The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, Sermon 1 · Sermon 8
SERMON VIII.
PHILIPPIANS. 4.1.
For I have learned in whatſoever ſtate I am, therewith to be content.
Sept. 21. 1645.I Mentioned divers things the laſt day to ſet out the evil of diſcontent; I ſhall name Two or Three more.
Sixthly, It is below a Chriſtian in this, Becauſe it's below thoſe helps that a Chriſtian hath more than others have; they have the promiſes to help them that others have not; it's not ſo much to have a Nabal have his heart ſink, becauſe he hath nothing but the creature to uphold him, but it's much for a Chriſtian that hath promiſes and ordinances to uphold his ſpirit which others have not.
Seventhly, It's below the expectation that God hath of Chriſtians, for God expects not only that they ſhould be patient in afflictions, but that they ſhould rejoyce and triumph in them: now Chriſtians, when God expects this from you, for you not ſo much as to have attained to contentedneſſe under afflictions, Oh this is beneath the expectation of God from you.
Eightly, It is below that that God hath had from other Chriſtians. Others have not only bin contented with little croſſes, but they have Triumphed under great afflictions, they have ſuffered the ſpoiling of their goods with joy, reade but the latter part of the 11. of the Hebrews, and you ſhall find what great things God hath had from his people, and therefore not to be content with ſmaler croſſes, this muſt needs be a great evil.
The Sixth evil that there is in a murmuring ſpirit, is this, By murmuring you undo your prayers, for it is exceeding contrary to the prayers that you make unto God: When you come to prayer to God, you acknowledge his Sovereignity over you, you come there to profeſſe your ſelves to be at Gods diſpoſe, what do you pray for except you acknowledge that you are at his diſpoſe, except you will ſtand (as it were) at his diſpoſe never come to petition to him, if you will come to petition him, and yet will be your own carver you go croſſe to your prayers, to come as if you would beg your bread at your Fathers gates every day, and yet you muſt do what you liſt, this is the undoing of the prayers of a Chriſtian. I remember I have read of Lattimer that ſpeaking concerning Peter that denyed his maſter, (ſaith he) Peter forgot his Pater-noſter, for that was, hallowed be thy name, and thy kingdom come: So we may ſay, when you have murmuring and diſcontented hearts you forget your prayers, you forget what you have prayed for, for you muſt make the Lords-prayer to be as a pattern for your prayers though you ſay not alwaies the ſame words, what do you pray, but give us this day our dayly bread? for that's Chriſts intention that we ſhould have that as a pattern, and is a directory (as it were) how to make our prayers, now God doth not teach any of you to pray, Lord give me ſo much a yeer, or let me have ſuch kind of cloath, and ſo many diſhes at my table, Chriſt doth not teach you to pray ſo; but he teaches us to pray, Lord give us our bread, ſhewing that you ſhould be content with a little, what have you not bread to eat? I hope there's none of you here but have that.
Obj. But I do not know if I ſhould die what ſhould become of my children: Or if I have bread now I know not where I ſhall have it the next week, or where I ſhall have proviſion for the winter.
Anſw. Where did Chriſt teach us to pray, Lord give us proviſion for ſo long a time; no, but if we have bread for this day Chriſt would have us content: Therefore when we murmur becauſe we have not ſo much variety as others have, we do (as it were) forget our Pater-noſter; It's againſt our prayers, we do not in our lives hold forth the acknowledgement of the Sovereignity of God over us as we ſeem to acknowledg in our prayers; therefore when at any time you find your hearts murmuring then do but reflect upon your ſelves and think thus, is this according to my prayers, wherein I held forth the Sovereign Power and Authority that God had over me?
The Seventh thing that I adde for the evil of diſcontentment, is, The wofull effects that comes to a diſcontented heart from murmuring, I'le name you five, there are five evil effects that comes from a murmuring ſpirit.
1 By murmuring and diſcontent in your hearts, you come to looſe a great deal of time; how many times do men and women when they are diſcontented let their thoughts run, and are muſing and contriving through their preſent diſcontentedneſſe; then let their diſcontented thoughts be working in them, for ſome hours together, and they ſpend their time in vain. When you are alone you ſhould ſpend your time in holy meditation, but you are ſpending your time in diſcontented thoughts; you who complain that you cannot meditate, you cannot think on good things, but if you begin to think of them a little, preſently your thoughts are off from them, but if you be diſcontented with any thing, then you can go alone, and muſe, and roul things up and down in your thoughts to feed a diſcontented humour: Oh labour to ſee this evil effect of murmuring, the loſing of your time.
