Divine Conduct, or The Mystery of Providence

(4.) Lastly, Consider, all your troubles under which you complain, are pulled down upon your heads by your own sins. You turn Gods mercies into sin, and then fret against God, because he turns your sins into sorrow. Your ways and doings procure these things to you. Lay your hand therefore upon your mouth and say, Why doth the living man complain, a man for the punishment ⟨p. 155⟩of his sin, Lam. 3. 39. But I must turn to the Lords people, who have least pretences of all men to be dissatisfied with any of Gods Providences, and yet are but too frequently sound in that temper. And to them I shall offer the following considerations.

(4.) Lastly, Consider, all your troubles under which you complain, are pulled down upon your heads by your own sins. You turn Gods mercies into sin, and then fret against God, because he turns your sins into sorrow. Your wayes and doings procure these things to you. Lay your hand therefore upon your mouth and say, Why doth the living man complain, a man for the punishment ⟨p. 155⟩of his sin, Lam. 3. 39. But I must turn to the Lords people, who have least pretences of all men to be dissatisfied with any of Gods Providences, and yet are but too frequently sound in that temper. And to them I shall offer the following considerations.

(1.) Consider your spiritual mercies and privileges with which the Lord Jesus hath invested you, and repine at your Lot of Providence if you can. One of these mercies alone, hath enough in it to sweeten all your troubles in this world. When the Apostle considered them, his heart was overwhelmed with astonishment; so that he could not forbear in the midst of all his outward troubles to cry out, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath abounded to us in all spiritual blessings, &c.