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
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
THE SILENT SOVL WITH SOVERAIGN ANTIDOTES Against the Most Miserable Exigents OR A Christian with an OLIVE-LEAF in his mouth when he 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 may pass upon them in this world c. By Thomas Brooks Preacher of the Word at Margarets New Fish-street London and Pastor of the Church of Christ meeting there The Lord is in his holy Temple let all the earth keep silence before him Hab. 2. 20. London Printed by R. I. for John Hancock to be sold at the first shop in Popes-head-Alley next to Corn-hill 1660. Mr. BROOKS his MVTE CHRISTIAN TO All afflicted distressed dissatisfied disquieted and discomposed Christians throughout the world Dear hearts THe choicest Saints are born to troubles as the Psal 34. 19 Job 5. 1 Psa 88. 3 4 Qui non est crucianus non est Christianus Luther sparks fly upwards Many are the troubles of the Righteous if they were many and not troubles then as it is in the Proverb the more the merrier or if they were troubles and not many then the fewer the better chear but God who is infinite in wisdome and matchless in goodness hath ordered troubles yea many troubles to come trooping in upon us on every side As our mercies so our crosses seldome come single they usually come treading one upon the heels of another they are like April showers no sooner is one over but another comes And yet Christians it is mercy it is rich mercy that every affliction is not an execution that every correction is not a damnation The higher the waters rise the nearer Noahs Ark was lifted up to Heaven the more thy afflictions are encreased the more thy heart shall bee raised Heaven-wards Because I would not hold you too long in the porch I shall onely indeavour two things First To give you the reasons of my appearing once more in Print and Secondly A little counsel and direction that the following Tract may turn to your souls advantage which is the white that I have in mine eye The true reasons of my sending this piece into the world such as it is are thâ—se First The afflicting hand of God hath been hard upon my self and upon my dearest relations in this world and upon many of my precious Christian friends whom I much love and honour in the Lord which put mee upon studying of the mind of God in that Scripture that I have made the subject matter of this following discourse Luther could not understand some Psalms till hee was afflicted the Christ-cross is no letter in the book and yet saith hee it hath taught mee more than all the letters in the book afflictions are a golden key by which the Lord opens the rich treasures of his word to his peoples souls and this in some measure through grace Judg. 14. 9 10. my soul hath experienced when Sampson had found honey hee gave some to his Father and Mother to eat some honey I have found in my following Text and therefore I may not I cannot bee such a churl as not to give them some of my honey to taste who have drunk deep of my gall and wormwood Some have accounted nothing their own that they have not communicated to others Austin observes on that Psal 66. 16. Come and hear all yee that fear God and I will declare what hee hath done for my soul Hee doâ—h not call them saith hee to acquaint them with speculations how wide the earth is how far the Heavens are stretched out what the number of the stars is or what is the course of the Sun but come and I will tell you the wonders of his grace the faithfulness of his promises the riches of his mercy to my soul gracious experiences are to be communicated Lilmod Lelammed we therefore learn that wee may teach is a proverb among the Rabbins And I do therefore lay in and lay up saith the Heathen that I may draw forth again and lay out for the good of many when God hath dealt bountifully with us others should reap some noble good by us the Family the Town the City the Country where a man lives should fare the better for his faring well our mercies and experiences should bee as a running spring at our doors which is not onely for our own use but also for our neighbours yea and for strangers too Secondly What is written is permanent litera scripta manet and-spreads it self further by far for time place and persons than the voice can reach the pen is an artificial tongue it speaks as well to absent as to present friends it speaks to them that are afar off as well as those that are near it speaks to many thousands at once it speaks not onely to the present age but also to succeeding Heb. 11. 4 Zech. 1. 5 ages the Pen is a kinde of Image of eternity it will make a man live when hee is dead though the Prophets do not live for ever yet their labours may a mans writings may preach when hee cannot when hee may not and when by reason of bodily distempers heâ— dares not yea and that which is more when hee is not Thirdly Few men if any have Iron memories how soon is a Sermon preach'd forgotten when a Sermon written remains Augustin writing to August Epist 1. ad Volus Volusian saith That which is written is alwaies at hand to bee read when the reader is at leasure men do not easily forget their own names nor their Fathers house nor the wives of their bosomes nor the fruit of their loins nor to eat their daily bread and yet Ah! how easily do they forget that word of grace that should bee dearer to them than all most mens memories especially in the great concernments of their souls are like a sieve or bowlter where the good Corn and fine Flower goes thorow but the lighâ— chaff and course bran remains behinde or like a strainer where the sweet liquor is strained out but the dreggs are left behinde or like a grate that lets the pure water run away but if there bee any straws sticks mud or filth that it holds as it were with Iron hands most mens memories are very treacherous especially in good things few mens memories are a holy Ark a heavenly Stare-house or Magazine for their souls and therefore they stand in the more need of a written word But Fourthly It s marvelous suitableness and usefulness under these great turns and changes that have past upon us As every wise husbandman observes the fittest seasons to sow his seed some hee sows in the Autumn and fall of the leaf some in the spring Isa 28. 25 of the year some in a dry season and some in
esteem with God God sets the greatest value upon persons of a quiet spirit 1 Pet. 3. 4. But let it bee the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price A quiet spirit is a spark of the divine nature it is a ray a beam of glory it is a heaven-born spirit No man is born with a holy Silence in his heart as hee is born with a tongue in his mouth this is a flower of paradise it is a precious Jem that God makes very great reckoning of A quiet spirit speaks a man most like to God it capacitates a man for communion with God it renders a man most serviceable to God and it obliges a man to most accurate walking with God A meek and quiet spirit is an incorruptible ornament much more valuable than gold First There is a natural quietness which proceeds from a good temper and constitution of body Secondly There is a moral quietness which proceeds from good education and breeding which flows from good injunctions instructions and examples Thirdly There is an artificial quietness some have an art to imprison their passions and to lay a Law of restraint upon their anger and wrath when they are all in a flame within As you may 2 Sam. 13. 20 33 see in Cain Esau Absalom and Joab who for a time cast a close cloak over their malice when their hearts were set on fire of Hell so Domitian would seem to love them best whom hee willed least should live Fourthly There is a gracious quietness which is of the spirits infusion Gal. 5. 22 25. Now this quietness of spirit this spiritual frame of heart is of great price in the sight of God God values it above the world and therefore who would not covet it more than the world yea more than life it self Certainly the great God sets a great price upon nothing but that which is of an invaluable price what stretching strugling and striving is there for those things that the great ones of the earth do highly prize Ah what stretching of wits interests and consciences is there this day to gain and hold up that which justice will cast down how much better would it bee if all persons would in good earnest struggle and strive even as for life after a quiet and silent spirit which the great and glorious God sets so great a price upon this is a pearl of greatest price and happy is hee that purchases it though it were with the loss of all But Sixthly Consider that if you sit not quiet and silent under your greatest troubles and your sorest trials you will bee found fighters against your own prayers How often have you prayed that the will of God may bee done yea that it may bee done on the earth as the Angels those glistering Courtiers Mat. 6. 