The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, Sermon 1 · Sermon 5
SERMON V.
PHILIPPIANS. 4.11.
For I have learned in whatſoever ſtate I am, therewith to be content.
I Mentioned Three leſſons the laſt time, that Chriſt teaehes thoſe Schollers that comes into his School whereby they might come to get Contentment.
Firſt, The leſſon of Self-denial.
Secondly, The leſſon of the vanity of the Creature.
Thirdly, The right underſtanding of that one thing that is neceſſary. A little to inlarge this one, & ſo to proceed to others.
It is ſaid of Pompie, that when he was to carry corn to Rome in time of darth, he was in a great deal of danger by ſtorms at Sea, but ſaith he, We muſt go on, it is neceſſary that Rome ſhould be releived, but it is not neceſſary that we ſhould live. So it would he certainly when the ſoul is once taken up with the things that are of abſolute neceſſity, it will not be much troubled about other things. What are the things that do diſquiet us here but ſome by-matters in this world? and it is becauſe our hearts are not taken up with that one abſolute neceſſary thing; who are the men that are moſt diſcontented, but idle perſons, perſons that have nothing to take up their minds, every little thing diſquiets and diſcontents them? but now a man that hath buſineſſe of great weight and conſequence, if all things goes well with his great buſineſſe that is in his head, he is not ſenſible of meaner things in the family; but now a man that lies at home and hath nothing to do, he finds fault with every thing; ſo it is with the heart, when the heart of a man hath nothing to do but to be buſie about creature comforts, every little thing troubles him; but now, when the heart is taken up with the weighty things of eternity, with the great things of eternal life, the heart being taken up with them, theſe things that are here below that did diſquiet it before, are things now of no conſideration with him in compariſon to the other, ſo as how things fall out here is not much regarded with him, if the one thing that is neceſſary be provided for.
The Fourth leſſon that the Soul is inſtructed in to come to this knowledge in the art of Contentment, is this: The ſoul comes to underſtand in what relation it ſtands in here to the world. By that I mean thus, God comes to inſtruct the ſoul effectually through Chriſt by his Spirit, upon what terms it lives here in the world, in what relation it is that it doth ſtand: as thus, While I live in the world my condition is to be but a pilgrim, a ſtranger, a traveller, and a ſouldiar: now the right underſtanding of this, & being taught this not only by rote, that I can ſpeak the words over, but when I come indeed to have my ſoul poſſeſt with the conſideration of this truth, that God hath ſet me in this world, not as in my home, but as a meer ſtranger and a pilgrim, that I am travelling here to another home, and that I am here a ſouldier in my warfare; it is a mighty help to Contentment in whatſoever befalls one: as now to inſtance in all theſe conditions, When a man is at home, if he hath not things according to his deſire he will be finding fault, and is not contented, but if a man travels abroad, perhaps he meets not with conveniences as he deſires, the ſervants in the houſe are not at his beck, or are not ſo diligent as his own ſerveants were, and his dyet is not as at home, and his bed not as at home, yet this very thought may moderate a mans ſpirit, I am a traveller, and I muſt not be finding fault, I am but in another mans houſe, and it were not manners for one to find fault when he is abroad in another bodies family though things be not ſo as in my own family; If a man meets with ill weather he muſt be content, it is travellers fare (we uſe to ſay) both fair weather and foul weather, this is the common travellers fare, and we muſt be content with it; but if a man were at home and it ſhould drop down in his houſe, he would account it an ill thing, an affliction to him, and he cannot bear it: but when he is travelling abroad though he meet with raine and ſtormes he is not ſo much troubled: When you are abroad at Sea, though you have not thoſe many things that you have at home, you are not troubled at it, you are contented; why? you are abroad at Sea, you are not troubled at ſtorms that do ariſe, and though you have many things otherwiſe than you would have them at home, but ſtill you are quieted with that you are at Sea. Marriners when they are at Sea they care not what cloathes they have then, though they be pich't and tar'd, and but a clout about their necks, and any mean cloaths, but they think when they come home, then they ſhall have their fine ſilk ſtockings, and brave ſutes, & lac'd bands and ſuch things, and