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
tire their Pens to inforce particular Duties That one Topick of Paul suffices us 2 Cor. 5.14 The Love of Christ constraineth me That love which is called by Solomon Cant. 8.6 the Flame of God I shall enlarge no further than a few points from these 3 Springs of consideration Whence we are what we are doing and whether tending 1. We came say some from the red clay in the Valley of Damascus and tend toward the pale earth in the caves of Hebron Nay we crept out of the bosom of nothing are less than nothing and vanity to compare with the Holy one that form'd us Is 40.17 and are able to do nothing without his Aid in whom we live move and have our being Act. 17.28 and shall such nothings be proud of any thing What have we that is not received and what 's received must be returned to the account of the Heavenly Donor in Joy and Praise 2. We are the Pictures of Old Adam drawn to the life by the Pencil of Satan and sin is inspired into us by his venemous breath and inflam'd to lust after every red-cheek'd apple of Sodom proud of every Fig-leaf and jet it about in Aprons made of the skins of Sacrifices sporting in our own shame cast down at the wagging of every Leaf Guilt makes us tremble at every bush Rejoyce not spiritually in any mercies can neither act good nor bear evil stumble at straws and shrink at every silly taunt against God and Holiness quake at the loss of a few shillings for any pure Ordinance or truth of Christ O miserable Man who shall deliver us Had not the Day-spring from on high visited us we had sunk into the bottom of wo and misery 3. We are passing creatures and whether tend all our glittering shows but to dust and rotteness The Scheme and Pageantry of this World it whirls away in a moment and at judgement are stript of all but shame and confusion what should puff us up and blow this bladder of pride which is prickt with the least pin of Divine displeasure and we vanish away Let 's admire and adore free grace that hath opened a way through the blood of sprinkling into the Holy of Holies and always contemplate and apply the magnificent Gift of Righteousness which infinite Love hath consigned to us that Mercy and Truth may follow us all our days Ps 23.6 and we dwell in the House of the Lord for ever CHAP. VII The honourable Duty of Gratitude GOD is the Supreme Lord Paramount of Heaven and Earth and therefore the highest Homage is due to his Name All Rivers spring from and swim into the bosom of the Ocean The Sun-beams reflect from the Earth to the Sun again Fragrant Flowers perfume the sweet Air which opens them All must be received with thanksgiving and being thus sanctified prove double Mercies Every enjoyment must turn to improvement our comforts must be exalted into helps the Viatica and Supports of our Pilgrimage while Travelling with Peace-Offerings towards Zion We must prevent God by early Praise as well as Prayer Ps 57.8 Ps 60.10.119.147 The God of my Mercy shall prevent me sings David and every Child of David must prevent God again with his Songs Jehosaphat delighted God with Instruments of Musick before his Deliverance 1 Chron. 20.21 Faith must tune an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Psalm of Victory before the Triumph Praise is the ingenious Mother of future mercies As the Virgin Mary sang at Hebron before the birth of her Son at Bethlehem Luk. 1.46 O Heavenly Contention between Mercy and Duty The Eye of Man has a Musclè which Anatomists call the Levator to help him to look up to Heaven A grateful Muscle Unthankful persons cut out that excellent Organ and corrupt the Chrystalline humour of their memories by tears and poring too much downward upon their Afflictions Many mens mercies through ill digestion ferment into Bane and Poyson Zwelser Append. ad Animadvers Fol. 1667. p. 67. As the learned Zwelfer late Physician to the Emperour Leopold tells us of a Noble German almost slain by the powders of Pearl Coral and other Cordial Species that which should have cherisht his Spirits wrought towards a dry Consumption Many like Jesurun wax fat with mercies and grow lean in praises and kick with that strength which mercy gives them and trample on those bowels that rowl towards them like great mens stomachs surcharged with dainty viands grow sick and squeezy over-eat their appetite and confound concoction with various mixtures of flesh fish luxurious Sauces then complain of splenetick fumes and flushes Like Israel quarrel at Quails and make light at Manna while qualms and maukish flegm and bitter choller flings up from their Hearts Ungrateful persons are the Grave of mercies and often cast up their rotten matter It 's an Argument of a vitious stomach to turn wholesome food into sower humours Borrichus de Aegypt p. 282. Fol. 14. p. 239. Hermes after wine took a grain of Mastick or Frankincense to hinder its coagulation into Tartar And Arnoldns orders Bdellium to be taken with Scammony to preserve the bowels from Ulcers After Kindnesses we should take in Medicines against Ingratitude There be many black instances of this base and degenerous Temper Aristotle hath many a sinister bend in his Infamous Scutcheon pourtrayed by Borrichius but for three most memorable in betraying Stagira his Native City in scorning at Plato his excellent Tutor and for dipping his finger in a design of poysoning Alexander his munificent Prince Another was that of the lean and pale Brutus Sueton. in Caesar c. 92. Plut. to whom being found among the bloody Conspiratours in the Senate-house Caesar replyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What thou among them What thou my Son Being deemed his natural Off spring by Servilia the Sister of Cato A third may be that Nobleman Wigandus in praefat ad Herb. Borussiae who being near death by a dangerous bleeding at nose was cured with the bloud red Burnet by a German Doctor but denyed him his Reward because the Herb was found neer his own Palace Were not others of a more noble genius it might shrink beneficence into a Mushrome and blast the Flower of Love with a nitrous East Wind into the Dust Such wretches are like the beastly Capraemulgi in Aelian Aelian de animal l. c. 39. that suck the poor Goats and by their venemous mouths shrivel and dry up their Udders that they never give milk more Impudence is the Fruit of Ingratitude and genders to all manner of lewdness Gratitude is a high piece of justice and feasts the owner with a joyful Conscience A thankful and cheerful person walk together and is a grand Ornament to his profession The three Graces tread their measures before his door in Crowns of Myrtle Chartarius Imag. Deorum p. 336. They were formed by Ancient Statuaries in shape of naked
unadvisedly with his Lips at the Waters of Meribah Asa was too quick with the Prophet and Jonah was inflamed by sudden anger when the Sun scorch'd his head and the Worm his Gourd fretful passion burnt his heart into adust choler Good Hezekiah was suddenly lifted up after a humbling sickness And holy Josiah was too precipitant in the case of Pharaoh Nechoh Slippery places may fling up the heels of great Gyants and little tentations may overthrow well-grown Christians A sudden short Gust in a chopping Sea may overset a stately Ship when all her Top-Gallants are out if not very well Ballasted Strength of grace and powerful assistance are known by sudden onsets To save credit or stop a loss or divert an inquisitive temper puts many a good heart to a venture If God withdraw and guards be asleep we may be blown down by the breath of a silly Maid As poor Peter fell sorely and broke his face upon the Pavement in Cajaphas's Hall They do ill that put snaring questions and interrogatories but they do worse who watch not a trapping tongue Deliver a Saint from sudden exigencies and he 'll do well enough ordinarily as to any deliberate sin Our Mother Eve was catch'd by a question lost a whole Paradise of Fruit trees by a tempting Apple David by an inchanting glance at Jerusalem kindled a flame which had almost blown up his Kingdom And what straits he was in at Maon and Engedi and Ziglag his trembling Harp does tune it in mournful ditties Had not Joseph been strongly supported his black Egyptian Mistress had smutted his Soul and slain his chastity We are too ready for sudden fear to joyn issue and betray our Souls before we can recover our Spirits Blessed is the Man who feareth always Pr. 28.14 and treads gently that he may walk securely Can a man take Fire in his bosom and not be burnt Take heed of sparks to avoid flames Beg pardoning grace for former slips renewing strengthning and preventing grace against future invasions Take heed of security after prosperous victories Cyrus the Persian and Harold the Saxon lost their lives in a new Battel after a late Victory Upon great success sound your Trumpets in the Valley of Humility God never seals assurance upon a proud Spirit Is 66.2 he looks smile-ingly on the humble and the contrite Soul that trembles at his word Maintain secret communion and heavenly strength will maintain your ground The brighter the light of communion shines into the Soul the clearer will a Saint see into the dark corners of a filthy heart and keep his garments pure and wash off his daily spots in the Laver of repentance Every prayer must have its sighs because every day we contract some blemishes Delay estranges God and makes a Spot to sink the deeper Asclepiades the great Physician of Bithynia said It was the Doctors duty Cels de râ—med l. 3. c. 4. Vt tutò celeriter jucundè curet To cure his Patients safely suddenly and pleasantly Celsus adds Ferè periculosum est nimium festinatio voluptas That haste and pleasantness are mostly dangerous Repentance if sound is never too swift and the more bitter its potion the more pleasant in Issue Repentance that 's hurried must be repented over Much filth requires soaking showers To set a Bone too hastily may induce a Callus and doubles the sorrow to