10 those Princes of glory do it now in Heaven when troubles and afflictions come upon you the will of God is done his will is accomplished why then should you fret fling and fume and not rather quietly lye down in his will whose Voluntas Dei necessitas rei every gracious soul should say Amen to Gods Amen hee should put his fiat his placet to Gods go it never so much against the hair with him will is a perfect will a just and righteous will a wise will an over-ruling will an infinite will a soveraign will a holy will an immutable will an uncontroulable will an omnipotent will and an eternal will certainly you will but add affliction to affliction by fighting against your own prayers and by vexing and fretting your selves when the will of God is done it is sad to see a man to fight against his friends it is sadder to see him fight against his relations it is saddest of all to see him fight against his prayers and yet this every Christian doth who murmures and mutters when the Rod of God is upon him some there be that pray against their prayers as Augustine who prayed for continency with a proviso Lord give mee continency but not yet And some there bee who fight against their prayers as those who pray that the will of God may be done and yet when his will is done upon them they are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest they are still fretting against the Lord. Ah Christians have you not sins to fight against and temptations to fight against and a Devil to fight against yea a whole world to fight against why then should you bee found fighting against your own prayers But Seventhly Consider A holy Silence under the heaviest burdens the greatest afflictions the saddest providences and changes will make all tollerable and easie to a Christian the silent soul can bear a burden without a burden those burdens and troubles that will break a froward mans Micah 7. 7 8 9 10 Psal 62. 1 6 back will not so much as break a silent mans sleep those afflictions that lye as heavy weights upon a murmurer will lye as light as a feather upon a mute Christian that bed of sorrow which is as a bed of thorns to a frâ—tful soul will bee as a bed of down to a silent soul a holy Silence unstings every affliction it takes off the weight of every burden it adds sweet to every bitter it changes dark nights into Sunshiny daies and terrible storms into desirable calms the smallest sufferings will easily vanquish an unquiet spirit but a quiet spirit will as easily triumph over the greatest sufferings As little mercies are great mercies so great sufferings are but little sufferings in the eye of a silent soul the silent soul never complains that his affliction is too great his burthen too heavy his cross too weighty his sufferings too many Silence makes him victorious over all And therefore as ever you would have heavy afflictions light and bee able to bear a burthen without a burthen labour as for life after this holy silence But Eighthly Consider That a holy Silence under afflictions will bee your best armour of proof against those temptations that afflictions may expose you to times Luk. 22. 31 34. Job 1. 3 Zach. 1. 2 3 4 Mat. 4. 1 2 3 of afflictions often prove times of great temptation and therefore afflictions are called temptations James 1. 12. Blessed is the man which endureth temp 〈…〉 on for when hee is tried hee shall receive the Crown of life c. The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to bee understood of temptations of probation of afflicting temptations and not of temptations of suggestion James 4. 7. 1 Pet. 5. 9 of seduction for they are not to bee endured but resisted and abhorred Now affliction is called temptation 1 Because as temptation tries what metal a Christian is made of so do afflictions 2 Because as Satan usually hath a great hand in all the temptations that
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
13 14. O thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted behold I will lay thy stones with fair colours and lay thy foundations with saphires And I will make thy windows of agates and thy gates of carbuneles and all thy borders of pleasant stones And all thy children shall bee taught of the Lord and great shall bee the peace of thy children Inrighteousness shalt thou bee established thou shalt bee far from oppression for thou shalt not fear and from terrour for it shall not come near thee Though they have been long afflicted and tossed yet they shall at last upon glorious foundations bee established God will not onely raise them out of their distressed estate wherein now they are but hee will advance them to a most eminent and glorious condition in this world they shall bee very glorious and outshine all the world in spiritual excellencies and outward dignities Isa 60. 14 15. The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet and they shall call thee The City of the Lord The Zion of the holy One of Israel Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated so that no man went thorow thee I will make thee an eternal excellency a joy of many Generations Ah Christians I do not mutter nor murmure under your long afflictions for you do not know but that by these long afflictions God may prepare and fit you for such favours and blessings that may never have end by long afflictions God many times prepares his people for temporal spiritual and eternal mercies if God by long afflictions makes more room in thy soul for himself his Son his Spirit his Word if by long afflictions hee shall crucifie thy heart more to the world and to thy relations and frame and fashion thy soul more for celestial enjoyments hast thou any cause to murmure surely no. But Seventhly The longer a Saint is afflicted on earth the more glorious hee shall shine in Heaven 2 Cor. 4. 16 17 18 Mat. 5. 10 11 12 the more affliction here the more glory hereafter This Truth may bee thus made out First The more gracious souls are afflicted the more their graces are exercised and encreased Heb. 12. 10. Rom. 5. 3 4 5. Now the more grace here the more glory hereafter the higher in grace the higher in glory Grace differs nothing from glory but in name grace is glory in the bud and glory is grace at the full glory is nothing but the perfection of grace 2 Cor. 3. ult happiness is nothing but the perfection of holiness grace is glory in the seed and glory is grace in the flower grace is glory militant and glory is grace triumphant grace and glory differ non specie sed gradu in degree not kinde as the learned speak Now it is most certain that the more gracious souls are afflicted the more their graces are exercised and the more grace is exercised the more it is encreased as I have sufficiently demonstrated in this treatise already But Secondly The longer a gracious soul is afflicted the more his religious duties will bee multiplied Psal 109. 4. For my love they are my adversaries but I give my self unto prayer or as the Hebrew reads it But I am prayer or a man of Psa 42. 1 2 3 4 5. Psal 63. 1 2 3 8. Jâ—r 31. 18 19 Hos 5. ult with ch 6. 1 2 Psal 116. 3 4. and Psal 143. 6 7 prayer In times of affliction a Christian is all prayer hee is never so much a man of prayer a man given up to prayer as in times of affliction A Christian is never so frequent so fervent so abundant in the work of the Lord as when hee is afflicted Isa 26. 16. Lord in trouble have they visited thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them Now they do not onely pray but they pour out a prayer they were freely largely and abundantly in prayer when the rod was upon them Look as men plentifully pour out water for the quenching of a fire so did they plentifully pour out their prayers before the Lord and as affliction puts a man upon being much in prayer so it puts him upon other duties of Religion answerably Now this is most certain that though God will reward no man for his works yet hee will reward every man according to Matth. 25. 14. 26. God will reward his people secundum laboâ—em Bern. works 1 Cor. 15. ult Therefore my beloved Brethren bee yee stedfast unmoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord 2 Cor. 9. 6. But this I say hee which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and hee which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully or hee which soweth in benedictions or blessings shall reap in benedictions as it runs in the original It is an excellent observation of Calvin upon Gods rewarding the Rechabites obedience Jer. 35. 19. God saith hee oft recompenceth the shadows and seeming appearances of virtue to shew what complacency hee takes in the ample rewards hee hath reserved for true and sincere piety Now if the longer a Christian is afflicted the more his religious services will bee multiplied and the more they are multiplied the more his glory at last will bee encreased then the longer a Saint is afflicted on earth the more glory he shall have when hee comes to Heaven But Thirdly The longer any Saint is afflicted the more into the image and likeness of Christ hee will bee transformed It is one of Rom. 8. 28 29 c. 2 Cor. 1 5 6 7 Phil. 3. 10 Heb. 2. 10 2 Tim. 2. 12. Gods great designs and ends in afflicting of his people to make them more conformable to his Son and God will not lose his end men often lose theirs but God never hath nor will lose his and experience tells us that God doth every day by afflictions accomplish this end upon his people the longer they are afflicted the more they are made conformable to Christ in meekness lowliness spiritualness heavenliness in faith love self-denial pitty compassion c. Now certainly the more like to Christ the more beloved of Christ the more a Christian is like to Christ the more hee is the delight of Christ and the more like to Christ on earth the nearer the soul shall sit to Christ in Heaven nothing makes a man more conformable to Christ than afflictions Justin Martyr in his second Apology for the Christians hath observed that there is scarce any prediction or prophecy concerning our Saviour Christ the Son of God to bee made man but the Heathen writers who were all after Moses did from thence invent some fable and feign it to have been acted by some one or other of Jupiters Sons onely the Prophecies about the cross of Christ they have taken for the
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
