he shall bring them down before thy face so shalt thou drive them out and dâ—stroy them quickly as the Lord hath said unto thee What more violent what more irresistible what more terrible than fire O how much therefore dos it concern us to set up that God as the great object of our fear who hath armed and commanded this dreadful creature the fire to destroy us in many or in most of our outward concernments as to this world Jer. 10. 11. At his wrath the earth shall shall tremble and the Nations shall not be able to abide his indignation Job 13. 11. Shall not his Excellency make you afraid and his dread fall upon you Psal 119. 120. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgements Hab. 3. 5. Before him went the Pestilence and burning coals went forth at his feet Verse 16. When I heard my belly trembled my lips quivered at the voice rottenness entered into my bones and trembled in my self that I might rest in the day of trouble Ah London London it highly concerns thee to tremble and quiver and stand in awe of that great and glorious God who hath sent so many thousands to their long homes by a sweeping Pestilence and who hath by a dreadful fire turned thy ancient Monuments and thy stately buildings into a ruinous heap That Christian is more worth than the Gold of Ophir who fears more the hand that hath laid on the fiery Rod than the Rod it self That prudent and faithful Counsel which the Prophâ—t Isaiah gives should alwayes lye warm upon every burnt Citizens heart Isâ— 8. 13. Sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your fear and let him be your dread But The fifth Duty that lyes upon those who have been burnt up is to be conâ—ented with their present condition When The Poets bring in the feigned Gods each one conâ—â—nt with his 〈◊〉 Office 〈◊〉 Estate 〈…〉 Miâ—eâ—va with Sciencâ—s 〈◊〉 with Eâ—â—onence 〈◊〉 with â—â—ve Juâ—iter â—ith Hâ—aven and Plâ—â—o with Hell a mans mind is brought down to his means all is well Contentation of mind under all the turns and changes of this life makes a Believer Master both of the little and great world of unruly desirâ—s within himself and of temptations in the world without Contentment â—n a mans presenâ— coâ—dition will yield him a little Heaven in the midst of all the great Hells that he meets with in this world Contentation is a hidden treasure that the Believer will carry with him to the third Heaven where an exceeding weight of glory and contenâ—ation with full satisfaction to his desiâ—es will be added to that little stock of contentment that he has obtained in this world Contentation in every condition is no other but the House of God and the gate of Heaven as Jacob once speaks of that gracious manifestation of God Gen. 28 God dwells in a contented heart and a contented heart dwells in God Contentment is that Porch wherein the Believer waits for an entrance into an house not made with hands but one eternal in the Heaven 2 Cor. 5. 1. O labour much with God that your hearts may be brought fully under the power of these divine commands 1 Tim. 6. 8. Having food and rayment let us be therewith content Heb. 13. 5. Let your conversation be withâ—ut covetousness or without the love of Silver as the Grâ—ek word siâ—nifies and be content with such things as you hâ—ve Contâ—nsi praesentibus So Beza and others be content with things preâ—ent The believing Hebrews had been plundâ—â—ed â—f â—ll they had in this world when the Apostle gâ—ve forth this Royal command Hâ—b 10. 34. and yet the Apostle requires them â—o be content 'T is as much the duty of a Christian â—o be â—ontent when he has nothing as when all the world smâ—les upon him Christians are Souldiers Strangers Travellers Pilgrims and therefore it concerns them to make shift with little things yea with any thing in this world The Israâ—lites had no gay clothes nor no new clothes in their wilderness condition but God made their old clothes to be all clotheâ— to them and that was enough Jacob did not indent with God for Junkets or Ornaments but for food and rayment Gen. 28. 20. If God will give me bread to eat and rayment to put on then shall the Lord be my God Nature is content with a little Grace with less though nothing will satisfie those mens hearts whose lusts are their Lords We shall never want a penny in our Purses to bear our charges till we get to Heaven and therefore let us be content with our present portion in this world Phil. 4. 