JEREMIAH BVRROUGHES Gospell-Preacher To two of the greatest Congregations in England Viz Stepney and Cripplegate London Aetatis Suae 46. Iune 1. 1646. Cross Sculpt THE RARE JEWEL OF CHRISTIAN Contentment By Jeremiah Burroughs Preacher of the Gospel to two of the greatest Congregations in England VIZ. Stepney and Criplegate London LONDON Printed for Peter Cole and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil near the Royal-Exchange MDCXLVIII To the Reader THis worthy Man especially in his latter times was surrounded through Gods blessing on him with a very great confluence of what might give forth Contentment to a vast spirit of his rank and calling He was enriched with a large measure of abilities and opportunities in serving his Lord to glorifie whom and do much good to others is the divine part of a man gracious which he was the highest and most solid satisfaction and in many respects exceeds what personal communion with God singly considered brings in Besides he lived and dyed in a fulness of honor and esteem with the best of men of Saints yea the worst of enemies Likewise of estate and outward comforts within his sphaere and rank all which might and did afford Contentment to what was outward in him In the midst of these his study was to finde out a more sublime way and hidden art of self-sufficiency then was in the power of all things to contribute or teach Such a skill as did not onely poyse and compose his spirit in the present enjoyment of all but might fortifie and furnish him with provision for the future against the loss of all in times wherein no man knoweth what evil will be in the earth This mark his first lines shew he shot at This Art some Philosophers of old pretended themselves Masters of and to instruct others in through the assistance of Natural and Moral elements elevated to the utmost height their Principles could carry them but in vain Their Chymistry in this kinde being able to produce no more but a sullen obstinacy and obdurateness of minde The natural Spirit of a man feeling it self greater then all creatures gathering up and consolidating it self into it self is able as Solomon says to sustain its own and all other infirmities But that Autarchy this Author here presents is a mystery which none of these Princes 1 Tim. 6. 6. of the world knew or the wisdom of man teacheth but the holy Ghost teacheth 1 Cor. 2. and which few but those that are perfect do attain Teaching the soul to deny it self into weakness emptiness in and to it self and all things else and thus dissolved to unite it self to him who onely hath blessedness and all-sufficiency with whom associated and made intimate it melts it self into all his interests making them its own and thereby comes to have all that All-sufficiency of the High God to be its self-sufficiency And then what state can that soul be in wherein it may not be content seeing it hath God to be the chiefest comfort in its best times and onely comfort in its worst This though it be the inheritance of every Saint in the right and title to it yet the possession and enjoyment of it depends upon an improvement of this inheritance and that upon a skill which is to be learned by experience and much exercise as Paul speaks here I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content This piece of learning this serious spirited man inured himself unto and digging for it as rubies as Solomons scholler for wisdom hath found it and hath hewn forth this Jewel a Title given neither by himself nor us the Publishers to the subject it self yet the materials themselves deserving it out of the Rock and hath artificially cut it that the innate rays of this so glorious a Grace might shine forth to others And here it comes to be presented though set forth as the richest Iewels are often for a while in ruder mettal until bargained for but then are placed in Tablets worthy of them The onely seat this is ordained for is the precious Tablets of mens Hearts in and from which alone the native lustre of it will be made conspicuous Reader buy it set and wear it there and it shall as Solomon speaks be life unto thy soul Prov. 3. and grace unto thy neck Thou shalt not be afraid when thou liest down yea thy sleep shall be sweet unto thee for the Lord will be thy confidence Thomas Goodwyn Sidrach Simpson William Greenhil Philip Nye William Bridge John Yates William Adderley THE CONTENTS OF THE INSUING TREATISE OF Contentment SERMON I THE Words opened Doctrine Page 2 To be well skil'd in the mystery of Christian Contentment is the duty glory and excellency of a Christian 3 Christian Contentment described 4 1 It is inward Ibid 2 It is quiet which is not opposed 1 To sense of affliction 5 2 To complaint to God or man ibid 3 To a lawfull seeking of help But is opposed 6 1 To murmuring ibid 2 To fretting and vexing ibid 3 To tumult of spirit ibid 4 To unsettledness of spirit 7 5 To distracting cares and fears ibid 6 To sinking discouragements ibid 7 To sinfull shifting 8 8 To rising of the heart against God 9 3 It is a frame of spirit 1 It is spread through the whâ—l soul 10 2 It iâ— a frame of soul Page 11 3 It is a habituall frame 13 4 It is a gracious frame opposed To naturall stilness ibid 2 To sturdy resolutions ibid 3 To strength of naturall reason 14 5 It is a frame of spirit freely submitting 1 The heart is readely brought over 15 2 It is not by constraint 16 3 It is not out of stupiditie 17 6 Freely submitting ibid 7 Taking complacency in Gods dispose ibid 8 In Gods dispose 19 9 In every condition 20 SERMON II We must submit to God in affliction 1 For the kind 22 2 For the time 23 3 For the variety 25 Contentment a mystery 26 1 A Christian is content yet unsatisfied 27 2 A Christian comes to Contentment by substraction 29 3 By adding another burden to that he hath 31 4 By changing the affliction into another 33 5 By doing the work of his condition Page 35 6 By melting his will into Gods will 37 7 By purging out that that is within 39 SERMON III 8 He lives by the dew of Gods blessing 40 1 He hath the love of God in that he hath 41 2 It is sanctified for his good ibid 3 There is no after reckoning for it 42 4 It is by the purchase of Christ ibid 5 It is an earnest of glory hereafter 43 9 A Christian sees Gods love in affliction 44 10 His afflictions sanctified in Christ 45 11 He fetcheth strength from Christ 47 12 He makes up his wants in God 49 13 He fâ—tcheth Contentment from the Covenant 53 Obj. Concerning the plague answered 54 SERMON IV He supplieth wants
my affliction is somewhat hard and I feel some trouble within me yet I thank God I break not out in discontented waies to the dishonour of God I keep in although I have much adoe with my own heart Oh do not satisfie your selves with that for the distempers of your hearts and their sinfull workings are as words before God My soulle silent to God that we spake of in the begining of the opening of this Scripture it is not enough for thy tongue to be silent but thy soul must be silent there may be a sullen discontentednesse of heart as well as a discontentednesse manifested in words And if thou doest not mortifie that inward fullennesse if thou beest afflicted a little more it wil break forth at last And thus the Lord I hope hath met with the cheife reasonings and Pleas for our discontent in our conditions I beseech you in the name of God consider of these things and because they do concerne your own hearts you may so much the better remember them I had thought to have made a little enterance into the next head and that is some way of helping you to this grace of Contentment It is a most excellent grace of admirable use as you have heard and the contrary is very sinfull and vile SERMON XI PHILIPPIANS 4. 11. For I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content Now we are coming to the close of this point of Contentment that Jesus Christ doth teach those that are in his School we have opened the point unto you and shewed you wherein the art and skill and mystery of Christian Contentment lies and divers things in the way of applycation rebuking the want of this and the last day I finished that point of shewing the several reasonings of a murmuring and discontented heart I shall now as being desirous to make an end leave what was said and proceed to what remains There are only these two things for the working of your hearts to this grace of Christian Contentment First The propounding of severall considerations for the contenting of the heart in any afflicted condition Secondly The propounding of directions what should be done for the working of our hearts unto this The First Consideration We should consider in all our wants and inclinations to discontent The greatnesse of the mercies that we have and the meanesse of the things that we want The things we want if wee be godly they are things of very small moment in comparison to the things we have and the things we have are things of very great moment for the most part that that people are discontent and murmur for the want of it is because they have not such things as reprobates have or may have why shoul'st thou be troubled so much for the want of that that a man or woman may have yet be a reprobate as that thy estate is not so great thy health not so perfect thy credit not so much thou mayest have all those things and yet be a reprobate now wilt thou be discontent for that that a reprobate may have I shall give you the example of a couple of godly men meeting together Anthony and Diddimus Diddimus was blind and yet a man of very excellent parts and graces Anthony askt him if he was not troubled at this his want of sight he confest he was but saith he shall you be troubled at the want of what flies and dogs have and not rather rejoyce be thankful that you have what Angels have God hath given you those good things that makes Angels glorious is not that enough to you though you want what thing a fly hath And so a Christian should reason the case with himselfe what am I discontented for I am discontented for want of that that a dog may have that a devill may have that a reprobate may have shall I be discontent for not having that when as God hath given me that that makes Angels glorious Blessed be God saith the Apostle in Ephe. 1. 3. that hath blessed us with all Spiritual blessings im heavenly places it may be thou hast not so great blessings in earthly places as some others have but if the Lord hath blessed thee in heavenly places that should content thee there 's blessings in heaven and he hath set thee here for the present as it were in heaven in a heavenly place the consideration of the greatnesse of the mercies that we have and the littlenesse of the things that God hath denyed us is a very powerful consideration to worke this grace of Contentment The Second Consideration The consideration that God is beforehand with us with his mercies should content us I spake to this as an agravation of our discontent but now I shall use it as a consideration to help us to Contentment Thou wantest many comforts now but hath not God bin beforehand with thee heretofore Oh thou hast had mercy enough already to make thee spend all the strength thou hast and time thou shalt live to bless God for what thou hast had already I remember I have read of a good man that had liv'd to fifty years of age and enjoyed his health for eight and forty yeares exceeding well and liv'd in prosperity and the two last years his body was evceedingly diseased he had the strangury and was in great pain but he reasoned the case with himselfe thus Oh Lord thou mightest have made all my life to have been a life of torment and pain but thou hast let me have eight forty years in health I will praise thy mercies for what I have had and will praise thy justice for what now I feel Oh it 's a good consideration for us to think that God is a forehand with us in the way of mercy Suppose God should now take away your estates from some of you that have lived comfortably a great while you will say that agravates our misery that wee have had estates but it is through thy unthankfulnesse that it doth so we should blesse God for what we have had and not think that we are worse because we have had thus and thus we might have been alwaies miserable and certainly that mans condition is not very miserable that hath no other great agravation of his misery but because once he was happy If there be nothing else to make you miserable that is no such agravation but that thou may est bear it for there is much mercy in that that thou hadst once and therefore let that content thee A Third Consideration The consideration of the abundance of mercies that God bestows we injoy It is a speech of Luther saith he the Sea of Gods mercies should swallow up all our particular afflictions name any affliction that is upon thee there 's a Sea of mercy to swallow it up If you powre a paileful of water on the flour of your house it makes a great shew but if you throw it into the
body 176 2 Thy generall calling is high 177 3 Thou art equall with Angels ibid 4 God highly esteems the actions of mean Christians 178 5 Faithfulness in a mean calling shall he rewarded ibid 10 Plea My condition is unsettled 1 Every man in his settled estate is vanity Page 179 2 God will have us live in dependance ibid 3 Thy spirituall condition may be settled 181 11 Plea I have been in a better condition 1 Thy eye should not be evill because the eye of God hath been good 182 2 Prosperity was to prepare thee for affliction ibid 12 Plea I am crost after much pains 1 The greater the cross the more the obedience 184 2 Thy pains should be with submission to God 185 3 Contentment in such a condition is a Testimony of more love to God ibid 13 Plea I break not out in my trouble Distempers of heart acconnted as words before God ibid SERMON XI Considerations to work the heart to Contentment 1 Consid The greatness of the mercies we have 187 2 God is before hand with us with mercies 188 3 The abundance of mercies we enjoy Page 189 4 All Creatures in a visicitude ibid 5 The Creature suffer for us ibid 6 We have little time in the world 190 7 It hath bin the condition of our betters 191 8 We were once content with the world without grace and should now with grace without the world 193 9 When we had Contentment we gave not God the glory ibid 10 Experience of Gods doing us good in afflictions ibid Directions to Contentment 1 There must be grace to make the soul steady 195 2 Not to gripe too much of the world ibid 3 Have a 〈…〉 evâ—ry bâ—siness 196 4 Walk by rule ibid 5 Exercise much faith 197 6 Labour to be spiritually minded 198 7 Promise not your selves great things 200 8 Get mortified hearts to the world ibid 9 Pore not too much on afflictions 201 10 Make a good construction of Gods waies to us 202 11 Regard not others fancies but what we feele Page 205 12 Be not inordinatly taken with the comforts of the world Page 206 FINIS THE RARE JEWEL OF CHRISTIAN Contentment PHILIPPIANS 4. 11. For I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content HERE is a very seasonable Cordial to revive the drooping Spirits of the Saints in these sad and sinking times For the hour of temptation is already come upon all the world to try the Inhabitants of the earth and in special this is the day of Jacobs troubles in our owne bowels Our great Apostle experimentally holds forth in this Gospel-Text the very life and soul of all practical Divinity wherein we may plainly read his own proficiency in Christs School and what lesson every Christian that would evidence the power and growth of godlinesse in his own soul must necessarily learn from him These words are brought in by Paul as a plain argument to perswade the Philippians that he did not seek after great things in the world and that he sought not theirs but them He did not passe for a great estate he had better things to take up his heart withal I do not speak saith he in respect of want For whether I have or have not my heart is fully satisfied I have enough I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content I have learned Contentment in every condition is a great art a spiritual mystery It is to be learned and so to be learned as a mystery And therefore vers 1â— he affirms I know how to be abased and I know how to abound every where and in all things I un instructed The word * which is translated Instructed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is derived from that word * which signifies Mystery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it is as much as if he had said I have learned the mystery of this businesse Contentment is to be learned as a great mystery and those that are throughly trained up in that art have learned a deep Mystery The which is as Sampsons riddle to a natural man I have learned it It is not now to learn neither had I it at first I have attained it though with much adoe and now by the grace of God I am become master of this art In whatsoever state I am The word State is not in the Original but * In what I am that is in whatsoever concerns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or befals me whether I have little or nothing at all Therewith to be content The word * which we render Content 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here hath in the Original much elegancy and fulnesse of signification in it In strictnesse of phrase it is only attributed unto God who hath stiled himself God alsufficiant as resting wholly satisfied in and with himself alone but he is pleased freely to coÌ„municate of his fulnesse to the creature so that from God in Christ the Saints receive grace for grace Joh. 1. 16. in so much that there is in them an answerablenesse of the same grace in their proportion that is in Christ And in this sense Paul saith I have a Self-sufficiency as the word notes But hath Paul a self-sufficiency you will say How are we sufficient of our selves Our Apostle affirms in another case Tbat we are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves 2. Cor. 3. 5. His meaning therefore must be I find a sufficiency of satisfaction in my own heart through the grace of Christ that is in me though I have not outward comforts and worldly accommodations to supply my necessities yet I enjoy portion enough betwixt Christ and my own soul abundantly to satisfie me in every condition And this interpretation is sutable to that place Pro. 14 14. A good man is satisfied from himself and agreeable to what he verifies of himself in another place that though he had nothing yet he possessed all things because he had right to the covenant and promise which virtually containes all and an interest in Christ the fountain and good of all and having that no marvell he saith that in whatsoever state he was in he was content Thus you have the genuine interpretation of the text I shall not make any division of the words because I take them only to prosecute that one duty most necessary viz. The quieting and comforting the hearts of Gods people under the troubles and changes they meet withall in these heart-shaking times And the doctrinal conclusion is in brief this Doct. That to be well skilled in the mystery of Christian Contentment is the Duty Glory and Excellency of a Christian This Evangelical truth is held forth sufficiently in this Scripture yet take one or two paralel places more for the confirmation of it 1 Tim. 6. 6. 8. you have both the duty exprest and the glory thereof Having food and raiment saith he vers 8. let us be therewith content there is
