Works, Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. Means whereby Christians may exercise themselves to Godliness. A contented Spirit; Avoiding those things that hinder Godliness.
THirteenthly, If thou woulst exercise thy self to Godliness, Labour to get a contented frame of heart. A setled fixed fr…m of heart as to all outward occurrences, is like Ballast to a Ship, which will help it to sail trim in all waters; whereas a discontented spirit is as a light smal boat in the Ocean, tossed about with every blast, and always in danger of drowning. I doubt not but the great Apostles diligence to learn this lesson perfectly; I have learned in what state soever I am to be contented; I know how to be abas…d, and how to abound, Philip. 4. 12. was a special means of his extraordinary growth, and proficiency in grace. It is generally observed that peevish persons whom nothing pleaseth, are usually lean and thin in their bodies; but those who are of chearful tempers, and not overmuch troubled with any disasters, are thriving and healthful. The discontented soul, whom eve…y heat or cold above ordinary puts into a fright or fever, will rather decline then increase in his spiritual health; but the Christian who is ever chearful in his God and Saviour, and lives about these lower things as one indifferent about them, will never be hindered by them in his work of holiness. As a sickly man is hindered in his journey by every storm, and ready to run to an House or stand under an Hedge at every shower; so is a discontented person, ready to turn aside or stand still at every unexpected providence; when a contented man like a lusty resolved travellar, keeps on his course whatsoever weather comes. Godliness requires a contented mind to grow in, 1 Tim. 6. 6. It is said of the Pelican that she is caught by the Shephards in this manner: They lay fire not far from her nest, which she finding and fearing the danger of her young, seeks to blow out with her wings, so long till she burns her self, and makes her self a prey out of foolish pity to her young. So many men out of unwise pity to their relations and possessions, when they are at any time in danger for want of this contented spirit and q…iet submission to infinite wisdom, trouble themselves so much, and so long about them, till they make themselves a prey to Satan, and no whit preserve or secure those persons or things about which they are so immoderately anxious and sollicitous.
Whilst we are in this world, we must expect various winds, some sharp, some warm, some nipping, some refreshing, some with us, some against us, and unless we are prepared for all by an holy pliableness, we shall be injured by every one; Every strong wind, whether with us, or against us, will be ready to overturn us, if we want this ballast. There is no condition in this life so blessed, as to afford the perfection of content; and yet there is no estate in this life so wretched, but a Christian may be contented with it. If thou hast as much as thou wantest, thou hast as much as in reason thou desirest, and therefore hast cause to be contented.
The way to true Riches, saith Plato, is not to increase our heaps, but to diminish the covetousness of our hearts. It were well for the world, saith another, if there were no Gold in it; but since its the Fountain whence all things flow, its to be desired, but onelyonly as a pass to travail to our journeys end without begging. Every man is rich, or may be so, if he will equal his mind to his estate, and be but poor in his desires; He that hath most, wants somthing, as Haman, when he had the commander of one hundred and twenty Provinces at command; He that hath least, wants nothing, if he want not a contented spirit.
He that can bring his heart to an even poize in all providences, will avoid many temptations, and escape many snares in which others are entangled. The want of this renders many a mans life as unserviceable to God, as uncomfortable to himself. The discontented person like the Sea, is seldom seen without storms and tempests; A small matt…r puts him out of order and joynt, and so unfits him for spiritual actions. As hot Iron, the smallest drop sets him a hissing, like a rufled skein of silk, every way taken to compose him, entangleth him. Discontent like Ink poured into a Bottle of Water, turns all into blackness; O Frind, beware of it.
It hinders from praying; A discontented man will rather poure out his passions then any sober prayers, before the Lord.
It hinders examining our selves; Though quiet and calm waters will like a glass, if we look into it, shew us the image and likeness of our selves, yet troubled and muddy waters will make no such representation. Though the heart when calm and contented,Joh. 14. 27. Psa. 55. 45. may shew us the face and features of our souls, yet if muddied by discontent they cannot do it.
It hinders from hearing; The noise of passion drowns the voice of the Preacher. Men must with meekness receive the ingrafted word, if they desire it should save their souls, Iam. 1.
When a Fountain is troubled, there can no Water be drawn out of it, but what is filthy and unsavoury; When a person is discontented, all his duties are distas…eful and unacceptable to God. Therefore Christ more then once diswads his Disciples from it; Let not your hearts be troubled; Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid, Joh. 14. 1, 27.
