compleat In these words we have first the vicissitude of Pauls outward condition Four Points observable in the words at one time he abounds at another he is abased At one time he is full at another he suffers need 2. The sweet and gracious composure of his spirit expressed in two singular acts The first is his contentation of minde in all conditions In whatsoever estate I am saith he I am therewith content The latter is his prudent and pertinent comportment with his present condition I know both how to be abased and how to abound 3. The way how he attained this Contentation of minde I have learned saith he I am instructed This he learned not at the feet of Gamaliel but in the School of Jesus Christ who at the first initiation of his Disciples teacheth them by word example and by the powerfull operation of his spirit inclining them to the lesson to deny themselves to take up their crosse and follow him 4. The sole Authour of all the strength and ability he had either for doing or suffering the good-will of God I can do all things saith he through Christ that strengtheneth me From the first particular the variety and vicissitude of his outward condition at one time he abounds at another time he is a based and suffers need we observe this Doctrine The dear children of God in their outward condition are subject to many changes At one time they are in prosperity Doct. at another in adversity at one time cried up and highly honoured in the world at another time cried down and abased Job a man fearing God and eschewing evil was the richest man in the East to day but on the morrow the poorest and most distressed of all men in the whole earth in his time in great honour and reputation at one time Job 29.8 The young men saw me and hid themselves like School-boys out of an awfull respect to their School-master And the aged arose and stood up when they heard him they blessed him and gave an honourable testimony to him by approving and commending what he had spoken but at another time not only is he misprised and neglected but derided by the younger and baser sort of the people Job 30.1 Joseph at one time in great esteem and credit with Potiphar None greater in the house then he at another time disgraced and without any just cause cast into prison Gen. 39.8 9 20. Moses for the space of fourty years was in great honour at Pharachs Court but afterward was forced to fly with his life in his hand to Midian and keep sheep there other fourty years David a man according to Gods heart at one time in great prosperity and credit at Sauls Court and greatly beloved 1 Sam. 16.21 at another time in great adversity and perplexity he who before in a sudden fit of Court-favour was sought out and brought from his Father to the King in a more violent fit of spight and malice was chased from Court and hunted as a Partridge in the wildernesse 1 Sam. 26.26 Jehoshaphat a man of an upright heart at one time in great prosperity and had rest from all his enemies 2 Chro. 17.10 at another time a great change whereas in former times other Kingdomes round about feared him now the fear of them falleth upon him 2 Chron. 20.12 Paul at one time abounded and by a divine dispensation is loaded with such things as were necessary for him Act. 28.10 at another time he is in great adversity Thrice he suffered shipwrack in perils of robbers and in many other troubles 2 Cor. 11. he was in esteem at Lystra far contrary to his desire and in the same place was he disgraced contrary to his deservings Act. 14. such was his zeal to the honour of God he was more grieved with their blasphemous honouring then with their malicious disgracing of him The Reasons wherefore the Lord our God without any change in the purpose of his love Reasons in his wisedome worketh such changes in the condition of his own dear children are 1. 1. Changes make men fear God For their Instruction By such changes the Lord instructs his children to fear him It is said of the wicked Psa 55.19 They have not changes and therefore they fear not God because Sentence against their evil works is not executed speedily therefore their heart is fully set in them to do evil But by great changes from prosperity into adversity the children of God learn to fear God and eschew evil Ezr. 9.13 After all that is come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great trespasse seeing our God hath punished us lesse then our iniquities deserve Should we again break thy Commandments Hos 3.4 5. The children of Israel shall abide many daies without a King and without a Prince and without a Sacrifice Afterward shall the children of Israel return and seek the Lord their God and David their King and shall fear the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter daies Here was a great change the people of Israel was sometime the praise of the earth for good policy both civill and ecclesiasticall but here a great change and desolation they have neither a King nor face of a Church God in his gracious and wise dispensation sendeth these changes in their outward condition that he may thereby work a change in their hearts and practice in after times that they may repent of their former evil doings and fear the Lord their God