N01903:70
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.
BUT what sort of Distresses, are they that may be styled Oppressions. Why;
First. ALL Distresses, that lye very heavy upon us, may be counted Oppressions. When an Affliction Sinks us, then there is a kind of an Oppression in it. If an Affliction be such a Burden upon our Spirits, or upon our Interests, that we ⟨p. 6⟩can't easily subsist under it, we may now cry out, O Lord, I am Oppressed! He was an oppressed man, who could say, Psal. CXIX. 107. I am afflicted very much. Sometimes an Affliction befalls us, that has in it more than ordinary matter of Sorrow; that Sorrow, by which our Hearts are broken within us. And sometimes we labour under a variety of Affliction: Many vexations, and confusions do at once break in upon us. We faint, we fail, we can't keep up a comfortable Temper. Then we may say, O Lord, I am oppressed. So might he, that could say, Psal. LXXXVIII. 7. Thy wrath lies hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. So might he that could say, Psal. XXXVIII. 2. Thy Arrows stick fast in me, and thy Hand pr•sses me sore. Consult the Groans of Afflicted Job; In them you often have a Paraphrase on our, O Lord, I am oppressed. It is Paraphrased, when he says, Oh! That my Grief were thoroughly weighed! For now, it would be heavier than the sand of the Sea: Therefore my words are swallowed up. There may be Oppression in our Affliction, without any of the least ⟨p. 7⟩Injustice in it. It is enough, if there be Extremity in it, if there be Se•crity in it, if it be Insupportable; if we cannot well encounter it. We may now say, O Lord, I am Oppressed.