The art of contentment by the author of The whole duty of man, &c.
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Title
The art of contentment by the author of The whole duty of man, &c.
Author
Allestree, Richard, 1619-1681.
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[Oxford] :: At the Theater in Oxford,
1675.
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Subject terms
Contentment -- Early works to 1800.
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"The art of contentment by the author of The whole duty of man, &c." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A23688.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 5, 2024.
Pages
descriptionPage 130
SECT. VIII.
Of the Advantage of Afflictions.
1. IT were the work of a volume to give
an exact and minute account of the
benefit of afflictions. I shall only point
at some of the more general and obvious.
And first it is one of the most awakening
calls to repentance; and to this end it is
that God most usually designs it. We see
the whole scene of it, Hos. 5. 15. I will go and
return to my place, till they acknowledg their
offence, and seek my face: in their afflicti∣on
they will seek me early: and in the very
next verse we find this voice of God e∣choed
forth by a penitential note, Come
and let us return unto the Lord, for he hath
torn, and he will heal us, he hath smitten,
and he will bind us up. Thus we find the
Brethren of Ioseph, tho there had a long
interval passed betwixt their barbarous u∣sage
of him, and his feigned rigor to them,
yet when they saw themselves distrest by
the one, then they begin to recollect the
descriptionPage 131
other, saying, We are verily guilty concern∣ing
our brother, Gen. 42. 21. Prosperity
is an intoxicating thing, and there are
few brains strong enough to bear it; it
laies us a sleep, and amuses us with plea∣sant
dreams, whil'st in the mean time Sa∣tan
rifles our tresures, and spoiles us, by
the deceitful charms of sin, of our inno∣cency
and real happiness. And can there
be a more friendly office don for a man
in this condition, then to rouze him, and
bring him to apprehend the designs that
are laid against him? And this is the er∣rand
on which afflictions are sent: so that
we have reason to look on them as our
friends and confederates that intend our
rescue, and to take the alarm they give
us, and diligently seek out those intestine
enemies of which they warn us. And he
that instead of this, quarrels at their in∣terposing,
thinks them his enemies because
they tell him the truth, Gal. 4. 16. do's
miserably pervert the counsel of God against
himself, Luk. 7. 30. and may at last ve∣rify
his own jealousies; and by so provok∣ing
an ingratitude, convert those into
the wounds of an enemy, which were o∣riginally
meant as the corrections of a
Father.
descriptionPage 132
2. AND as afflictions do thus in gene∣ral
admonish us of sins, so it pleases God
most frequently so to model and frame
them, that they bear the very image and
impress of those particular guilts they are
to chastise, and are the dark shadows that
attend our gay delights, or flagrant in∣solencies.
The wise man observes that
the turning the Egyptian waters into
blood, was a manifest reproof of that cru∣el
commandment for the murdering of
the Hebrew infants, Wisd. 12. 5. And
surely we might in most if not all our suf∣ferings,
see some such corresponding cir∣cumstances;
as may lead us to the imme∣diate
provoking cause of it. God who
do's all things in number, weight, and
mesure, do's in punishments also observe
a symmetry and proportion, and adapts
them not only to the heinousness, but
even the very specific kind of our crimes.
The only fixt immutable rule he has given
for his Vice-gerents on earth to punish by,
is that in the case of murder, which is
we see grounded on this rule of propor∣tion,
He that sheddeth mans blood, by man
shall his blood be shed, Gen. 9. 6. And
tho he have now rescinded the inferior
retaliations of the eie for the eie, the tooth
descriptionPage 133
for the tooth, Exod. 21. 24. (probably
for the hardness of our hearts, because he
saw our revengeful natures would be too
much pleased with it) yet he has not pre∣cluded
himself from acting by those me∣sures,
but we see it do's very often signally
make men feel the smart of those violen∣cies
or injustices they have used to others.
