by one Grimwood shortly after the said Grimwood being in perfect health his bowels suddenly fell out of his body and so hee died miserably Narcissus a godly Bishop of Jerusalem was falsely accused by three men of many foul matters who sealed up with oaths and imprecations their false testimonies but shortly after that one of them with Euseb his whole family and substance was burnt with fire another of them was stricken with a grievous disease such as in his imprecation hee had wished to himself the third terrified with the sight of Gods judgements upon the former became very penitent and poured out the grief of his heart in such abundance of tears that thereby hee became blinde A wicked wretch under Commodus Niceph. the Emperour accused Apollonius a godly Christian to the Judges for certain grievous crimes which when hee could not prove hee was adjudged to have his leggs broken according to an antient Law of the Romans Gregory Bradway falsely accused one Brook but shortly after through terrours of conscience hee sought to cut his own throat but being prevented hee fell mad I have read of Socrates's two false accusers how that the one was trodden to death by the multitude and the other was forced to avoid the like by a voluntary banishment I might produce a multitude of other instances but let these suffice to evidence how swift and terrible a witness God hath been against those that have been false accusers of his people and that have laded their precious names with scorn and reproach the serious consideration of which should make the accused and reproached Christian to sit dumb and silent before the Lord. Eighthly and lastly God himself is daily reproached men tremble not to cast scorn and contempt upon God himself sometimes they charge the Lord that his waies are not equal that it is a Ezek. 18. 25. ch 29. 33. 17. 20 29. Jer. 2. 5 6. wrong way hee goeth in sometimes they charge God with cruelty My punishment is greater than I am able to bear Gen. 4. 13. Sometimes they charge God with partiality and respect of persons because here hee stroaks and there hee strikes here hee lifts up and there hee casts down here hee smiles and there hee frowns here hee gives much and there hee gives nothing here hee loves and there hee hates here hee prospers Rom 9 Psal 50. 21 It were very strange that I should please a world of men when God himself doth not give every man content Salv. one and there hee blasts another Mal. 2. 17. Where is the God of judgement i. e. no where either there is no God of judgement or at least not a God of exact precise and imparâ—ial judgement c. Sometimes they charge God with unbountifulness that hee is a God that will set his people to hard work to much work but will pay them no wages nor give them no reward Mal. 3. 14. Yee have said it is in 〈◊〉 to serve God and what profit is it that wee have kept his ordinances and that wee have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts Sometimes they charge God that hee is a hard Master and that hee reaps where hee hath not sown and gathers where hee hath not strowed Mat. 25. 24 c. Oh the infinite reproach and scorn that is every day that is every hour in the day cast upon the Lord his name his truth his waies his ordinances his glory Alass all the scorn and contempt that is cast upon all the Saints all the world over is nothing to that which is cast upon the great God every hour and yet hee is patient Ah! how hardly do most men think of God and how hardly do they speak of God and how unhansomely do they carry it towards God and yet hee bears They that will not spare God himself his name his truth his honour shall wee think it much that they spare not us or our names c. surely no. Why should wee look that those should give us good words that cannot afford God a good word from one weeks end to another yea from one years end to another why should wee look that they should cry out Hosanna Hosanna to us when as every day they cry out of Christ crucifie him crucifie him Mat. 10. 25. It is enough for the Disciple that hee bee as his Master and the servant as his Lord if they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub or a Master-flye or a dung-hill god or the chief Devil how much more shall they call them of his houshold It is preferment enough for the servant to be as his Lord and if they make no bones of staining and blaspheming the name of the Lord never wonder if they flye-blow thy name and let this suffice to quiet and silence your hearts Christians under all that scorn and contempt that is cast upon your names and reputations in this world The tenth and last Objection is this Sir In this my affliction I have sought to the Lord for this that mercy and still God delaies mee and puts mee off I have several times thought that mercy had been near that deliverance had been at the door but now I see it is afar off how can I then hold my peace how can I bee silent under such delaies and disappointments To this Objection I shall give you these Answers First The Lord doth not alwaies time his Answers to the swiftness of his peoples expectations hee that is the God of our mercies is the Lord of our times God hath delayed long his dearest Saints times belonging to him as Psal 70. 5 Psal 6. 13 Psal 13 1 2 Psal 94. 3 4 Zech. 1. 12 well as issue Hab. 1. 2. O Lord how long shall I cry and thou wilt not hear even cry out unto thee for violence and thou wilt not help Job 19. 7. Behold I cry out of violence but I have no answer I cry but there is no judgement Psal 69. 3. I am weary of crying my throat is dry mine eyes fail while I wait for my God Psal 40. 17. Make no tâ—â—rying O my God! Though God had promised him a Crown a Kingdome yet hee puts him off from day to day and for all his haste hee must stay for it till the set time is come Paul was delayed 2 Cor. 1. 8 9 Psal 105. 17 18 19 so long till hee even despaired of life and had the sentence of death in himself And Joseph was delayed so long till the Irons entred into his soul So hee delayed long the giving in of comfort to Mr. Glover though hee had sought him frequently earnestly and denied himself to the death for Christ Augustine being under convictions a showre of tears came from him and casting himself on the ground under a Fig-tree hee cries out O Lord how long how long shall I say to morrow to morrow why not to day Lord why not to day Though Abigail made haste to
quiet for that God that hath taken away one childe might have took away every childe and hee that hath taken away one friend might have taken away every friend and hee that hath taken away a part of thy estate might have taken away thy whole estate therefore hold thy peace let who will murmure yet bee thou mute Sixthly It may bee thy sins have been much about thy near and dear injoyments it may bee thou hast over-loved them and over-prized them and over-much delighted thy self in them it may bee they have often had thy heart when they should have had but thy hand it may bee that care that fear that confidence that joy that should have been expended upon more noble objects hath been expended upon them thy heart Oh Christian is Christs bed of spices and it may bee thou hast beded thy mercies with thee when Christ hath been put to lye in an Luk. 2. 7 out-house thou hast had room for them when thou hast had none for him they have had the best when the worst have been counted good enough for Christ It is said of Gen. 49. 4. Ruben that hee went up to his Fathers bed Ah! how often hath one creature-comfort and sometimes another put in between Christ and your souâ—s how often have your dear injoyments gone up to Christs bed It is said of the babylonians that they came in to Aholah Ezek. 23. 17. and Aholibahs bed of love may it not hee said of your near and dear mercies that they have come into Christs bed of lovâ— your hearts they being that bed wherein Christ Cant. 3. 7 delights to rest and repose himself Now if a husband a childe a friend shall take up that room in thy soul that is proper and peculiar to God God will either imbitter it remove it or bee the death â—f it if once the love of a wife runs out more to a servant than to her husband the Master will turn him out of doors though otherwise hee were a servant worth gold The sweetest comforts of this life they are but like treasures of Snow now do but take a handful of Snow and crush it in your hands and it will melt away presently but if you let it lye upon the ground it will continue for some time and so it is with the contentments of this world if you grasp them in your hands and lay them too near your hearts they will quickly melt and vanish away but if you will not hold them too fast in your hands nor lay them too close to your hearts they will abide the longer with you There are those that love their mercies into their graves that hug their mercies to death that kiss them till they kill them Many a man hath slain his mercies by setting too great a value upon them many a man hath â—unk his ship of mercie by taking up in it over-loved mercies are seldome long-liv'd Ezek. 24. 21. when I take from them the joy of their glory the desire of their eyes and that whereupon they set their minds their sons and their daughters the way to lose your mercies is to indulge them the way to destroy them is to fix your minds and hearts upon them thou mayest write bitterness and death upon that mercie first that hath first taken away thy heart from God Now if God hath stript thee of that very mercy with which thou hast often committed spiritual Adultery and Idolatry hast thou any cause to murmure hast thou not rather cause to hold thy peace and to be mute before the Lord Christians your hearts are Christs royal Throne and in this Throne Christ will bee chief as Pharaoh said to Joseph Gen. 41. 40. hee will endure no competitor if you shall attempt to throne the creature bee it never so near and dear unto you Christ will dethrone it hee will destroy it hee will quickly lay them in a bed of dust who shall aspire to his royal Throne But Seventhly Thou hast no cause to murmure because of the loss of such near and dear enjoyments considering those more noble and spiritual mercies and favours that thou still enjoyest grant that Joseph is not and Benjamin is not yet Gen. 42. 36 Heb. 13. 8 Jesus is hee is yesterday and to day and the same for ever thy union and communion with Christ remains 1 Joh. 3. 9. still the immortal seed abides in thee still the Sun of Righteousness shines upon thee still thou art in favour with God still and thou art under the anointings of the Spirit still and under the influences of Heaven still c. and why then shouldest thou mutter and not rather hold thy peace I have read Jerom. of one Dydimus a godly Preacher who was blind Alexander a godly man once ask'd him whether hee was not sore troubled and afflicted for want of his sight Oh yes I said Dydimus it is a great affliction and grief unto mee then Alexander chid him saying hath God given you the excellency of an Angel of an Apostle and are you troubled for that which Rats and Mice and brute beasts have So say I Ah Ephes 1. 3 4 Christians hath God blessed you with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places hath the Lord given you himself for a portion hath hee given you his Son for your redemption and his Spirit for your instruction and will you murmure hath hee given his gracâ— to adorn you his promises to comforâ— you his ordinances to better you and the hopes of Heaven to encourage you and will you mutter Paulinus Nolanus when his City was taken from him prayed thus Lord said hee let mee not bee troubled at the loss of my gold silver honour c. for thou art all and much more than all these unto mee in the want of all your sweetest enjoyments Christ will bee all in all unto you my Jewels are my husband said Phocion's wife Col. 3. 11 Plutarâ—h in vita Phocion my ornaments are my two sons said the Mother of the Gracchi my treasures are my friends said Constantius and so may a Christian under his greatest losses say Christ is my richest Jewels my chiefest treasures my best ornaments my sweetest delights look what all these things are to a carnal heart a worldly heart that and more is Christ to mee Eighthly If God by smiting thee in thy nearest and dearest injâ—yments shall put thee upon a more thorow smiting and mortifying of thy dearest sins thou hast no cause to murmure God cures David of adultery by killing his endeared childe There is some Dalilah some darling some beloved sin or Psa 18. 23 Heb. 12. 1 other that a Christians calling condition constitution or temptations leads him to play withall and to hug in his own bosome rather than some other As in a ground that lieth untilled amongst the great variety of weeds there is usually some master-weed that is rifer and ranker than all the rest And as it
