Yea, though they have hyred among the Nations

Yea, though they have hyred among the Nations.

This God still takes ill that they should go to the Nations for help, when God had made their condition so much above the Nations, for in their going to them they did as it were say, that all the love and mercy, and protection from the great God it was no more towards them than the Nations had, they did (as it were) hold forth to the world that the Nations were rather in a better condition than themselves, in that they would go to the Nations for their help; and this went very neer to the heart of God, for God had laid out the very strength of his love, and the riches of his mercy upon this people, and after he had done so much for them yet that they (because they were in some little afflictions for the present, that they) should go to the Nations that did for the present prosper somewhat outwardly better than themselves Oh! this was exceeding grievous to the heart of God: and from there the Note is this.

That it is a very great evil, when wicked men seem to prosper a little in their outward condition more than God's People; for those that are the people of God to begin to think that therefore those wicked ones are in a better condition than themselves, this is an evil that does go very much to the heart of God; and very ordinarily it is in some degree or other among the People of God, I appeal to your consciences in this very thing, though at some time your souls have had sweet refreshing from the Lord in the enjoyment of communion with him, but yet when God's hand has been out against you, when you look'd upon others though you knew them to be wicked and ungodly yet they have prospered, their Ships came home safely and richly, and their trading goes on; Do you not sometimes find such rising of your thoughts within you as if so be that these men were in a better condition than your selves? Oh! if you have but the least thought rising that way, know it is that which does exceedingly grieve the Spirit of God by which you are seal'd, that because they have a few loaves more than you, though you have all the riches of God and Christ, though you have the inheritance of Saints, yet that you should think them in a better condition than you are in: As a child, if he sees some stranger have a bit of meat better than he has, he should think presently that his father loves the stranger better than him; this the father takes ill. How ordinary is it upon this ground for those that have profest themselves to be godly rather to withdraw themselves from the afflicted Saints, and seek correspondence with wicked men that prosper. God would have his people see an all sufficiency in himself in their sadest condition, so as they need not go out from him for help, but still wait upon him and keep his way; the Lord by his Prophet rebukes Jehoshaphat in (2 Chronicles 19:2) for loving the ungodly and helping them that hate the Lord. And is there not as great an evil to seek the love of the wicked and ungodly and help from them that hate the Lord? Certainly the evil is very great, it argues very little love that we have to God, it charges God of unfaithfulness, as if though he has engaged himself to his people, yet he would leave them in the lurch; this encourages the wicked in their wicked waies, and it charges God with that which is accounted one of the most vile things among men. What is accounted one of the vilest things among men, that a man should set another men about his work, and then leave them in the lurch when they meet with troubles in their work? It is as vile a thing as any is among men, and we should look upon such men as should imploy others in any service and then leave them to shift for themselves in their straights, we should look upon them as vile men, unworthy to be dealt withal. Now what would we but charge God with this, even that which makes men to be most vile?

And this besides is a most desperate folly so to do, for when you are thinking to provide for your self by correspondence with ungodly men, it may be you were just at the very point of deliverance at that very time; it is God's usual way to come to help his people when they are in the greatest straights; and therefore it is the greatest folly that when we are in straights then to think of shifting courses, so that then we must forsake our own mercy in thinking of shifting courses; in straights above all times Christians should take heed of thinking of shifting courses, because then above all times those are the times for God to shew his mercy, and just then: Will you then be forsaking him? Oh! it is that which should lie neer to your hearts, if any of you have been guilty of this, let but the Word of God bring this upon your spirits this day, Oh! how do I know but at that very time when I took such a shifting course, that was the very time that God was about to do my soul good and of doing good for my body, and yet then I deprived my self of good, that goodness and mercy of God? It follows yet,