The Art of Divine Contentment, Chapter 7 – Chapter 8
CHAP. VII.
Reason pressing to holy Contentment.
HAving opened the nature of Contentment, I come next to lay down some reasons, or arguments to Contentment, which may preponderate with us.
The first is,Reason. 1. Virtute praecepti. Gods precept. It is charged upon us as a duty; Be content with such things as you have *Heb. 13. 5.; the same God who hath bid us beleeve, hath bid us be content; if we obey not, we runne our selves into a spirituall praemunire. Gods Word is a sufficient warrant; it hath authority in it, and must be a supersedeas, or sacred Spell to discontent; Ipse dixit was enough among Pythagor as his Scholars. Be it enacted is the Royall stile. Gods Word must be the star that guides, and his Will the weight that moves our obedience; his fiat is a Law, and hath majesty enough in it to captivate us into obedience; our hearts must not be more unquiet then the raging Sea, which at his Word is still'd*Mat. 8. 26..
2. The second reason inforcing Contentment,Reason 2. Virtute promissi. is, Gods promise: For, Hee hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, Heb. 13. 5. Where God hath engaged himselfe, under hand and seale, for our necessary provisions. If a King should say to one of his Subjects, I will take care for thee, as long as I have any Crown-revenues, thou shalt be provided for; if thou art in danger, I will secure thee; if in want, I will supply thee; would not that Subject be content? Behold, God hath here made a Promise to the Beleever, and as it were entered into bond for his security, I will never leave thee; Shall not this charm down the devil of discontent? Leave thy fatherless children with me, I will preserve them alive *Je…. 49. 11.. Me thinks I see the godly man on his death-bed much discontented, and heare him complaining, What will become of my wife and children when I am dead and gone, they may come to poverty? saith God, Trouble not thy self, Be content, I will take care of thy children, and, Let thy widowes trust in mee. God hath made a Promise to us, that he will not leave us, and hath entail'd the promise upon our wife and children, and will not this satisfie? True Faith will take Gods single bond without calling for witnesses.
3. Be contented,Reason. 3. Virtute decreti. by vertue of a Decree. What ever our condition be, God the great Umpire of the world hath ab aeterno decreed that condition for us, and by his providence ordered all appertinances thereunto. Let a Christian often think with himselfe, who hath plac'd me here, whither I am in an higher sphere, or in a lower? not chance or fortune, (as the pur-blinde Heathens imagined;) no, it is the wise God that hath by his providence fixed me in this Orbe: We must act that scene which God will have us; say not, Such an one hath occasioned this to me; look not too much at the under-wheel. We read in Ezekiel of a wheele within a wheel *Ezek. 1. 16.▪ Gods Decree is the cause of the turning of the wheeles, and his Providence is the inner wheele that moves all the rest. Gods Providence is that foreign or helme, which turnes about the whole ship of the Universe. Say then as holy David; I was silent *foreign, because thou, Lord, didst it *Psal. 39. 9.. Gods Providence (which is nothing else but the carrying on of his Decree,) should be a supersedeas and counterpoison against discontent; God hath set as in our station, and he hath done it in wisdome.
We fancy such a condition of life good for us, whereas if we were our owne carvers, we should often cut the*Ista aligimus quae plus nocent quàm placeut. worst piece. Lot being put to his choice, did choose Sodom *Gen. 13. 10., which soon after was burnt with fire. Rachel was very desirous of children, Give mee children or I die *Gen. 30. 1., and it cost her her life in bringing forth a childe. Abraham was earnest for Ishmael, O that Ishmael may live before thee *Gen. 17. 18.! but he had little comfort either of him or his seed; he was borne a sonne of strife, His hand was against every man, and every mans hand against him. The Disciples wept for Christ's leaving the world; they chose his corporall presence, whereas it was best for them that Christ should be gone, for else the Comforter would not come *Joh. 16. 7.. David chose the life of his childe, he wept and fasted for it *2 Sam. 12. 16.; whereas if the childe had lived, it would have been a perpetuall monument of his shame. Wee stand oft in our own light; if we should sort, or parcell out our owne comforts, we should hit upon the wrong. Is it not well for the childe that the Parent doth chuse for it? were it left to its self, it would perhaps chuse a knife to cut its own fingers. A man in a paroxysme calls for wine, which if he had, were little better then poyson; 'tis well for the Patient that he is at the Physicians appointment.
