the truth suffer by us The Deâ—ii among the Romans vowed themselves to death that their legions and souldiers might be crowned with the honour of the victory O what should we be content to suffer to make the truth victorious Regulus having sworne that he would returne to Carthage though he knew there was a furnace heating for him there yet not daring to infringe his oath he did adventure to goe we then who are Christians having made a vow to Christ in Baptism and so oft renewed it in the blessed Sacrament should with much contentation rather choose to suffer then violate our sacred oath Thus the blessed Martyrs with what courage and chearfulnesse did they yeeld up their souls to God and when the fire was set to their bodies yet their spirits were not at all fired with passion or discontent Though others hurt the body let them not the minde through discontent shew by your heroick courage that you are above those troubles which you cannot be without SECT VIII The eight Apology answered The next Apology is The prosperity of the wicked Answ. I confesse 't is so often that the evill enjoy all the good and the good endure all the evil David though a good man stumbled at this and had like to have fallen wel be contented for remember 1. These are not the only things nor the best things they are mercies without the pale these are but acorns with which God feedes swine you who are believers have more choice fruit the Olive the Pomegranate the fruit which grows on the true Vine Jesus Christ others have the fat of the earth you have the dew of heaven they have a South-land you have those springs of living water which are clarified with Christs blood and indulcorated with his love 2. To see the wicked flourish is matter rather of pity then envie 'T is all the heaven they must have Wo to you rich men for you have received your consolation Hence it was that David made it his solemne prayer Deliver me from the wicked from men of the world which have their portion in this life and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure Psal. 17. 14. The words me thinks are Davids Letany from men of the world which have their portion in this life Good Lord deliver me When the wicked have eaten of their dainty dishes there comes in a sad reckoning which wil spoile all The world is first musicall and then tragical if you would have a man fry and blaze in hel let him have enough of the fat of the earth O remember for every sand of mercy that runs out to the wicked God puts a drop of wrath into his Vial. Therefore as that souldier said to his fellow Do you envy me my grapes they cost me dear I must die for them So I say Do you envie the wicked alas their prosperity is like Hamans banquet before execution If a man were to be hanged would one envie to see him walk to the gallowes through pleasant fields and fine galleries or to see him go up the ladder in cloth of gold The wicked may flourish in their bravery a while but when they flourish as the grasse it is that they shal be destroyed for ever This proud grasse shall be mowen down Whatever a sinner enjoyes he hath a curse with it and shal we envie What if poisoned bread be given to dogs The long furrowes in the backs of the godly have a seed of blessing in them when the table of the wicked becomes a snare and their honour their halter SECT IX The ninth Apology Answered 9. The next Apology that discontent makes for it self is the evils of the times The times are full of Heresie and Impiety and this is that which troubles me This Apology consists of two branches to which I shall answer in specie and first 1. The times are full of Heresie This is indeed sad when the Divel cannot by violence destroy the Church he endeavours to poison it when he cannot with Samsons Fox-tailes set the corne on fire then he sowes tares as he labours to destroy the peace of the Church by Division so the truth of it by Errour we may cry out with Seneca Verè vivimus in temporum faecibus We live in times wherein there is a sluce open to all novel opinions and every mans opinion is his Bible Well this may make us mourne but let us not murmur through discontent Consider 1. Errour makes a discoverie of men 1. Bad men Errour discovers such as are tainted and corrupt When the Leprosie brake forth in the forehead then was the Leper discovered Errour is a spiritual Bastard the Divell is the father and pride the mother you never knew an erroneous man but he was a proud man now it is good that such men should be laid open to the intent first that Gods righteous judgements upon them may be adored Secondly that others who are free be not infected If a man hath the Plague it is well it breaks forth for my part I would avoid an Heretick as I would avoid the Divel for he is sent on his errand I appeale to you if there were a Taverne in this City where under a pretence of selling wine many hogsheads of poison were to be sold were it not well that others should know of it that they might not buy it is good that those who have poisoned opinions should be known that the people of God may not come near either the sent or tast of that poison 2. Errour is a Touchstone to discover good men it tries the gold There must be Heresies that they