be no space nor time for murmuring to work upon thy heart that 's the Fourth Particular The Fift thing in the evil of discontentment Murmuring and discontentment is exceedingly below a Christian Oh! it is too mean and base a distemper for a Christian to give place to it Now it 's below a Christian in many respects 1 How below the relation of a Christian The relation in which thou standest With what relation you will say First The relation thou standest in to God Do'st not thou call God thy father and do'st not thou stand in relation to him as a child what thou murmer In 2 Sam. 13.4 it 's a speech of Jonadab to Amnon Why art thou being the Kings Son lean from day to day wilt thou not tell me and so he told him but that was for a wicked cause he perceived that his spirit was troubled for otherwise he was of a fat and plump temper of body but because of trouble of spirit he was even pin'd away why what 's the matter thou that standest in this relation to the King and yet any thing should trouble thy heart that 's his meaning is there any thing that should disquiet thy heart and yet standest in such a relation to the King the King's Son So I may say to a Christian Art thou the King's Son the Son the Daughter of the King of Heaven and yet so disquieted and troubled and vext at every little thing that falls out as if a King's Son should cry out he is undone for losing a bable what an unworthy thing were this So doest thou thou criest out as if thou wert undon and yet a Kings Son thou that standest in such relation to God as unto a father thou doest dishonour thy father in this as if so be either he had not wisdom or not power or not mercy enough to provide for thee 2. The relation that thou standest in to Jesus Christ thou art the spouse of Christ what one married to Jesus Christ yet troubled and discontented hast thou not enough in him doth not Christ say to his spouse as Elkanah said to Hannah 1 Sam. 1.8 Am not I better to thee than ten sons So doth not Christ thy husband say to thee Am not I better to thee than thousands of riches and comforts such comforts as thou murmurest for want of hath not God given thee his Son and will he not with him give thee all things hath the love of God bin to thee to give thee his Son in way of marriage why art thou discontented and murmuring consider thy relation to Jesus Christ as thou art a spouse and married to him his person is thine and so all the riches of Jesus Christ is thine as the riches of a husband are the wives and though there are some husbands so vile as the wives may be forced to sue for maintainance certainly Jesus Christ will never deny maintainance to his spouse it 's a dishonour for a husband to have the wife go whining up-and down what thou art macht with Christ art his spouse and wilt thou murmur now and be discontented in thy spirit You shall observe among those that are newly matched when there is discontent between the wife and the husband their friends will shake their heads and say they do not meet with that that they did expect ye see ever since they were married together how the man looks and the woman looks they are not so chearly as they were wont to be surely say they it is like to prove an ill match But it 's not so here it shall not be so between thee and Christ Oh Jesus Christ doth not love to see his spouse to have a lowring countenance no man loves to see discontentment in the face of his wife surely Christ doth not love to see discontentment in the face of his spouse 3 Thou standest in relation to Christ not only as a spouse but as a member Thou art bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh and to have a member of Jesus Christ to be in such a condition it 's exceeding unworthy 4. He is thy Elder brother likewise and so thou art a Co heir with him 5 The relation that thou standest in to the Spirit of God thou art the Temple of the holy Ghost the holy Ghost is thy Comforter it is he that is appointed to convey all comfort from the Father and the Son to the Souls of his people And art thou the Temple of the holy Ghost and doth he dwell in thee and yet for all that thou murmur for every little matter 6 The relation that thou standest in to the Angels thou art made one body with them for so Christ hath joyned principalities and powers with his Church they are Ministring Spirits for good to his people to supply what they need and thou and they are joyned together and Christ is the head of you and Angels 7 The relation that you stand in to the Saints you are of the same body with them they and you make up but one mystical body with Jesus Christ and if they be happy you must needs be happy Oh how beneath a Christian is a murmuring Spirit if he considers his relations in which he stands Secondly A Christian should consider That murmuring and discontentednesse is below the high dignities that God hath put upon him Do but consider the high dignitie that God hath put upon thee the meanest Christian in the world is a lord of heaven and earth he hath made us Kings unto himselfe Kings unto God not Kings unto men to rule over them and yet I say every Christian is lord of heaven and earth yea of life and death That is as Christ he is Lord of all so he hath made those that are his members to be lords of all all are yours saith the Apostle even life and death every thing is yours It 's a very strange expression that death should be theirs death is yours that is you are as it were lords over it you have that that shall make death to be your servant your slave even death it 's self your greatest enemies are turned to be your slaves faith makes a Christian to be as lord over all to be lifted up in excellency above all creatures that ever God made except the Angels yea and in some respect above them I say the poorest Christian that lives is raised to an estate above all the creatures in the world except Angels yea and above them in divers respects too and yet discontented that thou who wert as a firebrand of hell and might have been scorching and yelling and roring there to all eternity yet that God should raise thee to have a higher excellency in thee than there is in all the works of creation that ever he made except Angels and other Christians that are in thy condition yea and thou art neerer the Divine Nature than the Angels because thy nature is joyned in an hypostatical union to
