small mistakes of Words and Terms which afterwards were polished to a more acute and regular way of speaking 5. But the manner of her Speech was not worth the taking notice of if you compare it with the matter of the same Her ordinary sayings were very considerable with which I question not but I by my own or friends Collections might have Stuft more Sheets then at this time I must have leave to Bestow upon Her Story Most of these were Scripture Dialects and of them I shall give you no account I know others who have writ upon Young Maids under some such like Visitations have bestow'd twenty forty or more Pages upon the meer repetition of Scripture Passages These I do not I dare not reflect upon though I shall not imitate It was the good Assertion of one of her Judicious Visitors That he never heard her speak any thing untheological and that though she pretended to nothing of Inspiration nor any thing extraordinary but what was the Effect of her Reading and Diligence yet whatsoever Discourse did câ—â—urr he never found her lost in it but that she was clearly with good Language and to purpose able to talk of it The ordinary Subjects of her Discourse were upon the Blacks and Whites the Storms and Sun-shine of the Christians Life She thought no time lost in which she could but say something against sin and for Holiness in which she could but cry up the Promises to lost returning sinners and the Advantages of Affliction to them that belong to God in which she could but sufficiently dilate upon the miseries of a besotted World and the glorious enjoyments of the New Jerusalem SECT II. BUt I shall here give you a Copy of some of her ordinary sayings as they were not much above a Month ago taken from her own Mouth by the Hand of a Friend They were short Answers to Questions proposed but I shall take no notice of the Questions I blesse my God he hath wrought in me a desire exercise my self in all wayes and duties of Holinesse so as he may receive glory others edification and I comfort in the Day of Jesus I desire I resolve for sincerity I know that its God that works all in me and for me of my self as to pious actions I can do just nothing it 's He He that is become all to me and I am nothing but what I am in him my motion my being is in Him and of Him The Reproaches of the World which are many and crowd in upon me do not cannot rob me of my Joy which I have in Christ Jesus my Lord my Portion my Righteousness my Life my All. I in Christ or rather in me doth oppose Sin Errour Deceit yea all manner of uncleannesse both of Flesh and Spirit and it is He that giveth me the Victory over all Enemies Visible and Invisible So that to him belongs all the Praise and be shall have it I discaim any share in it let him have all I know by Nature wrath was my Portion and that I was born in open Rebellion to God Now if Christ through his unspeakable goodnesse and sorrow did redeem me to himself I am sure I ought to be zealous of good works and to glorifie Him with my Soul and Body which are his If I was able to feed upon all the good Creatures of God where as nâ—w I cannot yet they could none of them satisfie or solace my poor weak hungry Soul It is the enjoyment of him who is the Bread of Life the Life of my Life that is my satisfaction to whom be glory 2. Sin is the Serpents fruit and so it comeâ— to be of that Poisonous Nature that it infects thâ— World sets God and Men at difference woundâ— the soul and begets the sting of Death Holiness as I shall speak of it is a Believerâ— serious Conversation which he lives in Christ by which he is doing what he can to re-gain thaâ— Image of God he lost in Paradise and to get himself ready for an happy estate in Heaven where all Holiness dwells Afflictions are the actings of Gods dear love towards Believers for whom the Lord loveth he afflicteth Afflictions are those strange seeds which while they are taking root in the Believers heart do beget war weeping and sorrow but yet at length they do bring forth the profitable the pleasant and peaceable fruits of righteousness The promises which are many great and precious are the rich manifestations and assurances of Divine goodness by which God designs to encourage the poor Believer and bear up his heart under all his sorrows The Reconciliation of the Promises and Providences of God seems to be one of the greatest mysteries and sweetest studies in the world To see how sweetly these joyn themselves together at the journies end though they seem to thwart one the other all the way The Word of God I mean the Word of Reconciliation is as it were God speaking forth himself to us in Jesus Christ It is the rule and Guide to Holiness to God and Happiness To speak of Heaven is a very great difficulty for 't is unspeakable kingdom of Glory eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive of those things which God hath there prepared for them that love him How should I then tell what Heaven is any further then thus That there is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore and that which makes all these excellent is that they are everlasting Death is no evil Messenger to the Saint for the Sting is taken away and he gains by dying Christ hath been the death of Death and so Death is no death to the Saint It is but as it were his dissolver out of Flesh into Spirit so that when Death comes the Saint may tryumph and bid it welcome What I said of Heaven I may speak just backward concerning Hell The torments are unutterable and for their