J 
 
The ART of 
 
 Contentment. 
 
 By the Author of 
 TftB Whole Duty qf Man, Sec. 
 
 It w but lofi labor lior.t ye hujie?i to rife up cv ^yya?id jo late taif 
 reft J a7td eat thff^reaJ of carefubtcjs j for fo he giveth his be* 
 lo'ved Jleep. Pfal. 127. 3. 
 
 At the T H E A T E R. in O X F O R P^ 
 M. DC. LXXV„ 
 
Imprimatur, 
 
 VicC'CaiiGell. Oxon. 
 
 Ith. 34. 1675. 
 
THE 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 defire of happinefs h fo 
 coe/iential nith our nature ^ 
 fo intervroven and incoiporatt 
 with it , that nothing but 
 the defolution of the whole frame can 
 e-xtinguijh it. This runs thro the 
 whole race of mankind ^ and amidft 
 the infinit variety of other inclina- 
 tions , preferves its felf entire. The 
 rnojl various contradi^arji tempers do 
 
 yet 
 
The Preface. 
 
 ^ef cevfpire in this^ and men of the 
 rnnjl unequal fortunes^ are yet equal 
 im their vrijl-es of being happy. 
 
 But thi6 concurrence a^ to the end 
 Is not more univerfal then the difa- 
 greev:ent about the way. Every vian 
 would have happiricfs ^ hut vrherein 
 that confifls , or how it k to he at- 
 tained ^ has bin very diverfly opined. 
 Incited the ultimate fupreme happi- 
 nefsm^ it is originally inherent in 
 God^ fo it is vprapt up in thofe clouds 
 anddarknefs^ which^ as the Ffalmiji 
 faies^ are round about him Ffal. 1 8. 
 1 1 . And we can fee nothing of it^ hut 
 in thofe gleams and raies he is 
 fleas' d to dart out upon us ; fo that 
 all our efiimates as to our final feli- 
 city ^ mufl heimfur'd by thofe revela- 
 tions he has made of it. 
 
 But 
 
The Preface. 
 
 But one would think-, our temporal 
 happnefs vrere as much a myj^ery cis 
 cur eternal , to fee what variety of 
 blind purfuits are made after it. One 
 man thinks lis feated on the top pin- 
 nacle of honor , and climbs till per- 
 haps he falls head-long. Another 
 thinks it a mineral^ that muji be 
 dig'd out of the earthy and toils to lade 
 himfelf with thick chy^Hab.l. 6. 
 and at lajl finds a grave , whcr^ he 
 fought his trefure. A third fuppofes 
 it confiHs in the variety of plefures^ 
 and wearies himfelf in that purfuit ^ 
 whicb only cloies and difappoints. 
 Tet every one of thefe can read you 
 leisures of the grofs mijlake and folly 
 of the other , whiLl himfelf is equal- 
 ly deluded. 
 
 Thm do men chafe an imaginary 
 
 goody 
 
The Preface. 
 
 good^ till they meet with real evils; 
 herein exfofingthemfehes to the fame 
 cheat Laban put upon Jacob ^ they 
 ferve for Rachel, and are rewarded 
 vpith Leah ^ court fancied beauty^ and 
 many loath' d deformity . Suchdelufive 
 felicities as tbefe are the largeffes of 
 the Prince of the Air ^ who once at- 
 temtedto have inveigled even Chrift 
 himfelf , Mat. 4. 
 
 But Gols propcfals are more fm" 
 cere: he knows howfandy^ hovp falfe 
 a foundation all tbefe external things 
 mufi make^and therefore warns us not 
 to build fo much as our prefent fatisfa- 
 £iion upon them , but fhews m a more 
 certain^ a more compendiotis way to 
 acquire what we gafp after , by tel- 
 ling 116 that as Godlinefs in refpe^ 
 of the next^ fo contentment for this 
 
 world 
 
 i 
 
The Prefaced 
 world is great gain^ i Tim. 6. 6. h 
 is indeed the unum neceffarium,/i>^ 
 one point in which all the lines of 
 worldly happinefs are concentred^ and 
 to complete its excellence^ tis to he had 
 at home : nay indeed only there* We 
 need not ramble in wild purfuits after 
 it ^ we may form it within our own 
 brea/is : no man wants materials for 
 it , that kpows but how to put them 
 together. 
 
 And the direSiing to that skill 
 is the only defign of the enfuing TraiJ; 
 which coming upon fo kind an er- 
 rand^ may at leafl hope for an unprc'^ 
 judic'd reception. Contentment is a 
 thing we allprofefs to affaire to , and 
 therefore it cannot be thought an un^ 
 friendly office to endeauor to conduH 
 xntn to it. How far the enfuing con- 
 
 fide* 
 
The Preface. 
 
 fiderations may tend to that tnd ^ t 
 muji have to the judgment and ex- 
 perience of the Reader ^ only de firing 
 him^ that he will weigh them with 
 that ferioufnejs which befits a thing 
 wherein both his happinefs and duty 
 are concerned : for in this Qas in ma- 
 ny other inflames^ God has fo twi fl- 
 ed them together , that we cannot be 
 innocently miferable. Theprefent in- 
 felicities of our murmurs and impa- 
 tiencies have an appendent guilt , 
 which will con fign us to a more irre- 
 Tjerfible Jlate of diffatisfaSlion here^ 
 after. 
 
 THE 
 
THE ART 
 
 O F 
 
 CONTENTMENT. 
 
 Sect. I. 
 
 Ofthenecejfarj Connexion h'- 
 tvpeen Happinefs and Con^ 
 tentment. 
 
 OD who isefTentially hap- 
 py in himfelf, can receive 
 no acceilion to his fdicity 
 by the poor contributions 
 of men# He cannot there- 
 fore be luppos'd to have made them up- 
 on intuition of increafing, but com- 
 municating his happinefs. And this his ori- 
 
 A giftal 
 
2 The Art of Gontentmenc. 
 
 ginal defign is very Vifible in all the parts 
 of his Economy towards them. When 
 lapfed man had counterplotted againft 
 himfelf ^ defeated the purpofe of the Di- 
 vine goodnefs , * and plunged his whole 
 nature mto the oppofite ftate of endlefs mi- 
 fery ; he yet rcinforc'd his ftrfl: defign, and 
 an expedient as full of wonder as mercy, 
 the death of his Son, recovers him to 
 his former capacity of bUfs. And that it 
 might not only be a bare capacity, he 
 has added all other methods proper to' 
 work upon a rational creature. He has 
 fliewed him his danger , fet before him in 
 perfpeftive that eternal Tophet, which 
 he is advis*d to ftiun. On the other fide 
 he has no lefs lively defcrib'd th© heaveiily 
 Jerufalem , the celeftial Country to which 
 he is to alpire: nay farther has levell'd 
 his road to it, leads him not as he did 
 the Ifraelites thro the wildernefs, thro 
 intricate mazes to pazle his underftand* 
 ing; thro a land of drought veheretn were 
 fiery Serpents and Scorpio^j^^ Deut. 8. 15. 
 to difcourage and affright liiia , but has in 
 the Gofpel chalkt out a plain, a fafc, nay 
 a pkfant path • as much faperior both in 
 the eafe of the way , and in the end ta 
 which it leads, as heaven is to Canaan. 
 
 2. Bt 
 
Sect. I. Its Connexionwith hapfinejs. 3 
 
 2. By doing this:, he has not only fe- 
 eured our grand and ultimate happinefs, 
 but provided for our intermedial alfo. 
 Thoie ChriUian duties which are to carry 
 us to heaven, are our refrefliment, our. 
 viaticum in our journy, his yoke is not 
 to gall and fret us, but an engine by which 
 vv^e may with eafe ( and almolt infenfibly ) 
 draw all the clogs and incumbrances of 
 human life. For whether we take Chri- 
 ftianity in its whole complex, or in its 
 feveral and diftinft branches , tis certain- 
 ly the moft excellent, the moft com- 
 pendious art of happy living: its very 
 tasks are rewards , and its precepts are 
 nothing but a divine fort of Alchymy, to 
 fublime at once our nature and our ple- 
 fures. 
 
 3. This may be evidenced in every 
 particular of the Evangelical Law: but 
 having formerly made fome attcmt to- 
 wards it in another '^ trad, I fhall ^ „ 
 
 - ^ * Decay of 
 
 not here reaflume the whole lub- r''r,]iw» t,«. 
 jedl. 1 iliall only fingle out one '^' 
 particular precept, wherein happinefs is 
 not (as in the others) only implied , and 
 niuftbe catcht at the rebound byconfe- 
 quence and evf nr 5 but is literally cxpreft, 
 and is the very matter of the duty 5 I 
 
 A % meaa 
 
The Art of Contentment. 
 
 mean the precept of acquiefcence and 
 - Contentment -, Happinefs and this true ge- 
 nuine Contentment, b^ing terms fo con- 
 vertible, that to bid us be content , is but 
 another phrafe for bidding us be happy. 
 
 4. Temporal enjoiments , fuch as 
 arc plefurc , wealth, honor , and the reft, 
 tho they make fpecious pretences to be 
 the mcfure of human happinefs, are all of 
 themjjftly discarded by the Philofopher 
 in his Ethics, upon this one confiderati- 
 on, that coming from abroad they may be 
 vrith-held or taken from us:and our tenure 
 being precarious, we even for that rea- 
 fon are unhappy in our moft defirable pof- 
 feffions, becaufe we ftill are liable to be 
 io. And therefore he concludes 5 that fe- 
 licity muft be placed in the mind and foul, 
 which (lands without the reach of fortune ; 
 and in the pradice of vertue, Avhich in 
 its own nature , and not in its contingent 
 ufe is truly good , and therefore certainly 
 ^renders the pofleflbrs fuch. 
 
 f . B tJ T this praftice being diffufed 
 thro the whole extent of Moral duty , E- 
 fi£ietus thought he had deferred well of 
 human nature, when he drew it up in two 
 |l]ort words , to fuftain and ahUAin : that 
 pto bear with conftancy adverfe events^ 
 
 and 
 
Sect. I. Its Connexion with Happinefs. f 
 
 and with moderation enjoy thofc that are 
 profperous. Which complexure of Phi- 
 lofophy is yet more fully , as well as more 
 compendioufly expreft in the fingle no. 
 tion of Contentment : which involves the 
 patient bearing of all mifadventures, and 
 generous contemt of fenfual iileftives. 
 This ftate of mind the Greeks exprefs 
 bycalHngit Mjnzipxetoc^ or felf-fufBciency, 
 which, we know properly fpeaking, is one 
 of the incommunicable attributes of the 
 divine nature , and the Stoics cxprefly 
 pretend , that by it mortal men are enabled 
 to rival their Gods y in Seneca s Phrafe, 
 to make a controverfy with Jupiter him- 
 felf. But abating the infolent blafphemy 
 of an independent felicity, Chriltianity 
 acknowledges a material truth in the af- 
 fertion: and St. P^«/ declares ofhimfclf, 
 that having learnt how to ''jvant and how 
 U abound^ and in rvhatever ftate be happens 
 to be in , therevptth to he content : he is a^ 
 lie to do all things throChriJl that fnength'^ 
 ens him , Phil. 4.11^ 12, 13- and havingno^ 
 things topo^efs all thnJgs^ 2 Cor. 6. i o. 
 
 6 Which great event comes about, 
 not only becaufe all good things are emi- 
 nently in the divine nature, and he who by 
 Vertue and Religion poffefies Him , there- 
 by 
 
6 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 ^1 
 
 by in a full equivalence has every thing 5. 
 but alfo upon human mefures, and the 
 principles of Philofophy : the compendi- 
 ous addrefs to wealth , as Plato rightly ob- 
 lerv'd, being not to encreafe pofTeffions, 
 but leffen dcfires. And if fo, twill follow 
 that the contented man muft be abundant- 
 ly provided for, being fo entirely fatisfied 
 with what he has , as to have no defires at 
 all. Indeed tis truly faid of covetous rhen, 
 and is equally verified of all who have any 
 defire to gratify , that they want no lefs 
 what they have, then what they have not : 
 but the reverfe of that Paradox is really 
 made good by Contentment , which beftows 
 on men the enjoiment of whatever they 
 have , and alfo whatever they have not ; 
 and by teaching to want nothing , abun- 
 dantly /ecurcs not to want happineft. 
 
 7. On the other fide this one grace 
 being abfent , it is not in the power of any 
 luccefs or aiBuence to make life a tole- 
 rable thing.. Let all the materials of earth- 
 ly happinefs be amaft together and flung 
 upon one man , they will without con- 
 tentment be but like the fatal prize of Tir- 
 peias treafon , who was preft to death with 
 the weight of her booty. He that has the 
 elements of felicity , and yet cannot form 
 
 them 
 
Sect. 1. Its Connexion mtb Hafplnefs. j 
 
 « l - l . ■ M l ■ I . .11 .. 11 ■ ■ I * 
 
 them into a fatisfadlion , is more defpe- 
 rately miferable then he that wants them •• 
 for he who wants them has yet fomthing 
 to hope for , and thinks if he had them 
 he might be happy; but he who infi- 
 gnificantly poffefles them , has no refervc, 
 has not fo much as the Flattery of an ex* 
 pedation^ for he has nothing left to de- 
 fire , and yet can be as little faid to en- 
 joy. . ^ 
 
 8. H E therefore that would have the 
 
 extradjthe quinteflence of happinefs^muft 
 feekit in Content. All outward acceffions 
 are but the drofs and earthy partrthis alone 
 is the fpirit, which when tis once feparated, 
 depends not upon the fate of the other ; 
 but preferves its vigor when that is de- 
 ftroi'd. St. ^aul whom I before mention'd, 
 is a ready inftance of it , who profefles to 
 be content invphat ever [late ; Contentment 
 being not fo infeparately link'd to external 
 things , but that they may fubfift apart. 
 That thofe are often without it wc arc 
 too fure , and that it may be without them 
 is as cercainly true ^ tho by our own de- 
 fault we have not fo many examples of 
 it. A heart that rightly computes the 
 .difference between temporals and eter- 
 nals ,^ may refolve with the Prophet , A!- 
 
 th9 
 
8 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 th$ the fig-tree Jljall not hUjfom ^ neither 
 /hall fruit be in the vines y the labor ^f the 
 olive Jhdl faiU and the fields Jhall yield 710 
 meat s the flocks Jhall be cut off from the 
 fold 5 and there fioall be no herds m the Rail s 
 jet I will rejoice in the Lord ^ I will joy in 
 the God of my Salvation, Hab. 3, 17, 18, 
 He that has God need not much deplore 
 the wane of any thing elfe : nor can he that 
 confidcrs the plenty and glory of his future 
 ftate, be much deje£ted v/ith the want or 
 the abjednefs of bis prefent. 
 
 ^4 Yet fo indulgent is God to our 
 infirmities , that knowing how unapt our 
 impatient natures are to walk only hy 
 faith^ andnot at all by fight ^ 2 Cor. 5.7. he 
 h pleas'd to give us fair antepafts of fa- 
 tisfadtion here^ difpenfes his temporal 
 bleffings tho not equally ^ yet fo univer- 
 fally, that he tbat has ieaft , has enough to^ 
 oblige not only his acquiefcence , but his 
 thankfulnefs* Tho every man has not all 
 lie wilhes, yet he has that which is more 
 valuable then that he complains to want; 
 nay which he himfelf could worle fpare 
 Were it put to his option. 
 
 10. And now from luch a difpofure of 
 thing« who would not exped that man-, 
 kind jQiDuId be the cheerfulleft part of the 
 
 creation ? 
 
Se c t . I. Its Connexion with Hapfinefs. ^ 
 
 creation : that the fim should not more 
 rejoice to rtm his courje Pf'aL i5>. J. then 
 man fhould to finiili his: that a jourjr/ 
 which has lb bleffed an end , and fuch 
 good accommodation by the way, fliould 
 be paft with all imaginable olacrity ^ and 
 that we fliould live here prafticers and 
 learners of that itate of umiiix'd inter- 
 minable joies to which weafpfre. Bat 
 alas if we look upon the univerfaiity of 
 men , we fliail find it notliing i^o • but 
 while all other creatures gladiomiy fol- 
 io w the order of their crea'^iion , take pie- 
 fureinrhofe things God has adignd for 
 them , we with a lullLn perverlaefs quar- 
 rel at what we {hould enjoy, and in eve- 
 ry thing make it our bull nets 5 not to fie 
 it for our ufe, but to find out (bmecon- 
 celed quality which may render it unfito 
 We look infidioufly upon our bleflings, 
 like men that defign'd only to pick a quar- 
 rel , and ftart a pretence for mutiningo 
 From hence it is that man who was de« 
 figii'd the Lord of the world , to whofe 
 fatisfac3:ion all inferior beings were to 
 contribute, is now the unhappieftof the 
 creatures : nay as if the whole order of 
 the univerfe were inverted, he becomes 
 flaveto his own vafTals , courts all thefe; 
 
 B' lictk' 
 
%o The Arc of Contentment. 
 
 little fublunary things withfuch pailioni 
 that if they prove coy and fly his embra- 
 ces , he is mad and delperate : if they fling 
 themfelves into his arms , he is then glut- 
 ted and fatisfied- like Amnon he hates 
 more then he loved 2 S^m.i^.ij.audisficker 
 of his poflTeflion, then he was of his defire. 
 
 10. And thus will it ever be till we 
 can keep our defires more at home, and 
 not fuffer them to ramble after things 
 withoutour reach. That honeft Roman 
 who from his extraordinary induftry up- 
 on his little fpot of ground received fuch- 
 anincreafe as brought him under fu(pi*» 
 cion of witchcraft , is a good example 
 for us, God has placed none of us in fa 
 barren a foil> in fo forlorn a ftate, but 
 there is fomthing in it which may afford 
 us comfort 5 let us husband that to the ut- 
 moftj and tis fcarce imaginable what im- 
 provements even he that appears the molt 
 miferable may make of his condition. 
 But if in a fullen humor we will not cul- 
 tivate our own field , becaufe v/e have 
 perhaps more mind to our neighbors, we 
 may thank our feives if we ftarve. The 
 defpifing of what God has already given- 
 us, is fare but a cold invitation to farther 
 bounty. Men are indeed forced fomtimes 
 
 to 
 
S s c T . I. Its Connexion with Happinefs. i j 
 
 to reward the mutinous : but God is not 
 to be fo attaqued, nor is it that lort of vio- 
 lence which can ever force heaven. The 
 Heathen could fay that Jupiter fent his 
 plagues amongft the poorer fort of men, 
 becaufe they were alwaies repining : and 
 indeed there is fo much of truth in the 
 obfervation, that our impatience and dif- 
 content at our prefent condition, is the 
 greateft provocation to God to make it 
 worfe, 
 
 1 1. It muft therefore be refolv'd to be 
 very contrary to our intereftj and furely 
 tis no lefs to our duty. It is fo if we do 
 but own our felves men, for in that is im- 
 pli'd a fubordinationand fubmiffion to that 
 power that made us fo 5 and to difpute 
 his managery of the world, to make other 
 diftributionsof it then he has don, is to 
 renounce our fubjeiStion, and let up for 
 dominion. But this is yet more intole- 
 rable as we are Chriftians, it being a fpe, 
 cial part of the Evangelical difcipline , 
 cherefully to conform to any condition: to 
 know how to be abafed^ and how to abotmd 3 
 to be full andtobe'hungry^ Phil. /3^. it. to be 
 careful for nothing ver. 6. Nay fo little do's 
 Chrill give countenance to ourpeevifh dif- 
 contents^OHr wanton out -cries when we 
 
 B z are 
 
li 
 
 The Arc of Contentment. 
 
 arenorhiirt^that he requires more then a 
 contencmentj an exultancy and tranfport 
 oi: joy even under chchei;vij(l preflhres, 
 under reproches and perfecations. Re-* 
 joiceyein that day^ andltap for joy Luk. 6. 
 xj.f. And fure nothing can be more con- 
 trary to this, then to be alv/aies whining 
 and compiaiuing, crying \xi the Prophets 
 ^Jif ale^ my karmefs my lemnefs^ wo u me, 
 lik,. .2^, i6n ..vvlun perhaps Moles's fimile 
 do's better fir our frate, Jefuriin waxed fat 
 ii'M. kicked^ J^cu^.-ir., 15.*: 
 
 12. A N,D.^s,-.this .querulous humor i^ 
 ^gainll our iiKerefl ^ad duty , foisit vi- 
 sibly againft our cafe. Tis a ficknefs of 
 fhemind, a perpetual gnawing and cra- 
 yi](ig of the appetite without any poffibi- 
 lity of fatisfadlion : and indeed is the fame 
 in the heart v/hich the Caniniis appetitus 
 }s in the fromach , to v/hich we may aptly 
 (enough apply that defcription we fiad ia 
 theProphetj^^ shall Jn ate h on the right 
 hiind and be hungry ^ and he shall eat on the 
 left and not. befatisfied^ Efay, 9. 20. Where 
 this fharpj thij, fretting humor abounds , 
 jQothing cpnypi^ts into nariihment ; every 
 iTe\V acceiuou tla's but excite iome new 
 defire y and a$ tis obferY'd of a trencher -fed 
 dbg, that he ^a'ils not qna bit for the gree- 
 
S E CT. L Its Connexion with Happinefs, 1 3 
 
 dy expedtation of the next ; fo a dircon- 
 tented mind is fo intent upon his purfuits^ 
 thathehasnorelifh of his acquells. So 
 that .\ hat the Prophet fpeaks of the Co- 
 vetous, is equally appHable to all other 
 forts of Male-contencs : he inlarges his 
 dejires as hdl^ and is as death ^^ and cannot 
 be Jatisfied 'i Hab. 2. 5 And fure if the 
 defive accomplished be, as Solomon faies, 
 fweet to the foul ^ Prov 13. 19. it mult 
 be exceedingly bitter, to be thus con- 
 demned to endlefs unaccomphfhable de- 
 fires J and yet this is the torture which 
 every repining uncontented fpirit provides 
 for its felf. 
 
 13. What a madnefs is it then for 
 men to be fo defpcratly bent againft their 
 inrereft and duty, as to renounce even 
 their eafe too for company? One would 
 think this age were fenfual enough to be 
 at defiance with the lead fliadow of unea-r 
 finefs. It is fo I am fure where it ought 
 not , every thing is laborious when tis in 
 compliance with their duty. A few minutes 
 fpent in praier Oh what a wearinefs is it ! 
 Mai. 2 13. If they chance but to mifs a 
 meal, they are ready to cry out, their knees 
 are weak withfajiing. Pfa. lop. 23. yet 
 they can without regret, or any felf-com- 
 
 paffion. 
 
14 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 pallion , macerate and cruciate themfelves 
 with anxious cares and vexations, and 
 as the ApoAles fpeaks i Tim. 6. lo. pierce 
 themjelves thro with many [arrows. That 
 propofai therefore which was very raflily 
 made by St. Peter to our Saviour , Majter 
 fity thyjelj , Mat. 1 6. 22, which we render 
 be It far fromthee^woxAd, here be an ad- 
 vifed motion to the generality of man^ 
 kind, who are commonly made unhap* 
 pynot by any thing without them, buE 
 by thofe reftlefs impatiencies that are 
 within them, 
 
 14. I T may therefore be a feafonable 
 office to endeavor the appeafing thofe 
 ftorms, by recalling them to thofe fober 
 rational confiderations , which may flisw 
 as well the folly 5 asuneafinefsof this re- 
 pining unfatisfiable humor. Tis certain 
 that in true reafoning , we can find no- 
 thing whereon to found it, but a great 
 deal to inforce the contrary. Indeed tis 
 io much againft the did:ate of reafona- 
 ble nature to affed: damage, fin, and 
 torment , that were there nothing elfe to 
 be faid but what I have already menti- 
 oned, it might Competently difcover the 
 great unreafonablenefs of this fin. 
 
 15. But we need not confine our ap- 
 
 peal 
 
Se c T . I. Its Connexion with Happinefs, 1 5 
 
 peal to reafon, as it is only a judgof u- 
 tility and advantage ; but inlargeit to z* 
 nother notion^ as it is judgof equity and 
 right : in which refpeft alfo it gives as 
 cleer and peremtory a fentence againlt 
 all murmuring and impatience. To evince 
 this I fliall infift upon thefe particulars^ 
 I. That God is debtor to no man, and 
 thetefore what ever he affords to any , it 
 is upon bounty not of right, benevo- 
 lence not a due. %^y. That this bounty is 
 not ftraight or narrow , confin'd to fome 
 few particular per Ibns> and wholly over- 
 skipping the reft, butmoreorlefsuniver- 
 fally diffufed to all. So that he who has 
 the leaft^cannot juftly fay but he has bin li- 
 berally dealt with. j^y. That if we compare 
 our bleflings with our allaies, our good 
 things with our evil, we fhall find our 
 good far furmounting. 4,17. That we fliall 
 find them yet more fo, if we compare 
 them with the good we have don , as oq 
 the contrary we fliall find our afflidions 
 fcarce difcernible if balanced with our 
 fins. 5^7. That as God is Rector of the uni- 
 verfe, fo it appertains to him to make fuch 
 allotments, fuch diftributions, as may beft 
 prefcrve the ftate of the whole. 6^y. That 
 God notwithftandii>g that uuivcrfal care , 
 
 has 
 
j6 The Art of contentment. 
 
 has alio a peculiar afpedt on every parti- 
 cular Perfon, and difpofes to hini what 
 he difcerns beftforhim in fpecial. /^ylf 
 we compare our adverfities with thofe 
 of other men, we fhallalwaies findfom- 
 thing that equals^ if not exceeds our own; 
 All thefe are certain irrefragable truths, 
 and there is none of them fingle but may , 
 if well preft upon the mind, charm it 
 into a calmnefs and refignation ; but 
 when there is fuch a confpiration of argu- 
 ments, it muft be a very obftinate perverf- 
 nefs that can refift them: or fliouid they 
 fail to enforce a full conviftion i will yet 
 introduce thofe fubfidiary proofs, which 
 I have to alledg, fo advantagioufly , as 
 will, being put together, amount unto 
 perfeft and uncontroulable Evidence. 
 
 S E c T. 
 
Sect. II. ofGodsAbfoluteSoveraignty. 17 
 
 — . — . .....I. - .. . ■ . ■ _ ^ ^^ ^ 
 
 Sect. II. 
 
 Of Gods Abfolute Scveraigntj. 
 
 I. T^ H E firfl: propofition, that God is 
 A debtor to no man, is too clear and 
 apparent to require much of illuftration : 
 ipr as he is a free agent and may aft as 
 he pleafes , fo lie is the fole proprietary, 
 andean wrongfully detain from none, 
 .becaufe all original right is in himfelf. 
 This has bin fo much acknowledged by 
 the blindeft Heathens, that none of them 
 durit make infolent addrefles to their 
 Gods, challenge any thing of them as of 
 debt , but by facrifices and praiers own'd 
 their dependance and wants, and implor'd 
 fupplies. And fure Chriftianity teaches 
 vs not to be morefawcv. If thofeDei- 
 ties who ow'd their very being to their 
 votaries.were yet acknowledged to be the 
 fpringandfourceof all, we can with no 
 pretence deny it to that fupreme power 
 in whom we live^ 7nove, md have our be- 
 ingy Afts 17, 28. For if it were merely an 
 
 C aft 
 
i8 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 ad of his choice to give us a being , all 
 his fubfequent bounties can have no other 
 original then his own good pleafure. We 
 could put no obligation upon God before 
 we were : and when we began to be, we 
 were his creatures, and fo by the moft in- 
 difputable right owe our felves to him ^ 
 but can have no antecedent title on which 
 to clame any thing from him : fo that the 
 Apoftle might well make the challenge 
 which he doth on Gods behalf, who hath 
 given any thing unto him , and it shall be re* 
 compencd to him again ? Rom. 11.35. 
 
 2 . Now ordinary difcretion teaches us 
 not to be too bold in our expeftation from 
 one to whom we can plead no right. It has 
 as little of prudence as modefty, to prefs 
 impudently upon the bounty of a Patron, 
 and do's but give him temtation (atleaft 
 pretence) to deny. And if it be thus with 
 men, who^poffibly may fomtimes have an 
 intereftjfomtimes a vanity to oblige us ; it 
 muft be much more fo towards God, who 
 cannot be in want of us^ and therefore need 
 not buy us. Ourgood^^s tlie Pfalmift fpeaks, 
 extends not to hhn. Pfal. 16. 2. He has a 
 fundamental right in that little we are , 
 which will ftand good tho it lliould ne- 
 ver be corroborated by greater benefits. 
 * 'With 
 
Sect.il Of Gods Abfoliite Soveraignty. 1 9 
 
 With what an humble balhfulnefs fhould 
 we then fue for any thing , who have no 
 argument to invite the lead donation i 
 being ah'eady fo preingag'd, that we can- 
 not mortgage fo much as our felves \w 
 confideration of any new favor rand furely 
 extravagant hopes do very ill befit people 
 in this condition. We fee the modeity 
 of good Mephibolheth , who tho he was 
 by a flanderous accufation outed of half 
 the eftate David had gwen him , yet upon 
 arefled:ionthathederiv'd it all from his 
 good pleafure, difputed not the fentence, 
 but chearfully refign'd the whole to the 
 fame difpofure, from which he received 
 it, laying, Tea^ let him take all. 2 Sam. 19. 
 30. Arareexampleandfit for imitation, 
 as being adapted to the prefent cafe, not 
 only in that one circumftance of his ha- 
 ving receiv'd all from the King, but alfo 
 in that of the attainder of his blood, which 
 he confefles in the former partof the verfe, 
 for all of my fathers houfe were but dead meyt 
 before m'j Lord. And alas may we not fay 
 the very fame ? was not our whole race 
 tainted in our 6rll Parent ? So that if God 
 had not the primary title of vaflalage , 
 he would in our fall have acquir'dthat 
 of confilcation and efcheat. And can we 
 
 C 2 think 
 
20 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 think our fel ves then in terms to capitulate 
 and make our own conditions , and ex- 
 pert God fhould humor us in all our wild 
 demands ? 
 
 3 . This is indeed to keep up that old 
 rebellion of our Progenitor, for that con- 
 lifted in a difcontent with that portion 
 God held affign'd him, and coveting what 
 he had reftrein'd him. Nay indeed it 
 comes up to the height of the Devils pro- 
 pofal, theattemting to be as God, Gen. 
 3.5. For tis an endevor to wreft the ma- 
 nageryoutof his hands, to fuperfede his 
 Aiitoriity of difpenfing to us, and to carve 
 for our felves. This is fo mad an infolence, 
 that were it poflible to ftate a cafe exadly 
 parallel between man and man, it would 
 taife the indignation of any that but pre- 
 tended to ingenuity. Yet this is? without 
 Hyperbole, the true meaning of every mur^ 
 muring repining thought we entertain, 
 
 4. But as bad as it is, who is there 
 of us, that can in this particular fay ^-z^'^ 
 have made our hearts clean ? Prov. 20.9. Tis 
 true we make fome formal acknowledg- 
 ment fometimes that we receive all from 
 Gods gift, cuftom teaches us from our in- 
 fancy after every meal we eat to give him 
 thanlcs ( tho even that is now thought too 
 
 much 
 
Sect. II. Of Gods Abfoitite Soveratgnty, 2 1 
 
 much refped: , and begins to be difcarded 
 asunfafliionablej Yet iure he cannot be 
 thought to do that in earneil, that has all 
 the time of his eating bin grumbling that 
 his table abounds not With fuch delicacies 
 as hi3 neighbors.' And .yet at this rate 
 God knows are mo ft of our thank fgivings. 
 Indeed we have notfo much ordinary ci- 
 vility to God, as we have to men. The 
 common proverb teaches us not too curi- 
 oufly to pry into the blemiflies of what 
 is given us: but on Gods giks we fit as 
 Cenfors , nicely examine every thing 
 which is in any way difagreable to our 
 fancies, and as if we dealt with him under 
 the notion of chapmen , difparage it^ as 
 Solomon faies buyers u(e to do , if is 
 naughty it is naughty faith the huier^ Prov. 
 20. 14. Nay we feem yet more abfurdly 
 to change the tctwQ^ and as if God were 
 to make oblation to us , we as critically 
 obferve the defccis of his benefaftions , 
 as the Levitical priefls were to do thofe of 
 the facnfice , and ( like angry Deities ) 
 fcornfullyrejed, whatever do*s not pcr- 
 fedly anlwer our wanton appetites. 
 
 5. And now fhould God take us at 
 our words, withdraw all thole bleffings 
 which we fo faitidioufly defpife, what a 
 
 con- 
 
22 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 condition were we in? Tis lure we have 
 nothing to plead in reverfeof that judg- 
 ziient. There is nothing in it againllju- 
 ftice : for he takes but his own. This he 
 intimates to IfraeUHof.a. p. I will re- 
 turn and tal>e away my cum in the time 
 thereof y and my wine in the feajon thereofy 
 and will recover my wool and my flax : in 
 which he aflerts his own propriety, my 
 corn, my wine &c. and recalls them to the 
 remembrance that rhey were butuiufru- 
 ^uaries : and tis as evident that our 
 tenure is but the fame. Nay this pro* 
 ceeding would not be repugnant even to 
 mercy, for even that is not obliged 
 ftill to proftitute its felf to our contemt. 
 1 am fure fuch a tolerance is beyond all 
 the meafures of human lenity. Should 
 any of us offer an alms to an indigent 
 wretch , and he when he fees it is Silver, 
 ihould murmur and exclame that it is 
 not Gold, would we not draw back our 
 hand, and referve our charity for a more 
 worthy object ? Tis true indeed Gods 
 thoughts are not as our thoughts, nor 
 our narrow bowels equal meafures for the 
 divine compaffions, and we experimen- 
 tally find that his long-fufFering infinitly 
 exceeds ours, yet we know he do*s in the 
 
 para- 
 
Sect. II. OfGodsAbfoluteioveraig7ity, 2? 
 
 parable of the Lord and the lervant Mat. 
 18. declare that he will proportion his 
 mercy by ours , in that inftance j and we 
 have no promi/e that he will not do it 
 in this : nay we have all reafon to expert 
 he fhoiild 5 for fince his wifdom promts 
 him to do nothing in vain , and all his 
 bounty to us is defign'd to make us hap- 
 py, when he fees that end utterly fru- 
 llrated by our discontents , to what pur- 
 pofe (hould he continue that to us which 
 we will be never the better for ? 
 
 6. Besides tho he be exceedingly 
 patient, yet he is not negligent or in- 
 lenfible , he takes particular notice , not 
 only with what diligence we employ, 
 but with what aflFeftion we refent eve- 
 ry of his bleflings. And as ingratitude is 
 a vice odious to men , fo it is extremely 
 provoking to God: fo that in this fenfe 
 alfo , the words of our Savior are molt 
 ti'MQy from him that hath not (^. r. ) that 
 hath not a grateful fenfe and value , shall 
 be taken away even that he hath, Mac. 2 >. 
 29. But we may find a threatning of this 
 kind yet more exprefs to lirael, bccatij'e 
 thou fervedfi not the Lord thy God with 
 gladnefs and with joifuhiejs of heart for 
 the Abundance of all things^ therefore shalt 
 
 thou 
 
2A The Art of Contentment. 
 
