The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, Sermon 1 · Sermon 7
SERMON VII.
PHILIPPIANS. 4.11.
For I have learned in whatſoever ſtate I am, therewith to be content.
WE proceed now. There are ſome two or three things more of the excellency of Contentment and then we are to proceed to Applycation of the point.
The Eight excellency is, Contentment is a great bleſſing of God upon the Soul. There is Gods bleſſing upon thoſe that are content, the bleſſing of God is upon them, and their eſtates, and upon all that they have. We reade in Deut. of the bleſſing of Judah the principal Tribe; this is the bleſſing of Judah, And he ſaid hear Lord the voice of Judah and bring him unto his people, let his hands be ſufficient for him, and be thou an help to him from his enemies. Let his hand be ſufficient for him, that is, bring in a ſufficiency of all good unto him that he may have of his own, that's the bleſſing of Judah. So when God gives thee a ſufficiency of thine own, (as every contented man hath) there is the bleſſing of God upon thee, the bleſſing of the principle Tribe of Judah is upon thee. It is the Lord that gives us all things to injoy, we may have the thing and yet not enjoy it except God comes in with his bleſſing now whatſoever thou haſt thou do'ſt injoy it: Many men have eſtates and do not enjoy them, it's the bleſſing of God that gives us all things to enjoy, it is God that through his bleſſing, hath faſhioned thy heart and made it ſutable to thy condition.
The Ninth excellency, Thoſe that are content they may expect reward from God, that God ſhall give unto them the good of all thoſe things that they are contented to be without, and this brings in abundance of good to a contented ſpirit: There is ſuch and ſuch a mercy that thou thinkeſt would be very comfortable unto thee if thou had'ſt it, but canſt thou bring thy heart to ſubmit to God in it? thou ſhalt have the bleſſing of the mercy one way or other; if thou haſt not the thing it ſelf in re; thou ſhalt have it made up one way or other, thou ſhalt have a bill of exchange to receive ſomewhat in lieu of it, there is no comfort that any ſoul is content to be without, but the Lord will give either the comfort or ſomewhat in ſtead of it: Thou ſhalt have a reward to thy ſoul for what ever good thing thou art content to be without. You know what the Scripture ſaith of active obedience, and the Lord doth accept (of his ſervants) their will for the deed, though we do not do a good thing, yet if our hearts be upright, to will to do it, we ſhall have the bleſſing though we do not do the thing: You that complain of weakneſſe, you cannot do as others do, you cannot do as much ſervice as others do, if your hearts be as upright with God, and would fain do the ſame ſervice that you ſee others do, you would account it a great bleſſing of God upon you, the greateſt bleſſing in the world if you were able to do as others do; now you may comfort your ſelves with this, having to deal with God in the way of the Covenant of Grace you ſhall have from God the reward of all you will do, as a wicked man ſhall have puniſhment for all the ſin he would commit, ſo thou ſhalt have the reward for all the good thou wouldeſt do. Now may not we draw an argument from active obedience to paſſive; there is as good reaſon why thou ſhouldeſt expect that God will reward thee for all that thou art willing to ſuffer, as well as for all that thou art willing to do, now if thou beeſt willing to be without ſuch a comfort and mercy when God ſees it fit, thou ſhalt be no looſer, certainly God will reward thee either with the comfort or with that that ſhall be as good to thee as the comfort, therefore conſider how many things have I that others want, and can I bring my heart into a quiet contented frame to want what others have? I have the bleſſing of all that they have, and I ſhall either poſſeſſe ſuch things as others have, or elſe God will make it up one way or other, either here, or hereafter in eternity to me; Oh what riches are here! with Contentment thou haſt all kind of riches.
Tenthly and laſtly, By contentation the ſoul comes to an excellencie neer to God himſelfe, yea the neereſt that may be, for this word that is tranſlated Content, it is a word that ſignifies a Self-ſufficiencie, as I told you in the opening of the words. A contented man is a ſelf-ſufficient man, what is the great glory of God but to be happy and ſelf-ſufficient in himſelf? Indeed he is ſaid to be All-ſufficient, but that's but a further addition of the word All, rather than of any matter, for to be ſufficient, is All-ſufficient, now is this the glory of God to be Sufficient, to have ſufficiencie in himſelfe, El-ſhaddai, to be God having ſufficiency in himſelf? now thou comeſt neer to this, thou partakeſt of the Divine Nature, as by grace in generall, ſo in a more peculiar manner by this grace of Chriſtian Contentment, what's the excellency and glory of God but this? Suppoſe there were no creatures in the world, and that all the creatures in the world were anihilated, God would remain the ſame bleſſed God that he is now, he would not be in a worſe condition if all creatures were gone, neither would a contented heart if God ſhould take away all creatures from him, a contented heart hath enough in the want of al creatures and would not be more miſerable than now he is. Suppoſe that God ſhould continue thee here, and all creatures that are here in this world were taken away, yet thou ſtill (having God to be thy portion) wouldeſt be as happy as now thou art, and therefore contentation hath a great deal of excellency in it.
