also seeing what judg­ments God had purposed to bring upon the Moabites, that he might come to his grave in a good old age, with his father in peace: we live by the word of blessing out of the mouth of God every command if observ'd, like food and physick tends to the [Page 57]length of our natural as well as spiritual lives.

THe fear of God is the best An­tidote against sickness, as it is a direct enemy to sin which brought in death. If sin destroy soul and body, why should not pi­ety preserve both? If the sting of conscience torment body as well as soul, doubtless peace of consci­ence releives both.

Why may not the soul as well conduce to the prolongation of the body, as to the immortality of it?

Why may not the body have the perfection of life (viz. health) from the soul, as life it self?

THe circumstantial actions of piety are influential towards [Page 58]the lengthening the lives of men, as the sweet sleeps of temperate persons, and their freedome from violent and inraged passions, and the admirable contentment that dwells in a holy conscience, these must necessarily conduce to a healthfull life.

Dying to sin is an excellent means to preserve life, if men would try the experiment.

It is observed that the male heir of Ely's family dyed as soon as born, for many generations, ac­cording to a divine threatning, until they set themselves unto a serious humiliation and solemn repentance.

We live not at an adventure, but the manner and moments of our death, come under a divine appointment; the Jews could not prejudice our Saviours life untill his hour was come, viz. that hour which by a special pro­vidence was appointed to be his[Page 59]last hour, although St. Paul was in deaths often, yet he dyed not be­fore providence thought meet: it is appointed to men once to dye, that is, it is once appointed to men to dye.

A Man may shorten his own dayes, but he cannot shor­ten a Divine determination: the date of Hezekia's life was lengthened with respect to him­self, but not in respect of Divine purpose; that is the same, be our time long or short.

Object. But if Piety doe so prevaile with God to leng­then our lives, how comes it to pass that many good and holy [Page 60]men dye, whilst in the prime of their years?

Answer, Those that reason thus doe not consider that the righte­ous may be taken away from the evil to come; and by their deaths God may serve other ends of his Providence, and yet make his promise good, by recompensing Temporal with Eternal life. Al­though God hath promised long life to them that obey, yet he never promised that he would not borrow our natural lives as it were, and make a glorious ex­change.

DEath may sometimes be a great mercy, and life a great misery.

It is observed that from Adam to to the Flood by the Patriarks, were eleven Generations, but by Cains line eight, they being shor­ter lived, because God intending[Page 61]to bring a flood upon the World, rescued the Elect from the fatall Deluge. And the same reason is generally given in case Infants dye before the use of reason, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven. Although Abijah came to his grave whilst young, yet ther was some good thing found in him to­wards the Lord God of Israel.

Many times providence may make use of those distempered humours which the child derived from its Parent, to be the instru­ments of death; a holy person may dye in battail, and be sur­priz'd by every accident; all these things falling alike to all.

Yet these examples doe not contradict a general rule, viz. that Piety, and Faith in Christ; is a good preservative of natural life. Enoch and Elias never dyed, and became examples that a spotless life might possibly have been immortall.

SO that the best way to secure our health , is to indeavour to procure the providence of God to be our life guard; but when he withdraws his protection we are exposed to the aspect of a Star, the contingencies of a bat­tel, and the accidents of a humor: every day, and every minute we escape a thousand deaths sur­rounding us, it is as natural for a young person to dye as an old, because that is most natural which is most common, and hath most natural causes; but to dye with age is a very rare thing; but the sins of youth are the im­mediate instruments of death; and although a man in a consump­tion be under the preparations for death, yet one in health may be as near it, upon more fatall and less discern'd accompts, by a sud­den [Page 63]Feaver or Apoplexy, &c. There are some vices that carry a knife in their hand, and cut of man before his time; every sin­full pleasure tops off a branch from our short life.

Although we fly from death, yet it followeth us, and we doe like the poor creatures in Noahs flood, when one flour drowned, go to the next, and so higher and higher, and more and more di­ffracted with the horror of death, and when at the uppermost story, yet drown'd at last; so we run from one disease, and another o­vertakes us, and we are pursued untill destroyed at last by the king of Terrors.

DAvid indeavours to use all the means possible to secure his life, notwithstanding he had been told by Samuel he should[Page 64]live to wear the Crown, so that the Divine determinations concern­ing our lives should not lessen our care to preserve our lives. In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death, was Adams sen­tence; the wicked and blood thir­sty man shall not live out half his days; as the Patridge sitteth on eggs and hatcheth them not, so he that getteth riches and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his dayes. The covetous rich man shall have his soul or life taken away, and then whose are all his goods? Sauls disobe­dience, Ahaziahs evil consulta­tions, Jeroboams Idolatry, Ben­hadads curiosity, Ahabs cruelty, Hananiahs false Prophesie, He­rods vainglory, Saphyras perjury, the Samaritan lords infidelity, the forty two childrens calumny; these impieties had a particular influence upon the contracting of their days, as sacred writ de­monstrates.

