5. What a rare and admirable thing is it to be content with daily bread, though it be coarse, and though there be. but little of it ! A Christian, though he hath hut a viaticiwi^ — a little meal in the barrel, — yet he hath that which gives him content. What he hath not in the cupboard, he hatli in the promise ; that bit of bread he hath, is with the love of God, and that sauce makes it relish sweet, — that little oil in the cruse is a ])]edge aiul earnest of those dainties he shall taste of in the kingdom of God, — this makes him content. A\'hat a rare and won- derful thing is this ! It is no wonder to be content in heaven, when we are at the foun- tain-head, and have all things we can de- sire ; but to be content when God keeps us to short commons, and we have scarce <laily bread, this is a wonder, ^\'hen grace is crowning, it is no wonder to be content > but when grace is conflicting with straits, now to be content is a glorious thing indeed, and deserves the garland of praise.
6. To make us content with daily bread, though (iod straitens us in our allowance, think seriously of the danger that is in an high j)rosperous condition. Some are not content with daily bread, but desire to have their barns filled, and heap up silver as dust ; this ])roves a snare to them, 1 Tim. vi. 9., " They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare."" Pride, idleness, wantonness, are three worms, that usually breed of plenty. Prosperity oft deafens the ear against God, Jer. xxii. 21., "I spake to thee in thy prosperity, but thou saidst, I will not hear." Soft jilensures harden the heart. In the body, the more fat, the less blood in the veins, and the less sj)irits ; the more outward plenty, often the less piety. Prosperity hath its honey, and also its sting ; pros])erity, like the full of the moon, makes many lunatic. The pastures of pros-
520
OF THE rOURTII PETITION IN THE LORD'S TRAYER.
])prity arc rank and surfeiting. Anxious care is tlic vtalus (jeniiis, — the evil spirit that haunts the rich man, and Avill not let liini be quiet ; wlien liis chests are full of money, his heart is full of care, either how to manage or how to increase, or how to secure what he hath gotten. Sunshine is pleasant, but sometimes it scorcheth. Should not this make us content with what allow- ance God gives, if we have daily bread, though not dainties ? Think of the dan- ger of prosperity ; the sjn'eading of a full table may be the spreading of a snare ; ma- ny have been sunk to hell with golden weights. The ferry-man takes in all pas-
cannot give in anger, and which cannot stand with reprobation, and they may Kay as David, Ps. xvi. 6,, Tlie lines are fallen to them in jdeasant jdaces, and they liavc a goodly heritage. I have. read of Didimus and Anthony : Didimus was a blind man, but very lioly, — Anthony asked hini, if he was not troubled for the want of* his eves, he told him he was, — Why (saith Anthonv) are you troubled ? you want that which flies and birds have, but you have that which angels have. So I say to Chri.^lians, il'(jod hath not given you the purse, he hath given you his Spirit ; if you want that which rich men have, Cilod hath given you that
sengers, that he may increase his fare, and i which angels have, and are you not con-
sometimes to the sinking of his boat. 1 Tim vi. 9., "They that will be rich fall into many hurtful lusts, which drown men in perdition." The world's golden sands are cpiicksands ; this may make us take our daily bread, though it be but coarse, con- tentedly. AVhat if we have less food, we liave less snare ; if less dignity, less dan- ger ; as we want the rich provisions of the world, so we want the temptations.
7. If God keeps us to a spare diet, if he gives us less temporals, he hath made it up in spirituals ; he hath given us tlie ])earl of price, and the holy anointing. — \st. The pearl of price, the Lord Jesus, he is the quintessence of all good things. To give us Christ, is more than if God had given lis all the vvorld. God can make more worlds, but he hath no more Christs to be-
stow ; he is such a golden
mine, that the
angels cannot dig to the bottom, Ejih. iii. 8. From Christ we may have justification, ado])tion, coronation. The sea of God's mercy in giving us Christ (saith Luther) should swallow up all our wants. — 2d, The holy unction ; (iod hath anoiuted us with the graces of his Si»irit. Grace is a seed of God, a blossom of eternity; the graces are the impressions of the divine nature, stars to enlighten us, spices to ])erfume us, dia- monds to enrich tjs; and if God lialh ad- orned the hidden man of the heart with these sacred jewels, it may well make us content, though we have but siiort com- mons, and that coarse too. God hath i^i- veu iiis people better things than com and wine ; he hath given them that which he
tent ?