on the other side of him and there hee sees infernal fiends in fearful shapes amazing and terrifying of him and waiting to receive his despairing soul as soon as shee shall take her leave of his wretched body hee looks above him and there hee sees the gates of Heaven shut against him hee looks beneath him and there hee sees hell gaping for him and under these sad sights hee is full of secret conclusions against his own soul there is mercy for others saith the despairing soul but none for mee grace and favour for others but none for mee pardon and peace for others but none for mee As that despairing Pope said the cross could do him no good because hee had so often sold it blessedness and happiness for others but none for mee there is no help there is no hope no Jer. 2. 25. ch 18. 1â— this seems to be his case who died with this desperate saying in his mouth spes fortuna vâ—lete farewel life and hope together Now under these dismal apprehensions and sad conclusions about its present and future condition the despairing soul sits silent being filled with amazement and astonishment Psal 77. 4. I am so troubled that I cannot speak But this is not the Silence here meant But Seventhly and lastly There is a prudent Silence a holy a gracious Silence a Silence that springs from prudent principles from holy principles and from gracious causes and considerations and this is the Silence here meant And this I shall fully discover in my Answers to the second Question which is this Quest 2 What doth a prudent a gracious a holy Silence include Answer 1 It includes and takes in these eight things First It includes a sight of God and an acknowledgement of God as the author of all the afflictions that come upon us And this you have plain in the Text I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it The Psalmist In second causes many times a Christian may see much envy hatred malice pride c. But in the first cause he can see nothing but grace and mercy sweetness and goodness looks through secondary causes to the first cause and so sits mute before the Lord. There is no sickness so little but God hath a finger in it though it bee but the aking of the little finger As the Scribe is more eyed and properly said to write than the pen and hee that maketh and keepeth the Clock is more properly said to make it go and strike than the wheels and weights that hang upon it and as every work-man is more eyed and properly said to effect his works rather than the tools which hee useth as his instruments so the Lord who is the chief Agent and mover in all actions and who hath the greatest hand in all our afflictions is more to bee eyed and owned than any inferiour or subordinate causes whatsoever So Job hee beheld God in all Job 1. 21. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away Had hee not seen God in the affliction hee would have cried out Oh these wretched Chaldeans they have plundred and spoiled mee These wicked Sabeans they have robbed and wronged mee Job discerns Gods Commission in the Chaldeans and the Sabeans hands and then laies his own hand upon his mouth So Aaron beholding the hand of God in the untimely death of his two sons holds his peace Levit. 10. 3. the sight of God in this sad stroak is a bridle both to his mind and mouth hee neither mutters nor murmurs So Joseph saw the hand of God in his brethrens selling of him into Egypt Gen. 45. 8. and that silences him Men that see not God in an affliction are easily cast into a feaverish fit they will quickly bee in a flame and when their passions are up and their hearts on fire they will begin to bee sawcy and make no bones of telling God to his teeth that they do well to bee angry Jonah 4. 8 9. Such as will not acknowledge God to bee the author of all their afflictions will bee ready enough to fall in with that mad principle of the Manachees who maintained the Devil to bee the Author of all calamities As if there could bee any evil of affliction in the City and the Lord have no hand in it Amos 3. 6. Such as can see the ordering hand of God in all their afflictions will with David lay their hands upon their mouths when the Rod of God is upon their backs 2 Sam. 16. 11 12. If Gods hand bee not seen in the affliction the heart will do nothing but fret and rage under affliction Secondly It includes and takes in some holy gracious apprehensions of the Majesty Soveraignty Dignity Authority and presence of that God under whose afflicting hand we are Hab. 2. 20. But the Lord is in his holy Temple let all the earth bee silent or as the Hebrew reads it bee silent all the earth before his face When God would have all the people of the earth to bee husht quiet and silent before him hee would have them to behold him in his Temple where hee sits in state in majesty and glory Zephan 1. 7. Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God Chat not murmure not repine not quarrel not Whist stand mute bee silent lay thy hand on thy mouth when his hand is upon thy back who is totus oculus all-eye to see as well as all hand to punish As the eyes of a well-drawn picture are fastened on thee which way soever thou turnest so are the eies of the Lord and therefore thou hast cause to stand mute before him Thus Aaron had an eye to the soveraignty of God and that silences Levit. 10. 3 Job 37. 23 24. 1 Sam. 3. 11 19. him And Job had an eye upon the majesty of God and that stills him And Elie had an eye upon the authority and presence of God and that quiets him A man never comes to humble himself nor to bee silent under the hand of God till hee comes to see the hand of God to bee a mighty hand 1 Pet. 5. 6. Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God When men look upon the hand of God as a weak hand a feeble hand a low hand a mean hand their hearts rise against his hand Who is the Lord said Pharaoh that I should obey his voice Exod. 5. 2. And till Pharaoh came to see the hand of God as a mighty hand and to feel it as a mighty hand hee would not let Israel go When Tiribazus a Noble Persian was arrested at first hee drew out his sword and defended himself but when they charged him in the Kings name and informed him that they came from the King and were commanded to bring him to the King he yeelded willingly So when afflictions arrest us we shall murmure and grumble and struggle and strive even to the death before wee shall yeeld to that God that
strikes till wee come to see his majesty and authority till wee come Isa 26. 11 12 Rev. 1. 5. to see him as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords It is such a sight of God as this that makes the heart to stoop under his Almighty hand The Thracians being Herod ignorant of the dignity and majesty of God when it thundred and lightned used to express their madness and folly in shooting their arrows against Heaven threatning-wise As a sight of his grace chears the soul so a sight of his greatness and glory silences the soul But Thirdly A gracious a prudent Silence takes in a holy quietnesse Animus cujusque est quisque the mind is the man and calmnesse of mind and spirit under the afflicting hand of God A gracious Silence shuts out all inward heats murmurings frettings quarrellings wranglings and boilings of heart Psal 62. 1. Truly my soul keepeth silence unto God or is silent or still that is my soul is quiet and submissive to God all murmurings and repineings passions and turbulent affections being allayed tamed and subdued This also is clear in the Text and in the former instances of Aaron Ely and Job they saw that it was a Father that put those bitter cups into their hands and love that laid those heavy crosses upon their shoulders and grace that put those yoaks about their necks and this caused much quietnesse and calmnesse in their spirits Marius bit in his pain when the Chirurgian cut off his legg Some men when God cuts off this mercy and that mercy from them they bite in their pain they hide and conceal their grief and trouble but could you but look into their hearts you would finde all in an uproar all out of order all in a flame and however they may seem to be cold without yet they are all in a hot burning feaver within Such a feaverish fit David was once in Psal 39. 3. But certainly a holy Silence allaies all tumults in the mind and makes a man in patience Luke 21. 19. to possesse his own soul which next to his possession of God is the choicest and sweetest possession in all the world The Law of Silence is as well upon that mans heart and mind as it is upon his tongue who is truly and divinely silent under the rebuking hand of God As tongue-service abstracted Isa 29. 13. Mat. 15. 8 9. from heart service is no service in the account of God so tonguesilence abstracted from heartsilence is no silence in the esteem of God A man is then graciously silent when all is quiet within and without Terpander a Harper and a Poet was one that by the sweetnesse of his verse and musick could allay the tumultuous motions of mens minds As David by his Harp did Sauls When Gods people are under the Rod hee makes by his spirit and word such sweet musick in their souls as allaies all tumultuous motions passions and perturbations Psal 94. 17 18 19. Psal 119. 49 50. so that they sit Noah-like quiet and still and in peace possesse their own souls Fourthly A prudent a holy Plato calls God the horn of plenty and the Ocean of beauty without the least spot of injustice Silence takes in an humble justifying clearing and acquitting of God of all blame rigour and injustice in all the afflictions hee brings upon us Psal 51. 4. That thou mayest bee justified when thou speakest and bee clear when thou judgest that is when thou correctest Gods judging his people is Gods correcting or chastening of his people 1 Cor. 11. 