HEZEKIAHS' RECOVERY. OR, A SERMON, SHOWING what use HEZEKIAH did, and all should make of their deliverance from sickness.  
First preached, and now published by ROBERT HARRIS, Pastor of HANWELL.  
LONDON, Printed by R.Y. for john Bartlet, at the golden Cup in the Goldsmith's Row in Cheapside. Anno M. DC. XXVI.   

TO THE PRESENT READER, ESPECIALly to his once-Hearers about LONDON; THE AUTHOR WISHETH all peace and goodness.  
Much honoured, and respected in the Lord; it's no time to dwell upon private passages, all our spare hours are too few for public prayers and praises: 
Peter's Enlargement.  of those I have said something already, I only add this for the present. The estate of the Church abroad, or States assembled at home, challenge our utmost performances in that kind. Of these I cannot (indeed, who can?) say enough. The mercies of God are wonderful towards us, as men, as Christians, as English Christians. When I lay ourselves by other Nations and Churches, I cannot read what Moses said to his Israel, and not make it ours. Happy art thou O England, who is like unto thee, O People saved by the Lord? etc. Deut. 33.29. For what Nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them (the only glory of a Nation) as the Lord our God is, in all things that we call upon him for Deut. 4.7. What public suit did we ever prefer that did not prosper? instance one; nay judge, what could have been done more for this Vineyard, that the Lord hath not done in it? Esa 5.4. If peace be worth thanks, we have had it, if plenty, we have had it, if victory, we have had it, if the Gospel, if all, we have had all; if we have lost anything, thank unthankfulness, if we lose more, it will be our own fault: for God takes no forfeiture, but what unthankfulness makes. Let us not then stand still till the Lord recever his own from us, as once from Israel: but whilst he blesses us, 
Hos. 2.9.1. Chr. 29.14  let us present him with his own, and show ourselves truly thankful, whilst he is infinitely bountiful. Now true thankfulness, is not a lesson soon learned; 1. the thing itself is made up of many parcels: 2. the party that undertakes it must be more than a man: David, Psal. 9.1. intimates so much, 
Psal. 9  when for the matter, he delivers it in four parts: 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Graec. For of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cipher seems to come.  whereof, the first is acknowledgement of God in all, the second, a cypharing and summing up of special mercies, the third an expression of spiritual joy in God, as well as in his gifts, and the fourth, a dedication of our songs and selves to his Name, Vers. 1.2. And for the manner, presses, 1. integrity, for subject & object, Ver. 1.2. sincerity, for affection and end, Vers. 2. If then we intent true thankfulness, we must so see Gods Name written upon every token of his love, that withal, we keep a register of the chiefest, and so look upon the gift, that in it we relish the giver, and sacrifice ourselves to his Name. We be too short, if we arise no higher than to God's blessings: the blessed God is far and far beyond all created blessings; he is better than health, than wealth, than peace, 
jam 1.1.  than grace: all these be but streams that lead us to the fountain, but beams that guide our eyes to that father of lights, to that Son of righteousness, 
Mal. 4.2.  God reconciled, God incarnate; God, made ours by his own gift and goodness, is our peace, our help, 
Ps. 18.1.2.  our health, our life, our every thing, as David can never say enough this way: and when we see, and taste, and feel all comfort, sweetness, happiness in him, and there upon unite our selves to him, be transformed into him, pass into him, as that holy Austen speaks, and make him our joy, our fear, our trust, our Lord, our food, our house, our covering, our all, then, then are we truly thankful. Let us not then look upon health, peace, other blessings in themselves, look upon them as they be in God; see him healing, blessing, saving: nay look not so much what he is to us, as what he is to the whole body, nay, what he is in his Christ, nay, what in his blessed self: how glorious, how rich, how good, how far above all creatures, 
Nch. 9.52.  all praises, all thoughts: O the preciousness of his thoughts to us! O the height, depth, breadth, length of his love in Christ: these cannot be fathomed by a David, by a Paul: but O the boundless, bottomless sea of beauty, glory, excellency, power, wisdom, goodness, that is in the fountain itself! O the matchless splendour that is in that un approcheable light, that no mortal eye, no immortal Angel can be hold; here not to lose ourselves in admiration, is not to love; not to beer apt and ravished with the Church, is not to praise aright: And thus we shall never praise, till we see the great God in the least mercy, 
Ps. 51.15.  and an universal good in particular blessings, nay, when we do so, unless God open the mouth and enlarge the heart, our lips will not praise him: therefore we must have help from God if ever we will sing to him: 
Aug.  For as no man can define God without God, so neither can he praise him. Labour therefore to be sild with the fullness of God, with the Word of God, Col. 3.16. with the Spirit of God, Eph. 5.13. with the comforts and goodness of God, and then our mouths will be full of songs, than we shall sing to his Name, as the Prophet saith, 
Ps. 63.52.  magnify him, live to him, do all to him, which is true life, true thankfulness. This is that thanks giving which here I call upon every Reader to perform, especially upon myself, and my Christian friends about the City. It hath pleased God to wound and heal us as he the did Hezekiah, there are not many of us, who did not (I think) receive in ourselves the sentence of death, is Hezekiah did: now we are restored to life again, what should we do, but sing with him all the days of our life? I have begun to you, as I was then able, when God (after personal and domestical sicknesses) brought me into his House; I beseech you second me, and let not any prejudice frustrate my exhortation.  
Truth it is, I have not been able to answer your loves, your desires; but reckon that amongst my crosses, not my faults: 'tis true, I undertook you with much fear, but that did slow frons your sufficiency, and mine own inabilities. I left you quickly; 'tis true, and in so doing, if I did not deserve praise, here I am, I did pitry. Beloved, I never had, I never look to have in this pilgrimage, that comfort in my labours that there I found: What dashed so hopeful beginnings, time will speak when I am speechless. In the mean, I am upon a better argument: When I speak of man, I speak of a poor nothing; I am now in speech of the great King, Psal 45.1. When I speak of men's infirmities (as needs I must, if I will heal myself) I am raking in a channel; 
Traducatur nomen sibi ut appar humanitas domini. Chry. ad Pop. Ant. hom. 12. Aug. de Donatist.  whilst I am contemplating Gods excellencies, I am in a garden of spices: pardon me, if I prefer this to that; and in case I forget my own name to magnify Gods, and be content to receive a scar, that many may escape a wound, hold me excused: it suffices me that wisdom is satisfied. As for wilfulness (which will not yield to truth, because 'tis wedded to fancy, and passion) and ignorance, 
Foelix seelus virtus vocarur, & contrà.  (which names virtues and vices from the event) they are unsatisfiable. Me thinks this conclusion should content modesty. If at any time, in any thing I have given offence, I humbly crave a par●on; where none is given, none will be taken by the charitable: For the rest, I say with that Angelical man, 
So Chrys. of Paul.  let them be honest, it sufficeth, though I be as a reed, 2. Cor. 1.17. as a Reprobate, 2. Cor. 13.7. And now my worthy friends, let me proceed in my exhortation. Should I not love you, I were not a man: for your love to me hath exceeded all desert and expectation; and all the while some (by occasion of your call) have gamed more by my poor labours, than I can possibly lose, I have no reason to repent me of this acquaint ance, but more abundant cause of blessing God, and loving you; only whereas I could not here to fore in person correspond as was fit, let me at least in writing make that expression of my love, that I am able, before I go the way of all flesh. Now what expressions can be expected from a Preacber, but prayers, praises, exhortations, & c? When you died, I prayed for you as I could: now you live, I rejoice with you, and call upon you to sing with me. And whereas (as 'tis well noted) we usually are best when worst, 
Optimos esse nos dum infirmi sumus. Pli. ep.l. ●. Max. Tales esse sani perseveremus, & cibib.  and live best when we die fastest, I call upon you, as upon myself, to remember) yourselves, and not only cast (as the Heathen teaches) how to hold your own, but rather to exceed. I ever dealt freely with you, let me not now alter. Famce saith, that London is as covetous, as proud, as wanton, as secure as ever. I cannot believe it: it is almost impossible, that so great a judgement, so gracious a deliverance should so soon be buried. Alas (London) thou hast as yet scarce buried thy dead: the noise of bells, the cry of parents, the scriching of thy widows are not yet out of thine cares, the grim face of death stands yet in thy sight, thy bloody wounds are scarcely staunched as yet: If thou couldst forget judgements, thou canst not be unsensible of God's mercies and thy change. If London should, yet do not you (Beloved,) let others security be your fear, others impenitency your sorrow; and the less others take to heart God's great, God's remarkable works, by so much the more do you improve the same to all holy purposes. More would I say to you, but that I have prevented myself in my more public exbortation; both that and this (more privately spoken out of my special relation and affection to you) I now commend to your serious consideration and God's blessing, who alone can speak to the heart, beseeching him, 
Aug. in joh. open. Minatur poenas, ac poenas inferat. Theod, in Exe. cap. 7.  who therefore threatens that he may not smite, to give us eyes to see plagues afar off, and hearts to profit by less, that we may not feel plagues yet seven times more, yet seven times worse than all yet felt, Leu. 26. Amen.  
