[That persons may feel contentment while enjoying all that they can wish, we readily acknowledge. But we have not real contentment, unless we could be contented with any change of circumstances which God might see fit to appoint. Nor indeed can this fruit spring from any thing but real god- liness. Therefore the complacency which many take in their own fancied contentment, while they are uninfluenced by vital godliness, is a delusion, which, if not rectified in time, will issue in the most fearful disappointment and misery.]
2. Those who profess godliness, but manifest a
worldly or discontented spirit —
[The tree must be judged of by its fruits. In vain are the highest pretensions to Christian experience, if we be not dead to the world, and resigned to the will of God. O brethren, how many professors of godliness have, " through a desire to be richa, fallen into snares and temptations, and into foolish and hurtful lusts, which have drowned them in destruction and perdition!" Remember, that " the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some have coveted after, they have pierced themselves through with many sorrows." But thou man of God, flee these things, and seek rather to be " rich towards God."]
3. Those who profess both godliness and content- ment—
[Know, that you have a richer portion than crowns or kingdoms. You never can have occasion to envy any man. Only seek to grow in these divine graces. Give yourselves up wholly to God; and " having food and raiment, be there- with contentV Godliness is " durable riches ;" and one grain of contentment is worth a talent of gold. Let it appear, beloved, that you live under a full persuasion of these things ; and that your ardour in pursuit of heaven is accompanied with a proportionable indifference about the things of time and sense.]
a (3ov\6fiet>oi ttXuvte'u', ver. 9 — 11. b ver. 8.