On Contentment
For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to
be content.”
There are three excellent virtues, which especially refer to our condition in this life, and much conduce to our safe and comfortable passage through it.
1. Equality of mind, or equanimity.
2. Patience.
3. Contentedness.
1. Equality of mind, or equanimity, is that virtue which refers both to prosperity and adversity, whereby, in all conditions of that kind, we carry an even and equal temper, neither overmuch lifted up by prosperity, nor overmuch depressed in adversity.
2. Patience properly refers to crosses, disappointments, afflictions, and adversity, whereby we carry a quiet and submissive mind, without murmuring, passion, or discomposure of spirit, in all afflictions, whether sickness, loss of friends, poverty, reproach, disgrace, or the like.
3. Contentment; which differs from equality of mind, because that respects as well prosperity as adversity; this only adversity; and in some respects differs also from patience, though this always accompanies it. 1. In the extent of the object: for patience respects all kinds of affliction; contentedness in propriety of speech, respects principally the affliction of want or poverty. 3. In the act itself for patience, in propriety of speech, implies only a quiet, composed toleration of the evil of adversity; but contentedness imports somewhat more, namely, not only a quietness of mind, but a kind of cheerful, free submission to our present condition of adversity, a ready compliance with the divine providence, and, in effect, a choice of that state wherein the divine dispensations place us, as well as the bearing of it.
These, though they may, in strictness, give a distinction between patience and contentment, yet we must observe that contentment is never without patience, though it be something more; and that, in the common acceptation and. latitude of the word, contentment doth not only extend to the condition or affliction of poverty, but even to all other outward afflictions reached to us by the inflicting or permitting hand of divine providence; and in this large acceptation I shall here apply and use it.
Content, therefore, in its large acceptation, is not only a quiet and patient, but also a free and cheerful closing with that estate and condition of life, which the divine dispensation shall allot to us, whether mean, or poor, or laborious and painful, or obscure or necessitous, or sickly, or unhealthy, or without friends, or with loss or absence of friends, or any other state that seems ungrateful to our nature or disposition. For we need not apply this virtue to a state of high prosperity in all things, wherein, though men are not ordinarily contented, yet they have but small temptations to discontent from the state itself wherein they are.
This lesson of contentment was learned by the Apostle, which imports these things: 1. That it is a lesson that is possible to be learned, for the Apostle had learned it. 2. That it Is a lesson that requires industry and pains to acquire it, for he learped it before he attained it. 3. That it is a lesson that deserves the learning, for he speaks of it as a thing of learning and great use, well worth the pains he took to attain it. And the truth is, it is of so great importance to be learned, that without it we want the comfort of our lives, and with it, all conditions of life are not only tolerable, but comfortable. Atid hence it is, that this excellent Apostle doth very often inculcate, and press, and commend, this lesson in many of his epistles. ^’ Godliness with contentment is great gain.” “Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have; for he hath said, 1 will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” Again, “And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.”
I shall therefore set down these reasons, that may persuade and encourage us to contentment with our condition, and likewise to patience under it; for patience and contentment cannot be well severed. And the reasons are of two sorts: 1. Moral; 2. Divine and evangelical. For I shall not decline the use of moral reasons, considering how far, by the help of these, many heathens (that had not the true knowledge of God revealed in his word and Son) advanced in the practice of these virtues. The moral reasons, therefore, are these:
!• Very many of the external evils we suffer are of our own choice and procurement, the fruits of our own follies, inadvertence, and averseness to good counsel; and why should we be discontented, or impatient under those evils which we ourselves have chosen, or repine because those trees bear their natural fruit?.
2. The greater part of the evils we suffer are of that pature and kind, that are not in our power either to prevent or help; some come from the very condition of our nature, as sickness, death of friends; and of absolute necessity, the more relations any man hath, the more evils of this kind he may suffer; and can we reasonably expect that the very nature of things should be changed to please our humours? Again, some come from the hands of men, that, it may be, are more powerful, more subtle, and malicious: why should we discontent ourselves, or be impatient, because others are too strong for us? others again come by occurrences natural, (though disposed by the hand of the divine providence) as losses by storms and tempests, by unseasonable weather, by intemperateness of the air or meteors; can we reasonably expect that the great God of heaven and earth should alter his settled laws of nature for the conveniences of every such little worm as you or I am? It may be that storm or intemperate season, that may do you or me some prejudice, may do others a benefit; that wind that strikes my ship against the rock, may fetch off two or more from the sands. Let us be content, therefore, to suffer Almighty God to govern the world according to hifl wisdom, and not our will, though it may be a particular detriment to you or to me; or if w« repine against it, we must not think thereby to obtain our own wills.
