A31997:277
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
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 Fixedly, and seriously meditate on them;1 first, he must treasure up these Jewels in his heart, and then unlock them by meditation; first, he must make his Nose-gay, and then smell of it. The Word of God (as I have said) is as a Garden full of excellent Promises, as so many choice flowers. And it is our duty to walk often in this Garden, to gather up all the flowers, that lye scattered in it, into several Nose-gays, to bind them together (if I may so speak) with the thread of Faith, and then every day to smell of them. The Promises are the Saints Legacies left them by Christ in his last Will and Testament. The Saints are called the Heirs of the Promises, Heb. 6. 17. And if they would be filled full of joy in the day of their distress, they must be frequent in reading these Legacies: The Promises are (as it were) the ⟨p. 123⟩breasts of God, full of the Milk of grace and comfort. And it is our duty to be sucking out (by meditation) the milk of grace and comfort contained in them. That which the Prophet saith of the Church of Christ, may as truly be said of the Promises of Christ. Rejoice, O ye people of God, and be glad all ye that have an interest in the Promises; Rejoice for joy, all ye that are mourners in Zion, 2that ye may sack and be satisfied with the •easts of their consolations, that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of joy and comfort contained in them. The Promises are the Saints Aqua-vitae (as one calls them) the Saints Cordials, the Saints Plank to swim to Heaven upon, the Saints Fiery Chariot, to carry them up to Heaven. And the great reason why they walk so uncomfortably, so disconsolately, and so unbelievingly, in the time of their tribulation, is because they do not smell of these […], ⟨p. 124⟩they do not chew these Cordials, they do not read over these spiritual Legacies, they do not by serious meditation and consideration, suck out the comfort comprehended in them. For as fire will not warm us unless we tarry at it, and a Bee cannot suck out the ho•y that is in a flower, unless she abide upon it; no more can any Child of God receive supportation, and consolation from the Promises in the hour of temptation, unless he seriously and solemnly ponder and meditate on them.