little of her argument whereby shee forced the blessed Apostle and the rest to her house If yee have judged me faithfull IT is a most binding argument If you judge me faithfull you must judge me a child of God an heire of heaven the Spouse of Christ you must judge mee all these and the like If you have judged mee faithfull come to my house And if you judge me so can you denie me this courtesie It is a conjuring wondrous forcible argument If you have judged mee faithfull It implies that S. Paul and holy men would be more strange else And so there should not be intimate familiaritie converse there may be but not familaritie with those that are not faithfull Indifferent carriage to all alike shewes a rotten heart those that make no difference betweene good Christians and formall hypocrites No but if you have judged me faithfull come to my house As if she had said I know your spirits are such that except you judge me faithfull you will not take this courtesie at my hands Againe she supposed if Paul judged her faithfull he would not denie her that courtesie Those that upon good grounds wee judge faithfull we should be gentle to them and easie to be intreated The wisedome that is from above is so Grace Sweetnes the Carriage and alters a mans disposition Those that have felt pittie from God are mercifull to others Therefore if you have judged mee faithfull c. It was an argument of a great-deale of sinceritie to appeale to their knowledge and judgement If you have judged me faithfull If she had not beene sincere she would not have done so but sinceritie makes a man bold to appeale to God himselfe Lord thou knowest that I love thee saith S. Peter and If there be any iniquitie in my heart saith David they dare appeale to God and to Gods people if yee have judged me faithfull In this speech likewise shee desires to have confirmation of her estate from the Apostles And indeed it is a great confirmation of weake Christians to have the judgement of strong Christians that they are good If you have judged mee faithfull doe me this courtesie And would it not comfort her soule to have the judgement of so strong a man as Paul It is a great strengthening not onely to have the spirit of God witnesse for us but the spirit of God in others And sometimes in temptations the judgment of others will doe us more good then our owne in a darke state Therefore wee should appeale to those that feare God to judge us faithfull though we be in a mist and in darkenesse sometimes that we are not able to judge of our owne condition And indeed when we judge the people to be truly good and true hearted to God we owe them this dutie to thinke them good people and to shew it it is a debt we wrong good persons when wee take wrong conceits of them Shall wee not affect and loue them that God loues It is as if shee had sayd God hath taken me into his family and will admit mee to heauen and will not you come to my house when Christ shall take men to be members of his body shall not we take them into our company It is a wrong to good people to be strange to them sometimes there may by way of censure in some sin be a little strangenesse but ordinary stangnesse becomes not Christians it becomes not that sweet bond the Communion of Saints If you haue judged me faithfull That is the bond Her invitation is Come to my house and and abide there YOU see many sweet graces presently after shee beleived here is a loving heart Why did shee desire them to come to her house To expresse the loue she did beare to them for their works sake shee felt the loue of Christ by their ministery and now she desired to expresse the fruit of her loue in maintaining them And not onely so but she desired to be edified by them shee was yongly planted and shee desired to bee watered from them Shee knew Paul would drop heauenly things and giue her that that might stablish her therefore she desired that they would stay at her house that she might haue benefit by their heauenly discourse and be built vp and edified further and further So you see these two graces especially upon beleeuing a bountifull louing heart shee intreated them not onely to come to her house but to abide there a good while as they did And here was her desire to bee edified And a boldnesse to appeare to owne Christ and his ministers in dangerous times for in those times it was a dangerous thing to appeare to be a Christian they were worse hated then the Iewes were though both were hated yet Christians were aboue all Therefore false Christians would be circumcised they would be Iewes to auoid the Crosse that they might not bee accounted Christians You see in Generall true faith that works loue and