The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, Sermon 1 · Sermon 9
SERMON IX.
PHILIPPIANS. 4.11.
For I have learned in whatſoever ſtate I am, therewith to be content.
NOW becauſe it is very hard to work upon a murmuring ſpirit, there are divers aggravations (I told you) we are to conſider of for the further ſetting out of the greatneſs of this ſin; I mentioned but only one the laſt day, now we ſhall proceed in that.
The firſt Agravation of the ſin of diſcontent and murmuring is this, For men and women to be diſcontent in the mid'ſt of mercies, in enjoyment of abundance of mercies. To be diſcontent in any afflicted condition, is ſinful and evil, but to be diſcontent when we are in the middeſt of Gods mercies, when we are not able to count the mercies of God, yet after to be diſcontent becauſe we have not all we would have, this is a greater evil. I only mentioned this the laſt day, that I might ſhew to you what a great ſin it is at ſuch a time as this. The Lord this ſummer hath multiplied mercies one upon another, the Lord hath made this ſummer to be a continued miracle of merciemercy; never did a Kingdom enjoy (in ſo little ſpace of time) ſuch mercies one upon another: Now the publick mercies of God ſhould quiet our hearts and keep us from diſcontent; and the ſin of diſcontent for private afflictions is exceedingly aggravated by the conſideration of publick mercies to the Land; when the Lord hath bin ſo merciful to the Land, wilt thou be feetting and murmuring, becauſe thou haſt not in thy family all the comforts that thou would'ſt have? As it is a great aggravation of a mans evill for him to rejoyce immoderately in his own private comforts when the Church is in affliction, when the publick ſuffers grievous and hard troubles, if any man ſhall then rejoyce and give liberty to himſelf, at that time to ſatisfie his fleſh to the uttermoſt in all outward comforts, this is a great aggravation of his ſin: So on the contrary for any man to be immoderately troubled for any private afflictions when it goes well with the publick, with the Churches, this is a great aggravation of his ſin: It may be when the Church of God was loweſt, and it went worſt in other parts, yet thou didſt abate nothing of the comfort of thy fleſh, but gaveſt full liberty to ſatisfie thy fleſh as formerly, know this was thy great ſin; ſo on the other ſide when we have received ſuch mercies in publick, we ſhould have all our private afflictions ſwallowed up in the publick merci…s▪ and we ſhould think with our ſelves, though we be afflicted for our particular, yet (bleſſed be God) it goes well with the Church, and with the publick; the conſideration of that ſhould mightily quiet our hearts in all our private diſcontents, and if it doth not ſo, know that our ſin is much increaſed by the mercies of God that are abroad. Now ſhall Gods mercies aggravate our ſins? This is a ſad thing, this is to turne the mercies of God to be our miſery. Did'ſt not thou pray to God for theſe mercies that God hath ſent of late to the publick, theſe great victories that God hath given, did'ſt not thou pray for them? now thou haſt them, Is not there enough in them to quiet thy heart for ſome privat trouble thou meeteſt withall in thy family? Is not there goodneſs enough there to cure thy diſcontentment? Certainly they were not ſuch mercies worthy to be prayed for, except they have ſo much excellency in them as to countervail ſome private afflictions. Publick mercies are the aggravation of privat diſcontent, as ſo of publick diſcontent too; if we receive ſo many publick mercies, yet if every thing goes not in the publick according as we deſire, if we be diſcontent at that it will exceedingly aggravate our ſin, God may ſay, what ſhall I beſtow ſuch mercies upon a people, and yet if they have not every thing they would have they will be diſcontent? Oh! it's exceeding evil. So in particular, the mercies that concerns thy ſelf, thy family, if thou wouldeſt conſider thou haſt a great many more mercies than thou had'ſt afflictions, I dare boldly aver it concerning any one in this Congregation, (ſuppoſe thy afflictions be what they will) there is never a one of you but that have more mercies than afflictions.
Object. You will ſay, I, but you do not know what our afflictions are, our afflictions are ſo as you do not conceive of them becauſe you feel them not?
