Divine Conduct, or The Mystery of Providence

To trust God without any trial or experience, is a more noble act of faith; but to trust him after we have often tried him, is known to be more easy. O 'tis no small advantage to a soul in a new plunge and distress, to be able to say, This is not the first time I have been in these deeps, and yet emerged out of them! Hence it was, that Christ rubbed up his Disciples memories with what Providence had formerly wrought for them in a day of straits, Matth. 16. 8, 9, 10, 11. O ye of little faith, why reason ye among your selves, because ye have brought no bread? do ye not yet understand, neither remember? q. d. Were ye never under any strait for bread before now? Is this the first difficulty that ever your faith combated with? No, no, you have felt straits, and experienced the power and care of God in supplying them, before ⟨p. 181⟩now; and therefore I cannot but call you men of little faith; for a very ordinary and small measure of faith, assisted with so much experience as you have had, would enable you to trust God. There is as much difference betwixt believing before, and after experience, as there is betwixt swimming with bladders, and our first venture into the deep waters without them.

To trust God without any tryal or experience, is a more noble act of faith; but to trust him after we have often tryed him, is known to be more easie. O'tis no small advantage to a soul in a new plunge and distress, to be able to say, This is not the first time I have been in these deeps, and yet emerged out of them! Hence it was, that Christ rub'd up his Disciples memories with what Providence had formerly wrought for them in a day of straits, Matth. 16. 8, 9, 10, 11. O ye of little faith, why reason ye among your selves, because ye have brought no bread? do ye not yet understand, neither remember? q. d. Were yo never under any strait for bread before now? Is this the first difficulty that ever your faith combated with? No, no, you have felt straits, and experienced the power and care of God in supplying them, before ⟨p. 181⟩now; and therefore I cannot but call you men of little faith; for a very ordinary and small measure of faith, assisted with so much experience as you have had, would enable you to trust God. There is as much difference betwixt believing before, and after experience, as there is betwixt swimming with bladders, and our first venture into the deep waters without them.