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
of the Text The Lesson it selfe with the Proposition II. I Come now to the second which is the maine thing The Lesson it selfe In whatever state I am therewith to be content Here was a rare piece of learning indeed and certainly more to be wondered at in Saint Paul that he knew how to turne himself to every condition then all the learning in the word besides which hath been so applauded in former ages by Iulius Cesar Ptolomy Xenophon the great admirers of Learning The Text hath but few words in it In every state content but if that be true which once Fulgentius said that the most golden sentence is ever measured by brevity and suavity then this is a most accomplished speech here is magnum in parvo The Text is like a precious Jewel little in quantity but great in worth and value The maine Proposition I shall insist upon is this Doctr. That a gracious spirit is a contented spirit The Doctrine of Contentment is very superlative and till we have learned this we have not learned to be Christians 1. It is an hard Lesson The Angels in heaven had not learned it they were not contented Though their estate was very glorious yet they were still soaring aloft and aimed at something higher Iude ver 6. The Angels which kept not their first estate They kept not their estate because they were not contented with their estate Our first Parents cloath'd with the white robe of innocency in Paradise had not learned to be content they had aspiring hearts and thinking their humane nature too low and home-spun would be crowned with the Deity and be as gods Though they had the choice of all the trees in the Garden yet none would content them but the tree of Knowledge which they supposed would have been as eye-salve to have made them omniscient Oh then if this Lesson were so hard to learne in innocency how hard shall we finde it who are clogged with corruption 2. It is of Universal extent it concernes all 1. It concernes Rich men One would think it needlesse to presse those to Contentment whom God hath blessed with great estates but rather perswade them to be humble and thankfull nay but I say Be content Rich men have their discontents as well as others As appears 1. When they have a great estate yet they are discontented that they have no more they would make the hundred talents a thousand A man in wine the more he drinks the more he thirsts Covetousnesse is a dry dropsie an earthly heart is like the grave that is never satisfyed therefore I say to you rich men Be content 2. Rich men if we may suppose them to be content with their estate which is very seldome yet though they have estate enough they have not honour enough if their barnes are full enough yet their turrets are not high enough They would be some body in the world as Theudas who boasted himselfe to be some body they never go so chearfully as when the winde of honor and applause fills their sailes if this wind be down they are discontented One would think Haman had as much as his proud heart could desire he was set above all the Princes advanced upon the pinnacle of honour to be the second man in the Kingdome yet in the midst of all his pompe because Mordecai would not uncover and kneele he is discontented vers 2. and full of wrath vers 5. and there is no way to asswage this plurisie of revenge but by letting all the Jewes blood and offering them up in sacrifice The itch of honour is seldom allayed without blood therefore I say to you rich men Be content 3. Rich men if we may suppose them to be content with their honour and magnificent titles yet they have not alwayes Contentment in their relations She that lies in the bosome may sometimes blow the coales as Iobs wife who in a pet would have him fall out with God himself Curse God and die Sometimes children cause discontent how oft is it seen that the mothers milke doth nourish a Viper and he that once sucked her brest goes about to suck her blood Parents doe often of Grapes gather thornes and of Figs thistles Children are Sweet-briar Like the Rose which is a fragrant flower but as Basil saith it hath its prickles Our relative comforts are not all pure wine but mixed they have in them more dregs then spirits and are like that River Plutarch speaks of where the waters in the morning runne sweet but in the evening run bitter We have no charter of exemption granted us in this life therefore rich men had need be called upon to be contented 2. The Doctrine of Contentment concernes poore men You that do not suck so liberally from the brests of Providence be content it is an hard Lesson therefore it had need be set upon the sooner How hard is it when the livelihood is even gone a great estate boyled away almost to nothing then to be content The means of subsistance is in Scripture called our life because it is the very sinewes of life The woman in the Gospel spent all her living upon the Physicians in the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 She spent her whole life upon the Physicians because she spent her means by which she should live 'T is much when poverty hath clipped our wings then to be content but difficilia pulchra though hard it is excellent and the Apostle here had learned in every state to be content God had brought Saint Paul into as great a variety of condition as ever we read of any man and yet he was content else sure he could never have gone through it with so much chearfulnesse See into what vicissitudes this blessed Apostle was cast We are troubled on every side there was the sadnesse of his condition but not distressed there was his content in that condition We are perplexed there is his affliction but not in despaire there is his contentation And if we read a little further In afflictions in necessities in distresses in stripes in imprisonments in tumults c. there is his trouble and behold his content As having nothing yet possessing all things When the Apostle was driven out of all yet in regard of that sweet Contentment of minde which was like musick in his soul he possessed all We read a short Map or History of his sufferings In prisons more frequent in deaths oft c. Yet behold the blessed frame and temper of his spirit I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content Which way soever Providence did blow he had such heavenly skill and dexterity that he knew how to steer his course For his outward estate he was indifferent he could be either on the top of Iacobs ladder or the bottom he could sing either placentia or lachrymae the dirge or the antheme he could be
any thing that God would have him I know how to want how to abound here was a rare pattern for us to imitate◠Paul in regard of his faith and 〈◊〉 was like a Cedar he could not be stirred but for his outward condition he was like a Reed bending every way with the winde of Providence when a prosperous gale did blow upon him he could bend with that I know how to be full and when a boysterous gust of affliction did blow he could bend in humility with that I know how to be hungry Saint Paul was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Aristotle speaks like a Die that hath foure squares throw it which way you wil it falls upon a bottome Let God throw the Apostle which way hee would he fell upon this bottome of Contentment A contented spirit is like a Watch though you carry it up and down with you yet the spring of it is not shaken nor the wheeles out of order but the watch keeps its perfect motion So it was with St. Paul though God had carryed him into various conditions yet he was 〈◊〉 lift up with the one nor cast down with the other The spring of his heart was not broken the wheels of his affections were not disordered but kept their constant motion towards heaven still content The Ship that lies at anchor may sometimes be a little shaken but never sinks Flesh and blood may have its fears and disquiets but grace doth check them A Christian having cast anchor in heaven his heart never sinks a gracious spirit is a contented spirit This is a rare Art Paul did not learn it at the feet of Gamaliel I am instructed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 12. I am initiated into this holy mystery as if he had said I have gotten the divine Art I have the knack of it God must make us right Artists If wee should put some men to an Art that they were not skill'd in how unfit would they be for it put an husband-man to Limning or drawing Pictures what strange work would hee make this is out of his sphere Take a Limner that is exact in laying of colours and put him to plough or set him to planting and graffing of trees this is not his Art hee is not skill'd in it Bid a naturall man live by Faith and when all things go crosse Be contented you bid him do that he hath no skill in you may as well bid a child guide the the stern of a Ship To live contented upon God in the deficiency of outward comforts is an Art which flesh and blood hath not revealed nay many of Gods own children who excell in some duties of Religion when they come to this of Contentment how do they bungle they have not yet commenced Masters of this Art CHAP. V. The resolving some Questions FOr the illustration of this Doctrine I shall propound these Questions Quest. 1. Whether a Christian may not be sensible of his condition and yet be contented Answ. Yes For else he is not a Saint but a Stoick Rachel did well to weep for her children there was nature but her fault was she refused to be comforted there was discontent Christ himself was sensible when hee sweat great drops of blood and said Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me yet he was contented he did martyr and crucifie his own will Neverthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt The Apostle bids us humble our selves under the mighty hand of God which we cannot do unlesse wee are sensible of it Qu. 2. Whether a Christian may not lay open his grievances to God and yet be contented Ans. Yes Unto thee have I opened my cause Jer. 20. 12. and David poured out his complaint before the Lord Wee may cry to God and desire him to write down all our injuries Shall not the childe complaine to his Father When any burden is upon the spirit Prayer gives vent it easeth the heart Hannah's spirit was burdened I am says shee a woman of a troubled spirit Now having prayed and wept she went away and was no more sad onely here is the difference between an holy complaint and a discontented complaint in the one we complaine to God in the other wee complaine of God Quest. 3. What is it properly that Contentment doth exclude Answ. There are three things which Contentment doth banish out of its Diocesse and can by no means consist with it 1. It excludes a vexatious repining this is properly the daughter of Discontent I mourne in my complaint he doth not say I murmur in my complaint Murmuring is no better then mutinie in the heart it is a rising up against God When the Sea is rough and unquiet it casts forth nothing but foame when the heart is discontented it casts forth the foam of anger impatience and sometimes little better then blasphemie Murmuring is nothing else but the scum which boils off from a discontented heart 2. It excludes an uneven discomposure When a man saith I am in such straits that I know not how to evolve or get out I shall be undone Head and heart are so taken up that a man is not fit to pray or meditate c. he is not himself just as when an Army is routed one man runs this way and another that the Army is put into a disorder So a mans thoughts runne up and down distracted Discontent doth dislocate and unjoynt the soul it puls off the wheels 3. It excludes a childish despondency and this is usually consequent upon the other A man being in an hurry of minde not knowing which way to extricate or winde himself out of the present trouble begins succumbere oneri to faint and sinke under it For Care is to the minde as a burden to the back it loads the spirits and with over-loading sinks them A despondent spirit is a discontented spirit CHAP. VI. Shewing the nature of Contentment HAving answered these Questions I shall in the next place come to describe this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Contentment It is a sweet temper of spirit wherby a Christian carries himself in an equal poize in every condition The nature of this will appear more clear in these three Aphorisms 1. Contentment is a divine thing it becomes ours not by acquisition but infusion it is a slip taken off from the tree of life and planted by the Spirit of God in the soul it is a fruit that growes not in the garden of Philosophy but is of an heavenly birth It is therefore very observable that Contentment is joyned with Godlinesse and goes in equipage But Godlinesse with Contentment is great gain Contentment being a consequent of Godlinesse or concomitant or both I call it divine to contradistinguish it to that Contentment which a morall man may arrive at Heathens have seemed to have this Contentment but it was
