24. Shall Christ so willingly buckle under his crosse and shall wee be as Simon of Cyrene who wiâ—â— not beare it unlesse it be forced upon us The whole life of Christ was a continuall sorrow we read hee wept thrise over Lazarus over Ierusalem and in the garden but never that he laughed 2 The pleasures worthy a Christian are the pleasures of Gods house standing in remission of sinne peace with God peace of conscience joy in the holy Ghost and these are so proper and peculiar to the godly as they agree to no other These are the pleasures of an high and excellent straine which we are to reserve our hearts and affections for and the other in comparison of these heavenly and spirituall joyes to bee loathed and contemned Delight thy selfe in the Lord of all other delight say as Salomon It is madnesse 3 Solomon who tryed his heart with all worldly delights pronounced of them all that they are vanity and vexation of spirit And the Apostle affirmeth of widowes living in pleasure that they are dead while they live And what other is the profit of the lives of Epicures and bâ—lly-gods who seeke nothing more then to live in ease and pleasure They choake all holy cogitations unfit them as enemies to all godly studies refuse as uncapable all good admonitions and degenerate men from men into filthy beasts How do they infect the mind oppresse the soule dull the wit waste the body and bring harmes on a man a thousand more This made one of the fathers describe worldly pleasures thus It is an harlot fitting in her chariot whose foure wheeles are Gluttony Lust Pride in apparell Idlenesse the two horses are Prosperity and Abundance the two drivers are Idlenesse and Security and if he had added the retinue or attendants that follow and wait upon her as griefe too late repentance pale-faced sicknesse leane consumption beggery and death hee had made a most absolute description But who cannot by the quality of the Mistresse gather the nature of her handmaids Now this being the troup of earthly and unsanctified pleasures they are not onely to be contemned but hated of all Christians 4 Consider this present life as a warfare a pilgrimage a moment on which eternity dependeth a day of grace a space of repentance and of strife to enter in at the strait gate the time of our absence from home and from the Lord And how can we sing so merrily in a strange land What a number of enemies besiege us and watch for our security What a bad constitution is my heart of How labours it of the poison of sin How is it with me other then a seafaring man When he is safest there is but an inch between him and death and how can I in all these miseries set my selfe on a merry pin as the rich glutton did who heard that sentence Son remember thou hadst thy pleasure here and Lazarus paine but now hee is comforted and thou art tormented Or how shall God wipe away my teares in heaven if I shed none in earth And how shall I reap in joy if I sow not in teares I was borne with teares and shall die with teares why should I live without them in this valley of teares 5 Since our sinne cast us out of Paradise that place was shut up that we should looke for no Paradise on earth any more but toward that heavenly Paradise whereof the other was a type Wee must therefore use the world as not using it rejoyce as not rejoycing and not suffer any worldly joyes to be as the Devils birdlime to hinder us from mounting aloft in heavenly meditations here and much lesse to dimme our sight from beholding those admirable joyes and pleasures at Gods right hand prepared for the Saints How easie a thing were it to be a lover of pleasure more then of God but withall how dreadfull and unhappy Therefore I have them I must be watchfull if not I must be thankfull and contented 6 All the world cannot take my joy from me if I rejoyce in these things That my name is written in Heaven That Christ is mine as when Siâ—â—on had him in his armes and Zacheus in his house And in the testimony of a good conscience and a life purely led according to the Word So of earthly pleasures In the want or losse of worldly honours and preferments godlinesse inforceth on the heart contentment upon these grounds 1 It teacheth to lay the foundati on of true Christianity in humility and in the knowledge of our selves Our selves are in our best mettall but dust and clay and ashes Our estate is to be borne to misery as the sparkes to fly upward Ioh. 5. 7. And by sin we are the children of death which by sin entred into the world This sinne of ours dishonouring God hath layd all our honour in the dust And the way to come to true honour againe is by humility which can neither greedily desire worldly advancements nor too impatiently bewaile their losse For this purpose Christ proposeth to us the example of a little child to whom we must be like Luk. 9. 47. 2 It lets a man see the truth of that our Saviour answering the woman who desired that one of her soÌ„s might sit at his right hand and the other at his left in his Kingdome Yee aske ye know not what Mat. 20. 20. It is the blindnesse of ambitious men that excessively love and prize their honors to seeke to be aloft Little doe they know or thinke that they are climbing up to a greater and sudden fall as our Saviour saith He that exalieth himselfe shall be brought low Mat. 23. 12. Haman that was lifted up above all the Princes of Ahashuerus within one twelve moneths space was hanged on a paire of gallowes fifty cubits high of his own making Trees which stand in higher hils are subject to more vehement and blustering winds Little doe these see the temptations which their high estates expose them unto If smaller cares in a lower place distract a man from prayer and other spirituall exercises how should a man give himselfe to God when hee is burthened with more change and cares Little see they how little soundnesse and stability is in that honour which they raise themselves unto by dishonouring God by Machiavilian policies by supplanting others by playing the hypocrites and making shew of good parts which were never in them yea and which is supported and maintained by the same means doubled and repeated A building so weakely or rather wickedly founded threateneth a great ruine 3 Earthly honors are so far from furthering heavenly as they rather hinder the same In the history of Christs temptation may be observed what Chrysost noteth that the Devill caries men up aloft that he may throw them down headlong What an headlong fall had we all in Adam when not content with his estate he would be liker God theÌ„ he
