A77618:359
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.
First, All the afflictions that come upon the Saints, they are the1 fruits of divine love. Rev. 3. 19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten, be zealous therefore, and repent. ⟨p. 344⟩Heb. 12. 6. For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth. Job 5. 17. Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty. ch. 7. 17, 18. What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? And that thou shouldest visit him every morning; and try him every moment? Isa. 48. 10. Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver: I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. When Munster lay sick, and his friends asked him how he did, and how he felt himself, he pointed to his sores and ulcers (whereof he was full) and said, these are Gods Gems and Jewels wherewith he decketh his best friends, and to me they are more precious than all the gold and silver in the world. A Gentleman highly prizes his Hawk, he feeds her with his own hand, he carries her upon his fist, he takes a great deal of delight and pleasure in her; ⟨p. 345⟩and therefore he puts vervels upon her legs; and a hood upon her head, he hood-winks her, and fetters her, because he loves her, and takes delight in her: So the Lord by afflictions hood-winks and fetters his children, but all is because he loves them, and takes delight and pleasure in them; there cannot be a greater evidence of Gods hatred and wrath, than his2 refusing to correct men for their sinful courses and vanities; why should you be smitten any more? you will revolt more and more; where God refuses to correct, there God resolves to destroy; there is no man so near the Axe, so near the flames, so near Hell, as he whom God will not so much as spend a Rod upon. God is most angry where he shows no anger. Jerome writing to a sick friend, hath this expression, I account it a part of unhappiness not to know adversity; I judge you to be miserable, because you have not been miserable; nothing (saith another)