A77618:109
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.
Fifthly, A holy, a prudent Silence, ⟨p. 56⟩doth not exclude moderate mourning or weeping under the1 afflicting hand of God, Isa. 38. 3. And Hezekiah wept sore, or, as the Hebrew hath it, wept with great weepings. But was not the Lord displeased with him for his great weeping? no, vers. 5. I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years. God had as well a bottle for his2 tears, as a bag for his sins. There is no water so sweet, as the Saints tears, when they do not overflow the banks of moderation; tears are not mutes, they have a voice, and their oratory is of great prevalency3 with the Almighty God. And therefore the weeping Prophet calleth out for tears, Lam. 2. 18. Their heart crieth unto the Lord, O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night, give thy self no rest, let not the apple of thine eye cease, or as the Hebrew hath it, let not the daughters of thine eye be silent (that which we call the ball or apple of the eye, ⟨p. 57⟩the Hebrews call the daughter of the eye, because it is as dear and tender to a man, as an only daughter; and because therein appears the likeness of a little daughter.) Upon which words, saith Bellarmine, Clames assidue ad Deum; non lingua, sed oculis; non verbis, sed lachrymis; ista enim est oratio, quae placare solet: Cry aloud, not with thy tongue, but with thine eyes; not with thy words, but with thy tears; for that is the prayer that maketh the most forcible entry into the ears of the great God of Heaven. When God strikes, he looks that we should tremble; when his hand is lifted high, he looks that our hearts should stoop low; when he hath the rod in his hand, he looks that we should have tears in our eyes; as you may see by comparing of these Scriptures together,