The Art of Divine Contentment, Chapter 4 – Chapter 5
CHAP. IV.
The second branch of the Text, The Lesson it selfe, with the Proposition.
II. I Come now to the second, which is the maine thing, The Lesson it selfe; In whatever state I am, therewith to be content.
Here was a rare piece of learning indeed, and certainly more to be wondered at in Saint Paul, that he knew how to turne himself to every condition, then all the learning in the word besides, which hath been so applauded in former ages by Iulius Cesar, Ptolomy, Xenophon, the great admirers of Learning.
The Text hath but few words in it, In every state content; but if that be true which once Fulgentius said, that the most golden sentence is ever measured by brevity and suavity, then this is a most accomplished speech; here is magnum in parvo. The Text is like a precious Jewel, little in quantity, but great in worth and value.
The maine Proposition I shall insist upon,Doct. is this. Doctr. That a gracious spirit is a contented spirit. The Doctrine of Contentment is very superlative; and till we have learned this, we have not learned to be Christians.
1. It is an hard Lesson. The Angels in heaven had not learned it; they were not contented. Though their estate was very glorious, yet they were still soaring aloft, and aimed at something higher. Iude ver. 6. The Angels which kept not their first estate. They kept not their estate, because they were not contented with their estate. Our first Parents cloath'd with the white robe of innocency in Paradise, had not learned to be content; they had aspiring hearts, and thinking their humane nature too low and home-spun, would be crowned with the Deity, and be as gods *Gen. 3. 5.; Though they had the choice of all the trees in the Garden, yet none would content them but the tree of Knowledge, which they supposed would have been as eyesalve to have made them omniscient. Oh then, if this Lesson were so hard to learne in innocency, how hard shall we finde it*Ars omnino mira & difficilis, quae toto cordis adnisu discenda est. Greg. hom. 16. in Eze…h., who are clogged with corruption?
2. It is of Universal extent, it concernes all. 1. It concernes Rich men. One would think it needlesse to presse those to Contentment whom God hath blessed with great estates, but rather perswade them to be humble and thankfull; nay, but I say, Be content. Rich men have their discontents as well as others. As appears, 1. When they have a great estate, yet they are discontented that they have no more; they would make the hundred talents a thousand. A man in wine, the more he drinks, the more he thirsts: Covetousnesse is a dry dropsie▪ *Sicut hydropicus. Quò plus sunt potae, eò plus sitiuntur aquae. H…perius.; an earthly heart is like the grave, that is never satisfyed *Prov. 30. 16.; therefore I say to you rich men, Be content.
2. Rich men, if we may suppose them to be content with their estate, (which is very seldome;) yet, though they have estate enough, they have not honour enough*foreign.; if their barnes are full enough, yet their turrets are not high enough. They would be some body in the world, as Theudas, who boasted himselfe to be some body *Act. 5. 36.; they never go so chearfully, as when the winde of honor and applause fills their sailes; if this wind be down, they are discontented. One would think Haman had as much as his proud heart could desire; he was set above all the Princes, advanced upon the pinnacle of honour to be the second man in the Kingdome*Esth. 3. 1.; yet in the midst of all his pompe, because Mordecai would not uncover and kneele, he is discontented, vers. 2. and full of wrath, vers. 5. and there is no way to asswage this plurisie of revenge, but by letting all the Jewes blood, and offering them up in sacrifice. The itch of honour is seldom allayed without blood; therefore I say to you rich men, Be content.
3. Rich men, if we may suppose them to be content with their honour, and magnificent titles, yet they have not alwayes Contentment in their relations. She that lies in the bosome, may sometimes blow the coales; as Iobs wife, who in a pet would have him fall out with God himself, Curse God and die. Sometimes children cause discontent; how oft is it seen that the mothers milke doth nourish a Viper? and he that once sucked her brest, goes about to suck her blood? Parents doe often of Grapes gather thornes, and of Figs thistles; Children are Sweet-briar. Like the Rose, which is a fragrant flower; but, as Basil saith, it hath its prickles. Our relative comforts are not all pure wine, but mixed; they have in them more dregs then spirits, and are like that River Plutarch speaks of*foreign., where the waters in the morning runne sweet, but in the evening run bitter. We have no charter of exemption granted us in this life; therefore rich men had need be called upon to be contented.
2. The Doctrine of Contentment concernes poore men. You that do not suck so liberally from the brests of Providence, be content; it is an hard Lesson, therefore it had need be set upon the sooner. How hard is it when the livelihood is even gone, a great estate boyled away almost to nothing, then to be content? The means of subsistance, is in Scripture called our life, because it is the very sinewes of life. The woman in the Gospel spent all her living upon the Physicians *Luk 8. 43., in the Greek it is, foreign, She spent her whole life upon the Physicians, because she spent her means by which she should live. 'Tis much when poverty hath clipped our wings, then to be content: but, difficilia pulchra; though hard, it is excellent; and the Apostle here had learned in every state to be content.