A TREATISE OF CONTENTMENT Leading a Christian with much patience through all afflicted Conditions By sundry Rules of heavenly wisedome Whereunto is annexed First a Treatise of the Improvement of Time Secondly The Holy Warre in a Visitation Sermon Greg. Moral. l. 5. Si mens forti intentione in Deum dirigiter quicquid in hac vitâ sibi amarum sit dulce aestimat omne quod affligit requiem putat By T. T. D. D. c. LONDON Printed by R. H. for Iohn Bartlet and are to be sold at the Signe of the Gilt Cup neere S. Austins Gate in Pauls Church-yard 1641. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Sir FRANCIS DARCY Knight my much honoured friend All happinesse in Christ IESUS SIR not having of mine owne wherewith I might tell the world of your great and continuall favours unto me by such a pubâ—ke testimony I thought good to doe it by publishing this worke of another whose Person and Doctrine you well knew and respected Which I doe the more willingly because it is sutable to the Contentment here treated of I am well contented with that mediocrity of gifts and abilities which God hath bestowed on me I hold it better in this life to be faithfull in a little then ruler over much No doubt but some are Masters of great parts and estates and faithfull too rich in this world and rich in good workes too high in place and respect among men and high in the favour of God too But both such have their hazzards and temptations against which they need to be watchfull and the brother of low degree hath cause in God and his love to rejoyce and be contented And oh how happy were it with godly Christians if they had taken forth this lesson of Contentment How comfortlesse would their lives then be How blessedly free from those torturing passions of emulation envie murmuring impatience and the like wherewith the spirit is too often and too much disquieted Godlinesse with Contentment is great gaine saith the Apostle as if the purchase were small where Contentment is wanting And indeed much of the benefit and advantage is taken away where this lesson of Contentation is not taken forth perfectly And how unbeseeming is it to an heire of the promises to be Malecontent for worldly wants or afflictions How thwarting to the wisedome of God as if he knew not best to make allowance to his children How terrible to lie disconsolate in death or any deadly trouble moaning as that great Emperour when he lay dying at Yorke In my life time I have been all things and now nothing doth me good I wâ—sh to your Worship all the comforts and mercies of God in Christ both in life and death and therunto at this time I commend to your reading this little Treatise of Contentment resting ever Your Worships much obliged W. JEMMAT A Table Alphabeticall of the chiefe things in this Booke A ADaâ—s sin had many sinnes in it pag 35 Afflictions foyled by Contentment 3. the necessity of them in three respects 6 disposed of God for time measure and end 4 Age the incommodities of it 114 priviledges of it 115 comforts of it 116 Aged people called on to prove time well 179 B Barrennesse to bee quietly endured how 105 Bernards discription of worldly pleasure 92 C Callings crosses in them to be borne contentedly how 77 Common-wealth evills in it how to be borne 24 Comparisons two fold use of them 192. Contempt of the world how to be born contentedly 52 Contentation the daughter of godlinesse Praef. meanes and motives to work it 131 power of godlines to breed it whence 139 Countrey and friends left comfort in it 62 D Death terrible 118 comforts in it 119 necessity of dying 121 utility 123 Death of friends comfort in it 73 Deformity of body to be borne quietly how 100 E Estates we live in yeelds discontents yet be comforted in them how 85 Examples of holy men perswading Contentment 136 Experience without grace availeth not 107 F Friends unkindnesse comfort in it 70 and in their death 73 G Glory obtained by afflictions how 14 Godlinesse what it doth to breed Contentment 145 Goods lost comfort in it 64 Graces bred beautified and exercised by afflictions 8 Grave terrible comfort in it 127 Great sins should not overtrouble the soule 38 H Happinesse of Saints raised by certaine staires 127 Heavenly happinesse attained in death 125 Honor from above how to be getten 98 Honor due to Ministers threefold 210 Honors of the world lost or not had comfort in it 94 I Iudgement at the last day not dreadfull to beleevers why 129 all imperfections and blemishes then done away 101 Iustification the ground of Contentment 143 L Liberty lost comfort in it 61 Life lost comfort in it 66 Lingring sicknesse how to be borne contentedly 111 why suffered by God 113 M Martyrs very forward to suffer 69 Ministers calling most crost comfort for them 83 they are Christs souldiers in two respects 197 their weapons 198 204 their enemies 199 cause of warre 200 Ministery no easie calling but dangerous 201 Misery all ended in death foure wayes 123 Molestation Satanicall how to be borne quietly 28 Multitude of sinnes should not too much trouble 32 Mystery in godlinesse and in Contentment 152 N Nature content with little Grace with lesse 136 Nature teacheth not the price of time 168 O Opportunities of good nine Instances 156 Orbity uncomfortable comforts in it 105 P Persecution to be endured contentedly how 57 Pleasures lost or lacking comfort therein 90 Poore men how profitable in their times 184 Preparation to death what and how 121 R Redeeming of time what 161 Relapses comfort in case of them 44 Repentance two effects of it furthered by afflictions 10 Rich men should be specially carefull of spending their time 182 S Scandals and Schismes foretold turned to good c. 18 Sicknes to be born coÌ„tentedly how 107 Sinnes merit afflictions and are purged by them 6 Sinnes multitude greatnesse relapse how answered 32 T Temporals mercifully withholden 137 Time to be wholly improoved for good 155. Motives 185 preciousnesse of time in six things 162. 165 skill to prize it comes of God 168 be sparing of time 7 Motives 172 Theeves that steale time away 174 V Vnion with Christ not dissolved in the grave 128 Unite forces against the common enemy 208 Uses of sicknesse sanctified six 108 W Warre of Christians especially of Ministers 193 Wealth lost or not had comfort in it 85 Works good mentioned to the Saints in the last judgement not bad 131 Worlds hatred contentment in it 47 Y. Yong people admonished to spend their time well 177 FINIS THE AVTHORS PREFACE AFter we have shewed the gaine of godlinesse out of 1 Tim. 6. 6. now we come to speake of the priviledge of it that it brings Contentment with it whereby the heart of a godly man is stayed and resteth in God well apaid with that estate and measure of goods which the Lord