32. When wee are judged wee are chastened of the Lord. Davids great care when he was under the afflicting hand of God was to clear the Lord of injustice Ah Lord saith hee There is not the least shew spot stain blemish or mixture of injustice in all the afflictions thou hast brought upon mee I desire to take shame to my self and to set to my seal that the Lord is righteous and that there is no injustice no cruelty nor no extremity in all that the Lord hath brought upon mee And so in that Psal 119. 75. 137. hee sweetly and readily subscribes unto the righteousness of God in those sharp and smart afflictions that God exercised him with I know O Lord that thy judgements are right and that thou in faithfulnesse hast afflicted mee Righteous art thou O Lord and upright are thy judgements Gods judgements are alwaies just hee never afflicts but in faithfulnesse his will is the rule of justice and therefore a gracious soul dares not cavil nor question his proceedings the afflicted soul knows that a righteous God can do nothing but that which is righteous it knows that God is uncontroulable and therefore the afflicted man puts his mouth in the dust and keeps silence before him 2 Sam. 16. 10. Who dare say Wherefore hast thou done so The Turks when they are cruelly lashed are compelled to return to the judge that commanded it to kiss his hand give him thanks and pay the officer that whipped them and so clear the Judge and Officer of injustice Silently to kisse the Rod and the hand that whips with it is the noblest way of clearing the Lord of all injustice The Babylonish captivity was the sorest the heaviest affliction that ever God inflicted upon any people under Heaven witnesse that 1 Sam. 12. Daniel 9. 12 c. yet under those smart afflictions wisdome is justified of her children Neh. 9. 33. Thou art just in all that is brought upon us for thou hast done right but wee have done wickedly 1 Sam. 18. The Lord is righteous for I have rebelled against him A holy Silence shines in nothing more than in an humble justifying and clearing of God from all that which a corrupt heart is apt enough to charge God with in the day of affliction God in that hee is good can give nothing nor do nothing but that which is good others do frequently hee cannot possibly saith Luther in Psal 120. Fifthly A holy Silence takes in gracious blessed soul-quieting Conclusions about the issue and event of those afflictions that are upon us Lam. 3. 27 34. In this choice Scripture you may observe these five soul-stilling Conclusions First And that more generally That they shall work for their good vers 27. It is good for a man that hee bear the yoak in his youth A gracious soul secretly concludes As stars shine brightest in the night so God will make my soul shine and glister like gold whilst I am in this furnace and when I come out of this furnace of affliction Job 23. 10. Hee knoweth the way that I take and when hee hath tried mee I shall come forth as gold Surely as the tasting of hony did open Jonathans eyes so this cross this affliction shall open mine eyes by this stroak I shall come to have a clearer sight of my sins and of my self and a fuller sight of my God Job 33. 27
upward And they shall look unto the earth and behold trouble and darkness dimness of anguish and they shall bee driven to darkness Ah how fretful and froward how disturbed and distracted how mad and forelorn are these poor wretches under the rebukes of God! they look upward and downward this way and that way on this side and on that and finding no help no succour no support no deliverance like Bedlams yea like incarnate Devils they fall upon cursing of God and their King Isa 59. 11. Wee roar all like Bears and mourn sore like Doves wee look for judgement but there is none for The Beaâ— as Aristotle observeth licketh her whelps into form and loveth them beyond measure and is most fierce roaring and raging when she is robbed of them salvation but it is far off from us They express their inward vexation and indignation by roaring like Bears when Bears are robbed of their whelps or taken in a pit O how dreadfully will they roar rage tear and tumble So when wicked persons are fallen into the pit of affliction O how will they roar rage tear and cry out not of their sins but of their punishments As Cain my punishment is greater than I am able to bear Isa 51. 20. Thy Sons have fainted they lye at the head of all the streets as a wilde Bull in a net they are full of the fury of the Lord the rebuke of thy God When the huntsman hath taken the wilde Bull in his toil and so intangled him that hee is not able to winde himself out Oh how fierce and furious will hee bee how will hee spend himself in strugling and striving to get out Such wilde Bulls are wicked men when they are taken in the net of affliction It is said of Marcellus the Roman General that hee could not bee quiet nec victor nec victus neither conquered nor conquerour it is so with wicked men they cannot bee quiet neither full nor fasting neither sick nor well neither in wealth nor want neither in bonds nor at liberty neither in prosperity nor in adversity Jer. 51. 37 38. And Babylon shall become heaps a dwelling place for Dragons an astonishment and an hissing without Amos 3. 8. an inhabitant They shall roar together like Lions they shall yell as Lions whelps When the Lion roars all the beasts of the field tremble Ambrose When the Lion roars many creatures that could out-run him are so amazed and astonied at the terrour of his roar that they are not able to stir from the place such roaring Lions are wicked men when they are under the smarting rod Rev. 16. 8 12. They gnaw their tongues for pain and they blaspheme the God of Heaven because of those sores pains and plagues that are poured upon them and they repented not of their deeds to give him glory And therefore gracious souls have cause to bee silent under their sorest trials that they may difference and distinguish themselves from wicked men who are like the troubled Sea when it cannot Isa 57. 20 rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt The verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to make a stir to be exceeding busie unquiet or troublesome Ah what a stir do wicked men make when they are under the afflicting hand of God! As the Sea is restless and unquiet when there is no storm it cannot stand still but hath his flux and reflux so it is much less restless when by tempest upon tempest it is made to roar and rage to foam and cast up mire and dirt the raging Sea is a fit emblem of a wicked man that is under Gods afflicting hand Reas 3. A third reason why gracious souls should bee silent and mute under their sharpest trials is that they may bee conformable to Christ their head who was dumb Justin Martyr being asked which was the greatest miracle that our Saviour Christ wrought answered Pattentia ejus tanta in laboribus tantis his so great patience in so great troubles and silent under his sorest trials Isa 53. 7. Hee was oppressed and hee was afflicted yet hee opened not his mouth hee is brought as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a Sheep before her shearers is dumb so hee opened not his mouth Christ was tongue-tied under all his sorrows and sufferings 1 Pet. 2. 21 22 23. Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that yee should follow his steps Who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth Who when hee was reviled reviled not again when hee suffered hee threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously Christ upon the cross did not onely read us a lecture of patience and silence but hee hath also set us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Copy or Pattern of both to bee transcribed and imitated by us when we are under the smarting Rod It will be our sin and shame if wee do not bear up with patience and silence under all oâ—â— sufferings considering what an admirable copy Christ hath set before us It is said of Autiochus that being to fight with 1 Macch. 6. 34. Judas Captain of the host of the Jews hee shewed unto his Elephants the blood of the grapes and mulberries to provoke them the better to fight So the Holy Ghost hath set before us the injuries and contumelies the sorrows and sufferings the pains and torments the sweat and blood of our dearest Lord and his invincible patience and admirable silence under all to provoke us and incourage us to imitate the Captain of our salvation in patience and silence under all our sufferings Hiorome having read the life and death of Hilarion one that lived graciously and died comfortably â—olded up the book saying well Hilarion shall bee the Champion that I will follow his good life shall bee my example and his good death my president Oh! how much more should wee all say wee have read how Christ hath been afflicted oppressed distressed despised persecuted c. and wee have read how dumb The Arabians if their King bee sick or lame they all feign themselves so how tongue-tied how patient and how silent hee hath been under all Oh! hee shall bee the Copy which wee will write after the Pattern which wee will walk by the Champion which wee will follow But alass alass how rare is it to finde a man that may bee applauded with that Elogie of Salvian singularis Domini praeclarus imitator An excellent Disciple of a singular Master The Heathens had this notion amongst them as Laâ—tantius reports that the way to honour their Gods was to bee like them and therefore some would bee wicked counting it a dishonour to their gods to bee unlike to them I am sure the way to honour our Christ is in patience and silence to bee like to Christ especially when a smarting rod is upon our backs and a bitter cup put into our hands Reas 4. A fourth reason why the people of God should