11 12. I have learned in whatsoever estate I am therewith to be content I know how to be abased and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to he hungry both to abound and to suffer need In these words you have first the vicissitude of Pauls outward condition at one time he abounds at another he is abased at one time he is full and at another time he suffers need 2. You have the sweet and gracious composure of his spirit and this is expressed in two singular acts The first is his contentation of mind in all conditions I have learned in whatsoever estate I am therewith to be content The second is his prudent and pertinent comportment with his present condition I know both how to be abased and how to abound 3. You have the way how he attained this contentation of mind in all condititions I have learned saith he I am instructed this lesson of contentment he did not learn at the feet of Dr. Gamaliel but in the School of Jesus Christ Contentment in every condition is too high a lesson for any effâ—ctually to teach but Jesus Christ O Sirs in the grave it is all one who hath had all and who hath had none What folly is it to lay up goods for many years when we cannot lay up one day for the enjoyment of our goods Christ who never mis-called any calls him fool who had much of the world under his hands but nothing of God or Hâ—aven in his heart Zâ—pirus the Persian was contented to sustain the cutting off his Nose and Ears and Lips to further the enterprise of his Lord Darius against proud Babylon So Christians should be contented to be any thing to do any thing or to suffer any thing to further or promote the glory of God in this world All this whole world is not proportionable to the precious soul All the riches of the Indies cannot pacifie conscience nor secure eternity nor prevent death nor bring you off in the day of Judgement and therefore be contented with a little All the good things of this world are but cold comforts they cannot stretch to eternity they will not go with us into another world and therefore why should the want of
into encouragements to sin then you have more cause to fear that the Lord may farther blast you than you have to hope that God will make up your losses to you But Secondly Did you daily and seriously labour to enjoy much of God in all those worldly enjoyments which formerly you were blest withal If so 't is very probable that the Lord may make up all your losses to you But if you made a God of your worldly enjoyments if they had more of your thoughts and hearts and time than God himself had then you have more cause to fear a further curse than to expect a future blessing Prov. 3. 33. Mal. 2. 2. â—ut Thirdly Did your hearts commonly ordinarily habitually lye low under your worldly enjoyments Abraham under all his worldly enjoyments was but dust and ashes and Gen. 13. 17. Chap. 32. 10. Jacob under his was lâ—ss than the least of all mercies And so David under all Gods royal favours his heart lyâ—s low Psal 22. 6. But I am a worm and no man David in the Arabick Tongue signifies a Worm to which he seems to allude Tâ—e word in the Hebrew for Worm is Tolagnath which signifies such a very little Worm that a man can very hardly see it or perceive it Tâ—ough David was high in the world yet he was little yea very little in his own eyes Was it commonly mostly thus with you when your comforts compâ—ssed you round about If so then 't is very probable that the Lord in this world will make up all your losses to you But if your blood did commonly rise with your outward goods and if your hearts did usually so swell under your worldly enjoyments as to say with Pharaoh Who is the Lord Exod. 5. 2. that I should obey his voice or to say with Nebuchadnâ—zzâ—r Who is that God that can deliver you out of my hands or to Dan. 3. 15. say with those proud Atheists Who is Lord over us or to Psalm 12. 4. Jer. 2. 3. say with those proud Monsters We are Lords we will come no more unto thee c. then you have great cause to fear that God that hath yet some further controversie with you and except you repent will rather strip you of what you enjoy than multiply further favours or blessings upon you But Fourthly Since God has burnt up your worldly goods have you been servent and frequent with God that he would burn up those lusts that have burnt up your comforts before your eyes Have you pleaded hard with God that a Spirit of burning might rest upon you even that Spirit of burning Isa 9. 2. Chap. 4. 4. which alone can burn up your sins your dross Since London hath been laid in ashes have you made it your great business to treat and trade with God about the destruction of those sins that have laid all desolate If so then you have cause to hope that God will turn your captivity and make up all your losses to you Job 42. 10. But Fifthly Since God has turned you out of all are you turned turnnearer and closer to himself though you havâ— been prodigals yet have you in the light of Lâ—ndons flâ—mes seen and Luke 15. found your way to your Fathers housâ— thâ—n God will make up all your losses to you When Judgements are so sanctified as to bring a people nearer to himself then God will drop down mercies upon them Hos 2. 