A Sovereign Salve, Title page – Scriptural citations
A SOVERAIGNE SALVE TO CURE VVounded Spirits.
OR, The ready way and meanes, to give Spirituall Eaſe and Comfort to Diſtreſſed Conſciences.
Collected out of the Word of God, and the Writings and Experiments of the moſt approved Soule-Phyſitians both of this and former Ages, which either for Learning, or Experience, or both, have excelled in this healing part of Divinity, and fitted to the capacity, and uſe of the meaneſt of GODS afflicted ones.
Dr REYNOLDS.
Evangelizo manu & ſcriptione.
LONDON, Printed by J. G. for R: ROYSTON, at the Angel in Ivie-lane. M. DC. L.
TO his Neighbours, and Friends, the Pariſhioners of Henton St George in Sommerſet; and eſpecially to thoſe, both of that, and other Pariſhes thereabout, or elſewhere, which have had occaſion to make uſe of his Miniſtery, for the quieting and Comforting of their Diſtreſſed Conſciences.
R. G. A hearty Well-wiſher of all Gods Afflicted ones, and eſpecially of them, Dedicateth theſe Soule-healing Directions following.
Zacharias cum loqui non potuit, ſcripſit. Luc: 1. 20. &. 63. Ambroſ.
Tametſi non bonum, tamen in bonum. Auguſt.
An Admonition to the READER.
IF thou art learned, it may be, this, that I here preſent to thy view, comming in ſo homely, and Country-like a dreſſe, may not pleaſe thee: Yet this much let me intreat of thee, that (ſeeing it commeth from an honeſt heart, and one devoted to the common good of Gods Afflicted ones) thou wilt not hinder others from making uſe of it, that have no better.
*Nec omnia quae ab omnibus conſcribuntur in omnium manus veniunt, & fieri poteſt, ut nonnulli qui etiam haec noſtra intelligere valent, illos pleniores non inveniant libros, & in iſtos ſaltem incidant, ideoque utile eſt plures, à pluribus fieri tractatus, diverſo flyto, non diverſa fide, etiam de quaeſtionibus iiſdem, ut ad plurimos res ipſa perveniat, ad alios ſic, ad alios autem ſic. Auguſt. lib. 1. de Trinit. c. 3. tom. 3.Saint Auguſtine thought, that the plaineſt Bookes might be of ſome uſe to ſome ſorts of men: and who knoweth not, that the Starres, which are obſcured in the preſence of the Sunne, are profitable in his abſence to give light to the earth?
If thou ſhalt ſay (to make it the leſſe reſpected) that there is little in it of mine owne, but that all, or the moſt part of it, is taken out of other mens workes; I ingenuouſly confeſſe it; *Scribo Relatoris potius fide, quàm Authoris praeſumptione. Vincent. Lyrinenſ. adverſ. Haereſ.profeſſing my ſelfe, not to be the Author, but the bare Relator of theſe ſpirituall Comforts. And if I have in any paſſage thereof drunke deeper thereof then became a ſober Paſſenger, I would have thee to know, that I did it for one of theſe two ends; either becauſe I thought, I could not amend what they had done, which was †Quod me non poſſe facere, melius credidi.Aphranius his Apologie, when he was accuſed for taking too much out of Menanders Workes; or becauſe I thought, that their authority would win more credit to the things ſaid, then mine would; which was *Quod cenſeo me parum admodum fidei rebus …iſce meis facturum fuiſſe, ſi ſolum authoritate mea niterer. Patric. in Epiſt. ad Senat. Senenſ. ante librum ejus de inſtitut. Reipub.Patricius his plea in a like caſe: Let this therefore ſuffice thee.
Secondly, if thou art unlearned, and canſt not judge of it thy ſelfe, but haſt onelyonly learned (Parrat-like) to ſpeake after others, it may be this may not afford thee comfort neither; for we ſeldome reape profit by any mans Workes, whoſe perſon is pre-judged, though miſjudged.
I onelyonly ſay to thee, if thou art an unhumbled Chriſtian, a man whole and …ledge…ound in thine owne conceit; one that …ledge…hinketh he never went awry; or having gone awry, doth imagine, that no diſcomforts in that wrong way can befall him, for which he cannot give himſelfe comfort ſufficient; then this belongeth not to thee neither; for †Math. 9. 12.the whole need not the Phyſician, but they that are ſick.
But if thou art an *Ordo divinus eſt, quod vult quidem Evangelizare, ſed pauperibus; vult ſanare, ſed contri…ledge…s; vult praedicare dimiſſionem, ſed captivis; vult educere, & liberarc, …ledge…d vinctos; vult conſolari, ſed contriſtatos; vult reſpicere, ſed ad contri…ledge…m ſpiritu; vult reficere, ſed laborantes, & oneratos, &c. Chemnit. …ledge…xam. Decret. Concil. Trident. p. 2. de contrit. c. 4. See Mr. Bol…ledge…ns Inſtructions for a right comforting of afflicted Conſ. pag. 170.humbled Sinner, one that is dejected and diſtreſſed at the ſight of thy ſinnes, and the ſenſe of Gods wrath due unto thee for them; this may (with Gods bleſsing) condu…redge… thee into the way that leadeth to ſpirit…redge… all eaſe, and comfort. It hath conduct…redge… others heretofore, ſome of which are ſti…redge… alive, and others are at reſt with God who both living, and dying, have reape comfort by it.
