Works, Part 3 · Sermon 2
OF MVRMVRING THE SECOND SERMON.
Exodus 16. 2.
And all the congregation of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron.
MANY men nowadayes hearing the often murmurings of the children of Israel,We be as ready to murmur as the Israelites. doe euen spit at them, and account them as the worst people vnderunder the Sunne, which would so often and so obstinately rebell against the Lord. But these men doe little consider either the temptations, wherewith the Israelites were prouoked to murmur, or the corruption of their owne hearts, which will as bitterly murmur vponupon lesse occasion. For albeit they were an obstinate and stiffe necked people, as Moses witnesseth of them, euer since they came out of Egypt vntill now: yet here no doubt they were vehemently tempted, when they from the plentie of all things, which in Egypt they enioyed, were brought into a rough & desert wildernes, being sixe hundred thousand men, besides women and children, & great store of cattel, hauing neither meate nor drinke, wherwith they might be nourished. Wherefore let vsus cease to wonder at this people, and let vsus in them see our owne corruption, & we shall finde it to be as great as euer theirs was. For doe not many men, I pray you, euen among vsus, beholding the riches of others, or the plentie of things which the Lord bestoweth vponupon his Magistrates, or ministers, for the faithful discharge of their duties, doe they not, I say, murmur against Gods seruants set ouer them?Murmuring And are they not more grieued for the wāt of such things, than thankful for that the Lord hath freed them from such troubles, which others hauehave, or giuen them sufficient to liue vponupon? True it is, notwithstanding the greatnes of this peoples temptation, yet their sinne was wicked in them, and great and hainous in the sight of God, because that whereas they had often times manifold waies▪ & after a wonderfull manner felt and tasted of the goodnesse of the Lord, in so much that the very vnthankfullest of them all, had been driuen to confesse it: (for wonderfull was their deliuerance out of Egypt, so miraculous was their preseruation at the red sea, and infinite mercies more aboue hope and expectation bestowed vponupon them) yet now forgetting all his former benefits, would so gradge and murmur for the want of meate, that rather than they would continue still, they would wish againe to returne to bondage. And indeede such is the nature of murmuring, that it willNature of murmuring. cause a man not only to forget Gods benefits, but to forget that he is a man. It preuailed so much with this people, that they wished themselues againe in Egypt, although they knew that there they were most miserably afflicted: & that the Lord in carrying them thither at the first, did in iustice punish them for their sinne. And this wish of theirs is as much as if they should hauehave said, would the Lord had at once cut vsus off and destroyed vsus, rather than left vsus in this case. Thus they were contented to doe, so that they might hauehave their bellies full, and rather than they would depart from their flesh-pots and other pleasures, which in Egypt they inioyed: Many are like minded to these people nowadaies: for wee see diuers vponupon their death-beds very senseles and secure, who can be conte…ted with openDeath. mouth to record the goodnesse of God towards him in things concerning this present life: but in the meane time, being without hope, sense or feeling of the sweete ioyes to come, doe die thus by their fleshpots. Othersome, if they bee brought to any miserie, as pouertie, sicknes or such like, doe beare it so impatiently, that in their hearts, and oftentimesImpatience. in open speeches they wish they neuer had been borne: shewing thereby that their flesh-pors doe more like them, and their health doth better please them, than the goodnes and louing countenance of the Lord. None of all these doe euer consider what they hauehave receiued of the Lord, but their eyes are still vponupon their wants; and the want of one thing that they doe desire, though it be but small, is more disquietnesse vntounto them, & maketh them to murmure, more than the enioying of many benefits which they hauehave, canNote. quiet their hearts, in the trust of Gods prouidence, or make them thankfull. Now if any of vsus shall be brought to wish our death by the griefe of any affliction, let vsus shake it off, and put it farre from vsus, the desire is euill: for it is better (as Salomon saith) to be a liuing dogge, than a dead lyon. For bee wee neuer so miserable whilest we liue, there is a time left for repentāce, but after death there is none: therfore in thy life time labour to feele Gods merciemercyFauour of God how precious. in Iesus Christ, and then no miserie shall euer hurt thee, till thou be gathered into his kingdome.
