Tampering with Physicians?

   “To be always tampering with physicians upon every occasion is the way to lose all natural soundness of health, and to be continually talking and enquiring about the nature of ailments and powers of medicines for the head, the heart, the spirits and nerves is the way to lose all true judgement concerning our own sickness or health.

   “It is much the same with respect to our spiritual health and constitution. We do much hurt to it by running after spiritual advice on every occasion, and wanting the help of some human prescription for every fear, scruple or notion that starts up in our minds. This actually weakens the true strength of our spiritual constitution which, if left to itself, would do all that we need to have done.

   “If it be asked what this soundness of our spiritual constitution is, it may be answered that it is a state or habit of such humble, total resignation of ourselves to God as by faith and hope expects all from Him alone. This is the health and strength of our spiritual constitution, and nothing is health in the soul but this state.”

[ William Law, in a letter to Lady Huntingdon, January 10, 1754 ]