A Posing Question Put by the Wise Man, Treatise · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
The Second Information.
IF no man knoweth, What is good for a man in this Life, then it Informeth us, That we ſhould be as ready to receive evil, as well as good, at the Hands of God. We are not to be our own Carvers in reſpect of Conditions. When Job was in his ſad Condition, the Devil ſtirred up his Wife, to tempt him to Blaſphemy, and Impatiency. But ſee what anſwer Job returns to her, Job 2. 10. Thou ſpeakest as one of the fooliſh Women, &c. Where Firſt, He Reprehends her. Secondly, He Inſtructeth Her. Shall we, ſaith he, receive Good at the Hands of God, and not receive Evil; (q. d.) Have I, for ſo many Years, received ſo many good things, and bleſſings, from the Hand of God; and ſhall I not now, receive theſe Croſſes and Afflictions? Now, receiving Evil from the Hand of God, ſtands in this, In a Sweet, and Patient Submiſſion, to the Will and Diſpenſation of God; being content, with what God ſendeth, whether it be good or evil, and that upon theſe Conſiderations.
1. That God knoweth, what is better for us in this life, then we do; ſince no Man knoweth, what is good for man in this life.
2. That Good and Evil, come both, from one and the ſame God. It is the Lord that gives, and that takes away. As we have Bleſſings, by Divine Donation, ſo Afflictions, by Divine Ordination. It is God, that bringeth not only Men, and their Comforts, but alſo Men, and their Croſſes, together.
3. As Good and Evil, come from the ſame God, ſo they may come from the ſame Affection in God; They may both come from Love. The Apoſtle James, puts this Queſtion, Can a Fountain ſend forth ſweet water and bitter? Jam. 3. 11. Yet from the ſame Fountain of Divine Love, may iſſue the ſweet Waters of Comfort, and the bitter Waters of Afflictions. The ſame Love, that moves a Father, to beſtow an Inheritance on his Child, moves him alſo, to Correct his Child.
4. All Evils, come from a God, that hath a Soveraign Power over us, and may do with us, what he pleaſeth. A God that may give, and take away; and who can ſay to Him, What doest Thou? A God that hath Right to all that we have, and ſo may take away what he pleaſe. In taking away, he takes away, but what is His own. It is obſervable in Scripture, That the Lord claimeth an Intereſt, in all that belongs to Man, (viz.) The Earth, and the Fulneſs thereof; and ſo, whatſoever it affordeth to man, Whether Fields, full of Corn; or Foulds, full of Sheep; or Orchards, full of Fruit; or Stables, full of Meat. The very Cattel, and the Beaſts of the Earth, are the Lords, Pſal. 50. 10. All the Beasts of the Forrest are mine. The Beaſts of the Forreſt, are of a wild nature, and commonly know no Maſter; and yet of theſe, The Lord ſaith, they are His: So alſo, He ſaith of Gold, and Silver, Hag. 2. 8. Thy Gold and Silver, is mine. Yea, the Wool, and the Flax we have. Hoſ. 2. 8. He ſaith, It is His. So that God, in taking away any thing from us, takes away but what is His own.
5. All Evils, come from the Hand of a Powerful God, with whom there is no Contending. When a great Philoſopher was chekt, for yielding in a Diſcourſe he had with Adrian the Emperour, he gave this Anſwer, Should I not yield to him, that hath Thirty Legions at command? There is no Conteſting with Soveraignty, no Reſiſting Omnipotency, no Striving with our Maker. The Earthen Pitcher, by ſtriking againſt a Rock, doth but daſh it ſelf to pieces.
6. All Evils, come from a Righteous God, that can do His creature no wrong, Gen. 18. 25. Shall not the Judg of all the Earth do Right? Rom. 3. 5. Is God Vnrighteous, (ſaith the Apoſtle) that taketh Vengeance? And he anſwereth it, with a God forbid. So we may ſay, Is God Unrighteous, that ſendeth Affliction? God forbid, Deut. 32. 4. All His wayes are Judgment.
7. All Evils come from that God, that can bring Good out of Evil, and Light out of Darkneſs; that can turn Water into Wine, and make us Spiritual Gainers, by Temporal Afflictions. He ſometimes pulls down, to build up better; and ſometimes takes away, when He intends a greater Good.
Thus for the Uſe of Information.
We now come to the Reſolution of this great Queſtion, Whether the knowledg, of what is good for a man in this life, be ſo hidden from man, that it may not in ſome meaſure be attained to; And if ſo, What Directions are there, for the attaining of this Knowledg?
