HERE is a very seasonable Cordial to revive the drooping Spirits of the Saints in these sad and sinking times: For the hour of temptation is already come upon all the world to try the Inhabitants of the earth; and in special, this is the day of Jacobs troubles in our owne bowels.

Our great Apostle experimentally holds forth in this Gospel-Text, the very life and soul of all practical Divinity; wherein we may plainly read his own proficiency in Christs School; and what lesson every Christian that would evidence the power and growth of godlinesse in his own soul, must necessarily learn from him.

[Page 2]These words are brought in by Paul, as a plain argument to perswade the Philippians that he did not seek after great things in the world, and that he sought not theirs, but them: He did not passe for a great estate; he had better things to take up his heart withal. I do not speak (saith he) in respect of want, [For] whether I have or have not, my heart is fully satisfied, I have enough; I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

I have learned.] Contentment in every condition is a great art, a spiritual mystery: It is to be learned, and so to be learned as a mystery; And therefore vers. 1 [...]. he affirms, I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound, every where and in all things I un instructed: The word * which is translated [In­structed] [...]. is derived from that word * which signifies Mystery; [...]. and it is as much as if he had said I have learned the mystery of this businesse. Contentment is to be learned as a great myste­ry; and those that are throughly trained up in that art, have learned a deep Mystery; The which is, as Sampsons riddle to a natural man. [I have learned it.] It is not now to learn▪ nei­ther had I it at first▪ I have attained it though with much adoe, and now by the grace of God I am become master of this art.

In whatsoever state I am] The word [State] is not in the Original, but, * In what I am, that is, in whatsoever con­cerns [...]. or befals me, whether I have little or nothing at all.

Therewith to be content.] The word * which we render Content [...]. here, hath in the Original much elegancy and fulnesse of sig­nification in it. In strictnesse of phrase it is only attributed unto God, who hath stiled himself God alsufficiant, as resting wholly satisfied in and with himself alone: but he is pleased freely to cōmunicate of his fulnesse to the creature so that from God in Christ the Saints receive grace for grace Joh. 1. 16. in so much that there is in them an answerablenesse of the same grace in their proportion that is in Christ. And in this sense Paul saith, I have a Self-sufficiency, as the word notes.

But hath Paul a self-sufficiency you will say? How are we sufficient of our selves? Our Apostle affirms in another case, Tbat we are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves? 2. Cor. 3. 5. His meaning therefore must be, I find a sufficiency [Page 3] of satisfaction in my own heart, through the grace of Christ that is in me; though I have not outward comforts and world­ly accommodations to supply my necessities, yet I enjoy portion enough betwixt Christ and my own soul abundantly to satisfie me in every condition. And this interpretation is sutable to that place Pro. 14 14. A good man is satisfied from himself; and agreeable to what he verifies of himself in another place; that though he had nothing yet he possessed all things; because he had right to the covenant and promise, which virtually containes all, and an interest in Christ the fountain and good of all, and ha­ving that, no marvell he saith that in whatsoever state he was in, he was content. Thus you have the genuine interpretati­on of the text. I shall not make any division of the words, be­cause I take them only to prosecute that one duty most necessary, viz. The quieting and comforting the hearts of Gods people under the troubles and changes they meet withall, in these heart-shaking times. And the doctrinal conclusion is in brief this.

Doct. That to be well skilled in the mystery of Christian Contentment is the Duty, Glory, and Excellency of a Christian.

This Evangelical truth is held forth sufficiently in this Scrip­ture; yet take one or two paralel places more for the confirma­tion of it. 1 Tim. 6. 6. & 8. you have both the duty exprest, and the glory thereof: Having food and raiment (saith he vers. 8.) let us be therewith content, there is the duty; But godliness with contentment is great gain, vers. 6. there is the glory and excellen­cy of it: as if godlinesse were not gain except there were con­tentment withall. The like exhortation you have in Heb. 13. 5. Let your conversation be without Covetousness, and be content with such things as you have. I do not find any Apostle or Writer of Scrip­ture treat so much of this spiritual mystery of Contentment as this our Apostle hath done throughout his Epistles.

For the cleer opening and proving of this practical con­clusion, I shall indevour to demonstrate these four things;

• First, The nature of this Christian contentment, what it is.
• Secondly, The art and mystery of it.
• [Page 4]Thirdly, What those lessons are that must be learn'd to work the heart to contentment.
• Fourthly, Wherein the glorious excellencies of this grace doth principally consist.

Concerning the first, take this description; Christian Con­tentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, freely submitting to, and taking complacency in Gods wise, and fatherly dispose in every condition.

I shall break open this discription, for it is a box of precious o [...]ntment, very comfortable and useful for troubled hearts, in troubled times and conditions.

First, Contentment (I say) is a sweet [inward] heart-thing, it is a work of the spirit within doors: It is not only a not-seeking help to our selves by outward violence, or a forbearance of discontent­ed murmurring expressions, in froward words and carriages against God or others; but it is the inward submission of the heart. Psal. 62. 1. Truly, my soul waiteth upon God; and ver. 5. My soul wait thou only upon God, so it is in your [...]ooks; but the words may be translated as rightly, My soul be thou silent unto God; Hold thy peace O my soul: Not only the tongue must hold its peace, but the soul must be silent: Many may sit down silently, forbearing discontented expressions, yet are inwardly swollen with discontentment; now this manifesteth a perplexed distemper and a great frowardnesse in their hearts: And God notwithstanding their outward silence hears the pee­vish fretting language of their souls. The shoe may be smooth and neat without, whilst the flesh is pinched within: There may be much calmnesse and stilnesse outwardly, and yet won­derful confusion, bitternesse; disturbance and vexation with­in. Some are so weak that they are not able to contain the dis­quietnesse of their own spirits, but in words and behaviour dis­cover what woful perturbations there are within, their spirits being like the raging Sea casting forth nothing but mire and dirt, being not only troublesome to themselves but to all those they live with: Others there are who are able to keep in such distempers of heart, (as Judas did when he betrayed Christ with a kisse,) but still they boyl inwardly and eate like a Can­ker: As David speaks concerning some whose words are smoo­ther [Page 5] then honey, and butter, and yet have war in their hearts; and as he saith in another place, whilst I kept silence my bones waxed old; so these, whilst there is a serene calme upon their tongues, have yet blustring storms in their spirits, and whilst they keep silence their hearts are troubled, and even worn a­way with anguish and vexation; they have peace and quiet outwardly, but war from the unruly and turbulent workings of their hearts, that is within. If the attainment to true con­tentment were as easy as keeping quiet outwardly, there need be no great learning of it; it might be had with lesse skill and strength than an Apostle had; yea than an ordinary christian hath or may have. Therefore certainly there is a great deal more in it than can be attained by common gifts, and ordinary power of reason▪ which often bridles in nature. It is a heart busi­nesse.

Secondly; It is the [quiet] of the heart; All is sedate and still there, and to understand this the better; This quiet gracious frame of spirit, it is not opposed.

1 To a due sense of affiiction. God doth give leave to his people to be sensible of what they su [...]er: Christ doth not say, Do not count that a crosse which is a crosse, but take up your crosse daily. As it is in the body natural, if the body takes physick, and is not able to bear it but presently vomits it up, or if it be not at all sensible, if it stir not the body; either of these waies the physick doth no good, but argues the body much distem­pered and will hardly be cured. So it is with the spirits of men under afflictions; if either they cannot bear Gods potions but cast them up again, or are not sensible of them, and their souls are no more stirr'd by them then the body is by a draught of smal beer, it is a sad symptome that their souls are in a dan­gerous and almost incurable condition. So that this inward quietnesse is not in opposition to the sense of affliction; for in­deed there were no true contentment if you were not apprehen­sive and sensible of your af [...]lictions when God is angry. It is not opposed.

2 To an orderly making our moan and complaint to God, and to our friends. Though a Christan ought to be quiet under Gods correcting hand, yet he may without any breach of Christian [Page 6] contentment complain to God; (as one of the Ancients saith) though not with a tumultuous clamour and skreeking out in a perplexed passion, yet in a quiet still submissive way he may unbosome his heart unto God. And likewise communicate his sad condition to his gracious friends, shewing them how God hath dealt with him and how heavy the affliction is upon him, that they may speak a word in due season to his wearied soul. It is not opposed.

3 To all lawful seeking out for help in another condition, or simply en­deavouring to be delivered out of the present affliction by the use of law­ful means. No, I may lay in provision for my deliverance, and use Gods means, waiting on him because I know not but that it may be his will to alter my condition, and so far as he leads me I may follow his providence, it is but my duty. God is thus far mercifully indulgent to our weaknesse, and he will not take it ill at our hands if by earnest and importunat prayer we seek unto him for deliverance, till we know his good pleasure therein. And certainly thus seeking for help with such a sub­mission and holy resignation of spirit, to be delivered when God will, and as God will, and how God will, so that our wils are melted into the will of God, this is no opposition to the quietnesse which God requires in a contented spirit.

Quest. But then, what is this quietnesse of spirit opposed unto?

Ans. To murmuring and repining at the hand of God; as the dis­contented Israelits often did, which if we our selves cannot indure either in our children or servants, much lesse can God bear it in us.

2 To vexing and f [...]etting; which is a degree beyond murmur­ing. It is a speech I remember of an heathen, a wise man may greive under, but not be vexed with his afflictions. There is a vast difference betwixt a kindly greiving and a distempered vexation,

3 To tumultuousness of spirit: When the thoughts run distractingly and work in a confused manner, so that the affections are like the unruly multitude in the Acts, who knew not for what end they were come together. The Lord expects that you should be silent under his rod, and as he said in Act. 19. 36. You [Page 7] ought to be quiet and to do nothing rashly.

4 To unse [...]ledness and unfixedness of spirit, whereby the heart is ta­ken off from the present duty that God requires in our several relations, both towards God, our selves, and others. We should prize duty at a higher rate then to be taken off by every trivial occasion, a Christian indeed values every service of God so much, that though some may be in the eye of the world and of natural reason, a slight empty businesse, beggerly rudiments, foolishnesse, yet seeing God calls for it, the authority of the comand doth so over awe his heart, that he is willing to spend himself and to be spent in the discharge of it. It is an expression of Luthers, ordinary works that are done in faith, and from faith, are more precious than heaven and earth. And if this be so, and a Christian know it, it is not a little matter that should divert him; but he should answer every avocation, and resist every tentation, as Nebemiah did Chap. 6. 3. Sanballat, Geshem, and Tobiah (when they would have hindred the building of the wal) with this, I am doing a great work (saith he) so that I cannot come down, why should the work of the Lord cease?

5 To distracting, heart-eating cares and fears. A gracious heart so estimats its union with Christ and the work that God sets it about, as it will not willingly suffer any thing to come in to choak it, or dead it. A Christian is desirous that the word of God should take such full possession as to divide between soul and spirit, but he would not suffer the fear and noise of evil­tidings to take such impression in his soul, as to make a division and strugling there, like the twins in Rebeckaes womb. A great man will permit common people to stand without his doors, but he will not let them come in & make a noise in his closet or bedchamber when he purposely retires himself from all world­ly imployments. So a well tempered spirit though it may in­quire after things abroad without doors in the world, and suffer some ordinary cares and fears to break in to the suburbs of the soul, so as to have a light touch upon the thoughts: Yet it will not upon any terms admit of an intrusion into the privy-chamber, which should be wholly reserved for Jesus Christ as his inward Temple.

6 To sinking discouragements. When things fall not out ac­cording [Page 8] to expectation, when the tyde of second causes runs so low that we see little left in outward means to bear up our hopes and hearts. That then the heart begins to reason as he in the Kings, If the Lord should open the windows of heaven how should this [...]e? Never considering that God can open the eyes of the blind with clay and spittle, he can work above, beyond, nay contrary to means; he often makes the fairest flowers of mans indeavours to wither, and brings improbable things to passe, that the glory of enterprizes may be given to himself. Nay if his people stand in need of mirracles to work their deliverance, miracles fall as easily out of Gods hands, as to give his people daily bread. Gods blessing is many times secret upon his ser­vants that they know not which way it comes▪ as 2 Kings, 3. 17. Ye shall not see wind, neither shall you see rain, yet the valley shall be f [...]lled with water, God would have us depend on him though we do not see means how the thing should be brought to passe, else we do not shew a quiet spirit; though an affliction be upon thee let not thy heart sink under it. So far as thy heart sinks and thou art discouraged under thy affliction, so much thou wan­test of this lesson of Contentment.

7 To sinfull shiftings and shirkings out for ease and help. As we see in Saul running to the witch of Endor, and in his offering sa­crifice before Samuel came: Nay the good King Jehoshaphat joynes himself with Ahaziah 2 Chron. 20. Ʋlt. And Asa goes to [...]enhadad King of Assyria for help, not relying upon the Lord, (2 Chr. 16. 7, 8.) Though the Lord had delivered the Ethiopian Army into his hands, consisting of a thousand thousand, 2 Chron. 14▪ 11. And good Jacob joyned in a lye with his mother to Isaac, he was not content to stay Gods time, and use Gods means, but made too great haste and stept out of his way, to procure the blessing which God intended for him; as many do through the corruption of their hearts and weaknesse of their faith, because they are not able to trust God, and follow him fully in all things and alwaies; and for this cause the Lord of­ten follows the Saints with many sore temperal crosses, (as we see in Jacob) though they obtain the mercy. It may be thy wretched carnal heart thinks, I care not how I be [Page 9] delivered, so I may but get free from it: Is it not so many times in some of your hearts when any crosse or affliction befals you? Have not you such kind of workings of spirit as this? Oh that I could but be delivered out of this affliction any way, I would not care, your hearts are far from being quiet. And this sin­ful shifting is the next thing in opposition to this quietnesse, which God requires in a contented spirit.

The Eighth and last thing that this quietnesse of Spirit is op­posite to, is desparate risings of heart against God in a way of rebellion: That is most abominable: I hope many of you have learned so far to be content, as to keep down your hearts from such di­stempers; and yet the truth is, not only wicked men, but sometimes the very Saints of God find the beginnings of this, when an affliction lies long, and is very sore and heavy upon them indeed, and strikes them as it were in the master vein; they find somewhat of this in their hearts, a rising against God, their thoughts begin to bubble, and their affections begin to stir in rising against God himself; especially such as together with their corruptions have much melancholy, and the Devil work­ing both upon the corruptions of their hearts, and the melan­choly distemper of their bodies; though there may lie much grace at the bottom, yet there may be some risings against God himself under affliction. Now Christian quietnes is opposite to all these things: that is, When afflictions come, be it what af­fliction it will be, yet you do not murmur, though you be sen­sible, though you make your moan, though you desire to be de­livered, and seek it by all good means, yet you do not murmur nor repine, you do not fret, nor vex, there is not that tumultu­ousnesse of spirit in you, there is not unsettlednesse in your spi­rits, there are not distracting fears in your hearts, no sinking discouragements, no base shiftings, no risings in rebellion any way against God: This is the quietnesse of Spirit under an af­fliction, and that is the second thing when the soul is so far able to bear an affliction as to keep quiet under it.

Now the Third thing I would open in the discription is this, It is an inward, quiet, gracious [frame] of Spirit. It is a frame of Spirit, and then a gracious frame of Spirit. Content­ment it is a Soul businesse, First it is inward; Se­condly [Page 10] quiet; Thirdly it is a quiet Frame of Spirit. [Frame] by that I mean these Three things: There are Three things con­siderable when I say, Contentment consists in the quiet frame of the Spirit of a man.

First, That it is a grace that spreads it self through the whole Soul: as thus, It is in the judgement, that is, The judgement of the Soul of a man or woman tends to quiet the heart, in my judge­ment I am satisfied, that is one thing to be satisfied in ones un­derstanding and judgement, as thus, This is the hand of God; and this is that that is sutable to my condition, or best for me; although I do not see the reason of the thing, yet I am satisfi­ed in my judgement about it.

And then it is in the thoughts of a man or woman: As my judge­ment is satisfied, so my thoughts are kept in order.

And then it comes to the will, My will yeilds and submits to it, my affections are all likewise kept in order, so that it goes through the whole soul. There is in some a partiall Contentment, and so tis not the frame of the soul, but some part of the soul hath some Contentment, as thus, Many a man may be satisfied in his judg­ment about a thing, and yet cannot for his life rule his affecti­ons, nor his thoughts▪ cannot rule his thoughts, nor the will, nor the affections though the judgement be satisfied: I make no question but many of you may know this by your own experi­ence, if you do but observe the workings of your own hearts. Cannot you say when such an affliction befals you, I can blesse God I am satisfied in my judgement about it, I have nothing in the world to say in respect of my judgement against it, I see the hand of God and I should be content: yea I am satisfied in my judgement, that my condition is a good condition in which I am▪ but I cannot for my life rule my thoughts, and will, and my affections, me thinks I feel my heart heavy, and sad, and troubled more then it should be, and yet my judgement is satis­fied. This seem'd to be the case of David, Psal. 43. O my Soul why art thou disquieted? David as far as his judgement went, there was a contentednesse, that is, His judgement was satisfied in the work of God upon him; and he was troubled, but he knew not wherefore, O my Soul why art thou cast down within me? That Psalm is a very good Psalm for those that feel a fretting, discon­tented▪ [Page 11] distemper in their hearts at any time, for them to be reading or singin [...]g, he hath it once or twice in that Psalm, Why art thou cast down O my soul? In vers. 5. And why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, for the help of his countenance. David had enough to quiet him, and that that he had had prevailed with his judgement, but after it had pre­vailed with his judgement he could not get it further. He could not get this grace of Con [...]entment to go through the whole frame of the Soul; there is a great deal of stir sometimes to get Contentment into their judgements, that is, To satisfie their judgement about their condition: Come to many, that the hand of God is upon perhaps in a greivous manner, and seek to satisfie them and tell them that there is no such cause to be dis­quieted, O not such cause saith the troubled spirit; O then there is no cause that any should be disquieted; there was never any such affliction as I have, and a hundred things they have to put off what is said to them, so as you cannot so much as get into their judgements to satisfie them; but there is a great deal of hope of Contentment if once your judgements come to be sa­tisfied, that you can sit down and say in your judgements, I see cause to be contented; but though you have gotten thus far, yet you may have much to do with your hearts afterward: for there is such unrulinesse in our thoughts and affections, that our judgements are not able alwaies to rule our thoughts and affections, and that makes me to say, That Contentment is an inward, quiet, gracious frame of Spirit, that is, the whole Soul, Judgement, Thoughts, Will, Affections and all are satisfied and quiet. I suppose in the very opening this, you begin to see it is a lesson that you had need learn, and it is not a thing soon got, if Contentment be such a thing as this is.

The Second thing is this, which is very observable, That spirituall contentment comes from the frame of the Soul. A man or wo­man that is contented in a right way▪ their Contentment doth not so much come from outward arguments, or any outward thing that helps them to be content, as it doth from the disposition of their own hearts▪ It is the disposition of their own hearts that causes this Contentment; that brings forth this gracious Contentment rather then any externall thing that [Page 12] doth it; as thus I would open my self, one that is disquieted, suppose a child or man, or woman, if you come and bring them some great matter to please them, that perhaps will quiet them, and they will be contented; it is the thing you bring them that quiets them, but it is not the disposition of their own spirits, not from any good temper that there is in their own hearts, but from some externall thing that is brought them; but when a Christian is contented in a right way, the quiet doth come more from the inward temper and disposition of their own hearts then from any externall arguments, or possession of any thing in the world. I would yet open this further to you in this Si­militude. The being content upon some externall thing, it is like the warming of a mans cloathes by the fire; but being con­tent by the inward disposition of the soul, it is like the warmth that a mans cloathes hath from the naturall heat of his body: A man that is of a healthful body, he puts on his cloathes, and perhaps when he puts them on at the first in a cold morning he feels his cloathes cold, but after he hath them on a little while, they are warm; why how come they warm? they came not nigh the fire: No, but it came from the natural heat of his bo­dy. Now a sickly man that hath his naturall heat decayed, if he put on his cloathes cold, they will not be hot in a long time, but he must have them warmed by the fire, and then they will quickly be cold again; So this will difference the Contentments of men. There are some men now that are very gracious, and when an affliction comes upon them, indeed at first it seems to be a little cold, but after it hath been on a while, the very tem­per of their hearts being gracious it makes their afflictions easie, and makes them to be quiet under it, and not to complain of a­ny discontentment. But now you shall have others that have an affliction upon them, that have not this good temper in their hearts, their afflictions are very cold upon them and greivous; and it may be if you bring them some externall arguments, som­what from without, as the fire that warmes the cloathes, per­haps they will be quiet for a while; but alas, wanting a gra­cious disposition within in their own hearts that warmth will not hold long. The warmth of the fire, that is▪ a Contentment that comes meerly from externall arguments will not hold [Page 13] long, but that holds that doth come from the gracious temper of the Spirit. It is from the frame and the disposition of the spirit of a man or woman, there's the true Contentment. But this we shall speak too further in the opening of the Mystery of Contentment.

The Third thing is this, It is the frame of Spirit, that shewes the habitualnesse of this grace of Contentment. Contentment is not meerly one act, a flash in a good moode; you shall have many men and women, that take them in some good moode and they will be very quiet; but this will not hold, this is not in a con­stant way, there is not a constant tenour of their spirits to be holy and gracious under affliction. But I say, It is the quiet frame of spirit, by that I mean, The habitual disposition of their Soules, that it is not only at this time, and the other time when you take men and women in a good moode, but it is the con­stant tenour and temper of the heart; that is a Christian that hath learned this lesson of Contentment, that in the constant tenour and temper of heart is contented, and can carry its self quietly in a constant way, or else it is worth nothing; for there is no body that is so furious in their discontent, but will be quiet in some good moode or other. Now First it is a heart­businesse; Secondly, it is the heart-quiet; and then Thirdly, it is the frame of the heart.

But Fourthly, It is the [gracious] frame of the heart. Indeed in Contentment there is a composition of all graces if the Con­tentment be Spirituall, if it be truly Christian, there is I say a composition of all Spiritual graces; As it is in some Oyls, there is a composition of a great many very precious Ingredients, so in this grace of Contentment, which we shall yet further speak of in the opening of the Excellency of it. But now the graci­ous frame of Spirit is in opposition to Three things;

1 First, In opposition to the naturall stillnesse that there is in many men and women. There is some of such a natural constitution that makes them to be more still and more quiet then others▪ others are of a violent and hot constitution [...], and they are more impa­tient then others.

2 Secondly, In opposition to a sturdy resolution: As some men through the strength of some sturdy resolution, they have not [Page 14] seemed to be troubled let come what will come▪ and so it may be that through a sturdy resolution at some times they are not so much disquieted as others are.

Thirdly, In way of dis [...]inc [...]ion, from the very strength of reason (though not sanc [...]ified) the strength of naturall reason may quiet the heart in some measure. But now I say, A gracious frame of spirit is not a meer stilnesse of body through a naturall constitution and temper, nor sturdinesse of resolution, nor meerly through the strength of reason.

You will say wherein is this graciousnesse of contentment distinguisht from all these? More of this will be spoken to when we shew the mystery of it, and the lessons that are learned, but now we may speak a little by way of distinction here, as now, from the natural stilnesse of mens spirits, many men and wo­men have such a natural stilnesse of spirit▪ and constitution of body, that you shall find them seldome disquieted. But now mark these kind of people that are so, they likewise are very dull, of a dull spirit in any good thing, they have no quick­nesse, nor livelinesse of spirit in that which is good, but now mark where contentment of heart is gracious, the heart is very quick and lively in the service of God, yea the more any gracious heart can bring its self to be in a contented disposition [...]h the more fit is it for any service of God, and is very active and lively in Gods service, not dull in the service of God: And as a Contented heart is very active and stirring in the work of God, so hee is very active and stirring in sanctifying Gods name in the affliction that doth befall him: The differ­ence will appear very cleer thus, One that is of a still dispositi­on, he is not disquieted indeed as others, neither hath he any activenesse of spirit in sanctifying the name of God in the a­ffliction▪ but now one that is content in a gracious way as he is not disquieted, but keeps his heart quiet in respect to vex­ing and trouble, so on the other s [...]de he is not dull nor heavy but is very active to sanctifie Gods name in the affliction that is upon him, for it is not enough meerly not to murmur not to be discontented and troubled, but you must be active in the sanctifying Gods name in the affliction. And indeed this will distinguish it from the other, from a sturdy resolution, I [Page 15] will not be troubled: but though you have a sturdy resolution that you will not be troubled, is there a conscionablenesse in you to sanctifie Gods name in your affliction, and doth it come from thence? That is the main thing that brings the quiet of heart, and helps against discontentednesse in a gracious heart. I say the desire and care that thy soul hath to sanctifie Gods name in an affliction it is that that quiets the soul, which doth not in the other. Neither when it is meerly from reason: As Socrates it is said of him (though he were but a heathen) that what ever befel him he would never so much as chang his coun­tenance, and he got this power over his spirit meerly by strength of reason and morallity, but now this gracious con­tentment comes from principles beyond the strength of reason. I cannot open that, (from whence it comes) till we come to o­pen the mystery of spiritual Contentment. I will only give you this one note of the difference between a man and woman that is contented in a natural way, and another that is con­tented in a spiritual way. Those that are contented in a natu­ral way they overcome themselves when outward afflictions doth befall them, they are contented, yea and they are con­tented as well when they commit sin against God, either when they have outward crosses or when God is dishonoured it is all one, either when themselves are crost or when God is crost, but now a gracious heart that is contented with its own affliction, yet mightily rises when God is dishonoured.

The fift is [Freely] freely submitting to, and taking complacency in Gods dispose, it is a free work of the spirit, now there are four things to be opened in this freedome of spirit.

First that the heart is readily brought over, that that one doth freely there is no great stir to bring them to it, there are many men and women when their afflictions are greivious up­on them, with much adoe they are brought to be contented, a great deal of stir there is to quiet their hearts when they are un­der affliction, yet at last perhaps they are brought to it, I but [...]ow this doth not come off freely, if I desire a thing of another and I get it perhaps with much adoe, and a great deal of stir there is, but here's no freedom of spirit, but when a man is free in a thing do but mention it and presently he comes off to [Page 16] it. So if you have learned this art of Contentment, you will not only be contented after a great deal of doe to quiet your hearts but readily, as soon as ever you do come to think that it is the hand of God, your heart presently closeth.

Secondly freely, That is not by constraint, not patience by force (as we use to say.) As many will say that you must be content, this is the hand of God and there is no help for it; O this is too low an expression for Christians, yet when Chri­stians come to visit one another, they say friend or neighbour you must be content, this is to low an expression for a Christian, Must be con [...]ent, no, readily, and freely I will be content. It is sutable to my heart to yeild to God, and to be content, I find it is a thing that comes off of it self, that my soul will be content. Oh you should answer your friends so that come and tell you you must be content, nay I am willing to yeild to God, and I am freely content, that's the Second. And then a free act it comes after a rational way, that's freedom, that is, it doth not come through ignorance, because I know no better condition, or that I know not what my affliction is, but it comes through a sanctified judgement, for that is the reason that no creature can do an act of freedom, but the rational creature, the liber­ty of action is only in rational creatures, and it comes from hence, for that's only freedom and out of liberty that's wrought in a rational way, as a natural freedom is when I by my judge­ment see what is to be done, understand the thing, and then there is a closing with what I do understand in my judgement, that is freely done, but now if a man doth a thing, and under­stands not what he doth, he cannot be said to do it freely. So if men are contented, but it is because they understand not what their affliction is, or because they understand no better, this is not freely, as for instance, Suppose a Child born in a prison and never in all his life went out, the Child is content­ed, why? Because he never knew better, but this is no free act of Contentation, but now for men and women that do know better▪ that know that the condition in which they are in it is an afflicted condition, and a sad condition, and yet they can bring their hearts to a Contentation out of a sanctified judge­ment, this is freedom.

[Page 17]Thirdly, This freedom it is in opposition to stupidness, for a man and woman may be contented meerly out of want of sense, this is not free, as a man in a dead palsie that doth not feel you nip his flesh, he is not freely patient; but if one should have their flesh nipt, and feel it, and yet for all that can be able to bridle themselves, and do it freely, that is another matter. So it is here, many are contented meerly out of stupidnesse, they have a dead palsie upon them; but now a gracious heart hath sense e­nough, and yet is contented, and therefore is free.

Sixthly, Freely [submitting] to, and taking complacency in Gods dispose. Submitting to Gods dispose, What is that? The word Submit, it signifies nothing else, but to send under; as thus, One that is discontented, the heart will be unruly, and would even get above God so far as discontentment prevailes; but now comes the grace of Contentment and sends it under; to submit, it is to send under a thing▪ now when the soul comes to see the unrulinesse that there is in it, here's the hand of God that brings an affliction, and my heart is troubled and discon­tented; what saith the Soul? Wilt thou be above God? Is it not Gods hand, and must thy will be regarded more then Gods? O under, under, O thou soul get under, keep under, keep low, keep under Gods feet▪ thou art under Gods feet, and keep un­der his feet, keep under the Authority of God, the Majesty of God, the Soveraignity of God, the Power that God hath over thee: Keep under, that is to submit▪ then the Soul can sub­mit to God when it can send its self under the Power and Au­thority, and Soveraignity, and Dominion that God hath over it; that is the Sixth Particuler▪ yea but that is not enough, yet you have not got to this Grace of Contentment, except in the next place you take.

Seventhly, Taking a [complacency] in Gods dispose. That is thus, I am well pleased in what God doth, so far as I can see God in it, though as I said, I may be sensible of the affliction, and may desire that God in his due time would take it off, and use meanes to take it off; yet I may be well pleased so far as Gods hand is in it. To be well pleased with Gods hand, that is a higher degree then the other; and this comes from hence, not only because I see that I should be content in this affliction, but [Page 18] because I see that there is good in this affliction. I find there is hony in this rock, and so I do not only say, I must, or I will sumit to Gods hand; no, but the hand of God is good; it is good that I am afflicted. That it is [...]ust that I am afflicted, that may be in one that is not truly contented, I may be convinced that God deals justly in this, God is righteous and just, and tis fit I should submit to what he hath done, O the Lord hath done righte­ously in all his waies▪ but that is not enough, but thou must say Good is the hand of the Lord, the expression of old Fly, Good is the word of the Lord, when it was a sore & hard word, that word that did threaten very greivous things to [...]ly and his house and yet, Good is the word of the Lord, saith [...]ly: Perhaps some of you may say as David, It is good that I was afflicted; nay, you must come to say thus, It is good that I am afflicted. Not good when you see the good fruit that it hath wrought, but when you are afflicted to say, It is good that I am afflicted. What­ever the affliction be, yet through the mercy of God my condi­tion is a good condition; it is the top indeed and the height of this art of Contentment to come to this pitch, to be able to say, Well, my condition and afflictions are thus and thus, and is very greivous and sore yet I am through Gods mercy in a good condition, and the hand of God is good upon me notwithstan­ding. Now I should have given you divers Scriptures about this, I shall but give you one or two that are very remarkable; you will think this is a hard lesson to come thus far, not only to be quiet, but to have a complacency in affliction. Prov. 16. 6. In the house of the righteous is much treasure, but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble. Here is a Scripture now that will shew that a gracious heart hath cause to say it is in a good condition what ever it be. In the house of the Righteous is much treasure, his house, what house? it may be a poor Cottage, perhaps he hath scarce a stoole to sit on▪ perhaps he is fain to sit upon a stump of wood, a piece of a block, instead of a stool▪ or perhaps he hath scarce a bed to lye upon, or a dish to eat in yet saith the Holy Ghost, In the house of the righteous is much treasure: Let the righteous man be the poorest man in the world: It may be there are some that hath come and taken all the goods out of his house for debt; perhaps his house is plundered and [Page 19] all is gon, yet still, In the house of the righteous is much treasure, the righteous man can never be brought to be so poor, to have his house rifled and spoiled, but there will remain much trea­sure within, if he hath but a dish or a spoon or any thing in the world in his house there will be much treasure, so long as he is there, there is the presence of God and the blessing of God upon him, and therein is much treasure; but in the revenues of the wicked there is trouble: There is more treasure in the poorest bodies house, if he be godly, then in the house of the greatest man in the world, that hath his brave hangings, and brave wrought beds, and chairs, and couches, and cubbords of plate, and the like; what ever he hath, he hath not so much treasure in it, as in the house of the poorest righteous soul; therefore in a verse, or two after my text, no mervail though Paul (saith he) was Content, you shall see in Phil. 4. 18. But I have all, and abound, I am full. I have all? Alas poor man what had Paul that could make him say he had all; where was there ever man more afflicted then Paul was? many times he had not tatters to hang about his body, to cover his nakednesse, he had not bread to eate, he was often in nakednesse, and put in the stocks, and whipt and cruelly used, yet I have all (saith Paul) for all that. Yea you shall have it in 2 Cor. 6. 10. he professes there, That he did possesse all things, as sorowful, yet alwaies rejoy­cing, as poor, yet making many rich, as having nothing, and yet posses­sing all things, but mark what he saith, it is, As having nothing, but it is Possessing all things. He doth not say, as possessing all things, but possessing all things; it is very little I have in the world, but yet possessing all things: So that you see a Christi­an hath cause to take complacency in Gods hand, whatsoever his hand be.

The Eight thing in Contentment it is [In Gods dispose] Submitting to, and taking complacency in Gods dispose, that is, the soul that hath learned this lesson of Contentment, looks up to God in all things▪ looks not down to the instruments or the means, as such a man did it, and it was the unreasonablenesse of such and such instruments and the like barbarous usage of such and such; but looks up to God▪ a contented heart looks to Gods dis­pose: And submits to Gods dispose, that is, sees the wisdom of [Page 20] God in all, in his submission sees his soveraignity, but that that makes him take conplacency, it is Gods wisdom; the Lord knows how to order things better then I, the Lord sees further thē: do, I see things but at present but the Lord sees a great whil hence, and how do I know but had it not been for this afflicti­on, I had been undone? I know that the love of God may as w [...]ll [...] with an afflicted estate, as with a prosperous estate, and such kind of reasonings there are in a contented spirit, submitting unto the dispose of God.

The last thing is, This is in [every condition,] it may be in some things you could be content: You shall have many will say▪ if my affliction were but as the affliction of such a one I could be content yea but it must be in the present affliction that is upon you. We use to say, There is a great deal of deceit in U­niversals▪ in the general, come to any man or woman and say, Will not you be content with Gods dispose? Yes say they God forbid but we should submit to Gods hand what ever it be, you say thus in the general, it is an easie matter to learn this lesson, but when it comes to the particular, when the crosse comes sore indeed, when it striks you in the heaviest crosse that you think could besall you, what saith your heart now? Can you in every condition be content not onely for the matter, but for the time, that is to be in such a condition so long as God would have you, to be content to be at Gods time in that con­dition to have such an affliction so long as God would have the affliction abide upon you▪ to be willing to stay and not to come out of the affliction no sooner then the Lord would have you come out of it? you are not content in your condition else; to be content meerly that I have such a hand of God upon me, and not to slay under the hand of God, that is not to be content under every condition, but when I can find my heart submit­ting to Gods dispose in such particuler afflictions that are very hard, and very greivious, and yet my heart is quiet, here is one that hath learned the lesson of Contentment: Content­ment, it is the inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, freely submitting to and taking complacency in Gods dispose in eve­ry condition: That is the discription: Now in this there hath been nine several things opened.

[Page 21]1 First, that Contentment is a heart-work within the soul. 2 Secondly, It is the quieting of the heart. 3 Thirdly, It is the frame of the spirit. 4 Fourthly, It is a gracious frame. 5 Fiftly, It is the free working of this gracious frame. 6 Sixt­ly, There is in it a submission to God, sending the soul under God. 7 Seaventhly, There is a taking complacency in the hand of God. 8 Eightly, All to Gods dispose. 9 Ninthly, in every condition, every condition though never so hard, though continue never so long: Now those of you that have learned to be Content, have learned to attain unto these seve­rall things; the very opening of these things I hope may so far work upon your hearts as, First, That you may lay your hands upon your hearts upon this that hath been said, the ve­ry telling of you what the lesson is, I say may cause you to lay your hands upon your hearts, and say, Lord I see there is more in Christian Contentation then I thought there was, and I have been far from learning this lesson, I indeed have learned but my A B C in this lesson of Contentment, I am but in the lower forme in Christs school if I am in it at all; but these we shall speak too more afterward; but the special thing I aime'd at in the opening of this point, is to shew how great a Mystery there is in Christian Contentment; and how many several les­sons are to be learned, that we may come to attain to this Hea­venly disposition, that Saint Paul did attain too.

