of affliction takes not away sense of mercies Page 165 2 It hinders not Duty ibid 3 It will make us bless 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 Page 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 Page 167 5 There is the more cause to accept of the punishment ibid 3 Plea God withdraws himself 1 We think God is departed when he doth but afflict Page 168 2 Disquiet is a sign and cause of Gods departure ibid 3 If God depart from us we should not from him Page 169 4 Plea I am troubled for mens ill dealing 1 Men are Gods instrrments Page 170 2 We should rather pity them than murmur Page 171 3 We have righteous dealing with God ibid 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 careful of our carriage in it Page 172 6 Plea The affliction is exceeding great 1 It is not so great as thy sins ibid 2 It might have been greater Page 173 3 It is greater for thy murmuring ibid 7 Plea It is greater than others afflictions Answered in 4 things Page 173 8 Plea If any other affliction they could be content Answered in 4 things Page 174 9 Plea My afflictions make me unservicable to God 1 Though thou art mean thou art a member of the body Page 176 2 Thy generall calling is high Page 177 3 Thou art equal with Angels ibid 4 God highly esteems the actions of mean Christians Page 178 5 Faithfulness in a mean calling shall be rewarded ibid 10. Plea My condition is unsetled 1 Every man in his setled estate is vanity Page 179 2 God will have us live in dependance ibid 3 Thy spiritual condition may be setled Page 181 11 Plea I have been in a better condition 1 Thy eye should not he evill because the eye of God hath been good Page 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 Page 184 2 Thy pains should be with submission to God Page 185 3 Contentment in such a condition is a testimony of more love to God ibid 13 Plea Distempers of heart accounted as words before God ibid Considerations to work the heart to Contentment 1 Consid The greatness of the mercies we have Page 187 2 God is beforehand with us with mercies Page 188 3 The abundance of mercies we enjoy Page 189 4 All creatures in a visicitude ib. 5 The creature suffers for us ibid 6 We have little time in the world Page 190 7 It hath been the condition of our betters Page 191 8 We were once content with the world without grace and should now with grace without the world Page 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 Page 195 2 Not to gripe too much of the world ibid 3 Have a cal in every business Page 196 4 Walk by rule ibid 5 Exercise much faith Page 197 6 Labour to be spiritually minded Page 198 7 Promise not your selves great things Page 200 8 Get mortified hearts to the world ibid 9 Pore not too much on afflictions Page 201 10 Make a good construction of Gods wayes towards us Page 202 11 Regard not others fancies but what we feel Page 205 12 Be not inordinately taken with the comforts of the world Page 206 The CONTENTS of the last Sermon On EXODVS 14.13 STanding still five waies evill Page 304 Good three wayes Page 307 Doct. 1 When God is in a way of salvation he may bring his people into straights Page 311 Reasons 1 Because God will humble them Page 313 2 He delights in the exercise of their faith Page 315 3 He delights in their prayers Page 316 4 To discover those that are evill ibid 5 That the adversaries may vent theie malice Page 317 6 That Christs work may appear the more ibid Use Not to sink because of straights Page 318 Doct. 2. In straights Gods people are mightily troubled ibid Reasons 1 Because there is much flesh in the best Page 319 2 There is a great deal of guilt ib. 3 There is self-confidence ib. Use 1 To blame our selves for sinking in straights Page 320 2 To think what will become of wicked men ibid Doct. 3 In those straits we should quiet our selves and look for Gods salvation Page 321 1. Quiet our selves 1 Because then we are fit to look to the wisdom faithfulness and power of God Page 322 2 Because else we cannot make use of our graces ibid 3 We cannot shew our subjection to God Page 323 4 Nor our reverence to God ib. 5 We cannot make use of that we hear ib. 6 We shall hinder others Page 224 2 To expect salvation from God 1 Hereby we sanctifie Gods Name ib. 2 This shews the excellency of faith Page 325 3 It engageth God in our Cause ib. Doct. 4 The sight of salvation after straits a glorious thing Page 328 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 reade his own proficiency in Christs School and what lesson every Christian that would evidence the power and growth of godliness 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 verse 12. he affirms I know how to be abâ—sed and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed The word which is translated Instructed is derived from that word which signifies Mystery and it is
me then my poverty is not afflictive if I can be contented in such a condition That is the way not to stand and repine because I have not what others have no but I am poor and Christ was therefore poor that he might bless my poverty to me And so again Am I disgraced dishonoured is my good-name taken away why Jesus Christ he had dishonour put upon him he was called Beelzebub and a Samaritan and they said he had a Devil in him all the foul aspersions that could be were cast upon Jesus Christ and this was for me that I might have the disgrace that is cast upon me to be sanctified unto me whereas another man his heart is overwhelmed with dishonour and disgrace and he goes this way to work to get Conntetment perhaps if you be spoken ill of you have no other way to ease and right your selves but if they do rail upon you you will rail upon them again and thus you think to ease your selves Oh but a Christian hath another manner of way to ease himself others rail and speak ill of me but did they not rail upon Jesus Christ and speak ill of him and what am I in comparison of Christ And the subjection of Christ to such an evil it was for me that though such a thing should come upon me I might know that the curse of it is taken from me through Christs subjection to that evill thus a Christian can be contented when any body speaks ill of him now this is a mysterie to you to get Contentment after such a manner as this is So if men jeer and scoffe at you did they not do so to Jesus Christ they jeer'd and scoff't at him and that when he was in his greatest extremity upon the Crosse say they Here 's the King of the Jews and they bowed the knee and said hail King of the Jews and put a Reed into his hand and mocked him now I get Contentment in the midst of scorns and jeers by considering that Christ was scorned and by acting faith upon that which Christ did suffer for me So am I in great pain of my body Jesus Christ had as great pain upon his body as I have though it 's true he had not such kind of sicknesses as we have but yet he had as great pain and tortours in his body and that that was deadly to him as wel as any sicknesse is to us the exercising of faith upon what Christ did indure that 's the way to get Contentment in the midst of our pains one lies vexing and fretting and cannot bear his pain art thou a Christian hast thou ever tryed this way of getting contentment to act thy faith upon all the pains and sufferings that Jesus Christ did suffer this would be the way of Contentment and a Christian gets contentment under pains after this maner sometimes one that is very godly and gracious you shall have them lie under grievous pains and extremities very cheerfully and you wonder at it this is the way that he gets it he gets it by acting his faith upon what pains Jesus Christ did suffer thou art afraid of death the way to get Contentment it is by exercising thy faith upon the death of Jesus Christ yea it may be thou hast inward troubles in thy soule and God withdraws himselfe from thee but still thy faith is to be exercised upon the sufferings that Jesus Christ indured in his soul he poured forth his soul before God then when he sweat drops of water and blood he was in an Agony in his very Spirit and he found even God himself in a way to forsake him now the acting thy faith upon Jesus Christ thus brings Contentment and is not this a mysterie to carnal hearts a gracious heart finds Contentment in a way of a mystery no marvel though Saint Paul saith I am instructed in a Mystery to be contented in whatsoever condition I am in In the Eleventh place there is yet a further mystery for this I hope you will find a very useful point unto you and you will see what a plaine way there is before we have done for one that is skil'd in Religion to get Contentment though it 's hard for one that is carnal I say the Eleventh mystery in contentment is this A gracious heart hath contentment by fetching strength from Jesus Christ he is able to beare his burden by fetching strength from another now this is a riddle indeed and it would be a rediculous thing to be spoken of in the schools of Philosophers to say if there be a burden upon you you must fetch strength from another indeed to have another to come and stand under the burden that way they would know but that you shall be strengthened by anothers strength that is not neer you to your outward view that they would think rediculous but now a Christian finds satisfaction in every condition by getting strength from another by going out of it's self to Jesus Christ and by faith acting upon Christ and bringing the strength of Jesus Christ into it's own soul and thereby is inabled to bear whatsoever God laies upon him by the strength that he finds from Jesus Christ of his fulnesse do we receive grace for grace there is strength in Christ not only to sanctifie and save us but strength to support us