the duty But godliness with contentment is great gain vers 6. there is the glory and excellency of it as if godlinesse were not gain except there were contentment withall The like exhortation you have in Heb. 13. 5. Let your conversation be without Covetousness and be content with such things as you have I do not find any Apostle or Writer of Scripture treat so much of this spiritual mystery of Contentment as this our Apostle hath done throughout his Epistles For the cleer opening and proving of this practical conclusion I shall indevour to demonstrate these four things First The nature of this Christian contentment what it is Secondly The art and mystery of it Thirdly What those lessons are that must be learn'd to work the heart to contentment Fourthly Wherein the glorious excellencies of this grace doth principally consist Concerning the first take this description Christian Contentment is that sweet inward quiet gracious frame of spirit freely submitting to and taking complacency in Gods wise and fatherly dispose in every condition I shall break open this discription for it is a box of precious oâ—ntment very comfortable and useful for troubled hearts in troubled times and conditions First Contentment I say is a sweet inward heart-thing it is a work of the spirit within doors It is not only a not-seeking help to our selves by outward violence or a forbearance of discontented murmurring expressions in froward words and carriages against God or others but it is the inward submission of the heart Psal 62. 1. Truly my soul waiteth upon God and ver 5. My soul wait thou only upon God so it is in your â—ooks but the words may be translated as rightly My soul be thou silent unto God Hold thy peace O my soul Not only the tongue must hold its peace but the soul must be silent Many may sit down silently forbearing discontented expressions yet are inwardly swollen with discontentment now this manifesteth a perplexed distemper and a great frowardnesse in their hearts And God notwithstanding their outward silence hears the peevish fretting language of their souls The shoe may be smooth and neat without whilst the flesh is pinched within There may be much calmnesse and stilnesse outwardly and yet wonderful confusion bitternesse disturbance and vexation within Some are so weak that they are not able to contain the disquietnesse of their own spirits but in words and behaviour discover what woful perturbations there are within their spirits being like the raging Sea casting forth nothing but mire and dirt being not only troublesome to themselves but to all those they live with Others there are who are able to keep in such distempers of heart as Judas did when he betrayed Christ with a kisse but still they boyl inwardly and eate like a Canker As David speaks concerning some whose words are smoother then honey and butter and yet have war in their hearts and as he saith in another place whilst I kept silence my bones waxed old so these whilst there is a serene calme upon their tongues have yet blustring storms in their spirits and whilst they keep silence their hearts are troubled and even worn away with anguish and vexation they have peace and quiet outwardly but war from the unruly and turbulent workings of their hearts that is within If the attainment to true contentment were as easy as keeping quiet outwardly there need be no great learning of it it might be had with lesse skill and strength than an Apostle had yea than an ordinary christian hath or may have Therefore certainly there is a great deal more in it than can be attained by common gifts and ordinary power of reason which often bridles in nature It is a heart businesse Secondly It is the quiet of the heart All is sedate and still there and to understand this the better This quiet gracious frame of spirit it is not opposed 1 To a due sense of affiiction God doth give leave to his people to be sensible of what they suâ—â—er Christ doth not say Do not count that a crosse which is a crosse but take up your crosse daily As it is in the body natural if the body takes physick and is not able to bear it but presently vomits it up or if it be not at all sensible if it stir not the body either of these waies the physick doth no good but argues the body much distempered and will hardly be cured So it is with the spirits of men under afflictions if either they cannot bear Gods potions but cast them up again or are not sensible of them and their souls are no more stirr'd by them then the body is by a draught of smal beer it is a sad symptome that their souls are in a dangerous and almost incurable condition So that this inward quietnesse is not in opposition to the sense of affliction for indeed there were no true contentment if you were not apprehensive and sensible of your afâ—lictions when God is angry It is not opposed 2 To an orderly making our moan and complaint to God and to our friends Though a Christan ought to be quiet under Gods correcting hand yet he may without any breach of Christian contentment complain to God as one of the Ancients saith though not with a tumultuous clamour and skreeking out in a perplexed passion yet in a quiet still submissive way he may unbosome his heart unto God And likewise communicate his sad condition to his gracious friends shewing them how God hath dealt with him and how heavy the affliction is upon him that they may speak a word in due season to his wearied soul It is not opposed 3 To all lawful seeking out for help in another condition or simply endeavouring to be delivered out of the present affliction by the use of lawful means No I may lay in provision for my deliverance and use Gods means waiting on him because I know not but that it may be his will to alter my condition and so far as he leads me I may follow his providence it is but my duty God is thus far mercifully indulgent to our weaknesse and he will not take it ill at our hands if by earnest and importunat prayer we seek unto him for deliverance till we know his good pleasure therein And certainly thus seeking for help with such a submission and holy resignation of spirit to be delivered when God will and as God will and how God will so that our wils are melted into the will of God this is no opposition to the quietnesse which God requires in a contented spirit Quest But then what is this quietnesse of spirit opposed unto Ans To murmuring and repining at the hand of God as the discontented Israelits often did which if we our selves cannot indure either in our children or servants much lesse can God bear it in us 2 To vexing and fâ—etting which is a degree beyond murmuring It is a speech I remember of an heathen a
that they shall have outward prosperitie as they had then therefore that 's the first thing for the understanding of this and all other texts of that kind The Second Answer I would give is this It may be their faith doth not reach to this promise and God brings many times many outward afflictions because the faith of his people doth not reach the promise and that not only in the old Testament but in the times of the new Testament Zachariah his time may be said to be in the time of the new Testament when he was struck with dumbnesse because he did not beleeve and that is given to be the cause why he was struck with dumbnesse But you will say now hath faith warant to beleeve deliverance that it shall be fully delivered I dare not say so but it may act upon it to beleeve that God will make it good his own way perhaps you have not done so much and so upon that this promise is not fulfilled to you Thirdly when God doth make such promises to his people yet still it must be with this reservation that God must have liberty to these three things 1. That notwithstanding his promise he will have liberty to make use of any thing for your chastisement 2. That he must have liberty to make use of your estates or liberties or lives for the furtherance of his own ends If it be to be a stumbling block to wicked and ungodly men God must have liberty though he have made a promise to you He will not loose the propriety that he hath in your estates and lives 3. God must have so much liberty to make use of what you have for to shew that his waies are unsearchable and his judgments past finding out God reserves these three things in his hand still Object But you will say what good then is there in such a promise that God makes to his people First That thou art under the protection of God more then others But what comfort is this if it doth befall me Ans Thou hast this comfort that the evill of it shall be taken from thee that if God will make use of this affliction for other ends yet he will do it so as he will make it up to thee some other way Perhaps you have given your children such a thing but yet afterwards if you have use of that thing you will come and say I must have it why father may the child say you gave it me But saith the father I must have it and I will make it up to you some other way Now the child doth not think that the fathers love is ever a whit the less to him So when there is any such promise as this is that God by his promise gives thee his protection and yet for all that such a thing befalls thee it is but as if the father should say I gave you that indeed but let me have it and I will make it up to you some other way that shall be as good saith God let me have your health and liberty and life and it shall be made up to you some other way Secondly when ever the Plague or Pestilence comes to those that are under such a promise it is for some special and notable work and God requires of them to search and examin in a speciall manner to find out his meaning there is so much to be learned in the promise that God hath made concerning this particular evill that the people of God they may come to quiet and content their hearts in this affliction I reade in this Psalme that God hath made promise to his people to deliver them from the Plague and Pestelence and yet do I find it to come It may be I have not made use of my faith in this promise heretofore and if God do bring afflictions upon me yet God will make it up some other way God made a promise to deliver me or at least to deliver me from all the evill of it now if this thing doth befall me and yet I have a promise of God certainly the evill of it 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 distracted 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 greiveous 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 Aug. 17. 1645. the Mysterie 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 and 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 himselfe 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 we have him that hath all things thē they have all for there is such a fulnesse 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 himselfe in the 14. of the Prov. 14. A good man is satisfied in himselfe as now If he wants outward comforts good chear feasting a good conscience is a continuall 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
of this for a man to be given up to his hearts desires now when the Soul comes to understand this the Soul then cryes out why am I so troubled that I have not my desires There is nothing that God conveys his wrath more through then a prosperous estate I remember I have read of a Jewish Tradition that they say of Vzziah when God struck Vzziah with a Leprosie they say that the beams of the Sun was darted upon the fore-head of Vzziah and he was struck with a Leprosie by the darting of the beams of the Sun upon his fore head the Scripture saith Indeed the Priests looked upon him but they say there was a speciall light and beam of the Sun upon the fore-head that did discover the Leprosie to the Priests and they say it was the way of conveying of it Whether that were true or no I am sure this is true that the strong beams of the Sun of prosperity upon many men makes them to be leprous would any poor man in the countrey have been discontented that he was not in Vzziahs condition he was a great King I but there was the Leprosie in his fore-head the poor man may say though I live meanly in the countrey yet I thank God my body is whole and sound would not any man rather have russet and skins of beasts to cloath him with then to have sattin and velvet that should have the Plague in it The Lord conveys the plague of his curse through prosperity as much as through any thing in the world and therefore the soul coming to understand this this makes it to be quiet and content And then spirituall judgements are the greatest judgements of all the Lord lays such an affliction upon my outward estate but what if he had taken away my life a mans health is a greater mercy then his estate and you that are poor people you should consider of that but is the health of a mans body better then his estate what is the health of a mans soul that 's a great deal better the Lord hath inflicted externall judgements but he hath not inflicted spirituall judgements upon thee he hath not given thee up to hardnesse of heart and taken away the spirit of prayer from thee in thine afflicted estate oh then be of good comfort though there be outward afflictions upon thee yet thy soul thy more excellent part is not afflicted Now when the soul comes to understand this that here lyes the sore wrath of God to be given-up to a mans desires and for spirituall judgements to be upon a man this quiets him and contents him though outward afflictions be upon him perhaps one of a mans children hath the fit of an ague or the tooth ake but perhaps his next neighbour hath the plague or all his Children are dead of the Plague now shall he be so discontented because his Children hath the tooth-ach when his neighbours children are dead now think thus Lord thou hast laid an afflicted conditioÌ„ upon me but Lord thou hast not given me the Plague of a hard heart Now take these eight things before mentioned and lay them together and you may well apply that Scripture in the 29. of Jsay the last verse saith the text there They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding and they that murmured shall learn doctrine Hath there bin any of you as I fear many may be found that have erred in spirit even in regard of this truth that now we are preaching of and many that have murmured Oh that this day you might come to understand that Christ would bring you into his School and teach you understanding And they that murmured shall learn doctrine what doctrine shall they learn These Eight doctrines that I have opened to you And if you will but throughly study these lessons that I have set before your eyes It will be a speciall help and means to cure your murmurings against and repinings at the hand of God And so you will come to learn Christian Contentment The Lord teach you throughly by his Spirit these lessons of Contentment SERMON VI. PHILIPPIANS 4. 11. For I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content I Shall only adde one lesson more in the learning of Contentment then I shall come to the Aug. 31. 1645. fourth head The excellency of Contentment The Ninth and last lesson that Christ teaches those that he doth instruct in this Art of Contentment It is the right knowledge of Gods providence and therein are these Four things 1 The universality of providence that the Soul must be throughly instructed in to come to this Art to understand the universality of providence that is how the providence of God goes through the whole world extends it's self to every thing Not only that God by his providence doth rule the world and govern all things in generall but that it reaches to every particular not only to Kingdoms to order the great affairs of Kingdoms but it reaches to every mans family â—â—â—eaches to every person in the family it reaches to every condition yea to every passage to every thing that falls out concerning thee in every particular not one hair falleth from thy head not a Sparrow to the ground without the providence of God There 's nothing befalls thee good or evill but there is a providence of the infinite eternall first Being in that thing and therein indeed is Gods infinitenesse that it reaches to the least things to the least worm that is under thy feet Then much more it reaches unto thee that art a rationall creature the providence of God is more speciall towards rationall creatures then any others The understanding in a spirituall way the universality of providence in every particular passage from morning to night every day that there 's not any thing that doth befall thee but there 's a hand of God in it it is from God it is a mighty furtherance to Contentment Every man will grant the truth of the thing that it is so but as the Apostle saith in Heb. 11. 3. By faith we understand that the worlds were made by faith we understand it why by faith we can understand by reason that no finit thing can be from it selfe And therefore that the world could not be of it's self but we can understand it by faith in another manner then by reason So whatsoever we understand of God in way of providence yet when Christ doth take us into his School wee come to understand it by faith in a better manner then wee doe by reason 2 The efficacie that there is in providence that is that the providence of God goes on in all things with strength and power and it is not to be altered by our power let us be discontented and vext and troubled and fret and rage yet we must not thinke to alter the course of providence by our discontent Some of Jobs friends said to him
may be ungodly in murmuring it 's true there is no sin but som seedes and remayners of it are in those that are godly but when they are under the power of this sin of murmuring it doth convince them to be ungodly as well as if they were under the power of drunkennesse or whordome or any other sin God will look upon you as ungodly for this sin as well as for any sin whatsoever This one Scripture should make the heart shake at the thought of the sin of murmuring Thirdly as it 's made a brand of ungodly men so you shal find in Scripture that God accounts it rebellion that is contrary to the worship that there was in contentednesse that 's worshiping of God crowching to God and falling down before him even as a dog that would crowch when you hould a staffe over him but a murmuring heart it 's a rebellious heart and that you shall find if you compare two Scriptures together they are both in the book of Numb 16. 41. But on the morrow saith the text all the congregation of the Children of Israell murmured against Moses and against Aaron saying ye have killed the people of the Lord. They all murmured now compare this with the Chap. 17. vers 10. And the Lord said unto Moses bring Aarons rod again before the testimony to be kept for a token against the Rebels in the 16. Chap. they murmured against Moses and Aaron and in the 17. Chap. bring the rod of Aaron again before the testimony for a token against the Rebels So that to be a murmurer and to be a rebel you see in Scripture phrase is all one It is a rebellion against God as it is the begining of rebellion and sedition in a kingdom when the people are discontent and when discontentment comes it grows to murmuring and you can go into no house almost but there is murmuring when men are discontent so that within a little while it breaks forth into sedition or rebellion Murmuring it's but as the smoke of the fire there is first a smoke and smother before the flame breaks forth and so before open rebellion in a kingdom there is first a smook of murmuring and then it breaks forth into open rebellion but because it hath rebellion in the seeds of it therefore it is accounted before the Lord to be rebellion Wilt thou be a Rebel against God When thou feelest thy heart discontented and murmuring aginst the dispensations of â—od towards thee thou shouldest check thy heart thus Oh thou wretched heart what wilt thou be a Rebell against God wilt thou rise in a way of Rebellion against the infinite God yet thus thou hast done charge thy heart with this sin of rebellion you that are guiltie of this sin of murmuring you are this day by the Lord charged as being guilty of rebellion against him and God expects that when you go home you should humble your souls before him for this sin that you should charge your souls for being guilty of rebellion against God many of you may say I never thought that I had bin a rebel against God before I thought that I had many infirmityes but now I see the Scripture speaks of sin in another manner then men doe the Scripture makes men though but murmurers to be Rebels against God Oh this rebellious heart that I have against the Lord that hath manifested it's selfe in this way of murmuring against the Lord That 's a third particular in the evill of discontentment A fourth particular in the evill of Discontentment it is a wickednesse that is exceeding contrary to Grace and especially contrary to the worke of God in bringing of the soul home to himselfe I know no distemper more opposite and contrary to the work of God in conversion of a sinner then this is Quest What 's the work of God when he brings a sinner home to himselfe Answ The usuall way is for God to make the â—oul to â—ee and be sensible of the dreadfull evill that there is in sin and the great breath that sin hath made between God and it for certainly Jesus Christ can never be known in his beauty and excellency till the soul know that I doe not speak what secret work of the Holy Ghost there may be in the Soul but before the Soul can actually apply Jesus Christ to its selfe it is impossible but it must come to know the evill of sinne and the excellency of Jesus Christ there may be a seed of faith put into the Soul but the Soul must first know Christ and know sin and be made sensible of it Now how contrary is this sin of murmuring to any such work of God hath God made me see the dreadfull evill of sin and made my soul to be sensible of the evill of sin as the greatest burden how can I be then so much troubled for every little affliction certainly iâ— I saw what the evill of sinne were that sight would swallow up all other evils and if I were burdened with the evill of sinne it would swallow up all other burdens what am I now murmuring against Gods hand saith such a Soul when as a while agoe the Lord made me see my selfe â—o be a damned wretch and apprehend it as a wonder that I was not in Hell 2. Yea it 's mighty contrary to the sight of the infinit excellency and glory of Jesus Christ and of the things of the Gospel What am I that soul that the Lord hath discovered such infinit excellency of Jesus Christ to and yet shall I thinke such a little affliction to be so grievous to me when I have had the sight of such glory in Christ that is more worth then ten thousand worlds for so will a true convert say oh the Lord at such a time hath given me that sight of Christ that I would not be without for ten thousand thousand worlds but hath God given thee that and wilt thou be discontent for a trifâ—e in comparison to that 3. A third work when God brings the Soul home to himself it is by the taking the heart off from the Creature the disingaging the heart from all creature comforts that 's the third work ordinarily that the Soul may perceive of its selfe It 's true Gods work may be altogether in the seeds in him but in the severall actings of the Soul in turning to God it may perceive these things in it the disingagement of the heatt from the Creature that 's the calling of the Soul from the world whom the Lord hath called he hath justified what 's the calling of the Soul but this the Soul that before was seeking for Contentment in the world and cleaving to the Creature now the Lord cals the Soul out of the world and saith oh Soul thy happinesse is not here thy rest is not here thy happinesse is else where and thy heart must be loosned from all these things that are here below in the world
