The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, Sermon 1 · Sermon 10
SERMON X.
PHILIPPIANS. 4.11.
For I have learned in whatſoever ſtate I am, therewith to be content.
NOW there are many Pleas and reaſonings yet remain, for there's a great deal of do with a diſcontented murmuring heart. And I remember I find that the ſame Hebrew word that ſignifies [to lodge, to abide] it ſignifies to murmur, they uſe one word for both, for murmuring is a diſtemper that doth lodge in men, where it gets in once it lodgeth abideth and continues, and therefore that we may unlodge it and get it out, we will labour to ſhew what are the further reaſonings of a diſcontented heart.
The Fourth Plea.
Me thinks I could be content with Gods hand (ſaith one) ſo far as I ſee the hand of God in a thing I can be content: but when men deal ſo unreaſonably and unjuſtly with me I know not how to bear it, I can bear it that I ſhould be in Gods hands, but not in the hands of men: my friends or acquaintance when they deal ſo unrighteouſly with me, Oh this goes very hard unto me, that I know not how to bear it from men.
For the taking away of this reaſoning, firſt, Though they be men that bring this croſſe upon you, yet they are Gods Inſtruments, God hath a hand in it, and they can go no further then God would have them go. This was that that quieted David when Shimei curſt him, (ſaith he) God hath a hand in it, though Shimei be a baſe wicked man yet I look beyond him to God. So, is there any of your friends that deal injuriouſly with you, and croſſe with you, look up to God and ſee that man but as an inſtrument in Gods hands.
Secondly, If this be your trouble that men do ſo wrong you, you are rather to turn your hearts to pity them than to murmur or be diſcontented: For the truth is, if you be wronged by other men, you have the better of it, for it is better to bear wrong than to do wrong a great deal, if they wrong you your heart cannot ſubmit; you are in a better condition than they, becauſe it's better to bear than do wrong. I remember it is ſaid of Socrates that being very patient when wrong was done to him, they asked him how he came to be ſo, ſaith he, If I meet with a man in the ſtreet that is a diſeaſed man, ſhall I be vexed & fretted with him becauſe he is diſeaſed? thoſe that wrong me I look upon them as diſeaſed men and therefore pity them.
Thirdly, Though you meet with hard dealings from men; yet you meet mith nothing but kind good and righteous dealings from God: when you meet with unrighteous dealings from them, ſet one againſt the other. And that's for the anſwer to the fourth Plea.
A Fifth Plea.
Oh but that affliction that comes upon me is an affliction that I never lookt for, I never thought to have met with ſuch an affliction, and that is that I know not how to bear, that is that which makes my heart ſo diſquiet becauſe it was altogether unlookt for and unexpected.
For the anſwer of this, firſt, it is thy weakneſſe and folly that thou dideſt not look for it and expect it, In Acts, 20.22, 23. ſee what Saint Paul ſaith concerning himſelf, And now behold, I go bound in the ſpirit unto Jeruſalem, not knowing the things that ſhall befal me there, ſave that the Holy-Ghoſt witneſſeth in every City ſaying, that bonds and afflictions abide me. It's true ſaith he, I know not the particular affliction that may befal me, but this I know that the Spirit of God witneſſeth that bonds and afflictions ſhall abide me every where, I look for nothing elſe but bonds and afflictions whereſoever go; ſo a Chriſtian ſhould do, he ſhould look for afflictions whereſoever he is, in all conditions he ſhould look to meet with afflictions, and therefore if any affliction ſhould befall him, though indeed he could not fore-ſee the particular evil, yet he ſhould think, this is no more than I lookt for in the general. Therefore no affliction ſhould come unexpectedly to a Chriſtian.
