Contentment Leading a Christian, Treatise 1 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Of Afflictions in generall, foyled by Contentment.
SIngular is the benefit of Benefit of Contentment.Contentment which goeth no where, but it bestoweth a rich Reward on the Entertainer, and maketh him a gainer in all Conditions, even then when the world sets it selfe to make him, and so cannot but account him a loser.
There is no vertue but it is as a bright Stone in a darke night, set in the middest betweene two vices in extremity, both to shew the cleerenesse and beauty of it selfe; as also that it can never want encounter, being so beset with contrariety; and likewise to note the truth and soundnesse of it, when as pure gold it passeth the fire, not consumed, but brighter.
So is it with this grace of God in Specially in afflictions.speciall, which is never without onsets and sharpe skirmishes by whole Bands and Armies of Discontentments from within and without; but neverthelesse shining and beautifull; yea, so much the more glorious and precious, as the battell is doubtfull, and the victory carried with difficulty.
I have thought good therefore to set this secret and rare grace in a cleere light in the midst of her enemies which come about her like Animus aequm optimum est aerumnae cond mentum. Pla…t. in Rud.Bees or Hornets with poysoned stings. You shall see it like a mighty Sampson, slaying with a Iaw-bone a thousand Philistines: You shall see her strength, her skill, her valour, her value. You shall see this vertue breaking strong cords, as fire doth Flaxe. You shall see thousands and ten thousands fall before it, and on every hand, in the foreward, rereward, wings and squadrons of the Army pitcht against it, till the whole host be discomfited.
The generall of this Army is, Afflictions Grounds of Contentment therein.in generall, which godlinesse teacheth Contentment to foyle by these weapons.
1 From the Authour. No misery ariseth out of the dust, saith Iob, 1 God inflicteth: Iob 5. 6.nor comes by chance or fortune, but by the good providence of God: He creates peace, and he creates evill; namely, of sense and punishment, not of sinne, Esa. 45. 7. and Ruth 1. 20. call me not Naomi, but Mara, for the Lord hath humbled me.
And as he inflicteth, And disposeth them for time, measure, end. Luk 22. 53.so also he disposeth the
time.
measure.
end.
He allotteth an houre for the power of darknesse to worke: he appointeth the place, the house, field, wildernesse, and paradise.
Hee disposeth the measure and quantity, that it shall not exceed our strength, much lesse overturne the Elect, but as the Bush burned, yet Exod. 3. 3. 1 Cor. 10 13…as not consumed, so the Church in the furnace may bee proved, not wasted.
He disposeth also the end: both of Intention; He will not have them condemned with the world, He will fit and conforme them to the image of his Sonne, He admonisheth them of the vanity of this present life, and inviteth them to the meditation of a better, finally, He passeth them by the Crosse to the Crowne: and of Execution; Afflictions last not alwayes, they are momentany, their end is determined, His anger endureth but a while, even for a night, and at length he gives a blessed deliverance Psal. 30. ….out of all, Psalme 34. verse 19.
Now the heart acquainted with godlinesse, by these considerations frameth it selfe to Contentment in Affliction: What, is this the good hand of my heavenly Father? and shal not I his childe be Content, but rise up against it? I will bee dumbe and not open my mouth, because thou doest it, Ps. 39. 9. If Shemei raile upon me, God hath bidden him raile upon David, and who can say, What doest thou? 2 Sam. 16. 10. If losses come upon me, the Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken, I content my self, & blessed be the Name of the Lord, Iob 1. 21. Let my brethren intend evill against me, as Iosephs, God hath an hand in it, and will dispose it for good, Gen. 50. 19. If I should look only on your malice, I must needs revenge and breake patience, but God sent me before you, to save you by a great deliverance: therefore let us all be content.2 Afflictions necessary to the godly, two wayes.
II. A godly man lookes at the necessity of his Afflictions: and this is inevitable.
Both in regard of Gods Word foretelling them, In the world ye shall 1have tribulation; Ye shall weep, but the world shall laugh: as also his word commanding, to enter into the strait gate, and to take up our crosse daily, Luke 9 23. and his word promising, that if we suffer with Christ, we shall also reigne with him, 2 Tim. 2. 11.
And in respect 2of our selves:
our sinnes.
our graces.
our glory.
For all these three estates our troubles are necessary.
In the first respect they are merited. Wherefore is the living … Our sinnes merit afflictions.sorrowfull? Man suffereth for his sinne, Lam. 3. 39. In this regard the Church is content to beare the Lords wrath, because she hath sinned against him, Mic. 3. 9. and David saith, I know, O Lord, that thy judgements Psal. 75. Luke 23. 41are just, and that thou hast afflicted me righteously: and the penitent Theefe, We are righteously here, therefore I will be content.
