LET it not be thought Presumption in me , though the meanest of a Thousand , if I make bold to give my Advice in the midst of so many , much abler Counsellors ; and to prescribe you Physick , when you have so many Learned Physicians at hand ; for haply I have more experienced that Distemper under which you labour , than many of them , and can write a Probatum est upon my Receipts : Others may speak more of the Disease than I can , yet few have felt the working of it in their own Bowels more than I , even from my Youth up ; and I am at present making up a Dose for my self , who am in daily expectation of pa●ting with my Eldest Son , as you have done with your Eldest Daughter , he being one in whom I took no small content , and from whom I expected much Comfort in my Age ; the Lord grant I may take the same Counsel I give to others . When first I heard of your great , and ( as I think ) unexpected Loss , and how soon your Joy , that a Man-Child was born into the World , was turned into Sorrow , that a Woman was taken out of the World . I confess I was suddenly surprized with Amazement , and cryed out , How vain a thing is Man , whose breath is in his Nostrils , and how vain are all these transitory things we so much dote upon ? And how little can they do for us when we have most need ? And how foolish are we to spend our time and money for that which is not bread , and our labour for that which satisfieth not ? When I saw so fair a Flower , so lately budded , and not fully blown , so soon withered and dead , and what need we had , especially that were much older , to stand upon our Guard , not knowing the day nor hour wherein our Lord and Master comes . When I had spent some time in these Considerations , and bewailed the Publick Loss , I began to consider your Condition , who by reason of your tender , and haply too tender Love , and Care of your Children , especially ( as I imagined ) of her , who was your First-born , and the beginning of your Strength , and one who by reason of her Age and Maturity more fit for your more intimate Society , I was afraid your Burden would not be easily born ; for I conceive you are better qualified to bear a heavy Burden of another Nature than this , strong Affections many times breed strong Afflictions , but God will have us hate Father and Mother , Wife and Children , and our own Lives for his sake . These things considered , I could not but sympathize with you in your Suffering , and put my Soul as it were in your Soul's stead , and so bewailed and condoled your Condition , having many times my self felt the weight of your Burden , I thought then with Job , That to those that are afflicted pity is to be shewn by his friend , Job 6.14 . But barely to pity , and not to endeavour to help , is but a poor kind of Charity ; but it was out of my reach any other way to help , than by Counsel and Advice , and this I knew you needed not , yet not willing to be altogether silent , I resolved to communicate to you my own Experience , and what it was that hath once and again calmed those tumultuous Thoughts that raged in my Breast . But could I but imagine that your Sorrows were over , your Griefs supprest , your Trouble buried , and your Burden eased , I should not be so uncharitable as to take them again out of the Ashes , or blow the fire that is too apt of it self to kindle ; but I fear the Flame is too great to be so soon extinguished , and your Distemper too deeply rooted to be so easily removed ; and the Wound too great , to be so easily healed . Or that I could but imagine your Sorrows were moderate , and no more than your Duty , I should not put you to the trouble of Reading , nor my self of Writing these following lines . But I not only fear , but also hear that you are a Woman of a sorrowful Spirit , drench'd in Sorrow , over-power'd with Grief , and , like Rachel , weeping for your Daughter , and will not be comforted , because she is not : And fearing , as others of your Friends do , what the event will be , in parting with this dear Pledge , or rather Piece of your self , especially when I read Godly Persons have sometimes been strangely transported with Passion upon such Occasions ; as Jacob at the supposed Death of Joseph , Gen. 37.33 . when he refused Comfort , and resol●●d to go down to the Grave with him ; but he should have learned to bury his Children and Friends when alive , by acting their Death to himself afore-hand . He shewed his Fatherly Love to his Son , but not his own Obedience to his Father . The next that offers himself to our consideration , is David , a man after God's own heart , yet not without his Faults and Failings ; we find him excessively mourning for the Death of rebellious Absalom , that had kill'd his Brother Amnon , forc'd his Concubines , rebell'd against him , and sought his Life ; yet when he was cut off by a deserved Death , partly by the hand of God , he mourns , and over-mourns , till he was soundly chidden and threatned by Joab , and wish'd he had dyed for him , 2 Sam. 18.33 . We see Grace sometimes at an under , and Nature predominant . These