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spirit_n	knowledge_n	understanding_n	wisdom_n	6,916	5	6.5948	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96951	The only sovereign salve for the wounded spirit: approved by the author in himself Delivered by him in several sermons after his recovery: and now, published for the glory of his most gracious restorer, and for the comfort and settlement of any afflicted soul, that doth, or may labour under that weighty burden. By Richard Wortley, minister of Christ in his church, in Edworth in Bedfordshire.	Wortley, Richard, d. 1680.	1661 (1661)	Wing W3642A; ESTC R231974	144,585	300

The Only SOVEREIGN SALVE FOR THE Wounded Spirit Approved by the Author in himself Delivered by him in several Sermons after his Recovery And now Published for the Glory of his most Gracious Restorer and for the Comfort and Settlement of any Afflicted Soul that doth or may labour under that weighty Burden By Richard Wortley Minister of Christ in his Church in Edworth in Bedfordshire This is a Faithful saying and worthy of all Acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief 1 Tim. 1. 15. LONDON Printed for J. Rothwel at the Fountain in Goldsmths Row in Cheapside 1661. To the Reader Courteous Reader ST Paul who had the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 7 40. having by and from that Spirit assured us 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. that all Scripture is given by Inspiration of God that it is profitable for Doctrine Reproof Correction Instruction that the man of God may be perfect through●● furnished unto all good works 〈…〉 16. That ●● Gospel is the power of God unto Salvatio●● 〈…〉 ●e that believeth ●pon the Spirit 's such assurance by him I do rely with ●●sidence And as in my soul I do believe the Scrip●●●es to be the very Word of God so as I boldly may 〈◊〉 ought taking he●d unto that sure Word of Pro●●ie 2 Pet. 1. 19. I do teach the Truths which there I ●● as Parts of that inspired powerful perfecting and ●very good work throughly-furnishing Word not ●ting to seek further or to wait for the revelation of ●● Truths not there set down lest I be found in the ●●mber of the blasphemous adders thereunto and so be●●e liable to that fearful punishment threatned against ●●h Rev. 22. 18. Moses and the Prophets are to be heard Lu. 16. 29 The Scriptures are to be searched John 5. 39. However sin● as the natural man cannot a●● 〈…〉 ●●ings wanting a spiritual eye to discern 〈…〉 ●evealed unto them 1 Cor. 2. 14. ●● the ●●generate though diligent hearers and searchers cannot clearly discern them unless revealed unto them Luke 24. 45. The Lord is pleased in such a measure as he sees fitting to give unto them the Spirit of wisdo● and revelation in the knowledge of him and to enlighten the eyes of their understandings Eph. 1. 17 18. and by the spirit of Truth to guid them into all needful Truths as he hath promised John 16. 13. This ordinary way of the Sp●rit of Truth 's enlightening to the glory of the same Spirit I speak it I have experimentally found in my soul from the time that with a total resignation I have given my self up to b●led by it Which further to encou●●● 〈…〉 a confident and chearful going on in the service of my Lord Christ in his Ministry hath late●● 〈◊〉 an extraordinary and not so usual a 〈…〉 most unworthy dust and ashes of so low 〈◊〉 ●●●●cention of my great God! been pleased not only to assure me That I have escaped the Corruption that is in the world through Lust 2 Pet. 1. 4. A blessed and most sweet assurance but likewise Clearly to manifest unto me The dangerous estate of the Natural man while such The manner of the great work of his Conversion To instruct me in the right understanding of many Scripture-truths relating thereunto To shew unto me and to all that are effectually called the path of life and by way of guiding of my steps to Heaven-ward secr●tly to say unto my soul this is the way walk in i● Isa 30. 21. Of which great Mercies with so●e other vouchsafed to him not worthy to be beloved not worthy to be minded this following Narration will more fully inform thee The Narration IN my younger years being bred up in the University and having taken a Degree there I was admitted into one of the Inns of Court Where having spent about two years Means now failing for my support and continuance in that course I was received into the Family of an Honourable Personage mine Employments being in the way of a Scholar as to write Letters to read Divinity to pen Sermons to pray with the Family in the Chaplains absence c. It pleased God so to dispose the heart of the Honourable Governour toward me that great secular preferments were endeavoured for me But none of them succeeding I was at length by Mandate from his then Majesty procured by the means of that Noble Personage replanted into my old Nursery a Fellow of a Colledge there I yearly payd mine acknowledgment by attendance where I had received so much Favour the good will and endeavour of worldly preferments for me still continuing One at last was freely offered unto me of such a nature as I most desired with visible almost certainties of great wealth and temporal advancement had it been accepted but Providence had otherwise disposed of me For when upon the offer my answer