This shalt thou learne to doe if thou canst receiue the fauour of God for it selfe, though it come alone, yea though trouble doe come therewith, knowing and perswading thine owne heart, that hauing it thou hast all things; and if thou want it, yet in greatest abundance thou hast nothing. Againe, if thou hauehave it, no manner of misery can make thee miserable: and if thou hauehave it not, in greatest felicitie thou art most miserable. But the Israelites deat hereafter a cleane contrarie manner: for the want of bread here in the wildernesse, being put for their bodies, did make them to despise their great and wonderfull deliuerance out of Egypt, which was vntounto them a signe of their spirituall deliu…rance. And this is the nature of all naturall and worldly men, so basely to estimate Gods graces, that they had rather forgoe many richer spirituall benefits and blessings, then one worldly and corporall commoditie: for the want of riches doth vexe & trouble them, more then the want of spirituall and heauenly graces: and the hauing of riches doth more reioyceRiches no argument of Gods fauour. their hearts, than the burthen of sinne, which procureth Gods wrath, doth worke their griefe. Such men know not that riches are no sure signes of Gods fauour, though hee in the abundance of his mercy doth let his Sunne shine vponupon the wicked and vponupon the good: so that the hauing of riches is no argument that he loueth vsus; nor the want o… them is any argument of his displeasure towards vsus. Who so therefore seeketh God in these outward things onelyonly, and bindeth his fauour vntounto them, doth neither with them, no… without them, duely esteeme of the fauour of God, but setteth light thereby: which although in plaine words he speaketh not, (for the children of Israel here did not flatly speake against the Lord, but against his Ministers Moses and Aaron) yet whilest he is carelesse of the word, prayer, and Sacraments, and despiseth and grudgeth against Gods Ministers and seruants, he manifestly declareth what price it beareth in his heart. It standeth eueryevery man in hand then, in his own… hear… to feele his sinne, and to be sorrowfull for it; to know it is in him, and then to leaue it: least the god of this world whom he serueth, doe for a while giuegive him his desire, that in the world to come hee may hauehave him for his portion: and to such as acknowledge this murmuring to be a sinne, and be grieued for it, there followeth remedies to helpe out of it.
For as much as impatience and murmuring proceedeth from infidelitie, the remedieRemedies against murmuring. therefore must be fetched, first from faith in Gods mercies, & in the benefits which Christ hath by his death purchased vntounto vsus, and in the hope of the Resurrection to euerlasting life, and in Gods fatherly prouidence: which things if we do belieue, we must also belieue that God in this life will sufficiently minister vntounto all our wants: and vnlesse wee doe belieueFaith in our Redemption, and Faith in Gods prouidence, goe together. them, wee doe not, neither can we belieue with assurance that the Lord will preserue vsus. But if we doubt whether the Lord will helpe vsus in earthly things, we must needs much more doubt of his fauour in spirituall benefits First therefore the great and rich merciemercy of the Lord, and his fauourable dealing with vsus, being duely considered, shall be very profitable to worke in vsus patience: for if we see how the Lord forbeareth vsus, and rewardeth vsus, not according to our sinnes: …ay, if we see that when for the ripenes of our sinnes he mightBelieue Gods prouidence and patience towards thee Rom. 2. 3. 4. confound vsus, yet …e doth not so much as punish vsus; and when hee might iustly punish vsus, yet he dealeth mercifully with vsus, and bestoweth his mercies vponupon vsus. If (I say) we can acknowledge this to be his …rdinarie dealing, that by his long suffering he doth leade vsus to repentance, and by his manifold mercies he doth as it were weane vsus from our sinnes, this would much bridle our murmuring, and instruct vsus to patience. And yet we see a further thing then this in this people of Israel: for the Lord doth not only beare with their sinnes, and bestow many mercies vponupon them; but to helpe them, and to doe them good, he doth vse extraordinary meanes; as to bring downe bread from heauen, to make water gush out of the Rocke: where hee sheweth, that for the safetie of his people, euen when all meanes doe faile, and when to mans iudgement there is no way to finde out helpe or deliuerance; yet there will the Lord magnifie his merciemercy towards his