(4.) Fourthly, If the best things are reserved for believers till they come to heaven, oh then let all believers be contented, though they have but short commons in this world! He that is an heir to a great estate, though in his non-age he be kept short, yet this comforts and contents him, that though things are now short with him, it will be but a little while before the inheritance is settled upon him, and this makes him bear up sweetly and contentedly under all his wants and straits, Philip, iv. 12-14, 1 Tim. vi. G-8. Ah, Christians! Christians! though for the present your wants may be many, and God may cut you short in many desirable enjoyments, yet it will not be long before the crown, the inheritance, be fully settled upon you, and then you shall never know what want means more, what short commons means more ; there- fore be content with your present condition, with your present portion, though it be never so little, never so mean : Heb. xiii. 5, ' Let your con- versation be without covetousness ; and be content with such things as you have' (or as the Greek hath it, roTg xagouaiv, the things that are pre- sent1). At this time the Hebrews had been plundered of all their goods, and goodly things, chap. x. 34, and so had nothing, or that which is as good as nothing, left, yet they must be content with present things. When they had changed their raiment for rags, their silver for brass, their plenty for scarcity, their houses for holes and caves, and dens, yet then they must be contented with present things. When men cannot bring their means to their minds, then they must bring their minds to their means, and, when this is done, then a little will serve the turn.2 A very little will serve to carry a man through his pilgrimage, and to bear his charges till he comes to his home, till he comes to heaven ; a little will serve nature, less will serve grace, though nothiug will serve a man's lusts. I have read of one Didymus, a godly preacher, who was blind ; Alexander, a godly man, being with him, asked him whether he was not much troubled and afflicted for waut of his sight? Oh yes! said Didymus, the want of my sight is a very great grief and affliction to me ; whereupon Alexander chid him, saying, Hath God given thee the
1 Contenli prxsentihus. So Beza.
2 If thou live according to nature, thou wilt never be poor; if according to opiniuu, thou wilt never be rich, suid the heathen. — Jerome.
1 Peter I. 4] a string of pearls. 44-3
excellency of an angel, of an apostle, and art thou troubled for the want of that which rats, and mice, and brute beasts have? And so Augus- tine, upon the 12th Psalm, brings in God rebuking a discontented Christian thus : What is thy faith ? have I promised thee these things? what ! wert thou made a Christian that thou shouldst flourish here in this world?1 So may I say to Christians that are discontented, dis- quieted, and disturbed about the want of this or that worldly comfort: Why are you troubled about the want of this or that worldly enjoyment? you that have an interest in God, an interest in the covenant, a right to Christ, a title to heaven; you that have so much in hand and more in hope; you that have so much in expectation and so much in rever- sion ; why do you sit sighing for the want of this outward comfort, and complaining for the want of that outward contentment, considering what great and glorious things are reserved in heaven for you ? It was said of the great Duke of Guise, that though he was poor, as to his present possessions, yet he was the richest man in France in bills, bonds, and obligations ; because he had engaged all the noblemen in France unto himself by advancing of them. A Christian, though a Lazarus at Dives's door ; yet, in respect of his propriety2 in God and his interest in the covenant, he is the richest and the happiest man in all the world : and why then should he not be content. Well ! remember, Christian, that the shortest cut to riches and all worldly contentments is by their con- tempt. It is great riches, it is the best riches not to desire riches ; and God usually gives him most that covets least. When two monks came to king William Rufus to buy an abbot's place, and endeavoured to outbid each other, a third monk that came to wait on them was asked what he would give, he answered, Not a penny ; I came to wait on him that shall have the place ; upon which the king gave the waiter the place. Just so doth God often carry it towards his people in this world ; they that seek it least shall have most. Solomon begs a wise heart, and God gives him that, and abundance of gold and silver and honour, and what not, into the bargain. The best way to have much, is to be contented with a little.
I have read of Dionysius [Plutarch], how he took away from one of his nobles almost his whole estate, and seeing him nevertheless con- tinue as cheerful and well contented as ever, he gave him that again, and as much more. This is a common thing with God, as Job and many thousands can witness ;3 the best way to have a pound is to be contented with a penny, the best way to have hundreds is to be con- tented with pounds, and the best way to have thousands is to be con- tented with hundreds. Ah ! thou unquiet and discontented Christian, canst thou read over that saying of Cato, a heathen, and not blush ? Si quid est quo utar, utor : si non, scio quis sum ; raihi vitio ver- tunt, quia multis egeo ; et ego Mis, quia nequeunt egere.* I have neither house, nor plate, nor garments of price in my hands ; what I have, I can use ; if not, I can want it ; some blame me, because I want many things, and I blame them, .because they cannot want. How many thousand Christians in these knowing and professing days might
1 If there were any happiness in riches, the gods would not want them, said Seneca. [See this quoted before in ' Mute Christian.' — G.] 2 ' Property.' — G.
3 Job i. and the last of Job compared. 4 Aulus Gellius reports this of him.
H !> A STRING OF PEABLS. [1 PeTEE I. 4.
this heathen put to the blush! O Christians! Christians! let the remembrance of the crown, the kingdom, the treasures, pleasures, and glories thai are reserved in heaven for yen, make you bear up sweetly and contentedly under all your outward wants in this world. But,