SERMON II.

WEE have made entrance you may remember into the Argument of Christian Content­ment. And have opened the words and shew­ed you what this Christian Contentation is; that it is, The inward, quiet, gracious frame of Spirit, freely submitting too, and taking Complacency in Gods dispose in every con­dition. And therein came to this last thing, [In every condition] Now we shall a little inlarge that, and so proceed:

• 1 Submitting to God in what ever affliction befals us: for the kind.
• 2 For the time and continuance of the affliction.
• 3 For the variety and changes of affliction:

Let them be what they will, yet there must be a submitting to Gods dispose in e­very condition.

First for the kind, many men and women will in the general say, that they must submit to God in affliction▪ I suppose now if you should come from one end of this congregation to ano­ther, and speak to every soul thus, would not you submit to Gods dispose▪ in what ever condition he should dispose of you too [...] you would say, God forbid it should be otherwise, but we use to say▪ There is a great deal of deceit in generals, in general you would submit to any thing: but what if it be in this and that particuler, that is most crosse to you? Then any thing but that; we are usually apt to think that any condition is better [Page 23] then the condition that God doth dispose us too, now here is not Contentment; it should not be only to any condition in general, but for the kind of the affliction, if it be that which is most crosse to you. God it may be striks you in your Child, Oh if it had been in my estate saith one, I should be content; perhaps he striks you in your match, Oh saith he I had rather have been strucken in my health; and if he had struck you in your health, Oh then if it had been in my trading I would not have cared▪ but we must not be our own carvers, what parti­cular afflictions God shall dispose us to, there must be Content­ment in them.

Secondly, There must be a submission to God in every affliction, for the time and continuance of the affliction. It may be saith one I could submit and be content, but this affliction hath been upon me a long time, a quarter of a year, a year, divers years, and I know not how to yeild and submit to it, my patience is even worn and broak, yea it may be it is a spiritual affliction, you could submit to God you say in any outward affliction, but not in a soul affliction, or if it were an affliction upon the soul, trouble upon the heart, if it were the withdrawing of Gods face, yet if this had been but for a little time I could submit; but seeking of God so long a time and yet God doth not appear, Oh how shall I bear this? We must not be our own disposers for the time of deliverance no more then for the kind and way of deliverance, and I will give you a Scripture or two about this. That we are to submit unto God for the time as well as the kind, in the latter end of the 1. Chap. of Ezek. When I saw it I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake, (the Prophet was cast down upon his face, but how long must he lie upon his face) And he said unto me, Son of man stand upon thy feet and I will speak unto thee, and the spirit entered into me, when he spake unto me and set me upon my feet. Fzekiel was cast down upon his face, and there he must lye till God bid him stand up, yea and not only so, but till Gods Spirit came into him and enabled him to stand up: So when God casts us down, we must be content to lie till God bid us stand up, and Gods Spirit enter into us to inable us to stand up. So you know Noah he was put into the Ark, cer­tainly he knew there was much affliction in the Ark, having all [Page 24] kind of creatures shut up with him for twelve months together, it was a mighty thing, yet God shutting him up (though the wa­ters were asswaged) Noah was not to come out of the Ark till God bid him: So though we be shut up in great afflictions, and we may think there may be this and that and the other means to come out of that affliction, yet till God doth open the door we should be willing to stay; God hath put us in, and God is to bring us out: As we read in the Acts, of Paul, when they had shut him in Prison and would have sent for him out; Nay, saith Paul, they shutus in, let them come and fetch us out: So in a holy gra­cious way should a soul say, Well, this affliction that I am brought into, it is by the hand of God, and I am content to be here till God brings me out himself. God doth require it at our hands that we should not be willing to come out till he comes and fetches us out. In Josh. 4. 10. you have a notable history there that may very well serve our purpose; we read of the Priests, that the Priests bare the Ark and stood in the middest of Jordan; you know when the Children of Israel went into the land of Canaan they went through the River of Jordan: Now the going through the river Jordan was a very dangerous thing, only God bad them to go, they might have been afraid that the water might have come in upon them: Put mark, it is said, The Priests that bare the Arke stood in the middest of Jordan till every thing was finished that the Lord commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua, and the people hasted and p [...]sed over: And it came to passe when all the p [...]ple were clean passed over, that the Ark of the Lord passed over, and the Priests in the presence [...]f the people. Now it was Gods dispose that all the peo­ple should pas [...]e over first, that they should be safe upon the land; but the [...]riests they must stand still till all the people be passed o­ver, and then they must have leave to go, but they must stay till God would have them go, stay in all that danger; for certainly in reason and sense there was a great deal of danger in staying: for the text saith the people hasted over, but the Priests they must stay till the people be gone stay till God cals them out from that place of danger; and so many times it doth prove that God is pleased to dispose of things so that his Ministers must stay lon­ger in danger then the people, and Magistrates and those in pub­like [Page 25] place, which should make people to be satisfied and conten­ted with a lower condition that God hath put them i [...]to: Though our condition below, yet you are not in that danger that those are in that are in a higher condition▪ God cals them in publick place to [...]and longer in the gap and place of danger then other people but we must be content to stay even in Jordan till the Lord shall be pleased to call us out.

And then for the varietie of our condition, we must be con­tent with the particular affliction, and the time, and all the cir­cumstances about the affliction for some times the circumstan­ces are greater afflictions then the afflictions themselues And for the varietie, if God will exercise us with various afflictions one after another: As that hath bin very observable even of late, that many that have been plundered and come away, afterwards have fallen [...]ck and dyed: They have fled for their lives and af­terwards the plague hath come among them, and if not that a­ffliction it may be some other affliction, it is very rare that one affliction comes alone, comonly afflictions are not single things but they come one upon the neck of another, it may be God strikes one in his estate, then in his body, then in his name, wife or child or dear friend, and so it comes in a various way; it is the way of God ordinarily (you may f [...]nd it by experience) that seldome one affliction comes alone, now this is hard when one affliction followes after another, when there is a vari­ety of afflictions, when there is a mighty change in a condition, up and downe, this way, and that way; there indeed is the tryall of a christian▪ there must be submiss on to Gods dispose in them. I remember it is said even of Cato that was a Heathen, that no man saw him to be changed, though he lived in a time when the common-wealth was so often changed yet it is said of him, he was the same still though his condition was changed, and he ran through varietie of conditions. Oh that it could be said so of many Christians, that though their conditions be changed yet that nobody could see them changed, they are the same. Look what gracious sweete and holy temper they were in before, that they are in still: thus we are to submit to the dis­pose of God in every condition.

Ob. But you will say, this that you speake of is good in­deed [Page 26] if we could attaine to it, but is it possible for one to attain to this?

Answer. It is if you get skill in the Art of it, you may a­tain to it, and it will prove to be no such difficult thing to you neither, if you understood but the mystery of it, as theres ma­ny things that men do in their callings, that if a countrey man comes and sees, he thinks it a mighty hard thing, and that he should never be able to do it, but that▪s b [...]cause he understands not the art of it, there is a turning of the hand so as you may do it with ease. Now that's the busines of this exercise, to open unto you the art and mystery of contentment: What way a Chrystian comes to contentment, there is a great Mystery and art in it, by that that hath bin opened to you there will appeare some mystery and art, as that a man should be content with his affliction and yet throughly sensible of his affliction too, to be throughly sensible of an affliction, and to endeavour the removing of it by all lawfull meanes, and yet to be content, there's a mystery in that, how to joyne these two together to be sensible of an affliction as much as that man or woman that is not content, I am sensible of it as fully as they, and I seeke wayes to be delivered from it as well as they, and yet still my heart abides content, this is I say a mystery that is very hard to be understood by a carnall heart; but grace doth teach such a mixture, doth teach us how to make a mixture of sorrow and a mixture of joy together; and that makes contentment, the mingling of joy and sorrow, of gracious joy and gracious sor­row together grace, teaches us how to moderate and to order an affliction so as there shall be a sence of it, and yet for all that contentment under it.

There are divers things further for the opening of the mystery of Con­tentment.

The First Thing therefore is this, To shew that there is a great mistery in it. One that is contented in a Christian way it may be said of him that he is the most contented man in the world, and yet the most unsatisfied man in the world, these two together must needs be mysterious, I say a contented man as he is the most contented so he is the most unsatisfied of any man in the world. You never learned the mystery of contentment ex­cept [Page 27] it may be said of you that as you are the most contented man so you are the most unsatisfied man in the world.

You will say how is that? A man that hath learned the art of contentment is the most contented with any low condition that he hath in the world, and yet he cannot be satisfied with the in [...]oyment of all the world, and yet he is contented if he hath but a crust, but bread and water, that is if God disposes of him for the things of the world to have but bread and water for his present condition, he can be satisfied with Gods dispose in that, yet if God should give unto him Kingdomes and Empiers, all the world to rule, if he should give it him for his portion he would not be satisfied with that, here's the mystery of it, though his heart be so inlarged as the injoyment of all the world and ten thousand worlds cannot satisfie him for his portion; yet he hath a heart quieted under Gods dispose, if he gives him but bread and water, to joyn these two together, this must needs be a great art and mystery. Though he be contented with God in a little, yet those things that would content other men will not content him. The men of the world they seek after estates, and think if they had thus much, and thus much, they would be content, they aime at no great matters▪ but if I had (perhaps some man thinks) but two or three hundred a year, then I should be well enough; If I had but a hundred a year, or a thousand a year (saith another) then I should be satisfied: but saith a gracious heart, If he had ten hundred thousand times so much a year, it would not satisfie him, if he had the quintescence of all the excellencies of all the creatures in the world, it could not satisfie him, and yet this man can sing, and be merry, and joyfull when he hath but a crust of bread and a little water in the world: Surely Religion is a great mystery. Great is the mystery of godlinesse not only in the Doctrinal part of it, but in the [...]ractical part of it also▪ Godlinesse teacheth us this my­stery, Not to be satisfied with all the world for our portion and yet to be content with the meanest condition in which we are. As Luther, when he had great gifts sent him from Dukes and Princes, he refused it▪ and saith he, I did vehemently protest God should not put me off so: tis not that which will content me: A little in the world will content a Christian for his pas­sage: [...] [Page 28] [...] [Page 29] [...] [Page 30] [...] [Page 31] [Page 28] Marke, here lyes the Mystery of it, A little in the world will Content a CHRISTIAN for his pas­sage, but all the world and ten thousand times more will not content a Christian for his portion: Now a carnal heart will be content with these things of the world for his portion; and there is the difference between a Carnal heart and a gracious heart: But saith a gracious heart, Lord do with me what thou wilt for my passage through this world; I will be content with that, but I cannot be content with all the world for my portion: so there is the mystery of true Contentation. A contented man though he be most contented with the least things in the world, yet he is the most unsatisfied man that lives in the world. That Soul that is capable of God, can be filled with nothing else but God; nothing but God can fill a soul that is capable of God: though a gracious heart knowes that it is capable of God, and was made for God, Carnal hearts think of no reference to God, but a gracious heart being inlarged to be capable of God, and injoying somewhat of him; nothing in the world can fill a gracious heart, it must be only God himself; and therefore you shall observe, That let God give what he will to a gracious heart, a heart that is godly, except he gives himself, it will not do. A godly heart will not only have the mercy, but the God of that mercy as well as its self; and then a little matter is e­nough in the world, so be it he hath the God of that mercy he doth injoy. In Phil. 4. 7. 9. I shall need go no further to shew a notable Scripture for this; Compare vers. 7. with vers. 9. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ: The peace of God shall keep your hearts▪ Then in vers. 9. Those things which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you, The peace of God shall keep you, and the God of peace shall be with you. This is that that I would observe from this Text, That the peace of God is not enough to a gracious heart except it may have the God of that peace. A Carnal heart could be satisfied if he might but have outward peace, though it be not the peace of God; peace in the state and his trading would sa­tisfie him. But mark how a godly heart goes beyond a Car­nal, all outward peace is not enough, but I must have the peace [Page 29] of God: But suppose you have the peace of God, Will not that quiet you? No, I must have the God of peace, as the peace of God so the God of peace, that is, I must injoy that God that gives me the peace, I must have the cause as well as the effect; I must see from whence my peace comes, and injoy the fountain of my peace, as well as the stream of my peace; and so in other mer­cies, have I health from God, I must have the God of my health to be my portion, or else I am not satisfied: It is not life, but the God of my life; it is not riches, but the God of those riches that I must have, the God of my preservation, as well as my pre­servation; a gracious heart is not satisfied without this, To have the God of the mercy, as well as the mercy. In Psal. 73. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon the earth that I desiere besides thee. It is nothing in heaven or earth, can satisfie me, but thy self; if God give thee not only earth but heaven, that thou shouldest rule over sun, moon, and stars, & have the rule over the highest of the sons of men, it would not be enough to satisfie thee, except thou hadest God himself; There lies the first mystery of Contentment & truly a contented man, though he be the most contented man in the world, yet he is the most unsatisfied man in the world, that is, Those things that will satisfie the world, will not satisfie him.

Secondly, There is this Mystery in Christian Contentation▪ A Christian comes to Contentment, not so much by way of addition, as by way of substraction, that is his way of Contentment, and that is a way that the world hath no skil in. I open it thus, Not so much by the adding to what he would have, or to what he hath, not by adding more to his condition, but rather by sub­stracting of his desires, and so to make his desires and condition to be even and equal. A carnal heart knows no way to be Con­tented but this, I have such and such an estate, and if I had this added to it, and the other comfort added that now I have not, then I should be Contented; it may be I have lost my estate, if I could have but that given to me so as to make up my losse, then I should be a contented man: But now Contentment doth not come in that way, it comes not in I say by the adding to what thou wantest, but by the substracting of thy desires; it is all one to a Christian, either that I may get up unto what I [Page 30] would have, or get my desires down to what I have; either that I may attain to what I do desire, or bring down my desires to what I have already attained; my estate is the same, for it is as sutable to me to bring my desire down to my condition, as it is to raise up my condition to my desire. Now I say a heart that hath no grace, and is not instructed in this Mystery of Con­tentment, knows no way to get Contentment, but to have his estate raised up to his desires; but the other hath another way to Contentment, that is, He can bring his desires down to his estate, and so he doth attain to his Contentment. So the Lord fashions the hearts of the Children of men: Now if the heart of a man be fashioned to his condition, he may have as much contentment as if his condition be fashioned to his heart; some men have a mighty large heart, but they have a streight condi­tion, and they can never have Contentment, when their hearts are big and their condition is little; but now though a man cannot bring his condition to be as big as his heart, yet if he can bring his heart to be as little as his condition, to bring them even, from thence is Contentment. The world is infinitly deceived in this, To think that Contentment lyes in having more then they have; here lyes the bottom and root of all Contentment, when there is an evennesse and proportion be­tween our hearts and our conditions; and that is the reason that many that are godly men that are in a low condition live more sweet and comfortable lives then those that are richer: Contentment is not alwaies cloathed with silk, and purple, and velvets, but Contentment is sometimes in a russet suit, in a mean condition, as well as in a higher; and many men that some­times have had great estates, and God hath brought them into a lower condition, they have had more contentment in that condition then the other. Now how can that possibly be? Thus easily, For if you did but understand the root of Contentment it consists in the sutablenesse and proportion of the spirit of a man to his estate, and the evennesse, when one end is not longer and bigger then another; the heart is contented, there is com­fort in that condition; now let God give a man never so great riches, yet if the Lord gives him up to the pride of his heart, he will never be contented: But now, let God bring any one into [Page 31] a mean condition, and then let God but fashion and sute his heart to that condition and he will be content. As now in a mans going, Suppose a man had a mighty long leg, and his o­ther leg were short, why though one of his legs be longer then ordinary, yet he could not go so well as a man that hath both his legs shorter then he. I compare a long leg, when one is lon­ger then another, to a man that hath a high condition, and is very rich, and a great man in the world, but he hath a great proud heart too, and that is longer and larger then his condi­tion; now this man cannot but be troubled in his condition: Now another man that is in a mean condition, his condition is low, and his heart is low too; so that his heart and his condi­tion is both even together, and this man goes on with more ease abundantly then the other doth: So that now a gracious heart works after this manner, The Lord hath been pleased to bring down my condition, now if the Lord bring down my heart and make it even with my condition, then I am well enough: And so when God brings down his condition, he doth not so much labour to raise up his condition again as to bring down his heart to his condition. The Heathens themselves they had a little glimps of this; they could say, That the best riches that is, it is the poverty of desires: that is a speech of a Heathen, that is, If a man or woman have their desires cut short, and have no large desires, that man and woman they are rich when they can bring their desires to be but low: So this is the Art of Contentment. Not to seeke to adde to our conditions, but to substract from our desires. Another hath this, The way to be rich, saith he, it is not by increasing of wealth, but by dimini­shing of our desires; for certainly that man or woman is a rich man or woman that hath their desires satisfied: now a conten­ted man hath his desires satisfied, God satisfies his desires, that is, all considered, he is satisfied in his condition for the present to be the best condition, and so he comes to this Contentment by way of Substraction, and not Addition.

The Third thing in the Art of Contentment is this, A Chri­stian comes to Contentment, not so much by getting off his burden that is upon him, as by the adding another burden to him; this is a way that flesh and blood hath little skill in. You will say how is [Page 32] this? In this manner, art thou afflicted, and is there a great load and burden upon thee by reason of thy affliction, thou thinkest there is no way in the world to get Contentment, but, O that this burden were but off, O it is a heavy load, and few know what a burden I have. What doest thou think, there is no way for the Contentment of thy spirit, but this getting off thy burden? O thou art deceived, the way of Contentment is to adde another burden, that is, labour to load and burden thy heart with thy sin, and the heaviour the burden of thy sin is to thy heart, the lighter will the burden of thy affliction be to thy heart, and so shalt thou come to be Content: If thy burden were lightened that would content thee, thou thinkest there is no way to lighten it but to get it off, but thou art deceived, for if thou canst get thy heart to be more burdened with thy sin, thou wilt be lesse burdened with thy afflictions: You will say this is a strange way, for a man or woman to get ease to their condition, when they are burdened, to lay a greater burden upon them? You think there is no other way when you are a­fflicted, but to be jolly and merry, and get into company, Oh no, you are deceived, your burden will come again, alas this is a poor way to get his spirit quieted, poor man, the burden will be upon him again; but it thou wouldest have thy burden light, if thou canst get alone and examine thy heart for thy sin, and charge thy soul with thy sin; if thy burden be in thy estate, for the abuse of it, or if it be a burden upon thy body, for the abuse of thy health, and strength, and the abuse of any mercies that now the Lord hath taken away from thee, thou hast not honoured God with those mercies that thou hast had, but thou hast walked wantonly and carelesly; and so fall a be [...]oning thy sin before the Lord, and thou shalt quickly find the burden of thy affliction to be lighter then it was before; do but try this peece of skill and art, to get your souls contented with any low condition that God puts you into; many times in a family, when any affliction befals them, Oh▪ what a deal of discontentment is there between man and wife, if crost in their estates at land, or ill news from Sea, or they that they trusted are broak and the like, and perhaps somwhat in the fa­mily fals crosse between man and wife, or in reference to the [Page 33] children or servants, and there is nothing but brabling and dis­content among them, now they many times are burdened with their own discontent, and perhaps will say one to another, this life is very uncomfortable for us to live thus discontented so as we do, but have you ever tried this way, the husband and the wife? have you ever got alone and said, come, Oh let us go and humble our souls before God together, let us go into our chamber and humble our souls before God for our sin, where­by we have abused those mercies, that God hath taken away from us, and we have provokt God against us, Oh let us charge our selves with our sin, and be humbled before the Lord toge­ther, have you tried such a way as this is? Oh you would find the cloud would be taken away, and the sun would shine in up­on you, and you would have a great deal more Contentment then ever yet you had: If a mans estate be broken, either by blunderers, or any other way; now how shall this man have Contentment? how? By the breaking of his heart, God hath broken thy estate, Oh seek to him for the breaking of thy heart likewise, Indeed a broken estate, and a whole heart, a hard heart, will not joyn together, there will be no Contentment, but a broken estate, and a broken heart, will so sute together, as there will be more Contentment then there was before adde therefore to the breaking of thy estate, the breaking of thy heart what thou canst, and that is the way to be Contented in a Christian manner, which is the Third Mystery in Christian Contentation.

The fourth thing is this, it is not so much the removing of the af­fliction that is upon us, as the changing of the affliction, the Metamor­phosing of the affliction, when it is quite turned and changed into another thing. I meane in regard of the use of it, though for the mat­ter the affliction abide stil. The way of contentment to a carnall heart it's only the removing of the affliction, O that it may be gone; no but saith a gracious heart, God hath taught me a way for contentment though the affliction shall continue still for the matter of it▪ but there is a vertue of grace to turn this affliction into good; it takes away but only the sting and poy­son of it; As now, Suppose poverty, A mans estate is lost; well, is there no way to be contented till your estate be made [Page 34] up again? Till your poverty be removed? yes, certainly christianity would teach contentment, though poverty conti­nues yet it will teach you how to turn your poverty to spirtual riches; that you shall be pore still for your outward estate; but this shall be altered, whereas before it was once a naturall evill to you, it comes now to be turned to a spirituall benefit to you. And so you come to be content; it is a speech of Am­brose, Even poverty its selfe it is riches unto holy men, godly men do make their poverty turn to be riches, they get more riches out of thir poverty then ever they get out of their revenues, out of all their trading in this world they never had such incomes as they have had out of their poverty, this a carnall heart will thinke strange, that a man shall make pouerty to be the most gainfull trade that ever he had in the world, I am perswaded that ma­ny christians have found it so, that they have got more good by their poverty then ever they got by all their riches, you find it in scripture, therefore thinke not this starnge that I am speak­ing of, you doe not find any one Godly man that came out of an affliction worse then when he came into it, though for a while he was shaken, yet at last he was better for an affliction; but a great many Godly men you find have been worse for their prosperity, scarce one Godly man that you read in scripture of but was worse for prosperity (except Daniell and Nehemiah, I doe not read of any hurt they got by their prosperity that they had) scarce (I thinke) is any one example of any Godly man, but was rather worse for his prosperitie then better; so that you see it's no such strange thing, neither to one that is gracious that they shall get good by their affliction, Luther hath such an ex­pression in his comment upon the 5 Chap. of the Galatians, in the 17 verse in his comment upon that place saith he, A christian becometh a mighty worker and a wonderfull creator, that is (saith he) to create out of heavinesse, joy, out of terrour comfort, out of sin righteousnesse, and out of death life, and brings light out of darkenesse. It was Gods prerogative and great power, his creating power to comand the light to▪ shine out of darkenesse, now a Chri [...]ian is partaker of the divine nature so the scripture saith; grace it is part of the divine nature, and being part of the divine nature it hath an impression of Gods Omnipotent [Page 35] power, that is, to create light out of darkensse, to bring good out of evill, now by this way a Christian comes to be content. God hath given a Christian such avertue, as can turn affliction into mercyes, can turn darkenesse into light, if a man had the power that Christ had when the water pots were fill'd, he could by a word turn the water into wine, if you that have nothing but water to drinke yet if you had a power to turn it into wine then you may be contented: Certainly a Christian hath received this power from God, to worke thus miraculously; It is the nature of grace to turn water into wine, that is, to turn the water of your affliction, into the wine of heavenly consola­tion. If you understand this in a carnall way, I know it will be rediculous for a Minister to speake thus before you, and ma­ny carnal people are ready to make such expressions as these to be rediculous, understanding them in a carnall way: Just as Nico­demus in the third of John, what can a man be borne when he is old, can he enter the second time into his mothers womb and be borne? so when we speake of grace that it can turn water into wine, and turn poverty into riches, and make poverty a gainefull trade, saith a carnall heart let them have that trade if they will, and let them have water to drinke, and see if they can turn it into wine, Oh take heed thou speakest not in a scornefull way, of the wayes of God▪ grace hath the power to turn afflictions into mercyes. Two men shall have one affliction, and to one man it shall be as gall and wormewood, and it shall be wine, and honey, and delightfullnesse, and joy, and advantage, and riches, to another. This is the mystery of contentment, not so much by removing the evill, as by Metamorphosing the evill by changing the evill into good.

The Fifth thing is this, A Christian comes to this Contentment by making up the wants of his condition by the performance of the work of his condition. This is the way of Contentment. There is such a condition that I am in, many wants, I want this and the o­ther comfort, well, how shall I come to be satisfied and content? A carnall heart thinks this, I must have my wants made up or else it is impossible that I should be content▪ No, but saith a gracious heart, What is the duty of the condition God hath put me into? Indeed my condition is changed, I was not long [Page 36] since in a prosperous condition, but God hath changed my con­dition: the Lord hath called me no more Naomi, but Marah: Now what am I to do? what can I think now are those duties that God requires of me in the condition that he hath now put me into? And let me put forth my strength, in the performance of the duties of my present condition. Others they spend their thoughts in those things that shall disturbe and disquiet them; and so they grow more and more discontented; yea, but let me spend my thoughts in thinking what my duty is, what is the duty of my present condition which I am in? O saith a man whose condition is changed and he hath lost his estate, Had I but my estate as I had heretofore, how would I use it to his glo­ry? But God hath made me to see that I did not honour him with my estate as I ought to have done: O had I it again, I would do better then ever I did, but this may be but a tempta­tion therefore you should rather think, What doth God re­quire of me in the condition I am now brought into? And thou shouldest labour to bring thy heart to quiet and Contentment, by setting thy soul on work about the duties of thy present con­dition: And the truth is, I know nothing more available for the quieting of a Christian Soul, and getting Contentment then this, The setting thy heart on work about the duties of the ve­ry present condition that now thou art in, and take heed of thy thoughts about other conditions as a meer temptation. I can­not compare the folly of men and women, that think to get Contentment with their musing about other conditions better then to the way of Children; perhaps they are gotten upon a hill, and they look a good way off and see another hill, and they think if they were on the top of that, then they were able to touch the clouds with their fingers; but when they are on the top of that hill; alas then they are as far from the clouds, as they were before: So it is with many that think, If they were in such a Condition, then I should have Contentment; and perhaps they get into that condition, then they are as far from Contentment as before: But then they think if they were in a­nother condition, they would be contented, and then when they have got into that condition, they are still as far from con­tentment as before. No, no, let me consider what is the duty [Page 37] of my present condition, and content my heart with this, and say, Well, though I am in a low condition, yet I am serving the counsels of God in that condition wherein I am; it is the counsell of God that hath brought me into this condition that I am in, and I desire to serve the counsell of God in that condi­tion. There is a notable Scripture concerning David, it is said of him, That he served his Generation, after David had served his Generation according to the will of God, then he slept. It is a Speech of Paul concerning him in Act. 13. 36. So it is in your books, After he had served his generation according to the will of God: But now the word that is translated will, it is the coun­cell of God, and so it may be translated as well, That after David in his generation had served Gods councel, then he fell asleep. We or­dinarily take the words thus, That David served his generation; that is, He did the work of his generation, that is to serve a mans generation. But it is more plain, if you read it thus, Af­ter David in his generation had served the Counsell of God, then David fell asleep. O that should be the care of a Christi­an to serve out Gods Counsels. What is the Councell of God? The conditiō that I am in, God doth put me into it by his own Counsell, the Councell of his own will; Now I must serve Gods Councell in my generation, look what is the Councell of God in my condition, I must look to serve that; and so I shall have my heart quieted for the present, and shall live and dye peace­ably, and comfortably, if I be carefull to serve Gods Coun­cell.

A Sixt thing in the mystery of contentment is this, A gracious heart is conteted by the melting of his will and desires into Gods will and desires, by this meanes he gets contentment; and this is a mystery to a carnall heart. It is not by having his owne desires satisfied as before, but by melting his will and desires into Gods will. So that he comes to have (in one sense) his desires satisfied though he hath not the thing that before he did desire, yet he comes to be satisfied in this, because he makes his will to be all one with Gods will. This is a little higher degree then sub­mitting to the will of God. You all say, you should submit to Gods will: but a Christian hath gotten beyond this; that is, he can make Gods will and his to be the same: So it is said [Page 38] of beleevers, that they are joyned to the Lord, and are one spir­it, that is, look what Gods will is, I do not only see reason to submit to it, but Gods will is my will: When the soul can make over (as it were) its will to God, it must needs then have Contentment. Others would fain get the thing they do de­sire, O but saith a gracious heart, that that God would have, I would have too, I will not only yeild to it, but I would have it too, a gracious heart hath learned this art, not only to make the commanding will of God to be its own will, that is, what God commands me to do I will do it, but to make the providential will of God, and the operative will of God to be his will too: God commands this thing, which perhaps you that are Christians may have some skill in, but whatsoever God works, you must will as well as what God commands, you must make Gods providential will, and his opperative will, as well your will, as Gods will, and so you must come to Con­tentment, here a Christian makes over his will to God, and in making over his will to God, he hath no other will but, only Gods; as suppose a man makes over his debt to another man, if that man that I owe the debt too, be satisfied and contented, I am satisfied because I have made it over to him, and I need not be discontented and say, my debt is not paid and I am not sa­tisfied, yes, you are satisfied, for he that you made over your debt too, he is satisfied: Just thus it is for all the world between God and a Christian, a Christian heart makes over his will to God, now then if Gods will be satisfied, then I am satisfied, for I have then no will of mine own, it is melted into the will of God, for so that is the excellency of grace, grace doth not only subject the will to God, but it doth melt the will in­to Gods will, so that they are now but one will; what a sweet satisfaction must the soul have then in this condition, when all is made over to God; You will say this is hard? I will express it a little more: A gracious heart must needs have satisfaction this way, because godlinesse doth teach him this, to see that his good is more in God then in himself, the good of my life, and comforts and my hapinesse, and my glory, and my riches is more in God then it is in my self; (that perhaps we may speak too further, when we come to the lessons that are to be [Page 39] learned,) but upon this it is, that a gracious heart hath Con­tentment, he doth melt his will into Gods, for saith he, if God have glory, I have glory, Gods glory is my glory, and there­fore Gods will is mine, if God have riches, then I have riches, if God be magnified, then I am magnified, if God be satisfied, then I am satisfied, Gods wisdom and holinesse is mine, and therefore his will must needs be mine, and my will must needs be his; here is the art of a Christians Contentment, he melts his will into the will of God, and makes over his will to God, Oh Lord thou shalt choose our inheritance for us. Psal. 73.

The Seventh thing, In the Art of Contentment is this, The Mystery consists not so much by bringing any thing without, to make my condition more comfortable, as to purge out somthing that is with­in. The men of the world now, when they would have Con­tentment, and want any thing, Oh they must have somwhat from without to content them, but saith a godly man, let me get somthing out that is in already, and then I shall come to Contentment; As suppose a man hath an aguish humour that makes his drink taste bitter, now saith he, You must put some sugar into my drink, and his wife puts in some, and yet the drink tastes bitter, Why? Because the bitternesse comes from a bitter cholerick humour within; but let the Physitian come and give him a bitter potion to purge out the bitternesse that is within, and then he can taste his drink well enough: Just thus it is with the men of the world, Oh such a condition is bitter, and if I could have such and such a mercy added, to this mercy, then it would be sweet; now if God should put a spoonful or two of sugar in, it would be bitter still. But the way to Contentment is to purge out they lusts and bitter hu­mours. Ja. 4. 1. From whence are wars, and strifs, are they not from your lusts that are within you? they are not so much from things without, but from within; as somtimes I have said, it is not all the storms that are abroad that can make an earth­quake, but the vapours that are got within, and so if those lusts that are within, in thy heart, if they were got out, thy condition would be a contented condition. These are the my­sterious waies of godlinesse, that the men of the world never think of; when didest thou ever think of such a way as this is, [Page 40] for to go and purge out the distempers of thy heart that are within: Here are Seaven particulers now named, there were a great many more that I had thought of, and now without the understanding of these things, and the practice of them, you will never come to a true Contentation in your way, Oh you will be bunglers in this trade of Christianity, but the right perceiving of these things, will help you to be instructed in it, as in a Mystery.

SERMON III.

THE Mystery of Contentment will appear yet further. A gracious heart gets Contentment in a mysterious way, a way that the world is not aquainted with.

Eightly, He lives upon the dew of Gods blessing, it is the similitude of one Adrian Junius setting out a Contented man by a Grashopper, leaping and skipping up and down, that lives upon the dew, and he hath this motto, I am Content with what I have, and hope for bet­ter. A grashopper doth not live upon the grass as other things doe, you cannot know what it seeds upon, other things though as little as grashoppers, yet feed upon seeds or little flies, and suchthings, but the grashopper, you know not what it feeds upon. So a Christian can get food that the world knows not [Page 41] of, in a secret way is a Christian fed by the dew of the blessing of God, a poor man or woman that hath but a little which hath grace, lives a more contented life then his rich neighbour that hath agreat deal coming in, we find it so ordinarily, so that though they have but a little, yet they have a secret blessing of God going in it, that they are not able to expresse to any other man; if you would come to them and say; How comes it that you live so comfortably as you doe? They are not able to tell you what they have, but they find there is a sweetnesse in what they do injoy, and they know this by experience that they ne­ver had such sweetnesse in former times, that though they had more plenty in former times then now they have, yet they know they had not such sweetnesse, but how this comes they cannot tell; and we may shew some particulars, even in that godly men do injoy, that makes their condition to be sweet.

As now, Take these four or five particulars that a godly man finds Contentment in what he hath, though it be never so little.

1. Because in what he hath, he hath the love of God, he hath Gods love to him in what he hath: If a King should send a peice of meat from his own table, it is a great deal more com­fortable to a Courtier then if he had twenty dishes at ordinary allowance, if the King send but any little thing and say, go and carry this to such a man as a token of my love, Oh how delightful is that unto him? are your husbands at Sea and send you a token of their love, it is more then forty times so much that you have in your houses already: Every good thing the people of God do injoy, they injoy it in Gods love; as a token of Gods love, and coming from Gods eternal love unto them, and this must needs be very sweet unto them.

2. What they have it is sanctified to them for good; Other men have what they injoy in a way of common providence, but the saints in a speciall way: Others have what they have and there is all, they have meate, and drinke, and houses, and cloathes, and money and that's all. But a gracious heart finds content­ment in this, I have it, and I have a sanctified use of it too; I find God going along with what I have to draw my heart neerer to him, and sanctifie my heart to him: If I find my heart drawn [Page 42] nearer to God by what I injoy; it's more a great deal then if I have it without any sanctifying of my heart by it; there's a se­cret dew that goes along with it, there's the dew of Gods love in it, and the dew of sanctification.

3. A gracious heart what he hath he hath it upon free cost, he is not like to be called to pay for what he hath: The difference between what a godly man hath, and a wicked man, is in this: A godly man is as a child in an Inne; an In▪keeper hath his child in his house, and the Father provides his dyet, and lodging, and what is fit for him; Now there comes a stranger, and the stran­ger hath dinner and supper provided, and lodging but the stranger must pay for all; it may be the childs fare is meaner then the fare of the stranger▪ the stranger hath boyld, and rost and baked▪ but he must pay for it, there must come a recko­ning for it. Iust thus it is, many of Gods people have but mean fare but God as a Father provides it, and it is on free cost and they must not pay for what they have, it is paid for before; but the wicked in all their pomp, and pride, and bravery, they have what they call for, but there must come a reckoning for all, they must pay for all in the conclusion, and is it not bet­ter to have a little upon free cost, then to come to have all to pay for? Grace doth shew a man that what he hath, he hath it on free cost, from God as from a Father, and therefore must need▪ be very sweet.