Hanwell, March 20. Yours ever in the Lord, ROB. HARRIS.   

GEntle Reader, I entreat thee correct these faults (being the most material) with thy pen.  
In the Epist. pag. 1. l. 8. read our. p. 4. l. 9 for here r. sure. ib. in marg. r. servi. In the Serm. p. 16. l. 23. r. no more. p. 22. marg. r. Videatur. p. 26 l. 11. r. Noble Hezekiah. p. 29. marg. l 8. & to. r. quod. p. 33. l. 11. r. finnefull poverty. p. 41. marg r. Tacuimus. p. 42. marg. for vol. r. Reg. p. 43. l. 29. r. much.   

HEZEKIAH'S RECOVERY.  ESA. 38.9. 
The writing of Hezekiah King of judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness.  
LO here a double condition and behaviour of King Hezekiah; 1. he was ficke, and then he prayed: 2. he is recovered, and now he gives thanks. Our business lies in this latet part; which is made up of these two: 1. an Inscription, 2. a Description of the Song.  
The Description presents unto us the parts of it; 1. an aggravation of Hezekiah's former misery: 2. an amplification of the present mercy.  
The Inscription acquaints us, 1. with the author of the Song, King Hezekiah. 2. with the nature of it, a Poem written. 3. with the argument of it, a Song of thanksgiving for the removeall of sickness, & restoring of health. And first to the first: the passage is clear, sick Hezekiah prays, etc.  
Sick Hezekiah prays, found Hezekiah sings: as comfort succeeds his cross, so praises his prayers. Hence this:  
After prayers, 
Doct. 1.  praises. Prayers and praises do not so enterfaire that they can never be separated, neither is there any necessity of premising pertitions to each particular thanksgiving; only in a generality this is regular, when we have removed afflictions by prayer, we should welcome deliverances with songs. So much was 1. established by Law, 
Shelamim.  Levit. 3. & 7. after sacrifices of pacification, followed sacrifices of payments and thanksgiving. 2ly. ratified in the Gospel. It's a general Canon, Is any afflicted? what if? Let him pray; Is any merry? what then? Let him sing. 'tis not unlawful to pray in mirth, to sing in misery, ordinarily; but 'tis simply necessary in afflictions ro be prayerful, in the midst of mercies to be thankful, and to entertain several conditions with different behaviours. Hereof is it that the Apostle. S. Paul doth so often link prayers and thanksgivings together: as who would say, when the one is put over, you must pass to the other. So much (3ly.) upon particular occasions is 1. prescribed by God, 2. practised by his Saints. Particulars will not be needful to men who know the general course of Scriptures. So much (4ly.) S. john foretells, and in a sort undertakes for sucoceding ages, in his Revelat. What singing there should be after persecutions by Heathenish Rome, he foretells in his fifth chapt. what there was, Eusebius reports, especially in his last book. Again, what songs should follow upon the Church's deliverance from Rome Christian, or other (whether seducers or persecutors) S. john fore-prophesies, 
V. jubilees of the reformed Churches.  time partly hath already, and more fully will hereafter discover. So much (5ly.) Education and Reason taught Heathens, and must persuade us. For, first, 
Reas. 1.  if we look to God, he is (as the Prophet saith) worthy to be praised; 1. all excellency is his, therefore all honour, saith reason in Philosophers. 2. All Religion is due to him, therefore all thanks, which is a religious act; for to the highest Majesty is due the loweft subjection, and that is Religion, which subjects the soul. 3. He is the first spring and author of good: all excellency and honour is invested in him, and derived from him, and therefore must return to him, Rom. 11. ult.  
2. If we consider the thing itself; 
Reas. 2.  thanks is due after mercies received, and we cannot withhold it without many incongruities: first (as is implied) Religion is violated, which tells us that we 1. owe to God all possible service; 2. that thanksgiving is a special worship, wherein we transfer all honour from creatures to God, Psalm. 50. ult. 3. that we are no less bound to acknowledge God's workings in our praises, than his willingness in our prayers.  
2. Charity is violated, which bids us love an enemy, much more a God; to bless those that curse, much more those that bless us; to overcome evil with good, much more to answer goodness with goodness. 
V. Arist. Ethics.  Indeed kindness, by the rules of friendship & love in the Heathens judgements, doth challenge either recompense, if we deal with our matches, or acknowledgement where the distance is great; & the greater this, the greater that. Now betwixt God & us the distance is infinite, and if 'twere possible our love & thankfulness should fill up that distance, and extend itself into infiniteness.  
On the other side, not to be as forward with our praises as prayers, argues base self-love and servility, and makes it appear that we love not God but his gifts; nay, in truth that we secretly hate him. For we begrudge no man the praise of his kindness, but whom we either envy or hate: now God is above the reach of our low envy; and therefore our loathness to acknowledge him, proceeds from our inbred enmity against him, when of the twain we had rather deny his grace, than yield ourselves beggars and dependants,  
3 justice is violated: we owe God thanks, 1. in point of Law and covenant; 'tis our profession, our promise, our cheefage and rent that is due to him: 
Gratia specialis pars justitiae. Cic. l. 2. de inzent.  so that the Orator spoke not over, when he intimated that Ingratitude was a kind of Unjustice. For what more unjust, than to detain, against all desert and covenant, God's right? 2. In point of morality and honesty; in manners we must reciprocate with men, much more with God: nor can he be an honest man, who is not ashamed to be an unthankful man.  
3 If we compare the duties, 
Reas. 3.  no reason but we should be as full of thanks as prayers: 1. I am sure we have as many mercies as crosses, comforts (in present and reversion) as wants. 2. All our sorrows and afflictions are deserved, all our comforts undeserved: if that must not weaken our prayers, surely this must greaten our thanks. 3. Thankfulness will become us as much as beging, nay (as the Prophet adds) as much benefit us, 
Chrys. ad pop. Ant. Hom. 11.  as much comfort us: Thankfulness holds old mercies, and wins new; yea, greater thankfulness is a surer evidence of love and sincerity than prayer, and no less a cause than a sign of joy; if not signior to prayer in the world, yet of more lasting, at least of more excellency in the world to come.  
Once, it is at least as needful for us to give up praises as prayers, for these reasons: First, we are (for certain) as forgetful of the consolations as of crosses, nay more, because we are more sensual than intellectual, and fullest of self-love. Secondly, we are as likely to miscarry in prosperity as in adversity, unless the one be sanctified by thanksgiving, as well as the other by prayer. As Crosses without prayer will embitter us, so Blessings without praises will swell us, and make us giddy, unless we alloy our wine with some of this sugar, thanks I mean, which is sweet in itself, most comfortable to us, 
Cant. 7 9  and more acceptable to God than sweetest Wines or Incense.  
Well, we hear what should be; 
Use 1.  now by way of reflection le's do two things: whereof the first is: fee what we have done. Prayers and praises should sucoced each other, as day doth night summer winter; what say you? hath it been so? The truth is, when I cast my thoughts backward unto public proceedings, I find what doth somewhat comfort me; I find, first, that after public humiliations in 88 our most happy Queen was most public and solemn in her thanksgivings: next, after our deliverance in 1604. Nou. 5. a set time appointed for solemn praises; thirdly, after deliberation had, some thanksgivings added to our public prayers. But when we look into private passages, alas we are all too blame: we go to God in our distresses, as Turks use to go to their Mahomet, or others to their Lady, by troops and Caravans; but when we be delivered, we return like those Lepers in the Gospel, scarce one in ten, in twenty, in a hundred. To speak sooth, most of us have small reason to glory in our prayers; they be too faint, too few, too much overrun with pride & unbelief: but in thanksgiving we are stark naught, worse than naught. first, we will not see wood for trees, mercies for blessings; when we cannot tell how to look besides them, we will not fall upon them in our thoughts: wants we see, and so are still craving; favours we will not see, and so are never thankful. When speech is of crosses, we have all; crosses in body, crosses in soul, crosses in estate, crosses in friends, our life is made of crosses: when of mercies, we can find none about house, no money in purse, no corn in barn, no comfort in the house, no friend in the world, we see no land, nothing but sea.  
