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will give * the will and deed.' Christ he knew that the Father loved him and would honour him, but yet he prays, ' Father, glorify thy Son,' John xvii. 1. So in sickness, to whom God purposes and decrees health, he shall do well. But how ? Without means ? No. They must use advice of physicians, as one of God's ordinances. Thus is it with our souls. We are all naturally sick and dead. God hath predestinated some to live. But how ? ' Faith comes by hearing,' Kom. x. 17. He must be conversant still in the use of means appointed to that end. But the comfortless and weak soul will say, ' Alas ! I use means, yet feel I no grace ; I am not the better.' To such I say, ' It may be thou art not so instant and urgent in the use of the means as thou mayest and should be.' And secondly, thou must not measure thyself by thy will ; for a Christian's will is ever beyond his ability, tending still to that perfection which they cannot come to in this world. Ptich men that are covetous think themselves poor, and still desire more. ' I know thy tribulation and thy poverty, but thou art rich,' saith the Spirit to the church of Smyrna, Rev. ii. 9 ; and therefore discourage not thyself. God is faithful. Use the means, and depend not on the means ; but depend on God in the use of the means, else thou shalt find but little comfort. And if thou fiudest thy affections any whit enlarged to good duties, and lifted up, and cheered in the performance of them, and krt glad that thou art not so conversant in sinning as formerly thou wert, but that thou makest a conscience of thy ways, thank God and give him the glory, and abase and humble thyself. David was much conversant in this. 'Blessed be the Lord, that hath kept me from shedding of blood,' saith he to Abigail, 1 Sam. xxv. 32, 33, seq. And his psalms are full of praises and thanksgiving. And if thou hast any good motions in thine heart, practise them with all speed, and strengthen them.
^^ERSE 14. Do all tilings ivithmit murmunn<js and dlsputin(js.
This verse contains a new precept of Christian modesty, enforced by removing of contraries. ' Murmuring ' is well known among us, it is so ordinarily practised of us. It arises from discontent against God or one another, breaking into words, works, disputings ; whereby one endeavours to defend that with reasons which in the heat of his affections passed from him, lest he should be thought inconsiderate and rash. But to come to the particulars, consider with me, first, the kinds of it ; secondly, the causes of it ; and thirdly, the cure and remedies of it. For the kinds of it, it is either against God or against man.
First, Against God. Man since the fall quarrels with his Maker. Whenas heaven and earth must be judged by him, man thinks this imequal, and therefore he first munnureth. against God's counsels and decrees. God he appoints some to this, others to'that. This is unequal, saith the proud man ; all of us are alike, saith he ; I am as good a man as another. ' Who art thou that contendest with God ? ' Eom. ix. 20. Remember thou art clay, and God is the potter ; he hath power to make one vessel to honour, another to dishonour, Rom. ix. 21. God's decrees are divine and above thy reach. If that men could apprehend them by reason, then they were not divine. Lay thy hand therefore on thy heart, and cry, ' 0 the depth of the counsels and wisdom of God,' Rom. xi. 33. Shall not we give him leave to do what he will, whenas he is the just Judge of all the world ? Can he do any wrong ?
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Second, It is usual witli natural men to murmur af/ainst God's providence, in doliu] better to some others than luito tlw.mselves. They think themselves much wronged when they see some others rich and have all, whereas they themselves are poor ; and this sin is many times found in the children of God, in David, Job, Habakkuk, ' Why do the wicked prosper?' They found fault with'^'the wicked's prosperity, till they went into the sanctuary of the Lord. There they found the end of such men, Ps. Ixxiii. 17. Therefore judge not of any but by his end. Think not all things run round, because thou seest no reason thereof, for God's wisdom is unsearchable. Observe the sweet end, issue, and event of all things. Princes they have arcana imperii. Shall not we suffer God to enjoy such privileges ? Can we endure that our servant should know all our counsels and minds ? Let us there- fore yield to God liberty in that which belongs to him ; yield glory, who disposes all things sweetly.
A third thing which m-en often murmur at is God's ordinance in marjis- tracij and ministry. Such men, they think God is not wise enough, but they will teach him whom he shall advance to high place, and whom not ; and thus they despise not only the magisti-acy, but God himself. ' They have not cast thee oflf, but me,' saith God to Samuel concerning the people, 1 Sam. viii. 7 ; and indeed what are they but lawless and wild persons, that cannot away with order ? They will have none to overrule them ; or, if they be content fcr shame to a,dmit thereof, yet nolumns hunc regnare, Christ must not rule over them, nor this nor that man. But know, who- soever thou art, that all power is from God, and he will defend his own ordinance against all such as malign it. Ministers are not free from mur- murers. How many have we that think it tedious to attend on God at public service ! how many that think and are not ashamed to say they can profit more in their private studies ! and that this observation of the Lord's day causeth them to lose a whole year in seven !* Ay, but consider, God justly curses thy calling whenas thou makest them a stayt to good duties. It is also thus in families ; wife murmurs against husband, and husband against wife, blaming themselves in that they matched v/ith such, whenas they think they might have done better with others. No. Thou couldst not have done better. God he hath decreed this, and his decrees are not to be blamed. Servants also are troubled with this disease. They murmur against their masters, and learn to dispute with them ; and there- fore St Paul wills servants to count their masters worthy of all honour, that the word of God be not blasphemed, Tit. ii. 5. And that they do not con- tend in ' answering again,' verse 9. It is also much in children against parents, and likewise parents against children ; so that this sin reigneth over all estates and degrees. Take notice therefore hereof, that thou beest not overtaken in it.