 ' ' '•■~— — 
 thou Jerve thine enemks^ whom the Lgrd 
 Godwul J end among thee^ in b linger and in 
 tbirfi andinfiakednefs and in luant of ali 
 things^ Deiit. 28. 27,28. a fad and difmal 
 inverlionjyet founded wholly in the want 
 of that cheerful recognition which God 
 expedied from them. And ii Ifrael the 
 lot of his own inheritance, that people 
 whom he had lingled out from all the na^- 
 tions of the world , could thus forfeit his 
 favor by unthankfulnefs, furenoneof us 
 can fuppoie we have any furer entail of 
 it. In a word as God loves a cheerful 
 giver 5 fo he alfo loves a cheerful receiver. 
 One that complies with his end inbe- 
 ilov/ing, by taking a juft complacence in 
 his gifts. But the querulous and unfa- 
 tisfied, reproch his bounty :accufe him of 
 illiberality and narrownefs of mind. So 
 that he feems even in his honor engag'd 
 to bring them to a tighter apprehenfion 
 of him, and by a deprivation teach them 
 the value of thofe good things, which 
 they could not learn by the enjoiment. 
 
 7. If therefore ingenuity and grati- 
 tude cannot, yet at lead let prudence 
 and felf-love engage us againft this (in 
 of Murmuring , which v<iz iee do's abun- 
 dantly juftify the cliaradier the Wile man 
 
 gives 
 
Sect. II. OjGodsAbfoluteSoveraignty, 2J 
 
 gives when he tells us tu unprofitable^ Wif. 
 I. XI. he might have faid pernicious alfo, 
 for fb it evidently isinitsefFed:. Let us 
 then arm our felves againft it, and to that 
 purpofe imprefs deeply upon our minds the 
 prefentconfideration, that God owes us 
 nothing , and that what ever we receive is 
 an alms and not a tribute, Diogenes be- 
 ing asked what Wine drank the nioft pie- 
 fant, anfwcrcd, that which is drunk at an* 
 others coft. And this circumilance we 
 can never mifs of to recommendour good 
 things to us : for be they little or much > 
 they come gratis. When therefore in 
 a pettifli mood we find our felves apt to 
 charge God fooliflily , and to think hini 
 ftrait-handed towards us , let us imagine 
 we hear God expoftulating v/ith us, as 
 the houfholder in the parable , Friend I 
 do thee no wrong : is it not la'uvftdfor mc 
 todowhatlwillwithmineowni Mat. 20; 
 15. If God have not the right of difpo- 
 ling, let us find out thofe that have, and 
 fee how much better we fliall fpeed : but 
 if he hath, let us take heed of difputing 
 with him. We that fubfift merely by his 
 favor, had need court and cherifh it by 
 all the arts of humble obfervance. E- 
 very man is ready to fay how ill beggary 
 
 I> and 
 
26 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 and pride do agree. The firft qualification 
 we cannot put off J O let us not provide 
 it of the other fo inconvenient^ fo odious 
 an adjunct. Let us leave off prefcribing 
 to God ( which no ingenious man would 
 do to an earthly benefa<ftor)andlet us 
 betake our felves to a more holy and (uc- 
 cefsful policy, the acknowledgment of ' 
 pait mercies, andourov/n unworthineft. 
 1 his was Jacobs method , / am not wof \ 
 thy of the leajl of all the mercies^ and of all 
 the truth iz^hich thou haft sheisfd unto thy 
 fervant : for with myflaff I faffed over this 
 Jordan j and now I am become two bands ^ 
 and with this humble preface he introduces 
 his petition for refcue in his preient di- 
 ftrels , ^Deliver me I pray thee from the hand 
 of my brother y^c.Gtw. 32. 10,11. An 
 excellent pattern of Divine Rhetoric, 
 which the fuccefs demonftrates to have 
 bin very prevalent. And we cannot tran- 
 fcribe a better copy, to render our de- 
 iires as fuccesfuL IfAdeed we are fo ut- 
 terly deltituteof all arguments from our 
 felves, that we can make no reafonable 
 form of addrefs , if wc found it not in 
 fomthing of God : and there is nothing 
 even in him adapted to our purpofe , but 
 bis mercy J nor caa that be 10 advan- 
 tage- 
 
Sect. II, Of Gods Abjolute Soveraignty. 2 7 
 
 tageoufly urged by any ching , as by the' 
 former inriances it has given of it felf: 
 fos as God only is fit to be a precedent to 
 himfelf, fo he loves to be fo. Thus we 
 find , not only Mofes ^ but God often re- 
 coUeding his miraculous favors towards 
 I/rae/i as an argument to do more : let us 
 therefore accoH him in his own way , and 
 by a frequent and grateful recounting of 
 his former mercies, engage him to future. 
 Nor need we be at a lofs for matter of fuch 
 recollecStion, if we will but ferioufly confi- 
 der what we have already received , which 
 is the fubjedt ot the next SecStion. 
 
 D i Sect 
 
2$ The Art of Conrentnienr. 
 
 Sect. III. 
 Of Gods Vnlimited Bounty. 
 
 I, T T is the known chara(9:er of an iin- 
 ■I- worthy nature, to write injuries in 
 Marble, and benefits in daft: and how- 
 ever fome ( as Seneca well obferves ) may 
 acquit thenifelves of this imputation as 
 to man, yet fcarce any do fo in relation 
 to God» Tis true indeed the charge muft 
 be a little varied 5 for God neither will 
 nor can do us injury : yet we receive a- 
 ny thing that is adverfe with fuch a re- 
 fentment as ii it were , and engrave that 
 in ourmemories vt^ithindehble charac9:ers, 
 whilft his great and real benefits are either 
 not at all obfervM, or with io tranfient 
 an advertence that the comparifonof duft 
 is beyond our pitch, and we may more 
 properly be faid to write them in water. 
 Nay fo far are we from keeping records 
 and regilters of his favors, that even thofe 
 fi'anding and fixt ones which fenfe can 
 proint us toC without the aid of our memo- 
 nes) cannot obtain our notice. 
 
 ^, Wer B 
 
Sect. III. of Gods Unlimited Bounty, 29 
 
 2. Were it not thus, it were impol- 
 fible for' men to be fo perpetually in the 
 complaining Key, as if their voices were 
 capable of no other found. One wants 
 this, and another that, and a third fora- 
 thing beyond them both , and fo on ad 
 infinitum ; when all this while every one of 
 them enjoies a multitude of good things 
 without any remark. That very breaht 
 wherewith they utter their complaints , is 
 a bleffing, and a fundamental one too : for 
 if God fhould withdraw that, they were 
 incapable of whatfoever elfe they either 
 have, or defire. Tis true that fome mens 
 impatiencies have rifen lo high , as to caft 
 away life,becaufe it was not clothed with 
 all circumftances they wiftit. Yet thefe 
 are rare inftances , and do only fliew fuch 
 mens depraved judgment of things. A 
 rich jewel is not the lefs valuable, becaufe 
 a madman in his raving fit flings it into 
 the fire : but as to the generality of men, 
 the devil (tho a Har) gave a true account 
 of their fenfe, when he faid, Skin for skin, 
 and all that a man hath will he give for his 
 life. Job. 2.4. And tho perhaps in an an- 
 gry fit many men have with Jonas , Chap- 
 4. 3. wisht. to die^ yet ten to one fhould 
 death then come, they would be as willing 
 
 to 
 
JO The Art of Contentment. 
 
 to divert ic,as was the man in the Apologue, 
 who wearied with his burden of Iticks , 
 flung it down and cairdfor deach^biit when ' 
 he came, own'd no other occafionfor him, 
 but to be helpt lip again with his bundle. 
 I dare in this appeal to the experience of 
 thofe, who have ieemed very weary of life, 
 whether when any (uddain danger has fur- 
 prifed them, it has not as faddainly altered , 
 their mind , and made them more defire 
 life, then before they abhorr'd it. Tis the 
 common faying, As long as there is life 
 there is hope : there is fo as to fecular con- 
 cerns , for what ftrange revolutions do we 
 often fee in the age of a man ? from what 
 defpicable beginnings have many<arriv'd 
 to the moftlplendid conditions ? of which 
 we have divers modern as well as ancient 
 inftances. And indeed tis admirable to fee 
 what time and induftry will (with Gods 
 bleffing) effed:. But there is no work^ nor 
 device^ nor knowledge nor wifdom in the 
 grave, Ecc.p. lo. we can improve no more 
 when we are once tranfplanted thither. 
 
 3. But this is yet much more confix 
 derable in refpe(2: of our Ipiritual ftate. 
 O ur life is the d^y wherein we are to work ^ 
 Joh. p. 4,. (yea to work out our Salvation:) 
 l^at w.heu the night comes Cwhen death o- 
 
 ver*^ 
 
S £ Ct . III. Of Gods Unlimiud Bounty. 3 1 
 
 vertakes) no man can work. Now alas 
 when tis confider'd how much of this day 
 themoft of us have loiter'd away^ how 
 many of us have flood idle till the fixth 
 or ninth hour , it will be our concern 
 not to have our day clofe before the e- 
 leventh. Nay alas tisyetworfewiriius: 
 we have not only bin idle , but very often 
 illbufied^ fo that we have a great parr 
 of our time to unravel 5 and that is not 
 to be don in a moment. For tho our works 
 may fitly enough be reprefented by the 
 Prophets comparifon of 2ifpiders^s:eb ^ I- 
 fay. 59 5'. yet they want the beft pro- 
 perty even of that i they cannot be fo Ibon 
 undon. Vices that are radicated by time 
 andcuftom, lie too deep to be hghtly 
 fwept away. Tis no eafy thing to perfwade 
 our felves to the will of parting with 
 them. Many violences wemufl: offer to 
 Qur (elves, a long and ftrid: courfe of 
 mortification mult be gon thro , ere we 
 can find in our hearts to bid them be gon : 
 and yet when we do fo , they are not fo 
 tracStableas the Centurions fervants. They 
 will indeed come when ever we bid them, 
 but they will fcarce go fo : they mull be 
 expeird by force and by flow degrees ♦, we 
 mull fight for every ioch of ground we 
 
 gaui 
 
 I 
 
32 The Art of ContentmenU 
 
 gain from them: and as God would not 
 ailiit the Ifraelites to fubdue the Canaa* 
 nites at once, Deut. 7. 22. fo neither ordi- 
 narily do*s he us to mafter perfecSly our 
 corruption. Nowaprocefs of this dijffi- 
 culty is not to be dilpacht on a fudden. 
 And yet this is not all our task , for w€ 
 have not only ill habits to extirpate, but 
 we have alfo good ones to acquire 5 tis 
 not a mere negative vertue will ferve our 
 turns, nor will emty lamps enter us into 
 themarriage chamber, Mat. 25.10. JVe 
 viuft add to Our faith vertue , and to vertue 
 knowledge and to knowledg temper ance^ &c. . 
 3 Pet. I, 5. No link muft be wanting of 
 that facred chain, but we muft ("as the lame 
 Apoftle advifesj^^ holy in all manner of con-^^ 
 verjation, 1 Pet* i . 15. 
 
 4. And now I would defiretheRea- 
 der ferioufly to confider, whether he can 
 upon good grounds tell himfelf that this 
 fo difficult (and yet fo neceffary) a work 
 is efFedually wrought in him. If it be, 
 he is a happy man, andean with no pre- 
 tence complain of any external want 5 (he 
 that is fed with Manna , muft be ftrangely 
 perverfe if he murmur for a belly-full of 
 leeks and onions ^^^mAi.'i .')^\xt on the con* 
 trary he owes infinite thanks to God, that 
 
 has 
 
Si c T. III. Of Gods Unlimited Bounty. 3^ 
 
 has fpared him time for this im.portant bu« 
 fineis, and did not put a period to his na- 
 tural life, before he had begun a fpiritual. 
 For I fear there are among the belt of us 
 few of fo intire an innocence , but they 
 may remember fome, either habits or ac^s 
 of fin, in which it would have bin dread* 
 ful for them to have bin inatcht away. 
 And then how comprehenfive, how pro- 
 lific a mercy has life bin to them, when 
 it has carried eternity in its womb, and 
 their continuance on earth has qualified 
 them for heaven ? Neither are fuch per- 
 ions only to look on it as a bleflingin 
 the retrofped , as it relates to the pafl-, 
 butalfointhe prefent and future: which 
 if they continue to employ well, do's not 
 only confirm, but advance their reward. 
 Befi Jes God may pleafe by them to glo- 
 rify himfelf, make them inftrumental to 
 his fervice 3 which as it is the greateft ho- 
 nor, To it is alfo the greateft fatisfadion 
 to a good heart. He fliews himfelf too 
 mercenary^that fo longs for his reward, as 
 to grow inpatient of his attendances : he 
 that loves God, thinks himfelf bleft in the 
 opportunity of doing work , as well as 
 in receiving wages. Thus we fee how 
 life is under all thele afpefls a mercy to 
 
34 llie Art of contentment. 
 
 a pious man, and fuch as not only obliges 
 him to contentment, but gratitude. 
 
 5, But fuppofingaman cannot give 
 this comfortable account of his life, but 
 isconfciousthathehasCfpent it to a very 
 different purpofe, yet do's not that at all 
 leflen his obligation to God, who meant 
 he fliould have emploi'd it better, and that 
 he has not don fo is merely his own fault. 
 Nay indeed the worfe his ftate isathe great- 
 er mercy it is, that God has not yet made 
 itirreverfible, thathehasnotcut him off" 
 at once from the earth and the pcflibility 
 of heaven too^ but affords him yet a longer 
 day^ if yet he will hear his 'Voice ^ P fa, p 5 . 7. 
 This long-fuffering is one of themoft tran- 
 fcendent ads of divine goodnefs^and there- 
 fore the Apoftle rightly ftiles it r^^ riches 
 of his goodnefs and long-fuffering andfor-^ 
 harance J^om. 2. 4. and fo atlaft we com- 
 monly acknowledg it, when we have worn 
 it our,and can no longer receive advantage 
 by it. Whaira value do's a gafpingde- 
 fpairing foul put upon a fiiiall parcel of 
 that time, which before he knew not how 
 faft enough to fquander ^ Oh that men 
 would fet the fame eftimate on it before : 
 and then certainly as it would make them 
 better husbands of it, fo it would alfo ren- 
 der 
 
Sect. III. Of GodsVnlimited Bounty, jy 
 
 der them more thankful for it, Accounting 
 that the long-fuffering of our Lord is faha^^ 
 tion^zFct.^.i^. 
 
 6. I N D E E D did men but rightly com- 
 pute the benefit of life upon this fcore, 
 all fecular encumbrances and uneafineffes 
 of it would be overwhelmed, and ftand 
 only as Cyphers in the account. What 
 a fhame is it then that we fliould fpend 
 our breath in fighs and out-cries f which 
 if we would employ to thofe nobler ends 
 for which twas given, would fuperfede 
 our complaints, andmake usconfefs we 
 were well dealt with, that our life ( tho 
 bare and ftript of all outward acceffaries) 
 is given us for aj>rey,]er. 45.5. And indeed 
 he that has yet the great work of life to 
 do , can very ill fpare time or forrow to 
 bellow upon the regretting any temporal 
 diftrefs , fince his whole ftock is little 
 enough to bewail and repair his neglecSts 
 of his eternal concerns. Were all our lives 
 therefore deftitute of all outward com- 
 fort, nay were they nothing but a Icene 
 of perpetual difaflers, yet this one ad- 
 vantage of life would infinitly outweigh 
 them all, and render our murmurings very 
 inexculabie, 
 
 E a 7. But 
 
36 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 /.But God has not put this to the 
 utmoft trial, ha's never plac'd any man 
 in fuch a ftate of unmixt calamity , bat 
 that he ftili affords many and great allaies: 
 he finds it fit fomtimes to defalk fome of 
 our outward comforts, and perhaps im- 
 bitter others , but he never takes all a- 
 way. This muft be acknowledged, if we 
 do but confider how many things there 
 are in which the whole race of mankind 
 do in common partake. The four Ele- 
 ments, Fire and Water, Air and Earth, do 
 not more make up every mans compofi- 
 tion, then they fupply his needs; the whole 
 holt of heaven, the Sun, Moon and Stars , 
 Mofes will tell us, are by God divided to 
 all natims under the whole Heaven , Deut. 
 419. Thofe ref plendent bodies , equal- 
 ly afford their light and influence to all. 
 The fun iTiines as bright on the poor Cot- 
 tage , as on themoft magnificent Palace 5 
 and the Stars have their benign Afpefts, as 
 well for him that/^ behind the MiU^ as for 
 him that fit teth on the Throne, Ex . 1 1 . f . Pro - 
 prietyCthat great incendiary below)breeds 
 no confufion in thofe celeftial Orbs , but 
 they are every mans trefure 5 yet no mans 
 peculiar (^as if they meant to teach us, that 
 pur love of appropriation defcends not from 
 
 above. 
 
Sect. III. Of Gods Unlimited Bounty. 37 
 
 aifovey Jam. 3. 15. is no heavenly quality.) 
 
 8. And as they make no diftindiion 
 of the ranks and degrees of men , fo nei- 
 ther do they of their vertues. Our Sa- 
 viour tells us , God caufes hs Sun to rife on 
 the good and on the eviU andfendeth rain 
 onthejuft andontheun]uft^ Mat. 5.45, if 
 now we defcend lower to the fublunary 
 creatures, they equally pay their homage 
 to man> do not difdain the dominion of 
 the poor 5 and fubmit to that of the rich, 
 but (hew us that that their inllind: extends 
 to the whole nature. An horfe draws the 
 poor mans plough, as tamely as the Prin- 
 ces chariotj and the beggars hungry Cur 
 follow him with as much obfequioufnefs 
 andaffedtionasthepamper'd lap-dogs of 
 the niceft Ladies. The fheep obey a poor 
 mercenary fliepherd as well as they did the 
 daughter of the wealthy L^^^w, Gen. ig. 
 p.orofy^/iJr^ a Prince, Exod. 2. 16. and as 
 willingly yield their fleece to clothe La- 
 zarus^ as to make purple for T)ives. And 
 as animals, lo vegetables are as communi- 
 cative of their quahties to one man as ano- 
 thcr. The corn nuriflies, the fruits re- 
 frefli, the flowers delight, the fimples 
 cure the poor man as well as the rich. 
 
 9, But I forefee it will be obje(9:ed, 
 
 that 
 
3 8 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 that thefe natural privileges are infigni- 
 ficant, becaule they are evacuated by 
 thofe pofitive laws which bound proprie- 
 ty^ and that therefore tho one man could 
 ufe the creatures as well as another , yet 
 every man has them not to ufe. I anfwer, 
 thatforfomeof the things Ihavementi- 
 on'd, they are ft ill in their native latitude, 
 cannot be inclofed or monopolized. The 
 moft ravenous oppreflTor could never yet 
 lock up the fun in his cheft : he that laies 
 houfe to houfe^ andlandtoland^ till there be 
 m place ^ Efa. 5. 8, cannot inclofe the 
 common air. And the like may befaidof 
 divers of the reit : fo that there are fome 
 (and thofe no mean) bleflings, which con- 
 tinue ftill the indefeiiible right of man^ 
 kind in general. 
 
 10. As for thofe other things which 
 are liable to the reftridtive terms of meum 
 and tuum, tis not to bedeni'd but there 
 is vaft difference in thedifpenfmg them 5 
 as great as Nathans parable defcribes, when 
 he fpeaks of the numerous flocks of the 
 rich man , andthQ /lagle ewe lamb of the 
 poor ^ 2 Sara. 12. 2. yet there is fcarce any 
 fo deplorably indigent, but that by one 
 means or other, he has or may have the 
 neceflary fupports of life. Perhaps they 
 
 fall 
 
Sect. HI. Of Gods Unlimited Bounty. 29 
 
 fall not into his lap by birth-right and 
 inheritance, yet they are acquirable by 
 labor and induftry , which is perhaps the 
 better tenure. They cannot it may be 
 arrive to Sodoms fulnefs of bread: yet if 
 they have not her abundance of Idlenefs^ 
 Ez. 16. 4^9. they commonly need not want 
 that, which was the height of yi^urs wifli, 
 food convenient. Pro. jo.S.Tis true indeed* 
 if they will fold their hands in their bo- 
 lorn, if with Solomonsjluggard^ they will not 
 plow by reafon of the cold, they muft take 
 his fate in the fummer,as they have his eafe 
 in the winter, they may beg in harveft^ and 
 have nothings Prov. 20. 4, but then tis 
 vifible they are the Authors of their own 
 neceflities. And indeed to men of fuch 
 lazy carelefs natures, tis hard to fay, what 
 degree of Gods bounty can keep them 
 from want , fmce we often fee the faireft 
 fortunes diilipated as well by the fupine 
 negligence, as the riotous prodigality of 
 the owners. And therefore if men will 
 be idle, they are not to accufe God , but 
 themfelves if they be indigent. 
 
 II. But then there is one cafe wherein 
 men feem more inevitable expos'djand 
 that is when by age, ficknefs, or decre- 
 pitnefs, they are difabled from work; 
 
 or 
 
/J.0 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 or when their family is too numerous for 
 their work to maintain. And this indeed 
 feems the moft forlorn ftate of poverty. 
 Yet God has provided for themalfo, by 
 affigning fuch perfons to the care of the 
 rich.Nay he has put an extraordinary mark 
 of fav or on them,gi ven them the honor ot 
 being his proxies and reprefentati ves,made 
 them letters of Attorny fas it were) to 
 demand relief in his name, and upon his 
 account. And tho tis too true, that even 
 that Autority will not prevail with many 
 of the rich to open their purfesj yet even 
 in this Age of frozen charity , there arc 
 Itill fome who remember upon what terms 
 they received their wealth , and employ 
 it accordingly. And tho the number of 
 them is not fo great as were to be wifht, 
 yet there are in all parts fome fcattered 
 here and there like Cities of refuge in the 
 Land, Deut. 19. 2. to which tliefe poor 
 diftrefied creatures may flee for fuccour. 
 And 1 think I may fay, that between 
 the legal provifions that are made in this 
 cafe and voluntary contributions, there 
 are not very many that want the things 
 that are of abfblute neceflity^: and we 
 know St. Paul comprizes thofe in afmall 
 compafs , food and raiment^ and propofes 
 
 them 
 
Se ct. III. Of Gods Vnlimited Bouniy, 4i 
 
 them asfufficient materials of Content. 
 I lim. 6. 8. 1 fay not this to contraft 
 any mans bowels, or Jeflenhiscompallions 
 to fuch poor wretches. For how much 
 foevcr they lend, I wilh, a> Joab did h\ an- 
 other cafe to David, the Lord to hicreafe 
 it a hundred fold -i 2 Sam, 24. 3 I only 
 urge it as an evidence of the aflertion I 
 am to prove , that no man is fo preter- 
 mitted by God in his difpofal of tempo- 
 ralis , but that even he that feems the mpft 
 abandon'd has a iliare in his providence , 
 and conlequently cannot juitly murmur , 
 fince even this ftate which is the higheft 
 inftance of human indigence, is not with- 
 out its receits from God. 
 
 12. But the number in this form are 
 but few 5 compared tothofein a higher: 
 for between this and the higheft affluence, 
 how many intermedial degrees are there, 
 in which men partake not only of the nc- 
 celTaries , but comforts of life ; that have 
 not only food and raiment, but their di- 
 ftindiion of holy-day and working-day 
 fare and apparel ? He that is but one ftep 
 advanced from beggary has fo much, he 
 that has got to a fecond has more then 
 is neceffary : and fo every degree rifes in 
 plenty till it comes to vanity andexcefs. 
 
 F And 
 
4- The Art of Contentment. 
 
 And even there too there are gradual ri- 
 fings 5 Ibme having lo much fewel for lu- 
 xury , that they are at as great a lofs for 
 invention , as others can be for materials, 
 and complain that there are no farther ri- 
 ots left for them to effay. How many 
 are there who have fo cloy'd and glutted 
 their fenfes , that they want fome other 
 inlets for plefure, and with the rich man 
 in the Gofpel, are in diftrefs where to be- 
 ftow their abundance ? 
 
 13. And lure fuch as thefe cannot de- 
 ny that they have received good things, 
 yet generally there are none lefs conten- 
 ted ? which is a clear demonftration, that 
 our repinings proceed not from any dc^ 
 fed of bounty in God , bat from the ma- 
 lignant temper of our own hearts. And as 
 it is an eafier thing to fatisfy the cravings 
 of an hungry , then to cure the naufeous 
 recoilings of a furfeited ftoraach s fo cer- 
 tainly the difcontents of the poor , are 
 much eafier allai'd then thofe of the rich : 
 the indigence of the one has contracted 
 his defireSjand has taught him not to look 
 farther then a little beyond bare neceffa- 
 ries, fo that a moderate Alms iatisfies, and 
 a liberal tranfports him : but he who by a 
 perpetual repletion has his defires ftretclit 
 
 an4 
 
Sect. 111. OfGodsVnLmitedBouniy. 43 
 
 and extended , is capable of no fuch fa- 
 tisfadtion. When his enjoimentsfore-fl-ali 
 all particular piirfuits , and he knows not 
 upon what to fallen his next wi(h ; yet e- 
 ven then he has fome confus'd unform'd 
 appetites, and thinks himfelf niiferable be- 
 caufe he cannot tell what would make him 
 more happy. And yet this is that envi'd 
 ftate which men with fo much grecdincfs 
 afpire to: every man looks on it as the top 
 of felicity to have nothing more to wi(h 
 in the world. And yet alas even that when 
 attained, would be their torment. Let men 
 never think then that Contentment is to 
 be caught by long and forreign chafes ; he 
 is likeUeft to find it who fits at home 5 and 
 duly contemplates thofe bleffings which 
 God has brought within his reach, of 
 which every man has a fair proportion , if 
 he will advert to it. 
 
 14. For befidesthefe external accef- 
 fions ( of which the meaneft have fome, 
 the middle fort a great deal , and the 
 uppermoft rather too much) man is a 
 principality within himfelf , and has in 
 his compofurc fo many excellent iraprelTes 
 of his Makers power and goodnefs^that he 
 need not ask leave of any exterior thing 
 to be happy, if he know but aright how 
 
 F2 to 
 
44 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 to value himleif. The very meaneft part 
 of him , his bodv Js ^ piece of admirable 
 workman-iripjof a moll iiicomprehenlible 
 contrivance 5 as the Pfahnift laies , he is 
 fearfully and wonderfally made^ and tis 
 aftonifhing to think of what a fymmetry of 
 parts this beautilul fabric is made up. Nor 
 are diey only for fliew, but ufe: every 
 member , every limb is indowed with a 
 particular faculty to render it ferviceable 
 to the whole s and fo admirable is the con- 
 texture of veins and arteries, finewsand 
 mulcels, nerves and tendons, that none are 
 fuperfluous,but fome way or other contri- 
 bute to vegetation, fenfe, or motion. Nay 
 the moll noble and moll ufeful parts arc all 
 of them double, not only as a referve in 
 cafe of mifadvcnture of one part 5 but alio 
 as an inftance of the bounty of the Donor. 
 And indeed tis obfervable of Galen in his 
 writings,that after he had taken great care 
 toexemthimfelfand allof his profeffion 
 from taking notice of the Deity, by faying 
 that to difcourfe concerning the Gods was 
 the task of fpeculative philofophers 5 yet 
 coming to write ^e tifii parthim , and con- 
 fidering the frame ot human bodies, and 
 therein difcoveringthe wonderful contri- 
 vance of every part in reference to its lelf, 
 
 and 
 
SzCt.Wl. Of Gods Unlimited Bounty. 4J1 
 
 and alfo to the whole s their ilrength, a- 
 gility , and various movement , infinitly 
 ilirpalling the powers of all Mechanic en- 
 gines i he leems to have had the fate we 
 read of Saul in holy Scripture, and againfl: 
 his genius and purpofe to become a Pro- 
 phet^; breaking frequently out into Hymms 
 and facred raptures -, laying, thefe Myfte- 
 ries are more divine then the Samothracian 
 or Elcujinian 5 and confefiing they both 
 ftriftly require and infinitly excel the low 
 returns of human praife. But beyond the 
 fabric of parts as organic, what an extract 
 of wonder are our lenfes, i\\ok fi^vecpera^ 
 tions of the Lord , as the ion of Syrach 
 rightly ( and by way of eminence) ftiles 
 them, Ecclus. 17. 5? By tliefe we draw 
 all outward objeds to our felves. What' 
 were the beauties of the XIniverfe to us, if 
 we had not fight to behold them, or the 
 moll melodious founds^if we had not hear- 
 ing ^ and fo of the reft. And yet thefe are 
 not only generally given , but alfo pre- 
 fer v'd to the greater part of men : and per- 
 haps would be to more, did not our bafe 
 undervaluing of common mercies, force 
 God Ibmtimes to inftruft us in their 
 worth, by making us feel what ic is to 
 want them, 
 
 15. MUL- 
 
46 The Arc of Contentment. 
 
 ly. Multitude of refrefhments 
 alfo God has provided for our bodies } 
 particularly that of fleep, of which he 
 has bin fo confiderate , as in his diilribu- 
 tions of time, to make a folemn allotment 
 for it t yet who almoit when he lies down 
 confiders the mercy , or when he rifes re- 
 freflit, rifes thankful alfo? But if our reft 
 at any time be interrupted with the cares 
 of our mindj or pains of our bodies, then, 
 ( and not till then ; we confider, that tis 
 God ^du ho gives his beloved fie ep^ P 1 a. 1 2 7 . 2 . 
 andthink it a bleiling worth our efteem* 
 Thus it is with health, ftrength, and every 
 thing elfe : we defpife it whilft we have 
 it , and impatiently define it whilft we 
 have it not J but in the interiih fure we 
 cannot complain, that Gods hand is ihort- 
 ned towards us, when in the ordinary 
 courfe of his providence we commonly 
 enjoy thefe mercies many years > which 
 we find fo much mifs of, if they be with- 
 drawn but for a few hours. And in- 
 deed there is not a greater inftance of 
 human pravity then our ienfelefs con- 
 temtof bleflings, merely becaufe they 
 are cuftomary^ which in true reafon is an 
 argument why we fhould prize them the 
 more. When we deal with men, we 
 
 dif- 
 
Sect. III. Of Gods Vnlimited Bounty . 47 
 
 difcern it well enough. He that gives me 
 once a hundred pounds, I account not fo 
 much my benefadtor, as if he made it my 
 annual revenue-, yet God mull lofe his 
 thanks , by multiplying his favors 5 and 
 Ills benefits grow more fnvifible by their 
 being alwaies before us* 
 
 16, But the body (with its enjoi- 
 ments) is but the lo weft inllance of Gods 
 bounty : tis but a decent cafe for that 
 ineftimable Jewel he has put in it : the 
 foul , like the Ark, is the thing for which 
 this whole tabernacle was framed, and 
 that isafparkof Divinity, in which alone 
 it is that God accomplifhed his delign of 
 niak'mg man in his own image y Gen. i. 26. 
 Twould be too long to attemt anexaft 
 furveyof its particular excellencies 5 the 
 mere intellediual powers wherewith it is 
 indued, have exercifcd thecuriofity and 
 raifed the admiration of the great con- 
 templatorsof Nature in all ages: yet af- 
 ter all, of fo fubtle compofure is the foul, 
 that it is infcrutable even to it fclf: and 
 tho the fimplefl: man knows he has the 
 faculties of Imagination, Appi*ehenfion> 
 Memory, Reflecting ; yet the Icarnedll 
 cannot aflign where they are feated, or by 
 what means they operate. Tis enough 
 
 to 
 
48 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 to us that we have them, and many ex- 
 cellent ufes for them ; one whereof (and 
 a moft neceflary one) is a thankful re- 
 flexion on the goodnefs of God who gave 
 them. He might have made us in the 
 very loweft form of creatures, inienfibleas 
 ilocks or iloaes 5 or if he had advanc'd 
 us a icep higher, he might have fixtus 
 among mere animals , tranf cripts perhaps 
 of the noxious^at the bed of the tamer fort 
 of beafts: but hehasplac'd us in the high- 
 elt rank of vifibk^ creatures 5 and not only- 
 given ®^;5^i;^io:^ over the works of his hands 
 Pial, 8. 6, but has given us the ufe of reafon 
 wherewith to rnaiage that foveraignty, 
 without which we had only bin the more 
 mafterful fort of brutes* 
 
 17. Yet ftiii the foul is to beconfi- 
 der'dina higher notion, that of its im- 
 mortality and capacity of endlefs blifs. 
 And here indeed it owns its extraction , 
 and is an image of the firft being, whofe 
 felicity is coexiftent with himfeif. This 
 ^s it is the moft tranfcendent accomplifli* 
 ment of our nature, fo it is moft univer- 
 ^^I. Whatever difparity there may be 
 between man and man in other refpecis , 
 yet in this all are equal : the poor beg- 
 gar at the gate has a foul as capacious of 
 
 cter- 
 
Sect. III. Of Gods TJnlimited Bounty. 49 
 
 eternal happinefs, as he whofe crumbs he 
 begs for ( nay fomtimes better prepared 
 for it, as that parable fliews,Liike 16.21.^ 
 And tho the dignities of earth are the 
 prize of the rich and noble, the fubtle and 
 defigning j yet lieaven is as eafily mounted 
 from the dung-hill as the throne, and an 
 honeft fimplicity will fooner bring us thi- 
 ther, then all the Machiaveliaii policy. 
 "Nay God has not only defign'd us to {o 
 glorious an end, but has don all on his 
 part to fecure us of it, fent his Son to lead 
 us the way, his fpirit to quicken us in 
 it. We need not difputehowuniverfal 
 this is :,• tis fure it concerns all to whom 
 lamnowfpeaking, thofe that are within 
 the pale of the church : and if it fhould 
 prove confinM only to them, the more 
 peculiar is their obligation, that are thus 
 fingled out from the reft of the world , 
 and the greater ought to be their thank- 
 fulnefs. The heathen Philofopher made 
 it matter of his folemn acknowledgment 
 to fortune, that he was born a Grecian and 
 not a Barbarian : and fure the advantages 
 of our Chriftianity are of a much higher 
 ftrein , and ought to be infinitly more 
 celebrated . The Apoftle we find often ap- 
 plauding this glorious privilege , as that 
 G which 
 
50 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 which makes fellow citizens with the 
 SaintSy and of the houshold of God^^^L^. 
 I p. nay which elevates us to a higher ftate, 
 the adoption of fons^ Gal 4 5, nor only 
 Sons, but Heirs alfo of God and joint Heirs 
 with Christy Rom. 8. 17. And what ambi- 
 tion is there fo greedy which this will 
 not fatisfy ? yet this is our common ftate> 
 the birth-right of our regeneration, if 
 we do not degrade ourfelves, and with 
 Efau bafely fell our title. 
 
 18. And now methinks every man 
 may interrogate himfelf in the fame form, 
 wherein y^;^^^4^ did lyimnon 2 Sam, 13. 4. 
 Pf^ij art thou, being the Kings fon^ thtis lean 
 from day to day i Why fliould a perfon who 
 is adopted by the King of Kings, thus 
 languifli and pine ? What is there below 
 the fun worthy his noticcjmuch lefs his de- 
 fires, that hath a Kingdom above it ^ Cer- 
 tainly did we but know how to eftimate 
 our felves upon this account , twere im- 
 poUible for us with fuch fordid condel- 
 centions to court every petty worldly in- 
 tereft, and fo impatiently vex our felves 
 when we cannot attain it. Alas how un- 
 worthily do we bear the name of Chri- 
 Ihans, when that which carried the Fore- 
 fathers of our Faith thro themoft fiery tri- 
 als ' 
 
Se c T . 111. Of Gods Vnltmited Bounty, 5 1 
 
 aIs,cannot fupport us under the diiappoint- 
 jnent of any extravagant defires?They had 
 fuch reJpeH to the reiompence of the reward^ 
 Heb. 1 1. 26. as made them cheerfully ex- 
 pole their Fame to ignominy^their goods 
 to rapine, their Bodies to the mod exqui- 
 fite tortures , and their Lives to death. Yet 
 the fame hopes cannot work us to any 
 tolerable degree of patience , when we 
 fuffer but the fmallell diminution in any 
 of thefe. What fhall we fay ? Is Heaven 
 grown lefs valuable , or Earth more then 
 it was then ? No furely , but we are raore 
 infatuated in our ellimates : we have fo 
 long abetted the rivalry of the hand-maid, 
 that the Millrefs , like Sarah , appears 
 defpicable. Like Jonah we fit down fuU 
 len upon the withering of a gourd, never 
 confidering that God has provided us a 
 better fhelter, a hiiildhig of God eternal in 
 the Heavens^ 2 Cor. 5. i. Indeed there 
 can be no temporal deftitution fo great, 
 which fiich an exfpediation cannot make 
 fupportable. Were we in Jobs condition 
 fitting upon a dunghil , and fcraping our 
 felves with apotflieard, yet as long as we 
 can fay with him our Redeemer liveth^ Job. 
 ip. 2 f . we have all reafon to fay with 
 him zlio iblef^ed be the name of the Lord. 
 G 2 Chap. 
 
