A77618:352
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, To sharpen his children's appetite, and to put a greater edge upon their desires, to make1 them cry out as a woman in travel, or as a man that is in danger of drowning. God delays, that his people may set upon him with ⟨p. 336⟩greater strength and importunity▪ he puts them off, that they may put on with more life and vigour; God seems to be cold, that he may make us the more hot; he seems to be slack, that he may make us the more earnest; he seems to be backward, that he may make us the more forward in pressing upon him; the Father delays the child, that he may make him the more eager, and so doth God his, that he may make them the more divinely violent. When Balaam 2had once put off Balak, he sent again (saith the Text) certain Princes more, and more honourable than they. Balaam's put off, did but make Balak the more importunate, it did but increase and whet his desires; this is that that God aims at by all his put offs, to make his children more earnest, to whet up their spirits, and that they may send up more, and yet more honourable prayers after him, that they may cry more earnestly, strive more mightily, and wrestle more importunately ⟨p. 337⟩with God, and that they may take Heaven with a more sacred violence. Anglers draw back the hook, that the fish may be the more forward to bite; and God sometimes seems to draw back, but it is only that we may press the more on: And therefore as Anglers when they have long waited, and perceive that the fish do not so much as nibble at the bait, yet do they not impatiently throw away the Rod, or break the Hook and Line, but pull up, and look upon the bai•, and mend it, and so throw it in again, and then the fish bites: so when a Christian prays, and prays, and yet catches nothing, God seems to be silent, and Heaven seems to be shut against him, yet let him not cast off prayer, but mend his prayer, pray more believingly, pray more affectionately, and pray more fervently, and then the fish will bite, then mercy will come, and comfort will come, and deliverance will come. But