2. It doth unfit you for duty: A man or woman that is in a contented frame, you may turn ſuch a one to any thing at any time, he is fit for to go to God at any time; but when one is in a diſcontented condition, then a man or woman is exceeding unfit for the ſervice of God. And it cauſes many diſtractions in duty, it unfits for duty, and when you come to perform duties, Oh the diſtractions that are in your duties, when your ſpirits are diſcontented; when you hear of any ill news from Sea and cannot bear it, or of any ill from a friend, or any loſſe or croſſe, Oh what diſtractions do they cauſe in the performance of holy duties! When you ſhould be in enjoying communion with God, you are diſtracted in your thoughts about the croſſe that hath befallen you, whereas had you but a quiet ſpirit, though there ſhould great croſſes befal you, yet they would never hinder you in the performance of any duty.
3 Conſider what wicked riſings of heart, & reſolutions of ſpirit there are many times in a diſcontented fit. In ſome diſcontented fits the heart riſes againſt God, and againſt others, and ſometimes hath even deſperate reſolutions what to do to help themſelves. If the Lord ſhould have ſuffered you to have done, (ſometimes in a diſcontented fit) what you had thought to do, what wonderfull miſery had you brought upon your ſelves! Oh it was a mercy of God that did ſtop you, had not God ſtopt you, but let you go on when you thought to help your ſelves this way and the other way, Oh it had been ill with you, do you but remember thoſe riſings of heart and wicked reſolutions that ſometimes you have had in a diſcontented mood, and learn to be humbled upon that.
4 Ʋnthankefulneſſe, that's an evil and a wicked effect that comes from diſcontent. Unthankfulneſſe the Scripture doth ranke among very great ſins. For men and women that are diſcontent though they enjoy many mercies from God, yet they are thankfull for none of them, for this is the vile nature of diſcontentment, to leſſen every mercy of God, to make thoſe mercies they have from God to be as nothing to them, becauſe they have not what they would have. Sometimes it's ſo even in ſpiritual things, if they have not all they would have, the comforts that they would have, then what they have is nothing to them, do you think that God will take this well? If you ſhould give a friend, a kinſman, a purſe of money to go and trade withal, and he ſhould come and ſay, what do you give me? they are but a few counters, they wil do me no good: you cannot bear this at his hand if he ſhould do ſo, becauſe he hath not as much money as he would: So for you to be ready to ſay, All that God hath given me is nothing worth, will do me no good, they are but counters; though they are the precious Graces of Gods Spirit that are more worth than thouſands of worlds, yet for you to ſay, they are nothing, they are but common gifts, and all is but in hypocriſie, all counterfeit, Oh! what an unthankful thing is this! the graces of Gods Spirit are nothing to a diſcontented heart that hath not all that it would have; and ſo for outward bleſſings, though God hath given you health of body, and ſtrength, and hath given you ſome competency for your family, ſome way of lively-hood, yet becauſe you are diſappointed in ſomwhat that you would have therefore all is nothing unto you; Oh! what unthankfulneſſe is here? God expects that every day you ſhould ſpend ſome time in bleſſing his Name for what mercy he hath granted unto you, there's not any one of you who are in the loweſt condition but you have abundance of mercies to bleſſe God for, but diſcontentedneſſe makes them nothing. It's an excellent ſpeech that I remember Luther hath, (ſaith he) This is the Rhetorick of the Spirit of God, (it's a very fine ſpeech of his) to extenuate evil things, and to amplyfie good things; if there fals out a croſſe, to make the croſſe to be but little, but if there be a mercy to make the mercy to be great; as thus, If there be a croſs, if the Spirit of God prevails in the heart, ſuch a man or woman will wonder that it is no greater, and will bleſſe God that though there be ſuch a croſſe, yet that it is no more; that's the work of the Spirit of God; and if there be a mercy, wonders at Gods goodneſſe that God granted ſo great a mercy: The Spirit of God extenuates evils and croſſes, and doth magnifie and amplifie all mercies, and makes all mercies ſeem to be great, and all afflictions ſeem to be little. But (ſaith he) the Devil goes quite contrary, the Rhetorick of the Devil is quite otherwiſe, he doth leſſen Gods mercies, and amplifie evill things, as thus, A godly man wonders at his croſſe that it is no more, a wicked man wonders his croſſe is ſo much, Oh (ſaith he) none was ever ſo afflicted as I am! If there be a croſſe, the Devil puts the ſoul upon muſing on it, and making it greater than it is, and ſo it brings diſcontent: And then on the other ſide, if there be a mercy, then it's the Rhetorick of the Devil to leſſen the mercy, I indeed (ſaith he) the thing is a good thing, but what is it, it is no great matter, and for all this I may be miſerable. Thus the Rhetorick of Satan doth leſſen Gods mercies, and doth increaſe afflictions: And for this I'le give you a notable example that we have in Scripture, it is the example of Korah, Dathan & Abiram, In Numb. 16.12, 13. And Moſes ſent to call Dathan, & Abiram the ſons of Eliab: which ſaid, we will not come up: Is it a ſmal thing that thou haſt brought us up out of a Land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderneſs, except thou make thy ſelf altogether a Prince over