break it again for a right placing Be not earnest in time of affliction to use inordinate means to speed deliverance Jacob was too nimble in bending his Knees for his Fathers Blessing it cost him 20 years exile and a shrunk Sinew before he obtained it fully from the Angel Stay Gods time and the Mercy will ripen more kindly Somer Fruit will rot before Winter and such as are green gathered are windy and griping Beasts that struggle in the Net are more intangled and impatient Birds by fluttering in the Twigs Birdlime all their Feathers and stick the faster It 's no wisdom to eat the Iron Bars with Aquafortis and break Prison unadvisedly he may leap to the Neck in the Castle-ditch and sink in the Mire or bruise his Bones in the Foundation-jettings for an Almanack in his old Age. Ps 6.2 Though David found some marrow in his vexed Bones yet upon change of weather the aches brought Sin to remembrance Our troubles will end more auspiciously when Angels are sent from Heaven to open the Iron Gate as they did to Peter and lead him to the house of prayer Thou mayest know when God intends a Salvation the Shackles will fall off easily and the Gates will fly open at night and strange opportunities shall set thee in the Churches State Ps 126.1 who was like them that dream when God turn'd her captivity like streams in the Sandy South Let every gracious Soul wipe off his sliding Tears with the hand of Hope Rev. 18.5 Ps 56.8 Ps 108.4 Though his Sins have seem'd to reach to Heaven yet his repentant tricklings are laid up in bottles within the Heavens and the Divine Mercies are infinitely above the Heavens of Heavens Let thy grateful returns kneel before the Throne of of Grace in secret firm Resolutions against Secret Sins to prevent them for the Honour of his Holy Name who now lades us with Secret and will crown us with Open Mercies CHAP. XI The Leniment or Mitigation of Sorrows by pondering on Sudden Mercies and the Sanctified Fruit of Afflictions HOW brittle and uncertain is the State of all things nothing under the Sun that 's constant and permanent What various Events confound the Counsels of the deepest Politicians every Age demonstrates Confidence of future prosperity because a man stands upon the Pinacle of honour is a token of the extremity of Folly Between the highest fortune and the darkest Gulf of misery a day sometimes does not intervene Dan. 5.30 Xenoph. Cyrodad l. 7. Belshazzar carousing in the Temple of Belus with the captive Flagons of Jerusalem in the day time was the very next night found drinking off a deadly Cup mixt with his own bloud He that stands on the top of the Wheel may justly fear a whirling precipice Physicians observe That persons in the height of health are often nighest to some dangerous sickness and need preventing Physick while such as are in a recovering state are a great deal safer When the Sun is in his Meridian Glory then he begins to decline and after the darkest time of night the morning Star begins to glitter out of the East Sudden vicissitudes ought to render men cautious and let the proudest Nimrods take heed of being imperious When Gales are very benign to the Sail yet the Keel of a Ship may be near sharp Rocks and swallowing Quick-sands What 's matter of caution in prosperity should be comfort in adversity Qui jacet in fovea non habet unde cadat One faln to the ground has no further to fall his next turn is to rise Former experiences
that which I see not teach thou me A gracious Soul not stung in Conscience by former miscarriage when he sails in a Storm calmly ponders that a milder Gale may breath from the South and better days may come He may as suddenly be drawn out of as cast into the pit The ratling Hailstones may be melted by a warmer Sun and a dark thundring night may end in a bright morning to cherish his vital Spirits Junge nigra candidis as Bernard Bernard Epist 78. f. 195. b. Songs 2.12 Set black by white and clouds by clear and winter by spring and remember the singing of Birds will come when bitter and deadly Gourds are in the Pot 2 K. 4.44 Elisha may come with a handful of Meal and cure both taste and danger When bitter afflictions fill a Cup to the brim cast in the fine flower of a Sanctuary offering and pardon will come and mercy will fly down with silver wings and a shining countenance from Heaven and then the ravishing sense of divine love will extinguish all discontents from earthly sorrows Nothing can be very sharp on the back of a Saint when Gods Love sweetens his heart We are as we love if worldly then earthy love and earthly losses break an earthy heart if holy and spiritual then treasures pleasures and affections all suit and center in Heaven And what affliction can make him miserable whose heart 's above it Every Saint does gradually arrive to a Masculine Heroick Angelical Spirit Be patient then Rom. 8.28 and things will work together wonderfully for the good of such as are called according to purpose When we pore upon the down-end of the Cross we are ready to faint as if it could never be pull'd up As the Romans dismayed at an inauspicious Omen when their Eagle Ensign could not be haled for a March But let 's consider the upper end reaches Heaven and the same Hand that fixed it can rear and raise it at pleasure And remember there is an appointed time for every Tryal moneths and days that it cannot pass Though the Waves toss themselves yet cannot prevail Jer. 5.22 they roar yet cannot tumble beyond the Sandy Banks oppos'd by an Omnipotent Arm. Israel came out of Egypt the self same night according to the Promise of 430 years to Abraham Exod. 12.42 Affliction is the Churches Physick and will certainly work cum summa euphoria with great success and ease Earthly Physicians often complain of Ineffectual purges but here stay a while and the Event will issue happily When affliction makes us jealous of sin it begins when sick of sin when hateful to it when holy resolutions rise against it then it works to purpose When we see the depth of Corruption in the Flouds of Affliction Rom. 5.3 't is then sanctified and the Love of God is shed abroad in the Heart Afflictions are known to be sanctified when sin begins to wither Affliction sanctified and is in part mortified The rust is filing off when persons begin to shine in meekness humility and patience and accept correction when discontented fumes are scattered and the Thorns of fretfulness are burnt up Oh how plyable and capable of gracious impressions when the Wax is melted by the fire of trouble Take heed then of being rough and furious again when danger 's over Ask Pharaoh if this be not the fruit of a proud and hard heart Again 1 Tim. 2.8 't is then sanctified when it whets prayer to lift up Holy Hands without wrathful revenge and despondent diffidence when it deadens the Spirit to worldly enjoyments and crucifies the heart to carnal vanities Gal. 6.1 When it renders us compassionate and tender-hearted forgiving and forgetting injuries remembring how ourselves were tempted when it sweetens Heaven and prepares the heart for a holy departure and while here makes us ready for service in every good work knowing that all shall end well with a Saint when every tear shall be turned in an Oriental Pearl to adorn his Crown in Glory Are such great Mercies sown in the furrows of affliction and suddenly wax green even in the winter and under cold blasts of adversity With what submission and expectation of issues should we behave our selves under the hand of a Wise and Holy Father Set Faith to work in its Heavenly Imployment of thirsting for Christ Rev. 21.6 Is 45.22 Joh. 6.35 Joh. 1.12 Songs 8.5 4 Pet. 5.7 Luk. 23.46 Heb 3.14 of looking towards him of coming to him receiving of him leaning upon him a casting the cares of our Souls into his Bosom and commending our spirits into his hands and after all in fainting times cast not away the beginning of your confidence but hope to the end Phil. 1.8 1 Cor. 1.8 1 Thâ—s 5.24 since he will perfect what is begun to the Day of Christ and confirm us to the end From reflection upon Faith if careful of Holiness in due time will rise assurance by beholding our Faces in the Glass of Promise when the Soul has been sometime nourish'd by the sincere Milk of the Word at length it may take off the Cream of Joy and Assurance 1 Joh. 3.19 which lies in perswading the Heart of the Love of God So that a sound Christian may arrive to this Heavenly Pitch by discerning the true Acts of Faith and the lively workings of it in times of troubles by the growth of the fruits of the Spirit in times of Tentation and a vigorous conflict against Sin with success and by the immediate Testimony of the Spirit of God witnessing with our Spirits that we are the Children of God Rom. 8.16 These things have I mentioned as preservatives of the Heart in the Flouds of many Waters and as preparations for sudden mercies which will season the Spirit to bear up valiantly in our present stations and qualifie for emergencies of future Joys For when the Soul sits down quietly under hatches in a present storm and buckles to it with an even frame light arises suddenly shines illustriously and beautifies the Soul with joyful and abiding Deliverance Let 's conclude this Chapter with a Memorable Story of Mr. Leverton's Escapes in his West-India Voyages contracted out of the Manuscript of my good Friend Mr. Ch. Morton which thirsts for light to shew what wonderful methods God sometimes uses in bringing out of deep and amazing distresses This Gentleman putting to Sea from the Isle of Sr. Christopher in a French Frigat commanded by Monsieur de Voe of Rochel after a fortnights sail fell under a dead calm in the vast Atlantick Ocean Victuals being almost spent they stinted each person to 8 Spoonfuls of Pease and one pint of Water in a day till at last they grew black with famine and their Backs and Bellies shrunk together Twice a day he prayed with and fed them with Spiritual Food they hung upon his Lips with greedy attention They had much Manna though no Corn and streams
