tempts to the forbidden fruit not distinguishing between what is needful and what is lawful What saith he dost thou want a livelihood never be such a fool as starve take the rising side at a venture be it good or bad eat the bread of deceit drink the wine of violence Thus you see how the discontented man is a prey to that sad tentation to steale and take Gods name in vaine Contentation is a shield against tentation for he that is conented knowes as well how to want as to abound He will not sinne to get a living though the bill of fare growes short he is content He lives as the birds of the aire upon Gods Providence and doubts not but he shall have enough to pay for his passage to heaven 2. Discontent tempts a man to Atheisme and Apostacie sure there is no God to take care of things here below would he suffer them to be in want who have walked mournfully before him saith discontent Throw off Christs livery desist from thy religion Thus Iobs wife being discontented with her condition saith to her husband Dost thou still retain thy integrity as if she had said Dost thou not see Iob what is become of all thy Religion Thou fearest God and eschewest evil and what art thou the better see how God turnes his hand against thee he hath smitten thee in thy body estate relations and Dost thou still retain thy integrity what stil devour stil weep and pray before him Thou fool cast off Religion turne Athiest Here was a sore tentation that the Divel did hand over to Iob by his discontented wife only his grace as a golden shield did ward off the blow from his heart Thou speakest as one of the foolish women What profit is it saith the discontented person to serve the Almighty Those that never trouble themselves about Religion are the prosperous men and I in the mean while suffer want as good give over driving the trade of Religion if this be all my reward This is a sore tentation and oft it prevailes Atheisme is the fruit that grows out of the blossome of discontent Oh then behold the excellency of contentment it doth repell this tentation If God be mine saith the contented spirit it is enough though I have no lands or tenements his smile makes heaven His loves are better then wine Better is the gleanings of Ephraim then the vintage of Abiezer I have little in hand but much in hope my livelihood is short but this is his promise even eternall life I am pursued by malice but better is persecuted godlinesse then prosperous wickednesse Thus divine contentment is a spiritual antidote both against sinne and tentation 6. Contentment sweetens every condition Christ turned the water into wine so Contentment turnes the water of Marah into spirituall wine Have I but little yet it is more then I can deserve or challenge This modieum is in mercy 't is the fruit of Christs blood 't is the legacy of free grace a smal present sent from a King is highly valued this little I have is with a good conscience 'T is not stolen water guilt hath not muddied or poisoned it it runs pure This little is a pledge of more this bit of bread is an earnest of that bread which I shall eat in the Kingdome of God This little water in the cruse is an earnest of that heavenly Nectar which shall be distill'd from the true Vine Doe I meet with some crosses my comfort is if they be heavy I have not far to go I shall but carry my cross to Golgotha and there I shall leave it My crosse is light in regard of the weight of glory Hath God taken away my comforts from me 't is well the Comforter still abides Thus Contentment as an honey-comb drops sweetnesse into every condition Discontent is a leaven that sowers every comfort it puts aloes and wormwood upon the brest of the creature it lessens every mercy it trebbles every crosse but the contented spirit suckes sweetnesse from every flower of providence it can make a treacle of poison Contentation is full of Consolation 7. Contentment hath this excellency it is the best commentator upon Providence it makes a faire interpretation of all Gods dealings Let the Providences of God be never so darke or bloody Contentment doth construe them ever in the best sense I may say of it as the Apostle of charity It thinks no evil Sicknesse saith Contentment is Gods furnace to refine his gold and make it sparkle the more the prison is an Oratory or house of prayer What if God melts away the creature from me he saw perhaps my heart grew too much in love with it had I been long in that fat pasture I should have surfeited and the better my estate had been the worse my soule would have beene God is wise he hath done this either to prevent some sinne or to exercise some grace What a blessed frame of heart is this A contented Christian is an Advocate for God against unbeliefe and impatience Whereas Discontent takes every thing from God in the worst sense it doth implead and censure God This evill I feele is but a symptome of greater evill God is about to undoe mee The Lord hath brought us hither into the wildernesse to slay us The contented soule takes all well and when his condition is never so bad he can say Yet God is good SECT 2. The second Argument to Contentation The second Argument or Motive Contentment is a Christian hath that which may make him content 1. Hath not God given thee Christ in him there are unsearchable riches He is such a golden mine of wisdome and grace that all the Saints and Angels can never dig to the bottome Hee is an enriching pearle a sparkling Diamond the infinite lustre of his merits makes us shine in Gods eyes in him there is both fulnesse and sweetnesse he is ineffabile bonum Scrue up your thoughts to the highest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and pinacle stretch them to the utmost period let them expatiate to their full latitude and extent yet they fall infinitely short of those ineffable and inexhaustible treasures which are locked up in Jesus Christ and is not here enough to give the soul content A Christian that wants necessaries yet having Christ he hath the one thing needfull 2. Thy soule is exercised and enamel'd with the graces of the Spirit and is not here enough to give contentment Grace is of a divine birth it is the new plantation it is the flower of the heavenly Paradise 't is the embroydery of the Spirit 't is the seed of God 't is the sacredunction 't is Christs pourtraiture in the soule 't is the very foundation on whch the superstructure of glory is laid O of what infinite value is Grace What a Jewell is Faith well may it be call'd precious Faith