5z The Art of Contentment, 
 
 Chap. 1 . 21. What a maduefs is it then 
 for us to expofe our felves to be pierc'd 
 and wounded by every temporal adverfi- 
 ty , who have fo impenetrable an armour ? 
 nay what an ungrateful contumely is it 
 to that goodnefs of God, to flisw that we 
 cannot make him a counterpoife to the 
 moft trivial fecular fatisfadtion ? on which 
 account fure he may again take up that 
 exprobrating complaint we find in the 
 Prophet, A goodly price that 1 was valued 
 at by them, Zac. ii. 13. 
 
 19. But how mean foever he is in our 
 eiesjtho C^r(/?feem the fame to us in his 
 glory which he did in his abjeftion , to 
 have no beauty that we flioulddefire him ; 
 yet he puts another rate upon himielf, 
 and tells us that, he that loves Father or 
 Mother ^ Son or T^aughter more then me y 
 is not worthy of me. Mat. 10.37. Now our 
 love and our joy are paffions coincident , 
 and therefore whatever we joy more in 
 then we do in him , we may be prefum'd 
 to love better 3' and if he cannot endure 
 the competition of thole more ingenious 
 objedls of our love he there mentions, how 
 will he fufFer that of our vanities , our 
 childiih wanton appetites? Andyetthofe 
 are the things after which we fo impati- 
 ently 
 
S E c T . II I . OfG ods Vnlimited Bounty . 5 3 
 
 ently rave. For I believe I may truly 
 alBrm, that if there were a fcrutiny made 
 into all the difcontents of mankind ^ for 
 one that were faftned upon any great con- 
 fiJerable calamity, there are many that 
 are founded only in the irregularity of 
 our own defires. 
 
 20. B Y what has bin faid we may juft- 
 ly conclude in the Prophets ^phrafe, Cod 
 hath not bin totis a wildernefs , a land of 
 darknefs ^ Jer. 2. 31. but has gracioufly 
 difpenc'd to us in all our intereits. Ycc the 
 inftances here given are only common, 
 fuch as relate to all , or at leaft the far 
 greater part of mankind : but what vo. 
 lums might be made, fliould every man 
 itt down his own particular experiences 
 of mercy ? In that cafe twouldbeno ex- 
 travagant Hyperbole v^^e find Joh. 22. 2^. 
 That even the world it Jelf could not contain 
 the books which should be written. God 
 knows our memories are very frail^and our 
 obfervations flight in this point: yet ab- 
 ftracting from all the forgotten or negle- 
 (Sed favors, what vaft catalogues may every 
 man make to himfelf, if he would but yet 
 recolle(ft, what effefts he has had of Gods 
 bounty in giving, of his providence in 
 proteifling, of his grace in reftraining, 
 
 and 
 
54 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 and exciting , of his patience in forbear- 
 ing ? And certainly all thefe produdtions 
 of the divine goodnefs were never de- 
 fign'd to die in the birth. The Pfalmift 
 will tell us, the Lord hath fo don his mar» 
 ^uellous ii'orksy that they ought to be had in 
 7tmemhrance,Y(. iii .4.Let every man then 
 make it bis dally care to recount to him- 
 lelf the wonders Go d hath don, as for the 
 children of men In general, fo for him- 
 lelf in particular. Wlien the Ifraelites 
 munrmred under their bondage, Pha' 
 raoh imputes it to their idlenefs , and 
 prefcribes them more work, as the rea- 
 dieft cure : a piece indeed of unhuman 
 Tyranny in him, but may with equity 
 and fuccefs be prafticed by us upon our 
 felves. When we find our appecires mu- 
 tinous, complaining of our prefent con- 
 dition, let usfetour felves to work, im- 
 pole it as a task upon our felves to re- 
 collect the many inftances of Gods mer- 
 cies. And furely if we do it fincerely, 
 and with intention 5 we cannot have pail 
 thro half our ftages , before our fullen 
 niurmures will be beat out of counte- 
 nance, and retire with fhame , when they 
 are confronted with fuchacloudof wit- 
 nelles, fuch fignal teftimonies of Gods 
 
 good 
 
Sect. III. Of Gods Unlmited Bounty, 55 
 
 goodnefs to us. For when we hav^e mu- 
 fter'd up all our little grievances, moft 
 critically examin'd all our wants, we ihall 
 find them very un proportionable to our 
 comforts, and to our receits ; in which 
 comparative notion^ the nextSedion h 
 to Gonfider them. 
 
 S B C T. 
 
56 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 Sect. IV. 
 
 Of the furplujage of our Enjoiments 
 above our Sufferings. 
 
 i.'T^O regulate our eftimate of thofe 
 -I things which we either enjoy or 
 fuflfer, there are three precedent queries to 
 be made : the firft of their number or plen- 
 ty^ the fecond of their weight, the third 
 of their cojiftancy and continuance* for 
 according as they partake more of thefe 
 properties, every good is more good, and 
 every evil is more evil. It will ^therefore 
 be our fbeft method of trial in the pre- 
 fent cafe, to compare our bleffings and our 
 calimities in thefe three refpeds. 
 
 2. An D firft in that of plenty, the 
 mercies of God are the fource of all our 
 good , are iet out to us in holy fcripture 
 in the moft fuperlative ftrein,They are mtiU 
 utudes,V^2iL 1 02. 20. Tlenteom redemtioriy 
 Pfal. 130,7. as high as the heaven ^ Pfal. 
 103. ir. He fills all things living with 
 flmteonJnefs^V^2i\. 14J. 16. His mercies in- 
 deed 
 
Se c T . I V, Enjoments above bufferings. 5-7 
 
 deed are luch as come not within the com- 
 pafs of number, but ilretch themfelves 
 to infinity, and are beft reprefented by 
 fuch a calculation as God made to c/^- 
 braham^ when he fliew'd him thenume- 
 roulnefs of his potlerity by theinnume- 
 rablenefs oftheitars5Gen, 15-. j. Were 
 there but a fingle mercy apportioned to 
 each minute of our lives, the fum would 
 arife very high : but how is our Arith- 
 metic confounded, when every minute 
 has more then wecandiilindlly number ? 
 for befidcvS the original ftock mentioned 
 in the la{l-Se(flion,and the acceflfion of new 
 bounty , the giving us fomwhat which 
 we had not behove y what an accumula- 
 tive mercy is iu the preferving what we 
 have < We are made up of fo many pieces, 
 have fuch varieties ot interefts, ipiritual, 
 temporal, public, and private ^ for our 
 felves, for our friends, and dependents ; 
 that it is not a confuled general regard that 
 will keep all thefe in fecurity one moment. 
 We are like a vaft building, which cofts 
 as much to maintain, as to ered:. And 
 iiideed confidering the corruptiblenefs of 
 our materials, our prefervation is no lefs 
 a workot Omnipotence, then our firft 
 forming: nay perhaps tis rather a greater. 
 
 H Our 
 
58 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 Our original clay tho it had no aptnefs, 
 yet it had no averfions to the receiving 
 a human form s but was in the hand of the 
 potter to make it what he pleafed : but we 
 now have principles of decay within us, 
 which vehemently tend to diflfolution • 
 we want the fupplies of .feveral things 
 without us, the failing wherof returns us 
 again to our dud. Nay we do not only 
 need the aid , but we fear the hoftility of 
 outward things. That very air which fom- 
 times refrefhes us, may at another ftarve 
 and freeze us : that which warms and 
 comforts us, has alfo a power of confu- 
 ming us. Yea that very meat which nu- 
 rifhes, may choak and ftifle us. In a 
 word there is no creature fo defpicable , fo 
 inconfiderable, which may not fomtimes 
 ferve usj and which may not at any time 
 ( if God permit) mine us. Now whence 
 is it that we fo conftantly , fo frequently 
 find the good, the benign efficacy of thefe 
 things, and fo feldom, fo rarely the evil ? 
 whence I fay is it, but from the active 
 unwearied providence, which draws forth 
 the better properties of the creatures for 
 ourufe, and reftrainstheworfer for our 
 fecurity? which with a particular adver^* 
 tence watches not only over every Per- 
 
 fbn, 
 
S E c T . IV. Enjo intents above Sufferings, 59 
 
 fon, but over every feveral concern of that 
 perlon. And how aftonifliing a contem- 
 platicn is this < If the mere ebbing and 
 flowing of thefea, put the Phiiofopher 
 into ftich an extafy , that he flung hiuifelf 
 intoit, becaufehe could not comprehend 
 theinfcrutablecaufe of it ? in what per- 
 petual raptures of admiration may we be^ 
 who have every minute within us, and 
 about us, more and greater wonders, and 
 thofetooin our favor, when we deferv^e 
 rather the divine power fliould exert it felf 
 inourdellruftion? 
 
 3. But alas our danger from the vi- 
 fible creatures,is little compared with thole 
 from the fpirits of darknefs. iVe wreHle 
 not only with jlesh and blood , but ijuith 
 Principalities and Towers^ with fpiritual 
 wickednefs^^c, Eph, ^.12. So inveterate 
 is the enmity between the Serpent and 
 th^Jeed of the Woman in general, that 
 he watches all advantages againft us , not 
 only in our fouls, but even our bodies, 
 our goods,and in every part of our con- 
 cerns. Thus we iee he not only aflaulted 
 Jobs foul by the wicked infinuations of his 
 Wife, bvt(wich more effedj his body 
 withboiles and fores 5 his poffeflions by 
 the Chaldeans and Sabeans , and the i- 
 H a mages 
 
6o The Art of Contentment. 
 
 mages of hinifelf, his deareft Children, by 
 awindfromthe wildernefs. Job. i. And 
 can we think his ma-ice is now worn out ? 
 no furely he ftill wifhes as ill to mankind 
 as ever, and we fliould foon fee the woful 
 effe(5ls of it, did not the fame power which 
 lethimloofe for y^^i" trial, reitrain him 
 for our fafety. Nay had he but power 
 to affright, tho not to hurt us, even that 
 would make our lives very uncomfortable. 
 V/e cannot hear the relation of Sprights 
 or apparitions, but our blood chills upon 
 k^ and a horror runs thro our veins ; what 
 fliould v/e then do if hefliould make his 
 nighti. walks thro our chambers, and with 
 hisiHu/ory terrors did urb our reft f Yet 
 all this and much more he would do, if 
 God did not chain up this old ^Dragon , 
 Rev. 20. Nay if he were not at the ex- 
 pence of a guard about us, andthofeno 
 lefs then Angels. I fliall not difpute whe- 
 ther every perfon hath not his pecuhar 
 Guarduin: for tho many have not impro- 
 bably afierted it, we have ground enough 
 of acquiefcence in the general affirmati- 
 on of the Apoftle, that they are all mini- 
 firing Spirits^ fmt forth to minifterjor them^ 
 who shallbe heirs of Salvation^ Heb. 1.4. 
 And now if the Reader pleafe to fum up 
 
 how 
 
Sect. IV. Enjoiments above Sufferings, 6 1 
 
 how many are his concerns^and how many 
 are the dangers which await him in them 
 all, he cannot fure render the account of 
 thofe mercies which preferve the one, and 
 divert the other, in any other Phrafe then 
 that of the Pfahniit , They are more then I 
 am able to exprefs, Pfal. 40. 7. 
 
 4. W E may now challenge the moil 
 miferable^ or the moft querulous man 
 living, to produce caufes of complaint, 
 proportionable to thofe of thankf-giving. 
 He that has the greateft ftock of calami- 
 ties, can never vie with the heaps of be- 
 nefits; thedifproportion is greater then 
 that of the armies of Ahab and Benha- 
 dad^ I Kings, 20. 27. whereof the one 
 w2is\ikQtwo little flocks of Kids, the other 
 filled the country, God has told us that 
 he afflicts not wiUingly^ nor grieves the chiU 
 dren of men,, Lam. 333. whereas on the 
 contrary, he delight eth in mercy ^ Mich. 7. 
 18. We may judge by our (elves which 
 he is the hkelieit often to repete,tliore afts 
 which he doth with regret andrelu«iiancy, 
 or thofe which he do's with plefure and 
 delight. But we need no inferences where 
 we have the atteftation of experience. 
 Let every man therefore make this his 
 judge in the cafe, let him every night 
 
 re- 
 
6i The Art of Contentment. 
 
 recoiled:, how many things within and 
 about him he is concern'd in, and confi- 
 der how many of thofe have bin preferv'd 
 intire to him, ftill accounting every thing 
 fo continued as a new donation. If he 
 begin with his Spiritual ftate, tis too pof- 
 fiblehemay foratimesfind he has loft his 
 innocence, committed fome, perhaps ma- 
 ny fins : but even in thefe he will find 
 caufe to jultify God, if he do but recoi- 
 led with what inward checks and admo- 
 nitions, and outward reftraints, God has 
 endevored to bridle him. If he will break 
 thro thofe fences, that do's not at all de- 
 rogate from the mercy of God which fo 
 guarded him, but it rather illuftrates his 
 goodnefs , that after fo many quenchings 
 of his Spirit, do's yet continue its influ- 
 ence. So that even he that has the moft 
 deplorably violated his integrity, is yet to 
 confefs that Gods purpofe was to have 
 preferv'd it intire : and he might really fo 
 have kept it, had he compli'd with thofe 
 aids which were afforded him. But in tem- 
 poral concerns we are not fo apt to under- 
 mine our fclves, and therefore (hall much 
 more rarely find we have fuffer'd detri- 
 ment in them, then in our fpiritual-, but 
 are there ordinarily like to meet with a 
 
 better 
 
Sect. IV. En]oiments above Sufferings. 63 
 
 better account. Let a man therefore con- 
 iider what is lacking to him of all the fe- 
 cular good things he had in the morn- 
 ing , and tell me whether for the moft 
 part he may not give fuch an account, 
 as the Ifralitish officers did of their men 
 after the flaughter of the Midiamtes, that 
 he hath not loft one. Num. 31. 30. Or if 
 fomtimes he do fuffcr a diminution , yet 
 at the worft he will find that many more 
 good things have bin preferv'd to him, 
 then have bin taken from him. A man 
 may perhaps meet with fome damage in 
 his eltate, yet tis manifold odds that that 
 damage is but partial, and that he has 
 ftill more left then is loft. Or if it be 
 moreintire-jyetifhehave his health, his 
 limbs, his fenfes, his friends, and all things 
 befide his eftate left him, fo that for one 
 thing he has loft, he ftill retains a multi- 
 tude, he may fay of it as the Difciples of 
 the few \uOZNts>^what is this among fo many 1 
 Mar. 14. 17. Ariftipptis b^ing bemoan'd for 
 the lofs of a Farm,repli*d with fome (harp- 
 ne(s upon his Condoler, you have but one 
 field, and I have yet three left, why fhould 
 I not rather grieve for you ? intimating 
 that a man is not fo much to eftimate what 
 he has loft, as what he has left. A piece 
 ' of 
 
^4 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 of wifdom which i£ we would tranfcribe 
 we might quickly convince our felves^thaC 
 even inourmoft adverfe efrate there arenas 
 Elijah fpeaks, more with us then agairiji us^ 
 2 King.6.i(5. that our enjoiments are more 
 then our fufFerings,and Gods ads of grace, 
 do far out- number thofe of his fe verity. 
 
 J. A N D as they do out- number, fo alfo 
 do they out- weigh them. The mercies 
 we receive from Godare(asthe lail Se- 
 (Stion has (hew'd) of thegreateft impor- 
 tance-,the moft lubftantial iolid goodsjand 
 the greateft of all, I mean thofe which 
 concern our eternal ftate, are (o firmly fixt 
 on us, that unlefs we will voluntarily quit 
 our clame, ris not in the power of men 
 or devils to defeat us. Light bodies are 
 eafily blown away by every guit of wind, , 
 but this weight of glory ^ as the Apoftle calls 
 it, 2 Cor. 4. 17. contiimes firm andfta- 
 ble, is proof againft all ftorms, like the 
 shadow of a great rock in a weary Land. 
 Ifa. 32,2. Thole dark adumbrations we 
 have of it^might have lerved to refrefli and 
 deceive the tedioufnefs of our pilgrimage , 
 and therefore the moft formidable cala- 
 mities of this life are below all mefures of 
 comparifon with this hope of our calling, 
 this riches of the glory of our inheritance . ; 
 
 Eph, 
 
Sect . IV. Enjoiments above (ujferings. 6y 
 
 Eph. 3 1 5. The heavieft and mo ft: pref- 
 ling ot our aiBidrions are to that , but like 
 the fmall duft of the balance-. Efa.40. 15. 
 So that if we Ihoiild here fl:op our inqui- 
 fition , we have a fufScient refolution of 
 the prelent queftion :, and mult conclude, 
 that God has given us an abundant coun- 
 terpoifeof all we either do or can fuffer 
 here. 
 
 6. 1 F therefore there be any fo for- 
 lorn as to temporals , that he can fetch 
 thence no evidence of Gods fatherly care 
 of him a *yet this one confiJeration may 
 folve his do'ubts, and convince him that 
 he is not abdicated by him. We read of 
 no gifts K^brahamgzvc Ifaac^yQ.t to the 
 fons of the concubines tis faid he did. Gen. 
 25. 5. It had bin a very fallacious infe- 
 rence , if Ifaac fhould have concluded 
 himfelf neglected ^ becaule his far greater 
 portion was but in reverfions. And it 
 « will be the fame in any of us, if we argue 
 an unkindnefs from any temporal wants 
 who have the entail of an eternal inheri- 
 tance. But furely God do's not leave himfelf 
 without witnefs^ A<3:. 14. 17. even in fecu- 
 lar thingsj there is no man breathing but 
 has fome bleflingsofhislefr hand, as well 
 as his right , as I have already mentioned : 
 
 I and 
 
66 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 and unlefs it be fome few prodigies of Ca- 
 lamity, in whofe punilhment or patience 
 Goddefigns fignally to glorify himfelf, 
 there are none who enjoy not greater com- 
 forts of life then thofe they want , I mean 
 fuch as are really greater , tho perhaps 
 to their prejudicated fancies they do not 
 appear fo. Thus in point of health , if 
 a manbedifaffefted in one part, yet all 
 the reft of his body maybe (and often 
 is ) well i or if he have a complication, 
 and have more then one difeafe, yet there | 
 i^ no man that has alitor halffo many 
 as are incident to human bodies ^ fo that 
 he is comparatively more healthy then 
 iick» So again it is not very common 
 for a man to lofe a limb , or fenfe : the 
 generallity ofmenkeep them to their laft^ 
 and they who do , have in that an over- 
 balance to moft outward adverfitjes 5 and 
 even they who are fo unhappy to lole 
 one, yet commonly keep the reft i at leaftt 
 the Major part. Or if at any time any 
 man is left a mere breathing trunk y yejc 
 it is by fuch ftupifying difeafes as dead 
 the Icnfe, or fuch mortal ones as foo.a 
 take them away :>• and fo the remedy o-^ 
 vertakes the Malady. Befides it pleafe$ 
 God very often, to make compeniatioii 
 
 for 
 
Sbct. IV. EnjoimtHts above Sufferings. 67 
 
 for the want of one member or faculty by 
 improving theufeof another. We have 
 ieen feet fuppH' aU the neceflary ufes of 
 hands to thofe who h^v'C had none; and 
 it '\% a thing of daily obiervation, that meii 
 that are bimd, havethe greater internal 
 light; have their inteileds more vigo- 
 rous and aftive, by their abltraftions from 
 V^ifible objeds. 
 
 7. Thus alfo it is in the matter of 
 wealth: he that is forced to get his bread 
 by the Iweat of his browes, tis true he 
 cannot have thofe delicacies wherewith 
 tieh men abound 5 yet his labor helps him 
 to a more poignant, a more favory fauce 
 then a whole College of Epicures can 
 Compound. His hunger gives a higher 
 guft to his dry cruft, then the furfeited 
 ftomach can find in the moft coftly , moft 
 elaborate mixtures: fo verifying the ob- 
 fervationof Solomon^ The full foul loatheth 
 the hony comb , but to the hiingrj foul ^- 
 very hitter thing is fweet , "Prov. 27. 7. He 
 cannot indeed Jiretch himfelfttpon hts bed of 
 Ivory , Am. 6.4. yet his ileeps are foun- 
 der then thofe that can. The wife man 
 tell us, and experience do's fo too', that 
 the fleep of a laboring man is fweet. Ecclus. 
 5 12. He is not cloathed gorgeoufly, 
 I 2 has 
 
(J8 The Art of Contentmenu 
 
 has not the fplendor of glittering apparel, 
 (o neither has he the care of contriving j 
 it, the fears of being foreftal'd in a new • 
 invention, or any of thofe unmanly fo- 
 licitudes which attend that vanity. He 
 has the proper genuine ufe of clothing ; 
 the preventing ihame and cold, and is 
 happily deccrmin'd to that which the wifer 
 men of the world have voluntarily chofen. 
 Toconclude> he has one advantage be- 
 yond all. thele ; his neceflities refcue him 
 from idlenefs^andall its confequent tem- 
 tations •, which is fo great a benefit, that 
 if rich men be not their own taskmafters 
 as his wants are his, if they do not pro- 
 vide themfelves of bufinefs , that one 
 want of theirs is infinitly more deplora- 
 ble then all his : and he is not only hap- ^ 
 py comparatively with himfelf , in ha? 
 ving better things then he wantSi but with 
 them alfo. 
 
 8. I F we come now to reputation ^ 
 and fame, the account will be much the 
 fame* He that is eminent in the world for 
 f ome great atchievement , is let up as an 
 objedt of every mans remark ; where as his 
 excellencies on the one hand are vifible, 
 fo his faults and blemifiies are on the o- 
 fher. And as human frailty makes it top 
 
 pro? 
 
Se Ct . IV. Enjoiments above Sufferings. 69 
 
 probable thefe latter will be really more, 
 io human envy makes it fure chat they 
 fhall be more preciiely , more curioully 
 obferved, and more loudly blazon'd. So 
 that upon the whole, a good quiet fecu- 
 rity , tho it be not the road to glory, yet 
 is the likelieft fence againft infamy. And 
 indeed he that can keep up the repute 
 of a fober integrity within his own pri- 
 vate fphere , need not envy the trium- 
 phant Tallies of others, which often meet 
 with a fatal turn at the latter end of the 
 day. But twill be faid that even that 
 more moderate fort of reputation is not 
 every mans portion, but that many lie un- 
 der great ignominy and fcandals. I fhall 
 here ask whether tho fe be juftor unjull: 
 If they be juft they belong not to our 
 prefent fubjedl , which relates only to 
 thofe infliftious which are the effe(Sls of 
 Gods immediate providence, not of our 
 own crimes • for I never doubted but that 
 by thofe wemay diveftour felves of any, 
 nay of all the good things God has de- 
 iign*d us. But if the obloquie be unjuft, 
 tis probable that tis taken up only by ill 
 men, and that the good pals a moree- 
 quitable fentence 5 and then furely the 
 ifitteftation of a few luch> is able to out- 
 weigh 
 
70 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 weigh a multitude of the others. And in 
 this cale a man may not only find pati- 
 ence but plefure in reproches. Socrates 
 lookt with trouble and jealoufy on him- 
 felf vvSen ill men commended him, fay- 
 ing, What ill have I don ? and fure a Chri- 
 llian has a farther reafon to be pleas'd 
 with their revilings, they being hisfecu- 
 rityagainft the 'x^'<7^ pronounced to thofe 
 whom all men /peak well oj\ Luk. 6. ^6. 
 Butfomtimesit happens, that even good 
 men are feduc'd) and either by the artifices 
 of the wicked, or their own too hafty cre- 
 dulity, give credit to unjuft reports. And 
 this 1 confefs is a (harp trial to the injured 
 perfon : yet even this cannot often be uni- 
 verfal, there can karcebe any innocence 
 lb forlorn but that there may be opportu- 
 nities of electing it to fome or other, and 
 by them propagating it to more,and if the 
 cloud ever come to bedifpers'd, their famfe 
 will appear with the brighter lufter. But 
 if none of this happen, they have yet a 
 certain and more blefled retreat ^ eVelian 
 appeal to the unerring judg, who never 
 beholds us with more approbation , therk 
 when we are under the unjuft condemna- 
 tion of men. Indeed w^ have then ^ 
 double tie upon him, not only his juftic^^ 
 
 but 
 
Sect. IV. Enjoiments above Sufferings, j i 
 
 but his pity is concerned in our cafe. 
 God particularly owns hiinfelf as the re- 
 fuge of the oppreffed: and there is fcarce 
 a fliarper and more fenfible oppreflion then 
 this of Calumny ; yet even this proves ad- 
 vantage, vi^hilftit procures Gods imme- 
 ijiate patronage, makes us the objed:s of 
 his more peculiar care and compaflion,who 
 can make our right eoujnefs as cletr as the 
 light, Pfa. 37. 6. if he lee it fit ; but if in 
 his wifdom he chufe not that for us, tis 
 comfort enough for us that we have ap. 
 prov'd it to him. Twas Elkanah's que- 
 llion to Hannah in her difconfolation , 
 Am not I better to thee then ten Sons ? \ 
 Sam. 1 . 8. And fure we may fay the like 
 of Gods approbation, that tis better to us 
 I fay not then ten, but tenthoufand Eu- 
 logics of men. The very Echo of it in 
 thet«ftimonyof agood confcience is an 
 unfpeakablecomfortjand this voice founds 
 more audibly, morefweetly, among the 
 loudeft , the harflieft accufations of men. 
 Sp that we fee even this afl'ault too is not 
 without it$ guard , and thefe waters of 
 Marah^ Exod. i f « 33 • may be rendered not 
 Qflly wholfome but pleafant. 
 
 9, I have now inftanced in the three 
 moft general concerns of human life, the 
 
 body , 
 
71 The Art of Contentmenr. 
 
 Body , Goods, and Fame, to which heads 
 may be reduced molt of the afflictions 
 incident to our outward ftate, as far as 
 immediately concerns our lelves. But 
 there is no man (lands fo fingle in the 
 world, but he has lome relation or friends 
 in which he thinks himfelf intereffed, and 
 many times thofe oblique flrokes which 
 wound us thro them , are as painful as 
 the more dired:. Yet here alfo God is 
 ordinarily pleas'd to provide fome allaies ^ 
 if we would but take notice of them. He 
 who has had one friend die, has ordina- 
 rily divers others furvi ving s or if he have 
 not that J ulually God raifes him up others. 
 Tis true we cannot have a fucceflion of 
 Fathers and Mothers , yet we often have 
 of other friends that are no left helpful 
 to us : and indeed there are fcarce in a- 
 ny thing more remarkable evidences of 
 Providence, then in this particular. He 
 that is able out of Hones to raife up chiU 
 dren to^ylhraham ^ Mat. 3,9. do's many 
 times by as unexped:ed a production fup- 
 ply friends to the delolate. But we do fom- 
 times lole our friends while they are li- 
 ving: they withdraw their ktndnefs which 
 is the foul of friendfliip ; and if this hap- 
 pen by our own demerit, we can accufe 
 
 nei- 
 
Sect. IV- En]otments abo've fiijfenngs. 73 
 
 neither God nor them for it: nor can 
 we rationally exped: that God Ihould pro- 
 Vide fupplies , when we wiltiilly defpoil 
 our felves. But when they are unkind 
 without provocation, then is the feafon 
 for his interpohtion, whoufes to take up 
 thofe whofn Father and Mother for fake ^ 
 Plal. 27. 10. and we frequentiy fee iignal 
 proofs of his care in exciting the compaf- 
 fions of other friends and relatives, or per- 
 haps of mere llrangers. Nay fomtinies 
 God makes the inhumanity of a mans re- 
 lations , the occalion of his advantage. 
 Thus the barbarous mahce of Jojephs bre- 
 thren was the firit ftep to his Dominion 
 over Egypt. And tis a common obler- 
 vation in Families, that the moft difcoun- 
 tenanc'd child oft makes better proof, then 
 the dearling. 
 
 10. We are yet liable to a third affli- 
 ftion by the calamity of our friends, 
 which by the Sympathy of Kindnefs pref- 
 fes us no lefs ( perhaps more ) fenfibly 
 then our own : but then tis to be confi- 
 der'dj that theirs are capable of the fame 
 allaying circumftances that ours are , and 
 God has the fame arts of alleviating their 
 burdens 5 fo that we have the fame argu- 
 ments for acquiefcence in their fuffermgs 
 
 K that 
 
74 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 that we have in our own ; and fliall do a 
 more friendly office in impreffing thofe 
 upon them, then in the moft pallionate a- 
 dopting their forrows. 
 
 II. The laft and greateft difcomfort 
 from friends, is that of their fin : and if 
 ever we may be allow'd that difconfolate 
 ftrein of the Prophet, Efa. 22.4, Turn 
 aiz'ay from me , 1 will weep bitterly^ labor 
 not to comfort me > this feems to be the 
 time. Yet even this vally of Achor is not 
 without a door of hope^ Hof. 22. 1 5 . A vici- 
 ous perfon may be recalled, multitudes 
 have bin ^ fo that fo long as God conti- 
 nues life, we ought no more to depofite 
 our hope then to quit our endevor. Be- 
 fides there are few that make this com- 
 plaint that have not fomthing to balance , 
 orat lead to lighten it. I fliali inftance 
 in that relation which is the neareft and 
 moft tender, that of a Parent. He that 
 has one bad child may have divers good. 
 If he have but one virtuous tis a very great 
 mercy, and tis another that he may be 
 the better taught to value it by the op- 
 pofition of the contrary. But if any be 
 lo unhappy as to have many children , and 
 all to con fume his eies and grieve his heart , 
 I Sam. 2. 33. it may be a feafonable reflexion 
 
 tor 
 
Sect. IV. Enjoiments above Sufferings. 7 5 
 
 for him to examin how far he has con- 
 tributed coic, either by £/i^j fond indul. 
 gence , or by a remifs and cauelcfs edu- 
 cation : or which is worlt of all, by his 
 mod impious example. If any , or all of 
 thefe be found the caufe, he is not fo much 
 to feek for allaies to his grief, as for par- 
 don of his fin ; and when he has peni- 
 tently retrafted his own faults, he may 
 then have better ground of hope that God 
 may reform thofe of his children. In the 
 mean time he may look on his own af- 
 fliftion in them as Gods difcipline on him , 
 and gather at leall this comfort from it , 
 that his heavenly father has more ciKe of 
 him then he had of his s and do's not leave 
 him uncorrected. 
 
 12. Thus we fee in all the concerns 
 { which are the mofl: common and im- 
 portant of human life, and wherein the 
 jufteft of our complaints are ufually found- 
 ed) there is fuch a temperature and mix- 
 ture, that the good do's more then equal 
 the ill 3 and that not only inthegrofler 
 bulk, when our whole ftate is weighed 
 together, but in every fingle branch of 
 It : God having herein dealt with this 
 httle world Man, as he has don with the 
 greater, wherein he is obferv'd to have 
 
 K 2 fur- 
 
7 6 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 furnllhed ever^/ country with Specific re- 
 medies for their peculiar dileafes. I have 
 only giv^n thefe fliort hints by way of 
 effay and pattern for the Readers contem- 
 plation, which when he fliall have ex- 
 tended to all thofe more minute particu- 
 lars wherein he is efpecially concern d, 
 more curioufly compar'd his fufFerings 
 with his allaics and comforts > I cannot 
 doubt but he will own himfelf an inftance 
 of the truth of the prefent Thefis , and 
 confefs J that he has much more caufe of 
 thankfulne ib then complaint. 
 
 13. This 1 fay fuppofing his afflidi- 
 ons to be of thofe more foHd and confide- 
 rableTort I have before mentioned. But 
 how many are there who have few or none 
 of fuch, who leem to be fcated in the land 
 of Goshen^ in a place exenit from all the 
 plagues that infeit their Neighbors < And 
 thofe one would think fliould give a rea- 
 dy fuffrage to this conclufion, as having 
 no temtation to oppugn it 5 yet I doubt 
 tisfar otherwife, and that fuch men are 
 ofallthemoftunfatisfied. For tho they 
 have no crofles of Gods impofing , they 
 ufually create a multitude to themfelves. 
 And here we may fay with David^ it is 
 better to fall into the hand of Godthenin^ 
 
 to 
 
Sect. IV. Enjoiments above Sufferings. 77 
 
 to the hand of man^ 2 Sam, 24. 14. tis ealier 
 to bear the afflidioiis God fends5chen thofe 
 we make to our felves. His are limited 
 both for quantity and quaUty , but our 
 own are as boundlefs as thole extravagant 
 defires from which they fpring. 
 
 14. And this is the true caufe why 
 contentment is fo much a ftranger to thofe 
 who have all the outward caufes of it. 
 They have no definite mefure of their de- 
 fires 5 tis not the fupply of all their real 
 wants will ferve their turn : their appe. 
 tites are precarious and depend upon con- 
 tingencies. They hunger not becaufe 
 they are emty , but becaufe others are full. 
 Many a man would have liked his OAva 
 portion well enough, had he not feen an- 
 other have fomthing he liked better. Nay 
 even the moil inconfiderable things ac- 
 quire a value by being anothersj when 
 wedefpife much greater of our own. A* 
 hab might well have latisfied himfelf with 
 the Kingdom of Ifrael^ had not Nahoths 
 poor plot laid in his eie i but fo raving 
 were his defires after it, that he difrelifhes 
 all the pomps of a Crown, yea the ordi- 
 nary refrelhments of Nature, can eat no 
 bread tiW he have that to furnifli him with 
 Sallads. i Kings 21. 2. And how many 
 
 arc 
 
78 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 are there now adaies whofe clothes fie un» 
 eafy if they fee another have had but the 
 luck to be a little mo^e ino^enioafly vainj 
 whofe meat is unfavory it chey have iccn 
 but a greater rarity, a newer cookery at 
 anothers Table : in a word who make 
 other peoples exceffes the ftandard of their 
 own felicities ? 
 
 ly. Nor are our appetites only ex- 
 cited thus by our outward objefts, but 
 precipitated and hurried on by our inward 
 lults. The proud man fo longs for ho- 
 mage and adoration , that nothing can 
 pleafe him if that be wanting. Haman 
 can find no guft in all the fenfualities of 
 the Terfian Court, becaufe a poor defpi- 
 cable Jew denies his abaifance 5 Eft. 5.13. 
 The luftful fo impatiently purfues his im- 
 pure defigns, that any difficulty he meets 
 in them , makes him pine and languifli 
 like Amnon^ who could no way recover 
 his own health but by violating his lifters 
 honor, 2 Sam. 13. i^. The revengeful la- 
 bors under an Hydropic thirft till he have 
 the blood of his enemy ; all the liquor of 
 Abfahms flieep-flieering could not quench 
 his, without the flaughter of his brother, 
 2 Sam. 13.22. And thus every one of our 
 paflionskeepsus upon the rack till they 
 
 have 
 
Sect. IV , Enjoiments above Siijferings. y^ 
 
 have obtained their defigns. Nay when 
 they have, the very emtinefs ot thofeac- 
 quilitions is anew torment^and puts us up- 
 on frelh purfuits. Thus between the im- 
 petuoufnefs of our dcfires, and the cmci- 
 nefs of our enjoiments , we ftiU difquiet 
 ourfehesin vain, Pfa. j^^.y. And whil'ft 
 we have fuch cruel task-mafters, tis not 
 ftrange to find us groaning under our bur- 
 dens. If we will indulge to ail our vi- 
 cious or foolifli appetites, think our lives 
 bound up with them , and folicite the 
 fatistaftion of them with as impatient a 
 vehemence , as Rachel did for children 
 
 iGen. 30. 1 .give me them or I die : no won- 
 der that we are alwaies complaining of 
 didippointments, lincein thele the very 
 fuccefs is a defeat, and is but the exchang- 
 ing the pain of a craving ravenous fto- 
 mach,for that of a cloi'dand naufeated. 
 Indeed men of this temper condemn them- 
 1 felves to a perpetual relllefnefs: they are 
 / like phantaftic mutineers, vi^ho when their 
 fuperiors fend them blanks to write their 
 own conditionSjknow not what will pleafe 
 them : and even Omnipotence it felt can- 
 not fatisfy thefe till it have new mould- 
 ed them, and reduced their defires to ^ 
 certainty. 
 