the helping of us to this grace of Contentment Therefore now all that I shall further doe about this point shall be the giving of some directions what course to take that we may come to attaine this grace of Contentment The first Direction The first is this All the rule and helps in the world will do us little good except we get a good temper within in our hearts you can never make a ship go steady with propping of it without you know there must be ballast within the ship that must make it go steady And so there is nothing without us that can keep our hearts in a steady constant way but that that is within us grace is within the soul and that will do it The second Direction Secondly If you would get a contented life do not gripe too much of the world do not take in more of the businesse of the world then God calls you to be not greedy of taking in a great deale of the world for if a man will go among thorns when he may go in a plainer way there is no reason that this man should complaine that he is prickt with them thou goest among thorns is it thy way must you of necessity go among them then it 's another matter but if thou wilt electively chose that way when thou mayest go another then thou hast no cause to complaine so for men and women that will put themselves upon things of the world that they need not then no mervail though they be prickt and meet with that that doth disquiet them for such is the nature of all things here in the world that every thing hath some prick or other in it we are like to meet with disappointments and discontentments in every thing we meddle with and therefore those that have least to do in the world that is except God calls them to it we must put in that they are like to meet with many things that will discontent them The third Direction Thirdly be sure of thy call to every businesse thou goest about though it be in the least businesse be sure of thy call to it then whatever thou meetst withall thou mayest quiet thy heart with this I know I am where God would have me there 's nothing in the world will quiet the heart so much as this when I meet with any cross I know I am where God would have me in my place and calling I am about the work that God hath set me Oh this will quiet and content thee when thou meetest with trouble that that God calls a man to with that he may have comfort in whatsoever befalls him God is to look to thee and to see thee blest if thou beest in the work God calls thee to The fourth Direction And especially if I adde a fourth rule and that is That I walk by rule in that work I am call'd to I am call'd to such a businesse but I must mannage this work that I am call'd to by rule I must walk by the word order my selfe in this businesse according to Gods mind so far as I am able then adde this to the other and then the quiet and peace of that soul may be made even perfect in a kind when I know it is not the work I â—ut my selfe upon but God hath call'd me to it and I walk by the rule of the word in it then let come what will come God he is to take care of me there It was a speech of a Heathen saith he if thou wilt subject all things to thy selfe do thou subject thy selfe to reason and by that thou wilt make all things to be under thee I may adde a little more to it if you will subject all things under you subject your selfe to God and then the truth is all things are under you It hath bin that that many times we have hinted the reason why many of our Gentry have bin so malignant among us is because they are willing to be slaves themselves under some above them at Court so they may keep their neighbours under to be slaves to them for you know any man heretofore that was great at the Court he could crush any country man that he was angry withall If there were an Arbitrary-government then all those that would be willing to be vassals and slaves to the Prince they can make all others vassals and slaves under them Now be thou willing to be a vassall to God to be absolutly under Gods command and then I say all things in the world are under thee All are yours saith the Apostle Life and death every thing is yours and you are Christs and Christ is Gods All things in the world are serviceable to that man or woman that is serviceable to God It is a mighty commendations of Gods service be thou willing to be serviceable to God and God makes all things in the world to be thy servants for so they are You will say how are they my servants I cannot command them They are servants in this that God doth order them all to work for thy good there 's nothing in the world but faith God it shall work for thy good and be serviceable to thee if thou wilt be serviceable to me who would not be now Gods servant Subject thy selfe to God and all thingâ— shall be subjected to thee Now so long as we keep within our bounds we are under protection but if once we break our bounds we must expect it should be with us as it is with the deer in the Parke while the deer keeps within the pale there is no dogs come upon them but they can feed quietly but let the deere be got without the pale and then every dog in the country will be hunting after them so it is with men let men and women keep within the bounds of the command of God of the rule that God hath set them in his word and then they are protected by God and they may go about their businesse with peace and never be troubled for any thing but cast all their care upon God God provides for them but if they wil go beyond the pale if they wil passe their bounds then they may expect to meet with troubles and afflictions and discontent and therefore that is a fourth direction Walk by rule The Fifth Direction A fift rule is this Exercise much faith that is the way for contentednesse After thou hast done with all considerations that reason may suggest to thee if thou findest that these do not do it Oh then call for the grace of faith a man may go very far with the use of reason alone to help him to contentment but when reason is at a non-plus then set faith a work It was a speech of the reverend Divine master Perkins that God made so instrumentall in his time the life of faith saith he it is a true life indeed the only life Exercise faith not only in that promise that all
by what he finds in himself 57 He fetcheth supply from the Covenant Page 61 1 In Generall ibid 2 From particular promises 64 14 He realliseth the things of Heaven 67 15 He letteth his heart out to God ibid Lessons whereby Christ teacheth Contentment 1 Self-deniall 68 Whereby a Christian knows 1 That he is nothing 69 2 That he deserves nothing ibid 3 That he can do nothing 70 4 That he can receive no good of himself ibid 5 If God withdraw himself he can make use of nothing ibid 6 That he is worse than nothing 71 7 That there is no loss of him if he perish ibid 8 That he comes to rejoyce in Gods waies 72 2 Lesson To know the vanity of the Creature 73 3 Lesson to know that one thing wherefore 74 SERMON V 4 Lesson To know his relation in this world 76 5 Lesson Wherein the good of the Creature is Page 79 6 Lesson The knowledge of his own heart 82 Which helps to Contentment 1 By discovering wherein discontent lies ibid 2 By knowing what is suitable to our condition 83 3 By this we know what we are able to mannage 84 7 Lesson To know the burden of a prosperous estate 85 Which is four fold 1 The burden of trouble ibid 2 The burden of danger 86 3 The burden of duty 89 4 The burden of account ibid 8 Lesson A great evill to be given up to our own hearts desire 91 SERMON VI 9 Lesson The right knowledge of Gods providence 94 Wherein four things 1 The universality of it ibid 2 The efficacy of it 95 3 The variety of it ibid 4 Gods particular dealing with his people 97 In three things 1 They are ordinarily in affliction 98 2 When he intends them greatest mercies he brings them lowesi ibid 3 He works by contraries Page 99 The excellency of Contentment 1 Excellency By it we give God his due worship 101 2 Excel In it there is much exercise of grace 103 1 There is much strength of grace ibid 2 There is much beuty of grace 104 3 Excel The soul is fitted to receive mercy 106 4 Excel It is fitted to do service 107 5 Excel Contententment delivers from temptation 108 6 Excel It brings abundance of comfort 110 7 Excel It fetcheth in that that we possess not 111 In 4 particulars 131 SERMON VII 8 Excel Contentment a great blessing of God upon the soule 115 9 Excel A contented man may expect reward 116 10 Excel By Contentment the soul comes neerest the Excellency of God himself 117 â—se 1 To be humbled for want of Contentment Page 118 The Evils in a murmuring spirit 1 It is an Argument of much corruption in the soul 119 2 It is a note of a wicked man 120 3 Murmuring is accounted Rebellion 121 4 It is exceeding contrary to grace in conversion 122 The works of God in conversion 1 To make us sensible of the evill in sin 123 2 A sight of the excellency of Christ ibid 3 Taking the heart from the creature ibid 4 Casting the soul on Christ for all good 124 5 Subduing the soul to Christ as King ibid 6 Giving up the soul to God in Covenant 125 5 Evill Murmuring below a Christian 126 1 Below his relation 1 To God as a Father ibid 2 To Christ as a spouse ibid 3 To Christ as a member 127 4 To Christ as a Co-heir ibid 5 To Gods Spirit as a temple ibid 6 To Angels as one with them ibid 7 To Saints as of the same body ibid 2 Below his dignity Every Christian a King Page 128 3 It is below the spirit of a Christian 129 4 Below the profession of a Christian 131 5 Below the grace of faith ibid SERMON VIII 6 Below the helps of a Christian 132 7 Below the expectation of a Christian ibid 8 Below what other Christians have done 133 6 Evill by murmuring we undoe our prayers ibid 7 Evill The effects of a muring heart 1 Loss of much time 134 2 Vnfitness for Duty ibid 3 Wickedrisings of heart 135 4 Vnthankfulness ibid 6 Shifting 138 8 Evill Discontent a foolish sinne ibid 1 It takes away the comfort of what we have ibid 2 We cannot help our selves by it 139 3 It causeth foolish carriage to God and man ibid 4 It takes out the sweetness of mercies before they come ibid 5 It makes Affliction worse 141 9 Evill It provokes the wrath of God ibid 10 Evill There is a curse upon it Page 146 11 Evill There is much of the spirit of Satan in it 147 12 Evill It brings an absolute necessity of disquiet ibid 13 Evill God may justly withdraw his protection from such ibid Agravations of the sin of murmuring 1 Agravation The greater the mercies the greater the sin of murmuring 150 SERMON IX 2 Agrav When we murmur for small things 157 3 Agrav When men of parts and abilities murmur 158 4 Agrav The freeness of Gods mercy ibid 5 Agrav Discontent for what we have 159 6 Agrav When men are raised frrom a low condition ibid 7 Agrav When men have bin great sinners 160 8 Agrav When those murmur that are of little use in the world 161 9 Agrav To murmur when God is about to humble us ibid 10 Agrav When Gods hand is apparâ—nt in an affliction Page 162 11 Agrav To murmur under long afflictions 163 Pleas of a discontented heart 1 Plea I am but sensible of my affliction 1 Sense of affliction takes not away sense of mercies 165 2 It hinders not Duty ibid 3 It will make us bloss God for the mercies of others ibid 2 Plea My trouble is for my sins 1 It is not if you were not troubled for sin before 166 2 When the greatest care is to remove affliction ibid 3 If after affliction is removed sin troubles not ibid 4 If there be not care to avoid sin after 167 5 There is the more cause to accept of the punnishment ibid 3 Plea God withdrawâ— himselfe 1 We think God is departed when he doth but afflict 168 2 Disquiet is a sign and cause of Gods departure ibid 3 If God depart from us we should not from him 169 4 Plea I am troubled for mens ill dealing 1 Men are Gods instruments 170 2 We should rather pittie them then murmur Page 171 3 We have righteous dealing with God ibid SERMON X 5 Plea It is an affliction I looked not for 1 It is folly not to look for afflictions ibid 2 We should be more carefull of our carriage in it 172 6 Plea The affliction is exceeding great 1 It is not so great as thy sins ibid 2 It might have bin greater 173 3 It is greater for thy murmuring ibid 7 Plea It is greater then others afflictions Answered in 4 things 173 8 Plea If any other affliction they could be Content Answered in 4 things 174 9 Plea My afflictions make me unservicable to God 1 Though thou art mean thou art a member of the
wise man may greive under but not be vexed with his afflictions There is a vast difference betwixt a kindly greiving and a distempered vexation 3 To tumultuousness of spirit When the thoughts run distractingly and work in a confused manner so that the affections are like the unruly multitude in the Acts who knew not for what end they were come together The Lord expects that you should be silent under his rod and as he said in Act. 19. 36. You ought to be quiet and to do nothing rashly 4 To unseâ—ledness and unfixedness of spirit whereby the heart is taken off from the present duty that God requires in our several relations both towards God our selves and others We should prize duty at a higher rate then to be taken off by every trivial occasion a Christian indeed values every service of God so much that though some may be in the eye of the world and of natural reason a slight empty businesse beggerly rudiments foolishnesse yet seeing God calls for it the authority of the comand doth so over awe his heart that he is willing to spend himself and to be spent in the discharge of it It is an expression of Luthers ordinary works that are done in faith and from faith are more precious than heaven and earth And if this be so and a Christian know it it is not a little matter that should divert him but he should answer every avocation and resist every tentation as Nebemiah did Chap. 6. 3. Sanballat Geshem and Tobiah when they would have hindred the building of the wal with this I am doing a great work saith he so that I cannot come down why should the work of the Lord cease 5 To distracting heart-eating cares and fears A gracious heart so estimats its union with Christ and the work that God sets it about as it will not willingly suffer any thing to come in to choak it or dead it A Christian is desirous that the word of God should take such full possession as to divide between soul and spirit but he would not suffer the fear and noise of evil-tidings to take such impression in his soul as to make a division and strugling there like the twins in Rebeckaes womb A great man will permit common people to stand without his doors but he will not let them come in make a noise in his closet or bedchamber when he purposely retires himself from all worldly imployments So a well tempered spirit though it may inquire after things abroad without doors in the world and suffer some ordinary cares and fears to break in to the suburbs of the soul so as to have a light touch upon the thoughts Yet it will not upon any terms admit of an intrusion into the privy-chamber which should be wholly reserved for Jesus Christ as his inward Temple 6 To sinking discouragements When things fall not out according to expectation when the tyde of second causes runs so low that we see little left in outward means to bear up our hopes and hearts That then the heart begins to reason as he in the Kings If the Lord should open the windows of heaven how should this â—e Never considering that God can open the eyes of the blind with clay and spittle he can work above beyond nay contrary to means he often makes the fairest flowers of mans indeavours to wither and brings improbable things to passe that the glory of enterprizes may be given to himself Nay if his people stand in need of mirracles to work their deliverance miracles fall as easily out of Gods hands as to give his people daily bread Gods blessing is many times secret upon his servants that they know not which way it comes as 2 Kings 3. 17. Ye shall not see wind neither shall you see rain yet the valley shall be fâ—lled with water God would have us depend on him though we do not see means how the thing should be brought to passe else we do not shew a quiet spirit though an affliction be upon thee let not thy heart sink under it So far as thy heart sinks and thou art discouraged under thy affliction so much thou wantest of this lesson of Contentment 7 To sinfull shiftings and shirkings out for ease and help As we see in Saul running to the witch of Endor and in his offering sacrifice before Samuel came Nay the good King Jehoshaphat joynes himself with Ahaziah 2 Chron. 20. Vlt. And Asa goes to â—enhadad King of Assyria for help not relying upon the Lord 2 Chr. 16. 7 8. Though the Lord had delivered the Ethiopian Army into his hands consisting of a thousand thousand 2 Chron. 14 11. And good Jacob joyned in a lye with his mother to Isaac he was not content to stay Gods time and use Gods means but made too great haste and stept out of his way to procure the blessing which God intended for him as many do through the corruption of their hearts and weaknesse of their faith because they are not able to trust God and follow him fully in all things and alwaies and for this cause the Lord often follows the Saints with many sore temperal crosses as we see in Jacob though they obtain the mercy It may be thy wretched carnal heart thinks I care not how I be delivered so I may but get free from it Is it not so many times in some of your hearts when any crosse or affliction befals you Have not you such kind of workings of spirit as this Oh that I could but be delivered out of this affliction any way I would not care your hearts are far from being quiet And this sinful shifting is the next thing in opposition to this quietnesse which God requires in a contented spirit The Eighth and last thing that this quietnesse of Spirit is opposite to is desparate risings of heart against God in a way of rebellion That is most abominable I hope many of you have learned so far to be content as to keep down your hearts from such distempers and yet the truth is not only wicked men but sometimes the very Saints of God find the beginnings of this when an affliction lies long and is very sore and heavy upon them indeed and strikes them as it were in the master vein they find somewhat of this in their hearts a rising against God their thoughts begin to bubble and their affections begin to stir in rising against God himself especially such as together with their corruptions have much melancholy and the Devil working both upon the corruptions of their hearts and the melancholy distemper of their bodies though there may lie much grace at the bottom yet there may be some risings against God himself under affliction Now Christian quietnes is opposite to all these things that is When afflictions come be it what affliction it will be yet you do not murmur though you be sensible though you make your moan though you desire to be delivered and
