[ontemplations. L1s.V. once for all; and I know not,ifthat: foroven inliving we dye d4yly. So mull we A take our leaves ofall afRiClions, that we refervea lodging for them, and expect their rerurne. All!frad murmured when they wanted bread,meat,water;and yet alllfrad departed from the wildernelfeofSin ro,Kepbidim,atGods command.Theverywotltmen will obey God in fomething; none bur the good, in all: He is mely defperate,that makes an univerfall oppofirion to God.ltis an unfound praife that is given a man,for one good aC!ion: It may be fafdy fa id ofthe very Devils rhemfdves,thar they doe fomerhing well: They know and beleeve,and tremble. Lf we follow God,and murmur,it is all one,as ifwe had fiayed behind, . , Thofediltrult his providence in their necefliry,tharare readyto follow hl\guidance in their wdfnre. his an harder mattcrt0 endu're in extreame want, thc:n ro obey-an B hard commandemem.Sufferings are greaterrrials,then aetions:How many have we feen jeopard rheir lives, with chearfull refolurion,which cannot indure in cold bloud to lofe a limbwirh patience!BecaufeGod wil have his throughly rried,he puts them to borh,and ifwe cannot indure both ro follow him fromSm,and to rhirll inRtph•- dtm,we are not found !fraelites. . .. God led rhem,on purpofe to this dry Rephidim: He could as well haveconduCled them to another Elun, to convenient warc::rings : Or he that gives the waters ofall their channels, could as well have derived them to meet I [rat!: Bur God dorh purpofely carry them tothirlt. It is not fornecdliry,rhat we !<tre ill,bur our ofchoyce: It were all one with God to giveus healrh,as ficknelfe; abundance as poverty.The rreafury of his riches hath more £tore then his cr<arure can be capableof; we could C nor complaine,ifir were not good for us to want. This 01ould have been a contentment able ro quench any thir£1: God hath led m hither; If Mofes our ofignorance had mifguided us, or we chanceably fa! ne upon thefe dry dcfarrs, though this were no remedy ofour griefe, yer it might be fome groundofour complainr.Burnow rhe counfell offowife and merciful! a God,harh drawn us inro this want; and fhall not he as eafily find the way out! lr isthe Lora, let him doe what he will. There can be no more forciblemotive to p3:tience, then the acknowledgement of a divine hand that !hikes us. Iris fearful! to be in the handofaoadverfary;butwhowouldnot be confidenrofaFarher! Yet inour fraile humanity, dlol~rmay rranfporta man from remembrance ofnature; bm whenwefeeleourftlvesunderrhed1fciplineofawifeGod, that can temper our D affiict:ions to our fi:rengrh,ro our benefit;who would nor r:nher murmur:tt himfdf; that he 01ould fwerve towards impatience! Yet rhefe llurdy Jjr.uliw wilfully murmur: and will not have their rhir£1 quenched with faith, but with water. Give us water. I looked to hearewhen theywould have entreated Mofes to pray for rhem:bur in fi:ead ofemreating,they comend,and in fiead ofpr.:tyers, ( finde commands: Give 11s water. Ifthey had gone to God without Mofts,I 01ould have praifed their fairh: bur now they goero r,Jliofes without God,I hare their fiubborn f<tithlefndfe. To fcek to the fecond meanes,.with negleet ofthe firlt,is the fruit ofa falfe faith. The anfwcr of Mofts is like himf<lf,mild and fweer: Why contendyou with me! Why tempt ye the Lord( In the firlt expoltularioncondemning them ofinjultice; E fince nor he, burrheLord had affiicred them. In rhe fecond, of prefumption ; that fince itwas Godrhar rempred them by wanr,rhey 010uld tempt him bymurmuring. In the one,he would ha\'t: themfee tht:ir wrong; jn the orher their danger. As the altcamenot from him,burfrotll God; fo he puts it off to God,fl'om himf<lf: Why tempt ye the Lord? Theoppofirion which is made to the inllrumtnts ofGod, redounds ever to his perfon.Hc holds himfdfe fmirren through the fides ofhis Mmtfiers:fo hath God incorporated rheferefpelts,rhar our fubrilry cannot divide them. But whatttmptarion is this -: Is the Lordamong rM or no? Infidelity iscr.tfi:y,& yet foolifh;Crafty in hc::rinfinu:uions/oolifh in her conccits.They imply/f•ve werefJre ! the Lord,vere with 114, we wouldnot diftmp ; They conceive doubts ofhis pr~fence, , after fuch confirmations.What could God doe more,ro makerhem know !urn pre-j ----~--------------------------fc_enr,_
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