fall a weeping a whining a complaining a repining a murmuring as if they were utterly undone and yet a well of water a well of comfort a well of refreshment a well of deliverance is near and their case no waies so sad nor so bad as they imagine it to beâ— Thirdly The greater thy afflictions are the nearer is deliverance to thee when these waters rise high then salvation comes upon the wing when thy troubles are very great then mercy will ride Scripture and History speaks fully to this head post to deliver thee Deut. 32. 36. For the Lord shall judge his people and repent himself for his servants when hee seeth that their power or hand is gone and there is none shut up and left Israel of old and England of late years hath often experienced this truth Wine was nearest Joh. 2. 1 2 3. when the water-pots were filled with water up to the brim So oftentimes mercy is nearest deliverance is nearest when our afflictions are at the highest when a Christian is brim-full of troubles then the wine of consolation is at hand therefore hold thy peace murmure not but sit silent before the Lord. Fourthly They are not great if compared to the glory that shall bee revealed Rom. 8. 18. For I 2 Cor. 4. 16 17 18 reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to bee compared with the glory that shall bee revealed in us or upon us The Apostle upon casting up of his accounts concludes that all the pains chains troubles trials and torments that they met with in this world was not to bee put in the ballance with the glory of Heaven As the Globe of the Earth which after the Mathematicians account is many thousands of miles in compass yet being compared unto the greatness of the starry skies circumference is but a center or a little prick So the troubles afflictions and sorrows of this life in respect of eternal happiness and blessedness are to bee reputed as nothing they are but as the prick of a pin to the starry Heavens they that have heard most of the glory of Heaven have not heard one quarter of that which the Saints shall finde there that glory is unconceivable and unexpressable Augustine in one of his Epistles hath this relation that the very same day wherein Jerome died hee was in his study and had got Pen Ink and Paper to write something of the glory of Heaven to Jerome and suddenly hee saw a light breaking into his study and a sweet smell that came unto him and this voice hee thought hee heard O Augustine what doest thou dost thou think to put the Sea into a liâ—tle vessel when the Heavens shall cease from their continual motion then shalt thou bee able to understand what the glory of Heaven is and not before except you come to feel it as now I do Nicephorus speaks of one Agbarus Eccles Hist a great man that hearing so much of Christs fame by reason of the miracles hee wrought sent a Painter to take his picture and that the Painter when hee came was not able to do it because of that radiancy and divine splendor which sate on Christs face such is the splendor the brightness the glory the happiness and blessedness that is reserved for the Saints in Heaven that had I all the tongues of men on earth and all the excellencies of the Angels in Heaven yet should I not bee able to conceive nor to express that vision of glory to you it is best hastning thither that wee may feel and enjoy that which wee shall never bee able to declare Fifthly They are not great if compared with the afflictions and torments of such of the damned who when they were in this world 1 Pet. 3. 18 19 20 Jude 6 7. Mat. 10. 15. â—h 11. 23 24 never sinned at so high a rate as thou hast done Doubtless there are many now in Hell who never sinned against such clear light as thou hast done nor against such special love as thou hast done nor against such choice means as thou hast done nor against such precious mercies as thou hast done nor against such singular remedies as Isa 33. 14 The fire in hell is like that stone in Arcadia which being once kindled could not be quenched thou hast done certainly there are many now a roaring in everlasting burnings who never sinned against such deep convictions of conscience as thou hast done nor against such close and strong reasonings of the Spirit as thou hast done nor against such free offers of mercy and rich tenders of grace as thou hast done nor against such sweet wooings and multiplied intreaties of a bleeding dying Saviour as thou hast done therefore hold thy peace What are thy afflictions thy torments to the torments of the damned whose torments are numberless easeless remediless and endless whose pains are without intermission or mitigation who have weeping served in for the first course and gnashing of teeth for the second and the gnawing worm for the third and intollerable pain for the fourth yet the pain of the body is but the body of pain the very soul of sorrow and pain is the souls sorrow and pain and an everlasting alienation and separation from God for the fifth Ah Christian how canst thou seriously think on these things and not lay thy hand upon thy mouth when thou art under the greatest sufferings thy sins have been far greater than many of theirs and thy greatest afflictions are but a flea-bite to theirs therefore bee silent before the Lord. Sixthly and lastly If thy afflictions are so great then what madness and folly will it bee for thee to make them greater by murmuring every act of murmuring will but add load unto load 1 Cor. 10. 10. and burden to burden The Israelites under great afflictions fell a murmuring and their murmuring proved their utter ruine as you may see in that Numb 14. Murmuâ—ing will but put God upon heating the furnace seven times hotter therefore hold thy peace But of this I have spoken sufficiently already Object 6. Oh! But my afflictions are greater than other mens afflictions are and how then can I bee silent Oh! there is no affliction to my affliction how can I hold my peace I answer First It may bee thy sins are greater than other mens Jer. 3. 6 12 sins if thou hast sinned against more light more love more mercies more experiences more promises than others no wonder if thy afflictions are greater than others if this bee thy case thou hast more cause to bee mute than to murmure and certainly if thou dost but seriously look into the black book of thy conscience thou wilt finde greater sins there than any thou canst charge upon any person or persons on earth if thou shouldest not I think thou wouldest justly incur the censure which that sowre Philosopher past upon Grammarians viz. That they Diogenes apud Laertium l. 6
put off the motions of his Spirit the directions of his word the offers of his grace the entreaties of his Son and therefore what can be more just than that God should delay thee for a time and put thee off for a season who hast delaied him and put off him daies without number if God serves thee as thou hast often served him thou hast no reason to complain But Seventhly and lastly The Lord delaies his people that Heaven may be the more sweet to them at last here they meet with many delaies and with many put offs but in Heaven they shall never meet with one put off with one delay here many times they call and cry and can get no answer Lam. 3. 8 44 here they knock and bounce and yet the door of grace and mercy opens not to them but in Heaven they shall have mercy at the first word at the first knock there whatever heart can wish shall without delay be enjoyed here God seems to say sometimes souls you have mistaken the door or I am not at leasure or others must be served before you or come some other time c. But in Heaven God is alwaies at leasure and all the sweetness and blessedness and happiness of that state presents it self every hour to the soul there God hath never God will never say to any of his Saints in Heaven come to morrow such language the Saints sometimes hear here but such language is no waies suitable to a glorified condition and therefore seeing that the Lord never delaies his people but upon great and weighty accounts let his people bee silent before him let them not mutter nor murmure but be mute And so I have done with the Objections I shall come now in the last place to propound some helps and directions that may contribute to the silencing and stilling of your souls under the greatest afflictions the sharpest trials and the saddest providences that you meet with in this world and so close up this discourse First All the afflictions that come upon the Saints they are the Prov. 3. 12 Jer. 9. 7 fruits of divine love Rev. 3. 19. As many as I love I rebuke and chasten bee zealous therefore and repent Heb. 12. 6. For whom the Lord loveth hee chasteneth and scourgeth every Son whom hee receiveth Job 5. 17. Behold happy is the man whom God correcteth therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty ch 7. 17 18. What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him And that thou shouldest visit him every morning and try him every moment Isa 48. 