21 The estate of sinners may well be compared to them that be sick: for as when one1 keepeth his bed, and goeth to Physic, it argueth some notable malady, and disorder, whereby he is hindered from some necessary function: so our soul by the distemper of sin, is not only hindered from her duty, but is clean put out of all good course and temper. David complaineth of this, My sin hath taken such hold upon me, that I am not able to look 2up, they be gone over my head, they have worn away my beauty, there is no rest in my bones by reason of my sin. Very aptly are they compared to sick men that are sinners, to the end they might more warily look to themselves, search the bottom of their thoughts, feel their grief where it lieth, find out the cause thereof, seek betimes for remedy, least not taking it in time, it rankle and fester inwardly, it eat and infect more and more, it come to a running sore, as David complaineth, and so prove very near incurable. The Pharisees are well called sick men, to move those Peacock-tailed justiciaries, to pity the miserable plight and pickle they were in, and not so slightly to over-look themselves as they were wont to do. Who is so unnatural, that is not moved with pity towards the sick? who is so without all bowels, that is not touched with compassion of a sick man? If his heartstrings be not so hard as a horn, if he have not a flint stone in place of his hart, if his reins be not steel, and his hart and bowels hewed and framed out of an hard Oak, he must needs have some remorse, his bowels must needs yearn, and his heart within him cannot choose but mourn over the groans of a man that draweth his last breath. And as the Lord spake, it is a memorandum for them to strike their frozen hearts: so for our selves we have to take this Item also, for in them he toucheth us, our share is in it, he shadows therein the whole estate of mankind subject to every disease, always drooping and complaining, always laid up on one side or other, teaching us to give over, and to divorce our selves from all security. The Scripture in this point is plentiful, Who can say his heart 3is clean? There is none that doth good, no not one, all are sick either of the covetous dropsy, or ambitious 4fever of the itch of concupiscence. He that hath not the fit on him, may start up and look to his neighbour.
21 The estate of sinners may well be compared to them that be sicke: for as when one1 keepeth his bedde, and goeth to Physicke, it argueth some notable maladie, and disorder, whereby he is hindred from some necessary function: so our soule by the distemper of sin, is not onely hindred from her dutie, but is cleane put out of all good course and temper. Dauid complaineth of this, My sinne hath taken such hold vpon me, that I am not able to looke 2vp, they be gone ouer my head, they haue worne away my beautie, there is no rest in my bones by reason of my sin. Very aptly are they compared to sicke men that are sinners, to the end they might more warily look to thēselues, search the bottome of their thoughts, feele their griefe where it lieth, finde out the cause thereof, seeke be•imes for remedie, least not taking it in time, it rankle and fester inwardly, it eate and infect more and more, it come to a running sore, as Dauid complaineth, and so prooue very neere incurable. The Pharisies are well called sicke men, to moue those Peacock-tailed iusticiaries, to pitie the miserable plight and pickle they were in, and not so sleightly to ouer-looke themselues as they were wont to doe. Who is so vnnaturall, that is not mooued with pitie towards the sicke? who is so without all bowels, that is not touched with compassion of a sicke man? If his heartstrings be not so hard as a horne, if he haue not a flint stone in place of his hart, if his reines be not steele, and his hart and bowels hewed and framed out of an hard Oke, he must needes haue some remorse, his bowels must needes yearne, and his heart within him cannot chuse but mourne ouer the groanes of a man that draweth his last breath. And as the Lord spake, it is a memorandum for them to strike their frozen hearts: so for our selues we haue to take this Item also, for in them he toucheth vs, our share is in it, he shadowes therein the whole estate of mankind subiect to euery disease, alwaies drouping and complaining, alwaies laid vp on one side or other, teaching vs to giue ouer, and to diuorce our selues from all securitie. The Scripture in this point is plentifull, Who can say his heart 3is cleane? There is none that doth good, no not one, all are sicke either of the couetous dropsie, or ambitious 4feuer of the itch of concupiscence. He that hath not the fit on him, may start vp and looke to his neighbour.
- 1Simile.
- 2Psalm. 40. 12.
- 3Note.
- 4All sick.All sicke.
