Contentment Leading a Christian, Preface
THE AVTHORS PREFACE:
AFter we have shewed the gaine of godlinesse (out of 1 Tim. 6. 6.) now we come to speake of the priviledge of it, that it brings Contentment with it, whereby the heart of a godly man is stayed, and resteth in God, well apaid with that estate and measure of goods which the Lord hath made his portion, be it more or lesse. A most rare vertue, and full of sweetnesse: when as the minde, grounded upon Gods providence and promises, reposeth it selfe in GOD, and hath learned with Paul in every estate to be Content, to want and abound, to be full and hungry, &c. Phil. 4. 11, 12.
Doctr. True Contentation is the daughter of Godlinesse. One ly delight in the Lord can give us our hearts desire, Psal. 37. 4. He that drinks of this water, shall thirst againe: but he that drinks of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst, Iohn 4. 14. And blessed is he whom thou choosest, and makest come unto thee: he shall dwell and be satisfied with the pleasures of thy house, Psal. 65. 4.
Reason 1. Because true Con tentment is a fruit of Faith, ari sing through perswasion of there mission of sinne, and reconciliation with God; together with as surance of our Adoption, whereby wee become sons, and are interes sed in the fatherly providence of God, which will watch over our good, and reserve for us such an estate as his wisedome and love shall see meet for us.
2 It is the disease of corrupt hearts (which all of us carry) that they cannot but insatiably long and covet after worse things if they be not filled with the best: even as a bad stomacke not filled with wholesome food, will sucke in w…nd to torment it. But if once God and his grace take up our hearts, that by Faith and Hope we can sat…ate our soules in his goodnesse, wee shall no more want ea…thly vanities, then wee can want a Candle when the Sun sh…neth.
3 No earthly thing can bring Content; and therefore it must be the daughter of Godlinesse onelyonly. For earthly things be mass…e and drossie; whereas the minde is of a divine and spirituall nature. Can earthly treasures fill the soule, as they doe a Chest? or can you fill a Chest with graces and vertues? Can you fill the stomack with wisdome, as with meat? These be not capable one of another: there is no proportion betweene them. These earthly things are unnaturall nourishment for the soule of man, and cannot satisfie the hunger of the minde. So saith Solomon, Eccles 5. 10. Hee that loveth money shall not be satisfied with it. It is onelyonly the bread of Life, and Christs righteousnesse, a spirituall nourishment, that can replenish emptiesoules. Nothing lesse then God can fill the heart, being of a spirituall substance, created to his Image, and to be a Temple for his Spirit.
4 It is proper to godlinesse, if the estate be not fitted to the minde, to fit the mind to his estate. And this is partly by the Rules it affordeth for every afflicted condition, partly by the power it hath to give the soule Contentment, though other comforts faile: those in the generall body of this Treatise, this in the last Chapter.
Vse I. It followes hence, that an ungodly man can have no content, but is as the raging Sea, casting out myre and dirt. He may have riches; but no rest. He may fill his Chest, but not his minde. For it is not in those things, to give peace; nay, as the curse attends him in other things, so, in this specially, He eates, but is not satisfied, as the seven leane Kine ate the seven fatones, but were never the fatter.
Vse 2. This teacheth us, how a man may be rich without riches (which is a riddle in Christianity) namely, when godlinesse and contentation meet together. For,
1 He is rich, whom God accounteth rich, and that is the godly man.
2 Hee is rich, who hath enough, not who hath much. For it is better to have enough, then to have much: and he hath enough whose estate agrees with his minde: As he is poore, not who hath little, but who not being sufficed is ever craving more. Ahab had a Kingdome, yet was not content without poore Naboths Vineyard: whereas Naboth had but a little, yet was so content and rich, as he wished not the Kings substance. Of every poore godly man may be said, as the Spirit speakes of the Church of Smyrna, Revelat. 2. verse 9. I know thy poverty, but thou art rich. This it is, which makes a man whole without health, warme without cloathes, and in cause of outward heavinesse to be glad. Whereas without it men turne peace into trouble, riches into poverty, health into sicknesse. No happinesse where contentment dwels not. Experirience lets our eyes see many of them, whom the world hath with her best meanes made as happy as it can, yet pressed downe with the weight of their owne felicity, thinking themselves unhappy sad, and complaining, and cannot tell of what. It is nothing for Absalom to be the Kings sonne, unlesse he may have the Crowne presently from his fathers head. Cesar can abide no superiour, nor Pompey an equall.
Vse 3. Labour for this fruit of godlinesse, which is content ment. The meanes and motives are in Chap. 20. Reade, medi tate, affect thine owne happinesse, and what is delivered to thee in Rules, expresse and bring forth in thy conversation.
A TREATISE OF CONTENTMENT.
1 TIM. 6. 6.
But godlinesse is great gaine, if a man be content with that he hath.