Of this the Sacred story affords several ex∣amples
(as Adonibezek, Jud. 1. 6. and A∣hab,
1 King. 21. 19.) and profane many
more, and daily experience and observa∣tion
most of all. And tho this method
of retaliation is not alwaies so evident and
apparent to the world, because mens sins
are not alwaies so, yet I believe if men
would duly recollect, it would be for
the most part discernable to their own
consciences, and they would apparently
see, that their calamities did but trace the
footsteps of their sins.
3. NOW if we rightly weigh this, we
cannot but think it a very advantageous
circumstance. We are naturally blind when
we look inward, and if we have not some
adventitious light to clear the object, will
be very apt to overlook it. Therefore
since the end of all our afflictions is our
repentance, it is a wise and gracious dis∣posal,
descriptionPage 134
that they do thus point to us those
particular sins of which we are to repent.
The body of sin will not be destroied in
the whole entire bulk, but must be dis∣membred,
pull'd to pieces limb by limb.
He that attaques it otherwise, will be like
Sertorius's soldier, who ineffectively tugg'd
at the horses tail to get it off at once,
when he that pull'd it hair by hair, quickly
did it. Therefore as it is a great part of our
spiritual Wisdom to know in what espe∣cial
parts the Sampson-like strength of our
corruptions lie, so is it a great instance of
Gods care of us, thus by his corrections
to discipline and instruct us in it.
4. In all our afflictions therefore it is
our concern, nicely and critically to ob∣serve
them. I mean not to enhance our
murmurs and complaints, but to learn by
them what is Gods peculiar controversy
against us. This is indeed to hear the rod,
and who hath appointed it, Mic. 6. 9. Let
him therefore that suffers in any of his
concerns, examin whether he have not
some corresponding guilt which answers
to it, as face answers face, Prov. 27. 19.
He that is impoverished in his estate, let
him consider first how he acquired it,
whether there were not somthing of fraud
descriptionPage 135
or injustice, which like a cancrous hu∣mor,
mixt in its very elements and con∣stitution,
and eat out its bowels: or whe∣ther
some sacrilegious prize, some coal
from the altar have not fired his nest. Or
if nothing can be charged upon the ac∣quest,
let him consider how he has used
it; whether he have not made it the fuel
of his lusts, in riot and excesses, or the
object of his adoration in an inordinate
value of it. In like manner he who is
afflicted in his body, groans under the
torment of some grievous disease, may very
seasonably interrogate himself, whether
it have not bin contracted by his vice, whe∣ther
his bones be not (in a more literal sense
then Iob meant it) full of the sins of his
youth, Job. 20. 11. and his furfeting and
drunkeness be not the cause, that his
soul, as the Psalmist speaks, abhors all man∣ner
of meat, and is even hard at deaths door,
Psal. 107. 18. or at least whether the not
imploying his health and strength to those
purposes for which twas given, is not the
reason of its being withdrawn. He also
that is invaded in his reputation, that lies
under some great infamy, is to consider
whether it be not deserved; whether some
part if not the whole guilt of which he
descriptionPage 136
is accused, stick not to him: or if he be
clear in that particular instance, whether
some conceled sin of his would not if it
were known, incur as great scandal: for
in that case he has in right forfeited
his reputation, and God may make the
feizure as well by an unjust, as a just ac∣cusation.
Or if his heart accuse him not
here, yet let him farther reflect, whether
his vain-glorious pursuits of praise and
high conceits of himself, have not made
this an apt and necessary humiliation for
him. Or lastly let him recollect how
he has behaved himself towards others in
this kind: whether he have had a just ten∣derness
of his neighbors fame, or have
not rather exposed and prostituted it. In
these and many other instances such a
particular scrutiny, would (in all proba∣bility)
discover the affinity and cogna∣tion
between our guilts and our punish∣ments,
and by marking out the spring
and fountain head, direct us how to stop
or divert the current. And he that
would diligently imploy himself in this
inquisition, would find little leisure and
less cause to condole his afflictions, but
would divert all his complaints upon him∣self,
accept of the punishment of his iniqui∣ty,
descriptionPage 137
and thank the Lord for thus giving him
warning, Psal. 16. 8.
