The Triumph of Mercy in the Chariot of Praise, Treatise · Chapter 5
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.