us? Mark, they ſlighted the land that they were going unto, the Land of Canaan, that was the Land that God promiſed them that ſhould flow with milk and honey: But mark here their diſcontentedneſſe, becauſe they met with ſome troubles in the wilderneſſe, Oh it was to ſlay them, they made their affliction in the wilderneſs to be greater than it was, Oh it was to kill them, though it were indeed to carry them to the Land of Canaan. But now their deliverance from Egypt though it was a great mercy, they made that mercy to be nothing, for ſay they, you have brought us out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, what land was that? It was the Land of Egypt, the Land of their bondage, but they call it a Land that flowed with milk and honey, though it were the land of their moſt cruel and unſupportable bondage; whereas they ſhould have bleſſed God as long as they had liv'd for Gods delivering them out of the land of Egypt, yet meeting with ſome croſſe they make their deliverance from Egypt no merciemercy, no, it was rather a miſerie to them, Oh (ſay they) Egypt was a land that flowed with milk and honey. Oh what baſeneſſe is there in a diſcontented ſpirit! a diſcontented ſpirit out of envie to Gods grace will make mercies that are great to be little, yea to be none at all. Would one ever have thought that ſuch a word ſhould have come from the mouth of an Iſraelite that had been under bondage and cried under it, and yet when they meet with a little croſſe in their way to ſay, you have brought us out of the Land that floweth with milk and honey, to ſay they were better before than now, and yet before they could not be contented neither; this is the uſual unthankful expreſſion of a diſcontented heart: And it is ſo with us now when we meet with any croſſe in our eſtates, any taxations and trouble, eſpecially if any among you have been where the enemy hath prevailed, you are ready to ſay, we had plenty before and we are now brought to a condition of hardſhip, we were better before when we had the Prelats and others to domineer: and ſo we indanger our ſelves to be brought into that bondage again; Oh let us take heed of this, of a diſcontented heart, there is this wofull curſed fruit of diſcontent to make men and women unthankful for all the mercies God hath granted to them, and this is a ſore and grievous evil.
And laſtly, There's this evil effect in murmuring, It cauſes ſhifttings of ſpirit: they that murmur and are diſcontent, are lyable to temptations, to ſhift for themſelves in ſinful and ungodly waies, diſcontent is the ground of ſhifting courſes and unlawful waies. How many of you may have your conſciences condemn you of this, that you in the time of your afflictions have fought to ſhift for your ſelves by waies that have been ſinful againſt God, and your diſcontent was the bottom and ground of it? If you would avoid ſhiftings for your ſelves by wicked waies, labour to mortifie this ſin of diſcontent, to mortifie it at the root.
The Eight evil that there is in murmuring and diſcontent is this, There is a great deal of folly, extream folly in a diſcontented heart, it's a fooliſh ſin. I ſhall open the folly of it in many particulars.
1 It takes away the preſent comfort of what you have, becauſe you have not ſomwhat that you would have. What a fooliſh thing is this, that becauſe I have not what I would have, I will not injoy the comfort of what I have? Do not you account this folly in your children, you give them ſome victuals and they are not contented, perhaps (they ſay) it's not enough, they cry for more, and if you do not preſently give them more they will throw away that they have, and though you account that folly in your children, yet you deal thus with God; God gives you many mercies, but you ſee others have more mercies than you and therefore you cry for more; I but God gives you not what you would have and upon that you throw away what you have, is not this follie in your hearts? It is unthankfulneſſe.
2 There's a great deal of follie in diſcontentment, for by all your diſcontent you cannot help your ſelves, you cannot get anie thing by it. Who can by taking anie carking care adde one cubit to his ſtature, or make one hair that is white to be black? You may vex and trouble your ſelves, but you can get nothing by it. Do you think that the Lord will come in a way of merciemercy ever a whit the ſooner becauſe of the murmuring of your ſpirits, Oh no, but merciemercy will be rather deferred the longer for it, though the Lord were before in a way of merciemercy, yet this diſtemper of your hearts were enough to put him out of his courſe of merciemercy, and though he had thoughts that you ſhould have the thing before, yet now you ſhall not have it. If you had a mind to give ſuch a thing to your child, yet if you ſee him in a diſcontented fretting way you will not give it him; and this is the verie reaſon why there are ſo manie mercies denied to you, becauſe of your diſcontentment, you are diſcontented for want of them, and therefore you have them not, you do deprive your ſelves of the enjoyment of your own deſires becauſe of the diſcontentment of your hearts, becauſe you have not your deſires, and is not this a fooliſh thing?
3 There's a great deal of folly in this, there are many fooliſh carriages commonly that a diſcontented heart is guilty of: They carry themſelves fooliſhly towards God and towards men, there are ſuch expreſſions, and ſuch kind of behaviour comes from them, as makes their friends to be aſhamed of them manie times, their carriages are ſo unſeemlie, they are a ſhame to themſelves & their friends.
