Reader
The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment · Jeremiah Burroughs

The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, Sermon 1 · Sermon 6

SERMON VI.

PHILIPPIANS. 4.11.

Aug. 31: 1645.For I have learned in whatſoever ſtate I am, therewith to be content.

I Shall only adde one leſſon more in the learning of Contentment, & then I ſhal come to the Fourth Head, The excellency of Contentment.

The Ninth and laſt leſſon that Chriſt teaches thoſe that he doth inſtruct in this Art of Contentment, It is the right knowledge of Gods providence, and therein are theſe Four things.

1 The univerſality of providence, that the Soul muſt be throughly inſtructed in to come to this Art, to underſtand the univerſality of providence, that is; how the providence of God goes through the whole world, extends it's ſelf to every thing: Not only that God by his providence doth rule the world, and govern all things in generall, but that it reaches to every particular, not only to Kingdoms, to order the great affairs of Kingdoms, but it reaches to every mans family, it reaches to every perſon in the family, it reaches to every condition, yea to every paſſage, to every thing that fals out concerning thee in every particular, not one hair falleth from thy head, not a Sparrow to the ground without the providence of God. There's nothing befals thee good or evill, but there is a providence of the infinite eternal Firſt-Being in that thing, and therein indeed is Gods infinitneſſe, that it reaches to the leaſt things, to the leaſt worm that is under thy feet: Then much more it reaches unto thee that art a rationall creature, the providence of God is more ſpecial towards rational creatures than any others: The underſtanding in a ſpiritual way the univerſality of providence in every particular paſſage from morning to night every day; that there's not any thing that doth befall thee but there's a hand of God in it, it is from God, it is a mighty furtherance to Contentment. Every man will grant the truth of the thing that it is ſo, but as the Apoſtle ſaith in Heb. 11.3. By faith we underſtand that the worlds were made, by faith we underſtand it: why by faith? we can underſtand by reaſon that no finit thing can be from it ſelfe, And therefore that the world could not be of it's ſelf, but we can underſtand it by faith in another manner than by reaſon. So whatſoever we underſtand of God in way of providence, yet when Chriſt doth take us into his School we come to underſtand it by faith in a better manner than we do by reaſon.

2 The efficacy that there is in providence; that is, That the providence of God goes on in all things with ſtrength and power, and it is not to be altered by our power; let us be diſcontented and vext and troubled, and fret, and rage, yet we muſt not think to alter the courſe of providence by our diſcontent. Some of Jobs friends ſaid to him, Shall the earth be forſaken for thee, and ſhall the rock be removed out of his place? Job, 18.4. when they ſaw him to be impatient. So I may ſay to every diſcontented impatient heart, what ſhall the providence of God change it's courſe for thee? Do'ſt thou think it ſuch a weak thing that becauſe it doth not pleaſe thee it muſt alter it's courſe? be thou content or not content, the providence of God will go on, it hath an efficacie of power, of vertue, to carry all things before it: Canſt thou make one hair black or white with all the ſtir that thou keepeſt? When you are in a ſhip at Sea that hath all her ſails ſpread with a full gale of wind, and ſwiftly ſailing; can you make it ſtand ſtill with running up and down in the ſhip? No more can you make the providence of God to alter and change it's courſe with your vexing and fretting, but it will go on with power do what thou canſt. Do but underſtand the power and efficacie of providence and it will be a mighty means for the helping to learn this leſſon of Contentment.

3 The infinite variety of the works of providence, and yet the order of things, one working towards another; there is infinite variety of the works of God in an ordinary providence, and yet all work in an ordinary way; we put theſe two together; for God in the way of his providence cauſes a thouſand thouſand things one to depend upon another, there are infinite ſeveral wheels (as I may ſo ſay) in the works of providence, all the works that ever God did from all eternity or ever will do, put them all together, and all make up but one work, and they have been as ſeveral wheels that have had their orderly motion to attain the end that God from all eternity hath appointed: We indeed look at things by pieces, we look at one particular and do not conſider the reference that one thing hath to another, but God he looks at all things at once, and ſees the reference that one thing hath to another: As a child that looks upon a clock, looks firſt upon one wheel, and then upon another wheel, he looks not at all together or the dependance that one hath upon another, but the workman hath his eyes upon all together and ſees the dependance of all one upon another, and the art that there is in the dependance of one upon another; ſo it is in Gods providence. Now obſerve how this works to Contentment; where there is ſuch a paſſage of providence befalls me, that's one wheel, and it may be if this wheel ſhould be ſtopt, there might a thouſand other wheels come to be ſtopt by this: as in a clock, ſtop but one wheel and you ſtop every wheel, becauſe they have dependance one upon another: ſo when God hath ordered a thing for the preſent to be thus and thus, how do'ſt thou know how many things do depend upon this thing? God may have ſome work that he hath to do twenty yeers hence that may depend upon this paſſage of providence, that fals out this day, or this week. And here (by the way) we may ſee a great deal of evil that there is in diſcontent, for thou wouldeſt have Gods providence altered in ſuch and ſuch a particular, indeed if it were only in that particular, and that had reference to nothing elſe it were not ſo much, but by thy deſire to have thy will in ſuch a particular, it may be thou wouldeſt croſſe God in a thouſand things that he hath to bring about, becauſe it's poſſible there may be a thouſand things depend upon that one thing that thou wouldeſt fain have to be otherwiſe than it is, juſt as if a child ſhould cry out and ſay, let but that one wheel ſtop, though he ſaith but one wheel, yet if that ſtop, it is as much as if he ſhould ſay they muſt all ſtop; ſo in providence, let but this one paſſage of providence ſtop, it is as much as if a thouſand ſtopt: Let me therfore be quiet and content, for though I be croſt in ſome one particular God attains his end, at leaſt his end may be furthered in a thouſand things by this one thing that I am croſt in; therefore let a man conſider this is an act of providence, and how do I know what God is about to do, and how many things depend upon this providence? Now we are willing to ſuffer our friends will to be croſt in one thing, ſo that our friend may attain to what he deſires in a thouſand things; if thou haſt a love and friendſhip to God, be willing to be croſt in ſome few things, that the Lord may have his work go on in the univerſal, in a thouſand of other things. Now that's the Third thing to be underſtood in Gods providence, that Chriſt doth learn thoſe that he teacheth in the Art of Contentment.