Satyr How is it that no man is contented Very few Christians have learned Saint Paul's lesson neither poor nor rich know how to be content they can learn any thing but this 1. If men are poor they learne to be 1. Envious they maligne those that are above them Anothers Prosperity is an ey-sore when Gods candle shines upon their neighbours Tabernacle this light offends them In the midst of 〈◊〉 men can in this sense abound viz. in envie and malice An envious eye is an evill eye 2. They learn to be querulous still complaining as if God had dealt hardly with them they are ever telling of their wants they want this and that comfort whereas their greatest want is a contented spirit Those that are well enough content with their sinnes yet are not content with their condition 2. If men are rich they learn to be covetous thirsting insatiably after the world and by any unjust means scraping it together their right hand is full of bribes as the Psalmist expresseth it Put a good cause in one scale and a piece of Gold in the other and the Gold weighs heaviest There are saith Solomon four things that say It is not enough I may add a fifth viz. the heart of a covetous man So that neither poor nor rich know how to be content Never certainly since the Creation did this sinne of discontent reign or rather rage more then in our times never was God more dishonored you can hardly speak with any but the passion of his tongue betrays the discontent of his heart every one lisps out his trouble and here even the stammering tongue speaks too freely and fluently If wee have not what wee desire God shall not have a good look from us but presently are sick of discontent and ready to die out of an humour If God will not give the people of Israel for their lusts they bid him take their lives they must have Quailes to their Manna Ahab though a King and one would think his Crown-lands had been sufficient for him yet is sullen and discontented for want of Naboths Vineyard Ionah though a good man and a Prophet yet ready to die in a pet and because God kill'd his Goard Kill me too saith he Rachel Give me children or I die she had many blessings if she could have seene them but wanted this of contentation God will supply our wants but must he satisâ—ie our lusts too many are discontented for a very trifle another hath a better dresse a richer jewell a newer fashion Nero not content with his Empire was troubled that the Musicians had more skill in playing then he how phantastick are some that pine away in discontent for the want of those things which if they had would but render them more ridiculous CHAP. X. USE III. A swasive to Contentment Use. III. IT exhorts us to labour for Contentation this is that which doth beautifie and bespangle a Christian and as a spirituall embroidery doth set him off in the eyes of the world But me thinks I hear some bitterly complaining and saying to me Alas how is it possible to be contented the Lord hath made my chaine heavy he hath cast me into a very sad condition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answ. There is no sinne but labours either to hide it selfe under some maske or if it cannot be concealed then to vindicate it selfe by some Apology This sin of discontent I finde very witty in its Apologies which I shall first discover and then make a Reply We must lay it downe for a Rule that discontent is a sinne so that all the pretences and Apologies wherewith it labours to justifie it selfe are but the painting and dressing of a strumpet SECT I. The first Aplogy that Discontent makes Answered The first Apology which discontent makes is this I have lost a childe Paulina upon the losse of her children was so possessed with a spirit of sadnesse that she had like to have intombed her self in her own discontent our love to Relation is oftentimes more then our love to Religion Answ. 1. We must bee content not onely when God gives mercies but when he taketh them away If we must in every thing give thanks 1 Thes. 5. 18. then in nothing be discontented 2. Perhaps God hath taken away the Cisterne that he may give you the more of the Spring he hath darkened the Star-light that you may have more Sun-light God intends you shall have more of himselfe and is not he better then ten Sons Look not so much upon a temporall losse as a spirituall gaine the comforts of the world runne dregges those which come out of the Granary of the Promise are purer and sweeter 3. Your childe was not given but lent I have saith Hanna lent my son to the Lord She lent him the Lord had but lent him to her Mercies are not entailed upon us but lent what a man lends he may call for againe when he please God hath put out a child to thee a while to nurse wilt thou be displeased if he takes his childe home againe O be not discontented that a mercy is taken away from you but rather be thankfull that it was lent you so long 4. Suppose your childe be taken from you either he was good or bad if he was Rebellious you have not so much parted with a childe as a burden you grieve for that which might have been a greater griefe to you if he was Religious then remember he is taken from the evil to come and plac'd in his cell of felicity This lower Region is full of grosse and hurtfull vapours how happy are those who are mounted into the celestiall Orbes The righteous is taken away in the Originall it is he is gathered a wicked childe dying is cut off but the pious childe is gathered Even as we see men gather flowers and candy them and preserve them by them so hath God gathered thy child as a sweet flower that he may candy it with glory and preserve it by him for ever Why then should a Christian be discontented why should he weep excessively Daughters of Ierusalem weep not for mee but weep for your selves So could we hear our children speaking to us out of heaven they would say Weep not for us who are happy we lie upon a soft pillow even in the bosome of Christ the Prince of peace is embracing us and kissing us with the kisses of his lips be not troubled at our preferment Weep not for us but weep for your selves who are in a sinfull sorrowfull world you are in the valley of teares but wee are on the mountaines of Spices wee are gotten to our harbour but you are still tossing upon the waves of inconstancy O Christian be not discontented that thou hast parted with such a childe but rather rejoyce that thou had'st such a childe to part with Break forth into thankfulnesse
best kinde of merchandize O Christian thou never had'st such incomes of the Spirit such spring-tides of joy and what though weak in estate if strong in assurance be content what you have lost one way you have gain'd another 5. Be your losses what they will in this kinde remember in every losse there is onely a suffering but in every discontent there is a sinne and one sinne is worse then a thousand sufferings What because some of my revenews are gone shall I part with some of my righteousnesse shall my faith and patience go too because I doe not possesse an estate shall I not therefore possesse my own spirit O learne to be content SECT III. The third Apology answered The third Apology is It is sad with me in my relations where I should finde most comfort there I have most grief This Apology or Objection brancheth it selfe into two particulars whereto I shal give a distinct Reply 1. My childe goes on in rebellion I fear I have brought forth a child for the Devill It is indeed sad to think that hell should be paved with the skulls of any of our children and certainly the pangs of griefe which the mother hath in this kinde are worse then her pangs of travell but though you ought to be humbled yet not discontented for consider 1. You may pick something out of your childes undutifulnesse the childes sinne is sometimes the Parents Sermon quod dolet docet the undutifulnesse of children to us may be a memento to put us in minde of our undutifulnesse once to God Time was when we were rebellious children how long did our hearts stand out as Garisons against God how long did he parly with us and beseech us ere we would yield hee walked in the tenderness of his heart towards us but wee walked in the frowardnesse of our hearts towards him and since grace hath been planted in our soules how much of the wilde Olive is still in us how many motions of the Spirit doe we daily resist how many unkindnesses and affronts have we put upon Christ Let this open a spring of â—eâ—â—â—tance look upon your childâ—s rebellion and mourne for your 〈◊〉 rebellion 2. Though to see him undutiful is your griefe yet not alwayes your sinne Hath a Parent given the childe not onely the milke of the brest but the sincere milke of the word Hast thou seasoned his tender yeares with Religious education thou canst do no more Parents can onely worke knowledge God must work grace they can onely lay the wood together it is God must make it burne a Parent can onely be a guide to shew his childe the way to heaven the Spirit of God must be a load-stone to draw his heart into that way Am I in Gods stead saith Iacob who hath withheld the fruit of the womb can I give children So is a Parent in Gods stead to give grace Who can help it if a childe having the Scripture light of conscience Scripture education these three Torches in his hand yet runs wilfully into the deep ponds of sin Weep for thy childe pray for him but do not sin for him by discontent 3. Say not you have brought forth a childe for the Devill God can reduce him He hath promised to turne the heart of the children to their Parents and to open springs of grace in the Desert When thy childe is going full-saile to the Devill God can blow with a contrary winde of his Spirit and alter his course When Paul was breathing out persecution against the Saints and was sailing hell-ward God turns him another way before he was going to Damascus God sends him to Ananias before a Persecutor now a Preacher Though our children are for the present fallen into the Devills pound God can turne them from the power of Satan and bring them in at the twelfth houre Monica was weeping for her son Augustine at last God gave him in upon prayer and he became a famous instrument in the Church of God 2. The second branch of the objection is But my husband takes ill courses where I looked for honey behold a sting Answ. 