Sermon 5
Philippians 4:11. For I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
I mentioned three lessons the last time, that Christ teaches those scholars that come into his school whereby they might come to get contentment.
First, the lesson of self-denial.
Secondly, the lesson of the vanity of the creature.
Thirdly, the right understanding of that one thing that is necessary. A little to enlarge this one, and so to proceed to others.
It is said of Pompey, that when he was to carry corn to Rome in time of dearth, he was in a great deal of danger by storms at sea, but said he, We must go on, it is necessary that Rome should be relieved, but it is not necessary that we should live. So it would be certainly when the soul is once taken up with the things that are of absolute necessity, it will not be much troubled about other things. What are the things that do disquiet us here but some by-matters in this world? And it is because our hearts are not taken up with that one absolute necessary thing; who are the men that are most discontented, but idle persons, persons that have nothing to take up their minds, every little thing disquiets and discontents them? But now a man that has business of great weight and consequence, if all things go well with his great business that is in his head, he is not sensible of meaner things in the family; But now a man that lies at home and has nothing to do, he finds fault with everything; So it is with the heart, when the heart of a man has nothing to do but to be busy about creature comforts, every little thing troubles him; But now, when the heart is taken up with the weighty things of eternity, with the great things of eternal life, the heart being taken up with them, these things that are here below that did disquiet it before, are things now of no consideration with him in comparison to the other, so as how things fall out here is not much regarded with him, if the one thing that is necessary be provided for.
The fourth lesson that the soul is instructed in to come to this knowledge in the art of contentment, is this: The soul comes to understand in what relation it stands in here to the world. By that I mean thus, God comes to instruct the soul effectually through Christ by his Spirit, upon what terms it lives here in the world, in what relation it is that it does stand: as thus, While I live in the world my condition is to be but a pilgrim, a stranger, a traveler, and a soldier: Now the right understanding of this, and being taught this not only by rote, that I can speak the words over, but when I come indeed to have my soul possessed with the consideration of this truth, that God has set me in this world, not as in my home, but as a mere stranger and a pilgrim, that I am traveling here to another home, and that I am here a soldier in my warfare; it is a mighty help to contentment in whatsoever befalls one: As now to instance in all these conditions, When a man is at home, if he has not things according to his desire he will be finding fault, and is not contented, but if a man travels abroad, perhaps he meets not with conveniences as he desires, the servants in the house are not at his beck, or are not so diligent as his own servants were, and his diet is not as at home, and his bed not as at home, yet this very thought may moderate a man's spirit, I am a traveler, and I must not be finding fault, I am but in another man's house, and it were not manners for one to find fault when he is abroad in another body's family though things be not so as in my own family; If a man meets with ill weather he must be content, it is traveler's fare (we use to say) both fair weather and foul weather, this is the common traveler's fare, and we must be content with it; But if a man were at home and it should drop down in his house, he would account it an ill thing, an affliction to him, and he cannot bear it: But when he is traveling abroad though he meet with rain and storms he is not so much troubled: When you are abroad at sea, though you have not those many things that you have at home, you are not troubled at it, you are contented; Why? You are abroad at sea, you are not troubled at storms that do arise, and though you have many things otherwise than you would have them at home, but still you are quieted with that you are at sea. Mariners when they are at sea they care not what clothes they have then, though they be pitched and tarred, and but a cloth about their necks, and any mean clothes, but they think when they come home, then they shall have their fine silk stockings, and brave suits, and laced bands and such things, and shall be very fine; And so they are contented abroad upon that thought that it shall be otherwise with them when they come home, and though they have nothing but salt meat, and a little hard fare, yet when they come to their houses then they shall have anything: Thus it should be with us in this world, the truth is, we are all in this world but as seafaring men, tossed up and down on the waves of the sea of this world, and our haven is Heaven, and we are here traveling, but our home it is another world, that long home. Indeed some men have better accommodations than others have in traveling; It's true, it's a great mercy of God to us in England, in that we can travel with such delight and accommodations more than they can in other countries; and through God's mercy we have as great accommodations in our traveling to Heaven in England as any place under Heaven has, but yet though we do meet with traveler's fare sometimes, yet it should not be grievous to us: The Scripture tells us plainly that we must behave ourselves here but as pilgrims and strangers, in 1 Peter, 2:11. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul: Consider what your condition is, you are pilgrims and strangers, do not think to satisfy yourselves here. A man when he comes into an inn, if there be a fair cupboard of plate he is not troubled that it is not his own, Why? Because he is going away; So let us not be troubled when we see other men have great estates, but we have not, Why? We are going away into another country, you are lodging here but as it were for a night, if you should live an hundred years in comparison of eternity it is not so much as a night, it is but as you were traveling, and were come into an inn: And were not this a madness for a man to be discontent because he has not what he sees there, seeing it may be he is to go away again within half a quarter of an hour? So you find it in David, this was the argument that brought off David's heart from the things of this world, and set him upon other manner of things, Psalm 119:19. I am a stranger in the earth, hide not thy commandments from me: I am a stranger in the earth (what then) then Lord let me have the knowledge of thy commandments and it's sufficient, as for the things of the earth I stand not upon them whether I have much or little, but hide not thy commandments from me, Lord let me know the rule that I should guide my life by.
Again, we are not only travelers but soldiers, this is the condition of the life in which we are here in this world: and therefore we are to behave ourselves accordingly. So the Apostle makes use of this argument in writing unto Timothy, 2 Timothy 2:3. Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. The very thought of the condition of a man that is a soldier, does still his disquiet of heart: when he is abroad, he has not that accommodations in his quarters as he has in his own family; Perhaps a man that had his bed and curtains drawn about him, and all accommodations in his chamber; now perhaps sometimes he must be put to lie upon straw, and he thinks with himself, I am a soldier and it is suitable to my condition: He must have his bed warmed at home, but he must lie abroad in the fields when he is a soldier; and the very thought of this condition in which he stands quiets him in all things; Yea and he goes rejoicing, to think this is but suitable to my condition in which God has put me: so it should be with us in respect of this world. Now would it not be an unseemly thing to see a soldier go whining up and down with the finger in the eye and complaining, that he has not hot meat every meal, and his bed warmed as he had at home? Now Christians they know that they are in their warfare, they are here in this world fighting and combating with the enemies of their souls and eternal condition, and they must be willing to endure hardness here. The right understanding of this, that God has put them into such a condition, it is that that will content them, especially when they consider that they are certain of the victory, and that ere long they shall triumph with Jesus Christ, and then all their sorrows shall be done away, and their tears wiped from their eyes. A soldier is content to endure hardness though he knows not that he shall have the victory, but a Christian knows himself to be a soldier, and knows that he shall conquer and triumph with Jesus Christ to all eternity. And that's the fourth lesson that Christ does teach the soul when he brings it into his school, to learn the art of contentment, he makes him understand thoroughly the relation in which he has placed him in, in this world.
