concernment of every one that thinks he stands 1 Cor. 10 12. to take heed lest he fall That your grounds may be good and safe take a few Directions Direct 1. Be very careful to acquaint your selves with the Word of God 'T is the Glass in which you may see your own faces and what manner of persons ye are James 1.24 2dly Watch narrowly over your hearts and lives that you may know what is your general aim and intendment wherein you exercise your selves as Paul Acts 24.16 Herein do I exercise my self c. For a Christian is to try himself by his main purpose and design as the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience 3dly Rest not upon other mens judgments of you Gal. 6.4 Let every man prove his own work the work that is wrought by him of what sort it is and so the work of Grace which is by himself or others thought to be wrought in him 4. Think not to confirm your Assurance by changing modes and ways of Christianity Neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem shall ye worship the Father John 4.21 In this Mountain there was their Forefathers Example leading them to Mount Gerezim c. But ye that is the Jews plead Solomon's building and God's blessing the Temple at Jerusalem Some have tried this way of changing forms and been quieted a little while but their doubts have returned and must needs for any help that can be that way gotten Evidences of Salvation are internal and standing things abiding 5thly Slight not any hopeful Evidence because you yet find some doubts Paul blessed God that with his mind he served the law of Christ though with the flesh the law of sin Rom. 7. last Assurance is always imperfect and this first work is always needful as I shall shew if God will in the next Step. 6thly Wait always on God by Prayer for information concerning your own estate See Psalm 139.1 2 and 23d Verses Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting MATTH XIII 44. The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field The which when a man hath found he hideth and for joy thereof goeth and selleth that he hath and buyeth that field THE second Period or degree of a Believer's motion towards his Perfection may be described by rejoycing in Christ as that which is most signal and remarkable in Believers of some little standing after they have a-while conflicted with Fears and Doubts and taken some solicitous pains to assure themselves that they are in a state of grace By this time it is usual with God to give them peace and persuade them of his special love Some Sermon or other he imploys on purpose to disperse their darkness Some Promise or other he so interprets and applies to them as to make it look them in the face and speak comfort to them Sometimes it comes in return to some earnest prayer that they have lately made for it Sometimes when they are sadly pondering their doubts and almost overwhelmed with sorrows But usually when they have little expectation of it then they hear the voice of peace and receive intimation of the love of God and this highly rejoyces and chears up their hearts As our Saviour's words which I have read imply The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field the which when a man hath found he hideth and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath By the Kingdom of Heaven I understand the Salvation of God in Jesus Christ the perfection whereof is that it crowns men with a Kingly Heavenly and Eternal Glory This Salvation our Saviour here compares to hidden Treasure because as it is of infinite value and excellency so it is unseen by men till their eyes are opened by the Gospel and they are brought by Faith to Jesus Christ and made to believe in him 2 Cor. 4.4 In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them Then when a man believes he finds the Treasure Jesus Christ is found by faith Isa 65.1 To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed Christ is the arm of the Lord and when he is revealed he is found and he that finds him findeth life Prov. 8.35 and when the Soul has thus found Salvation his great care is to secure it to himself that he may be sure of it and not fail to obtain it which I take to be here intimated by hiding of the Treasure when 't is found For in such a case a man's way to ascertain himself of the attainment of what he has found is to make it as sure as he can from other hands that he may not miss of it and having so done he rejoices in the hope of having it to himself which signifies that joy whereof I am now speaking viz. The joy of a Believer under persuasion that he is in a state of salvation The same joy is that reported of the Samaritans Acts 8.8 There was great joy in that city And Verse the 39th it 's said The Eunuch went on his way rejoycing And that in Acts 16.34 He rejoyced believing with all his heart And Rom. 5.1 2. We rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Some Instances of this Joy in Christians upon their first assurance of Salvation after their coming to Christ by faith I shall now shew you And the first Instance is Inst 1. A very thankful remembrance of the means by which they have been awakened and persuaded to return to God Though many Christians are unable to give a particular account of the first time and means of their Conversion yet ordinarily they remember by