ſhall be very fine; and ſo they are contented abroad upon that thought that it ſhall be otherwiſe with them when they come home, and though they have nothing but ſalt meat, and a little hard fare, yet when they come to their houſes then they ſhall have any thing: Thus it ſhould be with us in this world, the truth is, we are all in this world but as Sea-faring men, toſt up and down on the waves of the Sea of this world, and our haven is Heaven, and we are here travelling, but our home it is another world, that long home. Indeed ſome men have better accommodations than others have in travelling; it's true, it's a great mercy of God to us in England, in that we can travell with ſuch delight and accommodations more than they can in other Countries; and through Gods mercy we have as great accommodations in our travelling to Heaven in England as any place under Heaven hath, but yet though we do meet with travellers fare ſometimes, yet it ſhould not be greiveous to us: The Scripture tels us plainly that we muſt behave our ſelves here but as pilgrims and ſtrangers, In 1 Peter, 2.11. Dearly beloved, I beſeech you as ſtrangers and pilgrims abſtain from fleſhly luſts, which war againſt the Soul: Conſider what your condition is, you are pilgrims and ſtrangers, do not think to ſatisfie your ſelves here. A man when he comes into an Inn, If there be a fair cupbord of plate he is not troubled that it is not his own, Why? Becauſe he is going away; ſo let us not be troubled when we ſee othar men have great eſtates, but we have not, why? we are going away into another Country, you are lodging here but as it were for a night, if you ſhould live an hundred yeers in compariſon of eternity it is not ſo much as a night, it is but as you were travelling, and were come into an Inn: And were not this a madneſſe for a man to be diſcontent becauſe he hath not what he ſees there, ſeeing it may be he is to go away again within half a quarter of an hour? So you find it in David, this was the argument that brought off Davids heart from the things of this world, and ſet him upon other manner of things, Pſal. 119.19. I am a ſtranger in the earth, hide not thy Commandements from me: I am a ſtranger in the earth (what then) then Lord let me have the knowledge of thy Commandements and it's ſufficient, as for the things of the earth I ſtand not upon them whether I have much or little, but hide not thy Commandements from me, Lord let me know the rule that I ſhould guide my life by.
Again, We are not only travellers but ſouldiers, this is the condition of the life in which we are here in this world: and therefore we are to behave our ſelves accordingly. So the Apoſtle makes uſe of this argument in writing unto Timothy, 2 Tim. 2.3. Thou therefore endure hardneſſe as a good ſouldier of Jeſus Chriſt. The very thought of the condition of a man that is a ſouldier, doth ſtill his diſquiet of heart: when he is abroad, he hath not that accomodations in his quarters as he hath in his own family; perhaps a man that had his bed and curtains drawn about him, and all accomodations in his chamber; now perhaps ſomtimes he muſt be put to lie upon ſtraw, and he thinketh with himſelf, I am a ſouldier and it is ſutable to my condition: he muſt have his bed warm'd at home, but he muſt lie abroad in the fields when he is a ſouldier; and the very thought of this condition in which he ſtands quiets him in all things; yea and he goes rejoycing, to think this is but ſutable to my condition in which God hath put me: ſo it ſhould be with us in reſpect of this world. Now would it not be an unſeemly thing to ſee a ſouldier go whyning up and down with the finger in the eye and complaying, that he hath not hot meat every meal, and his bed warm'd as he had at home. Now Chriſtians they know that they are in their warfare, they are here in this world fighting and combating with the enemies of their ſouls and eternal condition, and they muſt be willing to endure hardneſſe here. The right underſtanding of this, that God hath put them into ſuch a condition, it is that that will content them, eſpecially when they conſider that they are certain of the victory, and that ere long they ſhall triumph with Jeſus Chriſt, and then all their ſorrows ſhall be done away, and their tears wiped from their eyes. A ſouldier is content to endure hardneſſe though he knows not that he ſhall have the victory, but a Chriſtian knows himſelf to be a ſouldier, and knows that he ſhall conquer and triumph with Jeſus Chriſt to all eternity. And that's the fourth leſſon that Chriſt doth teach the ſoul when he brings it into his School, to learn the Art of Contentment, he makes him underſtand throughly the relation in which he hath placed him in, in this world.