under all our burdens and afflictions and Christ expects that when we are under any burden that we should act our faith upon him to draw vertue and strength from him the acting of faith that 's the great grace that is to be acted under afflictions it 's true other graces should be acted but the grace of faith it draws strength from Christ in looking upon him that hath the fulnesse of all strength to be convayed into the hearts of all beleevers Now if a man hath a burden upon him yet if he can have strength added to him if the burden be doubled yet if he can have his strength to be tribled the burden will not be heavier but lighter than it was before to our natural strength Indeed our afflictions may be heavy and we cry out oh we cannot bear them we cannot bear such an affliction Though thou canst not tell how to bear it with thine own strength yet what canst thou tell what thou shalt do with the strnegth of Jesus Christ Thou saiest thou canst not bear it why doest thou think that Christ could not bear it if Christ could bear it why mayest not thou come to bear it You will say Can I have the strength of Christ Yea that is made over to thee by faith so the Scripture saith That the Lord is our strength God himself is our strength and Christ is our strength divers Scriptures we have that way that Christs strength is thine made over to thee that so thou mayest be able to bear whatsoever lies upon thee and therefore we find such a strange kind of expression in the Epistle
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 sin 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 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 evil 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 deal 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 plesed to make such an interpretation as to say it is perfect When we look into our own hearts we can see nothing but uncleannesse God he calls you his Saints he calls the meanest Christian that hath the least grace under the greatest corruption his Saint you say we cannot be Saints here but yet in Gods esteem we are Saints You know the usual title the holy Ghost gives in several of the Epistles to those that had any grace any uprightness is To the Saints in such a place you see what an interpretation God puts upon them they are Saints to him and so I might name in divers other particulars God makes the best interpretation of things if there be abundance of evil and a little good God rather passes by the evil and takes notice of the good That somtimes I have made use of which is a very observable placs in Peter concerning Sarah Sarah had a speech to her husband in Genesis 18.12 she called her husband lord but there was but that one good word in an ill speech it was an unbeleeving speech but yet when the Apostle mentions that speech in 1 Pet. 3.6 the holy Ghost leaves all the ill and commends her for calling her husband lord for putting a reverend title upon her husband thus how graciously doth God deal with us If there be but one good word among a great many ill what an interpretation God makes so should we do if there be but any one good interpretation that we can make of a thing we should rather make use of the good one than of the ill Oh my brethren I would I could now speak only to such as are godly retain good thoughts of God take heed of judging God to be a hard master make good interpretations of his waies and that 's a special means to help you to Contentment in all your courses The Eleventh Direction Do not so much regard the fancies of other men as what indeed you feel your selves for the reason of our discontentment many times is rather from the fancies of other men than from what we find we want our selves we think poverty to be such a great evil why because it is so esteem'd by others more than what people feel in it themselves except they be in extremity of poverty I 'le give you an evident demonstration that almost all the discontent in the world is rather from the fancies of others than from the evil that is upon themselves You that think your estates to be low and you are thereupon discontent and it is a greivous affliction to you but if all men in the world were poorer than you then you would not be discontent then you would rejoyce in your estates though you had not a pennie more than you have As take a man that can get but his twelve pence a day and you will say this were but a poor thing to maintain a familie but suppose there were no man in the world that had more than this yea that all other men but your selves had somewhat lesse wages than you then you would think your condition pretty good you should have no more then than you have now therefore it appears by this that it 's rather from the fancies of other men than what you feel that makes you think your condition to be so greivous for if all the men in the world lookt upon you as happy more happy than themselves then you would be contented Oh let not your happinesse depend upon the fancies of other men It is a speech of Chrisostom I remember in this very case Let us not make the people in this case to be our lords as we must not make men to be the lords of our faith so not the lords of our comforts that is that our comfort should depend more upon their imaginations than upon what we feel in our selves It may be others think you to be in an afflicted condition yea but I thank God for my self I do not so apprehend it were it not for the disgrace dis-esteem and slightings of other men my condition would not be so bad to me as now it is this is that that makes my condition afflictive The Twelfth Direction Be not inordinately taken up with the comforts of this world when you have them When you have them do not take too much content in them that 's a certain rule that look how inordinate any man or woman is in sorrow when a comfort is taken from them so much immoderate were they in their rejoycing in the comfort when they had it as now for instance God takes away a child and you are inordinately sorrowful beyond what God allows in a natural or Christian way now though I never knew before how your heart was towards the child
our friends and so are brought into such straights pray husband go back again and venture not your self thus and thus but it seems she was of a gracious spirit and quieted her self in God and was not afraid with amazement If you would approve your selv's the daughters of Sarah do ye so when God cals your husbands to any service though it be with some hazard do not you hang about their necks and wring your hands and say I beseech you husband consider what will become of me and my children will you leave me now Take heed you are not the daughters of Sarah at such a time if you hinder your husbands at such a time as this is 4. Doct. That the sight of salvation after straights will be a glorious thing If we be brought into straights that that is comming will pay for all there is enough to satisfie let us not be troubled at greater straights than yet we have Suppose blood should be shed beloved God hath such mercy for England that shall pay for all the blood of his Saints that shall be shed and the blood of his people is a precious thing Every drop of the blood of his people is very precious and the Adversary shal be accomptable for every drop God will value it and there shall be a valuable consideration given for every drop of blood and the more difficulties we have in obtaining that mercy God is about to give us the mercy shall be the greater Isa 54.11 O thou afflicted and tost with tempests thy foundations shal be laid with Saphires and with precious stones If we be afflicted and tossed with tempests and the blood of Gods people go for it comfort your selves with this The more precious blood that is shed in this business the greater mercy is to come for God will have a valuable consideration for all the blood of his Saints FINIS AN EXACT ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF ALL THE PRINCIPAL TRUTHS IN THE FORE-GOING TREATISE OF Contentment A Abundance ABundance of mercies enjoyed should make us content Page 189 Account Account of prosperity Page 89 Account of great men Page 90 Actions see Heart Adversity see Quiet Affections Men unsatisfied in their affections Page 10 See Wast Afflictions Faith to be acted in afflictions Page 47 Gods people to be ordinarily in afflictions Page 98 To be troubled for murmuring rather than afflictions Page 120 Afflictions How made worse Page 141 How to moderate grief in afflictions Page 152 Gods hand apparant in afflictions Page 162 Afflictions are not to be pored on too much Page 201 See Fear Love Christ Mercy Look Great Chuse Fit Service c. All in All God All in All to his Children Page 51 All-sufficiency All-sufficiency in the Saints how Page 3 Angels A Christian one with Angels Page 127 A Christian neerer the Divine nature than Angels Page 128 A Saints calling as high as Angels Page 177 Apparant see Afflictions Assurance see Covenant B Base A murmuring spirit a base spirit Page 130 Beams Creatures convey comforts but as beams Page 50 Being We enjoy creatures in reference to the first-being Page 80 Best God interprets what we do to the best Page 204 Better see Condition Soul Beauty Beauty of grace wherein seen Page 104 Blesse Sence of afflictions will make us blesse God for the mercies of others Page 165 See Dew Bread We are to pray but for daily bread Page 134 Broken A Broken heart brings Content Page 33 Burden Contentment by adding a new burden Page 31 Burden of sin makes affliction light Page 32 C Call Calling Calling of the soul what Page 124 A Christian general calling high Page 177 To be sure of a Call in every thing Page 196 Change To change affliction to