insist here nor hint about the Earth that the very Soyl where Corn grows gives a various Tincture to it and makes some more wholesome than others as may be considered in reference to Grain produced in Mineral Countries Should I amplify about Waters Water it might over-flow a Volume But this Element being truly Terra fluens Earth in Flux is impregnated with the various Salts and Sulfurs that it finds in the bellies of those mountains whence discharg'd and in the Chanels of those Champions where it sports and plays in curious Maeanders and pleasant Turnings And therefore according to its differing imbibitions is sometimes wholsom and often pernicious to humane bodies Schoockius de cerevisia Bochart de animal par 1. p. 292. 2 Kin. 2.19 Untzer p. 967. Willis Henr. de Rochas and hence 't is of great concern in Brewing and all Offices of the Kitchen For instance The Waters about Jericho were naught causing Women to miscarry The Waters among the Alps procure the Kings Evil. The Water of the River Po breeds the Stone Those at Watford in Northamptonshire make men bald at 30 and those at Carleton in Leicestershire induce a wharling in the Throat Veget. de remilit l. 3. c. 2. Juvenal sat 13. v. 161. and generally the stagnant corrupt Waters of Fennes are dangerous by naughty Ferments for the Pestilence Such as are taken up at Fountains are replenish'd with the Atoms of that Earth whence they spring and such as are near great Cities are not so wholesome especially when convey'd home by Leaden Pipes and landed and kept in Cisterns of the same Metal Plin. l. 31. c. 7. Vitruv. Lang. Ep. Albert. de Met. l. 3. c. 4. Majer Symbol p. 494. as Pliny Vitruvius Albertus Magnus Langius Majerus and other of the Learned have observ'd that Griping of the Guts Bloody Fluxes and Kings Evil are tormenting Diseases to such Inhabitants which I could wish were attended by the worthy Citizens of London my dear native City If the Earth and Water minister so many inconveniencies to the prosperous Health of Man Air. how can the Air be free which is always fill'd with Vapours and Steams from both Whence some Solutions may arise to the questions about the various Products of different Winds blowing from the Horizon Why the Nitre of the North makes the Air so bitter and the Sulfur of the South so contagious Why the East so parching and blasting being mixt with mineral Atoms from the Mountains of Germany Hungary and Thrace and in Jewry from the Mine Hills of Arabia though there may be other latent Causes intermixt Are not some places noxious to the Brain by vegetable Fumes as Arbours of Night shade Walks of Walnut and Woods of Box Nay do not many Animals where frequent infect the Air as Naturalists have observed and to name but one for warning sake Arnold It 's noted by Arnoldus out of Avenzoar that the continual usage of Cats is so unwholesome to the Body of Man that it often produces the Phthisick and Consumption of the Lungs And so do many Learned Physicians testifie by experience In Ramsey of Poysons But to hasten Fire it may not be unfit to observe that the Air may be much impaired as to wholesomeness by the very culinary Fires which we use where scarcity of Trees forces many to use dryed Cow-dung Turff Peat Seacoal and Canol instead of Wood. The crude Sulfur Arsenical Fumes that fill the Air of our city are doubtless great causes of the multitudes of Consumptions within those Walls by drawing so constantly those corroding Fumes into the Lungs Not to mention that the very Body may be much molested by Itches and Scabs in sitting by Seacoal Fires Arnold siquis p. 64. b. and the very Meat that 's roasted and Beer warmed by them is not so wholesome Bacon Nat. Hist p. 202. Let the Learned Bacon vouch my fears who affirms that the vapors of Seacoal as well as Charcoal in a close Room hath killed many and stealing in by little and little induces only faintness without any manifest strangling And to this I can attest with great thankfulness for my deliverance being forced to sit in a close Room for a long time in a late Winter and found evident recovery by change of Fuel O what cause have we to magnifie the Name of God for the sweet Air we breath in and to sweeten it more with the Musick of our Praises and that all within us should bless his Holy Name That every Western Wind with its fresh and wholesome Gales should open the Flowers of Thankfulness that every sense and all their Organs that every Nerve should strive to string the Harp of Praise Ps 139.4 not a thought in our Heart or word in our Mouth but should be known to him altogether in the Echoings and Resoundings of his Gloey That our Spiriturl Senses should be ever exercised in making him their lovely Object Heb. 5.14 and his Holy Bosom the Center of all their Songs Shall the Holy Psalmist lead the Quire Praise him all his Angels and all his Hosts Ps 148.1 Praise him Sun and Moon with all the Stars of light The Heaven of Heavens and the Waters above the Heavens The