Diogenes resolved, since many evils would befal him, to keep himself steady in all; he would oppose Resolution to Fortune, Nature to the Law, his Reason to his Affections; But the Christian hath a better guide, and better grounds for contentedness.
There be several thoughts which may quiet and compose the heart in all occurents.
1. That Infinite wisdom ordaineth whatsoever befalleth me, and the present condition that I am in, is ever best for me. If a greater portion of outward good things, had been good for me, I had had it; my Father is not so careless of his Children, as to deny them any thing that is good for them, and if it be not good for me, why should I defire it? He acteth without reason, as well as without religion, who craveth what is hurtful to him. If my condition were cut out by the will of malicious men, I might have some ground of grumbling; but when its cut out by the infinite wisdom of a gracious God, I have not the least cause of discontent. I take it ill if my Children be not satisfied with what food and raiment I think fitten for them; and may not God much more take it ill at my hands, if I sit not down quietly with his allowance, be it more or less?
2. That the smallest mercy is above my merits; If my condition be not so good …s … desire, yet it is better then I deserve; If my estate be not so flourishing as I would it should be, it is not so bad as I know it might have been; Beggars must not be chusers; They who have nothing but of charity and almes, must be satisfied with a bare allowance, and contentedly be at anothers disposal; Why doth living man complain? Lam. 3. 39. Man, a reasonable creature, and complain against his Maker! Living man complain, when the most miserable estate out of Hell is a mercy to him!
3. That be our estate as low as it will, it is better then we brought with us into the world. Some give us this reason, why man (when none besides of the visible creatures) is born naked, weeping, helpless, b…t to teach him contentedness. Have I any food? I brought none with me; Is my garment course and thin? I was born naked; Am I blest with any comforts? I came into the World without any; Naked came I into the world, and naked shall I go out of the world; The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord.
4. That a better condition might and would make me worse; If I were mounted high in the world, I should be like the Flag at the top of the Mast, more liable to storms and winds. The full purse invites the Theif, and perhaps may occasion a stab; when the empty pocket is secure, and the poor man may travail the road without any such danger. Low shrubs escape many a cold blast, with which tall trees are assaulted; They have no changes, therefore they fear not God, Psa. 55. 7. Atalanta lost the wager she ran for, by gathering up the Golden Apples which Hippomenes for that purpose had thrown in her way.
5. That others who are better then I and more holy, are worse for this world, and suffer more hardships. In spiritual things look on those above thee, that by an honest emulation thou mayst reform and amend; but in temporal things look on those below thee, that thou mayst not complain or murmur. How many are in fetters, wandring up and down from house and home, set upon the wrack of diseases, and have an ounce of misery for every dram which thou hast? stay Sirs, said the wise Hary in the Fable, let our estate content us, for as we run from some; so others run from us.
6. That all shall work for my good. The Saint is sure to thrive by his sufferiugs; When Children meet with Nuts, or Apples, or Primroses in their way, those are oftimes occasions to make them loyter in their errands, incur their Parents anger, and sometime their late return finds the door shut against them; when such as meet with danger make the more haste, and their speed procureth them the greater welcome. They who meet with pleasures are apt to loyter; they who meet with miseries make the more haste, and shall find the better chear. The Christian hath a promise, and the very Godhead of the Almighty engaged for its performance: We know that all things shall work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose, Rom. 8. 28. Why should not the Christian with an holy resolution hold a steady course in all weathers, and though he be forced with cross winds to shift his sails and catch at side winds, yet wisely steer and keep on his course by the Cape of good hope, when he may be certain that every wind that bloweth shall help him forward to his eternal joyful Haven. Though we cannot see how some passages of Gods providence, as persecution, opprossion, loss of relations or estates, sickness or disgrace, should do otherwise then hurt and injure us; and are ready to darken counsel by words without knowledge, and to say as Iacob, Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, all these are against me. Children are not, Honours are not, Riches are not, Liberty is not; All these are against me. But Christ may say to us of such severe dispensations, as once to Peter; What I do thou knowest not now, but shalt know hereafter. The issue will prove a truth in Gods promises, and the conclusion will speak what was in the womb of the promises. I am confident when God sendeth afflictions, they are at that season more fit for me then outward mercies; and though at present I am ready to blaspheme, yet when I find the fruit of them in being thereby partaker of his holiness I bless him for them. A Lacedaemonian woman, when Sparta had got the day in a battel, could not onelyonly submit but rejoyce though her five Sons were slain in the fight. If I get the victory over one sin, I have cause to rejoyce, though it cost me some outward comforts.
