Contentment Leading a Christian, Title page – Index
A TREATISE OF CONTENTMENT. Leading a Christian with much patience through all afflicted Conditions. By sundry Rules of heavenly wisedome. Whereunto is annexed, First, a Treatise of the Improvement of Time. Secondly, The Holy Warre: in a Visitation Sermon.
Greg. Moral. l. 5.
Si mens forti intentione in Deum dirigiter, quicquid in hac vitâ sibi amarum sit, dulce aestimat; omne quod affligit, requiem putat.
By T. T. D. D. &c.
LONDON, Printed by R. H. for Iohn Bartlet, and are to be sold at the Signe of the Gilt Cup, neere S. Austins Gate in Pauls Church-yard. 1641.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Sir FRANCIS DARCY Knight, my much honoured friend: All happinesse in Christ IESUS.
SIR, not having of mine owne, wherewith I might tell the world of your great and continuall favours unto me, by such a pub…ke testimony, I thought good to doe it by publishing this worke of another, whose Person and Doctrine you well knew and respected. Which I doe the more willingly, because it is sutable to the Contentment here treated of. I am well contented with that mediocrity of gifts and abilities, which God hath bestowed on me. I hold it better in this life, to be faithfull in a little, then ruler over much. No doubt but some are Masters of great parts, and estates, and faithfull too: rich in this world, and rich in good workes too: high in place and respect among men, and high in the favour of God too. But, both such have their hazzards and temptations, against which they need to be watchfull; and the brother of low degree hath cause (in God and his love) to rejoyce and be contented. And oh how happy were it with godly Christians, if they had taken forth this lesson of Contentment! How comfortlesse would their lives then be! How blessedly free from those torturing passions of emulation, envie, murmuring, impatience, and the like, wherewith the spirit is too often, and too much disquieted! Godlinesse with Contentment is great gaine, saith the Apostle: as if the purchase were small, where Contentment is wanting: And indeed much of the benefit and advantage is taken away, where this lesson of Contentation is not taken forth perfectly. And how unbeseeming is it to an heire of the promises, to be Malecontent for worldly wants, or afflictions! How thwarting to the wisedome of God, as if he knew not best to make allowance to his children! How terrible to lie disconsolate in death, or any deadly trouble, moaning as that great Emperour when he lay dying at Yorke; In my life time I have been all foreign. Sev.things, and now nothing doth me good! I w…sh to your Worship all the comforts and mercies of God in Christ, both in life and death; and therunto at this time I commend to your reading this little Treatise of Contentment: resting ever,
Your Worships much obliged, W. JEMMAT.
A Table Alphabeticall of the chiefe things in this Booke.
A
ADa…s sin had many sinnes in it. pag 35
Afflictions foyled by Contentment. 3.
the necessity of them in three respects. 6
disposed of God for time, measure, and end. 4
Age: the incommodities of it. 114
priviledges of it. 115
comforts of it. 116
Aged people called on to prove time well. 179
B
Barrennesse to bee quietly endured, how. 105
Bernards discription of worldly pleasure. 92
C
Callings: crosses in them to be borne contentedly, how. 77
Common-wealth? evills in it: how to be borne. 24
Comparisons: two fold use of them. 192.
Contempt of the world: how to be born contentedly. 52
Contentation the daughter of godlinesse. Praef.
meanes and motives to work it. 131
power of godlines to breed it: whence. 139
Countrey and friends left: comfort in it. 62
D
Death terrible. 118
comforts in it. 119
necessity of dying. 121
utility. 123
Death of friends: comfort in it. 73
Deformity of body to be borne quietly: how. 100
E
Estates we live in, yeelds discontents, yet be comforted in them: how. 85
Examples of holy men perswading Contentment. 136
Experience without grace availeth not. 107
F
Friends unkindnesse: comfort in it. 70 and in their death. 73
G
Glory obtained by afflictions: how. 14
Godlinesse what it doth to breed Contentment. 145
Goods lost: comfort in it. 64
Graces bred, beautified, and exercised by afflictions. 8
Grave terrible: comfort in it. 127
Great sins should not overtrouble the soule. 38
H
Happinesse of Saints raised by certaine staires. 127
Heavenly happinesse attained in death. 125
Honor from above, how to be getten. 98
Honor due to Ministers: threefold. 210
Honors of the world, lost, or not had: comfort in it. 94
I
Iudgement at the last day not dreadfull to beleevers: why. 129
all imperfections and blemishes then done away. 101
Iustification the ground of Contentment. 143
L
Liberty lost: comfort in it. 61
Life lost: comfort in it. 66
Lingring sicknesse: how to be borne contentedly. 111
why suffered by God. 113
M
Martyrs very forward to suffer. 69
Ministers calling most crost: comfort for them. 83
they are Christs souldiers in two respects. 197
their weapons: 198, 204
their enemies. 199
cause of warre. 200
Ministery no easie calling, but dangerous. 201
Misery all ended in death: foure wayes. 123
Molestation Satanicall: how to be borne quietly. 28
Multitude of sinnes should not too much trouble. 32
Mystery in godlinesse, and in Contentment. 152
N
Nature content with little, Grace with lesse. 136
Nature teacheth not the price of time. 168
O
Opportunities of good: nine Instances. 156
Orbity uncomfortable: comforts in it. 105
P
Persecution to be endured contentedly, how 57
Pleasures lost, or lacking: comfort therein. 90
Poore men, how profitable in their times. 184
Preparation to death: what, and how. 121
R
Redeeming of time: what. 161
Relapses: comfort in case of them. 44
Repentance: two effects of it furthered by afflictions. 10
Rich men should be specially carefull of spending their time. 182
S
Scandals and Schismes: foretold: turned to good, &c. 18
Sicknes to be born cōtentedly: how. 107
Sinnes merit afflictions, and are purged by them. 6
Sinnes multitude, greatnesse, relapse: how answered. 32
T
Temporals mercifully withholden. 137
Time to be wholly improoved for good. 155. Motives. 185
preciousnesse of time: in six things. 162. 165
skill to prize it comes of God. 168
be sparing of time: 7 Motives. 172
Theeves that steale time away. 174
V
Vnion with Christ not dissolved in the grave, 128
Unite forces against the common enemy. 208
Uses of sicknesse sanctified, six. 108
W
Warre of Christians, especially of Ministers. 193
Wealth lost, or not had: comfort in it. 85
Works good, mentioned to the Saints in the last judgement: not bad. 131
Worlds hatred: contentment in it. 47
Y.
Yong people admonished to spend their time well. 177
FINIS.