of acceptance was expected I was surprized with a sudden amazement and standing silent like a Statue had not one word to speak by way of acknowledgment of mine own unworthiness or of the greatness of the intended Favour much less to express my ready acceptance thereof and due thankfulness for it and so for some time continuing was dismissed for the present and within shorttime after became a stranger to those Relations Having after this as I esteemed it unhappy rejection spent some years in the Colledge vainly and idly enough God knows it was the Lords pleasure to transplant me into his Church abroad And having by a remarkable manuduction brought me unto the Living which I now hold he was pleased at my first en●rance by a great though not total distemper in the right use of my Reason to break and fit me in some measure for his Service there and to prepare the way for that great Work which he had to do many years after I could here tell thee how in that distemper God did set me before my self a●ter a strange manner presenting to my view my hainous sins to that time and shewing me how many deaths I had deserved by them But I have acknowledged and humbled my self for them unto him who hath graciously assured me of his Pardon Upon my recovery I had some good moti●ns and faint stirrings in my soul toward God and Goodness which so long I had forgotten and indeed flighted My first Subject which I handled was the broken heart Psal 51. 17. The way which I should have taken but neglecting it the work was not throughly wrought Though I proceeded so far as to a just restitution as near as I could call to mind where I had wronged any and I remember the f●ax beg●n to smoak in some weak dislike often sti●ring in my heart against those sins in which formerly I h●d liv●d and wherewith it was over-run and I began by degrees to break off from them I had now continued at my Living five or six years or more when I do not remember that the day before or

are united unto him abiding in him and he in us John 15. 4. There the soul is cleansed from sin and the new life of Grace is begun in it Col 2. 12. as to habit by the holy Spirit then ● B. D. in Col. given unto it Acts 2. 38 39. This Habit doth not act it cannot presently in Infants it doth not in any though baptized at ripeness of years until the Spirit which worketh where when and how it listeth John 3. 8. pleaseth to stir it up For which he takes his own time Luke 16. 17. Mat. 20. 1 3 5 6. It is then stirred up when being drawn by the Father we come unto Christ John 6. 44. Gods ordinary way of drawing is by teaching and instructing of man by the preaching of the Word John 6. 45. Rom. 10. 14. The Word Preached is the ordinary means to beget and stirre up Faith and all other Graces in the heart Rom. 10. 14 17. Faith stirred up begins to work by Love in an holy Life Gal. 5. 6. And when it thus works in any answering Gods call with a good Conscience 1 Pet 3. ●1 then is Christ actually received into the soul John 1. 12. then is it evident that he is effectually called 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7 8 10. That his Baptism was unto him a Laver of Regeneration and that then he was renewed by the Holy Ghost Tit. 3. 5. The Word preached however hath not this power in it self though delivered by one never so holy never so able never so zealous It is but the Instrument of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 8. Who by it Instructs the Understanding John 6. 45. Moves the Affection Acts 16. 14. Inclin●● the Will 2 Cor. 4. 7. Man propounds the Doctrine of Faith Rom. 10. 17. The Spirit stirs up the assent of the heart to embrace it Acts 16. 14. The Preaching of the Word then being Christ's only ordinary way to change the heart to stirre up Faith as also to encrease it and all other Graces 1 Pet. 2. 2. My Bowels cannot but yern over my poor Brethren throughout the Kingdom and I cannot but heartily pity be●oan and pray for the return unto Christ's Fold of those his wandring sheep those ●educed souls who being mi●led by blind Guids stumble in their waies from the ancient paths to walk in paths in a way not cast up Jer. 18. 15. Refusing to walk in the old paths where is the good way Jer. 6. 16. Forsaking the Fountain of living waters for broken Cisterns Jer. 2. 13. Leaving the healthful Pool John 5. 4. For stinking Sinks and Puddles Withdrawing from and slighting the Preaching of the Word and despising the lawful Ministers thereof ● As for their deceiving deceived Teachers 2 Tim. 3. 13. St. Paul shews Whose Ministers they are 2 Cor. 11. 15. What their Practise is v. 13. What their Aim Col. 2. 18. What their present Desert Gal. 5. 12. What without repentance their future Reward ● 2 Cor. 11. 15. When the lawful Ministers of Christ faithfully dispensing of the Mysteries and winning souls unto him shall shine as the stars for ever and ever Dan. 12. 3. Obs The Word Preached by a Lawful Minister is Christ's ordinary way for changing of the heart Texts Rom. 1. 15 16. The Gospel preached is the power of God unto Salvation to every one that beleeveth Heb. 4. 12. The Word of God preached v. 2. is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the Joynts and Marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Inst. Lydia hearing Paul preach the Lord opened her heart that she attended unto the things which were spoken by him Acts 16. 