another thing Page 34 All creatures go on in a way of change Page 189 Child A murmuring spirit like a weaning Child Page 130 Christ What the Saints have is purchased by Christ Page 42 Afflictions to the godly from the same hand that gave Christ Page 44 What hinders the sight of the excellency of Christ Page 123 In Conversion the soul cast on Christ Page 124 Christian see Murmuring Chuse We must not chuse our afflictions Page 174 Command The more solemn Gods command the greater the sin in breaking of it Page 163 Complacency A Christian takes complacency in Gode dispose Page 17 Complain We may complain to God in afflictions Page 5 Comfort Content brings comfort Page 110 Comfort how kept in the soul ibid Comfort of what we have How lost Page 138 See God Condition A Christian content in every condition Page 20 We should do the works of our present condition Page 35 How to know what saith our condition Page 83 Our condition better than our betters Page 191 Constraint Not to submit in affliction by constraint Page 16 Contentment Contentment what it signifies Page 2 Contentment to be skil'd in the mystery of it Page 3 Contentment what Page 4 Contentment whereof it is made Page 26 Contentment the bottom of it Page 30 Contentment the excellency of it Page 100 Contentment wherein it consists Page 112 To be humbled for want of Contentment Page 118 Contentment of former Christians Page 133 Considerations to move Contentment Page 187 Directions to Contentment Page 195 See Worship Soul Condition Comfort c. Conversion The work of God in Conversion Page 122 See Life Contrary God worketh by Contraries Page 99 Corruption Argument of corruption in the soul Page 119 Covenant Christians comfort from Gods Covenant 53.61 Gods Covenant his Assurance-Office Page 63 Particular promises part of the Covenant Page 64 In Conversion we give our selves to God in Covenant Page 124 See Works Creature To know the vanity of the Creature Page 73 To enjoy God in the Creature Page 80 In Conversion the heart taken from the Creature Page 123 Creatures suffer for us Page 189 Crowns God hath Crowns for all graces Page 174 Curse Curse of God upon murmuring Page 146 D Daily see Bread Danger Danger of prosperity Page 86 Dear A siggn of love to give him that that cost us dear Page 185 Deliverance Deliverance may be sought in afflictions Denial see Self Departed We think God is departed when we are afflicted Page 168 Though God were departed from us we should not from him Page 169 See Disquiet Dependance We should live in continual dependance upon God Page 179 Deserve We deserve nothing of God Page 69 Desires A Christian should take from his desires Page 29 Devil Devil his Rhetorick Page 136 Devil most discontented Page 147 Dew A Christian lives on the dew of Gods blessing Page 40 Dignity Dignity of a Christian Page 120 Discouragement Discouragement opposite to Contentment Page 7 Discontent Discontent the reason of it Page 73 Discontent a sin of idle men Page 76 Discontent the root of it Page 82 Discontent how aggravated Page 153 Discontent Pleas for it Page 165 See Grace Shift Foolish Mercies Devil Disgrace Disgrace how sanctified Page 45
Dishonour A Christian discontented when God is dishonoured Page 15 Dispose see Freely Disquiet Disquiet the the cause of Gods departing Page 168 See Murmuring Duty Duty of a Christian in prosperity Page 89 What unfits for duty Page 134 God accepts of weak duty Page 156 Sence of affliction hinders not duty Page 165 E Efficacy Efficacy of Gods providence Page 95 Ever God gives grace for ever Page 184 Evil Evil of afflictions taken from Gods children Page 56 Excellency Excellency of God how we come neer it Page 117 Excellency of God what ibid Expectation Expectation of a Christian Page 132 F Faith Ordinary works done in Faith precious Page 7 Murmuring below the grace of Faith Page 131 Exercise of faith brings Contentment Page 198 See Affliction Mean Faithfulnesse God in rewarding looks to faithfulnesse Page 178 Father God the Father of a Christian Page 126 We should labour for the Spirit of our Father Page 129 Feel What we feel to be preferred to others fancies Page 205 Fill see God Fit God knows what afflictions are fit Page 174 Grace makes fit for any condition ibid Foolish Discontent a foolish sin 138 139 Frame Contentment a frame of spirit Page 9 Free Freely c. A Christian freely submits to God Page 15 Freedom what Page 16 God gives freely Page 42 Freeness of Gods mercies aggravate sin Page 158 Fretting Fretting opposite to a quietnss of spirit Page 6 G Glory What a Christian hath here is an earnest of glory Page 43 Glory of God wherein it appears Page 105 Glory to be given God in the enjoyment of blessings Page 193 God To look up to God in all conditions Page 19 Nothing can fill the heart but God Page 28 Happiness of a Saint in God Page 38 Saints enjoy all in God Page 49 Outward comforts taken away when they keep us from God Page 50 See Life Creature Excellency Walk Good Christians of themselves unfit to receive good Page 70 We should not be discontent that God is good to others Page 173 God doth good to his by afflictions Page 193 See Sanctifie Christ Grace Grace much exercised in Contentment Page 103 Grace the strength of it ibid Grace better than the Creature Page 113 Discontent contrary to Grace Page 122 Grace should content us without the world Page 193 See Beauty Gracious Contentment a gracious frame of heart Page 13 Great Afflictions not so great as our sins Page 172 Affliction greater for murmuring Page 173 Not to promise our selves great things Page 200 H Habitual Contentment an habitual frame Page 13 Had To praise God for what we had Page 188 Heart Contentment quiets the heart Page 5 The heart to be let out to God Page 67 The knowledge of our own hearts Page 82 Benefits of knowing our own heart Page 84 A great evil to be given up to our own heart Page 91 Rising of the heart Page 135 Distempers of the heart how esteemed with God Page 185 See Gracious Heaven Heaven in the souls of the Saints here Page 59 Things of Heaven real to a Saint Page 67 Heaven what Page 114 Contentment better than Heaven ibid Help Help of a Christian what Page 132 No help by discontent Page 139 High see Calling Angels Honour What is the greatest honour God hath of us in this world Page 81 Humble We should not murmur when God would humble us Page 161 See Contentment I Idle see Discontent Joy Joy immoderat how known Page 206 Injoy Godly men content with that that they injoy Page 4 Good men injoy what they have Page 116 See God Inward Inward discontent Page 4 Inward content ibid Judgment Many not content in their judgement Page 11 See Affections K Kind To submit to afflictions of every kind Page 22 King The soul subdued to Christ as King Page 124 Every Christian a King Page 128 L Life Life of a Saint where it is Page 56 Conversion a work all our life Page 125 Long Long afflictions not to be murmured at Page 163 Look Afflictions to be looked for Page 171 Care in afflictions not looked for Page 172 Losse No loss of us if we perish Page 71 Love Love of God in what a Christian hath Page 41 Love in afflictions to the godly Page 44 Love in a Christians estate Page 110 Love to God a sign of it Page 113 Low Lowest God brings lowest when he intends the greatest mercies Page 98 Men raised from a low condition should not murmur Page 159 Obedience seen most in a low calling Page 178 The soul oft best in a low outward estate Page 180 M Man Man Gods instrument in affliction 170 Mannage see Heart Mean Actions of a mean Christian accepted Page 178 Faith makes mean works glorious ibid Mercy How the soul is fitted to receive mercy Page 106 Mercies lessened by discontent Page 135 Discontent deprives of mercies Page 139 The greater mercies the greater sin to murmur Page 150 Every man hath more mercies than afflictions Page 154 Greatness of mercies should make us content Page 187 God is beforehand with his mercies to us Page 188 See Discontent Member Every Christian a member of Christ Page 127 Mean Christians members of Christs body Page 176 Mystery Contentment a mystery 2.26 Mortified To get our hearts mortified to the world Page 200 Murmuring Murmuring opposite to quietness of spirit Page 6 Murmuring the evill of it Page 119 Murmuring a note of a wicked man Page 120 Murmuring below a Christian Page 126 Murmuring the effects of it Page 134 Murmuring breeds disquiet Page 147 Murmuring the way to relaps into it Page 150 Murmuring aggravations of it ibid See Affection Rebellion Losse Child Curse Mercy Small N Nature see Angels Necessary The knowledge of one thing necessary Page 74 Nothing How a Christian comes to know he is nothing Page 69 A Christian of himself can do nothing Page 70 Naturally we are worse than nothing Page 71 See Deserve Use O Obedience When God gives in love we should return in obedience Page 184 The greater affliction the more obedience ibid One All Gods works from eternity but one Page 96 P Pain Pain sanctified to a Christian how Page 46 Parts Discontent aggravated in men of parts Page 158 Passage see Portion People Gods dealing with his people Page 97 Three things in Gods way with his people Page 98 Perfection see Uprightnesse Particular The Creatures particular comforts Page 113 Pity Pity to men that deal ill with us Page 171 Plague Promises concerning the Plague 54 55 56. Plea see Discontent Portion A Christian not content with little for his portion Page 28 Possesse Men discontent for what they possesse Page 159 Poverty Poverty sanctified by Christs poverty Page 45 See Prosperity Prayers How we undoe our prayers Page 133 Praise see Had Profession Profession of a Christian Page 131 Promise Promises performed more literally to the Jews 54.64 Gods liberty in performing temporal promises Page 55 Christians have interest in all former promises Page 65 See Covenant
