A31997:111
The Godly mans ark, or, City of refuge, in the day of his distress…The Godly mans ark, or, City of refuge, in the day of his distresse…
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 Mistress Elizabeth Moore : the other four were afterwards preached, and are all of them now made public, for the supportation and consolation of the saints of God in the hour of tribulation : hereunto are annexed Mris. [sic] Moors 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 ...The Godly mans ark, or, City of refuge, in the day of his distresse discovered in divers sermons, the first of which was preached at the funerall of Mistresse Elizabeth Moore : the other four were afterwards preached, and are all of them now made publick, for the supportation and consolation of the saints of God in the hour of tribulation : hereunto are annexed Mris. [sic] 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 ...
London: printed for John Hancock, 1658
Sermon 1: The Godly mans Ark; OR, City of Refuge in the day of his Distresses. SERMON I.
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.
2 To improve our graces. It is reported of the Lioness, that she leaves her young ones, till they have almost killed themselves with roaring, and howling, and then at last gasp, she relieves ⟨p. 20⟩relieves them, and by this means they become more courageous. So God brings his children into the deeps, and suffers Jonah to be three days and three nights in the belly of the Whale, and David to cry till his throat was dry, Psal. 69. 3. and suffers his Apostles to be all the night in a great storm till the fourth watch, and then he comes and rebukes the winds, and by this means he mightily increaseth their patience and dependence upon God, and their Faith in Christ. As the Palm-tree, the more it is depressed, the higher, stronger, and fruitfuller it grows; So doth the graces of Gods people.
2 To improve our graces. It is reported of the Lionesse, that she leaves her young ones, till they have almost killed themselves with roaring, and howling, and then at last gasp, shee relieves ⟨p. 20⟩relieves them, and by this means they become more couragious. So God brings his children into the deeps, and suffers Ionah to bee three daies and three nights in the belly of the Whale, and David to cry till his throat was dry, Psal. 69. 3. and suffers his Apostles to bee all the night in a great storm till the fourth watch, and then hee comes and rebukes the winds, and by this means hee mightily increaseth their patience and dependence upon God, and their Faith in Christ. As the Palm-tree, the more it is depressed, the higher, stronger, and fruitfuller it grows; So doth the graces of Gods people.
Lastly, Gods aim in afflicting his people, is to put an edge upon their prayers, and all their other holy services.