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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77618	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.	Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680.	1660 (1660)	Wing B4962A; Thomason E1876_1; ESTC R209789	146,060	409

a wet some in a moist clay and some in a sandy dry ground So every spiritual husbandman must observe the fittest times to sow his spiritual seed in hee hath heavenly seed by him for all occasions and seasons for spring and fall for all grounds heads and hearts now whether the seed sown in the following Treatise bee not suitable to the times and seasons wherein wee are cast is left to the judgement of the prudent Reader to determine if the Author had thought otherwise this babe had been stifled in the womb Fifthly The good acceptance that my other weak labours have found God hath blest them not onely to the Rom. 15. 21 Phil. 1. 9 10 11 conviction the edification confirmation and consolation of many but also to the conversion of many God is a free Agent to work by what hand hee pleases and sometimes hee takes pleasure 1 Cor. 1. 17 29 to do great things by weak means that no flesh may glory in his presence God will not despise the day of small things and who or what art thou that darest despise that day the Spirit breathes upon whose preaching and writing hee John 3 pleases and all prospers according as that wind blows Sixthly That all afflicted and distressed Christians may have a proper salve for every sore a proper remedy against every disease at hand as every good man so every good book is not Prov. 25. 11 That remedy is no remedy that is not proper to the dis●ase fit to bee the afflicted mans companion but this is here hee may see his face his head his hand his heart his way his works here hee may see all his diseases discovered and proper remedies proposed and applied here hee may finde Arguments to silence him and means to quiet him when it is at worst with him in every storm here hee may finde a tree to shelter him and in every danger here hee may finde a City of Refuge to secure him and in every d●fficulty here hee may have a light to guide him and in every peril here hee may finde a buckler to defend him and in every distress here hee may finde a cordial to strengthen him and in every trouble here hee may finde a staff to support him Seventhly To satisfie some bosome-friends some faithful friends man is made to bee a friend and apt for friendly offices hee that is not friendly is not worthy to have a friend and hee that hath a friend and doth ●ot shew h●mself friendly is not worthy to bee accounted a man friendship is a kinde of life without which there is no comfort of a mans life Christian friendship 1 Sam. 22. 1 2. 3. ties such a knot that great Alexander cannot cut Summer friends I value not but winter friends are worth their weight in gold and wh● can deny such any thing especially in th●se daies wherein real faithful constant friends are so rare to bee found O● my friends I have never a friend said Socrates a friend is a very mutable creature saith Plato The friendship of most men in these daies is like Jonahs Gourd now very promising and flourishing and anon fading and withering it is like some plants in the water which have broad leaves on the surface of the water but scarce any root at all their friendship is like Lemons cold within hot without their expressions are high but their affections are low they speak much but do little as Drumms and Trumpets and Ensigns in a battel make a great noise and a fine shew but act nothing so these counterfeit friends will complement highly how hansomely speak plausibly and promise lustily and yet have neither a hand nor a heart to act any thing cordially or faithfully from such friends it is a mercy to bee delivered And therefore King Antigonus was wont to pray to God that hee would protect him from his friends and when one of his Council asked him why hee prayed so hee returned this answer every man will shun and defend himself against his professed enemies but from our professed or pretended friends of whom few are faithful none can safe-guard himself but hath need of protection from Heaven but for all this there are some that are real friends faithful friends active friends winter friends bosome-friends fast friends and for their sakes especially those among them that have been long very long under the Smarting Rod and in the fiery Furnace and that have been often poured from vessel to vessel have I once more appeared in Print to the world Eighthly and lastly There hath not any Authors or Author come to my hand that hath handled this subject as I have done and therefore I do not know but it may bee the more grateful and acceptable to the world 1 Thes 1. 7 8 2 Cor. 8. 10. ch 9. 