God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ The peace of God shall keep your hearts Then in vers 9. Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do and the God of peace shall be with you The peace of God shall keep you and the God of peace shall be with you This is that that I would observe from this Text That the peace of God is not enough to a gracious heart except it may have the God of that peace A carnall heart could be satisfied if he might but have outward peace though it be not the peace of God peace in the State and his trading would satisfie him But mark how a Godly heart goes beyond a Carnal all outward peace is not enough but I must have the peace of God But suppose you have the peace of God Will not that quiet you No I must have the God of peace as the peace of God so the God of peace that is I must injoy that God that gives me the peace I must have the cause as well as the effect I must see from whence my peace comes and injoy the fountain of my peace as well as the stream of my peace and so in other mercies have I health from God I must have the God of my health to be my portion or else I am not satisfied It is not life but the God of my life it is not riches but the God of those riches that I must have the God of my preservation as well as my preservation a gracious heart is not satisfied without this To have the God of the mercy as well as the mercy In Psal 73.25 Whom have I in heaven but Thee and there is none upon the earth that I desire besides thee It is nothing in heaven or earth can satisfie me but thy self if God give thee not only earth but heaven that thou shouldest rule over Sun Moon and stars and have the rule over the highest of the sons of men it would not be enough to satisfie thee except thou hadest God himself There lies the first mystery of Contentment truly a contented man though he be the most contented man in the world yet he is the most unsatisfied man in the world that is Those things that will satisfie the world will not satisfie him Secondly There is this Mystery in Christian Contentation A Christian comes to Contentment not so much by way of addition as by way of Substraction that is his way of Contentment and that is a way that the world hath no skill in I open it thus Not so much by the adding to what he would have or to what he hath not by adding more to his condition but rather by substracting of his desires and so to make his desires and conditon to be even and equal A carnal heart knows no way to be Contented but this I have such and such an estate and if I had this added to it and the other comfort added that now I have not then I should be Contented it may be I have lost my estate if I could have but that given to me so as to make up my losse then I should be a contented man But now Contentmet doth not come in that way it comes not in I say by the adding to what thou wantest but by the substracting of thy desires it is all one to a Christian either that I may get up unto what I would have or get my desires down to what I have either that I may attain to what I do desire or bring down my desires to what I have already attained my estate is the same for it is as sutable to me to bring my desire down to my condition as it is to raise up my condition to my desire Now I say a heart that hath no grace and is not instructed in this Mystery of Contentment knows no way to get Contentment but to have his estate raised up to his desires but the other hath another way to Contentment that is He can bring his desires down to his estate and so he doth attain to his Contentment So the Lord fashions the hearts of the Children of men Now if the heart of a man be fashioned to his condition he may have as much contentment as if his condition be fashioned to his heart some men have a mighty large heart but they have a straight condition and they can never have Contentment when their hearts are big and their condition is little but now though a man cannot bring his condition to be as big as his heart yet if he can bring his heart to be as little as his condition to bring them even from thence is Contentment The world is infinitly deceived in this To think that Contentment lies in having more than they have here lies the bottom and root of all Contentment when there is an evennesse and proportion between our hearts and our conditions and that is the reason that many that are godly men that are in a low condition live more sweet and comfortable lives than those that are richer Contentment is not alwaies cloathed with silk and purple and velvets but Contentment is sometimes in a russet sure in a mean condition as well as in a higher and many men that sometimes have had great estates and God hath brought them into a lower condition they have had more Contentment in that condition than the other Now how can that possible be Thus easily For if you did but understand the root of Contentment it consists in the sutablenesse and proportion of the spirit of a man to his estate and the evenness when one end is not longer and bigger than another the heart is contented there is comfort in that condition now let God give a man never so great riches yet if the Lord gives him up to the pride of his heart he will never be contented But now let God bring any one into a mean condition and then let God but fashion and sute his heart to that condition and he will be content As now in a mans going Suppose a man had a mighty long leg and his other leg were short why though one of his legs be longer than ordinary yet he could not go so well as a man that hath both his legs shorter than he I compare a long leg when one is longer than another to a man that hath a high condition and is very rich and a great man in the world but he hath a great proud heart too and that is longer and larger than his condition now this man cannot but be troubled in his condition Now another man that is in a mean condition his condition is low and his heart is low too so that his heart and his condition is both even together and this man goes on with more ease abundantly than the other doth So that now a gracious heart works after this manner The Lord
thy heart might run wholly upon him As if you have Children because you have servants perhaps do feed them and give them things you perceive that your servants do steal away the hearts of your Children you would hardly be able to bear it you would be ready to turn away such a servant and when the servant is gone the Child is at a great loss it hath not the nurse but the father or mother intends by her putting away that the affections of the Child might run the more strongly towards himself or herself and what losse hath the Child that the affections that ran in a rough channel before towards the servant it runs now towards the mother So those affections that runs towards the creature God would have them run towards himself that so he may be All in All to thee here in this world And a gracious heart can indeed tel how to enjoy God to be All in All to him that is the happiness of Heaven to have God to be All in All. The Saints in Heaven have not houses and lands and money and meat and drink and cloaths you wil say they do not need them why do they not It is because God is All in All to them imediatly now while thou livest in this world thou mayest come to enjoy much of God you may have much of heaven while we live in this life we may come to enjoy much of the very life that there is in Heaven and what is that but the enjoyment of God to be All in All to us There is one text in the Revelations that speaks of the glorious condition of the Church that is like to be even here in this world Revel 21.21 And I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it and the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof They had no need of the Sun or Moon It speaks of such a glorious condition that the Church is like to be in here in this world this doth not speak of Heaven and that appears plainly that this is not spoken of Heaven but of a glorious estate that the Church shall be in here in this world for it follows presently in the 24. and 26. verse And they speaking of the Kings of the earth And the Kings of the Earth do bring their glory and honour unto it Why the Kings of the Earth shall not bring their glory and honour into Heaven but this is such a time when the