An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-eighth, thirty-ninth, fortieth, forty-first, and forty-second,…

Hence note, First; 'Tis dangerous, 'tis at our peril, to find fault with what God doth.

He that doth so, must and shall answer it; there's no avoiding it. There are two sorts of reproving which are our duty. First, The reproving of other men, when we have an opportunity and a call (Levit. 19.17. Gal. 6.1.) As all they who reprove God shall answer it; so many shall answer it, because they have not reproved men. Secondly, It is a duty to reprove our selves, and a great point of wisdom to see what is reprovable ⟨p. 509⟩in our selves. Many are quick-sighted at finding faults in others, but very blind as to finding out their own. I may add, it is both a great duty, and a sign of much grace, meekly to take and receive a reproof from others▪ Now, as it is our duty to take a reproof from others, when we have failed, and to see our own faults and reprove our selves for them; as also wisely to reprove others for the faults we see in them, so it is our sin, danger and peril, to reprove God, in whom there is no fault, nor can be. And if any say, we never had a thought of reproving God, know, if you find fault with the works of God, you reprove God; to find fault with what God hath done to you, or your relations, is to reprove God, and this you must answer, or answer for it.¹ Will a Master in any Art, endure that an ignorant person should find fault with his work? how then will the Lord take it, if men shall come into his great shop, the world, and find fault with this and that, and the other work of his? There is no temptation that Satan our great enemy doth more follow us with, than this, even to make us find fault with the works of God. There are these two things about which Satan labours much; First, to keep us from finding out the faults of our own works, which are almost nothing else but faults. Satan would persuade us that we have done all well, when we have done that which is altogether evil, or stark naught for the matter of it, and how doth he hinder us from seeing our faults, in the manner of our doing good works! he would not suffer us to have the least suspicion that we may have done evilly, while we have been doing good. Secondly, Satan's great business is to put us upon finding faults (where none are) in Gods works. Almost all the murmurings of the sons of men, arise from this misconceit in man, that there is somewhat amiss in the works of God towards them, or that he hath not dealt well and wisely with them.