something of a publick nature but as to Aaron more of a private And truly as to a private temporal affliction this of Aarons was very heavy You all know that As Children are sometimes great Comforts So often times sad afflictions The sin of our Children's lifes and the suddennesse of our Children's deaths make sore afflictions Aaron might at present reflect upon both and that reflexion no doubt was his affliction But although he was troubled yet he carryed it wisely and well He covers his sadnesse with silence His practise is our Pattern upon it I build my Point And 'pray now mind it Let the dealings of Gods providence be never so sad we must be silent we must hold our peace What Aaron did now David did afterwards in Psal 39.9 I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it This therefore I would stand upon and oh that God would strengthen me to speak it to you That it is our great duty under the saddest providences to hold our peace I shall onely speak one word of caution to prevent a mistake about the Point and so go on And the Caution is but this I am not now speaking of all our duties that are incumbent upon us in the day of adversity in the hour of afflictions no my Brethren there are many duties besides this when the Lord afflâ—ct's there are many duties to be done Indeed here are two duties that I find are to be done in this Chapter in our afflictions and in a desire endeavour to do these duties by the light and strength of the Lord in this Scripture am I this day present which otherwise I had not been to Preach unto you For I find it was Aarons duty in his affliction to do his work and to be submissively silent before the Lord. These are the duties I meet with here as I said in this Chapter the one in the Text the other in the 12. ver where it is said and Moses spake unto Aaron and to Eleazar and unto Ithamar his sons that were left Take the meat-offering that remaineth of the offering of the Lord made by fire and eat it without leaven besides the Altar for it is most holy The meaning of it is They are dead but go thou about thy work do not keep off from the Lord's service do not let God lose that which thou owest to him This is a great duty indeed for us to go about the work of God in our place whether Minister or Magistrate or other It 's our fault and folly under our affliction we are apt Child-like to lye down and cry Joshua lay upon his face when he ought to have been up and doing his businesse Josh 7.10 O Sirs whatever God layes upon us let not us lay aside our duty Let us strive to do while we suffer Cast not off any duty that God requries and which our place calls for even under the greatest affliction This is one maine peece of Satans policy by affliction to make us cast off duty But certainly we must not say as it is Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain washed my hands in innocency for all the day long I have been plagued and chastned or as it is in the Hebrew my chastisement was every morning Psal 73.13 14. No we must not entertain such thoughts But whatever affliction the Lord brings morning or evening we must do our work all the day long That besides others is a great part of our duty in the day of adversity But I shall speak to this in the Text. Two things I would do First 1. Shew you wherein this duty lyeth what it is to be silent and to hold our peace under sad providences And 2. Why this is so great a duty For the first what 's this silence what 's this holding our peace We have mention'd in the Scripture a two fold silence the Phrase is used in a bad sense in a good sense there is a sinful and there is an obediential silence There is a sinful silence and a sinful holding the peace which is not our duty but sin and so is not required of us and this is four-fold 1. A sottish silence 2. A sullen silence 3. A Stoical silence 4. A self-soul secret afflicting silence But you and I must take heed of these and therefore I will shew you the rock that you might not come near it 1. There is a sottish silence Some hold their peace because like fools they know nothing observe nothing can do nothing This doth not become the Lord's people they should be sensible not sottish Jeremiah complaines of such a sottishuesse in the 4. Chap. 22. vers For my people are foolish they have not known me they are sottish Children they have no understanding c. What was this sottish silence will you look back to the 19. vers and that will open it where saith Jeremiah My bowels my bowels I am pained at the very heart my heart maketh a noise within me I cannot hold my peace because thou hast heard O my soul the sound of the Trumpet the Alarme of Warr. Jeremiah observed God he saw a Storm understood a Judgment he was not sottish his bowels melted for it but my people are sottish c. As if he should fay Though I am sensible they are sottish There is a sottish silence beware of that If the Lord smite be not as a Sott that sees nothing who therefore does not speak because indeed he cannot we must hold our peace not as dumb-men but as duty-men He is not wise nor dutiful that cannot speak and is therefore silent But he is both that can but yet refraines Sottish silence is a sin not a duty But then there is 2. A sullen silence A silence that as we say of some they are dumb because they are dogged they do not speak because they are sullen and will not speak That should not be our frame a sullen silence when we refrain from good word's that was David's fault in the 2 verse of the 39. Psal When he said I held my peace even from good We may say The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken and say Lord what 's my duty c But to say as Jeremiah once said in the 20. Chap. 8 9 I 'le speak no more in his name because the people took on at what he said that was a peece of his failing And truly its a great fault under our affliction not to speak at all we may and must speak to God and Man To God in duty to man both to ask advice and to open our case for counsel and comfort He that holds his peace as sullen and dogged sinneth and this silence is to be avoided I presse it not upon you Nay I advise you against it But 3. There is a Stoical Silence Schollars know what was the opinion of the Stoick's They were silent shall I say out of a high humour it was an humour
