Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

If our projects are disappointed, what fretfulness against Gods management are our hearts racked with? How do uncomely passions bubble upon us, interpretatively at least wishing that the arms of his power had been bound, and the eye of his omniscience been hoodwinked, that we might have been left to our own liberty and designs? And this oftentimes when we have more reason to bless him, than repine at him: The ⟨p. 77⟩Israelites murmured more against God in the Wilderness, with Manna in their mouths, than they did at Pharaoh in the Brickkilns, with their Garlic and Onions between their Teeth. Tho we repine at Instruments in our afflictions, yet God counts it a reflection upon himself: The Israelites speaking against Moses, was in Gods interpretation a Rebellion against himself.^* And Rebellion is always a desire of imposing Laws and Conditions upon those against whom the Rebellion is raised. The sottish dealings of the Vine-dressers in Franconia with the Statue of St. Urban, the Protector of the Vines upon his own day, is an Emblem of our dealing with God: If it be a clear day and portend a prosperous Vintage, they honour the Statue and drink healths to it; if it be a rainy day, and presage a scantiness, they daub it with dirt in indignation. We cast out our mire and dirt against God when he acts cross to our wishes, and flatter him when the wind of his Providence joins it self to the tide of our interest.

If our projects are disappointed, what fretfulness against Gods management are our hearts rackt with? How do uncomely passions bubble upon us, interpretatively at least wishing that the arms of his power had been bound, and the eye of his omniscience been hoodwinkt, that we might have been left to our own liberty and designs? And this oftentimes when we have more reason to bless him, than repine at him: The ⟨p. 77⟩Israelites murmured more against God in the Wilderness, with Manna in their mouths, than they did at Pharoah in the Brickilns, with their Garlike and Onyons between their Teeth. Tho we repine at Instruments in our afflictions, yet God counts it a reflection upon himself: The Israelites speaking against Moses, was in Gods interpretation a Rebellion against himself.^*