Mercy in her Beauty: OR, THE HEIGHT OF A DELIVERANCE FROM THE DEPTH OF DANGER.  
Set forth in the first SERMON Preached upon that Occasion, By NATH: HARDY, Master of Arts, and Preacher to the Parish of S. Dionis Back-Church.  PSAL. 118.17, 18, 19 
I shall not die, but live, and declare the Works of the Lord.  
The Lord hath chastened me very sore, but he hath not given me over to death.  
Open unto me the gates of righteousness, I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord.  Basil. Mag. Hom. 9 
{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}.  Aug. in Psal. 41. 
Quia magis crebra sunt mala, dulcior ●rit misericordia tua. Etenim scriptum est quodam loco speciosa misericordia Domini in tempore tribulationis, sicut nubes pluviae in tempore siccitatis.  
LONDON, Printed by J. G. for Nath: Web and Will: Grantham, at the Black bear in St. Paul's churchyard, near the little north-door. 1653.   

Sermons Preached and Printed by Mr nathanael Hardy M.A. and Preacher to the Parish of s Dyonis Back-Church.  

justice Triumphing, or The Spoilers spoiled: A Sermon preached on the 5th of November in the cathedral Church of St Paul's.  
The Arraignment of licentious Liberty and oppressing Tyranny, in a Sermon at a Fast before the Lords in Parliament; In the Abbey-Church at Westminster.  
faith's Victory over Nature, A Sermon preached at the Funerals of Mr John Rushout Junior.  
The safest Convoy or The strongest Helper, A Valedictory Sermon before the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Bendish baronet, his majesty's ambassador to the grand signior at Constantinople.  
A Divine Prospective representing the Just man's peaceful End, A Sermon at the funeral of the Right worshipful Sir John Gayr Knight.  
Love and Fear the inseparable Twins of a blessed Matrimony, A Sermon occasioned by the Nuptials between Mr William Christmas and Mrs Elizabeth adam's.  
Divinity in Mortality, or The gospel's excellency and the Preachers frailty, A Sermon at the Funerals of Mr Richard Goddard Minister of the Parish of St Gregory's by Paul's.   
Printed, and are to be sold by nathanael Webb and William Grantham at the black Bear in St Paul's churchyard near the little North-door, 1653.   

To the Right worshipful, worshipful, and well-beloved, The Inhabitants of the Parish of S. Dionis Back-Church, Health and Wealth, not only in this life, but chiefly in that which is to come.  
Worthy Friends,  
IT is a full Decade of years since I first was called by Divine Providence to begin the work of my Ministry among you: and it is not yet half so many months, since in human probability both my Ministry and life seemed to be at an end: But the wise and gracious God (in whose hands all our times are) hath mercifully lengthened my days (blessed be his name) for the greater good of my own, 
Psal. 31.15.  and (I hope) of your souls.  
These Sermons which upon this comfortable occasion I lately preached, were by some of you desired to be made more public, which I have fulfilled, so much the more willingly, that I might testify before the world, first, my infinite obligation to Almighty God for so remarkable a deliverance; and withal my manifold engagements to a great part of you for your affectionate love, and multiplied courtesies.  
And now (my dearly Beloved, and longed for in the Lord) give me leave (having this opportunity) to acquaint you with my serious thoughts and earnest desires, and I trust through God's grace that the transcript of them before your eyes, will help to make a deeper impression of them upon your hearts.  
And first, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for your steadfastness in the faith, and your mutual amity, whereby you become exemplary to many parishes in this wavering and contentious age. Oh that not only you, but all the people of this Land were alike minded, one towards another according to Christ Jesus. 
Rom. 15.5.   
Next, let me in the bowels of our common Saviour beseech you, 
2 Tim. 4 1.  and if this will not prevail, charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall Judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; that as you drink in the heavenly rain which cometh oft upon you, so you endeavour to bring forth herbs meet for the great husbandman who dresseth you. I bear you record (and that without flattery) you are attentive hearers, 
Heb. 6.7.  oh that you may be all forward doers of the word. 
Jam. 1.22.   
There are some amongst you whose love towards me hath been, not only in tongue and in word but in deed, and that in a more than ordinary measure. 
1 Joh. 3.18.  But yet, let me freely tell you. There is nothing (if I know my own heart) would so rejoice me as to see the fruit of my weak labours, in the holiness of your lives. believe it, this is the greatest kindness a people can show to their Minister, since whereas by a liberal contribution they add to his comfortable subsistence upon earth, by a religious conversation, they increase his eternal reward in heaven.  
And now Brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up, 
Act. 20.32.  and to give you an inheritance among them which are sanctified, 
Rom. 15.30.  humbly entreating you to strive together with me in your prayers to God both for me and your selves, that I may so preach and live, you may so hear and do, as that we may behold each other, and all of us our Redeemer with joy in the last day. So prayeth  
Your faithful servant for Christ's sake in the Gospel, NATH: HARDY.   

Phil. 2.27. the former part. For indeed he was sick, nigh unto death, but God had mercy on him.  
IF you please to peruse the five last Psalms of David, you shall find them beginning and ending with an Hallelujah: Praise ye the Lord, being the Alpha and Omega, the Prora and the Puppis, the first and the last words of each. Not much unlike is Saint Paul's practice in the Epistle to the Romans, 
Rom. 18.16, 17.  who almost in the very entrance placeth an {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, I thank my God through Jesus Chrict, and closeth with a {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, To God only wise bee glory through Jesus Christ. In imitation of these patterns I shall place Thanksgiving, both in the Front and rear of my Discourse. Indeed what fitter Prooemium to a gratulatory Sermon than a Benedictus? Blessed therefore be God, who kept his unworthy Servant from falling into the Grave, a Land of Silence and forgetfulness, and hath now vouchsafed him the liberty of entering into his House, the place of Prayers and Pr●yses. Blessed be God, who hath brought my feet from lying in a sick bed to stand in this holy Mount. Finally blessed be God, who hath given me a joyful occasion of handling, and just cause of applying this Scripture to myself, by changing the third Person unto the first; For indeed I was sick nigh to death, but God had mercy on me.  
This Text naturally spreadeth forth itself into two main boughs, each of which have three branches sprouting from them.  
Here is observable a distress, and a Deliverance; a Danger, and an Escape, an Affliction, and a Liberation: the former in those words, He was sick nigh to death; the latter in these, but God had mercy on him.  
In the distress we have observable, the 

1. Quality of the Danger what it was, in the word Sick.  
2. Extremity of the Measure, how great it was, in those words nigh unto death.  
3. Eminency of the Person, whom it befell, in the relative he.    
In the Deliverance we have considerable, the 

1. Efficiency of the Author, by whom it was conferred, in the Word God.  
2. The excellency of the Benefit, how expressed, in those words had mercy on him.  
3. The opportunity of the Time, when vouchsafed, in the exceptive but.    
These are the several Branches of this ●acred Tree, into which I have climbed by the Ladder of human industry, from which by the hand of Divine assistance I have gathered, and by the same hand shall now scatter among you such Fruit as hath refreshed my own, and (I hope through God's blessing) will nourish your souls; and so I begin with the  
distress, He was sick nigh to death; and therein the quality of the danger in that word sick. 
Gen. 1.   
The Philosopher, observing the property of man's constitution, describeth him by risibile, to be a reasonable living Creature, that hath the only power of laughing; but the Divine considering the misery of man's condition no less, aptly characterizeth him by flebile, an unfortunate wretch, that hath the most cause of weeping: 
Vagiluque locum lugub●i compl●t ut aequum'●●, cui tantum in vit● r●fiat tra●sire malorum. Lucr.  In this respect it is not unfitly taken notice of, how the newborn Babe cometh into the world crying, as if by the language of its present tears, it would foretell the sadness of its future sorrows.  
Among those many evils with which the life of man is beset, this of sickness is one.  

Aug in Ps. 111  One to which all are subject, quis non aegrotat in hac vitâ? quis tanguorem ●on experitur? nasci in hoc corpore mortali incipere aegrotare est: Who in this life doth not more or less taste of sickness? yea from the Cradle to the Crutch, Birth to Death, womb to the tomb, we are continually liable to it.  
One of which we may say, as Leah of Gad, 
Gen. 30.11. Mark 5.9.  A Troop cometh, and to which that devil's name in the Gospel may fitly be applied Legion: The Poet instancing in one kind of disease, speaketh of a band of fevers, 
Nova sebrium, 
Horat. od. 3.   
Terris incubuit cohors:  And Galen reckoning up the diseases to which one part of man's body, the eye is subject, 
{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Pythag. Apo. in Iambl. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Greg. Naz. Orat. 16.  numbereth 112. how great an Army than must this Commander have, who begirteth this Castle of the Body in every part and corner, and that with several soldiers! No wonder if the holy tongue, as it calleth men {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which signifieth dying men, because they are continually under the power of death, so it styles them {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} sickly men, because they are exposed to such variety of sicknesses.  
Finally one which exceedeth all those other miseries of this present life, what dissension is in a City, discord in a Family, surfeiting to the Stomach, ignorance to the mind, that is sickness to the Body, disturbing and oppressing it; yea, it is the worst evil of cold, hunger, and nakedness, of heat, thirst, and warmness, that they hasten upon us sickness and death.  
That I may the better open this distress, give me leave to delineate it both in the effects that flow from it, and the cause from which it floweth.  
There are two grievous attendants which sickness commonly bringeth along with her, namely pain and weakness; by pain it taketh away the comfort of all enjoyments, even of life itself; Barzillai being old, said to the King, 

