PHILIPPIANS. 4.11. For I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
NOW because it is very hard to work upon a murmuring spirit, there are divers aggravations (I told you) we are to consider of for the further setting out of the greatness of this sin; I mentioned but only one the last day, now we shall proceed in that.
The first Agravation of the sin of discontent and murmuring is this, For men and women to be discontent in the mid’st of mercies, in enjoyment of abundance of mercies. To be discontent in any afflicted condition, is sinful and evil, 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 evil. 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 summer hath multiplied mercies one upon another, the Lord hath made this summer to be a continued miracle of mercie; never did a Kingdom enjoy (in so little space of time) such mercies one upon another: Now the publick 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 publick mercies to the Land; when the Lord hath bin so merciful to the Land, wilt thou be feetting and murmuring, because thou hast not in thy family all the comforts that thou would’st have? As it is a great aggravation of a mans evill for him to rejoyce immoderately in his own private 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 flesh to the uttermost in all outward comforts, this is a great aggravation 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 aggravation of his sin: It may be when the Church of God was lowest, and it went worst in other parts, yet thou didst abate nothing of the comfort 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 private 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 to turne the mercies of God to be our misery. Did’st not thou pray to God for these mercies that God hath sent of late to the publick, these great victories that God hath given, did’st 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 goodness enough there to cure thy discontentment? Certainly they were not such mercies 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’s exceeding evil. So in particular, the mercies that concerns thy self, thy family, if thou wouldest consider thou hast a great many more mercies than thou had’st afflictions, I dare boldly aver it concerning any one in this Congregation, (suppose thy afflictions be what they will) there is never a one of you but that have more mercies than afflictions.
Object. You will say, I, but you do not know what our afflictions are, our afflictions are so as you do 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 mercy, that you have this day of grace and salvation continued to you, it’s a greater mercie than any affliction, set any affliction by this mercie and see which would weigh heaviest, this is certainly greater than any affliction; that you have the day of grace and salvation, that you are not now in Hell, this is a greater mercie, that you have the sound of the Gospel yet in your ears; that you have the use of your reason; this is a greater mercie than your afflictions; that you have the use of your limbs, your sences, that you have the health of your bodies, health of body is a greater mercy than 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 all his riches that he might have his health, therefore thy mercies are more than thy afflictions. We find in Scripture how the holy Ghost doth aggravate 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 Moses to Korah and his company when they murmured, And Moses said unto Korah, hear I pray you ye sons 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 himself to do 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 mark how Moses aggravates this; Seemeth it a smal thing unto you that the God of Israel hath separated you from the Congregation of Israel to bring you neer to himselfe to do 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 seperate him from others for himself, 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 himself, that though they cannot do 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 seek ye 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 ye murmur against him? what hath God given you such things, and yet will you be murmuring, because you 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 shews how the mercies we enjoy are Aggravations to the sin of murmuring.