and founded in the mystical Union of the Son of God with the Nature of Man in the promised Seed and establisht upon better promises Hence issued that Living Fountain of all that beneficence that comforts his chosen Flock in the state of Grace and beautifies their Souls in Glory CHAP. II. The Government of the World administred by preventing Providences and Mercies THe most Wise and Holy God having finish'd all in number weight and measure and adjusted all the proportions of Heaven and Earth in his Sacred Balance that not the least Atom of dust in the Mountains or Drop in the Ocean or Vapour in the Air but came out of his accurate Scales and setled in their due place by his arbitrement Neither is his Infinite Wisdom more radiant and magnificent in the composure of the vast circumference of the Celestial Bodies then admirably curious and stupendious in those minute and numerous Creatures which by reason of their smalness fly the sight of man Insomuch that the Majesty of God is most illustrious and conspicuous in those lesser Beings which the world never understood till he blessed it with the rare invention of Microscopes By which we are assisted to contemplate his Glory while sitting under he shadow of a Plant that grows it a canker'd Rose leaf Hook Micrograph p. 124. as well as of he tallest Cedar May not admiration be inflamed to view the quick and voluble motion of those Eels that swim up and down in their little Sea of a drop of Vinegar more then when Mariners from their Ships gaze at the tumblings of Whales in he Atlantick Ocean Or when we consider the fineness of those Spirits that agitate the Nerves of Mites or of those supposable Creatures that may draw their origin from the corruption of those little bodies or creep among their hairs while yet alive As Mites in Spiders Power p. 19. Or when we view by the aid of those discovering Glasses the 8 Eyes in a Spider or the 24 Teeth in the mouth of an Ant as black as Ebony as well as those vast Ivory Tusks in the head of the generous Elephant Or when we delight our Eyes in the rare textures of vivid marbling colours in the flowers of Eye-bright Panzies or the chequer'd Fritillary as well as the prophetical varieties in the Rainbow We may well cry out with Pliny while he descants on the great voice of a Gnat flying about in a Summers Evening Rerum natura nusquam magis quam in minimis tota sit Plin. l. 11. c. 2. That the great God of Nature is never more admirable then in framing the least of Beings But howsoever unspeakably and unimaginably glorious his Divine Providence shines in the management and government of all his works It is yet most admirable in his preventing goodness to the sinful sons of Adam and much more to his own chosen Inheritance As to Man in general he makes his Sun to rise every morning upon the unjust and his Moon to fill her Orb with light upon the Turkish Crescent Psal 65.11 His paths in the Clouds drop fatness upon the fields of bloody Tyrants and his Ocean is open and sweet Western Gales often swell he Sails of rambling and roving Pirates The Earth is full of his goodness Psal 119.64 He spread and fill'd the Tables of Heliogabalus with his hidden Treasures No Inhabitant but is laden with his benefits however abused to their luxury pride and wantonness His Mercies are over all his Works He makes the out-goings of the Morning Psal 65.8 121.8 and Evening to sing He preserves the goings out and comings in of the Children of Men. All the operations and influences of second causes are primarily ascribed to him Psal 139.15 The formation of our bodies when curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the Earth was of his secret texture The race of the Sun the bright appearance of Venus like the Moon and the nimble motions of Mercury and the 4 Planets dancing their measures about Jupiter and all the Ordinances of Heaven they are his he sets the dominion of them in the Earth He binds up the sweet influences of the Pleiades in April Job 38.33 and looseth the frosty bands of Orion in November when he pleases he is the Father of the Rain and the pearly drops of Dew he hath begotten them from the Morning Womb. Amos 5.8 He calleth for the waters of the Sea and poureth them out upon the face of the Earth the Lord is his Name He sends the turbulent and tempestuons winds out of the hollow of his Hand Psal 104.32 He looketh on the Earth and it trembleth he toucheth the Hills and they smoak he shook lately the Cities of Ragusa and Rimini into ruines He cast up out of the bowels of Aetna the late dreadful River of sulphureous flames to run six miles breadth by the City Catania into the Sea He kindles the Lightnings in the Regions of the Air and they answer to him Job 38.35 here we are 'T is the voice of his Thunder that breaketh the Cedars of Lebanon and makes Mount Sirion to skip like a young Unicorn Psal 29.5 6. Whatever he pleaseth that he doth in Heaven and Earth Psal 135.6 in the Seas and in all deep places He causeth Grass to grow for the Cattle Psal 104.14 c. and Herbs for the service of Man the Wine to rejoyce his Spirits the Oyl to make strengthen his heart He gives life his face to shine and Bread to strengthen his heart He gives life and food to all Creatures they wait upon him to receive their meat in due season he opens his Hand every morning the Fowls of the Heaven fly to his feet and are filled with good The Gardiner may plant and his servant may water but 't is God that gives increase to the stature of Vegetables their Verdure their Flowers and Fruits 1 Chron. 3.6 Mat. 6.28 He clothes the Tulips of Persia those Lillies of the Plains of Shushan with more Royal Attire then Solomons As to the Church in special he often and mercifully prevents the fears of his people How graciously he dealt with Jacob in the case of Laban Gen. 31.24 commanding him in the night not to speak roughly to his servant from good to bad and made the face of Esau to shine upon him as the face of God Gen. 33.10 In the time of Famine he planted a Corn-field in the bottom of a barrel of meal for Elijah and an Olive-yard in a cruse for the Widow of Sarepta and opened as it were the Windows of Heaven in the time of Elisha and poured out Corn among the poor in the streets of Samaria Such stupendious Mercies which the ungrateful world calls hap and fortune are the sudden and sweet dispensations of his Heavenly and Holy Providence He is pleased out of his munificent bounty to prevent our expectations with sudden and surprizing benefits
to amuse yea amaze us under the sense of Divine Goodness and to draw our Hearts with the silken cords of love It 's his favour that drops the inclinations of affection into the hearts and tempers the reciprocal tides in the breasts of such whom he ordains for conjugal relation His Eye guided out-cast Hagar to a shrub in Paran Gen. 24.39 40 58. 29.11 and rather then her son should perish for thirst an Angel must point out a Well to slake her sorrow Wonderful are the instances both in sacred and civil Story in discovery of means ordering of method guiding of accidents to the prevention of dangers and preservation of life and the sudden issuing of sudden distresses No less admirable are many quick and stupendious deliverances out of Dungeons and Prisons to great and famous Advancements and by providences to us occasional and accidental flow high and exalted manifestations of God to his Church and people Not to be curious in ranking under distinct heads give leave to mention a few mixt Examples in various kinds Pharaohs Daughter coming occasionally to the Rivers side Exo. 2.6 had compassion on little Moses weeping in his Cradle of Bulrushes Her heart wept over the tears of Moses she brought him up like a Prince in Egypt to be Prince of Israel Thus God makes his enemies to foster their own Supplanters and to build up their own destroyers After this the Humanity of Moses to the Daughters of Jethro in watering their Sheep advanced him to be Son in Law to the Prince of Midian A poor Captive Maiden in the Land of Syria by a few words was the occasion of the cure of Naamans Leprosie both in soul and body And another finding favour in the eyes of the great King of Persia was the occasion of delivering the Jews from destruction in 127 Provinces and the Reading of that Kingdoms Chronicles opened a door to Mordecai's Glory and Haman's Infamy Joseph and Daniel arrived to unexpected Preferment by exposition of Princes Dreams whereby the Church of God was strangely preserved and at length delivered from Exile Simeon and Anna coming into the Temple at an instant of Providence met with the Lords Anointed and saw his Salvation Many of the choicest Mercies fall under this head The first and primary Mercy to the World the Protevangelium the preaching of the Gospel to Adam by God himself transcended the thoughts and imaginations of our fallen Parents The sending of the Messiah's Sceptre out of Zion among the Gentile Idolaters who sought him not and the Conversion of whole Nations to the Obedience of his Spiritual Law was performed by preventing Grace to the whole world and the particular turnings of Rebellious Souls to God are often managed by secret instincts Austin would needs sail over Sea to Rome against the prayers and tears and fears of his holy Mother She dreaded his being corrupted by the debauchery of Rome but God sent him to Milan to be converted by Ambrose and as he speaks sweetly of Gods denial of her prayers as to his journey Confes 1. â— c. 8. Sed tu alte consulens exaudiens cardinem desiderii ejus non curasti quod tunc petebat ut in me faceres quod semper petebat But thou in wise counsel didst regard the hinge on which her desires turned didst reject her present prayer to give in the effect of her constant petitions Many times such who run from the means of their own Salvation fall into the happy snares of Divine Mercy and such who are naturally unwilling to be saved Austin praevenisti