my peace but heark Christian heark canst thou tell mee how long thou must have travelled in birth again with them before they had been born again before they had been twice born would not every sin that they had committed against thy gracious God cause a new throw in thy soul would not every temptation that they had fallen before been as a dagger at thy heart would not every affliction that should have befallen them been as a knife at thy throat what are those pains and pangs and throws of child-birth to those after pains pangs and throws that might have been brought upon thee by the sins and sufferings of thy children Well Christians hold your peace for you do not know what thorns in your eyes what goads in your sides nor what spears in your hearts such near and dear mercies might have proved had they been longer continued Eleventhly Thou canst not tell how bad thy heart might have Deut. 32. ult 5. to the end Jer. 5. 7 8 9. ch 2. 31. ch 22. 21. Hosea 4. 7 proved under the enjoyment of those near and dear mercies that now thou hast lost Israel were very bad whilst they were in the wilderness but they were much worse when they came to possesse Canaan that Land of desires mans blood is apt to rise with his outward good In the winter men gird their cloaths close about them but in the Summer they let them hang loose in the winter of adversity many a Christian girds his heart close to God to Christ to Gospel to Godliness to Ordinances to Duties c. who in the summer of mercy hangs loose from all I have read of the Pine-tree that if the bark bee pulled off it will last a long time but if it continue long on it rots the tree Ah! how bad how rotten how base would many have proved had not God pulled off their bark of health wealth friendship c near and dear relations they stick as close to us as the bark of a tree sticks to the tree and if God should not pull off this bark how apt should wee be to rot and corrupt our selves therefore God is fain to bark us and peel us and strip us naked and bare of our dearest enjoyments and sweetest contentments that so our souls like the Pine-tree may prosper and thrive the better who can seriously consider of this and not hold his peace even then when God takes a Jewel out of his bosome Heap all the sweetest contentments and most desirable enjoyments of this world upon a man they will not make him a Christian heap them upon a Christian they will not make him a better Christian many a Christian hath been made worse by the good things of this world but where is the Christian that hath been bettered by them therefore bee quiet when God strips thee of them Twelfthly and lastly Get thy heart more affected with spiritual losses and then thy soul will bee less afflicted with those temporal losses that thou mournest under Hast thou lost nothing of that presence Qui te non habet Domine Deus totum perdidit Bern. of God that once thou hadst with thy spirit hast thou lost none of those warmings meltings quicknings and chearings that once thou hadst hast thou lost nothing of thy communion with God nor of the joyes of the spirit nor of that peace of conscience that once thou enjoyedst hast thou lost none of that ground that once thou hadst got upon sin Satan and the world hast thou lost nothing of that holy vigour and heavenly heat that once thou hadst in thy heart if thou hast not which would bee a miracle a wonder why doest thou complain of this or that temporal loss for what is this but to complain of the loss of thy purse when thy gold is safe if thou art a loser in spirituals why dost thou not rather complain that thou hast lost thy God than that thou hast lost thy gold and that thou hast lost thy Christ than that thou hast lost thy Husband and that thou hast lost thy Peace than that thou hast lost thy Childe and that thou art damnified in spirituals than that thou art damnified in temporals Dost thou mourn over the body the soul hath left mourn rather over the soul that God hath 1 Sam. 15. 35 forsaken as Samuel did for Saul saith one I have read of Honorius a Roman Emperour who was simple and childish enough when one told him Rome was lost hee was exceedingly grieved and cried out Alass Alass for hee supposed it was his Hen that was called Rome which Hen hee exceedingly loved but when it was told him it was his imperial City of Rome that was besiedged by Aâ—aricus and taken and all the Citizens rifled and made a prey to the rude enraged souldiers then his spirits were revived that his loss was not so great as hee imagined now what is the loss of a husband a wife a childe a friend to the loss of God Christ the Spirit or the least measure of Grace or Communion with God c. I say What are all such losses but the loss of a Hen to the loss of Rome and yet so simple and childish are many Christians that they are more affected and afflicted with the loss of this and that poor temporal injoyment than they are with the loss of their most spiritual attainment Ah Christians bee but more affected with spiritual losses and you will bee more quiet and silent under temporal losses let the loss of Rome trouble you more and then the loss of your Hen will not trouble you at all Let these things suffice for answer to the second Objection Object 3. Oh but my afflictions my troubles have been long upon mee and how then can I hold my peace were they but of yesterday I would bee quiet but they are of a long continuance and therefore how can I bee silent c. To this I answer First Thou canst not date thy affliction from the first day of thy pollution thou hast been polluted from the womb but thou hast not been afflicted from the womb many have Psal 51. 5 Rom. 5. 12 been the daies the years since thou wast born in sin few have been the daies the years that thou hast experienced sorrow thou canst not easily number the daies of thy sinning thou canst easily number the daies of thy suffering thou canst not number thy daies of mercy thou canst easily number thy daies of calamity thou canst not number thy daies of health but thou canst easily tell over thy daies of sickness Secondly Thy afflictions are not so long as the afflictions of other Saints compare thy winter nights and other Saints winter nights together thy storms and troubles and other Saints storms and troubles together thy losses and other Psalms 77 88. Gen. 15. 12 13. Exod. 12. 40 41 42 Jer. 25. 11 12. Saints losses together thy miseries and other Saints miseries together
set an Adder upon it to sting it and if it cry and the flesh swell they cast it away as a spurious issue but if iâ— do not cry if it do not so much as quatch nor do not grow the worse for it then they account it for their own and make very much of it So the Lord by delaies which are as the stinging of the Adder tries his children if they patiently quietly and sweetly can bear them then the Lord will own them and make much of them as those that are near and dear unto him but if under delaies they fall a crying roaring storming vexing and fretting the Lord will not own them but reckon them as bastards and no sons Heb. 12. 8. Secondly That they may have the greater experience of his power grace love and mercy in the close Christ loved Martha and her Sisters and Lazarus yet Joh. 11. 3 5 6 17 hee defers his coming for several daies and Lazarus must die bee put in the grave and lye there till hee stinks and why so but that they might have the greater experience of his power grace and love towar 〈…〉 them Thirdly To sharpen his childrens appetite and to put a greater edge upon their desires to make Cant. 3. 1 2 3 4 Isa 26. 8 9 16. them cry out as a woman in travel or as a man that is in danger of drowning God delaies that his people may set upon him with greater strength and importunity hee puts them off that they may put on with more life and vigour God seems to be cold that hee may make us the more hot hee seems to bee slack that hee may make us the more earnest hee seems to bee backward that hee may make us the more forward in pressing upon him the Father delaies the childe that hee may make him the more eager and so doth God his that hee may make them the more divinely violent When Balaam Numb 22. 15 had once put off Balak hee sent again saith the Text certain Princes more and more honourable than they Balaam's put off did but make Balak the more importunate it did but encrease and whet his desires this is that that God aims at by all his put offs to make his children more earnest to whet up their spirits and that they may send up more and yet more honourable prayers after him that they may cry more earnestly strive more mightily and wrestle more importunately with God and that they may take Heaven with a more sacred violence Anglers draw back the hook that the fish may bee the more forward to bite and God sometimes seems to draw back but it is onely that wee may press the more on And therefore as Anglers when they have long waited and perceive that the fish do not so much as nibble at the bait yet do they not impatiently throw away the Rod or break the Hook and Line but pull up and look upon the baiâ— and mend it and so throw it in again and then the fish bites so when a Christian praies and praies and yet catches nothing God seems to bee silent and Heaven seems to bee shut against him yet let him not cast off prayer but mend his prayer pray more beleevingly pray more affectionately and pray more fervently and then the fish will bite then mercy will come and comfort will come and deliverance will come But Fourthly God delaies and puts off his people many times that hee may make a fuller discovery of themselves to themselves Few Christians see themselves and understand themselves by delaies God discovers much of a mans sinfull self to his religious self much of his worser part to his better part of his ignoble part to his most noble part When the fire is put under the pot then the scum appears so when God delaies a poor soul Oh! how doth the scum of pride the scum of murmuring the scum of quarrelling the scum of distrust the scum of impatience the scum of despair 2 King 6. 33 discover it self in the heart of a poor creature I have read of a fool who being left in a chamber and the door locked when hee was asleep after hee awakes and findes the door fast and all the people gone hee cries out at the window O my self my self O my self So when God shuts the door upon his people when hee delaies them and puts them off Ah! what cause have they to cry out of themselves to cry out of proud self and worldly self and Psal 73. 21 22 carnal self and foolish self and â—roward self c. Wee are very apt saith Seneca utimur perspicillis magis quam speculis to use spectacles to behold other mens faults rather than looking-glasses to behold our own but now Gods delaies are as a looking-glass in which God gives his people to see their own faults Oh! that baseness that vileness that wretchedness that sink of filthiness that gulf of wickedness that God by delaies discovers to bee in the hearts of men But Fifthly God delaies and puts off his people to enhaunce to raise the price of mercy the price of deliverance wee usually set the highest price the greatest esteem upon such things that wee obtain with greatest difficulty what we dearly Act. 22. 28 Cant. 3. 4 buy that we highly prize the more sighs tears weepings waitings watchings strivings earnest longings this mercy and that deliverance and the other favour costs us the more highly wee shall value them when a delaied mercy comes it â—astes more like a mercy it sticks more like a mercy it warms more like a mercy it works more like a mercy and it endears the heart to God like a mercy more than any other mercy that a man enjoyes This is the childe saith Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 27. after God had long delayed her for which I prayed and the Lord hath given mee my petition which I asked of him Delaied mercy is the cream of mercy no mercy so sweet so dear so precious to a man as that which a man hath gained after many put offs Mr. Glover the Martyr sought the Lord earnestly and frequently for some special mercies and the Lord delaied him long but when hee was even at the stake then the Lord gave in the mercies to him and then as a man over joyed hee cries out to his friend hee is come hee is come But Sixthly The Lord delaies his people that hee may pay them home in their own coin God sometimes loves to retaliate The Spouse puts off Christ Cant. 5. 2. I have put off Prov. 1. 23 ult Zach. 7. 13 my coat how can I put it on c. And Christ puts her off vers 5 6 7 8. Thou hast put off God from day to day from month to month yea from year to year and therefore if God puts thee off from day to day or from year to year hast thou any cause to complain surely no thou hast often and long
