The Balm of Gilead for the Wounds of England, Sermon

The Balm of Gilead for the Wounds of England · Sermon

p. 1A SERMON Preached before The Honourable Houſe OF COMMONS At the Publike Faſt, Auguſt 30. 1643.

IEREM. 8. 22.

Is there no balme in Gilead? is there no Phyſician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

THE wound is mortall, when the patient dieth under his Chirurgeons hand: and ſuch a deadly wounded Body of his people had our Prophet here under his cure; which when he could not heale, he weeps over; they ſwoune, and he faints, verſe 18. they are confounded, and he is aſtoniſhed, verſe 21, and as a man in paſſion and amazement expreſſeth a greater foreign, by asking queſtions, then by ſpeaking ſentences: As Ahaſhuerus, Eſth. 7. 5. Who? where? ſo the Prophet doth the like here in his, Is there not? And again, Is there p. 2not? and then, Why is not? Is there no balme in Gilead? is there no Phyſician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

The firſt queſtion, Is there no balme in Gilead? &c. had it been made by any of the poore unbeleiving people affirmatively, Thus, Is there any balme in Gilead? eſpecially relating to the bad ſucceſſe which might ſeeme to intimate the contrary, (as theirs, Exod. 17. 7. Is the Lord amongſt us?) would have expreſſed a doubt, whether indeed there had been any balme, ſeeing there was no healing by it: but when made by the Lord himſelfe, or by the Prophet in his name, with the negative foreign, as aggravating that ill ſucceſſe; ſo it is a ſtronger, even a double affirmation, that indeed there was both balme in Gilead, and alſo a Phyſician there, which not only he affirmes, but alſo appeales to them, whether they could deny, and taking it for granted that they could not, Hee proceeds to his

Second queſtion, Why then is not, &c. Which is a queſtion, partly of inquiry, Why? And partly of a bemoaning and As 2 Sam. 13. 4. Ezek. 18. 31.2 Sam 13:4Ezek 18:31expoſtulating complaint: That ſuch admirable helps ſhould be no more helpfull, meanes ſo proper and precious, ſo unſucceſſefull, that Gileads balme, (the beſt medicine) and Gileads Phyſician, (who beſt knew how to apply it) could work no better a cure on a poore dying people. Is there no balme in Gilead? is there no Phyſician there? and then why, O why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered? A little for the explication of the words.

By Gilead, underſtand either the City ſo called, Hoſ. 6. 8. Gilead Schindler foreign ad vocem Leut. 34. 1. 1 Kings 4. 19. Mercer. in Gen. 31. 47.1 Kgs 4:19Gen 31:47which is conceived to bee a chiefe Emporium, where ſuch commodities were ſold: or the Land and Countrey of Gilead, as it is elſewhere called in Scripture, containing the whole lot of the two Tribes and halfe on other ſide Iordan, as appeares from 1 Kings 10. 33. where the plant that afforded it, eſpecially abounded: ſo wee read of the Iſhmaelites that bought Ioſeph, carrying balme from Gilead to Egypt, Gen. 37. 25. and the daughter of Egypt is bidden to fetch balme from Gilead, Ier. 46. 11. and accordingly, Ezek. 27. 17. we finde it to be one of the ſpeciall commodities that Iudah and the land of Iſrael traffiqued with Tyrus in, according to that of Pliny, Balſam… p. 3…. 12. cap. 25.uni terrarum Iudeae conceſſum, as though balme were a peculiar largeſſe vouchſafed by God to Iudea only, there only to bee had, or at leaſt (as Sylvius obſerveth) the beſt there only, God willing that all other Nations ſhould be beholden to Iſrael for balme, it may be thereby hinting to us that he would have the whole world beholden to his Church for healing.

Balme] for nature and kind the juice or oyle, which a lower Balmeſhrub growing eſpecially about **Ab … ſui ſuavitate nomen tobi dediſſe creditur, Mol…er. in Pſal. 133. 2.Ps 133:2Iericho (the bark of it being cut with glaſſe, or bone, or Ivory knives) weeps or bleeds out. For price and worth ſuch, as Dioſcorides ſaith, that in his dayes it was ſold for double its weight in ſilver: Pliny affirmes that in his time a thouſand of their pence (one of which was the ſixth part of an ounce) was given for a quart of it, ſo that (as Rhenodeus conceiveth) onelyonly Kings and great men had it, and uſed it: For vertue and efficacy, foreign, ſaith the fore-mentioned Author, moſt ſtrong and ſoveraigne, Medicina difficillimorum morborum, welnigh a Catholicon for diſeaſes, and a cure for the worſt: I liſt not here Shindler.to reckon up to you all that they ſay its good for, whether applyed inwardly or outwardly, how it helps the eye-ſight and breathing, eaſeth the head-ach, qualifieth fevers, &c. but eſpecially to my purpoſe, ulcera purgat, &c. it cleanſeth fouleſt ſores, healeth deepeſt wounds, and cureth the moſt venomous ſtinging of Serpents, and the like. This was in the letter Gileads balme.

To which the Prophet in the Text joyneth its Phyſician: Artiſts Phyſician.uſing to abound where they have ſuch great plenty of materials: many good Phyſicians whereſo much good phyſick.

Both which put together, in the true meaning of our Prophet, hold out compleat meanes, fully able (in genere mediorum) to work a perfect cure, even when the wound or diſeaſe is otherwiſe moſt deadly and deſperate.

And yet here they failed, for notwithſtanding them the latter part of the Text ſayth, that the health of the daughter of that people was not recovered; for the clearing of which expreſſion, I ſhould abuſe your attention and time (both better now to bee improved) ſhould I be large in Grammaticall criticiſmes upon this Hebraiſme of [The daughter of my people;] leſſer Townes p. 4and Villages, in the ſimplicity of that holy Tongue, are called the daughters of the Metropolis or mother City; and the Citizens Ioſh. 17. 16.Josh 17:16or Inhabitatants of any City or Countrey the Sonnes of it, foreign fil… populi mei, for populares mei: but leave we thoſe Gen. 2…. 1….Gen 2:1obſervations, and take it here plainly, the daughter of my people, for the body of that people; that Virgin daughter of Zion, ….who though as tenderly beloved of God, as tendereſt daughter by deareſt parent is or can be yet by her wilfull caſting of her ſelfe into a deſperate ſickneſſe of ſinne, ſhee had made the wound of her miſery incurable, incorrigibleneſſe in ſin againſt all beſt meanes ended in …rrecoverableneſſe of miſery, notwithding all beſt medicines; this latter I conceive is here eſpecially intended, though the former is preſuppoſed, becauſe in point of ſinne, therefore alſo in point of miſery; although there was balme in Gilead and a Phyſician there, yet the …rophet complaines that the health of the daughter of his people was not recovered.

From which words thus explained, we may obſerve theſe three particulars.

1. That there is balme in Gilead, and a Phyſician there.

2. That for all that, the health of Gods people for the preſent may not bee recovered.

3. That in ſuch a caſe the cauſe hereof is diligently to bee …nquired after, and moſt ſadly to bee bemoaned and complained of.

Is there no balme in Gilead? as much as if he had ſaid, Yes there is; there is the firſt: The health of the daughter of my people is not recovered, there is the ſecond: foreign quare …gitur; Why then, O why then! So the Prophet expoſtulates with his people, and mournes over their miſery: there's the third.

Doct 1 The firſt was, There is balme in Gilead, and a Phyſician there, i. e. meanes in the Church and amongſt the people of God, ſufficiently, abundantly, able to cure their deadlieſt wounds, and to recover them from deſperateſt miſeries: The meaning of the queſtion, Is there not, being (as we have heard) yes for certaine there is; as in every Countrey there is uſually a medicine for its owne proper diſeaſes, ſo in Gods inheritance there is balme to cure all: and as ſome conceited Phyſicians p. 5ſay there is a naturall balſom in mans body, ſo for certaine there is a moſt ſoveraigne balme (dropt down from the head) in the body of Chriſt, which can heale all its ſickneſſes and wounds: it being

Our Fathers houſe, in which there is bread enough to relieve the pooreſt pined prodigall, Luke 15. 17.

Gods inheritance, in which all his ſprings lie to refreſh the mo… thirſty fainting creature, Pſal. 87. 7.

The very myrothecium or repoſitory, in which God hath laid up all his moſt ſoveraigne oyles and balſomes, fully able to maintaine and recover his peoples health in all their deadlieſt extremities: ſo that in them all, in the worſt of all, we may ſay, Yet God is good to Iſrael, Pſal. 73. 1. and as deſperate as the caſe ſeemes to be, Yet there is hope in Iſrael concerning this, Ezra 10. 2.Ezra 10:2or that, or what ever it is, there is hope in Iſrael concerning deſperateſt evills, becauſe balme in Gilead for deadlieſt dangers and miſeries.

But becauſe the goodneſſe of the Phyſick will be evidenced by the greatneſſe of the cures wrought by it; one of the beſt wayes to prove that there is balme in Gilead, and a Phyſician there, will bee to ſhew under ſome generall heads, what great cures have been wrought there.

1. Of deepeſt wounds, and moſt violent and malignant diſeaſes; I meane of moſt grievous and deadly dangers and miſeries; for ſuch in all ages have the Churches miſeries uſed to be: as in pureſt ayres ſometimes accuteſt fevers, ſo pureſt Churches, and holieſt men, have been wont to conflict with extreameſt miſeries: mans rage will doe what it can to make and enflame the wound, and the old Serpents poyſon would make it incurable. No afflictions like to the Churches perſecutions: No ſorrow like mine, ſaid the lamenting Church; yea and adde too, and ſay, Lam. 1. ….Lam 1No ſalvation like thine alſo: it hath beene foreign, from ſo great a death, that Gods people have beene delivered; 2 Cor. …. 10.none have beene more deeply wounded, nor any ſo admirably cured as the Spouſe of Chriſt; in the midſt of all theſe deaths (bleſſed be God!) ſhee lives ſtill, and will for ever: there is balme then in Gilead that hath healed ſuch deadly wounds and diſeaſes, which the body of Chriſt above all hath laboured under, p. 6taking out of them the venome of the Serpents ſting, yea the inflamation of Gods wrath, that in the firſt place hath beene the cure of deadlieſt wounds, ſuch as (the Lord knowes) ours now are.

2. When there are many of them, even a complication, and as it were a whole ſyſterne of diſeaſes on the body of Chriſt at once: not in one part only, but totum pro corpore vulnus, when ſick and ſore all over, as Iſa. 1. 5, 6.

Nor in one kinde only, but of all ſorts, as Pineda labours in Iobs maladies to finde out all kindes of diſeaſes.Pineda in Iob 2.Job 2

In which caſe the cure is wont to be harder; becauſe as all diſeaſes are contrary to health, ſo one of them often to another; ſo as that which helps the one, may wrong the other, as it ſometimes fals out when the Liver and Spleen are diſtempered together. And yet ſo the body of the Church (alas! of our State and Church at this preſent) conflicts at one time with many, and them contrary miſeries, in time of warre, (and ſuch times our ſinnes have now brought upon us) in truth with all; foreign, moſt true in this ſenſe, then a troop comes, warre and changes together, Iob 10. 17. in this univerſall ſcare-fire the flame is kindled in every corner of the houſe: this generall foreign leaveth no part of us free, we are ill all over, every where, … P…v. 5. 11.and almoſt every way; yea and in contrary wayes very miſerable, as in ſad convulſion fits, one neareſt member pluckt from another, and which is moſt miſerable, ſo, as heale the one and you wound the other. We goe through fire and water, as the Pſalmiſt ſaid, in which caſe that which quencheth the one encreaſeth the other, ſuch an ague and purgatory of hot and Pſal. …. 12.cold fits, of various and contrary miſeries the whole land now labours of, and ſinks under. But is there ſuch a medicine as can help both, and heale all? Yes, if you will beleeve David, who could ſet his probatum eſt to it, who met with as many and croſſe ſad paſſages as the moſt; and yet after all, out of his owne experience, could ſay, I ſought, and this poore man cryed, and then God delivered him from all his feares, and ſaved him out of all his troubles, Pſal. 34. 4, 6. and ver. 19. foreign great and many (for the word ſignifieth both) are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all: where there is a p. 7[many] in the diſeaſe, you ſee there is an [all] in the cure, in our God, that which can cure an all of ſickneſſes, Pſal. 103. 3. in our Lord Ieſus that can heale, foreign, all manner, as of lighter diſeaſes, ſo of more grievous ſickneſſes. The Matth. 4. 23.Matt 4:23people of God have been reſcued from multitudes of Bulls, Pſal. 68. 30. from ſwarmes of angrieſt Bees, Pſal. 118. 12. from innumerable evils compaſſing them round about, Pſal. 40. 12, 13. have not ſunk, when deep hath called upon deep, and at the Pſal. 41. 7, 8.Ps 41:7Ps 41:8noiſe of Gods water-spouts, all his waves and billowes have gone over them: when like a wrackt man toſſed with billows from below, and almoſt drowned at the ſame time with ſhowres and ſpouts of raine from above, when earth ſhakes and heaven thunders, even out of greateſt crowdes of evills and enemies that have been plucking the body of Chriſt apieces, quite contrary wayes hath it yet been delivered; ſuch a Panacea, ſuch an All-heale hath God provided for his Church: Sure there is balme in Gilead, and a Phyſitian there, that hath cured ſuch varieties and contrarities of diſeaſes.

