Devotions vpon emergent occasions and seuerall steps in my sicknes digested into I. Meditations vpon our humane condition, 2. Expostulations, and debatements with God, 3. Prayers, vpon the seuerall occasions, to Him / by Iohn Donne ...

4. Medicus{que} vocatur. The Phisician is sent fo••••

4. MEDITATION.

IT is too little to cal•• Man a little World•• Except God, Man is diminutiue to nothing Man consistes of mor•• pieces, more parts, the•• ••he world; then the

world doeth, nay then the world is. And if those pieces were exten∣ded, and stretched out in Man, as they are in the world, Man would bee the Gyant, and the world the Dwarfe, the world but the Map, and the man the World. If all the Veines in our bo∣dies, were extented to Riuers, and all the Si∣newes, to vaines of Mines, and all the Mus∣cles, that lye vpon one another, to Hilles, and all the Bones to Quarries

of stones, and all the ••••ther pieces, to the pr••••portion of those whic•• correspond to them i•• the world, the aire wou•••• be too litle for this Or•••• of Man to moue in, t•••• firmament would b•• but enough for this sta•••• for, as the whole wor•••• hath nothing, to whic•• something in man do•••• not answere, so ha•••• man many pieces, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 which the whol wor•••• ha••h no representatio•• Inlarge this Meditatio•• vpon this great worl••

Man, so farr, as to consi∣der the immensitie of ••he creatures this world produces; our creatures are our thoughts; creatures that are borne Gyants: that reach from East to West, from earth to Hea∣uen, that doe not onely bestride all the Sea, and Land, but span the Sunn and Firmament at once; My thoughts reach all, comprehend all. Inex∣plicable mistery; I their Creator am in a close prison, in a sicke bed, a∣ny where, and any one

of my Creatures, m•• thoughts, is with t•••• Sunne, and beyond t•••• Sunne, ouertakes t•••• Sunne, and ouergoes t•••• Sunne in one pace, o•• steppe, euery wher•••• And then as the oth•••• world produces Serpen•• and Vipers, malignan•• & venimous creature•• and Wormes, and Cate••••pillars, that endeauo•••• to deuoure that worl•• which produces the•• and Monsters compile•• and complicated of d••••uers parents, & kinds, 〈◊〉〈◊〉

this world, our selues, produces all these in vs, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 producing diseases, & ••••cknesses, of all those ••orts; venimous, and in∣fectious diseases, fee∣ding & consuming dis∣eases, and manifold, and entāgled diseases, made vp of many seueral ones. And can the other world name so many venimous, so many consuming, so many monstro••s crea∣••ures, as we can diseases, of all these kindes? O miserable abūdance, O ••eggarly riches•• how

much doe wee lacke 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hauing remedies for eu••••rie disease, when as y•••• we haue not names f•••• them? But wee hau•• Hercules against the•• Gyants, these Monster•• that is, the Phisician; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 musters vp al the for•••• of the other world, •• succour this; all Natu•••• to relieue Man. We ha•••• the Phisician, but we 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not the Phisician. Hee we shrinke in our p••••••portion, sink in our d••••••••nitie, in respect of ve•••• meane creatures, w••••••

••re Phisicians to them∣••elues. The Hart that is ••ursued and wounded, they say, knowes an Herbe, which being ea∣••en, throwes off the ar∣row: A strange kind of vomit. The dog that pur∣sues it, though hee bee subiect to sicknes, euen prouerbially, knowes his grasse that recouers him. And it may be true, that the Drugger is as neere to Man, as to other crea∣tures, it may be that ob∣uious and present Sim∣ples, easie to bee had,

would cure him; b•••• the Apothecary is not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 neere him, nor the P••••••sician so neere him, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they two are to oth•••• creatures; Man hath n•••• that innate instinct, to a••••ply those naturall me••••••cines to his present da••••ger, as those inferio•••• creatures haue; he is n•••• his owne Apothecary, h•••• owne Phisician, as th•••• are. Call back therefo•••• thy Meditations agai•••••• and bring it down•••• whats become of ma•••• gre••t extent & propo••••••tion,

when himselfe shrinkes himselfe, and consumes himselfe to •• handfull of dust; whats become of his soaring thoughts, his compas∣sing thoughts, when himselfe brings him∣selfe to the ignoranc••, ••o the thoughtlesness•• of the Graue? His dis∣eases are his owne, but the Phisician is not; hee hath them at home, but ••ee must send for the Phisician.