seruants, and will worke wonders for their preseruation. Hee doth not thus deale with the Israelites onelyonly, but hee maketh this his ordinarie dealing with his seruants from time to time. As Moses applyeth this place, when he saith, The Lord hath fed thee with this M…nna fortie yeeres▪ that thou maist knowe Deut. 8.that man liueth not by bread …ely: and CHRIST in our person, being tempted to vse vnlawfull meanes, ouer came the diuell with this answere, Man liueth not by bread onelyonly. Teaching vsus, and leauing vsus an example to hauehave the s…me answere in readinesse, in the like temptations: knowing and assu…ing our hearts, that the Lorde will by one meanes or other, doe good vntounto his children, and dispose of all things that shall befall them for the best: onelyonly let them take heede of this, that they rest in his word, and goe no further, but by faith waite on him therein, and he will giuegive that shall be sufficient for them, if not in earthly benefits, yet in spirituall graces.
The second helpe which we must vse to refraine our murmuring, is the liuely faith ofThe second helpe against murmuring, faith of our redemption. Rom. 8. our redemption wrought by Christ, which cōsisteth in the free forgiuenesse of our sinnes, and the imputation of Christs righteousnesse vntounto vsus, & in the sanctification which is by his holy spirit. First then, if we can stedfastly beleeue, that God for Christs sake hath freely forgiuen vsus all our sinnes, yea that he hath giuen vsus his onelyonly beloued sonne, that wee might be beloued in him, wee shall without any great adoe beleeue that the Lord will not suffer vsus to want any thing, but with him will giuegive vsus all things: for seeing sinne, which is the cause of all miserie, is taken away from vsus, that so we might be with Christ inheritors of the heauens, we may be sure that in the meane time no miserie shall hurt vsus.
Thus Abraham hauing receiued a promise for seed of his sonne Isaac, doubting nothing but that the Lord would prouide meanes to bring the same to passe, in the assurāce hereof sent his seruants to his owne people to prouide a wife for his sonne. And these childrenGen. 24. of Israel no doubt, if they had beleeued that the Lord had deliuered them out of Egypt, that he might bring them to the promised land, they would neuer hauehave doubted of his mercifull preseruation, neither here in the wildernesse, nor elsewhere, till they had come to the land of promise. And againe, if we could firmely beleeue that God the Father for Christs sake doth not only not impute our sinnes vntounto vsus, but that he doth also accept vsus in the righteousnesse of his Sonne, imputing the same vntounto vsus, how should we doubt of meate or raiment, or any such other thing? For by this meanes he is made our mercifull and louing father, which knoweth perfectly what things we stand in neede of: and for his power is able euen in greatest extremities to helpe vsus, and for his louelove and good will towards vsus will helpe vsus: and thus doth he abide for euer, and is neuer changed. For though a mother should forget her children, yet will the Lord neuer forsake those that louelove him, and in faith call vponupon him. To this free forgiuenes of sinnes, & the imputation of Christs3 Beleeue thy sanctificatiō. righteousnesse vntounto vsus, there must be added the sanctification of the spirit, as the second part of our redemption: which i… we be once throughly perswaded of it, it shall be a speciall help vntounto vsus against all impatience and murmuring against the Lord: for it is a greater thing to turne a sinner, than to worke wonders in nature. And therfore if in our heartsThe conuersiō of a sinner how great a thing it is. we can beleeue that God hath made vsus of sinfull and wicked men, iust and righteous; of vile wretches, the vessels of righteousnesse; of the mansions of the diuell, fit temples of his holy spirit; if we doe beleeue that he can make of couetous men, liberall men; of whoremongers, chaste persons; of oppressors, vpright dealing men: yea, if we can beleeue that the Lord both is able, and willing also to deliuer vsus from any sinne that is within vsus, be it neuer so strong either by nature or by euill custome: and last of all, if we can beleeue thatEsay. 11. The third helpe, faith of the resurrection: See the treatise of the resurrection in the second part. he is able to make the wolfe and the lambe to lie together, the leopard and the kid; shall we euer doubt that he will once faile vsus, or suffer vsus to want the thing that is meete for vsus, seeme it neuer so vnpossible to be attained vntounto?
