A29709:220
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.
When his flesh, that is his outward man, and when his heart his courage, that is his inward man failed him, then God was the strength of his heart (or the rock of his heart, as the Hebrew runs,) at the very last gasp God came in with his sovereign Cordial, and ⟨p. 157⟩revived him and recovered him, and brought new life and strength into him. When a Saint is at worst, when he is at lowest, when he is even overwhelmed with troubles and sorrows, and when the days of darkness so multiply upon him that he seems past all hope of recovery, then the Divine presence does most gloriously manifest it self, and display it self, in supporting, strengthening, comforting, and encouraging of him. In the Rev. 4. 6. you read, that the world is like a sea of glass, [I saw before the Throne a sea of glass.] The world is transitory, very frail and brittle as glass, and it is instable, tumultuous and troublesome as the sea. Here the world is shadowed out to us by a sea of glass; and how can we stand on this sea, how can we live on this sea, how can we walk on this sea, if Christ don't take us by the hand, and lead us, and support us, and secure us? O Sirs, we can't uphold our selves on this sea of glass, nor others can't uphold us on this sea of glass, it is none but dear Jesus, it is no presence but his singular presence, that can make us to stand or go on this sea of glass. And if this world be a sea of glass, oh what infinite cause have we to secure our interest in Christ, who alone can pilot us safe over this troublesome, dangerous and tempestuous sea! Oh that I could prevail with poor sinners to take Christ into the ship of their souls, that so he may pilot them safe into the heavenly Harbour, the heavenly Canaan. No Pilot in Heaven or Earth can land you on the shore of a happy eternity from off this sea of glass but Jesus. When on this sea of glass the winds blow high, storms arise, and the bold waves beat into the ship, O then the sinner cries a Kingdom for a Christ, a world for a Pilot to save us from eternal drowning. Oh that before eternal storms and tempests do beat upon poor sinners, they 1would be prevailed with to close with Christ, to accept of Christ, and to enter into a marriage-covenant, a marriage-union with Christ; that so they may enjoy his singular presence with them, whilst they are on this sea of glass.