MOreover, the infirmities of virtuous & good men, may so far provoke the Almighty, as to take away their natural lives, although he reward them with E­ternal life; as in the example of Moses and Aaron, and the good Israelites that murmured; the good Prophet slain by the Lion, Ely and Ʋzziah. Somtimes God cuts off children for the sinfull miscarriage of Parents, as in the case of Abijah, the widows child, Davids child, Elies children. Somtimes Subjects for the Ru­ [...]ers Impieties, as Davids Sub­ [...]ects.

ANother thing that is necessary towards the procuring the fluence of a Divine blessing with[Page 66]the means, is to endeavour to find out the cause of the distemper, I mean the supernatural cause; and to learn those lessons which pro­vidence intends to teach by sick­ness; the Prophet's quaere, where­fore doth the living man complain? doth plainly intimate that there is a reason; there is an Achan o [...] Babylonish garment, or some­thing that causeth the thorn in the flesh, and this must be remo­ved, for the Almighty doth not af­flict willingly; the rod hath a voice; there are many ends tha [...] God aims at in all afflictions: A [...] to correct for sinfull miscarriages▪ our minds have diseases as we [...] as our bodies; the tympany o [...] pride, the feaver of passion, th [...] dropsie of covetousness; an [...] therefore we are fed with th [...] bread of affliction, and the water of adversity; the plagu [...] of the heart, is many times cure [...] with the plague of the body▪ [Page 67]there is a root of bitterness, from whence all our troubles spring: As there is a vanity lyeth hid in the best worldly good, so there is a blessing lyeth hid in the worst worldly evil; we should imitate the Bee, gather sweet fruit out of bitter flowers.

WE should not like Baa­lam strike the Ass, look only upon the second cause of our sickness; but behold the An­gel, that is the immediat instru­ment. We are very prone to at­tribute too much to second cau­ses: but holy Job was of another minde, when his children were killed by the fall of a house, he saith, The Lord took them away.

Sometimes the Almighty takes away a person by death in mercy to the person, as Abijah and Jo­siah and others.

[Page 68]Sometimes he removes the child to exercise the parents faith, as Jobs children, and in the case of Isaac. One reason why our di­stempers are no sooner removed, is because the design of it is not answered.

THere are many happy inten­tions that Divine providence aymes at in laying sicknesses and diseases upon the bodies of men.

One end that Divine Goodness aimes at, is to demonstrate his own glory, in healing and resto­ring, so saith our blessed Lord concerning Lazarus; this sickness shall not be unto death, but for the glory of God; and indeed delive­rance from sickness is a singular mercy both to a mans self and o­thers. Epaphroditus was sick nye unto death, but God had mercy on him, and on me also saith holy [Page 69] Paul, and therfore we should bless the Lord with our souls, and all that is within us should praise his holy name, and that upon this ac­count, because he healeth all our diseases.

THis consideration ellivated the holy soul of Hezekias, and transported him into a divine Doxology, viz. the living, the living, they shall praise thee, as I doe this day.

When men are miraculously de­livered from death, after they have received the sentence there­of in themselves, it is given to this end that thanks may be many on their behalf.

When our souls are delivered from going down to the grave, and our eyes are enlightned that we sleep not the sleep of death, then [...]hould we praise the Lord in the [Page 70]great congregation, and our songs should be unto the God of our lives.

ANother design of providence in sickness is to prepare men for greater sufferings, it prepares us for death. St. Paul whose bodi­ly presence was weak, was rea­dy to dye for the name of Christ, why should he be afraid of them that kill the body, they can do no more then an Ague, or a Con­sumption, the sick-bed is the atti­ring room of the grave, in which we should be preparing our selves for the solemnities of our fune­rals: sicknes it is a gradual puting of this vail of flesh, that we may be cloathed upon, with our house, which is from heaven, it is the the harbinger of death; that we may say with that holy man when sickness comes, death worketh in[Page 71]us: death works apace, it works away our health, it works away our strength, it works away our ease, and works us into our graves.

LOrd make me to know my end, was the sickbed prayer of ho­ly David.

When patient Job was almost suffocated with the violence of his distemper, he concludes thus, I know, thou wilt bring me to death and to the house appointed for all living.

ANother design of God in sick­ness is to communicate ex­perience of his power and good­ness in strengthning and support­ing under it. Then is his strength made perfect in weakness, then [Page 72]hath the pious soul experience of Divine power strengthning him upon his bed of languishing and making all its bed in its sickness, when flesh and heart failes then God demonstrates to the soul, that he is the strength of its heart and portion for ever

Thus sickness is sometimes laid upon us, is that we may experi­ence the excellency of divine vi­sits, that in the end we may say thy visitation hath preserved my spi­rit.

SOmetimes sickness is laid up­on us to make us sympathize with others in the same conditi­on, David speaking of his very enemies, when they were sick, sackcloth was his clothing, how much more should we sympa­thize with the members of our spiritual head, and be sensible of the afflictions of Joseph.