satisfaction in each other when there was no other being therefore such who possess and improve God through Christ cannot possibly be dissatisfied The Almighty is the God of all grace of all comfort and of salvations in which respects neither deficiencies or disappointments lossess or crosses can cause disquieting discontents in that bosom where faith is commander in chief The Prophet Habakkuk rejoyced in the God of his salvation when the pestilence went before him and burning coles came forth of his feet and when he supposed all creature-succors both for delight necessity to be quite removed This this is the life which Christians should endevor and may attaine by the vigorous regular actings of precious faith This is the gain of Contentment which comes in by godlinesse when providences are black and likely to be bloudy now The just shall live by his faith That speech of learned Mr. Gataker is weighty and well worth the marking A contented minde argues a religious heart and a discontented minde argues an irreligious heart And that worthy Divine Mr. Greenham was bold to say They never felt Gods love or tasted forgivenes of sins who are discontented This likewise was an holy breathing of reverend Dr. Hall in his Meditations I have somewhat of the best things I will wit thankfulnesse enjoy them and will want the rest with contentment By attaining and maintaining this frame of heart we might have much of heaven on this side heaven Holy contentment maketh them truly rich whom the oppressing world maketh very poor Hereby our sweetest morsels shall be well seasoned and our bitterest potions well sweetned Had we learned to enjoy contentment in Iehovah who is immutable and all-sufficient this heavenly frame of spirit should never perish or change in the mid'st of the most amazing alterations in Church and State with which his Majesty is pleased to exercise us whereas because we live alone upon sublunaries therefore we are apt with Nabal to die upon the nest through dejectednesse upon the approach of imagined dangers When God seeth cause to cut us short of many creature-accommodations faith will moderate our desires after them assuring the soul that nothing is withdrawn or withheld which might be really advantageous and doubtlesse it is a great piece of happinesse upon earth not to long after that which the Lord is pleased to deny Indeed men act rather like Heathens then Christians when they fret upon some particular inferiour disappointments notwithstanding Gods liberality laid forth upon them in many other respects As Alexander the Monarch of the world was discontented because Ivie would not grow in his gardens at Babylon Diogenes the Cynick was herein more wise who finding a Mouse in his sachel said he saw that himself was not so poor but some were glad of his leavings Oh how might we if we had hearts to improve higher providences rock our peevish spirits quiet by much stronger arguments let us men lay before our eyes the practises of pious men recorded in Scripture for our imitation as Iacob Agur Paul c. and let us charge home upon our consciences divine exhortations backed with strong reasons and encouraged with sweet promises It was the grave counsel of holy Greenham Having food and raimont take the rest as an overplus Are we not lesse then the least of Gods mercies Is not God our bountifull benefactor why then do we not rest contented with his liberall allowance Oh let us chide our wrangling spirits and encourage confidence with contentment in God as blessed David did My pen hath outrun my purpose when I undertook this preface but I will no longer good Reader detaine thee in the porch wherein I have designed to quicken and to prepare thee to the more fruitful improvement of this seasonable usefull Treatise wherein the Author hath exercised to good purpose both the Christian graces and ministerial gifts with which God hath enriched him Herein the Doctrine of Christian contentment is clearly illustrated and profitably applyed the speciall cases wherein through change of providences discontents are most commonly occasioned are particularized and preservatives applyed to secure the soul. Although some other worthy Divines have been helpful by their discourses upon this subject yet there is much of peculiar use in this Treatise The Apostle tells us that some manifestation of the Spirit is given unto every man to profit withal Thy soul-profit is propounded as the Authorâ— end in publishing this piece and that this end may be accomplished is the unfained desire and hearty prayer of him who is Thy servant in and for Christ SIMEON ASâ—â— May 3. 1653. THE ART OF DIVINE CONTENTMENT CHAP. I. The Introduction to the Text. PHIL. 4. 11. I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content THese words are brought in by way of Prolepsis to anticipate and prevent an Objection The Apostle had in the former Verses laid down many grave and heavenly exhortations among the rest to be carefull for nothing Vers. 6. Not to exclude 1. A prudential care For Hee that provideth not for his owne house hath denyed the Faith and is worse then an Infidel Nor 2. A Religious care For wee must give all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure But 3. To exclude all anxious care about the issues and events of things Take no thought for your life what you shall eat and in this sense it should be a Christians care not to be carefull The word in the Greeke Carefull comes from a Primitive that signifies To cut the heart in pieces a soule-dividing Care take heed of this Wee are bid to commit our way unto the Lord the Hebrew word is Roll thy way upon the Lord. It is our work to cast care and it is Gods work to take care By our immoderacy we take his work out of his hand Care when it is excentrick either distrustfull or distracting is very dishonorable to God it takes away his providence as if he sate in heaven and minded not what became of things here below like a man that makes a clock and then leaves it to go of it self Immoderate care takes the heart off from better things and usually while wee are thinking how we shall do to live we forget how to die Curis tabescimus omnes Care is a spiritual canker that doth waste and dispirit cui bono We may sooner by our care add a furlong to our grief then a cubit to our comfort God doth threaten it as a curse They shall eat their bread with carefulness better fast then eat of that bread Be careful for nothing Now lest any one should say I Paul thou preachest that to us which thou hast scarce learned thy self Hast thou learned not to be carefull The Apostle seems tacitly to answer that in the words of the Text I have learned in whatsoever
state I am therewith to be content Egregia Sententia A speech worthy to be engraven upon our hearts and to be written in letters of Gold upon the Crownes and Diadems of Princes The Text doth branch it self into these two generall parts I. The Scholar Paul I have learned II. The Lesson In every state to be content CHAP. II. The first branch of the Text The Scholar with the first Proposition I Begin with the first I. The Scholar and his proficiency I have learned Out of which I shall in transitu observe two things by way of paraphrase 1. It is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle doth not say I have heard that in every state I should be content but I have learned Whence 1. Doctr. It is not enough for Christians to hear their duty but they must learne their duty It is one thing to heare and another thing to learne as it is one thing to eat and another thing to concoct Saint Paul was a Practitioner Christians hear much but it is to be feared learne little There were four sorts of ground in the Parable and but one good ground An embleme of this truth many Hearers but few Learners There are two things which keep us from learning 1. Slighting what we hear Christ is the Pearle of Price when we disesteeme this Pearle we shall never learne either its value or its vertue The Gospel is a rare Mystery in one place it is call'd the Gospell of Grace in another the Gospell of Glory because in it as in a transparant Glasse the glory of God is resplendent But he that hath learned to contemne this Mystery will hardly ever learne to obey it He that looks upon the things of Heaven as things by the by and perhaps the driving of a trade or carrying on some politick designe to be of greater importance this man is in the high road to damnation and will hardly ever learne the things of his peace Who will learne that which he thinks is scarce worth learning 2. Forgetting what we hear If a Scholar have his Rules laid before him and he forgets them