October 26

Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases.—Psalms 103:3.

WHAT, save punishment, was due unto the sinner? What was due to the blasphemer, but the hell of burning fire? He gave not these rewards: that thou mayest not shudder with dread: and without love fear him. Forget not all his benefits; and now change, lest thou experience his—what shall I say? Evil rewards? if just, not evil. To thee evil, therefore: but with respect to God, what thou sufferest is not evil: if just, it is good; but to thee, who sufferest, these things are evil. Thou dost not wish that those, which in God are just, should be evil unto thee? Let not thy wickedness be evil in the sight of God. For he hath not ceased to call thee, or neglected to strengthen thee when called, or ceased to perfect thee when strengthened, or neglected to crown thee when perfected. What sayest thou? That thou art a sinner? Turn again, and receive these his benefits: He forgiveth all thy sin. After the remission of thy sins thou bearest a body that is infirm: for as yet thou bearest flesh that is weak: death hath not as yet been swallowed up in victory: not as yet hath this corruptible put on incorruption: as yet even after remission of sins the soul herself is shaken by certain passions; still is she amid the dangers of temptation, still is she pleased with certain suggestions; with some she is not pleased, and sometimes she consenteth unto some of those with which she is pleased: she is taken. This is disease: but he healeth all thy diseases. All thy diseases shall be healed: fear not. They are great, thou wilt say: but the Physician is greater. No disease cometh before the Almighty Physician as incurable: only suffer thou thyself to be healed: repel not his hands; he knoweth how to deal with thee. Be not only pleased when he cherisheth thee, but also bear with him when he useth the knife: bear the pain of the remedy, reflecting on thy future health. For consider, my brethren, in these bodily infirmities how much men bear, that after living for a few days they may die, and these few, days of uncertainty. For many, after they have borne great pains when they were under the physician's knife, have either died under the physician's hands, or, some fresh attack coming on, have sunk beneath it. If they believed death so near them, would they endure those great pains? Thou dost not endure in uncertainty: he who promiseth thee health, can not be deceived. The physician is often deceived: and promiseth health in the human body. Why is he deceived? Because he is not healing his own creature. God made thy body, God made thy soul. He knoweth how to restore what he hath made, he knoweth how to fashion again what he hath already fashioned: do thou only be patient beneath the Physician's hands: for he hateth one who rejects his hands. This doth not happen with the hands of a human physician. Men choose to be bound, and to suffer the operation; ready to admit certain pain for uncertain recovery, a high price. God both surely, and without charge, healeth thee, whom he created. Bear then his hands, O soul, who blessest him, not forgetful of his benefits: for he healeth all thy diseases.

"Though eighteen hundred years are past Since Christ did in the flesh appear, His tender mercies ever last, And still his healing power is here.

"Would be the body's health restore, And not regard the sin-sick soul? The sin-sick soul he loves much more, And surely he will make it whole."