hee doth yet hee is not bound to shew us the reasons of his doings Jeremiah's passion was up his blood was hot and now nothing will silence nor satisfie him but the reasons why his pain was perpetual and his wound incurable So Job chap. 7. 20. Why hast thou set mee as a mark against thee so that I am a burden to my self It is an evil and a dangerous thing to cavil at or to question his proceedings who is the chief Lord of Rom. 9. 20 Dan. 4. 34 35 all and who may do with his own what hee pleaseth Hee is unaccountable and uncontroulable and therefore who shall say what doest thou As no man may question his right to afflict him nor his righteousness in afflicting of him so no man may question the reasons why he afflicts him As no man can compel him to give a reason of his doings so no man may dare to ask him the particular reasons of his doings Kings think themselves not bound to give their subjects a reason of their Eccles 8. 4 doings and shall wee binde God to give us a reason of his doings who is the King of Kings and Rev. 1. 5 6 Lord of Lords and whose will is the true reason and onely rule of justice The general grounds and reasons that God hath laid down in his word why hee afflicts his people as viz. for their profit Heb. 12. 10. for the purging away of their sins Isa 1. 25. for the reforming of their lives Psal 119. 67. 71. and for the saving of their souls 1 Cor. 11. 32. should work them to bee silent and satisfied under all their afflictions though God should never satisfie their curiosity in giving them an account of some more hidden causes which may lye secret in the abyss of his eternal knowledge and infallible will Curiosity is the spiritual drunkenness of the soul and look as the drunkard will never bee satisfied bee the cup never so deep unless hee see the bottome of it so some curious Christians whose souls are over-spread with the leprosie of curiosity they will never bee satisfied till they come to see the bottome and the most secret reasons of all Gods dealings towards them but they are fools in folio who affect to know more than God would have them Did not Adams curiosity render him and his posterity fools in folio and what pleasure can wee take to see our selves every day fools in print As a man by gazing and prying into the body of the Sun may grow dark and dim and see less than otherwise hee might So many by a curious prying into the secret reasons of Gods dealings with them come to grow so dark and dim that they cannot see those plain reasons that God hath laid down in his word why hee afflicts and tries the children of men I have read of one Sir William John Stows survey of London Champney in the Reign of King Henry the third once living in Tower-street London who was the first man that ever built a Turret on the top of his house that hee might the better overlook all his neighbours but it so fell out that not long after hee was struck blind so that hee who could not bee satisfied to see as others did see but would needs see more than others saw just nothing at all through the just judgement of God upon him And so it is a just and righteous thing with God to strike such with spiritual blindness who will not bee satisfied with seeing the reasons laid down in the word why hee afflicts them but they must bee curiously prying and searching into the hidden and more secret reasons of his severity towards them Ah Christians it is your wisdome and duty to sit silent and mute under the afflicting hand of God upon the account of revealed reasons without making any curious inquiry into those more secret reasons that art lock'd up in the golden Cabinet of Gods own breast Deut. 29. â—9 Fifthly This truth looks sourely and sadly upon those who instead 1 Sam. 21. 12 ult Gen. 12. 13 20. chap. 20. 2 14. ch 26. 7 8 9 10. Jonah 1. 1 Sam. 28. throughout of being silent and mute under their afflictions use all sinful shifts and wayes to shift themselves out of their troubles who care not though they break with God and break with men and break with their own consciences so they may but break off the chains that are upon them who care not by what means the prison door is opened so they may but escape nor by what hands their bolts are knock'd off so they may bee at liberty Job 36. 21. Take heed regard not iniquity for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction Hee makes but an ill choice who chuses sin rather than suffering and yet such an ill choice good men have sometimes made as you may see by the proofs in the Margint when troubles have compassed them round about Though no Lion roars like that in a mans own bosome conscience yet some to deliver themselves from troubles without have set that Lion a roaring within Some to deliver themselves from outward tortures have put themselves under inward torments hee purchases his freedome from affliction at too dear a rate who buies it with the loss of a good name or a good conscience Now because there is even in good men sometimes too great an aptnesse and pronenesse to sin and shift themselves out of afflictions when they should rather bee mute and silent under them Give mee leave to lay down these six considerations to prevent it Frist Consider that there is infinitely James 3. 5 11. more evil in the least sin than there is in the greatest miseries and afflictions that can possibly come upon you yea there is more evil in the least sin than there is in all the troubles that ever came upon the world yea than there is in all the miseries and torments Prov. 8. 36 1 Joh. 3. 4 chap. 1. 7. Rev. 21. 8. of hell the least sin is an offence to the great God it is a wrong to the immortal soul it is a breach of a righteous Law it If you consider sin strictly there cannot be any little sin no more than there can bee a little god a little hell or a little damnation yet comparatively some sins may bee said to bee little cannot bee wash'd away but by the blood of Jesus it can shut the soul out of Heaven and shut the soul up a close prisoner in Hell for ever and ever The least sin is rather to bee avoided and prevented than the greatest sufferings if this Cockatrice bee not crushed in the Egg it will soon become a Serpent the very thought of sin if not thought on will break out into action action into custome custome into habit and then both body and soul are lost irrecoverably to all eternity The least sin is very dangerous Caesar was stabbed with bodkins Herod was eaten
if not cease from murmurings where murmuring is in its reign in its dominion there you may speak and write that person ungodly let murmurers make what profession they will of godliness yet if murmuring keeps the Throne in their hearts Christ will deal with them at last as ungodly sinners a man may bee denominated ungodly as well from his murmuring if hee lives under the dominion of it as from his drunkenness swearing whoring lying stealing c. A murmurer is an ungodly man hee is an ungodlike man no man on earth more unlike to God than the murmurer and therefore no wonder if when Christ comes to execute judgement hee deals so severely and terribly with him In the wars of Tamberlain one having found a great pot of Gold that was hid in the earth hee brought it to Tamberlain who asked whether it had his Fathers stamp upon it but when hee saw it had not his Fathers stamp but the Roman stamp upon it he would not own it but cast it away The Lord Jesus when hee shall come with all his Saints to execute judgement Oh hee will not own murmurers nay hee will cast them away for ever because they have not his Fathers stamp upon them Ah souls souls as you would not go up and down this world with a badge of ungodliness upon you take heed of murmuring Thirdly Consider That murmuring Numb 16. 41. ch 17. 10. is a mother sin it is the Mother of harlots the Mother of all abominations a sin that breeds many other sins viz. disobedience contempt ingratitude impatience distrust rebellion cursing carnality yea it charges God with folly yea with blasphemy Judg. 17. 2. the language of a murmuring a muttering soul is this Surely God might have done this sooner and that wiser and the other thing better c. As the River Nilus bringeth forth many Crocodiles and the Scorpion many Serpents at one birth so murmuring is a sin that breeds and brings forth many sins at once Murmuring is like the Monster Hydra cut off one head and many will rise up in its room Oh! therefore bend all thy strength against this Mother sin As the King of Syria said 1 Kings 22. 31. to his Captains Fight neither with small nor great but with the King of Israel So say I fight not so much against this sin or that but fight against your murmuring which is a Mother sin make use of all your Eph. 6. 10 11. Christian armour make use of all the ammunition of Heaven to destroy the Mother and in destroying of her you will destroy the daughters When Goliah was slain the Philistians fled when a General in an Army is cut off the common souldiers are easily and quickly routed and destroyed So destroy but murmuring and you will quickly destroy disobedience ingratitude impatience distrust c. Oh! kill this Mother sin that this may never kill thy soul I have read of Senacherib that after his Army was destroyed by an Angel Isa 37. and hee returned home to his own Country hee enquired of one about him what hee thought the reason might bee why God so favoured the Jews hee answered that there was one Abraham their Father that was willing to sacrifice his Son to death at the command of God and that ever since that time God favoured that people well said Senacherib if that bee it I have two Sons and I will sacrifice them both to death if that will procure their God to favour mee which when his two Sons heard they as the story goeth slew their Father Isa 37. 