Refreshing Streams Flowing from the Fullness of Christ, Title page – Dedication
THE MYSTERY OF CONTENTATION In and Through CHRIST.
LONDON, Printed by A. M. for Joſeph Cranford at the Signe of the Phoenix in St Pauls Church-yard. 1655.
TO THE Right Honourable and truly Religious Lady, JANE Counteſſe Dowager of Marr, Encreaſe of Grace and Peace.
Madam,
THE certain knowledge I have had for a long time of your devout affection toward the ſaving Truths of Jeſus Chriſt, the recent ſenſe of manifold favours received at your hands, both ſince and in the time I had the honour of employment for many years in that Noble Family, and the experience of your gracious acceptance of my hearty endeavours unto your ſervice, makes me bold to offer to your Ladiſhip this part of my weak Labour, as a ſmall Teſtimony of my humble acknowledgement of much duty.
I do here preſent you with ſome refreſhing drops from that Myſtery of Contentment found in the Fulneſſe of Jeſus Chriſt: In him is enough to ſupply all defects in the inward man, and more then enough to ſupply all wants in the outward man which can befall us, from the diſappointing and diſcontenting changes in perſons or things of this world: yea, it is of the Lords wiſedome and mercy that our waies are hedged up with thorns, that we may return to our firſt love, Hoſ. 2.6, 7. That we may delight our ſelves in him, and enjoy that ſolid, ſatisfactory, and unchangeable Contentment, which in experience we perceive cannot be found in the empty, inſufficient, uncertain and periſhing comforts of the poor creatures. Many times the Children of God enjoy moſt of himſelf when they enjoy leaſt of the Creature. As the Sufferings of Chriſt abounded in Paul, ſo Conſolation alſo abounded by Chriſt, 2 Cor. 1.5. He had most of Gods preſence when he had leaſt of mans countenance, 2 Tim. 4.16, 17, Stephens face ſhined like an Angels when men looked on him like Devils, Act. 6.15. Such enjoyments at ſuch a time are no other (as Jacob ſaid from his experience of light ariſing out of darkneſſe) then the gate of heaven, a prelude on earth of that immediate Contentment we ſhall have in heaven in God alone, without either oppoſition or interpoſition of the Creature. Hence it is that the Children of God from the comfortable ſenſe of this love have moſt vigour of grace ſometimes under greateſt outward preſſures, they can glory in tribulations, Rom. 5.3. And ſing praiſes to God in a priſon, Act. 16.26. Then have they enlarged ſpirits when their bodies are under reſtraint: As the Sunne re-enforceth his light in the time of an Eclipſe, ſo the graces of the Spirit in the inward man are the more united and ſtrengthened in an hour of darkneſſe from outward troubles: The heat of our love as the Sunne-beam from the hard rock, is the more reflexed toward the Sunne of righteouſneſſe from the cold and hard re-encounters of the Creatures.
In a day of proſperity our affections lagge and ſtraggle here and there, ſeeking Contentment in things farre below our happineſse, and no waies proportionable to the vaſt deſires of the ſpirit of man; Therefore our God in great wiſedome and mercy ſo orders the removall of worldly objects, that our affections may be retired, amazed, and with greater vigour ſet upon himſelf, that according to our meaſure of enlargement of heart, our meaſure of delight and contentment in Chriſt may be the greater, he dryeth up the brinks to the end we may ſeek and be filled with purer and ſweeter contentment in the Fountain: This earneſt and firſt-fruits of abſolute and full ſatisfaction abiding them in heaven, makes the Children of God humble in their greateſt proſperity, and patient with much contentment in their greateſt adverſity: Faith looks to things not ſeen; It reckons all worldly advantages but loſſe and dung in compariſon of the excellency of the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, and alſo reckons that the ſufferings of this preſent time are not worthy to be compared with that glory which ſhall be revealed in us. A look to things not ſeen preſerves the ſoul from fainting at what we ſee or feel: And though the Children of God be ſubject to ſome qualms of fear in time of ſtorms and trials, yet all theſe will be gone as a ſea-ſickneſse when our Lord ſhall bring us within the port of eternal ſalvation.
Madam, You know both whom and what ye have beleeved: As it's his will ye ſhould look to the glory ſet before you, and endure the Croſſe; So that ye ſhould alſo rejoyce in the hope of that Kingdom which cannot be ſhaken, that eternal manſion above all poſsibility of decay, and that Inheritance incorruptible which cannot be defiled, and fadeth not away, reſerved in Heaven for you, by his Interceſsion who purchaſed it by his merit. That your Ladiſhip may be comforted, guided, and guarded by his Spirit in this life; and brought into the poſſeſsion of that full happineſſe in the other life, is and ſhall be the humble prayer of him who in all duty is obliged to ſhew himſelf, Madam,
Your Ladiſhips moſt faithfull and devoted Servant, WILLIAM COLVILL.