extremity express'd by weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth these also are the more terrible because everlasting As I am crucified to the world and the world to me and as I know the Devil is my Adversary and God a present Help in time of trouble so I look upon all the scandals that are cast upon me to be as Pearls in my Crown I look upon my preservation without the use of creatures to be the manifestation of Infinite Power for the benefit and advantage of them that fear God to let them see how God can preserve life by and if himself and for the hardening of the obstiâ—â—â—â— and impenitent for my own awakening and â—â—â—â—ging into a way of holiness 3. Thus I have given you a taste of her sayings out of the Paper above mentioned which I have compendiz'd and put something into another order inserting also some few short Sentences which I heard my self or were communicated to me by worthy friends doing what I could to keep to her very words
God is display'd in the external Works oâ— the matchlesse Wisdome and â—ower of the eâ—â—â— blessed Jehovah in the creating ordeâ—â—ng proâ—ision and underpropping of the World and all its Inhabitants This sits at the Stern of all sublunary affairs and sometimes without asking leave of either Wâ—â—â—l or Tyde nay sometimes in spite of all their opposition it can and doth conduct it's own Barge or Vessel whatever to the designed Port. This is Immediate Providence when the Omnipotent without Creature-Ministration doth guide and uphold the Universe and every thing in it which shews that his using secondary means is not from any want of power but the result of his own will and well-ordering Wisdome This is not a common but an extraordinary administration of Providence which thus swims against the Stream and runs up the steepest Hill without any fainting at all which thus works against or besides the course or usual order of nature or common actings This employs it self onely in miraculous Productions So that I question not but that the first making of the World was a very stupendious Miracle to raise so vast a Being out of a former Non-entity to such an huge Lump of substantial matter fit to make all other terrene Essences out of it But I must not bestow time on this because I do not look upon Martha Taylor 's Case as a Miracle 3. Then there is the ordinary and usual Providence â—f God which hath the Regiment Disposal and sustentation of the World in its own hands and this is it of which I shall speak with brevity This this is the main Spring which moves the whole Wheels of the Creation This is the weight which makes the Clock of all created concerns strike at a lower or higher rate 4. Consider the reallity here of its being or exercise Many have denyed it and more there are which take little notice of it but refer all to Nature These are very unworthy and base to him who gave them their first beings the poor Ethnick World had better thoughts concerning God and Providence Men that were meer Heathens could spell out Providence from the whispers of their own Conscience the admirable Order Tendency Disposal Constitution Mutation and foresaid preservation of all things and all their actions To this purpose Homer in his Poems written upon Vlysses brings in that wise and valiant Grecian Prince speaking concerning his many and long dangers upon the rugged churlish Ocean in this Language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which doth in the very letter of it signifie But in those things I did acquiess or rest satisfied which God had appointed in his own mind And Plato as he is quoted by Aristotle in his Tract de Mundo cap. 7. saith to this effect That God doth hold or manage the beginning middle and end of all things And the learned Stagyrite himself declares his mind very fully de lib. c. 6. That as all things are from God so they do all subsist by God and that if Divine Aid be absent Nature is not at all sufficient to underprop it self Which he illustrates by these apt Allusions What the Master or Pilate is to the Ship what the Driver is to the Cart or Chariot and what the Captain is to the Souldiers c. that God is to the World They that are curious or troubled with that dangerous disease Atheisme may satisfie themselves if they will not put out the Eye of Nature by an inquiry into Cicero lib. 2. de Nat. Deorum and Seneca de Providentia ad Lucilium and Galen lib. 3. de usu partium corporis humani It 's sad to think that there should be so many men as there are in our seeing Times who do either with their Lips or Lives refer all things and their motions operations or miseries onely to blind Fortune or rather to a Stoical Fate or Destiny by which they bind over the â—reat Creator unto second Causes and thus they make Him if any thing Natures Servant It hath been I think a thousand times over asserted That there is a God and therefore Providence and it s almost as oft repeated That to deny actual Providence is to deny God himself And yet the foolish Epicurus granted that there was a Goâ— but denyed Providence which the learned Sophiâ—s of all Ages have detected as a base absurdity One who was otherways a friend to Epicurus saith that this was Epâ—curi gravissimus lapsâ—â— Caâ—send de vit c. Epicur 5. But I suppoâ—e I may let theâ—e men alone till the awakening Hand of God make them of another mind As it did once the bloudy Caligula and cruel Nâ—ro when the terrifying Thunder-clâ—ps of Heaven made them hide their lofty heads and to use my Authors