Z hap. 3 3. .An expofati upon the Book, of J o B. Verf. 13. 249 fume much upon their flrength, who are forward to (+rive, they e(pecially whoprovoke and challenge others to (;rive with them. There is a fpirit in manwhich (louts it with God, even to a pro- vocation offhife with him. But you will fay, Whenmay we be fayd to (hive with God ? I anfwer, we doe it there foure wayes. Era , Man flriveth withGod bydifobeying his commands ; that's a flrife with his holinefs. The lawes of God beare the image or flampeof his holinefs. All difobedience is anunanfwe- rablenefs to the Law, wilful! difobedience is a making voyd the Law. He that is refolved to fin, witheth there were no Law to flop him from finning, or to punish him when he bath finned. What greater flrife canbe raifed again(i the Law-giver, then to with he had given no fuchLaw? Secondly , Men ftrive with God, by not believing or di(lrufl- ìng his promifes. That's a flrife with his faithfulnefs, or with his power. Unbeliefe is one of theworfl wayes, if not the worfl of all the wayesof (!riving with God. The reafon why that place at the rock in Horebwas calledMeribah (Exod: 17. 7. ) was be- caufe the people did not believe. They thought they mull dye with thirfl in thewilderne£s when they faw nowater. They fell to this finagain a fecond time upon the likeoccafion, while they abode in Kadefh ( Numb: to. 1, 2, 3.) Andas the people (trove there with God by their rebellious unbeliefe, fo alfo did Mofes and Aaron, by their unbeliefe, that God would give water to fuch rebelIs, as it follows in the fame Chapter (u, to, ir, Ia.) There is no fin fo often, or fo properly called a provocation as unbeliefe is. Yea by unbeliefe we ftrive fo much with God, that we are fayd to weary him (Ifa: 7.13. ) 0 how doe. they weary God, who either thinke him fo weake that he cannot, or fo unfaithfull that he will not make good his word, or performe his promifes ! The firfi ofthefe is alwayes in unbeliefe, the latter often. Thirdly , We (!rive with God bynot bearing his hand, or by our impatience under the crofs which his hand layeth upon use, while we quarrell with the rod, we quarrell with God whocha- fleneth us with it. This was the moll fpeciall way in which loh (trove with God ; and the finfulnefs of it,hath been feverall times toucht upon inthisbooke. K k Fourthly,
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