Kings of the Earth shall bring their glory and honour to the Church And in the 26. vers And they shall bring the glory and honour of the Nations into it therfore it must needs be meant here in this world and not in Heaven Now if there be such a time here in this world that God shall be All in All that in comparison there shall be no such need of creatures as now there is then the Saints shall labour to live as neer that life as possibly they can that is To make up All in God Oh that you would but mind this Mystery that it may be a reality to the hearts of the Saints in such times as these are they would find this priviledge that they get by Grace to be worth thousands of worlds Hence is that of Jacob that I mentioned in another case it is remarkable and comes in fully here in Gen. 33. that notable speech of Jacob when his brother Esau did meet him ye find in one place that Esau he refused Jacobs present in the 8. verse when Jacob gave his present to him he refused it and tould Jacob that he had enough What meanest thou by all this drove which I meet And he said These are to find grace in thy sight And Esau said I have enough Now in the 11. verse there Jacob urges it still and saith Jacob I beseech thee take it for I have enough now in your books it is the same in English I have enough saith Esau and I have enough saith Jacob but in the Hebrew Jacobs word is different from Esau's Jacobs word signifies I have all things and yet Jacob was poorer than Esau Oh this should be a shame to us that an Esau should say I have enough but now a Christian should say I have not only enough but I have all how hath he all because he hath God that is All. And it was an notable speech of one He hath all things that hath him that hath all things Surely thou hast all things because thou hast him for thy portion who hath al things God hath all things in himself and thou hast God to be thine for thy portion and in that thou hast all and this is the Mystery of Contentment It makes up all wants in God this is that that the men of the world have little skill in Now I have divers other things yet to open in the Mystery of Contentment I should shew likewise that a godly man not only makes up all in God but finds enough in himselfe to make up all to make up all in himselfe not from himselfe but in himselfe and that may seem to be stranger than the other to make up all in God is somewhat nay to make up all in himself not from himself but in himself that is a gracious heart hath so much of God within himself that he hath enough there to make up all his wants that are without In Pro. 14.14 A good man shall be satisfied from himself from that that is within himself that is the meaning a gracious man he hath a bird within his own bosom that makes him melody enough though he wants musick The Kingdom of heaven is within you In Luke 17.21 He hath a Kingdom within him and a Kingdom of God you see him spoken ill of abroad he hath a conscience within him that makes up the want of a name and credit that is instead of a thousand witnesses Thirtenth A gracious heart fetches Contentment from the Covenant that God hath made with him Now this is a way of fetching Contentment that the men of the world know not of they can fetch contentment if they have the creature to satisfie them But to fetch contentment from the Covenant of grace that they have little skill in I should here have opened two things First how to fetch Contentment from the Covenant of grace in generall But I shall speak to that in the next Sermon and now only a word to the Second Secondly how he fetches Contentment from the particular branches of the Covenant that is from the particular promises that he hath for the supplying of every particular want there is no condition that a Godly man or woman can be in but there is some promise or other in the Scripture to help him in that condition And that 's the way of his Contentment
is taken away this promise tels me that if it doth befall me yet it is for some notable end and because God hath use of my life and intends to fetch about his glory some way that I know not of And if he will come in a fatherly way of chastisement yet I will be satisfied in the thing So a Christian heart by reasoning out of the word comes to satisfie his soul in the middest of such a heavy hand of God and in such a distressed condition as that is Now Carnal hearts they find not that power in the Word that healing vertue that there is in the Word to heal their destracted cares and the troubles of their spirits but now those that are godly when they come to hear the Word they find out that in the Word there is as a plaister to all their wounds and so they come to have ease and Contentment in such conditions as are very grievous and miserable unto others But now for other particular promises and more generally for the Covenant of grace how and in what mysterious way the Saints do work to fetch out Contentment and satisfaction to their souls we shall refer to the next time SERMON IV. PHILIPPIANS 4.11 For I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content IN the last Exercise we spoke of divers things in the Mystrie of Contentment and in the close we spoke of two more but we could not have time to open either of them I shall open them a little more largely then proceed to some few more and so to other things in the point That 's the next then A Christian heart hath not only Contentment in God and certainly he that hath God must have all he that hath him that hath all he hath all But he is able to make up all his outward wants of creature-comforts from what he finds in himself That may seem to be more strange It 's true perhaps we may convince men though they doe not feel by experience what it is to make up all in God yet we may convince them that if they have him that hath all things then they have al for there is such a fulness in God he being the infinite first-being of all things that may make up all their wants But here 's another thing that 's further I say a godly man can make up whatsoever he wants without the creature he can make it up in himself in the 14. of the Prov. 14. A good man is satisfied in himself as now If he wants outward comforts good chear feasting a good conscience is a continual feast he can make up the want of a feast by that peace he hath in his own conscience if he wants melody abroad he hath a bird within him that sings the most melodious songs that are in the world and the most delightful And then doth he want honour he hath his own conscience witnessing for him that is as a thousand witnesses the Scripture saith in the 17. of Luke v. 21. Neither shall they say Lo here or lo there for behold the Kingdome of God is within you a Christian then whatsoever he wants he can make it up for he hath a Kingdom in himselfe the Kingdom of God is within him If one that is a King should meet with a great deal of trouble when he is abroad yet he Contents himself with this I have a Kingdom of mine own now here it 's said the Kingdom of God is within a man truly upon this Scripture of the Kingdom of God being within those that are learned if they would but look into that Coment upon the Gospel that we have of a learned man they shall find a very strange conceit that he hath about this very text he confesses indeed it is unutterable and so indeed it is the Kingdom of