312 Chap. 23. An Expofition ;pon the Bookof J O B. Verf. 2. croffe, is to aft below grace; To complaine ofa croffc, is toná againft grace. Tocomplaine beyond a croffe,is a defect ofgrace, but tocomplaine without a croffe, is a defect in nature. The Apoftles rule is (r The! 5.18.)ín every thinggive thanks; and he gives his reafon for it in the words which follow,for thre u the will ofGod in Chilli ?eftre concerning you. Now, if it be the will ofGod that we fhould give thanks in every thing, then it muff be againft his will that we fhould complaine in any thing; Complaining is contrary to thanks-giving. A godly man may fee two things in theheaviest ftroakes of his afil bon, which may provoke him to thankfgiving, at lean, which may flop him from all immoderate complaining ; Firft, That Godhath a refpeft to his good in his heaviest of i &ions, and that the iffue thall certain- ly be good tohim. Secondly, that how heavy fo ever hisftroake is,his fin hath deferved a heavier,and that God could have made it heavier, even his little finger heavier upon him. then his loyns have been. That our ftroake might have been heavier may [top our complaining, but our heaviest ftroake (hall turn to our bene- fit, lhould ftirre us up to thankfgiving : In heaven there will not be the leaft fhadow ofa cau(e tocomplaine ;Thank (giving will be all our worke, and the werkeof all in heaven; And by how much we are the more in thankfgiving and the leffe in complaining on earth (unleffe it be ofand againft our fr Ives for finne) the more heavenlywe are. Whenwe arc Lichenwe fhould complaine as littleas we can,and we fhould always be able tofay(as lob here) That our és aint is not greater then our ffrooke.
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