Fourthly, a godly man may very well be content, though he hath but little, for what he hath he hath it by right of Iesus Christ, by the purchase of Iesus Christ, he hath a right to it, ano­ther manner of right to what he hath, then any wicked man can have to what he hath; a wicked man hath these outward things; I doe not say they are usurpers of what they have, but they have a right to it, and that before▪ God, but how? it is a right by meer donation, that is God by his free bounty doth give it to them, but the right that the Saints have, it is a right of purchase, it is paid for, and it is their own, and they may in a holy manner, and holy way, challenge whatsoever they have need of. We cannot expresse the right of a holy man, the diffe­rence between his right, and the right of the wicked more fully then by this similitude; a Malefactor that is condemned to [...], [Page 43] yet he hath by favourgranted to him his supper provided over night, and you cannot say though the Malefactor hath forfei­ted all his right to all things, to every bit of bread, yet if he shall have a supper granted to him he doth not steale it, though all his right is forfeited by his fault, after he is once condem­ned he hath no right to any thing; so it is with the wicked, they have forfeited all their right to all comforts in this world, they are condemned by God as Malefactors, and are going to exe­cution; but if God will in his bounty give them something to preserve them here in the world, they cannot be said to be thieves or robbers: Now a man hath granted to him a supper overnight before his execution, but is that like the supper that he was wont to have in his own house, when he eat his own, bread, and had his wife and children about him? oh a dish of green herbs at home would be a great deal better then any dainties in such a supper as that is; but now a child of God hath not a right meerly by donation, but what he hath it is his own through the purchase of Christ; every bit of bread that thou eatest, if thou beest a godly man or woman, Iesus Christ hath bought it for thee, thou goest to market and buiest thy meat and drink with thy money, but know that before thou hast bought it, or paid money, Christ hath bought it at the hand of God the Father with his blood, thou hast it at the hands of men for money, but Christ hath bought it at the hand of his Father by his blood: And certainly it is a great deale better and sweeter now though it be but a little.

Fifthly, there's another thing that shews the sweetnesse that there is in that little that the Saints have by which they come to have contentment, whereas others cannot; that is, Every little that they have, it is but as an earnest penny for all the glory that is reserved for them, it is given them by God, but as the Fore-runner of those eternall mercies that the Lord intends for them▪ now if a man hath but twelve pence given to him as an earnest penny for some great possession that he must have▪ Is not that better then if he had forty pounds given unto him otherwise? So every comfort that the Saints have in this world, it is an earnest penny to them of those eternall mercies that the Lord hath provided for them; as every affliction that the the wicked have here it is but the be­ginning [Page 44] of sorrows, and fore-runner of those eternall sor­rows that they are like to have hereafter in Hell, so every com­fort thou hast is a fore-runner of those eternall mercies thou shalt have with God in Heaven; not only the consolations of Gods spirit are the fore-runners of those eternall comforts thou shalt have in Heaven, but when thou sittest at thy Table, and rejoycest with thy wife and children and friends, thou mayest look upon every one of those but as a fore-runner, yea the very earnest penny of eternall life unto thee. Now then if this be so, no marvail though a Christian be contented; (this is a my­sterie to the wicked) I have what I have out of the love of God, and I have it sanctified to me by God, and I have it of free cost from God by the purchase of the blood of Iesus Christ, and I have it as a fore-runner of those eternall mercies that are reser­ved for me; and in this my soul rejoyces, There's a secret dew of Gods goodnesse, and blessing upon him in his estate that others have not; and by all this you may see the meaning of that Scripture, Prov. 16. 8. Better is a little with righteousnesse then great revenues without right; a man that hath but a little, yet if he hath it with righteousnesse, it is better then a great deale without right; yea, better then the great revenues of the wic­ked; so you have it in another Scripture, that's the next parti­cular in Christian Contentment; the mysterie is in this, that he lives upon the dew of Gods blessing, in all the good things that he doth enjoy.

The ninth thing wherein the mysterie of Christian Con­tentment consist is this; Not only the good things that he hath, he hath the dew of Gods blessing in them, and they are very sweet to him; but all the afflictions, all the evils that doe befall him he can see love in them all: And can enjoy the sweetness of love in his afflictions as well, as in his mercies, yea the truth is the afflictions of Gods people comes from the same Eternall love that Jesus Christ did come from. And that speach of Ierom, he is a happy man that is beaten when the stroke is a stroke of love, all Gods strokes are strokes of love and mercy, all Gods wayes are mercy and truth, to those that feare him and love him, Psa. 25. 10. The wayes of God, the wayes of affliction, as well as the wayes of prosperity, are mercy and love to him. Grace gives a man an eye, a peircing [Page 45] eye to peirce into the counsells of God, those Eternall coun­sells of God for good unto him, even in his afflictions, to see the love of God in every affliction as well as in prosperity. Now this is a mystery to a carnall heart, they can see no such thing, perhaps they thinke God loves them when he prospers them and makes them rich, but they thinke God loves them not when he doth afflict them, that's a mystery, but grace instructs men in that mystery, grace inables men to see love in the very frownes of Gods face, and so comes to receive contentment.

In the tenth place a Godly man hath contentment in the way of a mystery, because as he sees all his afflictions come from the same love that Jesus Christ did, So he sees them all sanctified in Je­sus Christ, sanctified in a Mediator; he sees I say all the sting and venom, and poyson of them all to be taken out by the ver­tue of Jesus Christ, the Mediator between God and man: As now for instance, thus, a Christian when he would have con­tentment fals a working, what is my affliction? is it poverty that God strikes me withall? Jesus Christ had not a house to hide his head in, the Fowls of the ayr had nests, and the Foxes had holes, but the Son of man not a hole to hide his head in: now my poverty is sanctified by Christs poverty, I can see by faith the curse and sting and venom of my poverty, taken out by the poverty of Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus he was poor in this world to deliver me from the curse of my poverty, that it should not be cursed unto me then my poverty is not afflictive, if I can be contented in such a condition. That is the way, not to stand and repine, because I have not what others have, no but I am poor, and Christ was therefore poor that he might blesse my poverty to me.

And so again, am I disgraced, dishonoured, is my good name taken away? why Jesus Christ he had dishonour put up­on him, he was called Beelzebub, and a Samaritan, and they said he had a Devill in him, all the foul aspersions that could be were cast upon Jesus Christ, and this was for me, that I might have the disgrace that is cast upon me to be sanctified un­to me, whereas another man his heart is overwhelmed with dishonours, and disgrace, and he goes this way to work to get contentment, perhaps if you be spoken ill of, you have no [Page 46] otherway to ease and right your selves, but if they doe rail up­on you, you will rail upon them again; and thus you thinke to ease your selves: Oh but a Christian hath another manner of way to ease himselfe, others rail and speak ill of mee, but did they not rail upon Jesus Christ, and speak ill of him? and what am I in comparison of Christ? And the subjection of Christ to such an evill, it was for me, that though such a thing should come upon me, I might know that the curse of it is ta­ken from me through Christs subjection to that evill; thus a Christian can be contented when any body speaks ill of him, now this is a mysterie to you to get contentment after such a manner as this is; So if men jeer and scoffe at you, did they not do so to Iesus Christ? they jeer'd and scoft at him, and that when he was in his greatest extremity upon the Crosse, say they, here's the King of the Jews, and they bowed the knee, and said hail King of the Iews, and put a Reed into his hand, and mocked him: now I get Contentment in the midst of scorns and jeers, by considering that Christ was scorned, and by acting faith upon that which Christ did suffer for me. So, am I in great pain of my body? Iesus Christ had as great pain upon his body as I have, though its true hee had not such kind of sicknesses as we have, but yet he had as great pain and torturs in his body, and that that was deadly to him, as wel as any sick­nesse is to us: the exercising of faith upon what Christ did in­dure, that's the way to get Contentment in the midst of our pains, one lies vexing and fretting, and cannot bare his pain, art thou a Christian? hast thou ever tryed this way of getting con­tentment, to act thy faith upon all the pains and sufferings that Jesus Christ did suffer, this would be the way of Contentment, and a Christian gets Contentment under pains after this maner: sometimes one that is very godly and gracious, you shall have them lie under grievous pains and extremities very cheerfully, and you wonder at it, this is the way that he gets it, he gets it by acting his faith upon what pains Iesus Christ did suffer, thou art afraid of death, the way to get Contentment, it is by exercising thy faith upon the death of Iesus Christ: yea, le may be thou hast inward troubles in thy soule, and God with draws him­selfe from thee, but still thy faith is to be exercised upon the [Page 47] sufferings that Iesus Christ indured in his soule, he poured forth his soule before God, then when he sweat drops of wa­ter and blood, he was in an Agony in his very spirit, and he found even God himselfe in a way to forsake him; now the acting thy faith upon Iesus Christ thus, brings Contentment, and is not this a mysterie to carnall hearts? a gracious heart finds Contentment in a way of a mysterie▪ no marvell though Saint Paul saith, I am instructed in a Mysterie, to be contented in whatsoever condition I am in.

In the eleventh place, there is yet a further Mysterie (for this I hope you will find a verie usefull point unto you) and you will see what a plaine way there is, (before we have done) for one that is skil'd in Religion to get contentment, though it's hard for one that is carnall. I say the eleventh mystery in contentment is this A gracious heart hath contentment by fetching strength from Jesus Christ, he is able to beare his burden by fetching strength from auother, now this is a riddle indeede, and it would be a rediculous thing to be spoken of in the schooles of philoso­phers, to say, if there be a burden upon you you must fetch strength from another, indeed to have another to come and stand under the burden, that way they would know, but that you shall be strengthned by anothers strength, that is not neer you to your outward view, that they would thinke rediculous, but now a christian finds satisfaction in every condition by get­ing strength from another, by going out of it's selfe to Jesus Christ, and by faith acting upon Christ, and bringing the strength of Jesus Christ into it's own soul, and thereby is ina­bled to bear whatsoever God lays upon him, by the strength that he finds from Jesus Christ, of his fullness doe we receave grace for grace, there is strength in Christ not onely to sanctif [...]e and save us, but strength to support us under all our burdens and afflictions, and Christ expects that when we are under any burden that we should act our faith upon him to draw vertue and strength from him, the acting of faith that's the great grace that is to be acted under afflictions, it's true other graces should be acted, but the grace of faith it drawes strength from Christ, in looking upon him that hath the fullnes of all strength to be convayed into the hearts of all beleevers. Now [Page 48] if a man hath a burden upon him, yet if he can have strength added to him, if the burden be doubled, yet if he can have his strength to be trebled, the burden will not be heavier but light­er then it was before to our naturall strength. Indeed our afflic­tions may be heavie, and we cry out oh we cannot bear them, we cannot bear such an affliction: Though thou canst not tell how to bear it with thine owne strength, yet what canst thou tell what thou shalt doe with the strength of Jesus Christ? Thou saist thou canst not bear it' why doest thou thinke that Christ could not bear it? if Christ could bear it why may­est not thou come to bear it? You will say can I have the strength of Christ? Yea, that is made over to thee by faith, so the Scripture saith that the Lord is our strength, God himself is our strength, and Christ is our strength, divers scriptures we have that way; that Christs strength is thine, made over to thee, that so thou mayest be able to bear whatsoever lies upon the, and therfore we find such a strange kind of expression in the Epistle of saint Paul to the Collo [...]sians, praying for the saints that they might be strengthned with all might according unto his glorious power, unto what? Vnto all patience and long suffering with joyfullnesse. Strengthned with all might, according to the power of God, the glori­ous power of God, unto all patience, and long-suffering with joyful­ness; you may not therefore be content with a litle strength, so that you are able to bear what a man might bear by the strength of reason and nature: But to be strengthened with all might, according to the glorious power of God, unto all patience, and to all long-suffering; Oh you that are now under very hea­vey and sad afflictions more then ordinary, look upon this Scripture, and consider how this Scripture is made good in you, why may you not have this Scripture made good in you, if you be godly? You should not be quiet in your own spirits, except that you in some measure do get this Scripture to be made good in you; so that you may with some comfort say, through Gods mercy I find that strength coming in to me that is here spoken of in this Scripture. You should labour when you are under any great affliction (you that are godly) to walk so, that others may see such a Scripture made good in you; Here is the glorious power of God that doth strengthen his ser­vants [Page 49] to all long suffering▪ and that with joyfulnesse. Al [...]ie may be you do not exercise so much patience, as a wise man or a wise woman that hath but natural reason▪ [...]ut where is the power of God, the glorious power of God? where▪s the streng­thening▪ with all might▪ unto all long-suffering and patience and that with joyfulnesse? It is true, the spirit of a man may be able to sustain his infirmities; may be able to sustain and keep up his spirits, the naturall spirit of a man, but much more then when this spirit is acted with grace▪ and holinesse, and when it is fill'd with the strength of Jesus Christ, this is the way of a godly mans getting Contentment, the Mystery of it [...] it is by fetching in strength from Jesus Christ.

Twelfthly, Another Mystery, that there is in it, it is, That a godly heart, injoys much of God in every thing it hath, and doth know how to make up all wants in God himself, that is another My­sterie, he hath God in what he hath, that I spoke too somwhat before, in shewing the dew of Gods blessing in what he hath, for God is able to let out a great deal of his power in little things, and therefore the miracles that God hath wrought, have been as much in little things as in great; now as God lets out a great deal▪ of his power in working miracles in smaler things, so he lets out a great deal of goodnesse and mercy▪ in comforting and rejoycing the hearts of his people in little things, as well as in great; there may be as much riches in a pearl as in a great deal of lumber; but now this is a distinct thing.

Further, a gracious heart as he lives upon Gods dew in a lit­tle that he hath, so when that little that he hath shall be taken from him, what shall he do then? Then you will say, If a man have nothing, there can be nothing▪ fetcht out of nothing; [...]ut if the children of God have their little taken from them, they▪ can make up all their wants in God himself; such a man is a poor man, the plunderers came and took away all that he had, what shall he do then when all is gone? But when all is gone▪ there is an art and skill that godlinesse teaches to make up all those losses in God, many men that have their houses burnt go about gathering; and so get up by many hands a little; but a godly man knows whither to go to get up all, even in God [Page 50] himself, so as he shall injoy the quinresence of the same good and comfort as he had before, for a godly man doth not live so much in himself as he lives in God. This is now a Mysterie to a Carnal heart, I say a gracious man doth not live so much in himself as he doth in God, he lives in God continually; if there be any thing cut off from the stream, he knows how to go to the fountain, & makes up all there; God is his all in all while he lives, I say tis God that is his all in all. Am not I to thee (saith Elkanah to Hannah) instead of ten Children? so saith God to a gracious heart, thou wantest this, thy estate is plundered Why? Am not I to▪ thee instead of ten houses, and ten shops, I am to thee instead of All, yet not only instead of All, but come to me, and thou shalt have all again in me: This indeed is an excellent Art, to be able to draw from God what it had before in the creature: Christian how didest thou injoy com­fort before? was the creature any other to thee but a Cunduit, a pipe that did convey Gods goodnesse to thee? The pipe is cut off saith God▪ come to me the fountain and drink immea­diately▪ though the Beames be taken away, yet the Sun re­mains the same in the firmament as ever it was▪ What's that that satisfies God himself, but because he doth injoy all fulness in himself, so he comes to have satisf [...]action in himself; now if thou injoyest God▪ to be thy portion▪ if thy soul can say with the Church in Lamentations, 3. 24. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, why shouldest thou not be satisfied and contented as God, God is contented, he is in eternal Contentment in him­self; now if thou hast that God to be thy portion, why should­est not thou be contented with him alone? God is contented with himself alone▪ if thou hast him thou mayest be Content­ed with him alone, and it may be, that is the reason that thy outward comforts are taken from thee, that God may be All in All to thee: It may be whilst thou hadest these things here they did share with God in thy affection, a great part of the stream of thy affection ran that way, now God would have the full stream run to him: As you know it is with a man that hath water come to his house, and if there be severall pipes, upon which he finde the water come but scantly into his wash­house▪ he will rather stop the other pipes that he may have all [Page 51] the water come in where he would have it. So here it may be, God had some stream of thy affection that ran to him then when thou didest injoy these things; Yea, but a great deal was let out to the Creature, a great deal of thy affections did run waste, now the Lord would not have the affections of his Children to run wast, hee doth not care for other mens affecti­ons, but for thine they are precious, and God would not have them to run waste, therefore hath he cut off thy other pipes that thy heart might run wholly upon him: As if you have Children, because you have servants perhaps do feed them and give them things, you perceive that your servants do steal away the hearts of your Children, you would hardly be able to bear it; you would be ready to turn away such a servant, and when the servant is gone, the Child is at a great losse, it hath not the nurse, but the father or mother intends by her putting away, that the affections of the Child might run the more strongly to­wards himself, or herself, and what losse hath the Child that the affections that run in a rough chanell before, towards the servant, it runs now towards the mother? So those affections that runs towards the creature, God would have them run to­wards himself, that so he may be All in All to thee here in this world: And a gracious heart can indeed tell how to injoy God to be All in All to him, that is the happinesse of heaven to have God to be All in All: The Saints in heaven have not houses, and lands, and money; and meat and drink, and cloaths, you will say, they do not need them, why do they not? It is because God is All in All to them imediatly, now while thou livest in this world, thou mayest come to injoy much of God, you may have much of heaven, while we live in this life we may come to injoy much of the very life that there is in heaven, and what is that but the injoyment of God to be All in All to us: There is one text in the Revelations that speaks of the glorious condi­tion of the Church that is like to be even here in this world, Revel. 21. 22. And I saw no Temple therein, for the Lord God Al­mighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it, and the City had no need of the Sun, neither of the Moon to shine in it, for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb it the light thereof: they had no need of the Sun or Moon, it speaks of such a glorious condition that [Page 52] the Church is like to be in here in this world, this doth not speak of heaven, and that appears plainly that this is not spo­ken of heaven, but of a glorious estate that the Church shall be in here, in this world, for it follows presently in the 24. and 26. verse, And they (speaking of the Kings of the earth,) And the Kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour unto it, why, the Kings of the earth shall not bring their glory and honour into heaven, but this is such a time, when the Kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour to the Church: And in the 26. vers [...] ▪ And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it, therefore it must [...]ds be meant here in this world and nor in heaven, now if there be such a time here in this world, that God shall be All in All, that in comparison there shall be no such need of creatures as now▪ there is, then the saints should labour to live as neer that life [...]e possibly they can that is, to make up All in God; Oh that you would but mind this Mysterie, that it may be a reality to the hearts of the Saints in such times as these are, they would find this privi­ledge that they get by grace, to be worth thousands of worlds, hence is that of Jacob that I mentioned in another [...]ase, it is re­markable, and comes in fully here▪ In Gen [...] 33. that notable speech of Jacob when his brother Esau did meet him, ye find in one place that Esau he refused Jacobs present▪ In the 8. verse, when Jacob gave his present to him▪ he refused it, and [...]ould Jacob that he had enough [...]. What meanest th [...] by all this drove which I meet? And he said, these are [...]o find grace in thy sight: And Esau said I have enough, now in the 11. verse; there Jacob urgos it still, and (saith Jacob) I beseech thee take it for I have e­nough; now in your books it is the same in English, I have i­nough saith Esau, and I ha [...] enough saith Jacob, but in the he­brew Jacobs word is different from Esau [...], Jacobs word signifies (I have all thing [...]) and yet Jacob was p [...]o [...]e [...] [...]h [...] Esau▪ Oh this should be a shame to us that an Esau should say I have e­nough, but now a Christian should say I have not only enough, but I have all, how had he all▪ Because he had God that was all; and it was a notable speech of one, He hath all things that hath him that hath all things, surely thou hast all things, because thou hast him for thy portion who hath all things, God hath [Page 53] all things in himself, and thou hast God to be thine for thy portion, and in that thou hast all, and this is the Mystery of Contentment; It makes up all wants in God, this is that that the men of the world have little skill in.

Now I have divers other things yet to open in the Mystery of Contentment. I should shew likwise that a godly man not on­ly makes up all in God, but finds enough in himself to make up all, to make up all in himself, not from himself, but in himself, and that may seem to be stranger then the other, to make up all in God is somewhat, nay to make up all in him­self, not from himself but in himself, that is, a gracious heart hath so much of God within himself, that he hath enough there to make up all his wants that are without. In Pro. 14. 14. A good man shall be satisfied from himself, from that that is with­in himself, that is the meaning, a gracious man he hath a bird within his own bosom that makes him melody enough, though he wants musick, The Kingdom of heaven is within you, In Luke, 17. 21. He hath a Kingdom within him, and a Kingdom of God, you see him spoken ill of abroad, he hath a conscience within him that makes up the want of a name and credit, that is in­stead of a thousand witnesses.

Thirtenth, A gracious heart fetches Contentment from the Cove­nant that God hath made with him, Now this is a way of fetching contentment that the men of the world know not of; they can fetch▪ contentment, if they have the creature to satisfie them▪ But to fetch contentment from the Covenant of grace that they have little skill in: I should here have opened two things, first, how to fetch contentment from the Covenant of grace in generall▪ (but I shall speak to that in the next ser­mon and now onely a word to the second) Secondly how he fetches contentment from the particular branches of the Cove­nant, that is, from the particular promises that he hath, for the supplying of every particular want; there is no condi­tion that a Godly man or woman can be in, but there is some promise or other in the scripture to help him in that condition. And that's the way of his contentment, to go out to the pro­mises, and fetch from the promise, that that may supply. But this is but a drie businesse to a Carnall heart; but it's the [Page 54] most reall thing in the world to a gracious heart; when he finds want of Contentment he repaires to the promise, and the Covenant▪ and falls a pleading the promises that God hath made. As I should have shewn several promises that God hath made let the affliction be what it will, I will but onely mention one, that is the saddest affliction of all; in case of the Visitation, and the Plague. In Psalme, 91. now those that cannot have their friends come to them by reason of the plague, and that cannot have other comforts, in other afflictions they might have their friends and other things to comfort them, but in that they cannot, Psal. 21. 10. There shall no evill be­fall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling; then here is a promise for the pestilence in the 5 and 6 verses, this is a scripture to those that are in danger of it, you will say this is a promise that the Plague shall not come nigh them, but mark these two are joyned, there shall no evill befall thee nether shall the plague come nigh thee, the evill of it shall not come nigh thee.

Object. You will say, it doth come to many godly men, and how can they make use of this Scripture, it is rather a Scripture that may trouble them, because here's a promise that it shall not come nigh thē, & yet it doth come nigh them as well as others.

Ans. First, this is the Answer I would give, the promises of outward deliverāces that were made to the people of God in the time of the law, were to be understood then a great deal more lit­terally, & fulfilled more litterally thē in the times of the gospel, God makes it up otherwise with as much mercy, though God made a covenant of grace & eternal life in Christ with them, yet I think there was another Covenant too▪ that God speaks of as a distinct covenant for outward things, to deal with his people by according to their waies, either in outward prosperity, or in outward afflictions, more then now, in a more punctuall, set way, then in the times of the gospel; and therefore when the Children of Israel did but sin against God, they were sure to have publique judgments to come upon them, and if they did well▪ alwaies publique mercies; the generall constant way of God was to deal with the people of the Jews acording as they did well or ill, (in an ordinary way), with outward judgments, and outward mercyes: but it's not so now in these [Page 55] times of the gospell; we canot bring such a certain conclusion, that if God did deal so severely with men by such and such a­flictions that he will deal so with them now: and so; that they shall have outward prosperitie as they had then, therefore that's the first thing, for the understanding of this, and all o­ther texts of that kind

The Second Answer I would give is this, It may be their faith doth not reach to this promise, and God brings many times many outward afflictions, because the faith of his people doth not reach the promise, and that not only in the old Testa­ment, but in the times of the new Testament, Zachariah his time may be said to be in the time of the new Testament, when he was struck with dumbnesse because he did not beleeve, and that is given to be the cause why he was struck with dumbnesse. But you will say now, hath faith warant to beleeve deliverance, that it shall be fully delivered? I dare not say so, but it may act upon it, to beleeve that God will make it good his own way; perhaps you have not done so much, and so upon that, this promise is not fulfilled to you.

Thirdly, when God doth make such promises to his people, yet still it must be with this reservation, that God must have li­berty to these three things.

• 1. That notwithstanding his promise, he will have liberty to make use of any thing for your chastisement.
• 2. That he must have liberty, to make use of your estates, or liberties, or lives, for the furtherance of his own ends: If it be to be a stumbling block to wicked and ungodly men; God must have liberty, though he have made a promise to you He will not loose the propriety that he hath in your estates and lives.
• 3. God must have so much liberty to make use of what you have, for to shew that his waies are unsearchable, and his judg­ments past finding out, God reserves these three things in his hand still.

Object. But you will say, what good then is there in such a promise that God makes to his people?

First, That thou art under the protection of God more then others. But what comfort is this if it doth befall me?

[Page 56] Ans. Thou hast this comfort, that the evill of it shall be ta­ken from thee, that if God will make use of this affliction for other ends, yet he will do it so as he will make it up to thee some other way. Perhaps you have given your children such a thing, but yet afterwards if you have use of that thing, you will come and say, I must have it, why father may the child say you gave it me? But saith the father I must have it, and I will make it up to you some other way, Now the child doth not think that the fathers love is ever a whit the less to him. So when there is any such promise as this is, that God by his pro­mise gives thee his protection, and yet for all that such a thing befalls thee, it is but as if the father should say, I gave you that indeed, but let me have it and I will make it up to you some o­ther way that shall be as good; saith God let me have your health and liberty, and life, and it shall be made up to you some other way.

Secondly, when ever the Plague or Pestilence comes to those that are under such a promise, it is for some special and nota­ble work, and God requires of them to search and examin in a speciall manner to find out his meaning; there is so much to be learned in the promise that God hath made concerning this particular evill, that the people of God they may come to qui­et and content their hearts in this affliction. I reade in this Psalme that God hath made promise to his people, to deliver them from the Plague and Pestelence, and yet do I find it to come: It may be I have not made use of my faith in this pro­mise heretofore; and if God do bring afflictions upon me yet God will make it up some other way, God made a promise to deliver me, or at least to deliver me from all the evill of it, now if this thing doth befall me and yet I have a promise of God, certainly the evill of it is taken away, this promise tels me that if it doth befall me yet it is for some notable end, and because God hath use of my life, and intends to fetch about his glory some way that I know not of: And if he will come in a father­ly way of chastisement, yet I will be satisfied in the thing: So a Christian heart by reasoning out of the word, comes to satis­fie his soul in the middest of such a heavy hand of God, and in such a distressed condition as that is: Now Carnal hearts they [Page 57] find not that power in the word, that healing vertue that there is in the word, to heal their distracted cares, and the troubles of their spirits, but now those that are godly when they come to hear the word they find out that in the word, there is as a plaister to all their wounds, and so they come to have ease and Contentment, in such conditions as are very greiveous and miserable unto others. But now for other particular promi­ses, and more generally for the Covenant of grace, how and in what mysterious way the Saints do work to fetch out Con­tentment and satisfaction to their souls, we shall refer to the next time.

SERMON IV.

IN the last exercise we spoke of divers things inAug. 17. 1645. the Mysterie of Contentment, and in the close we spoke of two more, but we could not have time to open either of them, I shall open them a little more largely, and then proceed to some few more, and so to other things in the point

That's the next then, a Christian heart hath not only Contentment in God, and certainly he that hath God must have all, he that hath him that hath all he hath all; But he is able to make up all his outward wants of creature comforts from what he finds in himselfe. That may seem to be more strange, It's true perhaps we may convince men though they doe not feel by experience what it is to make up all in God, yet we may convince them that if we have him that hath all things thē they have all, for there is such a fulnesse in God, he being the infinite first being of all things that may make up all their wants. [Page 58] But here's another thing that's further, I say a godly man can make up whatsoever he wants without the creature, he can make it up in himselfe, in the 14. of the Prov. 14. A good man is satisfied in himselfe▪ as now, If he wants outward comforts, good chear, feasting, a good conscience is a continuall feast, he can make up the want of a feast by that peace he hath in his own conscience; if he wants melody abroad, he hath a bird within him that sings the most melodious songs that are in the world? and the most delightfull. And then doth he want ho­nour, he hath his own conscience witnessing for him, that is as a thousand witnesses, the Scripture saith in the 17. of Luke, v. 21. Neither shall they say lo here, or lo there, for behold the King­dome of God is within you; a Christian then whatsoever he wants he can make it up, for he hath a Kingdom in himself, the Kingdom of God is within you. If one that is a King should meet with a great deal of trouble when he is abroad, yet hee Contents himselfe with this, I have a Kingdom of mine own; now here it's said the Kingdom of God is within a man; truly, upon this Scripture of the Kingdom of God being within, those that are learned if they would but look into that Co­ment upon the Gospel that we have of a learned man, they shall find a very strange conceit that he hath about this very text, he confesses indeed it is unutterable, and so indeed it is, the King­dom of God is within you, he makes it that there is such a pre­sence of God and Christ within the soul of a man, that when the body dies, he saith, that the soul goes into God and Christ that is within him, the souls going into God and Christ, and enjoying of that Communion with God and Christ that is within its selfe, that's Heaven to it (saith he) he confesses he is not able to expresse himselfe, nor others cannot understand fully what he intends; but certainly for the present before death, there's a Kingdom of God within the soul, such a ma­nifestation of God in the soul that is enough to Content the heart of any godly man in the world, the Kingdom that he hath now within him, he shall not stay till afterwards, till he goes to Heaven, but certainly there is a Heaven in the Soul of a godly man, he hath Heaven already; many times when you goe to comfort your friends in their afflictions, you will say [Page 59] Heaven will pay for all; nay, you may certainly find Heaven pays for all already▪ there is a Heaven within the Souls of the Saints, that's a certain truth, no soul shall ever come to heaven, but that Soul that hath Heaven come to it first. When you die you hope you shall goe to Heaven: But if you shall goe to Heaven when you die, Heaven will come to you before you die. Now this is a great Mysterie to have the Kingdom of Heaven in the Soul, no man can know this but that Soul that hath it, that Heaven which is within the Soul for the present (I say) it is like the white stone and the new name, that none but those that have it can understand it: It's a miserable condition my brethren to depend upon crea­tures altogether for our Contentment, you know that rich men account it a great happinesse, if they need not go to buy things by the penny as others do, they have all things for plea­sure or profit upon their own ground, and all their inheri­tance lyes intire together, they have no body comes within them, but they have all within themselves, there lyes their happinesse: Whereas other poorer people are fain to go from one Market to another to provide them necessaries, but yet great rich men they have sheep and beeves, corn and cloathing, and all things else of their own within themselves, and herein they place their happinesse: But this is the happinesse of a Christian, that he hath that within himselfe that may satisfie him more then all these; That place that we have in the first of James seems to allude to that condition of men that have all their estates within themselves, Iam. 1. 4. But let patience have her perfect work that we may be perfect, and entire, wanting nothing, the word there used signifies to have the whole inheritance to our selves, not a broken inheritance, but that where all lyes with­in themselves, as a man that hath not a piece of his estate here, and a piece there, but he hath it all lye together, and the heart being patient under afflictions finds it selfe to be in such an estate as this is, finds his whole inheritance to be together, and all intire within its selfe. And now still to shew this by further si­militudes, it is with him being fild with good things, just like as it is with many a man that enjoys abundance of comforts at home, at his own house, God grants to him a convenient ha­bitation, [Page 60] a comfortable yoke fellow, and fine walks and gar­dens, and hath all things at home that he could desire; now this man cares not much for going abroad, other men are fain to go abroad to take the ayr, but he hath a sweet ayr at home, and they are fain to go abroad to see friends, because they have raylings and contendings at home; many ill husbands will give this reason, (if his wife make any moan, and complaint of his ill husbandry) of their bad husbandry, and will make that their excuse to go abroad, because they can never be quiet at home. Now we account those men most happy that have all at home; those that have close houses that are unsavory, and smels ill, they delight to go into the fresh ayr, I but it is not so with many others that have these at home; those that have no good chear at home, they are fain to go abroad to friends, but those that have their Tables furnished, they had as live stay at home; so a carnall man he hath but little Contentment in his own spirit, it's Austins similitude (saith he) an ill conscience is like a scoulding wife, a man (saith he) that hath an ill con­science he cares not to look into his own soul, but loves to be abroad, and look into other things, but never looks to him­selfe, but one that hath a good conscience he delights in look­ing into his own heart, he hath a good conscience within him, and so a carnall heart, because there's nothing but filthinesse, a filthy stinke in himselfe, nothing but vildnesse and basenesse within him; upon this it is that he seeks his Contentment else where: And as it is with a vessel that's full of liquor, if you strike upon it it will make no great noyse, but if it be empty then it makes a great noise; so it is with the heart, a heart that is full of grace and goodnesse within, such a one will bear a great many strokes, and never make any noise, but an empty heart if that be struck that will make a noise, those men and women that are so much complayning, and always whyning, it is a sign that there's an emptinesse in their hearts, but if their hearts were filled with grace they would not make such an noise as now they do. As a man that hath his bones fill'd with marrow, and veins fill'd with good blood, he complains not of cold as others do; so a gracious heart having the spirit of God within him, and his heart fill'd with Grace, he hath that [Page 61] within him that makes him find Contentment. It is a speech of Seneca, Indeed those things that I suffer will be incredibly heavy when I cannot bear my selfe; but now if I be no burden to my selfe, if I have all quiet within in mine own heart, then I can bear any thing, many men through their wickednesse they have burdens without, but the greatest burden is the wickednesse of their own hearts, they are not burdened with their sins in a godly way, that would ease their burden, but they have still their wickednesse in the power of it, and so they are burdens to themselves. The distempers of mens hearts are mighty bur­dens to them, many times a godly man hath enough within to Content him; Vertue it is Content with its selfe, for to live well; (It's a speech of Cicero, and it's in one of his Paradoxes) it finds enough within its own sphere for the living happily, but how few are acquainted with this Mysterie? Many think O if I had that that another man hath, how happily and com­fortably should I live, Oh but if thou beest a Christian, what­soever thy condition be, yet thou hast enough within thy selfe, you will say such and such men that have all things they need not be beholding to any body, you shall have many that will labour and take pains when they are young, that they might not be beholding to others, I love to live of my selfe; now a Christian may do so, not that he doth not live upon God; (I mean not so) but upon that that he hath of God within him­selfe, that he can live upon, although he doth not enjoy the comforts that are without himselfe, that's it which I mean, and those that are godly and keep close to God in their Com­munion with him, they understand what I mean by this, that a Christian hath supply of all his wants within himselfe; and here you may see that the spirit of a Christian is a precious spi­rit, a godly spirit is precious, why? because it hath enough to make him happy within himselfe.

The next thing that the Mysterie of Contentment consists in is this, That a gracious heart fetches supply of all from the Covenant, and so comes to have Contentment, which is a dry thing to a car­nall spirit: Now there are two things here.

First he fetches Contentment from the Covenant in General, that is from the great Covenant that God hath made with him in Christ.

[Page 62]Secondly, from the particular promises that God hath made with him in the Covenant.