3. The texture and frame of the world is such, that it is absolutely necessary, that if some be rich and powerful, or great, or honourable, others must be poor, and subject, and ignoble; if all were equally powerful, there would be no power nor government, because all would be equal; if all were equally rich, it would be but only nominally; indeed none would be rich, but all would be poor; there could be no artificers, no labourers, no servants. Since, therefore, it is of necessity, in the order of the world, that some must be poor, or less rich or powerful than others, why should I be so unreasonable or unjust, to desire that the lot of poverty or lowness of condition should be another’s and not mine? or why should not I be contented to be of the lower sort of men, since the order of the world requires that such some must be?
4. Let any man observe it when he will, he shall find, that whatsoever of worldly advantages any man doth most plentifully enjoy, and most men most greedily desire, of necessity he must thereby have more crosses and afflictions. A man desires many children, friends, relations; the more he hath of these, the more mortal dying comforts he hath; the more he hath that must be sick, and suffer affliction, and die; and every one of these afflictions or losses in a man relations, are so many renewed afflictions, and crosses to himself. A man desires wealth, and hath it; the more cares and fears he hath; and the more he hath the more he hath to lose, and of necessity, he must have more losses the more he hath; as he that hath a thousand sheep, must, in proba-* bility, lose more in a year than he that hath but forty; and besides, wealth is the common mark that every man shoots at, and every man will be pulling somewhat from him that hath much, because every man thinks he hath enough for others as well as himself. A man desires honour, power, grandeur, and he hath them: but every roan envies him, and is ready to unhorse him; and a small neglect, reproach, or misfortune, sits closer to such a man, than to a meaner man; and the more of honour or power he hath, the more of such breaches he shall be sure to meet with. A man desires long life, and accordingly enjoys it; but in the tract of long life, a man is sure to meet with more sickness, more crosses, more loss of friends and relations, and overlives the greatest part of his external comforts, and in old age becomes his own burden.
5. If a man desires much wealth or power, and enjoys it; yet it is certain so much the more thereof he hath, so much the les others have; for he hath that which might otherwise be divided among many; why therefore should a man desire it, or discontent himself if he have it not, since what he thus enjoys is with another’s detriment and loss, who would have a share in it, if he had it not alone? And why should I covet that, or be discontented if I have it not; since, if I have it, I shall procure the like discontent in others?
6. It is certain in the course of the world, there are, and must be, a greater number of crosses and troubles, and of greater moment, than there are of external comforts; nay, there is scarcely any comfort that any man hath, but, like Jonah’s gourd, it hath a worm gnawing at the root of it, which doth not only wither the comfort itself, but most times creates greater trouble and sorrow, than the comfort itself hath good if entirely enjoyed. A man hath many children, it may be they are all very good and hope* ful, yet they are mortal, and if they die, the death of such a child is so much the more grievous, by how much the more good and towardly he was. But if any of them prove vicious, foolish, and naughty, by how much a child is nearer than a stranger, by so much the more his vices give, trouble, sorrow, and care to his parent; so that in all worldly things, the stock of trouble is greater, three to one, than that of comforts; so true is that saying of Job, “Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward.” Why, therefore, should a man sink into discontent, because the world doth but follow its own natural complexion and state?
7. We are generally greatly mistaken in the nature of good and evil, and have not the true measures of them. That is truly relative good, which makes a man the better, and that truly evil in its relative nature, which makes a man the worse. If prosperity and success make me thankful, watchful, charitable, beneficent, then is prosperity good to me, for it makes me better; but if it make me proud, haughty, insolent, domineering, vain-glorious, it is evil to me. If adversity make me clamorous, murmuring, envious, spiteful, injurious, then it is evil to ne; but if it makes me humble sober, patient, then it is good to me. And let any man impartially take the measure of the very same man, or divers men in each condition, he shall find ten to one receive more mischief by prosperity than by adversity. Why should I then not content myself with that condition which is more safe to. me, and makes me the better man, though not the richer or greater?