3. And this further in the third place, when grown Chronicall; now old ſoares are hardlier healed, and hectick fevers uſually incurable. Ours now begin to grow in yeares, and the maladies of the Church of God in former ages have not only (according to former particulars) been ſore and many, but alſo of long continuance; not only dead, but even dry bones: if meant of the Iewes in Babylon, they lay ſeventy years unburied; Deut, 28. 59, 60.if of the other ten Tribes, it is three thouſand yeares ſince their Ezek. 37, 1, 2, &c.Ezek 37:1Ezek 37:2firſt death, now ſo buried in obſcurity and oblivion, that wee cannot tell where they are to be found (which is much longer then our miſeries ſhall continue, though they ſhould prove yet more deadly) and yet theſe, after all this, ſhall live; and therefore though for the preſent we be very ſick, yet let not our hearts die; for this is more then Gileads balme or Phyſitian, for our bleſſed Saviour as eaſily to raiſe up a dead Lazarus when hee ſtinketh, as the Centurions ſervant that is but ready to die; Iohn 11. 39. Luke 7. 1.John 11:39Luke 7:1and make his people glad, not only after dayes of affliction, but even after yeares wherein they have ſeene evill: the Sun of Pſal. 90. 15. Mal. 4. 2.Ps 90:15Mal 4:2righteouſneſſe ariſing with healing in his wings, as certainly, and it may bee more comfortably, after the longeſt Winters p. 8night, as on the earlieſt Summers morning: there is balme then in Gilead, and a bleſſed Phyſitian there, that can cure ſo grievous, ſo many, ſo contrary, ſo invererate diſeaſes.

4. And then when all, upon all the former particulars, for any humane help or skill, is proved deſperate and incurable: and ſo judged,

Firſt, eſpecially by Enemies, who uſe to think as they would have it, and ſo ante-date as their own deliverance, Ier. 28. 1, 2, 3, 4. ſo the Churches deſtruction, before God intends either. So you may over-heare Davids enemies whiſpering, that an evill diſeaſe ſo clave to him, that now that he was down, for certaine he would never riſe more; but even then God was both Pſal. 41. ….Ps 41Phyſitian and Nurſe to him, making his bed for him when they accounted him bed-rid: thus they ſet the clock too much forward, but it haſtened never the more holy Davids ſun-ſet; as in another place, when they conceive that God hath forſaken him, and what then but perſecute and take him, for there is none to deliver him; even then Faith can look at him, as not farre Pſal. 71. 11, 12.Ps 71:11Ps 71:12from him, and making more haſte toward him to help him, then they could to deſtroy him. It is mercy that Gods hand is not tied up, when Pharaoh thinks Iſrael is ſhut up, and when he had already ſwallowed them up in his thoughts; then the Exod. 14. 2. Exod. 15 9.Exod 14:2Exod 15:9good Shepherd plucked the lambe out of his mouth. How farre thoſe black mouthes that have been ſo wide open to blaſpheme God, have already in their thoughts, Leviathan like, quite ſwallowed up his people, I ſay not, but this I may. That it would Iob 40. 23.Job 40:23be very ſad with us, if our God ſhould not be better to us, then the thoughts and expectations of our enemies are now of us; but let it help to ſtanch the bleeding wound, to remember that God can eaſily heale when the cure is accounted deſperate, eſpecially by enemies.

Secondly, commonly by all (which our preſent caſe is making haſte to) I will reſtore health (ſaith God) when the common vote was, This is Zion which no man ſeeketh after; as a dying man with curtains drawne, whom friends have no hope of, and Ier. 30. 17.Jer 30:17therefore look off from; or rather like a dead man laid aſide Pſal. 31, 12.Ps 31:12out of ſight, and out of minde together, and buried more in oblevion then in his grave; when the newes is, She is dead, why p. 9trouble yee the maſter? Then it was that Chriſt anſwered, Feare not, only believe and ſhee ſhall bee made whole, and ſhe was ſo: Luk. 8. 49. 50.Luke 8:49Luke 8:50When all is given for loſt by all, then its a fit time for Chriſt to ſhew himſelfe all in all; when he can finde no faith Co. 3. 11. Luk. 12. 38.Luke 12:38in the earth, he then comes, Luke 18. 8. in the ſecond or third watch of the night; good husbands that riſe early and goe to bed late, may not bee gone to bed in the firſt watch, and they may bee up againe betimes in the morning by the fourth, ſo that in both thoſe, the Maſter may come, and happily finde them waking, but by the ſecond they uſe to be gone to bed, and not to bee riſen by the third, and therefore if hee come in either of them, hee is likely to finde moſt (if not all) ſleeping; and yet then our Lord commeth, when none looked for him; then heales, when the cure is accounted deſperate by all,

3 Yea, even by the godly themſelves, (which is worſt of all) whoſe faith ſhould not faile them, and yet when it doth, Gods faithfulneſſe doth not: the ſick mans heart is ready to die before hee doth; we are cut off for our parts, ſaid they, Ezek. 37. 11. But the skilfull Chirurgion often heales that legge or arme which the deſpairing patient thinks muſt of neceſſity bee cut off: Thus God upholds David with his hand, when hee himſelfe thinks, hee ſhall one of thoſe dayes fall by the 1 Sam. …7. 1…1 Sam 7:1hand of Saul: When Aſaphs heart failes as well as his fleſh; God is then The rock of his heart and his portion for ever: Pſal. 73. 26.Ps 73:26When the Diſciples as well as the people are at a ſtand for the cure of him that had been ſo long poſſeſſed with ſo many Devils, then bring him to me, ſaith our Saviour: The caſe is in a manner Matth. 17. 17.Matt 17:17ours, many evill Spirits have too long poſſeſſed us, the Diſciples and Servants of Ieſus Chriſt have faſted and prayed, and done what they could towards an ejection, but it will not yet be; ſo that wee begin to grow faint and weary, and to lay the buſineſſe out of our hands; but before wee doe, it would bee well if we would remember that its now fitteſt to bring it to Chriſt, to ſee whether hee can doe any thing, when our very faith can believe but a little, and our ſelves doe juſt nothing: Sometimes indeed our Saviour would ſay to them that beſought him for their cure, According to your faith bee it unto Mat. …. 29.you: but if our faith ſhould alwayes be the meaſure of mercy p. 10to be beſtowed on us, the Lord knowes it would be too often very ill with us; a weak faith would leave but a faint heart, if God were not able to doe oft-times, nay at this time, exceedingly above all we can ask or think, little ſhould we be Epheſ. 3. 20.Eph 3:20able to know or think what to doe: But (bleſſed be God) a ſhort hand can receive more then it can graſp, and the weak palſie hand of our faith, may in ſome meaſure apprehend that ſalvation and mercy which it cannot fully comprehend; its our happineſſe, not that our veſſell is ſo little, but that the fountaine is ſo full that wee cannot comprehend the fulneſſe of it, that our thoughts and hopes are too ſhort ſighted and handed to reach to all that ſalvation, which the out-ſtretched arme of Ieſus Chriſt can reach to us, who is, and ever well be, The wonderfull, Counſeller, Iſa. 9. 6.Isa 9:6the mighty, (the Almighty) God, as he is the Prince of his peoples peace, and therefore it is, that he uſeth to work theſe wonderfull cures for his ſick Spouſe, when according to former particulars, her diſeaſes and wounds, have been, firſt great, ſecondly many, thirdly of ſuch long continuance, that fourthly in the judgment of all they ſeeme to become deſperate; So that enemies hope, and the faithfull feare, and all think they are now proved incurable; but although ſome diſeaſes are ſaid to be other Phyſicians ſhames, yet none ever ſhall be Chriſts; for all, for the worſt of all, there is balme in Gilead, and a Phyſician there: And thus much for the foreign, that it is ſo.

But for the foreign, if you ask, what this balme is, and who is this Phyſician?

1 I anſwer, Firſt, God and his preſence, ſo the parallel queſtion, verſe 19. hath it, is it not the Lord in Zion? anſwerable to this here, is there no balme in Gilead, &c. God and his preſence, Chriſt and his blood, the holy Ghoſt with his Grace and peace, theſe are in Gilead, i. e. in the Church of God, and theſe are moſt ſoveraigne balmes, and moſt bleſſed Phyſicians there.

God amongſt many other his glorious appellations in Scripture is pleaſed to make, foreign, the Lord that healeth thee, Exod. 15. 26.Exod 15:26one of thoſe ſweet names which he both is, and will be known to his people by.

The Lord Ieſus is our Sunne of righteouſneſſe, and as the Heathens Ph…bus was their Phyſician, ſo hee is p. 11Ma…. 4. 23.ours, for hee ariſeth with healing in his wings.

The giving of the holy Ghoſt alſo is expreſſed by anointing Iſa. 61. 1. 2.Isa 61:1Isa 61:2with ſuch ſoveraigne oyle as can heale broken hearts; and that's a greater cure then to cure the outward wounds of broken States and Kingdomes.

So that the ſaving preſence of God in Chriſt cannot but bring with it great ſalvation: Lord if thou hadst been here (ſaid Martha to our Saviour) my brother had not died: O were he but here Iohn. 11. 21.John 11:21amongſt us as hee might be, and as his ſervants deſire he would be, we ſhould not be ſo much as ſick, though we now lie a dying; a time is haſtning when the new …eruſalems name ſhall bee foreign, the Lord is there and then (I reade) there will be no Ezek. 48. 35. Revel. 21. 4.Ezek 48:35Rev 21:4paine nor ſickneſſe there, but a tree of life in the midſt of the ſtreet of it, whoſe very leaves all heale the Nations: for if the preſence Revel. 22. 1, 2.Rev 22:1Rev 22:2of a deare friend oft-times doth very much refreſh the very ſick man, How much more will the powerfull and gracious preſence of a more deare God in Ieſus Chriſt put a new life into a dying either ſoule or people? What arme ſo ſtrong as to make ſuch a wound, as that the Almighty arme of God cannot binde it up? or what malice ſo venomous ſo to poyſon it, as the mercy of our God, and the precious blood of our Saviour (ſprinkled upon whole Nations as well as upon particular perſons, Iſa. 52. 15.) cannot cure it? be his blood ever our balme, were I as ſick and as deadly wounded as that poore man in the Goſpel, yet ſome drops of Luke 10. 33. 34.Luke 10:33Luke 10:34this good Samaritanes oyle would make me well againe: ſo ſoveraignly healing is Gods preſence, and his Sonnes blood.

And for his Spirits grace, and peace, ſome Interpreters upon Hieronym. & Deodat. in locum.this Text underſtand by balme here Repentance, which though it may ſeeme as vineger in the wound to make it ſmart and anger it, yet could we rightly apply it, and let it have its kindly and perfect work before it had done, it would moſt kindly and fully heale it; for if our ſinnes be our deadlieſt wounds then this grace of the Spirit is the proper Recipe for our cure, 2 Chron. 7. 14. and if our unquiet heart-burnings and contentions make the inflamation in theſe angry ſoares, (as the Lord know's they doe) how would the peace of God coole all this heat, and take up the controverſie? Col. 3. 15. Gods peace would help us better to keep the Kings; had foreign.we more of the one in our hearts, we ſhould have more of the other p. 12in the Kingdome; in theſe ſmoothered glowings, nay out-breaking flames, there is too much of the fire of hell, which would bee put out (as the fire is by the Sun) if this alma lux this bleſſed light of heaven ſhone more upon it.