Anſw. Though the full and perfect Knowledg of what is good for a man in this Life, be ſo hidden, That a Man cannot make a Judgement of others conditions, yet we grant that he may make a judgement of his own Condition. And here I ſhall give in, ſome Directions to help Men, in making a Judgement of their own Condition.
1. General.
2. Particular.
I. General Directions.
1. Something is to be Known.
2. Something is to be Done.
I. Something is to be Known, before we can make a right Judgement of our Condition. So the things to be Known, are theſe:
1. Who is the Framer of our Conditions; Who it is Ordains and Appoints them, and puts us into them? It is not, as the Heathen thought, Quiſque fortunae ſuae faber, That every Man is the Framer of his own Fortune; and ſo of his own Condition. Conditions are Divine Allotments. Miſery (ſaith Job) ſprings not out of the Dust. And the Pſalmiſt tells us, That Promotion comes neither from the East, nor from the West; but God is the Judge: i. e. He is the great Orderer, and Diſpoſer of Conditions: He puteth down One, and ſetteth up Another. It comes not from the Eaſt or Weſt; It comes not from Earth, nor from Man; but it is God, that brings a Man, and his Condition together, and that Frames it for him. And it is impoſſible, that ever any Man ſhould make a true Judgement of his Condition, That doth not firſt Know, who is the Framer of it.
2. We muſt know the right way of making a Judgement of Conditions. Except we know that, it is impoſſible, but we muſt be Miſtaken. And, I ſhall give you ſome Particulars concerning that:
1. In Judging of Conditions, Take heed of being over-Haſty. Haſty, and Raſh Judgment, is ſeldom Right. We are to Weigh, and Conſider well of a Condition, before we make a Judgement of it. A Condition, at the firſt Bluſh, may ſeem otherwayes then it is. The Good, and ſo the Evil, of a Condition, doth not appear preſently; It may lie at the Bottom of it. The good of Affliction doth not appear preſently: but the Apoſtle, ſaith, Heb. 12. 11. It yeildeth the quiet fruit of Righteouſneſſe, foreign, to them that are exerciſed thereby. So, that we muſt be Exerciſed in a Condition, before we can make a Judgement of a Condition. And the Apoſtle, in that Chapter, telleth us, That an Afflicted condition, at the firſt ſight, ſeems grievous, and not joyous: but, afterwards (ſaith he) it brings forth the quiet fruit of Righteouſneſs. This was the Errour of Job's Friends; they were too haſty in making a Judgement of his Condition: and ſo, it is no wonder they were ſo Miſtaken about it.
2. In making a Judgement of Conditions, you muſt not judge of the Perſon by the Condition, but of the Condition by the Perſon. Some there be, that judge of Perſons, by the Condition; As the Barbarians did of Paul, when they ſaw a Viper hanging on his Hand; Surely, this Man is a Murderer, &c. Thus, ſome judge of Perſons, to be Good, or Evil, according as their Conditions are. So, they judge thoſe to be Good, whoſe condition is Proſperous; as thoſe in Malachi, Mal. 3. 15. called the proud Happy. And, ſo they look upon thoſe as Wicked, who are in an Afflicted condition. Thus, Job's Friends did judge of him, by his Condition. Now, the right way of making a Judgement of Conditions, is, To Judge of Conditions by Perſons. To a Wicked man, every condition is Evil: And, to a Godly man, every condition is Good. That, as the Expreſſion is, Tit. 1. 15. To the Pure, all things are Pure: So, to thoſe that are Good, all things are Good. If he hath Proſperity, it cauſeth Thankfulneſs; if Adverſity, it worketh Patience. Rom. 8. 28. All things work together for Good, to them that Love God. So that we muſt know, we are to judge of Conditions, by the Perſons. When one came to Austin, and told him of one that came to a ſtrange End, he preſently asked, But, how did he Live? Intimating, That, a man was not to be judged of, by the manner of his Death, if he were Godly in his Life.
3. In making of a Judgement of Conditions, you muſt judge of them, by what Men are to, and in, their Conditions. I have told you before, A condition is to a Man, as he is to, and in, his condition. It is, as a Man mannageth his condition. Would you know, whether Proſperity be Good for a Man? You muſt ſee how he doth manage that condition; and how he doth carry, and deport himſelf in it. If he demean himſelf Proudly, and make the Things he enjoyes, to be Fuel for his Luſt; you may conclude, his condition is Evil for him. So, on the contrary; Would you know, Whether an Afflicted condition be Evil for a Man? Mark how he Behaves himſelf in that condition; If Fooliſhly, if Impatiently; Either on the one hand, Deſpiſing the Affliction; Or, on the other hand, Murmuring at it: You may know, that it is Evil for him. Of this, I ſhall ſpeak more afterwards.
