The Silent Soul, Part 2
Queſt. 2 What doth a prudent, a gracious, a holy Silence include?
Anſwer 1 It includes and takes in theſe eight things.
Firſt, It includes a ſight of God, and an acknowledgement of God, as the author of all the afflictions that come upon us: And this you have plain in the Text, I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, becauſe thou didst it. The PſalmiſtIn ſecond cauſes, many times a Chriſtian may ſee much envy, hatred, malice, pride, &c. But in the firſt cauſe he can ſee nothing but grace and mercy, ſweetneſs and goodneſs. looks through ſecondary cauſes, to the firſt cauſe, and ſo ſits mute before the Lord. There is no ſickneſs ſo little, but God hath a finger in it, though it bee but the aking of the little finger. As the Scribe is more eyed, and properly ſaid to write, than the pen; and hee that maketh and keepeth the Clock, is more properly ſaid to make it go and ſtrike, than the wheels and weights that hang upon it; and as every work-man is more eyed, and properly ſaid to effect his works, rather than the tools which hee uſeth as his inſtruments: ſo the Lord who is the chief Agent and mover in all actions, and who hath the greateſt hand in all our afflictions, is more to bee eyed and owned, than any inferiour or ſubordinate cauſes whatſoever. So Job, hee beheld God in all, Job 1. 21. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: Had hee not ſeen God in the affliction, hee would have cried out, Oh theſe wretched Chaldeans, they have plundred and ſpoiled mee! Theſe wicked Sabeans, they have robbed and wronged mee. Job diſcerns Gods Commiſſion in the Chaldeans and the Sabeans hands, and then laies his own hand upon his mouth. So Aaron beholding the hand of▪ God in the untimely death of his two ſons, holds his peace, Levit. 10. 3. the ſight of God in this ſad▪ ſtroak, is a bridle both to his mind and mouth, hee neither mutters nor murmurs. So Joſeph ſaw the hand of God, in his brethrens ſelling of him into Egypt, Gen. 45. 8. and that ſilences him.
Men that ſee not God in an affliction, are eaſily caſt into a feaveriſh fit, they will quickly bee in a flame, and when their paſſions are up, and their hearts on fire, they will begin to bee ſawcy, and make no bones of telling God to his teeth, that they do well to bee angry, Jonah 4. 8, 9. Such as will not acknowledge God to bee the author of all their afflictions, will bee ready enough to fall in with that mad principle of the Manachees, who maintained the Devil to bee the Author of all calamities. As if there could bee any evil (of affliction) in the City, and the Lord have no hand in it, Amos 3. 6. Such as can ſee the ordering hand of God in all their afflictions, will with David lay their hands upon their mouths, when the Rod of God is upon their backs, 2 Sam. 16. 11, 12. If Gods hand bee not ſeen in the affliction, the heart will do nothing but fret and rage under affliction.
Secondly, It includes and takes in ſome holy gracious apprehenſions, of the Majeſty, Soveraignty, Dignity, Authority, and preſence of that God, under whoſe afflicting hand we are, Hab. 2. 20. But the Lord is in his holy Temple, let all the earth bee ſilent, or as the Hebrew reads it, bee ſilent all the earth before his face. When God would have all the people of the earth to bee huſht, quiet, and ſilent before him, hee would have them to behold him in his Temple, where hee ſits in ſtate, in majeſty, and glory. Zephan. 1. 7. Hold thy peace at the preſence of the Lord God. Chat not, murmure not, repine not, quarrel not: Whiſt, ſtand mute, bee ſilent, lay thy hand on thy mouth, when his hand is upon thy back, who is (totus oculus) all-eye, to ſee, as well as all hand, to puniſh. As the eyes of a well-drawn picture, are faſtened on thee which way ſoever thou turneſt; ſo are the eies of the Lord; and therefore thou haſt cauſe to ſtand mute before him.