God had brought Saint Paul into as great a variety of condition, as ever we read of any man, and yet he was content, else sure he could never have gone through it with so much chearfulnesse, See into what vicissitudes this blessed Apostle was cast. We are troubled on every side *2 Cor. 4. 8., there was the sadnesse of his condition; but not distressed, there was his content in that condition; We are perplexed, there is his affliction; but not in despaire, there is his contentation. And if we read a little further, In afflictions *2 Cor. 6. 4…, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, &c. there is his trouble, and behold his content;*vers. 10. As having nothing, yet possessing all things. When the Apostle was driven out of all, yet in regard of that sweet Contentment of minde (which was like musick in his soul,) he possessed all. We read a short Map or History of his sufferings, In prisons more frequent *2 Cor. 11, 23, 24, 25., in deaths oft, &c. Yet behold the blessed frame and temper of his spirit, I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Which way soever Providence did blow, he had such heavenly skill and dexterity, that he knew how to steer his course. For his outward estate, he was indifferent; he could be either on the top of Iacobs ladder, or the bottom; he could sing either placentia or lachrymae; the dirge or the antheme; he could be any thing that God would have him: I know how to want, how to abound; here was a rare pattern for us to imitate… Paul in regard of his faith and …, was like a Cedar, he could not be stirred: but for his outward condition, he was like a Reed, bending every way with the winde of Providence; when a prosperous gale did blow upon him, he could bend with that, I know how to be full: and when a boysterous gust of affliction did blow, he could bend in humility with that; I know how to be hungry. Saint Paul was foreign (as Aristotle speaks) like a Die, that hath foure squares; throw it which way you wil, it falls upon a bottome:Homo quadratus Erasm. Let God throw the Apostle which way hee would, he fell upon this bottome of Contentment. A contented spirit is like a Watch; though you carry it up and down with you, yet the spring of it is not shaken, nor the wheeles out of order, but the watch keeps its perfect motion: So it was with St. Paul; though God had carryed him into various conditions, yet he was … lift up with the one, nor cast down with the other. The spring of his heart was not broken, the wheels of his affections were not disordered, but kept their constant motion towards heaven; still content. The Ship that lies at anchor may sometimes be a little shaken, but never sinks: Flesh and blood may have its fears and disquiets, but grace doth check them: A Christian having cast anchor in heaven, his heart never sinks; a gracious spirit is a contented spirit.
This is a rare Art: Paul did not learn it at the feet of Gamaliel; I am instructed: foreign *foreign., ver. 12. I am initiated into this holy*Mysteriis initiatus sum. mystery; as if he had said, I have gotten the divine Art, Zanchy. Sacrit imbutu… sum… Ambros.I have the knack of it; God must make us right Artists. If wee should put some men to an Art that they were not skill'd in, how unfit would they be for it? put an husband-man to Limning or drawing Pictures, what strange work would hee make? this is out of his sphere. Take a Limner that is exact in laying of colours, and put him to plough, or set him to planting and graffing of trees, this is not his Art, hee is not skill'd in it: Bid a naturall man live by Faith, and when all things go crosse, Be contented; you bid him do that he hath no skill in, you may as well bid a child guide the the stern of a Ship; To live contented upon God in the deficiency of outward comforts, is an Art which flesh and blood hath not revealed; nay, many of Gods own children, who excell in some duties of Religion, when they come to this of Contentment, how do they bungle? they have not yet commenced Masters of this Art.
CHAP. V.
The resolving some Questions.
FOr the illustration of this Doctrine, I shall propound these Questions.
Quest. 1.Quest. Whether a Christian may not be sensible of his condition, and yet be contented?
Answ. Yes;Ans. For else he is not a Saint, but a Stoick. Rachel did well to weep for her children, (there was nature;) but her fault was, she refused to be comforted, (there was discontent.) Christ himself was sensible when hee sweat great drops of blood, and said, Father, if it be possible, let this cup passe from me *Matt. 26. 39: yet he was contented, he did martyr and crucifie his own will: Neverthelesse, not as I will, but as thou wilt. The Apostle bids us humble our selves under the mighty hand of God *2 Pet. 5. 6, which we cannot do unlesse wee are sensible of it.
Qu. 2.Quest. Whether a Christian may not lay open his grievances to God, and yet be contented?
Ans. Yes:Answ. Unto thee have I opened my cause, Jer. 20. 12.*Jer. 20. 12 and David poured out his complaint before the Lord *Ps. 142. 2. Wee may cry to God, and desire him to write down all our injuries; Shall not the childe complaine to his Father? When any burden is upon the spirit, Prayer gives vent, it easeth the heart: Hannah's spirit was burdened, I am (says shee) a woman of a troubled spirit *1 Sam. 1. 18. Now, having prayed and wept, she went away, and was no more sad; onelyonly, here is the difference between an holy complaint and a discontented complaint; in the one we complaine to God, in the other wee complaine of God.
Quest. 3.Quest. What is it properly that Contentment doth exclude?
Answ. Answ.There are three things which Contentment doth banish out of its Diocesse, and can by no means consist with it.
1. It excludes a vexatious repining, What contentment excludes.this is properly the daughter of Discontent. I mourne in my complaint *Psa. 55. 2: he doth not say, I murmur in my complaint. Murmuring is no better then mutinie in the heart; it is a rising up against God. When the Sea is rough and unquiet, it casts forth nothing but foame; when the heart is discontented, it casts forth the foam of anger, impatience, and sometimes little better then blasphemie. Murmuring is nothing else but the scum which boils off from a discontented heart.
2. It excludes an uneven discomposure. When a man saith, I am in such straits, that I know not how to evolve or get out, I shall be undone. Head and heart are so taken up, that a man is not fit to pray, or meditate, &c. he is not himself: just as when an Army is routed, one man runs this way, and another that, the Army is put into a disorder: So a mans thoughts runne up and down distracted. Discontent doth dislocate and unjoynt the soul, it puls off the wheels.
3. It excludes a childish despondency; and this is usually consequent upon the other. A man being in an hurry of minde, not knowing which way to extricate, or winde himself out of the present trouble; begins succumbere oneri, to faint and sinke under it. For Care is to the minde as a burden to the back, it loads the spirits, and with over-loading sinks them. A despondent spirit is a discontented spirit.