4 Chriſt teaches them the knowledge of providence, that is, The knowledge of Gods uſual way in his dealings with his people more particularly. The other is, the knowledge of God in his providence in general: But the right underſtanding of the way of God in his providence towards his people and Saints, is a notable leſſon to help us in the Art of Contentment. If we come once to know a mans way and courſe we may better ſute and be contented to live with him, than before we come to know his way and courſe: as when a man comes to live in a ſociety with men and women, it may be the men and women may be good, but till a man comes to know their way and courſe and diſpoſition, many things may fall very croſſe, and we think they are very hard, but when we come to be acquainted with their way and ſpirit, then we can ſute and cotten with them very well; and the reaſon of our trouble is, becauſe we do not underſtand their way. So it is with you, thoſe that are but as ſtrangers to God, and do not underſtand the way of God, they are troubled with the providences of God, and they think them very ſtrange and cannot tell what to make of them, becauſe they underſtand not the ordinary courſe and way of God towards his people. If a ſtranger ſometimes comes into a family and ſees ſuch and ſuch things done, he wonders what the matter is, but thoſe that are acquainted with it, it troubles them not at all. So ſervants, when they come firſt together and know not one another, it may be they are froward and diſcontented, but when they come to be aquainted with one anothers waies, then they are more contented: juſt ſo it is when we come firſt to underſtand Gods waies.

Object. But you will ſay, What do you underſtand by Gods waies?

Anſw: By that I mean theſe Three things. And when we come to know them we ſhall not wonder ſo much at the providence of God, but be quiet and contented with them.

1. The Firſt thing is this, Gods ordinary courſe is, that his people in this world ſhould be in an afflicted condition: God hath revealed in his Word, and we may there find he hath ſet down to be his ordinary way even from the begining af the world to this day, (but more eſpecially in the times of the Goſpel,) that his people here ſhould be in an afflicted condition. Now men that do not underſtand this, they ſtand and wonder to hear of the people of God that they are afflicted, and the enemies proſper in their way; for thoſe that ſeek God in his way, and ſeek for Reformation, for them to be afflicted and routed and ſpoiled, and the enemies to prevail, they wonder at it: but now, one that is in the School of Chriſt, he is taught by Jeſus Chriſt that God by his eternal Counſels hath ſet this to be his courſe and way, to bring up his people in this world in an afflicted condition, and therefore ſaith the Apoſtle, Account it not ſtrange concerning the fiery tryal. 1 Pet. 4.12. We are not therefore to be diſcontented with it ſeeing God hath ſet ſuch a courſe and way, & we know ſuch is the will of God that it ſhould be ſo.

The Second thing that is in Gods way is this, Ʋſually when God intends the greateſt mercy to any of his people, he doth bring them into the loweſt condition. God doth ſeem to go quite croſſe and work in a contrary way; when he intends the greateſt mercies to his people he doth firſt uſually bring them into very low conditions, if it be a bodily mercy, an outward mercy that he intends to beſtow he uſeth to bring them bodily low, and outwardly low, if it be a merciemercy in their eſtates that he intends to beſtow, he brings them low in that and then raiſes them; and in their names he brings them low there, and then raiſes them, and in their Spirits God doth ordinarily bring their Spirits low and then raiſes their ſpirits, uſually the people of God before the greateſt comforts have the greateſt afflictions and ſorrows, now thoſe that underſtand not Gods waies they think that when God brings his people into ſad conditions, that God leaves and forſakes them, and that God doth intend no great matter of good to them; but now a Child of God that is inſtructed in this way of God, he is not troubled; my condition is very low, but (ſaith he) this is Gods way when he intends the greateſt mercy, to bring men under the greateſt afflictions. When he intended to raiſe Joſeph to be the Second in the Kingdom, God caſt him into a dungeon a little before. So when God intended to raiſe David and ſet him upon the Throne, he made him to be hunted as a partrige in the mountain, 2 Sam. 26.20. God went this way with his Son; Chriſt himſelf went into glory by ſuffering, Heb. 2.20. And if God deal ſo with his own Son, much more with his people; as a little before break of day you ſhall obſerve it is darker than it was any time before; ſo God doth uſe to make our conditions darker a little before the mercy come. When God beſtowed the laſt great mercy at Nazby, we were in a very low condition, God knew what he had to do before-hand, he knew that his time was coming for great mercies; it is the way of God to do ſo. Be but inſtructed aright in this courſe and tract that God uſes to walk in; and that will help us to Contentment exceedingly.

