The Art of Divine Contentment, Chapter 11

The Art of Divine Contentment · Chapter 11

p. 118CHAP. XI.

Divine Motives to Contentment.

AND so I proceed to the Arguments, or Motives that may quicken to Contentment.

SECT. I.

The first Argument to Contentation.

1. Consider the Excellency of it. Contentment is a flower that doth not grow in every Garden;The first Argument to Contentation. it teacheth a man how in the midst of want to abound. You would think it were excellent, if I could prescribe a receit, or antidote against poverty; p. 119but behold, here is that which is more excellent; for a man to want, and yet have enough, this alone contentment of spirit brings. Contentatio is foreign, a remedy against all our troubles, a levamen to all our burdens, it is the cure of care. Contentation, though it be not properly a Grace, it is rather a disposition of minde; yet in it there is optimum temperamentum, an happy temperature and mixture of all the graces: It is a most precious compound which is made up of Faith, Patience, Meeknesse, &c. which are the ingredients put into it. Now there are in specie these seven rare excellencies in Contentment.

1. A contented Christian carries heaven about him; 1. Excellency of Contentation.For what is Heaven but that sweet repose and full contentment that the soule shall have in God? in Contentment there is the first fruits of Heaven.

p. 120There are two things in a contented spirit which makes it like Heaven.

1. God is there; Something of God is to be seen in that heart.1. Ibi Deus. A discontented Christian is like a rough tempestuous Sea; when the water is rough, you can see nothing there; but when it is smooth and serene, then you may behold your face in the water**Prov. 27. 19.Prov 27:19. When the heart rageth through discontent, it is like a rough Sea; you can see nothing there, unlesse passion and murmuring; there is nothing of God, nothing of Heaven in that heart; but by vertue of Contentment, 'tis like the Sea when it is smooth and calme, there is a face shining there; you may see something of Christ in that heart, a representation of all the graces.

2. Rest is there. O what a Sabbath is kept in a contented heart!2. Ibi requies. What an Heaven! A contented Christian is like Noah in the Arke; p. 121though the Arke were tossed with waves, Noah could sit and sing in the Arke. The soule that is gotten into the Arke of Contentment, sits quiet, and sailes above all the waves of trouble; he can sing in this spiritual Arke. The wheeles of the Chariot move, but the axle-tree stirs not; the circumference of the Heavens is carried about the Earth, but the Earth moves not out of its centre. When we meete with motion and change in the creatures round about us, a contented spirit is not stirred or moved out of its centre. The sailes of a mill move with the winde, but the mill it self stands still; An embleme of Contentment: When our outward estate moves with the wind of providence, yet the heart is setled through holy Contentment; and when others are like quick-silver shaking and trembling through disquiet, the contented spirit can say as David, O God, my heart is fixed, p. 122my heart is fixed**Ps. 57. 7.Ps 57:7; what is this but a piece of heaven?

2. Whatever is defective in the creature,2. Excellencie. is made up in Contentment. A Christian may want the comforts that others have, the land, and possessions; but God hath distilled into his heart that Contentment which is far better; In this sense that is true of our Saviour, He shall have in this life an hundred fold **Mat. 19. 29Matt 19:29. Perhaps he that ventured all for Christ, never hath his house or land again; I, but God gives him a contented spirit; and this breeds such joy in the soule, as is infinitely sweeter then all his houses and lands which he left for Christ. It was sad with David in regard of his outward comforts; he being driven (as some thinke) from his Kingdome, yet in regard of that sweete contentment he found in God, he had more comfort then men use to have in time of harvest and vintage**Psal. 4, 7.Ps 4:7. One man hath house p. 123and lands to live upon, another hath nothing, only a smal trade; yet even that brings in a livelihood. A Christian may have little in the world, but he drives the trade of contentment; and so he knowes as well how to want, as to abound. O the rare art, or rather miracle of contentment! Wicked men are often disquieted in the enjoyment of all things; the contented Christian is well in the want of all things.

Quest. But how comes a Christian to be contented in the deficiency of outward comforts?Quest.

Answ. A Christian findes contentment distilled out of the brests of the Promises.Answ. He is poor in purse, but rich in Promise. There is one promise brings much sweet contentment into the soul; They that seeke the Lord, shall not want any good thing **Ps. 34. 10.Ps 34:10. If the thing we desire be good for us, we shall have it; if it be not good, then the not having it is p. 124good for us. The resting satisfied with this Promise, gives contentment.

3. Contentment makes a man in tune to serve God;3 Excellency. it oiles the wheeles of the soul, and makes it more agil and nimble; it composeth the heart, and now is fit for prayer, meditation, &c. How can he that is in a passion of grief, or discontent, serve God without distraction **1 Cor. 7. 35.1 Cor 7:35? Contentment doth prepare and tune the heart. First you prepare the Viol, and winde up the strings, ere you play a fit of musick. When a Christians heart is wound up to this heavenly frame of Contentment, then it is fit for duty. A discontented Christian is like Saul when the evil spirit came upon him. O what jarrings and discords doth he make in prayer! When an Army is put into a disorder, now it is not sit for battell: When the thoughts are scattered and distracted about the cares of this life, a man is p. 125not fit for devotion. Discontent takes the heart wholly off from God, and fixeth it upon the present trouble, so that a mans mind is not upon his prayer, but upon his …rosse.

Discontent doth disjoynt the soul, and it is impossible now that a Christian should go so steadily, and chearfully in Gods service. O how lame is his devotion! The discontented person gives God but halfe a duty, his Religion is nothing but bodily exercise, it wants a soul to animate it. David would not offer that to God which cost him nothing **2 Sa… ▪ 24 24▪; where there is too much worldly care, there is too little spiritual cost in a duty. The discontented person doth his duties by halves; he is just like Ephraim, a cake not turned **Hos. 7. 8Hos 7:8; he is a cake baked on one side; he gives God the outside, but not the spirituall part, his heart is not in duty; he is baked on one side, but the other side dough; p. 126and what profit is there of such raw, indigested services? He that gives God only the skin of worship, what can he expect more then the shell of comfort? Contentation brings the heart into frame; and then only do we give God the flower and spirits of a duty; when the soule is composed; now a Christian doth rem … gere, his heart is intense and serious. There are some duties which we cannot performe as we ought without Contentment; As,

1. To rejoyce in God. How can he rejoyce that is discontented? he is sitter for Repining then Rejoyceing.

2. To be thankful for merciemercy. Can a discontented person be thankfull? he can be fretful, not thankful.

3. To justifie God in his proceedings **Ezra. 9. 23Ezra 9:23. How can he doe this who is discontented with his condition? He will sooner censure Gods wisdome, then p. 127cleare his justice. Oh then how excellent is Contentation which doth prepare, and as it were string the heart for duty? Indeed Contentment doth not only make our duties lively and agil, but acceptable. 'Tis this that puts beauty and worth into them; for Contentment settles the soul: Now as it is with milke, when it is alwaies stirring, you can make nothing of it, but let it settle a while and then it turnes to cream: When the heart is overmuch stirred with disquiet and discontent, you can make nothing of those duties; how thin, how fletten, and jejune are they? But when the heart is once setled by holy Contentment, now there is some worth in our duties, now they turn to cream.

4. Contentment is the spirituall Arch, 4. Excellencie.or pillar of the soule; it fits a man to bear burdens; he whose heart is ready to sinke under the least sin, by vertue of this hath a spirit invincible p. 128under sufferings. A contented Christian is like the Camomile, the more it is troden upon, the more it growes; as Physick works diseases out of the body, so doth Contentment work trouble out of the heart. Thus it argues; If I am under reproach, God can vindicate me; If I am in want, God can relieve me. Ye shall not see wind, nor raine; yet the valley shall be filled with water **2 Kings 3. 17.2 Kgs 3:17. Thus holy Contentment keeps the heart from fainting; in the Autumne when the fruit and leaves are blown off, still there is sap in the roote: When there is an autumne upon our external felicity, the leaves of our estate drop off, still there is the sap of Contentment in the heart; and a Christian hath life inwardly, when his outward comforts do not blossome. The contented heart is never out of heart. Contentation is a golden shield, that doth beat back discouragement. Humility is like the lead p. 129to the net, which keeps the soule down when it is rising through passion; and Contentment is like the cork which keeps the heart up when it is sinking through discouragement. Contentment is the great underpropper; it is like the Beame which beares whatever weight is laid upon it; nay, it is like a Rock that breaks the waves.