First from the Covenant in generall, Ile give you one Scrip­ture for that, it's very remarkable, in the second of Sam. 23. vers. 5. Although my house be not so with God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow, it's a most admirable Scripture of David that yet had not the Covenant of Grace opened so fully as we have. But yet mark what David saith, Although I find not my house so, that is, so comfortably every way as I would, although it be not so, what hath he to content his spirit? saith he, he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant, this is that that helps all; I am not (may some men say) thus and thus with God, I do not find God come in so fully, or it's not with my house and family as I hoped it might be, perhaps there is this or that affliction upon my house; suppose you should have the plague come into your house, and your house is not so safe, and you have not that outward comfort in your house as formerly you have had, but can you read this Scripture, and say, although my house be not so blest with health as other mens houses are, although my house be not so, yet he hath made with me an everlasting Co­venant; I am one yet in Covenant with God, the Lord hath made with me an everlasting Covenant; as for these things in this world I see they are but momentany, they are not everla­sting, I see in a Family when all was well but a week agoe, now all is down, and the plague hath swept away a great many of them, and the rest are left in sadnesse and mourning; we see there is no resting in the things of this world, yet the Lord hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things▪ I find disorder in my heart, in my family; but the everlasting Covenant that's ordered in all things▪ yea, and that's sure, alack there's no surenes [...]e here in these things: I can be sure of nothing here, especially in these times, we know that a man can be sure of little that he hath, who can be sure of his estate? perhaps some of you here that have liv'd well and comfortably before, and all was well about you, and you thought your Mountain was strong, but you see within a day or two all ta­ken [Page 63] away from you, so that there is no surenesse in the things of this world: But saith he the Covenant is sure, what I ven­ture to Sea that's not sure but here's an assurance Office indeed, here's a great assurance Office for the Saints, and they are not at charge, but only the exercising of Grace, for they may goe to this Assurance Office to assure every thing that they venture, either to have the thing it selfe, or be paid for it: In an assu­rance Office you cannot be assured to have the very goods come in that you insured, but if they be lost the Insurers do ingage themselves to make it good to you. And this Covenant of grace that God hath made with his people, it is Gods assurance Of­fice, and the Saints in all their fears may and ought to go to the Covenant to assure all things to them, to assure their estates and assure their lives. You will say how are they sure, their lives and estates goe as well as others? But God ingages him­self to make up all: And then mark what follows, This is all my Salvation, Why Dauid wilt thou not have salvation from thine enemies and outward dangers, from pestilence and plague? The frame of his spirit is quieted, as if he should say; if that Salvation comes well and good, I shall praise God for it, but that that I have in the Covenant that's my salvation, I look up­on that as enough: Yea and then further, This is all my Salvation and all my desire, Why David is there not something else that thou wouldest have besides this Covenant? No saith he, it is all involved in this. Now surely those men or women must needs live contented lives that have all their desires, now saith the ho­ly man here, this is all my desire, And though he make it not to grow. But for all this Covenant perhaps you will not prosper in the world as other men do, true, but I am at a point for that: Though God doth not make my house to grow, I have all my desires.

Thus you see how a godly heart finds contentment in the Co­venant, many of you speak of the Covenant of God, and of the Covenant of grace, but have you found it so effectual to your souls, have you suckt this sweetnesse from the Covenant and content to your hearts in your sad conditions? It's a speci­all sign of the truth of grace in any soul, that when any afflicti­on doth befall him, in a kind of natural way he doth presently [Page 64] repair to the Covenant, just as a Child as soon as ever is is in danger, you shall not need to tell him and say when you are in danger you must go to your father or mother, why nature tells him so; so it is with a gracious heart, as soon as it is in a­ny trouble or affliction there is a new nature that doth cary him to the Covenant presently, and there it finds ease and rest▪ and if you find that your hearts do thus work, presently to be run­ing to the Covenant, it is an excellent sign of the truth of grace: that's for the general.

But now for particular promises in the covenant of grace. A gracious heart looks upon every promise as coming from the root of the great covenant, of grace in Christ. Other men look upon some particular promises, that God will helpe them in straits, and keepe them and the like; but they look not upon the conection of such particular promises, to the root, the Covenant of grace: Now Christians doe misse of a great deale of comfort they might have, from the particular promi­ses in the gospel, if they'd look upon their conectiō to the root, the great Covenant that God hath made with them in Christ. Now I remember I spoke a little about that, that in out­ward promises in the times of the law, they might rest more upon them then we can in the time of the gospel. I gave you the reason why we that live in the times of the gospel canot rest so fully, for a litteral performance of outward promises that we meet withall in the old Testament, as they might in the time of the law: for there was a special covenant, that God pleased to call a New Covenant by way of distinction from the other covenant that is made with us in Christ for eternall life: and so even the law was given to them in a more peculiar way for an external covenant of outward blessings in the land of Canaan▪ and so God did deale with them in a more external covenant then he doth now with his people. Yet godlynesse, hath the promise of this life, and that which is to come. We may make use of the promises for this life, but yet not so much to rest upon the litteral performance of them as they might; but that God will make them good some way or other, in a spiritual way if not in an outward way. We must lay no more upon outward promises then this, and therefore if we will lay [Page 65] more, we make the promise to bear more then it will bear out. For to give some instance; to beleeve fully and confidently, that the Plague shall not come nigh such a house, (I say) it is to lay more upon such a promise then it will bear. I opened that promise in Psal. 91. now if I had lived in the time of the Law, perhaps I might have been somewhat more confident of the litterall performance of the promise, then I can now in the time of the gospel; the promise now bears no more then this, that God hath a special protection over his people, and that he will deliver them from the evil of such an affliction; and if he doth bring such an affliction it is more then an ordi­nary providence, it is some special providence that God hath in it. I had thought to have given you divers promises for the contentment of the heart in the time of affliction. Isa. 43. 2. When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee, and through the rivers they shall not over-flow thee; when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee; certainly though this promise was made in the time of the Law, yet it will be made good to all the Saints now, one way or o­ther, either in the letter or some other waies. For so we find it plainly, that promise that was made to Joshua, I will not fail thee nor forsake thee, Josh. 1. 5. It's applied to the Christians in the time of the Gospel. So that here is the way of faith in bring­ing Contentment by the promises, that all the promises that e­ver were made to our forefathers, from the begining of the world, the Saints of God have an intrest in them, they are their inheritances, and so goes on from one generation to another, and by that they come to have Contentment, because they do inherit all the promises made in all the book of God, So Heb. 13. 5. shews plainly, that it is our inheritance, and we do not inherit less now then they did in Joshuas time, but we inherit more; for you shall find in that place of the Hebrewes there is more said then is to Joshua; to Joshua God saith, He will not leave him nor forsake him; now in that place in the Hebrewes in the Greek there's five negatives, I will not, not, not not, not again, there is the elegancy of it very much, in the Greek (I say) there is five negatives in that little sentence; as if God should say, I will not leave you, no I will not, I will not, I will not, [Page 66] with such earnestnesse five times together: So that we have not only the same promises that they had, but we have them more inlarged and more full, though still not so much in the litteral sense, for that indeed is the least part of the promise, In Esa. 54. 17. there God made a promise, That no weapon formed against his people should prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against them in judgement thou shalt condemne, (and mark what follows) This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me saith the Lord, this is a good promise for a souldier, though still not to lay too much upon the litteral sense: True it holds forth thus much, that Gods protection is in a speciall maner over souldiers that are godly, And every tongue that shall rise a­gainst thee in judgement thou shalt condemne, and this is against false witnesse too: Oh you, that your friends never left you a­ny thing, you will say my friends dyed and left not me a groat, but I thank God, God hath provided for me; But though thy father or mother dyed and left thee no heritage, yet thou hast a heritage in the promise, This is their heritage. So that there's no godly man or woman, but is a great heir. Therefore when thou lookest into the book of God and findest any promise there, thou mayest make that thine own. Just as an heir that rides over divers fields and meadows, saith he this meadow is my heritage, and this corne▪field is my heritage; and then he sees a fair house, and saith he, this fair house is my heritage; and he looks upon them with another maner of eye then a stranger that shall ride over those fields. So a carnall heart reads the promises, and reads them but meerly as stories, not that they have any great intrest in them: But a godly man eve­ry time he reads the Scriptures (remember this note when you are reading the Scripture) and there meeteth with a promise, he ought to lay his hand upon it and say, this is a part of my heritage, it's mine, and I am to live upon it, and this will make you to be Contented. Here's a mysterious way of Con­tentment, So in Psal. 34. 10. & 37. 6. there's divers other pro­mises that brings Contentment. In Isa. 58. 10. And thus much for the Mysterie of Contentment by way of the Cove­nant.

There is two or three things more that shew how a godly [Page 67] man, hath Contentment after another kind of way then any Carnall heart in the world hath, it's a mysterious way, as thus.

He hath Contentment by realizing the glorious things of heaven to him, he hath the kingdom of heaven as present, and the glory that is to come, by faith he makes it as present. So the Martirs they had Contentment in their sufferings, for said some of them, though we have but a hard breakfast, yet we shall have a good dinner, we shall presently be in heaven; do but shut your eyes (saith one) and you shall be in heaven presently. 2 Cor. 4. 16. We faint not (saith the Apostle) Why? Because these light afflictions that are but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceed­ing and eternal weight of glory. They see heaven before them and that contents them. You marriners when you can see the ha­ven before you, though you were mightily troubled before you could see any land, yet when you come nigh the shore and can see such a land-mark, that contents you exceedingly: a godly man in the middest of the waves and stormes that he meets withall, he can see the glory of heaven before him and so contents himself; one drop of the sweetnesse of heaven is e­nough to take away all the sower and bitter of all the afflicti­ons in the world: Indeed here we know that one drop of sow­er, or one drop of gall will make bitter a great deal of honey; put a spoonfull of sugar into a cup of gall or wormwood, that will not sweeten it, but if you put a spoonfull of gall into a cup of sugar it will imbitter that; now it's otherwise in heaven, one drop of sweet will sweeten a great deal of sower affliction, but a great deal of sower and gall will not imbitter a soul that sees the glory of heaven that is to come, now a Carnall heart hath no Contentment but from what he sees before him in this world, but a godly heart hath Contentment from that that he sees laid up for him in the highest heavens.

The last thing that I would name is this, A godly man hath Contentment by opening and letting out of his heart to God, other men or women they are discontented, but how do they help them­selves? by rayling, by ill language, such a one crosses them, and they have no way to help themselves but by railing and by bitter words, and so they ease themselves that way when they [Page 68] are angry, but a godly man when he is crost how doth he ease himself? he is sensible of his crosse as well as you, and he goes to God in prayer, and there opens his heart to God, and lets out his sorrows and fears, and then can come away with a joy­full countenance; now do you find that you can come away from prayer and not look sad? As it's said in 1 Sam. 1. 18 of Hannah, that when shee had been at prayer her countenance was no more sad, there shee was comforted, and this is the right way of Contentment. Thus we have done with the Myste­rie of Contentment. Now if you can but put these things toge­ther that we have spoken of, you may see fully what an Art Christian Contentment is, Paul had need learn it; you see Contentment is not such a poor businesse as many make it, to say you must be content &c. But it is a great Art and Mysterie of godlinesse to be contented in the way of a Christian, and it will appear yet further to be a mysterie when we come to the third head; and that's to shew what those lessons are that a gracious heart doth learn when it learns to be Contented. I have learned to be Contented, Learned, what lessons have you learned? As now a Scholer that hath great learning and un­derstanding in Arts and Sciences, how did he begin it, he be­gan (as we use to say) his A B C, and then afterwards he came to his Testament, and Bible, and Accidence, and so to his Gramar, and afterwards to his other books; so he learn'd one thing after another: So a Christian coming to Contentment is as a Scholer in Christs School, and there are divers lessons to teach the Soul to bring it to this learning, every godly man or woman is a scholer, it cannot be said of any Christian that he is illiterate, but he is litterate, a learned man, a learned woman, now the lessons that Christ teaches to bring us to Contentment are these.

The First great lesson is, The lesson of self-deniall, and though it be a great lesson and hard, as you know a Child at first cries it's hard. It's that that I remember Bradford the Martyr saith, Whosoever hath not learned the lesson of the crosse, hath not learned his A B C in Christianity, here Christ begins with his scholers, yea those in the lowest forme must begin with this; if you mean to be Christians at all, you must buckle to this or you can never [Page 69] be Christians: There is none can be a Scholer except he doth learn his A B C, so thou must learn the lesson of self-deniall or thou canst never come to be a Scholer in Christs School, to be learned in this mystery of Contentment: That's the first lesson that Christ teaches any soul; Oh self-deniall that brings Con­tentment, that brings down and softens a mans heart; a thing (you know) that's soft if you strike upon it it makes no noise, but if you strike upon a hard thing it makes a noise, so the hearts of men that are full of themselves, and hardened with self-love, if they have any stroak they make a noise, but a self­denying Christian yeilds to Gods hand, and makes no noise; as when you strike upon a woolsack it makes no noise because it yealds to the stroke. So a self-denying heart yeilds to the stroke and thereby comes to this Contentment. Now in this lesson of self-denial there are divers things, I will not enter in­to the doctrine of self-deniall, but only shew you how Christ teaches self-deniall and how that brings Contentment.

First, Such a one learns to know that he is nothing, he comes to this, to be able to say, well I see I am nothing in my self, now that man or woman which indeed knows that he or she is no­thing, and hath learned it throughly will be able to bear any thing: The way to be able to bear any thing, it is to know our selves to be nothing in our selves. Saith God to us, Wilt thou set thine heart upon that which is nothing? Pro. 23. 5. speaking of riches; Why blessed God doest not thou do so, thou hast set thy heart upon us and yet we are nothing. God would not have us set our hearts upon riches because they are nothing, and yet God is pleased to set his heart upon us, and yet we are no­thing, that's Gods grace, free grace, and therefore it's no great matter what I suffer for I am as nothing.

Secondly, I deserve nothing, I am nothing, and I deserve no­thing, suppose I have not this and that that others have, I am sure I deserve nothing except it be hell, you will answer any of your servants so that is not content, I marvail what you de­serve? or your Children, do you deserve it that you are so eager upon it? you think to stop their mouthes thus, so we may easily stop our own mouthes, we deserve nothing and there­fore why should we be impatient if we have not what we desire, [Page 70] if we had deserved any thing, we might have some trouble of spirit, as a man that hath deserved well of the State, or of his friends and he finds not an answerable incouragement, it troubles him mightily, but if he be concious to hi [...]self that he hath deserved nothing he is content with a repulse.

Thirdly, I can do nothing, without me you can do nothing, saith Christ Joh. 15. 5. why should I stand much upon it to be trou­bled and discontented if I have not this and that, when the truth is I can do nothing? If you should come to one that is an­gery because he hath not such dyet as he desires, and is discont­ed with it, you will answer him, I mervail what you doe, what use you are of? Shall one that will sit still and be of no use, yet for all that he must have all the supply that possibly he can de­sire? Do but consider of what use you are in the world; if you consider what little need God hath of you, and what little use you are of, you will not be much discontented: If you have learned this lesson of self-deniall, though God doth cut you short of such and such comforts, yet since that I do but little why should I have much, this very thought will bring down a mans spitit as much as any thing, That's the Third.

Fourthly, So vild I am that I can receive no good neither of my self, I am not only an empty vessel, but a corrupt and unclean vessell that would spoil any thing that comes into it, so are all our hearts, every one of our hearts is not only empty of good but are like a mustie vessel that if any good licquor be powred into it it spoils it, And that's the Fourth thing.

Fifthly, If God doth cleanse us in some measure, and doth put into us some good licquor some grace of his Spirit, yet in the fifth place, we can make use of nothing neither when we have it, if God doth but withdraw himself,; If God doth but leave us one moment after he hath bestowed upon us the greatest gifts, and whatsoever abilities we can desire, if God should say I will give you them, now go and trade now I have given you these and these abilities, we cannot stir one foot further neither if God doth but leave us. Doth God give us gifts and parts? Then let us fear and tremble least God should leave us to our selves, for then how foully should we abuse those gifts & parts, you think other men and women have memorie and gifts and parts and [Page 71] you would fain have them, But suppose God should give you these and there leave you, you would utterly spoile them.

Sixly, We are worse then nothing, for by sin we come to be a great deal worse then nothing, sin makes us more vild then no­thing, sin makes us contrary to all good, now it's a great deal worse to have a contrariety to all that is good then meerly to have an emptiness of all that is good, we are not empty pitchers in respect of good, but we are like pitchers fill'd with poison, and is it much for such as we are to be cut short of outward comforts.

In the Seventh place, If we perish there will be no loss of us, If God should anihilate me what loss would there be of me? God can raise up an other in my place to do him other māner of ser­vice then I have done, Now put but these seven things together and then hath Christ taught you Self-denial: I may call these the several words in our lesson of Self-denial; Christ teaches the soul this, so that as in the presence of God upon a real sight of its self it can say, Lord I am nothing, Lord I deserve nothing, Lord I can do nothing, I can receive nothing, and can make use of nothing, I am worse then nothing, and if I come to nothing and perish' there will be no losse at all of me, and therefore what great matter is it for me to be cut short here? A man that is lit­tle in his own eyes, such a man or woman will account every affliction to be little, and every mercy to be great. Saul, There was a time (the Scripture saith) that he was little in his own eyes, and then his afflictions were but little to him, when some would not have had him to be King but spake contemptuously of him he held his peace, but when Saul began to be big in his own eyes, then the affliction began to be great upon him. There was never any such contented man or woman as this self-denying man or woman; There was never any denied himself so much as Jesus Christ did, he gave his cheeks to the smiters, he opened not his mouth, he was as a lamb when he was led to the slaughter, he made no noise in the street, Oh he denyed himself above all, and was willing to empty himselfe, and so he was the most con­tented that ever any was in the world, & the neerer we come to learn to deny our selves as Christ did, the more contented shall we be, & by knowing much of out own vilenesse we come to [Page 72] learn to justifie God, whatever the Lord shall lay upon us yet righteous is the Lord for he hath to deal with a most wretched creature. A discontēted heart he is troubled because he hath no more comfort, but one that is a self-denying man he rather wonders that he hath so much as he hath: Oh saith one I have but a little, I but saith he that hath learn'd this lesson of Self­deniall, I rather wonder that God bestows upon me the liberty of breathing in the Aire, knowing how vild I am, and knowing how much sin the Lord doth see in me: And that's the way of Contentment by learning Self-denial.

Eightly, There is a further thing in Self-denial which brings Contentment, Because thereby the Soul comes to rejoyce and take sa­tisfaction in all Gods waies, (I beseech you observe this) If a man be selvish and have Self-love prevail in his heart, those things that suits with his own ends he will be glad of them, but a god­ly man that hath denied himselfe he will suit with and be glad of all things that shall suit with Gods ends: Saith a gracious heart, Gods ends are my ends, and I have denied mine own ends, and so he comes to find Contentment in all Gods ends and waies, and his comforts are multiplyed, whereas the com­forts of other men are single, it's but very rare that Gods waies shall suite with a mans particular end, but alwaies Gods waies suit with his own ends, now if you will only have contentment when Gods waies suits with your own ends, you can have it but now and then, but a Self-denying man denies his own ends and only looks at the ends of God and therein is contented: When a man is selvish he cannot but have a great deal of trouble and vexation, for if I regard my self, my ends are so narrow that I shall have a hundered things will come and jussel me, and I can­not have rome in those narrow ends of mine own; as you know in the City what a deal of stir there is in narrow streets, as Thames street being so narrow they jussel and wrangle and fight one with another because the place is so narrow, but now in the broad streets there they can go quietly, so men that are sel­vish they meet and so jussel one with another, one man is for self in one thing, and another man is for self in another thing, and so they make a great deal of stir, but those whose hearts are inlarged and make publike things their ends, and can deny [Page 73] themselves, they can walke at breadth and never jussel one with another so as the other doe. The lesson of Self-denial is the first lesson that Jesus Christ doth learn men in the seeking of Con­tentment

The Second lesson Is the vanity of the Creature, That's the Se­cond lesson in Christs School that he teaches those that he would make scholers in this Art: The vanity of the Creature, that whatsoever there is in the Creature hath an emptinesse in it Vanity of vanities all is vanity, that's the lesson that the wise man learn'd, that the Creature in it's self can do us neither good nor hurt, but it is all but as wind, there is nothing in the Crea­ture that is suitable to a gracious heart to feed upon for the good and happinesse of it: My brethren the reason why you have not Contentment in the things of the world, it is not be­cause you have not enough of them, that's not the reason, but the reason is because they are not things proportionable to that immortal soul of yours that are capeable of God himself, many men think when they are troubled and have not Contentment that it is because they have but a little in the world, and if they had more then they should be content. That were just thus, suppose a man is an hungrie, and to satisfie his craving stomak he should gape and hold open his mouth to take in the wind, and then should think the reason why he is not satisfied is be­cause he hath not enough of the wind, no, the reason is because the thing is not suitable to a craving stomake, truly there is the same madnesse in the world; the wind that a man takes in by gaping will as soon satisfie a craving stomake which is ready to famish, as all the comforts in the world can satisfie a soul that knows what true happinesse means. You would be happy, and you seek after such and such comforts in the Creature; well, have you got them, do you find your hearts satisfied as having that happinesse that is suitable to you? No, no it is not here but you think it is because you want such and such things, O poor deluded man, it is not because you have not enough of it, but because it is not the thing that is proportiōable to that im­mortal soul that God hath given you. Why do you lay out you mo­ney for that which is not bread, In Isa. 55. 2. And your labour for that which satisfieth not? You are mad people, you seek to satisfie you▪ [Page 74] stomake with that that is not bread, you follow the wind you will never have Contentment, all creatures in the world say Contentment it not in us, riches saith Contentment is not in me, pleasure saith Contentment is not in me, if you look for Contentment in the creature you will fail; No, Contentment is higher: When thou comest into the School of Christ, Christ teaches thee that there is a vanity in all things in the world, and the soul that by coming into the School of Christ, by un­derstanding the glorious mysteries of the Gospel comes to see the vanity of all things in the world, that's the soul that comes to true Contentment. I could tell you of abundance of sen­tences from Heathens that shews the vanity of all things in the world, and yet they did not learn the vanity of the Creature in the right School, but now when a Soul comes into the School of Jesus Christ, and there comes to see a vanity in all things in the world, then such a soul comes to have Contentment. If you seek Contentment else where, you do like the unclean spi­rit seek for rest but find none.

A Third lesson that Christ teaches a Christian when he comes into his School is this, He learns him to understand what that one thing is that is necessary which he never came to understand before, you know what he said to Martha, O Martha thou cumberest thy selfe about many things, but there is one thing necessary. The Soul before sought after this and the other thing, but now saith the Soul, I see really that it is not necessary that I should be rich, but it is necessary that I should make up my peace with God, it is not necssary that I should live a pleasurable life in this world, but it is absolutly necessary that I should have pardon of my sin, it is not necessary that I should have honour and preferment, but it is necessary that I should have God to be my portion, and have my part in Jesus Christ, it is necessay that my Soul should be sav'd in the day of Jesus Christ; the other things are pretty fine things indeed, and I should be glad if God would give them me, a fine habitation, and comings in, and cloaths, and pro­motion for my wife and children, these are comfortable things, but these are not the necessary things, I may have these and yet perish for ever, but the other is absolutely necessary; no matter though I be poor so be it I may have that that is abso­lutely [Page 75] necessary, thus Christ instructs the Soul. There's many of you have had some thoughts about this that it is indeed ne­cessary for you to provide for your Souls, but when you come in to Christ▪s School, there Christ causes the fear of eterni­ty to fall upon you, and there he causes such a real sight of the great things ofeternity & the absolute necessity of those things, that possesses your hearts with fear, and that takes you off from all other things in the world. Now I should have shown you how that will bring Contentment to the Soul when it comes to be instructed in the thing that is absolutly necessary; but thus much for this time.

SERMON V.

I Mentioned Three lessons the last time, that Christ teaches those Schollers that comes into his School whereby they might come to get Contentment.

First, The lesson of Self-denial.

Secondly, The lesson of the vanity of the Creature.

Thirdly, The right understāding of that one thing that is ne­cessary. A little to inlarge this one & so to proceed to others.

It is said of Pompie, that when he was to cary corne to Rome in time of dearth, he was in a great deal of danger by stormes at Sea, but saith he we must go on it is necessary that Rome should be releived, but it is not necessary that we should live. So it would be certainly when the Soul is once taken up with the things that are of absolute necessity, it will not be much [Page 76] troubled about other things. What are the things that do dis­quiet us here but some by matters in this world? And it is be­cause our hearts are not taken up with that one absolute neces­sary thing, who are the men that are most discontented, but idle persons, persons that have nothing to take up their minds, every little thing disquiets and discontents them, but now a man that hath businesse of great weight and consequence, if all things goes well with his great businesse that is in his head, he is not sensible of meaner things in the family; but now a man that lies at home and hath nothing to do, he finds fault with every thing; so it is with the heart, when the heart of a man hath nothing to doe, but to be busie about creature comforts, every little thing troubles him, but now when the heart is ta­ken up with the weighty things of eternity, with the great things of eternall life, the heart being taken up with them, these things that are here below that did disquiet it before are things now of no consideration with him in comparison to the other, so as how things fall out here is not much regarded with him, if the one thing that is necessary be provided for.

The Fourth lesson that the Soul is instructed in to come to this knowledge in the art of Contentment is this, The Soul comes to understand in what relation it stands in here to the world. By that I mean thus, God comes to instruct the Soul effectually through Christ by his Spirit, upon what tearms it lives here in the world, in what re­lation it is that it doth stand: as thus, While I live in the world my condition is to be but a pilgrim, a stranger, a traveller, and a souldiar, now the right understanding of this, & being taught this not only by [...]o [...]e, that I can speak the words over, but when I come indeed to have my Soul possest with the consideration of this truth, that God hath set me in this world, not as in my home but as a meer stranger and a pilgrim, that I am travel­ling here to another home, and that I am here a souldiar in my warfare, it is a mighty help to Contentment in whatsoever be­falls one, as now to instance, in all these conditions when a man is at home, if he hath not things according to his desire he will be finding fault and is not contented, but if a man tra­vels abroad, perhaps he mee [...]s not with conveniencies as he de­sires, the servants in the house are not at his beck or are not so [Page 77] diligent as his own servants were, and his dyet is not as at home, and his bed not as at home, yet this very thought may moderate a mans spirit, I am a traveller, and I must not be finding fault, I am but in another mans house, and it were not manners for one to find fault when he is abroad in another bodies family though things be not so as in my own family; If a man meets with ill weather he must be content it is travel­lers fare (we use to say) both fair weather and foul weather, this is the common travellers fare and we must be content with it, but if a man were at home and it should drop down in his house he would account it an ill thing, an affliction to him, and he cannot bear it; but when he is travelling abroad though he meet with rain and storms he is not so much troubled: When you are abroad at Sea though you have not those many things that you have at home, you are not troubled at it you are contented, Why? You are abroad at Sea, you are not trou­bled at storms that do arise, and though you have many things otherwise then you would have them at home but still you are quieted with that you are at Sea. Marriners when they are at Sea they care not what cloaths they have then, though they be picht and tar'd, and but a clout about their necks, and any mean cloaths, but they think when they come home, then they shall have their fine silke stockings, & brave sutes, & lac'd bands and such things and shall be very fine; and so they are content­ed abroad upon that thought that it shall be otherwise with them when they come home, and though they have nothing but sault meat, and a little hard fare, yet when they come to their houses then they shall have any thing: Thus it should be with us in this world, the truth is we are all in this world but as Seafaring men, tost up and down on the waves of the Sea of this world, and our haven is Heaven, and we are here travel­ling, but our home it is another world, that long home. In­deed some men have better accomodations then others have in travelling, it's true it's a great mercy of God to us in England in that we can travell with such delight and accomodations more then they can in other Countries, and through Gods mercy we have as great accomodations in our travelling to Heaven in England as any place under Heaven hath, but yet [Page 78] though we do meet with travellers fare sometimes, yet it should not be greiveous to us: The Scripture tels us plainly that we must behave our selves here but as pilgrims and strangers, In 1 Peter, 2. 11. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the Soul: Consider what your condition is, you are pilgrims and strangers, do not think to satisfie your selves here. A man when he comes into an Inn, If there be a fair cupbord of plate he is not troubled that it is not his own, Why? Because he is going away; so let us not be troubled when we see other men have great estates, but we have not, Why? we are going away into another Country, you are lodging here but as it were for a night. If you should live an hundered yeers in comparison of eternity it is not so much as a night, it is but as you were travelling, and were come into an Inn: And were not this a madnesse for a man to be discontent because he hath not what he sees there, seeing it may be he is to go away again within halfe a quarter of an hour? So you find it in David, this was the argument that brought off Davids heart from the things of this world, and set him upon other maner of things, Psal. 119. 19. I am a stranger in the earth, hide not thy Commandements from me, I am a stranger in the earth (what then) then Lord let me have the knowledge of thy Commandements and it's sufficient, as for the things of the earth I stand not upon them whether I have much or little, but hide not thy Commandements from me, Lord let me know the rule that I should guide my life by.

Again we are not only travellers but souldiers, this is the condition of the life in which we are here in this world: and therefore we are to behave our selves accordingly. So the Apo­stle makes use of this argument in writing unto Timothy 2 Tim. 2. 3. Thou therfore endure hardnesse as a good souldier of Jesus Christ, the very thought of the condition of a man that is a souldier, doth still his disquiet of heart: when he is abroad, he hath not that accomodations in his quarters as he hath in his owne fami­ly; perhaps a man that had his bed and curtaines drawne a­bout him, and all accomodations in his chamber; now per­haps some times he must be put to lie upon straw and he think­eth with himselfe, I am a souldier and it is sutable to my con­dition; [Page 79] he must have his bed warm'd at home, but he must lie abroad in the fields when he is a souldier, and the very thought of this condition in which he stands, quiets him in all things: yea and he goes rejoycing, to think this is but sutable to my condition in which God hath put me: so it should be with us in respect of this world. Now would it not be an unseemely thing to see a souldier go whyning up and downe with the fing­er in the eye and complayning, that he hath not hot meat every meale, and his bed warm'd as he had at home. Now Christians they know that they are in their warfare, they are here in this world fighting and combating with the enemyes of their souls and eternal condition, and they must be willing to endure hardnes here. The right understanding of this, that God hath put them into such a condition, it is that that will content them, especially when they consider that they are certain of the victory and that ere long they shall tryumph with Jesus Christ and then all their sorrowes shall be don a way and their teares wiped from their eyes. A souldier is content to indure hardnes though he knows not that he shall have the victory, but a Christian knows himselfe to be a souldier, and knows that he shall conquer and triumph with Jesus Christ to all eter­nity. And that's the fourth lesson that Christ doth teach the soul when he brings it into his School, to learn the Art of Con­tentment, he makes him understand throughly the relation in which he hath blaced him in, in this world.

The fifth lesson that Christ teaches it is this, He teacheth us wherein consists any good that is to be enjoyed in any creature in the world, it's true before it hath been taught that there is a vanity in the Creature, that is, take the Creature considered in its selfe, but yet though there be a vanity in the Creature in its selfe, in respect of satisfying the Soul for its portion, yet there is some goodnesse in the Creature, though there be a vanity there's some desirablenesse: But wherein doth that consist? It consists not in the nature of the Creature it selfe, for that is no­thing but vanity, but it consists in the reference it hath to the first being of all things, this is a Lesson that Christ teaches, if there be any good in an estate, or in any comforts in this world, it is not somuch that it pleases my sense, that it is sutable to [Page 80] my body, but the reference it hath to God the first being, that by these creatures there should be somewhat of Gods goodnesse conveyed to me, and I may have a sanctified use of the creature to draw me neerer to God, and that I enjoy more of God, and be made more serviceable for the glory of God in the place where God hath set me, here's the good of the Creature; Oh were we but instructed in this Lesson, did we but understand, and throughly beleeve this to be a truth, that there is no crea­ture in all the world hath any goodnesse in it any further then it hath reference to the first infinit supream good of all, that so farre as I can enjoy God in it so farre it is good to me, and so fare as I doe not enjoy God in it, so farre there is no good­nesse in any thing that I have in the Creature, how easie were it then for one to be contented; as thus, suppose a man had a great estate but a few years agoe, and now it is all gone; I would but appeale to this man, when you had your estate wherein did you account the good of that estate to consist? a carnall heart would say, any body might know that; that it brought me in so much a year, and that I could fare of the best, and be a man of repute in the place where I live, and men would regard what I said, I might be cloathed as I would, and lay up porti­ons for my children, in this consisted the good of my estate; this man now never came into the Schoole of Christ to know wherein the good of an estate did consist, no marvail if he be disquieted when he hath lost his estate: But now a Christian that hath been in the School of Christ, and hath been instru­cted in the art of Contentment, when such a one hath an estate, he thinks, in that I have an estate above my brethren, in this con­sists the good of it to me, in that I have an opportunity to serve God the better, and I enjoy a great deal of Gods mercy to my Soule conveyed to me through the Creature, and hereby I am inabled to doe a great deal of good, and therein I account the good of my estate. Now God hath taken this away from me, now if God will be pleased to make up the enjoyment of himselfe another way; that is, will call me to honour him by suffering, and if I may doe God as much service now in my way of suffering, that is to shew forth the Grace of his spirit in the way of my suffering as I did in the way of prosperity, I [Page 81] have as much of God as I had before; if I may be led to God in my low condition, as much as I was in my prosperous condi­tion, I have as much comfort and contentment as I had before.

Ob. But you will say it is true if I could honour God in my low estate as much as in my prosperous estate then it were some­what, but how can that be?

Answ. You must know the speciall honour that God hath from his creatures in this world, it is the manifestation of the Graces of his spirit; It's true, God hath a great deal of honour when a man is in a publick place, and so he is able to do a great deal of good, to countenance Godlinesse, and discountenance Sin, but the main thing is in our shewing forth the vertues of him that hath called us out of darknesse into his marvellous light. Now if I can say that through Gods mercy in my affliction I find the Graces of Gods spirit working as strongly in me as ever they did when I had my estate, I am where I was, yea I am fully in as good a condition, for I have that good now that I had in my prosperous estate, for I accounted the good of it but in my en­joyment of God, and honouring of God, and now God hath blest the want of it to stir up the Graces of his spirit in my soule, and this is the worke that now God cals me to, and I must account God is most honoured when I doe the worke that he cals me to, he set me a worke in my prosperous estate at that time, to honour him in that condition; and now he sets me a work at this time to honour him in this condition: Now God is most honoured when I can turne from one condition to ano­ther according as he cals me to it; would you account your selves to be honoured by your servants, when you set them a­bout a worke that hath some excellency, and they will go on and on, and you cannot get them off from it? Now let the work be never so good, yet if you will call them off to another work you doe expect that they should manifest so much respect to you as to be content to come off from that, though they be set about a meaner work, if it be more sutable to your ends. So you were in a prosperous estate, and there God called you to some service that you took some pleasure in; but suppose God saith, I will use you in suffering condition, and I will have you honour me in that way, now here's the honouring [Page 82] of God that you can turn this way or that way, as God cals you to it; thus now you having learned this, that the good of the Creature consists in the enjoyment of God in it, and the honouring of God by it, you can be content, because you have the same good that you had before, and that's the fift Lesson,

The sixt Lesson that Christ doth teach the Soul that hee brings into this School, is this, He doth instruct such a man or woman in the knowledge of their own hearts, you must learn this or you will never learn Contentment, you must learne to know your own hearts well, to be good students of your own hearts, you cannot all be Schollers in the arts and sciences in the world, but you may all be students in your own hearts, you cannot reade in the Booke many of you, but God expects that every day you should turn over a leafe in your own hearts, you will never come to get any skill in this Mysterie, except you study the Book of your own hearts; Marriners they have their Books that they study, those that will be good Navi­gators, and Schollers they have their Books, those that study Logick they have their Books according to that, and those that would study Rhetorick and Philosophy have their Books according to that, and those that study Divinity they have their Books whereby they come to be helped in the study of Divinity, but a Christian next to the Book of God is to look into the Book of his own heart, and to read over that, and this will helpe you to Contentment these three ways.

1 By the studying of thy heart thou wilt come presently to dis­cover wherein thy discontent lyes, when thou art discontented thou wilt find out the root of any discontentment if thou doest study thy heart well, many men and women they are discontented, and the truth is they know not wherefore, they think this and the other thing is the cause, but a man or woman that knowes their own heart they will find out presently where the root of their discontent lyes, that it lyes in such a corruption, and distemper of my heart, that now through Gods mercy I have found out▪ It is in this case as it is with a little child that is very froward in the house, if a stranger comes in he doth not know what the matter is, perhaps the Stranger will give the [Page 83] child a rattle, or a nut, or such a thing to quiet it, but when the Nurse comes she knows the temper and disposition of the Child, and therefore knows best how to quiet it; so it is here just thus for all the world, when we are strangers with our own hearts we are mightily discontented, and know not how to quiet our selves, because we know not wherein the disquiet li­eth: and indeed when we are strangers to our own hearts we cannot tell how to quiet our selves, but if we be very well verst in our own hearts, when any thing fals out so as to disquiet us, we find out the cause of it presently, and so quickly come to be quiet, so a man that hath a Watch, and he understands the use of every wheel and pin, if it goes amisse he will pre­sently find out the cause of it: but one that hath no skill in a Watch, when it goes amisse he knows not what the matter is, and therefore cannot mend it. So indeed our hearts are as a Watch, and there are many wheels, and windings and tur­nings there, and we should labour to know our hearts well, that when they are out of tune we may know what the mat­ter is.