7. That the more I repine the worse I make my condition. A discontented man like one in a barrel of Pikes, which way soever he turns he finds something that pricks, he is best at ease when he lieth still. Murmuring turns whips into Scorpions, and makes that which would be but as a little Finger, heavier then weighty loynes. They who by an even poize may sit safe in a Boat when the waters are rough, by rising up or stirring, are drowned. Passions like rain or mist to the best firrs, breed vermine in the soul. Because this man hath not what his lust craveth, he enjoyeth not what God hath given him; but like an Asse feedeth on hearbs, whilst he carrieth better food on his back for others. A single mischief by discontent is made double. The Prisoner galls his legs by striving with his fetters.
8. The examples of others may have some prevalency with us; Abraham, Moses, Paul were eminent for this grace. Many Heathen who were ignorant of the wisdome, goodness, and faithfullness of God, yet upon principles of morality were constant and even in their behaviours, not changing their countenances with the change of their fortunes and conditions, but bringing their mind to their estates, when they could not bring their estates to their minds. Xantippe said of Socrates that she always found him returning home (though he often met with affronts and abusive language abroad) with the same face and carriage with which he went out. Furius Camillus was ever like himself, neither by obtaining the dictatourship inflamed with arrogancy, nor being banished his Country fick with melancholy. The whole body of Rome after their disaster at Canna, where their Consul was slain, and the flower of their Gentry and Souldiery cut off by Hannibal; when the whole world did ring their Passing-bell, and judged their Fortune dying and desperate, were even then Heroick in their carraiage, and acted nothing unworthy their former greatness. In their Asian enterprise they proposed before the battel conditions to Antiochus as if they had conquered him, and after the …ight and victory offered him the same terms as if they had not conquered. Abdolomius a poor Gardine…, though of the Kings stock, when advanced by Alexander to be King of Zidon, and asked by him how it was possible for him to endure his poverty with contentedness; answered, I pray the gods I may continue the government of this Kingdom with the like mind; for those hands were sufficient for me to live by, and as I had nothing so I wanted nothing.
9. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. He doth thee no wrong, he cannot do thee any wrong, now why shouldst thou complain when not injured? Its unreasonable to murmur when a man hath right done him.
10. God is gracious and good in all his dealings with thee.
If thine estate be but little, yet that little with the fear of the Lord is better then the possessions of many wicked men, Psal. 37. A penny which is the earnest of some great bargain, is another manner of thing then an ordinary penny, and more worth then many pounds, being given and received under another notion Thy little is an earnest of infi…itely more then thou canst imagine, and therefore more precious then others thousands. A dinner of hearbs with the love of thy God, in infinitely more elegible then the stalled Oxen of the wicked, and his wrath therewith. Who would desire Eglons present with the dagger; Siserahs milk with the nail, and hammer; and Hamans banquet with the gallows, that trod upon the heels of it? Truely such is the riches of every wicked man.
The smallness of thy temporal, may increase thy spiritual estate. If God recompence thy want of earthly, with a supply of heavenly riches, thou art no loser. Nicepsorus tells us of one Cyrus a Courtier, in the time of Theodosius the younger, who through the envious occupation of some favourites being spoiled of his goods, of a Pagan became a Christian, and of a Christian a Minister of Christ. Endoxia the daughter of a Philosopher in Athens, being cast out of her Fathers house by unkind brethren, and coming to Constantinople to beseech Theodosius to right a poor Orphan, found such favour in his eyes, that he made her his Queen. Affliction is the way to honour with men, to more holiness from God; when Prosperity causeth our fall both into sin and misery. He holds the garments of his godliness fast in a boysterous wind, who would lay it off in a Sunny day.
Lastly, If thou woudst exercise thy self to godliness, take heed of those things that will hinder thee therein. As if a man would have his trees to thrive, he must not onelyonly open the earth sometimes, and mind its watering, but also lop off superfluous branches; and as a Gardiner if he would have his hearbs and flowers to flourish, must be sure to keep his Banks and Beds well weeded, as well as dunged or watered; so if thou wouldst thrive and flourish in godliness, …ere is a necessity of avoiding what is hur…ful to it, as well as of using what is helpful.
There be several things which will keep a Christian from the exercise of his holy calling, some of which I shall but briefly name, having had occasion to speak of others, and also to these in other Chapters.