2 S●m 19.35. Tria haec in ●mni m●rbo g●avia sunt, m●tus mortis, dolour corporis, intermissio voluptatis.  
Sen. Ep. 77.   Can thy Servant taste what I eat, or what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of singing men, and singing women? wherefore should thy servant be a burden to my Lord the King? Not much unlike may it be said of the sick man, Can he eat, or can he drink? Can music, or any other pleasures than delight him, when he is a burden to himself? And as by reason of pain, it renderth life uncomfortable, so by reason of weakness, unserviceable, disenabling the body from the performance of any work: Alas, how can the Clock go when the Weights are plucked off? or the Watch move right, when the Wheels are out of order?  
Both these sad effects are fitly expressed by two words, the one in the Hebrew, the other in the Greek tongue, and it is the word which our Apostle here useth. The Hebrew word— {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} signifieth both doluit and aegrotavit, to be sick, and to be sorry: well are they expressed by one word; since they commonly go together, both smarting pain in the ●●dy, and dolorous anguish in the Mind being caused by sickness; in this respect the English word disease, is very apposite, because it diseaseth and disturbeth the person; of this David complained in his sickness, 
Psal. 6.2, 3.  when he saith, My bones are vexed, and my soul is also sore vexed. The Greek word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} implieth both aegrotari, and imbecillem esse, to be sick, and to be weak, 
Mat. 9 17. Psal. 38.8.  and therefore the Noun of this verb is elsewhere rendered infirmity: this inconvenience likewise David found by his disease, when he said, I am feeble, and sore broken; weakness being the inseparable concomitant of sickness. 
Quando haec tam gra●●ia fa●iet vicino jam exitu, etiam à medi●c●ium actione exclusus fa●isc●●te jam corpore ubi ex●rcebit districtionis officium censor animus Salv. ad Ec●l. Cathol. ●. 1. Iam. 5.   
Meditations, which (I would to God) were more deeply imprinted on the minds of men, those especially, who put off their repentance, and the Working out of their salvation till a sick bed, as if when they are in pain, they could repent with the more ease, or when they are weakest, they were strong enough for this work: Alas, do you not know how unfit such a time is for any, but much more a religious employment? This no doubt is one reason why Saint James, who in other afflictions adviseth men to pray for themselves, in sickness counselleth them to call for the Elders of the Church to pray over them, because then for the most part they are unable to pray themselves: in this respect it was (as I have read) the saying of a virtuous Gentlewoman upon her sick bed, Let none defer their preparation nor their prayers unto the bed of their sickness, 
Langhorn's ●un. Se●m. of M. s Mary Swaine.  for then the mind is too much troubled with grief of body to be employed, as they ought, in spiritual exercise. Tell me, whoever thou art that delayest till this time, how knowest thou, but such a sickness may seize upon thee as in a moment, may take away thy life? or if not, 

Quia deus non irridetur, ipse se decepit qui mortem multis temporibus vixit & ad quaerendam vitam semivivus assurgit & tu●c officio●us app●rct quando dominica saervituti omnia corporis & anima subt●●huntur officia. Faust. Epist. prma.  
Mat. 19.8. Gum omnes homine● velint poevitentiam in sine vitae suae accipere, v●x paueo● videmus ●am secundum quod desiderant adipisci. Elig. de caex. dom: hom. sext.   bereave thee of thy senses? or it may be so painful, that it is all thou canst do to wrestle with the pain; nay, let me tell thee, for the most part such procrastinators, when that time cometh▪ either repent not at all in their sickness, or it proveth but a sickly repentance. Oh then (my Brethren!) be wise in time, do not lay the greatest load on the feeblest horse, put not the weakest servant to the hardest labour, put not off the main business of thy soul's health to the doleful time of thy body's sickness.  
You have heard what sickness doth, or rather undoeth; it would not be amiss to inquire whence it came, and how it was brought into the world. Indeed (as Christ saith in another case) it was not so from the beginning. Man in innocency was created with a body of so equal and lasting a temperature, that (had he not sinned) it had neither been taken down by death, nor put out of frame by sickness. Sin it is which is fons Mali, morbi, mortis, hath brought in evil instead of good, death of life, and sickness of health. The physician being asked the cause of Diseases, answereth, and most truly, mali humores, evil humours in the body. But the Divine resolveth it more fully, mali mores, ill manners in the life. Philosophy teacheth, and Experience confirmeth it, that passiones animae sequuntur temperamentum corporis, the minds passions much follow the body's temper. Divinity preacheth no less truly, that the disorder of the body followeth upon the distemper of the mind; man's soul was first sick of sin, and so the body becometh infected with sickness for sin. It was the first sin of Adam which brought forth, and it is our own actual sins that nourish this degenerate Brat, wherewith mankind is so miserably infested.  
A Meditation, which (if well pondered) would learn us to bear sickness whensoever it cometh upon us without murmuring, and yet with mourning.  
1. Why shouldst thou repine at God when any disease seizeth one thee? True, he is the efficient, 
Nihil est quod de calamitatibus nostris Deo imputare possumus, nos calamitatum nostrarum auctores sumus. Salvide Gub. l. 8 à Deo punimur sed ipsi facimus ut puniamur. id ibid. Jerem. 4.18.  but thou art the meritorious cause; he inflicteth, but it is sin that deserveth; he punisheth, but it is not till thou hast provoked him, blame not his justice, but thank thy own wickedness, the Moth that frets the garment is bred of it; the Tree giveth life to that worm which killeth it. Thy sickness, oh man, is of thyself, and thy own ways and doings are they which procure these things to thee.  
2. When sickness smiteth thy body, let repentance smite thy thigh; when the disease rageth in thy members, let thy soul be angry at thy sin, and as thou complainest of the effect, so labour to be sensible of the cause: 
Gr. Naz Epist 70.  {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} saith the Divine excellently, sickness is an wholesome Discipline, it is so when it teacheth us to know our folly. Happy disease which openeth our eyes at once to see, and weep for our sins; Oh my soul, it is sin hath caused thy body to feel sickness, let sickness cause thee to feel the weight of sin; it is wickedness hath brought this weakness, let this weakness bring thee to a sight and sense of thy wickedness, why shouldst thou hold that sword in thy hand, which hath so sorely wounded it? or hug that serpent in thy bosom, which hath so painfully stung thee? rather since the fruit is so bitter, pluck up the root, and let not sin reign any longer in thy mortal body, seeing it hath made thy body so mortal. And so much for the quality of the danger: I pass on to the Extremity of the measure, nigh unto death.  

Mort●m omni aetati commun●m ●ss● sentio. Cic. de Sen●ct. tun●●repida●●● cum pr●pè a vobis credimus ●sse morte●, à quo propè non 〈◊〉. parata omnibus lo●is 〈◊〉. Sen Ep●st 30. Tres sunt nun●ii ●●rtis, c●su●, infirmit●s, se ●●ctus, casus nuntiat mortem late●tem, infirmit●s ap●●●●tem, senoctus p●aescut●m. Hugo de. S. vict. de claust. An.  It is that, which in some sense is true of every man alive, this world is a region of Ghosts, dying men, yea, young men in the prime of their days, strong men in the full vigour of their age, are nigh to death, because death may then be near to them. The Philosopher being asked what he thought of life, turned him round and vanished out of sight, thereby intimating, how easily and speedily life may be taken away: and some of them have no less truly than aptly represented the distance between life and death by oculus, apertus and clausus, an eye open and shut, which is done in a moment. But though this in some respect be verified of all men, yet it is more especially true of two sorts of persons, to wit, old men, and sick men, since old age is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a natural disease, and a disease is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} an accidental old age, both must needs tend and hasten to death.  
As for old men, they are so nigh to death, 

Nihil habet qu●d spere● quem senectus ducit ad mortem Sen. Ep. 30 Quemadniodum s●nectus adolescentiam s●quitur, ita mors senectutem. i●. ibid ped●te●●●m morior dixit Alexis ●en●x lente incedens.  
Ch●ron me momordit dixit Daemonax sen●x pro cane, innuens s●nectutem morti vicinam. Erasm. Apoth. l 6. & 8. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}  
Crat. Antiph.  
Juvenibus incer●us hujus vitae terminus insta●, senibus vero cunctis maturior ex hac luce ●xitus breviter concordat Cypr. de 12. abus. saec. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}.  
Diog laert. l. 1.   that the proverb saith, they have one foot in the grave, young men may die soon, but they cannot live long; the dimness of light in their eyes, and vapours that sometimes are drawn up into their brains, argue the Sun of their life to be setting, the hoary frost, or rather white snow upon their heads, proclaims that the winter of their deaths is approaching. The more strange it is to see them doting on, who are going out of the world, and as if they could set up under ground, their minds are most earthly whilst their bodies are ready to drop into the earth: the more sad it is to think how both unwilling and unfit they are to die, who yet are so unlikely to live; and as if with the Eagle they could renew their youth, they flatter themselves in hope of life, when yet they are as it were within sight of death; how short are such men of that heathen Seneca, who said of himself, ante senectutem curavi bene vivere, in senect ute bene mori, my care in youth was to live, but in old age to die well, than no doubt perceiving his death to be at hand.  
As old men, be they never so well, so sick men, by they never so young, are nigh to death; what Anacharsis said of seamen, that he knew not whether to reckon them among the living or the dead, is no less true of sick men, who indeed are not dead, because they breath, and yet not living because not lusty; every man carrieth death in his bosom, but the sick man at his back, or rather in his arms before his face.  
In sum there is a threefold propinquity of death, possible, probable, certain; it is possible the healthiest, strongest, and youngest may die quickly; it is certain old men (though they outlive far younger) cannot live long; and it is probable that the sick man's death is at hand.  
But yet this in the proper sense is not true of all sicknesses, that distinction of sin cannot hold in Divinity, according to the Popish acception, that some are venial, others mortal, since S. Paul saith indefinitely, and meaneth it universally, that death is the wages of sin, but Analogically it is true in physic of diseases; some are only painful, others mortal, the Gout in the Toe, a pain in the Teeth, a prick in the Finger; these, though they cause pain, yet are not in their own nature deadly, nor is the patient accounted the neere● death for them.  
Besides, of mortal diseases there is a difference, some are a long time untwisting, others in a short time cut asunder the thread of life: thus the dropsy is a great while in drowning, the palsy in shaking down, and the Consumption in drying up the body, whilst the fever in a few days burneth, and an apoplexy, or Aposteme in a few hours suffocate it.  
And yet once more in violent diseases, there is a difference, we do not say of every man whom a fever smiteth, that he is presently nigh to death; whilst the body is vigorous, the physic prosperous, 

{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. G●. Naz. O●at. 19  
Forsita● quia verberatus est ab infi●●elibus in m●nisterio. Anselm. in loc. Ch●ysost. in v. 29.   we account the patient hopeful; but those, in whom the virulency of the disease so far prevaileth, as that both the strength of Nature, & skill of Art seem unable to grapple with it, are only and justly looked upon as nigh to death.  
Such, no doubt, was Epaphroditus his case, for though some conceive this danger might arise from stripes and scourges, which Nero should command to be inflicted on him at Rome, yet it is more rationally and generally concluded, that some violent sickness, by reason of a long journey, had seized upon him; and though it is likely this good man was not negligent (according as ability and opportunity was afforded) to use means, yet the disease did so increase, that as to life his condition was desperate, and therefore S. Paul saith of him he was nigh unto death.  