 T(J* Bur 
 
go The Art of Contentment. 
 
 i6 Bu T in the mean time how un- 
 juftly do they accufe God of illiberality, 
 becaufe every thing anfwers not their hu- 
 mor? He has made them reafonable crea- 
 tures , and has provided them iatisfafti- 
 ons proportionable to their nature 5 but i 
 if they will have wild irrational expecta- 
 tions, neither his wifdom, norhisgood- 
 nels is concern'd to fatisfy thofe. His 
 fupplies are real and Iblid, and therefore 
 have no correfpondence to imaginary 
 wants. If we will create fuch to our felves 
 why do we not create an imaginary facis- 
 faftion to them ? Twere the merrier fren- 
 zy of the two, to be like the mad^;^^^- 
 manyXXv^t thought all the fliips that came 
 into his harbor his own : and twere bet- 
 ter Ixion like to have our Arms fiird with 
 a cloud, then to have them perpetually 
 beating our own breads , and be ftill tor- 
 menting our felves with unfatisfiable de- 
 fires. Yet this is the (late to which men 
 voluntarily fubjeftthemfelves, and then 
 quarrel at God becaufe they will not let 
 themfelves be happy. But fure their ve- 
 ry complaints jufiify God, and argue that 
 he has dealt very kindly with them, and 
 afforded them all the neceflary accomo- 
 dations of life : for did they want them , 
 
 they 
 
Se c T . IV. Enjoments above Sufferings. 8 1 
 
 they would not be fo fenfible of tHe want 
 of the other. He that is at perfed: eafc 
 may feel with fome vexation the biting 
 of a flea or gnat, which would not be 
 at all obfervable if he were upon the rack. 
 And (hould God change the fcenc , and 
 make thefe nice people feel the deftitu- 
 tion of neceflfaries -, all thefe regrets about 
 fuperfluities would be overwhelmed. In 
 the mean time how deplorable a thing is 
 it, that we are ftill the poorer for Gods 
 bounty , that thofe to whom he has o- 
 pened his handwideft, fhould open their 
 mouth fb too in outcries and murmurs? 
 For I think 1 may fay that generally, thofe 
 that are the fartheft remov'd from wajit, 
 are fo from content too •, they take no 
 notice of all the real fubftantial blcflings 
 they enjoy, leave thefe ( like the ninety 
 nine flieep in the wildernefs ) forgotten 
 and negleded, to go in queft after fome 
 fugitive fat isfaftion , which like a fliadow 
 flies ftill fafter in proportion to their pur- 
 fuit. 
 
 17. And now would God they could 
 be recalled from this unprofitable chafe , 
 andinfteadof the Horfleeches note, Give^ 
 give ^ Prov. 30. I J. take up that of the 
 Pfalmift , ffhat shall I render to the Lord 
 
 L for 
 
82 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 for all the benefits he hath don unto ?ne?^Qi» 
 1 1 6. 12. Let them count how many va- 
 luable or rather ineftimable things they 
 have received from hismercy, and then 
 confront them with thofe corrections they 
 have found from his juftice j and if they 
 do this impartially, I doubt not they will 
 find wherewithall to check their higheft 
 mutinies ; and will join with me in con- 
 feffing, that their good things abundantly 
 outweigh their ill. 
 
 i8. I F now we carry on the compari- 
 fon to the laft circumftance, and confider 
 the ConftancyjWe fliall find as wide a diffe- 
 rence. Let us take the Pfalmifts teftirao- 
 ny , and there will appear a very diftant 
 date of his mercies and puniihments. His 
 mercies endure for e^ver^ Pfa, 136. whereas 
 his wrath endures but the twinkling of an eie^ 
 Pfa. 30. 5. And accordingly God owns 
 his adls of feverity as his firange worky Ifa. 
 28. 2i> that which he reforts to only up- 
 on fpecial emergencies } but his mercies 
 are renewed every mornings Lam. 3. 2jr. 
 and doubtlefs we may all upon trial affirm 
 the fame. There are many of the moft ne- 
 ceCTary comforts of life which do not on- 
 ly fomtimes vilit us as guefts, but dwell 
 with us as inmates and domeftics. How 
 
 many 
 
Sect. IV. Enjoim^ nts aho i:e Siijfering:^, 8 J 
 
 many are there who have lived ia a per- 
 petual affluence from their cradles to their 
 graves> have never knovv^n what it h to 
 want? And tho the goods of fortune are 
 perhaps lefs con(tant to fome, yet the 
 refrefhmentsof nature are ufually lo to 
 us all. We eat and drink, we Deep, we 
 recreate, we converfe in a continued cir- 
 cle^ and go our round ahnoft as conftant- 
 ly as the Sun do's his. Or if God do's 
 fomtimcs a little interrupt us in it, put 
 fome Ihort reftraint upon our refrefli- 
 ments , yet that comparatively to the 
 time we enjoy them, is but proportiona- 
 ble to the flop he has fomtimes made of 
 the Sun, Jof. lo. 13. 2 Kings 20. 8. or of 
 thefea, Exod. 14.21. whichas they were 
 no fubverfions of the courfe of nature, 
 io neither are thofe ihort paufes he fom- 
 times makes , a repeal of thofe fixt and 
 cuftomary benefits his providence ufually 
 allots us. But who is there can fay that a- 
 ny one of his afflicSlions has bin of equal 
 continuance, or has preft him with fo few 
 intermiflions ? Perhaps he may have mill 
 fome few nights lleep : but what is that to 
 a twelve-months, or perhaps a whole lives 
 enjoying it^ Tispofliblehis ftomachand 
 his meat have not alwaies bin ready to- 
 L 2 gether-. 
 
84 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 gethcr ; but how much oftner have they 
 met to his delight ? and generally thofe 
 things that are moft ulcful , are but rarely 
 interrupted. Nay to a great many even 
 the dehcacies of lite are no lefs conftant, 
 andtheir luxuries are as quotidian as their 
 bread : whereas unlefs their vices or their 
 thncies create uneafinelTcs to them, thofe 
 that come immediately from Gods hand , 
 make long intermiffions and fliort ftaies. 
 Yet for all this they that iTiould mefure 
 by theunceffantnefsof mens complaints, 
 would judg that the fcene was quite re- 
 verft , and that our good things are, as 
 Job i^Q^ks^Jwifter then a weavers shuttle^ 
 Job. 7. 6, whilft our ill , like Gehazies 
 Leprojjy cleave tnfe^arably to us. 2 Kings 
 5. 10. 
 
 19. The truth is, we will not let our 
 felves enjoy thofe intervals God allowes 
 us , but when a calamity do's retire we 
 v/ill ftill keep it in fidion and imagina- 
 tion 5 revolve it in our minds, andbe- 
 caufe tis poflible it may return, look up- 
 on it as not gon. Like Aguifli patients 
 we count our felves fick on our well- day j 
 becaufe wc expcd a fit the next. A ftrange 
 ftupid folly thus to court vexation , and 
 be miferable in Chimera, Do's any man » 
 
 or 
 
Sect. IV. En]oments above Stifferivgs. 85 
 
 ' or indeed any beatt delire to keep a di- 
 ftaftful relidi ftill in his mouth, to chew 
 the cud upon gall and wormwood? Yet 
 certainly there are a multitude of people 
 whofe lives are imbitter'd to them mere-* 
 ly by thefe fantaftic imaginary fufFerings. 
 Nor do we only fright our felves with 
 images and Ideas of pad calamities , but 
 we drefs up new bugbears and mormoes> 
 are Poetic and aerial in our inventions, 
 and lay Romantic fcenes of diftrefl'es. 
 This is a thing very incident to jealous 
 natures 5 who are alwaies raifing alarms 
 to themlelves. A fufpicious man looks 
 I on every body with dread. One man he 
 ' fears has defigns upon his fortune, an- 
 other on his reputation , perhaps a third 
 upon his life : whilft in the mean time, 
 the only ill defign againil him is mana- 
 ged by himfelf ; his own caufelels fears 
 . and jealoufies, which put him in a ftate 
 / of hoftility with all the world; and do 
 I often betray him to the very things he 
 groundlefly fufped:ed. For it is not fel- 
 dom feen that men have incurrM reall 
 mifchiefs by a fond folicitude of a* 
 voiding imaginary ones. I do not que- 
 ftion but this is a ftate calamitous e- 
 nough, and fliall acknowledg it very- 
 
 like- 
 
86 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 likely that fuch perfons ftiall have little 
 or no truce from their troubles , who 
 have fuch an unexhaufted fpring within 
 themfelvesj yet we may fay to them as 
 the Prophet did to the houfe of Jacobs 
 Is the fpirit of the Lord Jlraitned ? are 
 thefe his doings 1 Mich. 2. 7. Such men 
 muft not cry out that Gods hand lies 
 heavy upon them , but their own i and 
 fo can be no impeachment for the truth 
 of our oblervations , that Gods bleffings 
 are of a longer duration , keep a more 
 fixt fteddy courfe then his punilhments. 
 The refult of all is , that the genera- 
 lity of mankind have good things ( even 
 as to temporals) which do in the three 
 refpeds foremention'd exceed the ill. 
 I mean the true and real things which God 
 fends , tho not thofe fanciful ones they 
 raiie to themfelves. 
 
 20. And now why fliould it not ap- 
 pear a reafonable propolition that men 
 iliould entertain themfelves with the ple- 
 fantcr parts of Gods difpenfations to 
 them, and not alwaies pore upon the 
 harflier : especially fince the former are 
 fo much a fairer objed, and perpetual- 
 ly in their eie , why fhould we look on 
 
 the 
 
S B G T. IV. Enjoiments above Siiiferings. 87 
 
 the more fadning Ipedlacles of human 
 frailty or misfortune , thro all the mag. 
 nifying optics our fancies can fupply, 
 and perverfly turn away our eies from 
 the cheerfuUer < Yet this God knows '^ 
 too much the cafe with moft of us. How 
 nicely and critically do we obferve eve- 
 ry little adverfe accident of our \\WQ,%'i 
 what tragical ftories of them do our me- 
 mories prefent us with ? When alas a 
 whole current of profperity glides by 
 without our notice. Like little children 
 our fingers are never off the fore place , 
 till we have pickt every hght fcratch in- 
 to an Ulcer. Nay like the leuder fort 
 of beggars, we make artificial fores to 
 give us a pretence of complaint. And 
 can we then exped: God (hould concern 
 himfelf in the cure? Indeed inthecourfe 
 of his ordinary providence there is no 
 cure for fuch people, unlefs it be by re- 
 vulfion , the making them feel the fmart 
 of fome very great and preffing afflidli- 
 on. They therefore put themfelvesun- 
 der an unhappy dilemma, either to con- 
 tinue their own tormentors, or to en- 
 dure the fevereft courfe of Gods difci. 
 pline. Tis true the laft is the more 
 
 eli- 
 
88 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 eligible } but I am iure the bed way is 
 to prevent both , by a juft and grateful 
 fenie of Gods mercies : which will be 
 yet farther illultrated if wc compare them 
 with our own demerits. 
 
 Sect. 
 
Sect.V. Of our Demerit towards God, 89 
 
 SECT. V. 
 
 Of our Demerit towards God. 
 
 I. TT is the common fault of our na- 
 -■-ture, that we are very apt to be par- 
 rial to our felves ^ and to fquare our expe- 
 ctations more by wliac we wifli , then by 
 what we deferve. Somching of this is vi- 
 fible ill our deaUng with men. We oft lo^k 
 to reap where we have not fawn , Mat. 25. 
 25, expeft benefits where we do none: yet 
 in civil tranfactions there areftill remain- 
 ing fuch footfteps Oi natural jufticc , that 
 we are not univerfaily fo unreafonable ; 
 all traffic and commerce fubfifting upon 
 the principle of equal retribution, giving 
 one good thing for another equivalent; 
 fo that no man expects to buy corn with 
 chaff. Or Gold with drofs. But in out 
 dealings with God, we put off even this 
 common equity; arevaftinour expe(3:a- 
 tions J but penurious and bafe in our re- 
 turns > and as if God were our fteward, not 
 our Lord, we require of him with a con- 
 fidence proper only to thofe who ask their 
 
 M own 
 
90 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 own: wliilft in the interim, what we of- 
 fer to him is with fuch a difdainful flight- 
 nefs, as if we meant it rather an alms then 
 an homage. 
 
 2. God indeed is fb munificent , that 
 \\Q prevents us with his blejfmg^ Pfa. 2 1 ; 3, 
 gives us many things before we ask: had 
 he not don fo, we could not have bin fb 
 much as in a capacity of asking. But tho 
 the firft and fundamental mercies are ab- 
 folute and free^yet the fubfequent are con- 
 ditional ; and accordingly we find in fcri- 
 pturc, that God makes no promife either 
 concerning this life or a better,but on con- 
 dition of Obedience. The J'ews who had 
 much larger propofals of temporal happi- 
 nefs then Chriftians have, yet never had 
 them upon other terms. God exprefsly 
 articled for the performance of hisconi- 
 mandSj and made all their enjoiments for- 
 feitable upon the fiilure, as we may fee at 
 large in the book of Deuteronomy. And 
 under the Gofpie St. Vaul appropriates the 
 promifes as well of this life as that to come 
 tintogodlinefs^ i Tim. 4, 8. It will there- 
 fore be a material inquiry for every man, 
 whether he laave kept his title entire , and 
 have not by breach of the condition for- 
 feited his elamcjeven to the moft common 
 
 or- 
 
Sect.V. Of our Demerit towards God. 91 
 
 ordinary blefiings > for if he have , com- 
 mon reafon will tell him he can challenge 
 none : and that the utmoft he can hope 
 for, muft be only upon a newfcoreof 
 unmerited favor. 
 
 3 . And here certainly every mouth muft 
 be flopped^ and all the world become guilty 
 before God, Rom. 3, ip. For alas who is 
 there that can lay his obedience has bin 
 in any degree proportionable to his obli- 
 gation ? Tis manifeft we have all received 
 abundantly from Gods hand, but what 
 has he had from ours ? I may challenge the 
 beft man, to caft up the account of his 
 beft day, and tell me whether his receits 
 have not infinitly exceeded his disburf- 
 ments : whether for any one good thing 
 he has don, he has not received many, 
 Noristhedifparity only in number, but 
 much more in value. Gods works are per- 
 fed, all he do's for us like the firft fix dales 
 proda&ionsy are all very goody Gen, i. but 
 alas our very righteoujnejs is as filthy rags , 
 Efai. 64. 6. we offer himthe blind and the 
 lame^ Mal.1.9. a few yawning drowfy prai- 
 ers perhaps,wherein he has the lead (hare : 
 the fuller current of our thoughts running 
 towards our fecular or finful concerns. 
 We drop,it may be, a fcanty Alms, where* 
 
 Ms ia 
 
92 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 in tis odds our vain-glory fcrambles for 
 a Ihare with him , if it do not wholly in- 
 grofl'e it. We fit an hour at a fermon, 
 but tis rather to here the wit or eloquence 
 of the preacher, then the word of God. 
 Like the duller fore of animals , we like 
 well to have our itching ears Icratcht, but 
 grow Iturdy and reftive when we fhould 
 do what we are there taught. In a word 
 all our fervices at the belt are miierably 
 maim*d , and imperfed: • and too often 
 corrupt and unfound. So that God may 
 well upbraid us as he did Ifiael ^ offer 
 it now to the governor, will he be pleas' d 
 with it ? Mai. 1.8. Thefe very iniquities of 
 our holy things, are enough to defeat all 
 our pretences to any good from Gods 
 hand ; yet God knows this is much the befl: 
 iide ot us : tis not every one that can 
 make fo fair an appearance as this amounts 
 to. With many, there is no place to com- 
 plain of the blemifhesof their lacrifices , 
 for they offer none •, of whom we may fay 
 in the word of the Pfalmift, God is not in 
 all their thoughts^ Pfal. lo. 4. I fear there 
 want not thofe who drive away the day , 
 the week, naytheyear^ without remem- 
 bringin whofe hand their time is ^ Pfal. 
 31. 18. or paying him any folemn tribute 
 
 of 
 
Se c T . V. Of our Demerit towards God. 93 
 
 of iti who enjoy the fervices of all infe- 
 rior creatures , without confidering that 
 theirs are more due to the fupreme Lord : 
 in a word> who lives as if they were abfo- 
 lutely independent ; had their exiftence 
 purely from themfelves, and had no Crea- 
 tor to whom they owed their being, or 
 any confequent duty. And fure men who 
 thus difcard them felves from Gods fami- 
 lyj have very little reafon to expe(9: the 
 provifionsof it : yet even fuch as thelc 
 have the impudence to complain, if any 
 thing be wanting to their needs ( (hall I 
 fay) or to their lufts-, can ravingly pro- 
 fane Gods name in their impatiencies , 
 which they know not how to ufe in their 
 praiers : as if the Deity were confiderable 
 in no other notion, then that of their ca- 
 terer or fteward. 
 
 4. I F now we ferioufly refleft, what 
 can be more admirable then that infinit 
 patience of God :>• who notwithftanding 
 the miferable infirmities of the pious, and 
 the leud contemt of the impious, ftill goes 
 on refolutely in his bounty , and conti- 
 nues to all mankind fome , and to fome 
 all his temporal blefllngs ? He has no ob- 
 ligation of juftice to do k^ for it is no 
 part of his compact 5 he has none of gra- 
 
 ti- 
 
^4 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 titude, for he is perpetually affronted and 
 difobliged. Surely we may well fay with 
 ^avid^ Is this after the manner of men^ 
 O Lordi iChro,iy. 17. Can the high- 
 eft human indulgence bear any proportion 
 with his divine Clemency? no certainly, 
 no finite patience but would be exhaufted 
 with the thoufandth part of our provo- 
 cations. 
 
 5 . But is not our dealing too as lit- 
 tle after the manner of men •, 1 mean of 
 reafonable creatures : for us who have for- 
 feited our right to all , and yet by mere 
 favor are ftilT kept in the pofleffion of 
 many great bleflings : for us to grow mu- 
 tinous, becaufe there is perhaps fomthing 
 more trifling which is deni'd us, is fuch 
 a ftupid ingratitude, as one would think 
 impoflible to human nature. Should a Te- 
 nant v/ith us have at once forfeited his 
 leafe, and malicioufly affronted his Land- 
 lord 3 he would fure think himfelf very 
 gently dealt with , if he were fuffer'd to 
 enjoy but a part of his firlt eftate 5 but 
 wc fliould think him not only infolent, 
 but mad, who when the whole were left 
 him^fhould quarrel and clamor if he might 
 not have his Cottage adorn'd with marble 
 floors, and gilded roofs. Yet at this wild 
 
 rate 
 
Sect. V. Of our Demerit towards God. 95 
 
 rate we behave our ielves to our great 
 Landlord, grow pettifli and angry if we 
 have not every thing we can fancy , tho 
 we enjoy many more ufeful , merely by 
 his indulgence. And can there be any 
 thing imagined more unrealonable ? Let us 
 therefore if not for piety, yet at leaft to 
 juftify our clame to rationahty, be more 
 ingenuous •, let us not confult only with 
 our fond appetites , and be thus perpetu- 
 ally foHciting their fatisfadion; but rather 
 refled: on that tenure whereby we hold 
 what we already have,even that of fupera- 
 bundant mercy, and fear leaft like infolent 
 beggersby the impudence of our demands 
 we divert even that charity which was 
 defign'd us. In (hort let every man,when 
 he computes what he wants of his defires , 
 reckon as exadtly how much he is fliort 
 of his duty; and when he has duly pon- 
 der'dboth, he will think it a very gentle 
 compoficion to have the one unfjppliedf 
 lo he may have the ocher remitted 5 and 
 will fee caufe contentedly to fit down and 
 fay with honC^Mephiboshesh, What right 
 have I to cry anymore unto the Kingi 2Sam- 
 19. 28. But if it be thus with us upon 
 the mere fcore ot our imperfediions, or o- 
 mifiion?, what an obnoxious ftate do our 
 
 in- 
 
^6 The Art of contentment. 
 
 innumerable aftual fins put us in ? If the 
 fpocs of our facrifices are provoking, what 
 are our facrileges and bold profanations? If 
 thole who negled: or forget God are lifted 
 among his enemies , what are thofe who 
 avowedly defy him ? Indeed he that fo- 
 berly confiders the world, and fees how 
 daringly the divine Majefty is daily af- 
 fronted, cannot but wonder that the per- 
 verfionsof our manners^ thofe prodigies 
 in morality, fliould not beanfwer'd with 
 as great prodigies in calamity too ; that 
 we fliould ever have other ruin then that 
 o£ Sodom, or the earth ferve us for anyo- 
 ther purpofe then to be, as it was to Korah, 
 Nunij I ^, our living fepulcher. 
 
 6. Nor is this longanimity of God 
 obfervable only towards the mafs andcol- 
 led:ive body of mankind , but to every 
 man in particular, Who is there that if 
 he ranlack his conference , Ihall not find 
 guilts enow to juftify God in the utmoft 
 leverities towards him ? fo that how much 
 fbever his punifliments are ihort of that, 
 fb much he evidently owes to the lenity 
 and companion of God. And who is 
 there that luffers in this world ths utmoft 
 that God can infiicSl? We have a great 
 many fuffering capacities 5 and if thofe 
 
 were 
 
Se c T . V. of our Dermrit towards God, 97 
 
 were all fiird up to the height, our con- 
 dition would fcarce differ from that of 
 the damned in any thing but duration. 
 But God is more merciful, and never in* 
 Aids at that rate on us here. Every mans 
 experience can tell him, tliat God difchar- 
 ges not his whole quiver at once upon him 
 but exemts him in many more particulars 
 then he afflids him ; and yet the fame 
 experience will probably tell moftof us, 
 that we are not lb modeft in our aflaults 
 upon God; we attacque him in all his con- 
 cerns ( as far as our feeble malice caa 
 reach ;) in his Soveraigntj^j in his honor^ 
 in his relatives, nay fomtimes in his very 
 eflence and being. And as they are uni- 
 verlal in refpecl ot him, fo alfo in regard 
 of our felves : we engage all our powers 
 in this war, do not on\y yield (as the A- 
 poftie fpeaks) our members inylrumeyits of 
 unr'ighteoufnefs ^ Rom. 6. 18. butweprefs 
 them upontheferviceof fenfual and vile 
 lulls, even beyond our native propenfions. 
 Nor are only the members ot our body» 
 but the faculties of our fouls alfo thu? em- 
 ploied •, our underftandings are bufied fiift 
 in contriving fins, and then excufes and 
 dilguifesfor them •, our wills are yet more 
 fturdy rebels ^ and when the uaderftand- 
 
p8 The Art of Contentment, 
 
 ing is beat out of all its out- works, yet 
 fullenly keep their hold in fpight of all 
 convidlioni and our affcdtions madly rufh 
 on like the horft into the battle^ Jer. 8.6. 
 deterred by nothing of danger^lo there be 
 but fin enough in the attemt. 
 
 7. And now with what face can peo« 
 pie that thus purfue an hoftility, expe<a 
 that it fhould not be returned to them ? 
 do's any man denounce war, and yet 
 expe(5l from his adverfary all the carefles, 
 the obligements of friendfhip? felf-de- 
 tence will promt even the meekeft nature 
 to defpoil bis enemy at leaft of thole 
 things which he ufes to his annoiance; 
 and if God iliouldgive way even to that 
 loweft degree of anger 3 where or what 
 werewe? forfinceweimploy our whole 
 felves againft him , nothing but deftru* 
 ^ion can avert our injuries* But tis hap- 
 py for us we have to do with one who 
 cannot fear us, who knows the impotence 
 of our wild attemts, and fo allai's hisre- 
 lentment of our infolence, with his pity 
 of our follies. Were ic not for this, we 
 iliould not be left in a poflibility fo oft to 
 iterate our provocations ^' every wicked 
 imagination and black defign would be 
 at once defeated and puniiht by infatuati- 
 on 
 
r 
 
 Sect.V. Of our VemerU towards God. ^p 
 
 on and frenzy : every biajphemous Adie^ 
 iltical fp-ech would wither the tongue, 
 like thac arm oj Jtroh9am^\\\Q]\ he llrecchc 
 againlt the Prophet 5 a King, 13. 4. an4 
 every impious adt would like the prohi- 
 bited retrofped: of Lots Wife,fix us perpe- 
 tual monuments of divine vengeance. 
 
 8. A N D then how much do we owe 
 to the mercy and commiferation of our 
 God, that he Jiijfers not his w hole difple* 
 fure to arije, Pla. 78. 39. that he abates 
 any thing of thatjuft feverity he might 
 ufe tjowards us ? He that is condemned to 
 the Gallowes , would think it a mercy to 
 fcape with any inferior penalty: why have 
 we then fuch mean thoughts of Gods Cle- 
 mency 5 when he defcends to fach low 
 compofitions with us r' corrcds us fo light- 
 ly as if twere only matter of ceremony and 
 pundilio , the regard of his honor, rather 
 then the execution of his wrath ? For alas 
 let him among us that is the moft innocent, 
 and undelervedly afBided , mufter up his 
 fins and fufFerings,and he will fee a vaft in- 
 equality: and (had he not other grounds 
 of aflurancej would be almoft temted to 
 think thofe were not the provoking caufe, 
 they are fo unproportionablyanlwered. 
 He fins in innumerable inftances, and i% 
 
 N I ; pu. 
 
10 D The Art of Contentment. 
 
 puni(ht in few 5 he fin's habitually and per- 
 petually, and fufFers rarely andfeldomi 
 nay perhaps he has fomtimesfinn'd with 
 greedinefs , and yet God has puniflit with 
 regret and relu(3:ancy. How shall I give 
 thee up O Ephraim ? Hof. i x . 8. And whea 
 all thefe dilparities are confider'd, we muft 
 certainly join heartily in Ezra's confef- 
 iion. Thou O God has punisht us lefs then our 
 iniquities deferve,'^ZT2i.^, 1 3. 
 
 9. N A Y belides. all our antecedent, we 
 have after guilts no lels provoking, I 
 mean our ungracious repinings at the 
 light chaftifements of our former fins, 
 our out-cries upon every little uneafinefs , 
 which may juftly caufe God to turn our 
 whips into Scorpions 5 and according as 
 he threatned i/r^^/ Lev. 2^. 18. to punish 
 ^^ /^^ feven times more. And yet e veij 
 this do's not immediately exafperate him. 
 The Jews were an inftance how long he 
 could bear with a murmuring generation* 
 but certainly we of this nation arc a 
 greater, yet let us not be high-minded but 
 fear^ Rom. 11. 20. for we fee at laft the 
 doom fell heavy tho it w^s protradled, 
 afiicceflion of miraculous judgments pur- 
 fuedthofe murmurers, fo that not one 
 of them entered Canaan. And tisvery 
 
 ob- 
 
Sect. V. Of our Demerit towards God. loi 
 
 obfervable tliat whereas to other fins Gods 
 denunciations are in fcripture conditio- 
 nal andirreverfible ; this was abfokite and 
 bound with an oath, He [ware in his wrath 
 that they should not enter into his reft , Pfa.- 
 pf. II. And yet if we compare the hard* 
 fhips of the Ifraehtes in the wildernels, 
 with moft of our fufferings , weihallbe 
 forced to confefs our mutinies have lefs 
 temtation, and confequently lefsexcufe; 
 from whence tis very reafonable to infer, 
 as the greatnefs ot ourdanger if weper- 
 fiA, fo the greatnefs of Gods long fuffer- 
 ing towards us , who yet allows us ipace 
 to reform : and fure new complaints found 
 very ill from -us, who are liable to fo fe- 
 vere an account for our old ones. I fear 
 the moft refign'd perfons of us will up. 
 on recollection find, they have upon 
 one occafion or other out- vied the num. 
 berof thelfraelites murmurs: therefore 
 unlefs we will emulate them in their 
 plagues, let us fear to add one more , left 
 that make up the fatal fum , aud render 
 our deftruftion irrevocable. 
 
 10. Upon all thefe confiderations it 
 appears how little reafon any of us have 
 to repine at our heavieft prefliires;but there 
 is yet a farther circumftance to be advert- 
 ed 
 
I02 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 ed to , and is too applicable to many of 
 us, that is, that our lins are not only the 
 conftant meritorious caufe of our fufFer- 
 ings, but they are alfo very often the in^ 
 ftrumental caufe alfo ; and produce them 
 not only by way of retaliation from God, 
 but by a natural efficacy. So/omon tells us^ 
 he that loves pie fur C'i shall be a poor man^ 
 and that a whorish woman will bring a 
 mm to a piece of bread Pro v. 6. 29. that 
 he that fits long at the wine shall have red^ 
 nefs ef eies ^ Chap. 23. 29, 30. that the 
 flothjul foul shall fuffer hunger, 19. 15. and 
 all thefe not by immediate fupernatural 
 inflidiion from God, but as the proper 
 genuine effedts of thofe rdpeftive vices. 
 Indeed God in his original eftabli(hment 
 of things, has made fo clofe a connexion 
 between fin and punifliment, that he is 
 not often put to exert his power in any 
 extraordinary way , but may truft us to 
 be our own Lid:ors, our own backflidings 
 reprove m Jer. 2.19. andour iniquities are 
 of themfelves enough to become our ruine 9 
 Exod. 18.38. 
 
 II. It may therefore be a feafonable 
 queftionfor every man to put to himfelf , 
 whether the troubles he labors under be 
 not of this fort 5 whether the poverty he 
 
 com- 
 

 Sect. V. Of our Demerit towards God. loj 
 
 pomplainsof,benot the efFed: of his riot 
 and profufion, his floth and negh'gence^ 
 whether when he cries out that hiscomeVf 
 nejs is turn'dinto corruption^ Dan. lo. 8. he 
 may not anfwerhimfclf, that they are 
 his vifits to the harlots houles which have 
 thus made rottennefs enter into his bones , 
 Hab. 3» 1^. whether when he is befet with 
 contentions, and has wounds without 
 caufe, he have not tarried long at the wine 5 
 when he has loft his friend, whether he 
 have not by lome trecherous wound^ EccIg. 
 a2. 22. forced him to depart : or when 
 he lies under infamy, whether it be not 
 only the Echo of his own fcandalous 
 crimes. If he find it thus with him \ cer- 
 tainly his mouth is ftopt, and he cannot 
 without the moft difingenuous impudence 
 complain of any but himfelf. He could 
 not be ignorant that fuch effeds did natu- 
 rally attend fach caufes, and therefore if 
 he would take the one , he muft take the 
 other alio. No man lure can be fo mad, 
 as to think God ihould work miracles 
 ( difunite thofe things which nature hath 
 conjoin'd ) only that he may fin at eale 9 
 have all the beftial pleafures he can pro- 
 jed , and none of the conlequenC iinart. 
 We read indeed God divided the fea, but 
 
X04 The Art of Contentments 
 
 it was to make the way for the ranfomed 
 of the Lord to pafs over Ila, 51. 16. thofe 
 who were his owfn people, and went in at 
 hiscommand| but when they were fecu- 
 red, we find the waters immediatly re- 
 turnM to their chanel, and overwhehned 
 the Egyptians, who ventured without 
 the fame warrant. And fure the cafe is 
 alike here , when any man can produce 
 Gods mandate for him to run into all ex- 
 cefs of riot, to defocrate the temple of the 
 holy Ghoft,^»^ make his body the member of 
 en harlot i\ Cor. 6. i f .In a word when God 
 bids him do any of thofe things, which 
 God and good men abhor, then and not 
 before he may hope he may fever fuch 
 adts from their native penal effeds 5 for 
 till then (how profufe foever fome Legen- 
 dary (lories reprefent him) he will certain- 
 ly never fo beftow his miracles* 
 
 12. But I fear upon fcrutiny there will 
 appear a yet farther circumftance upon 
 which to arraign our mutinies : for tho it 
 be unreafonable enough to charge God 
 with the ill effedlsof our own lewdnefs, 
 yet tis a higher ftep to murmur becaufe 
 we have not materials to be wicked e* 
 nough. And this I fear is the cafe with 
 top many of us , who tho they are not 
 
 fo 
 
Sect. V. Of our demerit towards God. 105 
 
 fo difpoird by their fins , but that they 
 can keep up their round of vicious pie- 
 fures, yec aredifcontentedbecaufe they 
 think fome others have them more exqui- 
 fite , think their vices are not Gentile e- 
 nough, unlefs they be very expenfi ve, and 
 are covetous only that they may be more 
 Luxurious. Thefe are luch as St. James 
 ipeaks of , who ask amifs , that they may 
 confume it upon their lujis. Jam . 4. 3 . and 
 fure to be mutinous on this account is one 
 of the highelt pieces of frenzy. Would 
 any man in his wits tell another he will 
 cut his throat , and then expeft he fhould 
 furnifli him with a knife for it ? Andy et to 
 this amount our murmurs againft God, for 
 his not giving us thole things wherewith 
 We only defign to wage war with him. 
 For furely if the difcontents of mankind 
 were clofely infpeded , I doubt a great 
 many would be found of this kind. It 
 concerns the Reader therefore to make 
 the inquifition in his own breaft , both in 
 this and all the former particulars, and 
 I doubt not , if he do it with any in- 
 genuity and uprightnefs, he will be 
 abundantly convinced that for his few 
 mites of obedience he paies to God, he 
 receives talents of mercies ( even tempo- 
 
 O ral ) 
 
io6 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 rai) from him : and that on the other lide , 
 that God as much underpaics his fins, as he 
 overpaieshis fcrvices : by which God do's 
 fufficiently atteft how little he dehghts in 
 our afflidlion, how gladly he takes any 
 light occafion of careffing and cherifliing^ 
 and over-skips thofe of punifliing us. 
 Which fare ought to make us convert all 
 our difplefures againft our fins, which ex- 
 tort thofe ads of fe verity from him, to 
 which his nature is mofl: averfe. And here 
 indeed ou r refentments cannot be too 
 fharp, but towards God our fitteft addrefs 
 will be in the penitential form of the pro- 
 phet Daniel, Lord, to us belongeth confuji^ 
 on of face ^ but to the Lord our God belong 
 mercies andforgivenefs^ the we have rebelled 
 againfl him^ Dan. 9. 8. 9, And as his jultice 
 is to be revered in his infliftions, fo is his 
 wifdomalfo, in fo difpofingof events to 
 particular perfons, as may belt confift with 
 the univerfal O economy and managery of 
 the world , the confideration whereof is 
 the defign of the next Section, 
 
 Sect. 
 