ANother end of sickness is to teach us to pray when our bodies are the sinks of filthy hu­mors, our souls should be vialls of precious Odors, Hezekias turn­ed his face to the wall and prayed when his life was like to be cut off with pining sickness, when our natural beauty doth consume a­way like a moth then we begin with an O spare me that I may recover strength before I go hence and be seen no more. And we be­gin to pour out a prayer when heavens chastising hand is upon us.

SIckness is many times sent to try whether we will resign our selves and Relati­ons up by Death, as Job did[Page 74]his children, and as holy Ely said, It is the Lord let him do what seem­eth him good. Sometimes the knife of sickness is ready to slay an Isaac, to try whether we will be willing to sacrifice him to the will of God. If he will have our friends to eternity, who can give a randsom for them?

We are apt to cry after them as Elisha did when Elijah was ta­ken to heaven, My Father, my Father, but he stopt not to answer him. O Absolom, my Son, my Son, (cryeth the affectionat parent) would God I had dyed for thee?

Why should we mourn and weep for our dying Relations when all tears are wiped from their eyes, and they are singing Hallelujahs, with harps in their hands, to him that sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever.

The more lovely and excellent the friend was we parted with, [Page 75]the more admirable was our obe­dience.

SIckness sometime coms to try whether we are willing to leave this world and to come to glory.

We should live so as to be rea­dy at an hours-warning to leave all and to go to eternity, Thou shal call me out of this life and I will an­swer thee, said the holy man.

Sometimes a Feaver, or a con­sumption stands at the bed-side and cries, Husband come away from thy wife, Parent come away from thy child: now how ready should we be to be offered, and how willing that the time of our departure be at hand that upon the least intimation we may rea­dily go up to mount Nebo and dye?

MAny times divine provi­dence bids us go into a dis­temper and dye and go into a sick bed and dye, and certainly did we but with an eye of faith see whe­ther our diseases would carry us, it would be a thousand times har­der duty to be content to live then to be willing to dye if sincere Christians.

ANother arrant, that sickness comes upon, it is to try whe­ther we will hold fast our integri­ty, when the hand of Heaven toucheth our bone, and our flesh, he that can trust God although he kill him, the trial of that mans faith is more pretious then Gold, and will conduce to his praise ho­nor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

ANother end it is to conform us more & more to the divine Image, one great part of sick bed chastisements, is to make us par­takers of Gods holines, although the outward man decay, the in­ward man is thereby renewed day by day, after the image of him that created it; outward pains often procure inward peace. The loadstone of mercy draws us not so nearly unto the likeness of God as the cords of affliction.

ANother arrant sickness comes upon, it is to turn men from the ways of sin and iniquity, un­to virtue and obedience; hence God complains of the Jews, I have sent amongst you the pesti­lence, yet have you not returned [Page 78]many times a fit of sickness, it doth more good than an hundred Sermons. Sickness it comes to convince of sin, which is the me­ritorious cause of all diseases.

When our own wickedness doth correct us, we should then know and see, that it is an evil thing and a bitter, to forsake the Lord: in all our weaknesses God looks upon us, to see if any say, I have sinned and it profiteth me not. This was the effect of holy David's sickness, for he cry­eth out, There is no soundness in my flesh, because of thine anger, neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.

IF we did but behold the plagues the Consumptions, the inflamations, and the extreame burnings that attends as page [...] upon our pride, wantoness, car­nallity[Page 79]and intemperance, we should stand in awe and sin not, but commune with our own hearts upon our sick beds, and our spirits would make a more dilligent search in­to the causes of our distempers.

ANother errant of sickness is to convince us of the vanity of the creature; what a vain trea­sure is that which a lump of phlegme may take from us; a dead corps is a poor thing, it must return naked as it came into the world. If we could but view our selves, as we lye in our Graves and Coffins, what a poor thing would the World be in our eyes.

When a man looks upon his stately buildings, and sees the sweet situation, the wholesome aire, the convenient rooms; oh what golden dreams a man is in­volved in; but did, we see Death[Page 80]coming up into our windows, what pleasure then hath a man in his house after him, when the number of his moneths are cut of in the midst.

How vain are Noble Pedigrees, and generous extractions, and ancient Families, when we must say to corruption thou art my fa­ther, and to the worm, thou art my mother and sister.

ONe end of sickness it is to hide pride from man; what a vain thing is humane power? it will not avail in the day of sick­ness and death; if God doe not withdraw his anger the proud help­ers stoop under him, men of high dègree are vanity; although a man flourish like a green bay tree, yet he shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither like the green herb.

[Page 81]Sickness teacheth us the vanity of strength: though a mans bones be full of marrow, yet when sickness coms his strength, shall be dryed up like a potsherd.

How can our hands be strong in the day that God contends with us by sickness, although a bow of steel hath been broken by our armes, yet when sickness comes we are powred out like water and all our bones are out of joynt, then the keepers of the house, the arms will tremble and the strong men, the limbs will bow themselves, and we shall have rea­son to say verily every men, at his best estate is all together vanity.

It may convince us of the va­nity of children, they are indeed mercies in themselves. O that I were as in months past saith Job, when my children were about me, though the fare be but course yet it is the more pleasant to have these plants about the table, but [Page 82]sickness eomes and then these sweet flowers like a posey wither that we must conclude childhood and youth are vanity.