The Fifth leſſon that Chriſt teaches, it is this, He teacheth us wherein conſiſts any good that is to be enjoyed in any creature in the world. It's true, before it hath been taught that there is a vanity in the Creature, that is, take the Creature conſidered in it's ſelf, but yet though there be a vanity in the Creature in it's ſelf, in reſpect of ſatisfying the ſoul for it's portion, yet there is ſome goodneſſe in the Creature, though there be a vanity there's ſome deſirableneſſe: But wherein doth that conſiſt? It conſiſts not in the nature of the Creature it ſelf, for that is nothing but vanity, but it conſiſts in the reference it hath to the firſt being of all things. This is a Leſſon that Chriſt teaches, if there be any good in an eſtate, or in any comforts in this world, it is not ſo much that it pleaſes my ſence, that it is ſutable to my body, but the reference it hath to God the firſt being, that by theſe creatures there ſhould be ſomewhat of Gods goodneſſe conveyed to me, and I may have a ſanctified uſe of the creature to draw me neerer to God, and that I enjoy more of God, and be made more ſervicable for the glory of God in the place where God hath ſet me, here's the good of the Creature; Oh were we but inſtructed in this leſſon, did we but underſtand, and throughly beleeve this to be a truth, that there is no creature in all the world hath any goodneſſe in it any further then it hath reference to the firſt infinit ſupream good of all, that ſo far as I can enjoy God in it, ſo far it is good to me, and ſo far as I do not enjoy God in it, ſo far there is no goodneſſe in any thing that I have in the Creature, how eaſie were it then for one to be contented; as thus, Suppoſe a man had a great eſtate but a few years ago, and now it is all gone, I would but appeale to this man, when you had your eſtate, wherein did you account the good of that eſtate to conſiſt? a carnal heart would ſay, any body might know that; that it brought me in ſo much a year, and that I could fare of the beſt, and be a man of repute in the place where I live, and men would regard what I ſaid, I might be cloathed as I would, and lay up portions for my children, in this conſiſted the good of my eſtate; this man now never came into the School of Chriſt to know wherein the good of an eſtate did conſiſt, no marvail if he be diſquieted when he hath loſt his eſtate: But now a Chriſtian that hath been in the School of Chriſt, and hath been inſtructed in the art of Contentment, when ſuch a one hath an eſtate, he thinks, in that I have an eſtate above my brethren, in this conſiſts the good of it tome, in that I have an opportunity to ſerve God the better, and I enjoy a great deal of Gods mercy to my Soul conveyed to me through the Creature, and hereby I am inabled to do a great deal of good, and therein I account the good of my eſtate. Now God hath taken this away from me, now if God will be pleaſed to make up the enjoyment of himſelf another way; that is, will call me to honour him by ſuffering, and if I may do God as much ſervice now in my way of ſuffering, that is to ſhew forth the Grace of his Spirit in the way of my ſuffering as I did in the way of proſperity, I have as much of God as I had before; if I may be led to God in my low condition, as much as I was in my proſperous condition, I have as much comfort and contentment as I had before.
Obj. But you wil ſay, it is true, If I could honour God in my low eſtate as much as in my proſperous eſtate then it were ſomewhat, but how can that be?
Anſw. You muſt know the ſpecial honour that God hath from his creatures in this world, it is the manifeſtation of the Graces of his Spirit; It's true, God hath a great deal of honour when a man is in a publick place, and ſo he is able to do a great deal of good, to countenance Godlineſſe, and diſcountenance Sin, but the main thing is in our ſhewing forth the vertues of him that hath called us out of darkneſs into his marvellous light. Now if I can ſay that through Gods mercy in my affliction I find the Graces of Gods Spirit working as ſtrongly in me as ever they did when I had my eſtate, I am where I was, yea I am fully in as good a condition, for I have that good now that I had in my proſperous eſtate, for I accounted the good of it but in my enjoyment of God, and honouring of God, and now God hath bleſt the want of it to ſtir up the Graces of his Spirit in my ſoul, and this is the work that now God cals me to, and I muſt account God is moſt honoured when I do the work that he cals me to, he ſet me a work in my proſperous eſtate at that time, to honour him in that condition, and now he ſets me a work at this time to honour him in this condition: Now God is moſt honoured when I can turn from one condition to another according as he cals me to it: would you account your ſelves to be honoured by your ſervants, when you ſet them about a work that hath ſome excellency, and they will go on and on, and you cannot get them off from it? Now let the work be never ſo good, yet if you will call them off to another work you do expect that they ſhould manifeſt ſo much reſpect to you as to be content to come off from that, though they be ſet about a meaner work, if it be more ſutable to your ends. So you were in a proſperous eſtate, and there God called you to ſome ſervice that you took ſome pleaſure in; but ſuppoſe God ſaith, I will uſe you in a ſuffering condition, and I will have you honour me in that way, now here's the honouring of God that you can turn this way or that way, as God cals you to it; thus now you having learned this, That the good of the Creature canſiſts in the enjoyment of God in it, and the honouring of God by it, you can be content, becauſe you have the ſame good that you had before. And that's the Fifth leſſon.