Anſw. Though I cannot know what your afflictions are, yet I know what your mercies are, and I know they are ſo great as I am ſure there can be no afflictions in this world ſo great as the mercies you have: If it we…e but this mercy, that you have this day of grace and ſalvation continued to you, it's a greater merciemercy than any affliction, ſet any affliction by this merciemercy and ſee which would weigh heavieſt, this is certainly greater than any affliction; that you have the day of grace and ſalvation, that you are not now in Hell, this is a greater merciemercy, that you have the ſound of the Goſpel yet in your ears; that you have the uſe of your reaſon; this is a greater merciemercy than your afflictions; that you have the uſe of your limbs, your ſences, that you have the health of your bodies, health of body is a greater mercy than poverty is an affliction, there is no man that is rich but if he be wiſe, if he hath a ſickly body, he would part with all his riches that he might have his health, therefore thy mercies are more than thy afflictions. We find in Scripture how the holy Ghoſt doth aggravate the ſin of diſcontent from the conſideration of mercies, you have a notable Scripture for it in the 16, of Numb. 8. verſe &c. It's a ſpeech of Moſes to Korah and his company when they murmured, And Moſes ſaid unto Korah, hear I pray you ye ſons of Levi, (there's ſomewhat that you are ſons of Levi,) Seemeth it but a ſmall thing unto you that the God of Iſrael hath ſeparated you from the Congregation of Iſrael, to bring you neer to himſelf to do the ſervice of the Tabernacle of the Lord, and to ſtand before the Congregation to miniſter unto them? Korah and his company were murmuring, but mark how Moſes aggravates this; Seemeth it a ſmal thing unto you that the God of Iſrael hath ſeparated you from the Congregation of Iſrael to bring you neer to himſelfe to do the ſervice of the Tabernacle of the Lord? &c. You ſee 'tis a great honour that God puts upon a man a great mercy that he doth beſtow upon any man to ſeperate him from others for himſelf, to come neer to him, to imploy him in the ſervice of the Tabernacle, to miniſter to the Congregation in holy things, this is a great mercy, and indeed it's ſuch a mercy as one would think there ſhould be none that God beſtows ſuch a mercy upon that ſhould have a murmuring heart for any affliction; It's true, many Miniſters of God they meet with hard things that might diſcourage them, and trouble and grieve their ſpirits, but now this conſideration that God is pleaſed to imploy them in ſuch a ſervice neer to himſelf, that though they cannot do good to themſelves, yet they may do good to others, this ſhould quiet them. And yet in the 10. verſe, And he hath brought thee neer to him, and all thy Brethren the Sons of Levi with thee, and ſeek ye the Prieſt-hood alſo? have not you enough already? but ſtill you are diſcontented with what you have and muſt have more, ſeek ye yet more? Seek ye the Prieſt-hood alſo? for which cauſe both thou and all thy company are gathered together againſt the Lord: And what is Aaron that ye murmur againſt him? what hath God given you ſuch things, and yet will you be murmuring, becauſe you cannot have more? Me thinks that this place ſhould keep Miniſters from murmuring, though they ſhould meet with never ſuch afflictions and croſſes, and unkind dealings from men, yet ſtill they ſhould go on with hearts quieted and comforted in the work that God hath ſet them about, and labour to countervaile all their Afflictions by being more abundant in the work of the Lord. That is the firſt text of Scripture that ſhews how the mercies we enjoy are Aggravations to the ſin of murmuring.
And then a ſecond Scripture is in the 2. of Job, 10. verſ. A ſpeech of Job to his wife, what ſaith Job when his wife would have had him curſe God and die? (that was a degree beyond murmuring) ſaith he, Thou ſpeakeſt as one of the fooliſh women, ſhall we receive good at the band of God and not evil? you ſee Job did help himſelf againſt all murmuring thoughts againſt the waies of God with this conſideration, that he had received ſo much good from the Lord; what though we receive evil, yet do not we receive good as well as evil? let us ſet one againſt the other, that's the way we ſhould go. In the 17. of Eccleſiaſtes the 14. verſ. you have a notable Scripture there whereby you may ſee what courſe is to be taken when the heart riſes in murmuring, In the day of proſperity be joyfull, but in the day of Adverſity conſider; what ſhould they conſider? (mark what follows) God alſo hath ſet the one over againſt the other, to the end that man ſhould find nothing after him. God alſo hath ſet the one over againſt the other, that's thus, When thou art in proſperity, then indeed every man can be joyfull, but what if Afflictions befals him, what then? then conſider, conſider what? That God hath ſet one over againſt the other, thou haſt a great deal of Affliction, and thou haſt had a great deal of proſperity, thou haſt many troubles, and thou haſt had many mercies, make one column of mercies, and one column of afflictions, and write one againſt the other, and fee if God hath not fil'd one column as full as the other, you look altogether upon your afflictions, but look upon your mercies alſo; for inſtance, It may be God hath afflicted you in one child, but he hath been merciful to you in another child, ſet one againſt the other, God afflicted David in Abſolom, but he was merciful to David in Solomon, and therefore when David cryed out, Oh Abſolom my Son my Son! if David had thought upon Solomon, and cried, Oh