2 But next under God, good Magiſtrates and their wholſome adminiſtrations are another part of Gileads balme and Chirurgery, and ſo it followes in that forementioned nineteenth verſe, Is not the Lord in Zion, is not her King in her? Her King under her God was her chiefe Phyſician, and of five of them in Ieremiahs time, one was Ioſiah, and it may be when he ſpake theſe very words; who, had not the body of that ſinne-ſick people been paſt cure, by that bleſſed Reformation which he wrought he might have ſaid faire for a perfect recovery. And ſo for all other lawfull Magiſtrates in their lawfull adminiſtrations, as they are fathers, ſo they are alſo the Phyſicians of their people; Galen accounted it the great happineſſe of his times, that their Emperours gave the people their … Commentario … Theriac….Theriaca with their own hands, ſo as that their Palaces were reſorted to as to the ſick mens Hoſpitals; and although all Monarches now cure not the Kings evil; yet all both Kings and Magiſtrates ſhould, as occaſion and need ſhal be have both skill and will to cure greater and more dangerous diſeaſes in the Body Politick; and therefore you may obſerve, that whereas Iſa. 3. v. 6. you read of ſome laying hold of their brother, and deſiring him that hee would be their Ruler; in the ſeventh verſe, he refuſeth and ſaith, he will not be an Healer: It ſeemes therefore that in thoſe times although Rulers and Healers were two words, yet they made account that they ſhould bee and doe one and the ſame thing: and ſo indeed if God be with them, they both are and doe occordingly.

Their wholſome Lawes are their fit Preſcripts and Recipes.

Their incouraging of the good with favours and rewards, their foreign, their Malagmata and Lenitives; ….Gileads gentle balmes.

Their diſcouraging and puniſhing the evill their ſharp, but neceſſary, Corraſives; even their cutting off the incorrigible, is but the carefull Chirurgeons cutting off a rotten member that is incurable; ſo that even whileſt they wound, they cure, and ſo are p. 13not (as Chryſoſtom ſaid of Herod, that he was foreign, Tom. 4. Serm. 115. in Act.foreign) executioners but Phyſicians ſtill.

3. Thirdly, Gods Miniſters and Ordinances come under the notion of Gileads balme and Phyſicians: the Prophet in this expreſſion (as Interpreters obſerve) having reference to Elijah the Prophet (and ſome adde other Prophets alſo) who had their abode, C. a Lapideyea and a Schoole or Colledge of their young Prophets there; and therefore it might ſeeme as ſtrange that there ſhould bee no healing from Gilead where ſuch Prophets dwelt, as to have no balme from Gilead, where it moſt of all abounded: Indeed Elijahs miniſtry (like his garment) was a little more rough, and in that reſpect the leſſe reſembling Gileads gentler balme; but yet hee 2 Kings 1. 8.2 Kgs 1:8then (as ſome Miniſters accounted more rough now) was ſent to be the great Reformer, and ſo the great Phyſician and recoverer of that ſinfull ſick people. And ſo

In the Old Teſtament throughout, what were all the Prophets of God, but as Phyſicians or Chirurgeons ſent from God in their miniſtry to cleanſe ſowleſt ſores? to eat proud fleſh out of them with corraſives, and then to poure gentle healing oyle into bleeding wounds?

And in the New Teſtament, what were the Apoſtles, and thoſe other firſt Preachers of the Goſpel, but Phyſicians too, ſent into Mark 6. 13. Iames 5. 14.Mark 6:13Jas 5:14the ſick world with oyle to anoint their bodies; but eſpecially with the Sun of righteouſneſſe ariſing in their miniſtry with healing to their ſoules, yea and their outward eſtates alſo; for valles florent cum Evangelio; there was an abundance of the bleſſing of the Goſpel of Chriſt, Rom. 15. 29. as manifeſtly appeared in the outward flouriſh and proſperity of thoſe Eaſtern Churches and Countreys, when that morning Sun-aroſe upon them in the Eaſt, which is now ſet in a cloud of ſlavery and miſery, ſince it hath left them, and is come, and is yet further going weſt-ward. In thoſe former times under the Law, you ſhall obſerve, that when the Ark went before, it led them ſafe through an over-flowing Iordan; that Ioſh. 3. 11, 13, 14 &c. Pſal. 128. 5. 134. 3.Josh 3:11Josh 3:13Josh 3:14Ps 128:5Ps 128:134Ps 128:3God was wont to bleſſe them out of Zion; that as long as the anointing oyle was kept holy in the Sanctuary, it proved an healing oile to the whole body of that people, the State ever continuing ſafe, whilſt Gods Ordinances were kept pure; as on the contrary, it was not till Gods Temple was wholly defiled, and his ſervants and p. 14Prophets horribly abuſed, that their City and Kingdom were totally and finally ruined, and their cure came to be deſperate, to an foreign, ſo that there was no remedy, 2 Chron. 36. 16.

And for all after ages under the Goſpel (and that in all places and Countreys) the Temple hath ever helped to ſhoare up the Town-houſe, the Church the State, which have been like Hypocrates his twins, ſmiling and weeping, living and dying together: moſt of the deadlieſt wounds that the Church, nay, that the world hath gotten, have been from God in the quarrell of his Temple; and as poyſonous Doctrines in the Church have ever proved invenomed wounds to the Common-wealth, and bad Miniſters in the one, worſt plagues to the other; ſo on the other ſide, the holy Ordinances of God have been found to be ſoveraigne balmes and bleſſings to each wholſome Ordinance of man, even ſharpeſt Church-cenſures moſt wholſome State-medicines, and ableſt godly Miniſters amongſt beſt Phyſicians in their right applying and diſpenſing of them accordingly.

4. Nay, in the laſt place, leave we not out the leaſt and meaneſt of Gods Servants; for balme (wee heard) dropped from a lower ſhrub, and the health of the whole body of Chriſt may have much contributed to it by the loweſt and weakeſt member of it; the little finger in ſome poſture of the hand, may reach that which the great finger cannot, and the loweſt member of Chriſt may be fitteſt to doe ſome good office in this kinde, which the higheſt cannot ſo well ſtoop to; at leaſt (I am ſure) the little childe may reach its ſick mother her phyſick, nay the pooreſt childe of God (in the ſenſe wee now ſpeak of) may help to make it too; The poore wiſe man ſaved the City, and the poore Chriſtian, if hee Eccleſ. 9. 15.Eccl 9:15be wiſe, may help to heale a whole Nation: here (pardon my homelineſſe, nor take it as a light expreſſion in a ſad day) we are all either fooles or Phyſicians, for certainly he is a foole or worſe that knoweth not how to ſay or doe ſomething towards the healing o… the body of Chriſt; The juſt deliver the Iſland, the Lord grant they may deliver ours.Iob 23. 30.Job 23:30

Their ſeverall graces, according to ſeverall occaſions, are in this kinde very inſtrumentall and effectuall; they are ſaving graces every way, accompanying their owne eternall ſalvation, and much advancing the temporall ſalvation both of themſelves and others: p. 15Heb. 6. 9, 10.Heb 6:9Heb 6:10Whilſt Faith in the tempeſt gets to the rock, and Hope caſts anchor, Love pities, and Chriſtian courage ventures, Meekneſſe angreth not the ſore, but Patience quietly endures the ſearching, and as quietly waites on God for healing.

Their very preſence is both antidote to prevent a diſeaſe, and an healing medicine to keep it, when it is come from proving mortall; God could not deſtroy Sodom, as long as Lot was in it; Gen. 19. 22.Gen 19:22and Paul being in the ſhip, though he did not prevent the ſtorme or ſave the ſhip, yet he ſaved the lives of all them that failed with Acts 27. 24.Acts 27:24him in it.

Their prayers eſpecially uſe in this caſe to be moſt ſoveraignly healing, 2 Chron. 7. 14. The prayer of faith ſaveth the ſick, both man and Kingdom, ſuch ſtrong breathings, like ſtrong windes, Iames 5. 15.Jas 5:15whilſt they are up, keep great ſhowres from falling, can blow away the moſt black and bloody cloud, yea even blow the moſt ſmarting wound whole; ſuch ſweet lips are ever dropping balme into the wounds of the Church, and ſuch of all other may trulieſt come under that foreign, that healing tongue, which Solomon Prov. 15. 4.Prov 15:4ſaith is a t…ee of life; and it would ſeeme not more ſad then ſtrange to ſee that Eden where many ſuch trees grow to become a wilderneſſe: As long as I ſhall ſee God maintaining and encreaſing the number of his gracious praying ſervants in any place or people, whatſoever or how deadly ſoever their wounds otherwiſe may be, I dare yet ſay, that ſo long there is hope in Iſrael, there is ſome balme left in that Gilead, and ſo many good Phyſicians there.

Ʋſe 1 Which (in the application of the point thus proved and cleared) may in the firſt place ſerve for a cordiall to the people of God, now in theſe our ſad faintings, and diſtill ſome drops at leaſt of this balme of Gilead into our now bleeding wounds, which with our Prophet cap. 15. 18. we may perhaps begin to feare are grown halfe incurable. The ſad face of things, like the Phyſicians facies Hypocratica of a dying man, I confeſſe looks very ghaſtly, and the ſymptoms tantum non deadly; but pine not away ye ſons of Iacob, there is corne in Egypt, die not quite away deare-bleeding A… Gen. 42 1, 2.Gen 42:1Gen 42:2hearts, you Iſrael of God, there is balme in Gilead wee have heard, there is yet a Phyſician there.

For according to former particulars.

Is not the Lord in Zion? is not God where he was, in heaven p. 14duplicate page p. 15duplicate page p. 16and in his Church as well now as ever? Yet thou O Lord art in the midſt of us, could our Prophet ſay in that ſick houre of theirs then; Ier. 14. 9.Jer 14:9and Lord thou art not quite gone from us, may we thankfully ſay now in ours. Indeed (as you there have it) it is as a wayfaring Ver. 8.man comming and going, now in this diſcovery and deliverance comming to us in mercy, and ere long being driven away by our unkindneſſe, turning the back on us, and ſeeming to leave us in diſpleaſure; and as a mighty man, (in the mighty works that our eyes have ſeene) yet ſtanding ſo amazed and aſtoniſhed at our ſinnes, as that he cannot ſave; and yet as a moſt loving Phyſician, when he cannot as yet cure us, yet he cannot leave us.

His diſcovering and preventing many direfull plots, ſpeaks out the wiſdome of our diſcerning Phyſician in his prognoſticks.

His dealing with us in a more thorow way, chuſing rather to pirch us, then not to preſſe corruption out of us; declares his faithfulneſſe, that he meaneth rather to heale then only to skin the ſore, and rather to profit then to pleaſe his diſtempered patients.

But the many intermixt paſſages of ſweeteſt mercy proclaime the tendereſt bowels of his compaſſion and pity; he hath weighed the path of the just, every doſe to the leaſt ſcruple, and hath put in Iſa. 26. 7.Isa 26:7no more bitterneſſe then needs muſt to make it medicinable; it hath not been all Aloes and Wormwood, at worſt a foreign, that we as yet have taſted of.

