Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/d_500.lzh/D_574.TXT

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OF CONTENTMENT OF MIND.

BOOK I.

own and tO the necessities of others; and when in very
distressed circumstances, in voyages and journies,
shipwrecked, and in perils on various accounts, in pain
and weariness, hunger and thirst, cold and nakedness;
and he had learned.to bear all these things patiently,
and with submission to the will of God, and to be
content with them. Also,--( 2. ) He knew how to
abound, or what it was to be high in the esteem of
men, and to have an afltuenee of the things of life,
an abundance, a fulness of them, at least, as he judged
it; and he knew how to behave in the midst of plenty,
as not to be elated with it, and carry it haughtily to
others; he learned not to abuse it, but to make a good
use of it, for the relief of the necessitous, and for the
interest of religion.--(3.) He knew what it was
both to be full and to be hungry, to have a full meal
and to want one; to be at a good table, and to be al-
most starved and famished; and he was instructed of
God, how to conduct in such different circumstances,
as neither to abuse his fulness, nor repine at his wants;
and for confirmation, and to shew how deeply his mind
was impressed with these things, he repeats them, both
to abound and to suffer need, to have an overflow of
things, and to be entirely deprived of them; and yet
in all to be content. To be stripped of every thing,
to have nothing, and yet be content, is wonderful! if
a man has something, though but little, there is a rea-
son for contentment; but for a man to have nothing
and be content, this is extraordinary; and yet this was
the case of the apostle and his brethren, who were
sometimes hungry, and had nothing to eat; thirsty,
and nothing to drink; naked, and no clothes to put
on; and had no dwelling-place to shelter them from
inclemencies; and yet content: the truth of these
words, and the riddle in them, the apostles knew, and
knew how to solve; as having nothing, and yet pos-
sessing all things; and this made them contented.
3dly, This contentment of mind is expressed by a
man's having enough. Esau, who was a worldly man,
and Jacob, who was a spiritual, upright, and plain-
hearted man, both said they had enough, Gen. xxxiii.
9, 11. but in a different sense; and, indeed, they use
different phrases; for though they are the same in our
version, yet not in the original; Esau at first refused
the present of his brother Jacob, saying, I have enough;
\^br yl vy\^, which may be rendered, I have much; now a
man may have much, and yet not have enough in his
own account; he may have much, and yet may want
more, and so not be contents: but Jacob urged his
brother to take his present, saying also, I have enough;
or rather, as it should be rendered \^lk yl vy\^ I have all
things, or every thing; and a man that has every
thing, has enough indeed, and has reason to be con-
tent; and this is the case of every gracious man, and
these the ci?eumstances of every true believer in
Christ, as will be seen hereafter; and therefore ought
to be content.
4thly, This contentment is expressed by a man's
being satisfied with what he has: earthly riches are not
satisfying things, especially to such who are greedy of
them, or have an immoderate love for them; one that

knew human nature full well says, He that loveth silver
shall not be satisfied with silver, Eccles. v. i0. but riches
of grace are satisfying; the unsearchabie riches of
Christ, all spiritual things, are of a satisfying nature to
spiritual men; the Lord satisfies their mouth with good
things; with the provisions, the goodness, and fatness
of his house; the poor of Zion he satisfies with spiritual
bread; he satiates the weary soul, and replenishes every
sorrowful soul, Psalm ciii. 5. and cxxxii. 14. Jer. xxxi.
25. especially the love of God is exceeding satisfying
to a gracious soul; 0 Napthali, satisfied with fayour,
with the love of God, and full with the blessing of the
Lord, even to contentment; such as are favoured after
this manner are satisfied as with marrow and fatness,
Deut. xxxiii. 23. Psalm lxiii. 5. and, indeed, a little
of the good things of this life, and the love of God
with them, are more satisfying, and give more con-
tentment, than all the riches of the world can without
it, Prov. xv. 17. I proceed to inquire,
II. How any come by true contentment of mind.
1. It is not natural to mau; man is naturally a dis-
contented creature, especially since the fall; nay, it
was discontent which was the cause of that; our first
parents not being content with the state of happiness
in which they were, abode not in it, but fell from it;
such was their ambition, prompted to it by the tempter,
that they affected to be as God; or however, perceiv-
ing there was a class of creatures superior to them,
more wise and kuowing, they could not be content
with their present case and circumstances; but wanted
to be upon an equality with them; and being told,
that by eating the forbidden fruit they would attaiu to
it, took and eat of it, and thus by coveting an evil
covetousness, lost the happiness which they had;
hence it is most truly said of man, that he is, at his best
 estate, altogether vanity, Psalm xxxix. 5..           2. Iris not
 to be found in a natural or unregenerate mau; such a
 man is always uueasy and disquieted; as restless as
 the troubled sea, and the waves thereof; let him be in
 pursuit of what he may, he never arrives to it to satis-
 faction; is it wisdom and knowledge he seeks after, as
 his first parents did ? he gets no content; but finds,
 that in much wisdom is much grief and vexation of
 spirit; and that, by an increase of knowledge sorrow
 is increased. Is it pleasure m the gratification of the
 senses ? these are soon palled with it, and new plea-
 sures are wanting; and these, when had, like the for-
 mer, issue in bitter reflections and remorse of con-
 science. Is it worldly honour, fame, and applause of
 men ? these are fickle, transitory things, not to be de-
 pended on, and seldom last long; and amidst them
 there is something that mars the pride and ambition
 of men; as Mordecai's not bowing to Haman made
 the latter uneasy and discontented, notwithstanding
 the profusion of honours conferred upon him. Or is
 :,t wealth and riches ? these are very uncertain and un-
 satisfying things, as has been observed. There is no-
 tiring can satisfy the mind of man but God himself;
 and if a man lives without God in the world, let him
 have what he will, he lives a discontented life; none
 but a godl.v man is a contented man; there may be

· s Nunquam parurn est; quod satis est, nunquara multum est, quod satis non est. Seneca, Ep. 119.