Humana ●rugaelita●is nimia in pr●sp●ris r●bu● oblivio est. Q●. Cu●t. l. 4. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Greg. Naz.  To this low and weak estate is God pleased many times to bring men among others, chiefly for a double end, and that he may mind them of their dissolution, and quicken them in their devotion.  
Of all things we are very prone to forget our latter end, and therefore God by sickness puts us in mind of it, we are apt to put death far from us, and therefore by some grievous disease God bringeth us nigh to death; a presumption, we shall not die yet, maketh us not think of dying at all, and whilst marrow is in our bones, colour in our faces, appetite in our stomachs, strength in our joints, health in our bodies, we easily persuade ourselves we shall not die yet; no marvel, if to fix our eyes upon the Grave, God chasten us with pain upon our Bed, so that our life abhorreth bread, our flesh consumeth away, 
Job 33.18.19.20. Omnes (inquit Alexander sagitta ictus) jurant me Jovis esse filium, sed hoc vulnus homin●m esse me cl●mat. ●en. Ep. 59 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Plut. Apoth.  and our soul draweth near to the grave. It was the confession of Alexander, when let blood with an arrow: All men call me Jupiter's son, but this wound proclaims me a mortal man: and yet more divine was that of Antigonus, who acknowledged his disease to be sent as a Monitor, lest otherwise he might have grown insolent through the forgetfulness of mortality. Sicknesses especially, when desperate, are warning pieces to tell us the murdering piece of death is ready to destroy, every ache tolls the Bell, but these, as it were, dig the grave, and cry dust to dust; and good reason it is, that when we cast the thought of death behind our backs, death itself should by these diseases look us in the face, and as it were, pluck us by the throat.  
2. In health we are no less apt to forget God than our selves, but sickness mindeth us of him, in prosperity perhaps we mumble over a Pater Noster, but adversity teacheth us to cry Abba Father: Lord, saith the Prophet, in trouble have they visited thee, they who before were strangers, now would be familiar with God, and give him a visit; they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them, it may be before they did say a prayer, but now they pour out a prayer. 
Is●. 26.16.   
Though man by the formation of his body be made with an erect countenance, yet he seldom looks up to heaven till some disease hath laid him upon his back; nor yet many times will a slight sickness prevail: God promiseth himself concerning his people, in their affliction they will seek me early, 
Hos. 5. ult. Luk. 8.43. Luk. 15.16. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Chrys. in Psal. 119. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Suid.  but for the most part it proveth otherwise; ubi desinit medicus, ibi incipit Theologus, the Divine's work begins not with many till the physician's is done, it is late enough not to seek God till affliction comes, and yet we seek God not early, but late in affliction. The Woman in the gospel sick of a bloody Issue, goeth not to Christ till she had spent all (and that to no purpose) upon physicians, the prodigal thinketh not of going home to his Father, till he is brought so low, that he would fain be fed with husks, but cannot get them: nor do many lift up their eyes or hands to heaven, till they are scarce able to lift up either. Indeed necessity is an excellent Mistress, especially of Devotion: Most men will not pray till they must, it is misery, which like Jonah's fish, puts them upon humble supplication, who never thought of God under the gourd of Prosperity. In which respect, that Latin Proverb was not taken up without just cause, Qui nescit orare, discat navigare; he that knoweth not how to pray, let him turn Mariner: and no doubt those violent storms, which make the Seas to roar, will teach him to pray. When those young Persian gallants being beaten and pursued by their enemies, 
Dr. Jer. Tay. Sermon. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Chryso. in Psal. 129. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Greg. Naz. Orat. 17.  came to the River Strymon, which was so frozen that their Boats could not launch, and yet it began to thaw, so that they feared the Ice would not bear them, then (though the day before they reviled both God and his providence) most timorously they fall upon their faces, and ardently beg of God that the River might bear them over from their enemy's pursuit. The smart lasues of God's rod drive them home, and draw them near to him, who before were far from him.  
The greeks aptly express the declining estate of a kingdom by {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} falling upon the Knee, and its ruined estate by {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} falling upon the Mouth; expressions, which though they principally refer to the condition, yet withal intimate the disposition of men in an afflicted condition, they whose knees in health were like Elephants, without joints, could not, or rather would not bend, in sickness fall upon their knees, nay, when nigh to death, fall upon their mouths in humble adoration and earnest invocation upon God. And for these causes, that men may both look forward to their end, and upward to their God; he is pleased to bring them downward, almost to the Gates of Death, and Chambers of the Grave.  
To end this, let us all make account of, and prepare for straits. In health, expect sickness, in sickness look for death, or to be brought nigh to it. Diseases may come unsent for, let them not come unlooked for; if they happen not, thou art not the worse, and it is labour well lost; if they do, thou art the better fitted, and it is time well spent. do not flatter thyself in health, as if the mountain of thy body were so strong that it could not be moved: Alas, one blast from heaven cannot only move, but remove, shake, but overturn it, rather even then when thou art fed with fat pastures, clear waters, thy Table spread, thy Cup full, thy Body hail, often think of walking through the valley of the shadow of death: 
Psal. 23.4.  Happy is that man, whom when sickness arresteth, and death approacheth to, can say, and say it truly, This is no more than what I have looked and provided for all my days. And so much be spoken of the second particular, pass we now to the third.  
3. Eminency of the person, whom this extreme disease befell in the relative He. If you would know who this He was, be pleased to cast your eyes on the 25. verse of the Chapter, 
Ver. 25.  where you find his name to be Epaphroditus, one that was not only a good Man, but a Man of God, not only a Servant, but a Minister of Christ, and one so eminent, 
Ibid.  as that Saint Paul dignifies him with the titles of his Brother, and Companion, and fellow-soldier; and yet of him it is here said that he was nigh unto death.  
Saints as well as sinners, Ministers as well as the People, are liable to desperate diseases. In respect of temporal evils they have no more privilege than others: And no wonder, since  
1. That which is the cause both of sickness and death, remaineth in them, to wit, sin: Indeed the power of sin is weakened, therefore they cannot be hurt of the second death, 
P●ccatum separan● inter nos● & Deum peni●●us auferri non pot●st, donec liberemur a corpo●e. B●rn. de 3. in adv. Serm. 6.  but the being of it remaineth, and that necessitateth the first: they are so freed from the guilt of it, that they shall not taste the torments of hell, but yet they may drink deep of the miseries of this life: sin will not leave the best man till it hath brought him to his grave, well may it bring him to his sick bed.  
2. In respect of their bodily constitution, they are earthly houses, that will moulder away, till at last they fall: earthen vessels subject to flaws and cracks, till at length they break. The Saints are the sons of God by grace, but still the sons of Adam by nature, the Ministers are Angels in respect of their office, but still they are Men in regard of their persons, and being of the same mould, and subject to the same dangers with others.  


{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Oecumen. ib. Causa morbi suit n●mia diligentia in me curando, in doc●ndo evangelio, in d●f●nd●●dá m●á causá, in vigil●is j●jun●o, lucub●ationibus, &c. Aret. ibid.  
{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Greg. Naz. Orat. 19  
1 Cor. 11.30. 2 Cor. 12 7. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}▪   3. More specially, the very calling and employment of Ministers is such, as exhausteth their spirits, weakeneth their bodies, and accelerateth both diseases and death: our Apostle saith of Epaphrodit▪ that for the work of Christ he was nigh to death; v. 30. the work he there meaneth is most probably conceived to be the travelling of this good man to Rome, with supplies for his wants, (to relieve a Christian, especially a Messenger of Christ, is the work of Christ) but it is no less true of the work of Christ, which is p●culiarly the Ministers, since the pains they take in preaching, oft times Christ brings them nigh to death. It was said of Archimedes, studiis quibus obtinuit famam amisit vitam, the studies which got him credit lost his life; and it may be said of many Ministers, the fastings, watchings, labours preachings, by which they profit the people's souls, hurt their bodies. Thus like the candle they waste themselves that they might enlighthen, yea, like the salt they dissolve themselves that they may season others.  
4. Finally, God hath choice and singular ends at which he aimeth, when he bringeth his own Servants or Ministers into such desperate sicknesses, and that both, in regard of sin and grace.  
1. In regard of their sins, that they may be either purged or prevented, by which means their sickness becomes their physic, and the Malady itself a spiritual remedy. It may be they have fallen into some gross sin, and therefore they fall into some grievous sickness: So was it with those unworthy Communicants, concerning whom Saint Paul saith, for which cause many of them were weak, many sick, and some slept. It may be God seeth them prone to commit some heinous fault which he restraineth them from by some dolorous sickness, as S. Paul had a prick in his flesh that he might not be puffed up in his mind: so God sometimes wounds his Servants bodies, as knowing, that otherwise they would have wounded their consciences.  
2. In respect of their graces, that the truth of them may be tried, the acts of them renewed, and the strength of them increased. God hath many ways to try men, among which sickness, especially if dangerous, is a sor●tryall, and therefore when the devil, 

{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Chrys. T. 7. de Morb. & Med. Quo●dam p●cscicus Deus peccare posse, in salutem flagellat eos infirmitate co●poris, ne peccent: ut cis utilius sit fra●gi languoribus ad salutem, quam remanere in●olumes ad d●mnationem Bern. de Int. Dom. cap. 46.  
Probationes diversae sunt credentium, alias por aegritudinem, alias amissione charorum, alias per damum pecu●iae probatur. Ambr. in Loc.   by God's leave had tried Job in the loss of his cattle, Servants, and Children, he obtaineth licence to inflict sores upon his body, making this his last (as accounting it his fiercest) onset, Indeed then is the trial of a man's faith, when God seemeth as if he would slay him, of his hope when all things are desperate, of his love when God frowneth upon, nay beateth him, of his patience when the pain is sharp, of his courage when the sorrows of death compass him, of his perseverance, when he holds fast his integrity to the death.  
To close up this, let it be a lesson of comfort, of charity, and of diligence.  
1. Of comfort, when any sickness seizeth on thee, remember whose lot it hath been as well as thine, and be not discouraged. When Christ would encourage his Disciples against sufferings, he useth this argument, for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you: Mat. 5.11. it is that meditation which may revive us when we are in pain and misery, so it fared with others of God's faithful ones before me. That argument of Eliah indeed was somewhat passionate, 1 King. ●9. 4. It is enough now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am not better than my Fathers; but it is a pious reasoning for every Christian to say, I am content Lord, if thou take away my health, exercise me with diseases, I am not better than Job, David, Hezekiah, Epaphroditus, and others of thy faithful Servants and Ministers; who am I, that I should think much to pledge those holy men of God, though in a bitter Cup?  
2. Of Charity, and that both to thy self and others.  
1. condemn not thy self as if God hated thee, because he corrects thee, or as if he were more angry with thee than others, because he chastiseth thee more severely than them. Indeed it is good in a time of sickness to reflect upon thy self, 
{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Chrys. T. 7. do Morb. & Med.  examine thy ways, and if conscience accuse of some great misdemeanour, to humble thyself, and acknowledge thy disease the just reward of thy offence, but otherwise, do not conclude thy own guilt or God's hatred merely from the premises of sickness, though virulent.  
2. Censure not others as if they were therefore the worst of sinners, because in their bodies the greatest sufferers. This is (indeed) that hard measure which God's people and Ministers often meet with: When the Barbarians saw a Viper upon Paul's hand, 