18. ult But Sixthly Has the fire of London been as a pillar of fire to lead you Canaan ward Heaven-wards Has God by burning Exod. 13. 21 22. up the good things of this world caused you to set your hearts and affections more than ever upon the great things of another world If so then 't is a hundred to ten but that the Lord will make up all your losses to you But Seventhly Are your hearts under this fiery dispensation brought into such a quiet submission to the good will and pleasure of God as that you can now be contented to be at Phil. 4. 12 13 14. Gods finding at Gods allowance Can you now be contented to be rich or poor to have much or little to be high or low to be something or nothing to have all again or to have nothing but necessaries again Are you now willing that God shall choose for you Can you sit down satisfied with Gods allowance though it be far short of what once you had Content is the Deputy of outward felicity and supplies the place where its absent A contented frame of heart as to all outward occurrences is like Ballast to a Ship which will help it to sail boldly and safely in all waters When a mans mind is conformable to his means all is well One brings in God rebuking a discontented Christian thus What is thy faith Have I promised thee these things What wer 't thou made a Christian that thou shouldst flourish here in Augustine upon Psaâ—m 12. this world 'T is an excellent expression that Bellarmine hath in his Catechism Suppose saith he a King having many children of several ages should apparel them in Cloth of Gold now he that is sixteen years old hath more Gold in his Robe than the Child that is but five or six years old yet the child would rather have his own garment than his elder Brothers because 't is fitter for him Surely the fittest estate is the best estate for us Look as a great Shoe fits not a little foot nor a great Sail a little Ship nor a great Ring a little Finger so a great estate is not alwayes the fittest for us He tâ—at hath most wants something and he that hath least wants nothing if he wants not a contented Spirit O Sirs let not Heathens put you to a blush He that can be content to be at Gods finding as a Guest at a Epiâ—tâ—â—â—s Eâ—chiâ—id c. 21. Table that takes what is carved for him and no more hâ— needs not fawn upon any man much less violate his conscience foâ— the great things of the world When a mans heart is brought down to his condition he is then temptation-proof Wheâ— one told the Philosopher that if he would but please Dionysius he need not feed upon green hearbs the Phâ—losopher replied If thou wer 't but content to feed upon green hearbs thou needest not flatter Dionysius A man that can be contented with a little will keep his ground in an hour of Temptation Diogenes the Cynick housed in his Tub and making ever with his victuals and the day together being invited tâ— a great Feast could say I had rather lick Salt at Athens thaâ— feast with Craterus Diogenes had more content with his Tub. to shelter him from the injuries of the weather and with his wooden dish to eat and drink in than Alexander had with the conquest of half the world and the fruition of all the honoâ—s pompâ— treasures and pleasures of Asia The way to true riches
tempted with money and preferment he answered The fashion of this world passeth away as the waters of a River that runs by a City or as Basil in 40. Martyrs In Queen Maries time when some offered a certain Martyr money he refused it saying I am going to a Countrey where money will bear no price a fair picture drawn upon the Ice that melts away with it Pecuniam da quae permaneat c. Give money said he that may last for ever and glory that may eternally flourish I have read of a mortified Christian who being tempted with of fers of money to desert his Religion gave this excellent answer Let not any think that he will embrace other mens goods to forsake Christ who hath forsaken his own proper goods to follow Christ It was an excellent answer of one of the Martyrs when he was offered riches and honours if he would recant Do but offer me somewhat that is better than my Lord Jesus Christ and you shall see what I will say to you Thus you see that men that are crucified to this world don't only resist but also triumph over all the glittering temptations of a tempting and enticing world And O that such a spiriâ— might rest upon all those whose habitations are laid desolate But Tenthly and lastly Are there no burnt Câ—tâ—zens who go to the utmost of their line and liberty for the gaining of the â—hings of this world Ah how near the Pits brink how near the borders of sin how near the flames of vengeance how near the infernal fire do many venture to gain the things oâ— this world And what dos this speak out but an inordinaâ—â— love of this world O Sirs what do all these things evidence but this that though God has fired many men out oâ— their houses yet the inordinate love of this world is not fired out of their hearts O Sirs to moderate your affections to the things of this world and to put a stop to your too eager pursuit after earthly things seriously and frequently dwell upon thâ—se teâ— Maxims First That the shortest surest and safest way to be rich is to be content with your present portion The Philosopher Eccles 5. 