workes by loue It workes loue in the heart and by loue it works all duties of hospitallity and bounty by loue When it hath wrought that holy affection it works by that holy affection You see here it is neuer without fruit presently faith brings forth fruit as soone as shee was baptized shee shewes her loue to the Apostles and their company and her bounty and her boldnesse in the cause of Christ. We say of a graft it is grafted to purpose if it take and bring forth fruite so shee being a new sience graft into Christ shee tooke presently as soone as she was baptized into Christ here is the fruite of loue and bounty and boldnesse in the cause of Christ. Zacheus as soone as euer he beleeved halfe my goods I giue to the poore So wee see the Gaoler afterwards presently upon beleeving he entertained the Apostles with a feast and washed their wounds Take heed of a barren dead faith it is a false faith if thou beleeue indeed faith will worke loue and worke by loue as it did in this blessed woman her faith knit her to Christ in heauen her loue was as the branches of the tree her faith knit her to the roote but loue as the branches reached to others her branches reached fruit to the Apostle and his company So it is the nature of faith that knits us to Christ the same spirit of loue knits us to others and reacheth forth fruit to all wee converse with As wee desire to haue evidence of the soundnes of our faith let us see what spirit of loue we haue especially loue to these three things loue to Christ to whom wee are ingrafted and loue to the ministers of Christ. We cannot shew kindnesse to Christ he is in heauen but his ministers and his poore are upon the earth when wee can buy ointment to poure on Christs feete his poore members and his Ministers and loue to the word of
God they are the three issues of a gracious beleeuing heart and where they are not there is no faith at all I beseech you let us imitate this blessed woman You see here the name of Lydia is precious in the Church the name of Lydia as it is sayd of Iosiah it is as a boxe of oyntment powred out the name of Lydia cannot bee named in the Church but there is a sweete sauour with it As soone as shee beleeued the Holy Ghost the spirit of GOD blowing upon the garden of her heart where the spice of Grace was sowed stirred vp a sweete sent of faith and of bountie and liberalitie in the cause of Christ. Let not this bee in vaine to us but euery one of us labour to bee like Lydia you see what loadestone drew PAVL heere to goe unto her house shee had Faith and shee expressed it in loue Let us labour to haue faith and to expresse it in loue to GOD vnto CHRIST to his people and word and ordinances that haue his stampe on them and let us boldly owne the cause of CHRIST let us not regard the censures of vaine men that say thus and thus Faith and loue forget danger it is bold Shee forgot all the danger that shee was in by countenancing Paul and such men Let us labour for faith and loue and wee shall not say this and that There is a Lion in the way but wee shall goe on boldly vntill wee doe receiue the end of our faith and loue the salvation of our soules FINIS The Table A. Abasement part page CHrists word powerfull in his abasement 2.92 Affections Affections to Religion strong in women 1.9 Affliction Affliction why sent of God 2.58 Prayer a remedy in affliction 2.60 Angels Praise a duty fit for Angels 2.108 Appetite To blesse God for appetite 2.46 Spiritual appetite how recovered 2.140 Attend Attention God opens the heart to attend 1.46 Attention necessary 1.54 Directions to attend on the Word 1.57 Trials of attending aright 1.69 Attire Selling and wearing rich Attire lawfull 1.17 Atheisme see Nature B. Baptisme Baptisme a seale of salvation 1.76 How to thinke of our Baptisme 1.78 Beginning Great things from small beginnings 1.11 Boldnesse see Sinceritie C. Callings Callings allowed of God 1.14 Censure Censure of wicked men not to be regarded 2.24 Command Command of God over all things 2.84 Commerce Commerce lawfull 1.15 Confirme Approbation of strong Christians confirmes the weak 1.95 Crie Gods children crie in afflictions 2.57 D. Death Gates of death what 2.49 Death how to disarme it 2.53 Deferre God why hee deferres helpe 2.81 Dishonour Only wicked men dishonour God 2.104 displease To take heed of displeasing God 2.87 Distemper What to doe in spirituall distempers 2.141 Divinitie Divinitie transcends other Arts. 2.37 E. End Fooles forget their End 2.17 Epicures Happinesse of Epicures unstable 2.45 Extremitie see Crie F Faith Faith trialls of it 1.104 Fooles Folly Wicked men fooles 2.9 Why they are fooles 2.10 Folly in Gods children 2.25 Fruitfull