Thus we have ſhewed in many particulars the excellency of this grace, labouring to preſent the beauty of it before your ſouls that you may be in love with it.
Now my brethren what remains but the practice of this, for this Art of Contentment it's not a Speculative thing, only for contemplation, but it is an art of Divinity, and therfore practicall, ye are now to labour to work upon your hearts, that there may be this grace in you, that you may honour God and honour your profeſſion with this grace of Contentment, for there is none doth more honour God, and honour their profeſſion than thoſe that have this grace of Contentment. Now that we may fall upon the practice there, is required,
Firſt, That we ſhould he humbled in our hearts for the want of this, that we have had ſo little of this grace in us. For there is no way to ſet upon any duty with profit, till the heart be humbled for the want of the performance of the duty before; many men when they hear of a duty that they ſhould perform, they will labour to perform it, but firſt thou muſt be humbled for the want of it, therefore that's the thing that I ſhall endeavour in the Application, to get your hearts to be humbled for the want of this grace; Oh had I had this grace of Contentment, what a happy life I might have lived? what abundance of honour I might have brought to the Name of God? and how might I have honoured my profeſſion? and what a deal of comfort might I have enjoyed? but the Lord knows it hath been far otherwiſe, Oh how far have I been from this grace of Contentment that hath been opened to me? I have had a murmuring, a vexing and a fretting heart within me, every little croſſe hath put me out of temper and out of frame, Oh the boiſterouſneſſe of my ſpirit, what a deal of evil doth God ſee in my heart, in the vexing and fretting of my heart, and murmuring and repining of my ſpirit? Oh that God would make you to ſee it: Now to the end that you might be humbled for the want of this, I ſhall endeavour in theſe particulars to ſpeak unto it.
Firſt, I ſhall ſet before you, The evil of a murmuring ſpirit, there is more evil than you are aware of.
In the Second place, I will ſhew you ſome agravations of this evil, It's evil in all, but in ſome more than in others.
Thirdly, I ſhall labour to take away the pleas that any murmuring diſcontented heart hath for this diſtemper of his.
There's theſe Three things in this uſe of humiliation of the Soul for the want of this grace of Contentment.
For the firſt, now at this time. The great evil that there is in a murmuring diſcontented heart.
In the firſt place, This thy murmuring and diſcontentedneſs it argues much corruption that is in the Soul, as Contentment argues much grace, and ſtrong grace, and beautiful grace; ſo this argues much corruption, and ſtrong corruption, and very vile corruptions in thy heart. As it is in a mans body, if a mans body be of that temper that every ſcratch of a pin makes his fleſh to ranckle and to be a ſore, you will ſay, ſurely this mans body is very corrupt, his blood and his fleſh is corrupt, that every ſcratch of a pin ſhal make it ranckle, ſo it is in thy ſpirit; if every little trouble and affliction ſhal make thee diſcontented, and make thee murmur, and even cauſe thy ſpirit within thee to ranckle, or as it is in a wound in a mans body, the evil of a wound, it is not ſo much in the largeneſſe of the wound, and the abundance of blood that comes out of the wound, but in the inflamation that there is in it, or in a fretting and corroding humour that is in the wound; an unskilful man when he comes and ſees a large wound in the fleſh, looks upon it as a dangerous wound, and when he ſees a great deal of blood guſh out, he thinks theſe are the evils of it, but when a Chirurgion comes and ſees a great gaſh, ſaith he, this will be heal'd within a few daies, but there's a leſſe wound and there's an inflamation or a fretting humour that is in it, and this will coſt time (ſaith he) to cure, ſo that he doth not lay balſome and healing ſalves upon it, but his great care is to get out the fretting humour, or inflamation, ſo that the thing that muſt heal this wound it is ſome drink to purge; But (ſaith the patient) what good will this do to my wound? You give me ſomewhat to drink, and my wound is in my arme, or in my leg, what good will this do that I put in my ſtomack? Yes it purges out the fretting humour, or takes away the inflamation, and till that be taken away the ſalves can do no good. So it is juſt for all the world in the ſouls of men, it may be there is ſome affliction upon them that I compare to the wound; now they think that the greatneſſe of the affliction is that that makes their condition moſt miſerable: Oh no, there is a fretting humour, an inflamation in the heart, a murmuring ſpirit that is within thee and that is the miſery of thy condition, and that muſt be purged out of thee before thou canſt be healed, and let God do with thee what he will, till he purges out that fretting humour thy wound will not be healed; a murmuring heart is a very ſinful heart, ſo that when thou art troubled for ſuch an affliction, thou hadſt need turn thy thoughts, rather to be troubled for the murmuring of thy heart, for that's the greateſt trouble, there is an affliction upon thee and that is grievous, but there is a murmuring heart within and that's more grievous. Oh that we could but convince men and women that a murmuring ſpirit is a greater evil than any affliction, let the affliction be what it will be. We ſhall ſhew more afterward that a murmuring ſpirit is the evil of the evil, and the miſery of the miſery.
