A77618:164
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.
Thirdly, Consider, That a holy silence is that excellent precious grace, that lends a hand of support to every grace. Silence is1 ⟨p. 124⟩Custos, the Keeper of all other virtues, it lends a hand to Faith, a hand to Hope, a hand to Love, a hand to Humility, a hand to Self-denial, &c. A holy silence hath its influences upon all other graces that be in the soul, it causes the Rose-buds of grace to blossom and bud forth. Silence is (virtus versata circa adversa) a grace that keeps a man gracious in all conditions; in every condition Silence is a Christians right hand; in prosperity, it bears the soul up under all the envy, malice, hatred and censures of the world; in adversity, it bears the soul up under all the neglect, scorn and contempt that a Christian meets with in the world; it makes every bitter sweet, every burden light, and every yoke easy. And this the very Heathen seemed to intimate in placing the Image of Angeronia with the mouth bound upon the Altar of Volupia, to show, that silence under sufferings, was the ready way to attain true comfort, and make ⟨p. 125⟩every bitter sweet. No man honours God, nor no man justifies God at so high a rate, as he who lays his hand upon his mouth, when the Rod of God is upon his back. But
Thirdly, Consider, That a holy silence is that excellent precious grace, that lends a hand of support to every grace. Silence is1 ⟨p. 124⟩Custos, the Keeper of all other virtues, it lends a hand to Faith, a hand to Hope, a hand to Love, a hand to Humility, a hand to Selfdenial, &c. A holy silence hath its influences upon all other graces that bee in the soul, it causes the Rose-buds of grace to blossome and bud forth. Silence is (virtus versata circa adversa) a grace that keeps a man gracious in all conditions; in every condition Silence is a Christians right hand; in prosperity, it bears the soul up under all the envy, malice, hatred and censures of the world; in adversity, it bears the soul up under all the neglect, scorn and contempt that a Christian meets with in the world; it makes every bitter sweet, every burden light, and every yoak easie. And this the very Heathen seemed to intimate in placing the Image of Angeronia with the mouth bound upon the Altar of Volupia, to shew, that silence under sufferings, was the ready way to attain true comfort, and make