' The poets bring in the feigned gods, each one content with his own office and estate — Mars with war, Minerva with sciences, Mercury with eloquence, Cupid with love, Jupiter with heaven, and Pluto with hell. ^ 'Dainties.' — G.
244 London's lamentations on [Isa. XLII. 24, 25.
though nothiiii^ will satisfy those men's hearts whose lusts are their lords. We shall never want a penny in our purses to hear our charges till we get to heaven ; and therefore let us he content with our present portion in this world. Phil. iv. 12, ' I have learned, in whatsoever estate I am, therewith to he content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound : everywhere, and in all things, I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to sutler need.' In these words you have first the vicissitude of Paul's outward con- dition : at one time he abounds, at another he is abased : at one time he is full, and at another time he sutlers need. You have the sweet and gracious composure of his spirit, and this is expressed in two singular acts. The first is his contentation of mind in all conditions : ' I have learned, in Avhatsoever estate 1 am, therewith to be content.' The second is his prudent and pertinent comportment with his present condition : ' I know both how to be abased, and how to abound.' You have the way how he attained this contentation of mind in all con- ditions: 'I have learned,' saith he, ' I am instructed;' this lesson of contentment he did not learn at the feet of Dr Gamaliel, but in the school of Jesus Christ. Contentment in every condition is too high a lesson for any effectually to teach, but Jesus Christ. 0 sirs ! in the grave it is all one who hath [had] all, and who hath had none. What folly is it to lay up goods for many years, when we cannot lay up one day for the enjoyment of our goods ! Christ, who never miscalled any, calls him 'fool' who had much of the world under his hands, but nothing of God or heaven in his heart. Zopirus the Persian was con- tented to sustain the cutting off his nose, and ears, and lips, to further the entei'piise of his lord, Uarius, against proud Babylon, i So Chris- tians should be contented to be anything, to do anything, or to suffer anything, to further or j^romote the glory of God in this world. All this whole world is not proportionable to the precious soul. All the riches of the Indies cannot pacify conscience, nor secure eternity, nor prevent death, nor bring you off in the day of judgment ; and there- fore be contented with a little. All the good things of this world are but cold comforts: they cannot stretch to eternity, they will not go with us into another world ; and therefore why should the want of such things either trouble our thoughts, or break our hearts ? The whole woild is but a paradise for fools ; it is a beautiful but deceitful harlot ; it is a dreamed sweetness, and a very ocean of gall. There is nothing to be found in it that has not mutability and uncertainty, vanity and vexation stamped upon it. And therefore he cannot be ha])py that enjoys it, nor he miserable that wants it. And why then shouhl not he be contented that has but a little of it ? The greatest outward happiness is but honeyed poison ; and therefore do not shrug nor faint because thou hast but little of the world. All thy crosses and losses shall be so tempered by a hand of heaven, as that they shall become wholesome medicines ; they shall be steps to thy future glory, they are thy only hell, thy heaven is to come. And therefore be contented in the midst of all thy sorrows and sufferings. Eemember that many times they who have most of the world in their hands, have
' Rather Zopyrus, whose extraordinary devotion to Darius is told bv Herodotus, iii. 153-lCO.— G.
IsA. XLIL 24, 25.] the late fiery dispensation. 245
least of God, of Christ, of the Spirit, of grace, of heaven in their hearts.'^ And remember, that a man were better to have much of God with a little of the world, than to have much of the world with a little of God. God alone is a thousand thousand felicities, and a world of happiness, the only life and light. Algerius the martyr, being swallowed up in a sweet fruition of God, found more light in his dungeon than was without in all the w^orld. 0 sirs ! if upon casting up of your accounts for another world, you find that heaven is your home, the world your footstool, the angels your attendants, your Creator your father, your Judge your brother, the Holy Spirit your comforter ; if you find that God is ever with you, ever before you, ever within you, ever round about you, and ever a-making of provision more or less for you, why should you not be contented with your present condition, with your present proportion, be it more or be it less ? But,
6. The sixth duty that lies upon those wdio have been burnt up, is to mourn, to lie loio, to keep humble under this dreadful judgment of fire, under this mighty hand of God. When Ziklag was iDurnt by the Amalekites, ' David and the people lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no power to weep,' 1 Sam. xxx. 1-4. They wept their utmost ; they wept themselves even blind. They did not stoicall}'' slight that fiery rod, but prudently laid it to heart. Tears are called the blood of the soul. Now a shower of tears, a shower of blood, they poured out to quench those flames that the Amalekites had kindled. When they saw their city laid desolate by fire, their sorrow was so great that they were overburthened with the weight of it ; and there- fore they sought ease in venting their sorrow in a shower of tears. And so when Nehemiah understood that the wall of Jerusalem was broken down, and the gates thereof were burnt with fire, he sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, Neh. i. 3, 4. Some authors report [Nazianzen and Jerome, &c.] that the Jews to this day come yearly to the place where Jerusalem, the city of their fathers, stood, which was by Titus and Adrian destroyed by fire and sword, and upon the day of the destruction of it weep over it. Oh how well does it become all burnt citizens to stand and weep over the ashes of London, and greatly to abase themselves under that mighty hand of God that has been lifted up against them I^ 1 Pet. v. 6, ' Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.' Ah London, London ! how hath the mighty hand of the Lord been lifted up against thee ! how hath he by flames of fire laid all thy glory in the dust ! The Lord, by fire, sword, and pestilence, hath greatly humbled thee. And oh, when shall it once be that thou wilt be humble under the mighty hand of God ! It is one thing to be humbled by judgments ; it is another thing to be
^ It is only an infinite good and infinite God that can fill and satisfy the soul of man. Plato could say, The mind is not satisfied nor quieted till it return thither from whence it came.