A Sovereign Cordial, Title page – Dedication
Aqua Coelestis: OR, A SOVERAIGNE CORDIAL, Extracted from the Sufficiency of Divine Grace, AND Strength made perfect in Weaknesse.
Serving to bear up a drooping Spirit under the saddest and sorest Conflicts.
By JOHN BRINSLEY, Minister of the Gospel in the Town of Great Yarmouth.
PROV. 31.6.
Give strong drink to him that is ready to perish, and Wine to those that be of heavy hearts.
LONDON, Printed for George Sawbridge, at the Signe of the Bible on Ludgate Hill. 1663.
To all that love The Lord JESUS CHRIST in Sincerity, Within the Town of Great YARMOUTH, Grace and Peace.
(Much esteemed in the Lord)
IT is the Character which we find given of Joses, Acts 4.36. that he was the Son of Consolation, upon which account he was by the Apostles sirnamed Barnabas, a word importing the same thing. A title of Honour given unto him, not onelyonly for his liberality, wherewith he was ready to comfort needy Christians, but probably, and chiefly, for his eminent abilities, which either he then had, or *Apostoli ei boc nomen dederant in omen doni Prophetici. Grot. Anotat. in loc.should have; in comforting afflicted consciences, to whom also (being a Levite, a Minister) he was ready, as occasion was, in his teaching to minister a word of Consolation. And such all the Ministers of Christ either are, or ought to be; as Boanerges's (a sirname given by our Saviour to the two Sons of Zebedee, two of his Apostles, James and John his Brother, Mark 3.17.) Sons of thunder, preaching powerfully and vehemently, thundring out the threatnings of the Law against the transgressors of it; So Barnabas's, Sons of Consolation, able and ready to speak comfort to whom comfort belongeth, which is one, and a chief part of their office to do. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God; Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, &c. (a Speech directed in special to the Prophets of God) Isa. 40.1, 2. And such a one it hath been my desire and indeavour in my Ministerial service amongst you, to approve my self unto God and you: And my desire yet is, that I might be further serviceable to you in the same way. To which end, having revised what was divers years since held forth to some of you from the Pulpit, Anno 1646.and finding it a very sweet and useful Subject, I do here (not without some Alterations and Additions) present it to your view. I have entitled it Aqua Coelestis, a Cordial Water, distilled and dropped from Heaven, issuing out of the Mouth of him, who is (as the Apostle stileth him, Rom. 15.5.) foreign. The God of Consolation. And I have withal intimated unto you for what end it properly serveth, viz. to bear up drooping Spirits under the saddest and sorest Conflicts. And such use I shall advise and desire you, who finde your selves to stand in need of such a Cordial, to make of it. Conflicts, in some kind or other, you must make account to meet with. And your spirits being in themselves weak, you will have need of somewhat to support them. Which not finding upon earth, your onelyonly way is to look up to heaven for it. Now from thence you cannot expect ought that may be useful to you in this way, but what is held forth to you in this one word, Grace. To this it is that you owe what ever you have, or are; and upon this you depend for whatever you hope for. By this it is that you were, before you were, Elected, and afterwards Redeemed. By this it is that you are Justified, Adopted, and made accepted in the beloved. By this it is that you are Sanctified here, and shall be Glorified hereafter; all being streams flowing from this one fountain, issues of grace (as you have it fully declared by the Apostle in that one Chapter, Eph. 1.) And by the help and assistance of this it is that you must be supported in your journey to heaven, and carried on through the whole course of your Active and Passive obedience. Which being of such an universal concernment for your Spiritual and Eternal Welfare, my desire is, that your eyes may ever be fixed upon it, so as making sure your interest in it, you may upon all occasious have recourse unto it for the supply of your wants; bringing your Pitchers to the Well (as that Woman of Samaria did hers to Jacobs, Joh. 4.7.) and leaving them there (as she did hers, v. 28.) which whilest you do, be you comfortably assured, that, being empty vessels (as hers was) they shall be filled. Being sensible of your own wants and weaknesses, Come, and Come boldly (as the Apostle directs and exhorts, Heb. 4. ult.) to the throne of Grace, that you may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in the time of need. Which whilest you do in the name of Jesus Christ, by whom you have accesse by faith unto this grace wherein you stand (as Paul tells his Romans, Rom. 5.2.) Now doubt not of receiving that Spirit of grace (which God, your heavenly Father is more ready to give to those that ask him, then earthly Parents are to give good gifts unto their children (as your Saviour assures you. Luke 11.13.) for the supporting and strengthening of you; so as by the assistance thereof you shall be inabled, not onelyonly to stand, but to walk on in your way (as Elias did in his for forty dayes together, after he had taken that little viaticum, that small repast which the Angel had directed him to do, 1 King. 19.8.) going from strength to strength, until you shall come to appear before your God in Sion, until Grace, being perfected, shall be swallowed up of glory. Which that you may do, and find, as it hath been, so it is, and shall be, the incessant Prayer of
Great Yarmouth Anno 1663. M. 1. D. 1. Your still and ever devoted Servant in the Lord JOHN BRINSLEY.