The Third thing that there is in Gods way and courſe is this, It is the way of God to work by contraries, to turn the greateſt evill into the greateſt good. To grant great good after great evil is one thing, and to turn great evils into the greateſt good that's another; and yet that's Gods way, the greateſt good that God intends for his people, many times he works it out of the greateſt evil; the greateſt light is brought out of the greateſt darkneſſe: and Luther (I remember) hath a notable expreſſion for this, (ſaith he) it is the way of God, he doth humble that he might exalt, he doth kill that he might make alive, he doth confound that he might glorifie; this is the way of God (ſaith he:) but ſaith ſaith he, Every one doth not underſtand this, this is the Art of Arts, and the Science of Sciences, the knowledge of knowledges to underſtand this, that God doth uſe when he will bring life, he doth bring it out of death, he brings joy out of ſorrow, and he brings proſperity out of adverſity, yea, and many times he brings grace out of ſin, that is, makes uſe of ſin to work furtherance of grace; it is the way of God to bring good out of evil; not only to overcome the evil, but to make the evil to work towards the good: here's the way of God: now when the ſoul comes to underſtand this, it will take away our murmuring and bring Contentment into our ſpirits: But I fear there are but few that underſtand it aright, perhaps they reade of ſuch things, and hear ſuch things in a Sermon, but they are not by Jeſus Chriſt inſtructed in this, that this is the way of God, To bring the greateſt good out of the greateſt evil.

Now, thus having diſpach'd the Third Head, the Leſſons that we are to learn; we come to the Fourth, and that is, The excellency of this Grace of Contentment: And there is a great deal of excellencie in Contentment; that's a kind of Leſſon too for us to learn. And this Head likewiſe will be ſomewhat long.

Saith the Apoſtle, I have learned. As if he ſhould ſay, Bleſſed be God for this: Oh! it is a mercy of God to me that I have learned this leſſon, I find ſo much good in this Contentment, that I would not for a world but have it: (I have learned it ſaith he.)

Now the very Heathens had a ſight of a great excellency that there is in Contentment: I remember I have read of Antiſtenes a Philoſopher, that deſired of his gods, (ſpeaking after the heatheniſh way) nothing in this world to make his life happy, but Contentment; and if he might have any thing that hee would deſire to make his life happy, he would aske of them, that he might have the ſpirit of Socrates, that he might have ſuch a ſpirit as Socrates had, to be able to bear any wrong, any injuries that he met withall, and to continue in a quiet temper of ſpirit whatſoever befell him; for that was the temper of Socrates, whatever befell him he continued the ſame man, whatever croſſe befell him no body could perceive any alteration of his ſpirit though never ſo great croſſes did befall him. This a Heathen did attain to by the ſtrength of Nature, and a common work of the ſpirit: Now this Antiſtenes ſaw ſuch an excellency in this ſpirit: As when God ſaid to Solomon, What ſhall I give thee? he asked of God wiſdom: ſo ſaith he, If the gods ſhould put it to me to know what I would have, I would deſire this thing, that I might have the ſpirit of Socrates: he ſaw a great excellency that there was in this. And certainly a Chriſtian may ſee abundance of excellency in it: I ſhall labour to ſet it out to you in this Sermon that you may be in love with this Grace of Contentment.

In the Firſt place, By Contentment we come to give God that worſhip that is due to him: It is a ſpecial part of Divine worſhip that we owe to God, if we be content in a Chriſtian way, according as hath been opened to you; I ſay it is a ſpecial part of the Divine worſhip that the creature owes to the infinit Creator, in that I do tender that reſpect that is due from me to the Creator. The word that the Greeks have that ſignifies to worſhip, it is as much as to come and crouch before another, as a dog ſhould come crouching unto you, and be willing to lie down at your feet; ſo the creature in the apprehenſion of its owne baſeneſſe, and the infinit Excellency that there is in God above it; when it comes to worſhip God, it comes and crouches to this God, and it lies down at the feet of God, then doth the creature worſhip God. When you ſee a dog come crouching to you, and you can make him with holding your hand over him to lie down at your feet; then conſider, thus ſhould you do before the Lord, you ſhould come crouching to him, and lie down at his feet even upon your backs or bellies, to lie down in the duſt before him, ſo as to be willing that he ſhould do with you what he will; as ſomtimes you may turn a dog this way or that way up and down with the hand, and there he lies before you, according to your ſhewing him with your hand: So when the creature ſhall come and lie down thus before the Lord, then a Creature worſhips God, doth tender you that worſhip that is due to God. Now in what diſpoſition of heart do we thus …ouch to God more, than when we have this Contentation in all conditions that God diſpoſed us unto? This is a crouching unto Gods diſpoſe, to be like the poor woman of Canaan, when Chriſt ſaid, it is not fit to give Childrens meat to dogs, but (ſaith ſhe) the dogs have crums. I am a dog I confeſſe, I but let me have but a crum. And ſo when the ſoul ſhall be in ſuch a diſpoſition as to lie down and ſay, Lord I am but as a dog, yet let me have a crum, then doth it highly honour God. It may be ſome of you have not your table ſpread as others have, but God gives you crums; now ſaith the poor woman, dogs have crums, and when you can find your hearts thus ſubjecting unto God, to be but as a dog, and can be Contented and bleſſe God for any crum: I ſay this is a great worſhip of God, you worſhip God by this more than when you come to hear a Sermon, or ſpend half an hour, or an hour in prayer, or when you come to receive a Sacrament; Theſe are the acts of Gods worſhip, I but theſe are but external acts of worſhip, to hear, and pray, and receive Sacraments: But now this is the Soul-worſhip, to ſubject its ſelf thus to God. You that often will worſhip God by Hearing, and Praying, and receiving Sacraments, and yet afterwards will be froward and diſcontented, know, that God regards not that worſhip, he will have the ſoul-worſhip in this ſubjecting of the ſoul to God. Obſerve it I beſeech you, in active obedience, there we worſhip God by doing that that pleaſes God, but by paſſive obedience we do as well worſhip God by being pleaſed with that that God doth. Now when I perform a duty, I worſhip God, I do what pleaſes God: why ſhould I not as well worſhip God when I am pleaſed with what God doth? As it was ſaid of Chriſts obedience, Chriſt was active in his paſſive obedience, and paſſive in his active obedience: So the Saints they are paſſive in their active obedience; they are firſt paſſive in their reception of grace, and then active: And when they come to paſſive obedience they are active, they put forth grace in active obedience, when they perform actions to God, then ſaith the Soul, Oh! that I could do that that pleaſes God, when they come to ſuffer any croſſe, Oh that what God doth might pleaſe me. I labour to do what pleaſes God, and I labour that what God doth ſhall pleaſe me, here's a Chriſtian indeed that ſhall endeavour both theſe; now this is but one ſide of a Chriſtian, to endeavour to do what pleaſes God, but you muſt as well endeavour to be pleaſed with what God doth, and ſo you ſhall come to be a compleat Chriſtian when you can do both. And that's the firſt thing in the excellency of this Grace of Contentment.

