Causes of mnrmnring.
1. The first cause of murmuring is ignorance of God' s pfarticular providence ; his excellency and thy baseness. Job when he came to see the glory and power of God, then said, 'I abhor myself, I will dispute no more,' Job xlii. 6. K we did likewise consider of his majesty, power, wisdom, and goodness, would we contend with our Maker ? Consider this in thine own cause, will any of us endure a murmuring servant ? shall we think it is reason in us, and that God must notwithstanding sufier with patience our murmur- ings and disputations with his sacred Majesty, who is justice itself, and is not bound to render account of his actions to any. * In margin here, ' Men murmur against men.' — G. t That is, = ' hindrance.' — G.
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2. The second cause of murmuring in us is Kclf-love. Man thinks him- self worthy of all honour, never considering his weakness and infirmities. Moses was very meek ; he gave no cause to Dathan and Ahiram, and the rest, to provoke them to murmur. God yet having set them in some place in the congregation, they were so lifted up with desire of honour as they were too good to be governed. Numb. xvi. 3. Thus is it with evei^- one of us. We willingly puff up ourselves in our own conceits of self-sufficiency, and hence arises discontented ness, when we think God is not so good to ua as our merits do deserve. We look on those good things that God hath given us, we think not of our infirmities. Hence it is we are never thank- ful for that we have, but desirous of that which we have not. Hence also arises unfruitfulness, for such look for greatness, but never or seldom to do good with that they have, whether power, or riches, or such like.
Cures for this.
The cures of this disease consists partly in meditation, and partly in practice. First, labour to have a rifiht understanding and knouiedge of God's justice ivithout all exception. Secondly, that he is infinitehj good, disposing all for the benefit and good of his on-n children. Thirdly, labour to know and observe his particular irrovidence to these baser creatures, as that the hair falls not without his providence, and that he regards the sparrows, Mat. x. 29. These will make us practise these things. First, in justifying God in whatsoever is done and decreed, as David, Ps. cxix. 137, ' Just art thou, 0 Lord, and holy, and righteous are thy judgments.' This was Eli his practice, 1 Sam. iii. 18 : 'It is the Lord,' said he. And Hezekiah, ' the word of the Lord is good,' 2 Kings xx. 19 : and in the 39th Psalm, David held his tongue, ver. 1.'* The reason he renders, ' It is thou. Lord, who art good, and dost all for good.' Therefore learn a holy silence as David leads us, 62d Psalm ver. 1 : ' My soul waiteth on God with silence,' for so is the signification of the word (c). Thus did Aaron: though his sons were destroyed, ' yet he held his peace,' Lev. x. 3. And when thou findest any discontented thoughts to arise in thine heart, check thyself in the beginning, Ps. Ixxiii. 22: 'So foolish and like a beast am I,' saith David; and ' why art thou disquieted, 0 my soul '? and why art thou troubled within me ' ? Ps. xlii. 5. And examine ourselves : Is it fit that God should answer me ? is he not wiser than I ? ' What am I ? ' Am I not wicked, dead, dull ? Have not I infinitely displeased him ? Let me judge myself, that he may not enter into judgment with me. AVhat though God hath not heard my prayers ! I have not hearkened to him when he called me ; he may justly neglect me, I have neglected him. Yet hath he been wonderfully good to me ; I have received much good from him, and no evil ; he hath often spared and doth now spare me ; his corrections are gentle and loving, above that we deserve. In his judg- ments his mercies are great : ' It is his mercy that I am not consumed,' Lam. iii. 22. Propound to thyself the example of Christ. He sufi'ered more than we do, when there was no ill found in him. What says he? ' Not my will, but thine be done,' Luke xxii, 42. Indeed, we may wish afflictions to be removed as grievances, but joining them with the will of God, then our will must give place to his. Kesign thyself into his hands. It is God that will have it thus with me ; and therefore take and bear with meekness. And as Paul did, also pray that the will of the Lord may be done. Let his wisdom be thine, his will thine. And why ? It will be so; it shall be so;
* Cf. the pungent and admirable treatise of John Brinsley ' rA.a220-XAAl'- NnSIS ; or, a Bridle for the Tongue,' &e., 1G64, 12mo, not to be confounded with his ' Stand-Still ; or, Bridle for the Times,' 1647. — G.
22 THE CIIEISTIAN WORK.