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xv. 13.) it takes away the comfort of life. There is none of us but may have mercies if we can see them. Now, because we have not all we desire, therefore we will lose the comfort of that which we have already. Jonah having his gourd smitten-a withering vanity -was so discontented, that he never thought of his miraculous deliverance out of the whale's belly; he takes no comfort of his life, but wisheth that he might die. What folly is this? We must have all or none; herein we are like children, that throw away the piece which is cut them, because they may have no bigger. Discontent eats out the comfort of life. Besides, it were well if it were seriously weighed how prejudicial this is even to our health; for discontent, as it doth torture the mind, so it doth pine the body; it frets as a moth, and, by wasting the spirits, weakens the vitals. The pleurisy of discontent brings the body into a consumption; and is not this folly?

3. Discontent does not ease us of our burden, but makes the cross heavier. A contented spirit goes cheerfully under its affliction. Discontent makes our grief as unsupportable as it is unreasonable. If the leg be well, it can endure a fetter, and not complain; but if the leg be sore, then the fetter troubles. Discontent of mind is the sore that makes the fetters of affliction more grievous. Discontent troubles us more than the trouble itself;

it steeps the affliction in wormwood.* When Christ was upon the cross, the Jews brought him gall and vinegar to drink, that it might add to his sorrow. Discontent brings to a man in affliction gall and vinegar to drink : this is worse than the affliction itself. Is it not folly for a man to embitter his own cross?

4. Discontent spins out our troubles the longer. A Christian it discontented because he is in want; and therefore he is in want, because he is discontented: he murmurs because he is afflicted, and therefore he is afflicted because he murmurs. Discontent doth delay and adjourn our mercies. God deals herein with us as we use to do with our children when they are quiet and cheerful they shall have any thing; but, if we see them cry and fret, then we with-hold them. We get nothing from God, by our discontent, but we add to our sorrow. The more the child struggles, the more it grieves: and when we struggle with God by our sinful passions, he doubles and trebles our griefs; God will

* Christians should live in the expectation of a daily cross; but, at the same time, we should not forget to look to Jesus, who bore all our sins, in his own body on the tree, and who for the joy, that was set before him, endured the cross, despised the shame, and is now sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high; and, O, how pleas ing the thought, that he hath left us such a soul-cheering promise, that where he is there all his faithful followers shall be with him, to behold his glory; yes, heaven will make amends for all.

tame our stubborn hearts. What got Israel by their peevishness? They were within eleven days journey of Canaan, and now they were discontented, and began to murmur: God leads them a march of forty years long in the wilderness. Is it not folly for us to adjourn our own mercies? Thus you have seen the evil of discontent. I have been long upon this argument; but, to proceed:

SECT. VIII.

The eighth Argument to Contentment.

THE next argument or motive to Contentment is this-Why is not a man content with the competency which he hath? Perhaps, if he had more, he would be less content: covetousness is a dry drunkenness. The world is such, that the more we have, the more we crave; it cannot fill the heart of man. When the fire burns, how do you quench it? Not by putting oil to the flame, or laying on more wood, but by withdrawing the fuel. When the appetite is inflamed after riches, how may a man be satisfied? Not by having just what he desires, but by withdrawing the fuel, &c. moderating and lessening his desires. He that is contented hath enough. A man, in a fever or dropsy, thirsts; how do you satisfy him? Not by giving him liquid

things which will inflame his thirst the more; but by removing the cause, and so curing his distember. The way for a man to be contented is not by raising his estate higher, but by bringing his heart lower.

SECT. IX.

The ninth Argument to Contentment.

THE next argument to Contentment isThe shortness of life. "It is but a vapour," saith James, (Jam. iv. 14.) life is a wheel ever running. The poets painted Time with wings, to show the volubility and swiftness of it. Job compares it to a swift post, Job, ix. 25.-our life rides post-'tis but a day, not a year. It is indeed like a day: infancy is, as it were, the daybreak; youth is the sunrising; full growth is the sun in the meridian; old age is sun-setting. Sickness is the evening, then comes the night of death. How quick is this day of life spent! Oftentimes this sun goes down at noon-day: life ends before the evening of old-age comes; nay, sometimes the sun of life sets presently after sun-rising. Quickly after the dawning of infancy, the night of death approaches. Oh, how short is the life of man! The consideration of the brevity of life may work the heart to contentment. Remember thou art to be

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here but a day; thou hast but a short way to go, and what needs a long provision for a short way? If a traveller have but enough to bring him to his journey's end, he desires no more. We have but a day to live, and per- · haps we may be in the twelfth hour of the day; why, if God give us but enough to bear our charges till night, it is sufficient. Let us be content. If a man let the lease of a house or farm but for two or three days, and he should fall a building and planting, would he not be judged very indiscreet? So when we have but a short time here, and death calls us presently off the stage, to thirst immoderately after the world, and pull down our souls to build up an estate, is it not extreme folly? Therefore, as Esau said once, in a profane sense, concerning his birth right "Lo! I am at the point to die, and what profit shall this birth-right do to me?" So let a Christian say, in a religious sense-“ Lo! I am even at the point of death; my grave is going to be made, and what good will the world do me? If I have but enough till sunsetting, I am content."

SECT. X.

The tenth Argument to Contentment.

THE tenth argument or motive to Contentment, is-" Consider seriously the nature

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