Sect .VI. Of Gods general Providence. 1 07 
 
 Sect. VI. 
 
 Of Gods general Providence. 
 
 I. \/\7H E N God made the univer/e, 
 ^ he intended not only to glorify 
 himfelf in one tranfient ad: oF his power , 
 and then leave this great and wonderful 
 prodiiftionofhis, as the Ojirich her eggs 
 in the wildernefs , Lam. 4. 3, but having 
 drawn it out of its firft Chaos , he fecur'd 
 it from returning thither again, by efta- 
 blifliingas a due fymmctry of parts, fo al- 
 io a regular order of motion : hence it is 
 that the heavens have their conftant re- 
 volutions , the earth its fuccefiion of de- 
 terminate feafons ^ animals their alternate 
 courfcof generation and corruption: and 
 by this wile Oeconomy,the world after fo 
 many thoufand years, feems ftill in its 
 fpring and firft beauty. But it had bin 
 in vain to have thus fecured the defe- 
 ction of the creatures, if man for whofe 
 fake they were made had bin excluded 
 from thiscare.His faculty of reafon would 
 O 2 have 
 
io8 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 have made him bac che luoll tacal inltru- 
 mentof confafion, and taught him die 
 more compendious waies of dillurbing the 
 world. Job compares him to the wild affes 
 colt* Job II. 12. which takes its range 
 without diverting to any thing of the 
 common good. God has therefore dou- 
 bly hedged in this unruly creature, made 
 a fence of laws about him (both natural 
 and pofitive) and befides has taken him 
 into the common circle of his providence, 
 io that he, as well as the reft of the crea- 
 tion, has his particular ftation aflign'd 
 him i and that not only in reference to 
 other creatures, but himfelf ^ has put a 
 difference between one man and another , 
 ordained fever al ranks and Claflesof men, 
 and endowed them with fpecial and ap- 
 propriate qualifications for thofe flations 
 wherein he has {^t them . 
 
 2. Th 1 s, as it isaworkofinfinit wif- 
 dom in God j fo it is of unfpeakable ad- 
 vantage to men. Without this regular dif- 
 pofure 5 the world would have bin in the 
 (ameconfufion which we read of in the 
 hoft of the Midianites , e'very mans [word 
 (igainft his fellow^ Jud 7. 22. Nothing but 
 force could determine who should do, or 
 ^njoy any thing- and even that decifioa 
 
 alio 
 
Sbct.VI. Of Gods general Providence. ioc> 
 
 alfo would have bin repelable by a grea- 
 ter force: fo that we have all reafon to 
 confefs the utility of that order God has 
 lee among men ; and even he that bears 
 the lowelt and moft defpicable place in it^ 
 is certainly infinitly more happy by con- 
 tributing to that general Harmony , then 
 he could be in any (late of difcord. 
 
 3. Were this now well confider'd, 
 methinks it ftiould filence all our com- 
 plaints ^ and men fliould not be fo vehe- 
 mently concerned in what partof theftru* 
 fture it pleafes the great Archited to put 
 them : for every man is to look on him- 
 felf only as a fmall parcel of thofe mate- 
 rials which God is to put into form. E- 
 very ftone is not fit for the corner, nor 
 every little rafter for the main beam : the 
 wifdomof the Mafter builder is alone to 
 determin that. And fure there cannot 
 be a more vile contemt of the divine wif- 
 dom then to difpute his choice. Had God 
 wifdom enough to contrive this vaft and 
 beautiful fabric ^and may he not be trufted 
 with one of us poor worms ? Did he by his 
 wifdom make the heavens , and by his un^ 
 derjiandivg fir etch out the clouds ^ Pro. 3. 
 ip. and (hall he not know where to place 
 a little lump of figur'd earth / this is cer- 
 tainly 
 
iio The Art of Contentment 
 
 t.iinly themoft abfurd diftruft imaginable, 
 and yet this is really the true meaning of 
 our repining at the condition he has pla- 
 ced us in. 
 
 4. The truth is , we are fo full of our 
 felveJ: that we can fee nothing beyond 
 it : every man exped:s God fnould place 
 him where he has a mind to be , tho by it 
 he difcompofe the whole fcheme of his 
 providence. But tho we are fo fenfelefsly 
 partial, yet God is not fo; he that com- 
 prehends at once the whole concern of 
 mankind, applies himf^lf to the accomo- 
 dating thofe, not the humoring any par- 
 ticular perfon. He has made the great and 
 thefmalland careth for all alike ^ Wifd. 
 ^.7. He IS the common Father of man- 
 kind, anddifpofes things for the public 
 advantage of this great family, and tis not 
 all the impatient cravings of a froward 
 child that iliall make him recede from his 
 defigned method. We are apt enough , 
 I am fure, to tax it not only as a weak- 
 nefsj but injufticc too in a Prince, when 
 hg^indulges any thing to a private favo- 
 rite to the public difadvantage 5 yet fo 
 unequal are we, that we murmur at God 
 for not doing that > which we murmur at 
 men for doing. 
 
 <. Be. 
 
Sect. VI. Of Gods general Providence, 1 1 1 
 
 5. Besides a man is to confider 
 that other men have the fame appetites 
 with himfelf. If he dillike an inferior ftate, 
 why ihould he not think others do fo too ? 
 and then as the wife man fpeaks , whoje 
 *uoice shall the Lord hear ? Ecclus. 34. 24, 
 Tis fure great infolence in me to exped: 
 that God ihould be more concern 'd to 
 humor me,then thofe multitudes of others 
 who have the fame defires. And the more 
 impatient my longings are , the lefs in 
 reafbn fliould be my hopes 5 for mutiny 
 is no fuch endearing quality as to render 
 any man a dearling to God. But if all men 
 fhould have equal fatisfacftions, we fliould 
 puzle even Omnipotence it felf. Every 
 man would be above and fuperior 3 yet 
 thofe are comparative terms, and if no 
 man were below, no man could be above* 
 So in wealth, moft men defire more , but 
 every man do's at lead defire to keep what 
 he has s how then fliall one part of the 
 world be fupplied without the diminuti- 
 on of the other , unlefs there fliould be 
 as miraculous a multipUcation of trefure 
 for mens avarice, as there was of Loaves 
 for their hunger, Mat 1 6, 9, It was a good 
 anfwer which the AmbaflTadors of an op- 
 prelt Province made to xyintony^ if O 
 
 Em- 
 
112 The Art of Concentmeat. 
 
 Emperor,thou wilt have double taxes from 
 us J thou muft help us to double Springs 
 andHarvefts. And lure God muft be at 
 theexpenceof a new Creation, make us 
 a double world, if he fliould oblige him- 
 felf to fatisfy all the unreafonable appe- 
 tites of men ; and if he fatisfy not all, why 
 fhouldany particular perfon look that his 
 alone fliould be indulged to ? 
 
 6. Y E T as unrealonable as it is, the 
 nioft ot us do betray fuch a perfwafion. 
 No man is difcontented that there are 
 lower, as well as higher degrees in the 
 world ^ that there are poor as well as rich, 
 but all fenfible men aflentto the fitnefs 
 of it : yetif themfelves happen to be (et 
 in the lower form , they exclameasif the 
 whole order of the world were fubv^erted 5 
 which is a palpable indication that they 
 think that Providence which governs o- 
 thers, fliould fervethem, and diftribute 
 to themnot what it, but tliemlelves think 
 good. This immoderate felf-love is the 
 fpring and root of moft of our complaints, 
 makes us fuch unequal judges in our own 
 concerns, and promts us to put in Caveats 
 and exceptions in our own behalf, as 
 ^avid did on his fons , See that thou hurt 
 not theyomg man Kyibjolom ? 2 Sam. 18.15. 
 
 as 
 
Se ct. VI. Of Gods generalProvidence. 113 
 
 as if God were to manage the govern- 
 ment of the world with a particular re- 
 gard to our liking, and were like the An- 
 gels at iJ^^i^^, Gen. i^. 22. to do nothing 
 till we had got into Zoar^ had all our de- 
 mands fecured to us. 
 
 7. It would indeed aftonifli a confi- 
 dering man to fee, that altho the con- 
 cerns of men are alldifpofed by an unerr- 
 ing Wifdom,and acknowledged by them- 
 felves to be fo , yet that fcarce any man 
 is pleafed. The truth is, we have gene- 
 rally in us the worfer part of the Levellers 
 principle , and tho wc can very content- 
 edly behold multitudes below us, yet arc 
 impatient to fee any above us 5 not only 
 the foot (to ufe the Apoftlesfimile) com^ 
 plains that it is not the hand, but the ear 
 becaufe it is not the eie, 1 Cor. 12. 15. 16, 
 Not only the lowermoft , but the higher 
 janks of men are mieaJy, if there be any 
 one ftep above them. Nay fo importu- 
 nate is this afpiring humor, that we fee 
 men are forced to feed it tho but with 
 air and fhadows. He that cannot make 
 any real advance in his quality , will yet 
 do it in effigie, in all little gaieties and 
 pageantries of it. Every degree in thefe 
 refpeds not only emulares,but imitates its 
 
 P iu- 
 
114 The Arc of Contentment. 
 
 fuperior, till at laft by that impatience of 
 their proper diftance they make it greater, 
 and fink even below their firft ft ate by their 
 ridiculous profufion. Indeed the world 
 fecms to be fo over-run with this vanity , 
 that there is little vifibledillindion of de- 
 grees, and one had need go to the Heralds 
 office to know mens qualities s for neither 
 their habit nor equipage do now adaies in- 
 form us with any certainty. 
 
 8. B u T by all thefe it appears that 
 mea look on themfelves only as fingle per- 
 fons, without reference to the commu- 
 nity whereof they are members. For did 
 theyconfider that, they would endevor 
 rather to become the places wherein they 
 were kty by doing the duties belonging 
 to them 5 then be perpetually projefting 
 for a change. A tree that is every year 
 tranfplanted will never bear fruit, and a 
 mind that is alwaies hurried from its pro- 
 per ft ation, will icarce ever do good in a- 
 ny. This is excellently expreft to us by 
 Solomon , j^s a bird that w under eth from 
 his 7teft t Jo is a man that wander eth from 
 his place ^ Prov. 27. 8. Tis eafy to divine 
 the fate of thofe young ones from whom 
 the d.im wanders, and in aseafy toguefs 
 how the duties of that place will be per- 
 form- 
 
Sect. VI. Of Gods general Providence. 1 1 f 
 
 formed, whofe owner is alwaics upon the 
 wing and making towards another. I wifli 
 we had not too coftly experiments both 
 in Church and State of the truth of this 
 obfervation. Alas we forget that we are 
 all fervants to the fame Mafter, and that 
 he is to appoint in whcU office we flull 
 ferve him. How (liould we like it in any 
 of our ownfamihes, to have an inferior 
 ojfKcer leave his work undon, becaufe he 
 has more mini to be MaJDr-Domo? Yet 
 this infolence we every day rep te towards 
 God , fuUenly difpute his orders, and un- 
 lefs wemaychuieourownemploiments, 
 will do nothing. 
 
 9. T I s evident this perverfe temper 
 of mankind breeds a great deal of miA 
 chief and difturbance in the world , but 
 would breed arrant confufion and fuhvcr- 
 fion, .if it were fuflFer'd to have its full 
 range. If God permit but one ambitious 
 Ipirit to break loole in an age as the in- 
 llrument of his wrath, what deftruftion 
 do's it often times make ? How do's it 
 cauje the whole earth to tremble^ and shake 
 Kingdoms^ as is faid of Nebuchadnezzar y 
 Ifa. 14. 16. and may be faid of many o- 
 thersof thofe whole-fale robbers who have 
 dignified the trade? But if every afpir- 
 
 P 2 ing 
 
ii6 The Art of contentment, 
 
 ing humor fliould be as profperous, where 
 would it find fuel to maintain the flame? 
 No doujbu every age produces men of as 
 unbounded defires as Alexander or Cejar, 
 but God gives them not the fame opportu- 
 nities to trouble the world. And accord- 
 ingly in the more petty ambitions of pri- 
 vate men he often orders ic fo , that thofe 
 foaring minds can find no benign gale to 
 help their mounting. He that fets bounds 
 to the fea , faying, hitherto shalt thou come 
 and 710 farther^ and tho the waves thereof 
 tofs themfehesyet can they not prevail , tho 
 they roar yet cant hey not pafs over ^ Jer. j. 
 2 2 . do's alfo deprefs the {welling pride of 
 men, hangs clogs and weights upon them 
 that they cannot rife to their afFecfied 
 height. For tho we are all willing to for- 
 get it, yet God remembers that he is the 
 Redor of the Uni verfe, and will aflert his 
 Dominion. The fubtileft contrivance can- 
 not circumvent him, the moft daring 
 pretender cannot wreft any thing out of 
 his hand, the Lord will fti II be Kzng^ be 
 the people never fo impatient^ Pfal. ^9, i. 
 Twill therefore fure be as well our pru- 
 dence as our duty to beflill^ and know that 
 he is God ^ Pfal. 4^. 10. with an humbk 
 dereliction of our own wills acquiefce in 
 
 his, 
 
Sect. VI. Of Gods general Providence, iij 
 
 his, and not by ineffed:ive ftriiglings pro- 
 voke, whom we are fure never to fub- 
 due. We may likeunmanaged horfes foam 
 and fret, but ftill God has the bridle in 
 our jawes, and we cannot advance a ftep 
 farther then he permits us. Why fliould 
 we then create torment to our felves by 
 our repinings, which only fcts us farther 
 from our aims. Tis Gods declared me- 
 thod to exalt the lowly : and tis obferva- 
 blein the firft two Kings of JJrael who 
 were of Gods immediate eleftion , that 
 he furprifed them with that dignity when 
 they were about mean and hujiible em- 
 ploiments , the one fearching his fathers 
 Affes, the other keeping his fathers flieep : 
 and would men honeitly and diligently 
 exercifethemfelves in the bufinefs of their 
 proper calling , they might perhaps find 
 it a more dired; road to advancement , 
 then all the finifter arts by which ambi- 
 tious men endevor to climb. Solomon fets 
 it down as an Aphorifm , feejl thou a man> 
 diligent in his hujinefs^ he shall ft and before 
 Kings, he shall not Hand before mean men , 
 Pro,22.29. But whether it happen to have 
 that effed: or no, it will have a better j 
 foritwill fweeten his prefent condition, 
 divert his mind from mutinous refledlions 
 
 on 
 
ii8 The Arc of Contentment. 
 
 on other mens height, and his own low- 
 nefsj for tis commonly men who mind 
 not their work that are at io much lei- 
 furetogaze. He that carefully plies his 
 own bufmefs will havw his thoughts more 
 concentred. And doubtlefs cis no fmall 
 happinefs to have them fo ; for tis their 
 gadding too much abroad , looking on 
 other mens conditions , that fends them 
 back (like "Dmah deflowrcd) to put all 
 in an uproar at home. The fon of Syrack 
 fpeaks with tranfportation of th^ itate e- 
 ven of him that labors and is content , 
 and calls it a fweet hfe^ Ecclus 40. 18. 
 And certainly tis infiuitly more io then 
 that of the greateft Prince whofe mind 
 i wells beyond his territories. 
 
 10. Upon all thefe confiderations it 
 cannot but appear very reafonable that wc 
 fhould leave God to govern the world: 
 not be putting in like the fons of Zebedee 
 for the higheft feats ^ but contentedly reft 
 our fel ves where he has placed us , till his 
 providence (not our owndefigns} ad- 
 vance us. We can no where be Io obfcure 
 as to be hid from his eies 5 who as he va- 
 lued the widows mite above the great ob- 
 lations of the rich, fo he willnolefsgra- 
 cioully accept the bumble endcvorsof the 
 
 mean, 
 
Sect. VI. Of Gods general providence. 119 
 
 mean, then the more eminent fervices of 
 the mighty 5 himfelf having declared, that 
 he accepts according to what a man hathy 
 and not according to what he hath not^ 2 
 Cor, 8. 12. fo that in what rank foever 
 a man is fet , he has ft ill the fame opportu- 
 nity of approving himfelf to God: and 
 thointhceieof the world he be a veffel 
 of diflionor , yet in the day when God 
 comes to make up his Jewels^ MaU 3. 17. 
 there will be another eftimate made of him 
 who regularly moves in his ownfphere. 
 Andfurehe that fits down in this acqui- 
 efcence is a happier man, then he that en- 
 joies the greateft worldly fplendor : but 
 infinitly more fo then he who impatiently 
 covets but cannot attain them j for fuch 
 a man puts himfelf upon a perpetual rack , 
 keeps his appetites up at the utmofl: ftretch, 
 and yet has nothing wherewith to fatisfy 
 them. Let therefore our eafe if notour 
 duty prompt us to acquiefcence, and a 
 ready fubmiflion to Gods difpofals, to 
 which we have yet a farther inducement 
 from that diilind care he hath over every 
 mans peculiar, by which he proportions 
 to him what is really bcft forhimjof which 
 we are farther to confider in the next Se- 
 d:ion. 
 
 Sect. 
 
120 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 SECT. VU. 
 
 Of Gods particular Providence/ 
 
 I. TT is the imperfed:ion of our finite 
 A nature that we cannot at once at- 
 tend to divers things, but the more ve- 
 hement our intention is upon one, the 
 greater is our negledt of the reft. But 
 Gods infinity cannot be fo bounded i his 
 eies at once fee , and his providence at 
 once orders all the moft diftant and dis- 
 parate things in the world. He is not 
 fuch an Epicurean Deity, as to lequefter 
 himfelfwholly totheenjoimefitofhisown 
 fehcity, and to defpife the concerns of 
 poor mortals i but tho he have his dwel- 
 ling fo high , yet he humhleth himfelfto be* 
 hold the things in heaven and earth ^ Pfal. 
 113. 5. Nor do's his providence confine 
 it lelf to the more Iplendid and greater 
 parts of nianagery, the condud: of Em- 
 pires and States, but it delcends to die 
 loweft parts of his creation, to the fowls 
 of the air, to the lilies of the field, and 
 
 then 
 
S E c T . VII. Gods particular Providence, 121 
 
 then lure oar Saviors inference as to man- 
 kind is irrefragable. Are yt ml much better 
 then theji Mat. 6. 2^. If a iparrow (as 
 he elfewhere tells his difciples ) cannot 
 fall to the ground without (jods particu- 
 lar notice , furely no human creature is 
 lefs confiderable to him s nay if our very 
 haires are numbred, we cannot think the 
 excrefcenee is of more value then the 
 ftock, but muil conclude that God with 
 a particular advertence watches over the 
 concerns of every man. 
 
 2. Now Cod being infinitly good, 
 cannot thus attend us upon any infidi- 
 ous defign of doing us mifchief; he wat- 
 ches over us as a guardian not as a fpy ; 
 and dired:s his obfervation to the more 
 fealbnable adapting his benefits. And as 
 he is thus gracious in defigning our ad- 
 vantage , fo he is no lefs wife m contri- 
 ving it. All things, faies the iVifeman^ are 
 not profitable for allmerii Ecclus. 37. 28. 
 Indeed nothing is ablohitly good but 
 God : all created things are good or ill 
 in reference to that to which they are ap- 
 phed. Meat is good, but to a furfeited 
 llomach lis not only naufeous but dange- 
 rous. Fire is good, but if put in our bo- 
 foms, aot only burns our clothes but flefli. 
 
 Q And 
 
1 22 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 And a-s human wHdoui directs the right 
 application of thcfe and the like J fo the 
 liipremeand divine orders events accor- 
 ding to the difpofition of the psrfon con- 
 cerned • he knows our frame^ViixL 103. 14. 
 anddifeerns what operation (uch or fiich 
 things will have upon us, while we who 
 kjiow neither our felves nor them can make 
 but random guefles? and worfe choices. 
 And lure he that do's but thus in the gene- 
 ral acknowledg Gods providence, good- 
 nefs, and wildom (which he is no Chriitian 
 who do's not) has a lufficient amulet a- 
 gainft all his iblicirudes, much more his 
 repinings. He cannot think he fufFers 
 unawares to him who fees all things. He 
 cannot think his fufferings are defign'd 
 for ill to him, becaufe they are difpos'd 
 by him who intends and projeds his good. 
 Nor can he fear thofe intentions can mil- 
 carry, which are guided by an infinit and 
 unerring wifdora, andbacktbyan uncon- 
 trolable power. And lure this is as the A- 
 poltle fpeaks,Heb. 6. i%. ftrongconfolatwi^ 
 if we would but duly apply it. 
 
 J. Y K T becaufe general notions do of- 
 ten make but light impreffions on us, 
 it may not be amifs to make a little 
 more inrpe(ition> andtoobferve how ap- 
 
 plica- 
 
Se c T . VII. Gods particular Provide?ice. 1 2 i 
 
 plicablethey are to the'f^veral kinds of 
 OLir dikoiitents. Now tliofe may be re- 
 duced to two : tor either v/e are troubled 
 at the want of fomthing we deiire , or at 
 the iuffering of lomthiog we would avert; 
 fo that the two notions of privative and 
 pofirive, divide between them all our 
 afflidiion. 
 
 4. THEfirftof thefeisufually the moft 
 compreheniivc/or there are few who have 
 not more torment from the apprehend- 
 on of fomwhat they want, then from the 
 fmart of any thing they feel And in- 
 deed whilft our defires are fo vagrant and 
 exorbitant, they will be lure to furnifli 
 matter enough for our difcontents. But 
 certainly there is not in the world firh 
 a charm for them , as the confi deration 
 that God is more v/ife to difcern > and 
 more careful to provide what is really 
 good for us then we our (elves. We poor 
 purblind creatures look only on the fur- 
 face of things , and if we fee a beautiful 
 appearance, fom what that invites ourfen- 
 fes, wecoiTrtit with the utmoft earneft- 
 nefs:,- but God penetrates deeper, he fees to 
 the bottom both of us and thofe things ws 
 defire^ and finds often that tho they may 
 pleafe our appetite, they will hurt our 
 CL^ health ,^ 
 
1 24 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 health : and will no more give them to us, 
 then a careful father will to his child 
 thofe gilded poifons he cries for. Per- 
 haps this man is taken with the enchanting 
 mafic of fame^ likes not his own obfcure 
 ftation, but would fain prefent himfelf 
 upon a more public Tiicater , come into 
 the eie and croud of the worlds bat how 
 little do's he know how he (lull aft his 
 part there ^ whether he fliall come off with 
 aplauditedra hifs ? He may render him- 
 felf but the more public fpei^acleof fcornj 
 or if he do not that , he may by a better 
 fuccefs teed up his vain glory to fuch a 
 bulk, as may render him too great a weight 
 for that tottering pinnacle whereon he 
 ftands: and fo after he has made a tow- 
 ring circle, he may fall back with more 
 ignominy to his firll point. Another it 
 may be no lefs eagerly defircs wealth , 
 thinks (as once Crefus did) that he that 
 abounds in trefure cannot be emty of fe- 
 licity. But alas how knows he how lie fliall 
 employ i t ? There are two contrary temta* 
 tions that attend riches •, riots , and co^ 
 vetoufnefs ; and he is lure a little too con- 
 fident , that dares promife himfelf that 
 when there is fuch odds againft him , he 
 foall certainly chufe the one jiift mean \ 
 
 and 
 
Sect. VII. Gods ^artictilar Providence, laf 
 
 and if he do not, he do's only inflame his 
 account at the great Audit. Befidesthe 
 more wealth he has , the fairer booty he 
 is to the avarice of others j audit has bin 
 often kcn^ thatmanyaman had not di- 
 ed fo poor, if he had Hved lefs rich. Ano- 
 ther perhaps thinks not himfcif fo much 
 to want wealth as children to heir it, 
 and complains with Abraham^ Lord-, what 
 mlt thou give me feeing I go childlefs ? Gen. 
 If, 2. yet how knows he whether that 
 child he fo much dcfn'es ftjall be a wife man 
 or a fool ^Eccle, 11^. a comfort or a vexa- 
 tion to himfelf it he Hves to fee his proof, 
 and if he do not, he do's but projeft for 
 an acccfs to his dying cares in what hands 
 to leave Iiim. J'-^chel folicited this fatis- 
 fadion with the greateil injpatience. Give 
 me children or I die, Gen. 30. i , and tis ob- 
 ferv able that the grant of her wifh proved 
 thelofsof her hfe. 
 
 5. Thus in thefe and innumerable 
 other inftances we drive on blindfold, and 
 very often impetuoully purfue that which 
 would ruin us : and were God as fliort- 
 fighted as we, into what precipices fliould 
 we minutely hurry our felvcs ? or were 
 he fo unkind as to confider our impor- 
 tunity more then our intcreft, we (hould 
 
 quick- 
 
J 26 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 quickly link under the weight of our own 
 wiflies 5 andj as Juvenal in his tenth Satyr 
 excellently oblervcs, perifh by the fucceis 
 and grant of our Praiers. 1 fuppofe there 
 is no man that foberly recollc<as the c- 
 vents of his life, but can expcrmientally 
 fay, he has fomtimes defired things which 
 would have bin to his mifchief if he had 
 had them, and that himfelf has after lookt 
 on the denial as a mercy; as on the o- 
 ther fide when he has profper d in his aims, 
 and had what his foul lufted after, it has 
 bin but like the Quails to the Ifraehtes ^ 
 a convid:ion and punifhment, rather then 
 a facisfadion. And now iurely God may 
 complain of us as he did of Ifrael , How 
 loTig will it beere jiBH believe me ^ Num. 
 14. II. After all the atteftation he has 
 given of his care and providence over us, 
 after all the experiments we have had of 
 the folly of our own elections, we can- 
 not yet be brought either todlftruft our 
 felves, or rely upon him. We will Hill 
 be chufing, andlookonhimasnof^vrther 
 concerned, then as the executioner of our 
 defigns. 
 
 6, This is certainly a ftrange perverfe- 
 nefsj andfuch as no fenfiblc man would 
 be guilty of in any other inftance. in all 
 
 cur 
 
SECT.Vil. Gods particular Providence. i2y 
 
 our lecular affairs we trull thofe whom 
 wehavecaufe to think underitand them 
 better then our lelves , and rely upon men 
 in their own faculty. We put our eflates 
 into the Lawyers hand,our bodies into the 
 Phyucians, and fubmit to their advice tho 
 itbeagainlt our humor , mecrly becaufe 
 we account them more competent judges. 
 Yet this deference we cannot be perfwad- 
 ed to pay to God , but will Hill be pre- 
 fcribing to him, and are very angry if 
 his difpenfations do not exadtly anfwer 
 our fancies. And can we offer him a great- 
 er affront then thus to diftrull him ? What 
 is it but interpretatively to deny either 
 his wifdom, or his goodnefs, or both, 
 and fo derogate from him in two of his 
 cffential Attributes ? For there can be no 
 raational account given by any who be- 
 lieve thofe , why they fhould not remit 
 their whole concerns to him. So that 
 thefhort account is, that in our diftrufts 
 we either deny him to be God, or our 
 felvcs to be men , by refilling the moH 
 evident dictates ot that reafon which di- 
 ftinguishes us from brutes. For certainly 
 there is not in human difcourfe a more 
 irrefragable Maxim, then that we ought 
 for our own fakes, to reiign our felves 
 
 to 
 
128 The Art of Contentmcnc. 
 
 to him 5 who we arc infaUibly furCj can, 
 and will, chufc better for us , then we for 
 ourfclves. 
 
 7. This was fo apparent by mere na- 
 tural light, th2it Socrates sidvikd men to 
 pray only for bleflings in general , and 
 leave the particular kinds of them to Gods 
 eleftion, who bell knows what is good 
 for us. And fure this is fuch a piece of 
 Divinity, as extremely reproches us Chri- 
 ftians 5 who cannot match a Heathen in 
 his implicit faith in God. Nay indeed 
 'tis the vileft defamation upon God him- 
 felf , that we who pretend to know him 
 more , fhould truft him lefs. So that we 
 fee our repinings do not terminate in their 
 own proper guilt , but do in their confe- 
 quences fwell higher, and our dilcontents 
 propagate themlelvesinto Blafphemy.For 
 while we impatiently complain or our 
 wants, we do tacitly tax God to want 
 either that wifdom, power, or love, where- 
 by he should fupply us. And fure he muft 
 be very Atheiltical to whom this will not 
 give a competent prejudice againft this 
 fin. 
 
 8. A N D this very confideration will 
 equally prejudg the other branch of our 
 difcontents , 1 mean thofe which repine 
 
 at 
 
SiCT.VIL Gods Particular Providence. 129 
 
 acthe ills we fufFer. And not only our 
 privative, biiC our pofitive afflidions may 
 by it have their bitternefs taken off: for 
 the fame goodneis and wifdom which de- 
 nies thofe things we like , bccaufe they 
 are hurtful for us, do's upon the very fame 
 reafon give us thofe dillaitful things which 
 he fees profitable. A wife Phyfician do's, 
 not only diet, but if occafion be purge 
 his patient alfo. And furely there is not 
 fuch a purifier, fuch a cleanfer of the foul 
 as are affliftions , if we do not ("like difor- 
 derly patients j fruftrate their efficacy by 
 the irregular managery of our felves under 
 them. 
 
 R. Sb€t 
 
1 30 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 Sect. VII 
 
 Oftht Advantage of AffiiSiions^ 
 
 1 . TT were the work of a Volume to give 
 J|[an exadi and minute account of the 
 benefit of Afflidions. 1 fhall only point 
 atfome of the more general and obvious. 
 And firft it is one of the moft awakening 
 calls to repentance-, and td this end it is 
 that God moft ufually defigns it. Wee fee 
 the whole ictnt of it,Hof.5.i5. 1 will go ^ 
 return to my place^ till theyacknowledg their 
 offence y and fee\mj fact in their affliSii" 
 on they will feek me early : and in the very 
 next verfe we find this voice of God e- 
 choed forth by a penitential note , Come 
 and let us return unto the Lord ^ for he hath 
 fmitten, and he will heal m , he hath fmitten 
 and he mil bind us uf^ Thus we find the 
 Brethren of Jofefh , tho there had a long 
 interval pafled betwixt their barbarous u* 
 fage of hi'ra, and his feigned rigor to them, 
 yet when they faw themlelvesdiftrefs*d by 
 the one , then they began to recolle<ft the 
 
 other. 
 
Sec T. VIlI. Ad van tage ef^^ffliclkm , 1 3 r 
 
 other fayiug, Wd are verily guilty concern* 
 ing our brother^ Gen. 42. 21. Proiperity 
 is an intoxicating thing, and there are 
 few brains ftrong enough to. bear it 5 it 
 laies us a fleep, and amiifes us with pfca- 
 fanc dreams, whililinthe mean time Sa^ 
 tan rifles our trefures , and fpoils us by 
 the deceitful charmesof fin of our inno- 
 cency and real happiness. And can there 
 be a more friendly office don for a m:iv\ 
 in this condition, then to rouze him, and 
 bring him to apprehend the defigns that 
 are laid againfl: him ? And this is the er- 
 rand on which afflidtionsarefent : fo that 
 we have reafon to look on them as our 
 friends and confederates that intend our 
 refcue, and to take the alarm they give 
 us, and diligently feek out thofe intcltme 
 enemies of which they warn us. And he 
 that inftead of this quarrels at their in- 
 terpofing, thinks them his e/"^^/?//Vj" bacaufe 
 they tell him the truth. Gal. 4. 6 do'smi- 
 ferably pervert the coimfel cf God againji 
 him/elfy Luk. 7. 30. and may at lait ve- 
 rify hisown jealoufies • and by fo provok- 
 ing an ingratitude , convert thofe into 
 the wounds of an enemy , which were 
 originally jneant as the corredions of a 
 Father. 
 
 R 2 2. An:) 
 
32 The Arcof Coiiteiitineiit. 
 
 2. And as afflictions do thus in gene- 
 ral admoniih as of fins, fo it pleales God 
 moft frequently fo to model and frame 
 them that they bear the very image and 
 imprefs ofthofe particular guilts they are 
 to chaltife) and arc the dark shadowes that 
 attend our gay delights, or flagrant in- 
 folencies. The wife man obferves, that 
 the turning the Egyptian waters into 
 blood was a manifeft reprootof that cru- 
 el commandment for the murdering of 
 the Hebrew infants, Wifd. 12. 5. And 
 furely we might in moft, if not all ourfuf- 
 ferings, fee (ome fuch correfponding cir- 
 cumitances, as may lead us to the imme- 
 diate provoking caufe of it. God who 
 do's all things in number , weight, and 
 mefure, do's in punffliments alfo obferve 
 a fymmetry and proportion , and adapts 
 them not only to the heinoufnefs, but 
 even the very ipecific kind of our crimes. 
 The only fixt immutable rule he has given 
 for his Vice-gerents pn earth to puniflb by, 
 is that in the cafe of murder, which is 
 we fee grounded on this rule of propor- 
 tion, Hethat Jh^ddeth mans hloody by man 
 fmll his blood be //)edy Gen. 9- 6. And 
 tho he have now refcinded the inferior re- 
 lations of the eie for the tie , th& tooth 
 
 for 
 
Sect. will. Advantage of AffliBions, 135 
 
 jor the tooth, Exod. a 1 . 24. ( probably for 
 the harduefs of our hearts, becaufe he 
 faw our revengeful natures would be too 
 much pleafed with it ) yet he has not pre- 
 cluded himfelf from ad:ing by thofe nie- 
 lures, but we fee he dt>'s very often fignally 
 make men feel the Imart of thofe violen- 
 cies or injuftices they have ufed to others. 
 Of this thefacred flory affords feveral ex- 
 amples (as Advniliezek , Jud. i. 6. and-(4- 
 hab^ I Kings 21. ip ) and profane many 
 more, and daily experience and obferva- 
 tion moil of all. And tho this mechod 
 ot retahation isnotalwaiesfo evident and 
 apparent to the world, becaufe mens fins 
 are not alvvaies fo ; yet I believe if men 
 would duly recoiled, it would be for the 
 moft part dffccrnable to their own con- 
 fciences, and they would apparently lee,' 
 that their calamities did but trace the 
 footfteps of their fins, 
 
 5. Now if we rightly weigh this, we 
 cannot but think it a very advantageous 
 circumftance. We are naturally blind 
 when we look inward, and if we have not 
 fome adventitious light to clear the objefl:, 
 will be very apt to overlook ic. Therefore 
 fincethe end of all our affli6tions |is our 
 repentance , it is a wife and gracious diP- 
 
 pofal 
 
134 Th:? Arc oi Contcntmear. 
 
 polal, thdi they do thus point to us thole 
 particular fins of which we are to repent. 
 The body of fin will not be deftroied in 
 the whole entire bulk, but rauft be dif- 
 membred, pulfd in peices limb by limb. 
 He that attaquesitotherwife, will be like 
 Strtoriuss f tidier, who ineffedtively tugg'd 
 at the Horfes tail to get it off at once, 
 when he that puU'd it hair by hair , quick- 
 ly dM it. Therefore as it is a great part of 
 our fpiritual Wifdomtoknow in what e- 
 fpecial parts the *S'/y?w^7^-likeftrength of 
 our corruptions lie, fo it is a great inllance 
 of Gods care of us, thus by his corredions 
 todifcipline andinftrudl us in it. 
 