The Second thing in the opening of this excellency of Contentment is, That in Contentment there is much exerciſe of Grace, There is much ſtrength of Grace, yea there is much beauty of Grace in Contentment, there is much exerciſe of Grace, ſtrength of Grace, and beauty of Grace, I put all theſe together.

1 Much exerciſe of Grace, There is a compoſition of Grace in Contentment, there is faith, and there is humility, and love, and there is patience, and there is wiſdom, and there is hope, all graces almoſt are compounded, it's an oyle that hath the ingredients of all kind of graces, and therefore though you cannot ſee the particular grace, yet in this oyl you have it all; God ſees the Graces of his Spirit exerciſed in a ſpecial manner, and this pleaſes God at the heart to ſee the Graces of his Spirit exerciſed. In ſome one action that you do you may exerciſe ſome one grace eſpecially, but now in Contentment you exerciſe a great many graces at once.

2 There is a great deal of ſtrength of Grace in Contentment, It argues a great deal of ſtrength in the body, the body to be able to endure hard weather and whatſoever fals out, and yet not to be much altered by it; ſo it argues ſtrength of Grace to be content: You that complain of weakneſſe of memory, and weakneſſe of parts, you cannot do what others do in other things, but have you this gracious heart-contentment that hath been opened to you; I know that you have attained to ſtrength of Grace in this, when it is ſo ſpiritual as hath been opened to you in the explication of this point. As it is with a mans braine, if a man be diſtempered in his body and hath many obſtructions in his body, hath an ill ſtomack, and his ſpleen and liver obſtructed, and yet for all this his brain is not diſtempered, it is an argument of a great ſtrength of brain, and though there be many ill fumes that riſeth from his corrupt ſtomack, yet ſtill his brain is not diſtempered but he continues in the free exerciſe of the uſe of his reaſon and underſtanding; every one may underſtand that this man hath a very ſtrong brain, that ſuch things ſhall not diſtemper him, whereas other people that have a weak brain, if they do not diſgeſt but one meals meat, the fumes that do ariſe from their ſtomacks, doth diſtemper their brain and makes them unfit for every thing, whereas you ſhall have others that have ſtrong heads, and ſtrong brains, though their ſtomacks be ill that they do not diſgeſt meat, yet ſtill they have the free uſe of their brain, this argues ſtrength: So it is in a mans ſpirit, you ſhall have many that have weak ſpirits, and if they have any ill fumes, if accidents befal them, you ſhall preſently have them out of temper, but you ſhall have other men that though things do fume up yet ſtill they keep in a ſteady-way, and have the uſe of reaſon and of other graces, and poſſeſs their Souls with patience. As I remember it's reported of the Eagle, it's not like other fowls, other fowls when they are hungrie make an noiſe, but the Eagle is never heard to make an noiſe though it wants food, and it is from the magnitude of his ſpirit that it will not make ſuch complaints as other fowls will do when they want food, it is becauſe it is above hunger, and above thirſt: So it is argument of a gracious magnitude of ſpirit that whatſoever befals it, yet it is not alwaies whyning and complaining ſo as others are, but goes on ſtill in it's way and courſe, and bleſſes God and keeps in a conſtant tenour whatſoever thing befals it, ſuch things as cauſes others to be dejected and fretted and vexed, and takes away all the comfort of their lives, it makes no alteration at all in the ſpirits of theſe men and women, I ſay this is a ſign of a great deal of ſtrength of Grace.

