And have there not been times when, by disease or accident, we have been brought low ; and when, if the evil inflicted had been suffered to attain the same resistless power as it has acquired over others, we must have fallen a sacrifice to its assaults ? Whence is it, I would ask, that we have been re- stored to health, whilst others have sunk under the influence of the same disease ? Greatly do we err, if we ascribe our recovery to any thing but the gracious favour of our God. He may have made use of medicine as the means : but whatever may have been the secondary cause, the one great primary cause of all has been the good pleasure of God, whose province alone it is " to kill and to make alive, to wound and to healf." And what shall we say, if we have been healed of spiritual disorders ? It is well known that man is altogether corrupt ; so that we may apply to him that description which is given of the Jewish state, " from the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in him, but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores g." In every faculty of our souls we are corrupted and debased by sin : our understanding is darkened ; our will rebellious ; our affections sensual ; our very conscience is blind and partial. Now, if God has dealt with us as he did with the springs of Jericho h, if he has cast the salt of his grace into our souls, and healed us at the fountain-head, have we not cause to bless and magnify his name ? It is expressly in reference to such a miracle as this that God assumes to him- self the name contained in our text. The waters of Marah being so bitter as to be unfit for use, God directed Moses to cast a certain tree into them, by means of which they were instantly made sweet1. And are not we also directed to " a tree, whose very leaves are for the healing of the nations k?" Its virtue indeed is not known by thousands, in whose presence it stands ; and therefore they continue ignorant of its healing efficacy. But was its virtue ever tried in vain ? No : nor ever shall be. Only let Christ be received into the heart by faith, and the whole man will be renewed ; the understanding will be enlightened, the will subdued, the affections purified, and the whole soul be " changed into the divine image in righteous- ness and true holiness. Now, what if God has pointed out this tree to us ? What if we have experienced its healing efficacy ? Then have we in ourselves an evidence that our blessed Saviour sustains the office claimed by him in our text : and then are we called to acknowledge it with gratitude, and to adore him for this stupendous exercise of his power and grace.]
Such being the office of our blessed Lord, let us consider,
f Deut. xxxii. 39. s Isai. i. 6. h 2 Kings ii. 20 — 22.
1 ver. 25. k Rev. xxii. 2.