Lay faſt hold then, ſeeing that our God, our beſt Phyſician hath not quite left us: ſigh we and cry aloud, Ieſus thou Son of David have mercy on us, ſeeing he our good Samaritan is not as yet quite Matth. 9. 27.Matt 9:27paſt by us; Hath the eye of none your faith ſeen him come neare to us, as once to Ieruſalem, and weeping over us with an O Ieruſalem, Ieruſalem, O England, England, if thou hadſt known, even thou at Luke 19. 41, 42.Luke 19:41Luke 19:42leaſt in this thy day, &c. Have none of you in his anſwer to your prayers, overheard him ſaying to your hearts, as once to him Mat. 8. 7. I will come and heale him? For certaine, more of his blood hath been ſprinkled, and more of his ſpirit poured out upon this Nation of late then formerly, and doth not all this make out ſome of Gileads balme, and ſay plainly that there is yet a Phyſician here? is not the Lord in Zion? and is not her King in her? the Lord reſtore ou…s to us in an healing way: but doth not the Colledge of our State-Phyſicians conſult, and our Miniſters preach, and our p. 17people pray, that Ordinances of both Religion and Iuſtice may be applied for the cure of a ſick Church and State? and is all this balme only to enbalme a ſpent body of a poore people that muſt needs die? and are all theſe Phyſicians met only as Mourners to follow the hearſe, and to accompany our deare Mother that cannot live, to the grave? Did our mercifull Saviour pity the poore widow when he ſaw her following of her dead ſonne to the buriall? and Luke 7. 12, 13.Luke 7:12Luke 7:13hath he no bowels (think you) left to commiſerate ſo many ſorrowfull ſonnes, that are ready with their ſighes and teares to attend upon a deare mothers funerall? nay though our ſleepy Eutychus ſhould fall yet lower from the third loft, and be taken up for dead; yet Acts 20. 9, 10.Acts 20:9Acts 20:10trouble we not our ſelves too much, ſeeing there is yet ſome life in him, & dum anima eſt, spes eſt, as long as there is any the leaſt life in the buſineſſe, ſo long at leaſt let there be ſome hope kept alive in our hearts, and let us never wholly deſpaire of the cure, as long as God declares himſelfe willing to be the Phyſician. O have faith Mark 11. 22.Mark 11:22in God, doe him now the honour to truſt him, when the caſe ſeemeth to be deſperate; nay, let the deſperateneſſe of the cure prove an handhold for our faith in prayer to faſten on, the more earneſtly and confidently to ſollicite God for his owne greater and only praiſe, now to undertake ſuch a cure, as all elſe in a manner give over as deſperate: And as dying Iacob at the newes of his ſonne Ioſeph comming to him, ſtrengthened himſelfe, and ſate up on his bed, ſo now when wee are fainting away upon this bed of our languiſhing, Gen. 48. 2.Gen 48:2let us by faith lift up our hearts at the good newes, that as deadly as our diſeaſe in it ſelfe is, yet there is balme in Gilead, and a Phyſician there.

Ʋſe 2 But as this is ground of comfort, ſo let it be of duty in theſe two following particulars; and let it be our care,

Firſt, that all ſuch as (according to former particulars) in their 1 Dutyplace and office are Gileads Phyſicians, do now, if ever, ſhew themſelves ſuch.

Deare Chriſtians, I ſpeak to the meaneſt of you, for even you hath God honoured (if you will) to have your ſhare in this bleſſed work: meane and obſcure men and women have oftentimes done great cures, which great Artiſts have given over; and therefore do you now ſet in, and put forth your ſelves to the utmoſt, and ſo yet ſomething may be done towards this our preſent cure, which ſome p. 18of greater power and skill have laid aſide as deſperate. If therefore you have any oyle in your veſſels, any leaſt meaſure of that Spirit of anoynting, let it now appeare, it could never have been 1 Ioh. 2. 27:1 John 2:27in a more needfull and fit time, if now, it will bee like a Joſephs opening of his ſtore-houſes in a famine, when all faint, Gen. 41. 56. Luk. 10. 34.Gen 41:56Luke 10:34a good Samaritans pouring of oyle into the wounds of the half dead man; and therefore break, O let every one of us break his Alabaſter box before the Lord this day, our hearts (I mean) that the precious oyntments of his graces may flow forth; wee cannot think how fragrant and pleaſing they would be in Gods noſtrils, and how ſoveraignly healing to a poore bleeding, dying Kingdom. I therefore earneſtly beg your healing prayers. I ſollicite all your ſaving graces, your love, wiſdome, Chriſtian courage, and waſh your repentance this day with your teares to waſh your wounds, and your faith in the blood of Chriſt to heat them: And the rather, becauſe although you may (with Lot) in a generall confuſion fare the worſe for ill neighbours, ….yet I fear me, (ſeeing the danger lyeth heavieſt on you) that you are wounded, eſpecially for your own ſinnes; For the tranſgreſſion Micab. 1. 5.of Iacob is all this, God not uſing to viſit the ſinnes of the wicked upon his own children, if they have had no hand in them; and therefore, Phyſician heale thy ſelfe, take a courſe by ſelfehumiliation and reformation firſt to cure your ſelves, if ever in a right method of Phyſick you would heale others.

Next you faithfull Miniſters of Ieſus Chriſt, whom God hath appointed to ſet in joynt diſtreſſed conſciences, lend, O doe you Gal. 6. 1.Gal 6:1eſpecially lend, medicam manum, and that a tender gentle one in your way, to binde up the breaches of theſe diſtracted Churches and Kingdomes: it was the Prieſts office in the Law both to view the plague and heale it; let not therefore both Levite and Prieſt when the wounded man lyeth bleeding and dying, paſſe by. Elijah, Leuit 13 & 14. Luk. 10. 31. 32.Lev 13Luke 10:31Luke 10:32Iehoiada, Ezra, did much in this kinde in their times, let us (with the help of God) doe ſomething now in ours; that Elijah may yet dwell in Gilead, and yet and yet, and ever; (for our parts) there may be, not poyſon (as the common complaint is) but … in Gilead, and we healing Phyſicians there.

But eſpecially to you Noble Worthies, (who next under our God and our King, are our foreign our chiefe Phyſicians, under p. 19whoſe hand this deſperate cure long hath been, and yet is) as hee ſaid to Ezra, doth this appertaine, and therefore give leave to Ezra 10.4.Ezra 10:4one of the unworthieſt Servants of Chriſt, who can doe little more towards the cure, then to call upon you, who through God may doe much, to beſeech you to bee yet, and ever your ſelves, i. e. healing Phyſicians to a very ſick Church and State; now your ſelves more then ever, becauſe never ſo much need as now.

Be not therefore wearied out with your long attendance on ſo hard a cure; the more indeed hath been your paines and patience, but the more withall your patients need: Some good drugs full of Spirit (I confeſſe) in a leſſe time will evaporate, but I pray you remember, Gileads balme uſeth to continue ſoveraigne for a long time; Be not weary, therefore, of well doing, ſo, ſo in due time, what ever becomes of us you will reape if you faint not.Gal. 6. 9.Gal 6:9

No nor (I beſeech you) be beat out with the unrulineſſe and frowardneſſe; yea, or raving rage of a diſtempered patient and people; they (it may be) will be ready to ſay, you are Phyſicians of no value, and ſo deſpiſe you, nay that the remedy is worſe then Iob 13. 4.Job 13:4the diſeaſe, and ſo hate and oppoſe you; but notwithſtanding this, be you yet like,

1 Your God, who is kinde to the unkinde, knowes how to heale an angry …, looks upon Ephraim and heales him, when he went Luk. 6. 35. Iſa. …7. 17. 1….Luke 6:35Isa 7:17Isa 7:1on frowardly in an evill way: Can not you remember that he hath ſometimes done more for you, when you have been more froward towards him, then others are now againſt you, though never ſo engaged to you, then you are to his people? in this therefore, be like your God, Luke 6. 36.

2 Nay, like your ſelves: now you are State-Phyſicians, and what then, though the diſtempered diſtracted Patient rage and rave, ſpit and ſtrike at his Phyſician that would cure him? if hee be wiſe, think whether it will move more anger or pity in him, for all that medicinam parat, non vindictam: be pleaſed therefore ſtill, Bernard Serm. 25. in Cantic.like ſuch a Phyſician, to goe on with your work, and labour rather to heale then to humour a diſtempered Patient: So however, your reward will be with God. But if he pleaſe further to bleſſe your endeavours, when your ſick Patient ſhall once recover of his diſeaſe, he will be recovered of that phrenſie alſo, and will then thank you, and poſterity will bleſſe you: Meane while let p. 20this ſatisfie you, that to doe well, and heare ill, is no leſſe then a Benè agere & malè audire regium eſt.Royalty; and withall remember, that the great Phyſician of your ſoules could not effect that cure without being ill thought and ſpoken of, and dealt with; hee met with that quip [Phyſician heale thy ſelfe] in his life and yet he went on to heale them, and Luke 4. 23.Luke 4:23when in his death he made a playſter for them that wounded him to the heart with his own blood (enough to have moved pity and love) they revile him, with that bitter taunt, more ſowre then the vinegar they gave him to drink, He ſaved others, himſelfe he cannot ſave; and yet when they thus poured vinegar into his wounds, he Matth. 27. 42.Matt 27:42dropped balm into theirs: Did it not drop from his lips, when he died with thoſe gracious words in his mouth, Father forgive them for they know not what they do? This did our good Samaritane, and let Luk. 23. 34.Luke 23:34me ſay, what he did upon that occaſion, Goe you, and doe likewiſe; Luk. 10. 37.Luke 10:37Your forwardneſſe herein (I hope) needs not a ſpurre, and therefore I give but a light touch or two, for the quickining of your hearts, and ſtrengthening your hands in God; pleaſe to conſider but theſe three particulars:

1 The caſe is very ſad, and the cure, without Gods great bleſſing upon your cure, in all outward probability is likely to prove deſperate: for (I beſeech you) what doe you ſee now before you? a Lazarus lying at your doore full of ſores? I believe were all the petitions and complaints conſidered, that ſince your firſt meeting, have from all parts come crowding to your Parliament doore, as ſo many ſad letters from ſick patients to their Phyſician; the whole Kingdom would ſeeme to be no better then a common Lazary; But what ſee you? a man going down from Ieruſalem to Iericho, fallen amongſt theeves, ſtript, and wounded, and left halfe dead, with ſo much life only as might help him to ſee, and ſo to encreaſe his miſery: I ſay unto you, more and worſe then ſo, Semineces artus, the trembling halfe-dead ſinewes, and arteries Brugenſis.of three poor dying Kingdoms miſerably torne aſunder, at home a rent Church, a divided Kingdom, a moſt ſad face of things looks out every where, & plurima mortis imago; but yet looking up with a long look to you, as he in the Goſpel to Chriſt, with teares in its eyes, and his words in its mouth, If you can doe any thing, have compaſſion on us and help us: So many bleeding gaping wounds being …. 9. 2…as ſo many wide opened mouthes, crying aloud for your compaſſion p. 21and mercy; we heard in the beginning that the plant when cut and wounded, wept and bled forth balme; we can ſhew you our wounds, but wee look up to God and you for balme to heale them.

2 The patient ſhould be (and I know is) deare unto you, expreſſed here by the Prophet to bee the daughter of his people, which holds her forth under two of the neareſt and deareſt relations of his native Countrey, and of the Church of God, both which now lie gaſping before you.

1 The daughter of your people, (that is) your native Countrey, indeed your deare mother, that now lyeth ſick to death, and as it were breaking her heart-ſtrings with her dying groanes, and cloſing now her eyes, and bidding good-night to you, and to all her comfort in you together obteſtes you by the womb that bare you, and by the paps that gave you ſick, to expreſſe your piety in your pity, if it were poſſible, that you would be a meanes that ſhe which hath ſuckled you with her milk, may not be ſlocken in her own blood, that you would doe your utmoſt to prevent her death, which hath been a meanes of your life, and the comfort of it.

2 The daughter of your people (as here of the Prophets) is the people of God, as your deare mother, ſo the dearer Spouſe of your deareſt Saviour, the Virgin daughter of Zion, the dearly Ier. 12. 7.Jer 12:7beloved of his ſoule: its the Church as well as the State that now lyeth bleeding, and of all others in the whole Kingdom, they are the people of God, whoſe comforts, liberties, lives, are in moſt danger, of dying quite away. Now what an oath did Hypocrates that great Phyſician lay upon his Scholars to look well Vide Hypocratis opera.to his children? And ſhould not a ſtronger obligation from your heavenly Phyſician lie upon you to look better to his? if they thought it a ſtrong argument to haſten Chriſt to come and heale Lazarus, by ſending him word, that he whom he loved was Ioh… 11. 3.John 11:3ſick; how much more prevalent will it be to quicken your both endeavour and ſpeed towards our cure, when you are now told, that its the dearly beloved Spouſe of Chriſt, that is ſo deadly ſick, never ſince recovered from the poyſon of that venefica of Rome, never ſo ſick as now: And therefore it is by all the bowels of Ieſus Chriſt that I move for the yearning of yours; p. 22as you love him, pity his Church. Think, O think you ſee your Saviour for your ſakes conflicting with the paines of death and his Fathers wrath, the goare of his bloody ſweat in the garden, the wanneſſe of his dead look upon the Croſſe; and then if you can, do not pity his dying Spouſe now conflicting with the like deadly extremities; as ever you would have your bodily Phyſician, nay Chriſt your heavenly Phyſician, faithfull and kind to you, when you lie on your death-bed (which how ſoon it may be, you know not) be you faithfull and pitifull to your own Fathers deare children, and your deareſt Saviours beloved Spouſe, now at this dead lift, if ever.