words agnosoâ—re Dâ—um reâ— humanas curare they then were forced to sneak and acknowledge that God did exercise care and cognizance in reference to the things of the world Horace tells you by his own mouth that it was this angry voice of Heaven which made him own providence and throw away the vain and irreligious Notions of Epicurus Hor l. 1. Od. 34. Thus I have indeavoured to satiâ—fie the Men who may be of the Heathen-humour That infinite wisdome and power doth rule and uphold the world 6. This I know is more believed by the Conscientious Christian from the Testimony of one Line in Hâ—ly Writ then from a thousand in humane Authors but yet the great Apostle useth the very same means to prove the same thing in that fâ—ll place for the proof of Actual Providence Acts 17 speaking concerning the God that made the world him who is Lord and Soveraign of heaven and earth ver 24. He saith in the following verse He giveth to all life and breath and all things He determineth times and bounds and habitations And he is not far from every one of us For in him we live and move and have our beings as certain also of your own Poets have said c. Here and twice more in his Epistles Paul is pleased to make use of Heathen Poets as Aratus Menander and Epimenedes to carry on religious designs Scripture is very clear in the setting forth the Providence and Care of God and therefore he 's said To work all things Ephes 1.11 By him all things consist Col. 1.17 He upholdeth all things Heb. 1.3 And we are enjoyned to east all our care on him for he careth for us 1 Pet. 5 7. But I shall give you one incomparable place which may serve for all viz. Psal 104. the whole of it which you may read in your Bibles and there you cannot but see the powerful wise universal and constant actings of Providence 7. Providence is seen by the serious eye in its most common and lowest acts as the motion of the Clouds and Winds the running of the liquid wandring Streams the moving and livelihood of the wilder Animals as in that 104. Psalm Yea the very Birds of the Aire
Wonders have been brought forth in a Stable or a Manger before now t is not the highness of the place that should make us turn our eyes towards it but the greatness of the work that may be done there But now to her that lies in it 3. Martha Taylor the talk the wonder of that Countrey was born about the beginning of February in the year 1651. Her Childhood was not guilty that ever I heard of any extraviâ—ant Actions The Buds which then appear'd did not foresignifie any distastful fruits in a more blow â—age Her early blossoms did not predict four grapes in an Autumn season Some sober prudent Observers have told me That from her fiâ—st Confinement to her Couch when growing Infirmities began to chain her to her weary Bed that then Piâ—uâ— Discoveries in a more considerable way began to display themselves then rousing afflictions the usual Prognosticks of a dying state made 〈…〉 to purpose begin to enquire after life This 〈◊〉 her labour after the knowledge of the Word of Goâ— and delight hâ—r self in turning over those 〈◊〉 Pâ—gâ—s where frequently she would be gathering Pearls to adâ—rn her self and others with Yet you must suppose it was but stil morning here you may expect greater things when you proceed nearer the Noon of Heavens Dispensations with her SECT III. The Beginning and Progress of her Afflictions and what they were 1. I Am ready to suppose that the Fountain-Head of all her Afflictions was her lameness which took its beginning in the year 1661. which is now about eight years ago by the unhappy stroke of a Miller her next Neighbour over the Hips or small of the Back whether he did it in jest or earnest I cannot certainly determine but I think the latter was affirmed to me however the occasion was no offence given on her side she was so happy as to be harmless her Innocence in this case might be a good piece of a Pillar for her to lean her self upon when wearied under that great weight of Afflictions which was bound fast unto her Poor Martha upon this fatal stroke was taken with a lameness in the lower parts indisposing them for their proper use which was followed at the heels with a general indisposition and incomposure of the whole inward and o tward frame for her distempers did so croud in upon her that she was suddenly compell'd to lay down the whole Body as an useless lump to which condition she hath been confined ever since onely once or twice about April 1662. for some few days she made a shift to go abroad But upon the beginning of May in the said Year 1662. she bid farewell to the open refreshing Air and then entred close Prisoner to her tedious Bed From which place since that time she hath never moved without the help of other hands and feet besides her own where I suppose she is like to lye till Death bring her an Habeas-Corpus and make her free among the dead in which estate only the weary be at rest and oppressing Diseases cease from troubling All along this tract of time she hath been troubled with other infirmities besides lameness as private bleeding often sick and seldome free from less or more of a Feaver 2. But to make a neerer approach to the time of her constrained Fast you must know that there were many Afflictions gathered together to bring about the thing though she had for four or five years together by times lain under various Distempers yet about the close of August and beginning of the following Month in the Year 1667. they combine together into