The Triumph of Mercy in the Chariot of Praise, Treatise · Chapter 3
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 Sunbeams, are not ſo numerous as theſe excellent Mercies. Archimedes could write a Treatiſe of the Sands, but no perſon that ever appeared on the ſtage of Being, though he ſhould ſpend all his time in writing Volumes of his own Life, could trace the meaſures of his Mercies, were he never ſo obſervant, or did pry never ſo curiouſly into the paſſages of Divine Providence. Every draught of Air into the Lungs is attended with Mercy. When it carries out the fuliginous Vapours of the Heart, who can attract it in again for the refrigeration of the Bloud, and mixing the volatile balſam of the air to circulate that purple liquor in its motions. The pulſes of providence are quicker then choſe of our Wriſts or Temples. How manifold are his mercies? Pſ. 139.14.The ſoul of David knew right well their multiplicity, but could not multiply them aright by any skill in Arithmetick. Nay, the very ſumm or chief heads of divine kindneſſes were innumerable. His wonderful works and thoughts towards him could not be reckoned up in order by him, they were more then could be numbred.Pſ. 40.5.
It's impoſſible to follow the footſteps of theſe mercies: Heaven it ſelf is not ſufficient for a finite capacity to meaſure them. They endure to eternity in preventing our lapſe from happineſs. Lets try a little ſpeculation on 2 heads.
1. On ſome gracious occurrences in the foreign, the compaſs of day and night; and
2. The preventing mercies that are laid up in the bowels of afflictions: both as to ſubſequent ſins and dangers.
As to the firſt, When we riſe in the morning, that ſudden palſies do not unlooſe our Nervs, or painful Convulſions ſhrink them up; that we are not able to deſcend our Stairs; that when we are down, ſome Meſſenger of Death doth not appale us with terrible tidings, and give us a bitter breakfaſt; that we have Hearts and Spirits to call upon the God of our mercies in our Families, as an Antidote againſt the evils of the ſucceeding day. When we come into our Shops, that the rapines of night Villanies hath not ſtript us naked of all our Goods, and that we find all our Relations in health and peace when we walk abroad; that we ſuck not in Contagious Atomes from the Air; that the Eaſt wind does not blaſt us; that ſudden violent rains in haſty walking do not cool our ſweats into Surfets, or that we hurry not the blood into fermentations for new and ſurprizing diſtempers. In vain ſhould we be wary, if holy providence were not wakeful. That the earth we tread on doth not ſuddenly open its mouth to ſwallow us as it did the Rebels in Numbers. Num. 16.32.That we daſh not our feet againſt a ſtone, our Shins againſt Poſts,Pſ. 91.12 or ſtrain our Ankles in plain ground; that the Tiles or Timber falling from Houſes, or the ſweepings of gutters, do not brain us; that mad dogs infect us not with an Hydrophobia by their venemous bitings; that wilde Oxen let forth by careleſs and wicked Butchers do not gore us. or Carts cruſh us, or damnable Hectors ſtab us; or that caſual arrows, bullets, or ſtones do not diſpatch us. The memorial of ſuch a mercy ſtands upon the top of the Free ſchool and Alms-houſe at the South end of Iſlington, Lady Owenwhere Iron arrows are planted to ſignifie the gratitude of a poor Milk Maid to Gods mercy, who upon eſcape of an arrow that was ſhot into her clothes, vowed to build it if ſhe roſe to an eſtate; and at length being raiſed to the degree of a Lady performed her vow. We ought to be thankful that Coachmens whips do not accidentally ſcourge out our eyes. That in the days of general Trainings or publick Shows ſtrange diſaſters brings us not to the evenings of our lives. That meddling with unconcerning quarre's in the ring of a tumult, twiſt us not into danger through our own folly; ſince wiſe Solomon hath warned us,Pro. 26.17. He that medleth with ſtrife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears. When we ride that every ſtep is not a path to the grave: that the Horſe ſtumble not, or the Waggon break not, or the Coach overturn not. That we ſink not into unfenced Gravel-pits overwhelmed with quick-ſands, overflown with waters. That Lightnings do not lick up our ſpirits, or hot Thunderbolts rend us in ſunder. We ſhould reckon our mercies not by miles or hours, but by ſteps and moments. When we come to our meals that fitting refreſhes, when many by painful Fiſtula's pine away into Conſumptions, and cannot repoſe their bodies into any grateful poſture. That we bring appetites to our Tables, and are not by cares and vexations from abroad rendred ſnappiſh and curriſh to a tender Wife and ſweet obedient Children at home, and our ſtomachs ſtuft with choler, unfit to crave a bleſſing or receive it. That we have our lovely Vines to chear us and our Olive plants about our Table to ſoften and ſweeten our ſpirits;Pſ. 128.4. So ſhall the man be bleſſed that feareth the Lord. That ſome of us behold our Tables ſpread with furniture from the Air, from the Seas and Rivers, from the Mountains and Valleys, from the Fold and Stall; nay ſome with Olears from Spain, and curious rarities from Turkey, Muſcovy, and both the Indies, and ſerved up in Porcellane Diſhes from China, in Silver from America, & Gold from Barbary, and 12 ſorts of wine in Venice glaſs from Murano, and yet like Jeſurum was fat and kick. That any one of theſe curious Viands meet not with an ill-habited Scurvy in the blood, and eſpecially all confuſed together carry not thouſands from the Table to the Pillow, and thence to the chambers of death.
When at our meals what a mercy that every bit doth not ſtrangle us, ſince ſtory remembers ſome to have received their laſt by a raiſin ſtone, a fly, a hair. When our dayly food paſſing over the Larynx, the bridge that covers the windpipe, that it doth not choke us, as the rump of a Capon did the Earl of Colrain. When after meals in our repoſe, or walking in Gardens or Fields, no ſudden accident attaches us, and ſpoils Concoction. That when we have eat and drunk, that we can render our urine and uncover our feet, thouſands periſh by ſtopping the chanels of Nature. Let's daily bleſs the Lord for Evacuations as well as Ingeſtion. It's wonderful that mens cutting their Hair tends not by diſtillations on the Lungs to Conſumption, or by letting bloud that an Artery be not cut, as ſome who have loſt their Arms. Or ſo inconſiderable a thing as the cutting a Corn does not rankle to death, as in the Lord Fairfax.
When we ſail upon Rivers or Seas Oh what mercy that the Veſſel founder not, that the Sands ſuck us not in, nor the Rocks ſplit us, nor ſudden Guſts overturn us, and wandering Pirats catch us not; that he makes the waves to obey his word, and the ſtormy wind to fulfill his pleaſure.
When we converſe that Pride and Paſſion do 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 onelyonly 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.