4 There is a great deal of folly in diſcontent and murmuring; for it doth eat out the good and ſweetneſſe of a mercy before it comes. If God ſhould give a merciemercy that we are diſcontented for the want of, yet the bleſſing of the merciemercy is as it were eaten out before we come to have it. Diſcontent is like a worm that eats the meat out of the nut, and then when the meat is eaten out of it, then you ſhall have the ſhell. If a child ſhould crie for a nut that hath the meat eaten out, or all worm-eaten, what good would the child have by having the nut; ſo ſuch an outward comfort you would fain have and you are troubled for the want of it, but the verie trouble of your ſpirits is the worm that eats out the bleſſing of the mercy, and then perhaps God gives it you, but gives you it with a curſe mixed with it that you were better not have it than have it. That man or woman that is diſcontented for want of ſome good thing, if God doth give that good thing to them before they be humbled for their diſcontent that did proceed from them, ſuch a man or woman can have no comfort of the merciemercy, but it will be rather an evil than a good to them: And therefore for my part if I ſhould have a friend or brother or one that were as deer to me as my own ſoul, that I ſhould ſee diſcontented for the want of ſuch a comfort, I ſhould rather pray, Lord keep this thing from them, til thou wilt be pleaſed to humble their hearts for their diſcontent, let not them have the merciemercy til they come to be humbled for their diſcontent for the want of it, for if they have it before that time they will have it without any bleſſing: And therefore it ſhould be your care when you find your hearts diſcontented for want of any thing, to be humbled for it, thinking thus with your ſelves, Lord if that that I do ſo immoderatly deſire ſhould come to me before I be humbled for my diſcontent for want of it, I am certain I can have no comfort of it, but I ſhall rather have it as an affliction to me. Many things which you deſire as your lives, and think that you ſhould be happy if you had them, yet when they do come you find not ſuch happineſſe in them, but they prove to be the greateſt croſſes and afflictions to you that ever you had, and upon this ground, becauſe your hearts were immoderatly ſet upon them before you had them. As it was with Rachel, ſhe muſt have children or elſe ſhe died, well ſaith God ſeeing you muſt, you ſhal have them, but though ſhe had a child ſhe died according to what ſhe ſaid, Give me children or elſe I die. So in regard of any other outward comforts, people may have the thing, but often times they have it ſo as it proves the heavieſt croſſe to them that ever they had in all their lives, ſuch a child as you were diſcontent for the want of it, it may be it was ſick, and your hearts were out of temper for fear that you ſhould loſe it, and God reſtores it, but he reſtores it ſo as he makes it a croſs to your heart all the daies of your lives. One obſerves concerning Manna, when the people were contented with their allowance that God allowed them, then it was verie good, but when they would not be content with Gods allowance, but would gather more than God would have them; then (ſaith the text) there was worms in it: So when we are content with our conditions, and that that God diſpoſes of us to be in, there's a bleſſing in it, then it's ſweet to us, but if we muſt needs have more, and keep it longer than God would have us to have it, then there will be worms in it and no good at all.
5. There's a great deal of folly in diſcontentedneſs, for it makes our afflictions a great deal worſe than otherwiſe it would be; it no way removes our affliction, nay, while they do continue they are a great deal the worſe and heaviour, for a diſcontented heart is a proud heart, and a proud heart wil not pul down his ſails when there comes a tempeſt and ſtorme: If a Marriner when a tempeſt and ſtorme comes ſhould be froward and would not pull down his ſails, but is diſcontented with the ſtorm, is his condition the better becauſe he is diſcontented and will not pull down his ſails? Will this help him? Juſt ſo is it for all the world with a diſcontented heart, a diſcontented heart is a proud heart, and he out of his pride is troubled with his affliction, and is not contented with Gods diſpoſe, and ſo he will not pull down his ſpirit at all, and make it bow to God in this condition in which God hath brought him; now is his condition the better becauſe he will not pull down his ſpirit? no certainly abundantly worſe, a thouſand to one but the tempeſt and ſtorm over-whelms his ſoul. And thus you ſee what a great deal of folly there is in the ſinne of diſcontentment.