An aking tooth will damp all the pleasures of the world.

HOw vain must the World be whose comforts are not va­luable then whiles we have them not.

What will all the glittering no­things of the world be worth, when God shall let fall great drops of burning wrath upon that part of our souls which is most tender when he shall with a heavy hand chafe our consciences with fire and brimstone, when the world­ling that wallows in thick clay shall behold that judge which Gold and Silver cannot bribe, when the voluptuous will relish little pleasure in carnal delights, [Page 83]God writing bitter things against him: what a vain thing will mu­sick be to him that hears nothing but the screeches of his own con­science? what will cups avail him that must drink only a cup of Fu­ry? what are titles of honour to a man whose conscience calls him Reprobate?

SUppose our tongues faulter­ing, our eye-strings broken, our limbs trembling, for fear of an arrest by this grim sergeant death; mingle the best ingredients the world can afford, it cannot make a cheering Cordial.

Honour is but a blast of Popu­lar breath, and, like an eccho, va­nisheth into silence.

The misers Angils are all wing­ed, and fly away as an Eagle to­wards heaven.

Doth any man lye the safer be­cause[Page 84]his bed posts are gilt, doth our meal relish the better because served up in gold? are our clothes more fit because more fashiona­ble? what is gold and silver but di­versified earth and shining clay? the entrails of the earth, the place of its birth, upbraid us for ac­counting them so precious; the best perfumes are but the sweet of trees, or the mucous excre­ment of a beast, the softest silks are but the workings of a vile worm, the most generous wines but puddle water straind through a vine; and our choisest dellica­cies are but dirt Cook'd up in va­rious forms. Why should we lay the foundation of our happi­ness upon such phantacies? But sickness comes and gives us right notions of these things: and it teacheth us the right conduct of our Passions, to love these things as if we loved them not,[Page 85]it is like wormwood, to wean us from the breasts of the creature. The most considerable design of sickness, is to prepare us for Death and Judgement; to make us listen to the strikings of the clock of time with the more at­tention, to bring us to a more fa­miliar acquaintance with that stinglesse Serpent, and makes us apprehensive of our pilgrime state: there is nothing in death to make it dreadfull to a good Christian; many times our bit­ter cups are but as mornings draughts to eternity; by sickness we knock at the gates of the grave, every little accident stops our breath, the roughness of a grape stone, the reflections of a Sun beam, the dust of a wheele, the aspect of a star introduce death; let us therefore with Jo­seph take a turn or two in our garden, and visit our Sepulchre.

Old age is but a young death,[Page 86]and a man may read the sentence of death in some mens foreheads written in the lines of a lingring disease.

ALthough we came into the world but one way, we may go out a thousand.

Thus we see, sickness hath ma­ny ends when it comes, and un­less these be answered we cannot expect its removal. It is like a faithfull messenger, it will not go without its message.

ANother means to procure the influence of a Divine bles­sing, is, by imploring a Heaven­ly benediction, by fixing our eyes upon Him who laid the sickness upon us.

We should look to the hills from[Page 87]whence cometh our help, for our help cometh from the Lord that made heaven and earth; it is he that wounds that must heal; it is his hand that must make whole. Hence David calleth the Pestilence a falling into the hands of God, and when diseased, he cryeth out, Thy hand presseth me sore, and I am consumed by the blow of thy heavy hand. Diseases are called Gods arrows: he shoots the arrow of a Consumption into the lungs of a man; the arrow of a Fever into the heart of a man; or the arrow of the Gout into the limbs of a man & like a shot dear, he walks and eats and sleeps, yet the arrow sticks; friends pull, and Physitians pull, but he may say, Thy arrows stick fast in me. If he give a commission to the small-Pox, or any other disease, then the wounds stink, and are cor­rupt, and the body is filled with a loathsome disease, and there is[Page 88]burnings in stead of beauty.

Our times are in Gods hands, he appoints the frequent returns of our distempers, At the noise of his water spouts, his waves and his billows pass over us. He ap­points how long the distemper shall last, many continue in a lan­guishing condition some years, so that their lives hang in doubt, as Moses expresseth it, or as Heman saith of himself, I am afflicted and ready to dye from my youth up; and so Job complains, I am made to possesse monthes of vanity and wearisom nights are appointed to me.

SO may we observe men spit­ting their lives away, not­withstanding their friends pro­vide good dyet; the Physitians prescribes good remedies; the Minister puts up fervent pray­ers; [Page 87]yet, as Job speaks, God is of one mind, and who can turn him to restore health? But, when he speaks the word, the man is healed; I am the Lord that healeth thee, is the name he gives himself: and this is acknowledged by the Le­per; Lord if thou wilt, thou canst make me whole; and Christ did it, I will, Be thou clean. Thou art my King, command de­liverances for Jacob, said David, when the water-spouts came pour­ing upon him. Ʋnto God the Lord belong the issues from Death.