Secondly, when we see, we will not speak: when we fall upon crosses, we are cloquent beyond truth, we add, we multiply, we arise in our discourse, like him in the Poet, I am twice, thrice miferable, nay ten times, nay twenty times, 
Aristop. in Plut. Act. 4. sc. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  nay a thousand times miserable; But when it comes to mercies, we speak of them as malefactors do of their faults, yield no more than what can be extorted from us, or proved against us, as if we were loath to peach God or ourselves. Or if (thirdly) we say any thing, it is rather to set up ourselves than God, and the sacrifice is intended to our nets, wits, providence, more than to God's mercy: in truth we serve ourselves in praises as Ignorants do in prayers, they set up flesh and estalish merit; under a colour of prayer; and we under a flourish and varnish (of God be thanked) vent our pride, and stroke ourselves. The worst unthankfulness is, when men love not to be beholden to God. Or lastly, if some thing be said; that's all, for little is done: True thankfulness stands in a reciprocation of affections & actions. We should return love for love, and service at least for kindness; but we do not so. It fares with us as once with Israel; the care, which tastes words as the razed doth meats, 
V. Chrys. hom. 11 ad pop. Ant. Anima tristis non and it.  was so filled with choler, that they could relish no comfort (Exed. 6.9.) whilst Moses and Aaron spoke: and our thoughts be so soured with the taste of crosses, that we can taste no mercies, at least we cannot taste the sweetness of the giver in the gift; and thence it is that our affections lie dead within us, whilst his mercy's swarm about us. He shows his power in the greatness, his wisdom in the seasonableness, his truth in the constancy, his grace in the freeness, the riches of his mercies in the fullness of his blessings; but nor one nor other affect us. Our hearts are so far from David's zeal hereupon, as that (like Nabals) they are cyther as cold or heavy as a stone. Miserable hearts, and miserably dead, when so manic warming and reviving comforts cannot raise them upwards: but in the mean, what hope of quick actions, when we labour with so dead affections.  
● For deeds: true thankfulness improves the gift, to the giver's honour. A friend gives me a Ring, I'll wear it for his sake; a Book, I'll use it for his sake; a jewel, I'll keep it for his sake, that is, so as may best express my love, and report his goodness. Were we truly thankful to our God, we would use all his tokens for his sake; eate our meat to him, 
Zach. 14.  wear our clothes to him, spend our strength for him, live to him, sleep to him, die for him: but (out upon our unthankfulness) we use his blessings as Iche did Icherams messengers, David Goliab's sword, we turn them against their Master, & fight against heaven with that health, wit, wealth, those friends, means, mercies that we received thence. If this be thankfulness, to be so much the more proud, idle, secure, wanton, scornful, impenitent, by how much the more we are enriched, advanced and blessed, I cannot tell who may be called unthankful. Brethren, understand yourselves, there is not this day a Nation under heaven more bound to God than we be; if now, we shall waste that time in spying out flaws in the State, and matter of complaint at home, that should be taken up in recounting mercies, 'tis just with God to lay us even with other distressed Churches, and to make us know what we had by what we want. If any place be yet left for admonition, be we all advised to call to mind, with Pharaoh's Butler, 
Gen. 41.9.  this day our fault, even that fault which is our national sin, the sin of unthankfulness: and be it granted (by you and me, and by us all) that never people have had more cause, but taken less occasion of blessing God.  
2 And now (to speak forward) let us take forth Hezekiah's lesson; 
Use 2.  after sighs le's send forth songs, as he did: nay, 
2. Reg. 10.19.  he in the midst of sorrows can find some matter of praise: nay, 
Lam. 3.22.  the Church when she only lived, could yet say It is his mercy that we have so much. If the best people can sing in troubles, should not we in peace? If they can when distressed, should not we when delivered? If they be so sensible of one blessing, should not we of a hundred, of a thousand? 
Ob.  It may be their undertake in the day of affliction were more. No, 
Ans.  in fears and sorrows we are as ready to vow and promise thanks as any; and if to promise should we not to pay? 
Ob.  It may be our deserts are greater. No, 
Sol.  nor we nor they can challenge any thing but by ve●me of the promise, 
Ob.  and that was theirs as much as ours. It may be their engagements were more than ours No, 
Sol.  whether we look to the freeness of the giver, or greatness of the gifts, we owe as much as who doth most.  
For the first, the Lord hath cast upon us blessings, not only undeserved but undesired, unexpected; he hath been better to, us than his promise, than our prayers, than our hopes: he hath prevented us with some which we never forethought, yea done more for us than we are aware of; and he hath given us others, which we never durst once hope for. I think the man lives not, that ever durst promise to himself so many days of happiness, so long a peace, so sudden cure of the land, so flourishing a Church, so happy a time as we have enjoyed; and what gifts more free than such as prevent all prayers, exceed all hopes, and are not only above but against all deserts.  
For the second thing, which great us a kindness, to wit greatness and multitude of kindnesses, who is able to recount (particulars shall I say, nay) the several kinds of them: First, we have blessings privato as many as soul & body; house and field, field and town, to we and country can hold. Secondly, we have blessings public and national beyond number; other nations bleed we sleep; other beg, we abound; others starve, we surfeit; others grope in the dark, our Sun still shines; others are quite disjoined and dismembered they are members without heads beads without bodies, for lost men, without Law, without Gospel, without Churches, or Teachers, or Livings, or Books, or all: we have all; Magistrates, Ministers, Laws, Trades, Schools, Churches, Towns, all, and all of the best; of Kings the best, of Courts the best, of Law the best, of Books the best, of Sermons the best, of air, of fare, of water, of all the best: and can we not yet see matter of thankfulness?  
O but these be blessings far off, 
Ob.  they touch not thy particular.  
No do? 
Ans.  have we not all our private interests in the public weal? But speak in good earnest, hast thou no particular favours no blessings privative, none positive? for shame yield both.  
Yea but where be they? 
Ob.   
Nay where be they not? thou hast eyes, 
Ans  ask the blind whether that be not a blessing; thou hast cares, ask the deaf whether that be not a blessing thou hast a tongue, what thanks the dumb of that? thou hast hands, feet, wits, limbs, life, bones, sinews, reins, mercies ●now betwixt head & foot to fill a volume, is all this nothing: Nay tell me, which weigh canst thou look, but thou sect mercies? what canst thou touch, but thou feelest mercies? where canst thoutread, but thou standest on mercies? But of what art thou compounded of but of blessings every sense, every joint, every splint, every nail a blessing: nay, what is thy house made of but blessings: what is it filled with but blessings of blessings of the Barn, blessings, of the Field, blessings of the Womb, all blessings: nay, what's the World made of but blessings? 
V. Basil in julit. Mart.  Heavens, Stars, Fire, Air, Water, Earth, with all in the one, with all in the other blessings; all things blessings, all persons blessings, all estates blessings, all times blessings, as S. Paul discourseth, 1. Cor. 3. ult. Now when the Lord doth so lad us with benefits, and that daily, shall not we be thankful? Bless, saith our Saviour, when you are cursed; and shall we not bless being thus blessed?  
All this while I speak nothing of spiritual blessings; indeed no tongue can reach them: we can close them all within one word, one syllable, God hath given us Christ; but what a gift is that? In him he hath given us a new world: the old world was forfeited in a day; 
De jure.  house, ground, furniture, all forfeited in Adam: then came in the promised seed, the blessed seed Christ, and in him all things are made new; new heavens, new earth, new Church, 
2. Cor. 5.17.  new tenure, all things renewed, bettered with infinite advantage to us, but cost to Christ: What a thing was that, for the Creator to become a creature, for life to dye, for happiness to weep, for glory to be buffeted, for immortality to be buried! O Lord Christ, who would have done thus for an enemy, for a friend, besides thyself? But 'tis done; he was made flesh, seen of angels, slain of men, laid in grave, raised to glory, and we are now redeemed, justified, sanctified, glorified in him. Redeemed, justified, sanctified, glorified! what words be these: what things? No man, no Angel can conceive the worth of these things: when we have said all, all is this, God hath given us Christ, that is, God hath given us himself, and all the creatures in heaven & earth. God hath delivered us from the evil of all evils, and hath given us the blessing of all blessings, the marrow of all comforts; the earth is ours, the heavens ours, the word ours, the spirit ours, God ours because Christ is ours. Now then when in Christ our head we are estated in the whole world, have we not matter of thankfulness? yes (we now see it) if we had hearts.  
But how shall's get a thankful heart first, 
Ob.  and express it next?  
Labour for three saving graces; 1. Humility; 
Ans.  2. Faith; 3. Love. All these send a man abroad, and make him seek himself in others.  
First, Humility empties a man of all great opinions of the creature, and fills him with an high admiration of the Creator. The humble man so well understands himself, and other creatures, and God's excellency, that he sees that too much cannot be ascribed to God, too little to man: and therefore he is very willing that God should carry all the praise and glory from all creatures; and the more he can abase flesh and exalt God, the more glad he is. Labour then to be humble men with jacob and you will findy ourselves leffe than the least favour, than you will see; 
V. Bradford.  matter of thankfulness there, where the proud finds matter of murmuring.  
Secondly, Faith is another emptying virtue: it lays up all its treasure in another's house, and leaves it in another's hands for fear of robbing. The faithful man's treasure is Christ, his life is Christ his crown and glory is Christ: if Christ hath, honour, he hath honour enough; therefore he willingly carries all to Christ. Labour then for faith: for if faith once unite you to Christ, that you be one, and unite you to God through Christ, that you can look upon God as your God, than you will seek his honour as your own.  
Thirdly, love seeks not its own (either profit or credit) it liwes in another, and it works for another: in that measure that we love God, we will seek God's glory, we will speak good of his name, 
Amas & laudas. in Ps. 85. sic & Chrys. ad pop. Ant. bo. 64  and set out his praises. O love him who is love beauty, nay glory inselfe: and if thou love, thou praisest, as Ausben speaks.  