3 It's alſo an argument of a great deal of beauty of Grace. It's a ſpeech that Seneca a Heathen once had, ſaith he, When you go abroad into groves and woods; and there you ſee the talneſſe of the trees and their ſhadows, it ſtrikes a kind of awful fear of a Deity in you, and when you ſee the vaſt rivers and fountains, and deep waters that ſtrikes a kind of fear of a God in you but (ſaith he) do you ſee a man that is quiet in tempeſts, and that lives happily in the middeſt of adverſities, why do not you worſhip that man? he doth think him a man even to be honoured that ſhall be quiet and live a happy life though in the middeſt of adverſities. The glory of God appears here more than in any of his works; there is no works that God hath made, the Sun Moon and Stars and all the world wherein ſo much of the glory of God doth appear, as in a man that lives quietly in the middeſt of adverſity. That was that that covinc'd the King, when he ſaw the three Children could walk in the mideſt of the fiery furnace & not be toucht, the King was mightily convinc'd by this, that ſurely their God was a great God indeed, & that they were highly beloved of their God that could walk in the mid'ſt of the furnace and not be toucht, whereas the others that came but to the mouth of the furnace were devoured, ſo when a Chriſtian can walk in the mid'ſt of fiery trials, and not his garments ſinged, but have comfort and joy in the mid'ſt of all (as Paul in the ſtocks) can ſing, (that wrought upon the jaylour:) ſo it will convince men when they ſee the power of grace in the middeſt of afflictions, ſuch afflictions as would make others to rore under them, yet they can behave themſelves in a gracious and holy manner; Oh it's the glory of a Chriſtian. It is that that is ſaid to be the glory of Chriſt, (for ſo by Interpreters it is thought to be meant of Chriſt) In Micah, 5.5. And this man (the text ſaith) ſhall be the peace when the Aſſyrian ſhall come into our land, and when he ſhall tread in our pallaces. This man ſhall be the peace when the Aſſyrian ſhall come into our land; for one to be in peace when there is no enemies it's no great matter, but ſaith the text when the Aſſyrian ſhal come into our land, then this man ſhall be the peace; that is, when all ſhal be in an hubbub and uprore yet then this man ſhal be peace. That's the tryal of grace when you find Jeſus Chriſt in your hearts to be peace when the Aſſyrian ſhall come into the land. You may think you find peace in Chriſt when you have no outward troubles, but is Chriſt your peace when the Aſſyrian comes into the land, when the enemy comes? Suppoſe you ſhould hear the enemy come marching to the City & had taken the works, and were plundering, what would be your peace? Jeſus Chriſt would be peace to the ſoul when the enemy comes into the City, and into your houſes; If there be any of you that have been where the enemy hath come, what hath been the peace of your ſouls? That that's ſaid of Chriſt may be applyed to this grace of Contentment, when the Aſſyrian, the plunderers, the enemies, when any affliction, trouble, diſtreſſe doth befal ſuch a heart, then this grace of Contentment brings peace to the ſoul; at that time brings peace to their ſoul when the Aſſyrian comes into the land: The grace of Contentment it's an excellent grace, ther…'s much beauty, much ſtrength in it, there is a great deal of worth in this grace, and therefore be in love with it.

The Third thing in the excellency of Contentment is this, By Contentment the ſoul is fitted to receive mercy, and to do ſervice, I'le put thoſe two together, Contentment makes the ſoul fit to receive mercy, and to do ſervice; no man or woman in the world is ſo fit for to receive the Grace of God, and to do the work of God as thoſe that have contented ſpirits.

1 Thoſe are fitted to receive mercy from the Lord that are contented: As now, if you would have a veſſel to take in any licquor, you muſt hold the veſſel ſtill, if the veſſel ſtir and ſhake up and down you cannot powre in any thing, but you will bid hold ſtil that you may powre it in and not looſe any; ſo if we would be the veſſels to receive Gods mercy, and would have the Lord powr in his mercy to us, we muſt have quiet ſtill hearts, we muſt not have hearts hurrying up and down in trouble diſcontent and vexing, but we muſt have ſtill and quiet hearts if we would receive mercy from the Lord: If a child throws and flings up and down for a thing, you will not give it him then when he cries ſo, but firſt you will have the child quiet, though perhaps you do intend the child ſhall have the thing he cries for, but you will not give it him till he is quiet and comes and ſtands ſtill before you and is contented without it and then you will give it him: and truly ſo doth the Lord deal with us, (for our dealing, with him are juſt as your froward childrens are with you) as ſoon as you would have a thing from God if you have it not you are diſquieted preſently and all in an upprore (as it were) in your ſpirits: God intends mercy to you, but ſaith God you ſhall not have it yet, I will ſee you quiet firſt, and then in the quietneſſe of your hearts come to me and ſee what I will do with you. I appeal to you, you that are any way acquainted with the waies of God, have you not found this to be the way of God towards you, when you have been troubled for want perhaps of ſome ſpiritual comfort, and your hearts were vext at it, you get nothing from God all that while; but now if you have got your heart into a quiet frame, and can ſay, well, it's fit the Lord ſhould do with his poor creatures what he will, I am under his feet, and am reſolv'd to do what I can to honour him; and let him do with me what he will I will ſeek him as long as I live, I will be content with what God gives; and whether he gives or no I will be content; yea, are you in this frame (ſaith God) now you ſhall have comfort, now I will give you the mercy. A priſoner muſt not think to get off his fetters by pulling and tearing, he may gall his fleſh and rend it to the very bone, certainly he will be unfettered never the ſooner, but if he would have his fetters taken off he muſt quietly give up himſelf to ſome man to take them off; If a begger after he hath knockt once or twice at the door and you come not, and thereupon he is vext and troubled and thinks much that you let him ſtand a little while without any thing, you think that this begger is not fit to receive an almes, but if you hear two or three beggers at your door, and if you hear them out of your window ſay, let us be content to ſtay, perhaps they are buſie, it's fit that we ſhould ſtay, it's well if we have any thing at laſt, we deſerve nothing at all, and therefore we may well wait a while; you would then quickly ſend them an almes; ſo God deals with the heart, when it is in a diſquiet way then God doth not give; but when the heart lies down quietly under Gods hand, then is the heart in a fit frame to receive mercy: Your ſtrength ſhall be to ſit ſtill (ſaith God,) you ſhall not be delivered from Babylon but by your ſitting ſtill.