as fast as he reads them he will never learn Aristotle calls the Memory the Scribe of the Soul and Bernard calls it the Stomack of the Soul because it hath a retentive faculty and turnes heavenly food into blood and spirits We have great memories in other things we remember that which is vain Cyrus could remember the name of every Souldier in his huge Army we remember injuries This is to fill a precious Cabinet with dung but quà m facilis oblivio boni as Hierom saith how soon doe we forget the sacred truths of God We are apt to forget three things our faults our friends our instructions Many Christians are like Sieves put a Sive into the water and it is full but take it forth of the water and all runnes out So while they are hearing of a Sermon they remember something but take the Sieve out of the water assone as they are gone out of the Church all is forgotten Let these sayings saith Christ sinke down into your eares in the Originall it is put these sayings into your cares As a man that would hide a jewel from being stolen locks it up safe in his chest Let them sinke The word must not onely fall as dew that wets the leafe but as raine which soakes to the root of the tree and makes it fructifie Oh how often doth Satan that fowle of the Aire pick up the good seed that is sowne Use. Let me put you upon a serious tryall Some of you have heard much you have lived forty fifty sixty years under the blessed Trumpet of the Gospel What have you learned You may have heard a thousand Sermons and yet not learned one Search your consciences 1 You have heard much against sin are you Hearers or are you Scholars How many Sermons have you heard against Covetousnesse That it is the root on which Pride Idolatry Treason do grow One cals it a Metropolitan sin It is malum complexum it doth twist a great many sinnes in with it There is hardly any sinne but Covetousnesse is a maine ingredient into it and yet are you like the two daughters of the Horse-leach that cry Give give How much have you heard against rash Anger that it is a short phrensie a dry drunkennesse That it rests in the bosome of fooles and upon the least occasion do your spirits begin to take fire How much have you heard against Swearing It is Christs expresse mandate Sweare not at all this sinne of all other may be tearm'd the unfruitful work of darknesse It is neiâ—her sweetned with pleasure nor enriched with profit the usuall vermilion wherewith Satan doth paint sinne Swearing is forbidden with a sub poena While the swearer shoots his oathes like flying arrowes at God to pierce his glory God shoots a flying roll of curses against him and doe you make your tongue a racket by which you tosse oathes as Tennis-balls Doe you sport your selves with oathes as the Philistines did with Samson which will at last pull the house about your eares Alas how have they learned what sin is that have not yet learned to leave sinne doth he know what a Viper is that playes with it 2. You have heard much of Christ have you learned Christ The Jewes as one saith carried Christ in their Bibles but not in their hearts Their sound went into all the earth Rom. 10. 18. The Prophets and apostles were as trumpets whose sound went abroad into the world yet many thousands who heard the noise of these Trumpets had not learned Christ They have not all obeyed vers 16. 1. A man may know much of Christ and yet not learne Christ. The divells knew Christ. 2. A man may preach Christ and yet not learn Christ as Iudas and the pseudo-Apostles 3. A man may professe Christ and yet not learn Christ. There are many professors in the world that Christ will professe against Quest. What is it then to learne Christ Answ. 1. To learn Christ is to be made like Christ. When the divine characters of his holiness are engraven upon our hearts We all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image There is a Metamorphosis made a sinner viewing Christs Image in the Glasse of the Gospell is transform'd into that Image Never did any man look upon Christ with a spiritual eye but went away quite changed A true Saint is a divine Landskip or picture where all the rare beauties of Christ are lively pourtraied and drawn forth He hath the same Spirit the same judgement the same will with Jesus Christ. 2. To learne Christ is to beleeve in him My Lord my God When we do not only
credere Deum but in Deum which is the actual application of Christ to our selves and as it were the spreading the sacred medicine of his blood upon our souls You that have heard much of Christ and yet cannot with an humble adherence say My Iesus be not offended if I tell you the Devill can say his Creed as well as you 3. To learne Christ is to live Christ. When we have Bible-conversations our lives as rich Diamonds cast a sparkling lustre in the Church of God and are in some sense parallel with the life of Christ as the Transcript with the Originall So much for the first notion of the word CHAP. III. Containing the second Proposition II. THis word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have learned is a word imports difficulty it showes how hardly the Apostle came by his contentment of minde it was not naturâ in genitum St. Paul did not come naturally by it but he had learned it It cost him many a prayer and teare it was taught him by the Spirit Whence Doct. 2. Good things are hard to come by The businesse of Religion is not so facile as most doe imagaine I have learned saith St. Paul Indeed you need not learn a man to sin this is naturall and therefore facile it comes as water out of a Spring 'T is an easie thing to be wicked Hell will be taken without storme but matters of Religion must be learned To cut the flesh is easie but to prick a vein and not cut an artery is hard The trade of sinne needs not to be learned but the Art of Contentment is not atchieved without holy industry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have learned There are two pregnant reasons why there must be so much study and exercitation 1. Because spirituall things are against nature Every thing in Religion is antipodes to nature There are in Religion two things Credenda Facienda and both are against nature 1. Credenda Matters of Faith As for a man to be justified by the righteousnesse of another to become a foole that he may be wise to save all by losing all this is against nature 2. Facienda Matters of practice As 1. Selfe-denyall for a man to deny his own wisdome and see himself blinde his own will and have it melted into the will of God plucking out the right eye beheading and crucifying that sin which is the favorite and lies nearest to the heart For a man to be dead to the world and in the midst of want to abound for him to take up the Crosse and follow Christ not onely in golden but bloody pathes to embrace Religion when it is dress'd in its night-cloathes all the Jewels of honour and preferment being pull'd off this is against nature and therefore must be learned 2. Selfe-examination For a man to take his heart as a watch all in pieces to set up a spirituall inquisition or Court of conscience and traverse things in his own soul to take Davids Candle and Lanthorn and search for sin nay as Judge to passe the sentence upon himself this is against nature and will not easily be attained to without Learning 3. Self-reformation To see a man as Caleb of another spirit walking antipodes to himself his heart changed the current of his life altered and running into the channel of Religion this is wholly against nature and is as strange as to see the earth fly upward or the bowle