A31997:97
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.
3 Not only to know God, but to know our selves, which two are the chief parts of Christian Religion: It is said of the Prodigal, that when he was in adversity, then he came to himself, Luke 15. 17. And when he came to himself. He was spiritually distracted, when he was in prosperity: Afflictions teach us to know that we are but men, according to that of David, Psal. ⟨p. 12⟩9. 20. Put them in fear, O Lord, that they may know themselves to be but men. Caligula and Domitian, Emperors of Rome, who in prosperity would be called Gods, when it thundered from Heaven, were so terrified, that then they knew they were but men. In prosperity we forget our mortality. Adversity causeth us to know, not only that we are men, but frail men, that God hath us between his hands (as it is Ezek. 21. 17.) and can as easily crush us, as we do moths: That we are in Gods hands, as the Clay in the hands of the Potter: That he hath an absolute sovereignty over us, and that we depend upon him for our being, well-being, and eternal-being. These things we know feelingly and practically in the day of Affliction. And it much concerns us to know these things, and to know them powerfully. For this will make us stand in awe of God, and study to serve and please him. He that depends upon a man ⟨p. 13⟩for his livelihood, knowing that he hath him at an advantage, and can easily undo him, will certainly endeavour to comply with him, and to obtain his favour. The ground of all service and obedience is dependence. And did we really and experimentally know our dependence upon God, and the advantages he hath us at, we could not, we would not but comply with him, and labour above all things to gain his love and favour.
3 Not onely to know God, but to know our selves, which two are the chief parts of Christian Religion: It is said of the Prodigal, that when hee was in adversity, then hee came to himself, Luke 15. 17. And when hee came to himself. He was spiritually distracted, when hee was in prosperity: Afflictions teach us to know that wee are but men, according to that of David,