II. We see here Healing promised to those that fear Gods name, and thence we may certainly conclude, that the Holiest men do want healing. 1. As we are like unto Christ, per primitias Spiritus, by the first fruits of the spirit, 1so we are unlike unto him per reliquias vetustatis, by the remainders of corruption; There is not a just man that liveth and sinneth not. Though the guilt of sin be removed in our justification, and the power subdued in our sanctification, yet the sickness and remainders of it are not abolished till our dissolution. Ista vitia gratiâ dei medicante curantur, prius 2•t reat• non teneant, deinde ut constict• non vincant, postremo ut omni ex parte Sanata, nulla omnino remaneant, as St. Austin speaks. These Evils are cured by the Grace of God, first that they may not hold us by their guilt, next that they may not conquer us in the conflict, and lastly that being throughly healed, none of them may remain. And these remainders of corruption the Lord here leaveth in us to be matter of daily •onslict, of deep humbling, of earnest Prayer, •t sit quod pet•ntibus largiter adjiciat quod confitentibus ⟨p. 13⟩3clementer ignoscat, that he may bountifully give the things for which we pray, and graciously pardon the sins which we confess. 2. Besides our sins, we are surrounded with Enemies, and beset on every side with Temptations, and though we have a promise of victory over them, and sufficiency of grace against them, yet we have no promise of absolute immunity, that we shall be invulnerable by them. The experience of our own Lapses, and of the Holiest and greatest Saints sufficiently evidence unto us what poor and frail Creatures we are when the Lord leaves us, to t•y us, as he did Hezekiah, 2 Cron. 32. 31. 3. Sorrow is the natural Off-spring of sin and temptation, a sick and a wounded man cannot but feel the pain of that which weakeneth him. There are not any men, more men of sorrow and acquainted with grief, then they whose eyes are most open to see, whose hearts most tender to feel the weight of sin, the terrors of God, and the Assaults of temptation. Being therefore subject to sins, to wounds, to sorrows, no wonder if they stand in need of healing.
II. We see here Healing promised to those that fear Gods name, and thence we may certainly conclude, that the Holiest men do want healing. 1. As we are like unto Christ, per primitias Spiritus, by the first fruits of the spirit, 1so we are unlike unto him per reliquias vetustatis, by the remainders of corruption; There is not a just man that liveth and sinneth not. Though the guilt of sin be removed in our justification, and the power subdued in our sanctification, yet the sickness and remainders of it are not abolished till our dissolution. Ista vitia gratiâ dei medicante curantur, prius 2•t reat• non teneant, deinde ut constict• non vincant, postremo ut omni ex parte Sanata, nulla omnino remaneant, as St. Austin speaks. These Evils are cured by the Grace of God, first that they may not hold us by their guilt, next that they may not conquer us in the conflict, and lastly that being throughly healed, none of them may remain. And these remainders of corruption the Lord here leaveth in us to be matter of daily •onslict, of deep humbling, of earnest Prayer, •t sit quod pet•ntibus largiter adjiciat quod confitentibus ⟨p. 13⟩3clementer ignoscat, that he may bountisully give the things for which we pray, and graciously pardon the sins which we confess. 2. Besides our sins, we are surrounded with Enemies, and beset on every side with Temptations, and though we have a promise of victory over them, and sufficiency of grace against them, yet we have no promise of absolute immunity, that we shall be invulnerable by them. The experience of our own Lapses, and of the Holiest and greatest Saints sufficiently evidence unto us what poor and fraile Creatures we are when the Lord leaves us, to t•y us, as he did Hezekiah, 2 Cron. 32. 31. 3. Sorrow is the naturall Off-spring of sinn and temptation, a sick and a wounded man cannot but feel the paine of that which weakneth him. There are not any men, more men of sorrow and acquainted with grief, then they whose eyes are most open to see, whose hearts most tender to feel the weight of sinn, the terrors of God, and the Assaults of temptation. Being therefore subject to sins, to wounds, to sorrows, no wonder if they stand in need of healing.
- 1Aug. depeccat Merit & Remiss. c. 8 E• 7. 20. Jam. 3: 2.Aug. depeccat Me•it & Remiss. c. 8 E• 7. 20. Jam. 3: 2.
- 2Aug. contra Julian. Pelag. lib 5. c. 7.
- 3Aug. de spir. & […]. cap u't.Aug. de spir. & 〈…〉. cap u't.