 4. In all our affliAions therefore it is 
 our concern, nicely and critically toob- 
 ferve them. I mean not to enhance oar 
 murmurs and complaints/ but to learn by 
 them what is Gods peculiar controverfy 
 againft us. This is indeed to hear the rod^ 
 and who hath apfointtdit^ Mich. 6. p. Let 
 him therefore that (uffers ; in any of his 
 concerns J examine whether he have not 
 fome correfponding guilt v/hich anfvvers 
 to it, as face anfwcrs jace, Prov. 27. i^. 
 He that isimpoverifliedin his eftate, let 
 him confider firft how he acquired it, 
 whether there were not fomeching of fraud 
 
 or 
 
ECT. 
 
 VlII. Advantage of Ajjliviions. 135 
 
 or injuitice, which like a cancrous hii- 
 mor^ mixc in its very elements and con- 
 ftitucion, and ate out its bowels: or whe- 
 ther feme facrilegious prize , feme coal 
 from the altar have not fired his ncit. Or 
 if nothing can be charged upon the ac- 
 queltj let him confider how he has ufed 
 iti whether Tie have not made it thefu. 
 el of his lufts, in riot and exccfles, or the 
 objedi of his adoration in an inordinate 
 value of it. In like manner he who i% 
 afflifted in his body , groans under the 
 torment of fome grievous difeafe, may ve- 
 ry feafonably interrogate himfelf, whet her 
 it have not bin contra(9:ed by his vice, 
 whether his bones he not [ in a more literal 
 fenfe then Joh meant il)fulloftheJtns of hi4 
 jouth, Job 20 II. and his furfeiting and 
 drunkennels be not the caufe , that his 
 foulj as the Pfahnift fpeaks, abhors all man- 
 ner of meat^nndh even hard at deaths door ^ 
 Pfal. 107. 18, or at lealt whether the not 
 employing his health and ftrength to thofe 
 purpofes for which twas given, is not the 
 reafon of its being withdrawn. He alfo 
 that is invaded in his reputation, that lies 
 under fome great infamy, is to confider 
 whether it be not deferved -, whether lome 
 part if not the whole guilt of which he 
 
 is 
 
136 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 is acculed, flick not to him: or if he be 
 clear in that particular inftance, whether 
 fome concealed fin of his would not if it 
 were known, incur as great fcandal: for 
 in that cafe he has in right forfeited 
 Jiis reputation, and God may make the 
 feizure as well by an unjuft, asajuft ac- 
 cufation. Or if his heart accufe him not 
 here, yet let him farther refledj whether 
 his vain-glorious purfuits of praife and 
 high conceits of hinifeif, have not made 
 this an apt and neceflliry humiliation for 
 him. Or laftly let him recollect how he 
 has behaved himfelf towards others in 
 this kind : whether he have had a juft ten- 
 derne fs of his neighbors fame, or have 
 not rather expo fed and proftituted it. In 
 thefe and many other inftances fuch a 
 particular fcrutiny, would ( in all proba- 
 bility ) difcover the affinity and cogna- 
 tion betwixt our guilts and our punifh- 
 ments, and by marking out the fpring 
 and fountain head, dired: us how to flop 
 or divert the current. And he that 
 would diligently employ himfelf in this 
 inquifition, would find little leifure and 
 lefs caufe to condole his afBidions , but 
 would divert all his complaints upon him- 
 felf, accept of tic funijhment of his iniqui- 
 
Sect. VIII. Advantage of AffiiBions, 137 
 
 ty and thanks the Lord for thus giving htm 
 warnings Pial. \6. %, 
 
 5. A fecond benefit which God de^ 
 fignsus ill oar affliftions is the weaning 
 us from the world^ to difentangle us from 
 its fetters and charms, and draw us to himt 
 felt. We read in the ftory of the Deluge^ 
 that fo long as the earth was covered 
 with wacers the very Raven was con* 
 tented to take flicker in the Aric, but 
 when all was fair and dry, even the P.9z;^ 
 finally forlook it. Gen. 8. 12. And tis 
 much (o with us .- the worft of men will 
 commonly in diftreiles have recourle to 
 God ( the very heathen mariners in a 
 ftorm could tebuke Jonah for not calling 
 upon his God, Jon. i.^. ) when yet the 
 very beft of us, are apt to forget him a^ 
 midilthe blandiihments and infinuatiooii 
 of profperity. The kind afpeds of th@ 
 world are very enchanting , apt to iu^. 
 ve^gle and befot us, and therefore it n 
 Gods care over us, to let us fomtime$ lee 
 her more averting countenance in her 
 frowns and ftormesi that, as chlldirea 
 frighted by fome ugly appearance » we 
 may run into the arras of our father, A«^ 
 las^ were all things exaftly fitted to ont 
 bumQrs here^ wheafliould we tliinkofa 
 
138 The Art of Contemment. 
 
 remove ? and had not death Ibme har- 
 bingers to prepare us for him , what a 
 furpriling gueft woald he be to us ? Tis 
 ftoried otJntfgoms, that (eeing afoldier 
 in his camp or fo daring a courage that 
 lie alwaies courted the moll hazardous at- 
 temts, and' obferving him alio of a very- 
 infirm fickly habit, he took a particular 
 care of. him, and by medicines and good 
 attendance recovered him •, which no 
 fooner he had don, but the man grew 
 more cautious, and would no longer ex- 
 pole himrelfas4 formerly i and gave this 
 reafonfor it, that now he was healthy his 
 life was of fome value to him, and not 
 to be hazarded at the fame rate, as when 
 it was only a burden : and fliould God 
 cure all our complaints, render us per- 
 fectly ateafe, 1 fear too many of us would 
 be of the ioldiers mind, think our lives 
 too good to refign to him , much more to 
 hazard for him, as our Chriftianity in m^ny 
 CQ[k$ obliges us. Thefon oi Syrach oh* 
 ferves, how dreadful death is to a man that 
 is atreH in ht^ poffeffions^ that hath abun- 
 dance of all things^ and hath nothing to zjex 
 himm^iy he defcends much lower , and puts 
 in, him who is ^et able to receive meat^ Eecl. 
 14. I. The truth is we do fo paflionate- 
 
Sect. VIII« Advantage ef Affti^ioyis. 139 
 
 ly done upon the world, that like befotted 
 lovers, we can bear a great deal of ill ufage, 
 before we quit our purfuit. Any littk 
 flight favor atones us after multiplied af*. 
 fronts, and we mull be difciplined by re- 
 peted difapointments, ere we can with- 
 draw our confidence. But how fitaliy 
 fecure Ihould we be, if God fliouM per- 
 mit this Syren ahvaies to entertain us 
 with her mufic, and fliould not by fome 
 difcordant grating notes, interrupt our 
 raptures, and recal us to fober thoughts ? 
 6, IndDEEd tis one of the higheitin- 
 ftances of Gods love, and of his clemen- 
 cy alfo, thus to projed: our reducement. 
 We were all in our Baprifm atfianced to 
 him, with a particular abrenunciation of 
 the world, fo thatwecannot without the 
 greateft difloialty caft our felvcs into its 
 embraces; and yet when v/e have thus 
 hroktu the covenant of our Gody Pro v. 2.17. 
 he do's not purfue with a jealous rage, 
 with the feverity which an abufed rivat'd 
 kindnefs would fuggeft ; doth not give us 
 a bill of divorce and difclame his relation , 
 \ but contrives how he may reclame and 
 t bring us back to himfc^lf. The tranfcen- 
 Idencyof this lenity God excellently de- 
 fcribes by the prophet in the cafe of Ifrael, 
 
 S 2 They 
 
140 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 They fay if a man put array his mfe , ani 
 
 (he become another many , Jhall be return 
 
 unto her agaiyi ? hut thou half plafed the 
 
 harlot with many lovers^ yet return^ tmto me 
 
 faith the Lordy Jer. 3.1. And this tho 
 
 a great height of induigence, is no more 
 
 then he daily repetes to iis. After we 
 
 have balely adulrerated with the world, 
 
 converted our affedlions from God to it, 
 
 he do's not give us over, abandon us to 
 
 our leud courfCj and confeqaent ruiui 
 
 but (till invites our return-, and left that 
 
 may not ferve, he do's with a great deal 
 
 of holy artifice efl:iy to break thataccur- 
 
 fed League into which we are entered > 
 
 pulls oft' the difguife in which the world 
 
 courted us, and makes us fee it as it is in it 
 
 felf, a fcene of vmity and vexation offpi* 
 
 rity Eccles. i. 14. 
 
 -7. And as he do*s this in general^ fo 
 alfowitli a particular application to thole 
 temporal latisfad:ions wherewith we were 
 moft tranfported. The things to which we 
 are more indifferent do notfo much en- 
 danger us 5 tis thofeupon which we have 
 more veheaiently fet our hearts which be- 
 come ourfnares, and awake his jealoufy; 
 and accordingly we frequently fee that 
 Xh hi thofe he chufes to crofs us. How 
 
 of. 
 
ECT. VIII. Advantage of AjfliUions. 14-I 
 
 often do's it happen that tliofe which 
 are enamoured of thcmfelves, dote upoh 
 their own features, do meet with (ome 
 di feafe or accident which blafts their beau- 
 ty, W'thers that fair flower, and makes 
 their winter overtake rheir fpring ? So 
 in our friends and relations tis ulually 
 ^'^^\\^ we fooneft lofe thofe for whom 
 we have the greateft, the molt immode- 
 rate paflion. If there be one fondling a- 
 moHg our children, tis odds buc ihac is 
 taken away, or made as nm :h the objed: 
 of our grief and forrow? as ever it was of 
 our joy and love. When God fees our 
 hearts fo exceffively cleavii; to any traa^ 
 litory thing , he knows tis neceflary to 
 fever them ; for whilft we have fuch clogs 
 upon us, our fouls mil cleave to the diijl. 
 Pfal. rip. 1. will not be able to foarc up 
 to the higher region for which they are 
 defigny. 
 
 8, In a word God fo loves us , 'that he 
 removes whatever he fees will obftrud: 
 that intimate union which he defireswith 
 us : and fure this is fo obliging, that tlio 
 he fhould bid us ro our iofs, cho he could 
 not recompence us for what he takes from 
 us, yet wemuftbe very ill natur'dif we 
 can i3e angry at fo much kindnefs. Biit 
 
 when 
 
142 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 when to this is added that all this is prin"' 
 cipally, nay folely defign'd for our ad- 
 vantage, that God takes from us allthefe 
 emty delufory contentments, merely that 
 he may imlate us in (olid and durable 
 joies 5 we betray as much ignorance of 
 ourinterell, as infcnfiblenefs of our ob- 
 ligation, if we repine that God makes us 
 fo much his care.Tis true indeed, the things 
 to which we have fo inordinately adher- 
 ed, do (lick fo clofe, that they cannot be 
 puird away without fome pain; yet for our 
 corporal fccurity wecan endure the fun- 
 dring of parts that do not only cleave, but 
 grow to us. H J that has a gangren'd mem- 
 ber, fufFers it to be cut off to fave his whole 
 body, and do's not revile, but thank and 
 reward the Chirurgion. Yet where our 
 fouls are concern'd, and where the things 
 have no native union with us, but are only 
 cementdd by our paffions, we are impa- 
 tient of the method, and think God deals 
 very hardly with us, not to let us perifli 
 with what we love. The fum of all is 
 this, God tho he be abundantly conde- 
 fcending, yet he will never ftoop fo low as 
 to fliare his intereft in us with the world : 
 if we will devote our felvestoit, tisnot 
 all our emty forms of fcrvicc will fatisfy 
 
 hm. 
 
Sect. VlII. Advantage cf Affii^iom. 143 
 
 him : it he cannot divorce our hearts from 
 it, he will divorce him felf eternally from 
 us. And the cafe being thus, we are fiire 
 very ill advifed if we do not contentedly 
 refign our felve^ to his methods, and cheer- 
 fully endure them how fharp foever. The 
 only expedient we have for our own eafe, 
 is to (horten the cure by giving our affi- 
 ftance, and ,not by ftruglmgs to render 
 it more difficult and painfuU Ltt us en- 
 tirely furrender our wills to him^and when 
 we have don that, we may without much 
 pain let him take any thing elfe. But 
 the more difficult we find it to be difen- 
 tangled from the world, the greater fhould 
 our caution be againft all future engage- 
 ments to it. If our efcape hath bin as 
 theApoftle faies, fo as hj fire^ Jud. 23. 
 with much fmart and hazard, let us at lead 
 have fo much wit, as the common pro- 
 verb allows children, and not again ex- 
 pofe our (el ves.Let us never glue our hearts 
 to any external thing, but let all the con- 
 cerns of the world hang loofe about us.* 
 by that means we (hall be able to put them 
 off infenfibly when ever God calls for 
 them, or perhaps we fliall prevent his call- 
 ing for them at all, it being for the mod 
 part,our too clofe adhefion to them which 
 promts him to it. p,A 
 
1^4 '^^^^ ^^^ ^^ Contentment. 
 
 9. A third advantage of affliftious is , 
 that it isa mark and figaature of our ad- 
 option , a vvitnefs 01 our legitimation. 
 Wbatfofi u I e ( faith the Apofile ) whom 
 the Father chasiifeth not ^ hut tfye be with* 
 out ch^'t^^ifi^cnt whereof all are partakers 9 
 then ye anhasia.ds and'(M fons^ Heb. 12. 
 7, 8. "jdcob ciad his dearling 3^o/f/^/> in a 
 party -coloured Coat, and Gods favorites 
 do here wear a Livery inter-woven with 
 a mixture of dark and gloomy colors ; 
 x\\Q\x long white rohes are laid up for them 
 againftthey come to the marriage of the 
 Lamh^ Rev. 19. 7. Indeed we much mi- 
 ftake the dcfign of Chriitianity,if we think 
 it calls us to a condition of eafe and fe- 
 curity. It might fuit well enough with 
 the votaries of the Golden Calf, to fit 
 do'-jin to tat and drink and rife up to plaj , 
 Exod. 32. 6. but the difciples of the cru^ 
 cified Savior are trained to another dif- 
 cipline/ our profeffion enters us into a ftate 
 of warfare, and accordingly our very Bap- 
 tifmal engagement runs all in military 
 terms , and we are not only fervants of 
 Chrilts family, but foldiers of his Gamp. 
 Now we know in a war men muft not ex- 
 pe(S to pafs their time in eafe and foff 
 neft, but bciides all the dangers anddif- 
 
Sect.VIII. Advantage of Afflictions. 145 
 
 ficultics ofilie combat, have many orher 
 hardlhips to endure; hunger and thirflj 
 heat and cold , hard lodgings and weary 
 marches ; and he that is too nice for thole, 
 will not long Itick to his colors. And 
 it is the fame in our fpiritual warfare , ma- 
 ny prcffjres and fufFerings are annexed to 
 ir, and our paflive valor is no lefs tried 
 then our adtive. In refped: of this it is 
 thatr our Savior admonifhes hisProfelytes 
 to compute firft the diificulties incident 
 todieir profeilion, and that he may not 
 enfnare us by propofing too eafie terms, 
 he bids us reckon upon the worfl:, and 
 tells us , that he that forfakes not all that 
 he hath->fh^llnot be hps dijilfle^ Lnk.14, 26. 
 and thcifive miifl thro much tribulation enter 
 into the kingdom of God , Adi . 14. 2 a . In- 
 deed twere very abfurd for us to expecft 
 eafier conditions , when thefe are the fame 
 to which our Leader has fubmitted. The 
 Captahi of our Salvation was perfeFted by 
 fufferings. Hcb. 2. 10. and if it behooved 
 Chr'ifi to fuffer before he enttrdwto hpB glorj^ 
 Luk. 24. 46. it were infolent madneis for 
 us to look to be carried thither upon our 
 beds of Ivory , or from thenoife of our 
 harps and viols , be immcdiatly rapt into 
 the Choire of Angels. 
 
 T 8 This 
 
1^6 Tlie Art of Contentment. 
 
 8. This has bin fo much confider'd 
 by pious men , that they have lookt upon 
 their fecular profperities with fear and jea- 
 loufy, and many have folemnly petition'd 
 tor erodes, as thinking them the neccflary 
 atteitation of their fon-fliip , and means of 
 affimulation to their elder brother. Why- 
 then (liould that which was fo defirable 
 to them, appear fo formidable to us ? or 
 why Ihould we fo vehemently deprecate, 
 what they fo earneftly invited ? If we 
 indeed think it a privilege to be the fons 
 of God, and fellow-heirs with Chrift, why 
 do we grudgat the condition.' The Ro- 
 man Captain tells St. PW, that he ob- 
 tained the immunities of a Roman n>hh 
 a great: fum ^ Aft* 22. 28. and fhall we 
 expeft fo much a nobler and more advan- 
 tageous adoption perfed:ly gratis ? look 
 that God (hould change his whole Oeco- 
 jnomy for our eaie , give us an eternal in- 
 heritance difcharged of thofe temporal in- 
 cumbrances himfelf has annexed to it. This 
 werefure asunjuft a hope as it would be 
 a vain one. When David had that en- 
 fnaring propofal made him of being the 
 Kings Son-in-law, i Sam, 18. 21. he fet 
 fuch a value upon the dignity , that he de- 
 fpifed the-dilBculty of the condition : and 
 
 fure 
 
Sect. VIII. Advantage of Affii^ions. 147 
 
 fure wc muft have very low abjedt fouls, 
 if when lb infinidy a higher adv ancement 
 is fincerely offei'd us, we can fatter any 
 appreheuiion of hardfliip to divert us. la a 
 word let us remember that of the Apoiile, 
 if we fujfer y we Jljall aljo reign with him^ 
 2 Tim. a. 12. And tho our afflidlions be 
 inthemfelves notjoious but grievous , yet 
 when they arc confider'd as the earncft of 
 our future inheritance , they put on an- 
 other face, and may rather enamour then 
 fright us. 
 
 p. A fourth advantage of afflidiions h^ 
 that they excite ourcompaffions towards 
 others. There is nothing qualifies us fo 
 rightly to eftimate the iufferings of others, 
 as the having our fel\!^s felt them : with- 
 out this our apprehenfions of them are as 
 dull and confufed 5 as a blind mans of co- 
 lors 5 or a deaf man of founds. They that 
 Jiretch themjehes upon their couches , that 
 eat the lardbs out of the flock , and the calves 
 out of the midf' ofthefiall : tl)at c haunt to the 
 found of the viol ^ d' inkwme tn howls ^^ and 
 anoint themfelves with the chief ointnients^ 
 will not much he grieved nii h the affiiHions 
 ofjofeph. Am. 6. 4. Nay fo neccflary is 
 our experience towards our commiferati- 
 on, that we fee 'twas thought arequifite 
 
 T 2 ac- 
 
148 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 accomplillmient of our high Pricft (that 
 higheft example of unbounded com- 
 paflion ) and therefore faith the Apoftle, 
 it behooved him in dl things to he madt 
 like bis brethren^ that he mi^bt be a merciful 
 and frith fid high priefi m things pertain- 
 ing to Gody to mAke reconciliation for the 
 fins of the people ^ for in that he him f elf hath 
 fuffeid being temted ^ he is able alfo to fuc^ 
 CQUr them that are temted ^ Heb. 2. 17, 18. 
 But if he, vvhofemere fenfe of our mife- 
 ries brought him down to us, chofe this 
 expedient to adv^ance hi's picy , howne- 
 ceflary is it to our petrified bowels ? And 
 fince God has affign'd our mercies to our 
 brethren , as the ftandard by which he 
 will proportion his to us, 'tis more ours 
 then their advantage to have them enlarg- 
 ed ; fo that when by making us raft of their 
 cup> acquainting us with the bitter re- 
 lifh of their fufferings , he prepares us to 
 a Chriftian fympathy with them, tis but 
 a remoter way of obhging, and qualify- 
 ing us for a more ample portion of his mcr* 
 cf. Nay befidesthe profit, there is ho- 
 nor accrues to us by it, Corapnffion is one 
 of the beft properties of ournature, and 
 weunmanour ieives whenwe put it off; 
 nay more tis an attribute of the Divi- 
 
Sect. Vlll. j^dvant^gecf Ajf.iEiiom. i\g 
 
 nity, and the more we advance ill ii, the 
 clofer approches we make to him. And 
 therefore we have all re afon to bleis him 
 for that difcipiine by which he promotes 
 in us fo excellent, fo neceflaiy a grace. 
 
 lo A fifch benefit of afflidions is, that 
 it is an improvement of devotion , fets 
 us with more heartineis to oar praiers. 
 WhiUlprofperity flows inupon us we bath 
 our felves in its Itreams , but are very apt 
 to forget its fources fo that God is fain 
 to fl-op the current, leave us dry and 
 parched, that our needs may make us, do 
 what our gratitude would not , trace our 
 bleilings up to the original ip:*ing, and 
 both acknowledg and invoke him as the 
 Author of all our good. This cffcdl of 
 afflidions is obferv'd by the Prophet, 
 Lord hi trouble have thej vifitcdthce , they 
 poured out a praiernh.m thy chsisinhg was 
 upon them ^ Ifa. 26. 16. And I believe I 
 may appeal to every mans experience,whe- 
 ther his praiers be not more frequent 
 and more hearty too , when he is under 
 fomediitre/s. Then how importunate arc 
 we in our petitions? how profiife in our 
 vows and proraifes? faying with Ifrael, 
 dd'ivcr us only rvepmj thee this d^iy '• and they 
 fut awciy the jlrcnge Gods j^om among them^ 
 
 and 
 
I JO The Art of Contentment. 
 
 arid Jerv^ the Lord. Jud. lO. i j. I con- 
 fers CIS no good indication of our temper, 
 that we need thus to be put in the prefs 
 ere we will yield any thing? yet fince we 
 are fo difiagenuous , tis a mercy in God to 
 adapt his methods to us ^ to extort when 
 we will not give, and if he can have no 
 free-will offerings, yet at leaft to ex;i(!i his 
 tribute. Nor do's he defign the efteft of 
 this (hould ceafe with the calamity that 
 rais'd it, but expecT:s our compell'd ad- 
 dreffes (hould bring us into the way of 
 voluntary ones , and happily enfnare us in- 
 to piety. And indeedhereinarcwe worfe 
 then brutiih if it do not. Wc think it a 
 barbarous rudenefs to engage a man in 
 our affairs , and as foon as we have ferved 
 our own turns , never take farther notice 
 of him. Nay indeed the very beafts may 
 lefture us in this piece of Morality , ma- 
 ny of them paying a fignal gratitude 
 where they have received benefits : and 
 fliall we not come up at leaft to their pitch? 
 ftiall not the endearment of our delive- 
 rance bring our deliverer into fome repute 
 and confideration with us , and make us 
 defire to keep up an acquaintance and 
 entercourfe with him? Yet if ingenuity 
 work not with us , let intereft at leaft pre- 
 vail. 
 
Sect, VIII. Advantage ofJffitBions. 151 
 
 vail, and the remembrance how foon 
 we may need him again , adnionijfh us not 
 to make our felves itrangers to him. God 
 complains of Ilrael, wherefore fay mjpco^ 
 pU we are Lords ^ rve will come no more at 
 theejQv. a . 3 1 . A very infolent folly to re- 
 nounce that dependance by which alone 
 they fubfilted : and no leis will it be in 
 any of us if we flop our recourfe to him 
 becaufe wc have liad advantage by it. We 
 have no affurancc that the fame occafion 
 fhall not recur j but with what face 
 can We then refume that entercourfe 
 which in the interval we dcfpifed ? So that 
 if wc have but any ordinary providence, 
 we Ihall ftill fo celebrate paft rcfcucs 
 as to continue in a capacity of begging 
 more* and then we cannot but alfocon- 
 fefs the benefit of thofe firft calamities 
 which infpirited our devotion, and taught 
 us to pray in earneft , and will be a(ha- 
 med that our thanks fhould be uttered in a 
 fainter accent then our petitions •, or our 
 daily fpiritual concerns fhould be more 
 coldly folicited then our temporal acci- 
 dental ones. 
 
 II. N OR isitonlyourdevotion thatis 
 thus improved by our diflrefles , but many 
 other Graces s our faith> our hope>our pati- 
 ence. 
 
152 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 encejcur Chriftian fufferance and fortitude* 
 It is no triumph of faith to truil God for 
 thofe good things which he gives us in 
 hand , this is rather to walk by fenfe then 
 faith, but to rely on him in the greateft de- 
 ftitution ^Afid ^gaws^ hope to believe in hope 
 This is the faith of a true child oi Abraham 
 and wiil he imputed to us (as it was to hinV 
 Jor Righteoiifnefs , Rom. 4. 23. Soaifooui 
 patience ows all its opportunities of exer- 
 cife to our afflidtions , and confequently 
 cwsalfoa great part of its being to them, 
 for we know deiuetude will lofe habits. 
 What imaginable ufe is there of patience, 
 where there is nothing to fuffer ? In our 
 profperous ftate, we may indeed employ 
 oar ^'emperance, our humility, our cau- 
 tion * but patience feems then a ulelcis 
 vertue: nay indeed for ought we know 
 ma/ be counterfeit , till adveriity bring it 
 totlietelt And yet this is the moft glo- 
 rious accoii;pIifhment of a Chriftian , that 
 which moft eminently conforms him to 
 the Image of his Savior , whofewhole life 
 was a perpetual exercife of this grace 5 and 
 therefore we love our eafe too well, if we 
 are unwilling to buy this pearl at any 
 price. 
 
 iz Last- 
 
ECT 
 
 VIII. Advantage of AffliEiions. 153 
 
 12 Lastly our thaiikfuiaeis is 
 ('atleaft ought tobe) increa'ft by our di^ 
 ftrefles. Tis very natural for us to reflecSt 
 with value and efteem upon thofc bie{- 
 lings we have loft , and we too oftsjn do 
 it to aggravate our difcontent : but fure 
 the more rational ufe ot it Is toraifeour 
 thankfulnefs for the time wherein we en- 
 joied them. Nay not only our former eu- 
 joiments, but even our preient depriva- 
 tions delerve our gratitude , if we con- 
 fide r the happy advantages we may reap 
 from them. If we will perverlly caljt 
 them away , that unworthy contcmt paies 
 no fcorcs , for we ftill ftand anfv/erable 
 in Gods account for the good he delign'd 
 and we might have had by it , and we be- 
 come liable to a new charge for our in- 
 gratitude in thus defpifing the chajtifemt)it 
 of the Lord ^ Heb. 12. 5. 
 
 13. And now if all thefe benefits of 
 afflidtions ("which are yet but imperfed:ly 
 recited j may be thought worth confi- 
 dering , it cannot but reconcile us to 
 the fliarpeft of Gods methods ; unlefs we 
 will own our felves fuch mere animals, 
 as to have no other apprehenfions then 
 what our bodily fenfes convey to us ; for 
 fure he that has reafon enough to under- 
 
 U ftand 
 
J 54 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 ftand that he has an immortal foul , can- 
 not but afTent that itsintereits fliould be 
 ferved , tho with the difplacency of his 
 flefli. Yet even in regard of that , our 
 murmurings are oft very unjufti for we 
 do many tmies ignorantly prejudg Gods 
 deligns towards us even in temporals, 
 who frequently makes a little tranfient 
 uneallnels the paflage to fecular felici- 
 ties. Mofes when he fled out of Egypt, 
 probably htcle thought that he ihould re- 
 turn thither a God unto Pharaoh^ Exod, 
 4. 1 5. and as little did Jofeph when he 
 was brought thither a flave, that he was to 
 be a ruler there; yet as diftar« t as thofe ftates 
 were, the divine providence had fo con- 
 nected them, that the one depends upon 
 the other. And certainly we may often 
 obferve the like over-ruling hand in our 
 own diftrefles , that thofe events which 
 we have entertained with thegreateft re- 
 gret , have in the confequences bin very 
 beneficial to us. 
 
 14. To conclude 5 we have certainly 
 both from fpceulation & experience abun- 
 dant matter to calm all our difquiets, to 
 fatisfy our diftrufts ^ and to fix in us an en- 
 tire refignation to Gods difpolals, who has 
 defigns which we cannot penetrate, but 
 
 none 
 
Sect.VIII. Jidvantageof Affl'iUicns. 14;' 
 
 noiie which we need fear, ualeisweour 
 felves pervert them* We have our Sa- 
 viors word for it , that he will not give us 
 4 Ji^nc when rve ask^ bread ^ nor a fcorplon 
 when wt asJ^a fi^h , M it. 7. p. Nay his 
 love fecures us } ct farther from the errors 
 ofoiir own wild choice, an I do's not give 
 us thofe ftones and fcorpions which we 
 importune for. Lee us then leave our 
 concerns to him who beft knows them 9 
 and make it our fole care to entertain his 
 difpeniations with as much fubmiffion and 
 duty , as he diipences them with love and 
 wifdom. And if we can but do fo , we 
 may dare all the power of earth and hel! 
 too , to make us miferable .' for be our af- 
 Aid: ions what they can, we are fure they 
 are but what we in fome refpedt or other 
 need -, be they prf\'ative or pofitive , the 
 want of what wc with , or the fufFcring of 
 what we wifli not, they arc the difpcifals 
 of him who cannot err, and we ihallfi- 
 nally have cauie to fay with the Pfalmift^ 
 It is good for me that I have bin affiiHed ^ 
 Pfal. 119. 71. 
 
 U "1 SiCT, 
 
I ^6 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 Sect. IX. 
 
 Of our Misfortunes compared with 
 other mens. 
 
 I X 7f 7E come now to imprefs anequally 
 \' V JLiit and useful confi deration, the 
 Comparing our misfortunes with thole of o- 
 ther mens: & he that do's chat^will certainly 
 fee fo little caufe to think hinifelf fingular, 
 that he will not find himfelf f uperlative in 
 calamity 5 for there is no man living that 
 can with reafon affirm himfelf to be the ve- 
 ry unhappieft man , there being innume- 
 rable diftrefl'es of others which he knows 
 not of, and confequently cannot bring 
 them in balance with his own. A mul- 
 titude of men there arc whofe perfons he 
 Jcaows not , and even of thofe he do's, 
 he may be much a ftranger to their diftref- 
 les 5 many iorrows may lie at the heart 
 of him who carries a fmihng face , and 
 many a man has bin an objei^ of envy 
 to thofe who look but on thefiirface of 
 his ftate , who yet to thofe who know his 
 private griefs appears more worthy of com- 
 paffion, And fure this confufed uncer^ 
 
Sect. IX. Misjortunes cQinpar*d. 1x7 
 
 tain eltimate of other mens afflica'ons, 
 may divert tis from all loud out-cries of 
 our own. Solon feeing a friend much op- 
 preft with grief, carried him up to a town 
 that over-lookt the City of Athens , and 
 fhewing him all the buildings, faid to him, 
 coiifider how many forrows have , do , and 
 lliillin future Ages inhabit under all thofe 
 roofs, and do not vex thy ^^Vi with thofe 
 inconvcniencies which are common to 
 mortality, as if they were only yours. And 
 furetwas good advice : for fjff;:^ring is al- 
 moft as infeparable an adjun<S of our na- 
 ture, as dying is: yet v/e do not fee men 
 very aptto imbitrer their whole lives by 
 the fore-fight that they muft die , but fee- 
 ing it a thing as univerfal as inevitable, 
 they are more forward to take up theE- 
 picures refolution , Lttus eat and drink.^ 
 for to 7norrow iz'e die , i Cor. if. 32. And 
 why fliould we not look nponaifliflrions 
 alfoasthe common lot of humanity, and 
 as we take the advantages , fo be content 
 to bear the incumbrances of that ftate ? 
 
 2. But befides that implicite allow- 
 ance that is thus to be made for the un- 
 known calamities of others, if we furvey 
 but thofe that lie open and vifible to us, 
 the mod of us fliall find enough to dif- 
 
 coun- 
 
ijS The Art of Contentment. 
 
 — ■ ■■ \ 
 
 Countenance our complaints. Who is 
 there that when he has moil itudiouflyre- 
 collccl.::d his mi (cries , may not find lome 
 or other tnat apparently equals , if not ex- 
 ceeds hiin ^ He that ftomacs his own be- 
 ing contemn'd and flighted, may fee an- 
 other pcrfccuted and opprcfl. He that 
 groans under fonic flurp pain, may fee 
 another afflidled with (harper: and even 
 he that has the molt acute torments in his 
 body, may fee another more fadly cruci* 
 ated by the agonies of his mind. So that 
 if wc would but look about us, wefliould 
 fecfo many foreign occafions of our pi- 
 ty , that we fliould be alham'd to confine 
 it wholly to our felves. 
 
 3. It will perhaps be faid that thiscan- 
 not be uni verfal!y true,for that there muft 
 in comparative degrees be fome loweft 
 ftateof miTery: I grant it, but ftill that 
 ftate confifts not in fiich an indivifiblc 
 point, that any oneperfon can have the 
 inclof.ir@ ; o^ if it: do , twill be fo hard for 
 any to difcern who that one perlon is , that 
 I need defire no fairer a compofition, then- 
 to have every man fafpend his repinings, 
 till he can evince his title. But alas there 
 are bit few that can make any approches 
 to luch a pretence : for tho if we advert to 
 
 raen$ 
 
Sect. IX. Ms fortunes compard, r y^ 
 
 meDscompiiiirics J welh.^aid thluk all de- 
 grees of comparifon were coofoLinded, 
 and every man were equally thegrcateft 
 jfufFerer; yet crtainly in the truth of 
 things tis nothing fo ; for (not to repetc 
 what was b.^fore mentioned, that proba- 
 bly no man is milerablc m any proper. 
 tionto the utmoft degree of poiiibility ^ 
 the remarkably unhappy are very far the 
 lefs number. And how paflionatly io^ 
 ever men exaggerate their calamities , yea 
 perhaps in their fober mood , they will 
 fcarce change ftates with thole whom they 
 profefs to think more happy thenthem^ 
 lelves. It was the faying of Socrahes , that 
 i£ there were a common bank made of all 
 mens troubles , moft men would rather 
 chufe to take thole they brought, then 
 to venter upon a new dividend. And 
 indeed he had reafoafor hi^ (uppofition j 
 for confidering how great apart of many 
 mens alBidiions are of their own making , 
 fiilitiousand imaginary^ they may juftly 
 fear lealt they fliould exchange feathers 
 for lead, their cwnemty ihidowsfor the 
 real and prcfling calamities of others, and 
 cannot but think it belt to fit down with 
 their own, which ferves their declamations 
 as well , and their eafe much better. . We 
 
 oft 
 
i6o The Art of Contentment. 
 
 oft fee men at aiitde mif-fhaping of a 
 garment, a fcarce difcernable error in 
 their cook, or their fhorteft interruption 
 in their fports , in inch tranfports of trou- 
 ble , as if they were the molt unfortunate 
 men in the world ; yet for all that you 
 Ihail hardly perfvvade them to change with- 
 himwhofecourfe clothings fuperfedes all 
 care of the falhion , whofe appetite was ne- 
 ver difappointed for want of fawce , and 
 whofe perpetual toil makes him infenfi- 
 ble what the defeat of fport fignifies. 
 