10. Behold I have refined thee but not with silver I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction When Munster lay sick and his friends asked him how hee did and how hee felt himself hee pointed to his sores and ulcers whereof hee was full and said these are Gods Gems and Jewels wherewith hee decketh his best friends and to mee they are more precious than all the gold and silver in the world A Gentleman highly prizes his Hawk hee feeds her with his own hand hee carries her upon his fist hee takes a great deal of delight and pleasure in her and therefore hee puts vervells upon her leggs and a hood upon her head hee hood-winks her and fetters her because hee loves her and takes delight in her So the Lord by afflictions hood-winks and fetters his children but all is because hee loves them and takes delight and pleasure in them there cannot be a greater evidence of Gods hatred and wrath than his Hos 4. 14. 19 Ezek. 16. 42 Isa 1. 5 Nihil est infaelicius â—o cui nil unquam contigit adversi Seneca refusing to correct men for their sinful courses and vanities why should you bee smitten any more you will revolt more and more where God refuses to correct there God resolves to destroy there is no man so near the Axe so near the flames so near Hell as hee whom God will not so much as spend a Rod upon God is most angry where hee shews no anger Jerome writing to a sick friend hath this expression I account it a part of unhappiness not to know adversity I judge you to bee miserable because you have not been miserable nothing saith another Demetrius seems more unhappy to mee than hee to whom no adversity hath hapned God afflicts thee O Christian in love and therefore Luther cries out strike Lord strike Lord and spare not who can seriously muse upon this and not hold his peace and not bee silent under the most smarting Rod Secondly Consider that the trials and troubles the calamities and miseries the crosses and losses that you meet with in this world is all the Hell that ever you shall have here you have your Hell hereafter you shall have your Heaven this is the worst of your condition the best is to come Lazarus had his Hell first his Heaven Luke 16. 19 29 last but Dives had his Heaven first and his Hell at last thou hast all thy pains and pangs and throws here that ever thou shalt have thy ease and rest and pleasure is to come here you have all your bitter your sweet is to come here you have your sorrows your joyes are to come here you have all your winter nights your summer daies are to come here you have your passion week your Ascension day is to come here you have your evil things your good things are to come death will put a period to all thy sins and to all thy sufferings and it will bee an inlet to those joyes delights and contents that shall never have end and therefore hold thy peace and be silent before the Lord. Thirdly Get an assurance that Christ is yours and pardon of sin See my Treatise called Heaven on Earth yours and divine favour yours and Heaven yours and the sense of this will exceedingly quiet and silence the soul under the sorest and the sharpest trials a Christian can meet with in this world hee that is assured that God is his portion wil never mutter nor murmure under his greatest burdens hee that can groundedly say nothing shall separate mee from the love of God in Christ hee will be able to triumph in the midst of the greatest Rom. 8. 33 ult Cant. 2. 16 tribulations hee that with the Spouse can say My Beloved is mine and I am his will bear up quietly and sweetly under the heaviest afflictions In the time of the Marian Act. Mon. Persecution there was a gracious woman who being convened before bloody Bonner then Bishop So John Noyes Alice Driver Mr. Bradford Mr. Taylor and Justin Martyr with many more of London upon the trial of Religion hee threatned her that hee would take away her husband from her saith shee Christ is my husband I will take away thy childe Christ saith shee is better to mee than ten Sons I will
cease or as the Hebrew hath it let not the daughters of thine eye bee silent that which wee call the ball or apple of the eye the Hebrews call the daughter of the eye because it is as dear and tender to a man as an onely daughter and because therein appears the likenesse of a little daughter Upon which words saith Bellarmine Clames assidue ad Deum non lingua sed oculis non verbis sed lachrymis ista enim est oratio quae placare solet Cry aloud not with thy tongue but with thine eyes not with thy words but with thy tears for that is the prayer that maketh the most forcible entry into the ears of the great God of Heaven When God strikes hee looks that wee should tremble when his hand is lifted high hee looks that our hearts should stoop low when hee hath the rod in his hand hee looks that wee should have tears in our eyes as you may see by comparing of these Scriptures together Psal 55. 2. Psal 38. 6. Job 30. 26 32. Good men weep easily saith the Greek Poet and the better any are the more enclining to weeping especially under affliction As you may see in David whose tears instead of Gemms were the common ornaments of his bed Jonathan Job Ezra Daniel c. How saith one shall God wipe away my tears in Heaven if I shed none on earth and how shall I reap in joy if I low not in tears I was both with tears and I shall die with tears and why then should I live without them in this valley of tears There is as well a time to weep as there is a time to laugh and a time to mourn as well as a time to dance Eccles 3. 4. The mourning garment among the Jews was the black garment and the black garment was the mourning garment Psal 43. 2. Why go yee in mourning the Hebrew word kadar signifies black why go yee in black sometimes Christians must put off their gay ornaments and put on their black their mourning garments Exod. 33. 3 4 5 6. But Sixthly A gracious a prudent Silence doth not exclude sighing You may see much of this by comparing the following Scripturâ—â— Lam. 1. 4. 11 21 22. Psal 31. 10 Jer. 45. 3 Exod. 2. 24 Job 23. 2 Psal 6. 6 groaning or roarings under affliction A man may sigh and groan and roar under the hand of God and yet bee silent it is not sighing but muttering it is not groaning but grumbling it is not roaring but murmuring that is opposite to a holy Silence Exod. 2. 23. And the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage Job 3. 24. For my sighing cometh before I eat or as the Hebrew hath it before my meat his sighing like bad weather came unsent for and unsought for Psal 38. 9. Lord all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee Psal 102. 5. By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin Job 3. 24. And my roarings are poured out like the waters Psal 38. 8. I am feeble and sore broken I have roared by reason of the disquietnesse of my heart Psal 22. 1. My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee why art thou so far from helping mee and from the words of my roaring Psal 32. 3. When I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roarings all the day long Hee roars but doth not rage hee roars but doth not repine when a man is in extremity nature prompts him to roar and the law of grace is not against it and though sighing groaning roaring cannot deliver a man out of his misery yet they do give some ease to a man under his misery When Solon wept for his sons death one said to him weeping will not help hee answered Alass therefore do I weep because weeping will not help So a Christian many times sighs because sighing will not help and hee groans because groaning will not help and hee roars because roaring will not help Sometimes the sorrows of the Saints are so great that all tears are dried up and they can get no ease by weeping and therefore for a little ease they fall a sighing and groaning and this may bee done and yet the heart may bee quiet and silent before the Lord. Peter wept and snob'd and yet was silent Sometimes the sighs groans of a Saint do in some sort tell that which his tongue can in no sort utter But Seventhly A holy a prudent Silence doth not exclude nor shut 2 King 5. 10 14 Mat. 4. 6 7. ch 22. 4 5 8 Luk. 14. 16 24 Act. 27. 24 25 31 out the use of any just or lawful means whereby persons may bee delivered out of their afflictions God would not have his people so in love with their afflictions as not to use such righteous means as may deliver them out of their afflictions Mat. 10. 23. But when they persecute you in this City flee yee into another Act. 12. When Peter was in prison the Saints thronged together to pray as the original hath it vers 12. and they were so instant and earnest with God in prayer they did so beseech and besiedge the Lord they did so beg and bounce at Heavens gate vers 5. that God could have no rest till by many miracles of power and mercy hee had returned Peter as a bosome-favour to them Act. 9. 23 24 25. And after that many daies were fulfilled the Jews took counsel to kill him But their laying await was known of Saul and they watched the gates day and night to kill him Then the Disciples took him by night and let him down by the wall in a basket The blood of the Saints is precious in Gods eye and it should not bee vile in their own eyes When providence opens a door of escape there is no reason why the Saints should set themselves as marks and buâ—s for their enemies to shoot at 2 Thes 3. 1 2. The Apostles desire the Brethren to pray for them that they may bee delivered from unreasonable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absurd and wicked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 villainous men for all men have not faith It is a mercy worth a seeking to bee delivered out of the hands of absurd villainous and troublesome men Afflictions are evil in themselves and wee may desire and endeavour to bee delivered from them James 5. 14 15. Isa 38 18 19 20 21. both inward and outward means are to bee used for our own preservation Had not Noah built an Ark hee had been swept away with the flood though hee had been with Nimrod and his crew on the Tower of Babel which was Heylin Cosm l. 3 raised to the height of one thousand five hundred forty six pâ—ces as Heylin reports Though we may not trust in means yet wee may and ought to use the means in the use of them eye that God that can onely bless them and you do your work