ut vellem the secret Wisdom of Providence allures to become a willing people in the day of his Power Should I enlarge upon the many rare cases of special preventing Mercies this Discourse would run over the banks of Volumes Famous is the Instance of that man whose Horse in a dark night wafted him over a Plank laid upon the breach of Rochester Bridge and the next day coming to see the place of his strange deliverance sunk into the deep waters of Amazement and died away Great Salvation did the Lord work also for a Friend of mine M. Charles Morton who riding in the night along the High Way at Menegizy Cliffs in Cornwall which was fallen down into the Sea at a vast depth might have perish'd inevitably had not a man suddenly stept out of his door at his passing by and prevented the mischief More admirable the safe fall of a Butcher upon his Sheep from the Cliff at Dover Castle as the Inhabitants report How did an impulse upon Mr. Dods Spirit to visit a Friend two miles off in the night prevent the Self-murder of that person by a Halter who was esteemed truly gracious but overwhelmed by direful tentations How did an unexpected Fog prevent a second Battel between the English and Dutch in the late Wars And the like happened in the days of King Edward the Confessor upon the Navies addressing to fight How admirably have many persons been cured preserved delivered by sudden accidents Memorable is that story in Tilingius of one who being cured of a Dropsie by the poison of a Toad designed for his destruction became the Publisher of that Specifick Some by Falls into Rivers have been cured of Madness others by sudden frights restored to the use of their Limbs and others by Shipwreck have escaped Piracy And which is distinct as to relief unexpected in deep poverty that of Accesilaus is remarkable who caused a Bag of Money to be conveyed under the pillow of a sick Friend modestly hiding his poverty that he might find it rather then receive it And others that have let fall Money into the laps of persons from a window as if it fell from Heaven As to preventing Mercy in reference to prayer â— 65.24 Sometime before we call God is pleased to answer When the Heart is but a tuning he discovers the Lesson and turns it into a Song of praise Ps 32.5 When David was under resolutions of Confession God actually forgave the iniquity of his sin Gen. 24.15 45. Before Eliezer had done speaking in the case of Isaac out comes Rebecca with the answer of prayer When Hezekiah was praying and weeping 2 Kings 20.5 Turn again says the Lord to Isaiah and tell the Captain of my people I will heal thee And Gabriel told beloved Daniel Dan. 9.20 21 23. that at the beginning of his Supplication he was commanded to fly more swiftly down to Daniel then his prayer could fly up to Heaven So ready is our gracious Father to smell a savour of rest when the Incense of prayer is but newly kindled CHAP. III. The Numerousness of Preventing Mercies THE glittering Stars of Heaven the drops of the briny Ocean and the Sands upon the winding Shores the Dusts of the Earth and the Atoms that swim in the Sun-beams are not so numerous as these excellent Mercies Archimedes could write a Treatise
not entangle us or Captious or Suspicious tempers do not wrest us to displease or distrust our ancient Friends or raise new Enemies When we sleep that the House do not entomb us by stormy blasts or secret failing in the Timber That fire by careless servants or other latent causes does not burn us to ashes as the Merchant in Lothbury That Armies of Weasels Rats or Mice Munster Cosmog p. 606. do not feast upon us and knaw out our bowels as they did to Hatto that wicked Bishop of Mentz That we are not scared by Visions and terrified by Dreams Job 7.14 and Satans Chain let out upon us It was the case of Job a better person then any of us That sudden Noise and Alarms of the night do not fright us to awakening so hurtful to the Animal spirits That we can sleep quietly Ps 122.2 that he gives his beloved rest That some greater persons are awakened by Musick and meaner by the sonnets of Birds near their houses could we but praise him with joyful lips when we comfortably behold the morning light Of the innumerable evils these are some few touches and the innumerable mercies that instead thereof we enjoy O that man would learn to praise him for his wonderful works to the children of men Ps 107.8 Let 's treat a little of the second he prevention of evils by afflictions both the evil of sin and danger As to sin we ought to present God as a Father in afflictions Prov. 29.16 An uncorrected child brings his parents to shame We should shame Religion and our holy Profession if God did not often hedge up our ways with thorns that we may search out the paths of holiness Hos 2.6 It 's a sweet argument of Divine Love We weed the Gardens wherein we delight to walk file off the rust of useful Instruments and refine the rugged Oar by the fire and purge our own bodies from that feculency in the bowels that might produce obstructions We lose nothing but dross and corruption in the fire Our Spiritual Physician lets out nothing but impure bloud by his Phlebotomy Nay sometimes God prevents sin by sin preserves from fouler sins by lesser falls and it proves very profitable to some proud and presumptuous spirits to stumble into sin thereby receiving a check to their haughty stomachful and censorious tempers Such trials and afflictions imbitter sinful courses We are dangerously addicted to present enjoyments and to put confidence in the arm of flesh and value the vanities of this Life Sanctified afflictions drive us from the World to God teach us to live by Faith warm the Spirit in prayer and whets prayer into crying as it did to Moses We usually send up faint prayers in times of prosperity when Halcyon calms are upon our Tabernacles In stormy times we fly toour Rock and mourn like holy doves in the clefts of the Mountains we are more mortified to the World weaned from troublesom and peevish Relations relish spiritual motions and have a sweet savour of the Promises upon the Souls palat are fortified against Death and prepared for the Kingdom We learn to bless God for crosses who makes the worst of a Christian to work together for the best of a Kingdom We learn to make peace not so much with the Instruments as God the principal cause For affliction cometh not out of the dust but drops down from Heaven and therefore piously turn the eye and the heart to him that smiteth Not to fight with the Rod or bite at the Stone as carnal persons but to be very humble and seriously penitent like Hezekiah who chattered like a Crane under his sorrows but went softly as in Sackcloth and Ashes all his days and like David not onely pray for present pardon Ps 51.10 but for a free spirit to walk holily in time to come No false heart can truly desire preventing grace as the sweet Singer of Israel after cleansing and purging mercy begs establishing grace That repentance in sickness is always sincere which hungers after grace more truly then it hankers after recovery knowing that the end of the Rods discipline is then accomplished Lastly as to danger both temporal and eternal What 's the Life of Man but a Sea of dangers what 's the Mercy of God but the haven of deliverance Every affliction should be a Memorial of the day of Judgment and teach men to call their ways to account and esteem all to be mercy so he save us at last Many by sin bring the affliction in kind shorten their own days cut off the thread with their own Knives and put out the candle of Life with their own Extinguishers God sanctifies the approches of such bitter dangers to a sight of corruption and to saving repentance before the dying hour to such as are elect according to the purpose of grace Good men may be judged of the Lord may drink of bitter cups 1 Cor. 11.32 as the Corinthians were sick and weak and slept for unworthy receiving that they might not be condemned and perish with the world We must learn to justifie God yea to praise him here for afflictions for which hereafter we shall fully glorifie him Our troublesom pilgrimage must be sweetned with songs of praises to him who crowns our prickles with roses Ps 65.11 and plants our low Vallies with fragrant mirtles and at length will beautifie our musing temples with Diadems of joy and glory Ps 25 10. For all his ways are like a Fathers full of mercy and truth to such as keep his Commandments and Testimonies To conclude Such is the divine grace that the bitterest potions of this life are given to prevent the deadly draught of nhe Stygian Lake of Hell Nay in this day how many of the Saints afflictions have been rises and preparatives for greater mercys Patient Joseph first dragged his irons in prison before he was drawn in Pharao's second Chariot and adorned with chains of Gold The strongest stormes often precede the most sunshine calms and when winds blow highest they scatter the thick Clouds with greater vehemency The darkest calamity of the Church ushers in the most glorious times It was so in Egypt Babylon and Shushan and after the Decumanus fluctus the tenth persecution rose up famous Constantine and so it shall be again The last stroke of Papal sury in the state of the Witnesses burial shall open a door for their rising and ascent to a Heaven of Church Ordinances and outward Grandeur never to be conquered or oppressed more Out of her Cinamon ashes shall arise a new and most Illustrious Phoenix to fly with delicious Songs through the whole World CHAP. IV. The excellency and pleasantness of preventing mercys THe Rainbow of the Heavens knows not more rare and delightful colours then the rainbow of the Covenant under which our Saviour hath placed his Throne The beauty of a picture shines in variety Rev. 4.3 which sets such a