4. EXPOSTVLATION••

I Haue not the right••ousnesse of Iob,* 1.1 but haue the desire of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 I would speake to the •• mighty•• and I would reas•••• with God. My God, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 God, how soone wou••••dest thou haue me go•••• to the Phisician, & ho•••• far wouldest thou ha•••• me go with the Phisi••••••an? I know thou h•••• made the Matter, a•••• the Man, and the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and I goe not from th••••

when I go to the Phisi∣cian. Thou didst not make clothes before ther was a shame of the na∣kednes of the body; but thou didst make Phisick before there was any grudging of any sicknes; for thou didst imprint a medicinall vertue in ma∣ny Simples, euen frō the beginning; didst thou meane that wee should be sicke, whē thou didst so? when thou madest them? No more then thou didst meane, that we should sinne, when

thou madest vs: tho•• fore-sawest both, bu•• causedst neither. Tho•• Lord,* 1.2 promisest hee•• trees, whose fruit shall b•••• for meat, and their lea•••• for Medicine. It is th•• voyce of thy Sonn, W•••• thou bee made whole That drawes from th•••• patient a cōfession tha•• hee was ill,* 1.3 and coul•• not make hims••lfe w•••• And it is thine own•• voyce, Is there no Phisi••cian?* 1.4 That inclines vs disposes vs to accep•• thine Ordinance. An••

••t is the voyce of the Wise man, both for the matter, phisicke it selfe, The Lorde hath created Medicines out of the Earth,* 1.5 and hee that is wise, shall not abhorre them, And for the Arte, and the Person, The Phisician cutteth off a long disease. In all these voyces, thou sendest vs to those helpes, which thou hast affor∣ded vs in that. But wilt not thou auowe that voyce too,* 1.6 Hee that hath sinned against his

Maker, let him fall into th•• hands of the Phisician; an•• wilt not thou affoor•• me an vnderstanding o•• those wordes? Tho•• who sendest vs for •• blessing to the Phisic••••an, doest not make it •• curse to vs, to go, whe•• thou sendest. Is not th•• curse rather in this, th•••• onely hee falls into th•• hands of the Phisician that casts himself who••ly, intirely vpon the Phi••sician, confides in him relies vpon him, attend all from him, and neg••lects

that spirituall phi∣••icke; which thou also hast instituted in thy Church•• so to fall into the ••ands of the Phisician; is a sinne, and a punishment of ••ormer sinnes; so, as Asa••fell, who in his disease, sought not to the Lord,* 1.7 but•• ••o the Phisician. Reueale therefore to me thy me∣••hod, O Lord, & see, whe∣ther I haue followed it; ••hat thou mayest haue glory, if I haue, and I pardon, if I haue not, & helpe that I may. Thy Method is,* 1.8 In time of thy

sicknesse, be not negligent•• VVherein wilt thou haue my diligence ex∣pressed? Pray vnto th•• Lord, and hee will mak•• thee whole. O Lord, •• doe; I pray, and pray thy Seruaunt Dauid•• prayer,* 1.9 Haue mercy vp••on mee, O Lord, for I a•• weake; Heale mee, O Lord, for my bones ar•• vexed: I knowe, that euen my weakenesse is a reason, a mot••ue, to induce thy mercie, and my sicknes an occasion of thy sending health

When art thou so rea∣die, when is it so sea∣sonable to thee, to com∣miserate, as in miserie? But is Prayer for health in season, as soone as I am sicke? Thy Method goes further; Leaue off from sinne,* 1.10 and order thy handes aright, and cleanse thy heart from all wicked∣nesse; Haue I, O Lord, done so? O Lord, I haue; by thy grace, I am come to a holy detesta∣tion of my former sin; Is there any more? In thy Methode there is

more; Giue a sweet sauor•• and a memoriall of fin•• flower, and make a fat of••fering, as not being. And Lord, by thy grace, I haue done that, sacrificed •• little, of that litle whic•• thou lentst me, to them for whō thou lentst it and now in thy metho•• and by thy steps, I am come to that, Then gi•••• place to the Phisician,* 1.11 fo•• the Lord hath created him let him not goe from the•• for thou hast need of him I send for the Phisicia•• but I will heare him en••ter

with those wordes of Peter,* 1.12 Iesus Christ ma∣keth thee whole; I long for his presence, but I look•• that the power of the Lord,* 1.13 should bee present to heale mee.