from generation to generation who shall hear of such fearfull changes and shall serve the Lord with fear the Lord sends changes to teach them where they should seek solid content and happinesse even in God himself who is alsufficient and without any shadow of change If our estate were alwaies prosperous in this world we would rest on it and say as Peter lifted up in the mountain Mat. 17. It is good to be here yea like beasts in fat pastures we would eat and lie down upon them Therefore the Lord sends a change and teacheth us to seek hearts rest in God alone Hos 2.6 I will hedge up thy way with thorns and make a wall that she shall not finde her paths She shall follow after her Lovers but shall not overtake them Then shall she say I will go and return to my first husband for then was it better with me then now 2. 2. By changes men are chastised for sins against mercies God doth it for their correction to chastise them for sinning against their father in a time of prosperity Solomon was in great peace and prosperity but when he sinned and to please his strange wives displeased the Lord his God by authorizing and countenancing a false and idolatrous worship God sent a change and stirred up against him one adversary after another 1 King 11.14 23. Ezechias was in health and prosperity after the time he had been dangerously sick yet for his ingratitude the Lord sent a change and
of corruption Dan. 12.10 and fit them to be vessels of honour to the praise honour and glory of God at the appearing of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.7 It serveth for a ground of comfort to the children of God Vse 3 not to be discouraged with changes in their outward condition Outward changes ought not to discourage as if it were a thing strange In thy adverse condition examine how thou usedst thy prosperity if thou wast ingrate to God proud toward thy neighbours or vainly confident in thy worldly enjoyments humble thy self in the sight of God and if thou be humbled for the sins of thy prosperity 1. It is thy comfort God in love hath made a change in thy outward condition to change thee in thy inward man and fit thee for a condition of happiness that will have no change But if after due examination thy conscience beareth thee witnesse that in the day of prosperity thou drawest out thy soul to the indigent thou madst not the wedge of gold thy confidence yet comfort thy self in this that thereby thy heavenly Father weaneth thee from the world and this weaning is an act of love in the Parent though the childe for the time hath no wit to discern the same 2. What knowest thou but there is much preventing mercy in thy change These worldly advantages have been snares to many It is far better thy outward prosperity be changed into adversity then thy inward peace into fear and and trouble of spirit which would have been if thy prosperity had been to thee a stumbling-block of iniquity 3. Vnder such a change wherein thou perceivest the insufficiency of Creatures thou wilt see most of the alsufficiency and unchangeablenesse of the love of God At such a time the Lord will visit thy soul more frequently then in former times when thou wast courted and taken up with the complements of the world and one of such visitations will give thee more solid comfort then all the salutations and acclamations of men in the time of thy most flourishing estate Lastly Now thou gettest a proof of thy faith and patience and as at such a time thou praisest God who preserveth the work of his own hands in thee so thou shouldst rejoyce in a tried faith as a Souldier in a day of battell rejoyceth in his armour of proof And if there had not been a change and trial thou wouldest not have had the joy of a tried sound and stedfast faith Therefore saith James Iam. 1.2 My Brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations The second particular to be considered in the words Point 2 is the Apostles setled composure of spirit His Contentation expressed in his inward contentation of minde In whatsoever estate I à m I am therewith content The word in the Original signifieth I am sufficient Because sufficiency and abundance in a man himself makes him quiet and content and on the contrary sense of and grief for the want of sufficiency makes him discontent and sollicitous for the supply of his wants to this sense the primitive word is used Luk. 3.14 Be content with your wages said the Baptist to the Souldiers Be ye sufficed with them and Heb. 13.5 Be content with such things as ye have in the original it is Be ye sufficed with such things as ye have for the present In this place the word signifieth a self-sufficiency as it is also used 2 Cor. 9.8 that ye having alsufficiency This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and self-sufficiency is in the beleever himself but not from himself such a self-sufficiency is only in God from himself Gen. 17.1 I am the alsufficient God Some render El shaddai by the same word that is used here Junius and Tremel in Marg. and Mercer on Gen. 17.1 The beleever his sufficiency is in himself not from himself but from God as in the clear day a house hath sufficiency of light within it self yet not from it self but from the Sunne So