True faith fruitfull 1.101 G. Garments Garments the use of them 1.16 Gates see Death God God to bee sought in trouble 2.35 Gospell Gospell the ground of faith 1.50 H. Heathen God heares the prayers of the Heathen 2.21 Heart Heart opened by God 1.32.34 Heart what meant by it 1.40 Humiliation Ground of humiliation of wicked men 2.21 I. Iesting Iesting with sinne a signe of folly 2.16 Invitation Lydia's invitation 1.99 Iustifie To justifie God in his judgements 2.33 L. Labourers Labourers to be prayed for in Gods harvest 1.52 Love Trials of faith by love 1.104 M. Meanes God brings the elect under meanes 1.29 Mind The mind must be sanctified to attend to the Word 1.43 Miserie Miserie of wicked men 2.50 Why God suffers men to fall into great miserie 2.55 Murmuring Murmuring in trouble the cause of it 2.39 N. Nature Atheisme against nature 2.57 Notice God takes particular notice of his 1.7 O. Open. Trials whether the heart bee open 1.46 See heart Passion Wicked men fooles for their passion 2.12 Passion how it presents things 2.13 Patience Patience to others the ground of it 1.38 Patience in our selves 2.34 People People of three sorts before Christ. 1.19 Pestilence To praise God for deliverance from the pestilence 2.129 Physitian God the best Physitian 1.71 Power Powerfull Gods word Powerfull 2.83 Incouragements to pray from Gods power 2.89 See Abasement Poyson Sinne as poyson 2.41 Prayer What state we are fit to pray in 2.62 Prayer to God successefull 2.73 See affliction Praise All men to praise God 2.99 Other creatures how they prayse God 2.102 Prayse the end of all we doe 2.109 Helps and meanes to prayse God 2.113 Preached The Word preached the usuall meanes of faith 1.51 Preaching how to be prized 1.54 Preparation Workes of preparation necessary 1.20 Preparation from God 1.21 Preparations remove hindrances 1.22 Progresse of preparation 1.24 Preparations not to bee rested in 1.31 Providence Instances of Gods providence 2.3 R. Rod. Sinne puts a rod into Gods hand 2.40 S. Sicknesse Sinne the cause of sicknesse 2.32 Sicknesse how from God 2.38 Extremitie of sicknesse 2.43 Naturall cause of sicknesse 2.44 How to converse with the sicke 2.47 To have recourse to God in sicknesse 2.73 Sight Foure things requisite to sight 1.55 Sinne. Aggravation of sinne 2.22 Vnhappy succession of sinne 2.31 Beginnings of sinne to bee avoided Ibid. Particular sinnes to be searçhed out 2.34 What sinnes hinder prayer 2.82 Sinceritie The boldnesse of sinceritie 1.95 Soule God by his Word heales the soule 1.137 T. Table Whence the breach of the second Table comes 2.27 W. Waiting Waiting after prayer necessarie 2.79 Weake How to judge of weake Christians 1.77 Wisdome Spirituall Wisdome to bee begged 2.23 Wittie Wicked men wittie in their Generation 2.18 Women See Affections Word See Power Worldling The course of Worldlings 2.35 Wound Fooles wound themselves 2.20 FINIS A Rescue from DEATH with a Returne of Praise PSAL. 107.17 c. Fooles because of their transgressions and because of their iniquities are afflicted c. THis Psalme containeth some passages concerning Gods particular sweete Providence not onely to the Church but to other men for Hee that created all things even the meanest creature must haue a providence over all things his providence must extend it selfe as large as his creation for what is providence but a continuance of creation a preservation of those things in being that God hath given to have a being The Prophet here of purpose opposeth the profane conceits of them that thinke God sits in heaven and lets things goe on earth as if he cared not for them it was the fault of the best Philosophers to ascribe too much to second causes The Psalmist here shewes that God hath a most particular providence in every thing First hee sets it downe in generall and then hee brancheth it out into particulars especially foure wherein hee specifieth Gods providence The first instance is of those
THE RICHES OF MERCIE In two Treatises 1 Lydia's Conversion 2. A Rescue from death By the late learned and reverend Divine RICHARD SIBBS Doctor in Divinitie Published by the Authors own appointment and subscribed with his owne hand to prevent imperfect Copies 1 SAM 2.6 The Lord killeth and maketh alive hee bringeth downe to the Grave and bringeth up LONDON Printed by I. D. for Francis Eglesfeild and are to be sold by him at the signe of the Marigold in Pauls Church-yard 1638. LYDIAS Conversion ACT. 16.14 And a certaine woman named Lydia a seller of Purple of the Citie of Thyatira that worshipped God whose heart the Lord opened that shee attended to the things that were spoken of Paul And when c. THE holy Apostle Saint Paula