The Whole Duty of Divine Meditation, Part 2 · Meditation 24
MED. XXIV. In time of Sickness.
Mat. viii. 2.
Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
THIS Prayer was effectual; and all Petitions are answer'd by the Almighty, if deliver'd with a sincere Faith, and a good Assurance. Let us now be upon the Grand Inquest; Is not Sin a Leprosie? Then every Sinner ought to make the same Deprecation. He that had been a Spectator of the Leper's Body, would not have been amaz'd at his Prayer: and yet, could he but have inspected his Soul, might, perhaps, have beheld Objects more prodigious and horrible; the Corruption of his Blood, which had lost its Vigour, and proved but an useless help to Nature, every part without Vitality, by so nauseating a Nutrition, instructed his Tongue this necessary, though doleful kind of Confident Prayer; Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
II. CHRIST, whose Bounty and Compassion never fails to demonstrate that the Fountain of his Love was as large as his Power was potent, would not reject such a Suit wherein his tender Mercy was so much concern'd: and those Members which might have been sooner immers'd, than bath'd into a Cure, re-assume new Vitality and Complexion, by the liberal Bounty of a Touch. Thus the Leper receives a new Body; but we read no Lecture of any Operation upon his Immortal Part, which, perhaps, effectually required it: But his Successor, who was Bed-rid, was in a far greater state of Happiness; for his Sin and Disease were both healed together.
III. HOW many be found, that, like the Leper, view no higher than their Corporeal Substance, whole Exteriour Part is all their Principles of Religion; whil'st the Immortal Part, that Spring of Life, lies all neglected under Epidemical Infection: Our Blood shall enjoy all the Delights that Art can reach, or the most Chymical Luxury can extract, to supply its Flames; whil'st our splendid Part, the Divine and Celestial Fire which inspires us, lies all extinguish'd, and bereft of his Immortal Aliment, and can reserve nothing but a dull and hectick Lustre to its Maker.
IV. THE Anguish of a Limb, can attract us to more Devotion in one Hour, than all the Concernments of our Souls can produce in a Year: and the deformity of the meanest Part, will appear an Object of more Disgrace and Dolour to us, than those pallid and infernal Forms that attend Sin, and disfigure Heaven in us. Of all Pestilences, this is the grandest, and yet least regarded: as if Hell were but a Trifle; Everlasting Damnation, a Pleasure; and the Eternal Misery of our Souls, a Diversion. Shew me that exquisite Beauty that is not Leprous; that Innocence, which is so perspicuous, that it is Immaculate; that Pattern of Sanctity, which may become a Saint; that Infant, Man or Woman, which is a Stranger unto Sin; and then I shall be hold an Amazing Wonder.
V. DID our curious Veins excell the fragrant Violet, whose Odour perfumes the Chymistry of the Air, the Dew of the blushing Morn: Were our Ancestor, Adam's Sin, an Alien to our crimson Blood; and the Day of our Nativity, as perspicuuous as the splendidst Morn, immaculate as the new-blown Rose: yet the Pollution of our irregular Lives would soon discipline us in this Prayer; and the blackness of our occultest Thoughts would silently proclaim our own Deformity; and be ready to join with the Leper in this Petition, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
VI. AND yet, was there not to be found, in those Days, a Generation of Vipers, that were righteous and clean in their own Eyes, that justify'd themselves in their own Impurity, and reckon'd all the World but Lepers to them? Was not the lofty Pharisee a greater Leper than the poor Publicane, though so ambitiously he display'd his proud Plumes? His soaring Pride carrry'd more contagious Infection along with it, than the other Persons Sins could e'er pretend too. He that trusts to the Merit of his own Illustration, may infallibly lose Heaven, and those Eternal Joys which an humble Assurance doth procure.
VII. O LORD, though I am not so vile as some; yet I am so vile in my own Eyes, that the Leper here is a Pattern of Perfection, to my imperfect Soul; Lazarus's Corps a Perfume, to my ulcerated Heart: yet were I far more impotent and fractured than the poor Cripple of Bethesda; more spotted with Leprosie than the Nine Unthankful Lepers which were cleansed, whose Ingratitude was more odious than their Disease; were those Legions of Infernal Spirits, ejected by Thy Sacred Word, infused in me; and were I as execrable as Satan could wish to make me; yet I know Thy Paternal Goodness, and I do not despond of Thy Almighty Power: for, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.