bee mute and silent under their afflictions is this because it is ten thousand times a greater judgement and affliction to bee given up to a fretful spirit a froward spirit a muttering or murmuring spirit under an affliction than it is to bee afflicted This is both the Devils sin and the Devils punishment God is still afflicting crossing and vexing of him and hee is still a fretting repining vexing and rising up against God no sin to the Devils sin no punishment to the Devils punishment A man were better to have all the afflictions of all the afflicted throughout the world at once upon him than to be given up to a froward spirit to a muttering murmuring heart under the least affliction When thou seest a soul fretting vexing and stamping under the mighty hand of God thou seest one of Satans first-born one that resembles him to Irenâ—us calleth such or a Diaboli the Devils mouth the life no childe can bee so much like the Father as this froward soul is like to the Father of lies though hee hath been in chains almost this six thousand years yet hee hath 1 Pet. 5. 8 never lain still one day nor one night no not one hour in all this time but is still a fretting vexing tossing and tumbling in his chains like a princely Bedlam â—ee is a Lion not a Lamb a roaring Lion not a sleepy Lion not a Lion standing still but a Lion going up and down hee is not satisfied with the prey hee hath got but is restless in his designs to fill hell with souls Hee never wants an Apple for an Eve nor a Grape for a Noah nor a change of rayment for a Gehezi nor a wedge of gold for an Achan nor a Crown for an Absolom nor a bagg for a Judas nor a world for a Demas if you look into one company there you shall finde Satan a dishing out his meat to every palate if you look into another company there you shall finde him a fitting a last to every shooe if you look into a third company there you shall finde him a suiting a garment to every back hee is under wrath and cannot but bee restless Here with Jael hee allures poor souls in with milk and murders them with a nail there with Joaâ— hee embraces with one hand and stabs with another here with Judas hee kisses and betraies and there with the Whore of Babylon hee presents a golden cup with poison in it hee cannot bee quiet though his bolts bee alwaies on and the more unquiet any are under the rebukes of God the more such resemble Satan to the life whose whole life is filled up with vexing and fretting against the Lord. Let not any think saith Luther that the Devil is now dead no nor yet asleep for as hee that keepeth Israel so hee that hateth Israel never slumbereth nor sleepeth But in the next place Reas 5. A fifth reason why gracious souls should bee mute and silent under the greatest afflictions and sharpest trials that do befall them is this because a holy a prudent silence under afflictions under miseries doth best capacitate and fit the afflicted for the receit of mercies When the rolling bottle lies still you may pour into it your sweetest or your strongest waters when the rolling tumbling soul lies still then God can best pour into it the sweet waters of mercy and the strong waters of divine consolation You read of the peaceable fruits of righteousness Heb. 12. 11. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to bee joyous but grievous nevertheless afterwards it yeeldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby Jam. 3. 18. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace The still and quiet soul is like a Ship that lies still and quiet in the harbour you may take in what goods what commodities you please whilest the Ship lies quiet and still So when the The Angels are most quiet and stâ—ll and they take in most of God of Christ of Heaven soul is quiet and still under the hand of God it is most fitted and advantaged to take in much of God of Christ of Heaven of the Promises of Ordinances and of the Love of God the Smiles of God the Communications of God and the counsel of God but when souls are unquiet they are like a Ship in a storm they can take in nothing Luther speaking of God saith God doth not dwell in Babylon but in Salem Babylon signifies confusion and Salem signifies peace now God dwells not in spirits that are unquiet and in confusion but hee dwells in peaceable and quiet spirits Unquiet spirits can take in neither counsel nor comfort grace nor peace c. Psal 77. 2. My soul refused to bee comforted The Impatient Patient will take down no cordials hee hath no eye to see nor hand to take nor palate to rellish nor stomach to digest any thing that makes for his health and welfare when the man is sick and froward nothing will down the sweetest musick can make no melody in his ears Exod. 6. 6 7 8 9. Wherefore say unto the children of Israel I am the Lord and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians and I will rid you out of their bondage and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm and with great judgement And I will take you to mee for a people and I will bee to you a God and yee shall know that â— am the Lord your God which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians And I will bring you in unto the Land concerning the which â— did swear to give it to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob and â— will give it you for an heritage I am the Lord. The choicest cordials and comforts that Heaven or Earth could afford are here held forth to them but they have no hand to receive them Here Moses his lips drops hony-combs but they can taste no sweetness in them here the best of Earth and the best of Heaven is set before them but their souls are shut up and nothing will down here is such ravishing musick of paradise as might abundantly delight their hearts and please their ears but they cannot hear here are soul-enlivening soul-supporting soul-strengthening soul-comforting soul-raising and soul-refreshing words but they cannot hearken to them v. 9. And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit and for cruel bondage They were under their aguish feaverish-fits and so could neither hear nor see taste nor take in any thing that No air agrees well with weak pevish sickly bodies might bee a mercy or a comfort to them they were sick of impatiency and discontent and these humours being grown strong nothing would take with them nothing would agree with them When persons are under strong pangs of passion they have no ears neither for Reason
school-boies to be lanched with their pen-knives but when all this would not do they caused him to bee set in the Sun having his naked body annointed all over with honey that so hee might bee bitten and stung to death by Flies and Wasps and all this cruelty they exercised upon him because hee would not do any thing towards the rebuilding of that Idol Temple nay they came so far that if hee would but give one half-penny towards the charge they would release him but hee refused it with a noble Christian disdain though the advancing of an half-penny might have saved his life and in so doing hee did but live up to that noble principle that most commend but few practise viz. that Christians must chuse rather to suffer the worst of torments than to commit the least of sins whereby God should bee dishonoured his Name blasphemed Religion reproached Profession scorned weak Saints discouraged and mens consciences wounded and their souls endangered Now tell mee Christians is it not better to bee silent and mute under your sorest trials and troubles than to labour to sin and shiâ—t your selves out of them and so proclaim to all the world that you are persons of very low poor and ignoble spirits But Jer. 17. 5 6 11. Ezek. 7. 13 14 1 Sam. 28. 5 6 7 c. 1 King 21. 18 19. compared with chap. 22. 38 Fifthly Consider sinful shifts and means God hath alwaies curst and blasted Achans golden wedge was but a wedge to cleave him and his garment a shroud to shroud him Ahab purchases a Vineyard with the blood of the owner but presently it was watered with his own blood according to the word of the Lord. Gehazi must needs have a talent of silver and two changes of rayment and that with a lye I say with a lye well hee hath them and hee hath with them a Leprosie that cleaved to him and his seed for ever 2 King 5. 