And he shall find by gods word, that sickness comes ordinarily and usually of sin.1 Wherefore is the ⟨p. 96⟩living man sorrowful? man suffereth for his sin. It is true indeed, there be other causes of the wants of the body, & of sickness, beside sin; and though they be not known to us, yet they are known to the Lord. Hereupon Christ when he saw a certain blind man, and was demanded what was the cause of the blindness, answered, neither hath this man sinned nor his parents, but that the works of God should be showed on him, 2Yet we for our parts, who are to go not by the secret, but by the revealed will of God, must make this use of our sickness, that it is sent unto us for our sins. When Christ healed the man sick of the palsy, he saith, Be of good comfort, 3thy sins are forgiven thee: and when he had healed the man by the pool of Bethesda, that had bin sick 38. ⟨p. 97⟩years,4 he bids him sin no more least a worse thing happen unto him: giving them both to understand that their sickness came by reason of their sins. And thus should every sick man resolve himself. Now when we have proceeded thus far, & have as it were laid our finger upon the right and proper cause of our sickness, three things concerning our sins must be performed of us in sickness. First, we must make a new examination of our hearts and lives, & say as the Israelites said in affliction,5 Let us search & try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. Secondly, we must make a new confession to God of our new & particular sins, as God sends new corrections and chastisement.6 When David had the hand of God very heavy upon him for his sins, so as his ⟨p. 98⟩very bones & moisture consumed within him, he made confession of them unto God, and thereupon obtained his pardon & was healed. The third thing is to make new prayer & more earnest then ever before, with sighs & groans of the spirit, & that for pardon of the same sins, & for reconciliation with God in christ. In the exercise of these 3. duties stands the renovation of our faith & repentance whereby they are increased, quickened, & revived. And the more sickness prevails and takes place in the body, the more should we be careful to put them in ure: that spiritual life might increase as temporal life is decayed. When king Hezekiah lay sick, as he thought upon his death-bed;
And he shal find by gods word, that sicknes comes ordinarily and vsually of sinne.1 Wherefore is the ⟨p. 96⟩liuing man sorrowfull? man suffereth for his sinne. It is true indeed, ther be other causes of the wāts of the body, & of sicknes, beside sinne; and though they be not known to vs, yet they ar known to the Lord. Hereupon Christ when he saw a certaine blinde man, and was demaunded what was the cause of the blindnesse, answered, neither hath this man sinned nor his parents, but that the workes of God should be shewed on him, 2Yet we for our parts, who are to goe not by the secret, but by the reuealed will of God, must make this vse of our sicknes, that it is sent vnto vs for our sinnes. When Christ healed the man sicke of the palsy, he saith, Be of good comfort, 3thy sinnes are forgiuen thee: and when he had healed the man by the poole of Bethesda, that had bin sicke 38. ⟨p. 97⟩yers,4 he bids him sin no more least a worse thing happen vnto him: giuing them both to vnderstand that their sicknes came by reasō of their sinnes. And thus should euery sick man resolue himself. Now when we haue proceeded thus farre, & haue as it were laid our finger vpon the right and proper cause of our sicknesse, three things cōcerning our sins must bee performed of vs in sicknes. First, we must make a new examination of our hearts and liues, & say as the Israelites said in affliction,5 Let vs search & try our waies, and turne againe to the Lord. Secondly, we must make a new confession to God of our new & particular sinnes, as God sends new corrections and chastisment.6 When Dauid had the hād of God very heauy vpon him for his sins, so as his ⟨p. 98⟩very bones & moisture consumed within him, he made confession of them vnto God, and therupon obtained his pardon & was healed. The third thing is to make new praier & more earnest then euer before, with sighes & grones of the spirit, & that for pardon of the same sins, & for reconciliation with God in christ. In the exercise of these 3. duties standes the renouation of our faith & repentance wherby they are increased, quickned, & reuiued. And the more sicknes preuailes and takes place in the bodie, the more should wee be careful to put thē in vre: that spirituall life might increase as temporal life is decaied. When king Ezechias lay sicke, as he thought vpon his death-bedde;
- 1Lam. 3.36.
- 2Joh. 9, 2.Ioh. 9, 2.
- 3Math. 9.2.
- 4Joh. 5.14.Ioh. 5.14.
- 5Lam. 3.40.
- 6Psal. 32.5.
