Balm in Gilead

p. 3Balm in Gilead to heal Sions Wounds.

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

IN this Chapter you may see what an evil and bitter thing Sin is, it will not be that at last which it is at first, though it be Honey at first, it will be Gall at last, it will be bitterness in the latter end: It makes persons unhappy both alive and dead; when living, it turns them out of their houses; and when dead, out of their graves, as in ver. 1. of this Chapter.

What woful work hath Sin made in the world? what incurable wounds hath it given to Kingdomes, Countries, Churches and Families? the most destroying Judgements, Famine, Pestilence, War, Captivity, are the bitter fruits of Sin; it layes a People under Spiritual Judgements, provokes God to depart, and opens a door to all woe and misery.

In this Chapter you finde God threatning, the Prophet lamenting the dreadful evils that were coming upon Judah and Jerusalem, and when he would comfort himself, his heart fainted; When I would comfort my self against sorrow, my heart is faint in me, ver. 18. the reason was, he saw that the people were resolved to go on in their sin, that God was resolved to go on in the way of his Judgements, ver. 6. compared with ver. 13.

The Prophet wonders, is even astonished, that a people that have so great Mercies, should be in danger of so great Miseries: They had a good God, and a good King; ver. 19. Is not the Lord in Zion? is not her King in her? God was not as yet departed. It's probable Josiah at present was their King, not as yet removed by death: it may be supposed that this part of the Prophesie relates to the time of his Reign, for he prophesied from the thirteenth year of his Reign, to the time of the Captivity, Jer. 1.2,3. This people will not part with their graven Images and strange vanities, therefore God will depart from them, and be a stranger to them.

In ver. 20. the Prophet shews them what will be the fruit of their folly in trusting to false Prophets, and relying upon their Predictions, at last p. 4they shall despair of help, and cry out, The harvest is past, the Summer is ended, and we are not saved; the time set by these Prophets for deliverance was past, but they were not delivered.

p. 4In the Text the Prophet being in great amazement of spirit, passionately puts forth three questions:

1. Is there no Balm in Gilead?

2. Is there no Physician there?

3. Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

The two first of these Questions do not come from any doubt, but do strongly affirm that there was Balm in Gilead, and that there were Physicians there: The third Question is, Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered? What is the reason that such admirable Helps should be no more helpful? that Gileads Balm and Gileads Physicians should be so unsuccessful. This was wonderful, that while Sion had such proper and precious Means for her Recovery, her Wound should gangrene and become incurable.

By Gilead, is meant either a City so called, Hosea 6. 8. Gilead is a City of them that work iniquity; it was a City of the Levites, the most famous in all the Land of Gilead, the whole Country took its name from it: Or else by Gilead, is meant the whole Land and Country of Gilead, which was on the other side of Jordan, and did belong to the Reubenites and Manassites, 2 Kings 10. 33. This Country of Gilead abounded with Balm; the Ishmaelites that bought Joseph were carrying Balm from Gilead to Egypt, Gen.37.25. and the daughter of Egypt is bid to fetch Balm from Gilead, Ezek.27.17. which notes, That the most precious and soveraign Balm was there: as it grew in the Land of Gilead, so it was chiefly sold in the City of Gilead.

In former times there was no Balm in all the world of such account as this Balm. Pliny saith, Balsamum uni terrarum Judeoe concessum, as though it were a blessing vouchsafed to Judea onely: They traded with it to Tyre, that Merchandizing City, that then had the Trade of the World, and sent it far and near. One saith of this Balm, it was Medicina difficillimorum Morborum, A Medicine to heal the most difficult Diseases. All Nations must be beholding to Israel for Balm; noting, That all the World should be beholding to the Church for Health.

p. 4And as there was the best Balm in Gilead, so there were the best Physicians there: usually those Countries that abound with the best Medicines, have the most and best Physicians.

That which the Spirit of God tells us here, is, 1. That Sion was p. 5sick. 2. That Sion had the best and most proper Means for her Recovery; the best Balm, the best Physicians. 3. That though Sion had all these Means, yet she was not recovered.

Hence the Doctrine is,

Doct. That sometimes a People may be sick, and though they have the most proper and sutable Means of Health, yet no Means may be effectuall for their Recovery.

Thus it may be with Nations, Countries, Churches, they may have sickness in them, and though all Means be present for their Recovery, yet they may remain not healed of their sickness.

Let us consider what Means this People of Israel had from time to time to recover them of their Sicknesses.

1. They had the Prophets of God with them early and late, 2 Chron. 36. 15, 16. At this time they had the Prophet Jeremiah, the Prophet Ezekiel, who faithfully discovered to them their Sicknesses, their Danger, and the Remedy, yet they were not healed: These Prophets were continued to them till the destruction of the City and Temple.