frighted with the name of terrible things and at the sight of some disguised person but when they come to riper age and yeares of discretion contemne them Wee are frighted as the Midianites with the sound of broken pitchers voyces and lamps and cowardly fly before we see any apparent danger 2 It seeth the death of Beleevers not onely altered but sanctified by Christs death that it becomes of a curse a blessing and as a stage whereon a Christian manifesteth his faith fortitude love patience and constancy and openly triumpheth over death as his Head hath done before him 3 It seeth Christ in Heaven in glory who is our Head and Husband from whom while wee live here we are strangers and pilgrims separate from that happy society which wee shall enjoy with Him and all our fellow members in the Kingdome of Heaven Whereupon it doth desire his presence and is not onely contented but willing to bee dissolved and bee with Christ Paul considered that he was now absent from the Lord and desired to bee present Simeon having Christ in his armes said Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace Steven in the middest of the stones saw the Heavens open and the Son of man standing at Gods right hand and so slept quietly A sweet death if Christ be in sight Let him feare death that would not goe to Christ So of the second ground 3 It looketh upon death it selfe and seeth in it First the necessity of it It is appointed for all men once to dye a statute-law of Heaven inevitable Heb. 9. 27. And seeing it knowes it to be so it rather fits it selfe cheerefully to beare it then fearefully to decline it Quest How may that bee done Answ. 1 We must deal with this Giant and mighty Sampson who slayes heapes upon heapes as the Philistims did with him 1 Sift out where his strength lyes and finding it lye in his lockes cut them off The strength of thy death is thy sinne these are his strong lockes cut them off by repentance and death shall be too weak to hurt thee 2 Labour to dye in faith as the Saints Heb. 11. 13. all these dyed in faith Let thy faith fasten upon Christ as himselfe did in his extreme agony fixe his confidence upon his Father saying My God my God and Father into thy hands I commend my spirit Another necessity of death is because without it wee can never attaine immortality and eternall life The seed is not quickened unlesse it dye first neither can eternall life be had but by the passage of this wicket Wee have here no abiding City our houses are rather Innes in which wee sojourne our bodies Tabernacles ready for removall and shifting And the condition is that when this earthly house shall bee dissolved wee shall have a building eternall in the heavens Secondly godlinesse seeth the advantage and gaine by death that it is no detriment to the faithfull but a gaine as saith the Apostle Christ is my life and death is to mee advantage Phil. 1. 21. And it is a great gaine in two respects 1 Because it is an end of all evils and wretchednesse 2 Because it is a beginning of heaven and happinesse For the former 1 It is an end of misery sorrowes cares feares teares an end of sicknesse paine poverty shame persecution and the like for in death attended with teares God wipeth away all teares from the eyes of his children and then shall bee no more death neither sorrow nor wecping nor paine Rev. 21. 4. 2 It is an end of temptations by Satan The soule in this world is in the bonds and snares of temptations and the law of sinne in the members ministreth strength to Satan against our selves But in death the soul is loosed from that bondage and the body ceaseth to be an instrument either active or passive in sin What a gaine is it never to sin more against God yea to be wholly out of danger of sinning 3 It is an end of wicked mens molestation for death delivers the godly out of this evill world 〈◊〉 Lot out of Sodome whose righteous soule was vexed amongst them day by day They are safe from seducers and deceivers who in these last ages come so armed as if it were possible they would deceive the very Elect. They are got without the reach of Persecutors and those enemies their eyes shall never see more 4 It is an end of our owne pilgrimage and absence from the Lord wherein wee stand in so doubtfull and dangerous a battell not onely with enemies without us but within our owne bosome our owne covetousnesse wrath ambition voluptuousnesse lust envy and not a head can bee cut off from this Hydra but another riseth in the roome and no watch can be sufficient against them Now what man being absent from his owne house doth not long to dispatch his businesse so to returne home And thus the Saints 2 Cor. 5. 2. Wee sigh desiring to bee clothed with our house which is from heaven It is our haven and an end of our dangerous voyage upon the troubled sea of this world a passage from corruption and mortality to immortality and incorruption a sweet sleepe after our travell and labours and an end of all the toyles of our lives Ioh. 11. 11. our friend Lazarus sleepeth But more then this It is a beginning of happinesse the entrance to Heaven the Evening wherein the Labourers receive the penny of perpetuall joy and glory a repossessing of Paradise lost by the first Adam won againe by the second By it wee come to the company of Saints and the first borne written in heaven Wee come into the bosome of Abraham even to our deare friends who are gone before us to Heaven But above all wee come to Iesus Christ the Mediator into the house of our heavenly Father wherein heâ—e hath prepared us mansions whither the forerunner is for us entred in Even Iesus Heb. 6. 20. And wee have boldnesse to enter into the holy place by the new and living way which hee hath prepared for us through the vayle that is his flesh cap. 10. 20. And by Iesus Christ wee come to behold the face of God being made like unto Christ in holinesse and honour and shall for ever with him inherite the Kingdome prepared from the beginning of the World CHAP. XIX Of Grave and Iudgâ—ment and Contentment therein THe last personall evill which is horrible to nature is the grave and last judgement But godlinesse quieteth the heart against all such terrors thus First that by these two wee are raised as by two stayres to the fruition of full happinesse For whereas there be three degrees of life eternall The first when wee begin to repent and beleeve which is the beginning of it The second at the day of death which entreth the soule into eternall happinesse and prepareth the body to be partaker also of it The