is renewed day by day As Aristarchus the Heathen said when hee was beaten by the Tyrants Beat on it is not Aristarchus you beat it is 1 Tim. 5. 23 3 John 2. onely his shell Timothy had a very healthful soul in a crazy body and Gaius had a very prosperous soul in a weak distempered body Epictetus and many of the more refined Heathens have long since concluded that the body was the organ or vessel the soul was the man and Merchandize Now all the troubles and afflictions that a Christian meets with they do not reach his soul they touch not his conscience they make no breach upon his noble part and therefore hee hath cause to hold his peace and to lay his hands upon his mouth the soul is the breath of God the beauty of man the wonder of Angels and the envy Heb. 12. 9 Zach. 12. 1 of Devils it is a caelestial plant and of a divine off-spring it is an immortal spirit souls are of an Angelick nature a man is an Angel cloathed in clay the soul is a greater miracle in man than all the miracles wrought amongst men the soul is a demi-semi-God dwelling in a house of clay Now it is not in the power of any outward troubles and afflictions that a Christian meets with to reach his soul and therefore hee may well sit mute under the smarting Rod. Ninthly If thou wouldest bee silent and quiet under the saddest providences and sorest trials then keep up Faith in continual exercise Now Faith in the exercise of it will quiet and silence the soul thus 1 By bringing the soul to sit Joh. 14. 8 Psa 17. 15 down satisfied in the naked enjoyments of God 2 By drying up the springs of pride self-love impatience murmuring unbeleef and the carnal delights of this world 3 By presenting to the soul greater sweeter and better things Heb. 11. 8 9 10 14. Phil. 3. 7 8 in Christ than any this world doth afford 4 By lessening the souls esteem of all outward vanities do but keep up the exercise of Faith and thou wilt keep silent before the Lord. No man so mute as hee whose Faith is still busie about invisible objects Tenthly If you would keep silent then keep humble before the Lord. Oh! labour every day to bee more humble and more low and little in your own eyes who Job 7. 1 18 am I saith the humble soul but that God should cross mee in this mercy and take away that mercy and pass a sentence of death upon every mercy I am not worthy of the least mercy I deserve not a crum of mercy I have forfeited Prov. 13. 16 every mercy I have improved never a mercy Onely by pride comes contention it is onely pride that puts men upon contending with God and men an humble soul will lye quiet at the foot of God it will bee contented with bare commons As you see sheep can live upon the bare Commons which a fat Oxe cannot A Dinner of green herbs relisheth well with the humble mans palate whereas a stalled Oxe is but a course dish to a proud mans stomack an humble heart thinks none less than himself nor none worse than himself an humble heart looks upon small Gen. 32. 10 11. Austin being asked what was the first grace answered humility what the second humility what the third humility mercies as great mercies and great afflictions as small afflictions and small afflictions as no afflictions and therefore sits mute and quiet under all do â—ut keep humble and you will keep silent before the Lord pride kicks and flings and frets but an humble man hath still his hand upon his mouth Every thing on this side Hell is mercy much mercy rich mercy to an humble soul and therefore hee holds his peace Eleventhly If you would keep silence under the afflicting hand of God then keep close hold fast these soul-silencing and soul-quieting maxims or principles As First That the worst that God doth to his people in this world is in order to the making of them a Heaven on Earth hee brings them into a wilderness but it is that hee may speak comfortably to them he Hos 2. 14 casts them into the fiery furnace but it is that they may have more of his company doe the stones come thick and threefold about Stephens ears it is but to knock Act. 7. him the nearer to Christ the corner-stone c. Secondly If you would bee silent then hold fast this principle viz. That what God wills is best Heb. 12. 10 when hee wills sickness sickness is better than health when hee wills weakness weakness is better than strength when hee wills want want is better than wealth when hee wills reproach reproach is better than honour when hee wills death death is better than life As God is wisdome it self and so knows that which is best so hee is goodness it self and therefore cannot do any thing but that which is best therefore hold thy peace Thirdly If thou wouldest bee silent under thy greatest afflictions then hold fast to this principle viz. That the Lord will bear thee company in all thy afflictions Isa 41. 10 ch 43. 2. Psal 23. 4. Psal 90. 15. Dan. 3. 25. Gen. 39. 20 21. 2 Tim. 4. 16 17. These Scriptures are breasts full of divine consolation these wells of salvation are full will you turn to them and draw out that your souls may bee satisfied and quieted Fourthly If you would bee silent under your afflictions then hold fast this principle that the Lord hath more high more noble and more blessed ends in the afflicting of you than hee hath in the afflicting of the men of the world The stalk and the ear of corn fall upon the threshing flore under one and the same flail but the one is shattered in peeces the other is preserved from one and the same Olive and from under one and the same press is crushed out both Oil and dreggs but the one is tunn'd up for use the other thrown out as unserviceable and by one and the same breath the fields are perfumed with sweetness and annoyed with unpleasant savours so though afflictions do befall good and bad alike as the Scripture speaks yet Eccles 9. 2 the Lord will effect more glorious ends by those afflictions that befall his people than hee will effect by those that befall wicked men and therefore the Lord puts his people into the furnace for their trial but the wicked for their ruine the one is bettered by affliction the other is made worse the one is made soft and tender by afflictions the other is more hard and obdurate the one is drawn nearer to God by afflictions the other is driven further from God c. Fifthly If you would bee silent under your afflictions then you must hold fast this principle viz. Matth. 15. 21 29 That the best way in this world to have thine own will is
a wet some in a moist clay and some in a sandy dry ground So every spiritual husbandman must observe the fittest times to sow his spiritual seed in hee hath heavenly seed by him for all occasions and seasons for spring and fall for all grounds heads and hearts now whether the seed sown in the following Treatise bee not suitable to the times and seasons wherein wee are cast is left to the judgement of the prudent Reader to determine if the Author had thought otherwise this babe had been stifled in the womb Fifthly The good acceptance that my other weak labours have found God hath blest them not onely to the Rom. 15. 21 Phil. 1. 9 10 11 conviction the edification confirmation and consolation of many but also to the conversion of many God is a free Agent to work by what hand hee pleases and sometimes hee takes pleasure 1 Cor. 1. 17 29 to do great things by weak means that no flesh may glory in his presence God will not despise the day of small things and who or what art thou that darest despise that day the Spirit breathes upon whose preaching and writing hee John 3 pleases and all prospers according as that wind blows Sixthly That all afflicted and distressed Christians may have a proper salve for every sore a proper remedy against every disease at hand as every good man so every good book is not Prov. 25. 11 That remedy is no remedy that is not proper to the disâ—ase fit to bee the afflicted mans companion but this is here hee may see his face his head his hand his heart his way his works here hee may see all his diseases discovered and proper remedies proposed and applied here hee may finde Arguments to silence him and means to quiet him when it is at worst with him in every storm here hee may finde a tree to shelter him and in every danger here hee may finde a City of Refuge to secure him and in every dâ—fficulty here hee may have a light to guide him and in every peril here hee may finde a buckler to defend him and in every distress here hee may finde a cordial to strengthen him and in every trouble here hee may finde a staff to support him Seventhly To satisfie some bosome-friends some faithful friends man is made to bee a friend and apt for friendly offices hee that is not friendly is not worthy to have a friend and hee that hath a friend and doth â—ot shew hâ—mself friendly is not worthy to bee accounted a man friendship is a kinde of life without which there is no comfort of a mans life Christian friendship 1 Sam. 22. 1 2. 3. ties such a knot that great Alexander cannot cut Summer friends I value not but winter friends are worth their weight in gold and whâ— can deny such any thing especially in thâ—se daies wherein real faithful constant friends are so rare to bee found Oâ— my friends I have never a friend said Socrates a friend is a very mutable creature saith Plato The friendship of most men in these daies is like Jonahs Gourd now very promising and flourishing and anon fading and withering it is like some plants in the water which have broad leaves on the surface of the water but scarce any root at all their friendship is like Lemons cold within hot without their expressions are high but their affections are low they speak much but do little as Drumms and Trumpets and Ensigns in a battel make a great noise and a fine shew but act nothing so these counterfeit friends will complement highly how hansomely speak plausibly and promise lustily and yet have neither a hand nor a heart to act any thing cordially or faithfully from such friends it is a mercy to bee delivered And therefore King Antigonus was wont to pray to God that hee would protect him from his friends and when one of his Council asked him why hee prayed so hee returned this answer every man will shun and defend himself against his professed enemies but from our professed or pretended friends of whom few are faithful none can safe-guard himself but hath need of protection from Heaven but for all this there are some that are real friends faithful friends active friends winter friends bosome-friends fast friends and for their sakes especially those among them that have been long very long under the Smarting Rod and in the fiery Furnace and that have been often poured from vessel to vessel have I once more appeared in Print to the world Eighthly and lastly There hath not any Authors or Author come to my hand that hath handled this subject as I have done and therefore I do not know but it may bee the more grateful and acceptable to the world 1 Thes 1. 7 8 2 Cor. 8. 10. ch 9. 1 â— and if by this assay others that are more able shall bee provoked to do more worthily upon this subject I shall therein rejoyce I shall onely add that though much of the following matter was preached upon the Lords visitation of my dear yoak-fellow my self and some other friends yet there are many things of special concernment in the following Tract that yet I have not upon any accounts communicated to the world And thus I have given you a true and faithful account of the reasons that have prevailed with mâ—e to publish this Treatise to the woâ—ld and to dedicate it to your selves Secondly The second thing promised was the giving of you a little good â— unsel that you may so read the following discourse as that it may turn much to your souls advantage for as many fish and catch nothing so many read Luke 5. 5 good books and get nothing because they reaâ— them over cursorily slightly superficially but hee that would read to profit must then First Read and look up for a blessing Paul may plant and Apollo may water but all will be to no purpose except the Lord give the encrease God must 1 Cor. 3. 6 7 do the deed when all is done or else all that is done will do you no good if you would have this work successeful and effectual you must look off from man and look up to God who alone can make it a blessing to you As without a blessing Micah 6. 14. from Heaven thy cloaths cannot warm thee nor thy food nourish thee nor physick cure thee nor friends comfort thee So without a blessing from Hag. 1. 6. Heaven without the precious breathings and influences of the Spirit what here is done will do you no good it will not turn to your account in the day of Christ and therefore cast an eye heaven-wards It is Sencca's observation that the husbandmen in Egypt never look up to Heaven for Rain in the time of drought but look after the overflowing of the banks of Nilus as the onely cause of their plenty Ah! how many are there in these daies who when
