tude of pains, and a Man is worn away with pining fickness; it is rare to find fuch a perfon, that doth not fet an higher price on health, then he did before. And, verily, it is a very great bleffing; whether it be by prefervation from sickness; or by recovery out of fickness.

(1.) If it be by preservation from ficknefs, prize it as a very great mercy. It is left upon Record,as a very fignal Providence, and gracious Priviledge, vouchfafed to the people of Ifrael, when they were in Egypt, where there was fo much Sickness, Plague, and Death: Yet (Pfal. 105.) there was not one feeble perfon among them when they came forth; for it is faid Exod. 12.27. they were able to come for thon foot, fix hundred thousand Perfons. And ought it not to be esteemed at this day, in this place, as a great mercy, by thofe Families which God is pleafed to preferve from those sicknesses, that fome are under? If ye do not labour to improve this fo, that God may not repent, that he hath fpared you, ye do not well.

2.) It is a very great mercy to have health, by recovery from fickness, and weaknefs; Hezekiah judged it fo, Ifa. 38. 19. The living fhall praife thee, as I do this day Da vid fpeaks to this, Pfal.1035. My Soul praife thou the Lord. He renews thy ftrength as the Eagle: The Eagle (as it is faid all Birds

of

of prey do) cafts her feathers once a year; new feathers grow up again, and then fhe is fresh, and lufty; and mounts up as high as before.

Now that health, is fo great a bleffing, will appear in this, because while the Lord gives it, he puts a very great price into the Man's hands, that hath it, to further his Soul-profperity. A weakly, fickly perfon is under many difadvantages, as to that. For obferve,

(1.) Weakness, long continued infirmity, of ten deprives a perfon of the publick Ordinan ces. Poffibly, fome may, at this day, by weakness be deprived of fuch Meetings as this; which we are to reckon publick Ordinances, not in refpect of the Place, but Administration, Ifa.38. 22. What shall be the fign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord: while he was fick, and weak, he could not do

it.

(2.) It very much indifpofeth a Man for the folemn performance of the private Duties of Religion. We have a clear inftance of this, Fam. 5. 13. Is any afflicted? Let him pray: Is any fick Let him fend for the Elders of the Church. Is not ficknefs a great affliction ? It is Why then should not the fick pray? Sickness, and weakness indifpofe a perfon for the folemn performance of that duty. (3.) Perfons fubject to long, continued weak

C

nelles

neffes of body, are often in much darkness of mind, apt to question the grace of God in them, and the love of God, toward them. For fickness, and weakness indifpose a Man's mind: He cannot infer comfortable conclufions from his former experiences of God. He is full of confufion, like a skain of Silk, that a Man can neither winde, nor draw. So it is with an infirm Man. Pfal. 88. 3. Heman, when his life did draw nigh to the grave, he faith, His Soul was full of troubles It is a fad cafe, a weak Body, and a troubled Soul· too. Satan is very skilful at his work: He knew this, and therefore he referved this as his laft temptation for Job, hoping that would ftick, to afflict his Body.

Now to Apply this.

I. Let all fuch as God is pleafed to bless with any competency of health,and ftrength, keep their hearts under the obligation, that this lays upon them. Deut. 8. 16. The Lord gave them Manna, to humble them. We fay, Oh, if we were fit for Mercy, God would give it: Thus Folks talk, that never endeavour to be more fit. If we should never have a Mercy, till we were fit, it would be long enough before we fhould have any. God many times gives a Mercy firft, and makes a people humble afterward. Well then, confidering that life, and health, and ftrength are given to every Man, for the

fame

TINUTT. BINDER

fame end, and purpose, for which Paul im proved them, Phil. 1. 21. To me, to live is Chrift. Therefore we fhould every one of us, while we are well, fet about doing of that, which it will be very well, if it be done, before we are fick; but 'tis of abfolute neceffity to be done, before we dye; even, what we have, 2 Pet. 3. 14. Give all dilis gence to be found in Christ Jefus, in a state of anion with him. If a Man be not in Chrift, while he lives, he cannot live to Christ, nor fhall he dye to Chrift, when he dyes, Col. 1. 27. Christ in us, is the hope of glory.

Confider then.

1. Though health, and ftrength be a very great bleffing, yet it is a bleffing quickly blafted: Job obferved it in his days, Job 21. 23. One dyes in his full-ftrength: God gives him no warning at all.. Alas, (faith James) what is a Man's life? A vapour, a little warm breath turned up and down in the nostrils; when that is ftopt, a Man dyes.

2. Confider this: Say God fhould give us warning; and do with us, as he did with Jezabel, caft us upon a bed of fickness, and give us fpace to repent; yet times of Bodily fickness, and weaknefs, are ill times to begin to look after a neglected Soul, and to do neglected Duties. Sickneffes and weakneffes bring a Man under many disadvantages of looking after Soul-concernments, 2 Sam.

Ca

25.35. God fmites Nabal, he was fick ten days, that was more time then many perfons have; yet he could no more repent then the very ftone; his heart dyed within him: Therefore what we have, Joh. 9.4. fhould be lay'd to heart; The night will come, when no Man can work. Do the work, that God calls to, while it is called, To day.

(2.) If fo be, health and strength be fo great a bleffing, then let all that do enjoy it, take heed, how they do any thing that may prejudice their health; and do, what God would have them do, for the prefervation of their health; and not ftick at any due charges, fuitable to what they are able to bear.

Much

1. Take heed of prejudicing your health. They are very much to be blamed, that will ride wind, and weather, to get money, Matt. 6.25. The Body is more then Raiment : Health and strength are better then riches. more do they tranfgrefs, that prejudice their health to gratifie a fenfual luft, For no Man ever yet hated his own flefb, Eph. 5.29. I have read of one Theatinus, who was very much given to drinking, and had very fore eyes; his Phyfitian told him, he must either leave his drunkennefs, or lofe his eyes: Then (faith he) farewell fight. He would rather lose his fight, then leave his fin.

2. Do what may be done, to preserve health: