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
away Not unlike a more glorious Instance of our blessed Lord Joh 4.4 who the Spirit of God says must needs go through the Province of Samaria that he might convert the poor old Woman of Sychar or Shechem at the Well of Jacob. How should we admire God who is often pleased to go out of the ordinary way of Providence to bring some into the way of Paradise Meditation must sweeten our thoughts of God by pondering on his Mercy and what special goodness is wrapt up in every divine kindness The circumstances of time and place the methods the means the straits and exigencies the persons and speeches and thoughts of heart are transcendent in contributing to and producing of admirable ends and issues Gen. 22.14 In the Mount will the Lord be seen When the Psalmist's Feet had well nigh slipt Ps 73.2 v. 24. Ps 66.11 12. yet was continually with God and held by the right hand of his Counsel till received to glory He brings us into the Net causeth men to ride over our heads and carries us through fire and water into it wealthy place When the Oil scarce wets the bottom of the Cruse and the Meal spent from the Barrel then comes the Prophet with a Miracle 1 K. 19.6 When Elijah was faint under a Tree at Rithmah then comes the Angel and bakes a Cake for him with Juniper Coals while yet asleep and awakes him to eat it When Moses lay crying in a Cage of Bulrushes upon the River Nile instead of a Crocodile to devour him comes the Daughter of Pharaoh to relieve him and nurse him up for a King nay to pay his own Mother for nursing her own Son We should nourish sweet thoughts of God when afflictions minister sharp to Sense We may be nourish'd by the Meat from the Eater and suck Honey from Flowers that grow on Thorns God hath ordained varieties and successions in all The Night the Storms the Winters and Wilderness of a Saint shall end in a glorious Sun-shine day and an everlasting Somer in Heaven that so in the midst of all anxious perplexing thoughts within us thy Comforts may delight our souls Ps 94.19 It 's a double word or a quadrate-root in the Hebrew and signifies to play or sport with delight and excessive Joy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is used by the Prophet Esay to note the exuberant felicity of the Church in the later days when she shall be dandled and danced over and over upon the knees of prosperity and mercy Is 66.12 The aims and ends of God should be eyed in every providence Sennacharib was sent to correct and not destroy his people Is 10.7 howbeit he meant not so but to cut off Nations not a few Stay says the Lord shall the Ax boast against the Hewer and the Saw shake against the Handler Let the Staff know it self to be but wood For yet a very little while and mine indignation against Jerusalem shall cease and mine anger shall end in the destruction of Nineveh and Babylon When men determine they must ask leave of God or else they shall suck the Venome of the Cockatrice Eggs which themselves have laid Like that infamous Pope Baleus in Alexand. 6. p. 485. who was himself poysoned with the same wine he had prepared for his Cardinals Joseph's Brethren meant his ruine Gen. 50.20 but God meant it for good to save much people alive to nourish his Father just 17 years in Egypt the same number that he was nourish'd by his Father in Canaan and to lay the foundation of a People that should be the ruine of Egypts Armies Ps 37.6 7. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him and he shall bring forth thy Righteousness as the light and thy Judgement as the noon day Jam 5.11 Ye have heard of the patience of Job and seen the end of the Lord he is very pitiful and of tender mercy Although my house be not so with God 2 Sam. 23.5 says David yet he hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure Let 's finish this Chapter with some Inferences The Anatomy of former Mercies puts an Argument in the mouth of Prayer a Glass to the Eye of Faith and a Harp in the Hand of Thankfulness Whoso knows and considers he is worthy of nothing will be meek and sweetly satisfied with every dispensation of God Zeph. 2.3 Seek the Lord all ye meek of the Earth A meek Spirit is of a praying and thankful frame Holy contentation is the Fruit that grows upon the Tree of Observation of foregoing Providences All former storms have issued in spiritual calms When the Disciples Ship was full of Waves Mat. 8.26 Mark 6.48 Christ comes and treads the boisterous billows into a smooth plain under the Foot of his Command Who can divine what infinite wisdom is doing who knows what errand a flight of Snow or a clap of Thunder or ashower of Rain is sent upon When a Gentleman once riding furiously was stopt by a terrible storm and forced into a Smith's Shop demanding of him for what particular use some of his mechanick Tools might serve He replyes in a chaff He knew not Then says the good man How much less can you tell for what ends the wise God may send this forcible Rain from the Clouds Judg. 5.21 A Lion was once forced into a Pit by Snow and perhaps many a life saved and the valour of Benajah tried and proved 1 Sam. 12.10 Samuel obtained a Victory upon the Philistines by thunder 2 Sam. 23.20 Great Rains from Heaven overflowed the Banks of Kishin and swept away the Canaanites into the Gulf of Destruction Experiences of the presidents in former conducts teach a Saint not to ask riches preferment or health or success or any outward mercy with an impotent and impetuous Spirit but with submission to and consistency with the love and good pleasure of God Say upon thy knees Blessed Lord I beg to have and see and taste thy love in every mercy Nay to discern that every cross is the fruit of fatherly Love and every deliverance sweetned by the straits and pressures which turn the answer of prayer into an experience to fortifie faith If then we are instructed by former escapes to carry our Cross to Golgotha with our Lord and Simon we shall certainly rise from Mount Olivet to a Crown in Heaven CHAP. X. Repentance of Secret and Sudden Sins THE Divine Visitation by secret sudden and unexpected Mercies lays strong Bonds and Obligations upon us to repentance and watchfulness against secret sins They are always in the light of Gods countenance to discern Ps 90.8 and ought to be in the light of our Conscience to prevent David sets a president to hide the word within our Hearts Ps 119.11 to preserve from hidden offences Set up the strict Judicature of Conscience upon heart inquiries to
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