The Ninth Evil of murmuring and diſcontentment is this, There is a mighty deal of danger in the ſin of diſcontentment, for it exceedingly provoketh the wrath of God; it's a ſin that doth much provoke God againſt his creature; we find moſt ſad expreſſions in Scripture (and examples too) how God hath been provoked againſt many for their diſcontent; in Numb. 14. you have a notable text, and one would think that that were enough for ever to make you fear murmuring, in the 26. verſe, it is ſaid, The Lord ſpake unto Moſes and unto Aaron ſaying, what did he ſay? How long ſhall I bear with this evill Congregation which murmur againſt me? How long ſhall I bear with them ſaith God, This evil congregation; Oh it's an evil congregation that murmur againſt me! And how long ſhall I bear with them? they do murmur, and they have murmured: as thoſe that have murmuring ſpirits, and murmuring diſpoſitions, they wil murmur again, and again, How long ſhall I hear with this evil congregation that murmur againſt me? How juſtly may God ſpeak this of many of you that are this morning before the Lord, How long ſhall I bear with this wicked man or woman that doth murmur againſt me, and hath uſually in the courſe of their lives murmured againſt me when any thing falls out otherwiſe than they would have it? And mark what follows after, I have heard the murmurings of the Children of Iſrael: You murmur, it may be others hear you not, nay it may be you ſpeak not at all, or but half-words, yet God hears the language of your murmuring hearts, and thoſe muttering ſpeeches, and thoſe half-words that comes from you. And obſerve further in this verſe, how the Lord repeats this ſin of murmuring, How long ſhall I bear with this evill congregation which murmur againſt me? Secondly, I have heard their murmuring, Thirdly, which they murmur againſt me: Murmur, murmur, murmur, Three times in one verſe he repeats it; and this is to ſhew his indignation againſt the thing: When you expreſſe indignation againſt a thing, you will repeat it over again, and again: now the Lord becauſe he would expreſs his indignation againſt this ſin, he repeats it over again, and again, and it follows in the 28. verſ. Say unto them, as truly as I live ſaith the Lord, as ye have ſpoken in mine ears, ſo will I do to you. Mark, God ſwears againſt a murmurer; ſometimes in your diſcontent you will be ready to ſwear (it may be,) do you ſwear in your diſcontent? So doth God ſwear againſt you for your diſcontent. And what was it that God would do unto them? verſe, 29, 30. Doubtleſs your carkeiſes ſhall fall in the wilderneſs, and you ſhall not come into the land concerning which I ſwear, to make you dwel therein: as if God ſhould ſay, if I have any life in me, your lives ſhall go for it, as I live it ſhall coſt you your lives. A diſcontented murmuring fit of yours may coſt you your lives. You ſee how it provokes God, there is more evil in it than you are aware of, it may coſt you your lives, and therefore look to your ſelves, and learn to be humbled at the very beginnings of ſuch diſtempers in the heart. So in Pſal. 106.24, 25. Yea they deſpiſed the pleaſant Land, they beleeved not his word; But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord; therefore be lifted up his hand againſt them to overthrow them in the wilderneſſe. Here are divers things obſervable in this Scripture.
Firſt, That which we ſpoke to before, How a murmuring heart doth ſlight Gods mercies, ſo it is here, They deſpiſed the pleaſant land: and that a murmuring heart is contrary to faith, they beleeved not his word, but (ſaith the text) they murmured in their tents, and hearkened not to the voice of the Lord. Many men and women will hearken to the voice of their own baſe murmuring hearts, that will not hearken to the voice of the Lord; if you would hearken to the voice of the Lord there would not be ſuch murmuring as there is: But mark what follows upon it, you may not think to pleaſe your ſelves in your murmuring diſcontentedneſſe, and think that no evil ſhall come of it; Therefore he lifted up his hand againſt them to overthrow them: you that are diſcontented, you lift up your hearts againſt God, and you cauſe God to lift up his hand againſt you; perhaps God laies his finger upon you ſoftly in ſome afflictions that are upon you, in your families or elſe where, and you cannot bear the hand of God that lies upon you as tenderly as a tender-hearted nurſe that laies her hand upon the child, you cannot bear the tender hand of God that is upon you in a leſſer affliction; it were juſt with God to lift up his hand againſt you in another manner of affliction; Oh a murmuring ſpirit provokes God exceedingly. There is another place in 16. of Num. compare the 41. verſe, and the 46. verſ. together, But on the morrow all the Congregation of the Children of Iſrael murmured againſt Moſes and againſt Aaron, ſaying, Ye have killed the people of the Lord: and mark in the 46. verſe, And Moſes ſaid unto Aaron, Take a Cenſer and put fire therein, from off the Altar, and put on incenſe, and go quickly unto the Congregation and make an attonement for them, for there is wrath gone out from the Lord, the plague is begun; mark how Gods wrath is kindled; in the 41. verſe, the Congregation had murmured; and they murmured but againſt Moſes and Aaron, (perhaps you murmur more directly againſt God) and that was againſt God in murmuring againſt Gods Miniſters, it was againſt God but not ſo directly; but it may be the murmuring of your hearts is more directly againſt Gods dealings with you, if you murmur againſt thoſe that God makes inſtruments, (becauſe you have not every thing that you would have) as againſt the Parliament, or ſuch and ſuch that are publique inſtruments, it's againſt God; it was but againſt Moſes and Aaron that the Iſraelites murmured, and they ſaid that Moſes and Aaron had killed the people of the Lord, though it was the hand of God that was upon them for their former wickedneſſe, in murmuring. It is uſual for wicked vile hearts to deal thus with God, that when Gods hand is a little upon them for to murmur again and again, and ſo to bring upon themſelves even infinite kind of evils; but now the anger of God was quickly kindled, Oh ſaith Moſes, Go, take the Cenſer quickly