seek it by all good means yet you do not murmur nor repine you do not fret nor vex there is not that tumultuousnesse of spirit in you there is not unsettlednesse in your spirits there are not distracting fears in your hearts no sinking discouragements no base shiftings no risings in rebellion any way against God This is the quietnesse of Spirit under an affliction and that is the second thing when the soul is so far able to bear an affliction as to keep quiet under it Now the Third thing I would open in the discription is this It is an inward quiet gracious frame of Spirit It is a frame of Spirit and then a gracious frame of Spirit Contentment it is a Soul businesse First it is inward Secondly quiet Thirdly it is a quiet Frame of Spirit Frame by that I mean these Three things There are Three things considerable when I say Contentment consists in the quiet frame of the Spirit of a man First That it is a grace that spreads it self through the whole Soul as thus It is in the judgement that is The judgement of the Soul of a man or woman tends to quiet the heart in my judgement I am satisfied that is one thing to be satisfied in ones understanding and judgement as thus This is the hand of God and this is that that is sutable to my condition or best for me although I do not see the reason of the thing yet I am satisfied in my judgement about it And then it is in the thoughts of a man or woman As my judgement is satisfied so my thoughts are kept in order And then it comes to the will My will yeilds and submits to it my affections are all likewise kept in order so that it goes through the whole soul There is in some a partiall Contentment and so t is not the frame of the soul but some part of the soul hath some Contentment as thus Many a man may be satisfied in his judgment about a thing and yet cannot for his life rule his affections nor his thoughts cannot rule his thoughts nor the will nor the affections though the judgement be satisfied I make no question but many of you may know this by your own experience if you do but observe the workings of your own hearts Cannot you say when such an affliction befals you I can blesse God I am satisfied in my judgement about it I have nothing in the world to say in respect of my judgement against it I see the hand of God and I should be content yea I am satisfied in my judgement that my condition is a good condition in which I am but I cannot for my life rule my thoughts and will and my affections me thinks I feel my heart heavy and sad and troubled more then it should be and yet my judgement is satisfied This seem'd to be the case of David Psal 43. O my Soul why art thou disquieted David as far as his judgement went there was a contentednesse that is His judgement was satisfied in the work of God upon him and he was troubled but he knew not wherefore O my Soul why art thou cast down within me That Psalm is a very good Psalm for those that feel a fretting discontented distemper in their hearts at any time for them to be reading or singinâ—g he hath it once or twice in that Psalm Why art thou cast down O my soul In vers 5. And why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance David had enough to quiet him and that that he had had prevailed with his judgement but after it had prevailed with his judgement he could not get it further He could not get this grace of Conâ—entment to go through the whole frame of the Soul there is a great deal of stir sometimes to get Contentment into their judgements that is To satisfie their judgement about their condition Come to many that the hand of God is upon perhaps in a greivous manner and seek to satisfie them and tell them that there is no such cause to be disquieted O not such cause saith the troubled spirit O then there is no cause that any should be disquieted there was never any such affliction as I have and a hundred things they have to put off what is said to them so as you cannot so much as get into their judgements to satisfie them but there is a great deal of hope of Contentment if once your judgements come to be satisfied that you can sit down and say in your judgements I see cause to be contented but though you have gotten thus far yet you may have much to do with your hearts afterward for there is such unrulinesse in our thoughts and affections that our judgements are not able alwaies to rule our thoughts and affections and that makes me to say That Contentment is an inward quiet gracious frame of Spirit that is the whole Soul Judgement Thoughts Will Affections and all are satisfied and quiet I suppose in the very opening this you begin to see it is a lesson that you had need learn and it is not a thing soon got if Contentment be such a thing as this is The Second thing is this which is very observable That spirituall contentment comes from the frame of the Soul A man or woman that is contented in a right way their Contentment doth not so much come from outward arguments or any outward thing that helps them to be content as it doth from the disposition of their own hearts It is the disposition of their own hearts that causes this Contentment that brings forth this gracious Contentment rather then any externall thing that doth it as thus I would open my self one that is disquieted suppose a child or man or woman if you come and bring them some great matter to please them that perhaps will quiet them and they will be contented it is the thing you bring them that quiets them but it is not the disposition of their own spirits not from any good temper that there is in their own hearts but from some externall thing that is brought them but when a Christian is contented in a right way the quiet doth come more from the inward temper and disposition of their own hearts then from any externall arguments or possession of any thing in the world I would yet open this further to you in this Similitude The being content upon some externall thing it is like the warming of a mans cloathes by the fire but being content by the inward disposition of the soul it is like the warmth that a mans cloathes hath from the naturall heat of his body A man that is of a healthful body he puts on his cloathes and perhaps when he puts them on at the first in a cold morning he feels his cloathes cold but after he hath them on a little while they are warm why
how come they warm they came not nigh the fire No but it came from the natural heat of his body Now a sickly man that hath his naturall heat decayed if he put on his cloathes cold they will not be hot in a long time but he must have them warmed by the fire and then they will quickly be cold again So this will difference the Contentments of men There are some men now that are very gracious and when an affliction comes upon them indeed at first it seems to be a little cold but after it hath been on a while the very temper of their hearts being gracious it makes their afflictions easie and makes them to be quiet under it and not to complain of any discontentment But now you shall have others that have an affliction upon them that have not this good temper in their hearts their afflictions are very cold upon them and greivous and it may be if you bring them some externall arguments somwhat from without as the fire that warmes the cloathes perhaps they will be quiet for a while but alas wanting a gracious disposition within in their own hearts that warmth will not hold long The warmth of the fire that is a Contentment that comes meerly from externall arguments will not hold long but that holds that doth come from the gracious temper of the Spirit It is from the frame and the disposition of the spirit of a man or woman there 's the true Contentment But this we shall speak too further in the opening of the Mystery of Contentment The Third thing is this It is the frame of Spirit that shewes the habitualnesse of this grace of Contentment Contentment is not meerly one act a flash in a good moode you shall have many men and women that take them in some good moode and they will be very quiet but this will not hold this is not in a constant way there is not a constant tenour of their spirits to be holy and gracious under affliction But I say It is the quiet frame of spirit by that I mean The habitual disposition of their Soules that it is not only at this time and the other time when you take men and women in a good moode but it is the constant tenour and temper of the heart that is a Christian that hath learned this lesson of Contentment that in the constant tenour and temper of heart is contented and can carry its self quietly in a constant way or else it is worth nothing for there is no body that is so furious in their discontent but will be quiet in some good moode or other Now First it is a heart-businesse Secondly it is the heart-quiet and then Thirdly it is the frame of the heart But Fourthly It is the gracious frame of the heart Indeed in Contentment there is a composition of all graces if the Contentment be Spirituall if it be truly Christian there is I say a composition of all Spiritual graces As it is in some Oyls there is a composition of a great many very precious Ingredients so in this grace of Contentment which we shall yet further speak of in the opening of the Excellency of it But now the gracious frame of Spirit is in opposition to Three things 1 First In opposition to the naturall stillnesse that there is in many men and women There is some of such a natural constitution that makes them to be more still and more quiet then others others are of a violent and hot constitutionâ— and they are more impatient then others 2 Secondly In opposition to a sturdy resolution As some men through the strength of some sturdy resolution they have not seemed to be troubled let come what will come and so it may be that through a sturdy resolution at some times they are not so much disquieted as others are Thirdly In way of disâ—incâ—ion from the very strength of reason though not sancâ—ified the strength of naturall reason may quiet the heart in some measure But now I say A gracious frame of spirit is not a meer stilnesse of body through a naturall constitution and temper nor sturdinesse of resolution nor meerly through the strength of reason You will say wherein is this graciousnesse of contentment distinguisht from all these More of this will be spoken to when we shew the mystery of it and the lessons that are learned but now we may speak a little by way of distinction here as now from the natural stilnesse of mens spirits many men and women have such a natural stilnesse of spirit and constitution of body that you shall find them seldome disquieted But now mark these kind of people that are so they likewise are very dull of a dull spirit in any good thing they have no quicknesse nor livelinesse of spirit in that which is good but now mark where contentment of heart is gracious the heart is very quick and lively in the service of God yea the more any gracious heart can bring its self to be in a contented disposition â—h the more fit is it for any service of God and is very active and lively in Gods service not dull in the service of God And as a Contented heart is very active and stirring in the work of God so hee is very active and stirring in sanctifying Gods name in the affliction that doth befall him The difference will appear very cleer thus One that is of a still disposition he is not disquieted indeed as others neither hath he any activenesse of spirit in sanctifying the name of God in the affliction but now one that is content in a gracious way as he is not disquieted but keeps his heart quiet in respect to vexing and trouble so on the other sâ—de he is not dull nor heavy but is very active to sanctifie Gods name in the affliction that is upon him for it is not enough meerly not to murmur not to be discontented and troubled but you must be active in the sanctifying Gods name in the affliction And indeed this will distinguish it from the other from a sturdy resolution I will not be troubled but though you have a sturdy resolution that you will not be troubled is there a conscionablenesse in you to sanctifie Gods name in your affliction and doth it come from thence That is the main thing that brings the quiet of heart and helps against discontentednesse in a gracious heart I say the desire and care that thy soul hath to sanctifie Gods name in an affliction it is that that quiets the soul which doth not in the other Neither when it is meerly from reason As Socrates it is said of him though he were but a heathen that what ever befel him he would never so much as chang his countenance and he got this power over his spirit meerly by strength of reason and morallity but now this gracious contentment comes from principles beyond the strength of reason I cannot open that from
whence it comes till we come to open the mystery of spiritual Contentment I will only give you this one note of the difference between a man and woman that is contented in a natural way and another that is contented in a spiritual way Those that are contented in a natural way they overcome themselves when outward afflictions doth befall them they are contented yea and they are contented as well when they commit sin against God either when they have outward crosses or when God is dishonoured it is all one either when themselves are crost or when God is crost but now a gracious heart that is contented with its own affliction yet mightily rises when God is dishonoured The fift is Freely freely submitting to and taking complacency in Gods dispose it is a free work of the spirit now there are four things to be opened in this freedome of spirit First that the heart is readily brought over that that one doth freely there is no great stir to bring them to it there are many men and women when their afflictions are greivious upon them with much adoe they are brought to be contented a great deal of stir there is to quiet their hearts when they are under affliction yet at last perhaps they are brought to it I but â—ow this doth not come off freely if I desire a thing of another and I get it perhaps with much adoe and a great deal of stir there is but here 's no freedom of spirit but when a man is free in a thing do but mention it and presently he comes off to it So if you have learned this art of Contentment you will not only be contented after a great deal of doe to quiet your hearts but readily as soon as ever you do come to think that it is the hand of God your heart presently closeth Secondly freely That is not by constraint not patience by force as we use to say As many will say that you must be content this is the hand of God and there is no help for it O this is too low an expression for Christians yet when Christians come to visit one another they say friend or neighbour you must be content this is to low an expression for a Christian Must be conâ—ent no readily and freely I will be content It is sutable to my heart to yeild to God and to be content I find it is a thing that comes off of it self that my soul will be content Oh you should answer your friends so that come and tell you you must be content nay I am willing to yeild to God and I am freely content that 's the Second And then a free act it comes after a rational way that 's freedom that is it doth not come through ignorance because I know no better condition or that I know not what my affliction is but it comes through a sanctified judgement for that is the reason that no creature can do an act of freedom but the rational creature the liberty of action is only in rational creatures and it comes from hence for that 's only freedom and out of liberty that 's wrought in a rational way as a natural freedom is when I by my judgement see what is to be done understand the thing and then there is a closing with what I do understand in my judgement that is freely done but now if a man doth a thing and understands not what he doth he cannot be said to do it freely So if men are contented but it is because they understand not what their affliction is or because they understand no better this is not freely as for instance Suppose a Child born in a prison and never in all his life went out the Child is contented why Because he never knew better but this is no free act of Contentation but now for men and women that do know better that know that the condition in which they are in it is an afflicted condition and a sad condition and yet they can bring their hearts to a Contentation out of a sanctified judgement this is freedom Thirdly This freedom it is in opposition to stupidness for a man and woman may be contented meerly out of want of sense this is not free as a man in a dead palsie that doth not feel you nip his flesh he is not freely patient but if one should have their flesh nipt and feel it and yet for all that can be able to bridle themselves and do it freely that is another matter So it is here many are contented meerly out of stupidnesse they have a dead palsie upon them but now a gracious heart hath sense enough and yet is contented and therefore is free Sixthly Freely submitting to and taking complacency in Gods dispose Submitting to Gods dispose What is that The word Submit it signifies nothing else but to send under as thus One that is discontented the heart will be unruly and would even get above God so far as discontentment prevailes but now comes the grace of Contentment and sends it under to submit it is to send under a thing now when the soul comes to see the unrulinesse that there is in it here 's the hand of God that brings an affliction and my heart is troubled and discontented what saith the Soul Wilt thou be above God Is it not Gods hand and must thy will be regarded more then Gods O under under O thou soul get under keep under keep low keep under Gods feet thou art under Gods feet and keep under his feet keep under the Authority of God the Majesty of God the Soveraignity of God the Power that God hath over thee Keep under that is to submit then the Soul can submit to God when it can send its self under the Power and Authority and Soveraignity and Dominion that God hath over it that is the Sixth Particuler yea but that is not enough yet you have not got to this Grace of Contentment except in the next place you take Seventhly Taking a complacency in Gods dispose That is thus I am well pleased in what God doth so far as I can see God in it though as I said I may be sensible of the affliction and may desire that God in his due time would take it off and use meanes to take it off yet I may be well pleased so far as Gods hand is in it To be well pleased with Gods hand that is a higher degree then the other and this comes from hence not only because I see that I should be content in this affliction but because I see that there is good in this affliction I find there is hony in this rock and so I do not only say I must or I will sumit to Gods hand no but the hand of God is good it is good that I am afflicted That it is â—ust that I am afflicted that may be in one that is not truly contented I may be convinced that God deals justly