'T is sad to have the living and the dead tied together yet let not your heart fret with discontent mourne for his sinne but doe not murmur For 1. God hath placed you in your relation and you cannot be discontented but you quarrell with God What for every crosse that befalls us shall we call the infinite wisdome of God in question O the blasphemy of our hearts 2. God can make you a gainer by your husbands sinne perhaps you had never been so good if he had not been so bad The fire burnes hottest in the coldest climate God often by a divine Antiperâ—stasis turnes the sinnes of others to our good and makes their maladies our medicines The more profane the husband is oft the more holy the wife growes the more earthly he is the more heavenly she growes God makes sometimes the husbands sinne a spur to the wives grace His exorbitances are quasi flabellum as a paire of bellowes to blow up the flame of her zeale and devotion the more and è contrá Is it not thus doth not thy husbands wickednesse send thee to prayer Thou perhaps hadst never prayed so much if he had not sinn'd so much his deadness quickens thee the more the stone of his heart is an hammer to break thy heart The Apostle saith The unbelieving wife is sanctified by the believing husband but in this sense the believing wife is sanctified by the unbelieving husband she growes better his sinne is a whetstone to her grace and a medicine for her security SECT IV. The fourth Apology Answered The next Apology that discontent makes is But my friends have dealt very unkindly with mee and proved false Answ. 'T is sad when a friend proves like a Brooke in Summer The Traveller being parched with heat comes to the brook hoping to refresh himselfe but the brook is dryed up yet be content 1. You are not alone others oâ— the Saints have been betrayed by friends and when they have leanâ—ed upon them they have been as 〈◊〉 foot out of joynt This was true in the Type David It was not 〈◊〉 enemy reproached me but it was thouâ— a man mine equall my guide and 〈◊〉 acquaintance we tooke sweet counseâ— together and in the Antitype Christâ— he was betrayed by a friend and why should we thinke it strange to have the same measure dealt out to us as Jesus Christ had The servant is not above his Master 2. A Christian may often read his sinne in his punishment Hath not he dealt treacherously with God how oft hath he grieved the Comforter broken his vowes and through unbelief sided with Satan against God How oft hath he abused love taking the Jewells of Gods mercies and making a golden calfe of them serving his
studied to defend the truth by Scripture if others had not endeavoured to overthrow it by Sophistry all the mists and fogs of Error that have risen out of the bottomlesse pit have made the glorious Sun of truth to shine so much the brighterr Had not Arius and Sabellius broached their damnable Errours the truth of those questions about the blessed Trinity had never beene so discussed and defended by Athanasius Augustine and others had not the Divel brought in so much of his princely darknesse the Champions for Truth had never runne so fast to Scripture to light their Lamps So that God who hath a wheele within a wheele over-rules these things wisely and turnes them to the best Truth is an heavenly plant that settles by shaking 3. God raiseth the price of his truth the more the very shreds and filings of truth are venerable When there is much counterfeit metall abroad we prize the true Gold the more the pure wine of Truth is never more precious then when unsound doctrines are broached and vented 4. Errour makes us more thankfull to God for the jewel of Truth When you see another infected with the Plague how thankful are you that God hath freed you from the infection when we see others have the Leprosie in the head how thankful are we to God that he hath not given us over to believe a lie and so â—e damned It is a good use that may be made even of the Errour of the times when it makes us more humble and thankful adoring the free grace of God who hath kept us from drinking of that deadly poison 2. The second Branch of the Apology that discontent makes is the impiety of the times I live and converse among the profane O that I had wings like a Dove that I might flie away and be at rest Answ. It is indeed sad to be mixed with the wicked David beheld the transgressors and was grieved and Lot who was a bright Starre in a dark night was vexed or as the word in the Original may beare wearied out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the unclean conversation of the wicked he made the sinnes of Sodom spears to pierce his own soul we ought if there be any spark of divine love in us to be very sensible of the sinnes of others and our hearts bleed for them yet let us not break forth in murmuring or discontent knowing that God in his providence hath permitted it and surely not without some reasons For 1. The Lord makes the wicked an hedge to defend the godly the wise God often makes those who are wicked and peaceable a meanes to safeguard his people from those who are wicked and cruell The King of Babylon kept Ieremy and gave speciall order for his looking to that he did want nothing God sometimes makes brazen sinners to be brazen walls to defend his people 2. God doth interline mingle the wicked with the godly that the godly may be a means to save the wicked such is the beauty of holiness that it hath a magnetical force in it to allure and draw even the wicked Somtimes God makes a beleeving husband a means to convert an unbeleeving wife and è contrà What knowest thou O wife whether thou shalt save thy husband or how knowest thou O man whether thou shalt save thy wife The godly living among the wicked by their prudent advice and pious example have won them to the embracing of Religion if there were not some godly among the wicked how in a probable way without a miracle can we imagine that the wicked should be converted Those who are now shining Saints in Heaven sometimes served divers lusts Paul once a persecutor Augustine once a Manichee Luther once a Monk but by the severe and holy carriage of the godly were converted to the faith SECT X. The tenth Apology answered The next Apology that Discontent makes is lownesse of parts and gifts I cannot saith the Christian discourse with that fluency nor pray with that elegancy as others Answ. 1. Grace is beyond gifts Thou comparest thy grace with anothers gifts ther is a vast difference Grace without gifts is infinitely better then gifts without grace in Religion the vitals are better then the intellectuals Gifts are a more extrinsecall and common worke of the Spirit which is incident to reprobates grace is a more distinguishing worke and is a jewell hung onely upon the Elect. Hast thou and seed of God the holy anointing be content I. Thou sayest thou canst not discourse with that fluency as others Answ. Experiments in Religion are beyond notions and impressions beyond expressions Iudas no doubt could make a learned discourse of Christ but welfare the woman in the Gospel that felt vertue coming out of him A sanctified heart is better then a silver tongue There is as much difference between gifts and grace as between a Tulip painted on the wall and one growing in the Garden II. Thou sayest thou canst not pray with that elegancy as others Answ. Prayer is a matter more of the heart then the head In prayer it is not so much fluency prevailes as fervency nor is God so much taken with the elegancy of speech as the efficacy of the Spirit Humility is better then volubility here the mourner is the oratour sighes and grones are the best Rhetorique 2. Be not discontented For God doth usually proportion a mans parts to the place where he calls him Some are set in an higher sphere and function their place requires more parts and abilities but the most inferiour member is usefull in its place and shall have a power delegated for the discharge of its peculiar office SECT XI The eleventh Apology answered The next Apology is The troubles of the Church Alas my disquiet and discontent is not so much for my self as the publick The Church of God suffers Answ. I confesse it is sad and we ought for this to hang our Harps upon the Willowes he is a wooden leg in Christs body that is not sensible of the state of the body As a Christian must not be proud flesh so neither dead flesh When the Church of God suffers hee must sympathize Ieremy wept for the Virgin daughter of Sion Wee must feel our brethrens hard cords through our soft beds in Musick if one string be touched all the rest sound when God strikes upon our brethren our bowels must sound as an Harp be sensible but doe not give way to discontent For consider 1. God sits at the sterne of his Church Sometimes it is as a ship tossed upon the waves O thou afflicted and tossed but cannot God bring this ship to haven though it meet with a storme upon the Sea The ship in the Gospel was tossed because sinne was in it but it was not overwhelmed because Christ was in it Christ is in the Ship