Secondly, The evill of murmuring is ſuch, that God when he would ſpeak of wicked men, and deſcribe them, and ſlew the brand of a wicked and ungodly man or woman, he inſtances in this ſin in a more ſpecial manner: I might name many Scriptures, but that Scripture in Jude is a moſt remarkable one, in the 14. verſe, and ſo forward, there it is ſaid, That the Lord comes with ten thouſands of his Saints, to execute judgement upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard ſpeeches, which ungodly ſinners have ſpoken againſt him ▪ Mark here in this 15. verſe, there is four times mentioned ungodly ones; All that are ungodly among them, all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard ſpeeches, which ungodly ſinners have ſpoken againſt him: This is in the general. But now he comes in the particular to ſhew who theſe are, theſe are (ſaith he) Murmurers: that's the very firſt. Would you know who are ungodly men, that God when he comes with ten thouſand of Angels ſhall come to puniſh for all their ungodly deeds that they do, and thoſe that ſpeak ungodly things againſt them; Theſe ungodly ones are murmurers, murmurers in the Scripture are put in the fore front of ungodly one, it's a moſt dreadfull Scripture, that the Lord when he ſpeaks of ungodly ones puts murmurers in the very fore-front of all, you had need look to your ſpirits, you may ſee that this murmuring, which is the vice contrary to this Contentment is not ſo ſmall a matter as you think, you think you are not ſo ungodly as others, becauſe you do not ſwear and drink as others do, but you may be ungodly in murmuring, it's true there is no ſin but ſome ſeeds and remainers of it are in thoſe that are godly, but when they are under the power of this ſin of murmuring, it doth convince them to be ungodly, as well as if they were under the power of drunkenneſſe, or whordom, or any other ſin, God will look upon you as ungodly for this ſin as well as for any ſin whatſoever. This one Scripture ſhould make the heart ſhake at the thought of the ſin of murmuring.
Thirdly, As it's made a brand of ungodly men, ſo you ſhal find in Scripture that God accounts it rebellion, that is contrary to the worſhip that there was in contentedneſſe: that's worſhiping of God, crouching to God and falling down before him, even as a dog that would crouch when you hould a ſtaffe over him, but a murmuring heart it's a rebellious heart, and that you ſhall find if you compare two Scriptures together, they are both in the book of Numb. 16.41. But on the morrow (ſaith the text) all the congregation of the Children of Iſrael murmured againſt Moſes and againſt Aaron, ſaying, Ye have killed the people of the Lord. They all murmured, now compare this with the Chap. 17. & verſ. 10. And the Lord ſaid unto Moſes, Bring Aarons rod again, before the teſtimony to be kept for a token againſt the Rebels. In the 16. Chap. they murmured againſt Moſes and Aaron, and in the 17. Chap. bring the rod of Aaron again, before the teſtimony, for a token againſt the Rebels. So that to be a murmurer, and to be a Rebel you ſee in Scripture phraſe is all one, It is a rebellion againſt God: as it is the beginning of rebellion and ſedition in a kingdom when the people are diſcontent, and when diſcontentment comes it grows to murmuring, and you can go into no houſe almoſt but there is murmuring when men are diſcontent, ſo that within a little while it breaks forth into ſedition or rebellion. Murmuring it's but as the ſmoke of the fire, there is firſt a ſmoke and ſmother before the flame breaks forth, and ſo before open rebellion in a kingdom there is firſt a ſmoke of murmuring, and then it breaks forth into open rebellion; but becauſe it hath rebellion in the ſeeds of it therefore it is accounted before the Lord to be rebellion. Wilt thou be a Rebel againſt God? When thou feeleſt thy heart diſcontented and murmuring againſt the diſpenſations of God towards thee, thou ſhouldeſt check thy heart thus, Oh thou wretched heart, what wilt thou be a Rebel againſt God? wilt thou riſe in a way of Rebellion againſt the infinite God? yet thus thou haſt done, charge thy heart with this ſin of rebellion, you that are guilty of this ſin of murmuring you are this day by the Lord charged as being guilty of Rebellion againſt him, and God expects that when you go home you ſhould humble your ſouls before him for this ſin, that you ſhould charge your ſouls for being guilty of rebellion againſt God, many of you may ſay, I never thought that I had been a Rebel againſt God before, I thought that I had many infirmities, but now I ſee the Scripture ſpeaks of ſin in another manner than men do, the Scripture makes men (though but murmurers) to be Rebels againſt God, Oh this rebellious heart that I have againſt the Lord that hath manifeſted it's ſelf in this way of murmuring againſt the Lord? That's a Third particular in the evil of diſcontentment.