'Tis strange to observe the same affliction lying upon two men, how differently they carry themselves under it. The contented Christian is like Samson, that carried away the gates of the City upon his back**Judges 16. 3.Judg 16:3; he can go away with his cross chearfully, and makes nothing of it; the other is like Issachar couching down under his burden**Gen. 49. 14.Gen 49:14: the reason is, the one is content, and that breeds courage; the other discontented, and that breeds fainting. Discontent swells the grief, and grief breaks the heart. When this sacred sinew of p. 130Contentment begins to shrink, we go limping under our afflictions. We know not what burdens God may exercise us with, let us therefore preserve Contentment; as is our Contentment, such will be our courage. David with his five stones and his sling, defied Goliah, and overcame him. Get but Contentment into the sling of your heart, and with this sacred stone you may both defie the world and conquer it; you may break those afflictions which else wil break you.

5. A fifth excellency is,5. Excellency. Contentment prevents many sinnes and tentations.

1. It prevents many sinnes. Where there wants Contentment, there wants no sin; discontentednesse with our condition, is a sin that doth not go alone, but is like the first link of the chaine, which drawes all the other linkes along with it. In particular, there are two sins which p. 131Contentatation prevents.

1. Impatience. Discontent and Impatience are two Twins; This evil is of the Lord, why should I wait any longer **2 Kings 6. 33.2 Kgs 6:33? As if God were so tied that he must give us the mercy just when we desire. Impatience is no smal sin, as wil appear, if you consider whence it ariseth; As,

1. It is for want of faith. Faith gives a right notion of God; it is an intelligent grace; it beleeves that Gods wisdome tempers, and his love sweetens all ingredents; this workes patience; Shall I not drinke the cup which my Father hath given me? Impatience is the daughter of infidelity. If a patient hath an ill opinion of the Physician, and conceits that he comes to poison him, he will take none of his Receits. When we have a prejudice against God, and conceit that he comes to kill us, and undo us, then we storme, and cry out through Impatience. We are like a foolish p. 132man ('tis Chrysostoms simile) that cries out, Away with the plaister, though it be in order to a cure; is it not better that the plaister smart a little, then the wound fester and rankle?

2. Impatience is for want of love to God. Wee will bear his reproofs whom wee love, not onelyonly patiently, but thankfully. Love thinks no evill **1 Cor. 13.1 Cor 13. It puts the fairest and most candid glosse upon the actions of a friend; Love covers evill. If it were possible for God in the least manner to erre, (which were blasphemy to think) love would cover that errour; love takes every thing in the best sense; it makes us bear any stroke, It endureth all things **2 Cor. 13. 7.2 Cor 13:7; had wee love to God, we should have patience.

3. Impatience is for want of Humility. The impatient man was never humbled under the burden of sinne; he that studies his sinnes, the numberlesse number of them, how p. 133they are twisted together, and sadly accented, is patient, and saith, I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him **Mica. 7. 9.. The greater noise drowns the lesser; when the sea roares the rivers are still, he that lets his thoughts expatiate about sinne, is both silent and amaz'd, he wonders it is no worse with him. How great then is this sinne of impatience? and how excellent is Contentation which is a Supersedeas or counterpoison against this sinne. The contented Christian beleeving that God doth all in love, is patient, and hath not one word to say, unlesse to justifie God**Ps. 51. 4.Ps 51:4. That is the first sin which Contentation prevents.

2. It prevents murmuring, a sinne which is a degree higher then the other; murmuring is a quarrelling with God, & enveighing against him, They spake against God **Num. 21. 5.Num 21:5; the murmurer saith interpretatively, that God p. 134hath not dealt well with him, and he hath deserved better from him. The murmurer chargeth God with folly; This is the language, or rather blasphemy of a murmuring spirit, God might have been a wiser and a better God. The murmurer is a mutineer. The Israelites are called in the same text murmurers and Rebels **Numb. 17. 10▪Num 17:10; and is not rebellion as the sin of witchcraft? Thou that art a murmurer, art in the account of God as a Witch, a Sorcerer, as one that deals with the Divel. This is a sin of the first magnitude; murmuring oft ends in cursing: Micah's mother fell to cursing when the talents of silver were taken away **Judg. 17▪ 2.Judg 17:2. So doth the murmurer when a part of his estate is taken away; our murmuring is the Divels musick; this is that sinne which God cannot bear, How long shal I bear with this people that murmur against me **Numb. 14. 7.Num 14:7? It is a sinne which whets the sword against a people, it is a land-destroying sinne; Murmur ye not p. 135as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer**1 Cor. 10. 10.1 Cor 10:10. 'Tis a ripening sinne; this, without Gods mercy, will hasten Englands funerals. O then how excellent is contentation which prevents this sinne? To be contented and yet murmur, is a soloecism; A contented Christian doth acquisce in his present condition, and doth not murmur, but admire. Herein appears the excellency of contentation, it is a spiritual antidote against sinne.

2. Contentment prevents many temptations; discontent is a divel that is alwaies tempting.1 Tentation 1. It puts a man upon indirect means: He that is poor and discontented, will attempt any thing; he will go to the divel for riches; he that is proud and discontented will hang himselfe, as Achitophel did when his counsell was rejected. Satan takes great advantage of our discontent; he loves to fish in these troubled waters. Discontent p. 136doth both eclipse reason and weaken faith; & it is Satan policy, he doth usually break over the hedge where it is weakest. Discontent makes a breach in the soule, and usually at this breach the divel enters by a tentation, and stormes the soul. How easily can the divel by his Logick dispute a discontented Christian into sinne? He formes such a syllogism as this; He that is in want must study self-preservation: But you are now in want, therefore you ought to study self-preservation. Hereupon to make good his Conclusion, he tempts to the forbidden fruit, not distinguishing between what is needful and what is lawful. What? saith he, dost thou want a livelihood? never be such a fool as starve; take the rising side at a venture, be it good or bad, eat the bread of deceit, drink the wine of violence. Thus you see how the discontented man is a prey to that sad tentation, **Pro. 30▪ 9▪Prov 30:9to steale, and take Gods name p. 137in vaine. Contentation is a shield against tentation; for he that is conented, knowes as well how to want, as to abound.

He will not sinne to get a living; though the bill of fare growes short, he is content. He lives as the birds of the aire upon Gods Providence, and doubts not but he shall have enough to pay for his passage to heaven.

2. Discontent tempts a man to Atheisme and Apostacie; 2 Tentationsure there is no God to take care of things here below; would he suffer them to be in want who have walked mournfully before him **Mal. 3. 14Mal 3:14? saith discontent; Throw off Christs livery, desist from thy religion. Thus Iobs wife, being discontented with her condition, saith to her husband, Dost thou still retain thy integrity **Job 2. 9.Job 2:9? as if she had said, Dost thou not see, Iob, what is become of all thy Religion? Thou fearest God and eschewest evil, and what art thou p. 138the better? see how God turnes his hand against thee; he hath smitten thee in thy body, estate, relations, and Dost thou still retain thy integrity? what? stil devour? stil weep and pray before him? Thou fool, cast off Religion, turne Athiest. Here was a sore tentation that the Divel did hand over to Iob, by his discontented wife; only his grace as a golden shield did ward off the blow from his heart, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women. What profit is it, saith the discontented person, to serve the Almighty? Those that never trouble themselves about Religion, are the prosperous men, and I in the mean while suffer want: as good give over driving the trade of Religion, if this be all my reward; This is a sore tentation, and oft it prevailes; Atheisme is the fruit that grows out of the blossome of discontent.

Oh then behold the excellency of contentment, it doth repell this p. 139tentation. If God be mine, saith the contented spirit, it is enough, though I have no lands or tenements, his smile makes heaven; His loves are better then wine; Better is the gleanings of Ephraim then the vintage of Abiezer **Jud. 8. 2▪Judg 8:2. I have little in hand, but much in hope; my livelihood is short, but this is his promise, even eternall life **1 Joh. 2 25.1 John 2:25. I am pursued by malice, but better is persecuted godlinesse then prosperous wickednesse. Thus divine contentment is a spiritual antidote both against sinne and tentation.

6. Contentment sweetens every condition.6 Excellency. Christ turned the water into wine, so Contentment turnes the water of Marah into spirituall wine. Have I but little? yet it is more then I can deserve or challenge. This modieum is in mercy; 'tis the fruit of Christs blood; 'tis the legacy of free grace: a smal present sent from a King is highly valued; this little I have is with a good conscience, p. 140'Tis not stolen water; guilt hath not muddied or poisoned it; it runs pure. This little is a pledge of more; this bit of bread, is an earnest of that bread which I shall eat in the Kingdome of God. This little water in the cruse, is an earnest of that heavenly Nectar which shall be distill'd from the true Vine. Doe I meet with some crosses? my comfort is, if they be heavy, I have not far to go; I shall but carry my cross to Golgotha, and there I shall leave it; My crosse is light in regard of the weight of glory. Hath God taken away my comforts from me? 'tis well, the Comforter still abides. Thus Contentment as an honey-comb drops sweetnesse into every condition. Discontent is a leaven that sowers every comfort, it puts aloes and wormwood upon the brest of the creature, it lessens every mercy, it trebbles every crosse; but the contented spirit suckes sweetnesse from p. 141every flower of providence, it can make a treacle of poison. Contentation is full of Consolation.

