N01903:28
Silentiarius. A brief essay on the holy silence and godly patience, that sad things…
Silentiarius. A brief essay on the holy silence and godly patience, that sad things are to be entertained withal. A sermon at Boston-Lecture, on the death of Mrs. Abigail Willard, and the day before her interment; who expired Septemb. 26. 1721. / By her father. ; Whereunto there is added, a sermon on, the refuge of the distressed, which was preached on the Lord's-Day preceding.Silentiarius. A brief essay on the holy silence and godly patience, that sad things are to be entertained withal. A sermon at Boston-Lecture, on the death of Mrs. Abigail Willard, and the day before her interment; who expired Septemb. 26. 1721. / By her father. ; Whereunto there is added, a sermon on, the refuge of the distressed, which was preached on the Lord's-Day preceeding.
Boston: printed by S. Kneeland, 1721
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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. NOTHING must be spoke Amiss concerning the Glorious GOD; Nothing spoke! No, Nothing so much as Thought amiss; under all the sad things which it shall please Him to lay upon us. This Holy silence must reach not only unto our Words, but also unto our very Thoughts. Our Thoughts may be as audible as the loudest cries in the Ears of the Lord of Hosts, who knows our Thoughts a far off. The Words of our very Minds, as well as of our Lips, under all our sad Things must be such, that this Report may be made of us; Job 1.22. In all this be sinned not, nor charged GOD foolishly.
MORE particularly,
First. ALL Impatient expressions of Rebellion against the Sovereignty of the Glorious GOD: These must be Restrained with an Holy silence, when a Sovereign GOD shall do sad Things unto us. If sad Things be done unto us, we must by ⟨p. 16⟩no means dispute the Dominion of the Glorious GOD over us; by no means dispute his Absolute Authority to do what He will with us, and give none account of His matters; by no means dispute His Absolute Prerogative, to do what He will with His own. Let our sad Things but carry us down to the House of the Potter. Under our sad things, let us lie in the Dust before the Glorious GOD, and as Clay before the Potter, not go to strive with our Maker, if He break the Potsherds of the Earth to pieces at His Pleasure. With an Holy silence we must Subscribe to that; Job IX. 12. Behold, He taketh away; who can hinder Him• who will say unto Him, what doest thou?
First. ALL Impatient expressions of Rebellion against the Svreignty of the Glorious GOD: These must be Restrained with an Holy silence, when a Sovereign GOD shall do sad Things unto us. If sad Things be done unto us, we must by