Dragons and all Deeps Fire and Hail Snow and Vapor Stormy Wind fulfilling his Word of command Mountains and all Hills Fruitful Trees and all Cedars Beasts and all Cattel creeping Insects and flying Fowl Kings of the Earth and all People Princes and all Judges Young Men and Maidens Old men and Children Praise ye the Name of the Lord for his Name is alone excellent his Glory is above Earth and Heaven Let every bright Lamp of the Firmament prove a falling Star and worship at his Footstool Let the cold Influences of the Moon wax warm with motion in the Chariot of Praise upon the mighty Waters Let the healing Balsam of the Sun which cherishes the surface of the Earth its Inhabitants from Pole to Pole inflame every living Creature with his Glory Let the Sea roar and the fulness thereof Let every River wash the Pavement of his Temple Ezek. 47.1 and run under the Threshold of his Sanctuary Let the savage Lions hasten and the ravenous Eagles fly to his Altar and pant to expire in its Flames Let all the Spices of India and Arabia perfume the Mansion of his Honour Let all Minerals Rocks and Mountains pour out streams of Oil to attend his Sacrifice Let all the Vines of Lebanon Eschcol and Sibmah thirst to empty their blood-red Liquor for Drink-offerings Let mighty Aetna Vesuvius and Hecla cast up their flaming Bowels upon his Hearth in Zion Isa 31.9 and turn all his Sacrifices into ashes Let his Priests be clothed with Salvation and his Saints sing aloud for joy for the Lord reigneth Let the whole Earth rejoyce and the multitude of Isles be glad thereof Let the Holy Angels answer from Heaven with
wonderful Language and call aloud for admirable and joyful returns Lessons sung to Shoshannims the seven-string'd Instruments of Adoration and Honour Let 's hear the ravishing Musick in these seven succeeding Chapters that may be cordial to the very Hearts of Angels 1. Of the excellency of Love under the fense of Mercies 2. The Honourable Duty of Gratitude 3. The Exaltation of the Divine Name for his Munificence 4. The Anatomy and Vnbowelling of Secret Mercies 5. The Ingenuous meltings for sudden Sins 6. The softning Leniment of sudden Sorrows 7. The Contemplation of the permanent Mercies in Heaven I shall begin with the First and treat it as the Subject of this Chapter what an excellent Frame of Spirit is kindled by the sense of Mercies The most noble and generous love is that which streams from Heaven to ingratiate the hearts of Enemies by Springs of munificence to sweeten the tartest and sowrest tempers to break Flints upon Pillows to melt adamantine hearts in the warm blood of affection to lead Lyons in Chains of Gold and tame Hyrcanian Tygers into Doves Masculine and Heroick Love changes the frame and alters the constitution and texture of hostile Hearts Suspicion Suspicions which is the very Bane and Poyson of Love is by this Art fermented into a brisk volatile and balsamick Liquor To stand upon the Guard and watch to eye and try is but a feminine and childish trifling to subdue others by kindness is God-like to melt the Rocks of Caucasus by flames from Heaven Weak and low-statur'd Love insists upon the catch and so becomes touchy and waspish puts forth its captious sting at every buzz of false Flatterers and Backbiters Noble Love is like the Ointment of the right hand Pr. 27.16 which bewrays it self like a soft River of Oyl that runs down speedily in a direct Chanel of inclination into the Ocean of enjoyment He that can command his Love when attracted by the Magnetick Influence of genuine Friendship has but little true love under his Obedience Suspicion and Distrust grows upon the Root of a weak Love Generous and Noble Spirits had rather be deceived than distrust True Love is not easily provoked and thinks no evil 1 Cor. 15.5 it beareth believeth hopeth and endureth all things To lay heavy load upon sudden conjectures is to tread upon quick sands and walk among the Irish Bogs Such a Friend did not so courteously salute me in the street did not invite me among others brake off his speech abruptly lookt not so pleasantly and turn'd suddenly out of my company Suspicion blinds the understanding and is a Cloud that an evil temper turn'd upon the Sun of affection It cast Eve out of Paradise and leads fretful persons into desarts full of Bryars and Thorns It mischieves the owner and presents to himself a Cup to drink up his own Poyson Pro. 5.22 That Person is held with the cords of sin and may complain with Eve The Serpent within hath deceived me When Men can out-wit the Devil in Policy and be too strong for Divine Justice then they may walk in the shades of this Fools Paradise Men never gain by the ill bargain of Suspicion but at last their very thoughts will upbraid them with weakness and folly Deaw not long Arguments from the slender twine-thread of Suspicion We need a Dove-like simplicity and a benign estimate of every Accident Words misplac'd must not hurry our raw conjectures into Passions It 's the sign of an evil temper to construe the worst when a fair Gloss may be more sweetly truly and decently given Believe nothing but what 's manifest use both your ears and your heart too before you whet your tongue and when suggestions once appear to be vain chide your too frequent credulity Be not hasty to conceive an injury lest you bring forth a lye the frequency of self-rebuke through experience will pare away sudden reflections Let not little touches and small scratches set you in a flame of anger Because your drink is not warm enough or your servant slow or the Table totters a little at Meat or the Door is not presently shut to be in a scurvy Feaver of wrath betrays dirty blood and sordid spirits within Because a Flea or a Fly troubles you or a pot falls or a pipkin boyls over or a glass broken or children make a noise or a thing is misplac'd or ancient people cough or as Myndyrides because the roses in his bed were a little doubled to be in a rage shews a proud weak and effeminate Spirit deserves the rebukes of silence on deserting their company as unfit for humane converse Some persons have Souls good for little but to salt their bodies and exercise the graces of others and are alive by providence for increase of wisdom patience and pardoning mercy in their Alliances Like Vermine subtile to do mischief and whet mens fancies to devise traps and gins to catch them spend their days in trifles to spin perishing Webs catch Flies and spit their Venom Let 's turn our eyes from miserable deplorable forlorn Creatures to him whose Throne is in the Heavens and counts it a condescending humility to behold the Angels Ps 113.6 All his works praise him Ps 145.10 and his Saints bless him Le ts set out the glory of his Excellency and admire the operation of his hands with heart and tongue We are too like the poor Disciples that wondered at the Marble-buildings of the Temple Mark 13.2 are these things fit for a Saints wonder Le ts adorn our time by comparing Precepts with Providence The rule of his Wisdom with its product and issue and narrowly espy how God glorifies every Attribute in the management of Heaven and Earth Providence comments on the Text of Prudence and delights in Mercy and Love as the Issue of his own glorious Bowels What stirred up Divine Wisdom to plot the mutual kissings of Righteousness and Peace together but rowling bowels of compassion towards perishing man when Angels fell from Heaven without recovery yet according to the Multitude of his tender Mercies Wombs full of Mercies hath blotted out our transgressions Ps 51.1 Hebr. Let us be inflamed with Love to God that sweetly provides for our bodies out of his Store house from the Air and Woods from Seas and Rivers from Hills and Plains not only for necessity but delight and ornament withholding nothing from us that 's good for grace or glory But the Master-piece the Top the Flower of love shines forth in the beauty of Gospel-Mercy Le ts dwell in the Temple of Meditation upon the infinite Love of God in Christ till our hearts he enlarged and amplified with flames of affection service and praise when Divine Love is the Fountain of ours we shall need no other arguments of bounty to Saints than the sweet apprehension of his Love to us We need no motives from Plato Tully or Seneca who range up and down the Mountains of Fancy and
with what care and sedulity the discreet Physician does usually order the letting of bloud what sign what vein what distemper Burgravii Biolich p. 86. what time of the Disease what age of Life what habit and strength of Spirits what quantity what day what hour what cordials what care after it what observations about Women with Child how endeavouring to prevent abortion often cause it especially when near their time as is observ'd by Hippocrates I leave these things to be contested about between the learned Galenist and the experienced Chemist Hippocr Aph. 30. l. 5. And by an Argument from the Cure of many Diseases by the Spirit and essence of humane bloud digested and circulated I might here discuss how studious and sollicitous and wary the learned in medicine should be to prepare the bloud of a Goat against Plurisies and of Sal Prunellae or other Remedies against the Quinsie if possible to prevent the emission of humane bloud since it is the Fountain of those rare Spirits that are distilled in Natures Alembeck of the Head to be the Instruments of Motion Sensation and all vital Actions There are other great wonders in the curious Fabrick of this crazy Tenement of the Soul which pose the most equisite in Anatomy to determine the use of the Spleen whether to secern the Melancholy whether it have a secret meatus or passage into the Stomach to constitute Helmonts duum virate of life and what ferment is elaborated by those 400 Arteries supposed to be in it by that inquirer of Nature Or the Cystis Fellea to drain choler from the bloud and convey that Saline compost by the ductus biliarius into the Bowels to carry off the Excrements which if it be stopt and obstructed produces that yellow Tincture to the body and gives denomination to the Yellow Jaundice The delivery from which Disease is the ground of these Lines of Praise to my gracious Creator and Redeemer Or what a rare Engine of the Cribrum or Sieve of the bloud Nature hath formed in the Kidneys to stop that Liquor and let pass the Amber Urine by the Ureters into the Bladder which if it be corroded or eaten through by acid Tunbridge Waters or other sharp Saline Humours procures a mixture of Bloud with Urine and sometimes so large that life is endangered or if it be obstructed by Gravel and consistent Stones what acute pains succeed woful experience teaches In which case the Aroph Paracelsi which is a Chymical preparation of the essence of Saffron call'd by them the Aroma or Spice of the Philosophers hath wrought efficacious benefits The last and greatest Wonder in Nature are the Seminal Vessels composed for the continuation of Mankind every of which with their Balsam of Life contained in them deserve a double Volume One to describe their Texture connexion and Use with the Remedies to preserve from and cure their Incident Diseases The other full of Hymns to our most glorious Creator But these and the like I dismiss to Spigelius Riolanus de Graef and others of that Learned Nation not omitting that Ingenious Tract of our own Country-man Dr. Smith on the 12th of Ecclesiastes Let us cry out with David I am fearfully and wonderfully made Opere Phrygionico Ps 139.14 with curious needlework of the Divine Hand in the lower parts of the Earth Did we but see and search a little into the admirable frame of Mans Body and upon what slender Golden Wiers and nice Labyrinths in those Wonderful Passages in the Clock-work of our Bodies the continuation of Life did depend we should be astonisn'd at God's Mercy and instead of wondering that we live so long might stand amaz'd at living but one minute For if either the Vessels be disordered or the Liquors contained within them we should soon pass away and be no more Nay if the five External Senses were every way compleat in their Organs and Spirits Fernel de anim facult l. 5. c. 3. yet if the inward Crasis of the Brain be touch'd what becomes of the inward Sensory which is the Center whereinto all the Rays of External Objects are brought there to be judged exercised and acted upon by the Imagination to be laid up as in a Cell or Promptuary by that great Lord Treasurer of the Soul the Memory Whereof Holy Austin cries out with great admiration of God Austin de Confes l. c. 01.17 Magna ista vis memoriae nescio quid horrendum Deus meus profunda infinita multiplicitas c. O the great power of Memory O my God I know not what an horrible thing it is O the profound and infinite variety in it Behold what walks in the Fields what lies hid in the Dens and innumerable Caverns of my Memory c. These and other powers and faculties of the Soul though in themselves of admirably useful delightful yet were it not for the constant influx of divine mercy might soon be impaired and decay that men of the highest pitch and grandeur of parts might soon shrink into mushromes and ideots and prove miserable Objects of scorn and pity But besides their being subject to natural waste what he said of death in general may be applyed to any sense or faculty in particular Mors seni à foribus juveni ab insidiis Death stands before the door to old Men but behind the door with Traps and Gins for Youth This would be very apparent should we enter the Lists of discourse only about the various Poysons which lurk in all things for the destruction of Man without the secret contrivance of such wicked wretches as Pope Alexander the 6th I shall hint but a few Memorials in reference to the 4 Elements so called with which we daily converse Not to mention what pits and delfs lye in ambush for the lives of Travellers in the Tin-works of Cornwall Earth the Mendip of Somerset or the Peak of Darby what quaking bogs in Ex or Dartmore and in the Crags of Carmarthen especially when covered with Snow But this falling under the conduct of accidental providences it 's more expedient to mention the frequent use of Antimony Quick-lime Vitriol Sulfur Steel Alum Bolearmenick Lapis Lazuli Nitre c. appointed for compositions in most Dispensatories which oftentimes by their unskilful preparations prove deadly poyson as might easily appear both by reason and example And especially in the use of Quicksilver which although sublimated into a Mercurius dulcis and counted safe by many and often proves so yet there want not great examples of its mortal Venom that poor Children find by sad experience And this is a certain rule of Helmont about all preparations of Mercury Quamdin resuscitari potest est venenum nec boni viri remedium That so long as it can be revived again by Art it's Poyson and no Medicine for an honest Man to use And how easie it is to revive Mercurius dulcis an ordinary Chymist can determine But I shall not
