The Triumph of Mercy in the Chariot of Praise, Treatise · Chapter 2
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 38.33and 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. 'Tis 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 'tis 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. 31.24commanding 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. … 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.…. 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.