2. Thy soul is exercised and enamelled with the ffi'aces of the Spirit, and is not
here enough to give contentment ? Grace is of a divine birth, — it is the new planta- tion,— it is the flower of the heavenly pa- radise,— it is the embroidery of the Spirit. It is the seed of God, 1 John iii. 9. It is the sacred unction, 1 John ii. 20. It is Christ's portraiture in the soul ; it is the very foundation on which the superstruc- ture of glory is laid. O, of what infinite value is grace ! What a jewel is faith ! Well may it be called " precious faith," 2 Pet. i. 1. What is love, but a divine sparkle in the soul ? A soul beautified with grace, is like a room richly hung with ar- ras, or tapestry, or the firmament bespangled with glittering stars. These are the " true riches," Luke xvi. 11. which cannot stand with reprobation. And is not here enough to ffive the soul contentment? What arc all other things but like wings of a butter- fly, curiously painted? But they defile our fingers. Earthly riches, saith Augustine, are full of poverty; so Indeed they are. For, 1. They cannot enrich the soul : of- tentimes under silken apparel there is a thread-bare soul. 2. These are corrupti- ble : " riches are not for ever," as the wise man saith, Prov. xxvii. 24. Heaven is a place where gold and silver will not go ; a believer is rich towards God, Luke xii. 21. Why then art thou discontented ? Hath not God given thee that which is better than the world ? What if he doth not give thee the box, if he gives thee the jewel ? What if he denies thee farthings, if he pays thee in a better coin ? He gives thee gold, viz. spiritual mercies. What if the water in the bottle be spent ? Thou hast enough in
the fountain. What need he complain of the world's emptiness, that hath God's ful- ness ? The Lord is my portion, saith David, Ps. xvi. 5. Then let the lines fall where they will, — in a sick-bed or prison, — I will say, " the lines are fallen unto me in plea- sant places ; yea, I have a goodly heritage."
3. Art thou not heir to all the promises? Hast thou not a reversion of heaven ? When thou lettcst go thy hold of natural life, art thou not sure of eternal life ? Hath not God given thee the earnest and first fruits of glory ? Is not here enough to work the heart to contentment ?
Sect. III. The third argument is,
Be content, for else we confute our own prayers. We pray, " thy will be done :" it is the will of God that we should be in such a condition, — he hath decreed it, and he sees it best for us, — why then do we murmur, and are discontented at that which we pray for ? Either we are not in good earnest in our prayer, which argues hypo- crisy ; or else we contradict ourselves, which argues folly.
Sect. IV. The fourth argument to content- ment is,
Because now God hath his end, and Sa- tan misseth of his end.
1. God hath his end. God's end in all his cross providences is to bring the heart to submit and be content ; and indeed tliis plcaseth God much, — he loves to see his children satisfied with that portion he doth carve and allot them, — it contents him to see us contented ; therefore let us acquiesce in God's providence, now God hath his end.
2. Satan misseth of his end. The end why the devil though by God's permission did smite Job in his body and estate, was to perplex his mind ; he did vex his body on purpose that he might (lisquiet his spi- rit. He hoped to bring Job into a fit of discontent, and then that he would in a passion break forth against God. But Job beinjr so well-contented \^ith his condition as that he falls to blessing of God, he did disappoint Satan of his hope, " the devil will cast some of you into prison," Rev. ii. 10. Why doth the devil throw us into pri- son ? It is not so much the hurting our body, as the molesting our mind, that he aims at; he would imprison our conten
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ART OF DIVINE CONTENTMENT.
ment, and disturb tlie regular motion of our souls, this is his design. It is not so much the putting us into a prison, as tlie putting us into a passion, tliat he attempts; but by holy contentation, Satan loseth his prey, he misseth of his end. The devil hath often deceiv ed us ; the best way to deceive him, is by contentation in the midst of ten- tation ; our contentment will discontent Sa- tan. O, let us not gratify our enemy ! Discontent is the devil's delight ; now it is as he would have it, he loves to warm him- self at the fire of our passions. Repentance is the joy of the angels, and discontent is the joy of the devils ; as the devil danccth at discord, so he sings at discontent. The fire of our passions makes the devil a bon- fire ; it is a kind of heaven to him to see us torturing ourselves with our own troubles : but by holy contentment, we frustrate him of his purpose, and do as it were put him out of countenance.