A77618:18
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.
Seventhly, To satisfy some bosom friends, some faithful friends; man is made to be a friend▪ and apt for ⟨image 7⟩friendly offices; he that is not friendly, is not worthy to have a friend, and he that hath a friend, and doth •ot show himself friendly, is not worthy to be accounted a man; friendship is a kind of life, without which there is no comfort of a mans life. Christian friendship1 ties such a knot, that great Alexander cannot cut: Summer friends I value not, but winter friends are worth their weight in gold, and wh• can deny such any thing, especially in th•se days, wherein real, faithful, constant friends are so rare to be found?2 The friendship of most men in these days, is like Jonahs Gourd; now very promising and flourishing, and anon fading and withering; it is like some plants in the water, which have broad leaves on the surface of the water, but scarce any root at all; their friendship is like Lemons, cold within, hot without; their expressions are high, but their affections are low, they speak much, but do little; as Drums and Trumpets, and Ensigns in a battle make a great noise, and a fine show, but act nothing: so these counterfeit ⟨image 8⟩friends will▪ complement highly, how handsomely, speak plausibly, and promise lustily, and yet have neither a hand nor a heart to act any thing cordially or faithfully; from such friends it is a mercy to be delivered: And therefore King Antigonus was wont to pray to God that he would protect him from his friends, and when one of his Council asked him why he prayed so, he returned this answer, every man will shun and defend himself against his professed enemies, but from our professed or pretended friends, of whom few are faithful, none can safe-guard himself, but hath need of protection from Heaven; but for all this there are some that are real friends, faithful friends, active friends, winter friends, bosom friends, fast friends, and for their sakes (especially those among them) that have been long, very long under the Smarting Rod, and in the fiery Furnace, and that have been often poured from vessel to vessel, have I once more appeared in Print to the world.