12. could say He that is content wants nothing and he that wants content enjoyes nothing One might have riches yet be very poor One might have little yet have all and more Sâ—condly He who is contented with a little will never be satisfied with much he who is not content with pounds Much Treasure stoppeth not a Misers mouth saith the Proverb will never be satisfied with hundreds and he who is not content with a few hundreds will never be satisfied with many thousands Eccles 5. 10. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver nor be that loveth abundance with increase Money of it self cannot satisfie any desire of Nature If a man be hungry it cannot feed him if naked it cannot clothe him if cold it cannot warm him if sick it cannot recover him A circle cannot fill a triangle no more can the whole world fill the heart of man A man may as soon fill a Chest with Grace as an heart with wealth The soul of man may be busied about earthly things but it can never be filled nor satisfied with earthly things Air shall as soon fill the body as money shall satisfie the mind There is many a worldling who hath enough of the world to sink him who will never have enough of the world to satisfie him The more an hydropical man drinketh the more he thirsteth So the more money is encreased the more the love of money is encreased and the more the love of mony is encreased the more the soul is unsatisfied 'T is only an infinite God and an infinite good that can fill and satisfie the Gen. 15. 1. precious and immortal soul of man Look as nothing fits the ear but sounds and as nothing fits the smell but odours so nothing fits the soul but God Nothing below the great God can fit and fill animmortal soul Nothing can content the soul of man but the fruition of God God never rested till he Nature hath taught all men to seek after a summum boâ—um made man and man can never rest till he enjoyes his God Every man has a soul within him of a vast capacity and nothing can fill it to the brim but he that 's fulness it self Should we knock at every creatures door for happiness they would all answer us round that it is not in them The man in Plutarch that heard the Philosophers wrangle about summum bonum one placing of it in this and another in that went to the Market and bought up all that was good hopeing among all he should not miss of happiness and yet he mist of it The soul of man is of so glorious a make that nothing below him that made it can satisfie it The summ of all that the creatures amount to according to Solomons reckoning is vanity and vexation of Spirit Vanity and vexation is the very quintescence of the creature and all that can possibly be extracted out of it Now if vanity can satisfie or if vexation can give content if you can gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles than go on and dote upon the world still and be alwayes enamoured with a shadow of perishing beauty Oramuzes the Enchanter boasted that in his Egg all the happiness in the world was included but being broken there was nothing in it but wind and emptiness But Thirdly 'T is infinitely better to have much of God of Christ of the Spirit of Holiness and of Heaven in our hearts with a little of the world in our hands than to have much 2 Cor. 6. 10. of the world in our hands and but a little of God and Chrâ—st in our hearts 'T is infinitely better to be rich towards Gâ—d and poor towards the world than to be poor towards God and to be rich towards the world There are some very Eccles 5. 12. Prov. 11. 24. rich who yet are very poor there are others who are very poor and yet are very rich 'T is infinitely better to be poor men and rich Christians than to be rich men and poor Christians But Fourthly The best and surest way under Heaven to gain much of the world is to mind the world less and God and Christ and Grace and Heaven more 1 Kings 3. 9. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people that I may discern between good and bad for who is able to judge this thy so great a people Ver. 10. And the Speech pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing Ver. 11. And God said unto him because thou hast asked this thing and hast not asked for thy self long life neither hast asked riches for thy self nor hast asked the life of thine enemies but hast asked for thy self understanding to discern judgement ver 12.