THE

BALM OF GILEAD:

OR,

COMFORTS FOR THE DISTRESSED;

BOTH MORAL AND DIVINE.

BY JOSEPH, BISHOP OF NORWICH.

TO ALL

THE DISTRESSED MEMBERS

OF

JESUS CHRIST, WHERESOEVER:

WHOSE SOULS ARE WOUNDED WITH THE PRESENT SENSE OF THEIR SINS, OR OF THEIR AFFLICTIONS, OR WITH THE FEARS OF DEATH AND JUDGMENT:

THE Author humbly recommends this Sovereign Balm, which God hath been pleased to put into his hands for their benefit; earnestly exhorting them to apply it carefully to their several sores, together with their faithful prayers to God for a blessing upon the use thereof: not doubting, but, through God's mercy, they shall find thereby a sensible ease and comfort to their souls, which shall be helped on by the fervent devotions of the unworthiest servant of God and his Church,

J. H. B. N.

THE BALM OF GILEAD:

OR,

THE COMFORTER.

CHAP. I.

COMFORTS FOR THE SICK BED.

The Preface-Aggravation of the Misery of Sickness. WHAT should we do in this vale of tears, but bemoan each others' miseries? Every man hath his load: and well is he, whose burden is so easy, that he may help his neighbours. Hear me, my son. My age hath waded through a world of sorrows. The Angel, that hath hitherto redeemed my soul from all evil, (Gen. xlviii. 16.) and hath led me within few paces of the shore, offers to lend me his hand to guide thee in this dangerous ford, wherein every error is death. Let us follow him, with an humble confidence; and be safe, in the view and pity of the woeful miscarriages of others.

Thou art now cast upon the bed of sickness; roaring out all the day long, for the extremity of thy pain, Ps. xxxii. 3: measuring the slow hours, not by minutes, but by groans. Thy soul is weary of thy life, (Job x. 1.) through the intolerable anguish of thy spirit; Job vii. 11:—Of all earthly afflictions, this is the sorest. Job himself, after the sudden and astonishing news of the loss of his goods and children, could yet bear up, and bless the God that gives and takes; Job i. 21: but, when his body was tormented, and was made one boil; now, his patience is retched so far, as to curse (not his God, but) his nativity; Job iii. 3. The great king, questioning with his cup-bearer Nehemiah, can say, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? Neh. ii. 2: as implying, that the sick man, of all other, hath just cause to be dejected. Worldly crosses are aloof off from us; sickness is in our bosom: those touch ours only; these, ourselves: here the whole man suffers: what could the body feel, without the soul that animates it? How can the soul, which makes the body sensible, choose but be most affected with that pain, whereof it gives sense to the body? Both partners have enough to do to encounter so fierce an enemy. The sharper assault requires the more powerful resistance. Recollect thyself, my son; and call up all the powers of thy soul, to grapple with so violent an enemy.

SECT. 1.

The freedom of the soul.

THY body is, by a sore disease, confined to thy bed :-I should be sorry to say, thou thyself wert so. Thy soul, which is thyself, is, I hope, elsewhere. That, however it is content to take a share in thy sufferings, soars above to the heaven of heavens; and is strate before the Throne of Grace, suing for mercy and forgiveness; beholding the face of thy Glorious Mediator interceding for

thee.

pro

Woe were to us, if our souls were coffined up in our bosoms, sø as they could not stir abroad, nor go any further than they are carried; like some snail or tortoise, that cannot move out of the shell. Blessed be God, he hath given us active spirits, that can bestir themselves, while our bodies lie still; that can be so quick and nimble in their motions, as that they can pass from earth to heaven, ere - our bodies can turn to the other side.

And, how much shall we be wanting to ourselves, if we do not make use of this spiritual agility; sending up these spirits of ours from this dull clay of our bodies to those regions of blessedness, that they may thence fetch comfort to alleviate the sorrows of their heavy partners!

Thus do thou, my son, employ the better part; no pains of the worse can make thee miserable. That spiritual part of thine shall, ere long, be in bliss, while this earthen piece shall lie rotting in the grave. Why shouldst thou not, even now before thy separation, improve all the powers of it to thy present advantage? Let that still behold the face of thy God in glory, while thy bodily eyes look upon those friends at thy bed-side, which may pity thee, but cannot help thee.

SECT. 2.

The Author of sickness; and the benefit of it.

THOU art pained with sickness :-Consider seriously, whence it is, that thou thus smartest. Affliction cometh not out of the dust; Job v. 6. Couldst thou but hear the voice of thy disease, as well as thou -feelest the stroke of it, it saith loud enough, Am I come up hither without the Lord to torment thee? The Lord hath said to me, Go up against this man, and afflict him; 2 Kings xviii. 25. Couldst thou see the hand that smites thee, thou couldst not but kiss it.

Why, man, it is thy good God, the Father of all Mercies, that lays these stripes upon thee. He that made thee, he that bought thee at so dear a rate as his own blood, it is he, that chastiseth thee and canst thou think he will whip thee, but for thy good?