WHat a great impiety is it to go to Witches or Wizzards, or such as have fami­liar Spirits, nay to the Devils for cure? A thing absolutely forbid­den in Scripture.

A sad thing for a man to pro­cure[Page 88]the Devils blessing with Gods curse; It is called Idolatry and Whoredom. It is a violati­on of our Baptismal Covenant. Shall not a Nation seek to their God in Covenant? Our Saviour abhorred to worship them, and shall his members do it? They use good words the better to de­ceive the ignorant. They use charms, circles, spells, words, and other signes, which have no natu­rall virtue; nor can we with any ground pray for a blessing upon these. The Devil being herein God's Ape: for, As God hath made a Covenant with his peo­ple; and hath appointed signs and Seales upon the faithfull use of which he is present to per­form what he hath promised: So the Devil makes a Covenant with Witches, upon which he hath given signes and tokens that if they use the one, he wil perform[Page 89]the other. Let such as are guilty in this kind repent, and pray that the thoughts of their hearts may be forgiven them, as the Apostle counselled Simon Magus.

The power of Christ is the same now in Heaven as when on earth; in his hand our breath is, and all our wayes; in him we live and move and have our being; we live not by bread alone, but by the word of blessing out of his mouth. Many a man loseth his life for want of asking it.

We are apt to blame this means and that accident, but seldom say as she did; Lord, if thou hadst been here, My Brother or Si­ster had not dyed: the means alone, are but like Elijahs staff, it will not doe unlesse he come himself.

By fervent prayers we should invite Omnipotence to our beds sides; And call for the Elders[Page 90]of the Church to pray for us.

All second causes are but the in­struments in Gods hand to lengthen or shorten, as He pleaseth.

THere are three general se­cond causes of the death of all men, assigned in 1 Sam. 26.10.

As, some inward corrupt Hu­mour or Disease, that smites the vitals, & extinguisheth Nature's lamp; as a Lamp goeth out when the oyle it putrefied or cor­rupt; as Asa's Gout, Jehoram's bloody-flux, the plague of Leprosie, the womans child's Headach; and those diseases mentioned in the 28. of Deute­ronomy.

Another second cause, is some external accident, as a Lamp is putout by the Wind; so the un­believing[Page 91]lord kil'd in a crowd, Ahab slain with an arrow; the Captain of fifty with Lightning, Jobs children with the fall of a house; the good Prophet by a Lion; Absolom hanged in a tree by the hair; Sodem by fire; the fifty two children by the Bears; The old world by water; the Re­bels against Moses, the earth swallows up.

ANother second cause is when the naturall heat and radical moysture is consumed, as in old age as Jacob: when a man comes to his grave in a full age, as a shock of corn comes in its season; as a Lamp must go out when there is no more oyle to feed it.

Yet, Providence hath a hand in all these second causes: so that men provoke God by their im­pieties to cut the thred of their [Page 92]their lives: and by Piety and Obedience they may prevaile with Him to lengthen their days, if he see good.

ANother means towards the procuring the concurrence of a Divine blessing with the means, is, To act faith and a holy confidence in God, with the use of proper means; one touch of faith will cure, our faith will make us whole, therefore trust in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. I had failed unless I had believed, said David. Faith is the best cordial; in quietness and confidence lyeth our greatest strength; why should we be cast down, let us hope in him who is the health of our countenance? What time we are afraid we [Page 93]should trust in God, and beware of slavish fear and carnal confi­dence; former experience is a good ground of confidence, He hath delivered, and in him we trust he will deliver us. Stand still and see the salvation of God is good counsell towards reco­ery of health: it is a sign of car­nall confidence in the means, when we are continually trying new experiments, and run from one thing to another, and leave rationall and experimental re­medies.

REpentance and humiliation, is another means towards recovery from sicknesse; if we humble our selves under the mighty hand of God, he will exalt us in due time; the way to hasten the cure is to hasten re­pentance;[Page 94]our desire of life should be in order to our prepa­rations for death; if we break off our sins by righteousness, it may be a lengthning of our tranquillity: Nineveh's repen­tance spared their lives: if men will not reform, then God re­solves to make them sick with smiting them: as the Prophet speaks.

The last means to procure a Divine blessing, it is a patient waiting the good pleasure of God without murmuring and repining, They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength: God hath his times for deliverance. It is goad for a man to hope, and quietly to wait for the salvation of God, and not to say, This evil is of the Lord, why should I wait for him any longer? God hath his time to an hour, as our Saviour intimates,[Page 95] Father, save me from this hour.

The Promise is, that Women shall be saved in child-bearing, if they continue in faith and pati­ence; and it is of force in all o­ther dangerous distempers. A meek and a quiet spirit under all Divine chastisements, is a very great ornament.

Some make Afflictions seem a­miable by a pious and a patient Deportment.

MUrmuring is a dangerous sin; we have the Jews for an example, who were de­stroyed thereby. A dreadful thing, when a mans body is so weak that he cannot rise up in his bed, yet his corruptions are so strong, as to rise into an uproar against Gods will and Authority.