5. A second benefit which God de∣signs
us in our afflictions is the weaning
us from the world, to disentangle us from
its fetters and charms, and draw us to him∣self.
We read in the story of the Deluge,
that so long as the earth was covered
with waters, the very Raven was con∣tented
to take shelter in the Ark, but
when all was fair and dry, even the Dove
finally forsook it, Gen. 8. 12. And tis
much so with us, the worst of men will
commonly in distresses have recourse to
God (the very heathen mariners in a
storm could rebuke Ionah for not calling
upon his God, Jon. 1. 6.) when yet the
very best of us, are apt to forget him a∣midst
the blandishments and insinuations
of prosperity. The kind aspects of the
world are very enchanting, apt to in∣veigle
and besot us, and therefore it is
Gods care over us, to let us sometimes see
her more averting countenance in her
frowns and storms; that, as children
frighted by some ugly appearance, we
may run into the arms of our father. A∣las
were all things exactly fitted to our
humors here, when should we think of a
descriptionPage 138
remove? and had not death some har∣bingers
to prepare us or him, what a
surprising guest would he be to us? Tis
storied of Antigonus, that seing a soldier
in his camp of so dareing a courage that
he alwaies courted the most hazardous at∣temts,
and observing him also of a very
infirm sickly habit, he took a particular
care of him, and by medicines and good
attendance recovered him; which no
sooner he had don, but the man grew
more cautious, and would no longer ex∣pose
himself as formerly; and gave this
reason for it, that now he was healthy his
life was of some value to him, and not
to be hazarded at the same rate, as when
it was only a burden; and should God
cure all our complaints, render us per∣fectly
at ease, I fear too many of us would
be of the soldiers mind, think our lives too
good to resign to him, much more to ha∣zard
for him, as our Christianity in many
cases obliges us. The son of Syrach ob∣serves
how dreadful death is to a man that is
at rest in his possessions, that hath abundance
of all things, and hath nothing to vex him,
nay he descends much lower; and puts in
him who is yet able to receive meat, Ecclus.
14. 1. The truth is we do so passionate∣ly
descriptionPage 139
dote upon the world, that like besotted
lovers, we can bear a great deal of ill usage,
before we quit our pursuit. Any little
slight favor atones us after multiplied af∣fronts,
and we must be disciplined by re∣peted
disappointments, ere we can with∣draw
our confidence. But how fatally
secure should we be, if God should per∣mit
this Siren alwaies to entertain us
with her music, and should not by some
discordant grating notes, interrupt our
raptures, and recal us to sober thoughts?
6. INDEED tis one of the highest in∣stances
of Gods love, and of his clemen∣cy
also, thus to project our reducement.
We were all in our Baptism affianced to
him, with a particular abrenunciation of
the world, so that we cannot without the
greatest disloialty cast our selves into its
embraces; and yet when we have thus
broken the covenant of our God, Prov. 2. 17.
he do's not pursue us with a jealous rage,
with the severity which an abused rival'd
kindness would suggest, doth not give us
a bill of divorce and disclame his relation;
but contrives how he may reclame and
bring us back to himself. The transcen∣dency
of this lenity God excellently de∣scribes
by the prophet in the case of Israel
descriptionPage 140
They say if a man put away his wife, and
she become another mans shall he return
unto her again? but thou hast plaied the
harlot with many lovers, yet return unto me
saith the Lord, Jer. 3. 1. And this tho
a great height of indulgence, is no more
then he daily repetes to us. After we
have basely adulterated with the world,
converted our affections from God to it,
he do's not give us over, abandon us to
our leud course, and consequent ruin;
but still invites our return, and lest that
may not serve, he do's with a great deal
of holy artifice essay to break that accur∣ed
League into which we are enter'd,
pulls off the disguise in which the world
courted us, and makes us see it as it is it
self, a scene of vanity and vexation of spirit,
Eccles. 1. 14.
