Serm.6. Howmoll wevifsfick perjons ? i I27 are hardly fit to be fet with the dogs of the flock ? Father forgive tbcm,they know not what they do.Many act, as if they thought this were all the work of a Minifler to make a few Sermons, read fome Prayers, &c. No, no, a Minifler muff be throughly furnifhed co every goodwork,He mull be apt ind able for every work : This, among others. O what Angelical abilities Both it require 1 Acutenefs to difcern the fick mans temper, knowledge to underftand the nature of all Spiritual Difeafes, the Symptomes, the Prognofticks, as alfo the Antidotes and Reme- dies. Wifdome to make fuitable, fpeedy Applications. O how hard a cafe is it .' Many fick men can neither endure morbum, nor remcdium, neither the difeafe of their fouls,nor their remedy, cc.AMinifler had need know all things, underfland all perlons, difcern the fubtilties of mens hearts, and nor be ignorant of thewiles of the Devil. How manyknots mull he be able fpeedily to unty ? How many cafes mutt he be able to give fpeedy refolucion too ? And he mull be fuppo- fed to have laid up with great induflry, becaufe he muffbring forth out of his Treafure, things both new _and old. O the difficulty ! It is a fad thing to confider, that many fouls doperifh, not onlyvi morbi, by the force of their Difeafe, but alfo errore medici, by the errour of their Phy- firian, by the mill akes of their Miniflers : And as Galen fpeaks of Play- fick for the body, it is allo true of thePhyfick of the Soul : In medicina . nihil exignum, In Phyficknothing is little; a final! errour there, may occafion fearful mifchiefs : So a ftnall mifiake in fouls çoncernments,, may occafion a fouls everlafting ruine. 2. To people : Is is of fuch difficulty ? O labour you to do your work in health, while time and ftrength'aft, before the evil daies come, arc. It is a ferious Admonition of Gregories in his Book De cura pagorali falttcorporid quandoadbene operandum acceptadeficit ter quanti fzt mtaneris arniffafentitur: He that negle&s the time of health for the doing of his great work, he fhall feel the worth of inby the want of it. I befeech you let me reafon withyou : Whywill you run an hazard, when you may go a fate way ? Confider what Woful ftraits you will bring your felves to, if you do not ponder your wiies, and fix your thoughts, and aff1idf your hearts, you kill your fouls, if you, do, perhaps your bo dies, &c. what a dreadful Dilemma is this, etc. The Phyfitian chargeth you not to trouble your felves with fad thoughts, left you overthrow your bodies : and the Minifler, if he will be fairhful, mull charge you to troubleyour felves, left you lofe your fouls. O confider now ; now you may confider, you have the ufe of reafon, then reafon may be loft, &c. Now Godwill accept of you, then it may be he will mica your
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=