us,

cidents to good ends, and improve them to honest uses, SERM. is the work of a noble virtue. If a bad game be dealt XXXVII. we should not presently throw up, but play it out fo well as we can; fo perhaps we may fave fomewhat, we fhall at least be busy till a better come. Put thy truft in the Pfal.xxxvii. Lord, and be doing good, is the Pfalmift's advice in fuch a3. cafe; and it is a practice neceffary to the procuring and maintaining content; if we be not otherwife well employed, we shall be apt, in our thoughts, to melancholize, and dote upon our mischances, the fenfe of them will fasten upon our spirits, and gnaw our hearts.

6. We should behave ourselves fairly and kindly toward the inftruments and abettors of our adverfity; toward those who brought us into it, and those who detain us under it, by keeping off relief, and those who forbear to afford the fuccour we might expect; forbearing to express any wrath or displeasure, to exercife any revenge or enmity toward them; but rather, even upon that score, bearing good-will, and expreffing kindness toward them; not only as to our brethren, whom, according to the general law of charity, we are bound to love, but as to the fervants of God in this particular case, and the instruments of his pleasure toward us; confidering, that by maligning or molefting them, we do exprefs ill refentments of God's dealing with us, and, in effect, through their fides, do wound his Providence: thus did the good King behave himself toward Shimei, when he was bitterly reproached and cursed by him; not suffering (upon this account, because he was God's inftrument of afflicting himself) that any harm should be done unto him: thus the holy Apo- 2 Sam. xvi. files being reviled, did blefs; being defamed, did entreat: thus our Lord demeaned himself toward his spiteful ad-12,13. versaries; who, when he was reviled, did not revile again; 1 Pet.ii. 23. when he fuffered, he did not threaten; but committed it to iii. 9. him that judgeth righteously. In all these cafes we should at leaft obferve the rules and advices of the Wife Man: Say not, I will do fo to him as he hath done to me, I will Prov. xxiv. render to the man according to his work; fay thou not, I will recompenfe evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall fave thee.

1 Cor. iv.

29. XX. 22.

SERM.

Discontent usually confifteth not so much in displeasure XXXVII. for the things we fuffer, as at the perfons who bring them on us, or who do not help to rid us from them; it is their prefumed injury or difcourtesy which we do fret at: fuch paffions therefore toward men being discarded, our evils presently will become supportable, and content easily will enfue. As men in any fick nefs or pain, if their friends are about them, affording comfort or affiftance, do not feem to feel any thing, and forbear complaining; fo, if the world about us doth please us, if we bear no difaffection or grudge toward any perfon in view, our adverfity will appear lefs grievous, it will indeed commonly be fcarce fenfible to us.

In these and fuch like acts the duty and virtue of con tentednefs doth especially refide; or it is employed and exercised by them: and fo much may fuffice for the explication of its nature. I come now to confider the way of attaining it, intimated by St. Paul here, when he faith, I have learned.

SERMON XXXVIII.

OF CONTENTMENT.

PHIL. iv. II.

I have learned, &c.

XXXVIII.

THESE words fignify how contentedness may be attain- SERM. ed, or how it is produced: it is not an endowment innate to us; it doth not arrive by chance into us; it is not to be purchased by any price; it fpringeth not up of itself, nor arifeth from the quality of any state; but it is a product of discipline; I have learned.

It is a queftion debated in Plato, εἰ διδακτὸν ἡ ἀρετὴς whether virtue be to be learned; St. Paul plainly refolveth it in this cafe by his own experience and teftimony. What Seneca faith in general of virtue (Nature giveth not virtue; it is an art to become good a) is most true of this virtue; it is an art, with which we are not born, no more than with any other art or science; the which, as other arts, cannot be acquired without ftudious application of mind, and induftrious exercife: no art indeed requireth more hard study and pain toward the acquiry of it, there being fo many difficulties, fo many obftacles in the way thereto : we have no great capacity, no towardly difpofition to learn it; we muft, in doing it, deny our carnal sense, we must fettle our wild fancy, and suppress fond conceits; we must bend our stiff and stubborn inclinations;

* Non dat natura virtutem, ars eft bonum fieri. Sen. Ep. 89.