third is at the day of judgement when soule and body re-united enjoy God as he is in eternall glory Secondly because the union between Christ and the Christian lasteth and cannot be dissolved when death dissolveth all naturall bonds for the bond is mysticall and spirituall neither knitteth the soule onely to Christ the Head but the body also even the whole person so as the bodies of the faithfull being dead and turned into dust many thousand yeres agoe remaine the members of Christ still cared for by the Head and preserved to be made like to his glorious body by that mighty power whereby hee is able to subdue all things to him selfe Phil. 3. 21. In the winter all the sap being in the root there appeares no difference betweene a living tree and a dead but in the spring there is a sap which will ascend and revive the decayed branches So our bodies turned not to nothing but to dust and devoured by beasts fishes or the elements seeme to bee perished but by reason of the former union must bee raised and partake of the glorious life of Christ Thirdly as the death of the god ly is a quiet sleep so the grave is a resting chamber yea a sweet bed perfumed by Christs buriall for the bodies of all the Elect out of which they must awake for the earth and sea must give up their dead and bee admitted into the presence of God and of Christ Neither can the grave ever hold under the members of Christ no more then it could their Head but as he gloriously rose againe from the dead so shall they in glory and immortality Much lesse can the grave destroy the body of which Christ hath said O grave I will bee thy destruction nor so disguise it but that with these eyes wee shall see the Lord and in that glorious vision shall become glorious Iob 19. 25. The darknesse of the grave makes it the fitter for sleep Fourthly the Beleever need not feate the last judgement 1 Seeing Christ is the Iudge If the kinde husuand may bee the Wives Iudge sheee need not feare 2 The Iudge of all the world cannot but do righteously He cannot condemne those whom himselfe hath by his bloud redeemed and justified Rom. 8. 1. there is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ 3 It is the wicked man that cannot stand in judgement his wicked conscience covers him with confusion But the godly on that day attaine their full redemption Luke 21. 28. When yee see these â—â—ings then lift up your heads for the day of your redemption draweth neere The day of Pharaohs drowning was Israels deliverance The day of hanging Pharaohs Baker was the lifting up of the Butlers head 4 Christ did not therefore carry our sinnes to lay them againe upon us He was not made a curse for us to returne the curse upon us Hee was not condemned to death to condemne us nor made himselfe a sacrifice for sinne that we should remaine guilty but that we might receive the sentence of absolution and blessednesse Mat. 25. 34. Come yee blessed of my Father possesse the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginâ—ing of the world Where is to be observed that Christ makes mention of many good workes performed by the Saints Yee gave mee to eat and to drinke yee clothed mee and visited mee but never reckons up any of their sinnes for that they are washed away in his bloud and covered with the robe of his mercy CHAP. XX Of Means and Motives to work Contentment COutentment being so excellent and beneficiall a grace as we have seene it were good we laboured for it with all diligence Whereunto the Meanes and Motives are of three sorts In respect of God In respect of our selves In respect of the Saints For the first of these 1 Consider the affection of God If thou beest as thou professest Gods childe he is thy father and thou if thou beest a good childe wilt relye on him and content thy selfe with his allowance Every master of a family may dispose his goods as he pleaseth 2 Consider his wisedome The childe must thinke that the Fathers discretion exceedeth his And herein the Lord manifesteth his wisedome in that he doth not alwayes actually bestow these outward things so largely on his children as on others because hee nurtereth them and will have them wholly depend vpon him And both these our Saviour Mat. 6. 32. coucheth together to worke contentment your heavenly Father knoweth what ye stand in need of He that can give riches without contentment knowes also to give contentment without riches And cap. 7. 11. if ye which are evill can give good things to your children c. 3 Consider his promise that the righteous shall never bee forsaken nor will hee ever faile or leave them and if we feare God no good thing shall bee wanting Psal. 34. 9. And from hence Heb. 13. 5. the Apostle perswades to be content with the things we have because he hath said I will not leave thee nor forsake thee Ob. But for all this I see I want many comforts I feele such and such wants c. Answ. Every thing good in it selfe is not good for thee If this bee thy case thou wantest not want and affliction which now God seeth good for thee and so shall be if thou beest not more wanting to thy selfe then other things be And the more thy crosses be and the greater the more greater love by vertue of the promise is wrapped up in them 4 Consider his powerfull providence who provides for sparrows and hath care of beasts fowles flowers and haires of the head yea hee created light before Sunne Moone and starres hee made grasse grow before raine or dew hee can preserve Israehtes forty yeares in a bar ren wildernesse can bring Mannâ— from the clouds water from a rocke yea without all these can preserve Moses and Elias forty dayes What an unmovable foundation of godly Contentment is this 5 Consider his rich supply God hath given himselfe to thee to become thy portion hee hath given his Sonne to thee and for thee and the holy Spirit to seale up to thy heart this gift Now if he give the greater will hee deny the lesse 〈◊〉 he give his Christ how will he not with him give all things also Is the Lord my portion and are not my lines fallen into a good ground shall I beleeve him for salvation and not for preservation for eternall and not for temporary life Next if we looke at our selvts 1 All of us enjoy much more then wee can deserve if we have bread and breath this is forseited and lost therefore wee must crave our daily bread and wee must as well looke upon our receipts to be thankfull as on our wants to repâ—ne and looke upon them behind us as well as them before us 2 If wee want outward things it is very just