Solomon my ſon my ſon, it would have quieted him. And it may be God hath been merciful to thee in a wife, or in thy husband, ſet that againſt thy affliction, it may be God croſſes thee in thy eſtate, but it may be he doth imploy thee in his ſervice, it may be thou art afflicted in ſome of thy friends, but thou haſt other friends that are great mercies to thee, and therefore you ſhould ſet one againſt the other, and it doth concern you ſo to do, for thoſe mercies will be aggravations of your ſins, and you had better make Gods mercies a means to leſſen your ſins, than to be the aggravation of your ſins: If you make not the mercies of God to help you againſt your murmuring, you will make them to be aggravations of the ſin of murmuring: I beſeech you for this take but this one conſideration further, and if you will but work it upon your hearts I hope you may find a great deal of power in it, You find afflictions, and your hearts are troubled and murmur, conſider how Gods mercies doth aggravate this ſin, thus: In the midſt of our ſins we do make account God ſhould accept of our ſervices, do but conſider thus, if in the midſt of our manie ſins we hope that God will accept of our poor ſervices, why then ſhould not we in the midſt of our afflictions bleſſe God for his manie mercies? ſhall God be thus gracious to us that notwithſtanding our many ſins, yet he will not caſt away our poor duties and ſervices that we perform, then why ſhould not we in the midſt of our ſufferings accept of what mercies we have, and not ſlight them and diſregard them? If thou in the midſt of Gods mercies ſhalt not be willing to bear afflictions that God laies upon thee, then it were juſt with God that in the midſt of thy ſins he ſhould not regard any of thy duties, now is there not as much power in thy manifold ſins to cauſe God to reject thy duties and ſervices, as there is power in afflictions (in the midſt of many mercies) to take off thy heart from being affected with Gods mercies? And that's the firſt aggravation of the ſin of murmuring, to murmur in the midſt of mercies.
A Second Aggravation of the ſin of murmuring is, When we murmur for ſmal things. Saith Naamans ſervant to him, Father (for ſo he called him) if the Prophet had required you to do ſome great thing, would not you have done it? how much more this little thing. So I ſay, if the Lord had required you to ſuffer ſome great matter, would not you have been willing to ſuffer? How much more this little thing. I remember I have read in Seneca a Heathen, he hath this ſimilitude which is a very fine one to ſet out the great evil of murmuring upon ſmaller afflictions, (ſaith he) Suppoſe a man hath a very fair houſe to dwell in, and he hath fair orchyards and gardens, and ſet about with brave tall trees for ornament, if this man now ſhould murmur becauſe the wind blows off a few leaves off his trees, what a moſt unreaſonable thing were it for him to be weeping and wringing his hands becauſe he loſes a few leaves off his trees, when he hath abundance of all kind of fruit? thus it is with many (ſaith he) though they have a great many comforts about them, yet ſome little matter, the blowing off of a few leaves from them is enough to diſquiet them. It was a great evil when Ahab having a kingdom, yet the want of his neighbours vinyard had ſuch power to diſquiet him: So for us to murmur, not becauſe we have not ſuch a thing as we have need of, but becauſe we have not what poſſibly we might have, this is a very great ſin. Suppoſe God gives a child that hath all the limbs and parts compleat, a child that is very comly, and hath excellent parts, wit, and memory, but it may be there is a wart that grows upon the finger of the child, and ſhe murmurs at it, and Oh what an affliction is this to her! ſhe is ſo taken up with that as ſhe forgets to give any thanks to God for her child, and all the goodneſſe of God to her in the child is ſwallowed up in that; would not you ſay, this were a folly & a very great evil in a woman ſo to do? Truly our afflictions if we weighed them aright they are but ſuch kind of things in compariſon of our mercies. Rebeckah ſhe had a mighty deſire to have children, but becauſe ſhe found ſome trouble in her body when ſhe was with child, ſaith ſhe, Why am I thus? As if ſhe ſhould ſay, I had as good have none, only becauſe ſhe found a little pain and trouble in her body. To be diſcontent when the affliction is ſmall and little, that increaſes very much the ſin of murmuring, it is to much for any one to murmur upon the heavieſt croſſe that can befall one in this world, but upon ſome ſmall things to be diſcontent and murmur, that's worſe. I have read of one when he lay upon a heap of damask-roſes, he complained that there was one of the roſe leaves lay double under him: So we are readie thus for verie ſmall things to make complaints and to be diſcontented with our condition. And that's a Second aggravation.
A Third aggravation is this, For men that are of parts and abilities, that God hath given wiſdom to, for them to be diſcontent and murmur, that is more than if others do it. Murmuring and diſcontentedneſſe is too much in the weakeſt, yet we can bear with it ſometimes in children and women that are weak, but for thoſe that are men, men of underſtanding, that have wiſdom, that God imployes in publick ſervice, that they ſhould be diſcontent with every thing, this is an exceeding great evil; for men in their families (to whom God hath given parts and wiſdom) when things fall out amiſſe there, to be alwaies murmuring and repining, their ſin is greater than for women or children to do it.