2 This knowledge of our hearts will help us to Contentment, because by this we shall come to know what is most sutable to our con­dition. As thus, a man that knows not his own heart he thinks not what need he hath of affliction, and upon that he is dis­quieted, but that man or woman that hath studied their own hearts, when God comes with afflictions upon them, they can say I would not for any thing in the world have been without this affliction, God hath so suted this affliction to my condi­tion, and hath come in such a way, that if this affliction had not come I am affraid I should have fallen into sinne; a poor country man that takes phisick, the phisick works & he thinks it will kill him, because he knows not the ill humours that are in his body, and therefore he understands not how sutable the physick is to him, but a Physician takes a purge, and it makts him extreamly sick, saith the Physician I like this the better, it doth but work upon the humour that I know is the matter of my disease, and upon that such a man that hath knowledge and understanding in his body, and the cause of his distemper, he is not troubled or disquieted: So would we be if we did but [Page 84] know the distempers of our own hearts, carnall men and wo­men they know not their own spirits, and therefore they fling and vex upon every affliction that doth befall them, they know not what distempers are in their hearts that may be healed by their afflictions, if it please God to give them a sanctified use of them.

3. By knowing their own hearts they know what they are able to manage, and by this means they come to be Content, the Lord perhaps takes away many comforts from them that they had before, or denies them some things that they hoped to have got; now they by knowing their hearts know this, that they were not able to manage such an estate, and they were not able to manage such prosperity, God saw it, and (saith a poor soul) Iam in some measure convinced by looking into mine own heart, that I was not able to manage such a condition. A man desires greedily to gripe more perhaps then he is able to ma­nage, and so undoes himselfe, as countrey men doe observe, that if they doe over-stock their Land it will quickly spoyl them, and so a wise Husband-man that knows how much his ground will bear he is not troubled that he hath not so much stock as others, why? because he knows he hath not ground enough for so great a stock, and that quiets him; so many men and women that know not their own hearts, they would fain have a prosperous estate as others have, but if they knew their own hearts they would know that they were not able to ma­nage it; if one of your little children of three or four years old should be crying for the coat of her that is twelve or twen­ty years old, and say, why may not I have a coat as long as my sisters? If she had, it would soon trip up her heels, and break her face, but when the Child comes to understanding she is not discontented, because her coat is not so long as her sisters, (but saith) my coat is fit for me, and therein takes Content; so if we come to understanding in the School of Christ we will not cry why have not I such an estate as others have? the Lord seeth that I am not able to manage it and I see it my self by the knowing of mine own heart. You shall have children if they see but a knife, they will cry for it because they know not their strength and that they are not able to mannage it, but you [Page 85] know they are not able to mannage it and therefore you will not give it them, and when they come to so much understand­ing as to know that they are not able to mannage it they will not cry for it; so we would not cry for such and such things if we knew that we were not able to mannage them: when you vex and fret for what you have not, I may say to you as Christ saith you know not of what spirits you are of. It was a speech of Oecolampadius to Parillus saith he (when they were speaking about his extream poverty,) Not so poor, though I have been very poor, yet I would be poorer; I could be willing to be poorer then I am, for the truth is (as if he should say) the Lord knew that that was more sutable to me, and I knew that my own heart was such, that a poor condition was more sutable to me then a rich, so certainly would we say if we knew our own hearts, that such and such a condition is better for me then if it had been otherwise.

The Seventh lesson, Is the burden of a prosperous estate. Such a one that comes into Christs School to be instructed in this Art, never comes to attain to any great skill in this Art until he comes to understand the burden that is in a prosperous e­state.

Object. You will say what burden is there in a prosperous estate.

Answ. Yes certainly a great burden, and there needs a great strength to bear it, as men had need of strong brains that can bear strong wine, so they had need of stronge spirits that are able to bear prosperous conditions, and not to do themselves hurt; there's a fourfould burden in a prosperous estate. Many men and women look at the shine and glittering of prosperity, but they little think of the burden, but there's a fourfould burden.

1. There's A burden of trouble; a rose hath it's prickles, and so the Scripture saith that he that will be rich pierceth himself through with many sorrows, 1 Tim. 6. 10. If a mans heart be set upon it that he must be rich, and he will be rich, such a man will pierce himself through with many sorrows; he looks upon the delight and glory of riches that appears outwardly, but he considers not what pierceing sorrows he may meet with­all [Page 89] in them: The consideration of the trouble in a prosperous condition I have divers times thought of, and I cannot tell by what similitude to expresse it better then by travelling in some champian country, where round about is very fair and sandy ground, and you see there a town a great way of in a bottom, and you think Oh how bravely is that town seated, but when you come and ride into the town, you shall ride through a dur­ty lane and through a company of fearful durty holes, and you could not see the durty lane and holes when you were two or three mile off; so sometimes we look upon the prosperity of men and think such a man lives bravly and comfortably, but if we did but know what troubles he meets withall in his fami­ly, in his estate, in his dealings with men, we would not think his condition so happy. One may have a very fine new shoe, but no body knows where it pinches him but he that hath it on; so you think such and such men are happy, but they may have many troubles that you little think of.

2. There is a burden of danger in it, men that are in a prospe­rous condition they are in a great deal of danger, you see some times in the evening when you light up your candles, the mothes and gnats will be flying up and down in the candle, but they scorch their wings, and there they fall down dead, so there is a great deal of danger in a prosperous estate, those men that are set upon a Pinacle on high, these men they are in greater danger then other men are. Honey we know doth in­vite Bees and Wasps unto it, and so the sweet of prosperity doth invite the Devill and temptation. Men that are in a pros­perous estate are subject to many temptations that other men are not subject to. The Scripture cals the Devill Beelzebub, that is the God of flies, & so Beelzebub comes where the honey of prosperity is, they are in very great danger of temptations that are in a prosperous condition. The dangers of men that are in a prosperous estate that have more then others, should be considered of by those that are lower, think with thy selfe though they be above me, yet they are in more danger then I am, the tal trees are more shattered a great deal then low shrubs, so you know the ship that hath al the sails up, the top sail & all in a storm, this is in more danger then that that hath al the sails [Page 87] drawn in: And so men that have their Top-gallant, and all up and brave they are more like to be drowned, drowned in per­dition then other men are, and therefore you know what the Scripture saith, how hard it is that rich men should go into the Kingdom of Heaven, such a text should make poor people to Contented with their estates. We have a notable example for that in the Children of Kohath, you shall find that they were in a more excellent estate then the other of the Levites, but they were in more danger then the other, and more trouble.

First, that the Children of Kohath were in a higher conditi­on then other of the Levites, that Ile shew you out of the fourth of Numb. 4. v. there you shall find what their condition was. This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the Tabernacle of the Congregation about the most holy things: marke, the Levites were exercised about holy things, but the sons of Kohath their service was about the most holy things of all, and you shall find in the 21. of Joshua, vers. 10. That God did honour the sons of Ko­hath in a more speciall manner then he did honour the other Le­vites, which honour the Children of Aaron (being of the fa­milies of the Koathites, who were of the Children of Levi) had; for theirs was the first lot, and they were preferd before the other families of Levi, those that were imployed in the most honourable imployment, they had the most honourable Lot, the first Lot: fell to them: thus you see God honoured the Children of the Kohathite. But (might other Levites say) how hath God preferd this family before us? They are honoured more then the other were? But now marke their burden that comes in with their honour, and that Ile shew you out of two Scriptures, the first is, Numb. 7, 6. 7. 8. 9. And Moses took the Wagons, and the Oxen, and gave them unto the Levites, two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershom, according to their ser­vice, and four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari according unto their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aar­on the Priest, but saith he in the 9 ver. Ʋnto the sons of Kohath he gave none, because the service of the Sanctuary that belonged unto them, was, that they should bear upon their shoulders. Mark, the other Levits had oxen, and wagons given to them, to ease them of their service, but (saith he) to the sons of Kohath he gave none, [Page 88] but they should bear their service upon their shoulders, and that's the reason why God was so displeased, because that they would have more ease in Gods service then God would have them, for whereas they should cary it upon their shoulders, they would cary it upon a cart, mark here you see the first bur­den that they had, beyond what the other Levits had; and those indeed that are in more honourable place then others, those that are under them think not of their burden that they are to cary upon their shoulders, when as others have means to ease them, and many times those that are imployed in the Ministery, or Majestracy that sit at the stern to order the great affairs of the Common-wealth and State, you think they live bravely, they lye awake when you are asleep, if you knew the burden that lay upon their spirits, you would think that your labour and burden were very little in comparison of theirs▪

2. There's another burden of danger more then the rest▪ and that you shall find in Numb. 4. 17. And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying, Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathits from among the Levits, but thus do unto them that they may live and not die: When they approach unto the most holy things, Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden; but they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die: Mark this text, saith the Lord to Moses and Aaron, Cut ye not off the tribe of the family of the Kohath­ites from among the Levites, cut them not off why? what had they done? had they done any thing amisse? no they had not done any thing that provoked God, but the meaning is this; take a great care of the family of the Kohathites to instruct them in their duty that they were to do, for (saith God) they are in a gteat deal of danger, being to serve in the most holy things, if they should go in to see the holy things more then God would have them it's as much as their lives are worth, and therefore if you should but neglect them, and not informe them thorowly in their duty they would be undon: (saith God) they are to administer in the most holy things, and if they should but dare to presume to do any thing otherwise then God would have them about those services it would cost them their lives, and [Page 89] therefore be not you carelesse of them, for if you neglect them you will be a means of cutting them off. Thus you see the dan­ger that the family of the Kohathites were in, they were prefer'd before others but they were in more danger. So you think there are such men in a parish that bear the sway and that are im­ployed inpublike service, and they carry all before them, but you consider not their danger. And so the Ministers, they stand in the fore-front of all the spight and mallice of ungodly men, indeed God imployes them in honourable service, and that ser­vice that the Angels would take delight in, but though the service be honourable, above the imployment of other works, yet the burden of danger that likewise is greater then the dan­ger of men that are in an inferiour condition: Now when the Soul comes to get wisdom from Christ to think of the danger that it is in, then it will be content with that low estate in which it is. A poor man that is in a low condition, thinks I am low and others are raised, but I know not what their bur­den is, and so if he be rightly instructed in the School of Christ he comes to be contented.

3 In a prosperous estate there is the burden of duty, you look only at the sweet and comfort that they have, and the honour and respect that they have that are in a prosperous condition, but you must consider of the duty that they owe to God, God re­quires more duty at their hands then at yours, you are ready to be discontent that you have not such parts and abilities as such have, but God requires more duty of them that have more parts, God requires more duty of them that have greater estates then of you that have not such estates, Oh you would fain have the honour, but can you carry the burden of the du­ty.

4. The last is the burden of account in a prosperous estate. There is a great account that they are to give to God that injoy great estates and a prosperous condition: Now we are all stewards, and one is a steward to a meaner man, perhaps but to an ordi­nary knight, another is a steward to a noble man, an Earle, now the steward of the meaner man, he hath not so much as the other hath under his hand, now shall he be discontented because there comes not so much under his hand as under the [Page 90] others? No thinks he I have lesse, and I am to give the lesse ac­count: So your account in comparison of the Ministers and Ma­gistrats will be nothing, you are to give an account of your owne souls, and so are they, you are to give an account for your owne family, and so are they, but you are not to giue ac­count for congregations, and for townes, and cityes and countryes. You thinke of Princes and Kings, Oh what a glo­rious condition they are in. But what do you thinke of a King to give account for the disorder and wickednesse in a kingdome that he possibly might have prevented? What abun­dance of glory might a Prince bring to God if so be that he bent his soul and al his thoughts to lift up the name of God in a kingdome, now what God looses for want of this, that King Prince or Governour he must give an account for. It's a speech of Chrysostome in that place of the Hebrews where it's said that men must give an account for their souls, he wonders that any man in publique place can be saved because their account is so great that they are to give, and I remember I have read a speech of Philip that was King of Spaine, though the story saith of him that he had such a natural conscience, that he profest he would not do any thing against his conscience, no not in se­cret for the gayning of a world, yet when this man was to die, Oh saith he that I had never bin a King, Oh that I had liv'd a sollitary and privat life all my daies, then should I have dyed a great deale more securely, I should with more conf [...]dence have gon before the throne of God to give my account, but here's the fruit of my kinodom, that I had all the glory of it, it hath made my account to be harder to give to God, and thus he cryes out when he was to die: And therefore you that live in private conditions remember this, if you come into Christs school and be taught this lesson you will be quiet in your affli­ctions, or privat estate, in regarde your account is not so great as others. It's a speech I remember I have met withall in La [...]i [...]e [...]s Sermons that he was wont to use, the halfe is more then the whole, that is when a man is in a mean condition he is but halfe way towards the height of prosperity that others are in, yet saith he this is more safe though it be a meaner condition then others. Those that▪ are in a high▪ and prosperous condition [Page 91] there is anexed to it the burden of trouble, and of danger and of duty, and of account. And thus you see how Christ traines up his schollers in his school and though they be weake otherwise, yet by his Spirit he gives them wisdome to under­stand these things aright.

The Eight lesson is this. Christ teaches them what a great and dreadfull evill it is to be given up to ones hearts desires, the under­standing this lesson that it is a most dreadfull evill, one of the most hideous and fearfull evills that can befall any man up­on the face of the earth for God to give him up to his hearts des [...]res, when the soul understands this once, and together with it, (for it goes along together) that spirituall judgments are more fearfull then any outward judgments in the world, the understanding of this will teach any one to be content in Gods crossing of them in their desires. Thou art crost in thy desires, now thou art discontented and vext and fretted at it, is that thy onely misery that thou art crost in thy desires? no no thou art infinitly mistaken, the greatest misery of all is for God to give thee up to thy hearts Iusts and desires, to give thee up to thine owne counsells, so you have it in Psal. 81. 11, 12. but my people would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of me, [what then?] So I gave them up unto their owne hearts lusts, and they walked in their owne counsels. Oh saith Bernard, let me not have such a miserie as that is, for to give me what I would have, to give me my hearts desires, it is one of the most hideous judgments in the world for a man to be given up to his hearts desires. We have not indeed in Scripture any certaine evident sign of a reprobate, we cannot say except we knew a man had comitted the sin against the Holy-Ghost that he is a reprobate, for we know not what God may work upon him, but the neerest of all and the blackest sign of a reprobate is this, for God to give up a man to his hearts des [...]res, all the pain of diseases, all the calamities that can be thought of in the world, are no judgements in comparison of this, for a man to be given up to his hearts desires, now when the Soul comes to understand this; the Soul then cryes out why am I so trou­bled that I have not my desires? There is nothing that God conveys his wrath more through then a prosperous estate. [Page 92] I remember I have read of a Jewish Tradition that they say of Vzziah, when God struck Vzziah with a Leprosie, they say that the beams of the Sun was darted upon the fore-head of Ʋzziah, and he was struck with a Leprosie by the darting of the beams of the Sun upon his fore head; the Scripture saith, Indeed the Priests looked upon him, but they say there was a speciall light and beam of the Sun upon the fore-head that did disco­ver the Leprosie to the Priests, and they say it was the way of conveying of it. Whether that were true or no I am sure this is true, that the strong beams of the Sun of prosperity upon many men makes them to be leprous; would any poor man in the countrey have been discontented that he was not in Vzziahs condition? he was a great King, I but there was the Leprosie in his fore-head, the poor man may say, though I live meanly in the countrey yet I thank God my body is whole and sound, would not any man rather have russet and skins of beasts to cloath him with, then to have sattin and velvet that should have the Plague in it? The Lord conveys the plague of his curse through prosperity, as much as through any thing in the world, and therefore the soul coming to understand this, this makes it to be quiet and content.

And then spirituall judgements are the greatest judgements of all; the Lord lays such an affliction upon my outward e­state, but what if he had taken away my life, a mans health is a greater mercy then his estate, and you that are poor people you should consider of that; but is the health of a mans body better then his estate? what is the health of a mans soul? that's a great deal better; the Lord hath inflicted externall judge­ments, but he hath not inflicted spirituall judgements upon thee, he hath not given thee up to hardnesse of heart, and ta­ken away the spirit of prayer from thee in thine afflicted estate, oh then be of good comfort though there be outward afflicti­ons upon thee, yet thy soul thy more excellent part is not affli­cted. Now when the soul comes to understand this, that here lyes the sore wrath of God to be given-up to a mans desires, and for spirituall judgements to be upon a man; this quiets him, and contents him, though outward afflictions be upon him, perhaps one of a mans children hath the fit of an ague, or the [Page 93] tooth ake, but perhaps his next neighbour hath the plague, or all his Children are dead of the Plague, now shall he be so discontented, because his Children hath the tooth-ach when his neighbours children are dead? now think thus, Lord thou hast laid an afflicted conditiō upon me, but Lord thou hast not given me the Plague of a hard heart. Now take these eight things before mentioned, and lay them together, and you may well apply that Scripture in the 29. of Jsay, the last verse, saith the text there. They also that erred in spirit, shall come to un­derstanding; and they that murmured shall learn doctrine. Hath there bin any of you (as I fear many may be found) that have erred in spirit, even in regard of this truth that now we are preaching of, and many that have murmured, Oh that this day you might come to understand, that Christ would bring you into his School, and teach you understanding, And they that mur­mured shall learn doctrine, what doctrine shall they learn? These Eight doctrines that I have opened to you. And if you will but throughly study these lessons that I have set before your eyes: It will be a speciall help and means to cure your mur­murings against and repinings at the hand of God: And so you will come to learn Christian Contentment. The Lord teach you throughly by his Spirit these lessons of Content­ment.

SERMON VI.

I Shall only adde one lesson more in the learn­ing of Contentment & then I shall come to theAug. 31. 1645. fourth head, The excellency of Contentment.

The Ninth and last lesson that Christ teaches those that he doth instruct in this Art of Contentment, It is the right knowledge of Gods providence, and therein are these Four things.

1 The universality of providence, that the Soul must be through­ly instructed in to come to this Art, to understand the univer­sality of providence, that is; how the providence of God goes through the whole world, extends it's self to every thing: Not only that God by his providence doth rule the world, and go­vern all things in generall, but that it reaches to every par­ticular, not only to Kingdoms, to order the great affairs of Kingdoms but it reaches to every mans family, [...] [...]eaches to every person in the family, it reaches to every condi­tion, yea to every passage to every thing that falls out con­cerning thee in every particular, not one hair falleth from thy head, not a Sparrow to the ground without the pro­vidence of God. There's nothing befalls thee good or evill, but there is a providence of the infinite eternall first Being in that thing, and therein indeed is Gods infinitenesse, that it reaches to the least things, to the least worm that is under thy feet: Then much more it reaches unto thee that art a rationall creature, the providence of God is more speciall towards rati­onall creatures then any others: The understanding in a spi­rituall [Page 95] way the universality of providence in every particular passage from morning to night every day; that theres not any thing that doth befall thee but there's a hand of God in it, it is from God, it is a mighty furtherance to Contentment. Eve­ry man will grant the truth of the thing that it is so, but as the Apostle saith in Heb. 11. 3. By faith we understand that the worlds were made, by faith we understand it, why by faith? we can understand by reason that no finit thing can be from it selfe: And therefore that the world could not be of it's self, but we can understand it by faith in another manner then by reason. So whatsoever we understand of God in way of providence, yet when Christ doth take us into his School wee come to understand it by faith in a better manner then wee doe by reason.

2 The efficacie that there is in providence; that is, that the provi­dence of God goes on in all things with strength and power, and it is not to be altered by our power, let us be discontented and vext and troubled, and fret, and rage, yet we must not thinke to alter the course of providence by our discontent. Some of Jobs friends said to him, Shall the earth be forsaken for thee; and shall the rock be removed out of his place? Job 18. 4. when they saw him to be impatient, so I may say to every dis­contented impatient heart, what shall the providence of God change it's course for thee? Do'st thou think it such a weake thing that because it doth not please thee it must alter it's course? be thou content or not content the providence of God will go on, it hath an efficacie of power, of virtue, to carry all things before it, canst thou make one hair black or white with all the stir that thou keepest? When you are in a ship at Sea that hath all her sails spread with a full gale of wind and swiftly sailing; can you make it stand still with running up and down in the ship? No more can you make the providence of God to alter and change it's course with your vexing and fret­ting, but it will go on with power do what thou canst. Do but understand the power and efficacie of providence and it will be a mighty means for the helping to learn this lesson of Content­ment.

3 The infinite variety of the works of providence, and yet the or­der [Page 96] of things, one working towards another; there is infinite variet [...] of the works of God in an ordinary providence, and yet, all work in an orderly way; we put these two together, for God in the way of his providence causes a thousand thousand things one to depend upon another, there are infinite severall wheels (as I may so say) in the works of providence, all the works that ever God did from all eternity or ever will do, put them all together, and all make up but one work, and they have been as severall wheels that have had their orderly motion to attain the end that God from all eternity hath appointed: We in­deed look at things by peices, we look at one particular and do not consider the reference that one thing hath to another, but God he looks at all things at once, and sees the reference that one thing hath to another: As a child that looks upon a clock, looks first upon one wheel, and then upon another wheel, he looks not at all together or the dependance that one hath upon another, but the workman hath his eyes upon all together and sees the dependance of all one upon another, and the art that there is in the dependance of one upon another, so it is in Gods providence. Now observe how this works to Con­tentment; where there is such a passage of providence befalls me, that's one wheel, and it may be if this wheel should be stopt, there might a thousand other things come to be stopt by this: As in a clock, stop but one wheel and you stop every wheel, because they have dependance one upon another; so when God hath ordered a thing for the present to be thus and thus, how do'st thou know how many things do depend up­on this thing? God may have some work that he hath to doe twenty years hence that may depend upon this passage of pro­vidence, that falls out this day, or this week. And here (by the way) we may see a great deal of evill that there is in discon­tent, for thou wouldest have Gods providence altered in such and such a particular, indeed if if it were only in that particu­lar, and that had reference to nothing else it were not so much, but by thy desire to have thy will in such a particular, it may be thou wouldest crosse God in a thousand things that he hath to bring about, because it's possible there may be a thousand things depend upon that one thing that thou wouldest faine [Page 97] have to be otherwise then it is, just as if a childe should cry out and say let but that one wheel stop, though he faith but one wheel, yet if that stop, it is as much as if he should say they must all stop; so in providence, let but this one passage of pro­vidence stop, it is as much as if a thousand stopt: Let me there­fore be quiet and content, for though I be crost in some one par­ticular God attains his end, at least his end may be furthered in a thousand things by this one thing that I am crost in; there­fore let a man consider this is an act of providence, and how do I know what God is about to doe, and how many things depend upon this providence? Now we are willing to suffer our friends will to be crost in one thing, so that our friend may at­tain to what he desires in a thousand things; if thou hast a love and friendship to God, be willing to be crost in some few things, that the Lord may have his work go on in the univers­al, in a thousand of otherthings. Now that's the Third thing to be understood in Gods providence, that Christ doth learn those that he teacheth in the Art of Contentment.

4 Christ teaches them the knowledge of providence, that is, The knowledge of Gods usuall way in his dealings with his people more particularly. The other is the knowledge of God in his providence in general: But the right understanding of the way of God in his providence towards his people and Saints, is a notable lesson to help us in the Art of Contentment. If we come once to know a mans way and course we may better sute and be contented to live with him, then before we come to know his way and course; as when a man comes to live in a society with men and women, it may be the men and women may be good, but till a man comes to know their way and course and disposition, many things may fall very crosse, and we think they are very hard, but when we come to be aquaint­ed with their way and spirits, then we can sute and cotten with them very well; and the reason of our trouble is because we do not understand their way. So it is with you, those that are but as strangers to God, and do not understand the way of God, they are troubled with the providences of God, and they think them very strange and cannot tell what to make of them, because they understand not the ordinary course and way of [Page 98] God towards his people. If a stranger sometimes comes into a family and sees such and such things done, hee wonders what the matter is, but those that are aquainted with it it troubles them not at all. So servants when they come first together and know not one another it may be they are froward and discon­tented, but when they come to be aquainted with one anothers waies then they are more contented; just so it is when we come first to understand Gods waies.

Object. But you will say, what do you understand by Gods waies?

Answ. By that I mean these three things. And when we come to know them we shall not wonder so much at the provi­dence of God, but be quiet and contented with them.

1. The first thing is this, Gods ordinary course is that his people in this world should be in an afflicted condition, God hath revealed in his word & we may there find he hath set it down to be his or­dinary way even frō the begining of the world to this day, but more especially in the times of the Gospel, that his people here should be in an afflicted condition. Now men that do not un­derstand this, they stand and wonder to hear of the people of God that they are afflicted, and the enemyes prosper in their way, for those that seeke God in his way and seeke for refor­mation, for them to be afflicted routed and spoiled and then ene­myes to prevaile they wonder at it, but now one that is in the schoole of Christ, he is taught by Jesus Christ that God by his eternal counsels hath set this to be his course & way, to bring up his people in this world in an afflicted condition, and ther­fore saith the Apostle account it not strange concerning the firey tryal. 1 Pet. 4. 12. we are not therfore to be discontented with it se­ing God hath set such a course and way, and we know such is the will of God that it should be so.

The second thing that is in Gods way is this. Ʋsually when God intends the greatest mercy to any of his people he doth bring them into the lowest condition, God doth seem to go quite crosse and worke in a contrary way; when he intends the greatest mercys to his people he doth first usually bring them into very low conditions, if it be a bodily mercie, an outward mercie that he intends to bestow he useth to bring them bodily low, and out­wardly [Page 99] low, if it be a mercie in their estates that he intends to bestow he brings them low in that and then raises them; and in their names he brings them low there and then raises them, and in their Spirits God doth ordinarily bring their spirits low and then raises their spirits, usually the people of God be­fore the greatest comforts have the greatest afflictions and sor­rows, now those that understand not Gods ways they think that when God brings his people into sad conditions, that God leaves and forsakes them and that God doth intend no great matter of good to them, but now a Child of God that is instructed in this way of God, he is not troubled; my condi­tion is very low, but (saith he) this is Gods way when he in­tends the greatest mercie, to bring men under the greatest afflic­tions. When he intended to raise Joseph to be the Second in the Kingdom, God cast him into a dungeon a little before. So when God intended to raise David and set him upon the Throne, he made him to be hunted as a partridge in the moun­tains 1 Sam. 26. 20, God went this way with his Son; Christ himselfe went into glory by suffering, Heb. 2. 10, and if God deale so with his owne Son much more with his people; as a little before break of day you shall observe it is darker then it was any time before, so God doth use to make our conditions darker a little before the mercie come. When God bestowed the last great mercie at Nazby we were in a very low condition, God knew what he had to doe before hand, he knew that his time was coming for great mercies, it is the way of God to doe so. Be but instructed aright in this course and tract that God uses to walke in and that will helpe us to contentment excee­dingly.

The third thing that there is in Gods way and course is this, It is the way of God to work by contraries, to turne the greatest evill into the greatest good. To grant great good after great evill is one thing, and to turne great evills into the greatest good that's another, and yet that's Gods way, the greatest good that God intends for his people, many times he works it out of the greatest evill, the greatest light is brought out of the great­est darknesse; and Luther (I remember) hath a notable expres­sion for this, (saith he) it is the way of God, he doth humble [Page 100] that he might exalt, he doth kill that he might make alive, he doth confound that he might glorifie, this is the way of God (saith hee,) but saith hee, every one doth not under­stand this, this is the Art of Arts, and the Science of Sciences, the knowledg of knowledges to understand this, that God doth use when he will bring life, he doth bring it out of death, he brings joy out of sorrow, and he brings prosperity out of adversity, yea and many times brings grace out of sin, that is, makes use of sin to work furtherance of grace, it's the way of God to bring all good out of evill; not onely to overcome the evill, but to make the evill to work toward the good, here's the way of God; now when the soule comes to understand this, it wil take away our murmurring and bring Contentment into our spirits: But I fear there are but few that understand it aright, perhaps they read of such things, & hear such things in a sermon, but they are not by Jesus Christ instructed in this, that this is the way of God to bring the greatest good out of the greatest evill,

Now thus having dispatcht the third head, the Lessons that we are to learne, we come to the fourth, and that is The excellency of this Grace of Contentment, and there is a great deale of excellency in Contentment, that's a kind of Lesson too for us to learn. And this head likewise will be somewhat long.

Saith the Apostle J have learned, as if he should say, blessed be God for this: Oh! it is a mercy of God to me that I have learned this Lesson, I find so much good in this Contentment, that I would not for a world but have it, I have learned it saith he.

Now the very Heathens had a sight of a great excellency that there is in Contentment; I remember I have read of Antistines a Philosopher, that desired of his gods, (speaking after the heathenish way) nothing in this world to make his life happy, but Contentment, and if he might have any thing that he would desire to make his life happy, he would aske of them that he might have the spirit of Socrates, that he might have such a spirit as Socrates had to be able to bear any wrong any [Page 101] injuries that he met withall, and to continue in a quiet temper of spirit whatsoever befell him, for that was the temper of So­crates what ever befell him he continued the same man, what­ever crosse befell him no body could perceive any alteration of his spirit though never so great crosses did befall him; this a Heathen did attain to by the strength of nature, and a com­mon work of the Spirit: Now this Antistines saw such an excel­lency in this spirit: As when God said to Solomon, what shall I give thee? he asked of God wisdom; so saith he, if the gods should put it to me to know what I would have, I would desire this thing, that I might have the spirit of Socrates; he saw a great excellency that there was in this; and certainly a Chri­stian may see abundance of excellency in it: I shall labour to set it out to you in this Sermon that you might be in love with this Grace of Contentment.

In the first place, by Contentment we come to give God that wor­ship that is due to him; it is a speciall part of divine worship that we owe to God, if we be Content in a Christian way, accord­ing as hath been opened to you, I say it is a speciall part of the divine worship that the creature owes to the infinite Creator, in that I doe tender that respect that is due from me to the Crea­tor: The word that the Greeks have that signifies to worship, it is as much as to come and crouch before another, as a dog should come crouching unto you, and be willing to lye down at your feet; so the creature in the apprehension of its own basenesse, and the infinit excellency that there is in God above it; when it comes to worship God, it comes and crouches to this God, and it lyes down at the feet of God, then doth the Creature worship God. When you see a dog come crouching to you, and you can make him with holding your hand over him to lye down at your feet: then consider thus should you doe before the Lord, you should come crouching to him, and lye down at his feet even upon your backs or bellies, to lye down in the dust before him, so as to be willing that he should doe with you what he will, as some times you may turn a dog this way or that way up and down with the hand, and there he lyes before you, according to your shewing him with your hand: So when the Creature shall come and lye down thus be­fore [Page 102] the Lord, then a Creature worships God, doth tender you that worship that is due to God. Now in what disposition of heart doe we thus crouch to God more, then when we have this Contentation in all conditions that God disposed us unto? This is a crouching unto Gods dispose, to be like the poor woman of Canaan, when Christ said it is not fit to give Chil­drens meat to dogs, but (saith she) the dogs have crums, I am a dog I confesse, I but let me have but a crum. And so when the soul shall be in such a disposition as to lye down and say, Lord I am but as a dog, yet let me have a crum, then doth it highly honour God. It may be some of you have not your ta­ble spread as others have, but God gives you crums, now saith the poor woman, dogs have crums, and when you can find your hearts thus subjecting unto God, to be but as a dog, and can be Contented and blesse God for any crum: I say this is a great worship of God, you worship God by this more then when you come to hear a Sermon, or spend halfe an hour, or an hour in prayer, or when you come to receive a Sacrament; These are the acts of Gods worship, I but these are but externall acts of worship, to hear and pray and receive Sacraments: But now this is the Soul worship, to subject its selfe thus to God. You that often will worship God by Hearing, and Praying, and re­ceiving Sacraments, and yet afterwards will be froward and discontented, know that God regards not that worship, he will have the soul worship in this subjecting of the soul unto God. Observe it I beseech you, in active obedience there we worship God by doing that that pleases God, but by passive obedience we doe as well worship God by being pleased with that that God doth. Now when I perform a duty I worship God, I doe what pleases God, why should I not as well worship God when I am pleased with what God doth? As it was said of Christs obedience, Christ was active in his passive obedience, and passive in his active obedience: So the Saints they are pas­sive in their active obedience; they are first passive in the recep­tion of grace, and then active. And when they come to pas­sive obedience they are active, they put forth grace in active obedience, when they perform actions to God, then saith the Soul, Oh! that I could doe that that pleases God, when they [Page 103] come to suffer any crosse, oh that what God doth might please me. I labour to doe what pleases God, and I labour that what God doth shall please me, here's a Christian indeed that shall endeavour both these; now this is but one side of a Christian to endeavour to doe what pleases God, but you must as well endeavour to be pleased with what God doth, and so you shall come to be a compleat Christian when you can doe both, and that's the first thing in the excellency of this Grace of Content­ment.

The Second thing in the opening of this excellency of Con­tentment is, That in Contentment there is much exercise of Grace, There is much strength of Grace, yea there is much beauty of Grace in Contentment, there is much exercise of Grace, strength of Grace, and beauty of Grace, I put all these toge­ther.

1 Much exercise of Grace, There is a composition of Grace in Contentment, there is faith, and there is humillity, and love, and there is patience, and there is wisdom, and there is hope, all graces almost are compounded, it's an oyle that hath the ingredients of al kind of graces; & therfore though you cannot see the particular grace yet in this oyl you have it all; God sees the Graces of his Spirit exercised in a speciall manner, and this pleases God at the heart to see the Graces of his Spirit exercis­ed. In some one action that you do you may exercise some one grace especially, but now in Contentment you exercise a great many graces at once.

2 There is a great deal of strength of Grace in Contentment, It ar­gues a great deal of strength in the body, the body to be able to endure hard weather and whatsoever falls out, and yet not to be much altered by it; so it argues strength of Grace to be con­tent: You that complain of weaknesse of memory, of weak­nesse of parts, you cannot do what others do in other things, but have you this gracious heart-contentment that hath been opened to you? I know that you have attained to strength of Grace in this, when it is so spirituall as hath been opened to you in the explication of this point. As it is with a mans braine, if a man be distempered in his body, and hath many obstructions in his body, hath an ill stomack, and his spleen [Page 104] and liver obstructed, and yet for all this his brain is not distem­pered, it is an argument of a great strength of brain, & though there be many ill fumes that riseth from his corrupt stomack, yet still his brain is not distempered but he continues in the free exercise of the use of his reason and understanding; e­very one may understand that this man hath a very strong braine, that such things shall not distemper him, whereas o­ther people that have a weak braine, if they do not disgest but one meals meat, the fumes that do arise from their stomaks, doth distemper their brain & makes them unfit for every thing, whereas you shall have others that have strong heads, and strong brains, though their stomacks be ill that they do not disgest meat, yet still they have the free use of their brain, this argues strength: So it is in a mans spirit, you shall have many that have weak spirits, and if they have any ill fumes, if acci­dents do befall them you shall presently have them out of tem­per, but you shall have other men that though things do fume up yet still they keep in a steady way, and have the use of reason and of their graces, and possess their Souls with patience. As I remember it's reported of the Eagle, it's not like other fouls, other fouls when they are hungrie make an noise, but the Ea­gle is never heard to make an noise though it wants food, and it is from the magnitude of his spirit that it will not make such complaints as other fowls will do when they want food, it is because it is above hunger, and above thirst: So it is an argu­ment of a gracious magnitude of spirit that whatsoever befals it, yet it is not allwaies whining and complaining so as others are, but goes on still in it's way and course, and blesses God, and keeps in a constant tenour whatsoever thing befals it, such things as causes others to be dejected and fretted and vexed, and takes away all the comfort of their lives, it makes no al­teration at all in the spirits of these men and women, I say this is a sign of a great deal of strength of Grace.