The Sixth Leſſon that Chriſt doth teach the ſoul that hee brings into this School, is this, Hee doth inſtruct ſuch a man or woman in the knowledge of their own hearts: you muſt learn this or you will never learn Contentment; you muſt learn to know your own hearts well, to be good ſtudients of your own hearts, you cannot al be ſcholers in the arts and ſciences in the world, but you may all be ſtudents in your own hearts, you cannot reade in the book (many of you,) but God expects that every day you ſhould turn over a leaf in your own hearts; you will never come to get any skil in this Myſterie, except you ſtudy the book of your own hearts: Marriners, they have their books that they ſtudy, thoſe that will be good Navigaters, and Scholers they have their books; thoſe that ſtudy Logick, they have their books according to that; and thoſe that would ſtudy Rhetorick and Philoſophy have their books according to that; and thoſe that ſtudy Divinity, they have their books whereby they come to be helped in the ſtudy of Divinity: but a Chriſtian next to the book of God is to look into the book of his own heart, and to reade over that, and this will help you to Contentment theſe three waies:
1. By the ſtudying of thy heart, thou wilt come preſently to diſcover wherein thy diſcontent lies; when thou art diſcontented, thou wilt find out the root of any diſcontentment if thou doeſt ſtudy thy heart well: many men and women they are diſcontented, and the truth is they know not wherfore, they think this & the other thing is the cauſe, but a man or woman that knows their own heart, they will find out preſently where the root of their diſcontent lies, that it lies in ſuch a corruption, and diſtemper of my heart, that now through Gods merciemercy I have found out; It is in this caſe as it is with a little child that is very froward in the houſe, if a ſtranger comes in he doth not know what the matter is, perhaps the ſtranger will give the child a rattle, or a nut, or ſuch a thing to quiet it, but when the Nurſe comes ſhe knows the temper and diſpoſition of the Child, and therefore knows beſt how to quiet it; ſo it is here juſt thus for all the world, when we are ſtrangers with our own hearts we are mightily diſcontented, and know not how to quiet our ſelves, becauſe we know not wherein the diſquiet lieth: and indeed when we are ſtrangers to our own hearts we cannot tell how to quiet our ſelves, but if we be very well verſt in our own hearts, when any thing fals out ſo as to diſquiet us, we find out the cauſe of it preſently, and ſo quickly come to be quiet. So a man that hath a Watch, and he underſtands the uſe of every wheel and pin, if it goes amiſſe he will preſently find out the cauſe of it: but one that hath no skill in a Watch, when it goes amiſſe he knows not what the matter is, and therefore cannot mend it. So indeed our hearts are as a Watch, and there are many wheels, and windings and turnings there, and we ſhould labour to know our hearts well, that when they are out of tune we may know what the matter is.
2 This knowledge of our hearts wil help us to Contentment becauſe by this we ſhall come to know what is moſt ſutable to our condition. As thus, a man that knows not his own heart he thinks not what need he hath of affliction, and upon that he is diſquieted; but that man or woman that hath ſtudied their own hearts, when God comes with afflictions upon them, they can ſay, I would not for any thing in the world have been without this affliction, God hath ſo ſuted this affliction to my condition, and hath come in ſuch a way, that if this affliction had not come I am affraid I ſhould have fallen into ſin; a poor country man that takes Phiſick, the Phiſick works, and he thinks it will kill him, becauſe he knows not the ill humours that are in his body, and therefore he underſtands not how ſutable the Phyſick is to him; but a Phyſitian takes a purge, and it makes him extreamly ſick, ſaith the Phyſitian I like this the better, it doth but work upon the humour that I know is the matter of my diſeaſe, and upon that ſuch a man that hath knowledge and underſtanding in his body, and the cauſe of his diſtemper, he is not troubled or diſquieted: So would we be if we did but know the diſtempers of our own hearts, carnal men and women they know not their own ſpirits, and therefore they fling and vex upon every affliction that doth befall them, they know not what diſtempers are in their hearts that may be healed by their afflictions, if it pleaſe God to give them a ſanctified uſe of them.