12.1 while under the Moon 't is changeable but when clothed with the Sun in John's Vision she will be iâ—lustrious and tread the Moon under her Feet The Church has a time to sing the Song of the Lamb more melodiously than the Song of Moses Rev. 15.3 Moses his Song was a mixt Song there were Amorites to conquer after the Egyptians were sunk in the Mighty Waters After songs of deliverance come the bitter waters of Marah and new Elegies The Church sings that Song upon Earth but this Song of the Lamb in Heaven where no more troubles The Church in Apostolical times had a Sea of Glass as clear as Chrystal Rev. 4.6 wherein to see their faces and wash their spots 15.2.21.1 In Antichristian times of persecution a Sea of Glass mingled with Fire They enjoyed pure worship but attended with fiery tryals But in her Heavenly state there shall be Sea no more A State of perfection needs no more washings for communion in glory Here God wisely mingles comforts and crosses to keep us in a holy awe of sin and to encourage us in spiritual Services We contract much dust and soyl from worldly company and need washing and purging every day whereby to save our selves from this untoward Generation Act. 2.40 Israel had lain among the pots in Egypt and needed scouring in the Wilderness that the Thorns of Sinai might fetch the Onions of Egypt out of their squeazy stomachs Nay Gods people enjoy not only successive but temporary mixtures For in the midst of sorrows arises spiritual joy to support and quicken and in times of prosperiry are exercised with spiritual sins and heart-sorrows to humble and keep them steddy Nabal and Haman like other wicked wretches were either all joy or all sorrow and by turns overwhelm'd with both 1 Sam. 25.36 their hearts were as light as a feather or else sunk like lead Let 's beware when fatned with mercies lest we kick with Jesurun and when were are brought to the salt waters of Marah lest our imbittered Spirits fret against the Holy One of Israel while we proclaim our anger against instruments let 's take care that our clamours reach not the ear of God himself Men often mask their impatience at God under colour of shooting at others miscarriages We may grieve under afflictions and carry our sins by prayer to Heaven for pardon and our troubles to the Mercy-seat for relief I poured out my complaint before him Ps 142.2 says David I shewed before him my trouble Mourn we may Ezek. 7.16 Is 51.20 Songs 2.14 but murmur and mutter we must not Mourn like Doves without Gall in the Clefts of the Rock but not toss the Horn and roar like wilde Bulls in the Net full of the fury of the Lord. When we have mourned meekly and patiently for sin Mic. 7.9 and born the Indignation of the Lord we may look up for mercy till he plead our cause and execute judgment for us and say fiducially God's our God which is often the last stroke upon Davids Harp Does God chuse us for his Is 48.10 and chuse us in the Furnace of Affliction and refine us but not with Silver non quasi argentum not as if we were pure Silver already before refinement but in the midst of our dross and faeculency to make us bright for Temple-service then let us take him for our gracious and watchful Refiner and reflect his Love back again to Heaven Chuse him before all the Angels in Heaven and the sweetest familiars on Earth Ps 73.25 and then all afflictions will work kindly when the Fire of Love and the Fire of Affliction melt the Soul together and as the flaming beams of the Sun extinguish our Kitchin Fires so the heat of Divine Love will damp and put out the sense and smart of all and the most fiery trials here below Let but a Saint recollect his thoughts that there 's excellent reason why God afflicts and as the waters cannot Song 8.6 so neither the fires out burn the vehement flames of Divine Love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called by the Wise Man the Flame of God Succurrat non tantùm quid patiamur sed quid fecerimur Senec. Ira. l. 2. p. 33. Remember what we have done as well as suffer said the Spanish Moralist Compare our merits and sufferings and then our unworthiness and mercies together and we have little reason to complain since there is less reason why we should draw a breath in the Land of the Living Lam. 3.39 Mercies flow from the innate Bowels of God Judgment is his strange work Is 28.21 Kindness flows from the Divine Essence more naturally than streams from a Fountain or beams from the Sun but sin and affliction is rooted in us Justifie God in all and that will extinguish murmurs 1 Cor. 11.30 Sometimes there 's a particular cause for affliction which though many times latent is always just Let 's search and try our ways Lam. 3.40 and turn unto the Lord. Ask the inward Viceroy and he 'll tell thee As Clocks strike clearest in stormy times so does Conscience in the hour of Judgment though we top and clog it never so much in the fair weather of prosperity Wouldest thou