7. Contentment hath this excellency,7. Excellency. it is the best commentator upon Providence; it makes a faire interpretation of all Gods dealings. Let the Providences of God be never so darke or bloody, Contentment doth construe them ever in the best sense. I may say of it as the Apostle of charity, It thinks no evil **1 Cor. 131 Cor 13. Sicknesse (saith Contentment) is Gods furnace, to refine his gold and make it sparkle the more; the prison is an Oratory, or house of prayer. What if God melts away the creature from me? he saw perhaps my heart grew too much in love with it; had I been long in that fat pasture, I should have surfeited; and the better my estate had been, the worse my soule would have beene. God is wise, he hath done this, either to prevent some sinne, p. 142or to exercise some grace. What a blessed frame of heart is this? A contented Christian is an Advocate for God against unbeliefe and impatience; Whereas Discontent takes every thing from God in the worst sense; it doth implead and censure God: This evill I feele is but a symptome of greater evill: God is about to undoe mee; The Lord hath brought us hither into the wildernesse to slay us **Numb. 20. 4.Num 20:4. The contented soule takes all well; and when his condition is never so bad, he can say, Yet God is good **Ps. 73. 1.Ps 73:1.

SECT. 2.

The second Argument to Contentation.

The second Argument or Motive Contentment is, a Christian hath that which may make him content**O fortunatos …i…iùm bona si sua nûrin…. Virgil..

p. 1431. Hath not God given thee Christ? in him there are unsearchable riches **Eph: 3. 1; He is such a golden mine of wisdome and grace, that all the Saints and Angels can never dig to the bottome; Hee is an enriching pearle, a sparkling Diamond, the infinite lustre of his merits makes us shine in Gods eyes**Eph. 1. 7Eph 1:7; in him there is both fulnesse and sweetnesse; he is ineffabile bonum **Aug…. Scrue up your thoughts to the highest foreign and pinacle, stretch them to the utmost period, let them expatiate to their full latitude and extent; yet they fall infinitely short of those ineffable and inexhaustible treasures which are locked up in Jesus Christ: and is not here enough to give the soul content? A Christian that wants necessaries, yet having Christ, he hath the one thing needfull **Qui habet habentem omnia, habet omnia..

2. Thy soule is exercised and enamel'd with the graces of the Spirit, and is not here enough to give contentment? p. 144Grace is of a divine birth; it is the new plantation; it is the flower of the heavenly Paradise; 'tis the embroydery of the Spirit; 'tis the seed of God **1 Joh. 3. 9.1 John 3:9; 'tis the sacredunction; 1 Joh. 2. 27.1 John 2:27'tis Christs pourtraiture in the soule; 'tis the very foundation on whch the superstructure of glory is laid. O, of what infinite value is Grace! What a Jewell is Faith! well may it be call'd precious Faith**2 Pet. 1. 1.2 Pet 1:1. What is love, but a divine sparkle in the soule? A soule beautified with grace, is like a roome richly hung with Arras, or Tapestry, or the Firmament bespangled with glittering Starres. These are the true riches **Luke 16. 11.Luke 16:11, which cannot stand with reprobation; and is not here enough to give the soule contentment? What are all other things but like the wings of a butterfly, curiously painted? but they defile our fingers. Earthly riches, saith Augustine, are full of poverty**Divitia corporales paupertatis plenae sunt. Aug.; so indeed they are. p. 145For, 1. They cannot enrich the soul; Often-times under silken apparell, there is a therd-bare soule. 2. These are corruptible. Riches are not for ever, as the wise man saith**Prov. 27 24.Prov 27:24. Heaven is a place where gold and silver will not goe; a Beleever is rich towards God **Luke 12 21.Luke 12:21, why then art thou discontented? hath not God given thee that which is better then the world? What if he doth not give thee the box, if he gives thee the Jewel? What if he denies thee farthings, if he payes thee in a better coyne? hee gives thee gold, viz. spiritual mercies. Should not Iosephs brethren have been content that their sacks were fill'd with corne, though there had not been money in the mouth of their sacks? What if the water in the bottel be spent? thou hast enough in the fountaine; What need hee complaine of the worlds Emptiness that hath Gods Fulnesse? The Lord is my portion, Psal. 16. 5.Ps 16:5saith David, then let p. 146the lines fall where they will, in a sick-bed, or prison; I will say, The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.

SECT. 3.

The third Argument to Contentation.

The third Argument is, Be content, for else we confute our owne prayers; Wee pray, Thy will be done; It is the will of God that wee should be in such a condition; he hath decreed it, and hee sees it best for us: Why then doe we murmur, and are discontented at that which we pray for? either we are not in good earnest in our prayer, which argues hypocrisie, or else we contradict our selves, which argues folly.

p. 147SECT. 4.

The fourth Argument to Contentation.

The fourth Argument to Contentment is, because now God hath his end, and Satan misseth of his end.

1. God hath his end. Gods end in all his crosse providences, is to bring the heart to submit and be content; and indeed this pleaseth God much, he loves to see his children satisfied with that portion hee doth carve, and allot them. It contents him to see us contented; Therefore let us acquiesce in Gods Providence; Now God hath his end.

2. Satan misseth of his end. The end why the Devil (though by Gods permission) did smite Iob, in his body and estate, was to perplex his minde; hee did vex his body on purpose p. 148that he might disquiet his spirit. He hoped to bring Iob into a fit of discontent; and then, that he would in a passion break forth against God; but Iob being so well contented with his condition, as that he falls to blessing of God, he did now disappoint Satan of his hope. The Devill shall cast some of you into prison **Rev. 2. 10.Rev 2:10. Why doth the Devil throw us into prison? It is not so much the hurting our body, as the molesting our minde that he aimes at; he would imprison our Contentment, and disturbe the regular motion of our soules; this is his designe: 'tis not so much the putting us into prison, as the putting us into a passion, that he attempts; but by holy contentation, Satan loseth his prey, he misseth of his end. The Devil hath oft deceived us; the best way to deceive him, is by contentation in the midst of tentation; our contentment will discontent Satan. Oh, let us not gratifie our p. 149enemy. Discontent is the Devils delight; now it is as he would have it, he loves to warme himselfe at the fire of our passions. Repentance is the joy of the Angels, and Discontent is the joy of the Devils: As the Devil danceth at discord, so he sings at discontent. The fire of our passions makes the Devil a bon-fire; 'tis a kinde of heaven to him to see us torturing our selves with our own troubles; but by holy Contentment we frustrate him of his purpose, and doe it as it were, put him out of countenance.

SECT. 5.

The fifth Argument to Contentation.

The next Argument is, by contentment a Christian gets a victory over himselfe: For a man to be able to rule his own spirit**Fortior est qui se quàm qui fortissim… vincit moenia. &c., this of all others p. 150the most noble conquest**Prov. 16. 32.Prov 16:32. Passion denotes weaknesse; to be discontented, is suitable to flesh and blood; but to be in every state content; reproached, yet content; imprisoned, yet content; this is above nature; this is some of that holy valour and chivalry, which onelyonly a divine spirit is able to infuse. In the midst of the affronts of the world to be patient, and the changes of the world to have the spirit calmed; this argues foreign, as Homer speaks; this a conquest worthy indeed of the Garland of honour. Holy Iob devested and turned out of all, leaving his Scarlet, and embracing the Dung-hill, (a sad catastrophe,) yet he had learned Contentment. 'Tis said, He fell upon the ground and worshipped **Job 1. 20Job 1:20. One would have thought hee should have fallen upon the ground and blasphemed; no, hee fell and worshipped. Hee adored Gods justice and holinesse; behold, p. 151the strength of grace; here was an humble submission, yet a noble conquest; hee got the victory over himselfe. 'Tis no great matter for a man to yield to his own passions, this is facile and foeminine; but to content himselfe in denying of himselfe, this is sacred.

SECT. 6.

The sixth Argument to Contentation.

The sixth great Argument to worke the heart to Contentment, is the consideration that all Gods providences, how crosse or bloody soever, shall doe a Beleever good; And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God **Rom. 8. 28.Rom 8:28. Not onelyonly all good things, but all evil things work for good,foreign. and shall wee be discontented at that which works for our good? Suppose our troubles p. 152are twisted together, and sadly accented, as the Poet describes it.