14. Three thousand were converted at Peter's Sermon Acts 2. 41. Reas 1. God hath appointed that it shall be so Isa 55. 11. 2. It is the only ordinary means to beget Faith in the soul Rom 10. 14 17. 3. It is the Instrument of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 8. 4. For the Glory of Gods Wisdom and Power in confounding the wise by foolish things mighty things by weak things things that are by the base and despised things of the world yea by things which are not 1 Cor. 1. 27. 28. Use 1. Wouldst thou be hired into the Vineyard Stand in the Market place Mat. 20. 3. Wouldst thou be cured Wait at the Pool Jo●n 5. 3. Attend upon the Means If God hath given thee to Christ thou shalt come unto him John 6. 37. but in his time and way 2. Pray unto God that the door of thy heart may be opened otherwise the door of utterance opened to the Minister will be in vain Col. 4. 3. 3. Barrenness under the Means is dangerous Heb. 6. 7. 4. Slight not Preaching God is pleased by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe 1 Cor. 1. 21. 5. They who will not hear Moses and the Prophets will not be perswaded though one rose from the dead Luke 16. 31. 6. Account the Feet of them that preach the Gospel of Peace beautiful Rom. 10. 15. Esteem them very highly in love for their works sake 1 Thes 5. 13. 7. They that despise them despise Christ and God himself Luke 10. 16. Resol I am but thy earthen Vessel the excellency of the Power is of thee O God I will as my duty is present thy Treasures unto thy people not handling thy Word decei●fully but by manifestation of the truth commend my self unto every ones Conscience in thy sight 2 Cor. 4. 2 7. Of whom is all my sufficiency 2 Cor. 3. 5. Ejac. O let thy holy Spirit work in me mightily that with all Faithfulness preaching Christ the hope of Glory I may labour and strive according to his working to warn those whom thou hast entrusted me with and to teach them in all wisdom that I may present them perfect in Christ Jesus Col. 2. ●8 29. Paral. The Vision in General Obs Heavenly Visions are to be observed OUR Lord Christ when he lived upon the earth his constant way of teaching was by Parables Mat. 13. 34. This way before his In●arnation he frequently used Numb 12. 6. In Dreams and Visions of the night and now still he useth it though not so commonly Acts. 2. 17. For a Vision is nothing else but a Parable or certain visible words in an Emblematical way represented before the eye of the mind when the outward senses are bound up with sleep It is an acting of that before the eye of the soul for its clearer Information and that it may there take the deeper impression which spoken to the ●ar awake would not so much be minded and attended unto by reason of the multiplicity of diverting cares business passions c. A Parable in it self being only the first part of a similitude is aenigmatical and dark but add the Interpretation it is plain to an easie capacity Of Visions there are three sorts Natural usually arising

a carnal carking crafty solicitous wisdom Or as St. James sets it down Jam. 3. 15. It is an earthly sensual devilish wisdom But ours must be of another temper and otherwise qualified it must be pure peaceable gentle easie to be entreated full of Mercy full of good fruits without partiality without hypocrisie Such is the true wisdom that descendeth from above Such let us labour to attain Motives Our Lord Christ exhorts us earnestly to get it Prov. 4. 5. It is worth our having being of inestimable value Prov 3. 15. It is a main Part of Gods Image Col. 3. 10. Without it we walk in darkness Prov. 4. 19. It never comes empty handed but brings with it long life wealth honour Prov 3. 16. It preserves a man and keeps him from evil Prov. 2. 11 12. It is rewarded with a Glorious Inheritance Prov. 3. Ult. If these have any power with us we will with all diligence seek after it Means The Means to attain it are To disclaim our own wisdom We must become Fools that we may be wise 1 Cor. 3. 18. To submet our selves to the Instruction of Christ our great Counseller Isa 9. 6. In whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Col. 2. 3. To submit our selves to the guidance of his Spirit which he hath promised shall teach us all things John 14. 26. To ask it by fervent Prayer of God who gives it liberally Jam. 1. 5. Being furnished with this we shall be the better able to decline the folly of sin which otherwise even the best of Gods people are subject unto which is The second Branch of the Point viz. Branch 2. That Gods own people may be and are too often overtaken with and fall into the folly of sin Where 1. Of their Relation and Character 2. Of their Weakness Partic. 1. Their Relation is set down in those words his People But are not all men the Lords People by right of Creation of Conservation Have they not their Being from him And doth not he support them in that their Being They are and have Yea the Jews were the Lords People by Choyce out of all Nations Deut. 4. 2. By many extraordinary Priviledges Rom. 9. 4 5. Which were denied to all other Pople Psal 147. 20. Yet beyond all this there is a certain number of people whom the Lord owns in a more special manner in whom he hath a special and peculiar Propriety They shall be mine Mal 3. 