The Fifth lesson that Christ teaches, it is this, He teaches us wherein consists any good that is to be enjoyed in any creature in the world. It is true, before it has been taught that there is a vanity in the Creature, that is, take the Creature considered in itself, but yet though there be a vanity in the Creature in itself, in respect of satisfying the soul for its portion, yet there is some goodness in the Creature, though there be a vanity there is some desirableness: But wherein does that consist? It consists not in the nature of the Creature itself, for that is nothing but vanity, but it consists in the reference it has to the first being of all things. This is a Lesson that Christ teaches, if there be any good in an estate, or in any comforts in this world, it is not so much that it pleases my sense, that it is suitable to my body, but the reference it has to God the first being, that by these creatures there should be somewhat of God's goodness conveyed to me, and I may have a sanctified use of the creature to draw me nearer to God, and that I enjoy more of God, and be made more serviceable for the glory of God in the place where God has set me, here is the good of the Creature; Oh were we but instructed in this lesson, did we but understand, and thoroughly believe this to be a truth, that there is no creature in all the world has any goodness in it any further than it has reference to the first infinite supreme good of all, that so far as I can enjoy God in it, so far it is good to me, and so far as I do not enjoy God in it, so far there is no goodness in anything that I have in the Creature, how easy were it then for one to be contented; as thus, Suppose a man had a great estate but a few years ago, and now it is all gone, I would but appeal to this man, when you had your estate, wherein did you account the good of that estate to consist? a carnal heart would say, anybody might know that; that it brought me in so much a year, and that I could fare of the best, and be a man of repute in the place where I live, and men would regard what I said, I might be clothed as I would, and lay up portions for my children, in this consisted the good of my estate; this man now never came into the School of Christ to know wherein the good of an estate did consist, no marvel if he be disquieted when he has lost his estate: But now a Christian that has been in the School of Christ, and has been instructed in the art of Contentment, when such a one has an estate, he thinks, in that I have an estate above my brethren, in this consists the good of it to me, in that I have an opportunity to serve God the better, and I enjoy a great deal of God's mercy to my Soul conveyed to me through the Creature, and hereby I am enabled to do a great deal of good, and therein I account the good of my estate. Now God has taken this away from me, now if God will be pleased to make up the enjoyment of Himself another way; that is, will call me to honor Him by suffering, and if I may do God as much service now in my way of suffering, that is to show forth the Grace of His Spirit in the way of my suffering as I did in the way of prosperity, I have as much of God as I had before; if I may be led to God in my low condition, as much as I was in my prosperous condition, I have as much comfort and contentment as I had before.
Objection. But you will say, it is true, If I could honor God in my low estate as much as in my prosperous estate then it were somewhat, but how can that be?
Answer. You must know the special honor that God has from His creatures in this world, it is the manifestation of the Graces of His Spirit; It is true, God has a great deal of honor when a man is in a public place, and so he is able to do a great deal of good, to countenance Godliness, and discountenance Sin, but the main thing is in our showing forth the virtues of Him that has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Now if I can say that through God's mercy in my affliction I find the Graces of God's Spirit working as strongly in me as ever they did when I had my estate, I am where I was, yea I am fully in as good a condition, for I have that good now that I had in my prosperous estate, for I accounted the good of it but in my enjoyment of God, and honoring of God, and now God has blessed the want of it to stir up the Graces of His Spirit in my soul, and this is the work that now God calls me to, and I must account God is most honored when I do the work that He calls me to, He set me a work in my prosperous estate at that time, to honor Him in that condition, and now He sets me a work at this time to honor Him in this condition: Now God is most honored when I can turn from one condition to another according as He calls me to it: would you account yourselves to be honored by your servants, when you set them about a work that has some excellency, and they will go on and on, and you cannot get them off from it? Now let the work be never so good, yet if you will call them off to another work you do expect that they should manifest so much respect to you as to be content to come off from that, though they be set about a meaner work, if it be more suitable to your ends. So you were in a prosperous estate, and there God called you to some service that you took some pleasure in; but suppose God says, I will use you in a suffering condition, and I will have you honor Me in that way, now here is the honoring of God that you can turn this way or that way, as God calls you to it; thus now you having learned this, That the good of the Creature consists in the enjoyment of God in it, and the honoring of God by it, you can be content, because you have the same good that you had before. And that is the Fifth lesson.
The Sixth Lesson that Christ does teach the soul that He brings into this School, is this, He does instruct such a man or woman in the knowledge of their own hearts: you must learn this or you will never learn Contentment; you must learn to know your own hearts well, to be good students of your own hearts, you cannot all be scholars in the arts and sciences in the world, but you may all be students in your own hearts, you cannot read in the book (many of you,) but God expects that every day you should turn over a leaf in your own hearts; you will never come to get any skill in this Mystery, except you study the book of your own hearts: Mariners, they have their books that they study, those that will be good Navigators, and Scholars they have their books; those that study Logic, they have their books according to that; and those that would study Rhetoric and Philosophy have their books according to that; and those that study Divinity, they have their books whereby they come to be helped in the study of Divinity: but a Christian next to the book of God is to look into the book of his own heart, and to read over that, and this will help you to Contentment these three ways:
1. By the studying of your heart, you will come presently to discover wherein your discontent lies; when you are discontented, you will find out the root of any discontentment if you do study your heart well: many men and women they are discontented, and the truth is they know not wherefore, they think this and the other thing is the cause, but a man or woman that knows their own heart, they will find out presently where the root of their discontent lies, that it lies in such a corruption, and distemper of my heart, that now through God's mercy I have found out; It is in this case as it is with a little child that is very froward in the house, if a stranger comes in he does not know what the matter is, perhaps the stranger will give the child a rattle, or a nut, or such a thing to quiet it, but when the Nurse comes she knows the temper and disposition of the Child, and therefore knows best how to quiet it; so it is here just thus for all the world, when we are strangers with our own hearts we are mightily discontented, and know not how to quiet ourselves, because we know not wherein the disquiet lies: and indeed when we are strangers to our own hearts we cannot tell how to quiet ourselves, but if we be very well versed in our own hearts, when anything falls out so as to disquiet us, we find out the cause of it presently, and so quickly come to be quiet. So a man that has a Watch, and he understands the use of every wheel and pin, if it goes amiss he will presently find out the cause of it: but one that has no skill in a Watch, when it goes amiss he knows not what the matter is, and therefore cannot mend it. So indeed our hearts are as a Watch, and there are many wheels, and windings and turnings there, and we should labor to know our hearts well, that when they are out of tune we may know what the matter is.
2. This knowledge of our hearts will help us to Contentment because by this we shall come to know what is most suitable to our condition. As thus, a man that knows not his own heart he thinks not what need he has of affliction, and upon that he is disquieted; but that man or woman that has studied their own hearts, when God comes with afflictions upon them, they can say, I would not for anything in the world have been without this affliction, God has so suited this affliction to my condition, and has come in such a way, that if this affliction had not come I am afraid I should have fallen into sin; a poor country man that takes Physic, the Physic works, and he thinks it will kill him, because he knows not the ill humors that are in his body, and therefore he understands not how suitable the Physic is to him; but a Physician takes a purge, and it makes him extremely sick, says the Physician I like this the better, it does but work upon the humor that I know is the matter of my disease, and upon that such a man that has knowledge and understanding in his body, and the cause of his distemper, he is not troubled or disquieted: So would we be if we did but know the distempers of our own hearts, carnal men and women they know not their own spirits, and therefore they fling and vex upon every affliction that does befall them, they know not what distempers are in their hearts that may be healed by their afflictions, if it please God to give them a sanctified use of them.
