Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/130

 tinually place  you;  for  they  expose  you  to  eternal  death. Consider, also,  the  difficulty  with  which  they  are  cured; for they  are  not  like  diseases  of  the  body,  that  show themselves by  outward  symptoms:  they  are  often  concealed even  from  the  patient  himself,  and  are,  in  a  certain manner,  engrafted  on  the  constitution  of  the  soul. What a  happiness  it  is  to  be  able  whenever  you  choose to apply  to  a  physician  who  knows  your  spiritual  complaints most  intimately,  and  who  is  able  and  willing  to apply  sovereign  remedies  to  them!

III. You ought  to  place  great  confidence  in  this  spiritual physician  of  yours. He is  eminently  skilful  and  infinitely wise;  and,  in  order  that  He  might  have  a  more experimental knowledge  of  our  infirmities,  He  united Himself to  our  nature,  "He  hath  borne  our  infirmities and  carried  our  sorrows." (Is. liii.  4.)  He  is  infinitely compassionate and  infinitely  desirous  of  our  spiritual health and  salvation;  and,  therefore,  of  His  own  accord He asked  the  man  in  the  gospel,  "Wilt  thou  be  made whole?" (John v.  6)  In  order  that  He  may  more  effectually cure  us,  He  has  prepared  for  us  a  most  admirable medicine, consisting  of  His  own  most  precious  body  and blood. Throw yourself,  therefore,  at  His  feet,  and  say with the  Prophet,  "  Have  mercy  on  me,  O  Lord,  for  I am  weak." (Ps. vi.  2.)  Remember  He  cannot  effect  a cure  in  your  soul  unless  you  perform  punctually  whatever He  prescribes.

I. How  different  are  the  thoughts  of  God  from  the thoughts of  men! Christ was  no  sooner  born,  than  sent into banishment. The Almighty  could  easily  have  rid