It may be, some in Sickness may[Page 96]let fly their discontented spirits against their children or relati­ons; but they may answer as Moses to the Israelites; What are we? your murmurings, are not against us, but against the Lord. Some men practise what Jobs wife attempted, viz. curse God and dye.

Murmurers shall be judged at the last day as ungodly men, as Jude speaks.

Some in sickness howl upon their beds, when they should be blessing God.

In all sickness we should say with Naomi, Truly the hand of the Lord is against me, and not in a stupid senseless way cry out, Indeed I am not well, but I shall shake it off; it is only a flight di­stemper, I wil work it out. This is like the Jews, Truly this is my grief, and I must bear it as well as I can; thus men put from [Page 97]them the evil day, and talk as if they were but beginning to live when they are ready to dye, and boast as if they made a covenant with death. It highly pro­vokes God, that when his hand is lifted up, they will not see it. Frowardness exasperates our calamities. Now there are several considerations that may move Christians to patience and a willing submission unto the hand of God in sickness, as to con­sider, That it is laid upon us by a loving and wise Father, and this may compose our spirits. Shall we not drink the cup which our Father hath given us to drink? we have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence, shall we not much ra­ther be subject to the Father of Spirits and live? they chastened us after their own pleasure, but He for our profit.

SIckness it is a pledg of our Adoption: God afflicts in faithfulness, He aims at our good thereby; and in making sore, he binds up; faithful are the wounds of such a friend; when the righ­teous God smites, he doth us a kindness; we are not in heaviness except need be; let us not say, We are sick, so as to complain, if sin be pardoned.

Again, Consider how many years of health you have injoyed formerly, this may compose the spirits; And shall we receive good at the hand of God, and not evil?

Again, Consider that it might be worse: It is a mercy we are not utterly consumed, that we are out of hell, that we are scourged with rods not with scorpions, that our[Page 99]calamity is a natural infirmity, not a wounded spirit, for that is intolerable.

Again consider, that if our sick­ness be never so painful, we brought it upon our selvs, We should therefore bear the indigna­tion of the Lord because we have sinned against him.

A Gain, the best of men, in all ages, have been exposed to the same distempers of body; Lazarus whom Christ loved, was sick. It is nothing but what is com­mon to man, and we may take the Prophets and Apostles for our examples in suffering affliction of the like kind, and of patience.

Lastly, look beyond all these sorrows and sickness, the Time is short, the Coming of the Lord draws nigh, Heaven will make [Page 100]amends for all; take a prospect of the Land of Promise, where there shall be no more crying nor pain, but sorrow, sighing, and sickness shall fly away.

And these Rules being observed in sickness would be an effectual way to procure the concurrence of a Divine blessing, with the means that are used towards the preservation of natural life.

A serious contemplation of Heaven, and a future State where these vile weak languishing bo­dies, shall be made like the glo­rious body of Christ, in spiri­tual agility and immortallity, may exhilarate the spirits of a Christian, when his flesh upon him is so in pain, as to cause his soul with in him to mourn. Spi­ritual peace is the best cordial to chear up the heart against bodily pains: the inhabitants of Sion complain not of sickness, if sin[Page 101]be but pardoned. Our bodies are like Nebuchadnezzar's Image, whose feet were of clay: our foundations are in the dust, and it is as natural, for our bodies to be out of frame, as for a Watch to be irregular in its motions, nay far more natural; besides, our in­dispositions depend upon super­natural causes. Sometimes sick­ness and divine wrath, are conco­mitants, as Solomon intimates, and then its sad indeed; and sometimes it comes to good pur­poses; if Naaman had not been Leprous, he would not have given the Prophet a visit. De­trimenta Corporis, incrementa vir­tutis; Be mercifull unto me, O Lord, for I am weak, and my bones are sore vexed, saith holy David, when Gods chastning was upon him.

The sickness of the body many times brings the body of sin [Page 102]into a Consumption, and the ho­liness of the heart is many times promoted by the weakness of the body; when Jacob's thoughts were in Heaven, he minded not his Thigh being out of Joynt. Surely it is a mercy that God hath abridged so much of the term of mans life, in these last days, wherein so much of Hea­ven is discovered, that it would put a Saints patience to it, to know so much of the upper worlds glory, and yet to be kept so long from it, as the Fathers in the first Ages were. Such is the Saints state in this world, that their very life, and the pompous entertainments of it, are but their cross, because they detain them from their Crown.

VVHen we seriously consi­der and reflect upon the [Page 103]nature of man in this State of mortality, and observe the won­derful composure of our Bodies; the Scituation of the Parts; the circulations of the Blood; the se­cret meanders of the Veines and Nerves, and the curious distribu­tions and digestions of our ali­ment into Blood and Flesh, and take notice how small an obstru­ction in any part will discompose our health, and stop the current of our ease; how small an inflam­mation will transport us into an other world, as if we went in a fiery Chariot; how mean a pu­trifaction is able to crumble us into our first Original; These things considered, may not only compose our spirits under sick­ness, but fill us with admiration, that we live an hour in health and ease.