particuler afflictions that are very hard and very greivious and yet my heart is quiet here is one that hath learned the lesson of Contentment Contentment it is the inward quiet gracious frame of spirit freely submitting to and taking complacency in Gods dispose in every condition That is the discription Now in this there hath been nine several things opened 1 First that Contentment is a heart-work within the soul 2 Secondly It is the quieting of the heart 3 Thirdly It is the frame of the spirit 4 Fourthly It is a gracious frame 5 Fiftly It is the free working of this gracious frame 6 Sixtly There is in it a submission to God sending the soul under God 7 Seaventhly There is a taking complacency in the hand of God 8 Eightly All to Gods dispose 9 Ninthly in every condition every condition though never so hard though continue never so long Now those of you that have learned to be Content have learned to attain unto these severall things the very opening of these things I hope may so far work upon your hearts as First That you may lay your hands upon your hearts upon this that hath been said the very telling of you what the lesson is I say may cause you to lay your hands upon your hearts and say Lord I see there is more in Christian Contentation then I thought there was and I have been far from learning this lesson I indeed have learned but my A B C in this lesson of Contentment I am but in the lower forme in Christs school if I am in it at all but these we shall speak too more afterward but the special thing I aime'd at in the opening of this point is to shew how great a Mystery there is in Christian Contentment and how many several lessons are to be learned that we may come to attain to this Heavenly disposition that Saint Paul did attain too SERMON II. PHILIPPIANS 4. 11. Stepney Aug. 3. 1â—45 For I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content WEE have made entrance you may remember into the Argument of Christian Contentment And have opened the words and shewed you what this Christian Contentation is that it is The inward quiet gracious frame of Spirit freely submitting too and taking Complacency in Gods dispose in every condition And therein came to this last thing In every condition Now we shall a little inlarge that and so proceed 1 Submitting to God in what ever affliction befals us for the kind 2 For the time and continuance of the affliction 3 For the variety and changes of affliction Let them be what they will yet there must be a submitting to Gods dispose in every condition First for the kind many men and women will in the general say that they must submit to God in affliction I suppose now if you should come from one end of this congregation to another and speak to every soul thus would not you submit to Gods dispose in what ever condition he should dispose of you tooâ— you would say God forbid it should be otherwise but we use to say There is a great deal of deceit in generals in general you would submit to any thing but what if it be in this and that particuler that is most crosse to you Then any thing but that we are usually apt to think that any condition is better then the condition that God doth dispose us too now here is not Contentment it should not be only to any condition in general but for the kind of the affliction if it be that which is most crosse to you God it may be striks you in your Child Oh if it had been in my estate saith one I should be content perhaps he striks you in your match Oh saith he I had rather have been strucken in my health and if he had struck you in your health Oh then if it had been in my trading I would not have cared but we must not be our own carvers what particular afflictions God shall dispose us to there must be Contentment in them Secondly There must be a submission to God in every affliction for the time and continuance of the affliction It may be saith one I could submit and be content but this affliction hath been upon me a long time a quarter of a year a year divers years and I know not how to yeild and submit to it my patience is even worn and broak yea it may be it is a spiritual affliction you could submit to God you say in any outward affliction but not in a soul affliction or if it were an affliction upon the soul trouble upon the heart if it were the withdrawing of Gods face yet if this had been but for a little time I could submit but seeking of God so long a time and yet God doth not appear Oh how shall I bear this We must not be our own disposers for the time of deliverance no more then for the kind and way of deliverance and I will give you a Scripture or two about this That we are to submit unto God for the time as well as the kind in the latter end of the 1. Chap. of Ezek. When I saw it I fell upon my face and I heard a voice of one that spake the Prophet was cast down upon his face but how long must he lie upon his face And he said unto me Son of man stand upon thy feet and I will speak unto thee and the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me and set me upon my feet Fzekiel was cast down upon his face and there he must lye till God bid him stand up yea and not only so but till Gods Spirit came into him and enabled him to stand up So when God casts us down we must be content to lie till God bid us stand up and Gods Spirit enter into us to inable us to stand up So you know Noah he was put into the Ark certainly he knew there was much affliction in the Ark having all kind of creatures shut up with him for twelve months together it was a mighty thing yet God shutting him up though the waters were asswaged Noah was not to come out of the Ark till God bid him So though we be shut up in great afflictions and we may think there may be this and that and the other means to come out of that affliction yet till God doth open the door we should be willing to stay God hath put us in and God is to bring us out As we read in the Acts of Paul when they had shut him in Prison and would have sent for him out Nay saith Paul they shutus in let them come and fetch us out So in a holy gracious way should a soul say Well this affliction that I am brought into it is by the hand of God and I am content to be here till God brings me out himself God doth require it at our hands that we
man the burden will be upon him again but it thou wouldest have thy burden light if thou canst get alone and examine thy heart for thy sin and charge thy soul with thy sin if thy burden be in thy estate for the abuse of it or if it be a burden upon thy body for the abuse of thy health and strength and the abuse of any mercies that now the Lord hath taken away from thee thou hast not honoured God with those mercies that thou hast had but thou hast walked wantonly and carelesly and so fall a beâ—oning thy sin before the Lord and thou shalt quickly find the burden of thy affliction to be lighter then it was before do but try this peece of skill and art to get your souls contented with any low condition that God puts you into many times in a family when any affliction befals them Oh what a deal of discontentment is there between man and wife if crost in their estates at land or ill news from Sea or they that they trusted are broak and the like and perhaps somwhat in the family fals crosse between man and wife or in reference to the children or servants and there is nothing but brabling and discontent among them now they many times are burdened with their own discontent and perhaps will say one to another this life is very uncomfortable for us to live thus discontented so as we do but have you ever tried this way the husband and the wife have you ever got alone and said come Oh let us go and humble our souls before God together let us go into our chamber and humble our souls before God for our sin whereby we have abused those mercies that God hath taken away from us and we have provokt God against us Oh let us charge our selves with our sin and be humbled before the Lord together have you tried such a way as this is Oh you would find the cloud would be taken away and the sun would shine in upon you and you would have a great deal more Contentment then ever yet you had If a mans estate be broken either by blunderers or any other way now how shall this man have Contentment how By the breaking of his heart God hath broken thy estate Oh seek to him for the breaking of thy heart likewise Indeed a broken estate and a whole heart a hard heart will not joyn together there will be no Contentment but a broken estate and a broken heart will so sute together as there will be more Contentment then there was before adde therefore to the breaking of thy estate the breaking of thy heart what thou canst and that is the way to be Contented in a Christian manner which is the Third Mystery in Christian Contentation The fourth thing is this it is not so much the removing of the affliction that is upon us as the changing of the affliction the Metamorphosing of the affliction when it is quite turned and changed into another thing I meane in regard of the use of it though for the matter the affliction abide stil The way of contentment to a carnall heart it 's only the removing of the affliction O that it may be gone no but saith a gracious heart God hath taught me a way for contentment though the affliction shall continue still for the matter of it but there is a vertue of grace to turn this affliction into good it takes away but only the sting and poyson of it As now Suppose poverty A mans estate is lost well is there no way to be contented till your estate be made up again Till your poverty be removed yes certainly christianity would teach contentment though poverty continues yet it will teach you how to turn your poverty to spirtual riches that you shall be pore still for your outward estate but this shall be altered whereas before it was once a naturall evill to you it comes now to be turned to a spirituall benefit to you And so you come to be content it is a speech of Ambrose Even poverty its selfe it is riches unto holy men godly men do make their poverty turn to be riches they get more riches out of thir poverty then ever they get out of their revenues out of all their trading in this world they never had such incomes as they have had out of their poverty this a carnall heart will thinke strange that a man shall make pouerty to be the most gainfull trade that ever he had in the world I am perswaded that many christians have found it so that they have got more good by their poverty then ever they got by all their riches you find it in scripture therefore thinke not this starnge that I am speaking of you doe not find any one Godly man that came out of an affliction worse then when he came into it though for a while he was shaken yet at last he was better for an affliction but a great many Godly men you find have been worse for their prosperity scarce one Godly man that you read in scripture of but was worse for prosperity except Daniell and Nehemiah I doe not read of any hurt they got by their prosperity that they had scarce I thinke is any one example of any Godly man but was rather worse for his prosperitie then better so that you see it 's no such strange thing neither to one that is gracious that they shall get good by their affliction Luther hath such an expression in his comment upon the 5 Chap. of the Galatians in the 17 verse in his comment upon that place saith he A christian becometh a mighty worker and a wonderfull creator that is saith he to create out of heavinesse joy out of terrour comfort out of sin righteousnesse and out of death life and brings light out of darkenesse It was Gods prerogative and great power his creating power to comand the light to shine out of darkenesse now a Chriâ—â—ian is partaker of the divine nature so the scripture saith grace it is part of the divine nature and being part of the divine nature it hath an impression of Gods Omnipotent power that is to create light out of darkensse to bring good out of evill now by this way a Christian comes to be content God hath given a Christian such avertue as can turn affliction into mercyes can turn darkenesse into light if a man had the power that Christ had when the water pots were fill'd he could by a word turn the water into wine if you that have nothing but water to drinke yet if you had a power to turn it into wine then you may be contented Certainly a Christian hath received this power from God to worke thus miraculously It is the nature of grace to turn water into wine that is to turn the water of your affliction into the wine of heavenly consolation If you understand this in a carnall way I know it will be rediculous for a
Minister to speake thus before you and many carnal people are ready to make such expressions as these to be rediculous understanding them in a carnall way Just as Nicodemus in the third of John what can a man be borne when he is old can he enter the second time into his mothers womb and be borne so when we speake of grace that it can turn water into wine and turn poverty into riches and make poverty a gainefull trade saith a carnall heart let them have that trade if they will and let them have water to drinke and see if they can turn it into wine Oh take heed thou speakest not in a scornefull way of the wayes of God grace hath the power to turn afflictions into mercyes Two men shall have one affliction and to one man it shall be as gall and wormewood and it shall be wine and honey and delightfullnesse and joy and advantage and riches to another This is the mystery of contentment not so much by removing the evill as by Metamorphosing the evill by changing the evill into good The Fifth thing is this A Christian comes to this Contentment by making up the wants of his condition by the performance of the work of his condition This is the way of Contentment There is such a condition that I am in many wants I want this and the other comfort well how shall I come to be satisfied and content A carnall heart thinks this I must have my wants made up or else it is impossible that I should be content No but saith a gracious heart What is the duty of the condition God hath put me into Indeed my condition is changed I was not long since in a prosperous condition but God hath changed my condition the Lord hath called me no more Naomi but Marah Now what am I to do what can I think now are those duties that God requires of me in the condition that he hath now put me into And let me put forth my strength in the performance of the duties of my present condition Others they spend their thoughts in those things that shall disturbe and disquiet them and so they grow more and more discontented yea but let me spend my thoughts in thinking what my duty is what is the duty of my present condition which I am in O saith a man whose condition is changed and he hath lost his estate Had I but my estate as I had heretofore how would I use it to his glory But God hath made me to see that I did not honour him with my estate as I ought to have done O had I it again I would do better then ever I did but this may be but a temptation therefore you should rather think What doth God require of me in the condition I am now brought into And thou shouldest labour to bring thy heart to quiet and Contentment by setting thy soul on work about the duties of thy present condition And the truth is I know nothing more available for the quieting of a Christian Soul and getting Contentment then this The setting thy heart on work about the duties of the very present condition that now thou art in and take heed of thy thoughts about other conditions as a meer temptation I cannot compare the folly of men and women that think to get Contentment with their musing about other conditions better then to the way of Children perhaps they are gotten upon a hill and they look a good way off and see another hill and they think if they were on the top of that then they were able to touch the clouds with their fingers but when they are on the top of that hill alas then they are as far from the clouds as they were before So it is with many that think If they were in such a Condition then I should have Contentment and perhaps they get into that condition then they are as far from Contentment as before But then they think if they were in another condition they would be contented and then when they have got into that condition they are still as far from contentment as before No no let me consider what is the duty of my present condition and content my heart with this and say Well though I am in a low condition yet I am serving the counsels of God in that condition wherein I am it is the counsell of God that hath brought me into this condition that I am in and I desire to serve the counsell of God in that condition There is a notable Scripture concerning David it is said of him That he served his Generation after David had served his Generation according to the will of God then he slept It is a Speech of Paul concerning him in Act. 13. 36. So it is in your books After he had served his generation according to the will of God But now the word that is translated will it is the councell of God and so it may be translated as well That after David in his generation had served Gods councel then he fell asleep We ordinarily take the words thus That David served his generation that is He did the work of his generation that is to serve a mans generation But it is more plain if you read it thus After David in his generation had served the Counsell of God then David fell asleep O that should be the care of a Christian to serve out Gods Counsels What is the Councell of God The conditiō that I am in God doth put me into it by his own Counsell the Councell of his own will Now I must serve Gods Councell in my generation look what is the Councell of God in my condition I must look to serve that and so I shall have my heart quieted for the present and shall live and dye peaceably and comfortably if I be carefull to serve Gods Councell A Sixt thing in the mystery of contentment is this A gracious heart is conteted by the melting of his will and desires into Gods will and desires by this meanes he gets contentment and this is a mystery to a carnall heart It is not by having his owne desires satisfied as before but by melting his will and desires into Gods will So that he comes to have in one sense his desires satisfied though he hath not the thing that before he did desire yet he comes to be satisfied in this because he makes his will to be all one with Gods will This is a little higher degree then submitting to the will of God You all say you should submit to Gods will but a Christian hath gotten beyond this that is he can make Gods will and his to be the same So it is said of beleevers that they are joyned to the Lord and are one spirit that is look what Gods will is I do not only see reason to submit to it but Gods will is my will When the soul can make over as it were its will to God
world and the most delightfull 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 himself the Kingdom of God is within you If one that is a King should meet with a great deal of trouble when he is abroad yet hee Contents himselfe 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 its selfe that 's Heaven to it saith he he confesses he is not able to expresse himselfe 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 goe 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 lyes intire together they have no body comes within them but they have all within themselves there lyes 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 then 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 Iam. 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 lyes within themselves as a man that hath not a piece of his estate here and a piece there but he hath it all lye together and the heart being patient under afflictions finds it selfe to be in such an estate as this is finds his whole inheritance to be together and all intire within its selfe And now still to shew this by further similitudes it is with him being fild with good things just like as it is with many a man that enjoys abundance of comforts at home at his own house God grants to him a convenient habitation a comfortable yoke fellow and fine walks and gardens and hath all things at home that he could desire now this man cares not much for going abroad other men are fain to go abroad to take the ayr but he hath a sweet ayr at home and they are fain to go abroad to see friends because they have raylings and contendings at home many ill husbands will give this reason if his wife make any moan and complaint of his ill husbandry of their bad husbandry and will make that their excuse to go abroad because they can never be quiet at home Now we account those men most happy that have all at home those that have close houses that are unsavory and smels ill they delight to go into the fresh ayr I but it is not so with many others that have these at home those that have no good chear at home they are fain to go abroad to friends but those that have their Tables furnished they had as live stay at home so a carnall man he hath but little Contentment in his own spirit it 's Austins similitude saith he an ill conscience is like a scoulding wife a man saith he that hath an ill conscience he cares not to look into his own soul but loves to be abroad and look into other things but never looks to himselfe but one that hath a good conscience he delights in looking into his own heart he hath a good conscience within him and so a carnall heart because there 's nothing but filthinesse a filthy stinke in himselfe nothing but vildnesse and basenesse within him upon this it is that he seeks his Contentment else where And as it is with a vessel that 's full of liquor if you strike upon it it will make no great noyse but if it be empty then it makes a great noise so it is with the heart a heart that is full of grace and goodnesse within such a one will bear a great many strokes and never make any noise but an empty heart if that be struck that will make a noise those men and women that are so much complayning and always whyning it is a sign that there 's an emptinesse in their hearts but if their hearts were filled with grace they would not make such an noise as now they do As a man that hath his bones fill'd with marrow and veins fill'd with good blood he complains not of cold as others do so a gracious heart having the spirit of God within him and his