3 By knowing their own hearts, they know what they are able to manage, and by this means they come to be Content; the Lord perhaps takes away many comforts from them that they had before, or denies them ſome things that they hoped to have got; now they by knowing their hearts know this, that they were not able to mannage ſuch an eſtate, and they were not able to mannage ſuch proſperity, God ſaw it, and (ſaith a poor ſoul) I am in ſome meaſure convinced by looking into mine own heart, that I was not able to mānage ſuch a condition. A man deſires greedily to gripe more perhaps than he is able to mānage, and ſo undoes himſelf: as countrey men do obſerve, that if they doe over-ſtock their Land it will quickly ſpoyl them, and ſo a wiſe Husband-man that knows how much his ground will bear he is not troubled that he hath not ſo much ſtock as others, why? becauſe he knows he hath not ground enough for ſo great a ſtock, and that quiets him; ſo many men and women that know not their own hearts, they would fain have a proſperous eſtate as others have, but if they knew their own hearts they would know that they were not able to mannage it: if one of your little children of three or four yeers old ſhould be crying for the coat of her that is twelve or twenty yeers old, and ſay, why may not I have a coat as long as my ſiſters? If ſhe had, it would ſoon trip up her heels, and break her face, but when the Child comes to underſtanding ſhe is not diſcontented, becauſe her coat is not ſo long as her ſiſters, but ſaith, my coat is fit for me, and therein takes Content; So if we come to underſtanding in the School of Chriſt we will not cry, why have not I ſuch an eſtate as others have? the Lord ſeeth that I am not able to mannage it, and I ſee it my ſelf by the knowing of mine own heart. You ſhall have children if they ſee but a knife, they will cry for it becauſe they know not their ſtrength and that they are not able to mannage it, but you know they are not able to mannage it, and therefore you will not give it them, and when they come to ſo much underſtanding as to know that they are not able to mannage it, they will not cry for it; ſo we would not cry for ſuch and ſuch things if we knew that we were not able to mannage them: when you vex and fret for what you have not, I may ſay to you as Chriſt ſaith, you know not of what ſpirits you are. It was a ſpeech of Oecolampadius to Parillus, ſaith he (when they were ſpeaking about his extream poverty,) Not ſo poor, though I have been very poor, yet I would be poorer, I could be willing to be poorer than I am, for the truth is (as if he ſhould ſay) the Lord knew that that was more ſutable to me, and I knew that my own heart was ſuch, that a poor condition was more ſutable to me than a rich; ſo certainly would we ſay if we knew our own hearts, that ſuch and ſuch a condition is better for me than if it had been otherwiſe.
The Seventh leſſon, Is the burden of a proſperous eſtate. Such a one that comes into Chriſt's School to be inſtructed in this Art, never comes to attain to any great skill in this Art untill he comes to underſtand the burden that is in a proſperous eſtate.
Object. You will ſay, What burden is there in a proſperous eſtate.
Anſw. Yes certainly a great burden, and there needs a great ſtrength to bear it: as men had need of ſtrong brains that can bear ſtrong wine, ſo they had need of ſtrong ſpirits that are able to bear proſperous conditions, and not to do themſelves hurt; there's a fourfold burden in a proſperous eſtate. Many men and women look at the ſhine and glittering of proſperity, but they little think of the burden, but there's a fourfould burden.
1 There's A burden of trouble. A roſe hath it's prickles, and ſo the Scripture ſaith that he that will be rich pierceth himſelf through with many ſorrows, 1 Tim. 6.10. If a mans heart be ſet upon it that he muſt be rich, and he will be rich, ſuch a man will pierce himſelf through with many ſorrows; he looks upon the delight and glory of riches that appears outwardly, but he conſiders not what piercing ſorrows he may meet withal in them: The conſideration of the trouble in a proſperous condition I have divers times thought of, and I cannot tell by what ſimilitude to expreſſe it better than by travelling in ſome champian country, where round about is very fair and ſandy ground, and you ſee there a Town a great way off in a bottom, and you think, Oh how bravely is that Town ſeated, but when you come and ride into the Town, you ſhall ride through a durty lane and through a company of fearful durty holes, and you could not ſee the durty lane and holes when you were two or three miles off; ſo ſometimes we look upon the proſperity of men and think ſuch a man lives bravely and comfortably, but if we did but know what troubles he meets withal in his family, in his eſtate, in his dealings with men, we would not think his condition ſo happy. One may have a very fine new ſhoe, but no body knows where it pinches him but he that hath it on; ſo you think ſuch and ſuch men are happy, but they may have many troubles that you little think of.
2 There is a burden of danger in it. Men that are in a proſperous condition they are in a great deal of danger, you ſee ſome times in the evening when you light up your candles, the mothes and the gnats will be flying up and down in the candle, but they ſcorch their wings, and there they fal down dead; ſo there is a great deal of danger in a proſperous eſtate, thoſe men that are ſet upon a Pinacle on high, theſe men they are in greater danger than other men are. Honey we know doth invite Bees and Waſps unto it, and ſo the ſweet of proſperity doth invite the Devil and temptation. Men that are in a proſperous eſtate are ſubject to many temptations that other men are not ſubject to. The Scripture cals the Devil Beelzebub, that is the god of flies, & ſo Beelzebub come where the honey of proſperity is, they are in very great danger of temptations that are in a proſperous condition. The dangers of men that are in a proſperous eſtate that have more than others, ſhould be conſidered of by thoſe that are lower, think with thy ſelfe, though they be above me, yet they are in more danger than I am, the tal trees are more ſhattered a great deal than low ſhrubs, ſo you know the ſhip that hath all the ſails up, the top ſail & all in a ſtorm, this is in more danger than that that hath al the ſails drawn in: And ſo men that have their Top-gallant, and all up and brave, they are more like to be drown'd, drown'd in perdition than other men are; and therefore you know what the Scripture ſaith, how hard it is for rich men to go into the kingdom of Heaven: ſuch a text ſhould make poor people to be contented with their eſtates. We have a notable example for that in the Children of Kohath, you ſhall find that they were in a more excellent eſtate than the other of the Levites, but they were in more danger than the other, and more trouble.