Act. 28.4. Psal. 38.13. Quàm praeposterum judicium corum qui ex variis malis, quibus nonnulli magni viri & doctores ecclesiae laborare nonnunquam solent, finistre de illorum doctrina & salute judicare. Zanch in Loc.  
Eccles. 9.2. Psal. 91.10.   they presently condemned him as a murderer; and David complaineth of his enemies, that when he was sick, they spoke mischievous things against him: nay Job's friends (though good men) were deceived with this fallacy, and accuse Job of hypocrisy because of his calamity. And thus it is still, If a zealous Christian, or faithful Minister be visited with a doleful sickness, his Religion must be no better than Dissimulation, and his Doctrine heresy: But surely it is either Ignorance, or Malice, or both, that filleth men's mouths with such censures.  
It is true, there never was sickness without sin, but the sickness is not always proportioned to the sin: these things come alike to all, was the wise man's Observation, nor doth any sickness befall any man which may not befall the best man. I know some assert a Saint to be Plague-free, grounding it upon the Promise in the psalm, that no plague shall come nigh his dwelling: But you must know, this is only a temporal Promise, and therefore (as indeed all such) hath a double condition annexed unto it. The one ex parte personae, on the Saints part, which is to make the Lord, even the most high, his habitation; 
Ver. 9  if then good men, in pestilential times, through a distrustful fear, make the Creatures their refuge, no marvel if the plague infect them and their dwellings. The other ex parte rei, in regard of the thing itself, which is only assured so far as it may make for God's glory and his people's benefit. We read in the former part of the tenth verse there shall no evil befall him, whereby is intimated that the plague shall not then come nigh to, when it is evil for a good man, but if at any time God see it good, either for the manifestation of his own glory (to wit, of his justice in so severely punishing his own, of his power and mercy in delivering from so deadly a disease) or for the spiritual advantage of his people (in humbling them for some scandalous sin by so smart a chastisement, in exercising the strength of their patience by so sore a trial) not the holiest person is in such cases exempted from the plague, nor is it improbably conceived that Job's botches, Hezekiah's boils, David's sores were not much different from, if not altogether the same with the plague, who yet all of them were choice and eminent Saints. Oh then, let us take heed how we lay the load of heavy censure upon the backs of God's Ministers and Servants.  
3. Of diligence, that  
1. We who are Ministers, improve the time of our health in feeding the flocks of Christ, since when sickness cometh, we shall be disenabled from our employments: nay perhaps we that have taught others, may then have need to learn ourselves.  
You who are the People, get all the good you can from us, whilst we are in a capacity of doing good to you, ere long the Candle of our lives may burn dim by reason of some sickness, yea, be blown out by death, and then we can no longer give light unto you. Oh therefore walk in the light while you have it, be willing to learn while we are able to teach, account our labours precious, and let them be profitable to you, whilst God maketh us able to bestow them among you, which we shall not be, when that befalls us which did Epaphroditus in the Text, to be sick nigh unto death: And so I have given a dispatch to the first general, namely the distress: I now proceed to  
2. The deliverance, 
Gen. part.  and therein the  
1. Efficiency of the Author, God. Indeed both life and death, health and sickness, are in God's hand: That of the Poet, una cademque manus vulnus opemque tulit, 
Ovid.  may in this respect be fitly made use of; the same hand of Divine Providence is that which maketh and closeth the wound: He killeth, and maketh alive, he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up, so singeth Hannah. I form light, 
1 Sam. 2.6:  and create darkness, I make peace, and create evil, I the Lord do all these things, is God's own saying by the Prophet. 
Isa., 45.7.  Thy head cannot ache without his leave, nor leave aching without his help; but though both are from him, yet with some difference. Of sickness, he is only the efficient, sin is the meritorious cause. Of health he is so the efficient, as that his mercy is the impulsive cause, for which reason perhaps it is here said, God had mercy; that which moveth him is his pity, and that which helpeth us is his power.  

Sunt aliqua media divinae providentiae, nox propter defectum suae virtutis, sed propter abundantiam suae bonitatis, ut dignitatem causalitatis etiam creaturis communicet. Aquin. part 1. q. 30. a●t 3. Luk. 4.38.7.10. John 5.8, 9 2 King's 5.14. Isa. 38.21. John 9, 6.  True it is, God is for the most part pleased to make use of means in effecting health, but this ariseth from the greatness of his goodness, not any defect in his almightiness, as Aquinas pithily.  
That he needeth not means, appeareth in as much as he sometimes worketh without any. Such were the Cures Christ wrought upon Peter's Wives Mother, the centurion's Servant, and the Impotent Cripple, whom his Word only restored to health. Nay many times the means he useth are improbable, yea, of their own nature apt to produce a contrary effect. What virtue could there be in the waters of Jordan to cleanse Naaman's leprosy? or in the lump of figs to heal Hezekiah's sores? yea, the spital and Clay which Christ made use of, were more likely to put out a seeing, than recover a blind man's eyes.  
He standeth not in need of means; but the most probable means stand in need of him. It is to put honour on the creature that God vouchsafeth to use it as an instrument▪ and when the creature becometh an instrument of any good, it is only as in the hand of God, working with, and by it. For, tell me, when any are recovered, who is it that put the medicinal quality into the drugs which heal them, but the God of Nature? who giveth that wit and skill to man which findeth out their qualities, and accordingly maketh use of them, but the God of Knowledge? Finally, who is it that commands a blessing upon, and giveth success to the means, but the God of Power? Man liveth not by bread only, nor is the Patient cured by physic only, 
Mat. 4.4.  or chiefly, it is a word proceeding from the mouth of God that maketh the one effectual for continuation, and the other for restauration of health.  
To apply this in a threefold admonition:  
1. Art thou wicked? As thou desirest health to be preserved, or renewed, make thy peace with God by repentance: it is the ground upon which the Jewish Converts mutually exhort each other to this duty, 
Hos. 6.1.  Come let us return unto the Lord, for he hath torn, and he will heal us, he hath smitten, and he will bind us up, though it be that indeed, which God out of his philanthropy sometimes vouchsafeth, 

Creatorem nobit p●●pitium redda●us, qui pot●●s est nos cum morbis ●ffligere, tum sana●e.  
Ephe. de vi●. spirit. T. 1. Isa. 57.13. Iu●ges 10.14. isaiah 36.7.   yet it is a fond presumption for any to expect that he should be a physician to them who are enemies to him. Me thinks an ungodly wretch should imagine that God speaketh to him in the words of the Prophet, when thou criest let thy companions deliver thee; or, as he saith to the children of Israel, when they committed Idolatry, go and cry unto the Gods which you have chosen, the lusts which you have served, let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation. Had that accusation of Rabshakeh been true, his argumentation was solid, when he sent that message to Hezekiah, But if thou say to me, we trust in the Lord our God, is it not he, whose high Places, 
{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Chrys. in Psal. 4.6.  and whose Altars Hezekiah hath taken away? And surely the conscience of a wicked man (if not seared) cannot but check him in the like expressions, Wilt thou say I trust in God for health, or recovery? Is it not he whose Name thou hast blasphemed, Patience thou hast abused, and Worship thou hast neglected? Be wise therefore, oh ye sinners, and instructed ye wicked of the earth! make him your friend who must be your refuge, offer the sacrifice of righteousness, and then, not till then, put your trust in the Lord. Your life, your health is in his hands; look that your doings be right, 
{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Chrys. T. 7. de Morb. & Med.  and then your persons shall be precious in his eyes.  
2. Art thou sick? learn whom to invocate, and on whom to depend for health, upon no other than God.  
Far be it from any of us in sickness (with Saul in danger) to run to the Pythomise, and seek help of the devil. Satan's best cures are deadly wounds; it is far better to continue sick, then by such means to get health. Since whilst thy mortal body is for a time restored, thy immortal soul is desperately endangered.  
Nor yet let us with the Papists seek to any Saints as mediators with God for our recovery. whilst They have their several Saints for several Diseases; Sebastian for the Plague, Anthony for the Gangreen, Patronilla for Agues, and Benedict for the Stone: Let us have recourse to the one God in all Diseases. Whilst they think it too great sauciness to be their own spokesmen to God; and therefore go to saint somebody to prefer their Petitions for them: let us hold it the best manners to go our selves of our own errands to God, not doubting but that he, who bids us come, will bid us welcome.  