delicious and pleasant lustre upon prospects and Land-shapes where Hills and Dales Woods and Plains Rivers and Seas Castles and Cities and the carcases of ancient ruines and hanging Rocks are curiously drawn by the Pencil of nature Nay the sweet singer of Israel depaints the Churches garments Ex opere Phrygionico Ps 45.14 like Joseph's Coat with changeable Silks and the * Ps 68.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa 54.12 greens of gold compared with the flowing colours that wave in the necks of Doves The Evangelical Prophet and the bosome Disciple build up the Towers of Zim the streets and walls of the new Jerusalem with Saphires Carbuncles Agats and pleasant stones lay the pavement of that glorious City with malleable transparent Gold There is nothng renders our preventing mercys so illustrious and glittering in glory as their wonderful changes and successive varieties in all ages and times of life When we first hung on the breasts of our Mothers we suckt in the sweet nectar of preventing mercy we drew our milk out of the milky way in Heaven Yea as prudent Physicians cure an infant by a potion to the nurse thus hath our gracious God by hidden means transmitted frequent cures to hidden maladies How hath our youth flowed with fragrant mercies and riper years smelt deliciously like a Garden of Pomgranates Cant. 4.13 How hath the goodness of God crowned gray hairs with a wreath of holiness honour and happiness How have the loving Angels carried some triumphant to Heaven who feared their setting in a dark cloud of horrour and despair Let 's take some turnes in this Garden of Eden and eye the curious walk of secret sudden and various mercies 1. Secret mercies whereof some are never fully known in this life like mazes and labyrinths and close arbours which the vultures eye could never discern strange and unforeseen deliverances whereof ensuing providences have made beautiful discoveries as Saul and his men went on one side of the Mountain when David escaped on the other in the Wilderness of Maon Some have been preserved by a Cobweb others by a Hen laying of eggs others by shoals of fishe in time of great persecution When afflictions themselves have been Seminaries of mercy and the dark and stormy showers of April have rained down flowers of savour end plentiful crops of summer deliverances 2. Sudden mercies in plunges of distress When the Church hath dream't of nothing but drinking the Wine of astonishment yet awakned at the brink of streams in the South How have the Saints been supported Ps 126.4 sustained enlightned How have doors opened on a sudden and Iron shackles been struck of by Angels and Jaylors bathed with their tears the prints of their own stripes How have the oars struck light in a dark tempest and the Ships we sail in ploughed up sparkles from the briny billows of the Ocean in a stormy night there being a native fire in salt from which the rapid motion hath extracted light Affliction it self hath taught a way to the haven of deliverance Nay usually when we begin to be willing and humble and patient to set down by the affliction and to consider Gods gracious dealings in the depths of correction to erect us into some thankful cheerful and admiring thoughts that it is not worse that thousands drink of more bitter cups and all out of hell is stupendious mercy Many times the wind of Divine favour blows from a fresh corner and our feet are set upon the rock that is higher then us 3. New and various mercies God seldom delivers in the same methods There was never the same face of Heaven from the Creation to this day The aspects clouds and weather do always vary as the shells on the Sea-shore and the pebble-stones none exactly alike No veins on the handback no lines in the palm no features in the millions of faces no voices from the windpipe no gate in the postures of walking but if curiously observed do differ to admiration No temptations no graces no afflictions and no deliverances are fully conformed to an union We have new songs for every moment had we hearts to tune them When Gods wisdom takes one mercy away his beneficent bounty sends another When some setting Stars dip their flaming rays in the Western Ocean new ones glitter in the East Never did the same water bubble from the same fountain but as God is the inhexhaustible spring of new and amiable Mercies So we find he adorns the Out-rooms of the World and the Chambers of the Tabernacle of his Church with the Diaper and Tapestry-hangings of the curious Needlework of his Providence Such Wisdom dwells with Prudenee Pro. 8.12 and finds out the Knowledge of witty Inventions All the curiosities of Art and the cunning devices of Artificers are from God the swarthy Plow-man derives his seasons and management of his Lands Is 28.26 Tillage and Culture from Heaven The Women that sit at the Wheel Exod. 35.25 26. turn it about by the direction of God for the Ornaments of the Tabernacle The Weaver the Embroyderer and the ingenious Lapidary learnt all in the School which is above the Stars Exod. 35.35 the most admirable of all Inventions have dropt into the Fancy from the Celestial Intelligence For what the vain unthankful world calls casualty is a graft upon the minds of Men cut from the Trees of Paradise Accident is the Mother of far more excellent Inventions than Industry Glass was found out by the Tyrian Merchants Polyd. Vâ—r. gil l. 2. c. 22. when boyling or broyling their Meat upon lumps of Nitre on the Sands of the River Belus * Munstâ—r Cosmogr l. 1. c. 173 174. Gun-powder was found out by a Monk A. 1354. and Printing by a Souldier A. 1440. and the Minerall Spaw at Tunbridge by a Page The purple colour by Hercules his Dog as 't is storied in Pollux l. 1. c. 4. and thousands of the like which were pleasant to recite did they not over-swell the proper place And shall we not think that infinite wisdom cannot always present new and ravishing wonders of Mercies upon the Stage Tullies Offices first printed A. 1466. Salmuth in Pancirol p. 244 246. from him who is unconceiveable in counsel and as admirable in working When we study in this Library we still find new Lines and new Editions we sail upon new Coasts and see new Stars as in the Southern Hemisphere and enjoy a new set of Creatures and smell at many Leagues distant fragrant odoriferous Sents as of Cinamon from the Mountains of Ceylon in India of Rosemary from Spain Cedar from Lebanon that perfume the very thoughts af a Saint and the further we travel the more delicious are the surging Tops of the Hills of Canaan and the more we taste the more surprising sweetness astonishes our Palates like the Queenpine in Barbadoes that supplies and transcends expectation with new and rasive savours and tunes our
vocal Instruments for new Songs to bear a part with the Harmony of Angels for ever CHAP. V. Of the Instruments used for conveyance of these Mercies WHatever Hand presents our Mercies or whosoever's Heart was inclin'd to hand them all flowes from the grand Original Every Mercy is the Fruit of the Thoughts of God When David was poor and needy Ps 40.17 Gods thinking upon him enrich'd his Spirit But Instruments must have their due place in our respect and reverence since God honours them They were Golden Pipes that convey'd Golden Oyl in Zechaery Zech. 4.12 Heavens Ambassadors deserve Angelical Salutations remembring what 's due to Servants without prejudice to Divine Glory who bends and inflects the hearts of of men to shew that Benevolence which passes through them as a River between its Banks but springs from the infinite Fountain of Divine Mercy Few or no Enjoyments but have their enamelled means and methods of Providence and when its Beryl Wheels move towards us full of Eyes and Glory Ezek. 10.13 we may cry out with admiration of God O Wheel Our Health Beauty Feature Strength good Name Estate Utterance or any other Endowment of Soul or Body are the Product of Divine Love though second Causes may intervene for those very causes have their Creation Motion and Direction and Success from God Children are the Heritage of the Lord Ps 127.3 and yet the fruit of the Womb by his Reward Prov. 18.22 He that findeth a Vertuous Wife as if by casualty obtaineth favour of the Lord by the Designation of Heaven Whoever wishes he receives those wishes dropt into his Heart from higher influence Gen. 24.31 And faithful Eliezer must be called the Blessed of the Lord when he knocks at the Door and brings the Tidings The Presents which David sent from the Spoils of Amalek to his Friends though taken from his Enemies 1 Sam. 30.25 yet were given of the Lord. Senders and Messengers may vary but all comes from Heaven God is pleased sometimes to send an Olive-Branch by the Hand of a Dove to Noah Food by the Mouth of a Raven to Elijah at Cherich and sometimes by a Jay to others sometimes a Star passes before the Zabii the Wisemen of the East and enlightens them to Bethlchem and otherwhile an Angel is employed to the Prophet at Rithmah and many times the Methods of great Mercies are deep and intricate and we can never dive to the bottom of Wisdoms Ocean The stately River Nile rises from a latent head and the foundations of Famous Cities are under ground The Great and Holy God sometimes stirs up the Hearts of Relations most times Strangers and now and then even Enemies themselves are turned to help and favour his People Ps 106.46 Rare is that story of a good Woman at Sandwich imprisoned by the Major for a Religious Meeting and being askt by him how she would do in Prison being poor She reply'd I serve such a Master that rather than I shall starve I shall be fed from your Table The Magistrates Wife overhearing her confidence in God sent every day constantly from the Majors house a portion of Meat for about three Weeks being the time of her Restraint So that whatever are the Motives in the Hearts of inferiour Agents still the Supreme and Heavenly Cause is to be eyed with Adoration and Worship Many may unwillingly profit us we then owe not the benefit to them but the great Incliner the Soveraign Mover of Hearts Let us not trouble our Spirits about that question Quo animo with what