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
wilderness into a paradise the life of a Christian is filled up with interchanges of sickness and health weakness and strength want and wealth disgrace and honour crosses and comforts miseries and mercies joyes and sorrows mirth and mourning all hony would harm us all wormwood would undo us a composition of both is the best way in the world to keep our souls in a healthy constitution it is best and most for the health of the soul that the South-wind of mercy and the North-wind of adversity do both blow upon it And though every wind that blows shall blow good to the Saints yet certainly their sins die most and their graces thrive best when they are under the drying nipping North-wind of calamity as well as under the warm cherishing South-wind of mercy and prosperity Fifthly The fifth soul-quieting Conclusion you have in vers 33. For hee doth not afflict willingly or as the Hebrew hath it from his heart nor grâ—eve the children of men The Church concludes that Gods heart was not in their afflictions though his hand was hee takes no delight to afflict his children it goes against the hair and the heart it is a grief to him to bee grievous to them a pain to him to beâ— punishing of them a death to him to bee striking of them hee hath no will no motion no inclination no disposition to that work of afflicting of his people and therefore hee calls it his work his strange work Isa 28. 21. Mercy and punishment they flow from God as the hony and the sting from the Beâ— the Bee yeeldeth hony of her own nature but shee doth not sting but when shee is provoked hee takes delight in shewing of mercy Micah 7. 18. hee takes no pleasure in giving his people up to adversity Hosea 11. 8. Mercy and kindness floweth from him freely naturally hee is never severe never harsh hee never stings hee never terrifies us but when hee is sadly provoked by us Gods hand sometimes may lye very hard upon his people when his heart his bowels at those very times may bee yerning towards his people Jer. 31. 18 19 20. No man can tell how the heart of God stands by his hand his hand of mercy may bee open to those against whom his heart is set As you see in the rich poor fool and Dives in the Gospel and his hand of severity may lye hard upon those on whom hee hath set his heart as you may see in Job and Lazarus And thus you see those gracious blessed soul-quieting Conclusions about the issue and event of afflictions that a holy a prudent Silence doth include Sixthly A holy a prudent Silence includes and takes in a strict charge a solemn command that conscience laies upon the soul to bee quiet and still Psal 37. 7. Rest in the Lord â—or as the Hebrew hath it bee silent to the Lord and wait patiently for him I charge Matth. 8. 25 26. The Heathen could say A recta conscientia ne latum quidem unguem discedendum man may not depart an hairs breadth all his life long from the dictates of a good conscience thee O my soul not to mutter not to murmure I command thee O my soul to bee dumb and silent under the afflicting hand of God As Christ laid a charge a command upon the boisterous winds and the roaring raging Sea bee still and there was a great calm so conscience laies a charge upon the soul to bee quiet and still Psal 27. ult Wait on the Lord bee of good courage and hee shall strengthen thy heart wait I say on the Lord. Peace O my soul bee still leave your muttering leave your murmuring leave your complaining leave your chasing and vexing and lay your hand upon your mouth and bee silent Conscience allaies and stills all the tumults and uproars that bee in the soul by such like reasonings as the Clerk of Ephesus stilled that uproar Act. 19. 40. For wee are in danger to bee called in question for this daies uproar there being no cause whereby wee may give an account of this concourse O my soul bee quiet bee silent else thou wilt one day bee called in question for all those inward mutterings uproars and passions that are in thee seeing no sufficient cause can bee produced why you should murmure quarrel or wrangle under the righteous hand of God Seventhly A holy a prudent Silence includes a surrendring a resigning up of our selves to God whilst wee are under his afflicting Psal 27. 8. James 4. 7 1 Sam. 3. 18. 2 Sam. 15. 25 26. Act. 21. 13. 14 c. hand the silent soul gives himself up to God the secret language of the soul is this Lord here am I do with mee what thou pleasest write upon mee as thou pleasest I give up my self to bee at thy dispose There was a good woman who when shee was sick being asked whether shee were willing to live or dye answered which God pleaseth but said one that stood by if God should refer it to you which would you chuse truly said shee if God should refer it to mee I would even refer it to him again this was a soul worth gold Well saith a gracious soul the ambitious man gives himself up to his honours but I give up my self unto thee the voluptuous man gives himself up to his pleasures but I give up my self to thee the covetous man gives himself up to his bagges but I give up my self to thee the wanton gives himself up to his minion but I give up my self to thee the drunkard gives himself up to his cups but I give up my self to thee the Papist gives up himself to his Idols but I give up my self to thee the Turk gives up himself to his Mahomet but I give up my self to thee the Heretick gives up himself to his heretical opinions but I give up my self to thee Lord lay what burden thou wilt upon mee onely let thy everlasting arms bee under mee Strike Lord Luther strike and spare not for I am lyen down in thy will I have learned to say Amen to thy Amen thou hast a greater interest in mee than I have in my self and therefore I give up my self unto thee and am willing to bee at thy dispose and am ready to receive what impression thou shalt stamp upon mee O blessed Lord hast thou not again and again said unto mee as once the King of Israel said to the King of Syria I am 1 King 20 14. thine and all that I have I am thine O soul to save thee my mercy is thine to pardon thee my blood is thine to cleanse thee my merits are thine to justifie thee my righteousness is thine to cloathe thee my Spirit is thine to lead thee my grace is thine to enrich thee and my glory is thine to reward thee and therefore saith a gracious soul I cannot but make a resignation of my self unto thee Lord here I am do with mee
a rare Majesty that many in talking with them and often beholding of them have become dumb Oh my brethren shall not the brightnesse and splendor of the Majesty of the great God whose sparkling Glory and Majesty dazles the eyes of Angels and makes those Princes of glory stand mute before him move you much more to silence to hold your peace and lay your hands upon your mouths Surely yes But Secondly Consider That all your afflictions troubles and trials shall work for your good Rom. 8. 28. And wee know that all Afflictiones Benedictiones Bern. Afflictions are blessings Doubtless Manasseh would not exchange the good hee got by his Iron chains for all the gold chains that bee in the world things shall work together for good to them that love God Why then should you fret fling fume seeing God designs your good in all The Bee sucks sweet hony out of the bitterest herbs so God will by afflictions teach his children to suck sweet knowledge sweet obedience and sweet experiences c. out of all the bitter afflictions and trials hee exercises them with that scouring and rubbing which frets others shall make them shine the brighter and that weight which crushes and keeps others under shall but make them like the palm-tree grow better and higher And that hammer which knocks others all in peeces shall but knock them the nearer to Christ the corner-stone Stars shine brightest in the darkest night Torches give the best light when beaten Grapes yeeld most Wine when most pressed Spices smell sweetest when pounded Vines are the better for bleeding Gold looks the brighter for scouring Juniper smells sweetest in the fire Camomile the more you tread it the more you spread it the Salamander lives best in the fire the Jews were best when most afflicted the Athenians would never mend till they were in mourning the Christ's-cross saith Luther is no letter in the book and yet saith hee it hath taught mee more than all the letters in the book Afflictions are the Saints best benefactors to heavenly affections where afflictions hang heaviest corruptions hang loosest And grace that is hid in nature as sweet water in Rose-leaves is then most fragrant when the fire of affliction is put under to distill it out Grace shines the brighter for scouring and is most glorious when it is most clouded Pliny in his natural history Lib. 12. cap. 9. writeth of certain Trees growing in the red Seas which being beat upon by the waves stand like a rock immoveable and that they are bettered by the roughness of the waters In the Sea of afflictions God will make his people stand like a rock they shall bee immoveable and invincible and the more the waves of afflictions beat upon them the better they shall bee the more they shall thrive in grace and godliness Now how should this ingage Christians to bee mute and silent under all their troubles and trials in this world considering that they shall all work for their good God chastises our carkasses to heal our consciences hee afflicts our bodies to save our souls hee gives us gall and wormwood here that the pleasures that bee at his right hand may bee the more sweet hereafter here hee layes us upon a bed of thorns that wee may look and long more for that easie bed of down his bosome in Heaven As there is a curse wrapt up in the best things hee gives the wicked so there is a blessing wrapt up Psa 25. 10. Deut. 28 26 in the worst things hee brings upon his own As there is a curse wrapt up in a wicked mans health so there is a blessing wrapt up in a godly mans sickness As there is a curse wrapt up in a wicked mans strength so there is a blessing wrapt up in a godly mans weakness As there is a curse wrapt up in a wicked mans wealth so there is a blessing wrapt up in a godly mans want As there is a curse wrapt up in a wicked mans honour so there is a blessing wrapt up in a godly mans reproach As there is a curse wrapt up in all a wicked mans mercies so there is a blessing wrapt up in all a godly mans crosses losses and changes and why then should hee not sit mute and silent before the Lord But Thirdly Consider That a holy silence is that excellent precious grace that lends a hand of support to every grace Silence is Rom. 15. 4 Custos the Keeper of all other virtues it lends a hand to Faith a hand to Hope a hand to Love a hand to Humility a hand to Self-denial c. A holy silence hath its influences upon all other graces that bee in the soul it causes the Rose-buds of grace to blossome and bud forth Silence is virtus versata circa adversa a grace that keeps a man gracious in all conditions in every condition Silence is a Christians right hand in prosperity it bears the soul up under all the envy malice hatred and censures of the world in adversity it bears the soul up under all the neglect scorn and contempt that a Christian meets with in the world it makes every bitter sweet every burden light and every yoak easie And this the very Heathen seemed to intimate in placing the Image of Angeronia with the mouth bound upon the Altar of Volupia to shew that silence under sufferings was the ready way to attain true comfort and make every bitter sweet No man honours God nor no man justifies God at so high a rate as hee who layes his hand upon his mouth when the Rod of God is upon his back But Fourthly To move you to Silence under your sorest and your sharpest trials consider That you Lam. 3. 39 Mic. 7. 7 8 9 have deserved greater and heavier afflictions than those you are under hath God taken away one mercy thou hast deserved to bee stript of all hath hee taken away the delight of thine eyes he might have taken away the delight of thy soul art thou under outward wants thou hast deserved to be under outward and inward together art thou cast upon a sick-bed thou hast deserved a bed in Hell art thou under this ach and that pain thou hast deserved to bee under all aches and pains at once hath God chastised thee with whips thou hast deserved to bee chastised with 1 King 12. 11 14. Scorpions art thou fallen from the highest pinacle of honour to be the scorn and contempt of men thou hast deserved to bee scorned and contemned by God and Angels art thou under a severe whipping thou hast deserved an utter damning Ah Christians let but your eyes bee fixt upon your demerits and your hands will bee quickly upon your mouths whatever is less than a final separation from God whatever is less than Hell is mercy and therefore you have cause to bee silent under the smartest dealings of God with you But Fifthly Consider A quiet silent spirit is of great