know the plain truth hearken what thy heart condemns and smites for in the hearing of a searching Sermon sometimes Affliction it self points at its relative sin Adonibezek deprived of his Thumbs Judg. 1.7 could tell upon his fingers the 140 Royal Thumbs which he had cut off Is a dear Relation taken consider thy sins both in it and toward it Si res angusta domi If poverty pinch remember abused plenty and careless expences Does God withdraw his shining face it may be thou hast grieved his Spirit and therefore he grieves thine most righteously Hast thou cooled and quenched his Heavenly Motion wonder not if he stop his ear at thy cries and at length leave thee to coolness and deadness of heart Rev. 3.16 Thou art lukewarm in his cause Grumble not at Laodiceas Portion to be spew'd out of his mouth Art thou puff'd up with parts which are but gifts Gods not thine repine not if others prick thy swoln Bladder with the pin of infamy Want of pity and relief to thy Brother reaps just unkindness in time of straits Censorious persons must run the gauntlet patiently and a lashing Tongue needs a Launcet to let out its Salt and fiery Bloud or may be prickt with Pins as Fulvia dealt by Cicero Cassius l. 47. p. 331. d. Angry persons often meet with sturdy matches as good at fifty cuffs as themselves It 's usual for men to be measured by their own bushel and for froward affronts to meet with divine requital unless for sins of daily infirmity sudden tentations and disorderly provocations from others Then to mourn watch and pray is a Saints Armour and go to Heaven with Elthu Job 34.33
deriving all her nocturnal beauty from the Sun Eâ—e 1.14 so must Saints shine by the comeliness of Christ And as a Gracious Husband labours to change his Spouse into his own Image and likeness by kindnesses precepts and example that he may take the more delight in her person Ps 45.10 So does our spiritual Solomon change the hew of his Egyptian Queen to deem of things and persons as her Lord and Husband judges and frames her Spirit to delight in doing his Will and Pleasure and take the highest solace in obedience to enjoy a heavenly freedom mixt mith aimiable and joyful reverence He roots out of her heart all changeable affections worldly fancies and hankering longings after the fond fashions of Shechem Gen. 34.1 and all carnal inclinations to the Daughters of Canaans Linage and all the beggerly humours of the besotted world and to pass by with a Holy scorn all the pitiful Pageantry of this perishing and fading life and rise to a mean estimate of the Baubles and trifles that inchant a carnal Heart At length she arrives to a noble and generous judgment counting all but dung and dross that she may win Christ As her Prince of life was crucified by the World for her Redemption so she begins to be crucified to it in token of conformity to him and at length becomes all glorious within She takes down the Pendants of folly Ps 45.13 and hangs all her Jewels within Her Pearls and Diamonds are the gracious Sermons and dying Prayers of her Holy Lord they hang at her ears Songs 1.13 they lye between her Breasts all night Her clothing is of the Gold of Ophir made with Needlework of divers colours Judg. 5.30 twined by the Daughters of the New Jerusalem The 12 precious Stones in the breast-plate of Aaron are upon her Heart She is Holy like him and goes about doing good with the ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit with a Crown of Carbuncles of flaming love to Christ upon her Head and thus reflecting the Glory of Christ here is preparing and fitting for fuller visions and brighter reflections of Glory hereafter Here 's nothing but noise and confusion in the dust and smoak of folly This World is like the Sea in Habakuk Hab. 1.14 where the great Fish swallow the small storms and pirats rocks and sands shipwrecks and new furprizing dangers every moment Let 's long and pack up for our best and sweetest home looking upon every secret Mercy every joyful income of the Spirit as so many earnests of glory as so many bent tokens put in hand to secure Heaven Let 's draw off and wean our affections from sublunary vanishing Vapors which perish in the very use Carnal persons in their heights have but a wordly Heaven and Saints while here in their lowest depths by the Sunshine of divine Favour have a sweet portion of Heaven here upon Earth Oh what a Heaven shall they have in Heaven it self Here though sometimes deep in the mire of affliction yet when conscience sings 't is fair above head still travelling towards Zion Since our natures are chang'd like a Cion or Graft inserted into the Vine of the Church we shall in due time be transplanted to Paradise Strengthen assurance by perseverance and both by the promises to each and mix prayer with Praises Our Harps must always sound while our Sacrifice burns on the Altar Every day adds to the treasury of evidence Like laborious Bees increase your stock from the flowers of Scripture and the Honey