which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 approved may be made manifest Thus our love to Christ and zeale for truth doth appear God shewes who are the living fish viz. such as swim against the stream who are the sound sheep viz. such as feed in the greene pastures of the Ordinances who are the Doves viz. such as live in the best aire where the Spirit breaths God sets a Garland of honour upon these These are they which came out of great tribulation So these are they that have opposed the Errours of the times these are they that have preserved the virginity of their conscience who have kept their judgment sound and their heart soft God will have a Trophy of honour set upon some of his Saints they shal be renowned for their sincerity being like the Cypresse quae viriditatem in hyeme non amittit which keeps its greennesse and freshnesse in the winter-season 2. Be not sinfully discontented for God can make the errours of the Church advantageous to truth Thus the truths of God have come to be more beaten out and confirmed as it is in Law one man laying a false title to a piece of land the true title hath by this means beene the more searched into and ratified some had never so
satisfaction in each other when there was no other being therefore such who possess and improve God through Christ cannot possibly be dissatisfied The Almighty is the God of all grace of all comfort and of salvations in which respects neither deficiencies or disappointments lossess or crosses can cause disquieting discontents in that bosom where faith is commander in chief The Prophet Habakkuk rejoyced in the God of his salvation when the pestilence went before him and burning coles came forth of his feet and when he supposed all creature-succors both for delight necessity to be quite removed This this is the life which Christians should endevor and may attaine by the vigorous regular actings of precious faith This is the gain of Contentment which comes in by godlinesse when providences are black and likely to be bloudy now The just shall live by his faith That speech of learned Mr. Gataker is weighty and well worth the marking A contented minde argues a religious heart and a discontented minde argues an irreligious heart And that worthy Divine Mr. Greenham was bold to say They never felt Gods love or tasted forgivenes of sins who are discontented This likewise was an holy breathing of reverend Dr. Hall in his Meditations I have somewhat of the best things I will wit thankfulnesse enjoy them and will want the rest with contentment By attaining and maintaining this frame of heart we might have much of heaven on this side heaven Holy contentment maketh them truly rich whom the oppressing world maketh very poor Hereby our sweetest morsels shall be well seasoned and our bitterest potions well sweetned Had we learned to enjoy contentment in Iehovah who is immutable and all-sufficient this heavenly frame of spirit should never perish or change in the mid'st of the most amazing alterations in Church and State with which his Majesty is pleased to exercise us whereas because we live alone upon sublunaries therefore we are apt with Nabal to die upon the nest through dejectednesse upon the approach of imagined dangers When God seeth cause to cut us short of many creature-accommodations faith will moderate our desires after them assuring the soul that nothing is withdrawn or withheld which might be really advantageous and doubtlesse it is a great piece of happinesse upon earth not to long after that which the Lord is pleased to deny Indeed men act rather like Heathens then Christians when they fret upon some particular inferiour disappointments notwithstanding Gods liberality laid forth upon them in many other respects As Alexander the Monarch of the world was discontented because Ivie would not grow in his gardens at Babylon Diogenes the Cynick was herein more wise who finding a Mouse in his sachel said he saw that himself was not so poor but some were glad of his leavings Oh how might we if we had hearts to improve higher providences rock our peevish spirits quiet by much stronger arguments let us men lay before our eyes the practises of pious men recorded in Scripture for our imitation as Iacob Agur Paul c. and let us charge home upon our consciences divine exhortations backed with strong reasons and encouraged with sweet promises It was the grave counsel of holy Greenham Having food and raimont take the rest as an overplus Are we not lesse then the least of Gods mercies Is not God our bountifull benefactor why then do we not rest contented with his liberall allowance Oh let us chide our wrangling spirits and encourage confidence with contentment in God as blessed David did My pen hath outrun my purpose when I undertook this preface but I will no longer good Reader detaine thee in the porch wherein I have designed to quicken and to prepare thee to the more fruitful improvement of this seasonable usefull Treatise wherein the Author hath exercised to good purpose both the Christian graces and ministerial gifts with which God hath enriched him Herein the Doctrine of Christian contentment is clearly illustrated and profitably applyed the speciall cases wherein through change of providences discontents are most commonly occasioned are particularized and preservatives applyed to secure the soul. Although some other worthy Divines have been helpful by their discourses upon this subject yet there is much of peculiar use in this Treatise The Apostle tells us that some manifestation of the Spirit is given unto every man to profit withal Thy soul-profit is propounded as the Authorâ— end in publishing this piece and that this end may be accomplished is the unfained desire and hearty prayer of him who is Thy servant in and for Christ SIMEON ASâ—â— May 3. 