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
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
come to grieve us Death strikes but once and that stroke relieves us Therefore my parents dear take heed of weeping Crosse And mind my happinesse more then your own great Losse This is all I 'le say to make the reckoning eaven Your dearest mercy is not too good for heaven Hasten to me where now I am possest With joyes eternal in Christ my onely rest Secondly The designes of God in all the sharp afflictions He exercises his Children with are glorious As 1. the purging away of their sins Isa 1.25 2. The making of them more partakers of his holinesse Heb. 12.10 3. The tryal of their graces Job 23.10 4. The communication of more of Himself and of his love to their souls Hosea 1.14 5. The multiplying of their spiritual experiences 2 Cor. 1.4 5. 6. The crucifying of their hearts to the world Now finis dat amabilitatem facilitatem mediis and the world to their hearts Gal. 6.14 7. To draw them to look and six their souls upon the great concernment of another world John 14.1 2 3. 8. That heaven may be the more sweet and precious to them at last 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. Rom. 8.17 18. How sweet is a calme after a storme and summer dayes after long winter nights 9. To make them more and more conformable to Christ their Head Rom. 8.17 10. That sinners may at the last be found dumb and speechlesse 1 Per. 4.17 18. Now Is there not enough in these glorious ends and designes of God to make his people sit mute under the sharpest tryals Surely there is Why then don't they sit silent before the Lord Thirdly All the mercies you enjoy were first the Lora's before they were yours and alwayes the Lora's more then they were yours 1 Chron. 29.14 All things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee The sweet of mercy is yours but the Sovereign right to dispose of your mercies is the Lora's Quicquid es debes creanti quicquid pores debes redimenti Bern. Whatsoever thou art thou owest to him that made thee and whatsoever thou hast thou owest to him that redeemed thee Say as Hierom adviseth a friend of his in the like cause Thou hast taken away whom thou hast given me I grieve not that thou hast taken them but praise the Lord that was pleased to give them You think it but just and reasonable that men should deal with their own as they please And is it not much more just and reasonable that God should do with his own as he pleases Fourthly That God that has taken one might have taken all there are several left though one be taken Job you know was a none-such in his generation and yet the sentence of death was past upon all his Children at a clap and under this sad clap Job does not blaspheme but blesse He does not murmur but worship's He accuses not God but cleares God of injustice under the saddest and severest stroaks of justice Job 1. Geographers write that the City of Syracuse in Sicily is so curiously sâ—ituated that the Sun is never out of sight The Sun of mercy is never out of your sight though one mercy be gone yet you have several that remain and this should make you mute Themistocles invited many Philosophers to supper the owner sends for one half of those necessaries that he was using Can you endure this disgrace said the Philosophers Yes said he very well for he might have sent justly for them all the application is easie Oh! let not nature do more then grace Fifthly and Eastly Under sharp afflictions we ought carefully to look that natural affections don't hinder the exercise of gracious dispositions though we may weep 1 Thes 4.13 yet we may not weep out either the eye of faith or the eye of hope though you may water your flowers yet you may not drown your flowers They that wep't yea that wep't much Acts 21.13 14. yet said The will of the Lord be done Jacob doted too much upon his Joseph and his affections were too strong for his Judgment when upon the sight of the bloody coat he refused to be comforted Gen. 37.33 34 35. and said I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning And David was too fond of his Absalom when like a puny-baby he wept and said O my son Absalom my son 2 Sam. 18.33 2. my son Absalom would God I had died for thee O Absalom my son my son The Egyptians mourned for Jacob 70 dayes but Joseph though he had more cause mourned but 7 dayes because he had more grace and better hopes of Jacob's eternal welfare then the Infidels had In the midst of all your tears keep up the exercise of grace and then you shall not mourn that you have mourned That your own is no sooner in your hand is onely from the remisness and delatoriness of him into whose hands you had ordered the Coppy To conclude That you and I and all others into whose hands this Sermon may fall may live up and live out the following discourse under all the changes that has or shall pass upon us is the earnest desire and hearty prayer of him who is your entire friend and servant in our dearest Lord Tho. Brooks THE Silent Soul UNDER Sorest Tryals The tenth Chapter of the book of Leviticus the last clause of the third verse And Aaron held his peace THese word 's they are a hint to us of the holy Carriage of Aaron under the hand of God The Lord had laid upon him an affliction very sad but the Lord gave him a carriage very sweet and sutable to it I think I may say God spake to Aaron bitterly but He made no reply at all Nay the Text saith Aaron held his peace I shall shall make no other preface Three things you may consider in the verse 1. The person which was Aaron the Lord's Minister But remember this by the way that Aaron must be look't upon not as a Minister but as a Saint so that what he did we must all do 2. The action which was this He held his peace 3. The occasion which is contain'd in the former part of the verse And which you may translate Then And truly the occasion is that which gives most light to the action Aaron had lost two Children at one blow and God told him He would be sanctified He would be glorified Aaron upon this message and upon this occasion layeth his mouth in the dust and held his peace So that there is this plain Point ariseth from the words Doct. That under the saddest afflictions that can befall us we must hold our peace or thus It 's the duty of the Lord's people whatever He doth to them to be silent Aaron held his peace Afflictions are of two sorts spiritual and temporal Temporal likewise are of two sorts publick private Now this was no spiritual affliction but rather temporal And it had in it