the sufficiency and comfort of the childe of God is within him but from God the Fountain of all the comfort and contentment in his soul The beleever gets of Gods rich and free grace an interest in Christ and in him a title to God who is all in all 1 Cor. 3.23 Ye are Christs and Christ is Gods with Christ he gets assurance of all things needful to make him happy This inward provision of Gods favour and of faith in Christ is bestowed and laid up in the beleeving heart by Jesus Christ the great Steward of the childrens bread whereof in his wisedom he gives a sufficient portion in a right proportion for their contentment and present satisfaction so much as may hold up their hearts till they come to their Fathers house where is bread enough Faith in God and his promises for the present and hope of absolute contentment in heaven makes a sound beleever content with his present condition as a Traveller sufficiently fed and refreshed in the morning is resolute and content to passe through a barren wildernesse until the evening at which time he looks for convenient lodging and plentifull refreshment so a soul refreshed here with some sense of the comfortable love of God in Jesus Christ which is as the morning of the eternal day of our happinesse is resolved and well content to passe through any hardnesse in this time of our sojourning until the evening of his life at which time he will get a day without an evening and a full portion that shall never be taken from him A renewed man is a man contented in any condition of life Doct. both in prosperity and adversity he resigns himself over to Gods disposall and with all submission of spirit studieth to reverence his dispensation and to rest thereon A renewed man is a contented man Obj. Object That seems no great matter to be content in an estate of prosperity wicked men could be content with that Answ Answ A wicked man cannot have true content in his prosperity Wicked men are not contented in prosperity 1. Because he receives nothing but the bare creature and this without Gods favour and blessing in Christ is as light bread that satisfies not nor contenteth the appetite 2. Such a man by his present enjoyments is inflamed with tormenting desires after more Ecol 5.10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver nor he that loveth abundance with encrease Ecc. 4.8 There is one alone and there is not a second yea he hath neither childe nor brother yet there is no end of all his labour neither is his eye satisfied with riches but there can be no true content amidst these flames of self-tormenting desires 3. The wicked and worldly-minded man though his outward estate be prosperous yet he envieth all that have more then he himself his eye is evil because he thinks God is good or better to others he would have a Monopoly of prosperity and if he had it
of contentment to them in all their labours and difficulties So the full assurance of hope we have of that port of eternal salvation of that harvest of full joy and of that Crown of immortal glory is and shall be a ground of contentment in tempestuous times in our seed time of tears in our warfare against terrours within and fightings without Faithfull is he who hath promised Psal 34.19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all Joh. 16.20 Verily verily I say unto you that ye shall weep and lament but the world shall rejoyce and ye shall be sorrowfull but your sorrow shall be turned into joy As in the time of affliction thou findest this true in thy experience which thy Lord foretold so it is ground contentment in such a time that thy Lord hath foretold also of a comfortable issue The sick Patient in the time of his pain while the medicine is a working being forewarned of it by the Physitian hath some contentment and comfort in the hope of the good of it in his after health foretold him also by his Physitian So thou maist be assured as thou findest the experience of sorrow by thy Lord so thou shalt also finde the experience of joy for the same faithful Lord hath foretold both 2. 2. By the example of Christ We learn contentment and submission of spirit from our Lord Jesus Christ who in his lowest condition rested content with his Fathers will Samaria refused to entertain him James and John was highly discontent and breathed nothing but fire against Samaria yet our meek Lord rebuked them and said Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of Luke 9.53 54 55. In thy bodily wants learn contentment from him when he was hungry and none ministred unto him The devil tempted him to discontent and murmuring Mat. 4.3 If thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made bread Our Lord answered It is written man should not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God He that at first by his powerful word gave life to the creature can if it so please him by that word preserve life When such means fail yet learn from thy Lord to submit to the will of God and to trust in his power that is not limited to ordinary means In his thirst they gave him gall whereas others at their death got wine to make them forget their pain yet he was content he did not complain of them to God but in great calmnesse of spirit and