I. State to you the experience of St. Paul —
In unfolding it, I would entreat you particularly to notice,
1. The invaluable lesson he had learned —
[Greatly diversified had been his states ; but " in all, he had learned to be content." The word which we translate " content" comprehends much more than a mere quiescent state of mind. The term " self-sufficient," if it did not convey to an English reader a wrong idea, would more exactly express the import of the original a. The Apostle had within himself that which was abundantly sufficient for him, even though he should be reduced to the utmost possible state of destitu- tion, so far as related to the things of this life. He was pos- sessed of all that man could desire : he had God as his Father, Christ as his Saviour, the Holy Spirit as his Comforter, and heaven as his home. What could he want more ? What could he desire, that could add to this? or what could he lose, that could detract from this ? This which he had within him was altogether out of the reach of men or devils. The Holy Spirit was within him " a well of water, springing up into everlasting lifeb;" so that he enjoyed the utmost composure of mind, assured that nothing could impoverish him, nothing hurt him, nothing disturb the tranquillity that he enjoyed.]
2. The vast proficiency he had attained in it —
[At some seasons, he abounded with all that even a carnal mind could wish : but at other seasons he was exposed to as heavy trials as humanity could well sustain. " He was in labours more abundant than any of the Apostles, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews, five times received he forty stripes save one ; thrice was he beaten with rods ; once was he stoned ; thrice he suf- fered shipwreck; a night and a day he was in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by his own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren ; in weariness and painful- ness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness ; besides those things that are without, that which came upon him daily, the care of all the Churches0." Now all this, 1 think, may be said to have put his principle to a severe trial. And did he still preserve his equanimity 'I still feel contentment under all ? Yes, under all. " Nothing could move him." The internal support he felt, from a con- sciousness that he was under the Divine care, and executing
a avraptcnQ, b John iv. 14. c 2 Cor. xi. 23 — 28.