Litora quot conchas, quot amoena Rosaria flores,

Quótve soporiferum grana papaver habet,

Sylva feras quot alit, quot piscibus unda natatur,

Et Tenerum pennis, aëra pulsat avis,

Tot premor adversis, &c. Ovid.

What if sicknesse, poverty, reproach, Law-suits, &c. doe unite, and muster their forces against us? All shall work foreign, for good; our maladies shall be our medicines: and shal we repine at that which shall undoubtedly doe us good? Unto the upright there ariseth light in darknesse **Ps. 112. 4.Ps 112:4. Affliction may bee baptiz'd Marah; 'tis bitter, but physical. Because this is so full of comfort, and may be a most excellent Catholicon against discontent; I shall a little expatiate.

p. 153Quest. It will be enquired how the evils of affliction work for good?Quest.

R. Several wayes.Answ.

1. They are disciplinary; they teach us**Schola crucis est schola lucis.. The Psalmist having very elegantly describ'd the Churches trouble, Psal. 74. prefixeth this title to the Psalme, foreign, which signifies a Psalme giving instruction; that which seales up instruction, works for good. God puts us sometimes under the black rod; but it is virga disciplinaris, a rod of discipline; Hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it **Mica. 6. 9.. God makes our Adversity, our University: Affliction is a Preacher; **Jer. 6. 1.Jer 6:1Blow the trumpet in Tekoah, Ier. 6. 1. The Trumpet was to preach to the people, as appeares, vers. 6. Be thou instructed, O Ierusalem. Sometimes God speaks to the Minister to lift up his voice like a Trumpet **Isa. 58. 1Isa 58:1; and here hee speaks to the Trumpet, to lift up its voice like a Minister. Afflictions teach us.

p. 1541. Humility, commonly prosperous and proud; corrections are Gods corrosives to eat out the proud flesh. Jesus Christ is a Lily of the vallies **Cant. 2. 1.Song 2:1, he dwells in an humble heart; God brings us into the valley of teares, that he may bring us into the valley of humility; Remembring my affliction, the wormwood and the gall, my soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me **Lam. 3. 19, 20.Lam 3:19Lam 3:20. When men are grown high, God hath no better way with them, then to brew them a cup of wormwood. Afflictions are compared to thorns **Hos. 2. 8Hos 2:8; Gods thornes are to prick the bladder of pride: suppose a man runne at another with a sword to kill him, accidentally, it onelyonly lets out his impostume, this doth him good. Gods sword is to let out the impostume of pride, and shall that which makes us humble, make us discontented?

2. Afflictions teach us Repentance, Thou hast chastised me, and I was p. 155chastifed. I repented, and after I was instructed I smote upon my thigh, &c**Jer. 31… 18, 19.Jer 31:18Jer 31:19. Repentance is the precious fruit that growes upon the Crosse. When the fire is put under the Still, the water drops from the Roses: fiery afflictions make the waters of Repentance drop and distill from the eyes, and is here any cause of discontent?

3. Afflictions teach us to pray better**Mala quae hî… nos premunt ad Deum …re confugiunt. Greg., They poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them **Isa. 26. 16.Isa 26:16. Before they would say a prayer, now they poured out a prayer; Vigilab at in ceto qui stertebat in navi, Jonah was asleep in the ship, but awake and at prayer in the Whales belly. When God puts under the firebrands of affliction, now our hearts boile over the more; God loves to have his children possessed with a spirit of prayer. Never did David the sweet singer of Israel tune his Harp more melodiously; never did he pray better p. 156then when he was upon the waters. Thus afflictions do in discipline, and shal we be discontented at that which is for our good?

2. Afflictions are probatory **Psal. 66. 10, 11.Ps 66:10Ps 66:11. Gold is not the worse for being tried, or corne for being fanned. Affliction is the touchstone of sincerity, it tries what mettall wee are made of; affliction is Gods fan, and his sieve. 'Tis good that men be known; some serve God for a livery, they are like the fisherman that makes use of his net, onelyonly to catch the fish: So they go a fishing, with the net of Religion, onelyonly to catch preferment; Affliction discovers these. The Donatists went to the Gothes, when the Arians prevailed; Hypocrites will not faile in a storme; true grace holds out in the winter-season. That is a precious faith, which like the star shines brightest in the darkest night. 'Tis good that our graces should bee brought to a triall; thus we have the p. 157comfort, and the Gospel the honour; and why then discontented?

3. Afflictions they are expurgatory; these evills work for good, because they work out sinne; and shall I be discontented at this? What if I have more trouble, if I have lesse sin? The brightest day hath its clouds, the purest gold its drosse, the most refined soule hath some lees of corruption. The Saints lose nothing in the furnace, but what they can well spare, their drosse; is not this for our good, why then should we murmure? I am come to send fire on the earth **Luke 12 94.Luke 12:94. Tertullian understands it of the fire of affliction. God makes this like the fire of the three children, which burned onelyonly their bonds, and set them at liberty in the furnace: So the fire of affliction serves to burne the bonds of iniquity; By this therefore shall the iniquity of Iacob be purged, and this is all the fruit, to take away his sinne **Isa 27. 9Isa 27:9. When affliction or death p. 158comes to a wicked man, it takes away his soule; when it comes to a godly man, it onelyonly takes away his sinne; is there then any cause why wee should be discontented? God steeps us in the brinish waters of affliction, that hee may take out our spots. Gods people are his husbandry**1 Cor. 3. 9.1 Cor 3:9; the ploughing of the ground kills the weeds, and the harrowing of the earth breaks the hard clods; Gods ploughing of us by affliction, is to kill the weeds of sinne, his harrowing of us, is to break the hard clods of impenitency, that the heart may be the fitter to receive the seeds of grace; and if this be all, why should we be discontented?

4. Afflictions doe both exercise and encrease grace.

First, they exercise grace: affliction doth breath our graces; every thing is most in its excellency, when it is most in its exercise. Our grace, though it cannot be dead, yet it may p. 159be asleep, & hath need of awakening. What a dull thing is the fire when it is hid in the embers, or the Sunne when it is masqued with a cloud; a sick man is living, but not lively; afflictions quicken and excite grace. God doth not love to see grace in the eclipse. Now faith puts forth its purest and most noble acts in times of affliction: God makes the fall of the leafe the spring of our graces▪ What if we are more passive, if grace be more active?

2. Afflictions do encrease grace: as the winde serves to encrease & blow up the flame; so do the windy blasts of affliction augment & blow up our graces; grace spends in the furnace, but it is like the widowes oile in the cruse, which did encrease by pouring out. The torch when it is beaten, burns brightest, so doth grace when it is exercised by sufferings. Sharp frosts nourish the good corne, so doe sharp afflictions grace; some plants p. 160grow better in the shade then in the Sun; as the Bay and the Cypress. The shade of adversity is better for some then the Sun-shine of prosperity. Naturalists observe, that the Colewort thrives better when it is watered with salt water then with fresh: So do some thrive better in the salt water of affliction; and shall wee be discontented at that which makes us grow and fructifie more?

5. These afflictions do bring more of Gods immediate presence into the soule. When we are most assaulted, we shall be most assisted, I will be with him in trouble **Ps. 91. 15.Ps 91:15. It cannot be ill with that man with whom God is by his powerfull presence in supporting, and his gracious presence in sweetning the present triall. God will bee with us in trouble, not onelyonly to behold us, but to uphold us; as he was with Daniel in the Lions den, and the three children in the furnace. What if wee have more trouble then others, if we p. 161have more of God with us then others have? we never have sweeter smiles from Gods face then when the world begins to look strange; Thy Statutes have been my songs, where? not when I was upon the throne, but in the house of my pilgrimage **Ps. 119. 54.Ps 119:54. We read, The Lord was not in the winde, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire **1 King. 19 11.1 Kgs 19:11; but in a metaphorical & spiritual sense, when the winde of affliction blowes upon a beleever, God is in the winde; when the fire of affliction kindles upon him, God is in the fire, viz. to sanctifie, to support, to sweeten. If God be with us the furnace shall bee turned into a festival, the prison into a Paradise, the earthquake into a joyful dance. Oh why should I be discontented when I have more of Gods company?

6. These evills of affliction are for good, as they bring with them Certificates of Gods love, and are evidences of his speciall favour. Affliction p. 162is the Saints livery, 'tis a badge and cognizance of honour. That the God of glory should look upon a worme, and take so much notice of him, as to afflict him rather then lose him, is an high act of favour. Gods rod is Sceptrum Regale, a Scepter of dignity. Iob calls Gods afflicting of us, his magnifying of us**Job 7. 17.Job 7:17. Some mens prosperity hath been their shame, when others affliction hath been their crown.