what means they have been more remarkably stirred up and moved to enquire after God and seek peace with him and are very thankful to God for it And so you shall hear them blessing God for such or such a Sermon or such a man's Ministry whereby it pleased God to set them a moving toward himself O that was a proper word for my case I thought the word was chosen and the Sermon studied on purpose for me it came home so closely to me discovering my sin shewing me what was my confidence and how I deluded my self in it what was my danger and how near I was to it I little thought to have been so fully met withal so clearly to have seen my own face in the glass of the Law to have returned so convinced so affrighted c. I used to hear for others and to observe how they were met with and concerned in what was said But now it pleased God to give me my Portion and send me home with my own Burthen and blessed be his Grace that so and so
and give them some heart-reviving Cordials New-born Babes desire Milk words of comfort from the breasts of Consolation Isa 66.11 That ye may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations that ye may milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory 3dly Their great fear of deceiving themselves Though they love Promises and search Scripture for them and gladly go many miles to hear them explained and preached yet they fear to apply them to themselves Knowing their hearts are deceitful they are always afraid lest they should take up too good thoughts of themselves And though they vehemently long after spiritual Comfort yet they heartily fear lest they should receive it too soon before they have a right to it or are duly prepared for it 4thly Their continual enquiring after Marks and Signs of Persons being in a state of Grace No Sermon suits them if it be not in some parts of it made up of Notes distinguishing between Believers and Unbelievers And in discoursing with godly men they are always asking Questions of this kind How may one know that he is converted and believes in Christ to Salvation c. What are the properties of a sincere godly man What is the lowest Evidence of Grace which is not found in a graceless Person May not an Hypocrite go thus and thus far c. These and such Enquiries shew what their minds are set upon to wit to be assured that they are converted and in a state of Grace But they that make light of such Enquiries and the notes of a saving Conversion seem not to have known the Terror of the Lord as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 5.11 5thly Their usual trouble at the inconformity of their Experiences about the work of Grace to these of other godly men so desirous are they to get beyond doubt of their sincerity and safety that they are always comparing themselves with what others have or think they have found They are presently dejected with fear lest they should prove unconverted and unbelieving Hence come such reasonings as these I have never been so humbled and broken for sin as such and such have been I never felt in my self such vehement desires after Christ Never could take such delight in God never knew what 't is to have such communion with him and therefore I cannot yet see ground to judge my self in a state of Salvation And though such Christians cannot deny but they have had their hearts humbled for Sin and their desires carried out after Christ yet they say that all that they have known of this kind is nothing to what others use to have weak and faint and they fear to no purpose And if you tell them they must wait for those higher Experiences of delight in God and communion with him they think 't is all one as if you should tell them they must live at uncertainties and continue in their wearisome doubtings till they come up to such attainments which they fear they never shall do This also is the reason why they are so often enquiring whether ever any such as they obtained mercy seeking for Parallels of this sort if they may be found that they may be the more encouraged to hope that themselves are in a state of life when they find some like themselves among the Heirs of Salvation And thus their labour and study is still about Assurance As their Question was formerly What must I do to be saved so 't is now How may I know that I shall be saved I come now the Use Use This argues them to be in an unconverted estate who live contentedly without any Assurance of their Salvation Either First Not minding the Question Whether they are in the state of Grace or no let the morrow of Eternity take care for it self When poor humble Christians are seeking resolution of their Doubts these are at ease caring for none of those things that concern their future estate not remembring their latter end As 't is said of Jerusalem Lam. 1.9 Her filthiness is in her skirts she remembreth not her last end Or 2dly Conceited of their being in a safe estate but upon unstudied grounds as if a meer opinion of their being in a good condition were enough to make it so Saying I shall have peace with an although to what may be objected as Deut. 29.19 though I walk in the imagination of my own heart But oh secure Souls will you consider First That 't is a most dreadful thing to perish eternally The loss of Heaven offered in the Gospel is infinitely more than the loss of a