design their Favours are calculated to our use Ignoble Spirits may perform some noble Actions upon a superstitious or vainglorious aim as to merit Heaven to gain applause to restrain the barkings of Conscience to stop the Mouth of Reprovers and to oblige men to their humours or some base intrigue or other Of all persons Ministers should be most sagacious and the Seers of the Temple must be blind in such Emergencies When sordid tempers exact difficult Secrecies for a little pelf while themselves spend ten times more on a base lust like those that fat their Horses for a riding or their Slaves at Algier for to sell in the Market at a higher Price Homines vaenalis animae that buy and sell their souls for advantage and are meer Merchants of all the Benefits they exert to others Some Mens Favours are like Chrystal Glasses of a curious frailty every Spider of suspicion cracks them He that ponders too much upon the Publican return of his benefits gratifies the trade of gain and covetousness not his Conscience to God or the genuine good of others There be many that take a pride to be counted liberal when they let fall a few drops of charity upon famished poverty and love that the Sun should shine upon their forward bounty and make their Cock crow at the scratching out a few Corns from their lofty Dunghills that can empty their laden Stomachs into China Dishes and hang Jewels and Pearls the price of whole Cities upon their Ears and vest themselves with the Tribute of large Territories and make as great a noise in scattering their Offals among the Poor as when the Russian Emperor blows his Trumpet after Dinner and all the World must know when they give that which their high-fed Lap-curs many times refuse They 'le wear Silk Garments like the Roman Matrons of such a fine Web that neither their Bodies are defended from weather nor their Chastity from observation but think much of a few Rags to cover a poor Lazarus at the Door God gives them Hundreds by the Year and they carry single Pence in their Pockets or brass Farthings to buy off the Clamours of Conscience But yet such as are inward Enemies to true Evangelical Charity shall be Instruments sore against their will to preserve the Soul of the Needy from death and ruine Wicked and debauched Persons Prov. 13.22 shall in the issue lay up Treasures for the Righteous But when Instruments act generously like wise Stewards of the manifold Talents of Gods Mercies they are to be highly esteemed like the Gold Ring that encompasses an Orient and Sparkling Diamond They are to be nourished and cherished like the Doves of Aleppo to whose Feet the Missives and Letters of Merchants are tyed for speedy conveyance Embassadors are Sacred Persons and are to be sacredly handled The very Feet of them that bring glad tidings of Peace and Mercy are to be washt and anointed with Oyl and counted beautiful There 's a Glory shines upon the Sandals of them who come down from Heaven and we ought to crows the Footsteps of the Messengers of Heavenly Favours with Branches of Olives and the persons sent back to Heaven with grateful Acclamations to the Harps of Joy to hold in consort with the Host of Angels praising the Divine Beneficence CHAP. VI. The Beneficial Improvement of sudden and unexpected Mercies WOnderful Mercies speak
Virgins chearful and smiling upon each other to teach that kindnesses must flow without fraud with a candid Rom. 12.8 simple and delightful spirit Yea Holy Page recommends it when done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with singleness of heart with a generous frame casting no squint-eye or nourishing any base aim either to elevate the crest of pride or debase others into servile offices And this deportment ingenerâ—tes a sweet temper in the Hearts of Receivers Love is the Cement of the Universe and humanity is twisted into unity by kindness and concord Vertuous Heathens numbred the graces among their Deities noting it for a Species of Sacrilege not to return Favours with an aimiable Gratitude The Dispenser of Love should have a slippery memory but the Recipient should engrave it on Pillars of Marble and Pyramids of Brass The Giver should shut his Eyes when he opens his Hand Dissimulation without blame to chear an unknown person or to hide his knowledge Prov. 19.17 such a one lends to the Lord and makes Heaven his Debtor and surely there is Treasure enough to requite him while he that accepts gratefully makes God his Pay-master by Prayer If by giving we expect returns we fit like Publicans at the Receipt of Custom and give to our selves what we pay to others Self-love is never truly magnificent To pour out benefits upon persons unknown or unable to return shews delight in bounty and the pleasure of Love to see such walk at liberty whose Iron bands we have unloosed incognito A liberal man deviseth liberal things like a Prince Is 32.8 and seeks out Objects to exercise friendship that so great a Grace may never lye idle A brave Spirit judges he receives the kindness which he bestows as M. Antony said Whatever I give that I have The Europaeans purchase whole Territories with a few Beads Knives and Hammers of the naked Indians much more happy who gain an Eternal Inheritance by a few Penies Such a one bestows himself whose Coyn comes warm from the Mint of his Heart and shall be melted into a Crown of Life He that seeks a debtor does but drive a Trade hearkens to the promise because of payment He gives proudly and worships his own ambition and sacrifices to the Drag of Covetousness He deals a Loaf but full of Grits to break the teeth and a Scorpion instead of Fish to sting the Stomach Be kind to such as are hoising sail to the Indies and send precious Cordials to such as swelter under incurable maladies or those that hold out their needy hands in a dusky even Scatter your morsels to them that come from far in a Pilgrims Habit and a transient Staff Heb. 13.2 and so entertain Angels at unawares 'T is the ready way to find Treasure Trove to enjoy plentiful Crops rain'd down from Heaven and Ships blest into the Ports from Storms and Pyrats Others spend their unsanctified returns in vanities while the bowels of Saints almost cleave to their Backs and the next year their credit sinks at Land and their ships at Sea or find the way to the French Harbors while others sail in safe by the breath of Prayer We may stand in need of the meanest before the Sun shines again from the Northern Tropick and those that scrape in dunghills and rake for Nails in Chapels may ride in pomp upon Velvet Sadles before twelve Moons be wained The Old Man of Winchester found it by experience being cast into the depth of poverty by one whom he had opprest in youth Haman may climb the Tree of Justice though planted for Mordecay and blind Sampson may see well enough to pull down a Play-house upon 2000 Philistins Who knows what evil may thunder upon the Earth and where the Bolt may hit A scoffing Noble was trod to death in the Gate of Samaria 2 K. 7.29 who had mock'd a Prophet and jeered at the Windows of Heaven but a day before Cast your Bread upon the sliding waters Eccl. 11.1 which though swallowed in the Sea return through the Caverns of the Earth into the same River after many days A prudent man foresees the evil and flies into the Temple of Charity and there meditates upon both fortunes He reaps at present the plentiful crops of Peace in the Champain of a good Conscience and makes a continual Feast to himself upon the dones let fall to others He that gives to Princes and rich Equalls Prov. 22.16 may come to poverty by out-vying Such as expect returns are like Merchants in the Port Physicians in Cities and Victuallers is in Camps and such as sun their Fancies in the Usurers Walks They are Traffickers and not Benefactors and are often out-witted by Expert Sophisters who are wonderful officious in hopes of gain Like Crows that fit kawing upon an old stump watch dying Cattel with much ceremony and with fawning flatteries hop about them till they pick out their Eyes But whatever be the frame of the Givers Spirit the Receiver must not pry too narrowly into the Patrons Conscience but make his kindness the seed-plot of renown Happy are those Noble Souls who so give as to stir up a sweet memorial before God and man The amiable frame of the Giver out shines the Gift it self and cherishes Gratitude in the leanest Soil Praise is comely for Saints Ps 33.1 2 Sam. 24.23 Mat. 5.45 especially when men with Ornan give like Princes when Jebusites act like Israelites or like God himself whose Sun warms the House of the Evil and his Rain pours down upon the Field of the Wicked It becomes us to let God hear from us when we hear from him and all his Mercies to turn into Sacrifices A thankful Spirit is like a Musical Echo in the Star-chamber of Heaven Man must not only be a Concha but a Canalis Bernard not a Shell to retain but a Chanel to derive mercies Like marble Basons at Fountains when full run over to others and water the parched Plains Our Corn-fields must grow for the Poor and the Levite Deut. 12.18 19.14.27 29.16.11 14. as well as to swell our barns and cram our Garners that others hearts and faces may shine with the Oil of Joy and Thankfulness both to God and us That like the cheared Lark when enlivened by morning warmth mounts up with singing out of our sight towards the Suns Chariot and thanks him with a Sonnet and makes him rejoyce to run his Race We should learn his Lesson and praise the Fountain of Israels mercies at the dawning day Scruple not to leave the Rosy-finger'd Morn abed in Tithonus Arms. Leave the Sun a Sluggard sweating in the watry Embraces of the Eastern Ocean We need not the glittering Lamp of Venus to find out the Palace or knock at the Gate of Heaven The blessing of former the sense of present and the hope of future Mercies should all inflame us Our Souls from experienced observations of former Mercies like expert Astronomers