3. By knowing their own hearts, they know what they are able to manage, and by this means they come to be Content. The Lord perhaps takes away many comforts from them that they had before, or denies them some things that they hoped to have got. Now they by knowing their hearts know this, that they were not able to manage such an estate, and they were not able to manage such prosperity, God saw it, and (says a poor soul) I am in some measure convinced by looking into mine own heart, that I was not able to manage such a condition. A man desires greedily to grip more perhaps than he is able to manage, and so undoes himself. As country men do observe, that if they do over-stock their Land it will quickly spoil them, and so a wise Husbandman that knows how much his ground will bear he is not troubled that he has not so much stock as others, why? Because he knows he has not ground enough for so great a stock, and that quiets him. So many men and women that know not their own hearts, they would gladly have a prosperous estate as others have, but if they knew their own hearts they would know that they were not able to manage it. If one of your little children of three or four years old should be crying for the coat of her that is twelve or twenty years old, and say, why may not I have a coat as long as my sisters? If she had, it would soon trip up her heels, and break her face, but when the Child comes to understanding she is not discontented, because her coat is not so long as her sisters, but says, my coat is fit for me, and therein takes Content. So if we come to understanding in the School of Christ we will not cry, why have not I such an estate as others have? The Lord seeth that I am not able to manage it, and I see it myself by the knowing of mine own heart. You shall have children if they see but a knife, they will cry for it because they know not their strength and that they are not able to manage it, but you know they are not able to manage it, and therefore you will not give it them, and when they come to so much understanding as to know that they are not able to manage it, they will not cry for it. So we would not cry for such and such things if we knew that we were not able to manage them. When you vex and fret for what you have not, I may say to you as Christ saith, you know not of what spirits you are. It was a speech of Oecolampadius to Parillus, says he (when they were speaking about his extreme poverty,) Not so poor, though I have been very poor, yet I would be poorer, I could be willing to be poorer than I am, for the truth is (as if he should say) the Lord knew that that was more suitable to me, and I knew that my own heart was such, that a poor condition was more suitable to me than a rich. So certainly would we say if we knew our own hearts, that such and such a condition is better for me than if it had been otherwise.
The Seventh lesson, Is the burden of a prosperous estate. Such a one that comes into Christ's School to be instructed in this Art, never comes to attain to any great skill in this Art until he comes to understand the burden that is in a prosperous estate.
Objection. You will say, What burden is there in a prosperous estate?
Answer. Yes certainly a great burden, and there needs a great strength to bear it. As men had need of strong brains that can bear strong wine, so they had need of strong spirits that are able to bear prosperous conditions, and not to do themselves hurt; there's a fourfold burden in a prosperous estate. Many men and women look at the shine and glittering of prosperity, but they little think of the burden, but there's a fourfold burden.
1. There's A burden of trouble. A rose has its prickles, and so the Scripture says that he that will be rich pierces himself through with many sorrows, 1 Timothy 6:10. If a man's heart be set upon it that he must be rich, and he will be rich, such a man will pierce himself through with many sorrows. He looks upon the delight and glory of riches that appears outwardly, but he considers not what piercing sorrows he may meet withal in them. The consideration of the trouble in a prosperous condition I have divers times thought of, and I cannot tell by what similitude to express it better than by travelling in some champaign country, where round about is very fair and sandy ground, and you see there a Town a great way off in a bottom, and you think, Oh how bravely is that Town seated, but when you come and ride into the Town, you shall ride through a dirty lane and through a company of fearful dirty holes, and you could not see the dirty lane and holes when you were two or three miles off. So sometimes we look upon the prosperity of men and think such a man lives bravely and comfortably, but if we did but know what troubles he meets withal in his family, in his estate, in his dealings with men, we would not think his condition so happy. One may have a very fine new shoe, but nobody knows where it pinches him but he that has it on. So you think such and such men are happy, but they may have many troubles that you little think of.
2. There is a burden of danger in it. Men that are in a prosperous condition they are in a great deal of danger, you see sometimes in the evening when you light up your candles, the moths and the gnats will be flying up and down in the candle, but they scorch their wings, and there they fall down dead. So there is a great deal of danger in a prosperous estate, those men that are set upon a Pinnacle on high, these men they are in greater danger than other men are. Honey we know does invite Bees and Wasps unto it, and so the sweet of prosperity does invite the Devil and temptation. Men that are in a prosperous estate are subject to many temptations that other men are not subject to. The Scripture calls the Devil Beelzebub, that is the god of flies, and so Beelzebub comes where the honey of prosperity is, they are in very great danger of temptations that are in a prosperous condition. The dangers of men that are in a prosperous estate that have more than others, should be considered of by those that are lower, think with yourself, though they be above me, yet they are in more danger than I am, the tall trees are more shattered a great deal than low shrubs. So you know the ship that has all the sails up, the topsail and all in a storm, this is in more danger than that that has all the sails drawn in. And so men that have their topgallant, and all up and brave, they are more like to be drowned, drowned in perdition than other men are. And therefore you know what the Scripture says, how hard it is for rich men to go into the kingdom of Heaven: such a text should make poor people to be contented with their estates. We have a notable example for that in the Children of Kohath, you shall find that they were in a more excellent estate than the other of the Levites, but they were in more danger than the other, and more trouble.
First, That the Children of Kohath were in a higher condition than other of the Levites, that I'll show you out of the fourth of Numbers verse 4 there you shall find what their condition was. This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the Tabernacle of the Congregation about the most holy things. Mark, the Levites were exercised about holy things; but the sons of Kohath, their service was about the most holy things of all: and you shall find in the 21st of Joshua, verse 10. That God did honour the sons of Kohath in a more special manner than he did honor the other Levites, which honour the Children of Aaron (being of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the Children of Levi) had, for theirs was the first lot, and they were preferred before the other families of Levi, those that were employed in the most honourable employment, they had the most honourable Lot, the first Lot fell to them: thus you see God honoured the Children of the Kohathites. But (might other Levites say) how hath God preferred this family before us? They were honoured more than the other were: But now, mark their burden that comes in with their honour, and that I'll show you out of two Scriptures, the first is, Numbers 7:6, 7, 8, 9. And Moses took the Wagons and the Oxen, and gave them unto the Levites. Two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershom, according to their service: and four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according unto their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the Priest. But says he in the 9th verse. Unto the sons of Kohath he gave none; because the service of the Sanctuary that belonged unto them, was, that they should bear upon their shoulders. Mark, the other Levites had oxen, and wagons given to them, to ease them of their service: but (says he) to the sons of Kohath he gave none, but they should bear their service upon their shoulders; and that's the reason why God was so displeased, because that they would have more ease in God's service than God would have them, for whereas they should carry it upon their shoulders, they would carry it upon a cart: Mark here, you see the first burden that they had, beyond what the other Levites had. And those indeed that are in more honourable places than others, those that are under them think not of their burden that they are to carry upon their shoulders, when as others have means to ease them; and many times those that are employed in the Ministry, or Magistracy, that sit at the stern to order the great Affairs of the Commonwealth and State, you think they live bravely: they lie awake when you are asleep; if you knew the burden that lies upon their spirits, you would think that your labour and burden were very little in comparison of theirs.
