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
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
its Faeces or Terra damnata having opened it by Chymical Anatomy and other Methods we may infer something though but rudely of its Nature Or when we observe its Power in several Effects and Experiments in cleansing the Blood from Leprosies and Scorbutical Infections or the Head and its Nerves from dizziness swimmings and paralytical or waterish resolutions of the Tone of any its curious Engines by its Volatile Tincture We conclude its powerful vertue in Physick though as to the modus operandi the Methods and Manner of its influence we are still at a loss But alas an Angel hath an other-guess Knowledge by an intuitive speculation into the profundity and depth of its Nature without Argument or Process of Medicinal Trials which Method of ours is but a mean low and crazy inquisition and subject to foul Errors But in that Angelical manner we may deem that the Soul shal arrive to that high dignity of penetrating into its Objects by intuition far beyond what Adam or Noah or Solomon ever attained What pleasant work will the Material Beings which may then survive the fatal Fire administer to the Souls Contemplation in that happy Pitch 2 Pet. 3.12 13. whereby to glorifie and honour the infinite wise Creator of all When as these things which we now handle by sense and the dwindling light of the Soul like a Rush-candle in this Night of ignorance being the Objects of our laborious and erring speculations are but middle beings between thousands transcending these in Magnitude and Glory and such innumerable minute essences vastly beneath us as to our power of inquisition as the others are in sublimity beyond and above us So that it may be questioned whether the Majesty of our infinitely to be adored Maker will in that day shine forth more radiantly in the Heavens and other stupendious portions of his Workmanship for greatness or the unspeakable curiosity of Nature in the lesser Fabricks which sink beneath our observation for excess of littleness which the Acumen of our Eyes are not able to discern Besides these upon what immaterial Objects may we a little imagine shall the Soul then feastits Paradisian Faculties Such as may entertain our thoughts with sacred wonder and sit down in the dust of astonishment that their unconceiveable varieties will fill up the capacity and run beside the august and comprehensive Spirits of the Cherubims and yet the Saints shall have and enjoy some cognizance of these transcendent pleasures For the Soul in Glory shall have a neerer Union to Christ then now nay than Angels themselves Heb. 2.16 For he took not upon him the Nature of Angels Joh. 17.22 And our Blessed Lord prays that the Saints may be one even as the Father and the Son are one They shall constitute one mystical body with the Son in a purer and closer Union than possible in this wilderness state The Hypostatical Union of Christ to the Deity is of a sublimer nature than the most Glorified Creature can unfold For the Angels do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stoop and pry into the Mystery of the Golden Mercy-seat 1 Pet. 1.12 and were fixed in that place continually to abide and therefore the Cherubims in that Emblem were made of one piece of Massy Gold together with the Mercy-seat Exod. 25.19.37.7 to shew not only the standing of the Elect Angels by the vertue of Christ's Mediatorship 1 Tim. 5.21 but also to indicate that they could never exhaust and drink in the Knowledge of the Mystery of that Union Mat. 18.10 though they are constantly beholding the Face of our Heavenly Father Yet still this Mystical Union implies a Glorious Approximation of the Saints to Christ in some similitude with Christs Union to the Deity Joh. 17.12 For the Glory which the Father gave unto Christ hath Christ given to the Saints who are blessed in Heavenly Places in Christ and shall sit down with him in his Throne Eph. 1.3 as he is set down with the Father on the paternal Throne Rev. 3.21 and as all Judgment is committed to the Son so shall Saints also judge both the World and Angels A glimpse of this Glory in this State shines into the heart from the Spirit of Christ dwelling in Saints They that are joyned to the Lord Paul says not shall pertake of but are one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 and thereby in an unspeakable manner become Partakers of the Divine Nature Yet we must ponder on these Deeps with sacred caution For this Mystical Union is infinitely distinct from Hypostatical The Spirit of Christ as he dwells in the Head though in a more eminent manner yet so he also does intimè pervadere enter into the Essence of the Souls of Saints and this Inhabitation may be embleme◠by the Rational Souls dwelling in the Animal Spirits of the Bloud But in Christ the Head he dwells fully and in the Members according to distinct measures and proportions Col. 2.