2. All are not healed, because they love their sickness, Psal. lii. 3. "Thou lovest evil;" many men hug their disease. Augus- tine saith, before his conversion, he prayed against sin, but his heart whispered, Not yet
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Lord; he was loath to leave his sin too soon; how many love their disease better than their physician! while sin is loved, Christ's medicines are loathed.
3. All are not healed, because they do not look out after a physician. If they have any bodily distemper upon them, they presently send to the physician; their souls are sick, but mind not their physician Christ, John v. 40. " Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life." Christ takes it as an undervaluing of him that we will not send to him; some send for Christ when it is too late; when other physicians have given them over, and there is no hope of life, then they cry to 'Christ to save them, but Christ refuseth such patients as make use of. him only for a shift: thou that scornest Christ in time of health, Christ may despise thee in the time of sickness.
4. All are not healed, because they would be self-healers; they would make their duties their saviours; the papists would be their own physicians; their daily sacrifice of the mass is a blasphemy against Christ's priestly office; but Christ will have the honour of the cure, or he will never heal us; not our tears, but his blood saves.
5. All are not healed, because they do not take the physic which Christ prescribes them; they would be cured, but they are loath to put themselves into a course of physic. Christ prescribes them to drhik the bitter potion of repentance, and to take the pill of mortification, but they cannot do this, they had rather die than take physic; if the patient refuseth to take the receipts the physician prescribes, no wonder he is not healed. Christians, you have had many receipts to take, have you taken them? ask conscience. 'I'here are many hearers of the word do like foolish patients, who send to tlie doctor for physic, but when they have it, they let the physic stand by in the glass, but do not take it; it is probable you have not taken the receipts which the gospel prescribes, because the word hath no operation on your hearts, you are as proud, as earthly, as malicious as \ ever. j
6. All are not healed, because they have j not confidence in their physician ; it is ob- ' servable when Christ came to work any cure, I
he first put this question, " Believe ye that I am able to do this?" Matt. ix. 28. This undoes many; O, saith the sinner. There is no mercy for me, Christ cannot heal me. Take heed, thy unbelief is worse tlian all thy other diseases. Did not Christ pray for them that crucified him? "Father, forgive THEM ! " Some of those were saved that had a hand in shedding his blood! Acts ii. 36, 37. Why then dost thou say Christ cannot heal thee? unbelief dishonours Christ, it hinders from a cure, it closeth the orifice of Christ's wounds, it stauncheth his blood, Matt. XV. 58. Millions die of their disease, because they do not believe in their physician.
5. The fifth and last particular is, that Christ is the best physician. That I may set forth the praise and honour of Jesus Christ, I shall show you wherein he excels other physicians; no physician like Christ.
1. He is the most skilful physician; there is no disease too hard for him, Psal. ciii. 3. "Who healeth all thy diseases." The pool of Bethesda might be an emblem of Christ's blood, John v. 5. " Whosoever first after the troubling of the water stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever disease he had." There are certain diseases physicians cannot cure; as a consumption in the lungs, some kind of obstructions and gangrenes. Some diseases are the reproach of physicians, but there is no disease can pose Christ's skill; he can cure the gangrene of sin when it is come to the heart; he healed Mary ^Magdalene, an unchaste sinner; he healed Paul, who breathed out threatcnuigs against the church; insomuch that Paid stands and wonders at the cure, 1 Tim. i. 13. "But I obtained mercy;" I was bemercied. Christ heals head distempers and heart distempers, which may keep poor trembling souls from despair. Oh, saith the sinner, never was any so diseased as I ! but look up to thy physician Christ, who hath healing under his wings; he can melt a heart of stone, and wash away black sins in the crimson of his blood; there are no desperate aises with Christ; he hath tliose salves, oils, balsams, which can cure the worst disease. Indeed, there is one disease which Christ doth not heal, namely, the sin against the Holy Ghost; this is called "a sin unto death;" if we knew any who
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