runne contrary to its own byasse When a stone ascends it is not a natural motion but a violent the motion of the soul heaven-ward is a violent motion it must be learned flesh and blood is not skill'd in these things Nature can no more cast out Nature then Satan can cast out Satan 2. Because spiritual things are above nature There are some things in nature that are hard to finde out as the causes of things which are not learned without studie Aristotle a great Philosopher whom some have call'd an Eagle fallen from the clouds yet could not finde out the motion of the River Euripus therefore threw himselfe into it What then are divine things which are in a sphere above Nature and beyond all humane disquisition as the Trinity the hypostatical Union the mystery of Faith to beleeve against hope onely Gods Spirit can light our candle here The Apostle cals these the deep things of God The Gospel is full of Jewels but they are lock'd up from sense and reason The Angels in heaven are searching into these sacred depths Use. Let us beg the Spirit of God to teach us wee must be divinitùs edocti The Eunuch could read but he could not understand till Philip ioyned himself to his chariot Gods Spirit must joyn himself to our chariot Hee must teach or wee cannot learn All thy children shall be taught of the Lord A man may read the figure on the Diall but hee cannot tell how the day goes unless the Sun shine upon the Diall we may read the Bible over but wee cannot learn to purpose till the Spirit of God shine into our hearts Oh implore this blessed Spirit it is Gods Prerogative Royall to teach I am the Lord thy God that teacheth thee to profit Ministers may tell us our lesson God onely can teach us We have lost both our hearing and eye-sight therefore are very unfit to learn Ever since Eve listned to the Serpent wee have been deafe and since shee looked on the tree of Knowledg wee have been blinde but when God comes to teach he removes these impediments We are naturally dead who will goe about to teach a dead man Yet behold God undertakes to make dead men to understand mysteries God is the grand Teacher This is the reason the word preached works so differently upon men two in a Pew the one is wrought upon effectually the other lies at the Ordinances as a dead childe at the brest and gets no nourishment What is the reason because the heavenly gale of the Spirit blowes upon one and not upon the other One hath the anointing of God which teacheth him all things the other hath it not Gods Spirit speaks sweetly but irresistibly In that heavenly doxology none could sing the new song but those who were sealed in their foreheads reprobates could not sing it Those that are skilfull in the mysteries of salvation must have the seal of the Spirit upon them Let us make this our prayer Lord breath thy Spirit into thy Word and we have a promise which may add wings to prayer If yee then being evill know how to give good gifts to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give his Spirit to them that aske him And thus much of the first part of the Text The Scholar which I intended only as a short glosse or paraphrase CHAP. IV. The second branch
onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the shadow and picture of it the Beryll not the true Diamond theirs was but civill this is sacred theirs was only from principles of Reason this of Religion theirs was onely lighted at Nature's torch this at the Lamp of Scripture Reason may a little teach Contentment as thus Whatever my condition be this is that I am born to and if I meet with crosses it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Catholick miserie all have their share why therefore should I be troubled Reason may suggest this and indeed this may be rather constraint then content but to live securely and chearfully upon God in the abatement of creature-supplyes Religion onely can bring this into the souls exchequer 2. Contentment is an intrinsecall thing it lies within a man not in the barke but the root Contentment hath both its fountaine and stream in the soule the Beame hath not its light from the Aire the beams of comfort which a contented man hath do not arise extrinsicè from forraigne comforts but from within as sorrow is seated in the spirit The heart knowes its own grief So Contentment lies within in the soul and doth not depend upon externals Hence I gather that outward troubles cannot hinder this blessed Contentment it is a spirituall thing and ariseth from spirituall grounds viz. The apprehension of Gods love When there is a tempest without there may be musick within a Bee may sting through the skin but it cannot sting to the heart Outward afflictions cannot sting to a Christians heart where Contentment lies Thieves may plunder us of our money and plaâ—e but not of this pearl of Contentment unlesse wee are willing to part with it for it is locked up in the cabinet of the heart The soule who is possessed of this rich treasure of Contentment is like Noah in the Arke that can sing in the midst of a Deluge 3. Contentment is an Habituall thing is shines with a fixed light in the firmament of the soul. Contentment doth not appear onely now and then as some Starrs which are seen but seldome it is a setled temper of the heart One action doth not denominate he is not said to be a liberall man that gives alms once in his life a covetous man may do so but he is said to be liberall that is given to liberality that is who upon all occasions is willing to indulge the necessities of the poor so he is said to be a contented man that is given to Contentment It is not casuall but constant Aristotle in his Rhetorick distinguisheth betweene colours in the face that arise from passion and those which arise from complexion the pale face may look red when it blusheth but this is only a passion he is said properly to be ruddy and sanguine who is constantly so it is his complexion He is not a contented man who is so upon an occasion and perhaps when he is pleased but who is so constantly it is the habit and complexion of his soul. CHAP. VII Reason pressing to holy Contentment HAving opened the nature of Contentment I come next to lay down some reasons or arguments to Contentment which may preponderate with us The first is Gods precept It is charged upon us as a duty Be content with such things as you have the same God who hath bid us beleeve hath bid us be content if we obey not we runne our selves into a spirituall praemunire Gods Word is a sufficient warrant it hath authority in it and must be a supersedeas or sacred Spell to discontent Ipse dixit was enough among Pythagor as his Scholars Be it enacted is the Royall stile Gods Word must be the star that guides and his Will the weight that moves our obedience his fiat is a Law and hath majesty enough in it to captivate us into obedience our hearts must not be more unquiet then the raging Sea which at his Word is still'd 2. The second reason inforcing Contentment is Gods promise For Hee hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. Where God hath engaged himselfe under hand and seale for our necessary provisions If a King should say to one of his Subjects I will take care for thee as long as I have any Crown-revenues thou shalt be provided for if thou art in danger I will secure thee if in want I will supply thee would not that Subject be content Behold God hath here made a Promise to the Beleever and as it were entered into bond for his security I will never leave thee Shall not this charm down the devil of discontent Leave thy fatherless children