A fourth aggravation, Is the conſideration of the freeneſs of all Gods mercies to us. What ever we have it is of free coſt, what though we have not all we would have, ſeeing what we have is free? If what we have were earned then it were ſomewhat, but when we conſider that all is from God, for us to murmur at his diſpenſations is verie evil. Suppoſe a man were in a family entertained by a friend, and he did not pay for his board, but he hath it given him for nothing, it's expected ſuch a one ſhould not be ready to find fault with every thing in the houſe, with ſervants or with meat at table or the like, i… ſuch a one that hath plentiful proviſion and all given him Gratis, and paies nothing for his board, ſhould be diſcontented if a cup ſhould not be filled for him as he would have it, or if he ſhould ſtay a minute of an hour longer for a thing than he would, this we would account a great evil: So it is with us, we are at Gods table every day, and it is upon free-coſt whatever we have: It is accounted very unmannerly for a man at his friends table to find fault with things, though at home he may be bold: Now when we are at the table of God (for ſo all Gods adminiſtrations to us are his table) and are at free-coſt, now for us to be finding fault and be diſcontented this is a great Aggravation of our ſin.
A fift Aggravation of the ſin of murmuring is this, When men and women murmur and are diſcontented and impatient when they have the things that they were diſcontented for the want of before they had them. So it is ſometimes with children, they will cry for ſuch a thing, and when you give it them then throw it away, they are as much diſcontented as they were before. So it was with the people of Iſrael, nothing would quiet them but they muſt have a King, Samuel perſwaded them to be contrary, and told them what kind of King they ſhould have; and when they had a King, Hoſ. 10.3. What ſhall a King do to us? they were not contented when they had one. So Rachel, ſhe muſt have children or elſe ſhe died, and when ſhe had a little trouble ſhe was diſcontented too; ſo that we are neither well full nor faſting (as we uſe to ſay.)
The ſixt Aggravation of the ſin of murmuring is this, For thoſe men and women to be diſcontent and murmur that God hath raiſed from mean and low eſtates and conditions; This is a very great aggravation if thou be diſcontent now: There was a time when thou wert low enough, and perhaps when thou wert ſo low then thou dideſt ſay, oh if God would deliver me from ſuch an affliction, or give me but a little more in my eſtate I ſhould think my ſelf in a good condition: but if God by his providence doth raiſe thee, thou art as greedy of more ſtill as thou wert before, and as much diſcontented as thou wert before: this is an evil thing for people that had mean breeding, and poor beginings for them to be ſo nice, and dainty that nothing can pleaſe them, whereas there was a time not long ſince that they were low and mean enough; but it is very ordinary for thoſe that are raiſed from a low and mean condition to be the more nice and dainty, and more proud when they are raiſed than others that are of better breeding: It's to much for a child to be diſcontented in his fathers houſe, but if a man hath taken a poor begger boy, if you had taken ſuch a one into your houſe that lay begging at your door, and ſet him at your own table, could you bear that ſuch a one ſhould complain that ſuch a thing is not well dreſt, or the like, you could not bear it if your children ſhould do it, but you could bear it a great deal better with them than to hear ſuch a one do it: But thou art a poor beggar, and God hath (as it were) taken thee into his great family, and if the Lord hath been pleaſed to raiſe thee higher, that now thou haſt a competency, that thou mayeſt live as a man, to be of uſe and ſervice in the place where God hath ſet thee, now wilt thou be diſcontent becauſe thou haſt not every thing that thou deſireſt? We know the Prodigal, when he came to himſelf, Oh! ſaith he, In my fathers houſe is bread enough. He did not ſay, there's good-chear enough, and a great deal of dainties; no, he thought of nothing but bread, there's bread enough: So it's ordinary for men and women when they are in a low condition, they think that if they may have bread, any competency, they will be contented and bleſs God, but when they have their bread and things convenient, they muſt have more or elſe they are not contented; know that this is an exceeding great aggravation to thy diſcontentment, when you are raiſed from a very low condition and yet you cannot be contented with what you have.
A Seventh Aggravation of this ſin is this, For them to be diſcontent that have been very great ſinners and ungodly in their former time. For men and women that have much guiltineſſe upon them, the guilt of very many ſins upon them, that have provok'd God exceedingly againſt them, and have brought themſelves in a moſt dreadful manner under the ſentence of Gods juſtice, and yet God being pleaſed to reprieve them, for them to murmur and to be diſcontent with Gods adminiſtrations towards them, this is exceeding evil, Oh it were conſideration enough to quiet any murmuring in our hearrs, to think thus, We are but ſinners, why ſhould not we be ſufferers that are ſinners? but then conſider, we that are ſuch great ſinners, guilty of ſuch notorious ſins, that it is a wonder that we are out of Hell at this preſent, yet for us to be diſcontent and murmur, how exceedingly doth this increaſe our ſin! Conſider how we have croſſed God in our ſinnes, then if God ſhould croſſe us in the way of our ſufferings, ſhould not we ſit down quiet without murmuring? Certainly thou never kneweſt what it was to be humbled for thy manifold ſins, that art diſcontented at any adminiſtration of God towards thee.