A ſecond anſwer I would give is this, Is it unexpected? then the leſſe proviſion thou madeſt for it before it came, the more careful ſhouldeſt thou be to ſanctifie Gods Name in it now it is come: it is in this caſe of afflictions as in mercies, many times mercy comes unexpected (and that might be a third anſwer) to you, ſet one againſt the other, I have many mercies that I never lookt for as well as afflictions that I never lookt for, why ſhould not one rejoyce me as well as the other diſturbs me? As it is in mercies, when they come unexpected, the leſſe preparation there was in me for receiving mercy, the more need I have to be careful, now to give God the glory of the mercy, & to ſanctifie Gods Name in the enjoyment of the mercy; Oh ſo it ſhould be with us now, we have had mercies this ſummer that we never expected and therefore we were not prepared for them, now we ſhould be ſo much the more careful to give God the glory of them: ſo when afflictions come that we did not expect, then it ſeems we laid not in for them before hand, we had need be the more careful to ſanctifie Gods Name in them, we ſhould have ſpent ſome pains before to prepare for afflictions and we did not, then take ſo much the more pains to ſanctifie God in this affliction now. And that's a fift reaſoning.
The Sixth Plea.
Oh! but it is very great, mine affliction it is exceeding great ſaith one, and how ever you ſay, we muſt be contented, it's true, you may ſay ſo that feel not ſuch great afflictions, but if you felt my affliction that I feel you would think it hard to bear and be content.
To that I anſwer, Let it be as great an affliction as it will, it … not ſo great as thy ſin, He hath puniſhed thee leſſe than thy ſins.
Secondly, It might have bin a great deal more, thou mighteſt have bin in Hell: And it is (as I remember) Bernards ſpeech, (ſaith he) It is an eaſier matter to be oppreſt than periſh. Thou mighteſt have been in Hell, and therefore the greatneſs of the thing ſhould not make thee murmur, grant it be great.
Thirdly, It may be it's the greater becauſe thy heart doth ſo murmur: for ſhackles upon a mans legs, if his legs be ſore it will pain him the more, if the ſhoulder be ſore the burden is the greater; it is becauſe thy heart is ſo unſound that thy affliction is great unto thee. And that's the ſixt reaſoning.
A Seventh Plea.
But howſoever you may leſſen my affliction, yet I am ſure it is far greater than the afflictions of others.
Firſt, It may be it is thy diſcontent that makes it greater, when (indeed) it is not ſo in its ſelf.
Secondly, If it were greater than others: why is thy eye evil becauſe the eye of God is good? why ſhouldeſt thou be diſcontented the more becauſe God is gracious to others?
Thirdly, Is thy affliction greater than others? then in this thou haſt an opportunity to honour God more than others; ſo thou ſhouldeſt conſider, Doth God afflict me more than other men? God gives me an opportunitie in this to honour him in this affliction more than other men? to exerciſe more grace than other men, let me labour to do it then.
Fourthly, If all afflictions were laid upon a heap together: It is an notable expreſſion of Solon that wiſe Heathen (ſaith he,) Suppoſe all the afflictions that are in the world were laid upon a heap, and every man ſhould come and take a proportion of thoſe afflictions, every one equally, there is ſcarſe any man but would rather ſay, let me have the afflictions that I had before or elſe he were like to come to a greater ſhare, a greater affliction if ſo be he ſhould equally ſhare with all the world: Now for you that are poor, (that are not in extremity of poverty) if all the riches in the world were laid together, and you ſhould have an equal ſhare, you would be poorer; but take all afflictions and ſorrows whatſoever, if all the ſorrows in the world were laid together in a heap, and you had but an equal ſhare of them, your portion would be rather more than it is now for the preſent: And therefore do not complain, that it is more than others, ſo as to murmur becauſe of that.
An Eighth Plea.
Another reaſoning that murmuring hearts have is this, They think that if the affliction were any other than it is, then they would be more contented.
Firſt, You muſt know that we are not to chooſe our own rod that God ſhall beat us with.
Secondly, It may be if it were any other than it is, it were not ſo fit for thee as this is, it may be therefore God chooſes it becauſe it is the moſt croſſe to thee, as ſeeing it moſt ſutable for the purging out of that humour that is in thee. If a patient comes to take phiſick and finds himſelf ſick by it, ſhall he ſay, Oh! if it were any other potion I could bear it, it may be if it were any other than it is it would not fit thy diſeaſe; yea if it did not work as it doth it would not fit thy diſeaſe: ſo when thou ſaieſt of an affliction, if it were any other than it is thou couldeſt bear it, do but anſwer thy ſelf with this, it may be if it were any other than it is it would not be fit for me, it would not hit right to that ſinful humour that there is in my ſoul, and therefore God ſees this to be the fitteſt and the moſt ſutable for me.
Thirdly, Know that this is the excellency of grace in a Chriſtian to be fitted for any condition, not only to ſay, if it were this or that, but if it be any. As now, a Marriner if he hath skil he would not ſay, if it were any other wind but this, if the wind did blow in any point but this, I could tell how to mannage my ſhip, I could ſhew skil in other points but not in this; would not Marriners laugh at ſuch a one? it would be a ſhame for him to ſay that he hath skill in any other points but this: So it ſhould be a ſhame for a Chriſtian to ſay that he hath skill in any other affliction but this: a Chriſtian ſhould be able to mannage his ſhip if the wind blow any way; to guide his ſoul any way.
The fourth and laſt anſwer is this, Know that the Lord hath rewards and crowns for all graces, and for the honouring them in all conditions. It may be in ſuch a way as thou thinkeſt thou couldeſt honour God, God hath a crown for that, and God hath another crown to ſet upon the heads of thoſe that honour him in ſuch a way as this is, yea he hath ſeveral ſorts of crowns (as I may ſo ſay) in Heaven, and thoſe crowns he muſt put upon ſome bodies head, and therefore he exerciſes thee in variety of conditions, that ſo thou mightſt have the ſeveral rewards and crowns that God hath to reward and crown thoſe that are faithful in ſeveral conditions.
A Ninth Plea.
Oh but the condition that God hath put me in makes me to be unſervicable, and this troubles me; it's true, if it were only an affliction and trouble to my ſelf it were not ſo much, but I am put into ſuch a condition by this affliction as I am unſervicable, and am like to do God no further ſervice, God puts me into a mean eſtate, and what good can I do? and how burdenſome is my life to me becauſe I can do no ſervice for God! and this is grievous to me.
Indeed if it he true that this is thy great greife, it is a good ſign, If thou canſt say as in the preſence of God, above all afflictions here in this world to be laid aſide & not to be imployed in the ſervice of God, I account that the greateſt Affliction: I had rather bear any trouble in the world ſo I might do more ſervice, then to be freed from trouble and to be laid aſide and do little ſervice: Canſt thou ſay ſo? It is a good ſign of grace for a man to account afflictions to be great becauſe he can do the Lord but little ſervice. Few men account that no affliction at all.
But yet there may be a temptation in this. To murmur at Gods diſpoſe when your calling is low and mean and you can do little ſervice, this is many times a temptation to thoſe that are poor, thoſe that are ſervants and thoſe that are of weak parts and are fain to work hard to provide bread for their families, it's many times a greivous burden to them to think, ſuch men the Lord uſes in publick ſervice, and I live in an obſcure way, and to what purpoſe is my life?
Firſt, To help againſt this temptation that thou mayeſt not murmur againſt this condition, Do but conſider though thy condition be low and mean, yet thou art in the Body, thou art a member of the Body though thou beeſt but a mean member, the toe and the finger hath it's uſe in the body, though it be not the eye, though it be not the head, or the heart yet it hath it's uſe in the body. And it is an excellent expreſſion that I remember Auſtin hath about this, (ſaith he) It is better to be the meaneſt member in the Body, than to be the higheſt member and more excellent and cut off from the Body, it is better to be a little ſprig in the tree joyned to the Root, than to be an arme cut off from the Root. Now other men that have but common gifts in the world, that are not members of Jeſus Chriſt, (indeed) they ſeem to have more excellency than thoſe that are godly, that are in a mean condition, mean parts, mean callings, but they are not of the Body, they are not joyn'd to the Root, and therefore their condition is worſe. As a great arme of a tree when it is cut off it hath a great many leaves upon it, and it ſeems a great deal more glorious than thoſe little ſprigs that are upon the tree, but that little ſprig is in a better condition, why? Becauſe joyned to the tree and hath ſap from the Root and flouriſheth, but the other will wither and die within a while: So it is with the men of the world, they be but like great boughs cut off from the tree, though they have excellent parts, and have great eſtates and pomp and glory in the world, they have no union with Jeſus Chriſt the Root: But now others that live in a poor condition, a poor tradesman, a poor ſervant, a poor labouring-man that labours for his family everyday, yet he being godly, (ſaith he) though I have but little for the preſent, little glory, little credit, little comfort yet I am joyned to the Body, and there I have ſupply and that that will feed me with comfort, bleſſing, and mercy to all eternity: So all that are in a poor condition in this world if they be godly, do but think of that; though thou beeſt mean yet thou art in the Body, and joyned to the Root, thou art joyned to the principal of comfort, good, bleſſing, and mercy that will hold out to eternity, when thouſand thouſands of glorious pompious men in the world ſhall wither and periſh everlaſtingly, and therefore be not troubled at thy mean condition.
Secondly, Though thou haſt but a mean calling in this world, and ſo art not regarded as a man of uſe in the world, yet if thou beeſt a Chriſtian God hath called thee to a higher calling, thy general calling it is a high calling, though thy particular calling be but low and mean: And for that you have a place in the Chapter before my text, Phil. 3.14. I preſs towards the mark (ſaith the Apoſtle) for the price of the high calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus: So that every Chriſtian hath a high calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus, God hath called him to the higheſt thing that he hath call'd any creature to that he hath made, the Angels in Heaven have not a higher calling than thou haſt. Thou that perhaps ſpendeſt thy time in a poor buſineſſe, in the meaneſt calling, if thou beeſt a dung-raker, to rake channels, or cleanſe places of filth or any other thing in the world that is the meaneſt that can be conceived of, thy general calling as a Chriſtian doth advance thee higher than any particular calling can advance any man in the world; others indeed that are cal'd to mannage the Affairs of the State, they are in a high calling, or Miniſters they are in a high calling, but thine in ſome reſpect is higher. A poor ſervant that muſt be ſcraping all day about poor mean things, many times may have ſuch a temptation as this is, Oh what a poor condition hath God diſpoſed me to! will God have regard to ſuch a one that is in ſuch a poor low place as I am? Oh yes, Chriſt hath regard to the meaneſt member, as a man hath as true regard to the toe if it be in pain, and will tender that as truly and verily as any other member; ſo Chriſt hath regard to his loweſt and meaneſt ones.
Thirdly, thou art in a high calling though thy outward calling be low in reſpect of men, yet in reſpect of God thou art in the ſame calling with the Angels in Heaven, and in ſome degree cal'd to that that is higher, for the Scripture ſaith, that the Angels come to underſtand the myſterie of the Goſpel by the Church; thou that art a Chriſtian in that general calling of thine, thou art joyned with Principalities and Powers, and with Angels, in the greateſt work that God hath called any creature to, and therefore let that comfort thee in this.
Fourthly, Thy calling is low and mean, yet be not diſcontented with that, for thou haſt a principle within thee (if thou beeſt a godly man or woman) of Grace that doth raiſe thy loweſt actions to be higher in Gods eſteem, than all the brave glorious actions that are done in the world; the principle of faith doth it, for any man or woman to go on in obedience to God in a way of faith in the calling that God hath ſet them, (I ſay doing this through a principle of faith) it doth raiſe this action, and makes it a more glorious action than all the glorious victories of Alexander and Caeſar, than all their Triumphs and glorious pomp that they had in all their conqueſts; it was not ſo glorious as for thee to do the loweſt action out of faith. For, as Luther ſpeaks of a poor Milk-maid, and yet being a Beleever, and doth it in faith, he compares that action to all the glorious actions of Caeſar, and makes that a great deal more eminent and glorious in the eyes of God, therefore faith raiſes thy works that are but mean, raiſes them to be very glorious.
Yea, and the truth is, there is more obedience to ſubmit to God in a low calling, than to ſubmit to him in a higher calling, for it's cleer obedience, meer obedience that makes thee go on in a low calling, but there may be much ſelf-love that makes men go on in a higher calling, for there's riches, credit and account in the world, and rewards comes in by that, which doth not in the other, to go on quietly in a low calling is more obedience to God.
Fifthly, Know further in the laſt place, there is like to be more reward: For the Lord when he comes to reward, he doth not come to examine what the work hath been that men and women have been exerciſed in, but what their faithfulneſſe hath been, Well done good and faithful ſervant ſaith the Lord, he doth not ſay, wel done good ſervant for thou haſt bin faithful to me in publick works, ruling Cities and States, and Affairs in Kingdoms, and therefore thou ſhalt be rewarded, no, but Well done good and faithful ſervant; now thou mayeſt be faithfull in little as well as others are in more, by going on and working thy daies labour, when thou getteſt but a couple of ſhillings to maintain thy family, thou mayeſt be as faithful in this as thoſe are that rules a Kingdom; now God looks to a mans faithfulneſſe, and thou mayeſt have as great a reward for thy faithfulneſſe that art a poor ſervant in the Kitchin all the day, as another that ſits upon the Throne all day, and as great a Crown of glory thou mayeſt have at the day of judgement, as a King that ſits upon the Throne, that hath ruled for God upon his Throne; yea, thy faithfulneſſe may be rewarded by God with as great glory, as a King that hath ſwaid his Scepter for God; becauſe I ſay the Lord doth not ſo much look at the work that is done, as at the faithfulneſſe of our hearts in doing it, then why ſhould not every one of us go on comfortably and cheerfully in our low condition, for why may not I be faithful as well as another? it's true, I cannot come to be as rich a man and as honourable as others; but I may be as faithful as any other man, that every one of you may conclude with your ſelves: what doth let but that you that are the pooreſt and meaneſt may be as faithful as the greateſt, yea you may have as glorious a crown in Heaven, and therefore go on comfortably and chearfully in your way.
A Tenth Plea.
There's another reaſoning that ſome may have and that is this. Oh I could bear much affliction in ſome other way but this is very grievous to me, the unſetledneſs of my condition, though my condition were but low yet if it were in a ſetled way I could be content, but it is ſo unconſtant, and ſo unſetled, that I can never know what to truſt to, but am toſt up and down in the world in an unſetled condition, and this is hard to be content with.
Now to that I anſwer, Firſt, that the Pſalmiſt ſaith, That every man in his ſetled eſtate is vanity, in Pſalme, 36.5. your books have it, Every man at his beſt eſtate is vanity, the word is his ſetled eſtate; you think if you were but ſetled, Oh then you could be content, but the truth is, man in his ſetled eſtate is vanity.
Secondly, I anſwer thus, that perhaps God ſees it is better for thee to live in a continual dependance upon him, and not to know what thy condition ſhal be one the morrow, then for thee to have a more ſetled condition in reſpect of the comforts of the creature; do but remember that we ſpake of before, that Chriſt doth not teach you to pray, Lord, give me enough that wil ſerve me for two or three years, but, this day our dayly bread; to teach us we muſt live upon God in a dependent condition every day for daily bread. Here was the difference that is obſervable between the Land of Canaan and Egypt, the land of Canaan that depended upon God for the watering of it with ſhowers from Heaven, but Egypt had a conſtant way of watering the country, that did not ſo much depend upon Heaven for water, but upon the river Nylus, which did at ſome certain time overflow the country: and they knowing that the watering of their country did depend upon that river and not upon Heaven they grew more proud: And therefore the Scripture, to expreſs Pharoah's pride, brings him in ſaying, The River is mine: he could order the river as he pleaſed, for it was his: Canaan, which was a country which was to depend upon God, though they had rain at one time, yet they knew not whether they ſhould have it at another time, and liv'd alwaies in a dependance upon God not knowing what ſhould become of them: Now God thought this to be a better land for his people than Egypt, and this is given as one reaſon among others for it, becauſe the Lord lookt upon this, as more ſutable to the ſtate of his people that were to live by faith, to be continually depending upon Heaven, upon Himſelf, and not to have a conſtant ſetled way in the creature for their outward dependance: and we find it by experience, that when thoſe that are godly live in the greateſt dependance upon God, and have no ſetled comings-in from the creature, they do exerciſe faith more, and are in a better condition for their ſouls than before. Oh! many times it fals out that the worſe thy outward eſtate is the better thy ſoul is, and the better thy outward eſtate is the worſe thy ſoul is. We reade in Ezra, 4.13. the objection that the enemies had againſt the people of Iſraels building of the wall of the Citie: their writing to Artaxerxes againſt them, ſaith, Be it known unto the King, that if the City be builded, and the wals ſet up again, then they wil not pay toll, tribute, and cuſtome, and ſo thou ſhalt endamage the revenue of the Kings. If the wall be built (ſay thy) then they will refuſe to pay toll, tribute and cuſtome to the King: that is thus, ſo long as they live in ſuch a condition, where they have dependance wholly upon the King, and lie at the Kings mercy, that is, they are in no City that hath walls built, but the King may come upon them when he will, ſo long they will pay cuſtom to the King, but if once they come to build a wall, and can defend themſelves, and have not their dependance upon the King as before, then they will deny paying toll, tribute, and cuſtom. So it is thus for all the world between God and mens ſouls, when a ſoul lives in way of meer dependance upon God, that ſenſibly he ſees God hath him at advantage every moment, Oh then ſuch a ſoul will pay toll and cuſtome, that ſoul exerciſes faith, and begs every day his dayly bread; but if God hedges that man about with an eſtate, with proſperity, perhaps he hath an inheritance befallen him, perhaps he hath a conſtant office that brings in ſo much yeerly to him duly paid, this man is not ſo ſenſible now of his dependance upon God, he begins now to pay leſſe toll and cuſtom to God than before, God hath leſſe ſervice from this man now than before. God ſees it better for his people to live in a depending condition: we are very loth in reſpect of God to be dependant, we would be all independants this way, we would be of our ſelves, and have no dependance upon the Lord, but God ſees it better for us to live in a depending condition.
Further, This may be thy comfort, though for outward things thou art mightily unſetled, yet for the great things of thy ſoul and eternal eſtate, there thou art ſetled, there thou haſt a ſetled way, a conſtant way of fetching ſupply, Of his fulneſſe we receive grace for grace, thou haſt there abundance of treaſure to go to, and fetch all that thou ſtandeſt in need of; and obſerve it, that now thy condition is more ſetled in the covenant of grace than it was in the covenant of works; in the covenant of works there God gave man a ſtock to trade with, but he put it in his own hand, ſo that he might trade, and get or loſe; but now in the Covenant of grace God makes ſure, the ſtock is kept in the hand of Chriſt, and we muſt go to him for ſupply continually, for Chriſt keeps the ſtock; perhaps we may trifle away ſomwhat in our trading, but God takes that care ſtill we ſtall never ſpend the ſtock: As a man when his Son breaks, having ſquandered away his ſtock that he gave him before, afterwards he puts his ſtock into a friends hand, and ſaith he, you ſhall keep the ſtock and it ſhall not be at his diſpoſe; ſo we are in a more ſetled condition in reſpect of our eternal eſtate then Adam was in innocencie; therefore let that comfort us in all our unſetled conditions in the matters of the world.
A Eleventh Plea.
But yet there's another reaſoning that many murmuring hearts think to feed their humour withal, (ſay they) If I never had bin in a better condition then I could bear this affliction, if God had alwaies kept me in ſo low a condition I could be content, Oh but there was a time that I proſpered more, and I had things at more full hand, and therefore now it is harder to me to be brought low; as in theſe times, perhaps a man that had five or ſix hundred a yeer, but now hath had nothing for a great while, if that man had not bin born to ſo much, or never had proſpered in any higher degree than now he is in, this affliction had bin leſs, perhaps he hath ſome mony and friends to live upon, but if he had never bin in a better condition he would not have accounted it ſo great a matter to have been without it now. This many times is our greateſt wound, that once we were in a better condition; and this is the moſt unreaſonable thing for us to murmur upon this ground of any.
For firſt, Is thy eye evil becauſe God hath been good to thee heretofore? It's an ill thing for us to have our eye evil becauſe God is good to others, but to look upon our condition with an evil eye now, becauſe God was once good to us; hath God done thee any wrong becauſe he was formerly more good to thee than he was to others?
Secondly, Thou didſt heretofore more proſper, did God heretofore give thee more proſperity? it was to prepare thee for afflictions, we ſhould look at all our outward proſperity as a preparation to afflictions, if thou hadſt done ſo then it would not have bin ſo difficult for thee to have indured affliction now; when thou hadſt a great eſtate, yet if thou hadſt made uſe of this mercy of God to prepare thee for thy afflicted eſtate, then the change of thy eſtate would not be ſo greivous. That every Chriſtian ſhould do: have I an eſtate now? I ſhould prepare for poverty, have I health now? I ſhould prepare for ſickneſs, have I liberty? let me prepare my ſelf for impriſonment? what know I what God may call me to? have I comfort and peace now in my conſcience, doth God ſhine upon me? while I have this let me prepare for Gods withdrawing from me: am I delivered from temptations? let me prepare now for the time of temptations; If thou wouldeſt do ſo, the change of thy condition would not be ſo greivous to thee: Marriners that are in a calme will prepare for ſtorms, would they ſay, if we never had calms we would bear ſtorms? but now we have had calms ſo many yeers or weeks together, this is greivous: In thy calme thou art to prepare for ſtorms, and the ſtorme would be leſſe, thou ſhouldeſt reaſon quite contrary and ſay, Now I am in an afflicted condition, Oh but bleſſed be God I was in a comfortable condition, and bleſſed be God that he was a forehand with me in the waies of his mercy, this one conſideration may help murmuring hearts. Doſt thou murmur becauſe once thou wert better? know God was beforehand with thee in the waies of mercy, thou ſhouldeſt rather think thus, I have lived for theſe many yeers (forty yeers perhaps or more) in a comfortable condition, I have liv'd in health, and peace, and plenty, what though the remaining part of my time have ſome ſorrow and affliction? The Lord hath granted to me a comfortable ſunſhine all the day long till towards evening, and what if at ſeven or eight a clock at night it begins to rain? let me thank God I have had ſo fair weather all day. You that are going a voyage, if you have a comfortable wind, and very fair for many months together, what if you have a little ſtorm when you are within ſight of land, will you murmur and repine? Oh no, but rather bleſſe God that you have had ſuch a comfortable voyage ſo long: Oh this conſideration would help us all; If it were ſo that now God ſhould ſay, well, you ſhall never ſee comfortable day more for outward things in this world, Oh then you have cauſe to fall down and bleſſe Gods Name that you have had ſo many comfortable daies: Now you reaſon quite contrary, whereas you ſhould bleſſe God that you have had ſo much comfort, you make what you have had before to be an aggravation of your afflictions now, and ſo murmur and are diſcontented. That which God gave you before, upon what terms did you hold it? did you hold it ſo as you have in your writings, To have and to hold for ever, God gives no ſuch thing, God gives to no man (I ſay) any thing but grace to run upon that tenour, there's no ſuch thing in all Gods writings for any outward comforts, To have and to hold for you and your heirs; indeed for grace he doth give it to your ſelves, to have and to hold for ever, though not for every one that comes out of your loines to have and to hold for ever; God doth not give any outward thing ſo upon no ſuch tenour as that is; if God gives me an underſtanding of himſelf, and faith, and humility, and love, and patience, and ſuch graces of his Spirit he gives them me for ever, If he gives me Himſelf and his Chriſt, and his promiſe, and his Covenant, he gives me them for ever, what am I therefore that the Sun ſhould alwaies ſhine upon me, that I muſt have fair weather all my daies? that which God gives to me he gave it to me as a pledge of his love, let me return it to him as a pledge of my obedience, there's all the reaſon in the world for it, all that a godly man receives from God he receives it as a pledge of Gods love to him, therefore when he comes into an afflicted condition, ſaith God, Return to me as a pledge for your obedience that that you had from me as a pledge of my love; we ſhould cheerfully come in to God and bleſſe God that we have any thing to render unto him as a pledg of our obedience, and ſay, Oh it is thy love O Lord that hath given us any thing, that doth enable us to render a pledge of our obedience to thee. When God cals for thy eſtate or any comforts that thou haſt, God cals for it as a pledge of thy obedience to him.