7. These afflictions worke for our good, because they work for us a far more exceeding weight of glory **2 Cor. 4 17.2 Cor 4:17. That which works for my glory in heaven, works for my good; we do not read in Scripture that any mans honour and riches doe work for him a weight of glory, but afflictions do; and shall a man be discontented at that which works for his glory? The heavier the weight of affliction, the heavier the weight of glory; not that our sufferings do merit glory, (as the Papists p. 163do wickedly glosse;) but though they are not causa, they are via; they are not the cause of our crown, yet they are the way to it, and God makes us as hee did our Captain perfect through sufferings **Heb. 2. 10.Heb 2:10; and shall not all this make us contented with our condition? Oh I beseech you, look not upon the evil of affliction, but the good. Afflictions in Scripture are called visitations **Job 7. 18.Job 7:18, the word in the Hebrew foreign, to visit, is taken in good sense as well as a bad. Gods afflictions are but friendly visits; behold here Gods rod like Aarons rod blossoming, and Ionathans rod, it hath honey at the end of it. Poverty shall starve our sinnes**Foelix paupertas beata miseria.; the sicknesse of the body shall cure a sinsick soul: O then in stead of murmuring and being discontented, blesse the Lord; hadst thou not met with such a rub in the way, thou mightest have gone to hell and never stopp'd.

p. 164SECT. 7.

The seventh Argument to Contentation.

The next Argument to Contentment is, consider the evill of discontent. Male-content hath a mixture of grief and anger in it, and both these must needs raise a storme in the soule. Have you not seen the posture of a sick man? sometimes he will sit upon his bed, by and by he will lie down, and when he is down, he is not quiet; first he turnes on one side, and then on the other, he is restlesse: this is just the embleme of a discontented spirit, the man is not sick, yet he is never well, sometimes hee likes such a condition of life, and when he hath it, yet he is not pleased, he is soone weary; and then another condition of life, this is an evill under the Sun.

p. 165Now the evill of discontent appears in three things.

1. The sordidnesse of it,1. Evil of discontent. it is unworthy of a Christian.

First, it is unworthy of his profession. 1It was the saying of an Heathen, Bear thy condition quietly, nosce te esse hominem, know thou art a man **Fer mansuetè fortunam tuam, nosce te esse hominem. Tully.. So I say, Bear thy condition contentedly, nosce te esse Christianum, know thou art a Christian. Thou professest to live by faith, what, and not content? Faith is a grace that doth substantiate things not seen **Heb. 11. 1.Heb 11:1, saith looks beyond the creature, it feeds upon promises, faith lives not by bread alone. When the water is spent in the bottle, faith knowes whither to have recourse; now, to see a Christian dejected in the want of visible supplies, and recruits, where is Faith? Oh, saith one, my estate in the world is down. I, and which is worse, thy faith is down. Wilt thou not be contented, p. 166unlesse God let down the vessel to thee as he did to Peter, wherein were all manner of beasts of the earth, and fowles of the aire **Acts 10 12.Acts 10:12, must you have first and second course? This is like Thomas, Unlesse I put my finger into the print of the nailes, I will not beleeve **John 10 25.John 10:25. So, unlesse thou hast a sensible feeling of outward comforts, thou wilt not be content. True faith will trust God where it cannot trace him, and will adventure upon Gods bond though it hath nothing in view. You who are discōtented because you have not al you would, let me tel you either your faith is a non-entity, or at best but an embrio; tis a weak faith that must have stilts & crutches to support it. Nay, discontent is not only below faith, but below reason; why are you discontented? is it because you are dispossessed of such comforts? wel, & have you not reason to guide you? doth not reason tell you that you are but tenants at will? and may not God p. 167turne you out when he please? You hold not your estate jure, but gratis, not by a juridical right, but upon favour and courtesie.

2. It is unworthy of the relation wee stand in to God; a Christian is invested with the title and priviledge of sonship **Eph. 1. 5.Eph 1:5; he is an heir of the promise: Oh consider the lot of freegrace is fallen upon thee, thou art nearly allied to Christ, and of the blood royall; thou art advanced, in some sense, above the Angels; why then art thou, being the Kings sonne, leane from day to day? **2 Sam. 13. 4.2 Sam 13:42 Sam. 13. 4. Why art thou discontented? Oh how unworthy is this? as if the heire to some great Monarch should go pining up and down because he may not pick such a flower.

2. Consider the sinfulnesse of it;The second evill of discontent. which appeares in three things.

of it.

The causes

The concomitants

The consequences

p. 16811. It is sinful in the causes; which are these.

1. Pride. He that thinks highly of his deserts, usually esteemes meanly of his condition; a discontented man is a proud man, he thinks himself better then others, therefore findes fault with the wisdom of God that he is not above others **Nec quemquam jam ferre potest Caesarve prior…m, Pompeiúsve parem.—Lucan. l. 1. Pharsal.. Thus the thing formed saith to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus **Rom. 9. 20Rom 9:20? Why am I not higher? Discontents are nothing else but the aestuations and boilings over of pride.

2. The second cause of discontent is envie, which Augustine calls vitium diabolicum, the sinne of the Devill; Satan envied Adam the glory of Paradise, and the robe of innocence: he that envies what his neighbour hath, is never contented with that portion which Gods providence doth parcel out to him**Fertilior seges est alienis semperin agris, Alterius moss…s grandius uber habet. Ovid.; as envie stirs p. 169up strife, (this made the Plebeian faction so strong amongst the Romanes) so it creates discontent; the envious man looks so much upon the blessings which another enjoyes, that he cannot see his own mercies, and so doth continually vexe and torture himselfe. Cain envied that his brothers sacrifice was accepted, and his rejected, hereupon he was discontented, and presently murderous thoughts began to arise in his heart.

3. The third cause is Covetousnesse. This is a radical sinne. Whence are vexing Law-suits, but from discontent? and whence is discontent, but from covetousnesse? Covetousnesse and contentedness cannot dwell in the same heart. Avarice is an heluo, that is never satisfied. The covetous man is like Behemoth, behold, he drinketh up a river, he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth **Job 40. 23.Job 40:23, There are foure things (saith Solomon) say, It is not enough. I may adde a p. 170fifth, The heart of a covetous man, he is still craving. Covetousnesse is like a Wolfe in the brest, which is ever feeding; and because a man is not satisfied, he is never content.

4. The fourth cause of Discontent is Iealousie, which is sometimes occasion'd through melancholy, and sometimes misapprehension. The spirit of jealousie causeth this evil spirit. Jealousie, is the rage of a man **Pro. 6. 34Prov 6:34: and oft, this is nothing but suspicion and phansie; yet such as creates reall discontent.

5. The fifth cause of Discontent is distrust, which is a great degree of Atheisme. The discontented person is ever distrustfull. The bill of provision growes low; I am in these straits and exigencies, can God help me? Can be prepare a table in the wildernesse? sure hee cannot. My estate is exhausted, can God recrute me? My friends are gone, can God raise me up more? sure the arme of p. 171his power is shrunk. I am like the dry fleece, can any water come upon this fleece? If the Lord would make windowes in Heaven, might this thing be **1 King. 7. 2.1 Kgs 7:2? Thus the Anchor of hope, and the shield of faith being cast away, the soul goes pining up and down.

Discontent is nothing else but the Echo of unbeliefe: and remember distrust is worse then distress.

2. Discontent is evil in the concomitants 2of it, whch are two.

1. Discontent is joyned with a sullen melancholy; a Christian of a right temper, should be ever chearfull in God; Serve the Lord with gladness **Ps. 100. ver. 2.Ps 100:2. A signe the oile of grace hath been poured into the heart, when the oile of gladness shines in the countenance. Chearfulnesse credits Religion; how can the discontented person be chearfull? Discontent is a dogged, sullen humour; because wee have not what wee desire, God shall not have a good word or look p. 172from us; as the Bird in the cage, because she is pent up, and cannot fly in the open aire, therefore beats herselfe against the cage, and is ready to kill her selfe. Thus that peevish Prophet; I doe well to be angry to the death **Jonah 4.Jonah 4.