3. It's also an argument of a great deale of beauty of Grace, It's a speech that Seneca a Heathen once had, saith hee, when you go abroad into groves and woods, and there you see the talnesse of the trees and their shadows, it strikes a kind of awful fear of a deitie in you, and when you see the vast rivers and fountains, [Page 105] and deep waters that strikes a kind of fear of a God in you, but (saith hee,) do you see a man that is quiet in tempests, and that lives happily in the midest of adversities, why do not you worship that man the doth thinke him a man even to be so ho­noured that shal be quiet & live a happy life though in the mid­dest of adversities. The glory of God appears here more then in any of his works; there is no works that God hath made, the Sun moon and starrs & all the world wherin so much of the glory of God doth appear, as in a man that lives quietly in the middest of adversity. That was that that convinc'd the King, when he saw the three Children could walk in the midest of the firey furnace & not be toucht, the King was mightily convinc'd by this, that surely their God was the great God indeed, & that they were highly beloved of their God that could walk in the mid'st of the furnace & not be toucht, whereas the others that came but to the mouth of the furnace were devoured, so when a Christian can walk in the mid'st of firey trials, and not his gar­ments findged, but have comfort and joy in the midist of al (as Paul in the stocks) can sing▪ (that wrought upon the jaylour) so it will convince men when they see the power of grace in the middest of afflictions, such afflictions as would make others to rore under them, yet they can behave themselves in a graci­ous and holy manner; Oh it's the glory of a Christian. It is that that is said to be the glory of Christ, (for so by Interpre­ters it is thought to be meant of Christ) In Micah; 5▪ 5. And this man (the text faith) shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into our land, and when he shall tread in our pallaces. This man shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into our land; for one to be in peace when there is no enemies it's no great matter, but saith the text when the Assyrian shal come in­to our land then this man shall be the peace; that is when all shal be in an hubbub and uprore yet then this man shal be peace. That's the tryall of grace when you find Jesus Christ in your hearts to be peace when the Assyrian shall come into the land. You may think you find peace in Christ when you have no out­ward troubles, but is Christ your peace when the Assyrian comes into the land, when the enemy comes? Suppose you should hear the enemy come marching to the City [...] had taken [Page 106] the workes, and were plundering, what would be your peace? Jesus Christ would be peace to the soul when the enemie come into the City, and into your houses; If there be any of you that hath bin where the enemie hath come what hath bin the peace of your soules? That that's said of Christ may be apply­ed to this grace of Contentment, when the Assyrian, the plun­derers, the enemies, when any affliction; trouble, distresse doth befall such a heart then this grace of Contentment brings peace to the soul; at that time brings peace to the soul when the Assyrian comes into the land: The grace of Contentment▪ it's an excellent grace there's much beautie much strength in it, there is a great deal of worth in this grace and therefore be in love with it,

The Third thing in the excellency of Contentment is this, By Contentment the soul is fitted to receive mercy, and to do service, Ile put those two together, Contentment makes the [...]oul fit to re­ceive mercy, and to do service; no man or woman in the world is so fit for to receive the Grace of God▪ and to do the work of God as those that have contented spirits.

1▪ Th [...]se are fitted to receive mercy from the Lord that are contented▪ As now if you would have a [...] vessell to take in any liquor, you must hold the vessel stil, if the vessel stir and shake up and down you cannot powre in any thing; but you will bid hold still that you may powre it in and not loose any; so if we would be the vessels to receive Gods mercy, and would have the Lord powre in his mercy to us, we must have quiet still hearts, we must not have hearts hurrying up and down in trouble discontent and vexing; but we must have still and quiet hearts if we would re­ceive mercy from the Lord: If a child throws and flings up and down for a thing▪ you will not give in him then when he cries so, but first you will have the child quiet, though perhaps you do intend the child shall have the thing he cries for, but you will not give it him till he is quiet and comes and stands still before you and is contented without it and then you will give it him▪ and truly so doth the Lord deal with us, (for our dea­lings with him are just as your froward childrens are with you) as soon as you would have a thing from God if you have it not you are disquieted presently and all in an upprore (as it were) [Page 107] in your spirits: God intends mercy to you, but saith God you shall not have it yet, I will see you quiet first, and then in the quietnesse of your hearts come to mee and see what I will do with you. I appeal to you, you that are any way acquainted with the waies of God, have you not found this to be the way of God towards you; when you have been troubled for want perhaps of some spirituall comfort and your hearts were vext at it, you get nothing from God all that while; but now if you have got your heart into a quiet frame, and can say, well, it's fit the Lord should do with his poor creatures what he will, I am under his feet, & am resolv'd to do what I can to honour him; and let him do with me what he will I will seek him as long as I live, I will be content with what God gives; and whe­ther he gives or no I will be content; yea are you in this frame (saith God) now you shall have comfort, now I will give you the mercy. A prisoner must not think to get off his fetters by pulling and tearing, he may gall his flesh and rend it to the very bone, certainly he will be unfettered never the sooner, but if he would have his fetters taken off he must quietly give up himself to some man to take them off; If a begger after be hath knockt once or twice at the door and you come not, and there­upon he is vext and troubled and thinks much that you let him stand a little while without any thing, you think that this beg­ger is not fit to receive an almes, but if you hear two or three beggers at your door, & if you hear them out of your window say, let us be content to stay, perhaps they are busie, it▪s [...]i [...] that we should stay, it's well if we have any thing at last, we deserve nothing at all, and therefore we may well wait a while, you would then quickly send them an almes; so God deals with the heart, when it's in a disquiet way then God doth not give; but when the heart lies down quietly under Gods hand, then is the heart in a fit frame to receive mercy: Your strength shall be to sit still (saith God,) you shall not be delivered from Babylon but by your sitting still.

2. As fit to receive mercy, So fi [...] to do service, Oh the quiet▪ fruits of righteousness [...], the peaceable fruits of righteousnesse▪ they indeed do prosp [...]r and multiply most when they▪ come to be peaceable fruits of righteousnesse. As the Philosophers say▪ [Page 108] of every thing that moves, nothing that moves but it moves up­on something that is immoveable; as a thing that moves upon the earth, if the earth were not [...]ill it could not move.

Object. The ships move upon the Sea, and that is not still.

Answ. But the Seas they move upon that which is still and immoveable, there is nothing moves but it hath something im­moveable that doth uphold it: The wheels in a Coach they move up and down, but the [...]x [...]l [...]ree that moves not up and down, so it is with the heart of a m [...]n. As they say of the Heaven it moves up and down upon a pole that is immoveable, so it is in the heart of a man, if he will move to do service to God he must have a steady heart within him, that must help him to move in the service of God, those that have unsteady dis­quier spirits that have no stead fastnesse at all in them, they are not sit to do service for God, but such as have stead fatnesse in their spirits they are men and women fit to do any service, and that's the reason that when the Lord hath any great work for any servants of his to do, usually he doth first quiet their spi­rits, [...]e doth bring their spirits into a quiet swee [...] frame to be contented with any thing, and then he [...]s them about im­ployment.

The first excellencie is this, Co [...]tenimont it doth deliver us from a bundance of temptations. Oh the temptations that men of discon­tented spirits are subject to, the devill loves to fish in troubled waters. That's our proverb of men and women, their dispo­siton is to fish in troubled waters, they say it is good fishing in troubled waters, this is the maxime of the devill, he loves to fish in troubled waters, where he sees the spirits of men and wo­men troubled and [...], there the devill comes, saith he there's good fishing for me, when he sees men and women go discon­ten [...]ed up and downe and he can get them alone then he comes with his temptations, saith he will you suffer such a thing? take such a shifting indirect way, do you not see how poor you are, others are brave, you know not what you shall doe against [...] to provide sowell and get broad for you and your [...], and [...] tempts them to unlawful courses; this is [...] upon when [Page 109] he brings men and women to give up their souls to him, it is upon discontent: That's the ground of all those that have been witches, and so have given up themselves to the Devill, the rise of it hath been their discontent, and therefore it is observable that those the Devill worketh upon to make them witches, usu­ally they are old and melancholie people, and women especi­ally, and those that are of the poorer sort that are discontent at home, their neighbours trouble them and vex them, and their spirits are weak and they cannot bear it, so upon that the Devill fastens his temptations and draws them to any thing, if they be poor, then he promises them money, if they have re­vengefull spirits, then he tels them that he will revenge them upon such and such persons, now this quiets and contents them. Oh! there's matter of temptation for the Devil where he meets with a discontented spirit. As Luther saith of God, God doth not dwell in Babylon, but in Salem, Babylon signifies confusion, and Salem signifies peace, now God doth not dwell in spirits that are in a confusion, but he dwels in peaceable and quiet spires, Oh if you would free your selves from temptations la­bour for Contentment: It is the peace of God that guards the heart from temptation. I remember I have read of one Marius Curio that when he had bribes sent him, to tempt him to be un­faithfull to his Country, he was sitting at home at dinner with a dish of turnips, and they came and promised him rewards, saith he that man that can be contented with this fare that I have, will not be tempted with your rewards, I thank God I am content with this fare, and as for rewards let them be offer­ed to those that cannot be content to dine with a dish of tur­nips: So the truth is we see it apparently, that the reason why many do betray their trust, as in the Parliament service and Kingdom, because they cannot be contented to be in a low condition. Let a man be contented to be in a low condition, and to go meanly cloathed if God sees it fit, such a man is shot-free (as I may so say) from thousands of temptations of the Devill, that do prevail against, others to the damning of their souls, oh in such times as these are when men are in dan­er of the losse of their estates, I say these men that have not got this grace are in a most lamentable condition, they are in more [Page 110] danger for their souls then they are for their outward estates▪ you think it is a sad thing to be in danger of your outward e­states that you may loose all in an night, but if you have not this contented spirit within you, you are in more danger of the temptations of the Devill to be plundered that way of any good, and to be led into sin, Oh when men think thus, they they must live as brave as they were wont to do, these men make themselves a prey to the Devill, but for such as can say let God do with me what he pleases, I am content to submit to his hand in it, the Devil wil scarce meddle with such men. It's a notable speech of a Phylosopher that lived upon mean fare, and as he was eating hearbs and roots, saith one to him if you would but please Dionisius you need not eate hearbs and roots, but he answered him thus, if you would but be content with such mean fare you need not flatter Dionisius. So temptations will no more prevail upon a contented man, then a dart that is thrown against a brasen wall, that's the Fifth particular.

The sixth excellencie is the abundant comforts in a mans life that Contentment will bring, Contentment will make mans life ex­ceeding sweet and comfortable, nothing more then the Grace of Contentment; many wayes I will show how it brings in Comfort.

1. As first, what a man hath he hath it in a kind of Independent way, not depending upon any Creature for his comfort.

2. A Contented man whose estate is low, if God raises his estate he hath the love of God in it, and then its abundantly more sweet then if he had it and his heart not Contented: for if he had not the love of God in it, for it may be God grants to a discon­tented man his desire, but he cannot say it is from love; if a man hath quieted his spirit first, and then God grant him his desire, he may have more comfort in it, and more assurance that he hath the love of God in it.

3. This Contentment is a comfort to a mans spirit in this, that it doth keep in his comforts, and keep out what ever may damp his com­forts, or put out the light of them. I may compare this Grace of Contentment to a Marriners Lanthorn, a Marriner when he is at Sea let him have never so much provision in his ship, yet if he be thousands of leagues from land, or in a rode that he shal not [Page 111] meet with a ship in three or four moneths, if he hath never a Lanthorn in his ship, nor nothing whereby he can keep a can­dle light in a storm he will be in a sad condition, he would give a great deal to have a Lanthorn, or something that may serve in [...]ead of it. When a storm comes in the night, and he cannot have any light come above-board, but it is puft out pre­sently his condition is very sad, so many men can have the light of comfort when there is no storm, but let there come but any affliction, any storme upon them, their light is puft out present­ly, and what shall they doe now? when the heart is furnished with this Grace of Contentment, this Grace is as it were the Lanthorn, and it keeps comfort in the spirit of a man, light in the midest of a storm and tempest. When you have a Lanthorn in the midest of a storm you can carry a light every whereup and down the ship to the top of the Mast if you will, and yet keep it light, so the comfort of a Christian when it is inlivened with the Grace of Contentment, it may be kept light whatever storms or tempests come, yet he can keep light in his soul, oh this helps thy comforts exceeding much.

Seventhly, There's this excellency in Contentment that it fetches in the comfort of those things we have not really in possession, and per­haps many that have not outward things have more comfort then those have that doe enjoy them themselves: as now, a man, by distilling hearbs, though he hath not the hearbs themselves, yet having the water that is distill'd out of them, he may en [...]oy the benefit of the herbs, so though a man hath not the reall possession of such an outward estate, an outward comfort, yet he by the grace of Contentment may fetch it in to himself. By the art of Navigation we can fetch in the riches of the East and West Indies to our selves, so by the art of Contentment we may fetch in the comfort of any condition to our selves, that is we may have that comfort by Contentment, that we should have if we had the thing it selfe. There's a notable story you have for this in Plutarch, in the life of Pyrbus, one Sineus comes to him, and would very fain have had him desist from the wars, and not war with the Romans, saith he to him, may it please your Majestie, it is reported that the Romans are very good men of warre, and if it please the gods we doe over-come them [Page 112] what benefit shall we have of that victory? Pyrbus answered him, we shall then straight conquer all the rest of Italy with ease, saith Sineus indeed it is likely which your Grace speaketh, but when we have won Italy will then our wars end? If the gods were pleased said Pyrrbus, that the victory were atchieved, the way were then broad open for us to attain great conquests, for who would not afterwards go into Africk, and so to Car­thage? But (saith Sineus) when we have all in our hands what shall we doe in the end? then Pyrbus laughing, told him again, we will then be quiet, and take our case, and make feasts every day, and be as merry one with another as we can possible, saith Sineus, what letteth us now to be as quiet, and merry together, fi [...]h we enjoy that presently without further travell and trouble which we should go seek for abroad, with such shedding of blood, and so manifest danger, cannot you sit down and be merry now? so a man may think if I had such a thing, then I would have another, and if I had that then I should have more, and what if you had got all you desire? then you would be content, why? you may be content how without them: Cer­tainly our contentment doth not consist in the getting of the thing we desire, but in Gods fashioning our spirits to our con­ditions, there's some men that have not a foot of ground of their own, yet will live better then other men that are heirs to a great deal of Land. I have known it in the countrey some­times, that a man lives upon his own land, and yet lives very poorly, but you shall have another man that shall farm his Land, and yet by his good husbandry, and by his care shall live better sometimes, then he that hath the Land of his own, so a man by this art of Contentment may live better without an estate then another man can live of an estate, oh it ads ex­ceeding much to the comfort of a Christian, and that I may shew it farther, there is more comfort even in the Grace of Con­tentment then there is in any possessions whatsoever, a man hath more comfort in being content without a thing, then he can have in the thing that he in a discontened way doth desire.

You think if I had such a thing then I should be content. I say there is more good in Contentment, then there is in the thing that you would faln have to cure your discontent, and [Page 113] that I shall open in divers particulars, as thus.

1 I would fain have such a thing, and then I could be con­tent, but if I had it then it were but the Creature that did help to my Contentment, but now it's the Grace of God in my soul that makes me content, and surely it is better to be Content with the Grace of God in my soul, then with the enjoying of an outward comfort.

2. If I had such a thing indeed my estate might be better, but my soul would not be better, but by Contentment my soul is better, that would not be bettered by an estate, or lands, or friends; but Contentment makes my selfe to be better, and therefore Contentment is a better portion then the thing is that I would fain have to be my portion.

3. If I get Content by having my desire satisfied, that's but selfe-love, but when I am Contented with the hand of God, and am willing to be at his dispose, that comes from my love to God, in having my desire satisfied there I am contented through selfe love, but through the Grace of Contentment I come to be contented out of love to God, and is it not better to be conten­ted from a principle of love to God, then from a principle of selfe-love?

4. If I am contented because I have that that I have a desire to, perhaps I am contented in that one particular, but that one particular doth not furnish me with Contentment in another thing, perhaps I may grow more dainty and nice, and froward in other things; if you give children what they would have in some things, they grow so much the more coy and dainty, and discontented if they have not other things that they would have, but if I have once over-come my heart, and am conten­ted through the Grace of God in my heart, then this doth not content me only in a particular but in generall, whatsoever be­fals me. I am discontented, and would fain have such a thing, and afterward I have it: now doth this prepare me to be con­tented in other things? no, but when I have gotten this Grace of Contentment I am prepared to be contented in all conditi­ons: and thus you see that Contentment doth bring comfort to a mans life, fils a mans life full of comfort in this world; yea, the truth is, it is even a Heaven upon earth, why, what is [Page 114] Heaven, but the rest and quiet of a mans spirit; what's the spe­ciall thing that is in Heaven, but rest and joy, that makes, the life of Heaven, there's rest and [...]oy, and satisfaction in God, so its here in a contented spirit, there's rest and joy, and satisfa­ction in God: In Heaven there's singing prayses to God, a con­tented heart is alwayes praysing and blessing God, thou hast Heaven while thou art upon earth when thou hast a contented spirit, yea, in some regards it's better then Heaven. How is that you will say? there is some kind of honour that God hath in it, and some excellency that he hath not in Heaven, and that's this.

In heaven there is no overcoming of temptations, they are not put to any tryals by afflictions, there in heaven they have exercise of grace, but they have nothing but incouragement to it, & inded those that are there their grace is perfect and in that they doe excel us; but there is nothing to crosse their grace, they have no tryals at all to tempt them to doe contrary, but now for a man or woman to be in the midst of afflictions, temp­tations and troubles, and yet to have grace exercised, and yet to be satisfied in God and Christ and in the word, and pro­mises in the midest of all they suffer, this may seeme to be an honour that God hath from us, that he hath not from the An­gels and Saints in Heaven. Is it so much for one that is in hea­ven that hath nothing else but good from God, hath nothing to try them, no temptations, is that so much for them to be praysing and blessing God, as for the poore soule that is in the midest of tryals and temtations, and afflictions and troubles? For this soule to go on praysing, and blessing, and serving God; I say it is an excellency that thou shall not have in hea­ven, and God shal not have this kind of glory from thee in hea­ven, and therefore be contented, and prise this Contentment, and be willing to live in this world as long as God shall please, and doe not think, Oh that I were delivered from all these af­flictions and troubles here in this world, if thou were, then thou shouldest have more ease to thy selfe: but here's a way of honouring God, and manifesting the excellency of Grace here when thou art in this conflict of temptation that God shall not have from thee in Heaven, and therefore be satisfied and [Page 115] quiet, be contented with thy Contentment▪ I want such and such things that others have, but blessed be God I have a con­tented heart that others have not, then I say be content with thy Contentment, for that's a rich portion that the Lord hath granted unto them, if the Lord should give unto thee thousands here in this world, it would not be such a rich portion as this, that he hath given thee a contented sqirit: oh goe away and prayse the name of God, and say, why Lord it's true these and these comforts that others have I should be glad if I had them, but thou hast cut me short, but though I want these, yet thou hast given me that that is as good and better, thou hast given me a quiet contented heart, to be wiling to be at thy dispose.

SERMON VII.

WEE proceed now, there are some two or three things more of the excellency of Contentment, and then we are to proceed to applycation of the point.

The eight excellency is, Contentment is a great blessing of God upon the Soul, there is Gods bles­sing upon those that are content, the blessing of God is upon them, and their estates, and upon all that they have. We read in Teut. of the blessing of Judah the principle▪ Tribe; this is the blessing of Judah, And he said [...] Lord the voice of Judah and bring him unto his people, let hi [...] hands [...] [...] for him, and h [...] thou an help to him from his [...] b [...] his hand [Page 116] be sufficient for him, that is, bring in a sufficiency of all good unto him that he may have of his own, that's the blessing of Judah. So when God gives thee a sufficiency of thine owne, (as every contented man hath) there is the blessing of God up­on thee, the blessing of the principle tribe, of Judah is upon thee▪ It is the Lord that gives us all things to enjoy, we may have the thing and yet not injoy it except God comes in with his blessing, now whatsoever thou hast thou do'st injoy it: Many men have estates and do nor injoy them, it▪s the blessing of God that gives us all things to enjoy, it is God that through his blessing hath fashioned thy heart and made it sutable to thy condi­tion.

The Ninth Excellency, Those that are content they may expect reward from God, that God shall give unto them the good of all those things that they are contented to be without, and this brings in a­bundance of good to a [...] spirit▪ There is [...] and such a mercy that thou thinkest would be verie comfortable [...]n­to thee if thou had'st it, but c [...]nst thou bring thy heart to sub­mit to God in it? thou shalt have the blessing of the mercy one way or other; if thou hast not the thing it selfe in re thou shalt have it made up one way or other, thou shalt have a bill of ex­change to receive somewhat in li [...] of it, there is no comfort that any soul is content to be without, but the Lord will give either the comfort on somewhat in stead of i [...]: Thou shalt have a reward to thy soul for what ever good thing thou ar [...] content to be without. You know what the Scripture saith of active obedience, and the Lord doth accept (o [...] his [...]) their [...] for the deed, though we do not doe a good thing▪ yet i [...] our hearts be [...] to will to d [...] it, we shall have the blessing though we do not doe the thing: You that complain of weak­nesse, you cannot do as others do, you cannot do as much ser­vice as other [...] do [...], if your hearte be upright with God▪ and [...] [...] do [...] the same service that you s [...] others doe, you would account it▪ a great blessing of God upon you, the great­es [...] blessing in the world if you were able to doe as others d [...]; now you may comfort your selves with this, ha [...]i [...]g▪ to deale with God in the way of the [...] of Grace you shall have [...] God [...] of [...]ll [...] d [...], [...] a [...]cked [...] [Page 117] shall have the punishment for all the sin he would commit, so thou shalt have the reward for all the good thou wouldest doe. Now may not we draw an argument from active obedience to passive, there is as good reason why thou shouldest expect that God will reward thee for all that thou art willing to suffer, as well as for all that thou art willing to doe, now if thou beest willing to be without such a comfort and mercy when God sees it fit, thou shalt be no looser, certainly God will reward thee either with the comfort or with that that shall be as good to thee as the comfort, therefore consider how many things have I that others want, and can I bring my heart into a quiet con­tented frame to want what others have? I have the blessing of all that they have, and I shall either possesse such things as o­thers have, or else God will make it up one way or other, either here, or hereafter in eternity to me; Oh what riches are here, with Contentment thou hast all kind of riches.

Tenthly and lastly, by contentation the soule comes to an ex­ [...] is neare to God himselfe▪ y [...] the nearest that may be, for this word that is translated Content, it is a word that signifies [...] Selfe-sufficien [...]i [...], as I to [...]ld you in the opening of the words. A contented man is a selfe-sufficient man, what is the great glory of God but to be happy and self-sufficient in himself? indeed he is said to be [...]ll▪sufficient but that' [...] but a further addition of the word all▪ rather then of any matter, for to be sufficient, i [...] All-sufficient, now is this the glory of God to be Sufficient, to have sufficienci [...] in himselfe, El-shaddai, to be God having sufficiencie in himself, now thou comest neere to this▪ thou par­takest of the Divine nature, as by grace in generall, so in a more [...] ▪ manner by this grace of Christian-Contentment, what's the excellencie, and glory of God but this? Suppose there were no [...] in the world; and that all the creatures in the world were an [...]hilated, God would remaine the same blessed God that he is now, he would not be in a worse condition if all creatures were gone, neither would a contented heart if God should take away all creatures from him▪ a contented heart hath enough in the wa [...] of all creatures [...] would not be more miserable then now he is. Suppose that God should continue thee here' and all creatures that are here in this world were ta­k [...] [Page 118] away, yet thou still (having God to be thy portion) wouldest be as happy as now thou art, and therefore contenta­tion hath a great deal of excellency in it.

Thus we have shewed in many particulars the excellency of this grace, labouring to present the beauty of it before your souls that you may be in love with it.

Now [...]y brethren what remains but the practice of this, for this Art of Contentment it's no [...] a Speculative thing, only for contemplation, but it is an art of divinity, and therfore practi­call, ye are now to labour to work upon your hearts, that there may be this grace in you, that you may honour God and honour your profession with this grace of Contentment, for there is none doth more honour God, and honour their pro­fession then those that have this grace of Contentment. Now that we may fall upon the practice there is required.

First, That we should be humbled in our hearts for the want of this▪ that we have had so little of this grace in us, for there is no way to set upon any duty with profit, till the heart be humbled for the want of the performance of the duty before▪ many men when they hear of a duty that they should perform, they will labour to perform it, but first thou must be humbled for the want of it, therefore that's the thing that I shall endeavour in the Application, to get your hearts to be humbled for the want of this grace▪ Oh had I had this grace of Contentment, what a happy life I might have lived? what abundance of honour I might have brought to the name of God [...]i and how might I have honoured my profession? and what a deale of comfort might I have enjoyed? but the Lord know it hath been [...] o­therwise, oh how [...]ar have I been from this grace of Content­ment that hath been opened to me? I have had a murmuring a ve [...]ing and a fretting heart within me, everie little crosse hath put me out o [...] temper and out of frame, Oh the boiste­rousnesse of my spirit, what a deal of evill doth God see in my heart, in the vexing and fretting of my heart, and murmuring and [...]pining of my spirit? Oh that God would make you to see it: Now to the end that you might be humbled for the want of this. I shall endeavour in these particulars to speak un­to it.

[Page 119]First, I shall set before you The evill of a murmuring spirit, there is more evill then you are aware of.

In the Second place, I will shew you some agravations of this evil, It▪s evill in all, but in some more then in others.

Thirdly, I shall labour to take away the pleas that any murmuring discontented heart hath for this dis [...]mper of his.

There's these three things in this use of humiliation of the Soul for the want of this grace of Contentmet [...].

For the first, now at this time. The great evill that there is in a murmuring discontented heart.

In the first place, This thy murmuring and discontentednes [...] it ar­gues much corruption that is in the Soul, as Contentment argues much grace, and strong grace, and beautifull grace, so this argues much corruption, and strong corruption, and very vile corruptions in thy heart. As it is in a mans body, i [...] a mans body be of that temper that every scratch of a pin make [...] his flesh to ranckle and to be a sore, you will say surely this mans body is very corrupt, his blood & his flesh is corrupt, that every scratch of a pin shall make it rankle, so it is in thy spirit▪ i [...] every little trouble & affliction shall make thee discontent [...], and make thee murmur, and even cause thy spirit within thee [...]o ranckle, or as it is in a wound in a mans body, the evill of a wound, it is not so much in the largenesse of [...]he wound, & the abundance of blood that comes out of the wound, but in the inflamation that there is in it, or in a fretting and co [...]oding humour that is in the wound▪ a [...] unskilful m [...]n when he comes & sees a large wound in the flesh, looks upon it as a dangerous wound, and when he sees a great deal of blood g [...]sh out, he thinks these are the evils of it, but when a Chir [...]rgion comes▪ and sees a great gash, saith he this will be heald within a few­daies, but there's a lesse, wound and there's an inflamation or a freting humour that is in it, and this will cost time (saith he) to cure, so that he doth not lay balsome and healing salves up­on it, but his great care is to get out the freting humour, or in­flamation, so that the thing that must heale this wound it is some drink to purge▪ But (saith the patient) what good will this doe to my wound? You give me somewhat to drinke▪ and my wound is in my arme, or in my leg, what good will this [Page 120] doe that I put in my stomack? Yes i [...] purges out the freting hu­mour, or takes away the inflamation, and till that be taken away the salves can do no good. So it is just for all the world in the souls of m [...]n, it may be there is some affliction upon them that I compare to the wound▪ now they think that the greatnesse of the affliction is that that makes their condition most miserable, Oh no, there is a freting humour, an inflama­tion in the heart, a murmuring spirit that is within thee and that is the miserie of thy condition, and that must be purged out of thee before thou canst be heald▪ and let God doe with thee what [...]e will, till he purges out that freting humour thy wound will not be healed, a murmuring heart is a very sinful heart, so that when thou art troubled for such an affliction thou hadst need turne thy thoughts rather to be troubled for the murmuring of thy heart, for that's the greatest trouble, there is an affliction upon thee and that is greivous, but there is a murmuring heart within & that's more greivous. Oh that we could but convince men & women that a murmuring spirit is a greater evill then any affliction, let the affliction be what i [...] will be. We shall shew more afterward that a murmuring spirit is the evill of the evill▪ and the misery of the mise­ry.

Secondly, The evill of murmuring is s [...]c [...], that God when he would speak of wicked men, and discribe them▪ and shew the brand of a wicked and ungodly man or woman, he instances in this sin in a more sp [...]c [...]all manner, I might name many Scriptures▪ but that Scrip­ture in Jude is a most remarkable one, In the 14▪ verse and so forward, there i [...] is said, That the Lord comes with ten thousands of hi [...] Saints, to execute judgement upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds, which they have un­godly commit [...]ed, and of all their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. Mark here in this 15. vers. there is four times mentioned ungodly ones, all that are ungodly among them, all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly commit­ed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him: This is in the general▪ but now he comes in the particular to shew who these are, these are (saith he) murmurers, that's the very first, would you know who are [Page 121] ungodly men, that God when he comes with ten thousand of Angels shall come to punish for all their ungodly deeds that they doe, and those that speake ungodly things against them; These ungodly ones are murmurers, murmurers in the Scrip­ture are put in the fore front of ungodly ones, it's a most dread­full Scripure, that the Lord when he speaks of ungodly ones puts murmurers in the very fore-front of all, you had need look to your spirits, you may see that this murmuring, which is the vice contrarie to this Contentment is not so small a mat­ter as you think, you think you are not so ungodly as others, because you doe not sweare and drink as others doe, but you may be ungodly in murmuring, it's true there is no sin but som seedes and remayners of it are in those that are godly, but when they are under the power of this sin of murmuring, it doth convince them to be ungodly, as well as if they were un­der the power of drunkennesse, or whordome, or any other sin, God will look upon you as ungodly for this sin as well as for any sin whatsoever. This one Scripture should make the heart shake at the thought of the sin of murmuring.

Thirdly, as it's made a brand of ungodly men, so you shal find in Scripture that God accounts it rebellion, that is contrary to the worship that there was in contentednesse: that's worship­ing of God, crowching to God and falling down before him, even as a dog that would crowch when you hould a staffe over him, but a murmuring heart it's a rebellious heart, and that you shall find if you compare two Scriptures together, they are both in the book of Numb. 16. 41. But on the morrow (saith the text) all the congregation of the Children of Israell murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, ye have killed the people of the Lord. They all murmured, now compare this with the Chap. 17. & vers. 10. And the Lord said unto Moses bring Aarons rod a­gain, before the testimony to be kept for a token against the Rebels; in the 16. Chap. they murmured against Moses and Aaron, and in the 17. Chap. bring the rod of Aaron again, before the testi­mony, for a token against the Rebels. So that to be a mur­murer, and to be a rebel you see in Scripture phrase is all one, It is a rebellion against God: as it is the begining of rebellion and sedition in a kingdom when the people are discontent, [Page 122] and when discontentment comes it grows to murmuring, and you can go into no house almost but there is murmuring when men are discontent, so that within a little while it breaks forth into sedition or rebellion. Murmuring it's but as the smoke of the fire, there is first a smoke and smother before the flame breaks forth, and so before open rebellion in a kingdom there is first a smook of murmuring, and then it breaks forth into open rebellion▪ but because it hath rebellion in the seeds of it therefore it is accounted before the Lord to be rebellion▪ Wilt thou be a Rebel against God? When thou feelest thy heart discontented and murmuring aginst the dispensations of [...]od towards thee, thou shouldest check thy heart thus. Oh thou wretched heart what wilt thou be a Rebell against God? wilt thou rise in a way of Rebellion against the infinite God? yet thus thou hast done, charge thy heart with this sin of rebel­lion, you that are guiltie of this sin of murmuring you are this day by the Lord charged as being guilty of rebellion against him, and God expects that when you go home you should humble your souls before him for this sin, that you should charge your souls for being guilty of rebellion against God, ma­ny of you may say I never thought that I had bin a rebel a­gainst God before, I thought that I had many infirmityes but now I see the Scripture speaks of sin in another manner then men doe▪ the Scripture makes men (though but murmurers) to be Rebels against God▪ Oh this rebellious heart that I have a­gainst the Lord that hath manifested it's selfe in this way of murmuring against the Lord? That's a third particular in the evill of discontentment.

A fourth particular in the evill of Discontentment, it is a wic­kednesse that is exceeding contrary to Grace, and especially contrary to the worke of God, in bringing of the soul home to himselfe▪ I know no distemper more opposite and contrary to the work of God in conversion of a sinner, then this is

Quest. What's the work of God when he brings a sinner home to himselfe?

Answ. The usuall way is for God to make the [...]oul to [...]ee and be sensible of the dreadfull evill that there is in sin, and the great breath that sin hath made between God and it▪ for cer­tainly [Page 123] Jesus Christ can never be known in his beauty and excel­lency till the soul know that. I doe not speak what secret work of the Holy Ghost there may be in the Soul, but before the Soul can actually apply Jesus Christ to its selfe, it is im­possible but it must come to know the evill of sinne, and the excellency of Jesus Christ: there may be a seed of faith put in­to the Soul, but the Soul must first know Christ, and know sin, and be made sensible of it. Now how contrary is this sin of murmuring to any such work of God; hath God made me see the dreadfull evill of sin, and made my soul to be sensible of the evill of sin as the greatest burden? how can I be then so much troubled for every little affliction? certainly i [...] I saw what the evill of sinne were, that sight would swallow up all other evils, and if I were burdened with the evill of sinne, it would swallow up all other burdens, what am I now murmu­ring against Gods hand (saith such a Soul) when as a while agoe the Lord made me see my selfe [...]o be a damned wretch, and apprehend it as a wonder that I was not in Hell?

2. Yea it's mighty contrary to the sight of the infinit excel­lency and glory of Jesus Christ, and of the things of the Go­spel. What am I that soul that the Lord hath discovered such infinit excellency of Jesus Christ to, and yet shall I thinke such a little affliction to be so grievous to me, when I have had the sight of such glory in Christ that is more worth then ten thousand worlds? (for so will a true convert say) oh the Lord at such a time hath given me that sight of Christ that I would not be without for ten thousand thousand worlds▪ but hath God given thee that, and wilt thou be discontent for a trif [...]e in comparison to that?

3. A third work when God brings the Soul home to himself, it is by the taking the heart off from the Creature, the disinga­ging the heart from all creature comforts, that's the third work ordinarily that the Soul may perceive of its selfe. It's true, Gods work may be altogether in the seeds in him, but in the severall actings of the Soul in turning to God it may per­ceive these things in it, the disingagement of the heatt from the Creature, that's the calling of the Soul from the world, whom the Lord hath called he hath justified, what's the calling of the [Page 124] Soul but this, the Soul that before was seeking for Content­ment in the world, and cleaving to the Creature, now the Lord cals the Soul out of the world, and saith, oh Soul, thy happinesse is not here, thy rest is not here, thy happinesse is else where, and thy heart must be loosned from all these things that are here below in the world, and this is the work of God in the Soul to disingage the heart from the Creature, and how contrary is a murmuring heart to such a thing; a thing that is glued to another you cannot take off, but you must rend it, so it's a sign thy heart is glued to the world, that when God would take thee off, thy heart rends, if God by an affliction should come to take any thing in the world from thee, if thou canst part from it with ease without rending, it's a sign then that thy heart is not glewed to the world.

4. A fourth work of God in the converting of a sinner, is this, the casting of the soul upon Jesus Christ for all its good: I see Jesus Christ in the Gospel the Fountain of all good, and God out of free Grace tendering him to me for life, and for salvation, and now my soul casts its selfe, rouls its selfe upon the infinit Grace of God in Christ for all good, now hast thou done so? hath God converted thee, and drawn thee to his Son to cast thy soul upon him for all thy good, and yet thou discon­tented for the want of some little matter in a creature comfort? art thou he that hath cast thy Soul upon Jesus Christ for all good? as he saith in another case, is this thy faith?