eminency of love praied to the Father for them Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing He renders wine for their gall yea though all thy life time thou shouldst live in poverty yet look to Christ and be content for he was poor in his birth poor in his life and at his death he was stript of his garments 2. When thou sufferest in thy Name learn contentment from his example 1 Pet. 2.21 Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously When in speaking the truth thou art contradicted by proud and contentious men who call thee ignorant or a lyar be patient and look to thy Lord who was the way the verity and the life yet was a sign of contradiction Luk. 2.34 And when thy heart begins through discontent at the hard speeches of the world against thee to faint within thee then consider thy Lord that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest ye be wearied and faint in your mindes Heb. 12.3 When thou art traduced by malicious detracters be patient and content look to thy Lord who was without all spot and blame and yet was traduced as a man gluttonous and a wine-bibber a friend of Publicans and sinners Mat. 11.19 a deceiver of the people Joh. 7.12 Mat. 27.63 and a complier with that arch malignant spirit Mat. 12.24 The Servant should be content when he is no worse yea not so evil entreated as his Lord and Master when thou art affronted and mocked to thy face by insolent enemies insulting on thy misery be content and look to thy Lord who was as a sheep dumb before her shearer he was affronted with a Scepter of reed put into his hand with a tormenting crown of thorns on his head they mocked him by bowing the knee wagging the head and upbraided him with cruell mockings Luk. 23.5 when thou sufferest injury in thy person at the hands of cruell and insolent men yet be content and submit to the will of God who takes off the collar of restraint from their tongues and hands Look to thy Lord blinde-folded spitted on buffeted scourged and crucified between two theeves If they do these things in a green tree what shall be done in the dry Luk. 23.31 3. By the Spirit of Christ by 1. Inlightning 3. We learn this lesson of contentment by the Spirit of Christ who teacheth us by enlightening the understanding with faith to perceive and discern the unsearchable riches of Christ Then as this sight makes the beleever have low thoughts of the best things in this present world and to count them but losse and dung in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ Phil. 3.8 So it makes him rest content in all his sufferings and to think them light in comparison of that glory hid with Christ in God which will be revealed to us at the second coming of Jesus Christ Rom. 8.18 I reckon saith the Apostle that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us 2. 2. By sealing The Spirit of Christ worketh this contentment in us by Obsignation and Sealing us after we have beleeved Eph. 1.13 24. In whom also after ye have beleeved ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our Inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory The Spirit seals to the beleever two great priviledges 1. His Adoption Rom. 8.16 The Spirit beareth witnesse to our spirits that we are the children of God 2. The other is our right in Christ to the heavenly inheritance and our future possession the assurance of our adoption makes us content to drink of the cup of affliction given to us by our heavenly Father and in a like though no waies equal frame of a submisse spirit we say as our Lord the beloved Son of the Father said both for satisfaction in our behalf and for an example of submission to us Job 18.11 Shall I not drink of the cup which my Father hath given me to drink The assurance of our Inheritance makes us content in this time of our minority to be under the rod some earnest penny
in hand of a great bargain covenanted by a faithful party makes men content with a small portion for a time in the sure expectation of perfecting the full bargain So the assurance the children of God have by the Spirit of Christ of their full redemption and deliverance from all their troubles maketh them in all their troubles to rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.3 3. 3. By comforting The Spirit worketh this contentment in the children of God by comforting them and giving them some first-fruits of eternal life Rom. 8.23 Such are the sense of Gods love shed abroad in our hearts by the Spirit Rom. 5.5 Peace in the conscience and the joy of the holy Ghost 1 Thes 1.6 Having received the Word in much affliction with joy in the holy Ghost These are like the sweet refreshing Grapes in the Land of Canaan whereof Joshua and Caleb brought some clusters to make the people content with present troubles in the wildernesse and to encourage them to go to the place of their rest where every thing grew in great plenty for their full refreshment and satisfaction The sense of Gods love makes the childe of God content in his lowest estate Mephibosheth the Son of Jonathan was unjustly slandered by Zibah and rashly divested of all his goods by David yet was he so affected with joy for the Kings safe return to dwell in his own house that he could