Divine Conduct, or The Mystery of Providence

(1.) Have not some of us fallen, and that often into very dangerous sicknesses and diseases, in which we have approached to the very brink of the grave? and have or might have said with Hezekiah, ¹Isa. 38. 10. I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years. Have we not often had the sentence of death in our selves? and our bodies at that time been like a leaky Ship in a storm (as One aptly resembles it) that hath taken in water on every side,² till it was ready to sink? Yet hath God preserved, careened, and launched us out again as well as ever. Oh what a wonder is it, that such a crazy body should be preserved for so many years, and survive so many dangers! Surely, it is not more admirable to see a Venice-glass pass from hand to hand in continual use for forty or fifty years,³ and still to remain whole, notwithstanding many knocks and falls it hath had. If you enjoy health or recover out of sicknesses, it is because he puts none of these diseases upon thee, or because he is the Lord thy Physician, Exod. 125. 26.

(1.) Have not some of us fallen, and that often into very dangerous sicknesses and diseases, in which we have approached to the very brink of the grave? and have or might have said with HezekJah, ¹Isa. 38. 10. I said in the cutting off of my dayes, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years. Have we not often had the sentence of death in our selves? and our bodies at that time been like a leaky Ship in a storm (as One aptly resembles it) that hath taken in water on every side,² till it was ready to sink? Yet hath God preserved, careened, and lanched us out again as well as ever. Oh what a wonder is it, that such a crazy body should be preserved for so many years, and survive so many dangers! Surely, it is not more admirable to see a Venice-glass pass from hand to hand in continual use for forty or fifty years,