Thus the heart will be tuned and set right, if it be a broken heart, abeleeving heart, a nealous heart, 'twill indite well, praises will stream from it as naturally as water from a fountain, Psal. 45.1. but then (in the next place) the outward man must concur, the tongue must walk apace like a swift pen; to that end, do but own thine own words, first, tabe up the complaints thou madest in thine afflictions, he as eloquent in enlarging thy furrows now past, as thou wast then; speak now what pains, seanes, griefs, sums God hath now delivered thee from, as Hezekiah doth here: inprove thy then somewes to present thankfulness.  
Secondly, ●●●●●unt thy vows and promises then, call 〈…〉 what thought is thou then hadst, what vows thou then mad'st; O if God would this once help me, these faults should be left, and these duties done: now pay thy vows.  

1 Hear the other creatures, they sing, etc.  
2 Thy flesh must rejoice (as David speaks) in the Lord, thy face and countenance must take up and look clearly, thy feet must be lift up as Jacob's were, thy hands must be set on work, thankfulness must be acted, not only talked of. Here know, first, that he is most thankful that lives best, 
Qui rectè agit Deum laudat. Aug. in Ps 34.  that leaves most faults and doth most good.   
Secondly, that all we do or forbear, must be done out of thankfulness for what we already hold, or have good bonds for.  
Thirdly, that our thanks must in some measure answer God's mercy, and our former misery; the more our sighs were, the more our songs must be; the more prayers were made, the more praises must follow (for those be double mercies that follow upon prayer). and next for God, the more remarkable the deliverance was, the more solemn and hearty the thanksgiving must be, for singular mencies we must do some singularthing, set apart some time, some Present, some gift, do some thing that may scale up our humblest acknowledgement of God's goodness, else great mercies will work great thoughts, as Hezekiah found for a time, 2. Chron. 32.25.  
Now to particulars, first, to the title, secondly, to the ●ed●●● of the Song: The title acquaints us with the qualities of the Song, a Wr●●●ing, the matter of it, a Narration, 1. of his sickness; 2. of his recovery: which two parts make up the whole Song following.  
For the first, the things enquirable about this Song are chiefly three: first, what kind of writing it is; secondly, by whom it was written: thirdly, for what use.  
Which three questions shall receive these three short answers following.  

1 The writing is Poetical, and delivered in Verse, for the help both of memory and affection.  
2 For the Penman, we cannot say much of certainty, nor is it much material; this is certain, Hezekiah made cyther the descant or plainsong. 2. the Worthies of God, job, David, Saloman, etc. were much delighted with Poetry. 3. the Kings of judah (sundry of them) were endued with an extraordinary spirit, & a divine sentence was often in their mouths, as we see in the writings, and speeches, and prayers of diverse of them: wherefore if we say that Hezekiah penned this with his own hand, we say more than what seems reasonable in itself, and probable to others. Howbeit if any will contend (from the phrase) that the work was Esaias, 
V. Sixt. Sen. & de Tena. in his Isag.  and the motion only from Hezekiah, we will notgainsay it: it sufficeth, that Hazekiah was the first mover, and that the Lord hath now pleased to add it to the Canon, 
V. Sanct. & MuscuLad locunergo 'tis not so well entirled by the 70 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  as he did also his Letters, 2. Chran. 30.   
For the third question, the good King's meaning was to consecrate (with this song) himself and his life to God, and to leave this upon record as a pledge and proof of his thankfulness to all posterity.  
In his practice, take notice of our duty.  
We must add to our present thanksgivings some pawn and monument of our thankfulness for the future. 
Doct. 1.  We must, for great blessings, stake down present thanks: that's one duty, but that's not all; we must leave some monument thereof (as we may) to posterity, and cast how we may eternize God's praises, and procure him honour in surviving ages.  
This (first) God commands; Tell it (saith he, when he speaks of great mercies) to thy children's children. i.e. convey thankfulness to posterity, and keep on foot God's praises to the world's end, if possible. Hereof is it, that the Lord sets a special Accent upon special mercies, and takes order that they may be reported to succession. Thus when he had set Israel over jordan, and in possession of his country, Set up (saith he) stones, 
Iosh. 4.7, 8, 9  some in the water, some on the land, that may witness my mercy, your thankfulness, for after times; let the very place speak it. And elsewhere, Day unto day (as here place to place) must utter his goodness and man's gratitude. Hence those solemnities of the Passe-over for one mercy, 
Levit. 23  of Pentecost for another, of Tabernacles for a third, of Trumpets for a fourth, of new Moons for a first, etc. God for great mercies would have a commemoration, a day of public thanksgiving throughout all generations.  
Secondly, as God commanded, so his people practised this duty; sometimes they set out time, 
Est. 9  as in the feast of Purim; sometimes they set up Altars, as Abraham often; sometimes they leave a mark upon the place, 
2. Chr. 20  as jehosaphat in the valley of Beracah; sometimes they multiply sacrifices, as Solomon, etc. sometimes they dedicate songs, as David often; sometimes they present and hang up some monument of victory, recoveric, or the like, 
1. Sam. 21. judg. 8. V. Rainel. praelect. 208. del. Apoc.  as David Goliah's sword, Gideon his Ephod-like present, what ever it was, Hezekiah his Poem, whether in parchment, brass, marble, etc. and all this to this end, that God's praises might outlive them, and be sung by men as then unborn, as David speaks. Thus they of old, reason calls for the like from us.  

1 'tis but civility to return blessing for blessing: an Heathen will do it. Now God blesses us beyond this life, not only in heaven but upon earth, in our names, estates, posterity, kindred; and why should not we future and prorogue our blessings beyond life also?  
2 'tis but honesty to pay our debts: now do what we can, we shall die in God's debt. Sith we be not able to pay all at once, 
And so make Christ our keyre, as Chrys. de land Dei. V. Ang. in Ps. 91.  le's be paying in our heirs and executors to the world's end.  
3 'tis a course we take with earthly Benefactors, we would perpetuate their fame to eternity if we could, and do we not owe more to God?  
4 'tis good policy to build God's name, for then God will build ours, 
1. Sam. 2.  as he said to K. David of an house: if we honour him, he will honour us. 
2. Chr. 32.32.33.  indeed Hezekiah eternizeth his own name in thus magnifying Gods.   
Lastly, 'tis a sure evidence of our sincerity and true love to God's name, when we desire that it may outlive ours, and be glorified by others as well as by ourselves.  
Having thus concluded the point, 
Use 1.  the application shall run all one way, and this it is; What so good a King practised, so great a God challengeth, so clear reason persuadeth, let us now practise. Tell me (my brethren) are not we in God's debt as well as Hezekiah? Was not he as thankful for the present as we can be? Are not we bound, to pay our debts, to edify posterity as much as he? Well then, if you have as much cause as he, as great need as he, as main motives as he, do as he did, prase God with a lasting song; do something that may set the world a singing when you are sleeping in the dust. Want ye as yet motives? Look to your Father; 
'tis 2 sign of the best goodness to aim at publs. goods.  his goodness lives for ever towards you, let your thanks be immortal to him: look to your Redeemer; he is the same for ever to you, be the same to him, in all manner of thankfulness: look to predecessors; they have lest us monuments of their love to God and us, le's reach them with advantage to posteritic: look to successors; they heir our sins and sorrows, le's leave them some songs and matter of joy aswell as cause of mourning: look to our Adversaries; they upbraid us, 
V. Camp. aliosque etc.  as Penninnah did Hannah, with our unfruitfulness: they crack that all our Churches, Hospitals, Colleges are theirs. And albeit enough is said and done already to break the teeth of their slanders, yet if possible lets (as our S. Peter adviseth) muzzle them quite by doing more good. 
1. Pet. 2.15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉   
You will say (perhaps) the lesson is good and not unseasonable, 
Ob.  but it concerns Hezekiahs', great men, rich men, learned men, that have means of expressing themselves publicly; but alas we are poor, simple, obscure, etc.  
Yea but hear me; 
Ans.  you are in God's debt too, are you not? You must pay your debts, must you not? Tenant's must pay their rent, a cheefage, etc. must they not? Well then, if you owe less, pay less: if you hold not so much of your landlord as another doth, yet I pray you pay for your cottage, and for that you hold: you are a tenant to God as well as King Hezekiah, pay your rent.  
Ob. But 'twill not be accepted, 'tis so poor.  
Sol. Come, that's a put-off; á Mark by the year from a Cottier, is accepted as well as a hundred pounds from a Farmer. Understand that God weighs circumstances, and 'tis accepted according to that a man hath: Goat's hair pleases him as well as jewels from some hands; two mites as well as two millions. He needs not gifts, he respects the giver, and 'tis possible for him that hath but a subjects purse to have a king's hart, as 'tis said of Araunah, he was but a subject, but yet gave like a King, 2. Sam. 24.23.  
Ob. O but we have no such encouragements to give as Hezekiah had.  
Sol. And why, I pray? 1. God wrought a wonderful deliverance for him; he hath wrought as great for thee, for me, for us all, it may be bodily, certainly spiritual.  