Thirdly, if we beleeue that with Christ we shall be raised vp at the last day, we shall as stedfastly beleeue that he will preserue vsus: for it is a greater matter to raise vp our bodies being dead and consumed to dust, than to preserue them whilest they are aliue: if he can doe the greater, he can doe also the lesse. Moreouer, if we be perswaded that our heauenly father hath prepared a kingdome for vsus in the heauens, we must needs beleeue that in this life he will not leaue vsus nor forsake vsus, but will mercifully prouide for our necessities: forThe fourth, beleeue eternall life is thine. if he will giuegive vsus the greater benefits, he will also giuegive vsus the lesse, if he in wisedome see it fit for his glorie, and profitable for vsus.
The fift thing we must stay our selues vponupon, when murmuring doth assaile & tempt vsus, is faith in Gods prouidence. This prouidence is generall or particular, in both which weThe fift stay against murmuring. must be throughly grounded, if we will withstand all occasions of murmuring, and not breake out, in temptations, into impatience. The generall prouidence of God must be considered, first in creation of all things: secondly, in preseruing them. Doe we then beleeueProuidence. …that the Lord made all things of nothing, and shall wee not beleeue that he will preserue them▪ Now seeing they are made, doe we beleeue that God made all men, and shall we then stand in feare of men▪ When God created light, before the Sunne, the Moone and the Starres; and when hee made grasse to growe vponupon the earth, before th…re was either raine or dewe to water them, he did thereby teach vsus: first, that wee should not put too much trust in them whilest we hauehave them: and againe, that rather then we should suffer hurt by the want of light, grasse, or other such things, the Lord both could and would prouide for vsus without them. Yet now if wee should not hauehave the Sunne, wee would thinke▪ that light were taken from vsus; and if wee wanted raine, wee would soone thinke we should neither hauehave grasse nor corne, nor any fruit of the earth: but the Lord hath ordained these meanes to serue his prouidence, not for himselfe, for without them hee can as easily helpe vsus, but for our weakenes, which otherwise could not easily be assured of his goodnes. Secondly,2 we must beleeue that God preserueth all, as well as he created them: yea the small sparrow doth not fall vponupon the earth, without his prouidence, and he hath a great care ouer the very beasts of the field: doth the Lord prouide for these, and will he not also prouide for man? Hath he care of beasts? yea indeede hee hath, because they were made for man: and shall hee not much rather hauehave care ouer man, for whom things were made? Men say they doe beleeue all this: but whilest there is such doubting of Gods prouidence, and such repining against God, they doe plainly shewe, they doe not beleeue this first article of their faith, neither in creation, nor in the vniuersal gouernment and preseruation of all things.