6. AND as he do's this in general, so
also with a particular application to those
temporal satisfactions wherewith we were
most transported; the things to which we
are more indifferent do not so much en∣danger
us, tis those upon which we have
more vehemently set our hearts which be∣come
our snares, and awake his jealousy;
and accordingly we frequently see that
tis in those he chuses to cross us. How
descriptionPage 141
often do's it happen that those which
are enamoured of themselves, dote upon
their own features, do meet with some
disease or accident which blasts their beau∣ty,
withers that faire flower, and makes
their winter overtake their spring? So
in our friends and relations tis usually
seen, we soonest loose those for whom
we have the greatest, the most immode∣rate
passion. If there be one fondling a∣mong
our children, tis odds but that is
taken away, or made as much the object
of our grief and sorrow, as ever it was of
our joy and love. When God sees our
hearts so excessively cleave to any tran∣sitory
thing, he knows tis necessary to
sever them, for whilst we have such clogs
upon us, our souls will cleave to the dust.
Psa. 119. 1. will not be able to soare up
to the higher region for which they are
design'd.
7. IN a word God so loves us, that he
removes what ever he sees will obstruct
that intimate union which he desires with
us, and sure this is so obliging, that tho
he should bid us to our loss, tho he could
not recompence us for what he takes from
us, yet we must be very ill natur'd if we
can be angry at so much kindness. But
descriptionPage 142
when to this is added that all this is prin∣cipally,
nay solely design'd for our ad∣vantage,
that God takes from us all these
emty delusory contentments merely that
he may instate us in solid and durable
joies; we betray as much ignorance of
our interest, as insensibleness of our ob∣ligation,
if we repine that God makes us so
much his care. Tis true indeed, the things
to which we have so inordinatly adhered,
do stick so close, that they cannot be pull'd
away without some pain: yet for our cor∣poral
security we can endure the sundring
of parts that do not only cleave, but grow
to us. He that has a gangrend member
suffers it to be cut off to save his whole
body, and do's not revile, but thank and
reward the Chirurgion. Yet where our
souls are concern'd, and where the things
have no native union with us, but are only
cemented by our passions, we are impa∣tient
of the method, and think God deals
very hardly with us, not to let us perish
with what we love. The sum of all is
this, God tho he be abundantly conde∣scending,
yet he will never stoop so low as
to share his interest in us with the world:
if we will devote our selves to it, tis not
all our emty forms of service will satisfy
descriptionPage 143
him, if he cannot divorce our hearts from
it, he will divorce himself eternally from
us. And the case being thus, we are sure
very ill advised if we do not contentedly
resign our selves to his methods, and cheer∣fully
endure them how sharp soever. The
only expedient we have for our own ease,
is to shorten the cure by giving our assi∣stance,
and not by struglings to render
it more difficult and painful, let us en∣tirely
surrender our wills to him, and when
we have don that, we may without much
pain let him take any thing else. But
the more difficult we find it to be disen∣tangled
from the world, the greater should
our caution be against all future engage∣ments
to it. If our escape hath bin as
the Apostle saies, so as by fire, Jud. 23.
with much smart and hazard, let us at least
have so much wit, as the common pro∣verb
allows children, and not again ex∣pose
our selves: let us never glue our hearts
to any external thing, but let all the con∣cerns
of the world hang loose about us:
by that means we shall be able to put them
off insensibly when ever God calls for
them, or perhaps we shall prevent his call∣ing
for them at all, it being for the most
part, our too close adhesion to them which
promts him to it.
descriptionPage 144
8. A third advantage of afflictions is,
that it is a mark and signature of our ad∣option,
a witness of our legitimation.
What son is he (saith the Apostle) whom
the Father chastiseth not? but if ye be with∣out
chastisement whereof all are partakers,
then are ye bastards and not sons, Heb, 12.
7. 8. Iacob clad his dearling Ioseph in a
party-coloured Coat, and Gods favorites
do here wear a Livery inter-woven with
a mixture of dark and gloomy colours;
their long white robes are laid up for them
against they come to the marriage of the
Lamb, Rev. 19 7. Indeed we much mi∣stake
the design of Christianity, if we think
it calls us to a condition of ease and se∣curity.