those golden commands last cited shall bee of force to draw you to bee quiet and silent under the troubles and changes you meet with in this world the Lord forbid Shall carnal and wicked persons bee so ready and willing to comply with the bloody and senseless Non parentum aut majorum authoritas sed Dei docentis imperium Jerom. The commands of God must out-weigh all authority and example of men and superstitious commands of their superiours and shall not Christians bee more ready and willing to comply with the commands of the great God whose commands are all just and equal and whose will is the perfect rule of Righteousness Prior est autoritas imperantis quam utilitas servientis Tertul. The chief reason of obedience is the authority of the Lord not the utility of the servant Ah Christians when your hearts begin to fret and fume under the smarting Rod charge one of those commands last cited upon your hearts and if they shall mutter charge another of those commands upon your hearts and if after this they shall vex and murmure charge another of those commands upon your hearts and never leave charging and rubbing those commands one after another upon your hearts till you are brought to lay your hands upon your mouths and to sit silent before the Lord under your greatest straights and your sorest trials Eleventhly Consider That mercy is nearest deliverance and Act. 27. 20 26 Dan. 9. 20 24. Isa 58. 8 9. chap. 30. 19. ch 65. 24 salvation is at hand when a Christian stands still when hee sits quiet and silent under his greatest troubles and his sorest trials Exod. 14. They were in very great straights Pharaoh with a mighty Army was behinde them the Red Sea before them Mountains on each hand of them and no visible means to deliver them But now they stand still to see the salvation of the Lord vers 13. and within a few hours their enemies are destroyed and they are gloriously delivered vers 24 ult Psal 39. 9. David is dumb hee sits mute under his smart afflictions but if you look to the second and third verses of the fortieth Psalm you shall finde mercy draws near to him and works salvation for him Hee brought mee up also out of an horrible pit out of the mire and clay and set my feet upon a rock and established my goings And hee hath put a new song into my mouth even praise unto our God many shall see it and fear and shall trust in the Lord. And so when Absalom had made a great conspiracie against him and his subjects fell off from him and hee was forced to flee for his life his spirit was quiet and calm 2 Sam. 15. 25 26. And the King said unto Zadock Carry back the Ark of God into the City if I shall finde favour in the eyes of the Lord hee will bring mee again and shew mee both it and and his habitation But if hee thus say I have no delight in thee Behold here am I let him do to mee as seemeth good unto him And the same calmness and quietness of spirit was upon him when Shimei bitterly cursed him and railed upon him chap. 16. 5 14. And within a few daies as you may see in the two following Chapters the conspirators are destroyed and Davids Throne more firmly established mercy is alwaies nearest when a man can in quietness possess his own soul salvation is at hand when a Christian comes to lay his hand upon his mouth mercy will bee upon the wing loving kindness will ride post to put a period to that mans troubles who sits silent in the day of his sorrows and sufferings Ah Christians as you would have mercy near as you would see to the end of your afflictions as you would have deliverance come flying upon the wings of the wind sit mute and silent under all your troubles As Wine was then nearest when the water-pots were filled with water John 2. 1 12. even to the brim so when the heart is fullest of quietness and calmness then is the Wine of mercy the Wine of deliverance nearest The twelfth and last Motive to work you to silence under your greatest trials is this Seriously consider the hainous and dangerous nature of murmuring now that you may let mee propose these following particulars to your most sober consideration First Consider That murmuring Heb. 12. 15 Deut. 29 18. Heb. 3. 12 speaks out many a root of bitterness to bee strong in thy soul murmuring speaks out sin in its power corruption upon its Throne As holy Silence argues true Grace much Grace yea Grace in its strength and in its lively vigour so murmuring muttering under the hand or God argues much sin yea a heart full of sin it speaks out a heart full of self-love Exod. 15. 24. chap. 16. 7 8. and full of slavish â—ears Numb 13. 32 33. chap. 14. 1 2 3. and full of ignorance John 6. 41 42 61. and full of pride and unbeleef Psal 106. 24 25. yea they despised the pleasant land Psal 78. 19 20 Unbeleef is virtually all ill or the land of desire there is their pride they beleeved not in his word there is their unbeleef what follows they murmured in their tents and hearkened not unto the voice of God they were sick of the fullens and preferred Egypt before Canaan a wilderness before a paradise As in the first Chaos there were the seeds of all creatures so in the murmurers heart there is not onely the seed of all sin but a lively operation of all sin sin is become mighty in the hearts of murmurers and none but an Almighty God can root it out those roots of bitterness have so spread and strengthened themselves in the hearts of murmurers Isa 26. 4 that everlasting strength must put in or they will bee undone for ever But Secondly Consider That the Holy Ghost hath set a brand of infamy upon murmurers hee hath stigmatized them for ungodly persons Jude 15. 16. To execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoker against him But who are these ungodly sinners They are murmurers complainers walking after their own lusts c. vers 16. When Christ comes to execute judgement upon ungodly ones murmurers shall bee set in the front they shall experience the firstness of his wrath and the fierceness of his wrath and the greatness of his wrath the front you know is first assaulted and most strongly assaulted Christ will bond all his power and strength against murmurers his little finger shall bee heavier â—pon 1 Kings 12. 11 14 them than his loins shall bee upon others other sinners shall bee chastised with whips but ungodly murmurers shall bee chastised with scorpions if you can joy in that black character of ungodly sinners bee murmurers still
to plunge man into the bottomeless gulf of sin and misery hee knowing himself to bee damned and lost for ever would needs try all waies how to make happy man eternally unhappy Mr. Howel tells it as a strange thing that a Serpent was found in the heart of an Englishman when hee was dead But alas this old Serpent was by sad experience found to have too much power in the heart of Adam whilst alive and whilst in the heighth of all his glory and excellency murmuring is the first-born of the Devil and nothing renders a man more like to him than murmuring Constantines Sons did not more resemble their Father nor Aristotles scholars their Master nor Alexanders Souldiers their General than murmurers do resemble Satan And as murmuring iâ— Satans sin so it is his punishment God hath given him up to a murmuring spirit nothing pleases him all things go against him hee is perpetually a muttering and murmuâ—ing at persons or things Now Oh what a dreadful thing is it to bear Satans image upon us and to bee given up to the Devils punishment it were better not to bee than thus to bee given up and therefore cease from murmuring and sit mute under your sorest trials But Sixthly Consider That murmuring is a mercy-imbittering sin a mercy-souring sin As put the sweetest things into a soure vessel it soures them or put them into a bitter vessel and it imbitters them murmuring puts gall and wormwood into every cup of mercy that God gives into our hands As holy silence gives a sweet taste a delightful rellish to all a mans mercies so murmuring imbitters all the murmurer can taste no sweetness in his sweetest morsels every mercy every morsel tastes Job 6. 6. like the white of an Egge to him this mercy saith the murmurer is not toothsome nor that mercy is not wholesome here is a mercy wants salt and there is a mercy wants sauce A murmurer can taste no sweet hee can feel no comfort hee can take no delight in any mercy hee injoyes The murmurer writes Marah that is bitterness upon all his mercies and hee reads and tastes bitterness in all his mercies All the murmurers Grapes are Grapes of Gall and all their clusters are bitter Deut. 32. 32. As to the hungry soul every Prov. 27. 7 bitter thing is sweet So to the murmuring soul every sweet thing is bitter the mute Christian can suck sweetness from every breast of mercy but the murmurer cries out Oh it is bitter Oh these breasts of mercy are dry Seventhly Consider That murmuring is a mercy-destroying sin a mercy-murthering sin murmuring cuts the throat of mercy it stabs all our mercies at the heart it sets all a mans mercies a bleeding about him at once Numb 14. 30. Doubtless yee shall not come into the land concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein save Caleb the Son Psal 89. 30 31. Deut. 31. 16 17 of Jephunneh and Joshua the Son of Nun. God promises them that they should possess the holy land upon the condition of their obedience this condition they brake and therefore God was not forsworn though hee cut them off in the wilderness and kept them out of Canaan but what is the sin that provokes the Lord to bar them out of the land of Promise and to cut them off from all those mercies that they enjoyed which entred into the holy-land why it was their murmuring as you may see in vers 1 2 3 26 27 28 29. As you love your mercies as you would have the sweet of your mercies and as you would enjoy the life of your mercies take heed of murmuring murmuring will bring a consumption upon your mercies it is a worm that will make all your mercies to wither As there bee some that love their mercies into the grave and others that plot their mercies into the grave so there bee some that murmure their mercies into the grave As you would have your mercies alwaies fresh and green smiling and thriving as you would have your mercies to bed and board with you to rise up and lye down with you and in all conditions to attend you murmure not murmure not the mute Christians mercies are most sweet and most long-liv'd the murmurers mercies like Jonab's Gourd will quickly wither Murmuring hath cut the throat of national mercies of domestical meâ—cies and of personal mercies and therefore Oh how should men fly from it as from a Serpent as from the avenger of blood yea as from Hell it self Eighthly Consider That murmuring unfits the soul for duty Exod. 6. 6 10 A murmurer can neither hear to profit nor pray to profit nor read to profit nor meditate to profit the murmurer is neither fit to do good nor receive good murmuring unfits the soul for doing of duties it unfits the soul for delighting in duties it unfits the soul for communion with God in duties murmuring fills the 1 Cor. 7. 33 34 35. soul with cares fears distractions vexations all which unfits a man for duty As a holy quietness and calmness of spirit prompts a man to duty as it makes every duty easie and pleasant to the Prov. 3. 17 soul so murmuring that unhinges the soul that indisposes the soul that takes off the Chariot wheels of the soul that the soul cannot look up to God nor do for God nor receive from God Psal 40. 12. nor wait on God nor walk with God nor act Faith upon God c. Oh therefore as ever you would bee in a blessed preparedness 2 King 6. 33 Isa 26. 9 10 11 and a blessed fittedness for duty take heed of murmuring and â—it muâ—e and silent under the afflicting hand of God Ninthly Consider That murmuring unmans a man it strips Isa 5. 18 19 20 him of his reason and understanding it makes him call evil good and good evil it puts light for darkness and darkness for light bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter it calls Saviours destroyers and deliverers murtherers Exod. 14 15 16. chapters Lam. 5. 16 As you see in the murmuring Israelites murmuring uncrowns a man the murmurer may say my Crown is fallen from my head murmuring strips a man of all his glory it spoils all his excellency it destroies the nobility of man it speaks him out to bee a base ignoble Creature murmuring clouds a mans understanding it perverts his judgement it puts out the eye of reason it stupifies his conscience it soures the heart it disorders the will and distempers the affections it be beasts a man yea it sets him below the beast that perisheth for a man were better bee a beast than bee like a beast the murmurer is the Hieroglyphick of folly hee is a comprehensive vanity hee is a man and no man hee is sottish and senseless hee neither understands God nor himself nor any thing as hee should hee is the man that must bee sent to school to learn of the beasts of the