with me I will preserve them alive Me thinks I see the godly man on his death-bed much discontented and heare him complaining What will become of my wife and children when I am dead and gone they may come to poverty saith God Trouble not thy self Be content I will take care of thy children and Let thy widowes trust in mee God hath made a Promise to us that he will not leave us and hath entail'd the promise upon our wife and children and will not this satisfie True Faith will take Gods single bond without calling for witnesses 3. Be contented by vertue of a Decree What ever our condition be God the great Umpire of the world hath ab aeterno decreed that condition for us and by his providence ordered all appertinances thereunto Let a Christian often think with himselfe who hath plac'd me here whither I am in an higher sphere or in a lower not chance or fortune as the pur-blinde Heathens imagined no it is the wise God that hath by his providence fixed me in this Orbe We must act that scene which God will have us say not Such an one hath occasioned this to me look not too much at the under-wheel We read in Ezekiel of a wheele within a wheel Gods Decree is the cause of the turning of the wheeles and his Providence is the inner wheele that moves all the rest Gods Providence is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or helme which turnes about the whole ship of the Universe Say then as holy David I was silent because thou Lord didst it Gods Providence which is nothing else but the carrying on of his Decree should be a supersedeas and counterpoison against discontent God hath set as in our station and he hath done it in wisdome We fancy such a condition of life good for us whereas if we were our owne carvers we should often cut the worst piece Lot being put to his choice did choose Sodom which soon after was burnt with fire Rachel was very desirous of children Give mee children or I die and it cost her her life in bringing forth a childe Abraham was earnest for Ishmael O that Ishmael may live before thee but he had little comfort either of him or
studied to defend the truth by Scripture if others had not endeavoured to overthrow it by Sophistry all the mists and fogs of Error that have risen out of the bottomlesse pit have made the glorious Sun of truth to shine so much the brighterr Had not Arius and Sabellius broached their damnable Errours the truth of those questions about the blessed Trinity had never beene so discussed and defended by Athanasius Augustine and others had not the Divel brought in so much of his princely darknesse the Champions for Truth had never runne so fast to Scripture to light their Lamps So that God who hath a wheele within a wheele over-rules these things wisely and turnes them to the best Truth is an heavenly plant that settles by shaking 3. God raiseth the price of his truth the more the very shreds and filings of truth are venerable When there is much counterfeit metall abroad we prize the true Gold the more the pure wine of Truth is never more precious then when unsound doctrines are broached and vented 4. Errour makes us more thankfull to God for the jewel of Truth When you see another infected with the Plague how thankful are you that God hath freed you from the infection when we see others have the Leprosie in the head how thankful are we to God that he hath not given us over to believe a lie and so â—e damned It is a good use that may be made even of the Errour of the times when it makes us more humble and thankful adoring the free grace of God who hath kept us from drinking of that deadly poison 2. The second Branch of the Apology that discontent makes is the impiety of the times I live and converse among the profane O that I had wings like a Dove that I might flie away and be at rest Answ. It is indeed sad to be mixed with the wicked David beheld the transgressors and was grieved and Lot who was a bright Starre in a dark night was vexed or as the word in the Original may beare wearied out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the unclean conversation of the wicked he made the sinnes of Sodom spears to pierce his own soul we ought if there be any spark of divine love in us to be very sensible of the sinnes of others and our hearts bleed for them yet let us not break forth in murmuring or discontent knowing that God in his providence hath permitted it and surely not without some reasons For 1. The Lord makes the wicked an hedge to defend the godly the wise God often makes those who are wicked and peaceable a meanes to safeguard his people from those who are wicked and cruell The King of Babylon kept Ieremy and gave speciall order for his looking to that he did want nothing God sometimes makes brazen sinners to be brazen walls to defend his people 2. God doth interline mingle the wicked with the godly that the godly may be a means to save the wicked such is the beauty of holiness that it hath a magnetical force in it to allure and draw even the wicked Somtimes God makes a beleeving husband a means to convert an unbeleeving wife and è contrà What knowest thou O wife whether thou shalt save thy husband or how knowest thou O man whether thou shalt save thy wife The godly living among the wicked by their prudent advice and pious example have won them to the embracing of Religion if there were not some godly among the wicked how in a probable way without a miracle can we imagine that the wicked should be converted Those who are now shining Saints in Heaven sometimes served divers lusts Paul once a persecutor Augustine once a Manichee Luther once a Monk but by the severe and holy carriage of the godly were converted to the faith SECT X. The tenth Apology answered The next Apology that Discontent makes is lownesse of parts and gifts I cannot saith the Christian discourse with that fluency nor pray with that elegancy as others Answ. 1. Grace is beyond gifts Thou comparest thy grace with anothers gifts ther is a vast difference Grace without gifts is infinitely better then gifts without grace in Religion the vitals are better then the intellectuals Gifts are a more extrinsecall and common worke of the Spirit which is incident to reprobates grace is a more distinguishing worke and is a jewell hung onely upon the Elect. Hast thou and seed of God the holy anointing be content I. Thou sayest thou canst not discourse with that fluency as others Answ. Experiments in Religion are beyond notions and impressions beyond expressions Iudas no doubt could make a learned discourse of Christ but welfare the woman in the Gospel that felt vertue coming out of him A sanctified heart is better then a silver tongue There is as much difference between gifts and grace as between a Tulip painted on the wall and one growing in the Garden II. Thou sayest thou canst not pray with that elegancy as others Answ. Prayer is a matter more of the heart then the head In prayer it is not so much fluency prevailes as fervency nor is God so much taken with the elegancy of speech as the efficacy of the Spirit Humility is better then volubility here the mourner is the oratour sighes and grones are the best Rhetorique 2. Be not discontented For God doth usually proportion a mans parts to the place where he calls him Some are set in an higher sphere and function their place requires more parts and abilities but the most inferiour member is usefull in its place and shall have a power delegated for the discharge of its peculiar office SECT XI The eleventh Apology answered The next Apology is The troubles of the Church Alas my disquiet and discontent is not so much for my self as the publick The Church of God suffers Answ. I confesse it is sad and we ought for this to hang our Harps upon the Willowes he is a wooden leg in Christs body that is not sensible of the state of the body As a Christian must not be proud flesh so neither dead flesh When the Church of God suffers hee must sympathize Ieremy wept for the Virgin daughter of Sion Wee must feel our brethrens hard cords through our soft beds in Musick if one string be touched all the rest sound when God strikes upon our brethren our bowels must sound as an Harp be sensible but doe not give way to discontent For consider 1. God sits at the sterne of his Church Sometimes it is as a ship tossed upon the waves O thou afflicted and tossed but cannot God bring this ship to haven though it meet with a storme upon the Sea The ship in the Gospel was tossed because sinne was in it but it was not overwhelmed because Christ was in it Christ is in the Ship