for wrath is gone out from Jehovah, the plague is begun: ſo while you are murmuring in your families, the wrath of God may quickly go out againſt you, quickly, in a morning or evening, when you are murmuring, the wrath of God may come quickly out upon your families or perſons, you are never ſo prepared for preſent wrath as when you are in a murmuring diſcontented fit, thoſe that ſtand by and ſee you in a murmuring diſcontented fit, have cauſe to ſay, Oh let us go and take the cenſer, let us go to prayer, for we are afraid that wrath is gone out againſt this familie, againſt this perſon: And it were a verie good thing for thee that art a godly wife when you ſee your husband come home and fall to murmuring becauſe things go not according to his deſire, to go to prayer, and ſay, Lord perdon the ſin of my husband; and ſo for the husband to go to God in prayer falling down and beſeeching of him that wrath may not come out againſt his familie for the murmuring of his wife. And the truth is, at this day there hath been (at leaſt lately) as much murmuring in England as ever was, and even in this very particular the plague is begun, and this very judgment it doth come many times upon murmuring upon thoſe that are ſo diſcontented in their families and are alwaies grumbling and murmuring at any thing that fals out amiſſe, (I ſay) this text of Scripture in Numbers doth cleerly hold forth this, that the Lord brings the plague upon men for this ſin of murmuring, he doth it in kingdomes and families, and upon particular perſons. Though we cannot alwaies point out the particular ſin that God brings this for, yet this ſhould be examined how far we are guilty of the ſin of murmuring; becauſe the Scripture holds forth this ſo cleerly, that Moſes when he did but hear that they murmured, Do they murmur? (ſaith he) Go forth quickly, and ſeek to paſſifie the anger of God, for wrath is gone out, and the plague is begun. And in 1 Cor. 10.10. there you have an notable example of Gods heavie diſpleaſure againſt murmuring, Neither murmur ye as ſome of them alſo murmured, and were deſtroyed of the deſtroyer. Take heed of murmuring as ſome of them did, (he ſpeaks of the people of Iſrael in the wilderneſſe,) but ſaith he, what came of it? They were deſtroyed of the deſtroyer. Now the deſtroyer is thought to be the fiery-ſerpents that were ſent among them: They murmured, and God ſent fiery ſerpents to ſting them. What do you think that ſuch a croſs and affliction doth ſting you? perhaps ſuch an affliction is upon you, and it ſeems to be grievous for the preſent, what? do you murmur and repine? God hath greater croſſes to bring upon you: Thoſe people that murmur for the want of outward comforts, for want of water, (ſometimes) and for the want of bread, they murmur, but the Lord ſends fiery-ſerpents among them. I may ſay to a murmuring heart, Wo to thee that ſtriveſt with thy Maker: wo to that man, that woman that ſtrives againſt their Maker; what doeſt thou elſe, but ſtrive againſt thy Maker? Thy Maker hath the abſolute diſpoſe of thee, and wilt thou ſtrive againſt thy Maker? What doth this murmuring diſcontented heart of thine do otherwiſe but wrangle and contind and ſtrive even with God himſelf? Oh wo to him that ſtrives againſt his Maker! I may further ſay to thee, as Gods ſpeaks to Job: Job, 38.1, 2. when Job was impatient, Now God ſpake (ſaith the text) out of the whirlwind, and ſaid, Who is this that darkneth counſel by words without knowledge? So, doeſt thou ſpeak againſt Gods waies, and his providences that hath fallen out concerning thy eſtate and outward comforts? who is this? Who is this that darkneth counſel by words without knowledge? Where's that man or woman whoſe hearts are ſo bold and impudent, as dares ſpeak againſt the adminiſtration of Gods providence?
The Tenth Evil of murmuring and diſcontent is this, There's a great curſe of God upon it, ſo far as it doth prevail in one that is wicked it hath the curſe of God upon it. In Pſal. 59.15. ſee there what the curſe of God is upon wicked and ungodly men, Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not ſatisfied. That is the imprecation and curſe upon wicked and ungodly men, that if they be not ſatisfied they ſhall grudge; when thou art not ſatisfied in thy deſires and findeſt thy heart grudging againſt God, apply this Scripture, What, is the curſe of the wicked upon me? This is the curſe that is threatned upon wicked and ungodly ones, That they ſhall grudge if they be not ſatisfied. And in Deut. 28.27. There it's threatned as a curſe of God upon men, that they cannot be content with their preſent condition, But they ſhall ſay in the morning, would God it were even; and at even, would God it were morning; and ſo they lie toſſing up and down and cannot be content with any condition that they are in, becauſe of the ſore afflictions that be upon them; and therefore it is further threatned as a curſe upon them, in the 34. verſe, That they ſhould be mad for the ſight of their eyes which they ſhould ſee: This is but the extremity of their diſcontentedneſſe; that is, they ſhall be ſo diſcontented, as they ſhall be even mad: Many men and women in diſcontented moods are mad kind of people, and though you may pleaſe your ſelves in ſuch a mad kind of behaviour, yet know, that it is a curſe of God upon men to be given up to a kind of madneſs for evils that they ſuppoſe are upon them, and that they fear. In the 47. verſe, there is a notable expreſſion for to ſhew the curſe of God upon murmuring hearts; the Lord threatning the curſes that ſhall be upon them, (ſaith he) verſe 45, 46, & 47. The Curſe ſhall purſue thee, and they ſhall be upon thee for a ſign, and for a wonder, and upon thy ſeed for ever: Becauſe thou ſervedſt not the Lord thy God with joyfulneſs, and with gladneſs of heart, for the abundance of all things. God here threatens to bring his curſe ſo upon them, as to make them a wonder and a ſign to others, why? Becauſe they ſerved not the Lord with joyfulneſs of heart, (that may be added to that of the wrath of God upon men) therefore God would bring ſuch a curſe upon them as would make them a wonder to all that were about them; Oh how far art thou then that haſt a murmuring heart, from ſerving the Lord with joyfulneſſe?