2. There is another burden of danger more than the rest, and that you shall find in Numbers 4.17. And the Lord spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, Cut you not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites, but thus do unto them that they may live and not die: When they approach unto the most holy things, Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden; but they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die. Mark this text: says the Lord to Moses and Aaron, Cut you not off the tribe of the family of the Kohathites from among the Levites. Cut them not off, why? What had they done? Had they done anything amiss? No, they had not done anything that provoked God: but the meaning is this; Take a great care of the family of the Kohathites, to instruct them in their duty that they were to do; for (says God) they are in a great deal of danger, being to serve in the most holy things. If they should go in to see the holy things more than God would have them, it is as much as their lives are worth, and therefore if you should but neglect them, and not inform them thoroughly in their duty they would be undone. (Says God) they are to administer in the most holy things, and if they should but dare to presume to do anything otherwise than God would have them about those services, it would cost them their lives; and therefore be not you careless of them, for if you neglect them you will be a means of cutting them off. Thus you see the danger that the family of the Kohathites were in; they were preferred before others, but they were in more danger. So you think there are such men in a parish that bear the sway, and are employed in public service, and they carry all before them; but you consider not their danger. And so the Ministers, they stand in the forefront of all the spite and malice of ungodly men: indeed God employs them in honourable service, and that service that the Angels would take delight in; but though the service be honourable, above the employment of other works, yet the burden of danger, that likewise is greater than the danger of men that are in an inferior condition. Now when the Soul comes to get wisdom from Christ to think of the danger that it is in, then it will be content with that low estate in which it is. A poor man that is in a low condition, thinks, I am low, and others are raised, but I know not what their burden is: and so, if he be rightly instructed in the school of Christ he comes to be contented.
3. In a prosperous estate there is the burden of duty. You look only at the sweet and comfort that they have, and the honour and respect that they have that are in a prosperous condition; but you must consider of the duty that they owe to God: God requires more duty at their hands than at yours, you are ready to be discontented that you have not such parts and abilities as such have, but God requires more duty of them that have more parts, God requires more duty of them that have greater estates than of you that have not such estates: Oh you would fain have the honour, but can you carry the burden of the duty?
4. The last is, The burden of account in a prosperous estate. There is a great account that they are to give to God that enjoy great estates and a prosperous condition. Now we are all stewards, and one is a steward to a meaner man, perhaps but an ordinary Knight; another is a steward to a Nobleman, an Earl: now the steward of the meaner man, he has not so much as the other has under his hand: now shall he be discontented because there comes not so much under his hand as under the others? No, thinks he, I have less, and I am to give the less account. So your account in comparison of the Ministers and Magistrates will be nothing; you are to give an account of your own souls, and so are they, you are to give an account for your own family, and so are they, but you are not to give account for Congregations, and for Towns, and Cities, and Countries. You think of Princes and Kings, Oh! What a glorious condition they are in. But what do you think of a King to give account for all the disorder and wickedness in a Kingdom that he possibly might have prevented? What abundance of glory might a Prince bring to God if so be that he bent his soul and all his thoughts to lift up the Name of God in a Kingdom; now what God loses for want of this, that King, Prince, or Governor he must give an account for. It is a speech of Chrysostom in that place of the Hebrews, where it is said that men must give an account for their souls, he wonders that any men in public place can be saved, because their account is so great that they are to give. And I remember I have read a speech of Philip that was King of Spain, (though the story says of him, that he had such a natural conscience, that he professed he would not do anything against his conscience, no not in secret for the gaining of the world, yet when this man was to die) Oh says he, that I had never been a King; Oh that I had lived a solitary and private life all my days; then should I have died a great deal more securely, I should with more confidence have gone before the Throne of God to give my account: but here is the fruit of my kingdom, that I had all the glory of it, it has made my account to be harder to give to God: and thus he cries out when he was to die. And therefore you that live in private conditions remember this, If you come into Christ's School, and be taught this lesson, you will be quiet in your afflictions, or private estate, in regard your account is not so great as others. It is a speech I remember I have met withal in Latimer's Sermons that he was wont to use, The half is more than the whole. That is, when a man is in a mean condition, he is but half way towards the height of prosperity that others are in: yet says he, this is more safe though it be a meaner condition than others. Those that are in a high and prosperous condition there is annexed to it the burden of trouble, and of danger and of duty, and of account. And thus you see how Christ trains up his Scholars in his School, and though they be weak otherwise, yet by his Spirit he gives them wisdom to understand these aright.
The Eighth lesson is this, Christ teaches them what a great and dreadful evil it is to be given up to one's heart's desires. The understanding this lesson that it is a most dreadful evil, one of the most hideous and fearful evils that can befall any man upon the face of the earth, for God to give him up to his heart's desires: when the soul understands this once, and together with it, (for it goes along together) that spiritual judgments are more fearful than any outward judgments in the world, the understanding of this will teach anyone to be content in God's crossing of them in their desires. You are crossed in your desires, now you are discontented and vexed and fretted at it, is that your only misery that you are crossed in your desires? No no, you are infinitely mistaken, the greatest misery of all is for God to give you up to your heart's lusts and desires, to give you up to your own counsels: so you have it in Psalm 81.11, 12. But my people would not listen to my voice, and Israel would have none of me [what then?] So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lusts, and they walked in their own counsels. Oh says Bernard let me not have such a misery as that is, for to give me what I would have, to give me my heart's desires, it is one of the most hideous judgments in the world for a man to be given up to his heart's desires. We have not indeed in Scripture any certain evident sign of a reprobate, we cannot say except we knew a man had committed the sin against the Holy Ghost, that he is a reprobate, for we know not what God may work upon him, but the nearest of all and the blackest sign of a reprobate is this, for God to give up a man to his heart's desires, all the pain of diseases, all the calamities that can be thought of in the world, are no judgments in comparison of this, for a man to be given up to his heart's desires; now when the Soul comes to understand this, the Soul then cries out, why am I so troubled that I have not my desires? There is nothing that God conveys his wrath more through than a prosperous estate. I remember I have read of a Jewish Tradition that they say of Uzziah, when God struck Uzziah with a Leprosy, they say that the beams of the Sun were darted upon the forehead of Uzziah, and he was struck with a Leprosy by the darting of the beams of the Sun upon his forehead; the Scripture says, Indeed the Priests looked upon him; but they say there was a special light and beam of the Sun upon the forehead that did discover the Leprosy to the Priests, and they say it was the way of conveying of it. Whether that were true or no, I am sure this is true, that the strong beams of the Sun of prosperity upon many men makes them to be leprous; would any poor man in the country have been discontented that he was not in Uzziah's condition? He was a great King, ay, but there was the Leprosy in his forehead, the poor man may say, though I live meanly in the country yet I thank God my body is whole and sound, would not any man rather have russet and skins of beasts to clothe him with, than to have satin and velvet that should have the Plague in it? The Lord conveys the plague of his curse through prosperity, as much as through anything in the world, and therefore the soul coming to understand this, this makes it to be quiet and content.