Noah in the Arke though the Arke were tossed with waves Noah could sit and sing in the Arke The soule that is gotten into the Arke of Contentment sits quiet and sailes above all the waves of trouble he can sing in this spiritual Arke The wheeles of the Chariot move but the axle-tree stirs not the circumference of the Heavens is carried about the Earth but the Earth moves not out of its centre When we meete with motion and change in the creatures round about us a contented spirit is not stirred or moved out of its centre The sailes of a mill move with the winde but the mill it self stands still An embleme of Contentment When our outward estate moves with the wind of providence yet the heart is setled through holy Contentment and when others are like quick-silver shaking and trembling through disquiet the contented spirit can say as David O God my heart is fixed my heart is fixed what is this but a piece of heaven 2. Whatever is defective in the creature is made up in Contentment A Christian may want the comforts that others have the land and possessions but God hath distilled into his heart that Contentment which is far better In this sense that is true of our Saviour He shall have in this life an hundred fold Perhaps he that ventured all for Christ never hath his house or land again I but God gives him a contented spirit and this breeds such joy in the soule as is infinitely sweeter then all his houses and lands which he left for Christ. It was sad with David in regard of his outward comforts he being driven as some thinke from his Kingdome yet in regard of that sweete contentment he found in God he had more comfort then men use to have in time of harvest and vintage One man hath house and lands to live upon another hath nothing only a smal trade yet even that brings in a livelihood A Christian may have little in the world but he drives the trade of contentment and so he knowes as well how to want as to abound O the rare art or rather miracle of contentment Wicked men are often disquieted in the enjoyment of all things the contented Christian is well in the want of all things Quest. But how comes a Christian to be contented in the deficiency of outward comforts Answ. A Christian findes contentment distilled out of the brests of the Promises He is poor in purse but rich in Promise There is one promise brings much sweet contentment into the soul They that seeke the Lord shall not want any good thing If the thing we desire be good for us we shall have it if it be not good then the not having it is good for us The resting satisfied with this Promise gives contentment 3. Contentment makes a man in tune to serve God it oiles the wheeles of the soul and makes it more agil and nimble it composeth the heart and now is fit for prayer meditation c. How can he that is in a passion of grief or discontent serve God without distraction Contentment doth prepare and tune the heart First you prepare the Viol and winde up the strings ere you play a fit of musick When a Christians heart is wound up to this heavenly frame of Contentment then it is fit for duty A discontented Christian is like Saul when the evil spirit came upon him O what jarrings and discords doth he make in prayer When an Army is put into a disorder now it is not sit for battell When the thoughts are scattered and distracted about the cares of this life a man is not fit for devotion Discontent takes the heart wholly off from God and fixeth it upon the present trouble so that a mans mind is not upon his prayer but upon his â—rosse Discontent doth disjoynt the soul and it is impossible now that a Christian should go so steadily and chearfully in Gods service O how lame is his devotion The discontented person gives God but halfe a duty his Religion is nothing but bodily exercise it wants a soul to animate it David would not offer that to God which cost him nothing where there is too much worldly care there is too little spiritual cost in a duty The discontented person doth his duties by halves he is just like Ephraim a cake not turned he is a cake baked on one side he gives God the outside but not the spirituall part his heart is not in duty he is baked on one side but the other side dough and what profit is there of such raw indigested services He that gives God only the skin of worship what can he expect more then the shell of comfort Contentation brings the heart into frame and then only do we give God the flower and spirits of a duty when the soule is composed now a Christian doth rem â—gere his heart is intense and serious There are some duties which we cannot performe as we ought without Contentment As 1. To rejoyce in God How can he rejoyce that is discontented he is sitter for Repining then Rejoyceing 2. To be thankful for mercie Can a discontented person be thankfull he can be fretful not thankful 3. To justifie God in his proceedings How can he doe this who is discontented with his condition He will sooner censure Gods wisdome then cleare his justice Oh then how excellent is Contentation which doth prepare and as it were string the heart for duty Indeed Contentment doth not only make our duties lively and agil but acceptable 'T is this that puts beauty and worth into them for Contentment settles the soul Now as it is with milke when it is alwaies stirring you can make nothing of it but let it settle a while and then it turnes to cream When the heart is overmuch stirred with disquiet and discontent you can make nothing of those duties how thin how fletten and jejune are they But when the heart is once setled by holy Contentment now there is some worth in our duties now they turn to cream 4. Contentment is the spirituall Arch or pillar of the soule it fits a man to bear burdens he whose heart is ready to sinke under the least sin by vertue of this hath a spirit invincible under sufferings A contented Christian is like the Camomile the more it is troden upon the more it growes as Physick works diseases out of the body so doth Contentment work trouble out of the heart Thus it argues If I am under reproach God can vindicate me If I am in want God can relieve me Ye shall not see wind nor raine yet the valley shall be filled with water Thus holy Contentment keeps the heart from fainting in the Autumne when the fruit and leaves are blown off still there is sap in the roote When there is an autumne upon our external felicity the leaves of our estate drop off still
What is love but a divine sparkle in the soule A soule beautified with grace is like a roome richly hung with Arras or Tapestry or the Firmament bespangled with glittering Starres These are the true riches which cannot stand with reprobation and is not here enough to give the soule contentment What are all other things but like the wings of a butterfly curiously painted but they defile our fingers Earthly riches saith Augustine are full of poverty so indeed they are For 1. They cannot enrich the soul Often-times under silken apparell there is a therd-bare soule 2. These are corruptible Riches are not for ever as the wise man saith Heaven is a place where gold and silver will not goe a Beleever is rich towards God why then art thou discontented hath not God given thee that which is better then the world What if he doth not give thee the box if he gives thee the Jewel What if he denies thee farthings if he payes thee in a better coyne hee gives thee gold viz. spiritual mercies Should not Iosephs brethren have been content that their sacks were fill'd with corne though there had not been money in the mouth of their sacks What if the water in the bottel be spent thou hast enough in the fountaine What need hee complaine of the worlds Emptiness that hath Gods Fulnesse The Lord is my portion saith David then let the lines fall where they will in a sick-bed or prison I will say The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places yea I have a goodly heritage SECT 3. The third Argument to Contentation The third Argument is Be content for else we confute our owne prayers Wee pray Thy will be done It is the will of God that wee should be in such a condition he hath decreed it and hee sees it best for us Why then doe we murmur and are discontented at that which we pray for either we are not in good earnest in our prayer which argues hypocrisie or else we contradict our selves which argues folly SECT 4. The fourth Argument to Contentation The fourth Argument to Contentment is because now God hath his end and Satan misseth of his end 1. God hath his end Gods end in all his crosse providences is to bring the heart to submit and be content and indeed this pleaseth God much he loves to see his children satisfied with that portion hee doth carve and allot them It contents him to see us contented Therefore let us acquiesce in Gods Providence Now God hath his end 2. Satan misseth of his end The end why the Devil though by Gods permission did smite Iob in his body and estate was to perplex his minde hee did vex his body on purpose that he might disquiet his spirit He hoped to bring Iob into a fit of discontent and then that he would in a passion break forth against God but Iob being so well contented with his condition as that he falls to blessing of God he did now disappoint Satan of his hope The Devill shall cast some of you into prison Why doth the Devil throw us into prison It is not so much the hurting our body as the molesting our minde that he aimes at he would imprison our Contentment and disturbe the regular motion of our soules this is his designe 't is not so much the putting us into prison as the putting us into a passion that he attempts but by holy contentation Satan loseth his prey he misseth of his end The Devil hath oft deceived us the best way to deceive him is by contentation in the midst of tentation our contentment will discontent Satan Oh let us not gratifie our enemy Discontent is the Devils delight now it is as he would have it he loves to warme himselfe at the fire of our passions Repentance is the joy of the Angels and Discontent is the joy of the Devils As the Devil danceth at discord so he sings at discontent The fire of our passions makes the Devil a bon-fire 't is a kinde of heaven to him to see us torturing our selves with our own troubles but by holy Contentment we frustrate him of his purpose and doe it as it were put him out of countenance SECT 5. The fifth Argument to Contentation The next Argument is by contentment a Christian gets a victory over himselfe For a man to be able to rule his own spirit this of all others the most noble conquest Passion denotes weaknesse to be discontented is suitable to flesh and blood but to be in every state content reproached yet content imprisoned yet content this is above nature this is some of that holy valour and chivalry which onely a divine spirit is able to infuse In the midst of the affronts of the world to be patient and the changes of the world to have the spirit calmed this argues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Homer speaks this a conquest worthy indeed of the Garland of honour Holy Iob devested and turned out of all leaving his Scarlet and embracing the Dung-hill a sad catastrophe yet he had learned Contentment 'T is said He fell upon the ground and worshipped One would have thought hee should have fallen upon the ground and blasphemed no hee fell and worshipped Hee adored Gods justice and holinesse behold the strength of grace here was an humble submission yet a noble conquest hee got the victory over himselfe 'T is no great matter for a man to yield to his own passions this is facile and foeminine but to content himselfe in denying of himselfe this is sacred SECT 6. The sixth Argument to Contentation The sixth great Argument to worke the heart to Contentment is the consideration that all Gods providences how crosse or bloody soever shall doe a Beleever good And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God Not onely all good things but all evil things work for good and shall wee be discontented at that which works for our good Suppose our troubles are twisted together and sadly accented as the Poet describes it Litora quot conchas quot amoena Rosaria flores Quótve soporiferum grana papaver habet Sylva feras quot alit quot piscibus unda natatur Et Tenerum pennis aëra pulsat avis Tot premor adversis c. Ovid. What if sicknesse poverty reproach Law-suits c. doe unite and muster their forces against us All shall work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for good our maladies shall be our medicines and shal we repine at that which shall undoubtedly doe us good Unto the upright there ariseth light in darknesse Affliction may bee baptiz'd Marah 't is bitter but physical Because this is so full of comfort and may be a most excellent Catholicon against discontent I shall a little expatiate Quest. It will be enquired how the evils of affliction work for good R. Several wayes 1. They are disciplinary they teach us The
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.