thousand Worlds The Torments of Hell an Everlasting Fire It 's hard to endure the aking of a Tooth or the pain of the Stone for twenty four hours what is it to be fryed as Laurentius on a burning Gridiron to be flead alive as Valerian and to endure that pain for ever but alas these are nothing to the anguish of the never-dying Worm the Torments of the never-quenched Fire 2dly Will you consider how sad a thing it must needs be to live at uncertainty whether this shall not be our case The Servants of Pharaoh in Prison were sad Gen. 40.7 They thought their Dreams imported some great matters and they did so indeed but they knew not what it might be 3dly To live at a careless uncertainty of Salvation is the way to make our Damnation certain For how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Heb. 2.3 4thly It 's much more your concernment to secure your Salvation than theirs that call upon you to do it You must bear it Prov. 9.12 God the Father calls you the Son invites you the Spirit strives with you Ministers pray you to be reconciled and pray for you that you may be reconciled But what is it to God or man beside your own gain if you be saved and your misery if you perish 5thly You may be saved and be sure of it if you do not willingly neglect Thy destruction is of thy self Hosea 13.9 Why will ye die Ezek. 18.31 The second Use is for Comfort to those that are earnestly seeking and labouring after assurance of their Salvation Even this is an hopeful Evidence of your being in the State of Salvation Your earnest and hearty following of the Question gives an answer to it this is their proper study and endeavour who are turned savingly to God even from their first Conversion Some may object Obj. That all this is but self-minding whereas a true Christian should be all for God whatever comes of himself But Answ I answer Salvation is for our selves and coming to Christ is for our selves as the Apostle says Acts 2.40 Save your selves And again Matth. 11.29 Ye shall find rest to your souls The third Use is to exhort all Christians to use diligence to clear up their Assurance of Salvation 'T is the property of the youngest Believers to endeavour it those of lowest standing and 't is the
of the Religion they have profest and of the Ordinances on which they have attended and the People of God with whom they have conversed and this fear is a great Affliction to them though it be a good sign of sincerity 6thly Sometimes they tremble in the fear of some dreadful Judgment or sore Rebuke from God to fall upon them They think God will not long bear with such sinful Wretches Persons so proud so sensual so hypocritical but some way or other providentially manifest his displeasure against them if they be graceless they know God is angry with the wicked every day And if he intends good to them they look he should take some severe Course with them therefore David prays Lord rebuke me not in thy wrath c. Psalm 38.1 They find their hearts so lazy and themselves so formal and hypocritical they think sure God will deal severely with them in their Persons and Families c. 7thly They are often afflicted with the fear of perishing eternally That this fear was rising in the heart of the Apostle himself when he spoke these words may very probably be collected from what follows Chap. 8.1 where he seems to encourage himself against the danger of its Death and the means which he professes himself to use for prevention of that danger There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit And in 1 Cor. 9.27 I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a cast-away Which shews that he was not altogether above the fear of it And indeed this must needs be a sore trouble to them that have tasted of the Wrath of God in their former Convictions and have had the sense of his Love shed abroad in their hearts and have been comforted in the hope of Glory Neither Judas nor Cain ever felt such horror and astonishment under their despairs as a sincere Christian in this case of fears would fall into if he were not upheld by a secret power of Grace For alas they never knew so much of the Love and Goodness of God as the weakest of sincere Christians knows nor ever had such desires and hopes to enjoy him I come now to some Causes of these great Troubles in sincere Christians about Sin within 1. The first Cause is The awakened activity of Sin and Satan being effectually disturbed by the Spirit of Mortification When the strong Man keeps the House all things are at peace Luke 11.21 i. e. till the stronger the Lord Jesus enters and begins to take away his Goods and his Harness Then Satan bestirs himself and raises all the force of sordid Lusts and Corruptions which lay much more still before if Sin had been so active before the Sinner would have proceeded to the very acting of the Sin which now it doth but reach at being checked and held back by Grace which makes him say in himself how shall I do this great wickedness But now as things are ordered by the blessed Work of God there is a principle of Grace that forbids and hinders the acting of those Sins to which corrupted Nature is disposed And that conflict makes a great unquietness in the Soul and so gives a Christian much more notice of the wickedness of his heart than ever he had and hence arise those Troubles Distresses and Fears which I have spoken of there being so much ado to hold in the wickedness that would be breaking out and to repress the inward Motions of it As when Physick is admitted into the Stomach ill Humours are rouzed and that causes hard Gripes sick Qualms and sad Complaints These are ultimi conatus moribundi peccati the last Struglings of dying Sin First Cause 1. It 's the subtilty of Satan 1. To sollicite some Men less to outward Acts of Sin while unconverted because he sees and observes 't is usual with God to make their great and gross wickedness occasional to their Conviction and Conversion according to that in Matth. 