2 Chron. 16 12.  Finally, let us not ●read in Asa's footsteps, who sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians; nor yet let us tread Antipodes to him in seeking to the Lord, and not to the physicians, whilst he affoards them: but as Gideon commanded his soldiers to cry, the sword of the Lord, and of Gideon; so let us ever say, the blessing of the Lord, and the skill of the physician. Indeed where opportunity is vouchsafed, those two must not be severed. God will not usually help without means, and therefore they must be used; the means cannot possibly help with●ut God; and therefore in the use of them his blessing must be implored. They are equally bad to neglect and to rest on second causes, to expect succour either from them originally, or without them instrumentally, to rely on God without means, or trust to means without God. Surely, what the King said to the woman, 
2 Kings. 6 27.  If the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? that all creatures say to us in any distress, If the Lord help not, whence shall we? except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it, except the Lord keep the City, the watchman watcheth but in vain, 
Psal. 127.1. Frustra ●st ●mul● humana d●lig●ntia nisi divina a●●●dat provid●ntia. M●●c. ibid.  saith the Psalmist. Indeed he doth not say quia, because the Lord builds the house, but visi, as excluding ●umane diligence: but except the Lord build, thereby including divine providence: nor doth he only say, nisi d●minus consenserit, adjuverit, but nisi aedificaverit, custodicrit, unless the Lord consent, (a word which only implieth his will) or unless the Lord help, 
Id ibid.  which extendeth to any kind of assistance (the meanest thing that concurreth to any work, being causa adjuvans, an auxiliary cause) but unless the Lord build and keep, which imply the concurrence of his power, as well as will, and that as the principal agent in the building and keeping: the same assertion is no less true in this pres●nt case, 
Luke 4.23.  except the Lord heal the patient, the physician admnistreth but in vain. Heal thyself, is only true of that physician, to whom it was spoken: no other physician can of himself either heal himself or others. Tangit te Rex, Sanat te Deus, was no less truly than humbly spoken when the royal touch was given, The King toucheth thee, God cureth thee. It is so here, the physician prescribes the medicine, but God by that commands health. Oh therefore that physicians in administering, patients in receiving, would only depend upon, and sue for divine Benediction, when the one writes a recipe with his pen, let him pray with his heart; when the other receiveth the potion into his stomach, let him lift up his eyes to God, 
Ezod. 15. ●6.  who saith of himself, I am the Lord that healeth thee.  
3. Art thou recovered? know whom to praise, and to whom to ascribe the cure: could the ingredients of thy medicine speak, each would say of health, as the depths and the Seas, 
Job 28.14.  of wisdom, It is not in me: It is, I am sure, the voice of all pious physicians, non nobis, not to us (oh man) not to us, 
Peter 5.1.  but to God be the praise of thy recovery. And therefore whilst the Atheist looketh no further than nature and art, let the Christian look higher at God and his blessing: and as he must not forget that respect which is due to the physician, as the Instrument, so let the chiefest honour be given to God as being the principal efficient. The truth is, for the most part, such is our foolishness, 

Faciem quodamodo ponentes ad ea quae fecit, dorsum ponimus ad artificem qui fecit.  
Si quando nobis prosperi aliquid praeter spem nostram & meritum deus tribuit, alias ascribit hoc fortunae, alias ●ven●●t, alias confilio, nullus d●o.  
Salv. de Cub. l. 7.   that whilst we fix our eyes upon the blessings we receive, we turn our backs upon the God that bestoweth them, and we are more ready to father them upon any other than him, who is the true donor of them. Oh let not only gratitude but justice, teach us to give God his due, when we gather the fruit let us cast down our eyes on the root from which they sprout, when we feed upon the acorns, let us lift them up to the tree from whence they fall, and being refreshed by the flowing stream, let us reflect upon the springing fountain. Oh my God, it is in thee that I live, let me live to thee; from thee I have received health, to thee I return praise; I have the comfort, take thou the glory of thy great mercy. And so I pass forward to the  
2. Excellency of the Benefit, how expressed, in those words, Had mercy on him.  
In mercy there are two things considerable, affectus, and effectus, the passion, and the action, the inward pity, and the outward bounty, that is in the heart, this in the hand; that the bowels of mercy, this the works of mercy; that called by the greeks {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, and this {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, and both these, though not in the same sense, 

Misericordia nonnullis quod mi●●rum cor faciat.  
Aug con●r. adv. leg. l. ●. c▪ 20. Misericors dicitur aliquis si qua miscrum cor hab●ns.  
Aquin p●r. prim q. 21. art. 3. Isa. 63.6. I●rem 3●. 20. Psal. 10●. 16. N●bis non sibi loquitur, atque ideo nostris u●itur in loquendo. Hil●r. in Ps 126 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Greg. Naz. Orat. 16.  
Mise●icord●a est ali●rae miser●ae in co●d ●ostro comp●ssi● qu● uti●●● (si possimus) subven●●e compellimur. Aug. de civit. dei. l 9 c. 8.   are attributed to God, and here to be understood.  
1. In mercy there is a laying of another's misery to heart, The Gre●ke word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is derived from the Hebrew {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which signifieth Ejulare, plangere, to bewail and lament: a condolency with our brother's calamity, being a choice ingredient of mercy. This is that which the Holy Ghost asserteth of God in Scripture, where it is said, in all their afflictions he was afflicted: And again, My bowels are troubled: And again, Like as a Father pittyeth his Children, so the Lord pit●yeth them that fear him: But withal, we must know, that in these Phrases the most high is pleased to condescend, and speaking to men, to speak of himself, as if he were a man. There is not then any sorrow or compassion in him who is impassible, but by this is represented his good will towards his people, whereby he is propense to succour them. And because the afflicted person finds oft times much ease and solace in that sympathy, which another expresseth towards him, that we may know the like solace is to be found in God, this compassion is attributed to God; and indeed is, though not formally, yet aequivalently, nay eminently verified of him. To bring this home, in that God is said to have mercy on dying Epaphroditus, it implieth thus much, that God beholding and taking notice of, was as it were affected with his imminent danger, having after a sort a friendly pity, and motherly yearning, or rather a fatherly goodwill towards him. But this is not all that mercy includeth, and therefore know,  
2. In mercy there is an endeavour to relieve him whose misery it condoleth, as she suffereth with, so she doth for, and (according to her ability) either helpeth him to bear the burden by putting under her shoulder, or wholly ●aseth him of it by removing it from his shoulder. Hence the definition of mercy is well given to be such a compassion of another's misery, as puts upon a cheerful employing our power for the sustaining him under, and delivering him ●ut of it. This is that which in a proper and genuine sense agreeth to God, whose property is to deliver his out of their afflictions, 

Tristari de miseriâ alterius non competit Deo, sed rep●ll●re miseriam alicri●s hoc m●ximè ei competit. Aquin. par. prim. qu. 21. a●t. 3. Nomen misericordiae pro op●re. Zanch. in loc. Dicitur misericordia, quod miseriae ●●jusdam est Remotio, Est. ibid. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. &c. Greg. Naz. Orat. 16.  
{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Athanas. qu. 15. de parab.. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Greg. Naz. Orat. 16. A Ch●isto dicti es●is Ch●istiani; 〈◊〉 eá viá qua Christus ambularet, & vos d●betis ambulare. Bern. Ser ad p●st. Pr. 20.6. Sep●. V●re Magnus qui divini ●peris interpres est ut imitatur Amb. in Ps. 118. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Greg. Nys. de Beat. Or. 5. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Greg. Naz. Orat. 16.   and preserve them from destruction: and this no doubt, is that which our Apostle here especially intends in this expression, God had mercy on him, that is, he did remove his misery, and prevent his death by curing him of that sickness which had brought him nigh to it.  
Let the same mind be in us that is in God: when our brethren are under sickness, or any other distress, to have mercy on them. It was our blessed saviour's reasoning with the Ph●risees, though not altogether to the same purpose, Which of you shall have an ass or an Ox fall into the pit, and will not straightway pull him out? Surely one man is of more worth than many Asses; and shall we not, in what we may, succour him when fallen into some grievous sickness?  
That good Samaritan in the Type is no other than Christ in the Truth, who pitied and healed man when dangerously wounded by sin, and as it was the design of his death to cure mankind of his spiritual sickness, so his practice in the course of his life to go about doing good and healing. If we call ourselves Christians, whom should we imitate but Christ, by performing all offices of love to the sick▪ which lie within our sphere? and if we have no o●le but that of compassion, no wine but tears and prayers, let them be poured into the wounds and diseases of thy neighbour; so shall we be Disciples of Christ. But the Text leads us yet one step higher from Christ, as man, and as God-man, to Christ as God, acquainting us with God's mercy to a sick man: and what more befiting man then to imitate God by practising this godlike work of mercy. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, a merciful man is great and honourable, and that for this reason chiefly, because he is like to God, in which respect Gregory Nyssen, and Nazianzen call such a man a God, as having stamped upon him the Character of a Deity. Be ye therefore followers of God as dear Children, 

Eph. 6.1. Luke 6.36 N●hil digniu● quam u● homo sit autoris sui imitator, & secundum modum propriae facultatis div. ni ●it ●peris executor. Leo de quadr. Serm. 5.  
Psal. 41.3 Prospicit p●uperi, aegro aegroto, attenuato. Vatabl ibid. Improbus petito●, qui quod aliis negat sibi postulat, Homo esto tibi misericordiae forma, si● quomo do vis, quan●um vis, quam cito vis m●sericordia● tibi sieri, tam cito alii, tantum, tali●●r ipse m●sercre. Chrysol. Serm. 43.  
Mat. 15.7. Vita mari est similis, namque ut mare vita pro●cllas: Haec habet & v●ntos naufragiumque f●equ●●s. An●h sacr.   is Saint Paul's counsel in general, Be you merciful, as your Father also is merciful, so our blessed Saviour adviseth in special: and yet more particularly, as God had mercy on sick Epaphroditus, so let us on our sick neighbour, by visiting him, (if we can by our skill or counsel do him good) however by compassionating him, and interceding with God in his behalf.  
And because this duty is that which (though so honourable) we are averse from; give me leave to carry it a little further, & let you see it is profitable, as well as honourable. Not only that you may follow God in mercy, but that you may upon the like occasion obtain mercy from God, show mercy to ot●ers. It is a sweet promise to feed on in a time of sickness. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing, thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness. That bed must needs be easy which God maketh, nor can he faint, whom God strengtheneth, but to whom is it made? him and none but him who considereth the poor, so our Translation, b●t the Hebrew word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} may as well be rendered sick, one that is weakened by a disease: he who considereth others in their sickness, shall be supported by God in his. Which of us, beloved, doth not desire that God may show that mercy to us in our distress, which he did here to Epaphroditus? But how can we except God should grant that to us, which we deny to others? Blessed are the merciful, saith Christ, for they shall obtain mercy: Be then oh man to thyself, a pattern of mercy, and show with that speed, and in that degree, mercy to thy sick, weak, languishing neighbour, which thou wouldst have God vouchsafe to thee in the like condition. But a little more to unbowel this Clause.  
The mercy here intended (as you have already heard) was the prolongation of life, and restauration of health to Epaphroditus: and here a double question falls in to be resolved, 
How this can be called a mercy? And  
If a mercy in itself, yet how a mercy to him?   
Qu. 1. It is a plausible Objection which is made, 