4. To make a Judgement of Conditions, We muſt Know our Spirits, and Diſpoſitions. Now, we cannot know the Spirits, and Diſpoſitions of others; but we ſhould labour to know our own, which we may know; and thereby come to know what is good for us in this Life. Some there are, That will undertake to make a Judgement of a condition, without ever eying, or conſidering their own Diſpoſition. It is with ſome Men, as it is with ſome that ſit at the Wine: when they have drunk ſo many Cups, yet they call for the other Quart, and the other Pint, when they have Drunk too much already; not conſidering what their heads will bear. Conſider, as all heads, ſo all diſpoſitions are not alike. This Agur acknowledged in that prayer of his, Prov. 30. 8. Give me not Riches. He looked upon them, as a heady and intoxicating Drink, which was too Strong for him. The Prophet ſpeaks of ſome, that are ſtrong to drink Wine. Now a man of a weak Brain, that will make their meaſure his, is eaſily overtaken. We are apt to eye the proſperous condition of another, and to think ſuch a condition is good for us; and to deſire, to have our condition made after that Faſhion and Mode. But this is, as if the younger child ſhould cry, to have the coat of his elder brother, which would be too long for him, and ready continually to make him fall.
5. In making a Judgment of a condition, we muſt judg of it, by the relation it hath to another condition, viz. that which is Spiritual and Eternal. The ſaying is, that what is the firſt, and beſt, in every thing, is the Rule of the reſt: So the beſt condition, muſt direct us, how to judg of lower conditions. That condition is good for a man, that makes his Spiritual Condition the better: This is the fault of many, they judg of conditions, without conſidering how they ſtand in conjunction with, or oppoſition to, their Spiritual and Eternal Condition. We may ſafely conclude, that that Condition is good for a man in this Life, that is an advantage to him, in relation to another Life. Many, little conſider this. We ſhould put the queſtion to our ſelves, in every condition, Am I the better for being in this Condition, in relation to the Spiritual and Eternal Good of my Soul? Doth it hinder, or further my growth in Grace? Doth it hinder, or further my Salvation? Doth it ſet me, nearer Heaven, or nearer Hell?
6. In making a Judgment of Conditions, we muſt make uſe of Faith, and not Judg, by Senſe and Opinion, not by Appearances; Thoſe that Judg ſo, will never make a Right Judgment of Conditions. An Eye of Faith will ſee Good, in that wherin an Eye of Senſe, yea of Reaſon too, can ſee none, Heb. 11. 26. It is ſaid, By Faith, Moſes refuſed to be called the Son of Pharoahs Daughter, &c. Where ſee, what he refuſed (viz.) to be called, the Son of Pharoahs Daughter; which ſeemingly, was the greateſt Honour and Advancement, that a man could attain unto; And then ſee what he choſe, (viz.) to Suffer Affliction with the People of God. One would have thought, he had choſe the Evil, and refuſed the Good. But by an Eye of Faith, he ſaw Evil in that, that Senſe and Reaſon would have told him was good; and Good in that, that they would have told him was Evil. It is obſervable, in Mat. 5. that all the Beatitudes are affixed, to unlikely conditions: Bleſſed are the poor in Spirit. Bleſſed are thoſe that are Perſecuted for Righteouſneſs Sake. Bleſſed are ye, when men Revile, and Perſecute you, and ſpeak all manner of evil against you, falſly for my Names ſake. This is to ſhew, that the Judgment of the Word, and the Judgment of the world, are contrary. Faith will ſhew you, that the men of the world, are infoeliciter foelices miſerable in being happy. And the Children of God, are foeliciter infoelices, happy in their being miſerable. So that, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Without Faith, it is impoſſible to pleaſe God: So, without Faith, it is impoſſible to make a judgment of conditions. I ſhall cloſe this, with an Anſwer, given to one, that paſſed his cenſure upon a picture, as ill drawn, when it was not ſo; Si meos oculos haberes, non ita diceres, If thou hadſt mine eyes, thou wouldſt not ſay ſo. Faith teacheth a man, to make another Judgment of Conditions, then Senſe or Reaſon doth.