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Again the state of the Soul shall be admirable not only in the Limpid Chrystalline clearness of its glorified Eye but the unclothed Majesty of the Objects without Vails and Curtains and the pure Emanation or Eradiation of their Beams into the Soul Saints shall be like unto God and see him as he is a word that has no bottom which Heaven it self cannot sufficiently expound to a finite capacity We shall see him without the Glass of Reflection by Argument as here inferring his Divine Power and God-head from the Works of Creation and without the Magnifying Glass of Ordinances to help the weakness of our spiritual senses and without the Perspective Glass of Faith and promises They shall behold his Face 1 Joh. 3.2 Rev. 22.4.1 Cor. 13.12 Joh. 14.8 Exod. 33.20 23. and know as they are known Philip's desire of having the Father shewn shall then suffice indeed when glorified Saints shall enjoy what was denied to Moses not only to contemplate the Being of Beings but as the Causality the Fountain and Principle of all Essences yea and comprehend with all Saints by the Spirit the unlimited Eph. 3.16.19 unfathomable Love of Christ and be filled with all the fulness of God and hereaster conceive more how the three infinite Persons stand in relative Glory and enjoy more ample light as to the Sons Eternal Generation and the Spirits Divine and Everlasting Procession They shall drink of the River of Light that flows from his Essence Here upon Earth we behold the Sun at a distance but cannot mount up to walk in those Mountains of brightness But then the Church shall be clothed with the Sun of Righteousness Rev. 12.1 There was of old a little spark of Glory in the Temple Ps 27.4 and Holy David desired to see that beauty which shined in the Sanctuary But Oh what perfusions of Glory shall animate the soul in Heaven when it shall be illustrated with the morning knowledge of Angels
testifie both thy sincerity and gratitude He that always makes conscience of secret duties and secret sins is a sound and sincere Christian A good conscience is a continual feast and makes a cheerful Christian Pr. 15.15 Pr. 15.13 Pr. 17.22 And a cheerful heart does good like a Medicine and places a man in a Paradice of peace and delight One of the most dreadful roarings in Hell will most probably flow from the neglect of the warning voice of conscience upon earth That 's the Salamander which lives in perpetual Flames and stings like a Scorpion both with head and tayl looking backward upon ill-spent life scorning the rebukes within and forward upon endless and remedyless misery What makes men so fearful here at the noise and alarm of any temporal judgment without but guilt within As Juvenal mourned over the Varlets of Rome in his days Hi sunt qui tripidant ad omnia fulgura pallem Cum tonat examines primo quoque murmure coeli At every flash of lightning they wax pale When distant thunder rumbles villains quail O happy Man that makes peace betimes with that inward Viceroy Sueton. lib. 6. c. 48. Commertar Schild before the thunderbolt overthrows the luxurious Table and strike the Cup out of his Hand as it did to Nero Obey the faithful counsel of Conscience now and he 'll prove a faithful friend at death and judgment Let him be thy present Counsellor and he 'll be thy future Comforter He that 's sound at Coar needs fear no searching Whoso hath judg'd himself already may with peace and comfort expect the judgment to come 1 Cor. 11.31 Upon sincere scrutiny of thine own Spirit thou mayest with some Holy Confidence lift up that gracious Prayer Ps 139.23 Ps 19.12 Lord search and try me and cleanse me from secret sins In the close renew holy covenants purposes and resolutions with God Col. 1.11 and in the might of his glorious power to perform If thou find thy heart thus sincerely ingaged in the Court of Conscience to condemn and arraign thy self to ponder and consider thy ways hence will arise a Fountain of unfeigned repentance under the Threshold of this Tribunal as in Ezekiels Vision hence thou mayest conclude that thy sins are pardoned and a Christian