Heritage Prosperity Many good men worse for prosperity Page 34 The burden of prosperity Page 85 Prosperity should prepare for afflictions Page 182 See Trouble Danger Protection Protection of God from whom withdrawn Page 147 A great judgment to be out of Gods protection Page 148 Proud A Proud heart never Content Page 30 Punishment Ground of accepting our punishment Page 167 Providence Knowledge of Gods providence what it teacheth Page 94 Providence of God not to be altered Page 95 See Rational Efficacy Variety Universality Purchase see Christ Publick see Discontent Q Quiet Quietnesse in adversity Page 105 See Content R Rational Gods providence most over Creatures rational Page 94 Real see Heaven Reason Wherein natural reason may quiet the heart Page 14 Rebellion Murmuring accounted rebellion Page 121 Rejoyce How the soul comes to rejoyce in Gods waies Page 72 When a sin to rejoyce immoderately Page 152 Relation Relation of a Christian Page 126 Reprobate No certain sign of a reprobate in Scripture Page 91 Reward A Christian may expect a reward Page 116 He is rewarded for what he would do ibid Great reward for Christians in low callings Page 178 Rhetorick see Devil Right What right wicked men have to that they enjoy Page 42 Righteously God deals righteously with us though men do not Page 171 Risings Desparate risings in the heart against God Page 9 Rule A Christian should walk by rule Page 196 S Saints A Christian one body with the Saints Page 127 Sanctified What a Christian hath is sanctified Page 41 All afflictions to the godly sanctified Page 45 See Poverty Disgrace Scorn Scorn Scorn sanctified by Christ Page 46 Self A Christian can make up his wants in himself 53.57 See God Self-love Contentment in the creature from self-love Page 113 Self-denial Self-denial the way to Contentment Page 68 Christ the pattern of self-denial Page 71 Sence Gods Children have sence of their afflictions Page 5 Want of sence in afflictions dangerous ibid Serve Service What makes active in Gods service Page 14 What fits the soul for service Page 107 Affliction grievous when it hinders from Gods service Page 175 All things serve them that serve God Page 197 Setled Our spirituall condition setled Page 181 Shifting Shifting opposite to Contentment Page 8 Shiftting caused by murmuring Page 138 Sight see Sin Silent Grace makes silent in trouble Page 60 Small To murmur for small things Page 157 Sin Sight of sin in a Christian while he lives Page 125 Great sinners should not murmur Page 160 When trouble for affliction and not for sin Page 166 If trouble be for sin we will not sin after trouble Page 167 See Duty Command Sorrow Sorrow when beyond bounds Page 165 See Joy Soul Contentment spread through the whol soul Page 10 Contentment betters the soule Page 113 It is a blessing on the soul Page 115 See Heaven Worship Souldier Every Christian a souldier Page 78 Spirit Spirituall judgements worst Page 91 Spirit of a Christian Page 129 Spirit of the Devil Page 147 Spiritual mind brings Content Page 199 See Father Base Spouse A Christian the Spouse of Christ Page 126 Stilness Stilness natural Page 13 Steadfast Grace makes the soule steadfast Page 195 Stranger A Christian a stranger here Page 76 Strength Strength from Christ to bear afflions Page 47 A Christian strong by Christs strength Page 48 Stupid Many seem content that are stupid Page 17 Submit To submit to God what Page 17 Pains taken without submission to God not Christian-like Page 185 Substraction Contentment by subtraction Page 29 Sweetness Sweetness of mercies eaten out Page 139 T Temple A Christian the Temple of the Spirit Page 127 Temptation How to be delivered from temptation Page 108 Thorns The things of the world as thorns Page 196 Time To submit in afflictions in respect of the time Page 23 Loss of time by murmuring Page 134 Our time little in this world Page 190 Trouble Burden of trouble in prosperity Page 85 See Sin Tumult Tumult of spirit Page 6 V Vanity Every man in his settled estate is vâ—â—ity Page 179 Variety To submit in variety of conditions Page 25 Variety of Gods providence Page 95 Unsatisfied A Christian content yet unsatisfied Page 27 Unsearchable Gods waies unsearchable Page 55 Unsetled Unsetledness of spirit Page 7 Uprightnesse Uprightness accounted perfection Page 204 Use We can make use of nothing if God withdraw his grace Page 70 Men of little use not to murmur Page 161 Universal Gods providence universal Page 94 Unthankfulnesse Unthankfulnesse whence it is Page 135 W Walk To walk with God what 16â— Want How to possess that we want Page 111 Not to want and to be content all one Page 207 Wast The affections not to run wast Page 51 Way To interpret well God's wayes Page 203 See Rejoyce Wicked Wicked men may have that that Christians murmur for Page 187 See Murmuring Will To melt our will into Gods will Page 37 Within Contentment by purging out that that is within Page 39 Without see Within Works Difference between the Covenant of grace and the Covenant of works Page 181 See One World A Christians relation in the world Page 76 Wee were once content with the world without grace Page 193 Not to grasp the world Page 195 Not to be much taken with the comforts of the world Page 206 Worship How we give God due Worship Page 101 Worship what it signifies ibid Soul-worship required Page 102 Worship active and passive ibid Wrath Wrath of God how provoked Page 141 Wrong Better to suffer than to offer wrong Page 171 AN EXACT ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF ALL THE PRINCIPAL TRUTHS IN THE LAST SERMON ON EXODUS 14.13 A Page Amazement STanding still out of amazement Page 304 B Baal-zephon Baal-zephon what Page 300 Beauty Beauty of grace wherein seen Page 325 C Cares Prayer easeth of cares Page 327 Cause God engaged in our cause how Page 325 Coward Part of a Coward Page 301 D Disarm Distracting fear disarms a Christian Page 326 F Faith Standing still out of faith Page 307 Exercise of faith in straights Page 315 See Beauty Fearful Arguments to establish the fearfull Page 328 Flesh Trouble in straights from the flesh Page 319 Flying Flying from danger when lawfull Page 309 Frowardnesse see Humble G Glorious Sight of salvation when glorious Page 328 Gospel A composed spirit becomes the Gospel Page 325 Graces Vnquiet hinders the use of graces Page 322 Guilt Trouble in straights from guilt Page 319 H Hear Vnquietnesse makes us that we cannot hear what is said to us Page 323 Humble Gods people in straights to humble them Page 313 Frowardness from want of humiliation Page 314 I Ignorance Standing still out of ignorance 304 M Malice Malice of the enemy how vented Page 317 N Name Name of God how Sanctified Page 324 Neutrality Standing still out of neutrality Page 305 O Obedience Standing still out of obedience Page 307 Others Others hindred by unquiet spirits Page 324 P Prayer God delights in prayer Page 316 Q Quiet How Christians come to be quiet Page 302 Faith quiets the heart Page 307 In straights to quiet our spirits Page 321 Arguments to quiet the spirit Page 326 R Rebellion The present courses of Gods people not Rebellion Page 304 Reverence Reverence to God when shewed Page 323 S Salvation We should look for the salvation of the Lord 310.324 Selves Trouble in straights from confidence in our selves Page 319 Sink Our hearts should not sink in straights Page 318 Sluggishnesse Standing still out of sluggishness Page 306 Stand still Stand still in an evil sence Page 304 Stand still in a good sence Page 307 Station To keep our station till God call us out Page 308 Straights God brings his people to straights Page 311 Christs works more glorious after straights Page 317 What will become of the wicked in their straights Page 320 Suffering The greatest suffering for one godly man to suffer from another Page 314 Subjection What hinders shewing subjection to God Page 323 Sullennesse Standing still out of sullennesse Page 306 Silence Silence waiting the same Page 307 T Trouble In straights Gods people troubled Page 318 To be ashamed of distempers in trouble Page 320 W Waiting see Silence Wicked Wicked men how discovered Page 316 Wisdom Wisdom of God where seen by us Page 322 FINIS 1 Tim. 6.6 1 Cor. 2. Prov. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stepney Aug. 3. 1645. Aug. 31 1645. Sept. 21. 1645. Oct. 12. 1645. Col. 3.1