God is within you he makes it that there is such a presence of God and Christ within the soul of a man that when the body dies he saith that the soul goes into God and Christ that is within him the souls going into God and Christ and enjoying of that Communion with God and Christ that is within it's self that 's Heaven to it saith he he confesses he is not able to expresse himself nor others cannot understand fully what he intends but certainly for the present before death there 's a Kingdom of God within the soul such a manifestation of God in the soul that is enough to Content the heart of any godly man in the world the Kingdom that he hath now within him he shall not stay till afterwards till he goes to Heaven but certainly there is a Heaven in the soul of a godly man he hath Heaven already many times when you go to comfort your friends in their afflictions you will say Heaven will pay for all nay you may certainly find Heaven pays for all already there is a Heaven within the souls of the Saints that 's a certain truth no soul shall ever come to heaven but that Soul that hath Heaven come to it first When you die you hope you shall goe to Heaven But if you shall goe to Heaven when you die Heaven will come to you before you die Now this is a great Mysterie to have the Kingdom of Heaven in the Soul no man can know this but that Soul that hath it that Heaven which is within the Soul for the present I say it is like the white stone and the new name that none but those that have it can understand it It 's a miserable condition my brethren to depend upon creatures altogether for our Contentment you know that rich men account it a great happinesse if they need not go to buy things by the penny as others do they have all things for pleasure or profit upon their own ground and all their inheritance lies intire together they have no body comes within them but they have all within themselves there lies their happinesse Whereas other poorer people are fain to go from one Market to another to provide them necessaries but yet great rich men they have sheep and beeves corn and cloathing and all things else of their own within themselves and herein they place their happinesse But this is the happinesse of a Christian that he hath that within himselfe that may satisfie him more than all these That place that we have in the first of James seems to allude to that condition of men that have all their estates within themselves Jam. 1.4 But let patience have her perfect work that we may be perfect and entire wanting nothing the word there used signifies to have the whole inheritance to our selves not a broken inheritance but that where all lies within themselves as a man that hath not a piece of his estate here and a piece there but he hath it all lie together and the heart being patient under afflictions finds it self to be in such an estate as this is finds
shall the flame kindle upon thee Certainly though this promise was made in the time of the law yet it will be made good to all the Saints now one way or other either in the letter or some other waies For so we find it plainly that promise that was made to Joshua I will not fail thee nor forsake thee Josh 1.5 It 's applied to the Christians in the time of the Gospel So that here is the way of faith in bringing Contentment by the promises that all the promises that ever were made to our forefathers from the beginning of the world the Saints of God have an interest in them they are their inheritances and so goes on from one generation to another and by that they come to have Contentment because they do inherit all the promises made in all the book of God So Heb. 13.5 shews plainly that it is our inheritance and we do not inherit less now than they did in Joshuas time but we inherit more for you shall find in that place of the Hebrews there is more said than is to Joshua to Joshua God saith He will not leave him nor forsake him now in that place in the Hebrewes in the Greek there 's five negatives I will not not not not not again there is the elegancy of it very much in the Greek I say there is five negatives in that little sentence as if God should say I will not leave you no I will not I will not I will not with such earnestnesse five times together So that we have not only the same promises that they had but we have them more inlarged and more full though still not so much in the litteral sense for that indeed is the least part of the promise In Esa 54.17 there God made a promise That no weapon formed against his people should prosper and every tongue that shall rise against them in judgment thou shalt condemne and mark what follows This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their righteousness is of me saith the Lord this is a good promise for a souldier though still not to lay to much upon the litteral sense True it holds forth thus much that Gods protection is in a special manner over souldiers that are godly And every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemne and this is against false witnesse too Oh you that your friends never left you any thing you wil say my friends died and left not me a great but I thank God God hath provided for me But though thy father or mother died and left thee no heritage yet thou hast a heritage in the promise This is their heritage So that there 's no godly man or woman but is a great heir Therefore when thou lookest into the Book of God and findest any promise there thou mayest make that thine own Just as an heir that rides over divers fields and meadows saith he this meadow is my heritage and this corn-field is my heritage and then he sees a fair house and saith he this fair house is my heritage and he looks upon them with another manner of eye than a stranger that shall ride over those fields So a carnal heart reades the promises and reades them but meerly as stories not that they have any great intrest in them But a godly man every time he reades the Scriptures remember this note when you are reading the Scripture and there meeteth with a promise he ought to lay his hand upon it and say this is a part of my heritage it 's mine and I am to live upon it and this will make you to be Contented Here 's a mysterious way of Contentment So in Psal 34.10 and 37.6 there 's divers other promises that brings Contentment In Isa 58.10 And thus much for the Mysterie of Contentment by way of the Covenant There is two or three things more that shew how a godly man hath Contentment after another kind of way than any Carnall heart in the world hath it 's a mysterious way as thus He hath Contentment by realizing the glorious things of heaven to him he hath the Kingdom of heaven as present and the glory that is to come by faith he makes it as present So the Martyrs they had Contentment in their sufferings for said some of them though we have but a hard breakfast yet we shall have a good dinner we shall presently be in heaven do but shut your eyes saith one and you shall be in heaven presently 2 Cor. 4.16 We faint not saith the Apostle Why Because these light afflictions that are but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory They see heaven before them and that contents them You Marriners when you can see the haven before you though you were mightily troubled before you could see any land yet when you come nigh the shore and can see such