Englands sickness, comparatively conferred with Israels Divided into two sermons, by ThoEnglands sicknes, comparatively conferred with Israels Diuided into two sermons, by Tho

6 The Leprosy makes man loathsome to man, that (seorsim habitaturus sit) he must dwell alone. So was the ^mLaw, He is unclean, he shall dwell alone; without the Camp shall his habitation be. Yea, though he were a ⁿKing, he must content himself with an unvisited and removed lodging; yet what is it to be secluded from mans (and not to be destitute of the Lords) company? God forsakes not the clean heart, though man abhors the leprous flesh.^o God alone is a thousand companions; God alone is a world of friends. He never knew what it was to be familiar with heaven, that complains the lack of friends whiles God is with him. Were thy Chamber a prison, thy prison a Dungeon; yet what Walls can keep out that infinite Spirit? Even there the good soul finds the Sun of heaven to enlighten his darkness, in comparison of whom all the stars in the sky are the snuff of a dim candle. Every cloud darkens our Sun, nothing can eclipse that. But the Leprosy of sin separates a soul from Gods fellowship, from the company of Angels. ^aWe lie, if we say we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness. Your sins have separated betwixt me and you saith the Lord of hosts. They unhouse our hearts of Gods spirit, and expel him from the temple of our souls, who will no longer stay there, when the Dagon of sin is advanced, adored. It is customable with men to eschew the society of their poor, maimed, afflicted, diseased Brethren, and to show some disdain• by their averseness: but to keep company with drunkards, adulterers, swearers, usurers, &c. of whom alone we have a charge, de non tangendo, they reck not, ^bEat not with them? Turn away from them, saith the Apostle,^c from those so diseased in Soul, not in body. But ⟨p. 94⟩now d (melior est conditio vitij, quam morbi.) the estate of sin is better then of sickness. But God looks unto (and is with) Lazarus living, and takes him into his bosom dying, though he was full of sores: and lets healthy, wealthy, flourishing Dives go by unnamed, unaccepted.