Necessary also they are for the purging And are purged by ….and consuming of sinne. As plowing of the ground killeth the weeds, and harrowing breaketh hard clods; so afflictions weaken and soften the heart, and (as the Lords drawing plaisters) draw out the core of pride, earthlinesse, selfe-love, covetousnesse, and the like. A godly heart will here stoope and content it selfe. This is the Lords Plow to subdue the hardnesse of my heart, the Lords Flaile to thresh mee as good Corne to be laid up in his Granary, Simili…s.the Lords pruning Knife to cut away my ranke Boughes which would make me fruitlesse, the Lords potion prescribed and prepared by the most wise Physitian of soules, to rid me of my deadly disease of sinne, and to worke an happy cure on my soule, the Lords Soape wherewith he washeth his foule linnen, that I may bee cleane in his sight: I will therefore be contented.
Secondly, in respect of our graces; for the
begetting and breeding of them.
Beautifying and clearing of them.
Exercising and strengthening of them.
Afflictions are necessary and usefull Graces are bread by Affliction. Instances. 1to beget grace: as
1 Humility, which is the way to honour. These represse naturall pride, whereby every one conceives of himselfe as a petite god: these serve as a sharp bit to an unruly Colt, and will tame the worst, even Pharaoh himselfe. Manasseh in tribulation sought the Lord greatly, and hereby proud Nebuchadnezzar had his understanding restored. When God chasteneth man for sinne, hee makes his beauty to consume, Psa. 39. 11. David himselfe will be ready to say, In my prosperity I shall never Psal. 30. 6.be moved, till God turne away his face, and then he is troubled. The Prodigall Sonne can by no other meanes be brought home to his fathers house, but by the pinching famine and misery which his owne folly had brought upon him.
2 Knowledge of God is bred by 2Afflictions, Psal. 119. 71, It is good for mee that I was afflicted, that I might learne thy statutes: and 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, and teachest in thy Law. And when vocall teaching will not serve, the Lord will teach really, by his hand, when the word of his mouth God teacheth vocally and really. 3is too weake.
3 Obedience in doing and suffering Gods will. And this was the fruit of Christs suffring, who though he were the Sonne of God, yet learned obedience by the things he suffered. Hence Afflictions breake the wicked as Okes, but bend the godly as Reedes.
4 Invocation and prayer. David 4upon his repenta…c… exceeded himselfe in prayer, Psal. 51. The thorne of the flesh made Paul pray thrice, that is, often and fervently. See Hos. 5. 15. Esa. 26. 16. and Iudg. 10. 16.
5 Tribulation brings forth patience, 5and patience experience, and experience hope, Ro. 5. 3, 4. yea, & as Afflictions abound, so doe consolations abound through Christ, 2 Cor. 1. 5. Hence also ariseth deniall of a mans selfe through sense of weakenesse, and confidence in God for time to come through sense of former mercy and strength: as, verse 9. We received the sentence of death in our selves, that we should not trust in our selves, but in God who raiseth the dead.
6 True repentance, in two speciall effects of it.6 Two effects of repentance, …urth red by Affliction. Ioh. 33 16.
1 Consideration of their estate: for Affliction opens the eare that was sealed: when men are at peace in their sinnes, then trouble awakens them. Io…as sleepes soundly in the side of the Ship, till the Sea bee troubled, and then he is wakened. Manasseh, whi… he was in his kingdome, prided hims…lfe against God, and was extreamely wicked; but bands and captivity in Babylon brought him to the sight of his sin. Famine made the prodigall sonne consider and compare his estate with Culpa …la… …i… oculo…, p…na …p… rit. Greg.them in his fathers house, & so come to that resolution of returning, Iosephs brethren (Gen. 42. 21.) for twenty yeares together were never troubled with their sinne, in selling their brother, which was a confluence of sins; but in their Affliction and crosses they met with in Egypt, they began to bethinke themselves what they had done, and their sinne, so many yeeres afore committed, came fresh to their remembrance, Wee have verily sinned against our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soule, when he besought us, and we would not heare him, and therefore is this trouble come upon us.
2 Conversion and amendment of life, which is that blessed fruit of righteousnesse, which Afflictions, bring to them that are exercised, Hebr. 12. 11. And this proceedeth from the hatred of sinne, which the former consideration did manifest in the uglinesse of it. Hence schola cruc…s est schola lucis, & justitia. By lying under the crosse wee receive instruction, and settle to reformation.