{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Philem. Yant●●st tribu, lat●o h● jus mis●rae vi●ae, ut nec vita fit dicenda, sed potius mors, vel qu ppiam aliud morte detertus.  
Idiot de pati. Qu●d est di●i viv●re ●isi di● torqueri.  
Aug. de verb. dom. Serm. 17 Chrysost. in loc. Theoph. in loc. O●cum. in loc.   that life prolonged is no mercy, because it is a calamitous continuance in an evil world: what is this world but a Coffer of Sorrows, Labyrinth of Troubles, school of Vanity, Market of Fraud, theatre of tragedies, flood of tears, and Map of ruins? And can it be a favour for a man to continue long in a place of miseries? The earth we tread on, the air we breath in, are as a Sea, wherein winds and storms are ever blowing; and can it be a favour to be still tossed up and down upon a blustering tempestuous Sea? Finally, this life is not a life but a calamity, yea, rather a death than a life, because so miserable: to live long is to be long tormented, and can this be a mercy?  
Answ. To all this it is briefly, but fully answered. That though there be many evils in the world, yet the world is not evil, nor is it evil to abide in the world. These miseries are only accidental to life, and so hinder not, but that preservation from death is a mercy. And therefore the Greek Fathers upon this Scripture do hence most rationally confute the Manichees, who affirm the world in its own nature to be bad, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} so St. Chrysostom, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. So Theophilact in particular. What sayest thou to this, oh heretical Manich●e? If the world be wicked, and the life which we now live in it, how doth the Apostle call this a mercy of God, that he lengthened Epaphroditus his days? The other life is better than this, 

{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Theoph. ibid.  
Aristot. Eth●l. 1. c. 8 Plat. in Gorg. Ma●t. Ep. 70. l. 6.   surely than this must be good, an immature death is threatened, and inflicted as a judgement, surely than the continuance of life must be a mercy, as those forementioned Fathers excellently argue,  
Life is a mercy, and yet health is a greater mercy. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} was written upon the porch of Apollo's Temple, health is the Princess of earthly blessings: and Plato tells us that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} was sung by every one to his harp at the schools, and at Festivals. Beauty, riches, health, were the three things Pythagoras said should chiefly be implored of the Gods; but among them health the chief: indeed, it is that which maketh life itself to be a mercy, since non est vivere sed valere vita, To live is not so much to breath, as to be well.  
Mercies than they are (especially) when conjoined, and being so in their own nature, ought so to be esteemed of by us: in which respect we ought to pray and give thanks for them as blessings. 
Una est catena quae nos allig nos ten●t, amor v●tae qui ut non est abujiciendus, ita miu●ndus est. Sen. Ep. 27.  It is no less a fault to undervalue, then to overprize our lives and health: this latter (I confess) is the more common, but the former is no less culpable: we must not be so much in love with life as to dote upon it, because it is short, yet we may so far love, as to desire, and endeavour that it may, yea, with the Apostle here, account it a mercy, when it is prolonged.  
I end this, If deliverance from death be a mercy, how great a mercy is deliverance from hell? 

Corpus infra animam est & quaevis anima vilis excellentissi●o corpore excellentio● invenitur.  
Aug in Ps 145.   If it be a blessing to have the danger of a mortal disease prevented, Oh what is it to have the guilt of our deadly sins pardoned? Finally, if the health of the body be a favour, how choice a benefit is the soul's health? Surely by how much hell is worse than death, sin then sickness, yea, by how much the soul is better than the body, by so much is the one to be preferred before the other. Oh my soul, thou wast sick, desperately sick of sin, so sick that thou wast not only nigh to death, but dead in sins, and trespasses; but God had mercy on thee, he hath sent his son to heal, to revive thee, by being himself wounded, nay, slain: and his spirit to cure, to quicken thee by killing thy sin, and renewing thy nature. Thou art indebted to thy God for temporal, much more for spiritual: bless the Lord, oh my soul, for thy life of nature, health of thy body; but let all that is within thee praise his holy name for thy life of grace, and eternal salvation.  
Qu. 2. But it is further inquired, though this recovery were a mercy in it self, yet how could it be so to Epaphroditus a godly man? Had it been deliverance by death, this were a mercy indeed; but deliverance from death seemeth rather an injury than a courtesy, 
Ch●ys●●n loc. Mors po●it finem omnibus, malis in h●ic vit●, da● terminum malis in hoc sae●ulo, ●●imit omnem calam●tatem. been. de mod. viv. Se●m 30.  {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, we may easily refel the heretic, but how shall we answer the Christians who desiring to be dissolved knoweth not how to esteem the deferring his dissoluttion a mercy? Had Epaphroditus been a wicked man, it had been a great mercy to spare him, that he might make his peace with God by the practice of faith and repentance; but to him, whose peace was already made, what advantage could the prolonging of his life afford? Death itself to a good man is a deliverance, a total, final deliverance from all sorrow and misery for ever: And can that be a deliverance, 
M●ritur quide● justus sed secure, quippe c●jus mors ut praeso●t●● exitu● est vit●, ita i●troitu● meli oris. id. Ep. 1●5. Erit janua vitae, initium refrigerii erit, sanctae illius men●is sca●a & ingressus in locum tabernaculi. Id. in serm.  which keepeth off our deliverance? per Augusta pervenitur ad augusta, This red Sea leads to Canaan; through the valley of death we pass to the mount of glory: And can that be a mercy which retardeth our felicity? Is it a courtesy for a man to be detained from his wages, and held to labour? to be hindered from rest, and called to work? to be withheld from his country, and wander in a wilderness? Finally, to be kept out of a Palace, and confined to a Prison? And yet, all this is true of a godly man, who when nigh to death, is called back again to live longer in this world.  
Answ. To answer this, though upon those forementioned considerations, it cannot be denied but that death is a mercy to a Saint; yet those hinder not, but that in other respects the continuance of life is a mercy, even to a godly man. 
Chrysost. in loc Theoph. in loc  As for that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, which the Greek Fathers speak of, as if Saint Paul's language were more according to custom than truth, and that when he calls recovery a mercy, he rather speaketh as men do account, than as it is indeed, 

Chrisost. ibid. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Oecu. in Loc.  
Phil. 1.24. Hieron. in loc.   it seems to me somewhat harsh, that to {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, the opportunity of gaining more souls to God, which this preservation afforded him, is a far more rational solution. Upon this account it was Saint Paul looked upon the prolongation of his own life as needful: So he expresseth it in the former Chapter. And here, for the same reason, he calleth the restauration of Epaphroditus to health a mercy. To this purpose Saint Hieromes' note upon the Text is very apposite, Misertus est ejus ut majorem docendo colligat fructum, God had mercy on him, that he, being a Minister, might by the preaching of the Gospel, gather in more souls, and do more good.  
Obj. But you will say, this seems not to be a full Answer: Indeed, had the Apostle said, but God had mercy on you, namely the Philippians, this would be very suitable; the recovery of a faithful Minister is, no doubt, a mercy to the People; but still it remaineth a doubt, how the Apostle could say, as here he doth, God had mercy on him, to wit, Epaphroditus.  
Repl. To which I reply, That the opportunity of this service was not only a benefit to the Church, but a mercy to him, in as much as by this means.  
1. He became a greater instrument of God's glory; It is an high honour, 
Considerandum est non esse parvam dignationem x se Deus in nobis glorificat. Calv. in lo.  which God vouchsafeth to that man, whom he makes use of to serve and honour him; and to a pious soul nothing is dearer than God's glory, desiring rather to glorify God than to be glorified with him: this Saint Paul declares to his hope, yea, his earnest expectation, that Christ might be magnified in his body whether by life or death. No wonder then, if considering how much Epaphroditus his life might conduce to God's glory, 
Phil. 1.20.  he reckoned it as a mercy. Besides,  

Qui Christo vivunt, salicit●r in spem gloriae coelest●s exercentur. Calv. ibid. Dan. 12.2.  2. He increased his own reward; the longer a good man, especially a good Minister liveth, the more sinners he converteth, and they that turn many to righteousness, saith Daniel, shall shine as the stars for ever and ever, nay, every soul that a faithful Minister wins to God, is as a new gem added to that Crown, which shall one day be put upon his head.  
Thus than the case stands; Epaphroditus indeed, by dying, had received his reward, but by living he did the more service; by dying he had obtained glory from God, but by living he brought glory to God: 
Act. 20.35.  and our blessed Saviour saith, It is a more blessed thing to give than to receive; by dying he had enjoyed his recompense sooner, by living he made it greater, that would have accelerated, but this augmented it, so that even in respect of his own future happiness he was no loser but a gainer by the prolonging of his life, and therefore most justly doth Saint Paul say, God had mercy on him.  
Briefly, and yet clearly to state the whole matter.  
Life and death may be considered and compared four ways,  
1. In their formal nature, and so death is a privation, life a position of good; and therefore death evil, and life good,  
2. In their Causes, death is a fruit of sin, life an effect of love; our wickedness deserved the one, God's goodness conferreth the other; in which respect, death is threatened as a punishment, life promised as a reward.  
3. In their natural and proper effects, death bereaveth as well godly, as wicked men of the society of friends, possession of their estates, yea, all the comforts which this world affords, whereas by life we have the fruition of them continued to us, so that in this regard also, life is far better than death, even to a good man.  
4. Lastly, in their accidental consequents, when a wicked man dyeth there followeth torment, but whilst he liveth there is hope of his repentance, yea, many times it so falls out, some come into the Vineyard at the eleventh hour, and to such life is a choice mercy indeed: when a godly man dyeth he is carried into Abraham's bosom, placed in a state of bliss; but by living longer he honoureth God, edifieth the Church, worketh out his salvation; he gaineth both the more time to prepare himself for, get assurance of, yea, make an addition to his future glory, and therefore in this likewise, and so in all comparisons life hath the pre-eminence, and the continuance of it is justly called by the Apostle a mercy.  
To close up this, life continued, health restored, are mercies; 