A Fourth particular in the evil of Diſcontentment, it is a wickedneſs that is exeeeding contrary to Grace, and eſpecially contrary to the work of God, in bringing of the ſoul home to himſelf; I know no diſtemper more oppoſite and contrary to the work of God in converſion of a ſinner, than this is.
Queſt. What's the work of God when he brings a ſinner home to himſelf?
Anſw. The uſual way is for God to make the ſoul to ſee and be ſenſible of the dreadful evil that there is in ſin, and the great breach that ſin hath made between God and it, for certainly Jeſus Chriſt can never be known in his beauty and excellency till the ſoule know that. I do not ſpeak what ſecret work of the Holy-Ghoſt there may be in the ſoul, but before the ſoul can actually apply Jeſus Chriſt to its ſelf, it is impoſſible but it muſt come to know the evil of ſin, and the excellency of Jeſus Chriſt: there may be a ſeed of faith put into the ſoul, but the ſoul muſt firſt know Chriſt, and know ſin, and be made ſenſible of it. Now how contrary is this ſin of murmuring to any ſuch work of God; hath God made me ſee the dreadful evil of ſin, and made my ſoul to be ſenſible of the evil of ſin as the greateſt burden? how can I then be ſo much troubled for every little affliction? certainly if I ſaw what the evill of ſin were, that ſight would ſwallow up all other evils, and if I were burdened with the evil of ſin, it would ſwallow up all other burdens; what am I now murmuring againſt Gods hand (ſaith ſuch a ſoul) when as a while ago the Lord made me ſee my ſelf to be a damned wretch, and apprehend it as a wonder that I am not in Hell?
2. Yea, it's mighty contrary to the ſight of the infinit excellency and glory of Jeſus Chriſt, and of the things of the Goſpel. What am I that ſoul that the Lord hath diſcovered ſuch infinit excellency of Jeſus Chriſt to? and yet ſhall I think ſuch a little affliction to be ſo grievous to me, when I have had the ſight of ſuch glory in Chriſt that is more worth than ten thouſand worlds? (for ſo will a true convert ſay) Oh! the Lord at ſuch a time hath given me that fight of Chriſt that I would not be without for ten thouſand thouſand worlds; but hath God given thee that, and wilt thou be diſcontent for a trifle in compariſon to that?
3. A Third work when God brings the ſoul home to himſelf it is, By taking the heart off from the Creature, the diſingaging the heart from all Creature-comforts: that's the Third work ordinarily that the ſoul may perceive of its ſelfe. It's true, Gods work may be altogether in the ſeeds in him, but in the ſeveral actings of the ſoul in turning to God it may perceive theſe things in it; the diſingagement of the heart from the Creature, that's the calling off the ſoul from the world, Whom the Lord hath called he hath juſtified: what's the calling of the ſoul but this, the ſoul that was before ſeeking for Contentment in the world, and cleaving to the Creature, now the Lord calls the ſoul out of the world, and ſaith, Oh ſoul, thy happineſſe is not here, thy reſt is not here, thy happineſſe is elſe-where, and thy heart muſt be looſned from all theſe things that are here below in the world; and this is the work of God in the ſoul to diſingage the heart from the Creature, and how contrary is a murmuring heart to ſuch a thing; a thing that is glued to another you cannot take off, but you muſt rend it, ſo it's a ſign thy heart is glued to the world, that when God would take thee off, thy heart rends, if God by an affliction ſhould come to take any thing in the world from thee, if thou canſt part from it with eaſe without rending, it's a ſign then that thy heart is not glued to the world.