am I not higher Discontents are nothing else but the aestuations and boilings over of pride 2. The second cause of discontent is envie which Augustine calls vitium diabolicum the sinne of the Devill Satan envied Adam the glory of Paradise and the robe of innocence he that envies what his neighbour hath is never contented with that portion which Gods providence doth parcel out to him as envie stirs up strife this made the Plebeian faction so strong amongst the Romanes so it creates discontent the envious man looks so much upon the blessings which another enjoyes that he cannot see his own mercies and so doth continually vexe and torture himselfe Cain envied that his brothers sacrifice was accepted and his rejected hereupon he was discontented and presently murderous thoughts began to arise in his heart 3. The third cause is Covetousnesse This is a radical sinne Whence are vexing Law-suits but from discontent and whence is discontent but from covetousnesse Covetousnesse and contentedness cannot dwell in the same heart Avarice is an heluo that is never satisfied The covetous man is like Behemoth behold he drinketh up a river he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth There are foure things saith Solomon say It is not enough I may adde a fifth The heart of a covetous man he is still craving Covetousnesse is like a Wolfe in the brest which is ever feeding and because a man is not satisfied he is never content 4. The fourth cause of Discontent is Iealousie which is sometimes occasion'd through melancholy and sometimes misapprehension The spirit of jealousie causeth this evil spirit Jealousie is the rage of a man and oft this is nothing but suspicion and phansie yet such as creates reall discontent 5. The fifth cause of Discontent is distrust which is a great degree of Atheisme The discontented person is ever distrustfull The bill of provision growes low I am in these straits and exigencies can God help me Can be prepare a table in the wildernesse sure hee cannot My estate is exhausted can God recrute me My friends are gone can God raise me up more sure the arme of his power is shrunk I am like the dry fleece can any water come upon this fleece If the Lord would make windowes in Heaven might this thing be Thus the Anchor of hope and the shield of faith being cast away the soul goes pining up and down Discontent is nothing else but the Echo of unbeliefe and remember distrust is worse then distress 2. Discontent is evil in the concomitants of it whch are two 1. Discontent is joyned with a sullen melancholy a Christian of a right temper should be ever chearfull in God Serve the Lord with gladness A signe the oile of grace hath been poured into the heart when the oile of gladness shines in the countenance Chearfulnesse credits Religion how can the discontented person be chearfull Discontent is a dogged sullen humour because wee have not what wee desire God shall not have a good word or look from us as the Bird in the cage because she is pent up and cannot fly in the open aire therefore beats herselfe against the cage and is ready to kill her selfe Thus that peevish Prophet I doe well to be angry to the death 2. Discontent is accompanied with unthankfulness because we have not all wee desire wee never minde the mercies which we have we deale with God as the widow of Sarepta did with the Prophet the Prophet Elijah had been a means to keep her alive in the famine for it was for his sake that her meale in the barrel and her oile in the cruse failed not but assoon as ever her sonne dies she falls into a passion and begins to quarrel with the Prophet What have I to doe with thee O thou man of God art thou come to call my sin to remembrance and to slay my son So ungratefully do we deal with God we can be content to receive mercies from God but if he doth crosse us in the least thing then through discontent we grow techy and impatient and are ready to fly upon God thus God loseth all his mercies We read in Scripture of the thankoffring The discoÌ„tented person cuts God short of this the Lord loseth his thank-offering A discontented Christian repines in the midst of mercies as Adam who fin'd in the midst of Paradise Discontent is a Spider that sucks the poison of unthankfulnesse out of the sweetest flower of Gods blessings and by a devilish chymistry extracts dross out of the most refined Gold The discontented person thinks every thing he doth for God too much and every thing God doth for him too little O what a sin is unthankfulnesse it is an accumulative sinne What Cicero saith of Parricide I may say of Ingratitude there are many sinnes bound up in this one sinne it is a voluminous wickednesse and how full of this sinne is Discontent A discontented Christian because hee hath not all he would therefore dishonours God with the mercies which he hath God made Eve out of Adams rib to be an helper as the Father speaks but the Devil made an arrow of this rib and shot Adam â—o the heart So doth discontent take the rib of Gods mercy and ungratefully shoot at him Estate Liberty shall be employed against God Thus it is often-times behold then how Discontent and Ingratitude are interwoven and twisted one within another thus Discontent is sinful in its concomitants 3. It is sinfull in its Consequences which are these 1. It makes a man very unlike the Spirit of God The Spirit of God is a meek Spirit The Holy Ghost descended in the likenesse of a Dove A Dove is the embleme of meeknesse A discontented spirit is not a meek spirit 2. It makes a man like the Devil The Devil being swell'd with the poison of envy and malice is never content Just so is the Male-content The Devil is an unquiet spirit he is still walking about 't is his rest to be walking And herein is the discontented person like him for he goes up and down vexing himselfe Seeking rest and finding none hee is the Devils picture 3. Discontent disjoynts the soul it untunes the heart for duty Is any man afflicted let him pray But is any man discontented how shall he pray Lift up pure hands without wrath Discontent is full of wrath and passion The Male-content cannot lift up pure hands he lifts up leprous hands he poisons his prayers will God accept of a poison'd sacrifice Chrysostome compares prayer to a fine Garland Those saith he that make a Garland their hands had need be clean Prayer is a precious Garland the heart that makes it had need be clean Discontent throwes poison into the spring which was death among the Romanes Discontent puts the heart into a disorder and mutiny and such a one cannot serve the Lord without distraction 4.