The second consideration working content in respect of our graces, Graces beautified by Affliction.is, that troubles in generall not onelyonly beget graces, but beautifie and cleare them. The same fire which consumeth drosse, purgeth gold. The world is the Furnace, the godly are Gold, Tribulation is the fire, which as it turneth chaffe into ashes, so it cleanseth gold from drosse and ashes. See 1 Pet. 1. 7. and Psal. 66. 10. Looke as starres shine brightest in the night, but are not seene in Sun-shine; so Gods graces, which make little show while the Sunne of prosperity shines on us, make a great shine and show when the night of trouble commeth.
Further, how doth their faith and constancy gracethem in trouble, as in Iob and Abrahams triall; which if their troubles were not, could not so bewray and commend themselves? like Camomile troden, Niti…ur in pondus, &c.and the Palme pressed, but rising under the weight. Besides that trouble fitteth them to much fruitfulnesse: for the good husbandman purgeth and pruneth the Vine, That it may bring forth more and better fruit, and so bee more profitable and beautifull, Iohn 15. verse 2. And indeed, as an earthen vessell is never fit for use before it bee burned in the fire, so is it with us, who are never fit to be vessels of honour, till the fire of triall have purged, formed, and confirmed us.
Thirdly, troubles exercise grace, Graces thereby exercised and strengthened.and so strengthen it. As a man by wrestling is stronger and more expert; so Affliction holds all graces on worke, faith, patience, Prayer, Meditation, watchfulnesse against sinne, holds the heart in the feare and love of God, and of the love of the world. You shall never see a Christian more Christian, then in trouble, as the three children never more glorious then in the Furnace, CHRIST himselfe never more strong then on the Crosse, and in the grave rising from under all the burden and curse of sinne.
Thus in respect of our sinnes and graces are Afflictions necessary.
Lastly, if we consider our estate Glory obtained by Afflictions, how.of glory, and how trials conduce unto it, we shall not want reason to bee contented under them: for, they are so farre from being prejudiciall to our glory, as they are helpes and furtherances of the same: for,
1 Christian bearing of triall is 1made a note of such, as shall partake in glory; with whom it must not be better then with Christ himselfe, who did weare a Crowne of thornes before his Crowne of glory. And how can it be other, seeing they testifie the love of God, who loveth to the end? Hebr. 12. 6. whom hee loveth he chast eneth. They are markes of our Adoption: for if ye be without correction, whereof all are partakers, ye are bastards and not sonnes. Heb. 12. 8.They are markes of such as are in the highway to heaven, which is all strawed with crosses and troubles; Actes 14 22. Through many Afflictions wee must enter into heaven. And they are markes of such, as by drinking of Christs Cup are conformable to the Image of the Sonne of God, Rom. 8. 29. Christ said to Zebede… sonnes, Ye shall drinke of the Mat. 20. 23cup that I drinke of; namely, of trouble: the nearer to Christ, the sooner drinke it: they that are farthest off, that is, his enemies, drinke the dr…gs Psal. 75. 8.and bottome. And therefore if you would know them, as by an expresse marke, see Revel. 7. 14. These are they that come out of great tribulation.
2 To such onelyonly is promised 2glory: Iam. 1. 12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tryed, he shall receive the Crowne of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him, Revel. 2 10. Ye shall be tryed ten dayes: but be thou faithfull unto the death, and I will give thee a Crowne of life.
3 Glory is accomplished to such 3as endure trials: for they cause an eternall weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4. 17. And this is just with God, to render to you which are troubled, rest with us, when Christ shall appeare, 2 Thes. 1. 6, 7.
Now the godly heart, out of these grounds (to which many might be added) fenceth it selfe, and contenteth it selfe in all troubles in generall: Hath my affliction such speciall goodnesse, through Gods disposing, to beget such excellent graces as humility, knowledge, obedience, prayer, patience, repentance? doth the Lord know and intend to beautifie, purge, and perfect his graces by the fire of Tribulation, and make them shine and shew as jewels? doth he exercise and hold in worke, and so increase and strengthen his grace given, by the same meanes? Yea, and more, doth he further my glory with himselfe? doth he testifie his love, and lay in me the markes of my Adoption, of my way to heaven, and of conformity to his Sonne? hath he promised, and will hee accomplish that promise of glory to such as are troubled? Why then should not I content my selfe, and leane on the word in the hopefull expectation of that blessed end of my trouble? See I not the Saints partners in the crosse with me? I am. 5. 10. Take the Prophets an example of enduring affliction. Nay, see I not my Lord Iesus consecrated by Afflictions? shall Heb. 2. 10.not I contentedly partake in the sufferings of Christ? shall I cast off, or impatiently cary such light Afflictions, which cause so great a weight of glory? Would I fall out with my daily bread, and are not these as necessary? shall I measure Gods love by my outward estate? did hee never love any of the Saints, nor his deare Sonne, of all whom none escaped many troubles?