A29709:259
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.
Eighthly, Take heed of a slothful, lazy, trifling Spirit in the things of God: Cantic. 5. 2. I sleep but my heart waketh; it is the voice of my Beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my Sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. Verse 3. I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them? ⟨p. 188⟩Christs head is filled with dew, i. e. Christ came to his Spouse, full of the dew of spiritual and heavenly blessings: Christ always brings meat in his mouth, and a 1reward in his hand: Christ never visits his People empty handed; he is no beggarly or niggardly Guest, when he comes he brings every thing that heart can wish or need require; and now stand and wonder at the silly excuse 2that the Spouse makes for her self: Trouble me not for I am in bed, my clothes are off, my feet are washed, and I am composed to a settled rest: But are you so indeed? (might Christ have replied) Is this your kindness 3to your friend? is this the part and posture of a vigilant Christian? would it not have been much better for you to have had your loins girt, your lamp burning, and you waiting for your Lords return? Is it so great a trouble? Is it such a mighty business for you to rise out of your bed, to put on your clothes, and to let in such a Guest, as comes not to take any thing from you, but to enrich you with the best and noblest of favours? Now mark how severely Christ punishes his Spouses sluggishness, laziness, slothfulness, and delays to entertain him when he knocked. Verse 6. I opened to my Beloved, but my Beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake; I sought him but I could not find him: I called him but he gave no answer; or he was gone, he was gone, a most passionate complaint for his departure, or my best beloved was departed, he was gone away: By the iteration or doubling of this sentence, wherein the Spouse complains of the departure of her Bridegroom, is signified her great trouble, her hearty sorrow, her inexpressible grief, that lay as a heavy load upon her spirit, because by her unworthy usage of him, she had foolishly occasioned him to withdraw his presence from her. Spiritual desertions are of three sorts: 1. Cautional for preventing of sin as Pauls seems to be. 2. Probational