2. Discontent is accompanied with unthankfulness; because we have not all wee desire, wee never minde the mercies which we have: we deale with God as the widow of Sarepta did with the Prophet; the Prophet Elijah had been a means to keep her alive in the famine; for it was for his sake that her meale in the barrel, and her oile in the cruse failed not; but assoon as ever her sonne dies, she falls into a passion, and begins to quarrel with the Prophet; What have I to doe with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son **1 Kings 17. 18.1 Kgs 17:18? So ungratefully do we deal with God; we can be content to receive mercies p. 173from God; but if he doth crosse us in the least thing, then through discontent, we grow techy and impatient, and are ready to fly upon God; thus God loseth all his mercies**foreign. Lucian. Epigr. 2 Chro. 29. 31.2 Chr 29:31. We read in Scripture of the thankoffring **foreign Lucian. Epigr. 2 Chro. 29. 31.2 Chr 29:31. The discōtented person cuts God short of this; the Lord loseth his thank-offering. A discontented Christian repines in the midst of mercies, as Adam, who fin'd in the midst of Paradise. Discontent is a Spider that sucks the poison of unthankfulnesse out of the sweetest flower of Gods blessings; and by a devilish chymistry extracts dross out of the most refined Gold. The discontented person thinks every thing he doth for God too much, and every thing God doth for him too little. O what a sin is unthankfulnesse**Ingratus vit andus est ut dirum scelus, nec cogitari pestil emius potest, nam tellus ipsa f… dius nihil creat. Pet. Crini…us. l. 2. Poem.! it is an accumulative sinne. What p. 174Cicero saith of Parricide **Qui occidit patrem, pli…rima commitit peccata in uno.; I may say of Ingratitude, there are many sinnes bound up in this one sinne, it is a voluminous wickednesse; and how full of this sinne is Discontent? A discontented Christian, because hee hath not all he would, therefore dishonours God with the mercies which he hath. God made Eve out of Adams rib, to be an helper (as the Father speaks;)Chrysost. but the Devil made an arrow of this rib, and shot Adam …o the heart: So doth discontent take the rib of Gods mercy and ungratefully shoot at him; Estate, Liberty shall be employed against God. Thus it is often-times; behold then how Discontent and Ingratitude are interwoven and twisted one within another, thus Discontent is sinful in its concomitants.

3. It is sinfull in its Consequences, 3. Discontent is sinful, In its consequences.which are these:

1. It makes a man very unlike the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God p. 175is a meek Spirit. The Holy Ghost descended in the likenesse of a Dove **Mat. 3. 16.Matt 3:16. A Dove is the embleme of meeknesse; A discontented spirit is not a meek spirit.

2. It makes a man like the Devil. 2The Devil being swell'd with the poison of envy and malice, is never content: Just so is the Male-content. The Devil is an unquiet spirit, he is still walking about **1 Pet. 5. 8.1 Pet 5:8; 'tis his rest to be walking. And herein is the discontented person like him; for he goes up and down vexing himselfe, Seeking rest and finding none; hee is the Devils picture.

3. Discontent disjoynts the soul, 3it untunes the heart for duty; Is any man afflicted, let him pray **Jam. 5. 13.Jas 5:13. But, is any man discontented, how shall he pray? Lift up pure hands without wrath **1 Tim. 5. 8.1 Tim 5:8. Discontent is full of wrath and passion; The Male-content cannot lift up pure hands; he lifts up leprous hands, he poisons his prayers; p. 176will God accept of a poison'd sacrifice? Chrysostome compares prayer to a fine Garland; Those, saith he, that make a Garland, their hands had need be clean: Prayer is a precious Garland, the heart that makes it had need be clean. Discontent throwes poison into the spring, (which was death among the Romanes;) Discontent puts the heart into a disorder and mutiny, and such a one cannot serve the Lord without distraction.

4. Discontent sometimes unfits for the very use of reason; Ionah in a passion of discontent, spake no better then blasphemy, and non-sense; I doe well, saith he, to be angry to the death **Jona. 4. 8Jonah 4:8. What? to be angry with God? and to die for anger? sure hee did not know well what he said. When Discontent transports, then like Moses, wee speak unadvisedly with our lips. This humour doth even suspend the very acts of reason.

p. 1775. Discontent doth not only disquiet a mans selfe, but those who are near him. This evill spirit troubles Families, Parishes, &c. If there be but one string out of tune, it spoiles all the musick. One discontented spirit makes jarrings and discords among others. 'Tis this ill humour that breeds quarrels, and Law-suits. Whence is all our Contention, but for want of Contentation? From whence come warres and fightings among you, come they not hence, even of your lusts **Jam. 4. 1Jas 4:1? in particular from this lust of Discontent? Why did Absalom raise a warre against his Father, and would have taken off not onelyonly his Crowne, but his Head? was it not his discontent? Absalom would be King. Why did Ahab stone Naboth? was it not discontent about the Vine-yard? Oh this Devil of Discontent! Thus you have seen the sinfulnesse of it.

3. Consider the simplicity of it. 3I may say as the Psalmist,The simplicity of it. Surely p. 178they are disquieted in vaine**Psal. 39. 6.Ps 39:6, which appeares thus.

1. Is it not a vain simple thing to be troubled at the losse of that which is in its owne nature perishing and changeable? God hath put a vicissitude into the creature; all the world rings changes, and for me to meet with inconstancy here, to lose a friend, estate, to be in a constant fluctuation, is no more then to see a flower wither, or a leaf drop off in Autumne. There is an Autumne upon every comfort, a fall of the leafe; Now it is extream folly to be discontented at the losse of those things which are in their own nature loseable. What Solomon saith of Riches, is true of all things under the Sun, They take wings. Noahs Dove brought an Olive-branch in its mouth, but presently flew out of the Arke, and never returned more: Such a comfort brings to us honey in its mouth, but it hath wings; and to what purpose should p. 179wee be troubled, unlesse wee had wings to fly after and overtake it?

2. Discontent is an heart-breaking; By sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken **Prov. 15. 13.Prov 15:13, it takes away the comfort of life. There is none of us but have many mercies if we can see them; now, because wee have not all we desire, therefore we will lose the comfort of that which we have already. Ionah having his Gourd smitten (a withering vanity,) was so discontented, that hee never thought of his miraculous deliverance out of the Whales belly; he takes no comfort of his life, but wisheth that he might die. What folly is this? we must have all or none; herein wee are like children, that throw away the piece which is cut them, because they may have no bigger. Discontent eats out the comfort of life. Besides, it were well if it were seriously weighed how p. 180prejudicial this is, even to our health: For Discontent, as it doth discruciate the minde, so it doth pine the body; it frets as a moth, and by wasting the spirits, weakens the vitals; The plurisie of Discontent brings the body into a consumption; and is not this Folly?

3. Discontent does not ease us of our burden, but makes the crosse heavier. A contented spirit goes chearfully under its affliction. Discontent makes our grief as unsupportable, as it is unreasonable. If the leg be well, it can endure a fetter, and not complaine; but if the leg before, then the fetter troubles. Discontent of minde is the sore that makes the Fetters of affliction more grievous. Discontent troubles us more then the trouble it selfe, it steeps the affliction in worm-wood. When Christ was upon the Crosse, the Jewes brought him gall and vineger to drink, that it might adde to p. 181his sorrow. Discontent brings to a man in affliction gall and vineger to drink; this is worse then the affliction it selfe. Is it not folly for a man to imbitter his own crosse?

4. Discontent spins out▪ our troubles the longer. A Christian is discontented, because he is in want; and therefore he is in want, because hee is discontented; hee murmurs, because he is afflicted; and therefore he is afflicted, because he murmurs. Discontent doth delay and adjourne our mercies. God deales herein with us as wee use to doe with our children; when they are quiet and chearfull, they shall have any thing; but if wee see them cry and fret, then we with-hold from them: Wee get nothing from God by our discontent, but blowes. The more the childe strugles, the more it is beaten: When we strugle with God by our sinful passions, he doubles and trebbles his stroaks; God will tame our p. 182curst hearts. What got Israel by their peevishnesse? they were within a 11 dayes journey of Canaan, and now they were discontented, and began to murmur; God leads them a march of fourty yeares long in the wildernesse. Is it not folly for us to adjourne our own mercies? Thus you have seen the evil of Discontent. I have been long upon this Argument; but nunquam nimis dicitur quod nunquam satis dicitur.

SECT. 8.

The eighth Argument to Contentation.

The next Argument or Motive to Contentment is this; Why is not a man content with the competency which he hath? perhaps if he had more, hee would be lesse content. The world is such, that the more we p. 183have, the more we crave **Crescit amor nummi quantum ipse pecunia crescit.; it cannot fill the heart of man. When the fire burnes, how do you quench it? not by pouring oile on the flame, or laying on more wood, but by withdrawing the fuel. When the appetite is enflam'd after riches, how may a man be satisfied? not by having just what he desires, but by withdrawing the fuel, viz. moderating and lessening his desires. He that is contented hath enough. A man in a fever or dropsie, thirsts; how doe you satisfie him? not by giving him liquid things which will enflame his thirst the more, but by removing the cause, and so curing his distemper. The way for a man to be contented, is not by raising his estate higher, but by bringing his heart lower.

p. 184SECT. 9.

The ninth Argument to Contentation.