5. The Soul is subdued to God. And then it comes to re­ceive Jesus Christ as a King, to rule, to order, and dispose of him how he pleases, and so the heart is subdued unto God. Now how opposite is a murmuring discontented heart to a heart sub­dued to Jesus Christ as a King, and receiving him as a Lord to rule and dispose of him as he pleases.

6. There is in the work of thy turning to God the giving up of thy selfe to God in an everlasting Covenant, as thou takest Christ the head of the Covenant to be thine, so thou givest up thy selfe to Christ; In the work of Conversion there is the re­signation of the Soul wholly to God in an everlasting Cove­nant to be his, hast thou ever surrendred up thy selfe to God in an overlasting Covenant? then certainly this thy fretting, mur­muring [Page 125] heart is mighty opposite to it, certainly thou forgettest this Covenant of thine, and the Resignation of thy selfe up to God, it would be of marvellous helpe to you to humble your Souls when you are in a murmuring condition; if you could but obtain so much liberty of your own spirits as to look back to see what the work of God was in converting you, there is nothing would prevaile more then to think of that. I am now in a murmuring discontented way, but how did I feel my soul working when God did turn my Soul to himselfe? oh how op­posite is this to that work, and how unseeming? oh what shame and confusion would come upon the spirits of men and women, if they could but compare the work of corruption in their murmuring and discontent, with the work of God that was upon their Souls in conversion; now we should labour to keep the work of God upon our Souls that was at our Con­version; for Conversion must not be only at one instant at first: men are deceived in this, if they think their Conversion is fi­nished meerly at first, thou must be in a way of conversion to God all the dayes of thy life, and therefore Christ saith to his Disciples, except ye be converted and become as little children: Ye be Converted, why, were they not converved before? yes they were converted, but they were still to continue the work of Conversion all the dayes of their lives, and what work of God there is at the first Conversion it is to abide afterwards. As thus, alwayes there must abide some sight and sense of sin, it may be not in the way which you had, which was rather a preparation then any thing else, but the sight and sence of sin it is to continue still, that is, you are still to be senceable of the burden of sin as it is against the Holinesse, and Goodnesse, and mercy of God unto thee, and the sight of the excellency of Je­sus Christ is to continue, and thy calling out of the Creature: and thy casting of thy Soul upon Christ, and thy receiving Christ as a King, still receive him day by day, and the subdu­ing of thy heart, and the surrendring of thy selfe up to God in a way of Covenant; now if this were but daily continued there would be no space nor time for murmuring to work upon thy heart, that's the fourth Particular.

The fift thing in the evill of discontentment, Murmuring [Page 126] and discontentment is exceedingly below a Christian; Oh it is too mean and base a distemper for a Christian to give place to it. Now it's below a Christian in many respects.

1 How below the relation of a Christian? The relation in which thousandest. With what relation you will say?

First, the relation thou standest in to God, doest not thou call God thy father? and doest not thou stand in relation to him as a childe? what thou murmure? In 2 Sam. 13. 4. Its a speech of Jonadab to Amn [...]n. Why art thou being the Kings Son, [...]ean from day to day, wilt thou not tell me? and so he could him, (but that was for a wicked cause,) he perceived that his spirit was troubled, for otherwise he was of a fat and plump temper of body but because of trouble of spirit he was even pin'd away; why? what's the matter? thou that standest in this relation to the King and yet any thing should trouble thy heart, (that's his meaning,) is there any thing that should disquiet thy heart and yet standest in such a relation to the King, the Kings Son? So I may say to a Christian, art thou the Kings Son, the Son, the Daughter, of the King of Heaven, and yet so disquieted and troubled, and vext at every little thing that falls out? as if a Kings Son should cry out he is undone for loosing a bable, what an unworthy thing were this: So doest thou, thou criest out as if thou wert undone and yet a Kings Son, thou that standest in such relation to God, as unto a father, thou doest dishonour thy father in this; as if so be either he had not wis­dom, or not power, or not mercy enough to provide for thee.

2 The relation that thou standest in to Jesus Christ, thou art the spouse of Christ, what! one married to Jesus Christ & yet troubled and discontented? hast thou not enough in him? doth not Christ say to his spouse, as Elkanah said to Hannah, 1 Sam. 1. 8. Am not I better to thee then ten sons? So doth not Christ thy husband say to thee, Am not I better to thee then thousands of riches and comforts, such comforts as thou murmurest for want of, hath not God given thee his Son and will he not with him give thee all things? hath the love of God bin to thee to give thee his Son in way of marriage? why art thou discon­tented and murmuring? consider thy relation to Jesus Christ, [Page 127] as thou art a spouse and married to him, his person is thine, and so all the riches of Jesus Christ is thine, as the riches of a husband are the wives, and though there are some husbands so vile as the wives may be forced to sue for maintainance; cer­tainly Jesus Christ will never deny maintainance to his spouse, it's a dishonour for a husband to have the wife go whining up and down; what, thou art macht with Christ & art his spouse, and wilt thou murmure now and be discontented in thy spirit? You shall observe among those that are newly matched, when there is discontent between the wife and the husband, their friends will shake their heads and say, they do not meet with that that they did expect, ye see ever since they were mar­ried together how the man looks, and the woman looks, they are not so chearly as they were wont to be, surely (say they) it is like to prove an ill match. But it's not so here, it shall not be so between thee and Christ: Oh Jesus Christ doth not love to see his spouse to have a lowring countenance: no man loves to see discontentment in the face of his wife, surely Christ doth not love to see discontentment in the face of his spouse.

3 Thou standest in relation to Christ not only as a spouse, but as a member▪ Thou art bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh; and to have a member of Jesus Christ to be in such a condition, it's ex­ceeding unworthy.

4 He is thy elder brother likewise, and so thou art a co-heir with him.

5. The relation that thou standest in to the Spirit of God, thou art the Temple of the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost is thy Com­forter, it is he that is appointed to conveigh all comfort from the Father and the Son, to the Souls of his people. And art thou the Temple of the Holy Ghost, and doth he dwell in thee, and yet for all that thou murmure for every little matter.

6. The relation that thou standest in to the Angels, thou art made one body with them, for so Christ hath joyned principalities and powers with his Church, they are Ministring Spirits for good of his people, to supply what they need, and thou, and they are joyned together, and Christ is the head of you and Angels.

7. The relation that you stand in to the Saints, you are of the same body with them, they and you make up but one mysticall body [Page 128] with Jesus Christ, and if they be happy you must needs be hap­py; Oh how beneath a Christian is a murmuring Spirit if he considers his relations in which he stands.

Secondly, A Christian should consider, That murmuring and discontentednesse is below the high dignities that God hath put upon him: Doe but consider the high dignytie that God hath put upon thee; the meanest Christian in the world is a lord of heaven and earth; he hath made us Kings unto himselfe, Kings unto God, not Kings unto men to rule over them, and yet I say every Christian is lord of heaven and earth, yea of life and death. That is, as Christ he is Lord of all, so he hath made those that are his members to be lords of all, all are yours saith the Apostle, even life and death, every thing is yours, it's a very strange expression that death should be theirs, death is yours, that is; you are as it were lords over it, you have that that shall make death to be your servant, your slave, even death it's self, your greatest enemies are turned to be your slaves; faith makes a Christian to be as lord over all, to be lifted up in excellency above all creatures that ever God made except the An­gels, yea and in some respect above them, I say the poorest Christian that lives is raised to an estate above all the creatures in the world except Angels, yea and above them in divers re­spects too, and yet discontented! that thou who wert as a fire­brand of hell, and might have been scorching and yelling and ro [...]ing there to all eternity, yet that God should raise thee to have a higher excellency in thee then there is in all the works of creation that ever he made except Angels, and other Christi­ans that are in thy condition, yea and thou art nearer the Di­vine nature then the Angels, because thy nature is joyned in an hypostaticall union to the Divine nature, and in that re­spect thy nature is more honoured then the nature of the An­gels. And the death of Christ is thine, he dyed for thee and not for the Angels, and therefore thou art like to be raised a­bove the Angels in divers respects: yea thou that art in such an estate as this is, thou that art set apart to the end that God might manifest to all eternity what the infinite power of a De­ity is able to raise a creature too; for that's the condition of a Saint, a beleever, his condition is such as he is set apart to the [Page 129] end that God might manifest to all eternity what his infinite power is able to do to make the creature happy, art thou in such a condition? Oh how low and beneath this condition is a murmuring and discontented heart for want of some out­ward comforts here in this world: How unseemly is it that thou shouldest be a slave to every cross, that every affliction shal be able to say to thy soul bow down to us: We accounted that a great slavery, when men would say to our souls bow down: As the cruel Prelats were wont do do in imposing things upon mens consciences, they did in effect say, let your consciences, your souls bow down to us, that we may tread upon them; that is the greatest slavery in the world that one man should say to another, let your consciences, your souls bow down that we may tread upon them, but wilt thou suffer every affliction to say bow down that we may tread upon thee? truly it's so, when thy heart is overcome with murmuring and discontent: Know that those afflictions which have caused thee to murmur have said to thee bow down that we may tread upon thee: Nay not afflictions, but the very Devill doth prevail against you in this: Oh! how beneath is this to the happy estate that God hath raised a Christian unto; what? The Son of a King, shal he have every base fellow to come and bid him bow down that he may tread upon his neck? Thus doest thou in every affliction: The affliction, the crosse and trouble that doth befall thee, saith bow down that we may come and tread upon thee.

Thirdly, Murmuring it's below the Spirit of a Christian. Below his Spirit, the Spirit of every Christian should be like the Spi­rit of his Father; every father loves to see his spirit in his child, loves to see his image, not his image of his body onely, to say here's a child for all the world like the father, but he hath the Spirit of his father too: A father that is a man of Spirit loves to see his Spirit in his child, rather then the feature of his bo­dy; Oh the Lord that is our Father loves to see his Spirit in us: Great men loves to see great Spirits in their children, and the great God loves to see a great Spirit in his Children, we are one Spirit with God, and with Christ, and one Spirit with the Holy-Ghost therefore we should have a Spirit that might manifest the glory of the Father Son & Holy-Ghost in our Spi­rits; [Page 130] that's the Spirit of a Christian indeed. The Spirit of a Christian should be a lyon like Spirit, as Jesus Christ is the Ly­on of the tribe of Judah, (so he is calld) so we should manifest somewhat of the Lyon-like Spirit of Jesus Christ, he manifest­ed his Lyon-like Spirit in passing through all afflictions and troubles whatsoever without any murmuring against God. When he came to drink that bitter cup, and even the dregs of it, he prayed indeed to God that if it were possible it might passe from him, but presently, not my will, but thy will be done: As soone as ever he did mention the passing of the cup from him, though it were the most dreadfull cup that ever was drunke since the world began, yet at the mentioning of it, not my will but thy will be done; here Christ shewed a Lyon-like Spirit in going through al kind of afflictions whatsoever with­out any murmuring against God in them; now a murmuring Spirit is a base dejected Spirit, crosse and contrary to the Spi­rit of a Christian, and it's very base. I remember that the Heathens accouned it very base, Plutarch doth report of a cer­taine people that did use to manifest their disdaine to men that were overmuch dejected by any affliction, they did condemne them to this punishment; to wear womens cloaths all their dayes, or such a space of time at least they should go in wo­mans cloths in token of shame and disgrace to them because they have such effeminate spirits, they thought it against a man­like Spirit, and therefore seeing they did un-man themselves they should go as women, now shall they account it an unman­like Spirit, to be overmuch dejected in afflictions; and shall not a Christian account it an unchristian like Spirit to be over­much dejected by any affliction whatsoever? I remember ano­ther compares murmuring Spirits to children when they are weaning, what a deal of stir have you with your children when you wean them, how froward and vexing are they: So when God would wean thee from some outward comforts in this world, Oh how fretting and discontented art thou! Children will not sleep themselves, nor let their mothers sleep when they are weaning; and so when God would wean us from the world, and we fret, vex, and murmure, this is a childish spirit.

[Page 131]Fourthly, It's below the profession of a Christian, The profes­sion of a Christian, what's that? A Christians profession is to be dead to the world and and to be alive to God, that's his pro­fession, to have his life to be hid with Christ in God, to satis­fie himselfe in God, what is this thy profession? and yet if thou hast not every thing that thou wouldest have to murmure and be discontent, thou doest in that even deny thy professi­on.

Fiftly, It is below that special Grace of faith, faith is that that doth overcome the world, it is that that makes all the promi­ses of God to be ours, now when thou tookest upon thee the profession of Religion did God ever promise thee that thou shouldest live at ease, and quiet, and have no trouble? I re­member Austine hath such an expression, what is this thy faith? what did I ever promise thee (saith he) that thou shouldest ever flourish in the world? art thou a Christian to that end? and is this thy faith? I never made any such promise to thee when thou tookest upon thee to be a Christian: Oh it's mighty con­trary to thy profession, thou hast never a promise for this, that thou shouldest not have such an affliction upon thee: And a Christian should live by his faith; it is said that the just doth live by faith, now thou shouldest not look after any other life but the life that thou hast by faith, now thou hast no ground for thy faith to beleeve that thou shouldest be delivered out of such an affliction, and then why shouldest thou account it such a great evill to be under such an affliction? Certainly that good that we have in the ground for our faith, it is enough to content our hearts here, and to all eternity: A Christian should be satisfied with that that God hath made to be the object of his faith, the object of his faith is high enough to satisfie his soul, were it capeable of a thousand times more then it is: Now if thou mayest have the object of thy faith full thou hast e­nough to content thy soul: And know that when thou art dis­contented for want of such and such comforts, if thou would­est but think thus, God did never promise me that I should have these comforts, and at this time, and in such a way as I would have, but I am discontented because I have not these which God did never yet promise me, and therefore I sin much [Page 132] against the Gospel, and against the grace of faith.

There is yet another thing, It's below the hopes of Chri­stians: Oh! the most glorious things that the Saints hope for.

And against the helps that Christians have, Christians have great helps that may help them against murmuring.

And it is against that which God expects from Christians. God he expects other manner of things from them then this.

Yea, and it is below that that God hath from other Christi­ans. These things I shall open at another time.

SERMON VIII.

I Mentioned divers things the last day to set outSept. 21. 1645. the evill of discontent; I shall name two or three more.

Sixthly, It is below a Christian in this, because it's below those helps that a Christian hath more then others have, they have the promises to help them that others have not, it's not so much to have a Nabal have his heart sinke, because he hath nothing but the creature to uphold him, but it's much for a Christian that hath promises and ordinances to uphold his spirit which others have not.

Seventhly, It's below the expectation, that God hath of Christian [...] ▪ for God expects not only that they should be patient in afflicti­ons, but that they should rejoyce and triumph in them, now [Page 133] Christians, when God expects this from you, for you not so much as to have attained to contentednesse under afflictions, oh this is beneath the expectation of God from you.

Eightly, It is below that that God hath had from other Christians, others have not only bin contented with little crosses, but they have Triumphed under great afflictions, they have suffered the spoiling of their goods with joy, reade but the later part of the 11. of the Hebrews, and you shall find what great things God hath had from his people, and therfore not to be content with smaler crosses this must needs be a great evill.

The Sixth evill that there is in a murmuring spirit is this, By murmuring you undoe your prayers, for it is exceeding contrary to the prayers that you make unto God: When you come to prayer to God, you acknowledge his Soveraignity over you, you come there to professe your selves to be at Gods dispose, what doe you pray for except you acknowledge that you are at his dis­pose, except you wil stand (as it were) at his dispose never come to petition to him, if you will come to petition him and yet will be your own carver you go crosse to your prayers, to come as if you would beg your bread at your Fathers gates every day, and yet you must do what you list, this is the undoing of the prayers of a Christian. I remember I have read of Lat­timer that speaking concerning Peter that denyed his master, (saith he) Peter forgot his Pater-noster, for that was hallowed be thy name, and thy kingdome come, so we may say, when you have murmuring and discontented hearts you forget your prayers, you forget what you have prayed for, for you must make the Lords prayr to be as a pattern for your prayrs though you say not alwaies the same words, what do you pray but give us this day our dayly bread, for that's Christs intention that we should have that as a patterne, and is a directory (as it were) how to make our prayers, now God doth not teach any of you to pray, Lord give me so much a year, or let me have such kind of cloath, and so many dishes at my table, Christ doth not teach you to pray so, but he teaches us to pray Lord give us our bread shewing that you should be content with a little, what have you not bread to eate? I hope there's none of you here but have that.

[Page 134] Obj. Put I do not know if I should die what should become of my children: Or if I have bread now I know not where I shall have it the next week, or where I shall have provision for the winter.

Answ. Where did Christ teach us to pray Lord give us pro­vision for so long a time, no, but if we have bread for this day Christ would have us content: Therefore when we murmure because we have not so much variety as others have, we do (as it were, forget our Pater-n [...]ster; It's against our prayers, we do not in our lives hold forth the acknowledgement of the Sover­aignity of God over us as we seem to acknowledg in our prayrs, therefore when at any time you find your hearts murmuring then do but reflect upon your selves and think thus, is this ac­cording to my prayers, wherein I held forth the Soveraigne power and Authority that God had over me?

The seventh thing that I adde for the evill of discontentment is the wofull effects that comes to a discontented heart from murmuring, Ile name you five, there are five evill effects that comes from a murmuring spirit.

1. By murmuring and discontent in your hearts, you come to loose a great deale of time, how many times doe men and women when they are discontended let their thoughts run, and are musing and contriving (through their present discontendednesse) then let their discontended thoughts be working in them, for some hours together, and they spend their time in vain. When you are alone you should spend your time in holy meditation, but you are spending your time in discontented thoughts, you who complain that you cannot meditate, you cannot thinke on good things, but if you begin to think of them a little, presently your thoughts are off from them, but if you be dis­contented with any thing, then you can go alone, and muse, and roul things up and down in your thoughts to feed a dis­contented humour: Oh labour to see this evill effect of mur­muring, the losing of your time.

2. It doth unfit you for duty, a man or woman that is in a con­tented frame, you may turn such a one to any thing at any time, he is fit for to go to God at any time, but when one is in a discontented condition, then a man or woman is exceeding [Page 135] unfit for the service of God. And it causes many distractions in duty, it unfits for duty, and when you come to performe duties, oh the distractions that are in your duties, when your spirits are discontented; when you hear of any ill news from Sea and cannot bear it, or of any il from a friend, or any losse or crosse, oh what distractions doe they cause in the per­formance of holy duties. When you should be in injoying communion with God, you are distracted in your thoughts a­bout the crosse that hath befallen you, whereas had you but a quiet spirit, though there should great crosses befall you, yet they would never hinder you in the performance of any du­tie,

3. Consider What wicked risings of heart, & resolutions of spirit there are many times in a discontented fit. In some discontented fits the heart rises against God, and against others and sometimes hath even desperate resolutions what to do to help themselves▪ If the Lord should have suffered you to have done, (sometimes in a discontented fit) what you had thought to doe, what won­derfull misery had you brought upon your selves, oh it was a mercy of God that did stop you, had not God stopt you, but let you go on when you thought to helpe your selves this way and the other way, oh it had been ill with you, doe you but re­member those risings of heart and wicked resolutions that sometimes you have had in a discontented mood, and learn to be humbled upon that.

4. Vnthankefulnesse that's an evill and a wicked effect that comes from discontent. Vnthankfulnesse the Scripture doth ranke among very great sins. For men and women that are discon­tent though they enjoy many mercies from God, yet they are thankfull for none of them for this is the vile nature of dis­contentment to lessen every mercy of God; to make those mercies they have from God to be as nothing to them, because they have not what they would have. Sometimes it's so even in spirituall things, if they have not all they would have, the comforts that they would have, then what they have is nothing to them, doe you think that God will take this well? If you should give a friend, a kinsman, a pursse of money to go and trade withall, and he should come and say what doe you give [Page 136] me? they are but a few counters, they will doe me no good: you cannot bear this at his hand, if he should doe so because he hath not as much money as he would: so for you to be ready to say all that God hath given me is nothing worth, will doe me no good, they are but counters; though they are the preci­ous graces of Gods Spirit that are more worth then thousands of worlds, yet for you to say they are nothing, they are but co­mon gifts, and all is but in hypocrisie, all counterfeit, Oh what an unthankful thing is this; the graces of Gods Spirit are nothing to a discontented heart that hath not all that it would have, and so for outward blessings, though God hath given you health of body, and strength, and hath given you some competency for your family, some way of lively-hood, yet because you are disappointed in somwhat that you would have, therefore all is nothing unto you, Oh what unthankfullnesse is here? God expects that every day you should spend some time in blessing his name for what mercy he hath granted to you, there's not any one of you who are in the lowest condition but you have abundance of mercies to blesse God for, but discon­tentednesse makes them nothing. It's an excellent speech that I remember Luther hath, (saith he) this is the Rhetorick of the Spirit of God, (it's a very fine speech of his) to extenuate evill things, and to amplyfie good things, if there falls out a crosse to make the crosse to be but little, but if there be a mercy to make the mercy to be great, as thus, if there be a crosse, if the Spirit of God prevails in the heart, such a man or woman will wonder that it is no greater, and will blesse God that though there be such a crosse yet that it is no more, that's the worke of the Spirit of God; and if there be a mercy, wonders at Gods goodnesse that God granted so great a mercy: The Spirit of God extenuats evils, and crosses, and doth magnyfie and am­plyfie all mercies, and makes all mercies seem to be great, and all afflictions seem to be little. But saith he the Devill goes quit contrary, the rhetorick of the devill is quit otherwise, he doth lessen Gods mercies, and amplyfy evill things, as thus, a godly man wonders at his crosse that it is no more, a wicked man wonders his crosse is so much, Oh saith he none was ever so afflicted as I am: If there be a crosse, the Devill puts the soul [Page 137] upon musing on it, and making it greater then it is, and so it brings discontent: And then on the other side, if there be a mercy, then it's the Rhetorick of the Devill to lessen the mercy, I indeed (saith he) the thing is a good thing, but what is it, it is no great matter, and for all this I may be miserable. Thus the Rhetorick of Satan doth lessen Gods mercies, and doth in­crease afflictions: And for this I'le give you a notable example that we have in Scripture, it is the example of Korah, Dathan & Abiram, In Numb. 16. 12, 13. And Moses sent to call Dathan, & Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said we will not come up: Is it a smal thing that thou hast brought us up out of a Land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thy selfe altogether a Prince over us? Mark, they slighted the land that they were going unto, the Land of Canaan, that was the Land that God promised them that should flow with milk and honey: But mark here their discontentednesse, because they met with some troubles in the wildernesse, oh it was to slay them, they make their affliction in the wildernesse to be greater then it was, Oh it was to kill them, though it were indeed to carry them to the Land of Canaan. But now their deliverance from Egypt though it was a great mercy, they made that mercy to be no­thing, for say they you have brought us out of a land that flow­eth with mith milk and honey, what land was that? It was the land of Egypt, the land of their bondage, but they call it a land that flowed with milk and honey, though it were the land of their most cruell and unsupportable bondage; whereas they should have blessed God as long as they had liv'd for▪ Gods delivering them out of the land of Egypt, yet meeting with some crosse they make their deliverance from Egypt no mercy, no, it was rather a misery to them, Oh (say they) Egypt was a land that flowed with milk and honey. Oh what basenesse is there in a discontented spirit! a discontented spirit out of envy to Gods grace will make mercies that are great to be little, yea to be none at all. Would one ever have thought that such a word should have come from the mouth of an Israelite that had bin under bondage and cried under it, and yet when they meet with a little crosse in their may to say, you have brought us out of the land that floweth with milk and honey, to say they [Page 138] were better before then now, and yet before they could not be contented neither; this is the usuall unthankfull expression of a discontented heart: And it is so with us now when we meet with any crosse in our estates, any taxations and trouble, espe­cially if any among you have bin where the enemy hath pre­vailed, you are ready to say, we had plenty before and we are now brought to a condition of hardship, we were better before when we had the Prelats and others to domineere, and so we in danger our selves to be brought into that bondage again; oh let us take heed of this, of a discontented heart, there is this wo­full cursed fruit of discontent to make men and women un­thankfull for all the mercies God hath granted to them, and this is a sore and greivious evil.

And lastly, There's this evil effect in murmuring, it causes shift­tings of spirit, they that murmur and are discontent, are lyable to temptations, to shift for them selves in sinfull and ungodly waies, discontent is the ground of shifting courses and unlaw­ful waies. How many of you may have your consciences con­demne you of this, that you in the time of your afflictions have sought to shift for your selves by waies that have been sinfull a­gainst God, and your discontent was the bottom and ground of it? If you would avoid shiftings for your selves by wicked waies, labour to mortifie this sin of discontent, to mortifie it at the root.

The eight evill that there is in murmuring and discontent is this, There is a great deal of folly, extream folly in a discontented heart, it's a foolish sin. I shall open the folly of it in many par­ticulars.

1. It takes away the present comfort of what you have, because you have not somwhat that you would have. What a foolish thing is this that because I have not what I would have, I will not in­joy the comfort of what I have: Doe not you account this fol­ly in your children, you give them some victuals and they are not contented, perhaps (they say) it's not enough, they cry for more, and if you doe not presently give them more they will throw away that they have, and though you account that folly in your children, yet you deal thus with God, God gives you many mercies, but you see others have more mercies [Page 139] then you and therefore you cry for more; I but God gives you not what you would have and upon that you throw away what you have, is not this folly in your hearts? It is unthank­fullnesse.

2. There's a great deal of folly in discontentment, for by all your discontent you cannot helpe your selves, you cannot get any thing by it. Who can by taking any carking care adde one cubit to his stature, or make one hair that is white to be black? You may vex and trouble your selves but you can get nothing by it. Doe you think that the Lord will come in a way of mer­cy ever a whit the sooner because of the murmuring of your spirits, Oh no, but mercy will be rather deferred the longer for it, though the Lord were before in a way of mercy, yet this distemper of your hearts were enough to put him out of his course of mercy, and though he had thoughts that you should have the thing before, yet now you shall not have it. If you had a mind to give such a thing to your child yet if you see him in a discontented freting way you will not give it him; and this is the very reason why there are so many mercyes denied to you, because of your discontentment, you are discontented for want of them, and therefore you have them not, you doe deprive your selves of the injoyment of your own desires because of the discontentment of your hearts, because you have not your desires, and is not this a foolish thing?

3 There's a great deal of folly in this, there are many foolish car­riages commonly that a discontented heart is guilty of. They carry them­selves foolishly towards God and towards men, there are such ex­pressions, and such kind of behaviour comes from them, as makes their friends to be ashamed of them many times, their carriages are so unseemly, they are a shame to themselves & their friends.

4. There is a great deal of folly in discontent and murmuring, for it doth eate out the good and sweetnesse of a mercie before it comes, if God should give a mercie that we are discontented for the want of, yet the blessing of the mercie is as it were eaten out before we come to have it. Discontent is like a worm that eates the meat out of the nut, and then when the meat is eaten out of it then you shall have the shell. If a child should crie for a nut [Page 140] that hath the meat eaten out, or all worm-eaten, what good would the child have by having the nut, so such an outward comfort you would faine have and you are troubled for the want of it, but the very trouble of your spirits is the worm that eates out the blessing of the mercy, and then perhaps God gives it you, but gives you it with a curse mixed with it that you were better not have it then have it. That man or woman that is dis­contented for want of some good thing, if God doth give that good thing to them before they be humbled for their discon­tent that did proceed from them, such a man or woman can have no comfort of the mercy, but it will be rather an evil then a good to them: And therefore for my part if I should have a friend or brother or one that was as dear to me as my own soul, that I should see discontented for the want of such a comfort, I should rather pray, Lord keep this thing from them, tel thou wilt be pleased to humble their hearts for their discontent, let not them have the mercy till they come to be humbled for their discontent for the want of it, for if they have it before that time they will have it without any blessing: And therefore it should be your care when you find your hearts discontented for want of any thing, to be humbled for it, thinking thus with your selves, Lord if that that I do so immoderatly desire should come to me before I be humbled for my discontent for want of it, I am certain I can have no comfort of it, but I shall rather have it as an affliction to me. Many things which you desire as your lives, and think that you should be happy if you had them, yet when they do [...] come you find not such happinesse in them, but they prove to be the greatest crosses and afflictions to you that ever you had, and upon this ground because your hearts were immoderatly set upon them before you had them. As it was with Rachel she must have children or else she dyed, well saith God seeing you must, you shal have them, but though she had a child she dyed according to what she said Give me children or else I die. So in regard of any other outward com­forts, people may have the thing, but often times they have it so as it proves the heaviest cro [...]e to them that ever they had in all their lives, such a child as you were discontent for the [Page 141] want of it, it may be it was sick, and your hearts were out of temper for fear that you should loose it, and God restores it, but he restores it so as he makes it a crosse to your heart all the daies of your lives. One observes concerning Manna, when the people were contented with their allowance that God al­lowed them, then it was verie good, but when they would not be content with Gods allowance, but would gather more then God would have them, then saith the text there was worms in it: So when we are content with our conditions, and that that God disposes of us to be in, there's a blessing in it, then it is sweet to us, but if we must needs have more, and keep it longer then God would have us to have it, then there will be wormes in it and no good at all.

5 Ther's a great deal of folly in discontentedness, for it makes our af­fliction a great deal worse then otherwise it would be; It no way re­moves our affliction, nay while they do continue they are a great deal the worse & heavier, for a discōtented heart is a proud heart, and a proud heart will not pull downe his sails when there comes a tempest and storme: If a marriner when a tem­pest and storme comes should be froward and would not pull down his sails, but is discontented with the storm, is his con­dition the better because he is discontented and will not pull down his sails? Will this help him? Just so is it for all the world with a discontented heart, a discontented heart is a proud heart, and he out of his pride is troubled with his afflicti­on, and is not contented with Gods dispose, and so hee will not pull down his spirit at all, and make it to bow to God in this condition in which God hath brought him, now is his condition the better because he will not pull down his spirit? no certainly abundantly worse, a thousand to one but the tem­pest and storm overwhelms his soul; and thus you see what a great deale of folly there is in the sinne of discontent­ment.

The ninth evill of murmuring and discontentment is this, There's a mighty deal of danger in the sin of discontentment, for it ex­ceedingly provoketh the wrath of God, it is a sin that doth much pro­voke God against his creature, we find most sad expressions in Scripture (and examples too) how God hath bin provoked a­gainst [Page 142] many for their discontent, In Numb. 14. you have a no­table text, and one would think that that was enough for e­ver to make you fear murmuring, in the [...]6. verse▪ it is said, The Lord speak unto Moses and unto Aaron saying, what did he say? how long shall I bear with this evill congregation which murmure a­gainst me? how long shall I bear with them saith God, This evil Congregation, Oh it's an evil congregation that murmur against me: And how long shall I bear with them? they do murmur, and they have murmured: as those that have murmuring spi­rits, and murmuring dispositions they will murmur again, & again, How long shall I bear with this evill congregation that murmur against me? how justly may God speak this of many of you that are this morning before the Lord, how long shall I bear with this wicked man or woman that doth murmur against me, and hath usually in the course of their lives murmured against me when any thing falls out otherwise then they would have it? And mark what follows after, I have heard the murmurings of the Children of Israel, you murmur, it may be others hear you not, nay it may be you speak not at all, or but half-words▪ yet God hears the language of your murmuring hearts, and those mut­tering speeches, and those halfe words that comes from you. And observe further in this vers. how the Lord repeats this sin of murmuring, How long shall I bear with this evill congregation which murmur against me? Secondly, I have heard their murmur­ing. Thirdly, which they murmure against me, murmur, murmur, murmur, Three times in one verse he repeats it, and this is to shew his indignation against the thing: When you expresse indignation against a thing you will repeat it over again, and again, now the Lord because he would expresse his indignation against this sin, he repeats it over again, and again, and it fol­lows in the 28. verse, Say unto them as truly as I live saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine eares so will I do to you, mark, God swears against a murmurer, sometimes in your discontent you will be ready to swear (it may be▪) do you swear in your discontent? So doth God swear against you for your discontent. And what was it that God would doe unto them? vers. 29, 30. Doubtless your carkeises shall fall in the wilderness; and you shall not come into the land concerning which I swear, to make you dwel therein, as if God [Page 143] should say, if I have any life in me, your lives shall go for it, as I live it shall cost you your lives. A discontented murmuring fit of yours may cost you your lives, You see how it provokes God, there is more evill in it then you were aware of, it may cost you your lives▪ and therefore look to your selves, and learn to he humbled at the verie beginings of such distempers in the heart. So in Psal. 106. 24, 25. Yea they despised the pleasant Land, they beleeved not his word; But murmured in their tents, and harkened not unto the voice of the Lord, therefore he lifted up his hand gainst them to overthrow them in the wildernesse. Here are divers things observable in this Scripture.

First, that which we spoke to before, how a murmuring heart doth slight Gods mercies, so it is here, They despised the pleasant land: and that a murmuring heart is contrary to faith, they beleeved not his word but (saith the text) they murmured in their tents, and harkned not to the voice of the Lord, many men and wo­men will hearken to the voice of their own base murmuring hearts, that will not hearken to the voice of the Lord; if you would harken to the voice of the Lord there would not be such murmuring as there is: But mark what follows upon it, you may not think to please your selves in your murmuring discon­tentednesse, and think that no evill shall come of it! Therefore he lifted up his hand against them to overthrow them, you that are dis­contented, you lift up your hearts against God, and you cause God to lift up his hand against you; perhaps God layes his finger upon you softly in some afflictions that are upon you, in your families or else where, and you cannot bear the hand of God that lies upon you as tenderly as a tender-hearted nurse that lays her hand upon the child, you cannot bear the tender hand of God that is upon you in a lesser affliction; it were [...]ust with God to lift up his hand against you in another manner of affliction; Oh a murmuring spirit provokes God exceedingly▪ There is another place in 16. of Num. compare the 41. verse, and the 46. ver. together, But on the morrow all the Congregati­on of the Children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, ye have killed the people of the Lord, and mark in the 46. verse, And Moses said unto Aaron, take a Censer and put fire therein, from off the Altar, and put on Incense, and go quickly unto [Page 144] the Congregation and make an attonement for them, for there is wrath gone out from the Lord, the plague is begun; mark how Gods wra [...]h is kindled: in the 41 verse, the congregation had mur­mured, and they murmured but against Moses and Aaron, (per­haps you murmur more directly against God) and that was a­gainst God in murmuring against Gods Ministers, it was a­gainst God but not so directly, but it may be the murmuring of your hearts is more directly against Gods dealings with you, if you murmur against those that God makes instruments, (be­cause you have not every thing that you would have) as a­gainst the Parliament, or such and such that are publique in­struments, it's against God, it was but against Moses and Aaron that the Israelites murmured, and they said that Moses and Aaron had killed the people of the Lord, though it was the hand of God that was upon them for their former wickednesse in murmuring. It is usuall for wicked vile hearts to deal thus with God, that when Gods hand is a little upon them for to murmur again and again, and so to bring upon themselves even infinite kind of evills; but now the anger of God was quickly kindled, Oh saith Moses go take the Censer quickly for wrath is gone out from Jehovah, the plague is begun, so while you are murmuring in your families, the wrath of God may quick­ly goe out against you, quickly, in a morning or evening, when you are murmuring, the wrath of God may come quick­ly out upon your families or persons, you are never so prepa­red for present wrath as when you are in a murmuring discon­tented fit, those that stand by and see you in a murmuring dis­contented fit, have cause to say Oh let us go and take the censer, let us go to prayer for we are afraid that wrath is gone out a­gainst this family, against this person: And it were a verie good thing for thee that art a godly wife when you see your husband come home and fall to murmuring because things goe not according to his desire, to go to prayer, and say Lord par­don the sin of my husband; and so for the husband to go to God in prayer falling down and beseeching of him that wrath may not come out against his family for the murmur­ing of his wife. And the truth is, at this day there hath been (at least lately) as much murmuring in England as ever was, [Page 145] and even in this very particular the plague is begun, and this very judgment it doth come many times upon murmuring up­on those that are so discōtented in their families, & are alwaies a grumbling and murmuring at any thing that falls out amisle. I say this text of Scripture in Numb. doth clearly hold forth this, that the Lord brings the plague upon men for this sin of murmuring, he doth it in kingdomes and families, and upon particular persons. Though we cannot alwaies point out the particular sin that God brings this for, yet this should be ex­amined how far we are guilty of the sin of murmuring, because the Scripture holds forth this so clearly that Moses when he did but hear that they murmured, doe they murmur, saith hee goe forth quickly and seeke to pacifie the anger of God, for wrath is gone out, and the plague is begun. And in 1 Cor. 10. 10. There you have a notable example of Gods heavie displea­sure against murmuring, Neither murmur ye as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Take heed of mur­muring as some of them did, (he speaks of the people of Israel in the wildernesse,) but saith he what came of it? They were de­stroyed of the destroyer: Now the destroyer is thought to be the firey serpents that were sent among them: They murmured and God sent firey serpents to sting them. What do you think that such a crosse and affliction doth sting you? perhaps such an af­fliction is upon you, and it seems to be grievious for the pre­sent, what doe you murmure and repine? God hath greater crosses to bring upon you: Those people that murmur for the want of outward comforts, for want of water, (sometimes) and for the want of bread, they murmur, but the Lord sends firey serpents among them. I may say to a murmuring heart, Woe to thee that strivest with thy maker, woe to that man, that woman, that strives against their maker, what doest thou else but strive against thy maker? Thy maker hath the absolute dispose of thee, and wilt thou strive against thy maker? what doth this murmuring discontented heart of thine do otherwise but wrangle and contend and strive even with God himself? Oh woe to him that strives against his maker! I may further say to thee, as God speaks to Job. Job, 38. 1, 2. when Job was impatient, Now God spake (saith the text) out of the whirlwind, [Page 146] and said, who is this that darkeneth counsell by words without know­ledge? So doest thou speak against Gods waies, and his provi­dences that hath fallen out concerning thy estate and outward comforts? who is this? Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Wher's that man or woman whose hearts are so bold and impudent, as dares speak against the admini­stration of Gods providence?