of Assurance will sweeten every Prayer and cheer persevering grace and enliven the strings of praise till we come with Harps in our hands well tuned to the Gate of Heaven Let our chaste Souls be a Garden enclos'd to Christ Our eyes ears Song 4.12 affections seal'd and shut up from worldly communion Hearken O Daughter Ps 45.10 11. and forget thine Egyptian people and thy Fathers house in Zoan So shall the King of Glory greatly desire to see and enjoy thy beauty for he is thy Lord and worship thou him Some Passages to be inserted in page 26. which through a casualty did happen to be misplaced AS that Person in Bisseter Market who having a piece of Bread in his Mouth and turning suddenly to answer a question while the Bread was swallowing was immediately choack'd and though he survived about two or three days yet no remedy prevailed Remarkable was that providence of a poor Taylor at Reading choak'd with a bit of Mutton having wish'd it to himself as he was eating if he had stoln the Stockings whereof he was accused Which story is set down in the Register of one of the Parishes of that Town A sudden accident also besell Colonel Rossiter endeavouring to crack a Plum-stone as I am informed brake a Tooth and thereby lost his Life I would not let pass two or three stories more of signal providences as to sudden accidents There lived some time since in Grassechurch-street LONDON a Vintner Mr. Fowler by name who playing with his little Child abed received a scratch of a Pin First it rankled and cost him a Hundred Pounds-under design of cure but at length his Arm was cut off and shortly after lost his life There hapned also a notable memorial of Divine providence upon a Child in Bishops-gate Parish where sometime the good hand of God was pleased to use my poor labours in the honourable service of the Ministry This little Child looking up through a wooden case to a ponderous Jack-weight in that very moment the Weight drop'd down and kill'd it I have also received intelligence of a Person worthy of credit that a Woman having a very fair Hand molested by a Wart and submitting to the skill of a Chirurgeon at Thomas Hospital in Southwark in order to cure But the sore place began to be angry at the improper Medicines and Festers and shortly receives from his hand the cure of all her Diseases To end with a comfortable story My good Friend Mr. Ch. Morton then at Sea and yielding to the advice of a Ship-Chirurgeon to lay the Lapis Infernalis to eat down a Wart his Arm swelled very dangerously but the Lord delivered him So true is that saying of Paracelsus That the greatest Wounds may issue prosperously and little Scratches may end disastrously since the Keys of Life and Death are in the Hand of God FINIS Books printed toy and are to be sold by John Hancock at the Sign of the three Bibles in Popes Head Alley in Cornhill TWelve Books lately published by Mr. Tho. Brooks late Preacher of the Gospel at Margarets New Fish-street 1. Precious Remedies against Satans Devices or Salve for Believers and Vnbelievers Sores being a Companion for those that are in Christ or out of Christ 2. Heaven on Earth Or a serious Discourse touching a Well-grounded Assurance of Mans Everlasting Happiness 3. The Vnsearchable Riches of Christ held forth in 22 Sermons 4. Apples
their Silver Trumpets Glory be to God in the Highest peace upon Earth and good will to Man whose grand imployment should be to study discern and applaud the Infinite Love of God in all his Mercies which in a few words shall close this Period 1. When we taste some sweetness and relish the goodness of God in every Mercy which is that Divine Symploce on David's Harp or an elegant Complication of two figures the Anaphora and Epistrophe together O give thanks to the Lord Ps 136.1 for he is good his Mercy endureth for ever That as the Name of God in our native Tongue is from good so our Souls should spell the nature of his goodness and every passage of his Providence 2. When Mercies return down to us upon the wings of Ejaculations sent up to Heaven when enlargements of heart follow straits in prayer What Divine Benefits shine out suddenly like Stars in a dark night 3. Then mercies come in love when they flow in by sucking at the Breast of a Promise for hence we know that God is in covenant with us For then the Spirit seals our interest when he who penn'd the Promise writes it in our Heart when he that breaths them warms us by them 4. When we feel supporting strength in a dark night when ready to faint feel sudden Cordials when trouble is nigh and God is nigher When the Heart fails and God enlivens Ps 73.26 A Saint may perceive it by the suddenness sweetness soul-calming quietness of a word within consonant to the word without and encourages a Saint to carry every new Emergency upon the memory of former experience in a Chariot of Love to Heaven That no sudden accident knocks at the Door of our Hearts or Houses but we as suddenly knock at the Gate of Heaven If any