The consideration of a Decree determining, and a Providence disposing all things that fall out, should work our hearts to holy Contentment. The wise God hath ordered our condition; if he sees it better for us to abound, we shall abound; if he sees it better for us to want, we shall want; be content to be at Gods dispose.
God sees in his infinite wisdom the same condition is not convenient for all; that which is good for one, may be bad for another; one season of weather will not serve all mens occasions; one needs Sunshine, another Raine; one condition of life will not fit every man, no more then one suite of apparell will fit every body; Prosperity is not fit for all, nor yet Adversity: If one man be brought low, perhaps he can bear it better, he hath a greater stock of grace, more faith and patience; he can gather grapes of thornes, pick some comfort out of the Crosse; every one cannot do this. Another man is seated in an eminent place of dignity; he is fitter for it; perhaps it is a place requires more parts, and judgement, which every one is not capable of*Ex omni ligno non fit mercurius.; perhaps he can use his estate better, he hath a publick heart as well as a publick place. The wise God sees that condition to be bad for one which is good for another; hence it is, he placeth men in different orbes and spheres, some higher, some lower; one man desires health, God sees sicknesse better for him; God will worke health out of sicknesse, by bringing the body of death into a consumption. Another man desires liberty, God sees restraint better for him; he will work his liberty by restraint; when his feet are bound, his heart shall be most enlarged. Did we beleeve this, it would give check to the sinfull disputes, and cavills of our hearts; shall I be discontented at that which is Enacted by a Decree, and Ordered by a Providence? is this to be a childe or a rebel?
CHAP. VIII.
Use I.
Shewing how a Christian may make his life comfortable.
Use I. Use I. Inform.IT shews us how a Christian may come to lead a comfortable life, even an heaven upon earth, be the times what they will; viz. by Christian contentment *Prov. 15. 13; the comfort of life doth not stand foreign, in having much; its Christs maxime, Mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which hee doth possesse *Luke 12 15; but it is in being contented*Nullae profectò majores sunt divitiae, quàm suâ sorte contentum esse… haec enim virtu… efficit, ut id quod habet aliquis, sit ei satis, su…que animum in pauper…ate reddet divitem, Hyperius.. Is not the Bee as wel contented with feeding on the dew, or sucking from a flower, as the Oxe that grazeth on the Mountaines? Contentment lies within a man, in the heart: and the way to be comfortable, is not by having our barnes filled, but our minde quiet. The contented man (saith Seneca) is the happy man; discontent is a fretting humor, which dryes the brains, wastes the spirits, corrodes and eats out the comfort of life: Discontent makes a man that hee doth not enjoy what hee doth possesse. A drop or two of vinegar will sowre a whole glasse of Wine. Let a man have the affluence and confluence of worldly comforts, a drop or two of discontent will imbitter and poyson all. Comfort depends upon Contentment; Iacob went halting when the sinew upon the hollow of his thigh shrank: so, when the sinew of Contentment begins to shrink, we go halting in our comforts. Contentation is as necessary to keep the life comfortable, as oyl is necessary to keep the lamp burning; the clouds of discontent do often drop the showrs of tears. Would we have comfort in our lives? we may have it if we wil*Quisque est fortunae suae faber.. A Christian may carve out what condition he wil to himself*Quid votis opu… est? fac t… ipse foelicem. Seneca.. Why dost thou complain of thy troubles? it is not trouble that troubles, but discontent; it is not the water without the ship, but the water that gets within the leak which drowns it; it is not outward affliction that can make the life of a Christian sad; a contented mind would sail above these waters, but when there's a leak of discontent open, and trouble gets into the heart, then it is disquieted and sinks. Do therefore as the Mariners, pump the water out, and stop this spirituall leak in thy soul, and no trouble can hurt thee.