Hereunto we must ioyne the particular prouidence of God, which if wee can bee once3 Particular prouidence. throughly perswaded of, then shall wee easily ouercome the griefe of all our wants. Hath the Lord made any thing in vaine? hath he not made all things for his glorie? Then if we beleeue that hee hath made our bodies, shall wee not also beleeue that he will prouide for them, seeing the creation thereof is more wonderfull, than the preseruation is? as appeareth, Psalm. 29. 139. Hath he care ouer the wicked to doe them good, and will he not much more reioyce ouer his children to doe them good? If the Lord loued vsus when we were hisNote. enemies, will he not prouide for vsus being redeemed by the blood of his sonne? Did hee good vntounto vsus when we sought him not, and will he not much more when we seeke him by prayer in the blood of his Sonne, as he hath cōmanded? If he hath done vsus good when he might hauehave punished vsus for our sinnes, wil he not be much more fauourable vntounto vsus now, seeing he hath by his holy spirit sanctified vsus? O that men had hearts to beleeue this, they would then giuegive glorie vntounto God in their distresses, putting their trust in him, & looking for helpe at his hands in his conuenient time. This prouidence of God must be confirmedExamples of Gods prouidence. vntounto vsus by the examples of Gods children in all ages, whose examples are set downe in the Scriptures, that we by them might learne patience. If the fathers before the flood eating nothing but hearbes, yet liued some 700. yeeres, some 800. some 900. yeeres, and some more; shall wee not learne thereby, that man liueth not by these meanes? And againe,See the treatise of the resurrection in the 2. part. if he nourished them 900. yeeres, and that with hea…es, we may be sure he will feede vsus 90. yeers with flesh and fish, and other greater meanes. When he fed the Israelites fortie yeeres with Manna from heauen, which after such a sort was neuer seene before, whereof if they reserued any without the Lords commandement, if straightway putrified and was corrupted: but when by the commandement of God it was kept before the testimonie, it was not corrupted. The Lord left vsus a lesson that wee must learne thereby, namely, that it is not the meanes, but the blessing of God vponupon the meanes, that nourisheth vsus: and therefore if we hauehave them, wee must not put our trust in them: and if we want them, wee must not distrust in God. Did Moses and Eliah liue fortie dayes without meate? and did the Israelites walkein the wildernesse fortie yeeres in the same apparell which waxed not olde; whereas othersome hauing meate in abundance, yet are hunger-starued, and being laden with clothes, yet quake for cold: shall we not yet learne that the blessings of God are all in all, and that the other are but meanes prouided for our weaknes? Dauid proued by experience, that the righteous seede of the righteous parents, were neuer forsaken, nor begged Psalm. 37. A good obseruation.their bread. If we no doubt could come to such measure of obedience as they did then, and if we could be righteous as in his time men were, the Lord would prouide for vsus as well as he did for them, and we should hauehave as good experience hereof as euer had Dauid. To this1 Properties of a patient minde. Phil 4. 11. Ierem. 45. 4. Gen. 28. prouidence of God, wee must bring a patient minde, which first must bee contented with whatsoeuer the Lord sendeth, & alwaies acknowledge godlines to be great riches. For we ought not to seeke great matters, nor suffer our desires to be carried after high things: for this did the Lord by his Prophet Ieremie rebuke in Baruck▪ And CHRIST giueth vsus another rule, when he teacheth vsus to pray for daily bread; which when we hauehave, then must we be contented. This minde was in our father Iacob, when hee prayed for nothing else but meate and clothing. And this doth Paul generally command to be in all, saying, When we hauehave meate & clothing let vsus be contented. We must first therefore seeke the kingdom of God,1. Tim. 6. and the righteousnes therof: we must first labour for the forgiuenes of our sinnes in Christ, that so we may be in the fauour of GOD▪ and enioy the light of his louing countenance;Psalm. 4. which when we hauehave, and feele, let vsus esteeme it aboue all earthly treasure, as Dauid doth: let vsus receiue it though it come alone, yea, though it bring troubles with it, & then for outwardThe feeling of forgiuenes of sinnes, brings cōtentation with it. things, we shall possesse our soules in patience. If the Lord giuegive plentie of them, wee shall take it as an ouerplus of his fauour: but if he giuegive the lesse, yet shall we be contented, because we binde not his fauour to these outward things: but if wee cannot rest in the fauour of God, though wee want these outward things, it is certaine wee neuer truly esteemed the fauour of God, neither did we euer feele the forgiuenes of our sinnes, if wee could not when we felt it be therewith contented, and ready to forgoe all other things.