1653. THE ART OF DIVINE CONTENTMENT CHAP. I. The Introduction to the Text. PHIL. 4. 11. I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content THese words are brought in by way of Prolepsis to anticipate and prevent an Objection The Apostle had in the former Verses laid down many grave and heavenly exhortations among the rest to be carefull for nothing Vers. 6. Not to exclude 1. A prudential care For Hee that provideth not for his owne house hath denyed the Faith and is worse then an Infidel Nor 2. A Religious care For wee must give all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure But 3. To exclude all anxious care about the issues and events of things Take no thought for your life what you shall eat and in this sense it should be a Christians care not to be carefull The word in the Greeke Carefull comes from a Primitive that signifies To cut the heart in pieces a soule-dividing Care take heed of this Wee are bid to commit our way unto the Lord the Hebrew word is Roll thy way upon the Lord. It is our work to cast care and it is Gods work to take care By our immoderacy we take his work out of his hand Care when it is excentrick either distrustfull or distracting is very dishonorable to God it takes away his providence as if he sate in heaven and minded not what became of things here below like a man that makes a clock and then leaves it to go of it self Immoderate care takes the heart off from better things and usually while wee are thinking how we shall do to live we forget how to die Curis tabescimus omnes Care is a spiritual canker that doth waste and dispirit cui bono We may sooner by our care add a furlong to our grief then a cubit to our comfort God doth threaten it as a curse They shall eat their bread with carefulness better fast then eat of that bread Be careful for nothing Now lest any one should say I Paul thou preachest that to us which thou hast scarce learned thy self Hast thou learned not to be carefull The Apostle seems tacitly to answer that in the words of the Text I have learned in whatsoever
am I not higher Discontents are nothing else but the aestuations and boilings over of pride 2. The second cause of discontent is envie which Augustine calls vitium diabolicum the sinne of the Devill Satan envied Adam the glory of Paradise and the robe of innocence he that envies what his neighbour hath is never contented with that portion which Gods providence doth parcel out to him as envie stirs up strife this made the Plebeian faction so strong amongst the Romanes so it creates discontent the envious man looks so much upon the blessings which another enjoyes that he cannot see his own mercies and so doth continually vexe and torture himselfe Cain envied that his brothers sacrifice was accepted and his rejected hereupon he was discontented and presently murderous thoughts began to arise in his heart 3. The third cause is Covetousnesse This is a radical sinne Whence are vexing Law-suits but from discontent and whence is discontent but from covetousnesse Covetousnesse and contentedness cannot dwell in the same heart Avarice is an heluo that is never satisfied The covetous man is like Behemoth behold he drinketh up a river he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth There are foure things saith Solomon say It is not enough I may adde a fifth The heart of a covetous man he is still craving Covetousnesse is like a Wolfe in the brest which is ever feeding and because a man is not satisfied he is never content 4. The fourth cause of Discontent is Iealousie which is sometimes occasion'd through melancholy and sometimes misapprehension The spirit of jealousie causeth this evil spirit Jealousie is the rage of a man and oft this is nothing but suspicion and phansie yet such as creates reall discontent 5. The fifth cause of Discontent is distrust which is a great degree of Atheisme The discontented person is ever distrustfull The bill of provision growes low I am in these straits and exigencies can God help me Can be prepare a table in the wildernesse sure hee cannot My estate is exhausted can God recrute me My friends are gone can God raise me up more sure the arme of his power is shrunk I am like the dry fleece can any water come upon this fleece If the Lord would make windowes in Heaven might this thing be Thus the Anchor of hope and the shield of faith being cast away the soul goes pining up and down Discontent is nothing else but the Echo of unbeliefe and remember distrust is worse then distress 2. Discontent is evil in the concomitants of it whch are two 1. Discontent is joyned with a sullen melancholy a Christian of a right temper should be ever chearfull