of affliction God doth give leave to his people to be sensible of what they suffer 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 stir'd by them than 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 afflictions 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 Christian 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 quit still submissive way he may unbosom 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 into another condition or simply endeavouring to be delivered out of the present affliction by the use of lawfull means No I may lay in provision for my deliverance use Gods meanes 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 weakness and he will not take it ill at our hands if by earnest and importunate 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 quietness 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 fretting which is a degree beyond murmuring It is a speech I remember of an Heathen A wise man may greive under but not be vexed with his afflictions There is a vast difference betwixt a kindly grieving 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 unsetledness 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 than 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 cals for it the authority of the command 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 Nehemiah did chap. 6.3 Sanballat Geshem and Tobiah when they would have hindred the building of the wall with this I am doing a great woâ—k 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 estimates it's 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 Rebeckah's womb A great man will permit common people to stand without his doors but he will not let them come in and make a noise in his closet or bed-chamber 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 the 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 be 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 interprizes may be given to himself Nay if his people stand in need of miracles 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 filled 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 sinful 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 Penhadad 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 Chro. 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 temporal 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 arising 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 quietness 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 tumultuousness of spirit in you there is not unsetledness in your spirits there are not distracting fears in your hearts no sinking discouragements no base shiftings no rising in rebellion any way against God This is the quietness 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 Soule 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 whol Soul as thus It is in the judgment that is The judgment of the soul of a man or woman tends to quiet the heart In my judgment I am satisfied that is one thing to be satisfied in ones understanding and judgment 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 judgment 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 whol 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 wil nor the affections though the judgments 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 judgment about it I have nothing in the world to say in respect of my judgment against it I see the hand of God and I should be content yea I am satisfied in my judgment 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 than it should be and yet my judgment 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 judgment went there was a contentednesse that is His judgment was satisfied in the work of God upon him and he was troubled but he knew not wherefore O my soul why art thou east 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 singing 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 helpe 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 Contentment to go through the whole frame of the Soul There is a great deal of stir sometimes to get Contentment into their judgments that is To satisfie their judgment
thy heart might run wholly upon him As if you have Children because you have servants perhaps do feed them and give them things you perceive that your servants do steal away the hearts of your Children you would hardly be able to bear it you would be ready to turn away such a servant and when the servant is gone the Child is at a great loss it hath not the nurse but the father or mother intends by her putting away that the affections of the Child might run the more strongly towards himself or herself and what losse hath the Child that the affections that ran in a rough channel before towards the servant it runs now towards the mother So those affections that runs towards the creature God would have them run towards himself that so he may be All in All to thee here in this world And a gracious heart can indeed tel how to enjoy God to be All in All to him that is the happiness of Heaven to have God to be All in All. The Saints in Heaven have not houses and lands and money and meat and drink and cloaths you wil say they do not need them why do they not It is because God is All in All to them imediatly now while thou livest in this world thou mayest come to enjoy much of God you may have much of heaven while we live in this life we may come to enjoy much of the very life that there is in Heaven and what is that but the enjoyment of God to be All in All to us There is one text in the Revelations that speaks of the glorious condition of the Church that is like to be even here in this world Revel 21.21 And I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it and the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof They had no need of the Sun or Moon It speaks of such a glorious condition that the Church is like to be in here in this world this doth not speak of Heaven and that appears plainly that this is not spoken of Heaven but of a glorious estate that the Church shall be in here in this world for it follows presently in the 24. and 26. verse And they speaking of the Kings of the earth And the Kings of the Earth do bring their glory and honour unto it Why the Kings of the Earth shall not bring their glory and honour into Heaven but this is such a time when the Kings of the Earth shall bring their glory and honour to the Church And in the 26. vers And they shall bring the glory and honour of the Nations into it therfore it must needs be meant here in this world and not in Heaven Now if there be such a time here in this world that God shall be All in All that in comparison there shall be no such need of creatures as now there is then the Saints shall labour to live as neer that life as possibly they can that is To make up All in God Oh that you would but mind this Mystery that it may be a reality to the hearts of the Saints in such times as these are they would find this priviledge that they get by Grace to be worth thousands of worlds Hence is that of Jacob that I mentioned in another case it is remarkable and comes in fully here in Gen. 33. that notable speech of Jacob when his brother Esau did meet him ye find in one place that Esau he refused Jacobs present in the 8. verse when Jacob gave his present to him he refused it and tould Jacob that he had enough What meanest thou by all this drove which I meet And he said These are to find grace in thy sight And Esau said I have enough Now in the 11. verse there Jacob urges it still and saith Jacob I beseech thee take it for I have enough now in your books it is the same in English I have enough saith Esau and I have enough saith Jacob but in the Hebrew Jacobs word is different from Esau's Jacobs word signifies I have all things and yet Jacob was poorer than Esau Oh this should be a shame to us that an Esau should say I have enough but now a Christian should say I have not only enough but I have all how hath he all because he hath God that is All. And it was an notable speech of one He hath all things that hath him that hath all things Surely thou hast all things because thou hast him for thy portion who hath al things God hath all things in himself and thou hast God to be thine for thy portion and in that thou hast all and this is the Mystery of Contentment It makes up all wants in God this is that that the men of the world have little skill in Now I have divers other things yet to open in the Mystery of Contentment I should shew likewise that a godly man not only makes up all in God but finds enough in himselfe to make up all to make up all in himselfe not from himselfe but in himselfe and that may seem to be stranger than the other to make up all in God is somewhat nay to make up all in himself not from himself but in himself that is a gracious heart hath so much of God within himself that he hath enough there to make up all his wants that are without In Pro. 14.14 A good man shall be satisfied from himself from that that is within himself that is the meaning a gracious man he hath a bird within his own bosom that makes him melody enough though he wants musick The Kingdom of heaven is within you In Luke 17.21 He hath a Kingdom within him and a Kingdom of God you see him spoken ill of abroad he hath a conscience within him that makes up the want of a name and credit that is instead of a thousand witnesses Thirtenth A gracious heart fetches Contentment from the Covenant that God hath made with him Now this is a way of fetching Contentment that the men of the world know not of they can fetch contentment if they have the creature to satisfie them But to fetch contentment from the Covenant of grace that they have little skill in I should here have opened two things First how to fetch Contentment from the Covenant of grace in generall But I shall speak to that in the next Sermon and now only a word to the Second Secondly how he fetches Contentment from the particular branches of the Covenant that is from the particular promises that he hath for the supplying of every particular want there is no condition that a Godly man or woman can be in but there is some promise or other in the Scripture to help him in that condition And that 's the way of his Contentment