should predict benign Configurations before the distilling Influences and praise him at the dawning and day-break of Mercy Nay our lives should be a whole Tenor of praises since we are hemm'd in and compast with kindness We are laden with benefits Angels encampabout us in Chariots of fire to protect both us and the mercies given We should raise up a Temple of praise with walls ringing Marble Every breath we draw in should go forth warn with Anthems The blouds Circulation should run round in Songs like the Hydraulick Instruments of Water Musick and every Pulse should beat upon the Strings of David's Harp The wholesome Herbs should cure our Murmurs Ps 148.2 c. and all the Creatures of Air Land and Water should by our hands pay tribute of praise to God The pleasant Rivers should convey our Songs to Paradise and in the fragrant Flowers smell the goodness of God The showers that cool the Somers heat should inflame our Love and make our Palm-trees flourish with fat Dates in the Courts of God Ps 92.12 In Medicinal Baths and Springs we should hang up our Testimonical Crutches and write a votive Table The precious Metals whose marks above ground betoken the enamelling of natures Bowels the divining Rod and skill to dig them and melt their Oars into plate should all be formed into Golden Flagons to be consecrated and hung up in Zions Sanctuary When the May-Quiristers sing with a Thorn at their Breasts by night to allure us from the Thorns in ours and delight us when we cannot sleep or awake us like Princes with the Musick of their Spring Lyries we should answer their praises of our Holy Mutual Maker like the Musician in Strada with sweeter Elegance and cause the Nightingale to fly to us and pant upon the strings of our Lutes in transcending praises and confess themselves conquered and at the ceasing of our warbling melody dye in consort We dwell in this World as in a sumptuous Palace arch'd over with spangling Stars and transparent Saphirs which fears neither fire nor falling Should not we set up Jacob's Pillar or Solomon's Jachin and Boaz in the porch Yea let every House be a little model of the Universe anoint pillars in memory of protecting and providing Mercies and consecrate them daily unto God Set up Monuments in each Vally of Bacah and pen Psalms for the Birth of every favour and our Right Hands never forget their cunning He crowns the year with his goodness let 's compass his Altar with Songs Let annual Mercies dictate perennial Melody and perpetuate his Bounty by graving every Iota and Tittle of Mercy on the Empiraean tables of our hearts Let 's remember God the Glorious Original of all Enjoyments and the Gifts of each Beneficent Hand let 's pourtray upon both our palms to be lifted up to Heaven at morning and evening Sacrifice and call upon all Creatures in order from the Heavens to the meanest Atom in an Universal Diapason of Praise and Triumph in God CHAP. VIII The Exaltation of the Divine Name for his Munificence and in particular for Secret Mercies in the structure of Man and his Preservation DID the Ancient Heathens erect their Hermaea or Statutes of Stone to the honour of Mercury in Memorial of some casual and contingent happiness Suidas and shall not we anoint Jacob's Pillar with fresh Oil to the true â—nd living God with whom all contingencies are determinations of Mercy Gracious Souls delight in his precepts because wonderful Ps 129.129 and admire the Ocean of his benefits because unfathomable Reverence to his Majesty is the Mother both of Obedience and Gratitude We cheerfully obey him because we love him and he loves is the more because we obey him His love is the free Spring and the munificent Reward of all sincere services He excites and enables us to Holiness and then crowns us A genuine Child takes pleasure in conformity to the Fathers Will and this Heavenly Father makes them conformable to his Sons Image He plants the Spices of Lebanon in our Hearts then breaths by his Spirit Son 4.16 walks in his Garden and eats his pleasant Fruits A rare Master that strengthens his Servants to work in his Vineyard and then leads them into his Joy Mat. 5.21 There 's no mercy but he helps us to improve as a clue to Heaven No duty but he forms into a Ladder to Glory Whether we eat or drink or whatever we do 1 Cor. 10.31 let 's do all to the Glory of God and Christ who died for us 1 Thes 5.10 that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with him Let 's sleep to refresh our Spirits for service and when we awake let 's be still with him Ps 139.8 He holdeth our eyes waking to ponder on his Mercies and watcheth our eyes while sleeping to serve him with more alacrity We cannot sufficiently prize that secret Mercy that lodges with us every night within our Curtains Sleep How many fiery Feavers doth cool sleep extinguish From how many deaths does that brother and Image of death deliver us Those silver slumbers are golden mercies How great a favour that temperate repast should send up cooling vapours to the brain to tye up our Senses while we repose our limbs from labour Nor let us pass the lovely Fields in Harvest without remark when wise Nature hath crowned the Wheaten Ridges with numerous heads of Poppies to minister both Food and Physick Wedelius de Plani p. 17. Hook Microgr p. 155. And whereas one ingenious Physician hath observed That the the Salt of humane Skull so another curious Searcher hath delivered That the Seed of Poppy which causes sleep is also of an Hexagon or six-corner'd Figure and it may be its Salt may be yet more curious As if the Atoms of the Fumes of Poppy were fitted and cized to the Texture and Cells of Mans Noble Capitol Should we give a glance at the Eye when waking as well as sleeping greater wonders would appear in opening its Humours Coats Nerves Seeing and Muscles And yet further contemplate the goodness of God in these later days in blessing the world with those perspicacious inventions of convex Glasses to help and delight our sight by Spectacles Telescopes Microscopes and Chamber-Landscapes Such exquisite Glasses have so been formed polish'd as some have conceived they have had a prospect beyond the Stars into the glitterings of the Empiraean Heavens to their ravishment and amazement and have been carried as it were into the Seat of the Blessed Nor less marvellous is the contrivance of the great Architect of Nature as to the Sense of hearing Hearing With what Artifice are these gristly Portals of the Ears set before and round about the inward cavity both for beauty and benefit that great sounds may not enter with violence and be defensitives against immoderate heat and cold And that musical Tunes by the fallacy of its circuit may
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
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
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
and a Worm sent to gnaw at the Root of their Substance Many blustering Storms split carnal hopes that in broken planks of mercy they may recover the port of happiness The Paths of Mercy are wonderfully intricate that we may study and learn to discry the windings of Providence God led his people by a right or straight way says David but in a very crooked and winding way according to the Stations set down by Moses Ps 107.7 The cloudy Pillar gave them many a weary turn to chastize their crooked hearts Their Journey took them up 40 years which might have been performed in passing over but 92 Miles from the Border of Egypt to the Southern City of Canaan For Pelusium or Sin in the Land of Sinim the last City of Aegypt was distant but 92 Miles from Rhinocurura or Nahalmizraim Is 27.12 the first City of Canaan on the brook in the South of Simeons Tribe called the River of Aegypt in Scripture as appears by the Itinerary of Antonine the Emperour which at 10 Miles a day considering so vast a multitude makes but 9 days journey to arrive at the Land of Promise Yet in what vast wandrings to and fro in that howling Wilderness did they rowl about Four several times they were commanded to turn about First Exod. 14.2 Numb 33.7 Numb 14.25 Deut. 1.40 Deut. 2.3 Numb 14.34 from Etham to Pihahiroth Secondly from Mount Horeb to the Mount of the Amorites Thirdly from Zinkadesh by the Amorite Mountains quite back again to the Red Sea And Fourthly from the Red Sea northward again besides other Special Turns according to the various Stations in the Wilderness to bear their Iniquities and know Gods Breach of Promise which though failing to them that believed not and so first brake with him yet was fulfilled to a tittle with their Children whom the murmuring Fathers had consigned to be a prey in the Desert The posterity of those Repiners were taught better manners by the Briars and Thorns of Sinai We never carve well for our selves when we snuff at the portion cut out to us by the Hand of God The way to our old Lovers is hedg'd up with merciful thorns to turn us into the right way to the new Jerusalem Austin Confes l. 9. c. 9. Austin says of his Mother Monica She had learn'd the Lesson of a Vertuous Wife not to resist her offended Husband Non tantùm factor sed nè verbo quidem Not by an unseemly word much less in carriages How much more obsequious behaviour owe we to the Father of our Spirits that we may live in his love and to that Heavenly Husband of all gracious and meek Souls to gain his delight in our persons by resembling himself Then out of seeming discouragements we may draw real and experienced comforts Is 12.3 and out of the deep Wells of trouble the Waters of Salvation and Joy As the Woman of Canaan by our Lords calling her a Dog to try her Faith proved her self to be one of the lost Sheep of the true Israel which he came down to find We must behave and quiet our selves like weaned Children under all Ps 131.2 the tossings and tumblings of their Mothers Holy contentation and lowliness of Spirit must hush all the proud whimperings of our minds in the hour of Trial till we become like little Children if we would enter the Kingdom of Heaven