Discontent sometimes unfits for the very use of reason Ionah in a passion of discontent spake no better then blasphemy and non-sense I doe well saith he to be angry to the death What to be angry with God and to die for anger sure hee did not know well what he said When Discontent transports then like Moses wee speak unadvisedly with our lips This humour doth even suspend the very acts of reason 5. Discontent doth not only disquiet a mans selfe but those who are near him This evill spirit troubles Families Parishes c. If there be but one string out of tune it spoiles all the musick One discontented spirit makes jarrings and discords among others 'T is this ill humour that breeds quarrels and Law-suits Whence is all our Contention but for want of Contentation From whence come warres and fightings among you come they not hence even of your lusts in particular from this lust of Discontent Why did Absalom raise a warre against his Father and would have taken off not onely his Crowne but his Head was it not his discontent Absalom would be King Why did Ahab stone Naboth was it not discontent about the Vine-yard Oh this Devil of Discontent Thus you have seen the sinfulnesse of it 3. Consider the simplicity of it I may say as the Psalmist Surely they are disquieted in vaine which appeares thus 1. Is it not a vain simple thing to be troubled at the losse of that which is in its owne nature perishing and changeable God hath put a vicissitude into the creature all the world rings changes and for me to meet with inconstancy here to lose a friend estate to be in a constant fluctuation is no more then to see a flower wither or a leaf drop off in Autumne There is an Autumne upon every comfort a fall of the leafe Now it is extream folly to be discontented at the losse of those things which are in their own nature loseable What Solomon saith of Riches is true of all things under the Sun They take wings Noahs Dove brought an Olive-branch in its mouth but presently flew out of the Arke and never returned more Such a comfort brings to us honey in its mouth but it hath wings and to what purpose should wee be troubled unlesse wee had wings to fly after and overtake it 2. Discontent is an heart-breaking By sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken it takes away the comfort of life There is none of us but have many mercies if we can see them now because wee have not all we desire therefore we will lose the comfort of that which we have already Ionah having his Gourd smitten a withering vanity was so discontented that hee never thought of his miraculous deliverance out of the Whales belly he takes no comfort of his life but wisheth that he might die What folly is this we must have all or none herein wee are like children that throw away the piece which is cut them because they may have no bigger Discontent eats out the comfort of life Besides it were well if it were seriously weighed how prejudicial this is even to our health For Discontent as it doth discruciate the minde so it doth pine the body it frets as a moth and by wasting the spirits weakens the vitals The plurisie of Discontent brings the body into a consumption and is not this Folly 3. Discontent does not ease us of our burden but makes the crosse heavier A contented spirit goes chearfully under its affliction Discontent makes our grief as unsupportable as it is unreasonable If the leg be well it can endure a fetter and not complaine but if the leg before then the fetter troubles Discontent of minde is the sore that makes the Fetters of affliction more grievous Discontent troubles us more then the trouble it selfe it steeps the affliction in worm-wood When Christ was upon the Crosse the Jewes brought him gall and vineger to drink that it might adde to his sorrow Discontent brings to a man in affliction gall and vineger to drink this is worse then the affliction it selfe Is it not folly for a man to imbitter his own crosse 4. Discontent spins out our troubles the longer A Christian is discontented because he is in want and therefore he is in want because hee is discontented hee murmurs because he is afflicted and therefore he is afflicted because he murmurs Discontent doth delay and adjourne our mercies God deales herein with us as wee use to doe with our children when they are quiet and chearfull they shall have any thing but if wee see them cry and fret then we with-hold from them Wee get nothing from God by our discontent but blowes The more the childe strugles the more it is beaten When we strugle with God by our sinful passions he doubles and trebbles his stroaks God will tame our curst hearts What got Israel by their peevishnesse they were within a 11 dayes journey of Canaan and now they were discontented and began to murmur God leads them a march of fourty yeares long in the wildernesse Is it not folly for us to adjourne our own mercies Thus you have seen the evil of Discontent I have been long upon this Argument but nunquam nimis dicitur quod nunquam satis dicitur SECT 8. The eighth Argument to Contentation The next Argument or Motive to Contentment is this Why is not a man content with the competency which he hath perhaps if he had more hee would be lesse content The world is such that the more we have the more we crave it cannot fill the heart of man When the fire burnes how do you quench it not by pouring oile on the flame or laying on more wood but by withdrawing the fuel When the appetite is enflam'd after riches how may a man be satisfied not by having just what he desires but by withdrawing the fuel viz. moderating and lessening his desires He that is contented hath enough A man in a fever or dropsie thirsts how doe you satisfie him not by giving him liquid things which will enflame his thirst the more but by removing the cause and so curing his distemper The way for a man to be contented is not by raising his estate higher but by bringing his heart lower SECT 9. The ninth Argument to Contentation The next Argument to Contentment is The shortnesse of life It is but a vapour saith Iames. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life is a wheele ever running The Poets painted time with wings to shew the volubility and swiftnesse of it Iob compares it to a swift post our life rides post and to a day not a yeare It is indeed like a day Infancy is as it were the day-break Youth is the Sun-rising full growth is the Sun in the Meridian old age is Sun-setting Sicknesse is the evening then comes the night of death How quickly is this day of life spent often times this Sun
is a degree above the other In every thing giving thanks A gracious heart spies mercie in every condition therefore hath his heart scrued up to thankfulness others will bless God for prosperity he blesseth him for affliction Thus he reasons with himselfe Am I in want God sees it better for me to want then to abound God is now dieting of me he sees it better for my spirituall health sometimes to be kept fasting therefore he doth not onely submit but is thankfull The Male-content is ever complaining of his condition the contented spirit is ever giving thanks Oh what height of grace is this A contented heart is a Temple where the praises of God are sung forth not a Sepulchre wherein they are buried A contented Christian in the greatest straits hath his heart enlarged and dilated in thankfulnesse Hee oft contemplates Gods love in election hee sees that he is a monument of mercy therefore desires to be a paterne of praise There is alwayes gratulatory musick in a contented soule the Spirit of grace works in the heart like new wine which under the heaviest pressures of sorrow will have a vent open for thankfulnesse this is to bee content 4. He that is content no condition comes amiss to him so it is in the Text in quocunque statu in whatever state I am A contented Christian can prout res exigit turne himselfe to any thing either want or abound The people of Israel knew neither how to abound nor yet how to want when they were in want they murmured Can God prepare a table in the wilderness when they ate were filled then they lifted up the heele Paul knew how to mannage every estate hee could be either a note higher or lower he was in this sense an Universalist he could do any thing that God would have him If he were in prosperity hee knew how to be thankfull if in adversity he knew how to be patient he was neither lift up with the one nor cast down with the other He could carry a greater saile or lesser Thus a contented Christian knowes how to turne himselfe to any condition Sicut bonus est dux peritus qui in quolibet exercitu operatur secundùm exigentiam ejus coriarius qui ex quolibet corio facit optimos sotulares ità Christianus sapiens qui scit quolibet statu bene se gerere Wee have those who can be contented in some estate but not in every estate They can be content in a wealthy estate when they have the streames of milk and honey while Gods candle shines upon their head now they are content but if the winde turne and be against them now they are discontented While they have a silver crutch to lean upon they are contented but if God breaks this crutch now they are discontented but Paul had learned in every estate to carry himselfe with equanimity of minde others could be content with their affliction so God would give them leave to pick and choose They could be content to bear such a cross they could better endure sicknesse then poverty or bear losse of estate then losse of children if they might have such a mans crosse they could bee content any condition but the present this is not to bee content A contented Christian doth not goe to choose his crosse but leaves God to choose for him he is content both for the kinde and for the duration A contented spirit saith Let God apply what medicine he pleaseth and let it lie on as long as it will I know when it hath done its cure and eaten the venome of sin out of my heart God will take it off againe In a word a contented Christian being sweetly captivated under the authority of the Word desires to be wholly at Gods dispose and is willing to live in that sphere and climate where God hath set him and if at any time hee hath been an instrument of doing noble and brave service in the publick hee knowes hee is but a rational toole a servant to authority and is content to returne to his former private condition of life Cincinnatus after he had done worthily and purchased to himself great fame in his Dictatourship did notwithstanding afterwards voluntarily returne to till and manure his foure acres of ground Thus should it bee with Christians professing Godliness with Contentment having served Mars not daring to offend Iupiter lest otherwise they discover onely to the world a brutish valour being so untam'd and head-strong that when they have conquered others yet they are not able to rule their own spirits 5. He that is contented with his condition to rid himselfe out of trouble will not runne himselfe into sin I deny not but a Christian may lawfully seek to change his condition so farre as Gods providence doth goe before he may follow but when men will not follow providence but run before it as he said This evill is of the Lord why should I wait any longer if God doth not open the doore by his providence they will break it open and wind themselves out of affliction by sin bringing their soules into trouble by bringing their estates out of troubble This is far from holy Contentation this is unbelief broken out into rebellion A contented Christian is willing to wait Gods leasure and will not stir till God open a door As Paul said in another case They have beaten us openly uncondemned being Romanes and have cast us into prison and now do they thrust us out privily nay verily but let them come themselves and fetch us out So with reverence saith the contented Christian God hath cast me into this condition and though it be sad and troublesome yet I will not stir till God by a clear providence fetch me out Thus those brave spirited Christians Heb. 11. 