have been well enough this is to charge God foolishly I have heard one say Any loss but such a one Another Had I been afflicted in any thing but this A third In case my tryall had been so I should not have misliked it Many such speeches there are but I pray beware of them Doth not the wise God do all And is not infinite wisdom found in every divine action Providence in all things is understanding Oh avoid these speeches which charge the most Wise with foolishness 2. Be sure thou do not say God could not afflict me worse O we are apt to cry out The Lord could never have afflicted me worse O beware how you speak so What saith David Psal 90.11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger You do not know my Brethren how a God can strike Some have said God could never have afflicted me worse but in a very few years he hath given them such an affliction which hath been far worse Beware how you provoke God to strike sorer whil'st thou sayst God could not afflict thee worse Thou provokest the Lord to silence and confute thy speech by sending a sharper affliction and thou maist feel to thy sorrow the folly of thy speech If God smite a second time thou wilt find he can afflict thee worse than he hath done But 3. Beware how you say There is no affliction like to this We are apt to be prating and as the ordinary phrase is Never any bodies affliction is as mine beware of such a speech Will you remember this It argues a proud heart for us to say No body can be worse than us Is no bodies Jewel so rich as thine no bodies losse so great as thine Thou overvaluest thy self and undervaluest others thereby provok's God He that saies No body could lose such a child such a yoke-fellow c. doth he not proclaim his pride in thinking himself a None-such and in preferring his things before and beyond all others Take heed therefore of such speeches Thou knowest thine own losses not anothers Never aggravate thy grief by pride in over-valuing your own and under-rating anothers losse 'T is a sinfull speech No sorrow like mine you were better hold your peace But then 4 Beware how thou saist You cannot bear it Beloved God loves not that we should return a Cannot If thou saiest Thou canst not God will try thee I cannot hold my peace God will give thee two blows to make thee hold thy peace Do not say I cannot Non posse praetenditur non velle in causa est It may be you can but you will not and God is purposed to compell you Certainly God is resolved to make the whole World to bow and if thy proud heart say It cannot God will say I 'le make thee and better submit to a little blow then to make God to make us submit by a greater But 3 ly I would give you a few directions and I shall conclude The great Question now is How shall I do this Aaron held his peace but alas I am not Aaron David held his peace but I am not David Let me say but this word You little know what you say when you speak so I would not speak to make you proud but this I say Gospel dispensations carry little Saints as high as David Is it not said A little one shall be as David Suppose we are lesser Creatures we have higher Hills to stand upon But know There are some things which David did not as a strong Saint but as a Saint It is a mistake to think David is not to be imitated because he was great I told you Aaron here is not to be considered as a Minister but as a Saint There are some duties common to all And this amongst the rest You know It is said that David was a man of Prayer I am no David therefore shall not I pray Yes But How shall I be able to come up to do as Aaron did and as David did To hold my peace I 'le give you but three heads of direction 1. I pray Before an afflicting providence com's take heed that you do not make it to yourselv's and others more afflicting than it would be My beloved before the sad providence com's you may do that which may make it worse when it comes As it is with sick men in a Feaver or Ague men do that before the Fit comes which makes it worse when it comes They eat and drink do tâ—is and that which when the Feaver comes or Ague comes make's the Fit more tedious and worse then it would be otherwise So it is here Before an affliction we may do that which may make it more bitter then else it would be We do that often which makes the afflictions of God the greater I have two heads in this if you mark it 1. That it may not be the worse for others 2. Nor for our selves Do that under an affliction which in regard of thy self may not make it worse then it would be I 'le open it in an instance thus Thou art it may be a Relation a Husband or a Wife a Child c. When ever God takes thee away it will be a sad businesse to thy Relation which is left behind Now live so as when you die you may not encrease the affliction of thy Yoak-fellow or of thy Parent I will put it to Husbands and to Children Husbands So carry it that when ever God snatches you hence your wives may know you are in the Lord's bosome O ye little ones before the Lord Live so that if the Lord make your death an affliction to your Parent 's it may not be so great as otherwise it would be when the Parent can hope through grace my Child lived so that it is now with my God It is not in the Father's bosome but in Abraham's bosome this lessens the affliction You that are little ones Live so that if thy death be thy Parent 's affliction thy life may make it lesse And well I know that nothing more silenceth a parent or a yoke-fellow's spirit under the loss of Child or Husband I say nothing more silenceth and quieteth the heart then some good hopes that the Husband or Child is in heaven So then as to others labour that way to make the affliction lesse And secondly for your selves Whatever affliction God may lay upon you beware that before hand you do not make it worse A passionate spirit a proud heart makes an affliction very sad when it comes A passionate man one given to passion a little thing disturbs him A proud man before it comes he cannot stoop to it when it comes Live so as whatever affliction shall befall you it may be lesse then otherwise it would be 2. Lay up something before hand that may silence you in the day of affliction There are many things which will silence a soul in the Language that I am speaking of silence There are sweet thoughts which