2 As fit to receive mercy, So fit to do ſervice, Oh the quiet fruits of righteouſneſſe, the peaceable fruits of righteouſneſſe; they indeed do proſper and multiply moſt when they come to be peacable fruits of righteouſneſſe. As the Philoſophers ſay of every thing that moves, nothing that moves but it moves upon ſomething that is immovable; as a thing that moves upon the earth, if the earth were not ſtill it could not move.

Object. The ſhips move upon the Sea, and that is not ſtill.

Anſw. But the Seas they move upon that which is ſtill and immovable, there is nothing moves but it hath ſomething immovable that doth uphold it: The wheels in a Coach they move up and down, but the exletree that moves not up and down; ſo it is with the heart of a man. As they ſay of the Heaven, it moves up and down upon a pole that is immovable: ſo it is in the heart of a man, if he will move to do ſervice to God he muſt have a ſteady heart within him, that muſt help him to move in the ſervice of God, thoſe that have unſteady diſquiet ſpirits that have no ſteadfaſtneſſe at all in them, they are not fit to do ſervice for God, but ſuch as have ſteadfaſtneſſe in their ſpirits they are men and women fit to do any ſervice, and that's the reaſon that when the Lord hath any great work for any ſervants of his to do, uſually he doth firſt quiet their ſpirits, he doth bring their ſpirits into a quiet ſweet frame to be contented with any thing, and then he ſets them about imployment.

The Fift excellency is this, Contentment it doth deliver us from abundance of temptations. Oh the temptations that men of diſcontented ſpirits are ſubject to, the Devil loves to fiſh in troubled waters. That's our proverb of men and women, their diſpoſition is to fiſh in troubled waters, they ſay it is good fiſhing in troubled waters, this is the maxime of the Devil, he loves to fiſh in troubled waters, where he ſees the ſpirits men and women troubled and vext, there the Devil comes, ſaith he, there's good fiſhing for me, when he ſees men and women go diſcontented up and down and he can get them alone, then he comes with his temptations, ſaith he, will you ſuffer ſuch a thing? take ſuch a ſhifting indirect way, do not you ſee how poor you are, others are brave, you know not what you ſhall do againſt winter, to provide fewell and get bread for you and your children, and ſo he tempts them to unlawful courſes; this is the ſpecial diſtemper that the Devil faſtens upon, when he brings men and women to give up their ſouls to him, it is upon diſcontent: That's the ground of all thoſe that have been witches, and ſo have given up themſelves to the Devil, the riſe of it hath been their diſcontent, and therefore it is obſervable that thoſe the Devil worketh upon to make them witches, uſually they are old and melancholy people, and women eſpecially, and thoſe that are of the poorer ſort, that are diſcontent at home, their neighbours trouble them and vex them, and their ſpirits are weak and they cannot bear it, ſo upon that the Devil faſtens his temptations and draws them to any thing; if they be poor, then he promiſes them money, if they have revengefull ſpirits, then he tels them that he will revenge them upon ſuch and ſuch perſons, now this quiets and contents them. Oh! there's matter of temptation for the Devil where he meets with a diſcontented ſpirit. As Luther ſaith of God, God doth not dwell in Babylon, but in Salem, Babylon ſignifies confuſion, and Salem ſignifies peace: now God doth not dwell in ſpirits that are in a confuſion, but he dwels in peacable and quiet ſpirits. Oh if you would free your ſelves from temptations, labour for Contentment, It is the peace of God that guards the heart from temptation. I remember I have read of one Marius Curio that when he had bribes ſent him, to tempt him to be unfaithful to his Countrey, he was ſitting at home at dinner with a diſh of turnips, and they came and promiſed him rewards, ſaith he, That man that can be contented with this fare that I have, will not be tempted with your rewards, I thank God I am content with this fare, and as for rewards let them be offered to thoſe that cannot be content to dine with a diſh of turnips. So the truth is we ſee it apparently, that the reaſon why many do betray their truſt, as in the Parliament ſervice and Kingdom, becauſe they cannot be contented to be in a low condition. Let a man be contented to be in a low condition, and to go meanly cloathed if God ſees it fit, ſuch a man is ſhot-free (as I may ſo ſay) from thouſands of temptations of the Devil, that do prevail againſt others to the damning of their ſouls; Oh in ſuch times as theſe are when men are in danger of the loſs of their eſtates, I ſay theſe men that have not got this grace are in a moſt lamentable condition, they are in more danger for their ſouls then they are for their outward eſtates, you think it is a ſad thing to be in danger of your outward eſtates that you may looſe all in an night, but if you have not this contented ſpirit within you, you are in more danger of the temptations of the Devil to be plundered that way of any good, and to be led into ſin; Oh when men think thus, they muſt live as brave as they were wont to do, theſe men make themſelves a prey to the Devil; but for ſuch as can ſay let God do with me what he pleaſes, I am content to ſubmit to his hand in it, the Devil wil ſcarce meddle with ſuch men. It's a notable ſpeech of a Phyloſopher that lived upon mean fare, and as he was eating herbs and roots, ſaith one to him, If you would but pleaſe Dioniſius you need not eat herbs and roots: but he anſwered him thus, If you would but be content with ſuch mean fare you need not flatter Dioniſius. So temptations will no more prevail upon a contented man, then a dart that is thrown againſt a braſen wal. That's the Fifth particular.