at a point for that Though God doth not make my house to grow I have all my desires Thus you see how a godly heart finds contentment in the Covenant many of you speak of the Covenant of God and of the Covenant of grace but have you found it so effectual to your souls have you suckt this sweetnesse from the Covenant and content to your hearts in your sad conditions It 's a speciall sign of the truth of grace in any soul that when any affliction doth befall him in a kind of natural way he doth presently repair to the Covenant just as a Child as soon as ever is is in danger you shall not need to tell him and say when you are in danger you must go to your father or mother why nature tells him so so it is with a gracious heart as soon as it is in any trouble or affliction there is a new nature that doth cary him to the Covenant presently and there it finds ease and rest and if you find that your hearts do thus work presently to be runing to the Covenant it is an excellent sign of the truth of grace that 's for the general But now for particular promises in the covenant of grace A gracious heart looks upon every promise as coming from the root of the great covenant of grace in Christ Other men look upon some particular promises that God will helpe them in straits and keepe them and the like but they look not upon the conection of such particular promises to the root the Covenant of grace Now Christians doe misse of a great deale of comfort they might have from the particular promises in the gospel if they 'd look upon their conectiō to the root the great Covenant that God hath made with them in Christ Now I remember I spoke a little about that that in outward promises in the times of the law they might rest more upon them then we can in the time of the gospel I gave you the reason why we that live in the times of the gospel canot rest so fully for a litteral performance of outward promises that we meet withall in the old Testament as they might in the time of the law for there was a special covenant that God pleased to call a New Covenant by way of distinction from the other covenant that is made with us in Christ for eternall life and so even the law was given to them in a more peculiar way for an external covenant of outward blessings in the land of Canaan and so God did deale with them in a more external covenant then he doth now with his people Yet godlynesse hath the promise of this life and that which is to come We may make use of the promises for this life but yet not so much to rest upon the litteral performance of them as they might but that God will make them good some way or other in a spiritual way if not in an outward way We must lay no more upon outward promises then this and therefore if we will lay more we make the promise to bear more then it will bear out For to give some instance to beleeve fully and confidently that the Plague shall not come nigh such a house I say it is to lay more upon such a promise then it will bear I opened that promise in Psal 91. now if I had lived in the time of the Law perhaps I might have been somewhat more confident of the litterall performance of the promise then I can now in the time of the gospel the promise now bears no more then this that God hath a special protection over his people and that he will deliver them from the evil of such an affliction and if he doth bring such an affliction it is more then an ordinary providence it is some special providence that God hath in it I had thought to have given you divers promises for the contentment of the heart in the time of affliction Isa 43. 2. When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not over-flow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither 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 begining of the world the Saints of God have an intrest 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 then they did in Joshuas time but we inherit more for you shall find in that place of the Hebrewes there is more said then 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 judgement 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 too much upon the litteral sense True it holds forth thus much that Gods protection is in a speciall maner over souldiers that are godly And every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemne and this is against false witnesse too Oh you that your friends never left you any thing you will say my friends dyed and left not me a groat but I thank God God hath provided for me But though thy father or mother dyed 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
day of Jesus Christ the other things are pretty fine things indeed and I should be glad if God would give them me a fine habitation and comings in and cloaths and promotion for my wife and children these are comfortable things but these are not the necessary things I may have these and yet perish for ever but the other is absolutely necessary no matter though I be poor so be it I may have that that is absolutely necessary thus Christ instructs the Soul There 's many of you have had some thoughts about this that it is indeed necessary for you to provide for your Souls but when you come in to Christ s School there Christ causes the fear of eternity to fall upon you and there he causes such a real sight of the great things ofeternity the absolute necessity of those things that possesses your hearts with fear and that takes you off from all other things in the world Now I should have shown you how that will bring Contentment to the Soul when it comes to be instructed in the thing that is absolutly necessary but thus much for this time SERMON V. PHILIPPIANS 4. 11. For I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content Aug. 24 1645. I Mentioned Three lessons the last time that Christ teaches those Schollers that comes into his School whereby they might come to get Contentment First The lesson of Self-denial Secondly The lesson of the vanity of the Creature Thirdly The right understaÌ„ding of that one thing that is necessary A little to inlarge this one so to proceed to others It is said of Pompie that when he was to cary corne to Rome in time of dearth he was in a great deal of danger by stormes at Sea but saith he we must go on it is necessary that Rome should be releived but it is not necessary that we should live So it would be certainly when the Soul is once taken up with the things that are of absolute necessity it will not be much troubled about other things What are the things that do disquiet us here but some by matters in this world And it is because our hearts are not taken up with that one absolute necessary thing who are the men that are most discontented but idle persons persons that have nothing to take up their minds every little thing disquiets and discontents them but now a man that hath businesse of great weight and consequence if all things goes well with his great businesse that is in his head he is not sensible of meaner things in the family but now a man that lies at home and hath nothing to do he finds fault with every thing so it is with the heart when the heart of a man hath nothing to doe but to be busie about creature comforts every little thing troubles him but now when the heart is taken up with the weighty things of eternity with the great things of eternall life the heart being taken up with them these things that are here below that did disquiet it before are things now of no consideration with him in comparison to the other so as how things fall out here is not much regarded with him if the one thing that is necessary be provided for The Fourth lesson that the Soul is instructed in to come to this knowledge in the art of Contentment is this The Soul comes to understand in what relation it stands in here to the world By that I mean thus God comes to instruct the Soul effectually through Christ by his Spirit upon what tearms it lives here in the world in what relation it is that it doth stand as thus While I live in the world my condition is to be but a pilgrim a stranger a traveller and a souldiar now the right understanding of this being taught this not only by â—oâ—e that I can speak the words over but when I come indeed to have my Soul possest with the consideration of this truth that God hath set me in this world not as in my home but as a meer stranger and a pilgrim that I am travelling here to another home and that I am here a souldiar in my warfare it is a mighty help to Contentment in whatsoever befalls one as now to instance in all these conditions when a man is at home if he hath not things according to his desire he will be finding fault and is not contented but if a man travels abroad perhaps he meeâ—s not with conveniencies as he desires the servants in the house are not at his beck or are not so diligent as his own servants were and his dyet is not as at home and his bed not as at home yet this very thought may moderate a mans spirit I am a traveller and I must not be finding fault I am but in another mans house and it were not manners for one to find fault when he is abroad in another bodies family though things be not so as in my own family If a man meets with ill weather he must be content it is travellers fare we use to say both fair weather and foul weather this is the common travellers fare and we must be content with it but if a man were at home and it should drop down in his house he would account it an ill thing an affliction to him and he cannot bear it but when he is travelling abroad though he meet with rain and storms he is not so much troubled When you are abroad at Sea though you have not those many things that you have at home you are not troubled at it you are contented Why You are abroad at Sea you are not troubled at storms that do arise and though you have many things otherwise then you would have them at home but still you are quieted with that you are at Sea Marriners when they are at Sea they care not what cloaths they have then though they be picht and tar'd and but a clout about their necks and any mean cloaths but they think when they come home then they shall have their fine silke stockings brave sutes lac'd bands and such things and shall be very fine and so they are contented abroad upon that thought that it shall be otherwise with them when they come home and though they have nothing but sault meat and a little hard fare yet when they come to their houses then they shall have any thing Thus it should be with us in this world the truth is we are all in this world but as Seafaring men tost up and down on the waves of the Sea of this world and our haven is Heaven and we are here travelling but our home it is another world that long home Indeed some men have better accomodations then others have in travelling it 's true it 's a great mercy of God to us in England in that we can travell with such delight and accomodations more then they can in
to know our hearts well that when they are out of tune we may know what the matter is 2 This knowledge of our hearts will help us to Contentment because by this we shall come to know what is most sutable to our condition As thus a man that knows not his own heart he thinks not what need he hath of affliction and upon that he is disquieted but that man or woman that hath studied their own hearts when God comes with afflictions upon them they can say I would not for any thing in the world have been without this affliction God hath so suted this affliction to my condition and hath come in such a way that if this affliction had not come I am affraid I should have fallen into sinne a poor country man that takes phisick the phisick works he thinks it will kill him because he knows not the ill humours that are in his body and therefore he understands not how sutable the physick is to him but a Physician takes a purge and it makts him extreamly sick saith the Physician I like this the better it doth but work upon the humour that I know is the matter of my disease and upon that such a man that hath knowledge and understanding in his body and the cause of his distemper he is not troubled or disquieted So would we be if we did but know the distempers of our own hearts carnall men and women they know not their own spirits and therefore they fling and vex upon every affliction that doth befall them they know not what distempers are in their hearts that may be healed by their afflictions if it please God to give them a sanctified use of them 3. By knowing their own hearts they know what they are able to manage and by this means they come to be Content the Lord perhaps takes away many comforts from them that they had before or denies them some things that they hoped to have got now they by knowing their hearts know this that they were not able to manage such an estate and they were not able to manage such prosperity God saw it and saith a poor soul Iam in some measure convinced by looking into mine own heart that I was not able to manage such a condition A man desires greedily to gripe more perhaps then he is able to manage and so undoes himselfe as countrey men doe observe that if they doe over-stock their Land it will quickly spoyl them and so a wise Husband-man that knows how much his ground will bear he is not troubled that he hath not so much stock as others why because he knows he hath not ground enough for so great a stock and that quiets him so many men and women that know not their own hearts they would fain have a prosperous estate as others have but if they knew their own hearts they would know that they were not able to manage it if one of your little children of three or four years old should be crying for the coat of her that is twelve or twenty years old and say why may not I have a coat as long as my sisters If she had it would soon trip up her heels and break her face but when the Child comes to understanding she is not discontented because her coat is not so long as her sisters but saith my coat is fit for me and therein takes Content so if we come to understanding in the School of Christ we will not cry why have not I such an estate as others have the Lord seeth that I am not able to manage it and I see it my self by the knowing of mine own heart You shall have children if they see but a knife they will cry for it because they know not their strength and that they are not able to mannage it but you know they are not able to mannage it and therefore you will not give it them and when they come to so much understanding as to know that they are not able to mannage it they will not cry for it so we would not cry for such and such things if we knew that we were not able to mannage them when you vex and fret for what you have not I may say to you as Christ saith you know not of what spirits you are of It was a speech of Oecolampadius to Parillus saith he when they were speaking about his extream poverty Not so poor though I have been very poor yet I would be poorer I could be willing to be poorer then I am for the truth is as if he should say the Lord knew that that was more sutable to me and I knew that my own heart was such that a poor condition was more sutable to me then a rich so certainly would we say if we knew our own hearts that such and such a condition is better for me then if it had been otherwise The Seventh lesson Is the burden of a prosperous estate Such a one that comes into Christs School to be instructed in this Art never comes to attain to any great skill in this Art until he comes to understand the burden that is in a prosperous estate Object You will say what burden is there in a prosperous estate Answ Yes certainly a great burden and there needs a great strength to bear it as men had need of strong brains that can bear strong wine so they had need of stronge spirits that are able to bear prosperous conditions and not to do themselves hurt there 's a fourfould burden in a prosperous estate Many men and women look at the shine and glittering of prosperity but they little think of the burden but there 's a fourfould burden 1. There 's A burden of trouble a rose hath it's prickles and so the Scripture saith that he that will be rich pierceth himself through with many sorrows 1 Tim. 6. 10. If a mans heart be set upon it that he must be rich and he will be rich such a man will pierce himself through with many sorrows he looks upon the delight and glory of riches that appears outwardly but he considers not what pierceing sorrows he may meet withall in them The consideration of the trouble in a prosperous condition I have divers times thought of and I cannot tell by what similitude to expresse it better then by travelling in some champian country where round about is very fair and sandy ground and you see there a town a great way of in a bottom and you think Oh how bravely is that town seated but when you come and ride into the town you shall ride through a durty lane and through a company of fearful durty holes and you could not see the durty lane and holes when you were two or three mile off so sometimes we look upon the prosperity of men and think such a man lives bravly and comfortably but if we did but know what troubles he meets withall in his family in his estate
