Without Murmuring - Phil 2:14
the glory, and abase and humble thyself. David was much conversant in this. 'Blessed be the Lord, that hath kept me from shedding of blood,' saith he to Abigail, 1 Sam. 25:32, 33, seq. And his psalms are full of praises and thanksgiving. And if thou hast any good motions in thine heart, practise them with all speed, and strengthen them.
WITHOUT MURMURING
Do all things without murmurings and disputings. - VERSE 14 This verse contains a new precept of Christian modesty, enforced by removing of contraries. 'Murmuring' is well known among us, it is so ordinarily practised of us. It arises from discontent against God or one another, breaking into words, works, disputings; whereby one endeavours to defend that with reasons which in the heat of his affections passed from him, lest he should be thought inconsiderate and rash. But to come to the particulars, consider with me, first, the kinds of it; secondly, the causes of it; and thirdly, the cure and remedies of it. For the kinds of it, it is either against God or against man.
First, Against God. Man since the fall quarrels with his Maker.
Whenas heaven and earth must be judged by him, man thinks this unequal, and therefore he first murmureth against God's counsels and decrees. God he appoints some to this, others to that. This is unequal, saith the proud man; all of us are alike, saith he; I am as good a man as another. 'Who art thou that contendest with God?'
Rom. 9:20. Remember thou art clay, and God is the potter; he hath power to make one vessel to honour, another to dishonour, Rom.
9:21. God's decrees are divine and above thy reach. If that men could apprehend them by reason, then they were not divine. Lay thy hand therefore on thy heart, and cry, 'O the depth of the counsels and
wisdom of God,' Rom. 11:33. Shall not we give him leave to do what he will, whenas he is the just Judge of all the world? Can he do any wrong?
Second, It is usual with natural men to murmur against God's providence, in doing better to some others than unto themselves.
They think themselves much wronged when they see some others rich and have all, whereas they themselves are poor; and this sin is many times found in the children of God, in David, Job, Habakkuk,
'Why do the wicked prosper?' They found fault with the wicked's prosperity, till they went into the sanctuary of the Lord. There they found the end of such men, Ps. 73:17. Therefore judge not of any but by his end. Think not all things run round, because thou seest no reason thereof, for God's wisdom is unsearchable. Observe the sweet end, issue, and event of all things. Princes they have arcana imperii.
Shall not we suffer God to enjoy such privileges? Can we endure that our servant should know all our counsels and minds? Let us therefore yield to God liberty in that which belongs to him; yield glory, who disposes all things sweetly.
A third thing which men often murmur at is God's ordinance in magistracy and ministry. Such men, they think God is not wise enough, but they will teach him whom he shall advance to high place, and whom not; and thus they despise not only the magistracy, but God himself. 'They have not cast thee off, but me,' saith God to Samuel concerning the people, 1 Sam. 8:7; and indeed what are they but lawless and wild persons, that cannot away with order? They will have none to overrule them; or, if they be content for shame to admit thereof, yet nolumus hunc regnare, Christ must not rule over them, nor this nor that man. But know, whosoever thou art, that all power is from God, and he will defend his own ordinance against all such as malign it. Ministers are not free from murmurers. How many have
we that think it tedious to attend on God at public service! how many that think and are not ashamed to say they can profit more in their private studies! and that this observation of the Lord's day causeth them to lose a whole year in seven!* Ay, but consider, God justly curses thy calling whenas thou makest them a stay† to good duties. It is also thus in families; wife murmurs against husband, and husband against wife, blaming themselves in that they matched with such, whenas they think they might have done better with others. No. Thou couldst not have done better. God he hath decreed this, and his decrees are not to be blamed. Servants also are troubled with this disease. They murmur against their masters, and learn to dispute with them; and therefore St Paul wills servants to count their masters worthy of all honour, that the word of God be not blasphemed, Tit. 2:5. And that they do not contend in 'answering again,' verse 9. It is also much in children against parents, and likewise parents against children; so that this sin reigneth over all estates and degrees. Take notice therefore hereof, that thou beest not overtaken in it.
Causes of murmuring 1. The first cause of murmuring is ignorance of God's particular providence; his excellency and thy baseness. Job when he came to see the glory and power of God, then said, 'I abhor myself, I will dispute no more,' Job 42:6. If we did likewise consider of his majesty, power, wisdom, and goodness, would we contend with our
Maker? Consider this in thine own cause, will any of us endure a murmuring servant? shall we think it is reason in us, and that God must notwithstanding suffer with patience our murmurings and disputations with his sacred Majesty, who is justice itself, and is not bound to render account of his actions to any.
2. The second cause of murmuring in us is self-love. Man thinks himself worthy of all honour, never considering his weakness and infirmities. Moses was very meek; he gave no cause to Dathan and Abiram, and the rest, to provoke them to murmur. God yet having set them in some place in the congregation, they were so lifted up with desire of honour as they were too good to be governed, Numb. 16:3.