And then spiritual judgments are the greatest judgments of all. The Lord lays such an affliction upon my outward estate, but what if he had taken away my life? A man's health is a greater mercy than his estate, and you that are poor people you should consider of that. But is the health of a man's body better than his estate? What is the health of a man's soul? That's a great deal better. The Lord has inflicted external judgments, but he has not inflicted spiritual judgments upon you, he has not given you up to hardness of heart, and taken away the spirit of prayer from you in your afflicted estate. Oh then be of good comfort though there be outward afflictions upon you, yet your soul, your more excellent part is not afflicted. Now when the soul comes to understand this, that here lies the sore wrath of God to be given up to a man's desires, and for spiritual judgments to be upon a man, this quiets him, and contents him, though outward afflictions be upon him. Perhaps one of a man's children has the fit of an ague, or the toothache, but perhaps his next neighbor has the plague, or all his children are dead of the plague. Now shall he be so discontented, because his children have the toothache when his neighbor's children are dead? Now think thus, Lord thou hast laid an afflicted condition upon me, but Lord thou hast not given me the plague of a hard heart. Now take these eight things before mentioned, and lay them together, and you may well apply that Scripture in the 29th of Isaiah the last verse, says the text there, They also that erred in spirit, shall come to understanding; and they that murmured shall learn doctrine. Has there been any of you (as I fear many may be found) that have erred in spirit, even in regard of this truth that now we are preaching of, and many that have murmured? Oh that this day you might come to understand, that Christ would bring you into his school, and teach you understanding, And they that murmured shall learn doctrine: what doctrine shall they learn? These eight doctrines that I have opened to you. And if you will but thoroughly study these lessons that I have set before your eyes: it will be a special help and means to cure your murmurings against, and repinings at the hand of God: and so you will come to learn Christian contentment. The Lord teach you thoroughly by his Spirit these lessons of contentment.
Philippians 4:11. For I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content.
Last time I mentioned three lessons that Christ teaches those who come into His school in order to arrive at contentment.
First, the lesson of self-denial.
Second, the lesson of the vanity of created things.
Third, the right understanding of the one thing that is truly necessary. Let me expand on this third lesson briefly before moving on to others.
It is said of Pompey that when he was carrying grain to Rome during a famine, he faced great danger from storms at sea. But he said, 'We must go on. It is necessary that Rome be supplied — but it is not necessary that we survive.' So it is when the soul is once gripped by what is absolutely necessary — it will not be greatly troubled by other things. What is it that actually unsettles us? Only side matters of this world. And that is because our hearts are not taken up with the one absolutely necessary thing. Who are the most discontented people? Idle people — those who have nothing to engage their minds. Every little thing disturbs and discontents them. But a person with weighty and serious business — if his great concern is going well, he does not notice smaller inconveniences in the household. But a person who lies at home with nothing to do finds fault with everything. So it is with the heart. When the heart has nothing to do but concern itself with created comforts, every little thing troubles it. But when the heart is taken up with the weighty things of eternity — with the great matters of eternal life — those things that once disturbed it seem small in comparison. How things turn out down here is not of much concern, as long as the one necessary thing is secured.
The fourth lesson the soul is taught on the way to contentment is this: the soul comes to understand what its relationship to this world actually is. By that I mean: God through Christ and by His Spirit effectively teaches the soul on what terms it lives here in this world and what relationship it actually holds. While I live in this world, my condition is that of a pilgrim, a stranger, a traveler, and a soldier. A right understanding of this — not merely being able to recite the words, but actually having one's soul possessed by this truth — that God has placed me in this world not as in my home, but as a stranger and pilgrim passing through to another home, and that I am a soldier engaged in warfare here — this is a mighty help to contentment in whatever comes. To illustrate each of these: When a man is at home and things are not as he wishes, he complains and is discontented. But when he travels, perhaps he does not find the conveniences he is used to — the servants are not as attentive as his own, the food is not as at home, the bed is not as at home. Yet this very thought can moderate a man's spirit: 'I am a traveler. I must not find fault. I am in someone else's house, and it would be rude to complain when you are a guest in another family's home, even if things are not as in your own.' If a person meets with bad weather, he must be content — traveler's fare, as they say: fair weather and foul weather alike. But if the same thing happened at home, if the roof leaked, he would call it a serious affliction he cannot bear. When traveling, though you meet rain and storms, you are not so troubled. When you are at sea and lack what you have at home, you are not distressed — because you are at sea. Sailors at sea do not mind their rough clothes, their pitch-stained garments, the plain cloth about their necks. They think: when I get home, I shall have my fine stockings and smart clothes and linen. And so they are content while away, thinking of what awaits them when they return. Though they have nothing but salt meat and hard rations, they know a good table awaits them at home. So it should be with us in this world. The truth is, we are all in this world like seafaring people, tossed on the waves of the sea of this world. Our harbor is heaven. We are traveling here, but our home is another world — that long home. Some people have better accommodations than others while traveling. It is a great mercy that in England we can travel with so much comfort and advantage compared to other countries. Through God's mercy we have as great accommodations in our journey to heaven as any place under heaven can offer — yet even when we meet with traveler's fare, it should not be grievous to us. Scripture tells us plainly that we must behave here as pilgrims and strangers (1 Peter 2:11): 'Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.' Consider your condition — you are pilgrims and strangers. Do not expect to be fully satisfied here. When a man comes into an inn and sees a fine cupboard of silver plate, he is not troubled that it is not his — because he is just passing through. So let us not be troubled when we see others with great estates and we have little. We are passing through to another country. You are lodging here for only a night — even if you live a hundred years, it is nothing compared to eternity, no more than a single night's lodging. Would it not be absurd for a person to be discontented because he does not have everything at the inn, when he may be leaving within half an hour? This is the argument David used to lift his heart from earthly things and set it on higher ones. Psalm 119:19: 'I am a stranger on the earth; do not hide Your commandments from me.' I am a stranger on the earth — therefore, Lord, let me have the knowledge of Your commandments, and that is sufficient. As for earthly things, it does not matter to me whether I have much or little. Just: do not hide Your commandments from me. Lord, let me know the rule by which I should guide my life.