may surely know it by these Signs 1. If after deep Humiliation and serious care of Holiness the Soul find some inward relish and some lively sweetness from the Hope of Pardon 2. If he finds that the Spirit of God infuses some sweet inclinations to lay hold of the Covenant founded in Christ and closes with him on Gospel-foundations that is the meer grace and mercy of God in Christ to lost Sinners coming weary and heavy laden to his Throne That man is in the happiest condition in the whole world The consequence will shine out most illustriously when God shall heal iniquity graciously Ps 103.1 by pouring peace into the Conscience and subdue iniquity victoriously Mic. 7.19 Ps 19.12 that no sin shall have dominion over him Secret tears for secret sins are an excellent sign of an Holy Heart and a Healing Balsam for broken Spirits God well understands the Language of half words interrupted with sighs and interprets them as the Steems and breathings of a broken Heart My groaning says David Ps 38.9 Ps 69.5 Ps 69.6.20 is not hid from thee And as all our foolishness is before him to cover it so is all our heaviness to ease it and therefore shall our Souls praise and please him more than a Bullock with young Horns and Hoofs upon his Altar Bochart de animal vol. 1. col 944. Holy mourning keeps out carnal sorrow and produces spiritual Joy It stirs up the Heart of a Saint to beg preventing grace which no false heart can perform without secret reserves This inward sorrow prevents open shame God will never give up such a soul to be trampled on by spiritual Enemies who are already humbled by themselves In Saints humiliation there 's a door opened for secret hope because of the precious promises that are plighted to it and especially of preventing future Sin by strengthning grace Jam. 4.6 For as the Love of God is the Fountain of all true repentance so 't is the attractive of more incomes of divine Love to the Soul According to our Love so is our Faith and Trust in God and according to our trust such is our freedom at the Throne of Grace Trust in him Ps 62.8 and pour out your hearts before him pour them out like water in joyful tears For when the stone in the heart is melted by mercy the eyes will issue like a fountain of tears 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good men have melting Spirits 'T is a branch of the Covenant Ezek. 36.26 and a fruit of the effusion of the Spirit of Grace It 's asserted by the Learned in Chymistry that no Menstruums are so powerful as Sulfureous and Oily Liquors to melt down the hardest Minerals To be sure there 's nothing like the Oil of Mercy so potent a Solvent for an Iron Heart A true Holy Soul takes up his time within and begs the presence and assistance of the Spirit He principally labours at inward corruptions to hack down that cursed thorn and stub it up by the Roots He judges himself for secret iniquities because God being a Spirit has a special eye upon the frame of Spirits Not the issues of the Tongue and vaunting of High Attainments is pleasing in his Sight but the Spiritual issues of a humble Heart God abhors that person who wallows in hearts defilements and much more if he has a Golden Tongue tipt with Hypocritical Eloquence The numbers of heart sins as to their kinds are many as to their acts innumerable Yet an Israelite indeed is continually bending his Bow and shooting forked Arrows into their bowels Such are inward anger pride envy revenge earthiness sloth of Spirit security unthankfulness unpreparings of heart for Holy Communion and the like I might spread forth the odiousness of some of these inward Sins and lay open the sources and springs of many outward enormities which break out into the life but shall surrender that Province to Moral Philosophy or rather the Divine Ethicks of Solomon to cure these inward corruptions and advise all Christians to beware of the first motions and conceptions of the Heart to set a guard against sudden Tentations and to startle at the first occasions to sin A gracious person may be surprized and fall suddenly among Thieves that lurk behind the Bushes Occasions Nay very holy men unless wonderful wary may be quickly tript up by sudden Questions and unexpected Emergencies Who knows the subtilty of sin and the deceitfulness of his own heart Take heed of answering quickly and send up sudden Ejaculations to Heaven before you reply to a weighty and doubtful motion Ps 106.33 Abraham fell twice in the case of Sarah Moses spake
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