things considered , I thought it was my Duty , not only to mourn with you , but to comfort you ; not only as a Christian , but also as a Minister , whose Duty it is to speak a word in season , and to comfort the comfortless . Troubles I know seem harder and heavier , and are worse born when they come suddenly , and unexpectedly , as I suppose this did , fore-warn'd fore-arm'd ; the more expectations we have of Trouble , the better preparation ; but unexpected Troubles surprize us before we get on our Armour , and then tyrannize over us ; doubtless then 't is our Wisdom to be always upon our Guard . Nature I know is prevalent , if not curb'd by Grace , but Grace is given to some to check its Extravagancies , and to regulate our disordered Affections . The love of Christ , when 't is predominant in the Soul , lessens or deadens our Affections to all Earthly Enjoyments ; the more directly we behold the Sun of Righteousness in his Glory , the more dim-sighted we are when we turn our Eyes to any Earthly Object . When a Christian acts as a Christian , and hath his Conversation in Heaven , he is set in a more Superiour Orb , that all these Sublunary things seem small , and work small alteration in him . But while our Graces are imperfect , ( and that will be while we are on this side Heaven ) we shall find Corruption stirring ; but 't is our Duty to take part with the Spirit against the Flesh , and to make no provision for the flesh , to fulfil the lust thereof . One of the Devil's Temptations to Job to make him murmur against God , was the death of his Children : And this is your Tryal at present , but in a lower degree , he lost Ten at once , besides other Losses , and that by an untimely Death , and , as might be imagined , by the immediate Hand of God ; but the Devil was frustrate of his purpose , instead of cursing he blessed God , as I hope you will Job 1.21 . The Lord gave , and the Lord hath taken away , blessed be the name of the Lord . There are I know too many that repine at the Loss , which never gave God thanks for the Gift . We are by Nature like sullen Children , if we have not what we would , we will not have what we may ; if one thing be taken from us , we will throw all the rest after it ; if we may not have the Knife , we will none of the Meat . If Rachel may not have Children , she matters not Life it self ; Give me children , or else I die , Gen. 30.1 . not considering that God carries the Key of the Womb also under his Girdle , For children are the heritage of the Lord , and the fruit of the womb is his reward , Psal. 127.3 . One Cross many times overshadows a thousand Blessings , and hides them out of our sight , and if one Comfort be snatch'd away , we can take comfort in nothing ; we are like unto pettish Jonah , that would dye in a pet , and told God to his face , he did well to be angry , even to death , Jonah 4.8 , 9. And why was he in such a ruff ? Why , the Gourd which he loved was withered , and then all God's dealing with him , his communicating himself to him , sending him upon his Errand , delivering him out of the Whale's belly , signified nothing to him ; how true is that of the Heathen , Ira furor brevis est ? Anger is a short Madness , and these are like unto wild Beasts , hardly tamed . Now , though we are allowed to yield something to Nature in such cases , yet nothing to Impatience ; yet how apt are we in effect to charge God of Injustice , and bear our selves as if he had wronged us ; yea , done us such wrong , that God , and Christ , and Heaven , and Glory , and a thousand other Mercies would not satisfie or make us amends , nor make us leave crying ; witness our mourning , and over-mourning when God manifests his Will in taking away our Children , or Relations , without our consent : He hath crost us in our Wills , and will not let us have our Humour , in withering some Gourd we delighted in , and would have had to flourish ; and now we are resolved we will cross him in his Will , and let him say what he will to the contrary , we will not cease our Complaints . But when we act as Christians 't is not so ; when our Graces are not clouded , nor raked up under the Ashes of Corruption , then it will act otherwise ; then there will be a total resignation of our Wills unto God's Will , as two Bells melted together make one : When David came to himself , he could say , I held my tongue , and said nothing , because thou didst it , Psal. 39.9 . And good Old Eli , when the Lord threatned the subversion of his House , 'T is the Lord , let him do what seemeth him good , 1 Sam. 3.18 . And Job , though at first he quarrels , yet at last lays his hand upon his mouth , Job 40.30 . One Glimpse of God's Love in Christ , is able to dry up all those immoderate Tears we shed upon such accounts , and to turn them into another Channel , and make us instead of accusing God , fall out with our selves , and our sins , for provoking him ; and when we see our chiefest Treasure , our choicest Jewels are safe , it will make us contemn all our other Losses ; these things we may spare , Christ we cannot spare .