The next Argument to Contentment is, The shortnesse of life. It is but a vapour saith Iames. **Jam. 4. 14.Jas 4:14foreign **foreign. Sop…ocles., life is a wheele ever running. The Poets**Phocilides. painted time with wings, to shew the volubility and swiftnesse of it. Iob compares it to a swift post, **Job 9. 25.Job 9:25(our life rides post) and to a day, not a yeare. It is indeed like a day. Infancy is as it were the day-break, Youth is the Sun-rising, full growth is the Sun in the Meridian, old age is Sun-setting. Sicknesse is the evening, then comes the night of death. How quickly is this day of life spent? often times this Sun goes down at noone-day; life ends before the evening of old age comes; Nay, p. 185sometimes the Sun of life sets presently after Sun-rising. Quickly after the dawning of Infancy, the night of death approaches; nay, sometimes the life is eclipsed before the dawning of Infancy, when the mothers womb becomes the tombe. Oh, how short is the life of man! The consideration of the brevity of life may worke the heart to contentment. Remember thou art to be here but a day; pàrùm viae, quid multùm viatici? thou hast but a short way to go, and what needs a long provision for a short way**Quid opus est ad brevem vitam longis opibus? Hyper.? if a Traveller hath but enough to bring him to his journies end, hee desires no more. We have but a day to live, & perhaps we may be in the twelfth houre of the day; why, if God give us but enough to bear our charges till night, it is sufficient. Let us be content. If a man had the lease of an house or farme, but for two or three dayes, and hee should fall a building and planting, would he not p. 186be judged very indiscreet: So when wee have but a short time here, and death calls us presently off the stage, to thirst immoderately after the world, and pull downe our soules to build up an estate, is it not extream folly? Therefore as Esau said once in a profane sens concerning his birth-right; Lo, I am at the point to die, and what profit shall this birth-right doe to me? So let a Christian say in a Religious sense; Lo, I am even at the point of death, my grave is going to be made, and what good will the world do me? if I have but enough till Sun-setting, I am content.

SECT. 10.

The tenth Argument to Contentation.

The tenth Argument or Motive p. 187to Contentment is; Consider seriously the nature of a prosperous condition. There are in a prosperous estate three things.

1. Plus molestiae, 1. Plus molestiae.more trouble. Many who have abundance of all things to enjoy, yet have not so much content and sweetnesse in their lives, as some that go to their hard labour. Sad, solicitous thoughts do often attend a prosperous condition. Care is the malus genius, or evil spirit which haunts the rich man, and will not suffer him to bee quiet. When his chest is full of gold, his heart is full of care, either how to manage, or how to encrease, or how to secure what hee hath gotten. Oh the troubles and perplexities that do waite upon prosperity! The worlds high seats are very uneasie; Sun shine is pleasant, but somtimes it scortcheth with its heat; the Bee gives honey, but sometimes it stings: Prosperity hath its sweetnesse, and also its sting. p. 188Competency with Contentment is farre more eligible. Never did Iacob sleep better then when hee had the heavens for his Canopy, and an hard stone for his pillow. A large voluminous estate, is but like a long trailing garment, which is more troublesome then useful.

2. In a prosperous condition there is plus periculi, 2. Plus periculi.more danger, and that two wayes.

First, Ex parte ipsius, in respect of a mans self. The rich mans Table is oft his snare; hee is ready to ingulph himselfe too deep in these sweet waters**Magnae foelicitatis est à foelicitate non vinci. Aug. de verb. Dom. c. 13. In this sense it is hard to know how to abound. It must be a strong braine that beares heady wine; hee had need have much wisdome and grace that knowes how to bear an high condition; either he is ready to kill himselfe with care, or surfet himselfe upon luscious delights. Oh the hazard of honour, the damage of dignity! Pride, security, p. 189rebellion, are the three wormes that breed of plenty**Deut. 32 15.Deut 32:15. The pastures of prosperity are ranke and surfeting. How soon are wee broken upon the soft pillow of ease**foreign Theophylact.? Prosperity is often a trumpet that sounds a retreat, it calls men off from the pursuit of Religion. The Sun of Prosperity oft dulls, and puts out the fire of zeale. How many soules hath the plurisie of abundance kill'd**Plurimi sunt qui paupertate positi non habent patientiam; & qui abundantiâ, non habent temperan̄ tiam. Remigius.? They that will be rich, fall into snares**1 Tim. 6. 10.1 Tim 6:10. The world is birdlime at our feet, it is full of golden sands, but they are quicksands. Prosperity like smooth Iacob, will supplant and betray; a great estate without much vigilancy will be a thief to rob us of heaven; such as are upon the pinacle of honour, are in most danger of falling.

Saepiùs ventis agitatur ingens

Pinus, & celsae graviore casu

Decidunt turres, feriúntque summos

Fulmina montes, &c. Hor. carm. l. 2. ode. 10.

p. 190A lower estate is lesse hazardous. The little Pinnace rides safe by the Shore, when the gallant Ship advancing with its mast and top-saile, is cast away. Homo victus in Paradiso, victor in stercore. Adam in Paradise was overcome, when Iob on the dung-hill was a conquerour. Samson fell asleep on Delilahs lap: Some have fallen so fast a sleep on the lap of ease and plenty, that they have never awaked till they have been in hell**Turpi fregerunt secula luxu Divitiae molles, &c. Juvenas. 6, Satyr.. The worlds fawning is worse then its frowning; and it is more to be feared when it smiles, then when it thunders**Periculosior est mundus blandiens quàm fulmi…ans. Aug.. Prosperity in Scripture is compared to a candle: Iob 29. 3. When his candle shined upon my head. How many have burnt their wings about this candle; Segetem ubert as nimiae sternit, rami onere franguntur, ad maturitatem non pervenit nimia foecunditas **Sen. ad Lucillium Ep. 80.: The corne being over-ripe sheds, and fruit when it mellowes, begins to rot; p. 191When men doe mellow with the Sun of Prosperity, commonly their soules begin to rot in sin. How hard is it for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven **Luke 18 24.Luke 18:24? His golden weights keep him from ascending up the hill of God; and shall wee not be content, though wee are placed in a lower Orbe? What if wee are not in so much bravery, and gallantry as others? we are not in so much danger; as we want the honour of the world, so the temptations. Oh the abundance of danger that is in abundance! We see by common experience, that Lunaticks, when the Moone is declining and in the waine, are sober enough; but when it is in the full, they are more wild and exorbitant: When mens estates are in the waine, they are more serious about their soules, more humble; but when it is the full of the Moone, and they have abundance, then their hearts beginne to swell with their estates, p. 192and are scarce themselves. Those that write concerning the severall Climates; observe, that such as live in the Northern parts of the world, if you bring them into the South part, they lose their stomacks, and dye quickly; but those that live in the more Southerne hot climates, bring them into the North, and their stomacks mend, and they are long-lived: Give me leave to apply it; bring a man from the cold starving climate of poverty, into the hot Southern climate of prosperity, and he begins to lose his appetite to good things, hee growes weak, and a thousand to one if all his Religion doth not die; but bring a Christian from the South to the North, from a rich flourishing estate into a jejune low condition, let him come into a more cold and hungry aire, and then his stomack mends, he hath better appetite after heavenly things, he hungers more after Christ, p. 193hee thirsts more for grace, he eats more at one meal of the bread of life then at six before; this man is now like to live and hold out in his Religion; be content then with a modicum, if you have but enough to pay for your passage to heaven, it sufficeth.

2. A prosperous condition is dangerous ex parte vicini, in regard of others; a great estate for the most part drawes envie to it**Foelicitas semper subjecta est invidiae. Laert. Diogenes de vit. Philos.. Whereas in parvis quies. David a Shepherd was quiet, but David a Courtier, was pursued by his enemies: envie cannot endure a superiour; an envious man knowes not how to live but upon the ruines of his neighbour; hee raiseth himselfe higher by bringing others lower. Prosperity is an eye-sore to many. Such sheep as have most wool are soonest fleec'd. The barren tree growes peaceably, no man meddles with the Ash or Willow, but the Apple-tree p. 194and the Damsin shall have many rude suitors. Oh then be content to carry a lesser saile; hee that hath lesse revenues hath lesse envie; such as bear the fairest frontispiece, and make the greatest shew in the world, are the white for Envie and Malice to shoot at.

3. A prosperous condition hath in it plus recensionis, 3. Plus recensionis.a greater reckoning; every man must be responsible for his talents. Thou that hast great possessions in the world, dost thou trade thy estate for Gods glory? Art thou rich in good works? Art thou a foreign? Grace makes a private person a common good. Dost thou disburse thy money for publick uses? it is lawfull (in this sense) to put out our money to use. Oh let us all remember an estate is a depositum, wee are but stewards, and our Lord and Master will ere long say, Give an account of your stewardship; the greater our estate, the greater our p. 195charge; the more our revenues, the more our reckonings. You that have a lesser mill going in the world, bee content, God will expect lesse from you, where he hath sowed more sparingly.

