XXXVI.

and the laft words God will defign to spend upon us, Thofe SERM. mine enemies, which would not that I fhould reign over them, bring them hither, and flay them before me.

Luke xix.

Heb. xiii.

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead 27. our Lord Jefus, that great Shepherd of the Sheep, through 20, 21. the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleafing in his fight, through Jefus Chrift: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

VOL. 11.

SERMON XXXVII.

OF CONTENTMENT.

PHIL. iv. 11.

Ey yg I have learned in whatever ftate I am, therewith to be γὰρ

ἔμαθον ἐν οἷς

εἰμὶ, αὐτάρ της είναι.

content.

SERM. IN these words, by the example of an eminent faint, is XXXVII. recommended to us the practice of an excellent duty, or

virtue; a practice in itself most worthy, very grateful to God, and immediately of great benefit to ourselves; being indeed neceffary towards the comfortable enjoyment of our lives it is contentedness; the virtue, which, of all other, doth most render this world acceptable, and conftituteth a kind of temporal heaven; which he that hath, is Taurag- thereby ipfo facto in good measure happy, whatever other και τίθεμεν, things he may feem to want; which he that wanteth, To doth, however otherwife he be furnished, become miferaτὸν βίον, κα ndivid. ble, and carrieth a kind of hell within him: it cannot Arift. Eth. therefore but well deferve our best study about it, and

i. 7.

Τὸ εὐδαιμονῶν ἀπέχειν δεῖ

care to get it; in imitation of St. Paul, who had learned in whatever ftate he was, therein to be content.

In difcourfing upon which words I fhall confider two particulars: first, the virtue itself, (contentedness in every ftate,) the nature of which I fhall endeavour to explain; then the way of attaining or producing it, implied by St. Paul in the words, I have learned.

I. For explication of the virtue: the word here expreff& 9-ing it is auтágxax, which fignifieth felf-fufficiency, or

having enough of onefelf; the which is not to be under- SERM. flood abfolutely, as if he took himfelf to be independent XXXVII. in nature, able to fubfift of himself, not wanting any fup- à, port or comfort without himself, (for this is the property ρωμένῳ τιν and privilege of the great El-Shaddai, who alone fubfifteth is de of himself, needing toward his being and felicity nothing. without himself; this is repugnant to the nature of man, Arr. iii. 24. who is a creature effentially dependent for his being and fubfiftence, indigent of many things for his fatisfaction and welfare,) but relatively confidering his prefent ftate, the circumftances wherein he was, and the capacities he had; which by God's difpofal and providence were fuch, that he could not want more than he had in his poffeffion or reach. He meant not to exclude God, and his providence; but rather supposed that as the ground and caufe of his felf-fufficiency; according as otherwhere he expreffeth it: Not as if we were fufficient of ourselves, but 2 Cor. iii. 5. sur fufficiency is of God: nor did he intend to exclude the need of other creatures otherwife than as confidered without his poffeffion, or beyond his power; but he meaneth only, that he did not defire or lack more than what God had fupplied him with; had put into his hand, or had fet within his reach; that his will did fuit to his ftate, his defire did not exceed his power.

This is the meaning of the word, which the Apostle ufeth but for the more full and clear understanding the virtue itself, we fhall first confider the object, about which it is converfant; then the feveral acts, which it requireth, or wherein the exercise thereof confifteth.

1. The object of contentedness is the present state of things, whatever it be, (whether profperous or adverse, of eminency or meannefs, of abundance or fcantnefs,) wherein by divine Providence we are fet: τὰ ἐν οἷς ἐσμὲν, the things in which we are; that is, our prefent condition, with all its circumftances: fo it may be generally fuppofed, confidering that it is ordinary, and almost natural for men (who have not learned as St. Paul had done, or are not inftructed and exercised in the practice of this duty) to be diffatisfied, and difquieted in every flate; to be always

SERM. in want of fomething; to find defects in every fortune; XXXVII. to fancy they may be in better cafe, and to desire it earneftly if we estimate things wifely, rich men are more liable to discontent than poor men. It is obfervable, that prosperity is a peevish thing, and men of highest fortune are apt moft eafily to refent the fmalleft things: a little neglect, a flight word, an unpleafing look doth affect them more than reproaches, blows, wrongs do thofe of a mean condition.

Profperity is a nice and fqueamish thing, and it is hard to find any thing able to please men of a full and profperous ftate, which being uncapable of bettering in substantial things, they can hardly find matter of folid delight. Whereas a poor eftate is easily comforted by the acceffion of many things which it wanteth: a good meal, a small gift, a little gain, or good fuccefs of his labour doth greatly please a poor man with a very folid pleasure: but a rich man hath nothing to please him, but a new toy, a puff of applause, success at a horse-race, at bowls, at hunting; in some petty sport and paftime, which can yield but a very thin and tranfitory fatisfaction to any man not quite brutified and void of fenfe: whence contentedness hath place, and is needful in every condition, be it in appearance Job xx. 22. never so profperous, so plentiful, so pleasant. In the fulnefs of his fufficiency he shall be in ftraits.

Chryf. tom. vii. p. 68.

The formal object thereof may indeed feem to be a condition diftafteful to our fenfe, or crofs to our fancy; an adverse or ftrait condition; a condition of poverty, of difgrace, of any great inconvenience or diftrefs incident to us in this world; but fince the most men are absolutely in such a condition, exposed to so many wants and troubles; fince many more are needy comparatively, wanting the conveniencies that others enjoy, and which themselves affect; fince there are few, who in right eftimation are not indigent and poor, that is, who do not d fire and fancy themselves to want many things which they have not, (for wealth confifteth not fo much in the poffeffion of goods, as in apprehenfion of freedom from want, and in fatisfaction of defires,) fince care, trouble, difappointment, fatiety,

and difcontent following them, do not only haunt cottages, SERM. and stick to the lowest fort of people, but do even frequent XXXVII. palaces, and pursue men of highest rank; therefore any ftate may be the object of contentednefs; and the duty is of a very general concernment; princes themselves need to learn it; the leffons teaching it, and the arguments perfuading it may as well fuit the rich and noble, as the poor and the peasant; fo our Apoftle himfelf doth intimate in the words immediately following our text: 【Phil. iv. 12. know both how to be abafed, and I know how to abound; every where, and in all things I am inftructed both to be full, and to be hungry; both to abound, and to fuffer need: he had the art not only to manage well both conditions, = but to be fatisfied in either.

But seeing real adverfity, poverty, and disgrace have naturally the strongest influence in disturbing and disordering our minds; that contentedness is plainly most needful in fuch cafes, as the proper fupport, or medicine of our mind in them; that other ftates do need it only as they, by fancy or infirmity, do fymbolize or confpire with these; therefore unto persons in these states we shall more explicitly apply our directions and perfuafions, as to the proper and primary fubjects of contentedness; the which by analogy, or parity of reason, may be extended to all others, who, by imaginary wants and diftreffes, do create displeasure to themselves. So much for the object, or the fubject of the virtue.

2. The acts, wherein the practice thereof confifteth, (which are neceffary ingredients, or constant symptoms of it,) belong either to the mind and understanding, or to the will and appetite, or to external demeanour and practice; being, 1. right opinions and judgments of mind; 2. fit difpofitions and affections of heart; 3. outward good actions and behaviours, in regard to our condition and the events befalling us; the former being as the root and stock, the latter as the fruits and the flowers of the duty: unto which may be reduced the correspondent negations, or absence of bad judgments, affections, and deportments in respect to the fame objects.