tentation new motion or weighty affair surprize us at unawares we instantly carry it through the Roof of our Closets into Heaven then our Spirits are in a holy calm as gracious Rebekah found it Gen. 25.22 Prov. 15.24 knowing that the sudden desires as well as the set Prayers of the Righteous shall be granted And now it 's high time to conclude this Chapter with God its whole Scope being to recount some portions of his manifold mercies and to adore him for all his bounteous beneficence to us who is the only first Spring and principal Mover and Conducter of all the Kindnesses we receive from Men being his Instruments Servants and Ordinances CHAP. IX The Anatomy of Mercies FOR the Higher Advancement of Divine Goodness in all our Enjoyments and to learn that excellent Lesson of Godly Contentment in all Estates it were expedient to peruse consider and unbowel every mercy that comes down from Heaven We have little reason to expect any when we remember our inability to merit unskilfulness to improve our ingratitude in slender returns of the least Benefits wherewith we are laden every day It 's meer free grace that showers down Kindnesses upon our barren murmuring and repining Spirits Did we but refresh our memories with the many thousands better than us who are yet below us Ps 37.1 we should never fret at the prosperity of the wicked that are above us In what a pleasant Paradise might our thoughts expatiate did we beautifie our Meditation with the prospect of the Flowry Medows interwoven with Chrystal streams and the gentle rising Hills crowned with lovely Groves more delicious than those of Woodstock when we contemplate the various numbers curious methods amazing circumstances the unexpected ends and surprizing designs in the Lawnes and close Walks of Mercy When we pore upon sins pry too curiously into afflictions grieve too smartly for imbitterments by Relations and toyle our Spirits with the losses and crosses of this Life we disquiet our selves in vaine and are too subject to mutter at every little disappointment and inconvenience We augment our troubles prolong our miseries and run upon the brink of danger to charge a Gracious God foolishly Let us then turn our eyes into the Anatomy-School of Mercies and cut open the Inwards and spend a diligent view on the curious Situations and various turnings and smaller Arteries of every Divine Favour and holding up hands with Holy Jacob Gen. 32.10 proclaim our unworthiness of the least of mercies and while we are musing what might comparatively be esteem'd the least as that we have a Being and Life and draw one Breath of Air the Original conducts us into his Courts with praise and gratefulness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Katonti I am lessened in mine own eyes before every mercy the least of which should humble and lay us low in the sight of God What am I and what is my Fathers House that the great God should cause to great faithfulness and truth to shine before us and lighten our Path to Glory The School of Salerne writes of the Body of Man Ex tricentenis decies sex quinquéque venis That it consists of 365 Veins one for each day of the Year To be sure there is not one particular Mercy but yields matter of Contemplation all the days of our Life We should cut open the Root climb the Branches smell the Flowers and taste the Fruit of Divine Love in every Mercy O rare Imployment when we ride or walk or sit or lye waking in the Night Ps 77.5 to ruminate in the days of Ancient times run over the state of the Church from Genesis to the Revelations and compare our case with any of the Saints of old and work our hearts into praises as David often begins his Psalms with mournful Elegies and concludes with joyful Extasies As the Ancient Church sprang in Aegypt past through Paran to Sinai and at length sat under their Vines in Canaan So every Saint enters his life with a Tragedy but ends in Heaven The first curiosity of each mercy lies hid in the Texture of a minute seed which though exceeding small yet by the influence of Heaven ferments and swells into a mighty Cedar Who would think that the spreading Oaks of Bashan should sleep under the shadow of a small Acorn and the sweet-sented Trees of Lebanon in a petty Berry What vast Crocodiles of Nile break Shell from a small Egg What Rivers of Fire the first little sparks of Sulfur do kindle from the bowels of Aetna What little distaste at first overthrow mighty Empires at last and what great Estates and Dominions start out of little casualties The grand Ottoman Empire arose first out of the Flight of Mahomet and Darius by the neighing of a Horse rode into the Throne of Persia One glance upon a poor captive Maid brought Esther to a Kingdom Haman to the Gallows and Israel to deliverance David brought Cheeses to the Army perhaps in the same Bag wherein he carried stones to fling into the Fore-Head of Goliah and in the same brought back his Head to Saul Nay Saul himself when seeking of Asses