4. A Fourth work of God in the converting of a ſinner, is this, The caſting of the ſoul upon Jeſus Chriſt for all its good: I ſee Jeſus Chriſt in the Goſpel the Fountain of all good, and God out of free Grace tendering him to me for life, and for ſalvation, and now my ſoul caſts its ſelf, rouls it ſelf upon the infinit Grace of God in Chriſt for al good; now haſt thou done ſo? hath God converted thee, and drawn thee to his Son to caſt thy ſoul upon him for all thy good, and yet thou diſcontented for the want of ſome little matter in a creature-comfort? art thou he that hath caſt thy ſoul upon Jeſus Chriſt for all good? as he ſaith in another caſe, Is this thy faith?
5. The Soul is ſubdued to God; and then it comes to receive Jeſus Chriſt as a King, to rule, to order and diſpoſe of him how he pleaſes, and ſo the heart is ſubdued unto God. Now how oppoſite is a murmuring diſcontented heart to a heart ſubdued to Jeſus Chriſt as a King, and receiving him as a Lord to rule and diſpoſe of him as he pleaſes.
6. There is in the work of thy turning to God the giving up of thy ſelf to God in an everlaſting Covenant? as thou takeſt Chriſt the Head of the Covenant to be thine, ſo thou giveſt up thy ſelf to Chriſt; In the work of Converſion there is the reſignation of the Soul wholly to God in an everlaſting Covenant to be his; haſt thou ever ſurrendred up thy ſelf to God in an everlaſting Covenant? then certainly this thy fretting, murmuring heart is mighty oppoſite to it, certainly thou forgetteſt this Covenant of thine, and the Reſignation of thy ſelf up to God, it would be of marvellous help to you to humble your Souls when you are in a murmuring condition; if you could but obtain ſo much liberty of your own ſpirits as to look back to ſee what the work of God was in converting you, there is nothing would prevail more than to think of that. I am now in a murmuring diſcontented way, but how did I feel my ſoul working when God did turn my Soul to himſelf? Oh how oppoſite is this to that work, and how unſeeming? Oh what ſhame and confuſion would come upon the ſpirits of men and women, if they could but compare the work of corruption in their murmuring and diſcontent, with the work of God that was upon their Souls in converſion, now we ſhould labour to keep the work of God upon our Souls that was at our Converſion; for Converſion muſt not be only at one inſtant at firſt: men are deceived in this, if they think their Converſion is finiſhed meerly at firſt, thou muſt be in a way of converſion to God all the daies of thy life, and therefore Chriſt ſaith to his Diſciples, except ye be converted and become as little children: Ye be Converted, why, were they not converted before? Yes they were converted, but they were ſtill to continue the work of Converſion all the daies of their lives, and what work of God there is at the firſt Converſion it is to abide afterwards. As thus, alwaies there muſt abide ſome ſight and ſenſe of ſin, it may be not in the way which you had, which was rather a preparation than any thing elſe, but the ſight and ſenſe of ſin it is to continue ſtill, that is, you are ſtill to be ſenſible of the burden of ſin as it is againſt the Holineſſe, and Goodneſſe, and Mercy of God unto thee, and the ſight of the excellency of Jeſus Chriſt is to continue, and thy calling out of the Creature: and thy caſting of thy Soul upon Chriſt, and thy receiving Chriſt as a King, ſtill receive him day by day, and the ſubduing of thy heart, and the ſurrendring of thy ſelfe up to God in a way of Covenant; now if this were but daily continued there would be no ſpace nor time for murmuring to work upon thy heart: that's the Fourth Particular.
The Fift thing in the evil of diſcontentment, Murmuring and diſcontentment is exceedingly below a Chriſtian; Oh! it is too mean and baſe a diſtemper for a Chriſtian to give place to it. Now it's below a Chriſtian in many reſpects.