35. They accepted not deliverance that is upon base dishonourable termes They would rather stay in prison then purchase their liberty by carnall compliance Estius observes on the place they might not onely have had their enlargement but been rais'd to honour put into offices of trust yet the honour of Religion was dearer to them then either liberty or honour A contented Christian will not remove till as the Israelites hee see a pillar of cloud and fire going before him It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord 'T is good to stay Gods leasure and not to extricate our selves out of trouble till wee see the star of Gods providence pointing out a way to us CHAP. XIV USE 5. Containing a Christian Directory or Rules about Contentment Use. V. I Proceed now to an use of direction to shew Christians how they may attaine to this Divine Art of Contentation Certainly it is feasible others of Gods Saints have reached to it St. Paul here had it and what do wee think of those we
read of in that little book of Martyrs Heb. 11. who had trialls of cruell mockings and scourgings who wandered about in Deserts and Caves yet were contented so that it is possible to be had And here I shall lay down some Rules for holy Contentment SECT 1. 1. Rule Advance Faith All our disquiets do issue immediately from unbelief 'T is this that raiseth the storme of discontent in the heart Oh set faith a work 't is the property of faith to silence our doubtings to scatter our feares to still the heart when the passions are up Faith workes the heart to a sweet serene composure 't is not having food and raiment but having Faith which will make us content Faith chides down passion When Reason begins to sinke let Faith swim Quest. How doth Faith worke Contentment Answ. 1. Faith shewes the soule that whatever its trials are yet it is from the hand of a Father 't is indeed a bitter cup but Shall I not drinke the cup which my father hath given me to drinke 't is in love to my soule God corrects with the same love hee crownes me God is now training me up for heaven he carves me to make me a polished shaft These sufferings bring forth patience humility even the peaceable fruits of righteousnesse And if God can bring such sweet fruit out of a sower stock let him graft me where hee please Thus Faith brings the heart to holy Contentment 2. Faith sucks the honey of Contentment out of the hive of the Promise Christ is the Vine the Promises are the clusters of Grapes that grow upon this Vine and Faith presseth the sweet wine of Contentment out of these spiritual clusters of the Promises I will shew you but one cluster The Lord will give grace and glory here is enough for Faith to live upon The Promise is the flower out of which Faith distills the spirits and quintessence of divine Contentment In a word Faith carries up the soul and makes it aspire after more noble and generous delights then earth affords and to live in the world above the world Would you lead contented lives live up to the height of your Faith SECT 2. 2. Rule Labour for Assurance Oh let us get the interest cleard between God and our own souls Interest is a word much in use a pleasing word Interest in great friends interest-money Oh if there be an interest worth looking after 't is an interest between God and the soule Labour to say My God To be without money and without friends and without God too is sad but he whose faith doth flourish into Assurance that can say I know in whom I have beleeved as Saint Paul that man hath enough to give his heart contentment When a mans debts are paid and he can go abroad without feare of arresting what contentment is this Oh let your title be cleared if God be ours whatever we want in the creature is infinitely made up in him Doe I want bread I have Christ the bread of life Am I under defilement his blood is like the trees of the Sanctuary not only for meat but medicine If any thing in the world be worth labouring for it is to get sound evidences that God is ours If this bee once clear'd what can come amisse No matter what stormes I meet with so that I know where to put in for harbour He that hath God to be his God is so well contented with his condition that hee doth not much care whether he hath any thing else To rest in a condition where a Christian cannot say God is his God is matter of feare and if he can say so truly and yet is not contented is matter of shame David encouraged himselfe in the Lord his God It was sad with him Ziklag burnt his wives taken captive he lost all and like to have lost his Souldiers hearts too for they spake of stoning him yet hee had the ground of Contentment within him viz. an interest in God and this was a pillar of supportment to his spirit He that knowes God is his and all that is in God is for his good if this doth not satisfie nothing will SECT 3. 3. Rule Get an humble spirit The humble man is the contented man if his estate bee low his heart is lower then his estate therefore he is content If his esteem in the world be low hee that is little in his own eyes will not bee much troubled to be little in the eyes of others He hath a meaner opinion of himself then others can have of him The humble man studies his own unworthinesse he looks upon himself as less then the least of Gods mercies and then a little will content him He cries out with Paul that he is the chief of sinners therefore doth not murmure but admire Hee doth not say his comforts are small but his sins are great He thinks it a mercy he is out of hell therefore is contented He doth not goe to carve out a more happy condition to himselfe he knowes the worst piece God cuts him is better then he deserves A proud man is never contented he is one that hath an high opinion of himselfe therefore under small blessings is disdainfull under small crosses impatient The humble spirit is the contented spirit if his cross be light he reckons it in the inventory of his mercies if it be heavie yet takes it upon his knees knowing that when his estate is worser it is to make him better Where you lay humility for the foundation Contentment will bee the superstructure SECT 4. 4. Rule Keep a cleare Conscience Contentment is the Manna that is laid up in the Arke of a good conscience Oh take heed of indulging any sin 'T is as naturall for guilt to breed disquiet as for putred matter to breed vermine Sinne lies as Ionah in the ship it raiseth a tempest If dust or motes be gotten into the eye they make the eye water and cause a sorenesse in it if the eye be clear then it is free from that sorenesse If sin be gotten into the conscience which is as the eye of the soule then grief and disquiet breeds there but keep the eye of conscience clear and all is well What Solomon saith of a good stomack I may say of a good conscience To the hungry soule every bitter thing is sweet so to a good conscience every bitter thing is sweet it can pick contentment out of the Crosse. Good conscience turnes the waters of Marah into wine Would you have a quiet heart get a smiling conscience I wonder not to hear Paul say he was in every state content When hee could make that triumph I have lived in all good conscience to this day When once a mans reckonings are clear it must needs let in abundance of contentment into the heart Good conscience can suck contentment out of the bitterest drugge under slanders This is
our rejoycing the testimony of our conscience in case of imprisonment Paul had his prison-songs and could play the sweet lesson of contentment when his feet were in the stocks one calls it bonae conscientiae Paradisus the Paradise of a good conscience and if it be so then in prison wee may be in Paradise When the times are troublesome good conscience makes a calme If conscience he clear what though the dayes be cloudy Is it not a contentment to have a friend alwayes by to speak a good word for us such a friend is conscience Good conscience as Davids Harp drives away the evil spirit of discontent When thoughts begin to arise and the heart is disquieted Conscience saith to a man as the King did to Nehemlah Why is thy countenance sad So saith Conscience hast not thou the seed of God in thee art not thou an heir of the Promise Hast not thou a treasure that thou canst never be plundered of Why is thy countenance sad Oh keep conscience clear and you shall never want contentment For a man to keep the pipes of his body the veines and arteries free from colds and obstructions is the best way to maintaine health So to keep conscience clear and to preserve it from the obobstructions of guilt is the best way to maintaine contentment First conscience is pure and then peaceable SECT 5. 5. Rule Learn to deny your selves Look well to your affections bridle them in Do two things 1. Mortifie your desires 2. Moderate your delights 1. Mortifie your desires Wee must not be of the Dragons temper who they say is so thirsty that no water will quench his thirst Mortifie therefore your inordinate affection in the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your evill affection to shew that our desires when they are inordinate are evill Crucifie your desires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be as dead men a dead man hath no appetite Quest. How should a Christian martyr his desires Quest. 1. Get a right judgment of the things here below They are mean beggarly things Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not The appetite must be guided by reason the affections are the feet of the soule therefore they must follow the judgement not lead it 2. Often seriously meditate of mortality Death will soon crop those flowers which wee delight in and pull down the fabrick of those bodies which we so garnish and beautifie Think when you are locking up your money in your chest who shall shortly lock you up in your coffin 2. Moderate your delights Set not your hearts too much upon any creature What we over-love we shall over-grieve Rachel set her heart too much upon her children and when she had lost them she lost her self too such a veine of grief was opened as could not be stenched she refused to be comforted Here was discontent When we let any creature lie too near our heart when God pulls away that comfort a piece of our heart is rent away with it Too much fondnesse ends in frowardnesse Those that would be content in the want of mercy must be moderate in the enjoyment Ionathan dipt the rod in honey he did not thrush it in Let us take heed of ingulphing our selves in pleasure better have a spare diet then by having too much to surfeit SECT 6. 