21.31 Publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of God before you And therefore having hold on Men in a natural Estate he is not so zealous to excite them to Sin lest he should over-do and suffer loss Therefore I say he solicites some less for there are whom he drives on to much outragious Wickedness as the Publicans and Harlots 2dly To stir up Men converted as much as he can to Sin that he may make Apostates of them If they be not sincere which he knows not or make them shame their Profession by gross Acts of Wickedness or at least cause them to go on with the more trouble and discomfort 3dly It is the nature of contraries to be excited by the Opposition of their contraries as we see in Nature it self Water thrown upon the Smith's Coals makes them burn the more fiercely and so in Meteors Philosophers tell us That the cold Cloud gathering about an hot Vapour makes the Heat gather it self together and so it fires and thence comes the Lightning and the Thunder Thus Grace in the Soul pressing hard upon Corruption makes it more vehement in its strugling to preserve it self Thus 't is no wonder though Christians striving against Sin think it grows upon them because it is indeed more active and stirring than ever though not more in the Habit or Principle They have more evil desires and reachings and wishings toward Sin and thinkings and ruminations upon it than ever Sin that was always in them is more sinning in them Lust is more drawing aside and enticing and in conceiving as James 1.14 15. than ever it was Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed When Lust hath conceived it brings forth Sin and Sin when it is finished bringeth forth Death though the body of Sin it self was as much and more in the Soul And hence come all the forementioned Troubles the former Apprehensions which the Soul had of its peace with God being for a time eclipsed by these sad appearances Cause 2. They see Sin more clearly than they did before The Spirit of Grace is a Spirit of Light in the understanding by which they see the evil and sinfulness of all those within-door workings of Corruption which they scarce found any fault withal before and take notice of those stirrings of Sin which they did not mind before and so Sin being indeed more active than it was and they having better Eyes to see it no marvel that these think it much grown and be otherwise much troubled at it as Paul says I see another law rebelling and warring c. 3dly They have a greater dislike of Sin As understanding more of the evil nature of it and the worse apprehension they have of it the more they are troubled and disheartened at the sight of it If you see a company of Men coming
to persuade Christians troubled about their inability for holy actions to yield themselves to the Counsel of God's conduct of Experience as it leads to a reliance and waiting on God for strength of his Grace That which the Word requires Isa 40. last To wait on the Lord that they may renew their strength You find your selves weak c. And do you not sometimes find God relieving you against your weakness and that when you are most pressed down under the sense of it especially when you look up most earnestly to him for help What can be more plainly spoken than this speaks the Language of the Prophet Isa 26.4 Trust in the Lord for ever For in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength 1 JOHN I. 3. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ THE Eighth degree of a Christian's Motion toward Perfection is a spiritual Communion or Conversation with God When God has brought a Believer to a setled dependance on his gracious Power for the practice of Godliness He gradually draws him into a converse and intimacy with himself which is at least comprehended in these words Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ The word Fellowship signifies Communion or Communication when two or more Persons partake of the same thing as they that feed on the same Diet and Table together are called Commoners So they whose Cattle partake of the same Pasture are said to Common together and so they are called partakers of the Altar who eat together or alike of the Sacrifices as in 1 Cor. 10.18 This is an ordinary Signification of the word Fellowship Communion or Conversation But when 't is referred to God and Christ in Scripture it has a more free Signification 1st Sometimes it imports Assimilation and Conformity of Christians to God the Father and Christ the Mediator So in as much as Saints are like God in holiness They are called partakers of his divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Holiness in Christians is not the same that is in God for that 's Essential but somewhat Analogous So Christians conformed to Christ in Sufferings are said to partake of his Sufferings 1 Pet. 4.13 Rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that is He suffered and they suffer likewise as Verse 1. 