Firſt, That the Children of Kohath were in a higher condition than other of the Levites, that I'le ſhew you out of the fourth of Numb. 4. verſ. there you ſhall find what their condition was. This ſhall be the ſervice of the ſons of Kohath in the Tabernacle of the Congregation about the moſt holy things. Mark, the Levites were exerciſed about holy things; but the ſons of Kohath, their ſervice was about the moſt holy things of all: and you ſhall find in the 21. of Joſhua, verſ. 10. That God did honour the ſons of Kohath in a more ſpecial manner than he did honor the other Levites, which honour the Children of Aaron (being of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the Children of Levi) had, for theirs was the firſt lot, and they were prefer'd before the other families of Levi, thoſe that were imployed in the moſt honourable imployment, they had the moſt honourable Lot, the firſt Lot fell to them: thus you ſee God honoured the Children of the Kohathites. But (might other Levites ſay) how hath God prefer'd this family before us? They were honoured more than the other were: But now, mark their burden that comes in with their honour, and that I'le ſhew you out of two Scriptures, the firſt is, Numb. 7.6, 7, 8, 9. And Moſes took the Wagons and the Oxen, and gave them unto the Levites. Two wagons and four oxen be gave unto the ſons of Gerſhom, according to their ſervice: and four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the ſons of Merari, according unto their ſervice, under the hand of Ithamer the ſon of Aaron the Prieſt. But ſaith he in the 9. verſ. Ʋnto the ſons of Kohath he gave none; becauſe the ſervice of the Sanctuary that belonged unto them, was, that they ſhould bear upon their ſhouldiers. Mark, the other Levites had oxen, and wagons given to them, to eaſe them of their ſervice: but (ſaith he) to the ſons of Kohath he gave none, but they ſhould bear their ſervice upon their ſhoulders; and that's the reaſon why God was ſo diſpleaſed, becauſe that they would have more eaſe in Gods ſervice than God would have them, for whereas they ſhould carry it upon their ſhoulders, they would carry it upon a cart: Mark here, you ſee the firſt burden that they had, beyond what the other Levites had. And thoſe indeed that are in more honourable places than others, thoſe that are under them think not of their burden that they are to carry upon their ſhoulders, when as others have means to eaſe them; and many times thoſe that are imployed in the Miniſtrie, or Majeſtracie, that ſit at the ſtern to order the great Affairs of the Common-wealth and State, you think they live bravely: they lie awake when you are aſleep; if you knew the burden that lies upon their ſpirits, you would think that your labour and burden were verie little in compariſon of theirs.
2. There's another burden of danger more than the reſt, and that you ſhall find in Numb. 4.17. And the Lord ſpake unto Moſes and unto Aaron, ſaying, Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites, but thus do unto them that they may live and not die: When they approch unto the moſt holy things, Aaron and his ſons ſhall go in and appoint them every one to his ſervice and to his burden; but they ſhall not go in to ſee when the holy things are covered, leſt they die. Mark this text: ſaith the Lord to Moſes and Aaron, Cut ye not off the tribe of the family of the Kohathites from among the Levites. Cut them not off, why? what had they done? had they done any thing amiſſe? no, they had not done any thing that provoked God: but the meaning is this; Take a great care of the family of the Kohathites, to inſtruct them in their duty that they were to do; for (ſaith God) they are in a great deal of danger, being to ſerve in the moſt holy things: if they ſhould go in to ſee the holy things more than God would have them, it is as much as their lives are worth, and therefore if you ſhould but neglect them, and not inform them thorowly in their duty they would be undone: (ſaith God) they are to adminiſter in the moſt holy things, and if they ſhould but dare to preſume to do any thing otherwiſe than God would have them about thoſe ſervices, it would coſt them their lives; and therefore be not you careleſſe of them, for if you neglect them you will be a means of cutting them off. Thus you ſee the danger that the family of the Kohathites were in; they were prefer'd before others, but they were in more danger. So you think there are ſuch men in a pariſh that bear the ſway, and are imployed in publick ſervice, and they carry all before them; but you conſider not their danger. And ſo the Miniſters, they ſtand in the fore-front of all the ſpight and mallice of ungodly men: indeed God imployes them in honourable ſervice, and that ſervice that the Angels would take delight in; but though the ſervice be honourable, above the imployment of other works, yet the burden of danger, that likewiſe is greater than the danger of men that are in an inferiour condition. Now when the Soul comes to get wiſdom from Chriſt to think of the danger that it is in, then it wil be content with that low eſtate in which it is. A poor man that is in a low condition, thinks, I am low, and others are raiſed, but I know not what their burden is: and ſo, if he be rightly inſtructed in the ſchool of Chriſt he coms to be contented.