8. Which is but a farther explication of what is said before. It is certain, that a good man is like the elixir, it turns iron into gold, and makes the most sour condition of life not only tolerable, but useful and convenient. If I be such, I mould and frame my worst condition into a condition of comfort and contentment by my patience and contentment. Why should I then be discontented with my condition, since, by the grace of God, I am able to make it what I please? If I can content myself with the good temper and disposition of my own heart and soul, I have no reason to be discontented with my condition, for if I find it not good, I can make it such by the equality, patience, and temper of my own mind: and that the mind is the principal matter in content or discontent, we need no other instances than those of Ahab and Haman; the one a great king, the other a great favourite of a mighty monarch, full of wealth and honour; yet a covetous mind in one, and a proud mind in the other, made the former seek for a little spot of ground, and the latter grow to so high a degree of discontent for want of the knee of a poor Jew, that it withered all his enjoyments..
9. Discontent and impatience galls a thousand
P a times nH)Fe than the cross or «fflietioti doth. W« owe more of the evil of crosseSf tr<HiUles» and affliotious, to the uoquiet, restless, impatient distemper of our mind, than to them. We are like meix ki a fever, that infinitely increase their heat by their tossing and tumbling, more than if they lay stilly and then they complain of the uneaainess of ihein bed: like the prophet’s wild bull in a det we eniMigl and tire ourselves worse with our stmggUng, than if we were more patient and still; or like the ship, il is not broken by the ,rock, but by its own violent motion against it. Why then should I disquiet myself with my condition, when I mikke it 9nd myself thereby worse and more uneasy?
10. As my discontentedness and unquietness renders my condition the more uneasy, so Llbo way conduceth to my rescue from it: for since 1 cannot be so brutish as to think that the occurrences which befal men are without a divine conduct; so it is certain, that all his dispensations are wise, and directed to a wise end; and even afflictions themselves have their errand and business, to make men more humble, watchful, and considerate. If 1 correct my child for his fault, and he continue still more stubborn, I shall correct him longer, till he return to his submissiveness and duty. Why, then, should I discontent myself, and be impatient under my affliction, when it is not only vain and fruitless, thereby to expect deliverance, but, in all probability, the likeliest way to keep me still under it?
11. As thus my condition is not amended, but made the worse, more severe and lasting, by my impatience ad discontent, so patience and contentment win give me these great advantages: L In all pro*- babiHty it will shorten ray affliction, because it hath obtained its effect and end, and the message it brings is duly answered* 2. But, howsoever, it will make it infinitely more easy, the less I struggle under it. S* And, which is the best of all, it gives me the possession of my own soul, internal peace and tranquillity of mind, a kind and comfortable serenity of spirit. I remain master of my passions, of my intellect, of myself, and am not transported into another thing than what becomes a reasonable man: though there be storms and tempests and rolling seas without me» yet all is calm and quiet within. Contentment and patience render my outward condition of little concern to me, so long as it gives me the opportunity to possess and enjoy myself, my virtue and goodness, and the attestation of a good conscience.
12« Though I want somewhat that others have, yet it is ten to one, that I have somewhat that many as good, if not better, want. It may be I want wealth, yet I have health; it may be I want health, yet I have children that others want. I will learn contentment by considering others’ wants and my enjoyments, and not leani discontent from others’ enjoyments, and my own wants.
These are the moral considerations, and truly they are of great weight, moment, and use; and, as I said, carried the heathen a great way in the virtues of contentment and patience: but yet they oftentimes failed, and were too weak to compose the mind under a storm of crosses, losses, and afflictions; and, therefore, Almighty God hath furnished us with a more exoelient way; which lets me into the second conp2 sideration, namely, the divine and evangelical helpf to patience and contentment. Their number will not be 80 many as the former, but their weight and efficacy greater, and they are such as these:
1. The worst I here suffer is less than I deserve; and the least that I enjoy is more than I can in justice, expect; it is the gift and bounty of God. I have reason to be content and thankful for the least mercy, and to be patient and quiet under my greatest evil.