vessell of mercie having found mercie himselfe of God was a fit instrument to preach mercy to others Hereupon he was appointed to be a preacher to the Gentiles Among the rest of the Gentiles he was called to preach to them of Macedonia and it was by a vision as we see in the former part of the Chapter A man of Macedonia appeared to Paul by night and sayd Come to Macedonia and helpe us Indeed the state of the people of Macedonia called for help as now the state of many people doth though there be not such a vision as a man of Macedonia yet their wretched estate being under the Kingdome of Satan cries Come and help us though they doe not crie with their mouthes yet their estate cries The Apostle upon this vision takes his journey to come toward Macedonia and he stayed there a good while Hee abode certaine dayes Though God called him to Macedonia yet God did not giue him great incouragement for the present This is the manner of Gods carriage not to discouer at the present what he wil doe but leads people on by gentle incouragements and to humble them the more with little fruit at the first hee abode there certaine dayes without any great fruit Afterwards he goes out to Philippi the cheife City in Macedonia and on the Sabbath day the people were gathered together a company of women were resorted together and there he preached to them As indeed holy communion is never without a blessing they met together on a good day the Sabbath and for a good end they were met together Now Paul tooke the advantage of their meeting together on the Sabbath day he cast his net and he catcheth one with her family namely Lydia The Gospell was a sweete savour of salvation to her Hereupon there is a discourse of Lydia a short story of Lydia a story worthy to bee thought of which is in the words of my text A certaine woman named Lydia c. SHee is described First by her person and sex a certaine woman By her name Lydia By her calling a seller of purple By her citie Thiatira By her pious disposition shee worshipped God And then her conversion is set downe by the cause of it God opened her heart And what followed upon that opening of her heart shee attended to the things that were spoken by Paul and likewise shee was baptised with all her household And then the sweet fruit that this conversion of her with all her household had presently shee shewed the loue that shee felt from God in converting her to the blessed Apostle and his company shee besought them saying If yee haue judged mee faithfull to the Lord Come to my house c. which words I shall vnfold as I come to them And a certaine woman named Lydia a seller of purple c. FIRST here-is a description of her person and sexe and name and calling and city and disposition God takes notice of all the particulars of those that are his he delights to speake of them those that haue their names written in the booke of life hee knowes their names and callings and persons they are as Iewels in his eye they are written on the palmes of his hands hee takes more speciall notice of them then of the rest of the world Therefore the Apostle is very punctuall in the description of all particulars For her person I will be very short I will giue but a note or two and so come to that I mainly ayme at her conversion A certaine woman named Lydia FOR her sex shee and the rest were women that were gathered together as wee see in the former verse In Christ Iesus there is neither male nor female Sin came in by a woman and the meanes of salvation was by a woman too here were a company of women gathered together For the most part women haue sweet affections to religion and therein they oft goe beyond men The reason is Religion is especially seated in the affections and they haue sweet and strong affections Likewise they are subiect to weakenesse and God delights to shew his strength in weaknesse And thirdly especially Child bearing-women bring others into this life with danger of their own therefore they are forced to a nearer communion with God because so many children as they bring forth they are in perill of their liues Therefore the Apostle here mentions a company of women that were gathered together and among the rest a Certaine woman named Lydia What! a woman to bee the foundation of the Church of Macedonia a poore woman and then a Gaoler afterward a rugged rough Gaoler for these to be the foundation of so famous a Church as Philippi and other Churches in Macedonia Oh! yes the Kingdome of heauen is as a graine of mustard seed small in the beginning It is so in regard of the Church it selfe and in regard of the grace that euery particular member hath it is little and weake beginnings Christians