Chapter 13: Use 4 — Trial: Marks of True Contentment

Use 4. Thus having laid down these three Cautions, I proceed in the next place to a use of Trial. 4. How may a Christian know that he has learned this lesson of Contentment? I shall lay down some [in non-Latin alphabet], or characters by which you shall know it.

1. A contented spirit is a silent spirit. He has not one word to say against God; I was dumb, or silent, because you, Lord, did it (Psalm 39). Contentment silences all dispute; He sits alone and keeps silence: There is a sinful silence, when God is dishonored, his truth wounded, and men hold their peace; this silence is a loud sin: and there is a holy silence, when the soul sits down quiet and content with its condition. When Samuel tells Eli that heavy message from God, that he would judge his house, and that the iniquity of his family should not be purged away with sacrifice forever, does Eli murmur, or dispute? No, he has not one word to say against God; It is the Lord, let him do what seems good to him. A discontented spirit says as Pharaoh, Who is the Lord? Why should I suffer all this? Why should I be brought into this low condition? Who is the Lord? But a gracious heart says as Eli, It is the Lord, let him do what he will with me. When Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, had offered up strange fire, and fire went from the Lord, and devoured them, is Aaron now in a passion of discontent? No, Aaron held his peace. A contented spirit is never angry, unless with himself for having hard thoughts of God. When Jonah said, I do well to be angry, this was not a contented spirit, it did not become a Prophet.

2. A contented spirit is a cheerful spirit; the Greeks call it [in non-Latin alphabet]; Contentment is something more than Patience; for Patience denotes only submission, Contentment denotes cheerfulness. A contented Christian is more than passive; he does not only bear the cross, but take up the cross. He looks upon God as a wise God; and whatever he does, though it be not ad voluntatem, yet ad sanitatem; it is in order to a cure. Hence the contented Christian is cheerful, and with the Apostle, takes pleasure in infirmities, distresses, etc. He does not only submit to God's dealings, but rejoice in them; he does not only say, Just is the Lord in all that is befallen me; but Good is the Lord. This is to be contented. A sullen melancholy is hateful; it is said, God loves a cheerful giver; Yes, and God loves a cheerful liver. We are bid in Scripture not to be careful, but we are nowhere bid not to be cheerful. He that is contented with his condition, does not abate of his spiritual joy; and indeed he has that within him which is the ground of cheerfulness; he carries a pardon sealed in his heart.

3. A contented spirit is a thankful spirit. This is a degree above the other; In everything giving thanks. A gracious heart spies mercy in every condition, therefore has his heart screwed up to thankfulness: others will bless God for prosperity, he blesses him for affliction. Thus he reasons with himself, Am I in want? God sees it better for me to want than to abound; God is now dieting me, he sees it better for my spiritual health, sometimes to be kept fasting; therefore he does not only submit, but is thankful. The malcontent is ever complaining of his condition; the contented spirit is ever giving thanks. Oh what height of grace is this! A contented heart is a Temple where the praises of God are sung forth, not a Sepulcher wherein they are buried. A contented Christian in the greatest straits has his heart enlarged, and dilated in thankfulness. He often contemplates God's love in election, he sees that he is a monument of mercy, therefore desires to be a pattern of praise. There is always gratulatory music in a contented soul; the Spirit of grace works in the heart like new wine, which under the heaviest pressures of sorrow, will have a vent open for thankfulness; this is to be content.

4. He that is content, no condition comes amiss to him; so it is in the text, in quocunque statu, in whatever state I am. A contented Christian can, prout res exigit, turn himself to anything, either want, or abound. The people of Israel knew neither how to abound, nor yet how to want; when they were in want, they murmured; Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? And when they ate and were filled, then they lifted up the heel. Paul knew how to manage every estate; he could be either a note higher, or lower; he was (in this sense) a Universalist, he could do anything that God would have him: If he were in prosperity, he knew how to be thankful; if in adversity, he knew how to be patient; he was neither lifted up with the one, nor cast down with the other. He could carry a greater sail, or lesser. Thus a contented Christian knows how to turn himself to any condition. Sicut bonus est dux & peritus, qui in quolibet exercitu operatur secundùm exigentiam ejus; & coriarius, qui ex quolibet corio facit optimos sotulares; ità Christianus sapiens, qui scit quolibet statu bene se gerere. We have those who can be contented in some estate, but not in every estate. They can be content in a wealthy estate, when they have the streams of milk and honey; while God's candle shines upon their head, now they are content; but if the wind turns and is against them, now they are discontented. While they have a silver crutch to lean upon, they are contented; but if God breaks this crutch, now they are discontented; but Paul had learned in every estate to carry himself with equanimity of mind; others could be content with their affliction, so God would give them leave to pick and choose. They could be content to bear such a cross; they could better endure sickness than poverty, or bear loss of estate than loss of children; if they might have such a man's cross, they could be content; any condition, but the present; this is not to be content. A contented Christian does not go to choose his cross, but leaves God to choose for him; he is content both for the kind, and for the duration. A contented spirit says, Let God apply what medicine he pleases, and let it lie on as long as it will; I know when it has done its cure, and eaten the venom of sin out of my heart, God will take it off again. In a word, a contented Christian, being sweetly captivated under the authority of the Word, desires to be wholly at God's dispose; and is willing to live in that sphere and climate where God has set him; and if at any time he has been an instrument of doing noble and brave service in the public, he knows he is but a rational tool, a servant to authority, and is content to return to his former private condition of life. Cincinnatus, after he had done worthily, and purchased to himself great fame in his Dictatorship, did notwithstanding afterwards voluntarily return to till and manure his four acres of ground. Thus should it be with Christians, professing godliness with contentment, having served Mars, not daring to offend Jupiter, lest otherwise they discover only to the world a brutish valor, being so untamed and headstrong, that when they have conquered others, yet they are not able to rule their own spirits.

5. He that is contented with his condition, to rid himself out of trouble will not run himself into sin. I deny not but a Christian may lawfully seek to change his condition; so far as God's providence does go before, he may follow; but when men will not follow providence, but run before it, as he said, This evil is of the Lord, why should I wait any longer? If God does not open the door by his providence, they will break it open, and wind themselves out of affliction by sin; bringing their souls into trouble by bringing their estates out of trouble. This is far from holy contentment, this is unbelief broken out into rebellion. A contented Christian is willing to wait God's leisure, and will not stir till God opens a door. As Paul said in another case, They have beaten us openly, uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison, and now do they thrust us out privately? Nay verily, but let them come themselves and fetch us out. So with reverence, says the contented Christian, God has cast me into this condition, and though it be sad and troublesome, yet I will not stir, till God by a clear providence fetch me out. Thus those brave-spirited Christians (Hebrews 11:35), they accepted not deliverance, that is, upon base, dishonorable terms. They would rather stay in prison, than purchase their liberty by carnal compliance. Estius observes on the place, they might not only have had their enlargement, but been raised to honor, and put into offices of trust; yet the honor of religion was dearer to them, than either liberty, or honor. A contented Christian will not remove, till as the Israelites, he sees a pillar of cloud and fire going before him: It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. It is good to stay God's leisure, and not to extricate ourselves out of trouble, till we see the star of God's providence pointing out a way to us.