6. Rule Get much of heaven into your heart Spiritual things satisfie the more of heaven is in us the lesse earth will content He that hath once tasted the love of God his thirst is much quenched toward sublunary things the joyes of Gods Spirit are heart-filling and heart-chearing joyes he that hath these hath heaven begun in him Rom. 14. 17. and shall we not be content to be in heaven Oh get a sublime heart Seek the things that are above flie aloft in your affections thirst after the graces and comforts of the Spirit the Eagle that flies above in the aire fears not the stinging of the serpent the serpent creeps on his belly and stings onely such creatures as goe upon the earth Discontent is a Serpent that stings onely an earthly heart an heavenly soule that with the Eagle flies aloft findes abundantly enough in God to give contentment and is not stung with the cares and disquiets of the world SECT 7. 7. Rule Look not so much on the dark side of your condition as on the light God doth chequer his providences white and black as the pillar of cloud had its light side and dark look on the light side of thy estate who looks on the back side of a landskip Suppose thou art cast in a Law-suit there is the dark side yet thou hast some land left there is the light side Thou hast sickness in thy body there is the dark side but grace in thy soule there is the light side Thou hast a childe taken away there is the dark side thy husband lives there is the light side Gods providences in this life are various represented by those speckled horses among the Myrtle-trees which were red and white mercies and afflictions are interwoven God doth speckle his worke Oh saith one I want such a comfort but weigh all thy mercies in the balance and that will make thee content If a man did want a finger would he be so discontented for the losse of that as not to bee thankfull for all the other parts and joints of his body Look on the light side of your condition and then all your discontents will easily disband doe not pore upon your losse but ponder upon your mercies What wouldst thou have no crosse at all Why should one man think to have all good things when himselfe is good in part wouldst thou have no evill about thee who hast so much evill in thee thou art not fully sanctified in this life how then thinkest thou to be fully satisfied never look for perfection of contentment till there be perfection of grace SECT 8. 8. Rule Consider in what a posture we stand here in the world 1. We are in a military condition we are souldiers now a souldier is content with any thing what though he hath not his stately house his rich furniture his soft bed his full table yet doth not complaine he can lie in straw as well as doune he mindes not his lodging but his thoughts run upon dividing the spoile and the garland of honour that shall bee set upon his head and for hope of this is content to runne any hazard endure any hardship Were it not absurd to hear him complaine that he wants such provision and is faine to lie out in the fields a Christian is a military person he fights the Lords battels he is Christs Ensigne-bearer Now what though hee endures hard fare and the bullets flie about he fights for a Crowne and therefore must be content 2. We are in a peregrine condition Pilgrims and Travellers A man that is in a strange
no right to pluck one leafe from the tree of the promise it was a Christless and hopelesse condition Ephes. 2. 12. but now God hath cut off the entaile of hell and damnation he hath taken you out of the wild Olive of nature and ingraffed you into Christ making you living branches of that living Vine he hath not onely caused the light to shine upon you but into you and hath interessed you in all the priviledges of sonship is not here that may make the soul content Secondly let us compare our temporall estate with what it was once alas we had nothing when we stepp'd out of the womb For we brought nothing with us into the world if we have not that which we desire wee have more then we did bring with us wee brought nothing with us but sinne other creatures bring something with them into the world the Lamb brings wooll the Silke-worme silke c. but we brought nothing with us What if our condition at present be low it is better then it was once therefore having food and raiment let us be content whatever we have Gods providence fetcht it in to us and if we lose all yet we have as much as we brought with us This was that that made Iob content Naked came I out of my mothers womb as if he had said though God hath taken away all from me yet why should I murmure I am as rich now as I was when I came into the world I have as much left as I brought with me naked came I hither Therefore blessed be the Name of the Lord. 5. Let us compare our condition with what it shall be shortly There is a time shortly coming when if we had all the riches of India they would do us no good we must die and can carry nothing with us so saith the Apostle It is certain we can carry nothing out of the world therefore it followes having food and raiment let us be therewith content verse 8. Open the rich mans grave and see what is there you may finde the Misers bones but not his riches were we indeed to live for ever here or could wee carry our riches into another world then indeed we might be discontented when we look upon our empty bags but it is not so God may presently seale a warrant for death to apprehend us and when we die we cannot carry our estate with us Honour and riches descend not into the grave why then are we troubled at our outward condition why doe we disguise our selves with discontent Oh lay up a stock of grace be rich in faith and good works these riches will follow us no other coine but grace will passe currant in heaven silver and gold will not goe there labour to be rich towards God and as for other things be not solicitous we shall carry nothing with us SECT 11. 11. Rule Go not to bring your condition to your minde but bring your minde to your condition The way for a Christian to be contented is not by raising his estate higher but by bringing his spirit lower not by making his barnes wider but his heart narrower one man a whole Lordship or Mannor will not content another is satisfied with a few acres of land what is the difference the one studies to satisfie curiosity the other necessity the one thinks what he may have the other what he may spare SECT 12. 12. Rule Study the vanity of the creature It matters not whether wee have more or lesse of these things they have vanity written upon the frontispice of them the world is like a shadow â—hat declineth it is delightful but deceitfull it promiseth more then we finde and it failes us when we have most need of it All the world rings changes and is constant onely in its disappointments what then if we have lesse of that which is at best but voluble and fluid The world is as full of mutation as motion and what if God cuts us short in sublunaries The more a man hath to do with the world the more he hath to do with vanity The world may be compared to yee which is smooth but slippery or to the Egyptian Temples without very beautiful and sumptuous but within nothing to bee seene but the image of an Ape every creature saith concerning satisfaction It is not in me The world is not a filling but a flying comfort 'T is like a game at Tennis Providence bandies her golden balls first to one then to another Why are we discontented at the losse of these things but because we expect that from them which is not and repose that in them which ought not Ionah was exceeding glad of the Gourd what a vanity was it is it much to see a withering Gourd smitten or to see the Moone dressing it self in a new shape and figure SECT 13. 13. Rule Get phancy regulated It is the phancy which raiseth the price of things above their reall worth what is the reason one Tulip is worth five pounds another perhaps not worth one shilling phancy raiseth the price the difference is rather imaginary then reall so why it should be better to have thousands then hundreds is because men phancy it so if we could phancy a lower condition better as having lesse care in it and lesse account it would be far more eligible the water that springs out of the rock drinks as sweet as if it came out of a golden chalice things are as we phancy them Ever since the fall the phancy is distempered God saw that the imagination of the thoughts of his heart were evill Phancy looks through wrong spectacles pray that God will sanctifie your phancy a lower condition would content if the minde and phancy were set right Diogenes preferred his Cynical life before Alexanders royalty he phancied his little cloyster best Fabricius a poor man yet despised the gold of King Pyrrhus Contentus honesto Fabricius parvo spernebat munera regum Sudabatque gravi Consul Serranus aratro Claud. l. 1. Could wee cure a distempered phancy we might soone conquer a discontented heart SECT 14. 14. Rule Consider how little will suffice nature The body is but of small continent and is easily recruited Christ hath taught us to pray for our daily bread Parvaseges satis est nature is content with a little 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to thirst not to starve is enough saith Gregory Nazianzen meat and drinke is a Christians riches saith St. Hierome and the Apostle saith Having food and raiment let us be content O prodiga rerum Luxuries nunquam parvo contenta paratu Et quaesitorum pelago terrâque ciborum Ambitiosa Fames lautae gloria mensae Discite quà m parvo liceat producere vitam Et quantum natura petat Lucan l. 4. Pharsal The stomack is sooner fill'd then the eye How quickly would a man be content