this world I shall now address my self to answer those Objections and to remove those Impediments which hinder poor souls from being silent and mute under the afflicting hand of God c. Object 1. Sir did I but know that I were afflicted in love I would hold my peace under my affliction I would sit mute before the Lord but Oh! how shall I come to understand that these stroaks are the stroaks of love that these wounds are the wounds of a friend I answer First If thy heart bee drawn more out to the Lord by the affliction Psal 18. 1 8. Psal 116. 1 2 3 4 5. Psal 119. 67 71. Isa 38. then the affliction is in love if they are so sanctified as that they draw out thy soul to love the Lord more and to fear the Lord more and to please the Lord more and to cleave to the Lord more and to wait on the Lord more and to walk with the Lord more then they are in love Oh! then they are the wounds of a friend indeed It is reported of the Lioness that shee leaves her young whelps till they have almost killed themselves with roaring and yelling and then at last gasp when they have almost spent themselves shee relieves them and by this means they become more couragious and so if the afflictions that are upon us do encrease our courage strengthen our patience raise our faith inflame our love and enliven our hopes Certainly they are in love and all our wounds are the wounds of a friend But Secondly If you are more careful and studious how to glorifie God in the affliction and Dan. 3. 6. chapters Heb. 11. how to bee kept from sinning under the affliction than how to get out of the affliction then certainly your affliction is in love where God smites in love there the soul makes it his work how to glorifie God and how to lift up God and how to bee a name and an honour to God the daily language of such a soul under the rod is this Lord stand by mee that I sin not Josh 7. 7 8 9 10 uphold mâ—e that I sin not strengthen mee that I sin not hee that will not sin to repair and make up his losses though hee knew assuredly that the committing of such a sin would make up all again hee may conclude that his affliction is in love I have read of a Noble man whose Son and Heir was supposed to bee bewitched and being advised to go to some wizard or cunning man as they are called to have some help for his Son that hee might bee unwitched again hee answered Oh by no means I had rather the Witch should have my Son than the Devil his Son should suffer rather than hee would sin him out of his sufferings Hee that will not break the hedge of a fair Command to avoid the foul way of some heavy affliction may well conclude that his affliction is in love Christians what say you when you are in the Mount do you thus bespeak the Lord Lord take care of thy glory and let mee rather sink in my affliction than sin under my affliction if this bee the bent and frame of thy heart it is certain the affliction that is upon thee is in love the primitive times afforded many such brave spirits though this age affords but few Thirdly If you enjoy the special presence of God with your spirits in your affliction then your Psal 23. 4 5 6 affliction is in love Isa 43. 2. When thou passest thorow the waters I will bee with thee and thorow the rivers they shall not overflow thee The bush which was a type of the Church consumed not all the while it burned with fire because God was in the midst of it when thou walkest thorow the fire thou shalt not bee burnt neither shall the flames kindle upon thee Hast thou a special presence of God with thy spirit strengthening of that quieting of that steeling of that satisfying of that chearing and comforting of that Psal 94. 19. In the multitude of my thoughts that is of my troubled intricated insnarled intertwined and perplexed thoughts as the branches of a tree by some strong wind are twisted one within another as the Hebrew word properly signifies thy comforts delight my soul Here 's a presence of God with his soul here 's comforts and delights that reaches the soul here 's a cordial to strengthen his spirit When Knoles Turk Hist pag. 164 all things went cross with Andronicus the old Emperour of Constantinople hee took a Psalter into his hand and opening the same hee lighted upon Psal 68. 14. When the Almighty scattered Kings they shall bee white as Snow in Salmon which Scripture was a mighty comfort and refreshment to his spirit Now you are to remember that Salmon signifies shady and dark and so was this Mount by the reason of many lofty fair spread trees that were neer it but made lightsome by Snow that covered it so that to bee white as Snow in Salmon is to have joy in affliction light in darkness mercy in misery c. And thus God was to the Psalmist as Snow in Salmon in the midst of his greatest afflictions When Paul would wish his dear Son Timothy the best mercy in all the world the greatest mercy in all the world the most comprehensive mercy in all the world a mercy that carries the virtue value and sweetness of all mercies in it hee wishes the presence of God with his spirit 2 Tim. 4. 22. The Lord Jesus Christ bee with thy spirit in point of honour in point of profit and pleasure in point of safety and security and in point of comfort and joy it is the greatest blessing and happinesse in this world to have the presence of God with our spirits especially in times of trials 2 Cor. 4. 16. For which cause wee faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day By the outward man you are to understand not meerly our bodies but our persons estates and outward condition in this world and by the inward man you are to understand our souls or persons considered according to our spiritual estate Now when the inward man gains new strength by every new trouble when as troubles pressures afflictions and tribulations are increased a Christians inward strength is increased also then his afflictions are in love when the presence of God is with our inward man chearing comforting encouraging strengthening and renewing of that wee may safely conclude that all these trials though they are never so sharp and smart yet they are in love I have read of a company of poor Christians that were banished into some remote parts and one standing by seeing them pass along said That it was a very sad condition those poor people were in to bee thus hurried from the society of men and to bee made companions with the beasts of the field true
affliction comes in love upon a soul the language of that soul is this Lord remove the cause rather than the effect the sin rather than the punishment my corruption rather than my affliction Lord what will it avail mee to have the sore skinned over if the corrupt matter still remains in there is no evil Lord to the evil of sin and therefore deliver mee rather from the evil of sâ—n than the evil of sufferings I know Lord that affliction cannot bee so displeasing to mee as sin is dishonourable and displeasing to thee and therefore Lord let mee see an end of my sin though in this world I should never see an end of my sorrows Oh! let mee see an end of my corruptions though I should never see an end of my corrections Lord I had rather have a cure for my heart than a cure for my head I had rather bee made whole and sound within than without I had rather have a healthy soul than a healthy body a pure inside than a beautiful outside if this bee the setled frame and temper of thy spirit certainly thy afflictions are in love There was one who being under marvelous great pains and torments in his body occasioned by many sore diseases that were upon him cryed out had I all the world I would give it for ease and yet for all the world I would not have ease till the cure bee wrought sure his afflictions were in love the first request the great request and the last request of a soul afflicted in love is a cure Lord a cure Lord a cure Lord of this wretched heart and this sinful life and all will bee well all will bee well Eighthly and lastly If you live a life of Faith in your afflictions then your afflictions are in love Now what is it to live by Faith in affliction but to live in the exercising These following promises have been choice cordials to many Christians under sore distresses Isa 57. 15 ch 41. 10 1 Tim. 1. 15 Joh. 10. 27 28 29 Isa 26. 3 Mat. 11. 28 1 Joh. 3. 14 of Faith upon those precious promises that are made over to an afflicted condition God hath promised to bee with his people in their afflictions Isa 43. 2 3. hee hath promised to support them under their afflictions Isa 41. 10. hee hath promised to deliver his people out of their afflictions Psal 50. 15. hee hath promised to purge away his peoples sins by affliction Isa 1. 25. hee hath promised to make his people more partakers of his holiness by affliction Heb. 12. 10. hee hath promised to make afflictions an inlet to a more full and sweet enjoyment of himself Hosea 2. 14. hee hath promised that hee will never leave nor forsake his people in their afflictions Heb. 13. 5 6. hee hath promised that all their afflictions shall work for their good Zech. 13. 9. Rom. 8. 28. Now if thy Faith bee drawn forth to feed upon these promises if these bee heavenly Manna to thy Faith and thy soul lives upon them and sucks stre 〈…〉 〈◊〉 sweetness from them und 〈…〉 〈◊〉 trials and troubles that 〈◊〉 〈…〉 on thee thy afflictions are in love A Bee can suck honey out of a flower which a Flie cannot if thy Faith can extract comfort and sweetness in thy saddest distresses out of the breasts of precious promises and gather one contrary out of another Honey out of the Deut. 32. 13. Rock thy afflictions are in love The Promises are full breasts and God delights that Faith should As the mother delights that the childe should draw hers draw them they are pabulum fidei anima fidei the food of Faith and the very soul of Faith They are an everlasting spring that can never bee drawn dry they are an inexhaustible treasure that can never bee exhausted they are the garden of Paradise and full of such choice flowers that will never fade but bee alwaies fresh sweet green and flourishing and if in the day of affliction they prove thus to thy soul thy afflictions are in love Sertorius paid Plutarch what hee promised with fair words but so doth not God men many times eat their words but God will never eat his all his promises in Christ are Yea and in 2 Cor. 1. 20. him Amen hath hee spoken it and shall it not come to pass if in all thy troubles thy heart bee drawn forth to act Faith upon the promises thy troubles are from love and thus much by way of answer to the first Objection Object 2 Oh but Sir The Lord hath smitten mee in my nearest and dearest comforts and contentments and how then can I hold my peace God hath taken away a husband a wife a childe an onely childe a bosome friend and how then can I bee silent c. Answ To this I Answer First If God did not strike thee in that mercy which was near and dear unto thee it would not amount to an affliction that is not worthy the name of an affliction that doth not strike at some bosome mercy that trouble is no trouble that doth not touch some choice contentment that storm is no storm that onely blows off the leaves but never hurts the fruit that thrust is no thrust that onely touches the cloaths but never reaches the skin that cut is no cut that onely cuts the hatt but never touches the head neither is that affliction any affliction that onely reaches some remote enjoyment but never reaches a Joseph a Benjamin c. Secondly The best mercy is not too good for the best God the best of the best is not good enough for him who is goodness it self the best childe the best yoak-fellow the best friend the best Jewel in all thy Crown must bee readily resigned to thy best God Isa 43. 22 25. Mal. 1. 13 14. there is no mercy no enjoyment no contentment worthy of God but the best the milk of mercy is for others the cream of mercy is due to God the choicest the fairest and the sweetest flowers are fittest for the bosome of God if hee will take the best flower in all thy garden and plant it in a better soil hast thou any cause to murmure wilt thou not hold thy peace Thirdly Your near and dear mercies were first the Lords before they were yours and alwaies the Lords more than they were yours when God gives a mercy hee doth not relinquish his own right in that mercy 1 Chron. 29. 14. All things come of thee and of thine own have wee given thee The sweet of mercy is yours but the sovereign right to dispose of your mercies is the Lords Quicquid es debes creanti quicquid potes debes redimenti Bern. Whatsoever thou art thou owest to him that made thee and whatsoever thou hast thou owest to him that redeemed thee You say it is but just and reasonable that men should do with their own as they please and is it not just and