Madam , Yet mistake me not , my design , and desire in this Letter , is not to wipe all Tears from your Eyes , nor all Sorrow from your Heart , for some Grief in this condition is doubtless Lawful , and your Duty ; and 't is a sin , yea , an Heathinish sin , to be without Natural Affection , Rom. 1.31 . yea , such a sin as was condemned by many of the Heathens , that had but the Light of Nature . Solomon adviseth , To go to the house of mourning ; for ( saith he ) the living will lay it to heart , Eccles. 7.2 . That is , so mind it , as to make a good use of it , and doubtless many profitable Lessons may be hence learnt : Such stroaks as these are not given in vain , we should hear the voice of the rod , and of him that sends it , Micah 7.9 . Yea , God himself complains , Isa. 57.1 . The righteous perisheth , and no man layeth it to heart ; and merciful men are taken away , none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come . God's Rod hath a Voice , and we must hear it , and happy are those that with Correction receive Instruction ; When God's hand is stretched out , the inhabitants of the world should learn righteousness , Isa. 26.9 . God is now speaking to us in this Providence , and 't is our Wisdom to hear what he saith , and to learn what he teacheth . When the Pillars are removed , the House is weakned ; and when the Righteous , are taken away , our danger is more : I would have you therefore sensible of the blow , as all of us should be when such a Breach is made among us , and when there are fewer helpers , let those that are left put their shoulders more strenuously to the Work , to keep up the Building . But my design and desire is to prevent immoderation , which will hinder and not further you in the Work and unfit you for your Duty ; you may , you ought do mourn , but not as those without hope for those that sleep in the Lord , 1 Thess. 4.13 . Ingenious Children , when one is beaten , the other will cry , but they must take heed of murmuring and repining against their Father ; Lute-strings , when one is touched , the other sound ; and 't is one of those Dues which we owe to our deceased Friends , to lament at their Funeral ; 't is those usually that live undesired , that dye unlamented . It was a Judgment threatned against Jehoiakim , that when he died , he should not be lamented , Jer. 22.18 . But we must not Water our Plants so as to drown them , and that Sorrow that disables us for our present Duty in our general or particular Calling , is doubtless our sin . Our chiefest care for our Relations should be while they are living , and that is to make provision to our power for Soul and Body , but for the Soul especially ; for alas , what is a moment of time to Eternity ? But when God manifests by his Providence , that 't is his Will to transport , and transplant these Flowers into a better Soil , though we should not be insensible of the stroak , we should not murmure or repine under it , or accuse the Hand that gave it , but submissively resign them up to him , who gave them , or rather lent them to us . David did what he could for his Son while he was living , but ceased mourning for him when he was dead . Our Tears , though they may be shed upon other accounts , yet 't is pity they should run profusedly in any other Channel but for sin : It being the true penitential Tears that are the Holy Water that God affects , and the Devil hates ; for if any ●oss or Cross that befalls us , deserve one Tear , our Sins deserve a thousand , for sin is the cause of all our Losses and Crosses that befal us , and without Repentance will be the destruction of Soul and Body ; and when we see such direful Effects , and tast such bitter Fruits , we should bewail the Cause , and root up the Tree . If our Sin lay heavy , our Crosses would seem light ; if we bathed our Sins in our Tears , we should not have so many left to pour out upon these Occasions . Sin is the occasion of the Death of your dear Daughter , and will be of your own Death , for had it not been for sin she had not dyed . By one man sin entred into the world , and death by sin , and so death passed ever all , for as much as all have sinned ; the wages of sin is death , but the gift of God is eternal life . Nay , sin it was that put our sweet Saviour to death ; these were the Nails that pierced his Hands and his Feet , the Spear that pierced his Side , his Betrayer , Accusers , Judge , and Executioners ; and can your Daughter be more dear to you than God's only and beloved Son was to him ? He laid down his Life for her , and her Life is not too good to lay down for him ; he laid down his Life to purchase for her a Mansion of Glory , and she laid down her Life to go to take Possession , for there is no other way to enjoy it .