Suavitate in sweetnesse A poisonfull weed may grow as much as the Hyssop or Rose-mary the Poppy in the field as the Corne the Crab as the Pearmaine but the one hath a harsh sowre taste the other mellows as it growes An hypocrite may grow in outward dimensions as much as a childe of God hee may pray as much professe as much but he growes onely in magnitude hee brings forth sowre grapes his duties are leavened with pride the other ripens as he growes he growes in love humility faith which do mellow and sweeten his duties and make them come off with a better relish The Beleever growes as the flower he casts a fragrancy and perfume 3. A true Christian growes Robore in strength he growes still more rooted and setled The more the tree growes the more it spreads its root in the earth A Christian who is a Plant of the heavenly Ierusulem the longer he growes the more he incorporates into Christ and sucks spirituall juice and sap from him he is a dwarfe in regard of humility but a gyant in regard of strength He is strong to do duties to beare burdens to resist tentations 4. He growes Vigore in the exercise of his grace He hath not only oile in his lamps but his lamps are burning and shining Grace is agile and dexterous Christs vines doe flourish hence wee read of a lively hope and a fervent love here is the activity of Grace Indeed sometimes grace is as a sleepy habit in the soule like sap in the vine not exerting its vigour which may be occasion'd through spiritual sloth or by reason of falling into some sin but this is only pro tempore for a while the spring of grace will come the flowers will appear and the fig tree put forth her green figs The fresh gales of the Spirit do sweetly revive and refocillate grace The Church of Christ whose heart was a garden and her graces as precious spices prayes for the heavenly breathings of the Spirit that her sacred spices might flow out 5. A true Christian growes Incremento both in the kinde and in-the degree of grace To his spirituall living he gets an augmentation hee addes to faith vertue to vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance c. here is grace growing in the kind and he goes on from faith to faith there is grace growing in the degree We are bound to give thanks to God for you brethren because your faith groweth exceedingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it encreaseth over and above And the Apostle speaks of those spirituall plants which were laden with Gospel fruit Phil. 1. 11. A Christian is compar'd to the Vine an embleme of fruitfulnesse he must bear full clusters We are bid to perfect that which is lacking in our faith A Christian must never be so old as to bee past bearing he brings forth fruit in his old age An heaven-borne plant is ever growsing hee never thinks hee growes enough he is not content unlesse he adde every day one cubit to his spiritual stature We must not be contented just with so much grace as will keep life and soul together a dram or two must not suffice but we must be stil encreasing with the encrease of God We had need renew our strength as the Eagle our sinnes are renewed our wants are renewed our tentations are renewed and shal not our strength be renewed Oh bee not content with the first embryo of grace grace in its infancy and minority You look for degrees of glory bee you Christians of degrees Though a Beleever should be contented with a modicum in his estate yet not with a modicum in Religion A Christian of the right breed labours still to excell himselfe and come nearer unto that holinesse in God who is the originall the paterne and prototype of all holinesse CHAP. XIII USE 4. Shewing how a Christian may know whether he hath learned this divine Art Use. IV. THus having laid down these three Cautions I proceed in the next place to an use of Triall 4. How may a Christian know that he hath learned this lesson of Contentment I shall lay down some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or characters by which you shall know it 1. A contented spirit is a silent spirit He hath not one word to say against God I was dumb or silent because thou Lord didst it Ps. 39. Contentment silenceth all dispute He sitteth alone and keepeth silence There is a sinfull silence when God is dishonoured his truth wounded and men hold their peace this silence is a loud sinne and there is an holy silence when the soul sits down quiet and content with its condition When Samuel tells Eli that heavy message from God that he would judge his house and that the iniquity of his family should not bee purged away with sacrifice for ever doth Eli murmur or dispute No he hath not one word to say against God It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good A discontented spirit saith as Pharaoh Who is the Lord why should I suffer all this why should I bee brought into this low condition Who is the Lord But a gracious heart saith as Eli It is the Lord let him doe what he will with me When Nadab and Abihu the sons of Aaron had offered up strange fire and fire went from the Lord and devoured them is Aaron now in a passion of discontent No Aaron held his peace A contented spirit is never angry unless with himselfe for having hard thoughts of God When Ionah said I do well to be angry this was not a contented spirit it did not become a Prophet 2. A contented spirit is a chearfull spirit the Greeks call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Contentment is something more then Patience for Patience denotes onely submission Contentment denotes chearfulnesse A contented Christian is more then passive he doth not only bear the Cross but take up the Crosse He looks upon God as a wise God and whatever hee doth though it bee not ad voluntatem yet ad sanitatem it is in order to a cure Hence the contented Christian is chearfull and with the Apostle takes pleasure in infirmities distresses c. He doth not onely submit to Gods dealings but rejoyce in them he doth not onely say Iust is the Lord in all that is befallen me but Good is the Lord. This is to be contented A sullen melancholy is hatefull it is said God loves a chearfull giver I and God loves a chearfull liver We are bid in Scripture not to be careful but we are no where bid not to bee chearfull He that is contented with his condition doth not abate of his spirituall joy and indeed he hath that within him which is the ground of chearfulnesse hee carries a pardon sealed in his heart 3. A contented spirit is a thankfull spirit This
