A77618:283
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
THE MUTE CHRISTIAN Under the SMARTING ROD. › Objections › Objection 7
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, Temptations are rather hopeful evidences that thy estate is good, that thou art dear to God, and that it shall go well with thee for ever, than otherwise. God had but one Son without corruption,1 but he had none without temptation. Pirates make the fiercest assaults upon those vessels that are most richly laden: So doth Satan ⟨p. 263⟩upon those souls that are most richly laden with the treasures of grace, with the riches of glory. Pirates let empty vessels pass and repass, without assaulting them: so doth Satan let souls that are empty of God, of Christ, of the Spirit, of Grace, pass and repass without tempting or assaulting of them. When nothing will satisfy the soul but a full departure out of Egypt, from the bondage and slavery2 of sin and that the soul is firmly resolved upon a march for Canaan, then Satan Pharaoh-like, will furiously pursue after the soul with Horses and Chariots, that is, with a whole Army of Temptations. Well, a tempted soul, when3 it is at worst with him, may safely argue thus, if God were not my friend, Satan would not be so much my enemy; if there were not something of God within me, Satan would never make such attempts to storm me; if the love of God were not set upon me, Satan would never shoot so many ⟨p. 264⟩fiery darts to wound me; if the heart of God were not towards me, the hand of Satan would not be so strong against me. When Beza was tempted, he made this answer, Whatsoever I was, Satan, I am now in Christ a new Creature, and that is it which troubles thee; I might have so continued long enough ere thou wouldest have vexed at it, but now I see thou dost envy me the grace of my Saviour. Satan's malice to tempt is no sufficient ground for a Christian to dispute Gods love upon, if it were, there is no Saint on earth that should quietly possess divine favour, a week, a day, an hour. The Jailer is quiet, when his prisoner is in bolts, but if he b•e escaped, then he pursues him with hue and cry; you know how to apply it. Men hate not the picture of a Toad, the Wolf flies not upon a painted Sheep; no more doth Satan upon those he hath in chains; therefore hold thy peace, though thou art inwardly tempted, as