A31997:338
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 5: RULES FOR THE Right Application of the Promises SERMON V.
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.
Now I come to the third and last particular. He that would make the Promises as spiritual bladders to keep him from drowning in ⟨p. 164⟩the deep waters of affliction, must not only make a Catalogue of them, and meditate upon them, but he must make Application of them to his own soul, as belonging to him in particular. He must (as it is said of the godly Patriarchs, Hebrews 11. 13.) be persuaded of them, 1and embrace them; he must hug and kiss them as his rich portion, and glorious inheritance. And this is the chief of all: For no man can receive any comfort from a Promise, who is not able to make out his interest in that Promise: As the life of a Sermon is in the Application of it unto our selves, so the life of a Promise is in the appropriation of it. Quid est Deus, si non est meus? What am I the better (saith Origen) that Christ took upon him the flesh of a Virgin, if he took not my flesh? What was the great Prince the better for the miraculous plenty in Samaria, when the Prophet told him that he should see it with his eyes, but not eat of it? ⟨p. 165⟩As the man, who when he was ready to be drowned, saw a Rain-bow (which was a sign that the World should never be again drowned) said, Quid mihi proderit haec Iris, si ego peream; What am I the better for this Rain bow, if I perish? So may I say, what is a man the better for the rich Mine of treasure contained in the Promises, if he hath no share in it.
NOw I come to the third and last particular. He that would make the Promises as spiritual bladders to keep him from drowning in ⟨p. 164⟩the deep waters of affliction, must not only make a Catalogue of them, and meditate upon them, but hee must make Application of them to his own soul, as belonging to him in particular. Hee must (as it is said of the godly Patriarchs, Hebrews 11. 13.) be perswaded of them, 1