III. Thoſe that will make a judgment of a condition, muſt know another thing, (viz.) What it is makes a condition good, and what makes a condition evil for a man in this life. I ſhall in ſome particulars ſhew, What it is, that makes a mans condition good for him in this life.
1. An Intereſt in the Covenant. Where there is that Intereſt, there is an aſſurance that all is good, and all is for good. When we once come to know our Intereſt in the Covenant, we may then make a judgment of a condition. I ſhewed you before; we are not to judg of perſons, by their conditions, but of conditions, by the perſons, Pſal. 25. 10. All the wayes of the Lord, are Mercy and Truth, to them that keep his Covenant. So it is to them that have an Intereſt in the Covenant. All conditions fall under a Promiſe, when the Scripture ſaith, All ſhall work together for good. An Afflicted condition it ſelf, falleth under that promiſe. So when it is ſaid, No good thing, will He with-hold from them, that walk uprightly. Afflictions themſelves, come under that promiſe. If Afflictions be good for them, they ſhall have them; and if they have them, they may be aſſured they are good for them. It is the Covenant, and Promiſe, that helpeth us, to make a right Interpretation of all conditions, and of all the Dealings of God with us in this life.
2. That which makes a condition good for a man in this life, is the Enjoyment of God in a Condition; and ſo we may conclude, that that condition is good for a man in this life, in which he enjoys God. The beſt condition, without God in it, is evil; and the worſt condition, in which we enjoy God, is good. God is the chiefeſt Good, and that condition muſt needs be good, in which we enjoy the chiefeſt Good. Look upon the worſt of outward conditions, it is the beſt, if there be an enjoyment of God the more in it. This was the ground of Moſes choice, Heb. 11. 26. that he chooſe rather, the ſuffering of Affliction with the People of God, then the enjoyment of all the Pleaſures and Treaſures of Egypt. He ſaw, God was to be Enjoyed in that Condition. So that by this, we may make a judgment of conditions: That condition is good for a man in this life, in which he enjoys the chiefeſt Good. The Apoſtle ſaith, 2 Cor. 1. 5. As our Tribulations abound for Christ, ſo our Conſolations abound through Christ. When one ſeeth Chriſtians abound in Tribulations, he would think their condition evil; but when he cometh to ſee their Conſolations abound in that condition, he muſt needs conclude it good. To cloſe up this, There is no condition good, without the enjoyment of the Chiefeſt Good. He that enjoys God in a condition, enjoys Him, whoſe Favour is Life, and whoſe Countenance is a Sun, to enlighten the darkeſt condition. It is the Sun, that makes day, let the Starrs be never ſo many, and ſhine never ſo bright, yet it is night ſtill. So it is in reſpect of conditions, let a man enjoy never ſo much of the creature, yet without the enjoyment of God, it is but a dark condition. It is His Countenance, that makes the darkneſs of a condition, to be light about us, Pſal. 18. 28. He ſhall make my darkneſs, to be light. Mic. 7. 7. Though I ſit in darkneſs, the Lord ſhall be a light about me. So that that condition is good for a man in this life, that God enlightneth, and ſhineth upon, with the beams of His Countenance.
3. That that ſpeaks a mans condition Good for him in this Life, is, The ſuitableneſs of his Spirit to his condition. When the Spirit is not above the condition. As it is to be obſerved in a Married condition; the ſweetneſs of the condition lieth in this, In the Suitableneſs of their Spirits. So, in every condition, the ſweetneſs, and goodneſs of it, lieth in the Suitableneſs that is between our Spirits, and our Condition. We ſee how it is with ſome, That their ſpirits are above their condition; their ſpirits are High, when their condition is Low; and upon this, their condition doth not pleaſe them. And this is the cauſe of much Diſcontent, becauſe their ſpirits ſuit not with their condition. This is the great thing we are to look to; In making a judgement of conditions, to ſearch, and find out, How our ſpirits ſuit with our condition. Whether we can ſay, as the Apoſtle doth, Phil. 4. 11. I have learnt, in every estate to be Content. He had a ſpirit fitted for every condition. So then, when your ſpirits and conditions ſuit, it is one thing, by which you are to make a judgement of your condition.
4. That which makes a condition Good for a man in this Life, is, Peace within. What ever the condition be Without, if there be peace Within, it makes it good and ſweet to him. Want of that imbitters a condition. Solomon ſaith, A good Conſcience is a continual Feast. It Feaſts a man, and makes him Merry in all conditions; and ſo makes the worſt Outward eſtate and condition to be good and ſweet to him. Iſa. 48. 22. There is no peace, ſaith my God, to the Wicked. Put him into what condition you will, he hath no Peace in that condition; and that ſpoils all.
