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I. THE MELANCHOLY FACT THAT SIN PREVAILS. Sin is here, as in other places of Scripture, represented under the figurative character of a disease. And the representation is appropriate; for sin affects the soul much in the same way as disease affects the body. It is a derangement of the spiritual frame, by which its functions are impeded, its strength enfeebled, its comfort impaired, its proper ends counteracted, and its very existence, as a creature destined to immortal felicity, endangered or destroyed.

1. It is a hereditary disease — not induced by outward or accidental circumstances, but entailed upon us as an attribute of our fallen nature, and cleaving to us with as much tenacity as if it were a part of our original being.

2. It is a pervading disease — not limited to any one portion of our constitution, but dwelling in every department of it — influencing its intellectual powers, its moral dispositions, its sensitive organs: "the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint."

3. It is a vital and inveterate disease — not touching merely the extreme or superficial parts of our system, and resisted in its progress by any inherent energies — but corrupting and preying upon our inmost soul, and so congenial to all that is within, and to all that is around us, as to grow with our growth, and strengthen with our strength.

4. It is a deceitful disease — not always accompanied with those violent and decided symptoms which forbid us to mistake the nature or disregard the perils of our condition — but often assuming that gentle form which allays our apprehensions, and flatters us with the hopes of recovery.

5. It is often withal a pailful and harassing disease — filling us with dissatisfaction and fear and trembling — rendering our days gloomy and our nights restless — or piercing us with agonies to which we can find neither utterance nor relief.

6. It is a mortal disease — not inflicting upon us a momentary pang, and then giving place to renovated vigour — but mocking at all human attempts to throw it off — sooner or later subduing us by its resistless, power — and consigning us to the pains and the terrors of the second death.

II. "IS THERE NO BALM IN GILEAD," no remedy by which the disease of sin may be cured? "Is there no physician there," no physician qualified to apply the remedy and able to make it effectual? Christ is set forth as the great Physician of souls. He has wisdom to devise whatever method may be necessary for rescuing the victims whom He has been sent to deliver. He has tenderness and compassion to induce Him to do, and bestow, and suffer all, whatever it may be, which their circumstances require. He has power to conquer every obstacle that would frustrate His exertions in their behalf, and to render effectual every means that may be employed for their recovery. And He has all these attributes in an indefinite degree; so that He is competent to heal those in whose instance the disease has assumed its most inveterate form, and even to call them back from the very gates of the grave. In the annals of Christianity we read of many who, though sin was preying on their very vitals as a deep seated and mortal distemper, and though they were ready to perish, because they had no ability to stay or to withstand its progress, yet escaped from its destroying power — felt that it had departed from them, manifested all the symptoms of renovated ragout, and rejoiced in the active exertion of those faculties which had been paralysed, and in the return of those comforts and those hopes which seemed to have fled from them forever. And they have testified that this happy change was wrought in their condition — because there "is balm in Gilead, and because there is a Physician there."

III. SOME OF THE CAUSES OF SUCH A MELANCHOLY PHENOMENON IN THE HISTORY OF SINFUL MEN.

1. Many sinners are insensible to their need of a spiritual physician. They shut their eyes against all the light by which they might be made aware of the perils and the horrors of their condition. They palliate or explain away all the circumstances by which we would prove that guilt does attach to them.

2. There are many who, though aware in some measure of the disease of sin, of its inveteracy and of its danger, and not unconvinced of the necessity of applying to Him who alone can save them from its power and consequences, are yet indisposed from doing so, by carelessness, or procrastination, or dislike to the remedies which they know will be prescribed.

3. Sinners are not saved, or have not their spiritual health recovered, because they will not take the remedy simply and submissively as it is administered by Christ. They put their own ignorance on a level with His wisdom — their own weakness with His power — their own depravity with His merit. And thus they defeat the purpose of all that He offers to do for them. They counteract His saving work. They render fruitless the remedies that He prescribes.

(A. Thomson, D. D.)

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KJV: Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

WEB: Is there no balm in Gilead? is there no physician there? why then isn't the health of the daughter of my people recovered?