Thus Aaron had an eye to the ſoveraignty of God, and that ſilencesLevit. 10. 3 Job 37. 23, 24. 1 Sam. 3. 11,—19. him. And Job had an eye upon the majeſty of God, and that ſtills him. And Elie had an eye upon the authority and preſence of God, and that quiets him. A man never comes to humble himſelf, nor to bee ſilent under the hand of God, till hee comes to ſee the hand of God to bee a mighty hand, 1 Pet. 5. 6. Humble your ſelves therefore under the mighty hand of God. When men look upon the hand of God as a weak hand, a feeble hand, a low hand, a mean hand, their hearts riſe againſt his hand, Who is▪ the Lord, ſaid Pharaoh, that I ſhould obey his voice? Exod. 5. 2. And till Pharaoh came to ſee the hand of God, as a mighty hand, and to feel it as a mighty hand, hee would not let Iſrael go. When Tiribazus a Noble Perſian was arreſted, at firſt hee drew out his ſword and defended himſelf, but when they charged him in the Kings name, and informed him that they came from the King, and were commanded to bring him to the King, he yeelded willingly. So when afflictions arreſt us, we ſhall murmure, and grumble, and ſtruggle and ſtrive even to the death, before wee ſhall yeeld to that God that ſtrikes, till wee come to ſee his majeſty and authority, till wee comeIſa. 26. 11, 12 Rev. 1. 5. to ſee him as the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. It is ſuch a ſight of God as this, that makes the heart to ſtoop under his Almighty hand. The Thracians beingHerod. ignorant of the dignity and majeſty of God, when it thundred and lightned, uſed to expreſs their madneſs and folly in ſhooting their arrows againſt Heaven, threatning-wiſe. As a ſight of his grace chears the ſoul, ſo a ſight of his greatneſs and glory ſilences the ſoul. But
Thirdly, A gracious, a prudent Silence, takes in a holy quietneſſeAnimus cujuſque eſt quiſque, the mind is the man. and calmneſſe of mind and ſpirit under the afflicting hand of God: A gracious Silence ſhuts out all inward heats, murmurings, frettings, quarrellings▪ wranglings, and boilings of heart, Pſal. 62. 1. Truly my ſoul keepeth ſilence unto God, or is ſilent or ſtill; that is, my ſoul is quiet and ſubmiſſive to God, all murmurings and repineings, paſſions and turbulent affections, being allayed, tamed and ſubdued. This alſo is clear in the Text, and in the former inſtances of Aaron, Ely, and Job, they ſaw that it was a Father that put thoſe bitter cups into their hands, and love, that laid thoſe heavy croſſes upon their ſhoulders, and grace, that put thoſe yoaks about their necks; and this cauſed much quietneſſe and calmneſſe in their ſpirits. Marius bit in his pain, when the Chirurgian cut off his legg. Some men, when God cuts off this mercy, and that mercy from them, they bite in their pain, they hide and conceal their grief and trouble; but could you but look into their hearts, you would finde all in an uproar, all out of order, all in a flame; and however they may ſeem to be cold without, yet they are all in a hot burning feaver within: Such a feaveriſh fit David was once in, Pſal. 39. 3. But certainly a holy Silence allaies all tumults in the mind, and makes a man in patienceLuke 21. 19. to poſſeſſe his own ſoul, which next to his poſſeſſion of God, is the choiceſt and ſweeteſt poſſeſſion in all the world. The Law of Silence is as well upon that mans heart and mind, as it is upon his tongue, who is truly and divinely ſilent under the rebuking hand of God. As tongue-ſervice abſtractedIſa. 29. 13. Mat. 15. 8, 9. from heart ſervice, is no ſervice in the account of God; ſo tongueſilence abſtracted from heartſilence, is no ſilence in the eſteem of God. A man is then graciouſly ſilent, when all is quiet within and without.