a land-mark that contents you exceedingly a godly man in the middest of the waves and storms that he meets withall he can see the glory of heaven before him and so contents himself one drop of the sweetnesse of heaven is enough to take away all the sower and bitter of all the afflictions in the world Indeed here we know that one drop of sower or one drop of gall will make bitter a great deal of honey put a spoonfull of sugar into a cup of gall or wormwood that will not sweeten it but if you put a spoonful of gall into a cup of sugar it will imbitter that now it s otherwise in heaven one drop of sweet will sweeten a great deal of sower affliction but a great deal of sower and gall will not imbitter a soul that sees the glory of heaven that is to come now a Carnal heart hath no Contentment but from what he sees before him in this world but a godly heart hath Contentment from that that he sees laid up for him in the highest heavens The last thing that I would name is this A godly man hath Contentment by opening and letting out of his heart to God other men or women they are discontented but how do they help themselves by rayling by ill language such a one crosses them and they have no way to help themselves but by railing and by bitter words and so they ease themselves that way when they are angry but a godly man when he is crost how doth he ease himself he is sensible of his crosse as well as you and he goes to God in prayer and there opens his heart to God and le ts out his sorrows and fears and then can come away with a joyful countenance now do you find that you can come away from prayer and not look sad As it 's said in 1 Sam. 1.18 of Hannah that when she had been at prayer her countenance was no more sad there she was comforted and this is the right way of Contentment Thus we have done with
of the Mast if you will and yet keep it light so the comfort of a Christian when it is enlivened with the grace of Contentment it may be keept light whatever storms or tempests come yet he can keep light in his soul Oh! this helps thy comforts exceeding much Seventhly There is this Excellency in Contentment that it fetches in the comfort of those things we have not really in possession and perhaps many that have not outward things have more comfort than those have that do enjoy them themselves As now a man by distilling herbs though he hath not the herbs themselves yet having the water that is distil'd out of them he may enjoy the benefit of the herbs so though a man hath not the reall possession of such an outward estate an outward comfort yet he by the grace of Contentment may fetch it in to himself By the art of Navigation we can fetch in the riches of the East and West-Indies to our selves so by the art of Contentment we may fetch in the comfort of any condition to our selves that is we may have that comfort by Contentment that we should have if we had the thing it self There is an notable story you have for this in Plutarch in the life of Pyrus one Sineus comes to him and would very fain have had him desist from the wars and not war with the Romans saith he to him May it please your Majestie it is reported that the Romans are very good men of warre and if it please the gods we do over-come them what benefit shall we have of that Victory Pyrhus answered him We shall then straight conquer all the rest of Italy with ease Saith Sineus Indeed it is likely which your Grace speaketh But when we have won Italy will then our wars end If the Gods were pleased said Pyrhus that the victory were achieved the way were then broad open for us to attain great conquests for who would not afterwards go into Africk and so to Carthage But saith Sineus when we have all in our hands what shall we do in the end then Pyrhus laughing told him again we will then be quiet and take our ease and make feasts every day and be as merry one with another as we can possible saith Sineus What letteth us now to be as quiet and merry together fith we enjoy that presently without further travel and trouble which we should go seek for abroad with such shedding of blood and so manifest danger Cannot you sit down and be merry now So a man may think if I had such a thing then I would have another and if I had that then I should have more and what if you had got al your desire then you would be content why you may be content now without them Certainly our Contentment doth not consist in the getting of the thing we desire but in Gods fashioning our spirits to our conditions There 's some men that have not a foot of ground of their own yet will live better than other men that are heirs to a great deal of land I have known it in the country somtimes that a man lives upon his own land and yet lives very poorly but you shall have another man that shall farm his land and yet by his good husbandry and by his care shall live better somtimes than he that hath the land of his own so a man by this art of Contentment may live better without an estate than another man can of an estate Oh! it adds exceeding much to the comfort of a Christian and that I may shew it farther there is more comfort even in grace of Contentment than there is in any possessions whatsoever a man hath more comfort in being content without a thing than he can have in the thing that he in a discontented way doth desire You think if I had such a thing then I should be content I say There is more good in Contentment than there is in the thing that you would fain have to cure your discontent and that I shall open in divers particulars As thus 1. I would fain have such a thing and then I could be content but if I had it then it were but the creature that did help to my Contentment but now it 's the Grace of God in my soul that makes me content and surely it is better to be Content with the Grace of God in my soul than with the enjoying of an outward comfort 2. If I had such a thing indeed my estate might be better but my soul would not be better but by Contentment my soul is better that would not be bettered by an estate or lands or friends but Contentment makes my self to be better and therefore Contentment is a better portion than the thing is that I would fain have to be my portion 3. If I get Content by having my desire satisfied that 's but self-love but when I am Contented with the hand of God and am willing to be at his dispose that comes from my love to God in having my desire satisfied there I am contented through self-love but through the Grace of Contentment I come to be contented out of love to God and is it not beteer to be contented from a principle of love to God than from a principle of self-love 4. If I am contented because I have that that I have a desire to perhaps I am contented in that one particular but that one particular doth not furnish me with Contentment in another thing perhaps I may grow more dainty and nice and froward in other things if you give children what they would have in some things they grow so much the more coy and dainty and discontented if they have not other things that they would have but if I have once overcome my heart and am contented through the grace of God in my heart then this doth not content me only in a particular but in general whatsoever befals me I am discontented and would fain have such a thing and afterwards I have it now doth this prepare me to be contented in other things no but when I have gotten this Grace of Contentment I am prepar'd to be contented in all conditions and thus you see that Contentment doth bring comfort to a mans life fils a mans life full of comfort in this world yea the truth is it is even a Heaven upon Earth why what is Heaven but the rest and quiet of a mans spirit what 's the special thing that is in Heaven but rest and joy that makes the life of Heaven there 's rest and joy and satisfaction in God so it 's here in a contented spirit there 's rest and joy and satisfaction in God In Heaven there 's singing praises to God a contented heart is alwaies praising and blessing God thou hast Heaven while thou art upon earth when thou hast a contented spirit yea in some regards it's better than Heaven How is that you will say there