a body and add others to their number that they might the more vigorously produce the strange ensuing Effects For in the entrance of November in the mention'd Year did begin her strange and wonderful Bleedings at several external Parts as at the Mouth the Nose the Ear the Eye from which last part did continually distill perfect Tears of blood so that one would have thought Life would have Wept it self away out at the Eye One very probable cause of this her admir'd Bleeding might arise from her violent continued Vomiting which broke open convenient Passages through which the Blood might vent it self 't is an ordinary known case that the over-straining of the Body does break the Veins and so less or more produceth an Efflux of Blood from some or other parts This extraordinary Vomiting continued all along November so that she neither took in meat nor drink but presently threw it up again nothing could be perswaded to abide within her Stomack This strong Vomiting did arise as I conjecture from those Corrupt Crudities Nauseating Vapours and Filthy Humours begot by her long lying in Bed and the want of convenient Exercise which did weaken and vitiate the natural Attractive Retentive and Concoctive Faculties and stir up the Stomach against every thing that was sent down into it This preternatural Vomiting did further introduce a very strange Hiccough audible many paces from the house which would move her whole Body and pluck down her Head with great torment To which was adjoyned a sort of Convulsions or the often Distortion of her Joynts by the Cramp So that now Cramps Convulsions Strange sighings and the Hiccough all of them the Genuine Off-spring of a disordered Stomack and continued violent Vomiting were all in open War against the Ease and Life of this poor tormented Creature These things had made her the real wonder of all Sober Sympathizing Spectators to see a poor Fellow-creature almost constantly upon the Rack under the most Exquisite Pains Burnings Cramps Vomitings and the most strange Bleedings and Hiccoughs that ever I read or heard of Now these all laid together by the beginning of the ensuing December had neer upon reduced the Microcosme into a Chaos had almost wholly taken Nature off the hinges and well neer shattered into pieces a poor frail dying Body so that for certain her more Noble Immortal Part had then bid farewel to its falling House of Clay had not Divine Providence stept in and put under an everlasting Arm. Yet these Distempers prevail so far as for a Fort-night together within December they take away the use of Speech and Senses so that she had very little to witness she was alive excepting some remaining heat and breath 3. About the middle of this Month she revives a little gets something of the exercise of Sense and Speech but still hath that violent Hiccough and frequent sick fits As she had received neither meat nor drink for this fourteen days so now being come to her self she finds an utter loathing of and an inability to receive necessary Food for the support of Life The veâ—y approach of Meat or Drink was a great trouble to her the very sight or smell of either though at a remove would beget her sorrow yea the very thoughts of either would make her sick before hand She found now so much ease and satisfaction in the abstaining
But I can assure you that much of what she used to discourse was little inferiour to these for she is well versed in the Scripture and of a quick apprehension SECT III. I Suppose it s now time to shew you something of her Piety or Person 1. Of these you may have gathered somthing by what went before They were introduc'd by a great work upon her Spirit For you must know that all November and in the beginning of December in the year 1667. she were exceedingly puzled to know what would become of her to all Eternity having Sin and Death before her she was put to her utmost shifts to obtain a Christ There are many indeed that think men Mortality may land them in Heaven withoâ—t a work or Grace which we usually call Regeneration upon which conceit its very probable that notable Ruler of the Jews mentioned John 3.1 had built a very high Fabrick of Hope he comes in a secret manner to own Christ as a Teacher come from God because of his Miracles vers 2. but Christ takes little or no notice of what he says but does upon the matter tell him all this will not serve thy turn though thou be a Pharasee one of the strictest Sect yet thou must either be born again or else thou cannot see the Kingdom of God vers 3. Nicodemus was here at a very great stand he could not tell what to make of the words of Christ vers 4. But Christ affirms the same again with as great vehemency and rather greater fulness with the reason of what he says verses 5 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and will be flesh and corrupt notwithstanding external Profession nay the outward washing of Baptism will not serve the turn alone without the Laver of Regeneration not Works of Righteousness which we have done will do the business for us but there must be the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 There must be a transformation by the renewing of the mind Rom. 12.2 This being born of the Holy Ghost or being Baptized with it and fire as Mat. 3.11 This being bathed and burnt till the filth and dâ—oss of Nature was done away was the grant difficulty with our afflicted Martha She told me That upon this account she was once in great darkness and under sad distress to allude