the death in the world and by it whereby he comforteth his Disciples and us Ioh. 15. 18. If the world hate you it hated me before you it is enough that the servant be in as much request as the Master Nay there never was member of this Head but herein lesse or more it was conformable to him that all the Israel of God may take up that complaint Psal. 129. 1. They have oftentimes afflicted me from my youth up may Israel say they have oftentimes â—fflicted mee from my youth up So then by this hatred thou art the liker to Christ and meeter for God 2 The cause of the worlds hatred makes it more easily borne It hateth God because hee is the Author of truth it hateth Christ because hee is a witnesse of truth it hateth his members because they testifie against the worlds wickednesse as himselfe did Iohn 7. 7. the world hateth me because I testifie of it that her works are evill and 1 Pet. 4. 4. therfore they hate you because ye run not with them to the same excesse of riot What hurt hath God or Christ done to the world to be so hated or else true Christians 3 How can a Christian make other account then to have the worlds hatred seeing Christ hath chosen him out of the world Iohn 15. 19. therefore the world hateth you and loveth but her owne And they must professe hatred to the world in such hostile sort as they must either renounce amity with it or be at enmity with God â—am. 4. 4. and 1 Ioh. 2. 15. If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him Is it not a folly for him to make account of the worlds friendship who in his entrance into Christianity by Baptisme makes solemne profession to renounce the world the vain pomp and glory of it and to abide a faithfull souldier under the Standart of Christ against it to his lives end If a man now actuate his profession and not like a runnagate Souldier as too many doe steale out of Christs Campe must not hee contentedly beare the displeasure of the world 4 A Christian knowes that God will take his part against the world being his enemy also I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee Gen. 12. 3. Consider the examples of Pharaoh and the Egyptians of the accusers of Daniel of the enemies of Daniels fellowes and other c. 6. 25. and 3. 22. Hence is it that we have assured hope of victory and good successe seeing Christ hath conquered the worlds hatred for us Ioh. 16. 33. In the world ye shall have affliction but be of good comfort I have overcome the world If we have faith that iâ—our victory for Christ gave himselfe to deliver us from this present evill world 5 It is good for a Christian to be hated of the world for well-doing First for the triall of his sincerity whether he will hold out with Christ Secondly to weane him from the world and lift up his affections to heaven whereas otherwise he is hardly plucked from the breasts of it Thirdly to fence against many alluring temptations Is it possible to have familiar conversation with a wanton Harlot and not be inveigled with her bands and snares The smiles of an enemie are worse then the wounds of a friend Were we friends with the world we should walke together which is not safe seeing the whole world lyeth in wickednesse Fourthly it forceth the Christian to get and keepe God his friend the onely shield against the worlds hatred as Abraham was called the friend of God Iam. 〈◊〉 23. and saith Christ Luke 12. 4. I speake to you my friends And beside the helpe what an honour is this in our way Fiftly it is a testimony and spurre to him in goodnesse to have wicked men his enemies Hee is a good man who carries the malice of evill ones From these grounds a godly heart will thus conclude Was Christ hated in the world is the cause such because I run not the wayes of the world and because I am chosen out of the world Have I professed hostility to it in my baptisme Will God take my part and give me victory yea is it overcome already Doth God bring me such light out of darknesse and his owne love and friendship out of the worlds frownes and hatred I am then well content to carry it If it hate God let it not love me CHAP. IX Of the worlds contempt and contentment in it THe contempt and contumely of the world goeth very neare the godly because after a sort the holy profession it selfe and piety is despised in them yea God himselfe and his image which made David make a mournfull complaint Psal. 69. 19. thou hast knowne my reproach my shame and my dishonour and in the next verse saith it had even broken his heart Yet godlinesse fenceth the heart against it on these grounds 1 My Lord Iesus Christ was scorned and rejected of men mocked by Herod and his Courtiers and by his reproach hath sanctified lightned mine nay it is he that is still scorned in me I beare his rebuke Hebr. 13. 13. and I am partaker of the afflictions of Christ 1 Pet. 4. 13. and may I not be well content to be conformable to the image of Gods owne Sonne in reproaches and calumnies Rom. 8. 29. If they called the Master Belzebub may they well not call me Divell is the Disciple above his Lord Matthew 10. verse 24. 2 I suffer not this reproach as an evill doer nor of good but evill men and therefore I am neither sorrowfull nor ashamed I suffer as a Christian and therefore glorifie God in this behalfe 1 Pet. 4. 15. If they had Christ among them hee could not escape their scornes This contented David Psal. 69. 7. for thy sake have I suffered reproofe and shame hath covered my face See Esa. 8. 18. and Iere. 20. 7. So a godly heart hath the testimony of a good conscience that it hath given no just cause but suffereth for Gods sake thence contentment How glad may a good heart be when it can appeale to God and desire him to witnesse the innocency of it 3 It appeares not now what godly men are their worth is not known therefore are they coursely used But the time comes wherein it shall be manifest what they are 1 Ioh. 3. 1 2. Now we are the sonnes of God but it appeareth not what wee shall be but when hee shall appeare wee shall be like him and see him as he is Now where godlinesse hath taken up the heart it will quiet it thus Hath God chosen me and graciously respected me what need I care to be rejected of bad men He is not praised whom men praise but whom God commendeth Hath God adopted me to be his sonne what care I if the sonnes of men turne my glory into shame There is a
