them fair. 8. That in as much as I am but a steward, I will be very careful that my management of my truft may be such as will bear my Lord's fcrutiny; I will not employ my ftock of wealth or honour to the difhonour of my Lord, in riot or excels, in vanity or oppreffion; but will do as much good with it as I can, according to the trust committed to me, that I may give a juft and fair and comfortable account of my ftewardship when my Lord and Mafter calls for it. 9. That in as much as thofe very externals are in themfelves bleffings if well employed, though not the bleffings of the greatest magnitude; I will with all humility and thankfulness acknowledge the Divine bounty to me, in trufting me with abundance, and will employ it to his honour. Seneca Thyest. Act. 2. STET quicumque volet potens Me dulcis saturet quies; Obscuro positus loco, Leni perfruar otio; Nullis nota Quiritibus Atas per tacitum fluat. Sic cum transierint mei LET him that will afcend the tott'ring feat OF CONTENTATION', AND THE MOTIVES TO IT, BOTH MORAL AND DIVINE. PHIL. IV. 11, FOR I HAVE LEARNED IN WHATSOEVER STATE I AM THEREWITH TO BE CONTENT. THERE are three excellent vintues which especially refer to our condition in this life, and much conduce to our fafe and con.fortable paffage through it. 1. Equality of Mind, or Equanimity. 2. Patience. 3. Contentedness. 1. Equality of Mind, or Equanimity, is that virtue which refers both to profperity and adverfity, whereby in all conditions of that kind we carry an even and equal temper, neither over much lifted up by profperity, nor over much depreffed in adverfity. 2. Patience properly refers to caufes, difappoint ment, afflictions, and adverfity, whereby we carry a quist and fubmiffive mind, without murmuring, paffion, or difcompofure of fpirit, in all afflictions, whether fickness, loss of friends, poverty, reproach, difgrace, or the like. 3. Contentation, which differs from equality of mind, because that refpects as well profperity as adverfity, this only adverfity; and in fome refpects differs alfo from 'Contentment. patience patience (though this always accompanies it). 1. In the extent of the obj&t, for patience refpects all kinds of affliction; contentednefs, in propriety of fpecch, refpects principally the affliction of want or poverty. 2. In the act itself, for patience, in propriety of fpeech, implies only a quiet compofed toleration of the evils of adverfity; but contentedness imports fomewhat more, namely, not only a quietness of mind, but a kind of cheerful free fubmiflion to our prefent condition of adverfity, a ready compliance with the Divine Providence and, in effect, a choice of that flate wherein the Divine difpenfation placeth us, as well as in bearing it. Thefe, though they may in ftrictnefs give a diftinction between patience and contentation, yet we must obferve that contentation is never without patience, though it be fomething more: and that in the common acceptation and latitude of the word, Contentation doth not only extend to the condition or affliction of poverty, but even to all other outward afflictions reached to us by the inflicting or pe mitting hand of Divine Providence and in this large acccptation I fhall here apply and ufe it. Content, therefore, in its large acceptation, is not only a quiet and patient, but also a free and cheerful clofing with the eftate and condition of life, which the Divine difpenfation fhall allot unto us, whether mean or poor, or laborious and painful, or obfcure, or necefiitous, or fickly, or unhealthy, or without friends, or with lofs or abfence of friends, or any other ftate that feems ungrateful to our natures or difpofitions. For we nced not apply this virtue to a flate of high profperity in all things, wherein, (though men are not ordinarily contented) yet they have but fmall temptations to dif content from the ftate itfelf wherein they are fo. This leffon of contentation was learnt by this Apoftle, which imports thefe things: 1.That it is a ton that is poffible to be learned, for the Apoftle had learned it. 2. That it is a leflon that requires fomething of induitry N 3 dustry and pains to acquire it, for he learned it before he attained it. 3. That it is a leffon that deferves the learning, for he speaks of it as of a thing of moment and great ufe, well worth the pains he took to attain it. And the truth is, it is of fo great importance to be learnt, that without it we want the comfort of our lives; and with it all conditions of life are not only tolerable, but comfortable. And hence it is, that this excellent Apostle doth very often inculcate and press, and commend this leffon in many of his epiftles. 'Godliness with contentment is great gain 1.' 'Let your converfation be without covetoufnefs, and be 'content with fuch things as ye have; for he hath faid, 'I will not leave thee nor forfake thee 2. Again, And having food and raiment, let us be therewith content 3.' I fhall therefore fet down thofe reafons that may perfuade and encourage us to contentation with our condition, and likewise to patience under it; for patience and contentation cannot be well fevered. And the reafons are of two forts; 1. Moral. 2. Divine and Evangelical. Neither fhall I decline the use of moral reafons, confidering how far, by help of these, many Heathens (that had not the true knowledge of God revealed in his Word and Son) advanced in the practice of thefe virtues. The Moral Reajons therefore are thefe: 1. Very many of the external evils we fuffer are of our own choice and procurement, the fruits of our own follies and inadvertence, and averfenefs to good counfel. And why fhould we be difcontented, or impatient under thofe evils which we ourfelves have chofen, or repine because thefe trees bear their natural fruit? 2. The greateft part of evils we fuffer are of that nature and kind, that are not in our power either to prevent or help: Some come from the very condition of cur nature, as ficknefs, death of friends; and of abfolute neceffity, the more relations any man hath, the 1 1 Tim. vi. 6. 2 Heb. xiii. 5. 31 Tim. vi. 8. more more evils of this kind he may fuffer: And can we 3. The texture and frame of the world is fuch, that 4. Let 1 |