The tenth evill of murmuring and discontent is this, There's a great curse of God upon it, so far as it doth prevail in one that is wick­ed, it hath the curse of God upon it. In Psal. 59. 15, See there what the curse of God is upon wicked and ungodly men, Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied, that is the imprecation and curse upon wicked and ungodly men, that if they be not satisfied they shall grudge; when thou art not satisfied in thy desires and findest thy heart grudging against God, apply this Scripture, what is the curse of the wicked upon me? This is the curse that is threatened upon wicked and ungodly ones, that they shall grudge if they be not satisfied? And in Deut. 28. 67. There it's threatened as a curse of God upon men, that they cannot be content with their present condition, But they shall say in the morning, would God it were even; and at even, would God it were morning; and so they lie tossing up and down and cannot be content with any condi­tion that they are in, because of the sore afflictions that be upon them, and therefore it is further threatened as a curse upon them, in the 34. verse, That they should be mad for the fight of their eyes which they should see, this is but the extremity of their dis­contentednesse, that is, they shall be so discontented, as they shall be even mad: Many men and women in discontented moods are mad kind of people, and though you may please your selves in such a mad kind of behaviour, yet know that it is a curse of God upon men to be given up to a kind of madness for evils that they suppose are upon them, & that they fear. In the 47 verse, there is a notable expression for to shew the curse of God upon murmuring hearts; The Lord threatning the curses that shall be upon them, (saith he) verse, 45, & 46. & 47. The curse shall pursue thee, and they shall be upon thee for a sign, and for a wonder, and upon thy seed forever: Because thou servedst not the [Page 147] Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abun­dance of all things. God here threatens to bring his curse so upon them, as to make them a wonder and a sign to others, why? Because they served not the Lord with joyfulness of heart, (that may be aded to that of the wrath of God upon men) therefore God would bring such a curse upon them as would make them a wonder to all that were about them; Oh how far art thou then that hast a murmuring heart, from serving the Lord with joyfulnesse?

The Eleventh evill of discontent and murmuring is this. There is much of the spirit of Satan in a murmuring spirit. The De­vill is the most discontented creature that is in the world: He is the proudest creature that is, and the discontentedst creature; and the most dejected creature. Now therefore so much discon­tentment as thou hast, so much of the spirit of Satan thou hast. It was the unclean spirit that went up and down and found no rest; so when a man or womans spirit hath no rest, it is a sign that it hath much of the unclean spirit, of the spirit of Satan, and thou shouldest think this with thy selfe, Oh Lord what have I the spirit of Satan upon me? It is Satan that is the most discontented spirit that is, and Oh! how much of his spirit have I upon me that can find no rest at all?

Twelfthly, murmuring and discontent hath this evill in it, There is an absolute necessity that thou shouldest have disquiet all the daies of thy life. As if a man that is in a great croud should com­plain that other folks touch him; While we are in this world God hath so ordred things that afflictions must befall us, and if we will complain and be discontented upon every crosse and affliction, why we must complain and be discontent all the daies of our lives, yea God in just judgment will let things fall out on purpose to vex those that have vexing spirits, and discontented hearts, and therefore there is a necessitie that they should live disquiet all their daies: And men will not much care to disquiet those that are continually murmuring, Oh they will have disquiet all their daies.

Lastly, there's this dreadfull evil in discontent and murmu­ring, God may justly withdraw his care of yon, and his protection over you, seeing God cannot please you in his administrations, we [Page 148] use to say so to discontented servants; nay, if you be not plea­sed mend your selves when you will. If you have a servant not content with his diet and wages, and work, you say mend your selves, so may God justly say to us, we that professe our selves servants to him, to be in his work, and yet are discon­tented with this thing or that in Gods family, God might justly say mend your selves. What if God should say to any of you, [...]f my care over you doe not please you then take care of your selves, if my protection over you will not please you then pro­tect your selves? Now all things that doe befall you, befall you through a providence of God, and if you be those that belong to God there is a protection of God over you, and a care of God. Now if God should say, well you shall not have the benefit of my protection any longer, and I will take no farther care of you, would not this be a most dreadfull [...]udgement of God from Heaven upon you? Take heed what you doe then in being discontent with Gods will towards you, and indeed upon discontent this may befall you. And this is the reason why many people though Gods protection hath bin very gracious over them for a time, and they have to riven a­bundantly, yet a afterwards almost all that behold them may say that they live as if God had cast off his care over them, and as if God did not care what befall them. Now then my bre­thren, put all these together, all that we were speaking of the last day, and these particulars that have been added now this morning for the setting out of a murmuring and discontentent spirit, oh what an ugly face hath this sin of murmuring, and discontentednesse, oh what cause is there that we should lay our hands upon our hearts, and go away and be humbled before the Lord because of this whereas your thoughts were wont to be exercised about providing for your selves, and getting more comforts to your selves, let the stream of your thoughts now [...]e turned to humble your selves for your discontentednesse, oh that you may have your hearts break before God, for other­wise you will fall to it again, oh the wretchednesse of mans heart! You shall find in Scripture concerning the people of Is­rael how strangely they fell to their murmuring again and a­gain, doe but observe three t [...]s of Scripture, for th [...], the [Page 149] first in the 15. of Exod. at the beginning, there you shall have Moses and the Congregation singing to God and blessing God for his mercy, Then sang Moses and the Children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath tryumphed gloriously, the Horse and his Rider hath he thrown into the Sea And then▪ The Lord is my strength and song, and he is be­come my salvation, he is my God and I will prepare him an habitation, my Fathers God and I will exalt him; and so he goes on, and who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the gods, who is like thee, glorious in holinesse, fearfull in prayses, doing wonders? Thus their hearts triumphed in God, but mark before the Chapter is ended in the 23▪ verse, When they came to Marah (in the same Chapter) they could not drinke of the waters of Marah for they were bitter, therefore the name of it was called Marah; and the people murmured against Mo­ses After so great a mercy as this was what unthankfulness was there here in their murmuring! Then God gave them water, but in the very next Chapter they fell to their murmuring, (you read not that they were humbled for their former murmuring, and therefore they murmure again) Exod. 16. [...]. &c. All the Con­gregation of the Children of Israel came to the wildernesse of Sin, &c. And the whole Congregation (in the second verse) of the Children of Israel murmured against Moses, and against Aaron in the wil­dernesse, and the children of Israel said unto them▪ would to God we had dyed by the hand of the Lord in the Land of Egypt, when we [...]ate by the flesh-pots, and when we did eat bread to the full. Now they want flesh, they wanted water before, but now they want meat, they fell to murmuring againe, they were not humbled for this murmuring against God, neither when God gave them flesh according to their desires, but they fell to murmuring again, they wanted somewhat else. In the very next Chapter, (they went not far)▪ in the 17. of Exod. beginning. And all the Con­gregation of the Children of Israel journied from the wildernesse of Sin and pitched in Rephadim; and there was no water for the people to drinke, then in the second verse, Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, give us water that we may drink, and Moses said unto them why chide you with me, wherefore doe you tempt the Lord? And in the third verse, And the people thi [...]s [...]ed there for water, and the people murmured against Moses and said, Wherefore [Page 150] is this, that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us, and our Children, and our Cat [...]ell with thirst? So one time after ano­ther, still as soon as ever they had received the mercy then they were a little quieted, but they were not humbled. I bring these Scriptures for this to shew, that if we have not been humbled for murmuring, the next crosse that we meet withall we will fall to murmuring again.

And now there are divers agravations of this sinne of murmuring, Ile mention but one now, and I shall but begin that. The first Agravation is this.

To murmure when we enjoy abundance of mercy, the greater and the more abundant the mercy is that we enjoy, the greater, and the [...]iler is the sinne of murmuring▪ as here now, when God had newly delivered them out of the house of bondage, for them now to murmure, because they want some few particulars that they desire, oh to sinne against God after a great mercy this is a great aggravation, and a most abominable thing. Now my Brethren, the Lord hath granted us very great merces, Ile but speak a word of what▪ God hath done of late, what mercies hath the Lord granted to us this summer, heaped mercies up­on us, one mercie upon another, what a condition were we in at the begining of this summer? and what a different condition are we in now! Oh what a mercie is it that the Lord hath not taken advantages against us, that he hath not made those Scriptures (before mentioned) good upon us for all our mur­muring, the Lord hath gone on with one mercie after another▪ we hear of mercie in Bristoll, and mercy to our Brethren in Scot­land: But still if after this we should have any thing befall us that is but crosse to us, that we should be ready to murmur a­gain presently; Oh let us not so requite God for those mercies of his; Oh let's take heed of giving God any ill requitall for his mercies; Oh give God praise according to his excellent greatnesse, to his excellent goodnesse and grace.

And now hath God given to you the contentment of your hearts? take you heed of being the cause of any griefe to your brethren, think not that because God hath been gracious to you, that therefore he hath given you liberty for to bring them [Page 151] into bondage, Oh let not there be such an il effect of Gods mer­cie to you, as for you for to exclude by petitioning or any o­ther way your brethren that the Lord hath been pleased to make instruments of your peace, let not that be the fruit of it, nor to desire any thing that your selves do not yet understand▪ God is very jealous of the glory of his mercy, & if there should be any ill use made of the mercy of God after we injoy it, Oh it would go to the heart of God, nothing is more greivious to the heart of God then the abuse of mercie: As now, if any way that is hard and rigid should be taken towards our Brethren, and those especially that God hath made such speciall instru­ments of good to us, that have been willing to venture their lives and all for us; now when we have our turns served▪ let God and his people, and servants that have been a means to save us shift for themselves as well as they can: Oh this is a great aggravation of your sin, to sin against the mercies of God: But for this aggravation, and specially in this particu­lar, we shall speak to God willing the next day.

SERMON IX.

NOw because it is very hard to work upon [...] murmuring spirit, there are divers aggravati­ons I told you we are to consider of for the further setting out of the greatnesse of this sin, I mentioned but only one the last day▪ now w [...] shall proceed in that.

The first aggravation of the sin of discontent & mur­muring is this, For men & women to be discontent in the mid [...]st [Page 152] of mercies, in injoyment of abundance of mercies. To be discon­tent in any afflicted condition is sinfull and evill, but to be dis­content when we are in the middest of Gods mercies, when we are not able to count the mercies of God, yet after to be dis­content because we have not all we would have, this is a grea­ter evill. I only mentioned this the last day, that I might shew to you what a great sin it is at such a time as this. The Lord this sommer hath multiplyed mercies one upon another, the Lord hath made this summer to be a continued miracle of mer­cie, never did a Kingdom injoy (in so little space of time) such mercies one upon another: Now the publicke mercies of God should quiet our hearts and keep us from discontent, and the sin of discontent for private afflictions is exceedingly aggravated by the consideration of publique mercies to the Land; when the Lord hath bin so merciful to the Land wilt thou be fretting and murmuring, because thou hast not in thy family all the Comforts that thou wouldest have? As it is a great agravation of a mans evill for him to rejoyce immoderately in his owne privat comforts when the Church is in affliction, when the publick suffers grievous and hard troubles, if any man shall then rejoyce and give liberty to himself, at that time to satisfie his f [...]esh to the uttermost in all outward comforts, this is a great Agravation of his sin: So on the contrary for any man to be immoderately troubled for any private afflictions when it goes well with the publick, with the Churches, this is a great Agravation of his sin: It may be when the Church of God was lowest, & it went worst in other parts, yet thou didst abate no­thing of the comforts of thy flesh, but gavest full liberty to sa­tisfie thy flesh as formerly, know this was thy great sin, so on the other side when we have received such mercies in publick, we should have all our private afflictions swallowed up in the publick mercies: And we should think with our selves, though we be afflicted for our particular, yet blessed be God it goes well with the Church, and with the publick, the considerati­on of that should mightily quiet our hearts in all our privat discontents, and if it doth not so, know that our sin is much increased by the mercies of God that are abroad. Now shall Gods mercies aggravate our sins? This is a sad thing, this is [Page 153] to turne the mercies of God to be our misery. Didst not thou pray to God for these mercies that God hath sent of late to the publique, these great victories that God hath given didest not thou pray for them? now thou hast them is not there enough in them to quiet thy heart for some privat trouble thou meetest withall in thy family? Is not there goodnesse enough there to cure thy discontentment? certainly they were not such mer­cies so worthy to be prayed for except they have so much ex­cellency in them as to countervail some private afflictions▪ publick mercies are the aggravation of privat discontent, As so of publick discontent too if we receive so many publick mer­cies, yet if every thing goes not in the publick according as we desire, if we be discontent at that it will exceedingly aggravate our sin, God may say, what shall I bestow such mercies upon a people, and yet if they have not every thing they would have they will be discontent? Oh it is exceeding evill. So in particular, the mercies that concernes thy selfe, thy family, if thou wouldest consider thou hast a great many more mercies then thou hadest afflictions, I dare boldly aver it concerning any one in this congregation, (suppose thy afflictions to be what they will) there is never a one of you but that have more mecies then afflictions.

Object. You will say, I but you doe not know what our af­flictions are, our afflictions are so as you doe not conceive of them because you feel them not.

Answ. Though I cannot know what your afflictions are, yet I know what your mercies are, and I know they are so great as I am sure there can be no afflictions in this world so great as the mercies you have. If it were but this mercie, that you have this day of grace and salvation continued to you, it's a greater mercy then any affliction, set any affliction by this mercy and see which would weigh heaviest, this is certainly greater then any affliction; that you have the day of grace and salvation, that you are not now in hell, this is a greater mer­cy: That you have the sound of the Gospel yet in your ears; that you have the use of your reason, this is a greater mercy then your afflictions, that you have the use of your limbs, yout sences, that you have the health of your bodies, health [Page 154] of body is a greater mercy then poverty is an affliction, there is no man that is rich but if he be wise, if he hath a sickly body, he would part with al his riches that he might have his health, therefore thy mercies are more then thy afflictions We find in Scripture how the Holy Ghost doth agravate the sin of dis­content from the consideration of mercies, you have a notable Scripture for it in the 16. of Numb. 8. verse &c. It's a speech of M [...]ses to Korah and his company when they murmured, And Moses said unto Korah, hear I pray you yee s [...]ns of Levi, (there's somewhat that you are sons of Levi,) Seemeth it but a small thing unto you that the God of Israel hath separated you from the Congre­gation of Israel, to bring you neer to himselfe to doe the service of the Tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to mini­ster unto them? Korah and his company were murmuring but marke how Moses agravates this; Seemeth it a small thing unto you that the God of Israel hath separated you from the Con­gregation of Israel to bring you neer to himselfe to doe the service of the Tabernacle of the Lord? &c. You see 'tis a great honour that God puts upon a man, a great mercy that he doth bestow upon any man to separate him from others for himselfe, to come neer to him, to imploy him in the service of the Ta­bernacle, to minister to the Congregation in holy things, this is a great mercy, and indeed it's such a mercy as one would think there should be none that God bestows such a mercy up­on that should have a murmuring heart for any affliction; It's true, many Ministers of God they meet with hard things that might discourage them, and trouble and grieve their spirits, but now this consideration that God is pleased to imploy them in such a service neer to himselfe, that though they cannot doe good to themselves, yet they may do good to others, this should quiet them. And yet in the 10. verse, And he hath brought thee neer to him, and all thy Brethren the Sons of Levi with thee, and seeke yee the Priest-hood also? have not you enough already? but still you are discontented with what you have and must have more, seek ye yet more? Seek ye the Priest-hood also? for which cause both thou and all thy Company are gathered together against the Lord: And what is Aaron that yee murmure against him? what hath God given you such things, and yet will you be murmuring, because you [Page 155] cannot have more? me thinks that this place should keep Mi­nisters from murmuring, though they should meet with never such afflictions and crosses, and unkind dealings from men, yet still they should go on with hearts quieted and comforted in the work that God hath set them about, and labour to coun­tervaile all their Afflictions by being more abundant in the work of the Lord, that is the first text of Scripture that shewes how the mercies we enjoy are Agravations to the sin of murmu­ring.

And then a second Scripture is in the 2. of Job 10. ver. A speech of Job to his wife, what saith Iob when his wife would have had him cursse God and die? (that was a degree beyond murmuring) why saith he thou speakest as one of the foolish women, shall we receive good at the hand of God and not evill? you see Iob did help himselfe against all murmuring thoughts against the ways of God with this consideration, that he had received so much good from the Lord, what though we receive evill, yet doe not we receive good as well as evill? let us set one against the other, that's the way we should go. In the 7. of Ecclesiastes the 14. vers, you have a notable Scripture there whereby you may see what course is to be taken when the heart rises in murmu­ring, In the day of prosperity be joyfull, but in the day of Ad­versity consider, what should they consider? (mark what fol­lows) God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. God also hath set the one over against the other, that's thus, when thou art in prosperity, then indeed every man can be joyfull, but what if Afflictions befals him, what then? then consider, consider what? That God hath set one over against the other, thou hast a great deal of Affliction, and thou hast had a great deal of prosperity, thou hast many troubles, and thou hast had many mercies, make one column of mercies, and one colume of afflictions, and write one against the other, and see if God hath not fill'd one colume as full as the other, you look altogether upon your afflictions, but look upon your mercies also; for instance: It may be God hath afflicted you in one child, but he hath been mercifull to you in another child, set one against the other, God afflicted David in Absolom, but he was mercifull to David [Page 156] in Solomon, and therefore when David cryed out, oh Absolom my Son my Son? if David had thought upon Solomon, and cryed oh Solomon my son my son, it would have quieted him. And it may be God hath been mercifull to thee in a wife, or in thy husband, set that against thy affliction, it may be God crosses thee in thy estate, but it may be he doth imploy thee in his ser­vice, it may be thou art afflicted in some of thy friends, but thou hast other friends that are great mercies to thee, and therefore you should set one against the other, and it doth con­cerne you so to doe, for those mercies will be agravations of your sins, and you had better make Gods mercies a means to lessen your sins, then to be the agravation of your sins: If you make not the mercies of God to helpe you against your mur­muring, you will make them to be agravations of the sinne of murmuring. I beseech you for this take but this one conside­ration further, and if you will but work it upon your hearts I hope you may find a great deal of power in it, you find affli­ctions, and your hearts are troubled and murmur, consider how Gods mercies doth agravate this sin, thus. In the midst of our sins we doe make account God should accept of our ser­vices, doe but consider thus, if in the midst of our many sinnes wee hope that God will accept of our poor services, why then should not we in the midst of our afflictions blesse God for his many mercies? shall God be thus gracious to us that not­withstanding our many sins, yet he will not cast away our poor duties and services that we perform, then why should not we in the midst of our sufferings accept of what mercies we have, and not slight them and disregard them? If thou in the midst of Gods mercies shalt not be willing to bear afflictions that God layes upon thee, then it were just with God that in the midst of thy sins he should not regard any of thy duties, now i [...] there not as much power in thy manifould sins to cause God to reject thy duties and seivices, as there is power in afflictions (in the mid'st of many mercies) to take off thy heart from be­ing affected with Gods mercies? And that's the fist aggra­vation of of the sinne of murmuring to murmur in the mid'st of mercies.

A second aggravation of the sin of murmuring is, When we [Page 157] murmur for small things, Saith Naamans servant to him, Father (for so he called him) if the Prophet had required you to doe some great thing, would not you have done it? how much more this little thing. So I say if the Lord had required you to suffer some great matter would not you have bin willing to suffer? How much more this little thing. I remember I have read in Seneca a Heathen, he hath this similitude which is a ve­ry fine one to set out the great evil of murmuring upon smaller afflictions, (saith he) suppose a man hath a very fair house to dwell in, and he hath fair orchards and gardens, and set a­bout with brave tall trees for ornament, if this man now should murmur because the wind blows off a few leavs off his trees, what a most unreasonable thing were it for him to be weeping and wringing his hands because he looses a few leavs off his trees, when he hath abundance of all kinde of fruit? thus it is with many saith he, though they have a great many comforts about them, yet some little matter, the blowing off of a few leavs from them is enough to disquiet them. It was a great evill when Ahab having a kingdom, yet the want of his neighbours vineyard had such power to disquiet him: So for us to murmur, not because we have not such a thing as we have need of, but because we have not what possibly we might have, this is a very great sin. Suppose God gives a child that hath all the limbs and parts compleat, a child that is very comly, and hath excellent parts, wit, and memory, but it may be there is a wart that grows upon the finger of the child, and she murmurs at it, and Oh what an affliction this is to her! she is so taken up with that as she forgets to give any thankes to God for her child, and all the goodnesse of God to her in the child is swallowed up in that; would not you say this were a folly & a very great evill in a woman so to do? Truly our afflictions if we weighed them aright they are but such kind of things in comparison of our mercies. Rebeckah she had a mighty desire to have children, but because she found some trouble in her body when she was with child, saith she Why am I thus? As if she should say I had as good have none, onely because she found a little paine and trouble in her body. To be discontent when the affliction is small and little, that increases very much the [Page 158] sin of murmuring, it is to much for any one to murmur upon the heaviest crosse that can befall one in this world, but upon some small things to be discontent and murmur, that's worse. I have read of one when he lay upon a heap of damask-roses, he complained that there was one of the rose leaves lay double un­der him: So we are ready thus for very small things to make complaints and to be discontented with our condition, and that's a second aggravation.

A third aggravation is this, For men that are of parts and abi­lities, that God hath given wisdom to, for them to be discontent and murmur, that is more then if others do it. Murmuring and discon­tentednesse it too much in the weakest, yet we can bear with it sometimes in children and women that are weake, but for those that are men, men of understanding, that have wisdom, that God imployes in publick service, that they should be dis­content with every thing, this is an exceeding great evill; for men in their families (to whom God hath given parts and wis­dom) when things fall out amisse there, to be alwaies murmur­ing and repining, their sin is greater then for women or chil­dren to do it.

A fourth agravation Is the consideration of the freeness of all Gods mercies to us. What ever we have it is of free cost, what though we have not all we would have, seeing what we have is free? If what we have were earned then it were somewhat, but when we consider that all is from God, for us to murmur at his dispen­sations is very evill. Suppose a man were in a family entertaind by a friend, and he did not pay for his board but he hath it given him for nothing, it's expected such a one should not be ready to find fault with every thing in the house, with servants or with meat at table or the like, if such a one that hath plen­tifull provision and all given him Gratis, and payes nothing for his board, should be discontented if a cup should not be fil­led for him as he would have it, or if he should stay a minute of an houre longer for a thing then he would, this we would ac­count a great evill: So it is with us, we are at Gods table every day, and it is upon free-cost whatever we have: It is account­ed very unmannerly for a man at his friends table to find fault with things though at home he may be bold: Now when we [Page 159] are at the table of God (for so all Gods administrations to us are his table) and are at free-cost, now for us to be finding fault and be discontented this is a great aggravation of our sinne.

A fift aggravation of the sin of murmuring is this, When men and women murmur and are discontented and impatient when they have the things that they were discontented for the want of before they had them. So it is sometimes with children, they will cry for such a thing, and when you give it them then throw it away, they are as much discontented as they were before. So it was with the people of Israel, nothing would quiet them but they must have a King, Samuel perswaded them to the contrary, and told them what kind of King they should have; and when they had a King, in Hos. 10. 3. What shall a King do to us? they were not contented when they had one. So Rachel shee must have children or else shee died, and when shee had a little trou­ble shee was discontented too,; so that we are neither well full nor fasting (as we use to say)

The sixth aggravation of the sin of murmuring is this, For those men and women to be discontent and murmur that God hath rais­ed from mean and low estates and conditions, This is a very great aggravation if thou be discontent now: There was a time when thou wert low enough, and perhaps when thou wert so low then thou didest say, oh if God would deliver me from such an affliction, or give me but a little more in my estate I should think my selfe in a good condition: but if God by his provi­dence doth raise thee, thou art as greedy of more still as thou wert before, and as much discontented as thou wert before: this is an evill thing for people that had mean breeding, and poor beginings for them to be so nice, and dainty that nothing can please them, whereas there was a time not long since that they were low and mean enough; but it is very ordinary for those that are raised from a low and mean condition to be the more nice and dainty, and more proud when they are raised then others that are of better breeding: It's to much for a child to be discontented in his fathers house, but if a man hath taken a poor begger boy, if you had taken such a one into your house that lay begging at your door, and set him at your own table, [Page 160] could you bear that such a one should complain that such a thing is not well drest, or the like, you could not bear it if your children should do it, but you could bear it a grert deal better with them then to hear such a one do it: But thou art a poor begger and God hath (as it were) taken thee into his great family, and if the Lord hath been pleased to raise thee higher, that now thou hast a competency, that thou mayest live as a man, to be of use and service in the place where God hath set thee, now wilt thou be discontent because thou hast not every thing that thou desirest? We know the prodigall when he came to himselfe Oh! saith he) In my fathers house is bread enough, he did not say there's good-cheere enough and a great deale of dainties, no, he thought of nothing but bread, there's bread e­nough; so it's ordinary for men and women when they are in a low condition, they think that if they may have bread, any competency, they will be contented and blesse God, but when they have their bread and things convenient, they must have more or else they are not contented, know that this is an exceeding great aggravation to thy discontentment, when you are raised from a very low condition and yet you cannot be contented with what you have.

A seventh aggravation of this sin is this, For them to be discon­tent that have hin very great sinners and ungodly in their former time. For men and women that have much guiltinesse upon them, the guilt of very many sins upon them, that have provokt God exceedingly against them, and have brought themselves in a most dreadfull manner under the sentence of Gods justice, and yet God being pleased to reprieve them, for them to murmure and to be discontent with Gods administrations towards them this is exceeding evill, Oh it were consideration enough to qui­et any murmuring in our hearts, to think thus, we are but sin­ners why should not we be sufferers that are sinners? but then consider we that are such great sinners, guilty of such notori­ous sins, that it is a wonder that we are out of Hell at this pre­sent, yet for us to be discontent and murmur how exceedingly doth this increase our sin! Consider how we have crossed God in our sinns, then if God should crosse us in the way of our sufferings should not we sit down quiet without murmuring? [Page 161] Certainly thou never knewest what it was to be humbled for thy manifold sins, that art discontented at any administration of God towards thee.

The eighth agravation of the sin of murmuring is, For those men that are of little use in the world for them to be discontented. If you have but a beast that you make much use of you wil feed it well, but if you have but little use of him then you turne him into the commons, little provis [...]on serves his turn because you make not use of him: If we lived so as to be exceeding usefull to God and his Church, we might expect that God would be pleased to come in, in some encouraging way to us, but when out consciences tel us we live and do but little service for God, why what if God should turn us upon the commons, yet we are fed according to our work? according to our imployment? why should any creature be servicable to thee who art so little servicable to God? This one meditation would much help us, to think, I am discontent because such and such creatures are not serviceable to me, but why should I expect that they should be serviceable to me when I am not serviceable to God? and that is the eighth agravation.

A ninth agravation of the sin of murmuring is this, For us to be discontent at that time when God is about to humble us. It should be the care of a Christian to observe what are Gods waies to wards him, what is God about to do with me at this time? Is God about to raise me, to comfort me? let me close with Gods goodness, and blesse his name; let me joyn with the work of God, when he offers mercy to me, to take the mercy he of­fers. But again, is God about to humble me? is God about to break my heart, and to bring my heart down to him? let me joyne with God in this work of his, this is for a Chri­stian to walke with God. It is saide that Enoch, and Noah walked with God, walked with God what's that? That is, To observe what is the worke of God that God is now a­bout, and to joyn with God in that work of his; so that ac­cording as God turns this way or that way, the heart should turn with God, and have sutable workings unto the workings of God towards him. Now then I am discontented and mur­muring, because I am afflicted; Therefore thou art afflicted [...] [Page 160] [...] [Page 161] [Page 162] because God would humble thee, and the great designe that God hath in afflicting of thee, is to break and humble thy heart; and wilt thou now maintain a spirit quite opposite to the work of God? for thee to murmur & be discontented is to resist the work of God, God is doing thee good if thou couldst see it, now if he be pleased to sanctifie thy affliction, to breake that hard heart of thine, and humble that proud spirit of thine, it would be the greatest mercie that ever thou had'st in all thy life, now wilt thou yet stand out against God? It's even as if thou shouldest say, well, the Lord is about to break me, and humble me, but he shall not: this is the language of thy mur­muring and thy discontentedness, though thou darest not say so, but though thou sayest not so in words, yet it is certainly the language of the temper of thy spirit, Oh consider what an agravation this is: I am discontented when God is about to work such a work upon me as is exceedingly for my good, but yet I stand out against him and resist him, and that's another agravation.

A tenth aggravation of the sin of murmuring and discontent is this, The more palpable nnd remarkable the band of God appears to bring about an affliction, the greater is the sin of murmuring and dis­content under an affliction. It's a great evil any time to murmur and be discontent, but though it be a sin, when I see but an ordinary providence working for me not to submit to that, but when I see an extraordinary providence working thats a grea­ter sin, that is, when I see the Lord in some remarkable way working about such an affliction beyond what any could have thought of, shall I resist such a remarkable hand of God, shall I stand out against God when I see God doth express his will in such a remarkable manner, that he would have me to be in such a condition? Indeed before we see the wil of God apparent we may desire to avoid an affliction, and may use means for it, but now when we see God expressing his will from heaven in a manner beyond ordinary, and more remarkably, then certain­ly it is fit for us to fall down and submit to him, and not to oppose when God comes with a mighty stream against us, it is our best way to fall down before him and not to resist, for as it is an argument of a mans disobedieuce, when there is not on­ly [Page 163] a command against a sin but when God reveals his command in a terrible way, the more solemne the Command of God is, the greater is the sin in breaking that command, so the more remarkable the hand of God is in bringing an Affliction upon us, the greater is the sin for us to murmur and be discontented. Then God expects that we should fall down when he (as it were) speaks from heaven to thee by name and saith, well, I wil have this spirit of thine down, do not you see that my hand is stretched out, my eyes are upon you, my thoughts are upon you, and I must have that proud spirit of thine down? Oh then it is fit for the Creature to yeild and submit unto him. When you speak in an ordinary manner to your servants, or children, you expect they should regard what you say, but when you make them stand still by you and you speak to them in a more solemn way, then if they should dis-regard what you say, you are very impatient▪ So certainly God cannot take it well, when ever he doth appear from heaven in such a remar­kaple way to bring an Affliction, if then we do not submit to him.

The eleventh agravation of the sin of murmuring is this, To be discontented though God hath bin exercising of us long under affli­ctions, yet fill to remain discontented. For a man or woman at first when an affliction befals them to have a murmuring heart, then it's an evill, but to have a murmuring heart when God hath been a long time exercising them with affliction it's more evill. Though an heifer at first when the yoke is put upon him he wrigles up and down and will not be quiet, but if after ma­ny moneths or yeers it shall not draw quietly, the husband­man would rather feede it fat and prepare it for the butcher then be troubled any longer with it: So though the Lord was content to passe by that discontented spirit of thine at first, yet God having a long time kept the yoke upon thee, thou hast bin under his afflicting hand (it may be) divers years; and yet thou remain discontent still, it were just with God that he should bear thy murmuring no longer, and that thy discontent under the affliction should be but a preparation to thy destruction. So you see when a man or woman hath been long exercised with afflictions and yet are discontented, that's an agravation of the [Page 164] sin: Mark that text in Heb. 12. 11. Now (saith the Scripture) No chastening for the present is joyous, but greivous, nevertheless af­terwards it yeildeth the peaceable fruit of Righteousness unto them which are exercised therby. It's true, our afflictions are not joyous but greivious, though at first when our affliction comes it is ve­ry greivous, But yet (saith the text) afterwards it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of Righteousnesse to those that are exercised thereby: When thou hast been a long time in the School of afflictions, thou art a very dullard in Christs School if thou hast not learned this Contentment. I have learned (saith Saint Paul) in every estate therewith to be content. Paul had learned this Lesson quickly? thou hast been a learning many yeers; perhaps thou mayest say as Heman did, That thou art afflicted from thy youth up, in the 88. Psal. Oh it's a very evil thing if being exercised long with afflictions you are not yet contented. The eye in the body of a man is as tender a part as any part that a mans body hath, but yet the eye is able to continue in and bear a great deal of cold, because it is more used to it: so those that are u­sed to afflictions, those that God exercises much with Affli­ctions, (though they have tender spirits otherwise) yet they should have learned Contentedness by this time. A new Cart may creek and make an noise, but after the use of it a while it will not do so: So when thou art first a Christian and newly come into the work of Christ, perhaps thou makest a noise and canst not bear affliction: but art thou an old Christian and yet wilt thou be a murmuring Christian? Oh that's a shame for any that are Ancient Professors, that have been a long time in the School of Jesus Christ to have murmuring and disconten­ted spirits. And thus you have had a leaven agravations of this sin of murmuring and discontent.

But now my Brethren because this discontented humour is a very tough humonr, and it is very hard to work upon, there's none that are discontented but will have something to say for their discontent, I shal therefore desire to take away what eve­ry discontented heart hath to say for himself.

SERMON X.

NOW there are many Pleas and reasonings yetOctob. 5. 1645. remain, for there's a great deal of doe with a discontented murmuring heart. And I remem­ber I find that the same Hebrew word that sig­nifies [to lodge, to abide,] it signifies to mur­mur, they use one word for both, for murmur­ing is a distemper that doth lodge in men, where it gets in once it lodgeth abideth & continues, and there­fore that we may unlodge it and get it out, we will labour to shew what are the further reasonings of a discontented heart.

SERMON XI.

Now we are coming to the close of this point of 12 Contentment that Jesus Christ doth teach those that are in his School: we have opened the point unto you, and shewed you wherein the art, and skill, and mystery of Christian Contentment lies; and divers things in the way of applycation rebuking the want of this: and the last day I finished that point of shewing the several rea­sonings of a murmuring and discontented heart. I shall now as being desirous to make an end, leave what was said, and pro­ceed to what remains. There are only these two things for [Page 187] the working of your hearts to this grace of Christian Content­ment.

First, The propounding of severall considerations for the contenting of the heart in any afflicted condition.

Secondly, The propounding of directions what should be done for the working of our hearts unto this.