Quest. But you ask, How shall I know that God hath healed my soul iu regard of the forgiveness of sins '?
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Ans. The answer is, If, together with pardon of mi, he heal sin. For God, when he takes away the venom of a wovmd that endangers death, the deadly disease, he takes away also the swelling of the wound and glowing of it. When he ceaseth to make it deadly, he heals the soul withal, and subdues our iniquities, as his promise is, Micah vii, 19. So there is, together with pardoning mercy, curing mercy in regard of sanctification. Where God is a Father to make us sons, he is a Father to beget us anew. So where Christ comes by blood to wash away our sins, he comes by water also and the Holy Ghost ; where he is a Comforter in the forgiveness of sins, he is a sanctifier. And the soul of a distressed sinner looks to the one as well as the other. Ask the soul of any man who is traly humbled. What do you chiefly desire ? Oh, that God would pardon my sins ! But is that all ? No ; that he would also heal my sins and subdue my re- bellions, that I may not any longer be under the government and tyranny of my lusts, but under God's gracious government, who will guide me better than before, Hos. ii. 7. This we see to be the order in the Lord's prayer. After we are taught to say, ' Forgive us our trespasses,' it follows, ' And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us fi-om evil,' which is for the time to come. Mat. vi. 12, 13. So David, ' Cleanse me from my Becret sins, and keep me, that presumptuous sins have not dominion over me,' &c., Ps. xix. 12, 13. So that this is the desire of an afflicted con- science truly humbled, curing as well as covering of sin. This is a sure evidence that om^ sins are pardoned.
2. Then again, ivhen there is peace : when the soul feels this, it is a sign that God hath healed the soul. * For,' saith the apostle, ' being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,' Rom. V. 1. The blood of Christ hath a pacifying power in forgiveness of sins. When Jonah was cast out, there was a calm, Jonah i. 12 ; so when sin is cast out and pardoned, there is a calm in the soul, which comes from the forgiveness of sins.
3. Again, healing is known by this, if we have hearts willing to he searched, for then our will is cured, which in the state of grace is more than our obedience. When we would be better than we are, then certainly our will is not in league with coiTuptions. Now, where the will is so much sanctified, I resolve to be better, I would be better, and I use all means, being glad when any joins with me against my corruptions, I am glad of all such advantages, here is a good sign. As now, when a man goes to church, and desires, ' 0 that my corruptions might be met withal ! 0 that I might be laid open to myself, and know myself better than I have formerly done ! ' this is the desu-e of an ingenuous soul. Where there is no guile of soul, a man is glad to have himself and his corruptions dis- covered, whereas another frets and kicks, and rageth against the word of God, which is a sign that there is some league betwixt him and his sin. You have some that, above all things in the world, they would not have such and such downright ministers. 0 take heed ; this is a sign of a hollow heart, and that a man is in love with his disease. Can there be a cure where there is a love of the disease ?
4. Not to name many, the last, which is a high pitch, shall be, hy our estimation of things here and above. What hath this healing wrought in thee ? What estimation of things ? How is thy heart weaned from the world ? How are thy afiections set on things which are above ? Col. iii. 1. When a sick man is soundly recovered, though his distempered paJate could not relish the best meats in his sickness, yet now he relishes and
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loves the best most of all. Look, then, to ourselves. How forget we, with blessed St Paul, ' the things which are behind, pressing hard to the mark which is before, for the high prize of that calling' ? Philip, iii. 13. How stand we afiected, to long for our country ? this world being only the place of our pilgrimage. Surely a soul that is soundly healed is an under- valuing soul, to use this world and all things therein as though we used them not ; and it is also a valuing soul, to covet spiritual things above all, 1 Cor. vii. 29, 31. ' '0,' saith David, ' how I love thy law, it is my medi- tation all the day ; I love thy commandments above gold, yea, above fine gold,' Ps. cxix. 97, 127. The joy of this estate ' is a joy unspeakable and glorious,' 1 Pet. i. 8, of which it is said ' the stranger shall not meddle with,' Pro. xiv. 10. Thus much concerning the disease. Before we come to the cure a question ariseth.