406 Chap.3. Expofition upon the Book of J O B. VerEr3. Thereare t wo qucflions which I fhall propound and endevourto refolve upon the whole matter of this Context. Firti, We find Job complaining,becaufe things were not other- Wifeordered about him ; he is troubled , becaufe he,. was born, or becaufe he was not cart away in the birth ; for then it had been better with him lie had been asleep and quiet ; he was troubled things were with him as they were. Hence it may be queftioned, whether it be lawful for. us to with or to defire , that had no come topafr, which wefee come topafs ? And are we not bound to rest fatistied with the preCent and fore-paft Difpenfations of God, and fo be content with the things that are , or with things as they are ? For this , I fày in general , fuch wifnes or delires are not Gnful. alt is not abfolùtely finful, to with that not to be, which is ; Nay' force things which are, ought to be withed they had not been, and it is a fins not to wiíh, they had not been. As thofe things that are difplcáfing tó God, provocations to the eyes ofhis glory ; things that are difhonorable to God , we ought to with that filch things had never been. God himfelfwifheth in thatmanner,Pfal.Si.i3. O that my people had harkened unto me anddfrael badwalked in my wayes ! They did not walk in his wayes, he wilheth they had, ire deìireth they had been better, more holy and more obedient then they were. To with that a thing had not been, out of a ten- dernefs that God fhould be offendedby din, is not only lawful,but .very commendable. But to with things otherwife then they are, as murmuring againft, and mifliking Gods Adminif{ration, orout .ofa tenderrïefs, becaufe we faster, is not only finful, but abomin- able ; ,When our wills rife upagainu the Will of God, when we cannot be contented to be what God will have us to be , and to Puffer what God would i aide us fuffer, when we who fhould learn to be content- in every cftate, are angry with our Elates, and on thatground with, O that this had never been, O that I had never feen this day,becaufe it hath fo much trouble in it ; this withbath I know not howmuch evil in it. 8o likewife when man fhall(as it were) take upon him to direft the Almighty and onely wife God in governing the world,fecretly furmizing,or openly complaining, that_thrnigs might be difpenfed and managed with more wifdorn, juiìice`andmoderation ; fuch boldnefs is plain blafphemy. Some are: ready to fày in theirhearts about the Lord Chrifls governing- ,the world , as Abfálom did concerning his father Davids govern- ment
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