Of murmuring.3 vncohim, as hebath commaunded, ifhehauedone vs good whenforour finnes hemight hauepunithed vs,will he not whenwithhis fpirit he bath fanaified vs ? Oh then let vs not '- bevnfaithfull, and fo becomemurmurers againftthe Lord : hulavsbefaithfull, and fo lookeunto theLord todoe vncovs according toourfaith. 7 Furthermore, this prouidence of God muft beconfirmed by the,exampleof Gods childrenin allages,as in the timeofthe fathersbeforethe Rond,who did Batenothing but bearbes;yetfome ofthem hued ninehundred yeares,to teachvs that menhue notby there meanes : ifby thefemeans henourifhed them,he willbygreater asby 9efhandfish, nou- rifhvs. TheIfraelites were fedwith Man (which was neuerfeent beforenor lince) for tile fpace of fortie yeares. Iftheygathcred any morethereof then the Lordcommaunded, it ftanke:yetbeing kept beforetheArke 400.yeares it did not fo,andwhenthey-cametothe promifed land it cealediwherebywemay learne, that it is not themeanes, but thebielling of God vpon the meancs that giueth nourifhment. Didnot Mops and Elias liue,fortie dayeswithout meate,and thechildren ofIfraelgoeforcie yeares in-thefamegarments not waxingold ? andotherfomehauingmeate in aboundance been hungerftarued 'anddhall it not teachvsthat there meansare ordained for our weakenes,and that the Lordwithout chelemeanes cannourifhvs? If Daaidprouedbyexperience,that heneuer faw a righteous man,of righteous parentes, begging his bread, ifwebenow righteous, as theywere then, the Lordwillprovidefor vs now aswell as hedid thenfor them,and we (hallhaue the like experience. 3 To thisprouidence wemutt comewith a patient minde to let the Lordgiue what he wil,and thereforewemutthaue contented mindes,andknow that godhnesísgreat riches, co,,teucatias. andnot tolooa forgreatmatters,Ier.45.as it was laid to Barach,and therefore arewe taught topray for daylie bread: to that wemay haue theta=mindethat was in our Father/acid, Gen.28. who wascontent with meate and cloath, whichgenerally is commaundedto all, i .Tim.6. if tIse Lordgiurmore then tliis,take it as anouerpius. Apatient mindeprefcri- betbnotto God,thenieanes nor the time,norindentetiwithGod,but is content with the grace of God in forgiuenes of finne, and thefanaificationofthe fpirit, though it wanto- ther things: our Saviour Chrifh teachethvs,not toodefiroully tofeckeafterearthly things, Tacit... but rather afterthekingdonreof God : and we ought to receiue the loneof Godwith all contentment, thought conealone, and for outward things to enioy them, or not to haue them as it pleated' him : for the children ofGod doe for outward things poi effe their foules inpatience, and commit the re$vnco the Lord, not binding hisfauour veto them. 9 The tauleof all rebellionand murmuring is, that we know not the great power of theLord, or elfe weat that timedoe forget it : whenby faith we fhould maketoour feines moll comfortablevieof it, asweemay fee in the Ifraelites, whohad beheld chegreatpo- wer of Godwith his goodneffe towards them, but not in faith, and therefore when the tentation wasforevponthem they Beaneforgatit. The Lord therefore being-zealous of his ownglorie,fhewethhimfelfe tobe molt louingand beneficiail towardsvs,whichought to leadevs to acknowledgeIsis greatgoodneffe,but ifwedo not, thenhisiuftice willPurely teach vs. ao The Lordoftentimes withholdethortakethaway thatching, the hailingwhereof might be hurtfull vnto vs:which if wecould rightly confiderof, it wouldbean efpeciall helpe against murmuring in thewant of Gods bleffings. Forif we would confider this, whereforeme that the Lorddoti, thereforekeepe it fromvs, becaufehe teethit would be liurtfull for voltmany vs, and that when we Ihall be fitfor it, he will then giue it visto vs, we Ihould bitter be thing, wßiti - contentedwith that wehaue, and more patiently beare thewent ofchat we wouldhaue, 'deft"' asfor example, ifa man wanting health, riches, eftimation, and loch like, andbe grieued for it, fo that lie is almoft ready to murmurfor thewant ofthem : ifhe then can confider that the Lord knoweth they benot goodfor him,butif hehad them theywould turne to his hurt:thiswould bringmaruellous greatquietnes to hisIreart,and would-flophismur- muringnature,and wouldratherftirhimvp to acknowledgethegoodnes ofGod towards lnte. t r When
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