3. I a proſperous eſtate there is the burden of duty. You look only at the ſweet and comfort that they have, and the honour and reſpect that they have that are in a proſperous condition; but you muſt conſider of the duty that they owe to God: God requires more duty at their hands than at yours, you are ready to be diſcontented that you have not ſuch parts and abilities as ſuch have, but God requires more duty of them that have more parts, God requires more duty of them that have greater eſtates than of you that have not ſuch eſtates: Oh you would faine have the honour, but can you carrie the burden of the duty.
4. The laſt is, The burden of account in a proſperous eſtate. There is a great account that they are to give to God that enjoy great eſtates and a proſperous condition: Now we are all ſtewards, and one is a ſteward to a meaner man, perhaps but an ordinary Knight; another is a ſteward to a Noble-man, an Earle: now the ſteward of the meaner man, he hath not ſo much as the other hath under his hand: now ſhall he be diſcontented becauſe there comes not ſo much under his hand as under the others? No thinks he I have leſſe, and I am to give the leſſe account: So your account in compariſon of the Miniſters and Magiſtrates will be nothing; you are to give an account of your own ſouls, and ſo are they, you are to give an account for your own family, and ſo are they, but you are not to give account for Congregations, and for Towns, and Cities, and Countries. You think of Princes and Kings, Oh! what a glorious condition they are in. But what do you think of a King to give account for all the diſorder and wickedneſſe in a Kingdom that he poſſibly might have prevented? What abundance of glory might a Prince bring to God if ſo be that he bent his ſoul and all his thoughts to lift up the Name of God in a Kingdom; now what God loſes for want of this, that King, Prince, or Governour he muſt give an account for. It's a ſpeech of Chryſoſtom in that place of the Hebrewes, where it's ſaid that men muſt give an account for their ſouls, he wonders that any men in publick place can be ſaved, becauſe their account is ſo great that they are to give. And I remember I have read a ſpeech of Philip that was King of Spaine, (though the ſtory ſaith of him, that he had ſuch a natural conſcience, that he profeſt he would not do any thing againſt his conſcience, no not in ſecret for the gaining of the world, yet when this man was to die) Oh ſaith he, that I had never been a King; Oh that I had liv'd a ſollitary and privat life all my daies; then ſhould I have died a great deal more ſecurely, I ſhould with more confidence have gone before the Throne of God to give my account: but here's the fruit of my kingdom, that I had all the glory of it, it hath made my account to be harder to give to God: and thus he cries out when he was to die. And therefore you that live in private conditions remember this, If you come into Chriſt's School, and be taught this leſſon, you will be quiet in your afflictions, or private eſtate, in regard your account is not ſo great as others. It's a ſpeech I remember I have met withall in Latimers Sermons that he was wont to uſe, The half is more than the whole. That is, when a man is in a mean condition, he is but halfe way towards the height of proſperity that others are in: yet ſaith he, this is more ſafe though it be a meaner condition than others. Thoſe that are in a high and proſperous condition there is anexed to it the burden of trouble, and of danger and of duty, and of account. And thus you ſee how Chriſt traines up his Scholers in his School, and though they be weak otherwiſe, yet by his Spirit he gives them wiſdom to underſtand theſe aright.
