Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v10

Chap. 3 2.. An Expoftion upon the Bookof J o n. Verf. 2. Fifthly , yob in feverall paffages of this booke d,:fired God to make an endof him, and take him out of this world ; he was troubled that God did not kill him out of hand, -or out-right; this was a juftification ofhimfelfe rather thenGod,as ifhe knew better, whether it were more fit for him to live ina fickly,weak ly, painfull condition, or to bedelivered out of it by death. As we fhould be willing to die, whet' God calls, fo to live till God calls, and not tohaften deáth ; He that beleeves ( as he ought ) will not make haft out of the troubles of this world, much leffe out-of the world,becaufe he finds it troublefome. Sixthly, He feemed to juftifie hinìfelfe rather then God, while he was fo much troubled, becaufe God did not prefently reveale to him the reafon of his troubles ; why si light given to aman whofe way it hid, and whom Clod bath hedged In ? was his -complaint ( Chap, 3.23. ) that is, wherefore is the light of this 'naturall life given to me, whofe way is in the darke, and who know not the reafon why I am thus athicted ? We ought to fit downe in this.affurance , beour condition never fo rettleile, that the molt wife God bath a reafon for every ftroake oftrouble he láyech upon our loynes, thoughwe fee it not. Theywho cannot fully refigne themfelves and their wayes to-God, yea refolve their wills into the will 'of God, are muchdifquieted and renleffe in their minds, when' they fee not the reafon of Gods dealing with them, or whÿ it is fowith them ? Let all fuch know, this al- fo is to make our felves -wiferthenGod, and to juilifie our felves rather then him. And therefore from all thefe confederations take thefe two Inferences, which may keepe us ever at a diftance from this high prefuription, yea ( which we fhould carefully a- vöyd ) from the fnaddow and appearance of it ; The juftifyingof our felves ráther thenGod. Firft, Ir is enough to condemneas under the guilt of this fin, if we allow. not all that God doth to begood , yea andbeft for us, how much or how long,or in what kinde foever he isplea- fed to aftli& us with evil!: It is our duty to accept, that is,to take well at Gods"hand, thepuni fhmest ofour iniquity ( Lev: 26. 41.) howmuch more to welcome the foreff and heavieft croffe which he is pleated to lay upon us, either for the chàftifeanent of our faylings and falls, or for the tryall and exercife of! our graces, It is faid (2 Sam: 3. 3 6.) Whatfoever the k.ng (meaningDs- E vid)

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