SECT. 11.

The eleventh Argument to Contentation.

The eleventh Argument is the example of those who have been eminent for Contentation. Examples are usually more forcible then Precepts. Abraham being call'd out to hot service, and such as was against flesh and blood, was content. God bids him offer up his sonne Isaac **Gen, 22. 2.; this was a great work, Isaac was filius senectutis, the sonne of his old age; filius dilectionis, the sonne of his love; filius promis…i, the sonne of the p. 196promise: Christ the Messiah was to come of his line, in Isaac shall thy seed be blessed; so that to offer up Isaac seem'd not onelyonly to oppose Abrahams reason, but his faith too; for if Isaac die, the world for ought he knew must be without a Mediatour. Besides, if Isaac be sacrificed, was there no other hand to doe it but Abrahams? must the Father needs be the executioner? must hee that was the instrument of giving Isaac his being, be the instrument of taking it away? yet Abraham doth not dispute or hesitate, but beleeves against hope, and is content with Gods prescription. So, when God call'd him to leave his Countrey **Heb. 11. 8.Heb 11:8, he was content. Some would have argued thus, what? leave all my friends, my native soile, my brave situation, and go turne pilgrim? Abraham is content; besides, Abraham went blindfold, he knew not whither hee went **Vers. 8.. God held him in suspense, hee must goe p. 197wander he knowes not where; and when he doth come to the place God had laid out for him, he knowes not what oppositions he shall meet with there; the world doth seldome cast a favourable aspect upon strangers**Gen. 31. 15.Gen 31:15, yet he is content, and obeyes; He sojourned in the land of promise **Heb. 11. 9.Heb 11:9; behold a little his pilgrimage. First, He goes to Charron, a City in Mesopotamia; when he had sojourned there a while, his father dies; then hee removes to Sichem, then to Bethlem in Canaan; there a famine ariseth, then he went down to Egypt, after that he returnes into Canaan, when he came there ('tis true, he had a promise) but he found nothing to answer expectation; hee had not there one foot of land, but was an exile: in this time of his sojourning hee buried his wife; and as for his dweling, he had no sumptuous buildings, but led his life in poore cottages: all this was enough to have broken any mans heart; Abraham p. 198might think thus with himselfe, is this the land I must possesse? here is no probability of any good; al things are against me; wel, is he discontented? no, God saith to him, Abraham, goe leave thy Countrey, and this word was enough to lead him all the world over, he is presently upon his march; here was a man had learned to bee content. But let us descend a little lower, to Heathens**Socrates Philosophorum lucu. lentissimus, pauper semper, …udis pedibus incedens, sordido palliolo contentus, honores omniáque terrena, contemnens. Plut.. Zeno (of whom Seneca speaks) who had once been very rich, hearing of a ship-wrack, and that all his goods were drowned at Sea, Fortune, saith he (he spake in an Heathen dialect) hath dealt well with me, and would have me now to study Philosophy**Iubee me fortuna expeditiùs Philosophari. Seneca.; he was content to change his course of life, to leave off being Merchant, and turne Philosopher. And if an Heathen said thus, shall not a Christian much more say when the world is drained from him, Iubet Deus mundum derelinquere & Christum expeditius sequi, God p. 199would have me leave off following the world, and study Christ more, and how to get to heaven? Do I see an Heathen contented, and a Christian disquieted**Pudeat, pudeat illos nomine tenus Christianos quibus quod ad hanc rem attinet Ethnici rectiùs sapuerunt. Hyperius:? How did Heathens vilifie those things which Christians magnifie? though they knew not God, or what true happinesse meant, yet would speak very sublimely of a numen or Deity, and of the life to come, as Aristotle and Plato; and for those Elizian delights which they did but phansie, they undervalued and contemned the things here below; it was the doctrine they taught their scholars, and which some of them practised, that men should strive to be contented with a little; they were willing to make an exchange, to have lesse gold, and more learning; and shall not we be content then to have lesse of the world, so wee may have more of Christ? May not Christians blush to see Heathens content with a viaticum, so much as would p. 200recruit nature, and to see themselves so transported with the love of earthly things; that if they begin a little to abate, and the bill of provision growes short, they murmure, and are like Michah, Have ye taken away my gods, and doe you aske me what I aile **Judg. 18. 24.Judg 18:24? Have Heathens gone so farre in contentation, and is it not sad for us to come short of them that came short of heaven? These Heroes of their time, how did they embrace death it self? Socrates died in prison, Hercules was burnt alive, Cato (whom Seneca calls virtutum viva imago, the lively image and portraiture of vertue) thrust through with a sword, but how bravely, and with what contentment of spirit did they die? Shall I, saith Seneca, weep for Cato, or Regulus, or the rest of those Worthies that died with so much valour and patience? Did not crosse providences make them to alter their countenance? and do I see a Christian appalled p. 201and amaz'd? Did not death affright them, and doth it distract…s? did the spring-head of Nature rise so high, and shall not Grace, like the waters of the Sanctuary, rise higher? We that pretend to live by faith, may we not goe to Schoole to them who had no other Pilot but reason to guide them? Nay, let me come a step lower, to creatures void of reason; wee see every creature is contented with its allowance, the beasts with their provender, the birds with their nests, they live onelyonly upon providence; and shall wee make our selves below them? let a Christian go to School to the Oxe and the Asse, to learne contentednesse; wee think we never have enough, and are still laying up; the fowles of the aire do not lay up, they reap not, nor gather into barnes **Mat. 6. 26.Matt 6:26it is an argument which Christ brings to make Christians contented with their condition. The birds doe not lay up, yet they p. 202are provided for, and are contented, Are ye not (saith Christ) much better then they? but if you are discontented, are ye not much worse then they? let these examples quicken us.

SECT. 12.

The twelfth Argument to Contentation.

The twelfth Argument to Contentment is, whatever change or trouble a childe of God meets with, it is all the hell he shall have. Whatever eclipse may be upon his name, or estate; I may say of it as Athanasius of his banishment, it is nubeucla citò transitura, a little cloud which will soon be blowen over; and then his gulf is shot, his hell is past;

Albus ut obscuro detergit nubila coelo

p. 203Saepè notus, neque parturit imbres

Perpetuos, sic tu Sapiens finire memento

Tristitiam. Hor. Ode 7. l. 1.

Death begins a wicked mans hel, but it puts an end to a godly mans hell. Think with thy self, what if I endure this, it is but a temporary hell; indeed, if all our hell be here, it is but an easie hell. What is the cup of affliction to the cup of Damnation? Lazarus could not get a crumbe; he was so diseased, that the dogs took pity on hi…, and (as if they had been his physicians) licked his sores; but this was an easie hell, the Angels quickly fetch'd him out of it. If all our hell be in this life, in the midst of this hell wee may have the love of God, and then it is no more Hell, but Paradise. If our hell be here, we may see to the bottome of it; it is but skin-deep, it cannot touch the soul, and we may see to the end of it; 'tis an hell that is shortliv'd**Noote pluit totâ redeunt spectacula …: After a wet night of affliction comes p. 204a bright morning of the Resurrection; if our lives are short, our trials cannot be long. As our riches take wings and flie, so doe our sufferings; then let us be contented.

SECT. 13.

The thirteenth Argument to Contentation.

The last Argument to Contentment is this, To have a competency and to want Contentment, is a great judgement. For a man to have an huge stomack**Cannium appetitum., that whatever meat you give him, hee is still craving, and never satisfied; you use to say, this is a great judgement upon the man: Thou who art heluo pecuniae, a devourer of money, and yet never hast enough, but still criest, Give, give, this is a sad judgement; They shall eat, and not have enough **Hos. 4. 10Hos 4:10. The p. 205throat of a malicious man is an open sepulchre **Rom. 3. 13.Rom 3:13, so is the heart of a covetous man. Covetousnesse is not onelyonly malum culpae, but malum poenae; it is not onelyonly a sinne, but the punishment of a sinne. 'Tis a secret curse upon a covetous person, he shall thirst, and thirst, and never be satisfied; He that loveth silver, shall not be satisified with silver **Eccles. 5 10.Eccl 5:10, and is not this a curse? What was it but a severe judgement upon the people of Iudah? Ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drinke, but ye are not filled with drinke **Hag. 1. 6.Hag 1:6. Oh let us take heed of this plague; Did Esau say to his brother, I have abundance, my brother,**foreign or as we translate it, I have enough? and shall not a Christian say so much more? 'Tis sad that our hearts should be as a stene to heavenly influences, and as a spunge to earthly vapours. Let all that hath been said, work our mindes to holy contentation.