day when it shall appeare that I am a sonne of God A Pearl cast into dust or clay loseth not the vertue nor the shine but a day will finde it and see it in the due price of it So the godly now darkened in the dirt of calumnies at length shall be revealed and according to their worth respected In the meane time we must be content that our glory be hid even as our Lords was And indeed shame and infamy from evill men is no shame but a crowne Iob would carry the booke of libels upon his shoulders as an ornament c. 31. 36. 4 God hath a good hand in all this contempt powred on his servants For they suffer according to the will of God 1 Pet. 4. 19. David thus comforted himselfe the Lord hath bid Shemei raile And the Lord seeth it good for his children that it should bee thus First to try their faith hope patience charity if they can blesse being cursed and do good for evill wholly abstaining from revenge Secondly to teach them not to seeke praise of men nor expect it but the true praise which is from God Thirdly to confirme them in the good way as by a sure marke wherein all the Saints have walked before them Prophets Apostles others who went through good report and bad report fame and infamy so there is assurance of a blessed end and issue Mat. 5. 11. 1 Pet. 4. 14. 5 Lastly if I looke at examples I have not only Christ himselfe who was railed on called a Samaritan one that had a Devill one that cast out Devils by Belzâ—bub the prince of Devils c. but his Apostles who were reviled as drunke or full of new wine and Paul by Festus that he was mad or beside himselfe and by Athenians that he was a bablâ—r And the Christians after theÌ„ in the Primitive Church were divellishly sâ—andred for killing their owne children for worshipping the head of an Asse for Incest and other wickednesses And therefore as the Apostle saith this is no new thing befalling me and if I be not slandered thus I must expect it and in time of peace prepare for it CHAP. X. Of persecution and Contentment therein THe persecutions of the world for Christs sake are a sore triall and have made many of Gods children at a stand and brought them into the degrees of discontent with their estate seeing the power and prosperity of wicked men But godlinesse reduceth the heart to contentment by sundry considerations 1 It looketh up to God and seeth his hand in them and that they come not by chance or meerely by Satans and the wickeds malice neither God being ignorant or carelesse of his Church but first by his will 1 Pet. 3. 17. it is better if it be the the will of God that ye suffer for well doing Secondly by his fore-knowledge who therefore hath foretold them and forewarned his children of them that they should before armed against them 1 Thess. 3. 4. For verily when we were with you we told you before that we should suffer tribulations even as it came to passe and yee know it Thirdly by his determining them to the very subject person as v. 3. for we were appointed ther eunto Fourthly by his wise and loving providence both in respect of his children whom by this meanes he keepeth out and helpeth out of many sinnes as also of his owne truth which must by this meanes against all mans reason be preserved through constant and couragious maintenance of it unto the death Thus his glory shineth through the worlds darkenesse Fiftly by his moderating and ending them for â—e suffereth them not to be perpetuall as the Devill and wicked men would but lest his children should faint â—ee putteth a good end unto them for the rod of the wicked shall not alway lye on the lot of the righteous lest they put forth their hand to iniquity Psal. 125. 3. Sixtly by his upholding to the blessed fruit and issue promised Matth. 5. 10. Blessed are they which suffer persecution for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven For the sufferings of this life are not like the glory that shall be revealed the suffering indeed is great but the glory farre greater and if it be long yet is it not eternall as the glory is Therefore be content as the Apostle reasoneth Rom. 8. 17 18. 2 Godlinesse looketh up to Christ and seeth him a companion in suffering an example of suffering and now being departed the world hath left his Church the heire of his crosse but with this comfort that as he went from the crosse to his Crowne so if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him ibid. 3 If it looke at men without it selfe it wanteth not comfort At friends so persecuted they the Prophets Matt. 5. 12. so the Apostles 1 Thess. 2. 14 15. so the Saints beleeving in their word Hebr. 10. 32 33. Yea and all that will live godly in Christ must suffer persecution If it look at enemies it seeth them weake and impotent they are able perhaps to kill the body but cannot hurt the soule Mat. 10. 28. They may kill them but not conquer and overcome them If it looke within it selfe First it seeth a good cause to suffer for it suffers for the Kingdome of God and is glad to bee counted worthy to suffer for it 2 Thess. 1. 5. Secondly it seeth the note of a true Christian which is the Crosse of Christ beares his markes and so is content Thirdly it seeth in these sufferings a certaine testimony of Gods just and righteous judgement wherein all their wrongs shall be righted and the persecutors revenged 2 Thess. 1. 5 6. It is just with God and a token of his righteous judgement and Luk. 11. 50. There is a time when all the righteous blood shed from Abel to Zacharie shall bee required 4 If it lookes to the losses it suffereth though of the dearest things it can be content being assured of abundant recompence The losses are great as of Liberty Country friends Goods Life Yet in all is a godly heart contented thus In the losse of liberty First Hee that is prisoner for God is the Lords freeman and they cannot loâ—ke out the Spirit nor binde him Paul and Silas can sing Psalmes to God in prison If the Sonne have set them free they are free indeed Ioh. 8. 36. Secondly it maketh restraint and imprisonment a meane to preserve that liberty in which Christ hath set them free by repentance daily breaking off the bolts and bands of sinne and native corruption and getting out of the deeds of the flesh and bondage of sinne which is the greatest captivity of all 3 It seeth Gods deare children in the like condition Ioseph was cast into a deepe dungeon where he saw neither Sunne Moone nor Starre Gen. 41. 42 Ieremy cast into a pit where he stucke fast in