22 ult With those very hands that Judas took money to betray his Master with those very hands hee fitted a halter to hang himself The rich and wretched glutton fared delicately and went bravely every day but the next news you hear of him is of his being in hell crying out for a drop who when hee was on earth would not give a crum The Coal that the Eagle carried from the Altar to her nest set all on fire Crassus did not long enjoy the fruit of his Coverousness for the Parthians taking of him poured melted gold down his throat Dionysius did not long enjoy the fruit of his Sacriledge and tyranny for hee was glad to change his Scepter into a Feruler and turn School-master for his maintenance Ah Christians Christians is it not far better to sit quiet and silent under your afflictions than to use such sinful shifts and means which God will certainly blast and curse But Sixthly and lastly Consider this that your very attempting to sin and shift your selves out of troubles and afflictions will cost you dear it will cost you many prayers many tears many sighs A man may buy any thing too dear but Christ Grace his own Soul and the Gospel many groans many gripes many terrours and many horrours Peter by attempting to sin himself out of trouble sins himself into a Sea of sorrows Matth. 26. ult Hee went forth and wept bitterly Clement observes That every night when hee heard the Cock crow hee would fall upon his knees and weep bitterly others say that his face was furrowed with continual tears Were Abraham David Jacob and Jonah now alive they would tell you that they have found this to bee a truth in their own experience Ah Christians it is far better to bee quiet and silent under your sufferings than to pay so dear for attempting to sin and shift your selves out of your sufferings A man will not buy gold too dear and why then should hee buy himself out of troubles at too dear a rate But now I shall come to that use that I intend to stand most upon and that is an use of Exhortation Seeing it is the great duty and concernment of Christians to bee mute and silent under the greatest afflictions the saddest providences and sharpest trials that they meet with in this world Oh that I could prevail with you Christians to minde this great duty and to live up and live out this necessary truth which that I may give mee leave to propound some Considerations to ingage your souls to bee mute and silent under your greatest troubles and your sorest trials To that purpose Consider first The greatnesse soveraignty majesty and dignity Rev. 4. 10 11. Jer. 10. 7. chap. 5. 22. 2 King 2. chap. 3. 5. of God and let that move thee to silence Psal 46. 8 9 10. Come behold the works of the Lord what desolations hee hath made in the earth Hee maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth hee breaketh the bow and cutteth the spear in sunder hee burneth the chariot in the fire Bee still and know that I am God I will bee exalted among the Heathen I will bee exalted in the earth Who can cast his eye upon the greatness of God the majesty of God and not sit still before him Zeph. 1. 7. Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God Oh chat not murmure not fret not but stand mute before him Shall the childe bee hush'd before his Father the servant before his Master the subject before his Prince and the guilty person before the Judge when hee majestically rises off his judgement seat and composes his countenance into an aspect of terrour and severity that his sentence may fall upon the offender with the greater dread and shall not a Christian bee quiet before that God that can bathe his sword in Heaven and burn the chariots on earth Nay shall the Sheep bee hush'd before the Wolf Birds before the Hawk and all the Beasts of the field before the Lion and shall not wee bee hush'd and quiet before him who is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah Rev. 5. 5. God is mighty in power and mighty in counsel and mighty in working and mighty in punishing and therefore bee silent before him It appears that God is a mighty God by the Epithite that is added unto El which is Gibbor importing that hee is a God of prevailing might in Daniel hee is called El Elim the mighty of mighties Moses magnifâ—ing of Exod. 15. his might saith Who is like unto thee among the gods Now certainly this Epithite should bee a mighty motive to work souls to that which Haâ—akkuk perswades to Hab. 2. ult The Lord is in his holy Temple let all the earth keep silence before him Upon this very consideration Exod. 14. 13 14 Moses commands Israel to hold their peace It is reported of Augustus the Turk Hist 236. 415. Emperour and likewise of Tamberlain that war-like Scythian that in their eyes sate such
reasonable that God who is Lord Paramount should do with his own as hee pleases dost thou beleeve that the great God may do in Heaven what hee pleases and on the Seas what hee pleases and in the Nations and Kingdomes of the world what hee pleases and in thy heart what hee pleases and dost thou not beleeve that God may do in thy house what hee pleases and do with thy mercies what hee pleases Job 9. 12. Behold Job plainly alludes to Gods taking away his children servants and cattel hee taketh away or hee snatcheth away it may bee a husband a wife a childe an estate who can hinder him who will say unto him what doest thou Who dares cavil against God who dares question that God that is unquestionable that chief Lord that is uncontroulable and who may do with his own what hee pleaseth Dan. 4. 35. And all the Inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing and hee doth according to his will in the Army Isa 45. 9 of Heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand or say unto him what doest thou Where is the Prince the Peasant the Master the Servant the Husband the Wife the Father the Child that dares say to God what doest thou In matters of Arithmetical accounts set one against ten ten against a hundred a hundred against a thousand a thousand against ten thousand although there bee great odds yet there is some comparison but if a man could set down an infinite number then there could bee no comparison at all because the one is finite the other infinite so set all the Princes and Powers of the earth in opposition to God they shall never bee able to withstand him It was once the saying of Pompey that with one stamp of his foot hee could raise all Italy in Arms but let the Plutarch in vita Pompei great God but stamp with his foot and hee can raise all the world in Arms to own him to contend for him or to revenge any affronts that by any are put upon him and therefore who shall say unto him what doest thou water is stronger than earth fire stronger than water Angels stronger than men and God stronger than them all and therefore who shall say unto God what doest thou when hee takes their nearest and their dearest mercies from them But Fourthly It may bee thou hast not made a happy improvement of thy near and dear mercies whilst thou injoyest them thou hast been taken with thy mercies but thy heart hath not been taken up in the improvement of them there are many who are very much taken with their mercies who make no conscience of improving their mercies have thy near and dear mercies been a star to lead thee to Christ have they been a cloud by day and a pillar of light by night to lead thee towards the heavenly Canaan have they been a Jacobs Ladder to thy soul hast thou by them been provoked to give up thy self to God as a living Rom. 12. 1 Sacrifice hast thou improved thy near and dear mercies to the enflaming of thy love to God to the strengthening of thy confidence in God to the raising of thy communion with God and to the engaging of thy heart to a more close and circumspect walking before God c. if thou hast not thus improved them thou hast more cause to bee mute than to murmure to bee silent than to be impatient to fall out with thy self than to fall out with thy God Children and fools are taken with many things but improve nâ—thing such children and fools aâ—e most men they are much taken with their mercies but they make no improvement of their mercies and therefore no wonder if God strip them of their mercies The candle of mercy is set up not to play by but to work by Pliny speaks of one Cressinus who Lib. 18. cap. 6. improved a little peece of ground to a far greater advantage than his neighbours could a greater quantity of land thereupon hee was accused of witch-craft but hee to defend himself brought into the Court his servants and their working-tools and said Veneficia mea Quirites haec sunt these are my witch-crafts O yee Romans these servants and these working-tools are all the witch-craft that I know of when the people heard this plea with one consent they acquitted him and declared him not guilty and so his little peece of ground was secured to him there is no way to secure your mercies but by improving of them there is nothing that provokes God to strip you of your mercies like the non-improvement of them Matth. 25. 