3. And this yet the rather, becauſe your preſent employment, and call to it, hath many things in it which may justly challenge your greateſt care and diligence; that you may to God and man, both now and at the laſt day, give up your account of it with comfort.

It being,

1. Such as Gods peoples prayers are much intereſted in: it being indeed at firſt the happy birth of the earneſt prayers and endeavours of all the people of God all the land over, and which have humbly and conſtantly attended you at the Throne of grace ever ſince, more it may be then ever Parliament was in this kinde attended and aſſiſted formerly: now theſe prayers in their return look for much from God, and not for a little from you. He indeed ſpake truth, who ſaid, that he that promiſeth himſelfe but little from the creature, ſhall not be much deceived; but it will be your faithfulneſſe, that Gods peoples prayers and expectations thereupon may not bee diſappointed; where they are engaged, they lay on ſtrong engagements. Unleſſe men would turn the Canons mouth upon themſelves, ſo as that the ſame ſuppliants prayers that have ſtrongly pleaded for them ſhould as ſtrongly plead againſt them: How ſad would it be to us (that I may not ſay to you) Si filius tot lac hrymarum periret?

2. Such as the blood of many of the Saints is engaged in, and hath been ſhed for: now it is precious in Gods ſight, and therefore Pſal. 72. 14.Ps 72:14I know will be in yours; and then indeed it will be, when by your further care and endeavour ſomething of an anſwerable value ſhall be purchaſed with ſo great a price; and that will be, if hereby Gods Worſhip and Truth amongſt us come to be purged, p. 23Church and State reformed, Religion and a righteous Peace ſetled, if theſe great bleſſings bought indeed of God only by Chriſts blood, may in ſome ſenſe be purchaſed of man by their blood: thoſe happy ſoules now in bliſſe will never grudge it, but ſay much good do you with it; but let not our ſinfull negligence and faithfulneſſe incurre the guilt of it, it will at laſt fall heavy where ever it lights. O let it bee Babylons, but never Zions Ier. 51. 35.Jer 51:35burden.

3. Such, as in which Gods admirable Providence hath been very much engaged and manifeſted, in particularly eyeing and chuſing you, as ſo many Davids, out of the midſt of your brethren: ſure it was with hopes and expectations that you would be all like him, men after Gods owne heart, to fulfill all his will. Be you Acts 13. 22.Acts 13:22therefore pleaſed to walk with God fully. In as carefully eyeing and watching over you ever ſince, he it is likely hath preſerved and delivered many of you in former times of your lives, and ſome of you ſince your ſitting here, from particular and perſonall ſickneſſes and other dangers, all I am ſure of you from deadlieſt plots and miſchiefs: and then as Mordecai ſaid to Esther, Who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdom for ſuch a time as this? ſo let me ſay to you, Who knowes (it would be good for you ſeriouſly to think) whether God hath not preſerved and kept you alive on purpoſe to ſee what now you will do for him, whether now you will be faithfull unto him, or faile him?

4. Such and ſo great, as this latter age (I believe) hath not brought forth the like, and the greateſt, that in all probability either God or man is likely ever to employ you in, and which your Lord and Maſter will call you to the moſt ſtrict account of; by which he will moſt fully try you, and according to which (it may be) above all other ſervices, he will at the laſt day finally iudge you.

5. Such alſo, in the laſt place, as by your faithfulneſſe herein (as you are our State-Phyſicians) you may keep the diſeaſe from proving Epidemicall: for as for the generall body of this people, it hath welnigh overſpread all; and therefore the repreſentative bodies integrity (if any thing do) muſt ſtand for all, one body for another; you repreſenting us all, as well to God as to man, and ſo being for the preſent the only meanes that is left of keeping off p. 24a Nationall guilt, and ſo the wrath of God from this whole Nation.

Thus in the firſt place, labour we, that ſuch as are by their place and office Gileads Phyſicians, may themſelves indeed prove ſuch.

Secondly, take we heed alſo for others, that we doe not hinder, 2 Duty.but what in us lyeth to further them to be ſo.

1 For the people, I beſeech you, that neither our jealouſies nor our malignacies may hinder our Rulers from being our Healers, which would be but to poyſon the playſter that ſhould heal us; but let the Patient concur with the Phyſician, even your earneſteſt prayers and aſſiſtances with their endeavours to help on the cure; as its ſaid of the returned Iewes, they clave to their brethren the Nobles: as before that, Shekaniah ſaid to Ezra, Ariſe, Nehem. 10. 29.Neh 10:29this matter belongeth unto thee, but wee alſo will bee with thee; As alſo before that, we read that Hezekiah humbled himſelfe for Ezra. 10. 4.Ezra 10:4the pride of his heart, and not hee alone, but its added (he and the Inhabitants of Ieruſalem;) incloſed in a confortable parentheſis, as employed in the ſame bleſſed work, and ſo wrapt 2 Chron. 32. 26.2 Chr 32:26up in the ſame common bleſſing; for it followeth, So the wrath of God c…me not upon them in thoſe dayes: and ſo (namely) in the ſame bleſſed way of an happy union of hearts and hands, of Prince and people, it might not come upon us in our dayes neither, which for want hereof haſtens faſt; theſe mutuall jealouſies poyſoning the wound, and ſo haſtning our death, and at leaſt delaying, if not preventing our cure; The peoples infidelity hindred Chriſt from working miracles; the Lord grant that our peoples diffidence and Matth. 13. 58.Matt 13:58frowardneſſe doe not as much hinder our Phyſiciars working the preſent cure, which (if wrought) will be little leſſe then miraculous.)

2 But for you (our much honoured Worthies) to whom I againe make bold to addreſſe my ſpeech, in whoſe power in part it is, and whoſe further happineſſe it may be, not only your ſelves to be, but alſo to make others our Phyſitians, bee pleaſed to improve your ability and skill herein to the utmoſt.

Are Saints Surgeons? let them then (I intreat you) have not only your licence, but alſo your countenance and furtherance, that they may hold forth their profeſſion more boldly.

p. 25Are good Magistrates good Phyſicians? you may now in making good Lawes, make up (as it were) a more perfect Diſpenſatory for them, by which they may give every one his right doſe more duly and ſafely.

Are good Miniſters, as well State as Soule-Healers; I then humbly beſeech you, that they may yet more and more enjoy the benefit of your Patronage; I ſpeak not in point of fat Benefices, but that they may bee admitted into that ſacred Colledge (as I may call it) more regularly; and then diſpence the things of God more freely, that they may have that liberty which the Word allows them, to cut off rotten members by Church cenſures, and not bee enforced (as by Law now in ſome caſes they are) to poure cordials into foule ſtomacks, whileſt they muſt adminiſter to moſt unworthy ones the holy Sacrament. And to this purpoſe, let me not forget to beſeech you, to have an eſpeciall eye to our Gileads, where Elijahs doe or ſhould dwell, the Schooles of the Prophets, as they are called, I meane out Ʋniverſities; where I wiſh there were not too many diſtempers that have need of a more perfect cure, and that in ſtead of balm, poiſon were not too often dropt into green wounds; our diſeaſed Youth there, have great need of much better Nurſerie and Chirurgerie; How ſeaſonable would it be to have ſome more ſalt caſt into our Iericho's ſprings? And 2 Kings 2. …1.2 Kgs 2:1therefore I again beſeech you, let it be one ſpeciall part of your moſt ſerious care, in this generall cure, that we may (with Gods bleſſing) finde more ſoveraign balm there, and have better Phyſicians thence.

3. But above all, the greateſt care of us all in this kind ſhould be, that we may keep God and Chriſt with us, and that his bleſſed Spirit may not by our ſinnes be driven away from us, this would be the ſpilling of the balm that ſhould heale us, and (with the diſtracted ſick man) the driving away the only chiefe Phyſician, that ſhould cure us; we cannot be injurious to him but we muſt be cruell to our ſelves; the driving of him away, is more then the forſaking of our own mercy: if we be of Davids temper, the health of his countenance, Pſal. 42. 5. is the health of ours, verſe 11. our Ionah 2. 8. foreignJonah 2:8unprofitableneſſe will diſcourage him, and occaſion our Phyſician to leave us when he can doe us no good. But O let the daughter of Babylon, and not the Virgin of Zion ever heare that word ſaid, p. 26We would have healed her, but ſhe is not healed, forſake her.

But our frowardneſſe and baſe unwillingneſſe to bee at any Ier. 51. 9.Jer 51:9paines or coſt for the cure, will quite drive him away from us, and leave us juſt in the ſwiniſh Gadarens ſtie; who, becauſe the healing of their bodies, and caſting out of devils, coſt them their hogs, They deſired him to depart out of their Coaſts, which he did, and we read not, that he returned thither ever after.…. 8. 28. 29, &c.

But thus much for the firſt point, which holdeth forth the ſufficiency of the meanes; I come to the ſecond which expreſſeth the unanſwerableneſſe of the ſucceſſe:

Doct. 2 That although there be both balm in Gilead, and a Phyſician there, yet the health of the people of God (at leaſt for the preſent) may not be recovered: Its leſſe wonder if you read of the daughter of Ni… veh, Nahum 3. 19. of Egypt, Ier. 46. 11. of Babylon, Ier. 51. 9. that their wound was incurable, as its no wonder at all, if the wounds and ſores of corrupt ſores be hardfier cured; but its more pity that good fleſh ſhould heale ſo ill, that the daughter of Zion… E…ſ. …. 1.health, who is made partaker of Gods ſaving health, ſhould be ſo hardly recovered; that Ephraim ſhould grow more deſperately ſick under the cure; nay, that this ſhould reach unto Iudah alſo, that Micah 9.her wound ſhould bee paſt cure, that beſt Churches ſhould ſink deeper & deeper into the worſt of miſeries. Sad is that other expreſſion Ier. 14. 1….Jer 14:1of our Prophet to this purpoſe, in a parallel place to this Text, in which the poore afflicted Church waſheth her wounds with her teares, whilſt ſhe we…ps over them as incurable, Haſt thou utterly rejected Iudah? hath thy ſoule loathed Zion? Why haſt thou ſmitten, and there is no healing? we looked for peace, and there is no good, and for the time of healing and behold trouble. But the Text and the foregoing verſes of this Chapter are ſo full, that they need no forraigne ſupply; in the Text we have Gileads both balm and Phyſician meanes moſt likely, and in themſelves ſufficient; Gileads balm; the beſt Receipt and Gileads Phyſician, that beſt know how to apply it, and yet he knoweth not how to work a cure by it: but that you may take a fuller view, pleaſe but to look to the 18. 19. 20 verſes foregoing, and you ſhall finde all hopes and expectations daſht, as v. 15. All ankers comming home, and all playſters falling off without healing, the patient fainting with the cordiall in his mouth, and ſinking quire down, whilſt beſet round with ſupporters to hold him up.

p. 271 A good heart; that ſhould be vinum in pactore, doe good, like Prov. 17. 22.Prov 17:22a medicine; but alas, its wounded, v. 18. and heart-wounds are deadly: if the eye, the light that is …thes, be darkneſſe, how great Math. 6. 23.Matt 6:23is that darkneſſe? and ſo, if the heart, the life that is in thee, bee dead, how great is that deadneſſe? which yet may betide the people of God in ſad houres, their hearts failing as well as their fleſh, as we have heard; the Spouſe of Chriſt inwardly fainting Pſal. 73. 26.Ps 73:26and ſinking down in ſuch a ſwoone; and if the weak mans ſtaffe that ſhould eſpecially ſupport him be broken, how unavoidably and heavily doth he fall?

2 A good God, in his holy ordinances; Is not the Lord in Zion? verſe 19. which was the place of Gods Ark, and it of his reſidence and preſence, enough (one would have thought) to have prevented all wounds (Zion ſo high as not to be reached by the hand of violence) or at leaſt preſently to have healed them, as long as ſanctuary oyle poured in them, and yet the cure is not wrought for all this; the Lord and his Ark are in Zion, and yet the daughter of Zion continueth wounded, and her wound not healed: Which holds out, that a people may live under good ordinances, and yet ſadly groane under heavie preſſures and miſeries.