The Eighth Agravation of the ſin of murmuring is, For thoſe men that are of little uſe in the world, for them to be diſcontented. If you have but a beaſt that you make much uſe of, you wil feed it well, but if you have but litttle uſe of him then you turn him into the commons, little proviſion ſerves his turn becauſe you make not uſe of him: If we liv'd ſo as to be exceeding uſeful to God and his Church, we might expect that God would be pleaſed to come in in ſome encouraging way to us, but when our conſciences tell us, we live and do but little ſervice for God, what if God ſhould turn us upon the commons, yet we are fed according to our work? according to our imployment? why ſhould any creature be ſervicable to thee, who art ſo little ſervicable to God? This one meditation would much help us, to think, I am diſcontent becauſe ſuch and ſuch creatures are not ſervicable to me, but why ſhould I expect that they ſhould be ſervicable to me when I am not ſervicable to God? And that's the Eighth Aggravation.
A Ninth Aggravation of the ſin of murmuring is this, For us to be diſcontent at that time when God is about to humble us. It ſhould be the care of a Chriſtian, to obſerve what are Gods waies towards him, what is God about to do with me at this time? Is God about to raiſe me, to comfort me? let me cloſe with Gods goodneſſe, and bleſſe his Name, let me joyn with the work of God, when he offers mercy to me to take the mercy he offers. But again, Is God about to humble me? is God about to break my heart, and to bring my heart down to him? let me joyn with God in this work of his, this is for a Chriſtian to walk with God. It is ſaid that Enoch, and Noah walked with God; walked with God, what's that? That is, To obſerve what is the work of God that God is now about, and to joyn with God in that work of his; ſo that according as God turns this way or that way the heart ſhould turn with Grd, and have ſutable workings unto the workings of God towards him. Now then, I am diſcontented and murmuring becauſe I am afflicted; Therefore thou art afflicted becauſe God would humble thee, and the great deſign that God hath in afflicting of thee, is to break and humble thy heart; and wilt thou now maintain a ſpirit quite oppoſite to the work of God? for thee to murmur and be diſcontented is to reſiſt the work of God, God is doing thee good if thou could'ſt ſee it, now if he be pleaſed to ſanctifie thy affliction to break that hard heart of thine, and humble that proud ſpirit of thine, it would be the greateſt mercy that ever thou had'ſt in all thy life, now wilt thou yet ſtand out againſt God? it's even as if thou ſhouldeſt ſay, well, the Lord is about to break me, and humble me, but he ſhall not; this is the language of thy murmuring and thy diſcontentedneſſe, though thou dareſt not ſay ſo, but though thou ſayeſt not ſo in words, yet it is certainly the language of the temper of thy ſpirit, Oh conſider what an aggravation this is: I am diſcontented when God is about to work ſuch a work upon me as is exceedingly for my good, but yet I ſtand out againſt him and reſiſt him, and that's another aggravation.
A tenth Aggravation of the ſin of murmuring and diſcontent is this, The more palpable and remarkable the hand of God appears to bring about an affliction, the greater is the ſin of murmuring and diſcontent under an affliction. It's a great evil any time to murmur and be diſcontent, but though it be a ſin, when I ſee but an ordinary providence working for me not to ſubmit to that, but when I ſee an extraordinary providence working that's a greater ſin, that is, when I ſee the Lord in ſome remarkable way working about ſuch an affliction beyond what any could have thought of, ſhall I reſiſt ſuch a remarkable hand of God, ſhall I ſtand out againſt God when I ſee God doth expreſſe his wil in ſuch a remarkable manner that he would have me to be in ſuch a condition? indeed before we ſee the will of God apparent we may deſire to avoid an affliction, and may uſe means for it, but now when we ſee God expreſſing his will from heaven in a manner beyond ordinary and more remarkably, then certainly it is fit for us to fall down and ſubmit to him, and not to oppoſe when God comes with a mighty ſtream againſt us, it's our beſt way to fall down before him and not to reſiſt; for as it is an argument of a mans diſobedience, when there is not only a command againſt a ſin but when God reveals his command in a terrible way, the more ſolemn the command of God is, the greater is the ſin in breaking that command; ſo the more remarkable the hand of God is in bringing an affliction upon us, the greater is the ſin for us to murmur and be diſcontented. Then God expects that we ſhould fall down when he (as it were) ſpeaks from Heaven to thee by name and ſaith, well, I wil have this ſpirit of thine down, do not you ſee that my hand is ſtretched out, my eyes are upon you, my thoughts are upon you, and I muſt have that proud ſpirit of thine down? Oh then it's fit for the creature to yeeld and ſubmit unto him. When you ſpeak in an ordinary manner to your ſervants, or children, you expect they ſhould regard what you ſay, but when you make them ſtand ſtill by you and you ſpeak to them in a more ſolemn way, then if they ſhould diſregard what you ſay, you are very impatient: So certainly God cannot take it well when ever he doth appeare from Heaven in ſuch a remarkable way to bring an affliction, if then we do not ſubmit to him.