1 How below the relation of a Chriſtian? The relation in which thou ſtandeſt. With what relation (you will ſay?)
Firſt, The relation thou ſtandeſt in to God: Do'ſt not thou call God thy father? and do'ſt not thou ſtand in relation to him as a child? what? thou murmer? In 2 Sam. 13.4. it's a ſpeech of Jonadab to Amnon, Why art thou, being the Kings Son, lean from day to day, wilt thou not tell me? and ſo he told him; (but that was for a wicked cauſe) he perceived that his ſpirit was troubled, for otherwiſe he was of a fat and plump temper of body, but becauſe of trouble of ſpirit he was even pin'd away why? what's the matter? thou that ſtandeſt in this relation to the King and yet any thing ſhould trouble thy heart, (that's his meaning) is there any thing that ſhould diſquiet thy heart, and yet ſtandeſt in ſuch a relation to the King, the King's Son? So I may ſay to a Chriſtian, Art thou the King's Son, the Son, the Daughter of the King of Heaven, and yet ſo diſquieted and troubled, and vext at every little thing that falls out? as if a King's Son ſhould cry out, he is undone for loſing a bable, what an unworthy thing were this: So doeſt thou, thou crieſt out as if thou wert undon, and yet a Kings Son, thou that ſtandeſt in ſuch relation to God, as unto a father, thou doeſt diſhonour thy father in this; as if ſo be either he had not wiſdom, or not power, or not mercy enough to provide for thee.
2. The relation that thou ſtandeſt in to Jeſus Chriſt, thou art the ſpouſe of Chriſt: what! one married to Jeſus Chriſt & yet troubled and diſcontented? haſt thou not enough in him; doth not Chriſt ſay to his ſpouſe, as Elkanah ſaid to Hannah, (1 Sam. 1.8.) Am not I better to thee than ten ſons? So doth not Chriſt thy husband ſay to thee, Am not I better to thee than thouſands of riches and comforts? ſuch comforts as thou murmureſt for want of; hath not God given thee his Son? and will he not with him give thee all things? hath the love of God bin to thee to give thee his Son in way of marriage? why art thou diſcontented and murmuring? conſider thy relation to Jeſus Chriſt, as thou art a ſpouſe and married to him, his perſon is thine, and ſo all the riches of Jeſus Chriſt is thine, as the riches of a husband are the wives, and though there are ſome husbands ſo vile as the wives may be forced to ſue for maintainance; certainly Jeſus Chriſt will never deny maintainance to his ſpouſe, it's a diſhonour for a husband to have the wife go whining up-and down; what, thou art macht with Chriſt & art his ſpouſe, and wilt thou murmur now and be diſcontented in thy ſpirit? You ſhall obſerve among thoſe that are newly matched, when there is diſcontent between the wife and the husband, their friends will ſhake their heads and ſay, they do not meet with that that they did expect, ye ſee ever ſince they were married together how the man looks, and the woman looks, they are not ſo chearly as they were wont to be, ſurely (ſay they) it is like to prove an ill match. But it's not ſo here, it ſhall not be ſo between thee and Chriſt: Oh Jeſus Chriſt doth not love to ſee his ſpouſe to have a lowring countenance: no man loves to ſee diſcontentment in the face of his wife, ſurely Chriſt doth not love to ſee diſcontentment in the face of his ſpouſe.
3 Thou ſtandeſt in relation to Chriſt not only as a ſpouſe, but as a member, Thou art bone of his bone, and fleſh of his fleſh; and to have a member of Jeſus Chriſt to be in ſuch a condition, it's exceeding unworthy.
4. He is thy Elder brother likewiſe, and ſo thou art a Co heir with him.
5 The relation that thou ſtandeſt in to the Spirit of God, thou art the Temple of the holy Ghoſt, the holy Ghoſt is thy Comforter, it is he that is appointed to convey all comfort from the Father and the Son, to the Souls of his people. And art thou the Temple of the holy Ghoſt, and doth he dwell in thee, and yet for all that thou murmur for every little matter.
6 The relation that thou ſtandeſt in to the Angels, thou art made one body with them: for ſo Chriſt hath joyned principalities and powers with his Church, they are Miniſtring Spirits for good to his people, to ſupply what they need, and thou, and they are joyned together, and Chriſt is the head of you and Angels.
7 The relation that you ſtand in to the Saints, you are of the ſame body with them, they and you make up but one myſtical body with Jeſus Chriſt, and if they be happy you muſt needs be happy; Oh how beneath a Chriſtian is a murmuring Spirit if he conſiders his relations in which he ſtands.