to that â—f Paul Rom. 7.9 Being without the Law she thought her self alive in a condition good enough to carry her to Heaven but when the Commandement came when she understood her own and â—e condition by the Word of God then sin revived then she found it rouse up it self and discover life and strength and then she died she found her self dead under trespasses and sins This kept her for a season upon the Waves under Storms and Winds as I said before without sight of Sun or Star but as she told me it was her happiness that befâ—re she was split upon the Rock of Despair the Sun of Righteousness broke forth from behind the Clouds with healing under his wings She was often put to cry out Phosphere redde diem But the glorious Day-star appearing brought in hope and hearts-ease with it So that upon her own Confession she has enjoy'd much comfort calm and Halcyon dayes 〈◊〉 2. Now I have shew'd you a little of the beginning Work here was the Foundation as laid upon the great elect and precious Corner Stone But to proceed I shall a little shew you the Superstructure in some few things as her Knowledge Gratitude Patience Hope Zeal Love and Perseverance SECT IV. 1. HEr Knowledge She was very large in this comprehending skill in all the most necessary Truths and Duties notably read in the Bible and several other good Books She enjoy'd but a short while to labour in but had done abundance of work She was able to discourse in ail the ordinary known things within the Sphere of Religion The strangness of this appear'd in her small helps at the first all were ignorant about her no knowing Heads to conferr with and then she was far from the Church and the ordinary use of means but of these something hath been said Her Knowledge was not only Speculative and Notional it was not Aiery and only dwelling in the Head but Practical and Experimental She had the happiness not only to know but also to tast the Truth of the Gospel She did not only know there was a God but she tasted and saw how good this God was This was a means to lead her up to God and Christ to fill her heart with thoughts of them and to breed strong and warm affections toward them Her Knowledge did discover it self to be a gracious Illumination by its foundness humility and self-applications it did not only know God but was ready to glorifie him as God it shew'd it self to be a good understanding in that it did the commandements of God The strength of her Knowledge was made apparent by her discovering the Sophismes and detecting the strange whimsies and wild practices of various Opinionists who did every day assault her 2. Her Gratitude did stream forth both to God and Men To Men in being exceeding thankful for the least Couâ—tisie imaginable an humble rational â—eproof should have been received with chearful thanks I saw her once weep that she was not able to make any reâ—uital to those her Friends who â—owaâ—d then came to visit her out of pure Love and for Pious ends It also appeared in her constant importuning Heavens Remuneration to be given into the Bosome of them who did her but the meanest good turn Her thankfulness to God was much of her business she was not only happily employ'd in returning Praise to the Great Provider for those things which all serious Hearts would have made Arguments of Gratitude but also which was the wonder she was usually thankful for the greatest afflictions which lay upon her She forneâ— that before afflicted she went astray and that miseries of Body made her enquire the more industrio fly for the good old way the way of easâ— and happiness She would bless God for every thing like good and holy Bradford the Martyr in his Repâ— to 〈◊〉 saith he If the Queen will give me 〈◊〉 I will thank her if she will Banish me I will thank her If she will burn me I will thank her If she will condemn me to perpetual Imprisonment I will thank her I never saw nor heard that Martha under her greatest sorrow did the least repine at the hand of God but was ready always to vent her Groans with this Language Blessed be God She continually having a fixed eye upon the great undeserved mercy of God would not so much as send forth one Sigh without improving that breath to the praise of God Thus Servulus a â—rimitive Saint lying a long time under grievous afflictions in such a condition as one could scarcely make a distinction between Life and
receive their food at the Hand of God the beauty and lustre of the painted Lillies is from a Divine Art the poor silly Sparrow stands or falls according to the order of the increated Essence our ordinary Meat and Drink are from God whose glorious Arithmetick hath taken observation and an exact account of every hair long or short which grows upon the Believers Head Mat. 6.24 to 33. and 10.29 30. Though many of these meaner things may seem never so fortuâ—tous or contingent yet the disposal of them is from the Lord Prov. 16.33 God is every where present and all things are done by the influence of his Power so that the most minute things are by his steerage nothing runs at randome nor is the product of chance The Poet and many others thought that Providence was only engaged in the Magnalia of the world Non vacat exiguis rebus adesse Jovis But we know that the meaâ—est creatures in all their actions drive on the ends of an Infinite Majesty who is wonderful in Counsel and excellent in Working 8. The sound Believer by intuition and contemplation sees God in all things he 's the only man who does practically and to his