38. chusing rather to kill than bee killed So do thou chuse rather to kill this Mother sin than Psal 137. 8 9 to bee killed by it or by any of those vipers that are brought forth by it Fourthly Consider That murmuring is a God-provoking sin it is a sin that provokes God not onely to afflict but also to destroy Numb 26. ult Numb 12. 10 Rev. 16. 8 9 10 11 a people Numb 14. 27 28 29. How long shall I bear with this evil Congregation which murmure against mee I have heard the murmuring of the children of Israel which they murmure against mee Say unto them As truly as I live saith the Lord as yee have spoken in mine ears so will I do to you Your carkasses shall fall in this wilderness and all that were numbred of you according to your whole number from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against mee 1 Cor. 10. 10. Neither murmure yee as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer All our murmurings do but provoke the Lord to strike us and destroy us I have read of Caesar that having Seneca prepared a great feast for his Nobles and Friends it so â—ell out that the day appointed was extream â—oul that nothing could be done to the honour of the meeting whereupon hee was so displeased and enraged that hee commanded all them that had bows to shoot up their arrows at Jupiter their chief God as in defiance of him for that rainy weather which when they did their arrows fell short of Heaven and full upon their own heads so that many of them were very sorely wounded So all our mutterings and murmurings which are as so many arrows shot at God himself they will return upon our pates hearts they reach not him but they will hit us they hurt not him but they will wound us therefore it is better to bee mute than to murmure it is dangerous to provoke a consuming fire Heb. 12. ult Irenaeus calleth murmurers ora diaboli the Devils mouth Job 1. 8 9 Luk. 22. 31 -34 2 Cor. 12. 8 9 10 Fifthly Consider That murmuring is the Devils Image sin and punishment Satan is still a murmuring â—hee murmures at every mercy that God bestows at every dram of grace hee gives hee murmures at every sin hee pardons and at every soul heâ— saves a soul cannot have a good look from Heaven nor hear a good word from Heaven nor receive a Love-letter from Heaven but Satan murmures at it he murmures and mutters at every act of pittying grace and at every act of preventing grace and at every act of supporting grace and at every act of strengthening grace and at every act of comforting grace that God exercises towards poor souls hee murmures at every sip at every drop at every crum of mercy that God bestows Cyprian Aquinas and others conceive that the cause of Satans banishment from Heaven was his grieving and murmuring at the dignity of man whom hee beheld made after Gods own Image insomuch that Gen. 3. hee would relinquish his own glory Satan can never bee quiet nec victor nec victus neither conquered nor conquerour to devest so noble a Creature of perfection and rather bee in Hell himself than see Adam placed in Paradise But certainly after his fall murmuring and envy at mans innocency and felicity put him upon attempting
field and the birds of the Isa 3. 8 Jer. 7. 6. Mat. 6 Prov. 6. air and the creeping things of the earth how to cease from murmuring and how to bee mute Ah Sirs as you would have the name the honour the reputation of being men I say men Take heed of murmuring and sit silent before the Lord. Tenthly Murmuring is a timedestroying sin Ah the precious time that is buried in the grave of murmuring when the murmurer should bee a praying hee is a murmuring against the Lord when hee should bee a hearing hee is a murmuring against divine providences when hee should bee a reading hee is a murmuring against instruments the murmurer spends much precious time in musing in musing how to get out of such a trouble how to get off such a yoak how to bee rid of such a burden how to revenge himself for such a wrong how to supplant such a person how to reproach those that are above him and how to affront those that are below him and a thousand other waies murmurers have to expend thaâ— precious time that some would redeem with a world As Queen Sumptus pretiocissimus tempus Time is of precious cost saith Theophrastus Elizabeth on her death-bed cryed out time time a world of wealth for an inch of time the murmurer lavishly and profusely trifles away that precious time that is his greatest interest in this world to redeem Ephes 5. 16. every day every hour in the day is a talent of time and God expects the Rev. 2. 21 1 Pet. 4. 2. 5 improvement of it and will charge the non-improvement of it upon you at last Caesar observing the Ladies in Rome to spend Plutarch in the life of Pericles much of their time in making much of little Doggs and Monkies asked them whether the women in that Country had no children to make much of Ah murmurers murmurers you who by your murmuring trifle away so many golden hours and seasons of mercy have you no God to honour have you no Christ to beleeve in have you no hearts to change no sins to bee pardoned no souls to save no Hell to escape no Heaven to seek after Oh! if you have why do you spend so much of your precious time in murmuring against God against men against this or that thing Eternity rides upon the back of Time Hoc est momentum this is the moment Aut male aut nihil aut aliud agendo if it bee well improved you are made for ever if not you are undone for ever I have read of Archias a Lacedemonian that whilst hee was rioting and quaffing in the midst of his cups one delivers him a letter purposely to signifie that there were some that lay in wait to take Plutarch away his life withall desires him to read it presently because it was a serious business and matter of high concernment to him Oh! said hee seria cras I will think of serious things to morrow but that night hee was slain Ah murmurer cease from murmuring to day or else thou mayest bee for ever undone by murmuring to morrow the old saying was nunc aut nunquam now or never So say I now or never now or never give over murmuring and let it swallow up no more of your precious time what would not many a murmurer give for one of those daies yea for one of those hours which hee hath trifled away in murmuring when it is a day too late The Rabbins glory in this conceipt that a man hath so many bones as there bee latters in the Decalogue and just so many joints and members as there bee daies in the year to shew that all our strength and time should bee expended in Gods service Ah murmurers you will gain more by one daies faithful serving of God than ever you have gained by murmuring against God But Eleventhly Consider this Christians that of all men in the world you have least cause yea no cause to bee murmuring and Lam. 3. 24 Ephes 3. 8 1 Pet. 1. 3 4 muttering under any dispensations that you meet with in this world is not God thy portion Chrysostome propounds this question Chrysost Hom. 4. de patientia Job was Job miserable when hee lost all that God had given him and gives this answer no hee had still that God who gave him all Is not Christ thy treasure is not Heaven thine inheritance and wilt thou murmure hast thou not much in hand and more in hope hast thou not much in possession but much more in reversion and wilt thou murmure hath not God given thee a changed heart a renewed nature and a sanctified soul and wilt thou murmure hath hee not given thee himself to satisfie thee his Son Omne bonum in summo bono to save thee his Spirit to lead thee his grace to adorn thee his covenant to assure thee his mercy to pardon thee his righteousness to cloathe thee and wilt thou murmure hath he not made thee a friend a son a brother a bride an heir and wilt thou murmure hath not God often turned thy water into wine thy brass into silver and thy silver into gold and wilt thou murmure when thou was dead did not he quicken God is all in all and all without all thee and when thou wast lost did not hee seek thee and when thou wast wounded did not heâ— heal thee and when thou wer't falling did not hee support thee and when thou wer 't down did not hee raise thee and when thou wer't staggering did not hee establish thee and when thou wer't erring did not hee reduce thee and when thou wer 't tempted did not hee succour thee and when thou wer 't in dangers did not hee deliver thee and wilt thou murmure what thou that art so highly advanced and exalted above many thousands in the world Murmuring is a black garment and it becomes none so ill as Saints Twelfthly and lastly Consider That murmuring makes the life of man invisibly miserable every murmurer is his own executioner Murmuring vexes the heart it wears and tears the heart it inrages and inflames the heart it wounds and stabs the heart every murmurer is his own Martyr every murmurer is a murtherer hee kills many at once viz. his joy his comfort his peace his rest his soul no man so inwardly miserable as the murmurer no man hath such inward gripes and grief as hee such inward bitterness and heaviness as hee such inward contentions and combustions as hee every murmurer is his own tormentor murmuring is a fire within that will burn up all it is an earthquake within that will overturn all it is a disease within that will infect all it is poison within that wiâ—l prey upon all And thus I have done with those motives that may perswade us not to murmure nor mutter but to be mute and silent under the greatest afflictions the saddest providences and sharpest trials that wee meet with in
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
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
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