in calmnesse of spirit dispense with his own private losses 2 Sam. 19.30 Mephibosheth said unto the King Yea let Zibah take all forasmuch as my Lord the King is come again in peace into his own house So a Beleever is content to suffer contumelies and injuries at all hands when the Lord dwels in his soul and gives him peace the sweetnesse of his love expels the bitternesse and gall of our afflictions It is as wine to the heavy heart Pro. 31.7 He forgets his poverty and remembers his misery no more David was so affected with the sense of Gods goodnesse in giving him peace and rest from his enemies that he was content to forgive private injuries 2 Sam. 19.22 Shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel for do not I know that I am King this day of Israel So the sense of peace with God in Jesus Christ the peace-maker makes the children of God content and obedient to the will of God Eph. 4 32. Forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you 4. 4. By strengthening The Spirit worketh our hearts to contentment by strengthning us to bear the burthen of affliction It is the Apostles prayer to God for the Ephesians Eph. 3.16 That God would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man and here it is said I am able through Christ strengthning me to do all things whereof in the strength of his grace we shall speak hereafter This Doctrine serveth for Admonition Vse 1 In the day of thy prosperity Seek not contentment in earthly things neither seek nor place thy contentment in things worldly Contentment is not learned in the school of the creature the most pleasant roses have their own pricks Riches are accompanied with thorny cares Royal Crowns are tinned with fears and jealousies Pleasures are deceitfull and have an hook under the bait when thy conscience awakes with terrour for unjust purchase of them or though the purchases be lawfull yet if thine heart smite thee for ingratitude to God in the possession of them for abusing of them to pride riot and excesse and for not using of them to the relief of the poor thou shalt have no contentment in them but the possession of them in unrighteousness or ingratitude and the misimploying or not imploying of them to a good use will augment thy discontentment and in a sad experience thou wilt be forced to say they are comforters of no value When Belshazzars conscience was awaked with the sight of the hand writing on the wall all his plenty of wine and other cordials of that kind all his magnificence and the smooth speeches of his Queen and Princes could neither quiet his spirit nor fasten his joynts In thy adversity and troubled estate seek not contentment or ease to thy spirit from worldly divertisements these are but as Davids playing on the Harp to Saul at the time of his great distemper 1 Sam. 16.33 But the evil spirit returned again Such poor means may for a time divert thy thoughts but cure not the disease and distemper of thy unquiet spirit they are as a cup of cold water to an hydropick man which refresheth him for a moment but encreaseth his thirst and pain 2. Vse 2 It serveth for a ground of Exhortation to stir us up to go to the school of Jesus Chaist Go to the School of Christ to learn contentment that in all our troubles we may learn this necessary and profitable lesson of solid contentment Some enclining to a Consumption are easily induced to the study of Medicine to prevent the symptomes of that distemper discontentment is a frettig consumption of the spirit and it is hereditary to us from our first parents in whose aggregate sinne to speak so discontentment with their present condition was an ingredient 1. This inward contentment makes us pleasing to God who is highly displeased with male-contents at his Providence Nehemiah was sore afraid when the King perceived him sad Because he knew Kings are jealous of discontented persons Neh. 2.2 much more is the King of Kings displeased with them who fret at his dispensations who in the right of his supream dominion may do what he pleaseth and as a righteous Judge is ever holy and righteous in all his procedings towards the children of men 2. It will make thee social and pleasing to all men with whom thou hast thy conversation in the world thou canst condole with them in their adversity and rejoyce with them in their prosperity but the discontented spirit is sullen and surly either when evil befals himself or good to his neighbour 3. This inward contentment is to thee an earnest of that absolute contentment in heaven and on the contrary fretting discontentment unlesse it be broken off by repentance is no other but the beginning of the worm that dieth not As ye have shewn us how that profitable lesson of contentment is taught Helps to the practise of Contentment shew us also some helps for furthering us in the practise of it 1. Break off thy sins by repentance and be reconciled to God An out-law pursued from place to place eats his bread with much quaking and fear So a soul pursued by God in wrath cannot have any content in the things he enjoys in the time of his life and hath lesse contentment in things worldly at the hour of death As a condemned person hath no contentment in the best entertainment given to