if he would study rather to satisfie his hunger then his humour SECT 15. 15. Rule Beleeve the present condition is best for us Flesh and blood is not a competent judge Surfeited stomacks are for banqueting stuffe but a man that regards his health is rather for solid food Vaine men fancy such a condition best and would flourish in their bravery whereas a wise Christian hath his will melted into Gods will and thinks it best to be at his finding God is wise he knowes whether we need food or physick and if wee could acquiesce in providence the quarrell would soon be at an end O what a strange creature would man be if he were what he could wish himself Be content to be at Gods allowance God knowes which is the fittest pasture to put his sheep in Sometimes a more barren ground doth well whereas rank pasture may rot Doe I meet with such a crosse God shewes me what the world is he hath no better way to weane me then by putting mee to a step-mother Doth God stint me in my allowance he is now dieting me Do I meet with losses it is that God may keep me from being lost Every crosse winde shall at last blow mee to the right port Did we beleeve that condition best which God doth parcell out to us we should chearfully submit and say The lines are fallen in pleasant places SECT 16. 16. Rule Doe not too much indulge the flesh Wee have taken an oath in Baptisme to forsake the flesh The flesh is a worse enemy then the devil it is abosome traitour an enemy within is worst If there were no devil to tempt the flesh would be another Eve to tempt to the forbidden fruit Oh take heed of giving way to it whence is all our discontent but from the fleshly part The flesh puts us upon the immoderate pursuit of the world it consults for ease and plenty and if it be not satisfied then discontents begin to arise Oh let it not have the reines martyr the flesh in spirituall things the flesh is a sluggard in secular things an Horsleech crying Give give The flesh is an enemy to suffering it will sooner make a man a Courtier then a Martyr Oh keep it under put its neck under Christs yoke stretch and naile it to his Crosse never let a Christian look for contentment in his spirit till there be confinement in his flesh SECT 17. 17. Rule Meditate much on the glory which shall be revealed There are great things laid up in heaven Though it be sad for the present yet let us be content in that it will shortly be better it is but a while and we shall be with Christ bathing our souls in the fountaine of his love we shall never complain of wants or injuries any more our crosse may be heavie but one sight of Christ will make us forget all our former sorrowes There are two things should give contentment 1. That God will make us able to bear our troubles God saith Chrysostome doth like a Lutenist who will not let the strings of his Lute be too slack lest it spoile the musick nor will he suffer them to be too hard stretched or serued up lest they break So doth God deal with us he wil not let us have too much prosperity lest this spoile the musick of prayer and repentance nor yet too much adversity lest the spirit faile before him and the soules which he hath made 2. When we have suffered a while we shall be perfected in glory the Crosse shall be our ladder by which we shall climbe up to heaven Be then content and the scene will alter God will ere long turn our water into wine the hope of this is enough to drive away all distempers from the heart Blessed be God it will be better We have no continued City here therefore our afflictions cannot continue A wise man looks still to the end The end of the just man is peace Me thinks the smoothnesse of the end should make amends for the ruggednesse of the way Oh eternity eternity think often of the Kingdome prepared David was advanced from the field to the throne First he held his Shepherds staffe and shortly after the royall Scepter Gods people may be put to hard services here but God hath chosen them to be Kings to sit upon the throne with the Lord Jesus This being weighed in the balance of Faith would be an excellent meanes to bring the heart to contentment SECT 18. 18. Rule Be much in Prayer The last Rule for Contentment is Be much in Prayer Beg of God that he wil work our hearts to this blessed frame Is any man afflicted let him pray So is any man discontented let him pray Prayer gives vent The opening of a vein le ts out the bad blood When the heart is filled with sorrow and disquiet prayer le ts out the bad blood The key of prayer oiled with teares unlocks the heart of all its discontents Prayer is an holy spell or charme to drive away trouble Prayer is the unbosoming of the soule the unloading of all our cares in Gods brest and this ushers in sweet contentment When there is any burden upon our spirits by opening our minde to a friend we finde our hearts finely eased and quieted It is not our strong resolutions but our strong requests to God which must give the heart case in trouble by Prayer the strength of Christ is brought into the soule and where that is a man is able to go through any condition Paul could be in every state content but that you may not think hee was to do this of himself he tells you that though he could want and abound and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe all things yet it was through Christ strengthening him Phil. 4. 13. 'T is the childe that writes but it is the Scrivener guides his hand St. Paul arrived at the hardest duty in Religion viz. Contentment but the Spirit was his Pilot and Christ his strength and this strength was ushered in by holy prayer Prayer is a powerfull Oratour Constantine the Emperour as he did write Christs Name upon his door so he did invoke his Name in his closet Prayer is an exorâ—â—â— with God and an exoroist against sin The best way is to pray down discontent What Luther faith of Concupiscence I may say of Discontent Prayer is a sacred Leech to suck out the venome and swelling of this passion Prayer composeth the heart and brings it into tune Hath God deprived you of many comforts blesse God that he left you the Spirit of Prayer Use. 6. The last use is of comfort or encouraging word to the contented Christian. If there be an heaven upon earth thou hast it O Christian thou may'st insult over thy troubles and with the Leviathan laugh at the shaking of a spear Iob 41. 29. What shall I say thou art a crown
to thy profession thou dost hold it out to all the world that there 's vertue enough in Religion to give the soule contentment Thou shewest height of grace When grace is crowning it is not so much for us to be content but when grace is conflicting and meets with crosses tentations agonies now to be content this is a glorious thing indeed To a contented Christian I shall say two things for a farewell First God is exceedingly taken with such a frame of heart God saith of a contented Christian as David once said of Goliahs sword There is none like that give it me 1 Sam. 21. 9. If you would please God and be men of his heart be contented It is said that Rebecca made Isaac savoury meat such as her husband loved would ye give God such a dish as he loves bring him this of Contentment The Musician hath many lessons to play but he hath one above all the rest There are many lessons of holy Musick that delight God the lesson of repentance humility c. But this lesson of Contentment is the sweetest lesson that a Beleever can play God hates a froward spirit Secondly the contented Christian shall be no loser What lost Iob by his patience God gave him three times as much as he had before What lost Abram by his contentment he was content to leave his Countrey at Gods call the Lord makes a Covenant with him that he would be his God Gen. 17. Hee changeth his Name no more Abram but Abraham the Father of many Nations God makes his feed as the Starres of heaven nay honours him with this title The Fatther of the Faithfull The Lord makes known his secrets to him Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I will do God settles a rich inheritance upon him that land which was a type of heaven and afterwards translated him into the blessed Paradise God will be sure to reward the contented Christian. As our Saviour said in another case to Nathaniel Because I said I saw thee under the fig-tree beleevest thou thou shalt see greater things then these So I say Art thou contented O Christian with a little thou shall see greater things then these God will distill the sweet influences of his love into thy soule Hee will raise one in the cruâ—e and when that is done he will crowne thee with an eternall enjoyment of himselfe he will give thee Heaven where thou shalt have as much contentment as thy soule can possibly thirst after FINIS THE INDEX Chap. 1. THe Introduction to the Text. page 1 2. Chap. 2. Containing the first proposition p. 5 Chap. 3. Containing the second proposition p. 14 Chap. 4. Containing the third grand proposition viz. a gracious spirit is a contented spirit p. 22 The lesson of Contentment is hard to be learned It is of universall extent Ibid. It concernes Rich men p. 24 Poor men p. 26 Chap. 5. Whether a Christian may not resent his condition with some sadnesse and yet be content p. 32 Whether a Christian may not lay open his grievances to God and yet be content p. 33 What it is properly that Contentment doth exclude out of its Diocesse pag. 34. Chap. 6. Shewing the nature of Contentment page 36 Contentment is A divine thing p. 36 An intrinsecal thing p. 38 An habitual thing p. 39 Chap. 7. Containing the reasons which presse to holy Contentment 1. Gods Precept p. 41 2. Gods Promise p. 42 3. Gods Decree p. 43 44 Chap. 8. The first Use shewing how a Christian may live comfortably in the midst of troubles p. 49 Chap. 9. Use 2. A Reproof to the discontented Christian. p. 52 Chap. 10. Use 3. A swasive to Contentment p. 58 Severall Apologies that Discontent makes for it selfe answered The first Apology answered p. 59 The second Apology answered p. 66 The third Apology answered p. 72 The fourth Apology answered p. 78 The fifth Apology answered p. 85 The sixth Apology answered p. 90 The seventh Apology answered p. 93 The eighth Apology answered p. 96 The ninth Apology answered p. 99 The tenth Apology answered p. 108 The eleventh Apology answered p. 110 The twelfth Apology answered p. 114 Chap. 11. Divine Arguments or Motives to Contentment The first Argument The excellency of Contentment p. 118 119 The second Argument A Christian hath that which may make him content p. 142 The third Argument Else we confute our own prayers p. 146 The fourth Argument By Contentment God comes to have his end and Satan misseth of his end p. 147 The fifth Argument Thus a Christian gets a victory over himself p. 149 The sixth Argument All crosse providences work for our good p. 151 The seventh Argument The evil of Discontent p. 164 Which appears in 3. things The sordidnesse p. 165 The sinfulnesse p. 167 The simplicity p. 178 The eighth Argument The more a man hath the lesse he is satisfied p. 182 The ninth Argument The brevity of life p. 184 The tenth Argument The evils that do attend a prosperous condition p. 187 The eleventh Argument The examples of those who have been eminent for Contentation p. 195 The twelfth Argument The present misery and indigence of the godly is all the hell he shall have p. 202 The thirteenth Argument Not to have a contented minde is a great judgement p. 204 Chap. 12. Three Cautions laid down Though a Christian should be in every state content yet he must not be content 1. In his natural estate p. 207 2. Where God is dishonoured p. 209 3. With a little grace p. 213 Chap. 13. The fourth Use triall Shewing the Characters of a contented spirit 1. A contented spirit is a silent spirit p. 221 2. A contented spirit is a chearfull spirit p. 223 3. A contented spirit is a thankful spirit p. 224 4. To a contented spirit nothing comes amisse p. 226 5. A contented spirit will not rid himself out of trouble by running himselfe into sin p. 230 Chap. 14. Use 5. Direction Propounding several Rules for holy Contentment p. 233 1. Rule Advance Faith p. 234 2. Rule Breath after Assurance p. 236 3. Rule Get an humble spirit p. 239 4. Rule Keep a clear Conscience p. 241 5. Rule Learne to deny your selves p. 244 6. Rule Labour for an heavenly heart p. 247 7. Rule Look not on the dark side of your condition but the light side p. 248 8. Rule Consider in what a posture you stand here in the world p. 250 9. Rule Let not your hopes depend upon extrinsecals p. 253 10. Rule Often compare your condition p. 255 11. Rule Go not to bring your condition to your minde but bring your minde to your condition p. 263 12. Rule Study the vanity of the creature p. 264 13. Rule Get phancy regulated p. 266 14. Rule Consider how little will suffice nature p. 268 15. Rule Beleeve the present condition best p. 269 16. Rule Doe not too much indulge the flesh p. 271 17. Rule Meditate much on