The Eleventh evill of diſcontent and murmuring is this. There is much of the ſpirit of Satan in a murmuring ſpirit. The Devil is the moſt diſcontented creature that is in the world: He is the proudeſt creature that is, and the diſcontentedſt creature; and the moſt dejected creature. Now therefore ſo much diſcontentment as thou haſt, ſo much of the ſpirit of Satan thou haſt. It was the unclean ſpirit that went up and down and found no reſt; ſo when a man or womans ſpirit hath no reſt, it is a ſign that it hath much of the unclean ſpirit, of the ſpirit of Satan, and thou ſhouldeſt think thus with thy ſelf, Oh Lord what have I the ſpirit of Satan upon me? It is Satan that is the moſt diſcontented ſpirit that is, and Oh! how much of his ſpirit have I upon me that can find no reſt at all?
Twelfthly, Murmuring and diſcontent hath this evil in it, There is an abſolute neceſſity that thou ſhouldeſt have diſquiet all the daies of thy life. As if a man that is in a great croud ſhould complain that other folks touch him; While we are in this world God hath ſo ordred things that afflictions muſt befal us, and if we will complain and be diſcontented upon every croſſe and affliction, why we muſt complain and be diſcontent all the daies of our lives, yea God in juſt judgment will let things fall out on purpoſe to vex thoſe that have vexing ſpirits, and diſcontented hearts, and therefore there is a neceſſitie that they ſhould live diſquiet all their daies: and men will not much care to diſquiet thoſe that are continually murmuring, Oh they will have diſquiet all their daies.
Laſtly, there's this dreadful evil in diſcontent and murmuring, God may juſtly withdraw his care off you, and his protection over you, ſeeing God cannot pleaſe you in his adminiſtrations. We uſe to ſay ſo to diſcontented ſervants; nay, if you be not pleaſed mend your ſelves when you will. If you have a ſervant not content with his diet and wages, and work, you ſay, mend your ſelves; ſo may God juſtly ſay to us, we that profeſſe our ſelves ſervants to him, to be in his work, and yet are diſcontented with this thing or that in Gods family, God might juſtly ſay, mend your ſelves. What if God ſhould ſay to any of you, If my care over you do not pleaſe you, then take care of your ſelves, if my protection over you will not pleaſe you, then protect your ſelves: Now all things that do befall you, befall you through a providence of God, and if you be thoſe that belong to God there is a protection of God over you, and a care of God. Now if God ſhould ſay, Well, you ſhall not have the benefit of my protection anie longer, and I will take no further care of you: would not this be a moſt dreadful judgment of God from Heaven upon you? Take heed what you do then in being diſcontent with Gods will towards you, and indeed upon diſcontent this may befal you. And this is the reaſon why manie people though Gods protection hath bin verie gracious over them for a time, and they have thriven abundantly, yet afterwards almoſt all that behold them may ſay that they live as if God had caſt off his care over them, and as if God did not care what befell them. Now then my brethren, put all theſe together, all that we were ſpeaking of the laſt day, and theſe particulars that have been added now this morning for the ſetting out of a murmuring and diſcontented ſpirit, Oh what an ugly face hath this ſin of murmuring, and diſcontentedneſſe, Oh what cauſe is there that we ſhould lay our hands upon our hearts, and go away and be humbled before the Lord becauſe of this! whereas your thoughts were wont to be exerciſed about providing for your ſelves, and getting more comforts to your ſelves, let the ſtream of your thoughts now be turned to humble your ſelves for your diſcontentedneſſe, Oh that you may have your hearts break before God, for otherwiſe you will fall to it again, Oh the wretchedneſſe of mans heart! You ſhall find in Scripture concerning the people of Iſrael, how ſtrangely they fell to their murmuring again and again, do but obſerve three texts of Scripture, for that, the firſt in the 15. of Exod. at the beginning, there you ſhall have Moſes and the Congregation ſinging to God and bleſſing God for his mercy, Then ſang Moſes and the Children of Iſrael this ſong unto the Lord, and ſpake ſaying, I will ſing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriouſly, the Horſe and his Rider hath he thrown into the Sea. And then, The Lord is my ſtrength and ſong, and he is become my ſalvation, he is my God and I will prepare him an habitation, my Fathers God and I will exalt him; and ſo he goes on, and who is like unto thee O Lord amongſt the gods, who is like thee, glorious in holineſſe, fearful in praiſes, doing wonders? Thus their hearts triumphed in God, but mark before the Chapter is ended in the 23. verſe, When they came to Marah (in the ſame Chapter) they could not drink of the waters of Marah for they were