3 A good King, and righteous adminiſtrations; Is not her King in her? verſe 19. Zion being not only the place of the Arke, but alſo the Kings Palace, and therfore called the City of David; in which therefore beſides the Ark of God, was David the ſervant 2 Sam. 5. 7.2 Sam 5:7of God, or ſome of his poſterity, there ſitting on the Throne, as Ioſiah for no leſſe then eighteene years of Ieremiahs time; And what Kings evill ſo dangerours as that he might not cure? but for all that, the cure could not be, the inflamation of the wound continued; notwithſtanding all that he was and did, the Lord …urned not from the fierceneſſe of his wrath, that was kindled, and could not be quenched: Which further ſheweth, that the caſe ſometimes 2 Kings 23. 26.2 Kgs 23:26may be ſo farre gone, as that neither Church Ordinance, nor Civill Government, can (for the preſent at leaſt) recover a poore fainting, dying Church and People.

4 All likelieſt outward ſupplies, either at home or from abroad, verſe, 20. The Harveſt is paſt and Summer is ended, and we are not ſaved; Harveſt uſeth to be the income of our Store, but its paſt, and no proviſion laid in of our ſelves, nor help come from our p. 28friends or Allies, now that after harveſt they might be moſt likely to be at beſt leaſure; but is there any thing yet behinde, which may ſupply us, or for the time detaine them, that with any comfort and hope we may wait yet any longer? Yes Vintage is after Harveſt, ſtay therefore till that be paſt, and it may afford ſomething to cheare us, and then they may have nothing to doe, but to come and help us. The next clauſe anſwers that, and ſaith that's paſt too, not only Harveſt is paſt, but alſo ſummer (and ſo vintage alſo) is ended, after which no crop is to be expected, and we are not ſaved; Which laſt expreſſion ſaith expreſſely thus much, that hopefulleſt outward helps in likelieſt times and ſeaſons may faile the Church of God, and ſhe droop ſtill, even pine in Harveſt and faint in Vintage. All but further explaining the metaphor of the Text, that the daughter of Zion may be ſo deadly ſick and wounded, that notwithſtanding beſt meanes uſed, even Gileads balm applied; Yet,

1 Her health (at leaſt for the preſent) not at all recovered, ſhee no whit mended.

2 That's not all, not recovered, is but a foreign, the Prophet meaneth more then he expreſſeth, he would ſay or at leaſt have you underſtand, that its much more indangered, as ſores if they doe not heale they rankle, and the ſick mans ſickneſſe, if his phyſick work not, proves more deadly.

1 Old diſeaſes whether inward or outward, are more diſcovered, it may be confirmed, or at leaſt for preſent, much more exaſperated; its uſually ſo with diſeaſed bodies, and we now full ſadly ſee it ſo in the bodies of theſe wofully diſtempered Kingdoms. When I would have healed Iſrael, then the iniquity (the perverſe crooked iniquity) of Ephraim was diſcovered, and the wickedneſs, foreignnay, the wickedneſſes, as the word is in the originall, the manifold and monſtrous wickedneſſe of Samaria, we may ſay as truly of England, never ſo deſperately ſick of both ſin and miſery, as ſince of late we have been under cure, our old lurking diſtempers are now fully manfeſted.

2 New ones multiplyed, as in bodily diſeaſes one begets another, and the ſick man that lay downe with one diſeaſe, before he get up againe hath gotten many, too ſadly made good in the ſinnes and miſeries of a diſtempered (of our diſtempered) people. There is a new riſing in the old bile, which of old was dangerous p. 29and omnious; new ſinnes and ſinners diſcovered by an affliction, which before were never ſuſpected; and new judgements Levit. 13. 18, 19, 20.Lev 13:18Lev 13:19Lev 13:20multiplied, even to foure times ſeven times more, which before (it may be) were never feared: and the worſt of it is, that the Levit. 26. 18, 2…, 24, 28.Lev 26:18Lev 26:2Lev 26:24Lev 26:28Devill appeares to be much in it, when the latter end doth prove ſo much worſe then the beginning of it, Matth. 12. 45.

3 So as that to preſent ſenſe ſhe may ſeem to bee incurable, and her health wholly irrecoverable, when after all helps, ſhe not only negatively is nothing better, no mends, as though ſhee had had no meanes; (which is the meaning of the queſtion, Is there no Balm? whilſt there is no healing by it) but alſo poſitively growes much worſe, that her phyſick proves her poyſon, and her very Balm envenoms her wound; it is a poyſoned one indeed, and in mans eye abſolutely incurable. Of this point, if Iudah of old, and England now for the preſent were not too ſad inſtances, I ſhould adde further proofes, but they ſpare me that labour; and therefore I come to a third point, which will ſerve partly for the reaſon, and partly for the uſe of this ſecond.

Doct. 3 It was, That the reaſon of this heavy caſe is diligently to bee enquired after, and ſadly to be bemoaned and complained of.

And this wee had from the ſecond queſtion, Why then, &c. which was (as we heard) a queſtion partly of enquiry, and partly of an expoſtulating and bemoaning complaint, and ſo let it be to us this day of our ſelfe-ſearching humiliation.

Firſt, matter of enquiry, of what ſhould be the reaſon of this ill ſucceſſe, when in the beginning of the Parliament we were as a ſhip under ſaile before the wind, bound amain for the faire havens of the peace and happineſſe of Church and State, that now retro omnia? but what unhappy remora or Anchor under water not yet ſeen, hath ſtopt us in this happy courſe? from what quarter hath this croſſe blaſt blown, that hath driven us againe into the depths, and daſht us ſo againſt the rocks, that all threaten ſhipwrack? or rather in the expreſſion of the Text, when all promiſed ſo happy a cure, Phyſicians ſo able, balme ſo precious, the daughter of our people ſo ſick of her ſickneſſe, and ſo deſirous of a recovery, all in ſuch a faſt healing way; what is the matter, that we are fallen into ſo deſperate a relapſe, that all lies a bleeding, gaſping, and in the view of moſt, dying quite away?

p. 30For anſwer whereto, we muſt needs ſay, that the cauſe of all this muſt be in one of theſe three: either firſt, in the Phyſician and his phyſick; or ſecondly, in the Patient and his diſtemper; or thirdly, in ſome other negligent or ill-minded Attendant, or ſtander-by.

1. I begin with the laſt firſt: and for it; when the queſtion was, How came ſuch choaking tares to ſpring up in a ſo well-ſown field? the anſwer was, that ſurely an enemy had done it: So for certaine, Matth. 13. 23.Matt 13:23ſome enemy or other hath done this alſo. If you ask, who? you need not doubt, but that the old Serpent hath poyſon enough to invenom both the wound and the plaiſter; nor wants he his inſtruments and under-workmen, by the ſame meanes (viz. poyſonous ſlanders, and malicious oppoſitions) that he retarded the returned Iewes in their ſo hopefully a begun work, to hinder us alſo that are now returning from Babylon in a greater cure. I beſeech you therefore, as Paul did the Romans in a like caſe, to Rom. 16. 17.Rom 16:17have a more watchfull eye, whilſt you are applying balme to the wound for the cure of it, to mark who they are that ſliely caſt in venome to poyſon it. Italians (they ſay have great skill in poyſoning of bodies, and they of the Italian Religion (I am ſure) have as great in poyſoning of Churches and States; not caring to burſt the body, to make their great ſwell. If ſome poiſon were not ſo ſubtle, and ſo ſubtly conveyed, as not, but by the deadlieſt effects of it, to be diſcovered; I ſhould leſſe feare theſe Romiſh Artiſts having any influence in beſt counſels and actions; and ſo have leſſe cauſe in this matter of enquiry to deſire your greater care: but if they be ſo crafty, you cannot be too circumſpect.

2. For our Phyſicians, they are principally our God, and our Governours.

1. Now for our God, He you ſee in the Text complaines of the ſlowneſſe of the cure; and therefore he can be no faulty cauſe of it: and yet in this enquiry, it may be of great uſe to conſider for what holy and wiſe ends he permits and orders it: namely,

1. The wound may not be ſo ſoon healed, that it may be the more deeply ſearched, and the corruption of it more fully diſcovered: ſo we read that God was leading Iſrael through a wilderneſſe no leſſe then forty yeares, but it was thereby to prove them, and to know what was in their hearts: a ſhort ſpurt doth not try me, p. 31Deut. 8. 2.Deut 8:2but the length and hardneſſe of the way will at laſt tell me what leg I halt on. Many a particular Chriſtian (I doubt not) can ſay, that he ſhould never have thought there had been ſo much infidelity, pride, frowardneſſe, impatience, worldlineſſe, and ſuch like corruption in his heart, if ſuch an affliction which God laid on his eſtate, name, body, ſoule, &c. had been ſooner removed, which by the longer on-lying of it, hath been (at leaſt to himſelfe) more fully manifeſted. And may not the like be as truly ſaid of a whole State and People? that the falſeneſſe and rottenneſſe of many had never been ſo diſcovered, if the cure now in hand had been more ſpeedily effected? great hath been our gaine in our loſſe of them; for ſome of them otherwiſe might have been made as chief pillars in the building (think you with what ſcandall and miſchief) who now by an heavier weight lying on for ſome longer time of their probation and ſeaſoning, have manifeſted themſelves to be rotten poſts. They are certainly now foreign times of triall, Luke 8. 13.Luke 8:13that ſooner or later will diſcover us all. God (we hope) is about to ſet up his Tabernacle, nay his Temple; and therefore will have the gold that is to be emploied in it, more purely refined, and therefore more fully tried; ſo long being in the fire, hath already manifeſted ſome to be droſſe look we to it, for the fire may be yet kept in, and we in it, to try whether the reſt of us be any better metall. Our wound in the firſt place may therefore be the longer continued, that it may be the more throughly ſearched:

2. And we the more deeply humbled: Which is the duty of this day, and the main work which (I believe) God is doing in England at this day, viz. to bring down our loftineſſe and pride to prick the ſwoln bladder, and to take down the Typhus of a Britannia triumphans, as ſome few yeares ſince we vainly boaſted; becauſe then in our owne thoughts we were triumphant, we are therefore now ſadly militant, and may ſo yet continue longer, till our hearts be brought lower. For ſo, if one yeares wandring in the wilderneſſe will not humble Iſrael, fourty ſhall; and what ſubmiſſion a fewer Deut. 8. 2.Deut 8:2months of war and trouble could not bring our Engliſh Iſrael unto it may be God will ſee if ſome yeares continuance can effect; that if the luſty ſtrong man will … out one or two fits of the fever, try whether the third or fourth will not make him ſtoop, and whether many more and long continued will not lay him down p. 32on his bed, if not in his grave. Truly, for our parts, wee are now at the very brink of it, in many reſpects we are brought very low, and yet in our cloathes, diet, jollity, and bravery, eſpecially in our high liftings up of our hearts againſt God and his wayes, wee are as high as ever; but ſhall a proud heart and a proud people be able to carry it out thus againſt a great God? O England, be inſtructed leſt thou be yet, and yet, and yet ſeven times more plagued, and Ier. 6. 8.Jer 6:8that till thine uncircumciſed heart be at laſt humbled: God certainly is eating the proud fleſh out of it, and therefore it is that Levit. 26. 41.Lev 26:41he yet continues the corraſive.