2 The world was not so bad then as now; a man can publish nothing but 'tis carped at, settle no perpetuity but 'tis perverted, Schools, Colleges, Hospitals, all abused. Come, come, this is but shifting: 1. the world is still like itself; all never were, never will be good: 2. these and such like objections were long since answered by Solomon, Eccl. 11. view them at leisure. In the mean, mark what I say to thee: first, if thou canst not trust posterity, and all honesty must needs die with thee, do something whilst thou hast time, Gal. 6. O but what's that to posterity? Yes, I'll show thee how thou mayest now lay a foundation for posterity, and do that this year, this month, which may turn to God's honour a thousand years hence. How is that? Thus: Art thou a father of children? 1. write God's mercies upon their names (so thou be not fantastical) and let thy children wear therein God's praises to their graves; at least write them in their memories and hearts, tell thy children, and charge them to deliver it downwards to theirs, what God hath been to thee, what great things he hath done in thy days, and so make walking Libraries and living Books of thy children: A godly posterity is a breathing altar. 2. Art thou childless? yet set up an altar in thy house, work thy people to heaven-ward; sow good seed amongst thy servants, and some of them and theirs may bless God for thee a hundred dread years hence. Art thou a poor man? be rich in grace, ready to every good work, and thy name shall live when thou art dead: no men in Scripture more commended & renowned, than poor men and women; God himself writes their lives, and records their good deeds.  
O but I am so poor, that I have no means of showing my thankfulness. Do not say so, he never wanted means that did not want an heart, get that, and God will fit thee with opportunities as he hath with abilities. Never tell me; thou mayst make the world the better for thee a great while hence if thou wilt. How?  

1 If thou wouldst borrow a little from back and belly, 
Videtur Rogers in Fox.  twenty to one thou moughtst lend God something.  
2 If that cannot be, say with Peter, Act. 3.6. Silver and gold I have none, but such as I have I give; I'll pray, I'll work, I'll advise, I'll plant, sow, do something that shall do good hereaster: there is not the least toe but it hath its use and excellency in the body. Art thou learned? do good that way, 
V. Tornial.  as Hezekiah did. Some conceive him well seen in the Mathematics (belike because of his buildings, watercourses, and the sign given him by God) howsoever, we have his Epistle and Poemeextant, and they hold out instruction to the world's end. If God hath given thee sufficiency in this kind, thou mayest speakethy mind to men yet unborn, and convey to them that light which God hath reached to thee. Be not too curious this way; thou seeft that some in this scribbling age set forth their own wits, some their own folly: do thou set forth God's praise, and aim at man's good; write something (as thy gift is) that may do posterity good. 
V Fox Martin H. 6.  We are infinitely bound to God for the blessing of Printing, and to our fathers for their labours: and we of England are much to blame, if we leave not Arts and Tongues more resined and perfected than we found them, and the Scriptures more fully opened; no people living better furnished with means, no writings extant better accepted abroad, or to better purpose at home. O that in stead of tristers, Scholars would make themselves public, and not bury their treasure with them like misers, or leave their works like fatherless children to the mercy of strange midwives, when themselves are gone.   
Art thou rich? let King Hezekiah be thy pattern: he was a good Commonwealths-man, 
Read his life in Kings and Chron.  he built much, he conveyed water to the City, he fortified the land, and did good in war and peace: 2. He was a good Churchman, he countenanced the Ministry, he restored their means and livings, he repaired God's house, advanced God's worship, defaced the contrary. Thy place (haply) will not suffer thee to hold pace with him in all, yet follow him as thou mayst: 1. as a citizen and member of the State, razed the public good; see what good may be, done in thy jerusalem, the town of thine abode, free what houses need thy help, what grounds, what neighbours: here's a man over-renied, try whether thon-canst not case him; there's a man wants corn for his land, stock for his stuff, help him; there's a third that hath will and skill to trade, but he wants credit; there's a fourth that could live with a little help, else he and his estate sink, O come quickly before the man be drowned with all his family; a fist there is that's able to breed some but not all his children, hence he is disheartened, take away one Lamb and put it to another Ewe.  
2 When thou hast done so, cast thine eyes over Indah with him; look abroad, and see how present wants threaten posterity with misery, and as thou canst prevent it: I. see how many grown ones there be that play, or steal, or beg for want of employment, and set thy wits on work to find out some trade, some husbandry, some business that may give some employment. 2. see how many little ones there be that might be useful if they had breeding; but alas their parents (if living) have neither means to breed them Scholars, nor money to bind them apprentices: call upon thyself and others, saying, There's a witty child, le's breed him a Scholar; there's a strong child, le's train him up for a Soldier, make him an apprentice, etc. who knows what service he may do the Church or Country oneday: O what good might rich men do this way if they had hearts! If they fear to erect public standing Schools or Colleges, or to give some Fellowships for perpetuity, let them (if they mind the common good) take some particular children that are most hopeful, and breed them, 1. in the Country, 2. in the University till they be sit for public service. Here's no danger, unless they will say, these may prove ill; which is with the sluggard, (- Pro. 26.13.) to lie still left a Lion should be in the street: do thou go on till thou seest thy seed lost, and then stop there, and try an other ground.  
2 Bee, with Hezekiah, a good Churchman; 1. repair God's house, & let it never be said, that our Churches lie like Barnes, and that Our Father lets down what Pater noster set up. 2. Promote God's worship, and allow some oil to his Lamps: do not Pharaoh-like call for Brick without materials. What? expect Sermons, many Sermons; learning, much learning (so that our Preacher must be able to answer any question) and yet deny him means! Means? by all means we would have him have a competency. A competency; how much is that? who shall judge of that? Now the good Lord keep his Clergy from the vulgars' competency. I speak what I know, and I speak it with a wet face and a bleeding heart, I know Preachers of excellent parts, that spend their strength in the Pulpit, who cannot lay out sistie shillings in sieve years upon books, but they must fetch it either off the backs, or out of the bellies of their poor children. Call you this a competency? Well, if we deserve no kindness, yet do us justice, le's have what your fathers gave us. Hezekiah found things alienated and turned out of course; no doubt wits were working then: Take heed (Sir) of Innovations, of making your Clergy too rich; the State hath thought fit to lessen their means: men can now prescribe against them, we can show a composition, and prove our custom, etc. But what answers this good King? Custom me no custom, we must not make a custom of robbing God. Were these things once Gods? either show me Gods release, or else restore them home. Now would I could say of him as a Father said of Ahab, 
Amb. de Na●. quotid. e nascitur A●hab, etc. In redeeming Church livings.  Hezekiah ever lives, never dies: and the Lord put it into the heart of our treble Hezekiah to advise also about this point.  
In the mean, let my speech to rich subjects proceed: Would you leave some proof of your thankfulness behind you? follow those Worthies who of late have gone before you in this kind, hire men to be honest in restoring to God his due: and if you have aught in your own hands that of right belongs to the sons of the Prophets, 
Gen. 20.  hear God speaking to you in King Abimelech, Restore to the Prophet his own, and he shall pray for you: if you do not, his blood in his children, the flesh upon his body, the anguish upon his spirit, the souls that depend upon him for food will cry against you, and will lay your houses level with the ground. Do not turn off all with a Tush, Tithes were levitical, the Gospel speaks nothing of a Tenth, etc. 1. answer what's written; 2. show us where the old apportion is reversed, and which is that quote pars now that conscience must rest in, and when that's done, then give us a just Commentary upon that, 
V. Cartw. in Prov.  Prov. 20.25. and tell us who hath authority to take that (from a Church shall I say? nay) from God, that hath bene once given him? And when you have reduced and resolved all into a competency, yet let it be S. Paul's competency, 
1. Cor. 9  Let him that preacheth the Gospel live upon the Gospel, as he that maketh shoes, or heels hose, lives upon his labour. I speak no more than what every Scholar, who is acquainted with a course of study & reading, knows to be true: all that means which usually is thought sufficient to defray all charges, to satisfy all payments, to answer all expectations of wife and children for portions, of strangers for hospitality, is little enough to buy a constant Preacher books, and physic. Now then, if you will be competent arbitrators, allow him something more, some bread, some clothes, something to keep his wife and children from begging or starving.  
You are weary (I dare say) of this discourse, I have now done, I have discharged my conscience in delivering my errand, & have showed you how you may witness your thankfulness to succeeding times, if you please. There's first, your own family and posterity to be moulded; secondly, there be poor Orphans and children to be bred, Schools to be erected, poor Students in the University to be maintained, poor Preachers to be encouraged, Church livings to be redeemed and augmented: and if this be not sufficient, there be poor Labourers to be employed, poor debtors to be relieved, yongue Tradesmen to be credited; and if this do not like you, there be in the country, fields to be trenched, woods to be planted, highways to be amended, correction-houses to be builded, public storehouses and Granaries to be appointed, youths and soldiers to be trained; and in the Cities, waters to be conveyed, fire-engins to be invented, etc. And in both, Churches to be repaired, prisons to be furnished with some Teachers, and other employments more than a few: stand not idle now all the day long, because none sets you on work; House, Town, Field, Country, City, Church, Common weal, Men, Women, Children, Tradesmen, Churchmen, blind, lame, poor, all call upon you to work: nay, Christ saith, whilst its day work; the Spirit saith, whilst you have time, do good; your Father saith, Give to seven and eight, be not weary in well-doing; your labour is not lost, your cost is not lost, God will pay you all again, honour him he will honour you, bless him he will bless you, give him immortal praise, and you shall receive an immortal Crown.  