1. Avoid evil company. Wicked persons delight to have or to make fellows. Hence we find in Scripture that they go as the unclean beasts into the Arke in pairs; Adam and Eve, Simeon and Levi, Ammon and Ionadab, Hymeneus and Alexander, Phygellus and Hermogenes, Ananias and Saphira. Can a man take fire in his bosome and not be burned? Expect not that the flowers of thy graces should flourish, unless these weeds be removed from them. He that walketh in the rain must expect to be wet, he that walketh in the Sun must expect to be tanned, and he that walks among polluting persons must expect to be polluted.
2. Take heed of idleness. An idle man is like an heap of dry straw, quickly fired by the sparkes of Satans temptations, Prov. 28. 19. 1 Tim. 5. 13. 2 Thess. 3. 10, 11. Whist the Oyster lieth gaping against the Sun, he is devoured by the Crabfish. Whilst the Christian lieth lazing on the bed of idleness, he is a prey to Satan. The purest river water if it stand still in a vessel, will become unsavoury. The best corn if not stird will be musty. As the Caterpillar consumeth the leaf, and the Canker the rose, so will idleness thy godliness, Ezek. …6. 49. A… men in war lying in the field, if they be slothful and lie lazing on the ground, must expect to be a prey to their enemies. The Amalekites found this by experience; the sluggard will rather be kild, then take the pains to defend himself. A slothful man, who will not imploy his stock, cannot expect to improve his stock. The diligent hand maketh rich in goods and in grace.
3. Love not the World; The thornes of the world hinder the growth of the good seed of grace. This worlds best, are the other worlds worst husbands. Its hard for the Periwinckle in the Sea to swim, because of the house on her back; Its impossible for them to swim Heaven-ward, who have the world not on their backs, but in their hearts. The more thou delightest in this world, the more thou wilt neglect the other world. He who is taken with, and fond of an Harlot, will quickly abate in his love to, nay cast off his-honest wife. The Palm tree is least at the bottom, and the higher it groweth, the thicker and greater it is, contrary to all other trees. The higher a Christian mounts in his affections, and the more heavenly he is, the more he wil… thrive in Christianity. The Child cannot thrive that feedeth on Dirt; the more a man love…h the earth, the lesse he will do or suffer for heaven; Such Esaus will sell the birthrigh… for a mess of pottage; such Gehezies will dishonour and be…ie their Master for a talent of silver; Such Achans will destroy themselves and families, and trouble a whole Israel for a wedge of gold; Such Iudasses will sell their Lord and Saviour for a goodly price, Thirty pieces; For a piece of a Bread such a one will transgresse. The fire which breaks out of this bramble, devours the Cedars of Lebanon. The Athenians did set up a pillar, wherein they published him to be an enemy to their City, who should bring gold out of Media, as an instrument to corrupt them. Inordinate love of creatures, is a canker which in time will eat up the very life of godliness. Reader, If thou art risen with Christ, seek those things that are above where Christ is. It is recorded by divers Historians, both of the East and West Indians, and some Blackamoors in Guinea between both, that many subjects willingly dye with their Princes, and Women with their Husbands; that some Men give their Wives, others their Children, others their Servants to be buried alive in the Grave, with their Kings to serve him (as they conceit) in the other world; that some Women cast them…elves into the fire, in which the dead bodies of their Husbands are consumed. If those can cast away and contemn the world, and all things in it, for the love of a poor wretched creature; what a shame is it to Christians, if the love of Jesus Christ their Head, their Prince, their Husband do not mortifie them to the world, and make them dispise all in it, to injoy him whilst they live, and to be with him where he is when they dye?
4. Allow thy self in …o known sin; This like a thief used to the shop, which will steal away all thy gains, and keep thee assuredly from thriving in thy heavenly calling. There is no possibility of making Religion thy business, without the gracious concurrence of the holy Spirit; he it is that must lay the foundation, rear up the building, and perfect what he beginneth, but thou canst not expect his company or assistance, if thou harbourest any corruption in thy heart; though this Dove may flye to thee, desirous to make its abode with thee, as the Dove went of out the Ark, yet if it behold the earth under water, thy heart in any way of wickedness, it will return again whence it came; Doves will lye clean or be gone. Bees will not continue in a stinking or impure Hive, therefore those that would not loose them, prepare the stools where they set them with perfumes and sweet-smelling boughs, lest ill savours force them to forsake their stations. Thus saith Chrysostom, deals the holy spirit; Our souls are the hives, which if perfumed with grace, invite his presence, but if polluted with any known sin, provoke him to depart. O let there not be any way of wickedness in thee, if thou wouldst run the way of Gods commandments.