are not as the Angels were perfect at the first The Church growes by little and little Therefore we should not be discouraged when the plantation of the Gospell hath poore successe at the beginning We see in the Church of Macedonia there was little successe at the first A woman and a rough Gaoler a Gaoler that both by calling and disposition and custome was a man hard and hardned too yet these two were the foundation of a great Church Was it not so among our selues The Church of latter times in the time of reformation how began it By a child and a woman King Edward the sixt and Queene Elizabeth of famous memory Therfore as the Prophet sayth Who art thou that despisest the day of little things despise not little things There is nothing lesse then grace at the first But as Christ the stocke of Iesse rose from the dead and rose up to heaven and overspreads the world now so euery Christian riseth of meane beginnings and so doth the Church it selfe A certaine woman named Lydia shee was the foundation of a famous Church Then shee is set downe by her calling A Seller of Purple GOD allowes callings The calling of Christianity
Could he in his humiliation before his great abasement on the crosse strike downe his enemies with his word what shall he doe at the day of judgement when all flesh shall appeare before him And what can he doe now at the right hand of God in heaven Let us never despaire what state soever we be in in our owne persons or in respect of the Church or common wealth Let us yet pray yet solicite God and wrastle with him for wee see here when they were at the gates of death he fetcheth them againe with his word hee can fetch things againe when they are at destruction as it were when mans wit is at a losse that he knoweth not what course to take God with a word can turne all things againe Oh that men would therefore prayse the Lord for his goodnesse and for his wondrous works to the children of men Let them sacrifice the sacrifice of Thansgiving and declare his workes with rejoycing YOU see that God the great Physitian he is good at all disseases hee is never set at any thing for he can create helps and remedies of nothing if there be none in nature hee can create peace to the soule in the the middest of trouble of conscience God can make things out of nothing nay out of contraries you see here what this great Physitian hath done hee fetched them from the gates of death when their soule abhorred all manner of meate and what doth he require for all this great cure surely the text tells us he looks for nothing but prayse Oh that men would therefore prayse the Lord for his goodnesse c. In which words you haue these circumstances considerable together with the substance of the duty First the persons who must prayse God Oh that men would prayse the Lord And then the duty they are to performe to prayse God to sacrifice to God to declare his works one main duty expressed by three termes The third is for what they should prayse him For his goodnesse It is the spring of all for all particular actions of God doe come from his nature his nature is goodnesse it selfe and indeed all other attributes are founded on goodnesse why is he gracious and mercifull and long-suffering because he is good this is the primitiue attribute And then another thing for which we must praise him For his wondrous workes for the children of men Fourthly the manner how this should be done with rejoycing and singing as the word signifies declare his workes with rejoycing For as all holy actions must be done joyfully and chearefully so especially prayse God loveth a chearefull giver much more a chearefull thanksgiver for chearfulnesse is the very nature of thankesgiving it is a dead sacrifice of thanksgiving it is a dead sacrifice else these are the mayne things considerable in these words First of all of the persons Oh that men would prayse the Lord. THE blessed Psalmist whosoever he were directed by the spirit of God hee would haue all men to prayse God not onely those that participate and haue interest in the favour but the beholders also of the goodnesse of God to others for here hee that was not interressed in these favours for his owne particular yet hee prayseth God for the blessings to others and hee wisheth that God might haue praise from them For we are all of one societie of one family wee are all brethren therefore wee must prayse God for his blessings and benefits on others and not onely our selues but we must wish that all would do so and specially wee must prayse God for our selues when we haue part of the benefit for shall others prayse God for us and shal notwe for our selues Shall the Churches of