17. Thine they are John 17. 9. These they are so the Lords People as they are exclusively his excludi●g all others whom in this Relation the Lord takes notic● of All are his people as they are his Creatures The Jews were his People as they were his Subjects But these are his People in the greatest nearness that can be as Friends as Sons as Members as Partakers of his Divine Nature Pet. 1. 4. Now this his special propriety and owning of them the Lord is pleased by certain Titles and Favours of extraordinary love toward them to manifest in his Word They are called His hidden ones Psal 83. 3. His known ones 2 Tim. 2. 19. His peculiar people Tit. 2. 14. His peculiar Treasure Psal 35. 4. His J●wels Mal. 3. 17. A people near unto him Psal 1●8 14. His beloved ones Col. 3. 12. His accepted chosen predestinated adopted ones Eph. 1. 4 5. For whom he reserves a Kingdom Luke 12. 32. But how shall it be known who these are The Psalmist gives us here in the Text an infallible Character of them they are the Saints his people and his Saints The word Saint signifies holy There is an holiness by Faith and an holiness by Obedience By Faith Saints and faithful Brethren Col. 1. 2. By Obedience Psal 50. 5. Gather my Saints together that have made a Covenant with me by Sacrifice by the Sacrifice of themselves and their Wills to me in their obedience which is better then all Sacrifices 1 Sam. 22. 10. That give up themselves souls and bodies as a living Sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God in their reasonable Service of him Rom. 12. 1. These two must go together and indeed they cannot well be parted the one being as the eye of the Soul the other as the hand In vain doth the eye direct where there is not an hand to work and as vain is it for the hand to set it self to work without an eye to direct Obedience without Faith is blind and Faith without Obedience is dead but joyn them together and that man that is thus holy truly faithful and truly obedient he is the true Saint and the Lord owns such and only such for his people Use 1. For a man then to be baptized and to make an outward Profession of the Faith of Christ this is not enough to make him a true Saint It is true St. Paul by his own example in Col. 1. 2. hath taught us to judge of all that are baptized and do make an outward Profession of the Faith to judge and hope of them according to the Rule of Charity and unless their notorious wicked lives do manifest the contrary to esteem them to be Saints Notwithstanding without all question many thou ands are baptized and are Christians by Profession who are far from being Saints and ever shall be Neither is it enough to make a true Saint for a man by vow to dedicate and give up himself to the Service of God as all do in their Baptism For are there not many sacrilegious wretches who though they have so done yet rob God of what by vow they have given unto him treacherously deserting of him and giving themselves up to the service of the Devil the World and their own corrupt Flesh Neither doth a man presently become a Saint assoon as he is admitted a Member of a Gathered Church As to their sincerity they may still be Hypocrites and as to holiness of life the practises of some of them after their immembring have been so abominable as I have been certainly informed by those whom I dare believe that that Proverb may well be taken up against them There are but few Saints in the Church when the Devil carries the Holy Water Much less is it enough to make a true Saint to be Canonized at Rome and have a day assigned in the Calendar Doubtless there are many in their Register whom the Lord will never number amongst his Saints No it is only true Faith and true Obedience that makes a true Saint Use 2. Are the Saints the Lords people Here let us take notice of that high dignity and those extraordinary priviledges to which the Saints are advanced and admitted They are the Lords people he owns them as his peculiar treasure and by such his owning they are interessed in all the Blessings all the Promises contained in the Word temporal spiritual eternal Their Priviledges are so many they cannot be numbred so precious they cannot be sufficiently valued Take a few by

them through Christ in the Gospel Of these two Offerers or Givers of Peace mention is made John 14. ●7 Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you God giveth Peace the world giveth peace The world gives it freely God upon terms and conditions Whether of these two now are the Lords people to hear Flesh saies the World that stands not upon terms and reservations that ties not to any conditions of bewayling confessing hating resolving applying here needs no breaking or rending of the heart or changing of the mind the dear price which they must pay who have their peace from God But the Spirit sayes beware take heed how you listen to the World heark●n unto God the Lord and to him alone For he is God the Lord and ye are his people he speaks peace and he speaks peace unto his people and Saints In which words are couched and contained a threefold reason why in speaking of peace the Lords people and Saints are to hear him and him alone 1. Because he is God the Lord and they are his People He loves them he