Madam , In my present Address to you there are two things designed by me . The first is , to abate the swelling Tide of your Sorrow , and to bring those Waters within their proper Bounds and Banks ; which I shall endeavour to do by giving you some few Considerations to Meditate upon , that so when the violent Storm of Passion shall be allayed , Reason may be spoke with , which cannot many times be heard when Passion is raging ; and after that , my intention is to point you out some of those many profitable Lessons , which this Providence seems to hand out to us , which if we can learn , doubtless we shall gain by this loss , or our gains will be greater than our loss ; for God's Rod hath a Voice , and 't is our Duty to hear it , Micah 6.9 . Nay , 't is like Jonathan's Rod , 1 Sam. 14.27 . it hath Honey at the end , and if we taste of it , it will open and enlighten our Eyes . If God with Correction give Instruction , we may well say , as David , It was good for me that I was afflicted , before I was afflicted I went astray , but now I learn to keep thy commandments , Psal. 119.67 . Quae nocent docent , is a Proverb , and that Lesson is best learnt that is set on with whipping , and best remembred . Correction is seldom a sign of God's hatred , many times of his love ; For whom he loveth he chasteneth , and scourgeth every son that he receiveth : If we endure chastening , God dealeth with us as with sons , for what son is he that his father , chasteneth not . And if we be without chastening , then are we bastards and not sons , Heb. 12.6 , 7 , 8. Amos 3.2 . You only have I known of all the families of the earth , therefore I will punish you for your iniquities . God will be sure to plow his own Ground , whatsoever becomes of the wast ; and to weed his own Garden , though others are let alone , to grow wild ; the punishing Angel must begin at God's Sanctuary , Ezek 9. And it was no sign of Love , when God said , Ephraim is joyned to Idols , let him alone , Hosea 4.17 . Since he hath made a match with Mischief , let him have his belly full of it . When Ignatius was thrown to the Wild Beasts to be devoured , Now , saith he , I begin to be a Christian ; for Afflictions are the Gemms and Jewels with which God doth adorn his best Friends ; they are Pledges of our Adoption , and Badges of our Sonship ; so that they are no signs of his disinheriting us , and though he may seem to hide his Face , yet 't is no sign of his forsaking us . But now for the quieting your Spirit under your present Suffering , and this dark Providence , I beseech you ponder well these few following Considerations , which well weighed , may through God's Blessing quell those tumultuous Thoughts that swell in your Breast ; and I desire the Lord to bless them to this end .

1. Consider who it is that hath done you this supposed Injury , to take away your Daughter without your consent : And here you may consider not only who it is , but also what Interest he claims in her ; and then consider whether your Plea will hold good against him . Is it not the great God of Heaven and Earth , whose Power no Creature is able to resist ; whose Will is his Law , and whose Glory is his End ? Is it not he that is called Omnipotent , that doth what pleaseth him in Heaven , and in Earth , and none can resist him ? And is he a fit Match for you to grapple with ? Is it not he that measureth the water in the hollow of his hand , and meteth out Heaven with his span , and comprehendeth the dust of the earth in a measure , that weigheth the mountains in scales , and the hills in a balance . To whom all nations are as the drop of a bucket , and are accounted as the small dust of the balance , that taketh up the Isles as a very little thing : And all nations are before him as nothing , and are accounted to him less than nothing , and vanity , Isa. 40.12.15.17 . Fear ye not me ? ( saith the Lord ) do ye not tremble at my presence , which have placed the s●nd for ●he bound of the sea by a perpetual decree , that it cannot pass it ; and though the waves toss themselves , yet can they not prevail , though they roar , yet can they not pass over it , Je● . 5.22 . He setteth bounds to the sea , and saith , Hitherto shalt thou go , and no further ; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed , Job 38.11 . He numbreth the stars , and calleth them by their names , Psal. 147.4 . He removeth the mountains , and they know not : he overthroweth them in his anger . He shaketh the earth out of her place , and maketh the pillars thereof tremble . He commandeth the Sun , and it ariseth not , and sealeth up the Stars . He alone spreadeth forth the heavens , and treadeth upon the waves of the sea . Which maketh Arcturus , Orion , and Pleiades , and the chambers of the south . Which doth great things past finding out , and wonders without number , Job 9.5 , &c. Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters , and the clouds are his chariot ; he walketh upon the wings of the wind . He maketh his angels spirits , and his ministers a flaming fire . That layeth the foundations of the earth , that they shall not be removed for ever , Psal. 104.3 , &c. Is it not he that made the World of nothing , and can as easily reduce it into nothing ? He hangs the Earth upon nothing , and that in the midst of the open Air , and gave a Being to all his Creatures when they were nothing , and nothing comes to pass without his Providence . Nay , is it not he that keeps the Keys of Life and Death at his Girdle ? I kill ( saith he ) and I make alive ; I wound , and I heal , neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand . I lift up my hand , and say , I live for ever , Deut. 32.39 . He brings to the gates of death , and back again , and doth what pleaseth him in heaven , and in earth , and none can resist him , neither dare any say ; What dost thou ? And is this he that hath done you this wrong , and with him is it that you contend ? But consider , Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousie , are we stronger than he ? 1 Cor. 10.22 . Shall we provoke him to a Duel , as sometime Caligula did their Heathenish Jupiter . Was there ever any that hardened himself against God , and prospered ? Job 9.4 . Who ever could boast of the last word , or glory in the last blow ? The Walls of Aphek did Execution on the Blasphemous Syrians , and the Angel of God upon the Assyrians . If we harden our heart against God , he will harden his hand against us , for he will lay us upon our back , ere he leave . But haply though we do acknowledge God doth excel us in Power , yet we imagine we have the better Cause , and therefore , with Jonab , we think we do well to be Angry ; or at least , with Job , we would dispute the Point with him , Job 13.3 . Surely I would speak to the Almighty , and I desire to reason with God . Why , what hath God done ? Why , he hath taken away your Daughter in the midst of her days . Well , but hath he no Interest in her ? Is it not he whose we are , and whom we serve ? Was it not he that gave her her Being , and breathed into her the breath of Life , and she became a living Soul ? Did he not give her her Being ? 'T is not long since there was nothing heard of her ; and did he not continue her in her Being till her death ? Was it not he that fed and cloathed her at his own Cost and Charges ? And was she not engaged to him for every bit of Bread she did eat , and every drop of Drink she drank , and for the Cloathes she did wear ? Was it not his wool , and his flax that cloathed her , his corn and his wine that fed her , his silver and his gold that enriched her , Hos. 2.8 . Let us take heed then of paying our Rent to a wrong Landlord ; her Limbs and Senses , her Peace and Plenty , her Wit and Reason , yea , her Life and Breath were given , or rather lent her by God . It was he that covered her in your Womb , and through him she was born , Psal. 139.13 . It was he that put bowels of Compassion into your Heart , to make Provision for her , when she could make none for her self ; and to him she was indebted for every breath she breathed , and for every Mercy that rendred her Life more comfortable to her ; and doth it become Christians thus to quarrel with our great Benefactor ? Or is it meet that we should require of him an Account of his doings ? Or expect that he should bring his Will to ours ? Whose is the Pot but the Pot-makers , and may not he if he please dash it in pieces with his foot ? And who can say , why dost thou thus ? Now , if this great God , this Omnipotent Being , this God that hath such an Interest in us , and such Authority over us , yea , greater than any Man upon Earth hath over any thing he doth enjoy , hath taken away one of his own Creatures , and glorified himself with her that he had made for his own Glory , shall we take Offence at it ? That it was his Hand I doubt not but you acknowledge , for nothing comes to pass without his Providence . Affliction springs not out of the dust , neither doth trouble arise out of the ground , yet man is born to trouble , as the sparks fly upward , Job 5.6 . These things come not to pass by Fate , or blind Fortune , as the Heathens imaginee , or by Chance , as the Philistines supposed , 1 Sam. 6.9 . but the hand of God is in all this ; and therefore the lamenting Church concludes , That she will bear the indignation of the Lord because she had sinned against him ; Why should a living man complain , a man for the punishment of his sins ? Lam. 3.39 . Is there evil in the city , and the Lord hath not done it ? Amos. 3.6 . That is , the Evil of Punishment for the Evil of Sin . He is not guilty of sin , He is of purer eye than to behold iniquity with approbation . Shall not the judge of all the earth do right ? Who is he that saith , and it cometh to pass , if the Lord commandeth it not ? Lam. 3.37 . I form the light , and I create darkness ; I make peace , and create evil : I the Lord do these things , Isa. 45.7 . Yea , we may find that the Evil that came upon Jerusalem came from God , Micah 1.12 . For God sits at the Stern , and guides the great Affairs of the World ; and when we sin , what can we expect from a Righteous Judge but Sufferings ? Where sin goes before , sorrow follows , as the shadow follows the substance . But now you have found out the Person , and the Fact is confest , what Accusation will you form against this Omnipotent God , seeing he hath meddled with nothing but his own Creature , the work of his own hands , and one that he hath a greater Interest in than ever you had ? What Arguments will you use to defend your Cause against him ? Job indeed had a good mind to quarrel him , and as good a Cause for ought I know as any Man living ; for God himself commends him above all the Men upon the Earth , for a perfect and an upright man , one that feared God , and eschewed evil ; yet holdeth he his integrity ( saith he to Satan ) although thou movedst me against him , to destroy him without a cause , Job 2.3 . Oh ( saith he ) that God would answer me , Job 31.30 . But when God accepted the Challenge , and posed him with some hard Questions , he cries out , I am vile , what shall I answer ? I will lay my hand upon my mouth . Once h●ve I spoken , but I will not answer ; yea , twice , but I will proceed no further , Job 40.4 , 5. Yea , we find him at the loss of his seven Sons and three Daughters , the loss of all his Cattel , blessing the Lord : The Lord gave , and the Lord hath taken away , blessed be the name of the Lord , Job . 1. ●1 . We find him not cursing at the Chaldeans , or reviling at the Sabeans , as many would have done ; he knew whoever was the Rod , God's Hand held it ; and whoever was the Instrument , God was the Author . This Consideration quieted David , when that dead Dog Shimei railed upon him , and cursed him ; The Lord ( saith he ) hath bid him curse David , 2 Sam. 16.7 . This quieted good Old Eli , when the sad Tidings of the death of his two Sons , and the ruine of his Family was fore-told , 'T is the Lord ( saith he ) let him do what seemeth him good , 1 Sam. 3.18 . This Consideration also silenced Aaron , when his two Sons , Nadab and Abihu , were both slain with fire from Heaven , Levit. 10.3 . And Aaron held his peace . He bridled his Passion , and submitted his Will to God's Will. And how then dare we dispute the Point with God , that have neither Might nor Right on our side , that are but frail , yea , sinful Dust and Ashes , poor Worms , that if he tread upon us , he leaveth us dead behind him ? Who are we , that we should be discontent with his dealing , while we have no wrong done us , or think to struggle out of his hand when we have no Power , or be sullen under his Rod , when 't is for our own good ? God is not engaged to give us any Account of his doing ; but sure it may suffice us , when he tells us , All shall work together for our good , if we love him , Rom. 8.28 . And then why not this Providence ? We take bitter Pills , and unsavoury Potions upon the Word of a Physician , when he Sugars them with the hopes of Health : And shall we mistrust the great Physician , that cannot deceive , nor be deceived ? Yea , how unsuitable is it for Christians to repine under such Dispensations of Providence , who daily pray , Thy will be done in ●arth , as it i● in heaven , chearfully , readily , and willingly , and yet murmure when his Will is done , and prefer our own Wills before his ? Nay , further consider if you are not Accessory to this Cross that you now lye under : Or have you not a hand in making the Rod , wherewith ye are beaten ? There are two ways we may be Accessory to the Death of our Relations : The one is , by lodging them too near the Heart ; even in that Room which Christ hath reserved for himself : This makes God like a Jealous Husband , remove that Servant out of the Family , which he sees his Wife dotes upon ; as a Father takes away the Knife , for fear of Danger , or the Meat , for fear of a Surfeit ; for many times we grasp those Thorns so hard till they prick us to the heart ; and then like Children we cry when we have hurt our selves . Some on the other side through Carelesness or Covetousness neglect the necessary means of preserving or restoring the Health of their Relations . But if you can clear your self of the former , I think all that know you will clear you of the latter ; for the hand of God was so evidently seen in this Visitation , that no Providence , no C●●● , no Cost , nor Pains could prevent , or remove it ; God denying a Blessing to all the means that were used , and did immediately dispute his own Right , and claim his own Interest , and silence all Gain-sayers . Oh how good is it for us to hang loose to all Creature-Comforts , and not set up any Idols in our Hearts , but leave all our Relations to be at God's dispose ; for many times we our selves weave the Spider's Web out of our own Bowels , with which we are intangled ; and twist the Snare with our own fingers wherein we are held : Let us therefore in the first place consider who 't is that hath done this supposed Injury , and the serious Consideration of it will do much to allay the Storms of our Passion , and quell and suppress those tumultuous Thoughts that rage in our Breast , and do much towards the calming of our Spirits .