Did we but consider our frame and remember we are but dust, [Page 104]how should we wonder that every blast of aire doth not blow us in­to our sick beds, and graves?

We are as naturally exposed to trouble and sickness, as the sparks are to fly upwards, why then should we not be thank­full, that pains and anguish are not our constant companions?

VVEre it possible for a man to stand upon one of the Battlements of Heaven, and with one glance of his eye, to behold all the wounds and Diseases; and so hear all the groans and complaints of all the sick persons in the world, how would the blessing of health be prized by such a one? how uneasie a place is a sick bed, when the man is full of tossing to and fro, until the dawning of the day; & when it is day withing twere night, and[Page 105]when it is night wishing for day, imploying his time in telling the Clock, and entertaining melan­choly apprehensions of the black­ness of the night? Sick men as Seneca observes; Aegrotantes mu­tationibus ut remediis utuntur, use changes as if they were remedies. How miserable in outward ap­pearance is that mans case whose flesh is cloathed with worms, as holy Jobs was: Some Criticks do observe, that the word transla­ted flesh, it springs from a root, which signifieth, to bring glad ti­dings, and the Gospel is exprest by it Evangelium, and they give this reason for it, because there must be a taking off Flesh, viz. the incarnation of Christ; which would bring the best news the world ever heard of.

OUr Bodies as they come out of the hands of sin are vile [Page 106]Bodies; and before they can be made like unto Christs glorious Body, This corruption must put on incorruption. As they are the works of God they are wonder­fully made, and all our parts are exactly and curiously wrought,

saith the Poet.

But yet sickness coms as a wea­vor; and cuts off our thred of life, as Hezekiah upon his sick-bed expresseth it; nights and days passe the shuttle of our lives backwards and forwards, but time quickly wears off the thred of life.

The Poets had a fiction, answer­ing this allusion of the Holy Ghost, they tell us of three Si­sters, whereof one held the Di­staff; the second drew the Thred; the third cut it off; in this they shadow the State of mans life.

WE may take notice of the vanity of our lives, by our frequent returns of sicknesses and distempers. It is a good observa­tion of Pineda, Abel viventium Omnium typus & representatio, Adam called his Son Abel, which signifieth vanity, Psalm 144, there is an allusion unto those names, we translate it, Man is like to vanity, but in the Hebrew it is, Adam is as Abel, Adam being a common name to all men, are: Abels vain. Moreover saith he, the word Abel, is translated Idol in Deut. 32.31. and the Apo­stle tels us that an Idol is nothing, and such is our life.

A meer man is but meer earth; the Prophet tells him so three times over with one breath, Jer. 22. O earth, earth, earth, hear the [Page 108]word of the Lord; He is earthly in the constitution of his Body, and earthly in the corruption of his mind; why then should the living man complain and think it strange to meet with sick-bed try­als? Sin is the mother that breed­eth all our Benonies, or sons of sorrow and sickness; man had ne­ver tasted these sower herbs if he had not eaten the forbidden fruit: yet we may like Sampson fetch meat out of this Eater, and take this sickness which is so unplea­sing to our flesh, for the advant­age of our spirit. If bodily health help us to relish our outward comforts, surely saving health wil sweeten the bitterest cup. One of the Antients tels us, that the im­age of the goddess Angerona was with a muffler at her mouth, pla­ced at the Alter of Volupia, to sig­nifie that pleasure shall be their portion who bear sicknesses with[Page 109]patient silence, and submission.

When Pompey was sick, his sub­jects wore garlands and trium­phed, they apprehending it to conduce much to his advantage.

A great Statesman of ours ob­serves that we English are best when we are in black. An­glica gens est optima flens, in the dayes of Edward the Sixth, when the sweating sickness raged in England, then the Churches were thronged, and the Ministers were sent to, to come to such a Lord and such a Lady, to pray with them, and a bag of Mony sent to give away to the poor, as a good Historian observes.

Sometimes God doth with his rod of correction, as Moses with his rod in Egypt, viz. work won­ders, although the Christian hath[Page 110]been pressed by sickness out of measure above strength insomuch that he hath despaired even of life, and hath been ready to cry out, Master save me or I perish.. Yet he hath lived to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the liv­ing, so efficatious hath the divine blessing been, that hath attended the means of restauration, the concurrence of which Benedicti­on is a thing too much neglected, and the generallity look upon the successes of remedies to depend altogether upon second causes.

HIppocrates gave this Coun­cell to Physitians, when they they went to visit their Patients, to consider whether there were not. Divinum aliquod in morbo.

And Galen saith in medicina ni­hil exiguum: O how great a[Page 111]blessing is health, vita non est vi­vere sed valere.

