A29709:187
A word in season to this present generation, or, A sober and serious discourse…
A word in season to this present generation, or, A sober and serious discourse about the favourable, signal and eminent presence of the Lord with his people in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers : with the resolution of several questions, concerning the divine presence, as also the reasons and improvements of this great and glorious truth ... / by Thomas Brooks ...A word in season to this present generation, or, A sober and serious discourse about the favorable, signal and eminent presence of the Lord with his people in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers : with the resolution of several questions, concerning the divine presence, as also the reasons and improvements of this great and glorious truth ... / by Thomas Brooks ...
London: printed for Dorman Newman, 1675
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
and when they were troubled on every side, this signal presence of God with them in all their tribulations filled their souls with such an exuberance of joy, that no good could match it, nor no evil over-match it. It was the Divine presence that made the Martyrs, both ancient & modern, so comfortable & cheerful under all their hideous sufferings. It was the Divine presence that made Francisco Soyit say to his Adversaries: You deprive me of this life, & promote me to a better, which is as if you should rob me of counters, & furnish me with gold. Oh how my heart leapeth for joy (said one) that I am so near the apprehension of eternal bliss! God forgive me mine unthankfulness and unworthiness of so great glory. In all the days of my life I was never so merry, as now I am in this dark Dungeon; believe me, there is no such joy in the world as the People of Christ have under the cross 1(said blessed Philpot) that went to Heaven in flames of fire. Let God but withdraw this signal presence from his People in their sufferings, and you will quickly find their hearts to droop, their spirits to fail, and they overwhelmed in a sea of sorrows, as you see in Mr. Glover, the Martyr, and many others. It was this Divine presence that made the primitive Christians to rejoice more when they were condemned, than absolved, and to kiss 2the stake, and to thank the Executioner, and to sing in the flames, and to desire to be with Christ. So Justin Martyr, Apol. 1. Adv. Gent. Gratias agimus quod à m•l• stis Dominis liberemur, We thank you for delivering us from hard Task-masters, that we may more sweetly enjoy the bosom of Jesus Christ. The Bee gathers the best honey of ⟨p. 131⟩the bitterest herbs, and Christ made the best wine of water; certainly the best, the purest, the strongest, and the sweetest joys spring from the signal presence of God with his People, in their greatest troubles, and deepest distresses; only remember this, that that joy that flows from the D••ine presence, in times of troubles and distress, it is an inward joy, a spiritual joy, a joy that 3