Secondly, A Chriſtian ſhould conſider, That murmuring and diſcontentedneſse is below the high dignities that God hath put upon him: Do but conſider the high dignitie that God hath put upon thee; the meaneſt Chriſtian in the world is a lord of heaven and earth; he hath made us Kings unto himſelfe, Kings unto God, not Kings unto men to rule over them, and yet I ſay every Chriſtian is lord of heaven and earth, yea of life and death. That is, as Chriſt he is Lord of all, ſo he hath made thoſe that are his members to be lords of all, all are yours ſaith the Apoſtle, even life and death, every thing is yours. It's a very ſtrange expreſſion that death ſhould be theirs, death is yours, that is, you are as it were lords over it, you have that that ſhall make death to be your ſervant, your ſlave, even death it's ſelf, your greateſt enemies are turned to be your ſlaves; faith makes a Chriſtian to be as lord over all, to be lifted up in excellency above all creatures that ever God made except the Angels, yea and in ſome reſpect above them, I ſay the pooreſt Chriſtian that lives is raiſed to an eſtate above all the creatures in the world except Angels, yea and above them in divers reſpects too, and yet diſcontented, that thou who wert as a firebrand of hell, and might have been ſcorching and yelling and roring there to all eternity, yet that God ſhould raiſe thee to have a higher excellency in thee than there is in all the works of creation that ever he made except Angels, and other Chriſtians that are in thy condition, yea and thou art neerer the Divine Nature than the Angels, becauſe thy nature is joyned in an hypoſtatical union to the Divine Nature, and in that reſpect thy nature is more honoured than the nature of the Angels. And the death of Chriſt is thine, he died for thee and not for the Angels, and therefore thou art like to be raiſed above the Angels in divers reſpects: yea thou that art in ſuch an eſtate as this is, thou that art ſet apart to the end that God might manifeſt to all eternity what the infinite power of a Deity is able to raiſe a creature too; for that's the condition of a Saint, a Beleever, his condition is ſuch as he is ſet apart to the end that God might manifeſt to all eternity what his infinite power is able to do to make the creature happy; art thou in ſuch a condition? Oh! how low and beneath this condition is a murmuring and diſcontented heart for want of ſome outward comforts here in this world: How unſeemly is it that thou ſhouldeſt be a ſlave to every croſſe, that every affliction ſhal be able to ſay to thy ſoul, bow down to us: We accounted that a great ſlavery, when men would ſay to our ſouls, bow down: As the cruel Prelats were wont to do in impoſing things upon mens conſciences, they did in effect ſay, let your conſciences, your ſouls bow down to us, that we may tread upon them; that is the greateſt ſlavery in the world, that one man ſhould ſay to another, let your conſciences, your ſouls bow down that we may tread upon them; but wilt thou ſuffer every affliction to ſay, bow down that we may tread upon thee? truly it's ſo, when thy heart is overcome with murmuring and diſcontent: Know that thoſe afflictions which have cauſed thee to murmur, have ſaid to thee, bow down that we may tread upon thee; nay, not afflictions, but the very Devil doth prevail againſt you in this: Oh! how beneath is this to the happy eſtate that God hath raiſed a Chriſtian unto! What! the ſon of a King, ſhal he have every baſe fellow to come and bid him bow down that he may tread upon his neck? thus doeſt thou in every affliction: the affliction, the croſs, and trouble that doth befal thee, ſaith bow down that we come and tread upon thee.