's some kind of honour that God hath in it and some excellency that he hath not in Heaven and that 's this In Heaven there is no overcoming of temptations they are not put to any trials by afflictions there in Heaven they have exercise of grace but they have nothing but encouragement to it and indeed those that are there their grace is perfect and in that they do excel us but there is nothing to cross their grace they have no trials at all to tempt them to do contrary but now for a man or woman to be in the midst of afflictions temptations and troubles and yet to have grace exercised and yet to be satisfied in God and Christ and in the Word and Promises in the mid'st of all they suffer this may seem to be an honour that God hath from us that he hath not from the Angels and Saints in Heaven Is it so much for one that is in Heaven that hath nothing else but good from God hath nothing to try them no temptations is that so much for them to be praising and blessing God as for the poor soul that is in the mid'st of trials and temptations and afflictions and troubles for this soul to go on praysing and blessing and serving God I say it is an excellency that thou shalt not have in Heaven and God shal not have this kind of glory from thee in Heaven and therefore be contented and prize this Contentment and be willing to live in this world as long as God shal please and do not think Oh that I were delivered from all these afflictions and troubles herein this world if thou wert then thou shouldest have more ease to thy self but here 's a way of honouring God and manifesting the excellency of Grace here when thou art in this Conflict of temptation that God shal not have from thee in Heaven and therefore be satisfied and quiet be contented with thy Contentment I want such and such things that others have but blessed be God I have a contented heart that others have not then I say be content with thy Contenement for that 's a rich portion that the Lord hath granted unto them if the Lord should give unto thee thousands here in this world it would not be such a rich portion as this that he hath given thee a contented spirit Oh go away and praise the Name of God and say Lord it 's true these and these comforts that others have I should be glad if I had them but thou hast cut me short but though I want these yet thou hast given me that that is as good and better thou hast given me a quiet contented heart to be willing to be at thy dispose SERMON VII PHILIPPIANS 4.11 For I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content WE proceed now There are some two or three things more of the excellency of Contentment and then we are to proceed to Applycation of the point The Eight excellency is Contentment is a great blessing of God upon the Soul There is Gods blessing upon those that are content the blessing of God is upon them and their estates and upon all that they have We reade in Deut. of the blessing of Judah the principal Tribe this is the blessing of Judah And he said hear Lord the voice of Judah and bring him unto his people let his hands be sufficient for him and be thou an help to him from his enemies Let his hand be sufficient for him that is bring in a sufficiency of all good unto him that he may have of his own that 's the blessing of Judah So when God gives thee a sufficiency of thine own as every contented man hath there is the blessing of God upon thee the blessing of the principle Tribe of Judah is upon thee It is the Lord that gives us all things to injoy we may have the thing and yet not enjoy it except God comes in with his blessing now whatsoever thou hast thou do'st injoy it Many men have estates and do not enjoy them it 's the blessing of God that gives us all things to enjoy it is God that through his blessing hath fashioned thy heart and made it sutable to thy condition The Ninth excellency Those that are content they may expect reward from God that God shall give unto them the good of all those things that they are contented to be without and this brings in abundance of good to a contented spirit There is such and such a mercy that thou thinkest would be very comfortable unto thee if thou had'st it but canst thou bring thy heart to submit to God in it thou shalt have the blessing of the mercy one way or other if thou hast not the thing it self in re thou shalt have it made up one way or other thou shalt have a bill of exchange to receive somewhat in lieu of it there is no comfort that any soul is content to be without but the Lord will give either the comfort or somewhat in stead of it Thou shalt have a reward to thy soul for what ever good thing thou art content to be without You know what the Scripture saith of active obedience and the Lord doth accept of his servants their will for the deed though we do not do a good thing yet if our hearts be upright to will to do it we shall have the blessing though we do not do the thing You that complain of weaknesse you cannot do as others do you cannot do as much service as others do if your hearts be as upright with God and would fain do the same service that you see others do you would account it a great blessing of God upon you the greatest blessing in the world if you were able to do as others do now you may comfort your selves with this having to deal with God in the way of the Covenant of Grace you shall have from God the reward of all you will do as a wicked man shall have punishment for all the sin he would commit so thou shalt have the reward for all the good thou wouldest do Now may not we draw an argument from active obedience to passive there is as good reason why thou shouldest expect that God will reward thee for all that thou art willing to suffer as well as for all that thou art willing to do now if thou beest willing to be without such a comfort and mercy when God sees it fit thou shalt be no looser certainly God will reward thee either with the comfort or with that that shall be as good to thee as the comfort therefore consider how many things have I that others want and can I bring my heart into a quiet contented frame to want what others have I have the blessing of all that they have and I shall either possesse such things as others have or else God will make it up one way or other either here or hereafter in
