162 FOURTH SERMON Christ will be the desire of that soul, and nothing in heaven or earth valued in comparison of him : then that which was esteemed the foolishness of preaching before, shall be counted the power of God, and the wisdom of God ; then every one of Christ's ordinances, which are the waters of the temple, for the healing of the sea, that is, of many people, Ezek. xlvii. 8. and the leaves of the tree of life, which are for the healing of nations, Rev. xxii. 2. and the streams of that fountain which is opened in Israel for sin and for unclean- ness, Zech. xiii. 1. and the wings of the Sun of righteousness, whereby he conveyeth healing to his church, Mal. iv. 2. shall be esteemed, as indeed they are, the riches, the glory, the treasure, the feast, the physic, the salvation of such a soul, Eph. iii. 8. 2 Cor. iii. 8. 11. iv. 6, 7. Isa. xxv. 6. Rev. xix. 9. Luke iv. 18. Heb. ii. 3. James i. 21. John xii. 50. Acts xxviii. 28. And a man will wait on them with as much diligence and attention as ever the impotent people did at the pool of Bethesda, when the angel stirred the water ; and endure the healing severity of them, not only with patience, but with love and thankfulness ; suffer reason to be captivated, will to be crossed, high imaginations to be cast down, every thought to be subdued, conscience to be searched, heart to be purified, lust to be cut off and mortified ; in all things will such a sick soul be con- tented to be dieted, restrained, and ordered by the counsel of this heavenly physician. It is here next to be noted, that God promiseth to heal their backslidings. The word imports a depart- ing from God, or a turning away again. It is quite contrary in the formal nature of it unto faith and re- pentance, and implies that which the apostle calls a repenting of repentance, 2 Cor. vii. 10. By faith we
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