If it faile of this effect to thee, think never the worſe of God, nor of thine o…redge… eſtate before him: For God infinite…redge… wiſe, hath his ſecret, and ſacred end…redge… beſt knowne to himſelfe, for which …redge… may ſuffer his deareſt Children (…redge… leaſt in the eyes of the world, and ſom…redge… times in their owne apprehenſion, a…redge… feeling) to live, and dye uncomfort…redge… bly, and yet without any prejudice to h…redge… glory, or their ſalvation. Howſoever…redge… prove, it was that which was aimed herein, and is heartily deſired and pray…redge… for by him, who is
Thy unfeigned Well-wiſher, Richard Gove.
The CONTENTS.
I. THE SICK SOULES GUIDE; containing Directions both for the practice and knowledge of Gods Child in the time of ſpirituall Diſtreſſe.
II. THE SICK SOULES BIBLE; or a Catalogue of Scripture-comforts, fitted to the ſeverall Diſtreſſes of Gods afflicted ones, who labour under the ſight of their ſins, and the ſenſe of Gods wrath due unto them for the ſame.
III. THE SICK SOULES MISTAKES; wherein thoſe places of Scripture (which being miſtaken, doe many times prove the very Rack of tender Conſciences, and make them to draw from them fearfull Concluſions againſt themſelves) are vindicated, and cleared, and the Concluſions confuted.
IV. THE SICK SOULES PRESIDENTS; or comfortable Examples of Diſtreſſed Conſciences, which after long and deepe Diſtreſſes, have found eaſe and comfort, through Gods great mercy towards them.
V. THE SICK SOULES EjACULATIONS; wherein he may (if he have no better of his owne) lift up his heart, and powre out his ſoule unto God, either by way of prayer, or thankſgiving, ſhortly and ſuddenly, as his preſent neceſſity doth require.
VI. THE SICK SOULES SPIRITUALL SONGS.
VII. GROUNDS OF COMFORT, FOR THE FRIENDS OF THE DISTRESSED; in caſe, that after all theſe, or other meanes uſed, God ſend him not releaſe, and comfort, but ſuffers him to dye in that diſtreſſed eſtate, and that after ſome fearfull manner.
VIII. A PRAYER, which they that come to viſit the Diſtreſſed, or are about him in the time of his Diſtreſſe, may make uſe of, if they cannot pray in a better forme of their owne.
Gods loving Invitations of poore Diſtreſſed Soules to come unto him for comfort, and his gracious promiſes of giving it them, if they will come.
MATH. 11. 28, 29. Come unto me all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you reſt, &c.
ESAY 55. 1. 3.
Hoe, every one that thirſteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no momoney: come ye, buy and eate; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money, and without price.
Encline your eare, and come unto me: heare, and your ſoules ſhall live.
REV. 22. 17. Let him that is athirſt, come; and let whoſoever will, take of the waters of life freely.
PSAL. 50. 15. Call upon me in the time of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou ſhalt glorifie me.
REV. 3. 18. I counſell thee to buy of me gold trie…redge… in the fire, that thou mayst be rich; an…redge… white rayment, that thou mayst be cloathed, and that the ſhame of thy nakedneſſe doe not appeare; and anoynt thin…redge… eies with eie-ſalve, that thou may…redge… ſee.
JOH. 7. 37. If any man thirſt, let him come unt…redge… me, and drink.
ESAY 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth th…redge… Lord, that obeyeth the voyce of his Servant, that walketh in darkneſſe, an…redge… hath no light? let him truſt in the nam…redge… of the Lord, and ſtay upon his God.
ESAY 54. 11, 12. O thou afflicted, toſſed with tempeſt, …ledge…nd not comforted; behold, I will lay …ledge…hy ſtones with faire colours, and lay …ledge…hy foundations with ſaphires, &c.
MATH. 5. 6. Bleſſed are they that hunger, and …ledge…hirst after righteouſneſſe, for they ſhall …ledge…e filled.
ESAY 66. 2. To him will I looke, even to him that …ledge… poore, and of a contrite ſpirit, and …ledge…embleth at my Word.
PSAL. 51. 17. The ſacrifices of God are a broken …ledge…irit; a broken and contrite heart, O …ledge…od, thou wilt not deſpiſe.
JOH. 6. 37. —Him that commeth unto me, I caſt …ledge…t away.
PSAL. 43. 5. Why art thou caſt downe, O my ſoule…redge… and why art thou diſquieted within me…redge… hope in God, for I ſhall yet praiſe him who is the health of my countenance, an…redge… my God.