24 31. Take therefore the talent from him and give it unto him which hath ten talents By some stroak or other God will take away the mercy that is not improved if thy slothfulness hath put God upon passing a sentence of death upon thy dearest mercy thank thy self and hold thy peace Fifthly If in this case God had made thee a president to others thou must have held thy peace how much more then shouldst thou bee mute when God hath made many others presidents to thee Did not God smite Aaron in his dear and near enjoyments Levit. 10. 1 2. and doth hee not hold his â—eace did not God smite David in his Absalom and Abraham in his Sarah and Job in his sons daughters estate and body and Jonah in his Guard art Jonah 4. 6 7 8. thou more beloved than these no hast thou more grace than these no hast thou done more for divine glory than these no art thou richer in spiritual experiences than these no hast thou attained to higher enjoyments than these no hast thou been more serviceable in thy Generation than these no hast thou been more exemplary in thy life and conversation than these no c. then why shouldest thou murmure and fret at that which hath been the common lot of the dearest Saints Though God hath smitten thee in this or that near and dear enjoyment it is thy wisdome to hold thy peace for that God that hath taken away one might have taken away all Justice writes a sentence of death upon all Jobs mercies Job 1. at once and yet hee holds his peace and wilt not thou hold thine though God hath cropt the fairest Flower in all thy garden Anytus a young spark of Athens came revelling into Alcibiades house and as hee sate at supper with some strangers hee rose on a sudden and took away one half of his plate thereupon the Guests stormed and took on at it he bade them bee quiet and told them that hee had dealt kindly with him since that hee had left the one half whereas hee might have taken all so when our hearts begin to storm and take on when God smites us in this neer mercy and in that dear enjoyment Oh! let us lay the Law of silence upon our hearts let us charge our souls to bee
Peter Paul yea Christ himself Matth. 4 who as hee was beloved above all others so hee was tempted above all others hee was tempted to question his sonship hee was tempted to the worst Idolatry even to worship the Devil himself to the greatest infidelity to distrust his Fathers providence and to use unlawful means for necessary supplies and to self-murder cast thy self down c. Those that were once glorious on earth and are now triumphing in Heaven have been sorely tempted and assaulted it is as natural and common for the choicest Saints to bee tempted as it is for the Sun to shine the Bird to flye the Fire to burn The Eagle complains not of her wings nor I am without set upon by all the world and within by the Devil and all his Angels saith Luther the Peacock of his train nor the Nightingale of hâ—r voice because these are natural to them no more should Saints of their temptations because they are natural to them Our whole life saith Austin is nothing but a tentation the best men have been worst tempted therefore hold thy peace Secondly Temptations resisted bewailed will never hurt you nor harm you distasted temptations seldome or never prevail so long as the soul distastes them and the will remains firmly averse against them they can do no hurt so long as the language of the soul is Get thee behinde mee Satan Mat. 16. the soul is safe it is not Satans tempting but my assenting it is Hee that can say when hee is tempted as that young convert ego non sum ego is happy enough under all his temptations not his enticing but my yeelding that mischiefs mee temptations may bee troubles to my mind but they are not sins upon my soul whilst I am in arms against them if thy heart trembles and thy flesh quakes when Satan tempts thy condition is good enough if Satans temptations bee thy greatest afflictions his temptations shall never worsen thee nor harm thee and therefore if this bee thy case hold thy peace Thirdly Temptations are rather hopeful evidences that thy estate is good that thou art dear to God and that it shall go well with thee for ever than otherwise God had but one Son without corruption Heb. 2. 17 18 but hee had none without temptation Pirats make the fiercest assaults upon those vessels that are most richly laden So doth Satan upon those souls that are most richly laden with the treasures of grace with the riches of glory Pirats let empty vessels pass and repass without assaulting them so doth Satan let souls that are empty of God of Christ of the Spirit of Grace pass and repass without tempting or assaulting of them When nothing will satisfie the soul but a full departure out of Egypt from the bondage and slavery Exod. 14. 9 of sin and that the soul is firmly resolved upon a march for Canaan then Satan Pharaoh-like will furiously pursue after the soul with Horses and Chariots that is with a whole Army of Temptations Well a tempted soul when Israel going into Egypt had no opposition but travelling into Canaan they were never free it is at worst with him may safely argue thus if God were not my friend Satan would not bee so much my enemy if there were not something of God within mee Satan would never make such attempts to storm mee if the love of God were not set upon mee Satan would never shoot so many fiery darts to wound mee if the heart of God were not towards mee the hand of Satan would not bee so strong against mec When Beza was tempted hee made this answer Whatsoever I was Satan I am now in Christ a new Creature and that is it which troubles thee I might have so continued long enough ere thou wouldest have vexed at it but now I see thou dost envy mee the grace of my Saviour Satans malice to tempt is no sufficient ground for a Christian to dispute Gods love upon if it were there is no Saint on earth that should quietly possess divine favour a week a day an hour The Jaylor is quiet when his prisoner is in bolts but if hee bâ—e escaped then hee pursues him with hue and cry you know how to apply it Men hate not the picture of a Toad the Wolf flies not upon a painted Sheep no more doth Satan upon those he hath in chains therefore hold thy peace though thou art inwardly tempted as well as outwardly afflicted Fourthly Whilst Satan is tempting Rom. 8. 34 1 John 2. 1 2 Zach. 3. 1 2 3 of thee Christ in the Court of glory is interceding for thee Luk. 22. 31 32. And the Lord said Simon Simon behold Satan hath desired to have you that hee may sift you as wheat But I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not Satan would fain have been shaking of him up and down as wheat is shaken in a fan but Christs intercession frustrates Satans designed temptations when ever Satan stands at our elbows to tempt us Christ stands at his Fathers to intercede for us Heb. 7. 25. Hee ever lives to make intercession Some of the learned think that Christ intercedes onely by virtue of his merits others think that it is done onely with his mouth probably it may bee done both waies the rather because hee hath a tongue as also a whole glorified body in Heaven and is it likely that that mouth which pleaded so much for us on earth should be Joh. 17. altogether silent for us in Heaven Christ is a person of highest honour hee is the greatest favourite in the Court of Heaven hee alwaies stands betwixt us and danger if there bee any evil plotted or designed against us by Satan the great accuser of the brethren hee foresees it and by his intercession prevents it When Satan puts in his pleas and commences sute upon sute against us Christ still undertakes our cause hee answers all his pleas and non-sutes Satan at every turn and in despite of Hell hee keep us up in divine favour when Satan pleads Lord here are such and such sins that thy children have committed and here are such and such duties that they have omitted and here are such and such mercies that they have not improved and here are such and such ordinances that they have slighted and here are such and such motions of the Spirit that they have quenched divine Justice answers All this is true but Christ hath appeared on their behalf hee hath pleaded their Saith Christ Lord here is wisdome for their folly humility for their pride heavenliness for their earthliness holiness for their wickedness c. cause hee hath fully and fairly answered whatever hath been objected and given compleat satisfaction to the utmost farthing So that there is no accusation nor condemnation that can stand in force against them upon which account the Apostle triumphs in that Rom. 8. 34. Who is hee that condemneth it is