Again, we are not only travelers but soldiers. This is the condition of the life we live in this world, and we must behave accordingly. The apostle uses this argument in writing to Timothy: 'Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus' (2 Timothy 2:3). The very thought of being a soldier quiets a discontented heart. A soldier away from home does not have the comforts he has in his own household. A man who at home has his bed and curtains and every comfort in his room may sometimes have to sleep on straw. And he thinks: 'I am a soldier — this is fitting for my condition.' He has his bed warmed at home, but in the field he sleeps on the ground — and the very thought of his condition in which God has placed him settles him in everything. Yes, and he goes forward rejoicing: 'This is appropriate for the condition God has put me in.' So it should be with us in this world. Would it not be an embarrassing sight to see a soldier going around whining with his lip trembling, complaining that he has no hot food at every meal and his bed is not warmed as it was at home? Christians know they are at war — fighting and contending with the enemies of their souls and their eternal condition. They must be willing to endure hardship here. The right understanding that God has placed them in such a condition is what will content them. Especially when they consider that they are certain of the victory — and that before long they will triumph with Jesus Christ, and then all their sorrows will be removed and their tears wiped away. An ordinary soldier endures hardship not knowing whether he will win. But a Christian knows he is a soldier and knows he will conquer and triumph with Jesus Christ for all eternity. That is the fourth lesson Christ teaches the soul when He brings it into His school to learn the art of contentment: He makes the person thoroughly understand the relationship in which He has placed them in this world.
The fifth lesson Christ teaches is this: He teaches us where the true good of any created thing consists. It is true that created things in themselves are vain — we established that. But though they are vain in themselves, there is still some goodness in created things, some desirability — even if they cannot satisfy the soul for its ultimate portion. But where does that goodness lie? It does not lie in the nature of the created thing itself — that is nothing but vanity. It lies in the created thing's relationship to the first being of all things — to God. This is the lesson Christ teaches: if there is any good in an estate or in any comfort of this world, that good is not so much that it pleases my senses or suits my body. The good lies in the relationship it has to God — the first being. Through created things, something of God's goodness is conveyed to me. I can make a sanctified use of the created thing to draw me nearer to God, to enjoy more of God, and to be made more useful for God's glory in the place where He has set me. There is the good of any created thing. If we were only instructed in this lesson — if we genuinely understood and believed that no created thing has any goodness in it beyond its relationship to the first, infinite, supreme good of all — then contentment would be easy. As far as I enjoy God in a thing, that far it is good to me. As far as I do not enjoy God in it, that far there is no goodness in anything I have from created things. Consider: suppose a man had a great estate a few years ago, and now it is all gone. Let me ask that man: when you had your estate, where did you think its goodness lay? A worldly heart would say: 'Obviously — it brought me income, I could eat well, I was a respected man in the community, people listened to me, I could dress as I pleased, and I could provide for my children.' That man never came into the school of Christ to learn where the good of an estate truly consists. No wonder he is upset when he has lost it. But a Christian who has been in the school of Christ, when he had an estate, thought: 'In having an estate above my brethren, the good of it for me consists in this — that I have an opportunity to serve God better, and I enjoy much of God's mercy to my soul conveyed through these created blessings. I am enabled to do much good — and in that I account the good of my estate.' Now God has taken it from me. If God is pleased to make up His own enjoyment another way — if He calls me to honor Him through suffering, and if I can do God as much service in suffering as I did in prosperity, showing forth the grace of His Spirit in the way of suffering — then I have as much of God as I had before. If I can be led to God in my low condition as much as in my prosperous one, I have as much comfort and contentment as I had before.
Objection: That may be true — if I could honor God in my low estate as much as in my prosperous estate, that would be something. But how can that be?
Answer: The special honor God receives from His creatures in this world is the manifestation of the graces of His Spirit. It is true that God receives great honor when a person is in a public position and able to do much good — encouraging godliness and discouraging sin. But the main thing is 'showing forth the virtues of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light' (1 Peter 2:9). Now if I can say that through God's mercy, in my affliction, I find the graces of God's Spirit working as powerfully in me as they ever did when I had my estate — then I am where I was. I am fully in as good a condition — because I have the same good now that I had in prosperity. For I counted the good of my estate in my enjoyment of God and my honoring of God. Now God has blessed the loss of it to stir up the graces of His Spirit in my soul. This is the work God now calls me to. And I must count that God is most honored when I do the work He calls me to. He set me to work in my prosperous estate to honor Him in that condition — and now He sets me to work in this condition to honor Him here. God is most honored when I can turn from one condition to another as He calls me. Consider: would you feel honored by a servant who, when you assigned him some excellent work, just kept on and on with it — and you could not get him to stop? Even if the work is good, when you call the servant to a different task, you expect him to show enough respect to willingly come away from the first work — even if the new task is humbler — if it better suits your purposes. So you were in a prosperous estate, and God called you to a service you took some pleasure in. But suppose God says, 'I will use you in a season of suffering — I will have you honor Me that way.' Here is the true honoring of God: that you can turn this way or that, as God calls you. Having learned that the good of any created thing consists in the enjoyment of God through it and the honoring of God by it, you can be content — because you have the same good you had before. That is the fifth lesson.
The sixth lesson Christ teaches those He brings into His school is this: He instructs them in knowing their own hearts. You must learn this or you will never learn contentment. You must learn to know your own heart well — to be a serious student of it. Not everyone can be a scholar in the arts and sciences of the world. But everyone can be a student of their own heart. Many of you cannot read in a book — but God expects that every day you should turn over a page in your own heart. You will never gain any skill in this mystery unless you study the book of your own heart. Sailors study navigation books to become good navigators. Students of logic study their logic texts; students of rhetoric and philosophy study theirs; students of theology study theirs. But a Christian, next to the book of God, must look into the book of his own heart and read it over. This helps you toward contentment in three ways.
1. By studying your heart, you will quickly discover where your discontent lies. When you are discontented, if you study your heart well you will find the root of that discontent — that it lies in such-and-such a corruption or disorder in my heart, which through God's mercy I have now identified. It is like a small child who is very fretful in the house. If a stranger comes in, he does not know what the matter is — perhaps he offers the child a toy or a sweet to quiet it. But when the nurse comes, she knows the child's temperament and disposition and knows best how to quiet it. So it is here exactly: when we are strangers to our own hearts, we are greatly discontented and do not know how to settle ourselves — because we do not know where the unrest lies. When we are strangers to our own hearts, we cannot find the way to be quiet. But when we know our hearts well, when something occurs to disquiet us, we find the cause at once and quickly come to rest. A man who understands his watch — who knows the function of every wheel and pin — when it goes wrong, will immediately find the cause. But someone with no skill in watches, when it goes wrong, does not know what the matter is and cannot fix it. Our hearts are like a watch — with many wheels, windings, and turnings. We should labor to know them well, so that when they are out of tune we may know what the matter is.
2. This knowledge of our hearts will help us toward contentment because by it we come to know what is most suited to our condition. A person who does not know his own heart does not realize what affliction he actually needs — and on that account he is discontented when it comes. But a man or woman who has studied their own heart, when God brings afflictions upon them, can say: 'I would not for anything in the world have been without this affliction. God has suited this affliction so exactly to my condition, and has sent it in such a way, that if this affliction had not come, I am afraid I would have fallen into sin.' A poor countryman who takes medicine feels it working and thinks it will kill him — because he does not know the unhealthy humors in his body and does not understand how well-suited the medicine is to his condition. But a physician who takes a strong purge, and finds it makes him very ill, says: 'I like this all the better — it is working on exactly the humor I know to be the cause of my condition.' Because that man has knowledge of his own body and the cause of his trouble, he is not disturbed or discontented. So it would be with us if we knew the disorders of our own hearts. Worldly men and women do not know their own spirits, and so they thrash about and vex at every affliction that comes — not knowing what disorders in their hearts might be healed by those afflictions, if God were pleased to give them a sanctified use of them.