in God Serve the Lord with gladness A signe the oile of grace hath been poured into the heart when the oile of gladness shines in the countenance Chearfulnesse credits Religion how can the discontented person be chearfull Discontent is a dogged sullen humour because wee have not what wee desire God shall not have a good word or look from us as the Bird in the cage because she is pent up and cannot fly in the open aire therefore beats herselfe against the cage and is ready to kill her selfe Thus that peevish Prophet I doe well to be angry to the death 2. Discontent is accompanied with unthankfulness because we have not all wee desire wee never minde the mercies which we have we deale with God as the widow of Sarepta did with the Prophet the Prophet Elijah had been a means to keep her alive in the famine for it was for his sake that her meale in the barrel and her oile in the cruse failed not but assoon as ever her sonne dies she falls into a passion and begins to quarrel with the Prophet What have I to doe with thee O thou man of God art thou come to call my sin to remembrance and to slay my son So ungratefully do we deal with God we can be content to receive mercies from God but if he doth crosse us in the least thing then through discontent we grow techy and impatient and are ready to fly upon God thus God loseth all his mercies We read in Scripture of the thankoffring The discoÌ„tented person cuts God short of this the Lord loseth his thank-offering A discontented Christian repines in the midst of mercies as Adam who fin'd in the midst of Paradise Discontent is a Spider that sucks the poison of unthankfulnesse out of the sweetest flower of Gods blessings and by a devilish chymistry extracts dross out of the most refined Gold The discontented person thinks every thing he doth for God too much and every thing God doth for him too little O what a sin is unthankfulnesse it is an accumulative sinne What Cicero saith of Parricide I may say of Ingratitude there are many sinnes bound up in this one sinne it is a voluminous wickednesse and how full of this sinne is Discontent A discontented Christian because hee hath not all he would therefore dishonours God with the mercies which he hath God made Eve out of Adams rib to be an helper as the Father speaks but the Devil made an arrow of this rib and shot Adam â—o the heart So doth discontent take the rib of Gods mercy and ungratefully shoot at him Estate Liberty shall be employed against God Thus it is often-times behold then how Discontent and Ingratitude are interwoven and twisted one within another thus Discontent is sinful in its concomitants 3. It is sinfull in its Consequences which are these 1. It makes a man very unlike the Spirit of God The Spirit of God is a meek Spirit The Holy Ghost descended in the likenesse of a Dove A Dove is the embleme of meeknesse A discontented spirit is not a meek spirit 2. It makes a man like the Devil The Devil being swell'd with the poison of envy and malice is never content Just so is the Male-content The Devil is an unquiet spirit he is still walking about 't is his rest to be walking And herein is the discontented person like him for he goes up and down vexing himselfe Seeking rest and finding none hee is the Devils picture 3. Discontent disjoynts the soul it untunes the heart for duty Is any man afflicted let him pray But is any man discontented how shall he pray Lift up pure hands without wrath Discontent is full of wrath and passion The Male-content cannot lift up pure hands he lifts up leprous hands he poisons his prayers will God accept of a poison'd sacrifice Chrysostome compares prayer to a fine Garland Those saith he that make a Garland their hands had need be clean Prayer is a precious Garland the heart that makes it had need be clean Discontent throwes poison into the spring which was death among the Romanes Discontent puts the heart into a disorder and mutiny and such a one cannot serve the Lord without distraction 4.
Suavitate in sweetnesse A poisonfull weed may grow as much as the Hyssop or Rose-mary the Poppy in the field as the Corne the Crab as the Pearmaine but the one hath a harsh sowre taste the other mellows as it growes An hypocrite may grow in outward dimensions as much as a childe of God hee may pray as much professe as much but he growes onely in magnitude hee brings forth sowre grapes his duties are leavened with pride the other ripens as he growes he growes in love humility faith which do mellow and sweeten his duties and make them come off with a better relish The Beleever growes as the flower he casts a fragrancy and perfume 3. A true Christian growes Robore in strength he growes still more rooted and setled The more the tree growes the more it spreads its root in the earth A Christian who is a Plant of the heavenly Ierusulem the longer he growes the more he incorporates into Christ and sucks spirituall juice and sap from him he is a dwarfe in regard of humility but a gyant in regard of strength He is strong to do duties to beare burdens to resist tentations 4. He growes Vigore in the exercise of his grace He hath not only oile in his lamps but his lamps are burning and shining Grace is agile and dexterous Christs vines doe flourish