Qui● hoc credere queat, mutamus naturam rerum iniquitatibus nostris, &c. Salv. de Gub. l. 6. Paris. de Universo prim. part pars tertia. c. 9 Petrarch dial. de valet. corp. Est perniciosa s●nitas qu● ad inobedientiam ducit.  
Bern. de interdom.   oh let not us by abusing them to sin turn them into judgement, who can believe it? and yet we may often see it, men change blessings into curses by their iniquities, and as Parisiensis excellently expresseth it, Ipsa beneficia sibi faciunt poenalia & instrumenta contra seipsos divinae justitiae, They make benefits to become punishments, and the fruits of God's mercy instruments of his justice. The truth is, it was not so much life as the right use, Saint Paul conceived Epaphroditus would make of his life, which moved him to call it a mercy, Multis periculo & pestilens sanitas fuit qui tutius aegrotassent: Indeed these things are good or evil to us according as we employ them. It had been a greater mercy to many impenitent sinners that they had continued sick, or died, then that they were recovered. Let us therefore lay out our life, our health, according to our several places, in God's service, so shall it prove glory to God, benefit to others, and a mercy to us: Oh my soul, thou hast received, as it were, a new life, improve it in new obedience; health is restored to thy body, employ it in the service of thy God: why should thy honey be turned into gall, thy shield into a sword, thy delicates into poison? Oh let thy life be expended by thee, as it was intended by God; so shalt thou have cause to take up the Apostles language; God had mercy on me. And thus much shall suffice for the second particular, I hasten to the  
3. Opportunity of the time, which is the last branch employed in the ex●eptive But. And a comfortable But it is; indeed, the sickness, like a flood was carrying him away, God puts in a But and stops its current; Epaphroditus was falling into the pit, But▪ God reacheth forth an hand to uphold him. God doth not so preserve him that the sickness should not come, nay, when it is come he doth not hinder it from increasing, but when it is come to the height, than he rebuketh the disease, and saith, hitherto th●u shalt come and no further. All hopes of his recovery in man's eyes are perished, and lo, he is raised by the hand of God. Means either are not afforded, or however unable to help. God becometh his physician, and commandeth the cure. It lets us see thus much, that  


Jo. 5.7. En horam tuam domine, ades enim deus cui homo deest. Velasq. in Phil.  
Herodes g●ntis judai●ae invasit regnum, libertatem sustulit, prophanavit s●ncta; quicquid cultu● est, abolevit, merito ergo genti sanc●ae quia ●umana desunt, divina succurrant.  
Chrisol. serm. 116.   When all hopes are liveless, and helps seem fruitless, then is the season of God's deliverance. That child's condition is very sad, whom the father and mother forsake; but then the Psalmist finds God ready to take him up: And the causal particle in the original is very considerable, not only when, but because he was as a forsaken babe, God vouchsafeth to protect and provide for him; our extremity being not only the opportunity when, but a motive why God will deliver. It was a doleful complaint which the poor cripple made to Christ, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, I have not a man to put me into the pool, but even that narration is an efficacious prayer; The absence of man's help, being the season of Christ's presence and succour. Saint Paul speaking of our blessed saviour's Incarnation, saith, it was when the fullness of time came; if you will know when that full time was, the Evangelist answereth, it was in the days of Herod the King: and if with Chrysologus you look into those days, you shall find them days of extreme misery to the Jewis● Nation, their Temple profaned, Liberty suppressed, Worship abolished, and the whole State full of confusion. In those days was the fullness, because indeed the fitness of time come for him, who was the Redeemer, to appear▪ and the horn of salvation to be raised up. In which respect the Messiah is called by Moses a fit man, or according to the original, a man of opportunity. Thy way oh God is in the sea, and thy paths in the great waters, 
Psal. 77.19.  saith the Psalmist. By which expressions no doubt he chiefly intends (as appears by what followeth) to note the imperceptible secrecy attending upon many of God's dispensations, so that we can no more discern the reason of them, than we can any impression of a ships passage in the Sea, but yet withal it is not an improbable allusion to understand Sea and great waters representing doleful and perilous distresses: God's usual course being to manifest himself not in the shallow river of a slight trouble, but the deep sea of some desperate calamity. The Disciples enter into a ship, but Christ come not, the sable mantle of the night covers them, and Christ cometh not, the wind bloweth, the storm rageth, the waves arise, and yet Christ appeareth not, but when they have rowed 25. or 30. furlongs, 
Ioh. 6.19. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Cy. Alex. in Joh.  being far from land, and in the depth of danger, than they see Jesus walking on the Sea, and drawing nigh to the ship to succour them. To this purpose is S. Cyril's observation upon this story, Christ doth not presently at the beginning of the storm appear to his Disciples, but when they had rowed far from land. Christ is not always at hand upon the first onset, but when through prevailing fear, & almost over-whelming danger, our spirits begin to fail, than he breaks forth as it were in the midst of the waves, calming the storm, expelling our fear, and preventing our ruin.  
It is very observable in that hundred and seventh psalm, when the Prophet celebrateth God's goodness to several sorts of men in their dangers, that their deliverance was not vouchsafed till their danger appeared remediless: of travellers it is said, they wandered so long in the wilderness, 

Psal. 107.3, 4, 5.  
{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Greg. Nyss. Tract in Ps.   till by reason of hunger and thirst their soul fainted in them, and then, not till then upon their crying the Lord delivered them; The Captives are said to sit in darkness and the shadow of death, by reason of their b●nds, yea, to fall down and none to help them, and then this want of help obtaineth help, at their earnest cry God saveth them out of their distress; when sick, men are brought so low that their soul abhorreth all manner of meat, and they draw nigh to the gates of death, than God sendeth his Word and healeth them: 
ver. 10, 12, 13. ver. 1●, 20.  finally, the seaman's soul is melted because of trouble, they reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man; yea, are at their wit's end, 
Ver. 26.27, 28, 29.  not knowing what course to take, ere God begins to make the storm a calm, and so bringeth them out of their distress. Thus God, as he can, so usually he doth help at a pinch, when Jacob wants bread at home, Joseph is heard of abroad: when the prodigal wants abroad, he is minded of going home; and when we look with David on the right hand, 
Psal 142. ●4.  and there is no man, yea, on the left hand, nay round about us, and all refuge faileth us, Restat iter coelo, we may look up to God, and God is ready to look down from heaven and help us.  
And now if you shall inquire why God is pleased to cull out such a time of succour, when in extreme peril, of curing, when sick nigh to death: I answer, it is both in reference to himself and us.  
In regard of himself,  
1. Partly that it may appear to be his work, Those effects in the production of which, God is as it were causa socia a copartner, making use of probable means, too often the instrument is more looked upon than God▪ but those effects wherein he is causa solitaria, the sole agent (effecting them as it were by his own hand) enforce men to acknowledge it is his doing. 

Velasq. in Phil. Permittit deu● crescere pericula ut periclitan●ium merita augeantur: extremè autem periclitantibus opem f●rt ut suam pot●ntiam demonstret. Mend in lib. 1. Reg. cap. 2. n. 6.  
Psal 17.7. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Sept. Mirifica misericordia● tu●●. Vulg.   Quando humana omnem spem negant, tune divina dispensatio clare fulget, In the daytime, when other stars appear not, we know the light which shines is only from the Sun; so when secondary means succeed not to whom but God can the patient ascribe his recovery? and for this reason, ne opus coelestis dextrae assignaretur virtuti humanae, that the creature may not rob him of his glory, he chooseth that time to deliver when the creature can afford no succour.  
2. Chiefly, that in such works he may appear to be a God, in as much as his Almighty power and mercy, hereby become illustrious: it is the prayer of David, show thy mevailous loving kindness; the Septuagint and vulgar (agreeing in this with the Hebrew) render it, make thy mercy's wonderful, and surely when our misery is most doleful, God's mercy is most wonderful, and therefore, saith Saint Gregory, we most admire God's benignity, when we call to mind our calamity: 

Tunc nol is m●●sericordiae dei mirifica●tur cum nobis ad memoriam miseriae nostrae revocantur. G●eg hom. 18. in Ezech.  
N●h●l extat quod Dei pot●ntiam vincat, nih●l quod omnipotenti illi nutui obsistere v●leat. Sophr. Arch. hom. in Bible pat.  
{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Greg. Naz. Orat 32. Isa. 52.7. Te●tul. contra. Mar. l. 5. c 2. Psal 4.5.3. Isa. 30.18. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}   indeed God bringeth us nigh to death, that we may know ourselves how frail and mortal we are, that he may know us, or rather make known to us and others our graces, and when we are nigh to death he hath mercy, that we may know him, not only speculatively, but experimentally, how great and mighty, how good and gracious he is: The truth is, Omnipotenti medico, nullum vulnus insanabile, No wound is incurable to this omnipotent physician: and that he may appear to be so, he often deferreth the cure till human skill and help faileth. In such deliverances, the characters of God's almighty goodness are plainly written so, that the blind Egyptians can read them; and therefore seeing the Israelites escape an imminent danger they acknowledge the Lord fighteth for them.  
In respect of us, that the deliverance may be the more acceptable to us, as well as honourable to him, To every thing, saith Solomon, there is a season, and indeed it is the season that putteth a beauty upon every thing; in this regard, that of the Prophet quam speciosi, how beautiful are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, is rendered by Tetullian, quam tempestivi, how opportune, that which is seasonable being ever beautiful; indeed in every opportune mercy there is a double beauty, the one in the thing conferred, the other in the time of conferring it. It is the prayer of the Church to God, Gird thy sword upon thy thigh with thy glory and thy majesty, which latter words the vulgar Latin reads cum specie tua & pulchritudine tua, that is to say, with thy beauty and thy beauty: and this is then most fully verified, when God girds his sword to defend his Church in her lowest misery, and offend his enemies in their highest insolency. It is a sweet and choice expression of the Prophet, The Lord will wait that he may be gracious, which though it be chiefly intended of his forbearing judgement, yet it is no less true of his withholding mercy: God therefore oft times delaying, that he may appear the more gracious in bestowing deliverance; so true is that of the Father, Deus cum differt non negat sed commendat dona, God in suspending intends not to deny, but only to commend his mercy. Abraham's child was more welcome at seaventy, than if he had been given at thirty, and the same Isaac had not been so precious, 
{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Cyr. Alex. in Joh. 6.19.  had he not been as miraculously restored as given. In fine, the language of a depopulating war is the best rhetoric to extol the blessing of peace, how welcome is a calm to the mariner after a blustering storm? and health is never so amiable, as when it brings letters of commendation from a long and dangerous sickness.  
To apply this, It is a meditation which should encourage us, to trust in God, even when things are at the worst, and though all other succours fail, not to let go our hold of him: As Appelles striving to paint a drop of foam falling from a horse's mouth, after long study, despairing, let his pencil fall, and that fall did it, 
Erasm. fimil.  Quod assequi non potuit casus expressit, effecting by chance what he could not by art, and when both nature and art can go no further, divine providence undertaketh, nay, effecteth the work, and therefore, as the Apostle saith of joy, I say of hope, 
Phil. 3 1. Flor. l 4. c. 8.  hope always in the Lord, indeed, magnae indolis est sperare semper, it is an argument of an heroic mind, to hope always, and of a pious mind to place that hope on God; David saith of himself, 

