(5.) It argues an unwillingness to be at God’s disposal, and a leaning to our own understandings, as though we knew better than him, what was most conducive to our present and future happiness; and therefore, it is a tempting God, and grieving his Holy Spirit, which has a tendency to provoke him to _turn to be our enemy_, and _fight against us_, Isa. lxiii. 10. (6.) It deprives us of the present sweetness of other mercies; renders every providence, in our apprehension, afflictive; and those burdens which would otherwise be light, almost insupportable. (7.) If God is pleased to give us what we were discontented and uneasy for the want of, he often sends some great affliction with it: Thus Rachel, in a discontented frame, says, _Give me children, or else I die_, Gen. xxx. 1. she had, indeed, in some respects, her desire of children; but died in travail with one of them, chap. xxxv. 19. (8.) It is a sin, which they, who are guilty of, will find it very difficult to be brought to a thorough conviction of the guilt which they contract hereby, or a true repentance for it: Thus Jonah, when under a discontented and uneasy frame of spirit, justified himself, and, as it were, defied God to do his worst against him; so that when this matter was charged upon his conscience; _Dost thou well to be angry?_ he replied, in a very insolent manner, _I do well to be angry, even unto death_, Jonah iv. 9. The justifying ourselves under such a frame of spirit, cannot but be highly provoking to God; and whatever we may be prone to allege in our own behalf, will rather aggravate, than extenuate the crime. There are several things which a discontented person is apt to allege in his own vindication, which have a tendency only to enhance his guilt. As, [1.] When he pretends that his natural temper leads him to be uneasy, so that he cannot, by any means, subdue his passions, or submit to the disposing providence of God. To which it may be replied; that the corruption of our nature, and its proneness to sin, is no just excuse for, but rather an aggravation of it; whereby it appears to be more deeply rooted in our hearts; and, indeed, our natural inclinations to any sin are increased, by indulging it. Therefore, in this case, we ought rather to be importunate with God, for that grace which may have a tendency to restrain the inordinacy of our affections, and render us willing to acquiesce in the divine dispensations, than to paliate and excuse our sin; which only aggravates the guilt thereof. [2.] Some, in excuse for their discontented and uneasy frame of spirit, allege; that the injuries which have been offered to them, ought to be resented, that they are such as they are not able to bear; and not to show themselves uneasy under them, would be to encourage persons to insult and trample on them.