hence wee read of a lively hope and a fervent love here is the activity of Grace Indeed sometimes grace is as a sleepy habit in the soule like sap in the vine not exerting its vigour which may be occasion'd through spiritual sloth or by reason of falling into some sin but this is only pro tempore for a while the spring of grace will come the flowers will appear and the fig tree put forth her green figs The fresh gales of the Spirit do sweetly revive and refocillate grace The Church of Christ whose heart was a garden and her graces as precious spices prayes for the heavenly breathings of the Spirit that her sacred spices might flow out 5. A true Christian growes Incremento both in the kinde and in-the degree of grace To his spirituall living he gets an augmentation hee addes to faith vertue to vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance c. here is grace growing in the kind and he goes on from faith to faith there is grace growing in the degree We are bound to give thanks to God for you brethren because your faith groweth exceedingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it encreaseth over and above And the Apostle speaks of those spirituall plants which were laden with Gospel fruit Phil. 1. 11. A Christian is compar'd to the Vine an embleme of fruitfulnesse he must bear full clusters We are bid to perfect that which is lacking in our faith A Christian must never be so old as to bee past bearing he brings forth fruit in his old age An heaven-borne plant is ever growsing hee never thinks hee growes enough he is not content unlesse he adde every day one cubit to his spiritual stature We must not be contented just with so much grace as will keep life and soul together a dram or two must not suffice but we must be stil encreasing with the encrease of God We had need renew our strength as the Eagle our sinnes are renewed our wants are renewed our tentations are renewed and shal not our strength be renewed Oh bee not content with the first embryo of grace grace in its infancy and minority You look for degrees of glory bee you Christians of degrees Though a Beleever should be contented with a modicum in his estate yet not with a modicum in Religion A Christian of the right breed labours still to excell himselfe and come nearer unto that holinesse in God who is the originall the paterne and prototype of all holinesse CHAP. XIII USE 4. Shewing how a Christian may know whether he hath learned this divine Art Use. IV. THus having laid down these three Cautions I proceed in the next place to an use of Triall 4. How may a Christian know that he hath learned this lesson of Contentment I shall lay down some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or characters by which you shall know it 1. A contented spirit is a silent spirit He hath not one word to say against God I was dumb or silent because thou Lord didst it Ps. 39. Contentment silenceth all dispute He sitteth alone and keepeth silence There is a sinfull silence when God is dishonoured his truth wounded and men hold their peace this silence is a loud sinne and there is an holy silence when the soul sits down quiet and content with its condition When Samuel tells Eli that heavy message from God that he would judge his house and that the iniquity of his family should not bee purged away with sacrifice for ever doth Eli murmur or dispute No he hath not one word to say against God It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good A discontented spirit saith as Pharaoh Who is the Lord why should I suffer all this why should I bee brought into this low condition Who is the Lord But a gracious heart saith as Eli It is the Lord let him doe what he will with me When Nadab and Abihu the sons of Aaron had offered up strange fire and fire went from the Lord and devoured them is Aaron now in a passion of discontent No Aaron held his peace A contented spirit is never angry unless with himselfe for having hard thoughts of God When Ionah said I do well to be angry this was not a contented spirit it did not become a Prophet 2. A contented spirit is a chearfull spirit the Greeks call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Contentment is something more then Patience for Patience denotes onely submission Contentment denotes chearfulnesse A contented Christian is more then passive he doth not only bear the Cross but take up the Crosse He looks upon God as a wise God and whatever hee doth though it bee not ad voluntatem yet ad sanitatem it is in order to a cure Hence the contented Christian is chearfull and with the Apostle takes pleasure in infirmities distresses c. He doth not onely submit to Gods dealings but rejoyce in them he doth not onely say Iust is the Lord in all that is befallen me but Good is the Lord. This is to be contented A sullen melancholy is hatefull it is said God loves a chearfull giver I and God loves a chearfull liver We are bid in Scripture not to be careful but we are no where bid not to bee chearfull He that is contented with his condition doth not abate of his spirituall joy and indeed he hath that within him which is the ground of chearfulnesse hee carries a pardon sealed in his heart 3. A contented spirit is a thankfull spirit This