Virtus etiamfi quofdam impetus ex natura fumit, tamen perficienda doctrina eft. Quintil. xii. 2.

SERM. we must reprefs and reftrain wanton defires; we muft XXXVIII. allay and ftill tumultuous paffions; we must cross our

humour and curb our temper: which to do is a hard chapter to learn; much confideration, much practice, much contention and diligence are required thereto.

Hence it is an art which we may obferve few do much study; and of the students therein few are great proficients; fo that, Qui fit, Mecanas? Horace's queftion, How comes it to pass, that nobody liveth content with the lot affigned by God? wanted not fufficient ground.

However, it is not, like the quadrature of the circle, or the philofopher's ftone, an art impoffible to be learned, and which will baffle all study: there are examples, which fhew it to be obtainable; there are rules and precepts, by obferving which we may arrive to it.

And it is certainly a moft excellent piece of learning; moft deferving our earnest ftudy: no other science will yield fo great fatisfaction, or good use; all other sciences, in comparison thereto, are dry and fruitless curiofities; for were we mafters of all other knowledge, yet wanted the skill of being content, we should not be wife or happy; happiness and discontent are acúsara, (things incompatible.)

But how then may this skill be learned? I answer, chiefly (divine grace concurring) by these three ways. 1. By understanding the rules and precepts, wherein the practice thereof confifteth. 2. By diligent exercise, or application of those rules to practice; whereby the habit will be produced. 3. By seriously confidering, and impreffing upon our minds those rational inducements (fuggefted by the nature and reafon of things) which are apt to perfuade the practice thereof. The first way I have already endeavoured to declare; the Second wholly dependeth upon the will and endeavour of the learner; the third I fhall now infift upon, propounding fome rational confiderations, apt, by God's help, to perfuade contentednefs, and ferving to cure the malady of discontent. They may be drawn from feveral heads; from God, from ourselves, from our particular condition

or ftate; from the world, or general state of men here; SERM. from the particular ftate of other men in comparison to XXXVIII. ours; from the nature and confequences of the duty itself; every thing about us, well examined and pondered, will minifter fomewhat inducing and affifting thereto.

18.

I. In regard to God we may confider, that equity doth 1 Sam. iii. exact, and gratitude requireth, and all reafon dictateth, that we should be content; or that, in being difcontented, we behave ourselves very unbefeemingly and unworthily, are very unjust, very ingrateful, and very foolish toward him.

15.

1. Equity doth exact this duty of us, and in performing it we act juftly toward God, both admitting his due right, and acknowledging his good exercife thereof; that faying in the Gofpel, Is it not lawful for me to do what I Matt. zz. will with mine own? is a moft evident maxim of equity: it is therefore the natural right and prerogative of God, as the Creator and Preferver, and confequently the abfolute Lord, Owner, and Governor of all things, to affign his station, and allot his portion to every perfon, as he judgeth good and convenient; it is moft just that inviolably he fhould enjoy this right: he being also infinitely wife and good, it is likewise most just to acknowledge that he doth perfectly well manage this right. Now by contentful fubmiffion to God's difpofal of things, we do worthily exprefs our due regard to both these, avowing his right, and approving his exercise thereof; but by difcontent and regret at what happeneth, we do in effect injure God in both those refpects, difavowing his right, and impeaching his management. We do thereby fo renounce his right, as (fo far as conceit and wish do reach) to invade it, and ufurp it to ourselves; fignifying, that in our opinion things ought not to be ordered according to his judgment and pleasure, but after our fancy and humour; we claim to ourselves the privilege of controlling his eftate, and difpenfing his goods, fo as to be our own carvers, and to affume to ourfelves fo much as we think good; we imply, that, if we were able, we would extort the power