yet hee will return again though your Sun bee now set in a cloud yet it will rise again though sorrow may abide for a night yet joy Isa 17. 14 Psal 30. 5. Psal 40. 1 2 3 Psal 5. 11 Psal 42. 5 8 9 11 comes in the morning A Christians mourning shall last but till morning Micah 7. 19. Hee will turn again hee will have compassion upon us Cant. 3. 4. It was but a little that I passed from them but I found him whom my soul loveth I held him and I would not let him go c. Psal 94. 19. In the multitude of my thoughts within mee thy comforts delight my soul Isa 54. 7 8 10. For a moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy redeemer for the mountains shall depart and the hills bee removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the covenant of my peace bee removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee God will not suffer his whole displeasure to arise upon his people neither will hee forsake them totally or finally the Saints shall taste but some sips of the cup of Gods wrath sinners shall drink the dreggs their storm shall end in a calm and their winter night shall be turned into a summers day There was a woman who was thirteen years under desertion which was so vehement that for the most part of her time shee was fain to keep her bed through weakness A godly Minister who was affected with her condition went to comfort her and to pray with her but when hee came and offered to do it shee shrieked out utterly refusing and forbidding him to pray with her for said shee I have too many abused mercies to answer for already yet hee would not bee put off but prayed by her and so prevailed with God on her behalf that the next morning shee was delivered from all her fears and had such exceeding joy that the like hath rarely been heard of the Lord that had been long withdrawn from her returned at length in a way of singular mercy to her There was So Mris. Honeywood Mris. Katherine Breterg and divers others another precious woman who was several years deserted and hearing a precious godly Minister preach shee of a sudden fell down overwhelmed with joy crying out O! hee is come whom my soul loveth and for divers daies after shee was filled with such exceeding joyes and had such gracious and singular ravishing expressions so fluently coming from her that many came to hear the rare manifestations of Gods grace in her the lowest of her pious expressions did exceed the highest that ever the Minister had read in the book of Martyrs But Sixthly and lasty Gods deserting Gods forsaking of his people shall many waies work for their good As First God by withdrawing from his people will prepare and fit them for greater refreshings manifestations and consolations Psal 71. 11 20 21. Saying God hath forsaken him persecute and take him for there is none to deliver him But shall this forelorn condition work for his good yes Thou which hast shewed mee great and sore troubles shalt quicken mee again and shalt bring mee up again from the depths of the earth Thou shalt encrease my greatness and comfort mee on every side When Josephs brethren were in Gen. 45. 1 2 3 4 their greatest distress then Joseph makes known himself most fully to them so doth Christ our spiritual Joseph to his people Hudson the Martyr deserted at the stake went from under his chain and having prayed earnestly was comforted immediately and suffered valiantly 2 By Gods withdrawing from his people hee prevents his peoples withdrawing from him and so by an affliction hee prevents sin for God to withdraw from mee is but Heb. 10. 38 39. Christ the Captain of our salvation will execute Martial Law upon all that withdraw from their colours c. my affliction but for mee to withdraw from God that is my sin and therefore it were better for mee that God should withdraw a thousand times from mee than that I should once withdraw from God God therefore forsakes us that wee may not forsake our God God sometimes hides himself that wee may cleave the clâ—ser to him and hang the faster upon him As the Mother hides her self from the childe for a time that the childe may cleave the closer and hang the faster upon her all the day long God sometimes hid himself from David Psal 30. 7. Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled I was all-amort well and is that all no vers 8. I cried to thee O Lord and unto the Lord I made supplication Now hee cries louder and cleaves closer to God than ever so in that Psal 63. 1 2. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is To see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in thy Sanctuary Well and how do these withdrawings of God work why this you may see in verse 8. My soul followeth hard after thee or as the Hebrew reads it my soul cleaveth after thee look as the husband cleaves to his wife so doth my soul cleave to the Lord the Psalmist now follows God even hard Gen. 2. 24 at heels as wee say But Thirdly The Lord by withdrawing from his people will inhance and raise the price and commend the worth excellency sweetness 2 Pet. 1. 4 and usefulness of several precious promises which otherwise would bee but as dry breasts and as useless weapons to the soul As that Micah 7. 18 19. Hee will turn again hee will have compassion upon us c. and that Isa 54. 7 8. but now opened and that Heb. 13. 5 6. and that Hab. 2. 3. and that And that John 14. 21 23. and that 1 Sam. 12. 20. Isa 60. 19 ult Psal 5. 12. For thou Lord wilt bless the Righteous with favour thou wilt compass him or crown him as with a shield the Lord will compass the righteous about with his favour as the Crown compasses about the head as the Hebrew imports and that Psal 112. 4. Unto the upright there ariseth light in darkness hee is gracious and full of compassion and righteous And that Jer. 3â— 37. Thus saith the Lord if Heaven above can be measured and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done saith the Lord. As sure as Heaven cannot bee measured nor the foundations of the earth searched by the skill or power of any mortal man So sure and certain it is that God will not utterly cast off his people no noâ— for all the evil that they have done
now at what a rare doth a deserted souâ— vâ—â—ue these precious promises well saith hee these Psal 119. 103. 72. v. â—sa 19. 10 Pro. 8. 11 Joâ— 23. 12 promises are sweeter than the hony or the hony-comb they are more precious than gold than fine gold than much gold than all the gold in the world I prefer them before my food before my delighâ—ul food yea before my necessary food before my appointed portion As Alexander laid up Homers Iliads in a Cabinet embroidered with gold and pearls so deserted souls will lay up these precious promises in the Cabinet of their hearts as the choicest treasure the world affords Dol 〈…〉 ns they say love musick so do â—eserted souls the musick of the promises That promise 1 Tim. 1. 15. was musick to Bilny the Martyr and that promise John 10. 29. was musick to Vrsine and that promise Isa 57. 15. was musick to another and that promise Isa 26. 3. was musick to another and that to another Mat. 11. 28 c. promises that are suited to a deserted mans condition make the sweetest musick in his car and are the most soveraign cordials to bear up his spirits that God can give or Heaven afford or the soul desire Deut. 32. 13. Hee made him to ride on the high places of the earth that hee might eâ—â— the fruits of the field and hee made him to suck hony out of the rock and oil out of the flinty rock Ah the hony the oil that deserted souls suck out of such promises that speak home and close to their conditions Fourthly By Gods hiding his face and withdrawing himself from thee thou wilâ— bee inabled more feelingly and more experimentally to sympathize with others Heb. 5. 2 and to have compassion on others that are or may bee in the dark and forsaken of God as now thou art Heb. 13. 2. Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them and them which suffer adversity as being your selves also in the body It is observed of the Bees that Plin. Nat. Hist lib. 11. cap. 17 when one is sick they all mourn and of the Sheep that if one of them bee faint the rest of the flock will stand between it and the Sun until it bee revived in the natural body if one member grieve and is in pain all suffer with it when a thorn is got into the foot how doth the back bow and the eyes pry and the hands go to pluck the thorn out none so compassionate towards deserted souls as those who have been deserted and forsaken of God themselves Oh! they know what an evil a bitter thing it is to bee left and forsaken of God and therefore their bowels their compassions run out much to such yea most to such they know that there is no affliction no misery no hell to that of being forsaken of God Anaxagoras seeing himself old Plutarch and forsaken of the world laid himself down and covered his head close determining to starve himself to death with hunger but alass what is it to bee forsaken of the world to a mans being forsaken of God were there as many worlds as there bee men in the world a man were better bee forsaken by them all than to bee forsaken of God There is a great truth in that saying of Chrysostome Chrysost ad Pop. Antioch Hom. 47. in Mat. Hom. 24. viz. That the torments of a thousand hells if there were so many come far short of this one to wit to bee turned out of Gods presence with a non novi vos I know you not Mat. 7. 23. The schools have long since concluded that paena sensus the pain of loss is far greater than paena damni the pain of sense what a grief was it to Absolon to see the Kings face clouded and how sadly was Eli and his daughter affected with the loss of the Ark which was but a testimony of Gods presence but Oh how much more is a Christian affected and afflicted with the loss of the face and favour of God the remembrance of which makes his heart to melt and his bowels to yearn towards those whose Sun is set in a cloud Fifthly Hereby the Lord will teach his people to set a higher price upon his face and favour when they come to enjoy it Cant. Austin saith Lord I am content to suffer any pains and torments in this world if I might see thy face one day at such a rate did he prize the face of God 3. 