bitter, therefore the name of it was called Marah, and the people murmured againſt Moſes. After ſo great a mercy as this was, what unthankfulnes was there here in their murmuring! Then God gave them water, but in the very next Chapter they fell to their murmuring, (you reade not that they were humbled for their former murmuring, and therefore they murmur again) Exod. 16.1. &c. All the Congregation of the Children of Iſrael came to the wilderneſſe of Sin, &c. And the whole Congregation (in the ſecond verſe) of the Children of Iſrael murmured againſt Moſes, and againſt Aaron in the wilderneſſe, and the Children of Iſrael ſaid unto them, Would to God we had dyed by the hand of the Lord in the Land of Egypt, when we ſate by the fleſh-pots, and when we did eat bread to the full. Now they want fleſh, they wanted water before, but now they want meat, they fell to murmuring again, they were not humbled for this murmuring againſt God, neither when God gave them fleſh according to their deſires, but they fell to murmuring again, they wanted ſomewhat elſe. In the very next Chapter, (they went not far) in the 17 of Exod. beginning. And all the Congregation of the Children of Iſrael journied from the wilderneſſe of Sin and pitthed in Rephadim, and there was no water for the people to drink: then in the ſecond verſe, Wherefore the people did chide with Moſes, and ſaid, Give us water that we may drink, and Moſes ſaid unto them, Why chide you with me? wherefore do you tempt the Lord? And in the third verſe, And the people thirſted there for water, and the people murmured againſt Moſes and ſaid, Wherefore is this, that thou haſt brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us, and our Children, and our Cattell with thirſt? So one time after another, ſtill as ſoon as ever they had received the merciemercy then they were a little quieted, but they were not humbled. I bring theſe Scriptures for this to ſhew, that if we have not been humbled for murmuring, the next croſſe that we meet withal we will fall to murmuring again.
And now there are divers agravations of this ſin of murmuring, I'le mention but one now, and I ſhall but begin that. The firſt Agravation is this.
To murmur when we enjoy abundance of mercy, the greater and the more abundant the mercy is that we enjoy, the greater, and the viler is the ſin of murmuring. As here now when God had newly delivered them out of the houſe of bondage, for them, now to murmur, becauſe they want ſome few particulars that they deſire, Oh to ſin againſt God after a great mercy this is a great agravation, and a moſt abominable thing. Now my brethren, the Lord hath granted us very great mercies, I'le but ſpeak a word of what God hath done of late, what mercies hath the Lord granted to us this ſummer, heaped mercies upon us, one merciemercy upon another, what a condition were we in at the beginning of this ſummer? and what a different condition are we in now! Oh what a merciemercy is it that the Lord hath not taken advantages againſt us, that he hath not made thoſe Scriptures (before mentioned) good upon us for all our murmuring, the Lord hath gone on with one merciemercy after another. We hear of merciemercy in Briſtol, and mercy to our brethren in Scotland: But ſtill if after this we ſhould have any thing befall us that is but croſſe to us, that we ſhould be ready to murmur again preſently; Oh let us not ſo requite God for thoſe mercies of his; Oh let's take heed of giving God any ill requital for his mercies; Oh give God praiſe according to his excellent greatneſs, to his excellent goodneſſe and grace.
And now hath God given to you the Contentment of your hearts? Take you heed of being the cauſe of any greife to your brethren, think not that becauſe God hath been gracious unto you, that therefore he hath given you liberty for to bring them into bondage, Oh let not there be ſuch an il effect of Gods mercy to you, as for you to exclude by petitioning, or any other way your Brethren that the Lord hath been pleaſed to make Inſtruments of your peace, let not that be the fruit of it, nor to deſire any thing that your ſelves do not yet underſtand. God is very jealous of the glory of his mercy, and if there ſhould be an ill uſe made of the mercy of God after we enjoy it, Oh it would go to the heart of God! nothing is more grievous to the heart of God than the abuſe of mercy: As now, if any way that is hard and rigid ſhould be taken towards our Brethren, and thoſe eſpecially that God hath made ſuch ſpecial Inſtruments of good to us, that have been ſo willing to venture their lives, and all for us; now when we have our turns ſerved, let God and his People, and Servants that have been a means to ſave us ſhift for themſelves as well as they can: Oh! this is a great aggravation of your ſin, to ſin againſt the mercies of God: But for this Aggravation, and ſpecially in this particular, we ſhall ſpeak to (God willing) the next day.