refacilitate grace. The church of Christ, whoso heart was a gsirdcn, and her graces as precious spices, ])rays for the heavenly breathings of the Spirit, that her sacred spices might flow out, Cant. vi. 16. A true Christian grows incremento, both in the kind and in the degree of grace. To his sj)iri- tual living he gets an augmentation : he adds to " faith, virtue : to virtue, knowledge : to knowledge, temperance," &c. 2 Pet. i. .5, 6. Here is grace growing in its kind. And he goes on " from faith to faith," Rom. i. 17., there is grace growing in the degree : " We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, because your faith groweth ex-- ceedingly," 2 Thess. i. 3. It increaseth over and above. And the apostle speaks of those spiritual plants which were laden with gospel-fruit, Phil. i. 11. A Christian is compared to the vine, (an emblem of fruitfulness) he must bear full clusters : we are bid to perfect that which is lacking in our faith, 1 Thess. iii. 10. A Christian must never be so old as to be past bearing ; he brings forth fruit in his old age, Ps. xcii. 14. An heaven-born plant is ever growing ; he never thinks he grows enough ; he is not content unless he add every day one cubit to his spiritual stature. We must not be content just with so much grace as will keep life and soul together, a drachm or two will not suffice, but we must be still increasing, " with the increase of God," Col. ii. 1 9. We had need renew our strength- as the eagle, Isa. xl. 31. Our sins are re- newed, our wants are renewed, our tenta- tions are renewed, and shall not our strength- be renewed ? O be not content with the first embryo of grace, — grace in its infancy and minority ! You look for degrees of glory,, be ye Christians of degrees. Though a be- liever should be contented with a modicum in his estate, yet not with a modicum in re- ligion. A Christian of the right breed la- bours still to excel himself, and come nearer to that holiness in God, who is the original, the pattern, and prototype of all holiness.
Chap. XIII. Use IV. Shewing how a Christian may know whether he
HATH LEARNED THIS DiVINE ArT.
Thus having laid down these three cau- tions, I proceed, in the next place, to an use
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ART OF DIVINE CONTENTMENT.
of trial. How may a Christian know that he hath learned this lesson of contentment? I shall lay down some characters by which you shall know it.
Character \st. A contented spirit is a si- lent spirit ; he hath not one word to say against God : " I was dumb and silent, be- cause thou didst it," Ps. xxxix. 9. Con- tentment silenceth all dispute : " He sitteth alone and keepeth silence," Lam. iii. 28. There is a sinful silence, when God is dis- honoured, his truth wounded, and men hold their peace, — this silence is a loud sin ; and there is a holy silence, when the soul sits down quiet and content with its condition. When Samuel tells Eli that heavy message from God, that he would " judge his house, and that the iniquity of his family should not be purged away witli sacrifice for ever," 1 Sam. iii. 13, 14., doth Eli murmur or dis- pute ? No, he hatli not one word to say a- gainst God : " It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good." A discontented spirit saith as Pharaoh, " Who is the Lord ?" Why should I suifer all this ? Wliy should I be brought into this low condition ? " Who is the Lord ?" But a gracious heart saith, as Eli, "It is the Lord," let him do what he will with me. When Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, had offered up strange fire, and fire went from the Lord and de- voured them. Lev. x. 1., is Aaron now in a passion of discontent ? No, " Aaron held his peace." A contented spirit is never angry unless with himself for having hard thoughts of God. When Jonah said, " I do well to be angry," this was not a content- ed spirit, it did not become a prophet.
Character 2d. A contented spirit is a cheerful spirit ; the Greeks call it euthema. Contentment is sometliing more than pa- tience, for patience denotes only submis- sion,— contentment denotes cheerfulness. A contented Christian is more than ])assive; he doth not only bear the cross, but take up the cross. Mat. vi. 24. He looks upon God as a wise God ; and whatever lie dotli, though it be not willingly, yet sensibly, it is in order to a cure. Hence the contented Christian is cheerful, and with the apostle, *' takes pleasure in infirmities, distresses," &c. 2 Cor. xii. 10. He doth not only sub- mit to God's dealings, but rejoice in them ;