[5.] Fifthly, If you would be silent under your afflictions, then you must hold fast this principle, viz. That the best way in this world to have thine own will, is to lie down in the will of God, and quietly to resign up thyself to the good will and pleasure of God, Mat. xv. 21, 29. Luther was a man that could have anything of God, and why ? Why ! because he submitted his will to the will of God; he lost his will in the will of God. 0 soul ! it shall be even as thou wilt, if thy will be swallowed up in the will of God.
[6.] Sixthly and lastly, If thou wouldst be silent under the afflicting hand of God, then thou must hold fast to this principle, viz. That God will make times of afflictions to be times of special manifestations of divine love and favour to thee. Tiburtius saw a paradise when he walked upon hot burning coals. I could affirm this by a cloud of
witnesses, but that I am upon a close.1 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,
(12.) Twelfthly and lastly, To silence and quiet your soul under the afflicting hand of God, dwell much upon the brevity or shortness of mini's fife. Tins present life is not vita, sed via ad vitam, life, but a motion, a journey towards life. Man's life, saith one, is the shadow of smoke, yea, the dream of a shadow : saith another, man's life is so short, that Austin doubted whether to call it a dying life or a living death.2 Thou hast but a day to live, and perhaps thou mayest be now in the twelfth hour of that day ; therefore hold out faith and patience. Thy troubles and thy life shall shortly end together; therefore hold thy peace. Thy grave is going to be made ; thy sun is near setting ; death begins to cali thee off 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 going ashore on eternity, and wilt thou now cry out of thy affliction ? Wilt thou now mutter and murmur when thou art entering upon an unchangeable condition? What, extreme folly and madness is it for a man to mutter and murmur when he is just a-going out of prison, and his bolts and chains are just a-knocking off ! Why, Christian, this is just thy case ; therefore hold thy peace. Thy life is but short, therefore thy troubles cannot be long ; hold up and hold out quietly and patiently a little longer, and heaven shall make amends for all, Rom. viii. 18.
1 Ps. xciv. 19 : Dan. ix. 19, 24 ; Acts xvi. and xxvii. ; Hosea ii. 14.
2 Augustine, Confessions.
The 'String of Pearls' was first published in 1657, in a particularly pretty volume. The title supplied by the bookseller for this edition, intended for the back, was, 'Mr Brooks His Chain of Pearls.' Our text is taken from the ' second edition, corrected.' Its title-page is given below.* Though originally a private ' funeral sermon,' it was im- mediately equally popular with its author's other writings, having rapidly passed through numerous editions. The '14th' bears the date of 1703. Cf. Sibbes's Works, vol. i. pages 341, 350. G.
* A STRING OF PEARLS:
The best things reserved till last.
Discovered in a SERMON Preached in London, June 8. 1657.
The Funeral of (that Triumphant Saint) Mris. Mary Blake, late Wife to (his Wor- thy Friend) Mr. Nicholas Blake, Mer- chant, with an Elegy on her Death.
By Thomas Brooks (her much endeared Friend, Spiritual Father, Pastor, and Brother, in the Fellowship of the Gospel, and) Preacher of the Word at Margarets New-Fish- street.
The Second Edition corrected.
The Righteous shall bee had in everlasting remembrance, Psal.
112. 6. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the Death of his Saints,
London, Printed by R. /• for John Hancock, at the first shop in Popes-head-Alley, neer the Exchange. 1660.
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
To his honoured and worthily-esteemed friends, Mr Nicholas Blake, merchant, husband to the late virtuous Mrs Mary Blake, deceased ■ and Mr Thomas Matthewes, merchant, and Mrs Martha Mat- thewes his wife, parents to the late deceased gentlewoman ; and to the rest of his and her relations.
All grace and peace, all consolation and supportation from God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Dear Friends, — This little piece had been sooner in your hands, but that my being in the country, and some other important business that hath lain hard upon my hands, hath prevented it till now.
I have read of a certain painter, who, being to express the sorrow of a weeping father, and having spent his skill before in setting forth of the passions and affections of his children, he thought it best to present him upon his table to the beholders' view, with his face covered, that so he might have that grief to be imagined by them, which he found himself unable to set out to the full. I know I am not able to paint out your great grief and sorrow for the loss of such a wife, of such a child, of such a sister, &c, and I could wish that this piece, which is brought forth to satisfy your importunity, may not make the wound to bleed afresh. However, if it doth, thank yourselves, blame not me.1
I could heartily wish that you and all others concerned in this sad loss, were more taken up in minding the happy exchange that she hath made, than with your present loss. She hath exchanged earth for heaven, a wilderness for a paradise, a prison for a palace, a house made with hands for one eternal in the heavens, 2 Cor. v. 1, 2. She hath exchanged imperfection for perfection, sighing for singing, mourn in «• for rejoicing, prayers for praises, the society of sinful mortals for the company of God, Christ, angels, and the spirits of just men made per- fect, Heb. xii. 22-24 ; an imperfect transient enjoyment of God for a more clear, full, perfect, and permanent enjoyment of God. She hath exchanged pain for ease, sickness for health, a bed of weakness for a bed of spices, a complete blessedness. She hath exchanged her brass for silver, her counters for gold, and her earthly contentments for heavenly enjoyments.
1 Mauy a man hath been drowned in his own tears, 2 Cor. vii. 10.
K>2 EPISTLE DEDICATORY.