2dly It is used to signify the virtual Interest that Christians had and have in the Death and Mediatory Performances of Christ The benefit whereof is derived to them as if themselves had died and done as he did for them Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death Fellowship of his Sufferings that is what it is to partake with the Saints of the benefit of his Sufferings as if I had suffered with him in which respect Christians are said to have died risen ascended with Christ and to sit in Heaven with him as Col. 3.1 and Eph. 2.6 He has raised us up together and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ And Col. 3.1 If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above 3dly It notes Converse and Society between God and Man 2 Cor. 6.14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion hath light with darkness that is They cannot joyn or abide together God who is Light can have no Conversation with Unbelievers who are Darkness Christ with Belial Ver. 15. therefore you should have none Hence the word Companions Heb. 10.33 Ye became companions of them which were so used that is suffer like them And this I understand to be especially intended in this place Our fellowship is with the Father Christians are at first Conversion conformed to God in some degree of Holiness and made partakers of the benefits of the Death and Resurrection of Christ in their Justification and Adoption But acquaintance and converse with God they attain to by degrees when they have had experience of him and his ways Now 't is evident the Apostle is here directing Christians to something higher than they had yet attained to They were now the Children of God Chap. 3.2 And had the Unction of the Spirit Chap. 2.20 But he directs to something in which they might be Copartners with himself and others whose Fellowship he could truly say was with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ To have fellowship with the Son is to have fellowship with the Father as to see the Son is to see the Father John 14.19 Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more but ye see me God transacts all things with his Church in the Person of his Son the Mediator He is doer of all since his Ascension and is always with his to the end of the World Matth. 28.20 Lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the world So Communion with the Father is Communion with the Son Again Christ being now ascended manages all in a Divine way and invisibly therefore they that have fellowship with him are said to have fellowship with the Father So the Apostle having attained this fellowship with God the Father and Son and directing others to it We may gather this Observation Doct. That Christians as they proceed in Godliness they grow into an intimate acquaintance and fellowship with God That your fellowship may be with us And truly our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ There is much proof I might easily give of this Phil. 3.20 For our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ Our Conversation is in Heaven that is with God So Asaph in Psalm 73.23 says I am continually with thee So Enoch and Noah walked with God So in John 14.23 our Saviour says If any man love me he will keep my word and my father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him So in Psalm 139.18 saies David I am continually with thee And so in several other places we find the Intimacy and Communion with them that walk with God And this comes to the point in hand That Christians as they proceed in Godliness they grow into an intimate Acquaintance and Fellowship with God Take some instances of the Converse and Fellowship which Christians have with God 1. They confer much with God in Holy Meditation Meditation is a secret Conference and close Discourse between God and the Soul Good thoughts as they come into the mind are the very whisperings of God and as they are the act of the Mind upon God they are the proper Language of the Soul speaking to him as Psalm 27.8 Thou saidst Seek ye
my face my heart answered and said thy face Lord will I seek It 's observable in the Hebrew Tongue that the Scripture uses two words for Meditation and both signify to speak there being in Divine Meditation such a close Discourse between God and the Soul And though all Christians are more or less exercised in Divine Meditation yet to hold a close and constant Intercouse with God in it is very peculiar to Christians of good experience and maturity 2dly They bemoan themselves familiarly to God in all their Grievances And he answers them in the Consolation of his Spirit We have an Expression of this of David in Psalm 142.2 I poured out my complaint before him I shewed before him my trouble If any thing be amiss with them they run presently to him with their Complaint and so he eases them and relieves them Psalm 34.18 When I said my foot slippeth thy mercy O Lord held me up Christians are full of complaints to him every thing that troubles and grieves them is a matter of complaint and so they