Ans. A Christian finds contentment dis- tilled out of the breasts of the promises. He is poor in purse, but rich in promise. There is one promise brings much sweet contentment into tlie soul : " They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing," Ps. xxxiv. 10. If the thing we de- sire be good for us, we shall have it ; if it be not good, then the not liaving is good for us. The resting satisfied with the pro- mise gives contentment.
3rf Excellency. Contentment makes a man in tune to serve God ; it oils the wheels of the soul and makes it more agile and nimble ; it composeth the heart, and makes it fit for prayer, meditation, &c. How can he that is in a passion of grief, or dis- content, " attend upon the Lord with- out distraction ?" 1 Cor. vii. 35. Content- ment doth prepare and tune the heart. First you prepare the viol, and wind up the strings, ere you play a fit of music : when a Christian's heart is wound up to this hea- venly frame of contentment, then it is fit for duty. A discontented Christian is like Saul, when the e\\\ spirit came upon hira : O what jarrings and discords doth he make in prayer ! When an army is put into a dis- order, then it is not fit for battle ; when the thoughts are scattered and distracted about the cares of this life, a man is not fit for devotion. Discontent takes the heart wholly off from God, and fixeth it upon the pre- sent trouble, so that a man's mind is not upon his prayer, but upon his cross. Dis- content doth disjoint the soul ; and it is im- possible now that a Cliristian should go so steadily and cheerfully in God's service. O Low lame is his devotion ! The discontent- ed person gives God but a half-duty, and his religion is nothing but bodily exercise, it wants a soul to animate it. David would not offer that to God which cost him *' no- thing," 2 Sam. xxiv. 24. Where tliere is too much worldly care, there is too little spiritual cost in a duty. „iThe discontented person doth his duties by halves; he is just like Ephraim — " a cake not turned," Hos. vii. 8. He is a cake baked on one side, — he gives God the outside but not the spi-
ritual part ; his lieart Is not in duty, — lie is baked on one side, but tne other side dough ; and what profit is there of such raw indi- gested services ? He that gives God only the skin of worship, what can he expect more than the shell of comfort? Contenta- tion brings the heart into frame, and then only do we give God the flower and spirits of a duty, when the soul is composed. Now a Christian's heart is intent and serious. There are some duties which we cannot pei'form as we ought without contentment : as, (1.) To rejoice in God. How can he rejoice that is discontented? He is fitter for repining, than rejoicing. (2.) To be thankful for mercy. Can a discontented person be thankful ? He can be fretful, not thankful. (3.) To justify God in his pro- ceedings, Ezra. ix. 13. How can he do this who is discontented with his condition? He will sooner censure God's wisdom, than clear his justice. O then, how excellent is contentation, which doth prepare, and as it were, string the heart for duty? Indeed contentment doth not only make our du- ties lively and agile, but acceptable. It is this that puts beauty and worth into them ; for contentment settles the soul. Now, as it is with milk, when it is always stirring, you can make nothing of it, but let it settle a while, and then it turns to cream : when the heart is over-much stirred with disquiet and discontent, you can make nothing of those duties. How thin, how fleeting and jejune are they ! But Avhen the heart is once settled by holy contentment, now there is some worth in our duties, now they turn to cream.
4/A Excellency. Contentment is the spi- ritual arch, or pillar of the soul ; it fits a man to bear burdens; he whose lieart is ready to sink under the least sin, by virtue of this hath a spirit invincible under suffer- ings. A contented Christian is like the ca- momile, the more it is trodden upon the more it grows ; as physic works diseases out of tlie body, so doth contentment work trouble out of the heart. Thus it argues, " If I am undei reproach, God can vindi- cate me; if I am in want, God can relieve me." " Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain, yet that Aalley shall be filled with water," 2 Kings iii. 17. Thus holy
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ART OF DIVINE CONTENTMENT.