more danger So you think there are such men in a parish that bear the sway and that are imployed inpublike service and they carry all before them but you consider not their danger And so the Ministers they stand in the fore-front of all the spight and mallice of ungodly men indeed God imployes them in honourable service and that service that the Angels would take delight in but though the service be honourable above the imployment of other works yet the burden of danger that likewise is greater then the danger of men that are in an inferiour condition Now when the Soul comes to get wisdom from Christ to think of the danger that it is in then it will be content with that low estate in which it is A poor man that is in a low condition thinks I am low and others are raised but I know not what their burden is and so if he be rightly instructed in the School of Christ he comes to be contented 3 In a prosperous estate there is the burden of duty you look only at the sweet and comfort that they have and the honour and respect that they have that are in a prosperous condition but you must consider of the duty that they owe to God God requires more duty at their hands then at yours you are ready to be discontent that you have not such parts and abilities as such have but God requires more duty of them that have more parts God requires more duty of them that have greater estates then of you that have not such estates Oh you would fain have the honour but can you carry the burden of the duty 4. The last is the burden of account in a prosperous estate There is a great account that they are to give to God that injoy great estates and a prosperous condition Now we are all stewards and one is a steward to a meaner man perhaps but to an ordinary knight another is a steward to a noble man an Earle now the steward of the meaner man he hath not so much as the other hath under his hand now shall he be discontented because there comes not so much under his hand as under the others No thinks he I have lesse and I am to give the lesse account So your account in comparison of the Ministers and Magistrats will be nothing you are to give an account of your owne souls and so are they you are to give an account for your owne family and so are they but you are not to giue account for congregations and for townes and cityes and countryes You thinke of Princes and Kings Oh what a glorious condition they are in But what do you thinke of a King to give account for the disorder and wickednesse in a kingdome that he possibly might have prevented What abundance of glory might a Prince bring to God if so be that he bent his soul and al his thoughts to lift up the name of God in a kingdome now what God looses for want of this that King Prince or Governour he must give an account for It 's a speech of Chrysostome in that place of the Hebrews where it 's said that men must give an account for their souls he wonders that any man in publique place can be saved because their account is so great that they are to give and I remember I have read a speech of Philip that was King of Spaine though the story saith of him that he had such a natural conscience that he profest he would not do any thing against his conscience no not in secret for the gayning of a world yet when this man was to die Oh saith he that I had never bin a King Oh that I had liv'd a sollitary and privat life all my daies then should I have dyed a great deale more securely I should with more confâ—dence have gon before the throne of God to give my account but here 's the fruit of my kinodom that I had all the glory of it it hath made my account to be harder to give to God and thus he cryes out when he was to die And therefore you that live in private conditions remember this if you come into Christs school and be taught this lesson you will be quiet in your afflictions or privat estate in regarde your account is not so great as others It 's a speech I remember I have met withall in Laâ—iâ—eâ—s Sermons that he was wont to use the halfe is more then the whole that is when a man is in a mean condition he is but halfe way towards the height of prosperity that others are in yet saith he this is more safe though it be a meaner condition then others Those that are in a high and prosperous condition there is anexed to it the burden of trouble and of danger and of duty and of account And thus you see how Christ traines up his schollers in his school and though they be weake otherwise yet by his Spirit he gives them wisdome to understand these things aright The Eight lesson is this Christ teaches them what a great and dreadfull evill it is to be given up to ones hearts desires the understanding this lesson that it is a most dreadfull evill one of the most hideous and fearfull evills that can befall any man upon the face of the earth for God to give him up to his hearts desâ—res when the soul understands this once and together with it for it goes along together that spirituall judgments are more fearfull then any outward judgments in the world the understanding of this will teach any one to be content in Gods crossing of them in their desires Thou art crost in thy desires now thou art discontented and vext and fretted at it is that thy onely misery that thou art crost in thy desires no no thou art infinitly mistaken the greatest misery of all is for God to give thee up to thy hearts Iusts and desires to give thee up to thine owne counsells so you have it in Psal 81. 11 12. but my people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me what then So I gave them up unto their owne hearts lusts and they walked in their owne counsels Oh saith Bernard let me not have such a miserie as that is for to give me what I would have to give me my hearts desires it is one of the most hideous judgments in the world for a man to be given up to his hearts desires We have not indeed in Scripture any certaine evident sign of a reprobate we cannot say except we knew a man had comitted the sin against the Holy-Ghost that he is a reprobate for we know not what God may work upon him but the neerest of all and the blackest sign of a reprobate is this for God to give up a man to his hearts desâ—res all the pain of diseases all the calamities that can be thought of in the world are no judgements in comparison
distempered but he continues in the free exercise of the use of his reason and understanding every one may understand that this man hath a very strong braine that such things shall not distemper him whereas other people that have a weak braine if they do not disgest but one meals meat the fumes that do arise from their stomaks doth distemper their brain makes them unfit for every thing whereas you shall have others that have strong heads and strong brains though their stomacks be ill that they do not disgest meat yet still they have the free use of their brain this argues strength So it is in a mans spirit you shall have many that have weak spirits and if they have any ill fumes if accidents do befall them you shall presently have them out of temper but you shall have other men that though things do fume up yet still they keep in a steady way and have the use of reason and of their graces and possess their Souls with patience As I remember it 's reported of the Eagle it 's not like other fouls other fouls when they are hungrie make an noise but the Eagle is never heard to make an noise though it wants food and it is from the magnitude of his spirit that it will not make such complaints as other fowls will do when they want food it is because it is above hunger and above thirst So it is an argument of a gracious magnitude of spirit that whatsoever befals it yet it is not allwaies whining and complaining so as others are but goes on still in it's way and course and blesses God and keeps in a constant tenour whatsoever thing befals it such things as causes others to be dejected and fretted and vexed and takes away all the comfort of their lives it makes no alteration at all in the spirits of these men and women I say this is a sign of a great deal of strength of Grace 3. It 's also an argument of a great deale of beauty of Grace It 's a speech that Seneca a Heathen once had saith hee when you go abroad into groves and woods and there you see the talnesse of the trees and their shadows it strikes a kind of awful fear of a deitie in you and when you see the vast rivers and fountains and deep waters that strikes a kind of fear of a God in you but saith hee do you see a man that is quiet in tempests and that lives happily in the midest of adversities why do not you worship that man the doth thinke him a man even to be so honoured that shal be quiet live a happy life though in the middest of adversities The glory of God appears here more then in any of his works there is no works that God hath made the Sun moon and starrs all the world wherin so much of the glory of God doth appear as in a man that lives quietly in the middest of adversity That was that that convinc'd the King when he saw the three Children could walk in the midest of the firey furnace not be toucht the King was mightily convinc'd by this that surely their God was the great God indeed that they were highly beloved of their God that could walk in the mid'st of the furnace not be toucht whereas the others that came but to the mouth of the furnace were devoured so when a Christian can walk in the mid'st of firey trials and not his garments findged but have comfort and joy in the midist of al as Paul in the stocks can sing that wrought upon the jaylour so it will convince men when they see the power of grace in the middest of afflictions such afflictions as would make others to rore under them yet they can behave themselves in a gracious and holy manner Oh it 's the glory of a Christian It is that that is said to be the glory of Christ for so by Interpreters it is thought to be meant of Christ In Micah 5 5. And this man the text faith shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into our land and when he shall tread in our pallaces This man shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into our land for one to be in peace when there is no enemies it 's no great matter but saith the text when the Assyrian shal come into our land then this man shall be the peace that is when all shal be in an hubbub and uprore yet then this man shal be peace That 's the tryall of grace when you find Jesus Christ in your hearts to be peace when the Assyrian shall come into the land You may think you find peace in Christ when you have no outward troubles but is Christ your peace when the Assyrian comes into the land when the enemy comes Suppose you should hear the enemy come marching to the City â—â— had taken the workes and were plundering what would be your peace Jesus Christ would be peace to the soul when the enemie come into the City and into your houses If there be any of you that hath bin where the enemie hath come what hath bin the peace of your soules That that 's said of Christ may be applyed to this grace of Contentment when the Assyrian the plunderers the enemies when any affliction trouble distresse doth befall such a heart then this grace of Contentment brings peace to the soul at that time brings peace to the soul when the Assyrian comes into the land The grace of Contentment it 's an excellent grace there 's much beautie much strength in it there is a great deal of worth in this grace and therefore be in love with it The Third thing in the excellency of Contentment is this By Contentment the soul is fitted to receive mercy and to do service I le put those two together Contentment makes the â—oul fit to receive mercy and to do service no man or woman in the world is so fit for to receive the Grace of God and to do the work of God as those that have contented spirits 1 Thâ—se are fitted to receive mercy from the Lord that are contented As now if you would have aâ— vessell to take in any liquor you must hold the vessel stil if the vessel stir and shake up and down you cannot powre in any thing but you will bid hold still that you may powre it in and not loose any so if we would be the vessels to receive Gods mercy and would have the Lord powre in his mercy to us we must have quiet still hearts we must not have hearts hurrying up and down in trouble discontent and vexing but we must have still and quiet hearts if we would receive mercy from the Lord If a child throws and flings up and down for a thing you will not give in him then when he cries so but first you will have the child quiet though perhaps you do intend the child shall
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 wiling to be at thy dispose SERMON VII PHILIPPIANS 4. 11. For I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content WEE 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 read in Teut. of the blessing of Judah the principle Tribe this is the blessing of Judah And he said â—â—â—â— Lord the voice of Judah and bring him unto his people let hiâ— hands 〈…〉 〈…〉 for him and hâ— thou an help to him from his 〈…〉 bâ—â— 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 owne 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 enjoy we may have the thing and yet not injoy it except God comes in with his blessing now whatsoever thou hast thou do'st injoy it Many men have estates and do nor injoy 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 〈…〉 spirit There is 〈…〉 and such a mercy that thou thinkest would be verie comfortable â—nto thee if thou had'st it but câ—nst 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 selfe in re thou shalt have it made up one way or other thou shalt have a bill of exchange to receive somewhat in liâ—â— of it there is no comfort that any soul is content to be without but the Lord will give either the comfort on somewhat in stead of iâ— Thou shalt have a reward to thy soul for what ever good thing thou arâ— content to be without You know what the Scripture saith of active obedience and the Lord doth accept oâ— his 〈…〉 their 〈…〉 for the deed though we do not doe a good thing yet iâ— our hearts be 〈…〉 to will to dâ—â— it we shall have the blessing though we do not doe the thing You that complain of weaknesse you cannot do as others do you cannot do as much service as otherâ— doâ— if your hearte be upright with God and 〈…〉 〈…〉 doâ— the same service that you sâ—â— others doe you would account it a great blessing of God upon you the greatesâ— blessing in the world if you were able to doe as others dâ—â— now you may comfort your selves with this haâ—iâ—g to deale with God in the way of the 〈…〉 of Grace you shall have 〈…〉 God 〈…〉 of â—ll 〈…〉 dâ—â— â—â— a â—â—cked 〈…〉 shall have the punishment for all the sin he would commit so thou shalt have the reward for all the good thou wouldest doe 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 doe 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 eternity to me Oh what riches are here with Contentment thou hast all kind of riches Tenthly and lastly by contentation the soule comes to an exâ—… is neare to God himselfe yâ—â— the nearest that may be for this word that is translated Content it is a word that signifies â— Selfe-sufficienâ—iâ— as I toâ—ld you in the opening of the words A contented man is a selfe-sufficient man what is the great glory of God but to be happy and self-sufficient in himself indeed he is said to be â—ll sufficient but that'â— but a further addition of the word all rather then of any matter for to be sufficient iâ— All-sufficient now is this the glory of God to be Sufficient to have sufficienciâ— in himselfe El-shaddai to be God having sufficiencie in himself now thou comest neere to this thou partakest of the Divine nature as by grace in generall so in a more 〈…〉 manner by this grace of Christian-Contentment what 's the excellencie and glory of God but this Suppose there were no 〈…〉 in the world and that all the creatures in the world were an â—hilated God would remaine the same blessed God that he is now he would not be in a worse condition if all creatures were gone neither would a contented heart if God should take away all creatures from him a contented heart hath enough in the waâ—â— of all creatures â—â— would not be more miserable then now he is Suppose that God should continue thee here ' and all creatures that are here in this world were takâ—â— away yet thou still having God to be thy portion wouldest be as happy as now thou art and therefore contentation hath a great deal of excellency in it Thus we have shewed in many particulars the excellency of this grace labouring to present the beauty of it before your souls that you may be in love with it Now â—y brethren what remains but the practice of this for this Art of Contentment it's noâ— a Speculative thing only for contemplation but it is an art of divinity and therfore practicall ye are now to labour to work upon your hearts that there may be this grace in you that you may honour God and honour your profession with this grace of Contentment for there is none doth more honour God and honour their profession then those that have this grace of Contentment Now that we may fall upon the practice there is required First That we should be humbled in our hearts for the want of this that we have had so little of this grace in us for there is no
way to set upon any duty with profit till the heart be humbled for the want of the performance of the duty before many men when they hear of a duty that they should perform they will labour to perform it but first thou must be humbled for the want of it therefore that 's the thing that I shall endeavour in the Application to get your hearts to be humbled for the want of this grace Oh had I had this grace of Contentment what a happy life I might have lived what abundance of honour I might have brought to the name of God â—i and how might I have honoured my profession and what a deale of comfort might I have enjoyed but the Lord know it hath been â—â—â— otherwise oh how â—ar have I been from this grace of Contentment that hath been opened to me I have had a murmuring a veâ—ing and a fretting heart within me everie little crosse hath put me out oâ— temper and out of frame Oh the boisterousnesse of my spirit what a deal of evill doth God see in my heart in the vexing and fretting of my heart and murmuring and â—â—pining of my spirit Oh that God would make you to see it Now to the end that you might be humbled for the want of this I shall endeavour in these particulars to speak unto it First I shall set before you The evill of a murmuring spirit there is more evill then you are aware of In the Second place I will shew you some agravations of this evil It s evill in all but in some more then in others Thirdly I shall labour to take away the pleas that any murmuring discontented heart hath for this disâ—â—mper of his There 's these three things in this use of humiliation of the Soul for the want of this grace of Contentmetâ— For the first now at this time The great evill that there is in a murmuring discontented heart In the first place This thy murmuring and discontentednesâ—â— it argues much corruption that is in the Soul as Contentment argues much grace and strong grace and beautifull grace so this argues much corruption and strong corruption and very vile corruptions in thy heart As it is in a mans body iâ— a mans body be of that temper that every scratch of a pin makeâ— his flesh to ranckle and to be a sore you will say surely this mans body is very corrupt his blood his flesh is corrupt that every scratch of a pin shall make it rankle so it is in thy spirit iâ— every little trouble affliction shall make thee discontentâ—â— and make thee murmur and even cause thy spirit within thee â—o ranckle or as it is in a wound in a mans body the evill of a wound it is not so much in the largenesse of â—he wound the abundance of blood that comes out of the wound but in the inflamation that there is in it or in a fretting and coâ—â—oding humour that is in the wound aâ— unskilful mâ—n when he comes sees a large wound in the flesh looks upon it as a dangerous wound and when he sees a great deal of blood gâ—sh out he thinks these are the evils of it but when a Chirâ—rgion comes and sees a great gash saith he this will be heald within a few-daies but there 's a lesse wound and there 's an inflamation or a freting humour that is in it and this will cost time saith he to cure so that he doth not lay balsome and healing salves upon it but his great care is to get out the freting humour or inflamation so that the thing that must heale this wound it is some drink to purge But saith the patient what good will this doe to my wound You give me somewhat to drinke and my wound is in my arme or in my leg what good will this doe that I put in my stomack Yes iâ— purges out the freting humour or takes away the inflamation and till that be taken away the salves can do no good So it is just for all the world in the souls of mâ—n it may be there is some affliction upon them that I compare to the wound now they think that the greatnesse of the affliction is that that makes their condition most miserable Oh no there is a freting humour an inflamation in the heart a murmuring spirit that is within thee and that is the miserie of thy condition and that must be purged out of thee before thou canst be heald and let God doe with thee what â—e will till he purges out that freting humour thy wound will not be healed a murmuring heart is a very sinful heart so that when thou art troubled for such an affliction thou hadst need turne thy thoughts rather to be troubled for the murmuring of thy heart for that 's the greatest trouble there is an affliction upon thee and that is greivous but there is a murmuring heart within that 's more greivous Oh that we could but convince men women that a murmuring spirit is a greater evill then any affliction let the affliction be what iâ— will be We shall shew more afterward that a murmuring spirit is the evill of the evill and the misery of the misery Secondly The evill of murmuring is sâ—câ— that God when he would speak of wicked men and discribe them and shew the brand of a wicked and ungodly man or woman he instances in this sin in a more spâ—câ—all manner I might name many Scriptures but that Scripture in Jude is a most remarkable one In the 14 verse and so forward there iâ— is said That the Lord comes with ten thousands of hiâ— Saints to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly commitâ—ed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Mark here in this 15. vers there is four times mentioned ungodly ones all that are ungodly among them all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly commited and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him This is in the general but now he comes in the particular to shew who these are these are saith he murmurers that 's the very first would you know who are ungodly men that God when he comes with ten thousand of Angels shall come to punish for all their ungodly deeds that they doe and those that speake ungodly things against them These ungodly ones are murmurers murmurers in the Scripture are put in the fore front of ungodly ones it 's a most dreadfull Scripure that the Lord when he speaks of ungodly ones puts murmurers in the very fore-front of all you had need look to your spirits you may see that this murmuring which is the vice contrarie to this Contentment is not so small a matter as you think you think you are not so ungodly as others because you doe not sweare and drink as others doe but you