The eleventh aggravation of the ſin of murmuring is this, To be diſcontented though God hath been exerciſing of us long under afflictions, yet ſtill to remain diſcontented. For a man or woman at firſt when an affliction befals them to have a murmuring heart then it's an evil, but to have a murmuring heart when God hath been a long time exerciſing them with affliction it's more evil. Though an heifer at firſt when the yoke is put upon him he wrigles up and down and will not be quiet, but if after many monthes or yeers it ſhall not draw quietly, the husbandman would rather feed it fat and prepare it for the butcher than be troubled any longer with it: So though the Lord was content to paſſe by that diſcontented ſpirit of thine at firſt, yet God having a long time kept the yoke upon thee, thou haſt bin under his afflicting hand (it may be) divers yeers; and yet thou remain diſcontent ſtill; it were juſt with God that he ſhould bear thy murmuring no longer, and that thy diſcontent under the affliction ſhould be but a preparation to thy deſtruction. So you ſee when a man or woman hath been long exerciſed with afflictions and yet are diſcontent, that's an aggravation of the ſin: Mark that text in Heb. 12.11. Now (ſaith the Scripture) No chaſtening for the preſent is joyous, but grievous, nevertheleſs afterwards it yeeldeth the peacable fruit of righteouſneſs unto them which are exerciſed thereby. It's true, our afflictions are not joyous but grievous, though at firſt when our affliction comes it is very grievous, but yet (ſaith the text) afterwards it yeeldeth the peacable fruit of righteouſneſs to thoſe that are exerciſed thereby; when thou haſt been a long time in the School of afflictions, thou art a very dullard in Chriſts School if thou haſt not learned this Contentment, I have learned (ſaith Saint Paul) in every ſtate therewith to be content: Paul had learned this leſſon quickly, thou haſt been a learning many yeers, perhaps thou mayeſt ſay as Heman did, That thou art afflicted from thy youth up, in the 88. Pſal. Oh it's a very evil thing if being exerciſed long with afflictions you are not yet contented: The eye in the body of a man is as tender a part as any part that a mans body hath, but yet the eye is able to continue in and bear a great deal of cold, becauſe it is more uſed to it; ſo thoſe that are uſed to afflictions, thoſe that God exerciſes much with afflictions, (though they have tender ſpirits otherwiſe) yet they ſhould have learned contentedneſſe by this time. A new cart may creek and make a noiſe, but after the uſe of it a while it will not do ſo: So when thou wert firſt a Chriſtian and newly come into the work of Chriſt, perhaps thou makeſt a noiſe and canſt not bear affliction: but art thou an old Chiſtian and yet wilt thou be a murmuring Chriſtian? Oh that's a ſhame for any that are ancient profeſſors, that have been a long time in the School of Jeſus Chriſt to have murmuring and diſcontented ſpirits. And thus you have had Eleven Aggravations of this ſin of murmuring and diſcontent.
But now my brethren becauſe this diſcontented humour is a very tough humour, and it is very hard to work upon, there's none that are diſcontented but will have ſomething to ſay for their diſcontent, I ſhall therefore deſire to take away what every diſcontented heart hath to ſay for himſelf.
The Pleas of a diſcontented heart.
In the firſt place, Saith one that is diſcontented, It is not diſcontentment, it is the ſence of my condition, I hope you would have me ſenſible of my condition: perhaps when God takes away a friend or ſome other comfort they are inordinatly ſorrowful, and wringing their hands as if they were undone, and let any one but ſpeak to them, (ſay they) Would you not have me ſenſible of my affliction? And thus many would hide their ſinful murmuring under Gods hand with this pretence, that it is but ſenſibleneſs of their affliction.