 4. Nay even where the exchange feems 
 more equal, where the afflid:ions are on 
 both fides folid and fubftantial, yet a 
 prudent man would fcarce venture upon 
 the barter, Tis no fmall advantage to 
 know what we have to conteft with 5 to 
 have experimented the worft of its atta- 
 quesj by which we become better able to 
 guard our felves : but a new evil comes 
 with the force of a lurprife , and finds us 
 open and difarmed. It is indeed almoft a 
 miraculous power that cuftom has in re- 
 conciling us to things othewife difplea- 
 fing s all our fenfes are taught to remit 
 of their averfion by familiarity with un- 
 grateful objeds : that ugly form which 
 at firft makes Hart, by ufe devefts its 
 
 ter- 
 
Sect, VIIL Advantafre ef AffliBions. \6t 
 terror, and we recoiiciie our feives to. 
 harlh founds & ill reliflies by long cullora. 
 And fare it has die very fame eSeca upon 
 ourmind^. The moil tic^rce calamities do 
 by acquaintance grow more tradtable i (b 
 that he that exchinges an old one for a 
 new, do's but bring a wild Lion into his 
 houfe indcaJ of a tame ; ic may for ought 
 he knows mimediacly tear him in pieces j 
 butatieaft mull coll him a great deal of 
 pains to render it gentle and familiar; 
 and certainly no wife man would wilh to 
 make luch a bargain. 
 
 5 By all this it appears that how extra- 
 vagantly foever we aggravate our own 
 calamities and extenuate other mens, we 
 dare not upon recoUecSlion Hand to our 
 own eftimate : and what can be faid more 
 in prejudice of our difcontents?Tis a grant- 
 ed maxim, that every man mult have affli* 
 dions , Man that is born of a woman ^ faies 
 ^oh-, k of few *yearsy and full of trouble , Job. 
 14.4, and we mull reverfe Gods founda- 
 mental law , before we can hope for a to- 
 tal exemtion. All that any man can afpire 
 to, is to have but an equal fliare with o- 
 thers, and the generality of men have 
 fo , at leail none can prove he has not fo • 
 and till he can , his murmurs will fare be 
 
 X very 
 
i6i The Art of Contentment. 
 
 very unjuftifiable, efpccially when they 
 have this convincing circumftancc a- 
 gainft them , that he dares not upon fober 
 thoughts change his affliftions with moil 
 of his neighbors. He is an ill member of 
 a community, who in public aflefments 
 fhould fliufiie off all paiments : and he is 
 no better who in this common tax God 
 has laid upon our nature , is not content 
 to bear his Ihare. 
 
 6. A N D truly would we but confider 
 that in all our fufferings nothing befals us 
 but what is common to our kind, nay 
 which is extremely exceeded by many 
 within the verge of our own obfervation, 
 we muft be fenfelefsly partial to be impa- 
 tient. The Apoitle thought it a compe- 
 tent confolation for the firft Chriftians, 
 that t^ere had no temtation befallen them 
 hut what was common to men , i Cor. f o. 
 13. and we betray very extravagant opi- 
 nions of our felvesif it be rfot fo to us. 
 Indeed twas fcarce poffible for us to be 
 fo unfatisfied , as the greateft part of us 
 are , did we in the comparing our felves 
 with others , proceed with any tolerable 
 ingenuity. 
 
 7. But alas we are very fallacious and 
 deceitful in tne point , we do not com- 
 pare 
 
Sect. IX. Advantage of J fflrBions. 16} 
 
 pare the good of others with our good, 
 nor their evil with our evili but with an 
 envious curiofity we amafs together all 
 the defirable circumftances of our neigh. 
 bors condition , and with as prying dif- 
 content we ranfack all our grievances, 
 and confront to them. This is fo infin- 
 cere a way of proceeding , as the moit or- 
 dinary underftanding can dete^. If I 
 ihould wager that my arm were longer 
 then another mans , and for trial melure 
 my arm with his finger, he muft be ftu- 
 pidly filly , that fliould award for me -, 
 and yet this were not a grofler cheat, then 
 that which we put upon our felves , in our 
 comparifons with others. And tis a little 
 ftrange to obferve unto what various pur- 
 pofes we can apply this one thin piece of 
 Sophiftry: for when we compare our 
 neighbors and our lelves in point of mo- 
 rahty , we do butreverfe the fallacy, and 
 prefently make his vices as much exceed 
 ours , as our calamities did his in the o- 
 ther inftance. They are indeed both great 
 violences to reafon and juftice , yet the lat- 
 ter is fure the pleafanter kind of deceit; 
 A man has fome joy in thinking himfelf 
 lefs wicked then his neighbor , but what 
 imaginable comfort can he take in think- 
 
 X 2 ing 
 
J 64 The Arc ot Contentment. 
 
 ing himleif more miferable ? Certainly he 
 that would fabmit to a coufenage , had 
 much better ihifc the fceae , and think 
 his iufFerings lefs then they are, rather 
 th^^n more ; for iince opinion is the thing 
 that uilially lets an edg upon our cala- 
 mities, it might be a profitable deceit 
 that could ileal chat from us. 
 
 8. But we need not blind- fold our 
 felves if wt would bic ufe our eies aright, 
 and fee things in their true fhapes ; and if 
 we did thus , what a ftrange turn would 
 there be in the common eitimates of the 
 world ? How many of the gilded troubles 
 of greatnefs, which men at a diftance 
 look on with lo much admiration and de- 
 fire , would then be as much contemned' 
 as now they are courted ? A competency 
 would then get the better of abundance, 
 and the now envied pomp of Princes, 
 when balanced with the cares and hazards 
 anncxr , would be fo far from a bait , that 
 men like Saul^ i Sam. 10 22. would hide 
 themfilves trom the preferment; and he 
 that unJerftoo J the weight , would rather 
 chvjfe to 'wei!d a Flayle then a Scepter : 
 yet fochildifhly are we be Totted widi the 
 glittering appearance of things, that we 
 conclude felicity muft needs dwell where 
 
 there 
 
Se c t. IX. Misfortunes cerr'p^rd. \ 6$ 
 
 there is a magnificent Portico, and being 
 poffeft with this fancy we over-look her 
 in our o\^'n huinoler Cottages , where fli3 
 would more conftaiitly refide, if flie could 
 but find us at home : but we are commonly 
 engag'd in a rambling purfuit ot her where 
 ih:: is ieldomeit to be found , and in the 
 interim mifs of her h.z our own doors. 
 
 9. Indeed there is fcarce a greater 
 folly or unhappmefs incident to mans na- 
 ture ^ then this fond admiration of other 
 mens enjoiments, 2nd contemt of our own. 
 And whilft we have that humor , it will 
 fupplanr not only our prefent , but all pof- 
 fibilities of our future content: fjr tho 
 we could draw to our felves all thofe 
 things for which we envy others, wc ihould 
 have no fooner made them our own , then 
 they will grow defpicable and naufeous 
 to us. This is a fpeculation which has 
 bin atteited by innumerable experiments, 
 there being nothing more frequent , then 
 to fee men with impatient eagernefs 5 nay 
 often with extreme hazards purine thofe 
 acquefts^ which when they have them, 
 they are immediatly fick of There is 
 fcarce any man that may not give himfelf 
 in [lances ofthis in his own particular : and 
 yet fo fatally ftupid are we, that no de- 
 feats 
 
i66 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 feacs will dilcipline us , or take us off from 
 thefe fuife eftimates of other mens hap- 
 pineflbs And truly while we (late our 
 coraparifons fo unequally, they are as mif- 
 chievous as the common proverb fpeaks 
 them odious : but if we would begin at 
 the right end, and look with as much 
 compaffion on the adverficies of ourbre* 
 thren, as we do with envy on their prospe- 
 rities , every man would find caufe to fit 
 down contentedly with his own burden, 
 and confefs that he bears but the propor- 
 tionable fliarc of his common nature, un- 
 lefs perhaps it be where fome extraordi- 
 nary demerits of his own have added to 
 the weight-, and in that cafe he has more 
 reafon to admire his afflictions are fo few^ 
 thenfo many. And certainly every man 
 knows fo many more ills by himfelf , then 
 it is pofTible for him to do by another, that 
 he that really fees himfelf exceed others 
 in his fufFerings , will find caufe enough to 
 think he do's in fins alfo. 
 
 10. But if weftretchthecomparifon 
 beyond our contGmporaries5aiidlook back 
 to the generations of old , we (hall hare 
 yet farther caufe to acknowledg Gods 
 great indulgence to us. t^braham tho the 
 friend of God was not exemted from fe- 
 
 verc 
 
Sect. IX. Misfortunes compard, \6j 
 
 vere trials; he was firft made to wander 
 from his Country , and betake himfeif 
 to a kind of vagrant life ; was a long ixmo, 
 fuipended from the bleffing of his defired 
 ofF.fpring, and when aclait his beloved 
 Ifaac was obtained , it caufed a domeftic 
 jarr , which he was fain to compofe by 
 the expulfion of I/hmael tho his ion alfo. 
 But what a conteft may we think there 
 was in his own bowels when that rigorous 
 task was impo fed on him of iacrificinghis 
 I[aac? and tho his faith glorioufly triumpht 
 over it,yet fure there could not be a great- 
 er preffure upon human nature. David 
 the man after Gods own heart is no le(s 
 fignal for his afflid;ions then for his piety : 
 he was for a great while an exile from his 
 Country, and ( which he moft bewailed ) 
 from the Sanftuary by the perfecutions 
 of Sanl^ and after he was fetled in that 
 throne to which Gods immediate aifigna- 
 tion had intitled him , what a fucceffion 
 of calamities had he in his own family ? 
 the inceftuQus rape of his Daughter , the 
 retaliation of that by the as unnatural mur- 
 der of Amnon , and that feconded by an- 
 other no Icfs barbarous confpiracy of Ah^ 
 folcm againft himfeif, his expulfion from 
 Jsrufakm ^ the bafe revilings ot Shimci ^ 
 
 and 
 
i68 Th^ Art of Contentment. 
 
 ana finaily the lob oi that dearling ion 
 in the ad of his lin. A cluflcr of affli- 
 ctions, in companfon whereof themoft 
 ot ours are but like th^ gleanings (as the 
 Prophet fpeaks) after the viniage is don^ 
 Ic v/ re indeed cndlefs to initance in 
 all the ieve:u'L Fore fathers of our Faith 
 before ChriHs Incarnation. The Apoftle 
 gives us a brief, but very comprehenfive 
 compendium of their fufferings, Tkey had 
 trial of crud machines and Jcourgings ; yea 
 moreover -i ofbondj ^knimprifonmenHi they 
 wt>e Jtoved, were fauvn ajiinder , ^were ttrnt* 
 ed-i Wirt /lain ivith the fword: th^y wan* 
 dred about in flieep skins ^ and goitsj^nsy 
 being dejfitute , afflicted ytorrmnied: they 
 Wandred in dtjerts ^ andin mountains -, md 
 in dens ^ and caves of the. earth , Heb. ii. 
 3^>37>38» ^^^^'^ if wj look on the Pri- 
 mitive Chriftians, we Hiall fee them per- 
 fedly the counterpart to them , their pri- 
 vileges confiited not in any immunities 
 from calamities ,- for their whole lives were 
 Icenes of fati\:rings. St. Tanl gives us an 
 account of his own, in labors mo e abun^ 
 dant , /// gripes above mefure^ in frifons more 
 frequent, in deaths oft: of the Jem five 
 times received I forty fir /pes Jave one. 
 Thrice was I heaten mth reds , once rvas I 
 
 fto- 
 
Se c T . IX . Misfortunes cmnpard. 1 69 
 
 ftomd, time J fujfer'd jhipwrack , a night 
 And a day have I bin in the deep , in JGurny- 
 ing often ^^c. 2 Cor. 11. 23. and if his 
 fingle hardfhips rofe thus high, what may 
 we think the whole fum of all his fellow- 
 laborers amounted to together J with that 
 noble Army of martyrs who fealed their 
 faith with their blood,- of whofe fuffer- 
 iugs Ecclejiajiic hiftory gives us fuch a- 
 jftoni filing relations r 
 
 II, And now being comfajjed about 
 with Jo great a cUudof wttneffes , the Apo- 
 M^s inference is very irrefragable, Utus 
 run with patience the race which is fet be^ 
 fore m^ Hab. 12. i, 2- But yet it is more 
 ib , if we proceed on to that confideration 
 he adjoins, Looking unto Jefis thet^uthor 
 and finisher of our faith y who for the joy 
 that was fit before him ^ endurd the crofs^ 
 dejpjmgthe fijame^ verfe 3. Indeed if we 
 contemplate him in the whole courfe of 
 his life, wefliall find him rightly ftyled 
 by the Prophet, a man of for rows 5 Ifai, 5 1. 
 And, as if he had charged himfelf with 
 all our griefs as well as our fins , there is 
 fcarce any human calamity which we may 
 not find exemplified in him. Do's any 
 complain of the lownels and poverty of 
 his condition i Alas his whole life was a 
 
 Y flats 
 
I70 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 ftate of indigeiiCe : he was forced to be an 
 inmate widi the bcails , belaid in a Oablc 
 at his birth , and after himfclf profclTes 
 that he h^idnot nhere to lay hu heady Luk. 
 9. 58. I^any oppreli with infamy and re- 
 proch? hci may lee his Savior accus'd as 
 •dfiluttma^da wine-bibber y Luke 7. 34- 
 aBhfph-'t}2er , Joh. lO. 33, a J$rcertr^ Mat. 
 12, 24. apcrvcrteroftberiAtion^ Luk. 23. 
 2. yea ta Uicha fordid lownefi had they 
 lunk his repute , that a fedltious thief and 
 murderer was thought the more eligible 
 perfjn, 720t tl^is mm but Bara'jbas ^ joh. 
 jl8 40. And finally all this fcene of indi- 
 gnities clos'd with die fpightful pageant L-y 
 of mockery a£Ved by the loldiers , Mat. 27. 
 28. and the yet more barbarous infulr- 
 ings of Priefts and Scribes, verfe4t. Is a- 
 ny man defpifed or deferced by his friends? 
 he was contemned by his country-men, 
 thought franric by his friends, betraicd by 
 one of hisdifciples , abandoned by all 5 nn- 
 lefs that one who followed him longeft, 
 to renounce him the moft fliamefully by 
 a three-fold abjuration. Nay what is in- 
 finicly more then this, he feem'ddefert- 
 ed by God alfb, as is witnefled by that 
 doleful exclamation. My God ^ myGody why 
 hajl thou forjaken met Mar. 27. 64. Is a- 
 
 ny 
 
Sect. IX. Misfortunes ccm-far'd, 171 
 
 ny dilTacisfied with the hard-fliips or la- 
 borioiifneis of his life? Ice hiin remember 
 his Saviors was not a life of delicacy or 
 cafe: he was never enter d in tliofe Aca- 
 demies of luxury 5 where men ^^^ gnrgcot{fly 
 apf>are!Vd and live deVcatly ^ Luk. 7. 25, 
 but he was brought up.under the mean roof 
 of a Carpenter 5 and coniequcntly fubj?- 
 Cledto all the lownefs of fuch an educa- 
 tion. His initiation to his Prophetic of- 
 fice was with the miraculous fevcrity of 
 a forty daies fail, and inhis difchargc of 
 it we find him in perpetual labors, go- 
 ingahoutdoing goad , Ad:. 10. 3S and that 
 not in triuniph, lik^a Prince b^ftowing 
 his largefles , but in weary peregrinations, 
 never riding but once, and that only up- 
 on a borrow'd beift, isnd to fulfil a pro- 
 phecy^ Mat. 24., Do's any man groan 
 under iOharp and acute pains 'f let him con- 
 filer what his Redeemer endar'd , how in 
 hisinfjiacy at his circuracifion he cifer*d 
 the firft fruirs , as an earneft of that bloody 
 vintage when he trod the wine profs alcvc^ 
 Ifaiah 63 3. Let him attend hira thro 
 all the itages of his direful paffion , and 
 behold his arms pinion'd with rough cords, 
 his head fmote with a reed , and torn with 
 his crown of thorns , his back ploughed 
 
 Y 2 With 
 
lya The Art of Contentment. 
 
 with thofe long furrows ("Pial. 120. 3.^ 
 the fcourges had made s his macerated 
 feeble body oppreft with the weight of 
 hiscrofs, and atiaft rackt and extended 
 on it-, his hands and feet, thofe nervous 
 and confequently moft fenfible parts trans- 
 fijLtwith nails 5 his whole body faftned to 
 thataccurfed tree, and expofed naked to 
 the air in a cold feafon 5 his throat par- 
 ched with thiril , and yet more affli<2:ed 
 with that vinegar and gall wherewith 
 they pretended to relieve him j and final- 
 ly his life expiring amidft the full fenfe 
 of thefe accurate torments. Laftly do's 
 any man labor under the bittereft of all . 
 Ibrrows , importunate temtations to , or 
 a wounded fpirit for fin ? even here alfo he 
 may find, that he has an high Trieji who 
 hath bin touched with the fenfe of his infir- 
 mitiesy Heb.4. 15. He was violently af- 
 faulted with a fucceflion of temtations. 
 Mat. 4. and we cannot doubt but Satan 
 would on him employ the utmoftof his 
 skill. Nor was he leis oppreft with the bur- 
 den of fin, (ours I mean, tho not his own.) 
 What may we think were his apprehen-. 
 fions in the Garden , when he fo earneftly 
 deprecated that which was his whole er- 
 rand into the world? What a dreadful 
 
 pref* 
 
Shct. IX. MisfoTtunts compared. 173 
 
 preflure was that which wrung from him 
 that bloody fweat , and call him into that 
 inexplicable agony, the horror whereof 
 was beyond the comprchenfions of any 
 .but his who feit it? And finally how a^ 
 mazing was the fenfe of divine wrath , 
 which excortcd that Itupendoiis com- 
 plaint, that firong cry on the crofs, Heb* 5, 
 7. the fliarp accent whereof ^ i£ it do a- 
 rightibanJinour hearts > mail certainly 
 quite overwhelm our loudefl groans r" And 
 now certainly I may fay with Pilate, E€ce 
 homo , behold the man , or rather with a 
 more divine Author , Behold {/^-Vu^r there 
 Tvere Jorrowr like unto his forrewSjLzmi 1. 12. 
 12. And fare it v/ere but a reafonable 
 inference, that which we find made by 
 Chriil himlelf, if thcje things be don in ct 
 green tree, what f) all U don in the drj i Luk. 
 23. 31. If an imputative guilt could nu- 
 rilh fo fcorching a flame , pull down fo 
 levere a wrath , what can we expe<ft who 
 are merely made up of combuftible mat- 
 ter, whofe proper perfonal fins cry for 
 vengeance ? Sure were v/e to judg by 
 human meiares , we fliould reckon to have 
 more then a double portion of our Saviors 
 fuffermgs entail'd upon us : yetfuchisthe 
 eificacy ofhis,that they have commuted 
 
 for 
 
1 74 The Art of Contenrment. 
 
 for ouns , and h^velett us only inch a ftiare, 
 as inav evidence our relation to ourcni- 
 cifi.^d Lord ; fuck as may ferv'e only for 
 badges and cognizances to whom we re- 
 tain. For alas, let the moft afflidied of us 
 weigh our lorrows with his > how abfurdly 
 unequal will the comparifon appear ? And 
 therefore as the bett expedient to baffle 
 our mutinies , to fhame us out of our re- 
 pinings , let us often draw this uneven pa- 
 rallel , confront our petty uneafinefles with 
 his unfpeakable torments,- andfuretisim- 
 polfiblc but our admiration and gratitude 
 mult fuuplant our impatiencies. 
 
 13. T HI s is ind^^ed the method to 
 which tiie .Apoftle dirt(3:s U5, Confidir him 
 that endured fuch Contradiction of (inner s 
 againfi hiyy^felf ^ leaj^ye be ru;eary andfnint in • 
 your minds: ye have not yet reified m7to bloody 
 Kcb, 12 34. Was he contradicted ,. and 
 fliall weexpedl: to be humor'd and compli'd 
 with/ Did he rcfiii: to blood, and fliall 
 we think thofe preffures intolerable* which 
 force only a few tears from usr* This is fuch 
 an unmanly nicenefs , as utterly makes us 
 unfit to follow the Captain of our Salva- 
 tion. What a foldier is he like to make ^ 
 that will take no (liare of the hazards and 
 hardfliips of his General.^ Honeft Vriah 
 
 would 
 
SacT.lX. Misjort»?its conrpdrd 17 j 
 
 would not take the lawful iolaccs of his 
 own houle, ufX)n the courideracion that 
 hh Ljrdjoab "iiho buc his tcilow lubjeCtJ 
 lay incamped in the open fields , 2 Sam. 11, 
 II. yea tho he was lent by him from the , 
 Camp. And fliaL wj bafely forfake ours 
 inpiirfuit of our ealej: He is of a dcge- 
 nerous fpirit, whom the example of his 
 fuperior will not animate. Flat arch cells us, 
 that Cato marching thro thj defarts , was 
 lo diltrelt: for water , that a fniall quantity 
 was brought to him in a helmet as a great 
 prize, wiiidi he refufmgbecaufe he could 
 not help his (oldiers to the like , they .were 
 fo traniported with that generofity , that 
 it extinguiflit the i^ni^oi their thirft , and 
 they were aihimed to complain of what 
 their Leader voluntarily endur'd for their 
 fakes. And furely we extremely difcredit 
 our inftitution, if we cannot equal fheir 
 ingenuity , and follow ours with as great 
 alacrity thro all the ditScukies heha^ tra- 
 ced before us, and for us. 
 
 14. Nor let us think to excufe onr 
 felves upon the impotency of our fleih, 
 which wants the affiftance which his di- 
 vinity gave him: for that plea is fuper- 
 fededby the fore- mentioned examples of 
 the Saints , men of like paffions with us, 
 
 who 
 
1^6 The Arc of Contentment. 
 
 who not only patiently , biit joifully en* 
 dur'd all tribulations 5 by which it appears 
 it is not impoffible to our nature, with 
 thofe aids of grace which are common to 
 us with them ; for certainly thedifFerencc 
 between them ai^d us , is not i^o much ia 
 the degrees ot the aid, as in the diligence 
 of employing them. Lee us therefore, as 
 the Apoltie advifes , lift up the hands which 
 hang down , and the feeble knees ^ 12. 12. 
 and with a noble emulation follow thofe 
 heroic patterns they have fet us. And fince 
 we fee that even thofe Favorites of hea- 
 ven have fmarted fo feverely , let us never 
 dream of an immunity 5 but when ever wc 
 find our felves inclining to any fuch flat- 
 tering hope, let every one of us upbraid 
 our ielves in thofe terms the Jervs did our 
 Savior , Art thougreater the?2 Abraham , and 
 the Trofhets ^ whom tnaJ^fi thou thy felft 
 Joh, 8. J 2. Nay we may defcend lower, 
 and take not only all the inferior Saints 
 of former times , but all thofe our con- 
 temporaries in fufFering , which are moft 
 within our vi«Wj and may ask the Apoflles 
 quefl:ion,»?i&4^ then ? are web titer then they? 
 Rom. 3. 9. If we think we are, certain 
 we are fo much worle by that infolence ; 
 and if we confefs we are not, upon what 
 
 fcore 
 
Sect. X* Aids for Contentment. 177 
 
 fcorc can we pretend to be becter treated ? 
 To conclude, let us not pore only upon 
 our peculiar evils , but attentively look 
 about us,and coniider what others endure: 
 and lince in frolics we can fport our ielves 
 with many uneafinefTes for company fake, 
 let us not be more pufillanimous in our 
 foberer moods , but every man cheerfully 
 take his turn in bearing the common bur- 
 den of mortality, till weput offboth itand 
 its appendages together , when this mortal 
 Ihall put on immortality , i Cor. i j. >'4. 
 
 Sect. 
 
lyS The Art oP Contentment. 
 
 Sect. X. 
 
 Of particular Aids for the gaining 
 of Ccntcntvient. 
 
 I, T 7f 7e have now paft thro all thoie 
 V V confiderations we at firfl: pro- 
 po fed, and may truit the confidering Rea- 
 der to make his own collcdions : yet be- 
 caufe imparience is the vice that has bin 
 all this while arraigned, I am to fore-fee 
 it polfiblejtiiat thole who have the greateft 
 degree ot that, may bethelcaft willing 
 to attend the whole proceis, and there- 
 fore I think it may not be amils , for their 
 cafe to fuit and reduce all into fome fhort 
 directions and rules for the acquiring 
 contentment. 
 
 2, T H E firft and meft fundamental is, 
 the mortifying our pride , which as it is 
 the feminary of moit fins , fo efpccially 
 this of repining. Men that are highly o- 
 pinion'd of therafelves are commonly un- 
 fatisfiable: for how well foever they are 
 treated , they ftili think it fliort 6i their 
 merits. Princes h^ve often experimented 
 
 • this 
 
Sect. X. Aids for Contentment. ijp 
 
 this in thofe who Imve don them iigaal fer- 
 vices i but God finds ic in tho?e wivo have 
 don him none, and we expedl he fhall 
 dilpcnie to us according to thofe falfc 
 eitimates weput upon our ieUxs- There- 
 fore he that afpircs to Content ^ muft firit 
 take truer mefures of himfeif, and confidcr 
 that as he was nothing till GoJ gave him 
 a being, (o all that he can produce trom 
 that being, is Gods by original right , and 
 therefore can pretend to nothiag of re- 
 ward ^ fo that whatever he receives, itftill 
 upon ^he account of new bounty ; and to 
 compiaia that he has no more , is hkc the 
 munuurs of an undiankful debtor , who 
 would ftill encreafe thole (cores which he 
 knows he can never pay. 
 
 3. In the Ic^ond place , let every maa 
 confider how many bielfings (notwith- 
 ftanding his no claim to any) he daily en- 
 joies : and whether thofe he fo impatiently 
 raves after be not much inferior to them. 
 N^y let him ask his own heart, whether 
 he would quit all thofe he has , for them 
 he wants , and if he would not { as I fup- 
 pofe no man in his wits would, thofe wits 
 being part of the barter) let him then judg 
 how unreafonable his rcpinings are , when 
 himfelf confeffes he has the better part of 
 
 Z 2 world- 
 
i8o The Art of Contentment, 
 
 worldly happinefs , and never any man 
 living had all. 
 
 4. I N the third place therefore let him 
 fecure his duty of thankfuhiels for thole 
 good things he hath , and that will infen- 
 fibiy undermine his impatiencies for the 
 reft y it being impoffible to be at once 
 thankful and murmuring. To this pur- 
 pofe it were very well , if he would keep 
 a folemn catalogue of all tlie bounties, 
 protections, and deliverances he has re- 
 ceived from Gods hand , and every night 
 examin what acceffions that day has 
 brought to the fum : and he that did this, 
 would undoubtedly find fo many incita- 
 tions to gratitude , that all thofe to dif^ 
 content would be ftifled in the croud. 
 And iince acknowledgment of Gods mer- 
 cies is all the tribute he exadls for them, 
 we muft certainly look on that as an in- 
 difpeniable duty : and therefore he that 
 finds that God (hortens his hand , Hops 
 the efflux of his bounty towards him , 
 fhould reflect on himfelf, whether he be 
 not behind in that homage by which he 
 holds, and have not by his unrhankful- 
 nefs turn d away gogd things from him^ Efa. 
 i-9. 8* And if he find it fo (as who alas 
 is there that may not?^ he cannot fure for 
 
 fliarae 
 
Se c t. IX. ^^ds for Contentment. 1 8 1 
 
 -i ' ' 
 
 fliame complain, but muit in prudence 
 reinforce his gracitude for what is left, 
 as the belt means to recover what he has 
 loft. 
 
 5, But his murmurs will yet be more 
 amazingly filencM , it in the fourth place 
 he compare, the good things he enjoies 
 with the ill he has don. Cerrainiv this is a 
 moft infallible cure for our impaticncies, 
 the holieit man^living bein^; able to ac- 
 cu(e himfelf of luch fins, as would ac- 
 cording to all human mefures of equity 
 forf^^it all bleflings,and pull down a greater 
 weight of judgmenc then the moft mife* 
 rable groan under. Therefore as before 
 I advifed to keep a catalogue of benefits 
 receiv'd>fo here it would be of u(e to draw 
 up one of (ins committed. And doubtlefs 
 he that confronts the one with the other 
 cannot bat be aftoniflied to find them 
 both fo numerous, equally wondring at 
 Gods mercy in continuing his bleffings, 
 in defpight of all his provocations, and 
 at his ownbafenefs in continuing his pro- 
 vocations , in defpight of all thole blef- 
 fings. Indeed tis nothing but our affe- 
 fted ignorance of our ov/n demerits , that 
 makes i& poflibic for us to repine under 
 the fevereft of Gods difpenfations. Would 
 
 we 
 
. iSi The Art of Contentment. 
 
 w<^ b'Jt ranlacK our hearts , and fee afl the 
 abominations that lie there, nay would 
 the nioit of as butrecolieft thofc bare- 
 faced crimes which even the world can wit- 
 neisagainit us, we Ihoald find more then 
 enough to balance th;.* heavieft of our pref- 
 furcs. Wh^rn therefore by our impatient 
 ftruglings we fret and gail our lei vcs under 
 our burdens , Ice us interrogate our fouls 
 in the words of the. Prophet , Why doth 
 a living 'ma7t comtflajn 5 a man for the pu. 
 nijhmenc of his Jm i Let us not fpcnd our 
 breath in murmurs and out- cries ^ which 
 will only ferve to provoke more ftnpes : 
 but let us fear ch and try our wa:^s , and 
 tuvn again to thr Lord ^ Lam. 3. 39. dili- 
 gently feekout that atcuyfed /)6/>^ which 
 has caufed our diicomfeiturc , Jos. 18 ind 
 by the removal of that , prepare the way 
 for the accefs of mercy. But aias how 
 prepoiterous a method do we take m our 
 afflidrion^ ? We accufe erery thing but 
 whacweoaght, furioufly fly at all the fe- 
 condcaufej»of our calamity) nay too of- 
 ten at the riril: by impious difputes of pro- 
 vidence, and in the mean time, as Job 
 fpeaks, the root 9f the matter is found In us , 
 Job. 19. 28. We fhriter and p.t)te£t in 
 our boloms the real Author of ourmiie- 
 
 ries. 
 
Sect- X. Aids for Contentment. i%i 
 
 ii^s. 1 he rruc way uicii U) alia) the Jen le 
 of our lufFering**, is tofliarpcn that of our 
 fins. The prodigal thougac the meaneft 
 Condition ia his fathers family a prefer- 
 meiit , Make me one. of thy hired Jervmts^ 
 Luk. 15 ly. And ifwc have his penirence, 
 we fliaL have his fubmifiion al/'o,aud calm- 
 ly attend Gods dil'poials of us. 
 
 6. As every man in his afflidfon is 
 to look inward on his own hearCjfo alio up- 
 ward, and confidcr by whofe providence 
 all events are order'd. Is there ayiy tvil 
 Ci.e. of punifhmenr; in tie ciij, and tkt 
 Lordhaih mtaomtf A n. 3. i. and what 
 are we worms that we ih'^uid dilpute with 
 him ? Shall a man contend with his Maker? 
 Let the p t/herd ff rive with the potjitrds 
 oftheearih^Wz.Of'^. g And as hispt>W',T is 
 not to be controi'a , io neither is his ju- 
 ftice to be im peach*d. Shall not the judg of 
 Ml the earth do right ^ Gen. 18, 15. And 
 where we can neither rehft nor appeal , 
 what have we to do bat hun-^b^y to fub- 
 mir? Nor are wc only compeli'd to it by 
 necellity , but induced and invited by in- 
 tereft , fincc his difpenfations are directed 
 not barely to affert his dominion, but to 
 evidence his paternal care over us. He 
 difcerns bur needs, and accordingly ap- 
 plies 
 
184 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 piict tj us. The benignity ot his nature 
 permits him not to take delight in our di- 
 Itrefles , he doth not affli^ willingly , nor 
 grieve thf children of men , Lam. 3.33. and 
 therefore when ever he adminiiters to us 
 a bitter cup 5 we may be lure the ingredi- 
 ents are medicinal , and fuch as our infir- 
 nii:ies require. He dares not trult our in- 
 teinpcratejappctitcs with unmixt prolpe- 
 ritics , the 1 ifliioufnefs whereof tho it 
 maypleafe our palats, yet like St, Johns I 
 book. Rev. 10. 9. t\\2Lthiny in the muuth 
 may frove gall in the bowels^ ingender the 
 iTiOlt fatal diieales. Let us therefore in 
 our calamities not conjhlt with flejh and 
 blojd^ Gal. I. 1 5. (which the more it is 
 bemoan'd , the more it complains ) but 
 look to the hand that ftrikes5 andaffure 
 our fcives J that the ftripes are not more 
 jfevere, then he fees neceflary in order to 
 our good : and fince they are fo , they 
 ought in reaion to be our choices as well 
 ashiN^ and not only Religion,butfelf-Iove 
 win promt us to fay, widi old £/r, ft u the 
 Lord^ ht him do what fe erne th him good^ 
 I Sam.3 ii. But alas we do not underitand 
 what vs, our intereft; becaufe we do not 
 rightly underftand what we are our (elves. 
 We confider our felves merely in our ani- 
 mal 
 
Sect.X. Aids for Contentment. .185 
 
 mal being , oar bodies and thole Icndtive 
 faculties veiled in them , and when, we are 
 invaded there, we think we are undon 
 tho that breach be made only to relieve 
 that diviner part within us, bcfieged and 
 opprelt with the liefli about it ( for lb God 
 knows it too often is;) or if we do not con- 
 fider it in that notion of an enemy, vet 
 at the utnioft eftimate, the body is to the 
 foul but as the garment to the body, a 
 decent cafe or cover : now what man (not 
 ftark frantic) would not rather have his 
 clothes cut then his flefli l and then by the 
 rate of proportion, wemay wellqueltion 
 our own fobriety, v/hen we repine that 
 our fouls are fecur'd at the coil ot our bo- 
 dies, and that '\% certainly the worit, the 
 nnkindclr defign, that God has upon us- 
 and our impatient reiiLtances f^rve only to 
 fruftrate the kind, the medicinal part of 
 afflictions ^ but will not at all refcue us 
 from the Severe. Our murmurings may 
 mine our fouls , but will never avert any 
 of our outward calamities, 
 
 7. A feventh help to contentment is to 
 have a right eftimate of the world, and the 
 com.mon ftateof humanity : to confider 
 the world but as a ilage and our fel ves but 
 as adorsj and to refolve that it is very ht- 
 
 A a tie 
 
1 85 The Art of Con tenement 
 
 tie material what part we play fo we do 
 it well. A Comedian may get as much ap- 
 plaufe by adting the Have as the conque- 
 ror, and he that adts the one to day,may to 
 morrow reverfe the part, and perfonate the 
 other. So great are the viciffitudes of the 
 worldj that there is no building any firm 
 hopes upon it. All the certainty we have 
 ofitj is, that in every condition it has its 
 uneafineffcs : Co that when we court a 
 change, wc rather feek to vary then end 
 our mileries. And certainly he that has 
 well iiiipreft upon his mind the vanity and 
 vexation of the world , cannot be much 
 ftirprifed at any thing that befalls him in 
 it. We exped no more of any thing 
 but to do its kind , and we may as well be 
 angry that w^ cannot brine the lions to 
 our cribs , or fix the wind to a certain 
 point , as that we cannot lecure our felves 
 from dangers and difappointments in this 
 rough and mutable world. We are there- 
 fore CO lay it as an infallible maxim , that 
 in this vale of tears every man muft meet 
 with forrows and difafters '. and then fure 
 we may take our peculiar with evennefs 
 of temper, as being but the natural con- 
 fequent of our being men. And tho pof- 
 fibly we may every one think himfelf to 
 
 have 
 
S E c T . X . Aids for Contentment . 187 
 
 have a double portion:, yet that is ufually 
 from the deceitful comparifon we make 
 of our lelves with others. We take the 
 magnifying glafles of difcontent and envy 
 when we view our own miferies and others 
 felicities, but look on our enjoiments 
 and their fufferings thro the contradting 
 optics of ingratitude and incorapaffion : 
 and whilft wedothus, tis impoffible but 
 we mult foment our own diffatisfadions. 
 He that will compare to good purpofe 
 muft do it honeftly and lincerely , and 
 view his neighbors calamities with the 
 fame attention he do's his own, and his 
 own comforts with the fame he do's his 
 neighbors 5 and then many of the great 
 leeming inequalities would come pretty 
 neer a level. 
 