give him frequent occasion to express his kindness to them It 's true Christians are used to this way of opening their Griefs to God from their youth up But are much more free and familiar in it after they have gained experience of the Goodness of God and are established in their confidence in him and so they grow more inward with him 3dly They go confidently to him for the supply of all their wants And he satisfies them with gracious answers of their Prayers The Spirit of Prayer is in all Christians but they are well-grown Christians that can come boldly in all cases to the Throne of Grace and perceive when they are answered according to that in 1 John 5 14. This is the confidence we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us A Christian that prays the Prayer of a well-established Faith as he comes to God in good assurance of acceptance so he finds his Prayer one way or other answered to his satisfaction David found an answer to his Prayer for the Life of his Child in an acquiescence in the now discovered Will of God 2 Sam. 12.23 I shall go to him but he shall not return to me David takes comfort in this I shall go to him He arose and went to the House of God and worshipped what else would he have done if the Child's Life had been granted Why he could have done no better for he had satisfaction and was assured that he should go to his Child Thus the Apostle Paul found a good answer to his Prayer for the departing of Satan's Messenger 2 Cor. 12.9 My grace is sufficient for thee Now this answer was matter of gladness to the Apostle Most gladly therefore will I rejoyce in my infirmities And Christ himself had his Prayer answered even in that which he feared And this is parallel to that of David Psalm 65.5 By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us O God of our salvation Terrible things things to be wondered at 4thly They express their Joys to him in the acknowledgment of his Mercy and he inspires them with the hopes of more It is a special part of friendly intimacy to impart our joys to our Friends and tell them the things that please us to shew them such Goods or Rarities as we have about us wherewith we our selves are taken So Christians and especially those that are grown up to good maturity are much addicted to acknowledge the mercy that God has shewed them and not only pour out their Sorrows but express their Joys before him as David in Psalm 63.4 5. Thus will I bless thee while I live My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow It is inded a special property of a well-grown Christian to be much disposed to thanksgiving and telling not only others but God himself what he has done for his Soul And herein Christians have a comfortable converse with God in as much as he not only accepts their Praises but usually warms and chears their hearts in suggesting to them hopes of more and greater Mercy See Psalm 23.2 3. David there acknowledges to God what he has done for him Thou sayest he maketh me to lye down in green pastures he leadeth me besides the still waters he restoreth my soul He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name sake And then he concludes Ver. 6. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever I shall add but one place more and that is in Psalm 73.23 24. whereas David was considering what the Lord had done for him and how gracious he was to him this comes in Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterwards receive me to glory As he sent Nathan to David when he was considering and acknowledging the favour he had received 2 Samuel 7.11 Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house 5thly They retire fiducially to him in cases of danger and he encourages them in hopes of safety See Psalm 57.2 3. I will cry to God most high He shall send from heaven and save me And so Psalm 91.1 2. and throughout It is a Soliloquie all along He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty I will say of the Lord He is my rock and my fortress my God in him will I trust c. 6thly They consult him in all doubtful cases and he graciously resolves them I will says David cry unto God most high and he shall save me And the same David Psalm 119.24 says Thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellors And Isaiah 30.21 This is the way walk ye in it As Peter in Matth. 18.21 22. said Lord how oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him till seven times Jesus saith unto him I say not unto thee until seven times but until seventy times seven So Asaph Thou wilt guide me by thy counsel 7thly They reason out their Troubles with him when any Providence of his is less satisfying to them and he contents and pacifies them This is a point of great freedom and familiarity that godly Men have with God and a very gracious condescention of his to them See Jer. 12.1 2. Righteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper Wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously And Psal 73.16 17. When I thought to know this it was too painful for me until I went into the sanctuary of God So Moses in Exod. 5.23 Why is it that thou hast sent me So was Moses seemingly dissatisfied with God's dealing with him But look into Chap. 6. Verse 1. The Lord said unto Moses Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh for