A Supplement to Knowledge and Practice, Part 2 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Of Diſcontent.
IN treating of this Argument, I ſhall ſpeak to theſe ſix Particulars.
1. I ſhall ſhew what Diſcontent is.
2. The great ſinfulneſs of it.
3. The Folly of it.
4. Shall ſhew what true Chriſtian Contentment is, and wherein the nature of it conſiſts.
5. Shall ſhew the amiableneſs, and excellency of it.
6. Shall give ſome directions and means for the attaining of it.
For the Firſt. Diſcontent is an unquiet frame of heart under our preſent condition, and expreſſes it ſelf in murmuring and repining thereat. For commonly inward vexing and repining, and outward complaining and murmuring go together.
2. The great ſinfulneſs of it may appear to us in theſe Particulars.
1. 'Tis a quarrelling the wiſdom of God, and a ſecret accuſing and taxing his Providence, *Non judicandum de providentia divina ante quintum actum.as if he did not wiſely order the Lots and Conditions of his People. Holy Job under his great afflictions was far from this temper; For though he ſuffered ſo deeply, yet he charged not God with folly in that ſevere diſpenſation towards him. But ſaid, the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, bleſſed be the name of the Lord, Job 1.21, 22.
2. 'Tis a quarrelling his Fatherly care over us, as if he had not any love or affection to us or any regard of us.
3. 'Tis a quarrelling his Faithfulneſs, as if he would not perform the many gracious promiſes he has made for our good.
4. 'Tis a ſecret accuſing of his Juſtice, as if he dealt hardly with us, and puniſhed us more than our ſins deſerved.*Qui in poenis murmurat, ferientis juſtitiam accuſat.
5. 'Tis a carriage very unworthy of the hope and expectation of a Chriſtian. He that hath his Peace made with God in Chriſt, and a title to an heavenly inheritance, ſhould endeavour from that conſideration to calm and compoſe his ſoul under his greateſt ſufferings.
6. 'Tis unanſwerable to the experience we have had of Gods former gracious dealing with us, and helping of us out of ſtraits and difficulties.
7. 'Tis a great gratification to Satan. We cannot gratifie the Devil more (who is a Male-contented Spirit) than to murmur againſt our Creator. To be of a diſcontented unquiet Spirit is to be like the Devil. He is reſtleſs and unquiet, always in oppoſition to God, alwayes fretting at his diſpenſations.
8. 'Tis a betraying and expoſing us to great temptations. The Devil ſcarce ever has ſo great power over any as over thoſe that are diſcontented. Oh the direful things he draws ſuch perſons unto. My heart even akes when I think of them, and my hand is ready to tremble while I write of them. Some of them he draws to make a formal Covenant with himſelf. Others to do ſuch things againſt themſelves that even nature abhors. So that all that love themſelves ſhould beg of God to keep them, and ſhould watch over themſelves as to this particular ſin. For let them aſſure themſelves that nothing betrayes us ſooner into the Devils hands than diſcon…ent. It is a ſtock he uſes to graffe his temptations upon. The Devil will deſire no greater advantage againſt a ſoul than to find it in ſuch a temper. He is never more buſie about any than ſuch perſons, and uſually makes dangerous uſe of the unquietneſs and repining of their ſpirits.
9. 'Tis ſuch a temper as exceedingly unfits us for holy duties and for the ſervice which otherwiſe we might do for God. And ſo much of the ſinfulneſs of Diſcontent.
3. I come now in the third place to ſhew the folly of it.
1. 'Tis vain and bootleſs. For as one of the Antients well ſaid, the miſeries and evils we ſuffer, and at which we are ſo apt to be vexed and troubled, are either ſuch as we can remedy or ſuch as we cannot remedy. If they be ſuch as we cannot remedy, then what a folly is it to vex and fret at them, ſeeing it is impoſſible to help them. Our Leſſon then is Patience and Submiſſion.*Levius fit patientia quicquid corrigere eſt nefas. But if the evils we ſuffer be ſuch as are remediable, then let us not vex or fret at them, but let us uſe all care and diligence to help our ſelves and to remedy them; And this is good advice, though given by a Heathen Philoſopher.
2. It takes away the comfort of what we enjoy. If a man enjoyes a thouſand mercies (in which he ought to rejoyce, and for which he ought to be thankfull) yet if his mind be diſcontented they will all ſeem as nothing to him. So that no one thing bereaves a man more of the comfort he might enjoy in his life than diſcontent.
3. It makes our afflictions worſe: A diſcontented perſon is like a man in a feaver, that by his toſſing and tumbling more increaſes his heat; Or like a Bird in the lime-twigs which the more it flutters the more it intangles it ſelf.
4. It provokes God oftentimes to ſend new and more afflictions upon us. What did the Iſraelites get by mumuring in the Wilderneſs but a longer ſtay in the Wilderneſs. Children that ſob and are ſtomachful after whipping commonly get another another whipping for their pains.
5. It makes a mans life very uneaſie both to himſelf and his relations and to all that are about him. No body cares to be near ſuch perſons as are alwayes murmuring and complaining. And ſo much of this folly of Diſcontent.
4. I come now in the fourth place to ſhew what Chriſtian Contentment is, and wherein the nature of it conſiſts.
'Tis a ſweet quiet gracious frame of Spirit freely ſubmitting to Gods alwiſe and fatherly diſpoſal of us in every condition. There are ſome things that this gracious frame may conſiſt with, and ſome things that are oppoſite to it. (1.) It may conſiſt with a due ſenſibleneſs of Gods hand in afflicting of us. 'Tis not a Stoical apathy or inſenſibility. The Apoſtle gives us an excellent Rule (taken out of the Proverbs of Solomon, Prov. 3.11.) how we ſhould carry our ſelves under afflictions, Heb. 12.5. My Son deſpiſe not thou the chaſtening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. Some bold and ſecure ſinners are apt to deſpiſe and diſregard the correcting hand of God; the weaker ſort of Chriſtians are apt to ſink in ſpirit, and faint under their afflictions. Now the Apoſtle adviſes us to ſteer between theſe two, namely, to be ſenſible of Gods hand when it is upon us, and yet not to faint or deſpond under it. (2.) It may conſiſt with an humble complaint to God or man. We may groan under our Afflictions but we ought not to grumble. (3.) It may conſiſt with ſeeking out for help and eaſe in a lawful way. For that is our duty and God expects it from us. But now the things oppoſite to it are. (1.) Inward fretting, vexing, and tumultuation of ſpirit, and riſing of the heart againſt the Almighty. (2.) Sinking of Spirit deſponding and deſpairing of help. (3.) Outward murmuring complaining and repining. (4.) Sinful ſhifts to help our ſelves. And ſo much of the nature of true Chriſtian contentment.
5. I come now to ſhew the amiableneſs and excellency of this frame of Spirit.
1. True Chriſtian contentment is not a ſingle grace but a conſtellation, a cluſter of many graces, particularly of Faith, Patience, Humility, and ſelf-denial. As the perfumed oyl that was poured upon Aarons head was made up of ſeveral ſweet ingredients; ſo is this grace a compound of many other graces; Where this is, we may aſſure our ſelves there are many graces exerciſed.
2. 'Tis a frame and temper highly pleaſing to God. The Apoſtle tells us, 1 Pet. 3.4. That a meek and a quiet ſpirit is in the ſight of God of great price. There is hardly a higher commendation of any grace in the Scripture. That muſt needs be very excellent which is by God himſelf ſo highly eſteemed.
3. 'Tis a frame of Spirit that gives God his due. They that are endued with it do acknowledge God as their Lord and owner. They acknowledge his plenary dominion over them. And 'tis fit and comely that we who received our life and being from God, ſhould own his Soveraignty and dominion over us.
4. 'Tis a frame of Spirit that will be greatly rewarded; For the more contented any man is the greater is his obedience to God, and the greater his obedience the greater will be his reward. Beſides, even in this world a placid, quiet, ſedate frame of heart makes our life eaſie and delightful and ſo carries its reward along with it, whereas a turbulent diſcontented frame of Spirit diſorders and diſquiets a man beyond all expreſſion. And ſo much of the amiableneſs of this ſ….
6. I come now to give ſome Directions for the attaining of it.
1. Mortify Pride which is the ſeminary of many ſins, eſpecially of this of repining. Compare your ſufferings and your ſins together, and ſee whether your ſins be not far more than your ſufferings. Conſider therefore not ſo much what you feel as what you deſerve.
2. Conſider how many mercies and bleſſings you daily enjoy, and ſtir up your ſelf to be exceeding thankful for them. Thankfulneſs and diſcontent cannot ſtand together. Therefore when ever you find your ſelf tempted to unquietneſs of mind, think of your mercies, and provoke and ſtir up your heart to be thankful to God for them; and that will drive away your diſcontent.
3. Conſider wherein the happineſs of man conſiſts, and labour to ſecure that happineſs to your ſelf. Do not eſtimate the happineſs of man by the opinion of worldly men who think thoſe men only happy who are rich and enjoy the pleaſures and delights of the world. But remember that mans true happineſs conſiſts in reconciliation with God through Chriſt, in conformity of our natures to him, in living holily and righteouſly, and being ſerviceable to God in our Generation according to our ſeveral capacities. If it be thus with us, we are happy what ever our condition be in this world. People are much miſtaken in the nature of good and evil and have not the true meaſures of it. That is good to a man which makes him better, and that is evil to him which makes him worſe. Now ordinarily ten to one receive more hurt by proſperity than by adverſity.
4. Look downward on thoſe beneath you and not upward on thoſe above you. 'Tis a very ill natured thing for any man to think himſelf miſerable becauſe he ſees another to have higher enjoyments than himſelf. There is ſcarce a greater folly and unhappineſs incident to humane nature than a fond admiration of other mens enjoyments and a contempt of, and diſcontent at our own. Look not upward therefore on thoſe above you but look downward and you will find the world to be like a great Hoſpital full of poor, ſick, diſtracted, diſeaſed, pained, afflicted perſons, and how many thouſands will you find with whom you would be loath to change conditions. 'Twas a good ſpeech of one of the Ancients who ſaid, if all mens ſufferings were put into one common bank men would chooſe rather to go away with their own ſhare than take their dividend of the common calamities. Nay, conſider how many of Gods own Children have ſuffered for worſe things than any you have ſuffered. He that has his underſtanding and all his ſenſes intire, has in that an over-ballance to moſt outward adverſities. Conſider therefore how many mercies thou doſt ſtill enjoy. Murmur not at what thou haſt loſt but be thankful for what thou haſt left.
5. Conſider no affliction comes out of the duſt. It is the Lord that brings us and our afflictions together. No warrant comes to arreſt our bodies with pain but it comes under the hand and ſeal of heaven. No Habeas-Corpus to remove any friend or relation of ours, but it comes under the hand and ſeal of the great judge. No affliction happens to us but it is reached out by the hand of God our Creator to whom we ow ſubjection as having received our being from him. Let us look therefore beyond inſtruments, for they are but the ſervitors to put the cup into our hands which our heavenly Father hath given us to drink.
6. Let us conſider what part God hath appointed every one of us to act in this World, and let us labour to act that part well not troubling our ſelves about the parts that others are appointed to act. The world is a great ſtage; 'Tis not ſo much material what part we are to act, provided we act it well. He that is appointed to act the part of a Servant and does it well is as much commended and rewarded as he that acted the part of a Maſter. In the body of man the foot is of great uſe though not of ſo much as the head; It muſt not therefore complain becauſe it is not the head. Let every one duly conſider the place and ſtation God hath put him in, and the part and particular duty he requires of him, and let him ſet himſelf with all faithfulneſs to perform it, not murmuring at the part given to another.
7. A great help to contentment is to enjoy the preſent thankfully and not to be over ſolicitous about the future. Wouldſt thou live contentedly? Be not over thoughtful for to morrow but caſt all thy cares on God, who hath promiſed that he will never leave nor forſake thoſe that are his, Heb. 13.5.
8. Interpret all Gods providences ſo as intended to draw thee nearer to him and none of them to drive thee away from him. In very faithfulneſs haſt thou afflicted me, ſaith David, Pſal. 119.75. Conſider, God has very gracious ends in afflicting his own people. (1.) Sanctified affliction is one of the moſt awakening calls to repentance imaginable, and to this end God uſually deſigns it. As he ſayes by the Prophet, Hoſea 5.15. I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence and ſeek my face. In their affliction they will ſeek me early. Joſephs Brethren are a great inſtance of this, who when they were put into priſon and brought into diſtreſs, then their conſciences began to tell them how they had uſed their Brother Joſeph, Gen. 24.21. Verily we are guilty concerning our Brother in that we ſaw the anguiſh of his ſoul when he beſought us and we would not hear, therefore is this diſtreſs come upon us. (2.) By ſanctified afflictions he calls for the exerciſe of their Faith, Patience, Humility, Self-denial, and will crown and reward the exerciſe of theſe graces which he himſelf hath planted in them. (3.) Hereby he crucifies their hearts to the world. As Nurſes lay worm-wood or ſome bitter thing upon their nipples when they intend to wean their Children, ſo God imbitters the world oftentimes to his own Children, to wean them from it. We read how Antigonus ſeeing a Soldier of his venture upon any danger, and obſerving withal that he was very ſickly, took care to have him recovered to good health; which done, the man would not expoſe himſelf as before he had uſed to do, alledging that now his life was of more value to him and not to be hazarded as when it was only a burden. Thus we ſee how proſperity makes men love the World whilſt afflictions wean them from it. (4.) Hereby he quickens their devotion and excites the ſpirit of prayer in them, whereas before (poſſibly) they were too cold and formal in their prayers, now they pray earneſtly. How did Daniel pray in the Lions den? How did Jonah pray in the Whales belly? How did the three Worthies pray in the fiery furnace? People under afflictions pray at another rate than thoſe do who are at eaſe and in proſperity. (5.) Hereby he conforms them unto his Son who was a man of ſorrows and acquainted with griefs. And the Apoſtle tells us, Rom. 8.17. If we ſuffer with him we ſhall alſo be glorified with him.
9. Take heed of all eager and inordinate deſires. There is ſcarce any thing in this world more dangerous to a man than ſuch vehement deſires. Omnis inordinatus appetitus ſibi ipſi poena eſt. Commonly God croſſes eager deſires, and there is not a more ready way to miſs any thing we have a mind unto, or to have it curſed to us, than over eagerly to deſire it. Strong affections breed ſtrong afflictions. Alas! we are very unmeet chooſers for our ſelves. We ſee not what that perſon or that place or that thing we ſo eagerly deſire, may prove. Many have been ready with Rachel to ſay, give me children or elſe I die, when thoſe children (they have ſo earneſtly deſired) have afterwards broken their hearts with grief and vexation at their ill-carriage. Whenever therefore we find any eager deſires or longings in our ſelves after any wordly thing, we ſhould be afraid of them and check them as foreboding ill to us. And further, we ſhould conſider how much our eager deſires after worldly things do ſhame and aggravate the weakneſs of our ſpiritual deſires. We can eagerly long for this or that worldly accommodation, can hardly ſleep for thinking of it, but for heaven or heavenly things how cold, how indifferent are we.
10. Seeing true Chriſtian contentment is a leſſon taught only in Chriſts School, let us all be willing to be his Scholars and put our ſelves into his School. Paul learnt this leſſon here. I know how to be abaſed, and I know how to abound, I am inſtructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to ſuffer need. I can do all (theſe) things through Chriſt ſtrengthning of me. Phil. 4.12, 13. Philoſophers have many precepts and directions about contentment; but alaſs they are all ſhort of teaching this leſſon effectually. Lipſius that had written a book de Stoica Philoſophia, and had gathered together many of their precepts of Patience, when he came to dye, a friend of his told him of that book, and adviſed him to remember what he had there written (yes ſayes he) but Domine da mihi patientiam Chriſtianam. Lord give me Chriſtian Patience; for that is it which I now need. But if this leſſon be only taught in Chriſts School, you will ask me how does Chriſt teach it? I anſwer, he teaches it three wayes, by his word, by his example, and by his Spirit. (1.) He teaches it by the Precepts of his word, whereby he enjoyns and commands it, Luke 21.19. In your Patencei poſſeſs your ſouls, 1 Tim. 6.11. Follow after righteouſneſs, Faith, Love, Patience Meekneſs, Jam. 1.4. Let Patience have its perfect work that you may be intire, wanting nothing. 2 Pet. 1.6. Add to Faith Temperance to Temperance Patience to Patience Godlineſs. Becauſe thou haſt kept the word of my Patience (ſaith the Angel to the Church of Philadelphia) that is, my word which I commanded thee, to be Patient. I will alſo keep thee from the hour of temptation. (2.) Chriſt teaches it by the Promiſes of his word. He hath made many gracious promiſes in his word, which are a great means to ſupport his people and to frame their hearts to contentation in every condition. In Heb. 13.5. He hath made a promiſe of proviſion for them. Be content with ſuch things as you have, For he hath ſaid I will never leave thee nor forſake thee, Pſal. 34.10. The young Lions do lack and ſuffer hunger, but they that ſeek the Lord ſhall not want any good thing. In Pſal. 91.11. He hath made a promiſe of protection unto them. He ſhall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes, Heb. 1.14. Are not they all miniſtring Spirits ſent forth to miniſter for them that ſhall be heirs of Salvation. In Jam. 1.5. He hath made a promiſe of counſel to thoſe that are in perplexity and under trouble. If any man lacketh wiſdom (that is, to dir…ct him how to govern himſelf under any afflicted condition) Let him ask it of God who giveth liberally and upbraideth not, 2 Cor. 7.6. He hath made a promiſe of comfort to thoſe that are unde… great fears and apprehenſions of dangers. There the Apoſtle tells us that He is a God who comforteth thoſe that are caſt down. In Eſai. 41.10. He hath made a Promiſe to ſtrengthen his People under great preſſures. Fear thou not for I am with thee, Be not diſmai'd for I am thy God; I will ſtrengthen thee, yea I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteouſneſs. In Rom. 8.28. He hath made a promiſe to order all things for their good. We know (ſayes the Apoſtle) that all things work together for good to them that fear God. (3.) Chriſt teaches it by his own example. Learn of me (ſaith our Saviour, Mat. 11.29.) For I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye ſhall find reſt to your Souls. How ready was he to comply with his Fathers will? The Cup that my Father hath given me to drink, ſhall I not drink it, ſayes he, John 18.11. and Luke 22.42. Father if thou be willing remove this Cup from me, yet not my will but thy will be done, 1 Pet. 2.21. Chriſt ſuffered for us leaving us an example that we ſhould follow his ſteps, who when he was reviled reviled not again, when he ſuffered he threatned not, but committed himſelf to him that judgeth righteouſly. 4. He teacheth this leſſon by his Spirit. Now the ſpirit teacheth contentment theſe wayes. (1.) By convincing the Soul of the reaſonablneſt of it. He ſhews that it is moſt fit and reaſonable, that God being our Creator and having abſolute ſoveraignty and dominion over us, and being infinitely wiſe, holy, juſt and gracious, we ſhould ſubmit to him and lie at his feet. (2.) By ſtrengthning our faith in the promiſes of God. (3.) By ſtrengthning our hearts to bear the burden of afflictions, Eph. 3.16. We are ſtrengthned (ſayes the Apoſtle) with might by his ſpirit in the inner man. And Col. 1.11. Strengthned with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long ſuffering with joyfulneſs. And 2 Tim. 1.7. God hath not given us the Spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a ſound mind. (4.) By ſhedding abroad a ſenſe of Gods love into our hearts, Rom. 8.16. The ſpirit beareth witneſs with our ſpirits that we are the Children of God, and if Children, then heirs, heirs of God and j ynt heirs with Chriſt. And ſo we rejoyce in hope of the glory of God. Rom. 5.2. And this hope maketh not aſhamed, becauſe the love of God is ſhed abroad in our hearts by the H…ly-Ghoſt which is given unto us. And thus we ſee how Chriſt teacheth this leſſon by his word, by his example and by h…s Spirit. Would yo… learn this leſſon, put your ſelves under Chriſts inſtitution. Particularly labour to practice theſe things.
1. Break off your ſins by true repentance, and ſecure the pardon and forgiveneſs of all your tranſgreſſions by Faith in Chriſts blood. A condemned man hath no contentment in any thing he enjoys. But a man pardoned is content and well pleaſed with a Morſel. The Apoſtle tells us, Rom, 8.1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus. There may be much tribulation to ſuch, but (thanks be to God) no condemnation.
2. Labour to be holy in all manner of converſation. For Godlineſs is profitable unto all things, having the promiſes of this life and t…at which is to come, 1 Tim. 4.8 Keep and cheriſh a good conſci…ce and a good conſcience, will cheriſh and comfort you.
3. Prepare for afflictions, and think it no ſtrange thing when they happen to you. And when they come, meet them as diſcreet Abigal met David. Let not my Lord be angry. Beg of God that though he do chaſtiſe thee, yet he would not be angry w th thee. Earneſtly implore him that though there be much bitterneſs, yet there may be no wrath in thy Cup. And pray alſo that all your afflictions may be ſanctified to you and may do you that good which God ſent them for. And be more careful of your carriage under afflictions than troubled at them.
4. Moderate your deſires after worldly things. Though God cut you ſhort as to the things of the world, yet think often of your portion and inheritance in the other life. Take Mr. Herberts pious counſel. Pag. 131.
Content thee greedy heart!
Modeſt and moderate Joyes to thoſe that have!
Title to more hereafter when they part,
Are paſſing brave.
Let the upper Springs into the low
Deſcend, and fall, and thou doſt flow.
What though ſome have a fraught
Of Cloves and Nutmegs, and in Cinnamon ſail,
If thou haſt wherewithal to ſpice a draught,
When griefs prevail,
And for the future time art heir
To the Iſle of Spices, is't not fair?
5. Be humble under a ſenſe of your own weakneſs, and earneſtly beg ſtrength from Chriſt to inable you to be content in every condition. A Believers ſtrength both for doing and ſuffering the will of God, is from Chriſt, Pſal. 131.3. When I cried unto thee (ſaies the Pſalmiſt) thou ſtrengthnedſt me with ſtrength in my Soul.
6. When thou art ſtrengthned to bear afflictions with a quiet placid and ſedate mind, give all the glory unto Chriſt, and ſay as Paul did, 1 Tim. 1.12. I thank Chriſt Jeſus our Lord who hath enabled me.
7. Be not ſecure but watch and pray leſt you enter into temptation. Moſes though the meekeſt man upon the earth in his time, yet once fell into ſuch a fit of diſcontent and paſſion, and ſpake ſo unadviſedly with his lips, that God was angry with him and would not let him go into Canaan. Now if a perſon of ſo eminent grace ſo failed, what eruption of diſcontent may we be ſubject to, if left to our ſelves.