And doubtless the means to procure it must be both Honora­ble and profitable and must be ac­knowledged, to be so by every one, that is, sanae mentis, and doth not want hellibore, so saith the wiseman honor the Physitian with that honor due unto him, for God hath created him, he hath given men skill that he might be honored in his marvelous Works; God hath created Me­dicines out of the earth with which he heals men, and takes away their pains, of which the Apothecaries make a confection Ecclesiasticus

THe Heathen, did so highly value there Pharmacia, that Apollo and Aesculapius (esteemed by some) the first founders of phy­sick, were adored as Gods, for the [Page 112]excellency of their invention, and Hippocrates amongst the Grecians and Cornelius Celsus amongst the Latines, are highly commended for there improvements therein. Homer, doth Heroically trumpet the Physitians praise. [...].

Were it the divine pleasure to give men a constant frame of health, during there pilgrimage, it were a wonderful favor, for Misere vivit qui medice vivit. But it can not be, nature must be up­held by Art: as Hippocrates in his first Aphorism, [...]. Our bodies like standing waters will gather mud and collect ill humors, so that as Hippocrates observes, ultimus sa­nitatis gradus est morbo proximus. Never was there a greater piece of folly committed by the Ro­mans, then when they banished their learned Physitians.

THe Blessed God is pleased to stile himself Jehovah Rophe, the Lord the Physitian Exodus the 15, and the holy Jesus hath his name [...] ab [...] sano (though chiefly in a spirituall sense) from his healing nature.

It is observable that those words in the 147 Psal. 3. in our old Eng­lish translation are expressed thus viz. He giveth medicine to heal their sicknesses.

Health is the Prince of out­ward blessings, the widow in the Gospel disesteemed her substance in comparison of this jewel. The Physitian is therfore called manus dei to hand it to us.

SOme indeed there are may be called manus Diaboli, both [Page 114]for their ignorance and baseness, like that French man, who gave these verses in writing to all his Patients, for the cure of their diseases.

English thus,

It is a great priviledge to have one who will cure by friendship as well as by Physick, as Seneca, huic ego non tanquam medico sed tanquam amico obligatus sum, although we ought in the first place to acknowledge our grati­tude to the great Physitian for our recovery, as the Lepers un­der the Law, after they were cleansed, were to offer their gifts to the divine Majesty, and the[Page 115]same word which signifieth to heal signifieth to Worship be­cause after healing men should Worship, yet the Physitian is worthy of a liberal fee, the Abde­rites when they wrote to Hippo­crates for the cure of Democrates (whom they thought distracted because he alwayes laughed, at the rediculousness, of m [...]ns lives) sent him word. Quicquid auri a­pud nos est libenter, persolvemus etiamsi; tota urbs nostra aurum es­set, it is a great mercy to be in a condition, to administer help to the sick in their distresse, the ge­nerallity being like the Priest and Levite, if they see a man wound­ed though to death, pass on the o­ther side of the way, nay like Ha­zaels wet cloth, prove deadly to their friends lives and healths.

Sickness saith one is, officina virtutis, morum disciplina, the shop of virtue, the school of manners; [Page 116]the tide time of devotion.

King Alfred was wont to say I alwaies find my self best in soul when worst in body.

BEnhadad the King of Syria an enemy to goodness in his health, will send to Elisha with a large present, and submissive ex­pressions in his sickness; a sick bed, being the highway to the grave makes men serious.

The Rabbies say that when Adam eat the forbidden fruit his head aked, 'tis clear, sin is the original of sickness, when we are chastised with pain upon our beds, and the multitude of our bones with strong pain, then the Almighty seals up our instructi­ons and the sick bed becomes a pulpit in which the Spirit of God preacheth to us, many serious [Page 117]truths, and convinceth us of our sin & folly: our Redeemer is said to bear our sicknesses, because he bears our sin in his body on the tree, yet, so incorrigible are some under Divine corrections, that having been smitten, they have revolted yet more and more, and like Jeroboam, been worse after his hand was withered, and will not acknowledge the soveraignty of God, as Naaman did after his recovery, that when ther are ten cleansed we may well say where are the nine, that return thanks, such is the power of infidellity, and Ingratitude.

A healthful life is a right hand blessing, Prov. 3.16, Adam the first man, lived near a thou­sand years, after his creation 930 years, being then a perfect man,[Page 118]we may reckon him nearer a thousand years than Methusalah when he dyed. There might be many reasons consigned for the long lives of the patri­archs, as that mankind might be multiplied, that Arts and sciences might be perfected, and that men might be acquainted and skilled in the course of nature, having no books, from which to collect ob­servations, but alass the case is not so with us, fewand evil are the dayes of our pilgrimage, and we cannot arrive at the years of our Fathers, in the dayes of their pil­grimage we are but of yesterday and know nothing; (comparative­ly to what we might know,) be­cause our dayes upon earth are but as a shadow: indeed Adam in his sinless state, might possibly have been Imortal, and his eating of the tree of life, might have con­duced to the supplying of his ra­dical [Page 119]moysture as fast as it suffer­ed depredation, by his vital spi­rit: Moreover the tree of life in Pa­radise might be of a Sacramental signification, that perseverance in a state of Evangelical obedience unto the father, by the son through the Spirit, is the most effectual way to obtain a long and a health­ful life in this world, (so far as it conduceth to the creatures good and the Creators glory,) and a blessed Immortallity in the next.