faith inexpugnable They may be slaine but not overcome Enemies may kill the body but withall they free the spirit from the burthen of it Neither can they keep the body ever in dust and ashes no more then by all their strength and policy they could the body of Christ in the grave but it shall rise out of the ashes to a glorious and everlasting life in which faith it is content the life bee laid downe for Christ Hence the Disciples were glad they were accounted worthy to suffer for Christ Hence the Martyrs in the Primitive Church were so forward to offer their lives to Christ as the woman of Edissa came running with her young childe in her armes left the Christians should be burned before she came and shee not burned with them The like of Polycarpâ— of Blanditta a peerelesse woman of Acolus a mirrour of patience and others And what of our owne Martyrs who could sing to God in the midst of the flames By these and the like Motives a godly heart becomes not onely contented to dye for Christ but joyfull and desirous CHAP. XI Of friends unkindnesse or death and Contentment therein WEe have spoken of private evils in the first kind namely more spirituall against all which we have heard how godlines fenceth the heart with contentment Now we are to proceed to temporall and they respect either others or our selves The former is especially when we are afflicted in our friends and that two wayes either in the unkindnesse of them living or losse of them by death Godlinesse contenteth the Christian man in the former upon these or the like grounds 1 It lets him see how unkinde himself hath bin to God and well deserved that his friends should use him as he hath done his best friend 2 It hath this good use to draw neer unto God grow up into familiarity and acquaintance with him as David Ps. 27. 10. my father mother forsooke me but the Lord tooke me up And a faithful heart knows that Gods love is not so flitting but loving once he loveth to the end Al they who were bound in bonds of nature and other offices to David were forced by Sauls malice and tyranny to leave him to himselfe but then God stuck to him 3 It seeth it self in no worse condition then the Saints of old Who slew Abel but his own brother who mocked Noah but his own son Cham who sold Ioseph hated him but his brethren who unjustly blamed our Lord Iesus Christ but his brethren kindred according to the flesh Ioh. 7. 3 4. Who betrayed him but one whoÌ„ he had chosen to be his Disciple he that ate bread with him at his table It was thou my friend and familiar Oh but this is a great crosse out of mine owne bosome from husband or wife or out of my own bowels from childe where should I looke for comfort but from hence True but first So long as the combate is not with God if he looke graciously on thy soule if Christ thy husband smile upon thee thou mayest beare the frownes of a froward husband or wife the better 2 This is a great outward tryall but perhaps other inferior ones have been neglected and small things will not make great hearts stoupe Besides crosses of another kinde would not smart so much nor sticke so long Here is a continuall dropping Bee sure to bee well softened 3 It is neverthelesse no other then the deare Saints of God have bin humbled bettered by Was not Iobs greatest trouble out of his owne bosome Was not his breath strange to his wife who would not be intreated for their childrens sake Was it not Sampsons overthrow Was not David mocked by his Michal Besides had not Iacob his greatest exercise from his own bowels his only daughter defloured one sonne banished another an adulterer another incestuous another yea sundry of them murtherers Was not David exercised by his rebellious Absalom See we not at this day most gracious Parents tryed shamed with most gracelesse children wherein is seene that men beget children in their owne image in corrupt nature not according to grace and that every good childe is of God In the losse and departure of our friends by death godlinesse quieteth the Christian by these Motives 1 The decease of our friends is not by chance but by Gods disposing who turneth man to dust and saith againe Returne ye sons of men And herein we must imitate holy Iob who blessed God as well in taking away his children as in giving them 2 Our good friends perish not neither have we lost them but sent them before unto the Kingdome of Heaven Their death is not an end but a passage They are blessed that are dead in the Lord or rather sleep in the Lord Ioh. 11. 11. We must not envy their happinesse and quiet rest into which they are arrived out of the restlesse sea of this world nor immoderately mourne in blacke for them who are clothed in long white robes washed in the blood of the Lambe 3 They shall be restored unto us in their bodies glorified and made like the glorious body of Christ and joyned for ever unto us again in a better and eternall life 4 Our best friend never dyes nor failes us and therefore we may more contentedly part with other that are not so neer us neither can doe us so much good Strait is the knot between man and wife which so long as it lasteth other losses of acquaintance and kinsfolks are more tolerable if the loving husband and wife remaine together But the love of God cannot be broken there is a neerer and straiter bond betweene him and the godly then between man and wife If we can see this bond tyed between God and our friends and God and our selves we shall in decease of our dearest friends comfort our selves neither fearing to commit them into the hands of their best friend God the father of mercies nor yet our selves without them to be destitute of frieÌ„ds seeing our best friend stands by us in whom and for whom they are to bee loved This consideration may quiet those who are as impatient in the death of their frâ—ends as Annah was in the waÌ„t of children to whom Elkanah said Am not I better to thee then ten sons Say with Elkanah Is not God better to me then ten husbands or ten thousand children Simeon having Christ in his arms could dy in peace 5 We shall not want friends on earth in stead of them who are taken from us so farre as God seeth good for us His hand is not shortened â—ee can raisâ— us better friends and if men were wanting faith in his promises would make the bruit beasts friendly to us before we should faile The Lyons shall preserve Daniel The Ravens shall feed Elias The dogges of the rich glutton shall licke Lazarus sores and shew
