A77618:106
The silent soul, with sovereign antidotes against the most miserable exigentsThe silent soul, with soveraign antidotes against the most miserable exigents
The silent soul, with sovereign antidotes against the most miserable exigents: or, A Christian with an olive-leaf in his mouth, when he is under the greatest afflictions, the sharpest and sorest trials and troubles, the saddest and darkest providences and changes, with answers to divers questions and objections that are of greatest importance, all tending to win and work souls to be still, quiet, calm and silent under all changes that have, or may pass upon them in this world, &c. / By Thomas Brooks preacher of the Word at Margarets New Fish-street London, and pastor of the Church of Christ meeting there.The silent soul, with soveraign antidotes against the most miserable exigents: or, A Christian with an olive-leaf in his mouth, when he is under the greatest afflictions, the sharpest and sorest trials and troubles, the saddest and darkest providences and changes, with answers to divers questions and objections that are of greatest importance, all tending to win and work souls to bee still, quiet, calm and silent under all changes that have, or may pass upon them in this world, &c. / By Thomas Brooks preacher of the Word at Margarets New Fish-street London, and pastor of the Church of Christ meeting there.
London: printed by R.I. for John Hancock, 1660
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.
Fourthly, A holy, a prudent Silence, doth not exclude the teaching and instructing of others when we are afflicted; the words of the afflicted stick close▪ they many times work strongly, powerfully, strangely, savingly upon the souls and consciences of others. Many of Pauls Epistles were written to the Churches when he was in bonds, viz. Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon; he begot Onesimus in his bonds, Phil. 10. And many of the brethren in ⟨p. 53⟩the Lord waxed bold and confident by his bonds, and were confirmed, and made partakers of grace by his Ministry, when he was in bonds, Phil. 1. 7. 13, 14. As the words of dying persons do many times stick and work gloriously; so many times doth the words of afflicted persons, work very nobly and efficaciously. I have read of one Adrianus, who seeing the Martyrs suffer such grievous things in the cause of Christ, he asked what that was which enabled them to suffer such things? and one of them named that, 1 Cor. 2. 9. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him: This word was like Apples of1 Gold, in Pictures of Silver, for it made him not only a Convert, but a Martyr too. And this was the means of Justin Martyrs conversion, as himself confesseth. Doubtless many have been made happy by the words of the ⟨p. 54⟩afflicted; the tongue of the afflicted hath been to many as choice silver, the words of the afflicted many times are both pleasing and profitable; they tickle the ear, and they win upon the heart; they slide insensibly into the hearers souls, & work efficaciously upon the hearers hearts. Eccles. 10. 12. The words of a wise mans mouth are gracious (or Grace, as the Hebrew hath it;) and so Hierome reads it, Verba oris sapientis gratia, the words of the mouth of a wise man are grace: They minister grace to others, and they win grace and favour from others; gracious lips make gracious hearts; gracious words are a grace, an ornament to the speaker, and they are a comfort, a delight, and an advantage to the hearer.