Just●s s●mper sperat & in adversit positus & fre●●●●ibus afflictu●●rumni● d●spera●c●o●●ovit▪  
Ambr. in Ps. 118. oct. 19 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. &c. Chrys. in Psal. 117.   I have hoped in thy word, the Septuagint read it {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, and the vulgar Latin accordingly super-speravi, which as S. Ambrose interpreteth it, is ad sperandum semper crescere & spem spei adjungere, to add hope to hope, & that even than when affliction is added to affliction: Excellent to this purpose is that counsel of the Greek Father, When external means are least, let thy confidence be greatest, for then God displayeth his power most, not at the beginning, but when things are desperate, for this is the season of divine help. It is our great fault that in dismal dangers we open the eye of sense, and only poor upon the extremity of the trouble, whereas it becometh a Saint, even then to open the eye of faith, and lo●ke upon the energy of God's power.  
And to carry it one step further, Let even the depth of misery be an encouragement to our confidence, in as much as that is a time of deliverance: when the night is at the darkest, we know daybreak is nearest, the lowness of the ebb argueth the flowing in of the tide to be at hand: so may we conclude divine succour approaching from the premises of a grievous calamity encompassing. 
●zek. 1.16.  We read in the vision of the wheel, which Ezekiel laid him by the river's brink with no other shelter but an ark of bulrushes: 

Quid mirabilius ●●ll●inger● po●uit illa, quae cum dolor● pnerum ●xposucrat, nunc cum gaudio cum recipit. Fer. Com. Exod 2 8. Exod 14 21. Aquae quae timebantur dextr● laeuâque famulis dei murus eff●ctae, non solum perniciem nesciunt, sed & munimen exhibent. Orig. hom. in Exod.  
Patien●er susti●uit abs●rb●ri Jonam à ceto non ut absorberetur & in totum periret, sed ut evomitus magis, subigeretur Deo, & plus glorificaret deum qui i●sperabilem salutem ei d●●●ss●●. ●raen. adv. haer. l. 3 c▪ 22.  
O martyrium & sine passione perfectum, satis p●ssi satis exusti sunt, quos propt●rea D●us texit, ne potestatem ejus ●en●●ri vid●rentu● Tertul. Scorp. cap. 8. Venit Leo & l. b●ravit leonem ●b or● l●onis: Rab. in Lap. super loc. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Chrys. in Act. Quod genus morbi & naturae vires attinet prorsus esset moriturus nisi singulari dei consilio servaretur. Musc. in loc.  
Solo jussu salu●ë reddidit qui voluntate omnia creavit. Greg. Mag. in Evan. hom. 28.  
Post certamina desperata medicorum post medicami●a sumptu●sa, post inanem & e●tiquissimā curam ubi ars et peritia dese ●rat jam curantum ubi languentis omnis jam consumpta fucrat substamia ipsi authori reverendum vulnus non casu sea divinitus occurrit, ut quod humana arte tot annis curari n●n potuit, sola fide & humilitate cura retur. Chrysol. Serm. 33. Videtis quemadmodum dat locum morti, licentiam dat sepulchro, corruptioni posse permi●tit, negat nil put edini, nil foe●tori: atque ut Tartarus vapiat, trah●t, ●abeat, admittit, atque agit, ut hum●●a spes tota pe eat, et tota vis must lanae d●speration●s accedat, quatenus qu●d facturus est divinum 〈◊〉, non humanum. Chrysol. serm. 63.  
1 Sam 20.3. June the 10. my disease was at the highest.   how likely is this helpless Babe to be starved with cold, or tumble into the river, or be devoured with a wild beast? But behold, whilst the child is in this imminent danger, and the parents in perplexing fear, providence so ordereth it, that Pharaoh's daughter becometh as a mother to the child, and the child's mother is appointed to be his nurse, whereby his life is preserved.  
How nigh in all probability was the Israelites destruction, when before them a Sea, through which there could be no wading, on either side mountains, over which there was no climbing, behind them a mighty host, with whom there is no contesting, and yet from whom no means left of escaping. But lo, in this depth of misery God hath mercy on them, even to a miracle; the sea divideth, and at once becometh the Israelites passage, and Egyptians grave.  
How small did the distance seem between Jonah and death, when the merciful mariners were enforced for saving their own lives to cast him into the merciless Sea, and yet there he sinketh not, a divine hand as it were holding him by the chin, when in the Sea swallowed by a greedy Whale, and there he dyeth not; God would not deliver him from the tempest, he will from the Whale; that which was most likely to consume him becometh the means to preserve him, within three days the Whale delivereth him safe, whole, and alive upon dry ground.  
Who ever thought to have seen those three worthies alive after they fell down bound into the midst of a fiery burning furnace? But behold a martyrdom effected without dying, whilst a fourth like the son of God appeareth, at whose command the fire forgetteth to burn, or so much as scorch.  
Who did not expect but that Daniel being cast into a den of ravenous Lions, should be devoured before the next morning, nay, the next hour? But see, the lion's mouths are stopped by an Angel, and since they cannot feed Daniel, are forced to keep a fast with him.  
Were not Paul and his company in great jeopardy of death, when the thick clouds had for many days obscured the light of Sun and stars from them, the violent storms exceedingly tossed the Ship, enforced them to cast out the goods, yea, every moment they expect themselves to be made a prey to the roaring waves, all hope that they should be saved being taken away? but behold, that night an angel of God standeth by Paul, and from God assures him of his and their preservation.  
To come yet nearer to the instance of the Text:  
It was no slight sickness afflicted David, when he said, My heart panteth, my strength faileth me, as for the light of mine eyes it is gone from me; the disease (it seemeth) had seized upon all his spirits, his animals in the dimness of his eyes, his natural in the failing of his strength, his vital in the panting of his heart; and surely then it must needs bring him very nigh to death; yea, it seemeth David feared it, which made him so earnestly pray against it in another Psalm: But when death is near, God is near too, hearing his prayer, and preserving his life.  
It is said of Hezekiah, that he was sick unto death, the disease was such that he reckoned his bones should be broken, and an end made of him, yea, he received a sentence of death from God by the Prophet, Set thine house in order, for thou shalt die and not live: But that threat was only like Abraham's precept, not a declaration of what God intended to do, but only a probation to try what Hezekiah would do; and therefore notwithstanding the disease was deadly, God becometh his physician, prescribeth a plaster of figs, and Hezekiah is healed.  
The centurion's son is visited with a fever; that fever bringeth him to the very point of death, when as at the centurion's entreaty, Christ with a word commands his recovery.  
That woman's condition was desperate, when she was at once brought low in estate and body: her goods are gone, her disease continueth, the physicians have emptied her purse, but cannot stay her flux, nor is there any likelihood but that this sickness will at length bring her to her grave. But her deplorable state is a fit occasion for Christ to magnify his mercy, whilst by a believing touch of his garment he maketh her perfectly whole.  
Finally, Martha sends Christ word ●hat Lazarus is sick; Christ delayeth to come, only lets her know this sickness should be for God's glory: being sick he dyeth, dying is buried, and having been some days buried he rotteth, nay stinketh in the grave; and now is the time come for Christ by his powerful voice to raise him from the sleep of death, and bed of the grave.  
lo here, more than a Jury of textual witnesses, to which many more might be added (besides this in the Text) all asserting this truth, and thereby assuring our faith of God's deliverance in the worst extremity. To all which give me leave to add one more, even my own late experience of God's marvelous kindness vouchsafed to me.  
It is not many weeks ago since it pleased the wise God to visit me with a sore and violent fever; that fever so exhausted my spirits, and enervated my body, that I might well take up David's expression, There was but a step between me and death: Much about that time when the days of the year are at the longest, the days of my life seemed to be at the shortest. Thus was the first part of this Text verified, I was sick nigh to death, indeed so nigh, that I was as a dead man in the opinion of the learned, yea, actually dead and buried in the report of the vulgar, and truly I had ere this been not only four days with Lazarus, but more than four weeks putrifying in the grave, had not divine goodness prevented: But God had mercy on me, and so the other part of my Text is likewise fulfilled: when the sickness had almost weighed me down into the pit, God was pleased to put a grain of mercy and turn the scale, so that I am here (beloved) this day, before God, Angels, and men, as a bird escaped out of a strong snare, as a prey plucked out of the jaws of a devouring Lion, as a brand snatched out of the fire of a burning fever.  
What therefore remaineth, but that as in the beginning, so now in the close of this discourse I take up a gratulation, Bless the Lord oh my soul, and let all that is within me praise his holy name; 
Psal. 103.1.137.5, 6.  when I forget to mention this deliverance, let my right hand forget its cunning; when I cease (as opportunity offereth itself) to publish this mercy, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; nor yet would I be ●●one, in this work of praise; do you (all you here present) join with me. I doubt not but many, the most, nay all of you in some kind, at some time or other, have had experience of eminent deliverances: oh call them now to mind, & let your grateful remembrance come up as a memorial before the Lord: I doubt not but many of you, yea, very many, did put up prayers, fervent prayers at the throne of grace for this mercy (which I now celebrate) my recovery. Indeed brethren, I look upon my health, as S. Paul on his preservation, as a gift bestowed on me by the means (to wit, 
2 Cor. 1.11.  for the sakes and prayers) of many; and surely as prayers have been made, so fit it is thanksgiving should be returned by many on my behalf, it were a shame to be zealous in begging and cold in blessing; to cry aloud give us our daily bread, and only whisper hallowed be thy name. Blessed therefore be the Lord God of his unworthy servant, who alone doth wondrous things; 
Psal. 72.18, 19  yea, blessed be his glorious name for ever, and let all that have been petitioners for me say with me at least in their hearts, Amen, Amen.  
And now my Dearly beloved Parishioners, and friends in the Lord, what is my desire, but that you may have cause in allusion to the following words of this verse, to say, God had mercy, no● on him only, but us also; that my preservation may be for your edification, as well for my consolation: that you, who have already found benefit by my weak ministry, may be more strengthened; and those, who have heretofore been unprofitable, may now be bettered. Which that it may be so, it shall be my endeavour▪ let it be your prayer for me, that I may do this work of Christ more diligently and faithfully than ever; it shall be my prayer for you, let it be your endeavour to hear the Word of Christ more attentively and obediently for the time to come. So shall you have cause to bless God for me, and I to bless God for you. Yea at that last and great day you shall have joy in me, if my preaching become a means of your conversion and salvation; and I shall have joy in you, whose conversion and salvation shall prove an increase of my reward, and an addition to my glory. Which God grant, &c.  
FINIS.