if he would study rather to satisfie his hunger then his humour SECT 15. 15. Rule Beleeve the present condition is best for us Flesh and blood is not a competent judge Surfeited stomacks are for banqueting stuffe but a man that regards his health is rather for solid food Vaine men fancy such a condition best and would flourish in their bravery whereas a wise Christian hath his will melted into Gods will and thinks it best to be at his finding God is wise he knowes whether we need food or physick and if wee could acquiesce in providence the quarrell would soon be at an end O what a strange creature would man be if he were what he could wish himself Be content to be at Gods allowance God knowes which is the fittest pasture to put his sheep in Sometimes a more barren ground doth well whereas rank pasture may rot Doe I meet with such a crosse God shewes me what the world is he hath no better way to weane me then by putting mee to a step-mother Doth God stint me in my allowance he is now dieting me Do I meet with losses it is that God may keep me from being lost Every crosse winde shall at last blow mee to the right port Did we beleeve that condition best which God doth parcell out to us we should chearfully submit and say The lines are fallen in pleasant places SECT 16. 16. Rule Doe not too much indulge the flesh Wee have taken an oath in Baptisme to forsake the flesh The flesh is a worse enemy then the devil it is abosome traitour an enemy within is worst If there were no devil to tempt the flesh would be another Eve to tempt to the forbidden fruit Oh take heed of giving way to it whence is all our discontent but from the fleshly part The flesh puts us upon the immoderate pursuit of the world it consults for ease and plenty and if it be not satisfied then discontents begin to arise Oh let it not have the reines martyr the flesh in spirituall things the flesh is a sluggard in secular things an Horsleech crying Give give The flesh is an enemy to suffering it will sooner make a man a Courtier then a Martyr Oh keep it under put its neck under Christs yoke stretch and naile it to his Crosse never let a Christian look for contentment in his spirit till there be confinement in his flesh SECT 17. 17. Rule Meditate much on the glory which shall be revealed There are great things laid up in heaven Though it be sad for the present yet let us be content in that it will shortly be better it is but a while and we shall be with Christ bathing our souls in the fountaine of his love we shall never complain of wants or injuries any more our crosse may be heavie but one sight of Christ will make us forget all our former sorrowes There are two things should give contentment 1. That God will make us able to bear our troubles God saith Chrysostome doth like a Lutenist who will not let the strings of his Lute be too slack lest it spoile the musick nor will he suffer them to be too hard stretched or serued up lest they break So doth God deal with us he wil not let us have too much prosperity lest this spoile the musick of prayer and repentance nor yet too much adversity lest the spirit faile before him and the soules which he hath made 2. When we have suffered a while we shall be perfected in glory the Crosse shall be our ladder by which we shall climbe up to heaven Be then content and the scene will alter God will ere long turn our water into wine the hope of this is enough to drive away all distempers from the heart Blessed be God it will be better We have no continued City here therefore our afflictions cannot continue A wise man looks still to the end The end of the just man is peace Me thinks the smoothnesse of the end should make amends for the ruggednesse of the way Oh eternity eternity think often of the Kingdome prepared David was advanced from the field to the throne First he held his Shepherds staffe and shortly after the royall Scepter Gods people may be put to hard services here but God hath chosen them to be Kings to sit upon the throne with the Lord Jesus This being weighed in the balance of Faith would be an excellent meanes to bring the heart to contentment SECT 18. 18. Rule Be much in Prayer The last Rule for Contentment is Be much in Prayer Beg of God that he wil work our hearts to this blessed frame Is any man afflicted let him pray So is any man discontented let him pray Prayer gives vent The opening of a vein le ts out the bad blood When the heart is filled with sorrow and disquiet prayer le ts out the bad blood The key of prayer oiled with teares unlocks the heart of all its discontents Prayer is an holy spell or charme to drive away trouble Prayer is the unbosoming of the soule the unloading of all our cares in Gods brest and this ushers in sweet contentment When there is any burden upon our spirits by opening our minde to a friend we finde our hearts finely eased and quieted It is not our strong resolutions but our strong requests to God which must give the heart case in trouble by Prayer the strength of Christ is brought into the soule and where that is a man is able to go through any condition Paul could be in every state content but that you may not think hee was to do this of himself he tells you that though he could want and abound and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe all things yet it was through Christ strengthening him Phil. 4. 13. 'T is the childe that writes but it is the Scrivener guides his hand St. Paul arrived at the hardest duty in Religion viz. Contentment but the Spirit was his Pilot and Christ his strength and this strength was ushered in by holy prayer Prayer is a powerfull Oratour Constantine the Emperour as he did write Christs Name upon his door so he did invoke his Name in his closet Prayer is an exorâ—â—â— with God and an exoroist against sin The best way is to pray down discontent What Luther faith of Concupiscence I may say of Discontent Prayer is a sacred Leech to suck out the venome and swelling of this passion Prayer composeth the heart and brings it into tune Hath God deprived you of many comforts blesse God that he left you the Spirit of Prayer Use. 6. The last use is of comfort or encouraging word to the contented Christian. If there be an heaven upon earth thou hast it O Christian thou may'st insult over thy troubles and with the Leviathan laugh at the shaking of a spear Iob 41. 29. What shall I say thou art a crown