We have heard, first, that King Hezekiah was thankful; secondly, that he was thankful to purpose: Now le's see for what he is so thankful; 1. that his sickness was removed; 2. that his health was restored. We will shut up both in one.  
Freedom from sickness, 
Doct.  enjoyment of health, are two mercies which call for many thanks. Need we prove this? First for sickness, we have the voice of God and man, that it is amercie to escape it; 1. God promises freedom from it, 
Exod. 15.26. Leu. 26.16. Deut. 28.22.  as a blessing upon the obedient; 2. He threatens the inflicting of it as a judgement upon the rebellious, and accordingly proceeds.  
Secondly, all men be of the same mind; first, good men will bless God for an Eagle-like-body, 
Thence called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Epiphan.  a body full of strength and life, of action and motion like the Eagles, which is most lasting Ps. 103. Secondly, natural men rank this in the forefront of mercies, yea reckon of health as an abridgement of all blessings, and of sickness as the sum of all outward miseries. And that not-altogether without reason.  
For first, sickness must be numbered amidst natural evils: how soever it will stand with universal nature, and the all wife God can improve it to singular use, yet in itself, it must be deemed evil in its nature, being against the private welfare of the patient; evil in its cause, man's sin; evil in its term and issue, it tends to death; evil in its effects, it adds to our misery: whereas some evils wound with sorrow, some threaten us with destruction, this doth both.  
Secondly, it maims nature, and hinders goodness; the body is deprived of cheerfulness and activity, 
Malum contristivum quae voluntati, corrupti●um quae naturae, contrariatur: est affectus vitians actionem. Galen.  the soul disappointed, like the Traveller that rides a tired horse, it can neither receive that good, nor do that good that otherwise it could. There's no man knows, but he that knows sickness, what a disadvantage 'tis to the soul to be ill lodged in a ruinous body: It's even stifled within itself for want of motion, and move it cannot for want of organs, but very lamely: The understanding is clouded, memory weakened, judgement dazzled, fantasy disturbed, affections distempered, in short, the whole frame of Nature so dis-jointed, that like broken bones it can neither rest nor move. Nor is the stroke only upon natural actions, but upon moral also; the soul in diseases chronical becomes so lazy, listlesse, neutral, that it hath no mind to pray, no stomach to food, no heart to do any thing for itself; and in diseases more acute is so taken up and transported with pain & anguish, that it minds nothing but what cannot be had, sleep and ease, etc. Hence we may put that difference between sick and sound that the Heathen put between poor and rich; 
ciog.  the healthful man may study when he will, walk when he will, eat when he will, sleep when he will, work, play, fast, feast, ride, run when he will: but the sickly man must study, preach, travel, eat, sleep when he can; he is not his own so command: he hath not himself, much less other comforts. No marvel if sickness at one blow deprive us of the comfort of our meats, beds, houses, grounds, friends, wife, children, etc. it deprives a man of himself: he hath wit, but not use of it; memory, but not the benefit of it: yea it turns him well-most into an Image; he hath eyes, and scarcely sees; ears, and hears not; mouth, and speaks not; feet, but walks not: nay yet further, those senses & parts which let in comfort to the sound, occasion the sick man's trouble, the sight of his cups, glasses, boxes makes him sick, the smell of his meats sick, the taste of his drinks sick, the least noise offends him, the least air pierces him, in a word, this turns his comforts into crosses, his bed tires him, his chair troubles him, his friends disquiet him, their absence offends him, and so doth their presence, their ●●●ence offends, and so doth their talk, their mirth doth, and so doth their sadness: poor man, somewhat he would have, but he cannot tell what; he is not well, and therefore nothing is well about him; he is sick, and so all the world is made of sickness to him, as to the giddy all things run round.  
Now as sickness is a great affliction, so health as great a mercy: it comes from mercy, 
Hence called in Hebr. length. on.  and presupposes many blessings; good temper, good air, (at least for us) good food, at least a wonderful blessing upon poor means. 2. It tends to mercy, health tends to life (the greatest blessing) to a long life, yea immortality so far as that goes. 3. It carries with it a troop of mercies, 1. it sweetens all other crosses and wants; health maketh thin coats warm, hard fare sweet, a mean lodging good, 'tis the poor man's sauce at's table, his cloak in his journcy, his warming-pan in his bed, his boots in the mire, and when he is at worst he can leap and say, as the country phrase is, Health is worth all. 2. It puts him into possession of all other blessings: 1. He enjoys himself, his wits, senses, limbs be his own, he hath their use and service. 2. with himself he enjoys all things about him; the light is pleasant, the air sweet, his meat good, drink good, bed good, now all that was naught before becomes good. Again, he relishes all, he finds contentment in all: now he sees a wife to be a wife, children to be children, friends to be friends, whereas before all the world was made of his humour, whether bitter or sour. Not to●● long, health is the just temper of nature; there all is quiet, cheerful, 
Actiones coaservat & tuctur. Fucksiast.  fit for action: a good body helps the estate, the family, the soul; all within one, all upon him, all about him smile and prosper in time of health: and therefore this motion from sickness to health. i. from sadness to mirth, from pain to ease, from prison to liberty, from death to life, must needs be a happy motion, worthy thanks.  
If sickness needs many prays, 
Use 1.  & health deserves many thanks; le's so bestow ourselves, that if it be possible, we may prevent the one, and enjoy the other: for the first, beware (to keep me to mine own profession) of sin, all sin; sin is the mother, sickness the daughter: man never saw the one, till he matched himself with the other. More specially four sorts of sins must be as much abhorred as sickness, as death.  

1 Sins of death: 
Pro. 5.9.11.  God hath adjudged whoredom, Pro. 5. murder, etc. and such like capital offences to sickness, to death.  
2 Sins of rebellion, committed against the clear light and letter of the Word: 
2. Sam. 3.29.  these are threatened with all manner of diseases, Levit. 26. Dent. 28.  
3 Sinnes of contemptuous prophanenessc: the Lord hath said that he will be sanctified in all that come nigh him; And when any in their approaches were securely profane, the hand of God was upon their bodies, to death, or sickness: so Nadab, etc. so Vzziah so 1. Cor. 11.  
4 Sinnes that have their root in the body, or at least work powerfully upon the body. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vi. Alsted. Rhet.  Of this sort we name only those three, which the Rabbins touch in one Proverb and three letters: The first is poverty, which at the first may seem but little to impeach health; but if we look upon it in its cause, idleness, unthriftiness, intemperance most an end; or in its effects, theft, robbery, etc. fretting; or in its companions, ill lodging, ill fare, ill clothing, etc. this may well pass for one cause of weakness. The second is pride, a sin that so swells the soul that it breaks the skin and case, the body: pride breaks the wits, witness Nabuchadnezzar; breaks the heart, and wounds itself, witness Saul, Achitophol, and breaks one's sleep, ones peace, body, estate, all; a sick disease: a proud man is never without some ailement. The third is drunkenness or intemperance: a man of this distemper, lies as open to diseases as an unwalled Town to invasions and assaults. 
Pro. 25.27.28.  To him is woe, redness of face, etc. Pro. 23. Brethren, if you would not be sick, have nothing to do with these forerunners: prevent sickness in the cause.   
For the second, Health, great Solomon hath written a Physics for us, as well as Ethics, in his Proverbs: there you may read of the Country man's three Doctors, Quiet, Diet, Mirth. For the first, health is nothing but Nature's rest & repose; health gives peace, and peace yields health: outward peace is a great blessing, and very wholesome, but that comes from peace within; which is double, 1. peace of justification, 2. peace of Sanctification. So long as there's war in the conscience, war in the affections, one power and lust conflicting with another, alas there's no more quiet to us than was of old to Rebecca: 
Gen. 26.  but when Faith heals the conscience, and Grace hushes the affections, & composes all within, than the soul looks out of the body, and sits in the face with a checrefull countenance. If your flesh, with david's, shall rejoice, labour for this peace; get faith in Christ's blood, get the virtue of Christ's resurrection, get wisdom, i. all saving grace, and that makes for health, and is a medicine, Pro. 3.8.  
2 For Diet, Solomon gives rules, 1. for time, Eccl. 10.16, 17.2. for quality, Pro. 23. speaking of wine-bibbers, 
Pro. 25.27.  fleshmongers, Pro. 20. & 3. etc. 3. for quantity; eat not too much honey, which is true in the letter: 
V. M. Mason of Fasting.  let not out the appetite, left it cut thy throat, Pro. 23.2. but rather be of the restraining hand, feed with fear, as Ind speaks, 'tice with an appetite, 
Aureliam.  and use the Emperor's Physic, cure all exceed by abstinence.  
