. The rare Jewel of Cbrifli4n Contentment. I I 7 {ball have punifument for all tbe fin he would commit, fo thou {}ult have the revvard for all the good thou vvouldil do. Now, may we not draw an argument from aCtive obedience to paffive1 There is as good reafon why thou lhouldfi: expeCt that God will reward thee for all thou art willing to fuff'er, as well as for all that thou art ~villing to do; now if thou bee!l willing to be without fuch a comfort and mercy when God fees it fit, thou tbalt be no lofer ; certainly, God will reward thee either with the comfort,or with that that lhall be as good to thee a5 the comfort: therefore confider, how many things have I that others want? and can I bring my heart into a guiet contented frame tJ want what others have? I have the bleffing of all that they have, and I lhall either.poffefs fuch things as others have, or ,e\fe God •vill make it up-one way or other, either here, or hereafter in eternity to me: Oh! what riches are here! with Contentment thou haA: all kind of riches. Tenthly and laltly, By Contentment the foul comes to an Excdlency mer 1mto t!Jod him[elf, yeP~1 the nearfi thttt ma)' be; for this word that is traoflated Content, is a word that fig!1ifies a Stlf-Jufficie.YJcy, (as I told you in the opening of the words.) A contented man is a feJf-fufficient m.m. What ic; the great GI ~:y of God~ but to be happy and felf-fuffi cient of himfelf! Indeed, he is faid to be All-fuflicient, b~1t that's but a further addition of the word A !/, rather than of any matter ; for to be Sufficient, is All-fufficient: Now, is this the Glory of God,to be Sdlicient, to have Sufficiency in Himfelf, El ji:Mdd,li, to he G"d, having Sufficiency in himfelf l Now, thou corn ell: neer eo this, thou par- . takeA: of tbe Divine Nature, as by G;·ace in general, fo in a more peculiar manner by this Grace of Chrifli:m Cont entment, what's the Excellency and Glory of God, but this? Suppofe there were no creatures in the world, and that all the creatures in the World were annihilated, God would remain the f:tme bleffed God that he is now, he would not be in a worfe condition,if all creatures were gone ; neither would a contented he:~rr, if God iliould take away all creatures from him: a contented heart bath enough in the want of all creatures, and would not be more mifera!3Ie than noN he is; Suppofe that God £hould continlle Sh~e)lere, and all creatures that are here in this Wodd were ra.- l ken
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=