Divine Conduct, or The Mystery of Providence

The sixth Corollary.

It is a grave and weighty observation of Chrysostom. ¹Nothing (saith he) should be grievous and bitter to a Christian, but to provoke the displeasure of God. Avoid that, and no affliction or trouble whatever can cast down such a prudent Soul; but even as a spark is easily extinguished in the Sea, so will the favour of God extinguish those troubles. It is with such a Soul (saith he) as it is with the Heavens; we think the Heavens suffer when they are over-spread with clouds, and the Sun suffers when it is eclipsed; but there is no such thing, they suffer not when they seem to suffer. Tranquillus Deus, tranquillat omnJa. Every thing is well, and shall be well, when all is well betwixt us and God. The great consolation of the Saints lies in this, that all that concerns them is in the hands of their father. Pene desperassem nisi Christus esset caput EcclesJae. I had utterly despaired (said Luther) had not Christ been head of the Church. When he that performs all things is our God, even our God that delights in our prosperity, that rejoices over us to do us good, what ample security is here in the greatest confusions and dangers? When one told Bouromeus that there were some