more mercy then their miserable master A Whale shall preserve Ionas and a Fish give Peter money to pay his tribute Where God is a friend all his creatures are friendly Imitate here holy Abraham when God called him to sacrifice Isaac hee willingly offers him up to God he might have reasoned the case and said Where shal I have another Isaac another sonne of the promise but faith made him give over reasoning and give up his sonne And indeed if wee would duely examine our hearts we should finde that our feare and griefe in giving up our friends in the time of their sickenesse or death proceeds commonly from want of faith and contempt of life eternall 6 The Saints have with faith and contentment borne part with us in the losse of their friends Adam and Eve an heavy funerall for Abel Noah mourned a whole yeare for the funerals of the whole world Abraham saw the funerals of his Sarah Iocob of Rachel Ezekiel lost the delight of his eyes but must not mourn The blessed Virgin stood by the Crosse of her onely and deare Soune and yet as Ambrose notes shee wept not CHAP. XII Of Crosses in our Callings and Contentment therein NOw wee come to the externall tryalls which concern our own selves and they are reduced to three heads as respecting 1 Our Callings 2 Our Estates 3 Our Persons The Crosses of severall Callings are sundry and burthensome which sometime so distract men that they are ready to cast off all But godlinesse worketh contentment against them on these grounds 1 It judgeth aright which are true Crosses of the Calling indeed and not rather vices of the person exercising it It wil be sure it be a crosse For some men thinke so well of themselves as they grow discontent with their calling as not sufficient or good enough for their deserts and so affect higher places which oftentimes they are crossed in But this is the ambition and vice of the person and not a cross of the calling Againe it is common that men thinke themselves greatly crossed if they see one whom themselves judge equal or inferior to themselves to be placed in an an higher place then themselves so vexe themselves and are troubled if they rise not to his pitch at the least But this is but the envy of the person not the crosse of the calling But if godlinesse step in it will teach that callings are dispensed not for the private but publicke and common good and that the greater place a man is in the greater is the charge and the straiter the account 2 It teacheth a man that every one must walke in a personall calling in performing the duties of which he must avoyd both idlenesse which omitteth the duties of it and sloth which doth them negligently It is a generall law In the sweat of thy browes shalt thou eat thy bread and man is borne to travell as the sparkes fly upward All creatures move us to paines and labour The Sonne whose Tabernacle is in Heaven commeth forth as a Bridegroome and ejoyceth as a mighty man to runne his race unweariably The Moone keepeth her courses and never ceaseth The earth bringeth forth her fruit abundantly and is not wearied The Pismire is a patterne of paines and the wise man sends us unto her Prov. 6. 26. Yea the Angels themselves have their personall offices in the service of the Lord To come to our selves Adam in innocency had a personall calling and the second Adam Christ himselfe had a calling in which hee diligently laboured till they said hee was mad 3 God hath tyed to severall callings severall crosses and to all callings some for speciall purpose first because the special course of life must be a schoole of all vertues and a Christian mans calling must be an exercise of faith humility patience constancy which could not be without troubles Secondly to teach men to begin their calling with God that they may bee able to say God 〈◊〉 me here and then the troubles will be lighter Thirdly that the Christian in his pâ—â—vate course should not want admonitions and motives to joyne his generall and speciall calling together Fourthly that he should sanctifie it by the word and prayer which is a daily arming of himselfe against these troubles 4 Godlinesse beateth backe impatience and discontent when a man is opposed and reviled by men for doing his duty A great tryall but Godlinesse holds up the heart to God as to the owne Lord and makes it approve the workes of the calling not so much to men as to God Also it makes a man intend them in love to men as well as faith in God so as the offence is 〈◊〉 not given And finally it 〈◊〉 him cast his eies upon the dearest servants of God how they were opposed by men in their callings yea and upon the Son of God himselfe Further when a man is crossed in his calling that all his labour will scarse maintaine his mouth and is stil kept under poverty here is a great trouble but godlinesse â—teppeth in and perswadeth First that every particular estate and calling is to be judged best for him till God change it Secondly in all things to behold the care and providence of God over his owne and brook every condition seeking no greater measure of temporall things then is sufficient for the present estate Thirdly to ply the generall calling so much the more which a man is sure to thrive by turning the affections from earth to heaven to Christ and that inheritance which is purchased by him 5 Godlinesse teacheth a man to hold out and abide iâ— the calling wherein God hath 〈◊〉 him notwithstanding the crosses of it 1 Cor. 7. 20 and that it is nothing to begin well without perseverance and whosoever will leave their calling for the troubles of it must resolve either to live out of every calling or else to change but old crosses for new seeing every calling hath his particular troubles and hee may feare by Gods just judgement lest his case may bee that of Ionas who found more crosses and more heavy and desperate ones in the new calling then in the old which God had trained him unto Daily experience sheweth Gods displeasure upon such as turne themselves too and fro in the change of callings who prove like rolling stones which gather no mosse Thus of callings in generall Specially of all callings it is the greatest griefe for Ministers to lose the fruit of their labours Because such a ones love to his people is as a Nurse tendring the state of Gods people Because his labours are greater then others spending himselfe for their good hee toyles in planting and watering but God denyes blessing and increase Because of peoples danger despising so good means a cursed earth whose end is to bee burned Because his joy and crowne is gone and hee gives up his account with griefe Yet here godlinesse contenteth a