Terpander a Harper and a Poet, was one, that by the ſweetneſſe of his verſe and muſick, could allay the tumultuous motions of mens minds: As David by his Harp did Sauls. When Gods people are under the Rod, hee makes by his ſpirit and word ſuch ſweet muſick in their ſouls, as allaies all tumultuous motions, paſſions, and perturbations, Pſal. 94. 17, 18, 19. Pſal. 119. 49, 50. ſo that they ſit Noah-like, quiet and ſtill, and in peace poſſeſſe their own ſouls.
Fourthly, A prudent, a holyPlato calls God, the horn of plenty, and the Ocean of beauty, without the leaſt ſpot of injuſtice. Silence, takes in an humble, juſtifying, clearing and acquitting of God, of all blame, rigour, and injuſtice, in all the afflictions hee brings upon us. Pſal. 51. 4. That thou mayeſt bee juſtified when thou ſpeakeſt, and bee clear when thou judgeſt, that is, when thou correcteſt. Gods judging his people, is Gods correcting or chaſtening of his people, 1 Cor. 11. 32. When wee are judged, wee are chastened of the Lord. Davids great care when he was under the afflicting hand of God, was to clear the Lord of injuſtice: Ah Lord (ſaith hee) There is not the leaſt ſhew, ſpot, ſtain, blemiſh, or mixture of injuſtice, in all the afflictions thou hast brought upon mee; I deſire to take ſhame to my ſelf, and to ſet to my ſeal that the Lord is righteous, and that there is no injuſtice, no cruelty, nor no extremity in all that the Lord hath brought upon mee: And ſo in that, Pſal. 119. 75. 137. hee ſweetly and readily ſubſcribes unto the righteouſneſs of God in thoſe ſharp and ſmart afflictions that God exerciſed him with. I know O Lord that thy judgements are right, and that thou in faithfulneſſe haſt afflicted mee. Righteous art thou O Lord, and upright are thy judgements. Gods judgements are alwaies juſt, hee never afflicts but in faithfulneſſe, his will is the rule of juſtice; and therefore a gracious ſoul dares not cavil nor queſtion his proceedings; the afflicted ſoul knows, that a righteous God can do nothing but that which is righteous; it knows, that God is uncontroulable, and therefore the afflicted man puts his mouth in the duſt, and keeps ſilence before him. 2 Sam. 16. 10. Who dare ſay, Wherefore haſt thou done ſo?
The Turks, when they are cruelly laſhed, are compelled to return to the judge that commanded it, to kiſs his hand, give him thanks, and pay the officer that whipped them, and ſo clear the Judge and Officer of injuſtice. Silently to kiſſe the Rod, and the hand that whips with it, is the nobleſt way of clearing the Lord of all injuſtice.
The Babyloniſh captivity was the ſoreſt, the heavieſt affliction that ever God inflicted upon any people under Heaven, witneſſe that 1 Sam. 12. & Daniel 9. 12, &c. yet under thoſe ſmart afflictions, wiſdome is juſtified of her children, Neh. 9. 33. Thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but wee have done wickedly, 1 Sam. 18. The Lord is righteous, for I have rebelled against him. A holy Silence ſhines in nothing more, than in an humble juſtifying and clearing of God from all that which a corrupt heart is apt enough to charge God with in the day of affliction. God, in that hee is good, can give nothing, nor do nothing but that which is good, others do frequently, hee cannot poſſibly, ſaith Luther, in Pſal. 120.
Fifthly, A holy Silence, takes in gracious, bleſſed, ſoul-quieting Concluſions, about the iſſue and event of thoſe afflictions that are upon us, Lam. 3. 27,—34. In this choice Scripture you may obſerve theſe five ſoul-ſtilling Concluſions.
Firſt, (And that more generally) That they ſhall work for their good, verſ. 27. It is good for a man that hee bear the yoak in his youth. A gracious ſoul ſecretly concludes, As ſtars ſhine brighteſt in the night, ſo God will make my ſoul ſhine and gliſter like gold, whilſt I am in this furnace, and when I come out of this furnace of affliction, Job 23. 10. Hee knoweth the way that I take; and when hee hath tried mee, I ſhall come forth as gold.