2. There is no affliction, cross, or condition of life but is reached out to us from he hand or permission of the most glorious Sovereign of all the world, to whom we owe an infinite subjection, because we have our being from him: and therefore, it is but just and reasonable for us to content Ourselves with what he is pleased thus to inflict: and the greatest cross or affliction of this life, is not equal to his bounty and goodness in giving us a being.
3. He is not only the absolute sovereign of us, and all the world, but he is the most just and wise governor of it, and all men, and all the dispensations of his government are directed to most just, wise, and excellent ends: and therefore, we have all imaginable reason, not only patiently to submit, but cheer’* fully and contentedly to bear any condition that he dispenseth, and with an implicit faith, to resign our wills to his, as being assured it is infinitely more wise and just than ours. Sometimes they are the acts of his justice to punish us for some past offence, but always the acts of his wisdom either to try us, or reclaim us; to prevent us from worse evils, or to amend us; to make us more humblep watchful, duti* filly circamspect; to draw us off from too much resting on the world; to make us bethink ourselves of our duty, and of returning to him by repentance, faith, and obedience.
4. He is not only a wise and just Governor, but a most merciful and tender Father; and one that out of very fiuthfulness, love, and goodness, corrects U8, as a father doth his son whom he entirely loveth: and upon this account he may rest assured, 1. That he never afflicts, or sends, or permits, any cross to fall upon us, but it is for our everlasting, and many times for our temporid good. 2. That no cross or affliction shall lie longer or heavier upon us, than is conducible to our good. 3. That he doth, and will always, send along his staff with his rod, his grace with his affliction, to tutor and instruct us, to support and comfort us; and if we find not this support in our greatest affliclion, it is not because it is wanting to us, but because we are wanting to it, to lay hold upon it, to improve it.
5. For our farther assurance of his love to us, and care of us, we have the word of the great Monarch of the world, the mighty, faithful, and all-sufficient God: “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee;”
6. He hath given us the greatest pledge of his love and goodness, that the most doubting or craving heart in the world could ever desire; his Son to be our sacrifice: and how shall he not with him give us all things needful, useful, and beneficial?
This Son of his he made the Captain of our salvation, and yet he made him a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grie and made perfect by suffering.
And this Son of God did bear all not only with patience, but with resignation and contentment of mind: Not as I will, but as thou wik,” I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished P’ And when all was done, Jesus, that was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, was crowned with glory and honour; that he hj the grace of God should taste death for everj man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufieringa r’’ and this was done (besides that expiatory sacrifice thereby made for us) for these admirable ends: I. That we might see before us the ordinary method of the divine dispensation, his own eternal Son, that knew no sin, yet was made a man of sorrows: and then, why should we, poor sinful men, expect to be exempted and privileged more than the eternal Son, in whom God from heaven proclaimed himself well pleased? 2. That we might have an example before us: he, that is made the Captain of our salvation, was likewise to be the common pattern and image, whereunto all his disciples and followers are to be conformed, both passively and actively; he was exhibited as the first-born among many brethren: the common image, according to which all his disciples and followers should be conformed, Rom. viii. 29. As he was made perfect by sufferings, so must vie; and as he, through a vale of sufferings, passed into glory, so must we; that if we suffer with biro, we may be glorified with him: he was exhibited, as the common standard and pattern of a Christian’s
^iNlitJ^m in he lowest estate that can befal him in thisttfe: ami surely we hae reason to be contented to be eonfora, and subject to the condition of the Captain of our salvation. 3. That as he was thus exhibited as a passive example or conformity, so lie became an active example for our imitation; full of quietness composedness, submission, patience, tmd contentment, to give us an example, and to imjprint upon us the same temper and frame of mipd, Ihat whilst we behold his example, we may, by a secret sympathy, be transformed, as it were, into the same mould and image. 4. That we might have thts great pledge and assurance, that he who once lived in this world, and had experience of the difficulties and troubles of it, and is now translated to the right hand of the glorious majesty of God, and hath the prospect of all our wants, and needs, and sorrows, and troubles, and sufferings, and of the degrees of strength we have to bear it, and hath the plenitude of power to support, to strengthen and deliver us: I say, that we may be assured, that he is a merciful and faithful high-priest, sensible, and compassionate of our condition: ‘* For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.”