the Father of the Prodigal could say of his lost son Luk. 15. ult This my Son was lost but is found hee was dead but is alive but how few Christians can say this my good name was lost but is found it was dead but now it lives As when Orpha once left Naomi shee returned Ruth 1. 14 no more to her so when once a good name leaves a man it hardly returns to him again a crack'd credit will hardly bee sodered anew new Wine is rarely put into old bottles a man should stand upon nothing more than the credit of his conscience and the credit of his Act. 24. 16 name In Japan the very children are so jealous of their reputation that in case you lose a trifle and say to one of them sirrah I beleeve you have stollen it without any pause the boy will immediately cut off a joint from one of his fingers and say Sir if you say true I wish my finger may never heal again Three things a Christian should stifly labour to maintain 1 The honour of God 2 The honour of the Gospel 3 The honour of his own name If once a Christians good name sets in a cloud it will bee long before it rises again Thirdly Though all this bee true yet it hath been the portion of Gods dearest Saints and servants to bee slandered reproached vilified Mat. 5. 10 11 12 1 Pet. 3. 14. ch 4. 14 Psal 69. 7 Gen. 39. Psal 52. 2 Sam. 16. 11 12. 6. 13. 15. ch of Job Jer. 51. 51 and falsely accused Psal 31. 18. Let the lying lips bee put to silence which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous How sadly and falsely was Joseph accused by his wanton Mistress David by Doeg and Shimei Job of hypocrisie impiety inhumanity cruelty partiality pride and irreligion Job 22. Was not Naboth accused of speaking blasphemy against God and the King did not Haman represent the Jews to the Esth 3. King as Refractories and Rebels was not Elias accused to bee the troubler of Israel and Jeremy the Jer. 20. 7 8 9. Rom. 3. 8 2 Cor. 6. 8 1 Cor. 4. 12 13 trumpet of rebellion the Baptist a stirrer up of sedition and Paul a pestilent incendiary were not the Apostles generally accounted deceivers and deluders of the people and the off-scouring of the world c. Athanasius and Eustathius Act. Mon. were falsely accused of Adultery Adultery Heresie and Treason were charged upon Cranmer Parricide upon Philpot sedition upon Latimer As the primitive persecutors usually put Christians into Bears skins and Dogs skins and then baited them so they usually As Tertullian Minutius Faelix and others declare loaded their names and persons with all the reproach scorn contempt and false reports imaginable and then baited them and then acted all their malice and cruelty upon them I think there is no Christian but sooner or later first or last will have cause to say with David Psal 35. 11. False witnesses did rise up they laid to my charge things that I knew not they charged me with such things whereof I was both innocent and ignorant It was Hippias the saying of one that there was nothing so intollerable as accusation because there was no punishment ordained by Law for accusers as there was for theeves although they stole friendship from men which is the goodliest riches men can have Well Christians seeing it hath been the lot of the dearest Saints to bee falsely accused and to have their names and reputes in the world reproached and flie-blown do you hold your peace seeing it is no worse with you than it was with them of whom this world was not world The Kimchi Rabbins say that the world cannot subsist without patient bearing of reproaches But Fourthly Our Lord Jesus Christ was sadly reproached and falsely accused his precious name that deserves to bee alwaies writ in characters of gold as the Persians usually write their Kings was often eclipsed before the Sun was eclipsed at his death his sweet name that was sweeter than all sweets was often crucified before his body Oh the stones of reproach that were frequently rowled upon that name by which wee must bee saved if ever wee are saved Oh the jears the scoffs the scorns that were cast upon that name that can onely bless us The name of Jesus saith Chrysostome hath a thousand treasures of joy and comfort in it The name of a Saviour saith Bernard is hony in the mouth and musick in the ear and a jubile in the heart and yet where is the heart that can conceive or the tongue that can express how much dung and filth hath been cast upon Christs names and how many sharp arrows of reproach and scorn have been and daily yea hourly are shot by the world at Christs name and honour Such ignominious reproaches were cast upon Christ and his name in the time of his life and at his death It is a foolish thing saith Cato to hope for life by anothers death the world practically speaks as much every day that the Sun did blush and masked her self with a cloud that hee might no longer behold them Mat. 11. 19. The Son of man came eating and drinking and they say behold a man gluttonous and a wine-bibber a friend of publicans and sinners but was hee such a one no wisdome is justified of her children Wisdomes children will stand up and justifie her before all the world Mat. 27. 63. Saying Sir Wee remember The Greek word signifies one who doth profess an Art of couzening people to their faces that that deceiver said while hee was yet alive after three daies I will rise again but was hee a deceiver of the people no hee was the faithful and true witness Rev. 1. 5. chap. 3. 14. John 7. 20. The people answered and said thou hast a Devil who goeth about to kill thee chap. 8. 48. Then answered the Jews and said unto him say we not well that thou art a Samaritane and hast a Devil ch 10. 20. And many of them said he hath a Devil and is mad why hear ye him It was a wonder of wonders that the earth did not open and swallow up these Monsters and that God did not rain Hell out of Heaven upon these horrid blasphemers but their blasphemous assertions were denied and disproved by some of wisdomes children vers 21. Others said these are not the words of him that hath a Devil can a Devil open the eyes of the blind The Devil hath no such power nor any such goodness as to create eyes to him that was born blind Will you yet see more scorn dirt and contempt cast upon the Lord of glory why then cast your eyes upon that Luk. 16. 14. And the Pharisees also who were covetous heard all these things and they derided him or as the Greek reads it They blew their noses at him in scorn and Exe mukterizon
strip thee saith hee of all thy outward comforts yea but Christ is mine saith shee and you cannot strip mee of him Oh! the assurance that Christ was hers bore up her heart and quieted her spirit under all You may take away my life saith Basil but you cannot take away my comfort my head but not my Crown yea quoth hee had I a thousand lives I would lay them all down for my Saviours sake who hath done abundantly more for mee John Ardley professed to Bonner when hee told him of burning and how ill hee could endure it that if hee had as many lives as hee had hairs on his head hee would lose them all in the fire before hee would lose his Christ Assurance will keep a man from muttering and murmuring under the sorest afflictions Henry and John two Augustine Monks being the first that were burnt in Germany and Master Rogers the first that was burnt in Queen Maries daies did all sing in the flames A soul that lives in the assurance of divine favour and in its title to glory cannot but bear up patiently and quietly under the greatest sufferings that possibly can befall it in this world That Scripture is worth its weight in gold The Inhabitants of Sion shall not say Isa 33. 24 I am sick the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity Hee doth not say they were not sick no but though they were sick yet they should not say they were sick but why should they forget their sorrows and not remember their pains nor be sensible of their sickness why the reason is because the Lord hath forgiven them their iniquities The sense of pardon took away the sense of pain the sense of forgiveness took away the sense of sickness Assurance of pardon will take away the pain the sting the trouble of every trouble and affliction that a Christian meets with no affliction will daunt startle or stagger an assured Christian assured Christians Psal 23. 1 4 5 6 7 will be patient and silent under all Melanchthon makes mention of a godly woman who having upon her death-bed been in much conflict and afterward much comforted brake out into these words Now and not till now I understand the meaning of these words Thy sins are forgiven the sense of which did mightily chear and quiet her Hee that hath got this Jewel of assurance in his bosome will be far enough off from vexing or fretting under the saddest dispensations that hee meets with in this world Fourthly If you would be quiet and silent under your present troubles and trials then dwell There was a good man that had got so much good by his afflictions that hee counted it his greatest affliction to want an affliction and therefore hee would sometimes cry out Oh my friends I have lost an affliction I have lost an affliction much upon the benefit the profit the advantage that hath redowned to your souls by former troubles and afflictions that have been upon you Eccles 7. 