Surely as the taſting of hony did open Jonathans eyes, ſo this croſs, this affliction, ſhall open mine eyes; by this ſtroak I ſhall come to have a clearer ſight of my ſins, and of my ſelf, and a fuller ſight of my God, Job 33. 27, 28. Job 40. 4, 5. chap. 42. 1,—7.
Surely this affliction ſhall iſſue in the purging away of my droſſe, Iſa. 1. 25.
Surely as plowing of the ground killeth the weeds, and harrowing breaketh hard clots, ſo theſe afflictions ſhall kill my ſins, and ſoften my heart, Hoſ. 5. ult. chap. 6. 1, 2, 3.
Surely as the plaiſter draws out the core, ſo the afflictions that are upon mee, ſhall draw out the core of pride, the core of ſelf-love, the core of envy, the core of earthlineſſe, the core of formality, the core of hypocriſie, Pſal. 119. 67, 71.
Surely by theſe the Lord will crucifie my heart more and more to the world, and the world to my heart, Gal. 6. 14. Pſal. 131. 1, 2, 3.
Surely by theſe afflictions the Lord will hide pride from my ſoul, Job 33. 14,—21.
Surely theſe afflictions are but the Lords pruning-knives, by which hee will bleed my ſins, and prune my heart, and make it more fertil and fruitful; they are but the Lords potion, by which hee will clear mee, and rid mee of thoſe ſpiritual diſeaſes and maladies which are moſt deadly and dangerous to my ſoul.
Affliction is ſuch a potion, as will carry away all ill humours, better than all the benedicta medicamenta, as Phyſicians call them, Zach. 13. 8▪ 9.
Surely theſe ſhall encreaſe my ſpiritual experiences, Rom. 5. 3, 4
Surely by theſe I ſhall bee made more partaker of Gods holineſſe, Heb. 12. 10. As black ſope makes white cloaths: ſo doth ſharp afflictions make holy hearts.
Surely by theſe God will communicate more of himſelf unto mee, Hoſ. 2. 14.
Surely by theſe afflictions the Lord will draw out my heart more and more to ſeek him, Iſa. 26. 16. Tatianus told the Heathen Greeks, that when they were ſick, then they would ſend for their gods to be with them, as Agamemnon did at the ſiege of Troy, ſend for his ten Counſellors. Hoſ. 5. 15. In their afflictions they will ſeek mee early, or as the Hebrew hath it, they will morning mee; in times of affliction Chriſtians will induſtriouſly, ſpeedily, early ſeek unto the Lord.
Surely by theſe trials and troubles, the Lord will fix my ſoul more than ever upon the great concernments of another world, Joh. 14. 1, 2, 3. Rom. 8. 17, 18. … Cor. 4. 16, 17, 18.
Surely by theſe afflictions the Lord will work in mee more tenderneſſe and compaſſion towards thoſe that are afflicted, Heb. 10. 34. chap. 13. 3. As that Tyrian Queen ſaid,
Evils have taught mee to bemoan
All that afflictions make to groan.
The Romans puniſhed one that was ſeen looking out at his window with a Crown of Roſes on his head, in a time of publick calamity. Biſhop Bonner was full of guts, but empty of bowels; I am afraid this age is full of ſuch Bonners.
Surely theſe are but Gods lovetokens,Some ſay, if a knife or needle be touched with a loadſtone of an Ironcolour, it will cut or enter into a mans body, without any ſenſe of pain at all, ſo will afflictions, when touched with the loadſtone of divine love. Rev. 3. 19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chaſten. Seneca perſwaded his friend Polybius to bear his affliction quietly, becauſe hee was the Emperours favourite, telling him, that it was not lawful for him to complain whilſt Caeſar was his friend: So ſaith the holy Chriſtian, O my ſoul! bee quiet, bee ſtill, all is in love, all is a fruit of divine favour: I ſee hony upon the top of every twig, I ſee the rod is but a Roſemary-branch; I have ſugar with my gall, and wine with my wormwood; therefore bee ſilent O my ſoul; And this general Concluſion, that all ſhould bee for good, had this bleſſed effect upon the Church, verſ. 28. Hee ſitteth alone, and keepeth ſilence, becauſe hee hath born it upon him.
Afflictions abaſe the lovelineſs of the world without, that might entice us; It abates the luſtineſs of the fleſh within, which might elſe enſnare us; And it abates the ſpirit in his quarrel, againſt the fleſh, and the world; by all which it proves a mighty advantage unto us.
Secondly, They ſhall keep them humble and low, verſ. 29. Hee putteth his mouth in the duſt, if ſo bee there may bee hope. Some ſay, that theſe words are an alluſion to the manner of thoſe, that having been conquered and ſubdued, lay their necks down at the conquerours feet, to bee trampled upon, and to lick up the duſt that is under the conquerours feet; Others of the learned look upon the words as an alluſion to poor petitioners, who caſt themſelves down at Princes feet, that they may draw forth their pitty and compaſſion towards them. As I have read of Aristippus, who fell on the ground before Dionyſius, and kiſſed his feet, when hee preſented a petition to him, and being asked the reaſon, anſwered (Aures habet in pedibus) hee hath his ears in his feet; take it which way you will, it holds forth this to us, That holy hearts will bee humble under the afflicting hand of God. When Gods Rod is upon their backs, their mouths ſhall bee in the duſt: A good heart will lye loweſt, when the hand of God is lifted higheſt, Job 42. 1,—7. Act. 9. 1,—8.
Thirdly, The third ſoul-quieting Concluſion you have in verſ. 31. For the Lord will not cast off for ever; the Rod ſhall not alwaies lye upon the back of the righteous. At even-tide lo… there is trouble, but afore morning it is gone, Iſa. 17. 14. As Athanaſius ſaid to his friends, when they came to bewail his miſery and baniſhment; Nubecula eſt cito tranſibit, 'tis but a little cloud (ſaid hee) and will quickly bee gone. There are none of Gods afflicted ones that have not their lucida intervalla, their intermiſſions, reſpites,A little ſtorm, as one ſaid of Julians perſecution, and an eternal calm follows. breathing-whiles; yea, ſo ſmall a while doth the hand of the Lord reſt upon his people, that Luther cannot get diminutives enough to extenuate it; for hee calls it a very little, little croſs that wee bear, Iſa. 26. 20. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and ſhut thy doors about thee: hide thy ſelf as it were for a little moment (or for a little ſpace, a little while) until the indignation bee overpaſt. The indignation doth not tranſire, but pertranſire, paſs, but over-paſſe. The ſharpneſſe, ſhortneſſe, and ſuddenneſs of the Saints afflictions, is ſet forth by the travel of a woman, John 16. 21. which is ſharp, ſhort, and ſudden.
Fourthly, The fourth ſoul-ſilencing Concluſion you have in verſ. 32. But though hee cauſe grief, yet will hee have compaſſion according to the multitude of his mercies; in wrath God remembers mercy, Hab. 3. 2. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning, Pſal. 30. 5. their mourning ſhall laſt but till morning; God will turn their winters night into a ſummers day, their ſighing into ſinging, their grief into gladneſs, their mourning into muſick, their bitter into ſweet, their wilderneſs into a paradiſe: the life of a Chriſtian is filled up with interchanges of ſickneſs and health, weakneſs and ſtrength, want and wealth, diſgrace and honour, croſſes and comforts, miſeries and mercies, joyes and ſorrows, mirth and mourning; all hony would harm us, all wormwood would undo us; a compoſition of both is the beſt way in the world to keep our ſouls in a healthy conſtitution; it is beſt, and moſt for the health of the ſoul, that the South-wind of mercy, and the North-wind of adverſity, do both blow upon it: And though every wind that blows, ſhall blow good to the Saints, yet certainly their ſins die moſt, and their graces thrive beſt, when they are under the drying, nipping, Northwind of calamity, as well as under the warm cheriſhing South-wind of mercy and proſperity.
Fifthly, The fifth ſoul-quieting Concluſion you have in verſ. 33. For hee doth not afflict willingly (or as the Hebrew hath it, from his heart) nor gr…eve the children of men. The Church concludes, that Gods heart was not in their afflictions, though his hand was; hee takes no delight to afflict his children, it goes againſt the hair and the heart; it is a grief to him to bee grievous to them, a pain to him to be… puniſhing of them, a death to him to bee ſtriking of them; hee hath no will, no motion, no inclination, no diſpoſition to that work of afflicting of his people; and therefore hee calls it his work, his ſtrange work; Iſa. 28. 21. Mercy and puniſhment they flow from God, as the hony and the ſting from the Be…; the Bee yeeldeth hony of her own nature, but ſhee doth not ſting, but when ſhee is provoked; hee takes delight in ſhewing of mercy, Micah 7. 18. hee takes no pleaſure in giving his people up to adverſity, Hoſea 11. 8. Mercy and kindneſs floweth from him freely, naturally; hee is never ſevere, never harſh, hee never ſtings, hee never terrifies us, but when hee is ſadly provoked by us. Gods hand ſometimes may lye very hard upon his people, when his heart, his bowels (at thoſe very times) may bee yerning towards his people, Jer. 31. 18, 19, 20. No man can tell how the heart of God ſtands, by his hand, his hand of mercy may bee open to thoſe againſt whom his heart is ſet: As you ſee in the rich (poor) fool, and Dives in the Goſpel; and his hand of ſeverity may lye hard upon thoſe on whom hee hath ſet his heart, as you may ſee in Job and Lazarus. And thus you ſee thoſe gracious bleſſed ſoul-quieting Concluſions about the iſſue and event of afflictions, that a holy, a prudent Silence doth include.
Sixthly, A holy a prudent Silence includes and takes in a ſtrict charge, a ſolemn command that conſcience laies upon the ſoul to bee quiet and ſtill. Pſal. 37. 7. Reſt in the Lord …or as the Hebrew hath it bee ſilent to the Lord) and wait patiently for him. I chargeMatth. 8. 25, 26. The Heathen could ſay, A (recta conſcientia ne latum quidem unguem diſcedendum) man may not depart an hairs▪ breadth all his life long from the dictates of a good conſcience. thee, O my ſoul, not to mutter, not to murmure; I command thee O my ſoul, to bee dumb and ſilent under the afflicting hand of God. As Chriſt laid a charge, a command upon the boiſterous winds, and the roaring raging Sea, bee ſtill, and there was a great calm; ſo conſcience laies a charge upon the ſoul to bee quiet and ſtill, Pſal. 27. ult. Wait on the Lord: bee of good courage, and hee ſhall strengthen thy heart: wait I ſay on the Lord. Peace O my ſoul, bee ſtill, leave your muttering, leave your murmuring, leave your complaining, leave your chaſing and vexing, and lay your hand upon your mouth, and bee ſilent. Conſcience allaies and ſtills all the tumults and uproars that bee in the ſoul, by ſuch like reaſonings as the Clerk of Epheſus ſtilled that uproar, Act. 19. 40. For wee are in danger to bee called in queſtion for this daies uproar, there being no cauſe whereby wee may give an account of this concourſe. O my ſoul, bee quiet, bee ſilent, elſe thou wilt one day bee called in queſtion for all thoſe inward mutterings, uproars and paſſions that are in thee, ſeeing no ſufficient cauſe can bee produced why you ſhould murmure, quarrel, or wrangle under the righteous hand of God.
Seventhly, A holy, a prudent Silence, includes a ſurrendring, a reſigning up of our ſelves to God, whilſt wee are under his afflictingPſal. 27. 8. James 4. 7 1 Sam. 3. 18. 2 Sam. 15. 25, 26. Act. 21. 13. 14, &c. hand: the ſilent ſoul gives himſelf up to God; the ſecret language of the ſoul is this, Lord, here am I, do with mee what thou pleaſeſt, write upon mee as thou pleaſeſt; I give up my ſelf to bee at thy diſpoſe.