5. That, that makes a condition good for a man in this Life, is, Doing the Work of his condition. Conditions have their ſeveral, and ſuitable Improvements. In every condition, a man ſhould put ſuch a Queſtion to himſelf, as the Prophet puts, Mich. 6. 8. And now, What doth the Lord thy God require of thee? So, in every condition we ſhould put this Queſtion to our ſelves; What is it that the Lord requires me do, as the work of my condition? The Apoſtle James tells us of Duties ſuitable to conditions, Jam. 5. 13. If any man be Afflicted, let him Pray; If any man be Merry, let him ſing Pſalmes. An Afflicted condition hath its Duties, and a Proſperous condition hath it's: And by doing the Work, and performing the Duties of a condition, we make a Judgement of it, Whether it be good for us in this Life.
6. That, that makes a condition good for a man in this Life, is, His living above his outward condition. When, though there be a ſuitableneſs of ſpirit to the condition, yet he takes not up with his condition, but fetcheth in his Contentment from ſome higher thing. What is it, that makes a Proſperous condition Evil to ſome? Surely this, they look no further than their condition; They look no higher than Riches and Honour, &c. and ſeek for all their comfort, and contentment from them. And likewiſe, What is it that makes an Afflicted condition Evil to ſome? Surely this, they have their Eye only upon their Condition; they look no higher than their Troubles, and Croſſes, and Afflictions. They ſee nothing beyond their condition; as Hagar, when ſhe was wandering in the Wilderneſs, and the Water in her Bottle was ſpent, ſhe concludes, that She, and her Child, muſt Die: as though the Bottle was all that ſhe, and her Child, had to live upon; when yet, there was a Fountain near, but ſhe could not ſee it. Let a mans condition be what it will, yet it cannot hurt him, if he live Above it. Proſperity cannot hurt that man, who maketh God his All, in a condition. There is an Expreſſion, Job 20. 22. concerning a Wicked man; That in the midst of his Sufficiency he ſhall be in Straits. Thus it is with ſome men, Let their condition be what it will, yet in the midſt of it they are in Straits: the Reaſon is, Becauſe they live no Higher than their condition. In the midſt of their Proſperity, and Sufficiency, they are in ſtraits, by reaſon of their many Cares, and Fears, and perplexing Thoughts, and unſatisfied Deſires; and if ſo in Proſperity, much more in Adverſity. Now, a man that lives upon that, that is Higher than his Condition, hath ſuch ſweet In-comes of Joy, and Peace, and Comfort, and Contentment in every Condition, that he is never in any Straits. Hence it is, the Apoſtle telleth us, 1 Tim. 6. 6. Godlineſs, with Contentment, is great Gain: Or, it may be read thus, Godlineſs is great Gain, with Contentment; i. e. It bringeth Gain with Contentment. Now, what is Godlineſs? It is an Heavenly impreſſion, and propenſion in the heart and ſoul of a Man, whereby it is, in all conditions, carried towards God. Now, what ever a mans condition be, Godlineſs will make it Gainful, and that with Contentment. Our Saviour told his Diſciples, when they urged Him to Eate, John 4. I have meat to eate, that ye know not of. So it is with ſuch a man, that lives upon God, and Chriſt, he hath, in every condition, that comfort, & contentment, that the World knows not of. Thus the Apoſtle Paul lived above his condition, 2 Cor. 6. 10. As Sorrowful, yet always Rejoycing; As having Nothing, yet poſſeſſing All things. q. d. Men look upon us, as thoſe that are in a ſad condition, being Poor, and having Nothing; but we live upon ſomething that is above our condition. So that every condition is good to him, that hath ſomething to live upon above his condition. That, as it is in reſpect of Ordinances, ſo it is in reſpect of Conditions, We are, in the Uſe of Ordinances, to live above them, and to ſeek to find God in them: So in conditions, we are to live above them, and to ſeek to God, for that comfort and contentment that ſweetneth a condition. Before I leave this, I muſt tell you, there is a two-fold living above ones condition.
1. Sinful: Ariſing from Haughtineſs of Spirit.
2. Holy: Proceeding from Heavenlineſs of Spirit.
1. Sinful: When a mans Heart, and Spirit, is not contented with its preſent Condition; when his ſpirit is above his condition, and he thinks his condition too low, and mean for him. This is Sinful.