3. By knowing their own hearts, they know what they are able to manage — and by this they come to be content. The Lord perhaps takes away many comforts they once had, or denies them things they hoped to receive. Now, by knowing their hearts, they know this: they were not able to manage such an estate, and they were not able to handle such prosperity. God saw it. And a poor soul can say: 'I am in some measure convinced by looking into my own heart that I was not able to manage that condition.' A person who greedily grasps for more than he can manage undoes himself. As farmers observe, if they overstock their land it will quickly ruin them. A wise farmer who knows how much his ground can support is not troubled that he does not have as large a herd as others — because he knows he does not have land enough for a larger one. That knowledge quiets him. So many men and women who do not know their own hearts would gladly have the prosperous estate that others have. But if they knew their own hearts, they would know they are not able to manage it. Consider a little child of three or four years old crying to have the coat of her twelve-year-old or twenty-year-old sister: 'Why may I not have a coat as long as hers?' If she had it, it would soon trip her up and cause her to fall. But when she comes to understanding, she is not discontented that her coat is not as long as her sister's — she says, 'My coat is right for me,' and is content with it. So if we come to understanding in the school of Christ, we will not cry: 'Why do I not have the same estate as others?' The Lord sees that I am not able to manage it — and I can see it myself by knowing my own heart. Children, when they see a sharp knife, will cry for it — because they do not know their own strength or their inability to handle it safely. But you know they cannot manage it, so you will not give it to them. And when they are old enough to understand that they cannot handle it, they will stop crying for it. So we would stop crying for such-and-such things if we knew we were not able to manage them. When you fret and stew over what you do not have, I may say to you what Christ said: you do not know what spirit you are of. Oecolampadius once said to Parillus, when they were speaking about his extreme poverty: 'Not so poor — though I have been very poor, I could willingly be poorer still.' As if to say: 'The Lord knew that a poor condition suited me better, and I knew that my own heart was such that poverty served me better than wealth would have.' So we would all say, if we knew our own hearts: 'Such-and-such a condition is better for me than anything else would have been.'
The seventh lesson is the burden of a prosperous estate. No one who comes into Christ's school to be instructed in this art arrives at much skill in it until he comes to understand the burden that comes with a prosperous condition.
Objection: What burden is there in a prosperous estate?
Answer: A great burden indeed, and it takes great strength to bear it. Just as a person needs a strong constitution to handle strong wine without harm, so a person needs a strong spirit to bear prosperous conditions without damaging themselves. There is a fourfold burden in a prosperous estate. Many men and women see only the shine and glitter of prosperity — they little think of the burden. But there is a fourfold burden.
1. There is the burden of trouble. A rose has thorns, and as Scripture says: 'Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction' (1 Timothy 6:9), and 'the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil' (1 Timothy 6:10). A person whose heart is set on becoming rich will pierce himself through with many sorrows. He sees the outward delight and glory of riches, but he does not consider what piercing sorrows may come with them. I have thought often about the trouble that comes with a prosperous condition, and the best illustration I can find is this: traveling through an open country, you see a town in the distance set in a valley, and think, 'What a fine situation that town is in!' But when you ride into the town, you find yourself going down a muddy lane and through a series of dreadful muddy holes that you could not see from two or three miles away. So we sometimes look at the prosperity of others and think, 'What a fine and comfortable life that man leads' — but if we knew what troubles he meets in his household, in his estate, in his dealings with others, we would not think his condition so happy. A fine new shoe may look perfect — but only the person wearing it knows where it pinches. So you may think certain people are very fortunate — but they may have many troubles you know nothing about.
2. There is the burden of danger in a prosperous estate. People in a prosperous condition are in great danger. Think of moths and gnats on a summer evening, flying about the candle — they singe their wings and fall dead. There is a great deal of danger in a prosperous estate. People set on a high pinnacle are in greater danger than others. Honey attracts bees and wasps — so the sweetness of prosperity attracts the devil and temptation. People in prosperous conditions are subject to many temptations that others are not. Scripture calls the devil Beelzebul — the lord of flies. And Beelzebul comes where the honey of prosperity is. Those in prosperous conditions are in very great danger of temptation. Those who are lower in station should think about the dangers facing those above them. Think: though they are above me, they are in more danger than I am. Tall trees are far more shattered by storms than low shrubs. A ship with all its sails up — topsail and all — is in more danger in a storm than one that has all its sails drawn in. So those who have all their sails up and look fine and impressive are more likely to be driven to ruin than others. And you know what Scripture says — how hard it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Such a text should make those who are poor content with their condition. We have a striking example of this in the sons of Kohath. They were in a more elevated position than the other Levites — but they were in greater danger and bore a greater burden.
First, that the sons of Kohath were in a higher position than the other Levites. Numbers 4:4 shows what their condition was: 'This is the work of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting, about the most holy things.' Notice: the Levites served around holy things — but the sons of Kohath served around the most holy things of all. And in Joshua 21:10, God honored the sons of Kohath in a more special way than the other Levites — the sons of Aaron, who were of the Kohathite family, had the first lot, and they were placed before the other families of Levi. Those employed in the most honorable service received the most honorable portion — the first lot fell to them. God honored the Kohathites. The other Levites might ask: 'How has God preferred this family above us?' They were honored above the others. But now notice the burden that came with their honor. Numbers 7:6-9: 'So Moses took the carts and the oxen and gave them to the Levites. He gave two carts and four oxen to the sons of Gershon, according to their service, and four carts and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merari, according to their service, under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. But to the sons of Kohath he gave none, because theirs was the service of the holy objects, which they carried on the shoulder.' Notice: the other Levites had oxen and carts given to them to ease their burden. But to the sons of Kohath, God gave none — they were to bear the holy things on their shoulders. And that is the reason God was so displeased when they sought to carry the ark on a cart — because they were to carry it on their shoulders. Here you see the first burden they bore beyond the other Levites. And those in more honorable positions than others often have burdens that those beneath them never think about. Many times those employed in ministry or in government — who sit at the helm directing the great affairs of the state — you think they live comfortably. They lie awake when you are asleep. If you knew the burden that rests on their spirits, you would count your own labor and load very light by comparison.