It might suit well enough with
the votaries of the Golden Calf, to sit
down to eat and drink and rise up to play,
Exod. 32. 6. but the disciples of the cru∣cified
Savior are trained to another dis∣cipline,
our profession enters us into a state
of warfare, and accordingly our very Bap∣tismal
engagement runs all in military
terms, and we are not only servants of
Christs family, but soldiers of his camp.
Now we know in a war men must not ex∣pect
to pass their time in ease and soft∣ness,
but besides all the dangers and dif∣ficulties
descriptionPage 145
of the combat, have many other
hardships to endure; hunger and thirst,
heat and cold, hard lodgings and weary
marches: and he that is too nice for those,
will not long stick to his colors. And
it is the same in our spiritual warfare, ma∣ny
pressures and sufferings are annexed to
it, and our passive valor is no less tried
then our active. In respect of this it is
that our Savior admonishes his Profelytes
to compute first the difficulties incident
to their profession, and that he may not
ensnare us by proposing too easy terms,
he bids us reckon upon the worst, and
tells us, that he that forsakes not all that
he hath, shall not be his disciple, Luk. 14. 26.
and that we must thro much tribulatiou enter
into the kingdom of God, Act. 14. 22. In∣deed
twere very absurd for us to expect
easier conditions, when these are the same
to which our Leader has submitted, the
Captain of our Salvation was perfected by
sufferings. Heb. 2. 10. and if it behooved
Christ to suffer before he enter'd into his glory,
Luk 24. 46. it were insolent madness for
us to look to be carried thither upon our
beds of Ivory, of from the noise of our
harps and viols, be immmediatly rapt into
the Choire of Angels.
descriptionPage 146
8. THIS has bin so much consider'd
by pious men, that they have lookt upon
their secular prosperities with fear and jea∣lousy,
and many have solemnly petition'd
for crosses, as thinking them the necessary
attestation of their son-ship, and means of
assimulation to their elder brother. Why
then should that which was so desirable
to them, appear so formidable to us? or
why should we so vehemently deprecate,
what they so earnestly invited? If we
indeed think it a privilege to be the sons
of God and fellow-heirs with Christ, why
do we grudg at the condition? The Ro∣man
Captain tells St. Paul that he ob∣tained
the immunities of a Roman with
a great sum, Act. 22. 28. and shall we
expect so much a nobler and more advan∣tageous
adoption perfectly gratis? look
that God should change his whole Oeco∣nomy
for our ease, give us an eternal in∣heritance
discharged of those temporal in∣cumbrances
himself has annexed to it This
were sure as unjust a hope as it would be
a vain one. When David had that en∣snaring
proposal made him of being the
Kings son in law, 1 Sam. 18. 21. he set
such a value upon the dignity, that he de∣spised
the difficulty of the condition: and
descriptionPage 147
sure we must have very low abject souls,
if when so infinitly a higher advancement
is sincerely offer'd us, we can suffer any
apprehension of hardship to divert us. In a
word let us remember that of the Apostle,
if we suffer, we shall also reign with him,
2 Tim. 2. 12. And tho our afflictions be
in themselves not joious but grievous, yet
when they are consider'd as the earnest of
our future inheritance, they put on an∣other
face, and may rather enamour then
fright us.
9. A fourth advantage of afflictions is,
that they excite our compassions towards
others: there is nothing qualifies us so
rightly to estimate the suffering of others,
as the having our selves felt them: with∣out
this our apprehensions of them are as
dull and confused, as a blind mans of co∣lors,
or a deaf man of sounds. They that
stretch themselves upon their couches, that
eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves
out of the midst of the stall: that chaunt to the
sound of the viol, drink wine in bowls, and
anoint themselves with the chief ointments,
will not much be grieved with the afflictions
of Ioseph. Am. 6. 4. Nay so necessary is
our experience towards our commiserati∣on,
that we see twas thought a requisite
descriptionPage 148
accomplishment of our high Priest (that
highest example of unboundnded com∣passion)
and therefore saith the Apostle,
It behooved him in all things to be made
like his brethren, that he might be a merciful
and faithful high priest in things pertain∣ing
to God, to make reconciliation for the
sins of the people, for in that he himself hath
suffer'd being temted, he is able also to suc∣cour
them that are temted, Heb. 2. 17, 18.