Thirdly, Murmuring it's below the Spirit of a Chriſtian. Below his Spirit, the Spirit of every Chriſtian ſhould be like the Spirit of his Father; every father loves to ſee his ſpirit in his child, loves to ſee his image, not the image of his body only, to ſay, here's a child for all the world like the father, but he hath the ſpirit of his father too: a father that is a man of ſpirit, loves to ſee his ſpirit in his child, rather than the feature of his body; Oh the Lord that is our Father, loves to ſee his Spirit in us: Great men love to ſee great ſpirits in their Children, and the great God loves to ſee a great Spirit in his Children; we are one Spirit with God, and with Chriſt, and one Spirit with the Holy-Ghoſt, therefore we ſhould have a Spirit that might manifeſt the glory of the Father, Son, & holy-Ghoſt in our Spirits; that's the ſpirit of a Chriſtian indeed. The ſpirit of a Chriſtian ſhould be a lyon-like Spirit, as Jeſus Chriſt is the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah, (ſo he is cal'd) ſo we ſhould manifeſt ſomewhat of the Lyon-like Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt; he manifeſted his Lyon-like Spirit in paſſing through all afflictions and troubles whatſoever without any murmuring againſt God: When he came to drink that bitter cup, and even the dregs of it, he prayed to God (indeed) that if it were poſſible it might paſſe from him, but preſently, not my will, but thy will be done: As ſoon as ever he did mention the paſſing of the cup from him, (though it were the moſt dreadful cup that ever was drunk ſince the world began, yet at the mentioning of it) not my will, but thy will be done; here Chriſt ſhewed a Lyon-like Spirit in going through all kind of afflictions whatſoever with out any murmuring againſt God in them: now a murmuring ſpirit is a baſe dejected ſpirit, croſſe and contrary to the Spirit of a Chriſtian, and it's very baſe. I remember that the Heathens accounted it very baſe, Plutarch doth report of a certain people that did uſe to manifeſt their diſdain to men that were overmuch dejected by any affliction, they did condemn them to this puniſhment, to wear womens cloaths all their daies, or ſuch a ſpace of time at leaſt they ſhould go in womans cloaths in token of ſhame and diſgrace to them becauſe they had ſuch effeminate ſpirits, they thought it againſt a manlike ſpirit, and therefore ſeeing they did un-man themſelves they ſhould go as women, now ſhall they account it an unmanlike ſpirit, to be overmuch dejected in afflictions; and ſhall not a Chriſtian account it an unchriſtian-like ſpirit to be overmuch dejected by any affliction whatſoever? I remember another compares murmuring ſpirits, to children when they are weaning, what a deal of ſtir have you with your children when you wean them, how froward and vexing are they? So when God would wean thee from ſome outward comforts in this world, Oh how fretting and diſcontented art thou! Children will not ſleep themſelves, nor let their mothers ſleep when they are weaning; and ſo when God would wean us from the world, and we fret, vex, and murmur, this is a childiſh ſpirit.
Fourthly, It's below the profeſſion of a Chriſtian. The profeſſion of a Chriſtian, what's that? A Chriſtians profeſſion is to be dead to the world, and to be alive to God, that's his profeſſion, to have his life to be hid with Chriſt in God, to ſatisfie himſelf in God; what is this thy profeſſion? and yet if thou haſt not every thing that thou wouldeſt have to murmur and be diſcontent, thou doeſt in that even deny thy profeſſion.
Fiftly, It is below that ſpecial Grace of faith. Faith is that that doth overcome the world, it is that that makes all the promiſes of God to be ours: Now when thou tookeſt upon thee the profeſſion of Religion, did God ever promiſe thee that thou ſhouldeſt live at eaſe, and quiet, and have no trouble? I remember Auſtin hath ſuch an expreſſion, What is this thy faith? what did I ever promiſe thee, (ſaith he) that thou ſhouldeſt ever flouriſh in the world? art thou a Chriſtian to that end? and is this thy faith? I never made any ſuch promiſe to thee when thou tookeſt upon thee to be a Chriſtian: Oh it's mighty contrary to thy profeſſion, thou haſt never a promiſe for this, that thou ſhouldeſt not have ſuch an affliction upon thee: And a Chriſtian ſhould live by his faith; it is ſaid, that the juſt do live by faith; now thou ſhouldeſt not look after any other life but the life that thou haſt by faith; now thou haſt no ground for thy faith, to beleeve that thou ſhouldeſt be delivered out of ſuch an affliction; and then, why ſhouldeſt thou account it ſuch a great evil to be under ſuch an affliction? Certainly that good that we have in the ground for our faith, it is enough to content our hearts here, and to all eternity: A Chriſtian ſhould be ſatisfied with that that God hath made to be the object of his faith, the object of his faith is high enough to ſatisfie his ſoul, were it capable of a thouſand times more than it is: Now if thou mayeſt have the object of thy faith full, thou haſt enough to content thy ſoul: And know that when thou art diſcontented for want of ſuch and ſuch comforts, if thou wouldeſt but think thus, God did never promiſe me that I ſhould have theſe Comforts, and at this time, and in ſuch a way as I would have, but I am diſcontented becauſe I have not theſe which God did never yet promiſe me, and therefore I ſin much againſt the Goſpel, and againſt the grace of faith.
There is yet another thing, It's below the hopes of Chriſtians: Oh! the moſt glorious things that the Saints hope for.
And againſt the helps that Chriſtians have, Chriſtians have great helps that may help them againſt murmuring.
And it is againſt that which God expects from Chriſtians. God he expects other manner of things from them than this.
Yea, and it is below that that God hath from other Chriſtians. Theſe things I ſhall open at another time.