1 ● and if by this assay others that are more able shall bee provoked to do more worthily upon this subject I shall therein rejoyce I shall onely add that though much of the following matter was preached upon the Lords visitation of my dear yoak-fellow my self and some other friends yet there are many things of special concernment in the following Tract that yet I have not upon any accounts communicated to the world And thus I have given you a true and faithful account of the reasons that have prevailed with m●e to publish this Treatise to the wo●ld and to dedicate it to your selves Secondly The second thing promised was the giving of you a little good ● unsel that you may so read the following discourse as that it may turn much to your souls advantage for as many fish and catch nothing so many read Luke 5. 5 good books and get nothing because they rea● them over cursorily slightly superficially but hee that would read to profit must then First Read and look up for a blessing Paul may plant and Apollo may water but all will be to no purpose except the Lord give the encrease God must 1 Cor. 3. 6 7 do the deed when all is done or else all that is done will do you no good if you would have this work successeful and effectual you must look off from man and look up to God who alone can make it a blessing to you As without a blessing Micah 6. 14. from Heaven thy cloaths cannot warm thee nor thy food nourish thee nor physick cure thee nor friends comfort thee So without a blessing from Hag. 1. 6. Heaven without the precious breathings and influences of the Spirit what here is done will do you no good it will not turn to your account in the day of Christ and therefore cast an eye heaven-wards It is Sencca's observation that the husbandmen in Egypt never look up to Heaven for Rain in the time of drought but look after the overflowing of the banks of Nilus as the onely cause of their plenty Ah! how many are there in these daies who when

they go to read a book never look up never look after the Rain of Gods blessing but onely look to the River Nilus they onely look to the wit the learning the Arts the parts the eloquence c. of the Author they never look so high as Heaven and hence it comes to pass that though these read much yet they profit little Secondly Hee that would read to profit must read and meditate meditation Animae viaticum est meditatio Bern. Lectio sine meditatione arida est meditatio sine lectione erronea est oratio sine meditatione livida est August is the food of your souls it is the very stomach and natural heat whereby spiritual truths are digested A man shall as soon live without his heart as hee shall bee able to get good by what hee reads without meditation Prayer saith Bernard without meditation is dry and formal and reading without meditation is useless and unprofitable Hee that would bee a wise a prudent and an able experienced states-man must not hastily ramble and run over many Cities Countries Customes Laws and Manners of People without serious musing and pondering upon such things as may make him an expert States-man So hee that would get good by reading that would compleat his knowledge and perfect his experience in spiritual things must not slightly and hastily ramble and run over this book or that but ponder upon what hee reads as Mary pondered the saying of the Angel in her heart Lord saith Austin the more I meditate on thee the sweeter thou art to mee So the more you shall meditate on the following matter the sweeter it will be to you they usually thrive best who meditate most meditation is a soul-fatning duty it is a grace-stergthning duty it is a duty-crowning duty Gerson calls meditation the nurse of prayer Hier 〈…〉 calls it his Paradise Basil calls it the treasury where all the graces are lock'd up Theophylact calls it the very gate and portal by which wee enter n●o glory and Ari●t●●le though a Heathen placeth felicity in the contemplation of the mind you may read much and ●ear much yet without meditation you will never bee excellent you will never bee eminent Christians Thirdly Read and try what thou readest take nothing upon trust but all upon trial As those Noble Bereans 1 Joh. 4. 10 Act. 17. 10 11. did You will try and tell and weigh gold though it be handed to you by your Fathers and so should you all those heavenly truths that are handed to you by your spiritual Fathers I hope upon trial you will finde nothing but what will hold weight in the ballance of the sanctuary and though all bee not gold that glisters yet I judge that you will finde nothing here to glister that will not be found upon trial to be true gold Fourthly Read and do read and practise what you read or else all your Augustine speaking of the Scripture saith verba vivenda non legenda reading will do you no good hee that hath a good book in his hand but not a lesson of it in his heart or life is like that Ass that carries rich burdens and feeds upon thistles In divine account a man knows no more than hee do●h Profession without practice will but make a man twice told a childe of darkness to speak well is to sound like a Cymbal Isiodorus but to do well is to act like an Angel hee that practiseth what hee reads and understands God will help him to understand Joh. 7. 