Christ Jesus the Physician

George Wyllys, Secr.

An Election SERMON.

IS there no Balm in Gilead? is there no Physician there? Why then is not the Health of the Daughter of my People recovered.

THIS is a Day of the Gladness of our Heart, on Account of that great and comprehensive Blessing of FREEDOM, which now, in a peculiar manner, exect itself, animating all the Members of Society and smiling in every Countenance, While LIBERTY stretches forth her Hand, without Controul, to give her Suffiages for Men to rule us in the Fear of GOD.

WE also Sing of Mercy, in the gracious smiles of Providence upon the important undertakings of our Hands. Our Work and our Warfare are crowned with remarkable Success. The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.

AND under all these temporal Advantages, we are bless'd with numberless spiritual Blessings, p. 6in heavenly Places in CHRIST. Our Eyes behold our Teachers, and our Ears hear the joyful Sound. All which are Arguments of Praise; and hopeful Symptoms of a healthy State.

IT may therefore seem a little grating, at such a Time, to hear of Physicians and Medicines, implying Diseases, Wounds and Bruises, that indanger the L◊◊e. Surely, the whole need not the Physician. And are we not in perfect Health? What Tokens of Sickness or Danger does the Preacher discover, in the Daughter of Zion, whose Countenance looks so fair and flourishing?

THE Answer is obvious: they appear in our ungrateful Returns to the Father of Mercy's for all his Benefits unto us. We are highly exalted, on account of Privileges:—flush'd with Successes past, and confident of more to come; whilst we are laden with Iniquity and wrapped up in Security.

OUR Case too nearly resembles that of the Jews, in the Days of our Prophet. They were GOD's peculiar People: and he had long indulged them as Children: fed them to the full, with every Kind of Blessing. But, in return, they filled Jerusalem, the holy City, with their Abominations: such as Adultery, Uncleanness, Idolatry, Oppression, Murder and Blood: all which cry'd for Vengeance.

p. 6KING Josiah did every thing, that became a pious Prince to reform them. He turned to p. 7God himself with all his Heart and Soul. And, in his Zeal for God, exerted his Authority and spread his Influence abroad, thro'out his Dominions, obliging his People to keep a Solemn Passover, to renew their Covenant, and to reform their evil Manners. But the Searcher of Hearts discovered their Hypocrisy, and complained of it, [Jer. 3. 10.] Judah hath not returned unto me with her whole Heart, but seignedly, saith the Lord. Therefore God determined to remove her out of his sight. [2 Kings 23. 27.]

UPON Josiah's Death, they bid Defiance to Heaven, and returned to their former Wickedness, like the Dog to his Vomit. Jeremiah reproved them, and solemnly warned them of their Danger. [Jer. 4. 20.] Destruction upon Destruction is cried, for the whole Land is spoiled: Assuring them of Protection, upon their Amendment.

BUT they regarded not his Threatnings not hearkned to his Intreaties: but flatter'd themselves, that neither Famine nor Sword should reach them. [Jer. 5. 12.]

MOV'D with Pity at the Sight of his guilty People, insensible of their Danger, on the Borders of Destruction, the holy Prophet lamented over them, and gave his Sorrows vent in these pathetick Strains. [Cont. ver. 18,—21.] When I would comfort my self against sorrow, my heart is faint in me. Behold the voice of the cry of the Daughter of my People. The harvest is past, the summer is ended p. 8and we are not saved. For the hurt of the daughter of my People am I hurt. It is for my Country, and especially for the Church of God, that I am thus deeply affected. Thus the Prophet bewail'd the dying state of Jerusalem, which he preferred above his chief Joy. And now, as the symptoms of Death increase, the Man of God, like a tender Father, distressed for his first Born, and unwilling to give up all his hope, looks round upon his Friends, with all the marks of Agony in his Countenance; or directs his Eyes to Heaven, and powers out his Soul in the servent Expressions of my Text, Is there no Balm in Gilead? is there no Physician there? why then is not the Health of the Daughter of my People recovered? They seem to be the last efforts of a generous Soul, under the deepest Concern to save a diseased People, insensible of their Danger, on the Brink of Ruin.

p. 8And may import, either

1. THAT there is very little hope of saving them from utter Destruction. That there is either no Remedy for their Disease, or else no skillful Physician to apply it. Or rather,

2. THAT their Disease is not in its nature incurable, neither is there any want of Means or Physicians. Mount Gilead is near at hand; and that's a Place abounding with Balm or Rosin, whose peculiar Property is "to dissolve Hardness and to clear and close up Wounds;" and so is a fit Emblem of the softening Grace of God; p. 9or the cleansing Blood of Jesus Chri◊t, the great Physician, which is shadowed ◊orth by the Blood of their Sacrifices. They have also the Law of the Lord, which is perfect, conver◊ing the Soul: and Prophets to shew them the Counsel of God; and to plead with them, that they may turn and 〈…〉: besides Magistrates, whose B◊si◊e◊◊ it should be to reform them. 'Tis not therefore for want of physic or a Physician, that the Daughter of Zion languishes and dies: but rather because she refuses the Means & Method of Cure.

ON the whol◊, The words do plainly ◊◊◊imate, the most imminent Danger▪ by reason of some threatning Disease; imply'd in the Prophets earnest Enquiry after B◊lm and a Physician; shewing his deep Concern, to recover the Health of his People; And, I think, do naturally point out the following Heads of Discourse: which, by divine Help, I shall endeavour to open and improve.