evil of sin 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 dreadful evil of sin and made my soul to be sensible of the evil of sin as the greatest burden how can I then be so much troubled for every little affliction certainly if I saw what the evill of sin were that sight would swallow up all other evils and if I were burdened with the evil of sin it would swallow up all other burdens what am I now murmuring against Gods hand saith such a soul when as a while ago the Lord made me see my self to be a damned wretch and apprehend it as a wonder that I am 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 think 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 than ten thousand worlds for so will a true convert say Oh! the Lord at such a time hath given me that fight 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 trifle in comparison to that 3. A Third work when God brings the soul home to himself it is By 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 several actings of the soul in turning to God it may perceive these things in it the disingagement of the heart from the Creature that 's the calling off 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 was before seeking for Contentment in the world and cleaving to the Creature now the Lord calls 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 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 glued 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 self rouls it self upon the infinit Grace of God in Christ for al 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 self to God in an everlasting Covenant as thou takest Christ the Head of the Covenant to be thine so thou givest up thy self 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 self to God in an everlasting 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 self up to God it would be of marvellous help 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 prevail more than 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 himself 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 daies 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 converted before Yes they were converted but they were still to continue the work of Conversion all the daies of their lives and what work of God there is at the first Conversion it is to abide afterwards As thus alwaies there must abide some sight and sense of sin it may be not in the way which you had which was rather a preparation than any thing else but the sight and sense of sin it is to continue still that is you are still to be sensible 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
with the Word that so it may passe away for that 's the way of Phisitians when they meet with a body that hath any tough humour then they give that that hath a peircing quality when there is a tough humour that stops the water that it cannot passe they give that that hath a peircing quality that may make passage for it and so thou hast need of such things that are piercing to make way through this tough humour that is in the spirits of men and women whereby they come to live very uncomfortably to themselves and others and very dishonourable unto God SERMON X. PHILIPPIANS 4.11 For I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content NOW there are many Pleas and reasonings yet remain for there 's a great deal of do with a discontented murmuring heart And I remember I find that the same Hebrew word that signifies to lodge to abide it signifies to murmur they use one word for both for murmuring is a distemper that doth lodge in men where it gets in once it lodgeth abideth and continues and therefore that we may unlodge it and get it out we will labour to shew what are the further reasonings of a discontented heart The Fourth Plea Me thinks I could be content with Gods hand saith one so far as I see the hand of God in a thing I can be content but when men deal so unreasonably and unjustly with me I know not how to bear it I can bear it that I should be in Gods hands but not in the hands of men my friends or acquaintance when they deal so unrighteously with me Oh this goes very hard unto me that I know not how to bear it from men For the taking away of this reasoning first Though they be men that bring this crosse upon you yet they are Gods Instruments God hath a hand in it and they can go no further then God would have them go This was that that quieted David when Shimei curst him saith he God hath a hand in it though Shimei be a base wicked man yet I look beyond him to God So is there any of your friends that deal injuriously with you and crosse with you look up to God and see that man but as an instrument in Gods hands Secondly If this be your trouble that men do so wrong you you are rather to turn your hearts to pity them than to murmur or be discontented For the truth is if you be wronged by other men you have the better of it for it is better to bear wrong than to do wrong a great deal if they wrong you your heart cannot submit you are in a better condition than they because it 's better to bear than do wrong I remember it is said of Socrates that being very patient when wrong was done to him they asked him how he came to be so saith he If I meet with a man in the street that is a diseased man shall I be vexed fretted with him because he is diseased those that wrong me I look upon them as diseased men and therefore pity them Thirdly Though you meet with hard dealings from men yet you meet mith nothing but kind good and righteous dealings from God when you meet with unrighteous dealings from them set one against the other And that 's for the answer to the fourth Plea A Fifth Plea Oh but that affliction that comes upon me is an affliction that I never lookt for I never thought to have met with such an affliction and that is that I know not how to bear that is that which makes my heart so disquiet because it was altogether unlookt for and unexpected For the answer of this first it is thy weaknesse and folly that thou didest not look for it and expect it In Acts 20.22 23. see what Saint Paul saith concerning himself And now behold I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem not knowing the things that shall befal me there save that the Holy-Ghost witnesseth in every City saying that bonds and afflictions abide me It 's true saith he I know not the particular affliction that may befal me but this I know that the Spirit of God witnesseth that bonds and afflictions shall abide me every where I look for nothing else but bonds and afflictions wheresoever go so a Christian should do he should look for afflictions wheresoever he is in all conditions he should look to meet with afflictions and therefore if any affliction should befall him though indeed he could not fore-see the particular evil yet he should think this is no more than I lookt for in the general Therefore no affliction should come unexpectedly to a Christian A second answer I would give is this Is it unexpected then the lesse provision thou madest for it before it came the more careful shouldest thou be to sanctifie Gods Name in it now it is come it is in this case of afflictions as in mercies many times mercy comes unexpected and that might be a third answer to you set one against the other I have many mercies that I never lookt for as well as afflictions that I never lookt for why should not one rejoyce me as well as the other disturbs me As it is in mercies when they come unexpected the lesse preparation there was in me for receiving mercy the more need I have to be careful now to give God the glory of the mercy to sanctifie Gods Name in the enjoyment of the mercy Oh so it should be with us now we have had mercies this summer that we never expected and therefore we were not prepared for them now we should be so much the more careful to give God the glory of them so when afflictions come that we did not expect then it seems we laid not in for them before hand we had need be the more careful to sanctifie Gods Name in them we should have spent some pains before to prepare for afflictions and we did not then take so much the more pains to sanctifie God in this affliction now And that 's a fift reasoning The Sixth Plea Oh! but it is very great mine affliction it is exceeding great saith one and how ever you say we must be contented it 's true you may say so that feel not such great afflictions but if you felt my affliction that I feel you would think it hard to bear and be content To that I answer Let it be as great an affliction as it will it â—â— not so great as thy sin He hath punished thee lesse than thy sins Secondly It might have bin a great deal more thou mightest have bin in Hell And it is as I remember Bernards speech saith he It is an easier matter to be opprest than perish Thou mightest have been in Hell and therefore the greatness of the thing should not make thee murmur grant it be great Thirdly It may be it 's the greater because thy heart doth so murmur for shackles