2. There is another burden of danger beyond the first, and it is found in Numbers 4:17-20. 'Then the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, "Do not let the tribe of the families of the Kohathites be cut off from among the Levites. But do this to them so that they may live and not die when they approach the most holy objects: Aaron and his sons shall go in and assign each of them to his work and to his load; but they shall not go in to see the holy objects even for a moment, or they will die."' Notice what the Lord says to Moses and Aaron: 'Do not let the tribe of the Kohathites be cut off.' Cut them off — but what had they done? Had they sinned? No, they had not done anything to provoke God. What God means is: 'Take great care of the Kohathite family, and instruct them thoroughly in their duty — for they are in great danger, given that they serve in the most holy things.' If they were to look at the holy things more than God permitted, it would cost them their lives. Therefore, if you neglect to instruct them fully in their duties, you will be the means of destroying them. God says: they administer in the most holy things, and if they dared to presume to do anything differently from what God required in that service, it would cost them their lives. Therefore, do not be careless of them. You can see the danger the Kohathite family was in — they were placed above others, but they were also in greater danger. So you think of certain prominent people in a community who bear sway and serve in public positions — you don't consider their danger. Ministers, in particular, stand in the forefront of all the spite and malice of ungodly people. God employs them in honorable service — service that even angels would delight in — but though the service is honorable, above the employment of ordinary men, the burden of danger is likewise greater than that of men in lower positions. When a soul gains wisdom from Christ to think about the danger that comes with a high condition, it will be content with its own low estate. A poor man in a low condition thinks: 'I am low, and others are raised high — but I do not know what burden they carry.' If he is rightly taught in the school of Christ, he comes to be content.
3. In a prosperous estate there is the burden of duty. You look only at the pleasure, comfort, honor, and respect that come with a prosperous condition. But consider the duty those people owe to God. God requires more duty from those who have greater gifts and more from those who have greater estates. You may be discontented that you do not have the gifts and abilities that others have — but God requires more duty from those who have more. You would gladly have the honor — but can you carry the burden of the duty?
4. The last is the burden of account in a prosperous estate. Those who enjoy great estates and prosperous conditions will give a great account to God. We are all stewards. One steward serves a man of modest means — perhaps just a simple knight. Another serves a nobleman, an earl. The first steward has less under his management than the second. But should he be discontented because less passes through his hands? No — he thinks: I have less, and I give less account. So your account, compared to ministers and magistrates, will be nothing. You must give an account for your own soul — so must they. You must give an account for your own household — so must they. But you are not responsible for congregations, towns, cities, and regions. Think of princes and kings. 'Oh, what a glorious condition they are in!' But what do you think of a king giving account for all the disorder and wickedness in a kingdom that he could have prevented? What abundance of glory a prince could bring to God if he bent his soul and all his thoughts to lift up the name of God in a kingdom. Whatever God loses for want of this — that king, prince, or governor must give an account for it. Chrysostom, commenting on the passage in Hebrews about giving account for souls, said he wondered how any man in public office could be saved, given the greatness of the account they must render. And I have read of Philip, King of Spain — of whom it is said that he had such a natural conscience that he would not do anything against it even in secret, not for the gaining of the whole world. Yet when this man was dying, he cried: 'Oh that I had never been a king! Oh that I had lived a solitary and private life all my days! Then I would have died far more securely. I would have gone before the throne of God to give my account with far more confidence. But here is the fruit of my kingdom: I had all its glory, and it has made my account to God far harder to give.' And so he cried out as he was dying. Therefore, you who live in private conditions — remember this. If you come into Christ's school and learn this lesson, you will be quiet in your afflictions and in your humble estate, because your account is not nearly as great as others'. Latimer used to say in his sermons: 'The half is more than the whole.' That is, when a man is in a modest condition, he is only halfway toward the height of prosperity that others enjoy — yet he is safer and more secure, even though his condition is humbler. Those in a high and prosperous condition have attached to it the burden of trouble, of danger, of duty, and of account. And so you see how Christ trains up His students in His school. Though they may be weak in other respects, His Spirit gives them wisdom to understand these things rightly.
The eighth lesson is this: Christ teaches them what a great and dreadful evil it is to be given over to one's heart's desires. Understanding this lesson — that being given over to one's own heart's desires is one of the most terrible evils that can befall any person on the face of the earth — when the soul grasps this, together with the truth that spiritual judgments are more fearful than any outward judgment in the world, it will teach contentment when God crosses our desires. You are crossed in your desires, and you are discontented, vexed, and fretting. Is being crossed in your desires your only misery? No — you are infinitely mistaken. The greatest misery of all is for God to give you over to your heart's lusts and desires, to give you over to your own thinking. Psalm 81:11-12: 'But My people did not listen to My voice, and Israel did not obey Me. So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart, to walk in their own devices.' Bernard cried out: 'Let me not have such a misery as that — to be given what I would have, to have my heart's desires.' To be given over to one's heart's desires is one of the most hideous judgments in the world. We do not have in Scripture any certain and obvious sign of a person being reprobate — we cannot say of anyone (unless we knew they had committed the unpardonable sin) that they are reprobate, because we do not know what God may yet do in them. But the nearest thing to and the darkest sign of reprobation is this: for God to give a person over to their heart's desires. All the pain of diseases and all the calamities that can be imagined are no judgments compared to this — being given over to one's heart's desires. When the soul comes to understand this, it cries out: 'Why am I so troubled that I do not have my desires?' There is nothing through which God more often conveys His wrath than through a prosperous condition. I have read a Jewish tradition that when God struck Uzziah with leprosy, the beams of the sun fell on his forehead, and by this means the leprosy was caused. Whether that is true or not, this is certainly true: the strong beams of the sun of prosperity upon many people makes them leprous. Would any poor man in the countryside have been discontented not to be in Uzziah's position? He was a great king — yes, but there was leprosy on his forehead. The poor man could say: 'Though I live plainly in the country, I thank God my body is whole and sound.' Would any man rather have satin and velvet with the plague in it, than plain rough cloth without it? The Lord conveys the plague of His curse through prosperity as much as through anything in the world. When the soul comes to understand this, it grows quiet and content.
And then spiritual judgments are the greatest judgments of all. The Lord has laid an affliction on my outward circumstances — but what if He had taken away my life? A man's health is a greater mercy than his estate — and you who are poor should consider that. But is the health of a man's body better than his estate? Then what is the health of a man's soul? That is far better still. The Lord has inflicted outward judgments on you — but He has not inflicted spiritual judgments. He has not given you over to a hard heart, and He has not taken away the spirit of prayer from you in your afflicted condition. Be of good comfort: though there are outward afflictions upon you, your soul — your more excellent part — is not afflicted. When the soul comes to understand that here is where the sore wrath of God truly lies — in being given over to one's own desires, and in having spiritual judgments fall — that understanding quiets and contents the soul, even when outward afflictions are heavy. Perhaps one of your children has a fever or a toothache, while your neighbor's children have died of the plague. Should you be discontented because your children have a toothache while your neighbor's children are dead? Think this way: 'Lord, You have laid an afflicted condition on me — but Lord, You have not given me the plague of a hard heart.' Take these eight lessons together, and you may apply that Scripture in Isaiah 29:24: 'Those who erred in spirit will know the truth, and those who criticized will accept instruction.' Has any of you — as I fear many may be found — erred in spirit regarding these truths I have been preaching? Have many murmured? Oh, that today you might come to understand — that Christ would bring you into His school and teach you understanding. 'Those who criticized will accept instruction' — what instruction? These eight lessons I have opened to you. If you will thoroughly study these lessons set before your eyes, they will be a special help and means to cure your murmurings and complaints against the hand of God. By them you will come to learn Christian contentment. May the Lord thoroughly teach you by His Spirit these lessons of contentment.
