The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment

Fifthly, It is below that special Grace of faith. Faith is that that doth overcome the world, it is that that makes all the promises of God to be ours: Now when thou tookest upon thee the profession of Religion, did God ever promise thee that thou shouldest live at ease, and quiet, and have no trouble? I remember Austin hath such an expression, What is this thy faith? what did I ever promise thee, (saith he) that thou shouldest ever flourish in the world? art thou a Christian to that end? and is this thy faith? I never made any such promise to thee when thou tookest upon thee to be a Christian: Oh it's mighty contrary to thy profession, thou hast never a promise for this, that thou shouldest not have such an affliction upon thee: And a Christian should live by his faith; it is said, that the just do live by faith; now thou shouldest not look after any other life but the life that thou hast by faith; now thou hast no ground for thy faith, to believe that thou shouldest be delivered out of such an affliction; and then, why shouldest thou account it such a great evil to be under such an affliction? Certainly that good that we have in the ground for our faith, it is enough to content our hearts here, and to all eternity: A Christian should be satisfied with that that God hath made to be the object of his faith, the object of his faith is high enough to satisfy his soul, were it capable of a thousand times more than it is: Now if thou mayest have the object of thy faith full, thou hast enough to content thy soul: And know that when thou art discontented for want of such and such comforts, if thou wouldest but think thus, God did never promise me that I should have these Comforts, and at this time, and in such a way as I would have, but I am discontented because I have not these which God did never yet promise me, and therefore I sin much ⟨p. 132⟩against the Gospel, and against the grace of faith.

Fiftly, It is below that special Grace of faith. Faith is that that doth overcome the world, it is that that makes all the promises of God to be ours: Now when thou tookest upon thee the profession of Religion, did God ever promise thee that thou shouldest live at ease, and quiet, and have no trouble? I remember Austin hath such an expression, What is this thy faith? what did I ever promise thee, (saith he) that thou shouldest ever flourish in the world? art thou a Christian to that end? and is this thy faith? I never made any such promise to thee when thou tookest upon thee to be a Christian: Oh it's mighty contrary to thy profession, thou hast never a promise for this, that thou shouldest not have such an affliction upon thee: And a Christian should live by his faith; it is said, that the just do live by faith; now thou shouldest not look after any other life but the life that thou hast by faith; now thou hast no ground for thy faith, to beleeve that thou shouldest be delivered out of such an affliction; and then, why shouldest thou account it such a great evil to be under such an affliction? Certainly that good that we have in the ground for our faith, it is enough to content our hearts here, and to all eternity: A Christian should be satisfied with that that God hath made to be the object of his faith, the object of his faith is high enough to satisfie his soul, were it capable of a thousand times more than it is: Now if thou mayest have the object of thy faith full, thou hast enough to content thy soul: And know that when thou art discontented for want of such and such comforts, if thou wouldest but think thus, God did never promise me that I should have these Comforts, and at this time, and in such a way as I would have, but I am discontented because I have not these which God did never yet promise me, and therefore I sin much