The Eight leſſon is this, Chriſt teaches them what a great and dreadful evil it is to be given up to ones hearts deſires. The underſtanding this leſſon that it is a moſt dreadful evil, one of the moſt hideous and fearfull evills that can befall any man upon the face of the earth, for God to give him up to his hearts deſires: when the ſoul underſtands this once, and together with it, (for it goes along together) that ſpiritual judgments are more fearfull than any outward judgments in the world, the underſtanding of this will teach any one to be content in Gods croſſing of them in their deſires. Thou art croſt in thy deſires, now thou art diſcontented and vext and fretted at it, is that thy only miſery that thou art croſt in thy deſires? no no, thou art infinitly miſtaken, the greateſt miſery of all is for God to give thee up to thy hearts luſts and deſires, to give thee up to thine own counſells: ſo you have it in Pſal, 81.11, 12. But my people would not hearken to my voice, and Iſrael would none of me [what then?] So I gave them up unto their own hearts luſts, and they walked in their own counſels. Oh ſaith Bernard let me not have ſuch a miſerie as that is, for to give me what I would have, to give me my hearts deſires, it is one of the moſt hideous judgments in the world for a man to be given up to his hearts deſires. We have not indeed in Scripture any certain evident ſign of a reprobate, we cannot ſay except we knew a man had committed the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, that he is a reprobate, for we know not what God may work upon him, but the neereſt of all and the blackeſt ſign of a reprobate is this, for God to give up a man to his hearts deſires, all the pain of diſeaſes, all the calamities that can be thought of in the world, are no judgments in compariſon of this, for a man to be given up to his hearts deſires; now when the Soul comes to underſtand this, the Soul then cries out, why am I ſo troubled that I have not my deſires? There is nothing that God conveys his wrath more through than a proſperous eſtate. I remember I have read of a Jewiſh Tradition that they ſay of Ʋzziah, when God ſtruck Ʋzziah with a Leproſie, they ſay that the beams of the Sun was darted upon the fore-head of Ʋzziah, and he was ſtruck with a Leproſie by the darting of the beams of the Sun upon his fore-head; the Scripture ſaith, Indeed the Prieſts looked upon him; but they ſay there was a ſpeciall light and beam of the Sun upon the fore-head that did diſcover the Leproſie to the Prieſts, and they ſay it was the way of conveying of it. Whether that were true or no, I am ſure this is true, that the ſtrong beams of the Sun of proſperity upon many men makes them to be leprous; would any poor man in the countrey have been diſcontented that he was not in Ʋzziahs condition? he was a great King, I but there was the Leproſie in his fore-head, the poor man may ſay, though I live meanly in the countrey yet I thank God my body is whole and ſound, would not any man rather have ruſſet and skins of beaſts to cloath him with, than to have ſattin and velvet that ſhould have the Plague in it; The Lord conveys the plague of his curſe through proſperity, as much as through any thing in the world, and therefore the ſoul coming to underſtand this, this makes it to be quiet and content.
And then ſpirituall judgments are the greateſt judgments of all; the Lord laies ſuch an affliction upon my outward eſtate, but what if he had taken away my life, a mans health is a greater mercy than his eſtate, and you that are poor people you ſhould conſider of that; but is the health of a mans body better than his eſtate? what is the health of a mans ſoul? that's a great deal better; the Lord hath inflicted externall judgements, but he hath not inflicted ſpirituall judgments upon thee, he hath not given thee up to hardneſſe of heart, and taken away the ſpirit of prayer from thee in thine afflicted eſtate, Oh then be of good comfort though there be outward afflictions upon thee, yet thy ſoul, thy more excellent part is not afflicted. Now when the ſoul comes to underſtand this, that here lies the ſore wroth of God to be given up to a mans deſires, and for ſpiritual judgments to be upon a man, this quiets him, and contents him, though outward afflictions be upon him; perhaps one of a mans children hath the fit of an ague, or the tooth-ach, but perhaps his next neighbour hath the plague, or all his Children are dead of the plague, now ſhall he be ſo diſcontented, becauſe his Children have the tooth-ach when his neighbours Children are dead? now think thus, Lord thou haſt laid an afflicted condition upon me, but Lord thou haſt not given me the plague of a hard heart. Now take theſe Eight things before mentioned, and lay them together, and you may well apply that Scripture in the 29. of Iſa. the laſt verſe, ſaith the text there, They alſo that erred in ſpirit, ſhall come to underſtanding; and they that murmured ſhall learn doctrine. Hath there bin any of you (as I fear many may be found) that have erred in ſpirit, even in regard of this truth that now we are preaching of, and many that have murmured, Oh that this day you might come to underſtand, that Chriſt would bring you into his School, and seach you underſtanding, And they that murmured ſhall learn doctrine: what doctrine ſhall they learn? Theſe Eight Doctrines that I have opened to you. And if you will but throughly ſtudy theſe leſſons that I have ſet before your eyes: It will be a ſpeciall help and means to cure your murmurings againſt, and repinings at the hand of God: And ſo you will come to learn Chriſtian Contentment. The Lord teach you thoroughly by his Spirit theſe leſſons of Contentment.