Mr. Skill the Physician

much pained in his bowels, so that he was with it, at times, pulled as it were both ends together❜. There dwelt also not far from thence, one Mr. Skill, an ancient and well-approved physician. So Christiana desired it, and they sent for him, and he came: when he was entered the room, and had a little observed the boy, he concluded that he was sick of the gripes. Then he said to his mother, "What diet has Matthew of late fed upon?"-" Diet!" said Christiana; "nothing but what is wholesome." The physician answered," This boy has been tampering with something that lies in his maw undigested, and that will not away without means. And I tell you, he must be purged, or else he will die."

SAM. Then said Samuel, Mother, what was that which my brother did gather and eat, so soon as we were come from the gate that is at the head of this way? You know that there was an orchard on the left hand, on the other side of the wall, and some of the trees hung over the wall, and my brother did pluck and did eat'.

CHR. True, my child, said Christiana, he did take thereof, and did eat: naughty boy as he was, I chid him, and yet he would eat thereof.

SKILL. I knew he had eaten something that was not wholesome food; and that food, to wit, that fruit, is even the most hurtful of all. It is the fruit of Beelzebub's orchard. I do marvel that none did warn you of it; many have died thereof.

3 See the effects of sin. It will pinch and gripe the conscience, and make the heart of a gracious person sick.

4 See how useful pilgrims are to each other, in faithfully reminding one another of their conduct. Though this sin was committed some time past, and neither Matthew nor his mother thought of it, yet it must be brought to light and repented of.

Here is reproof for the mother, in not warning her sons of sin, and chiding them for it. She takes it home, falls under the

prescribes for Matthew.

CHR. Then Christiana began to cry; and she said, "O naughty boy! and O careless mother! what shall I do for my son?"

SKILL. Come, do not be too dejected; the boy may do well again, but he must purge and vomit. CHR. Pray, Sir, try the utmost of your skill with him, whatever it costs.

SKILL. Nay, I hope I shall be reasonable.-So he made him a purge, but it was too weak; it was said, it was made of the blood of a goat, the ashes of a heifer, and with some of the juice of hyssop, &c." When Mr. Skill had seen that that purge was too weak, he made one to the purpose; it was made ex carne et sanguine Christi; (you know physicians give strange medicines to their patients :) and it was made up into pills, with a promise or two, and a proportionate quantity of salt. Now he was to take them three at a time, fasting, in half a quarter of a pint of the tears of repentance!

When this potion was prepared, and brought to the boy, he was loath to take it, though torn with the gripes, as if he should be pulled in pieces. "Come, come," said the physician, 66 you must

sense of it, and is grieved for it. A tender conscience is a blessed sign of a gracious heart. Ye parents who know the love of Christ, watch over your children; see to it, lest ye smart for your sins, in not warning and teaching them, that the fear of the Lord is to depart from all evil; yea, to abstain from the very appearance of it.

Mr. Bunyan's great modesty and humility are truly admirable; though he quotes Latin, yet as he did not understand it, he tells us, "The Latin I borrow." The English is, " Of the flesh and of the blood of Christ." This is the only portion for sin-sick souls. Feeding upon Christ's flesh and blood by faith, keeps us from sinning and when sick of sin, these, and nothing but these, can heal and restore us. Yet there is in our nature an unaccountable reluctance to receive these, through the unbelief which works in us. So Matthew found it.

:

h Heb. ix. 13-19. x. 1-4. * John vi. 54-57. Heb. ix. 14. *Mark ix. 49.

Matthew's Recovery.

take it." "It goes against my stomach," said the boy. "I must have you take it," said his mother. "I shall vomit it up again," said the boy. "Pray, Sir," said Christiana to Mr. Skill," how does it taste?" "It has no ill taste," said the doctor; and with that she touched one of the pills with the tip of her tongue. "O Matthew," said she, "this potion is sweeter than honey. If thou lovest thy mother, if thou lovest thy brothers, if thou lovest Mercy, if thou lovest thy life, take it." So with much ado, after a short prayer for the blessing of God upon it, he took it, and it wrought kindly with him. It caused him to purge, to sleep, and to rest quietly; it put him into a fine heat and breathing sweat, and rid him of his gripes'.