3 For Mirth, Solomon is much in that argument: he 1. 
Pro 15.13. & 17.12.  commends the thing, a good hart. i. a cheerful heart is health to the bones, a very medicine: 2. he persuades the means, Put sorrow from thy heart (saith he) rejoice with thy wife, be lightsome in thy clothes, cheerful at thy meals, etc. diligent in thy calling, than the which nothing is more available to comfort, after spiritual means of prayer, thanksgiving, etc. And he that in God's means puts himself into possession of these, shall arrive at so much health as shall be behooveful.  
Secondly, 
Use 2.  if this double blessing be worth double thanks, le's prise it accordiagly, & praise God for it, and 1. remember that there is a twofold deliverance; one, which keeps us from sickness; another, that helps us out of sickness: a double blessing, one in continuing health without sickness, another in restoring health after sickness. If we enjoy either, let God have the praise, and conclude for thy body, 
Et qua feci mala, & quae non feci, & c.d. med.  as Amstem for his soul, bless God that he hath kept off some, & taken off other sicknesses. For the first, there be some men who never knew what back-ach, toothache, headache meant, they scarce know what 'tis to have a finger ache, 
Galen. desan. tuend. l. 1. c. 4.5.  at left they have enjoyed some good measure of health which hath its latitude; these men I confess can hardly weigh sickness, or prise health: the best course will be to send them to an Hospital, or to the house of of mourning, there shall they find silence, solitariness, sadness, light shut out, air shut out, misery shut in, children weeping, wife sighing; the husband groaning, Oh my head, O my back, O my stomach, sick, sick, sick, I cannot tell what to do, where to rest, help me up, help me down, O I sink, I cannot stand, I cannot sit, I cannot lie, I cannot eat, I cannot sleep, I cannot live, I cannot die, O what shall I do?  
Brethren, if you have not felt sickness, yet hear it, view it see how it racks and tortures a poor man, and that done, reflect upon thyself and say, O Lord how much am I bound to thee for health! I can eat, my brother cannot; I can walk, he cannot; I sleep all night, he never lays his eyes together; O Lord give me a merciful heart to men, a thankful heart to thee for this blessing:  
For the second sort; have we been sick and now made sound? lay both estates together with Hezekiah, and provoke thyself to thankfulness. Call to mind what then thine anguish was, how sick thy stomach was, how sad thy friends were, how tedious the night, how long the day, how terrible the thoughts of death, the apprehension of judgement: think now thy thoughts then, acknowledge now thy then purposes and vows. Didst thou not then think, and promise, Oh if God would reprieve me once more, I would become a new man, more careful of my ways, more thankful for health than ever I have been: think now what the price of health was then, what then thou wouldst have given for one night's sleep, one hours ease, one draught of drink, one vomit, one stool, one the least of those mercies which now thou enjoyest: think how little wealth, house, land, friends, all seemed to thee without health, and now thou hast all restored again in this, lift up thine eyes and hands to heaven with Nabuchadnezzar, and say, Sickness put me out of possession of all, but with health all is come back again; my stomach is come to me, my sleep, my flesh, my strength, my joy, my friends, my house, my wealth, all is returned: O what a change is here! erst nothing but pain, now nothing but ease; not long since stripped of all, now possessed of all, as if I were another job.  
Thus, would we look either downward or backward, we should become more thankful; but in any case take that with you which is said before of thankfulness in general, and apply it to this particular of health. 
Nibil prodest verbis praeserre virtutem, factis destruere zeritatem. Cypr de mortal. job 23.10.  Thankfulness stands not in words and compliments: if you will be truly thankful for health, thus do.  
1 Come forth of affliction as job did, that is, as the gold comes out of the fire, purged from your dross: let sickness drain the soul as well as body, and leave your humours, your pride; self-love, worldliness, hypocrisy, etc. weaker than it found them: and now you be made whole, take your Saviour's Item, Sin no more, 
job. 5.14.  lest a worse thing happen to you; fall not to your old diet, lest you fall into your old diseases and relapse. The chiefest use of sickness is to be made after it: in sickness we must resolve against sin, our special sin; but after sickness we must second our resolutions with performances. Now then pay thy vows, sin over thy sins no more, but lay down the practice of gross sins, the purpose of all, & shun at least the occasions of them. And then in the second place, offer to God the ransom of thy life, as the Law runs, Exod. 31. I mean, leave some seal & pawn of thy thankfulness to God, 
Vid. Cic. de nat. dear. l. 2. Tibul. elog 1. ad. Isi●ē. Strab. l. 8. Plut de oracul. Pyth.  as Hezekiah did, nay as Heathens, did; they after a shipwreck and danger, would offer something, after a fit of ficknes would consecrate something to their gods. If thou wilt not be before hand with Philistims to offer in thy misery, yet at least return with the Samaritan, being recovered, and present something, let some Church, some Parish, some one Preacher, some few poor men be witnesses of thy thankfulness, and bless God with and for thee. I shall ever suspect that thanksgiving, that spends itself in empty words: the man truly thankful, will make a shift to pay his Physician, much more to praise his GOD. with hand as well as tongue. Real thankfulness, is the best preservative of health: let Hezekiah lengthen God's praises, and God will lengthen his days, and give him such a protection as never subject had.  
Nor is it sufficient to present the Lord once, and to confine our thankfulness to any one particular instance; we must, in the third place, consecreate our strengths and lives to God, and offer up ourselves as living and acceptable sacrifices to him 
Rom. 12.  that is, woe must use all our time, all our wit, all our health, 
Opus nostrum Psalterium nostrum est. Aug. in Psal. 91.  every limb, every thing that he hath folded up in our health, to the setting up of God in our hearts und lives; love him more than ever, fear him more, trust him more, pray more, read more, hear more, do more worship, at least more purely than before in our Christian calling; and in our particular calling be more upright, constant, cheerful, fruitful than before, more humble, more helpful, more merciful, more true, just, charitable than before: in one, better Christians, better Churchmen, better Commonwealths men, better husbands, better Masters, better parents, children, servants than before. This, this is true thankfulness, when we heal in soul and body together, when we grow in spiritual strength as well as in bodily, when we spend all that sufficiency upon GOD and the public, which we have received from God; and this is the thankfulness which I now call you and myself unto, O be thus thankful for your private safety, and for the public. Our prayers for London, etc. have engaged us unto thankfulness for them; for if we were bound to pray for them being visited, we are bound to praise God for them being delivered: 
This was preached before the public thanksgiving.  and would the one might be as solemn as the other.  
2 Now if we must be thankful for other, must we not for ourselves? O my brethren, le's cast an eye towards our head City, & see what desolations are there made; go into some places, and there's silence: ask, where dwells such a one. and the answer will be, he is dead: where's his wife? dead: where his children? dead: where his man, his maid? dead: who is in the house? death: and who dwells there? death: and who at next house? death: and who next that? death, death; pale death keeps shop, sits in the windows, seals up doors and holds possession, so that none dare enter. Pass from streets into some houses, and what see you? some children, but nor father nor mother; ask, child where's father? gone: where's mother? gone, he knows not whither nor how. Pass on, and see in others sad silent parents, mourning like Rachel, because their children are not: To make the matter short, do but think what once their fears were, what now their griefs are for their friends, then sick, now dead; and then come home, and say, In this common calamity God hides our town, there's no crying in our streets, no rolling of bells, no tumbling of carcases, no sealing up of doors, brethren meet together in the Church, neighbours together in the fields, parents dare keep their children by them, husbands and wives live together; we be not a terror or danger one to another, but a comfort, a safeguard: O who can be sufficiently thankful for these mercies? why should we whine for a few wants? we lack money, lacke corn, etc. O thou hast thy life for a prey; thou, thy wife, thy children, thy manservant, thy maid-servant, thy kindred, thy neighbours, thy cattle-live, and life is more than raiment, food, money, all things under Christ. bless God for this, and say, I am poor, but yet I live; my wife is sickly, but yet she lives; my children weak, lame, but yet they live: whilst there's life, there's mercy; 
Exod. 18.4. Ps. 118.18.  where there's mercy, there should be thankfulness: the dead cannot, the living, the living, saith Hezekiah, must praise God, and that whilst living, as David speaks, Ps. 146: 3.   

POSTSCRIPT.  
ANd here London, let me address one exhortation to thee: Hitherto we have stood amazed at thy misery and sudden change, sometime sorrow hath thrust out sad complaints, How doth the City sit solitary that was full of people, etc. Lam. 1.1. sometimes silence hath swallowed up all words and left us speechless, like, lob, friends: now me thought we heard thy in habitors crying, Is it nothing, etc. Lam. 1.12. now again thy friends standing aloof for fear, as once men shall for Babel crying our, Alas, alas that great City 〈…〉 bo●re is thy judgement come etc. Rev. 18. 