knows and pities the sad condition the wounded Spirit is in and is alone able to help it 2. Because he will most certainly speak peace unto the soul He will assure it that he is at peace with it 3. Because he speaks peace that which the soul shall find to be truly such He neither gives what the world gives nor as the world gives 1. The first Reason is taken from that near relation between God and his People and from those two titles God the Lord and so it is taken from his Power his Knowledge his Love He is the Lord and therefore able to cure the wounded Spirit He is a Lord of great power such that as he can work by weak means by contrary means so without means He can create peace for the unsetled soul Isa 45 7. He can make it of nothing and indeed so he doth there being no prepared prejacent matter in the soul out of which it should be pr●duced He is God he knows the soul in i●s adversity Psal 31. 7. He it is who wounded it and therefore knows the anguish and danger of its wounds what remedy is fittest for it and when and how it is to be applyed And the Saints though in this sad condition yet are his people whom he loves Col. 3. 12. Towards whom he is tender-hearted very pitiful and of tender Mercy Jam. 5. 11. He pitieth those that fear him as a Father pitieth his Children Psal 103. 13. And therefore as he is able and skilful so he is most ready and willing to help them to settle them to cure their wounds The World is a Physition of no value a meer Empyrick a bold Mountebank that neither is able to compose any Soveraign Remedy nor knows how to apply it being altogether ignorant of the state of the soul in its distress Beside the Lords people and Saints are most hateful unto it Jo. 15. 19. And shall they believe that their deadly enemy if it were able and had skill would be willing to settle and recover them 2. The second Reason why in speaking peace the Lord alone is to be heard is taken from that assurance which the Lord rayseth in the soul that he is at peace with it For he speaks peace to it He makes the soul as strongly perswaded of peace and as confidently to build upon it as if it heard the Lord himself speak it immediatly from Heaven The Grounds whereon this assurance is built in the soul are His Decree which is stable unchangeable Heb. 6. 17. His Promise which is Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. His Oath which he will not break Heb. 6. 17. His Hand for it in his written Word which he will not deny Rom. 15. 4. His Seal to it his Spirit which he cannot but own ● Cor. 1. 22. His Delivery of this Assurance which he will not revoke John 14. 27. The Witness to all this his Spirit which cannot lye Rom. 8. 18. Thus the Lord speaks peace unto the Soul by thus assuring of it that he is no more an enemy or a stranger unto it which must needs settle it and fill it with strong Consolation Heb. 6. 18 When the World can afford to the unsetled and wounded Spirit such grounds of assurance of Peace and Settlement it may then hope the Lords people may be perswaded to hearken unto it till then it may forbear its frank but empty Tenders 3. The Third Reason is taken from the quality of that Peace which the Lord speaks to the Soul He speaks unto it which is truly such being 1. A solid Peace 2. A satisfying Peace Peace fourfold 3. A Fortifying Peace 4. A lasting Peace 1. It is a solid Peace grounded upon Christ who is our peace Eph 2 14. Who hath made peace for us and reconciled us unto his Father Col. 1. 20. Having purchased peace for us at a dear ra●e by the bloud of his Cross being wounded for our Transgressions the chas●●sement of our peace being upon him and he healing our wounds by his stripes Isa 53. 5. He is both our propit●ation and our advocate for peace unto his Father 1 John 2. 1 2. My Peace I give unto you John 14. Well may he call it his which he hath bought so dear The greatness of the Price speaks the Truth and Solidness of the Peace It is Christ's Peace dearly bought His Father gives it at his request it is the peace of God Phil. 4. 7. And from him proceeds nothing but what is true real and solid The Peace which from it the world would have the soul to accept of it deserves not the name of peace being but a light flash but a shadow of Peace The World cries Peace where there is none Jer. 6. 14. And so if its tender might be accepted would it heal the hurt of Gods People slightly And indeed what more is to be exp●ct●d from the World when it hath but one Receipt or Remedy consisting of three Ingredients which like a bold unskilful Empyrick it applyes to every M●lady What these Ingredients are St. John tells us 1 John 2. 16. All that is in the World are the Lusts of the flesh or Pleasures the Lust of the eyes or Wealth the Pride of life or Honour And alas What can these do to the recovery of a wounded Spirit which cannot prevent or remove a disease from the body or in the least measure abate its Pain The Vermin seized upon Herod and devoured him alive though a great King who had Wealth and Pleasure at his Command Acts ●2 23. 2. The peace which God speaks unto the wounded Spirit it is a satisfying peace Upon the speaking of this the before-disturbed soul returns unto its rest and settlement It hath now its desire it was wounded with the apprehension of losse and fear of wrath and its