God abroad prayse God for his great deliverance of this citie as there is no Church in the world that heares of it but is thankfull for it and shall not wee for our selues Shall the angels in heaven prayse God and sing for the redemption of the Church by the blood of Christ Glory to God on high peace on earth good will to men and shall not we that haue interest in the worke of redemption For Christ is not a mediator of redemption to Angels hee hath relation to them in another respect yet they out of loue to God and the Church and a desire to glorifie God hey prayse God for this and shall not wee much more for our selues wee must prayse God our selues and desire that all would doe so as he saith here Oh that men would prayse the Lord c. and in some other Psalmes he stirs up ' all the creatures hayle and snow and winde and all to prayse God How can these praise God They doe it by our mouthes by giving vs occasion to prayse him And they praise him in themselues for as the creature groaneth Rom. 8. That none knowes but God and it selfe they groane for the corruption and abuse that they are subject unto and God knowes those groanes so the creature hath a kind of voyce likewise in praysing of God they declare in their nature the goodnesse of God and minister occasion to us to praise GOD therefore the Psalmist being desirous that GOD might be praysed for his goodnesse and mercy hee stirres vp every creature Psal. 103. even the very Angels insinuating that it is a worke fit for Angels The children of God haue such a loue and zeale to the glory of GOD that they are not content only to prayse GOD themselues but they stirre vp all they need not to wish Angels to doe it but only to shew their desire oh the blessed disposition of those that loue God in Christ What shall wee thinke then of those wretched persons that greiue that the word of God should run and haue free passage and be glorious and that there should be a free use of the sacraments and the blessed meanes of salvation they envie the glory of God and the salvation of peoples soules What shall we say to those that desire to heare God dishonoured that perhaps sweare and blaspheme themselues or if they doe not yet they are not touched in their hearts for the dishonour of God by others this is far from the disposition of a Christian he desires that all creatures may trumpet ouâ— the prayse of God from the highest Angell to the lowest creature from the Sunne and starres to the meanest shrub only divellish spirited carnal men take delight to blaspheme God that can strike them with his word and send them to their owne place to hell without repentance and can heare him dishonoured without any touch of spirit a child of God desires God to be glorified from his very heart roote and is greived when God is dishonoured any kind of way so much breifly for the first Now what is the dutie this holy man wishes That men would prayse God And sacrifice the sacrifice of thankesgiving and declare his workes OUT
sweet to vs Deliverance from troble and sicknesse because it is a pledge of our spirituall deliverance in Christ the deliverance from hell and damnation what comfort can a man haue that knowes not his state in grace in the enjoying of his health when hee shall think he is but as a sheepe kept for the slaughter hee knows not whether hee be in the favour of God or no Therefore let vs come and renew our faith in the forgiuenesse of our sinnes through the blood of Christ of whom we are made partakers in the Sacrament For if we beleiue our deliverance from hell and damnation by the body of Christ broken and his bloodshed then every thing will be sweet when we know God loues us to life everlasting then every thing in the way to life everlasting euen dayâ—â— bread will be sweete because the same loue that giues heauen giues dayly food and the same loue that redeemes us from hell redeemes us from sicknes therefore let us labour to strengthen our faith in the maine that wee may bee thankfull for the lesse And as we enter into new couenant with God so labour to keepe it in Levit. 26. euery thing auengeth the breaking of Gods couenant when we make couenant to serue him better for the time to come and yet breake it God is forced to send his messenger he sends sicknesse to avenge his Covenant considering that he hath lately so auenged it let it make us so much the more circumspect in our carriage So much for this time and text FINIS Imprimatur Thomas Wykes May 11 1638. Vers. 9â— Parts of the text God takes particular notice of his Womens affections to religion strong Reas. 1. 