Thus it hath pleased the goodness of Almighty God, (who knows our frame, and considers that we are but dust,) to use as much indulgence and compliance, as is possible for a most tender father to his weak and froward children; and since he knows afflictions and crosses are as necessary for us as the very best of our blessings, he also gives us all the helps and supplies that are imagmable, with the greatest suitableness to our nature, to make them easy, supportable, and profitable; and to enable us to bear them, with the greatest patience and contentment. We cannot be without them, for then we are very apt to grojf proud and secure, self-conceited, insolent, to set up our rest, and be building of tabernacles here, to dread and fear death beyond all measure, and to be utterly unprovided for it,, to, be desirous to take our portion in this life, and to make our heaven on this side death; as the two tribes desired their lot on this side Jordan, because they found it convenient. And though we cannot well be without them, yet we stand in need of daily helps to bear them patiently, contentedly, and profitably; and we are accordingly, by the divine goodness, furnished with helps suitable to our condition and frame.
As all the afflictions, crosses, and troubles, in this life, are managed by the wise providence and government of the most wise and merciful God, and have their voice, errand, and message from him to us; “Hear the rod, and him that hath appointed it:” so, he hath given us the inestimable jewel of his word, to expound and unriddle what he means by them, and to instruct us how to carry ourselves under them; how to improve them all for our spiritual and everlasting good; how with patience and cheerfulness to undergo them; how to be drawn the nearer to God by them. And to this end he hath given us most divine and wise counsels touching them; great assurance of his love, goodness, and the light of his countenance, to carry and conduct us with comfort and dependence upon him in them; and hath given
«t admirable examples, which are so many commentaries and expositions upon them, and to show us what he means and intends in them and by them: as the examples of the Jewish church and people; the examples of his best saints and servants, and their sufferings and the reasons of them, and their deportment under them, and wherein they failed, and wherein they benefited by then); as Abraham, Job, Moses, David, Hezekiah, Josiah, and all the Apostles and primitive Christians: in whom we may, with great clearness and satisfaction, observe how much advantage they got by their afflictions; what losses they were at by their peevishness, fro ward ness, and discontent with their afflicted condition; what comfort, satisfaction, and benefit they attained by their patience, quietness, equality of mind, voluntary submission to the divine providence, and contentment with their estates, though ever so troublesome and uneasy.
But above all, the bountiful God hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: he hath given us the clearest conviction imaginable that this world, and our life in it, is not our principal end and scope, but the place of our pilgrimage; at best, our inn, not our home; our place of trial and preparation for a better state: he hath showed us that it is but our passage, and such a passage as must and shall be accompanied with affliction, and it may be with persecution, by evil men, evil angels, evil oc* currences: that it is the place of our warfare; a troublesome and tumultuous stormy sea, through which we must pass before we come to our haven s that our country, our home, our place of rest and
p3 happiness, lies on the other side of death, where there shall be no sorrow, nor trouble, nor fears, nor dangers, nor afflictions, nor tears; but a place of eternal and unchangeable comfort, fulness of most pure and uninterrupted pleasures, and that for evei more: that through many tribulations and afflictions we roust enter into that kingdom, as his ancient people entered into their Canaan through a Red Sea, a tiresome and barren wilderness, fiery serpents, wants, enemies, and uninterrupted dangers and difficulties: that “our light afflictions, which are but here for a moment, work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” Our afflictions and inconveniences in this world, 1. Are light in comparison of that exceeding, far more exceeding weight of glory. 2. As they are but light, so being compared with that eternal weight of glory, they are but for a moment: the longest life we here live is not ordinarily above threescore and ten years; and though the more troublesome and uneasy that life is, the longer it seems, yet compared with the infinite abyss of eternity, it is but a moment, yea, less than a moment, if less can be, yet such is the longest stay in this life if compared with eternity.