To that I anſwer, Firſt, there is no ſence of any affliction that will hinder the ſenſe of Gods mercies, nay the more we are ſenſible of our afflictions if it be in a gracious manner, the more ſenſible we will be of Gods mercy, but thou art ſo ſenſible of thy affliction as it takes away the ſenſe of all thy mercies; Oh this is ſinful diſcontent, this is not to be ſenſible of thy condition as God would have thee, but it is to be ſenſible in a wicked way, you go beyond your bounds: By this rule you may come to know when your ſorrows and troubles for your afflictions goes beyond the bounds, we may be ſorrowful when God afflicts, but Oh! that I might know when my ſorrow goes beyond the bounds of it; truly thou mayeſt know it by this, doth the ſence of thy afflictions take away the ſenſe of thy mercies? If it doth then it goes beyond the bounds.
Secondly, If it were but a bare ſence of an affliction it would not hinder thee in the duties of thy condition, the right ſence of our afflictions will never hinder us in the performance of the duties of our condition, but thou art ſo ſenſible of thy affliction as thou art made unfit for the performance of the duties of the condition that God hath put thee in, ſurely it's more then meer ſence of thy affliction.
Thirdly, If it were but meer ſence of thy affliction, yet then thou couldeſt in this thy condition bleſſe God for the mercies that others have, but thy diſcontentedneſſe uſually breeds envie at it, when any one is diſcontented with their condition, they have an envious ſpirit at the conditions of thoſe that are delivered from what afflictions they bear, certainly then it's turn'd to be ſowre and naught, when thou art ſo ſenſible of thy afflictions, and unſenſible of mercies as thou art unfit for the duties of thy condition, and envious at others that are not afflicted as thou art.
The Second Plea.
But wil a diſcontented heart ſay, I am not ſo much troubled with my afflictions, but it is for my ſin rather than my affliction, and I hope you wil give leave that we ſhould be troubled and diſcontented with our ſin, and were it not for ſin that I ſee in my ſelf I ſhould not be ſo diſcontented as I am, Oh! it is ſin that is heavy upon me, and it's that that troubles me more than my afflictions.
Deceive not thine own heart, there is a very great deceit in this, there's many people that when Gods hand is out againſt them they will ſay, they are troubled for their ſin, but the truth is, it's the affliction that doth trouble them rather than their ſin, their heart doth exceedingly deceive them in this very thing: For,
Firſt, They were never troubled for their ſin before this Affliction came; but you will ſay, It's true, I was not before, for my proſperity blinded me, but now God hath opened mine eyes by afflictions: Hath he ſo?
Secondly, Then thy great care will be rather for the removing of thy ſin, than thy affliction, art thou more ſolicitous about the taking away thy ſin, than the taking away of thine affliction?
Thirdly, If it be thy ſin that troubles thee, if God ſhould take away thy afflictions, yet except thy ſin be taken away, and thy heart be better, this would not content thee, thou couldeſt not be ſatisfied: but we ſee it ordinarily, that if God removes their afflictions there's no more trouble for their ſin. Oh! many do bely themſelves in this, in ſaying, that they are ſo troubled for their ſin, and eſpecially thoſe that are ſo troubled that they are in danger to miſcarry, and to make away themſelves, there's not one in ten thouſand that are in ſuch a condition as this is, but it is afflictions rather than ſin that puts them to it; indeed you lay all upon this, as if it were the work of the word or the ſpirit of bondage: I remember I heard not long ſince of a Divine that being judicious, and uſed to ſuch kind of things, there came a man to him mightily troubled for his ſin, and he could not tell what to do, he was ready to deſpaire, the Divine looks upon him, ſaith he, are you not in debt? he confeſt that he was; and at length the Miniſter began to find it out, that that was his trouble rather than his ſin, and ſo was a means to help him that way, that his Creditors ſhould not come upon him, and then the man was pretty quiet, and would not make away himſelf any longer, for it is a uſual thing, that if any thing befals a man that doth croſſe him, Oh then it's their ſin that doth trouble them. Sometimes it is thus with ſervants, if their Governors croſſe them, then they are vext and fre…, and come to deale with them, Oh then they will ſay they are ſorrowful for their ſin: but we muſt take heed of dallying with God▪ that is the Seer and Searcher of the ſecrets of all hearts, many of you go ſullen and dumpiſh up and down your families, and then you ſay it's your ſin that lies upon you, when God knows it's otherwiſe, it's becauſe you cannot have your wils as you would have.
Fourthly, If thou beeſt troubled for thy ſin, then it will be thy great care not to ſin in thy trouble; not by thy trouble to increaſe thy ſin, but thou art troubled in ſuch a way as the truth is thou doeſt increaſe thy ſin in thy trouble, and ſince thou ſayeſt thou wert troubled for thy ſin thou haſt committed more ſin than thou dideſt before.
