1'he Duty of Plryftcions. 43 §. 5 DireCt. )• Ltt yHtr continual obfervation of the fragility of the flefh, and of mans mortality, Dird1. 5• rnt~k,_e you more fpiritnal than otbcr mm, and more induftriour inpreparing for the life to come, andgreat· er comcmiltrJ of the vanitiet of thU wPrld. He that is fo frequently among the fick, and a fpe6htor of the <lc:od and dying, is utterly uncxcufablc if he be himfelf unprepared, for his fickncfs or for death:. If the /uart be not made better, when you almoH dwttl in the houfe of mourning, it is a bad and depicrate hLar( ir~deed. It is Hrange that Phylicions (hould be fo much fufpected of Atheifm as comrr.only they arc ;_and Rflig~o m~d~ci!hould be aword that fignifieth irreligioufnefs : Sure this conceit was taken up in {ornc: more nrehg1ous Age or Countrey : For l have oft been very thankful to God, in obfcrving the contrary, even how m:my e?'cellent pious Phyficions there have been in moll Coun~ u cys where the purity of Religion hath appeared, and how much they promored the work of Rcfor· m:.;rion, ( fuch asCrdto, Pl3term, ErajlM, and abundance more that 1might name): And in this Land and Age, I rnuH r.ceds beJr witnd5, rhar 1have known as many PhJ{lciom Religious propor[ionably as of 3ny one profLffi •n, exc<pt the Preachers of the Gofpcl. Bur as no men arc mort deCperatcly wick~ t:d than dwft: rhzt J.rC wicked afrcr piom e<iucarion, ar.d under the moO: powerful means of their reformation) fo it is very like that rhofe Phyficions that are not truly gtJoi arc very bad; becaufc they an: b.,d againfi fo much l.ight, and fo many ~arnings: And from fom.e of t.htft: it's like this ccn~ £0ricus Proverb came. And mdecd mans nature IS fo apt to be affected With thmgs th(\t are un~fu:1J, <Jnd to lofe all knfe of things that are grown common, that no men have more tJeed to watch their }1earrs, and be afraid of being hardened, than thof~ that are continually under the rnofi quicKening helps and warnings. For it is very eafic ro grow cufiornary and fentlefs under them ; and then the danger is, that tht:re are no bCw:r means remaining, ro quic!tc~ flich a fiupid hardened hear~. Whereas thofc that enjoy fuch helps but feldom, are not fo apt to lofe the fenfe and benefit of them. The frght of a fick or dying man, clothufually much awakeri rho[e that have fuch frgfus but feldom :. But who ate more hardened thanSouJ.diers and Set men, that live continually as among the dead? when they have twice or thrice: fccn the fields covered with mens Carkaffes, chey ufua1ly groW more obdu. rate than any others. And this is it that. Phyticiom are in danger of, z.nd.fhould mail carefully avoid. BLH certainty an AtheiHical or ungodly Phyficion, is unexcufably blind. To fay, as fome do, that they ttndy natJITC fo much, that they arc ca:rrycd aw:iy from God ; is as if you lhould fay, [ They fiudy 'the""'"- fo much, <ha< they forget the workman; J or [They look fo much on the Book, that they overlook the fenfe; J or that [They fludy medicine fo much, that they forget both the patient and his hcahh.] . To look into 'Nature and not fee God, is as to fee the creaturu, and not the light by which we iee rhcm; or to fee Trees and Houfes, and not to fee the Earth that bcareth them. For God is the Creating, Confcrving, Dirigent, Final Caufe of all. Of him and Through him and To him are all <hings :-He is All in all. And if they know not that thty arc the fubjtllr of this God, and have immortal{oufs, they arc ill p~oficients in the fiudy of NatHre, that know no better the nature of man. To boafi of their acquifitionS in other Sciences, while they know not what a Man is, nor whar they are tbemfelver, is little to the'honour of their underllandings. You that live fiill as in the fight of death, fhould live as in the figbt of another world, and excel! others in tpirirua-l wifdom and ho· linefs and fobriety, as your advantages by thefe quickeninghc:lps.excell. ~· 6. Direa. 6. Extrc;{eyottr Compaffion and Chafity ta men1 foulr, df wcV M to thtir B11dia; aJtd Dire&. ~. fptal{ te yoHr patientJ,[Hch Words M tend 4o prepare tbem fer their cbangt. You havC excellent oppor~ tunities; if you have hearts to take them. If ever men will hear, it is when · they are fick; and jf ever they will be humblc:d 'and ferious, it Is when the approach of death conl.lraincth them: T{lcy will hear that counfclnow with patience, which they would have defpifed in rheir hcalrh. A few fcrious words abouc the danger of an unregenerate ftate, and i.he ncceffiry of holinef~ and the ufc of a SJviour, and the lVl'rlafling fia~c of Souls~ for ought you know, may b.a bldi to their converfion and falvation. And it is much more comfortable fOr you to favc ~ foul, than to cure the body. Think not to cxcufe your felves by faying, It Htbe Paflors duty: For thcugh it be theirs rx officio, it is yourJ al{o, tx chariuu. Charity bindcrh every man, as he hath opportunity to do good to all ; and <fpecially the grea<cfl good. And God giveth you opportullity, by cafiing <hem in your way: The Prid1 and Levite that paH by the wounded man, were !flOre to be blamed for not relieving him, than thofe that never went that way, and therefore faw him not, Lnk_: ro. ; 2. And many a man will fend for the Phyficion, that w"tll not fend for the Pafior; And many a one wi~l hear a Ph,ficion th~t wilt defpifc the Pallor. As they reverence their Landlords, becaufc they hold their efiates from <hem, fo do they the Phyficion becaufc .they think thfy can do much to fave their lives. And, alas, in too ma· ny places the Pafiors either mind not fuch work, or are infuffi:,ient for it; or elfe fiand at ods and difiance from the people: fo that there js but too much need of your charitable help. Remember therefore that he that convtrteth a finncr from the trr~ur of hif way, fhaU {avt a foul from death, antl foall hide amultitude offins, Jam. 5· 20. Remember that you are 10 fpeak to one that is going into anothtr world, and that mull be f3ved now or never! And that all that ever mull,be done tOr his falvatiol'l muH be prcfently done, or it will be roo late. Pity humane nacure., and harden not your hcans againfi a man in his excrcam neceffity. 0 fpeak a few ftrious words for his Convedion (if he be one that needs <h.em ) before his . foul be pall your help, in the w01ld from which there is no return. CHAP.
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