PHILIPPIANS. 4.11. For I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
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 reade his own proficiency in Christs School; and what lesson every Christian that would evidence the power and growth of godliness in his own soul, must necessarily learn from him.
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 verse 12. he affirms, I know how to be ab[…]sed, and I know how to abound, every where and in all things I am instructed: The word1 which is translated [Instructed] is derived from that word2 which signifies Mystery; and it is as much as if he had said, I have learned the mystery of this business. 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 ado, 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,3 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 word4 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 comunicate of his fulness to the creature so that from God in Christ the Saints receive grace for grace, Joh. 1.16. in somuch 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, That 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 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. 14.1[…]. 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 contains 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 skill’d in the mystery of Christian Contentment is the Duty, Glory, and Excellency of a Christian.
This Evangelical truth is held forth sufficiently in 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 withal. 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 indeavour to demonstrate these four things;
First, The nature of this Christian Contentment, what it is.
Secondly, The art and mystery of it.
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.
Concerming the first, take this discription; Christian Contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, freely submitting to, and taking complacency in Gods wise, and fatherly dispose in euery condition.
I shall break open this discription, for it is a box of precious ointment, very comfortable and useful for troubled hearts, in troubled time 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 murmuring 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 Books; 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 it’s 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 disquietness 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 eat like a Cankes: As David speaks concerning some whose words are smoother than 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 affliction. God doth give leave to his people to be sensible of what they suffer: 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 stir’d by them than 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 afflictions 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 Christian ought to be quiet under Gods correcting hand, yet he may without any breach of Christian 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 quit still submissive way he may unbosom 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 into another condition, or simply endeavouring to be delivered out of the present affliction by the use of lawfull means. No, I may lay in provision for my deliverance, & use Gods meanes, 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 weakness, and he will not take it ill at our hands if by earnest and importunate 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 quietness 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 fretting; 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 grieving 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 ought to be quiet and to do nothing rashly.
4 To unsetledness 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 than 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 cals for it, the authority of the command 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 Nehemiah did chap. 6.3. Sanballat, Geshem, and Tobiah (when they would have hindred the building of the wall) 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 estimates it’s 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 evil-tidings to take such impression in his soul, as to make a division and strugling there, like the twins in Rebeckah’s womb. A great man will permit common people to stand without his doors, but he will not let them come in and make a noise in his closet or bed-chamber 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 to expectation, when the tyde of second causes runs so low that we see little left in the 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 be? 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 interprizes may be given to himself. Nay if his people stand in need of miracles 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 filled 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 sinful 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. Vlt. And Asa goes to Penhadad 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 Chro. 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 temporal 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 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, arising 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 quietness 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 tumultuousness of spirit in you, there is not unsetledness in your spirits, there are not distracting fears in your hearts, no sinking discouragements, no base shiftings, no rising in rebellion any way against God: This is the quietness 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 Soule businesse, First it is inward; Secondly 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 whol Soul: as thus, It is in the judgment, that is, The judgment of the soul of a man or woman tends to quiet the heart: In my judgment I am satisfied, that is one thing to be satisfied in ones understanding and judgment, 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 judgment 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 whol 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 wil, nor the affections though the judgments 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 judgment about it, I have nothing in the world to say in respect of my judgment against it, I see the hand of God and I should be content: yea I am satisfied in my judgment, 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 than it should be, and yet my judgment 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 judgment went, there was a contentednesse, that is, His judgment was satisfied in the work of God upon him; and he was troubled, but he knew not wherefore, O my soul why art thou east down within me? That Psalm is a very good Psalm for those that feel a fretting, discontented distemper in their hearts at any time, for them to be reading or singing: 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 helpe 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 Contentment to go through the whole frame of the Soul. There is a great deal of stir sometimes to get Contentment into their judgments, that is, To satisfie their judgment about their condition: Come to many, that the hand of God is upon perhaps in a grievous manner, and seek to satisfie them, and tel 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 judgments to satisfie them; but there is a great deal of hope of Contentment if once your judgments come to be satisfied, that you can sit down and say in your judgments, 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 judgments 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 whol Soul, Judgment, 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 spiritual 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 than any external thing that 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 external 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 than from any external 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 external 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 natural 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 natural 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 external arguments, somwhat from without, as the fire that warms 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 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 shews the habitualness of this grace of Contentment. Contentment is not meerly one act, a flash in a good mood; you shall have many men and women, that take them in some good mood 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 Souls, that it is not only at this time, and the other time when you take men and women in a good mood, 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 it’s 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 mood or other. Now First it is a heart-business; 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 Spiritual, if it be truely 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 natural stilness 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 than others: others are of a violent and hot constitution, and they are more impatient than others.
2 Secondly. In opposition to a sturdy resolution. As some men through the strength of some sturdy resolution, they have not 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 distinction, from the very strength of reason (though not sanctified) the strength of natural 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 natural constitution and temper, nor sturdinesse of resolution, nor meerly through the strength of reason.
You will say, wherein is this graciousness 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 seldom 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 Oh the more fit it is 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 he 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 […]s not disquieted, but keep his heartt quiet in respect of vexing and trouble, so on the other side he is not dull nor heavy but is very active to sanctifie Gods Name in the affliction thas 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 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 an heathen) that what ever befel him he would never so much as change 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 difference between a man and a 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 befal 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 it’s 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 freedom 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 grievous 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 now 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 it. So if you have learned this art of Contentment, you will not only be contented after a great deal of do 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 content, 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, I but it comes through a sanctified judgment, 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 judgment see what is to be done, understand the thing, and then there is a closing with what I do understand in my judgment, 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 sunctified judgment, this is freedom
Thirdly, This freedom it is in opposition to stupidness, for a man and woman may be contented meerly out of want of sence, 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 sence 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 than 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 it’s self under the Power and Authority, and Soveraignity, and Dominion that God hath over it; that is the Sixth Particular: 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 means 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 than the other: and this comes from hence, not only because I see that I should be content in this affliction, but 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 submit to Gods hand: no, but the hand of God is good; it is good that I am afflicted. That it is just 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 al his waies: but that is not enough, but thou must say Good is the hand of the Lord, the expression of old Ely, Good is the word of the Lord, when it was a sore & hard word, that word that did threaten very grievous things to Ely and his house, and yet, Good is the word of the Lord, saith Ely. 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 grievous 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’s 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 stool 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 lie 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 have come and taken all the goods out of his house for debt; perhaps his house is plundered and all is gone, 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, than in the house of the greatest man in the world, that hath his brave hangings, and brave wrought beds, and chairs, and couches, and cupbords 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 than Paul was? many times he had not tatters to hang about his body, to cover his nakednesse, he had not bread to eat, 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 possess all things, as sorrowful, 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 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 God in all, in his submission sees his soveraignity, but that that makes him take complacency, it is Gods wisdom; the Lord knows how to order things better than I, the Lord sees further than I 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 well stand 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 befall 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 than 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 stay 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 particular afflictions that are very hard, and very greivous, 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.
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 Seventhly, 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 fay may cause you to lay your hands upon your hearts, and say, Lord I see there is more in Christian Contentation than 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 aim’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.
FINIS.