The Sixth excellency is, The abundant comforts in a mans life that Contentment will bring: Contentment will make a mans life exceeding ſweet and comfortable, nothing more than the grace of Contentment; many waies I will ſhew how it brings in Comfort.

1 As firſt, What a man hath he hath it in a kind of Independent way, not depending upon any Creature for his Comfort.

2 A Contented man whoſe eſtate is low, if God raiſes his eſtate he hath the love of God in it, and then it's abundantly more ſweet than if he had it and his heart not contented: for if he had not the love of God in it, for it may be God grants to a diſcontented man his deſire, but he cannot ſay it is from love; if a man hath quieted his ſpirit firſt, and then God grant him his deſire, he may have more comfort in it, and more aſſurance that he hath the love of God in it.

3 This Contentment is a comfort to a mans ſpirit in this, that it doth keep in his comforts, and keep out whatſoever may damp his comforts, or put out the light of them: I may compare this Grace of Contentment to a Marriners Lanthorn, a Marriner when he is at Sea let him have never ſo much proviſion in his ſhip, yet if he be thouſands of leagues from land, or in a rode that he ſhall not meet with a ſhip in three or four moneths, if he hath never a Lanthorn in his ſhip, nor nothing whereby he can keep a Candle light in a ſtorm, he will be in a ſad condition, he would give a great deal to have a Lanthorn, or ſome thing that may ſerve in ſtead of it. When a ſtorm comes in the night, and he cannot have any light come above-board, but is puft out preſently, his condition is very ſad: ſo many men can have the light of comfort when there is no ſtorm, but let there come but any affliction, any ſtorm upon them their light is puft out preſently, and what ſhall they do now? When the heart is furniſhed with this Grace of Contentment; this Grace is (as it were) the Lanthorn, and it keeps comfort in the ſpirit of a man, light in the midſt of a ſtorm and tempeſt. When you have a Lanthorn in the midſt of a ſtorm you can carry a light every where up and down the ſhip to the top of the Maſt if you will, and yet keep it light; ſo the comfort of a Chriſtian when it is enlivened with the grace of Contentment, it may be keept light whatever ſtorms or tempeſts come, yet he can keep light in his ſoul. Oh! this helps thy comforts exceeding much.

Seventhly. There is this Excellency in Contentment, that it fetches in the comfort of thoſe things we have not really in poſſeſſion; and perhaps many that have not outward things, have more comfort than thoſe have that do enjoy them themſelves: As now, a man by diſtilling herbs, though he hath not the herbs themſelves, yet having the water that is diſtil'd out of them, he may enjoy the benefit of the herbs: ſo though a man hath not the reall poſſeſſion of ſuch an outward eſtate, an outward comfort, yet he by the grace of Contentment may fetch it in to himſelf. By the art of Navigation we can fetch in the riches of the Eaſt and Weſt-Indies to our ſelves; ſo by the art of Contentment we may fetch in the comfort of any condition to our ſelves, that is, we may have that comfort by Contentment, that we ſhould have if we had the thing it ſelf. There is an notable ſtory you have for this in Plutarch, in the life of Pyrus; one Sineus comes to him, and would very fain have had him deſiſt from the wars, and not war with the Romans; ſaith he to him, May it pleaſe your Majeſtie, it is reported that the Romans are very good men of warre, and if it pleaſe the gods we do over-come them, what benefit ſhall we have of that Victory? Pyrhus anſwered him, We ſhall then ſtraight conquer all the reſt of Italy with eaſe. Saith Sineus, Indeed it is likely which your Grace ſpeaketh: But when we have won Italy, will then our wars end? If the Gods were pleaſed ſaid Pyrhus, that the victory were achieved, the way were then broad open for us to attain great conqueſts, for who would not afterwards go into Africk, and ſo to Carthage? But (ſaith Sineus) when we have all in our hands, what ſhall we do in the end? then Pyrhus laughing, told him again, we will then be quiet, and take our eaſe, and make feaſts every day, and be as merry one with another as we can poſſible: ſaith Sineus, What letteth us now to be as quiet, and merry together, fith we enjoy that preſently without further travel and trouble which we ſhould go ſeek for abroad, with ſuch ſhedding of blood, and ſo manifeſt danger: Cannot you ſit down and be merry now? So a man may think, if I had ſuch a thing, then I would have another, and if I had that, then I ſhould have more: and what if you had got al your deſire? then you would be content, why? you may be content now without them. Certainly our Contentment doth not conſiſt in the getting of the thing we deſire, but in Gods faſhioning our ſpirits to our conditions: There's ſome men that have not a foot of ground of their own, yet will live better than other men that are heirs to a great deal of land. I have known it in the country ſomtimes, that a man lives upon his own land, and yet lives very poorly, but you ſhall have another man that ſhall farm his land, and yet by his good husbandry, and by his care ſhall live better ſomtimes than he that hath the land of his own: ſo a man by this art of Contentment may live better without an eſtate than another man can of an eſtate: Oh! it adds exceeding much to the comfort of a Chriſtian: and that I may ſhew it farther, there is more comfort even in grace of Contentment than there is in any poſſeſſions whatſoever; a man hath more comfort in being content without a thing, than he can have in the thing that he in a diſcontented way doth deſire.