But if he whose mere sense of our mise∣ries
brought him down to us, chose this
expedient to advance his pity, how ne∣cessary
is it to our petrified bowels? And
since God has assign'd our mercies to our
brethren, as the standard by which he
will proportion his to us, tis more ours
then their advantage to have them inlarg∣ed:
so that when by making us tast of their
cup, acquainting us with the bitter re∣lish
of their sufferings, he prepares us to
a Christian sympathy with them, tis but
a remoter way of obliging and qualify∣ing
us for a more ample portion of his mer∣cy.
Nay besides the profit there is ho∣nor
accrues to us by it; compassion is one
of the best properties of our nature, and
we unman our selves when we put it off;
nay more tis an attribute of the Divi∣nity,
descriptionPage 149
and the more we advance in it, the
closer approches we make to him. And
therefore we have all reason to bless him
for that discipline by which he promotes
us in so excellent, so necessary a grace.
10. A fifth benefit of afflictions is that
it is an improvement of devotion, sets
us with more heartiness to our praiers.
Whilst prosperity flows in upon us we bath
our selves in its streams, but are very apt
to forget its source; so that God is fain
to stop the current, leave us dry and
parched that our needs may make us do
what our gratitude would not, trace our
blessings up to the original spring, and
both acknowledg and invoke him as the
Author of all our good. This effect of
afflictions is observ'd by the prophet,
Lord in trouble have they visited thee, they
poured out a praier when thy chastning was
upon them, Isa. 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
some distress. Then how importunate are
we in our petitions? how profuse in our
vowes and promises? saying with Israel
deliver us only we pray thee this day: and they
put away the strange Gods from among them,
descriptionPage 150
and served the Lord. Jud. 10. 15. I con∣fess
tis no good indication of our temper
that we need thus to be put in the press
ere we will yield any thing? yet since we
are so disingenuous, 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 least to exact his
tribute. Nor do's he design the effect of
this should cease with the calamity that
rais'd it, but expects our compel'd ad∣dresses
should bring us into the way of
voluntary ones, and happily ensnare us in∣to
piety. And indeed herein are we worse
then brutish if it do not. We think it a
barbarous rudeness to engage a man in
our affaires, and as soon as we have served
our own turns, never take farther notice
of him. Nay indeed the very beasts may
lecture us in this piece of Morality, ma∣ny
of them paying a signal gratitude
where they have received benefits, and
shall we not come up at least to their pitch?
shall not the endearment of our delive∣rance
bring our deliverer into some repute
and consideration with us, and make us
desire to keep up an acquaintance and
entercourse with him? Yet if ingenuity
work not with us, let interest at least pre∣vail,
descriptionPage 151
and the remembrance how soon
we may need him again, admonish us not
to make our selves strangers to him. God
complains of Israel wherefore say my peo∣ple
we are Lords? we will come no more at
thee, Jer. 2. 31. A very insolent folly to re∣nounce
that dependance by which alone
they subsisted, and no less will it be in
any of us if we stop our recourse to him
because we have had advantage by it. We
have no assurance that the same occasion
shall not recur, but with what face
can we then resume that entercourse
which in the interval we despised? So that
if we have but any ordinary providence
we shall still so celebrate past rescues
as to continue in a capacity of begging
more, and then we cannot but also con∣fess
the benefit of those first calamities
which inspirited our devotion, and taught
us to pray in earnest, and will be asha∣med
that our thanks should be utter'd in a
fainter accent then our petitions; or our
daily spiritual concerns should be more
coldly sollicited then our temporal acci∣dental
ones.
11. NOR is it only our devotion that is
thus improved by our distresses, but many
other Graces; our faith, our hope, our pati∣ence,
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our Christian sufferance & fortitude.