Dishonour A Christian discontented when God is dishonoured Page 15 Dispose see Freely Disquiet Disquiet the the cause of Gods departing Page 168 See Murmuring Duty Duty of a Christian in prosperity Page 89 What unfits for duty Page 134 God accepts of weak duty Page 156 Sence of affliction hinders not duty Page 165 E Efficacy Efficacy of Gods providence Page 95 Ever God gives grace for ever Page 184 Evil Evil of afflictions taken from Gods children Page 56 Excellency Excellency of God how we come neer it Page 117 Excellency of God what ibid Expectation Expectation of a Christian Page 132 F Faith Ordinary works done in Faith precious Page 7 Murmuring below the grace of Faith Page 131 Exercise of faith brings Contentment Page 198 See Affliction Mean Faithfulnesse God in rewarding looks to faithfulnesse Page 178 Father God the Father of a Christian Page 126 We should labour for the Spirit of our Father Page 129 Feel What we feel to be preferred to others fancies Page 205 Fill see God Fit God knows what afflictions are fit Page 174 Grace makes fit for any condition ibid Foolish Discontent a foolish sin 138 139 Frame Contentment a frame of spirit Page 9 Free Freely c. A Christian freely submits to God Page 15 Freedom what Page 16 God gives freely Page 42 Freeness of Gods mercies aggravate sin Page 158 Fretting Fretting opposite to a quietnss of spirit Page 6 G Glory What a Christian hath here is an earnest of glory Page 43 Glory of God wherein it appears Page 105 Glory to be given God in the enjoyment of blessings Page 193 God To look up to God in all conditions Page 19 Nothing can fill the heart but God Page 28 Happiness of a Saint in God Page 38 Saints enjoy all in God Page 49 Outward comforts taken away when they keep us from God Page 50 See Life Creature Excellency Walk Good Christians of themselves unfit to receive good Page 70 We should not be discontent that God is good to others Page 173 God doth good to his by afflictions Page 193 See Sanctifie Christ Grace Grace much exercised in Contentment Page 103 Grace the strength of it ibid Grace better than the Creature Page 113 Discontent contrary to Grace Page 122 Grace should content us without the world Page 193 See Beauty Gracious Contentment a gracious frame of heart Page 13 Great Afflictions not so great as our sins Page 172 Affliction greater for murmuring Page 173 Not to promise our selves great things Page 200 H Habitual Contentment an habitual frame Page 13 Had To praise God for what we had Page 188 Heart Contentment quiets the heart Page 5 The heart to be let out to God Page 67 The knowledge of our own hearts Page 82 Benefits of knowing our own heart Page 84 A great evil to be given up to our own heart Page 91 Rising of the heart Page 135 Distempers of the heart how esteemed with God Page 185 See Gracious Heaven Heaven in the souls of the Saints here Page 59 Things of Heaven real to a Saint Page 67 Heaven what Page 114 Contentment better than Heaven ibid Help Help of a Christian what Page 132 No help by discontent Page 139 High see Calling Angels Honour What is the greatest honour God hath of us in this world Page 81 Humble We should not murmur when God would humble us Page 161 See Contentment I Idle see Discontent Joy Joy immoderat how known Page 206 Injoy Godly men content with that that they injoy Page 4 Good men injoy what they have Page 116 See God Inward Inward discontent Page 4 Inward content ibid Judgment Many not content in their judgement Page 11 See Affections K Kind To submit to afflictions of every kind Page 22 King The soul subdued to Christ as King Page 124 Every Christian a King Page 128 L Life Life of a Saint where it is Page 56 Conversion a work all our life Page 125 Long Long afflictions not to be murmured at Page 163 Look Afflictions to be looked for Page 171 Care in afflictions not looked for Page 172 Losse No loss of us if we perish Page 71 Love Love of God in what a Christian hath Page 41 Love in afflictions to the godly Page 44 Love in a Christians estate Page 110 Love to God a sign of it Page 113 Low Lowest God brings lowest when he intends the greatest mercies Page 98 Men raised from a low condition should not murmur Page 159 Obedience seen most in a low calling Page 178 The soul oft best in a low outward estate Page 180 M Man Man Gods instrument in affliction 170 Mannage see Heart Mean Actions of a mean Christian accepted Page 178 Faith makes mean works glorious ibid Mercy How the soul is fitted to receive mercy Page 106 Mercies lessened by discontent Page 135 Discontent deprives of mercies Page 139 The greater mercies the greater sin to murmur Page 150 Every man hath more mercies than afflictions Page 154 Greatness of mercies should make us content Page 187 God is beforehand with his mercies to us Page 188 See Discontent Member Every Christian a member of Christ Page 127 Mean Christians members of Christs body Page 176 Mystery Contentment a mystery 2.26 Mortified To get our hearts mortified to the world Page 200 Murmuring Murmuring opposite to quietness of spirit Page 6 Murmuring the evill of it Page 119 Murmuring a note of a wicked man Page 120 Murmuring below a Christian Page 126 Murmuring the effects of it Page 134 Murmuring breeds disquiet Page 147 Murmuring the way to relaps into it Page 150 Murmuring aggravations of it ibid See Affection Rebellion Losse Child Curse Mercy Small N Nature see Angels Necessary The knowledge of one thing necessary Page 74 Nothing How a Christian comes to know he is nothing Page 69 A Christian of himself can do nothing Page 70 Naturally we are worse than nothing Page 71 See Deserve Use O Obedience When God gives in love we should return in obedience Page 184 The greater affliction the more obedience ibid One All Gods works from eternity but one Page 96 P Pain Pain sanctified to a Christian how Page 46 Parts Discontent aggravated in men of parts Page 158 Passage see Portion People Gods dealing with his people Page 97 Three things in Gods way with his people Page 98 Perfection see Uprightnesse Particular The Creatures particular comforts Page 113 Pity Pity to men that deal ill with us Page 171 Plague Promises concerning the Plague 54 55 56. Plea see Discontent Portion A Christian not content with little for his portion Page 28 Possesse Men discontent for what they possesse Page 159 Poverty Poverty sanctified by Christs poverty Page 45 See Prosperity Prayers How we undoe our prayers Page 133 Praise see Had Profession Profession of a Christian Page 131 Promise Promises performed more literally to the Jews 54.64 Gods liberty in performing temporal promises Page 55 Christians have interest in all former promises Page 65 See Covenant