And the gracious God hath presented this great-* est, and most important truth to us with the greatest evidence and assurance that the most desponding and suspicious soul can desire. 1. He hath given his own word of truth to assure us of it. 2. He hath given his own Son to seal it to us, by. the most powerful and convincing evidence imaginable: by his mission from heaven on purpose to tell us it; by his miracles; by attestations from heaven; by the liiying down his own life in witness of it; by his restmrection and ascension; by the miraculous mission of his Holy Spirit, visibly and audibly. Again, 3. He hath confirmed it to us, by the doctrine and miracles of his Apostles, by their death and martyrdom, as a witness of the truth they taught; by the liumerbus converts, and primitive Christians, and godly martyrs, who all lived and died in this faith, and for it: who made it their choice rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, declaring plainly that they sought a better city and country, that is, a heavenly; and this country, and this city, they had in their eye, even while they lived in this troublesome world: and this prospect, this hope, and expi9vtation, rendered this lower woitd of no great value to them, the pleasures thereof they esteemed but low, and little, and the troubles and uneasiness thereof they did undergo patiently, cheerfully, and contentedly; for they looked beyond them, and placed their hopes, their treasure, their comfort above them. And even whilst they were in this life, yet they did, by their faith and hope, anticipate their own happiness, and enjoyed it by faith, even before they iictually possessed it by fruition; for “faith is the substance of things hoped for,” and makes those things present, by the firmness of a sound persuasion, which are in themselves future and to come.
And this is that, which will have the same effect with us, if we live and believe as they did; and be but firmly and soundly persuadefd of the truth of the gospel, thus admirably confirmed to us. “This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”
“The just shall live by faith.” We live by faith, and not by sight.” And excellent is that passage to this purpose: ‘* For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
And therefore, if we do but seriously believe the truth of the gospel, the truth of the life to come, the best external things of this world will seem but of small moment to take up the choicest of our desires or hopes, and the worst things this wotld can inflict will appear too light to provoke us to impatience or discontent. He that hath but heaven and everlasting glory in prospect, and a firm expectation, will have a mind full of contentment in the midst of the lowest and darkest condition here on earth impatience and discontent never can -stay long with us, if we awaken our minds, and summon up our faith and hope in that life and happiness to come. Sudden passions of impatience and discontent, may, like clouds, arise and trouble us for a while, but this faith, and this hope, rooted in the heart, if stirred up, will, like the sun, scatter and dispd them, and cause the light of patience, contentment, and comfort, to shine through them.
And as we have the hope of inlmortality and blessedness set before us, so the means and way to attain it are easy and open to all; no person is eltduded from it, that wilfully excludes not himself. “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money: come ye, buy and eat, without money and without price.” “Who soever will, let him take of the water of life freely.” ‘^ Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” The way to everlasting happiness, and consequently to contentment here, is laid open to all. It was the great reason why God made mankind, to communicate everlasting happiness to them; and when they wilfully threw away that happiness, it was the end why he sent his Son into the world, to restore mankind to it. And as the way is open to all, so is it easy to all; his yoke is easy and his burden is light. The terms of attaining happiness, if sincerely endeavoured, are easy to be performed, by virtue of that grace that Almighty God affords to all men, that do not wilfully reject it: namely, to believe the truth of the gospel, so admirably confirmed; and sincerely to endeavour to obey the precepts thereof, which are both just and reasonable, highly conducing to our contentment in this life, and consummating our happiness in the life to come: and for our encouragement in this obedience, we are sure to have, if we desire it, his special grace and blessed Spirit to assist us; and a merdful Father to accept of our sincerity, and a gracious Saviour to pardon our failings and defi? ciencies* So that the way to attain contentment in this life, and happiness in the life to come, as it is plain and certain,’ so it is open and free, none is excluded from it, but it is free and open to all that are but willing to use the means to attain it..