2 3 Great things in religion from small beginnings Callings allowed by God Commerce lawfull Vse of garments The selling and wearing rich attire lawfull Object 3. Sorts of people before Christ Workes of preparation necessary to conversion Preparations are from God Preparations remooue hindrances Quest. Answ. Progresse of preparation God brings his elect under means Preparations not to be rested in God opens the heart 1 The heart naturally shut 2 God alone opens the heart 1 There is want of ability in the soule 2 There is an opposition Vse Patience to others 2 Tim. 2. Thankfulnesse What ment by heart The mind must bee sanctified to attend to the word God opens the heart to attend Vse Triall whether our hearts be opened The Gospell the Ground of faith The word preached the usuall meanes of faith Rom. 10. Vse To pray â—or labouâ—â—ers in Gods harâ—est To prize the ordinance of preaching Attention necessarie 4 Things requisite to â—ight Directions to attend on the word 1 Search our wants 2 Come with subjection 3 To get the word ingrafted 4 Meditation Quest. How to know we attend aright Answ. 1 When wee know not the word but the things 2 The soule ecchoes to the word 3 They see things in their owne light They judge according to their profit Baptisme the seale of salvation How to thinke of our Baptisme Honour of good governours of families Good instructions may be effectuall long after Christians easie to be intreated Approbation of strong Christians confirmes the weake To judge well of Christians Lydias invitation To shew her loue To be further instâ—â—cted Faith fruitfull Triall of faith by love 1 To Christ. 2 To his members 3 To his Word The scope of the Psalme 4 Instance of Gods providence vers 4. vers 10. vers 17. Verse 23 Division oâ— the text Who ment by fooles Why wicked men are termed fooles 1 For lack of discerning 2 For passion Passion presents things falsely 3 Iesting with sinne 4 Forgetfulnesse of his end Wicked men wittie in their generation 5 He wounds himselfe Vse 1. To humble wicked men 2 Aggravation of sinne 3 Begge spirituall wisdome 4 Not to passe for the censures of the wicked Folly in Gods children Psa. 38.5 Psal. 73. The breach of the second table comes from the breach of the first â—nhappy succession of sin Vse Take heed of beginnings of sinne Doct. Sinne the cause of sicknesse 1 Cor. 11.31 Vse 1. To justifie God 2 To be patient 3 Search out our particular sin To seeke God in trouble The course of worldlings Psal. 32. Divinity transcends other arts Sicknesse how from God how from sin The cause of murmuring in trouble Sin puts a rod in Gods hand Sin a poyson Salvian Extremity of sicknes Naturall cause of sicknesse Happines of Epicures vnstable To blesse God for appetite How to converse with the sicke Gates of death Death it selfe 2 Authority of death Misery of wicked men Rom. 5. 3 Power of death Vse To disarme death 2 Cor. 15. Doct. God suffers men to fall to great misery Reas. 1. 3. Gods children cry to him in affliction Atheisme against nature Why God sendeth affliction To submit to God patiently Prayer a speciall remedie in affliction To be in a state fit to pray 1 Take heed of knowne sinne 2 Heare God calling on us Exhortation to prayer Prayer best before affliction Mal. 3 Remember the Church in our prayers God the best Physitian 2 Chron. 7.14 Vse To haue recourse to God in sicknes Doct. Prayer to God successefull Psal. 38. Rom. 8. God hears heathens Much more his children Luke 11. Object Answ. Wayting after prayer necessary God deferres for our good Beloved sins hinder prayer Gods powerful word Gods command over all things Vse Take heed of displeasing God Jncouragement to pray from Gods power Christs word in his abasement powerfull All men praise Goâ— To praise God for others Especially for our selues Luke 2 1â— 14. Creatures prayse God bow Rom. 8. Psal. 103. Wicked men only dishonour God Prayse a duty fit for Angels Prayse the fruit and end of all we doe Of hearing Of the Sacrament Praysing God the end of the creation Rom. 1. It is the end of redemption Ephes. 1. Psal. 50. Jt is the end of our particular deliverances Rev. 4. Rev. 5. Helps and meanes to praise God Consider our owne vnworthinesse 2 Not to rest on second causes The necessity and use of the blessing 4 Dayly register Gods favours To prayse God with that which is in us Psal. 103. Our vnderstaning Memory Ioy. Tongue In the great visitation 1625. Simile Concerning deliverance from the plague to blesse God 1 That hee would correct 1 Cor. 11.33 2 That hee would do it himselfe 3 That he stayed the Pestilence 4 That our lives were spared 5 That it spread not farre God by his Word heales the soule Symptome of a sicke soule To recover spirituall appetite What to do in spirituall distempers Levit. 26.