<lri('s the brains, wastes the sj)irits, corrodes and eats out the comfort of life ; discontent makes a man that he doth not enjoy what he doth possess. A drop or two of vinegar will sour a whole glass of wine. Let a man have the atlluence and confluence of worldly comforts, a drop or two of discon tent will imbitter and poison all. Comfort depends upon contentment ; Jacob went halting, when the sinew upon tl«! liollow ot his thigh shrank: so, when the sinew of contentment begins to shrink, we go halt- ingin our comforts. Contcntation is as neces- sary to keep the life comfortable, as oil is ne- cessary to keep the lamp burning; the clouds of discontent do often drop the showers of tears. Would we have comfort in our lives ? We may have it if we will. A Chris- tian may carve out what condition he will to himself. Why dost tlioii complain of thy troubles ? It is not trouble that trou- bles, but discontent; it is not the water without the ship, but the water that gets within the leak, which drowns it ; it is not outward affliction that can make the life of a Christian sad, — a contented mind would sail above these waters, — but when there's a leak of discontent open, and trou- ble gets into the heart, then it is disquieted and sinks. Do therefore as the mariners, pump the water out, and stop the spiritual leak in thy soul, and no trouble cjiu hurt thee.
Chap. IX. Use II. A Check to the Dis- contented Christian.
Here is a just reproof to such as are dis contented with their condition. This dis- ease is almost epidemical. Some not con- tent with the callinjr which God hath set
The comfort of life doth not stand in hav- i them in, must be a step higher, from the
" man's plough to the throne: who like the spider ill the Proverbs, will " take hold with her hands, and is in kings jialaces," Prov. xxx. 28. Others from tlic shop to the pulpit, Numb. xii. 2. They would be in the tem- ple of honour, before they are in the tem- ple of virtue ; who step into Moses' chair,, without Aaron's bells and pomegranates like apes, which do most shew their de- formity wlieii they are climbing. Is it not enough that God hath bestowed gifts upon
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ing much ; it is Christ's maxim, life consisteth not in the .ibundance of the things which he doth possess," Luke xii. 15. ; but it is in being contented. Is not the bee as well-contented with feeding on the dew, or sucking from a flower, as the ox that grazeth on the mountains? Contentment lies within a man, in the heart ; and the way to be comfortable, is not by having our barns filled, but our minds quiet. The contented man, saith Seneca, is the happy
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ART OF DIVINE COXTEXTMEXT.
men, in private to edify ; that he hath en- riched them with many mercies ? But, *' Keek ye the priesthood also ?" Numb. xvi. 10. What is this but discontent arising from high-flown pride? These do secretly tax the wisdom of God, that he hath not screwed them up in their condition a peg higher. Every man is complaining that liis estate is no better, though he seldom complains that his heart is no better. One man commends this kind of life, another commends that ; one man thinks a country- life best, another a city-life ; the soldier thinks it best to be a merchant, — and the merchant to be a soldier. Men can be con- tent to be any thing but what God would have them. How is it that no man is con- tented ? Very few Christians have learned St. Paul's lesson : neither poor nor rich know how to be content, they can learn any thing but this.
1. If men are poor, they learn to be, 1. envious ; they malign those that are above them. Another's prosperity is an eye-sore. When God's candle shines upon their neigh- bour's taliernacle, this light offends them. In the midst of wants men can, in this sense, abound, viz. in envy and malice ; an envious eye is an evil eye. 2. They learn to be querulous, still complaining, as if God had dealt hardly with them, — they are ever telling their wants, — they want this and that comfort, — whereas tlieir greatest want is a contented spirit. Those that are well enough content with their sin, yet are not content with their condition.
2. If men are rich, they learn to be co- vetous ; thirsting insatiably after the world, and by unjust moans scraping it together ; their " right hand is full of bribes," as the Psalmist expreescth it, Ps. xxvi. 10. Put a good cause in one scale, and a piece of gold in the other, and the gold weighs hea- viest. There are, saith Solomon, four things that say, " It is not enough," Prov. xxx. 15. I may add a fifth, viz. The heart of a covetous man. So that neither poor nor rich know how to be content. Never cer- tainly since the creation did this sin ot dis- content reign or rather rage more than in our times ; never was God more dishonour- ed ; you can hardly speak with any, but the passion of his tongue betrays the dis-