Character 5f./i. lie that is contented with his condition, to rid himself out of trouble, will not turn himself into sin. I deny not but a Christian may lawfully seek to change his condition : so far as God's providence doth go before, he may follow. But when men will not follow providence but run before it, as he that said, " This evil is of the Lord, why should I wait any longer ?" 2 Kings vi. 33. ; if God doth not open the door of his providence, they will break it open, and wind themselves out of affliction by sin ; bringing their souls into trouble ; this is far from holy contentation, this is unbelief broken into rebellion. A con- tented Christian is willing to wait God's leisure, and will not stir till God open a door. As Paul said in another case, " they have beaten us openly, uncondomned, be- ing Romans, and have cast us into prison : and now do they thrust us out privily ? Nay, verily, but let them come themselves and fetch us out," Acts xvi. 37. So, with reverence, saith the contented Christian, God hath cast me into this condition ; and though it be sad, and troublesome, yet I will not stir, till God by a clear providence fetch me out. Tiius those brave spirited Christians, Heb. xi. 35., " They accepted not deliverance," that is, upon base disho- nourable terms. They would rather stay in prison than purchasii their liberty by carnal compliance. Estius observes on the place, " they might not only have had their enlargements, but been raised to honour, and put into offices of trust, yet the honour of religion was dearer to them, than either liberty or honour." A contented Christian will not remove, till as the Israelites he sees a pillar of cloud and fire going before him. " It is good that a man should both hope, and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord," Lam. iii. 26. It is good to stay God's leisure and not to extricate ourselves out of trouble, till we see the star of God's providence pointing out a way to us.
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ART OF DIVINE CONTENTMENT.
Chap. XIV. Use V. Containing a Chris- tian Directory, or Rules about Con- tentment.
I proceed now to an use of direction, to shew Christians how tliey may attain to this divine art of contentation. Certainly it is feasible, others of God's saints have reached to it. St. Paul here had it ; and what do we think of those we read of in that little book of martyrs, Heb. xi., who had trials of cruel mockings and scourgings, who wandered about in deserts and caves, yet were contented ; so that it is possible to be had. And here I shall lay down some rules for holy contentment. Rule 1. Advance faith. All our disquiets do issue immediately from unbelief. It is this that raiseth the storm of discontent in the heart. O set faith a-work ! It is the property of faith to silence our doublings, — to scatter our fears, — to still the heart when the passions are up. Faith works the heart to a sweet serene composure ; it is not having food and rai- ment, but having faith, which will make us content. Faith chides down passion ; when reason begins to sink, let faith swim.
Quest. How doth faith work contentment ? Ans. 1. Faith shews the soul that what- ever its trials are yet it is from the hand of a father ; it is indeed a bitter cup, but " shall I not drink the cup which my fa- ther hath given me to drink ?" It is in love to my soul : God corrects me with the same love he crowns me : God is now training me up for heaven ; he carves me, to make me a polished shaft. These suf- ferings bring forth patience, humility, even the peaceful fruits of righteousness, Heb. xii. 11. And if God can bring such sweet fruit out of a sour stock, let him graft me where he pleases. Thus faith brings the heart to holy contentment.
2. Faith sucks the honey of contentment out of the hive of the promise. Christ is the vine, — the promises are the clusters of grapes that grow upon this vine, — and faith presseth the sweet wine of contentment out of these spiritual clusters of the promises. I will shew you but one cluster, " the Lord will give grace and glory," Ps. Ixxxiv. 11. Here is enough for faith to live upon. The