Thus is it with every one of us. We willingly puff up ourselves in our own conceits of self-sufficiency, and hence arises discontentedness, when we think God is not so good to us as our merits do deserve. We look on those good things that God hath given us, we think not of our infirmities. Hence it is we are never thankful for that we have, but desirous of that which we have not. Hence also arises unfruitfulness, for such look for greatness, but never or seldom to do good with that they have, whether power, or riches, or such like.
Cures for this The cures of this disease consists partly in meditation, and partly in practice. First, labour to have a right understanding and knowledge of God's justice without all exception. Secondly, that he is infinitely good, disposing all for the benefit and good of his own children.
Thirdly, labour to know and observe his particular providence to these baser creatures, as that the hair falls not without his providence, and that he regards the sparrows, Mat. 10:29. These will make us practise these things. First, in justifying God in whatsoever is done and decreed, as David, Ps. 119:137, 'Just art thou, O Lord, and holy, and righteous are thy judgments.' This was Eli his practice,
1 Sam. 3:18: 'It is the Lord,' said he. And Hezekiah, 'the word of the Lord is good,' 2 Kings 20:19; and in the 39th Psalm, David held his tongue, ver. 1.* The reason he renders, 'It is thou, Lord, who art good, and dost all for good.' Therefore learn a holy silence as David leads us, 62d Psalm ver. 1: 'My soul waiteth on God with silence,' for
so is the signification of the word (c). Thus did Aaron: though his sons were destroyed, 'yet he held his peace,' Lev. 10:3. And when thou findest any discontented thoughts to arise in thine heart, check thyself in the beginning, Ps. 73:22: 'So foolish and like a beast am I,' saith David; and 'why art thou disquieted, O my soul? and why art thou troubled within me'? Ps. 42:5. And examine ourselves: Is it fit that God should answer me? is he not wiser than I? 'What am I?' Am
I not wicked, dead, dull? Have not I infinitely displeased him? Let me judge myself, that he may not enter into judgment with me. What though God hath not heard my prayers! I have not hearkened to him when he called me; he may justly neglect me, I have neglected him.
Yet hath he been wonderfully good to me; I have received much good from him, and no evil; he hath often spared and doth now spare me; his corrections are gentle and loving, above that we deserve. In his judgments his mercies are great: 'It is his mercy that I am not consumed,' Lam. 3:22. Propound to thyself the example of Christ. He suffered more than we do, when there was no ill found in him. What says he? 'Not my will, but thine be done,' Luke 22:42. Indeed, we may wish afflictions to be removed as grievances, but joining them with the will of God, then our will must give place to his. Resign thyself into his hands. It is God that will have it thus with me; and therefore take and bear with meekness. And as Paul did, also pray that the will of the Lord may be done. Let his wisdom be thine, his will thine. And why? It will be so; it shall be so; subject thyself therefore to it. Though we behave ourselves as stubborn horses, he will tame us and overrule us well enough; he is too mighty for us.
Our stubbornness is the ground of all our crosses and afflictions; for if we will not easily be brought in, God, that out of his mercy chose us, will bring us in to yield. For he will have his will in us, or of us. He will glorify his justice upon us, if his mercies will not work. Lastly, consider the greatness of this sin, to whet us on to the duty enjoined.
Though we seem to murmur only against men, we murmur against
God; for what saith he to Moses?* 'They have not cast off thee, but they have cast off me,' 1 Sam. 8:7. God takes part with those in authority, as Moses was. For there is no contempt of man, but comes from a contempt of God. The breaches of the second table do spring from the breaches of the first. Observe also, this sin hath ever been grievously punished, it being a sin that pulls God out of his throne, and makes men dare to teach God how to rule. It robs God of his worship, fear, trust, reverence; for it proceeds from the want of them; and lastly, it brings with it great unthankfulness, making men forget all God's goodness bestowed on them.
'Disputing or reasoning'
It issues from murmuring. For when we are come to that pass that we murmur, lest men should think us rash in doing it without cause, we then endeavour to defend ourselves with reason; and indeed there is nothing that a carnal man does, but he will have reason for it; and he will have the world see that he doth not anything without reason. He will dispute with God by questioning whether this or that duty is necessary, and against civil authority by questioning the lawfulness or necessity of such duties as he is enjoined. This is a great sin. In divine truths, disputing is partly about probables, and therefore it is excellent to find out of probables the truth; but in divine truths, to dispute or make question, is little less than blasphemy. And it is observable that in those times when there was most disputing, as among the schoolmen and the like, about religion and divinity, there was least divinity practised, and very few good men. For the heart of man was then taken up in the consideration of this or that quiddity; and quite neglected the practice of those truths that were known.
Quest. But it will be asked, is all disputing evil?