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
is in the body of man that although in some degree or other more or less there bee a mixture of all the four elements not any of them wholly wanting yet there is some one of them predominant that gives the denomination in which regard some are said to be of a sanguin some of a phlegmatick some of a cholerick and some of a melancholick constitution So it is also in the souls of men though there bee a general mixture and medly of all evil and corrupt qualities yet is there some one usually that is Paramount which like the Prince of Devils is most powerful and prevalent that swayeth and sheweth forth it self more eminently and evidently than any other of them do And as in every mans body there is a seed and principle of death yet in some there is a proneness to one kinde of disease more than other that may hasten death So though the root of sin and bitterness hath spread it self over all yet every man hath his inclination to one kinde of sin rather than another and this may bee called a mans proper sin his bosome sin his darling sin Now it is one of the hardest works in this world to subdue and bring under this bosome sin Oh! the prayers the tears the sighs the sobs the groans the gripes that it will cost a Christian before hee brings under this darling sin Look upon a Rabbets skin how well it comes off till it comes to the head but then what haling and pulling is there before it stirs So it is in the mortifying in the crucifying of sin a man may easily subdue and mortifie such and such sins but when it comes to the head sin to the master-sin to the bosome-sin Oh! what tugging and pulling is there what striving and strugling is there to get off that sin to get down that sin Now if the Lord by smiting thee in some near and dear enjoyment shall draw out thy heart to fall upon smiting of thy master-sin and shall so sanctifie the affliction as to make it issue in the mortification of thy bosome corruption what eminent cause wilt thou have rather to bless him than to fit down and murmure against him and doubtless if thou art dear to God God will by striking thy dearest mercy put thee upon striking at thy darling-sin and therefore hold thy peace even then when God touches the apple of thiâ—e eye Ninthly Consider That the Lord hath many waies to make up the loss of a near and dear mercy to thee hee can make up thy loss in Mat. 19. 27 ult something else that may bee better for thee and hee will certainly make up thy loss either in kinde or in worth hee took from David an Absalom and hee gave him a Solomon hee took from him a Michal and gave him a wise Abigail hee took from Job seven sons The first and last chapters of Job compared Joh 16. 7 8. c. Act. 2. and three daughters and afterwards hee gives him seven sons and three daughters hee took from Job a fair estate and at last doubled it to him hee removed the bodily presence of Christ from his disciples but gave them more abundantly of his spiritual presence which was far the greater and the sweeter mercy If Moses bee taken away Joshua shall bee raised in his room if David bee gathered to his Fathers a Solomon shall succeed him in his Throne if John bee cast into prison rather than the Pulpit shall stand empty a greater than John even Christ himself will begin to preach hee that lives upon God in the loss of creature-comforts shall finde all made up in the God of comforts hee shall bee able to say though my childe is not my friend is not my yoak-fellow is not yet my God liveth and blessed bee my Rock Psal 89. 46. though this mercy is not and that mercy is not yet covenant mercies yet the sure mercies 2 Sam. 23. 5. of David continue these bed and board with mee these will to the grave and to glory with mee I have read of a godly man who living near a Philosopher did often perswade him to become a Christian Oh but said the Philosopher I must or may lose all for Christ to which the good man replied if you lose any thing for Christ hee will bee sure to repay it a hundred fold I but said the Philosopher will you bee bound for Christ that if he do not pay mee you will yes that I will said the good man So the Philosopher became a Christian and the good man entred into bond for performance of covenants sometime after it happened that the Philosopher fell sick on his death-bed and holding the bond in his hand sent for the party engaged to whom hee gave up the bond and said Christ hath paid all there is nothing for you to pay take your bond and cancel it Christ will suffer none of his children to go by the loss he hath all and hee will make up all to them in the close Christ will pay the reckoning no man shall ever have cause to say that hee hath been a loser by Christ and therefore thou hast much cause to bee mute thou hast no cause to murmure though God hath snatch'd the fairest and the sweetest flower out of thy bosome Tenthly How canst thou tell but that that which thou callest a near and dear mercy if it had been The Lamentations of Jeremiah are a full proof of this continued longer to thee might have proved the greatest cross the greatest calamity and misery that ever thou didst meet with in this world Our mercies like choice Wines many times turn into Vinegar our fairest hopes are often blasted and that very mercy which wee sometimes have said should be a staff to support us hath proved a sword to peirce us how often have our most flourishing mercies withered in our hands and our bosome-contentments been turned into gall and wormwood If God had 2 Sam. 12. 16. continued the life of Davids childe to him it would have been but a living Monument of his sin and shame and all that knew the childe would have pointed at him yonder goes Davids bastard and so This age affords many sad instances of this nature who can think of Tiburn question it and of killing drowning and say how can this bee have kept Davids wound still a bleeding many Parents who have sought the lives of their children with tears have lived afterwards to see them take such courses and come to such dismal ends as have brought their gray-hairs with sorrow to their graves It had been ten thousand times a greater mercy to many Parents to have buried their children as soon as ever they had been born than to see them come to such unhappy ends as they often do Well Christian it may bee the Lord hath taken from thee such a hopeful son or such a dear daughter and thou sayest how can I hold
ground of no fable they have not among all their fictions told us of any one of Jupiters Sons that was crucified that acted his part upon the cross many would wear the Crown with Christ that do not care for bearing the cross with Christ But Eighthly The longer they have been the greater cause thou hast to bee silent and patient for impatience will but lengthen out the day of thy sorrows every impatient act adds one link more to the chain every act of frowardness adds one lash more to those that have already been laid on every act of muttering will but add stroak to stroak and sting to sting every act of murmuring will but add burden to burden and storm to storm the most compendious way to lengthen out thy long afflictions is to fret and vex and murmure under them as thou wouldest see a speedy issue of thy long afflictions sit mute and silent under them Ninthly Gods time is the best time mercy is never nearer salvation is at hand deliverance is at the Act. 27. 13 ult door when a mans heart is brought into such a frame as to bee freely willing that God should time his mercy and time his deliverance for him The Physicians time is the best time for the patient to have ease the impatient patient cryes out to his Physician Oh Sir a little ease a little refreshment Oh the pains the torments that I am under Oh Sir I think every hour two and every two ten till comfort comes till refreshment comes but the prudent Physician hath turned the hour-glass and is resolved that his Physick shall work so long though his patient frets flings roars tears So when wee are under afflictions wee are apt to cry out how long Lord shall it bee before ease comes before deliverance comes Oh the tortures Oh the torments that wee are under Lord a little refreshment Oh how long are these Psal 6. 3. Psal 13. 1 2 Psal 94. 9 10 Rev. 6. 10 nights Oh how tedious are these daies but God hath turned our Glass and hee will not hearken to our cry till our Glass bee out after all our fretting and flinging wee must stay his time who knows best when to deliver us and how to deliver us ouâ— of all our troubles and who will not stay a moment when the Glass is out that hee hath turned But Tenthly and lastly They shall last no longer than there is need and then they shall work for thy good it is with souls as it is with bodies some bodies are more easily and more suddenly cured than others are and so are some souls God will not suffer the plaister to lye one day no not one hour no not a moment longer than there is need some flesh heals quickly proud flesh is long a healing by affliction God quickly heals some but others are long a healing 1 Pet. 1. 6. If need bee yee are in heaviness through manifold temptations or through various afflictions the burden shall lye no longer upon thee than needs must thy pain shall endure no longer than needs must thy physick shall make thee no longer sick than needs must c. thy heavenly Father is a Physician as wise as hee is loving when thy heart begins to grow high hee sees there is need of some heavy affliction to bring it low when thy heart grows cold hee sees there is need of some fiery affliction to heal it and warm it when thy heart grows dull and dead hee sees there is need of some smart affliction to enliven and quicken it And as thy afflictions shall continue no longer than there is need so they shall last no longer than they shall work for thy good if all along they shall work for thy good thou hast no cause to complain that thy afflictions are long that they shall thus work I have fully proved in the former part of this book and thus much for answer to the third Objection Object 4. I would bee mute and silent under my afflictions but my afflictions daily multiply and encrease upon mee like the waves of the Sea they come rouling one over the neck of another c. and how then can I hold my peace how can I lay my hand upon my mouth when the sorrows of my heart are daily encreased To this I answer thus First Thy afflictions are not so many as thy sins thy sins are as the stars of Psa 40. 12 Heaven and as the sands of the Sea that cannot bee numbred Psal 16. ult there are three things that no Christian can number 1 His sins 2 Divine favours 3 The joys and pleasures that bee at Christs right hand but there is no Christian so poor an accountant but that hee may quickly sum up the number of his troubles and afflictions in this world thy sins Oh Christian are like the Syrians that filled the Country but thy afflictions are like the two little flocks of Kids that pitched before them 1 King 20. 27. therefore hold thy peace Secondly If such should not bee mute and silent under their afflictions whose afflictions are increased and multiplied upon them then there are none in the world who will bee found mute and silent under their afflictions for certainly there are none who do not finde the waters of affliction to grow daily upon them if this bee not so what means the bleating of the Sheep and the lowing of the 1 Sam. 15. 14. Oxen what means the daily sighs groans and complaints of Christians amongst us if their troubles like the waters in Ezekiels Sanctuary Ezek. 47. 1 20 bee not still encreasing upon them every day brings us tidings of new straights new troubles new crosses new losses new trials c. Thirdly They are not so many as God might have exercised thee with God could as easily exercise thee with ten as with two and with a hundred as with ten and with a thousand as with a hundred let thy afflictions bee never Lam. 3. 39. Luk. 23. 41 so many yet they are not so many as they might have been had God either consulted with thy sins with thy deserts or with his own What are the number of Princes to the subjects that are under them or what are the number of Generals to the number of souldiers that are commanded by them no more are thy afflictions to thy mercies justice there is no comparison between those afflictions that God hath inflicted upon thee and those that hee might have inflicted thou hast not one burden of a thousand that God could have laid on but hee would not therefore hold thy peace Fourthly Thy afflictions are not so many as thy mercies nay they are not to bee named in the day wherein thy mercies are spoken of what are thy crosses to thy comforts thy miseries to thy mercies thy daies of sickness to thy daies of health thy daies of weakness to thy daies of strength thy daies of scarcity to thy daies