The second propertie of a patient minde is, simplie to giuegive vp it selfe vntounto God, andThe second propertie of patience. commit itselfe into his hand, waiting at all times for helpe from him, who onelyonly is the a… thor of all goodnes, yet neither prescribing the meanes, nor appoynting the time, nor in any case indenting with him: for the Lord will hauehave the disposition of his mercies free vntounto himselfe, to giuegive and to bestow, when and where, and how it pleaseth him, and as it may most make for his glorie. We must then euermore and with our whole hearts, desire and craue of the Lord, that his blessed Name may be glorified, that his Kingdome may be enlarged, and his holy will performed: but the meanes to bring these things to passe, we must whollie leaue vntounto him, who knoweth what is best: and in other things which concerne our outward estate, we ought alwayes to rest in his good pleasure. This, i… we can once doe, so mercifully doth hee vse to deale with vsus, that when wee least desire them wee shall hauehave them: and when we freely giuegive them vp to him, he will soonest giuegive them vsus againe. Salomon desired wisedome of the Lord, but for outward things, his prayer was that hee might hauehave a meane estate; then the Lord gaue him wisedome, which his heart so much desired,Prou▪ 10. and riches also which he did not once desire Oh happie man▪ if in his heart he had desired to walke before the Lord in feare! Abraham gaue vntounto the Lord Isaack his sonne, which when the Lord did behold, he quickly gaue him his sonne againe: euen thus also must we thinke it standeth now with vsus. The readiest way to obtaine life, is to be heartily well contented either to liue or to die, and to commit our selues vntounto the Lorde, knowing that nothing euer perished that was committed to his keeping: so is it also in all other outward things, the readie way to obtaine them, is to giuegive them vp wholly into his hands. But yet wee must not commit these things to the Lord with this condition, that hee should giuegive them vsus againe, for that were to mocke the Lorde: but without all care to hauehave them, weeTo receiue earthly blessings from the Lord▪ wee must be voide of distracting cares, Matth. 6. and resigne all our right into his hands must giuegive them to him, beeing (in respect of his glorie, and because his good pleasure is so) heartily well content to forgoe them, and then if they be good for vsus, we shall receiue them againe; if not, wee shall receiue some spirituall grace, which better shall supplie the want of them. Yea, the infinite wisedome and merciemercy of God doth wonderfully appeare herein: for sometimes he keepeth vsus long without these things, because that if wee had them, hee seeth we would abuse them, and would preferre them before spirituall blessings. And sometime the Lorde seeing our small regard and accompt of spirituall things, will by the want of these outward things, bring vsus to make greater accompt of them, that when wee can well want the one, and highly esteeme the other, we may hauehave both together▪ Let vsus therefore reuerence this great goodnes and wisedome of the LORD, and be content with the vse of life which he in merciemercy graunteth vsus, knowing that it is better to be a liuing dogge then a dead Lyon. For whilest we liue we hauehave time to repent, and time to glorifie God: but after death there is no time left for repentance. Whosoeuer then doth not account the vse of life a singular benefit, though he doe euen want things necessarie for the same, he is vnworthie of life, or of any other the blessings of God therein.Conclusion.
The end of all then is this, that patience is wrought in vsus, & strengthened by the assurance of Gods mercies, by faith in Christ, by hope of euerlasting life, and by trust in Gods prouidence: and therefore the carking care of these things is left to the Gentiles, which are ignorant of the forgiuenes of sinnes, of Gods prouidence, and of euerlasting life: so that if we be like them in these greedie desires, it argueth that either we know not these things, or if in iudgement we doe conceiue them, yet in heart we doe not beleeue them. By meditation therefore of these things we must learne patience, whereby we may ouercome our murmuring and grudging nature, whensoeuer our flesh by any occasion is prouoked thereunto.
FINIS.