There was a good woman, who when ſhee was ſick, being asked whether ſhee were willing to live or dye, anſwered, which God pleaſeth; but ſaid one that ſtood by, if God ſhould refer it to you, which would you chuſe? truly ſaid ſhee, if God ſhould refer it to mee, I would even refer it to him again, this was a ſoul worth gold. Well ſaith a gracious ſoul, the ambitious man gives himſelf up to his honours; but I give up my ſelf unto thee; the voluptuous man gives himſelf up to his pleaſures, but I give up my ſelf to thee; the covetous man gives himſelf up to his bagges, but I give up my ſelf to thee; the wanton gives himſelf up to his minion, but I give up my ſelf to thee; the drunkard gives himſelf up to his cups, but I give up my ſelf to thee; the Papiſt gives up himſelf to his Idols, but I give up my ſelf to thee; the Turk gives up himſelf to his Mahomet, but I give up my ſelf to thee; the Heretick gives up himſelf to his heretical opinions, but I give up my ſelf to thee, Lord, lay what burden thou wilt upon mee, onelyonly let thy everlaſting arms bee under mee. Strike Lord,Luther. ſtrike, and ſpare not, for I am lyen down in thy will; I have learned to ſay Amen, to thy Amen; thou haſt a greater intereſt in mee, than I have in my ſelf, and therefore I give up my ſelf unto thee, and am willing to bee at thy diſpoſe, and am ready to receive what impreſſion thou ſhalt ſtamp upon mee. O bleſſed Lord! haſt thou not again and again ſaid unto mee, as once the King of Iſrael ſaid to the King of Syria, I am 1 King. 20, 14.thine, and all that I have. I am thine, O ſoul! to ſave thee; my mercy is thine, to pardon thee; my blood is thine, to cleanſe thee; my merits are thine, to juſtifie thee; my righteouſneſs is thine, to cloathe thee; my Spirit is thine, to lead thee; my grace is thine, to enrich thee; and my glory is thine, to reward thee; and therefore ſaith a gracious ſoul, I cannot but make a reſignation of my ſelf unto thee. Lord, here I am, do with mee a… ſeemeth good in thine own eyes. I know the beſt way to have my own will, is to reſign up my ſelf to thy will, and to ſay Amen, to thy Amen.
I have read of a Gentleman, who meeting with a Shepherd in a miſty morning, asked him what weather it would bee? it will bee ſaith the Shepherd what weather pleaſeth mee, and being courteouſly requeſted to expreſs his meaning, Sir (ſaith hee) it ſhall bee what weather pleaſeth God, and what weather pleaſeth God, pleaſeth mee. When a Chriſtians will is moulded into the will of God, hee is ſure to have his will. But
Eighthly and laſtly, A holy, a prudent Silence, takes in a patient waiting upon the Lord under our afflictions, till deliverance comes. Pſal. 40. 1, 2, 3. Pſal. 62. 5. My ſoul wait thou onelyonly upon God, for my expectation is from him, Lam. 3. 26. It is good that a man ſhould both hope, and quietly (or as the Hebrew hath it, ſilently) wait for the ſalvation of the Lord. The Husbandman patiently waitethJames 5. 7, 8. for the precious fruits of the earth, the Mariner patiently waiteth for wind and tide, and ſo doth the watch-man for the dawning of the day; and ſo doth the ſilent ſoul in the night of adverſity, patiently wait for the dawning of the day of mercy; the mercies of God are not ſtiled the ſwift, but the ſure mercies of David; and therefore a gracious ſoul waits patiently for them. And thus you ſee what a gracious, a prudent Silence doth include.
The ſecond thing is to diſcover what a holy, a prudent Silence under affliction doth not exclude: Now there are eight things that a holy patience doth not exclude.