Thomas Brooks, The Mute Christian under the Smarting Rod, with Sovereign Antidotes... Seventh Edition. London, 1699. [Abridged, edited, and extracted by SML.]
What does holy patience not exclude?
First, a holy, prudent silence under affliction does not exclude and shut out a sense and feeling of our afflictions, Ps. 39, though he was dumb, and laid his hand upon his mouth, verse 9, yet he was very sensible of his affliction, verse 10 and 11. He is sensible of his pain, as well as of his sin; and having prayed off his sin in the former verses, he labors here to pray off his pain...
Secondly, a holy, prudent silence, does not shut out prayer for deliverance out of our afflictions. Ps. 62 verse 10-12, James 5:13, Ps 50:15.
Thirdly, a holy, a prudent silence does not exclude men being kindly affected and afflicted with their sins, as the meritorious cause of all their sorrows and sufferings, James 3:32,40. Wherefore does a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sin? Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord, Job 40:4,5. Behold, I am vile, what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken, but I will not answer: yea, twice, but I proceed no further, Mich 7.9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned. In all our sorrows we should read our sins, and when God's hand is on our backs, our hands should be upon our sins.
Fourthly, a holy, a prudent silence, does not exclude the teaching and instructing of others when we are afflicted; the words of the afflicted stick close; they many times work strongly, powerfully, strangely, savingly on the souls and consciences of others. Many of Paul’s epistles were written to the churches when he was in bonds. ... The words of a wise man's mouth are never more gracious then when he is most afflicted and distressed.
Next: What does a holy patience not exclude? (Part 4)