3 And (as a fruit hereof) to take the creature quite off from its own legs and other crutches, and ſo in prayer and faith to caſt it upon God only: for as long as wee can make any ſhift of our ſelves, or can think of any help from the creature, ſo long God ſhall not bee ſought after; for to him naturally wee will not bee beholden till we needs muſt; and ſo when not only Ephraim feels his ſickneſſe, but even when Iudah ſeeth his wound, the Aſſyrian and King Iareb, are their next Phyſicians that are firſt ſent to, Hoſ. 5. 13. (as Baal-zebub before God by ſick Ahaziah,) and thereupon 2 Kings 1. 2, 3.2 Kgs 1:22 Kgs 1:3the Moth is turned into a Lyon, verſe 12. 14. (Iudgements as its moſt juſt, not only continued, but alſo encreaſed when the creature is preferred, and God neglected) which doth ſo rend and teare and carry away, that they cannot heale, verſe 13. nor any elſe reſcue, verſe 14. that ſo at laſt, cap. 6. 1. God may heare of them, and that word from them, Come and let us returne unto the Lord; for he hath torne, and he will heale us, &c. Jehoſhaphat muſt be brought to that paſſe, that he knowes not what to doe, that his 2 Chron. 20. 12.2 Chr 20:12eyes may bee up to God, when hee can look for help no where elſe: and it is out of meaſure and above ſtrength, that even Paul muſt be preſſed, ſo as to deſpaire of life, and to receive in himſelfe the ſentence of death; that ſo he might be brought, not to truſt 2 C…r. 1. 8, 9.in himſelfe, but in God that quickneth the dead. This I conceive is another piece of that great work, which God in this Kingdome hath beene long about, and is yet doing to this day, viz. to take us off from relying on Counſellors and Souldiers, our owne ſtrength at home, and friends abroad; with Aſa, truſting more 2 Chron. 16. 12.2 Chr 16:12to our Phyſicians then our God: in which caſe it is his faithfulneſſe to let the preſent iſſue yet run, to prevent a more dangerous and deadly miſchief.

p. 334 And hereupon, that in caſe health and healing doe come, we may know to whom to give all the praiſe: foreign Aeſculapio, praiſe to our God: it being the great praiſe of a Phyſician to cure that at laſt which many others had been long about, and given over as deſperate; as it was in Chriſts curing of her that Mark 5. 26.Mark 5:26had ſuffered much, and ſpent all on other Phyſicians, and yet proved rather worſe then better: How wonderfully would the glory of God appeare, if now that all help on earth ſeemes to faile us, he from heaven would ſave us? none could then ſhare with him in his prayſe, when none joyned with him in the work: we ſhould then thruſt away all the prayſe from our ſelves, as it were with one hand, and ſay, Not unto us O Lord; and as though Pſal. 115. 1…Ps 115:1it were not yet far enough from us, thruſt it yet further off with the other, and againe ſay the ſecond time, Not unto us, but unto thy name be all the prayſe: When lanched thus into the deep, out of ſight of land, and in the midſt of the ſtorme, when nothing appeares but Sea and Heaven, ſhould we then by the tempeſt be driven into Harbour; we muſt needs lift up hands on high, and thankfully ſay, This Sea did not drown us, becauſe that heaven ſaved us: For which end it is, that God oftentimes, either early prevents us with ſalvation before we ever dreamt of it, is up before us, before we went out to work, that we might not ſay we wrought it; or ſome other time ſtayeth long till we be quite wearied out and gone to bed having done nothing; comes not to his Diſciples till the fourth watch of the night, and when Matth. 14. 25.Matt 14:25they are quite beat out with the ſtorm, that ſo when he comes, he may ſay, It is I, and we may not have to ſay otherwiſe, but Ʋerſe 27.that it is thou Lord only.

5 Laſtly, that as he then may have all the prayſe, ſo that we may learn thereby to have more care how we expoſe our ſelves to ſuch dangers and wounds ever after: This uſe they made of it in their return from Babylons captivity, After all this is come Ezra 9. 13. 14.Ezra 9:13Ezra 9:14upon us, and thou haſt given us ſuch deliverance as this, ſhould we againe break thy Commandements? wouldst thou not be angry with us till thou hadſt conſumed us? &c. As if they had ſaid, upon our ſlow recovery, we had need be the more fearefull of a relapſe; for if the laſt wound were ſo long in healing, …ware p. 34leſt the next prove not altogether incurable.

Beloved, ſhould wee yet be more ſick; if yet thereby we might be made the more carefull to goe away and ſin no more, Iohn 5. 14.John 5:14it would be but the healing of a lethargy by a feaver, a greater diſeaſe by a leſſe, and ſo we ſhould have no cauſe to blame our heavenly Phyſician, our God.

2 But what ſay you to our Governours, under God our Phyſicians? enough and oft too much, as its uſuall; if the unruly Patient be not cured, the Phyſician (doe he what hee can) is wont to be blamed. Noble Senators, what you have been, or are to God and us, we bleſſe him and you for; and the Lord adde to it an hundred-fold; but the preſent day and duty (were there nothing elſe) forbid the giving of flattering Titles to lift you up, who came hither as well as the meaneſt of us to bee humbled, and lie low at Gods feet for mercy: and for this purpoſe, the leſſe others may, the more I beſeech you, that you your ſelves would make an inquiry, whether there be any thing amiſſe either in balme or Phyſician, in your perſons or actions, as men, or as Parliament men, that may be the cauſe, why, after all your care and paines, the health of the daughter of our people is not yet recovered, but rather more endangered; Now the Lord help you in a further ſearch, as into other mens ſinnes; ſo into your own hearts and wayes, that there may be both wayes a more perfect diſcovery and recovery together.

3 But let the Phyſician be never ſo skilfull and faithfull, and his phyſick never ſo ſoveraign and uſefull, the Patient yet may grow worſe rather then better, and the whole faulty cauſe be in himſelfe onelyonly; and that firſt, either in the nature of his diſeaſe, or ſecondly, in his own miſcarriage of himſelfe, whilſt he is under the cure.

1 And firſt, for diſeaſes and wounds, though the balme in it ſelfe ſhould bee able to heale all, as wee ſaw in the firſt Doctrine; yet ſome may be at leaſt longer under the cure, and ſome in the event at laſt prove indeed incurable; As in particular,

Firſt, wounds, when great and deep, and diſeaſes, if more violent and malignant: anſwerable whereunto are great ſinnes which p. 35cauſe great and deeper wounds, eſpecially when ſinners grow virulent and malicious, they thereby poyſon the wound, and make the feaver malignant, and ſo hardly, if at all, recoverable: So Iudah, when their ſinne (viz. Idolatry) was great, and withall they malicious, in wounding and killing Gods Prophets that were ſent to cure them; their caſe then proved incurable, there was then (we heard) no remedy.2 Chron. 36. …. 15. 16.2 Chr 36

Its now our preſent caſe, and as likely to be incurable, if God be not more mercifull: for our ſinnes, for kinde, are very great, and if circumſtances can bigger them, of the largeſt ſize; if their Idolatry made them without remedy, ours may well keep us under a longer cure: and the Lord grant it at laſt. For if imbitteredneſſe of ſpirit againſt God, his grace, truth, wayes, and ſervants, can make it, I feare me, Englands preſent diſeaſe, as much as, if not more then any other Nations, is grown peſtilentially malignant.

Secondly, ſometimes the wound is ſecret, like the Philiſtims 1 Sam. 5. …1 Sam 5blinde Emerods, not ſo eaſily diſcerned; or its ſome lurking diſeaſe, that is not of a long time diſcovered, and therefore the longer before it be healed: Anſwerable hereunto, are ſecret ſins, not ſuſpected, or at leaſt not diſcovered, and therefore very hardly cured; as Achans accuſed thing hid in his Tent, made ſuch a wound in the body of that people, as even Ioſhua's prayer could not heale, till it was laid open and diſcovered.Ioſh. 7.Josh 7

A faire Item for us, in this day of our ſearching into our wound, which will not heale, to take the Probe and ſearch yet deeper, whether ſome envenomed Arrows head lie not yet hid in it, that hinders the healing of it, I meane ſome ſinne or other of this Nation, which hath not yet been diſcovered, or if ſeen, yet over-looked, or at leaſt nor openly and ſolemnly confeſſed and bewailed, either in the Parliaments Ordinance, or our Church Aſſemblies: it may be there is; it would be well therefore when we ſee the finger ſwell and rankle, to look a little more narrowly, if there bee not ſome thorne or thiſtle in it, which before we minded not, that thus cauſeth and continueth the paine; ſome Ionah hid under the Deck, which makes the Sea work, and the ſtorme encreaſe, and row the Mariners as p. 36Ionah 1.Jonah 1hard as they can, keeps them yet from the haven.

3. We heard that Chronicall diſeaſes were hardly cured, and old ſores heale very ſlowly, eſpecially in old age, and towards winter: Anſwerable whereunto are old ſinnes long continued in, upon which uſually follow long continued judgements, hardly delivered from. There are but two places in Scripture that ſpeak of ſinners ſetled on their lees, and in both Ier. 48. 11. Zeph. 1. 12.Jer 48:11Zeph 1:12wee read of their deep ſinking in judgements.

Doe I not here againe touch our ſore? and withall point at one cauſe of the ſlow healing of it? we have beene (as wee think) long in ſuffering, but is it not becauſe we have beene longer in ſinning? We that are already almoſt out of breath, ſhould be quite out of all patience, if God and our Governours ſhould be as long in healing of our wounds, as we have been in making them; though in other caſes we know it is ordinary, that the wound is ſooner made then cured, and the ſickneſſe eaſilier fallen into, then riſen up out of. We that are ſick of new faſhions, are ſtark dead, and growne ſtiffe in retaining old ſinnes. I feare me, God is now upon an old reckoning with us, he ſpeed us to a good end of it; for the daughter of Jeremiahs people, growne old in adulteries, when thereupon grown Ezek. 23. 43.Ezek 23:43fick of her filthy diſeaſes, died out right before ſhe recovered.

4. As any old diſeaſes are long in curing, ſo eſpecially thoſe that are hereditary, and ſo become naturall to our temper and conſtitution: the ſonne inherits more often his fathers gout or ſtone, then his lands, and is ſooner rid of the one then of the other. Anſwerable hereunto is the ſinne of our nature, either in the generall depravation of it, in our firſt parents; or in ſome more particular veines of it, derived to us from our next Progenitors. David in ſenſe of that irrecoverable ſickneſſe of his child, Pſal. 51. 5.Ps 51:5aſcendeth to the firſt diſtemper of his nature which occaſioned it; and the Iewes ſo faſt ſticking to their forefathers ſinnes, Ier. 44. 17.Jer 44:17brought judgements that clave as faſt to them, and their poſterity after them.Ver. 21, 22, 23.

O that in waſhing this day with our teares our ſtill-bleeding wounds, we could (as wee ſhould every day) weep over our firſt old ſore, acknowledging it to be bad fleſh that is ſo ill to p. 37heale, and that ſure our blood is tainted, that continues the quartane thus long, and turnes it into a continued fever.

And in particular, that we would have ſome recourſe to our next or more remote forefathers ſinnes, which we indeed inherit more then their eſtates, and in theſe plundering times are hardlier pluckt from them, then from their inheritances; accounting it piety towards them to be impious againſt God, whileſt we chuſe rather to tread in their ſteps, then to wal… in his wayes; their vaine, profane, ſuperſtitious, and ſometimes ridiculous cuſtomes and wayes we have beene borne to, and brought up in, and therefore can by no meanes endure to be pluckt from; which I feare God now viſits for, and it may be our poſterity may ſmart for, that the tent may be as deep as the wound. O that theſe Devills that have poſſeſſed us Matth. 17. 21.Matt 17:21from our youth, may this day goe forth with prayer and faſting! Theſe and ſuch like particulars in the diſeaſe may protract the cure; but were there none ſuch, yet,

2. In the ſecond place, the diſtempered miſ-carriage of the Patient, whilſt under cure, may not only protract it, but even wholly intercept it. And for this, I deſire that in our preſent ſearch, wee would carefully enquire after this one particular; namely, Whether our not being willing wholly to give up our ſelves to our heavenly Phyſicians ordering and diſpoſall, for our cure, together with the time, way, and meanes of it, be not one chiefe cauſe of the longer delay of it. When it came to a [Father, not my will, but thine be done] though (it is true) Matth. 26. 39.Matt 26:39death enſued; yet it is as true, that a glorious reſurrection ſhortly after followed upon it.

Could we now bee but fully meekned under our heavenly Fathers hand, be freely willing to be and to doe, to ſuffer and to want whatever our God will; ſo that our heavenly Phyſician may diet us, and our Chirurgeon at his pleaſure binde us, if we were made willing to abſtaine from what he forbids, and to doe and take whatever he preſcribes, and quietly ſuffer and undergoe what in this his lanching and ſearing of us he inflicts, without making a ſowre face at a bitter potion: I durſt aſſure you in Gods Name, that either no death would follow upon it, or if the witneſſes, with us, ſhould not yet be ſlaine, p. 38yet that after the third day there would follow upon it a like happy reſurrection.

I doubt me, that here I have unguem in ulcere, my finger once againe upon our preſent malady, and on one maine cauſe of the continuance of our miſery. God findes us (I feare me) as yet an unſubdued people, like the Prophets wil… Bull in Iſa. 51. 20.Isa 51:20a net, as impatient to be bound to our better abbearance by theſe cords of affliction, as we were before by the ſacred tyes of his holy commands. Wee will doe, and ſuffer, and part with as much of our eſtates and comforts, for God and his cauſe, as we think fit, (and that with many of us is but little, with ſome nothing) but not ſo much as hee and it call for: our concluſion with our ſelves is, that wee meane not to be ſo bad husbands as Paul was, to loſe all for the gaining of Chriſt, to be ſo poore or pure, as we fore-ſee he and his Phil. 3. 8.Phil 3:8cauſe will make us, and that makes us leave both him and it together: And from hence, I verely think, in a great meaſure comes the continuance of that miſery which we would ſhorten, if not prevent.