2. Holy: When a man hath ſuch a Heavenly Spirit, that cauſeth him, not to take up with the things of his Outward condition; but lives upon Higher things. And this ſtands in Two things.
1. Living above the Comforts of a Condition.
2. Above the Croſſes of a Condition.
1. Living above the Comforts of a Condition. It is thus with a gracious heart: when the outward condition is comfortable, yet he liveth upon ſomething above the comforts of his condition. It is the Apoſtles Counſel, 1 Cor. 7. 29. &c. Let thoſe that have Wives, be as though they had none, and thoſe that rejoyce, as though they rejoyced not. He liveth upon higher things, than the comforts of a Wife, So that it is, as if he ſhould have ſaid; The comfort in a Wife, was nothing, in reſpect of the comfort he finds in God, and Chriſt. And ſo he ſeeth, that in his condition, there is nothing to rejoyce in, in compariſon of higher things. As Chriſt ſaid to his Diſciples, Rejoyce not in this, That the Devils are ſubject to you; But rather rejoyce in this, That your Names are written in Heaven.
2. Living above the Croſſes of a Condition: The Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Cor. 1. 29. Let them that weep, be as though they wept not. To ſhew, that Chriſtians, ſhould live above the Croſſes of their Condition, enjoying that that makes them weep, as if they wept not.
7. That, that makes a condition Good for a man in this Life, is, Watchfulneſs againſt the Temptations that attend a Condition. There muſt be ſtanding upon our guard in Conditions, and watching againſt Temptations. Conditions (as I have ſhewed you formerly) are attended with Temptations. There are Temptations, that attend a Proſperous, and an Afflicted condition. Sathan layeth ſnares for us in every Condition; but cannot hurt us, if we but once know his Devices. He is ſubtle, and loves to Fiſh in all Waters; and ſo he layeth Snares in all conditions. This then ſpeaks a condition Good, when we Watch againſt the Temptations of a Condition. The Apoſtle writing to Timothy, a young man, 2 Tim. 2. 22. biddeth him flie the lusts of Youth. Youth hath its Luſts, and Conditions have their Temptations, which we ought to Watch againſt. A Proſperous condition hath its Temptations, and an Afflicted condition hath its Temptations. The Apoſtle, 1 Tim. 6. 17. bids him, Charge them that are Rich in this World, that they be not High-minded; and that they trust not in uncertain Riches: Which ſhews the Temptations that attend that Condition, viz. High-mindedneſs, and truſting in Riches. An Afflicted condition hath its Temptations too, Heb. 12. 5. Where, writing to them that were in an Afflicted condition, he exhorteth them to avoid two Extreams, in ver. 5. My Son, Deſpiſe not the Chastning of the Lord; neither faint, when thou art Rebuked of him. In an Afflicted condition, we are apt, either to Deſpiſe the Affliction, or to be too much dejected and caſt down under the Affliction: And therefore, ver. 12. he bids them lift up the hands that hang down. So James 5. he ſpeaks to Afflicted ones to be Patient, and ſtabliſh their Hearts. And ver. 9. ſaith, Grudge not one against another, Brethren. The word is foreign, Groan not one against another. In it, there is an Exhortation to them, to watch againſt the Temptations that attend an Afflicted condition. Some think▪ the Apoſtle there forbids Murmuring Groans, which ariſe from our being diſcontented at Providences: This is one Temptation. Some think, they are Vindictive Groans, proceeding from Revenge, and Stomack againſt thoſe that were the Inſtruments of our Affliction: This is another Temptation. Some think, are meant Envious Groans, proceeding from their Envying at thoſe, that ſuffered leſſe than they did: This is another Temptation. Thus we ſee, That all Conditions have their Temptations. And this is that, that ſpeaks a condition Good for a man; when, in his Condition, he is watchful againſt the Temptations of it; avoiding the Snares of it. Satan obſerveth wind and tide in his Temptations; he obſerveth the wind and tide of a Condition. He obſerveth, whether the wind that bloweth, be a warm Southerly wind of Proſperity, or an cold Northerly wind of Adverſity; and accordingly he ſuits his Temptations. It is the Condition that makes the Temptation in ſeaſon. He ſeldom tempts a poor man to pride: And therefore it is made, by Solomon, a prodigious ſight, Eccleſ. 10. 7. to ſee Servants on Horſe-back. So he ſeldom tempts Rich men to Steal; the reaſon, is, Becauſe ſuch Temptations are unſuitable to their Condition.