4. It was but a little that I passed from them but I found him whom my soul loveth I held him and I would not let him go c. No man sets so high a price upon Christ as hee that hath lost him and found him again Jesus in the China tongue signifies the rising Sun and so hee is Mal. 4. 2. especially to souls that have been long clouded The poor Northern Nations in Strabo who want the light of the Sun for some months together when the tearm of his return approaches they climb up into the highest mountains to spie it and hee that spies it first was accounted the best and most beloved of God and usually they did chuse him King at such a rate did they prize the return of the Sun Ah! so it is with a poor soul that for some months years hath been deserted Oh how highly doth hee prize and value the Sun of Righteousness his returning to him and shining upon him Psa 63. 3. Thy loving kindness is better than life or better than lives as the Hebrew hath it divine favour Chaimi is better than life it is better than life with all its revenues with all its appurtenances as honours riches pleasures applause c. yea it is better than many lives put together Now you know at what a high rate men value their lives they will bleed sweat vomit purge part with an estate yea with a limb yea limbs to preserve their lives As hee cried out give mee any deformity any torment any misery so you spare my life Now though life bee so dear and precious to a man yet a deserted soul prizes the returnings of divine favour upon him above life yea above many lives many men have been weary of their lives as is evident in Scripture and History but no man was ever yet found that was weary of the love and favour of God no man sets so high a price upon the Sun as hee that hath lain long in a dark dungeon c. But Sixthly Hereby the Lord will train up his servants in that precious life of faith which is the most honourable and the most happy life in all the world 2 Cor. 5. 7. For wee walk by faith and not by sight The life of sense the life of reason is a low life a mean life the life of faith is a noble life a blessed life when Elisha demanded of the Shunamite 2 King 4. 15 16 what hee
is renewed day by day As Aristarchus the Heathen said when hee was beaten by the Tyrants Beat on it is not Aristarchus you beat it is 1 Tim. 5. 23 3 John 2. onely his shell Timothy had a very healthful soul in a crazy body and Gaius had a very prosperous soul in a weak distempered body Epictetus and many of the more refined Heathens have long since concluded that the body was the organ or vessel the soul was the man and Merchandize Now all the troubles and afflictions that a Christian meets with they do not reach his soul they touch not his conscience they make no breach upon his noble part and therefore hee hath cause to hold his peace and to lay his hands upon his mouth the soul is the breath of God the beauty of man the wonder of Angels and the envy Heb. 12. 9 Zach. 12. 1 of Devils it is a caelestial plant and of a divine off-spring it is an immortal spirit souls are of an Angelick nature a man is an Angel cloathed in clay the soul is a greater miracle in man than all the miracles wrought amongst men the soul is a demi-semi-God dwelling in a house of clay Now it is not in the power of any outward troubles and afflictions that a Christian meets with to reach his soul and therefore hee may well sit mute under the smarting Rod. Ninthly If thou wouldest bee silent and quiet under the saddest providences and sorest trials then keep up Faith in continual exercise Now Faith in the exercise of it will quiet and silence the soul thus 1 By bringing the soul to sit Joh. 14. 8 Psa 17. 15 down satisfied in the naked enjoyments of God 2 By drying up the springs of pride self-love impatience murmuring unbeleef and the carnal delights of this world 3 By presenting to the soul greater sweeter and better things Heb. 11. 8 9 10 14. Phil. 3. 7 8 in Christ than any this world doth afford 4 By lessening the souls esteem of all outward vanities do but keep up the exercise of Faith and thou wilt keep silent before the Lord. No man so mute as hee whose Faith is still busie about invisible objects Tenthly If you would keep silent then keep humble before the Lord. Oh! labour every day to bee more humble and more low and little in your own eyes who Job 7. 1 18 am I saith the humble soul but that God should cross mee in this mercy and take away that mercy and pass a sentence of death upon every mercy I am not worthy of the least mercy I deserve not a crum of mercy I have forfeited Prov. 13. 16 every mercy I have improved never a mercy Onely by pride comes contention it is onely pride that puts men upon contending with God and men an humble soul will lye quiet at the foot of God it will bee contented with bare commons As you see sheep can live upon the bare Commons which a fat Oxe cannot A Dinner of green herbs relisheth well with the humble mans palate whereas a stalled Oxe is but a course dish to a proud mans stomack an humble heart thinks none less than himself nor none worse than himself an humble heart looks upon small Gen. 32. 10 11. Austin being asked what was the first grace answered humility what the second humility what the third humility mercies as great mercies and great afflictions as small afflictions and small afflictions as no afflictions and therefore sits mute and quiet under all do â—ut keep humble and you will keep silent before the Lord pride kicks and flings and frets but an humble man hath still his hand upon his mouth Every thing on this side Hell is mercy much mercy rich mercy to an humble soul and therefore hee holds his peace Eleventhly If you would keep silence under the afflicting hand of God then keep close hold fast these soul-silencing and soul-quieting maxims or principles As First That the worst that God doth to his people in this world is in order to the making of them a Heaven on Earth hee brings them into a wilderness but it is that hee may speak comfortably to them he Hos 2. 14 casts them into the fiery furnace but it is that they may have more of his company doe the stones come thick and threefold about Stephens ears it is but to knock Act. 7. him the nearer to Christ the corner-stone c. Secondly If you would bee silent then hold fast this principle viz. That what God wills is best Heb. 12. 10 when hee wills sickness sickness is better than health when hee wills weakness weakness is better than strength when hee wills want want is better than wealth when hee wills reproach reproach is better than honour when hee wills death death is better than life As God is wisdome it self and so knows that which is best so hee is goodness it self and therefore cannot do any thing but that which is best therefore hold thy peace Thirdly If thou wouldest bee silent under thy greatest afflictions then hold fast to this principle viz. That the Lord will bear thee company in all thy afflictions Isa 41. 10 ch 43. 2. Psal 23. 4. Psal 90. 15. Dan. 3. 25. Gen. 39. 20 21. 2 Tim. 4. 16 17. These Scriptures are breasts full of divine consolation these wells of salvation are full will you turn to them and draw out that your souls may bee satisfied and quieted Fourthly If you would bee silent under your afflictions then hold fast this principle that the Lord hath more high more noble and more blessed ends in the afflicting of you than hee hath in the afflicting of the men of the world The stalk and the ear of corn fall upon the threshing flore under one and the same flail but the one is shattered in peeces the other is preserved from one and the same Olive and from under one and the same press is crushed out both Oil and dreggs but the one is tunn'd up for use the other thrown out as unserviceable and by one and the same breath the fields are perfumed with sweetness and annoyed with unpleasant savours so though afflictions do befall good and bad alike as the Scripture speaks yet Eccles 9. 2 the Lord will effect more glorious ends by those afflictions that befall his people than hee will effect by those that befall wicked men and therefore the Lord puts his people into the furnace for their trial but the wicked for their ruine the one is bettered by affliction the other is made worse the one is made soft and tender by afflictions the other is more hard and obdurate the one is drawn nearer to God by afflictions the other is driven further from God c. Fifthly If you would bee silent under your afflictions then you must hold fast this principle viz. Matth. 15. 21 29 That the best way in this world to have thine own will is