So in a little time he got up, and walked about with a staff, and would go from room to room, and talk with Prudence, Piety, and Charity, of his distemper, and how he was healed.

So when the boy was healed, Christiana asked Mr. Skill, saying, Sir, what will content you for your pains and care to me, and of my child?" And he said, "You must pay the Master of the College of Physicians, according to the rules made in that case, and provided".'

7 See the blessed effects of receiving Christ, when under a sense of, and distress for sin. Oh, what a precious Saviour is Jesus! what efficacy is there in his blessed flesh and precious blood, to purge the conscience from guilt. Lord, what a mercy is it, that though we have sinned, yet thou art abundant to pardon, yea, multipliest thy pardons; yea, and also givest poor, pained, brokenhearted sinners, to know and feel thy pardoning love. Oh, it is this sense of Christ's love and pardoning grace, which heals, restores, and makes our hearts happy in Christ, and joyful in God: who that know themselves, their guilt and wretchedness, can rest without this?

Heb. xiii. 11-15.

Christiana's Sons seek Instruction from Prudence.

CHR. But, Sir, said she, what is this pill good for else?

SKILL. It is an universal pill; it is good against all diseases that pilgrims are incident to; and, when it is well prepared, will keep good time out of mind.

CHR. Pray, Sir, make me up twelve boxes of them: for, if I can get these, I will never take other physic.

SKILL. These pills are good to prevent diseases, as well as to cure when one is sick. Yea, I dare say it, and stand to it, that if a man will but use this physic as he should, it will make him live for ever". But, good Christiana, thou must give these pills no other way, but as I have prescribed: for if you do, they will do no good. So he gave unto Christiana physic for herself, and her boys, and for Mercy ; and bid Matthew take heed how he eat any more green plumbs; and kissed them, and went his way.

It was told you before, that Prudence bid the boys, that if at any time they would, they should ask her some questions that might be profitable, and she would say something to them.

MAT. Then Matthew, who had been sick, asked her, Why for the most part, physic should be bitter to our palates?

PRUD. To shew how unwelcome the word of God, and the effects thereof, are to a carnal heart.

This is an important truth, that feeding by faith on the flesh and blood of Christ, keeps the soul from sinning, as well as heals and restores the soul when sick of the malady of sin. O pilgrims! let not a moment pass without having recourse to the life and death of the Son of God, who shed his blood to save us, and gives us his flesh to nourish us; and who says, "My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed."

" John vi. 58.

Prudence instructs

MAT. Why does physic, if it does good, purge, and cause to vomit?

PRUD. To shew, that the word, when it works effectually, cleanseth the heart and mind. For, look, what the one doeth to the body, the other doeth to the soul.

MAT. What should we learn by seeing the flame of our fire go upwards? and by seeing the beams and sweet influences of the sun strike downwards?

PRUD. By the going up of the fire we are taught to ascend to heaven, by fervent and hot desires. And by the sun's sending his heat, beams, and sweet influences, downwards, we are taught that the Saviour of the world, though high, reaches down with his grace and love to us below.

MAT. Whence have the clouds their water?
PRUD. Out of the sea.

MAT. What may we learn from that?

PRUD. That ministers should fetch their doctrine from God.

MAT. Why do they empty themselves upon the earth?

PRUD. To shew, that ministers should give out what they know of God to the world.

MAT. Why is the rainbow caused by the sun?

PRUD. To shew, that the covenant of God's grace is confirmed to us in Christ.

MAT. Why do the springs come from the sea to us through the earth?

PRUD. To shew, that the grace of God comes to us through the body of Christ.

MAT. Why do some of the springs rise out of the top of high hills?

PRUD. To shew, that the Spirit of grace shall spring up in some that are great and mighty, as well as in many that are poor and low.