A Body of Practical Divinity

6. We glorify God by being contented in that State where his Providence hath set us; we give God the Glory of his Wisdom in that we rest satisfied with what he carves out to us: Thus did holy Paul glorify God, the Lord had cast him into as great variety of Condition as any Man, in Prisons more frequent, in Deaths oft, 2 Cor. 11.23. yet he had learned to be content: St. Paul could sail either in a Storm or a Calm; he could be any thing that God would have him; he could either want or abound, Phil. 4.13. A good Christian argues thus: It is God hath put me in this Condition; he could have raised me higher if he pleased, but that might have been a Snare to me; God hath done it in Wisdom and Love, therefore I will sit down satisfied with my Condition. Surely this doth much glorify God; God counts himself much honoured by such a Christian; saith God, Here is one after my own heart, let me do what I will with him, I hear no murmuring, he is content. This shows abundance of Grace. When Grace is crowning it is not so much to be content, but when Grace is conflicting with Inconveniences, then to be content is a glorious thing indeed: for one to be content when he is in Heaven, is no wonder, but to be content under the Cross, is like a Christian: This Man must needs bring Glory to God, for he shows to all the World that though he hath little Meal in Barrel, yet he hath enough in God to make him content; he saith as David, Psal. 16.5. The Lord is the portion of my inheritance, the lines are fallen to me in pleasant places.

6. We glorifie God by being contented in that State where his Providence hath set us; we give God the Glory of his Wisdom in that we rest satisfied with what he carves out to us: Thus did holy Paul glorifie God, the Lord had cast him into as great variety of Condition as any Man, in Prisons more frequent, in Deaths oft, 2 Cor. 11.23. yet he had learned to be content: St. Paul could sail either in a Storm or a Calm; he could be any thing that God would have him; he could either want or abound, Phil. 4.13. A good Christian argues thus: It is God hath put me in this Condition; he could have raised me higher if he pleas'd, but that might have been a Snare to me; God hath done it in Wisdom and Love, therefore I will sit down satisfied with my Condition. Surely this doth much glorifie God; God counts himself much honoured by such a Christian; saith God, Here is one after my own heart, let me do what I will with him, I hear no murmuring, he is content. This shews abundance of Grace. When Grace is crowning it is not so much to be content, but when Grace is conflicting with Inconveniencies, then to be content is a glorious thing indeed: for one to be content when he is in Heaven, is no wonder, but to be content under the Cross, is like a Christian: This Man must needs bring Glory to God, for he shews to all the World that though he hath little Meal in Barrel, yet he hath enough in God to make him content; he saith as David,