obedience to thee When God cals for thy estate or any comforts that thou hast God cals for it as a pledge of thy obedience to him A Twelfth Plea Another reasoning of a murmuring heart is this Oh but after I have taken a great deal of pains for such a comfort yet then I am crost in it after a great deal of labour and pains that I have taken now to be crost Oh this goes very hard First I answer The greater crosse the more obedience and submission Secondly When thou did'st take a great deal of pains was it not with submission to God Did'st thou take pains with resolution that thou must have such a thing when thou labourest for it Then know that thou labourest not as a Christian but if thou did'st labour and take pains was it not with resignation to God Lord I am taking pains in the way of my calling but with submission I depend wholly upon thee for successe and a blessing And what was it that thou did'st aime at in thy labour was it not that thou mightest walk with God in the place that God had set thee A Christian should do so in his outward calling I am diligent in my outward calling but it is that I might obey God in it it 's true I do it that I might provide for my family but the chief thing that I aime at is That I might yeild obedience to God in the way that God hath set me Now if God cals thee to another condition to obey him in though it be by suffering thou wilt do it if thy heart be right Thirdly There will be the more testimony of thy love to God if so be thou shalt now yeeld up thy self to God in that that cost thee dear shall I offer that to God saith David that cost me nothing thy outward comforts hath cost thee much and thou hast taken much pains to obtain them and now if thou canst submit to God in the want of them I say in this thy love is more shown that thou canst offer that to God that cost thee dear Now these are the principal reasonings of a discontented heart A Thirteenth Plea There 's one Plea more that may be nam'd and that is this saith some Though I confess my affliction is somwhat 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 ado with my own heart Oh! do not satisfie your selves with that for the distempers of your hearts and their sinful workings are as words before God My soul be 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 sullennesse 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 these things and because they do concern 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 sinful 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 application 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 several 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 we 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 should'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 himself what am I discontented for I am discontented for want of that that a dog may have that a Devil 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 in 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 work 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
that man or woman that is servicable to God It is a mighty commendations of Gods service be thou willing to be servicable 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 saith God it shall work for thy good and be servicable to thee if thou wilt be servicable to me who would not be now Gods servant Subject thy self to God and all things 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 Park while the deer keeps within the pale there is no dogs come upon them but they can feed quietly but let the deer 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 will pass 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 contentedness 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 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 instrumental 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 shall work together for good to them that fear God but likewise exercise faith in God himself as well as in his word in the Attributes of God It was a speech of Socrates a Heathen saith he since God is so careful for you what need you be careful for any thing your selves It was a strange speech of a Heathen Oh Christian if thou hast any faith in the time of extremity think thus this is the time that God cals for the exercise of faith what canst thou do with thy faith if thou canst not quiet thy heart in discontent It was the speech of one Theodosius that had been a King and afterwards was brought to such a low condition to get his living by being a School-master one comes and asks him What have you got by your Phylosophy from Plato and others what have I got saith he I have got this that though my condition be changed from so high a condition to so low yet I have got this I can be content So what doest thou get by being a Beleever a Christian what canst thou do by thy faith I can do this I can in all estates cast my care upon God cast my burden upon God I can cōmit my way to God in peace faith can do this Therefore when reason can go no higher let faith get upon the shoulders of reason and say I see land though reason cannot see it I see good that will come out of all this evil Exercise faith in thy often resignation of thy self to God in giving of thy self up to God and his waies the more thou dost in a beleeving way surrender up thy self to God the more quiet and peace wilt thou have that 's the fift thing The Sixth Direction The sixth Direction for Contentment is To labour to be spiritually minded that is be often in meditation of the things that are above If we be risen with Christ saith the Scriptures let us seek the things that are above where Christ is that sits at the right hand of God Be much in spiritual thoughts in conversing with things above many Christians that have an interest in the things of Heaven yet converse but very little with them their meditations are not much upon heavenly things It is that that some give as the reason why Adam did not see his nakednesse some think that he had so much converse with God and with things above Sence that he did not so much mind or think of nakednesse what it was but whether that were so or no I will not say but this I say and am certain of the reason why we are so troubled with our nakednesses with any wants that we have it 's because we converse so little with God so little with spiritual things the conversing with spiritual things would lift us above the things of the world Those that are bit or stung with a Snake it is because they tread upon the ground if they could be lifted up above the earth they need never fear to be stung with the Snakes that are crawling underneath so I may compare the sinful distemper of murmuring and the temptations and evils that comes from thence to be like Snakes that crawl up and down below but if we could get higher we should not be stung by them A heavenly conversation is the way for Contentment The Seventh Direction A seventh rule is Do not promise to your selves too much before-hand do not make account of too great things It is good for us to take hold very low and not think to pitch too high do not soar too high in your thoughts beforehand to think oh if I had this and this and imagine great matters to your selves but be as good Jacob you know he was a man that lived a very contented life in a mean condition saith he Lord if I may but have cloaths to put on and meat to eat he lookt no higher he was content with that so if we would not pitch our thoughts high and think that we might have what others have so much and so much when we meet with disappointments we would not be so much troubled and so Paul If we have but meat and drink and cloathing let us be therewith content he did not soar too high aloft those that look at high things in the world they meet with disappointments and so they come to be discontent be as high as you will in Spiritual meditations God gives liberty there to any one of you to be as high as you will above Angels but for your outward estate God would not have you aim at high things Seekest thou great things saith the Lord to Baruch seek them not you shall have your life for a prey In
another as bad as that there you shall find they want bread and were ready to starve for hunger in Chap. 16.2 3. And all the Assembly were ready to be killed for hunger the text saith well Moses cries to God and God delivered them out of that straight too In the next Chap. they were in as great a straight too They pitched at Rephidim and there they had no water to drink again I might go through the story and shew you in the wildernesse what great straights God put them in and yet God was working salvation for them When they come to possesse the land because I wil not go thorow the story the time wil not permit they have Jordan to passe over without any bridge whether the bridges were cut down or whether there were none I cannot tell but it was more danger to passe over the bridges if there were any because at that time the text saith it was that Jordan flowed over all his banks so then it was at the worst time that could be when the banks of Jordan were all overflowed yet God delivered them out of that straight When they were got over there I might shew you many other straights but I shall mention only one that was this The first enemy the people of God fought with all in Canaan they were discomfited they were beaten back at the first battel that ever they fought when they came to set upon the land of Canaan and to fight with the adversary there the adversary comes out and gets the day and makes them fly before them that was at the fight at Ai They fled before the men of Ai upon this Joshua fell down upon the ground Why Lord What are we come to this After all these straights that we come now to fight with the people of Canaan and they at the very first blow have the day and make us fly before them now all the people will come out against us If so be people have such distracting fears now suppose there should be a meeting of both Armies and you should hear that one Army flies before another that our men fly before those that come out against them before the Cavelliers what a fear and distraction would there be then yet so it was with the people of Israel though God was coming in with such a mighty hand to deliver them and to possesse them of Canaan yet at the very first blow they had the worst and the people overcame them It would take a mighty deal of time to shew you the straights that David and Josâ—ah and Jehoshaphat and Hezekiah werein I 'le only give you a word or two about David because it may be a very great help to poor troubled spirits in time of straights David he was in such straights sometimes that he professes himself even overwhelmed Psal 61. and the beginning You shall find Psal 77.4 He could not speak Many poor souls are in greivous afflictions and when we put them to go and open their hearts to God and men Oh I cannot speak say they David was in such straights that he could not speak yea he could not so much as look up Psal 40.12 not so much as look up to God grievous straights that he was in And the people of Israel in their other Captivity there were mountains