Heritage Prosperity Many good men worse for prosperity Page 34 The burden of prosperity Page 85 Prosperity should prepare for afflictions Page 182 See Trouble Danger Protection Protection of God from whom withdrawn Page 147 A great judgment to be out of Gods protection Page 148 Proud A Proud heart never Content Page 30 Punishment Ground of accepting our punishment Page 167 Providence Knowledge of Gods providence what it teacheth Page 94 Providence of God not to be altered Page 95 See Rational Efficacy Variety Universality Purchase see Christ Publick see Discontent Q Quiet Quietnesse in adversity Page 105 See Content R Rational Gods providence most over Creatures rational Page 94 Real see Heaven Reason Wherein natural reason may quiet the heart Page 14 Rebellion Murmuring accounted rebellion Page 121 Rejoyce How the soul comes to rejoyce in Gods waies Page 72 When a sin to rejoyce immoderately Page 152 Relation Relation of a Christian Page 126 Reprobate No certain sign of a reprobate in Scripture Page 91 Reward A Christian may expect a reward Page 116 He is rewarded for what he would do ibid Great reward for Christians in low callings Page 178 Rhetorick see Devil Right What right wicked men have to that they enjoy Page 42 Righteously God deals righteously with us though men do not Page 171 Risings Desparate risings in the heart against God Page 9 Rule A Christian should walk by rule Page 196 S Saints A Christian one body with the Saints Page 127 Sanctified What a Christian hath is sanctified Page 41 All afflictions to the godly sanctified Page 45 See Poverty Disgrace Scorn Scorn Scorn sanctified by Christ Page 46 Self A Christian can make up his wants in himself 53.57 See God Self-love Contentment in the creature from self-love Page 113 Self-denial Self-denial the way to Contentment Page 68 Christ the pattern of self-denial Page 71 Sence Gods Children have sence of their afflictions Page 5 Want of sence in afflictions dangerous ibid Serve Service What makes active in Gods service Page 14 What fits the soul for service Page 107 Affliction grievous when it hinders from Gods service Page 175 All things serve them that serve God Page 197 Setled Our spirituall condition setled Page 181 Shifting Shifting opposite to Contentment Page 8 Shiftting caused by murmuring Page 138 Sight see Sin Silent Grace makes silent in trouble Page 60 Small To murmur for small things Page 157 Sin Sight of sin in a Christian while he lives Page 125 Great sinners should not murmur Page 160 When trouble for affliction and not for sin Page 166 If trouble be for sin we will not sin after trouble Page 167 See Duty Command Sorrow Sorrow when beyond bounds Page 165 See Joy Soul Contentment spread through the whol soul Page 10 Contentment betters the soule Page 113 It is a blessing on the soul Page 115 See Heaven Worship Souldier Every Christian a souldier Page 78 Spirit Spirituall judgements worst Page 91 Spirit of a Christian Page 129 Spirit of the Devil Page 147 Spiritual mind brings Content Page 199 See Father Base Spouse A Christian the Spouse of Christ Page 126 Stilness Stilness natural Page 13 Steadfast Grace makes the soule steadfast Page 195 Stranger A Christian a stranger here Page 76 Strength Strength from Christ to bear afflions Page 47 A Christian strong by Christs strength Page 48 Stupid Many seem content that are stupid Page 17 Submit To submit to God what Page 17 Pains taken without submission to God not Christian-like Page 185 Substraction Contentment by subtraction Page 29 Sweetness Sweetness of mercies eaten out Page 139 T Temple A Christian the Temple of the Spirit Page 127 Temptation How to be delivered from temptation Page 108 Thorns The things of the world as thorns Page 196 Time To submit in afflictions in respect of the time Page 23 Loss of time by murmuring Page 134 Our time little in this world Page 190 Trouble Burden of trouble in prosperity Page 85 See Sin Tumult Tumult of spirit Page 6 V Vanity Every man in his settled estate is vâ—â—ity Page 179 Variety To submit in variety of conditions Page 25 Variety of Gods providence Page 95 Unsatisfied A Christian content yet unsatisfied Page 27 Unsearchable Gods waies unsearchable Page 55 Unsetled Unsetledness of spirit Page 7 Uprightnesse Uprightness accounted perfection Page 204 Use We can make use of nothing if God withdraw his grace Page 70 Men of little use not to murmur Page 161 Universal Gods providence universal Page 94 Unthankfulnesse Unthankfulnesse whence it is Page 135 W Walk To walk with God what 16â— Want How to possess that we want Page 111 Not to want and to be content all one Page 207 Wast The affections not to run wast Page 51 Way To interpret well God's wayes Page 203 See Rejoyce Wicked Wicked men may have that that Christians murmur for Page 187 See Murmuring Will To melt our will into Gods will Page 37 Within Contentment by purging out that that is within Page 39 Without see Within Works Difference between the Covenant of grace and the Covenant of works Page 181 See One World A Christians relation in the world Page 76 Wee were once content with the world without grace Page 193 Not to grasp the world Page 195 Not to be much taken with the comforts of the world Page 206 Worship How we give God due Worship Page 101 Worship what it signifies ibid Soul-worship required Page 102 Worship active and passive ibid Wrath Wrath of God how provoked Page 141 Wrong Better to suffer than to offer wrong Page 171 AN EXACT ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF ALL THE PRINCIPAL TRUTHS IN THE LAST SERMON ON EXODUS 14.13 A Page Amazement STanding still out of amazement Page 304 B Baal-zephon Baal-zephon what Page 300 Beauty Beauty of grace wherein seen Page 325 C Cares Prayer easeth of cares Page 327 Cause God engaged in our cause how Page 325 Coward Part of a Coward Page 301 D Disarm Distracting fear disarms a Christian Page 326 F Faith Standing still out of faith Page 307 Exercise of faith in straights Page 315 See Beauty Fearful Arguments to establish the fearfull Page 328 Flesh Trouble in straights from the flesh Page 319 Flying Flying from danger when lawfull Page 309 Frowardnesse see Humble G Glorious Sight of salvation when glorious Page 328 Gospel A composed spirit becomes the Gospel Page 325 Graces Vnquiet hinders the use of graces Page 322 Guilt Trouble in straights from guilt Page 319 H Hear Vnquietnesse makes us that we cannot hear what is said to us Page 323 Humble Gods people in straights to humble them Page 313 Frowardness from want of humiliation Page 314 I Ignorance Standing still out of ignorance 304 M Malice Malice of the enemy how vented Page 317 N Name Name of God how Sanctified Page 324 Neutrality Standing still out of neutrality Page 305 O Obedience Standing still out of obedience Page 307 Others Others hindred by unquiet spirits Page 324 P Prayer God delights in prayer Page 316 Q Quiet How Christians come to be quiet Page 302 Faith quiets the heart Page 307 In straights to quiet our spirits Page 321 Arguments to quiet the spirit Page 326 R Rebellion The present courses of Gods people not Rebellion Page 304 Reverence Reverence to God when shewed Page 323 S Salvation We should look for the salvation of the Lord 310.324 Selves Trouble in straights from confidence in our selves Page 319 Sink Our hearts should not sink in straights Page 318 Sluggishnesse Standing still out of sluggishness Page 306 Stand still Stand still in an evil sence Page 304 Stand still in a good sence Page 307 Station To keep our station till God call us out Page 308 Straights God brings his people to straights Page 311 Christs works more glorious after straights Page 317 What will become of the wicked in their straights Page 320 Suffering The greatest suffering for one godly man to suffer from another Page 314 Subjection What hinders shewing subjection to God Page 323 Sullennesse Standing still out of sullennesse Page 306 Silence Silence waiting the same Page 307 T Trouble In straights Gods people troubled Page 318 To be ashamed of distempers in trouble Page 320 W Waiting see Silence Wicked Wicked men how discovered Page 316 Wisdom Wisdom of God where seen by us Page 322 FINIS 1 Tim. 6.6 1 Cor. 2. Prov. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stepney Aug. 3. 1645. Aug. 31 1645. Sept. 21. 1645. Oct. 12. 1645. Col. 3.1