4. PRAYER.

O Most mightie, and most merciful God, who art so the God of health, & strength, as that without thee, all health is but the fuell, and all strēgth, but the bellows

of sinne; Behold me•• vnder the vehemenc•• of two diseases, and vn••der the nece••sity of tw•• Phisiciās, authorized b•• thee, the bodily, and th•• spiritual Phisician. I com•• to both, as to thine Ordi••nance, & blesse, and glo••rifie thy Name, that i•• both cases, thou hast af••forded help to Man by the Ministery of man•• Euen in the new Ierusa••lem,* 1.14 in Heauen it selfe, i•• hath pleased thee to dis∣couer a Tree, which i•• a Tree of life there, bu••

the leaues thereof are for the healing of the Nations; Life it selfe is with thee there, for thou art life; and all kinds of Health, wrought vpon vs here, by thine Instruments, de∣scend from thence.* 1.15 Thou wouldest haue healed Ba∣bylon, but she is not hea∣led; Take from mee, O Lord, her peruersenesse, her wilfulnesse, her re∣fractarinesse, and heare thy Spirit saying in my Soule, Heale mee, O Lord, for I would bee healed. Ephraim saw his

sickenesse,* 1.16 and Iudah his wound; then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to King Iareb, yet could no•• hee heale you, nor cure you of your wound. Keepe me back O Lord, from them who mis-professe artes of healing the Soule, or of the Body, by meanes not imprinted by thee in the Church, for the soule, or not in nature for the body; There is no spirituall health to be had by superstition, nor bodily by witchcraft•• thou Lord, and onely thou art Lord

of both. Thou in thy selfe art Lord of both, and thou in thy Son art the Phisician, the applyer of both.* 1.17 With his stripes wee are healed, sayes the Prophet there; there, be∣fore hee was scourged, wee were healed with his stripes; how much more shall I bee healed now, now, when that which he hath already suffred actually, is actu∣ally, and effectually ap∣plied to me? Is there a∣ny thing incurable, vp∣on which that Balme

dropps? Any vaine 〈◊〉〈◊〉 emptie, as that that blo•••• cannot fil it?* 1.18 Thou pro••misest to heale the ear•••• but it is when the i••••habitants of the eart•• pray that thou woulde•••• heale it.* 1.19 Thou promi••sest to heale their W••••ters, but their miery pl••••ces, and standing waters•• thou sayest there, Tho•• wilt not heale: My retu••••n••ng to any sinne, if should returne to the a••bilitie of sinning ouer all my sins againe, thou wouldest not pardon••

••eale this earth, O my ••od, by repentant tears, ••nd heale these waters, ••hese teares from all bit∣••••rnes, frō all diffidence, ••rom all deiection, by e∣••••ablishing my irremo∣••able assurance in thee. ••hy Sonn went about hea∣••••ng all manner of sicke∣••esses.* 1.20 (No disease incu∣••able, none difficult;* 1.21 he ••ealed them in passing) ••ertue went out of him,* 1.22 ••nd he healed all, all the ••ultitude (no person in∣••urable) he healed them ••uery whit, (as himselfe

speaks) he left no relike of the disease; and wi•••• this vniuersall Phisici•••• passe by this Hospital and not visit mee? no•• heale me? not heale m•• wholy? Lord, I look•• not that thou shoulde•• say by thy Messenger t•• mee,* 1.23 as to Ezechias, B••••hold, I will heale thee, an•• on the third day thou sha•••• goe vp to the house of th•• Lord. I looke not th•••• thou shouldst say to m•••• as to Moses in Miriam•• behalfe,* 1.24 when Mos•••• would haue had he••••

heald presently, If her ••ather had but spit in her ••ace, should she not been a∣shamed seuen dayes? Let her be shut vp seuen daies, ••nd then returne; but if ••hou be pleased to mul∣tiply seuen dayes, (and seuen is in••inite) by the number of my sinnes, (and that is more infi∣nite) if this day must re∣moue me, till dayes shall ••ee no more, seale to me, my spirituall health in affording me the Seales of thy Church, & for my ••emporall health, pro∣sper

thine ordinance, i•• their hands who sha•••• assist in this sicknes, i•• that manner, and in th•• measure, as may mo•••• glorifie thee, aud mo•••• edifie those, who ob••serue the issues of th•• seruants, to their own•• spirituall benefit.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iob 13.3.
• * 1.2

  Ez••c. 47.12.
• * 1.3

  Ioh. 5.6
• * 1.4

  Ier. 8.22
• * 1.5

  Ecclus. 38.4
• * 1.6

  Ecclus. 38.15.
• * 1.7

  1. Chro. 16.12.
• * 1.8

  Ecclus ••8.9
• * 1.9

  Ps. 6.2:
• * 1.10

  v. 10.
• * 1.11

  v, 12.
• * 1.12

  Act. 9.••4.
• * 1.13

  Luc. 5.17.
• * 1.14

  Apo. 22.2••.
• * 1.15

  Ier. 51.9.
• * 1.16

  Ose: 5.13.
• * 1.17

  Esa.
• * 1.18

  2 Ch••o: 7.14.
• * 1.19

  Ezech: 47.11.
• * 1.20

  Mat. 4.23.
• * 1.21

  Luc. 6.19.
• * 1.22

  Io: 7.23.
• * 1.23

  2. Reg. 20.••.
• * 1.24

  Num: 12.14.