Balm in Gilead to Heal Zions Wounds, Modern bookplate – Dedication
SIC VOS NON VOBIS
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
FOUNDED AD 1791
Given by …
New-Plimouth, October 26. 1669.
THis Court taking into their conſideration the uſefulneſs and ſeaſonableneſs of this Sermon, do commend the ſame to all the Churches and People of God in this Juriſdiction, for their ſerious peruſall and improvement in the Lord; And do therefore Order the publiſhing thereof.
Nathaniel Morton Secretary.
THis Sermon and pious Labour of the Reverend Servant of the Lord, Mr. Thomas Walley, being peruſed, is allowed, as conſenting to the healing Word of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and the doctrine which is according to godlineſs, and worthy to be improved by all ſorts in New-England, as a ſoveraign Remedy of divers Maladies; Whereupon is juſtly added Imprimatur,
Charles Chauncy.
Thomas Shepard.
Balm in Gilead TO HEAL SIONS WOUNDS: OR, A Treatiſe wherein there is a clear Diſcovery of the moſt Prevailing Sickneſſes of New-England, both in the Civill and Eccleſiaſticall State; As alſo ſutable Remedies for the Cure of them: Collected out of that Spirituall Directory, The Word of God.
Delivered in a SERMON Preached before the Generall Court of the Colony of NEW-PLIMOƲTH on the firſt day of June 1669. being the DAY of ELECTION THERE.
By Thomas Walley, Paſtor of the Church of Chriſt at Barnſtable in New-England.
Jer. 14. 18. Haſt thou utterly rejected Judah? hath thy ſoul loathed Zion? Why haſt thou ſmitten us, and there is no healing for us? we looked for peace, and there is no good; and for the time of healing, and b…hold trouble.
Hoſea 14 1. O Iſrael, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou haſt fallen by thine iniquity.
Jer. 6. 8. Be thou inſtructed, O Jeruſalem, leſt my ſoul depart from thee, leſt I make thee deſolate, a land not inhabited.
Jer. 3. 22. Return ye backſliding children, and I will heal your backſlidings: Behold we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God.
CAMBRIDGE: Printed by S. G. and M. J. 1670.
To the Honoured, THOMAS PRINCE Eſq Governour of New Plimouth Colony in New-England; AND The Worſhipfull his Aſsiſtants.
Honoured Patriots,
VVHen you were pleaſed to Call me to Preach this publick Sermon, I muſt confeſs by reaſon of my inſufficiency for ſuch a work, and a crowd of buſineſs that then I was in, I could not rejoyce in it; but I looked upon the Call as a Call from God, and therefore ſubmitted to it, knowing that God doth often uſe weak and worthleſs Inſtruments, that the glory might be his, and not ours: and was the further encouraged, becauſe I have found you like Hezekiah, ſpeaking comfortably to thoſe that teach the good knowledge of the Lord. The Printing of this Sermon was far from my thoughts, both in Studying and Preaching of it. I dare not ſay the matter is uſeleſs, but muſt confeſs the dreſs to be too uncomely, and will never be liked, if it come to the eyes of thoſe that are either curious or captious. I conceive the reaſon why you ordered the Printing of it, was, Becauſe you judged it a ſeaſonable Word, and therefore thought it would be profitable; and indeed the timing of things to their proper ſeaſon, is one of the higheſt acts of practicall Wiſdome. I did the more readily conſent to the Printing of it, that I might not have the leaſt Cenſure from thoſe that, from my ſelf, and all Gods people, deſerve ſo much honour. Though in this Sermon my weakneſs is expoſed to publick view, yet if God may have honour, and any Soul profit, and I may be accounted obedient to you that are our Rulers, I am ſatisfied. I do account it a great mercy that we have ſuch Rulers, that we may more ſafely publiſh Truth, then conceal it: if we conceal it, we fall into the hands of God, but if we publiſh it, we are n…t in danger of falling into the hands of men. The deſign of this Sermon is the Ʋniting of the People of God, for the Wounds of ſome Churches bleed, if not feſter. Worthy Senators, I may boldly publiſh for the honour of God and your honour, That ſuch hath been your labour of love in the Churches, that you ſeem to take more delight in the Ʋnity of the Churches, then in being Magiſtrates. This Sermon was once in your Ears, it's now in your Eyes, I deſire the Lord may keep it in your Hearts; it may be it is providentially Printed for that end. As for my ſelf, I know all are not Bezaleels or Aholiabs, and that he that is but a poor Labourer, and brings Stone and Morter to the Building, is accepted of God. My hearty deſire is, That you, our Honoured Governour and Magiſtrates, may be called The Repairers of breaches, The Reſtorers of paths to dwell in, The Joy of many Generations; which is the earneſt Prayer of him that is your daily Remembrancer at the Throne of Grace, and who is
Your moſt humble Servant, and leſs then the leaſt of all Saints, Thomas Walley.