And then laſtly, if it be thy ſin that troubles thee, then thou haſt the more need to ſubmit to Gods hand; and accept of the puniſhment of thine iniquity, as it is in Levit. 26.41. There's no ſuch conſideration to take away murmuring, as to look upon my ſin ae the cauſe of my affliction.
The Third Plea.
Oh ſaith another, I find my Affliction is ſuch that God withdraws himſelf from me in mine Affliction, that is that that troubles me, and can any body be quiet then, can any body be ſatisfied with ſuch a condition when the Lord ſhall withdraw himſelf? Were my Affliction never ſo great, yet if I find not God withdrawing himſelf from me I hope I could be content with any Affliction, but I cannot find the preſence of God with me in this Affliction, as ſome times I have found; and it is that that troubles me, and makes me to be in ſuch a condition as I am.
Now to that I anſwer thus, Firſt, it is a very evil thing for men and women upon every Affliction to conclude that God is departed from them, it may be when it comes to be examined there is no other reaſon why thou thinkeſt that God is withdrawn and departed, but becauſe he doth afflict thee, now for thee to make ſuch a concluſion, that every time God laies an Affliction upon thee he is departed; this is a ſinful diſtemper of thy heart, and is very diſhonourable to God, and grievous to his Spirit. In the 17. of Exod. 7. verſe, you may ſee how God was diſpleaſed there with ſuch a kind of diſtemper as this is, And he called the name of the place Maſſah and Meribah becauſe of the chiding of the Children of Iſrael, and becauſe they tempted the Lord, ſaying, Is the Lord amongſt us or not? Mark, they did murmur becauſe they were brought into Afflictions, but ſee what the Text ſaith, therefore the place was called Maſſah and Meribah, becauſe they tempted the Lord, ſaying, Is the Lord amonſt us or not? This was to tempt God, ſometimes we are afraid God is departed from us, and it was meerly becauſe we are afflicted, I beſeech you obſerve that Scripture, God cals it a tempting of him when he afflicts any, for them to conclude and ſay that God is departed from them. If a child ſhould cry out of his Father, and ſay that his Father is turned to be an enemy to him, becauſe he doth correct him, this would be taken ill, I beſeech you conſider of this one place, it may be of very great uſe to you, that you may not be ready to think that God is departed becauſe you are afflicted.
Secondly, If God be departed, the greateſt ſign of Gods departing is becauſe you are ſo diſquiet, you make your diſquiet be the fruit of Gods departing, and if it comes to be examined your diſquiet is the cauſe of Gods departing from you, if you could but cure your diſquiet, if you could but quiet your own hearts and get them into a better frame of contentedneſs under Gods hand in afflicting of you, then you would find Gods preſence with you, will you be thus diſquiet till God comes again to you? your diſquiet drives him from you, and you can never expect Gods coming to manifeſt himſelf comfortably to your ſouls, till you have gotten your hearts quiet under your afflictions; and therefore here you ſee how croſly you reaſon, you reaſon, I am diſquiet becauſe God is gone, when the truth is God is gone becauſe thou art diſquiet; reaſon but the other way, Oh my diſquiet hath driven God from me, and therefore as ever I would have the preſence of God to come again to me, let my heart be quiet under the hand of God.
Thirdly, Doeſt thou find God departing from thee in thine affliction? wilt thou therefore depart from God too? is this thy help? Can'ſt thou help thy ſelf that way? Becauſe God is gone wilt thou go too? Do I indeed feel God departing from me? It may be it is ſo, it may be God for thy tryal is departed a little from thee, and is it ſo indeed? what unwiſe courſe do I take? I commit further ſin and ſo I go further off from God, what a caſe am I in? God goes from me, and I from God: If the child ſees the mother going from it, it's not for the child to ſay, my mother is gon yonder & I wil go the other way, no, but the child goes crying after the mother; and ſo ſhould the ſoul ſay, I ſee the Lord is withdrawing his preſence from me, and now it is beſt for me to make after the Lord with all my might, and I am ſure this murmuring humour is not a making after God, but by this I go further and further off from God, and what a diſtance is there like to be between God and me within a little while? Theſe are ſome of the reaſonings and pleas of a murmuring and diſcontented heart: there are many others that we ſhall meet withal, and indeavour to ſpeak to your hearts in them, that ſo this tough humour of diſcontent may (as it were) be cut with the Word and ſoftened with the Word, that ſo it may paſſe away: for that's the way of Phiſitians when they meet with a body that hath any tough humour then they give that that hath a peircing quality, when there is a tough humour that ſtops the water that it cannot paſſe, they give that that hath a peircing quality that may make paſſage for it; and ſo thou haſt need of ſuch things that are piercing to make way through this tough humour that is in the ſpirits of men and women whereby they come to live very uncomfortably to themſelves and others, and very diſhonourable unto God.