had wniicd this sin, we were to shut tliem out of our prayers: "There is a sin unto death, I do not say that he shall pray for it," 1 John V. l(j. Tliere is no healing of this disea<ie; not but that Christ could cure this, but the sinner will not be cured. The king could j)ardon a traitor, but if he will have no pardon he must die. The sin against the Holy Ghost is unpardonable, because the sinner will have no pardon ; he scorns Clirist's blood, despites his Spirit, therefore his sin hath no sacrifice, Heb. x. 26, 29.
2. Christ is the best physician, because he cures the better part, the soul; other physi- cians can cure the liver or spleen, Christ cures the heart; they can cure the blood when it is tainted, Christ cures the conscience when it is defiled, Heb. ix. 14. "How much more shall the blood of Christ purge your conscience from dead works?" Galen and Hippocrates might cure the stone in the kidneys, but Christ cures the stone in the heart; he is the best physician which cures the most excellent jiart. The soul is im- mortal, angelical; man was made in the image of God, Gen. i. 27. Not in regard of his body, but his soul. Now if the soul be so divine and noble, then the cure of the soul doth far exceed the cure of the body.
3. Christ is the best physician, for he causeth us to feel our disease. The disease of sin, though it be most damnable, yet is least discernible; many a man is sin-sick, but the devil hath given him such stupifying physic, that he sleeps the sleep of death, and all the thunders of the word cannot awaken him; but the Lord Jesus, this blessed physi- cian, awakes the soul out of its lethargy, and then it is in a hopeful way of recovery. The jailer was never so near a cure, as when he cried out, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Acts xvi. 30.
4. Christ shows more love to his patients than any physician besides; which appears five ways:
(1.) In that long journey he took from heaven to earth.
(2.) In that he comes to his patients with- out sending for. The sick s-cnd to their physicians, and use many entreaties; here the physician comes unsent for, Isa. Ixv. 1. *'I am found of them tliat sought me not,"
He doth prevent us witli mercy, he entreats us to be healed; if Christ had not first come to us, and, with the good Samaritan, poured in wine and oil, we must have died of our wounds.
(3.) The physician lets himself blood to cure his patient, Isa. liii. 5. "But he was wounded for our transgressions;" through his wounds we may see his bowels.
(4.) Our repulses and unkindnesses do not drive Christ away from us. Physicians, if provoked by their patients, go away in a rage, and will come no more. We abuse our physician, thrust him away, we bolt out our physician, yet Christ will not forsake us, but comes again, and applies his sovereign oils and balsams, Isa. Ixv. 3. "I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people." Christ puts up wTongs and in- civilities, and is resolved to go through with the cure. O the love of this heavenly physician !
(5.) Christ himself drank that bitter cup which we should have drunk; and by his taking the potion we are healed and saved. Thus Christ hath shown more love than ever physician did to the patient.
5. Christ is the most cheap physician: sickness is not only a consumption to the body but the purse, Luke viii. 43. Physi- cians' fees are chargeable, but Jesus Christ gives us our physic freely, he takes no fee, Isa. Iv. L "Come without money and without price." He desires us to bring nothing to him but broken hearts; and when he hath cured us he desires us to bestow nothing upon him but our love; and one would think that were very reasonable.
6. Christ heals with more ease than any other: other physicians apply pills, potions, bleeding; Christ cures with more facility. Christ made the devil go out with a word speaking, Mark ix. 25. So when the soul is spiritually possessed, Christ can with a word heal, nay, he can cure with a loolc When Peter had fallen into a relapse, Christ looked on Peter, and he wept. Christ's look melted Peter into repentance; it was a healing look. If Christ doth but aist a look upon the soul, he can recover it. Therefore David prays to have a look from God, Psal. cxLx. 132. "Look thou upon me, and b« merciful unto me."
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THE SOUL'S MALADY AND CURE.