14. In the day of adversity consider Oh! now consider how by former afflictions the Lord hath discovered sin prevented sin and mortified sin consider how the Lord by former afflictions hath discovered to thee the impotency the mutability the insufficiency and the vanity of the world and all worldly concernments consider how the Lord by former afflictions hath melted thy heart and broken thy heart and humbled thy heart and prepared thy heart for clearer fuller and sweeter enjoyments of himself consider what pitty what compassion what bowels what tenderness and what sweetness former afflictions have wrought in thee towards others in misery consider what room former afflictions have made in thy soul for God for his word for good counsel and for divine comfort consider how by former afflictions the Lord hath made thee more partaker of his Christ his Spirit his Holiness his Goodness c. Consider how by former afflictions the Lord hath made thee to look towards Heaven more to minde Heaven more to prize Heaven more and to long for Heaven more c. Now who can seriously consider of all that good that hee hath got by former afflictions and not be silent under present afflictions who can remember those choice those great and those precious earnings that his soul had made of former afflictions and not reason himself into a holy silence under present afflictions thus Oh my soul hath not God done thee much good great good special good by former afflictions yes Oh my soul hath not God done that for thee by former afflictions that thou wouldest not have to do for ten thousand worlds yes and is not God Oh my soul as powerful as ever as faithful as ever as gracious as ever and as ready and willing as ever to do thee good by present afflictions as hee hath been to do thee good by former affliction yes yes why why then dost thou not sit silent and mute before him under thy present troubles Oh my soul It was the saying of one that an excellent memory was needful for three sorts of men first for trades men for they having many businesses to do many reckonings to make up many Irons in the fire had need of a good memory Secondly Great talkers for they being full of words hâ—d need to have a good store-house in their heads to feed their tongues Thirdly For lyers for they telling many untruths had need of a good memory lest they should be taken in their lying contradictions And I may add for a fourth viz those that are afflicted that they may remember the great good that they have gained by former afflictions that so they may be the more silent and quiet under present troubles Fifthly To quiet and silence 2 Tim. 1. 12 1 Tim. 1. 5 2 Tim. 4. 8 your souls under the sorest afflictions and sharpest trials consider that your choicest your chiefest treasure is safe your God is safe your Christ is safe your Portion is safe your Crown is safe your Inheritance is safe your royal Palace is safe and your Jewels your Graces are safe therefore hold your peace I have read a story of a man that had a sute and when his cause was to be heard hee applied himself to three friends to see what they would do for him one answered hee would bring him as far on his journey as hee could the second promised him that he would go with him to his journies end the third engaged himself to go with him before the Judge and to speak for him and not to leave him till his cause was heard and determined These three are a mans riches his friends and his graces his riches will help him to comfortable accommodations while they stay with him but they often take leave of a man before his soul takes leave of his body 1 Tim. 6. 18 19 his friends will go with him to the grave and then leave him but his graces will accompany him before
God they will not leave him nor â—orsake him they will to the grave to glory with him In that famous battel at Leuctrum where the Thebans got a signal victory but their Captain Epaminondas a little before his death demanded whether his buckler were taken by the enemy and when hee understood that it was safe and that they had not so much as laid their hands on it hee died most willingly chearfully and quietly Well Christians your shield of faith is safe your portion is safe your Royal Robe is safe your Kingdome is safe your Heaven is safe your happiness and blessedness is safe and therefore under all your afflictions and troubles in patience possess your own souls But Sixthly If you would be silent and quiet under your sorest troubles and trials then set your selves in good earnest upon the mortification of your lusts it is unmortified Austin saith if thou kill not sin till it dye of it self sin hath killed thee and not thou thy sin lusts which is the sting of every trouble and which makes every sweet bitter and every bitter more bitter sin unmortified adds weight to every burden it puts gall to our wormwood it adds chain to chain it makes the bed uneasie the chamber a prison relations troublesome and every thing vexatious to the soul James 4. 1. From whence come wars and fightings among you come they not hence even of your lusts that war in your members So say I from whence comes all this muttering murmuring fretting and vexing c. come they not hence even from your unmortified lusts come they not from your unmortified pride and unmortified self-love and unmortified unbeleef and unmortified passions c. Surely they do Oh therefore as ever you would be silent under the afflicting hand of God labour for more more of the grace of the Spirit by which you may mortifie the lusts Rom. 8. 13 of the flesh it is not your strongest resolutions or purposes without the grace of the Spirit that can over-master a lust a foul sore till it bee indeed healed will run though wee resolve and say it shall not It was the blood of the Sacrifice and the Oil that cleansed the Leper in the Law and that by them was meant the bloud of Levit. 14. 14 15 16 Mark 5. 25 26 27 Christ and the grace of his Spirit is agreed on all hands It was a touch of Christs garment that cured the woman of her bloody Issue Philosophy saith Lactaâ—tius it may hide a sin but it cannot quench it it may cover a sin but it cannot cut off a sin like a black patch in stead of a plaister it may cover some deformities in nature but it cures them not neither is it the Papists purgatories watchings whippings c. nor St. Francis his kissing or licking of Lepers sores which will cleanse the fretting leprosie of sin in the strength of Christ and in the power of the Spirit set roundly upon the mortifying of every lust Oh! hugg none indulge none but resolvedly set upon the ruine of all One leak in a ship will sink it one wound strikes Goliah dead as well as three and twenty did Caesar one Dalilah may do Sampson as much spight and mischief as all the Philistines one broken wheel spoils all the whole Clock one veins bleeding will let out all the vitals as well as more one Fly will spoil a whole box of ointment one bitter herb all the pottage by eating one Apple Adam lost Paradise one lick of honey endangered Jonathans life one Achan was a trouble to all Israel one Joâ—â—h raises a storm and becomes lading too heavy for a whole ship so one unmortified lust will bee able to raise very strange and strong storms and tempests in the soul in the daies of affliction and therefore as you would have a blessed calm and quietness in your own spirits under your sharpest trials set throughly upon the work of mortification Gideon had seventy sons Judges 8. 30 31. ch 9. 1 7. and but one bastard and yet that bastard destroyed all his seventy sons Ah Christian thou dost not know what a world of mischief one unmortified lust may do and therefore let nothing satisfie thee but the blood of all thy lusts Seventhly If you would bee silent under your greatest afflictions your sharpest trials then make this consideration your daily companion viz. That all the afflictions that come upon you come upon you by and through that covenant of grace that God hath made with you in the covenant of grace God hath engaged himself to keep you Jer. 32. 36 ult from the evils snares and temptations of the world in the covenant of grace God hath engaged himself to purge away your sins to brighten and encrease your graces to crucifie your hearts to the world and to prepare you and preserve you to his heavenly Kingdome and by afflictions hee effects all this and that according to his covenant too Psal 89. 30 31 32 33 34. If his children forsake my Law and walk not in my commandements If they break my statutes and keep not my commandements in these words you have a supposition that the Saints may fall both into sins of commission and sins of omission in the following words you have Gods gracious promise Then will I visit their transgressions with the rod and their iniquities with stripes God engages himself by promise and covenant not onely to chide and check but also to correct his people for their sins Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail Afflictions are fruits of Gods faithfulness to which the covenant bindes him God would bee unfaithful if first or last more or less hee did not afflict his people afflictions are part of that gracious covenant which God hath made Psal 119. 75 with his people afflictions are mercies yea covenant-mercies Hence it is that God is called the terrible God keeping covenant and mercy Neh. 1. 5. Because by his covenant of mercy hee is bound to afflict and chastise his people God by covenant is bound to preserve his people and not to suffer them to perish and happy are they that are preserved whether in Salt and Vinegar or in Wine and Sugar All the afflictions that come upon a wicked man come upon him by virtue of a covenant of works and so are curst unto him but all the afflictions that come upon a gracious man they come upon him by virtue of a covenant of grace and so they are blest unto him and therefore hee hath eminent cause to hold his peace to lay his hand upon his mouth Eighthly If you would bee silent and quiet under afflictions then dwell much upon this viz. that all your afflictions do but reach the worser the baser and the ignobler part of a Christian viz. his body his outward man 2 Cor. 4. 16. Though our outward man decay yet our inward man
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