to lye down in the will of God and quietly to resign up thy self to the good will and pleasure of God Luther was a man that could have any thing of God and why why because hee submitted his will to the will of God hee lost his will in the will of God Oh soul it shall bee even as thou wilt if thy will bee swallowed up in the will of God Sixthly and lastly If thou wouldest bee silent under the afflicting hand of God then thou must hold Psa 94. 19 Dan. 9. 19 24 Gen. 28. 7 Act. 16. 27 ch Hos 2. 14 fast to this principle viz. That God will make times of affliction to be times of special manifestations of divine love and favour to thee Tiburtius saw a Paradise when hee walked upon hot burning coals I could confirm this by a cloud of witnesses but that I am upon a close Ah Christians as ever you would be quiet and silent under the Smarting Rod hold fast to these principles and keep them as your lives But Twelfthly and lastly To silence and quiet your souls under the afflicting hand of God dwell much upon the brevity or shortness of mans life this present life is not vita sed via ad vitam life but a motion a journey towards life mans life saith one is the shadow of smoak yea the dream of a shadow saith another mans life is so short that Austin doubtâ—th whether to call Aug. l. 1. Conf. it a dying life or a living death thou hast but a day to live and perhaps thou mayest be now in the twelâ—th hour of that day therefore hold out faith and patience thy troubles and thy life will shortly end together therefore hold thy peace thy grave is going to bee made thy Sun is near setting death begins to call thee off oâ— the stage of this world death stands at thy back thou must shortly sail forth upon the Ocean of eternity though thou hast a great deal of work to do a God to honour a Christ to close with a soul to save a race to run a Crown to win a Hell to escape a pardon to beg a Heaven to make sure yet thou hast but a little time to do it in thou hast one foot in the grave thou art even a going a shore on eternity and wilt thou now cry out of thy afflictions wilt thou now mutter and murmure when thou art entring upon an unchangeable condition what extream folly and madness is it for a man to mutter and murmure when hee is just a going out of prison and his boults and chains are just a knocking off Why Christian this is just thy case therefore hold thy peace thy life is but short therefore Rom. 8. 18 thy troubles cannot bee long hold up and hold out quietly and patiently a little longer and Heaven shall make amends for all FINIS A TABLE Shewing the Principal things in this TREATISE THe words opened and the Doctrine raised viz. That it is the great duty and concernment of gracious souls to be mute and silent under the greatest afflictions the saddest providences and sharpest trials they meet with in this world from p. 1 to 4. For the opening of the point First 1 There is a sevenfold silence p. 4 to 16. 2 What doth a prudent a gracious a holy silence include shewed in eight things p. 16 44. 3 What a prudent a holy silence under afflictions doth not exclude shewed in eight things p. 44 67. 4 Eight Reasons why Christians must bee mute and silent under their greatest afflictions c. p. 67 92. Vse This Truth looks sourely upon five sorts of persons p. 92 102 Six considerations to prevent men from using sinful shifts and courses to deliver themselves out of their afflictions c. p. 102 116. Twelve considerations to prevail with Christians to bee mute and silent under the sharpest afflictions c. that they meet with in this world p. 116 145 The hainous and dangerous nature of murmuring discovered in twelve particulars p. 145 169 Object 1 Did I but know that my afflictions were in love I would bee quiet I would hold my peace c. Answered eight waies p. 169 187 Object 2 The Lord hath smitten mee in my nearest and dearest comforts and contentments and how then can I hold my peace Answered twelve waies p. 187 116 Object 3 Oh! But my afflictions my troubles have been long upon mee and how then can I hold my peace Answered ten waies p. 216 236 Object 4 I would bee mute and silent under my afflictions but they daily multiply and encrease upon me c. how then can I bee silent Answered eight waies p. 236 242 Object 5 My afflictions are very great how then can I hold my peace c. Answered six waies p. 242 252 Object 6 Oh! But my afflictions are greater than other mens c. how then can I bee silent Answered six waies p. 252 260 Object 7. I would hold my peace but my outward afflictions are attended with sore temptations c. how then can I bee silent Answered five waies wherein eight advantages are discovered that Saints gain by their temptations p. 260 279 Object 8 Oh! But God hath deserted mee hee hath forsaken mee and hid his face from mee c. how can I then bee silent Answered six waies Also eight advantages the Saints gain by their being clouded p. 279 304 Object 9 Oh! But I am falsely accused and sadly charged and reproached in my good name c. how then can I bee silent Answered ten waies p. 304 325 Object 10 I have sought the Lord in this my affliction for this and that mercy and still the Lord delaies mee and puts mee off c. how can I then hold my peace how can I bee silent c. Answered six waies p. 325 333 Quest But what are the reasons that God doth so delay and put off his people Answered seven waies p. 333 343 Quest What are the means that may help persons to bee silent and quiet under their greatest afflictions their sharpest trials c. Answered from p. 343. to the end of the book ERRATA Page 67. l. 20. read hear for bare pag. 235. l. 17. r. heal for heat p. 258. l. 5. r. that for than â—p 268. l. 26. add was p. 274. l. 12. add you p. 276. l. 3. r. sight for fight p. 299. Margent read Chaiim p. 311. l. 7. r. world for worthy Books printed and are to be sold by John Hancock at the first shop in Popes-head-Alley next to Cornhill A Book of Short-writing the most easie exact lineal and speedy method fitted to the meanest capacity composed by Mr. Theophilus Metealf Professor of the said Art Also a School-Master explaining the Rules of the said Book Another Book of new Short-hand by Thomas Cross A Coppy-book of the newest and most useful hands with Rules whereby those that can read may quickly learn to write To which is added Brief Directions for true spelling and cyphering c. Six Books lately published by Mr. Thomas Brooks Preacher of the Gospel at Margarets New Fish-street 1 Precious Remedies against Satans Devices OR Salve for Beleevers and Unbeleevers Sores being a companion for those that are in Christ or out of Christ that sleight or neglect Ordinances under a pretence of living above them that are growing in spirituals or decaying that are tempted or deserted afflicted or opposed that have assurance or want it on the ad of the Corinthians the 2d and the 11th 2 Heaven on Earth OR A serious Discourse touching a well-grounded Assurance of mens everlasting happiness and blessedness discovering the nature of Assurance the possibility of attaining it the Causes Springs and Degrees of it with the resolution of several weighty questions on the 8th of the Romans 32 33 34 verses 3 The Vnsearchable Riches of Christ OR Meat for strong Men and Milk for Babes held forth in two and twenty Sermons from Ephesians 3. 8. preached on his Lecture-nights at Fish-street-hill 4 His Apples of Gold for Young Men and Women And A Crown of Glory for Old Men and Women Or the Happiness of being Good betimes and the Honour of being an Old Disciple clearly and fully discovered and closely and faithfully applied 5 A String of Pearls OR The Best Things reserved till last Delivered in a Sermon preached in London June 8. 1657. at the Funeral of that Triumphant Saint Mris. Mary Blake late Wife to his worthy friend Mr. Nicholas Blake Merchant 6 The Silent Soul with Soveraign Antidotes against the most miserable Exigents OR A Christian with an Olive-leaf in his mouth when hee is under the greatest afflictions the sharpest and sorest trials and troubles the saddest and darkest providences and changes with answers to divers Questions and Objections that are of greatest importance all tending to win and work souls to bee still quiet calm and silent under all changes that have or that may pass upon them in this world c. Altum Silentium OR Silence the Duty of Saints under every sad Providence An Occasional Sermon preached after the Death of a Daughter by her Father viz. By John Durant Preacher of the Gospel in Christ's-Church Canterbury The Godly Mans Ark OR City of Refuge in the day of his Distress discovered in divers Sermons The first of which was preached at the Funeral of Mris. Elizabeth Moore Whereunto are annexed Mris. Moores Evidences for Heaven composed and collected by her in the time of her health for her comfort in the time of sickness By Ed. Calamy B. D. and Pastor of the Church at Aldermanbury The Scriptures Stability OR The Scripture cannot be broken Proved explained and several waies applied whereby all Scripture may with singular advantage come to bee improved By Robert Perrot Minister of Gods Word at Deane in Bedfordshire The Expert Physician Learnedly treating of all Agues and Feavers essential whether simple or compound confused Erratick and Malignant shewing their different Nature Cause Sign and Cure written originally by that famous Doctor in Physick Bricius Bauderon and translated into English by Doctor Wells Licentiate in Physick by the University of Oxford To bee sold by John Hancock at the first Shop in Popes-head-Alley next to Cornhill