16 17 Psal 119. 98 99 100 what he understands not there is no fear of knowing too much though there is much fear in practising too little the most doing man shall bee the most knowing man the mightiest man in practice will in the end prove the mightiest man in Scripture Theory is the guide of practice and practice is the life of Theory Salvian relates Salvianus de G. D. l. 4. how the Heathen did reproach some Christians who by their lewd lives made the Gosbel of Christ to bee a reproach where said they is that good Law which they do beleeve where are those rules of godliness which they do learn they read the holy Gospel and yet are unclean they hear the Apostles writings and yet live in drunkenness they follow Christ and yet disobey Christ they proprofess a holy Law and yet do lead impure lives Ah! how may many Preacher stake up sad complaints against many Readers in these daies they read our works and yet in their lives they deny Seneca had rather bee sick than idle and do nothing our works they praise our works and yet in their conversations they reproach our works they cry up our labours in their discourses and yet they cry them down in their practices Yet I hope better things of you into whose hands this Treatise shall fall The Samaritan woman did not fill her pi●●her with water that shee might talk Joh. 4. 7. Gen. 30. 15 of it but that she might use it and Rachel did not desire the Mandrakes to hold in her hand but that shee might thereby be the more apt to bring forth The Application is easie But Fifthly Read and apply reading is but the drawing of the bow application is the hitting of the white the choicest truths will no further profit you than they are applied by you you were The plaister will nor heal if it bee not applied as good not to read as not to apply what you read No man attains to health by reading of Galen or by knowing Hippocrates his Aphorisms but by the practical application of them all the reading in the world will never make for the health of your souls except you apply what you read the true reason why many read so much and profit so little is because they do not apply and bring home what they read to their own souls But Sixthly and lastly Read and pray hee that makes not conscience of praying over what hee reads will finde little Prayer is porta caeli ●lav●s p●r●disi sweetness or profit in his reading no man makes such earnings of his reading as hee that praies ove● what hee reads Luther professeth that hee profited more in the knowledge of the Scriptures by prayer in a short space than by study in a longer A● John by weeping got the sealed book open so certainly men would gain much more than they do by reading good mens wo●ks if they would but pray more over what they read Ah Christians pray before you read and pray after you read that all may bee blest and sanctified to you when you have done reading usually close up thus So let mee live so let mee die That I may live eternally And when you are in the Mount fo● your selves bear him upon your hearts who is willing to spend and 2 Cor. 12. 15 bee spent for your sakes for your souls O pray for mee that I may more and

to lye down in the will of God and quietly to resign up thy self to the good will and pleasure of God Luther was a man that could have any thing of God and why why because hee submitted his will to the will of God hee lost his will in the will of God Oh soul it shall bee even as thou wilt if thy will bee swallowed up in the will of God Sixthly and lastly If thou wouldest bee silent under the afflicting hand of God then thou must hold Psa 94. 19 Dan. 9. 19 24 Gen. 28. 7 Act. 16. 27 ch Hos 2. 14 fast to this principle viz. That God will make times of affliction to be times of special manifestations of divine love and favour to thee Tiburtius saw a Paradise when hee walked upon hot burning coals I could confirm this by a cloud of witnesses but that I am upon a close Ah Christians as ever you would be quiet and silent under the Smarting Rod hold fast to these principles and keep them as your lives But Twelfthly and lastly To silence and quiet your souls under the afflicting hand of God dwell much upon the brevity or shortness of mans life this present life is not vita sed via ad vitam life but a motion a journey towards life mans life saith one is the shadow of smoak yea the dream of a shadow saith another mans life is so short that Austin