By his stripes lue are healed.
Doct. That the healing of our natures, as well as peace and reconci- liation with God, is the fruit of Christ's sufferings. Three things are here to be taken notice of : —
1. Healing puts us in mind of a disease incurable by human art, or any remedies that are in our power.
2. Health implieth our recovery out of this disease, or our salvation by Christ.
3. The means of this recovery is by Christ's stripes. Firsts For the disease.
1. The soul hath its diseases as well as the body, and may be in a good or ill plight, as well as the body. It is in a good plight when it is fit to serve God or enjoy him. It is in an ill plight, or diseased, when it is disabled for these ends. The diseases therefore of the soul are those inordinate dispositions by which it is hindered from bringing forth actions agreeable or belonging to the spiritual life. This came to pass by Adam's sin, which, according to the tenor of the first covenant, is imputed to all those who were naturally propagated from him, they being thereupon deprived of original righteousness ; whereby we became blind in our minds, perverse in our hearts, and so sold under sin ; and till we be freed by the grace of God, we cannot but act sinfully, and daily contract and strengthen evil habits and inclina- tions. Therefore the work of conversion is expressed by healing : Isa. vi. 10, ' And convert and be healed,' When these distempers and perverse inclinations of the soul are done away, we are healed, other- wise we lie under the power of a blind mind, and a hard heart, a guilty conscience and carnal affections, which are as so many deadly wounds and di.seases of the soul.
2. The diseases of the soul are greater than those of the body, as being seated in the nobler part, and so tlic wound is the more grievous. As a cut in the body is worse than a rent in the clothes, so is a wound
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in the soul more grievous than a cut in the body. The diseases of the body tend only to the death of the body, which of itself must necessarily die : Eccles, xii. 7, ' Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was;' and then by the power of God. shall certainly rise again. But the diseases of the soul, as they make us unuseful to God for the present, so they tend to eternal destruction and death both of body and soul for ever : Mat. x. 28, ' But rather fear him that is able to destroy both body and soul in hell.'
3. I assert that sin is the great sickness of the soul. There are two sorts of diseases in the soul : —
[1.] Terrors, or spiritual bondage, by which the soul is driven from God, and cannot think of him, or seek after him, with any comfort or peace. And this is a sore and evil disease indeed, for the curing of which Christ also came ; for it is said, Ps. cxlvii. 3, ' He hath healed the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds ;' Luke iv. 18, ' He hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted.' Which he doth by pardon or peace, the former benefit mentioned in this verse.
[2.] Sins, or evil habits and inclinations, which disable us from pleasing of God. These are the worst sort of diseases, as being the cause of the other ; for terrors entered into the world with sin. When Adam had sinned against God he was afraid of him, and ran to the bushes. Gen. iii. 8-10. And when sin is taken away, the others cease. Now that sin is the great sickness and wound of the soul, I shall prove by these considerations: —
First, It is a wasting disease ; it bringeth the soul into a languish- ing condition, and wasteth the strength of it. Therefore our natural estate is described to be an estate without strength : Kom. v. 6, ' When we were yet without strength, Christ died for us ; ' that is, without strength to help ourselves out of that misery into which sin had plunged us. Sin hath weakened the soul in all the faculties of it, which all may discern and observe in themselves. The mind is weakened ; for how acute and discerning soever it be in earthly things, it is stupid and dull in things spiritual and heavenly. We see little of the danger of eternal damnation, or the worth of eternal salvation, or the need of Christ, or the serious preparation for the world to come : 2 Peter i. 9, ' He that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off.' These things, that is, faith and other graces of the Spirit. And then the memory is weakened; it is true and faithful in retaining what is evil, but slippery and treacherous in what is good. These things we easily let slip, as leaky vessels do the liquor contained in them : Heb. ii. 1, ' Therefore we ought to give the more diligent heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.' Our will is fixedly inclined to evil, and averse to good : ' Their heart is fully set in them to do evil,' Eccles. viii. 11. The affections are like tinder, apt to catch fire at the spark of every temptation : Prov. vii. 22, ' He goeth after her straightway.' But they are like wet wood as to the entertainment of any heavenly motion: 1 Cor. ii. 14, 'The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.' Therefore sin hath made fearful havoc in the soul, and destroyed the strength and right consti- tution of it. The strength of man lieth not in the robust, healthy