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
of a good man are ordered by the Lord and hee delighteth in his way Though hee fall hee shall not bee utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with his As the Nurse upholds the little childe c. hand Gods supporting hand of grace is still under his people Psal 63. 8. My soul followeth hard after thee thy right hand upholdeth mee Christ hath alwaies one hand to uphold his people and another hand to embrace them Cant. 2. 16. The everlasting arms of God are alwaies underneath his people Deut. 33. 27. And this the Saints have alwaies found witness David Heman Asaph Job c. Geographers write that the City of Syracuse in Sicily is so curiously situated that the Sun is never out of sight though the children of God sometimes are under some clouds of afflictions yet the Sun of Mercy the Sun of Righteousness is never quite out of sight But Thirdly Though God hath forsaken thee yet his love abides and continues constant to thee hee loves thee with an everlasting love Jer. 31. 3. Where hee loves hee loves to the end John 13. 1. Isa 49. 14 15 16. But Zion said the Lord hath forsaken mee and my Lord hath forgotten mee But was not Zion mistaken yes Can a woman forget her The very Heathen hath observed that God doth not love his children with a weak affection but with a strong masculine love Seneca sucking childe that shee should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea they may forget yet will not I forget thee Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands thy walls are continually before mee Look as persons engrave the mark name or picture of those whom they dearly love and entirely affect upon some stone that they wear at their breasts or upon some ring that they wear on their finger So had God engraven Zion upon the palms of his hands shee was still in his eye and alwaies dear to his heart though shee thought not so As Josephs heart was full of love to his brethren even then when hee Gen. 42. spake roughly to them and withdrew himself from them for hee was fain to go aside and ease his heart by weeping so the heart of God is full of love to his people even then when hee seemes to bee most displeased with them and to turn his back upon them though Gods dispensations may be changeable towards his people yet his gracious disposition is unchangeable towards them When God Mal. 3. 6. puts the blackest veil of all upon his face yet then his heart is full of love to his people then his bowels are yearning towards them Jer. 31. 18 19 20. Is Ephraim my dear Son is hee a pleasant childe for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. The Mothers bowels cannot more yearn after the tender babe than Gods doth after his distressed ones As Moses his Mother when shee had put him into Exod. 2. the Ark of Bul-rushes wept to see the babe weep and when shee was turned from him shee could not but cast a weeping eye of love towards him So when God turns aside from his people yet hee cannot but cast an eye of love towards them Hosea 11. 8. How shall I give thee up O Ephraim c. Here are four several how 's in the text the like not to bee found in the whole book of God I am even at a stand justice calls for vengeance but mercy interposeth my bowels yearn my heart melts O! how shall I give thee up O! I cannot give thee up I will not give thee up Gods love is alwaies like himself unchangeable his love is everlasting it is a love that never decaies nor waxes cold it is like the stone Albestos of which Solinus writes that being once hot it can never bee cooled again Fourthly Though the Lord hath hid his face from thee yet certainly thou hast his secret presence with thee God is present when hee is seemingly absent The Psal 23 4 Psal 139. Gen. 28. 16 Lord was in this place and I knew it not saith Jacob. The Sun many times shines when wee do not see it and the husband is many times in the house when the wife doth not know it God is in thy house hee is in thy heart though thou feest him not thou feelest him not though thou hearest him not Heb. 13. 5. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee or as it may bee rendred according to the Greek I will not not leave thee neither will I not not forsake thee Art thou not now drawn out to prize God and Christ and his love above all the world yes art thou not now drawn out to give the Lord many a secret visit Cant. 2. 14 in a corner behinde the door in some dark hole where none can see thee nor hear thee but the Lord Psal 42. 1 2 3 Psal 63. 1 2 3 yes are there not strong breathings pantings and longings after a clearer vision of God and after a fuller fruition of God yes art thou not more affected and afflicted with the withdrawings of Christ than thou art with the greatest afflictions Cant. 5. 6. that ever befell thee yes Austin upon that answer of God to Moses Thou canst not see my face and Exod. 33. 20. live makes this quick and sweet reply then Lord let mee die that I may see thy face Dost thou not often tell God that there is no punishment Psal 30. 6 7 to the punishment of loss and no hell to that of being forsaken of God yes dost thou not finde a secret power in thy soul drawing thee forth to struggle with God to lay hold on God and patiently to wait on God till hee shall return unto thee and lift up the light of his countenance upon thee yes well then thou mayest bee confident that thou hast a secret and blessed presence of God with thee though God in regard of his comfortable presence may bee departed from thee nothing below a secret presence of God with a mans spirit will keep him waiting and working till the Sun of Righteousness shines upon him If any vain persons should put that deriding Mal. 4. 2. question to thee where is thy God thou mayest safely and boldly answer them my God is here hee is nigh mee hee is round about mee yea hee is in the midst of mee Zeph 3. 17. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty hee will save hee will rejoyce over thee with joy hee will rest in his love hee will joy â—ver thee with singing The bush which was a type of the Church consumed not all the while it burned with fire because God was in the midst of it It is no Argument that Christ is not in the Ship because tempests and storms arise Fifthly Though God bee gone
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
prevent Davids fury and Rahab made haste to hang out her scarlet threed yet God doth not alwaies make haste to hear and save his dearest children and therefore hold thy peace hee deals no worse with thee than hee hath done by his dearest Jewels Secondly Though the Lord doth defer and delay you for a time yet hee will come and mercy and deliverance shall certainly Deut. 32. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 12. 17 41 42 51 come hee will not alwaies forget the cry of the poor Heb. 10. 37 For yet a little little while and hee that shall come will come and will not tarry Hab. 2. 3. The vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lye though it tarry wait for it God will come and mercy will come though for the present thy Sun bee set and thy God seems to neglect thee yet thy Sun will rise again and thy God will answer all thy prayers and supply all thy necessities Psal 71. 20 21. 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 Three Martyrs being brought to the stake and all bound one of them slips from under his chain to admiration and falls down upon the ground and wrastled earnestly with God for the sense of his love and God gave it in to him then and so hee came and embraced the stake and died chearfully a glorious Martyr God delaies him till hee was at the stake and till hee was bound and then sweetly lets out himself to him Thirdly Though God do delay thee yet hee doth not forget thee hee remembers thee still thou art Isa 49. 14 15 16 Jer. 31. 20. Psal 77. 9 10 Isa 54. 7 8 9 10 Isa 62. 3 4 5 still in his eye and alwaies upon his heart hee can as soon forget himself as forget his people the Bride shall sooner forget her ornaments and the Mother shall sooner forget her sucking childe and the Wife shall sooner forget her Husband than the Lord shall forget his people Though Sabinâ—s in Seneca could never in all his life time remember those three names of Homer Ulysses and Achilles yet God alwaies knows and remembers his people by name Gen. 8. 1. ch 19. 29. 30. 31. 1 Sam. 1. 9. Jonah 4. 10 11 c. therefore bee silent hold thy peace thy God hath not forgotten thee though for the present hee hath delayed thee Fourthly Gods time is alwaies the best time God alwaies takes the best and fittest seasons to do us good Isa 49. 8. Thus saith the Lord in an acceptable time have I heard thâ—e and in a day of salvation have I helped thee I could have heard thee before and have help'd thee before but I have taken the most acceptable time to do both To set God his time is to limit him it is to exalt our selves above him as if Psal 78. 41 wee were wiser than God though wee are not wise enough to improve the times and seasons which God hath set us to serve and honour him in yet wee are apt to think that wee are wise enough to set God his time when to hear and when to save and when to deliver to circumscribe God to our time and to make our selves Lords of time what is this but to devest Act. 1. 7. ch 17. 26 God of his royalty and soveraignty of appointing times it is but just and equal that that God that hath made time and that hath the sole power to appoint and dispose of time that hee should take his own time to do his people good wee are many times humorous preposterous and hasty and now wee must have mercy or wee dye deliverance or wee are undone but our impatience will never help us to a mercy one hour one moment before the time that God hath set the best God will alwaies take the best time to hand out mercies to his peopleâ— there is no mercy so fair so ripe so lovely so beautiful as that which God gives out in his own time therefore hold thy peace though God delaies thee yet bee silent for there is no possibility of wringing a mercy out of Gods hand till the mercy bee ripe for us and wee ripe for the mercy Eccles 3. 11. Fifthly The Lord in this life will certainly recompence and make his children amends for all Psa 90. 15 Psal 70. 20 21. the first and last chapters of Job compared the delaies and put offs that hee exercises them with in this world As hee did Abraham in giving him such a Son as Isaac was and Hannah in giving her a Samuel hee delayed Joseph long but at length hee changes his Iron fetters into chains of gold his rags into royal Robes his stocks into a Chariot his prison into a palace his bed of thorns into a bed of down his reproach into honour and his thirty years of suffering into eighty years reigning in much grandeur and glory so God delayed David long but when 2 Sam. 1 his suffering hours were out hee is anointed and the Crown of Israel is set upon his head and hee is made very victorious very famous and glorious for forty years together Well Christians God will certainly pay you interest upon interest for all the delaies that you meet with and therefore hold your peace But Sixthly and lastly The Lord never delaies the giving in of this mercy or that deliverance or th' other favour but upon great and weighty reasons and therefore hold thy peace Quest But what are the reasons that God doth so delay and put off his people from time to time as wee see hee doth Answ First For the trial of his people and for the differencing Mat. 15. 21 29. 1 Pet. 1. 7 Job 23. 8 9 10 Deut. 8. 2 and distinguishing of them from others As the furnace tries gold so delaies will try what metal a Christian is made of delaies will try both the truth and the strength of a Christians graces delaies are a Christian-touchstone a lapis Lydius that will try what metal men are made of whether they bee gold or dross silver or tin whether they bee sincere or unsound whether they bee real or rotten Christians As a Father by crossing and delaying his children tries their dispositions and makes a full discovery of them so that hee can say that childe is of a muttering and grumbling disposition and that is of an humorous and wayward disposition but the rest are of a meek sweet humble and gentle disposition So the Lord by delaying and crossing of his children hee discovers their different dispositions The manner of the Psylli Plin. lib. 28. which are a kinde of people of that temper and constitution that no venome will hurt them is that if they suspect any childe to bee none of their own they
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