doubt●th whether to call Aug. l. 1. Conf. it a dying life or a living death thou hast but a day to live and perhaps thou mayest be now in the twel●th hour of that day therefore hold out faith and patience thy troubles and thy life will shortly end together therefore hold thy peace thy grave is going to bee made thy Sun is near setting death begins to call thee off o● the stage of this world death stands at thy back thou must shortly sail forth upon the Ocean of eternity though thou hast a great deal of work to do a God to honour a Christ to close with a soul to save a race to run a Crown to win a Hell to escape a pardon to beg a Heaven to make sure yet thou hast but a little time to do it in thou hast one foot in the grave thou art even a going a shore on eternity and wilt thou now cry out of thy afflictions wilt thou now mutter and murmure when thou art entring upon an unchangeable condition what extream folly and madness is it for a man to mutter and murmure when hee is just a going out of prison and his boults and chains are just a knocking off Why Christian this is just thy case therefore hold thy peace thy life is but short therefore Rom. 8. 18 thy troubles cannot bee long hold up and hold out quietly and patiently a little longer and Heaven shall make amends for all FINIS A TABLE Shewing the Principal things in this TREATISE THe words opened and the Doctrine raised viz. That it is the great duty and concernment of gracious souls to be mute and silent under the greatest afflictions the saddest providences and sharpest trials they meet with in this world from p. 1 to 4. For the opening of the point First 1 There is a sevenfold silence p. 4 to 16. 2 What doth a prudent a gracious a holy silence include shewed in eight things p. 16 44. 3 What a prudent a holy silence under afflictions doth not exclude shewed in eight things p. 44 67. 4 Eight Reasons why Christians must bee mute and silent under their greatest afflictions c. p. 67 92. Vse This Truth looks sourely upon five sorts of persons p. 92 102 Six considerations to prevent men from using sinful shifts and courses to deliver themselves out of their afflictions c. p. 102 116. Twelve considerations to prevail with Christians to bee mute and silent under the sharpest afflictions c. that they meet with in this world p. 116 145 The hainous and dangerous nature of murmuring discovered in twelve particulars p. 145 169 Object 1 Did I but know that my afflictions were in love I would bee quiet I would hold my peace c. Answered eight waies p. 169 187 Object 2 The Lord hath smitten mee in my nearest and dearest comforts and contentments and how then can I hold my peace Answered twelve waies p. 187 116 Object 3 Oh! But my afflictions my troubles have been long upon mee and how then can I hold my peace Answered ten waies p. 216 236 Object 4 I would bee mute and silent under my afflictions but they daily multiply and encrease upon me c. how then can I bee silent Answered eight waies p. 236 242 Object 5 My afflictions are very great how then can I hold my peace c. Answered six waies p. 242 252 Object 6 Oh! But my afflictions are greater than other mens c. how then can I bee silent Answered six waies p. 252 260 Object 7. I would hold my peace but my outward afflictions are attended with sore temptations c. how then can I bee silent Answered five waies wherein eight advantages are discovered that Saints gain by their temptations p. 260 279 Object 8 Oh! But God hath deserted mee hee hath forsaken mee and hid his face from mee c. how can I then bee silent Answered six waies Also eight advantages the Saints gain by their being clouded p. 279 304 Object 9 Oh! But I am falsely accused and sadly charged and reproached in my good name c. how then can I bee silent Answered ten waies p. 304 325 Object 10 I have sought the Lord in this my affliction for this and that mercy and still the Lord delaies mee and puts mee off c. how can I then hold my peace how can I bee silent c. Answered six waies p. 325 333 Quest But what are the reasons that God doth so delay and put off his people Answered seven waies p. 333 343 Quest What are the means that may help persons to bee silent and quiet under their greatest afflictions their sharpest trials c. Answered from p. 343. to the end of the book ERRATA Page 67. l. 20. read hear for bare pag. 235. l. 17. r. heal for heat p. 258. l. 5. r. that for than ●p 268. l. 26. add was p. 274. l. 12. add you p. 276. l. 3. r. sight for fight p. 299. Margent read Chaiim p. 311. l. 7. r. world for worthy Books printed and are to be sold by John Hancock at the first shop in Popes-head-Alley next to Cornhill A Book of Short-writing the most easie exact lineal and speedy method fitted to the meanest capacity composed by Mr. Theophilus Metealf Professor of the said Art Also a School-Master