We are not willing to lie ſtill whilſt we are cut and lanched, and therefore our bleſſed Chirurgeon is enforced to binde us yet faſter: we cannot endure to be brought ſo low, as God would have us; and therefore (it may bee) he will have us yet lower: nor to ſtay ſo long under his cure, and it may even therefore prove the longer: we love our eaſe more then ou… health; and therefore may come to be more ſick: nay the corruption of our wound more then the cleanſing of it, (for old corruptions we love, and an holy Reformation we loathe) and therefore may expect yet more ſharp abſterſives: we are ſick of our phyſick, and were not ſo much before exaſperated againſt them that made our wounds, as now againſt them that would heale them. It was Livies ſad complaint of his times, that they could endure neither their malady, nor medicine: the ſame is the unhappineſſe of ours; before the Parliament took us in hand, we were ſo ſick, that without cure we could not live; and ſince, we are growne ſo froward, that wee will not bee cured. Now the good Lord pity us; but muſt we thus die?

p. 39Thus much for this firſt uſe of examination, as this [Why is not, &c.] was a queſtion of enquiry.

Ʋſe 2 Let the next be a word of humiliation, as it was a queſtion of expoſtulation and a bemoaning complaint: and indeed let it be a complaint which we make, not of God, but of our ſelves, that when there is no fault in him, there ſhould lie ſo much guilt on us; his balme provided and afforded, and we not healed. O thou that art named the houſe of Jacob, is the Spirit of the Lord straitned? (ſay, have we beene ſtraitned in his Micah 2. 7.Mic 2:7bowels, or not rather in our owne hearts? are theſe his doings? Look on all that is done, on all the deep bleeding wounds of this poore dying Kingdome; are they deep? and doe they indeed ſmart and bleed, and feſter? O look upon them yet againe with a ſad heart and wet eye, (they bleed, and ſhould not we weep?) and ſee whoſe doings they are, Gods or ours, as whether the malefactors branding and executing be his or his Iudges; the unhappy child, whipping, his or his fathers; the malefactors in ſinfully deſerving, or the Iudges in righteouſly puniſhing; the childes in offending, or the Parents incorrecting; the deſperate mans in making his wound, or the faithfull Chirurgeons in ſearching it: and let not the juſt Iudge beare the blame of the Malefactors crime, or the tender Father of the untoward Childes wantonneſſe, or the carefull Chirurgeon of the diſtempered Patients unrulineſſe. No, thy wayes and thy doings have procured theſe things to thy ſelfe, ſaith God, Ier. 4. 18. and chap. 2. 17. he dare appeale to them whether they could ſay otherwiſe; Haſt thou not procured this unto thy ſelfe, in that thou haſt forſaken the Lord thy God, when he led thee in the way? The Lord hath not been unwilling to be our God, to be Englands God, but we have forſaken him, and that even when he led us in the way, ever ſince he led us in the way out of Egypt towards Canaan, as farre as wee got in the firſt Reformation; but eſpecially ſince of late after our recoiles backwards towards Egypt, he hath been about to leade us the ſecond time in a more direct and full way Canaan-ward; have we not ſince this forſaken him? and many of us more then ever turned our backs on him? and whom then ſhall we complaine of, for theſe our longer wandrings? of p. 40God? no; of our ſelves only, and that in regard both of God, and our ſelves.

1 Firſt, of our ſelves, that we ſhould be ſo cruell to our ſelves, that either for the Popes, or our owne ſinfull luſts ſake, wee ſhould at firſt make ſuch deadly wounds, and now more cruelly hinder the cure of them: for as Eſther ſaid of Haman, that the enemy could not countervaile the Kings dammage: ſo can our Eſther 7. 4.Esth 7:4luſts, or the Whore of Babylon (think you) make the Virgin of Zion amends, for thus making her a ſelfe-murderer? Now where is the heart of the true Engliſh man? of old ſo zealous of its Nations honour and happineſſe? Where the bowels of a true Chriſtian, that ſhould doe good to enemies? and ſhall we wound friends? even kill our ſelves? Is it the daughter Matth. 5. 44.Matt 5:44of my people in the Text, that God is ſo tender of? and what is become of her Virgin tender heartedneſſe? it was of old a part of Jeremiahs Lamentation, That the daughter of his people was become cruell like the Oſtriches in the Wilderneſſe, in that they Lam. 4. 3, 4.Lam 4:3Lam 4:4ſuckled not their children, when in truth the cauſe was, that they had no milke for them: but may it not then be a ſadder note in ours, when the daughter of our people makes her ſelfe drunk with her owne, and her childrens blood? and (which is worſt) cannot be ſatisfied with it; and therefore takes a courſe that it ſhould bleed ſtill? Oh how unlike to her ſelfe is the tender daughter of our people, that is become ſo cruell and unnaturall! It is not the tender Virgin of Zion, but the cruell man (ſaith Solomon) that troubles his owne fleſh; nay the Apoſtle Prov 11. 17. Epheſ. 5. 29.Prov 11:17Eph 5:29un-manneth him that hates it; yea, the Goſpel tells us, it was a man poſſeſſed with no leſſe then a legion of devills that cut and wounded himſelfe, and (which was more devilliſh) that cried out of Chriſt when hee came to heale him: whereby Mark 5. 5. 7, 9.Mark 5:5Mark 5:7Mark 5:9it appeares, that there is more then the rage of a man, no leſſe then Satanicall malice and cruelty in this our preſent malady, when we can endure to teare out our owne bowels; and what legion of devills hath poſſeſſed us, that wee can ſee our deare mother lie gaſping in her gore, and yet more cruelly widen and deepen the wound? and moſt poyſonouſly hinder (at leaſt protract) the cure? O that this day wee could abhorre our p. 41ſelvs that in theſe reſpects we ſhould be 1. thus cruell to our ſelvs 2. And alike injurious to God.

1 In making him thus deadly to wound us, which he would not, hath no heart to, Lam. 3. 33. hath no inſtrument of his own for, but muſt hire it, Iſa. 7. 20. accounts it his ſtrange worke, Iſa. 28. 21. and therefore would be a ſtranger to it: Now then if an earthly father would not willingly make uſe of the rod, why ſhould we enforce our heavenly Father to take the ſword? though we be cruell, yet our God is not; and why then ſhould we make him? 1. in conſtraining him to wound us, when he would not; 2. in Crudelem Med…um, &c.bindring him to heale us, when he would; We cannot but ſay, that this our wofull wound hath divers times been in a faire way and forwardneſſe to be healed, and yet ſuddenly (we know not how) caſt back again, and inflamed more then ever; and what comes this to, but to our Saviours I would, and ye would not? it plainly ſhewes, that God hath deſired and furthered, but we have Mat. 23. 37.Matt 23:37hindered our owne healing, and thereby him of the praiſe.

1 Of his tender bowels of mercy, which he moſt delights in, as though they were ſhut up from pitying us, which wee know have been ſtrongly yearning towards us.

2 Of his faithfulneſſe, as though in this our greateſt ſtrait hee were wanting to us, who (our conſciences can witneſſe) hath never failed us: nay, as though he intended to betray us, by engaging us in his cauſe and then leaving us, as the Egyptians were ready to make a like expoſition of the like caſe, that God for miſchief ſhould lead out his people to deſtroy them in the wildernes: Exod. 3. 12.Exod 3:12Whereas thoſe of us that are moſt diſappointed cannot (I am ſure) ſtand out and ſay, that our faithfull God in any thing, wherein he ever engaged us, hath deſerted us.

3 Of his Power, as though he were not able to ſave us, the Egyptians like gloſſe upon the like Text, Numb. 14. 16. whereas the mighty acts that our eyes of late have ſeen, cannot but convince the moſt either dull or obſtinate, that although by reaſon of our ſinnes, it ſhould never be done, yet it never was, nor will be for want in our Almighty God to do it.

4 Of his Wiſdome, as appointing meanes either weak, or improper, or importune, not able, not fit, at leaſt not at this time, p. 42to effect it; which was the allegation of the returned Iewes for their delay, but cannot be for God here in the Text, for it was balme, a medicine moſt ſoveraign, Gileads balme, an homebred Hag. 1. 2.Hag 1:2Medicine of their own, and therfore moſt proper; applyed when they were deadly ſick and wounded, and could it be in a fitter time? all which agreed in the courſe which God took, and the meanes which he hath uſed for our cure, inſtruments moſt precious, admirably fitted for the worke, and them of our own brethren and then, when we ſtood in moſt need; and yet if now by reaſon of our ſinnes all ſhould miſcarry, in the eye of the perverſe world, God and his ſervants ſhall be accounted to have miſtaken, either in the time, they were too haſty, the bile was not ripe as yet to be lanched, popery ſhould have been ſuffered to have feſtered a little longer, till it had poyſoned all: or in the meanes, this was not the way; but a Quid pro quo; nay of the very cauſe and perſon, diſeaſe and patient, for piety and not Popery ſhall then be avouched to have been the diſeaſe, and nor the Atheiſt and Papiſt, but the zealous Proteſtant the true malignant, and ſo Gods cauſe ſhall be none of his, and ſo God not himſelfe; but ſhall we ſo requite the Lord, O fooliſh people and unwiſe? becauſe we will be our ſelves, ſhall not God be himſelfe? Deut. 32. 6.Deut 32:6becauſe wee will ſtand to our cauſe, ſhall God deſert his? becauſe we will be deſperate and unthankfull, ſhall not hee therefore be holy, wiſe, juſt, faithfull and mercifull? and yet all this in caſe after all that is done, by reaſon of our ſinnes, wee ſhould yet quaile, will be called in queſtion, as the unruly patient in hindering his own cure, wrongs indeed himſelfe; but withall wounds his Phyſician in his repute for skill or will, faithfulneſſe or love, or ſomething or other that will be thought was wanting: as in caſe Iſrael loſe themſelves in the wilderneſſe, the fault will be laid on their guide; and yet our caſe will be worſe then that, De…. 9. 28.for there Moſes feared that Egyptians, i. e. ſtrangers and enemies onelyonly would make ſuch perverſe conſtructions, but it is to bee feared that in caſe of our miſcarriages ſome of the Iſrael of God themſelves may bee ready to prove ſuch weake Interpreters, that when wee have by our ſinnes poyſoned the wound, even we our ſelves through frowardneſſe or unbeleef p. 43may be ready to call Gods love, faithfulneſſe, power, and wiſdome in queſtion about the cure; and out of unjuſt diſtruſt be ready to ſay, what God here in the Text ſaith by way of juſt complaint. But is there was there, no balme in Gilead? what, no Phyſician there? is there any help in God, when we finde none? any faithfulneſſe in him, when no faith in us? is not his mercy cleane gone for ever, ſeeing our hopes are? Doth not his Pſal. 75. 8, 9.Ps 75:8Ps 75:9promiſe faile, when our expectations doe? For ſo indeed ſick children are oft very froward; and thus when we get no good, God gets much diſhonour, from us, as well as others; not only Gileads balme is ſpilt, too precious (as wee heard in the beginning) ſo to be loſt; ad quid perditio haec? but alſo Gileads Matth. 26. 8.Matt 26:8chiefe Phyſician wronged, too good to be ſo ill requited: let us think that Chriſt ſpeaks thus to every one of us. Amice, ut Iohn 18. 13.John 18:13quid me percutis? friends, but why through your owne ſides, do you wound your beſt friend and Phyſician to the heart, who heartily hath both deſired and endeavoured your healing? Let this above all be our preſent ſhame and griefe, and let it be our greateſt care for ever hereafter ſo to comply with God, and that cure he is yet about, that at laſt, to his praiſe and our own comfort, it may manifeſtly appeare to us, and to all, that there hath beene balme in Gilead, and a faithfull Phyſician there, when the health of the daughter of our people ſhall be recovered.

Quod faxit foreign per Chriſti vulnera, Amen. FINIS.Exod. 15. 26.Exod 15:26

End of the text · Anthony Tuckney, The Balm of Gilead for the Wounds of England (1643)