Jacob served for a Wife Hos 12.12 and for a Wife kept Sheep in Aram says the Prophet though by an unkind brother was frighted thither and by an hard Uncle was hurried back by untoward Children forced from Shechem and by a threatning famine compelled into Aegypt and all to this end that God might nourish the People of Shem in the Land of Ham to prepare them for the Milk and Honey of the Land of Canaan at that time the possession of Ham's Posterity God glorifies many an Attribute in one single Mercy and teaches us to pry into every one and to gaze upon the Lustre and Tapestry-work of all his Mercies Though God is never the holier or wiser more powerful or just by our glorifying his Name Joh 25.6 yet 't is our duty and his tribute our homage and his condescending savour to accept it The 3 glorious persons did glorifie each other before all worlds and do still The Son was always rejoycing before the Father Prov. 8.30 The Son prays Father glorifie thy Name and a Voice from Heaven answers Joh. 12.28 I have both glorified it and Will glorifie it again And the Son prays Joh. 17.5 That the Father would glorifie him with that Glory which he had with him before the World was And speaking of the Holy Spirit he saith He shall glorifie me Joh. 16.14 yet he is pleased to set forth his Name that we should ascribe the Honour due to it Ps 29.2 Ps 50.23 He that offers praise glorifies him To this end ought we to observe what wisdom shines in contrivement what power in management against all opposition and what mercy in finishing and landing such a Favour in our Bosoms So that when we little dream such an Affair can come to pass it suddenly surprizes us with admiration and astonishment by unspeakable Mazes and winding Labyrinths without our trouble that as we now stand still and see his Salvation so we may all our lives sit still and solace our Spirits with the curious Embroidery of Divine Providence We may say as Naomy to Ruth about Boaz Ruth 3.18 Sit still for the man will not be at rest till he finish the thing this day Resignation of our concerns to the Wisdom of God should cure all anxious and querulous thoughts about Events and Issues If God design such a Mercy all the Powers on Earth cannot hinder it and if it be against his secret Will all the Princes on Earth cannot further it Yea if never so near to attainment yet a trifling surmise shall blast it Follow the conduct of Providence by the Lamp of the Word and this Ariadnes's Thread will lead through all secret and dark turnings into the pleasant Fields of Enjoyment This consideration as it should stay our Spirits in reference to all outward Mercies so more especially as to eternal Where Election hath pitch'd an eye of Love the Hand of Mercy will certainly guide to Heaven If an elect Vessel could be imagined to be in the centre of the Earth the very Bowels of the Earth should open and a Golden Chain of Mercy be let down to draw up that Soul into the Centre of Heaven I knew a Holy man Mr. Christopher Hewling who living in a profane Village in the Forest of Dean had a Godly Minister sent thither on purpose to convert him as that Reverend person profest himself For he was there but a little time I think about a year and as soon as my Friend was converted the profane people rose up against his Ministry and chased him
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
of Hony though little Water The French though Papists exprest their affections with briny Tears and beating their famish'd Trunks with loud cries Mon Dicu mon Dicu My God My God Cleanness of Teeth sharpned their Appetites to the Bread of Life At length they kept a Solemn day of Prayer when every day was a continual Fast Duty ended a Lad from the Topmast-head descried a Vessel and Heaven sent a benign Gale which soon brought them together She proved a Bermudas Merchant to their excessive joy which took in Mr. Leverton with his English supplyed the Rochellers wants and so they parted Upon conference the chief Person in the Ship being the Governour of Bermudas tells Mr. Leverton that that their Ship came newly from England and at her arrival fell in between two Rocks To get her off they took out their Guns and heavy Wares The next Tide rises with a violent Storm while most of the Seamen were ashore and hurries them among the liquid Flouds where the French found them on purpose to bring deliverance at the end of prayer After that a fair Gale conducts them safely to Bermudas where they who had embraced the Throne of Grace in their absence with Holy Hands now embrace their Friends with happy Arms and entertain them joyfully who had been both carried out and brought in by Prayer Here we have a French Calm at Sea awakened into a Breeze for a Haven Enjoyment and an English Calm in Haven rouzed into a Storm for Sea-adventures and both excited by Prayer The French have a storm within the Ship though a calm without and the English have a storm without to bring to the former a calm within O the vehement power of Prayer that raises storms quells the boysterous Waves at pleasure Here 's a Ship full of Provision hurried out to the Main to fetch famish'd Orators to the Harbour of Plenty What manner of Man is this Mark 4.41 said the Disciples of our Lord that the Winds and the Sea obey him O invincible Faith O Soveraign and Imperial Prayer that commandest both Calms and Storms Master carest thou not that we perish Mark 4.38 cries Prayer Christ delights to be awakened by his Holy Spouse and lays Storms asleep Christ always sails in the Ship of Prayer and though this Pilot be asleep yet he steers safely he sees the hidden Rocks and secret Shelves and needs no Star nor Compass He knows the Mystery of Longitude and wants no Tables of the four Planets attending Jupiter or the Spots of the Moon or Minute Watches to give the Distance of the first Meridian But who can measure the Length of his Love to the Church Eph. 3.18 or fathom the Depths of his Wisdom in manifestations of his Love He fins the Sails of the Churches Ship with prosperous Gales to bring her into safe Chambers He turns Calms into Storms to obey his Churches cries Ps 107.29 and raises the Waves of the Sea to invert the Psalmist that Saints are glad because of a Storm to bring them to a calm Haven O happy Storms that drive the Saylant Church to Heaven O happy Heaven that enjoys a perpetual an everlasting Calm CHAP. XII The Centemplation Mount or the Permanent Mercies of Heaven MOSES and XERXES took a view of their puissant Armies the first from a Mountain in the Plains of Moab Deut. 3.25 the other in the Plains of Abydus One rejoyced to see the Land of Canaan and the goodly Range of Lebanon extending 40 Miles in length which Israel was now ready to possess The other wept that his burthensom bulk of Barbarous Nations within a 100 Herod l. 7. p. 401. years would raise so many heaps of Bones or tumuli slightly turft over where on Death might stand and blow his Trumpet of Triumph Saints have but Jordans Valley to pass through into Eternal Joys while others wasting their precious time in vaine designs suddenly slip into eternal wo. Saints militant after many a sharp Combat enter victoriously into Paradise And although some may encounter with Fainting Drooping Qualms yea it may be set in a Cloud yet what an extasie of spirit will surprize them who after many Labyrinths and Mazes of trouble unexpectedly enter the ravishing Glories of Heaven The best may labour under fears and tears but one hour there makes amends for all When these Mists will be scattered in that Radiant Morning and all Tears wash'd away in those Rivers of Pleasure which run through the Streets of New Jerusalem Here the Inhabitants of the Earth build plant travel sail and fight upon an Atom The whole World is but an invisible point to the external Convex of Heaven and all its Inhabitants like the small Dust of the Balance Is 40.15 or a drop perishing from the Bucket nay less than nothing less than vanity The smallest Atom that rejoyces in the Sun Beams at a Chamber Window far transcends the whole Globe of Earth and Water if a Man were imagined to stand in one of the fixed Stars it could not be discern'd by the most curious Glasses nay if one stood in the Sun this circumference of about 21000 Miles could not be discovered For if the Sun be about 167 times bigger than this Earth Gassend è Ptol. in Epicur p. 784. as some Astronomers have determined while others enlarge the Suns Diameter to to much vaster extension and yet appears to us not to exceed 32 Minutes of such a Degree whereof 360 measures the Circumambient Line of the Ecliptick being its Race round about the Heavens Then the Earth must needs shrink into the visibility of a few seconds or less Nay more some have conceived by calculation that the whole Orb of the Earth's supposed motion about the Sun who is very probably the Centre of that Planetary Vortex as the Cartesians call it wherein we subsist is but a point to the Systeme or Sphear of the fixed Stars and that if the Earth all its annexed Beings were utterly annihilated it would not be wanted as being comparatively so insiderable a Particle of the Universe Plutarch de placitis l. 2. c. 13. Heraclides and the Pithagoreans held every Star to be a World What a smoak and smother do miserable Mortals raise about a petty Kingdom when Geometrical proportion may prove a Molehill to be vastly more considerable to the earth than the Earth is to the Empyraean Circumference then may an Ant shine upon a straw a more glorious Emperour than we imagine If then the inferiour Pavement of Heaven if the out Offices of the starry Chambers be so magnificent what 's the Chamber of Presence that are those Supercelestial spaces Mat. 13.43 where the Saints shall shine like so many Suns in the Kingdom of their infinitely Blessed Father Let 's a little contemplate the glorious State of the Saints after the Resurrection as far as we with sobriety and submission in this our Valley-state may inquire into those deep