before them what straights did God put them into When they were come forth of Babilon In Zech. 4. What art thou O great mountain that art before them But examples will be needless to illustrate the thing it is so cleer that thus was Gods dealing with his people As with wicked men when God is in a way of wrath against the ungodly he many times suffers them to prosper in the highest way with the most flourishing prosperity that ever they had in their lives So when he is in a way of salvation of his Saints he lets them be in the lowest ebb that ever they were in in al their lives As in Job 20. saith the text there at the 5. verse In the fulness of his sufficiency be shall be in straights In the fulness of his sufficiency what a phrase is here A wicked man shall be in straits when he is full when he hath sufficient as he thinks in the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straights and on the other side a godly man in his greatest straights he hath a fulness of sufficiency I will shew you that cleer in 2 Cor. 1.5 As the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ We have a fulness of Consolation when we have a fulness of Suffering yea not only abound but do super abound for so the word is in 2 Cor. 7.4 I am saith he filled with comfort I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulations We are brought into tribulation into great straights and I have a fulness fil'd with comfort and exceeding joyful more than abundantly-joyful so the word signifies there is abounding in the other text but here is a super added to it a super-abounding more than joyfull not in times of prosperity only Carnall hearts never know how to rejoyce but in times of prosperity when they can eat and drink and play then they can be merry but the Saints know how to joy how to be fil'd with joy how to abound in joy and how to be exceedingly abounding in joy when they are in tribulation Thus as wicked men are in straights in their sufficiencies so godly men when God is in a way of comfort they may be in a way of great affliction and the reason of it may be 1. Reason Because God will humble his people when he is in a way of salvation when God intends the greatest good to his people and to raise them the highest he is very careful to keep them very low that hath alwaies bin the manner of Gods administrations You see the reason of the peoples having straights in the wilderness it was from hence in the 8. of Deuteronomie there God gives the reason in the second verse Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these fourty years in the wilderness to what end why were they so long in the wildernesse it was saith the text to humble them I brought thee into the wilderness and it was to humble thee Doth God my brethren bring us into straights now in these times Certainly he is in a way of salvation for England he is in a way of salvation to do us good in the latter end but yet he is bringing us into straights Oh! we may thank the pride of our spirits we have not been brought low enough to this very day There hath been indeed some humiliation of some of the people of God in fasting and praying they have humbled their souls but yet though there hath been humble expressions yet not humble hearts for after those times they have had many of them exceeding froward spirits and that argues
apparantly their hearts are not humbled and broken when their spirits after daies of humiliation still should be froward and pettish as before But especially for the generallity of the Kingdom how far are we from being an humbled people we are not yet capable of what mercy God intendeth for us in this regard because we are not humbled Oh the exceding pettishness envie and pride and worse a great deal not only in many people of the Land but even in those that are godly and gracious how are the spirits of men of one brother opposite to another that because there is some difference in judgment in such and such a thing O they could be content many of them to have them rid out of the Land and if God did not prevent whereas the persecution by Bishops is now at an end who knows except God humble their hearts more whether many of Gods dear servants that do but differ in some point of judgement might not meet with a great deale of sufferings even from those that are godly and that is the worst suffering better a thousand times suffer from wicked men it is not so hard to the spirits of godly men to suffer from never so many Bishops and wicked men as to suffer from one godly man Oh! there wants that charity and tenderness of spirit one towards another that should be we are not yet humbled and brought upon our knees and therefore it is just with God to lay us upon our backs a while or that we should even be with our faces upon the ground confounded in our own thoughts before that great Salvation comes that God intendeth for us That 's the first reason 2. Reas God brings to straights because he takes much delight in the Exercise of faith My beloved Faith it is a most glorious grace it is one of the most glorious things that ever God enabled any creature to do and especially now when there is so much guilt upon them it is a more glorious work than Adam perform'd in Innocency For a poor creature to beleeve upon God for his good here and in the midst of all extremities to rely upon him it is a most glorious work and God is exceedingly delighted in it and therfore the Scripture calleth Faith Precious Faith in the beginning of the 2 Epistle of Peter now God loves the acting of precious things God loves to see the actings of all his creatures every creature active in his way but when God hath put such a precious grace as faith into the heart Oh! how God doth delight to see the acting of that precious Faith and therfore it hath been the way of God to go quite crosse after the Lord hath made a promise of mercy and salvation he goes seemingly crosse only to exercise Faith I think I have told you sometimes of that to Abraham that there were but two promises made to him first That the Country that God would give him should flow with milk and honey and secondly His seed should be as the stars of Heaven and mark what way God goes to bring this about assoon as ever he gets into Canaan he was ready to starve there is this the country that flows with milk and honey and then for the other His seed should be as the stars of Heaven he stayed twenty yeers before he had a child Isaac stayed forty yeers before he had a child and yet his seed should be great and Isaac must be killed too and then there was another thing exercised his faith he would give him the Land and yet notwithstanding during his life he must not possesse one foot of the Land but only a burying-place and what was the reason of all this It was to exercise his faith and the promise God makes to his Son Christ I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession yet Christ must not have a hole to hide his head in he hath not so much as the foxes and the birds have to hide his head in Thus the way of God is to seem to go quite contrary that he might draw forth that glorious work of faith he so much delights in and because this is the only time of exercising this precious grace and there shall be no such faith in Heaven exercised as this is and therefore God because he will have as much as may be of the excellency of this faith though he be in a way of salvation he brings his people into straights 3. Reas Because the Lord delights so much in the prayers of his people that he might draw out their prayers Oh! the voice is sweet the voice of prayer it is very melodious in the ears of God It 's true God delights in a praising voice too but here in this world rather in prayer why because God shall have a praising voice to all eternity Gods Saints shall be praising him to all eternity but they shall not be praying to him to all eternity now God delighting so much in the praying voice of his Saints and he knowing he shall have a great deal of praise from his people when they are delivered from great troubles no marvel he doth exercise his people that which pleases God more than Heaven and Earth is the exercise of the faith and the prayers of his people they are the most pleasing things to God in all the world and therefore he brings into straights 4. Reas Because God would discover wicked men Before he brings his great salvation he would discover those that are vile and wicked that they should not partake of that great salvation As in our times we know how God in every straight we have been in hath made some useful discovery to us it hath been a discovering time of many that we have known to be vile and naught that we did not know before Luke 2.35 you know the place A sword shall pierce thorow thy soul why that the thoughts of many may be discovered there shall be great afflictions and troubles and the end I aim at is to discover the thoughts of many How have mens thoughts been discovered by plots when God was bringing his people into Canaan he would not have a rebellious generation come in among them and all the trouble they had in the wildernesse it was by a mixture of a base and vile generation that you have plain in Num. 11. when they were in such a distressed condition and in a murmuring and a vexing way mark the 4. verse The mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting They disturbed all the host of God And certainly if men should not be discovered more than they are if God should come to set up a full reformation amongst us herein England to bring us to that Canaan we desire we should be so troubled with a mixt multitude the mixt multitude would so vex and trouble the Church of God that they should scarce ever have