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 What shall I say He hath both spoken to me and Himself hath done it Isa 38.15 London Printed by J. Streater and are to be sold in Popes-head-Ally near Corn-Hill 1659. TO The Reader Christian Friend THe Book of Job saith Augustine is the afflicted man's Scripture And I may say this little Book is the afflicted man's duty A little pearl may be of great of price and such is this little Treatise that now is put into thy hand The waves did but lift Noah's Ark nearer to heaven and the higher the water rose the nearer the Ark was lifted up to heaven sometimes such an operation afflictions have upon Noahs upon Preachers of Righteousnesse And if they have not had the same operation upon the Authour of the ensuing discourse I am much mistaken Afflictions to some are like the prick at the Nightingals breast that awakes her and puts her upon her sweet and delightfull noats And whether they have not had such an operation upon the worthy Author I will leave the Reader to judge The more precious Odours and the purest Spices are beaten and bruised the sweeter Scent and Savour they send abroad Had not God bruised to death one of the choisest and sweetest flowers in the Author's Garden he had not sent abroad this sweet and savoury Sermon We try Metall by knocking if it sound well then we like it well That 's a tryed Christian a thorough-Christian indeed that gives a pleasant sound when under the knocking-hand of God If thou layest thine Ear thy Heart close to the following Tract thou wilt hear such a sound as will be sweeter to thee then the hony or the Hony-comb That Christian is worth a world who under the sorest and sharpest afflictions is like the stone in Thracia that neither burneth in the fire nor sinketh in the water Whose silence and patience is invincible and impregnable None are such an honour to God such a glory to the Gospel such a shame to Satan and such a wonder to the World as these who can lay their hands upon their mouths when God's Rod layes heavy upon their backs That this is every Christians duty and glory is fully and sweetly evinced in the following Discourse Happy are we when Gods Corrections are our Instructions His lashes our lessons Isa 26.9 Psal 94.12 Prov. 3.12 13. Chap. 6.23 His scourges our School-Masters His chastisements our Advertisements And to note this the Hebrews and Greeks both expresse Chastening and Teaching by one and the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the latter is the true end of the former according to that in the proverb Smart makes wit and Vexation gives understanding That this happinesse the Reader may attain to is the thing endeavoured by the Author Reader thou hast much wrapt up in a little 't is more to be admired than to have Homer's Iliads compriz'd in a Nut-shell 'T is a mourning Sermon and Mourning should be plain The Reverend Author knew right well that 't was better to present Truth in her Native plainnesse then to hang her ears with counterfeit Pearls He knew that the King of Nineveh was a King as well in his sack-cloth as in his Royal Robes The Author is known to be a Master workman and one that could easily shoot his arrowes over his hearers heads See his precious works in Print and then Judge but he had rather shoot them into his hearers hearts He dares not affect sublime notions obscure expressions which are but mysterious Nothings He dares not do as many who make plain truths difficult and easy truths hard and so darken counsell by words without knowledge Job 38.2 If thou wilt but tast and try thou wilt find this little Treatise to be a heavenly Hony-hive to thy Soul If thou shalt say Oh! 't is sweet 't is seasonable 't is suitable to my condition and to God's dispensations abroad in the world but why have we no more of this sweet Wine no more of this Water of life no more of these Clusters of Canaan I must tell thee that the honoured Authour buried his dear and hopefull daughter on the Friday and preached this Sermon the Sabbath day following and therefore thou hast more cause to blesse the Lord and admire the Lord for his goodnesse assistance and presence with the Authour that has inabled him to bring forth a truth of so great weight and concernment to us even then when he was under such sore and sharp rebukes of God 'T is not every ones happinesse to have such a presence of God with them when the Rod of God is heavy upon them Reader the point insisted on is a point of speciall use to Christians especially to such as are under the afflicting hand of God whether in spirituals or in temporals And if storms should fall upon us from abroad or at home it will be found in the use of it more worth then Gold I have read of the stone Garamanâ—ides that hath drops of Gold in it many a golden drop wilt thou find in the fâ—llowing Lines As Moses laid up the Manna in the golden Pot and as Alexander kept Homer's Iliads in a Cabinet embroidered with Gold so do thou â—ay up this Sermon in the golden Cabinet of thy heart If troubles at present are not upon thee yet thou must remember that thou art born to them Job 5.7 John 16. ult 14. Acts 21.22 as the sparks fly upwards God had but one Son without sin he hath no Son without sorrow he had but one without corruption he had none without correction he scourgeth every Son whom he receives he can quickly turn thy Summer day into a Winter night and then this Sermon may be to thee a sutable and an invaluable mercy I shall onely take leave to hint a few things to the Author my Reverend Brother and to my dear Sister his virtuous yoakfellow who are above all others concerned in this sharp and smart dispensation and so conclude First That well grounded hope confidence and assurance that you and others had of the buddings and blossomings of grace in her in her tender age and of her being now at rest in the bosome of the Father should not onely quiet and silence you Heb. 11.4 but also joy and rejoyce you Why may you not think that you hear her though dead yet speaking thus unto you When God has stampt his Image upon a mite 'T is meet that God should have his right After a few years past a wearied breath I have exchanged for a happy death Short was my Life the longer is my rest God takes them soonest whom he loveth best She that is born to day and dies to morrow Loses some hours of joy but Years of sorrow Other diseases often