A Twelfth Plea.
Another reaſoning of a murmuring heart is this. Oh but after I have taken a great deal of pains for ſuch a comfort, yet then I am croſt in it, after a great deal of labour and pains that I have taken now to be croſt, Oh this goes very hard.
Firſt I anſwer, The greater croſſe, the more obedience and ſubmiſſion.
Secondly, When thou did'ſt take a great deal of pains, was it not with ſubmiſſion to God? Did'ſt thou take pains with reſolution, that thou muſt have ſuch a thing when thou laboureſt for it? Then know that thou laboureſt not as a Chriſtian, but if thou did'ſt labour and take pains, was it not with reſignation to God, Lord I am taking pains in the way of my calling, but with ſubmiſſion, I depend wholly upon thee for ſucceſſe and a bleſſing; And what was it that thou did'ſt aime at in thy labour? was it not that thou mighteſt walk with God in the place that God had ſet thee? A Chriſtian ſhould do ſo in his outward calling, I am diligent in my outward calling, but it is, that I might obey God in it; it's true, I do it that I might provide for my family, but the chief thing that I aime at is, That I might yeild obedience to God in the way that God hath ſet me: Now if God cals thee to another condition to obey him in though it be by ſuffering, thou wilt do it if thy heart be right.
Thirdly, There will be the more teſtimony of thy love to God, if ſo be thou ſhalt now yeeld up thy ſelf to God in that that coſt thee dear, ſhall I offer that to God (ſaith David) that coſt me nothing? thy outward comforts hath coſt thee much, and thou haſt taken much pains to obtain them, and now if thou canſt ſubmit to God in the want of them, (I ſay) in this thy love is more ſhown that thou canſt offer that to God that coſt thee dear. Now theſe are the principal reaſonings of a diſcontented heart.
A Thirteenth Plea.
There's one Plea more that may be nam'd, and that is this, ſaith ſome, Though I confeſs my affliction is ſomwhat hard, and I feel ſome trouble within me, yet I thank God I break not out in diſcontented waies to the diſhonour of God, I keep in although I have much ado with my own heart.
Oh! do not ſatisfie your ſelves with that, for the diſtempers of your hearts, and their ſinful workings are as words before God. My ſoul be ſilent to God: That we ſpake of in the begining of the opening of this Scripture, it is not enough for thy tongue to be ſilent; but thy ſoul muſt be ſilent, there may be a ſullen diſcontentedneſſe of heart as well as a diſcontentedneſſe manifeſted in words: And if thou doeſt not mortifie that inward ſullenneſſe, if thou beeſt afflicted a little more it wil break forth at laſt.
And thus the Lord I hope hath met with the cheife reaſonings and Pleas for our diſcontent in our conditions, I beſeech you in the Name of God conſider theſe things, and becauſe they do concern your own hearts, you may ſo much the better remember them. I had thought to have made a little enterance into the next head, and that is ſome way of helping you to this grace of Contentment. It is a moſt excellent grace, of admirable uſe as you have heard, and the contrary is very ſinful and vile.