And thus I hope I have answered tlie most material objections and apologies which this sin of discontent doth make for itself. I see no reason why a Christian should be discontented, unless for his dis- content. Let me, in the next place, pro- pound sometliing which may be both as a loadstone and a whet-stone to contenta- tion.
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ART OF DIVINE CONTENTMENT.
Chap. XL Divine Motives to Content- ment.
And so I proceed to the arguments or motives that may quicken to contentment.
Sect. I. The Jirst argument to contentation.
I. Consider the excellency of it. Con- tentment is a flower that doth not grow in every garden: it teacheth a man how in the midst of want to abound. You would think it were excellent if I could prescribe a receipt or antidote against poverty: but behold here is that which is more excellent, for a man to want, and yet have enough, this alone contentment of spirit doth bring. Contentation is a remedy against all our trouble, an alleviation to all our burdens, it is the cure of care. Contentation, though it be not properly a grace (it is rather a disposition of mind,) yet in it there is a happy temperature and mixture of all the graces : it is a most precious compound, which is made up of faith, patience, meek- ness, humility, &c. which are the ingre- dients put into it. Now there are in spe- cies these seven rare excellencies in con- tentment.
\st Excellency. A contented Christian carries heaven about him : for, what is heaven, but that sweet repose and full con- tentment that the soul shall have in God ? In contentment there is the first fruits of heaven. There are two things in a con- tented spirit, which make it like heaven. (1.) God is there; something of God is to be seen in that heart. A discontented Christian is like a rough tempestuous sea ; Avhen the water is rough you can see no- thing there; but when it is smooth and serene, then you may behold your face in the water, Prov. xxvii. 19. When the heart rageth through discontent, it is like a rough sea, you can see nothing there, un- less passion and murmuring; there is no- thing of God, nothing of heaven in that heart : but by virtue of contentment, it is like the sea when it is smooth and calm, there is a face shining there ; you may see something of Christ in that heart, a repre- sentation of all the graces. (2.) Rest is there. O what a sabbath is kept in a con- tented heart ! Wliat an heaven ! A con- tented Christian is like Noah in the ark ;
though the ark were tossed with waves, Noah could sit and sing in the ark. The soul that is gotten into the ark of content- ment, sits quiet, and sails above all the waves of trouble ; he can sing in this spi- ritual ark ; the wheels of the chariot move, but the axle-tree stirs not ; the circumfer- ence of the heavens is carried about the earth, but the earth moves not out of its centre. When we meet with motion and change in the creatures round about us, a contented spirit is not stirred nor moved out of its centre. The sails of a mill move with the wind, but the mill itself stands still, — an emblem of contentment ; when our outward estate moves with the wind of providence, yet the heart Js settled through holy contentment ; and when others are like quick-silver, shaking and trembling through disquiet, the contented spirit can say, as David, " O God my heart is fixed," Ps. Ivii. 7. Wiat is this but a piece of heaven ?
2d Excellency. Whatever is defective in the creature is made up in contentment. A Christian may want the comforts that others have, the land, and possessions ; but God hath instilled into his heart that con- tentment which is far better : in this sense that is true of our Saviour, " he shall re- ceive a hundred fold," Mat. xix. 29. Per- haps he that ventured all for Christ, never hath his house or land again : aye, but God gives him a contented spirit, and this breeds such joy in the soul, as is infinitely sweeter than all his houses and lands which he left for Christ. It was sad with David in re- gard of his outward comforts, he being driven — as some think — from his kingdom, yet in regard of that sweet contentment he found in God, he had more comfort than men use to have in the time of harvest and vintage, Ps. iv. 7. One man hath house and lands to live upon, another hath no- thing, only a small trade ; yet even that brings in a livelihood. A Christian may have little in the world, but he drives the trade of contentment ; and so he knows as well liow to want, as to abound. O the rare art, or rather miracle of contentment ! Wicked men are often disquieted in the en . joyment of all things ; the contented Chris- tain is well in the want of all things.
ART OF DIVINE CONTENTMENT.
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Quest. But how comes a Christian to he contented in the dejiciency of outward com- forts ?