comfort understand that old Verse Praesentem monstrat quaelibet verba Deum Something of God is writ on every grass Which careless walkers tread down as they pass He 's ready to give God the Title to every thing exceptâ—ng Sin for he knows that he who is the summum Bonum cannot be guilâ—y of that which is the summum malum He permits orders and determines the action as it is an action but he cannot possibly have any thing to do with the evil of sin or the depravity of the Action Now there is few that act lâ—ke the Believer to see the Hand of Providence in its common and smaller productions Though I am sure some among the Heathen Moralists did collect excellent Divinity from this ordinary Manuscript This was their Scripture their Theology The ordinary effects of Nature wrought more Admiration in them then the most of Christ's Miracles did among the Jews Many of them knew better how to conjoyn the Mystical Letters of the Creation then the heedlesse Professors of this Age who trample under foot the most obvious and most significant Hieroglyphicks without drawing one conclusion from them for Soul-advantage or the honour of God But 9. There are the more special and signal actings of this Providence when it does display it self in some or other singular things and this has the greatest observation bestow'd upon it The most illustrious Lamp of Heaven is as really in being when it is obscured by the darkest Cloud as it when it sendeth forth its radiant and cleaâ—est Beams yet only then the beholders eye gives it the most enlarg'd observance So it is in the matter of Actual Providence when it improves the meanest helps to great advantage when it makes second causes in their lowest Ebbe bear up and carry forward very weighty actions when it doth in a more hidden method draw streight Lines by crooked Rules and in a Cryptick way give sufficient support to humane Bodies under great distempers by very small suppâ—ies then its most taken notice of Hitherto we may refer the most if not all the seeming Miracles of these lattes Ages of the World Which have been â—ctions not done altogether beyond the power of Nature or in a total contradiction to natural causes but Nature mightily improved supported or success't by the holy skill and Art of sacred Providence and so they may deservedly be called wonders though they have not been advanced so high as to be undoubted Miracles Thus we are come to Martha Taylors case which was beyond controversie a more then ordinary discovery of the Care and Providence of God whence you may read the ground of my first thoughts That the Care and Providence of God hath not done with the world All that have seen her or heard her story have presently set the Crown upon the Head of Providence 10. I shall here close up this with a word of Apology for the length of this Consectary and an engagement to greater brevity in those that follow Some father every thing upon Providence others nothing or the next to nothing Some are ready to refuge themselves in it as if it were a proper Asylum for their Enormities others steal all away from it and offer it up at the Shrine of Fate the starry Influence or any thing before they will come to the Door of God As there is no need for us to look over or deny second causes especially in natural actions for this would be presumption and a tempting of God So there is no need of tying God to give always attendance to second causes in the ordinary method degree or way of managing them He is a most free wise and powerful Agent whatsoever he useth as was said before is not upon the account of his own weakness but upon the acount of his own will which is sacred and not to be disputed That I might something open these things was the aim of the antecedaneous Particulars as also to lay a fair foundation for several of the following ones and in the last place that I might demonstrate I had no design to derogate the glory of Heaven or to eclipse the Beauty of Providence for I am one that dare not disown my God and bow the Head to the Name of Nature which I had so often occasion to use in the first and second Parts I dare not put Nature up into the Throne with God as the smooth Poet seems to do speaking concerning the rude and formeless Chaos where the seeds of things seemed to the eye of sense to be jumbled up together in an undigested Lump or Embrio where he saith Metamorph. lib. 1. fab 1. Hanc Deus Melior litem Natura diremit For I know nature to be Gods servant and that it carries on his designs and is actuated by his Providence this is it which directeth the operations of all individuals and single Essences There are many Relations in Sacred History not carried beyond the bounds of Providence in the use of means that are so full of Labyrinths and various turnings that they were able to convert a Stoick If you would have an instance you may read over the stories of Joseph and Moses where you may find many doublings and redoublings vast thwartings and improbabilities which were not the effects of Chance neither were they loose and stragling as they seem'd to be but all of them had a real tendency to their own and Israel's advancement Let this suffice to demonstrate the exercise of the Care and Providence of God which will be further opened by what ensues CONSECT II. That humane unlikelihoods or supposed Improbabilities in the course of Nature cannot hedge up the way against Omnipotency 1. I Shall not speak to this glorious Attribute of God as it is considered Absolutely and