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And I flhftll wiad up this long discourse touching contentment) with this plain and ordinary instance. I have before said that our home, our country is heaven and everlasting happiness, where ther« are no sorrows, nor fears, nor troubles, that this world is the place of our travel, and pilgrimage, and, at the best, our inn: now, when I am in my journey, I meet with several inconveniences; it may be the way is bad and foul, the weather tempestuous and stormy; it may be I meet with iome rough companions, that either turn me out of my way, or dash and dirt me in it, yet I content myself, for all will be mended when I come home: but if I chance to lodge at my inn, there, it may be, I meet with bad entertainment, the inn is full of guests, and I am thrust into an inconvenient lodging, or ill diet, yet I content myself, anil consider it no other than what I have reason to expect, it is but according to the common condition of things in that place; neither am I so* licitous to furnish my lodgings with better accommodations, for I must not expect to make long stay there, it is but my inn, my place of repose for a night, and not my home; and therefore I content myself with it as I find it, all will be amended when I come -home. In the same manner it is with this world; perchance I meet with an ill and uncomfortable passage through it, I have a sickly body, a narrow estate, meet with affronts and disgraces, lose my friends, companions, and relations, my best entertainment in it is but troublesome and uneasy: but yet I do content myself; I consider it is but my pilgrimage, my passage, my inn; it is not my comitry, nor the place of my rest: this kind of usage or condition is but according to the law and custom of the place, it will be amended when I come home: for in my Father’s house there are many mansions; many mansions instead of my inn, and my Saviour himself hath not disdained to be my harbinger; he is gone thither before me, and gone to prepare a place for me. I will therefore quiet and content myself with the inconveniences of my short journey, for my accommodations will be admirable when I come to my home, that heavenly Jerusalem, which is the place of my rest and happiness.”
But yet we must withal remember, that though heaven is our home, the place of our rest and happiness, yet this world is a place for our duty and employment, and we must use all honest and lawful means to preserve our lives and our comforts by our honest care and diligence. And as it is our duty to wait the time till our Lord and Master calls, so it is part of our task in this world given us by the great Master of the family of heaven and earth, to be employed for the temporal good of ourselves and others. It is indeed our principal business to fit ourselves for our everlasting home, and to think of it; but it is a part of our duty, and an exercise of obedience, while we are here, to employ ourselves with honesty and diligence in our temporal employments: though we are not to set our hearts upon the conveniences of this life, yet we are not to reject them, but use them thankfully and soberly; for they are blessings that deserve our gratitude, though they ought not entirely to take up our hearts. AgaiDy though crosses and afflictions must be the
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exercise of our patience, we must not wilfully choose them, nor run into them. Let God be still the Master of his own dispensations, for he is wise and knows what is fit for us, when we know not what is fit for ourselves. When he sends them, or permits them, our duty is patience and contentment; but commonly our own choice is headstrong and fodlish. It was the error of many new converts to Christianity, who thought, that, when heavenly-mindedness was pressed, presently they must cast off all care of the world, desert their callings, and biuily and unnecessarily thrust themselves into dangers, that so they might be quit of all worldly care and business, and of life itself. This the Apostles frequently reprove, and show the error of it, and that justly: for the truth is, jour continuance in this life, and in our honest employments and callings, our thankful use of external blessings here, and our honest endeavours for them; the endeavour to do good in our places, so long as we continue in them; our prudent prevention of external evils, are part of that obedience we owe to our Maker, and part of that exercise or task that is given us by him to perform in this life; and our cheerful, faithful, diligent conversation herein, is so far from being incompatible with Christianity, that it is part of our Christian duty, and of that service we owe to our Maker; and it is indeed the exercise of -our patience, and the evidence of a contented mind: for whosoever grows so weary of the world, that presently, with &oward Jonah, he wisheth to die, or throws off all, it is a sign of the want of that contentment that is here commended; because true contentment consists in a cheerful and ready compliance with the will of Gody and not in a froward preference of our own will or choice. It was part of our Saviour’s excellent prayer for his disciples, ‘^ I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.”
The business, therefore, of these papers, is to let you see what are the helps to attain patience and contentment in this world, that our passing through it may be safe and comfortable, and agreeable to the wUl of Ood; and to remedy that impatience and discontent which is ordinarily found among men; to teach men how to amend their lives, instead of being weary of them; and to make the worst conditions in the world easy and comfortable, by making the mind quiet, patient, and thankful. For it is the discontented and impatient mind that truly makes the world much more uneasy (ban it is in itself.