and this is the work of God in the Soul to disingage the heart from the Creature and how contrary is a murmuring heart to such a thing a thing that is glued to another you cannot take off but you must rend it so it 's a sign thy heart is glued to the world that when God would take thee off thy heart rends if God by an affliction should come to take any thing in the world from thee if thou canst part from it with ease without rending it 's a sign then that thy heart is not glewed to the world 4. A fourth work of God in the converting of a sinner is this the casting of the soul upon Jesus Christ for all its good I see Jesus Christ in the Gospel the Fountain of all good and God out of free Grace tendering him to me for life and for salvation and now my soul casts its selfe rouls its selfe upon the infinit Grace of God in Christ for all good now hast thou done so hath God converted thee and drawn thee to his Son to cast thy soul upon him for all thy good and yet thou discontented for the want of some little matter in a creature comfort art thou he that hath cast thy Soul upon Jesus Christ for all good as he saith in another case is this thy faith 5. The Soul is subdued to God And then it comes to receive Jesus Christ as a King to rule to order and dispose of him how he pleases and so the heart is subdued unto God Now how opposite is a murmuring discontented heart to a heart subdued to Jesus Christ as a King and receiving him as a Lord to rule and dispose of him as he pleases 6. There is in the work of thy turning to God the giving up of thy selfe to God in an everlasting Covenant as thou takest Christ the head of the Covenant to be thine so thou givest up thy selfe to Christ In the work of Conversion there is the resignation of the Soul wholly to God in an everlasting Covenant to be his hast thou ever surrendred up thy selfe to God in an overlasting Covenant then certainly this thy fretting murmuring heart is mighty opposite to it certainly thou forgettest this Covenant of thine and the Resignation of thy selfe up to God it would be of marvellous helpe to you to humble your Souls when you are in a murmuring condition if you could but obtain so much liberty of your own spirits as to look back to see what the work of God was in converting you there is nothing would prevaile more then to think of that I am now in a murmuring discontented way but how did I feel my soul working when God did turn my Soul to himselfe oh how opposite is this to that work and how unseeming oh what shame and confusion would come upon the spirits of men and women if they could but compare the work of corruption in their murmuring and discontent with the work of God that was upon their Souls in conversion now we should labour to keep the work of God upon our Souls that was at our Conversion for Conversion must not be only at one instant at first men are deceived in this if they think their Conversion is finished meerly at first thou must be in a way of conversion to God all the dayes of thy life and therefore Christ saith to his Disciples except ye be converted and become as little children Ye be Converted why were they not converved before yes they were converted but they were still to continue the work of Conversion all the dayes of their lives and what work of God there is at the first Conversion it is to abide afterwards As thus alwayes there must abide some sight and sense of sin it may be not in the way which you had which was rather a preparation then any thing else but the sight and sence of sin it is to continue still that is you are still to be senceable of the burden of sin as it is against the Holinesse and Goodnesse and mercy of God unto thee and the sight of the excellency of Jesus Christ is to continue and thy calling out of the Creature and thy casting of thy Soul upon Christ and thy receiving Christ as a King still receive him day by day and the subduing of thy heart and the surrendring of thy selfe up to God in a way of Covenant now if this were but daily continued there would be no space nor time for murmuring to work upon thy heart that 's the fourth Particular The fift thing in the evill 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 thousandest With what relation you will say First the relation thou standest in to God doest not thou call God thy father and doest not thou stand in relation to him as a childe what thou murmure In 2 Sam. 13. 4. It s a speech of Jonadab to Amnâ—n Why art thou being the Kings Son â—ean from day to day wilt thou not tell me and so he could 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 Kings Son So I may say to a Christian art thou the Kings 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 Kings Son should cry out he is undone for loosing a bable what an unworthy thing were this So doest thou thou criest out as if thou wert undone 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 then ten sons So doth not Christ thy husband say to thee Am not I better to thee then 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 murmure 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 conveigh 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 murmure 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 of 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 mysticall 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 Doe but consider the high dignytie 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 roâ—ing there to all eternity yet that God should raise thee to have a higher excellency in thee then 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 nearer the Divine nature then the Angels because thy nature is joyned in an hypostaticall union to the Divine nature and in that respect thy nature is more honoured then the nature of the Angels And the death of Christ is thine he dyed for thee and not for the Angels and therefore thou art like to be raised above the Angels in divers respects yea thou that art in such an estate as this is thou that art set apart to the end that God might manifest to all eternity what the infinite power of a Deity is able to raise a creature too for that 's the condition of a Saint a beleever his condition is such as he is set apart to the end that God might manifest to all eternity what his infinite power is able to do to make the creature happy art thou in such a condition Oh how low and beneath this condition is a murmuring and discontented heart for want of some outward comforts here in this world How unseemly is it that thou shouldest be a slave to every cross that every affliction shal be able to say to thy soul bow down to us We accounted that a great slavery when men would say to our souls bow down As the cruel Prelats were wont do do in imposing things upon mens consciences they did in effect say let your consciences your souls bow down to us that we may tread upon them that is the greatest slavery in the world that one man should say to another let your consciences your souls bow down that we may tread upon them but wilt thou suffer every affliction to say bow down that we may tread upon thee truly it 's so when thy heart is overcome with murmuring and discontent Know that those afflictions which have caused thee to murmur have said to thee bow down that we may tread upon thee Nay not afflictions but the very Devill doth prevail against you in this Oh! how beneath is this to the happy estate that God hath raised a Christian unto what The Son of a King shal he have every base fellow to come and bid him bow down that he may tread upon his neck Thus doest thou in every affliction The affliction the crosse and trouble that doth befall thee saith bow down that we may come and tread upon thee Thirdly Murmuring it's below the Spirit of a Christian Below his Spirit the Spirit of every Christian should be like the Spirit of his Father every father loves to see his spirit in his child loves to see his image not his image of his body onely to say here 's a child for all the
world like the father but he hath the Spirit of his father too A father that is a man of Spirit loves to see his Spirit in his child rather then the feature of his body Oh the Lord that is our Father loves to see his Spirit in us Great men loves to see great Spirits in their children and the great God loves to see a great Spirit in his Children we are one Spirit with God and with Christ and one Spirit with the Holy-Ghost therefore we should have a Spirit that might manifest the glory of the Father Son Holy-Ghost in our Spirits that 's the Spirit of a Christian indeed The Spirit of a Christian should be a lyon like Spirit as Jesus Christ is the Lyon of the tribe of Judah so he is calld so we should manifest somewhat of the Lyon-like Spirit of Jesus Christ he manifested his Lyon-like Spirit in passing through all afflictions and troubles whatsoever without any murmuring against God When he came to drink that bitter cup and even the dregs of it he prayed indeed to God that if it were possible it might passe from him but presently not my will but thy will be done As soone as ever he did mention the passing of the cup from him though it were the most dreadfull cup that ever was drunke since the world began yet at the mentioning of it not my will but thy will be done here Christ shewed a Lyon-like Spirit in going through al kind of afflictions whatsoever without any murmuring against God in them now a murmuring Spirit is a base dejected Spirit crosse and contrary to the Spirit of a Christian and it 's very base I remember that the Heathens accouned it very base Plutarch doth report of a certaine people that did use to manifest their disdaine to men that were overmuch dejected by any affliction they did condemne them to this punishment to wear womens cloaths all their dayes or such a space of time at least they should go in womans cloths in token of shame and disgrace to them because they have such effeminate spirits they thought it against a manlike Spirit and therefore seeing they did un-man themselves they should go as women now shall they account it an unmanlike Spirit to be overmuch dejected in afflictions and shall not a Christian account it an unchristian like Spirit to be overmuch dejected by any affliction whatsoever I remember another compares murmuring Spirits to children when they are weaning what a deal of stir have you with your children when you wean them how froward and vexing are they So when God would wean thee from some outward comforts in this world Oh how fretting and discontented art thou Children will not sleep themselves nor let their mothers sleep when they are weaning and so when God would wean us from the world and we fret vex and murmure this is a childish spirit Fourthly It 's below the profession of a Christian The profession of a Christian what 's that A Christians profession is to be dead to the world and and to be alive to God that 's his profession to have his life to be hid with Christ in God to satisfie himselfe in God what is this thy profession and yet if thou hast not every thing that thou wouldest have to murmure and be discontent thou doest in that even deny thy profession Fiftly It is below that special Grace of faith faith is that that doth overcome the world it is that that makes all the promises of God to be ours now when thou tookest upon thee the profession of Religion did God ever promise thee that thou shouldest live at ease and quiet and have no trouble I remember Austine hath such an expression what is this thy faith what did I ever promise thee saith he that thou shouldest ever flourish in the world art thou a Christian to that end and is this thy faith I never made any such promise to thee when thou tookest upon thee to be a Christian Oh it 's mighty contrary to thy profession thou hast never a promise for this that thou shouldest not have such an affliction upon thee And a Christian should live by his faith it is said that the just doth live by faith now thou shouldest not look after any other life but the life that thou hast by faith now thou hast no ground for thy faith to beleeve that thou shouldest be delivered out of such an affliction and then why shouldest thou account it such a great evill to be under such an affliction Certainly that good that we have in the ground for our faith it is enough to content our hearts here and to all eternity A Christian should be satisfied with that that God hath made to be the object of his faith the object of his faith is high enough to satisfie his soul were it capeable of a thousand times more then it is Now if thou mayest have the object of thy faith full thou hast enough to content thy soul And know that when thou art discontented for want of such and such comforts if thou wouldest but think thus God did never promise me that I should have these comforts and at this time and in such a way as I would have but I am discontented because I have not these which God did never yet promise me and therefore I sin much against the Gospel and against the grace of faith There is yet another thing It 's below the hopes of Christians Oh! the most glorious things that the Saints hope for And against the helps that Christians have Christians have great helps that may help them against murmuring And it is against that which God expects from Christians God he expects other manner of things from them then this Yea and it is below that that God hath from other Christians These things I shall open at another time SERMON VIII PHILIPPIANS 4. 11. For I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content I Mentioned divers things the last day to set out Sept. 21. 1645. the evill of discontent I shall name two or three more Sixthly It is below a Christian in this because it 's below those helps that a Christian hath more then others have they have the promises to help them that others have not it 's not so much to have a Nabal have his heart sinke because he hath nothing but the creature to uphold him but it 's much for a Christian that hath promises and ordinances to uphold his spirit which others have not Seventhly It 's below the expectation that God hath of Christianâ— for God expects not only that they should be patient in afflictions but that they should rejoyce and triumph in them now Christians when God expects this from you for you not so much as to have attained to contentednesse under afflictions oh this is beneath the expectation of God from you Eightly It is below that that God hath had from other Christians others have
riddle to many for one to be dead to the world to be mortified to the world Now it is not my work to open to you what Mortification is or death to the world is but only thus to have our hearts so taken off from the things of the world as to use them as if one used them not not to make account that our lives our comforts our happinesse doth consist in these things they are things that are of another nature that our happinesse doth consist in and we may be happy without these this is a kind of deadnesse to the world The ninth Direction Let not men and women pore too much upon their Afflictions that is busie their thoughts too much to look down into their Afflictions you shall have many people that all their thoughts are taken up about what their crosses and afflictions are they are altogether thinking and speaking of them it 's just with them as with a child that hath a sore about him his finger is alwaies upon the sore and so men and women their thoughts are alwaies upon their afflictions when they awake in the night their thoughts are upon their afflictions and when they converse with othets nay it may be when they are praying to God they are thinking of their afflictions Oh no mervail though you live a discontented life if your thoughts be alwaies poring upon such things you should rather labour to have your thoughts upon those things that may comfort you You shall have many that if you propound any rule to them to doe them good they take it well while they are with you and thank you for it but when they are gone they soon forget it It is very observable of Jacob that when his wife died in child birth his wife called the child Ben-oni that is a son of sorrows now Jacob he thought with himself if I should call this child Benoni every time that I name him it will put me in minde of the death of my dear wife and of that affliction and that will be a continued affliction to me therefore I will not have my child have that name so the text faith that Jacob called his name Benjamin and that was the son of my right hand now this is to shew us thus much that when afflictions befalls us we should not give way to have our thoughts continually upon them but rather upon those things that may stir up our thankfulnesse to God for mercies It is the similitude of Basil a learned man saith he It is in this case as men and women that have fore eyes now it is not fit for those to be alwaies looking upon the fire or upon the beames of the Sun no saith he one that hath fore eyes must get things that are sutable to him and such objects as are fit for one that hath such weak eyes therefore they will get green colours as that being a more easie colour and better for weak eyes and they will hang green sarsnet before their eyes because it is more sutable to them So weak spirits it 's the very same a man or woman that hath a weak spirit they must not be looking upon the fire of their afflictions upon those things that deject that cast them down but they are to be looking rather upon that that may be sutable for the healing and helping of them they should be considering of those things rather then the other It will be of very great use and benefit to you if you do lay it to hearâ— not to be poâ—ing alwaies upon afflictions but upon mercies The Tenth Direction I beseech you observe this though you should forget many others Make a good interpretation of Gods waies towards you if there can be any good interpretation made of Gods waies towards you make it Ye think it much if you have a friend that should alwaies make bad interpretations of your waies towards him you would take that ill If you should converse with people that you cannot speak a word in their hearing but they are ready to make an il interpretation of it and take it in an ill sense you would think their company to be very tedious to you it is very tedious to the Spirit of God when we make such ill interpretations of his waies towards us If God deals with us otherwise then we would have him if there can be any sence worse then other made of it we will be sure to make it as thus when an affliction doth befall you there may be many good senses made of Gods works towards you you should think thus it may be God intends only to try me by this it may be God saw my heart to much set upon the Creature and so intends to shew me what there is in my heart it may be that God saw that if my estate did continue I should fall into sinne that the better my estate were the worse my soul would be it may be God intended only to exercise some grace it may be God intends to prepare me for some great work which he hath for me thus you should reason But we on the contrary make bad interpretations of Gods thus dealing with us and say God doth not mean this surely the Lord means by this to manifest his wrath and displeasure against me and this is but a furtherance of further evils that he intends towards me Just as they did in the wildernesse God hath brought us hither to slay us This is the worst interpretation that possibly you can make of Gods waies Oh why will you make these worst interpretations when there may be better In 1 Cor. 13. 5. when the Scripture speaks of love saith the text Love thinketh no evill Love is of that nature that if there may be ten interpretations made of a thing if nine of them be naught and one good Love will take that which is good and leave the other nine and so though there might be ten interpretations presented to thee concerning Gods waies towards thee and if but one be good and nine naught thou shouldest take that one that is good and leave the other nine I beseech you consider God doth not deale by you as you deal with him should God make the worst interpretation of all your waies towards him as you do of his towards you it would be very ill with you God is pleased to manifest his love thus to us to make the best interpretations of what we do and therefore it is that God doth put a sense upon the actions of his people that one would think could hardly be as thus God is pleased to cal those perfect that have but any uprightnesse of heart in them he accounteth them perfect Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect uprightnesse in Gods sense is perfection Now alas when we look into our own hearts we can scarce see any good at all there and yet God is pleased to make such an interpretation as to