explaining the Rules of the said Book Another Book of new Short-hand by Thomas Cross A coppy-Coppy-book of the newest and most useful hands with Rules whereby those that can read may quickly learn to write To which is added Brief Directions for true spelling and cyphering c. Six Books lately published by Mr. Thomas Brooks Preacher of the Gospel at Margarets New Fish-street 1 Precious Remedies against Satans Devices OR Salve for Beleevers and Unbeleevers Sores being a companion for those that are in Christ or out of Christ that sleight or neglect Ordinances under a pretence of living above them that are growing in spirituals or decaying that are tempted or deserted afflicted or opposed that have assurance or want it on the ad of the Corinthians the 2d and the 11th 2 Heaven on Earth OR A serious Discourse touching a well-grounded Assurance of mens everlasting happiness and blessedness discovering the nature of Assurance the possibility of attaining it the Causes Springs and Degrees of it with the resolution of several weighty questions on the 8th of the Romans 32 33 34 verses 3 The Vnsearchable Riches of Christ OR Meat for strong Men and Milk for Babes held forth in two and twenty Sermons from Ephesians 3. 8. preached on his Lecture-nights at Fish-street-hill 4 His Apples of Gold for Young Men and Women And A Crown of Glory for Old Men and Women Or the Happiness of being Good betimes and the Honour of being an Old Disciple clearly and fully discovered and closely and faithfully applied 5 A String of Pearls OR The Best Things reserved till last Delivered in a Sermon preached in London June 8. 1657. at the Funeral of that Triumphant Saint Mris. Mary Blake late Wife to his worthy friend Mr. Nicholas Blake Merchant 6 The Silent Soul with Soveraign Antidotes against the most miserable Exigents OR A Christian with an Olive-leaf in his mouth when hee 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 that may pass upon them in this world c. Altum Silentium OR Silence the Duty of Saints under every sad Providence An Occasional Sermon preached after the Death of a Daughter by her Father viz. By John Durant Preacher of the Gospel in Christ's-Church Canterbury The Godly Mans Ark OR City of Refuge in the day of his Distress discovered in divers Sermons The first of which was preached at the Funeral of Mris. Elizabeth Moore Whereunto are annexed Mris. Moores Evidences for Heaven composed and collected by her in the time of her health for her comfort in the time of sickness By Ed. Calamy B. D. and Pastor of the Church at Aldermanbury The Scriptures Stability OR The Scripture cannot be broken Proved explained and several waies applied whereby all Scripture may with singular advantage come to bee improved By Robert Perrot Minister of Gods Word at Deane in Bedfordshire The Expert Physician Learnedly treating of all Agues and Feavers essential whether simple or compound confused Erratick and Malignant shewing their different Nature Cause Sign and Cure written originally by that famous Doctor in Physick Bricius Bauderon and translated into English by Doctor Wells Licentiate in Physick by the University of Oxford To bee sold by John Hancock at the first Shop in Popes-head-Alley next to Cornhill

ground of no fable they have not among all their fictions told us of any one of Jupiters Sons that was crucified that acted his part upon the cross many would wear the Crown with Christ that do not care for bearing the cross with Christ But Eighthly The longer they have been the greater cause thou hast to bee silent and patient for impatience will but lengthen out the day of thy sorrows every impatient act adds one link more to the chain every act of frowardness adds one lash more to those that have already been laid on every act of muttering will but add stroak to stroak and sting to sting every act of murmuring will but add burden to burden and storm to storm the most compendious way to lengthen out thy long afflictions is to fret and vex and murmure under them as thou wouldest see a speedy issue of thy long afflictions sit mute and silent under them Ninthly Gods time is the best time mercy is never nearer salvation is at hand deliverance is at the Act. 27. 13 ult door when a mans heart is brought into such a frame as to bee freely willing that God should time his mercy and time his deliverance for him The Physicians time is the best time for the patient to have ease the impatient patient cryes out to his Physician Oh Sir a little ease a little refreshment Oh the pains the torments that I am under Oh Sir I think every hour two and every two ten till comfort comes till refreshment comes but the prudent Physician hath turned the hour-glass and is resolved that his Physick shall work so long though his patient frets flings roars tears So when wee are under afflictions wee are apt to cry out how long Lord shall it bee before ease comes before deliverance comes Oh the tortures Oh the torments that wee are under Lord a little refreshment Oh how long are these Psal 6. 