Quesnel: Moral Reflections on the Gospels Vol 1

CHAPTER VIII.
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that of the body, and that they complain of it so
little ? Is it not because their faith is small, and
the business of salvation so little at their heart ?
" 7. And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and
heal him."
The word and promise of Christ is the great
consolation of a sinner. There is no person in the
world but what has need that Jesus Christ should
come and heal him, either of his mortal wounds, or
of his weakness and infirmities. From the time that
he has made us sensible of our diseases, and given
us the grace to lay them before him in prayer, let
us confidently believe, that he says to us, " I will
come and heal you ;" and let us faithfully and
humbly say to him without ceasing, " Come, Lord
Jesus."
. " 8. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I
am not vvorthy that thou shouldst come under my
roof; but speak the word only, and my servant shall
be healed."
See here the pattern of a lively faith, and a pro-
found humility, which ought always to accompany
the prayer of a sinner. Jesus Christ, by his will
alone, can heal the palsy of ours. The first degree
of humility is to acknowledge the necessity of grace,
and our own inability. The second, to confess the
freeness of this grace, and our own unworthiness.
Nothing more retards our cure than our presump-
tion.
" 9. For I am a man under authority, having
soldiers under me : and I say to this man, Go, and
hegoeth; and to another, Come, aiid he cometh;
and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it."