LIB.V. The ~ail et and 8v.f anna. 849 A Alas,what good would their flefl1-pots have done them,in their ?eathl!ftheymight fu{binecheir life, yet what could they ava1le them mdymg ~ !<or 1fthey were unplea[;mr, lVhat comfort was it, to fee them~ Ifpleafant,what comfort to pmfrom them~ Our greatdt pleafures are but paines in their lofle. Every minde affects that which is like it fcltc. Carll.lllminds are for theflefll·pots of kj;ypt, though bought with fcrvitude;fpirituall are for the prcfenceofGod,thdugh redeemed with f.1mine; and would rather die in Gods prefence, then hve Without hun m the fight Ofdelicate or full di01tS. They loved their lives well enough: I heard how they lhrieked,when they were in danger ofthe kgyptians;yet now they by,Oh thatwebaddyed! Not,Oh that we might live by the flelh-pors; but,Ohthatwehad dyed! Although life be B natur~lly fweet, yet a littkdifcontentment makes us weary. It is a bafecowardlindfe, fo foone as ever we are called from the garifon to the field , to thinke of tunninfea,Vly. Then is our fortitude worthy ofpraifc, when we can. endure robe mi erable. But what!can no flefl1-pots ferve but thofe of £gypt?I am dectived,if that Land afforded them any flefl1-pots fave their owne: Their Landlords of £gypt held it abominatibn tci cat ofthcir difl1es,or to kill that which they did eat, In thofe times then theydid eat of their owne; and why not now ( They had droves. ofcattle in the Wilderneffe: why did they not take ofthem (Surely,if they would have bin as good husbands oftheir cattle, as they were of their d9ugh, they might have had enough to e::!.t wirhour need ofmurmuring: for if their back:burden ofdough lall:ed c for a moneth; theirheards might have ferved them ~any yeares.All grudging is odious; but moft,when our hands arefull. To whme mthemtdft ofabundance, is a fhamefull umhankfulneffe. When a man would have looked that the anger ofGod fltould have appeared in fire: now behold,his glory appeares in a Cloud. Oh the exceeding long {ilftering of God,that heares their murmurings!and as ifhe had been bound to content them,in ftead ofpuni!hing,pleafes them;as a kind mother would deal with a crabbed child, who rather ftils him with the breft,thencalls forehe rod.One would have thought, thatthefight ofthe cloud ofGod 010uld hovedifpel'd the cloudoftheirdillruft;& this gloryofGod!hould have made them afhamed ofthemfdves,arid afraid ofhim: Yet I do not h<arthem once fay,What a mighty and gracious God havewe diilruD lled(Nothing will content an impotent mind, but fruition.When an hcartis hardned with any{,aflion,it willindure much,ere it will yeeld to relent. Theireies aw the cloud;thdr cares heard the promife,rhe performance is fpeedy & anfwe'"ble.Needs mull they be convinced, whc~ they f.1w God as glorious in his work,as in his prefence; when they f.1w his word jullified by hisact.God tels them afore-hand what he will doe,thattheirexpethtion might ftay their hearts.He cloth that which he fore-told,that they might learnero rruft him,ere he performe. They delircd mcat,and receive <l!!_ailes ; they defiredbread,and haveManna. Ifthey had had ofthe courfoft flcOJ,and ofthe bafell Pulfe,hunger would have made it dainty: But now God will pamper their famine;and gives them meat ofKing•,& Bread of Angels. What aworld ofQl}iles \vere but fufficiem to ferve fix hundred thoufand E perfons~They were all ftrong,all hungry;neither could they befatis1'ied with fingle Fowles,What aTable hathGod prepan;d in theDef.m,forabundance,for delicacy~ Never Prince was fo ferved in his greateft ~omp,as thefe rebellious ifr4Ciiw in the Wilderndfe. God loves to ovcr-dcferveo men; and to exceed not onlytheir fins; buttheir very defires,in mercy. How good fl1all we finde him to thole thatpleafe him,fince )1e is fo gracious to Offenders! Ifthe moft gracekffe Iji-atlius be fed with <l!!_ailes andManna; Oh. what goodndfe is that he hath laid upfor them that love him! Asonthe contrary,Ifthe i:1.ighteous fcucebe faved,where will the Sinners appeare~Oh ~~,thou can!l,rhou wilt m:tkethis diffc::renc(',Howfoever \vith us men, the moft era lied and llubborrte oftemimes fare the beft; the Righteous Judge of theWorld frames his remunerations as he liqdes us: And ifhis mercy fometime provoke the worft tO repentance by his temporail favours, yet heevcr referves fo
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