3. Psal 13. 1 2 Psal 94. 9 10 Rev. 6. 10 nights Oh how tedious are these daies but God hath turned our Glass and hee will not hearken to our cry till our Glass bee out after all our fretting and flinging wee must stay his time who knows best when to deliver us and how to deliver us ou● of all our troubles and who will not stay a moment when the Glass is out that hee hath turned But Tenthly and lastly They shall last no longer than there is need and then they shall work for thy good it is with souls as it is with bodies some bodies are more easily and more suddenly cured than others are and so are some souls God will not suffer the plaister to lye one day no not one hour no not a moment longer than there is need some flesh heals quickly proud flesh is long a healing by affliction God quickly heals some but others are long a healing 1 Pet. 1. 6. If need bee yee are in heaviness through manifold temptations or through various afflictions the burden shall lye no longer upon thee than needs must thy pain shall endure no longer than needs must thy physick shall make thee no longer sick than needs must c. thy heavenly Father is a Physician as wise as hee is loving when thy heart begins to grow high hee sees there is need of some heavy affliction to bring it low when thy heart grows cold hee sees there is need of some fiery affliction to heal it and warm it when thy heart grows dull and dead hee sees there is need of some smart affliction to enliven and quicken it And as thy afflictions shall continue no longer than there is need so they shall last no longer than they shall work for thy good if all along they shall work for thy good thou hast no cause to complain that thy afflictions are long that they shall thus work I have fully proved in the former part of this book and thus much for answer to the third Objection Object 4. I would bee mute and silent under my afflictions but my afflictions daily multiply and encrease upon mee like the waves of the Sea they come rouling one over the neck of another c. and how then can I hold my peace how can I lay my hand upon my mouth when the sorrows of my heart are daily encreased To this I answer thus First Thy afflictions are not so many as thy sins thy sins are as the stars of Psa 40. 12 Heaven and as the sands of the Sea that cannot bee numbred Psal 16. ult there are three things that no Christian can number 1 His sins 2 Divine favours 3 The joys and pleasures that bee at Christs right hand but there is no Christian so poor an accountant but that hee may quickly sum up the number of his troubles and afflictions in this world thy sins Oh Christian are like the Syrians that filled the Country but thy afflictions are like the two little flocks of Kids that pitched before them 1 King 20. 27. therefore hold thy peace Secondly If such should not bee mute and silent under their afflictions whose afflictions are increased and multiplied upon them then there are none in the world who will bee found mute and silent under their afflictions for certainly there are none who do not finde the waters of affliction to grow daily upon them if this bee not so what means the bleating of the Sheep and the lowing of the 1 Sam. 15. 14. Oxen what means the daily sighs groans and complaints of Christians amongst us if their troubles like the waters in Ezekiels Sanctuary Ezek. 47. 1 20 bee not still encreasing upon them every day brings us tidings of new straights new troubles new crosses new losses new trials c. Thirdly They are not so many as God might have exercised thee with God could as easily exercise thee with ten as with two and with a hundred as with ten and with a thousand as with a hundred let thy afflictions bee never Lam. 3. 39. Luk. 23. 41 so many yet they are not so many as they might have been had God either consulted with thy sins with thy deserts or with his own What are the number of Princes to the subjects that are under them or what are the number of Generals to the number of souldiers that are commanded by them no more are thy afflictions to thy mercies justice there is no comparison between those afflictions that God hath inflicted upon thee and those that hee might have inflicted thou hast not one burden of a thousand that God could have laid on but hee would not therefore hold thy peace Fourthly Thy afflictions are not so many as thy mercies nay they are not to bee named in the day wherein thy mercies are spoken of what are thy crosses to thy comforts thy miseries to thy mercies thy daies of sickness to thy daies of health thy daies of weakness to thy daies of strength thy daies of scarcity to thy daies