 8. But even where they do not, it in 
 the 8"^^ place deferves however to be con- 
 fidefd how ill natur'd a thing it is, for 
 any man to think himfelf more miferable 
 becaufe another is happy : and yet this is 
 the very thing, by which alone many men 
 have made themfelves wretched : for ma- 
 ny have created wants , merely frOm the 
 envious contemplation of other mens a- 
 buadance. And indeed there is nothing 
 more difingenuous, or (to go higher) more 
 
 Aa 2 Dia- 
 
1 88 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 Diabolical. Lucifer was happy enough 
 in his original Itate, yet could not think 
 himfclf fo becauie he was not like the moji 
 high Ifa, 14. 14. And when by that info- 
 lent ambition he had forfeited blifs , it has 
 everfince bin an aggravation of his tor- 
 ment , that mankind is affumed to a capa- 
 city of it; and accordingly he makes if 
 the defign of his envious induftry to de- 
 feat him. Nowhowperfcdly are the two 
 firft parts of this copy rranfcrib'd, by thofe 
 who firft cannot be fatisfied v/ith any in- 
 ferior degree of profperity, and then whet 
 their impatiencics with other mens enjoi- 
 ments of what they cannot attain? And tis 
 much to be doubred^that they who go thus 
 far may compieat the parallel, and endea- 
 vor when they have opportunity to un- 
 dermine that happinefs they envy. There- 
 fore fince Satan is fo apt to-imprefs his 
 whole image, where he has drawn any of 
 his lineaments, it concerns us warily to 
 guard oLir felves, and by a Chriftian fym- 
 pathy with our brethren, rejoice with them 
 that do rejoice '^ Rom. 12. 15. make the 
 comforts of others, an allay not an im- 
 provement of our own miferies. Chari- 
 ty has a ftrange magnetic power, and at- 
 trails the concerns of our brethren to us , 
 
 and 
 
Sect. X. Aids for Contentment. 189 
 
 and he that has that in his breail can never 
 want refreftiment, whilft any about liim 
 are happy 5 for by adopting their intereil , 
 hefharesintheirjoics. Jethro tho an a- 
 hen rejoiced for all thegaodGodhad don to 
 Ifrael y Exod. 18. p. and why fliould not 
 we have as fenfible a concurrence with 
 our fellow Chriftians ? And he that has fo , 
 will ftill find fomthing to balance his own 
 fufFerings. 
 
 p. L E T him that afpircs to content- 
 ment fet bounds to his defire. Tis our 
 common fault in this affair , we ufually 
 begin at the wrong end , we enlarge our 
 dejires as hell, and cannot bejatisjied , Hab. 
 2.5. and then think God ufes us ill, it he 
 do not fill our infatiable appetites : where- 
 as if we would confine our expcftations to 
 thofe things which we need, or he has pro- 
 mised, there are few of us who would not 
 find them abundantly anfwer'd. Alas how 
 few things are there which our nature (if 
 not ftimulated by fancy and luxury ) re* 
 quires ? And how rare is it to find them 
 who want thofe ? Nay who have not ma- 
 ny additional for delight and plefure?And 
 yetGods promife under theGofpel extends 
 only to thofe neceflaries; for where Chrifi 
 afTureshisdifciples that thefe things shall 
 
 be 
 
ipo The Art of Contentment. 
 
 be addedunto them^ Mat.6.33. the context 
 apparently reftrains theje things to meat 
 and drink and clothing. Therefore take 
 no thought for the life what you shall tat j 
 or what you shall drinky nor yet jor the body 
 what youshallput on , verfe if, now what 
 pretence have we to claim more then our 
 Charter gives us ? God never articled with 
 the ambitious to give him honors,or with 
 the covetous to fill his bags, or with the 
 voluptuous to feed his luxuries. Let us 
 therefore , if we expert to be fatisfied , 
 modeftly confine ourdefires within the li- 
 mits he has fet us : and then every accef- 
 Con which he fuperadds will appear (what 
 it is) a largefs and bounty. Butwhilftour 
 appetites are boundlefs, and rather ftretcht 
 then filled with our acqueft's, what poffi- 
 bility is there of their fatisfaftion ? And 
 when we importune God for it , we do 
 but affign him fuch a task the Poets made 
 a reprefentation of their Hell, the filling 
 a fieve with water, or the rolling a ftone 
 up a precipice. 
 
 loly. A great expedient tor content- 
 ment , is to confine our thoughts to the 
 prefent, and not to let them loofe to fu- 
 ture events. Would vire but do this, v^re 
 might Ihake off a great part of our bur- 
 den; 
 
Sect.X. Aids for Contentment » ipi 
 
 den : for we often heap fantaftic loads 
 upon our felves by anxious prelages of 
 things which perhaps will never happen ^ 
 and yet fink more under them, then under 
 the real weight that is aftual upon us. 
 And this is certainly one of the greateft 
 follies imaginable ; for either the evil will 
 come or it will not : if it will ^ tis fure no 
 fuch defirable gueil that we fliould go out 
 to meet it 5 we (hall feel it time enough 
 when it falls on us , we need not project 
 to anticipate our fenfe ofit;butif it will 
 not, what extreme madnefs is it for a man 
 to torment himfelf with that which will 
 never be, to create engines of tortures, 
 and by fuch aerial afflictions, make him- 
 felf as miferable as the molt real ones could 
 do? And truly this is all that we ufually get 
 by our fore-fights. Previfion is one of Gods 
 attributes, and he mocks at all our pre- 
 tences to it, by a frequent defeating of 
 all our fore-cafts. He do's it often in our 
 hopes: fome little crofs circumftance ma- 
 ny times demolifhes thofe goodly machins 
 weraifetoour felves: and he do's it no 
 lefs in our fears ; thofe ills we folemnly 
 expeifted often baulk us , and others from 
 an unexpecSted coall fuddenly invade us. 
 And fince we are fo blind,fo fliort-fighted . 
 
 let 
 
Xp2 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 let us never take upon us to b^ Icoats, to 
 dif-over danger at a diftance (for tis mani- 
 fold odds we (hall only bring home falfe a- 
 larms) but let us rell our felves upon that 
 moft admirable Aphorilm of ourblcfled 
 Lord, Sufficient unto the day is the evil there- 
 of\ Mat. 6 34. apply our felves with Chri- 
 ihaa courage to bear the prefent, and 
 leave God either to augment or diminifli , 
 as he lees fit,for the future. Or if v^e will 
 needs be looking forward, let it be in o- 
 bedience not contradidion to our duty j 
 let us entertain our felves with thofe fu- 
 turities which we are fure are not Chime- 
 ra's, death and judgment, heaven and hell. 
 The nearer we draw thefe things to our 
 \iQ,vj ^ the more infenfible will all inter- 
 medial objeftsbcj they will deceive our 
 fenfe of prefent, and much more fore-ltal 
 the apprehenfion of future evils: for tis 
 our negled: of things eternal,that leaves us 
 thus at lealiire for the tranfitory. 
 
 II. In the lafl: place let us in all our 
 diftrefies fuperfede our anxieties and fo- 
 licitudes by that moft effedtual remedy 
 the Apoftleprelcribes, Is any man afflicted 
 let him pray ^ Jam. 5. 14. And this fure 
 is a moft rational prefcription : for alas 
 what elfe can we do towards the redrefs^ 
 
 of 
 
Sect . X. Aids for Contentment. 193 
 
 of our griefs. We who are fc impotent, 
 that we have not power over the moft 
 delpicable excrefcence of our own body, 
 C2inviot m^Q one hair 1SU hit e or bUck^ Mat. 
 5.3P. what can we do towards tlip new 
 moulding our condition , or modeilmg 
 things without us ? Our foiicitud?s ferve 
 only to bind our burdens fafter upon us, 
 but this expedient of Praierwill certainly 
 relieve us. Call upon me , faies God , in 
 the time of trouble^ and I will hear thee^ 
 and thou shalt praije me, Pfal. 50. 15. 
 When ever therefore we are finlang in the 
 floods of affliftion, let us thus fupport 
 our felves by reprelenting our wants unto 
 our gracious Lord , cry unto him as St. 
 Peter did ^ Mat. 14. 30. and he will take 
 us by the handy and be the winds never {o 
 boiherous or contrary ^prefer vq us from fink- 
 ing : the waves or billows of this trou- 
 blefom world, will ferve but to tofs us 
 clofer into his arms , who can with a word 
 appeafe the rougheft tempeft, or refcue 
 from it. O let us not then befo unkind 
 to our felves^ as to negled: this infaUiblc 
 means of our deliverance/ but with the 
 Pfalmift take our refuge under the shadow 
 of the divine wings till the calamity be o- 
 ver-paH. Pfal. 5 7. i . And as this is a iure 
 
 B b ex- 
 
„ . \ 
 
 194 The Art of Contentment, 
 
 expedient in all our real important affli- 
 ftions, fo it is a good teft by which to 
 try what are fo. We are often peevifli 
 and difquieted at trifles, nay we take up 
 the quarrels of our luftsand vices j and are 
 difcontented when they want their wifht 
 fupplies. Now in either of thefe cafes, 
 no man that at all confiders who he praies 
 to , will dare to infert thefe in his praiers , 
 itbemgacontemtof God to invoke him 
 in things fo llight as the one j or impious _ 
 as the other. It will therefore be good for I 
 every man when he goes to addrefs for re- 
 lief, to confider which of his preflures they 
 are, that are worthy of that folemn de- 
 precation : and whenhehasfingled thofe 
 out, let him reflect:, and he will find he 
 has in that prejudg'd all his other diicon- 
 tents as frivolous or wicked. And then 
 fure he cannot think fit to harbour them , 
 but muft for fhame difmifs them, lince 
 they are fuch , as he dares not avow to 
 him , from whom atone he can exped: 
 relief. God alwaies pities our real mi^ 
 feries, but our imaginary ones dare 
 not demand it. Let us not then create 
 fuch difeafes to our felves , as we can- 
 not declare to our Phyfitian : and when 
 thofe are precluded, for all the reft SC. 
 
 Paufs 
 
Sect. X. Mds'for Contentment* 1^5 
 
 Vauls recipe is a Catholicon, 'Be cart' 
 fulfor nothing y but in every th'mg by f rat" 
 ers and fupplications , with thankjgiving , 
 let your requejis be made known to God^ 
 Phil. 4. 6. 
 
 Bb 2 Sect. 
 
196 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 Sect. XI. 
 Of Refignation, 
 
 I . \ N D now amidft fucli variety of 
 -^^receits , twill be hard to inftance 
 any one fort of calamity which can efcape 
 their efficacy, if they be but duly applied; 
 But indeed we have generally a compendi- 
 ous way of fruftrating all remedies by ne- 
 ver making ufe of them: like fantaftic pati- 
 ents we are well enough content to have 
 our difeafe difcourft , and medicines pre- 
 fcrib'd , but when the Phy fie comes, have 
 ftill fome pretence or other to protrafl: 
 the taking it. But I fhall befeech the 
 Reader to confider, thatcounfels are not 
 charms, to work without any cooperation 
 of the concerned perfon : they muft be ad- 
 verted to, they muft be ponder'd and con- 
 fider'd, and finally they muft be praftic'd, 
 or elfe the utmoft good they can do us, 
 is to give us a few hours divercifment in 
 the reading : but they do us a mifchief 
 that infinitly out-weighs it, for they im* 
 
 prove 
 
Sect. XI. Of Rejignation. jc}^ 
 
 prove our guilts by the ineffective tender 
 they make of refcuing us from them, and 
 leave us accountable not only for the ori- 
 ginal crimes, but our obttinate adhefion 
 to them in fpight of admonition. 
 
 2. I fay this becaufe it is a little too 
 notorious , that many take up books only 
 as they do cards or dice , as aninftrument 
 of diverfion. Tis a good entertainment 
 of their curiofity to fee what can be faid 
 upon any fubjeft, and be it well or ill 
 handled, they can pleafc themfelves e- 
 qually with the ingenuity or ridiculouf- 
 nefs of the compoiiire, and when they 
 have don this, they have don all they de- 
 fign'd. This indeed may be tolerable in 
 Romances and Play-books, but fure it ill 
 befits Divinity. And yet I fear ifoftneft 
 happens there : for in the former fome do 
 projed for fome trivial improvements, as 
 the embellifhing of their Itile, the inipi- 
 riting of their fancies ; and fome men 
 would Icarce be able to drive their pedling 
 trade of wit , did they not thus fweep the 
 ftage : but alas how many books of piety 
 are read, of which one cannot dilcern 
 the lead tindure in mens converfations, 
 w^hich fure do's in a great mefure proceed 
 from the want of a determinate defii:n in 
 
 their 
 
1^8 The Art of Contentment* 
 
 their reading , mens pradice being not 
 apt to be leis rovers then their {pecula- 
 tion. He that takes a pradical fubjeft 
 in hand, mufl: do itwithadefign to con- 
 form his pradice to what he fliall there 
 be convinced to be his duty, and he that 
 comes not with this probity of mind , 
 is not like to be much benefited by his 
 reading. 
 
 3, But one would think this fhould 
 be an unneceffary caution at this time , 
 for fince the intent of this trad , is only 
 to Ihew men the way to contentment, tis 
 to be fuppos^d the Readers will be as much 
 in earned as the writer can be, it being 
 every mans proper and moft important 
 intereft, the inflating him in the higheft 
 and mofl fupreme felicity that this world 
 can admit *• yet for all this fair probabili- 
 ty , I doubt many will in this inflance 
 have the fame indifference they have in 
 their other fpiritual concerns. 
 
 4. T I s true indeed that a querulous re- 
 pinmg humor , is one of the moft per- 
 nicious, the moft ugly habits incident to 
 mankinds but yet as deformed people are 
 oft the moft in love with themfelves, fo 
 this crooked piece of our temper, is of all 
 others the moft indulgent to it felf. Me- 
 
 Ian- 
 
S 1 CT. XI. of Rejignation. i pp 
 
 lancholy is the moft ftubborn and untra- 
 dlableot all humors • and difcontent beino- 
 the offspring of that, partakes of that iii^ 
 flexibility : and accordingly we lee how- 
 impregnable it often is^ againfl: all affauks 
 of realon and Religion too. Joiiah in a 
 fuUen mood would jullify his difcontent 
 even to God himfelf, and in fpight of that 
 calm reproof, Doft thou well to be angry ? 
 Jon. 4. p« averr/?^ did well to be angry e* 
 njen to the death- And do we not frequent- 
 ly fee men upon an impatience of fome 
 difappointment , grow angry even at their 
 comforts ? Their friends , their children, 
 their meat, their drink, every thing grows 
 naufeous to them, and in a frantic difcon- 
 tent , they often fling away thofe things 
 which they moft value. Befides this pee- 
 vifli impatience is of lb aerial a diet, that tis 
 fcarce poffible to ftarve it. Twill nurifli it 
 felfwithPhantafms and Chimeras, fuborn 
 a thoufand lurmiles and imaginary diftreC 
 io,^ to abet its pretences: and tho every one 
 ofuscanremonftratetoone another, the 
 unreafonablenefs of this dilcontent yet 
 fcarce any of us will draw the argument 
 home, or fuffer ourfelves to be convinced 
 by what we urge as irrefragable to others. 
 Nay farther this humor is impatient of any 
 
 di. 
 
20O The Art of Contentment. 
 
 diverfion, loves to converfe only with it 
 felf. In bodily pains, men that delpair of 
 cure are yet gladof allaies and mitigations, 
 and drive by all arts to divert and de- 
 ceive the lenfe of their anguiih* but in 
 ji this difeafe of themind,mencherifliand 
 I improve their torment, roll and chew the 
 I bitter pill in their mouths, that they may 
 9 be lure to have its utmoft flavor 5 and by 
 devoting all their thoughts to the fubjedb 
 of their grief, keep up in an uninterrupted 
 fenle of it : as if they had the fame Ty- 
 ranny for themfelves which Caligula had 
 for others • and loved to feel themfelves 
 die. Indeed there is not a more abfurd 
 contradidiion in the world, then to hear 
 men cry out of the weight, the intolera- 
 blenefs of their burden, and yet grafp it 
 asfaftasif their life were bound up in it^ 
 will not depofite it, no not for the fmal- 
 left breathing time. A ftrange falcinati- 
 on fure ; and yet fo frequent , that it 
 ought to be the fundamental care of him 
 that would cure men of their di.^ontents, 
 to bring them to a hearty willingnefs of 
 being cured. 
 
 5. It may be tlijs will look like pa- 
 radox, and every man will be apt to fay he 
 wiflies nothing more in earncft, then to 
 
 be 
 
S E c T. X r. Of liejignation, 201 
 
 be cured of his prefent difcontenr. He that 
 is poor would be cured by wealth , he that 
 is low and obfcure by honor and great- 
 ness : but fo an Hydropic perfon may fay 
 he defires to have his thirft cur*d by a 
 perpetual fupply of drink j yet all fober 
 people know, that that is the way only 
 to increafe it : but let the whole habit 
 of the body be red:ified, and then the 
 thirft will ceafe of it felf. And certainly 
 tis the very fame in the prefent cafe; no 
 outward acceflions will ever fatisfy out 
 cravings , our appetites muft be tam'd 
 and reduc'd, and then they will never be 
 able to raife tumults^ or put us into mu- 
 tiny and difcontent : and he ( and none 
 but he ) that fubmits to this method , can 
 truly be faid to defire a cure. 
 
 6. But he that thus attefts the reali*i 
 ty of his defires, and feeks contentment 
 in its proper fphere , may furely arrive to 
 fome conliderable degrees of it. We find 
 in all ages men, that only by the dire- 
 cStion of natural light have calmed their 
 difquiets, and reafon'd themfclves into 
 contentment even under great and fen- 
 fible prefllires 5 men who amidft the acu. 
 teft torments , have ftill preferv*d a le« 
 renityof mind, and have fruftrated con- 
 
 G c temts 
 
201 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 tcmts and reproches by difregarding them : 
 and fiire we give a very ill account of our 
 Chiiftianity, if we cannot do as much with 
 it as they did without it. 
 
 7. I do not herepropofefuch a Stoical 
 infenfibihty as makes no diftindtion of e* 
 ventSiwhichjthoit has bin vainly pretend- 
 ed to by many, yet fure was never attained 
 by any upon the ftrength of difcourfe:' 
 Some natural dulnefs or cafual ftupefa- 
 0:ion muft concur to that , and perhaps 
 by doing fo, has had the luck to be ca- 
 noniz'dfor vertue. I mean only fuch a 
 Superiority of mind as raiies us above our 
 fufferiiigs , tho it exemt us not from the 
 fenfe or them. We cannot propofe to 
 our felves a higher pattern in any vertue 
 then our blefled Lord : yet we fee he not 
 only felt that load under which he lay, 
 but had the moft pungent and quick 
 fenfe of it, fuch aspromted thofeearncft 
 deprecations , Father if it be pojjible let 
 this Clip pa fs : yet all thofe difplacencies 
 of his fle/h were furmounted by the re- 
 fignation of his ipint, never thele/s not what 
 I will ^ but what thou wilt^ Luk. 22. And 
 certainly he that in imitation of this pat- 
 tern, do's in fpight of all the reludancies 
 of his fenle, thus intirely fubmit his will , 
 
 how- 
 
Sect. XL Of Rejignation, 203 
 
 however he may be fad, yet he is not im. 
 patient. Nor is he like to be fad long, for 
 to him that is thus refign'd , light will 
 fpring up^ Pfal. p/. II. fome good Angel 
 will be lent like that to our Savior to re- 
 \t\VQ his difconiolation. God will fend 
 either fome outward allaies, or give fuch 
 interior comforts and fupporrs, as fhall 
 counterpoife thole afflidions he takes not 
 off. 
 
 8. Indeed the grand defignof God 
 in correding us is ( the fame with that 
 of a prudeit parent towards his child ) to 
 break our wills. That ftubborn faculty will 
 fcarce bend with eafy touches, and there- 
 fore do's require fome force: and when 
 by that rougher handling he has brought 
 it to a piiantnefs, the work is don. Tis 
 therefore our intereft to cooperate with 
 this defign, to aflift as much as we are able 
 towards the fubjugating this unruly part 
 of our felvcs. This is that 5^^^^ 2 Sam. 20. 
 thefurrendringofwhomis Gods expeda- 
 tion in all the clofe fieges he laies to us. 
 Let us then be fo wife? as by an early re- 
 figning it to divert his farther hoftilities, 
 and buy our peace with him. 
 
 p, A N D truly this is the way not only 
 
 to gain peace with him , but our felvcs 
 
 Cc 2 too: 
 
20+ The Art of Contentment. 
 
 too ; tis the ufurpation of our will ove^^ 
 our reafon which breeds all the confu- 
 fion and tumults within our own breafts, 
 and there is no poffibility of curbing its 
 infolence, but by putting it into fafe cu- 
 ftody, committing it to him who ( as our 
 Church teaches us) alone can order the 
 unruly wills of finful men. Indeed no- 
 thing but experience can fully inform us 
 of the lerenity and calm of that foul, who 
 hasrefign'd his will to God. All care of 
 chufing for himfelf is happily fuperfeded, 
 he is temted to no anxious forecaftsfor 
 future events, for he knows nothing can 
 happen in contradiftion of that fupreme 
 Will, in which he hath fanftuary : which 
 will certainly chufe for him with that 
 tendernefs and regard , that a faithful 
 Guardian would for his pupil, an indul- 
 gent father for his child that calls its felf 
 into his arms. Certainly there is not in 
 the world fuch a holy fort of artifice, fo 
 Divine a charm to tie our God to us,as this 
 of religning our felves to him. We find the 
 Gibeonites by yielding themfelves vaflals 
 to the Ifraelites, had their whole army at 
 their beck to refcue them in their danger 
 jof. lo. 6. and canwe think God is lefs con- 
 fiderate of his homagers and dependants iT 
 
 No 
 
S E c T . XL Of Refignation, 105 
 
 No certainly, his honor as well as his com- 
 pafljon is concjsrn'd in the relief of thofe 
 who have furrendred themfelves to him. 
 
 10. Farther yet , when by refig- 
 nation we have united our wills to God, 
 we have quite changed the fcene, and 
 we, who when our wills flood fingle were 
 liable to perpetual defeats, in this bleffed 
 combination can never be croft. When 
 our will is twilted and involved with 
 Gods, the fame omnipotence which backs 
 his will,do's alfo attend ours.Gods will, we 
 are fure, admits of no controle, can never 
 be refiited5 and we have the fame fecuri- 
 ty for ours, fo long as it concurs with it. 
 By this means all calamities are unfting'd; 
 and even thofe things which are moft re- 
 pugnant to our fenfitive natures, are yet 
 very agreable to our fpirits , when we 
 confider they are implicitly our own 
 choice, fince they are certainly his, whom 
 we have deputed to eledt for us. Indeed 
 there can be no face of adverfity fo aver* 
 ting and formidable , which fet in this 
 light will not look amiable. We fee daily 
 how many uneafinefles and prejudices 
 men will contentedly fufFer in purfuit of 
 their wills: and if we have really efpou- 
 fed Gods , m.ade his will ours , we fliall 
 
 with 
 
206 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 with as great ( nay far greater ) alacrity 
 embrace its diftributions, how unealy 
 foever to our fenfe^ our fouls will more 
 acquiesce in the accoaiplifhment of the 
 Divine will, then our fleih can reludt to 
 any fevere efted: of it. 
 
 11. Here then is that footing 
 
 of firm ground , on which whofoever 
 
 can ftand , may indeed do that which 
 
 Archimedes boafted , move the whole 
 
 world. He may as to himfeli: fubverc the 
 
 whole courfe of fublanary things , un- 
 
 venem all thofe calamities which are to 
 
 others the gall of Afps • and in a farther 
 
 lenfe verify that Evangelical prophecy, 
 
 of beating Jwords into plough-shares ^ and 
 
 Jpeares into pruning hooks , Efay. 2. 4. the 
 
 nioft hoftile weapons , the mod adverfe 
 
 events , fhali be by him converted into 
 
 inilruments of fertiUty, fhall only advance 
 
 his fpiritual growth. 
 
 12. And now who can chufe but con- 
 fefsthis a much more eligible ftate , then 
 to be alvvaies harrafled with folicitudes 
 and cares , perpetually either fearing fu- 
 ture defeats, or bewaihngthepaft. And 
 then what can we call it lefs then mad- 
 nefs or enchantment, for men to aft (b 
 contrary to their own didates , yea to 
 
 their 
 
Se c T . XL Of Rejignation. 207 
 
 their very fenfe and experience , to fee 
 and acknowledg the inexphcable felicity 
 of a refigned will, and yet perverfly to 
 hold out theirs, tho they can get nothing 
 by it, but the luUen pleafure of oppofing 
 God , and tormenting themfelves ? Let 
 us therefore if not for our duty oreafe> 
 yet at leaft for our reputation , the af- 
 ferting our felves men of fobriety and 
 common fenfe , do that which upon all 
 thefe interells we are obliged ; let us but 
 give up our wills, and with them we (hall 
 certainly diveft our felves of all our fruit- 
 lefs anxieties, and caft our burdens upon 
 him who invites us to do fo. He who bears 
 all our fins, will b^ar all our forrows, 
 our griefs too 5 if we will but be content 
 to depofitethem: he will relieve us from 
 all thofe opprefling weights, which make 
 our fouls cleave to the duft, Pfal. 119. 25. 
 and will in exchange give us only his lights 
 his pie af ant burden^ Mat. 11. 33. In a 
 word there will be no care left for us , but 
 that of keeping our lelves in a capacity 
 of his : let us but fecure our love to him, 
 and we are afcertain'd that all things shall 
 work together for our good ^ Rom. 8. 28. 
 
 To conclude , Refignation and Con- 
 tentment are vertues not only of a near 
 
 cogna. 
 
ao8 The Art of contentment. 
 
 cognation and refemblance, but they are 
 linked as the Caufe and the Effect. Let 
 us but make fure of Relignation, and 
 Content will flow into us without our 
 farther induftry : as on the contrary whilft 
 our wills are at defiance with Gods , we 
 ihall alwaies find things at as great defi- 
 ance with ours. All our fubtiltiesor in- 
 duftries will never mould them to our fa- 
 tisfadionSjtiU we have moulded our felves 
 into that pliant temper that we can cor- 
 dially fay. It is the Lord^ let him do what 
 feemeth him good, i Sam. 3.18. 
 
 The 
 
 ^ 
 
The Clofe. 20 g^ 
 
 The Clofe. 
 
 t. 'T* HIS fliort inftitutiou of the Art 
 
 A of Contentment , cannot more na* 
 rurally, or more defirabllydraw to acon- 
 clufion 5 then in the reforlt we have given 
 it , in the bofome of divine Providence. 
 The Roman conquerors at the lall pitch 
 of all their triumphs, went to the Capi- 
 tol , and laid their Garlands in the lap of 
 Jupiter : but the Chriltian has an eafier 
 way to Triumph, to put his crown of 
 thornes (for that is the trophy of his vi- 
 d:orie$ ) within the arms of his gracious 
 God; there lodg his fears, his wants, 
 his forrows, and himfelf too^ as in the 
 beft repolitory. 
 
 2. Th e Gofpel command of noted' 
 ring for the morrow^ Mat. 6. 34. and being 
 careful for 7iothing^ Phil. 4, 6. nakedly 
 propos'd, might feem the abandoning of 
 us to all the calamities of Hfe : but when 
 we are directed to caji ail our care upon 
 a gracious and all-powerful Parent, and 
 are aflur'd that he cares for us^ i Pet. 5, 7. 
 that tho a ^ji'oman may forget her fucking 
 child ^ that she should not have cornfaffwn 
 
 D d ^f 
 
310 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 of the j'on of her womb^yetwiUhenotfor^ 
 get his children 5 Ifa. 49v^f- ^his will 
 abundantly fuperfede all cavil and obje- 
 ction. Whilft worldly men thruft in an 
 arm of fleih, lay up trefure on earthy a prey 
 iotriifi andmothi Mat, 6. ip. and a tor^ 
 ment to themfelves. Jam. 5. 3. theChri- 
 ftian has Omnipotence for his fupport, 
 and a trefure in heaveuy where no thief 
 cppYOches nor moth corrupts^ Mat. 6. 20. 
 Whirft bold inquirers call in queftion 
 Gods fecret will, oblige him to their fub 
 or fupralapfarian fchem^s , their abfolute 
 or conditional decrees, their grace fore- 
 feen or predetermin d^ the pious man with 
 aweful acquiefcence fabmits to that which 
 is revel'd : refolves for ever to obey , but 
 laever to difpute 5- as knowing that the 
 belov'd Difciple lean'd on his Matters bo- 
 Ibme-, but tis the thief s and traitors part 
 to go about to rifle it. 
 
 3. Tis lurely a modeft demand in the 
 behalf of God Almighty, that we fhould 
 allow him- as much privilege in thisWorld^ 
 as every Pefant clames in his Cottage -, to 
 be Matter there, and dilpofe of his houfe- 
 holdas he thinks beft; to Jay to this man-^ 
 Go i and he goeth : and to another > Come , 
 ^idhe £07neth ; mdtohisfcrvmit^. Do this ^ 
 
 m4 
 
Tht Clofe. 2H 
 
 and hedothity Mat. 8.9. AndifwewoulcJ 
 afford him this liberty, there would be 
 an immediate end put to all clamor and 
 complaint. 
 
 4. W E make it our daily praier that 
 the will of God maf be don in earth as it 
 is in heaven , with a ready , Iwift , and 
 uninterrupted conftancy. As tis Giant- 
 like rebeiUon to let up our will againft 
 his i fo is it mad perverfnefs to fet it up 
 againft our own • be difpleas'd that our 
 requefts are granted, and repine that his, 
 and therewith our will is don. It were 
 indeed not only good manners, but good 
 pohcy , to obferve the direction of the 
 Ileathen , and follow God : not prejudg 
 his determinations by ours i but in a mo- 
 deft fufpenfion of our thoughts , hearken 
 what the Lord God will fay concerning its , 
 for he will fpeaJ^peace unto his people^ and 
 to his Saints that tJ^ey turn net again , 
 Ffa. 85.8. 
 
 y. O R however upon furprife we may 
 indulge to a paffionateafFecStion^ and dote 
 upon our illegitimate off -fpringjour dearie 
 ing guilts or follies, as T)avid did upon 
 that Child, which was the price of Murder 
 and adultery : yet when the brat is taken 
 from us, when the Child is dead^ it will 
 
 Dd^ be- 
 
2XZ The Art of Contentment. 
 
 become us to do as he did 5 rile from our 
 fallen pofture on the earth , and in'orship 
 in the hotife of the Lord^ 2 Sam. 12. 20. 
 It will behove us, as he faies in another 
 place, to lay our hand upon our mouth , be^ 
 caufe it ^juas his doings Pfal. 30. 10; and 
 with holy Job , Chap. 40. 4. when chargM 
 with his miirmurings. Behold I am viky 
 what JIj all I anjiver t Oncebave I fpoJ>e?ij 
 bm I mil not anfiver : yea tivice^ but I will 
 proceed no farther, 
 
 6. Socrates rightly faid of Content- 
 ment, oppofing it to the riches of fortune 
 and opinion, that tis the wealth of nature ; 
 for it gives every thing that we have 
 learnt to want, and really need : but 
 Refignation is the riches of Grace, be- 
 llowing all things that a Chriitian not 
 only needs, but can delire, even Ahnighty 
 Godhimfelf, He indeed, as the Schole- 
 men teach, is the objeftive happinefs of 
 the Creature 5 Hewlioisthe fountain of 
 being, mull be alio of bleflednefs. And 
 tho this be only communicable to us, 
 when we have put off thzt flesh which can- 
 not enter into the kingdom of God^ and laid 
 afide that corruption \yhich cannot inherit 
 incorruption -i 1 Cor. 15. yet even in this 
 li£it^ we may make approches to that blef- 
 
TheClofe. 213 
 
 fed ftate, by afisof feiignation and de- 
 nial of our felves. It was the generous 
 faying of Socrates being about to die un- 
 to his friend ^'O Crito^ fince it is the will 
 of God , fo let it be: /^njtus and Melitus 
 may kill me , but cannot hurt me. But 
 fuch a refignation astisinfinitly a greater 
 duty to a Chriftian, foitisalfo a more 
 firm fecurity. ;4n that cafe tis not the 
 Martyr , but ^efus of Nazareth who is 
 thus periecuted, and he who attaques him, 
 will find it hard to kick againji the f ricks , 
 Aft. p, f. 
 
 7. There could not be a greater 
 inftance of the profligate fenfuality of the 
 Jfraelites^ tlien that '^ they murmured for 
 want of leeks and onions ^ Num. 11. f. 
 when they ate Angels food , and had 
 bread rain d down from heaven. Tis im- 
 poflible for the foul that is fenfiblc of 
 God Almighties favor , to repine at any 
 earthly prefllire. The Lord is my shep^ 
 herd^ faith T)avtd ^ therefore can I lack 
 yiothing^ Pfa. 25. I. And, thou haB put 
 gladnefs into my heart ^ more then when t heir 
 corn^ and wine ^ and oilincreafed , Pfa. 4. 7. 
 and in paflionate rapture he cries out, 
 P(a. y^. ^5. Whom have I in heaven hut 
 thee ? and there is none upon earth that I 
 
214 The Art of Contentment. 
 
 defrre in comparifon of thee. My fiejh and 
 my heart faileth ". but God is the firength 
 of my hearty andmy portion for ever. And 
 likewife Pfal. 46. i. God Is our hope and 
 firength ^ a very prefent help in trouble^ 
 Therefore will we jiot fear^ tho the earth b^ 
 moved : and tho the hills be carried into the 
 midjl of the feet. Tho the waters there- 
 of rage and fpoell^ and tho the mountains' 
 pjake at the tempeflof thefame. I[ GodhQ 
 in the midjl of ns^ we jhall not be removed^ 
 he will help us ^ and that right early* Let 
 us therefore poflefs our felvesofthisfup- 
 f)ort^ and as the Prophet advifes, Ifa, 8.12. 
 neither fear ^nor be afraidy in any exigence 
 how great foe ver 5 but be fiill andquiet j 
 itndfanHify the Ijord of hofls himfelf ^ and 
 let him be our fear 3 and let him he our 
 dread. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
THE CONTENTS. 
 
 S E C T 1 6 N 
 
 i. Of the necefarj Connexion letppcen Haf^ 
 
 f we fs and Contentment. ?• !♦ 
 
 t* f Gods Abfolute S over aignfj. /'•ly. 
 
 J. Of GodsVnlimited Bounty, />. 28. 
 
 4. 0/ the Surplufage of our Enjoiments 
 
 above our Sufferings. f. $6. 
 
 5. Of our Demerit towards God. f. 85. 
 
 6. 0/ Gods general Providence* /^. 107, 
 
 7. Of Gods particular Providence. /> 121^ 
 
 8. 0/^^e Advantage of Jffll^ions, fA^o. 
 
 9. Cy o//r Misfortunes compard)f>ith other 
 mens. P'^5^» 
 
 I o. of particular aids for the gaining Con- 
 tentment. f.172. 
 
 II. OfRefignationa f* 196. 
 
 ThtClofe. p. 209. 
 
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