Latuimus quis tuta civitas exhausta. etc. Chrys. hom. 11. ad pop. Ant. Sir W. Ral.  In this case thou wast not at leisure to hear not we in case to speak: At such a time to tell thee of thy faults, had been (as one who wanted not wit, spoke) to upbraid thee with thy fortune, 〈◊〉 than to seek thy reformation. But now the case is altered, the heavens are cleared, and thou with them. Now its time for all thy friends to call upon thee, for thee to call upon, thyself. We have waited long to hears when thou wouldst say, O all ye that mourned for me, now rejoice with me, and repay as many thanks for me, as I have had prayers from you. Take head, no thankfulness soon spends what prayers hath been long in getting; forfeit not all again for want of thanks. Look upon Hezekiah, he was sick and prayed, he recovered and song. If I should say that he was sick, of your sickness, I should not say it without an Author: 
V. Vales. ser. Philos. Abulens. in 4. zol. c. 20. q. 3.  this I can say, his sickness was but personal, yet he is thankful; whatever his disease was, you will yield the plague to be a sickness, yea custom saith, The sickness, The plague, The visitation. This granted, there's great reason that thou shouldest be as thankful for a thousand as he for one, and add deeds to words as well as he: To this purpose, run his method; 1. Make thyself sensible and mindful of thy misery past: 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 7.21. Mic 6.9.  sickness is a rod, as the Gospel tells us; the voice now to the City is, Hear the rod & who appoints if. the rod hath a mouth, if thou hast an ear; that speaks its errand, & gives thee thy lesson. If thou wilt hear me, I'll deliver it to thee with the same affection (degrees excepted) that Eltha did to job, chap. 34.31.32.  
Surely it is meet, 
job 34.31.  and it becomes thee to say, and that to God, I have borne chastisement; this the first lesson. far be it from thee to say in thy heart, 'tis true, I have buried many children, but what were they? of the base & poorer sort, such, whose lives were burden some, whose deaths are beneficial to me: nor let it enter into thy heart to think, Well, I see the error; had such a place been scoured, such traffic stayed, such means used, this had been prevented, hereafter I'll be wiser. No, it is thy wise doom to see Gods Name written upon this rod, as Micah speaks, and to acknowledge him: we wish thee to use all secondary means, but not to rest there; thy experience hath taught thee, that the plague nothing fears, either thy new fields, or fresh waters, &c: it comes of God's errand, and when it comes, take knowledge of it, for it will not away without its errand. Therefore in the second place, improve the affliction, as well as feel it; proceed to the second lesson in job, and say, I'll sin no more. First, 
job 5.6.  see why the rod is sent as well as by who. The rod buds not out of the dust, it hath a root, and that root is sin, and that sin is manifold. A King doth not use to smite down his subjects by thousands for small offences; a father will not draw a sword upon his children for toys and trifles: London, thou must take the height of thy sins by the compass of the punishment, and judge of that by this.  
What I have thought of thee, and thy government in general, I have spoken elsewhere seasonably enough, as I think; but now I speak to thee, I earnestly entreat thee to take into thy consideration Ezek. 22. and therein note how the Lord charges her not only with such crimes as were committed by her, but also in her, In thee, saith God, were they, etc.  
For thine own government & practice, I cannot tell how to hope almost that it should be much better in so populous and various a place, nay I know not the Citieunder heaven, that's better ordered and disciplined: nevertheless in such a confluence of people of nations, it cannot be avoided but such sin will be committed in thee, if not by thee; and these sins, so far as connivency and baseness makes thine, 
Tuum est quad tibi non displic●t Hier.  will endanger thee. When therefore thou hast surveyed thine own ways, cast into the account thine-other-mens-sinnes, thine-other-land sins, thy Dutch sins, thy French sins, thy Spanish sins, thy Italian sins, thine-owne-countrey-sinnes; see whether there be not in thee those that eat upon the mountains, and those that for lucre sake both harbour and hide them. Whether in thee there be not such as never yet saw Christ's face, or heard his voice in the Assemblies: whether in this wonderful light, there be not in thee who know not whether Christ be a man or woman: whether there be not in thee men, who study new oaths and lies, as men doc new fashions: whether in thee there be not who never see the Sabbath light, but lie either buried in bed, or drowned in drink: whether in thee children be not so wantonly bred, that they slight father and mother; and, to make short of a long beadroll; whether in thee there be not wretched men that set open their doors to all the bankrupts, unthrifts, gamesters, robbers, cheaters, harlots that the country pursues: whether in thee there be not some that set all to sale, wife, child, servant, name, conscience, soul, all. And if upon search these or any of these shall be found within thy walls or reach, O glorify God in his visitation, and save thyself by disclaiming these sins. Thine they be not, if thou where thou mayest dost reform them, and where thy power fails dost bewail them. Howbeit this is not all; as sin must be seen, so must it be left: and therefore thou must proceed, 
job 34.31.  and say, I'll offend no more: as a Christian, I'll reform myself; as a parent, my children; as a Master, my family; as a Magistrate, my charge; as a tradesman, my courses. And to the end thy reformation may be acceptable, learn two things more of Elihu, first, 
Vers. 32  be willing to see and know thy faults; pray that GOD would add to correction instruction, that he will open thine heart to hear, and some mouth to speak home to thy case, thy soul; 
Psal. 94.12.  and when light is cumin, wink not with thine eyes, shut not the door against it. Secondly, carry ever about thee this resolution, Let God teach, I'll learn; speak, I'll hear; convince me of a sin, I'll leave it whatever becomes of me; be it my living, be it to me as my life, if God will say it is a sin, I'll leave it in the practice, in the purpose, in the allowance of it; this murderous sin that hath slain my child, my friend, so many of my neighbours, nay my Saviour, shall never have place again in my heart or house. And this is not only the way to thankfulness, but also a proof and piece of it: know that so many sins as the love of God constrains us to leave, so many songs are presented to God; 
Chrys. de laude Dei.  every slain lust is a gratulatory sacrifice.  
Secondly, thou must proceed with Hezekiah, and see from what, to what God hath brought thee: shall a City conceive and bring forth in a day? it hath been so with thee. I may say of thy sorrows, what job speaks of his comforts, they have been swifter than a shuttle: 
job 7.  Didst thou or any man living think, that within one Summer thou shouldest bury so many, and so few weekly? could it be imagined, that when thy channels were discovered in so low an ebb, that thy banks should be so suddenly filled again? O London look upon thyself, and wonder at thyself: invert now jeremy's lamentation, and say, How is the solitary City become full! how is she that was barren, made fruitful! Sat down with Hezekiah, 
See the plague at Asex in Cypr. & Eus  and consider what thy bitterness was when death walked in the streets, raged in the chambers, when death was in the pot, in the bed, in the dish, in the hall, in the parlour, when the bells spoke nothing but death, the doors presented nothing but death, and every man thou sawest, thing thou touchedst, place thou sattest in threatened thee with death: consider what thy cares, fears, griefs, thoughts were then; and now whilst thine eyes behold as it were a resurrection to life, so that now life is in the streets, life in the house, life in the Church, trading, building, singing, etc. alive again, bless thy GOD that hath wrought this change, and get up with Hezekiah to the house of the Lord: Strange it was, that he in so short a space should measure the whole distance betwixt death and life; yesterday dead in nature, as unlikely to live as the sun to go backward, and to morrow so strong that he could show himself in the Lords courts: This is wonderful, and this made him wondrous thankful. And what (I pray) wants thy deliverance of this? how much less wonderful? how fast did sickness come in, how fast did it gallop out? how fast did it rise from scores to thousands, how fast did it fall again from thousands to scores? London, lay these things together, and forget not him who hath done so great things for thee.  
In the third place, Hezekiah loves not to dispatch all at one journey: he begins his song as soon as might be, but 'tis not ended yet; he hath left a pattern for thee to work by. Think it not sufficient to compliment God with a few words, and a short song, for along deliverance; write this mercy with a pen of Diamond, in a book of Marble; call upon all within thee, 
Psal. 103.1.  as David did within him, to speak of this deliverance to children's children, and do something that may set men on singing 500 years hence: Thou hast sons of all sorts; some Engineers, some Artists, some Poets, some of excellent invention, some of great activity, some very daring and undertaking, some strong, some wise, some rich, of all ranks some; call upon them, some to write, some to build, some to invent, some to give, that cirie, country, Church, State, sea and land may take occasion thence of blessing God, whilst London or England stands. Now happy Hezekiah, and happy sickness of his that ended so well: his afflictions sent him to God with prayers, his recovery with praises; nor God nor man lost by this bargain: God had more service, Hezekiah more experience, we gain a good copy, and Hezekiah hath his lease renewed for fifteen years: And thus afflictions conclude, which begin with prayer and end in thankfulness. London, make thy self againer by thy loss, join praises to thy former prayers, grow more wise, holy, humble, temperate, just, merciful, fruitful, and thou art a winner; thy gains exceed thy losses present, and for the future, thou hast opened a fair prospect to a constant peace. The best security from future miseries, is to profit by former; believe it, thou canst not take a better medicine against the Plague, than to profit by what is past. Now the Lord hath promised to teach us to profit, by Esay, and he perform it for his mercy's sake, that so the controversy may end here, and the Lord may not be put to saddle his pale horse of famine, which hath made parents to eat up their children, once, and to wish them alive again, that they might eat them again. Amen.  
FINIS.