It is no triumph of faith to trust God for
those good things which he gives us in
hand, this is rather to walk by sense then
faith, but to rely on him in the greatest de∣stitution,
and against hope to believe in hope,
this is the faith of a true child of Abraham,
and will be imputed to us (as it was to him)
for righteousness Rom. 4. 23. So also our pa∣tience
owes all its opportunities of exer∣cise
to our afflictions, and consequently
owes also a great part of its being to them,
for we know desuetude will loose habits.
What imaginable use is there of patience,
where there is nothing to suffer? In our
prosperous state, we may indeed imploy
our temperance, our humility, our cau∣tion;
but patience seems then a useless
vertue: nay indeed for ought we know
may be counterfeit, till adversity bring it
to the test. And yet this is the most glo∣rious
accomplishment of a Christian, that
which most eminently conforms him to
the Image of his Savior, whose whole life
was a perpetual exercise of this grace; and
therefore we love our ease too well if we
are unwilling to buy this pearl at any
price.
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12. LASTLY our thankfulness is
(at least ought to be) increa'st by our di∣stresses.
Tis very natural for us to reflect
with value and esteem upon those bles∣sings
we have lost, and we too often do
it to aggravate our discontent: but sure
the more rational use of it is to raise our
thankfulness for the time wherein we en∣joied
them. Nay not only our former en∣joiments,
but even our present depriva∣tions
deserves our gratitude, if we con∣sider
the happy advantages we may reap
from them. If we will perversly cast
them away, that unworthy contemt paies
no scores, for we still stand answerable
in Gods account for the good he design'd
and we might have had by it, and we be∣come
liable to a new charge for our in∣gratitude
in thus despising the chastisement
of the Lord, Heb. 12. 5.
13. AND now if all these benefits of
afflictions (which are yet but imperfectly
recited) may be thought worth consi∣dering,
it cannot but reconcile us to
the sharpest of Gods methods; unless we
will own our selves such mere animals,
as to have no other apprehensions then
what our bodily senses convey to us; for
sure he that has reason enough to under∣stand
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that he has an immortal soul, can∣not
but assent that its interests should be
served, tho with the displacency of his
flesh. Yet even in regard of that, our
murmurings are oft very unjust, for we
do many times ignorantly prejudg Gods
designs towards us even in temporals,
who frequently makes a little transient
uneasiness the passage to secular felici∣ties.
Moses when he fled out of Egypt,
probably little thought that he should re∣turn
thither a God unto Pharoah, Exod.
4. 16. and as little did Ioseph when he
was brought thither a slave, that he was to
be a ruler there: yet as distant as those states
were, the divine providence had so con∣nected
them, that the one depends upon
the other. And certainly we may often
observe the like over-ruling hand in our
own distresses, that those events which
we have entertained with the greatest re∣gret,
have in the consequences bin very
beneficial to us.
14. To conclude, we have certainly
both from speculation & experience abun∣dant
matter to clam all our disquiets, to
satisfy our distrusts, and to fix in us an en∣tire
resignation to Gods disposals, who has
designs which we cannot penetrate, but
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none which we need fear, unless we our
selves pervert them. We have our Sa∣viors
word for it, that he will not give us
a stone when we ask bread, nor a scorpion
when we ask a fish, Mat. 7. 9. Nay his
love secures us yet farther from the errors
of our own wild choice, and do's not give
us those stones and scorpions which we
importune for. Let us then leave our
concerns to him who best knows them,
and make it our sole care to entertain his
dispensations with as much submission and
duty, as he dispences them with love and
wisdom. And if we can but do so, we
may dare all the power of earth and hell
too, to make us miserable: for be our af∣flictions
what they can, we are sure they
are but what we in some respect or other
need; be they privative or positive, the
want of what we wish, or the suffering of
what we wish not, they are the disposals
of him who cannot err, and we shall fi∣nally
have cause to say with the Psalmist,
It is good for me that I have bin afflicted,
Psal. 119. 71.
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