You think, if I had ſuch a thing, then I ſhould be content. I ſay, There is more good in Contentment, than there is in the thing that you would fain have to cure your diſcontent, and that I ſhall open in divers particulars, As thus,

1. I would fain have ſuch a thing, and then I could be content; but if I had it then it were but the creature that did help to my Contentment; but now it's the Grace of God in my ſoul that makes me content: and ſurely it is better to be Content with the Grace of God in my ſoul, than with the enjoying of an outward comfort.

2. If I had ſuch a thing, indeed my eſtate might be better, but my ſoul would not be better, but by Contentment my ſoul is better, that would not be bettered by an eſtate, or lands, or friends; but Contentment makes my ſelf to be better: and therefore Contentment is a better portion than the thing is that I would fain have to be my portion.

3. If I get Content by having my deſire ſatisfied, that's but ſelf-love; but when I am Contented with the hand of God, and am willing to be at his diſpoſe, that comes from my love to God in having my deſire ſatisfied, there I am contented through ſelf-love, but through the Grace of Contentment I come to be contented out of love to God; and is it not beteer to be contented from a principle of love to God, than from a principle of ſelf-love.

4. If I am contented becauſe I have that that I have a deſire to, perhaps I am contented in that one particular, but that one particular doth not furniſh me with Contentment in another thing; perhaps I may grow more dainty and nice, and froward in other things: if you give children what they would have in ſome things, they grow ſo much the more coy and dainty, and diſcontented if they have not other things that they would have; but if I have once overcome my heart, and am contented through the grace of God in my heart, then this doth not content me only in a particular, but in general, whatſoever befals me. I am diſcontented, and would fain have ſuch a thing, and afterwards I have it: now doth this prepare me to be contented in other things? no, but when I have gotten this Grace of Contentment, I am prepar'd to be contented in all conditions: and thus you ſee that Contentment doth bring comfort to a mans life, fils a mans life full of comfort in this world: yea, the truth is, it is even a Heaven upon Earth, why? what is Heaven, but the reſt and quiet of a mans ſpirit; what's the ſpecial thing that is in Heaven, but reſt, and joy, that makes the life of Heaven, there's reſt and joy, and ſatisfaction in God: ſo it's here in a contented ſpirit, there's reſt, and joy, and ſatisfaction in God: In Heaven, there's ſinging praiſes to God; a contented heart is alwaies praiſing and bleſſing God; thou haſt Heaven while thou art upon earth when thou haſt a contented ſpirit, yea, in ſome regards it's better than Heaven. How is that you will ſay? there's ſome kind of honour that God hath in it, and ſome excellency that he hath not in Heaven, and that's this,

In Heaven there is no overcoming of temptations, they are not put to any trials by afflictions: there in Heaven they have exerciſe of grace, but they have nothing but encouragement to it, and indeed thoſe that are there their grace is perfect, and in that they do excel us; but there is nothing to croſs their grace, they have no trials at all to tempt them to do contrary; but now for a man or woman to be in the midſt of afflictions, temptations and troubles, and yet to have grace exerciſed, and yet to be ſatisfied in God and Chriſt, and in the Word and Promiſes in the mid'ſt of all they ſuffer, this may ſeem to be an honour that God hath from us, that he hath not from the Angels and Saints in Heaven. Is it ſo much for one that is in Heaven that hath nothing elſe but good from God, hath nothing to try them, no temptations, is that ſo much for them to be praiſing and bleſſing God, as for the poor ſoul that is in the mid'ſt of trials and temptations, and afflictions, and troubles? for this ſoul to go on prayſing and bleſſing, and ſerving God; I (ſay) it is an excellency that thou ſhalt not have in Heaven, and God ſhal not have this kind of glory from thee in Heaven, and therefore be contented, and prize this Contentment, and be willing to live in this world as long as God ſhal pleaſe, and do not think, Oh that I were delivered from all theſe afflictions and troubles herein this world! if thou wert, then thou ſhouldeſt have more eaſe to thy ſelf: but here's a way of honouring God, and manifeſting the excellency of Grace here when thou art in this Conflict of temptation that God ſhal not have from thee in Heaven, and therefore be ſatisfied and quiet, be contented with thy Contentment: I want ſuch and ſuch things that others have, but bleſſed be God I have a contented heart that others have not, then I ſay be content with thy Contenement, for that's a rich portion that the Lord hath granted unto them, if the Lord ſhould give unto thee thouſands here in this world, it would not be ſuch a rich portion as this, that he hath given thee a contented ſpirit: Oh go away and praiſe the Name of God, and ſay, Lord, it's true theſe and theſe comforts that others have I ſhould be glad if I had them, but thou haſt cut me ſhort, but though I want theſe, yet thou haſt given me that that is as good and better, thou haſt given me a quiet contented heart, to be willing to be at thy diſpoſe.