Divine Conduct, or The Mystery of Providence

O what a world of rarities are to be found in Providence! The blind heedless world makes nothing of them: they cannot find one sweet bit, where a gracious soul would make a rich feast. Plutarch relates very exactly, how Timoleon was miraculously delivered from the conspiracy of two Murderers, by their meeting in the very nick of time a certain person, who to revenge the death of his Father, killed one of them, just as they were ready to give Timoleon the fatal blow, though he knew nothing of the business, and so Timoleon escaped the danger. And what did this wonderful work of Providence think you, yield the Relator? Why, though he were one of the most learned and ingenious among the Heathen Sages; yet all he made of it, was only this, The Spectators (saith he) wondered greatly at the Artifice and contrivance which Fortune uses. This is all he could see in it. Had a spiritual and wise Christian had the dissecting and Anatomizing of such a work of Providence, what glory would it have yielded to God! What comfort and encouragement to the Soul! The Bee makes a sweeter meal upon one single flower, than the Ox doth upon the whole Meadow, where thousands of them grow.

O Reader, if thy heart be spiritual and well stocked with experience, if thou hast recorded the ⟨image 10⟩ways of Providence towards thee, and wilt but allow thy self time to reflect upon them; what a life of pleasure mayest thou live! What an Heaven upon Earth doth this way lead thee into! I will not here tell thee, what I have met in this path, lest it should seem to savour of too much Vanity; non est religJo ubi omnJa patent. There are some delights and enjoyments in the Christian life, which are and must be enclosed. But Try it thy self, Taste and See, and thou wilt need no other inducement; thine own Experience will be the most powerful Oratory to persuade thee to the study and search of Providence.

O Reader, if thy heart be spiritual and well stockt with experience, if thou hast recorded the ⟨image 10⟩wayes of Providence towards thee, and wilt but allow thy self time to reflect upon them; what a life of pleasure maist thou live! What an Heaven upon Earth doth this way lead thee into! I will not here tell thee, what I have met in this path, lest it should seem to savour of too much Vanity; non est religJo ubi omnJa patent. There are some delights and enjoyments in the Christian life, which are and must be enclosed. But Try it thy self, Taste and See, and thou wilt need no other inducement; thine own Experince will be the most powerful Oratory to perswade thee to the study and search of Providence.