(3.) Take heed to order your conversation aright ; let not your irrehgious lives make the solemn religious duties of this day to blush, " AVhoso offereth praise, glorifieth me ; and to him that " ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of *' God,"' Psal. 1. ult. And thus your present mercies, how great and glorious soever they be in themselves, shall be but as the dawnirg light of a much more glorious day springing up upon these nation^, and all the churches of Christ, after so long and gloomy a night of afflictions and sorrows ; which the Father of mercies grant, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen*
MYSTERY OF PROVIDENCE,
Opened in a Trkatise upon Psal. Ivii. 2. -««!»»»
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
To the Right Honourable William, Duke of Bedford, Lord RussEL of Thornehaugh, and Knight of the Most Noble Order
XT was a weighty and savoury speech which * a pious pen once saved from your lordship's lips, viz. That you accounted the prayers ofGocVs ministers a?id people the best walls about your house. He that so accounts, doubtless understands that prayer engageth Providence, Isa. xlv. 11. And Pro-sddence so engaged is the surest munition, Job i. 10.
Many great men enclose their dwelling with an high wall ; but the foundation (as the wisest of men observes) is laid in their own conceits, Prov. xviii. 11. yea, in sin; and crying sin too, Hab. ii. 12. Of such walls we may say, as the oracle to Phocas, iav tz-vl/o/; rot, rir/j, su; asavn, s^dov ro xa'/.ov. " If the building emulate the skies, yet sin being at the bottom, all will totter.
It is a fond vanity, to think of ensuring a destiny that can con- trol the stars, and endure the assaults of fortune (as they love to speak) while Providence is not engaged for them ; no, not so much as by a bare acknowledgment.
My Lord, it is not the vast bulk of an estate, nor the best hu- man security in the world, but the vigilant care of Divine Provi- dence, that guards both it and its owners from the stroke of ruin. It is the fear of God vdthin us, and the Providence of God round about us, which makes the firm and solid basis of all sanctified and durable prosperity. It is beyond all debate, that there is a Pro- vidence of God always enfolding those in everlasting arms, that bear his image. The impress of that image upon you, and the
* Mr. Isaac Ambrose} Epistle to his Ultima.
THE EPtSTLK DEDICATORY. S37
embtaces of those arms about yoti, 'w^ill advance you higher, and secure you better than your noble birth or estate could ever do.
My Lord^ Providence hath moulded you, e meliori lufo, made you both the offspring and head of an illustrious family, planted you in a rich and pleasant soil, caused many noble branches to spring from you, drawm your life even to old age, through the de- lights and honours of this world. And now, that you have tried all those things that make the fairest pretensions to happiness, what have you found in all these painted beauties and false glos- sing excellencies, which have successively courted you ? Which of them all can you pronounce self-desirable.'^ Which can you call ohjectum par amori f What is it to have the flesh indulged, sense gratified, fancy tickled.'^ What have you found in meats and drinks, in stately houses and pleasant gardens, in gold and silver, in honour and applause, to match the appetite of your nobler soul ? Surely, (My Lord) to turn from them all with a generous disdain, as one that knows where to find better entertainment, is much more nohle^ than wholly to immerse and lose our spirits in those sensual fruitions as many do, alas ! too many in our days !
We are fallen into the dregs of time ; sensuality runs every- where into atheism. Providentia peperit divitias, sedjilia devoravit ma- trem. The largesses of Providence have so blinded, and perfectly stu- pified the minds of some, that they neither own a Providence, nor a God, who do (fcc^Tiorroisiv rov olv^^u-ttov okov, '/.at ri\v '^vy^r^v raig m cw/xaroj Tihovaig xa7a<ruCw7£/i/, as Plutarch both wittily and judiciously replied upon Colotes the Epicurean.
But, blessed be God, there is a sincere part, both of the nobles and commons of England, which this gangrene hath not yet touched, and, I hope, never shall.
My Lord, It is both your honour and interest^ to be o?.&;j m zoeirrovogy the entire and devoted servant of Providence. It was once the wish of a good man, optarem id me esse Deo, quod est mihi manus inea *. This is the most noble and divine life that can be to live and act in this world upon eternal designs : To look upon ourselves, and what we have, as things devoted to God ; not to be content that Providence should serve itself of us, (for so it doth even of those things which understand nothing of it) but to study wherein we may serve Providence, and be instrumental in its hand for the good of many ; this is to be truly honourable ; Quo inagis quis Deo vivit, eo evadit nobilior clarior, divinior.
How much God hath honoured you in this respect, the world
* I could wish I were that to God, which mine own hand i« to me. t The more any li?« to God, the naore noble, illustrious and divine they be- come.
S38 THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
will understand better, when your Lordship shall be gathered to your fathers, and sleep in the dust ; then he that praiseth cannot be suspected of flattery ; nor he that is praised, be moved with vain glory : But the approbation of God is infinitely better than the most glorious name among men, before or after death.
And, as it is most honourable to serve^ so you will find it most comfortable to observe, the ways of God in his providence : To compose ourselves to think of the conduct of providence through all the stages of life we have hitherto passed i To note the results of its profound wisdom, the effects of its tender care, the distin- guishing fruits of its special bounty : To mark how providences have gone a long step by step with the promises, and both with uSj until they have now brought us near to our everlasting rest. Oh ! how delectable ! how transporting are such meditations as these !
My Lord, It is the design of this manual, to assert the being SivA efficacy of providence against the atheism of the times, and to display the wisdom and care of the providence of God in all the concerns of that people who are really his. It is probable, if your lordship will stoop to such a vulgar composure, somewhat may occur of a grateful relish to your pious mind. I confess, it is not accommo- dated, either in exactness of method, or elegance of style, to gratify the curious ; nor yet is it destitute of what may please and profit the truly gracious.